The Socialist Program with Brian Becker

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 global economy? What consequences will this have for the entire world? Brian is joined by Dr. Ken Hammond, professor of East Asian and Global History at New Mexico State University, founding director of the Confucius Institute at New Mexico State University, and activist with Pivot to Peace. ——— This show comes out weekly on BreakThrough News’ Youtube, Wednesdays at 7pm ET. Subscribe now to never miss an episode. The Socialist Program with Brian Becker also comes out three times per week in podcast  form — including weekly news round-ups and segments with economist Richard Wolff. Subscribe on your preferred listening platform here! https://linktr.ee/thesocialistprogram ——— 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 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  country? 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 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 negotiations? The panel also discusses  the administration’s massive new military spending proposal, protests  against British colonialism in the Caribbean, the death of Madeline Albright, the debate over Russian oil purchases, 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.

The war in Ukraine has altered the global order. How is it changing politics around the globe? What is the historical background of the different nations in the region throughout the different historical eras and how does that affect the current conflict? What does history tell us about where this is headed? Brian Becker is joined by Vijay Prashad, the Executive Director of the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research, Chief Editor of LeftWord Books, and author  of “Red Star Over the Third World.” 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  the still increasing costs of many necessities, as the United States  flounders in the economic crisis that's now been ongoing for several  years. To what extent is the war in Ukraine having an effect? Professor  Richard Wolff is an author & co-founder of the organization  Democracy at Work. You can check out 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, Nicole Roussell and  Walter Smolarek discuss the latest on Ukraine -- developments from the battlefield as well as the shockwaves rippling across world politics and the economy. They also discuss how the dictatorship of capital continues to imperil lives amid the pandemic, an impending wave of utility shut offs, 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.

Ukrainian President Zelenskyy gave a high profile address to Congress calling for stepped up US involvement in the war — especially through the imposition of a "no-fly zone." While this idea is presented as a humanitarian move, the reality is that such an action would mean that the two largest nuclear-armed powers would be in a state of war with each other. Brian and Eugene Puryear discuss this and more of the latest developments in the Ukraine war. Eugene Puryear is the host of the BreakThrough News podcast The Punch Out, and co-host of the BT live video show The Freedom Side. 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, Esther Iverem, Nicole Roussell and Walter Smolarek discuss how Congress has allocated billions of dollars in military spending at breakneck speed to fuel the war in Ukraine, and is moving to permanently expand the U.S./NATO war machine -- but no such urgency can be found when it comes to the plight of the tens of millions of people going hungry, experiencing homelessness, or living in deep poverty in the richest country on earth. And all the while, capitalists grow even richer off these injustices. 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.

As the world enters a new phase of major power conflict, it is crucial  to understand the character of the Russian government and the role it  plays on the world stage. Is Russia an imperialist power, equivalent to  countries like the United States, France or the UK? How has the  imperialist world system been set up – and is Russia in the club, or  out? 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 special edition of The Socialist Program, Brian is joined by Lee Camp, a writer, comedian, activist and journalist. For eight years Lee hosted the television show “Redacted Tonight”, but this anti-war, anti-imperialist program has now been shut down along with all the shows on RT America amid the  anti-Russia frenzy sweeping the country. They discuss how censorship and  militarism go hand-in-hand, especially in this current moment of crisis. Lee’s latest book is called “Bullet Points & Punch Lines.” You can find that and more of his work at leecamp.com, and you can support his work at Patreon.com/LeeCamp. 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.