The Socialist Program

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.

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 fr...

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.

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? Bria...

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 Capita...

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.

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 p...

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 Capitali...

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,...

Brian Becker reviews the history of heated debate within the socialist  movement over the necessity of taking a principled, anti-imperialist position in opposition to the U.S. war machine. Almost 18 years ago, George W. Bush launched the invasion of Iraq, a conflict that would ultimately take the lives of over a  million Iraqis. Whether and how to oppose this war -- and others like the 1...

Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss the Biden administration’s stimulus package. The Washington Post exultantly proclaimed that the bill “showers money on Americans.” Is this really true? 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 chec...

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the opening of the trial of Derek Chauvin in the case of George Floyd’s murder, intense political and military maneuvering ahead of the potential withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, the racist roots of the so-called criminal justice system in the United States, and more.

Brian Becker dissects the reasons for the US military occupation in Syria and analyzes the objectives and strategies of U.S. imperialism in Syria, and its wars against Iraq and Libya. Becker examines in detail how the  Pentagon completely dominates U.S. policy in the region and reviews how and why U.S. strategy in the Middle East dramatically shifted during the past 30 years. The people of th...

Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss how intellectual property rights are used by capitalists to stifle innovation and hold back progress while protecting  their profits. They focus especially on how this phenomenon is playing out when it comes to the Coronavirus vaccines. Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The Sickne...

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the one year anniversary of the murder of Ahmaud Arbery by racist vigilantes, the trial of Derek Chauvin -- the Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd -- beginning this week, Donald Trump delivering a major speech to the CPAC right wing political gathering, the uprising in Ha...

A damning new independent investigation into the police murder of  Elijah McClain in Aurora, Colorado has been released, but the only people facing charges so far in this case are the activists who led the movement for justice for Elijah McClain. Lillian House joins the show. Lillian and other leaders of a mass movement in the Denver/Aurora Colorado area demanding justice for Elijah  McC...

Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss what the terrible storm in Texas and elsewhere in the south that has caused death, destruction and a near total breakdown in infrastructure. What does this say about the capitalist system? 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 fr...

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the COVID death toll in the United  States topping 500,000, the winter storm that has left millions without power in zero degree temperatures in Texas, a new independent report that further exposes the police in Aurora Colorado for the brutal murder of Elijah McClain, and more.

Life Expectancy in the United States had suffered its largest one year drop since the end of World War II. Covid deaths moving toward 500,000.  Covid is not over but another pandemic is sure to follow. When? No one  knows. But will the US be ready? Brian Becker is joined by KJ Noh. He’s a peace activist and scholar on the geopolitics of Asia, and he’s a frequent contributor to Count...

Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss how deeply dependent big banks and corporations are on government assistance, the rise in speculation on "junk bonds", the organizing drive by workers at an Amazon warehouse in Alabama, and more. Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work  and the author of many books, the latest being “The System is the Sickness: When Capitalism Fails...

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the conclusion of Trump's second impeachment trial and what lasting effects it may have on national politics. The panel also discusses how U.S. capitalism continues to fail to tackle the pandemic, Biden administration foreign policy, the attack on the independent media outlet Newsclick, an...

On this episode we are joined by Brian Willson, a Vietnam veteran, writer, lawyer and a peace activist. On September 1, 1987, Brian lost his legs while participating in a peaceful act of civil disobedience at a railroad track at the Concord Naval Weapons Station to block the shipment of  weapons to the terrorist Contra fighters in Nicaragua, and has continued his fight against U.S. empire.

As Congress continues to deliberate over a new economic stimulus plan, more and more people are focusing on the outrageously low minimum wage. Brian and Prof. Wolff discuss this issue and what it tells us about the capitalist system. Richard Wolff is the co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work and the author of many books, the latest being “The System is the Sickness: When Capitalism Fail...

On today's "In the News" roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss the beginning of Trump's impeachment trial, climate change, the latest on the pandemic, the election in Ecuador, mass protests in Haiti, and more.

Will the U.S. continue under Biden to push towards confrontation with China? As the Biden administration takes the reins, what will change about U.S. policy towards China, and what will remain the same? Kenneth Hammond, a Professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University and an activist with the organization Pivot to Peace, discusses these questions and more  with Bria...