The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

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 Russia. Brian is joined by Ben Norton. He is a journalist and editor of Multipolarista. You can find his work at BenNorton.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.

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 with this  scam? 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.

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 right wing attacks on so-called “Critical  Race Theory”, how the super rich pay little to nothing in taxes, the  latest developments in Palestine, and more. 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 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 war in Ukraine. This is playing out economically, diplomatically, and militarily. 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.

Professor Richard Wolff discusses the potential recession due to rising inflation and reduced support for big businesses. The podcast explores the causes and consequences of inflation, the unstable state of the American economy, understanding interest rates and the Federal Reserve, and the importance of clear language in law and economics.

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 brutality, the arrest of a Texas  woman on murder charges for having an abortion, the presidential  election in France, the status of Iran nuclear deal negotiations, and more. Article referenced in this show: The Origins of Ukraine’s Fascists & Why It Matters, with Historian Tarik Cyril Amar https://www.breakthroughnews.org/post/the-origins-of-ukraine-s-fascists-why-it-matters-with-historian-tarik-cyril-amar 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 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 Workshop and Professor of Philosophy at Villanova University. You can check out his latest article on today’s subject at LiberationNews.org, titled, “Nazis in Ukraine: Seeing through the fog of the information war” 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 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 militancy is continuing and taking on bigger and bigger opponents – what comes next? 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.

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 legacy 54 years after his assassination, and more. 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 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 at patreon.com/thesocialistprogram to hear the rest!