The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the so-called “debt ceiling” government borrowing limit. As the countdown begins to a default, right wing politicians are using the situation as leverage and demanding huge cuts to some of the most essential social programs, including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Will these crucial safety net programs survive? 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.

The Pentagon has “lost track” of more than half of its assets, based on its fifth failed audit in a row. The Pentagon’s assets include troops, weapons, battleships, submarines, buildings, and more, costing trillions of dollars – yet over half are unaccounted for? How does the single biggest and costliest agency get away with this while Congress dismisses free college, improved Medicare and Medicaid, helping low-income families with costs of childcare, and other basic necessities? Brian is joined by Lee Camp, comedian, journalist, and former host of the TV show "Redacted Tonight." Now he hosts "The Most Censored News" for MintPress and you can check out his podcast "The Lee Camp Show" on Spotify. All of his work is available at LeeCamp.net. 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.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss widening global  inequality in light of the Oxfam report showing that two-thirds of all  wealth created around the world since 2020 has gone to the richest 1%.  They also dissect what makes the rich different from the rest of us. 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.

Even a film screening of a  North Korean family drama is getting South Korean organizers in trouble  under the administration of  right-wing President Yoon, as he takes the country back toward the  oppressive regime of the 1980s when reading certain books could result  in jail time. Brian is joined by K.J. Noh, a peace  activist, organizer with Pivot to Peace, scholar on the geopolitics of  Asia, and a frequent contributor to Counterpunch and Dissident Voice. 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.

The U.S. government has funded, written books for, and otherwise supported the development of right-wing Islam extremism to support U.S. imperialist goals. Then they turn around and stoke Islamophobia to justify their war agenda. Brian is joined by Dr. Nazia Kazi, she is an activist and professor of Anthropology at Stockton University, and author of the article “9/11 Attacks: Why Young Americans Know Nothing About the ‘War on Terror’” and the book “Islamophobia, Race, and Global Politics.” 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.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the strike that  7,000 nurses are on in New York. What's behind this huge strike and the  increasing wave of strikes? 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.

Greg Mello, co-founder of the Los Alamos Study Group, joins Brian to discuss the $10 trillion spending on nuclear weapons in the US, violation of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, destructive power of US nuclear warheads, lack of awareness and debate, mismanagement of the Los Alamos National Laboratory, consequences of nuclear weapons testing, and the trajectory of American politics.

Dr. Ken Hammond, Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and leading organizer with Pivot to Peace, joins Brian to discuss the increasing calls in the US for war with China over Taiwan. They explore the dangerous period the US is in, the reckless approach taken by politicians and the media, and the changing relationship with allies. They also examine the bipartisan initiatives in the US towards China, question the motives behind aid to Taiwan, and discuss the attitudes of figures like Biden towards a new Cold War. The chapter ends with a call for a critique of capitalism and a deeper understanding of socialism.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss the unintended  global effects of U.S. sanctions on Russia. How are they reshaping the  global market for oil and other energy? How are other countries  responding around the world to shifting power? 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.

Brian  takes a look at some of the key global issues dominating politics as  2023 begins. In this  preview, he discusses the huge shifts taking place in the world's oil  markets as a consequence of the war in Ukraine and the price cap imposed  on Russian exports. At other points, the seminar discussed the latest  military developments in Ukraine, COVID-19  response in China, and the long-term evolution of capitalism and its  world system since the 1970s. This  episode is a preview of a longer seminar conducted by Brian and others  on The Socialist Program team for members of our Patreon community. To  receive the link to register for the monthly seminars, subscribe to our  Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/TheSocialistProgram