Join John Pring, founder of Disability News Service and author of "The Department," as he delves into the chilling impact of welfare privatization in the UK. He reveals how bureaucratic violence and austerity measures have tragically affected disabled individuals, leading to societal distrust and psychological trauma. Pring discusses the shame surrounding benefit assessments and exposes the dark realities of the welfare system. His insights urge accountability and shed light on the urgent need for public inquiry to address the hidden costs of welfare reform.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/116273220 Beatrice and Artie discuss Trump’s nomination of prominent anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to head the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency overseeing healthcare, infectious disease, food safety, and more. We discuss some of RFK’s more unseemly beliefs, the responses to his nomination so far, and how his nomination doesn’t come out of nowhere, but instead follows decades of struggles over the political economy of health that have laid the groundwork for a figure like him to come into power. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Runtime 1:26:33

Annie Powers, an organizer with Union de Vecinos and scholar of landless people's movements, dives deep into historical and contemporary housing struggles. She shares insights on resilience among unhoused individuals, highlighting the importance of mutual aid during crises like COVID-19 and police sweeps. Powers reflects on the lessons from the 1932 Bonus March, emphasizing the need for solidarity in the face of systemic oppression. The conversation serves as a vital call to action for organizing around tenant rights and confronting the criminalization of homelessness.

The discussion dives into the consequences of the recent presidential election, particularly the implications of a potential Trump return. It critiques how pandemic welfare reductions have disproportionately affected marginalized communities. The conversation also highlights the Biden administration's shortcomings in addressing economic disparities and rising inflation. Additionally, there’s a focus on the lack of public engagement with disability politics and the challenges that emerged during the pandemic, revealing deep gaps in social policies.

Join Sarah Jaffe, a labor journalist and author known for her insightful critiques on work and social movements, as she dives into the politics of grief. She discusses who is deemed worthy to mourn and how capitalism undermines emotional experiences. The conversation touches on grief during COVID-19, the complexities of mourning in Gaza, and the systemic failures in care for those suffering. Jaffe emphasizes the power of grief as a catalyst for community and political change in our challenging times.

China Mills, Head of Research at Healing Justice London, and John Pring, founder of Disability News Service, dive into the harrowing intersections of welfare and disability. They discuss the chilling concept of 'slow death' linked to UK welfare policies, spotlighting the advocacy work of the Deaths by Welfare Project. The conversation reveals the bureaucratic violence that disproportionately affects marginalized communities, emphasizing the urgent need for historical context and grassroots activism to challenge systemic injustices.

Phil reads a haunting tale, diving into the eerie world of a character named Dalloway, who grapples with isolation in a crumbling trailer by the Venice canal. The dark legacy of oil weaves through the narrative, illuminating the unsettling evolution of Venice, California. Ghostly echoes reveal the uncomfortable history lurking beneath modern life, while the mystery of Amy Semple McPherson's 1926 disappearance raises questions about industrialization. Surreal dreams blend beauty and dread in this exploration of existential fears.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/114867221 Beatrice speaks with Maryam Jamshidi about how US law has been shaped in recent decades to specifically guard against Palestinian self-determination, and the direct role that Benjamin Netanyahu, Benzion Netanyahu, and other settler officials had in crafting contemporary state definitions of what constitutes “terrorism.” Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Runtime 1:18:27

Beatrice speaks to Nour and Sarah, two members of Writers Against the War on Gaza (WAWOG), about the role the New York Times has played in portraying the genocide in Palestine as just and reasonable, the campaign to get NYT readers to unsubscribe from the paper and for writers to boycott them, and the counter-propaganda project “New York War Crimes.” More on the call to boycott the Times here: https://www.writersagainstthewarongaza.com/boycott-nyt Read The New York War Crimes here: https://newyorkwarcrimes.com/ Transcript forthcoming. Find our book Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny, here:
https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Death Panel merch here (patrons get a discount code): www.deathpanel.net/merch As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/113880253 Beatrice speaks with Sarah Jaffe about the politics of grief and grieving: who is allowed to grieve and how, what we are allowed to grieve and aren’t, and how taking the time to experience grief and loss are anathema to capitalism. Sarah’s new book is From the Ashes: Grief and Revolution in a World on Fire. https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/sarah-jaffe/from-the-ashes/9781541703490/?lens=bold-type-books Find Sarah’s new podcast here: https://www.patreon.com/HeartReacts Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Runtime 1:43:22, 21 October 2024