Dangerous Game: Pelosi Provokes China Over Taiwan
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.
21 Juli 20221h
Inflation: A Capitalist Tool of Class War Against the Working Class
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.
20 Juli 202231min
Biden's Colossal Failure in the Middle East: How the U.S. Position Is Weakening in Global Politics
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.
19 Juli 202248min
Behind the Propaganda: U.S. & British Intelligence Ramp Up Threats Against China
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.
15 Juli 202257min
Will the West, not Russia, Lose the Most from the Global Sanctions Regime?
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.
29 Juni 202228min
Mass Protests Erupt as Supreme Court Decimates Abortion Rights: Demand Biden Act Now!
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.
28 Juni 202234min
Building Revolutionary Solidarity Across the Americas Against the Failed “Summit of the Americas”
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.
23 Juni 202246min
Going Left: Lessons for the Left from French Elections
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.
22 Juni 202233min
