The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

Yara Shoufani, PhD student, and Mohammed Nabulsi, attorney, discuss the Gaza ceasefire and the reasons behind it. They also highlight the insufficient coverage on Palestinian prisoners, the attempts by US political leaders to justify Israel's actions, and the growing support for the Palestinian struggle. Additionally, they explore the connections between the tech industry, Department of Defense, and US imperialism, and emphasize organizing the masses and sustaining momentum for change.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the number of people in the U.S. living paycheck to paycheck and the level of disconnect the elites in government have from the working class. 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.

Israeli forces raided Gaza’s al-Shifa Hospital, including the emergency department, the surgical department, and the maternity ward in their ongoing assault that has killed more than 11,000 Palestinians. On Friday, people all over the world are walking out, striking, and protesting the genocide—read more at shutitdown4palestine.org. Brian Becker is joined by Layan Sima Fuleihan, a popular educator, organizer, the Education Director at The People’s Forum, and an editor at 1804 Books. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist Program by joining our Patreon community at https://www.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.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how inflation is hitting our paychecks—despite financial reports stating good news. 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.

Vijay Prashad, Executive Director of the Tricontinental Institute and author, dives into the devastating impact of the war in Gaza, highlighting the humanitarian crisis and rising global tensions. He discusses media portrayals of the Israel-Palestine conflict, critiquing the normalization of relations with Arab nations. Prashad addresses the moral implications of valuing lives by nationality and the enduring spirit of Palestinian resistance. His insights call for urgent recognition of rights and comprehensive solutions to achieve true peace.

Professor Richard Wolff joins Brian to discuss the sudden closure of bank accounts and its impact on individuals and small businesses. They explore the complexity of financial language, the dominance of banks in the US economy, and the lack of non-profit-driven and public banking options. They highlight the need for a new system that prioritizes stability and accessibility for all.

Rania Khalek, a journalist based in the Middle East, discusses the ongoing assault on Gaza and the complicity of American and European officials. She also explores the role of propaganda in shaping public opinion and perceptions of conflicts, as well as the nonviolent protests in Gaza and the inevitability of armed resistance. Additionally, she criticizes the illegal laws in the US that criminalize support for the boycott against Israel and calls for global solidarity in the struggle for Palestine.

In this patrons-only Q&A seminar, Brian discusses why Netanyahu has called for "a long war," what it would take for the US to cease its support of Israel's genocide, what we can be doing right now to support Palestine, how to discuss this within other campaigns, what motivates the CIA's anti-communist witchhunts, the housing bubble in China, Modi's government's crackdowns, and more. Link to November 4th National March On Washington for Palestine referenced in this show: https://www.answercoalition.org/national_march_for_palestine_saturday_nov_4 This episode is a preview of a longer seminar for Patrons in the TSP community. Subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, register for next time, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

Richard Wolff, a renowned economist and co-founder of Democracy at Work, joins the discussion to dissect Biden's hefty $106 billion military funding proposal for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan. He critiques the prioritization of military aid over critical domestic needs like housing and infrastructure. The conversation also highlights the historical rise of the military-industrial complex and its repercussions for the working class. Wolff argues that such financial choices create disparities that primarily benefit defense contractors, leaving citizens in the lurch.

Prof. Marandi of the University of Tehran says a larger war, involving Iran, Hezbollah and others, is becoming more likely by the day as Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza. President Biden is now visiting Israel, doubling down on the United States’ unconditional support of the apartheid regime. Days after the Un documented how Israel had struck schools and hospitals where Palestinians had taken refuge, a major hospital suffered a direct hit, killing more than 500. Brian Becker 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 https://www.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.