In part 2, we focus on the political and ethical dimensions of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign.

Part 1: https://anchor.fm/red-star-radio/episodes/The-Vaccines-Part-1-e15hcg7

Full episode available to Patrons: https://www.patreon.com/posts/lenin-liberal-54787580

In this part, we focus mostly on the history and evidence behind the mRNA COVID-19 vaccines. In part 2, we will delve more into the political and ethical issues surrounding this massive vaccination effort.

See our last show on covid-19.

Part 1: https://anchor.fm/red-star-radio/episodes/Its-Just-a-Bad-Flu-Part-1-of-2-evvqdr

Part 2 (Patrons): https://www.patreon.com/posts/patron-only-its-50787969

Some corrections -

Absolute risk reduction is stated by Leila to be 0.7% for Pfizer. It is 0.84% according to a more recent study (linked below). Also, the rate of people who are NOT getting hospitalization for COVID-19 in all of the clinical trials so far for the *placebo arm* is over 99% (99.99% is for the earlier Pfizer trial released back in 2020).

Also, AstraZeneca does not contain mRNA. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are mRNA vaccines. AstraZeneca instead injects DNA into cells, where the DNA is converted into RNA. The RNA causes those cells to produce coronavirus spike proteins, as the Pfizer and Moderna shots do. It is also a novel vaccine, and is authorized for emergency use in Canada, Europe, but not the USA. Sorry for this mistake.

Finally, another error. We state that the trials do not count adverse events which happen after the first dose. This is inaccurate. They do not count efficacy after dose 1 and only assess it after dose 2. So if you get sick (or die) *of covid-19* after dose 1, this is not counted against the vaccines' efficacy. I've edited the show to remove these portions anyways. 

COVID-19 vaccine efficacy and effectiveness—the elephant (not) in the room

Full episode available to Patrons: https://www.patreon.com/posts/q-time-part-2-54432833

We go on to answer questions about whether clients of sex workers should be criminalized, what relevance do gender and LGBT+ ideology have to Marxist theory, Scottish independence, the Canadian Indigenous question, and whether Ireland will ever see a workers' uprising.

We talk through the politics and history surrounding Oliver Stone's 1995 movie Nixon.

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/red_star_radio

Full episode available for Patrons: https://www.patreon.com/posts/q-time-54194652

It's the first "ask us anything" episode!  We asked for questions and you, good listeners, delivered! So much so in fact that this will be a two-part episode with the second out next Tuesday.  So enjoy this first part where we answer your questions on the Hungarian Revolution of 1956, Stalin and the decline of the British and Canadian Communist Parties. Enjoy!

The riots that broke out in South Africa brought back into the focus the nature of the post apartheid era.  In this episode we look at the nature of the deal that ended apartheid, the strength and sacrifices of the South African working class and the political trajectory of the ANC.  We also draw on Lenin's analysis of "spontaneity" and Trotsky's concept of "permanent revolution" to shed light on the class struggle within South Africa.

For further information on the situation in South Africa check out this article

Full episode available to patrons: https://www.patreon.com/posts/is-sex-work-work-53926889

We look at the claim that prostitution is wage labour like any other, and decide whether or not the claim stands up to Marxist scrutiny.

Articles mentioned:

Prostitution and ways of fighting it (Kollontai)

Lenin on the Women’s Question (Zetkin)

Socialists Should Support Sex Workers’ Rights (Liza Featherstone for Jacobin Magazine)

Leila's article on the topic in the Bellows: The Folly of Sex Work Advocacy

It's the weekend edition!  In this episode Leila recounts an  increasingly farcical series of tales from her trip to Britain under the  bizarre Covid regime.  Alex sings the blues for the failure of the  England team in the European Championships and reflects on the sheer  stupidity of all of bourgeois politics. Leila also (briefly) contracts  football fever.

Full episode: https://www.patreon.com/posts/trotsky-and-53660114

Do the ends justify the means? Is human freedom a project worth doing *anything* to achieve? Are Marxists amoral? Do the petit bourgeois moralists finally win the upper hand over the Marxists?

We investigate these questions through Trotsky's famous 1938 essay "Their Morals and Ours"

The essay: https://www.marxists.org/archive/trotsky/1938/morals/morals.htm

Keith Wood's video essay: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Smtv4qIEWz0