Unauthorized Disclosure

Asa Winstanley, a journalist and podcaster with the Electronic Intifada, joins hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola to discuss the latest cycle of Israeli government violence against Palestinians.    Plus, later in the show, Asa highlights a report he produced on the British secret police and their infiltration of activist groups.  To subscribe to this podcast, go to Rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis

CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola to go through President Joe Biden's foreign policy agenda during his administration's first 100 days. Her organization put together a poll for people to grade the Biden administration. Medea gives the Biden White House a "D," which is barely a passing grade. Biden has pulled back from some of the extremism of his predecessor, President Donald Trump. The United States re-entered the Paris climate agreement, the new START treaty was renewed with Russia, the Muslim ban was lifted, and there are plans for a withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan (though she notes Trump negotiated a withdrawal). But Biden has also failed terribly and instead promoted militarism and prolonged inhumane policies. As Medea highlights, crippling sanctions remain in force against Cuba, Iran, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela. The U.S. military continues to support the Saudi war on Yemen, and the administration has delayed returning to the Iran nuclear deal. Later in the episode, Medea discusses how it is harder to organize for peace under a Democratic administration and highlights some of the campaign work that CODEPINK is engaged in while Biden is in the White House.

"We know they're not a revolutionary party, but they're not even reformers. The Democrats are not even fighting for strong social reforms at this moment. They're managers," says Ryan Knight, a socialist, activist, and host of the "Amped Up" podcast. "They're trying to kind of manage this decrepit capitalist and imperialist system, despite the massive levels of suffering that it's inflicting in our country and throughout the world."   Ryan joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola for this week's episode of the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast. He outlines the chief dilemma with progressives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who fear confrontation with President Joe Biden's administration and establishment Democrats that control the party.    [*NOTE: This is a free version of the episode. The episode posted at our Rokfin channel - rokfin.com/UnauthorizedDis - contains our entire discussion.]

Ollie Vargas, a reporter with Kawsachun News in Bolivia, and Leonardo Flores, the Latin America coordinator for CODEPINK, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss the runoff election in Ecuador. Flores was in Ecuador as an election observer. Guillermo Lasso, a conservative banker supported by the United States and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), beat Andrés Arauz, the left-leaning candidate. It was a bleak development for the left, as this means President Lenin Moreno's destructive neoliberal policies will continue to wreak havoc on the Ecuador economy. Ollie describes each of the two candidates, who were in the runoff, and addresses the outcome. Leonardo highlights a poll from a right-wing firm called Cedatos that had some impact on the integrity of the election. Later in the episode, the two guests discuss the media in Ecuador, which played a role in demonizing Arauz. They describe some of the obstacles the left in Ecuador failed to overcome and confront some of the new personnel in President Joe Biden's administration, who will count on Lasso to serve US interests.

Kshama Sawant, a member of the Seattle City Council and Socialist Alternative, joins the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss the unprecedented recall effort against her.   The state supreme court in Washington gave a green light to the Recall Swant campaign on April 1. It explicitly targets Kshama for promoting a tax on corporations like Amazon in order to help the city fund housing for lower income residents. Kshama is also unfairly singled out for attending a protest against Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan at her home, which was part of a push in June to defund the Seattle Police Department. The grassroots mobilization took place in the weeks following the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police.     The news of Amazon's so-called victory in thwarting a union at a plant in Bessemer, Alabama, came right before we recorded our interview. Kshama reacts to the news and highlights the ways they corrupted the election.

Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola wake up early and discuss rich countries hoarding the COVID-19 vaccine, liberals who are uncomfortable with calling out New York Governor Andrew Cuomo's corruption, and a drone whistleblower who pled guilty to violating the Espionage Act. *For the full episode, subscribe on Rokfin at https://rokfin.com/unauthorizeddis

Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola are joined by Ehsani, who has spent his career in the financial industry and economics. He prefers to go by his Twitter handle. During this episode, Ehsani provides a deep dive into the roots of an intense financial crisis and outlines why the banking industry is largely insolvent. Much of it revolves around a fixed currency rate and the way in which banks acted as brokers for those willing to deposit their funds in the form of U.S. dollars. Rania and Ehsani offer a brief political history of the players involved, and Kevin asks Ehsani to address the role of international institutions like the World Bank or IMF in stifling Lebanon's ability to deal with the crisis. Finally, Ehsani shares his view on the economic outlook for Lebanon in 2022 and beyond. If you were looking for a message of hope, you came to the wrong podcast. This is the bleak reality for hundreds of thousands of Lebanese people driven into poverty by a scheme that enriched elites at the expense of the country.

Journalist Alex Rubinstein, a contributor to The Grayzone as well as MintPress News, joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola to discuss the "woke imperialism" of President Joe Biden's administration.    He published a report this week that examined how the administration is weaponizing diversity at the Pentagon, CIA, State Department, and other agencies. It wokewashes the endless wars of the US government and helps the empire rebrand itself.   During the episode, Alex highlights a couple slick promotional videos from the Pentagon and NATO that are examples of this deployment of intersectionality.    Rania and Alex also have an in-depth conversation about the YPG, a Kurdish militia in Syria, and how they have wielded identity to build support for war.

Jen Perelman, the co-host of the podcast JENerational Change and a former congressional candidate in Florida, joins Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola for the latest episode of "Unauthorized Disclosure."   During the show, Jen discusses the state of Florida's response to the COVID-19 crisis and her views on plans for re-opening cities throughout the United States.   Jen reacts to the mediocre COVID-19 relief bill and the level of inaction that is part of the fabric of government institutions, which clearly serve wealthy and powerful elites.      Later, Kevin plays a game with Jen and Rania. They also talk about the democratic socialists taking over the Nevada Democratic Party.

Journalist Todd Miller returns to the "Unauthorized Disclosure" podcast to discuss a report he co-authored on support President Joe Biden received from the border industrial-complex during his 2020 campaign. The money he raised surpassed former President Donald Trump. In the report, "Biden’s Border - Immigration Politics, the Democrats and the 2020 elections," Todd lists off the corporations that stand to benefit from Biden's endorsement of a "virtual wall." Todd helps Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola challenge the inordinate focus on Republicans and their anti-immigrant vitriol. It all too often leaves out the bipartisan nature of the deportation machine. In fact, as Todd highlights, more immigrants were deported under President Barack Obama than Trump. Few journalists have the expertise of Todd. He authored the books, Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the US Border Around the World and Storming the Wall: Climate Change, Migration, and Homeland Security. He focuses on how US border policy is exported to countries around the globe, and he has a forthcoming book, Build Bridges, Not Walls: A Journey to a World Without Borders, that can be ordered at City Lights.