The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

20 years after the September 11th terrorist attack, we reflect on the profound impacts this event had on the globe. The U.S. government manipulated the aftermath of the attacks to declare that an "axis of evil" existed -- Iraq, Iran and North Korea -- and committed itself to waging regime change wars against these nations and others. The hardline militarist policy followed by the Bush administration, known as neo-conservatism, became completely dominant in U.S. foreign policy and military circles in the years following 9/11. And in each one of these regime change wars, the United States failed to achieve its goals -- but still caused enormous death and suffering. Brian Becker is interviewed on this topic by Nicole Roussell. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

11 Sep 202110min

50 years ago today, the inmates at Attica prison in New York state staged a heroic uprising that shook the country and the world. Shortly after the assassination of legendary Black Panther leader George Jackson by prison guards at San Quentin, Attica inmates took over the prison demanding an end to the horrific conditions they were subjected to, including routine beatings and torture at the hands of guards. On September 13, 1971, authorities attacked the prison and carried out a massacre -- but the legacy of the Attica uprising continues to inspire millions today. Brian is joined by by Eugene Puryear. He is the host of the podcast The Punch Out on BreakThrough News and host of the weekly live show The Freedom Side on BreakThrough News, which airs every Thursday on youtube.com/breakthroughnews at 8 p.m. Eastern/5 p.m. Pacific. 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.

9 Sep 202154min

Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the state of unemployment in America. Politicians and the media talk constantly about the post-COVID economic recovery, but last month’s weak jobs report suggests that workers are still in the midst of crisis. And despite this dire situation, the unemployment relief programs passed at the onset of the pandemic have now expired. Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can check out 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.

8 Sep 202136min

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how a Texas law has destroyed abortion rights for 16 million women and girls and is being used by right-wing political forces as a model for the rest of the country -- but a new fightback movement is taking shape. They also discuss the end of key pandemic relief programs, the aftermath of Hurricane Ida, important victories won by the struggle against the racist murders of Elijah McClain and Ahmaud Arbery, 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.

7 Sep 20211h 15min

In this August 2021 patrons-only seminar, Brian and the crew discuss the U.S. empire's reorientation after its defeat in Afghanistan and how the new Afghan government may take shape, including relations with neighboring countries like China and Iran. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

3 Sep 202111min

As China emerges as a leading global economic power, the Communist Party led by Xi Jinping is taking increasingly aggressive measures to combat inequality and ensure that the entire population benefits in "common prosperity". Brian is joined by Kenneth Hammond, a Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an activist with the organization 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.

2 Sep 202159min

Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the Supreme Court ruling overturning the federal eviction moratorium and putting 11 million people at risk of being thrown onto the streets in the middle of a pandemic. The rationale used by the court to issue this cruel edict is the essence of capitalism -- protect property owners’ “right to exclude” at all costs. Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out 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.

1 Sep 202133min

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss the latest in Afghanistan, including the U.S. drone missile strike in Afghanistan that wiped out a family of 10 people, all civilians, including several young children. They also discuss the devastation caused by Hurricane Ida and the urgent struggle to prevent 11 million evictions in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling last week striking down the federal moratorium. The following news articles and documents were referenced in this episode: Evacuations From Kabul Wind Down as U.S. Prepares to Pull Last Troops https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/28/world/asia/afghanistan-evacuations.html Is the U.S.-installed Afghan government doomed? https://www.liberationnews.org/is-the-u-s-installed-afghan-government-doomed/ Report Portrays a Broken C.I.A. Devoted to a Failed Approach https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/10/world/senate-torture-report-shows-cia-infighting-over-interrogation-program.html Senate Intelligence Committee report on CIA torture https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/publications/committee-study-central-intelligence-agencys-detention-and-interrogation-program 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.

31 Aug 20211h 5min