Episodes

This week Eric welcomes back journalist and CounterPunch contributor Robert Hunziker to discuss his recent articles on Greenland and sea level rise. Hunziker explains how a recent Arctic heatwave paints a terrifying picture of our climate change future. Melting ice, rising seas, a world in chaos…and the President doesn’t even believe it’s real. How do we live for the future through this nightmare? Eric and Robert counsel each other through it all on CounterPunch Radio this week. The post Robert...

This week Eric welcomes to the show Ohio-based activist and teacher Kelly Weber to discuss her successful infiltration of the Trump rally in Cincinnati, what it was like demonstrating amid a sea of racist hate, and why she and her friends felt compelled to do it. Kelly gives us a glimpse into the nightmarish reality of Trumpism, including the casual racism, the violence, etc. Eric and Kelly discuss the trajectory of the rallies, and whether Kelly sees them getting more extreme (Hint: she does, a...

This week Eric welcomes to the show author and academic Samuel Stein to discuss his new book “Capital City: Gentrification and the Real Estate State.” Eric and Samuel explore the rise of the real estate state, the role of capital in urban planning, and the connection between real estate and financial speculation. Samuel explains how zoning and other tools are utilized by capital to enforce political and social order. The second half of the show examines gentrification, land use and profitability...

This time Eric welcomes back to the show journalist and author Arun Gupta to discuss the No More Concentration Camps movement which he helped organize. Eric and Arun discuss the impetus behind the call to action and the immediate response both from social justice advocates and corporate and independent media. The conversation covers a lot of ground: the failures of the corporate press on this issue and throughout the Trump era, the role of tech companies in providing the tools and know-how for I...

This time Eric welcomes to the show Andom Ghebreghiorgis, a progressive educator in NY running to unseat the pro-war democrat Elliot Engel in NY’s 16th congressional district. Andom discusses his political outlook and why he’s made antiwar politics central to his platform and campaign. Eric and Andom explore some of the power behind Engel, why it’s so critical to defeat him, and whether foreign policy and issues of war and empire even have a place in a local race. From there Andom explains his p...

This time Eric welcomes back to the show Brazil-based multimedia journalist Mike Fox to discuss all the latest political earthquakes coming from Brazil in the wake of The Intercept’s blockbuster reporting on leaks within the government. Mike explains the background of the scandal that led to former President Lula’s imprisonment and the rise of the fascist Jair Bolsonaro, and why these recent leaks seriously damage the credibility of the government itself. Eric and Mike explore everything from th...

This time Eric sits down with author and publisher Michael Yates whose new book asks the critical question: Can the working class save the world? Michael helps us understand the questions his book set out to answer, including how we define the working class, how the working class has changed in recent decades, and how it can be organized to change the world. Eric and Michael discuss the importance of internationalism in uniting struggles and fighting global capitalism, including the centrality o...

This week Eric welcomes to the show Boris Kagarlitsky: Marxist theoretician, sociologist, political dissident, and chief editor of the Russian-language online journal Rabkor.ru (The Worker). Boris provides his analysis of the current political landscape in Russia including the recent upsurge in protests around pension reform and other economic and social issues. He also explains how Russia in 2019 is not like the Soviet Union but Mexico in the 1970s; how Putin’s Russia is free but not democratic...

This week Eric welcomes to the show author and economist Mark Weisbrot who serves as Co-Director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research. Mark comes on the show discuss his recent study co-authored with Jeffrey Sachs entitled “Economic Sanctions as Collective Punishment: The Case of Venezuela” which details the real-world consequences of the US sanctions. Mark explains some of the data and methodology behind the study, and what the results reveal about the nature of the crisis. From there...

This week Eric welcomes to the show Brian Mier. Brian is a Brazil-based journalist, editor of BrasilWire, and author of the new book “Year of Lead: Washington, Wall Street, and the New Imperialism in Brazil.” Eric and Brian begin by discussing the changes on the streets and in institutions of power since the election of the far right President Jair Bolsonaro. Brian highlights some of the disturbing trends, and provides insights into the escalating war on LGBTQ, Afro-Brazilian, and indigenous com...

This week Eric welcomes to the show Dave Zirin: sports editor at The Nation, host of the Edge of Sports podcast, author of numerous books including the recent “Things that Make White People Uncomfortable,” co-authored with football star and activist Michael Bennett. Eric and Dave begin with a discussion of Colin Kaepernick’s impact on the NFL and society, as well as what his story says about America in the Trump era. From there the conversation focuses on brain injuries and football’s existentia...

This week Eric welcomes to the show consumer advocate, progressive leader, and author of the new book How the Rats Re-formed the Congress, Ralph Nader. Listen to Ralph talk about his idea for the fiction book, how he intended it to be received, and why he thinks it’s so important in this moment. Eric and Ralph then discuss the argument that Clinton-Bush-Obama paved the way for Trump. From there, the conversation turns to the Boeing 737 Max 8 and Ralph’s personal connection to the tragedies. The ...

This time on CounterPunch Radio, Eric chats with political analyst and media critic JP Sottile about the fallout from the Mueller Report, how Russiagate may or may not fit into the 2020 election, what the hell happened in the Jussie Smollett case, and a lot more. The conversation begins with a discussion about the Mueller Report and Russiagate, and how the media has exploited our current politics for profits. Eric and JP discuss if/how Russiagate and “NO COLLUSION!” fit into the narrative of the...

“Writing is a type of sorcery.” So says author, poet, and educator Lesley-Ann Brown on this week’s CounterPunch Radio. Listen to hear Lesley-Ann discuss her book “Decolonial Daughter: Letters from a Black Woman to Her European Son” and some of the important political, cultural, and spiritual themes that weave the text together. Eric and Lesley-Ann explore memory, the role of mothers and women in indigenous cultures, how capitalism robs people of their histories, what colonization looked like fro...

This week Eric welcomes to the show journalist, author, and host of The Infinite Inning podcast, Steven Goldman, to talk a little baseball, engage in a little sociology, explore the decline of journalism and rational thought in America…oh and talk some New York Mets, Mike Trout, and Shohei Ohtani. Eric and Steven discuss how baseball reflects American society at any given point in its history, and why the place of baseball in modern American culture has changed so dramatically. The conversation...

Note: Interview recorded on January 18, 2019 This time Eric welcomes to the show author and journalist Liza Featherstone to discuss some of her recent writings on feminism and progressive politics, the 2019 Women’s March, and her new book “Divining Desire: Focus Groups and the Culture of Consultation.” The conversation begins with a discussion of contemporary feminist politics, and how recent political developments may call into question the hegemony of elite white feminism and corporate entryi...

This week CounterPunch Radio continues its coverage of the attempted US-backed coup in Venezuela by chatting with author and attorney Eva Golinger. Eva was a close adviser and confidante of Hugo Chavez, and had a front row seat for the development of the Bolivarian Revolution. Eric and Eva discuss the situation unfolding in Venezuela today and examine how it got to this point. Eva provides her analysis of the domestic and international issues that have led to the crisis, including mismanagement ...

This week CounterPunch Radio is co-hosted by CounterPunch’s Managing Editor, Joshua Frank, who turns the tables on Eric as interviewer becomes interviewee. Eric provides his analysis of the situation in Venezuela: How we got here, what’s happening, and what comes next. The conversation begins with some background on Venezuela’s recent history, Eric and Josh’s experiences in Venezuela, and the general political and economic context for the current crisis. From there, Eric and Josh discuss some of...

This week Eric welcomes to the show Billie Winner-Davis, mother of whistleblower Reality Winner. Billie explains the circumstances that led to her daughter’s arrest, conviction under the Espionage Act, and current incarceration…but that’s only the beginning of the story. Eric and Billie explore the political context within which Reality’s case must be understood, the monumental and deliberate failure of corporate media to cover Reality’s story, and the struggle Reality’s friends and family have ...

In the final episode of 2018, Eric welcomes back to the show economist, author, and former finance minister of Greece, Yanis Varoufakis, to discuss the state of global politics today. Eric and Yanis begin with an examination of how the financial crisis that began in 2008 has reshaped political affairs over the last ten years, and the role of austerity in fomenting many of these changes including the ascendance of far right politics. From there, the conversation moves swiftly to an analysis of Tr...

This week Eric welcomes to the show author and academic Bradley Hart to discuss his important new book “Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States” and the contemporary events it informs. The conversation begins with a discussion of some of the findings in the book regarding pro-Nazi sentiment in the US during the 1930s, how it manifested, and who/what was behind it. From there, Eric and Bradley discuss everything from the discourse of isolationism to the clear ...

This week Eric welcomes to the show author and academic Bradley Hart to discuss his important new book “Hitler’s American Friends: The Third Reich’s Supporters in the United States” and the contemporary events it informs. The conversation begins with a discussion of some of the findings in the book regarding pro-Nazi sentiment in the US during the 1930s, how it manifested, and who/what was behind it. From there, Eric and Bradley discuss everything from the discourse of isolationism to the clear ...

This week Eric sits down with Brazil-based multimedia journalist Michael Fox for an in-depth discussion on the exceedingly dangerous political situation in Brazil as a fascist prepares to assume the presidency. Michael provides an overview of the current conditions and provides background on Jair Bolsonaro, the Trump-like far-right candidate widely expected to win the second round of the election at the end of October. Eric and Michael examine everything from the use of fake news to bolster Bols...

This week Eric welcomes author and journalist David Dayen to the show to discuss his recent investigation into ICE contractors and his coverage of the anti-ICE activist groups around the country. Eric and David discuss the privatized detention and deportation system, and how corporate profits and impunity are driving the child separation and domestic removal policies. From there, David provides some insights into the courageous and determined activist groups and local movements that are fighting...