The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

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

Brian conducts an end of the year review of the biggest stories  including the U.S. proxy war with Russia in Ukraine, the growing  confrontation with China and North Korea and the intensifying assault  against democratic rights inside the United States. He also talks about  the development of a new antiwar movement inside the United States. 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.

As the U.S. government plans to send its most advanced surface-to-air missile system to Ukraine. Meanwhile, the masses of people in Ukraine and the rest of Europe are falling further into poverty as conditions worsen and prices rise. Rather than promoting peace and advocating for negotiations, the United States, European Union, and NATO are publicly discussing escalating the war, while the IMF, World Bank, and corporate interests speculate on how much profit they can make in the future rebuilding of Ukraine, having moved the country decisively away from Russia and into the Western fold. Brian is joined by Ben Norton, an investigative journalist based in Latin America, and editor of the independent news website Multipolarista, at multipolarista.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.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses the attempted  power grab by the extreme right in the United States through the Moore  v. Harper case, for which oral arguments were heard at the Supreme Court  on December 9. He also answers questions on the anti-democratic  Congressional ruling against letting railway workers strike, using  lawfare for quiet coups, how to form a united front, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest of this seminar, support the show, and access the highly valuable archive of years of socialist analysis.

The major media disinformation campaign about the Iran protests is making it nearly impossible for people in the United States to understand what's going on in Iran. What's true? What's half true? What's completely and totally false? Brian is joined by Mazda Majidi, an author, journalist and educator who just got back from Iran. 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.