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
Apr 7, 2021 • 37min
Capitalism in Crisis: Biden is Funneling Trillions to the Capitalists and Calling it an Infrastructure Program
Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the Biden administration's next big priority -- passing an infrastructure plan his administration says will create a huge number of jobs. What’s in the proposal, will it pass and what does it mean for the working class?
Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com
Apr 6, 2021 • 53min
In the News: Biden’s Top Priority: Spending for Military Supremacy over Infrastructure
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss the new U.S. moves to escalate tension with China, the trial of Derek Chauvin, the latest on the Biden administration's infrastructure plan, and more.
Apr 1, 2021 • 36min
The Real Story: Haiti -- Imperialism Meets Resistance!
In 1791 and 1804 the oppressed people of Haiti carried out a revolution unlike any other in world history. It ushered in a new era. It was the beginning of the end for chattel slavery in the United States too. In recent months the people of Haiti are back in the streets. Is it time for a second social revolution in Haiti?
Brian is joined by Eugene Puryear, who just got back to the United States from covering the uprising in Haiti. Eugene is the host of the podcast The Punch Out on BreakThrough News, where he has released daily dispatches from on the ground in Haiti. He is also the host of the weekly live show The Freedom Side on BreakThrough News, which airs every Thursday on youtube.com/breakthroughnews at 8 p.m. Eastern
Mar 30, 2021 • 48min
In the News: What Will Happen if Derek Chauvin Walks Free?
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the trial of Derek Chauvin and other grotesque features of the American police state, protests across the country over the weekend against anti-Asian racism, exciting new developments in the case of the framed Denver protest leaders, and more.
Mar 25, 2021 • 57min
The Real Story: What North Korea Wants and What the American People Don't Know About the Korean War
North Korea fires tactical short range missiles in a recent missile test and the American media has proclaimed this to be a major provocation testing the Biden administration. Donald Trump met twice with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in two summits, one in Singapore and the other in Hanoi, but those summits resulted in failure. What’s next in US policy towards North Korea? Brian will follow up on this discussion with a second part of the episode coming soon!
Mar 24, 2021 • 33min
Capitalism in Crisis: The Main Threat to U.S. Capitalism is U.S. Capitalism
Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the Biden administration's new major economic proposal, promising to spend trillions to create huge numbers of jobs and enact policies beneficial to working people. But what is this plan really?
Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com
Mar 23, 2021 • 48min
In the News: China Tells Secretary of State: The U.S. is Not Our Master
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the tense summit in Alaska between top US and Chinese officials, the significance of the struggle to unionize the Amazon warehouse in Bessemer, Alabama, back room maneuvering to strengthen the two-party duopoly in American politics, and more.
Mar 18, 2021 • 1h 2min
The Real Story: Iraq War Veteran: "War Crimes Fueled Iraqi & GI Resistance"
March 19 marks the 18th anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The catastrophic warfare that followed claimed the lives of over a million Iraqis, led to the death or life-altering injury of tens thousands of U.S. service members, and sowed chaos throughout the Middle East.
Brian is joined by Mike Prysner, the producer of The Empire Files. Mike is also a co-host of the podcast Eyes Left, a podcast hosted by two anti-war Army veterans of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Mike was a soldier serving in the U.S. military during the Iraq invasion, and went on to become an anti-war leader who organized soldiers and veterans to resist the Pentagon war machine.
Mar 17, 2021 • 35min
Capitalism in Crisis: When Right Wing Politicians and Economists Sound the Alarm About Inflation, Don’t Believe the Hype
Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss inflation. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen assured the public last weekend that growing fears of rising inflation are misplaced. Is this true? What is inflation? Why does this matter for the working class?
Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickness is the System: When Capitalism Fails to Save Us from Pandemics or Itself”. You can check out his work at rdwolff.com.
Mar 16, 2021 • 47min
In the News: War Crimes and the Capitalist Warfare State
On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the upcoming anniversaries of some of the most infamous crimes of U.S. imperialism, the latest developments in the trial of Derek Chauvin, actions to mark the anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s murder, the Biden administration’s latest maneuvers against China, the continuing fight to win a living wage, and more.
