The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

The US mainstream media is twisting and distorting news about the recent Covid-related protests in China. This important interview with Tings Chak, a Beijing-based researcher at the Tricontinental Institute for Social Research, a member of Dongsheng News collective, and the author of the pamphlet Serve the People – The Eradication of Extreme Poverty in China, explains the realities of the protests, the US media, and what’s really going on with Covid in China. 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 importance of five  major international papers coming out against the ongoing prosecution of  Julian Assange, where the U.S. proxy war in Ukraine is headed, how we  can talk about these tough issues with friends and strangers, 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.

Professor Richard Wolff joins Brian Becker to discuss the collapse of FTX, a major cryptocurrency exchange, and the cyclical nature of capitalism. They explore the bankruptcy filing, cryptocurrency scams, the potential collapse of the system, and the impact of speculation in the economy.

This weekend, Brian spoke at the "The Real Path to Peace in Ukraine" event in NYC, which inaugurated   a new, multi-national, grassroots movement    to advocate for the end to the current war in Ukraine. He spoke about the need for negotiations in Ukraine over escalation. To  see the whole program, including  Former Green Party Presidential Nominee  Jill Stein,  Tricontinental Institute for Social Research  Director Vijay Prashad, BreakThrough News Host Eugene Puryear, The  People's Forum Co-Director Claudia de la Cruz, and CODEPINK Founder  Medea Benjamin, watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asndac1ETFk. 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.

Eugene Puryear, author and activist, joins Brian to debunk Trump's claim of being a champion of the working class. They discuss his anti-worker policies, the manipulation of the tax code, and the misconception of the Democratic Party. They also explore the corporate agenda, Trump's response to protests, and the need for an independent political movement.

On today's episode Brian and Prof. Richard  Wolff discuss the mass layoffs that billionaire CEOs at Meta (formerly  Facebook), Twitter, Amazon, and others have begun. More than one hundred  thousand workers are projected to lose their jobs this year just in the  tech industry. 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.

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses why the widely predicted Republican red wave became a trickle and what it means for  organizing and answers questions about the anti-war movement, the  Ukraine war, China's relationship with Cuba, and more. Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Greg Palast, an investigative reporter renowned for his focus on vote suppression in Georgia, dives into the alarming changes in voting laws, particularly SB 202, which severely limits mail-in voting. He discusses the suppression tactics that disenfranchise urban and minority voters and highlights the troubling rise of citizen-led challenges to voter eligibility. The conversation touches on landmark Supreme Court rulings like Shelby County v. Holder that have compounded these issues, raising urgent concerns about democracy in America and the barriers faced during Georgia's recent runoff.

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how huge numbers of people are being locked out of the housing market amid soaring interest rates and home prices, marking a dramatic reversal for millions of people who were hoping to buy their own home. With prices spiking for renters as well, the failure of the capitalist market to provide something as basic as affordable shelter is on display. 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 poll tax was eliminated within this lifetime, in 1966, but the  right-wing in America has been hard at work reconstructing it with ID  requirements, stripping people with convictions of the right to vote,  and even arresting people for voting. It's Election Day today and many  people are heading to the polls in what may be a significant election.  What are the most important elements for socialists to know about? Brian  is joined by Esther Iverem, journalist, producer and host of the show  ‘On the Ground: Voices of Resistance From the Nation’s Capital,’ which  comes out weekly on Fridays. Check it out at onthegroundshow.org and two dozen Pacifica stations nationwide. 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.