The Socialist Program

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard  Wolff discuss the shortage of infant formula and how the capitalist  economy isn't structured to take into consideration the survival needs  even of babies. 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 co...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, and Nicole Roussell discuss the racist massacre in Buffalo, New York over the weekend, journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by Israeli forces and despite being an American the United States hasn’t responded,  Finland and Sweden are nearly set to join NATO, and more. Please make an urgently-needed contribution to The Socialist...

How does China view the war in Ukraine? Brian Becker and Tings Chak discuss China’s foreign policy and how Chinese leaders are grappling with the world situation as it is transformed by the war. They also deal with the state of China’s fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S.-instigated tensions over Taiwan, and more.  Brian is joined by Tings Chak, a researcher at Tricontinental: Institute...

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how the Federal Reserve raised interest rates at the highest rate in over 20 years, signaling a major shift in policy as it attempts to tackle the spiraling inflation crisis. But will this maneuver work? Or is it likely to instead spark a new recession? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democ...

On today's In the News roundtable, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and  Walter Smolarek discuss how protesters took to the streets all  throughout the last week in cities and towns across the country in  outraged response to the Supreme Court’s draft ruling overturning  Roe v. Wade – which was heroically leaked to the public before it was  finalized. The panel also discusse...

As the United States escalates the war in Ukraine by sending another $33 billion, the possibility of nuclear war is coming into focus. Brian and Greg Mello discuss how the U.S. policy of waging proxy war on Russia via Ukraine raises the threat of a direct confrontation between the two nuclear-armed powers. What is the United States’ strategy in this nuclear game of chicken and what are the dangers...

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard  Wolff discuss the global food crisis that is taking shape with major  price rises already being felt around the world – a grave situation that  is expected to deepen.  As the war in Ukraine drags on and as the western countries attempt to  cut Russia off from the global economy, disruptions to supply chains and  ...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how the Biden administration is preparing by far the biggest package of military aid yet for Ukraine. With hardly any debate, Congress is ready to approve sending $20 billion of weapons to Ukraine on top of $13 billion in additional financial support for the government – a point driven home by Nancy P...

In this April 2022 patrons-only seminar, Brian and Nicole focus on the new era in world politics taking shape as a  consequence of the Ukraine war & other global trends. Where are we coming from and where are we headed? Check out the preview now and subscribe at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin says the United States is ready for anything after Russian officials warn of the danger of nuclear war. Brian and Eugene Puryear discuss how the NATO powers are implementing their strategy of fighting a long-term proxy conflict against Russia as well as Russia’s move to end gas sales to Poland and Bulgaria amid all-out economic warfare waged by the west. They also pu...

On  today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss Elon Musk,   a billionaire, buying Twitter, one of the world's largest mass  communications platforms. Why are billionaires so determined to control  the information available to the public? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at r...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how a high profile visit to Kiev by Defense Secretary Austin and Secretary of State Blinken further cemented the central role of the United States in equipping and organizing the Ukrainian war effort -- and blocking peace talks. They also discuss Elon Musk moving in on Twitter, French President Macron...

The war in Ukraine has ushered in a new era of global politics, and it has also ushered in a new political witch hunt against dissenting voices. With more and more intensity, the corporate media – including social media giants – are closing ranks to squeeze out anyone who dares speak up in opposition to the Pentagon’s narrative and against catastrophic confrontation between the United States and R...

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard  Wolff discuss the extreme injustices of the U.S. tax system. Monday was  Tax Day — no cause for celebration for millions of ordinary people. But  for the ultra rich, it wasn’t so bad.  Many of the wealthiest people on the planet actually pay a tax rate  that is lower than a typical worker — how do they get away wit...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther  Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how powerful figures  in the West are pushing for even graver acts of reckless escalation in  Ukraine, and how big oil is cashing in on the war with plans for massive  drilling expansion with the help of the Biden administration. The panel  also discusses the latest...

On today's episode Nicole Roussell interviews Brian Becker about the new phase of heightened conflict that world politics is entering. As the United States moves aggressively to maintain its position of the world's dominant power, the  globe is becoming increasingly polarized between supporters of this world order and those who fall outside of it -- a process dramatically accelerated by the w...

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss  what's coming next for our economy as inflation rises and pressure  mounts on the Federal Reserve to pull back its extraordinary support for  big business. Is a recession coming? Professor Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization Democracy at Work. You can find his work at rdwolff.com . Please ma...

On today's In the News roundtable, Nicole Roussell, Esther Iverem and  Walter Smolarek discuss how the fighting in Ukraine is intensifying in  the country’s east at the same time as the United States and its NATO  allies are seeking to prolong the war for their  own geopolitical benefit. The panel also discusses how the courts  continue to offer impunity for police br...

The war in Ukraine is entering a new phase. NATO leaders are meeting and are clearly worried that the Zelenskyy government might agree to a negotiated end to the war. Brian Becker and Dr. Gabriel Rockhill discuss the internal politics in Ukraine with a focus on the role of the far right, fascists and neo-Nazis. Brian is joined by Dr. Gabriel Rockhill, Founding Director of the Critical Theory Works...

On today's episode Brian Becker and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss how Amazon workers in Staten Island made history by forming the first labor union in the United States at the corporate giant. Meanwhile, support for unionization increased  as Amazon workers participated in a re-vote at a facility in Bessemer,  Alabama, with the final outcome still too close to call. The surge of labor mili...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem and Walter Smolarek discuss how NATO countries search for ways to deepen the conflict in Ukraine with arms shipments and sanctions, while promoting  selective outrage at the violence of war. The panel also discusses the victory of workers in Staten Island who formed the first Amazon union in the United States, Martin Luther King’s...

In this March 2022 patrons-only seminar, Brian and Nicole discuss and  answer questions about the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, including  Biden's call for Putin to be removed from power in Russia, what a nuclear war would really mean, and more. They also discuss the struggle for women's liberation and the wider "New Cold War" against China.  Check out the preview now and subscribe a...

Key international relationships are being profoundly tested by the war in Ukraine, especially the alliance between China and Russia – the two countries at the top of the U.S. empire’s hit list. How does China’s government view Russia’s decision to invade Ukraine? Will the relationship between the two countries grow closer or more distant as the western powers attempt to cut Russia off from the glo...

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard  Wolff discuss the Biden administration's budget proposal for the coming  year on Monday, proposing an enormous increase to the military budget  as the new Cold War intensifies. Biden  also included a proposal to tax the ultra-rich, but is this really  enough to make a dent in the enormous level of inequality in this &nb...

On today's In the News roundtable, Brian Becker, Esther Iverem, Nicole  Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how Joe Biden deepened the war in Ukraine during a trip to Poland over the weekend when he declared that  Russian president Putin “cannot remain in power.”  As the United States and other NATO powers raise the stakes, is there  any hope for a breakthrough in negotia...