For bonus content, to support independent media and to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow

Direct link to the Patreon portion of this broadcast: https://www.patreon.com/posts/chris-hedges-on-68793292

Pulitzer Prize–winning Journalist Chris Hedges talks about the war in Ukraine, endless war, America's gun fetish, abortion, the fascists in our midst, and the Democrats, who enable them.

Chris Hedges (https://chrishedges.substack.com/) is a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who was a foreign correspondent for fifteen years for The New York Times, where he served as the Middle East Bureau Chief and Balkan Bureau Chief for the paper. He previously worked overseas for The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor, and NPR. He was the host of the Emmy Award-nominated RT America show On Contact and now has a show at The Real News. 
Find all of his work at https://chrishedges.substack.com/

Relevant articles:

Fascists In Our Midst (https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/fascists-in-our-midst)

Jesus, Endless War, and the Rise of American Fascism (https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/jesus-endless-war-and-the-rise-of)

America's Gun Fetish (https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/americas-gun-fetish)

The Triumph Of Death (https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/the-triumph-of-death)

No Way Out But War (https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/no-way-out-but-war)

Chris Hedges On Christian Fascism And Democrats' Hypocrisy

While condemning China and Russia as “threats” to “democracy,” British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss refused to admit that Saudi Arabia is authoritarian, declined to condemn the monarchy’s execution of 81 people in one day, and would not acknowledge a single human rights abuse.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=ZX3ZEt4SahM

Read more at https://multipolarista.com/2022/07/06/liz-truss-uk-saudi-arabia-authoritarian

UK refuses to admit Saudi Arabia is authoritarian, while demonizing China and Russia

Sri Lanka owes 81% of its external debt to US and European financial institutions and Western allies Japan and India. China owns just 10%. But Washington blames imaginary “Chinese debt traps” for the nation’s crisis, as it considers a 17th IMF structural adjustment program.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=U52tT5hgtSk

SOURCES here: https://multipolarista.com/2022/07/11/debt-trap-sri-lanka-west-china

Real debt trap: Sri Lanka owes vast majority to West, not China

Donald Trump's neoconservative US National Security Advisor John Bolton admitted he “helped plan coups d’etat” in Venezuela and “other places,” in a CNN interview. Benjamin Norton analyzes Bolton's book "The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir," which details the US hybrid war on Venezuela.

VIDEO: https://youtube.com/watch?v=tzoJ_UVBV7w

Read more here: https://multipolarista.com/2022/07/12/trump-john-bolton-coups-venezuela

How Trump and John Bolton attempted a coup in Venezuela

In an escalation in the cold war against China, the heads of the U.S. FBI and UK MI5 spoke jointly in London on the “serious threat“ that they say the Chinese government poses to Western businesses. Meanwhile, New York City released a PSA on what to do in a nuclear war, where the main recommended tactic is to go inside. What is behind the sensationalist language and where have we seen it before?

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.

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.

Behind the Propaganda: U.S. & British Intelligence Ramp Up Threats Against China

On today's episode, Brian Becker and Prof. Richard  Wolff break down the real cause of inflation. Inflation is  rising prices, which is something the working class doesn't control.  Businesses—and the Fed when it raises prices for borrowers by increasing  interest rates—do control prices. Why do businesses do this since  inflation is bad for the economy? Can the government change this?

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.

Inflation: A Capitalist Tool of Class War Against the Working Class

For the entire discussion, to receive bonus content, support independent media and to help make this program possible, please join us on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/thekatiehalpershow

Direct link to the Patreon portion of this broadcast: https://www.patreon.com/posts/patreon-podcast-69727473

Ben Norton talks about China, Russia, Ukraine, NATO and a multipolar world. 

Ben Norton is a journalist, the editor of Multipolarista (https://multipolarista.com/) and a former editor at The Grayzone.

Ben Norton on NATO, China, Russia & A Multipolar World

Texans revolted against Mexico’s rule in 1836—because Mexico was moving to abolish slavery. The fascist element in the state has links into modern day, and the history of Texas is crucial as this decade unfolds.

Brian is joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, who holds the Moores Professorship of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston and is the author of many books. His newly published book, “The Counter Revolution of 1836: Texas slavery & Jim Crow and the roots of American Fascism,” is available through International Publishers.

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.

Gerald Horne Discusses His New Book: The Counter Revolution of 1836

In a huge moment for the state and for the country, Kansas is voting today on a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban abortions if passed. Kansans are mobilized and fighting against this attack on women. In this edition of The Socialist Program, we air three presentations from a convening at The People’s Forum in New York called Free, safe, legal abortions now! Justice is ours to make! 

The first speaker who is introduced is Claudia De La Cruz, co-executive director of The People’s Forum, popular educator, community organizer, and theologian. Claudia then introduces Karina Garcia, reproductive justice organizer for over a decade and member of the Central Committee of the Party for Socialism and Liberation. The last speaker is Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, a constitutional rights lawyer and executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.

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.

High Stakes In Kansas Vote: Right-Wing Assault Against Women, Abortion Rights & Democracy

On today's episode Walter Smolarek and Prof. Richard Wolff discuss a leaked memo written by a top Bank of America economist that reveals in explicit terms the strategy of the capitalist class: cause as much suffering among workers as possible to rebalance the economy in favor of the rich. As the U.S. begins to experience an intentionally-caused recession, it is now even clearer that this is a matter of class struggle. 

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.

Bank of America Memo Exposes Capitalists' Plot to Crash the Economy

Released in conjunction with Peter Dale Scott's "lost" article (read "stolen by the CIA in 1970") originally intended for Ramparts, we present a 2011 debate between the two top experts on the Postwar Southeast Asian heroin traffic: Professors Peter Dale Scott and Alfred McCoy.

I add some context at the beginning which will hopefully be of interest to everybody!

Peter Dale Scott is the prolific poet, historian, and political theorist who gave us parapolitics as well as the deep politics approach.

Alfred McCoy is History Professor Emeritus at the University of Wisconsin and the author of The Politics of Heroin—now in its third edition.

Apologies for the weird noises during the debate. We have no idea exactly what was making that intermittent whirring and clicking noise.

Special thanks to Casey Moore for the episode art and Dana Chavarria for the sound engineering!

Music: “Payroll” by Mock Orange

For all of the American Exception episodes, please subscribe at: www.patreon.com/americanexception

Episode 62: The Deep Politics of Heroin w/Peter Dale Scott and Alfred McCoy

News and views about the world for those who want to change it, with Brian Becker

Inflation: A Capitalist Tool of Class War Against the Working Class

The Socialist Program with Brian Becker