

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker
The Socialist Program
News and views about the world for those who want to change it.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 28, 2024 • 34min
How Both Ruling Class Parties Use Taxes to Keep Corporations Wealthy
On today's episode Nicole Roussell and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss Kamala Harris's newly released tax proposals, Trump's 2017 tax cuts that will expire in 2025, and the role the capitalist system uses taxes to play in making the rich richer.
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.

Aug 26, 2024 • 12min
Huge Israeli Strikes in Lebanon, Harris & Trump's Shared Militarism, & Ending the Genocide [Preview]
In this patrons-only Q&A seminar, Brian & Nicole discuss the massive weekend Israeli air strikes in Lebanon and the threat of a larger war, the Democrats' and Republicans' shared goal for militarism and war, Russia's position in global politics, U.S. ruling class analysis of multipolarity, Navajo protests for sovereignty and against dangerous plutonium on their lands, the political dynamics in the modern labor movement, and more.
This is a preview of the full Q&A seminar for members of our Patreon community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, submit questions and register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

Aug 23, 2024 • 36min
Facts and Lies at DNC — The Democrats’ False Promise
On today's episode Nicole Roussell interviews Brian about the Democratic Party Convention, with Kamala as the new nominee, while the war in Gaza rages on and millions of people in the US continue to live in or near poverty.
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.

Aug 21, 2024 • 32min
Food Prices Under Biden-Harris Slammed Working-Class Families But Now They Pretend to Have an Answer
On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the Democratic National Convention and the Democrats' double talk on price gouging, as well as a new report showing that hundreds of for-profit and not-for-profit colleges have closed in the last decade.
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.

Aug 15, 2024 • 48min
Iran and Israel Prepare for Regional War as US Warships Deploy to Middle East
Will the Middle East erupt into a widespread, large-scale regional war after the Israeli government assassinated senior leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah?
Brian is joined by Mohammad Marandi to get insight into what’s happening in Tehran. He is an expert on American studies and 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 and submit questions to the monthly Q&A seminar with Brian.

18 snips
Aug 8, 2024 • 1h 1min
Imperialism’s Non-Stop War Against Venezuela
Manolo De Los Santos, the executive director of The People's Forum in New York, delves into the U.S. imperial strategies aimed at destabilizing Venezuela, home to the largest oil reserves in the world. He discusses the resilience of the Venezuelan working class amidst a backdrop of propaganda and misinformation. The conversation also explores Venezuela's national sovereignty, the impact of U.S. interventions in Latin America, and the commitment of its people to defend their revolutionary achievements against external pressures.

14 snips
Aug 7, 2024 • 29min
Stocks Crash & Rebound: Is a New Recession Coming?
Prof. Richard Wolff, an insightful author and co-founder of Democracy at Work, delves into the recent stock market crash and rebound, suggesting it hints at a looming recession. He analyzes the role of rising unemployment and financial shifts while critiquing government responses that neglect the working class. The discussion also touches on a significant court ruling against Google, addressing its monopolistic behaviors and the broader implications for consumers and economic inequality. Wolff highlights the urgency of addressing such critical issues.

Aug 1, 2024 • 11min
Why Israel Assassinated Hamas Negotiator, Venezuela Stops a Coup & the Politics of the 2024 Olympics [Preview]
In this patrons-only Q&A seminar, Brian & Nicole discuss Israel's assassination of Hamas negotiator Ismail Haniyek, the coup attempt in Venezuela amid presidential elections, what countries are allowed in the the 2024 Olympics and which are not, "anti-war" Republicans, the dissolution of Project 2025, and more.
This is a preview of the full Q&A seminar for members of our Patreon community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, submit questions and register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.
Venezuela explainer video referenced during the seminar:
x.com/BTnewsroom/status/1818429996932739455

Jul 31, 2024 • 33min
How Huawei Is Beating U.S. Sanctions
On today's episode Nicole Roussell and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how Chinese technology company Huawei has grown so successful despite U.S. sanctions, and what it says about the state of the world economy.
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.

6 snips
Jul 24, 2024 • 37min
With Kamala Harris, Ruling Class Knows It Can Get a Nice Night’s Sleep
On today's episode Nicole Roussell and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss Kamala Harris's record and the interests she represents now that she's the presumptive Democratic party nominee for president.
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.