The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

The United States is in the midst of a political upheaval right now, after the 2020 uprising, the Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol, and the Dobbs decision that overturned one of the Supreme Court's biggest decisions -- access to abortion under Roe v. Wade. The right wing is on the move and the left needs a clear understanding of just where they're headed and how to be able to effectively fight back. What does Dobbs indicate for other democratic rights that we thought were guaranteed? Producer Nicole Roussell and Brian discuss the very significant political changes in the domestic policy situation in the United States, and the Attica prison uprising and massacre 51 years ago today. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The United States and South Korea put on the biggest military war games in four years, while Russia and China also ran military drills. Will the world become multipolar and is that enough to fully counter U.S. imperialism? Is major power conflict on the horizon? Producer Nicole Roussell and Brian discuss what multipolarity means for the international working class, what is needed to end U.S. imperialism, and what geopolitics are evident in Ukraine. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how Europe has plunged into an even deeper energy crisis as Russia cuts off imports through the Nord Stream pipeline in response to western sanctions. While US and European leaders pledged that sanctions would quickly bring the Russian economy to its knees, is the reality in fact the opposite? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this August 2022 patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the legacy of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union before its dissolution, who is being lionized by the capitalist media after his death on Tuesday. Brian also discusses the 1-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal of from Afghanistan, the drying up of the Colorado River due to climate change, education under capitalism versus socialism, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

In this special crossover episode, Rania Khalek of Dispatches sits down with Brian to talk about the impact of severe repression on the socialist, communist and Black Liberation movement in the United States during the past decades. Rania Khalek’s Dispatches program is on BreakThrough News, and is available on video at YouTube.com/BreakThroughNews and as a podcast on Google, Apple, and anywhere you get your podcasts. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian. This month it's on Wednesday, August 31, at 12pm ET/9am PT. Register now on Patreon!

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the student debt crisis. With an announcement expected imminently on the fate of the national freeze on student debt payments, pressure is mounting on the Biden administration to not only extend the moratorium, but also cancel a substantial amount of the crushing debt burden tens of millions of people in the United States are under. How did we end up in a situation where borrowers have accumulated over $1.7 trillion in debt just because they wanted to get an education? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

A political, social, economy, and class struggle has been intensifying in Turkey. What are the demands of the people and the progressive forces like the TKP, the Communist Party of Turkey? Brian is joined by Kemal Okuyan, who is the secretary general of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), for an inside look. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

A second congressional delegation went to Taiwan this week, less than two weeks after Pelosi visited. These trips have sparked a sense of outrage among many Chinese people, who demand respect for their sovereignty and for their impressive social and economic achievements. This includes massive poverty reduction and surpassing the United States in key indicators like life expectancy. How is U.S. aggression against China related to their continuous rise? Brian is joined by Tings Chak, Shanghai-based researcher at the Tricontinental Institute & a member of Dongsheng News collective and the author of the pamphlet “Serve the People: The Eradication of Extreme Poverty in China.” Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the housing market as the Federal Reserve-induced economic downturn takes shape. The situation is rapidly deteriorating for both renters and prospective home buyers, with evictions on the rise, prices rising and interest rates spiraling out of control. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The month of Black August focuses on the importance of the continued struggle for Black liberation and honors the lives and struggle of political prisoners—and calls for their freedom. While many have been released, like Albert Woodfox, who was released in 2016 and passed away earlier this month, many still linger behind bars, even in solitary confinement and in their 80s or sick. What does the ongoing treatment of these organizers and fighters tell us about the nature of the capitalist system and the tools that the ruling class fears the most? Nicole Roussell is joined by Nino Brown, a member of the Jericho Movement, which organizes to free political prisoners, and an organizer for the Party for Socialism and Liberation. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

A massive fire in Matanzas, Cuba, is coming under control after five days due to tireless efforts by firefighters and specialist crews. But the U.S. blockade, which worsened under Trump with 243 additional coercive measures, and which Biden has largely kept in place, has deprived Cuba of the equipment and resources necessary to handle this disaster. Brian is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, a central organizer of the Let Cuba Live campaign and the co-executive director of The People’s Forum in New York. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff analyze the Senate's spending bill entitled the "Inflation Reduction Act" for the effect it could have on inflation. It falls far short of what’s desperately needed to address the overlapping crises causing so much suffering for working people. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

A deadly fire broke out over the weekend in Cuba from a lightning storm that struck near an oil storage facility and caused an explosion. At least one person has been confirmed dead, and dozens more are injured and missing. This tragic natural disaster could have happened in any country, but is even harder on Cuba due to the U.S. war against them...including many of Trump’s policies that Biden hasn’t touched. Nicole Roussell is joined by Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee and one of the co-founders of the Hatuey Project at hatueyproject.org. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited the island of Taiwan this week, in an unprecedented escalation toward China. What will the fallout be? Could Pelosi have made this trip without the administration’s blessing? Will this surprise visit anger US allies in the region? Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and activist with Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss a leaked memo written by a top Bank of America economist that reveals in explicit terms the strategy of the capitalist class: cause as much suffering among workers as possible to rebalance the economy in favor of the rich. As the U.S. begins to experience an intentionally-caused recession, it is now even clearer that this is a matter of class struggle. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In a huge moment for the state and for the country, Kansas is voting today on a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban abortions if passed. Kansans are mobilized and fighting against this attack on women. In this edition of The Socialist Program, we air three presentations from a convening at The People’s Forum in New York called Free, safe, legal abortions now! Justice is ours to make! The first speaker who is introduced is Claudia De La Cruz, co-executive director of The People’s Forum, popular educator, community organizer, and theologian. Claudia then introduces Karina Garcia, reproductive justice organizer for over a decade and member of the Central Committee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The last speaker is Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a constitutional rights lawyer and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Texans revolted against Mexico’s rule in 1836—because Mexico was moving to abolish slavery. The fascist element in the state has links into modern day, and the history of Texas is crucial as this decade unfolds. Brian is joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, who holds the Moores Professorship of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston and is the author of many books. His newly published book, “The Counter Revolution of 1836: Texas slavery & Jim Crow and the roots of American Fascism,” is available through International Publishers. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Despite the horrendous heat wave that’s been hitting Europe and parts of the US, the Biden administration has yet to take truly meaningful action, and reports of his possible announcements this week don’t appear to meet the gravity of the climate crisis. What could the government be doing and how do we get there? Brian is joined by Tina Landis, an organizer in the environmental and social justice movements and the author of the book Climate Solutions Beyond Capitalism, which she is currently on tour nationwide to discuss. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The Biden administration is turning up the heat against China yet again, as news leaks that Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is traveling to Taiwan in August—another in a series of majorly escalatory acts. Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and activist with Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode, Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff break down the real cause of inflation. Inflation is rising prices, which is something the working class doesn't control. Businesses—and the Fed when it raises prices for borrowers by increasing interest rates—do control prices. Why do businesses do this since inflation is bad for the economy? Can the government change this? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Biden just landed from a multi-day tour in the Middle East where he spectacularly failed at his goals, including bringing more Arab countries into an alliance with Israel and bringing the price of oil down. This week, Russian President Putin is meeting with Iranian & Turkish leaders including Supreme Leader Khamenei and President Erdogan--showing that Iran and Russia are not as isolated as Biden makes them out to be. U.S. influence is declining, but will U.S. officials change their approach? Brian is joined by Professor Mohammad Marandi. He is an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In an escalation in the cold war against China, the heads of the U.S. FBI and UK MI5 spoke jointly in London on the “serious threat“ that they say the Chinese government poses to Western businesses. Meanwhile, New York City released a PSA on what to do in a nuclear war, where the main recommended tactic is to go inside. What is behind the sensationalist language and where have we seen it before? Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and activist with Pivot to Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how the leaders of the wealthy G7 nations gathered in Germany this week for a summit focused on isolating Russia from the world economy. The summit discussed attempts to impose a “price cap” on Russian oil exports and a prohibition on trading Russian gold, but is this sanctions regime backfiring on the west? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The Supreme Court – an unelected group of nine millionaires with lifetime appointments – have overturned Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the right to abortion at the federal level. Tens of thousands have been in the streets all over the country since the Dobbs decision was announced on Friday, and in the weeks prior to that in response to the draft decision leak. Biden called abortion “a fundamental right” in his speech Friday reacting to the decision, but has so far taken no action to restore this right. How can a militant women’s movement overcome the indifference and outright hostility of the political establishment towards abortion rights? In this special edition of The Socialist Program, we air two interviews from our video partner BreakThrough News from their live coverage just after the Dobbs decision came down. Hosts Eugene Puryear and Rania Khalek BT were joined by Kym Smith -- an organizer with the Party for Socialism and Liberation in South Carolina -- and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard -- a constitutional rights lawyer and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In a true show of intercontinental solidarity, words from Cuban President Miguel Diaz Canel joined the speeches of Native activist and Co-Director of the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee Jean Roach, National Director of BYP100 D’atra Jackson, and host of this show, Brian Becker, at the final plenary of the three-day-long People’s Summit for Democracy in early June. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode, Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the elections in France's legislature that led to a large upswing in seats won by the progressives and current President Macron's center-right party losing their governing majority. What does this energy behind the left in France tell us? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Anti-China news and disinformation dominate the mainstream press in Western countries. When the pandemic hit, several researchers, mainly in the Global South, decided that they needed a news source for the facts of what is going on in China day to day. Tings Chak, based in Shanghai, and others founded Dongsheng News, which covers national policies like the campaign that eradicated extreme poverty and new advances in the fight against the climate crisis, news issues like agriculture and regional government, and important topics like culture and society for a true perspective into China. Brian is joined by Tings to take you inside China to discuss the necessity of alternative media about China, the realities of Covid in China, the US, and the world, the views in different parts of China about the U.S. and Chinese governments, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Working class communities around the world are organizing against capitalism. They are also forging a new international movement of solidarity and cooperation in the International People’s Assembly. How can organizers build international unity, and oppose the tools used by the ruling class to divide and defeat the popular movements that are expanding democracy while fighting to save the planet? Brian is joined at the People's Summit for Democracy by Stephanie Weatherbee Brito with the International Peoples' Assembly. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the newly-released inflation report that found that prices rose at a breathtaking pace – 8.6 percent, the highest in over 40 years. Anger is spreading across the country as working people struggle to afford the basic necessities in life as fuel, food and other essential commodities become increasingly unaffordable. What can be done to solve the crisis? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode, Brian Becker interviews Roberto Lovato. Since the Monroe Doctrine, Latin America has resisted U.S. attempts to dominate the region. Last week, another instance of resistance took place around the Summit of the Americas, which many heads of state boycotted over the Biden administration's decision to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Brian and Roberto Lovato discuss this, the urgent need to end the blockade of Cuba, and the hypocrisy of U.S. immigration policy as Ukrainians are welcomed but immigrants from Latin America and the Caribbean are caged. Roberto Lovato is the author of the critically-acclaimed memoir Unforgetting. Lovato is a journalist and visiting professor of English at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Lovato has reported on numerous issues—violence, terrorism, the drug war and the refugee crisis—from Mexico, Venezuela, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Haiti, France and the United States, among other countries. Photo credit: Midia Ninja Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this May 2022 patrons-only seminar, Brian focuses on answering questions from patrons, including multiple about the ongoing war in Ukraine, the connection to China and North Korea, how political organizing in the U.S. has changed over the decades, organizing in rural areas, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Biden excluded Cuba from the Summit of the Americas, and then the U.S. government blocked visas for Cuban special guests to the People's Summit of Democracy as well. To discuss the U.S. policy of exclusion and the double standards in U.S. definitions of “democracy,” Brian is joined at the People's Summit for Democracy by Gail Walker, executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization and Pastors for Peace. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the possibility of a recession, now that the majority of CEOs foresee one. They're calling it mild, but is that what the economic signals are showing? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode, John Prysner interviews Brian Becker. The struggle between imperialism and the people of the world goes on every day and everywhere. But the form taken by imperialism and the strategies it pursues is always changing. What are the main epochs of this history, and what lessons can be learned for the contemporary movement for justice and self-determination? Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Three decades after the end of the so-called Cold War the threat of all-out nuclear conflict – and therefore the annihilation of life on Earth as we know it – is a real and growing danger. But this time, the threat to human civilization is compounded by the crisis of climate change. We need a new system if humanity is to step back from the brink. Brian is joined by John Bellamy Foster, the editor of Monthly Review and a professor of sociology at the University of Oregon. He’s the author of several books, including Naked Imperialism: The U.S. Pursuit of Global Dominance, and The Return of Nature: Socialism and Ecology. Look at for his new book being published August 23 called “Capitalism in the Anthropocene: Ecological Ruin or Ecological Revolution.” Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how outrage is spreading across the country in the wake of the mass shooting at Robb Elementary School. The complete failure and cowardice on the part of the police allowed the killer to carry out the massacre. And the gun manufacturers who profit while mass shootings devastate the country are given special legal protections. How are the arms industry capitalists shielded from accountability? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

As the U.S./NATO proxy war in Ukraine against Russia rages, the imperialist establishment is increasingly united behind a strategy of escalation. Brian and Eugene Puryear trace the development of this increasingly hostile approach over the years and decades; and review the most important recent military, economic and political developments in the conflict. Eugene Puryear is the host of the BreakThrough News podcast The Punch Out, and co-host of the BT live video show The Freedom Side. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the report from the Tax Justice Network, a well-known international organization, finding that the United States is now the country with the greatest degree of financial secrecy in the entire world. Banks and corporations move in the shadows, concealing their operations and vast wealth. What are the ultra rich up to behind the scenes? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss how Congress raced to pass a massive $40 billion spending package for the war in Ukraine at the same time as the foreign policy establishment contemplates the possibility of a military confrontation with China. They also discuss the anniversary of the murder of George Floyd and the racist massacre in Buffalo, the struggle for abortion rights as the Supreme Court ruling looms, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

Today's bonus episode is a recording of Brian Becker's keynote speech at the Los Angeles Socialism Conference on May 7th, 2022. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

The Summit of the Americas being held next month in Los Angeles is shaping up to be a humiliation for the Biden administration. In response to the United States’ attempt to exclude Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua from the gathering, leaders in Bolivia, Mexico and Caribbean states plan to boycott. And activists in Los Angeles along with others throughout the country and the hemisphere are planning a People’s Summit for Democracy as a counter-event to demand an end to U.S. aggression against Latin America and highlight the people’s struggles against injustice inside the United States itself. Brian is joined by Manolo De Los Santos, the co-executive director of The People’s Forum in New York, and a longtime popular educator. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the shortage of infant formula and how the capitalist economy isn't structured to take into consideration the survival needs even of babies. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, and Nicole Roussell discuss the racist massacre in Buffalo, New York over the weekend, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces and despite being an American the United States hasn’t responded, Finland and Sweden are nearly set to join NATO, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

How does China view the war in Ukraine? Brian Becker and Tings Chak discuss China’s foreign policy and how Chinese leaders are grappling with the world situation as it is transformed by the war. They also deal with the state of China’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S.-instigated tensions over Taiwan, and more. Brian is joined by Tings Chak, a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and a member of the Dongsheng News collective. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how the Federal Reserve raised interest rates at the highest rate in over 20 years, signaling a major shift in policy as it attempts to tackle the spiraling inflation crisis. But will this maneuver work? Or is it likely to instead spark a new recession? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's In the News roundtable, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how protesters took to the streets all throughout the last week in cities and towns across the country in outraged response to the Supreme Court’s draft ruling overturning Roe v. Wade – which was heroically leaked to the public before it was finalized. The panel also discusses the latest updates on the war in Ukraine, elections in the Philippines and Northern Ireland, Amazon being challenged in the halls of Congress, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

As the United States escalates the war in Ukraine by sending another $33 billion, the possibility of nuclear war is coming into focus. Brian and Greg Mello discuss how the U.S. policy of waging proxy war on Russia via Ukraine raises the threat of a direct confrontation between the two nuclear-armed powers. What is the United States’ strategy in this nuclear game of chicken and what are the dangers of nuclear war? Greg Mello is co-founder and Executive Director of the Los Alamos Study Group. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the global food crisis that is taking shape with major price rises already being felt around the world – a grave situation that is expected to deepen. As the war in Ukraine drags on and as the western countries attempt to cut Russia off from the global economy, disruptions to supply chains and shortages are becoming even more severe. The global capitalist market is yet again proving to be incapable of ensuring something as basic as food to the world’s population. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how the Biden administration is preparing by far the biggest package of military aid yet for Ukraine. With hardly any debate, Congress is ready to approve sending $20 billion of weapons to Ukraine on top of $13 billion in additional financial support for the government – a point driven home by Nancy Pelosi’s surprise trip to Kiev. The panel also discusses the continuing rollback of pandemic relief programs, the fight to defend abortion rights, demands for student loan debt relief, and more. The following articles are referenced in this episode: The U.S. Should Show It Can Win a Nuclear War https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-us-show-it-can-win-a-nuclear-war-russia-putin-ukraine-nato-sarmat-missile-testing-warning-11651067733 The Means-Test Con https://www.levernews.com/the-means-test-con/ [This episode was recorded Monday (May 2nd 2022) late afternoon prior to the news that the Supreme Court majority had voted to overturn Roe V. Wade and extinguish women’s fundamental right to control their own body. Starting last night and throughout today, and in the coming days, there will be mass protests in the streets throughout the United States.] ——— Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram. We rely on the generous support of our listeners to keep bringing you consistent, high-quality shows. All Patreon donors of $5 a month or more are invited to join the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

In this April 2022 patrons-only seminar, Brian and Nicole focus on the new era in world politics taking shape as a consequence of the Ukraine war & other global trends. Where are we coming from and where are we headed? Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!