Loud & Clear

Latest Episodes:

The World Laughs at, not with, Trump at UN Sep 28, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, a professor of history at the University of Houston and author of many books, including “Blows Against the Empire: U.S. Imperialism in Crisis.”
The world is changing fast as the dominant position of the United States in global politics is called into question by emerging powers. As several world leaders sharply criticize the Trump administration from the rostrum of the United States, what does the future hold for geopolitics?
Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline and Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook, and Brent Jabbour, an RT news analyst and host of the podcast Origin Stories, join the show.
Less than a day after the powerful testimony of Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh furious response, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted along partisan lines to advance Kavanaugh’s nomination with a positive recommendation. All eyes are now on the full Senate as it prepares for a final vote. Brian speaks with Heidi Boghosian, the executive director of the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute and the former executive director of the National Lawyers Guild.
Julian Assange stepped down yesterday evening as the editor-in-chief of Wikileaks. He’ll remain the publisher, but Kristinn Hrafnsson will step up to be the new editor-in-chief there. Randy Credico, an activist, a comedian, and the former director of the William Moses Kunstler Fund for Racial Justice, joins the show.
Bellingcat, a citizen journalist website, reported this week that they’d found the true identity of Ruslan Boshirov, one of the Russians that Britain has accused of poisoning the Skripals in Salisbury. Bellingcat has existed for a few years, and most of its renown has come from chemical weapons investigations and accusations against Syrian President Assad. Alexander Mercouris, the editor-in-chief of The Duran, joins Brian.
The US and Mexico will release the text of their bilateral trade agreement tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern, according to Bloomberg News. The Trump administration was eager to conclude an agreement with Mexico before president-elect Obrador takes office, leaving Canada out in the cold and calling the existence of the NAFTA trade agreement itself into question. Dr. Jack Rasmus, a professor of economics at Saint Mary's College of California and author of “Central Bankers at the End of Their Ropes: Monetary Policy and the Coming Depression,” whose work is at www.jackrasmus.com, joins the show.
It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian speaks with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

All Eyes on Washington as Dr. Ford, Kavanaugh Testify Before Senate Sep 27, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker is joined by Heidi Boghosian, the executive director of the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute and the former executive director of the National Lawyers Guild, and Mara Verheyden-Hilliard, the executive director of the Partnership for Civil Justice Fund.
It is a historic day on Capitol Hill as the Senate Judiciary Committee hears testimony from Dr. Christine Blasey Ford and Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. Dr. Ford has accused Kavanaugh of sexual assault.
Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.
Donald Trump conducted a wide-ranging and often bizarre press conference yesterday, touching on issues from the Mueller investigation to a two-state solution in Palestine. Brian speaks with Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist whose work is at rall.com.
Despite its rhetoric about the supposed threat of Iranian missiles, the U.S. military is quietly pulling its Patriot missile defense systems out of Jordan, Bahrain and Kuwait. It is widely expected that these advanced weapons systems will be redeployed to target China or Russia. Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst, joins the show.
Donald Trump claims that he cancelled a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over the future of the NAFTA trade agreement as negotiations between the two countries continue to be mired in deadlock. With the text of the bilateral agreement with Mexico about to be published, will Canada be left out entirely? Daniel Sankey, a financial policy analyst who regularly joins Loud & Clear on Tuesdays for False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism, joins Brian.
Donald Trump’s highly anticipated, decisive meeting with Rod Rosenstein was postponed today, but speculation is still swirling about Rosenstein’s future in the administration and the Mueller probe itself. Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books—“The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War,” joins the show.
As Google celebrates the 20th anniversary of its search engine, the company continues to amass enormous influence over many aspects of our lives. How can Google and other tech companies influence the upcoming midterm election? Brian speaks with Dr. Robert Epstein, the senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology.

Trump at the UN: The Changing Place of the U.S. in Global Politics Sep 26, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and Walter Smolarek and Nicole Roussell (sitting in for John Kiriakou) are joined by Peter Kuznick, a professor and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University, and co-author with Oliver Stone of the book and the hit television series “The Untold History of the United States.”
Donald Trump used his speech at the United Nations to lay out an aggressive agenda targeting U.S. rivals and declaring his blanket opposition to multilateralism and so-called “globalism”. While some of Trump’s remarks were met with laughter by the assembled diplomats, what does his speech reveal about his administration’s approach to securing U.S. hegemony around the world?
Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, joins the show.
Speaking at the UN Security Council today, Donald Trump accused China of interfering in the midterm election on behalf of opponents of his administration. This is just the latest in a series of anti-China moves and statements coming from the administration. Brian speaks with David Ewing, the chair of the San Francisco chapter of the US-China People’s Friendship Association.
Julie Swetnick is the third person to come forward with allegations of serious sexual harassment, assault, or violence by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and others he associated with. Dr. Christine Blasey Ford is slated to testify tomorrow about the sexual assault she suffered from Kavanaugh. This testimony is scheduled despite no investigation yet as requested by Dr. Blasey. Hannah Dickinson, associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and member of the Geneva Women’s Assembly, joins the show.
Iran and the EU have come up with a payment system to work around the US’s sanctions against Iran and anyone doing business with Iran. This is yet another fracture of the EU and US’s relationship. Meanwhile, National Security Adviser John Bolton said in a speech that there would be hell to pay if Iran harmed the US. Medea Benjamin, an anti-war and anti-torture activist who is the co-founder of Code Pink, and whose most recent book is “Inside Iran: The Real History and Politics of the Islamic Republic of Iran.”, joins Brian.
The US has imposed new sanctions on several high-ranking officials in Venezuela, including Congresswoman Cilia Flores who also is the wife of President Maduro. The New York Times also published an op-ed today called “Time for a Coup?” about overthrowing President Maduro. Chuck Kaufman, the National Co-Coordinator of the Alliance for Global Justice, joins the show.
Mexico’s military arrested two police commanders for murder and the highway police chief for carrying unlicensed weapons in Acapulco. The entire police force has been disarmed and is now being investigated. Brian and John speak with Tom Hansen, the international education director of the Mexico Solidarity Network.

Who Attacked Iran and What Happens Now? Sep 24, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, John Kiriakou is joined by Massoud Shadjareh, the founder of the Islamic Human Rights Commission, and Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran.
Iranian officials this morning vowed “unforgiving revenge” over an attack on a military parade on Saturday that killed 29 people, including the four attackers, and wounded 70. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps blamed “regional supporters of terrorism,” meaning Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, both of which denied involvement. US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, meanwhile, said that Iran’s president should look in the mirror before blaming others. And this as Rudy Giuliani addressed the “Iran Uprising Summit” in Manhattan hosted by the bizarre political cult and terrorist organization MEK, a group that counts National Security Advisor John Bolton as one of its allies.
Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.
Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was summoned to the White House this morning as rumors swirled that he had either resigned or would be fired. Neither happened, but in Rosenstein’s meeting with White House chief of staff John Kelly, he requested a meeting with the President on Thursday. The speculation now is that he will resign then. John speaks with Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist whose work is at rall.com, and Daniel Lazare, a journalist and author of three books—”The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War.”
Federal prosecutors in New York are weighing criminal charges against former Obama White House general counsel Greg Craig amid allegations that he failed to register as a foreign agent in a probe that is linked to the Paul Manafort investigation. Prosecutors are also considering charges against Craig’s law firm, international legal powerhouse Skadden Arps. Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemicist.net, joins the show.
Moscow will bolster Syria’s air defense following the downing of a Russian plane last week by sending a modern S-300 air defense system to the Syrian army in the next two weeks, according to the Russian defense minister. The decision was made by Russian president Vladimir Putin because of Israeli involvement in the plane’s shoot-down. Mark Sleboda, an international relations and security analyst, joins John.
As Senate Republicans push for a quick vote this week on Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, Senate Democrats are investigating a new allegation of sexual misconduct against him. Deborah Ramirez, who went to Yale with Kavanaugh, said he exposed himself to her at a party. This is the second allegation against Brett Kavanaugh of sexual harassment or assault. Professor Hannah Dickinson, associate professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and a women’s advocate, joins the show.
Monday’s segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” is where Bill helps us look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? John speaks with Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto.”

Conflicts Heat Up Around the World, but Hope in Korea Sep 21, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of the book “The Plot to attack Iran.”
This week was filled with news, especially big developments in the war in Syria, the Moon-Kim summit in North Korea, and the future of the Iran nuclear deal. The hosts dig in to all three.
Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline Luqman, the co-editor-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook, joins the show.
A diplomatic standoff is heating up between Washington and Beijing over new US sanctions on China. The Trump Administration announced the sanctions because China agreed to purchase Russian jets and S-400 missiles. But China has bought Russian weapons for decades. And even the Trump White House admits that the new sanctions strategy for weapons purchases is unprecedented. Brian and John speak with John Ross, Senior Fellow at Chongyang Institute, Renmin University of China, and an award-winning resident columnist with several Chinese media organizations.
Despite at least 16,000 deaths in Yemen, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has decided to continue funding Saudi Arabia with monetary aid—because he doesn’t want to risk a weapons deal, according to a leaked memo. Meanwhile, the day he certified that Saudi Arabia and the UAE were working to reduce casualties in Yemen, the coalition killed 27 civilians, mostly children. Whitney Webb, a journalist and a staff writer for MintPress News, and Kathy Kelly, co-coordinator of Voices for Creative Non-Violence, join the show.
President Trump lashed out at Congress yesterday for not approving of his long-promised border wall. But this time it’s not just Democrats opposing it. Many Republicans, including several in the leadership, say that the wall is impractical, unrealistic, and just too expensive. Brent Wilkes, a leading immigrant rights advocate, joins Brian and John.
Today British Prime Minister Theresa May made strong comments about the Brexit process, stating about the EU’s suggested alternative plan, “That is unacceptable. We will never agree to it. It would mean breaking up our country.” British and European Union leaders met yesterday in Salzburg to discuss the terms of the UK’s withdrawal from the body and things did not go well for May. The sticking point is what to do about the Irish border. May said that no deal on Brexit and the border is better than a bad deal—and that may be where negotiations are going. Steve Hedley, the senior assistant general secretary of the the UK’s Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers Union, joins the show.
It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

Behind Big Tech's Huge, Unchecked Power & How the People Can Stop Them Sep 20, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Walter Smolarek (sitting in for Brian Becker) and John Kiriakou are joined by Dr. Robert Epstein, the senior research psychologist at the American Institute for Behavioral Research and Technology.
With the midterm elections fast approaching, will big tech companies be able to sway the results by manipulating the information the public sees first? Most Americans have no idea how their private information is used online. Indeed, a recent study shows that internet users would divulge 40 percent less information if they knew what it was being used for. And how do search engines and search results influence our voting habits, and especially the voting habits of independents and undecided voters?
Thursday’s weekly series “Criminal Injustice” is about the most egregious conduct of our courts and prosecutors and how justice is denied to so many people in this country. Paul Wright, the founder and executive director of the Human Rights Defense Center and editor of Prison Legal News (PLN), and Kevin Gosztola, a writer for Shadowproof.com and co-host of the podcast Unauthorized Disclosure, join the show.
South Korean president Moon Jae-in said yesterday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants to complete denuclearization by 2021. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has since invited North Korean officials to talks next week in New York. Walter and John speak with Gareth Porter, a historian, investigative journalist, and analyst specializing in U.S. national security policy.
The Senate on Tuesday passed a new defense spending bill that would increase spending by $17 billion by a vote of 93-7. It was opposed by 6 Republicans and Bernie Sanders—no Democrats. Despite incessant rhetoric against the Trump Administration by Democrats, they just handed him $607 billion to build his military with. Cindy Sheehan, an anti-war activist and journalist whose son Casey was killed during the Iraq War, joins the show.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions yesterday placed new limits on the ability of immigration judges to terminate deportation cases, the latest in a series of decisions to facilitate the removal of people in the United States without documentation. Jorge Barón, the executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, joins Walter and John.
The State Department has been pushing Iran into entering negotiations for a new nuclear treaty that would include limits on Iran’s ballistic missile program. The Iranian government has responded with a loud “no.” While the State Department’s new special envoy says that Washington is seeking a treaty, rather than a personal agreement, Tehran says the US has already violated the JCPOA (the Iran nuclear deal) by canceling it, and Iran will not enter into negotiations when it can’t trust the other side. Mohammad Marandi, an expert on American studies and postcolonial literature who teaches at the University of Tehran, joins the show.
In June, Arkansas became the first state to require that able-bodied Medicaid recipients do some combination of work, volunteering, job training, or education to keep their benefits, just like Kentucky and several other states are trying to do. Three months into the new rules, Arkansas has kicked 4,353 people off of Medicaid for noncompliance. Thousands more could be kicked off next month. Walter and John speak with Leo Cuello, an attorney and the director of health policy for the National Health Law Program.

Peace and Reunification? Kim and Moon Sign Major Agreement After Summit Sep 19, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Vijay Prashad, the director of the Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research and Chief Editor of LeftWord Books and the author of “Red Star Over the Third World,” and Dr. Christine Hong, associate professor of Critical Race and Ethnic Studies at UC Santa Cruz and a member of the Korea Policy Institute.
The leaders of North and South Korea met in Pyongyang yesterday on the second day of their three-day summit. North Korea said it would close a key missile test facility in the presence of international observers if the US took corresponding action, and the two leaders teased an historic possible fourth summit in Seoul in the coming months.
Wednesday’s regular segment, Beyond Nuclear, is about nuclear issues, including weapons, energy, waste, and the future of nuclear technology in the United States. Kevin Kamps, the Radioactive Waste Watchdog at the organization Beyond Nuclear, and Sputnik news analyst and producer Nicole Roussell, join the show.
Two mental health detainees in South Carolina died yesterday when the van in which they were chained flooded in standing water. The deputies transporting them were rescued. Brian and John speak with Kym Smith, a community organizer who has been involved in mobilizing support for the recent national prison strike.
Poland is one of the very few European countries where Donald Trump is not only welcome, but sought after. Poland’s president has even discussed the idea of naming a military base after him. But that may have changed yesterday when Trump insulted Polish President Duda by forcing him to stand to sign a strategic partnership agreement while Trump sat, looking sternly into the camera. Dr. Jeremy Kuzmarov, a professor of American history at the University of Tulsa and author of “The Russians Are Coming, Again: The First Cold War as Tragedy, the Second as Farce,” joins the show.
In another aggressive move toward China, the US is now requiring two major Chinese media outlets—CGTN and Xinhua—to register as foreign agents. How will this affect US and China’s relationship? And what about U.S. media operating in China? Jude Woodward is the author of the book “The US vs China: Asia's new Cold War?,” joins Brian and John.
Yesterday was Day 3 in the murder trial of Chicago police officer Jason van Dyke, who is charged with killing 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, shooting him 16 times. So far, the blue line of silence appears to be cracking, with two police officers testifying yesterday that they did not believe McDonald posed a threat to their safety. Kofi Ademola, an activist and organizer with the Black Lives Matter movement, and Madi, an organizer with Good Kids Mad City, an group in Chicago calling for more resources in underserved communities, join the show.
A few days ago we reported on a story in the Washington Post saying that the Trump Administration was denying passports to American citizens along the border, even when they produced birth certificates indicating that they were born in the US. Some citizens were even asked to produce notes made by the midwives who delivered them. That story was incorrect. Yes, some Americans have been denied passports. But the policy was initiated by the Clinton Administration. And there are actually fewer people being denied passports under Trump. Hostility to immigrants appears to be a permanent policy for the U.S. government—Republican or Democrat. Brian and John speak with Juan José Gutiérrez, the executive director of the Full Rights for Immigrants Coalition.

Syrian War Takes a New Turn Sep 18, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Ambassador Peter Ford, the former British Ambassador to Syria, and Mark Sleboda, an international affairs and security analyst.
The governments of Russia and Turkey yesterday announced a demilitarized zone in the Syrian province of Idlib, a move that appears to have delayed what was believed to be an imminent assault on the area by the Syrian army. Meanwhile, a Syrian anti-aircraft battery accidentally shot down a Russian transport plane last night, killing all 15 Russians on board. The Russian and Syrian governments blamed interference by the Israeli air force for the accident.
Tuesday’s weekly series is False Profits—A Weekly Look at Wall Street and Corporate Capitalism with Daniel Sankey. Financial policy analyst Daniel Sankey joins the show.
President Trump yesterday ordered the declassification of documents related to the Russia investigation, including supporting material for a FISA warrant targeting former Trump campaign official and advisor Carter Page, and text messages exchanged by former FBI agent Peter Strzok and his girlfriend. Supporters laud the move’s transparency. But detractors are criticizing the president for politicizing intelligence. Brian and John speak with Jim Kavanagh, the editor of thepolemicist.net, whose latest article is “Be Careful What You Ask For: Wasting Time with Manafort, Cohen, and Russiagate.”
Hurricane Florence is now a tropical depression, but she left much of North Carolina underwater and killed at least 17 people. As the state begins to dry off, what happens to those North Carolinians who have no flood insurance, especially the poor? And why is it that for many, flood insurance simply isn’t available? Samuel Gunter, the interim executive director of the North Carolina Housing Coalition, joins the show.
South Korean President Moon Jae In and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un met in Pyongyang today in the hope of making more tangible gains toward a Korean peace treaty and reenergizing faltering denuclearization talks between Pyongyang and Washington. The talks will continue for two more days. Simone Chun, a fellow at the Korea Policy Institute and a member of the Korean Peace Network, joins Brian and John.
There is a gubernatorial race taking place on the Japanese island of Okinawa, and the top issue there is the US military base. Most Okinawans want the base to be closed, but residents of other Japanese cities don’t want a US base in their neighborhoods either. All of this comes after years of high-profile crimes committed against Japanese civilians by US servicepeople. The US position is that it isn’t going anywhere because it needs the base to counter China. Peter Kuznick, who just returned from Okinawa and is a professor of history and director of the Nuclear Studies Institute at American University and the co-author with Oliver Stone of the book and the hit Showtime television series “The Untold History of the United States,” joins the show.
The White House announced yesterday that the annual refugee quota for fiscal year 2019 would be cut to only 30,000 people, down from 45,000 last year and down from an average of 95,000 per year over the past two decades. Human rights groups are calling the decision an abandonment of the American promise to the world’s neediest people. Brian and John speak with Jorge Barón, the executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.

The Unnatural, Manmade Disasters: Capitalism & Hurricane Florence Sep 17, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined from North Carolina by Jessica Culpepper, the Food Safety & Health Attorney at Public Justice, and Fred Magdoff, professor emeritus of plant and soil science at the University of Vermont and the co-author of “What Every Environmentalist Needs to Know About Capitalism.”
Hurricane Florence was downgraded to a tropical depression over the weekend, but not until it killed at least 17 people, stranded thousands, and left millions without power. Many of those stranded are poor people who have bedridden family, no car, or no money to leave. Meanwhile, coal ash ponds are overflowing into neighborhoods and there’s been flooding around the animal excrement disposal ponds known as CAFOs as well.
Monday’s regular segment Technology Rules with Chris Garaffa is a weekly guide on how monopoly corporations and the national surveillance state are threatening cherished freedoms, civil rights and civil liberties. Web developer and technologist Chris Garaffa joins the show.
In July, California Professor Christine Blasey Ford confidentially accused Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault via the Washington Post tip line and in a letter to her congressperson. After delays and a series of leaks, the story came out without a name or many details, and Ford decided to speak out despite the consequences that victims of assault often suffer by talking about it publicly. What does this tell us about prep school culture, assault in the highest echelons of power, and whether Kavanaugh’s nomination will be blocked? Brian and John speak with Heidi Boghosian, the executive director of the A. J. Muste Memorial Institute and the former executive director of the National Lawyers Guild.
President Trump last week signed an executive order that would allow the intelligence community to determine whether or not there was foreign interference in a US election, and it sets out punishments for that interference. But what does “interference” mean? And there is nothing to indicate that the US will stop interfering in the elections of other countries. Dan Kovalik, a human rights and labor lawyer who is the author of “The Plot to attack Iran,” joins the show.
A Democratic political action committee in California is targeting vulnerable Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher with a parody ad saying that the 15-term incumbent is a Russian hero and is endorsed by Russian president Vladimir Putin. The ad will run in both English and Russian. Rohrabacher and Democratic businessman Harley Rouda are tied at 45 percent in the latest polls. Ted Rall, an award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist, whose work is at rall.com, joins Brian and John.
Berta Caceres was a Honduran environmental activist and indigenous leader. She won the 2015 Goldman Environmental Prize for leading a grassroots campaign that successfully forced the world’s largest dam builder to pull out of the massive Agua Zarca dam project. Just a few months later, she was assassinated in her home. Today, eight Hondurans go on trial for her murder amid criticism of the government’s handling of the investigation into her killing. Jackie McVicar, a member of the Atlantic Region Solidarity Network, working in solidarity with people struggling for social justice and environmental protection in Latin America, the Caribbean and Atlantic Canada, joins the show.
Monday’s segment “Education for Liberation with Bill Ayers” is where Bill helps us look at the state of education across the country. What’s happening in our schools, colleges, and universities, and what impact does it have on the world around us? Brian and John speak with Bill Ayers, an activist, educator and the author of the book “Demand the Impossible: A Radical Manifesto.”

The Great Crash 10 Years Later: No Recovery for Millions of Americans Sep 15, 2018

Show notes

On today's episode of Loud & Clear, Brian Becker and John Kiriakou are joined by Richard Wolff, a professor of Economics Emeritus, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and founder of the organization Democracy at Work, whose latest book is “Capitalism's Crisis Deepens: Essays on the Global Economic Meltdown.”
Ten years ago today investment banking giant Lehman Brothers collapsed, turning a smoldering economic slowdown into the worst recession in modern American history. In 2008, Federal Reserve officials gave many reasons why they were unable to save Lehman Brothers—the bank’s collateral was inadequate, they lacked legal authority—but the result wiped out an institution with $619 billion in assets, the largest bankruptcy filing in U.S. history. Experts estimate the the collapse and its ripples cost the American taxpayer more than $1.4 trillion, a burden that was shouldered mostly by the poor and working classes. Have we learned anything in the past decade?
Friday is Loud & Clear’s regular segment on the midterms, taking a look at political races around the country in the runup to midterm elections in November. Jacqueline & Abdus Luqman, the co-editors-in-chief of Luqman Nation, which hosts a livestream every Thursday night at 9:00 p.m. on Facebook, join the show.
Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort was in federal court in Washington where he pleaded guilty today to felony counts of conspiracy against the United States and conspiracy to obstruct justice. Manafort had been found guilty two weeks ago of eight felony counts in a federal court in Virginia. His earlier jury was deadlocked on 10 other felonies; those too have now been dropped. But most importantly, Manafort has agreed to cooperate with the Mueller investigation, although it is still unclear against whom he will testify. Brian and John speak with Daniel Lazare. He is a journalist and author of three books—“The Frozen Republic,” “The Velvet Coup,” and “America's Undeclared War.”
Hurricane Florence made landfall in North Carolina last night at a crawling pace and with overwhelming storm surges. Florence is weaker than many experts expected. There won’t be a lot of wind damage. But there will be flood damage. And many residents of North and South Carolina are simply unable to purchase flood insurance. We’ll look at why. Antony Loewenstein, a journalist who is the author of “Disaster Capitalism: Making A Killing Out Of Catastrophe” and the co-producer/writer of the documentary film, “Disaster Capitalism,” joins the show.
Pima County, Arizona, like many border counties, has had a policy of requiring local law enforcement officials to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, in the detention of undocumented immigrants. But that is changing. Pima County has now become the first border county to refuse to cooperate with ICE. Isabel Garcia, co-founder of Coalición de Derechos Humanos, joins Brian and John.
Californians in November will vote on Proposition 10, a measure that would allow localities to create or extend rent control in some buildings. It would repeal the current law, called the Costa-Hawkins Rental Housing Act. Critics of the current law say that Costa-Hawkins encourages gentrification and pushes the poor, the working class, and even many in the middle class out of their homes as prices continue to skyrocket. Daniel Sankey, a financial policy analyst, joins the show.
It’s Friday! So it’s time for the week’s worst and most misleading headlines. Brian and John speak with Steve Patt, an independent journalist whose critiques of the mainstream media have been a feature of his blog Left I on the News and on twitter @leftiblog, and Sputnik producer Nicole Roussell.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected