The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

In this patrons-only seminar, Brian discusses   the most dangerous part of the war in Ukraine that we're now entering,  including the current political moment that we're situated in and what  we can do to change it. He also talks about what happens if the U.S.  defaults on its financial commitments, multiracial or multinational  liberation in the US as it pertains to the struggle against police  terror, automation of jobs, and more. 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.

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.