Air Date 10/22/2024 This is your one-stop reference guide to every issue that is being wrongly blamed on immigrants as the Trump campaign rhetoric turns evermore fascist and xenophobic. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Deportation First Trump and Harris Compete for Latinx Votes While Pushing Anti-Immigrant Policies - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-16-24 KP 2: Escaping Otherism Why Dr. Seuss Could Never Find a Rhyme for Genocide - Crazy Town - Air Date 6-12-24 KP 3: The Real Reason Trump Is Demonizing Immigrants - The Lever - Air Date 10-11-24 KP 4: 'Villains nor victims' Why immigration is good for our economy - Velshi - Air Date 6-2-24 KP 5: Escaping Otherism Why Dr. Seuss Could Never Find a Rhyme for Genocide Part 2 - Crazy Town - Air Date 6-12-24 KP 6: Prof Richard Wolff A FUTURE WITHOUT FEAR OF IMMIGRANTS - The Zero Hour - Air Date 10-12-24 (38:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Giving a quick list of immigration lies DEEPER DIVES (42:07) SECTION A - MIS/DISINFORMATION A1: How is Trump winning the US immigration debate - Anywhere but Washington - Air Date 10-10-24 A2: FEMA is running low on disaster money, but not because funds went to housing undocumented migrants - Verify - Air Date 10-7-24 (50:26) SECTION B - REALITY CHECK (1:08:30) SECTION C - OTHERING (1:26:35) SECTION D - SOLUTIONS SHOW IMAGE CREDIT Description: Trump, with a serious expression, stands at a lectern and points out into the crowd. Credit: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 10-20-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Yet another GOP animal abuse horror - Why weather machine conspiracy theories took off so easily - The questionable UAE organization trying to control rain with cloud seeding - Why more extreme weather isn't swaying certain voters on climate change - Talking about climate change through a patriotic lens - Bonus Segment: The surprising origins of Don't Mess with Texas REFERENCES: New NRA Chief Once Tortured a Cat to Death MTG Implies Dems Created Hurricane Helene: ‘They Can Control the Weather’ Marjorie Taylor Greene - U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cited patents as proof of weather control. That's Pants on Fire! The New Gods of Weather Can Make Rain on Demand—or So They Want You to Believe Extreme Weather Has Had a Surprising Impact on Voters’ Attitudes About Climate Change Kamala Harris Framed Climate Action as a Patriotic Duty. New Research Shows Why That’s Effective.   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 5/27/2022 Today we take a look at the disruptions to society that can unfold in times of economic distress such as high inflation, price gouging, wage stagnation and income inequality as well as some policy ideas for turning things around. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Will America's Capitalists Pull Us Into War & Fascism? Featuring Richard Wolff - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-18-22 Ch. 2: You Are Being Lied to About Inflation - Robert Reich - Air Date 2-28-22 Ch. 3: Prices Soar as Corporate Profiteers & Speculators Drive Inflation; It Hurts the Developing World - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-13-22 Ch. 4: Prof. Richard Wolff Do Workers Have It Too Good Nowadays - The Zero Hour w RJ Eskow - Air Date 5-14-22 Ch. 5: Omar Ocampo of Inequality.org on corporate billionaire greed Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-11-22 Ch. 6: David Dayen on the Baby Formula Shortage & Monopolies in the Age of Corporate Power - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-17-22 Ch. 7: Omar Ocampo of Inequality.org on corporate billionaire greed Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-11-22 Ch. 8: How Biden’s budget proposal takes on corporate power (with Niko Lusiani) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 5-10-22 Ch. 9: Elon Musk’s Billionaire Games - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 5-7-22 Ch. 10: Prof. Richard Wolff Do Workers Have It Too Good Nowadays Part 2 - The Zero Hour w RJ Eskow - Air Date 5-14-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/15/2024 Just as COVID tended to expose the preexisting fractures and inequalities in our society causing undue harm, supercharged by disinformation, so do natural disasters. And the impact of disinformation and conspiracy has only grown in recent years. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Election Denials, Asheville, Israel & Inequality. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 10-25-24 KP 2: Meteorologist Guy Walton on Hurricane Milton's threat to Florida - The Bradcast - Air Date 10-8-24 KP 3: Six Factory Workers Feared Dead In Tenn. After Being Swept Away During Hurricane Helene - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-3-24 KP 4: Derek Seidman on Insurance and Climate, Insha Rahman on Immigration Conversation - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-4-24 KP 5: Trump's politicized lies about Helene recovery calls to mind his abysmal record handling disasters - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 10-4-24 KP 6: 'Enraging' Republicans ‘suddenly’ see disinformation problem amid hurricane crisis - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-9-24 KP 7: Hurricane Milton Menaces Florida; Fact Report after Helene with NC blogger Tom Sullivan - The BradCast - Air Date 10-7-24 (54:00) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to work with distrust in government DEEPER DIVES (58:58) SECTION A - NATURAL DISASTERS A1: Meteorologist Guy Walton on Hurricane Milton's threat to Florida Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 10-8-24 A2: Complete Neglect Thousands Not Evacuated from Florida Jails & Prisons Ahead of Hurricane Milton - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-10-24 (1:09:28) SECTION B - INTERSECTIONAL ISSUES (1:31:26) SECTION C - POLITICS (1:45:45) SECTION D: TRUMP AND DISINFORMATION SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Watercolor-style illustration of people of all abilities on a Main St. with houses and trees, and smaller groups of people sitting together. Credit: “ai generated inclusion community” by Franz26, Pixabay | License: Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 10-14-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - A member voicemail about autopilot cars  - Some call backs, including JD Vance being unsurprisingly weird with his dog - The frustrating shift in the Kamala Harris campaign - Biden's continuous blundering of Israel's war on Gaza - The historical precedent for Harris to depart from Biden on Israel war policy ASAP REFERENCES: Finally, The New York Times Is Getting Real About Trump's Mental...Status An Entirely Necessary Investigation Into JD Vance's Relationship With His Dog, Atlas Professional Dog Walkers Aren’t Sure JD Vance Has Ever Walked—or Even Met—His Dog Before Kamala’s Comedown Kamala Harris Is Taking a Big Risk by Playing It Safe Joe Biden Chose This Catastrophic Path Every Step of the Way Netanyahu Doesn't Care About His Friendship With Biden Biden Gives Shocking Answer on Potential Israeli Election Interference Biden May Be the President Who Kills the Two-State Solution Biden’s Gaza policy is a liability for Kamala Harris. She must break with Biden now Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 10/11/2024 Humans insatiable need for increasing amounts of energy and our tendency to want to at least have the option to wipe entire populations off the map has led to a renewed age of risks related to nuclear power, nuclear weapons, nuclear waste, and nuclear fallout. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Can clean energy handle the AI boom? - Vox - Air Date 10-1-24 KP 2: Why Nuclear Energy Is On The Verge Of A Renaissance - CNBC - Air Date 6-7-22 KP 3: Is Nuclear Energy the solution? - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 5-10-19 KP 4: Three Mile Island Is Reopening. Some Climate Scientists are Thrilled. - CNN One Thing - Air Date 9-25-24 KP 5: Warnings of Nuclear Catastrophe as Power Plants in Russia and Ukraine at Risk Amid Escalating War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-29-24 KP 6: Are we facing a new nuclear arms race? - This Is Not A Drill with Gavin Esler - Air Date 9-17-24 (47:23) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the nature of humans and energy use DEEPER DIVES (54:59) SECTION A - ENERGY (1:31:22) SECTION B - CLIMATE (1:56:40) SECTION C - RISK SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A photo of two, active nuclear power plant towers on the bank of a river at sunset. Credit: “nuclear power plant, Rhine, flow” by distelAPPArath, Pixabay | License: Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Presenting an episode of 'To See Each Other,' a show that complicates the narrative about small town Americans in our most misunderstood, and often abandoned, communities. This season, host George Goehl travels to Lincoln County, Wisconsin to follow a small town battle for the last remaining public nursing home in the community. It’s a heart-pounding roller coaster of a fight - in a swing state that could determine the election. Over the course of the show, a universal truth emerges: That in every complicated set of politics, when we refuse to give up on each other, we can build a better future. You can listen to more episodes of To See Each Other at https://link.chtbl.com/toseeeachother?sid=bestoftheleft

Air Date 10/8/2024 Immigration dominates our politics in the worst way because one side benefits from lying about it and the other can't get their messaging together to create an effective rebuttal. Opposing immigration and stoking blatantly racist arguments doesn't just make the right bad or unsavory, it also makes them wrong on literally all of the facts. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Trump & Vance are Reviving Dangerous Racist Myths To Win 2024 Election - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-16-24 KP 2: Fascism Expert Jason Stanley on Project 2025, Great Replacement Theory, Attacks on Immigrants & Gaza - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-15-24 KP 3: The Daily Blast Trumps Angry, Unhinged New Rant About Fox News Offers Hidden Warning Part 1 - Deep State Radio - Air Date 9-30-24 KP 4: Did Donald TRUMP Make Germany RACIST Again - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-27-24 KP 5: The Daily Blast Trumps Angry, Unhinged New Rant About Fox News Offers Hidden Warning Part 2 - Deep State Radio - Air Date 9-30-24 KP 6: Trump's rhetoric on immigrants gets even darker - The ReidOut - Air Date 9-27-24 KP 7: Paola Ramos Explains the Rise of the Latino Far Right and Growing Anti-Immigrant Sentiments - LeBatardShow - Air Date 9-26-24 (55:21) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On what Democrats need to do on immigration messaging Articles: The Democrats’ Shameful, Foolish Surrender on Immigration Kamala Harris Needs to Meet the Moment and Reframe Our Poisonous Immigration Debate DEEPER DIVES (1:01:12) SECTION A - DISINFORMATION (1:14:11) SECTION B - WHITE SUPREMACY (1:37:38) SECTION C - LATINO ANTI-IMMIGRATION VIEWS SHOW IMAGE CREDIT Description: A stenciled image on a metal trailer structure shows the words “I stand with immigrants” in the shape of a rectangle. Credit: “Stand with immigrants” by Quinn Dombrowski, Flickr  | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Added lower metal space and increased contrast.

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 10-7-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The Today Show's take on viral phenom Moo Deng - The GOP's obsession with killing animals - How the media made a mess of Rashida Tlaib's comments and missed the key point - How some Nazi language is infiltrating left wing spaces & what to do about it - How to solve antisemitism REFERENCES: Meet Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo taking the internet by storm How the GOP Became the Party of Pet Slaughter Anatomy of a Smear Campaign Against Rashida Tlaib Fact-check: Tlaib did not say Nessel charged pro-Palestinian protesters because she’s Jewish Normalizing Nazi Rhetoric Won’t Further the Goal of Palestinian Liberation A Leftist Analysis of Antisemitism Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 10/4/2024 When women's value is seen only in relation to their ability to bear and raise children, you get policies that strip them of the right to choose whether that is something they actually want for themselves - the lived consequences are devastating. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: ‘Authoritarian’: Vance’s weird war on women echoes history's biggest fascists - The ReidOut - Air Date 8-15-24 KP 2: Where Did MAGA's 'Post-Birth' Abortion Claim Come From? - NowThis Impact - Air Date 9-12-24 KP 3: Woman Shares 'Trauma' of Abortion Bans During Senate Hearing - NowThis Impact - Air Date 9-24-24 KP 4: Donald wants to CONTROL WOMEN not PROTECT them. The truth behind his FALSE PROMISE. - Danielle Moodie - Air Date 9-25-24 KP 5: Georgia's Deadly Abortion Ban: The Tragic Deaths of Two Black Women, Candi Miller & Amber Thurman - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-18-24 KP 6: Texas Republicans ARE KILLING WOMEN!!! - Brittany Page - Air Date 9-26-24 KP 7: Everyone Loves Someone Who's Had an Abortion - The Defenders - Air Date 12-30-23 (48:52) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the further demands for reproductive justice Articles:  We Need Better Than a Return to the Roe Status Quo National Abortion Rights Groups Have the Wrong Priorities for Our Movement Abortion Access Right Now Fund DEEPER DIVES (56:49) SECTION A: THE CASUALTIES (1:32:58) SECTION B: RELIGION (2:00:00) SECTION C: THE PUNISHMENT IS THE POINT (2:26:03) SECTION D: BLACK WOMEN (2:42:41) SECTION E: THE PUSHBACK SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A protestor holds a hand-painted sign that says “Justices Lie. Women Die!” with a drawing of a coat hanger. Credit: “220503_RoeVWade_Rally_Pittsburgh-100103” by Mark Dixon, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0

Air Date 10/1/2024 There's still no end in sight to Israel's war on its neighbors and the US continues its toothless efforts to de-escalate while maintaining seemingly unconditional support in spite of standing laws that should prevent our sale of weapons to any country committing war crimes - which Israel certainly it. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Israel Terrorizes Hezbollah With Exploding Pagers - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 9-20-24 KP 2: Hell Is Breaking Loose in Lebanon Israel Rejects Ceasefire Proposal as U.N. Chief Calls for Peace Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-26-24 KP 3: U.S. Gov't Agencies Found Israel Was Blocking Gaza Aid. Blinken Ignored Them to Keep Weapons Flowing - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-26-24 KP 4: 'Whitewashing genocide' How Democrats & the media kept Gaza out of the DNC - The Real News Network - Air Date 8-31-24 KP 5: Palestine In Israeli School Books w Author Nurit Peled-Elhanan - Book Cafe Podcast - Air Date 2-22-24 KP 6: How U.S. College Administrators Are Dreaming Up Ways to Squash Gaza Protests - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-5-24 KP 7: Arrest Netanyahu: NYC activists call for mass march during Netanyahu's UN address - The Real News Network (55:08) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the ease of misunderstanding when discussing Israel Article: A Leftist Analysis of Antisemitism - Jacobin DEEPER DIVES (1:01:15) SECTION A: STATE TERRORISM (1:27:44) SECTION B: GLOBAL COMPLICITY (2:00:10) SECTION C: PROTESTS AND INDOCTRINATION (2:14:13) SECTION D: RESISTANCE SHOW IMAGE CREDIT Description: A black and white photo of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu making a speech with the flags of Israel and the United States behind him. Credit: “Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III participates in a joint press briefing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, April 12, 2021” by U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jack Sanders / U.S. Secretary of Defense, Wikimedia Commons  | License: Public Domain

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 9-29-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Why Cards Against Humanity is fighting Elon Musk - How car-related deaths have soared in the US - How partial automation tech in cars is making driving more dangerous - Why truck bloat(or C.O.U.S.s, if you prefer)is deadly - Surveillance CARpitalism that will blow your mind - The electric school bus fleets sweeping the nation - The fratzonic sound of the electric Dodge Charger REFERENCES: "Cards Against Humanity Sues Elon Musk’s SpaceX “With Great Vengeance and Furious Anger” For Trespassing" "Cards Against Humanity Sues Elon Musk for 15 million dollars"  The Stubborn Problem of Cars Killing People Tesla and Volvo drivers using partial automation tech were studied. Here are the results The US finally takes aim at truck bloat It’s Official: Cars Are the Worst Product Category We Have Ever Reviewed for Privacy Electric school buses are the future we deserve Here’s what the new Dodge Charger Daytona’s fake engine sounds like   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/27/2024 Let's just say that it's not a coincidence that right-wing authoritarians are on the rise at the same time as people around the world are having a harder time than ever figuring out what's true. That said, society is beginning to fight back. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: https://www.thedailybeast.com/donald-trump-project-2025-will-lay-groundwork-for-second-term KP 2: NBC's Jacob Ward: How Technology Shapes Our Thinking and Decisions Part 1 - Commonwealth Club World Affairs (CCWA) - Air Date 1-31-22 KP 3: Streaming is Changing Politics...Is That A Good Thing? - Wisecrack - Air Date 9-20-24 KP 4: YouTube and the Death of Media Literacy - Zoe Bee - Air Date 9-2-24 KP 5: A Citizen's Guide to Disinformation - TechTank - Air Date 9-3-24 KP 6: Enshittification Part 3: Saving The Internet - On the Media - Air Date 5-19-23 (45:53) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On bad media diets and brain worms Article: Welcome to the Era of ‘Deep Doubt’ DEEPER DIVES (54:23) SECTION A: SOCIAL MISINFORMATION (1:23:18) SECTION B: LIVE BY THE ALGORITHM (1:55:54) SECTION C: SOLUTIONS MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Graphic of two profiles back to back, one red, one blue. A white question mark is in the middle. Credit: “face-question mark-disoriented” by geralt| License: Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/24/2024 The positive dad vibes of Tim Walz came onto the national scene in the middle of an ongoing crisis of masculinity that stretches from the youngest generations to the oldest. Both positive and negative aspects of masculinity tie in with the general election, basically divided right down the partisan line, and the next generation of voters (not to mention humans) are often feeling stuck between the two with insufficient guidance from the men in their lives. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Tim Walz is The Perfect Model of Masculinity Which Contrasts Weird, Blowhard JD Vance - Hysteria - Air Date 8-15-24 KP 2: Are Men Okay – SOME MORE NEWS - Air Date 5-22-24 KP 3: Dating Amid Gender Differences in Politics - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-30-24 KP 4: “BoyMom” Author Looks at Raising Sons in an Age of “Impossible Masculinity” - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 7-9-24 KP 5: We Love Some BDE Part 2 - Big Dad Energy - Dear Old Dads - Air Date 8-23-24 KP 6: Rethinking Boyhood What Moms Should Know (with Guest Ruth Whippman) - What Fresh Hell Podcast - Air Date 6-17-24 KP 7: That's My Gus Walz - Dear Old Dads - Air Date 8-30-24 KP 8: “BoyMom” Author Looks at Raising Sons in an Age of “Impossible Masculinity” Part 2 - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 7-9-24 (54:39) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the 3 top takeaways on and for boys and men Article: CONSIDER THE BOOR DEEPER DIVES (1:00:56) SECTION A: TIM WALZ (1:17:49) SECTION B: JD VANCE BRANDED MASCULINITY (1:41:18) SECTION C: THE FALL OUT OF STOICISM (1:46:43) SECTION D: DATING LIFE (2:07:48) SECTION E: SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT SHOW IMAGE CREDIT Description: Image of a man in a flannel shirt in free fall against a gray cloud background. Credit: “man-fall” by Pexels | License: Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 9-23-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Musk's latest - J.D. Vance's war on truth and brown people - The super villains who spread lies - Sane Washing Trump - Correcting the Left - Right-wing lies as a matter of course REFERENCES: Musk Claims ‘Joke’ About Assassinating Harris Was Funnier in Person J.D. Vance’s War on American Life Starts in Springfield JD Vance Thinks He Can Sell His Nationalism With Cat Memes J.D. Vance’s Admission Shouldn’t Shock You—They’ve Done This for Years How the Media Sanitizes Trump’s Insanity Trump Has Not Been ‘Sane-Washed’ The Sound of One MAGA Attacking (Retracted) “He’s one of us”: Trump defends political violence against the press, while the press remains silent Man arrested at Trump rally in Pa. wanted to hang a protest banner, police say How Right-Wingers Manufacture Scandal   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 3/21/2023 Today, we take a look at how GOP-controlled states are subverting democracy with a form of "competitive autocracy" and some of the horrifying legislation these states then pass after they are no longer subject to the opinions of the general public. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Autocratic Nightmare of State Republicans (David Pepper Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-5-22 Ch. 2: Republicans Are Staging A Legislative Coup - More Perfect Union - Air Date 1-5-22 Ch. 3: Laboratories of Autocracy – David Pepper – It’s the States, Stupid! - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 10-29-22  Ch. 4: The Fight for Fair Maps - The Takeaway - Air Date 7-18-22 Ch. 5: Failing (Red)States - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-4-23 Ch. 6: Ending my sm sabbatical since Houston is once again under attack by the party of "small government" - princewilliamhtx - Air Date 3-15-23 Ch. 7: Wherever you live in America, here’s why you should care about Governor Abbott’s removal of school board members in Houston. - isiahrmartin - Air Date 3-16-23 Ch. 8: “Plantation Politics”: How White Mississippi Lawmakers Want to Seize Power in Majority-Black Jackson - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-23 Ch. 9: These Republicans are Trying to LITERALLY Send Your Kids Back To The Mines - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-11-23 Ch. 10: How Moore v. Harper Could Reshape Democracy - The Takeaway - Air Date 12-8-22 Ch. 11: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Rolls Back Child Labor Protections in Arkansas - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-10-23 Ch. 12: Missouri law barring police from enforcing federal gun laws creates confusion - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-26-23 Ch. 13: Tennessee legislator shocks with lynching suggestion - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 3-3-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on how to fix the states MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date: 9-19-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - the fallout from the debate, Trump's lies, and how his incoherence is being sanitized - The inadequacy of workplace protections, even in unionized shops - how worker stress and consumer misery are actually features, not bugs - the hope of Philosopher Obama and Trump's Power of Positivity®  - people's need to feel like they're getting their money's worth at the expense of all else REFERENCES: UPS Drivers Won “Historic Heat Protections.” They Say the Company Hasn’t Lived Up to That Promise In Fast Food, Worker Stress Is the Business Model Why Airlines Want to Make You Suffer Barack Obama Is the Last American Transcendentalist The True Source of Trump’s Delusions: The Gospel of Positive Thinking   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/17/2024 It's not just the threat of the electoral college handing the presidency to the loser of the popular vote, nor the specter of a repeat of a January 6th-like event hanging over the election - there's also copious lies and disinformation including a new and improved nazi-to-Republican-talking-point-pipeline, and fresh new intimidation and voter suppression tactic experiments underway in the laboratories of democracy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Ignore your lying eyes: Republicans attempt to overwrite living memory to rewrite history - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 8-14-24 KP 2: Trump Admits He Lost 2020 Election?!? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-5-24 KP 3: How Pro-Trump Election Officials Could Refuse To Certify The 2024 Election - Democracy Docket - Air Date 8-15-24 KP 4: What Does “Election Interference” Even Mean Anymore? - The Political Scene Podcast - Air Date 9-4-24 KP 5: Subvert the Election, But Make It Legal - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick | Law, justice, and the courts - Air Dat 9-7-24 KP 6: ‘Intimidation’: MAGA Texas AG orders raids on homes of Latino Democrats - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-29-24 KP 7: Republicans caught in BOMBSHELL lie - Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 9-9-24 KP 8: This is also ominous foreboding for what these people will do in office - Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 9-13-24 (49:26) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On what puts democracies at risk DEEPER DIVES (1:01:09) SECTION A: INTIMIDATION (1:15:27) SECTION B: INTERFERENCE (1:54:14) SECTION C: LIES (2:08:49) SECTION D: ELECTION INTEGRITY SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of a woman holding a sign above her head that says “Voting Rights are Human Rights”. She is wearing a bucket hat that says “Good Trouble.” Credit: “210828 - voting rights-6” by Johnny Silvercloud | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped     Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/13/2024 We've been living through the modern equivalent of the oil boom, back when poking a hole in the ground would make one of the world's most valuable substances, upon which entire economies would be built. But in our case, it's not oil, it's data. Now we are at a pivotal moment as the old unchallenged master of data, Google, has been found guilty of illegal anti-competitive behavior at the same time as generative AI companies are in a new desperate rush to stake claims on every last piece of data they can find. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The New Colonialism of Big Tech - Andrewism - Air Date 9-3-24 KP 2: Tech's Big Money Campaign is Getting Pushback with Margaret O'Mara and Brody Mullins - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 8-26-24 KP 3: Nathan Calvin on California AI bill SB 1047 and it's potential to shape US AI policy - 80,000 Hours Podcast - Air Date 8-29-24 KP 4: This Moment in AI How We Got Here and Where Were Going - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 8-12-24 KP 5: Newsoms AI dilemma To sign or not to sign - POLITICO Tech - Air Date 9-6-24 KP 6: At Last Big Tech's Free Ride May Be Over - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 9-4-24 KP 7: Where AI Isn't a Four Letter Word China Builds Robots to Aid Workers - The Socialist Program - Air Date 9-4-24 KP 8: Tech's Big Money Campaign is Getting Pushback with Margaret O'Mara and Brody Mullins Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 8-26-24 (1:00:18) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On a possible future for humanity DEEPER DIVES (1:07:35) SECTION A: THE THREAT (1:20:31) SECTION B: BIG TECH LOBBYING (1:39:26) SECTION C: REGULATION (1:56:17) SECTION D: THINKING THROUGH SOLUTIONS SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of a giant wall-sized screen displaying data numbers and a hand touching a finger to it. Credit: “ai analyzing data” via mimpori01, Pixabay | Pixabay License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/10/2024 It's said that we live in a melting pot here in the United States. Perhaps it's more of a salad bar, who knows? In any case, there are a lot of people coming from a lot of different backgrounds, cultures, histories, and geographies all about to vote in a few weeks. Today, we try to understand, at least roughly, how people’s backgrounds influence their vote. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: A conversation about how demographic changes could impact the 2024 election - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 9-3-24 KP 2: The Gender Gap Is Widening In The 2024 Election - What A Day - Air Date 9-4-24 KP 3: Why So Many Young Men Are Leaving Democrats for Republicans in 2024 - WSJ State of the Stat - Air Date 8-19-24 KP 4: What Will Black Male Voters Do In 2024? - AJ+ - Air Date 7-7-24 KP 5: Ian Haney López, "Dog Whistle Politics: Coded Racism and Inequality for All" - Brown University - Air Date 8-23-17 KP 6: How Michigan explains American politics - Vox - Air Date 1-11-24 (50:47) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the nature of demographic cohorts and the movement of the Democratic Party DEEPER DIVES (57:01) SECTION A: THE MIXED BAG (1:28:15) SECTION B: LATINO AND BLACK VOTERS (2:03:35) SECTION C: WHITE AND RURAL VOTERS SHOW IMAGE Description: A composite image showing red and blue silhouettes of men and women yelling at each other, two with megaphones. A faded diptych of V.P. Harris and D. Trump are in the background. Credit: Composite Design: A. Hoffman. Photo 1: “Kamala Harris” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, faded Photo 2: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, faded     Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/10/2024 It's said that we live in a melting pot here in the United States. Perhaps it's more of a salad bar, who knows? In any case, there are a lot of people coming from a lot of different backgrounds, cultures, histories, and geographies all about to vote in a few weeks. Today, we try to understand, at least roughly, how people’s backgrounds influence their vote. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: A conversation about how demographic changes could impact the 2024 election - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 9-3-24 KP 2: The Gender Gap Is Widening In The 2024 Election - What A Day - Air Date 9-4-24 KP 3: Why So Many Young Men Are Leaving Democrats for Republicans in 2024 - WSJ State of the Stat - Air Date 8-19-24 KP 4: What Will Black Male Voters Do In 2024? - AJ+ - Air Date 7-7-24 KP 5: Ian Haney López, "Dog Whistle Politics: Coded Racism and Inequality for All" - Brown University - Air Date 8-23-17 KP 6: How Michigan explains American politics - Vox - Air Date 1-11-24 (50:47) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the nature of demographic cohorts and the movement of the Democratic Party DEEPER DIVES (57:01) SECTION A: THE MIXED BAG (1:28:15) SECTION B: LATINO AND BLACK VOTERS (2:03:35) SECTION C: WHITE AND RURAL VOTERS SHOW IMAGE Description: A composite image showing red and blue silhouettes of men and women yelling at each other, two with megaphones. A faded diptych of V.P. Harris and D. Trump are in the background. Credit: Composite Design: A. Hoffman. Photo 1: “Kamala Harris” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr |  License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, faded Photo 2: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, faded     Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)   Air Date: 9-8-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - labor unions fighting for time off when it's too hot - cooling tech - electric trains - and the corporations running our national parks into the ground  REFERENCES: Greek Unions Want Paid Time Off When It’s Too Hot to Work To keep workers going in the heat, companies try fledgling cooling tech Please Do Not Make Fun of My Neck Fan Is the US finally getting all-aboard with electric trains? Yosemite National Park Is a Mess Aramark Stock Hits All-Time High Amid Triple-Digit Profit Growth OpenAI won’t watermark ChatGPT text because its users could get caught The Case for Public Rail Ownership   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/6/2024 We're living in the world that dark money in politics and Citizen's United built. But since that Supreme Court ruling in 2010, we've invented cryptocurrency that promises to be a brand new source of opacity and financial power built on smoke and mirrors. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Steve Macek on Dark Money - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-23-24 KP 2: Why Big Money Supports Trump - Robert Reich - Air Date 8-27-24 KP 3: Trump shifts stance on cryptocurrency to win over new bloc of voters and mega-donors - PBS Newshour - Air Date 7-29-24 KP 4: Silicon Valley's Impact on the 2024 Elections - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-31-24 KP 5: Dem Donors Want Harris To Bail On Biden's Best Decision - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-29-24 KP 6: Andy Levin, Pushed Out of Congress by AIPAC, Calls for Change in U.S.-Israel Policy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-21-24 KP 7: Steven Rosenfeld on Election Transparency, Ian Vandewalker on Small Donors - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-17-24 KP 8: We need to move to the public funding of elections - Bernie Sanders - Air Date 8-29-24 (49:16) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the changing sense of urgency to address money in politics DEEPER DIVES (52:47) SECTION A: THE SYSTEM A1: Trump and the Billionaires Part 2 - The Socialist Program with Brian Becker - Air Date 7-16-24 A2: Steve Macek on Dark Money Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-23-24 (1:10:02) SECTION B: FUNDING REPUBLICANS (1:26:54) SECTION C: FUNDING DEMOCRATS (1:34:05) SECTION D: SOLUTIONS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A composite image showing a Bitcoin in front of a pile of US cash, and a dark American flag in the background. Credit: Composite Design: A. Hoffman. Photo 1: “Cash on table” via Pexels | License | Photo 2: American flag via Pixabay | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 10/16/2018 Today we take a look at the distant and recent history of conservatism in America and beyond and follow the steps that have led to their rejection of science at a moment in history when it has never been more critical to heed the warnings of scientists Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Corey Robin on the right from Burke to Trump - Jacobin Radio (@jacobinmag) - Air Date 12-3-17 Corey Robin on the Right from Burke to Trump. While most people on the Left fear and demonize the Right, they aren't interested in its ideas. Robin, however, takes them very seriously and analyzes their ideas for us. Ch. 2: Jonah Goldberg on Trump, Republicans and the conservative movement - Diane Rehm: On My Mind - Air Date 3-2-18 The state of the conservative movement and where it goes from here. Ch. 3: Kurt Andersen: How religion turned American politics against science - Big Think - Air Date 1-18-28 In the last 30 years, religion has radicalized American politics and seriously harmed the perception of science, says journalist and author Kurt Andersen. This can be directly tied to the rise of the Christian Right in the 20th century. Ch. 4: The fall of family values - Past/Present - Air Date 6-25-18 Explaining how we came to the end of “family values” conservatism Ch. 5: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE: FL, IN, MO, MT, ND - Help Democrats Retain These Toss-Up Battleground Senate Seats! Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 6: Jennifer Rubin on the breakdown of the GOP from a center-right perspective - The Good Fight - Air Date 2-13-18 Yascha Mounk discusses how to cover the Trump presidency; the complicity of the Republican party; and the future of the right with proud conservative and staunch Never Trumper Jennifer Rubin. Ch. 7: Chomsky on the GOP Has Any Organization Ever Been So Committed to Destruction of Life on Earth? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 04-26-17 Amy Goodman began by asking Noam Chomsky about the catastrophically destructive tendencies of the Republican Party. Ch. 8: America: The Farewell Tour (with Guest Chris Hedges) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 10-2-18 Chris Hedges on the erosion of democratic infrastructure, imperialist leanings, and the widening gap between the morbidly rich and the working class, a sign of America's farewell?   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com ​ ​

Air Date: 9-1-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The ever-stranger headlines about RFK Jr. ...and dead animals - The political philosophies and missteps behind unipolar, bipolar or multipolar world views  - The dogmatic history of the American Communist Party - The deeper reasons having kids is on the decline - The impacts of our bizarre online world on kids and teens  REFERENCES: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Admits He Falls for Online Misinformation “All the Time” RFK Jr. Whale-Beheading Story Gives RFK Jr. Bear-Murder Story a Run for Its Money Environmental Group Wants Answers About RFK Jr. Chainsawing a Whale’s Head Off RFK Jr. in Hot Water With Environmental Group Over That Wild Whale Story As Eurasia Awakes Our World Will Shake The “Multipolar World”: A Euphemism to Support Multiple Imperialisms Red Weather Vanes The Real Reason People Aren’t Having Kids The Big Problem Faced by Teens Isn’t Caused by Phones. It’s Deeper. What Tweens Get from Sephora and What They Get from Us   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/30/2024 Israel's assault on Gaza is fueled by pain, rage, trauma... a desire for safety, a desire for revenge, the hope for the safe return of hostages. It's a complicated mix of all of the above and more and it will be different for each person. However, there's also a deep well of denial and delusion about the decades-old status quo between Israel and Palestine that made the current conflict all but inevitable and the pursuit of genocide by some decision-makers in the Israeli government - as well as the support of the US government - possible. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Kamala Harris Mentioned Palestinian Suffering — in the Passive Voice - The Intercept - Air Date 8-26-24 KP 2: Substance vs Vibes in VP Kamala Harris' Gaza PR Reboot - Citations Needed - Air Date 8-2-24 KP 3: Former Israeli Spy Chief- If I Was A Palestinian, I Would Fight Against Israel's Occupation - Zeteo - Air Date 8-19-24 KP 4: Torture Is Systemic in Israel's Prisons / Shai Parnes - This Is Hell! - Air Date 8-21-22 KP 5: EXPOSED- Netanyahu's Plan to Set World on Fire - Double Down News - Air Date 8-23-24 KP 6: Rami Khouri on Latest Israel-Hezbollah Escalation & Stalled Ceasefire Talks - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-26-24 (50:37) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the deep denial at the heart of Zionism My Father and the Withering of Liberal Zionism - New York Mag DEEPER DIVES (1:02:24) SECTION A - UNCOMMITTED (1:28:38) SECTION B - TORTURE (1:56:35) SECTION C - ARMS EMBARGO (2:26:17) SECTION D - JOURNALISM SHOW IMAGE Description: A young woman in the middle of a protest in Washington, DC holds up a sign in front of her that says “End the Siege On Gaza Now” Credit: “March on Washington for Gaza” https://www.flickr.com/photos/perspective/53463705757/ by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode.en | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 8/27/2024 People feel lots of ways about immigration. Sometimes it's fear of the other, other times it's not about the people but just dismay over a broken system. The validity of these concerns and others certainly exist on a spectrum, some are utter bullshit and others aren't. Left-wing political parties tend to do a terrible job creating immigration policy - in that they just don't do it at all - while the right wing is all too happy to create and implement terrible policy. And given a choice between action and inaction, regardless of how misguided the proposed action is, people with concerns will choose action. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The UK's Far Right Riots - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-8-24 KP 2: Riots in the UK - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-24 KP 3: Introducing 'Battle of 187' week! - The Times Essential news from the L.A. Times - Air Date 7-19-21 KP 4: The Battle of 187 ends — and the war begins - The Times Essential news from the L.A. Times - Air Date 7-20-21 KP 5: RNC & ”Migrant Crime”- Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 7-25-24 KP 6: Election 2024 As 'neofascist' Trump targets immigrants, how will the left respond w Juan González - The Real News Network - Air Date 7-28-24 KP 7: Employment Visa Paths for Dreamers and a Harris vs. Trump Presidential Race - This Week in Immigration - Air Date 7-30-24 (50:32) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the electoral politics of immigration policy DEEPER DIVES (58:41) SECTION A - THE UK RIOTS (1:13:16) SECTION B - CA PROPOSITION 187 (1:26:59) SECTION C - TRUMP VS HARRIS (1:49:23) SECTION D - MIGRANTS SHOW IMAGE: Description: Two young women stand amidst a protest in London showing their signs to the camera that say "No human is illegal." Credit: "No Human is Illegal" by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 8/23/2024 The vibes of this election are nothing anyone could have predicted a month ago. And yet, some of the details have played out as though by a script. Democrats drink hope like ambrosia from the gods; Trump, when confronted with reality initiates a full blown meltdown; and everyone is doing their best to ignore the genocide in Gaza being carried out with our weapons. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Unlearning Zionism with Simone Zimmerman & Eliza Skinner - The Bitchuation Room (with Francesca Fiorentini) - Air Date 8-13-24 KP 2: Dems Walz All Over GOP Attacks; Harris's Israel Tightrope w/ Krystal Ball - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 8-9-24 KP 3: The Rise of Kamala Harris with Heather McGhee Part 1 - Why Is This Happening? The Chris Hayes Podcast - Air Date 8-13-24 KP 4: Jon Stewart on Why Trump Wants Biden Back So Badly He's Reusing His Old Attacks - The Daily Show - Air Date 8-12-24 KP 5: 'Stupidest' candidate Trump did not answer reporters' questions - The Last Word With Lawrence O'Donnell - Air Date 8-8-24 KP 6: Democrats, Republicans, and the Meaning of Life - Steve Shives - Air Date 8-19-24 (48:45) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR on the vibes and archetypes of the election Kamala Harris Is Providing a Very Specific Kind of Psychological Relief to America - Slate Tim Walz is the dad that we lost - TikTok DEEPER DIVES (1:03:02) SECTION A - HARRIS'S POSITIVE VIBES (1:33:14) SECTION B - GAZA WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN (1:54:55) SECTION C - REALITY OVER VIBES (2:25:41) SECTION D - TRUMP MELTDOWN SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite triptych graphic showing Kamala Harris smiling with her hands in the air at a podium, the flag of Palestine in vertical, and Trump in profile stepping off the stage with his head down. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Image 1: “Kamala Harris” by Marc Nozell, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped ; Image 3: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Original Air Date: 8/23/2023 For decades, we have rightly been focused on dialing back endemic misogyny and poking holes in the patriarchy in the hopes of a new normal of gender relations emerging that would be genuinely healthier for everyone, not just women. But, with so much of the focus on the type of masculinity men and boys shouldn't embrace, we may have fallen short on giving positive direction to boys about what they should be and do. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andrew Tate & Re-examining Masculinity - Long Story Short The Daily Show - Air Date 4-21-23 Jordan Klepper looks at Andrew Tate and breaks down how a void of role models has harmful consequences for young boys. Ch. 2: The new crisis of masculinity - The Gray Area - Air Date 8-7-23 What does masculinity mean these days? Sean Illing speaks with Christine Emba, a columnist at The Washington Post who wrote the piece “Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness.” Ch. 3: The New Masculinity - ON BOYS podcast - Air Date 4-27-23 Boys and men, Manley says, are caught between traditional definitions and understandings of masculinity, and a future definition that hasn’t been fully defined. Ch. 4: Redefining Masculinity and Embracing Vulnerability - The Daily Show Beyond the Scenes - Air Date 3-7-23 Host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with the co-founder of “A Call to Men,” Ted Bunch, and developmental psychology professor at NYU, Niobe Way, to chat about boys' friendships and how therapy could be transformative for a lot of men. Ch. 5: What Does Positive Masculinity Look Like? - Paging Dr. NerdLove - Air Date 4-12-18 Toxic masculinity doesn’t mean that being a man is toxic, bad, or even undesirable. At the same time, non-toxic or positive masculinity doesn’t mean apologizing for being a man or trying to be as gender-neutral as possible. Ch. 6: What is Positive Masculinity: How Patriarchy Oppresses Men - Swolesome - Air Date 12-2-22 Looking at what patriarchy teaches boys to do Ch. 7: Redefining Masculinity and Embracing Vulnerability Part 2 - The Daily Show Beyond the Scenes - Air Date 3-7-23 Ch. 8: The New Masculinity Part 2 - ON BOYS podcast - Air Date 4-27-23 Ch. 9: Why Allan Energy Is The New “Big D_CK Energy” - Barbie Movie - Fashionistas - Air date 8-4-23 Examining positive masculinity through Allen from The Barbie Movie FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on why emotionally stunted men are a social, not individual, problem

Air Date: 8-19-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - How we likely all have COVID and can't believe we did a Bonus Show - The bizarre ways AI is already part of our political systems - Strong feelings on AI-generated art in a hyper-capitalist world - The ups, downs and side effects of so-called AI friends - AI in our love lives (P.S. Audiophiles Beware: We had some technical difficulties, so this show may sound a little strange in spots.) REFERENCES: RFK Jr. Doubles Down on Dead Bear Cub With Bonkers Brag The A.I. Influencer Ads Are Coming Zoom founder Eric Yuan wants ‘digital twins’ to attend meetings for you so you can ‘go to the beach’ instead There’s an AI Candidate Running for Parliament in the UK An AI Bot Is (Sort of) Running for Mayor in Wyoming OpenAI Imprisons AI That Was Running for Mayor in Wyoming Harvard Scholars Suggest Pollsters Ask Questions to AI Simulations of Voters Because Real People Won't Answer The Phone Political Candidate Accused of Being AI Insists He Is a Living Human With a Very Smooth, AI-Looking Face ‘We have to adapt or die’: Daniel Bedingfield says AI is music’s future Wear This AI Friend Around Your Neck Can an AI friend make you less lonely? What If Your AI Girlfriend Hated You? Computer says yes: how AI is changing our romantic lives In the Age of A.I., What Makes People Unique? The Big AI Risk Not Enough People Are Seeing   Bonus: Opinion: The problem with calling Trump and Vance weird   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/17/2024 James Baldwin's 100th birthday passed by recently and we're using the occasion to draw on his moral clarity and eloquence while we assess the state of race in America Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Celebrating James Baldwin's 100th Birthday - 1A - Air Date 7-30-24 KP 2: James Baldwin's Fire - Throughline - Air Date 9-17-20 KP 3: “Justice for My Brother”: Sister of Samuel Sharpe Speaks Out After Police Killing During RNC - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-19-24 KP 4: Why JD Vance and the MAGA GOP Do Not Represent the True Idea of America & Our Core Values - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-2-24 KP 5: Truth, Privilege, and James Baldwin - Woke AF Daily - Air Date 10-3-23 KP 6: Celebrating James Baldwin's 100th Birthday Part 2 - 1A - Air Date 7-30-24 KP 7: US' Unconditional Support For Israel Making The World More Dangerous - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-2-24 KP 8: Raw video- Rep. Cori Bush concedes 1st Congressional District primary race to Wesley Bell - KSDK News - Air Date 8-7-24 (49:08) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the need for national self-reflection DEEPER DIVES (56:50) SECTION A - BALDWIN THE WRITER A1: 100 Years of James Baldwin; Election Integrity and National Security; New York City Etiquette - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-3-24 A2: Celebrating James Baldwin's 100th Birthday Part 3 - 1A - Air Date 7-30-24 (1:08:50) SECTION B - RACE IN AMERICA (1:35:59) SECTION C - THE WHITE LIE (2:00:40) SECTION D - GLOBAL CONNECTIONS SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Portrait of author and civil rights activist James Baldwin, an African American man, leaning against a tree with arms folded in a park and smiling, looking away from the camera. Credit: “James Baldwin taken in Hyde Park London” by Allan Warren, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 8/13/2024 Spirits among Kamala Harris supporters, Democrats, and anyone opposing Trumpism are at an all-time high right now. That's both fortuitous and crucial to the upcoming election. By the very nature of Trumpism, this election will be the most flagrantly contested in history with far more Trump loyalists in place ready to throw wrenches in the works wherever they can. Nothing short of overwhelming victory for the Harris/Waltz ticket is necessary to stave off constitutional crisis. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Maddow points out frightening truth about Trump's lack of concern about votes - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 7-29-24 KP 2: How Trump (Allegedly) Tried to Steal the Election - LegalEagle - Air Date 8-12-23 KP 3: As Tension over Venezuelan Election Escalates, the Left Debates Who Won the Contested Vote - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-5-24 KP 4: Why Millions Won't Be Able To Vote In 2024? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-8-24 KP 5: In The Hands Of The Voters with Marc Elias - Justice by Design - Air Date 8-2-24 KP 6: Resisting Minority Rule - Brennan Center for Justice - Air Date 5-30-24 (52:11) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the importance of happy warriors DEEPER DIVES (54:53) SECTION A - THE MECHANICS OF MINORITY RULE (1:22:28) SECTION B - THE PROPONENTS OF MINORITY RULE (1:44:21) SECTION C - THE HISTORY OF MINORITY RULE (2:01:34) SECTION D - A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE (2:38:53) SECTION E - ACTIVISM SHOW IMAGE: Description: A cardboard sign taped to a street poll shows an American flag image and a short arrow pointing toward it. Underneath is the word "VOTE". Credit: "Vote!" by Kristin Ausk, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 8-11-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Understanding the New Right - JD Vance's mangled metaphor - The best headline about RFK Jr. - Where the anti-trans movement has taken us - What Star War controversies through the years can teach us REFERENCES: Watch: J.D. Vance Makes an Unfortunate Couch Joke at Nevada Rally This Is Why J.D. Vance Hates “Childless Cat Ladies” How JD Vance Thinks About Power JD Vance Just Blurbed a Book Arguing That Progressives Are Subhuman Read J.D. Vance’s Violent Foreword to Project 2025 Leader’s New Book Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Says He Staged an Elaborate Bear-Cub Murder Scene in Central Park, but Only Because He’d Planned to Eat It Later RFK Jr is an always sunny in Philadelphia character The Insidious Scrutiny of Female Athletes’ Bodies The misleading controversy over an Olympic women’s boxing match, briefly explained The Right-Wing Campaign to Purge Women From Women’s Sports This Olympics Moment Shows Where Anti-Trans Calls to “Protect Women” Have Brought Us Every Star Wars Backlash I've Ever Seen Has Really Been About The Same Thing Once the most hated man in Star Wars, the actor behind Jar Jar Binks reflects on his reputation in that galaxy far, far away. Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 2/8/2019 Amid the ongoing fallout of a contested presidential election, we take a look back, briefly, at the last 100 years of Venezuelan history to understand how they went from oil riches and inequality to revolution and social progress only to run afoul of American imperialism Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Attempted Coup in Venezuela with Abby Martin, Greg Wilpert, Paul Jay - @TheRealNews - Air Date 1-26-19 Ch. 2: How Did Venezuela Go From So Rich To So Poor - The Inquiry - Air Date 5-10-17 Ch. 3: Venezuela in Crisis- Defending the Bolivarian Revolution - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 7-29-17 Ch. 4: Is Donald Trump waging a coup in Venezuela? - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 1-25-19 Ch. 5: Maduro’s Corruption Pushed Venezuela Further Into Economic DISASTER - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 2-2-19 Ch. 6: Jorge Martin on what’s next for Venezuela’s Bolivarian revolution? - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 5-25-18 Ch. 7: The Yankee Plot to Overthrow Nicolás Maduro and Steal Venezuela’s Oil - The Intercept - Air Date 2-2-19 Ch. 8: As U.S. Moves to Oust Maduro, Is Invading Venezuela Next? Allan Nairn on Trump’s Attempted Coup - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 1-30-19 Ch. 9: Many Countries at UN Oppose Trump Interference in Venezuela - @TheRealNews - Air Date 1-29-19 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 8/6/2024 After the recent Supreme Court ruling that allowed governments to constitutionally purge unhoused people from public spaces, we are getting an immediate lesson in the difference between addressing systemic problems with solutions and using the police to clean up after governments that failed to act. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Criminalizing homelessness - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-2-24 KP 2: Sotomayor TORCHES Oregon Town Trying To Ban Homeless People - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-23-24 KP 3: Biden Proposes Major SCOTUS Reforms, Including Ending Lifetime Appointments & Enforcing Ethics Code - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-30-24 KP 4: Billionaires' Attacks on Homeless People May Pay Off Big at Supreme Court - Citations Needed - Air Date 3-6-24 KP 5: Myths about Homeless People with Dr. Margot Kushel - Factually! - Air Date 5-8-24 KP 6: White House takes new action to lower housing costs - Morning Joe - Air Date 7-16-24 KP 7: Can Homelessness Be Eliminated- One Oregon County Found a Surprising Solution - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-1-24 (45:37) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the layers of problems and solutions for addressing homelessness Article:  With Sacramento’s robust water infrastructure, why are homeless residents still dying of thirst? DEEPER DIVES (51:59) SECTION A - THE SUPREME COURT (1:02:06) SECTION B - DEMONIZATION (1:19:15) SECTION C - DIGITALIZATION OF RENTING (1:33:27) SECTION D - SOLUTIONS SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photograph of a group of multicolored camping tents on a plaza outside City Hall in Los Angeles. Credit: "Unhoused in Los Angeles" by Ron Reiring, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 8-4-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The use of strategic ambiguity as a way to ensure everyone hears what they want to hear - How weird Republicans are now - How the joke about JD Vance having sex with a couch is viewed as plausible because his inability to deal with generational trauma has made him a bizarre person - How the right's bigotry runs so deep, they can't escape it even when they try their hardest - Seriously, the Trump era of the Republican Party is really weird! REFERENCES: Those magic half-hours at Lozano Car Wash, where my dad was all mine The Real Origin of Trump’s Hannibal Lecter Obsession The deeper you go, the less sense it makes. Trump campaign finally reveals why ex president continues to profess love for Hannibal Lecter in speeches J.D. Vance didn’t have sex with a couch. But he’s still extremely weird. Critics Question JD Vance's 'Weird' Defense Of Wife Usha After White Supremacist Attacks JD Vance's Response to White Supremacist Attacks on His Wife Seen as Lacking Strength and Conviction J. D. Vance’s Sad, Strange Politics of Family Trump: People who like family will support JD Vance Trump faces backlash for ‘in four years, you don’t have to vote again’ remark Trump asked to clarify his remarks about how Christians won't need to vote again Dems Go All-In on Blasting Trump and MAGA as ‘Sick Freaks Who Everyone Hates’ How Trump and Vance went from a ‘threat to democracy’ to ‘weird’ Inside the “Big Weirdo” Political Strategy That Democrats Are Using to Taunt Republicans   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/2/2024 The Kamala Harris presidential campaign has been on a wild ride since it unexpectedly began less than two weeks ago. Record fund raising, organic enthusiasm not seen since Obama, and the ugly pushback to match. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: This Is What DEI Means (And Why Conservatives Get Super Racist With It) - Kate Abu - Air Date 7-29-24 KP 2: Political Plot Twists - Bad Queers - Air Date 7-29-24 KP 3: Israel Furious With Harris Over This Speech - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 7-28-24 KP 4: Share & Rizz & Tell with Mina Kimes and Dan Le Batard - PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT - Air Date 7-26-24 KP 5: Black Women Lead - Woke AF Daily - Air Date 7-24-24 KP 6: "It is a train that is never late"- Trump, GOP escalate racist and predictable attacks on VP Harris - Deadline White House - Air Date 7-24-24 (48:51) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the power of excitement DEEPER DIVES (56:51) SECTION A: MISOGYNOIR DEFINED A1: Misogynoir by Dr. Moya Bailey #Jubilee21 - Black Feminist Future - Air Date 12-11-21 A2: Digital Misogynoir - The Anti-Dystopians - Air Date 9-8-23 (1:10:32) SECTION B: MISOGYNOIR IN ACTION (1:41:14) SECTION C: TALK OF THE TOWN SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Vice President Kamala Harris stands on stage holding a microphone with one hand on her hip in front of the stars of the U.S. flag.  Credit: “Kamala Harris” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Slight crop

Air Date 7/30/2024 The Republican Party is making it sound like they're trying to transform themselves into the party of working people. There's a mountain of evidence suggesting that you shouldn't believe them but there's also plenty of reason to sit up and take notice of the situation. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: “He’s a Fake” Robert Kuttner on How J.D. Vance Disguises His Anti-Worker Views as Economic Populism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-16-24 KP 2: Trump, Vance, and the New Right at the RNC - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-19-24 KP 3: JD Vance, Phony Populism on the Right, the Republican National Convention, and Democratic Party Messaging w Ben Burgis - Parallax Views - Air Date 7-22-24 KP 4: Teamster President’s RNC Both-Sides Pandering Fails Miserably - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-17-24 KP 5: Why Hiking Tariffs Actually Protects Americans - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-14-24 KP 6: Sean O'Brien faces criticism from Teamsters Vice President for RNC appearance - The Real News Network - Air Date 7-19-24 (43:44) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the shifting political epoch toward pro-worker policies we're witnessing Clip: Let's adopt the GOP's national platform - Jim Hightower - Air Date- 3-6-13 Article: Biden’s labor report card: Historian gives ‘Union Joe’ a higher grade than any president since FDR DEEPER DIVES (54:05) SECTION A: TEAMSTER SPEECH AND FALSE POPULISM (1:17:09) SECTION B: PRO-WORKER LEGISLATION (1:28:24) SECTION C: JD VANCE AND THE "CENTER" RIGHT MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: J.D. Vance scowls with his face in partial shadow while standing at a podium. Credit: "J.D. Vance" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 7-29-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - All of our hope-y, fearful feelings about this political moment - The sexist, racist insults already being hurled at Harris - The perceived threat of a woman's laugh - Men's deep-seeded struggle with masculinity REFERENCES: Trump campaign finally reveals why ex president continues to profess love for Hannibal Lecter in speeches What people mean when they call Kamala Harris a ‘DEI candidate’ Kamala Harris and the Threat of a Woman’s Laugh ‘It is a train that is never late’: Trump, GOP escalate racist and predictable attacks on VP Harris Are We Not Men? Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/26/2024 It's clear where the vast majority of violent rhetoric is coming from in the country and it's clear which party is a cult of personality and which puts country before personal power. This is the state of play in our politics. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript | Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Jeff Sharlet on Trump Assassination Attempt, Authoritarian Violence & Project 2025 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-15-24 KP 2: Who Really is Stoking Violence in America? - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 7-15-24 KP 3: The Long Simmer of Political Violence in America - The Atlantic - Air Date 7-15-24 KP 4: In "Unity" Speech, Trump Demonizes Migrants, Spreads Lies & Embraces Authoritarianism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-19-24 KP 5: Jon Stewart on Biden 2024: It Is What It Is? - The Weekly Show With Jon Stewart - Air Date 7-11-24 KP 6: You did it, Joe - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-22-24 (51:48) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why it's OK to have a bit of hope even if it's uncomfortable DEEPER DIVES (57:02) SECTION A: BIDEN STEPS DOWN A1: "Beating Donald Trump Is Vital": Mehdi Hasan on Joe Biden Dropping Out, Kamala Harris, Gaza & More - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-22-24 A2: Fox News MELTS DOWN Over Kamala Harris - The Rational National - Air Date 7-22-24 (1:12:23) SECTION B: VIOLENCE AND VIOLENT RHETORIC (1:21:33) SECTION C: THE RNC (1:57:29) SECTION D: CONSPIRACY SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image: In background, a photo from the RNC with image of Trump making a fist after the assassination attempt on every screen. In the foreground, Biden's letter telling America he is not running for reelection. Beside it, a photo of a smiling Vice President Kamala Harris. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo: "Kamala Harris" by Gage Skidmore, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped around subject

Original Air Date: 11/15/2022 Today, we take a look at our extremely steady history of political violence from the Revolution, through the Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow, into the Civil Rights era, the Militia Movement and domestic terrorism, and now to our current once-again-radicalized, right-wing movement willing to use and tacitly condone violence as a political tactic. Transcript Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitol Attack Wasn't the 1st Violent Incident in Congress - Inside Edition - Air Date 1-20-22 Ch. 2: A history of US political violence Part 1 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 Ch. 3: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 1 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Ch. 4: Political Violence Is No Anomaly in American History - System Check - Air Date 1-8-21 Ch. 5: Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22 Ch. 6: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 2 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Ch. 7: Some Democrats call on McCarthy to resign after comment 'hard not to hit' Pelosi with speaker's gavel - ABC News - Air Date 8-2-21 Ch. 8: Paul Pelosi attacked with hammer in his home - ABC News - Air Date 10-29-22 Ch. 9: A history of US political violence Part 2 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 Ch. 10: Political Violence - In the Thick - Air Date 11-4-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s Part 2 - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22 Show Image: Description: A newspaper cartoon/drawing of Senator Sumner being beaten on the floor of the Senate with a cane by Sen. Preston Brooks in 1856. Credit: “Southern Chivalry - Argument vs. Clubs” by J.L. Magee, 1856 | Public Domain

Air Date: 7-21-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin couldn't join us) discuss: - Deon's hatred of old people - How the media industry's failing state led to ineffective coverage of the Biden age story  - Amanda's excellent sports analogy - The factors that have lead to America's worsening gerontocracy   REFERENCES: Did the media botch the Biden age story? Jon Stewart Examines Biden’s Future Amidst Calls For Him to Drop Out | The Daily Show Inside the Complicated Reality of Being America’s Oldest President Biden, turning 80, faces renewed age questions as he weighs reelection Our U.S. Gerontocracy Needs to Go (and Biden Isn’t Even the Worst) Why American politicians are so old Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/20/2024 Extremism comes in many forms and we live in an era in which way too many of them are on display simultaneously, but it's not coincidence. The far right has been working toward an extremist Supreme Court for decades. Christian Nationalists have similarly been trying to impose their rigid view of far-right Christianity on the rest of us for a very long time. The far-right Heritage Foundation now deems this to be the time to attempt to radicalize the federal bureaucracy, and far-right calls for political violence and lax gun laws resulted in an environment where no one was really all that surprised about the assassination attempt against Donald Trump. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Opinionpalooza The Supreme Court End-of-Term Breakfast Table - Amicus - Air Date 7-6-24 KP 2: Opinionpalooza This SCOTUS Decision Is Actually Even More Devastating Than We First Thought - Amicus - Air Date 7-13-24 KP 3: Just Decide the EMTALA Case Already, You Cowards - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-27-24 KP 4: What is Project 2025 - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-11-24 KP 5: Project 2025 would allow Trump to target his enemies through the judicial system - The ReidOut - Air Date 7-10-24 KP 6: Republicans issue vile reaction to Trump shooting - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 7-15-24 KP 7: Project 2025 would allow Trump to target his enemies through the judicial system Part 2 - The ReidOut - Air Date 7-10-24 KP 8: What is Christian nationalism and why it raises concerns about threats to democracy - PBS Newshour - Air Date 2-1-24 (57:30) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On what should come next for the Democrats DEEPER DIVES (1:05:02) SECTION A: SUPREME COURT (1:51:47) SECTION B: PROJECT 2025 (2:07:10) SECTION C: POLITICAL VIOLENCE (2:16:21) SECTION D: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite. Photo of Trump giving a speech at a podium with the overlaid words "The Plot Against America" next to him against the black background. Credit: Composite by A. Hoffman. Photo: "Donald Trump" by Matt Johnson, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, overlaid text added

Air Date 7/17/2024 Recent elections in the UK, France and Mexico spanned the spectrum from confirming inevitabilities to completely upending expectations but they each have lessons for politics in the US Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (20% off in July! Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The UK Election Results Explained - TLDR News - Air Date 7-5-24 KP 2: Shocking French election results- What you need to know - Zeteo - Air Date 7-8-24 KP 3: The biggest problems Mexico's first female president Claudia Sheinbaum is facing - DW News - Air Date 6-3-24 KP 4: Labour Wins Massive Majority On Low Vote Share, Gaza Costs Starmer - Novara Media - Air Date 7-5-24 KP 5: France’s leftwing alliance beat the far right, but what now? - Today in Focus - Air Date 7-8-24 KP 6: "The North Needs to Learn from the South": Mexico Poised to Elect First Woman President - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-29-24 KP 7: Who Broke Britain- Part 4- The Tories Are Out - If You_re Listening - ABC News In-depth - Air Date 7-5-24 KP 8: First Woman President- Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum Faces Border And Drug Cartel Challenges - The Hill - Air Date 6-16-24 (1:00:32) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to react to the current political moment and all of the many moments to come Article: The Democratic Party’s Strange Attraction to Defeatism DEEPER DIVES (1:10:16) SECTION A: FRANCE (1:44:54) SECTION B: GREAT BRITAIN (1:59:28) SECTION C: MEXICO SHOW IMAGE: Description: Graphic of a partially transparent ballot box with the UK flag, the French flag and the Mexican flag visible in composite in the background. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Images from Pixabay.

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 7-14-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin couldn't join us) discuss: - How we're feeling - The philosophy of liberal patriotism - The positive policies Democrats should be running on to inspire voters - The reckoning the current Democratic Party desperately needs REFERENCES: Liberal Patriotism Is About More Than Flag-Waving How to Beat Trump in a World of Unreason Democrats don’t just need a new candidate. They need a reckoning. Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/12/2024 From solar scams to controversial congestion pricing and the smart grid that's needed to connect it all, we look at the messy and difficult path to a low-carbon future. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: When solar power leaves you feeling burned - Today, Explained - Air Date 1-2-24 KP 2: How can we develop new energy technologies and get them deployed at scale - The Energy Gang - Air Date 3-5-24 KP 3: This is what's REALLY holding back wind and solar - DW Planet A - Air Date 6-2-23 KP 4: How to fix clean energy’s storage problem - VOX - Air Date 4-27-23 KP 5: How can we develop new energy technologies and get them deployed at scale Part 2 - The Energy Gang - Air Date 3-5-24 KP 6: The Lost Subways of North America - 99% Invisible - Air Date 5-21-24 KP 7: NYC Congestion Pricing Advocates Slam Hochul for Halting Plan to Reduce Emissions, Fund Transit - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-25-24 KP 8: Comptroller on Congestion Pricing's Indefinite Pause - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-17-24 (54:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to make the case to Biden to step aside DEEPER DIVES (1:01:35) SECTION A: ENERGY POLICIES (1:20:31) SECTION B: THE INTENTIONAL SOLAR SCAM (1:36:14) SECTION C: PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a smoggy traffic jam on a highway, taken from the middle of the lane behind the cars. Cars' brake lights are visible. Credit: “World Class Traffic Jam: Jersey Turnpike Version” by b k, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Slight crop

Original Air Date: 2/5/2019 Today we take a look at the history of FDR's "Four Freedoms" and "Economic Bill of Rights" that laid the groundwork for the fight for economic freedom for all that continues to this day. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Harvey Kaye, "The Fight for the Four Freedoms" - Book TV - Air Date 5-11-14 Harvey Kaye examines the progressivism of the Roosevelt-era and argues that a reminder of the "four freedoms" could address today's political and social issues. Ch. 2: What Ted Cruz Doesn't Get About 'Freedom' - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 7-21-16 Thom talks about Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican Convention and compares his definition of 'freedom' with the way it was described by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ch. 3: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented. Ch. 4: Fighting for the Four Freedoms - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-15-14 Historian Harvey J. Kaye talks about how FDR was able to mobilize Americans to create "the strongest and most prosperous country in human history." Ch. 5: Libertarian Definition of "Freedom" is Freedom in Name Only - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 8-1-13 Explaining that libertarian thinking doesn't incorporate the existence of economic coercion Ch. 6: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 Ch. 7: Bernie Sanders & FDR's Second Bill of Rights - Berniementum - Air Date 8-12-15 President FDR's Second Bill of Rights speech - January 11, 1944 Sen. Bernie Sanders speech at the National Press Club - Mar. 9, 2015 Music - "There is Romance" by Imcompetech Ch. 8: Fight for the Four Freedoms What Made FDR & the Greatest Generation Truly Great (w: Harvey J Kaye) - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 9-9-15 University of Wisconsin Professor Harvey J Kaye author of Fight for the Four Freedoms: What Made FDR and the Greatest Generation Truly Great, explains Ronald Reagan and the great pushback against a progressive America Ch. 9: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 3 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18

Air Date: 7-7-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Some stuff that we planned and A LOT more that we did not. REFERENCES: The Cause That Turned Idealists Into Authoritarian Zealots 'Extreme wealth as power must be regulated’: 31-year-old heiress is letting 50 strangers give her $27 million fortune away The Baffling Disaster Unfolding at the Washington Post The Democratic Governor Whose Message Can’t Be Beat Best of the Left #1247 The Fight for the Four Freedoms (FDR vs. Libertarianism) The Fight for the Four Freedoms Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/5/2024 China is an undeniable force in the world relating to several major political issues and to address their influence without a deep understanding of the history, context, and current dynamics would be to invite 100 years of humiliation. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Joe Biden's Radical Worldview - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-27-24 KP 2: Why China Doesn't Identify with the West, Explained - Siming Lan - Air Date 9-23-22 KP 3: Has China's Belt and Road Initiative been a success? - Financial Times - Air Date 10-30-23 KP 4: Why China Isn't the Problem - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 5-5-23 KP 5: The Escalating Sino-Philippine South China Sea Dispute Explained - TLDR News Global - Air Date 6-26-24 KP 6: Why China's Economy is Finally Slowing Down - Wendover - Air Date 3-21-24 KP 7: Our New Global Economy - Johnny Harris - Air Date 12-20-23 (1:04:13) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how Joe Biden can become a hero in the wake of his debate with Trump DEEPER DIVES (1:12:51) SECTION A: CHINA'S ECONOMIC FOREIGN POLICY A1: Kidnappings and ghost towns on China’s Belt and Road: 10 years of Xi Jinping’s masterplan | Dispatch - The Telegraph - Air Date 9-7-23 A2: Has Africa gained from China's infrastructure plans? - Focus on Africa - Air Date 10-20-23 A3: China-Africa Relations in the Era of Great Power Competition - The China in Africa Podcast - Air Date 5-9-24   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES (1:37:10) SECTION B: THE EV WARS (1:59:44) SECTION C: TECH AND SPACE RACE (2:14:44) SECTION D: ESCALATING TENSIONS MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An illustration of a darkened, draped Chinese flag, with its 5-star pattern, close up.  Credit: "China flag" by The Digital Artist, Pixabay | Pixabay License |Changes: Added dark overlay

Air Date 7/2/2024 Border security around the world continues to take turns for the dark and dystopian as right-wing sentiment against migrants and refugees continues to escalate to the extreme. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Air Date 7/2/2024 Border security around the world continues to take turns for the dark and dystopian as right-wing sentiment against migrants and refugees continues to escalate to the extreme. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: First Illinois Latina Rep. Praises Biden's New Immigration Executive Order But Slams Border Shutdown - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-20-24 KP 2: EU Border Enforcement, Part 1 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 6-4-24 KP 3: Migrants & Refugees, the Pope & Volkswagen - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-26-24 KP 4: Tunisia, EU scrutinized for harsh treatment of migrants along route from Africa to Europe - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-7-23 KP 5: Why Are Migrants Becoming AI Test Subjects? With Petra Molnar - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-20-24 KP 6: EU Border Enforcement, Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 6-5-24 KP 7: Why Are Migrants Becoming AI Test Subjects? With Petra Molnar Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-20-24 (52:45) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On our summer membership drive DEEPER DIVES (57:32) SECTION A: POLITICIZATION OF THE BORDER (1:19:47) SECTION B: BRUTAL BORDER ENFORCEMENT (1:36:40) SECTION C: BORDER INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX (1:48:14) SECTION D: MIGRANT STORIES SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite graphic showing a deep blue ocean with the gold stars of the EU flag. On the horizon, a faded US flag is behind concertina wire fencing. In the center, a long boat full of refugees floats on the water. Credit: Composite Design by A. Hoffman. | Composite imagery via Pixabay | Photo: “P52 Migrants 19 July 2015 03” by Oglaigh na hEireann, Flickr. License: CC BY 2.0 Changes: Cropped and reduced opacity

Air Date: 6-30-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - the baffling trend of tech companies using cautionary tales from dystopian fiction as a blueprint for what to create next - how the people who build or champion tools of oppression never think those same tools will inevitably be turned on them - the use of drones as first responders, and the long term effects this has had on the residents - a different perspective on how to think about the end  - humanity's seeming inability to think about longterm repercussions of technology before we put something into use REFERENCES: What Is 'Torment Nexus?' The 'Man-Made Horrors' Trope Explained Author of cautionary tale about Torment Nexus creates tech company to build Torment Nexus ‘Snow Crash’ Author Neal Stephenson Is Building a ‘Free Metaverse’ Called Lamina1 The Age of the Drone Police Is Here Watch a swarm of cyborg cockroaches controlled by computers Are We Doomed? Here’s How to Think About It   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/28/2024 AI, like all new technologies, won't be all good or all bad. In fact, my favorite understanding of emerging technologies is that they often bring simultaneous utopia and dystopia, though many tend to focus on the benefits while only discovering the drawbacks later. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS 1: We’re already using AI more than we realize - Vox - Air Date 2-28-24 2: AI is a Lie. - Linus Tech Tips - Air Date 6-13-24 3: What Is an AI Anyway? | Mustafa Suleyman - TED - Air Date 4-22-24 4: How to Limit the Threat of "Killer Robots" and Autonomous Weapons That Are Changing Warfare - Global Dispatches - Air Date 3-13-24 5: How Much AI Regulation Is The Right Amount? - FiveThirtyEight Politics Podcast - Air Date 6-13-24 6: How AI causes serious environmental problems (but might also provide solutions) | DW Business - DW News - Air Date 4-29-24 7: Why Are Migrants Becoming AI Test Subjects? With Petra Molnar - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-20-24 8: Big Tech AI Is A Lie - Tina Huang - Air Date 4-30-24 (1:07:12) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the nature of misalignment between AI and human wellbeing Article: This article is OpenAI training data DEEPER DIVES (1:16:18) SECTION A: MORE CURRENT USES OF AI (1:44:54) SECTION B: POTENTIAL USES OF AI AND THE ETHICS WE NEED TO CONSIDER (2:08:00) SECTION C: REGULATING AI MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: Graphic showing a human hand and a digital pixilated hand reaching out toward each other with arching digital lines coming from the center of each hand. Credit: “Digitization Particles Hand” via geralt, Pixabay | Pixabay License | Changes: Expanded

Original Air Date: 10/23/2023 The people who want to pull the country in directions that are only supported by a small minority of the population have to develop very intricate plans to have any hope of succeeding. This is the story of the latest plan to establish unchecked rule to implement unpopular policies supported only by the far right. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ‘The endgame of election denial is that we shouldn't have elections’: Authoritarianism expert - The ReidOut - Air Date 10-6-23 Donald Trump has ramped up his violent rhetoric in recent weeks. Meanwhile, a Fox host has urged the U.S. towards civil war and claimed that voting does not work. Ch. 2: Violent Authoritarianism: How Did This Become the GOP? - Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen - Air Date 11-23-21 Pat Buchanan was ahead of his time. He used the KKK’s David Duke to breed a new nativist religious nationalism, based on fear of liberalization. On this show, political science professor Joseph Lowndes sheds light on how the Republican Party got here Ch. 3: Analyzing The Dark Roots Of Modern Conservatism - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 10-15-23 Emma hosts John S. Huntington, professor of history at Houston Community College, to discuss his recent book Far-Right Vanguard: The Radical Roots of Modern Conservatism. Ch. 4: How Often Do YOU Think About the Roman Empire? - Wisecrack - Air Date 10-16-23 The real reason TikTok is crazy for ancient Rome If you’re even a little bit online, you know that the men love ancient Rome. This isn’t new: The civilization has loomed large in the Western imagination ever since its catastrophic collapse. Ch. 5: The Conservative Plan to Take Over the Country Part 1 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 9-26-23 Project 2025 is the terrifying plan set out by conservatives to take over the government. But it's radical, and it doesn't align with what most Americans want. Which is why we have to make sure this plan never happens. Ch. 6: The GOP’s "Red Caesar" New Political Order Plan Marches Forward - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-3-23 A Trump supporter just displayed exactly how stochastic terrorism works. Ch. 7: The Conservative Plan to Take Over the Country Part 2 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 9-26-23 Ch. 8: Think Tanks: How Fake Experts Shape the News - Tom Nicholas - Air Date 5-13-23 A video about how billionaire-funded right-wing “think tanks” such as the Heritage Foundation, Adam Smith Institute, Manhattan Institute, and Institute of Economic Affairs manipulate the news to spread their propaganda

Air Date: 6-23-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The Kidult trend in depth (since we had to cut it short last time) - A right-wing attempt at a puppet-based kids show to draw in young viewers early - How Nanalan' - a kids puppet show from the 90s - is helping some Millennials with reparenting REFERENCES: Adults Are Spending Big on Toys and Stuffed Animals—for Themselves Kidults - do you have one in your life? PLAYBACK The UK’s adults-only soft play, ball pits, Lego nights, museum sleepovers & holiday camps where grown-ups play like kids 'Gus Plus Us' Offers a Glimpse of Texas Filmmaking’s Conservative Future  What is Bentkey? 'She Is the Icon of All That Is Joyful in the World Nanalan' on YouTube Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/21/2024 The European elections could have been worse but they weren't great. Shifting politics among mainstream parties is legitimizing far-right policies at the same time as people's concerns over immigration is being reflected in a willingness to vote for far-right parties. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) SEE FULL SHOW NOTES Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Clear Shift Toward the Far Right Anti-Immigrant Nationalists Gain Ground Across Europe - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-11-24 KP 2: Europe Slides to the Right Unpacking the EU Parliamentary elections. - UNFTR - Air Date 6-15-24 KP 3: How the EU Parliament Voted This Year - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-12-24 KP 4: Does the economy matter to the far right? - Business Beyond - Air Date 5-31-24 KP 5: How Deep Does Right Wing Extremism Go In The Republican Party With Teddy Wilson - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 6-11-24 KP 6: What is behind the rise of the far-right in Europe - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 6-11-24 KP 7: Far Right Surges in European Elections - Pod Save The World - Air Date 6-12-24 KP 8: Europe Slides to the Right Unpacking the EU Parliamentary elections Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 6-15-24 (49:23) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the snowball effect of factors leading to a rightward shift in politics DEEPER DIVES (56:56) SECTION A: THE EU STRUCTURE AND ELECTION RESULTS (1:05:58) SECTION B: IMMIGRATION AND THE CULTURE WAR (1:24:12) SECTION C: THE PLAYBOOK AND MESSAGING OF THE FAR RIGHT SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of European Parliament off-center, shifted right. Credit: “European Parliament Strasbourg Hemicycle” by Diliff, Wikimedia | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 | Cropped

Original Air Date: 12/11/2021 Today we take a look at the many structures of American government that tilt to favor minority rule and conservatism which, in our case, is one and the same. Some structures like the Senate and the filibuster were intentionally designed to give extra weight to the minority while others like gerrymandering and the influence of large-dollar political donors were, well, I suppose they were designed for about the same reason but just in a different way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lawrence Lessig on Unrepresentative Democracy - Network for Responsible Public Policy - Air Date 10-1-21 Ch. 2: Why Wyoming Has More Power Than California in the Senate - AJ+ - Air Date 10-14-20 Ch. 3: Perpetual Minority Rule with David Faris - Battleground with Amanda Litman and Faiz Shakir - Air Date 6-10-21 Ch. 4: Biden's DOJ is SUING Texas For Their Brazenly Discriminatory Gerrymandering - The Humanist Report - Air Date 12-7-21 Ch. 5: Andrew Perez on the Filibuster - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-18-21 Ch. 6: A To-Do List for Senate Democrats - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-17-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Chauncey DeVega On Why Democracy Might Not Survive - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-7-21 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on public policy, human nature and Cold War talking points Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 6-16-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The importance of unsupervised playtime for children and why it's disappearing - The roots and consequences of over-scheduling kids and why it's so hard to cut back - The rise of the "Kidult" REFERENCES: Parents: Keep Out! - Hidden Brain The Fine Art of Underscheduling Adults Are Spending Big on Toys and Stuffed Animals— For Themselves  Let Grow Play Club Chasing Childhood documentary Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/14/2024 We're in the middle of Supreme Court opinion season, which is not going well for non-extreme conservatives in the country, at the same time as scandal, corruption, and justices Thomas and Alito's refusal to recuse in the face of clear bias is reaching a modern peak. Call or text 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS 1: Opinionpalooza A Bad June Rising At SCOTUS Part 1 - Amicus 2: How The Mifepristone Case Reached SCOTUS - Amicus 3: Way Too Close Insane SCOTUS Case Could've Sunk The Country w Mark Joseph Stern - The Majority Report 4: Fact-Checking the Supreme Court - 99% Invisible 5: The IVF Decision We Should Have Seen Coming - Amicus 6: SCOTUS Flag Neighbor Exposes Alito’s BS Story- The Majority Report 7: Delegitimize The Court - Contempt of Court (1:03:35) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On some of Alito's finer absurdity Articles: Alito says the Supreme Court’s fake ethics code allows him to be unethical The Republican Party's man inside the Supreme Court The Supreme Court's new voting rights decision is a love letter to gerrymandering DEEPER DIVES (1:14:19) SECTION A: DO FACTS MATTER? (1:45:47) SECTION B: POLICING MEDICAL CARE (2:15:48) SECTION C: THE REPUBLICAN COURT WE’VE ALL WAITED FOR (2:42:24) SECTION D: SCOTUS IS A FLAWED SYSTEM Description: Photo of the U.S. Supreme Court building with an ominous red filter. An image of golden, uneven scales of justice sits on top. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. / Photo: “The Supreme Court” by Glenn Beltz, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Overlaid with red and imagery as part of composite. / Illustration: “Uneven scales of justice” via TheDigitalArtist, Pixabay.

Air Date 6/11/2024 Democracies don't break all of a sudden in a moment of crisis, they fail slowly over time and only by knowing the warning signs and responding effectively to the threat before it's too late can the worst be averted. Call or text at 202-999-3991, email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS 1: Why and Where is Democracy in Decline? - TLDR News 2: Is Democracy Under Threat? - Tufts University 3: The decline of American democracy won't be televised - Vox 4: How Republicans are fueling Russia and China_s global effort to undermine democracy - Velshi 5: How Republican Attorneys General are Undermining Voting Rights - Democracy Docket 6: Democracy vs. Autocracy: An Unproductive Dichotomy - Marxist Project 7: When Democracy Breaks: Final Thoughts with Archon Fung, David Moss and Arne Westad - Democracy Paradox 8: Protecting Voting Rights with Eric Holder - Why Is This Happening? 9: Rich Logis Escaped the Trump - MAGA Cult -- Heed His Warnings About Its Power and Extreme Danger to America - Chauncey DeVega Show 10: "The President of Forgetting" - Dastardly Cleverness in the Service of Good (1:03:29) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Those who defend authoritarians against criticism during D-Day commemoration Conservatives Angry at Biden’s Anti-Nazi D-Day Speech Fighting Trump on the Beaches DEEPER DIVES (1:09:52) SECTION A: DISSECTION OF DEMOCRACY (1:31:56) SECTION B: INTERNATIONAL DEMOCRACY (2:09:54) SECTION C: THE CULT OF TRUMP (2:36:47) SECTION D: DEMOCRACY IN ACTION IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo of a person holding a homemade sign that says “Fighting for Democracy” Credit: “For Democracy” by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Change: Cropped

Air Date: 06-09-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how focusing on the "politics" of an event trivializes the impact that event has on real people - the detrimental effects combining the daily news grind and the prioritization of profits forces has on news coverage - how keeping news coverage light and ignoring the effects of neoliberalism leaves desperate people vulnerable to fascism - the way history is repeating itself when it comes to news media not treating a demagogue's rhetoric as the emergency it is - the difference between symbolic beliefs vs factual beliefs REFERENCES: Why Americans Hate the Media The Media Still Doesn’t Grasp the Danger of Trump Don’t Believe What They’re Telling You About Misinformation   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/7/2024 Banning abortion is wildly unpopular and also one of the primary motivators for the group most strongly supporting the Republican Party and Donald Trump, the Christian Right, which has transformed both the party and politicians into extremists made in their own image, threatening the lives and health of millions and sacrificing democracy in the process. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS 1: Abortion and Reproductive Rights - Lectures in History 2: Abortion and the erosion of privacy - The Weeds 3: Digital surveillance and reproductive rights - Technically Optimistic 4: Anti-abortion hardliners want restrictions to go farther. It could cost Republicans - Consider This 5: Abortion and Reproductive Rights Part 2 - Lectures in History 6: Rakeen Mabud on Greedflation, Rachel K. Jones on Mifepristone - CounterSpin 7: Abortion and the erosion of privacy Part 2 - The Weeds 8: Digital surveillance and reproductive rights Part 2 - Technically Optimistic (57:00) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the abuse produced by abortion restrictions DEEPER DIVES (1:02:40) SECTION A: CRIMINALIZING ABORTION (1:21:07) SECTION B: ABORTION EXTREMISM OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY (1:36:40) SECTION C: ABORTION IN THE LEGAL SYSTEM (1:53:45) SECTION D: WHAT IS THERE TO DO? SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A person dressed in a red cape and white conical bonnet with a red sash over their nose and mouth (referencing the Handmaid's Tale) stands outside the U.S. Supreme Court at dusk holding a cardboard sign with the words "This is NOT fiction." Credit: Photo by Tyler Merbler, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 6/4/2024 The problems that arise within the systems of sports are the same problems we all face everywhere which makes them a good lens through which to understand the mechanisms of broader society. Fair pay, both journalism and addictive games functioning under capitalism, and benefits for billionaires all resonate far beyond the bounds of the players, owners and fans of sports clubs. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Pay for Play Part 1 - University of Iowa KP 2: What the historic $2.8 billion settlement to pay NCAA players means for college sports - PBS NewsHour KP 3: Pay for Play Part 2 - University of Iowa KP 4: Sports Media has changed forever. - Brett Kollmann KP 5: Dan Le Batard Tells Stephen A. Smith He Hates What He and Skip Bayless Did to Sports Media - LeBatardShow KP 6: Report Finds That Sports Owners Use Their Teams To Avoid Millions In Taxes - MSNBC Reports KP 7: The Sports Stadium Scam - Robert Reich KP 8: The gambling problem in sports - The Current (1:01:43) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the value of sports to building community DEEPER DIVES (1:06:18) SECTION A: PAY FOR PLAY A1: Yahoo’s Ross Dellenger: What NCAA Suit Settlement Means for Paying Players - The Rich Eisen Show A2: "Amateurism Is Dead" - The Rich Eisen Show A3: Pay for Play Part 3 - University of Iowa (1:23:57) SECTION B: STADIUMS, OUR GREAT FOLLY (1:40:18) SECTION C: SPORTS JOURNALISM (1:59:15) SECTION D: SPORTS GAMBLING SEE FULL SHOW NOTES   SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A grocery store display of Coca-Cola soft drinks stacked in the shape of a basketball and “NCAA!”. Credit: “Coca Cola NCAA Cases Display” by Mike Mozart, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date: 6-2-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - How one MIT study used AI to reduce belief in conspiracy theories - How a new AI tool is attempting to make comments sections less awful - Some advice from Korea's litigious political environment on how to deal with Trump BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) REFERENCES: America’s Worst Time Zone Chatbots can persuade conspiracy theorists their view might be wrong The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet South Korea Has a Warning About Donald Trump’s Trial   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 9/19/2017 Today we look not so much at hurricanes and the climate science behind them (though we touch on that as well) but focus more on what we can see more clearly when it’s illuminated by so-called “natural” disasters, the structural inequality and legacies of decision-making that make these disasters worse than they need to be BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Show Notes Act 1: Mark Hertsgaard: It's not politics, it's science - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 9-13-17 Act 2: What is environmental racism and environmental justice? - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 9-7-17 Act 3: Breaking News Consumer's Handbook: U.S. Storm Edition - On The Media - Air Date 9-1-17 Act 4: Disasters call attention to inequalities if we care to notice - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 9-1-17 Act 5: Preventing future floods with data and regulation - @DecodeDC - Air Date: 09-14-2017 Act 6: The Human Causes of Natural Disasters - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 12-8-16 Act 8: Dr. Michael E. Mann on attribution science and the tactics of inaction and delay - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 9-13-17 (Music from Blue Dot Sessions)  EDUCATE YOURSELF: We will not be silenced. Stand up for a strong NEPA! (Earth Justice) Trump CEQ rolls out plans for swift NEPA reviews (Governors' Wind & Solar Energy Coalition) US people of color still more likely to be exposed to pollution than white people (The Guardian) Christine Todd Whitman: How Not to Run the E.P.A. (New York Times) Boston Communities Unite to Democratize Their Economy (Next City) Written by BOTL Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Air Date 5/28/2024 Today we look at the most disappointing yet most idolized false heroes of our day, the titans of tech and the zany hijinks they've been getting up to recently. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS 1: When a tech company like OpenAI doesn't get the dark message at the heart of science fiction 2: How Peter Thiel Got Rich | The Class Room ft. Second Thought 3: Google's Sundar Pichai on AI-powered search and the future of the web 4: Elon's Reputation is Hurting Tesla 5: Crypto’s crown prince in court 6: The Entire OpenAI Chaos Explained 7: Scarlett Johansson's Open AI voice fight shows the need for consent in tech 8: Fascism and the Failure of Imagination   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES 1:03:38 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the misplaced excitement in private corporations pushing big technological advancements 1:09:33 DEEPER DIVE A: THAT WORD YOU KEEP USING… 1:36:58 B: SiliCON VALLEY, emphasis on the CON 1:53:05 C: MICROSOFT THE DESTROYER 2:10:35 D: THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Composite image where the faces of Sam Altman, Peter Thiel, Sam Bankman-Fried, and Elon Musk are seen through an overlay of stock prices and a growth chart arrow. Credits: Composite by A. Hoffman. Photos: 1) "Open AI co-founder & CEO Sam Altman" by TechCrunch, Flickr | CC BY 2.0 ; 2) "Peter Thiel" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY 2.0 ; 3) "Sam Bankman-Fried" by Cointelegraph, Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 3.0 ; 4) "Elon Musk Presenting Tesla's Fully Autonomous Future" by Steve Jurvetson, Wikimedia Commons | CC BY 2.0

Air Date: 5-26-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - the con of supply and demand economics being about distributing goods with the greatest efficiency, and is instead nothing more than predatory greed - what we value as humans goes far beyond the price of commodities - even more examples of the enshitification of life via hostile experiences from things we've already paid for - how companies restrict functionality to create artificial price points as a way to extract even more from us REFERENCES: WELCOME TO PRICING HELL The Gap Between the Price You See and What You Pay Is Getting Worse Welcome to the Golden Age of User Hostility My Printer Is Extorting Me Bought a Model Y? Tesla may charge you to use the battery’s full range Corporate America Knows We’re Miserable. Is a Toilet Bomb the Answer? Billy Bragg - Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 5/24/2024 Assessing the impacts of new diet drugs on physical and mental health in the context of our unhealthy food system and societal fat phobia Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The world after Ozempic - The Gray Area - Air Date 5-13-24 KP 2: The Ozempic economy - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-23-24 KP 3: Have the new weight-loss drugs changed what it means to be body positive - Consider This - Air Date 5-13-24 KP 5: Body Neutrality - What The Actual Fork Podcast - Air Date 8-11-23 KP 6: Examining America's Unhealthy Obsession With Fitness w. Natalia Mehlman Petrzela - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-24-23 KP 7: What Ozempic can't fix - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-26-34   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES (56:10) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the metaphor of the new show format (1:01:22) DEEPER DIVE A: BUSINESS OF DESIRE A1: Examining America's Unhealthy Obsession... Part 2 A2: The Ozempic economy Part 2 A3: The world after... Part 4 (1:20:48) DEEPER DIVE B: BIAS AND RISK B1: What Ozempic can't fix Part 2 B2: The world after... Part 5 B3: What Ozempic can't fix Part 3 (1:31:00) DEEPER DIVE C: BODY NEUTRALITY MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Overhead photo of a bunch of Ozempic pens in a plastic pharmacy basket.  Credit: "Bundle of Ozempic Pens" by Chemist4U, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 5/21/2024 Whether by the US government playing matchmaker for the domestic weapons industry or through the illegal trade of the 'iron river,' the US is the leading seller of weapons around the world, fueling violence and conflict, oppression and rights abuses. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! FRONTPAGE FP 1: US Leads Global Arms Sales - American Prestige - Air Date 3-15-24 FP 2: How Washington Plays Matchmaker For The US Gun Industry Part 1 - Big Take - Air Date 10-30-23 FP 3: Can a lawsuit stop Mexico’s ‘iron river’ of guns? - The Take - Air Date 8-13-21 FP 4: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence across the Border: With Guest Ieva Jusionyte - Facepalm America - Air Date 2-27-24    SEE FULL SHOW NOTES (1:02:19) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the problems with looking for good or bad intentions (1:08:24) SECTION A:  A1: Inside Biden's Secret Arms Deal - Deconstructed - Air Date 9-22-23 A2: Josh Paul Reveals The Truth Behind US Arms Supply to Israel - Laura Flanders and Friends - Air Date 11-7-23 (1:30:10) SECTION B:  B1: Can Mexico win... Part 2 - The Inquiry - Air Date 3-7-24 B2: Ieva Jusionyte, "Exit Wounds: How America's Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border" (U California Press, 2024) - New Books Network - Air Date 4-15-24  (1:42:43) SECTION C:  C1: Why America's police look like soldiers - Vox - Air Date 6-25-20 C2: Why US gun laws get looser after mass shootings - Vox - Air Date 7-28-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A square version of the American flag with silhouettes of guns and bombs in place of white stars. Three bombs are falling from the pattern across the red and white stripes. Credit: Pixabay image modified by A.Hoffman   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 5/9/2015 Today we take a look at the continuing failure that is the War on Drugs™ as well as some of the signs of hope that we may be making progress toward shutting it down Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Is Marijuana Harmful to Health? - Healthcare Triage (@HCTriage) - Air Date: 04-19-14 Ch. 2: Man Gets 13 Years in Prison for 2 Joints Worth of Pot - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 03-13-15 Ch. 3: Legalized Marijuana = Millions For Public Schools In Colorado - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-16-15 Ch. 4: Johann Hari on Everything We Know About the Drug War & Addiction is Wrong - @democracynow - Air Date: 2-6-15 Ch. 5: Legalizing marijuana doesn't lead to doomsday scenarios - Le Show (@theharryshearer) - Air Date: 10-26-14 Ch. 6: Rand Paul & Others Introduce National Medical Marijuana Bill - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 03-11-15 Ch. 7: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders Talk Drugs - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 06-01-15 Ch. 8: Marijuana Shows Medical Value, Feds Don't Give A Sh*t - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-12-15 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 5-16-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - How mega drive-throughs are ruining American towns and cities - Why giant car washes are popping up across the country and what we could have instead - How Tokyo's beautiful public toilets are an inspiration - The impact boring and ugly buildings are having on our mental health REFERENCES: RFK Jr. revealed he had a parasitic brain worm. Here’s what to know.  Social Media is Not What Killed the Web  Mega drive-throughs explain everything wrong with American cities  Car Washes are proliferating across the U.S. Here’s why Why are they building so many car washes? And storage facilities? Tokyo’s Public Toilets Will Leave New Yorkers Sobbing  The Global Danger of Boring Buildings    Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 5/15/2024 In an age of cultish in-group/out-group politics and media, we seek to find messaging for progressive partisans to achieve electoral success Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! FRONTPAGE FP 1: Everything's a cult now - The Gray Area FP 2: Examining how U.S. politics became intertwined with personal identity - PBS NewsHour FP 3: Jason Stanley on the Politics of Language - Amanpour and Company FP 4: A Conversation About How Dems Can Win in November with Rachel Bitecofer - Deep State Radio FP 5: Employ Negative Partisanship w. Rachel Bitecofer - Future Hindsight FP 6: Everything's ... Part 2 FP 7: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts ... Part 2 FP 8: Employ Negative ... Part 2 (59:24) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the importance of finding common-but-adaptable messaging (1:02:14) SECTION A: IDENTITY A1: Everything's ... Part 3 A2: Examining how U.S. ... Part 2 (1:10:14) SECTION B: POLITICAL RHETORIC B1: 'Hit 'Em Where It Hurts' urges Dems to go on attack - Morning Joe B2: 'Our message resonated with voters' - Morning Joe B3: Watch VP Harris slams Trump over abortion access - MSNBC (1:26:17) SECTION C: MESSAGING C1: Employ Negative ...Part 4 C2: Republican Policies VERY Unpopular With Voters - The Majority Report C3: Everything's ... Part 4 C4: Employ Negative ... Part 3 (1:50:33) SECTION D: INDEPENDENTS D1: Hit 'Em ... Part 3 D2: Why Voters Are Down On The Economy - 538 Politics

Air Date 5/11/2024 The effort to turn theory into practice that will open up new ways of thinking about antitrust lawsuits attempting to rein in big tech and other mega-corporations, which are operating in a new phase of capitalism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: FTC Chair Lina Khan on Antitrust in the age of Amazon - Planet Money - Air Date 11-3-23 On today's show, a conversation with FTC Chair Lina Khan on what it's like to try to turn audacious theory into bureaucratic practice, the FTC's new lawsuit against Amazon, and what it all means for business as usual. Ch. 2: Apple's Antitrust Problem - Professor Talha Syed - The BTLJ Podcast - Air Date 3-10-24 Professor Syed reveals his thoughts and assessment of the new Brandeis movement, headed by Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter of the FTC and DOJ. Ch. 3: FTC Chair Lina Khan on Antitrust in the age of Amazon Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 11-3-23 Ch. 4: How to Fight Monopoly Power with FTC Chair Lina Khan - Factually! - Air Date 11-8-23 Lina Khan, appointed chair of the Federal Trade Commission by President Biden, has become the foremost voice of this movement and has engaged in high-profile battles to reshape how America deals with monopolies.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Real Estate Fees Crushed By Anti-Trust w David Dayen - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-26-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the new show format tried out in the campus protesters episode as well as a retraction MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A court document with “Antitrust” at the top sits on a desk with a gavel and block on top. Credit: “Antitrust” by Nick Youngson via Pix4free | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 | Changes: Added solid background   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 5/7/2024 Civil resistance on campuses across the country against Israeli genocide in Gaza calling for cease fire and divestment, university administrations up to the Biden administration respond, often with overwhelming violence and claims of antisemitism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! FRONTPAGE FP 1: The US college protests... - Today in Focus - Air Date 4-25-24 FP 2: Behind Columbia... - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 4-24-24 (47:13) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR (50:54) SECTION A: POLICE RESPONSES A1: Atlanta Police Violently Arrest Emory... - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-26-24 A2: Juan González, Veteran of '68 Columbia Strike... - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-1-24 (1:06:59) SECTION B: INSIDE THE PROTESTS  B1: Pro-Israel THUGS Attack... - Owen Jones - Air Date 5-1-24 B2: Live from the Encampments - CODEPINK Radio - Air Date 5-1-24 (1:34:52) SECTION C: BIDEN'S POLITICS AND ACCUSATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM C1: Nicholas Kristof ... Part 2 - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 4-26-24 C2: Manufactured Panic Over Peaceful... - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-23-24 (1:57:05) SECTION D: UNIVERSITY ADMINS AND ENDOWMENTS D1: Why Colleges Have No Idea... - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-23-24 D2: Columbia University President ... - The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 4-27-24 (2:37:42) SECTION E: MEDIA CRITICISM   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES IMAGE Description: A photo of a lawn in front of a university building at Vassar College showing students standing near tents, a sign that reads "Liberation," and a Palestinian flag along a walkway.  Credit: "Liberation Lawn at Vassar College (cropped)" by Found5dollar, Wikimedia | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date: 5-5-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Jerry Seinfeld blaming the "extreme left" and "PC culture" for the death of sitcoms - how Poe's Law (and the Amanda Principle) makes creating and identifying satire difficult - how TV shows trying to satirize the left for the left struggle to land the jokes REFERENCES: Jerry Seinfeld Says TV Comedy Is Being Killed By the ‘Extreme Left and P.C. Crap and People Worrying So Much About Offending Other People’  Jerry Seinfeld Is a Lazy Hack Out of Touch with the Real World—And Who Can Blame Him?  Poe’s Law and Internet Satire  In the Know (Peacock)  ‘In the Know’ Showrunners Unpack Its Loving Evisceration of Public Radio, Progressive Politics Zach Woods, NPR Fan, Reads NPR Fans for Filth  Exclusive: In the Know's Zach Woods and Brandon Gardner on Satirizing Liberals with Mike Judge The Cleaner - S2 E5 The Statue (Acorn) Malthusian Conception  Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 5/3/2024 A look back at previous coverage of criminalizing protests, weaponizing civility, and violent responses to peaceful dissent. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Problem with Civility - On the Media - Air Date 6-30-18 Ch. 2: Criminalizing Protest - @USNewsBeat - Air Date 6-14-18 Ch. 3: Civility as a cudgel - Trumpcast - Air Date 6-30-18 Ch. 4: Protests Sweep Across America and Beyond Part 2 - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Ch. 5: The coming anti-protest laws w/ Alleen Brown and Akela Lacy Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 2-12-21 Ch. 6: Anti-Protest Bills Popping Up Everywhere - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-19-20 Ch. 7: Elly Page on Anti-Protest Bills - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-23-21 Ch. 8: Not Ready For That Conversation - On The Media - Air Date 4-23-21 Ch. 9: GOP States Are Pushing for Stricter Penalties for Protesters - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-27-21 Ch. 10: How Corporate Media Protects Violent Cops - Carlos Maza - Air Date 6-4-20 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/1/2024 The past, present, and future of tackling the uselessness of extreme wealth by exposing and closing tax avoidance loopholes and pushing for a culture change to embrace the need for a more equal society. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What Happens When You Tax Billionaires at 90 Percent? - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 6-3-23 We did it before, and the result was the creation of the world’s first and largest middle class and a level of peace and prosperity that held its own until Ronald Reagan took a meat-axe to it… Ch. 2: #TaxBillionaires w/ Robert Reich, Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, and more - Americans for Tax Fairness - Air Date 4 -18-22 If you think school teachers shouldn't pay a higher tax rate than billionaires, join us to learn how you can join in on the fight to #TaxBillionaires! Ch. 3: Wealth Tax Part 1 - Pullback - Air Date 4-11-23 Should we be taxing Scrooge-McDuck wealth? Can we? We talk with friend of the pod Fariya Mohiuddin, a Senior Program Officer with the International Budget Partnership's Tax Equity Program, and our favourite tax justice researcher and activist. Ch. 4: No One Should Have More Than 10 Million Pounds | Ash Sarkar meets Ingrid Robeyns - Novara Media - Air Date 2-4-24 If you're serious about alleviating poverty, as most liberals claim to be, should there be a cap on how wealthy one person can be?   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on anger and irrationality in war and politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A protester holds a sign that says “Tax the Rich” Credit: “We have a right to the city. Tax the rich.” by dignidadrebelde, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at [email protected]

Get full, weekly bonus shows! Air Date: 4-29-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss:  - how the film 'Civil War' intentionally avoids any specifics about the "why", and in doing so becomes a perfect encapsulation of the Amanda Principle™ - how "the view from nowhere" journalism is supposed to be straight down the middle and fact-based, but is actually rife with bias and ends up representing the dominant culture - that America and its culture has been steeped in war and violence since it's inception - the similarities between modern America and Germany in 1933 REFERENCES: Americans Have Enjoyed Imagining Civil War for a Long, Long Time How to Both-Sides a “Civil War” Alex Garland's Civil War Plays Both Sides Opinion: Is the US on the brink of another civil war? ‘Civil War’ and the Dangerous Myth of ‘Unbiased’ Journalism America Isn’t Nazi Germany, but It Looks a Little Like 1933 Modern Mathematics Confronts Its White, Patriarchal Past Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 9/14/2022 Today, we take a look at the history and hysteria behind debt and debt forgiveness while Biden is canceling student debt and opponents of the idea are reacting in the most predictable way possible because they misunderstand the relationship between debt and morality. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Cancel It All: Debt Collective's Astra Taylor on Biden Plan & Need for Full Student Debt Relief - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-25-22 We speak to Astra Taylor, writer, filmmaker, and co-director of the Debt Collective, a union for debtors and one of the original advocates for a debt jubilee that would cancel all student debt. Ch. 2: Freedom Dreams: Black Women and the Student Debt Crisis - The Intercept - Air Date 8-22-22 The Intercept’s new documentary, “Freedom Dreams: Black Women and the Student Debt Crisis,” profiles Black women educators and activists struggling under the weight of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, in student loan debt. Ch. 3: Hidden History of Student Debt - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-25-22 Many woke up to find news that $10k of their student debt would be forgiven, Thom Hartmann and Jefferson Smith break down what this means and what happens next. Ch. 4: Bidens Big Student Debt Announcement: PITOTWIU for the Indebted Masses - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-28-22 Max breaks down the politics, the details, and biggest misses of the Biden student debt relief plan and why it’s in danger of being PITOTWIU   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on morality and money MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A dark gray, 3D image of the word "DEBT" sits in a white void, a connected chain and open shackle with an open padlock lie in front of it. Credit: "3D Shackled Debt" by Chris Potter, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Enlarged with more white background   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/24/2024 Only by understanding the past can we understand the present and the histories of Cuba and Haiti have very stark lessons to impart about the cruelty of the Cuba embargo, the repercussions of imperial exploitation, and the dangers that arise amid dysfunctional democracy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: On Cuba and Haiti The Fight for Liberation & Self-Determination in the Caribbean - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 4-4-24 Musa Springer, Erica Caines, & Onyesonwu Chatoyer from Hood Communist discuss their participation in The Second International Meeting of Theoretical Publications of Left Parties and Movements and discuss history and present events playing out in Haiti. Ch. 2: Havana Syndrome How the Biden Administration Is Driving Cubans Into Misery - Deconstructed - Air Date 3-22-24 Ryan Grim delves into the complexities of Cuba’s current economic crisis with Andrés Pertierra, a historian of Latin America and the Caribbean. Ch. 3: Havana Syndrome How the Biden Administration Is Driving Cubans Into Misery Part 2 - Deconstructed - Air Date 3-22-24 Ch. 4: Empire's Laboratory— How 2004 U.S.-Backed Coup Destabilized Haiti & Led to Current Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-11-24 "The root of this crisis is not last week, it's not this week, it's not even Ariel Henry. But we have to go back to 2004 with the coup-d'état," says Pierre.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the dangers of unrepresentative, unresponsive government MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a protester in 2007 holding a large cloth sign that says “Solidarity…Haiti YES! Occupation NO. Canada-US-U.N. OUT of Haiti” Credit: “Solidarity - Haiti Yes - Occupation No” by Robert Thivierge, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Air Date: 4-22-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - How Israeli citizens and government officials use of the US's settler-colonialist past, westward expansion, and religious fundamentalism to justify their own settler expansion   - How the members of the extreme right are put in positions of power within the Israeli government, which is then used to validate the settler's actions - The role racist propaganda and intergenerational trauma play in convincing Israelis of the righteousness of their settler-colonialist actions - The societal dangers of living in an ethnostate combined with feeling of specialness that comes from generations of victimhood REFERENCES: The Israeli Settlers Attacking Their Palestinian Neighbors The grandmother who wants to lead Israelis back to a Gaza without Palestinians A debate over Israel-Palestine curriculum flares at Berkeley schools   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 4/20/2024 Old habits die hard and the American establishment's unquestioning support for Israel is a very old habit indeed. Israel's government drifts farther and farther to the right, culminating in a genocidal push into Gaza. Meanwhile, President Biden, standard-bearer of the old establishment, seems destined to be the very last Democrat to see the need for a change. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jon Stewart Interrogates America's Support of Israel - The Daily Show - Air Date 4-8-24 Jon Stewart checks in on the war in Gaza and interrogates how America's purported values stack up against its support of Israel. Plus, Ronny Chieng and Grace Kuhlenschmidt report from the eclipse's path of totality with startling different reports. Ch. 2: Biden’s 'double talk' on Gaza: Cynical election politics? | The Bottom Line - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 3-31-24 Roth tells host Steve Clemons that US President Joe Biden is engaging in “cynical” election politics by refusing to enforce the UN resolution calling for a ceasefire, or the World Court ruling ordering Israel to allow more food into Gaza Ch. 3: Jon Stewart & Bassem Youssef Call Out “Performative” Outrage Over Israel’s War Crimes - The Humanist Report - Air Date 4-12-24 In this video, we’ll look at comments from both Youssef and Stewart, examples of “performative” outrage from politicians, and demands from voters that the Democratic Party and Joe Biden are refusing to meet.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the words we've heard and the actions we've seen from Israel's government MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a protest outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC in honor of Airman Aaron Bushnell’s self-sacrifice. Protestors kneel behind a banner that says “Stop U.S. Support of Genocide.” Credit: “50.Gather.AaronBushnellVigil.WDC.26February2024” by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 4-18-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how a tech start-up is trying to sell a shortcut to bliss - the world of drug-free psychedelic experiences - the capitalists trying to solve the loneliness epidemic REFERENCES: The Meditation Start-Up That’s Selling Bliss on Demand  What’s it like to take a $249 drug-free psychedelic trip? We found out  Origin of the Dreamachine  Can You Solve Loneliness? These Startups Are Betting On It.  Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 2/12/2019 Today we take a look at both the BDS movement and the backlash response to it resulting in firings and legislation in many states (and pending federally) to restrict employment and business opportunities from those who fail to pledge in writing to not support of the boycott of Israel Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Explaining BDS - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 10-11-17 We speak to art critic and writer Kareem Estefan, co-editor of “Assuming Boycott: Resistance, Agency, and Cultural Production,” about Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) Ch. 2: Exclusive: Angela Davis Speaks Out on Palestine, BDS & More After Civil Rights Award Is Revoked - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-11-19 Legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis speaks out after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute rescinded a human rights award for her, reportedly due to her activism for Palestinian rights. Ch. 3: Pro-Israel Lobby Groups Secretly Admits Cultural Boycott Is Effective, Leaked Report Shows - @TheRealNews - Air Date 12-10-18 Ali Abunimah discusses a leaked report from Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a front for Israel government-backed lobby group StandWithUs, which admits the cultural boycott is "constantly growing" and "innovative." Ch. 4: Josh Ruebner on BDS Bans - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-31-19 We’ll hear about so-called “anti-BDS” laws, and their context, from Josh Ruebner, policy director at the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. Ch. 5: Senators Sneak Amendment to Make Israel Boycott Illegal - @TheRealNews - Air Date 12-19-18 While Senators Cardin and Portman are trying to sneak a last-minute amendment into the budget bill to make BDS illegal - violating free speech - 26 states are also moving to make boycotts of Israel illegal. We speak to IPS’s Phyllis Bennis. Ch. 6: Palestine/Israel, the Firing of Marc Lamont Hill & the Limits of Open Inquiry Part 1 - Speak out with Tim Wise - Air Date 12-3-18 Tim discusses CNN’s firing of contributor Marc Lamont Hill (a former guest on the show), for comments he made in favor of full equality and justice for the Palestinian people.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com ​ ​ ​

Air Date 4/12/2024 The forces of capitalism and deregulation loom large as industrial transport disasters continue to pile up with new focus brought to the issue by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the series of dangerous and deadly failures from Boeing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Horror in Baltimore: Awful New Info Emerges About Six Missing Workers - THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent - Air Date 3-28-24 Two full days after the disastrous collapse of a bridge in Baltimore, little is known about six construction workers who went missing—and are now presumed dead. Ch. 2: Everything we know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 4-4-24 The Real News convened a panel of journalists working all sides of this story to get a sense of what we know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, what key questions still need to be answered, and what happens next. Ch. 3: Cars, Bridges, Ships and Planes - The Zero Hour - Air Date 04-06-24 Discussing the Baltimore disaster in the context of infrastructure investment more broadly Ch. 4: Everything we know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge Collapse Part 2 - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 4-4-24   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the threat to society of runaway corporate executive pay References: The failure of Bill Clinton's CEO pay reform - Politico The Executive Pay Cap That Backfired - ProPublica MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo taken from inside the Alaska Airlines flight 1282 Boeing plane that lost its door mid-flight. A rectangular hole in the side of the plane reveals a wall of white clouds. The nearby seats are empty and oxygen masks hang from the ceiling. Credit: Photo taken by unidentified passenger and provided to the public by the National Transportation Safety Board(NTSB) as part of their investigation. | License: Public Domain Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/9/2024 The neoliberal legacy of the New Democrats continues to loom large but it really does seem like the progressive wing of the party and the broader demand for populist economic policies has had an impact. Now people just need to know that it's happening. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Socialism - Prospect: Generations - Air Date 4-6-23 In this episode of the Prospect’s Generations podcast, editor at large Harold Meyerson, who joined the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee in 1975, and writing fellow Luke Goldstein, who was attracted to socialism by Bernie Sanders Ch. 2: The Legacy of the New Democrats - KPFA - Against the Grain - Air Date 8-17-22 Historian Lily Geismer looks at how the the Democratic Leadership Council and Clinton-era Democratic Party increased inequality, through development zones, charter schools, welfare “reform”, and microfinance. Ch. 3: Clinton’s ‘Fabulous Failure’ Part 1 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 10-4-23 Our politics today is haunted by the failures of Bill Clinton—the “centrist” who “triangulated” with Republicans, lost on healthcare, and proclaimed that “the era of big government is over.” Nelson Lichtenstein explains Clinton’s turn to the right   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Price Controls: An Inflation Solution That Doesn't Screw Workers - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-7-23 CENTRIST AND RIGHT-WING economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set price controls instead? Ch. 8: Clinton’s ‘Fabulous Failure’ Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 10-4-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the way we think about political criticism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of President Joe Biden shaking hands with a hard-hat-and-safety-vest clad union worker during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Credit: “President Biden greeting union workers” by Governor Tom Wolf Flickr account | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 4-7-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Many facets of our society are clearly broken by capitalism, and bizarrely for some, chaos is the only thing that beings agency to their life   - The delusion of RFK Jr. voters, the understandable desire to vote third party, and the age-old cry of the 'uniparty' - The trend of conservative voters among communities of color and where they find themselves in Trump's Republican Party - And that one of the Democrats main stumbling blocks is they're only interested in keeping things exactly as they are REFERENCES: The Americans Who Need Chaos Andrew Tate on why he doesn’t read books Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Targets a Generation of Politically Disaffected, Extremely Online Men Forget Kennedy Democrats. Here Comes the 2024 Kennedy Voter. The Strange History of the ‘Uniparty’ The unexpected dynamic that could decide the Trump-Biden rematch Duty Calls   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: "Let the People Pick the President" The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-30-20 Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: The Second Revolution - Scene On Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 3: Democracy: Past, Present... and Future? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-26-19 Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: More Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 6-10-20 What will it take to make the United States a more fully functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES TAKE ACTION GASenate.com NewGeorgiaProject.org BlackVotersMatterFund.org VoteRiders.org ACLUGA.org Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com​ ​ ​

Air Date 4/3/2024 As the country gears up for the election in November, we look at a variety of ways the GOP and their election-denialist supporters are preparing to subvert the democratic process to get the result they want. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Election Dissection 'How can the election system be improved' - The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast - Air Date 3-27-24 A question remains among most American, and specifically Arizonan, voters: how can we make elections better? David Becker is a co-founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research to improve elections through technology and reliance on data. Ch. 2: Giuliani ordered to pay $148 million for defamation of election workers - PBS Newshour - Air Date 12-15-23 A federal jury in Washington ordered Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s former campaign attorney, to pay $148 million to two Georgia election workers for distress caused by lies he spread following the 2020 election. Ch. 3: Charlie Kirk Lackey Gets Humiliated By Election Official - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-3-24 Ch. 4: Far Right Plan Chaos Ahead of 2024 Election - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-22-24 Donald Trump and the far right want the 2024 election to be so chaotic they can make the case that Trump won, even if he goes down in flames losing by spectacular numbers.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Election Dissection 'How can the election system be improved' Part 3 - The Gaggle: An Arizona politics podcast - Air Date 3-27-24 Ch. 10: Exposing Secret Fascist Plan To ‘Win’ 2024 Election - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-26-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the backfire effect of lies about mail-in voting MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photo of a protestor, wearing a mask, and holding a sign up that says “When we count, democracy wins.” Credit: “40a.BLM.Plaza.WDC.7November2020” by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 4-1-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how Trump uses humor to normalize his behavior and engage his supporters - how humor is not always a great weapon against fascism and autocracy REFERENCES: Can Parents Prevent Their Sons From Sliding to the Right? In on the Joke: The Comedic Trick Trump Uses to Normalize His Behavior  Laugh Riot  Laughing All the Way to Autocracy  Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/30/2024 We are living through an age of protest from the opposition to the Iraq war, the Arab Spring uprisings, Occupy Wall Street, through to marches against Trump, and now the war in Gaza. So, we thought we should take a look at the art and science of protest itself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Missing Revolutions of The 2010s | Ash Sarkar Meets Vincent Bevins Part 1 - Novara Media - Air Date 10-29-23 The 2010s saw a new era of mass protest, from Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria, to Occupy Wall Street, EuroMaidan and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement. Many of these movements shared a “horizontalist” or leaderless approach Ch. 2: The Uncommitted Movement feat. Layla Elabed & Waleed Shahid - Chapo Trap House - Air Date 3-8-24 Organizers Layla Elabed and Waleed Shahid join us to discuss their recent successes with the movement to vote uncommitted against Joe Biden in the ongoing democratic primaries. They lay out their goals Ch. 3: Why Peaceful Protest Won't Solve Anything - Second Thought - Air Date 8-12-22 Ch. 4: Gaza Protesters SHUT DOWN Schiff's Victory Speech - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-6-24 Ch. 5: The Missing Revolutions of The 2010s | Ash Sarkar Meets Vincent Bevins Part 2 - Novara Media - Air Date 10-29-23   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the importance of building momentum over time with protest MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photo of a handmade protest sign taped to a chainlink fence that says "This is a movement not a moment." Taped to the bottom of the sign is a smaller sign that says "Jacob Blake" with hearts around it. Credit: "18a.StreetArtFence.BLM.Plaza.WDC.27August2020" by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slightly increased brightness, contrast and saturation. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Air Date: 3-28-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how the wealthy use psilocybin to deal with stress and break the rules of time   - the working class get bath time and training on how to self-care their stress away - the  REFERENCES: It’s Time to Give Up on Email The Working Woman’s Newest Life Hack: Magic Mushrooms Stress Less Had a bath. still stressed. How America Became Addicted to Therapy Life Under the Algorithm   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date: 12/23/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lessons from the Luddites - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. Ch. 4: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: Class Struggles in the US Today - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-2-21 The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Lessons from the Luddites Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 10: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. Part 2 - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 3/23/2024 Equality has been at the heart of civil rights movements for decades but what we have failed to see is that in striving for equality we cannot help but reinforce the unquestioned preexisting structures of society which, themselves, may be at fundamental odds with true freedom for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Marcie Bianco — Breaking Free - with Charlotte Clymer - Politics and Prose - Air Date 9-23-23 Watch author Marcie Bianco's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C. Ch. 2: Angela Saini The Patriarchs 'How Men Came to Rule' - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 2-6-24 By detailing the diversity of human arrangements, including the prevalence of egalitarian and matrilineal societies around the world – past and present – Angela reveals that male-supremacy is neither natural nor immutable. Ch. 3: The Fraud Of 'White Feminism' w/ Kyla Schuller - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-20-22 Emma hosts Kyla Schuller, Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Rutgers University, to discuss her recent book The Trouble With White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Fraud Of 'White Feminism' w Kyla Schuller Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-20-22 Ch. 9: Angela Saini The Patriarchs 'How Men Came to Rule' Part 3 - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 2-6-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on what the path beyond equality and toward freedom looks like MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photo of a protest in a city street. A person holds up a neon pink sign that says “Smash Patriarchy. Smash Capitalism.” Part of a Starbucks logo can be seen behind the sign. Credit: “Smash patriarchy smash capitalism” by Peter, Flickr | License: CC By 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness, contrast and saturation. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 3-21-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how AI became a tool in the gender culture war - the real reasons "soft girls" and "tradwives" are a thing REFERENCES: You Will Not Believe the Dumb Reason My Son Gave Me for Refusing to Wipe His Butt AI has come to the gender culture war, yielding some truly dumb content The False Escapism of Soft Girls and Tradwives Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/19/2024 We break down some of the pseudoscience the trans panic is built on, look at the political drive to erase trans people, understand how language of panic shifts over time, and present and alternate view of societal healing for a healthier humanity. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24 Mia and Gare are once again joined by Dr, Julia Serano to discuss how the concept of contagious stigma drives moral panics against cis and trans people alike Ch. 2: Are Red States 100 Committed to Erasing Trans People - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 1-8-24 Just a week into 2024 and Red State Republicans have already introduced over 150 bills targeting the transgender community. Journalist Erin Reed, host of 'Erin in the Morning,' updates us on the sorry parade. Ch. 3: Jamie Lee Curtis Interviews ALOK on the World Beyond the Gender Binary - Upfront Ventures - Air Date 3-9-23 ALOK sits down with Jamie Lee Curtis to explore themes of gender, race, trauma, belonging and the human condition. Ch. 4: How the Media Gets Trans Coverage Wrong - Medium - Air Date 8-19-23 A panel discussion centered on the representation of trans issues in the media. Moderated by Katherine Cross.  Ch. 5: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How the Media Gets Trans Coverage Wrong Part 2 - Medium - Air Date 8-19-23 Ch. 10: The Anatomy of a Moral Panic Ft. Dr. Julia Serano Part 3 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-21-24 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a new reframing of the right to the freedom of sex MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A colorful, hand-drawn protest sign says “Protect Trans Youth” with the trans pride flag. Credit: “Protect Trans Youth” by Taymaz Valley, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 3/15/2024 Republicans have been trending toward Putin fandom for more than a decade but with each passing year the stakes get higher, the propaganda gets more brazen, and what they're willing to support gets more grotesque. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Chris Wallace DESTROYS former colleague Tucker Carlson - Bryan Tyler Cohen - Air Date 2-10-24 Ch. 2: Trump voters tell NBC Reporter that ‘Russia is not our enemy’ - MSNBC - Air Date 2-27-24 Vaughn Hillard discusses meeting with Trump voters who have started to echo the rhetoric from Putin and Russia when it comes to that country’s war on Ukraine and how the base of the MAGA movement has leaned into authoritarian rhetoric. Ch. 3: American Patriots Support... Vladimir Putin - On the Media - Air Date 3-4-22 Casey Michel joins to discuss why white nationalists like David Duke, Richard Spencer, and Matthew Heimbach have long since looked to Putin's Russia as inspiration for their far-right movements in this country Ch. 4: The Dark and Destructive Vision of Putin's GOP - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 2-27-24 Author and reporter Heidi Siegmund Cuda has the dirt that ties Mike Johnson to President Putin. Does Mr Johnson want to follow Russia's example and become an authoritarian pseudo-theocracy?   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Trump Backers Kill Navalny - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-20-24 Andrea and Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack discuss the assassination of Navalny and the work ahead to build a meaningful opposition. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the global view of autocratic propaganda MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protestors in a major city at night hold up cutouts of Putin’s head and Trump’s head. Large cutouts of open hands are on either side of Trump. Credit: “2I4A7393” by rob walsh, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 3-11-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - mascuzynity and the conservative male ethos - talking to young men to prevent their slide to the right - and that brutal man camps that are more a symptom and cry for help than a solution REFERENCES: Mascuzynity: How a nicotine pouch explains the new ethos of young conservative men Can Parents PreventTheir Sons From Sliding to the Right? Men are going to brutal boot camps to reclaim their masculinity. How did we get here? Do You Need a Visit to the Confident Man Ranch?   Outro song courtesy of Supergoldfl   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 2-17-2018 We hear from activists and advocates to get a sense of the life, land, and walls that divide occupied Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Ch. 2: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 1 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17 Ch. 3: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine Part 1 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17 Ch. 4: Ben Ehrenreich and Amy Wilentz looking at life for Palestinians on the West Bank - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date is 7-6-2016 Ch. 5: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 2 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17 Ch. 6: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine - Part 2 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Original Air Date 2/7/2018 Looking at Israel from a variety of angles including what they do to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and why White supremacists, of all people, support them Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Ch. 2: Breaking down Trump's moves on Israel - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 1-31-18 Ch. 3: What doesn't get mentioned when reporting on Israel - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-19-18 Ch. 4: “Gaza An Inquest into Its Martyrdom” Norman Finkelstein on the Many Lies Perpetuated About Gaza - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 01-10-18 Ch. 5: What Israel has to do with local policing in the US - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 9-20-17 Ch. 6: Richard Spencer Appears On Israeli TV, Says Ethno-Nationalism Should Make Viewers Respect Him - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-21-17 Ch. 7: Ilan Pappé: The Myths of Israel - @TheRealNews - Air Date 3-30-17 Ch. 8: Final comments addressing some of the concerns about the #MeToo movement (Music from Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]  

Air Date: 3-3-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - why men struggle with friendship  - why men and boys are lonelier than ever - the impact of different masculine identities on relationships - something The Beatles apparently did that no one seems to talk about REFERENCES: Why Men Struggle With Friendship  Boys and men are lonelier than ever. What can we do about it?  3 ‘Masculine Identities’ Men Take On In Relationships  Release the Beatles Jerk-off Cut  Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/1/2024 We don't have to think too hard to understand the fears of a world in which work, and the ability of millions to support themselves, are lost to automation and artificial intelligence. But that is only a capitalist future in which the benefits of technological advancement are hoarded by the already-wealthy. Today we imagine a different path. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Srnicek & Williams - Dank Audio Stash - Air Date 4-8-21 Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams Ch. 2: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 Since the demise of the USSR, the mantle of the largest planned economies in the world has been taken up by the likes of Walmart, Amazon and other multinational corporations. Ch. 3: The Two Futures Of Automation Capitalism VS Socialism - Second Thought - Air Date 12-15-21 With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like. Ch. 4: Planet of the Robots: Four Futures of AI (Documentary) - 1Dime - Air Date 10-15-21 In this video we will be discussing automation, which is often confused with being the ‘technological revolution’ in it of itself as it is what the mainstream focuses on, and for good reason, as how we handle automation will determine the trajectory or co Ch. 5: Universal Basic Income Explained (An Automation Solution) - Futurology - Air Date 5-28-24 With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski Part 3 - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on living our values and stepping away from work MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a patch on a backpack that says "What would you do if your income were taken care of?" Credit: "Berlin UBI March" by Patrick Maynard, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/28/2024 AI-generated deepfakes, entirely fabricated audio and video of recognizable people, are here. They have been on the horizon for years but they have finally arrived during the biggest global election year in history which may prove to be a make of break year for democracy itself as we struggle to separate fact from fiction and autocracy is on the rise around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Deepfaking Democracy: Why AI Threatens News And Global Elections In 2024 - Forbes - Air Date 2-6-24 Deepfaked news segments that appear to be delivered by well-known journalists and TV networks are going viral on social media. Oftentimes, the view counts of deepfaked segments largely outnumber those of real news stories. Ch. 2: AI Deepfakes Are Everywhere and Congress is Completely Out of Their Depth - CYBER - Air Date 2-9-24 An AI-generated Biden called voters in New Hampshire ahead of the primary and told them to stay home. X locked down the search term “Taylor Swift” after AI-generated nudes of the pop giant flooded the platform. Ch. 3: Tech giants pledge action against deceptive AI in elections - All Things Considered - Air Date 2-16-24 Tech giants including Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, X, OpenAI and TikTok unveiled an agreement on Friday aimed at mitigating the risk that artificial intelligence will disrupt elections in 2024. Ch. 4: Deepfake Adult Content Is a Serious and Terrifying Issue - Aperture - Air Date 5-1-23   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on even more dangers from news sites populated with AI-generated content MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Computer-generated image of a silhouetted man standing in front of a large wall-sized image of the profile of a middle-aged man with digitized lines and cracks running through it. Credit: "ai-generated-man-computer-science" by NickyPe, Pixabay | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 2-25-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - authoritarian Technocracy - and why interoperability may be one of the best weapons against it REFERENCES: THE RISE OF TECHNO-AUTHORITARIANISM Big Tech Won’t Let You Leave. Here’s a Way Out The Great Interoperability Convergence: 2023 Year in Review   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/23/2024 2024 is already shaping up to be even more of a disaster than expected. The causes for anxiety are many and varied, leaving many of us with questions. We generally try to avoid topics and commentaries that lean into the realm of pure speculation but today we decided to lean all the way in to answer your most pressing questions. What about Biden's support of Israel? What about his age? Should he be replaced at the Democratic Convention? How likely is Trump to do the horrible things he promises? And what about his court cases? Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden GENOCIDE COMPLICITY US Court Backs ICJ - Breaking Points - Air Date 2-1-24 Krystal and Emily discuss a US court ruling Biden may be complicit in genocide after the ICJ's ruling against Israel. Ch. 2: Moral Failure Democrats Urge Biden to Change Gaza Policy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-21-24 "The administration needs to change course in foreign policy in the Middle East to gain the trust of people who we have lost," says California Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna. Ch. 3: Manufacturing Discontent How Was America SO Easily Convinced Biden’s Brain is Bad - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-13-24 Did the media convince you that Biden is losing his touch? Thom Hartmann explains why you can’t trust this false narrative.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the presidential age debate and what we're really voting for MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Graphic design composite featuring a large pile of red, triangular traffic attention/warning signs. Every sign has a question mark in the middle with the exception of two, which show the faces of President Biden and Donald Trump, respectively. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Composite components: “Joe Biden” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr (License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped). “The Swearing-in Ceremony of the Honorable Brett M. Kavanaugh” via Trump White House Archive, Flickr (Public domain). “Traffic-signs-attention-right-of-way” via Pixabay (Public domain). Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/20/2024 "Luddite" should never have become the epithet that it is as the Luddites were never afraid of or opposed to technological advancement, they only opposed the exploitation of workers and the degradation to society that came with the unfair distribution of the benefits of the targeted technology. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The New Luddites - SHIFT - Air Date 2-14-24 Activists are fighting back against generative AI and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process, says Brian Merchant in a new piece for The Atlantic. Ch. 2: Being a Luddite Is Good, Actually ft. Jathan Sadowski - Left Reckoning - Air Date 5-29-21 Jathan Sadowski (@jathansadowski) of the This Machine Kills (@machinekillspod) podcast repairs our sabotaged understanding of the legacy of the Luddites. Ch. 3: Why this top AI guru thinks we might be in extinction-level trouble | The InnerView - TRT World - Air Date 1-22-24 Lauded for his groundbreaking work in reverse-engineering OpenAI's large language model, GPT-2, AI expert Connor Leahy tells Imran Garda why he is now sounding the alarm.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the fork in the road and a look at our options References: Rethinking the Luddites in the Age of A.I. A Scottish Jewish joke - Things Fall Apart - Air Date 1-25-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An 1812 block print of “The Leader of the Luddites” depicting a man in disheveled early 1800s clothing and missing one shoe leading other men up a hill while a building burns in the background.  Credit: “The Leader of the Luddites”, Messrs | Working Class Movement Library catalog | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 2-19-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda and Deon discuss: - how augmented reality and the Apple Vision Pro affects the human brain  - how algorithms are changing and flattening our culture - how to take back your life from algorithmic choices REFERENCES: The Vision Pro's scary side effect Why Tim Cook Is Going All In on the Apple Vision Pro We’ve Forgotten How to Use Computers Have Algorithms Ruined Our Culture? How to Take Back Your Life From Algorithms   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/17/2024 The debate over education has been derailed from the legitimate concerns of the past focused on the downfalls of No Child Left Behind and Common Core policies into a cul-de-sac of ignorance over opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the teaching of critical race theory. Not to mention the new McCarthyism that has sprung up to squash any criticism of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How to Dismantle the Anti-DEI Machine - At Liberty Podcast - Air Date 2-9-24 Free speech on campus, book bans, education gag orders, the overturn of affirmative action, the resignation of former Harvard president Claudine Gay. All of these issues center on one hot-button topic: DEI. Ch. 2: Fighting Back Against The GOP’s War On College w. Bradford Vivian Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-8-24 Author Bradford Vivian joins Emma to discuss his book Campus Misinformation: The Real Threat to Free Speech in American Higher Education. Ch. 3: Wadie Said on the New McCarthyism - CounterSpin - Air Date 12-22-23 Powerful institutions, including the media, combine a selective understanding of free expression with a vehement desire to enforce it. Ch. 4: The Education Myth - How America Changed Its Relationship With School w. Jon Shelton - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-20-23 Sam and Emma host Jon Shelton, professor at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, to discuss his recent book The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Resistance to Change in Higher Ed Part 2 - with Dr. Brian Rosenberg - The EdUp Experience Podcast - Air Date 11-7-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the tradeoffs we make when we allow culture wars to dominate the education debate Articles: The Loss of Things I Took for Granted - Slate In the Fight Over How to Teach Reading, This Guru Makes a Major Retreat - NYTimes SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of the gothic facade of a university with dark clouds overhead. Credit: "Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana", Pixabay | License

Air Date 2/13/2024 The entire political system has lurched to the right on immigration as Democrats adopt the talking points of the Republicans and the MAGA Republicans put Trump's election chances over the policies they claim to support. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ‘Basically a cult’: Trump's MAGA Republicans slammed for vowing to block immigration reform bill - The ReidOut with Joy Reid - Air Date 2-5-24 MAGA Republicans have vowed to block the latest immigration reform bill, while also saying immigration is a crisis and immediate threat. Donald Trump’s influence over MAGA Republican elected officials regarding immigration is discussed Ch. 2: Democrats Fully Embrace Trump’s Immigration Narrative - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 2-9-24 Ch. 3: Republican CALLS OUT Trump By Name Over Outrageous Border Lies - The Damage Report - Air Date 2-10-24 Republican Chip Roy goes off on a fiery rant against his own party, explicitly calling out Donald Trump for posting false claims on Truth Social over the border deal he plotted to destroy. John Iadarola and Sharon Reed break it down on The Damage Report.   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES   FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the incentives for our politicians to fail at governing Related Articles: How Texas officials stymied nonprofits' efforts to help migrants they bused to northern cities As cities struggle to house migrants, Biden administration resists proposals that officials say could help Half of Republicans say California isn’t really American Commentary: If only Congress would listen to the CBO on immigration   SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of detained migrants - adults and children - lined up against the US-Mexico border fence as a border patrol officer walks by. Credit: "U.S. Border Patrol agent apprehends a group of migrants" via Picryl | License: Public Domain

Air Date 2/10/2024 Continuing to tell the stories of those directly impacted by abortion bans is important to demonstrate the extreme stances taken by anti-choice politicians but we also look ahead to potential ways the situation could be made even worse as well as efforts to relieve the suffering. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Texas Abortion Laws Cruel Outcomes - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 12-16-23 The results of overturning Roe have reached their awful, logical conclusion. Ch. 2: Post-Roe America 5. Culture of Silence - The Nocturnists - Air Date 10-19-23 In episode 5 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk about the culture of silence around reproductive health in medical spaces, and how breaking that silence is our only hope for reclaiming our reproductive freedom. Ch. 3: Texas Abortion Laws Cruel Outcomes Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 12-16-23 Ch. 4: Did Kate Cox Expose GOP Plan To Turn Women into Property - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-23 The saga of Kate Cox in Texas is making it clear to every American that GOP opposition to abortion isn’t just about abortion: it’s ultimately about controlling every aspect of women’s bodies and lives.   ...   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on addressing concerns regarding the 15-minute city concept of walkable towns TAKE ACTION! Support repro rights orgs doing vital work, such as:  National Network of Abortion Funds  Center for Reproductive Rights Abortion Access Legal Defense Fund Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a protestor holding a handmade sign that reads "You can't ban abortion. You can only ban safe abortion."  Credit: "Defend Abortion Rights - Maintain the Rage" by Matt Hrkac, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/7/2024 Loneliness is an epidemic that long-predates the COVID lockdowns that only made things worse but it's not primarily cultural or even technological in origin. The issue largely has to do with how our built environment is designed and then social and technological aspects compound the problem. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Surgeon General discusses health risks of loneliness and steps to help connect with others - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-2-23 The U.S. Surgeon General declared a new public health epidemic in America, loneliness. A new report finds loneliness can have profound effects on mental health as well as heart disease, stroke and dementia. Ch. 2: Our Loneliness Epidemic is Infrastructuralized - Studio Leonardo - Air Date 6-2-22 The infrastructure in the US is one of the main culprits for our loneliness. In this video, we deep-dive into why that is and how it has come to be this way. So, what can we do to fix this? Ch. 3: Original Barcelona video - @The Happy Urbanist TikTok - Air Date 12-15-23 Ch. 4: How cohousing can make us happier (and live longer) | Grace Kim - TED - Air Date 8-7-17 Loneliness doesn't always stem from being alone. For architect Grace Kim, loneliness is a function of how socially connected we feel to the people around us -- and it's often the result of the homes we live in. She shares an age-old antidote to isolation   ....   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photograph taken from behind a woman in a dark room who is leaning out an open window. She looks out at a brick apartment building across the way.  Credit: "Woman looking out the window" by Jon Eric Marababol, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC0 1.0 Universal   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Air Date: 2-6-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The impacts of the myth of the model minority - Haley and Ramaswamy Denying America's racism as they both experience and use racism during the Republican primary race BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the full Bonus Shows! + No Ads!) REFERENCES: Vivek Ramaswamy and the lie of the “model minority” Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy Can’t Escape GOP Racism Scholars worry Haley and Ramaswamy's race-blindness helps GOP advance "white supremacist worldview" Jake Tapper Confronts Nikki Haley About Saying U.S. Is Not ‘Racist’ Nikki Haley, MAGA and the Confederacy: Time to purge these myths   Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/3/2024 We attempt to understand as many of the interlocking elements as possible in the current Middle East conflicts sparked most prominently by the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: From Red Sea to Iran, Will Israel's Gaza Assault Spark Wider War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-17-24 For a look at where all this is headed, we speak with journalist Spencer Ackerman, who says it's "the most dangerous moment for the Middle East" he has witnessed in over 20 years of covering war and security. Ch. 2: Houthis Are Not Iranian Proxies Helen Lackner on the History & Politics of Yemen's Ansar Allah - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-1-24 Helen Lackner, author of several books on Yemen, describes the history of the Houthis, the political landscape in Yemen, and debunks the idea the group is controlled by Iran. Ch. 3: What does Iran want - The Inquiry - Air Date 1-25-24 After months of tension and hostility in the Middle East over the Gaza-Israel conflict, Iran has publicly stated its desire to avoid a regional conflict. It has however displayed its military force on several fronts. Ch. 4: Biden Stands at the Precipice of a Greater War in the Middle East and His Political Future Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 1-31-24 After years of attempting to pivot away from the region, the Biden administration now looks set to deepen its military involvement in the Middle East as it fights the Houthis in Yemen and squares off in an escalating proxy war with Iran. Ch. 5: Drone Strike Kills 3 U.S. Troops in Jordan as Risk Grows of Regional War over Israel's Gaza Assault - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-29-24 "There will be more of these attacks, for sure," says Palestinian American journalist Rami Khouri, who lays out the simmering regional conflict and questions U.S. foreign policy running counter to American opinion and strategic goals.   ....... SEE FULL SHOW NOTES SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A satellite image of the Middle East. Credit: "Satellite relief map of Middle East" by Merikanto, Wikimedia | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date: 1-28-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Boardgames Ritual - Making kids cry buy taking their phones away at school - Making kids sad by never buying them phones in the first place REFERENCES: It Sure Looks Like Phones Are Making Students Dumber Schools don't want kids on cellphones. Is banning them the solution? Birmingham head calls for ban after pupils 'in tears' when phones confiscated The Schools That Ban Smartphones I Won’t Buy My Teenagers Smartphones   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/26/2024 In an election year where, more than ever before, democracy itself is on the ballot, there is less democracy happening in the lead-up to the election than at any time in recent memory. And with two profoundly disliked candidates running, the supporters of democratic ideals have a hard uphill push ahead of them. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Democratic Strategists Have Their Heads In The Sand - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-24-24 Semaphor's Dave Weigel talks to Sam about what happened during the 2024 Iowa Caucus. Ch. 2: Bidenomics Continue To Worsen For Young Adults - The Ring of Fire - Air Date 1-21-24 The Biden administration keeps telling us that the economy is humming along, but for young Americans, things are getting worse. Ch. 3: Is Biden Trying to Lose - The Humanist Report - Air Date 1-18-24 Ch. 4: Maddow on Trump-Biden rematch 'Not very much democracy in an election about saving democracy' - MSNBC - Air Date 1-24-24 Rachel Maddow discusses the looming 2024 general election clash with President Biden possibly taking on Donald Trump again. Maddow points out that there has been little democracy so far in the race for the White House. Ch. 5: 2024 Election Is About The Fight For Democracy - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 1-25-24 President Biden used his first campaign event of 2024 to call out his likely opponent, former President Donald Trump, for the threat he poses to American democracy, calling the issue a 'sacred cause' for the race ahead. Ch. 6: Iowa, New Hampshire, and No Fair Remembering 2012 - The Professional Left Podcast - Air Date 1-24-24 ....   SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photograph with bokeh edges of glossy, red-white-and-blue-striped "VOTE" buttons on a table. Credit: "2012 U.S. Presidential Election Gala" by U.S. Embassy Dakah, Flickr | License: Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Contact me directly at [email protected]   SEE FULL SHOW NOTES

Air Date 1/23/2024 The recent discovery of hundreds of bodies buried behind a jail in unmarked graves sparks a renewed discussion about the futility and counter-productiveness of our system of incarceration and the context of our history that has brought us to this point. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! Related Episodes:  #1313 Why Prison Abolition is not Nearly as Scary as it Sounds SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Families in disbelief after hundreds of bodies found buried behind Mississippi jail - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-10-24 The discovery of 215 bodies buried in unmarked graves behind a jail outside of Jackson, Mississippi, has left a community in disbelief. The families are angry they were never notified of the deaths and how their loved ones are buried Ch. 2: The Most Infamous Jail in America - Olurinatti - Air Date 3-29-23 Bail reform is essential in the fight to close horrible pre-trial detention centers like Rikers Island. ....  EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 8 Ways You Can Advocate for Justice Reform in 2024 (Vera) Prison and Jail Reform (Brennan Center for Justice) Criminal Justice Reform (Equal Justice Initiative) Cutting Jail and Prison Populations (Brennan Center for Justice) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photograph of the outside of Coyote Ridge Corrections Center. Barbed wire lines the fences of the entrance in front of the dark gray cement building with tinted windows. Credit: "A sagebrush sea change from behind barbed wire" by U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped     GO TO FULL SHOW NOTES

Original Air Date 12/3/2022 Today, we take a look at the mega-companies that touch all of our lives and the monopolistic practices that have been developed to keep power and wealth concentrated with the few while the rest of us get screwed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tech Monopolies - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-13-22 John Oliver discusses tech monopolies, and how to address the hidden harm they can do. Ch. 2: How Ticketmaster Is Destroying Live Music - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-19-22 Ticketmaster is destroying live music. Their scam fees now cost as much as 78% of a ticket. They control the events, the venues, and even the artists. There’s a movement pushing the Justice Department to take on its monopoly. Cory Doctorow breaks it down. Ch. 3: Corporate Greed Is Causing Inflation But The Rich Blame Workers - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-16-22 Not since the Great Depression have corporate profits soared so high. But it is not enough to satisfy them. More than 54% of the inflation America is experiencing is caused by record-setting corporate profits. Ch. 4: Why Food Prices Could Skyrocket Thanks to This Grocery Merger - More Perfect Union - Air Date 11-14-22 Safeway, Ralphs, Smiths, Harris Teeters, Shaws, Kings, Randalls, and about 25 other brands, will all be owned by a single company if the Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through. And that’s really bad news for the prices you pay. Ch. 5: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 Novelist Cory Doctorow and intellectual property expert Rebecca Giblin discuss their new book, Chokepoint Capitalism, which documents the increasing tensions between extractive corporations and creative laborers. Ch. 6: Making The Case For Abolishing Billionaires - MSNBC - Air Date 11-21-22 "One after another, four of our best-known billionaires laid waste to the image of benevolent saviors carefully cultivated by their class," Anand Giridharadas writes in a recent New York Times column. Ch. 7: Elon Musk Is An Idiot (and so are Zuck and SBF) - Adam Conover - Air Date 11-23-22 Tech CEOs aren't geniuses, and here's the proof. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how regulation helps stop financial scams MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/17/2024 It is evident that the immigration debate is more about acquiring raw power than about immigration as demands from the Republican Party change along with whatever strategies they feel are most likely to get Republicans elected and in the age of Trump, that means the most draconian, harmful and, ultimately, pointless demands to date. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Beginning Monroe and Migration Part 1 - Under the Shadow - Air Date 1-9-24 In the second half of the episode, we meet migrants walking North toward the United States on the edge of Central America. A very real manifestation, right now, of the never-ending impact of US intervention in Latin America. Ch. 2: Rep. Greg Casar on GOP’s Hard-Line Immigration Demands in Ukraine Funding Request - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-13-23 As negotiations on the emergency funding request continue, we speak with Democratic Congressmember Greg Casar of Texas about how he and other lawmakers oppose “some of the worst changes to our immigration system in decades.” Ch. 3: The Migrant Crisis On The Border And The Hill - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 1-11-24 The stream of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border hit record numbers at the end of 2023. Guests: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, congressional correspondent Deirdre Walsh, and immigration correspondent Jasmine Garsd. Ch. 4: GOP Bets It All on the Border - What Next - Air Date 11-8-23 A partial government shutdown is just 10 days away. Ch. 5: The Beginning Monroe and Migration Part 2 - Under the Shadow - Air Date 1-9-24 Ch. 6: Trump Plans to Declare War on Who? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 1-9-24 If re-elected, will Trump dredge up an archaic 18th-century law as a de-facto anti-immigration policy? Just how far will he go…? Ch. 7: Under Attack TX Law Targets Immigrants as Trump Cites Hitler, GOP Pushes for Border Crackdown - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-20-23 It's very clear that we are under attack. … We have targets on our backs," says Marisa Limón Garza, executive director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center in El Paso, which is challenging the new Texas law along with other rights groups. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Fox Host Admits GOP Doesn’t Give A Sh— About Immigration - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-12-24 Laura Ingham gives the conservative game away Ch. 9: AOC Dismantles GOP Immigration Lies - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-25-23 When interviewed, AOC "...sanctions that were originally authored by Marco Rubio took a large part in the driving of populations to our southern border, shortly after those sanctions were enacted, we started seeing dramatic increases." FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the naked power grab behind the immigration debate and Trump's long-held fascination with Hitler Bonus:  Trump Claims He’s Never Read Mein Kampf After Quoting Hitler, Praising Putin: A Closer Look - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 12-22-23 Articles:  House Republican Admits He’ll Kill Border Deal If It Helps Biden Donald Trump's ex-wife once said Trump kept a book of Hitler's speeches by his bed MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photograph taken during a "Reform Immigration March" in D.C. A man holds a homemade sign that says "Militarized Border = A Failed Policy." Other protestors in background hold American flags. Credit: "Reform Immigration March on Washington" by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increase in contrast and brightness.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 1-15-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - why one of the last isolated tribes in the world desperately wants to stay that way - why we know that women also hunted, counter to what all the male archeologists would have us believe  REFERENCES: Why Uncontacted Tribes Want to Stay Uncontacted They choose to live in isolation—but the world won’t leave them alone The Mission Documentary The Theory That Men Evolved to Hunt and Women Evolved to Gather Is Wrong Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/13/2024 The Supreme Court began to lose its legitimacy in the eyes of many when President Obama wasn't allowed to fill the open seat left by the death of Antonin Scalia but, in truth, the scandal and manipulation of the nation's highest court go back much, much farther than that. However, in a bygone age, scandal was handled much differently than today, putting our current state of disfunction and hyper-partisanship into sharp focus. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ralph explains the need for resignations and reform on the Supreme Court - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 12-30-23 I think they are reaching a point—the six-justice majority— of getting a huge backlash… I don't call for the impeachment of Justices very easily. In case after case these Justices come down on the side of artificial entities called corporations Ch. 2: Astonishing Corruption at The Supreme Court? - LegalEagle - Air Date 5-6-23 Ethics? Never heard of it Ch. 3: Supreme Court's Corrupt Financial Ties To Billionaire Exposed During Senate Hearing - The Majority Report - Air Date 5-3-23 Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) used a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Supreme Court ethics on Tuesday to discuss the financial ties between Justice Clarence Thomas and conservative billionaire Harlan Crow. Ch. 4: EXPOSED: Supreme Court Corruption CAUGHT Red Handed - The Kyle Kulinski Show - Air Date 4-27-23 Looking at Neil Gorsuch's questionable property sale and Clarence Thomas' refusal to answer to congress Ch. 5: Clarence Thomas Grifting - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-19-23 They shift to another bombshell report about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas's taking advantage of his position to enrich his lifestyle. Ch. 6: New Supreme Court ethics code 'does very little' to hold justices accountable, expert says - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-13-23 The nine Supreme Court justices handed down a surprise unanimous decision binding themselves to a new code of ethics. It comes after criticism over undisclosed perks for some of the justices. Ch. 7: How to Fix a Broken Supreme Court - Robert Reich - Air Date 7-18-23 Justice Roberts refused to testify in a hearing on SCOTUS ethics. Thomas and Alito accepted luxury vacations from GOP megadonors. Gorsuch sold property to the CEO of a law firm that argues cases before the Court. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Bombshell new report on the Supreme Court's abortion leak - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-15-23 New York Times investigative reporter Jodi Kantor joins Chris Hayes to discuss her behind-the-scenes look into the dismantling of Roe Ch. 9: Supreme Court Scandals: A Story of Justice - Now & Then - Air Date 4-26-23 Samuel Chase’s impeachment over his pronounced Federalist leanings, Stephen J. Field’s 1880s relationships with railroad magnates, and Abe Fortas’ 1969 resignation following the revelation of his acceptance of consulting fees from a felonious financier FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on John Roberts' year-end report and the slide away from the possibility of accountability Article: Chief Justice John Roberts’ AI Report Reads Like an Old Robot Wrote It MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A close-up photograph of the entrance of the U.S. Supreme Court building. White stone columns partly lit by sun slightly obscure the dark wooden entryway door at the center in shadow. Credit: "Supreme Court of the United States Facade" by Leandro Paes Leme, Pexels | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 1/7/2023 Today, we take a look at the criminal charges against Donald Trump that the January 6th Committee has referred to the DOJ but examine them through the lens of past presidential crimes that have gone unpunished from Nixon to George W. Bush Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: No One Is Above The Law - Calls Grow for Trump to Be Charged to Avoid Another Coup Attempt - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-20-22 We speak with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a scholar of fascism and authoritarianism, and Robert Weissman, president of the advocacy group Public Citizen. Ch. 2: Historian Meets Watergate Prosecutor On The Right (And Wrong) Kinds Of President Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-28-22 Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and Jill Wine-Banks, MSNBC legal analyst and former Watergate special prosecutor look to lessons from Watergate for what needs to happen with the Jan. 6th committee report. Ch. 3: Lisa Gilbert on the January 6 Report - CounterSpin - Air Date 12-23-22 We spoke with Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen and co-founder of the forged-for-purpose Not Above the Law Coalition, about what the hearings found and why it can’t end there. Ch. 4: Historian Meets Watergate Prosecutor On The Right (And Wrong) Kinds Of President Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-28-22 Ch. 5: "Brazen" Fraud: David Cay Johnston on How Trump's Tax Returns Show He Defrauded U.S. & Enriched Himself - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-3-23 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston, who has covered Trump for decades, says the new documents show "absolutely brazen" tax fraud. "Donald Trump has been a criminal his whole life," says Johnston. Ch. 6: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward" - This Week - Air Date 1-11-09 Barack Obama on This Week, January 11, 2009 Ch. 7: Obama Admin: Torture Not Illegal, Just A "Disagreement" - The Young Turks - Aired 3-27-10 Speaking of hangovers... Look forward, not backward. We don't do truth and reconciliation in this country. Ch. 8: The Central Cause of January 6th Was One Man House Panel Urges Trump Be Banned from Public Office - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-23-22 We’re joined by John Nichols, The Nation’s national affairs correspondent, to discuss the full report. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Ginni Thomas not mentioned in Jan. 6 Committee report - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-3-23 Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern and political strategist Rina Shah join Mehdi to discuss. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 1-7-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - the little bit of Paganism that's in all of us - the Christian priests who want to reform the church through psychedelic mushrooms REFERENCES: The Return of the Pagans God, Magic Mushrooms, and Me Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/5/2024 As the war in Gaza drags on, accusations of genocide by Israel have been filed by South Africa at the International Court of Justice and we are reminded that the tactics and technology that Israel develops and tests against Palestinians are sold around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1584 Israel's Political Upheaval, Supreme Court Power Struggle, US Support, and the Normalization of Apartheid #1589 War in the Holy Land: Context Behind the Atrocities, Crimes Against Humanity, and the Possible Escalation #1591 Broken News: Understanding traditional media and social media reporting on the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza #1592 Israel and Palestine are less complicated than you think SHOW NOTES Introduction: In Gaza and Israel, side with the child over the gun Ch. 1: Israels Push to Expel Residents of Gaza - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-3-24 Dutch Palestinian policy analyst Mouin Rabbani says Israel is using the Hamas attack of October 7 as a pretext to carry out its “long-standing ambition” to push Palestinians out of the Gaza Strip. Ch. 2: South Africa Files Case Against Israel at International Court of Justice over Genocidal Gaza War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-2-24 "I believe South Africa will win an order against Israel to cease and desist from committing all acts of genocide against the Palestinians," says Francis Boyle, an international human rights lawyer Ch. 3: A Conversation on the Horrors in Gaza with Jeremy Scahill and Sharif Abdel Kouddous - The Intercept - Air Date 12-20-23 Intercept co-founder Jeremy Scahill and journalist Sharif Abdel Kouddous discuss the U.S. role in Israel’s scorched-earth campaign to annihilate Gaza. Ch. 4: Disease In Gaza - Up First - Air Date 12-28-23 The World Health Organization warns that disease could kill more people in Gaza than the bombings. Ch. 5: Gaza, Solidarity, and the Movement for Palestinian Liberation - Making Contact - Air Date 11-29-23 We uncover the military corporations profiting from the war. Ch. 6: Gaza is a weapons lab for the arms industry w/ Antony Loewenstein - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 12-8-23 Antony Loewenstein, journalist and author of The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World, joins The Chris Hedges Report for a deep dive. Ch. 7: Gaza, Solidarity, and the Movement for Palestinian Liberation Part 2 - Making Contact - Air Date 11-29-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Gaza is a weapons lab for the arms industry w/ Antony Loewenstein Part 2 - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 12-8-23 Ch. 9: Christian Zionism - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 12-30-23 Ralph welcomes Rev. Dr. Donald Wagner, National Program Director of Friends of Sabeel—North America, to discuss the ongoing violence in Palestine, the influence that Christian Zionists have on America's Israel policy, and more. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the impacts of the antisemitism that is felt by the Jewish diaspora in the wake of the Hamas attack and war in Gaza Articles referenced: California lawmakers ‘pull the fire alarm’ on antisemitism Anti-Defamation League staff decry ‘dishonest’ campaign against Israel critics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Black and white photo of a woman at a protest in the city. She stares straight into the camera while holding a cardboard sign that reads "Bombing refugee camps, hospitals, ambulances, children is not self defence." Credit: "Bombing Refugee camps, Hospitals, Ambulances, Children - is not self defence" by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC BY SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 1/2/2024 Trump's greatest impact has been to bring the fringes of the conservative movement into the center and, by strongly courting the Evangelical Christian vote, helped accelerate the Christian Nationalist movement to merge religion with patriotism Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Threat to Church and State - Confronting Christian Nationalism - Air Date 9-9-23 In this episode, we’ll hear from experts, authors, and theologians who will help articulate what Christian Nationalism is, what it’s not, and why it’s a a threat to both the church and democracy. Ch. 2: How Trump Is Dividing The Evangelical Church - Fresh Air - Air Date 11-29-23 Journalist Tim Alberta grew up in a conservative, republican, evangelical church, where his father was the pastor. He wanted to know why so many evangelical Christians had become extremists, and ardent supporters of Trump. Ch. 3: How Trump Has Transformed Evangelicals - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 12-14-23 How did evangelical Christians shift from being reluctant supporters of Trump to among his most passionate defenders? How did some evangelicals, historically suspicious of politicians, develop a “fanatical cult-like attachment” to Donald Trump? Ch. 4: Will MAGA Mike Inflict a Religious Crusade on America? - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 11-2-23 Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is closely tied to Christian groups that want to make America a theocracy. So why does he support policies that are so contrary to Christ's teachings? Plus - Handmaiden Tale Alert! Ch. 5: Trump's "personal shortcomings" have become a bonus for evangelical Christians, says Tim Alberta - Meet the Press - Air Date 12-24-23 In an interview with Kristen Welker on Meet the Press, author and writer Tim Alberta discusses the role of white evangelical Christians in building support for Donald Trump’s presidency and the “uneasy alliance” the community established with him. Ch. 6: The Trump movement is turning America fascist w/ Jeff Sharlet - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 10-27-23 Jeff Sharlet has spent two decades covering the intersection of extreme Christian nationalism and the far-right. In his new book, Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, he gives snapshots of a country rapidly devolving into a Christian fascist state. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Interview with Author Elle Hardy on Christian Nationalism - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 1-19-23 Ch. 8: Trump's Escalating Racist Rhetoric & the Far-Right's Plan for a Slow Civil War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-21-23 As the 2024 presidential election campaign heats up, Republican front-runner Donald Trump is escalating his racist rhetoric, repeatedly saying in recent days that immigrants are “poisoning the blood of our country,” drawing comparisons to Hitler. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the idolatry at the heart of Christian Nationalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The image of a cross leans into the frame over a representation of the American flag.  Credit: "Cross banner USA flag cross sign" by Kalhh, Pixabay | License: Creative Commons (CC0)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 12-31-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - how Italy is making it harder for same-sex partners to have children by making it harder for everyone to have children - how well-meaning advocates in the US are putting same-sex families at risk - why Christian homophobia may just be based on a mistranslation of the Bible REFERENCES: ‘The state says our kids don’t exist’ - how LGBT life is changing in Italy Why Anonymous Sperm Donation Is Over, and Why That Matters Did Christian homophobia come from a mistranslation of the Bible? Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 12/17/2022 Today, we take a look at the fringe philosophy of accelerationism that is having a bigger impact on society than you will likely have realized as it's been behind some of the worst terror attacks in recent years and is likely behind attacks on infrastructure targeting society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Dystopian Philosophy You've Never Heard Of - Philion - Air Date 6-26-22 Explaining the origins of Accelerationism Ch. 2: A Foiled Plot in Texas: The Threat of Violent Fringe Online Networks - Tech Against Terrorism - Air Date 2-22-22 Matt Kriner is an intelligence analyst with almost a decade of experience researching and analyzing US domestic violent extremists, transnational far-right extremism, and radicalization. Ch. 3: “It only takes a few” - White Hot Hate - Air Date 11-28-21 Some members of The Base are planning deadly attacks that they hope will spark a race war. Will they be stopped, before it's too late? Ch. 4: Proud Boys, January 6, and When a U-Haul Is a Clown Car - Angry Planet - Air Date 6-17-22 So, it’s time to look again at what this group — and related groups — did on January 6, and just how dangerous they really are. We’ll also talk about accelerationism, what it is and what accelerationists want. Ch. 5: Right-Wing, Domestic Terror Eyed In N.C. Infrastructure Sabotage As Facts Remain Elusive - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 12-6-22 Rachel Maddow looks at a mysterious gun attack on electricity infrastructure in North Carolina and how it lines up with a past attack in California in 2013 and a DOJ case this year against white supremacists in Ohio. Ch. 6: Accelerationism: The International Apocalyptic Doctrine That's Unifying the Far Right - World Affairs Council Monterey Bay - Air Date 5-29-21 Accelerationism is a doctrine of revolutionary violence that holds that society is irreparably broken and must be destroyed. In recent years it has caught on among a variety of disparate movements throughout the world. Ch. 7: The seductive dangers of speed - RSA Podcasts - Air Date 7-5-17 The accelerating pace of political and economic change can be disorienting – but, for some, change isn’t happening fast enough. Matthew Taylor is joined by the journalist Andy Beckett and philosophers Benjamin Noys and Nina Power MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why We’re All Rooting for the Apocalypse - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-8-22 The apocalypse has never been more omnipresent in the cultural zeitgeist. But why are we all so convinced that the world is going to end, and do we have a moral obligation to prevent this gnarly fate? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments giving some helpful advice to White supremacists looking to start a race war MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A young white man dressed in a black hoodie with the hood over his hat is looking away from the camera while wearing a black mask with the image of the lower half of a skull on it. A lit torch is next to him in the foreground. A lit structure and a crowd of people are visible in the background. Credit: “Face of the streets” by spoilt.exile, Flickr | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 12/24/2022 We compare the far-right religious extremists who are fighting to gain power in the US with the protests against the theocratic regime in Iran supporting women's rights in the country. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How a new Christian right is changing US politics - BBC News - Air Date 11-28-22 A new battle of faith is being driven by some pastors and politicians in the United States. Their central message is that the country's conservative Christian way of life is under threat, and American society is moving in the wrong direction. Ch. 2: Women's Rights Activist on Protests Sweeping Iran, the Intensifying Gov't Crackdown & Executions Part 1 - Democracy now! - Air Date 10-15-22 "Iranians voted multiple times for over two decades for some process of reform … but the state has not given in to those demands," she says. "What we're seeing now is the result." Tahmasebi is the director of FEMENA Ch. 3: The Taliban’s Far-Right Fan Base - VICE - Air Date 10-18-21 In chat rooms and message boards on the darker corners of the web - far-right groups have been praising the Taliban’s takeover, lauding their religious fundamentalism, execution of opponents, and hatred of so-called liberalism. Ch. 4: Complete Dissatisfaction with the Current Order - Why Protests in Iran Are Not Slowing Down - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-6-22 "Today's movement is not calling for reform. Today's movement is calling for a new vision of politics … with women at the helm of it," says Narges Bajoghli, professor of anthropology and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University Ch. 5: Are We Prepared For Anti-Democratic Extremist Threats? Featuring Peter Montgomery - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-15-22 Far Right, Anti-Democratic Extremist groups are not slowing down. Some even have connections with ‘mainstream’ Republican politicians. Peter Montgomery joins Thom Hartmann to discuss the threat the far right still poses. Ch. 6: Inside the Iran Protests: What You Need to Know Nahid Siamdoust - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-18-22 Sam and Emma host Nahid Siamdoust, Assistant Professor of Middle East and Media Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss the recent political protests in Iran. Ch. 7: Republican Leader Trump's Dinner With Racist Forces Reckoning For Normal Americans - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 11-28-22 Rachel Maddow shares some of the fringe perspectives of the racist, Christian fascist who Donald Trump hosted for dinner at Mar-a-Lago Ch. 8: Women's Rights Activist on Protests Sweeping Iran, the Intensifying Gov't Crackdown & Executions Part 2 - Democracy now! - Air Date 10-15-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Will SCOTUS Turn America Into A Theocracy? (w/ Rachel Laser) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-18-22 Joseph Kennedy, a football coach, pressured his students to pray with him. He was asked not pressure students into religion during Public School activities. but he refused. Rachel Laser joined Thom to discuss the case and the pressure on students. Ch. 10: Hayes: Supreme Court conservative majority is ‘high council of Fox News viewers’ - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-5-22 “Because the conservative majority has tossed away all pretense of being anything other than, essentially, a high council of Fox News viewers, they decided her case should be heard before the Supreme Court,” says Chris Hayes FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on why Christian Nationalists would be better off not installing a dictatorship MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/23/2023 The housing crisis is at a worse point than at any time in recent history. Solutions are available and require political will to bring into reality but because the problem is now so widespread, we may actually be able to take action that would have been untenable before. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1496 Home Is Where The Hardship Is #1565 Co-Housing Builds Community and Fights Loneliness OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Housing is a Moral Issue w Shaun Donovan - Future Hindsight - Air Date 12-7-23 Shaun Donovan is the CEO and President of Enterprise Community Partners. We discuss how the deeply entrenched housing crisis has become worse in recent years and the multiple strategies to make home and community places of pride, power, and belonging. Ch. 2: Why NYCs Move to Privatize Public Housing Could Impact the Rest of the Country - Notes to America - Air Date 12-18-23 On this week’s show, Fanta — a reporter for WNYC’s Radio Rookies — speaks with residents, organizers and officials as she tries to find out what this program means for families like hers. Ch. 3: Biden In Trouble With Voters Over Inequality And Housing - The Majority Report - Air Date 11-28-23 President Joe Biden’s approval ratings surrounding the economy are not good! What, if anything, can Biden and the Democrat do to improve on those poll numbers (maybe…run on something? Anything?) Ch. 4: Housing is a Moral Issue w Shaun Donovan Part 2 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 12-7-23 Ch. 5: Why NYCs Move to Privatize Public Housing Could Impact the Rest of the Country Part 2 - Notes to America - Air Date 12-18-23 Ch. 6: Why The US Is Failing At Housing And How To Fix It - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-9-23 Rachel Cohen describes how the US housing crisis came to be and how it can be solved. Ch. 7: Housing is a Moral Issue w Shaun Donovan Part 3 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 12-7-23 Ch. 8: Can the French Plan For Social Housing Save America From Hyper-Gentrification w Cole Stangler - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-9-23 Is Paris more gentrified than New York? Gentrification is the process where beloved cities & towns price out residents with rents ‘too damn high’ to pay & failing infrastructure. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Why NYCs Move to Privatize Public Housing Could Impact the Rest of the Country Part 3 - Notes to America - Air Date 12-18-23 Ch. 10: How to build beautiful social housing in a crisis - Channel 4 News - 9-7-23 The architect Peter Barber has been winning awards for turning tiny patches of land into innovative estates and houses, designed not just to be beautiful – but to foster a sense of community too. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on why North America Can't Build Nice Apartments Bonus: Why North America Can't Build Nice Apartments (because of one rule) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photograph of newly built, colorful single-family row houses. Credit: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development archive, License: Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/20/2023 AI needs to be regulated by governments even though politicians don't understand computers just as the government regulates the manufacture and operation of aircraft even though your average politician doesn't know their ass from an aileron. That's why expert advisory panels are for. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1547 Shaping the Future of the Internet #1578 A.I. is a big tech airplane with a 10% chance of crashing, should society fly it? OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How are governments approaching AI regulation - In Focus by The Hindu - Air Date 11-16-23 Dr Matti Pohjonen speaks to us about the concerns revolving around AI governance, and if there are any fundamental principles that an AI regulatory regime needs to address. Ch. 2: A First Step Toward AI Regulation with Tom Wheeler - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 11-2-23 President Biden released a sweeping executive order that addresses many risks of artificial intelligence. Tom Wheeler, former chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, shares his insights on the order and what's next for AI regulation. Ch. 3: Artificial Intelligence Godfathers Call for Regulation as Rights Groups Warn AI Encodes Oppression - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-23 We host a roundtable discussion with three experts in artificial intelligence on growing concerns over the technology’s potential dangers: Yoshua Bengio, Max Tegmark, and Tawana Petty. Ch. 4: The EU agrees on AI regulations - What will it mean for people and businesses in the EU - DW News - Air Date 12-9-23 European Union member states and lawmakers reached a preliminary agreement on what they touted as the world's first comprehensive AI legislation on Friday. Ch. 5: EU vs. AI - Today, Explained - Air Date 12-18-23 The EU has advanced first-of-its-kind AI regulation. The Verge’s Jess Weatherbed tells us whether it will make a difference, and Columbia University’s Anu Bradford explains the Brussels effect. Ch. 6: A First Step Toward AI Regulation with Tom Wheeler Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 11-2-23 Ch. 7: How to Keep AI Under Control | Max Tegmark - TEDTalks - Air Date 11-2-23 Scientist Max Tegmark describes an optimistic vision for how we can keep AI under control and ensure it's working for us, not the other way around. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Anti-Democratic Tech Firm’s Secret Push For A.I. Deregulation w Lori Wallach - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-8-23 Giant tech firms are meeting secretly to deregulate Artificial Intelligence technologies in the most undemocratic ways possible. Can profit really take over and corrupt progress? Ch. 9: How are governments approaching AI regulation Part 2 - In Focus by The Hindu - Air Date 11-16-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the need to understand the benefits and downsides of new technology MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 12-15-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - why humans need rituals for mental health and community - what happens when corporations try to adopt rituals - what happens when squishy-blob humans are allowed to drive cars that somewhat drive themselves a little bit REFERENCES: Rituals are important to human life — even when they seem meaningless Can Rituals Fix Our Soulless Corporate Culture? A Ritual Designer Says Yes THE INSIDE STORY OF MICROSOFT’S PARTNERSHIP WITH OPENAI The Way We Talk About Self-Driving Cars Is Going To Get People Killed Self-Driving Cars Won’t Save Us Anytime Soon Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/12/2023 Henry Kissinger, it turns out, was actually a pretty good representative of the United States, the foreign policy actions we took, and the reasonings we gave for them over the past century. He embodied the idea that the US is always on the side of right, the world and its inhabitants are merely a game board and pieces for us to manipulate for our own ends, and that lives, particularly foreign lives, lost in pursuit of our interests are not of much concern. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A look at the consequential and controversial legacy of Henry Kissinger - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger, America’s most consequential and controversial Secretary of State, died Wednesday at the age of 100. He reached the peak of his power in the 1970s and remained highly influential until the very end. reports. Ch. 2: Henry Kissinger's Huge but Deeply Problematic Legacy - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger has died at 100 years old. Fred Kaplan, Slate's War Stories columnist and the author of many books, including The Bomb: Presidents, Generals, and the Secret History of Nuclear War examines the diplomat's impact on U.S. foreign policy Ch. 3: Kissinger: An Architect of Genocide - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-5-23 Tim Shorrock then gives his initial reflections on Kissinger’s passing and the myriad lies he told for the ends of US primacy. Shorrock and Emma trace Kissinger’s bloody footprints from Vietnam and East Timor to Argentina Ch. 4: Henry Kissinger and the Moral Bankruptcy of U.S. Elites - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-30-23 Henry Kissinger is dead at the age of 100. The former U.S. statesman served as national security adviser and secretary of state at the height of the Cold War and wielded influence over U.S. foreign policy for decades afterward. Ch. 5: The Case Against Henry Kissinger: War Crimes Prosecutor Reed Brody on Kissinger’s Legacy of “Slaughter” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-1-23 Former U.S. secretary of state and national security adviser Henry Kissinger has died at the age of 100. He leaves behind a legacy of American statecraft that brought war and mass atrocities to Southeast Asia, South Asia and South America Ch. 6: The world Henry Kissinger built - The Take (Al Jazeera English) - Air Date 12-1-23 Henry Kissinger was a giant of our world order for half a century. The former US secretary of state died at the age of 100 on Wednesday. He left a mark on every region – often not for the better of those left in the wake of his controversial policies. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Henry Kissinger's Reactionary Idealism - Against the Grain - Air Date 10-11-17 Historian Greg Grandin reflects on the ideology and practice of Henry Kissinger. Ch. 8: Amb. Martin Indyk Pens Kissinger Book - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 11-12-21 Former envoy to Israel, Martin Indyk, is out with a new book that details Henry Kissinger’s legacy in the Middle East. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on our year-end membership drive MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A photo of the profile of an elderly Henry Kissinger with a solemn expression. His hair is white and he wears glasses and a dark suit.  Credit: "Dr. Henry Kissinger listens..." by U.S. Secretary of State, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Horizontal crop   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Original Air Dates 12-3-23 and 12-10-23 We discuss in episode #281: - the impacts of a stratified wealth disparity - the anti-social habit we're adopting that will make us more anti-social - the desperation many feel to just put life on hold for a few days REFERENCES: Infants Are Born With Syphilis in Growing Numbers, a Sign of a Wider Epidemic Behind the Gates of a Private World for Only the Wealthiest New Yorkers Hungry (but Not for Human Contact), Americans Head for the Drive-Through Let’s unpack the hospital fantasy   We discuss in episode #282: - the relationship between religion and AI - the probably results of uploading your mind to a computer - an idea for helping to disconnect from your technology a bit REFERENCES: Silicon Valley’s vision for AI? It’s religion, repackaged. Uploading your consciousness will never work, a neuroscientist explains Uploading Our Consciousness To a Computer. But Should We? Mind Uploading? Not Worth it. In a future of mind uploading, will you still be you, and who will own your mind? This Ancient Ritual Is Key to How I Run a Company of 500 People. Harvard Research Shows Why. Everything You Need to Enjoy One Tech-Free Day a Week   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/8/2023 Neoliberalism has created a lot of economic suffering and insecurity in addition to weakened social ties over the past few decades. And now, in what may be the most devastating result of the ideology yet, neoliberalism may be leading much of the world toward fascism bolstered by legitimate grievances about economic precarity which are coopted by the false promises of right-wing populism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript WINTER SALE! 20% Off Memberships (including Gifts) in December! Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1491 Mismanaging Capitalism Can Lead to Fascism (Inflation and the Working Class) #1519 International Fascist Movement on the Move OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Far-right extremism on the rise around the globe - The ReidOut with Joy Reid - Air Day 11-28-23 A troubling sign of the rise of far-right extremists being elected around the world, as anti-Islamic populist Geert Wilders is newly elected in the Netherlands. Ch. 2: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23 Populism is rather a specific form of discontent. Discontent is the umbrella term. It's this vague sense that the way things are being done is not working. That democracy is not effective. Ch. 3: Argentina's Trump? Far-Right Javier Milei Wins Presidency with Echoes of Past Dictatorship - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-21-23 Far-right libertarian Javier Milei has been elected president of Argentina. Franco Metaza, the director of international relations for the Argentine Senate, joins to discuss. Ch. 4: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 2 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23 Ch. 5: Media Coverage of the Trump Movement is Missing Vital Context - On the Media - Air Date 11-29-23 Jeff Sharlet, author of The Undertow: Scenes from a Slow Civil War, argues that Trump's narratives of martyrdom, a persecuted in-group, a mysterious out-group, and a rhetoric of violence are all hallmarks of fascism. Ch. 6: 'Democracy on a Knife's Edge' Far-right electoral victories in Argentina, Holland; Trump threatens Insurrection Act - The Bradcast - Air Date 11-28-23 Ultra-conservative former federal Judge Michael Luttig warns: 'American democracy [is] on a knife's edge...in greater peril today than it's ever been in American history. Ch. 7: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 3 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Media Coverage of the Trump Movement is Missing Vital Context Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 11-29-23 Ch. 9: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 4 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on preparing for the 2024 election SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photo triptych of Donald Trump, Geert Wilders president-elect of The Netherlands, and Javier Milei president-elect of Argentina. Trump is smiling and looking toward Wilders and Milei. Credits: “Trump at CPAC”  by Kingofthedead, Wikimedia Commons; License: CC BY SA 2.0; Changes: Cropped | “Geert Wilders during a political campaign” by Peter van der Sluijs, Wikimedia Commons; License: CC BY SA 2.0; Changes: Cropped | “Javier Milei in VIVA22” by Vox España, Wikimedia Commons; License: Public Domain; Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 12/5/2023 It's important to focus on positive visions and not only get stuck in doom cycles of complaining about what's going wrong. So, we're looking at a variety of positive visions including rethinking human nature, reimagining our relationship with consumerism, considering how design can work with nature instead of against it, and understanding why cooperation is better than individualistic competition from an evolutionary point of view. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What We Get Wrong About Human Nature - Andrewism - Air Date 1-11-23 What does it mean to be human? Join me as I explore the many interpretations of human nature across various philosophies and delve into the true breadth of human possibilities. Ch. 2: Gabor Maté on Illness, Human Nature, Capitalism, and Socialism - Against the Grain - Air Date 5-30-23 North Americans are sick, stressed, and alienated, a state of affairs accentuated in recent years by Covid. Gabor Maté argues that capitalism engenders illness, while the medical system blindly ignores the lives of its patients. Ch. 3: Imagining a Solarpunk Education - Human Restoration Project - Air Date 5-11-23 Do we have the willingness to challenge the predominant social, economic, & political structures & systems that need to be challenged? To change the very nature of humanity's relationship to the planet? What role does education play in all of this? Ch. 4: What science fiction teaches us about imagining a better world - The New Humanitarian - Air Date 1-11-23 Time and again, guests on this season of Rethinking Humanitarianism have called for systemic changes to the humanitarian system and global governance – from alternatives to the UN to revolutionized global climate financing. Ch. 5: Elon Musk Has Become the Very Thing He Hates Most - The New Abnormal - Air Date 11-20-23 A conversation with award-winning author Nnedi Okorafor about her transformational Africanfuturism and the importance of inclusive visions of science fiction. Ch. 6: How We Can Build A Solarpunk Future Right Now (ft. @Andrewism) - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 4-20-22 In this Our Changing Climate climate change video essay, I look at ways in which we can build a Solarpunk future right now. Solarpunk envisions a world in which nature and humanity are seamlessly intertwined Ch. 7: The Race to Cooperation - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-2-23 David Sloan Wilson's work shows that humans can and have chosen values like cooperation, altruism and group success – versus individual competition and selfishness MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Race to Cooperation - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-2-23 VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Geoengineering concerns - Bud from Idaho FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments clarifying some details about using Solar Radiation Management as a geoengineering strategy MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 10/8/2022 Today, we take a look at the recent elections in Italy, Brazil and Sweden where far-right parties are either taking power or looking to maintain it as well as the parallels to our own politics including moderate conservatives helping to legitimize the far-right while delegitimizing elections. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Fascist Brothers of Italy Party takes power in Italy - The Mehdi Hassan Show - Air Date 10-2-22 Why the American right wing is racing to embrace Italy's next prime minister. Ch. 2: Italian Fascism w/ David Broder - Jacobin Show - Air Date 9-30-22 Our own European editor David Broder explains what Giorgia Meloni and the Brothers of Italy's victory means for Italy. Ch. 3: Fascist Brothers of Italy Party takes power in Italy Part 2 - The Mehdi Hassan Show - Air Date 10-2-22 Why the American right wing is racing to embrace Italy's next prime minister. Ch. 4: Fascism scores another victory with Italian election - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-26-22 Conservatives in the US have been courting the extreme right on and off all along Ch. 5: The Stakes Are High - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-22 "The candidates and their vision for Brazil’s future could not be more different, but the trends underpinning this election are an echo of global experiences,” reports Roberta S. Braga for the ISPI. Ch. 6: Noam Chomsky & Vijay Prashad: A Lula Victory in Brazil Could Help Save the Planet - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-30-22 Noam Chomsky joins us from Brazil with Vijay Prashad just back from Brazil to discuss Sunday’s Brazilian election between Brazil’s far right president Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Ch. 7: Brazil Votes For Democracy While SCOTUS Does Not - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 9-4-22 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the ramifications of the Brazilian election for president, as Bolsonaro loses by 5 points and is priming the country to reject the second round election later this month. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Rise of the Swedish far right w/ David Broder - Jacobin Show - Air Date 9-30-22 Jonas Pontusson joins us to unpack the strong electoral showing of the Swedish far right. Ch. 9: Fascism scores another victory with Italian election - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-26-22 A history lesson on the rise and fall of fascism in Europe and what it says about the path we're all on today. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the big problem with small misunderstandings TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022 - Installment #2:  Today’s focus is on toss-up Senate races in GA, NV, PA, and WI, and Senate races (precariously) leaning Democrat or Republican: GET FULL DETAILS AND ACTION LINKS Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo from 2014. Far-right Italian politician (and newly elected Prime Minister) Giorgia Meloni stands in front of a backdrop with the Italian tricolor flame, a symbol of the neo-fascist political party in Italy. She is a white woman with straight blond hair. She is wearing a leather jacket and smiling with her arms crossed. Credit: “Giorgia Melone 2014” by Jose Antonio, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC Attribution 4.0 International | Changes: Black vignette   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/29/2023 The movement for universal health care is still underway, though it rarely gets recognized in mainstream discourse. The death of Medicare For All (M4A) activist Ady Barkan is an occasion worth using to look at the progress being made to improve our system of promoting the health of all people in the United States as well as efforts to rein in the power of big Pharma that's used to gouge the American people with exorbitant prices. So, that's what we're doing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Healthcare Activist Ady Barkan Dies of ALS; Watch His 2021 Interview on Demanding Medicare for All - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-27-23 Healthcare activist Ady Barkan has died at the age of 39 of the neurodegenerative disease ALS. His story is told in the documentary Not Going Quietly. In 2021, Democracy Now! spoke with Ady Barkan just ahead of the film’s premiere. Ch. 2: Why your health insurance is tied to work - The Weeds - Air Date 10-18-23 The wartime policy that changed health insurance forever Ch. 3: Rethinking the path to winning single payer - Code WACK! - Air Date 4-10-23 Winning Medicare for All in the U.S. may be at a standstill at the federal level, but it's a different story In the states. In 2021 alone, 18 single-payer bills were introduced in states such as Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Oregon. Ch. 4: How Can This Predatory Exploitation Be Considered Health Care - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-15-23 If Medicare Advantage, the profit-driven entity that is decidedly NOT part of REAL Medicare, could be summed up in three words, they might be: deny, deny, deny. Ch. 5: Biden vs. Big Pharma Medicare to Begin Negotiations to Lower Price of 10 Costly Drugs & Insulin - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-30-23 Peter Maybarduk joins us to discuss how the new negotiation process aims to break up drug monopolies and disband the pharmaceutical industry’s profit incentive. Ch. 6: Inequality Undermines Health & Healthcare in the U.S. - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 11-14-23 Interview with Dr. Stephen Bezruchka on how economic inequality connects to stress, health problems, and inadequate healthcare." Ch. 7: Big Pharma Explained Why Are Meds So Expensive [& The Solution] - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-12-23 Today's three integral guests (listed below) join the Laura Flanders Show to discuss the pharmaceutical industry and how to end Big Pharma companies' monopoly. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Challenge of Caring for Our Elders - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-15-23 Reed Abelson, New York Times reporter, talks about the financial challenges of caring for our elders since the United States does not have a comprehensive system to help pay for long-term care as the population ages. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on more good news from the fight against climate change MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A photo of Ady Barkan wearing a “Be A Hero” shirt while sitting in his specialized wheelchair and smiling at someone off-camera. Credit: “Elizabeth Warren & Ady Barkan”, Elizabeth Warren, Flickr | License: CC By 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/26/2023 As the hottest year in 125,000 years or so begins to come to a close, we turn to two projects still in their infancy that have big plans to decarbonize our electricity generation on one hand and give us a bit more time to turn our climate futures around on the other. The first is a reinvigoration of the geothermal power industry with the hopes of scaling up globally and the second is geo-engineering which aims to reduce the solar radiation hitting the planet to reduce devastating climate impacts while the world finishes up the work of going carbon neutral. Both ideas are a little scary, either or both could be brilliant or disastrous. The two things that are clear to me are that failure in the face of climate chaos will definitely be disastrous and any ideas with a reasonable chance of helping deserve further study. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Have We Made ANY Progress on Climate Change? Here's The Data, You Decide - PBS Terra - Air Date 12-20-22 Tune into this episode of Weathered to see where we’ve been in our race against the clock, where we’re going, and how the RCP scenarios can help us understand this story as well as our future on this planet. Ch. 2: Batteries are dirty. Geothermal power can help. - Vox - Air Date 11-1-22 Lithium-ion batteries are a transformative technology in the fight against climate change. Most notably, they power electric vehicles, which have the potential to replace emissions produced by road transportation. But there’s a problem. Ch. 3: The Untapped Energy Source That Could Power the Planet | Jamie C. Beard - TEDTalks - Air Date 10-28-21 Deep beneath your feet is a molten ball of energy the same temperature as the surface of the sun -- an immense clean energy source that could power the world thousands of times over, says technologist and climate activist Jamie C. Beard. How do we tap it? Ch. 4: A Messy and Unhinged Introduction to Geoengineering - vlogbrothers - Air Date 10-4-23 Describing the most dangerous way to save the world Ch. 5: Smog Cloud Silver Lining - Radiolab - Air Date 9-22-23 Summer 2023 was a pretty scary one for the planet. Global temperatures in June and July reached record highs. And over in the North Atlantic Sea, the water temperature spiked to off-the-chart levels. Ch. 6: How to think about solar radiation management - Volts - Air Date 2-24-23 Even if greenhouse gas emissions halted entirely right now, we would continue to feel climate change effects for decades due to existing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere — and warming could accelerate FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 7: Final comments and interview with Mike Tidwell about the arguments for and against geo-engineering MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 10-5-2022 Today, we take a look at the life and legacy of President Ronald Reagan, the last transformational U.S. president who's regime we are still living in. Between his neoliberal economics, anti-government ideology and white supremacist appeal to authoritarians, he did more to shape the last 40 years of the politics of the country and conservative movement than anyone else. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 40 years later, is this the end of Reaganomics? - Make Me Smart - Air Date 12-14-21 It’s been just over 40 years since newly elected President Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem.” Ch. 2: The Democracy We Think We Live In - On the Media - Air Date 8-9-19 Adam Serwer [@AdamSerwer], staff writer at The Atlantic, on the catastrophic, deadly idea that "only white people are fit for self-government." Ch. 3: General Motors Proves Trickle Down Theory Only Works If You Shower With Gold Water - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-3-18 General Motors admits what we all know, after receiving a massive tax cut, the auto maker is laying off thousands of American employees and closing it's plants. Ch. 4: The Lasting Impact of Reagan's Firing of Air Traffic Controllers (1/2) - The Real News Network - Air Date 8-4-14 Prof. Joseph McCartin and former PATCO spokesperson Elliot Simons discuss the anniversary of the firing and Ronald Reagan's betrayal Ch. 5: When American Presidents Go to Trial - On the Media - Air Date 9-9-22 Rick Perlstein [@rickperlstein], a journalist and author of The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, explains the continuing impact of Gerald Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon for his crimes. Ch. 6: Ronald Reagan “Terrifying Words - ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 5-13-21 We scrutinize Reagan's famous quote "the nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help’” in today's episode. Where and when was it coined? What is its broader meaning? Ch. 7: How Ronald Reagan's Regime Led To The Jan 6th Capitol Riot - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-17-21 The Capitol insurrection on January 6th was a long time coming. Back in 1980, Ronald Reagan's campaign was laying the groundwork for what would become Donald Trump's platform. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: America’s Right Turn with Rick Perlstein - Why Is This Happening? - Air Date 9-1-20 How did America’s modern conservative movement come to power? Historian and author Rick Perlstein’s prolific work has traced the arc of modern electoral politics, and specifically has laid out how modern conservatism arose. Ch. 9: Why the "Reagan Regime" Endures - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-7-22 Presidencies are rarely transformational, and neither Biden nor Trump have lived up to their supporters’ dreams. So what does it take to really change our politics? Host Kai Wright is joined by political theorist Corey Robin to confront that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on my first debate about Reagan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A large portrait of former American President Ronald Reagan in a dark suit and red tie is framed on a wall in a dim, museum-like room. His smiling face is softly lit with a spotlight. Credit: “President Ronald Re[a]gan” by LunchboxLarry, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0  | Changes: Slightly cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 11-17-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The internet culture of putting people on blast, - a reexamination of kids who want their parents to track their movements, - trying to learn about the human condition but getting tricked into watching poverty porn, - and using AI to talk to whales and save all life on earth REFERENCES: Teens Want Parents to Track Their Phones and Monitor Their Every Move - Wall Street Journal Whoever staves lease wins - Vulture How to Use AI to Talk to Whales—and Save Life on Earth - Wired Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 11/14/2023 The Supreme Court turned the table on average, working people back in the 70s when they empowered wealthy individuals and corporations to have an outsized role in our politics. Now we're trapped in the reality that shift in power created and are dreaming of a better way to manage our economic and political systems for the benefit of all people. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1247 The Fight for the Four Freedoms (FDR vs. Libertarianism) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Citizens United Has Destroyed America Why Is Nobody Talking About It - Thom Harmann Program - Air Date 10-27-23 If America is to recover any semblance of meaningful democracy in our country, we have to cut out the cancer of big money in our political system. We MUST overturn Citizens United. Ch. 2: How Things Work Congress's Revolving Door - Jim Hightower's Lowdown - Air Date 11-9-23 Hear it? What’s that sound? “Whoop-whoop-whoop.” Oooo, it’s Washington’s revolving door, allowing corporate interests to come directly inside Congress to pervert public policy. Ch. 3: Corporate Bullsh*t Legal Bullsh*t - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-11-23 Donald Cohen discusses the long history of corporate propaganda covering for corporate greed, and his new book Corporate Bullsh*t: Exposing the Lies and Half-Truths That Protect Profit, Power, and Wealth in America. Ch. 4: What Socialism Needs to Succeed - Economic Update - Air Date 10-32-23 This week's episode covers the crisis of today's left, the need to build upon and go beyond successful socialism of the 19th and 20th century, the state and micro focus on the workplace, and democratizing workplaces. Ch. 5: Redefining Wealth–with Aisha Nyandoro - OFF-KILTER - Air Date 11-2-23 As Aisha Nyandoro—CEO of Springboard to Opportunity and architect of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust—argues in her recent Tedx Talk, it’s time to redefine wealth in the United States. Ch. 6: Prof. Richard Wolff Why Not Democratize Big Auto Companies - The Zero Hour - Air Date 10-28-23 Prof Wolff joins Zero Hour with RJ Eskow to discuss the recent agreement between the Ford Motor Company and the United Auto Workers and how it relates to the larger issues of labor, capitalism, and democratizing workplaces. Ch. 7: Inside West Virginia's New Economic Bill of Rights–with Troy N. Miller - OFF-KILTER - Air Date 11-9-23 For this week’s episode, Rebecca sat down with Troy N. Miller, who’s long served as the Off-Kilter podcast’s beloved “man behind the curtain,” aka executive producer. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Media's Use of 'The Economy' Flattens Class Conflict - Citations Needed - Air Date 11-1-23 Kim Kelly joins to discuss the term "the economy," how and why metrics reflect interest of capital- GDP, the DOW - which are positioned as more important indicators of economic strength versus the needs of the average person. Ch. 9: Redefining Wealth–with Aisha Nyandoro Part 2 - OFF-KILTER - Air Date 11-2-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how a shifting baseline obscures the inequity of our economic system MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A photo of a protest banner depicting a drawn human figure with its arms out standing on top of the symbol for dollars ($). The words “People Over Profits” are written across the middle. Credit: “World Bank/IMF demonstration [06]”  by Ben Schumin, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/10/2023 Violence and oppression are destructive and corrosive to both the victim and perpetrator and this goes a long way toward explaining many of the dynamics at play in the holy land between Israelis and Palestinians. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Hamas Attacked Israel - And What's Next For Gaza - AJ+ - Air Date 10-13-23 On October 7th, Hamas launched one of the deadliest attacks on Israel in years. But why? And what does this mean for the 2.3 million people trapped in Gaza, often called the largest open-air prison on Earth? Ch. 2: 'The possibility of genocide is staring us in the face' in Gaza: Holocaust studies professor - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 11-3-23 Omer Bartov, an Israeli-American professor of Holocaust and genocide studies at Brown University, joins Mehdi to discuss Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. Bartov tells Mehdi, “I don’t think that what is happening there right now is genocide… Ch. 3: Shock Doctrine Israel with Naomi Klein - The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 10-31-23 Weaponizing trauma to inflict more trauma is Israel's forte. Naomi Klein, author of The Shock Doctrine, No Logo, and the new book Doppelganger, joins Francesca to discuss the all out assault on the people of Gaza in retaliation for Hamas' attack. Ch. 4: Antisemitism: An Evil, An Enemy Of Peace - Owen Jones - Air Date 10-31-23 Antisemitism is an evil in itself - it is the cause of terrible horrors over many centuries - and it is also a mortal enemy of peace in Palestine. Ch. 5: Far Right Exploiting Gaza War to Spread Antisemitism and Islamophobia / Shane Burley - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-7-23 Shane Burley on his writing at Waging Nonviolence on white nationalists manipulating the Gaza crisis. Plus 'Rotten History.' Ch. 6: Naomi Klein on 'Selective Information' About Israel and Gaza - Inside the Hive - Air Date 11-2-23 Host Brian Stelter joins Naomi Klein to discuss the challenges of understanding what’s happening on the ground in Israel and Gaza as an information war plays out alongside the carnage. Ch. 7: What’s Happening in Israel and Why with Nathan Thrall - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 11-1-23 The October 7th attack by Hamas and Israel's subsequent response has left the world in shock. To better understand the context behind this moment, Adam is joined by Nathan Thrall, one of the leading experts on the conflict in Gaza. Ch. 8: Ta-Nehisi Coates Speaks Out Against Israel's "Segregationist Apartheid Regime" After West Bank Visit - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-2-23 Ta-Nehisi Coates joins us to discuss his journey to Palestine and Israel and learn about the connection between the struggle of African Americans and Palestinians. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Beyond Settler-Colonialism - Against the Grain - Air Date - 10-31-23 Mahmood Mamdani, the acclaimed scholar of colonialism and anti-colonialism, reflects on the United States, Nazi Germany, South Africa, and Israel — settler-colonial societies built on internment and ethnic cleansing. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on an extraordinary case of looking the find the humanity in the inhumane attacks on Israel of October 7th MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A black and white photo of a street protest in London. An older man holds a large handmade protest sign, which reads "Hamas targetting civilians = war crimes. Israel targetting civilians = war crimes." The greeting "Shalom" is written in Hebrew next to the greeting "Salam" written in Arabic. At the bottom, "End the occupation!" Credit: "No Excuses for War Crimes under any Pretext." by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped and slightly increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 11/6/2023 Media literacy is a basic requirement for understanding the war in Gaza, as propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation are being distributed for both ideological and financial reasons. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Breaking News Consumer's Handbook Israel-Gaza Edition - On the Media - Air Date 10-27-23 Discussing how to navigate your social media feed in the midst of the war in Gaza. Ch. 2: Hearts, minds, and likes - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-23-23 False information about what is happening in Israel and Gaza is taking over SM faster than journalists like BBC Verify’s Shayan Sardarizadeh can check it.  Ch. 3: US Media, Washington Rush Head First into 9-11 2.0 - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-11-23 In this public News Brief, we discuss the recent escalation in violence in "the Middle East" and the quickly forming bipartisan consensus to jam the issue into a simplistic, dehumanizing War on Terror narrative Ch. 4: Fog of War The Media and the Israel–Palestine Conflict - Deconstructed - Air Date 10-13-23 Ryan Grim is joined by Intercept reporter Alice Speri, who has frequently reported from occupied Palestinian territory, and Palestinian American writer and political analyst Yousef Munayyer. Ch. 5: Hate Crimes, American Media & the 'Free Palestine' Movement - NowThisNews - Air Date 11-1-23 As attacks on Gaza continue, so do violent acts in the U.S., and this researcher is breaking down our media's narratives. Ch. 6: 12 Journalists, Mostly Palestinians in Gaza, Killed in Deadliest Time for Journalists - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-16-23 Sherif Mansour of the Committee to Protect Journalists says it is one of the highest death tolls for journalists covering the conflict since 1992 and calls today it the "deadliest time for journalists in Gaza." Ch. 7: Breaking News Consumer's Handbook Israel-Gaza Edition Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 10-27-23 Ch. 8: Peter Maybarduk on Paxlovid, Maya Schenwar on Grassroots Journalism - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-27-23 The media lens—the points of view that they show us day after day, those they obscure or ridicule—affects the way we understand the world, our neighbors, and what’s politically possible. Guest Maya Schenwar, author and editor at large of Truthout. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Gaza Siege and the Liberal Handwringing Industrial Complex - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-18-23 We break down the latest efforts by Democrats to support Israel's brutal bombing and collective punishment of Gaza while still looking "deeply concerned" about the logical outcomes of this bombing and collective punishment. Ch. 10: Not in Our Name 400 Arrested at Jewish-Led Sit-in at NYC's Grand Central Demanding Gaza Ceasefire - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-30-23 We bring you the voices of Jewish Voice for Peace and their allies who shut down the main terminal of Grand Central Station during rush hour Friday in one of New York's largest acts of civil disobedience in 20 years to demand a ceasefire in Gaza. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: The influence of calling Congress - Craig from Ohio FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a case study in war media manipulation Reference: Does a Photo Show 'Wonder Woman' Actor Gal Gadot Turning Up to Serve in the Israel Defense Forces? - Snopes SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image of an illustrated hand holding a phone with "LIVE" and "BREAKING" on the screen, along with the much-maligned initial NY Times headline "Israel Strike Kills Hundreds in Hospital, Palestinians Say". A finger is pressing an invisible button at the bottom of the screen. Many "share" arrows point out away from the phone. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. News image credit: "Gaza" by Marcin Monko, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 DEED | Changes: Cropped

Original Air Date: 8/31/2022 Today, as the news of Trump's various trials continues to drop out, we take a look back at this episode covering the long and illustrious history of powerful people avoiding prosecution in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Welcome to the golden age of white collar crime (with Michael Hobbes) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-10-20 Why is right now the easiest time in modern history for the wealthy to get away with whatever they want? HuffPost reporter and fellow Seattleite Michael Hobbes join Zach in the studio for a deep dive into his most recent article about white-collar crime. Ch. 2: Flint Residents Outraged as Charges Dropped in Fatal Water Scandal That Poisoned Majority-Black City - Democracy Now - Air Date 5-30-22 Eight years after the deadly Flint water crisis began, the state’s Supreme Court has thrown out charges against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight other former officials for their complicity in the public health emergency. Ch. 3: Obama Requests Immunity for War Criminal George W. Bush - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 8-22-13 Obama's DOJ has requested that George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Paul Wolfowitz be granted immunity in a case that is alleging that they violated international law with the Iraq War... Ch. 4: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward" - This Week - Air Date 1-11-09 Barack Obama on This Week, January 11, 2009 Ch. 5: How George H.W. Bush's Pardons for Iran-Contra Conspirators Set the Stage for Trump's Impunity - Democracy Now - Air Date 12-4-18 In 1992, when Bush Sr. was president, he pardoned several Iran-Contra defendants, including Caspar Weinberger, Robert McFarlane, and Elliott Abrams. We speak with Greg Grandin, prize-winning author, and professor of Latin American history at New York Univ. Ch. 6: Pardon Me - Reveal - Air Date 7-6-19 Presidential pardons grab the headlines each time Donald Trump grants clemency to a controversial person. We tell the untold story of a pardon system that is completely broken and a pardon attorney’s office that is being ignored by the White House. Ch. 7: Bryan Stevenson on the racial terrorism of lynching - Cape Up - Air Date 4-24-18 Bryan Stevenson wants us to confront our country’s racial terrorism and then say, ‘Never again’ Ch. 8: Justice Department Weighs Whether Or Not To Prosecute Trump - MSNBC - Air Date 8-29-22 New York Times Justice Department Reporter Katie Benner and former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman discuss how the inquiry into Trump’s handling of classified documents poses an unparalleled test for DOJ MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Restoring the Brotherhood of Union: Confederate Pardon and Amnesty Records, 1865-1877 - US National Archives - Air Date 5-21-15 "Restoring the Brotherhood of Union: Confederate Pardon and Amnesty Records, 1865-1877" Archives specialist John Deeben provides a brief legislative history of amnesty activity during and after the Civil War. Ch. 10: The power of presidential pardons - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-25-20 Pardons are among the most powerful tools a president has. While pardons can be politically motivated, drawing criticism, they can also change lives. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the nature of pardons, accountability and hurt feelings MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 8/16/2022 Today, we take a look at the strategies underway to systematically dismantle democracy in the United States including installing Big-Lie™ believers in elected and poll-working positions, preventing state-level Supreme Courts from holding GOP-dominated state legislators to the state constitutions, and wiping out tens of thousands of career civil servants from the federal government to be replaced by right-wing extremists. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Republicans Caught Planning MASSIVE Voter Fraud - David Pakman Show - Air Date 6-2-22 Republicans are caught planning massive voter fraud in a mindblowing new report from Politico Ch. 2: Republican plans to use political operatives as poll workers alarm voting rights activists - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-1-22 Now, reporting by POLITICO details GOP efforts on the local level to challenge and potentially overturn elections. Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine and the author of "Cheap Speech" joins William Brangham to discuss. Ch. 3: Inside Trump's Stealth Purge Plan with the Congressman Leading the Fight Against It - Beyond Politics - Air Date 7-28-22 Trump’s top allies are prepping a plan to purge the federal government. They want to remove thousands of key decision-makers and replace them with MAGA loyalists, all through an Executive Order called "Schedule F." Ch. 4: 2024 Republican Hopefuls Support Trump Allies' Plan To Purge Government Workers - Ring of Fire - Air Date 8-4-22 Many of the possible 2024 Republican contenders have told Axios that they support the plan being put together by Trump's allies to purge career government workers and replace them with their own loyalists. Ch. 5: Fake Electors, Real Crimes and Much More - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-26-22 Explaining the plan to election 2020 election deniers into positions of power to influence the 2024 election. Ch. 6: Dark Money Is Fueling Election Deniers In Secretary Of State Races - The Ring of Fire - Air Date 8-6-22 Across the country, dark money is pouring into Secretary of State races to promote election-denying candidates. This money is mostly untraceable, thanks to our absurd campaign finance laws. Ch. 7: Judicial Coup SCOTUS Gerrymandering Case May Let GOP State Legislatures Control Federal Elections - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-6-22 Carolyn Shapiro says a ruling in favor of North Carolina Republicans would be "extremely problematic from the perspective of democracy" and "could cause enormous chaos." Ch. 8: The Supreme Court Case That Could Upend U.S. Elections - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-5-22 "I always counsel against assuming that any one court decision is going to dramatically change the landscape. But this case is different," says Marc Elias on the Supreme Court taking up a case on state legislatures' authority over elections. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Fake Electors, Real Crimes and Much More Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-26-22 Previously undisclosed emails between top associates and aides of Donald Trump expose how they coordinated their plot to present 'fake' electors in seven states to steal the 2020 election from the American people. TAKE ACTION: Become a Poll/Election Worker:  How to Be A Poll Worker Where you Live (US Election Assistance Commission) WorkElections.org (Fair Elections Center) Defeat MAGA Secretaries of State in Midterms: MoveOn "US v. MAGA" Campaign Help People Get Voter IDs: VoteRiders MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A voter crouches by a folding table, his head is obscured by the white voter privacy box decorated with an American flag on each side. Other tables and privacy boxes can be seen in the large building foyer. Glass entrance doors can be seen in the distance. Credit: “Election Day 2020” by Phil Roeder, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/23/2023 The people who want to pull the country in directions that are only supported by a small minority of the population have to develop very intricate plans to have any hope of succeeding. This is the story of the latest plan to establish unchecked rule to implement unpopular policies supported only by the far right. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ‘The endgame of election denial is that we shouldn't have elections’: Authoritarianism expert - The ReidOut - Air Date 10-6-23 Donald Trump has ramped up his violent rhetoric in recent weeks. Meanwhile, a Fox host has urged the U.S. towards civil war and claimed that voting does not work. Ch. 2: Violent Authoritarianism: How Did This Become the GOP? - Keeping Democracy Alive with Burt Cohen - Air Date 11-23-21 Pat Buchanan was ahead of his time. He used the KKK’s David Duke to breed a new nativist religious nationalism, based on fear of liberalization. On this show, political science professor Joseph Lowndes sheds light on how the Republican Party got here Ch. 3: Analyzing The Dark Roots Of Modern Conservatism - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 10-15-23 Emma hosts John S. Huntington, professor of history at Houston Community College, to discuss his recent book Far-Right Vanguard: The Radical Roots of Modern Conservatism. Ch. 4: How Often Do YOU Think About the Roman Empire? - Wisecrack - Air Date 10-16-23 The real reason TikTok is crazy for ancient Rome If you’re even a little bit online, you know that the men love ancient Rome. This isn’t new: The civilization has loomed large in the Western imagination ever since its catastrophic collapse. Ch. 5: The Conservative Plan to Take Over the Country Part 1 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 9-26-23 Project 2025 is the terrifying plan set out by conservatives to take over the government. But it's radical, and it doesn't align with what most Americans want. Which is why we have to make sure this plan never happens. Ch. 6: The GOP’s "Red Caesar" New Political Order Plan Marches Forward - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-3-23 A Trump supporter just displayed exactly how stochastic terrorism works. Ch. 7: The Conservative Plan to Take Over the Country Part 2 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 9-26-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Think Tanks: How Fake Experts Shape the News - Tom Nicholas - Air Date 5-13-23 A video about how billionaire-funded right-wing “think tanks” such as the Heritage Foundation, Adam Smith Institute, Manhattan Institute, and Institute of Economic Affairs manipulate the news to spread their propaganda. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments discussing the Red Caesar movement and our strange allies opposing it MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A white marble bust of Julius Caesar in armor and robes wears a red MAGA hat. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Source images of bust and hat are copyright-free from Pixabay.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 10-21-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - the complainers at The Atlantic - why a mindful workforce is an oxymoron - the myriad problems with creeping on people - how Taylor Swift is going to solve anti-native racism   REFERENCES: The Microwave Makes No Sense - The Atlantic  Real mindfulness would transform the economy - Vox  Maybe think twice before making an innocent stranger go viral? - NPR  The Very Common, Very Harmful Thing Well-Meaning Parents Do - The Atlantic  The 7 Best Conspiracies About Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce - Wired  Native Americans hope Taylor Swift can help get tomahawk chop banned from Chiefs games - USA Today    Join our Discord Server    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 10/17/2023 There is absolutely no understanding of the conflict in Israel and Gaza without deep context, history, and human psychology. Those who attempt to find moral clarity through simplification of the situation will only find themselves supporting atrocities by one side or the other and demonstrate themselves to be fools in the process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Israel and Palestine A Difficult Discussion Part 1 - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 10-10-23 Andrea is joined by Terrell Starr, host of the Black Diplomats podcast, who recently visited the West Bank. Ch. 2: Israeli Human Rights Leader Orly Noy on Israel’s War on Palestinians After Hamas Attack - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-9-23 Israel has declared war on Hamas after Hamas fighters launched a surprise coordinated attack over the militarized border, the largest in decades. Ch. 3: Phyllis Bennis on Gaza - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-13-23 “War is not the time for context” still seems to be the mantra for many in the US press. We’ll talk with Phyllis Bennis from the New Internationalism project at the Institute for Policy Studies. Ch. 4: Israeli Journalist Gideon Levy Israel Should Lift Siege & Call Off Plan for Ground Invasion of Gaza - Democracy Now - Air Date 10-11-23 From Tel Aviv, we hear from award-winning Israeli journalist and author Gideon Levy, whose recent column for Haaretz is headlined “Israel Can’t Imprison Two Million Gazans Without Paying a Cruel Price.” Ch. 5: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez On The Israel-Hamas Conflict & USA's Role - Ebro in the Morning - Air Date 10-12-23 Ebro in the Morning sits down with Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to discuss the conflicts in the Israel-Hamas war, the role of the United States in the conflict, the conversation, and the next steps. Ch. 6: Israel and Palestine A Difficult Discussion Part 2 - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 10-10-23 Ch. 7: Between Israel and Palestine, Things are going to get a lot worse - The Marc Steiner Show - Air Date 10-12-23 We speak with journalist and Palestine News Director for Mondoweiss Yumna Patel from Bethlehem about the events of the past week Ch. 8: Gaza Is Running Out of Life Human Rights Watch Sounds Alarm on Israel's Collective Punishment - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-16-23 As the humanitarian crisis worsens, we get an update from Omar Shakir, Israel and Palestine director at Human Rights Watch, who says conditions in Gaza are dire. Ch. 9: How Western Leaders & Media Are Justifying Israel’s “Genocidal Campaign” Against Palestinians - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-13-23 The unfolding crisis in Gaza, where relentless Israeli bombardment has killed more than 1,500 people since Saturday, is “a humanitarian catastrophe,” says Palestinian American human rights attorney Noura Erakat. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: US Media's Pro-Israel Propaganda Interrupted By Palestinian Mustafa Barghouti's CNN Interview - The Majority Report - Air Date 10-9-23 Palestinian National Initiative leader Mustafa Barghouti discusses the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the Russian invasion of Ukraine with CNN's Fareed Zakaria. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Calling Congress about the latest war - Andrew FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments with even more notes of nuance from the conflict MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo. In the foreground, piles of broken concrete and twisted metal line a section of the coast of Gaza. The sea and tall buildings are visible in the distance. The sky is cloudy and ominous. Credit: "Gaza" by Marcin Monko, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 DEED | Changes: Tightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/13/2023 Understanding the historical context of the civil war within the GOP as they have just fought their way out of being able to govern at all with an empty Speakership in the house that is grinding congress to a halt. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Shutshow - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-2-23 The US government is open for business at the cost of Ukraine aid. Semafor’s Jordan Weissmann explains how we got here. And White House communications director Ben LaBolt explains how the Biden administration is justifying the compromise. Ch. 2: Far-Right Republicans Look to Oust Speaker McCarthy After He Averts Government Shutdown - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-2-23 “It’s a crisis entirely of Kevin McCarthy’s own making,” says our guest Sasha Abramsky, the West Coast correspondent for The Nation. Ch. 3: AOC Explains Why Democrats Voted To Remove Kevin McCarthy From Speaker Position - Forbes Breaking News - Air Date 10-6-23 At a virtual town hall, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) spoke about the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) from the Speaker role, which every Democratic lawmaker in the House voted for. Ch. 4: The House that Newt Built: The Rise of Matt Gaetz Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 10-7-23 Max struggles to understand exactly what Matt Gaetz is after, but has his suspicions. Regardless of the right-wing endgame, this week’s fiasco was made possible by Newt Gingrich in the 1990s. Ch. 5: Through the Gaetz of Hell - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-6-23 Brad begins with an analytical discussion of political nihilism in order to provide a window into the chaos in Congress created by the ouster of Speaker Kevin McCarthy. Ch. 6: The House that Newt Built: The Rise of Matt Gaetz Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 10-7-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Why Our Politics Are Stuck In 2016 - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 9-25-23 In this installment of the FiveThirtyEight Politics podcast, Galen Druke speaks with American politics professor Lynn Vavreck to help make sense of how we got here. Ch. 8: Who Will Replace Kevin McCarthy - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 10-6-23 Since a faction of far-right Republicans ousted Kevin McCarthy as speaker, Luke Broadwater, congressional reporter for The New York Times, talks about the candidates vying to replace him. Ch. 9: It's Now Or Never For The GOP Candidates - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 9-28-23 The crew reacts to the second Republican presidential primary debate in this late-night podcast. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on what divides the parties from each other and from within MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A caricature of former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy standing in front of the seal of the U.S. House of Representatives. Credit: “Kevin McCarthy - Caricature” by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License: CC By 2.0 DEED | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 2/22/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the work of the chaotic wrecking crew that is the GOP of the 118th Congress including their plan to hold the world economy hostage and weaponize the government against Democrats all while infighting their way to the 2024 presidential election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What House Speaker McCarthy’s concessions to get elected mean for the nation - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-7-23 His dramatic victory came after a series of concessions that will give hardline conservatives greater influence in the House. Sarah Binder, a political scientist at George Washington University, joins John Yang to discuss. Ch. 2: GOP is playing with U.S. prosperity in fight over debt ceiling - MSNBC - Air Date 1-14-23 McCarthy and the House GOP are threatening to not raise the debt ceiling. That would be a huge mistake. Ali Velshi explains why. Ch. 3: Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Impending debt ceiling showdown a ‘manufactured crisis’ - GBH News - Air Date 1-19-23 Senator Warren joined Jon Keller to discuss the debt ceiling which she called a "manufactured crisis" that Republicans don't care enough about, and that wealthy corporations need to pay more in taxes. Ch. 4: Joe: Debt ceiling fight is just a lose-lose for McCarthy - Morning Joe - Air Date 1-18-23 The Republican-controlled House has planted the seeds for a debt-ceiling showdown. The Morning Joe panel discusses. Ch. 5: Right-Wingers FINALLY Exposed For Crushing Plot In Real Time - The Damage Report - Air Date 2-12-23 Right-wingers, including Matt Gaetz, Lindsey Graham and Kevin McCarthy, get caught for their blatant lies over social security on camera while ABC Johnathan Karl runs cover. John Iadarola and Ben Carollo break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 6: The real reason behind the Republican Party infighting Part 1 - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-23 Then, Republican infighting keeps going public, as even Fox News pans their hearings. Guests: Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Stacey Plaskett, Yurii Hundych, Alfie Williams, Gov. George Pataki Ch. 7: House GOP Twitter Hunter Biden laptop 'censorship' hearing crashes and burns Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 2-9-23 The awaited GOP-led House hearings are now underway, and as predicted, they are not going well. Republicans intended a hearing on Twitter's content moderation policies to bolster their bogus claims of alleged federal government censorship of social media. Ch. 8: The real reason behind the Republican Party infighting Part 2 - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-23 Ch. 9: House GOP Twitter Hunter Biden laptop 'censorship' hearing crashes and burns Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 2-9-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Is America broken? - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 2-2-23 Sean Illing speaks with Alana Newhouse, the editor-in-chief of Tablet magazine. They discuss her recent essay on "brokenism," a term she coined in an effort to redefine political divisions in America. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/7/2023 Spanning the gamut of terrible policy choices and their impacts on children, we look today at the perverse reality at odds with conservatives' claim to be standing up for "family values" and saving children from the abuse of Democrats. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1479 Torturing Children and Families in the Name of Protecting Them (Trans Rights) #1563 Putting Our Kids to Work for Corporate Profits SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What "Parents' Rights" REALLY Means - Zoe Bee - Air Date 9-26-23 "Parents' Rights" has been a rallying cry for several political and social groups in the past few years. But what does it really mean? Let's find out. Ch. 2: Child poverty increases sharply following expiration of expanded tax credit - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 9-12-23 In 2021, as the economy reeled from the pandemic, a one-year expansion of the child tax credit led to a historic 46 percent decline in the child poverty rate. But new census data shows a dramatic reversal with the rate of children in poverty skyrocketing Ch. 3: Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing - Robert Reich - Air Date 5-16-23 Corporations are now using the “labor shortage” as an excuse to bring back child labor. It’s part of a horrifying trend: Since 2015, child labor violations have risen nearly 300%. Ch. 4: America First 2.0 & A Defense of Child Marriage - Head in the Office - Air Date 4-19-23 The boys highlight a slurry of bad news coming from states like Florida and Ohio, the Missouri GOP defends child marriage, a GOP presidential contender drops a 25 point plan for America First 2.0, many people might lose Medicaid Ch. 5: Having A Baby In America – SOME MORE NEWS - Air Date 9-27-23 Conservatives sure want Americans to have more children, but they don't seem to like children at all or want to support them in society! In today's episode, we look at the many challenges Americans face if they want to become parents Ch. 6: How Inequality Fuels Child Abuse - One in Ten - Air Date 9-5-23 How do we come alongside and stand with families in poverty who are struggling with child abuse and neglect? How do we examine our own policies and procedures to ensure that we’re being genuinely helpful and not just adding to families’ burdens? Ch. 7: Sen. Booker blasts GOP: ‘Morally obscenity’ of child poverty is a ‘policy choice’ - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 9-13-23 Sen. Cory Booker on the child poverty rate doubling after Republicans let the expanded child tax credit expire: “We have now proved something pretty phenomenal and at the same time, pretty obscene. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why It Sucks To Be Young - Andrewism - Air Date 2-3-21 We don't talk enough about how our society treats young people and children. Let's change that. Ch. 9: We Uncovered the Shocking Plot to Eradicate Public Schools in America - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-2-23 Leaked videos and recordings uncovered by investigative watchdog Documented expose the Alliance Defending Freedom’s plot to wipe out public schools in America. Their goal is to take down the entire system of education FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the article that inspired today's episode and more examples of abusing children through policy New MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/3/2023 The Stop Cop City movement in Atlanta is the current tip of the spear of the police accountability movement but the instinct of elected officials to lean into building more and bigger policing facilities is likely to spread as part of the backlash to the backlash against police violence which calls for defunding and redistributing resources to programs that actually help people. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Cop City, RICO, and corporate fascism w/ Taya Graham & Stephen Janis - Rattling the Bars - Air Date 9-18-23 Ch. 2: The Struggle to Stop Cop City - On the Nose - Air Date 6-22-23 Joining to discuss Stop Cop City, Micah Herskind, a community organizer and writer; Keyanna Jones, a reverend and organizer; and Josie Duffy Rice, a writer who covers criminal justice. Ch. 3: Is America becoming Cop City - The Police Accountability Report - Air Date 4-10-23 We went on the ground in Atlanta, GA to find the truth behind the Cop City protests, the police shooting death of Manuel "Tortuguita" Tehran and the dark money funding the creation of the Atlanta Public Safety Center. Ch. 4: The Struggle to Stop Cop City Part 2 - On the Nose - Air Date 6-22-23 Joining to discuss Stop Cop City, Micah Herskind, a community organizer and writer; Keyanna Jones, a reverend and organizer; and Josie Duffy Rice, a writer who covers criminal justice. Ch. 5: Armed Police Raid on Bail Fund for Cop City Opponents Is Attack on “Infrastructure of the Movement” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-2-23 These new and unprecedented arrests are a clear attack on “the infrastructure of the movement,” says Kamau Franklin, founder of the organization Community Movement Builders and a vocal Cop City opponent. Ch. 6: Stop Cop City with Atlanta DSA - Revolutions Per Minute - Air Date 8-23-23 Tonight we’ll hear from Atlanta DSA member Gabriel Sanchez about the chapter's effort to stop Cop City through a ballot referendum and the terrifying tactics police, the city of Atlanta and the state of Georgia have used to in order to crush opposition. Ch. 7: A Political Prosecution 61 Cop City Opponents Hit with RICO Charges by Georgia's Republican AG - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-6-23 "They are choosing to use the legal process in an essentially violent way to target protesters," says attorney Devin Franklin with the Southern Center for Human Rights, which is organizing legal representation for the defendants in the case. Ch. 8: Stop Cop City - Keyanna Jones - Air Date 9-17-23 Sam talks with Keyanna Michelle Jones, an organizer with Community Movement Builders. They discuss the ominous and illegitimate RICO indictments "Cop City" opponents face and the fascist assault on the right to protest there. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Stop Cop City Part 2 - Keyanna Jones - Air Date 9-17-23 Ch. 10: Stop Cop City with Atlanta DSA Part 2 - Revolutions Per Minute - Air Date 8-23-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments Final comments on understanding the movement cycle MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Protesters walking in the street in NYC hold a large banner that says “Stop Cop City: NYC Supports Atlanta Forrest Defenders” with images of trees. Credit: “36 Stop Cop City” by Felton Davis, Flickr | License: CC BY 4.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 9-29-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The economics of witch trials - The creation of content for capital - Layers and layers of bullshit obscure reality - Post script: visit to the Salem museum   REFERENCES: How Social Turmoil Has Increased Witch Hunts throughout History - Scientific American  To Be a Consumer of Culture Means Living in a Hostage Situation - Slate  WE’VE LOST THE PLOT - The Atlantic  Dance, I Said — Dance! And Leave the Package on the Porch. - NYTimes  The Salem Witch Trials: Restoring Justice - Peabody Essex Museum; Salem, Mass    Join our Discord Server    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/26/2023 Rays of hope for the worker's struggle against unfettered, exploitative capitalism are coming from multiple angles as strikes from creatives in Hollywood and autoworkers in Detroit are striking to demand wages, benefits, and protections while executives make arguments for why workers should be made to feel the threat of poverty to keep them in line. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1463 People Are Waking Back Up To The Need For Labor Unions #1557 Tactics and Counter-Tactics of the Struggle for Labor Rights SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: GM CEO Flails In Response To CNN Question Over Her Pay vs. Workers - The Rational National - Air Date 9-15-23 On day 1 of the UAW strike, CNN questioned CEO of General Motors Mary Barra over why she has seen a 34% increase in her pay while GM workers haven't. I break down how ridiculous her response here is. Ch. 2: Far-Right Anti-Science Conspiracies Are Literally Killing Us - The New Abnormal - Air Date 9-18-23 Dr. Peter Hotez joins The New Abnormal this week to discuss his new book, “The Deadly Rise of Anti-Science”—and why anti-vaccine conspiracies are so dangerous. Plus! An interview with labor reporter and author Kim Kelly about the UAW strike. Ch. 3: Sociopath Businessman Tells The Truth About Capitalism - Novara Media - Air Date 9-14-23 A CEO says the quiet part out loud about the inhuman fundamentals of capitalism Ch. 4: GOP, Corporate Media Attempt to Manufacture Conflict Between Autoworkers and Climate - Citations Needed - Air Date 9-20-23 In this public News Brief, we break down recent attempts by Politico, Axios, New York Times and faux populist Republicans to pit autoworkers against climate mandates. Ch. 5: Labor historian Nelson Lichtenstein on the UAW strike and the U.S. labor movement rising - The BradCast w/ Brad Friedman - Air Date 9-18-23 UC Santa Barbara labor historian Dr. NELSON LICHTENSTEIN explains the specific concerns of autoworker unions, how 2023's summer of unionization compares to prior waves of union organizing in the US and the political implications of unionization Ch. 6: Labor Decision Could Lead To A Union Revolution In America - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 9-23-23 Harold Meyerson, editor-at-large at The American Prospect, discusses the recent decisions made at the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Ch. 7: Workers Fighting Back: The UAW Goes on Strike! - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 9-19-23 Teddy Ostrow and Maximillian Alvarez from The Real News Network join Breht to discuss the recent "stand up" strike launched by the United Auto Workers labor union. Teddy and Max discuss the strike and explain the causes MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How These Strippers UNIONIZED Their Strip Club with Equity Strippers Noho - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 9-13-23 Every worker deserves a union — including strippers! Recently, strippers at the Star Garden in North Hollywood became the first strippers in decades to unionize. On this week’s Factually, Charlie and Lilith from Equity Strippers Noho join Adam Ch. 9: Marvel workers just won the first union in visual effects history - More Perfect Union - Air Date 9-13-23 The workers who power the biggest superhero movies on the planet voted unanimously to unionize with VFX-IATSE. This is a major first step for the industry, and Disney is next. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Biden's visit to the picket line and the importance of how moral questions are framed MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/24/2023 Israel's politics have been upended by the return of Netanyahu as Prime Minister, put in office with the help of extremely far-right factions who have now pushed through reforms to the Israeli Supreme Court that fundamentally undermine their democracy. All this while they were already a farce of a democracy due to the maintenance of an apartheid-like system of differing rules applying to different residents based on ethnicity. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1447 Settler Colonialist Structures Around the World #1542 Despair and violence in Israel's illiberal and exclusionary "democracy" SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The U.S. should not reward Israel’s bad behavior - Velshi - Air Date 9-3-23 Israel’s internal politics has been upended, with indicted Prime Minister Netanyahu returning to office and, in a situation echoing American politics, trying to use his power and influence to remain in power to avoid prosecution. Ch. 2: Haggai Matar & Gideon Levy - Israel's Fight over Judicial Changes Ignores Occupation & Apartheid Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-25-23 We speak with two Israeli journalists in Tel Aviv after lawmakers in Israel passed a highly contested bill Monday weakening the power of the Supreme Court by preventing it from blocking government decisions it deems unreasonable. Ch. 3: Protests in Israel: The Rights Further Consolidation of Power - Intercepted - Air Date 7-26-23 Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain are joined by Mairav Zonszein, an Israeli American journalist and a senior analyst on Israel-Palestine at the International Crisis Group. Ch. 4: Congress Melts Down Over Israel Again - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-21-23 The House overwhelmingly passed a resolution on Tuesday pledging "the United States will always be a staunch partner and supporter of Israel” and that Israel is “not a racist or apartheid state.” Guest Beth Miller Ch. 5: Protests in Israel: The Rights Further Consolidation of Power Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 7-26-23 Ch. 6: Palestinian Attorney Noura Erakat: The U.S. Is Normalizing Apartheid by Hosting Israel's President - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-18-23 The visits from Israeli leadership are an attempt to "normalize apartheid," says Palestinian human rights attorney Noura Erakat, who compares today's U.S. support of Israel to the nation's support for South African apartheid. Ch. 7: The Palestine Laboratory Antony Loewenstein on How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-23 We speak with journalist and author Antony Loewenstein about his new book, The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Palestine Laboratory Antony Loewenstein on How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-23 Ch. 9: Protests in Israel: The Rights Further Consolidation of Power Part 3 - Intercepted - Air Date 7-26-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the circular Supreme Court case sending Israel into a spiral of chaos MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Israeli flags fly around a crowd of people standing on a sidewalk holding signs that say "Saving Israeli Democracy" and "Democracy for All" with a picture of Israeli Prime Minister Netenyahu behind bars.  Credit: "Democracy for All" by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0) | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 8/8/2020 Today we take a look at the concept of defunding the police; what it means, what it doesn't and what the goals of the movement are.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Race, Police, & The Pandemic - FRONTLINE - Air Date 6-2-20 Jelani Cobb describes how the relationship between black Americans and the police has become a “barometer” for race relations in the country and that explosive tensions are “overwhelmingly” in response to an issue of police use of force. Ch. 2: Panel Discussion on Radical Police Reform - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-10-20 Trevor hosts a panel on movements to radically reimagine policing in the U.S. with Patrisse Cullors, Josie Duffy Rice, Sam Sinyangwe, Mychal Denzel Smith and Alex S. Vitale. Ch. 3: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Explaining that an overburdened police system that takes on way too much, including much that is outside the realm of their training, is something that no one should want. Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale - The Bastani Factor, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 5: Defunding the Police Is Only the Beginning - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 6-17-20 Josie Duffy Rice joins Jamilah King for a discussion about the recent police killing of Rayshard Brookes in Atlanta, the deep racist and classist structural issues with policing in America, and why defunding the police is only step one. Ch. 6: Defund Police What It Means & How It Would Really Work - News Beat - Air Date 6-16-20 In the wake of the police slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protesters have not only flooded the streets, but they're actively pushing reforms that go well beyond traditional solutions. Ch. 7: How to Defund the Police - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-11-20 Racism is baked into the U.S. model of policing. More and more people are starting to believe that no amount of "reform" will help; a full tear-down is required. But what does "defunding the police" actually mean? Ch. 8: Is It Time To Defund the Police? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-11-20 Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the future of policing and community-oriented systems of public safety in the United States. Ch. 9: The Politics of "Defund the Police" - Politics with Amy Walter, The Takeaway - Air Date 6-12-20 Congress is reckoning with how to respond to the protests and calls for police accountability. Two national reporters join to discuss the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Ch. 10: We Can't Let The Uprising Get Co-opted - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 6-10-20 Notes on the uprising and how we move forward without allowing the forces of neoliberalism to co-opt the movement. Ch. 11: Angela Davis: Abolishing police is not just about dismantling. It’s also about building up. - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-12-2020 Amid a worldwide uprising against police brutality and racism, we discuss the historic moment with legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis. EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Movement for Black Lives Introduces the BREATHE Act (Colorlines) What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Mag,) What Does It Mean to Invest in Black Communities? (The Nation) How to Defund the Police (The New Yorker) How to Make Defunding the Police a Reality (The Nation) Defunding the Police Will Actually Make Us Safer (ACLU) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com ​ ​ ​

Air Date 9/18/2023 Exploring the captivating world of conspiracy theories! We are all wired to believe misinformation to some degree, but not all to the same degree. With help from Naomi Klein, and other experts, discover why people are drawn to conspiracies, the psychology behind belief and ideas about the best way to prevent conspiratorial thinking. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why we are all attracted to conspiracy theories - The Guardian - Air Date 3-10-21 Belief in conspiracy theories is far more widespread than the stereotypes that dominate pop culture. Ch. 2: How did conspiracy theories become mainstream? | Naomi Klein | Big Questions - Penguin Books UK - Air Date 9-12-23 When Naomi Klein discovered that a woman who shared her first name, but had radically different, harmful views, was getting chronically mistaken for her, it seemed too ridiculous to take seriously. Then suddenly it wasn't. Ch. 3: Why Do Conservatives Fall For Fake News? - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-28-23 Why do conservatives fall for fake news? Is it just them, or are we all culpable? How did Americans become so susceptible to falling for disinformation? And what can we do about it?? Ch. 4: Naomi Klein on Her New Book "Doppelganger" & How Conspiracy Culture Benefits Ruling Elite Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-14-23 Klein explains her initial motivation for the book was her own alter-ego, the author Naomi Wolf, for whom she has often been mistaken. Ch. 5: How Conspiracy Theories Capture the Mind - UChicago Institute of Politics - Air Date 4-8-22 Journalisms role in solving the spread of misinformation Ch. 6: Naomi Klein on Her New Book "Doppelganger" & How Conspiracy Culture Benefits Ruling Elite Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-14-23 Ch. 7: Why People Believe in Conspiracy Theories, with Karen Douglas, PhD - Speaking of Psychology - Air Date 1-13-21 This past year, COVID-19 and the U.S. elections have provided fertile ground for conspiracy theories—with sometimes disastrous consequences. Karen Douglas, PhD discusses psychological research on how conspiracy theories start & why they persist. Ch. 8: Birds Aren’t Real? How a Conspiracy Takes Flight | Peter McIndoe - TEDTalks - Air Date 9-13-23 Peter McIndoe isn't a fan of birds. In fact, he has a theory about them that might shock you. Listen along to this eye-opening talk as it takes a turn and makes a larger point about conspiracies, truth and belonging in divisive times. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Conspiracies Around Trump, Military Leadership, and Militias - Jordan Klepper Fingers The Conspiracy - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-12-23 MAGA supporters not only believe that Donald Trump is still president, but that he's in charge of the military. Ch. 10: Mother has Moment of Truth that leads to her rejecting conspiracy theories she believed - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 9-27-22 Like millions of Americans, Karen Robertson of Iuka, Mississippi believed in conspiracy theories. But one day she had an experience that convinced her to challenge her beliefs. She spoke about that moment with student reporter Makenna Mead FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the importance of making connections while avoiding conspiratorial thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 6/15/2018 The high toll Puerto Rico is paying, in both money and lives, for the triple disasters of colonialism, Hurricane Maria and disaster capitalism Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Deadlier than Katrina & 9/11 Hurricane Maria Killed 4,645 in Puerto Rico, 70 Times Official Toll - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 05-30-18 Ch. 2: Colonialism during hurricane season - On the Media - 6-6-18 Ch. 3: Elizabeth Yeampierre on Puerto Rican colonialism and disaster capitalism - Infinite Earth Radio - Air Date 2-22-18 Ch. 4: The Battle for Paradise: Naomi Klein on Disaster Capitalism & the Fight for Puerto Rico’s Future - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 03-21-18 Ch. 5: Naomi Klein on Puerto Rico and Disaster Capitalism - Touré Show - Air Date 4-25-18 Ch. 9: Final comments on the lessons of Mister Rogers that we could use right now   TAKE ACTION Get involved with/support Mutual Aid Disaster Relief MARD Skillshare Trainings (Links for request forms are at the bottom of the blog post) Read more about MARD ongoing work in Puerto Rico FOR FURTHER READING/SHARING FEMA Blamed Delays In Puerto Rico On Maria; Agency Records Tell Another Story (NPR/Frontline) About a quarter of Puerto Rico’s schools are shutting down. Here’s a look inside one. (Vox) "Justice was served": Judge halts school closures in Puerto Rico (CBS) New bill pushes for commission to investigate federal response to Puerto Rico hurricanes (NBC) At Issue In Florida Senate Campaign: Who's Fighting For Puerto Rico? (NPR) Hurricane Maria Casts Shadow Over Puerto Rican Parade (NY Times) Puerto Rico's Push For Food Independence Intertwined With Statehood Debate (NPR) The Shame in Puerto Rico (NY Times) Fighting for Those Who Can No Longer Speak (SocialistWorker.org) Resisting Disaster Capitalists and Building Solidarity in Puerto Rico (Grassroots International) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​

Air Date 9/13/2023 This eye-opening episode will explore the complex web of colonialism, disaster capitalism, and climate change is ravaging Native Hawaiian communities. We explore how corporations and privatization going back to annexation have exacerbated wildfires, water scarcity and housing issues in Hawaii. We also discuss the role of tourism and its impact on local culture and resources and learn how community-led mutual aid efforts are offering a glimmer of hope for the unhoused and those struggling to reclaim their ancestral lands. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Related Episodes: #1401 That is a Texas-Sized Climate Disaster You Got There #1546 Exist, Resist, Indigenize, Decolonize: A story of colonialism, cultural renaissance and modernity SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Plantation Disaster Capitalism: Native Hawaiians Organize to Stop Land & Water Grabs After Maui - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-18-23 We speak with Hawaiian law professor Kapuaʻala Sproat about the conditions that made the fires more destructive and what’s yet to come for residents looking to rebuild their lives. Ch. 2: Why Maui burned - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-15-23 Hawaii’s landscape has been rapidly changing for the last 200 years thanks to plantations, tourism, and climate change. A reporter and climatologist explain how those factors fueled one of the worst wildfires in US history. Ch. 3: We are concerned for you. - Read Choi - Air Date 8-4-23 A skit imagining a discussion between an elite property owner and a Native Hawaiian Ch. 4: Disasters at every turn - Native America Calling - Air Date 8-28-23 Officials are still sorting out the human and financial toll of the unprecedented fire on Maui. Many Native Hawaiians remain missing, hundreds more sustained serious damage to their homes and businesses. Ch. 5: “We’re Living the Climate Emergency”: Native Hawaiian Kaniela Ing on Fires, Colonialism & Banyan - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-11-23 We speak with Kaniela Ing, national director of the Green New Deal Network and seventh-generation Kanaka Maoli, Native Hawaiian, about the impact of this week’s devastating wildfires and their relationship to climate change. Ch. 6: As Fires Destroy Native Hawaiian Archive in Maui, Mutual Aid Efforts Are Launched to Help Lahaina - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-11-23 In Lahaina, the area in west Maui that is of historical importance to Indigenous people, entire neighborhoods were wiped out by this week’s historic wildfires, including the Na 'Aikane o Maui Cultural Center Ch. 7: Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at recent press coverage of the Maui fires and the climate crisis - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-25-23 Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at recent press coverage of the Maui fires and the climate crisis. Ch. 8: Wildfires - This is Democracy - Air Date 9-5-23 This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by guests Randy Denzer and Dr. Alison Alter to discuss the increasing incidence of wildfires in the United States and what efforts have been made to mitigate them. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Relationships, Money, and Maui Tourism - The Amanda Seales Show - Air Date 8-18-23 Is Tourism helpful to the Hawaiian Islands? Is the tourism industry a byproduct of the colonization of Hawaii? Ch. 10: How Native Hawaiians have been pushed out of Hawai'i - Bianca Graulau - Air Date 2-7-23 Native Hawaiians are struggling to afford to live on the land that was once stolen from their ancestors. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the need for better systems to respond to predictable disasters MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 9-8-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The need for good structures of society, not scripture - Jesus is too liberal for Christians - Amateur anthropology - Technology and humanity - Drugs and alcohol   REFERENCES: Report: Record Number Of People Following Their Hearts - Babylon Bee The Misunderstood Reason Millions of Americans Stopped Going to Church - The Atlantic Evangelicals Are Now Rejecting 'Liberal' Teachings of Jesus - Newsweek Doug Rushkoff Is Ready to Renounce the Digital Revolution - Wired A kind of magic - CEO Mag A philosopher's psychedelic encounter with reality - The Gray Area with Sean Illing Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/6/2023 The first GOP presidential debate happened without the frontrunner, Donald Trump, being present for the event but rather hanging over the proceedings like a specter. Meanwhile, Trump's legal troubles continue to mount and we examine what it is that is keeping Republican voters and presidential candidates alike, with minor exceptions, firmly defending the former president. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Party of Authoritarianism - In The Thick - Air Date 8-23-23 As the GOP presidential debates make their premiere in Milwaukee, Jeanne Whalen reports on Donald Trump’s failure to make good on a promise of bringing a manufacturing boom to Wisconsin Ch. 2: Trickle Down Trumpism - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-26-23 The GOP debate, where Trump was somehow both absent and present. Ch. 3: An Argument at the Kids' Table John Nichols on First GOP Debate Held Without Trump Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-24-23 Highlights from the first Republican presidential debate of the 2023 race and analysis from John Nichols Ch. 4: Why top Republicans want to bomb Mexico - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-29-23 Long-shot presidential candidate Ron DeSantis said he would send US forces into Mexico “on day one.” Longer-shot presidential candidate Will Hurd explains why that’s a bad idea. Ch. 5: Trickle Down Trumpism Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-26-23 Ch. 6: The Party of Authoritarianism Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 8-23-23 Ch. 7: Is America Run By A Psychopathic Cult w Seth D. Norrholm - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-24-23 Will America’s Democracy be a memory before Trump’s cult wakes up? Ch. 8: Trickle Down Trumpism Part 3 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-26-23 Ch. 9: Ticking Bomb Inside GOP’s Plan To Defund Trump Prosecution - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 8-31-23 Far-Right lawmakers want to defund Fani Willis without settling for legal means to stop the persecution of Donald Trump. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: An Argument at the Kids' Table John Nichols on First GOP Debate Held Without Trump Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-24-23 Discussing the 14th Amendment option Ch. 11: An Argument at the Kids' Table John Nichols on First GOP Debate Held Without Trump Part 3 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-24-23 Discussing the GOP debate on support for Ukraine FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the need to ban Trump from office in the right way MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A four-quadrant layout of photos of GOP presidential candidates, including Chris Christie, Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, and Vivek Ramaswamy. At the intersection of the images is a red circle around a photo of Donald Trump’s face, mid-speech, pointing a finger at the camera. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Individual image credits: Chris Christie by Michael Vadon, Flickr (License: CC BY-SA 2.0), Changes: Cropped; Photos of Ron DeSantis, Nikki Haley, Vivek Ramaswamy, and Donald Trump all by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/3/2023 Sports gambling through smartphones has become widely available and wildly addictive but the effects are being felt beyond the individual gambler's bank account and anxiety levels. Partnerships between gambling companies and colleges, influencers, and even journalistic institutions like ESPN are changing the fundamentals of the sports themselves and how they're understood by fans - all for the worse. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How the Sports Betting Industry Quietly Consumed America - Wendover Productions - Air Date 12-13-22 How the Sports Betting Industry Quietly Consumed America Ch. 2: The Explosion of Online Sports Betting with Eric Lipton - Why Is This Happening? - Air Date 5-9-23 You’ve probably encountered an advertisement for sports betting in one form or another. In the past few years, there’s been a marked rise in the number of online sports betting ads from companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. Ch. 3: Gambling controversy continues to hit the NFL, MORE Players suspended - The Domonique Foxworth Show - Air Date 6-29-23 On the Domonique Foxworth Show, Domonique dives into the latest news of NFL players suspended for gambling violations and how everything revolves around money. Ch. 4: ESPN Will NEVER be the Same After This Major Decision - TYT Sports - Air Date 8-12-23 Now that legal sports betting has become normalized and adopted nationwide, ESPN is trying to wedge themselves into the market, which is something that should worry anyone who cares about sports. Rick Strom breaks it down. Ch. 5: The Toxic Normalization of Online Gambling - Cara Nicole - Air Date 9-30-22 In this video, we're dissecting the rise of sports betting apps, gambling shows on Twitch and ESPN, casino streams by celebrities like Drake, and how we're creating widespread gambling addictions Ch. 6: College partnerships are bringing sports betting to campus. Are students safe? - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-27-23 We are weeks away from college basketball’s March Madness and billions of dollars worth of wagers on the games. As more states legalize sports betting, Paul Solman reports on the increasing concern that some colleges are too involved in its promotion. Ch. 7: What Happened to Black Activism in Professional Sports? - Edge of Sports - Air Date 7-26-23 Later in the show, we have Choice Words about the social cost of smartphone sports gambling becoming the economic lifeblood of sports. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Puppets of Online Gambling - Philion - Air Date 4-7-23 Stake.com is the world's largest crypto casino valued at over 1 billion dollars. It is licensed in Curacao and operates out of Australia. Stake.com is infiltrating pop culture via Twitch streamers celebrities & coporate sponsors Ch. 9: How Australian sports make money from gambling - Full Story - Air Date 5-10-23 As the online gambling industry grows, at least one Australian football league is taking a greater share of its revenue. Reporter Henry Belot tells Jane Lee why this is a problem for fans, punters and even some players VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Buddhist teachings and A.I. - Craig from Ohio FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the outsized influence of impetuous billionaires MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 12/15/2017 The history and current state of rich people seeking to undermine democratic rule by the people in favor of oligarchy for the rich  Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Show Notes Ch. 1: Why The Koch Brothers Despise The Constitution - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 07-26-17 Ch. 2: Jane Mayer on the Rise of Conservative Orthodoxy - On The Media - Air Date 5-5-17 Ch. 3: The complicated reality of corruption rules. @BackStory - Air Date: 11-24-17 Ch. 4: Millionaire Donor Threatens Democrats - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-14-17 Ch. 5: Why our democracy in is danger - Belabored (@DissentMag) - Air Date 5-13-16 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon & check out our Winter Fundraiser! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!      

Original Air Date 8/10/2022 Origins of the European colonial land-grab, the need for the #Landback movement,  and the benefits to society and the environment in the context of the climate crisis to return stewardship of the land to native peoples. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why It’s Time To Give Native Americans Their Land Back - AJ+ - Air Date 10-9-20 For some reason, Oct. 12th is still Columbus Day in a lot of the United States. Fortunately, more and more cities and states are adopting that day as Indigenous Peoples Day Ch. 2: Canada, it's time for Land Back - The Breach - Air Date 6-2-21 Since its inception, Canada has been stealing Indigenous lands — by the barrel of a gun, by starvation tactics & by tearing children from their families. Ch. 3: Mark Charles: An Indigenous Liberation Theology - A People's Theology - Air Date 7-7-21 Mason chats with Mark Charles about his book, Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery. We chat all about the Doctrine of Discovery, Mark's theology of land and water, and much more. Ch. 4: Can Indigenous People Lead the Fight Against Climate Change? - Above the Noise - Air Date 4-20-22 Indigenous communities across the globe are experts at managing and protecting land. Is it time the U.S. finally returned STOLEN parklands back to them? Ch. 5: LandBack: The Indigenous Liberation Movement - Andrewism - Air Date 1-6-21 LandBack isn’t about deporting white people. It’s a path to a better future. Ch. 6: What We Can Learn About #LandBack From These Native American Comedies - PBS Origins - Air Date 6-13-22 Native American representation in film and TV used to be confined to Westerns and storylines of defeat. Today, a new wave of Native American comedies, written and created by Native peoples, are taking back their narratives. Bonus: Landback cold open - Reservation Dogs S1 E3 Uncle Brownie - Air Date 8-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Meet the native Hawaiians fighting U.S. occupation - AJ+ - Air Date 3-3-17 In 1893, armed U.S. naval forces helped American sugar plantation owners illegally overthrow Hawaii’s constitutional monarchy. 100 years later, the U.S. apologized and admitted in a resolution that Native Hawaiians had never relinquished their sovereignty Ch. 8: Why Native Americans are buying back land that was stolen from them - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 10-16-21 From 1877 to 1934, under a range of laws and reneged-upon treaties, the U.S. government appropriated tens of millions of acres of Native American land. In recent years there has been a growing movement known as “land back” to reclaim their lands. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Definition of power and organizing - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on why the left doesn't fight hard enough for political power TAKE ACTION / EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Yellowhead Institute (@Yellowhead_): "Land Back - A Yellowhead Institute Red Paper" (Includes tools and resources. Canadian-based, but broadly applicable.) NDN Collective (@ndncollective): LandBack.org (U.S.-based) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A red "Land Back" flag waves outside the front of a courthouse. An American flag flies above it against a blue sky at the top of the courthouse. Credit: "A Land Back flag flies under the US Flag outside Aitkin County Courthouse in Aitkin, Minnesota" by Lorie Shaull | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, decreased brightness   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 8/2/2022 Explaining neurodiversity and why it should be seen as a strength and benefit to society when accommodated properly rather than a problem to be solved or, worse, ignored. Autism, ADHD and other examples of neurodiversity all have positive attributes that rarely get talked about which blinds society to those benefits but also perpetuates stigma. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What Exactly is Neurodiversity? - How to ADHD - Air Date 1-18-22 The neurodiversity movement has been around for some time, but what exactly is it? In this video, we talk about what the neurodiversity movement is and how it's linked to the autistic community. Ch. 2: Adriana White - Autism and Neurodiversity: Different Does Not Mean Broken - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-11-21 In this talk, Adriana discusses the idea of neurodiversity. Many people are labeled incorrectly because their brains are wired differently. Adriana offers awareness and an alternative way to see people as unique and valuable. Ch. 3: Giftedness is Not Achievement with Aurora Remember Holtzman - ADHD Essentials - Air Date 12-11-21 Today, we’re talking to Aurora Remember Holtzman. Aurora is a school psychologist, neurodivergence coach, and host of the Embracing Intensity podcast. And her focus is giftedness and twice exceptionality. Ch. 4: Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming World - Neurodiversity Podcast - Air Date 8-10-21 Emily Kircher-Morris and Joel Schwartz talk about what it would take to create a neurodiversity-affirming world where old stereotypes and perceptions are shed. Ch. 5: Elaine Halligan: Neurodiversity is a super power, not a problem - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-25-19 We have to break the stigma around mental health and children. Most of the time the signals are quite subtle and can be often overlooked by parents, so many children may be suffering behind closed doors. Ch. 6: The Utility (or Futility) of Labels - The Neurodiversity Podcast - Air Date 7-7-22 The reality of working within a system in flux. The meaning or usefulness of the term “gifted.” The utility (or futility) of labels. The confusion of overlapping diagnoses. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Neurodivergence and Queerness with Leela Sinha - Embracing Intensity - Air Date 5-23-22 Today’s episode is a recording of our talk with Leela Sinha on the intersection of neurodivergence and gender. This is definitely not an “inside-the-box” topic. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the hyper-focus ability of ADHD MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The neurodiversity awareness symbol - an infinity symbol (a horizontal elongated number 8) in a rainbow of overlapping colors - is against a white background. Image Credit: “Neurodiversity Symbol” by MissLunaRose12, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC by-SA 4.0 | Changes: White background added   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 9-11-2018 Strategies to, and reasons why we need to, have better political conversations. As the first GOP debate signals the beginning of a new election cycle with the country divided as ever, we could always use a refresher on better ways to communicate. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Robb Willer: How to have better political conversations - @TEDTalks - Air Date 2-9-17 Robb Willer studies the forces that unite and divide us. As a social psychologist, he researches how moral values -- typically a source of division -- can also be used to bring people together. Ch. 2: Understanding the backfire effect Part 1 - You are not so smart - Air Date 2-10-17 Stephan Lewandowsky takes us step-by-step through The Debunking Handbook, a guide he and John Cook wrote for avoiding the backfire effect when confronting vaccine and climate change deniers. Ch. 3: THE MIDTERMS MINUTE: California’s Battleground Races! - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 4: Van Jones: Exposing Liberal Hypocrisy and Conservative Close-Mindedness - Big Think - Air Date 11-23-17 The amount of political disagreement in the nation is matched only by righteous indignation. But in order to disagree without disrespecting each other, we need to look hard at our own positions, and Van Jones does just that. Ch. 5: Understanding the backfire effect Part 2: Replacing the leg of a table - You are not so smart - Air Date 2-10-17 Explaining the key takeaway regarding the backfire effect. Always replace a faulty idea with a valid one. Never debunk a claim only to leave a void. Ch. 6: In This Life - How to argue with those we oppose - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 7-15-18 Explaining why saying the things you may want to say to your political adversaries is more likely to exacerbate the problems in our political divide further, making you part of the problem.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​

Air Date 8/23/2023 For decades, we have rightly been focused on dialing back endemic misogyny and poking holes in the patriarchy in the hopes of a new normal of gender relations emerging that would be genuinely healthier for everyone, not just women. But, with so much of the focus on the type of masculinity men and boys shouldn't embrace, we may have fallen short on giving positive direction to boys about what they should be and do. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andrew Tate & Re-examining Masculinity - Long Story Short The Daily Show - Air Date 4-21-23 Jordan Klepper looks at Andrew Tate and breaks down how a void of role models has harmful consequences for young boys. Ch. 2: The new crisis of masculinity - The Gray Area - Air Date 8-7-23 What does masculinity mean these days? Sean Illing speaks with Christine Emba, a columnist at The Washington Post who wrote the piece “Men are lost. Here’s a map out of the wilderness.” Ch. 3: The New Masculinity - ON BOYS podcast - Air Date 4-27-23 Boys and men, Manley says, are caught between traditional definitions and understandings of masculinity, and a future definition that hasn’t been fully defined. Ch. 4: Redefining Masculinity and Embracing Vulnerability - The Daily Show Beyond the Scenes - Air Date 3-7-23 Host Roy Wood Jr. sits down with the co-founder of “A Call to Men,” Ted Bunch, and developmental psychology professor at NYU, Niobe Way, to chat about boys' friendships and how therapy could be transformative for a lot of men. Ch. 5: What Does Positive Masculinity Look Like? - Paging Dr. NerdLove - Air Date 4-12-18 Toxic masculinity doesn’t mean that being a man is toxic, bad, or even undesirable. At the same time, non-toxic or positive masculinity doesn’t mean apologizing for being a man or trying to be as gender-neutral as possible. Ch. 6: What is Positive Masculinity: How Patriarchy Oppresses Men - Swolesome - Air Date 12-2-22 Looking at what patriarchy teaches boys to do Ch. 7: Redefining Masculinity and Embracing Vulnerability Part 2 - The Daily Show Beyond the Scenes - Air Date 3-7-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The New Masculinity Part 2 - ON BOYS podcast - Air Date 4-27-23 Ch. 9: Why Allan Energy Is The New “Big D_CK Energy” - Barbie Movie - Fashionistas - Air date 8-4-23 Examining positive masculinity through Allen from The Barbie Movie FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on why emotionally stunted men are a social, not individual, problem MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/20/2023 Big tech is currently scrambling to bring untested A.I. products to market, over-promising, under-delivering, and working hard obscure and ignore any possible downsides for society. Big tech needs A.I. regulation now before we all suffer the easily foreseeable consequences as well as some unforeseeable ones. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A.I. is B.S. - Adam Conover - Air Date 3-31-23 The real risk of A.I. isn't that some super-intelligent computer is going to take over in the future - it's that the humans in the tech industry are going to screw the rest of us over right now. Ch. 2: Center for Humane Technology Co-Founders Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discuss The AI Dilemma Part 1 - Summit - Air Date 6-15-23 What does it look like to align technology with humanity’s best interests? Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discuss how existing A.I. capabilities already pose catastrophic risks to a functional society Ch. 3: Tech's Mask Off Moment - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 8-13-23 When conservative writer Richard Hanania’s old posts, originally published under a pseudonym, came to light people were shocked at just how racist and reactionary they were. Perhaps less shocking were the tech moguls who were revealed to be supporting him Ch. 4: Pregnant Woman’s False Arrest in Detroit Shows “Racism Gets Embedded” in Facial Recognition Technology - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-7-23 A shocking story of wrongful arrest in Detroit has renewed scrutiny of how facial recognition software is being deployed by police departments, despite major flaws in the technology. Ch. 5: Princeton University's Ruja Benjamin on Bias in Data and A.I. - The Data Chief - Air Date - 2-3-21 Joining Cindi today is Ruha Benjamin, a professor of African American Studies at Princeton University and the founding director of the IDA B. WELLS Just Data Lab. She has studied the social dimensions of science, technology, and medicine for over 15 years Ch. 6: AI ethics leader Timnit Gebru is changing it up after Google fired her - Science Friction - Air Date 4-17-22 Timnit Gebru was fired by Google in a cloud of controversy, now she's making waves beyond Big Tech's pervasive influence Ch. 7: Center for Humane Technology Co-Founders Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin discuss The AI Dilemma Part 2 - Summit - Air Date 6-15-23 Ch. 8: Can We Govern AI? - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 4-21-23 Our guest Marietje Schaake was at the forefront of crafting tech regulations for the EU. In spite of AI’s complexity, she argues there is a path forward for the U.S. and other governing bodies to rein in companies that continue to release these products MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Buddhism in the Age of AI - Soryu Forall - Monastic Academy - Air Date 6-21-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the difference between Microsoft's marketing and the realities of capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 12-7-2019 In the context of the devastating fire on Maui, we are replaying this throwback episode to look at the reaction to decades of the fetishization of privatization in the form of a reinvigorated movement for public ownership of institutions meant to serve the public such as utilities, banks, train systems and so on. But this isn't your grandfather's top-down public ownership, the new movement has bottom-up, accountable, democratic control of institutions at the very core of its mission. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: As California Burns Again, Rep. Ro Khanna Calls for PG&E to Become Publicly Owned Utility - Democracy Now - Air Date 10-31-19 PG&E declared bankruptcy amid a number of lawsuits related to the wildfires. We speak with California Congressmember Ro Khanna, who is calling for the California state government to take over control of PG&E. Ch. 2: When Power Goes Out, Who Is Held Accountable? - Building Local Power - Air Date 10-31-19 PG&E’s negligence and how a distributed energy system could avoid future outages and detrimental fire damage. Ch. 3: Public Ownership 2.0 - Weekly Economics - Air Date 2-18-19 Public ownership is back on the agenda. But if privatization has failed, what kind of public ownership should replace it? Ch. 4: From Private Profits to Public Alternatives - The Next System Podcast - Air Date 1-24-19 The conversation runs the gamut from the pitfalls of the privatization of goods and services to the social benefits of public ownership and envisioning democratic governance thereof. Ch. 5: The Future of Banking - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-29-19 Ralph welcomes Walt McRee President of Public Banking Associates, who explains how public banks should be the future of banking. Ch. 6: Trinity Tran on Public Banking - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-11-19 Trinity Tran, co-founder and lead organizer for Public Bank LA and a founding member of the California Public Banking Alliance. Ch. 7: Who’s Afraid of Public Ownership? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 1-28-19 Laura in conversation with Thomas Hanna, research director at The Democracy Collaborative and author of “Our Common Wealth: The Return of Public Ownership in the United States”. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​ ​

Air Date: 8-15-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The Internet, it turns out, is bad - Musk and Zuckerberg cage fight - The "Dopamine Detox" movement   REFERENCES: The Ugly Honesty of Elon Musk’s Twitter Rebrand The ‘Dopamine Detox’ Is Having a Moment Dopamine fasting: Misunderstanding science spawns a maladaptive fad #dopamine  #dopamineaddiction  #classpolitics  #disabilitystudies - slug.town on TikTok   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/12/2023 Today, we take a look at the most consequential case against Trump which summarizes his direct involvement in using allegedly illegal means to contest the 2020 election while making knowingly false claims about the legitimacy of election process while directing a conspiracy of followers to do the same. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Presidents Are Not Kings Unpacking Indictment of Donald Trump for Plot to Overturn Election - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-2-23 We speak with Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, and former federal prosecutor Dennis Aftergut on the new criminal charges against Donald Trump for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Ch. 2: A Special Reading Of The Special Counsel's Trump Indictment Part 1 - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 8-4-23 We present longform readings of key excerpts from the Trump indictment, plus analysis from legal experts. Ch. 3: House Democrats The Trump trials should be televised Part 1 - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-4-23 House Democrats: The Trump trials should be televised. Ch. 4: Charges to Overturn an Election - Prosecuting Donald Trump - Air Date 8-2-23 Donald Trump has been indicted for a third time, twice now at the federal level. Jack Smith’s indictment lays out the chilling details of his alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election. Ch. 5: A Special Reading Of The Special Counsel's Trump Indictment Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 8-4-23 Ch. 6: Trump & KKK Act: Carol Anderson on Reconstruction-Era Voting Rights Law Cited in Trump Indictment Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-4-23 We speak with Author Carol Anderson about Trump's attempt to wipe out the votes of Americans of color and the intimidation of Black voters and election workers. Ch. 7: House Democrats The Trump trials should be televised Part 2 - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-4-23 Ch. 8: A Protective Order - Prosecuting Donald Trump - Air Date 8-7-23 Trump and team spent the weekend unleashing defenses across social media and major news networks. This, along with the former president’s record of revealing private information, led prosecutors to seek a protective order from Judge Chutkan. Ch. 9: Trump & KKK Act: Carol Anderson on Reconstruction-Era Voting Rights Law Cited in Trump Indictment Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-4-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: A Special Reading Of The Special Counsel's Trump Indictment Part 3 - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 8-4-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the possibility of accountability for Trump at last MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 11-1-2016 Today we dive deeply into the world of conservatives as described in the new book “Strangers in their own Land” by Arlie Russel Hochschild in an attempt to understand how some non-deplorable people in the country could be supporting Donald Trump. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill Ch. 2: Act 1: What Drives Trump Supporters? Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild on Anger & Mourning of the Right Part 1 - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 9-28-16 Ch. 4: Act 2: The environmentalist tea-partier who dumped toxic waste in public water - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 10-5-16 Ch. 6: Act 3: How Our Stone-Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics Part 1 - @BillMoyersHQ in Conversation - Air Date 4-15-16 Ch. 8: Act 4: What Drives Trump Supporters? Sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild on Anger & Mourning of the Right Part 2 - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 9-28-16 Ch. 10: Act 5: The Deep Story of conservatives and the rise of Trump - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 9-29-16 Ch. 12: Act 6: How Our Stone-Age Brain Gets in the Way of Smart Politics Part 2 - @BillMoyersHQ in Conversation - Air Date 4-15-16 Ch. 14: Act 7: Where shame is the companion to need - @thisishellradio - Air Date 10-22-16 Ch. 16: Act 8: The Media That Created Trump - United States of Anxiety - Air Date 10-13-16 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Original Air Date 6/25/2022 Today we take a look at some of the takeaways from the hearings investigating the January 6th insurrection. Most notably: they knew, they knew, they knew, they knew from the very beginning that their fraud claims were nonsense and they pushed ahead anyway. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 New York Times Congressional reporter Luke Broadwater says the effort to overturn the 2020 election results was a "sprawling and diffuse" one that involved local governments as well as White House insiders. Ch. 2: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Brad is joined by guest co-host Dr. Leah Payne. They begin by discussing the first primetime hearing of the J6 Select Committee. They then focus on Tucker Carlson's response to hearings. Ch. 3: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 RANDALL D. ELIASON, and HEATHER DIGBY offer important insights into today's hearing, which was focused on Donald Trump's corrupt pressure campaign to induce former Vice President Mike Pence to violate his oath to the Constitution Ch. 4: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 Ch. 5: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Ch. 6: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 Ch. 7: Jan. 6 Hearings Point Finger at Donald Trump. But Federal Prosecutors Haven't Gone That Far. - The Intercept - Air Date 6-15-22 This week on Intercepted, investigative reporter Trevor Aaronson is joined by Margot Williams, research editor for The Intercept, and Michael Loadenthal, founder and executive director of the Prosecution Project. Ch. 8: Generals Warn America's Democracy Is in Danger From the Inside - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-23-22 These retired Generals fought to defend Democracy abroad, now they are warning that America's Democracy needs to be defended from threats inside the country. Ch. 9: Guess Which Republican Congressmembers Sought Pardons After Trying to Help Trump Subvert Vote - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-24-22 Six Republican members of Congress who supported Donald Trump's lies sought broad presidential pardons for their involvement in the campaign to discredit the election results MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Top Arizona Republican Testifies He Rejected Trump Plot to Overturn Vote, Then Faced Violent Threats - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-22-22 Republican Speaker of the Arizona House "Rusty" Bowers described how he was pushed by Trump, John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani to call the Arizona Legislature back into session to investigate claimed illegal votes. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on turning anger into election action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The logo of the House January 6th Commission sits on a background image of the interior ceiling of the U.S. Capitol dome. The logo is a white illustration of the U.S. Capitol dome and below it are the words "Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol". Credit: January6th.house.gov Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/6/2023 Today, we take a look at the education curriculum reforms currently being pushed through in Florida through the lens of the long pattern of choosing to see our history in a way that comforts the comfortable and afflicts the afflicted. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Meet the Man Driving the Right’s Culture War Panic - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-28-23 The Republican Party’s full embrace of the culture war as a political tactic — from drag queen story hour to critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives — has been chiefly guided by activist and polemicist Christopher Rufo Ch. 2: DeSantis culture war drives AP Psychology out of Florida schools - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 8-4-23 Rachel Chapman, who teaches AP Psychology in Florida, talks with Alex Wagner about being an educator in Florida why psychology can't pick and choose which people to consider. Ch. 3: We Actually Have To Explain To DeSantis Why Slaves Didn't Benefit From Slavery - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-25-23 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman had to break down why the new curriculum in Florida that requires teachers to explain how slaves benefitted from slavery is racist Ch. 4: PragerU in Florida Schools - I Doubt It Podcast - Air Date 7-28-23 Jesse and Brittany discuss the heat wave wreaking havoc on the nation as well as their recent adventures engaged in tourist activities in DC, listener communication related to Biden's re-election and the new Florida education guidelines Ch. 5: Why a Leftist is Defending Conservatives Over Desantis' Racist Florida Curriculum - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 7-30-23 Highlighting some of the gentle pushback from Black Republicans to the new Florida education curriculum Ch. 6: Fox News BUSTED For Rewriting History Of Slavery - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-26-23 Jesse Watters spoke with William Allen, one of the authors of Florida's revised Black History curriculum, about Vice President Harris's representation that one of the standards outlined implies teaching that slavery in some ways benefitted Black Americans Ch. 7: I was teaching before he was born: Professor slams DeSantis for quashing Black history education - The Reidout - Air Date 1-23-23 Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to control the type of education that Florida students can receive, most recently rejecting an advanced placement course in African-American studies, claiming it was “contrary to Florida law” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: It’s hard to vilify DEI training, without announcing one’s racism - Think About It with Michael Leppert - Air Date 8-1-23 If the average American were to learn about diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training through its discussion in the political arena alone, suspicion of it should be expected, and hostility toward it would be understandable. Duh. Ch. 9: Andrew Spar, Florida Education Association President and Scott Slawson, UE Local 506 President - America’s Work Force Union Podcast - Air Date 7-26-23 Andrew Spar, President of the Florida Education Association, joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast and discussed the fight over African American studies in Florida’s curriculum Ch. 10: The Court Room of History - Why Now? A Political Junkie Podcast - Air Date 7-29-23 In this episode, we are talking about her most recent book, Sisters and Rebels: A Struggle for the Soul of America (W.W. Norton, 2019), which tells the story of three sisters, women from the slave-holding Lumpkin family of Georgia. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on how education curriculum is helping maintain power imbalances MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 8-4-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Barbie, Black Mirror and corporations in on the joke - The Extended Mattel Cinematic Universe - The alternate conservative commerce universe - The alternate conservative entertainment universe REFERENCES: Sorry Netflix, Streamberry isn't funny - Mashable Matt Gaetz Can’t Say Margot Robbie Is Hot Without Being Transphobic - Rolling Stone Can the Daily Wire Become a Right-Wing Entertainment Machine? - Bloomberg Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/2/2023 Today, we take a look at the status of the war in Ukraine and the decision made recently for the US to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine, a munition that Biden's Press Sec. referred to as a potential war crime when it was reported that Russia had used them. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Is Russia Headed Towards Collapse - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 6-27-23 Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins Andrea to discuss where things are headed in Russia’s escalating power struggle, what it means for Ukraine, and how the world needs to start preparing for a post-Putin Russia. Ch. 2: Tim Mak on the Ukrainian Counteroffensive - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-1-23 In this week’s conversation, Yascha Mounk and Tim Mak discuss the slow progress of Ukraine’s counteroffensive and how a big breakthrough might come about. Ch. 3: NATO, Ukraine, and The American Empire Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-23-23 Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison hosts of the American Prestige Podcast join the program to discuss the problematic origins behind the formation of NATO and its continued role in the world today. Ch. 4: William Arkin CIA Is Playing Outsize Role in Ukraine Despite Biden Pledge Not to Send U.S. Forces - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-19-23 We're joined on the show by the author of the investigation, William Arkin, a national security reporter and senior editor at Newsweek, who says that the CIA has "got its hand in a little bit of everything" in Ukraine. Ch. 5: Cluster Bomb Fight in the House - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-15-23 Ryan Grim is joined by Erik Sperling to discuss how a bipartisan bill to prevent the Biden administration from sending cluster bombs to Ukraine went from gaining momentum to being undermined by another bill. Ch. 6: The Indiscriminate Rain of Cluster Bombs Part - Intercepted - Air Date 7-18-23 Marc Garlasco joins Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain to discuss how cluster munitions kill civilians during war and long after, and why their use should be considered a war crime. Ch. 7: Cluster Bomb Fight in the House Part 2 - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-15-23 Ch. 8: NATO, Ukraine, and The American Empire Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-23-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Indiscriminate Rain of Cluster Bombs Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 7-18-23 Ch. 10: Tim Mak on the Ukrainian Counteroffensive Part 2 - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-1-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the coming civic renewal of 2024 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Two unexploded cluster bomblets (cylindrical metal canisters) lay on the ground amongst dirt, rocks and leaves. Credit: "Cluster bombs in fig orchard in Yaroun, Lebanon" by Cluster Munition Coalition, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0  | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Original Air Date 6/17/2022 Today we take a look at many intertwining realizations that are beginning to permeate society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitalism is the Planet’s Cancer: Operate Before it’s too Late George Monbiot - Double Down News - Air Date 1-30-20 “Infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe” Ch. 2: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 1 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save the planet – and ourselves – from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. Ch. 3: Degrowth: liberation from growthism - The Taxcast - Air Date 9-23-21 In this episode, Naomi Fowler explores degrowth and how we liberate ourselves from ‘growthism’ with economic anthropologist Jason Hickel. Ch. 4: Our Struggles are Your Struggles: Stories of Indigenous Resistance & Regeneration - Upstream - Air Date 3-21-22 Standing Rock was a pivotal moment in regards to Indigenous resistance — but it was just one in a long line of battles that Indigenous peoples have been fighting against the twin forces of colonialism and capitalism since first contact. Ch. 5: Eco-Socialist Degrowth? w/ Paul Murphy - Rupture Radio - Air Date 5-2-22 Capitalist growth is destroying our life support systems. Every single year the material taken from the Earth to feed the insatiable capitalist appetite for profits grows larger and the waste spewing into the atmosphere, land, rivers, and sea grows bigger Ch. 6: Jason Hickel on how degrowth will save the world (part two) - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 12-19-21 We talked about the concept of 'green growth', and why the notion of decoupling growth from intensive resource use is ultimately unconvincing. We also chatted about the Green New Deal and whether it is compatible with the politics of degrowth. Ch. 7: Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet? (Tim Jackson Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-19-21 Tim Jackson, ecological economist, professor, and author of the book "Post Growth: Life After Capitalism," joins David to discuss consumption, growth, macroeconomics, the modern economy, and more. Ch. 8: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 2 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save the planet – and ourselves – from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How We End Consumerism - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 6-4-21 How we end consumerism, explained. Ch. 10: Jason Hickel on International Development and Post-capitalism (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 5-28-20 We spoke with him about international capitalism during the pandemic, new opportunities for degrowth economics, and how to fundamentally move to a post-capitalist world — which will take more than just a shift in economic policy Ch. 11: Post Growth - Life after Capitalism (Podcast with Prof. Tim Jackson - CUSP) - Circular Metabolism Podcast - Air Date 4-28-21 We explored some alternative societal and economic models such as degrowth, living well within limits, permacircularity and we continue our quest by looking into post-growth. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Original Air Date: 2/15/2019 Today we take a look at recent teachers union strike in the Los Angeles school district and see it as another event in an emerging pattern of progressive uprisings that have been stirring for the last decade, fighting back against the status quo, neoliberal instinct to privatize everything for the ultimate benefit of billionaires.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Teachers Are Striking in Los Angeles - NowThis - Air Date 1-20-19 ‘This strike is a strike to save public education.’ — Here’s why Los Angeles teachers are striking in their own words. Ch. 2: Alex Caputo-Pearl explains the teachers union strategy and planning ahead of the strike - Belabored by Dissent Magazine - Air Date 1-13-19 Caputo-Pearl talks about a wide range of issues that led to the strike. Building up to the strike as a leader in the union. UTLA received criticism for being too bold but with an issue this large, it's important to be bold. Ch. 3: Sarah Jaffe on the intersectional movements coming together in the teachers' strike - The Dig - Air Date 1-17-2019 The people in power are all about privatization. Public education attacks are compared to citizens united. Public schools have become a competing marketplace instead of educational services. Ch. 4: A surge in strikes! - Past Present - Air Date: 1-28-2019 Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the Los Angeles teachers’ strike. Enthusiasm for collective action since the election of '45. Fighting for the very existence of public schools. Charter makes things better for some, public makes things better for all (when properly funded and supported). Charter squirms around Unions.  Ch. 5: Sarah Jaffe on the conflict within the Democratic party at the core of the LA teachers strike - Start Making Sense - Air Date 1-22-2019 Sarah Jaffe discusses why the parents agreed with the strike. Librarians who have to travel to different schools every day of the week. Will austerity reign, or can they turn it around. Fight for a society that actually provides what people need. Ch. 6: LA Teachers Striking For All Of Us - The Michael Brooks Show - 01-07-2019 While the LA Teachers Union strikes, their demands are referred to as shiny distractions. Increased privatization by charter schools reduces the effectiveness of public education. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​ ​

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Air Date 7/25/2023 Today, we take a look at the impact of the rise of streaming video services and the potential for AI-written scripts on the future of show business and those trying to earn a living from it. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Writers Guild Strikes Back | Adam Conover Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-11-23  Adam Conover then talks Sam through updates on the writers’ strike as it reaches its fifth week, tackling the scope of the issues – from the gigification of the job to the labor threat of AI  Ch. 2: Why Actors Are Striking For The First Time In 40 Years - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-23-23 Hollywood actors have joined writers on strike and shut down the TV and film industry. Streaming has broken the industry. Successful actors are working second jobs. Some received $0 in residuals from Netflix shows with millions of viewers. Ch. 3: Why the Supreme Court Broke Up Hollywood's Studio System - On the Media - Air Date 7-5-23 The dominance of giant streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus has led to the current strike by television writers, who say their ubiquity has led to lower pay, shakier job security, and perhaps even worse writing. Ch. 4: How streaming caused the TV writers strike - Vox - Air Date 6-7-23 The way scripted television gets made today has transformed the careers of writers. Ch. 5: Why Are Studio Executives Like This? - Steve Shives - Air Date 7-17-23 Donate to support the striking members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA! Ch. 6: How AI Took Center Stage In The Hollywood Writers' Strike - CNBC - Air Date 6-30-23 As streaming companies scramble to nourish their bottom line, content is being removed from platforms, cutting off creators from being compensated. Ch. 7: Writers Guild Strikes Back | Adam Conover Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-11-23 Ch. 8: Hollywood On Strike: Who Cares? - Wisecrack - Air Date 6-2-23 Screenwriters are on strike, which means a lot less new television for our greedy consumption. And understandably, nobody’s excited about Hollywood shutting down. But what if the writers’ strike can actually teach us about how labor movements function MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Meet the AI company that wants to remake Hollywood - Recode Media with Peter Kafka - Air Date 6-14-23 For some people that’s a dystopian vision. But for Cristóbal Valenzuela, it’s a mission statement: Valenzuela is the co-founder and CEO of Runway, an AI startup that wants to radically change the way movies and TV are made. Ch. 10: 'We Know Where He F***ing Lives' - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-17-23 Hollywood star Ron Pearlman delivers a serious response to Disney CEO Bob Iger’s comments about using the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes to force writers and actors into homelessness. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on closing in on the end of our membership drive MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A person holds a large sign in a crowd of protestors that says “Writers Guild of America ON STRIKE!” Credit: “WGA Strike 6.21.2023 032” by ufcw770, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Air Date 7/22/2023 Today, we take a look at the action needed to curb and adapt to the extreme weather that climate change is already delivering Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Climate and energy journalist Andrew Freedman on the spate of record-shattering extreme weather - The BradCast - Air Date 7-10-23 The planet last week registered its hottest day ever recorded and then broke it four different times on four consecutive days. Our climate is in crisis, from the U.S. to Canada to Spain to India. Andrew Freedman joins us to discuss. Ch. 2: Bill McKibben Climate Crisis Needs Urgent Action as Earth Records Hottest Temps Ever - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-7-23 "We can't stop global warming at this point," says Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org. "All we can do is try to stop it short of the place where it cuts civilizations off at the knees." Ch. 3: Climate and energy journalist Andrew Freedman on the spate of record-shattering extreme weather Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 7-10-23 Ch. 4: Emily Sanders on How Not to Interview an Oil CEO, Kaufman & Bozuwa on Fighting Climate Disrupters - CounterSpin - Air date 7-7-23 Emily Sanders discusses the article “How (Not) to Interview an Oil CEO”. Johanna Bozuwa joined us during 2019’s California wildfires and power outages, to explain the potential role of public utilities in the climate crisis. Ch. 5: Climate Precipice & Israel’s Palestinian Expulsion w Bill McKibben, Basel Adra - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-12-23 Sam and Emma talk to Bill McKibben, contributing writer at The New Yorker and founder of ThirdAct.org, to discuss the recent climate disasters across the country. Ch. 6: To Be Forewarned The Historical Record on Climate Change - WhoWhatWhy - Air date 7-14-23 Climate change shapes history, says historian Peter Frankopan. Civilizations thrive or fall on environmental stewardship and adaptability. Ch. 7: Disaster unpreparedness - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-13-23 Vermont just got slammed with flash floods, road closures, and evacuations. Harvard’s Juliette Kayyem says the storm reveals how unprepared the US is for the present moment when natural disasters are more frequent and more intense than ever before. Ch. 8: How will the next generation of cities address the challenges of climate change? - VOX - Air Date 6-15-23 By taking inspiration from ancient cities, they can prioritize public transportation and foster human connection, resulting in reduced emissions and more accessibility. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Emily Sanders on How Not to Interview an Oil CEO, Kaufman & Bozuwa on Fighting Climate Disrupters Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air date 7-7-23 Ch. 10: Rep. AOC Reintroduces the Green New Deal on its 4th Anniversary - RepAOC - Air Date 4-20-23 “First they laugh at you, then they fight you, then we win.” FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments giving a hopeful perspective on climate action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 10/16/2019 Today we take a look at the literally depressing truth about our economy, our work and the culture that surrounds it. We work too hard to be perfect, we don't get enough time off, many of us don't have enough control over the work we do and too many know their jobs are completely worthless. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How the Economy Is Damaging Our Mental Health with Becki Winson, Hana Riaz and Annie Quick - Weekly Economics Podcast - Air Date 2-4-19 One in eight young people have a mental health problem. One big problem is access to treatment. Mental health services are underfunded, leaving many people stuck on waiting lists. Ch. 2: From Stigma to Oppression - Off-Kilter with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 5-31-19 Mental Illness is very common in the US, from burnout to anxiety to depression to suicide, and our systems don't support proper care. Ch. 3: Neoliberalism Is Creating a Mental Health Crisis - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 02-08-18 Neoliberalism, the belief that markets are democratic and that what works for them, works for all parts of society, isn't working for working people. Neoliberalism is creating a mental health crisis in America and around the world! Ch. 4: David Graeber Bullshit Jobs - Novara Media with James Butler - Air Date 2-1-19 David Graeber discusses neoliberalism, bullshit jobs, capitalism and the value of labor. Ch. 5: On Bullshit Jobs with David Graeber - This Is Hell - Air Date 5-14-18 David Graeber and Chuck discuss bullshit jobs, financial feudalism, the ruling class and human instinct. Ch. 6: Uncovering the Causes of Depression with Johann Hari - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-19-19 The biological makeup of humans has not changed for many centuries, but depression, anxiety and addiction are on the rise. Sam and Johann discuss. Ch. 7: Why You Are Depressed and Anxious with Johann Hari - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 9-18-19 Johann Hair discusses the causes of rising depression and anxiety because of the modern capitalist neoliberal world. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 7/16/2023 Today, we take a look at the problems of overconsumption and some policy solutions for reducing waste through a circular, rather than linear, approach to the economy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Is capitalism actually broken? - TED-Ed - Air Date 11-1-22 People have become increasingly worried that the threats we face today, like climate change and rising inequality, can’t be solved by a capitalist economic system. So, is that true? And if it is, can we fix capitalism or do we need to tear the system down Ch. 2: World Water Day: UN chief warns “vampiric overconsumption” is draining “humanity’s lifeblood” - Global News - Air Date 3-22-23 The United Nations (UN) opened its first conference on water security in almost half a century on Wednesday, with a plea to governments to better manage one of humanity's shared resources. Ch. 3: How Our 'Stuff' Problem Impacts the Planet (and the Key to Beating Overconsumption for Good) - Good Together - Air Date 6-28-23 We have a major “stuff” problem. With everything we want just a click away, we bring new things into our homes every day just to toss them out. Excessive consumption has led to an alarming statistic: The average American produces 4.5 pounds of trash daily Ch. 4: How do we create a better economy? - TED-Ed - Air Date 11-29-22 Can we call any economy “healthy” in the face of dwindling resources and growing inequality? What if we cut off our addiction to endless growth, and used a new compass for modern prosperity? Ch. 5: Europe's Circular Economy Action Plan - euronews - Air Date 11-24-20 Business Planet takes a look at Europe's plans for a Circular Economy and examines what this transition might mean for both businesses and consumers. Ch. 6: Amsterdam's "doughnut economy" puts climate ahead of GDP - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-24-21 Amsterdam is the first city in the world to adopt a radical economic theory that suggests economic growth shouldn’t be the ultimate measure of success. Instead, “doughnut economics” focuses on protecting the environment while meeting citizens’ basic needs Ch. 7: Busting the myths of circular design for fashion - The Circular Economy Show Podcast - Air Date 4-11-23 The current fashion system is broken. Every year the fashion industry misses out on hundreds of billions of dollars and contributes significantly to waste and pollution through the linear take-make-waste economy. Ch. 8: We Need A Library Economy - Andrewism - Air Date 10-5-22 The library has been a long-standing institution in our society, but what if we applied its philosophy more broadly? Let's imagine what it would mean to realise the possibilities of this proto-socialist concept and reintroduce free access to the commons. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How Can We Make Policy Makers Realize & Understand the Potential of the Circular Economy? - Ellen MacArthur Foundation - Air Date 10-11-19 How do you convince work colleagues that your bright idea isn’t just another burden to their existing workload? Working with policymakers at the regional and city level in Italy, Luigi Acquaviva has had to learn a few tricks Ch. 10: Add to basket: How retailers are working towards a circular economy for food | Redesigning Food series - The Circular Economy Show Podcast - Air Date 6-5-23 What if there were no bad choices in your shopping basket? What if every bite of food had been designed in a way that helped to regenerate nature? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments giving an update on the membership drive MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 7-14-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - A bad take on smartphones - Eating alone - Lunches of suffering - The failure of Instant Pot REFERENCES: What Did People Do Before Smartphones? A Brief History of the 'Sad Desk Lunch' Party Of 1: We Are Eating A Lot Of Meals AloneParty Of 1: We Are Eating A Lot Of Meals Alone ‘Lunch of suffering’: plain ‘white people food’ goes viral in China The Instant Pot Failed Because It Was a Good Product   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/11/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and unceremonious end of affirmative action for college admissions that were an attempt to correct the compounded impact of hundreds of years of systemic racism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Affirmative Reactions Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-1-23 What does the SCOTUS decision on affirmative action have to do with the Don't Say Gay bills, book bans, and attacks on school curricula all over the country? How is is part and parcel of a certain White supremacist libertarianism? Ch. 2: The Architect Part 1 - More Perfect - Air Date 12-7-17 More Perfect profiled Edward Blum in season one of the show. We catch up with him to hear about his latest effort to end affirmative action at Harvard. Ch. 3: What Does Color-Blind Really Mean - Notes From America - Air Date 7-10-23 Affirmative action is gone. Ibram X. Kendi tells us the history leading up to this moment and what could be next. Ch. 4: MAGA SCOTUS Is Back - Amicus - Air Date 7-1-23 The Supreme Court’s conservatives return to form, stripping protections for same-sex couples, striking down student loan relief, and ending race-conscious college admissions. Ch. 5: The Architect Part 2 - More Perfect - Air Date 12-7-17 Ch. 6: Asian Americans + Affirmative Action - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-5-23 Myths, Data, Predictions Ch. 7: What Does Color-Blind Really Mean Part 2 - Notes From America - Air Date 7-10-23 Ch. 8: Affirmative Reactions Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-1-23 Ch. 9: Legal Scholar Says Supreme Court Could Become a “Pointless Institution” - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 5-17-23 “Shadow docket.” This refers to cases that are decided quickly, without written opinions or oral arguments. In his new book, Vladeck traces the transformation of the Supreme Court. He explains all to Hari Sreenivasan. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Elie Mystal's Court Packing Plan - Contempt of Court - Air Date 7-10-23 When most people talk about expanding the Supreme Court, they're talking about adding a few justices. Two or four to the bench. But I am not most people. Ch. 11: Weekly Roundup Affirmative Reactions Part 3 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-1-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the need for a new solution to the old problem that affirmative action was trying to solve MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: The angled shadow of a student in a cap and gown stretches across white concrete. Credit: "Graduation_Future_University_Cap" by Csparks, Pixabay    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Become a member in July for 20% off!) Air Date 7/8/2023 Today, we take a look at the dubious, ideologically-driven debate between overpopulation being a danger to the future of humanity and it being a dangerous myth obscuring the real issue of over-consumption Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Is Overpopulation Killing the Planet? - Ideas - Air Date 6-12-23 In the fall of 2022, humanity entered unprecedented territory when, according to the United Nations, the world’s population reached eight billion people. Journalist Bruce Livesey explores the complex issues around population growth Ch. 2: Richard Heinberg: Powering Down | Beyond Growth, Toward Simplicity - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 5-16-23 We discuss how we might deliberately rein in our power, starting with an urgent transition away from fossil fuels, and move from a culture of unabated growth toward a culture of sufficiency, simplicity, and resilience. Ch. 3: Could Everything You Know About Global Population Growth Be Wrong? - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 4-5-19 Contrary to popular and long held assumptions, global population is declining. The environmental consequences are good, the economic consequences are bad, says this podcast guest. Ch. 4: The Dubious Overpopulation Debate - Acclimated - Air Date 8-12-20 Is overpopulation driving environmental collapse? Nope. But that hasn't stopped politicians, filmmakers, and comic book villains from making the claim. We consider the real-world consequences of two centuries of overpopulation concerns Ch. 5: Overpopulation or overproduction? Marx vs. Malthus - International Marxist Radio - Air Date 5-31-23 Is human population growth to blame for poverty and climate change? Plenty of pundits and politicians on the right and left alike seem to think so. Knowingly or not, they repeat the reactionary ideas of the Reverend Thomas Malthus Ch. 6: An Eye-Opening Discussion On Practical Solutions To Human Overpopulation - Rewilding Earth Podcast - Air Date 7-18-22 Overpopulation and pronatalism, the role of humane education in turning the tide on human population issues, the effects of overpopulation on people, wildlife, and wild places, and simple, practical, humane solutions to the population crisis Ch. 7: The Dangerous Myth of Overpopulation - The Wild Life - Air Date 4-8-21 Welcome to part 1 of Us, an ongoing series examining our connections and impact on the environment, sustainability, and our changing climate. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Naomi Oreskes: How Free-Market Fundamentalism Fuels Overpopulation Denialism & Undermines Democracy - The Overpopulation Podcast - Air Date 6-1-23 We discuss the role that libertarian, techno-fundamentalist, anti-choice think tanks have played in fueling anti-Science propaganda on overpopulation denialism, and why these forces must be vehemently opposed for a more just and sustainable planet. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the philosophical question behind the overpopulation debate MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Original Air Date: 1/2/2018 Today we take a look at a few different visions of what the future holds for our labor market and some policies we should be putting in place to set the scene for the coming evolution of work Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Show Notes Act 1: The future of work in a world of artificial intelligence - Ideas - Air Date 9-12-17 Act 2: Robots Causing Wealth Inequality? - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 04-28-17 Act 3: A 15 Hour Work Week Would Save the Planet - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 07-26-17 Act 4: Demanding a future of full automation and a post-work world - Ideas - Air Date 9-26-17 Act 5: Designing the future of jobs and economics - Freakonomics - Air Date 4-20-17 Act 6: Ai-jen Poo on the caretaker jobs of the future - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-13-17 (Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions & Free Music Archive) Action Resources/Further Reading New Economy Coalition  The Next System Project Democracy At Work Public Predictions for the Future of Workforce Automation (Pew Research Center, 2016) A World Without Work (The Atlantic, 2015) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get 20% Off Membership in July!) Air Date 7/4/2023 Today, we take a look at the difference between the kind of political messaging that feels like the right thing to say and the reframed messages that actually get political results that allow for progressive policies to get passed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Behind The What with Gretchen Barton - How We Win - Air Date 6-21-23 Gretchen Barton, founder of Worthy Strategy Group, is a researcher and strategist who spends most of her time going inside the minds of American voters, and shares her unique perspective and insights with us! Ch. 2: Winning a Trifecta with Mike Lux - How We Win - Air Date 5-31-23 And joining us for our interview to urge us all into action to win in 2024, is a democratic campaign veteran and progressive media trailblazer, the one and only Mike Lux! Ch. 3: Winning Messages Anat Shenker-Osorio - Future Hindsight - Air Date 4-13-23 Anat Shenker-Osorio is a renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor, the host of Words to Win By, and the Principal of ASO Communications. Ch. 4: Democrats Can Win If They Follow These Rules Featuring Ken Weber & Daryl Weber - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-22 Why can't the Democratic Party message as well as the Republican Party? Ken Weber and his son Daryl Weber explain how the left can finally win if they use these rules on messaging that the GOP uses every single time. Ch. 5: A Dmitri Rebuttal by Messaging Expert Anat Shenker-Osorio - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-2-23 Grim and Shenker-Osorio discuss why certain messages do well and others fail, why reframing the debate is essential, and how to craft messages that resonate and win. Ch. 6: How Democrats can win Working-Class Voters - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-21-23 Katie Rader joins the Start Making Sense podcast to discuss the issues that are most likely to mobilize them. Ch. 7: Winning Messages Anat Shenker-Osorio - Future Hindsight - Air Date 4-13-23 Anat Shenker-Osorio is a renowned communications researcher and campaign advisor, the host of Words to Win By, and the Principal of ASO Communications. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why Behind The What with Gretchen Barton Part 2 - How We Win - Air Date 6-21-23 Discussing the politics of Florida Ch. 9: Why Behind The What with Gretchen Barton Part 3 - How We Win - Air Date 6-21-23 Looking at the messaging hurdles women face when running for president FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments launching our overdue membership drive MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of a three-dimensional museum sign hanging on a wrought iron bracket that reads “The People’s Story.” A sculpted person holding a rolled-up newspaper and calling out with one hand cupped to his mouth sits above the words. Credit: “People’s Story” by Alan Levine, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Become a member in July for 20% off!)   Air Date: 7-1-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Marriage and christianity collapsing - Free lunches for kids - Neo-nazis doing pushups at Pride - The assault on no-fault divorce - Hannah Gadsby's wedding cake   REFERENCES: Marriage collapse, absent fathers 'unraveling' Christianity in growing US crisis: study Nevada Legislature Advances Bill to Extend Free School Meals Into 2025 Neo-Nazis tried to disrupt a Pride festival. They got humiliated & fled. The Next Front in the GOP’s War on Women: No-Fault Divorce Hannah Gadsby tricked a Christian baker into making a gay wedding cake   Join our Discord Server   Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 6/11/2022 Today we take a look at the reasons why Democrats lost rural America and why it's important to make gains outside urban centers through working-class coalitions and a focus on the policy failures of unchecked Republicanism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How can Democrats win back rural America? (with Bill Hogseth) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 1-26-21 Democrats used to win elections in rural areas, but that seems like a distant memory now. This week, Zach is joined by Bill Hogseth, a political organizer from rural Wisconsin, to talk about the difference between making promises and delivering change Ch. 2: Can Democrats Win in Rural America? - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-4-22 Maine state Sen. Chloe Maxmin tackles one of the most pressing problems confronting the modern Democratic Party: how to reverse its decades-long backslide in rural support. Maxmin and her co-author and campaign manager Canyon Woodward join Ryan Grim Ch. 3: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22 Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections. Ch. 4: Joe Shepherd of United Rural Democrats - The Rick Smith Show - Air Date 5-9-22 By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show. Ch. 5: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22 Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections. Ch. 6: David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy - The Tennessee Holler Podcast - Air Date 2-9-22 Former OHIO Democratic party chair David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy, and why we all need to do our part to lift it up. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Corporate Democrats Have a Vested Interest in Not Listening to Workers – RAI with Thomas Frank - The Real News - Air Date 9-5-17 On Reality Asserts Itself, Thomas Frank, author of “What’s the Matter with Kansas” and “Listen, Liberal”, tells host Paul Jay that the Democratic Party serves the professional class and the top 10% and no longer cares about the poor or working class. Ch. 8: The New Democrats w/ Lily Geismer - The Dig - Air Date 6-5-22 Dan’s second episode with historian Lily Geismer, who he interviewed in 2019 about Don’t Blame Us: Suburban Liberals and the Transformation of the Democratic Party. This interview is on Left Behind: The Democrats’ Failed Attempt to Solve Inequality FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the ignoring the middle class and poor open the door to right-wing populism of the worst sort MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a blue, dented, and rusted mailbox on a spike leaning against an old wooden fence. Its flag is down, indicating no mail. Thick, golden tall grass grows behind it against a blue sky.  Credit: "Rural America" by Kris Notaro, Flickr | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/25/2023 Today, we take a look at the state of the religious right as declining religiosity and the looming 2024 election put a strain on the movement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump Indicted, Robertson Dead, + Catholic Public Schools? - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-9-23 Brad and Dan being by discussing Trump's indictment on federal charges. They then break down the life and death of Pat Robertson - an architect of the Religious Right and someone whose influence resounds in American Christian nationalism today Ch. 2: The Power Christian Nationalists Seek | The Evil Ignorance of Marjorie Taylor Greene - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 4-27-23 Ch. 3: How Rapture Theology Shaped America (Part 2) - The Holy Post - Air Date 5-10-23 How did a theological system that rejected Christian participation in politics eventually give birth to the Religious Right? Phil talks to historian Daniel Hummel about the spread of rapture theology in the 20th century Ch. 4: Trump Taps Into Evangelical Fascism To Hypnotize His Followers - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 9-20-22 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss a rally Donald Trump hosted over the weekend, where he mixes the rapture of fervent religious followers with the QAnon conspiracy set to lure people with the sweet siren sounds of fascism. Ch. 5: DeSantis Tries To Attack Trump on Abortion - The Damage Report - Air Date 6-19-23 Ron DeSantis attacks Trump on his abortion stance. John Iadarola and Brett Erlich break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 6: Americans Are Losing Their Religion. That's Changing Politics. - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 4-22-21 About 20 years ago, 70 percent of Americans belonged to one of those houses of worship. Today, it’s 47 percent. While that doesn’t mean a majority of Americans are areligious, the share of religiously unaffiliated Americans has also been increasing MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Is Religion Dead? - Wisecrack - Air Date 6-9-23 Philosophy and religion might seem as incompatible as peanut butter and raw garlic. But what if understanding religion from a philosophical perspective could actually illuminate some of our deepest cultural and social values? Ch. 8: How My Christian Faith Fell Apart | A Case Study of DECONSTRUCTION - Sara Martin - Air Date 8-26-20 How does someone go from a faith-filled follower of Jesus to no longer identifying as a Christian? In this video, I share my personal story of how my faith fell apart and demonstrate how, step by step, a person’s relationship with Jesus can unravel. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the enduring support for Trump by the evangelical right MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) God's Playground - Nathanael Christy   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 2-5-2019 Today we take a look at the history of FDR's "Four Freedoms" and "Economic Bill of Rights" that laid the groundwork for the fight for economic freedom for all that continues to this day. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Harvey Kaye, "The Fight for the Four Freedoms" - Book TV - Air Date 5-11-14 Harvey Kaye examines the progressivism of the Roosevelt-era and argues that a reminder of the "four freedoms" could address today's political and social issues. Ch. 2: What Ted Cruz Doesn't Get About 'Freedom' - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 7-21-16 Thom talks about Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican Convention and compares his definition of 'freedom' with the way it was described by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ch. 3: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented. Ch. 4: Fighting for the Four Freedoms - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-15-14 Historian Harvey J. Kaye talks about how FDR was able to mobilize Americans to create "the strongest and most prosperous country in human history." Ch. 5: Libertarian Definition of "Freedom" is Freedom in Name Only - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 8-1-13 Explaining that libertarian thinking doesn't incorporate the existence of economic coercion Ch. 6: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 Ch. 7: Bernie Sanders & FDR's Second Bill of Rights - Berniementum - Air Date 8-12-15 President FDR's Second Bill of Rights speech - January 11, 1944 Sen. Bernie Sanders speech at the National Press Club - Mar. 9, 2015 Music - "There is Romance" by Imcompetech Ch. 8: Fight for the Four Freedoms What Made FDR & the Greatest Generation Truly Great (w: Harvey J Kaye) - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 9-9-15 University of Wisconsin Professor Harvey J Kaye author of Fight for the Four Freedoms: What Made FDR and the Greatest Generation Truly Great, explains Ronald Reagan and the great pushback against a progressive America Ch. 9: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 3 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​ ​

Air Date 6/20/2023 Today, we take a look at the story of how neoliberalism was born, how corporations were organized to help push it into the mainstream, and how the courts were reshaped to permanently tilt the rules in favor of corporate power. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Chile, Neoliberalism and the CIA - AJ+ - Air Date 11-29-19 This is the story of how Chile came to be called the “neoliberal laboratory of the world’ ... and it even involves the CIA. Ch. 2: The Powell Memo. Corporate America's Call to Arms. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 2-9-23 Today’s episode discusses the nature of the memo, the inspiration for it and details its prescriptive elements. Ch. 3: How the Corporate Takeover of American Politics Began - Robert Reich - Air Date 12-13-22 In 1976, I watched as thousands of corporate lobbyists descended on Washington. Fast forward to today, and lobbying has become a $3.7 billion dollar industry. It all began with the Powell Memo. Ch. 4: Greed Is Rotting America From The Inside Out - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 7-29-22 The GOP has become a rotting corpse, politically, infested with maggots & defended by wealthy vultures. It has only one true principle, greed, & is determined to reinvent America in greed’s image Ch. 5: Economic False Prophets Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-10-23 Ralph welcomes New York Times reporter, Binyamin Applebaum, author of “The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society” Ch. 6: What has Greed Cost America - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-28-14 Thom Hartmann begins a conversation about how greed has destroyed the American economy. Ch. 7: Economic False Prophets Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-10-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Wall Street's ESG Scam EXPLAINED - Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar - Air Date 6-16-22 Krystal and Saagar are joined by researcher and policy analyst Ron Ivey to better understand the wall street ESG scam being investigated by regulators for its deceptive practices Ch. 9: Anti-Capitalist Investing Is... Absurd — Jen Pan - Jacobin - Air Date 6-11-22 Jen Pan explains why the new trend of "anti-capitalist investing" is just elite charity with another name, and only helps maintain the power of elites over everyone else's lives. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the next revolution in values we need MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 6-17-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - Hoopy Froods - Other people with diarrhea  - The lack of civil engineers to manage the waste water - Neoliberal pay scales of business professors  - How billionaires became our gurus REFERENCES: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy The billionaire’s guide to self-help   Join our Discord Community Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 4/13/2022 Today we take a look at the mainstreaming of crypto and NFTs by celebrity endorsements, why they're terrible by nearly any metric and why they are emblematic of our broken culture. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs - Folding Ideas - Air Date 1-21-22 If someone pitches you on a "great" Web3 project, ask them if it requires buying or selling crypto to do what they say it does. Ch. 2: NFTS and Celebrities: A Match Made in Hell? - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-4-22 How did NFTs become the new Coca-Cola? NFTs are everywhere, nowhere more so than on the lips of celebrities. But why are celebrities getting into the world of crypto? And what can the rise of celebrities endorsing NFTs tell us about our society? Ch. 3: Celebrities Love Cryptocurrencies - and it's lame (Feat. Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman) - Crypto Critics' Corner - Air Date 2-16-22 Bennett and Cas are joined by Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman who discuss the ideas behind their upcoming book about cryptocurrency, their issues with celebrity shilling of speculative assets, and how it really feels like corporate greed Ch. 4: Why Scams Are Inherent To Cryptocurrency - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 3-27-22 Explaining the systemic reasons why the features of crypto are so amenable to scams Ch. 5: Can Our Climate Survive Bitcoin? - Reveal - Air Date 3-25-22 Bitcoin’s demand for electricity is so great that it’s giving new life to the dirtiest type of power plants: ones that burn coal. In Hardin, Montana, the coal-fired power plant was on the verge of shutting down until bitcoin came to town. Ch. 6: Line Goes Up Creator Breaks Down The Problem with NFTs and Cryptocurrency - The Damage Report - Air Date 3-6-22 Crypto specialist, Dan Olson, shares his takes on NFTs and explains pieces from his insanely popular video, "Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs." John Iadarola and Dan Olson break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 7: The Crypto Grift Descends on Ukraine - Scam Economy - Air Date 3-17-22 Matt Binder breaks down how grifting cryptocurrency founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and hustlers are trying to pump their money-making schemes for a profit and generate good PR for the crypto industry under the guise of charity for Ukraine. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how people, myself included, get scammed MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 2-2-2020 Today we take a look at the relationship between fear, anger and how to deal with the structural forces of harm in our society. To help us, we examine two of the greatest thinkers of the past 65 years, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mister Rogers, and go beyond the nonviolence of King and interrogate Mr. Roger's insistence on liking everyone just the way they are. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: W. Kamau Bell on coming face to face with white supremacists - Finding Fred - Air Date 11-26-19 Empathy can be found when you understand what circumstances people came from Ch. 2: Author Christian Picciolini on how white nationalists recruit and radicalize online - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-18-19 Reformed neo-Nazi and author Christian Picciolini explains how white nationalists target vulnerable online communities Ch. 3: The dubious luxury of anger - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 6-24-17 Understanding the fear that underlies anger. Ch. 4: Help the Helpers: Evil cannot withstand forgiveness - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 On being your best self. On the least of these. On the virtues of a cup of tea. Ch. 5: Help the Helpers: But forgiveness can be complicated - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 You can't be nice to everyone because being nice to certain people is inherently cruel to others. Ch. 6: Anger and forgiveness as a survival strategy - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-19 Discussing the conviction and sentencing of Amber Guyger, the Dallas police officer who shot and killed her black neighbor, Botham Shem Jean Ch. 7: Forgiveness in the #MeToo era - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 6-24-18 Many faith traditions emphasize the importance of forgiveness. But in the context of the #MeToo movement, can forgiveness silence women who have been abused? Ch. 8: Why Do Black People Always Have to Forgive? - The Real News - Air Date 10-4-19 As Botham Jean’s brother makes headlines for “forgiving” Amber Guyger, Real News hosts Jacqueline Luqman and Lisa Snowden-McCray to discuss what Christian forgiveness in the face of oppression means. Ch. 9: Why accountability matters for faith-based forgiveness - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 7-13-18 Serene Jones says deep forgiveness is actually part of a larger process of seeking justice and accountability. Ch. 10: The art and science of apologies and forgiveness Commentary - Best of the Left - Air Date 3-23-19 Final comments on strength, power, fragility, apologies, forgiveness and the legacy of the Confederacy Ch. 11: Help the Helpers: Grace - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 Grace is to focus on the humanity of others than to see them as monsters. Ch. 12: Help the Helpers: The fear and hurt that gets in the way - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 The difficulty of focusing on helping the needy rather than punishing the dangerous Ch. 13: Van Jones: Why Casting “Bigots” Out Doesn’t Move America Forward - Big Think - Air Date 12-6-17 There is a limit to empathy, you cannot tolerate the intolerant for too long—but having empathy for those who interpret change as scary, and understanding why they think that way, maybe the only inroad to untying this great mess. Ch. 14: The birth of the Black Power Movement - King in the Wilderness (HBO) - Air Date 4-2-18 The story of King's reaction to the rise of the Black Power movement and the roles of anger, fear and sickness FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the various sicknesses infecting our society MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com ​ ​ ​

Air Date 6/13/2023 Today, we take a look at the struggle to act ethically, at least by our own measure if there's not a universally-agreed standard to compare with, relating to the purchase of both the necessities of life we all need as well as the more luxury items that get added on top. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: No ethical consumption under capitalism: short deep dive - @professor_neil - Air Date 4-13-23 Origin of "no ethical consumption under capitalism" Ch. 2: Hasan and The Left's Paradoxical Relationship with Consumer Capitalism - The Kavernacle - Air Date 5-26-23 What once was a statement of fact, now has been taken as an excuse to essentially be a consumer without even thinking about the ethics involved of what you were buying. Ch. 3: "Separating Art vs. the Artist" doesn't work for Harry Potter - Kuncan Dastner - Air Date 4-14-22 Secrets of Dumbledore and Hogwarts Legacy aren't enough to save this franchise Ch. 4: There are many forms of ethical consumption under capitalism, you just have to understand ethics - poppysaw - Air Date 2-11-23 Alternate thoughts on the ethics of consumption within capitalism Ch. 5: Ethical Consumption - Pullback - Air Date 3-7-23 So, there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. Does that mean there’s no value to movements like slow fashion, eating local, and Fairtrade? Ch. 6: The moral philosophy of The Good Place (with Mike Schur and Pamela Hieronymi) - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 12-9-19 This is a conversation about how and why The Good Place exists and what it reflects about The Odd Place in which we actually live. Unlike a lot of conversations about moral philosophy, this one is a lot of fun. Ch. 7: Ethical Capitalism: Is It Possible? - Wise Crack - Air Date 7-19-21 We live in an era of increased skepticism towards capitalism. But is participating in capitalism inherently antithetical to living an ethical life? Or is it possible to act ethically within a capitalist system? Ch. 8: Ethical Behavior in Modern Society – Can We Still Get Into The Good Place? - Like Stories of Old - Air Date 4-30-19 A video essay on modern day ethics as discussed in the Netflix show The Good Place. Focusing in particular on the notion of ethical consumerism and individuality from a sociological perspective. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Conscious Consumerism: Does it make a difference - Roundtable - Air Date 7-10-19 Conscious consumerism focuses on making positive decisions throughout the buying process, with the intention of helping to balance some of the negative impacts that consumerism has on the planet. Ch. 10: “No Ethical Consumption” is Not License for Nihilism & Hedonism. So What Is It? (Hausfrau Friday) Parkrose Permaculture - Air Date 6-3-22 My 17 yr-old and I have noticed an unsettling trend on social media: folks choosing to take the concept of "No ethical consumption under capitalism" as a license to give up when it comes to trying to make ethical purchases for our bodies and our homes. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Response to cohousing episode FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on why people being misled into unethical behavior gives me hope MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: White text in a funky font says “There is no ethical consumption under capitalism.” in quotation marks on a black background. Credit: Design by A. Hoffman using "BM Kirang Haerang" font.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/10/2023 Today, we take a look at the emerging trend of various community housing styles people are using to build community, fight loneliness and lighten the load of everyday chores and tasks. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Cohousing The Future of Community and Human Connection Part 1 | Trish Becker-Hafnor - TEDx Talks - Air Date 1-13-20 Trish is the owner of StorySpring Consulting and Director of Community Engagement at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work. Ch. 2: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 1 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22 On this episode, I’m speaking with Katie McCamant, President at CoHousing Solutions. Katie brings the depth and diversity of her 35 years of experience as a developer, architect, and cohousing resident to benefit her clients. Ch. 3: Cohousing communities help prevent social isolation - PBS Newshour - Air Date 2-12-17 Groups in Denmark and the U.S. are choosing to live in intentionally intergenerational communities, which emerged to strengthen social ties between aging seniors and their younger counterparts who are balancing work and family. Ch. 4: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 2 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22 Ch. 5: Cohousing Communities of Ann Arbor — Episode 4 of Planet Community - Foundation for Intentional Community - Air Date 1-17-19 Cohousing communities are collaborative neighborhoods created with intention and a little ingenuity. Ch. 6: Cohousing The Future of Community and Human Connection Part 2 | Trish Becker-Hafnor - TEDx Talks - Air Date 1-13-20 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Jack Kerouac's boarding house now co-living for creatives - Kirsten Dirksen - Air Date 11-7-20 Sara McEre bought the former 19th-century boarding house in San Luis Obispo (CA), it was rundown. Instead of converting it to apartments for a profit, she turned it into a communal living residence for 19 like-minded individuals. Ch. 8: Microgrid energy and community cohousing - Local Zero - 5-4-22 We hear from Andy O’Brien from the Bristol Energy Cooperative, and Monica King from Bridport Cohousing in Dorset. Ch. 9: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 3 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a couple of undervalued benefits of cohousing MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photograph of a winding path through a colorful, close-together neighborhood of houses with children's toys and flowers on the grass. Credit: "Cohousing" by Joy Cross, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased saturation and contrast Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 1-22-2019 Today we take a look at socialism in America from our often violent response to the concept in the wake of the Russian Revolution through the recent revival in interest, driven primarily by the younger generation today Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Red Dawn Americans and the Bolshevik Revolution - @BackStory - Air Date 11-9-17 One hundred years ago, Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik Party seized power in a revolution that would change the world. Today we explore how that distant revolution had an immediate impact in the United States. Ch. 2: What the Russian Revolution Proved Possible - Empire Files - Air Date 12-18-17 To understand the context of this first socialist experiment, how it happened and what caused the many problems it faced, Abby Martin sits down with Brian Becker, a long-time socialist organizer. Ch. 3: America’s Unofficial Religion - The War On An Idea Part 1 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17 Everyone in the United States knows that “socialist” or “communist” is considered a bad word. How did things get that way? Abby Martin explores the history of anti-communism in America and the heavy repression of an idea that became an unofficial religion Ch. 4: "Socialism" in the Air - On the Media - Air Date 7-27-18 The word "socialism" has been trending, appearing on op-ed pages, FOX News, ABC's The View and beyond. In this word watch, Bob speaks with another self-described socialist, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson Ch. 5: Americans are ready for socialism - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 3-13-18 Columnist Elizabeth Bruenig looks beyond the failures of liberalism, to the possibilities of socialism. Elizabeth wrote the op-ed “It’s time to give socialism a try” at the Washington Post. Ch. 6: Richard D. Wolff - What are Capitalism & Socialism? What differentiates them from each other? - acTVism Munich - Air Date 2-21-17 In this interview with Professor of Economics Emeritus (University of Massachusetts), Marxist economist and founder of Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff, we talk to him about Capitalism and Socialism. Ch. 7: Why Are People Talking About Socialism? with Paul Jay - @TheRealNews - Air Date 1-2-19 Explaining why socialisms time may have come - the failures of capitalism Ch. 8: Dr. Richard Wolff on Marxism 101: How Capitalism is Killing Itself - Empire Files - Air Date 11-28-17 Prof. Richard Wolff explains some tenets of how a modern socialists system could work Ch. 9: America’s Unofficial Religion The War On An Idea Part 2 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17 Capitalism can no longer compare itself with the dysfunctional Soviet Union but can only be compared to itself and it's failures MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​ ​ ​

Air Date 6/6/2023 Today, we take a look at the widespread impact of marketing on culture, consumerism, transportation, food, gender roles, and gun ownership in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Our Consumer Society - Then & Now - Air Date 6-9-22 I explore our consumer society, looking at the history, philosophy, psychology, and sociology of what consumerism really means. Is it a useful concept? Where did it appear from? Are there alternatives? Ch. 2: Would You Fall for It? - Not Just Bikes - Air Date 1-9-23 In the 1950s, the US automobile industry was lobbying hard to get more funding for roads and highways. Part of this effort included propaganda targeted to the general public. Ch. 3: How The Auto Industry Carjacked The American Dream - Climate Town - Air Date 4-8-21 Based on an article by Spencer R. Scott P.h.D. Ch. 4: How Backyard Grilling Conquered America - Cheddar Explains - Air Date 5-19-20 Backyard grilling is an American institution. But have you ever wondered where it came from? You might be surprised to learn that the history of your weekend barbecue twists and turns back through the earliest years of America’s past. Ch. 5: WOKE BRANDS - hbomberguy - Air Date 2-22-19 Can a product be truly progressive? How can I free my skin? Let's discuss! Ch. 6: Men Eat Red Meat, Women Eat Salads –– But Why? - Cool Stuff Ride Home - Air Date 10-26-22 How and why did food become so gendered? Y’know, men eat red meat and women eat salads. When did those associations begin? Ch. 7: Marketing Masculinity: How Guns Are Marketed, Glamorized, and Normalized - Marketing Muckraking - Air Date 5-25-22 Just like tobacco companies targeted kids to create a market of “replacement smokers,” so do gun manufacturers. Boys as young as 6 are targeted with ads conflating guns with masculinity so that by the time they turn 18, the seed has been planted. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us - Not Just Bikes - Air Date 3-6-23 Engineers, planners, politicians, and advocates all around the world are trying to improve their cities and build more great walkable places with viable alternatives to driving. But there's a looming trend that could undo all of that hard work Ch. 9: Of Meat and Men: How Beef Became Synonymous with Settler-Colonial Domination - Citations Needed - Air Date 6-30-21 "Beef. It’s what’s for dinner," the baritone voices of actors Robert Mitchum and Sam Elliott told us in the 1990s. "We’re not gonna let Joe Biden and Kamala Harris cut America’s meat!" cried Mike Pence during a speech in Iowa last year. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the counterweight to the power of marketing MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A 1930s print car ad shows an illustration of a large silver Pontiac car with nicely dressed couples admiring the outside. The tagline reads “If you want to ride in luxury and save your money, too… Pontiac’s the Answer”. Some ad copy is visible below the image in small unreadable text. Credit: “Pontiac Car 1938 Ad” by Indiana Ivy Nature Photographer, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, some left-side color extended Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 5-31-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Towel Day - Adults liking things made for kids - What it means for something to be suitable for kids or adults - Bronson Pinchot - The decline in students studying the humanities REFERENCES: The Real Reason Young Adults Seem Slow to ‘Grow Up’ This writer brilliantly explains to Bill Maher why millennials refuse to grow up We're All Babies Now Everyone needs to grow up The End of the English Major   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/3/2023 Today, we take a look at the dynamics at play between our immigration and labor policies that lead to the exploitation of children in dangerous and deadly jobs. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing Part 1 - Robert Reich - Air Date 5-16-23 Corporations are now using the “labor shortage” as an excuse to bring back child labor. It’s part of a horrifying trend: Since 2015, child labor violations have risen nearly 300%. Ch. 2: We Uncovered the Corporations Bringing Back Child Labor in America - More Perfect Union - Air Date 4-3-23 Iowa’s extreme child labor bill began in the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds and was written by top corporate lobbyists. Ch. 3: The Child Labor Crisis In America Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 5-4-23 Tonya Mosley spoke with New York Times investigative reporter Hannah Dreier, who has been reporting on the children, and Washington Post business reporter Jacob Bogage, who has been reporting on conservative campaign to weaken child labor laws Ch. 4: HORRIFIC Child Labor Practices In Dangerous Meatpacking Facility - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-23-23 NBC News Reporter Julia Ainsley reports on the accusation of PSSI using child migrant labor in Nebraska meatpacking plant. Ch. 5: Inside the Conservative Campaign to Relax Child Labor Laws - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 4-27-23 In a recent article, Washington Post reporter Jacob Bogage explains how campaigners are cloaking these rollbacks under cover of "parental rights." Bogage joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss why conservatives appear willing to put children at risk. Ch. 6: News Brief: Media's Credulous Labor Shortage Reporting Helps Lay Groundwork For Repealing Child Labor Laws - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-12-23 We detail how uncritical acceptance by centrist––and even liberal––media that the US is seeing an unprecedented "labor shortage" is helping justify repealing child labor protections in roughly a dozen states. Ch. 7: The Child Labor Crisis In America Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 5-4-23 Ch. 8: New York Times: Biden Admin Ignored Warnings About Migrant Child Labor, Punished Whistleblowers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-19-23 Our guest Hannah Dreier, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at _The New York Times_, has published a bombshell new investigation headlined "As Migrant Children Were Put to Work, U.S. Ignored Warnings." Ch. 9: NYT Exposé Shows Migrants Kids in U.S. Are Forced into Brutal Jobs for Major Brands - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-28-23 We speak with the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Hannah Dreier, We are also joined by Gregory Chen, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Ch. 10: Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing Part 2 - Robert Reich - Air Date 5-16-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: We Uncovered the Corporations Bringing Back Child Labor in America Part 2 - More Perfect Union - Air Date 4-3-23 Ch. 12: News Brief: Media's Credulous Labor Shortage Reporting Helps Lay Groundwork For Repealing Child Labor Laws Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-12-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on what child labor shows us about the ongoing debate within the GOP MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Colorized historic photo of Addie Card, a 12-year-old blonde girl in a smock with bare feet posing in front of machinery at a textile mill in 1910 where she worked. Her expression is neutral. Credit: “Addie Card, 12 years old. Spinner in cotton mill, North Pownal, Vermont, 1910”  by by Lewis W. Hine via the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Processed and colorized by Kelly Short using Gimp 2.6.11 | License: Public Domain  Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 8-2-2011 Today we take a hard look at the debt ceiling debate of 2011 because we’re going through the exact same thing right now with only a few of the names changed Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Debt Ceiling Fight Is Fake - Young Turks - Air Date 6-20-11 Ch. 2: Debt Ceiling Hypocrisy - Jim Hightower - Air Date: 7-11-11 Ch. 3: Armadebtdon 2011: National Bullshit Ceiling - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-18-11 Ch. 4: Lincoln, the 14th amendment and full faith and credit of the U.S. - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date: 7-26-11 Ch. 5: Media covering Obama and the debt negotiation - Counterspin - Air Date 7-28-11 Ch. 6: Rhetoric Surrounding Debt Ceiling Debate Gets Ridiculous - Media Matters - Air Date 7-12-11 Ch. 7: Debt to America! - The Bugle - Air Date 7-28-11 Ch. 8: Manufactured crises get solved easily and cynically - Common Sense - Air Date 7-20-11 Ch. 9: Who's lying more? - On the Media - Air Date 7-29-11 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/29/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the fundamental problems with our education system and explore alternatives to spark ideas for improvement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson - TED - Air Date 1-6-07 Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity. Ch. 2: The Problem With American Education - Second Thought - Air Date 3-9-21 Americans from across the political spectrum tend to agree that our education system is failing our students. In this episode, we'll take a look at three of the biggest problems the system faces, and consider some possible solutions. Ch. 3: Understanding the Principles of Montessori Education - New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand Institute - Air Date 5-19-22 What are the principles of Montessori education? How does it compare to other educational approaches? And how does it relate to Rand’s philosophy? Join Sam Weaver for an interview with Dr. Matt Bateman to explore answers to these questions. Ch. 4: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE News - Air Date 10-12-22 Homeschooling exploded when the COVID-19 pandemic pushed students online. But even though schools have reopened, many kids aren’t going back. VICE News investigates why families are opting out, and what happens to the institution of public school. Ch. 5: Why Black Parents are Choosing to Homeschool Their Kids - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 6-18-21 Homeschooling among Black families increased by 500% last year, reflecting an increasing trend across America. One that is especially pronounced in communities of color. Ch. 6: Teaching in the US vs. the rest of the world - Vox - Air Date 1-11-20 Teachers in America have a uniquely tough job. But it doesn't have to be that way. Ch. 7: Happy Finnish: Why Finland is the country to copy - The Bunker - Air Date 1-14-23 Finland is the happiest country on earth. What can we learn from this Nordic nation? How is its education, health care and housing systems different to ours? Ch. 8: Pasi Sahlberg: lessons from Finnish education - Social Europe Podcast - Air Date 2-7-22 Around the world, education 'reforms' have made schooling more market-mimicking and competitive, rendering education a 'club good' for the better off. Finland shows how treating education as a public good brings better student performance overall MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Philosophy of Quitting School at 8 Years Old (Grown Unschooler Interview) - Andrew Parker - Air Date 2-19-21 Sierra Allen quit school at 8 years old, and two decades later she still stands by that decision. In this conversation, I get an introduction to the unschooling philosophy that made this possible. Ch. 10: Boundless Life with Suzanne Perkowsky - Education on Fire - Air Date 3-12-23 Suzanne Perkowsky is the Head of Academics at Boundless Life. She was the co-founder of New Nordic Schools, a Finnish education development company that created the Nordic Baccalaureate based on the Finnish education system. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on why it's possible to improve an education system without replacing it MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of an empty classroom, rows of desks with blue, red and green chairs and a large blackboard on the back wall. Sunlight is shining in from unseen windows. Credit: “UF Norman Hall Desks Classroom” by Christopher Sessums, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness, contrast & saturation Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 5-15-2015 Today we take a hard look at modern-day civilization and culture and ponder what we could do to make things better Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Show Notes Act 1: The Death of Culture at the Hands of the Profit Motive - @majorityfm - Air Date: 01-20-15 Act 2: Visionary Sci Fi for an Age of Acquiescence - The F Word with @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 4-20-15 Act 3: .@ShawnAchor - The happy secret to better work - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 2-1-12 Act 4: A Brief History of Humankind - @DecodeDC - Air Date: 4-30-15 Act 5: Lacking liberty from slavery to feudalism to capitalism - Economic Update with @profwolff - Air Date: 2-1-15 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 5/23/2023 Today, instead of focusing on the problem, we take a look at the growing activism around the crisis of gun violence. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Perspectives on Activism Gun Violence - Hope College - Air Date 3-2-23 We know that not all individuals present will call themselves activists, but we hope the audience can apply what they learn to other areas of their lives. Ch. 2: March For Our Lives' David Hogg on renewed gun control debate following Nashville shooting - CBS News - Air Date 3-29-23 David Hogg, who helped start March For Our Lives after surviving the 2018 Parkland shooting, joins John Dickerson to discuss how to keep momentum behind the fight for gun control. Ch. 3: Fred Guttenberg on gun control ‘stop listening to the liars’ - MSNBC - Air Date 5-11-23 Parkland shooting victim’s father Fred Guttenberg joins Ana Cabrera ahead of his meeting with Senate Democrats on gun violence and the path forward as mass shootings remain a constant threat in America. Ch. 4: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones talks background checks and action on new gun laws - MSNBC - Air Date 4-12-23 Reinstated state lawmaker Justin Jones talks about Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s new executive order on strengthening background checks after Jones was expelled from the state’s legislature for participating in a rally for more gun laws. Ch. 5: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (Community Matters) - ThinkTech Hawaii - Air Date 8-18-22 What Can we Do to Help it in its Efforts. The host for this show is Jay Fidell. The guest is Erin Davis. Ch. 6: Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts on recent victories - MSNBC - Air Date 1-15-23 Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts joins Cori Coffin to discuss recent breakthroughs for gun control advocates in New York and Illinois, even as the nation continues to see tragedies. Ch. 7: Peace Makers canvassing Lynchburg Neighborhood where teen was shot - WSLS 10 - Air Date 4-16-23 Speaking with ex-gang members now working with the Peacemakers organization Ch. 8: As states grapple with age limits for buying guns, what’s the potential effect - PBS NewsHour - Air date 5-13-23 Lisa Geller joins John Yang to discuss the impact of age-restriction legislation is having in states that already have age restrictions on purchasing firearms in place. Ch. 9: Perspectives on Activism Gun Violence Part 2 - Hope College - Air Date 3-2-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Moms come together to call for gun reform on Mother’s Day - MSNBC - Air Date 5-15-23 This Mother’s Day a group of moms banded together to demand comprehensive gun reform and they are calling on the general public to help amplify their message. Ch. 11: “Shock & Surprise”Serbia Reels from Two Mass Shootings, Demands Stronger Gun Control - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-23 We speak with Serbian journalist Ljiljana Smajlović as Serbia reels from a pair of mass shootings that left 17 people dead, incidents that spurred mass protests and demands for stronger gun control. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Immigrating breaks social ties - Erin from (Just Outside) Philadelphia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how homophobia impedes male friendships MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: Protestors in red shirts gather on the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol building holding a large red sign that says “Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America” Credit: “Gathering before RALLY FOR SENATE ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION at the US Capitol Grounds” by Elbert Barnes  | License CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 5/2/2023 Today, we take a look at the intertwining of oil wealth, philanthropy, and culture washing from John Rockefeller to the sheiks of the Middle East. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Who Were the Robber Barons? - Brain Blaze - Air Date 10-29-19 The Robber Barons were some dudes who got rich and were pretty sketchy about it all, but then founded a bunch of universities and stuff like that, so I guess we're cool?  Ch. 2: Jane Mayer / The Koch Brothers and the Weaponizing of Philanthropy - EthicsinSociety - Air Date 4-6-16 Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again?  Ch. 3: “Sportswashing & Greenwashing”: Ex-Soccer Player Jules Boykoff on Qatar Hosting World Cup - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-29-22 We speak with author Jules Boykoff about the climate and political implications of the 2022 World Cup.  Ch. 4: How One Industry Controls Football - Athletic Interest - Air Date 11-5-21 Who controls football? Ch. 5: Why Billionaire Philanthropy Won't Solve Anything - Second Thought - Air Date 2-25-22 You ever notice how oligarchs like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are cast as these uber-wealthy saviors who are singlehandedly raising the world out of poverty? That doesn't happen by accident. Ch. 6: What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)? - Freakonomics - Air Date 6-8-22 In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf league that’s challenging the P.G.A. Tour.  Ch. 7: Why Billionaires Won't Save Us - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 5-21-21 I look at how the elite philanthropy of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk function as more of a billionaire preservation of wealth and self than as an act of altruism. Ch. 8: Anand Giridharadas: Why We Should Be Skeptical of Billionaires - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 9-19-18 Anand Giridharadas believes we should be a bit more skeptical about embracing billionaires as the change-makers of our era.  MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The 2022 FIFA World Cup And The Rise Of 'Sportswashing' (In The Loop) - Scripps News - Air Date 11-21-22 Christian Bryant explores why sporting events are and can be held in countries with authoritarian regimes in this segment of "Scoreboard." Ch. 10: Fixing the Economy - Garys Economics - Air Date 11-27-22 After having opened up the publics eyes to the problem of Wealth Inequality, Gary reveals to the Channel his own idea for a possible Wealth Tax. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Reaching a conclusion on understanding the J.K Rowling episode - Boris from Belgium Ch. 12: The is/ought malfunction in our pattern recognition - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the is/ought problem of politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A diptych of photos of Mohammad bin Salman and a painting of John. D. Rockefeller. A drop of black oil falls into a splash over the center of the image. Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo of “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stands with Deputy Crown Price of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud” by U.S. Secretary of Defense, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0) | Changes: Cropped / Photo of painting of J.D. Rockefeller by John Singer Sargent, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped / Oil drop and splash from Pixabay. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 2/17/2017 Today we look at the state of the corporate-controlled media in the age of Trump, how you can navigate those murky waters, and what we can do to make it better. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] ​Show Notes Ch. 1: Diversify your news - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 11-24-16 Ch. 2: Spicer vs. the Interns - On the Media - Air Date 1-27-17 Ch. 3: Is Donald Trump good for journalism? - The Inquiry - Air Date 2-13-17 Ch. 4: Keep Going Back to Substance and the Truth - On the Media - Air Date 1-27-17 Ch. 5: Is 'Biased News' More Destructive Than Fake News? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-23-16 Ch. 6: Ned Beatty's NETWORK speech-by Paddy Chayefsky Activism: TAKE ACTION Go to FAIR.org to get Action Alerts and become a “media activist” Check out FAIR’s Media Activism Kit  Subscribe to FAIR’s CounterSpin podcast Member of the media? Check out FAIR’s Media Advisories EDUCATE YOURSELF NYT’s False Choice for Democrats: Move to the Right or Divide by Race (FAIR) Jessica Gonzalez on FCC Chair Ajit Pai (FAIR's CounterSpin) Scrutiny for Supreme Court Pick Fails to Focus on Rights of Disabled (FAIR) ACTION ALERT: WaPo’s Post Live Series Is a Love Letter to Corporate Conflicts of Interest (FAIR) Trump’s Inauguration and the Legitimacy Fetish (FAIR) Daily Kos Founder Gleefully Celebrates Coal Miners Losing Health Insurance (FAIR) Written by BOTL Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 5/16/2023 Today, we take a look at the current state and deep context for why our immigration and asylum system broken, and why our policies have made it worse rather than better, all while stoking anti-immigrant hatred. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The law that broke US immigration - Vox - Air Date 8-9-21 Why the US has so many undocumented immigrants. Ch. 2: Biden & The Border - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-1-23 Explaining the lackluster immigration policy of the Biden administration in contrast to the disaster of the Trump administration Ch. 3: The US has a 'thirst' for immigrant workers. Why do so many struggle to get legal status? - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-20-21 President Joe Biden has said that changing immigration law remains an important piece of his agenda. But the path to new legislation is complex and hardly clear. One of the biggest flashpoints in this debate is questions about undocumented workers Ch. 4: Amid Growing Anti-Immigrant Hate, 8 Killed as Driver Plows Into Group Near Migrant Shelter in Texas - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-8-23 We get an update from South Texas, where eight people were killed and at least 10 more injured Sunday in Brownsville after a driver rammed his SUV into a group of people near a shelter for migrants. Ch. 5: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist on the Expiration of Title 42 - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 5-12-23 We continue to unpack the expiration of Title 42 and the impact on those entering the U.S. illegally. Bianna speaks to journalist Caitlin Dickerson, who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her extensive reporting on immigration. Ch. 6: A Nation of Hating Immigrants - Latino Rebels Radio - Air Date 5-11-23 Amid a wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and violence, Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Roberto Lopez to discuss the circumstances around the tragedy in Brownsville, Texas, and how the country has become a nation of hating immigrants. Ch. 7: The Abuse of Migrant Workers - In The Thick - Air Date 4-26-23 Fernanda Santos leads a discussion with Fernanda Echavarri and Tina Vasquez about their explosive two-part investigation, “Head Down,” which examines the abuse of migrant workers under the H-2A visa program. Ch. 8: The case for immigration - The David McWilliams Podcast - Air Date 2-6-23 Immigrants are used to having it hard, both in life and in the public eye where they are often vilified. This lambasting though is based on nothing more than lies - the truth is that immigrants help society grow and prosper. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The law that could bring Florida's economy to a halt - Make Me Smart - Air Date 5-12-23 As the Title 42 immigration policy ends at the border, a new immigration law that aims to crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers has been signed in Florida. We get into the economic implications of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new immigration policy. Ch. 10: Florida's New Immigration Bill Is A DISASTER! - Law Firm of Moumita Rahman - Air Date 5-12-23 I share insights into the new anti-immigration bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The recently signed Florida immigration law has raised serious concerns, primarily due to its potential implications for undocumented immigrants. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Republicans cynically supporting and abhorring child labor exploitation MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a section of the U.S. border fence in Tijuana, Mexico with people visible on the opposite side. A concrete building stands on a hill in the near distance. Credit: “Tijuana Through the Fence” by Tony Webster, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 5/13/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and resurgent idea of the company town, sometimes described by other names to obscure the reality, and the problem of affordable housing they are trying to solve. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22 There's a tendency to think about company towns as a quaint relic of the past, something that disappeared a century ago. But company towns aren't just some quirk of American history, they are American history. Ch. 2: Chicago's South Side Nightmare - The Rise and Fall of Pullman's Utopia - It's History - Air Date 10-22-22 The neighborhood we know today as Pullman was the first industrial planned community in the U.S., explicitly built for the Pullman Palace Car Company employees. Ch. 3: The Coal Town System - PBS - Air Date 1-13-16 West Virginia coal operators built small, company-owned towns for their miners to live in. The coal towns were almost always unincorporated; there were no elected officials, no independent police forces. Ch. 4: Why Elon Musk Is Planning Towns for Tesla, SpaceX and Boring Co. Workers - Wall Street Journal - Air Date 5-8-23 In the almost 200 years that company towns have existed in the U.S., rarely do these planned communities live up to their creator’s utopian vision. WSJ explores why Musk is looking to the company town model for his properties in Texas. Ch. 5: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns 2 - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22 Ch. 6: Elon Musk Wants To Build DYSTOPIAN Company Town - Breaking Points w James Li - Air Date 5-6-23 James Li breaks down the dystopian dreams of Elon Musk to build a modern-day company town. Ch. 7: The Housing Crisis Is So Bad Disney Is Building Housing For Workers - TYT - Air Date 11-26-22 Workers are struggling with the high cost of living near Disney World, so the corporate giant will build 1,300 affordable housing units near the park. Ch. 8: Seattle’s Social Housing Initiative Camille Gix - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-14-23 Camille Gix then joins to walk through Seattle’s I-135 initiative, what “Social Housing” implies, and why this model can bolster the reclamation of housing from the financial world to the public realm. Ch. 9: Vishaan Chakrabarti: A vision of sustainable housing for all of humanity - TED - Air Date 2-20-22 Architect Vishaan Chakrabarti wants us to start thinking about how we'll house all these people -- and how new construction can fight climate change rather than make it worse MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns 3 - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22 Ch. 11: Arizona schools build tiny homes for teachers - CNN - Air Date 5-1-23 School districts in Arizona are building their own affordable housing for teachers, hoping to recruit a bigger and better batch of educators to address the ongoing shortage. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the right to repair and why we all live in a company town MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: Black and white photo of simple, identical concrete row houses fading off into the distance. Credit: “Deutsch: "Schweizer Häuschen" in der Bayreuther Sozialsiedlung Burg” by Röhrensee, 1972 | License: CC BY SA-3.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 9/15/2017 Today we look at the history and structures of authoritarianism and explore how they relate to the Trump campaign and administration Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Show Notes Act 1: It can't happen here Part 1 - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 Act 2: Evan McMullin on spotting the dangers of authoritarianism - Primary Concerns from @NewRepublic - Air Date 1-4-17 Act 3: Opposing conservative policies and authoritarianism - Who. What. Why. - Air Date 2-11-17 Act 4: It can't happen here Part 2 - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 Act 5: Historian Timothy Snyder on the prospect of tyranny in America - This is Hell - Air Date 4-29-17 Act 6: Why Arpaio's Pardon Could Trigger Constitutional Crisis - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 08-29-17 Act 7: Full Frontal Is Scared: Masha Gessen Edition - Full Frontal with Samantha Bee - Air Date 1-18-17 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date: 5-10-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Self-Love and Loneliness - Friends - Commercialized Coitus - Why men are perfectly fine REFERENCES: Self-Love Is Making Us Lonely - Time ‘When people can talk about sex, they flourish’: the rise of sexual wellness - The Guardian Straight Male Friend - SNL What’s the Matter with Men? Chad Daniels | Twelfth Night | Daddy Issues   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 5/9/2023 Today, we take a look at the hyper-polarization of our era and the anti-democratic instincts of the right taking hold in state legislatures. Building on a decade of gerrymandering and voter suppression within a structurally undemocratic American system that has helped Republicans create minority rule in many places and unearned super-majorities in others, they have now turned to simply ejecting their elected political opponents from fully representing their constituents. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Long division: America’s busy state legislatures - The Intelligence from The Economist - Air Date 2-9-23 America’s Congress may be gridlocked, but its state legislatures certainly aren’t.  Ch. 2: GOP legislatures gaming elections, suppressing voting - The BradCast - Air Date 5-4-23 In Ohio, Republicans are pushing a scheme to raise the qualification threshold for ballot initiatives before voters can mobilize to stop them. Ch. 3: Banned MT Dem Zooey Zephyr: Silencing me is 'using decorum as a tool of oppression' - The Last Word - Air Date 4-26-23 MSNBC's Ali Velshi reports on the vote Wednesday by Montana House Republicans to ban Democratic State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who is trans, after she spoke out against anti-trans legislation. Ch. 4: Have State Legislatures Gone Rogue? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-5-23 The story of two lawmakers expelled from the Tennessee legislature captured headlines across the country. Ch. 5: Deciding the Fate of Democracy in North Carolina - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 5-7-23 So far, 27 people in North Carolina have been indicted in connection with the effort to overturn the 2020 election on January 6th. Ch. 6: “Courage Is Contagious”: Zooey Zephyr & Justin Jones on the GOP’s Silencing of State Lawmakers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-23 Tennessee’s Justin Jones and Montana’s Zooey Zephyr, two Democratic state lawmakers who were both punished by their Republican-led legislatures for peaceful protests, say the only way to fight such anti-democratic moves is through broad solidarity. Ch. 7: North Carolina lawmaker Tricia Cotham switches to GOP, votes to ban abortion - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-4-23 "This is a woman who spoke movingly about her own abortion on the floor of the North Carolina statehouse in 2015 when she was arguing against abortion restrictions," says Chris Hayes on State Rep. Tricia Cotham. Ch. 8: “Rising Tide of Fascism”: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones Warns of GOP’s Embrace of Authoritarianism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-23 The largely white Tennessee House of Representatives, with its heavily gerrymandered Republican supermajority, expelled two members, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the two youngest Black representatives in the House. Ch. 9: Tyranny of the Minority: How American Democracy Came to the Breaking Point - Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs - Air Date 5-1-23 Steven Levitsky is David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Polarization Of State Legislatures - Not Another Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-1-23 Are state legislatures polarizing as well? And, if they are, what can that tell us about the state of our democracy? VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Thoughts on big ideas to redistribute wealth - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on an analogy that explains the dangers of poorly framed arguments SHOW IMAGE Description: A distorted, high-contrast photo of an American flag on a flag pole against a dark red sky. Credit: "redflag" by AK Rockerfeller, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped  

Air Date 5/5/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and present of the labor movement to demonstrate how times may change but the fundamental struggle, including many of the exact tactics, remains the same. Plus, get ready to get excited about salts, the secret ingredient in labor movement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 1 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23 RNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez joins Rattling the Bars for a discussion on the history of May Day, and how the persecution of organizers in the wake of the Haymarket Massacre highlights the importance of extending solidarity Ch. 2: The History of May Day - The Young Turks - Air Date 5-2-23 The Young Turks discuss the history of May Day. Ch. 3: Labor in America Part 1 - The Zero Hour - Air Date 1-21-23 Heidi Shierholz is President of the Economic Policy Institute Ch. 4: Secret Union Tactic Fuels Unprecedented Labor Wins - Bloomberg Originals - Air Date 4-3-23 Bloomberg's Josh Eidelson explains the tactic's recent revival after exclusive visits to undercover training sessions over the past year. Ch. 5: Donna Murch on Rutgers Labor Action - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-21-23 We’ll get an update from Donna Murch, associate professor of history at Rutgers, and New Brunswick chapter president of Rutgers AAUP-AFT. Ch. 6: Labor in America Part 2 - The Zero Hour - Air Date 1-21-23 Ch. 7: Union Organizing 101 Building Class Solidarity Every Day - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-18 Jane McAlevey on strengthening the union movement. Ch. 8: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 2 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 3 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23 Ch. 10: Jane McAlevey on Deep Organizing - Jacobin - Air Date 12-10-18 Unions are the weakest they have been in a century. But, as Jane McAlevey explains, the story of a group of Philadelphia nurses shows that deep organizing and a willingness to strike can still win. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Nuances to add to the JK Rowling episode - Soph FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on framing arguments in defense of trans lives MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: Labor protesters march on a city sidewalk. The person in the front holds a placard that says “Support Amazon Labor Union.” The person behind them holds a sign that says “Starbucks: Union Busting is Disgusting.” A third person in the line wears a sign that says “Safety & Unions For All Workers.” Credits: “Philly Solidarity with Starbucks, Amazon & all workers organizing!” By Joe Piette, Flickr | License: CC BY- SA 2.0 | Changes: Slight increase in contrast Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/2/2023 Today, we take a look at the intertwining of oil wealth, philanthropy, and culture washing from John Rockefeller to the sheiks of the Middle East. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Who Were the Robber Barons? - Brain Blaze - Air Date 10-29-19 The Robber Barons were some dudes who got rich and were pretty sketchy about it all, but then founded a bunch of universities and stuff like that, so I guess we're cool?  Ch. 2: Jane Mayer / The Koch Brothers and the Weaponizing of Philanthropy - EthicsinSociety - Air Date 4-6-16 Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again?  Ch. 3: “Sportswashing & Greenwashing”: Ex-Soccer Player Jules Boykoff on Qatar Hosting World Cup - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-29-22 We speak with author Jules Boykoff about the climate and political implications of the 2022 World Cup.  Ch. 4: How One Industry Controls Football - Athletic Interest - Air Date 11-5-21 Who controls football? Ch. 5: Why Billionaire Philanthropy Won't Solve Anything - Second Thought - Air Date 2-25-22 You ever notice how oligarchs like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are cast as these uber-wealthy saviors who are singlehandedly raising the world out of poverty? That doesn't happen by accident. Ch. 6: What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)? - Freakonomics - Air Date 6-8-22 In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf league that’s challenging the P.G.A. Tour.  Ch. 7: Why Billionaires Won't Save Us - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 5-21-21 I look at how the elite philanthropy of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk function as more of a billionaire preservation of wealth and self than as an act of altruism. Ch. 8: Anand Giridharadas: Why We Should Be Skeptical of Billionaires - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 9-19-18 Anand Giridharadas believes we should be a bit more skeptical about embracing billionaires as the change-makers of our era.  MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The 2022 FIFA World Cup And The Rise Of 'Sportswashing' (In The Loop) - Scripps News - Air Date 11-21-22 Christian Bryant explores why sporting events are and can be held in countries with authoritarian regimes in this segment of "Scoreboard." Ch. 10: Fixing the Economy - Garys Economics - Air Date 11-27-22 After having opened up the publics eyes to the problem of Wealth Inequality, Gary reveals to the Channel his own idea for a possible Wealth Tax. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Reaching a conclusion on understanding the J.K Rowling episode - Boris from Belgium Ch. 12: The is/ought malfunction in our pattern recognition - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the is/ought problem of politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A diptych of photos of Mohammad bin Salman and a painting of John. D. Rockefeller. A drop of black oil falls into a splash over the center of the image. Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo of “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stands with Deputy Crown Price of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud” by U.S. Secretary of Defense, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0) | Changes: Cropped / Photo of painting of J.D. Rockefeller by John Singer Sargent, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped / Oil drop and splash from Pixabay. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 4/26/2023 Today, we take a look at the trials and tribulations facing the youth today as men and boys are being surpassed academically by women and girls and girls are suffering disproportionately under the weight of the toxic forces of social media. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Senator Josh Hawley on masculinity - Axios on HBO - Air Date 11-7-21 Axios’ Mike Allen sits down with Missouri Senator Josh Hawley to discuss the senator's comments on masculinity. Ch. 2: Male inequality, explained by an expert | Richard Reeves - Big Think - Air Date 1-4-23 Modern males are struggling. Author Richard Reeves outlines the three major issues boys and men face and shares possible solutions. Ch. 3: Liz Plank & Richard Reeves Debate Gender Inequality - The Man Enough Podcast - Air Date 4-5-23 Brookings Institution scholar and acclaimed author Richard Reeves tackles the pressing issue of young men falling behind, on a mission to uplift them without jeopardizing women's rights. Ch. 4: Teenage girls experiencing record high levels of sadness, violence and trauma, CDC says - PBS Newshour - Air Date 2-20-23 In 2021, the CDC saw an increase in mental health challenges across the board, but it’s girls in the U.S. that are engulfed in a wave of sadness, violence, and trauma.Stephanie Sy spoke with Sharon Hoover about the survey. Ch. 5: The Number One Reason This Generation Is Struggling | Scott Galloway Part 1 - The Diary of a CEO - Air Date 10-27-22 Scott Galloway, or ‘Prof G’ to his fans, is one of the most influential business thought leaders in the world. Host of The Prof G Show, one of the most popular business podcasts in America Ch. 6: What the Andrew Tate phenomenon reveals about our society | Richard Reeves - Keep Talking - Air Date 11-13-22 Ch. 7: Social media companies face legal scrutiny over deteriorating mental health among teens - PBS Newshour - Air Date 2-14-23 A national survey by the CDC sounded a new alarm about teens in crisis. It shows nearly 30% of teenage girls said they considered dying by suicide, and three out of five girls said they felt persistently sad or hopeless. Ch. 8: Are the Kids Alright — with Jonathan Haidt Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-27-20 NYU social psychologist Jonathan Haidt has spent the last few years trying to figure out why, working with fellow psychologist Jean Twenge, and he believes social media is to blame. Ch. 9: The Number One Reason This Generation Is Struggling | Scott Galloway Part 2 - The Diary of a CEO - Air Date 10-27-22 Ch. 10: Are the Kids Alright — with Jonathan Haidt Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-27-20 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Spotlight — Addressing the TikTok Threat - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 9-8-22 This week on Your Undivided Attention, we bring you a bonus episode about TikTok. Co-hosts Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin explore the nature of the TikTok threat, and how we might address it. Ch. 12: Male inequality, explained by an expert | Richard Reeves Part 2 - Big Think - Air Date 1-4-23 VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Continuing discussion of J.K. Rowling episode - VoiceMailer Boris Ch. 14: Marking an isolating Black leaders - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the fundamental disconnections that tend to drive modern debate MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 4-21-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - How you’re seen by others is important - Jokes are learning - Injecting money into morality breaks people’s brains - Remembering the labor movement - Another frustrating Atlantic article, this time about France REFERENCES: Sand Talk: How Indigenous Thinking Can Save the World (Affiliate: Book, Audio) The French are in a Panic over Le Wokisme - The Atlantic Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 4/19/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and present of the interconnected movements to privatize education and dismantle democracy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Segrenomics: The Long History of Cashing In On Unequal Education - Have You Heard - Air Date 1-3-18 Education reform is often referred to as the "civil rights issue of our time." But what would have happened if "edupreneurs" had used their money, influence, connections and access to solve the riddle of why we can't integrate schools? Ch. 2: Democracy and Public Education: A Future in Peril - Have You Heard - Air Date 8-12-21 Why are the same states that are rolling back democracy also intent on dismantling public education? We assembled an all-star cast to get some answers. Ch. 3: The Hidden Agenda of Privatization with Jessica Piper (pt.1) - Teach Me, Teacher - Air Date 10-31-21 Jessica Piper, a previous middle and high school English teacher and now candidate for Missouri state representative, believes there's a far bigger agenda behind the outrage we are currently hearing about. Ch. 4: Betsy DeVos Is Still Making Moves to Destroy Public Schools - The New Abnormal - Air Date 4-1-23 Betsy DeVos is no longer wreaking havoc as former President Donald Trump’s Secretary of Education, but even without the title, the Republican donor is still actively making moves to “destroy” the public school system. Ch. 5: The Surprising History Behind Charter Schools - WBUR - Air Date 11-4-16 Today, teachers' unions are among the fiercest opponents of charter schools in the United States. The fact that a legendary union president was maybe the key champion of the idea tells you how much things have changed in 30 years. Ch. 6: The Segrenomics of American Education w/ Dr. Noliwe Rooks - Human Restoration Project - Air Date 2-11-23 Because it is so well researched and presented, Cutting School: The Segrenomics of American Education, is a frustrating read. To tell the story of privatization, segregation, & the end of public education requires a massive cast. Ch. 7: The War on Public Education Is Escalating – with Jennifer Berkshire - Is This Democracy - Air Date 3-16-23 We are in the midst of an escalating rightwing assault on public education in America. It comes in the form of an attempted authoritarian takeover of schools and universities, in hundreds of bills establishing state censorship, banning books, ect. Ch. 8: Diane Ravitch on Pandemic School Privatization - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-22-20 We talk with Diane Ravitch about the latest scheme for rich folks to decide what's best for schools their children don't attend. Ch. 9: Racism-High-Stakes Disaster Education | Dr. Ricardo Rosa - TEDxCCSU - Air Date 11-24-15 Dr. Rosa is a member of Save Our Schools, United Opt-Out and the Badass Teachers Association. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Leadership at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, an activist, writer, and researcher. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE NEWS - Air Date 10-12-22 VICE News investigates why families are opting out, and what happens to the institution of public school when people abandon it. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Thanks for the Rowling episode - VoicedMailer Roland Ch. 12: Regarding Puberty Blockers - VoicedMailer J Ch. 13: Thoughts on the J.K. Rowling episode - VoicedMailer Boris Ch. 14: Something to add to the JK Rowling episode - VoicedMailer Daniel FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on responses to the trans rights and authoritarianism episode MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 4/16/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the arguments of the anti-trans feminist movement, known by its most prominent proponent, J.K. Rowling, all in the shadow of the anti-trans fervor of the right wing which is checking off the stages of genocide like a to-do list. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Stage 1 - Classification | The Ten Stages of Genocide by Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch - Air Date 9-1-21 Ch. 2: Understanding The 'Logic' Of TERFs - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 2-13-22 Why do TERFs think the way they do? The history of TERFs goes way back before JK Rowling. In the 1980s TERF Janice Raymond ran a successful campaign to push Sandy Stone out of Olivia Records. Ch. 3: Comments 1: Introducing Authoritarianism Ch. 4: Stage 3 - Discrimination | The Ten Stages of Genocide by Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch - Air Date 9-15-21 Ch. 5: Transphobia In A Suit - The Anti-Trans Hate Machine: A Plot Against Equality - Air Date 7-22-21 Imara investigates the influence the Heritage Foundation had in infusing anti-trans ideology into the government during Trump’s presidency—a legacy the Biden administration is still trying to unravel. Ch. 6: Comments 2: Reasons for the extreme defense of trans rights Ch. 7: Stage 4 - Dehumanization | The Ten Stages of Genocide by Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch - Air Date 9-22-21 Ch. 8: American Fascism And The Groomer Panic Part 1 - Second Thought - Air Date 2-24-23 We've seen a number of moral panics over the decades, and this one is no different. Come learn how the same old tropes are being recycled to animate this latest strain Ch. 9: Comments 3: Just asking questions Ch. 10: Stage 5 - Organization | The Ten Stages of Genocide by Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch - Air Date 9-29-21 Ch. 11: American Fascism And The Groomer Panic Part 2 - Second Thought - Air Date 2-24-23 Ch. 12: Comments 4: Straw men and moderates Ch. 13: Stage 6 - Polarization | The Ten Stages of Genocide by Dr. Gregory Stanton - Genocide Watch - Air Date 10-6-21 Ch. 14: Can We Stop the GOP From “Eradicating” Trans People? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-8-23 Pastor Martin Niemöller’s famous poem begins, “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out because I was not a socialist.” But, in fact, first they came for the queer people. A year before Nazis began attacking union leaders and socialists Ch. 15: Comments 5: Who understands Harry Potter? Ch. 16: Comments 6: Misogyny in the movement Ch. 17: Comments 7: Fueling anger and emboldening action Ch. 18: TERFs and the Fascist Roots of Anti-Trans Movements - Jessie Gender - Air Date 3-22-23 At a gender-critical TERF rally in Melbourne, Australia, Neo-Nazis showed up to support the anti-trans rhetoric... and this shouldn't surprise anyone. Ch. 19: Comments 8: If nazis are supporting your movement... FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 20: Final comments on reimagining reality MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: The sentence “Trans Rights Are Human Rights” is repeated in alternating colors of the transgender pride flag. The UN Free & Equal logo is on the bottom right corner. Credit: "#TransRightsAreHumanRights" UN Human Rights (@UNHumanRights) initiative UN Free & Equal (@free_equal)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Original Air Date 4/20/2022 Today we take a look at the bizarre halo effect that seems to surround Elon Musk and then thoroughly puncture it by just explaining a few things about him and his companies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Myth Of The "Self-Made" Billionaire - Second Thought - Air Date 9-10-21 It’s no secret that Americans love to hear about billionaires. You’ll find them everywhere. They’re on the news [Bezos space launch], have their own TV shows, movies, and even make their way to elected office. Ch. 2: Is Elon Musk a Fraud - Deconstructed - Air Date 5-14-20 Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to voice his frustrations about the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in Alameda County, California. The billionaire entrepreneur threatened that he would take his auto factory to another state Ch. 3: Tesla SUED Over Racial Discrimination In The Workplace - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-12-22 Elon Musk and Tesla are coming under fire as the state of California is suing the company for allegedly running a “racially segregated” workplace. Black workers are reportedly concentrated in certain parts of the factory and are constantly berated Ch. 4: Elon Musk Is Not Your Friend - Some More News - Air Date 5-10-21 Hi. Elon Musk will not save us. Sorry. Ch. 5: Elon Musk’s Childlike Libertarian Fantasy That Government Is The Biggest Corporation - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-9-21 Billionaire memelord Elon Musk has dropped yet another batcrap Libertarian rant for his adoring fans, this time regarding the bloodthirsty government and how he hates the pesky electric vehicle subsidies that he would (and already does) benefit from. Ch. 6: Elon Trolls the SEC - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 4-8-22 With 9.1% ownership of Twitter—and a board seat—Elon Musk is the new master of Twitter's future. Why did the wealthiest man in the world just take over the world's most influential platform? Ch. 7: Elon, Segregationist & Culture War in Colorado w/ Chase Woodruff - Left Reckoning - Air Date 2-23-22 The real reason Elon Musk fleed California: incredible racism and animal cruelty charges. Also, how he's giving marching orders to Texas cops. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Elon Musk Isn’t Saving Humanity w/ Manu Saadia - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-25-21 Paris Marx is joined by Manu Saadia to discuss the roots of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ visions for space, and why they serve the billionaires’ need for control, not the betterment of humanity. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Back on the path - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on foundational ideas that help explain politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 4-6-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Reactions to the Half Hour News Hour - A layered conservative joke? - Romance bots for all - Tech bros are 8-year-olds - How to teach American history REFERENCES: Half Hour News Hour Snipits Time to take biden to the train station What Happens When Sexting Chatbots Dump Their Human Lovers Super League: The War for Football Elon Musk Sets Poop Emoji as an Autoreply to Twitter’s Press Email A view of American History that Leads to One Conclusion   Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 4/2/2022 Today we take a look at the modern reality of cyber war. It's not the mass destruction of attacks that were imagined to look like a "Cyber Pearl Harbor" but the much more subtle cyber attacks that often fly under the radar and live in the grey area in attempts to inflict harm without provoking counterattack. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andy Greenberg - Longform - Air Date 12-11-19 Andy Greenberg is a senior writer for Wired. His new book is Sandworm. “I kind of knew I was never going to get access to Sandworm, which is the title of the book - so it was all about drawing a picture around this invisible monster.” Ch. 2: How America’s gas got hacked - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-12-21 The largest-known ransomware attack on American energy infrastructure is driving up gas prices and creating shortages. Wired's Lily Hay Newman says Colonial Pipeline might be a turning point for cybersecurity. Ch. 3: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 1 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 There are currently a number of serious allegations made in the West against Russia. They include the attempted murder of the former spy Sergei Skripal on British soil; interference in the 2016 US election; the hacking of the American electricity grid. Ch. 4: How prepared is the U.S. to fend off cyber warfare? Better at offense than defense, author says - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-6-18 Sanger joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the threats and realities, how the U.S. wages cyber warfare, and how prepared the U.S. is to stop attacks. Ch. 5: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 2 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 Ch. 6: Russia Perfected Its Cyberwarfare In Ukraine — America Could Pay The Price - Think | NBC News - Air Date 11-23-19 Russia has been practicing cyberwar in a real-life test lab — Ukraine. Andy Greenberg, author of 'Sandworm', recounts how Russia went from repeatedly shutting down Ukraine's infrastructure to unleashing worms that caused billions of dollars in damage. Ch. 7: Is World War III Already Here? - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 1-3-22 Warfare has changed so fundamentally, that we're currently in a war we don't even recognize. It's the war that Russia, China, and other hostile foreign actors are fighting against us — weaponizing social media to undermine our faith in each other MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 5-21-21 Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas prices skyrocketed, people started hoarding gas, and DarkSide walked away with over $4 million in Bitcoin. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Puberty blockers experimental? - Maria in Pennsylvania FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the deception and logical fallacies at the heart of critiques of gender affirming care MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/31/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and legacy of the invasion of Iraq by the United States under George W. Bush and his administration with the support of the vast majority of Americans who had been systematically mislead by falsified evidence used to make the case for war. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Check out The Laura Flanders Show! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Catastrophic Iraqi Writers Sinan Antoon & Feurat Alani Reflect on U.S. Invasion 20 Years Later Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-20-23 We spend today's show with two Iraqis looking back at how the unprovoked U.S. invasion devastated Iraq and helped destabilize much of the Middle East. Ch. 2: How To Start A War And Get Away With It Part 1 - AJ+ - Air Date 3-16-23 Twenty years ago the U.S. began its invasion of Iraq. What came next is a story well tread— a bloody, brutal and senseless war— but what lead up to the invasion deserves just as much scrutiny Ch. 3: 20 years on, should George W. Bush be on trial for Iraq Part 1 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 3-16-23 20 years after the launch of the disastrous invasion of Iraq, Mehdi is asking: Isn’t it finally time to hold George W. Bush accountable for the brutal war and the lies he told us about it? Ch. 4: How To Start A War And Get Away With It Part 2 - AJ+ - Air Date 3-16-23 Ch. 5: Norman Solomon on the Iraq Invasion, 20 Years Later - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-24-23 We’ll talk about it with author, critic and longtime friend of FAIR Norman Solomon. What passes for debate about why we must remain at some kind of war—cold, hot, corporate, stealth, acknowledged, denied has roots worth studying in 2003. Ch. 6: 20 years on, should George W. Bush be on trial for Iraq Part 2 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 3-16-23 Ch. 7: “To Start a War” by Robert Draper - PBS - Air Date 8-7-20 On the Washington Week Extra, New York Times Magazine writer at large and National Geographic contributing writer Robert Draper discusses his latest book, "To Start a War: How the Bush Administration Took America into Iraq.” Ch. 8: Death, Destruction & Resilience Nadje Al-Ali on the 20th Anniversary of U.S. Invasion of Iraq - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-16-23 “The story of the past 20 years is a story of destruction, devastation, corruption, incompetence, but also a story of resilience,” says Nadje Al-Ali, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at Brown University Ch. 9: Catastrophic Iraqi Writers Sinan Antoon & Feurat Alani Reflect on U.S. Invasion 20 Years Later Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-20-23 Ch. 10: 20 years on, should George W. Bush be on trial for Iraq Part 3 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 3-16-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Lessons America Refuses To Learn From The Iraq Disaster w/ Spencer Ackerman - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-21-23 Sam hosts Spencer Ackerman, columnist for The Nation and author of the Forever Wars newsletter on Ghost, to discuss his recent piece “The Unlearned Lessons From the War in Iraq”. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Leftists are now war mongers - Ronald Bruce Meyer Ch. 13: Senseless war - VoicedMailer Marg Comment on your recent Ukraine podcast - VoicedMailer Trevor FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the moral responsibility of inaction in Ukraine MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 3/16/2022 Today we take a look at the dynamics of mis- and disinformation as well as the history of those, primarily Russia, who are actively using it as a weapon of information warfare against the US, The West, and democracies around the world. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are you Disinformed or Misinformed? - Harvard Data Science Review Podcast - Air Date 6-17-21 Harvard Data Science Review digs into the world of disinformation and misinformation, and the difference between them. Ch. 2: Moving beyond news deserts and misinformation - Democracy Works - Air Date 2-14-22 Victor Pickard is the C. Edwin Baker Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Democracy Without Journalism? Ch. 3: Why "Cheap Speech" Threatens Democracy - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-5-22 Dahlia talks to Rick Hasen about his new book Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics–and How to Cure It. Ch. 4: The Firehose of Falsehood Effect - The Propwatch Project - Air Date 4-4-21 Dr. Christopher Paul, senior social scientist of the Pardee RAND Graduate School, discusses his seminal work on the "Firehose of Falsehood" propaganda model, going through its key components and explaining how each exploits facets of human heuristics. Ch. 5: The long history of Russian disinformation targeting the U.S. - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-22-18 A recent New York Times video series explores the long history of Russian disinformation Ch. 6: Post-Truth: Lee C. McIntyre - Future Hindsight - Air Date 5-14-20 Authoritarians use post-truth to corrupt our faith in the truth. The end goal is not to make citizens believe lies, but to make them so cynical and uncertain, they think they can never know the truth. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Inside Estonia's approach in combating Russian disinformation - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-15-22 Russian disinformation is rife in countries formerly ruled from Moscow. Some ex-Soviet states have tried to suppress it altogether by banning Russian television stations and even limiting the use of the Russian language on their own domestic channels. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Seeking power from the right and left - Alex from Maryland Old FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on avoiding the nihilism strategy of the Underpants Gnomes TAKE ACTION! Media Literacy Now - Advocate for U.S. Media Literacy Bills at State Level (See Existing Media Literacy Bills and Laws) Tools to Fight Disinformation: FactCheck.Org List: Tools That Fight Disinformation Online (RAND.org) InVID - Browser plug in to help identify and verify shared videos and images Hamilton 2.0 Dashboard - War in Ukraine (Disinformation tracker) Orgs Fighting Disinformation: Project Origin Content Authenticity Initiative Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity News Literacy Project Alliance for Securing Democracy EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Short Docuseries: Operation InfeKtion (New York Times) Book: “The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread” by Calin O’Connor and James Owen Weatherall Video Series: Crash Course Media Literacy Training: First Draft News - Training Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  SHOW IMAGE: Description: In graphic form, the word "TRUTH" is angled and textured in red. A magnifying glass hovers over most of the letter "U" and the word "LIES" can be seen repeated in rows through the circular glass. Credit: Original design on Pixabay / Changes: angled, text color, background color / Final by Amanda Hoffman

Air Date 3/26/2023 Today, we take a look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the debate over continuing to support Ukraine heats up, an arrest warrant is issued for Putin and China makes a state visit to Moscow. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden in Ukraine Matt Duss, Medea Benjamin Debate U.S. Involvement, Hopes for Peace - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-20-23 Matt Dust discusses Biden's trip to Ukraine and the symbolism. CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin speaks on why she believes this is a propaganda move to increase support for a senseless war. Ch. 2: Russias Total War on Ukraine One Year Later - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-22-23 We discuss what’s changed since February 2022, what Ukraine still needs to win, Biden’s recent visit, and the geopolitical consequences of the war for the rest of the world. Ch. 3: Unwinnable War Calls Grow for Negotiated End to Ukraine War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-2-23 To talk about possible peace talks, we are joined by two guests: Vladislav Zubok, a Russian professor of international history at the London School of Economics, and Wolfgang Sporrer, a conflict manager and adjunct professor at the Hertie School in Berlin Ch. 4: Nuclear weapon policy analyst Stephen Schwartz on Putin's suspension of nuclear weapons treaty - The BradCast - Air Date 2-22-23 Nuclear weapons policy analyst and historian STEPHEN SCHWARTZ unpacks the implications of Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement of a unilateral suspension of participation in the New START treaty. Ch. 5: Arrest warrant issued for Putin for forced deportation of Ukrainian children - NBC News - Air Date 3-17-23 The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, alleging that he oversaw the forced deportation of children from Ukraine to Russia. Ch. 6: Chinese president visits Putin in Russia as the countries increase cooperation - PBS Newshour - Air Date 3-20-23 Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Moscow Monday for a three-day state visit to Russia.Sasha Gabuev of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussed the visit with Nick Schifrin. Ch. 7: Russia will 'lose on the global stage' even if Ukraine gets its territory back - Morning Joe - Air Date 3-20-23 The Eurasia Group's Ian Bremmer joins Morning Joe to discuss Turkey and Hungary clearing way for Finland to join NATO, Vladimir Putin's recent trip to Mariupol and the ICC issuing arrest warrants for Putin for war crimes. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Unwinnable War Calls Grow for Negotiated End to Ukraine War Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-2-23 Ch. 9: Russias Total War on Ukraine One Year Later Part 2 - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-22-23 Ch. 10: Veteran War Correspondent Phil Ittner LIVE from Kiev, Ukraine - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-2-23 Are recent attacks by Russia just the beginning of what could be a bloody year for both Ukraine & Russia? Veteran War Correspondent Phil Ittner joins Thom Hartmann to discuss. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the debate on the left about the future of the war in Ukraine MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a soldier standing with their back to the camera wearing a helmet, tactical gear, and a gun on their back. A distressed Ukrainian flag flies in the distance on the battlefield. Credit: “Ukraine-war-soldier-weapon” LukasJohnns, Pixabay | Pixabay License  Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Original Air Date: 3-23-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - giving credit where due - the mysteries of right-wing comedy through the ages - the dream of freedom from cars and trapping people in cities   REFERENCES: The 1/2 Hour News Hour  Is the right winning the comedy wars? - Vox  Fifteen Minutes of Blame - Slate    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/21/2023 Today, we take a look at how GOP-controlled states are subverting democracy with a form of "competitive autocracy" and some of the horrifying legislation these states then pass after they are no longer subject to the opinions of the general public. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support Join our Discord community! Watch/Listen: The Laura Flanders Show SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Autocratic Nightmare of State Republicans (David Pepper Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-5-22 David Pepper, former chair of the Ohio Democratic Party, author of the book "Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines." Ch. 2: Republicans Are Staging A Legislative Coup - More Perfect Union - Air Date 1-5-22 Republicans are now carrying out a legislative coup by rigging a decade of elections. Ch. 3: Laboratories of Autocracy – David Pepper – It’s the States, Stupid! - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 10-29-22 The former Ohio Democratic State Chair on how state legislatures are dismantling democracy. Ch. 4: The Fight for Fair Maps - The Takeaway - Air Date 7-18-22 After each census every 10 years, a fight for redistricting ensues.  Ch. 5: Failing (Red)States - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-4-23 Ralph welcomes William Kleinknecht, author of “States of Neglect: How Red-State Leaders Have Failed Their Citizens and Undermined America” Ch. 6: Ending my sm sabbatical since Houston is once again under attack by the party of "small government" - princewilliamhtx - Air Date 3-15-23 Ch. 7: Wherever you live in America, here’s why you should care about Governor Abbott’s removal of school board members in Houston. - isiahrmartin - Air Date 3-16-23 Ch. 8: “Plantation Politics”: How White Mississippi Lawmakers Want to Seize Power in Majority-Black Jackson - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-23 Mississippi's Republican majority in the state Legislature has put forth a slew of bills in recent months to put the majority-Black capital of Jackson under a white-led superstructure. Ch. 9: These Republicans are Trying to LITERALLY Send Your Kids Back To The Mines - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-11-23 Iowa Republicans are proposing a new bill that would change Iowa's child labor law to allow teens to work more dangerous jobs. Ch. 10: How Moore v. Harper Could Reshape Democracy - The Takeaway - Air Date 12-8-22 The Supreme Court began hearing arguments on Moore v. Harper this week, a case that involves North Carolina’s Republican-led-state legislatures' efforts to pass gerrymandered maps. BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Sarah Huckabee Sanders Rolls Back Child Labor Protections in Arkansas - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-10-23 Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a law that would make it significantly easier for children to work extremely hard jobs. Ch. 12: Missouri law barring police from enforcing federal gun laws creates confusion - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-26-23 Missouri has some of the most permissive gun laws in the nation. A state law passed in 2021 is making it harder for police to enforce federal gun laws. Ch. 13: Tennessee legislator shocks with lynching suggestion - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 3-3-23 Jelani Cobb talks with Alex Wagner about a Tennessee legislator suggesting that lynching be added as an option in new state death penalty legislation. VOICEMAILS Ch. 14: Re-indigenization - VoicedMailer Daniel FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on how to fix the states SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Partial illustrated map of the U.S. "Red states" are black. A hollow-eyed elephant is overlaid on top of them. Blue and purple states are visible. Credit: Composite by A. Hoffman, License: CC By-SA 4.0. Map image credit: “Last 2 Election Red States and Blue States and Purple States” by BobWyatt07, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped, color-filled red states to black 

Air Date 3/18/2023 Today, we take a look at how Fox News is being exposed as the alleged liars-for-pay we always suspected they were by the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: They All Knew Media Matters Files FEC Complaint That Fox News Broke Election Laws, Lied for Trump - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-6-23 Fox News based on evidence from the Dominion lawsuit. "All the way from Rupert Murdoch on down to the show producers, they knew what they were saying was not true, that it was actually a lie, and they did it anyway," says Carusone. Ch. 2: Ranking Fox News LIES & LEAKS from the Dominion Lawsuit Brian Tyler Cohen vs Tommy Vietor - Pod Save America - Air Date 3-15-23 Former Obama spokesperson Tommy Vietor and political commentator Brian Tyler Cohen draft the biggest bombshells and revelations from Dominion's Lawsuit against Fox News. Ch. 3: MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin on Fox News election lies Fox is a state-controlled propaganda machine - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 3-3-23 MSNBC's Ayman Mohyeldin talks to SiriusXM radio's Dean Obeidallah about the recent revelations that Fox News anchors and Rupert Murdoch knew the 2020 election fraud claims that Fox News was broadcasting were a lie Ch. 4: Planet Fox Rupert Murdoch's Empire Of Influence w Jonathan Mahler - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-19-19 Jonathan Mahler (@jonathanmahler), staff writer for The New York Times Magazine, joins us to discuss his article, 'Planet Fox: How Rupert Murdoh's Empire of Influence Remade the World.' Ch. 5: Fox News Still Broadcasts Election Lies. It Could Cost Them. - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-8-23 White House correspondent Scott Detrow, media correspondent David Folkenflik, and Colorado Public Radio reporter Bente Birkeland. Ch. 6: See Tucker Carlson demolished on TV by his own words - The Beat - Air Date 3-14-23 Before hosting a Fox News show, Tucker Carlson warned against "conspiracy theories.” Now, Mr. Carlson is involved in a case alleging lies, where some of the most damning evidence comes from Fox hosts including Carlson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Fox News Faces ANOTHER Election Fraud Defamation Lawsuit - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-30-21 Venezuelan businessman Majed Khalil is suing Fox News, Lou Dobbs, and Sidney Powell for defamation regarding conspiracy theories about the 2020 election being rigged against Donald Trump. Ch. 8: The OTHER Lawsuit Involving the Murdochs - On the Media - Air Date 3-1-23 Guest host David Folkenflik speaks with Lachlan Cartwright, the Editor at Large of the Daily Beast where he covers power, crime, celebrity and justice, to get a look into the lawsuits and what they mean for the future of the Fox empire. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Criticizing Culture - VoicedMailer Dr. Wiskers FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on our national multiculturalism American Nations: A History of the Eleven Rival Regional Cultures of North America (Affiliate links: Physical, Audiobook) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 3-10-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Nick being a liar - The competing values behind editing and banning books - Why tech leaders are like 8-year-olds   REFERENCES: The BFG Isn’t a BFD Equating the Roald Dahl edits to book banning is living in a Willy Wonka fantasy world Biden talks to Anthony Fontana about 90s rap   Connect your Discord to Patreon Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/14/2023 Today, we take a look at the rise of "woke capitalism" as the cudgel now being wielded against any corporations who dare to seek profits by appealing to the majority of potential customers who prefer progressive social positions to that of Republicans. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: https://BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Dissecting the War on Woke | Part One - Shanspeare - Air Date - Air Date 1-13-23 Republicans are at war with Woke Ch. 2: CRT, ESG: Don't fall for the Right's pretend 'Culture Wars' - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-2-23 We debunk Republicans' new fake culture war outrage attacking a mundane, decades-old investment framework known as ESG in which corporations and investment managers consider factors like the environment when making business decisions. Ch. 3: Who Is Afraid of Woke Capitalism? - After Hours - Air Date 11-2-22 Mihir, Felix and NYU’s Dolly Chugh discuss the pressure on business leaders to conform to the demands of woke capitalism. Should you give in? Push back? What are the risks and rewards? Ch. 4: Why Are Republicans Obsessed With “Woke” Corporations? | The Class Room With Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò - More Perfect Union - Air Date 7-7-22 In the last few years, Republicans have been increasingly concerned about a “woke” corporate agenda, but they're missing the real problem. It’s not that corporations and establishment politicians care too much about racial or gender justice. Ch. 5: Republicans Encouraged SVB Failure - Blame it on 'WOKENESS!' - The Dollemore Daily - Air Date 3-13-22 Jesse talks about the pathetic Republican response to the entirely predictable failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB). James Comer substituted leadership and policy acumen for the expected deflection and blamed the bank's collapse on being WOKE Ch. 6: Republicans Loved Corporations…Until They Got ‘Woke’ | The Couch Report - Vice News - Air Date 5-10-21 Greg Walters explains the current conflict between the Republican Party and corporate America. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: BlackRock: The Devil's Banker. Do as I say, not as I do. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 9-17-22 BlackRock is at the center of a storm in conservative media for pushing companies too hard toward sustainability. That he’s too woke. Liberals think he’s behind the housing crisis. Conspiracy theorists believe he’s in the pocket of the Chinese government. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on how the left really brought about woke capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/8/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the emerging elements of technology and regulation that will likely shape the next era of the internet and our relationship to it. For today, these will include synthetic relationships with artificial intelligence, fake audio and video virtually indistinguishable from reality that will facilitate disinformation, reinterpreting Section 230 for a new era of internet content and the ongoing struggle to regulate social media platforms. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Watch/Listen: The Laura Flanders Show SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What is ChatGPT, the AI software taking the internet by storm - BBC News - Air Date 1-15-23 While its popularity is soaring amid reports that OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is closing in on a $10bn investment from Microsoft, there are fears the technology could cause more harm than good. Ch. 2: Synthetic Humanity AI & Whats At Stake - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-16-23 In this episode of Your Undivided Attention, Tristan and Aza reach beyond the moment to talk about this powerful new AI, and the new paradigm of humanity and computation we’re about to enter. Ch. 3: What are deepfakes and are they dangerous? - Start Here, Al Jazeera English - Air Date 6-21-21 What are deepfakes? How are they made? And should they worry us? Ch. 4: Creating a lie detector for deepfakes - CBS Sunday Morning - Air Date 1-29-23 Adobe and Microsoft have teamed up to develop new tools for verifying the attributes and history of images and videos on the web. Ch. 5: Free Speech on Trial: Supreme Court Hears Cases That Could Reshape Future of the Internet - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-27-23 We speak with Aaron Mackey, senior staff attorney with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, who says Section 230 “powers the underlying architecture” of the internet. Ch. 6: SCOTUS on the Internet Its Complicated Part 1 - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 2-25-23 Two big tech cases before the US Supreme Court this week promised justices tackling the thorny issues of content moderation, liability, and internet platforms, but instead delivered confusion and dodges. Ch. 7: Why Some See Web 3.0 as the Future of the Internet - WSJ - Air Date 2-15-22 Some see Web 3.0 as the next generation of the internet, a decentralized version of the web-based on the blockchain. Here are the key principles behind it, and why skeptics are unconvinced it could scale globally. Ch. 8: Real Social Media Solutions, Now — with Frances Haugen - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 11-23-22 Tristan sits with Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen, a friend of Center for Humane Technology, to discuss the harm caused to our mental health and global democracy when platforms lack accountability and transparency. Ch. 9: SCOTUS on the Internet It's Complicated Part 2 - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 2-25-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Synthetic Humanity AI & Whats At Stake Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-16-23 Ch. 11: Ban TikTok? - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-21-23 Politicians across the United States are calling for an outright ban on the popular social media platform. Alex Heath, deputy editor at The Verge, explains how TikTok hopes to pre-empt one from ever passing. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: What does re-Indigenization mean for White folks and racial tribalism? - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on what re-Indigenization means for the rest of us MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A dark, abstract image with the appearance of staining or mildew. In the center, there is a dark silhouette of hands holding the outline of a smartphone. A dark question mark is on the phone screen. Credit: "Phone-question-screen-online" by ChenSpec | License

Air Date 3/4/2023 Today, we tell a story of colonialism, dispossession and cultural renaissance as a lens through which to understand alienation, a primary condition of modernity Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The annexation of Hawaii The dark history of the overthrow of Hawaii - TED-Ed - Air Date 2-17-22 U.S. Apology Bill to Hawaiian People - EarthWorldSolutions - Air Date 11-02-12 Ch. 2: Scottish clearances and economic displacement The Highland Clearances of Scotland - Pilgrim Kat - Air Date 1-22-23 Why Can’t Hawaiians Afford To Live In Hawaii? - AJ+ - Air Date 1-20-22 Ch. 3: White people, Indians and Highlanders White People, Indians, and Highlanders: Tribal People and Colonial Encounters in Scotland and America (Affiliate link) Ch. 4: Cultural and linguistic erasure The Banning of the Hawaiian Language - Noʻeau Woo-O'Brien - Air Date 12-07-19 Aloha Aina - Indigenous Life in Hawaii - Captain Potter - Air Date 11-26-21 Two Worlds - weRnative - Air Date 11-22-19 Ch. 5: Red Power, the American Indian Movement and the Siege of Wounded Knee What is the Red Power Movement? - Fusion - Air Date 6-2-17 Wounded Knee siege - Witness History - Air Date 2-27-23 Ojibwe Author David Treuer on Retelling the History of “Indian Life Rather Than Indian Death” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-22-19 Ch. 6: Cultural renaissance of Hokulea Papa Mau: The Wayfinder - OiwiTV - Air Date 4-14-17 Ch. 7: Cultural renaissance of GalGael Birdman of Pollok/Curaidh na Coille - BBC - Air Date 12-28-19 The Highland Clearances of Scotland - Pilgrim Kat - Air Date 1-22-23 The Fight To Take Back Hawaii - Foreign Correspondent - Air Date 5-11-22 Hawaiian Language Ban - Barry Shell - Air Date 5-17-08 Ch. 8: re-Indigenization in Scotland Alastair McIntosh - The Lesley Riddoch Podcast - Air Date 1-3-23 Ch. 9: Connecting with Aina in Hawaii Aloha Aina - Indigenous Life in Hawaii - Captain Potter - Air Date 11-26-21 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the single story of the values that drove colonialism and continue to shape our world MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The words “exist & resist & indigenize & decolonize” on top of each other in white, lowercase letters on a black background. Credit: “exist & resist & indigenize & decolonize” by dignidadrebelde, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped and increased size of credit watermark   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 1/15/2022 Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which those advancements contribute to the degradation of social cohesion. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Re-musing Ourselves - On the Media - Air Date 3-3-06 The late media critic Neil Postman argued in his seminal book "Amusing Ourselves to Death," that as TV prevailed over the printed word, it impaired our ability to make sense of a world of information. Jay Rosen writes the blog, PressThink. Ch. 2: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 3: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 1 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 The dystopian best-seller 1984 was published exactly seventy years ago. Its influence has been profound. But does it really speak to today’s politico-cultural environment? Scott Stephens believes Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a closer match. Ch. 4: The Trouble With Reality - On The Media - Air Date 5-17-17 This is a conversation between Brooke Gladstone, author of "The Trouble with Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time," and WNYC morning show host Brian Lehrer. Ch. 5: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 2 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 Ch. 6: Neil Postman on Cyberspace - The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour - Air Date 7-25-95 Charlene Hunter-Gault interviews media theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman on PBS' The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1995. Postman discusses new media and the "Faustian bargain" of technological change in the context of the "Information Superhighway." Ch. 7: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What’s the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on Faustian Bargains MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 2-23-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Briefly celebrating a Super Bowl victory - Extinguishing empathy for profit  - Manifesting disaster through film - The Ohio derailment - The value of ownership - Reducing workplace stressors   REFERENCES: ‘You unleash hell on your kids’: Central Texas mom warns parents about ‘Hocus Pocus 2′  After East Palestine derailment, a resident reflects on Ohio movie "White Noise"  The Ohio derailment is an inflection point that shows that business will drive over our bodies to make a buck.  Norfolk Southern is giving $25,000 to an Ohio town where it caused a life-or-death evacuation    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/22/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the work of the chaotic wrecking crew that is the GOP of the 118th Congress including their plan to hold the world economy hostage and weaponize the government against Democrats all while infighting their way to the 2024 presidential election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What House Speaker McCarthy’s concessions to get elected mean for the nation - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-7-23 His dramatic victory came after a series of concessions that will give hardline conservatives greater influence in the House. Sarah Binder, a political scientist at George Washington University, joins John Yang to discuss. Ch. 2: GOP is playing with U.S. prosperity in fight over debt ceiling - MSNBC - Air Date 1-14-23 McCarthy and the House GOP are threatening to not raise the debt ceiling. That would be a huge mistake. Ali Velshi explains why. Ch. 3: Sen. Elizabeth Warren: Impending debt ceiling showdown a ‘manufactured crisis’ - GBH News - Air Date 1-19-23 Senator Warren joined Jon Keller to discuss the debt ceiling which she called a "manufactured crisis" that Republicans don't care enough about, and that wealthy corporations need to pay more in taxes. Ch. 4: Joe: Debt ceiling fight is just a lose-lose for McCarthy - Morning Joe - Air Date 1-18-23 The Republican-controlled House has planted the seeds for a debt-ceiling showdown. The Morning Joe panel discusses. Ch. 5: Right-Wingers FINALLY Exposed For Crushing Plot In Real Time - The Damage Report - Air Date 2-12-23 Right-wingers, including Matt Gaetz, Lindsey Graham and Kevin McCarthy, get caught for their blatant lies over social security on camera while ABC Johnathan Karl runs cover. John Iadarola and Ben Carollo break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 6: The real reason behind the Republican Party infighting Part 1 - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-23 Then, Republican infighting keeps going public, as even Fox News pans their hearings. Guests: Rep. Adam Schiff, Rep. Stacey Plaskett, Yurii Hundych, Alfie Williams, Gov. George Pataki Ch. 7: House GOP Twitter Hunter Biden laptop 'censorship' hearing crashes and burns Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 2-9-23 The awaited GOP-led House hearings are now underway, and as predicted, they are not going well. Republicans intended a hearing on Twitter's content moderation policies to bolster their bogus claims of alleged federal government censorship of social media. Ch. 8: The real reason behind the Republican Party infighting Part 2 - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-23 Ch. 9: House GOP Twitter Hunter Biden laptop 'censorship' hearing crashes and burns Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 2-9-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Is America broken? - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 2-2-23 Sean Illing speaks with Alana Newhouse, the editor-in-chief of Tablet magazine. They discuss her recent essay on "brokenism," a term she coined in an effort to redefine political divisions in America. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the complication of the ideological dividing lines through societal change MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/17/2023 Today, we take a look at the importance of teaching a full and unflinching version of Black history and why the campaign to block it is reaching a peak at this moment in time. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The fight over AP African American Studies - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-7-23 The College Board piloted an AP course on African American Studies. Then, after conservative pushback, it debuted a revised curriculum. But the group insists it’s not caving to political pressure. Ch. 2: How Florida’s School Censorship Spreads - What Next - Air Date 2-9-23 Governor Ron DeSantis canceling the rollout of AP African-American Studies course in Florida is more than just another salvo in the culture war. It has implications across public education, across the country—and its chilling effect is already evident. Ch. 3: Erasing History - Counter Stories - Air Date 6-4-21 On this episode, we tackle how new efforts aim to limit or erase important history and context. From bodies discovered in a former Indian Boarding school in Canada to new legislation banning Critical Race theory Ch. 4: Combating Anti-History - Latino Rebels Radio - Air Date 2-9-23 While the fight for African American studies continues in Florida, Sean Arce draws parallels to the current battle with Arizona's ethnic studies battle over a decade ago. Ch. 5: Black History Month: Teaching Beyond Slavery, Racism, Oppression, and Struggle - Here Wee Read - Air Date 2-1-22 In response to a recent post on my Instagram account, I’m talking about going beyond teaching children about slavery, racism, oppression, and struggle during Black History Month or anytime of the year. Ch. 6: Ta-Nehisi Coates on the right-wing backlash to teaching Black history - All In With Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-2-23 “I take it as a sign of strength for where the movement is right now,” says Ta-Nehisi Coates on anti-CRT policies and the backlash from the right. “It doesn’t mean it’s not dangerous—but it’s also a statement of how threatened they feel..." MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 February marks Black History Month, a time to recognize the significant achievements and culture of Black Americans–from bell hooks to Beyonce–and also to honor an accurate history about them, a history that we know is rife with discrimination and abuse Ch. 8: Why Our Idea of History is a Poison - Then & Now - Air Date 12-1-22 Why Our Idea of History is a Poison FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the Streisand Effect MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: On a black background, scattered historic images of famous Black Americans, including Sojourner Truth, Thurgood Marshall, and Josiah Thomas Walls, as well as images of slavery, the Jim Crow era and the Civil Rights Movement. The shape of Florida is centered and filled in with part of the Florida state flag (including red crossed bars of the Confederate flag). A black horizontal banner in forefront reads “Black History is American History”. Credit: Composite designed by Amanda Hoffman. Historic images are in the public domain, except for the Negro League patch (credit: David, Flickr, License) and the Navy Band sign (Gerry Dincher, Flickr, License) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 2/14/2023 Today, we take a look at some origins, alternatives and misunderstandings of capitalism from the Dutch East India Company, to Adam Smith and up through the planned obsolescence and marketing that have tricked us all into working far harder than necessary while failing to make us happy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Indigenous Economics with Tyson Yunkaporta (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 11-10-21 We speak with Tyson Yunkaporta of the Apalech Clan in far north Queensland, Australia, about the connections between Indigenous economics, complexity theory, and systems thinking. Ch. 2: Transcending Capitalism Insights from Buddhism and Marxism - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 1-3-23 Professor of Philosophy and author, Graham Priest, joins Breht to discuss his latest book Capitalism - it's Nature and Replacement: Buddhist and Marxist Insights. Ch. 3: We don't understand Capitalism. Part One - UNFTR - Air Date 1-27-23 How we no longer seem to understand Capitalism. Adam Smith was so much more than the figurehead we associate with Capitalism. He was a true innovator and we use many of his concepts to measure economies to this day Ch. 4: Your Work Is Not Your Worth - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 10-21-22 Dorian Warren is co-president of Community Change and co-chair of the Economic Security Project, and Aisha Nyandoro is CEO of Springboard to Opportunities and founder of the Magnolia Mother’s Trust. Ch. 5: We don't understand Capitalism. Part Two. - UNFTR - Air Date 1-27-23 Adam Smith was a social theorist who was greatly concerned with improving lives and creating a balanced economic system. He created several crucial concepts that remain relevant to this day and believed in the power of the free market. Ch. 6: Economics for a New Year - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 1-19-23 US spending for war in Ukraine paid for by higher interest rates; a rational transport system is NOT electric cars; an appreciation of the "degrowth" impulse with a critique of the degrowth movement's focus. Ch. 7: Indigenous Economics with Tyson Yunkaporta (In Conversation) Part 2 - Upstream - Air Date 11-10-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Transcending Capitalism Insights from Buddhism and Marxism Part 2 - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 1-3-23 VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Stolen children and native cultures - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 10: Thoughts on the reasons for Cop City - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the value of being open to understanding indigenous thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/10/2023 Today, we take a look at the recent rise in tensions in the wake of Israel electing what may be their most right-wing government to date. Literal fascists are now in the governing coalition, violence is rising and reforms are being considered to effectively remove judicial review from the governing process all while the US continues to give its support. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A look at the violence and unrest in the West Bank - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-2-23 A look at the violence and unrest in the West Bank. Ch. 2: Israel and the Progressives - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-25-23 Why do so many people who see themselves as progressive nonetheless support the state of Israel, considered an apartheid state for its treatment of the native Palestinian population? Ch. 3: Diana Buttu & Gideon Levy: Israel's New Far-Right Gov't Entrenches Apartheid System with US Support - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-5-23 Far-right Israeli politician Itamar Ben-Gvir’s Tuesday visit to the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem is being roundly condemned across the Middle East. Ben-Gvir is a key part of Benjamin Netanyahu’s new far-right government Ch. 4: Protests in Israel over proposed judicial reform Part 1 - The Current - Air Date 1-19-23 Proposed judicial reform in Israel has prompted thousands to take to the streets in protest. We talk to Dahlia Scheindlin and Diana Buttu, a lawyer and former adviser to the negotiating team of the Palestine Liberation Organization. Ch. 5: "An Intolerable Situation": Rashid Khalidi & Orly Noy on Israeli Colonialism & Escalating Violence - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-30-23 U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinken is in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories amid an alarming rise in violence, with Israel killing at least 35 Palestinians since the beginning of January. Ch. 6: An Escalating Cycle of Violence in Israel and Palestine - Global Dispatches - Air Date 2-1-23 We are in the midst of an escalating cycle of violence in Israel and Palestine. On Thursday, January 26 Israeli forces killed at least 9 people in a raid in the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank. Ch. 7: Protests in Israel over proposed judicial reform Part 2 - The Current - Air Date 1-19-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Republicans feign anti-Semitism standard to eject Rep. Omar from committee - Alex Wagner Tonight - Air Date 2-3-23 House Republicans use a tweet by Rep. Ilhan Omar containing anti-Semitic tropes as an excuse to remove her from the Foreign Affairs Committee, Alex notes when Republican leaders were not only untroubled by anti-Semitic tropes but perpetuated by them. Ch. 9: Israel and the Progressives Part 2 - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-25-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments to wrap up MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 2-8-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Using emotional intelligence to talk about sports - Uncomfortable conversations and circular logic - Nouning The French - Political Spam REFERENCES: The French Want to Remain the French - New York Times Words Matter by Sally McConnell-Ginet (Affiliate link) CONNECT ON DISCORD Connect your Discord to Patreon https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-How-do-I-connect-Discord-to-Patreon-Patron- Join our Discord Server https://discord.gg/AQzYpQEqPy Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/5/2023 Today, we take a look at the threat to the lives of environment protectors around the world with a special focus on the first environmental activist in the U.S. to lose their life at the hands of police while defending the environment and the people who depend on it as part of the Defend the Atlanta Forest movement against the construction of what they have dubbed "Cop City." Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Record number of environmental activists murdered - BBC News - Air Date 9-13-21 227 people were killed around the world in 2020, the highest number for a second consecutive year. The victims were called "environmental defenders" by the report – killed for protecting natural resources that need to be preserved, Ch. 2: Cop City - The Takeaway - Air Date 1-17-23 Digital producer Zachary Bynum reports from Atlanta, talking with activists, organizers, and elected officials from the city to determine what this all means about race, land stewardship, and power. Ch. 3: 200 environmental activists murdered in 2021 Global Witness report - Down to Earth - Air Date 10-4-22 According to Global Witness’ report titled ‘Decade of Defiance’, 1733 activists were killed between 2012 and 2021. 227 of them were killed in the year 2020. Last year, 200 environmental defenders were murdered. Nearly 4 people a week! Ch. 4: SWAT Teams Attack Atlanta Forest Encampments, Activists Charged with "Terrorism" - Unicorn Riot - Air Date 12-17-22 SWAT teams and other armed police officers from eight different federal, state, county, and city police agencies conducted a raid on those camping out in the Atlanta forest Ch. 5: Six Charged in Atlanta with Domestic Terrorism for Protesting Cop City Training Facility - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-21-22 Six people in Atlanta have been charged with domestic terrorism for taking part in protests against a massive new police training facility known as Cop City. Ch. 6: Environmentalists in danger Part 1 - DW Documentary - Air Date 10-29-22 Around the globe, people are risking their lives to protect the environment and climate. When environmentalists’ activities disrupt organized crime and other illegal profiteers, they are sued, threatened and even murdered. Ch. 7: Atlanta's Cop City Moves Ahead After Police Kill 1 Protester & Charge 19 with Domestic Terrorism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-2-23 Just weeks ago, law enforcement officers — including a SWAT team — were violently evicting protesters who had occupied a wooded area outside the center, when they shot and killed a longtime activist and charged 19 with domestic terrorism. Ch. 8: Environmentalists in danger Part 2 - DW Documentary - Air Date 10-29-22 Ch. 9: Cop City: Forest Defender Killed by Police in Forest Raid - The Takeaway - Air Date 1-25-23 We checked in with Founder of Community Movement Builders Kamau Franklin and Sean, a participant in the Defend the Atlanta Forest movement, for an update on the situation. Ch. 10: Former Energy Executive Charged In Connection To Environmental Activist's Murder - NBC news - Air Date 6-22-22 Former energy executive Roberto David Castillo has been sentenced in Honduras for orchestrating the murder of environmental activist Berta Cáceres in 2016. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Cop City Part 2 - The Takeaway - Air Date 1-17-23 Ch. 12: Activists at COP26 Honor 1,000+ Environmental Defenders Killed Since Paris Accord 1 in 3 Indigenous - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-8-21 Glasgow memorial honors 1,005 land and environmental defenders who have been murdered since the 2015 Paris Agreement. One in three of those defenders killed was an Indigenous person. 2020 was the most dangerous year on record for environmental defenders. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments and conversation with Ben about his fallen friend Bonus clip: More training not enough to reform police culture says whistleblower - MSNBC - Air Date 1-31-23 Whistleblower Katie Sponsler, former National Park Service ranger, U.S. Air Force veteran, and advocate for police reform, joins Joy Reid on why more training alone is not enough to reform police culture. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/31/2023 Today, we take a look at just some of the nearly infinite ways in which our society, culture, and economy are infused from top to bottom with Scam Culture™ that is bleeding us dry both financially and mentally. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Grift Economy: Everything is a scam, always. - Thought Slime - Air Date 11-5-21 For those that need to read this: you aren’t a capitalist. You’re capital. Ch. 2: Power and Corruption: The Devos Family - iilluminaughtii - Air Date 1-20-23 Betsy DeVos and her family have been important figures in the business world for decades. They’re involved in a massive MLM, invest in shady businesses, and have put their money toward politics for as long as anyone can remember. Ch. 3: Bill Black: The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One - theAnalysis.news - Air Date 5-31-21 How does a corrupt mortgage scam by brokers in California become a massive national fraud that puts the whole economy into a deep crisis? Bill Black on theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay. Ch. 4: Why FTX’s Crypto Scam Is A Tale As Old As Time - The Problem With Jon Stewart Podcast - Air Date 12-7-22 “Whatever fun name you wanna put on it, it’s the same damn thing we’ve seen over and over again.” David Dayen, Executive Editor of The American Prospect, joins us to talk through the spectacular rise and fall of crypto exchange FTX Ch. 5: The Gig Economy Was Always A Scam - Wisecrack - Air Date 8-8-22 The gig economy has revolutionized how we think about work, but not necessarily for the better. How have a bunch of multi-billion-dollar companies like Uber or Instacart so fundamentally changed our economy? Ch. 6: Why Spotify Will Ultimately Fail - Benn Jordan - Air Date 1-9-23 An investor's guide to breaking the thing you're trying to sell. Ch. 7: James O'Brien caller wrote his dissertation on 'incel' culture - LBC - Air Date 1-27-23 Explaining the appeal of Andrew Tate and his acolytes to young, insecure men Ch. 8: TikToker Exposes New A.I. Scam That Is Absolutely TERRIFYING - Rebel HQ - Air Date 1-13-23 TikToker @benno56 shares his family's experience with a terrifying new A.I. voice-mimicking scam. Max Burns breaks it down. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Mark Rober's Prank And The Truth About Scammers And Capitalism - Second Thought - Air Date 6-17-22 Scam call centers are just one cancerous offshoot of bureaucracy under capitalism, and while pranking these places may be cathartic, it's not enough to tackle the root cause. Ch. 10: Is all money just a ponzi scheme? | Vicki Robin - Big Think - Air Date 7-22-18 "Money, it's a gas," wrote Pink Floyd's Roger Waters for their hit 'Money'. Author, speaker, and social innovator Vicki Robin would probably agree: she posits that most people don't understand the true, human, working value of money. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Response to the Stolen Children episode FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on radical criticism of the true sources of Scam Culture and other ails of our society MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 1-17-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The updated dress code in the Missouri legislature  - One-Way Empathy - Andrew Tate and Capitalism Culture - The management and labor of modern conveniences   REFERENCES: Outrage after Missouri lawmakers' new dress code for women in the state House  Andrew Tate: The Arrest, Greta Thunberg Feud and Everything Else You Need to Know  Southwest's antiquated and atypical flight systems are partially responsible for cancellation chaos, airline experts say  Modern Conveniences - 1883: A Yellowstone Origin Story  Andrew Tate on reading books    Join our Discord Server   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/25/2023 Today, we take a look at the long, global history of invading peoples stealing the children of native families to be acculturated into the population of the invading force. Reasons can range from a tactic of war and an intention to commit genocide, usually based on an ideology of racial superiority, to concerns over shifting national demographics, simple economic dispossession, or all of the above. We end with a discussion of ICWA, the Indian Child Welfare Act, which is currently being challenged in the US Supreme Court to the detriment of native children and sovereignty. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The kidnapping campaign of Nazi Germany - DW Documentary - Air Date 3-11-20 On orders from Heinrich Himmler, the Nazis abducted children from Poland for forced Germanization. Ch. 2: Claims of Russia kidnapping Ukrainian children throughout the region - ABC News - Air Date 11-22-22 Amid the war in Ukraine, children have been caught in the middle, with claims of some being kidnapped. Ch. 3: Eliminating An Entire Race: Australia's Dark History of The Stolen Generation - History's Stories - Air Date 12-29-22 A brief history of Australia's Stolen Generations Ch. 4: 10th Anniversary since the Apology to the Stolen Generations - Behind the News - Air Date 2-12-18 The 13th of February 2018 marks 10 years since former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said sorry to the Stolen Generations. Ch. 5: Nick Estes Indian Boarding Schools Were Part of Horrific Genocidal Process by the U.S. - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-22 Nick Estes says the institutions were part of a “genocidal process” of “dispossession and theft of Indigenous people’s lands and resources.” Ch. 6: Canadian government announces $2B in compensation settlement - TRT World - Air Date 1-24-23 Canada has announced it will pay more than 2 billion dollars to hundreds of Indigenous communities to settle a lawsuit seeking compensation for the loss of language and culture caused by residential schools. Ch. 7: How the US stole thousands of Native American children - VOX - Air Date 10-14-19 Ranjani Chakraborty revisits underreported and often overlooked moments from the past to give context to the present. Ch. 8: Jen Deerinwater on Indian Child Welfare Act - Counterspin - Air Date 12-9-22 Opposing the actual mission of those who want to eliminate the Indian Child Welfare Act is just…reality: the reality that made the Act necessary in the first place Ch. 9: When You Take Away the Kids, You Take Away the Future - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 11-19-22 The case that seeks to strike down the Indian Child Welfare Act is about colonialism, not civil rights. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: When You Take Away the Kids, You Take Away the Future Part 2 - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 11-19-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the opposing world views of apologies TAKE ACTION! Follow @ProtectICWA on Twitter and check out their resources ACLU: “Native Families' Right to Stay Together is at Stake at the Supreme Court” ACLU: “Keep Our Families Together”: A Law That Protects Native Families is at Risk” EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Hear the Oral Argument Audio “Why Are Right-Wing Groups Targeting a Law Aimed at Protecting Native Families?” (Mother Jones) “Supreme Court case on adoption of Indigenous children could threaten Native American sovereignty” (San Diego Tribune) “The fight over American Indian children“ (Politico - Newsletter) “Experts say 2 lawsuits pose greatest threat to tribal sovereignty in decades” (Anchorage Daily News) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Black and white photo of hundreds of Native American children in uniform settler clothing posed in front of Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania (c. 1900). Credit: “Pupils at Carlisle Native Industrial School” by Unknown author - Unknown source | License: Public Domain

Air Date 1/21/2023 Today, we take a look beyond our shores to other examples of anti-democratic forces seeking to take control of governments in Germany, Brazil, and Peru, all of which echo, in some form or fashion, the coup attempt on January 6th, 2021 by pro-Trump insurrectionists. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ‘Barbarism’ by mob of ‘fascists’ - The World - Air Date 1-9-23 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva had harsh words for those who stormed his country’s parliament, its Supreme Court and presidential palace this past weekend. Ch. 2: ‘American export’: Right-wingers storm Congress in Brazil in echo of Jan. 6 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-9-23 “If the U.S. can export this model of attempted authoritarian coup to Brazil, well then perhaps Brazil can export back a model of real accountability for the perpetrators and the planners,” says Chris Hayes on the January 6-style riot in Brazil. Ch. 3: Brazil sends crucial message with quick arrest of rioters - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-10-23 Timothy Snyder, author of "On Tyranny," talks with Rachel Maddow about the similarities between Saturday's attack on the government buildings in Brazil's capital and the importance of swift, transparent and equitable accountability. Ch. 4: German police raids nix far-right coup plot - The World - Air Date 12-7-22 German police conducted raids all across the country on Wednesday, making arrests, and attempting to dismantle a plot aimed at overthrowing the government. Ch. 5: What's behind the political unrest in Peru - DW News - Air Date 1-13-23 Anti-government protests erupted after Dina Boluarte was sworn in as Peru's president in early December. Now, just over a month after her inauguration, the police response to protests has led to the deaths of more than 40 people, with hundreds injured. Ch. 6: Peru: Death Toll Tops 40 as Security Forces Crack Down on Protests over President Castillo's Ouster - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-11-23 A major contributor to the current crisis is "the extreme weakness of the political system in Peru" in which many politicians lack any real connection to their constituents, adds Peruvian sociologist Eduardo González Cueva. Ch. 7: Swift coup foreign arrests abroad a contrast to Garland's Trump probe - The Beat - Air Date 12-12-22 Swift arrests of coup plotters in Peru and Germany are contrasts to the U.S. response to the insurrection. There are new lessons and a new push for accountability. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Brazil's fight against Fascism / Brian Mier - This Is Hell! - Air Date 1-16-23 Chuck welcomes friend of the show Brian Mier to talk about Brazil's January 6 knockoff event and the differences in how Brazil fights fascism to how the US refuses to. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the different forms that authoritarianism takes MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 12/15/2021 Today we take a look at the cracks and fissures appearing ever more quickly in the neoliberal order that was already widely criticized before the pandemic stripped it bare, exposing all of the inherent inequality and inhumanity baked right into the system. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows, Bonus Content and limited release wallpaper!) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How Economic Jargon and Cliches Make Cruel, Anti-Poor Policies Sound Sterile and Science-y (Part I) - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-1-21 Part 1, where we examine the most popular cliches, jargon, etc that economists, economic reports, and pundits use to sanitize, obscure, and provide a little science-ism to what is little more than power-flattering cruel, racist, austerity ideology. Ch. 2: American Capitalism In 4 Different Ages w Jonathan Levy Part 1 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 12-8-21 Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. Ch. 3: Noam Chomsky Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Noam Chomsky discusses a whole raft of issues, including the climate crisis, the military budget, healthcare, challenging the corporate structure, reforming both the tax system and our elections, and how the Democrats have abandoned the working class Ch. 4: How Economic Jargon and Cliches Make Cruel, Anti-Poor Policies Sound Sterile and Science-y (Part II) - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-1-21 Ch. 5: Noam Chomsky Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Ch. 6: Reagan on Employee Ownership Ch. 7: Ecology, Co-ops, and Profit - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-8-21 Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Melissa Scanlan on her new book showing how coops are a better bet than traditional capitalist corporations to solve current ecological crises. Ch. 8: American Capitalism In 4 Different Ages w Jonathan Levy Part 2 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 12-8-21 Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Here's How - NYT Opinion - The New York Times - Air Date 11-9-21 Many blue states are actually doing worse in some areas than red states. It is in blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Personal disability experience - Jade from Upstate New York Ch. 11: Thoughts on human nature and systems - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the nature of laws and morality MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/14/2023 This Martin Luther King Day weekend, we take a look at a wider range of Black radicals who all helped build the unfinished Civil Rights Movement and who our history either whitewashes or demonizes to fit the narrative of American Exceptionalism™ marching us inexorably toward perfection. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The dangers of whitewashing black history | David Ikard - TEDxNashville - Air Date 6-18-22 Equipped with the real story of Rosa Parks, professor David Ikard highlights how making the realities of race more benign and digestible harms us all -- and emphasizes the power and importance of historical accuracy. This talk was filmed at TEDxNashville. Ch. 2: The Black American Civil Rights Movement Was One of The Greatest "Military" Campaigns and Insurgencies in History - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 1-10-23 Thomas Ricks is the guest on this special January 2023 fundraising episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. Ch. 3: #ilovemalcolm: Tariq Ali on Malcolm X at Oxford - rosaluxnyc - Air Date 3-23-15 At "I Love Malcolm: Legacies of Love and Liberation" on February 14, 2015, organized by the Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung—New York Office, Tariq Ali discusses the impact of Malcolm X's debate at Oxford University in 1964. Ch. 4: The Radicalism of Martin Luther King Jr. and W.E.B. Du Bois - Communist Party USA - Air Date 2-26-20 WEB Du Bois and Martin Luther King Jr are two 20th-century giants in both the struggle for African American equality and the liberation of oppressed people worldwide. Ch. 5: The Socialist Anti-Imperialism of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - Left Anchor - Air Date 1-18-21 Today we are hoisting up an episode from the archives in celebration of MLK Day. We discuss King's advocacy of democratic socialism and his argument that civil rights were inadequate without an equal share of economic production. Ch. 6: Whitewashing 101: How To Rewrite Black History - Second Thought - Air Date 2-18-22 It's Black History Month, so it's about time we talked about the recuperation of Black radicals like Dr. King and Nelson Mandela. Everyone and their mother likes to claim MLK as their own, and use his words as a rhetorical weapon. Ch. 7: Why the US government murdered Fred Hampton - Vox - Air Date 6-2-21 What we aren't taught about the Black Panther Party. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Written by Himself - the Life of Frederick Douglass - History of Indian and Africana Philosophy - Air Date 2-29-20 Frederick Douglass' journey from slave to leading figure of 19th-century American thought. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the producers who made this week's topics come to life MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image of black and white photos. Top: Martin Luther King Jr. talks with Malcom X. Bottom left: Portrait of W.E.B. Du Bois. Bottom Center: Rosa Parks’ mug shot. Bottom right: Button with the words “All Power to the People” surrounding Fred Hampton’s head.   Credit: MLK and Malcom X; W.E.B. Du Bois; Rosa Parks; Fred Hampton button | License All Images in Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/11/2023 Today, we take a look at the way unscientific guidelines, government subsidies, corporate propaganda, cultural context, capitalism, community stigma, and many actively and loudly wallowing in ignorance have shaped your personal food choices. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 'Healthy' Food, Nutrition and Access - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 10-12-22 The FDA has proposed new standards for food to qualify for its "healthy" seal of approval. Marion Nestle, professor emerita of nutrition, food studies, and public health at NYU talks about the changes, plus food insecurity and access to healthy food. Ch. 2: The Meat Merchants Feeding Climate Catastrophe: Spencer Roberts and Jan Dutkiewicz Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-29-22 Chuck Mertz speaks with science writer Spencer Roberts and political economist Jan Dutkiewicz about their New Republic Article, "How the Meat Industry Undermines Effective Climate Policy". Ch. 3: The Politics of Meat ft. Jan Dutkiewicz - Our Hen House - Air Date 8-28-21 Political economist Jan Dutkiewicz, PhD, joins the podcast for a fascinating conversation about the ethical, political, legal, social, and environmental intersections of meat consumption. Ch. 4: Which food future will you choose? - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 11-25-22 As the eminent farmer-poet-activist Wendell Berry tells us, eating is a profound political act. Ch. 5: The Meat Merchants Feeding Climate Catastrophe: Spencer Roberts and Jan Dutkiewicz Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-29-22 Ch. 6: Black, Brown, and Diverse Plant-Based People for Equity w/ Lisa Dumas - Our Hen House - Air Date 10-29-22 Lisa Dumas is on a mission to make the world a better place. This week she joins us on the podcast for a conversation about how she’s working toward expanding access to plant-based food options to those in need. Ch. 7: High-End Veganism and the Rise of Plant-Based Eating - Past Present - Air Date 10-5-21 In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the history of veganism in light of an eviscerating review of the new plant-based menu at the New York restaurant Eleven Madison Park. Ch. 8: Animal Agriculture is the New Oil w/ George Monbiot - Downstream - Air Date 6-8-22 In his new book Regenesis: Feeding the World Without Devouring the Planet, George Monbiot warns that we’re approaching a tipping point in the fight to protect the planet. Ch. 9: A (Mostly) Vegan World Plantf*ckers Can Save Us All - UNFTR - Air Date 1-8-22 It’s finally time to unf*ck our food system and talk about veganism. We decided not to pursue this topic from a moral or ethical perspective, but that doesn’t mean this isn’t a story about justice. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Politics of Meat ft. Jan Dutkiewicz Part 2 - Our Hen House - Air Date 8-28-21 Ch. 11: The Meat Merchants Feeding Climate Catastrophe: Spencer Roberts and Jan Dutkiewicz Part 3 - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-29-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on our emotional attachment to our perspective on food MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE Description: A woman with short gray hair and glasses stands in front of the brightly lit meat section at a grocery store. She looks down at a package of meat in her hands. Credit: "d2590-1" by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 1/7/2023 Today, we take a look at the criminal charges against Donald Trump that the January 6th Committee has referred to the DOJ but examine them through the lens of past presidential crimes that have gone unpunished from Nixon to George W. Bush Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) CHECK OUT THE FUTURE HINDSIGHT PODCAST! Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: No One Is Above The Law - Calls Grow for Trump to Be Charged to Avoid Another Coup Attempt - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-20-22 We speak with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, a scholar of fascism and authoritarianism, and Robert Weissman, president of the advocacy group Public Citizen. Ch. 2: Historian Meets Watergate Prosecutor On The Right (And Wrong) Kinds Of President Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-28-22 Julian Zelizer, professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University and Jill Wine-Banks, MSNBC legal analyst and former Watergate special prosecutor look to lessons from Watergate for what needs to happen with the Jan. 6th committee report. Ch. 3: Lisa Gilbert on the January 6 Report - CounterSpin - Air Date 12-23-22 We spoke with Lisa Gilbert, executive vice president of Public Citizen and co-founder of the forged-for-purpose Not Above the Law Coalition, about what the hearings found and why it can’t end there. Ch. 4: Historian Meets Watergate Prosecutor On The Right (And Wrong) Kinds Of President Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-28-22 Ch. 5: "Brazen" Fraud: David Cay Johnston on How Trump's Tax Returns Show He Defrauded U.S. & Enriched Himself - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-3-23 Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter David Cay Johnston, who has covered Trump for decades, says the new documents show "absolutely brazen" tax fraud. "Donald Trump has been a criminal his whole life," says Johnston. Ch. 6: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward" - This Week - Air Date 1-11-09 Barack Obama on This Week, January 11, 2009 Ch. 7: Obama Admin: Torture Not Illegal, Just A "Disagreement" - The Young Turks - Aired 3-27-10 Speaking of hangovers... Look forward, not backward. We don't do truth and reconciliation in this country. Ch. 8: The Central Cause of January 6th Was One Man House Panel Urges Trump Be Banned from Public Office - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-23-22 We’re joined by John Nichols, The Nation’s national affairs correspondent, to discuss the full report. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Ginni Thomas not mentioned in Jan. 6 Committee report - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-3-23 Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern and political strategist Rina Shah join Mehdi to discuss. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The upside of TikTok - James FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the good and bad of tech and the structural nature of media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/3/2023 Today, we take a look at the emerging implementation of facial recognition technology in public and commercial spaces along with the tracking and "amplifagandizing" capabilities of TikTok Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Twitter, Facial Recognition and the First Amendment - The Lawfare Podcast - Air Date 4-15-21 This week on Arbiters of Truth, the Lawfare Podcast’s miniseries on our online information ecosystem, Evelyn Douek and Quinta Jurecic spoke with Jameel Jaffer and Ramya Krishnan of the Knight First Amendment Institute. Ch. 2: Addressing the TikTok Threat Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 9-8-22 TikTok, the flagship app of the Chinese company Bytedance, recently surpassed Google and Facebook as the most popular site on the internet in 2021, and is expected to reach more than 1.8 billion users by the end of 2022. Ch. 3: Privacy, your face and the rise of facial recognition - Life Matters from ABC - Air Date 7-26-22 Several large retailers, including Kmart and Bunnings, already use facial recognition technology in their stores – collecting biometric data that is as unique as a fingerprint – but are customers aware of how their facial data is being captured and used? Ch. 4: NJ Legal Rights & NYPD's Facial Recognition Technology - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-30-22 Alexander Shalom, senior supervising attorney and director of Supreme Court advocacy at the ACLU-NJ, talks about the implications of a case in Hudson County, NJ, where a suspect was identified using the NYPD's facial recognition technology. Ch. 5: The problem with banning TikTok - Vox - Air Date 8-29-20 TikTok’s in trouble. But so is the internet as we know it. Ch. 6: Are You Feeding a Powerful Facial Recognition Algorithm? - NOVA PBS Official - Air Date 4-23-21 Facial recognition technology has great potential to help law enforcement identify suspects. But collecting and storing data from online photos has raised concern among critics. Ch. 7: Addressing the TikTok Threat Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 9-8-22 Ch. 8: Why Facial Recognition Technology Is So Dangerous - Second Thought - Air Date 7-3-20 Government crackdowns, hyper-personalized ads, real-time location tracking of citizens. Mass surveillance is a growing threat in the modern world. In this episode, we'll take a look at why it's so dangerous. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Real Danger Of ChatGPT - Nerwriter1 - Air Date 12-30-22 The Nerdwriter is a series of video essays about art, culture, politics, philosophy and more. Ch. 10: Hustle / Grind Alpha Bro vs. Random ChatGPT Guy - Andrew Rousso - Air Date 12-13-22 Inside everyone, there are two wolves but inside me... there are three. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the new ad system for the show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 12-15-22 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin, and Deon discuss: - Why framing corporations are moral actors is a step on the path to conspiratorial thinking - Conservative framing that doesn't make them look as good as they think it does - Indoctrination as a scare word - Defining political topics that are beyond the scope of civil debate   Connect to out Discord   References: Tucker Carlson: Apple is covering for the Chinese government Apple is willing to engage in global censorship: David Sack  Apple CEO confronted over China protests  Alito asks a hypothetical about a Black Santa at the mall who doesn't want to have his picture taken with a child dressed up in a KKK outfit. Kanye STORMS OUT On Tim Pool After Claiming Jewish Cabal Is Targeting Him - The Majority Report  MAHER: ‘Don’t Say Gay Law’ Could Have Been Called ‘Let’s Do Things the Way We Did 5 Years Ago Law’    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 10/27/2021 Today we take a look at some of the ways that 25 years of Fox News has reshaped our media and political landscape. Crucially, understanding Fox isn't just about their influence on their conservative viewers but how they manage to hack the political conversation for the rest of us. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War On Fox Is Over - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-22-13 Archive clip from A parody of itself (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-17-14 Ch. 2: Losing Relatives to Fox News - You're Wrong About - Air Date 12-7-20 Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Ch. 3: Kevin Drum on how Fox 'News' broke America - The Bradcast - Air Date 9-17-21 Data journalist and longtime Mother Jones columnist KEVIN DRUM explains his exhaustive analysis of the madness of this political moment, and how and why we arrived at it. The Right has seemingly gone mad due to the spread of conspiracy theories. Ch. 4: You're watching Fox News. You just don't know it. - Vox - Air Date 5-24-19 Fox News was created to push right-wing nonsense to the mainstream, and now there’s no escape. Ch. 5: Conspiracy Network OAN 90% Funded by AT&T - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 10-7-21 Right wing conspiracy network OAN turns out to be 90% funded by AT&T Ch. 6: How Fox News Made Every Moment of the Last 25 Years Worse - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-7-21 Yes, it’s been 25 years since Fox News came on the air—25 years of “refracting the absolute most absurd and destructive and deadly disinformation and misinformation from the right wing fever swamps,” Carusone tells co-hosts Molly and Jesse. Ch. 7: What 25 Years Of Fox News Poison Have Done To America - All In - Air Date 10-8-21 Chris Hayes marks 25 years of dangerous lies from Fox News: “There is a direct pipeline from what appears on Fox News to the absolute worst manifestations, worst behavior, worst elements of our politics and society.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Former Fox News Reporter Tells All - David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-05-13 Archive clip from Ridiculing Fox isn't just fun, it's important (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-28-13 Ch. 9: The biggest difference between Trump and Nixon is Fox News - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 11-8-19 Nicole Hemmer, the brilliant historian of conservative media, joins to discuss how Fox News and the larger conservative media-verse protects Trump but also lures him into disaster. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the multi-decade victim mentality of conservatives about the media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A slightly distorted Fox News logo sits askew at the center of a hypnotic spiral. Credits: “Fox News” by Johnny Silvercloud, Flickr | License | Changes: Added hypnotic swirl background, cropped, faded edges || Hypnosis Spiral via Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/24/2022 Today, we compare the far-right religious extremists who are fighting to gain power in the US with the protests against the theocratic regime in Iran supporting women's rights in the country. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How a new Christian right is changing US politics - BBC News - Air Date 11-28-22 A new battle of faith is being driven by some pastors and politicians in the United States. Their central message is that the country's conservative Christian way of life is under threat, and American society is moving in the wrong direction. Ch. 2: Women's Rights Activist on Protests Sweeping Iran, the Intensifying Gov't Crackdown & Executions Part 1 - Democracy now! - Air Date 10-15-22 "Iranians voted multiple times for over two decades for some process of reform … but the state has not given in to those demands," she says. "What we're seeing now is the result." Tahmasebi is the director of FEMENA Ch. 3: The Taliban’s Far-Right Fan Base - VICE - Air Date 10-18-21 In chat rooms and message boards on the darker corners of the web - far-right groups have been praising the Taliban’s takeover, lauding their religious fundamentalism, execution of opponents, and hatred of so-called liberalism. Ch. 4: Complete Dissatisfaction with the Current Order - Why Protests in Iran Are Not Slowing Down - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-6-22 "Today's movement is not calling for reform. Today's movement is calling for a new vision of politics … with women at the helm of it," says Narges Bajoghli, professor of anthropology and Middle East studies at Johns Hopkins University Ch. 5: Are We Prepared For Anti-Democratic Extremist Threats? Featuring Peter Montgomery - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-15-22 Far Right, Anti-Democratic Extremist groups are not slowing down. Some even have connections with ‘mainstream’ Republican politicians. Peter Montgomery joins Thom Hartmann to discuss the threat the far right still poses. Ch. 6: Inside the Iran Protests: What You Need to Know Nahid Siamdoust - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-18-22 Sam and Emma host Nahid Siamdoust, Assistant Professor of Middle East and Media Studies at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss the recent political protests in Iran. Ch. 7: Republican Leader Trump's Dinner With Racist Forces Reckoning For Normal Americans - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 11-28-22 Rachel Maddow shares some of the fringe perspectives of the racist, Christian fascist who Donald Trump hosted for dinner at Mar-a-Lago Ch. 8: Women's Rights Activist on Protests Sweeping Iran, the Intensifying Gov't Crackdown & Executions Part 2 - Democracy now! - Air Date 10-15-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Will SCOTUS Turn America Into A Theocracy? (w/ Rachel Laser) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-18-22 Joseph Kennedy, a football coach, pressured his students to pray with him. He was asked not pressure students into religion during Public School activities. but he refused. Rachel Laser joined Thom to discuss the case and the pressure on students. Ch. 10: Hayes: Supreme Court conservative majority is ‘high council of Fox News viewers’ - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-5-22 “Because the conservative majority has tossed away all pretense of being anything other than, essentially, a high council of Fox News viewers, they decided her case should be heard before the Supreme Court,” says Chris Hayes FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on why Christian Nationalists would be better off not installing a dictatorship MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

What if California seceded from the United States? If it did, what would happen? Would it usher in a new era of peace and prosperity? Or plunge the US into a new civil war? This is The Last Resort, a new documentary podcast following the rise, fall, and rebirth of CAL EXIT: the campaign for Californian Independence. It’s a story about a dream for a new progressive utopia on the West Coast. It’s about the fight for America’s future. And it’s also a tale of two friends who started on the political fringe and ended up in the middle of a still-unfolding global criminal conspiracy involving the FBI and Russian Intelligence. Coming October 18th from Interval Presents and Awfully Nice. Narrated by Xiuhtezcatl. Binge all episodes of The Last Resort available now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts!

Original Air Date: 12-1-22 Today, Jay!, Amanda and Deon discuss: - That the youth are doing away with "You're welcome" - Words Matter: Building solidarity or maintaining power structures through vocatives - The power play of intentional misnaming - Ye's name, ego and run for president   Connect our Discord Community   References: A scorching hot take on why younger people say 'no problem' instead of 'you're welcome.'  Words Matter by Sally McConnell-Ginet  HOW TO PRONOUNCE YE AND MEANING OF KANYE’S NEW NAME EXPLAINED  Trump faulted for dinner with white nationalist, rapper Ye    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/17/2022 Today, we take a look at the fringe philosophy of accelerationism that is having a bigger impact on society than you will likely have realized as it's been behind some of the worst terror attacks in recent years and is likely behind attacks on infrastructure targeting society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Dystopian Philosophy You've Never Heard Of - Philion - Air Date 6-26-22 Explaining the origins of Accelerationism Ch. 2: A Foiled Plot in Texas: The Threat of Violent Fringe Online Networks - Tech Against Terrorism - Air Date 2-22-22 Matt Kriner is an intelligence analyst with almost a decade of experience researching and analyzing US domestic violent extremists, transnational far-right extremism, and radicalization. Ch. 3: “It only takes a few” - White Hot Hate - Air Date 11-28-21 Some members of The Base are planning deadly attacks that they hope will spark a race war. Will they be stopped, before it's too late? Ch. 4: Proud Boys, January 6, and When a U-Haul Is a Clown Car - Angry Planet - Air Date 6-17-22 So, it’s time to look again at what this group — and related groups — did on January 6, and just how dangerous they really are. We’ll also talk about accelerationism, what it is and what accelerationists want. Ch. 5: Right-Wing, Domestic Terror Eyed In N.C. Infrastructure Sabotage As Facts Remain Elusive - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 12-6-22 Rachel Maddow looks at a mysterious gun attack on electricity infrastructure in North Carolina and how it lines up with a past attack in California in 2013 and a DOJ case this year against white supremacists in Ohio. Ch. 6: Accelerationism: The International Apocalyptic Doctrine That's Unifying the Far Right - World Affairs Council Monterey Bay - Air Date 5-29-21 Accelerationism is a doctrine of revolutionary violence that holds that society is irreparably broken and must be destroyed. In recent years it has caught on among a variety of disparate movements throughout the world. Ch. 7: The seductive dangers of speed - RSA Podcasts - Air Date 7-5-17 The accelerating pace of political and economic change can be disorienting – but, for some, change isn’t happening fast enough. Matthew Taylor is joined by the journalist Andy Beckett and philosophers Benjamin Noys and Nina Power MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why We’re All Rooting for the Apocalypse - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-8-22 The apocalypse has never been more omnipresent in the cultural zeitgeist. But why are we all so convinced that the world is going to end, and do we have a moral obligation to prevent this gnarly fate? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Sign that union card and support striking unions! - Nick From California UAW-UC Academic Workers Strike Support and Hardship Fund FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments giving some helpful advice to White supremacists looking to start a race war MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A young white man dressed in a black hoodie with the hood over his hat is looking away from the camera while wearing a black mask with the image of the lower half of a skull on it. A lit torch is next to him in the foreground. A lit structure and a crowd of people are visible in the background. Credit: “Face of the streets” by spoilt.exile, Flickr | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/13/2022 Today, we take a look at the labor dispute within our freight rail industry as well as other unionization fights that corporations are vehemently opposing while the Democrats and Biden, the "most pro-labor president ever" are doing precious little to help. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Railroaded - Bad Faith - Air Date 12-1-22 Union train engineer Ross Grooters returns to the podcast along with The Real News' Maximilian Alvarez, and Bad Faith newbie and co-host of Well There's Your Problem Justin Roczniak. Ch. 2: The People's Guide To Power - The Power Of Labor - The Brain Lehrer Show - Air Date 10-23-22 Labor unions represent workers in conversations with their employers. Can a political party represent workers in our government? Sochie Nnaemeka talks about some of the policies and politics behind the party's agenda. Ch. 3: Biden, Congressional Dems Partner with GOP, Media to Discipline Rail Labor - Citations Needed - Air Date 11-30-22 We are joined by Real News' Mel Buer and Max Alvarez to discuss the media campaign to obscure Biden and Congressional Dems selling out rail workers. Ch. 4: Railroaded Part 2 - Bad Faith - Air Date 12-1-22 Union train engineer Ross Grooters returns to the podcast along with The Real News' Maximilian Alvarez, and Bad Faith newbie and co-host of Well There's Your Problem Justin Roczniak. Ch. 5: John Logan on Amazon & Starbucks Organizing - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-7-22 With tens of thousands of workers walking out around the country, the notion that this is somehow not meaningful should be hard to maintain. Ch. 6: Instability - Capitalism's Constant - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 12-1-22 Prof. Wolff presents updates on the Twitter-Musk scandals, critique of profit as a return on risk, and mass European union-led strikes against inflation. Ch. 7: How to show solidarity with railroad workers - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 11-16-22 In a special panel co-hosted by The Real News and Haymarket Books, Railroad Workers United members speak about their struggle, the situation on the rails, and how you can get involved in efforts to support them. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Wall Street is holding the supply chain hostage to stop a railroad workers' strike - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 9-15-22 Maximilian Alvarez interviews Matt Parker, a full-time locomotive engineer who’s worked on the railroads for 19 years. Parker also serves part-time as Chairman on the Nevada State Legislative Board of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the hot mess of the fight for labor rights MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 11/9/2021 Today we take a look at the Facebook business model that is driving hate, lies, violence, extremism, and the breakdown of democracy around the world as well as some of the regulatory ideas geared toward reigning it in and mitigating the damage. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Facebook Papers Docs Reveal Tech Giants Complicity in Hate, Lies & Violence Around the World Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-26-21 UCLA professor Ramesh Srinivasan, who says the papers confirm what many critics have warned about for years. “This new form of digital capitalism that I believe Facebook is trailblazing is one that is playing with our intimate emotions on every level." Ch. 2: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 Tristan and Aza go behind the headlines with Frances herself. We go deeper into the problems she exposed, discuss potential solutions, and explore her motivations — along with why she fundamentally believes change is possible. Ch. 3: Hate and Lies On Facebook: They're Even Worse In India Part 1 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-27-21 We've been hearing about revelations from the leaked 'Facebook Papers.' What has the social media giant been doing, and what they haven't been doing, around the world? Guest: Sheera Frenkel, New York Times technology reporter. Ch. 4: Zuckerberg's Metaverse - TyskySour - Air Date 10-29-21 Facebook is now Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg says our future is in the Metaverse. Is virtual reality the future of the internet, or Zuckerberg’s latest gimmick? With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. Ch. 5: The Facebook Papers Docs Reveal Tech Giants Complicity in Hate, Lies & Violence Around the World Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-26-21 Ch. 6: Hate and Lies On Facebook: They're Even Worse In India Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-27-21 Ch. 7: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 3 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 Ch. 9: The Science Fiction Origins of the Metaverse - On the Media - Air Date 11-5-21 Jill Lepore, Harvard historian and New Yorker staff writer; Gene Seymour culture critic with work in Newsday, the Nation, etc; and Annalee Newitz science fiction author and science journalist, on the makings (and potential mishaps) of the metaverse. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Facebooks treatment of nonprofits and the actions you can take to call for regulation TAKE ACTION! Take part in The Facebook Logout, Nov. 10th-13th via Kairos & coalition - Read the demands Call on DOJ, SEC, and FTC to Open Criminal Investigations into Facebook Execs via American Economic Liberties Project & MoveOn.org Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A cardboard cutout of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wearing a black shirt that says "FACEBOOK" and holding a flag (referencing his infamous July 4th video where he rode a hydrofoil on a lake while holding a giant American flag). The flag is dark blue with white text that says "I know we harm kids, but i don't care." with a Facebook icon. A roadway with cars and a building with scaffolding can be seen in the background. Credit: "Zuckerberg_Sum_Of_Us_2" by SumOfUs, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness, contrast and saturation Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 12/6/2022 Today, we take a look at some of the factors driving hyper-partisanship in the US right now along with multiple arguments to not give up on the power of persuasion.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What If We Don't Need To 'Fix' Polarization? - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-20-21 NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben interviews Lilliana Mason, associate professor of Government and Politics at the University of Maryland, about her book Uncivil Agreement. Ch. 2: Getting Past Polarization: Anand Giridharadas - Ideas - Air Date 11-23-22 The extremes are extreme in U.S. politics. But Anand Giridharadas and some other progressives are convinced that there are uncompromising approaches that can move up to 60 percent of voters to value democracy and human rights. Ch. 3: How to fix our polarized conversations (with Robb Willer) - How to Be a Better Human - Air Date 2-1-21 Is your family, community, or even your country more divided than ever? Today’s guest Robb Willer is here to share some compelling insights on how we might bridge the ideological divide and offer some intuitive advice on ways to be more persuasive. Ch. 4: Can persuasion bridge the political divide? - Front Burner - Air Date 11-25-22 In his book, Giridharadas speaks with experts on reaching people — organizers, activists, politicians, cognitive scientists, and even a cult deprogrammer — and takes a critical look at his fellow American progressives. Ch. 5: Why We're So Polarized - The Truth of the Matter - Air Date 10-25-21 Johns Hopkins University professor Dr. Lillianna Mason joins the podcast for a discussion of political polarization in the U.S. and how politics have become central to the identities of many Americans across racial, religious and cultural lines. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: An innovative polling model can move us past political polarization - The Future of Everything - Air Date 6-24-22 A Stanford professor explains how the deliberative polling model can get people to listen to one another and even compromise on some of society’s most complex policy issues. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 7: Final comments on hyper-partisanship in the ballot box MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/3/2022 Today, we take a look at the mega-companies that touch all of our lives and the monopolistic practices that have been developed to keep power and wealth concentrated with the few while the rest of us get screwed.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tech Monopolies - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-13-22 John Oliver discusses tech monopolies, and how to address the hidden harm they can do. Ch. 2: How Ticketmaster Is Destroying Live Music - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-19-22 Ticketmaster is destroying live music. Their scam fees now cost as much as 78% of a ticket. They control the events, the venues, and even the artists. There’s a movement pushing the Justice Department to take on its monopoly. Cory Doctorow breaks it down. Ch. 3: Corporate Greed Is Causing Inflation But The Rich Blame Workers - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-16-22 Not since the Great Depression have corporate profits soared so high. But it is not enough to satisfy them. More than 54% of the inflation America is experiencing is caused by record-setting corporate profits. Ch. 4: Why Food Prices Could Skyrocket Thanks to This Grocery Merger - More Perfect Union - Air Date 11-14-22 Safeway, Ralphs, Smiths, Harris Teeters, Shaws, Kings, Randalls, and about 25 other brands, will all be owned by a single company if the Kroger-Albertsons merger goes through. And that’s really bad news for the prices you pay. Ch. 5: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 Novelist Cory Doctorow and intellectual property expert Rebecca Giblin discuss their new book, Chokepoint Capitalism, which documents the increasing tensions between extractive corporations and creative laborers. Ch. 6: Making The Case For Abolishing Billionaires - MSNBC - Air Date 11-21-22 "One after another, four of our best-known billionaires laid waste to the image of benevolent saviors carefully cultivated by their class," Anand Giridharadas writes in a recent New York Times column. Ch. 7: Elon Musk Is An Idiot (and so are Zuck and SBF) - Adam Conover - Air Date 11-23-22 Tech CEOs aren't geniuses, and here's the proof. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Chokepoint Capitalism (with Cory Doctorow and Rebecca Giblin) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 11-1-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how regulation helps stop financial scams MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 11-5-22 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The Neverending Story - Instilling distrust through abuse - More on collectivist storytelling - Joseph Campbell and the myth of the monomyth - The politics of public toilets and potty training   Connect to our Discord   References: The Martin Beck Police Mystery Series Joseph Campbell's Myth of the Monomyth | Part 1 - Maggie May Fish The Weird History of Gender-Segregated Bathrooms - Live Science The Powerful History of Potty Training - The Atlantic How an urban myth about litter boxes in schools became a GOP talking point   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 11/30/2022 Today, we take a look at the context of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar including the labor abuses endemic in the construction of the facilities, the authoritarianism and anti-LGBTQ policies of the Qatari government, and the corruption fundamental to the inner working of FIFA that brought the tournament to Qatar in the first place. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Qatar and a World Cup controversy - Front Burner - Air Date 11-10-22 In the decade since Qatar won its bid to host this year's tournament, allegations of bribery, discrimination and human rights abuses have threatened to overshadow the game. Ch. 2: What Does Qatar Want? - Pro Revolution Soccer - Air Date 11-25-22 Tom speaks to Lebanese writer and activist Ali Reda about why Gulf petrostates are investing billions into football – particularly in the north of England – and what the British state gets out of the deal. Ch. 3: Qatar and the World Cup of Shame - Burn It All Down - Air Date 4-20-21 We discuss the (longstanding) controversy around the Qatar 2022 FIFA Men's World Cup including the ongoing inhumane working conditions and indentured servitude for migrant laborers building stadiums that have led to at least 6,500 deaths Ch. 4: World Cup: Welcome to Qatar! - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-4-22 Soccer is sometimes called “the second religion of the Arab World,” and Qatar is the region’s first country to host the World Cup. Ch. 5: Qatar World Cup: FIFA president defends tournament in extraordinary speech - Channel 4 News - Air Date 11-19-22 FIFA's President Gianni Infantino gave an extraordinary speech in which he railed against Western hypocrisy over migrant workers Ch. 6: 'One Love' campaign hit by threat of FIFA sanctions - DW News - Air Date 11-21-22 The threat of sanctions has resulted in the seven European nations who had signed up to the One Love campaign, including England and Germany, announcing their decision to abandon plans to wear the rainbow-themed captain’s armbands. Ch. 7: Boom in demand for 'One Love' arm bands banned by FIFA - FRANCE 24 English - Air Date 11-24-22 The "One Love" armbands that captains of some teams at the World Cup had been intending to wear to show support for the LGBTQ+ community are seeing a boom in demand among the general public after FIFA decided to ban players from wearing the armbands. Ch. 8: Qatar World Cup - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 11-21-22 John Oliver discusses the Qatar World Cup, the human rights violations happening in the sporting event’s host country, and what perfection really means to David Beckham. Ch. 9: Human Rights and the Qatar World Cup - Global Dispatches -- World News That Matters - Air Date 11-16-22 In this episode, we speak with Michael Page, deputy director in the Middle East and North Africa division at Human Rights Watch We discuss how and why migrant workers were exploited in Qatar and then have a conversation about human rights MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: How FIFA corrupted the World Cup - Vox - Air Date 11-23-22 FIFA announced the 2022 World Cup would take place in a surprising country, Qatar. At that same meeting, they also announced that the 2018 World Cup would take place in Russia. These selections set off a new chapter in FIFA’s history FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the propaganda master class put on by the president of FIFA Reference: FIFA President Gianni Infantino Press conference MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 11/27/2018 Today we take a look at the literal and figurative bloody messes of the history of Thanksgiving and the identities of native peoples. This episode is the second in an ongoing series focusing on Native Peoples in North America. Other episodes include #1216 on Christopher Columbus, #1252 on Westward Expansion, #1265 on native peoples adapting to the modern world, and #1283 on (mis)representation of native peoples in popular culture. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Code Switch Thanksgiving Feast - Code Switch - Air Date 11-21-17 Exploring the conflicting narratives of American Thanksgiving. Ch. 2: Historian Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz on Thanksgiving: "It Has Never Been About Honoring Native Americans" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 11-29-16 We speak with indigenous historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz. She is the author of "An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States" and co-author of "All the Real Indians Died Off: And 20 Other Myths About Native Americans." Ch. 3: The stolen sisters Part 1 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 4: Indigenous DNA - Science for the People - Air Date 1-5-17 Kim TallBear, Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Peoples Technoscience, on her book "Native American DNA: Tribal Belonging and the False Promise of Genetic Science." Ch. 5: The stolen sisters Part 2 - In the Thick - Air Date 9-18-18 Maria and Julio speak about Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls movement with Annita Lucchesi, a Southern Cheyenne cartographer who has built the largest database of missing and murdered Indigenous women. Ch. 6: It's not just about the blood - Code Switch - Air Date 2-6-18 If you're Native American, who or what gets to define your identity? We dive into an old system intended to measure the amount of "Indian blood" a person has. Ch. 7: Native Americans React to Elizabeth Warren's DNA Test: Stop Making Native People "Political Fodder" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 10-18-18 Native Americans across the country are criticizing Senator Elizabeth Warren’s decision to use a DNA test to assert her Native American heritage. We host a roundtable discussion of Native American activists and journalists to respond. Ch. 8: Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the trivializing of native people - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 10-23-18 Indigenous historian Nick Estes discusses the ongoing attacks on native people, voter disenfranchisement, the Red Power movement and the latest on the fight against major oil and gas pipelines.   VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: The dangers of over-secrecy - Abdul from DC   Ch. 10: Final comments on #StandWithMashpee   TAKE ACTION! Tell your members of Congress to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Reservation Reaffirmation Act (H.R. 5244 / S. 2628) Learn more and find out how to support the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe  Share the tribe’s video on social media Amplify the #StandwithMashpee hashtag EDUCATE YOURSELF The true story of the first Thanksgiving and what it meant (Opinion | Boston Globe) Mashpee Wampanoag Confront 'Loss Of Self-Governance' After Interior Department Reversal (WBUR, Here & Now) This Thanksgiving, The Trump Administration Is Taking Land From The Tribe That Welcomed The Pilgrims (Huffington Post) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Air Date 11/22/2022 Today, we take a look at three recent incidents of celebrities using their platforms to spread antisemitic tropes all in the context of greater openness to antisemitism within the Republican Party in the age of Trumpism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/HOLIDAY (BOTL GIFT GUIDE!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: From Kanye To Trump: The Mainstreaming Of Antisemitism On The American Right - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-17-22 Chris Hayes: "Right-wing politics as currently embodied by MAGAism—which is the dominant ethos of one of two of America's major parties—has always been and will always be fundamentally a threat to tolerance and pluralism that will inevitably target Jews." Ch. 2: Anti-Semitism - This is Democracy - Air Date 11-9-22 This week, Jeremi and Zachary are joined by Peter Beinart to discuss the history of antisemitism in The United States and around the world. Ch. 3: Legacy Media Problems - In The Thick - Air Date 10-28-22 Maria and Julio talk about the mainstream media’s coverage of the election, the consequences of Kanye West’s antisemitic and anti-Black comments, and voter intimidation efforts in Arizona. Ch. 4: Conspiracy theories, anti-Semitism and fun - The Philosopher's Zone - Air Date 5-29-22 You don’t have to be stupid to be a conspiracy theorist. Many people who buy into paranoid fantasies about stolen Presidential elections and sinister global Jewish cabals are perfectly sane, well-educated individuals. So why do they fall for these myths? Ch. 5: Unpacking Kyrie Irving - Edge of Sports - Air Date 11-7-22 ‘Choice Words’ about Kyrie Irving, anti-Semitism, and his frightening new allies. Ch. 6: A historic look at the ties between Black and Jewish communities - CBS Mornings - Air Date 7-22-20 Jericka Duncan took a deep dive into the history of anti-Semitism, and the rich history between the Black and Jewish communities. Ch. 7: A word about the casual antisemitism that's growing and who it supports - jamylecannon - Air Date 10-28-22 Why "positive" stereotypes about Jewish people are promoted by White Supremacists Ch. 8: Nick reacts to Kyrie Irving’s promotion of antisemitic film - What’s Wright? - Air Date 10-31-22 Nick weighs in on Irving’s recent promotion of antisemitic film before Jewish-owned team visited Nets. Nick reacts to Irving’s actions involving his past controversies with off-the-court issues. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Pogroms and Prejudice - Arts & Ideas - Air Date 8-24-22 New Generation Thinker Brendan McGeever traces the links between anti-Semitism now and pogroms in the former Soviet Union and the language used to describe this form of racism. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Policing gender norms - VoicedMailer John FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Jon Stewart discussing antisemitism and Dave Chapelle Articles:  Jon Stewart is right about how to fight antisemitism — and should maybe be our ‘spokesjew’ Jon Stewart is not our ‘spokesjew’ — he normalized hate speech Original Interview: Jon Stewart On Dave Chappelle, Kyrie Irving, And Kanye West - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 11-15-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Horizontally split image. The top half is a black and white photo of Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) performing at a concert. The bottom half is a close-up, profile photo of Kyrie Irving on the basketball court holding a basketball near his face about to shoot. Credit 1: “Kanye West Central Hall” by Daniel Cruz Valle, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Credit 2: “Kyrie Irving” by Erik Frost, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 4/16/2019 Today we take a look at just a few of the aspects of modern life for Native Peoples that we can see as stemming from the racism and colonialism that have been endemic in post-contact America. This episode is the fourth in an ongoing series focusing on Native Peoples in North America. Previous episodes are, in order, #1216 on Christopher Columbus, #1230 on Thanksgiving, and #1252 on Westward Expansion. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  HOLIDAY SHOPPING - BOOKS AND MORE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Indians Confront “Savage Anxieties” - Moyers and Company - Air Date 12-26-14 Bill speaks with Robert A. Williams Jr., a professor specializing in American Indian law, about how deals such as the one with Rio Tinto are a part of American Indian’s tragic history of dispossession. Ch. 2: What we inherit: Explaining intergenerational trauma - Code Switch - Air Date 6-6-18 The story of one family's struggle to end a toxic cycle of inter-generational trauma from forced assimilation. Getting back to their Native Alaskan cultural traditions is key. Ch. 3: Sexual Violence and Native American Genocide - @Making_Contact - Air Date 11-26-13 Andrea Smith, author of “Conquest: Sexual Violence and Native American Genocide” explains the connection between violence against women, and the colonization of native lands and bodies. Ch. 4: The legal structures that uphold violence against Indigenous people #MMIW - Let's Talk Native... with John Kane - Air Date 2-14-19 Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is a major issue because of racism. Acquittals for murdering Native people occur because of racism. Racism is systemic, historic and the norm in the US and Canada. Ch. 5: End the Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Crisis: Tell Congress to Pass #SavannasAct, #SURVIVEAct & Reauthorize #VAWA Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 6: Jenni Monet on Indigenous Journalism - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-24-19 Corporate media’s lack of interest in indigenous issues, and their ahistorical, distorted view of them when they do cover them, are long overdue for a change. Ch. 7: Beyond Tragedy: The living history of Native America - Ideas from CBC Radio - Air Date 2-20-19 This idea of history as tragedy is something that Ojibwe writer David Treuer tries to undo in The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee. He argues that Indigenous peoples have always found ways to adapt, and that's exactly what they're doing now. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Disagreeing on arguments against a female presidential candidate - Stacy from San Francisco Bay Area FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments sharing some voices of Native people giving their perspective on the burning of Notre Dame cathedral TAKE ACTION! Tell Congress to Pass/Reauthorize: Savanna's Act SURVIVE Act Violence Against Women Act Learn more at MontanaMMIW.com & on Twitter: #MMIW #MMIWG EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE A missing sweater tells the story of missing Indigenous women (Indian Country Today) Savanna's Act is Back (Splinter) States weigh bills addressing Native deaths, disappearances (AP) House Passes Bill Protecting Domestic Abuse Victims; GOP Split Over Gun Restrictions (NPR) Montana Senate Betrays Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (Splinter) Tester reintroduces “Securing Urgent Resources Vital to Indian Victim Empowerment” Act (KRTV) Lisa Murkowski Revives Bill Targeting Missing And Murdered Native Women (Huffington Post) Researched & written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Episode Image: Slowking4 via commons.wikimedia.org   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Air Date 11/15/2022 Today, we take a look at our extremely steady history of political violence from the Revolution, through the Civil War, Reconstruction and Jim Crow, into the Civil Rights era, the Militia Movement and domestic terrorism, and now to our current once-again-radicalized, right-wing movement willing to use and tacitly condone violence as a political tactic. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitol Attack Wasn't the 1st Violent Incident in Congress - Inside Edition - Air Date 1-20-22 According to Yale historian Joanne Freeman, “The caning of Charles Sumner, which happened in 1856, is pretty much the most famous violent incident in the US Congress.” Ch. 2: A history of US political violence Part 1 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 The Americast team looks at how the attack has led to the sharing of disinformation on social media and Justin and Sarah speak to author Josh Zeitz about the history of political violence in the US. Ch. 3: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 1 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Right-wing violence isn't just sporadic it is a war against American values. The most startling details on right-wing militias, violence, and Trump are coming from Luke Mogelson, an award-winning war reporter. Ch. 4: Political Violence Is No Anomaly in American History - System Check - Air Date 1-8-21 Our guest and guide this week is Hasan Kwame Jeffries, associate professor of history at The Ohio State University. He reminds us that the violence we saw at the Capitol this week is not an anomaly—in fact, political violence is what birthed this nation. Ch. 5: Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22 Sean Ililing talks with author Nicole Hemmer, who shows how the GOP became what it is today Ch. 6: Storm of White Right Wing Violence Isn't Coming... It's Here Featuring Luke Mogelson Part 2 - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-15-22 Ch. 7: Some Democrats call on McCarthy to resign after comment 'hard not to hit' Pelosi with speaker's gavel - ABC News - Air Date 8-2-21 An aide to McCarthy said "he was obviously joking" without commenting further. Ch. 8: Paul Pelosi attacked with hammer in his home - ABC News - Air Date 10-29-22 Officials say the suspect was targeting House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Ch. 9: A history of US political violence Part 2 - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 Ch. 10: Political Violence - In the Thick - Air Date 11-4-22 “The political violence in our nation’s history is organized and purposeful. It is normalized by rhetoric that justifies it, and often encourages it,” writes Jeremi Suri on the attack on Paul Pelosi, in this piece for Time Magazine. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Today's Republicans were made in the 1990s Part 2 - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 11-7-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Not just winning, defeating - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the bipartisan uses of Rules for Radicals MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Show Image: Description: A newspaper cartoon/drawing of Senator Sumner being beaten on the floor of the Senate with a cane by Sen. Preston Brooks in 1856. Credit: “Southern Chivalry - Argument vs. Clubs” by J.L. Magee, 1856 | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 11/12/2022 Today, we take a look at a few types of panic that regularly strike within communities or across the nation including various satanic panics, Halloween candy panics, and panic over kids being too inclusive and welcoming of all types of people. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Satanic Panic never really ended | What's the Story? - Vox Quick Hits - Air Date 4-7-21 One of the most famous moral panics in history, the Satanic Panic, may have been at its peak in the 80s, but did it ever really go away? Vox culture writer Aja Romano walks up through the history of this fear of the occult Ch. 2: Rainbow Fentanyl for Halloween? - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 10-19-22 Are evil-minded strangers trying to hook your kids on candy-colored fentanyl? As Halloween approaches, a dire story is making the rounds about the threat to children of so-called rainbow fentanyl. Ch. 3: Satanic Panic: Part One - American Hysteria - Air Date 12-10-18 This episode is part one of our two-part series on perhaps the most mystifying moral panic in US history, the 1980s and early 90s 'Satanic Panic.' For this episode, Chelsey covers the rise of organized Satanism beginning in the late 60s Ch. 4: Fentanyl In Our Halloween Candy and Liberal Messaging Failures of the Overdose Crisis - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-28-22 In this Halloween-themed News Brief, we debunk the idea drug dealers are handing out fentanyl candy to our children. But we also examine why these copaganda panics are able to take hold: namely the failure of liberals to provide an alternative Ch. 5: Satanic Panic — Dungeons & Dragons and Harry Potter - Soul Search - Air Date 9-22-22 The Satanic Panic was a time of incredible anxiety in the United States and Australia. This feature examines how games like Dungeons and Dragons and books like Harry Potter became unlikely villains in a war over religion, politics and imagination. Ch. 6: Deranged Parents FREAK OUT Over Mural During School Board Meeting - The Majority Report - Air Date 10-21-22 Michigan high school student defends her mural which parents called satanic and anti-Christian because it contained a Genshin Impact character and a person wearing a transgender flag t-shirt. The Majority Report crew discusses parents. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Our annual Halloween hysteria - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-22 This year’s fear of rainbow fentanyl in kids’ trick-or-treat bags is just the latest unfounded Halloween candy freakout. But the yearly panic has its roots in a very real crisis: the 1982 Tylenol murders. Ch. 8: Satanic Panic: Part Two - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-7-19 Two characters, Stranger Danger’s murderous pedophile and the Satanist, blurred into a new villain and psychological archetype FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on policing gender norms through the ages References:  A Brief History of Men Today Are Too Feminine and Women Too Masculine A Brief History of Nobody Wants to Work Anymore MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/8/2022 Today, we take a look at the life and times of China's president, Xi Jinping, and his rise to be China's first non-term-limited president who also, not coincidentally, has a bit of an authoritarian streak. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: MINTMOBILE.COM/BEST CUT YOUR WIRELESS BILL TO $15 A MONTH BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: China Under Xi Jinping From Human Rights Concerns to Inter-Capitalist Competition with U.S. Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-25-22 Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun a historic third term. We speak with Yaqiu Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch and Johns Hopkins University professor Ho-fung Hung. Ch. 2: Made in China Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-14-22 Chinese President Xi Jinping is a product of Mao Zedong’s revolution. On Sunday, he'll become the most powerful Chinese leader since the Communist Party’s founder — and maybe the most powerful person in the world. Ch. 3: What A Third Term For Xi Jinping Could Mean For China And The World - Consider This - Air Date 10-19-22 Ailsa Chang speaks with Yun Sun, director of the China Program at the Stimson Center, about the global implications of a third term for Xi Jinping and how this signals a new era for China. Ch. 4: China Under Xi Jinping From Human Rights Concerns to Inter-Capitalist Competition with U.S. Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-25-22 Ch. 5: Made in China Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-14-22 Ch. 6: Chinese President Xi tightens grip on authority amid fears of a return to one-man politics - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 10-14-22 China's Communist party sees a shake-up of leadership but President Xi Jinping is set to remain at the helm. It comes amid growing fears about what a return to one-man politics might mean for the future of the country. Special correspondent Patrick Fok. Ch. 7: Xi Jinping - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-18-18 Chinese president Xi Jinping is amassing an alarming amount of political power. If only his propaganda videos made the idea of unrestricted authority seem as troubling as the concept of singing children. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Made in China Part 3 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-14-22 Ch. 9: China Under Xi Jinping From Human Rights Concerns to Inter-Capitalist Competition with U.S. Part 3 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-25-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on misinformation in the mirror universe MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Graffiti portrait of Xi Jinping in profile on a concrete wall. His face is outlined in black on a red background. Weeds grow up from the ground under the portrait. Credit: “Xi Jinping, painted portrait_DDC2205” by Thierry Ehrmann, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 10-24-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - The rise of AI-powered therapy bots   Connect to our Discord community!   References: My Therapist, the Robot  Therapy for People Who Can’t Go to Therapy    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 11/1/2022 Today, we take a look at the corporate price-gouging and massive profits happening under the cover of widespread inflation, all in the run-up to the midterm elections in which the GOP is running cover for corporations and blaming Democrats for price hikes. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why corporations are reaping record profits with inflation on the rise - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-12-22 Economics correspondent Paul Solman explores whether concentrated market power is contributing to inflation. Ch. 2: Why Gas Prices Are So High Right Now | Ft. Jessica Burbank - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-30-22 What explains the oil industry's historically massive profits? A price gouging scheme that oil companies freely acknowledge. Ch. 3: Variety in the price of life: inflation and the midterms - The Intelligence from The Economist - Air Date 10-19-22 How inflation—at its highest since the early Reagan era—is affecting people’s lives and their voting intentions. Ch. 4: Katie Porter EXPOSES Corporate Greed Causing Inflation - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 10-21-22 Rep Katie Porter brings attention to statistics revealing the huge role corporate greed has on inflation. Ch. 5: Katie Porter TORCHES Corporate Oil Profits In Brilliant Lesson - The Damage Report - Air Date 10-21-22 Corporate price gouging concerning big oil companies and inflation, Jessica Burbank breaks it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 6: AOC And Raskin On Stakes Of Midterms: We Are 'Facing An Environment Of Fascism' - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-28-22 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Rep. Jamie Raskin join Chris Hayes to discuss what’s at stake ahead of the midterm elections.  Ch. 7: Ralph Nader Throws Support to Democrats Ahead of Midterms But Warns the Party's Message is Failing - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-25-22 Democrats hoping to keep control of Congress and make gains in state governments are facing significant political headwinds Ch. 8: Liberal Redneck - Inflation and the GOP - Trae Crowder - Air Date 10-27-22 Republicans harp on and on about inflation, but what are they actually going to DO about it? Not much, prolly. I holler bout it herein. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Republicans embrace last-ditch dangerous tactic ahead of midterms - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 10-30-22 Mike Levin joins to discuss what the Inflation Reduction Act actually does for climate VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: UK could well go fascist - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the quickness with which anger can turn to fascism TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022: Persuade someone to vote:  - Jay's final comments from episode #1365 (Transcript) on using your vote as a theory of change tool. - "Ask the Experts: How to Inspire People to Vote for Their Values" (ACLU) - "This is How to Convince Your Friends to Vote" (Lemonade.com) Short on time? Donate once to... - Secretary of State Races: MoveOn.org's "America for All" midterm election campaign - Senate Races: SwingLeft Hold the Senate Fund, or SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (Senate & House) - House races: SwingLeft Hold the House Fund, or SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (House & Senate)  - Governors: SwingLeft Governor Fund - State Legislative Races: SwingLeft Legislative Fund MIDTERMS MINUTE Segments: #1 , #2 , #3, #4 Researched and written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of a long shopping receipt that lays across a background of various groceries. Credit: “Shopping spending till slip” by Stevepb, Pixabay

Air Date 10/29/2022 Today, we take a look at the destruction accomplished over decades by adherents to a libertarian, neoliberal ideology in the UK which culminated recently in the tanking value of the British pound sterling and the resignation of the shortest-serving Prime Minister ever Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why The United Kingdom Is In A Big Mess - AJ+ - Air Date 1-5-22 Why is post-Brexit Britain such a mess? Rising food and energy prices, empty shelves in stores and worker shortages. But could Brexit lead to something even bigger: the breakup of the United Kingdom? Ch. 2: What's wrong with Great Britain? - Financial Times - Air Date 4-19-22 The FT's chief economics commentator Martin Wolf says the UK is facing six interlocking crises, from stagnant living standards to a lack of political leadership Ch. 3: Thatcherism: What We Get Wrong About Neoliberalism - Kay and Skittles - Air Date 10-1-22 Differentiating between neoliberal ideology and how it plays out in practice Ch. 4: Liz Truss: The Oligarch's Prime Minister | George Monbiot - Double Down News - Air Date 10-4-22 What happens when libertarian ultras get everything they ever wanted all at once? Welcome to Oligarch Island Ch. 5: “We Are a Democracy in Name Only”: George Monbiot on Truss Resignation & Who Will Be Next British PM - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-21-22 British Prime Minister Liz Truss resigned Thursday after just 45 days in office, the shortest term in the nation’s history. Her low-tax, low-regulation financial policies were widely criticized after they sent the pound plummeting Ch. 6: James O'Brien claims trickle-down economics is as ghoulish, greedy and gross as it appears - LBC - Air Date 9-21-22 Explaining trickle-down economics for what it is and condemning the big lie that makes it palatable to the masses Ch. 7: Does Economics Drive All Politics? - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 10-20-22 Financial Times economic analyst Martin Wolf gives an overview of global economic forces, and looks at Britain’s economic and political chaos. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Brexit effect: how leaving the EU hit the UK | FT Film - Financial Times - Air Date 10-18-22 The UK's recent disastrous "mini" Budget can trace its origins back to Britain's decision to leave the European Union. The economic costs of Brexit were masked by the Covid-19 pandemic and the crisis in Ukraine. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the destabilization of neoliberalism TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022: Installment #4: The Rest of the Toss-Up House Races Short on time? Donate once... - Secretary of State Races: MoveOn.org's "America for All" midterm election campaign - Senate Races: SwingLeft Hold the Senate Fund, or SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (Senate & House) - House races: SwingLeft Hold the House Fund, or the SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (House & Senate)  - Governors: SwingLeft Governor Fund - State Legislative Races: SwingLeft Legislative Fund MIDTERMS MINUTE Segments: Installment #1 , Installment #2 , Installment #3 Researched and written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The Union Jack flag of the United Kingdom with black charred edges on a black background. Credit: Union Jack   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/26/2022 Today, we take a look at the 2022 election and the political dynamics at play as the GOP continues on its path of ideological anti-democracy and Democrats work to register new voters and get out the vote. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: "Democracy Demands We Participate": Black Voters Mobilize for Midterms Amid GOP Voter Suppression Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-21-22 We speak to law professor Kimberlé Crenshaw and civil rights attorney Barbara Arnwine, who are on an Arc of Voter Justice bus tour of 26 cities across the country to increase Black voter turnout at critical midterm elections in November. Ch. 2: Battling the Big Liars with Dan Pfeiffer - How We Win - Air Date 10-19-22 Biden is making it clear that abortion rights are on the ballot, as early voting kicks off in many states. New polls are worrying Democrats, but don’t worry… keep working! Ch. 3: Bernie Sanders Knows How Democrats Can Win Featuring Bernie Sanders - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-13-22 Democrats need a strategy to win the upcoming midterm election and Senator Bernie Sanders has a strategy to win. Ch. 4: Battling the Big Liars with Dan Pfeiffer Part 2 - How We Win - Air Date 10-19-22 Ch. 5: Senate Races That Could Tip The Balance - Deconstructed - Air Date 10-14-22 Journalists Jon Ralston and George Chidi join Ryan Grim to discuss two potentially pivotal states, Nevada and Georgia, where tight races for the Senate are underway. Ch. 6: "Democracy Demands We Participate": Black Voters Mobilize for Midterms Amid GOP Voter Suppression Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-21-22 Ch. 7: How We Vote! with Andrea Hailey - How We Win - Air Date 9-21-22 A conversation with the woman who is leading the charge for the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan voting registration and get-out-the-vote technology platform in America, the CEO of Vote.org, Andrea Hailey! Ch. 8: Julie Hollar and Jim Naureckas on 2022 Midterms - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-21-22 This midterm is a big-picture election. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How Midterm Campaigns are Framing Crime - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-20-22 We're joined by Rena Karefa-Johnson, Director of National programming at FWD.us, and Ames Grawert, Senior Counsel at the Justice Program at the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU. Ch. 10: Julie Hollar and Jim Naureckas on 2022 Midterms Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-21-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The prolonged fight - V from Central New York Ch. 11: Doing the work - Wendy FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on doing the work to normalize all humans TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022: Short on time? Donate once... - Secretary of State Races: MoveOn.org's "America for All" midterm election campaign - Senate Races: SwingLeft Hold the Senate Fund, or SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (Senate & House) - House races: SwingLeft Hold the House Fund, or the SwingLeft Immediate Impact Fund (House & Senate)  - Governors: SwingLeft Governor Fund - State Legislative Races: SwingLeft Legislative Fund MIDTERMS MINUTE Segments: Installment #1 , Installment #2 , Installment #3 Researched and written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a yellow sticker with black writing that says “Resist the NAZI-GOP Coalition” on a cross walk sign. The red hand “stop” symbol on the sign is visible below the sticker. Credit: “Resist the NAZI-GOP Coalition Sticker” by Amanda Hoffman | License: CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Original Air Date: 10-12-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - The new fascist party running Italy and their love of Lord of the Rings - "The Jay Principle" which has something to do with people liking stories they shouldn't - How to write progressive stories   Join our Discord community!   References: Hobbits and the Hard Right: How Fantasy Inspires Italy’s Potential New Leader  Why liberals love "Downton Abbey" - Salon  Downton Abbey–Why We Love Rich Aristocrats  "50 Fantasy & Science Fiction Works That Socialists Should Read" by China Miéville Tolkien and race      Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 9/8/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of red-lining, the building and subsequent destruction of Black communities and the health and environmental impacts of segregation. The concept of “Structural Racism” is often a metaphor, not something physical that you can touch, but that is not the case when it comes to environmental racism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Environmental Racism: A Hidden Threat with Dr. Dorceta Taylor - Black History Year - Air Date 4-19-21 We're making a deadly mistake if we don't talk about environmental justice when we discuss racism and Black liberation. Ch. 2: Redlining & Climate Change: A Deadly Combination - News Beat - Air Date 4-27-21 Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned redlining and housing discrimination in general, three out of four redlined communities rated "hazardous" 80 years ago are struggling economically today. Ch. 3: Monuments to Racism - Environmental Injustice on This Week in Social Justice - News Beat - Air Date 4-8-21 Guests: Catherine Flowers founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice and Amy Stelly, a designer and board member of the Urban Conservancy. Ch. 4: Environmental Racism is Real Part 1 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 We talk to Environmental justice lawyer Claire Woods about how black and brown communities face the brunt of many environmental justice issues, the connection to racism, and what we can do to help. Ch. 5: Biden Promises To Grapple With Environmental Racism - Short Wave - Air Date 2-4-21 NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher talks about the history of environmental racism in the United States, and what Biden's administration can do to avoid the mistakes of the past. Ch. 6: Environmental Racism is Real Part 2 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Environmental Racism: A Hidden Threat with Dr. Dorceta Taylor Part 2 - Black History Year - Air Date 4-19-21 Ch. 8: Monuments to Racism Part 2 - Environmental Injustice on This Week in Social Justice - News Beat - Air Date 4-8-21 Summary + reading from The Sum of Us on pollution in segregated cities VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Post-Civil War Reconstruction and the occupation of Afghanistan - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how structural racism becomes personal racism and comparing Reconstruction with the occupation of Afghanistan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: An official, rectangular metal sign bolted to a telephone poll displays the image of a cropped city map with a red outlined area. Below, the sign reads "Portland's Historic Redline District." Smaller text below reads "In Portland's past, 'redlining' practices created exclusionary zones for 'Negroes and Orientals' by real estate, banking and insurance companies. Agents could lose their licenses for crossing this color barrier. Now, urban gentrification displaces low-income families, as the remaining affordable housing stock in this area disappears."  Credit: "Redlining" by radcliffe dacanay, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 8/18/2021 Today we take a look at history of white people deciding to get their way through violence and the tradition of having the government look the other way Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The KKK: History and Myth - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-24-17 Practically nothing in the history of the United States has suffered from myth-making and misunderstanding as much as the history of race relations and racist violence. The history Ku Klux Klan is no exception. This is ironic. Ch. 2: Remembering a White Supremacist Coup - Reveal - Air Date 10-23-20 On the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that still plagues our nation today. Ch. 3: Voices: Children ‘stripped of innocence’ - Cape Up - Air Date 4-11-19 A member of the Little Rock Nine and a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing both lost the illusion of safety in their young lives. Ch. 4: Armed and Dangerous - On the Media - Air Date 9-24-20 Armed right-wingers are stoking violence in cities across the country. On this week’s On the Media, a look at the origins of the American militia movement. Plus, as things heat up, Facebook is fanning the flames. Ch. 5: The Evolution of All-American Terrorism - Reveal - Air Date 6-27-20 The Trump years have seen an increase in domestic terrorist attacks linked by hateful ideologies that thrive online. Reveal teams up with Type Investigations to track each case and determine what the government has done to fight them. Ch. 6: Radical Caucasian Extremism - News Beat - Air Date 1-9-21 This hugely important episode highlighted the threat posed by such extremists, even as many in the media and government engaged in Islamophobic rhetoric about Muslim Americans. Ch. 7: "Nobody actually accounts for this violence": How the FBI fails to track white supremacist terrorism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-5-19 Former FBI agent Mike German says "Unfortunately their policies have actually masked how they use their domestic terrorism resources to make it harder for the Congress to understand how many of those resources are going toward white supremacist violence," MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Tucker Carlson Doubles Down on White Supremacist 'Great Replacement' Theory - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 4-13-21 The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. Ch. 9: Southern Shame Culture & How to Fight Racism w/Jemar Tisby - The Holy Post - Air Date 1-20-21 Jemar Tisby (The Color of Compromise) rejoins Phil to discuss his new book, How to Fight Racism. Actual, real steps to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response on remix climate episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the arguments against individual climate action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo taken during "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, AL on March 7th 1965. A young John Lewis has fallen on the grass, lifting one hand, while a police officer stands over him wielding a billy club. More chaos fills the background. Credit: "12 - Civil Rights Movement" (low resolution). Original from the Library of Congress (via U.S. Embassy The Hague on Flickr) | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/14/2022 Today, we take a look at the women-led protests roiling Iran in response to violent crackdowns from the so-called morality police that have led to the deaths of young women demanding rights and freedom. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST AND USE CODE: BEST - BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Voices of women inside and outside Iran on the uprising after Mahsa Amini's death - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 10-7-22 For nearly three weeks, Iranians have marched in the streets to denounce the Islamic regime that has ruled for more than 40 years. What started as a response to the killing of a young woman by the "morality police," this uprising is now nationwide. Ch. 2: What Iranian Protesters Need Now - What Next - Air Date 9-28-22 What began as a revolt in the wake of an overstep by Iran’s morality police has evolved into a mass movement calling for “death to the dictator.” Protests in Iran are nothing new, but these demonstrations strike at the heart of the repressive regime. Ch. 3: “Complete Dissatisfaction with the Current Order”: Why Mahsa Amini Protests in Iran Are Not Slowing Down - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-6-22 Protesters in Iran are continuing to demand justice for Mahsa Amini, the 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in the hands of the so-called morality police, as well as envisioning a political future beyond the Islamic Republic. Ch. 4: 'Woman, Life, Freedom' - On the Media - Air Date 9-30-22 Large-scale protests took over the streets of Iran after twenty-two-year-old Mahsa Amini died on September 16 while in custody of the morality police. She had been arrested her for wearing her headscarf improperly. Ch. 5: Anti-Regime Protests and the Devastating Effects of US Sanctions in Iran - theAnalysis.news - Air Date 10-5-22 Iranians protest brutal repression and why U.S. statements of solidarity are empty without a reversal of crushing sanctions. Assal Rad joins Talia Baroncelli on theAnalysis.news. Ch. 6: What’s Happening in Iran and Why? with Reza Aslan - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 9-28-22 Iran is currently being rocked by protests against the oppressive theocratic regime that rules the country. What is happening there, and what brought us to this point? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Revolutions - Power Corrupts - Air Date 4-2-20 When revolutions happen, everything changes. In this episode, we'll look at how Teddy Roosevelt's son led a CIA-backed coup in 1953 that contributed to the Iranian revolution FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the beneficial discomfort of diversity TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022 - Installment #3: How to defend State Governor and Secretary of State races from anti-democracy MAGA extremists.  Past Installments:  Installment #2 - Toss-up Senate Races in GA, NV, PA & WI, & Senate Races Leaning D or R Installment #1 - Toss-up House Races in CA, NY, & OH, & Open Seats Leaning D or R Researched and written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A woman stands in the midst of a protest in London wearing full face paint in the color and pattern of the Iranian flag. She holds up both arms and in each hand is a photo of Mahsa Amini, the Iranian woman who died in the custody of the Iranian "Morality Police". Credit: "Mahsa Amini #1" by Alisdare Hickson, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 9-27-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - Nazis using The Amanda Principle on Uncle Tom's Cabin - Societal instability driven by businesses always "disrupting" everything - The anti-social nature of gratitude   Connect your Discord to Patreon   References: Germany's strange nostalgia for the antebellum American South  Forget Disruption. Tech Needs to Fetishize Stability  Debt: The First 5000 Years (Affiliate link)   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 10/9/2021 Today we take a look at structures and specifics of settler colonialism from around the world including the US, Caribbean, Australia, Israel and Mexico Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: History of US imperialism in Latin America: From settler colonialism to Pink Tide - Moderate Rebels - Air Date 12-12-20 Ben Norton was invited to give this talk on US imperialism in Latin America, for the Workers' Party of Ireland. He discusses the history from European settler colonialism, through the Monroe Doctrine, the first cold war, and the three revolutions. Ch. 2: Slavery, race and capital in the sixteenth century / Gerald Horne - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-21-20 Gerald Horne discusses the relationship between racism and expansionist foreign policies Ch. 3: Settler Colonialism Is Behind Climate Denial - Novara Media - Air Date 1-5-20 Australia is on fire. So why do so many of its politicians seem intent on denying the cause? Ch. 4: Pearls for empire / Molly A. Warsh - This Is Hell! - Air Date 9-20-21 Historian Molly A. Warsh on her book "American Baroque: Pearls and the Nature of Empire, 1492-1700" from UNC Press. Ch. 5: Rewriting resistance: how Black rebellion shapes world events - People's Republic - Air Date 8-20-20 This week, we continue our commemoration of Black August with Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history and author of over 40 books, including The Counter-Revolution of 1776. Ch. 6: Ilan Pappé: Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism - The East is a Podcast - Air Date 5-13-20 A 2017 lecture by Ilan Pappé titled "The Value of Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism" hosted by the WRMEA. Ch. 7: Crimes of Apartheid - In The Thick - Air Date 5-14-21 Maria is joined by guest co-host and ITT All-star Jamilah King to discuss the continued violence and attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and forces in Gaza. We hear from Gaza-based journalist Hana Salah about what she is seeing on the ground. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Rick Perlstein: ‘I was drafted into the project of settler colonialism as a child’ - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 8-13-21 Marc talks with Rick Perlstein about growing up Jewish in Milwaukee, the process of unlearning Zionist indoctrination, and how the United States' support of an Israeli ethno-state foments continued violence. Ch. 9: Gerald Horne: Slavery, White Supremacy, & The Roots Of Settler Colonialism - Last Born In The Wilderness - Air Date 5-25-18 Did racism and white supremacy arise as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the 17th century, or did these concepts exist prior to the mass enslavement of Africans and the genocide of the indigenous peoples on what is now called America? Ch. 10: So Far from God, So Close to the United States w/ Alexander Aviña - American Prestige - Air Date 9-9-21 The boys speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: No velvet glove - Nick From California Ch. 12: Followup on conspiracy theory hot take - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how conspiracy theorists are like timeshare sales people MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/8/2022 Today, we take a look at the recent elections in Italy, Brazil and Sweden where far-right parties are either taking power or looking to maintain it as well as the parallels to our own politics including moderate conservatives helping to legitimize the far right while delegitimizing elections. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Fascist Brothers of Italy Party takes power in Italy - The Mehdi Hassan Show - Air Date 10-2-22 Why the American right wing is racing to embrace Italy's next prime minister. Ch. 2: Italian Fascism w/ David Broder - Jacobin Show - Air Date 9-30-22 Our own European editor David Broder explains what Giorgia Meloni and the Brothers of Italy's victory means for Italy. Ch. 3: Fascist Brothers of Italy Party takes power in Italy Part 2 - The Mehdi Hassan Show - Air Date 10-2-22 Why the American right wing is racing to embrace Italy's next prime minister. Ch. 4: Fascism scores another victory with Italian election - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-26-22 Conservatives in the US have been courting the extreme right on and off all along Ch. 5: The Stakes Are High - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-22 "The candidates and their vision for Brazil’s future could not be more different, but the trends underpinning this election are an echo of global experiences,” reports Roberta S. Braga for the ISPI. Ch. 6: Noam Chomsky & Vijay Prashad: A Lula Victory in Brazil Could Help Save the Planet - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-30-22 Noam Chomsky joins us from Brazil with Vijay Prashad just back from Brazil to discuss Sunday’s Brazilian election between Brazil’s far right president Jair Bolsonaro and former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Ch. 7: Brazil Votes For Democracy While SCOTUS Does Not - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 9-4-22 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the ramifications of the Brazilian election for president, as Bolsonaro loses by 5 points and is priming the country to reject the second round election later this month. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Rise of the Swedish far right w/ David Broder - Jacobin Show - Air Date 9-30-22 Jonas Pontusson joins us to unpack the strong electoral showing of the Swedish far right. Ch. 9: Fascism scores another victory with Italian election - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-26-22 A history lesson on the rise and fall of fascism in Europe and what it says about the path we're all on today. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the big problem with small misunderstandings TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022 - Installment #2:  Today’s focus is on toss-up Senate races in GA, NV, PA, and WI, and Senate races (precariously) leaning Democrat or Republican: GET FULL DETAILS AND ACTION LINKS Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo from 2014. Far-right Italian politician (and newly elected Prime Minister) Giorgia Meloni stands in front of a backdrop with the Italian tricolor flame, a symbol of the neo-fascist political party in Italy. She is a white woman with straight blond hair. She is wearing a leather jacket and smiling with her arms crossed. Credit: “Giorgia Melone 2014” by Jose Antonio, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC Attribution 4.0 International | Changes: Black vignette

Air Date 10/5/2022 Today, we take a look at the life and legacy of President Ronald Reagan, the last transformational U.S. president who's regime we are still living in. Between his neoliberal economics, anti-government ideology and white supremacist appeal to authoritarians, he did more to shape the last 40 years of the politics of the country and conservative movement than anyone else. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: MintMobile.com/Best PAY ONLY $15/MO FOR PREMIUM WIRELESS SERVICE! ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 40 years later, is this the end of Reaganomics? - Make Me Smart - Air Date 12-14-21 It’s been just over 40 years since newly elected President Ronald Reagan declared, “In this present crisis, government is not the solution to the problem, government is the problem.” Ch. 2: The Democracy We Think We Live In - On the Media - Air Date 8-9-19 Adam Serwer, staff writer at The Atlantic, on the catastrophic, deadly idea that "only white people are fit for self-government." Ch. 3: General Motors Proves Trickle Down Theory Only Works If You Shower With Gold Water - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-3-18 Reagan didn't invent trickle down economics and the original metaphor was even more demeaning. Ch. 4: The Lasting Impact of Reagan's Firing of Air Traffic Controllers (1/2) - The Real News Network - Air Date 8-4-14 Prof. Joseph McCartin and former PATCO spokesperson Elliot Simons discuss the anniversary of the firing and Ronald Reagan's betrayal Ch. 5: When American Presidents Go to Trial - On the Media - Air Date 9-9-22 Rick Perlstein, a journalist and author of The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan, explains the continuing impact of Gerald Ford's decision to pardon Richard Nixon for his crimes. Ch. 6: Ronald Reagan “Terrifying Words - ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 5-13-21 We scrutinize Reagan's famous quote "the nine most terrifying words in the English language are ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” Ch. 7: How Ronald Reagan's Regime Led To The Jan 6th Capitol Riot - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-17-21 The Capitol insurrection on January 6th was a long time coming. Back in 1980, Ronald Reagan's campaign was laying the groundwork for what would become Donald Trump's platform. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: America’s Right Turn with Rick Perlstein - Why Is This Happening? - Air Date 9-1-20 How did America’s modern conservative movement come to power? Historian and author Rick Perlstein’s prolific work has traced the arc of modern electoral politics, and specifically has laid out how modern conservatism arose. Ch. 9: Why the "Reagan Regime" Endures - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-7-22 Presidencies are rarely transformational, and neither Biden nor Trump have lived up to their supporters’ dreams. So what does it take to really change our politics? Host Kai Wright is joined by political theorist Corey Robin to confront that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on my first debate about Reagan TAKE ACTION! MIDTERMS MINUTE 2022 - Installment #1:  Today’s focus is on toss-up House races in California, New York, and Ohio, and OPEN or NEW seats that are *leaning* Democrat or Republican: GET FULL DETAILS AND ACTION LINKS Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A large portrait of former American President Ronald Reagan in a dark suit and red tie is framed on a wall in a dim, museum-like room. His smiling face is softly lit with a spotlight. Credit: “President Ronald Re[a]gan” by LunchboxLarry, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0  | Changes: Slightly cropped

Air Date 9/30/2022 Today, we take a look at the attention-grabbing stunt of transporting asylum seekers from Texas to Martha's Vineyard and other politically-liberal destinations and the White supremacist inspirations for this policy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: DeSantis, Fox News, and the Martha's Vineyard 'Stunt' - On the Media - Air Date 9-23-22 Philip Bump [@pbump], national correspondent The Washington Post, on the manipulative plan for 48 Venuzulean migrants sent to Martha’s Vineyard. Ch. 2: DeSantis' kidnapping 'stunt' - The BradCast - Air Date 9-19-22 New documents show that the asylum-seekers were lured onto the flights with false promises, providing hard documentary evidence that DeSantis' obscene political stunt may have violated the law. Ch. 3: The GOP's Martha's Vineyard Stunt Backfired And Then They Just Lied About It – SOME MORE NEWS - Air Date 9-28-22 This week, we're taking a look at the cruelty and shamelessness of when Ron DeSantis human trafficked a bunch of migrants to Martha's Vineyard. This did not go how the GOP thought it would, so they spent the last few weeks lying and pretending it did. Ch. 4: Latest Border Updates, Martha's Vineyard Lib Owning - REDIRECT Immigration Law and Perspectives - Air Date 9-17-22 Taylor Levy talks about the situation on the border as one of the most knowledgable attorneys when it comes to what is actually happening on the U.S./Mexico border. Ch. 5: Reverse Freedom Rides Flying Migrants North, Florida Gov. Steals Page from Segregationists Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-20-22 Professor Mwalim Peters, recounts the little-known story of the Reverse Freedom Rides and says the strategy to humiliate liberals is "basically identical to what's happening now in Martha's Vineyard". Ch. 6: Immigration Defining Us and Them - Now & Then - Air Date 9-27-22 Heather and Joanne discuss the politics and prejudices surrounding the two 1790s Naturalization Laws, the Immigration Act of 1924, the 1965 Hart-Celler Act, and the current Republican rhetoric about migrants at the Southern border. Ch. 7: Reverse Freedom Rides Flying Migrants North, Florida Gov. Steals Page from Segregationists Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-20-22 Professor Mwalim Peters, recounts the little-known story of the Reverse Freedom Rides and says the strategy to humiliate liberals is "basically identical to what's happening now in Martha's Vineyard". MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Immigration Defining Us and Them Part 2 - Now & Then - Air Date 9-27-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how laws are used to manipulate our sense of justice to support injustice TAKE ACTION! National Immigrant Justice Center (specific call for donations to help those being trafficked) National Immigration Law Center  Immigration Equality  Chicago: City of Chicago "Donation and Volunteer Support for New Arrivals from Texas" New York: South Bronx Mutual Aid (Seeking lawyers, mental health professionals, etc. for migrants) Washington, DC: Sanctuary DMV's "Texas Migrant Solidarity Donation and Volunteer Links" Inside The Local Mutual Aid Effort Supporting The Migrants Texas Bused To D.C. (DCist, May 2022) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The words “The Cruelty is the Point” are overlayed on a black and white image of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ face in a black vignette. Credit: “Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis” by Matt Johnson, Flickr | License CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Black and white, black vignette, text overlay

Original Air Date: 9-8-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - Dystopian longtermism - Why the Man-O-Sphere won’t get you a girlfriend - Cultural commodification   Join our Discord Server  References: Salon - Understanding "long-termism": Why this suddenly influential philosophy is so toxic  Psychology Today - The Rise of Lonely, Single Men  In Defense of Witches: The Legacy of the Witch Hunts and Why Women Are Still on Trial Affiliate Links: Book  Audiobook      Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/24/2022 Today, we take a look at the decades-long scheme to funnel conservative activist judges into the judiciary to support Republican policy goals and the resulting legal bulwark defending Trump against prosecution and supporting his future election efforts.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: About half the world has prosecuted a former leader, so why doesn’t the U.S.? - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 9-4-22 About half the world has prosecuted a former leader, so why doesn’t the U.S.? Ch. 2: FBI Seizes Mike Lindell’s Phone at Hardee’s, DOJ Issues 40 Trump Subpoenas: A Closer Look - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 9-14-22 Seth takes a closer look at the FBI seizing the phones of two Trump aides and issuing 40 subpoenas as the Justice Department intensifies its various investigations of Trump and his allies, including MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell. Ch. 3: Trump's Remaking Of Judiciary Appears To Pay Off In Mar-A-Lago Case - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 9-6-22 You may not have heard of Judge Aileen Cannon at the start of her lifetime appointment. But Trump's court pick just ruled in favor of a special master in the Mar-a-Lago probe. Ch. 4: The Law v Lawless Edition - Amicus - Air Date 9-10-22 A single Trump-appointed judge’s attempt to stick a fork in the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into potential mishandling of classified materials is part of a systemic story about American justice. Ch. 5: Leonard Leo, The Most Powerful Person In America You’ve Never Heard Of - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-22-22 When you see the news about a 10-year-old forced to flee her state to terminate a pregnancy from her rapist, think about Leonard Leo as the man who brought that state of affairs about. He is the guy pulling the strings in the background. Ch. 6: Elie Mystal on the Four Investigations into Trump & Why Progressives Should Push to Expand the Court - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-7-22 A federal judge on Monday agreed with Donald Trump’s lawyers to appoint an independent arbiter known as a special master to review top-secret documents seized during an FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate. Ch. 7: The Scheme Speech 1: The Powell Report - Senator Sheldon Whitehouse - Air Date 5-27-21 Sen. Whitehouse delivers his first speech on court capture MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Right-Wing Dark Money Gets $1.6 Billion Donation From One Donor - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-22-22 “It was a very unusual transaction, the likes of which I have not seen in my years of covering money in politics,” says New York Times reporter Ken Vogel. Ch. 9: Lock Him Up? - On The Media - Air Date 9-9-22 James D. Long [@prof_jameslong], associate professor of political science at the University of Washington, on the consequences of modern democracies across the globe prosecuting — or choosing not to prosecute — their former leaders FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on defeating authoritarianism with action, not news following MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/21/2022 Today, we take a look at the history and legacy of British imperialism and slavery through the lens of the divergent views on the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the growing movement of former colonies to achieve full independence.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Must Everyone Mourn The Queen’s Passing? | Between The Scenes - The Daily Show - Air Date 9-17-22 You can't expect people to show respect for something that never respected them. #BetweenTheScenes on the mixed reaction to the Queen’s death. Ch. 2: "Racism Is as British as a Cup of Tea": Kehinde Andrews Says Many Black Brits Don't Mourn the Queen - Democracy Now - Air Date 9-19-22 Kehinde Andrews describes the brutal legacy of the British slave trade and the British Empire, which makes the monarchy a symbol of white supremacy that should not be mourned, but rather abolished. Ch. 3: The royal family: Slavery, colonialism and race - Sky News - Air Date 6-23-22 In the Caribbean, some people are calling for the Queen to be removed as head of state, and for the royal family to pay reparations for their role in slavery. Ch. 4: Julius Malema Tells Africans Why They Shouldn't Mourn Queen Elizabeth II - African Diaspora News Channel - Air Date 9-14-22 Wongel Zelalem reports on Julius Malema telling Africans to not mourn Queen Elizabeth II. Ch. 5: Jeff Bezos DRAGGED On Twitter For Criticising Uju Anya's Queen Elizabeth Tweet - Roland Martin Unfiltered - Air Date 9-11-22 Breaking down the legacy of British colonialism through the lens of controversy over online reactions Ch. 6: Slavery, Colonisation and the Crown - TRT World In 2022, Britain celebrated 70 years of Queen Elizabeth II’s rule with street parties and festivities. But many critics say that the British monarchy should not be celebrated because of its legacy of slavery, looting and colonialism. Ch. 7: Who needs the monarchy? - It's Been a Minute - Air Date 8-16-22 Guest host Elise Hu talks to Dr. Shola Mos-Shogbamimu, lawyer, activist and author of This Is Why I Resist about this new era for the British royals, the power they hold and the potential opportunities for the new monarch. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Dismantle the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth's Death Prompts Reckoning with Colonial Past in Africa - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-12-22 "There's a degree of psychosis that you can go to another people's land, colonize them, and then expect them to honor you at the same time," says Kenyan American author Mukoma Wa Ngugi. We also speak with Harvard historian Caroline Elkins. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An old postage stamp depicts a 3-mast schooner ship on the water and an airplane above it with a young Queen Elizabeth II to the right wearing a crown and a crown symbol over her head. The text at the edges reads “JAMAICA” “West Indies” “2d Postal Centenary, 1860-1960”. Credit: “Jamaica Postal Centenary” by Bill Smith, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped and added pieces of image to top and bottom of stamp.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/17/2022 Today, we take a look at the way terrible patterns of the past like colonialism, racism, propaganda, feudalism, and abuse of corporate monopoly power are recreating and re-entrenching themselves in the digital world Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Rise Of Digital Oligarchy w/ Jillian York - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-4-22 Emma hosts Jillian York, Director of International Freedom of Expression at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, to discuss her recent book Silicon Values: The Future of Free Speech Under Surveillance Capitalism. Ch. 2: How Social Media Profits Off Your Anger - Wisecrack - Air Date 8-26-22 Does the internet run on rage? If you’ve spent any time online, you know that anger is to the internet as cake is to a birthday party. But why have the interwebs become a place of such division and rage? It’s complicated, but we’ll explain Ch. 3: Using AI to Say the Word - This Machine Kills - Air Date 9-2-22 We discuss a new startup doing the rounds called Sanas that uses AI “accent translation” to make "non-white" call center workers speak English with a white American accent. This is some real retro throwback tech solutionism Ch. 4: Addressing the TikTok Threat - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 9-8-22 This week on Your Undivided Attention, we bring you a bonus episode about TikTok. Co-hosts Tristan Harris and Aza Raskin explore the nature of the TikTok threat, and how we might address it. Ch. 5: Edward Ongweso Jr: Peter Thiel & The Post-Capitalism of Tech's Far Right - The Arts of Travel - Air Date 6-27-21 We conclude our conversation with Vice's Edward Ongweso Jr. by looking at Peter Thiel's role in bankrolling Uber as the 'Tip of the Spear' for rolling back labor laws, workers' rights and Unions. Ch. 6: Break Up Monopolies: Zephyr Teachout - Future Hindsight - Air Date 8-11-22 Zephyr Teachout is Senior Counsel for Economic Justice for the New York AG and law professor at Fordham University. We revisit our conversation with her about her book, Break 'Em Up: Recovering Our Freedom from Big Ag, Big Tech, and Big Money. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Digital Self, Web3 and reclaiming your online identity - Future Tense - Air Date 7-23-22 How is our sense of identity changing as our online and offline experiences increasingly merge? What grounds a person’s online persona (or personas) to the physical world? And is such a tie important? Ch. 8: Refusing the Everyday Fascism of Artificial Intelligence (ft. Dan McQuillan) - This Machine Kills - Air Date 8-25-22 We are joined by Dan McQuillan to discuss his great new book Resisting AI. “With analytical and moral clarity, McQuillan makes the case for recognizing the radical politics of AI and meeting its goose step march head-on.” FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to fix the internet for yourself MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/14/2022 Today, we take a look at the history and hysteria behind debt and debt forgiveness while Biden is canceling student debt and opponents of the idea are reacting in the most predictable way possible because they misunderstand the relationship between debt and morality. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN NEED ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Cancel It All: Debt Collective's Astra Taylor on Biden Plan & Need for Full Student Debt Relief - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-25-22 We speak to Astra Taylor, writer, filmmaker, and co-director of the Debt Collective, a union for debtors and one of the original advocates for a debt jubilee that would cancel all student debt. Ch. 2: Freedom Dreams: Black Women and the Student Debt Crisis - The Intercept - Air Date 8-22-22 The Intercept’s new documentary, “Freedom Dreams: Black Women and the Student Debt Crisis,” profiles Black women educators and activists struggling under the weight of tens of thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, in student loan debt. Ch. 3: Hidden History of Student Debt - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-25-22 Many woke up to find news that $10k of their student debt would be forgiven, Thom Hartmann and Jefferson Smith break down what this means and what happens next. Ch. 4: Bidens Big Student Debt Announcement: PITOTWIU for the Indebted Masses - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-28-22 Max breaks down the politics, the details, and biggest misses of the Biden student debt relief plan and why it’s in danger of being PITOTWIU Ch. 5: Republican Veteran Concerned By Negative Military Recruitment Amidst Student Loan Forgiveness - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-29-22 Florida Representative Michael Waltz believes the military recruiting crisis will worsen with President Biden’s student loan forgiveness. He also believes it is unfair to those who have not incurred debt. Ch. 6: Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts - Now & Then - Air Date 9-6-22 Heather and Joanne discuss the history of debtors’ prisons in early America, the rise of bankruptcy laws after the Civil War, and the Cold War origins of federal student loans. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Bidens Big Student Debt Announcement: PITOTWIU for the Indebted Masses Part 2 - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-28-22 Ch. 10: Forgiving (and Unforgiving) Debts Part 2 - Now & Then - Air Date 9-6-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on morality and money MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A dark gray, 3D image of the word "DEBT" sits in a white void, a connected chain and open shackle with an open padlock lie in front of it. Credit: "3D Shackled Debt" by Chris Potter, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Enlarged with more white background     Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/9/2022 Today, we take a look at platforms, goods, and business models in the modern landscape of the digital marketplace. We start by questioning the morality of engaging in given platforms that cause harm - cryptocurrencies' role in crime and Facebook's role in destabilizing society, for instance - and then examine virtual products and virtual talents, the movement demanding the right to repair, and the coming world of digital art produced by artificial intelligence. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS VPN! BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SUPPORT INDIE BOOKSHOPS, GET YOUR AUDIOBOOK FROM LIBRO! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Digital Life Is a Moral Mess - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 8-22-22 Then, Shirin Ghaffary, senior reporter at Recode and co-host of the podcast Land of The Giants, shares the story of Facebook, and why it has been so hard of them to respond to the damage their technology has created. Ch. 2: Digital rapper FN Meka and the new era of digital Blackface - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 8-30-22 "AI rapper" FN Meka isn't human - he's a digital creation of a company. But that didn't stop him from getting a record deal! He briefly became the first digital rapper to sign a deal with a major recording company. Ch. 3: The Right to Repair with Aaron Perzanowski - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 5-10-22 Do we really own the devices we buy? ‘The Right to Repair’ author Aaron Perzanowki joins Adam to explain how companies are using their power to control the products we buy from them, even after they’ve left the store, and prevent us from repairing them. Ch. 4: The Streaming TV Bloodbath - What Next - Air Date 8-28-22 Shows are disappearing. Staff are getting axed. Is It greed, or necessary for the networks' survival? Ch. 5: CAN THEY DO THAT? | PlayStation to Remove "Owned" Movies - Hoeg Law - Air Date 7-7-22 Buying digital content has never been easier. Between Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo and more, your favorite game, song, or movie is just a click (and charge) away. Ch. 6: Rethinking ownership in the digital age | Siân Lindley - TEDxEastEnd - Air Date 2-20-15 When George Orwell wrote 1984, there was nothing simpler than the idea of owning a paperback book. The more the digital world he foreshadowed becomes real, the more complex the idea of ownership becomes. Do you own your digital books? Your photographs? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: The AI that creates any picture you want, explained - Vox - Air Date 6-1-22 How programmers turned the internet into a paintbrush. DALL-E 2, Midjourney, Imagen, explained. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on how the world was lost and the Dream Machine MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/6/2022 Today, we take a look at the precarious state of our immigration and asylum system, the legacy of neoliberalism and imperialism in South and Central America, the inhumanity practiced by both of our political parties (though not equally), and the ever-present possibility that things could get worse. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden to End Trump-Era "Remain in Mexico" Border Policy; Immigrants Face Ongoing Trauma, Separation - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-10-22 We speak to attorney and activist Efrén Olivares with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Project about the impact of this policy, as well as ongoing efforts to reunite families separated at the U.S.-Mexico border Ch. 2: The Lasting Impacts of Family Separation - The Takeaway - Air Date 8-18-22 Caitlin Dickerson whose latest investigative piece “The Secret History of Family Separation,” chronicles the full scope of the policy, its legacy, and how similar, future iterations may be adopted. Ch. 3: Political Pawns: Immigrant Activists Decry Texas Gov. Abbott for Busing Asylum Seekers to NYC - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-11-22 “What we’re seeing happening right now is Governor Abbott using asylum seekers as political pawns to merely help increase his polling numbers down in Texas,” says Murad Awawdeh, executive director of the ​​New York Immigration Coalition Ch. 4: Capital's migration policy: Daniel Melo Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 2-28-22 Immigration lawyer Daniel Melo on his article "The Capitalist Imperative Driving Cruel and Bipartisan US Migration Policies" for Black Agenda Report. Ch. 5: Azadeh Shahshahani on Central America Plan, Jon Lloyd on Facebook Disinformation - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-19-22 Azadeh Shahshahani is legal and advocacy director at Project South. She joins us to raise some questions about the US government’s claim that this time, they’re really bringing stability and security to northern Central America. Ch. 6: The Democrats Long War on Immigrants - Intercepted - Air Date 2-17-21 The activist and writer Harsha Walia joins Intercepted to discuss the Democratic Party’s fundamental role in shaping the long arc of U.S. border policy Ch. 7: Capital's migration policy: Daniel Melo Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 2-28-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Democrats Long War on Immigrants Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 2-17-21 The activist and writer Harsha Walia joins Intercepted to discuss the Democratic Party’s fundamental role in shaping the long arc of U.S. border policy FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the amorality of economics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: A sign with a red background and white lettering is taped to a piece of cardboard and lies on the concrete ground; it reads “Seeking Asylum is a Human Right”. Credit: “Advocates disrupt transfer of asylum seekers from Villawood” by Kate Ausburn, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 8/21/2021 Today we take a look at the history of bipartisanship and appeasement in the US dating back to before the Civil War and tracking it all the way up to the current negotiations over the infrastructure bill. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 1 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden ran for president promising to “revive” the spirit of bipartisanship, put an end to factional battles, and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. Ch. 2: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren - The New Yorker: Politics and More - Air Date 10-19-20 Biden often speaks about bipartisanship as a cherished value that he would restore to Washington, but Ocasio-Cortez is dubious. Ch. 3: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 2 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Ch. 4: Exhaustion of Bipartisanship - In The Thick - Air Date 6-25-21 Maria and Julio discuss remarks from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the 38th annual NALEO Conference, and they get into the vice president’s visit to El Paso and the US-Mexico border. Ch. 5: Behind the Infrastructure of the Infrastructure Bill & The Real American Oligarchy - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 7-23-21 Sam and Emma host Ari Rabin-Havt, the former Legislative Director and Chief Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, to discuss the prospects of the Senate bipartisan infrastructure bill. Ch. 6: Manchin Capitol Riots Made Me MORE Bipartisan - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-9-21 In a recent interview, Senator Joe Manchin claimed that the Capitol Riots changed him, and made him double down on bipartisanship. Ch. 7: Why Appeasement Won't Work This Time Around - On the Media - Air Date 1-8-21 White southerners called it “redemption.” To Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum, it was a catastrophe of appeasement and an object lesson in the politics of reconciliation. Ch. 8: Keri Leigh Merritt on the New Lost Cause - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Historians are shaking their heads as media talk about January 6 as "unprecedented"; while shocking and dispiriting, it has layers and layers of precedent that need to be learned and engaged, if we are ever to actually have a racial reckoning. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-21-19 For most of American history, American politics has been under one-party rule. For decades, that party was the Republican Party. Then, for decades more, it was the Democratic Party. Ch. 10: What a More Responsible Republican Party Would Look Like - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-2-21 This is the modern G.O.P.: a post-policy party obsessed with symbolic fights and curiously uninterested in the actual work of governing. But does it have to be that way? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the merits of taking liars at face value MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/31/2022 Today, as we wait to see if Trump will ever be indicted for any of his many, many, many crimes, we take a look at the long and illustrious history of powerful people avoiding prosecution in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Welcome to the golden age of white collar crime (with Michael Hobbes) - Pitchfork Economics - Air Date 3-10-20 HuffPost reporter and fellow Seattleite Michael Hobbes join Zach in the studio for a deep dive into his most recent article about white-collar crime. Ch. 2: Flint Residents Outraged as Charges Dropped in Fatal Water Scandal That Poisoned Majority-Black City - Democracy Now - Air Date 5-30-22 Eight years after the deadly Flint water crisis began, the state’s Supreme Court has thrown out charges against former Governor Rick Snyder and eight other former officials for their complicity in the public health emergency. Ch. 3: Obama Requests Immunity for War Criminal George W. Bush - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-22-13 Obama's DOJ has requested that George W. Bush, Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condoleezza Rice, and Paul Wolfowitz be granted immunity in a case that is alleging that they violated international law with the Iraq War... Ch. 4: Obama on Investigating Bush Crimes: "Need to Look Forward" - This Week - Air Date 1-11-09 Barack Obama on This Week, January 11, 2009 Ch. 5: How George H.W. Bush's Pardons for Iran-Contra Conspirators Set the Stage for Trump's Impunity - Democracy Now - Air Date 12-4-18 In 1992, when Bush Sr. was president, he pardoned several Iran-Contra defendants, including Caspar Weinberger, Robert McFarlane, and Elliott Abrams. We speak with Greg Grandin. Ch. 6: Pardon Me - Reveal - Air Date 7-6-19 We tell the untold story of a pardon system that is completely broken and a pardon attorney’s office that is being ignored by the White House. Ch. 7: Bryan Stevenson on the racial terrorism of lynching - Cape Up - Air Date 4-24-18 Bryan Stevenson wants us to confront our country’s racial terrorism and then say, ‘Never again’ Ch. 8: Justice Department Weighs Whether Or Not To Prosecute Trump - MSNBC - Air Date 8-29-22 New York Times Justice Department Reporter Katie Benner and former U.S. Attorney Harry Litman discuss how the inquiry into Trump’s handling of classified documents poses an unparalleled test for DOJ MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Restoring the Brotherhood of Union: Confederate Pardon and Amnesty Records, 1865-1877 - US National Archives - Air Date 5-21-15 Archives specialist John Deeben provides a brief legislative history of amnesty activity during and after the Civil War. Ch. 10: The power of presidential pardons - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-25-20 Pardons are among the most powerful tools a president has. While pardons can be politically motivated, drawing criticism, they can also change lives. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the nature of pardons, accountability and hurt feelings MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The word “Accountability” is in all caps in white, cracked marblized text above a long rectangle of a computer “loading” bar. The white lines in the loading bar are being drawn in by a hand holding a marker and only fill the bar half-way. Two caution symbols fill in the rest of the bar. Credit: “Handwriting Text Accountability Loading. Concept meaning Forecasting the future event” by Jernej Furman, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Enlarged, addition of yellow and black caution symbols and “sleeve” to the arm of the hand.

Air Date 8/27/2022 Today, we take a look at the tensions between China and Taiwan, the tensions between China and the U.S. vis-a-vis Taiwan, the tensions between Russia, Europe and the U.S. vis-a-vis China and Taiwan and the tension between these small-minded struggles for global power and the dangers posed to the human race by nuclear weapons.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why China and the US are at odds over Taiwan Start Here - Al Jazeera - Air Date 11-8-21 Taiwan is caught in the middle of a tug-of-war between China and the US. What’s it all about? And where could it end up? #AJStartHere with Sandra Gathmann explains. Ch. 2: Pelosi in Taiwan - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-2-22 China didn’t want Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan. Neither did the White House. Politico’s Alex Ward explains why she went anyway. Ch. 3: U.S.-China Tensions Rise as Pelosi Vows "Ironclad" Support for Taiwan During Controversial Trip - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-3-22 The Quincy Institute's Michael Swaine and Taiwanese American journalist Brian Hioe join to discuss Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and the growing tensions between China and the US. Ch. 4: Pelosi in Taiwan Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-2-22 China didn’t want Speaker Nancy Pelosi to visit Taiwan. Neither did the White House. Politico’s Alex Ward explains why she went anyway. Ch. 5: George Beebe of the Quincy Institute on the Russia-Ukraine war - The BradCast - Air Date 8-2-22 George Beebe on the impact of the tensions between the U.S. and China on Russia and the war in Ukraine. Ch. 6: Fallout From Nancy Pelosi's Taiwan Visit - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-4-22 Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi reacts to the aftermath of her visit to Taiwan, saying a big fuss was made. The Majority Report crew discusses how the United States is escalating conflict with China. Ch. 7: U.S.-China Tensions Rise as Pelosi Vows "Ironclad" Support for Taiwan During Controversial Trip Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-3-22 The Quincy Institute's Michael Swaine and Taiwanese American journalist Brian Hioe join to discuss Pelosi's visit to Taiwan and the growing tensions between China and the US. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Hong Kong's Rewritten Histories - On the Media - Air Date 7-6-22 This fall, students in Hong Kong will learn a new version of history — one that erases the fact the region was ever a British colony. Guest Louisa Lim, author of the new book Indelible City: Dispossession and Defiance in Hong Kong, Ch. 9: Warnings Grow over Nuclear Annihilation as Tensions Escalate Between U.S., Russia & China - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-4-22 The U.N. warned this week that humanity is "one miscalculation away from nuclear annihilation" as tensions escalate globally. We speak with Ira Helfand and Zia Mian. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Become a member to hear the full show and support our work! Original Air Date: 7-8-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin.  We discuss: - Collections of Guns - Identity and Consumerism - Educating Worker Drones - The Amanda Principle Revisited - George Carlin vs Bill Maher VoicedMails: We define what we wear - Zach the Theologian Passion is exploited by capital - Heather References: The Strange Afterlife of George Carlin George Carlin's American Dream - HBO BecomLeave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 8/20/2022 Today, we take a look at the history of NATO and its role in the world after the fall of the Soviet Union which has come back into focus due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, sparking previously neutral countries to request NATO membership, all while an eye to a future causes speculation on how NATO should respond to the growing geopolitical influence of China. You got all that? Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Nato and China: A new rivalry? Part 1 - The Real Story - Air Date 10-22-21 This week in an interview with a British newspaper the Secretary General of Nato repeated his desire to widen its mandate to include China. His comments coincide with reports that Beijing has tested a hypersonic missile. Ch. 2: The History of NATO Expansion w/ Joshua Shifrinson - American Prestige - Air Date 3-18-22 Danny and Derek speak with Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson, associate professor of international relations at Boston University, about the history of NATO expansion from 1989 until 2008. Ch. 3: German Peace Activist Warns Finland Joining NATO Could Be Step Toward Nuclear War with Russia - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-22 Finland's president and prime minister say they plan to end decades of neutrality and join NATO. Sweden is also expected to seek NATO membership. The Kremlin says Russia sees the expansion of NATO on its borders as a threat. Ch. 4: How Nato can protect Ukraine, with Anders Fogh Rasmussen - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 6-20-22 With Russia’s invasion of Ukraine heading towards its fifth month, Europe correspondent Ido Vock speaks to the former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Ch. 5: Anatol Lieven on NATO Expansion & What a Ukraine Peace Settlement Could Look Like - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-30-22 The United States announced at a NATO summit in Madrid plans to build a permanent military base in Poland, as it formally invited Sweden and Finland to join the military alliance after they applied for membership. Ch. 6: NATO and China: A new rivalry? Part 2 - The Real Story - Air Date 10-22-21 This week in an interview with a British newspaper the Secretary General of Nato repeated his desire to widen its mandate to include China. His comments coincide with reports that Beijing has tested a hypersonic missile. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Why is China supporting Russia on NATO? - The Real Story - Air Date 2-18-22 This month President Putin of Russia was the star guest at the opening of the Winter Olympics in Beijing. But his trip to China was not just about showing support for the host country. Ch. 8: Finland and Sweden have entered the chat - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-23-22 Their admission to NATO would further isolate Russia, leaving it the only Arctic country outside the alliance. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the systemic reasons that NATO still exists and how we should replace it MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/16/2022 Today, we take a look at the strategies underway to systematically dismantle democracy in the United States including installing Big-Lie™ believers in elected and poll-working positions, preventing state-level Supreme Courts from holding GOP-dominated state legislators to the state constitutions, and wiping out tens of thousands of career civil servants from the federal government to be replaced by right-wing extremists.  Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Republicans Caught Planning MASSIVE Voter Fraud - David Pakman Show - Air Date 6-2-22 A mindblowing new report from Politico Ch. 2: Republican plans to use political operatives as poll workers alarm voting rights activists - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-1-22 Now, reporting by POLITICO details GOP efforts on the local level to challenge and potentially overturn elections. Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California, Irvine and the author of "Cheap Speech" joins William Brangham to discuss. Ch. 3: Inside Trump's Stealth Purge Plan with the Congressman Leading the Fight Against It - Beyond Politics - Air Date 7-28-22 Trump’s top allies are prepping a plan to purge the federal government. They want to remove thousands of key decision-makers and replace them with MAGA loyalists, all through an Executive Order called "Schedule F." Ch. 4: 2024 Republican Hopefuls Support Trump Allies' Plan To Purge Government Workers - Ring of Fire - Air Date 8-4-22 Many of the possible 2024 Republican contenders have told Axios that they support the plan being put together by Trump's allies to purge career government workers and replace them with their own loyalists. Ch. 5: Fake Electors, Real Crimes and Much More - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-26-22 Explaining the plan to elect 2020 election deniers into positions of power to influence the 2024 election. Ch. 6: Dark Money Is Fueling Election Deniers In Secretary Of State Races - The Ring of Fire - Air Date 8-6-22 Across the country, dark money is pouring into Secretary of State races to promote election-denying candidates. Ch. 7: Judicial Coup SCOTUS Gerrymandering Case May Let GOP State Legislatures Control Federal Elections - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-6-22 Carolyn Shapiro says a ruling in favor of North Carolina Republicans would be "extremely problematic from the perspective of democracy." Ch. 8: The Supreme Court Case That Could Upend U.S. Elections - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-5-22 "I always counsel against assuming that any one court decision is going to dramatically change the landscape. But this case is different," says Marc Elias on the Supreme Court taking up a case on state legislatures' authority over elections. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Fake Electors, Real Crimes and Much More Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-26-22 Previously undisclosed emails between top associates and aides of Donald Trump expose how they coordinated their plot to present 'fake' electors in seven states to steal the 2020 election. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Power is the ability to act - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on building movement power Become a Poll/Election Worker:  How to Be A Poll Worker Where you Live (US Election Assistance Commission) WorkElections.org (Fair Elections Center) Defeat MAGA Secretaries of State in Midterms: MoveOn "US v. MAGA" Campaign Help People Get Voter IDs: VoteRiders MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A voter crouches by a folding table, his head is obscured by the white voter privacy box decorated with an American flag on each side. Other tables and privacy boxes can be seen in the large building foyer. Glass entrance doors can be seen in the distance. Credit: “Election Day 2020” by Phil Roeder, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Original Air Date 8/10/2021 Today we take a look at the mechanisms by which the legacy of White Supremacy is harmful to the health and wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Is Our Economy So … White (with Heather McGhee) - How To Citizen with Baratunde - Air Date 4-8-21 This week, author Heather McGhee breaks down the driving force of American economic exclusion via the swimming pool. Baratunde asks Heather about all she has learned traveling across the country to write her book, The Sum of Us. Ch. 2: The Role 'Nice White Parents' Play in School Segregation - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-9-20 Chana Joffe-Walt, producer for This American Life and host of the new podcast Nice White Parents, and Dr. Rachel Lissy, senior Program Officer at Ramapo for Children, talk about investigating the relationship between white parents and segregation Ch. 3: The NFL's Race-Norming Problem Is All Over Medicine - What Next - Air Date 6-7-21 The NFL recently announced it would stop using “race norming” when assessing who would receive a share of their recent $1 billing settlement for former players. The practice assumes Black players started with lower cognitive function. Ch. 4: One Bad Algorithm Advocates Say Facial Recognition Reveals Systemic Racism in AI Technology - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-20 Researchers say facial recognition software is up to 100 times more likely to misidentify people of color than white people. This week, Boston voted to end its use in the city. Ch. 5: People Like Us, Education - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Can We Finally End School Segregation? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-21-21 By many accounts, American schools are as segregated today as they were in the nineteen-sixties, in the years after Brown v. Board of Education. WNYC’s podcast “The United States of Anxiety” chronicled the efforts of one small school district. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Patriotism and the culture wars - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the nature of airing dirty laundry MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Color photograph of a corner of an old public pool that has been filled in. Where there was once water is now green grass. The railing of a metal ladder is still intact, but a weed grows around its base. Blue square tiles still edge the concrete corner.  Photo Credit: "The Memorial Pool in Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD, by artist Joyce J. Scott" by Graham Coreil-Allen (Pool/Park History) | License | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/10/2022 Today, we take a look at the origins of the European colonial land-grab, the need for the #Landback movement,  and the benefits to society and the environment in the context of the climate crisis to return stewardship of the land to native peoples. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: Check out BOMBAS.COM/BEST for 20% off! Internet Privacy with ExpressVPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why It’s Time To Give Native Americans Their Land Back - AJ+ - Air Date 10-9-20 For some reason, Oct. 12th is still Columbus Day in a lot of the United States. Fortunately, more and more cities and states are adopting that day as Indigenous Peoples Day Ch. 2: Canada, it's time for Land Back - The Breach - Air Date 6-2-21 Since its inception, Canada has been stealing Indigenous lands — by the barrel of a gun, by starvation tactics & by tearing children from their families. Ch. 3: Mark Charles: An Indigenous Liberation Theology - A People's Theology - Air Date 7-7-21 Mason chats with Mark Charles about his book, Unsettling Truths: The Ongoing, Dehumanizing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery. We chat all about the Doctrine of Discovery, Mark's theology of land and water, and much more. Ch. 4: Can Indigenous People Lead the Fight Against Climate Change? - Above the Noise - Air Date 4-20-22 Indigenous communities across the globe are experts at managing and protecting land. Is it time the U.S. finally returned STOLEN parklands back to them? Ch. 5: LandBack: The Indigenous Liberation Movement - Andrewism - Air Date 1-6-21 LandBack isn’t about deporting white people. It’s a path to a better future. Ch. 6: What We Can Learn About #LandBack From These Native American Comedies - PBS Origins - Air Date 6-13-22 Native American representation in film and TV used to be confined to Westerns and storylines of defeat. Today, a new wave of Native American comedies, written and created by Native peoples, are taking back their narratives. Bonus: Landback cold open - Reservation Dogs S1 E3 Uncle Brownie - Air Date 8-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Meet the native Hawaiians fighting U.S. occupation - AJ+ - Air Date 3-3-17 In 1893, armed U.S. naval forces helped American sugar plantation owners illegally overthrow Hawaii’s constitutional monarchy. 100 years later, the U.S. apologized and admitted in a resolution that Native Hawaiians had never relinquished their sovereignty Ch. 8: Why Native Americans are buying back land that was stolen from them - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 10-16-21 From 1877 to 1934, under a range of laws and reneged-upon treaties, the U.S. government appropriated tens of millions of acres of Native American land. In recent years there has been a growing movement known as “land back” to reclaim their lands. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Definition of power and organizing - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on why the left doesn't fight hard enough for political power TAKE ACTION / EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Yellowhead Institute (@Yellowhead_): "Land Back - A Yellowhead Institute Red Paper" (Includes tools and resources. Canadian-based, but broadly applicable.) NDN Collective (@ndncollective): LandBack.org (U.S.-based) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A red "Land Back" flag waves outside the front of a courthouse. An American flag flies above it against a blue sky at the top of the courthouse. Credit: "A Land Back flag flies under the US Flag outside Aitkin County Courthouse in Aitkin, Minnesota" by Lorie Shaull | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, decreased brightness   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 8/5/2022 Today, we take a look at the politics of energy and climate in a world addicted to fossil fuels but full of people striving to push us past the tipping point toward a clean energy future Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Internet Privacy with ExpressVPN! Get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Fist Bumps A Pariah - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-19-22 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss the hypocrisy of President Joe Biden's visit to Saudi Arabia, and how the Saudis are trying to buy their legitimacy through sports. Ch. 2: This is a Big (Climate) Deal: What's in the Inflation Reduction Act Part 1 - A Matter of Degrees - Air Date 8-3-22 This episode features a live conversation co-hosted by Evergreen Action, featuring Senator Ed Markey, Representative Pramila Jayapal, and Reverend Lennox Yearwood, Jr. Ch. 3: With Congress Unwilling to Act, Pressure Grows on Biden to Declare National Climate Emergency - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-21-22 We speak with Jean Su, energy justice director and senior attorney at the Center for Biological Diversity, who co-wrote a report detailing how the president can use emergency powers to address the climate crisis. Ch. 4: Did Joe Manchin just save the planet? - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-3-22 Probably not, but he did finally compromise on the Inflation Reduction Act (née Build Back Better), which could be the most significant climate spending bill in US history. Vox’s Li Zhou and Rebecca Leber explain. Ch. 5: This is a Big (Climate) Deal: What's in the Inflation Reduction Act Part 2 - A Matter of Degrees - Air Date 8-3-22 Ch. 6: Vivek Shandas on Climate Disruption & Heat Waves, Jamie Kalven on Laquan McDonald Coverup - Counterspin - Air Date 7-29-22 There’s a way to tell the story that connects to policy and planning, but that centers human beings. We talked about that during last year’s heat wave with Portland State University professor Vivek Shandas. Ch. 7: What If The Fed Bought Out The Oil Industry - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 7-18-22 Progressive economist, Robert Pollin, gives us his take on the causes and remedies of the current inflationary spiral, and what both the Fed and the Biden Administration can do about it. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Dirty World - Gaslit Nation with Andrea Chalupa and Sarah Kendzior - Air Date 7-19-22 This week we take on shady internal affairs (the enormous number of people in the Trump crime cult circle who died violent or mysterious deaths) and burning external affairs (the horrors of climate change and Joe Manchin’s role in destroying the planet). Ch. 9: 12 Ways Biden Is Fighting Climate Change That You Haven't Heard - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 7-26-22 Progressives care about climate change and we care about the environment. So it is great to know that with Democratic leadership action is being taken to move us forward in the effort to protect ourselves from the consequences of global warming. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response to neurodivergence episode - Bill from St. Petersburg, FL Ch. 11: Neurodiversity - Larry FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the range of normal MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Among a crowd of protestors, a man holds up a sign that reads “DECLARE CLIMATE EMERGENCY” in hand-painted black letters on a red background. Credit: “United Climate Rally - Melbourne” by Matt Hrkac, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0) | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness, contrast and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 8/2/2022 Today, we take a look at what neurodiversity is and why it should be seen as a strength and benefit to society when accommodated properly rather than a problem to be solved or, worse, ignored. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Libro SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What Exactly is Neurodiversity? - How to ADHD - Air Date 1-18-22 The neurodiversity movement has been around for some time, but what exactly is it? In this video, we talk about what the neurodiversity movement is and how it's linked to the autistic community. Ch. 2: Adriana White - Autism and Neurodiversity: Different Does Not Mean Broken - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-11-21 In this talk, Adriana discusses the idea of neurodiversity. Many people are labeled incorrectly because their brains are wired differently. Adriana offers awareness and an alternative way to see people as unique and valuable. Ch. 3: Giftedness is Not Achievement with Aurora Remember Holtzman - ADHD Essentials - Air Date 12-11-21 Today, we’re talking to Aurora Remember Holtzman. Aurora is a school psychologist, neurodivergence coach, and host of the Embracing Intensity podcast. And her focus is giftedness and twice exceptionality. Ch. 4: Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming World - Neurodiversity Podcast - Air Date 8-10-21 Emily Kircher-Morris and Joel Schwartz talk about what it would take to create a neurodiversity-affirming world where old stereotypes and perceptions are shed. Ch. 5: Elaine Halligan: Neurodiversity is a superpower, not a problem - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-25-19 We have to break the stigma around mental health and children. Most of the times the signals are quite subtle and can be often overlooked by parents, so many children may be suffering behind closed doors. Ch. 6: The Utility (or Futility) of Labels - The Neurodiversity Podcast - Air Date 7-7-22 The reality of working within a system in flux. The meaning or usefulness of the term “gifted.” The utility (or futility) of labels. The confusion of overlapping diagnoses. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Neurodivergence and Queerness with Leela Sinha - Embracing Intensity - Air Date 5-23-22 Today’s episode is a recording of our talk with Leela Sinha on the intersection of neurodivergence and gender. This is definitely not an “inside-the-box” topic. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the hyper-focus ability of ADHD MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The neurodiversity awareness symbol - an infinity symbol (a horizontal elongated number 8) in a rainbow of overlapping colors - is against a white background. Image Credit: “Neurodiversity Symbol” by MissLunaRose12, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC by-SA 4.0 | Changes: White background added   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 6/9/2021 Today we take a look at the motivations behind legislation being introduced in statehouses around the country to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory, criminalize the right to protest and limit the right to vote. Now if only there were some theory we could look to to understand the complicated interconnectedness of these subtly racist ideas... Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War Over Teaching America's Racist History in Schools - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 5-5-21 Most students in America are only taught about a handful of important Black Americans in history class. Here’s a look at why schools should teach students about race and why certain parents are opposed to that shift. Ch. 2: Critical Race Theory - Past Present - Air Date 5-25-21 In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the current controversy over critical race theory. Ch. 3: Elly Page on Anti-Protest Bills - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-23-21 If the Chauvin verdict is testament to the power of protest, so too are the vigorous efforts to squelch that power. Plus: Right-wing legislators target trans kids at the state level. Ch. 4: Not Ready For That Conversation - On The Media - Air Date 4-23-21 Tami Abdollah [@latams], national correspondent for USA Today, on how Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have been introducing bills to criminalize protests — or as they put it, to stop the rioting. Ch. 5: GOP States Are Pushing for Stricter Penalties for Protesters - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-27-21 The Takeaway spoke with Nora Benavidez, the director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, and Elly Page, senior legal advisor at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, working with the U.S. Protest Law Tracker. Ch. 6: Weaponizing Trump's Big Lie: Ari Berman on GOP's War on Democracy & Voting Rights - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-10-21 Extreme voting restrictions have advanced in several Republican-led states across the U.S., including in Florida. Mother Jones reporter Ari Berman says these efforts are an extension of former President Trump’s “big lie” about voter fraud. Ch. 7: Is the GOP Insanity Being Driven By Trump or 40 Years of Madness? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-4-21 This “Trump grip” narrative is nonsense and it needs to stop —the Republican Party has made it crystal clear with their voter suppression efforts that they no longer believe in democracy. They are doing this because they want to. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Walk Out: Texas Democrats Block Passage of Voter Suppression Bill by Leaving Capitol Ahead of Vote - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-21 Trey Martinez Fischer says the legislation would have “a tremendous impact” on ballot access in the state. “Just like every bad policy, Hispanics, Latinos and Asian Americans will be disproportionately impacted," "the time for a national response is now." Ch. 9: How Corporate Media Protects Violent Cops - Carlos Maza - Air Date 6-4-20 Police departments across America have declared war on unarmed protesters. They get away with it thanks to a corporate media ecosystem that helps shield cops from criticism and discredit the people protesting police brutality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Lesson #3 The Value Proposition FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Iconography of a person speaking into a bullhorn with an arm up and other people icons listening to represent "protesting" with a red circle with a line through it over the image. Credit: "No protesting" by David Pursehouse | Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced contrast, saturation and brightness   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 7/26/2022 Today, we take a look at recent Supreme Court rulings aside from overturning abortion rights and how all signals are that they are going full steam ahead on a conservative authoritarian deconstruction of the past 100 years of progress Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Supreme Court Term Like No Other - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-9-22 Dahlia L​​ithwick hosts Amicus’ annual term-ending breakfast table conversation, featuring Slate’s own Mark Joseph Stern, Professor Katherine Franke and Professor Nikolas Bowie. They dig into the biggest decisions of the term Ch. 2: Judicial Coup: SCOTUS Gerrymandering Case May Let GOP State Legislatures Control Federal Elections - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-6-22 The U.S. Supreme Court announced Thursday it will hear oral arguments in a case experts warn could be one of the greatest threats to U.S. democracy since the deadly January 6 insurrection at the Capitol. In October, the court will hear Moore v. Harper. Ch. 3: Just how bad is the Supreme Court's EPA decision - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 6-30-22 Kate and Leah break down the "free-wheeling, free association analysis" of the Supreme Court's opinion in West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency. Basically, it's bad! And not just because of the impending climate apocalypse! Ch. 4: The Supreme Court Needs an Upgrade - What Next - Air Date 7-6-22 The Supreme Court treated its most recent term like the opening salvo in a conservative revolution, approving prayer in schools, establishing a constitutional right to conceal and carry a firearm, and eliminating the constitutional right to abortion. Ch. 5: The Outrage Continues - In The Thick - Air Date 7-19-22 Julio is joined by Errin Haines, editor at large for The 19th, and Elie Mystal, justice correspondent and columnist for The Nation. They discuss the Supreme Court and the impact of their decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: SCOTUS Religious Extremists Rapidly Eroding Separation Of Church And State In USA - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-1-22 Writer Mark Joseph Stern joins the MR crew to talk about the recent SCOTUS opinions and rulings on Carson v Makin and Kennedy v Bremerton which continue to blur the lines between church and state. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the political philosophy that increases suffering Bonus clip: Because of Texas abortion law, her wanted pregnancy became a medical nightmare - NPR - Air Date 7-26-22 New, untested abortion bans have made doctors unsure about treating some pregnancy complications, which has led to life-threatening delays and trapped families in a limbo of grief and helplessness. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Sign up through wren.co/best to make a difference in the climate crisis, and Wren will plant 10 extra trees in your name! Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Global Food Prices Are at A Record High - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-22-22 We speak with Ukrainian-American Anna Nagurney, Chair in Integrative Studies at the Isenberg School of Management at The University of Massachusetts - Amherst about the latest on Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian food exports. Ch. 2: Why War in Ukraine is Causing Apocalyptic Famine - RealLifeLore - Air Date 6-30-22 Explaining why the geopolitical destabilization of the war in Ukraine may be part of Russia's plan and what actions the world can take to reduce the famine Ch. 3: The Famine Is Coming: War in Ukraine & Climate Crisis Contribute to Food Insecurity in Somalia - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-22 Joining us from Mogadishu, Somalia, Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, says poorer countries in Africa aren't able to financially compete with richer countries to afford basic staples like wheat. Ch. 4: For Bread: On capitalism's global food crisis - Prolekult - Air Date 7-2-22 An overview of the fundamental factors driving the global food crisis. The piece looks at the way fertilizer has shaped agriculture, the composition of agricultural capital, and the environmental crisis' impact on agriculture globally. Ch. 5: Food Shortage or Economic Crisis Experts Say Poverty & Capitalism Are Real Drivers of Global Hunger - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-22 We speak with food systems experts Sofía Monsalve Suárez and Rachel Bezner Kerr about how to prevent a looming global food shortage. Ch. 6: Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli: The future of the food ecosystem -- and the power of your plate - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 5-9-22 Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli lays out what it would take to build a more equitable, sustainable food system that nourishes all people and asks us to widen our perspectives before eating our next meal. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Are Food Shortages Coming to the United States? - David Pakman Show - Air Date 4-20-22 Are food shortages really coming to the United States, as some are claiming? Ch. 8: Why War in Ukraine is Causing Apocalyptic Famine Part 2 - RealLifeLore - Air Date 6-30-22 Explaining the slow-moving famine already underway before the start of the war in Ukraine VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Requesting a Culture Wars episode - Phil from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on our coverage of the culture wars Referenced: #1479 Torturing Children and Families in the Name of Protecting Them (Trans Rights) #1498 Pride and Prejudice #1470 Distorting History and Banning Books is a Power Play of Exclusion #1453 The Tea Party Too (School Board Backlash and the Dark Money Behind It) #1501 Navigating Post-Roe America #1374 Tell Stories, Not Myths - Columbus and the Centrality of Colonialism #1431 Stealing Native Children and Their Future #1492 The Great Replacements (Conspiracy vs Reality) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photograph of a cluster of golden wheat grains on a white surface. A small, colorful figurine of a globe rests on top of the grains. Credit: "Globe and wheat. Global wheat shortage." by Jernej Furman, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 4/16/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss a few of the aspects of life during a pandemic that's causing mental fog and affecting our work. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: We all make mistakes but we’re making a lot more of them right now Ch. 2: The Burnout Generation Ch. 3: Survival Mode Ch. 4: Hidden Mental Health Toll of Coronavirus with Alisa Kriegel - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 3-22-20 The COVID-19 pandemic is going to have a huge toll on mental health, what can we do to mitigate the damage? Ch. 5: Soft Launch of my secret project Ch. 6: Showing the ShowSharer™ MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 7/13/2022 Today, we take a look at how the Supreme Court stripped abortion rights for half the country, what life will look like for those seeking abortions and what we can do both personally and politically to fight back. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Nominate us for the Podcast Awards by July 31st! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Aimee Arrambide of Avow Texas with Abortion Resources - Burn It All Down - Air Date 6-29-22 Jessica Luther talks with Aimee Arrambide who provides information and abortion resources related to the overturning of Roe V. Wade. Ch. 2: Looking for an abortion online? Listen to this first. - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 6-28-22 Computer scientist and social media expert Dr. Jen Golbeck has been running a popular TikTok series educating people on how to be more secure while navigating abortion online. Ch. 3: The Day 'Roe' Died - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-24-22 For the first time in this country's history, an unelected majority of Supreme Court justices have taken away a fundamental constitutional right. Ch. 4: When Pregnancy becomes Crime - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-5-22 Writer and philosophy scholar at Cornell University, Kate Manne talks about her Substack article "Criminalizing Pregnant People: A Brief Retrospective." Ch. 5: “A Devastating Ruling”: Law Prof. Michele Goodwin & SCOTUS Attorney Kitty Kolbert on Overturning Roe - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-4-22 We speak with two leading legal scholars. Kathryn "Kitty" Kolbert is co-founder of the Center for Reproductive Rights Ch. 6: Just Doing The Job They Were Put On The Court To Do - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 6-25-22 Roe v Wade has been swept away and Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Mary Ziegler, a law professor at the University of California, Davis. Ch. 7: Rep. Ocasio-Cortez: Pres. Biden Should Forcefully Support Ending The Filibuster & Expanding SCOTUS - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 6-29-22 Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez lays out the case for what Democrats need to do in response to the Dobbs decision MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How The Supreme Court Killed Roe v. Wade - LegalEagle - Air Date 6-29-22 This is a sea change at the Supreme Court FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the importance of state judicial elections TAKE ACTION! Start Paying Attention to State Judicial Elections: Ballotpedia: ALL State Judicial Elections 2022 (scroll down for state links & maps) Quick Links: Texas (18 appellate | 6 supreme); Florida (28 appellate | 5 supreme); Ohio (28 appellate | 3 supreme); Lousiana (22 appellate | 1 supreme); Tennesee (24 appellate | 5 supreme) ...and more. Your State-by-State Guide to the 2022 Supreme Court Elections (via Bolts Magazine) Share BOTL's Twitter Thread on this Subject EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE State Judge Elections Are About to Become Decisive for Abortion Rights (via Slate - July 6, 2022) We Need to Reclaim State Courts From Big Money and Hateful Agendas (via TRUTHOUT - May 2019) The Politics of Judicial Elections, 2019–20 (via Brennan Center - Jan. 25, 2022) Gerrymandering or Creating New Courts (Dec 2021) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A black and white photo showing a large crowd of people protesting in front of the U.S. Supreme Court building on the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, amidst ominous dark clouds in the sky. Credit: "2022.06.24 Roe v Wade Overturned - SCOTUS, Washington, DC USA 175 143207" by Ted Eytan, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped

Original Air Date: 6-6-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - The Dawn of Everything - Capitalism Culture - Hit and Run Work Ethic - Necropolitics - W.E.B. DuBois on Colonialism - Sacrifices of Cultural Assumptions   References: The Dawn of Everything (Affiliate Link!) Capitalism Culture Daycare late fees no deterrent, study finds Prosecutor: Driver In Hit-And-Run Death Left For Job Interview What Is Necropolitics? The Political Calculation of Life and Death We Are Not This Map When W. E. B. Du Bois Was Un-American   Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 7/4/2022 Today, for this milestone episode, I attempted to squeeze in as many clever and interesting ideas as I could and ended up writing a starter guide to understand the United States. Plus, there are jingles! Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Political Structures of Our Country Tracking the political eras that proceeded our current situation and looking at what may come next. Jingle 1: Strawman Ch. 2: Progressives and Progress Looking at a progressive perspective of the last 20 years and the process of progress itself Jingle 2: Defer to Authority Ch. 3: Understanding Race, Gender, Privilege and Power Understanding why our understanding of the world is often insufficiently complicated Jingle 3: Just Asking Questions Ch. 4: Progressives in Politics Tracing the fissures on the political left from Bush to Biden Jingle 4: Manipulating Data Ch. 5: Republican Transformation Tracing conservatism from mid-century Republicans to 21st-century insurrectionists Jingle 5: Appeal to Emotion Ch. 6: Foreign/Power Looking at various forms of power and how they play out on the international stage Jingle 6: Passive Voice Ch. 7: The Progress Trap The progress traps of new technology and why we're not defending against them Jingle 7: Clickbait Ch. 8: Structural Thinking and the Alternative What happens when an individualist thinker is faced with problems that only structural thinking can handle? Jingle 8: Conspiracy Theories FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Conclusion MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Jingles: Concept and Some Lyrics by Jay Tomlinson, Music and Most Lyrics by Jonathan Mann Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 6/19/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of obstruction in service to big donors' interests while sacrificing the ability to run a functioning democracy in the process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Join the Discord Community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: West Virginia's Robyn Kincaid on the maddening Joe Manchin - The BradCast - Air Date 6-9-21 Robyn Kincaid explains the mysteries of Manchin, the history of his family's political dynasty in the state, and key factors that may be at work in Manchin's inexplicable obstruction of Biden and the Democrats' agenda. Ch. 2: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Ch. 3: Filibuster Helps Manchin Hide In Plain Sight w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-12-21 Breaking down the conflict-averse nature of the Democratic Party. Ch. 4: Breaking Down President Biden's $6 Trillion 2022 Budget - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-21 The president's budget attempts to incorporate plans on infrastructure, housing, and healthcare, and is likely to receive conservative backlash for raising the federal deficit. Ch. 5: What Does Joe Manchin Want? John Nichols on Filibuster Reform - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-9-21 Congressional action could block voter law changes—but that requires filibuster reform, and Joe Manchin says he won’t vote for filibuster reform. What does Joe Manchin want? John Nichols comments. Ch. 6: Joe Manchin Gets Candid With Billionaire Donors in Leaked Audio - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-16-21 Sen. Joe Manchin reveals his thoughts on the filibuster in a leaked Zoom call with fundraisers. Ch. 7: Does America Have a Chance At Democracy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-12-21 When a political party is more obsessed with identity than issues - America is in trouble. Can America function as a multi-racial, ethnic, religious democracy? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Ch. 9: Filibuster Helps Manchin Hide In Plain Sight w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-12-21 Explaining Manchin's love of being the center of attention and those who love to use him as a shield against criticism BONUS Ch. 10: Curation Lesson #4 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Bo Burnham's "Inside" TAKE ACTION! Pressure Manchin & Sinema via No Excuses PAC | TW: NoExcuses_PAC Pressure Manchin via West Virginia Can’t Wait |TW: @WVCantWait Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Abolish The Filibuster | Song A Day #4542 - Jonathan Mann Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image. Photo of Sen. Kristen Sinema (D-AZ) on the left and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the right. More than half of their images are overlaid with red, the rest with blue. A vector image of the U.S. Capitol is in the foreground, a rope is coiled around the dome being pulled at each end out of view. Credit: Composite image designed by Amanda Hoffman Image 1: "Kyrsten Sinema" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays Image 2: "FAA REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION" by Senate Democrats, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Original Air Date 7/5/2019 Today we take an unflinching look at Mitch McConnell and what a bad, bad man he is for basically all of the reasons. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Become a member! Join our Discord Community! Get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Money Money Money Part 1 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 Mitch fully embraces the 'evil' of raising money in politics, and truly believes money is free speech. Ch. 2: Voting Machine Lobbyists Pay Mitch McConnell - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 6-13-19 Lobbyists for both major voting machine companies have started contributing to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's re-election campaign as McConnell is blocking election security bills. Ch. 3: McConnell Admits Defeat with Cenk Uygur, John Iadarola, and Ana Kasparian - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-8-19 McConnell, a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform who battled the late Sen. McCain over the issue, made clear in December that the House proposal would never see floor time in the Senate. Ch. 4: Money Money Money Part 2 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 McCain and Mitch fought each other over money in politics for years. Mitch wasn't ever going to lose, McCain saw the corruption and tried to call it out. Ch. 5: Mitch Is the Biggest Monster In Politics - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-8-19 Mitch has been packing the courts, it is monopolization of our judiciary by far right extremists / conservatives. Ch. 6: McConnell Makes Obstruction Pledge with Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson, and John Iadarola - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-24-19 McConnell sees what the progressives are doing, and is dedicated to stopping them at all costs. Ch. 7: Darth Vader Has Arrived - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-13-19 Mitch fought endlessly to ensure corporate money in politics. Citizens United and Mitch McConnell completely overturned democracy and legalized corruption. Ch. 8: Is Mitch McConnell the Most Evil Politician in US History with Alex Pareene - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 4-5-19 Mitch is manipulating our judicial system - Trumps court appointments are pushing terrorism on the people. Mitch is the most productive and destructive GOP in modern history. Ch. 9: Mitch McConnell Gets Cornered By Question with Cenk Uygur, Ira Madison and John Iadarola - The Young Turks - Air Date 5-29-19 Mitch blocked Merrick Garland under Obama, and now will indiscriminately fill any SCOTUS opening. Ch. 10: Not A Happy Choice - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Eric Mennel - Air Date 6-20-19 Mitch rose to fame during the Obama administration, for refusing to work with Obama on anything, which paved the way for Trump VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Christians thrive on oppression - (Another) Heather Ch. 12: The Christian Right's Persecution Boner - Ani from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why it’s safe to say that Mitch McConnell is an extortionist TAKE ACTION! (Cut for time) SEGMENT: Support the Fight to Oust McConnell in 2020 - Best of the Left Activism Support End Citizens United Support Indivisible Kentucky Support the Ditch Mitch Fund Support Steven Cox Support Amy McGrath (if she announces) Support Matt Jones (if he announces) Researched & written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Banjo - Grey River Heather - Migration Lord Weasel - Molerider Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Inessential - Bayou Birds Vibrant Canopy - Origami Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Waterbourne - Algea Fields Surly Bonds - Aeronaut Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher! ​  

Air Date 6/25/2022 Today we take a look at some of the takeaways from the hearings investigating the January 6th insurrection. Most notably: they knew, they knew, they knew, they knew from the very beginning that their fraud claims were nonsense and they pushed ahead anyway. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get three months free of ExpressVPN! Switch and get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 New York Times Congressional reporter Luke Broadwater says the effort to overturn the 2020 election results was a "sprawling and diffuse" one that involved local governments as well as White House insiders. Ch. 2: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Brad is joined by guest co-host Dr. Leah Payne. They begin by discussing the first primetime hearing of the J6 Select Committee. They then focus on Tucker Carlson's response to hearings. Ch. 3: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 HEATHER DIGBY offers important insights into today's hearing Ch. 4: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 Ch. 5: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Ch. 6: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 Ch. 7: Jan. 6 Hearings Point Finger at Donald Trump. But Federal Prosecutors Haven't Gone That Far. - The Intercept - Air Date 6-15-22 Investigative reporter Trevor Aaronson is joined by Margot Williams, research editor for The Intercept, and Michael Loadenthal, founder and executive director of the Prosecution Project. Ch. 8: Generals Warn America's Democracy Is in Danger From the Inside - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-23-22 These retired Generals fought to defend Democracy abroad, now they are warning that America's Democracy needs to be defended from threats inside the country. Ch. 9: Guess Which Republican Congressmembers Sought Pardons After Trying to Help Trump Subvert Vote - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-24-22 Six Republican members of Congress who supported Donald Trump's lies sought broad presidential pardons for their involvement in the campaign to discredit the election results MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Top Arizona Republican Testifies He Rejected Trump Plot to Overturn Vote, Then Faced Violent Threats - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-22-22 Republican Speaker of the Arizona House "Rusty" Bowers described how he was pushed by Trump, John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani to call the Arizona Legislature back into session to investigate claimed illegal votes. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on turning anger into election action TAKE ACTION: Become a Poll Worker Where you Live 2022 Midterms Lay of the Land: Remaining Midterm Primaries and Runoff Elections by Date (270toWin) Justice Democrats Candidates in IL and TN Primaries!  2022 Election Maps (270toWin) Senate  House  State  State Senate Find SwingLeft Races in a Target State Near You SwingLeft’s State-Level Target Races (*Scroll down*) The States Project’s Targeted States Volunteer: Virtual SwingLeft Volunteer Orientations  - Next one is June 29th! All SwingLeft Events (Virtual and In-Person) Field Team 6 (Virtual and In-Person) VoteRiders: Help People Get Voter IDs Donate Strategically: SwingLeft - House, Senate & States Plan The States Project Flip the Vote VoteRiders: Give to Help People Get Voter IDs Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman 

Air Date 6/22/2022 Today we take a look at the complicated evolution of Pride Month in an era of much greater LGBTQ acceptance and the simultaneous resurgence of anti-LGBTQ energy that, in many ways, mirrors the arguments of 40 years ago. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get your audiobook from Libro! Check out The Politics of Everything podcast! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Rainbow capitalism raises questions about corporate commitments and Pride Month's purpose - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-30-21 Throughout the month of June, LGBTQ communities in the U.S. have been celebrating Pride in cities and states around the country. And corporate America has made itself a part of that, too, by increasingly tapping into Pride Month Ch. 2: Anti-trans legislation - It's Been a Minute - Air Date 4-29-22 Ari discusses how this wave of law-making differs from so-called "moral panics" of past decades — and why that matters — with historian Jules Gill-Peterson, of Johns Hopkins University. Ch. 3: Is Pride Too Commercialized? - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-15-22 Today, Pride Month gatherings are more likely to be described as parades than marches. And with rainbow flags adorning the storefronts of big corporations, it might be easy to think the struggle is over. Ch. 4: Disney vs. Itself vs. The Right - Recode Media - Air Date 4-13-22 Within the past few months, Disney CEO Bob Chapek managed to piss off his shareholders, the LGBT community, and right-wing conservatives. Today we talk about how he did it, why it happened, and what’s next. Ch. 5: Don't Rainbow-Wash On My Parade - What A Day - Air Date 6-2-22 June is Pride Month, the unfortunate time when many corporations claim they support LGBTQ+ people, but also support politicians who actively work against LGBTQ+ rights. It’s not a new phenomenon – even before June, for example, activists called out Disney Ch. 6: Florida to Michigan to Missouri Hear Speeches of Gay Legislators & Allies Fighting Anti-LGBTQ Bills - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-25-22 Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law is part of a nationwide push by Republicans to score political points by attacking gay and transgender students. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Chris Southcote-Want: It’ll all come out in the rainbow wash - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-18-21 The impact of rainbow washing and why creating inclusive and equitable cultures is the responsibility of us all. Ch. 8: State Farm Gives Up on LGBTQ Rights - Charlotte's Web Thoughts - Air Date 5-24-22 You may have been doom-scrolling yesterday and caught the latest hysteria of anti-LGBTQ extremists in the conservative movement. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the lessons we must relearn generation after generation MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/17/2022 Today we take a look at many intertwining realizations that are beginning to permeate society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get your audiobooks from Libro! Enjoy online privacy and digital globetrotting with ExpressVPN! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Capitalism is the Planet’s Cancer: Operate Before it’s too Late George Monbiot - Double Down News - Air Date 1-30-20 “Infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe” Ch. 2: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 1 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 Some economists have long argued that to really save ourselves from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. Ch. 3: Degrowth: liberation from growthism - The Taxcast - Air Date 9-23-21 Naomi Fowler explores degrowth and how we liberate ourselves from ‘growthism’ with economic anthropologist Jason Hickel. Ch. 4: Our Struggles are Your Struggles: Stories of Indigenous Resistance & Regeneration - Upstream - Air Date 3-21-22 Standing Rock was just one in a long line of battles that Indigenous peoples have been fighting against the twin forces of colonialism and capitalism since first contact. Ch. 5: Eco-Socialist Degrowth? w/ Paul Murphy - Rupture Radio - Air Date 5-2-22 Capitalist growth is destroying our life support systems.  Ch. 6: Jason Hickel on how degrowth will save the world (part two) - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 12-19-21 We talked about why the notion of decoupling growth from intensive resource use is ultimately unconvincing. Ch. 7: Infinite Growth on a Finite Planet? (Tim Jackson Interview) - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-19-21 Tim Jackson joins David to discuss consumption, growth, macroeconomics, the modern economy, and more. Ch. 8: Degrowth: why some economists think abandoning growth is the only way to save the planet Part 2 - The Conversation Weekly - Air Date 10-28-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How We End Consumerism - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 6-4-21 How we end consumerism, explained. Ch. 10: Jason Hickel on International Development and Post-capitalism (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 5-28-20 We spoke with him about international capitalism during the pandemic and how to fundamentally move to a post-capitalist world Ch. 11: Post Growth - Life after Capitalism (Podcast with Prof. Tim Jackson - CUSP) - Circular Metabolism Podcast - Air Date 4-28-21 We continue our quest by looking into post-growth. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the climate legislation currently in negotiations and how to win a Rivian EV TAKE ACTION! LAST CHANCE FOR BOLD CLIMATE LEGISLATION: Demand the Full $555 Billion in Climate Investments in the Budget Reconciliation Package and get it passed ASAP! Call 202-318-1885 (the #Call4Climate number) to automatically contact both of your senators, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. What to say: CCAN’s email form also includes a call script. Learn more about what’s in the current reconciliation bill, what we need to fight for during negotiations, and download state-by-state fact sheets on how the bill would benefit the state you live in. SUPPORT Grassroots Climate Action: Enter the CCAN fundraiser raffle and win a Rivian Electric Truck (or a Tesla up to a Plaid Model S)! Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An illustration of a green Earth, with a small plant sprout growing out of it. Green arrows encircle the earth against a pale green abstract background. Credit: Nature-Earth-Sustainability | License

Air Date 6/15/2022 Today we take a look at the many reasons why we are experiencing a housing crisis in the US and beyond but it mostly comes down to treating housing as a commodity to be profited from rather than a basic human need or, if you're feeling radical, a basic human right. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Check out Bombas.com/Best! Support independent bookstores through Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Housing Market - If You Don't Know, Now You Know - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-8-21 Why has it become so hard to buy a home in America? If you don’t know, now you know. Ch. 2: How Foreign Companies Are Raising Housing Prices - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-27-21 Should corporations be allowed to buy houses and raise the housing price in your neighborhood? Ch. 3: John and Ana React to Bonkers Housing Story - The Damage Report - Air Date 3-12-22 The housing market has reached frightening heights which has people looking elsewhere for home buying. Ch. 4: How Socialists Solved The Housing Crisis - The Gravel Institute - Air Date 1-29-21 Zohran Mamdani, New York State assemblyman, talks about how Austrian socialists in the 1920s and ‘30s pioneered an approach that offered better, cheaper, and safer homes for everyone. Ch. 5: Is the Housing Bubble About to Burst Featuring Prof. Richard Wolff - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-1-22 What happens when the housing bubble bursts? It is easy to see when it has happened but spotting a collapse ahead of time is difficult. Ch. 6: Eviction Rates Are Rising - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-13-22 Discussing the need for tenants to have a right to counsel in eviction proceedings Ch. 7: Why Dems Have Abandoned Public Housing - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-9-22 The Democratic Party has no plan to address the homeless crisis the United States is facing today. One way to fix it would be to provide public housing to people.  MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Does Vienna Have the World's Best Council Housing? Swimming Pools, Private TV Channels & More - Channel 4 Documentaries - Air Date 8-8-19 George Clarke visits a council estate in Vienna and is shocked by what he finds. Ch. 9: Short-term rental housing is hurting Ouray residents - Rocky Mountain PBS - Air Date 7-19-21 Increasing housing prices, rent, construction costs, and short-term rental (STR) properties have created an environment that fewer and fewer people are able to thrive in. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on supporting affordable housing through the Build Back Better bill TAKE ACTION! Demand Targeted Affordable Housing Investments Stay in Any Reconciliation Package! - Call your Senators and Reps at 202-224-3121 and use the NLIHC Call Script (and email them) - Use NLIHC's Advocacy Toolkit to help spread the word - Read and share the NLIHC's Inflation Fact Sheet - Follow @NLIHC EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Resurrected budget package no slam dunk as negotiations heat up (June 6th via RollCall) Affordable housing in the US is increasingly scarce, making renters ask: Where do we go? (March 14th via The Conversation) Housing Investments in Build Back Better Would Address Pressing Unmet Needs (Feb. 10th via Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) A growing share of Americans say affordable housing is a major problem where they live (Jan. 18th via Pew Research Center) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: An illustration of a simple green house with a "$" symbol incorporated into it. The vertical line of the symbol is also the shape of the chimney and the front door. Small dollar signs flow out of the chimney, getting smaller as they go up. Credit: Household | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 6/11/2022 Today we take a look at the reasons why Democrats lost rural America and why it's important to make gains outside urban centers through working-class coalitions and a focus on the policy failures of unchecked Republicanism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get 3 Months free of ExpressVPN! Check out the American Prestige podcast! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How can Democrats win back rural America? (with Bill Hogseth) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 1-26-21 Democrats used to win elections in rural areas, but that seems like a distant memory now. This week, Zach is joined by Bill Hogseth, a political organizer from rural Wisconsin, to talk about the difference between making promises and delivering change Ch. 2: Can Democrats Win in Rural America? - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-4-22 Maine state Sen. Chloe Maxmin tackles one of the most pressing problems confronting the modern Democratic Party: how to reverse its decades-long backslide in rural support. Maxmin and her co-author and campaign manager Canyon Woodward join Ryan Grim Ch. 3: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22 Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections. Ch. 4: Joe Shepherd of United Rural Democrats - The Rick Smith Show - Air Date 5-9-22 By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show. Ch. 5: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22 Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections. Ch. 6: David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy - The Tennessee Holler Podcast - Air Date 2-9-22 Former OHIO Democratic party chair David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy, and why we all need to do our part to lift it up. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Corporate Democrats Have a Vested Interest in Not Listening to Workers – RAI with Thomas Frank - The Real News - Air Date 9-5-17 On Reality Asserts Itself, Thomas Frank, author of “What’s the Matter with Kansas” and “Listen, Liberal”, tells host Paul Jay that the Democratic Party serves the professional class and the top 10% and no longer cares about the poor or working class. Ch. 8: The New Democrats w/ Lily Geismer - The Dig - Air Date 6-5-22 Dan’s second episode with historian Lily Geismer, who he interviewed in 2019 about Don’t Blame Us: Suburban Liberals and the Transformation of the Democratic Party. This interview is on Left Behind: The Democrats’ Failed Attempt to Solve Inequality FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the ignoring the middle class and poor open the door to right-wing populism of the worst sort MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of a blue, dented, and rusted mailbox on a spike leaning against an old wooden fence. Its flag is down, indicating no mail. Thick, golden tall grass grows behind it against a blue sky.  Credit: "Rural America" by Kris Notaro, Flickr | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 6/8/2022 Today we take a look at progressive victories in primary elections around the country and explain why moderates are not much more than allies of conservatism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! Get your audiobooks from LIBRO! Use Promo Code: BEST Check out Bombas.com/BEST for all your clothing essentials! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: David Sirota: Progressives Win Key Primary Races Despite Millions Spent to Back Corporate Democrats - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-18-22 “What you’ve seen is a surprising backlash at the voter level to all of the money that flooded in,” says investigative journalist David Sirota of The Lever. “It’s been a pretty good night for progressive candidates, despite all that money.” Ch. 2: Howie Klein of 'Down With Tyranny' on midterm primaries - The Bradcast - Air Date 5-27-22 Howie Klein delivers lively analysis on primary victories (and losses) for progressive Democrats so far in the 2022 midterm election cycle, and a preview of important races coming up in seven states in the Super Tuesday primary on June 7. Ch. 3: Voting, Primaries and Redistricting in the South Part 1 - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-22 We take a look at the latest primary election results from this past week. We’re joined by Maya King, politics reporter for The New York Times, and Stephen Fowler, state and local politics reporter for Georgia Public Radio. Ch. 4: Monday Morning Politics: Midterm Concerns and Foreign Policy - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 5-24-22 Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including recent polling on midterm issues and President Biden's statement on Taiwan. Ch. 5: Voting, Primaries and Redistricting in the South Part 2 - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-22 We take a look at the latest primary election results from this past week. We’re joined by Maya King, politics reporter for The New York Times, and Stephen Fowler, state and local politics reporter for Georgia Public Radio. Ch. 6: How "Moderates" Serve The Right - Second Thought - Air Date 12-17-21 This week we're talking about everyone's favorite grillpilled neighbor - the American "centrist" or "moderate". As much as they like to see themselves as enlightened arbiters of progress, centrists are little more than spoilers for actual progress. Ch. 7: Progressive's Path To Victory Is Clear...If They Decide To Follow It - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-29-22 What progressives should be focusing on in the 2022 midterm elections is clear. It's economics. That's what people are worried about the most and that is what they should run on. Whether they focus on that or not is a different story. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Nina Turner: Democrats Must Decide If They Are “Party of the Corporatists or Party of the People” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-18-22 Turner says the corporate wing of the Democratic Party seeks to consolidate the existing leadership’s power while shutting down champions of progressive policies like Medicare for All. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Should Justice Sotomayor retire this year? - Woody from Washington DC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the extreme measures needed to stabilize our political system MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 5-16-22 Become a member! Connect with our Discord community!   Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - The power of Indigenous stories - Elite panic - Panic at the dinner table - Quantification and who counts - Stoking civil war - Fear is the heart of love   References: Reddit, Ask a Historian  Southern Living: Why Is It Rude to Eat with Your Elbows on the Table?  Beware Prophecies of Civil War  I will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 6/4/2022 Today we take a look at some of the obvious steps we need to take to reduce gun violence in the United States, debunk some of the favored propaganda supporting unfettered gun ownership and explore the origins of how Gun Culture™ was invented by corporations as the frontier era need for guns began to vanish pushing them to convert guns from tools that were needed but not loved into items that were loved though no longer needed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-27-22 We revisit some conversations about gun violence and gun culture this week on the show. In March of last year we spoke with Igor Volsky, executive director of Guns Down America Ch. 2: NRA's "Good Guy With A Gun" Theory Failed In Real Time In Uvalde - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-27-22 In addition to the police response being an unfathomable failure, it is also proof that the ‘good guy with a gun’ theory doesn't work. Ch. 3: Jordan Klepper Debunks The "Good Guy with a Gun" Argument - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-11-15 Jordan Klepper sets out to determine the likelihood of another gun owner stopping an active shooter. Ch. 4: The Second Amendment Isn't About Killing Politicians or Overthrowing Democracy - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-31-22 The far-right wants you to think the Second Amendment is about average Americans taking up arms against a tyrannical government. But none of that is true... The real history of the second amendment is far more interesting and unsettling. Ch. 5: Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger speaking to Charlayne Hunter-Gault - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-16-1991 Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger speaking to Charlayne Hunter-Gault, PBS News Hours, 12/16/1991 Ch. 6: How the Gun Industry Used Marketing to Change a Culture - Letters and Politics - Air Date 8-7-19 Today, we are in conversation with Pamela Haag about American gun culture and its influence on policy and gun market. Guest: Pamela Haag is an award-winning nonfiction writer, essayist, cultural commentator, and historian. Ch. 7: Mass Shootings: American Exceptionalism of the Worst Kind - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 5-26-22 “Together we rise,” reads the motto on a wall of the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The school serves about 600 students in the second thru fourth grades. Over ninety percent are Latinx. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Rightwing Media's Increasingly Goofy, Hyper-Militarized Non-Solutions to Mass Shootings - Citations Needed - Air Date 5-27-22 In this public News Brief, we discuss the phoned-in, cynical response by Republicans to mass shooting and how they've devolved into a dark, meta self-parody. Ch. 9: A History of the 2nd Amendment, Gun Control, & the Rise of the NRA - Letters and Politics - Air Date 5-25-22 Guest: Robert J. Spitzer is Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Political Science Department at the State University of New York, College at Cortland. He is the author of 15 books including Guns across America: Reconciling Gun Rules and Rights. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the bonus episode in which we explain the cultural foundations of capitalism, guns and beyond MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A pencil sketch of a larger-than-life hand gun on the shoulders of a weary man, in the image of Jesus carrying the cross. He stands in a pool of red blood. Credit: “Gun Culture” by Christopher Dombres, Flickr | Public Domain | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 6/1/2022 Today we take a look at the current conspiracy theory known as "The Great Replacement" which posits that a cabal of elites is conspiring to eradicate Whiteness as a culture and as a people in Europe, North America and other countries colonized by White Europeans. We also look at the history of the cabal of elites that conspired to eradicate Native peoples and culture from colonized lands in a pattern of genocide and dispossession. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Boarding Schools from Hell: Indian Residential Schools in America - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 5-17-22 Imagine for a moment a breaking news story that more than 500 bodies of white children were found buried in unmarked graves at some of the most prestigious boarding schools in New England…That we discovered a federal plot to steal children Ch. 2: The “Great Replacement” Conspiracy Theory - Past Present - Air Date 5-24-22 In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. Ch. 3: Nick Estes: Indian Boarding Schools Were Part of "Horrific Genocidal Process" by the U.S. - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-22 Nick Estes says the institutions were part of a “genocidal process” of “dispossession and theft of Indigenous people’s lands and resources.” Ch. 4: No Lone Wolves - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 5-18-22 A shooting Saturday at a supermarket in a predominantly-Black neighborhood in Buffalo left at least 10 people dead and three more injured. The suspected shooter left a manifesto riddled with racist ideology Ch. 5: Haaland's Boarding School Report - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 5-12-22 Discussing native residential schools as textbook genocide and the new, insufficient report on them. Ch. 6: ‘Why Are We Feeding Illegal Babies?’: The Right's Response To The Formula Shortage - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-13-22 What’s the right-wing answer to the complicated governing issue of the nationwide baby formula shortage? Just stop feeding migrant babies. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Confronting The Raw Truth About The White Supremacist Terrorist Attack on The Black Community in Buffalo - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 5-18-22 Tim Wise counsels that we must remain persistent in the anti-racism struggle and not surrender to exhaustion or otherwise be worn down by repetition. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on those who see themselves in a demographic war for White superiority Bonus clip: John Gibson: “Make more babies” because in "[t]wenty-five years ... the majority of the population is Hispanic" - Fox News via Media Matters - Air Date 5-12-06 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: Description: An historic photograph from 1922 North West Territories, Canada of four Indigenous children in front of a schoolhouse holding paper letters and wearing Western formal dress - including dresses, suits, and top hats. All have serious and sad expressions. Credit: "Children at Fort Simpson Indian Residential School holding letters that spell 'Goodbye'" by Libraries and Archives Canada, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/27/2022 Today we take a look at the disruptions to society that can unfold in times of economic distress such as high inflation, price gouging, wage stagnation and income inequality as well as some policy ideas for turning things around. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Will America's Capitalists Pull Us Into War & Fascism? Featuring Richard Wolff - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-18-22 "Germany's capitalists drove it into WW1" Warns Richard Wolff. Could America's capitalist lead us into fascism? "Learn from history" Ch. 2: You Are Being Lied to About Inflation - Robert Reich - Air Date 2-28-22 The underlying problem is not inflation. It’s corporate power. The entire American economy is concentrated into the hands of a few greedy, corporate giants with the power to raise prices. Ch. 3: Prices Soar as Corporate Profiteers & Speculators Drive Inflation; It Hurts the Developing World - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-13-22 Jayati Ghosh, who says prices of essentials are soaring much higher than can be explained by oil prices and supply shortages alone, because of what she calls "feverish speculation" in financial markets and corporate profiteering. Ch. 4: Prof. Richard Wolff Do Workers Have It Too Good Nowadays - The Zero Hour w RJ Eskow - Air Date 5-14-22 Professor Wolff joins to discuss the situation for workers in the US today. Ch. 5: Omar Ocampo of Inequality.org on corporate billionaire greed Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-11-22 OMAR OCAMPO of the Institute for Policy Studies Program on Inequality and the Common Good explains how it happened, and what actions can and must be taken to reverse this obscene trend. Ch. 6: David Dayen on the Baby Formula Shortage & Monopolies in the Age of Corporate Power - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-17-22 An overhaul to the system where the government subsidizes only a few formula brands can help combat the monopolization that has caused this crisis, says David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect. Ch. 7: Omar Ocampo of Inequality.org on corporate billionaire greed Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-11-22 Ch. 8: How Biden’s budget proposal takes on corporate power (with Niko Lusiani) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 5-10-22 The Biden Administration’s 2023 budget proposal includes a Billionaire Minimum Income Tax and a rewrite of stock buyback practices. Will these changes actually take effect? Niko Lusiani is the Director of Corporate Power at the Roosevelt Institute. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Elon Musk’s Billionaire Games - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 5-7-22 Trevor’s no finance expert, but the details of Elon Musk’s Twitter buy seem a little weird. Ch. 10: Prof. Richard Wolff Do Workers Have It Too Good Nowadays Part 2 - The Zero Hour w RJ Eskow - Air Date 5-14-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the culture of distrust of the poor MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 4-26-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - Libertarians proving themselves wrong - All we ever do is tell stories - The benefits of forgetting some stories - The stories society tells hide the form of community that we prefer References: Seder DEBATES Ayn Rand Institute Libertarian Yaron Brook - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-8-21 Very Intelligent Libertarian Caller Tries To Justify Slavery - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-10-21 Excerpt from interview, MARK FERRARI interview (Behind The Scenes) - The Making of Monkey Island Forgetting, not memory, moves us forward - Future Tense - Air Date 3-27-22 A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster by Rebecca Solnit Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 5/8/2021 Today we take a look at the culture that Disney has helped create and how they did it, using cuteness as a weapon to push ideas from racist stereotypes and segregation to the masterful use of hollow nods toward progressivism while reinforcing the ethics of individualism in order to give systemic injustice a pass. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 1 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Scholar, writer, and activist Walidah Imarisha is someone who’s been thinking hard about what stories Disney tells and why. She teaches a class on race and Disney films at Portland State University. Ch. 2: 40 Acres and a Movie - Still Processing - Air Date 4-8-21 Disney owns a piece of every living person’s childhood. Now it owns Marvel Studios, too. Jenna and Wesley look at depictions of racist tropes and stereotypes in Disney’s ever-expanding catalog. The company has made recent attempts to atone for its past. Ch. 3: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 2 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Ch. 4: Woke Disney - Lindsay Ellis - Air Date 9-30-21 Nodding to progressive ideas while just proping up capitalism is just marketing. Ch. 5: Disneyfication of American History - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 6: How Disney Ruined Culture - Wisecrack - Air Date 11-9-20 It's no surprise that Disney has an absolute stranglehold on the culture we consume today. But the joys of the Magic Kingdom aside, what if it's actually kind of really bad for art? We'll explain in this Wisecrack Edition: How Disney Ruined Culture. Ch. 7: The (Not So) Wonderful World of Disney - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 2-16-18 Sam talks to filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy E. Disney, about her views on inequality in the U.S., corporate greed and why, despite her last name, she's become one of the more vocal and prominent critics of The Walt Disney empire. Ch. 8: DED Talks: Why Walt Disney is Nothing Like You Think He Was - Cracked - Air Date 1-19-15 Disney tell's his story MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Disneyfication Of Cuteness - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 10: Copyright: Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-23-21 This video, like everything else in the world, is copyrighted. But what does that really mean? Copyright laws started out as a way to protect creators from having their hard work stolen, but it's turned into something else entirely. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Ableism in the show - Alyson from Colorado FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Woke Disney and Ableist language MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 4/14/2021 Today we take a look at the one element of our government that, above all others, has contributed to the absolute disfunction of our democracy. The filibuster was never intended by the founders, always anti-democratic, often used for racist ends and is now being abused at a rate never before seen. 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Filibuster - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 9-9-19 John Oliver explains why filibusters exist, why they shouldn't, and why it's stupid to drink coffee like a cat. Ch. 2: End the Filibuster: Calls Grow to Retire Relic of Slavery & Jim Crow to Make Senate More Democratic - Democracy Now! Air Date 1-25-21 New President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate. Ch. 3: Count How Many Lies Mitch McConnell Spews In This 1 Minute Clip - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-24-21 Mitch McConnell is on a warpath, and he's getting all his favorite lies lined up. Ch. 4: Will Democrats Finally Kill the Filibuster Once and for All - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-21-21 Adam Jentleson, who served as a former senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Mehdi Hasan to explain the history of the filibuster and how, according to Jentleson, it helps conservatives override the nation's democratic system. Ch. 5: Is Filibuster Reform Mitch McConnell's 'Kryptonite?' - Zerlina. - Air Date 3-16-21 Rep. John Yarmuth explains to Zerlina Maxwell why the rule is so important to the Senate Minority Leader, and why McConnell is “scared to death” about the possibility that Democrats will abolish it. Ch. 6: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 David Sirota explains the motivations and unseen pressures playing on Joe Manchin as he continuously pivots his position on the filibuster. Ch. 7: Activism: Support No Excuses PAC and W.V. Cant Wait - Best of the Left - 4-14-21 Ch. 8: Now Is the Time to End the Filibuster - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-18-21 Amy Goodman gives a commentary explaining the need to end the filibuster. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: 'What Are We Waiting For?': Why Filibuster Reform Should Happen Sooner Than Later - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 3-19-21 Adam Jentleson, talks about why it's a good idea for Senate Democrats to reform the filibuster and pass popular legislation Ch. 10: Reid Calls for Filibuster Reform to End Gridlock - Nevada Senator Harry Reid - Air Date 11-22-13 On the Senate floor, Senator Reid laid out why we need to reform the rules to ensure qualified presidential nominees get up-or-down votes. Ch. 11: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Wading into the discussion on the child tax credit - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on racism and population EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Inside the West Virginian Movement to Push Joe Manchin to the Left (The New Republic) Progressive PAC kick-starts search for challengers to Manchin, Sinema (Politico) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cartoon version of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holding a chart that says "Republican Filibusters." The horizontal bar graph below the title shows an X axis starting with "88th term 1963-64" and ending with "110th term 2007-2008." The bar values range from 3 at the beginning of the time-line to "153 Projected for end of term" at the end. Credits: "Mitch McConnell, Filibuster King" by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License | Changes: Increased white background to make vertical image square, smudged existing shadow to extend farther, dark blue border added   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson  

Air Date 5/14/2022 Today we take a look at the options and actions still available after the Supreme Court overturns Roe for those seeking abortions and Reproductive Justice more widely. Plus, an obligatory explanation of how we got to now. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Learning from Pre-Roe to Navigate Post-Roe - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 5-5-22 Law professor and podcast host Melissa Murray, journalist and bestselling author Jessica Bruder, and Slate’s news director Susan Matthews—host of the upcoming Season 7 of Slow Burn focusing on the road to Roe v Wade Ch. 2: Producer Sebastian on the anti-abortion right in the United States - This is Hell! - Air Date 5-5-22 Sebastian gets on his soapbox and lectures about the history of abortion rights and the anti-abortion right in the United States. Ch. 3: Activists leap to action as expected Supreme Court attack on abortion rights comes to bear - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 5-3-22 Looking at the intertwining fights for reproductive and voting rights. Ch. 4: Why this former anti-abortion activist regrets the movement he helped build - CNN Amanpour - Air Date 5-4-22 Frank Schaeffer once produced propaganda films that helped launch the Christian right. Now he feels regret for what he calls an 'anti-family' movement. Ch. 5: Lindsey Shares Her Abortion Story - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 5-5-22 Our own Dr. Lindsey Osterman has had an abortion, does not regret it, and wants to tell us why this basic healthcare right matters not just for those in extreme circumstances.  Ch. 6: Amy Littlefield on the fight for Abortion Rights - Start Making Sense - Air Date 5-12-22 Progressive faith communities are learning how to support reproductive justice Ch. 7: Resisting attacks on abortion rights in the US with Emma Norton - Red Flag Radio - Air Date 5-9-22 Roz talks to socialist activist Emma Norton about the history of abortion rights, the limitations of looking to the Democrats to protect the right to choose, and the struggles that are needed to win. Ch. 8: Roe v Wade Can't Be Saved By Your Vote Featuring David Daley - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-9-22 David Daley writing for the Boston Globe writes the thought-provoking article "Your Vote Won't Help Restore Abortion Rights" MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Turnaway Study What The Research Says About Abortion - Short Wave - Air Date 5-9-22 We turned to Dr. Diana Greene Foster, the lead researcher on the interdisciplinary team behind The Turnaway Study. For over a decade, she and her fellow researchers followed just under a thousand women who sought an abortion across 21 states. Ch. 9: Lindsey Shares Her Abortion Story Part 2 - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 5-5-22 Dr. Lindsey Osterman discusses the idea of being made to carry a pregnancy to term before offering the baby for adoption. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to make sure your efforts to support abortion access are well spent Get Involved/Support/Volunteer for Abortion Funds & Learn State Laws: Twitter thread - Getting Involved with Local Abortion Funds (Read on Thread Reader) Find your local Practical Support Organization Abortion Access in Your State: A Quiz (with resources) (Lilith.org) Check out the hashtag #FundAbortionBuildPower Abortion Pills Stand to be Next Battleground in a Post-Roe America (NY Times) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: The words "WHAT NOW?" in white are overlayed on a faded image of the U.S. Supreme Court. Below the words, is a faded portion of the top of Justice Alito's leaked draft majority opinion indicating Roe v. Wade will be struck down. Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman using images in the public domain.  

Air Date 5/10/2022 Today we take a look at the impacts of media ownership on society including legacy newspapers and social media platforms owned by billionaires and the consolidation of our news and entertainment corporations through mega mergers. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? Check out Bombas.com/Best BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Who Rules America: The Power of The Media | Propaganda - ENDEVR Documentary - Air Date 1-3-21 Who Rules America? takes a comprehensive look into the governing system of the United States of America and reveals the behind-the-scene powers that rule the nation. Ch. 2: Billionaires Control The Media - and Its Destroying Democracy - Novara Media - Air Date 11-20-19 Billionaires control the media, and it's undermining our democracy. The broadcast media amplify the right-wing print media meaning the political agenda is always set by, you guessed it, billionaires. Ch. 3: How The Washington Post's New Owner Aided the CIA, Blocked WikiLeaks & Decimated Book Industry - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-7-13 The Washington Post announced on Monday the paper had been sold to Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos for $250 million. Bezos, one of the world’s wealthiest men, now controls one of the most powerful newspapers in the country. Ch. 4: Elon Musk, Twitter, and the History of Media Oligarchs - Past Present - Air Date 5-2-22 Niki referred to this Los Angeles Times article about the limits of Elon Musk’s “free speech absolutism.” Natalia referenced this New York Times article about billionaire investors in the press. Ch. 5: Adam Conover's Statement to the FTC and DOJ on Harmful Media Mergers - Adam Conover - Air Date 4-28-22 I spoke before FTC Chair Lina Khan and Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan Kanter this week about how corporate mergers are devastating working conditions, access to diverse voices, and artistic freedom in media. Ch. 6: A Future Of Equitable Speech Terrifies Those Like Elon Musk Says Giridharadas - The ReidOut - Air Date 4-25-22 Elon Musk reaching a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion is discussed by Anand Giridharadas. "This future in which there would actually be more abundant and equitable speech terrifies the crap out of people like Elon Musk,” Giridharadas tells Joy Reid. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: How William Randolph Hearst Made The Media - KERA's Think - Air Date 9-27-21 He was one of the wealthiest men in America – and his media empire granted him unprecedented influence. Stephen Ives joins host Krys Boyd to tell the story of William Randolph Hearst and the template he created for the media business. Ch. 8: Is Free Speech Online Just a Myth? - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 5-8-22 A conversation with one of the smartest First Amendment lawyers in the country. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the propaganda of building faulty assumptions into questions MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The front page of a newspaper is held up by a reader. The newspaper is called “The Media” and the large text headline is a quotation that reads “We Own This, Too" above black and white photos of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Rupert Murdoch. Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Images include: “newspaper, world is changing”; "Jeff Bezos" by NASA Robotics Competition, Flickr (Public Domain); "Elon Musk" by Tesla Owners Club Belgium, Flickr (CC BY 2.0); "Rupert Murdoch" by Eva Rinaldi, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) | Changes: Cropped and black and white   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 5/7/2022 Today we take a look at the jockeying for position that is happening among GOP politicians, both incumbents and hopefuls, in this murky Trump/post-Trump political era in which the path to victory for Republicans is to support Trump unquestioningly while also keeping an eye on the long game for which one should attempt to out-Trump Trump to gain the support of his cultish masses. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Local Republicans compromising voting systems in pursuit of Trump's Big Lie - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 4-29-22 GOP politicians who formerly rejected QAnon and Trumpism are now joining the choir in pursuit of power Ch. 2: Will Trump help Ohio's Vance Advance (w/ Tom LoBianco and Kyle Kondik) - Skullduggery - Air Date 4-25-22 Next month starts a wave of primaries in Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania that will provide the strongest clues yet on just how much of a hold on Republican voters that Trump still has. Ch. 3: Greg Abbott's Border Shutdown Backfires Spectacularly - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-16-22 Texas Governor Greg Abbott has effectively shut down the US/Mexico border in his state. He did this in the name of stopping the flow of drugs and migrants into the US, but really it was a theatrical stunt to appeal to the far-right. Ch. 4: The Trump Variants Part 1 - Some More News - Air Date 11-9-21 Here's a video about Ron DeSantis, Marjorie Taylor Green, and Matt Gaetz and how they all want to be the next Donald Trump. Ch. 5: The Fight Between Florida and Disney - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-25-22 We speak with Carlos Ball, law professor at Rutgers University, and Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, about how what’s happening with Disney connects to other recent examples of corporations weighing in on LGBTQ issues. Ch. 6: The Trump Variants Part 2 - Some More News - Air Date 11-9-21 How fascism starts and what happens to the masses when the authoritarian leader goes away. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: David Frum: It's Not DeSantis v Disney, it's DeSantis v Trump - The Bulwark Podcast - Air Date 4-27-22 DeSantis' anti-gay agenda is all about winning over the conservative entertainment wing VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: The down side of fulfilling jobs - VoicedMail from Discord Community Member FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on creating workplaces that are conducive to human needs MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Against a black background, an illustration of Donald Trump’s head, and one hand pointing straight ahead, hovers over the shape of the United States filled in with the American flag. Three large, illustrated coronavirus molecules float out in front of Trump, each one encompassing the image of a Republican politician. Smallest to largest: J.D. Vance (Senate nominee in Ohio), Marjorie Taylor Green (Congressperson in Georgia), and Ron DeSanits (Governor of Florida).   Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Image layers used include: “Trump and U.S. Image”, Images of politicians all by Gage Skidmore, Flickr and Wikimedia Commons: “J.D. Vance”, “Marjorie Taylor Greene", "Ron DeSanits” | Changes: Cropped and orange filter added   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/4/2022 Today we take a look at the tectonic shifts in the geopolitics happening under our feet; the long, slow decline of the US empire and the neoliberal order, the role of the war in Ukraine in hastening the end of globalization, and the rise of both China in the east and of the oceans around us all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? Check out Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ukraine and an Empire's Decline - Economic Update - Air Date 4-16-22 Wolff talks with host and journalist Chris Hedges about Ukraine and the end of the US empire. Ch. 2: A World to Win Imperialism and the Energy Crisis w/ David Wearing - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 4-1-22 Grace chats to David Wearing, post-doctoral researcher at SOAS and author of AngloArabia: Why Gulf Wealth Matters to Britain. Ch. 3: Is the war in Ukraine ushering in a new world order? - Inside Story Al Jazeera English - Air Date 3-27-22 The new war in Europe has been described as a turning point in human history. It's been more than a month since Russia invaded Ukraine - causing death and destruction across much of the country. Ch. 4: “Russia & China, Together at Last”: Historian Al McCoy Predicts Ukraine War to Birth New World Order - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-21-22 President Biden reportedly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping via video call Friday that China would face “consequences” if it provided material support to Russia amid the war in Ukraine. Ch. 5: U.S. vs. China vs. Climate Change: Alfred McCoy, plus Kristina Wong on Mutual Aid - Start Making Sense - Air Date 12-8-21 Alfred McCoy argues that American global hegemony will end around 2030 replaced by China as world leader but Chinese hegemony will last only for about 20 years and that by 2050, climate change will have brought environmental catastrophe to both countries. Ch. 6: Climate Catastrophe, the Fall of America, and a New World Order - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 1-14-22 A bleak but fascinating look across five continents and seven centuries points to climate and political destruction ahead. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Oil & Disorder ft. Helen Thompson - Bungcast - Air Date 3-29-22 Helen Thompson, podcaster and professor of political economy at Cambridge and author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century, joins us to talk about the geopolitics of oil, stretching from the 1956 Suez Crisis to the Fracking Revolution of today. Ch. 8: Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon on the End of American Hegemony - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 7-13-20 Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon are the authors of Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order. We had a 90-minute conversation on some important topics for the study of international relations. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Pyramid scheme sticker club - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how people find math so hard that many pyramid schemes likely get started by accident MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/29/2022 Today we take a look at the rising wave of successful unionization efforts and the corporate tactics being leveled against them, including the propaganda that surrounds the culture of labor.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? Check out Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: From Amazon to Starbucks, workers are rising up—and progressives need to support them at all costs Part 1 - The Real News - Air Date 4-8-22 Around the country, workers are rising up, demanding more, and winning important victories, even though the deck is stacked against them. The question is: Where will the reinforcements come from? Ch. 2: Apple Store employee explains why he's fighting to unionize - ABC News - Air Date 4-26-22 Genius Bar technician Derrick Bowles explains why he and his coworkers are making the move to unionize their Apple Store Ch. 3: “We Just Unionized Amazon”: How Two Best Friends Beat the Retail Giant’s Union-Busting Campaign - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-4-22 We speak with the two best friends who led a drive to organize workers at Amazon's warehouse in Staten Island, New York, and made history Friday after a majority voted to form the first Amazon union in the U.S. Ch. 4: Unions And Strikes Are Good - Some More News - Air Date 3-30-22 Hi. In today’s episode, Cody, who is still on strike against the News Lord, discusses the importance of Unions, Co-Ops, and the future of work. Ch. 5: Why Work Won't Love You Back - On The Media - Air Date 4-22-22 In 2021, a record-breaking number of workers quit their jobs, leading to the phenomenon deemed the "Great Resignation." To understand how that happened, it helps to unpack how work has shifted over the past several decades Ch. 6: From Amazon to Starbucks, workers are rising up—and progressives need to support them at all costs Part 2 - The Real News - Air Date 4-8-22 Around the country, workers are rising up, demanding more, and winning important victories, even though the deck is stacked against them. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: The Holiday You May Have Missed - On The Media - Air Date 4-20-22 International Workers' Day is celebrated with rallies and protests all over the world on May 1, but it's not a big deal in the United States. Back in 2018, Brooke spoke with Donna Haverty-Stacke of Hunter College, CUNY about the American origin of May Day FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the intrinsic human needs that, when fulfilled, give meaning to any work TAKE ACTION! Call your members of Congress today and demand the $94 million increase in funds to The National Labor Relations Board: US Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Find Your Senator and Representative  Learn about the NLRB House Lawmakers Demand More Labor Board Funds As Workplace Organizing Spreads (Huffington Post) Lawmakers Urge NLRB Budget Boost Amid 'Dramatic Increase' in Unionization (Common Dreams) The Labor Board Is Withering Away, And That's Bad News For The Labor Movement (Huffington Post) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Bernie Sanders Wants Democrats to Make Unions Their Biggest Message (Vanity Fair) Sanders pressures Biden on Amazon unions: ‘The time for talk is over’ (Politico) Starbucks May Soon Face Legal Consequences for Union Busting (Truthout) The Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class (NY Times) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Amazon Labor Union logo - a black outline of an open box with three fists coming out of the top - against Amazon corporate orange. A heart encircles the logo and is surrounded by black. Credit: Amazon Labor Union logo (artist not found upon search). Additional heart border design by Amanda Hoffman. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

From critically acclaimed podcast studios Pineapple Street and Wondery comes a new 8-part series called Will Be Wild that shines a light on the human stories left out of the headlines. It goes deep into the lives of people who took part in that day, people who saw it coming, and people who fear that January 6th was just the beginning of something, not the end.   Follow Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts, or you can listen early on Amazon Music or early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.   Listen Here: wondery.fm/BotL_WillBeWild

Air Date 4/23/2022 Today we take a look at how we got to the form of toothless liberalism we are living with today and begin to reimagine what a more muscular state apparatus could do in the face of the climate crisis. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Liberalism Revolution & The End Of History w/ Luke Savage & Rana Abdelhamid - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-7-22 Emma hosts Luke Savage, staff writer at Jacobin Magazine, to discuss his new book The Dead Center: Reflections On Liberalism And Democracy After the End Of History. Ch. 2: Nationalizing Oil It's About Saving the World - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-11-22 Squeals of “socialism!” aside, we know how to do this and have done it before, repeatedly - This time it’s not just about saving our banks or fighting a war. This time, it’s about saving the world. Ch. 3: What Happened to Our Politics After the End of History with Luke Savage Part 1 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-13-22 Luke Savage on his collection of essays about the abandoned hopes of the Obama era, the rise of Trumpism and the inability—or unwillingness—of Liberalism to offer a moral and more just vision for the world. Ch. 4: Should We NATIONALIZE the Oil Industry w/ Matt Bruenig & Johanna Bozuwa Part 1 - Bad Faith - Air Date 3-21-22 Matt Bruenig, returning to the podcast, is the founder of the People's Policy Project think tank. Johanna Bozuwa, Executive Director at the Climate and Community Project, has written a detailed paper on how we can actually "nationalize this." Ch. 5: What Happened to Our Politics After the End of History with Luke Savage Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-13-22 Ch. 6: Climate Incrementalism is the New Denial w/ Kate Aronoff - Bad Faith - Air Date 5-15-21 Tired of defeatist, nihilistic conversations about climate change? Same. That's why this week, we invited climate journalist and author of Overheated: How Capitalism Broke the Planet, Kate Aronoff. Ch. 7: Should We NATIONALIZE the Oil Industry w/ Matt Bruenig & Johanna Bozuwa Part 2 - Bad Faith - Air Date 3-21-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Liberalism Revolution & The End Of History w/ Luke Savage & Rana Abdelhamid Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-7-22 Emma hosts Luke Savage, staff writer at Jacobin Magazine, to discuss his new book The Dead Center: Reflections On Liberalism And Democracy After the End Of History. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Thoughts on doing psychology right - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on talking about psychology done wrongly... wrongly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/20/2022 Today we take a look at the bizarre halo effect that seems to surround Elon Musk and then thoroughly puncture it by just explaining a few things about him and his companies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? Check out The Politics of Everything wherever you get podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Myth Of The "Self-Made" Billionaire - Second Thought - Air Date 9-10-21 It’s no secret that Americans love to hear about billionaires. You’ll find them everywhere. They’re on the news [Bezos space launch], have their own TV shows, movies, and even make their way to elected office. Ch. 2: Is Elon Musk a Fraud - Deconstructed - Air Date 5-14-20 Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to voice his frustrations about the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in Alameda County, California. The billionaire entrepreneur threatened that he would take his auto factory to another state Ch. 3: Tesla SUED Over Racial Discrimination In The Workplace - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-12-22 Elon Musk and Tesla are coming under fire as the state of California is suing the company for allegedly running a “racially segregated” workplace. Black workers are reportedly concentrated in certain parts of the factory and are constantly berated Ch. 4: Elon Musk Is Not Your Friend - Some More News - Air Date 5-10-21 Hi. Elon Musk will not save us. Sorry. Ch. 5: Elon Musk’s Childlike Libertarian Fantasy That Government Is The Biggest Corporation - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-9-21 Billionaire memelord Elon Musk has dropped yet another batcrap Libertarian rant for his adoring fans, this time regarding the bloodthirsty government and how he hates the pesky electric vehicle subsidies that he would (and already does) benefit from. Ch. 6: Elon Trolls the SEC - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 4-8-22 With 9.1% ownership of Twitter—and a board seat—Elon Musk is the new master of Twitter's future. Why did the wealthiest man in the world just take over the world's most influential platform? Ch. 7: Elon, Segregationist & Culture War in Colorado w/ Chase Woodruff - Left Reckoning - Air Date 2-23-22 The real reason Elon Musk fleed California: incredible racism and animal cruelty charges. Also, how he's giving marching orders to Texas cops. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Elon Musk Isn’t Saving Humanity w/ Manu Saadia - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-25-21 Paris Marx is joined by Manu Saadia to discuss the roots of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ visions for space, and why they serve the billionaires’ need for control, not the betterment of humanity. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Back on the path - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on foundational ideas that help explain politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/16/2022 Today we take a look at the coming wave of attacks on abortion and the foundational concept of privacy more broadly that are making their way to the Supreme Court for likely rubber-stamping by at least 5 of the deeply conservative current justices. Undermining the established precedent of privacy that abortion rests on can, and likely will, have ramifications far beyond reproductive rights. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Conservatives on Supreme Court Prepare to Gut Roe v. Wade as State Abortion Bans Multiply - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-24-22 “Abortion rights don’t fall within that framework of constitutional rights that the Supreme Court feels that it has an obligation to uphold,” says Imani Gandy, senior editor of law and policy for Rewire News Group. Ch. 2: The GOP Is Now Coming For Birth Control - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-21-22 The more Republicans come out against the Supreme Court’s Griswold v. Connecticut ruling on contraception access, the more the public should be worried that they will lose the legal right to birth control. Ch. 3: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 1 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. Ch. 4: Law Professor Michele Goodwin Condemns Wave of "Unprecedented & Unfathomable" Anti-Abortion Laws - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-8-22 Michele Goodwin speaks on about the links between current conflicts between state and federal law and their historic precedents, such as Brown v. Board of Education and the Fugitive Slave Acts. Ch. 5: Legal journalist Mark Joseph Stern on SCOTUS, corruption, gerrymandering - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-30-22 MARK JOSEPH STERN, legal journalist from Slate, explains the latest news out of the US Supreme Court, beginning with the Senate confirmation hearings last week for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Joe Biden's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ch. 6: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: GOP Forced To Amend Bill That Would Have Legalized Child Marriage In Tennessee - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-6-22 “The very party that claims to be very concerned with protecting children—that’s accusing their enemies of being literal pedophiles—wrote a bill that apparently would have allowed children to get married,” says Chris Hayes. Ch. 8: The Latest Battles over Marriage - Past Present - Air Date 4-12-22 In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss recent developments in the politics of sex and marriage. Ch. 9: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 3 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the upcoming milestone for the show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/13/2022 Today we take a look at the mainstreaming of crypto and NFTs by celebrity endorsements, why they're terrible by nearly any metric and why they are emblematic of our broken culture. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! What is Discord? Shop Bombas.com/Best for 20% off your first order! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs - Folding Ideas - Air Date 1-21-22 If someone pitches you on a "great" Web3 project, ask them if it requires buying or selling crypto to do what they say it does. Ch. 2: NFTS and Celebrities: A Match Made in Hell? - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-4-22 How did NFTs become the new Coca-Cola? NFTs are everywhere, nowhere more so than on the lips of celebrities. But why are celebrities getting into the world of crypto? And what can the rise of celebrities endorsing NFTs tell us about our society? Ch. 3: Celebrities Love Cryptocurrencies - and it's lame (Feat. Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman) - Crypto Critics' Corner - Air Date 2-16-22 Bennett and Cas are joined by Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman who discuss the ideas behind their upcoming book about cryptocurrency, their issues with celebrity shilling of speculative assets, and how it really feels like corporate greed Ch. 4: Why Scams Are Inherent To Cryptocurrency - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 3-27-22 Explaining the systemic reasons why the features of crypto are so amenable to scams Ch. 5: Can Our Climate Survive Bitcoin? - Reveal - Air Date 3-25-22 Bitcoin’s demand for electricity is so great that it’s giving new life to the dirtiest type of power plants: ones that burn coal. In Hardin, Montana, the coal-fired power plant was on the verge of shutting down until bitcoin came to town. Ch. 6: Line Goes Up Creator Breaks Down The Problem with NFTs and Cryptocurrency - The Damage Report - Air Date 3-6-22 Crypto specialist, Dan Olson, shares his takes on NFTs and explains pieces from his insanely popular video, "Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs." John Iadarola and Dan Olson break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 7: The Crypto Grift Descends on Ukraine - Scam Economy - Air Date 3-17-22 Matt Binder breaks down how grifting cryptocurrency founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and hustlers are trying to pump their money-making schemes for a profit and generate good PR for the crypto industry under the guise of charity for Ukraine. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how people, myself included, get scammed MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 3-15-22 Today, I am talking with Erin (not from Philly), Deon and Erin from Philly. We discuss: - Whether or not to capitalize the B in black - What it means when the B is capitalized - How all of this relates to the rapid expansion of identity labels - Why the solution to segregation and stereotypes is more segregation - And why we think it's worth spending time talking about things like this    CONNECT ON DISCORD How to Use Discord: A Beginner’s Guide  Join our Discord community   References: Case Sensitive - The Drift Magazine  'Whistling Vivaldi' And Beating Stereotypes - Talk of the Nation - Air Date 4-12-10    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 4/6/2022 Today we take a look at the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, what her confirmation would mean for representation on the court and what the hearing tells us about the state of our politics.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded where you get your podcasts! Join our Discord community What is Discord? SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: By Any Measure, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is Qualified - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-24-22 By any objective measure, Joe Biden's Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice Ch. 2: Anita Hill on the Supreme Court’s Future Part 1 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-12-22 The upcoming confirmation, and what it means for the court’s future​​—and for America’s future. Ch. 3: Legal journalist Mark Joseph Stern on SCOTUS, corruption, gerrymandering - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-30-22 MARK JOSEPH STERN, legal journalist from Slate, explains the latest news out of the US Supreme Court, beginning with the Senate confirmation hearings last week for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Joe Biden's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ch. 4: Ketanji Brown Jackson Hearing, Day Three—Celebrating Joy Amid the Nonsense - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 3-23-22 Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy are following the lead of Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and celebrating joy in this historic nomination. Ch. 5: You Are My Harbinger of Hope Sen. Cory Booker Defends Ketanji Brown Jackson Amid GOP Attacks - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-24-22 Speaking with legal analysts Imani Gandy and Dahlia Lithwick about Republican embrace of disinformation. Ch. 6: Anita Hill on the Supreme Court’s Future Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-12-22 The upcoming confirmation, and what it means for the court’s future​​—and for America’s future. Ch. 7: ITT Sound Off: Saving the Supreme Court - In The Thick - Air Date 3-25-22 Elie Mystal writes in The Nation: “It was emotionally affecting to watch Jackson, a ridiculously accomplished Black woman, be forced to dance to the tune of these mediocre white senators who were trying to reduce her to a caricature.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: You Are My Harbinger of Hope Sen. Cory Booker Defends Ketanji Brown Jackson Amid GOP Attacks Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-24-22 Cory Booker speaks out about the hope he feels about Ketanji Brown Jackson joining the Supreme Court Ch. 9: What It Means to See Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson This Close to the Supreme Court - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 3-26-22 Black listeners call in to talk about what it meant to see the judge up there, and react to more of Sen. Booker's words and Judge Brown Jackson's tearful reaction. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response to Maria on puberty blockers - Sophia from Texas FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on motivated reasoning, wild guesses and edge cases MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/2/2022 Today we take a look at the current iteration of the cynical culture wars being waged by conservative Republicans against LGBTQ kids for political gain. The current wave of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation sprouting across the country is not about protecting kids and is absolutely nothing new. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript Join our Discord community! (What's Discord?) BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded where you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andy Greenberg - Longform - Air Date 12-11-19 Andy Greenberg is a senior writer for Wired. His new book is Sandworm. “I kind of knew I was never going to get access to Sandworm, which is the title of the book - so it was all about drawing a picture around this invisible monster.” Ch. 2: How America’s gas got hacked - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-12-21 The largest-known ransomware attack on American energy infrastructure is driving up gas prices and creating shortages. Wired's Lily Hay Newman says Colonial Pipeline might be a turning point for cybersecurity. Ch. 3: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 1 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 There are currently a number of serious allegations made in the West against Russia. They include the attempted murder of the former spy Sergei Skripal on British soil; interference in the 2016 US election; the hacking of the American electricity grid. Ch. 4: How prepared is the U.S. to fend off cyber warfare? Better at offense than defense, author says - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 8-6-18 Sanger joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the threats and realities, how the U.S. wages cyber warfare, and how prepared the U.S. is to stop attacks. Ch. 5: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 2 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 Ch. 6: Russia Perfected Its Cyberwarfare In Ukraine — America Could Pay The Price - Think | NBC News - Air Date 11-23-19 Russia has been practicing cyberwar in a real-life test lab — Ukraine. Andy Greenberg, author of 'Sandworm', recounts how Russia went from repeatedly shutting down Ukraine's infrastructure to unleashing worms that caused billions of dollars in damage. Ch. 7: Is World War III Already Here? - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 1-3-22 Warfare has changed so fundamentally, that we're currently in a war we don't even recognize. It's the war that Russia, China, and other hostile foreign actors are fighting against us — weaponizing social media to undermine our faith in each other MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Hackers Who Took Down the Colonial Pipeline - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 5-21-21 Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas prices skyrocketed, people started hoarding gas, and DarkSide walked away with over $4 million in Bitcoin. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Puberty blockers experimental? - Maria in Pennsylvania FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the deception and logical fallacies at the heart of critiques of gender affirming care MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/29/2022 Today we take a look at the current iteration of the cynical culture wars being waged by conservative Republicans against LGBTQ kids for political gain. The current wave of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation sprouting across the country is not about protecting kids and is absolutely nothing new. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded! Join our Discord server! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 This weaponization of white womanhood and femininity has deep roots in this country’s history, and is prompting unprecedented consequences for the trans community. Nikita Shepard joins to discuss the history and what we can do about it. Ch. 2: Andy Marra on Trans Youth Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-4-22 Texas state leadership is staking a position on that, but humans everywhere are pushing back, and we talk about that with Andy Marra. Ch. 3: The Anti-Trans Agenda (w/ Gillian Branstetter) - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 3-20-22 Matt and Sam talk to Gillian Branstetter, press secretary for the National Women’s Law Center, about the spate of anti-trans laws sweeping the country. Ch. 4: Chase Strangio on the GOPs Push in Florida, Texas, Idaho to Eradicate Trans Youth & Trans Lives - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-22 We speak with Chase Strangio of the ACLU about recent anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, Texas, and Idaho, and pending bills in other states. Ch. 5: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 6: Don't Say Gay - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-17-22 The furor over Florida’s latest culture-war legislation has Disney, among the state’s largest employers, turning red. Ch. 7: Behind the Transphobic Hate Campaigns (and Steven Crowder) on College Campuses in Texas (w/ Steven Monacelli) Part 1 - DOOMED - Air Date 3-23-22 Journalist Steven Monacelli joins to discuss how he actually debated Steven Crowder earlier in the day on a college campus in Texas. Why was Crowder there? Because trans people are playing sports. Ch. 8: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 3 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 9: Behind the Transphobic Hate Campaigns (and Steven Crowder) on College Campuses in Texas (w/ Steven Monacelli) Part 2 - DOOMED - Air Date 3-23-22 Ch. 10: Andy Marra on Trans Youth Rights Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-4-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 4 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 12: The Anti-Trans Agenda (w/ Gillian Branstetter) Part 2 - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 3-20-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Dynamics of our political parties - Craig from Ohio FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the divides within American political parties TAKE ACTION! Contact your Senators to pass the Equality Act via passtheequalityact.com/act Join Lambda Legal's #DontEraseUs campaign to fight anti-LGBTQ+ curriculum (especially if you’re a student or teacher). EDUCATE YOURSELF Read BOTL’s activism segment on the Equality Act from last March (*2021*) for more context  Lambda Legal Transgender Rights Toolkit (Lambda Legal) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  Image Description: A white protest sign is held in the air with the words “YOU WILL NOT ERASE OUR KIDS” drawn on it. The word “NOT” is underlined and colored in red. Each letter in the word “KIDS” is colored in with red, blue, yellow, and orange, respectively. A small blue sticker in the top right corner says “I [heart sign] My Trans Child”. Credit: “2018.10.22 We Won't Be Erased - Rally for Trans Rights, Washington, DC USA 06817” by Ted Eytan, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 License | Changes: Cropped, slightly increased brightness, contrast, and saturation

Air Date 3/24/2022 Today we take a look at the desperate state of refugees fleeing war, strife and climate disruption as well as the response of governments around the world that espouse liberal platitudes of humanitarianism while hardening their borders against those seeking refuge. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded wherever you get your podcasts! Join our Discord server! What is Discord? SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Fortress Europe: Who gets to come in? - The Real Story - Air Date 11-9-21 The European Union is at loggerheads with Belarus over the arrival of thousands of migrants. It alleges that President Lukashenko has created a deliberate crisis by facilitating the migrants' travel into Belarus and onwards to the country's borders Ch. 2: War in Ukraine - Humane Ukrainians & A Major Refugee Crisis - The Daily Show - Air Date 3-4-22 As Russia's war on Ukraine continues, compassionate Ukrainians come to the aid of Russian soldiers, and Trevor weighs in on the implications of how European countries are welcoming refugees. Ch. 3: Afghanistan in Freefall: Deadly U.S. Sanctions Blamed for Shocking Humanitarian Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-14-22 As Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian crisis, we look at how more Afghans may die from U.S. sanctions than at the hands of the Taliban. The U.S.'s attempts to block support for the new de facto government have prevented vital funding from flowing Ch. 4: Resettlement Support and Legislative Challenges Facing Afghan Refugees - The Takeaway - Air Date 2-18-22 It’s been more than six months since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Since the withdrawal, more than 76,000 Afghans have resettled across the U.S. We check in on resettlement efforts, the challenges facing Afghan refugees, and more Ch. 5: Fortress Europe - Declarations: The Human Rights Podcast - Air Date 2-2-22 In this week’s episode, host Maryam Tanwir and panelist Yasmin Homer discuss the role of technology in the securitization of European borders with MEP Patrick Breyer and researcher Ainhoa Ruiz. Ch. 6: Border walls and the climate crisis w/ Nick Buxton - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 The Transnational Institute's Nick Buxton on the report "Global Climate Wall" Ch. 7: Ilhan Omar on Ending War, Global Refugees, Russia Sanctions & Why More Saudi Oil Is Not the Answer - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-8-22 As the U.S. considers a ban on importing Russian oil as part of sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, senior advisers to President Biden are reportedly planning to visit Saudi Arabia to secure more oil to make up the shortfall. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Border walls and the climate crisis w/ Nick Buxton Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 Discussing the connection between climate policy and the entities who stand to profit the most by fortifying against climate refugees FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on small-government conservatives' authoritarian tendencies TAKE ACTION! New way to help defeat fossil fuel allied politicians, no matter their party: Jane Fonda PAC Help Refugees Around the World:  Global Empowerment Mission International Rescue Committee Refugees International  Anera (Middle East focus) UN Refugee Agency Doctors Without Borders House Refugees in Your Home: Room for Refugees (US, UK, Canada) Refugees at Home (UK only) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 8 Ways to Solve the World's Refugee Crisis (Amnesty International) The Great Climate Migration Has Begun (NYTimes, 2020) Climate Change Refugees - the world's forgotten victims (World Economic Forum) #AfricansinUkraine (Twitter hashtag) Climate Change and Disaster Displacement (UNHCR) Refugee Environmental Protection Fund (UNHCR) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 3/19/2022 Today we take a look at the details of the planned coup that had its culmination in the form of a violent insurrection at the US Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021 as well as the ongoing efforts to undermine and dismantle the structures of our election system.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Discord Explained Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: January 6th Planning Was WAY More Detailed Than We Thought - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-5-22 In some ways, the attack on the Capitol looked haphazard but the answer is far scarier. There was much more planning by the group involved. Ch. 2: Columnist Will Bunch: Trump Came Much Closer to Pulling Off a January 6 Coup Than People Realize - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-5-22 National columnist Will Bunch says there is growing evidence that links Trump and his inner circle to the Capitol attack. Ch. 3: Pence lawyer at center of Trump pressure tactic spends hours with January 6th Committee - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-2-22 Michael Schmidt, Washington correspondent for the New York Times; David Wilson. Ch. 4: Reform the Insurrection Act: Former Pentagon Adviser Says Trump Almost Used It to Subvert Election - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-6-22 Former Pentagon adviser Ryan Goodman says former President Trump could have used the Insurrection Act to hold onto power onJanuary 6, 2021. Ch. 5: Fake Trump electors, Trump White House official receive January 6th Committee subpoenas - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-29-22 Rep. Pete Aguilar, member of the January 6th Committee Ch. 6: Former FL county election chief Ion Sancho on MAGA threats to election officials - The BradCast - Air Date 3-15-22 It took decades to build our system of non-partisan, professional election administration, but the entire system is now under persistent attack by Trump's MAGA Mob. Ch. 7: Trump flouting of Presidential Records Act leaves National Archives scrambling - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-7-22 Michael Schmidt, Washington correspondent for the New York Times Ch. 8: Trump Facing CRIMINAL Charges Per Trump Riot Committee - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-3-22 The January 6 Trump riot committee has released a list of possible criminal charges committed by former President Donald Trump. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Trump flouting of Presidential Records Act leaves National Archives scrambling Part 2 - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-7-22 Ch. 10: Former FL county election chief Ion Sancho on MAGA threats to election officials Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 3-15-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Thoughts on the Ukraine context episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on our new Discord community server and how to join TAKE ACTION! Become a Poll Worker or Election Official: WorkElections.org EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Expert fears partisan actors may replace election workers who quit over threats (PBS News Hour) 1 in 5 local election officials say they're likely to quit before 2024 (NPR) Researchers warn that Christian nationalists are becoming more radical and are targeting voting (Washington Post) One in five U.S. election workers may quit amid threats, politics (Reuters) Local election officials are exhausted, under threat and thinking about quitting (Politico) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo from a rally. A hand holds up a sign that says "Remember Jan. 6th, Senators. Protect Our Democracy Now". Credit: "January 6th Vigil for Democracy" by Becker1999, Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 3/16/2022 Today we take a look at the dynamics of mis- and disinformation as well as the history of those, primarily Russia, who are actively using it as a weapon of information warfare against the US, The West, and democracies around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are you Disinformed or Misinformed? - Harvard Data Science Review Podcast - Air Date 6-17-21 Harvard Data Science Review digs into the world of disinformation and misinformation, and the difference between them. Ch. 2: Moving beyond news deserts and misinformation - Democracy Works - Air Date 2-14-22 Victor Pickard is the C. Edwin Baker Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Democracy Without Journalism?  Ch. 3: Why "Cheap Speech" Threatens Democracy - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-5-22 Dahlia talks to Rick Hasen about his new book Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics–and How to Cure It. Ch. 4: The Firehose of Falsehood Effect - The Propwatch Project - Air Date 4-4-21 Dr. Christopher Paul, senior social scientist of the Pardee RAND Graduate School, discusses his seminal work on the "Firehose of Falsehood" propaganda model. Ch. 5: The long history of Russian disinformation targeting the U.S. - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-22-18 From Pizzagate to George Soros conspiracies, “fake news” has become a noxious presence in public discourse, especially since the 2016 presidential election. Ch. 6: Post-Truth: Lee C. McIntyre - Future Hindsight - Air Date 5-14-20 Authoritarians use post-truth to corrupt our faith in the truth. The end goal is not to make citizens believe lies, but to make them so cynical and uncertain, they think they can never know the truth. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Inside Estonia's approach in combating Russian disinformation - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-15-22 Russian disinformation is rife in countries formerly ruled from Moscow. Some ex-Soviet states have tried to suppress it altogether by banning Russian television stations and even limiting the use of the Russian language on their own domestic channels. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Seeking power from the right and left - Alex from Maryland Old FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on avoiding the nihilism strategy of the Underpants Gnomes TAKE ACTION! Media Literacy Now - Advocate for U.S. Media Literacy Bills at State Level (See Existing Media Literacy Bills and Laws) Tools to Fight Disinformation: FactCheck.Org List: Tools That Fight Disinformation Online (RAND.org) InVID - Browser plug in to help identify and verify shared videos and images Hamilton 2.0 Dashboard - War in Ukraine (Disinformation tracker) Orgs Fighting Disinformation: Project Origin Content Authenticity Initiative Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity News Literacy Project Alliance for Securing Democracy EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Short Docuseries: Operation InfeKtion (New York Times) Book: “The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread” by Calin O’Connor and James Owen Weatherall Video Series: Crash Course Media Literacy Training: First Draft News - Training Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: In graphic form, the word "TRUTH" is angled and textured in red. A magnifying glass hovers over most of the letter "U" and the word "LIES" can be seen repeated in rows through the circular glass. Credit: Original design on Pixabay / Changes: angled, text color, background color / Final by Amanda Hoffman   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Original Air Date: 2-8-22   Today, I am talking with Amanda, Erin and Deon. We discuss: - Tragic Optimism - Don't Look Up - Simulacra and Simulation - That Funny Feeling   References: The Opposite of Toxic Positivity An Introduction to Baudrillard   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 3/11/2022 Today we take a look at the intertwining oil interests that underlie many of the decisions about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how others are responding to it. It is a tangled mess that the US, Europe and other nations are currently attempting to extract themselves from but it will be a long process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript Bombas.com/Best Shop for 20% off! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Gas Costs So Much: Trump, Saudi Arabia & Putin Exposed! - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-9-22 Gas prices are going up, but it's not Biden's fault. Thom exposes Trump, Saudi Arabia and Putin's connection to raise gas prices. Ch. 2: Russian Invasion Shows Risks of Addiction to Fossil Fuels; Will Biden Fund Shift to Renewables - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-22 We speak to energy and climate investigative reporter Antonia Juhasz, author of "The Tyranny of Oil: The World's Most Powerful Industry," about growing calls for a green energy revolution amid the climate crisis and rising prices for fossil fuels. Ch. 3: Russian oil and gas; Republican election fraud and insurrection Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 3-8-22 As the horrors of Russia's war on Ukraine continue, we continue focusing on efforts to counter it. Shell Oil apologizes for getting caught secretly buying cheap Russian oil. Ch. 4: Joe Biden Can End High US Gas Prices By Nationalizing The Oil Industry - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-9-22 The MR crew discusses how increasing oil production domestically is being talked about as a solution, but no one is talking about the importance of nationalizing energy. Ch. 5: Russian oil and gas; Republican election fraud and insurrection Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 3-8-22 Ch. 6: Banning Russian oil - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-8-22 Gas prices hit a record high in the United States today. Then the White House put an embargo on Russian oil. The Atlantic's Robinson Meyer explains. Ch. 7: Withdrawing from Afghanistan and the Impact of Global Corruption with Sarah Chayes - Why is This Happening - Air Date 8-17-21 The prolific author has said that kleptocratic actions are an “existential threat facing our generation.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8:  Peak Oil- It's a Crude, Crude World. - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 2-5-22 We tie in good ol’ Milton Friedman again to discuss how trading this ubiquitous fuel went from commodity to casino. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the rising demand for clean energy action in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine TAKE ACTION! Find Your Local: 350.org Chapters Extinction Rebellion Chapters Sunrise Movement Chapters Mothers Out Front* (*not just for mothers) Chapters League of Conservation Voters Affiliates Local Politics: Find Your State Legislators and Write and Call Them Find out if your local legislators and candidates have taken the “No Fossil Fuel Money” Pledge Learn how to get your local candidates/legislators to sign the “No Fossil Fuel Money” pledge National Politics: Find out Which Members of Congress are Taking Oil and Gas Money via Open Secrets League of Conservation Voter Environment Scorecard EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Climate Hawks Join the Debate on Ukraine (New York Times) Newsletter: Heat Pumps for Peace and Freedom (Bill McKibben on Substack) Editorial: What’s better than a ban on Russian oil imports? Ending our dependence on fossil fuels (LA Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  SHOW IMAGE: Description: Close up of a white sign that says "War Sized Climate Action Now!" in black, military-style text. To the right, a silhouette of the Iwo Jima memorial shows soldiers raising a wind turbine (instead of a flag). Credit: "CleanEnergyMarch-5-1470274" by Mark Dixon, Flickr | CC by 2.0 License | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness and contrast

Original Air Date 3/10/2021 Today we take a look at the current goings-on around the world regarding our foreign policy under the new but not-so-new-feeling leadership of Joe Biden. We check in on Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and a couple of assorted arms sales to authoritarian leaders who support our foreign policy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Administration Should Strike a Deal with Iran - World Class - Air Date 2-18-21 Abbas Milani — an expert on U.S.-Iran relations — discusses the Iranian economy, the future of Iran’s leadership, and what a potential nuclear deal could mean for the U.S. Ch. 2: Biden "Illegally" Bombs Iranian-Backed Militias in Syria, Jeopardizing Nuclear Talks with Tehran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-1-21 The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. Ch. 3: Biden's First Act Of War Hits 3 Countries - Empire Files - Air Date 3-3-21 Biden's Feb. 26 strike in Syria was a crime, and risks major war with three countries. Abby Martin explains. Ch. 4: Whither the Antiwar Left - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-25-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Afghanistan and why it's lost. We also talked with journalist James Carden about the state of the antiwar left and whether Joe Biden might do some good on foreign policy. Ch. 5: What's Next For The War In Afghanistan - NPR Fresh Air - Air Date 3-4-21 America's 19-year war in Afghanistan may soon be coming to an end. The Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to withdraw all its troops by May 1. But the Afghan government was not included in those talks. Ch. 6: Can Joe Biden Save Yemen - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-11-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed Joe Biden's announcement that he would withdraw all American support for the war in Yemen. Ch. 7: Did Jen Psaki Just Confirm That Biden's Afraid of MBS - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden once vowed to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Now, it looks like he's letting him off the hook. Emma Vigeland and the Majority Report crew discuss this. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The future of the US-Saudi relationship (ft. Sen. Chris Murphy) - Worldly - Air Date 3-4-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex debate whether the US should continue to treat Saudi Arabia as a close partner given its atrocious human rights abuses and the declining US dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Ch. 9: Biden Sells Missiles to Fascists + US Base Destroys Ancient Coral Reef - Empire Files - Air Date 2-19-21 Abby Martin covers Biden's first arms deals to major human rights abusers Chile & Egypt; another US military base in Okinawa, opposed by a majority of residents, threatens unique biodiversity; militia puts US at crossroads of a new Iraq war Ch. 10: Can Biden remake Trump's Middle East - The Bunker - Air Date 11-25-20 From Israel to Iran, Donald Trump thought he could reset the Middle East. His fixation on the region defined the last four years of US foreign policy. But what will Biden’s presidency mean for America and the Middle East? VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Introduction to our caste system - Roy from Washington State FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Biden attempting to talk about Afghanistan and China BONUS CLIPS: CNN Official interview Joe Biden on Afghanistan 'Making progress' - CNN - Air Date 11-28-10 What Biden Said About Uyghurs - CNN Presidential Town Hall Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 3/4/2022 Today we take a look at the history of Ukraine as a Soviet state, war-torn state, famished state, westernizing state, energy-exploring state, annexed state, and invaded state. We also look at the role of the west and NATO as well as Putin's history and possible motivations. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The real and imagined history of Ukraine - Today Explained - Air Date 2-25-22 Vladimir Putin says Ukraine isn’t a country. He’s wrong. Ch. 2: Timothy Snyder ─ Ukraine and Russia in a Fracturing Europe - Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs - Air Date 5-3-16 Timothy Snyder is the Bird White Housum Professor of History at Yale University, specializing in the history of central and eastern Europe. Ch. 3: From spy to president: The rise of Vladimir Putin - Vox - Air Date 3-23-17 Putin’s intent on pushing back against the Western world order... and it appears to be working. Ch. 4: What Russia And Putin Actually Want With Ukraine - AJ+ - Air Date 2-17-22 Troops are being deployed, harsh words have been said, and there is potential for an all-out war. Ch. 5: Journalist Andrew Cockburn & Historian Timothy Snyder on Ukraine, Russia, NATO Expansion & Sanctions - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-1-22 Snyder says the focus on NATO ignores the agency of leaders in Ukraine and elsewhere who have the right to seek their own arrangements. Ch. 6: Is the West to Blame for Russia's Invasion? (no) - TLDR News - Air Date 2-27-22 Some have suggested that the West is the blame for Russia's invasion into Ukraine, we'll explain that argument and why it's fundamentally wrong. Ch. 7: Why Russia is Invading Ukraine - RealLifeLore - Air Date 2-26-22 Explaining the oil interests in Ukraine that may be a motivating factor to Russia. Ch. 8: America, Russia, and Ukraine's Far-Right - The Gravel Institute - Air Date 2-18-22 This video is about American funding for the Azov Battalion. It explicitly condemns Russian propaganda that Ukraine is a "neo-Nazi country." Ch. 9: Putin's Bogus Claim To "Denazify" Ukraine - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-25-22 Steven Pifer, the former ambassador to Ukraine under Bill Clinton, and Jason Stanley, author of “How Fascism Works,” join Mehdi Hasan to discuss the Russian propaganda narrative. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: A Young Country With An Old History - WorldAffairs - Air Date 1-31-22 Historians Katherine Younger and Emily Channell-Justice tell Ray Suarez the story of modern Ukraine, and why embracing Western values has made Ukraine a threat to Vladimir Putin. Ch. 11: Ukraine: Questions for the Anti-War Movement - Empire Files - Air Date 2-27-22 An analysis of Putin's anti-communist speech Ch. 12: The Crimean War, Putin, and the War Over Reality - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 3-1-22 Jared Yates Sexton traces how the New World Order conspiracy theory led to this mess. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why you should probably listen to all that again TAKE ACTION! Ways to Help Ukrainians, Protest War, Etc. (*Please always do your own research before giving*):  CODEPINK Global Day of Action, Sunday, March 6th: "Stop the War in Ukraine. Russian Troops Out. No to NATO expansion." (CODEPINK) Support Ukraine's Independent Media Organizations and Journalists (Campaign endorsed by The Kyiv Independent) Here’s How You Can Help LGBTQ+ and Black Ukrainian Refugees (Self) 25 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine (GlobalCitizen) Linkt.ree of Resources/Ways to Help Ukrainians Curated by the nonprofit @RazomforUkraine (Razom for Ukraine) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  SHOW IMAGE: Description: A blue and yellow Ukrainian flag is waved in the air in front of a cloudy sky above a protest to show solidarity with Ukrainians.  Credit: Amanda Hoffman, February 2022  Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Air Date 3/2/2022 Today we take a look at the not-so-slow transformation of Republicans from a Bush/McCain/Romney party to a Trump/DeSantis/Putin party complete with cultish devotion and a dependence on a near-total dismissal of truth replaced by propaganda. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump Victim Act Follows Authoritarian Playbook Drawing In Fanatical Supporters - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-8-22 Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history at NYU and author of "Strongmen," talks about right-wing assault on democracy in the United States and familiar patterns between the Trump movement and other authoritarian movements around the world an in history. Ch. 2: Legitimate Political Discourse - Political Gabfest - Air Date 2-10-22 The GOP embrace of Jan. 6 rioters Ch. 3: The NYT’s Jeremy Peters on How the GOP Went Batshit Crazy - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 2-27-22 Explaining the seeming anomaly of Trump in the line of Republican presidential nominees Ch. 4: Republicans in complete disarray - The Bradcast w/ Brad Friedman - Air Date 2-7-22 Trump's Republican National Committee labeled the violent, deadly Capitol Insurrection 'legitimate political discourse, and censured conservative Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger for participating in the bipartisan House Jan. 6 Select Committee. Ch. 5: Rick Scott: The Man With The Plan? - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-23-22 What does the Republican Party really stand for — besides attacking liberals? One Republican senator is giving a masterclass in his plan to save America. David Jolly joins to discuss. Ch. 6: How Vladimir Putin won Republicans' approval - Vox - Air Date 1-13-17 He's an authoritarian strongman, and he's never been more popular with GOP voters. Ch. 7: Wagner: Some Republicans Are Uniting Against Biden And Siding With Putin - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-23-22 Alex Wagner: “The shocking thing is when these Republicans look at Russia—its repression and flouting of democratic norms and restriction of essential freedom—when they look at all that they may not see a cautionary tale, but an aspirational one.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Jan 6th Changed Extremism - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-5-22 Brandy Zadrozny talks about the landscape of extremism since January 6th and her new investigation that finds some militia and white supremacist groups have shifted tactics, going from protesting to putting energy into local politics and school boards. Ch. 9: The America We Deserve - In The Thick - Air Date 2-8-22 They get into the latest on the January 6th insurrection, and the connection between voter suppression and anti-Black racism. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on sheep-dogging, coalition governments and power dynamics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/26/2022 Today we take a look at the slow but important progress that's been made in the last ten years of efforts toward sensible gun control and accountability for gun manufacturers as well as the activists pushing the issue. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Path to the Sandy Hook Settlement - What Next - Air Date 2-22-22 A deft legal strategy led to the largest payout by a gun manufacturer in a mass shooting case. Guest: @NicoleHockley is co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation. Ch. 2: Sandy Hook families achieve major victory over gun maker - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-16-21 Tonight's guests are Joshua Koskoff, attorney representing Sandy Hook families. Ch. 3: 45K People Died from Gun Violence on Your Watch Parkland Survivors Demand More Action from Biden - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-16-22 Survivors and families of the victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, have launched a new online tool called the “Shock Market” to track the occurrence of U.S. gun violence. Ch. 4: A New Kind of Gun Control Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 2-3-22 San Jose is trying to pioneer a fresh way to address gun violence. Will it survive all the lawsuits? Guest: Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, California. Ch. 5: Exploring why gun violence has soared during the pandemic, and how to combat it - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-19-21 Gun violence in America has remained high throughout the pandemic. By some early estimates, 2020 is one of the worst years for homicides in recent times. Amna Nawaz speaks to The Trace's Champe Barton about efforts to change gun laws. Ch. 6: A New Kind of Gun Control Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 2-3-22 Ch. 7: Stop Gun Violence: A Valentine's Day Plea from the Heart - Breaking the Sound Barrier - Air Date 2-17-22 Valentine’s Day is when we’re supposed to give heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and flowers to those we love. For Manuel “Manny” Oliver, Valentine’s Day is something different. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Woman Accidentally Fires Purse Gun at Basketball Game - David Pakman Show - Air Date 11-6-21 A woman "accidentally" fires her gun, which was in her purse, during a basketball game Ch. 9: Brian Lehrer Close Reading Adams Blueprint to End Gun Violence - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 2-17-22 Mayor Adams's new public safety agenda, guests Anthonine Pierre, leader of Communities United for Police Reform, Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of NYC and Elise White, deputy research director at the Center for Court Innovation FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the news from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: A woman walks during the March on Washington for Gun Control in 2013 holding a sign that says "Sandy Hook Chooses LOVE". A red 'no' symbol is over the silhouette of a semi-automatic rifle. Next to this, are two, gray child's hand prints with a red heart between them. Credit: "March on Washington for Gun Control 032" by Slowking4, Wikimedia Commons | Creative Commons License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/22/2022 Today we take a look at the new right-wing protest tactic sweeping the world, truck convoy siege tactics in capital cities. Their causes are nonsensical, their tactics harmful but cracking down on them too harshly may boomerang on progressive protests down the road. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Canadian Truckers Inch Closer to U.S. Border in Protest of COVID Restrictions - The Daily Show - Air Date 2-11-22 Canada’s anti-vax protest comes to a new head as truckers block off a major bridge connecting Canada and the U.S. Ch. 2: Canada Afflicted With Right-Wing American Covid Conspiracy Chaos - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-10-22 Timothy Snyder, author of "On Tyranny," looks at how the U.S. has become a bad actor in the global community as its antigovernment right-wing, inflamed by Fox News and social media, is triggering political and economic disruption by fringe extremists. Ch. 3: Tucker Uses Convoy To Cosplay As Working-Class Ally - The Rational National - Air Date 2-8-22 Fox News host Tucker Carlson used the Canadian 'Freedom Convoy' to cosplay as a working-class ally. Ch. 4: Trucker protests energize Canada’s far-right movement - The World - Air Date 2-4-22 Actions have energized a small but growing far-right movement in Canada. And similar protests have popped up in Europe, where people are trying to convene in a convoy in Brussels to protest against pandemic restrictions Ch. 5: What the truck is happening in Canada? - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-15-22 A convoy of truckers angry over Covid-19 mandates is disrupting life in Canada’s capital city. Their movement is gaining traction in cities around the globe. Ch. 6: Vaccine protests in Canada - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 2-3-22 Thousands have joined the so-called “Freedom Convoy” in Canada, which has spiraled from truckers’ frustrations over Covid-19 vaccine mandates into calls to overthrow the government. Ch. 7: Canadian 'Freedom Convoy' Part 2: Border Blockades & Political Ramifications - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 2-15-22 As the Convoy occupation expanded beyond choking a single major city, the blocking of supply lines and border crossings raised more questions regarding how the government's reaction might affect political movements in the future. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: What the truck is happening in Canada? Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-15-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a successful vacation and the weak allure of the internet MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 2/16/2021 Today we take a look at the competing histories fighting for dominance in the minds of Americans; the mythologized and romanticized history as represented by the "patriotic" framing of history from the 1776 Commission report and the much more fact-based approach that doesn't skirt the issue of race from the 1619 Project. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The 400 Year Legacy with Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ibram X. Kendi - Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-6-19 Nikole Hannah-Jones, the architect behind "The 1619 Project," and Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How To Be an Antiracist,” joined Chris Hayes to examine the 400 year legacy of slavery in America. Ch. 2: With Hours Left in Office, Trump White House Tries to Rewrite U.S. History - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-19-21 Prof. Eddie Glaude Jr. joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Trump administration's 1776 Report is an attempt to stoke a culture war via historical nonsense. Ch. 3: Eric Foner on The 1619 Project - Start Making Sense - Air Date 11-21-19 Historian Eric Foner talks about The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which argues that the legacy of slavery is central to all of the American past and present—including the White House today. Ch. 4: The 1776 Report - Past Present - Air Date 1-26-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss ·The 1776 Report· issued by the outgoing Trump administration. Ch. 5: The Original Sin of 1619 - In The Thick - Air Date 8-20-19 Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones led a team of black journalists, writers and poets to create The 1619 Project, a deep and thoughtful look into the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in this country. But a lot of the response has been predictable MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Midnight in the Garden of American Heroes - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 2-11-21 Matt and Sam explain West Coast Straussianism, the school of thought behind one of the last acts of the Trump administration: its publication of the "1776 Report," the Right's shabby response to the 1619 Project and blueprint for the American Founding Ch. 7: Adolph Reed Critiques The 1619 Project - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-14-20 Adolph Reed talks about the 1619 project through the lens of anti-essentialism. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Proper attribution for vaccines - Dr. Gay Ch. 9: Financial health of the show? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on framing vaccine manufacturers properly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 2/5/2021 Today we take a look at the role that social media plays in the radicalization of discontented communities and engage in the debate over content moderation and de-platforming of individuals. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why everyone hates Big Tech, with The Verge's Nilay Patel - The Weeds - Air Date 7-19-19 Verge editor-in-chief and Vergecast host Nilay Patel joins Matt in this special crossover episode to explain what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows platforms to circumnavigate liability for user content, really means. Ch. 2: Let’s Break Up Facebook, Google, Amazon - Newsbroke - Air Date 1-30-21 Trump has been removed from the nation’s capital and the nation’s social media feeds. And while it was fun to watch him and other far-right accounts “getting owned” by Twitter, Facebook, Google and other platforms, it does pose an important question Ch. 3: Solving the Facebook Problem at Home and Abroad - On The Media - Air Date 5-22-19 When former Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes penned a New York Times op-ed calling for the breakup of the platform, he was lauded by anti-corporate politicians and the press. Then came a series of hard questions Ch. 4: Zephyr Teachout on "Break 'Em Up" - Off-Kilter - Air Date 8-4-20 Rebecca talks to Zephyr Teachout about her new book "Break 'Em Up: Recovering our Freedom from Big Tech, Big Ag, and Big Money" and why we need an antitrust movement for our time. Ch. 5: ADL International Leadership Award Presented to Sacha Baron Cohen - Anti-Defamation League - Air Date 11-21-19 Sacha Baron Cohen is the well-deserved recipient of ADL’s International Leadership Award, which goes to exceptional individuals who combine professional success with a profound personal commitment to community involvement and to crossing borders Ch. 6: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 1 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. Ch. 7: Peter Kafka and Kevin Roose on big tech's power and responsibility - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-18-21 Recode’s Peter Kafka speaks with New York Times’s Tech columnist Kevin Roose about big tech’s power and responsibility - and whether it is going to have accountability. Ch. 8: Insurrection on Capitol Hill Heightens Focus on Social Media Radicalization - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-13-21 Former Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos joins Mehdi Hasan to explain how Facebook is tackling radicalization on its platform, and where the company is still falling short. Ch. 9: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 2 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Your Nation's Attention for the Price of a Used Car - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-6-20 Today’s extremists don’t need highly produced videos like ISIS. They don’t need deep pockets like Russia. With the right message, a fringe organization can reach the majority of a nation’s Facebook users for the price of a used car. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Social Media Externalities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/12/2022 Today we take a look at the recent uptick in banning and removing educational subjects and books from school curricula as well as specifically who is being harmed and who is being privileged by these decisions. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Right-Wingers Banning Books While Complaining About Cancel Culture - David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-2-22 Despite claiming that the left wants to stifle "free speech," Republicans are increasingly banning books, including from school libraries Ch. 2: Is Big Money Behind Book Banning Frenzy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-8-22 What's behind the right-wing book-ban frenzy? Is it big money with a long-term plan? We do know it's not a "grassroots" or spontaneous. Ch. 3: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 1 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 We believe that the first amendment is fundamental because it should stop this kind of erasure in its tracks. That’s why we’re meeting this surge of censorship with new litigation and fierce advocacy. Joined by Emerson Sykes, Senior Staff Attorney w/ ACLU Ch. 4: Critical Race Theory and The Obstruction of Black Education with Dr. Ivory Toldson Part 1 - Black History Year - Air Date 11-29-21 Education has always mattered to Black people. Our enslaved ancestors risked their lives to learn what white oppressors withheld. Because those oppressors understood the important role knowledge of ones history and oneself plays in Black liberation. Ch. 5: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 Ch. 6: Critical Race Theory and The Obstruction of Black Education with Dr. Ivory Toldson Part 2 - Black History Year - Air Date 11-29-21 Ch. 7: Bans & Schools Book Panics - Now & Then - Air Date 2-8-22 Book bans are back. What’s causing this resurgence? What have similar acts of censorship meant throughout American history? And how should concerned citizens respond? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Bans & Schools Book Panics Part 2 - Now & Then - Air Date 2-8-22 Ch. 9: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 3 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 Ch. 10: Critical Race Theory and The Obstruction of Black Education with Dr. Ivory Toldson Part 3 - Black History Year - Air Date 11-29-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A message to Nick and Quai on anger and what to do with it - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on perhaps only thinking I have let go of my anger MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of the graphic novel book “Maus I” laying on top of the graphic novel book “Maus II”. The covers show anthropomorphized mice under a white circle with a black swastika and a graphic depiction of a Hitler-ized mouse with whiskers in its center. Credit: “Maus I and II” by Bill Smith, Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/byzantiumbooks/51845556207/in/photolist-2n2epPd-2mZq2A8-2n1Mj1g-XYhG-2TmUhq-55feBS-avJJH3-Tjp4gY-SBWLR9-SBWLHd-TExp9E-8WwJM | License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/  | Changes: cropped and tilted left   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/9/2022 Today we take a look at the simmering geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as Russia amasses military forces along the border. In particular, we hear from those who do not predict the imminent outbreak of war and analyze the various motives at play. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Understanding Ukraine: The Problems Today and Some Historical Context - vlogbrothers - Air Date 3-4-14 In which John discusses the crisis in Ukraine, and how the influence of Russia and Europe have shaped Ukrainian politics for centuries. REMINDER: Educational videos are allowed to be more than four minutes long. Ch. 2: Can the U.S. and Russia agree on Ukraine? Here’s the latest on the negotiations - PBSNewsHour - Air Date 1-28-22 On the Ukraine crisis, there was a sharp juxtaposition Friday as the Pentagon warned that Russian troops could invade at any time, while Ukraine’s president accused the West of sowing panic. Ch. 3: “It’s Not About Security”: Belgian Peace Activist Says NATO Has Outlived Its Purpose - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-1-22 To speak about the key role NATO is playing in the Ukraine crisis, we speak with Ludo De Brabander, spokesperson of the peace organization Vrede vzw in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered. Ch. 4: Sanctions Sanctions Everywhere w/ Yar Batmanghelidj - American Prestige - Air Date 2-4-22 Danny and Derek speak about the attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau, North Korea's missile test, Ukraine, the U.S. operation that killed an Isis leader in Syria, and recent reports about Iran's nuclear breakout capability. Ch. 5: Russian Historian: We Need Both the U.S. & Russia to Deescalate Crisis over Ukraine - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-3-22 Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to deny accusations of a planned invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration ordered the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Eastern Europe on Wednesday to supposedly protect Ukraine. Ch. 6: Ukraine w/ Volodymyr Ishchenko - The Dig - Air Date 1-28-22 An in-depth interview on the historical and political-economic context of the Ukraine crisis with Ukrainian sociologist Volodymyr Ishchenko. Ch. 7: Ukrainians Doubt a Russian Invasion Is Imminent as U.S. Peace Groups Urge Biden to Halt Escalation - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-1-22 The United States and Russia sparred on Monday over the crisis in Ukraine at the United Nations Security Council. Meanwhile, U.S. senators are preparing to unveil a bill that would target Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian banks and other entities MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Explaining the US-Russia Saber-Rattling - Jacobin Radio w/ Suzi Weissman - Air Date 2-1-22 Hillel Ticktin also joins to continue the discussion about the escalating tensions on the Russian/Ukrainian border. Ticktin argues that the long downturn and economic stagnation are the backdrop to understanding both Russia and the US in this crisis. Ch. 9: Putin's Terrorism and What to Do About It - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-1-22 We dig deep into this complex conflict, examining the humanitarian toll it takes on Ukraine, Putin’s ambitions for other regions of the world and the American exploitation of the conflict for partisan purposes. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Value of curation regarding the recent Israel/Palestine episode - Craig from Ohio Ch. 11: Maybe Neil Postman is actually the devil - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Russia plans besides war and their new agreement with China MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 1-13-22 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Don't trust engineers - We were all assholes - Is Deon parenting wrongly? - It only takes two hours of talking - Words Matter: Nouning people into groups References: Words Matter by Sally McConnell-Ginet Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 2/4/2022 Today we take a look at several vignettes of recent victories against conservative governments implementing exploitative, neoliberal policies that inspired the people to fight back. We will hear from the recent elections in Chile and Honduras, the massive farmer protests in India and the protest movement against deregulation or petroleum prices in Kazakhstan. Activists, take note. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Chile Votes for Socialism over Fascism (w Guillaume Long) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-21-21 Socialist Gabriel Boric takes the majority of the vote in Chile, changing the politics of the country. Socialism won over fascism. Now we wonder what will the imperialist countries do about a socialist country in South America? Ch. 2: Two Interviews on Chile - Behind the News - Air Date 12-28-21 Doug speaks with Antonia Mardones Marshall on the recent presidential election and its winner, Gabriel Boric. Plus: Antonia Atria, in an interview from October 2020, on that country's constitutional referendum. Ch. 3: A Moment of Hope Xiomara Castros Likely Win in Honduras Ends Years of Right-Wing Rule After Coup - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-30-21 “It’s brought hope to the entire country,” says Faridd Sierra. Years of corruption and conservative law-making “showed the Honduras people just how cruel the [National] Party was and … they voted in response,” adds Suyapa Portillo. Ch. 4: India's huge farmer protests, explained - Vox - Air Date 12-30-20 Thousands of India’s farmers have set up camp in Delhi. Ch. 5: Debriefing the Indian Farmers' Victory with Navyug Gill Part 1 - The Anti-Empire Project - Air Date 11-29-21 I'm joined by Navyug Gill from William Paterson University to talk about the historic victory of the Indian Farmers who, after demonstrating for a whole year at the cost of 750 lives, succeeded in forcing the repeal of three farming reform laws. Ch. 6: Kazakhstan's Oyan protest movement w/ Paolo Sorbello - This is Hell! - Air Date 1-20-22 Journalist Paolo Sorbello on his article "‘Our activism won't stop': The Oyan movement recounts the January protests in Kazakhstan" for Global Voices, and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen tangles with all-pervasive networks. Ch. 7: Has Socialism Broken The Chains of Neoliberalism? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-21-21 In these days of dark news from the rise of militarism to a new wave of Covid, there are green shoots: neoliberalism is finally being replaced by social democracy around the world & in America. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Debriefing the Indian Farmers' Victory with Navyug Gill Part 2 - The Anti-Empire Project - Air Date 11-29-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Humanize but don't fall asleep at the wheel - Zelda from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on getting focused on effective politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Three elderly Indian men with white beards, wearing turbans (pagri) and a jacket, vest, and sweater (respectively), sit on wall. Each man has one fist raised in the air. The man in the middle holds a long bamboo staff with his other hand. Credit: "Three protestors at the 2020-2021 Indian Farmers' Protest" by Ravan Khosa, Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped to square   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 1/31/2022 Today we take a look at the new buzz around the "metaverse" and why it is not only fairly dystopian in and of itself but also seems to require that the real world be a dystopia in order for the concept to fully succeed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 2: Enter the metaverse! - Today in Focus - Air Date 11-3-21 Mark Zuckerberg changed Facebook’s name to Meta last week – and launched a vision for his company that he claims will transform the way we interact with the internet and each other. So what exactly is the metaverse? Ch. 3: Prof. Wolff: New Metaverse, Same Old Capitalist BS - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 12-3-21 Ch. 4: Why the Metaverse Must Be Stopped w/ Brian Merchant Part 1 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 11-4-21 Brian Merchant discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s big plans for the metaverse, everything that’s wrong with it, the concept’s scifi origins, and why Silicon Valley is desperate to make it happen. Ch. 5: Why Metaverse Real Estate Is Selling For Millions - Cheddar Explains - Air Date 10-29-21 How much real money would you pay for a virtual plot of land? Developing technology is introducing everyone in the real world to new, virtual worlds, like Decentraland. Ch. 6: Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now - Vox Conversations - Air Date 11-15-21 They discuss his recent essay in the New Yorker about fame and the internet, why we seek attention from strangers online, and how some German philosophers might offer guidance for our predicament. Ch. 7: Why the Metaverse Must Be Stopped w/ Brian Merchant Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 11-4-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why You Should Be Worried About Facebook's Metaverse - Vice News - Air 12-7-21 On December 6, Facebook was sued for its role in facilitating the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The Facebook Papers revealed how the company chased profits - often at the expense of safety. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: I don't want to tier people but I think I do - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the humanizing impact of examining people structurally MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 1/26/2021 Today we take a look at our long history of ignoring domestic, right-wing terrorism from the Oklahoma City bombing through to the predictable actions of militia groups in 2020 and beyond. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CALL TO ACTION: Join the CCAN Polar Plunge to fight Climate Change: KeepWinterCold.com Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tracing the roots of the America's biggest domestic terror attack - PBS News Hour - Air Date 2-17-20 The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing was the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A new documentary on the PBS series American Experience takes a fresh look at the events and motivations that led to the attack by Timothy McVeigh Ch. 2: The Dangers of White Supremacy - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 10-2-20 Sam talks with Kathleen Belew, assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, about what we get wrong when we talk about the white power movement. Ch. 3: Former DHS Analyst Daryl Johnson on How He Was Silenced for Warning of Far-Right Militants - Democracy Now - Air Date 9-9-12 While working as a senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2009, Daryl Johnson authored a report warning about the increasing dangers of violent right-wing extremism in the United States, sparking a political firestorm in the process Ch. 4: How the Oklahoma City Bombing Changed the U.S. - AJ+ - Air Date 2-26-19 In the almost 25 years since explosives killed 168 adults and children, what has the United States learned from the Oklahoma City bombing? And what can it tell us about the future of far-right extremism in the U.S.? Ch. 5: Most Violence is Right Wing. Period. Stop Lying - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-22-19 Most violence is right wing, and it's important not to be distracted from that undeniable reality. Ch. 6: Opinion | Far-right militias and domestic terrorism in America: 'This threat got ahead of us' - Washington Post - Air Date 9-29-20 The government must wake up to the threat of domestic terrorism before it's too late, says former Homeland Security counterterrorism analyst Daryl Johnson. Ch. 7: What’s Fueling Far-Right Hate in America? - AJ+ - Air Date 2-19-19 The number of far-right extremist groups prone to violence is increasing in the U.S. It's a threat the government was warned about a decade ago. But what's fueling the rise of hate, and what's the nation doing to combat it? Ch. 8: Fmr. DHS Sec. Jeh Johnson: 'Principal Terrorist Threat Is Far-Right Violent Extremism' - MSNBC - Air Date 1-20-21 Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson discusses what the Biden administration's national security team will have to undertake. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Former DHS Analyst Trump Administration Not Taking White Nationalist Threat Seriously Enough - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-30-19 To talk about the rise of white supremacist violence and the Trump administration’s response, we speak to Daryl Johnson, a former senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ch. 10: DHS Was Tracking White Supremacist Terrorists, but Nobody Wanted to Listen - The Real News - Air Date 9-20-19 No one listened when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI sounded the alarm about the rise of white supremacist and far-right domestic terrorism, says former DHS intelligence analyst Daryl Johnson and Greg Huffman of Facing South. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: We made it! (But not all of us) - Nick from California Ch. 12: The cause and result of moral panic - Paul from Vermont FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on moral panic and the shifting eras of white supremacist violence MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Original images: "Proud Boy - Jan 6th" Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Before the Siege" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Tree of Life building at sunset" by David Fulmer on Flickr, Lincese | "Charleston Church" (Mother Emmanuel) by Zack Carlson on Flickr, Public Domain | "20th Anniversary - Oklahoma City Bombing" by US Army Corps of Engineers - Tulsa, License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 1/10/2021 Today, in our 15th-anniversary episode, we take a look at the years and years of warning signs we have been highlighting since 2006 that collectively predict the armed insurrection against the government as the natural endpoint for a radicalized, conspiratorial, White/Christian-supremacist, permanently-minoritarian political movement that has lost its ability to win power by legitimate means. Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Fascists, Chris Hedges - Ring of Fire - Air Date 2-12-07 Chris Hedges explains the decades-old prediction of the rise of Christian fascism Ch. 2: Ginsberg and O'Connor death threats - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2006 Ginsberg and O'Connor deal with detailed death threats as part of the effort to take over the judiciary Ch. 3: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition - Air Date: 3-10-2006 Sandra Day O'Connor warns of creeping dictatorial tendencies referencing efforts to control the courts Ch. 4: Avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-22-2006 Cenk Uygur highlights the need to prevent dictatorship by avoiding the first steps that can lead to it Ch. 5: Tim Wise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16 Tim Wise explains what drives Trump supporters and the burgeoning Trumpism movement Ch. 6: Sasha Abramsky on what Trump supporters really think - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-2-16 Sasha Abramsky speaks with Trump supporters, many of whom ask him his ethnicity before being willing to speak with him Ch. 7: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-02-16 Secret Service agent choke-slams a journalist at a Trump rally. What will Trump do if he actually wins? Ch. 8: CNN's morally bankrupt hiring of former Trump campaign staffer - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-1-16 CNN profits from the Trump campaign to the detriment of the country Ch. 9: Trump Victory Inspires Acts Of Hate Against Minorities - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-11-16 Post-election rash of hate-crimes spike after Trump victory. Ch. 10: You Will Not Believe This Insane Antisemitic Email - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-14-16 David Pakman shares an email he recieved and vandilism he witnessed in the wake of Trump's victory Ch. 11: A White Nationalist Will Be Advising Trump's Administration - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-14-16 Steve Bannon tapped to join the Trump administration Ch. 12: How to fight our enemies, the blacks and jews - A real-life White supremacist podcast - Air Date 11-10-16 Clips from an unabashedly White-nationalist podcast in the wake of Trump's election win Ch. 13: It can't happen here - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 A look at the long history of racial grivance that fuels fascist tendencies in the US Ch. 14: The Attorney General Defied Trump's Muslim Ban. He Did One Thing He Knows How to Do He Fired Her - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 01-31-17 Trump issues an executive order effectively banning Muslims from several countries Ch. 15: Christiane Amanpour on the state of the media in a post fact-world - The Investigators with Diana Swain, CBC - Air Date 11-25-16 Trump's treatment of the media is precisely in line with the strategies of dictators around the world Ch. 16: Antifa: A Look at the Antifascist Movement Confronting White Supremacists in the Streets - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 08-16-17 Trump doubles down when criticized for his comments in the wake of the Charlottesville White supremacists rally Ch. 17: Donald Trump Puts Our Democracy and Our Lives in Serious Danger - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 01-13-18 Not a single president has met more than one of the four qualities identified by political scientists as warning signs of an authoritarian or fascist leader. Trump meets them all. Is this how our Democracy dies? Ch. 18: Scott Crow on understanding conspiracy narratives required for fascist thinking - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 2-19-18 Scott Crow explains why the rise of progressive-left movements are always countered by a rise in right-wing conspiracy theories and why fascism downright requires conspiracies to survive. Ch. 19: Steve Schmidt President Donald Trump Is 'Stoking And Inciting' Worst Among Us - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 10-29-18 Donald Trump is "stoking and inciting - for the purposes of political power - the worst amongst us to take action in his name," says Steve Schmidt. Ch. 20: Violent Extremism in the U.S. - NowThis World - Air Date 11-4-18 White supremacist and other right-wing violence are currently the deadliest active domestic extremist movements in the U.S., according to data from several civil rights groups that track hate crimes and extremist violence. Ch. 21: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. Ch. 22: Trump Attacks Anti-Fascists But Is Silent on Boogaloo & Far-Right Groups Engaged in Deadly Violence - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-20 President Trump claims without evidence that anti-fascists are inciting riots at protests against police brutality, but has downplayed groups like the “boogaloo” movement, which are using the protests as cover to carry out violence, even murder. Ch. 23: Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police - CounterSpin - Air Date 7-24-20 While we wait to see if corporate media can decide which optic is an optic too far, we talk about the legal, constitutional elements of the fight for our right to protest, including against the forces that are sent to police the protesting. Marjorie Kohn. Ch. 24: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 25: Final comments to wrap up this anniversary episode

Air Date 1/15/2022 Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which those advancements contribute to the degradation of social cohesion.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Visit Bombas.com/Best for 20% Off! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Re-musing Ourselves - On the Media - Air Date 3-3-06 The late media critic Neil Postman argued in his seminal book "Amusing Ourselves to Death," that as TV prevailed over the printed word, it impaired our ability to make sense of a world of information. Jay Rosen writes the blog, PressThink. Ch. 2: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 3: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 1 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 The dystopian best-seller 1984 was published exactly seventy years ago. Its influence has been profound. But does it really speak to today’s politico-cultural environment? Scott Stephens believes Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a closer match. Ch. 4: The Trouble With Reality - On The Media - Air Date 5-17-17 This is a conversation between Brooke Gladstone, author of "The Trouble with Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time," and WNYC morning show host Brian Lehrer. Ch. 5: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 2 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 Ch. 6: Neil Postman on Cyberspace - The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour - Air Date 7-25-95 Charlene Hunter-Gault interviews media theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman on PBS' The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1995. Postman discusses new media and the "Faustian bargain" of technological change in the context of the "Information Superhighway." Ch. 7: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What’s the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on Faustian Bargains MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 12-21-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Empathy and the In-Group/Out-Group dichotomy  - Santa's new side hustles - Races vs Racialized Groups - Representation: Who is allowed to do what to, or take what from, whom?   References: YouTube burnout is real. Creators are struggling to cope  ‘I am not gonna die on the internet for you!’: how game streaming went from dream job to a burnout nightmare  Words Matter: Meaning and Power bySally McConnell-Ginet  NFB pulls Michelle Latimer's documentary Inconvenient Indian from Sundance festival  The Jews Are Tired: The Royal Court, Rare Earth Mettle, and Why Enough is Enough  No, Jewish characters do not need to be played by Jewish actors  Pok Pok Changed Portland. But Its Era Was Over Before the Pandemic Toppled the Thai Food Empire.  How To Negotiate Away From Cultural Appropriation With A Powerful Apology  The Battle Over Kooks Burritos Led to Death Threats and International Outrage. We Invited Portland Chefs to Weigh In.  Lionel Shriver's full speech: 'I hope the concept of cultural appropriation is a passing fad'  Writing the Other writing class    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/9/2022 Today we take a look at a few of the recent failures and challenges facing the Democratic Party in the face of an oncoming wave of anti-democratic forces bent on establishing an entrenched, minority-rule government through aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Is The GOP So Anti-Science Part 1 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 10-14-21 Science historian Naomi Oreskes joins Mehdi to examine the Republican party’s anti-science trend. Ch. 2: Noam Chomsky Corporate Patents & Rising Anti-Science Rhetoric Will Prolong Pandemic - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-21 Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, just turned 93 years old. Chomsky spoke to Democracy Now! prior to the discovery of the Omicron coronavirus variant, but he predicted new variants would emerge. Ch. 3: Why Is The GOP So Anti-Science Part 2 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 10-14-21 Ch. 4: Alpha Male Anti Vaxxers Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-1-22 Brad and Dan kick off this New Year's Day roundup with a look at the false binary anti-vaxxers use to criticize the COVID vaccine and put forth a bad argument as to why they shouldn't get it. Ch. 5: Bill Gates and monopoly medicine Alexander Zaitchik Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 4-15-21 Journalist Alexander Zaitchik on his article "How Bill Gates Impeded Global Access to Covid Vaccines" for The New Republic, and in a Moment of Truth Jeff Dorchen foils another dictatorship before it can start. Ch. 6: Alpha Male Anti Vaxxers Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-1-22 Ch. 7: Bill Gates and monopoly medicine Alexander Zaitchik Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 4-15-21 Ch. 8: Mass Formation Psychosis is New Viral Delusional Right-Wing Meme - David Pakman Show - Air Date 1-3-22 Dr. Robert Malone appears on the Joe Rogan Podcast and uses the term "mass formation psychosis," which instantly becomes the meme of the month for the American right-wing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Viral Lies - Reveal - Air Date 1-1-22 Reporter and guest host Ike Sriskandarajah looks into one reason people aren’t getting the COVID-19 vaccine: conspiracy theories. The World Health Organization calls it “an infodemic,” where dangerous medical misinformation sows chaos and mistrust. Ch. 10: A Vaccine for the World U.S. Scientists Develop Low-Cost Shot to Inoculate Global South - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-3-22 As COVID cases skyrocket, we speak to Dr. Peter Hotez at Texas Children’s Hospital about the Omicron surge, as well as his groundbreaking work developing an affordable patent-free coronavirus vaccine. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Distinctions without ascribing meaning - Abdul from Charleston, NC Ch. 12: Continuing to value people with opinions that have no value - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the difference between goals and tactics to explain why libertarians are so often wrong MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/5/2022 Today we take a look at a few of the recent failures and challenges facing the Democratic Party in the face of an oncoming wave of anti-democratic forces bent on establishing an entrenched, minority-rule government through aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Julie Hollar on Moving Democrats to the Right - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-13-20 Blaming the left has been the practice of elite Democrats and their media abettors for decades. Ch. 2: “Unacceptable”: Rep. Jamaal Bowman Slams Manchin After Senator Says No to Build Back Better Plan - Democracy Now! - 12-20-21 President Biden’s signature $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package appears to be dead after Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced on Fox News this Sunday he would not support the plan to expand the social safety net Ch. 3: Nancy Pelosi DEFENDS Stock Trading In Congress - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-6-21 Congress has been noticeably inconsistent when it comes to enforcing the STOCK Act, a law that is supposed to stop insider trading and conflicts of interest for Congress members and high-ranking staffers. Ch. 4: Remembering the legacy of Sen. Harry Reid - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-28-21 Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has died at the age of 82. Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Sen. Reid joins Chris Hayes to discuss his legacy. Ch. 5: Dems control the House by only 3 seats. Here’s how redistricting efforts could affect that - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-24-21 Political lines are changing, as states across the country redraw their congressional maps — a process with huge implications for the balance of power in Washington, especially heading into 2022 elections. Lisa Desjardins explores. Ch. 6: What Can Biden Do For Voting Rights - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-14-21 Ari Berman recaps President Biden's major speech on voting rights which comes at the same time as some GOP-controlled legislatures have pushed ahead new state laws restricting ballot access. Ch. 7: 'These are no ordinary times' Warnock calls for action to stem erosion of democracy - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 12-14-21 Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock talks with Rachel Maddow about the need for Democrats to take it upon themselves to prevent the continued dismantling of democracy in the United States before there is too much damage to repair. Ch. 8: Activism: Demand Democrats Pass Voting Rights and Election Protection Legislation MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Remembering the legacy of Sen. Harry Reid Part 2 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-28-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thanks for making me coherent - Nick from California New Ch. 11: To essentialize or not - Scott from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on why essentializing race or sexual attraction is not good or even correct MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent Image Credit: Description: Poster on the side of an electric box which reads “SENATORS! MAKE GOOD TROUBLE. DEFEND DEMOCRACY. GET IT DONE! #GetItDone #GoodTrouble #JohnLewis” and a graphic rendering of the late U.S. Representative and Civil Rights Leader John Lewis. Credit: “Good Trouble on Capitol Hill” by Mike Licht, Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/51396502460/in/photolist-2kEB8fi-fTRP7-2miJvy9 | License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness and increased contrast

Original Air Date 3/6/2021 Today we take a look at the origins of race and the building of a caste system in the US based largely on the lessons from Isabel Wilkerson, author of "Caste: The Origins of our Discontent" Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Biewen: The lie that invented racism - TED - Air Date 11-1-20 To understand and eradicate racist thinking, start at the beginning. That's what journalist and documentarian John Biewen did, leading to a trove of surprising and thought-provoking information on the "origins" of race. Ch. 2: Made in America (Seeing White, Part 3) - Scene on Radio - Air Date 3-16-17 Chattel slavery in the US, with its distinctive · and strikingly cruel · laws and structures, took shape over many decades in colonial America. The innovations that built American slavery are inseparable from the construction of Whiteness as we know it. Ch. 3: The Invention of Race - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 4: Caste in America with Isabel Wilkerson - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-11-20 Does the United States have a caste system? In her research on the Jim Crow South, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson found that the word ·racism· fell far short in capturing the depth and totality of oppression people existed under Ch. 5: It's More Than Racism Isabel Wilkerson Explains America's 'Caste' System - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-4-20 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. Ch. 6: “Theodore W. Allen -- Theses on ‘The Invention of the White Race’ and Lessons from Three Crises” - Jeffrey B. Perry - Air Date 12-18-14 This brief video presents three of Theodore W. Allen’s theses related to the invention of the “white race” and his important analysis of the white supremacy’s role in beating back struggles from below in three great crises in U.S. history. Ch. 7: Isabel Wilkerson wants to change how we understand race in America - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 8-24-20 A new way of thinking about race and class with Isabel Wilkerson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Invention of Race Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 9: It's More Than Racism Isabel Wilkerson Explains America's 'Caste' System Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-4-20 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the bonus material - Kim from Montana FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Black chalkboard background with the word "CASTE" written in white   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 12/15/2020 Today we take a look at the current state of hyper-partisanship and its origins. The system seems broken because it is broken and it was never designed to work this way in the first place. And what about that bygone era of bipartisanship? It's likely that was a fluke and the result of one-party dominance in the New Deal era, it is not the norm throughout history. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changes in American Political Parties Part 1 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 2: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. Ch. 3: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 1 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 4: Changes in American Political Parties Part 2 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 5: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 2 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 6: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Sharing in misery - Zeke from Steamboat Springs, CO Ch. 11: Another Dave from Olympia shares the wealth - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on where your money to the show goes MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date 1/5/2021 Today we take a look at the often-overlooked decade of Reconstruction in the wake of the Civil War. After hundreds of years of slavery, Reconstruction was a brief moment of relative democracy and equality before the white power structure reasserted itself and instated the policies that would be known as "Jim Crow Laws" which would last another 80 years. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Second Revolution Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 2: The Power of Frederick Douglass and the 2nd American Revolution w/ David Blight - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 9-29-20 Sam hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning Yale Historian David Blight to discuss his recent biography of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, and how the Reconstruction era lives on in our contemporary politics. Ch. 3: The Second Revolution Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 4: Slavery, Race, and the Confederate Army - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-14-18 Professor Colin Woodward joins us to discuss the importance of slavery in the minds of Confederate soldiers, as well as its effects on military policy and decision making. He tells us about the Rebels’ persistent belief in the need to defend slavery Ch. 5: The Second Revolution Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Second Revolution Part 4 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Experiment with Refer-o-Matic - Nick From California New Ch. 8: Power and defining the marginalized - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the epic Refer-o-Matic program and why we should be messaging to rural America MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "Statue of 'Robert Smalls, U.S. Congressman' -- The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Washington (DC) October 2016" by Ron Cogswell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/22/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Check out Coffee from the Unf*cking the Republic podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lessons from the Luddites - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. Ch. 4: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: Class Struggles in the US Today - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-2-21 The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has. Ch. 7: Can Child Labor Solve Labor Shortage The GOP Thinks So... - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-2-21 Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have come up with a novel way to stem the effects of an ongoing labor shortage: loosen child labor laws governing the number of hours and times that teenagers are allowed to work. Ch. 8: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Lessons from the Luddites Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 10: Labor Unions From Pullman to Kelloggs. Labors long, hard road. Part 2 - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 12-18-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Fear that Democrats will lose the House - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 12: Thoughts on multiple tiers of humans - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how progressive thinking embraces equality while conservative thinking often requires division MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 12-7-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Old and new usages of "White" - A little-known version of class mobility in Spanish colonial America - The Great Resignation   References: That's Mighty White of You!  Buying Whiteness  Loving Your Job Is a Capitalist Trap - The Atlantic    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/18/2021 Today we take a look at the roadmap to authoritarianism we are currently following including the detailed and multifaceted roadmap to a coup that was practiced leading up to January 6, 2021 and is being refined in preparation for the 2024 election.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Get the Wisdom App for my Ask Me Anything event on Dec. 20 at 8pm EST BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How To Dismantle A Democracy - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 8-3-21 If you’re curious about why Tucker Carlson is doing his show from Budapest, Hungary all week, so is Mehdi. Especially given that country’s recent history of doing away with democracy and rise of autocracy. Ch. 2: Will There Be Accountability for Treason On Jan 6th? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-21 The January 6th Conspiracy is clearer to everyone even Congress. Trump initiated a coup attempt, Donald Trump and many others committed treason. Ch. 3: Mark Meadows Held in Contempt of Congress as Jan. 6 Probe Expands. How Long Can Trump Hold Out? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-15-21 The U.S. House voted to recommend the Department of Justice charge former President Trump's former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with criminal contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. Ch. 4: American Democracy Is Under Attack - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 12-10-21 President Biden hosted a WH summit on protecting democracies against rising autocracies when the U.S. is itself on the list of ‘backsliding democracies.’ Jason Stanley joins Mehdi to talk about it. Ch. 5: There is No "Nice" or "Kind" Way to Warn the American People About the Rising Fascist Tide and Disaster - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 12-8-21 Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of history and Italian studies at New York University and an expert on fascism and authoritarianism. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: New Doc Spells Out Trump's Failed Scheme to Steal the 2020 Election - The Bradcast - Air Date 12-13-21 A new "smoking gun" document spells out the road map for the broad criminal conspiracy launched by Donald Trump and his minions to steal the 2020 election from the American people. Ch. 7: The Illiberal Upstarts Trying to Reinvent the American Right - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 12-8-21 Today’s youth are overwhelmingly left-wing. So who are the young conservatives? On Episode 40 of The Politics of Everything, hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene talk to Sam Adler-Bell, a writer and the host of the podcast Know Your Enemy. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Conservatives are self-appointed arbiters of human nature - Abdul from South Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the nature of social audio vs other internet communication MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/15/2021 Today we take a look at the cracks and fissures appearing ever more quickly in the neoliberal order that was already widely criticized before the pandemic stripped it bare, exposing all of the inherent inequality and inhumanity baked right into the system. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows, Bonus Content and limited release wallpaper!) Get the Wisdom app to join my AskMeAnything on Monday, Dec 19 at 8pm EST! Check out TenTree.com for sustainable clothing and use the code BEST for 15% off! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How Economic Jargon and Cliches Make Cruel, Anti-Poor Policies Sound Sterile and Science-y (Part I) - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-1-21 Where we examine most popular cliches, jargon, etc that economists, economic reports, and pundits use to sanitize, obscure and provide a little science-ism to what is little more than power-flattering cruel, racist, austerity ideology. Ch. 2: American Capitalism In 4 Different Ages w Jonathan Levy Part 1 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 12-8-21 Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. Ch. 3: Noam Chomsky Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Noam Chomsky to discuss a whole raft of issues, including the climate crisis, the military budget, healthcare, challenging the corporate structure, reforming both the tax system and our elections, and how the Democrats have abandoned the working class Ch. 4: How Economic Jargon and Cliches Make Cruel, Anti-Poor Policies Sound Sterile and Science-y (Part II) - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-1-21 Ch. 5: Noam Chomsky Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Ch. 6: Reagan on Employee Ownership Ch. 7: Ecology, Co-ops, and Profit - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-8-21 Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Melissa Scanlan on her new book showing how coops are a better bet than traditional capitalist corporations to solve current ecological crises. Ch. 8: American Capitalism In 4 Different Ages w Jonathan Levy Part 2 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 12-8-21 Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Liberal Hypocrisy is Fueling American Inequality. Heres How - NYT Opinion - The New York Times - Air Date 11-9-21 Many blue states are actually doing worse in some areas than red states. It is in blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Personal disability experience - Jade from Upstate New York Ch. 11: Thoughts on human nature and systems - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the nature of laws and morality MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Become a sustaining member or upgrade today and get special wallpaper! Plus, as a thank-you gift during this drive, receive our special Best of the Left art for your phone or tablet when you sign up before the end of the year!  In 2021, a distressing number of members had to downgrade or cancel their memberships because their financial situations had changed. Times are tough and uncertain, we certainly get that and are feeling the squeeze ourselves. So, if you CAN become a member today, we could really use it. We’re asking for 100 new or upgraded members by the end of the year. But honestly, it'll take more than that to get us back to stable financial footing so we really appreciate any support you can provide. And don’t forget that we now have Best of the Left gift memberships! So, consider giving the gift of progressive media this holiday season.    *Fine Print Regarding the Apple Podcasts app: If you sign up or upgrade through our site or Patreon, look for a link to the artwork in your confirmation email but if you sign up for your membership directly through the Apple Podcasts app, there won’t be a link to the artwork in your email but forward your receipt from Apple to [email protected] and I’ll get right back to you with it.

Air Date 12/12/2021 Today we take a look at the many structures of American government that tilt to favor minority rule and conservatism which, in our case, is one and the same. Some structures like the Senate and the filibuster were intentionally designed to give extra weight to the minority while others like gerrymandering and the influence of large-dollar political donors were, well, I suppose they were designed for about the same reason but just in a different way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get Limited-Time-offer BotL Artwork, AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lawrence Lessig on Unrepresentative Democracy - Network for Responsible Public Policy - Air Date 10-1-21 Lawrence Lessig gives a talk on Unrepresentative Democracy Ch. 2: Why Wyoming Has More Power Than California in the Senate - AJ+ - Air Date 10-14-20 The United States Senate is one of the least democratic institutions in the Federal Government. It shuts out millions of Americans and dilutes the votes of most of the country. And yet every law has to go through the Senate, and so do most federal judges. Ch. 3: Perpetual Minority Rule with David Faris - Battleground with Amanda Litman and Faiz Shakir - Air Date 6-10-21 Political scientist David Faris joins Amanda and Faiz to discuss how Republicans are using extreme gerrymandering, combined with their structural advantages in the Senate and electoral college, to subvert democracy. Ch. 4: Biden's DOJ is SUING Texas For Their Brazenly Discriminatory Gerrymandering - The Humanist Report - Air Date 12-7-21 The Humanist Report (THR) is a progressive political podcast that discusses and analyzes current news events and pressing political issues. Our analyses are guided by humanism and political progressivism. Ch. 5: Andrew Perez on the Filibuster - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-18-21 The filibuster is the crucial backdrop to any conversation about the Biden agenda, though media don't always bring that point home. Ch. 6: A To-Do List for Senate Democrats - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-17-21 Dahlia Lithwick tackles one of the major challenges of this moment: how to fix American democracy. Dahlia is joined by the Nation’s Elie Mystal and former chief of staff for Sen. Harry Reid and author of Kill Switch, Adam Jentleson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Chauncey DeVega On Why Democracy Might Not Survive - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-7-21 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman welcome politics writer for Salon Chauncey DeVega on the show to discuss a wide range of topics including the media's coverage of Biden, the Democrats' poor messaging, and what is happening to our democracy. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on public policy, human nature and Cold War talking points MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/8/2021 Today we take a look at the state of disability rights and reexamine what we thought we knew about what it means to be disabled in a society that is not built to accommodate various physical and mental disabilities. Is one inherently disabled by their condition or do they become disabled when they bump up against unnecessary barriers in society? Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: Check out Tentree.com and use the promo code "Best" for 15% off BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Rebecca Vallas on Disability Rights - The Ongoing Struggle - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 8-7-21 Rebecca Vallas is a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation Ch. 2: The ongoing fight for disability economic justice, over thirty years after the ADA Part 1 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 9-10-21 Rebecca talks with four of the disabled women leaders who've been making history on the front-lines of the ongoing fight for disability economic justice: Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Judy Heumann, Rebecca Cokley, and Mia Ives-Rublee. Ch. 3: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 1 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 This week Lateef Mcleod joins the Wrong Boys to discuss the principles of Disability Justice, why accessibility is important for everyone, and how capitalism systematically reduces people to our labor power, denying our wholeness as human beings. Ch. 4: The ongoing fight for disability economic justice, over thirty years after the ADA Part 2 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 9-10-21 Ch. 5: The Capitalist War Being Waged on Disabled People w Ellen Clifford - Downstream - Air Date 11-22-21 Ellen speaks about her book, The War on Disabled People: Capitalism, Welfare and the Making of Human Catastrophe, discussing the social model of disability, the history of the Disabled People’s Movement, and consequences of austerity policies. Ch. 6: The ongoing fight for disability economic justice, over thirty years after the ADA Part 3 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 9-10-21 Ch. 7: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 2 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 3 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 Ch. 9: Why Are All The Baddies Disabled w/ Amanda Leduc - DownStream - Air Date 11-25-21 Ash Sarkar is joined by disability rights advocate Amanda Leduc, author of Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space, to discuss how depictions of disability have impacted the lives of disabled people and why Bruce Wayne isn't a hero. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Human nature - David from Los Angeles FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the Christian moralizing of economics and poverty MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Photo of an empty accessible parking space with an accessibility symbol (person in wheelchair) painted in yellow on the ground in the space. The words "Is this the only time you put yourself in my place?" are painted underneath. Credit: Origin unknown, but earliest reference found is from 2014 on Twitter from the accounts @bengilchrist and @IsNoPrincess.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Become a member for full bonus episodes!   Original Air Date: 11-17-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Breaking phone addiction - A comprehension quiz for our past two bonus episodes - Cartoon uteruses - Male supremacy, incels and violence - The socialization of attraction   References: Interview with a bizarro conservative on The Ezra Klein Show Women's Clinic Logo Male Supremacist Terrorism as a Rising Threat by Alex DiBranco Does anyone have the right to sex? By Amia Srinivasan   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/2/2021 Today we take a look at the state of White Supremacy in the US through the lens of three recent trials; Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal for his role in the deaths of two and injury of one in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the conviction of the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery during what they claimed was a citizen's arrest, and a civil suit filed against White Supremacists for their role in the death and injuries during the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and counter-protest. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT TENTREE.COM AND USE PROMO CODE "BEST" FOR 15% OFF POWER YOUR PROFANITY WITH UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE AT UNFTR.COM/SHOP SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: White Violence on Steroids - In The Thick - Air Date 11-16-21 Julio is joined by Elie Mystal, justice correspondent at The Nation, and Michael Harriot, senior writer at The Root, to talk about white supremacy and anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system. Ch. 2: Kyle Rittenhouse and the “self-defense” defense - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-22-21 Legal scholar Eric Ruben explains how “self-defense” can apply to shooting unarmed people in public. Ch. 3: Kyle Rittenhouse, Ahmaud Arbery, and the Future of Right-Wing Vigilantism Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 11-24-21 We discuss the details of these two cases, how they differ, and the questions they raise about the normalization of violence in the U.S.  Ch. 4: “Why Are Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers So Scared?” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 We speak with Nicole Lewis, Senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate. She says claims of self-defense from armed white people serve as a “racist dog whistle” Ch. 5: Kyle Rittenhouse, Ahmaud Arbery, and the Future of Right-Wing Vigilantism Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 11-24-21 Ch. 6: Accountability For Arbery Killing Overcomes Local Politics - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 11-24-21 Tonight's guest is Gwen Keyes Fleming, former DeKalb County, Georgia district attorney. Ch. 7: Dahlia Lithwick on Charlottesville, Rittenhouse & Arbery Murder Case - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-18-21 A civil trial seeks to hold white supremacists accountable for organizing the deadly “Unite the Right” rally there in 2017 and conspiring to commit racially motivated violence Ch. 8: Can You Bankrupt White Supremacy? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 A federal jury has ordered a group of white supremacists to pay over $26 million in damages for their role in organizing the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Here’s The Thing About Rittenhouse, Confederate Statues And Journalism... - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 11-25-21 Kyle Rittenhouse is being welcomed by a society that was partly created using racialized terrorism. Ch. 10: Self-Defense After Rittenhouse, Calls to Drop Murder Charges Against Black Teen Chrystul Kizer - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-29-21 Human rights advocates are calling for charges to be dropped in the case of Chrystul Kizer, who faces homicide and other charges for killing her white sex trafficker in 2018 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Surviving to turn the tide - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the status of our government responsiveness to public sentiment MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black text on a white sign held during a protest says "The system isn't broken it was built this way". Protestors wearing masks walk in the background. Credit: "21-4-17 Black Unity" by David Geitgey Sierralupe, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and brightness   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date 12/09/2020 Today we take a look in real-time at the construction of the world's newest Lost Cause narrative, the failed re-election of Donald Trump. This is not our country's first experience with Lost Causes and it's not, contrary to popular opinion, even our second connection to a Lost Cause narrative because we didn't invent the first one, we borrowed it from somewhere else and I will tell that story today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay's Opening Comments Ch. 2: Reading Harry Potter In Scots Ch. 3: Jay’s comments: the history of a Lost Cause Ch. 4: Sir Walter Scott, The Old South and The Lost Cause - Who Put The Klan Into Klu Klux Klan? In this documentary, archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver examines racism in the Deep South and the Scots who first occupied it who influenced where we are today.  Ch. 5: How Southern socialites rewrote Civil War history - Vox - Air Date 10-25-17 The United Daughters of the Confederacy altered the South's memory of the Civil War. Ch. 6: How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 Ch. 7: Monumental Lies - Reveal - Air Date 12-8-18 Myths of the Civil War and slavery are being kept alive at Confederate monuments, where visitors hear stories of “benevolent slave owners” and enslaved people “contented with their lot.” We team up with The Investigative Fund Ch. 8: Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Ch. 9: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. Ch. 10: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guidethen there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. MEMBERS BONUS CLIPS Ch. 11: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Jay’s comments: the last few connections Ch. 13: Final comments on our ongoing campaigns MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/24/2021 Today we take a look at the state of the ever-increasingly authoritarian Republican Party as they hack the media by being too terrible to hold to account, hack the democratic process through gerrymandering and endlessly rebrand because in their core they stand for nothing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) VISIT TENTREE.COM And use the code [BEST] get 15% off your first order BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lauren Boebert Condemned For ‘Cruel, False And Bigoted’ Politics By Colorado TV Anchor - The Majority Report - Air Date 11-19-21 A Denver journalist is taking on the incredibly low standards the media has set for GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), focusing on the “the cruel, false, and bigoted things she says for attention and fundraising.” Ch. 2: General Stanley McChrystal Sees Parallels Between Jan. 6 and Nazi Germany - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 10-13-21 As the world grapples with the humanitarian fallout in Afghanistan, former four-star U.S. General Stanley McChrystal is watching it unfold knowing all too well what's on the line. Ch. 3: The Unmistakable Drumbeat of Authoritarianism - The BradCast - Air Date 11-16-21 The drumbeat of rising authoritarianism in the U.S. is getting ever louder. Republican-controlled state legislatures employ extreme partisan gerrymandering in Ohio and Georgia, robbing minority voters of representation and positioning the GOP to take over Ch. 4: The GOP's "Rightwing Populism" Rebrand (Part II) - Messaging Wars in 'White America' - Citations Needed - Air Date 11-10-21 “The elites are out to get you and your hard-earned pay.” “We’re spending too much on protecting foreign nations and not enough defending our own borders against immigrant invaders.” “China is taking your job and will soon take over your phone.” Ch. 5: Bannon Puts Out The Signal For Potential Violence - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 11-16-21 Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton & Nick Hauselman discuss Steven Bennon turning himself in to the FBI briefly before holding a press conference to threaten Democratic leadership. Ch. 6: What Rising Tide Of Gosar Level Threats Says About Health Of Democracy - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 11-17-21 “We should be concerned about what it means in terms of the safety of members of Congress and the nature of the modern Republican Party. But what it means for the very health of our American democracy,” says Chris Hayes in the wake of Rep. Gosar’s censure MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: “Red Flags Everywhere:” Why Did the FBI Dismiss Jan. 6 Warnings? - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 11-10-21 "Presidents are not kings, and the plaintiff is not president." These were the words of a U.S. Federal judge rejecting former President Donald Trump's request to withhold records about the January 6th insurrection. Ch. 8: Sen. Kennedy's "Comrade" Stunt Proves Republicans Are HUGE Liars - The Rational National - Air Date 11-19-21 Republican Senator John Kennedy made a complete fool of himself while attempting to hammer Saule Omarova, Joe Biden's pick to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which regulates banks. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Aging and Conservatism - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on toughness philosophy vs the ever-raising baseline MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/20/2021 Today we take a look at the state of international climate negotiations and the intersection of capitalism and colonialism in the role of indigenous peoples around the world in stewarding the lands in a climate-friendly way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOP BOMBAS BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 We talk to journalist Elizabeth Kolbert about this history the COP Ch. 2: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 1 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Negotiations in Glasgow are going down to the wire, yet few believe world leaders will get us anywhere near limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Is COP26 heading for failure? We speak to Simon Lewis. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. Ch. 3: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 Coming off of COP26, we talk to journalist David Wallace-Wells about the real cost of the climate crisis and who is paying the price. Ch. 4: COP26 Closes Out What Comes Next - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-15-21 Negotiations at COP26 have been formalized into the Glasgow Climate Pact and already faces criticism. Julian Brave NoiseCat, climate activist, writer and fellow at New America and the Type Media Center, discusses disappointment in the agreement. Ch. 5: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 2 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Ch. 6: Young Activists At U.N. Climate Summit 'We Are Not Drowning. We Are Fighting' - Consider This from NPR - Air Date 11-12-21 Thousands of youth activists from all over the world gathered in Scotland this week for the COP26 UN climate summit. They say climate change is already transforming their countries and that their generation has the most to lose. Ch. 7: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 3 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Ch. 9: Border walls and the climate crisis Nick Buxton - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 The Transnational Institute's Nick Buxton on the report "Global Climate Wall" and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen judges a costume contest. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments with an update on shifting conservative baseline syndrome MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: At night, a white light projection on a stone monument in Glasgow, Scotland (UK) reads “Reject False Solutions”. Credit: “COP26 light projection in Glasgow by Backbone and friends” by Backbone Campaign, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Hear the full show by becoming a member! Original Air Date: 11-2-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Te deths of the Red Scare™ - Why some Christians think that empathy is a sin - Why those Christians are wrong about empathy being a sin - Why those Christians are probably just narcissists  - Why we can all empathize with those Christians war on empathy (sort of)   References: Strange Sound with Joseph Perry  UR-FASCISM By Umberto Eco  Umberto Eco: A Practical List for Identifying Fascists  Have you heard the one about empathy being a sin? - BaptistNews.com    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Original Air Date 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: "Let the People Pick the President" The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-30-20 Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: The Second Revolution - Scene On Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 3: Democracy: Past, Present... and Future? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-26-19 Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: More Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 6-10-20 What will it take to make the United States a more fully-functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 5: Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it - TEDx - Air Date 10-20-15 Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig makes the case that our democracy has become corrupt with money, leading to inequality that means only 0.02% of the United States population actually determines who's in power. Ch. 6: The Right's Long History of Ignoring the Will of the People - On the Media - Air Date 11-6-20 Rick Perlstein, historian of American conservatism and author, most recently, of Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980, has tracked this anti-majoritarian current in the American right for centuries. Ch. 7: The Republicans' War on Voting Rights, Protesting and Democracy - Some More News - Air Date 10-22-18 In this week's episode of Some More News, we do a deep dive on the Republicans' attacks on our voting rights, our right to protest and, well, Democracy. Which is bad and not good. Ch. 8: Schooled for Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 5-13-20 In most American schools, children *hear about *democracy, but don’t get to *practice *it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like? Ch. 9: The Crises of American Democracy & What to Do About Them w/ Suzanne Mettler - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-22-20 Sam hosts Cornell Professor of American Institutions Suzanne Mettler to discuss her latest book, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy and what we can learn from history to understand American democracy's vulnerabilities. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Changing the caucus party - Erin from Philly Ch. 11: What happens if they somehow steal the election? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on action being the only antidote to anxiety MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 11/12/2021 Today we take a look at the current state of homelessness in America and the best solution we currently know of to tackle the problem. Surprisingly simple, the best way to end homelessness is to give people homes. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Homelessness - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 11-1-21 With homelessness increasing nationwide, John Oliver takes a look at the way we discuss the unhoused, what policy failures are making the problem worse, and how we can help. Ch. 2: Should America Outlaw Homelessness - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-8-21 Homelessness is an epidemic in America “Housing First” is a the solution that has been embraced by countries around the world. Time to repudiate the failed Reaganomics experiment and take homelessness seriously again here in America. Ch. 3: Housing First - 99% Invisible - Air Date 12-8-20 In the 1980's, a psychologist named Sam Tsemberis was working with mentally ill homeless people on the streets of New York. Sometimes, when he thought it was necessary to keep someone safe, Sam would have people committed to a psychiatric hospital. Ch. 4: EXPOSED: These Rich Wall Street Billionaires Profit Off The Extreme Poverty They Caused! - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-15-21 We’re seeing massive homelessness in cities across America because a handful of Wall Street billionaires want to make a killing - Will America remove housing from their clutches? Ch. 5: How Finland Ended Homelessness - Second Thought - Air Date 9-3-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Criminalization of Poverty - Justice In America - Air Date 1-23-19 On this episode, we explore the countless ways the criminal justice system criminalizes poverty—and homelessness in particular. From what is considered criminal to how it is punished, people that are poor or in America are punished more. Ch. 7: Input from the unhoused may be crucial solution to homelessness in San Francisco - PBSNewsHour - Air Date 7-6-21 Correction: The introduction to this story stated that 35,000 people are without a place to live in San Francisco. In fact, that figure refers to the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, Oakland and surrounding counties. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the panicked flail of those who used to be ahead of the curve but have now been left behind MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/9/2021 Today we take a look at the Facebook business model that is driving hate, lies, violence, extremism, and the breakdown of democracy around the world as well as some of the regulatory ideas geared toward reigning it in and mitigating the damage. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Facebook Papers Docs Reveal Tech Giants Complicity in Hate, Lies & Violence Around the World Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-26-21 UCLA professor Ramesh Srinivasan, who says the papers confirm what many critics have warned about for years. “This new form of digital capitalism that I believe Facebook is trailblazing is one that is playing with our intimate emotions on every level." Ch. 2: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 Tristan and Aza go behind the headlines with Frances herself. We go deeper into the problems she exposed, discuss potential solutions, and explore her motivations — along with why she fundamentally believes change is possible. Ch. 3: Hate and Lies On Facebook: They're Even Worse In India Part 1 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-27-21 We've been hearing about revelations from the leaked 'Facebook Papers.' What has the social media giant has been doing, and what they haven't been doing, around the world? Guest: Sheera Frenkel, New York Times technology reporter. Ch. 4: Zuckerberg's Metaverse - TyskySour - Air Date 10-29-21 Facebook is now Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg says our future is in the Metaverse. Is virtual reality the future of the internet, or Zuckerberg’s latest gimmick? With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. Ch. 5: The Facebook Papers Docs Reveal Tech Giants Complicity in Hate, Lies & Violence Around the World Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-26-21 Ch. 6: Hate and Lies On Facebook: They're Even Worse In India Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-27-21 Ch. 7: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen in Conversation Part 3 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-18-21 Ch. 9: The Science Fiction Origins of the Metaverse - On the Media - Air Date 11-5-21 Why the tech moguls love science fiction so much, the perils of reading these "world-building" novels too literally, and how new forms of the genre today are already making the Metaverse look obsolete. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Facebooks treatment of nonprofits and the actions you can take to call for regulation TAKE ACTION! Take part in The Facebook Logout, Nov. 10th-13th via Kairos & coalition - Read the demands Call on DOJ, SEC, and FTC to Open Criminal Investigations into Facebook Execs via American Economic Liberties Project & MoveOn.org Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: A cardboard cutout of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wearing a black shirt that says "FACEBOOK" and holding a flag (referencing his infamous July 4th video where he rode a hydrofoil on a lake while holding a giant American flag). The flag is dark blue with white text that says "I know we harm kids, but i don't care." with a Facebook icon. A roadway with cars and a building with scaffolding can be seen in the background. Credit: "Zuckerberg_Sum_Of_Us_2" by SumOfUs, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness, contrast and saturation Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

BECOME A MEMBER TO HEAR THE WHOLE SHOW! https://www.bestoftheleft.com/support   Original Air Date: 10-21-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Why "Blacks Rule" - Hostile Architecture vs human needs - The Amanda Principle as relates to Paul Ryan - How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals are Evil - That Conservatives are dying to own the libs and still blaming liberals - The benefits of playing with kids   References: "Blacks Rule" and "Left is Best" Hostile Architecture is making more and more people uncomfortable Tom Morello: ‘Paul Ryan Is the Embodiment of the Machine Our Music Rages Against’ How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals Are Evil Opinion: Conservatives are dying to own the libs. Neuroscientist: "First Hour of The Morning is CRUCIAL" | Andrew Huberman Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson oOriginal Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 11/6/2021 Today we take a look at the raucous school board meetings where parents have been expressing their displeasure with protecting one another from a deadly pandemic or making children aware of the existence of systemic racism in America. Just as with the Tea Party, the Dark Money behind the movement didn't light the fire but is very adept at fanning the flames. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: School board brawl - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-2-21 It's Election Day in the USA. This time around, the nasty political fights and insurrections are going local. NPR's Anya Kamenetz explains. Ch. 2: School Board Members Face Violent Threats - Zerlina. - Air Date 10-6-21 Angry parents have been flooding local school board meetings to protest critical race theory, school diversity initiatives, and mask mandates. Dr. Uché Blackstock and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Wiley join Zerlina to discuss the latest threats. Ch. 3: Why Are School Board Officials Getting Death Threats? - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-19-21 School boards are the latest frontier in the culture wars, as incensed community members and right-wing activists protest mask mandates and anti-racist curricula. Ch. 4: How Right-Wing Groups Are Catalyzing Culture War Battles In Schools - All In w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-18-21 “These things that were considered non-partisan, just the administration of schools are now being charged and really put under a magnifying glass in a way that is intended to extract maximum political benefit,” says Judd Legum Ch. 5: Weaponized School Boards Manipulated To Elect GOP Governor (w/ Judd Legum) - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-19-21 Judd Legum explains how Virginia school boards are being weaponized to elect a republican governor. Ch. 6: QAnon: Coming to a School Board Near You with Mike Rothschild - Battleground with Amanda Litman and Faiz Shakir - Air Date 9-16-21 America’s lack of media literacy and historical affinity for conspiracy theories have allowed QAnon to move from the dark corners of the web to violence at the US Capitol. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: GOP’s Critical Race Theory Crusade Is The New Tea Party Movement - Zerlina. - Air Date 6-28-21 The GOP’s tea party had success in the 2010 midterms with its low-key racist rhetoric. But now, conservatives have pivoted to more overt racism with their grandstanding on critical race theory. MSNBC columnist Hayes Brown breaks it down. Ch. 8: QAnon: Coming to a School Board Near You with Mike Rothschild Part 2 - Battleground with Amanda Litman and Faiz Shakir - Air Date 9-16-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Complicated feelings on policing - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the nature of the debate over the present and future of policing MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/3/2021 Today we take a look at the current wave of strikes and labor movements through the lens of pandemic economics and the history of businesses abuse of the worker. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Striketober: Labor Militancy Grows, U.S. Workers Walk Off the Job & IATSE Members Get Tentative Deal - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-20-21 Jacobin writer Alex Press says the averted strike is part of a “broader moment” of labor militancy across the United States, including workers at Amazon, Kellogg’s and elsewhere. “Workers are willing to fight back,” she says. Ch. 2: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 1 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 3: A Look at the Worker Shortage in the Food Service Industry - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-28-21 The Takeaway also looks at how Covid exposed the systemic inequalities in the restaurant industry with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley. Ch. 4: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 5: Nice work week, if you can get it - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 The 40 hour work week has been the standard for 80 years. What will it take to lower that? Ch. 6: Right-to-work is bad for workers (with Shane Larson) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 9-24-21 Shane Larson from CWA joins Goldy to explain why right-to-work laws are so harmful, how they came to be, and why it’s so important to pass the PRO Act to fight for workers’ rights. Ch. 7: "Worked to Death": IATSE Film Crew on "Rust" Walked Off Set to Protest Conditions Before Shooting - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-26-21 We speak with Dutch Merrick, prop master and armorer for over 25 years. Despite safety protocol and expertise, he says, Hollywood crews are getting “worked to death” with 80- to 100-hour workweeks, which he suggests played into the accidental shooting. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Economic History: The Black Plague — The Great Economic Leveler - Strange World of Econ - Air Date 5-26-17 While undeniably gruesome and tragic, the black plague had a silver lining: the unprecedented lost of life made labour scarce, while infrastructure and other capital were left relatively unharmed. Ch. 9: Nice work week, if you can get it Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 Origins of the 40 hour work week. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Please clarify various stats on law enforcement and incarceration - Bud from Boise New FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the details behind the stats of criminal injustice and incarceration plus why flat-earthers haven't trekked to the edge and looked over TAKE ACTION 5 Ways to Support Workers on Strike (Teen Vogue) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of men holding blue and white protest signs in the air that say "UAW On Strike". The photo is from a recent strike by John Deere workers. Credit: "20211020-OSEC-LSC-1195" by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/21/2020 Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an unabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the world less so - all while maintaining an anti-imperial, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, live-and-let-live poker face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The bipartisan empire machine that runs the United States - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 9-26-18 Trump lies all the time but he's also continuing one of the great lies of America Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic. Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 4: Ghosts of Mossadegh: The Iran Cables, U.S. Empire, and the Arc of History - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 11-20-19 The Intercept’s investigative series The Iran Cables offers historical insight into Iran’s operations in neighboring Iraq, which are informed by the bloody history of the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. invasion, and subsequent occupation of Iraq Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20 America's "original sin" in the Middle East: the CIA's (and Britain's) coup d'etat in Iran in 1953. Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - 2 WEEKS LEFT, GET OUT THE VOTE - Best of the Left Ch. 8: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 9: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17 "Stumbling", "sliding", "drawn into" war––the media frequently assumes the US is bumbling its way around the world. The idea that the United States operates in “good faith” is taken for granted for most of the American press. Ch. 10: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13 Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11. Ch. 11: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Domestic focus is about setting a good example - Chris from San Diego Ch. 13: Thoughts on right-wing vs left-wing anarchism - Alex Ch. 14: Fighting for legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the dangers and paranoia that come with illegitimate power MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/27/2021 Today we take a look at some of the ways that 25 years of Fox News has reshaped our media and political landscape. Crucially, understanding Fox isn't just about their influence on their conservative viewers but how they manage to hack the political conversation for the rest of us. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! UNF*CK YOUR COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War On Fox Is Over - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-22-13 Archive clip from A parody of itself (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-17-14 Ch. 2: Losing Relatives to Fox News - You're Wrong About - Air Date 12-7-20 Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Ch. 3: Kevin Drum on how Fox 'News' broke America - The Bradcast - Air Date 9-17-21 Data journalist and longtime Mother Jones columnist KEVIN DRUM explains his exhaustive analysis of the madness of this political moment, and how and why we arrived at it. The Right has seemingly gone mad due to the spread of conspiracy theories. Ch. 4: You're watching Fox News. You just don't know it. - Vox - Air Date 5-24-19 Fox News was created to push right-wing nonsense to the mainstream, and now there’s no escape. Ch. 5: Conspiracy Network OAN 90% Funded by AT&T - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 10-7-21 Right wing conspiracy network OAN turns out to be 90% funded by AT&T Ch. 6: How Fox News Made Every Moment of the Last 25 Years Worse - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-7-21 Yes, it’s been 25 years since Fox News came on the air—25 years of “refracting the absolute most absurd and destructive and deadly disinformation and misinformation from the right wing fever swamps,” Carusone tells co-hosts Molly and Jesse. Ch. 7: What 25 Years Of Fox News Poison Has Done To America - All In - Air Date 10-8-21 Chris Hayes marks 25 years of dangerous lies from Fox News: “There is a direct pipeline from what appears on Fox News to the absolute worst manifestations, worst behavior, worst elements of our politics and society.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Former Fox News Reporter Tells All - David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-05-13 Archive clip from Ridiculing Fox isn't just fun, it's important (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-28-13 Ch. 9: The biggest difference between Trump and Nixon is Fox News - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 11-8-19 Nicole Hemmer, the brilliant historian of conservative media, joins to discuss how Fox News and the larger conservative media-verse protects Trump but also lures him into disaster. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the multi-decade victim mentality of conservatives about the media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A slightly distorted Fox News logo sits askew at the center of a hypnotic spiral. Credits: “Fox News” by Johnny Silvercloud, Flickr | License | Changes: Added hypnotic swirl background, cropped, faded edges || Hypnosis Spiral via Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/23/2021 Today we take a look at a few of the ways that enormous corporate and personal and family wealth is being hidden around the world, most prominently in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Pandora Papers Reveal a Shadow Economy - On the Media - Air Date 10-8-21 Gerard Ryle [@RyleGerard], director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, on how the Pandora Papers unmask hidden owners of offshore companies. Plus, what the papers might mean for the future of cooperative journalism. Ch. 2: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 We talk with 'Washington Post' reporter Greg Miller about what the some 12 million documents of the Pandora Papers tell us about these hidden assets. Ch. 3: We set up an offshore company in a tax haven - Planet Money - Air Date 10-6-21 The Pandora Papers released this week reveal how many world leaders allegedly hold wealth through the use of shell companies. We listen back to when we set up our very own Planet Money shell companies. Ch. 4: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 Ch. 5: What Would a Global Corporate Minimum Tax Mean for the US and Abroad - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-12-21 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for a global corporate minimum tax. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group and GZero Media, talks about how that would affect the US economy, and looks abroad to who it would help, and who it would hurt. Ch. 6: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 Chuck Collins on the IPS report "Silver spoon oligarchs: How America’s 50 Largest Inherited-Wealth Dynasties Accelerate Inequality." Ch. 7: Exposed! Who Isn't In The Pandora Papers (w Chuck Collins) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-6-21 The Pandora Papers have revealed how the super-wealthy shaft the rest of us. but why aren't billionaires from US in the papers? Chuck Collins joins Thom to reveal the secrets of the super rich. Ch. 8: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Why philanthropy isn't the answer (with Anand Giridharadas) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 10-5-21 On this episode, originally recorded and released in October 2019, Anand joins Nick and Goldy to explain how do-gooding can perpetuate inequality. Ch. 10: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 3 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments giving a mental health update MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: The words "Tax the Rich" are written in black and red marker on a manila folder. A protester, whose hands can be seen on each side of the folder, holds up the folder to the camera. Credit: "Tax the rich at Occupy Wall Street" by Timothy Krause, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and saturation    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Original Air Date: 10-3-21   Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Collective trauma for various groups and individuals in the wake of 9/11 - Collective trauma that is leading to vaccine hesitancy in groups not prioritized by our health system   References: Collective trauma and going to war: From Ancient Greece and Rome to September 11 I’m a Black Doctor. My Mom Still Won’t Get Vaccinated.   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 10/20/2021 Today we take a look at the flip side of the so-called "Missing White Woman Syndrome" and highlight the structural legacies of colonialism that have put indigenous communities in North America at the greatest at risk of murder and rape among all demographics in the US and Canada.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Search: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women | Fault Lines - Al Jazerra English - Air Date 5-8-19 Indigenous women in the United States experience some of the highest rates of violence and murder in the country, according to federal data. Tribes and advocates attribute this to a confluence of factors - institutional racism, a lack of resources. Ch. 2: How prejudice affects official search for missing Indigenous women other women of color - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 9-27-21 While Gabby Petito's death has captured national attention, tens of thousands of people are reported missing or murdered every year in the U.S. Native women are murdered at rates 10 times the national average. Ch. 3: Gabby Petito, ‘Missing White Woman Syndrome,’ And Misogynistic Violence - GBH News - Air Date 9-23-21 As the disappearance and later confirmed murder of Gabby Petito has grabbed headlines, many observers have pointed to the thousands of other cases – many of them women of color – that have never garnered national attention. Ch. 4: MMIW Day 2021 - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 5-5-21 May 5th has been designated as MMIW Day since 2017 but 2021 is ushering in "MMIW National Week of Action!" Ch. 5: Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women - AJ+ - Air Date 10-16-18 AJ+'s Dena Takruri visits Winnipeg, Manitoba, where more Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered than anywhere else in the country. Ch. 6: MMIWG2S+: No more red hand prints! - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 5-10-21 Guests Jennifer Marley (@JenMarley1680) and Cheyenne Antonio join RPH co-hosts Elena Ortiz (@spiritofpopay) and Melanie Yazzie (@melanie_yazzie) to discuss efforts to end MMIWG2+ from a left Indigenous feminist perspective. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Understanding How the Laws Encourage Violence | History of MMIW - Nonviolence International New York - Air Date 4-22-21 5500 Indigenous women and girls go missing or murdered every year. We need to change the laws that govern the Indigenous Tribes because they make it easier for people to attack indigenous people. Ch. 8: The Red Nation Slams Cooptation of Indigenous Peoples’ Day Amid Global Colonial Resource Extraction - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-11-21 We continue our look at Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Jennifer Marley, a citizen of San Ildefonso Pueblo and a member of the grassroots Indigenous liberation organization The Red Nation. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: r/Antiwork: Unemployment for all, not just the rich! - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the impacts of pandemics on labor through the centuries MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: A young, Native American woman looks toward the camera. She has a red paint hand print over her mouth. She wears a gray beanie, burgundy jacket and her dark hair is in braids.  "A participant in the Greater Than Fear Rally & March in Rochester Minnesota. The rally & march were held in response to President Trump's Rally at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester." by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/16/2021 Today we take a look at some of the structures of "copaganda," from misreported stats and coverups to propagandistic opinion articles and police procedurals that flood the pop culture landscape. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Alec Karakatsanis on "Crime Surge" Copaganda - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-1-21 We hear from Alec Karakatsanis, executive director of Civil Rights Corps, and author of the book Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System. Ch. 2: US Police Killings Undercounted by More than Half, According to New Study - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 10-7-21 Today we break down a new study that shows police killings were undercounted by MORE THAN HALF. This confirms what many of us have suspected about the "official data" on police violence, and it's only the tip of the iceberg. Ch. 3: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 1 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 From Paul Blart: Mall Cop to A Touch of Frost, ‘copaganda’ has our pop culture bang to rights. What impact does the ubiquity of police dramas on our screens have on the real criminal justice system? Ch. 4: “Becoming Abolitionists”: Derecka Purnell on Why Police Reform Is Not Enough to Protect Black Lives - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-8-21 Derecka Purnell draws from her experience as a human rights lawyer in her new book, “Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom,” to argue that police reform is an inadequate compromise to calls for abolition. Ch. 5: The Summer of Anti-BLM Backlash and How Concepts of Crime Were Shaped By the Propertied Class - Citations Needed - Air Date 8-4-21 Democrats and Democratic Party-aligned media have allied with conservatives and right-wing media are rehashing the same tired responses: more police, longer sentences, and tougher laws. Guests Alec Karakatsanis and sociologist Tamara K. Nopper. Ch. 6: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 2 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: US Police Killings Undercounted by More than Half, According to New Study Part 2 - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 10-7-21 Ch. 8: What the Hell Happened to Police and Criminal Justice Reform - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 10-8-21 The dean of UC Berkeley’s Law School looks at how the courts have prioritized criminal control over civil rights for suspects and defendants. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Thank you for the quality of the show and to all medical workers - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the comparison between police work and conspiracy cults MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Can You Handle The Truth? - Native Opinion Podcast an American Indian Perspective - Air Date 10-20-19 This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization’s shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Ch. 5: Jon Schwarz on social silence, hidden history, and why Trump is our most honest president - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 11-22-18 Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Fight Voter Suppression & Help Restore Native Voting Rights - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 8: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 9: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 10: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/9/2021 Today we take a look at structures and specifics of settler colonialism from around the world including the US, Caribbean, Australia, Israel and Mexico Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: History of US imperialism in Latin America: From settler colonialism to Pink Tide - Moderate Rebels - Air Date 12-12-20 Ben Norton was invited to give this talk on US imperialism in Latin America, for the Workers' Party of Ireland. He discusses the history from European settler colonialism, through the Monroe Doctrine, the first cold war, and the three revolutions. Ch. 2: Slavery, race and capital in the sixteenth century / Gerald Horne - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-21-20 Gerald Horne discusses the relationship between racism and expansionist foreign policies Ch. 3: Settler Colonialism Is Behind Climate Denial - Novara Media - Air Date 1-5-20 Australia is on fire. So why do so many of its politicians seem intent on denying the cause? Ch. 4: Pearls for empire / Molly A. Warsh - This Is Hell! - Air Date 9-20-21 Historian Molly A. Warsh on her book "American Baroque: Pearls and the Nature of Empire, 1492-1700" from UNC Press. Ch. 5: Rewriting resistance: how Black rebellion shapes world events - People's Republic - Air Date 8-20-20 This week, we continue our commemoration of Black August with Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history and author of over 40 books, including The Counter-Revolution of 1776. Ch. 6: Ilan Pappé: Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism - The East is a Podcast - Air Date 5-13-20 A 2017 lecture by Ilan Pappé titled "The Value of Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism" hosted by the WRMEA. Ch. 7: Crimes of Apartheid - In The Thick - Air Date 5-14-21 Maria is joined by guest co-host and ITT All-star Jamilah King to discuss the continued violence and attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and forces in Gaza. We hear from Gaza-based journalist Hana Salah about what she is seeing on the ground. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Rick Perlstein: ‘I was drafted into the project of settler colonialism as a child’ - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 8-13-21 Marc talks with Rick Perlstein about growing up Jewish in Milwaukee, the process of unlearning Zionist indoctrination, and how the United States' support of an Israeli ethno-state foments continued violence. Ch. 9: Gerald Horne: Slavery, White Supremacy, & The Roots Of Settler Colonialism - Last Born In The Wilderness - Air Date 5-25-18 Did racism and white supremacy arise as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the 17th century, or did these concepts exist prior to the mass enslavement of Africans and the genocide of the indigenous peoples on what is now called America? Ch. 10: So Far from God, So Close to the United States w/ Alexander Aviña - American Prestige - Air Date 9-9-21 The boys speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: No velvet glove - Nick From California Ch. 12: Followup on conspiracy theory hot take - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how conspiracy theorists are like timeshare sales people MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/6/2021 Today we take a look at what precipitated Occupy Wall Street and the legacy it left behind as we can see it now from 10 years after the encampment at Zuccotti Park in the heart of the financial district in NYC. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Occupy Wall Street Analysis and Legacy Part 1 - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 9-16-21 This program is devoted to Occupy Wall Street (OWS) on its 10th anniversary. Prof. Wolff discusses OWS as a historic turning point, as legacy for the US left, and his personal experience. Ch. 2: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 1 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 It’s Occupy Wall Street’s tenth anniversary. Dan interviews Astra Taylor. Ch. 3: The Legacy of Occupy Wall Street, with Ruth Milkman and Nastaran Mohit Part 1 - Belabored - Air Date 9-24-21 We discuss Occupy's ramifications for organizing and class consciousness with Ruth Milkman, labor scholar at City University of New York's School of Labor and Urban Studies and Nastaran Mohit, Organizing Director of NewsGuild of New York. Ch. 4: Occupy Wall Street Analysis and Legacy Part 2 - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 9-16-21 Ch. 5: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 2 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 Ch. 6: The Legacy of Occupy Wall Street, with Ruth Milkman and Nastaran Mohit Part 2 - Belabored - Air Date 9-24-21 Ch. 7: Keith Olbermann reads first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street - Countdown MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Will Occupy Wall Street Affect 2012 Election: Glenn Greenwald Interview - David Pakman Show - Air Date 11-14-11 Glenn Greenwald in 2011 gives analysis of the political dynamics that led to Occupy Ch. 9: Prophetic article calling for the occupation - Majority Report - Air Date 10-25-11 Speaking with Christopher Ketcham about his article calling for destain for bankers and discussing the progressive movement of the 1880s Ch. 10: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 3 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 The legacy of Occupy live on, even in Joe Biden VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A response for Alyson from Boulder - Scott from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the ideological splits on the left dating back to Occupy Wall Street MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Occupy Wall St. protesters in New York march down the street holding a large white sign that says "OCCUPY" in black letters. Other protesters behind them hold smaller protest signs of cardboard and poster board and wave flags.  Credit: "Occupy_12_17_DSC_0334" by Michael Fleshman, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 9-15-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Top-Down and Bottom-Up processing that leads to biased interpretation of information  - Dying of individualism and federalism failures amid COVID - The legacy of Vietnamese refugees following the Vietnam War - What happens when attraction is stronger than any code of ethics or social pressure   References: Google/Apple exposure notification API saved thousands of lives, but apps largely flopped in US  Marion Days  Spanish bishop quits church after falling in love with writer of Satanic erotica    Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!  

Air Date 9/29/2021 Today we take a look at the so-called "crisis" on the border involving Haitians attempting to cross into the United States. Some say it's a crisis the US is dealing with, others say it's inappropriate to call human beings a crisis. We humbly suggest that these human beings, not the US, are EXPERIENCING a crisis and the US is exacerbating it. And Biden, by following Trump’s policies, is creating a political crisis for himself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out Unf*cking the Republic! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Border Crisis: Thousands Of Haitians Flown to Haiti Against Their Will - Consider This - Air Date 9-23-21 Thousands of Haitan migrants who were camping out under a bridge in a Texas border town seeking to cross the Rio Grande and find refuge in the US are now being forced back to their home country. Ch. 2: Psaki Disingenuous When Grilled About Horseback Border Patrol Agents Whipping Haitian Migrants - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-21-21 Psaki cites title 42, a Trump administration rule program allowing the government to expel refugees under the cover of preventing Covid-19 from spreading in the US. The MR crew discusses how disingenuous it is of the Biden Administration Ch. 3: Not a Humane System - In The Thick - Air Date 9-24-21 Maria and Julio dive deep into the violent border enforcement we witnessed in Del Rio, Texas where thousands of Haitian refugees were being held and turned away. They discuss the horrifying images of Border Patrol agents attacking Haitian iimmigrants. Ch. 4: Coronavirus-fuelled racism adds to Haitians' plight in Chile - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 5-7-20 Haitians in Chile - the largest migrant community in Latin America - are underpaid and often live in dire conditions. Ch. 5: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. Ch. 6: Haiti Needs a New Narrative - On the Media - Air Date 8-4-21 In the wake of the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse on July 7th, international media rushed to cover Haiti’s latest political crisis—painting a familiar picture of a nation in turmoil, Haitians in need. Ch. 7: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Haiti and International Aid - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 8-23-21 After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti’s southwestern region, many of us were left wondering -- what does it mean to best support Haiti through disaster? And if the global community has donated so much humanitarian aid, why does it keep happening? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on viral images from the border and why truth is at a structural disadvantage MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/25/2021 Today we take a look at the continuing efforts of Trump and his supporters to subvert and ultimately destroy democracy through conspiracy theories, gerrymandering and harassment campaigns Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump Sends Delusional Letter Demanding He Be Declared Georgia Winner - David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-20-21 Donald Trump sends a delusional letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger requesting Trump be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election in the state Ch. 2: The American Prospects' Harold Meyerson on lessons from the GOP's failed CA Recall - The BradCast - Air Date 9-25-21 Analysis of the CA recall as a giant waste of time and money Ch. 3: Agents of White Supremacy - In The Thick - Air Date 9-17-21 Nathalie Baptiste writes about the flaws of California’s recall election process in this piece for Mother Jones. Ch. 4: Republican war on elections makes casualties of civilian stewards of democracy - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-17-21 Tonight's guests are Charles Stewart III, professor of political science at M.I.T.; and Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University. Ch. 5: Can Americans Believe In Democracy After This Redistricting Cycle w/ David Daley - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-12-21 Sam Seder discusses gerrymandering with David Daley. Ch. 6: Donald Trump is Not Going Away No Matter How Much You Wish He Would - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 9-20-21 Mary Trump explains why so many Americans are still in deep denial about Donald Trump’s enduring power and his ability to cause destruction and other harm to American society and the world. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Redistricting Battle Heats Up Across the U.S. - The Takeaway - Air Date 9-21-21 Ari Berman, senior reporter at Mother Jones, joined The Takeaway to talk redistricting and gerrymandering around the country, as well as the districts and states to watch in the coming months. Ch. 8: How Will the Ongoing Trump Coup End - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-5-21 Trump's slow coup is setting off a nuclear bomb at the heart of our Republic, but the scariest part no one knows if Democracy will survive? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Safe, legal, and rare bullshit - Alyson from Boulder, CO Ch. 10: 9/11 and inevitable slide/leap into wars - Maureen from Boston Ch. 11: The war prayer - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to avoid conspiratorial thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: A group of middle-aged and older men stand under a hand-written protest sign that says "Stop the Steal", some wearing camouflage, some wearing masks, all wearing varying baseball caps. Location: Minnesota State Capitol. Credit: "Stop the Steal" by Chad Davis, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/21/2021 Today we take a look at the parallel legacies of 9/11 including the war on terror and military spending, the casual acceptance of Islamophobia, the adoption of ever-wilder conspiracy theories, and the acceleration of the political divide in America culminating, so far, in the January 6th Insurrection. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 9/11: A Story in Three Parts. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 9-10-21 We were tempted to let the 20th anniversary of 9/11 pass given it will be oversaturated with remembrances and armchair punditry as well as the usual tragedy porn imagery. Ch. 2: Endless militarization has bled US society dry - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 9-14-21 It’s been 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Since then, the US has channeled an unfathomable amount of its resources into the military-industrial complex. Ch. 3: “Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire”: Deepa Kumar on How Racism Fueled U.S. Wars Post-9/11 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-14-21 According to the Costs of War Project, the wars launched by the United States following 9/11 have killed an estimated 929,000 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. Ch. 4: 20 Years Later: How 9/11 Changed Being Muslim in America - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-10-21 Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter for HuffPost where she focuses on immigration, Islamophobia, and social justice issues, joins to discuss how being Muslim in the United States changed after the September 11th attacks. Ch. 5: 20 Years Since 9/11, 20 Years of Conspiracy Theories - Doomed - Air Date 9-10-21 Matt looks at the conspiracies, hoaxes, and urban legends that surround the day and the Bush administration. Ch. 6: The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump - Vox Conversations - Air Date 9-12-21 Sean Illing talks with national security reporter Spencer Ackerman, author of the new book Reign of Terror. They discuss the staggering changes to our country in the 20 years since 9/11 Ch. 7: America, 20 years after 9/11 - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 9-10-21 Jeremy Cliffeand Sarah Manavis are joined by New Yorker columnist and author Evan Osnos to discuss his new book, Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury and how America has changed since the attacks on New York and Washington. Ch. 8: The Direct Line From 9/11 to January 6th - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 9-10-21 Award-winning journalist Spencer Ackerman examines how 9/11 opened the door to America’s worst historical impulses and led directly to Donald Trump and January 6th. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Rescue 9/11 w/ Jim Lobe and Laila Ujayli - American Prestige - Air Date 9-11-21 The boys interview Laila Ujayli, associate editor at Inkstick Media, about growing up as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America. Ch. 10: Congressmember Barbara Lee, the Lone Vote for Peace After the September 11th Attacks - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 9-9-21 Congressmember Lee courageously voted no against the AUMF twenty years ago. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Brian Williams and the campaigns we can win vs the campaigns worth winning MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: The camera looks up at a young Muslim woman, wearing a black hoodie with the hood up over her black head covering, as she stands outside a glass entryway looking out into the distance. An American flag is wrapped around her shoulders. Credit: "Protest against Donald Trump's Muslim ban" by Fibonacci Blue | License | Changes: Cropped and very slight increase in contrast, brightness and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com  

Air Date 9/18/2021 Today we take a look at the new Texas abortion restrictions and the response from the Supreme Court along with lots of contextualizing commentary taking us back to the Fugitive Slave Act and all the way through to the strain of patriarchal White terrorism that is at the core of the current conservative movement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Marjorie Cohn on Texas Abortion Law, Kimberly Inez McGuire on Abortion Realities Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 9-10-21 We’ll talk with Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, former president of the National Lawyers Guild and author of, among other titles, Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues. Ch. 2: Abortion, Surveillance, and Vigilantism: An American Story Part 1: Fugitive Slave Act - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 9-3-21 SB 8 is unconstitutional and good to go in Texas (and probably a bunch of other states too). Ch. 3: Marjorie Cohn on Texas Abortion Law, Kimberly Inez McGuire on Abortion Realities Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 9-10-21 Ch. 4: Abortion, Surveillance, and Vigilantism: An American Story Part 2: Distain for the life of the pregnant - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 9-3-21 Ch. 5: Texas Abortion Providers Grapple with New Reality Under Restrictive Law Part 1 - The Takeaway - Air Date 9-3-21 The most restrictive ever abortion rights laws in the U.S. went into effect in the Lone Star state. Called SB8, it bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people even know they’re pregnant. Ch. 6: Abortion, Surveillance, and Vigilantism: An American Story Part 3: Political Bias of the Court - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 9-3-21 Ch. 7: What Democrats Can Do To Fight the TX Handmaid's Tale (w Elie Mystal) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-7-21 Texas Republicans are creating a real life Handmaid's Tale, does Elie Mystal know how to fight it? Elie Mystal is the justice correspondent for The Nation and author of the forthcoming book, Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. Ch. 8: Abortion, Surveillance, and Vigilantism: An American Story Part 4: Failure of the Left and Press - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 9-3-21 Ch. 9: FURY - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 9-7-21 This week’s episode is devoted to the Texas state attack on reproductive rights and civil rights and its ramifications – not just for Texans, but for all Americans. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Abortion, Surveillance, and Vigilantism: An American Story Part 5: Context of the 80s & 90s - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 9-3-21 Ch. 11: Texas Abortion Providers Grapple with New Reality Under Restrictive Law Part 2 - The Takeaway - Air Date 9-3-21 The Jane Collective was a group that operated out of Chicago and performed thousands of abortions between 1969 and 1973. Guest Laura Kaplan, author of a book about the collective, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Theory of change; a sub-theory - Scott from Canada Ch. 13: Paying congress less is a bad idea - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the virtues of militaristic messaging MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent Image Credit: “The Burden is Undue” by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, slightly enhanced contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 10/09/2020 Today we take a look at the future of abortion rights and the broader reproductive justice movement in the face of a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The GOP Ended Up Hating Abortion - AJ+ - Air Date 8-4-19 Republicans and their base used to be more supportive of abortion rights than Democrats. Now, they’re pushing for abortion restrictions with an aim to overturn Roe v. Wade. Why did the GOP turn its back on abortion rights? Ch. 2: Body of Law Beyond Roe - On the Media - Air Date 12-13-19 Activist and scholar Loretta Ross explains the tenets of reproductive justice and how they expand the frame beyond Roe and abortion; Reva Siegel of Yale Law School describes the framework of ProChoiceLife. Ch. 3: Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion - National Network of Abortion Funds - Air Date 4-16-20 Access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, largely depends on where you live and how much money you have. Abortion funds are taking the hassle and harassment out of healthcare by helping people all across our network access and fund abortions. Ch. 4: 'It is time to have a national law to protect the right of a woman’s choice': Warren - ABC News - Air Date 2-7-20 Candidates weigh in on current abortion laws and President Donald Trump's campaign promise to shift the Supreme Court to the right. Ch. 5: What Happens When You Restrict Abortion? - AJ+ - Air Date 10-8-19 Restricting abortion access doesn’t have the same impact on everyone. It adversely affects people of color and low-income residents more. But why and how? We traveled to the place with the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S. to find out. Ch. 6: The Shadows of a Revolution - Capitalism Hits Home with Dr. Harriet Fraad and Julianna Forlano - Air Date 5-31-20 Lost abortion rights and no paid maternity or family leaves keep women from advancing at work as they take time to care for children. Abortion and family leaves are sites of the revolutionary struggle for America's personal and family life. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: "One Person, One Vote" is our saddest and scariest myth - Lance FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the zombie talking point of us living in a republic rather than a democracy MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Original Air Date: 9-1-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - How dynastic billionaires are destroying democracy - The mass psychosis induced by discussing mass psychosis   Reference: You Can Have Billionaires or You Can Have Democracy   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 9/11/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give deeper context to the current wave of right-wing extremists threatening violence against the government, our election system, mask and vaccine COVID measures and anyone not agreeing with their conspiratorial worldview. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Killing By Numbers: The history of April 19th and 20th - On The Media - Air Date 8-24-10 From Hitler’s birth to the killings at Waco, Columbine and Oklahoma City, each event echoes or evokes the anniversary of the last. Ch. 2: Gun marches - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 4-24-10 Reporting from 2010 on the anti-government, armed rallies in and around Washington, DC Ch. 3: The Michigan Kidnapping Plot And Whats Fueling Right Wing Extremism - Consider This - Air Date 10-9-20 The FBI announced Thursday that it had thwarted a plan by far-right militia members to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and charged six men in relation to the plot. The plot began as talk on social media sites. Ch. 4: Proud Boys & Far-Right Groups Tied to Jan. 6 Attack Reporters & Others at Anti-Mask, Anti-Vax Rally - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-23-21 As COVID-19 cases surge in the United States, anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests are continuing nationwide, with some turning violent. In a shocking story out of California, at least one person was stabbed and two journalists were attacked. Ch. 5: MAGA Republican Threatens Bloodshed If Elections Stay Rigged - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 9-1-21 Radical Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn threatens "bloodshed" if elections remain "rigged" Ch. 6: As GOP stays at war against elections, elections officials suffer threats, harassment - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 9-8-21 A rundown of recent right-wing would-be Capitol Bombers. Ch. 7: Spencer Ackerman on How the U.S. War on Terror Fueled and Excused Right-Wing Extremism at Home - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-6-21 In an extended conversation with Spencer Ackerman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter, he examines the connection he sees between the rise of right-wing extremism in the United States and the so-called war on terror. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How The FBI Got Inside The Hutaree Militia - All Things Considered - Air Date 4-24-10 Ch. 9: The Truth Behind The Alleged Michigan Kidnapping Case - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-22-21 According to the FBI, a group of men in Michigan hatched a plan to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year. But a Buzzfeed News investigative report has revealed new details—particularly the role that FBI informants played in it. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The downsides of term limits - Jonathan from NY Ch. 11: Term Limits, congressional pay and corruption - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on term limits and congressional pay MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: The U.S. Capitol building dome is outlined by a wooden gallows and a noose, which was erected on January 6th on the lawn of the Capitol by right-wing insurrectionists on January 6th, 2021. Credit: "Gallows V" by Tyler Merbler, Flickr | License | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/8/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of red-lining, the building and subsequent destruction of Black communities and the health and environmental impacts of segregation. The concept of “Structural Racism” is often a metaphor, not something physical that you can touch, but that is not the case when it comes to environmental racism.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Environmental Racism: A Hidden Threat with Dr. Dorceta Taylor - Black History Year - Air Date 4-19-21 We're making a deadly mistake if we don't talk about environmental justice when we discuss racism and Black liberation. Ch. 2: Redlining & Climate Change: A Deadly Combination - News Beat - Air Date 4-27-21 Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned redlining and housing discrimination in general, three out of four redlined communities rated "hazardous" 80 years ago are struggling economically today. Ch. 3: Monuments to Racism - Environmental Injustice on This Week in Social Justice - News Beat - Air Date 4-8-21 Guests: Catherine Flowers founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice and Amy Stelly, a designer and board member of the Urban Conservancy. Ch. 4: Environmental Racism is Real Part 1 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 We talk to Environmental justice lawyer Claire Woods about how black and brown communities face the brunt of many environmental justice issues, the connection to racism, and what we can do to help. Ch. 5: Biden Promises To Grapple With Environmental Racism - Short Wave - Air Date 2-4-21 NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher talks about the history of environmental racism in the United States, and what Biden's administration can do to avoid the mistakes of the past. Ch. 6: Environmental Racism is Real Part 2 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Environmental Racism: A Hidden Threat with Dr. Dorceta Taylor Part 2 - Black History Year - Air Date 4-19-21 Ch. 8: Monuments to Racism Part 2 - Environmental Injustice on This Week in Social Justice - News Beat - Air Date 4-8-21 Summary + reading from The Sum of Us on pollution in segregated cities VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Post-Civil War Reconstruction and the occupation of Afghanistan - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how structural racism becomes personal racism and comparing Reconstruction with the occupation of Afghanistan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: An official, rectangular metal sign bolted to a telephone poll displays the image of a cropped city map with a red outlined area. Below, the sign reads "Portland's Historic Redline District." Smaller text below reads "In Portland's past, 'redlining' practices created exclusionary zones for 'Negroes and Orientals' by real estate, banking and insurance companies. Agents could lose their licenses for crossing this color barrier. Now, urban gentrification displaces low-income families, as the remaining affordable housing stock in this area disappears."  Credit: "Redlining" by radcliffe dacanay, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/4/2021 Today we take a look at the slow motion disaster that is the worldwide refugee crisis. We start with the recent focus on Afghan refugees fleeing their country in the wake of America's 20-year war before expanding the view to American and European policies toward asylum-seekers from around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Advocates Call on Biden Admin to Move Faster on Resettling Afghan Refugees - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-18-21 President Joe Biden has allocated $500 million in new funds for relocating Afghan refugees following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The U.S. had already vowed to help evacuate over 80,000 Afghan civilians Ch. 2: “This Is What America Looks Like”: Ilhan Omar on Her Refugee Journey from Mogadishu to Minneapolis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-5-21 We speak with Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar about her memoir “This Is What America Looks Like,” the Biden administration’s recent airstrikes in her birth country of Somalia and why the U.S. must remain a country of refuge for people fleeing war Ch. 3: ‘Desperation And Frustration’: Rep. Omar Reacts To The Biden Refugee Cap - All In - Air Date 4-19-21 “It’s with desperation and frustration that we are speaking out against the Biden administration in their backtracking on this. We do applaud them for changing course, and we just want to make sure they follow through with clear communication.” Ch. 4: Why seeking asylum in America is so difficult - Vox - Air Date 7-12-18 America has led the world in refugee resettlement for 15 years, but asylum cases have pushed political tempers to a tipping point. Ch. 5: Green Thinking: Climate and Refugees - Arts & Ideas - 6-15-21 What role do museums and heritage organisations have to play in the climate emergency? How do we stop cultural and historical landmarks from falling into the sea, or is it time to learn to say goodbye? Ch. 6: This is the worlds deadliest border - Vox - Air Date 5-14-15 Nearly 2,000 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean so far this year. Vox's Dara Lind explains why. Ch. 7: Death toll surges as migrants try to reach Europe - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-27-20 There’s been a surge in the numbers of people drowning in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as migrants from Africa try to reach Europe. Activist groups are blaming European Union policies for their deaths. Ch. 8: Understanding the Refugee Crisis in Europe Syria and around the World - vlogbrothers - Air Date 9-18-15 In which John Green discusses the Syrian refugee crisis and the growing number of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea crossing the sea with the help of smugglers to seek refuge in European Union nations. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Red State Refugees - The Documentary Podcast - Air Date 8-25-20 President Trump has dramatically reduced the numbers of refugees arriving in the United States, vowing to protect native-born Americans’ interests. But there’s a catch - some of the nation’s reddest communities may not survive without them. Ch. 10: The Cycles of Trauma for Vietnamese Americans - In The Thick - Air Date 7-23-19 More than forty years after the Vietnam war, Vietnamese refugees are being deported under Trump's immigration policies. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: New listener - Mike from Texas Ch. 12: Misplaced focus on Manchin - Dan from Greenville, SC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on theories of change whether you want them or not MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 9/11/2020 Today we take a look at the easily predictable, yet growing, eviction crisis in America that is entirely thanks to a political and economic system that is structurally incapable of functioning for the benefit of people over profit. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ali Velshi Explains The Looming Eviction Crisis - MSNBC - Air Date 7-21-20 Ali Velshi breaks down why millions of Americans could be forced out of their homes Ch. 2: The Evictions Cliff Part 1, The Cost of Housing - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Dan Threet of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Jay Willis, senior contributor for The Appeal. Ch. 3: There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 7-11-20 There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? Ch. 4: Heartbreaking CNN Segment Highlights Eviction Crisis - The Rational National - Air Date 9-3-20 CNN puts a face to the eviction crisis that could hit 30-40 million Americans by the end of 2020. Ch. 5: The Evictions Cliff Part 2, Cancel Rent and Consider Housing a Human Right - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Tara Raghuveer, director of the campaign for a Homes Guarantee and founding director of KC Tenants. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Help Unhoused, Poor and Low-Income Voters Access the Ballot - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: Elizabeth Warren Talks Pending Eviction Crisis in America - NowThis - Air Date 7-25-20 ‘This coming eviction crisis is a racial justice crisis’ — Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains why the looming eviction crisis could be devastating for communities of color. Ch. 8: Can Trump Really ‘Stop Evictions?’ - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-2-20 A Trump administration order could allow many renters to avoid eviction through Dec. 31 Ch. 9: There Is No Ethical Capitalism - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 9-4-20 Understanding the amorality of capitalism through a structural lens VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the frames through which we see the world - Naomi from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the dominant culture, national myths and the dominance of whiteness TAKE ACTION! Join The Poor People's Campaign's "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Effort "We Must Do M.O.R.E" Digital Toolkit Watch the "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Moral Monday Mass Assembly on 9/14 at 7pm ET on Facebook National Low Income Housing Coalition: National Federal Eviction Moratorium & Toolkit Nonprofit VOTES: Voting information pertaining to unhoused people National Coalition for the Homeless "You Don't Need A Home to Vote" Manual Get involved in the "You Don't Need a Home to Vote" Project National Housing Law Project Resources for People Facing Eviction During the Pandemic National Homelessness Law Center 2020 Election Guide EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How the COVID-19 housing crisis could affect voter participation (Fast Company) Evictions Across US Raise Concerns About Voting Process (Voice of America) How The Eviction Crisis Could Compound Voter Suppression Come November (Huffington Post) Housing advocate on what to do if you’re being evicted: ‘You have rights’ (CNBC) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE "IMG_0344" from Chicago Right to Recovery Caravan Rally by Ervin Lopez on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, brightness and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 8/28/2021 Today we take a look at our departure from Afghanistan, how the decisions were made to leave in this fashion and what we should go going forward to prevent similar foreign escapades in the future Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 1 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Phyllis Bennis on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Ch. 3: Monday Morning Politics Afghanistan, Public Health Mandates, And More - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-23-21 Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and the infrastructure and budget bills in the House. Ch. 4: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 Ch. 5: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 The stunning collapse of the government of Afghanistan following President Biden's decision to remove U.S. troops from the country has led to chaotic scenes in Afghanistan, including at the airport in Kabul. Guest: New Yorker' staff writer Steve Coll. Ch. 6: When We Leave Afghanistan Tomorrow and Forever. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-21-21 Today’s episode explores our national amnesia, examines the Vietnam comparison, talks about what happens when our occupations end and questions the continuation of a wartime military budget. Ch. 7: Medea Benjamin Afghan War Is Cash Cow for Pentagon. Biden Must End Delusional China Rivalry - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-25-21 We look at the situation in Afghanistan, and pressure on Biden to stay longer, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who for years has called for an end to the longest war in U.S. history. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 Ch. 9: "Mayhem": Chaotic Scenes at Kabul Airport as Suicide Bombs Kill 110+ Afghans & U.S. Troops - Democracy Now - Air Date 8-27-21 The death toll from twin suicide bomb attack outside the airport has topped 110 people, including 13 U.S. troops. Ch. 10: Forever Wars Not Ending, Just Rebranding w/ Jacob Silverman - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 8-16-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Term limits, revolving door and inexperience - Bud from Boise Ch. 12: Individual, collective, ceremony and thanks - Jeff from the Mountains of California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the ups and downs of term limits and the benefits of a ceremony mindset MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 8/25/2021 Today we take a look at the history of the war in Afghanistan. First of all, do you think that it's been going on for 20 years? Think again, it's been a lot longer than that. From British Empire Building to Cold War gamesmanship, Afghanistan has been a center of conflict since long before American citizens bothered to take notice. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Matthew Hoh on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Ch. 3: The Afghan Pentagon Papers & An Illicit History Of The War - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 12-14-19 Michael Brooks breaks down the history of the modern military establishment. Ch. 4: War presidents - Rachel Maddow Show Ch. 5: The Afghanistan Papers Docs Show How Bush, Obama, Trump Lied About Brutality & Corruption of War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-19-21 We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. Ch. 6: The Pentagon Papers Of Our Time with Craig Whitlock - On the Media - Air Date 12-20-19 Bob Garfield talks with Craig Whitlock about the Afghanistan Papers and the comparison to the Pentagon Papers. Ch. 7: Spencer Ackerman Todays Crisis in Kabul Is Direct Result of Decades of U.S. War & Destabilization - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-20-21 As thousands of Afghans try to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control, we look at the roots of the longest U.S. war in history and spend the hour with Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter Spencer Ackerman. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: 30,000 speech - The Daily Show President Obama channels George W. Bush in his speech announcing the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. Ch. 9: The Afghanistan Papers with Steven Miles - News Beat with Rashed Mian and Christopher Twarowski - Air Date 12-23-19 We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: No bipartisanship for now - Rich from Oregon FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on questioning a theory of change before supporting an idea MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/21/2021 Today we take a look at the history of bipartisanship and appeasement in the US dating back to before the Civil War and tracking it all the way up to the current negotiations over the infrastructure bill.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 1 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden ran for president promising to “revive” the spirit of bipartisanship, put an end to factional battles, and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. Ch. 2: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren - The New Yorker: Politics and More - Air Date 10-19-20 Biden often speaks about bipartisanship as a cherished value that he would restore to Washington, but Ocasio-Cortez is dubious. Ch. 3: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 2 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Ch. 4: Exhaustion of Bipartisanship - In The Thick - Air Date 6-25-21 Maria and Julio discuss remarks from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the 38th annual NALEO Conference, and they get into the vice president’s visit to El Paso and the US-Mexico border. Ch. 5: Behind the Infrastructure of the Infrastructure Bill & The Real American Oligarchy - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 7-23-21 Sam and Emma host Ari Rabin-Havt, the former Legislative Director and Chief Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, to discuss the prospects of the Senate bipartisan infrastructure bill. Ch. 6: Manchin Capitol Riots Made Me MORE Bipartisan - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-9-21 In a recent interview, Senator Joe Manchin claimed that the Capitol Riots changed him, and made him double down on bipartisanship. Ch. 7: Why Appeasement Won't Work This Time Around - On the Media - Air Date 1-8-21 White southerners called it “redemption.” To Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum, it was a catastrophe of appeasement and an object lesson in the politics of reconciliation. Ch. 8: Keri Leigh Merritt on the New Lost Cause - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Historians are shaking their heads as media talk about January 6 as "unprecedented"; while shocking and dispiriting, it has layers and layers of precedent that need to be learned and engaged, if we are ever to actually have a racial reckoning. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-21-19 For most of American history, American politics has been under one-party rule. For decades, that party was the Republican Party. Then, for decades more, it was the Democratic Party. Ch. 10: What a More Responsible Republican Party Would Look Like - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-2-21 This is the modern G.O.P.: a post-policy party obsessed with symbolic fights and curiously uninterested in the actual work of governing. But does it have to be that way? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the merits of taking liars at face value MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/18/2021 Today we take a look at history of white people deciding to get their way through violence and the tradition of having the government look the other way Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The KKK: History and Myth - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-24-17 Practically nothing in the history of the United States has suffered from myth-making and misunderstanding as much as the history of race relations and racist violence. The history Ku Klux Klan is no exception. This is ironic. Ch. 2: Remembering a White Supremacist Coup - Reveal - Air Date 10-23-20 On the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that still plagues our nation today. Ch. 3: Voices: Children ‘stripped of innocence’ - Cape Up - Air Date 4-11-19 A member of the Little Rock Nine and a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing both lost the illusion of safety in their young lives. Ch. 4: Armed and Dangerous - On the Media - Air Date 9-24-20 Armed right-wingers are stoking violence in cities across the country. On this week’s On the Media, a look at the origins of the American militia movement. Plus, as things heat up, Facebook is fanning the flames. Ch. 5: The Evolution of All-American Terrorism - Reveal - Air Date 6-27-20 The Trump years have seen an increase in domestic terrorist attacks linked by hateful ideologies that thrive online. Reveal teams up with Type Investigations to track each case and determine what the government has done to fight them. Ch. 6: Radical Caucasian Extremism - News Beat - Air Date 1-9-21 This hugely important episode highlighted the threat posed by such extremists, even as many in the media and government engaged in Islamophobic rhetoric about Muslim Americans. Ch. 7: "Nobody actually accounts for this violence": How the FBI fails to track white supremacist terrorism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-5-19 Former FBI agent Mike German says "Unfortunately their policies have actually masked how they use their domestic terrorism resources to make it harder for the Congress to understand how many of those resources are going toward white supremacist violence," MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Tucker Carlson Doubles Down on White Supremacist 'Great Replacement' Theory - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 4-13-21 The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. Ch. 9: Southern Shame Culture & How to Fight Racism w/Jemar Tisby - The Holy Post - Air Date 1-20-21 Jemar Tisby (The Color of Compromise) rejoins Phil to discuss his new book, How to Fight Racism. Actual, real steps to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response on remix climate episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the arguments against individual climate action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo taken during "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, AL on March 7th 1965. A young John Lewis has fallen on the grass, lifting one hand, while a police officer stands over him wielding a billy club. Credit: "12 - Civil Rights Movement" (low resolution). Original from the Library of Congress (via U.S. Embassy The Hague on Flickr) | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 8/13/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give context to the news of the 2021 IPCC report ringing the alarm bells for the climate crisis Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The IPCC's new report - @greennewsreport - Air Date 4-3-14 Ch. 2: Green News Report w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen - Air Date 8-10-21 New U.N. climate report described as 'code red for humanity'; California's Dixie Fire now the largest in the U.S. and in state history; PLUS: Apocalyptic scenes from wildfires around the world demonstrate climate change is already here... Ch. 3: Global Water Shortages Pose Threat of Terror & War - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date 02-16-14 Ch. 4: The World's On Fire and There's Money in the Flames - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 8-10-21 Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive into a troubling UN climate report and discuss how capitalism prevents humanity from saving itself while undermining democracy. Ch. 5: Why humans are so bad at thinking about climate change - Vox - Air Date 4-19-17 The biggest problem for the climate change fight isn’t technology – it’s human psychology. Ch. 6: Report confirms the effect of climate change happening today, spurs action - @greennewsreport - Air Date 5-6-14 Ch. 7: When Republicans believed in climate change - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 04-22-14 Ch. 8: Geoff Mann: Transforming and Democratizing Institutions to Address Climate Change - Economics & Beyond with Rob Johnson - Air Date 8-9-21 Geoff Mann, professor of geography at Simon Fraser University and co-author of the book, Climate Leviathan, discusses the authoritarian dangers ahead, as the world tried to cope with climate change. Ch. 9: Climate crisis and jobs with Naomi Klein - What Comes After What Comes Next - Air Date 6-11-20 Naomi has spent two decades documenting the transformations that take place under the cover of disaster. She has also written extensively about how tackling the climate crisis can both create jobs and make the economy much fairer and more equitable. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Extreme Heat in the News, Naming Heat Waves, Thermal Equity and more with Dr. Ladd Keith - America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast - Air Date 7-5-21 Doug talks extreme heat with Dr. Ladd Keith, Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona. Ladd and Doug discuss the media coverage of the recent pacific NW heat wave. Ch. 11: Putting the Freeze on Global Warming - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-25-14 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the benefits of taking pride in work and country MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Fire engulfs trees in a forest at night. Smoke billows in the dark sky above the flaming, skeletal black trees. Credit: "The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest near in California began on Aug. 17, 2013 and is under investigation. The fire has consumed approximately 149, 780 acres and is 15% contained. U.S. Forest Service photo." by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/10/2021 Today we take a look at the mechanisms by which the legacy of White Supremacy is harmful to the health and wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Is Our Economy So … White (with Heather McGhee) - How To Citizen with Baratunde - Air Date 4-8-21 This week, author Heather McGhee breaks down the driving force of American economic exclusion via the swimming pool. Baratunde asks Heather about all she has learned traveling across the country to write her book, The Sum of Us. Ch. 2: The Role 'Nice White Parents' Play in School Segregation - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-9-20 Chana Joffe-Walt, producer for This American Life and host of the new podcast Nice White Parents, and Dr. Rachel Lissy, senior Program Officer at Ramapo for Children, talk about investigating the relationship between white parents and segregation Ch. 3: The NFL's Race-Norming Problem Is All Over Medicine - What Next - Air Date 6-7-21 The NFL recently announced it would stop using “race norming” when assessing who would receive a share of their recent $1 billing settlement for former players. The practice assumes Black players started with lower cognitive function. Ch. 4: One Bad Algorithm Advocates Say Facial Recognition Reveals Systemic Racism in AI Technology - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-20 Researchers say facial recognition software is up to 100 times more likely to misidentify people of color than white people. This week, Boston voted to end its use in the city. Ch. 5: People Like Us, Education - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Can We Finally End School Segregation? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-21-21 By many accounts, American schools are as segregated today as they were in the nineteen-sixties, in the years after Brown v. Board of Education. WNYC’s podcast “The United States of Anxiety” chronicled the efforts of one small school district. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Patriotism and the culture wars - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the nature of airing dirty laundry MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Color photograph of a corner of an old public pool that has been filled in. Where there was once water is now green grass. The railing of a metal ladder is still intact, but a weed grows around its base. Blue square tiles still edge the concrete corner.  Photo Credit: "The Memorial Pool in Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD, by artist Joyce J. Scott" by Graham Coreil-Allen (Pool/Park History) | License | Changes: Slightly cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 9/13/2019 Today we take a look at the history and the process of the building of an American empire that currently spans the globe but allows as few people of color to vote as possible. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Daniel Immerwahr: Empire State of Mind Part 1 - On the Media - Air Date 8-22-19 The history of US imperialism — and why the familiar US map hides the true story of our country. With Northwestern University historian Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States. Ch. 2: Doctrine of Christian Discovery - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 3: Harvest of Empire Part 1 - Making Contact - Air Date 6-25-19 It's not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States. Many Latin American’s were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions. And the US often had a role in creating those crises. Ch. 4: Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the US Border Around the World w: Todd Miller - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-27-19 Journalist Todd Miller (@memomiller) joins Sam to discuss his new book, "Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the U.S. Border Around the World." Ch. 5: Harvest of Empire Part 2 - Making Contact - Air Date 6-25-19 It's not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States. Many Latin American’s were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions. And the US often had a role in creating those crises. Ch. 6: Daniel Immerwahr: Empire State of Mind Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 8-22-19 The history of US imperialism — and why the familiar US map hides the true story of our country. With Northwestern University historian Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States. Ch. 7: Blood, lies and the American empire - This is hell - Air Date 5-13-19 Black Agenda Report's Danny Haiphong traces a 300 year history of fake news in America. Danny is author of the book American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News—From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Gun responsibility vs naked evil - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on this weeks topics poll MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 7/10/2020 Today we take a look at the origins and legacy of Manifest Destiny, the historical term most closely tied to our most toxic version of nostalgia: the one longing for America's golden age of genocide Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Intro contemplating conservative thinking applied to genocide Ch. 2: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 3: The Interest of the White Man demands their extinction - @BackStory - Air Date: 01-19-18 Ed talks with historian Benjamin Madley about the devastating impact of the Gold Rush on California’s native tribes – and how both government officials and everyday citizens justified enslaving and killing native peoples. Ch. 4: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 1 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 5: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 6: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 2 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 7: Paul Frymer on the building of an American empire - The Dig from @jacobinmag - Air Date 1-30-18 We are living on land from which indigenous people, over hundreds of years, have been violently removed. Almost everyone knows this — yet it’s rarely mentioned in stories that Americans tell themselves about who we are as a country and how we got here. Ch. 8: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 3 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 9: Understanding the origins of scalp hunting and "redskins" - Empire Files - Air Date 11-25-15 Abby Martin interviews Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, renowned indigenous scholar and activist, about her most recent book "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States." Ch. 10: Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz on digging deeper to understand America's past - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 6-16-16 We call up brilliant scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz to dig into her work, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the pain caused by the breaking of your shell of understanding MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Thannoid - Bodytonic Waltz for Zacaria - Cholate Quaver - Codebreaker Lahaina - Cloud Harbor One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Cloud Line - K4 Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard Astrisx - Bodytonic Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 8/1/2021 Today we take a look at the anti-government protests in Cuba in the context of decades of anti-communist propaganda in the US and our punishing embargo intended to destabilize Cuba to the point of governmental collapse.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: We Just Want the Basics - Rare Protests in Cuba Amid Deep Economic Crisis, Ongoing U.S. Blockade - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-14-21 We go to Havana, Cuba, to look at what is behind protests that brought thousands of people into the streets of Havana and other cities in rare anti-government protests denouncing the island’s economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ch. 2: Cuba Isn't Suffering Under Communism, It's The USA's Economic Stranglehold - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-15-21 The restrictions put in place by Trump Admin rollback of Obama admin's policies toward Cuba have created significant restrictions that are in the way of providing aid. Emma's suggestion is simple: Circumvent those restrictions immediately. Ch. 3: The Protests in Cuba Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 7-20-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the mass protests in Cuba. Ch. 4: What is McCarthyism And how did it happen - TED-ED - Air Date 3-14-17 In the 1950s, part of a campaign to expose suspected Communists, thousands of individuals were aggressively investigated and questioned by government panels. Named after its most notorious practitioner, the phenomenon known as McCarthyism destroyed lives. Ch. 5: A New Red Scare Is Coming - Second Thought - Air Date 7-9-21 If you thought McCarthyism was gone...well, no such luck. In this episode, we'll discuss the US' newest wave of reactionary, anti-communist rhetoric and legislation. Ch. 6: The Protests in Cuba Part 2 - Past Present - Air Date 7-20-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the mass protests in Cuba. Ch. 7: Tired of Waiting Cuban Americans Say Biden Broke Promise to Lift Cuba Sanctions & Thaw Relations - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-27-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Investigating Democracy - Now & Then - Air Date 6-8-21 On the second episode of Now & Then, “Investigating Democracy,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the history of congressional commissions. We discuss the 1954 back-and-forth between Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Army. Ch. 9: We Just Want the Basics - Rare Protests in Cuba Amid Deep Economic Crisis, Ongoing U.S. Blockade Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-14-21 We go to Havana, Cuba, to look at what is behind protests that brought thousands of people into the streets of Havana and other cities in rare anti-government protests denouncing the island’s economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Abortion terminology - William in Charlottesville, Virginia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the terms we use to explain our support of abortion rights MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]​

Air Date 7/28/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of residential schools for native children in the US and Canada. We hear some of the voices of victims, from those looking to establish truth and reconciliation and some thoughts on what it would really take to get a full accounting of this genocide and its impact through generations. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Boarding School Healing - Native American Rights Fund - Air Date 1-25-17 The Native American Rights Fund is pursuing strategies to support the healing of boarding school survivors; Native American children, families, and communities; and tribal nations. Ch. 2: Stealing Children to Steal the Land - Intercepted - Air Date 6-16-21 The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation uncovered a mass grave of 215 children on the grounds of a former residential school in British Columbia, Canada. Naomi Klein discusses the relationship between stolen children and stolen land. Ch. 3: How the US stole thousands of Native American children - Vox - Air Date 10-14-19 The long and brutal history of the US trying to “kill the Indian and save the man”. Ch. 4: What We Inherit - Code Switch - Air Date 6-5-18 On this episode, the story of one family's struggle to end a toxic cycle of inter-generational trauma from forced assimilation. Getting back to their Native Alaskan cultural traditions is key. Ch. 5: Sec. Haaland on healing from the indoctrination, dehumanization at Indian boarding schools - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 7-16-21 Like Canada, America has a painful history of creating boarding schools to assimilate Native American children, leading to trauma, abuse and death. For more than 150 years Indigenous children were taken from their families and forced into boarding schools Ch. 6: No Apologies, Land Back - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 7-5-21 Red Power Hour is back! The Red Nation podcast host Nick Estes (@nickwestes) joins RPH co-hosts Elena Ortiz (@spiritofpopay) and Melanie Yazzie to discuss justice for boarding and residential schools. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: The Legacy of Residential Schools (feat. Keith Burich) - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 6-10-21 The recent discovery of 215 bodies at the Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Canada surprised everyone except Native people. For several decades survivors of these genocidal institutions have told stories of the abuse, neglect and violence Ch. 8: Unapologetically Indigenous w/ Sarah Pierce and Amy Sazue - Future Hindsight - Air Date 2-25-21 Championing Indigenous students to be successful in school systems starts with school curriculums – telling the accurate history of the United States – and leadership that represents the Indigenous Americans they serve. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and patriotism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 7/24/2021 Today we take a look at the messaging wars over abortion and reproductive justice more broadly as well as the politics of supporting full abortion rights and the likely restrictions coming at the hands of the Supreme Court. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 1 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 How do we dismantle the anti-choice movement? We’re talking through what needs to change on our side, and how we can unify our message towards the anti-abortion crowd. Strap in, folks-- it’s the grand finale. Ch. 2: Controlling Women With Roe v. Wade at Risk, Authors Say Move Past Court to Save Reproductive Rights - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-13-21 The Supreme Court is set to review a MS law banning abortion after 15 weeks that intends to challenge Roe v. Wade, raising concern for advocates about how reproductive rights can be preserved without the landmark ruling. Kathryn Kolbert and Julie Kay. Ch. 3: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 2 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 Ch. 4: Does Roe v. Wade Stand A Chance Part 1 - Whats Next - Air Date 5-26-21 The fight over abortion access is far from settled. Ch. 5: Preston Mitchum on Roe and Reproductive Justice - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-21-21 We’ll talk about the Supreme Court’s potential overturning of Roe v. Wade with Preston Mitchum, director of policy at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, and adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center. Ch. 6: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 3 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 Ch. 7: Does Roe v. Wade Stand A Chance Part 2 - Whats Next - Air Date 5-26-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: This City Wants Your Racist Uncle to Enforce Their Abortion Ban - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-10-21 Lubbock, Texas, passed a “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance, a so-called heartbeat ban that would ban abortion at around six weeks. The ban would allow anyone to sue to enforce the ban—and not just anyone in Lubbock or Texas, anyone in the country. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Consequences of Everyday Racism - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the Podcast Awards MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Activists of varying ages standing on the side of a road hold up a red canvas banner that says "Abortion on Demand and Without Apology" in bold black letters. "Abortion on Demand and Without Apology" by Debra Sweet, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced saturation and contrast, extended the road for formatting purposes   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/4/2020 Today we take a look at the past, present and future of behavior modification from worms to pigeons to prisoners, and finally, internet users. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]    MEMBERSHIP (Get bonus content and ad-free episodes) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A History of Persuasion with Larry Stern - The Stakes with Kai Wright and Amanda Aronczyk - Air Date 8-8-19 Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 2: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 1 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 3: Yuval Noah Harari and Tristan Harris - Wired Magazine - Air Date 12-3-18 Discussing the unsettling fact that humans have far less agency over their thoughts and actions as we desperately want to believe Ch. 4: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 2 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 5: A History of Persuasion with Ian Leslie and Tristan Harris - The Stakes with Jai Wright and Amanda Aronczyk - Air Date 8-13-19 Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 6: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 3 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 7: Buying Attention - Hidden Brain - Air Date 1-1-18 In the internet age, viral stories and fake news have grown more powerful - algorithms give us exactly what pushes our buttons, and gave Trump his power. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Iowa caucus - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 9: The positive uses of anger - Chris from San Diego FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on my neoliberal nightmare of a day Limerick of the day from @Limerick_News MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Astrisx - Bodytonic Swapping Tubes - Studio J Wingspan - Bayou Birds Thannoid - Bodytonic Entrap - Darby PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date: 7-2-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Why the right wing, and many others, fetishize native tribes in the US HEAR THE REST! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content)   References: VOA News: Going 'Native': Why Are Americans Hijacking Cherokee Identity? https://www.voanews.com/usa/going-native-why-are-americans-hijacking-cherokee-identity   HuffPost: Why White Americans Love To Claim Native Ancestry https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-warren-cherokee-dna_n_5bc63a69e4b0a8f17ee6ba9a   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 7/13/2021 Today we take a look at the costs of the Olympic Games including financial, ethical, moral and social. Private profits come at the hands of public investment, disruption of communities, curtailing of rights and, this year, extensive health risks.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The Olympics Became So Expensive For Host Cities - CNBC - Air Date 6-21-21 Cities incurring overrun costs when hosting the Olympics is not just unique to just Rio; according to the Council on Foreign Relations, since 1960, every Olympics saw high overrun costs. As overrun costs become a growing concern, several cities withdrew Ch. 2: The 2020* Olympics - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-18-21 *Are being held this summer in Tokyo. And it’s a mess. Ch. 3: Lotteryism, Part II - A Most Dangerous Game, How Sports Are Used to Fleece Public Trusts - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-20-17 It's a scam to extract resources from local governments in hopes they can "win" corporate cash, headquarters, facilities, and, of course, the promise of "jobs". Cities around the world debase themselves to compete for the "honor" of hosting the Olmpics. Ch. 4: The 2021 Olympics is a Moral Hazard w/ Jules Boykoff - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 6-28-21 Jules Boykoff, Pacific University professor of politics and government, former US Olympian and author of NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond, discusses the Olympics industrial complex. Ch. 5: Sha'Carri Richardson's Suspension for Marijuana Defies Common Sense - Time's Top Stories - Air Date 7-2-21 In a development that shocked and saddened fans of track and field, and the Olympics, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Friday morning that Richardson had accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for cannabis. Ch. 6: Sha'Carri Richardson left off relay team, won't compete in Olympics - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-6-21 Runner Sha'Carri Richardson was not named to the U.S. relay team and will officially not compete in the Tokyo Olympics following her positive test result for marijuana. Ch. 7: Olympic Athletes Not Allowed To Protest - TYT Sports - Air Date 4-30-21 Athletes are being warned about protesting at the 2021 Olympics. Rick Strom breaks it down. Ch. 8: Anne Orchier of NOlympics LA on Tokyo 2020 Olympic Opposition - Burn It All Down - Air Date 7-8-21 Lindsay Gibbs interviews Anne Orchier of NOlympics LA about opposition to the Toyko 2020 Olympics from on-the-ground organizers in Japan, which is largely led by unhoused people and those who will be displaced by the games. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Olympic racism is being exposed - By Any Means Necessary - Air Date 7-6-21 The racist and transphobic history behind disqualification of Olympic women runners due to “naturally high testosterone” levels, as Nambian sprinters Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi are kept from competing in the Tokyo Olympics. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Names - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on why we all, including Sha'Carri Richardson, are victims of White Supremacy Bonus: The Racist Origins of Marijuana Prohibition - Business Insider - Air Date 3-1-18 How did marijuana become illegal in the first place? As it turns out, it has some roots in racist rhetoric pushed by politicians and the media in the 1930s, when it first became illegal. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/12/2020 Today we take a look at Restorative Justice as an antidote to a wide range of injustices we face, from mass incarceration to having a toddler throw a cheerio at your forehead and much of what lies in between. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Abolishing Prisons with Mariame Kaba Part 1 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-9-19 Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Ch. 2: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 3: Abolishing Prisons with Mariame Kaba Part 2 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-9-19 Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Ch. 4: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 1 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 5: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 6: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 2 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 7: Mass Incarceration, Violence & the Radical Possibilities of Restorative Justice with Danielle Sered - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-14-19 Danielle discusses the alternative options to a violent prison system with community interactions over punishment. Ch. 8: Restorative Justice with Sonya Shah - Justice In America with Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith - Air Date 3-13-19 When people feel responsible and connected it really changes their lives. Restorative justice works in schools. Our system is a goliath, but we are a million sparks to break it down. Ch. 9: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 10: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 3 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 11: Restorative Justice with Danielle Sered - Justice In America with Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith - Air Date 3-13-19 What does restorative justice look like? Community-driven repair, making sure the victims and perpetrators work together, rather than punishing both parties. Ch. 12: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 4 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 13: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 4 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. VOICEMAILS Ch. 14: Even the clip out of context gave enough context - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the one thing I know about all of your friends MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon

Air Date 7/6/2021 Today we take a look at the talking points and policy pushes that have kept wages in America artificially low for decades. The circumstances today are almost entirely new with unprecedented, COVID-related upheaval shocking the economy and labor market but the tactics used the demean workers and undermine their rights are as old as the hills. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Michael Hiltzik on No One Wants to Work! Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-14-21 Data doesn’t support a connection between unemployment benefits and difficulty in hiring is beside the point. That work “ethic” equals the willingness to work in whatever conditions at whatever wage is an unchallenged with Michael Hiltzik. Ch. 2: The Labor Shortage Ruse How Capital Invents Staffing Crises to Bust Unions and Depress Wages - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-28-21 Industry lobbying groups constantly whine about "labor shortages," knowing the media will mindlessly repeat these claims without any skepticism as to why they're reporting the exact same "labor shortages" each year for 40 years. Guest CEPR's Kevin Cashman Ch. 3: Why Do We Work So Damn Much - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-29-21 This is a conversation with James Suzman about the past, present and future of humanity’s relationship to work and to want. Ch. 4: Michael Hiltzik on No One Wants to Work! Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-14-21 Data doesn’t support a connection between unemployment benefits and difficulty in hiring is beside the point. That work “ethic” equals the willingness to work in whatever conditions at whatever wage is an unchallenged with Michael Hiltzik. Ch. 5: How U.S. policy was designed to suppress wages (with Larry Mishel and Josh Bivens) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 6-1-21 Larry Mishel and Josh Bivens, explain how their work reveals that massive upward redistribution of income our nation has suffered these past four decades can largely be attributed to policies intentionally designed to suppress wages of American workers. Ch. 6: Jaisal Noor on Worker Co-Ops, Duncan Meisel on Fossil Fuel Greenwashing - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-11-21 An important part of a counter-narrative is provided by worker co-operatives: the way they treat workers, and productivity, and the balance of worker health and company success, in a pandemic and every day. Today we speak with Jaisal Noor. Ch. 7: Insurgent Working Class and Organization - Economic Updates with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 6-17-21 Wolff is joined by Professor Manny Ness to discuss worker insurgencies and political organizations in the global South today. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Labor Shortage Ruse How Capital Invents Staffing Crises to Bust Unions and Depress Wages Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-28-21 Ch. 9: How U.S. policy was designed to suppress wages (with Larry Mishel and Josh Bivens) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 6-1-21 Ch. 10: Why Do We Work So Damn Much Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-29-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Blog renaissance - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: On the etiquette of difficult names - Bud from Boise FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the etiquette of difficult names MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Close up photograph of a tip jar on a counter. A handwritten sign taped to the jar says "Tips are how we make a living wage! xoxo". Credit: "Tips are how we make a living wage" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and enhanced brightness and contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 6-17-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Exploitation of the poor carefully explained away - Increasing wealth of the ungodly wealthy raucously celebrated   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected] 

Air Date 6/29/2021 Today we take a look at racism on a more personal level than usual with a focus on individual lived experiences that still speak to the systemic nature racism more broadly. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Full Notes and Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1427) BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What kind of Asian are you? - Helpmefindyourparents - Air Date 5-23-13 In this video, What Kind of Asian are you? Scott plays a friendly jogger who is very interested in guessing the heritage of Stella. Ch. 2: USA Still Leaving Afghanistan, Still Shooting Unarmed People w/ Christopher Rivas - Even More News - Air Date 4-16-21 In today's episode, we're discussing forever wars, never-ending police violence, and vaccines. Wow, you guys, it's a lot. Ch. 3: The Struggles Of Being An Asian American - Refinery29 - Air Date 5-31-18 In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, we wanted to close out this time with a discussion on what it means to grow up Asian American. We speak with several women who share their experiences and wisdom gained from it. Ch. 4: That Sad History That Led to Ma’Khia Bryant’s Death & Why We Blame Her - sonyareneetaylor (Instagram) - Air Date 4-22-21 Police murder is so constant and consuming forcing us to find ways to mitigate the trauma response in our own bodies. one unfortunate way we do that is to pretend there is something the person could have done that would have kept them from being killed. Ch. 5: 'Where We Come From': By Any Other Name - Code Switch - Air Date 6-26-21 Anyone with a name that isn't super common in the United States will tell you that the simple act of introducing yourself can lead to a whole interrogation: Where are you from? What does your name mean? Help me pronounce it using words I understand! Ch. 6: Is Racism Making People Sick - Glad You Asked - Air Date 4-3-21 After the events of 2020, we are no strangers to stress and anxiety. But for Black and brown Americans, that stress was nothing new. Racial health gaps have always existed within the medical system. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: People Like Us - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on removing the hyphen from hyphenated Americans Article: Drop the Hyphen in Asian American - Conscious Style Guide MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] ​ ​ ​

Air Date 6/26/2021 Today we take a look at the mainstreaming of Pride in recent decades and what that is doing to the liberatory origins of the Pride movement. Corporatization and "pink washing" highlight the wide-but-shallow support for LGBTQ liberation while debate over inclusion of LGBTQ police marching in uniform highlight the remaining oppressions that are still ignored by large swaths of the more mainstream-friendly LGBTQ community. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Full Notes and Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1426)   Follow @WhoWroteBetter (https://twitter.com/WhoWroteBetter)   BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are Corporations Taking Advantage of Pride - Hysteria - Air Date 6-17-21 Tien Tran and Shaniqua McClendon stop by to discuss cause marketing and why pride is feeling more pink washed than year’s past. Finally, why Batman is actually the worst boyfriend...in Sanity Corner. Ch. 2: Pride - PFLAG National What Makes Pride - Air Date 6-1-21 Viewers get to know two BIPOC Pride organizations and their organizers: Jay Walker, Co-Founder of Reclaim Pride Coalition, and Taylor Alxndr, Executive Director of Southern Fried Queer Pride. Ch. 3: The History of LGBTQ+ Pride Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 6-15-21 In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of LGBTQ+ Pride. Ch. 4: Kink, Cops And Corporations At Pride - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 6-4-21 When Pride comes around every June, the same arguments start up again— should there be kink, cops and corporations at Pride? And who is Pride for? Sam talks to writer and author Roxane Gay. Ch. 5: The History of LGBTQ+ Pride Part 2 - Past Present - Air Date 6-15-21 Ch. 6: The Status of Laws and Policies Targeting the Transgender Community - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-1-21 Across the country, state legislators have introduced bills that target members of the transgender community. Ch. 7: Chasten Buttigieg Blasts Hypocrisy Of RNC Chair, Stresses The Equality Act - MSNBC - Air Date 6-9-21 Chasten Buttigieg blasts the RNC chairwoman for claiming her party is supportive of LGBTQ Americans MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Progress on voting rights, filibuster, SCOTUS upholds Obamacare - The BradCast - Air Date 6-17-21 The Republicans' stolen-and-packed Supreme Court approved discrimination against same-sex couples by a Philadelphia foster care group, but LGBTQ advocacy groups say the very narrow ruling could have been much worse. Ch. 9: Pride 2021 has set a record in anti-trans bills in America - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-6-21 Ivette Feliciano spoke with Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice for the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, about this record setting year in state legislation aimed at the transgender community. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: American Rescue Plan, Equality Payment - Rich Ch. 11: Curation - Amy Ch. 12: Corporatocracy - Christian Ch. 13: Pumping up Twitter - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on @WhoWroteBetter on Twitter (https://twitter.com/WhoWroteBetter) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/23/2021 Today we take a look at the purposeful effort to erase the history of anti-Black terrorism in America and the renewed efforts expose our true history in order to learn from it and create the opportunity for healing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Full Notes & Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1425) BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The massacre of Tulsa's "Black Wall Street" - Vox - Air Date 2-27-19 100 years ago, a white mob destroyed an American neighborhood called “Black Wall Street,” murdering an estimated 300 people in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ch. 2: Joseph Torres on Media & Tulsa Massacre - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-4-21 Janine Jackson interviewed Free Press’s Joseph Torres about media and the Tulsa Massacre for the June 4, 2021, episode of CounterSpin. Ch. 3: Blood on Black Wall Street - Excavating the Past - Into America - Air Date 6-3-21 100 years ago this week, a white mob burned down Tulsa's Greenwood District, a bustling business district. For decades, the government refused to acknowledge the Tulsa Race Massacre ever happened. Ch. 4: The Tulsa massacre, 100 years later - Today, Explained - Air Date 6-1-21 It was one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history, but for a long time very few Americans learned what happened to the Black residents of the Greenwood district in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ch. 5: Clint Smith on Juneteenth Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-18-21 As President Biden signs legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday to mark the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation we speak to the writer Clint Smith MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Michael Harriot, Senior Writer for TheRoot.com, the Nation's Largest Black Online Newspaper - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 6-20-21 Al talks to Michael Harriot, Senior writer at The Root online newspaper Ch. 7: The Legacies of Slavery Hidden in Plain Sight w/ Clint Smith - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-14-21 Sam and Emma host author Clint Smith, staff writer at the Atlantic, to discuss his new book, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America on how the legacy of slavery has been passed down and obscured through generations VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: University athletics - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on Deadline for Democracy marches and Harriet Tubman's lifespan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Historic, black and white photograph of the aftermath of the Greenwood Massacre (Tulsa, OK). A man in overalls and a hat walks through rubble, his face in silhouette. All around him is destruction, downed power lines, and the remnants of building facades. Credit: "Greenwood Massacre", Flickr | License | Changes: cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/19/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of obstruction in service to big donors' interests while sacrificing the ability to run a functioning democracy in the process.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: West Virginia's Robyn Kincaid on the maddening Joe Manchin - The BradCast - Air Date 6-9-21 Robyn Kincaid explains the mysteries of Manchin, the history of his family's political dynasty in the state, and key factors that may be at work in Manchin's inexplicable obstruction of Biden and the Democrats' agenda. Ch. 2: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Ch. 3: Filibuster Helps Manchin Hide In Plain Sight w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-12-21 Breaking down the conflict-averse nature of the Democratic Party. Ch. 4: Breaking Down President Biden's $6 Trillion 2022 Budget - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-21 The president's budget attempts to incorporate plans on infrastructure, housing, and healthcare, and is likely to receive conservative backlash for raising the federal deficit. Ch. 5: What Does Joe Manchin Want? John Nichols on Filibuster Reform - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-9-21 Congressional action could block voter law changes—but that requires filibuster reform, and Joe Manchin says he won’t vote for filibuster reform. What does Joe Manchin want? John Nichols comments. Ch. 6: Joe Manchin Gets Candid With Billionaire Donors in Leaked Audio - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-16-21 Sen. Joe Manchin reveals his thoughts on the filibuster in a leaked Zoom call with fundraisers. Ch. 7: Does America Have a Chance At Democracy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-12-21 When a political party is more obsessed with identity than issues - America is in trouble. Can America function as a multi-racial, ethnic, religious democracy? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Ch. 9: Filibuster Helps Manchin Hide In Plain Sight w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-12-21 Explaining Manchin's love of being the center of attention and those who love to use him as a shield against criticism BONUS Ch. 10: Curation Lesson #4 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Bo Burnham's "Inside" TAKE ACTION! June 21st in D.C. & Virtual: Poor People's Campaign: March to Demand a 3rd Reconstruction | TW: @UniteThePoor Pressure Manchin & Sinema via No Excuses PAC | TW: NoExcuses_PAC Pressure Manchin via West Virginia Can’t Wait |TW: @WVCantWait Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Abolish The Filibuster | Song A Day #4542 - Jonathan Mann Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image. Photo of Sen. Kristen Sinema (D-AZ) on the left and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the right. More than half of their images are overlaid with red, the rest with blue. A vector image of the U.S. Capitol is in the foreground, a rope is coiled around the dome being pulled at each end out of view. Credit: Composite image designed by Amanda Hoffman Image 1: "Kyrsten Sinema" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays Image 2: "FAA REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION" by Senate Democrats, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Do you feel valued by your health insurance company? Because they are definitely working to extract as much value out of you as they can. Air Date: 6-4-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - The native residential schools - Broken health insurance exchanges - Health insurance company meddling - Health insurance companies using surveillance capitalism - Feeble efforts to resist commodification Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/12/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of sports including racism, sexism, capitalism, media and mental health. So, pretty much just like regular politics but with the one group of rich people who society broadly thinks don't have a right to be heard. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Uneven Playing Field with Howard Bryant - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-21-20 Professional sports are never more than an inch away from the deepest core of what's happening in America. They are an amazing crucible of politics and culture that manage to reflect the issues we are working through as a country. Ch. 2: The 'Ungrateful Athlete': Anti-Black, Anti-Labor Currents in Sports Media - Citations Needed - Air Date 5-19-21 On this episode, we parse the racist, anti-labor characterization of athletes in media, how they are both scary threatening men and tiny children who shouldn't be paid and breakdown how this topic has cultural implications to other labor struggles. Ch. 3: Absurdly Racist NFL Scandal EXPOSED In New Pledge - The Damage Report - Air Date 6-3-21 The NFL pledged to halt the use of “race-norming”. John Iadarola and Dr. Rashad Richey break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 4: Jackie MacMullan Tells Kyrie Irving That NBA Players Are Team Property - TYT Sports - Air Date 1-15-21 Jackie MacMullan made an inexcusable comment to Kyrie Irving. Rick Strom breaks it down. Ch. 5: Why College Athletes Don't Get Paid - Vice News - Air Date 12-29-19 College sports have become a multi-billion dollar industry, but the NCAA's regulations prohibit amateur athletes from profiting off their abilities to go pro. But a new lawsuit could completely uped the NCAA and the college athletic business model. Ch. 6: Hope Solo Wants Soccer Justice - Edge of Sports - Air Date 5-24-21 This week we speak to legendary goalkeeper Hope Solo about her 20 year career in USA Soccer and what she would do if she was in charge of the Federation. We get into issues concerning equal pay and the pushback. Ch. 7: Naomi Osaka, Athletes, and Mental Health - Past Present - Air Date 6-8-21 In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the controversy over tennis champion Naomi Osaka’s decision not to participate in post-match press conferences. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Sole By The Pound: Sonny Vaccaro on NCAA Sham Amateurism - Edge of Sports - Air Date 11-30-16 Today we speak to the most influential person in basketball who never laced up sneakers or coached on a sideline: former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro – the guy who connected sneaker money to so-called amateur hoops. Ch. 9: Megan Rapinoe - The Old Man and the Three with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter - Air Date 11-25-20 As a soccer superstar, Megan Rapinoe is beloved and admired worldwide. But as her millions of fans know, it's not just because of what she does on the pitch. A well known activist, she has been outspoken and a leading voice on several topics VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Critical Race Theory and objective facts - Christian from Arkansas FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the future continued breakdown of shared realities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cropped photo of four, African American, San Francisco 49ers football players kneeling on the side lines before a game during the national anthem, two with hands over their hearts. Other people of various races stand around them, one woman looks over at the kneeling players.  Credit: "San Francisco 49ers National Anthem Kneeling" by Keith Allison | Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/9/2021 Today we take a look at the motivations behind legislation being introduced in statehouses around the country to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory, criminalize the right to protest and limit the right to vote. Now if only there were some theory we could look to to understand the complicated interconnectedness of these subtly racist ideas... Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War Over Teaching America's Racist History in Schools - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 5-5-21 Most students in America are only taught about a handful of important Black Americans in history class. Here’s a look at why schools should teach students about race and why certain parents are opposed to that shift. Ch. 2: Critical Race Theory - Past Present - Air Date 5-25-21 In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the current controversy over critical race theory. Ch. 3: Elly Page on Anti-Protest Bills - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-23-21 If the Chauvin verdict is testament to the power of protest, so too are the vigorous efforts to squelch that power. Plus: Right-wing legislators target trans kids at the state level. Ch. 4: Not Ready For That Conversation - On The Media - Air Date 4-23-21 Tami Abdollah [@latams], national correspondent for USA Today, on how Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have been introducing bills to criminalize protests — or as they put it, to stop the rioting. Ch. 5: GOP States Are Pushing for Stricter Penalties for Protesters - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-27-21 The Takeaway spoke with Nora Benavidez, the director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, and Elly Page, senior legal advisor at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, working with the U.S. Protest Law Tracker. Ch. 6: Weaponizing Trump's Big Lie: Ari Berman on GOP's War on Democracy & Voting Rights - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-10-21 Extreme voting restrictions have advanced in several Republican-led states across the U.S., including in Florida. Mother Jones reporter Ari Berman says these efforts are an extension of former President Trump’s “big lie” about voter fraud. Ch. 7: Is the GOP Insanity Being Driven By Trump or 40 Years of Madness? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-4-21 This “Trump grip” narrative is nonsense and it needs to stop —the Republican Party has made it crystal clear with their voter suppression efforts that they no longer believe in democracy. They are doing this because they want to. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Walk Out: Texas Democrats Block Passage of Voter Suppression Bill by Leaving Capitol Ahead of Vote - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-21 Trey Martinez Fischer says the legislation would have “a tremendous impact” on ballot access in the state. “Just like every bad policy, Hispanics, Latinos and Asian Americans will be disproportionately impacted," "the time for a national response is now." Ch. 9: How Corporate Media Protects Violent Cops - Carlos Maza - Air Date 6-4-20 Police departments across America have declared war on unarmed protesters. They get away with it thanks to a corporate media ecosystem that helps shield cops from criticism and discredit the people protesting police brutality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Lesson #3 The Value Proposition FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Iconography of a person speaking into a bullhorn with an arm up and other people icons listening to represent "protesting" with a red circle with a line through it over the image. Credit: "No protesting" by David Pursehouse | Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced contrast, saturation and brightness   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/6/2021 Today we take a look at the tensions building between the US and China with an emphasis on understanding the context in which China has grown from a Cold War afterthought into a force capable of challenging American hegemony.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript LISTEN TO UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Graham Allison: Is war between China and the US inevitable - TEDTalks - Air Date 11-20-18 Taking lessons from a historical pattern called "Thucydides's Trap," political scientist Graham Allison shows why a rising China and a dominant United States could be headed towards a violent collision no one wants. Ch. 2: The world's great powers - Worldly - Air Date 2-18-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex break down one of the DC foreign policy world’s hottest new catchphrases: “great power competition.” It’s the idea that international politics in the 21st century will be dominated by a struggle for influence between the US & China. Ch. 3: The Century of Humiliation w/ Carl Zha - The East is a Podcast - Air Date 6-12-20 Carl Zha is the host of the Silk and Steel podcast. Ch. 4: Why Is China Investing Billions in Africa - NowThis World - Air Date 12-16-18 China has invested billions of dollars into the continent of Africa to build massive infrastructure projects in African countries. Ch. 5: China's trillion dollar plan to dominate global trade - Vox - Air Date 4-5-18 It's about more than just economics. Ch. 6: Vijay Prashad Warns Biden Is Doubling Down on Trumps Anti-China Cold War Policy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-16-21 Beijing has accused the U.S. of perpetuating a Cold War mentality as President Joe Biden and senior administration officials shore up alliances in the Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Industrial Policy: How the Green New Deal's Architects Would Do IP - ChinaTalk - Air Date 5-13-21 Saikat and Zack take us inside the creation of the Green New Deal, lay out how bold leadership can change a nation's economic trajectory, lament Democrats' lukewarm appetite for industrial policy, and offer up their vision for a American developmental Ch. 8: What the West Can and Cannot Learn from China - Economics & Beyond with Rob Johnson - Air Date 2-8-21 Rodney Jones, a long-time Asia analyst, colleague of Rob Johnson's, and currently Principal of Wigram Capital Advisors in New Zealand, discusses how China and other Pacific Rim countries succeeded in containing the Covid-19 pandemic VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Don't forget all the work that goes into the show - Nick From California Ch. 10: #1358 and explaining the systems of power - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the Center for Humane Technology as a response to Surveillance Capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: A Chinese flag waves just above an American flag in front of a background of trees. Image Credit: "American and Chinese flags" by futureatlas.com | Flickr   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/1/2021 Today we take a look at the world of surveillance capitalism and the current age of techno-optimism that is just the newest iteration of the age-old effort to consolidate power and wealth by undermining individual freedom and democratic self governance. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 1 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. Ch. 2: Sharon Weinberger: Inside the massive (and unregulated) world of surveillance tech - TEDTalks - Air Date 12-1-20 From microscopic "smart dust" tracking devices to DNA-tracing tech and advanced facial recognition software, journalist Sharon Weinberger leads a hair-raising tour through the global, unregulated bazaar of privatized mass surveillance. Ch. 3: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 2 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. Ch. 4: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What’s the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? Ch. 5: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 3 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. Ch. 6: That Time Disney Built a Creepy Government - Wisecrack - Air Date 1-15-21 Disney World is beloved all over the globe for the pure escapism it offers. But the story behind this fantasy world is a lot weirder, and a whole lot less magical than it might seem. Ch. 7: Uh-Oh, Nevada Wants To Let Corporations Form Their Own Governments - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 3-4-21 In Stephen's unfortunate new segment "Uh-Oh," he takes a look at the dangers posed by a Nevada bill that would allow big tech companies to build and govern their own cities without state oversight. What could go wrong? Ch. 8: What data and digitalisation could mean for your democratic future with Shoshana Zuboff - OECD - Air Date 12-19-20 What does the digital acceleration in this pandemic mean for our future? Shoshana Zuboff spoke with Anthony Gooch. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Steve Durbin — Identity Is Weaponized - ISF Podcast - Air Date 3-29-21 ISF CEO Steve Durbin and producer Tavia Gilbert discuss the ISF’s latest report, Threat Horizon 2023: Security at a Tipping Point. Today, we dig deeper into the report’s second threat: Identity is weaponised. Ch. 10: Rana Foroohar: The Surveillance Economy - New Economic Thinking - Air Date 8-22-20 Financial Times columnist Rana Foroohar talks to Rob Johnson about how the pandemic opens the door to more surveillance technology from Silicon Valley, but also to a growing consensus on reigning in Wall Street excess. BONUS:  Ch. 11: Curation Lesson #2: Alternative option explained VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Mere aggregation - Diana Ch. 13: Use It or Lose It copyrights - Jonathan from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments to say thanks MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Close-up of a single human eye with the faded pattern impression of a microchip around the edges.  Credit: Spying eye | Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] ​ ​ ​

Air Date 7/2/2019 Today we take a look at the ways in which Christians are being rallied to see themselves as the true victimized minority in America, a key component to stoking right-wing nationalism Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Rise of the Christian Taliban - The Intercept with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-20-18 Mehdi Hasan is here to warn you about a growing threat to the laws and values of the United States from a group of religious extremists and fanatics. Ch. 2: Reverse Discrimination Isn't A Thing - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 4-11-19 The religious right claims reverse discrimination in that they are being unfairly required to exist in the same world as trans people Ch. 3: Is Mike Pence Christian? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-15-19 Mike Pence argues that to be a Christian one must discriminate against gay people, prevent women from getting abortions or birth control, support tearing refugee children from their parents and prevent the working poor from having access to healthcare. Ch. 4: Mike Pence Whines Over How Hard It Is To Be Christian - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 5-18-19 Mike Pence insists that it's the Christians who are being discriminated against. Ch. 5: Educating and Engaging with Lyra McKee - This Way Out - Air Date 4-29-19 Lyra McKee (full TEDx talk) shares her experiences transforming lives with conversations in religious spaces Ch. 6: Master Plan to Dismantle LGBTQ Rights - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 4-25-19 What are the LGBTQ cases heading to the Supreme Court? It's 2019 and people can be fired for not adhering to heteronormative gender ideas. Corporate, Christian, Conservative resistance is damaging and disgusting. Ch. 7: House Passes the Equality Act - This Way Out - Air Date 5-20-19 The House passes the Equality Act in an effort to stop LGBTQ discrimination and ensuring their freedoms. GOP is pushing back with the fallacious idea that white Christians are being discriminated against. Ch. 8: Demand the Senate Pass the Equality Act & Protect Trans Health Rights - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 9: Speaker Ryan Firing Chaplain is True Attack on Religious Liberty with Dr. Reverend Barber and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-1-18 Republicans are always claiming that everything progressives do is an attack on religious liberty, even sometimes just existing by some people is seen as an attack on "religious freedom'... in the meantime, Republican speaker Paul Ryan fires a religious leader fires a Chaplain over politics? VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: From depression to anxiety - Corey from New Jersey Ch. 11: Prisoners dilemma and the presidential election - Heather FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the overthinking many do during primary elections TAKE ACTION! Tell the Senate to Pass the Equality Act Protect Trans Health: Comment on Trump’s Discriminatory Rule EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 7 maps show the mess LGBT laws are in the USA (USA Today) The Senate should stand up for all Americans and pass the Equality Act (Rep. Patrick Maloney in The Hill) A History of Federal Non-Discrimination Legislation (93rd - 114th Congress) (Human Rights Campaign) Why Trump Is Rolling Back LGBTQ Health-Care Protections (The Atlantic) The Trump Administration Will Allow Health Workers To Refuse Abortion And Sex Reassignment Services (Buzzfeed) Black Trans Women Are Being Murdered in the Streets. Now the Trump Administration Wants to Turn Us Away From Shelters and Health Care. (ACLU) Researched & written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Entrap - Darby Quaver - Codebreaker Astrisx - Bodytonic Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Gusty Hollow - Migration Minutes - Pacha Faro Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 5/25/2021 Today we take a look through a wide-angle lens at the current flareup of the conflict in Israel and Palestine including a discussion of disparate power dynamics, lived experience in Palestine, the creation story of Hamas, understanding the definition of apartheid and recognizing how the reactions in American politics and media are shifting. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Michael Brooks takes a question on Israel - The Mill Series - Air Date 3-9-20 The Mill Series hosted Michael Brooks at Lafayette College on Thurs Feb 27, 2020. Ch. 2: Life and Death in Occupied Palestine - Deconstructed - Air Date 5-21-21 On May 7, Israeli police raided the Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem during the evening prayer. Hamas responded a few days later by launching rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel retaliated with its own strikes, and the violence escalated. Ch. 3: Blowback: How Israel Helped Create Hamas - The Intercept - Air Date 2-20-18 Did you also know that Hamas — which is an Arabic acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement” — would probably not exist today were it not for the Jewish state? Ch. 4: Is Israel Guilty Of Apartheid Against Palestinians - AJ+ - Air Date 5-14-21 Although it’s most famously associated with the white supremacist regime that used to rule South Africa, apartheid is actually a crime with specific conditions. In this explainer, we look at what those conditions are and whether they truly apply to Israel Ch. 5: Focus on Palestine feat. Mohammad Alsaafin - Chapo Trap House - Air Date 5-20-21 Felix is joined by journalist for AJ+ Mohammad Alsaafin for a wide ranging discussion on Palestinian resistance and the future of Zionism and the Palestinian cause. Ch. 6: Heather Digby Parton on why the reaction to Israel is different this time - Ring of Fire Radio - Air Date 5-21-21 Heather Digby Parton will be here to run down the biggest stories of the week. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Debunking Israel's Human Shield Defense in Gaza Massacre - Empire Files - Air Date 5-19-21 Abby Martin gives 5 points that evaporate Israel's assertion that the civilians it kills in Gaza were "human shields." Ch. 8: The U.S. Media Has A Palestine Problem - AJ+ - Air Date 5-22-21 Israeli occupation of Palestine tends to be a touchy subject for news media, so much so that they break journalistic standards and writing etiquette just to avoid implicating one party another BONUS Ch. 9: Curation Lesson #1: Definitions  FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments playing a logical deduction guessing game in celebration of Towel Day MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world) Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/22/2021 Today we take a look at the global struggle to acquire and distribute sufficient doses of vaccine in an effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not going as well as one might hope. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy!   OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: PRODUCTION SOFTWARE: Check out the fancy audio/video editing/transcribing/collaborating software we use! BLINKIST: GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BOTL BOOKSHOP! BOTL MERCHANDISE! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? GET IN TOUCH!   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Pandemic Immunoprivilege - In The Thick - Air Date 4-27-21 Ranna Ayyub writes for Time Magazine about the COVID-19 crisis in India and the Prime Minister’s failure to lead during this second wave. Ch. 2: We're Torn Apart: Inside India's Worsening COVID Nightmare - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 5-12-21 Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, joined host Jamilah King on the podcast to talk about the impact this decision could have on bringing the pandemic to an end. Ch. 3: Filipino Activist Walden Bello Global Vaccine Disparity Shows Irrationality of Global Capitalism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-5-21 The international disparity in vaccine access between rich and low-income countries highlights “the irrationality of global capitalism,” says acclaimed Filipino scholar and activist Walden Bello. Ch. 4: Media Ramps Up Vaccine Patent Propaganda Production - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 5-8-21 Refuting the hollow arguments made by the likes of Bloomberg News against waiving the vaccine patents. Ch. 5: #VaxLive is a PR Scam So Those Causing Vaccine Inequity Can Pose as Saviors of Global Poor - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-30-21 We breakdown the anti-TRIPS waiver corporate and ideological forces behind the seemingly good-hearted #VaxLive concert on May 8th. Ch. 6: Covid Vaccines - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-3-21 John Oliver explains why some people don’t want to get the Covid-19 vaccine and how they might be reassured. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: James Love on Bill Gates & Vaccine Politics - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-7-21 How we navigate that has to do with media’s elevation of “experts” like Bill Gates raise serious questions about why we allow billionaires to set policy on something as important as public health. We talk about that with James Love. Ch. 8: #VaxLive is a PR Scam So Those Causing Vaccine Inequity Can Pose as Saviors of Global Poor Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-30-21 Ch. 9: Pandemic Immunoprivilege Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 4-27-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Disney IP and copyright law - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on our recent bonus episode about surveillance capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/18/2021 Today we take a look at the potential of the end of American involvement in the war in Afghanistan as well as some of our recent actions related to Yemen and Syria as well as our relationship with Saudi Arabia. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST  |  UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Will Biden End the U.S. "Forever War" in Afghanistan? - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 4-15-21 President Biden announced a complete troop withdrawal from what he called the “forever war” in Afghanistan, by September 11th. “Only the Afghans have the right and responsibility to lead their country,” Biden said from the White House. Ch. 2: America is finally leaving Afghanistan - Worldly - Air Date 4-15-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex talk about President Joe Biden’s announcement that all remaining US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that launched the war. Ch. 3: Let's End the War in Yemen - Deconstructed - Air Date 2-12-21 In his first significant foreign policy announcement since taking office, President Biden broke with both former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama and declared an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Ch. 4: A Crisis Made in America Yemen on Brink of Famine After U.S. Cuts Aid While Fueling War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-17-20 The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is deepening amid the pandemic and cuts to international aid from the United States and its allies, leaving millions of Yemenis facing famine after years of a brutal U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing campaign Ch. 5: Biden Bombs Syria - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 3-17-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and Matt discussed Joe Biden's decision to bomb Syria and what it means for his foreign policy going forward. We also talked with David Sterman of New America about what it means to have an endless war. Ch. 6: The Art of Fake-Ending Wars - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-14-21 In this episode, we discuss the United States' history of fake-ending wars, who these pronouncements are meant to please, why troops levels are often impossible to know, and why so many of our so-called "wars" are not really wars at all, but occupations MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Joe Biden's War Powers - Intercepted - Air Date 4-28-21 If you went back and looked at every foreign policy decision Joe Biden made — every single one — would you be any closer to understanding him? Ch. 8: Samantha Nutt: The real harm of the global arms trade - TEDTalks - Air Date 6-23-16 In some parts of the world, it's easier to get an automatic rifle than a glass of clean drinking water. Is this just the way it is? Samantha Nutt, doctor and founder of the international humanitarian organization War Child, explores the global arms trade VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Disney, racism and capitalism - Sasha Ch. 10: Recommending "Somebody" podcast for example of DARVO - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on DARVO from the police in the Somebody podcast Bonus clip: Somebody MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 7/20/2020 Systems maintain themselves through the efforts of many moving parts that need not understand their roles in maintaining the system as a whole, only their specialized task. Today, I use a case study incident to show how the system of racism defends itself against attack. Many separate parts, none of which understand how their individual actions connect to the larger system, work in complicated yet predictable ways to carry out this defense of racism much like the many specialized antibodies of an immune system work together to isolate and eradicate threats to the host. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to the story of a story Ch. 2: Yascha Mounk on antiracism in America - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-10-20 Ch. 3: Jay explains the fraught nature of interracial relationships Ch. 4: Introducing the Education Council Meeting incident - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-10-20 Ch. 5: Edward Irizarry speaks about the privilege and racial dynamics of the council Ch. 6: Explaining DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender Ch. 7: Robin Brochi responds to Edward Ch. 8: Tom demands to know what’s racist about holding a brown baby Ch. 9: Additional input from other council members Ch. 10: The story of the story Ch. 11: Recap and wrap up Original meeting video: CEC D2 Working Business Meeting June 29, 2020 16:55 - Edward Irizarry Speech 22:50 - Robin Brochi's Apology 26:25 - Tom Wrocklage asks what about his actions were racist 39:20 - Beginning of segment that is ultimately clipped out of context Tom's I-have-a-black-friend video: My friend from my living room on the June 11th CECD2 meeting Tucker Carlson on 'White Fragility' Tucker Carlson segment mentioning CEC Meeting incident FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Theme - The Good Fight podcast Opener - American Moon Bicycle Waltz and Fury - Macrame Rafter - Speakeasy When We Set Out - Arc and Crecent Thannoid - Bodytonic Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date: 5-11-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: #NotAllEngineers Hoping to remake the culture with the power of government is optimistic Corporate virtue signaling while upholding the status quo injustice Gender and fish are bullshit Who put the T into LGBTQ? Addendum: just don’t make me think. References: On Tyranny - Timothy Snyder Red Bull, Elon Musk, and Matt Gaetz - The Bulwark Brooke speaks with Lulu Miller about her new book, "Why Fish Don't Exist" Billy Bragg - Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted Commentary: I love Disney World, but wokeness is ruining the experience Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 5/8/2021 Today we take a look at the culture that Disney has helped create and how they did it, using cuteness as a weapon to push ideas from racist stereotypes and segregation to the masterful use of hollow nods toward progressivism while reinforcing the ethics of individualism in order to give systemic injustice a pass.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 1 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Scholar, writer, and activist Walidah Imarisha is someone who’s been thinking hard about what stories Disney tells and why. She teaches a class on race and Disney films at Portland State University. Ch. 2: 40 Acres and a Movie - Still Processing - Air Date 4-8-21 Disney owns a piece of every living person’s childhood. Now it owns Marvel Studios, too. Jenna and Wesley look at depictions of racist tropes and stereotypes in Disney’s ever-expanding catalog. The company has made recent attempts to atone for its past. Ch. 3: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 2 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Ch. 4: Woke Disney - Lindsay Ellis - Air Date 9-30-21 Nodding to progressive ideas while just proping up capitalism is just marketing. Ch. 5: Disneyfication of American History - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 6: How Disney Ruined Culture - Wisecrack - Air Date 11-9-20 It's no surprise that Disney has an absolute stranglehold on the culture we consume today. But the joys of the Magic Kingdom aside, what if it's actually kind of really bad for art? We'll explain in this Wisecrack Edition: How Disney Ruined Culture. Ch. 7: The (Not So) Wonderful World of Disney - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 2-16-18 Sam talks to filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy E. Disney, about her views on inequality in the U.S., corporate greed and why, despite her last name, she's become one of the more vocal and prominent critics of The Walt Disney empire. Ch. 8: DED Talks: Why Walt Disney is Nothing Like You Think He Was - Cracked - Air Date 1-19-15 Disney tell's his story MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Disneyfication Of Cuteness - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 10: Copyright: Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-23-21 This video, like everything else in the world, is copyrighted. But what does that really mean? Copyright laws started out as a way to protect creators from having their hard work stolen, but it's turned into something else entirely. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Ableism in the show - Alyson from Colorado FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Woke Disney and Ableist language MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/5/2021 Today we take a look briefly at the trial of Derek Chauvin itself before moving on to various responses, a wide-angle lens on some of the forces at play in policing and the work still to be done. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Chauvin Found Guilty on All Counts - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-21-21 Introducing the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin Ch. 2: Chauvin Guilty - Criminal (In)justice - Air Date 4-22-21 A Minneapolis jury has found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in the murder of George Floyd. What does it mean for criminal justice reform? Ch. 3: Black Visions Collective: We Need to Abolish the Police & End Militarized Occupations of Our Cites - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-21-21 We go to Minneapolis to speak with Kandace Montgomery, co-executive director of Black Visions Collective, about their response to the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Ch. 4: Chauvin's Conviction Wasn't An End But A Beginning - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-25-21 Staff writer for The New Republic, Osita Nwanevu, joins the show to share his thoughts on the conviction of Derek Chauvin. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Ch. 5: What have we learned - Dr. Roger Ray Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-25-21 While we want to show respect and support for public servants generally, such respect must also be met, especially now, with a willingness to question authority and to challenge the racism and classism that is so deeply embedded in policing. Ch. 6: Live Event Announcement Join Jay and Roger Ray in a live discussion on  Ch. 7: Why Cops Don't Change - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 4-19-21 A retired NYPD detective says the force’s stubborn, insular culture was built to last. And Elie Mystal explains a 1989 Supreme Court ruling that made killing “reasonable.” Ch. 8: What have we learned - Dr. Roger Ray Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-25-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Why Cops Don't Change Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 4-19-21 Ch. 10: The Work That Remains in the Wake of Guilty Verdict for Derek Chauvin - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-28-21 The guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin came as a relief to many nationwide, but the number of people killed by police since his trial began underscores the broader issues that remain. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A rant for Patrons - Andy from New Orleans FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the business of progressive media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 8/22/2020 Today we take a look at the long history and motivations for voter suppression, explain why it tends to help one party over the other and why vote-by-mail is the best solution to the majority of our voting problems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay explains that voter suppression is like pointillism in that it can only be understood by taking a wide enough view   Ch. 2: Why Do We Still Wait in Line to Vote? Part 1 - The Other Washington from @civicskunkworks - Air Date 5-18-17   Ch. 3: The pointillism of voter suppression (continued)   Ch. 4: Victoria Bassetti of the Brennan Center on the myth of widespread voter fraud - @DecodeDC - Air Date 10-20-16   Ch. 5: @AriBerman: Kris Kobach Is Helping Trump Lay Groundwork for Nationwide Voter Suppression Effort - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-05-17   Ch. 6: Voter ID Suppressed 200,000 Wisconsin Votes; Trump Won by 22,748 - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 05-11-17   Ch. 7: Carol Anderson on the Realities of Voter Suppression - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-12-18   Ch. 8: Why Do We Still Wait in Line to Vote? Part 2 - The Other Washington from @civicskunkworks - Air Date 5-18-17 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Know Your Voting Rights & Make a Plan (ACLU) Let People Vote - State-by-State Rules & Options (ACLU) Volunteer for a 2020 Voter Protection Team (FairFight) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  "December 10 March for Voting Rights" by Michael Fleshman |Changes: cropped | License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/24/2021 Today we take a look at the major infrastructure investment plan proposed by the Biden administration, progressive perspectives arguing to make it better and the need to democratize the institutions that constitute our infrastructure. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   **REGISTER FOR OUR LIVE EVENT! Join Jay! & Dr. Roger Ray on May 10th @ 8pm ET for a Progressive Colloquy!**   MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP!   EPISODE SPONSORS: Check out UnF*cking The Republic Podcast! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The American Prospect's David Dayen on Biden's new American Jobs Plan - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-31-21 Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Ch. 2: An Infrastructure Plan That Includes Unions, Climate and Economic Balance - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-1-21 Megan Cassella, Politico reporter covering Biden administration economic policy, talks about the big infrastructure proposal from President Biden. Ch. 3: Is America big enough to Go Big again? - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 4-13-21 It’s time for America to go back to the future – a future of true greatness created by a people united to build a strong nation for the Common Good. Ch. 4: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. Ch. 5: Infrastructure, Jobs, and More - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-5-21 Catherine Rampell, syndicated opinion columnist at The Washington Post, political/economic commentator at CNN and special correspondent at PBS NewsHour, runs through the latest in national politics and news. Ch. 6: Ernesto Falcon on Internet for All, Alexander Kaufman on Future-Proofed Housing Codes - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-19-21 We’ll hear about the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act (AAIA) from Ernesto Falcon, senior legislative counsel at Electronic Frontier Foundation. Ch. 7: Live Event Announcement Ch. 8: Workers Successfully Take Over their Workplaces - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 4-15-21 On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses how the US home rental market is failing over 20% of all renters, and the basic flaws in Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The American Prospect's David Dayen on Biden's new American Jobs Plan Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-31-21 Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Ch. 10: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Further thoughts on public welfare programs - Craig from Ohio Ch. 12: More thoughts U.S. complicity - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the new propaganda paradigm leading the charge at Fox News Bonus clip: THE QUESTION MARK - THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART - Air Date 9-13-06 Bonus clip: Tucker Carlson Jeopardy - The Daily Social Distancing Show - Air Date 2-15-21 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE Description: Worker in a hard hat installing fiber optiic internet cable lines from a giant spool into a concrete hole in the ground.  Credit: "SRNL Fiber Optic Cable Installation" by Savannah River Site, Flickr | License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/21/2021 Today we take a look at the insurrection and police violence through the lens of White Supremacy and the rise of the likes of Tucker Carlson who has become the leading spokesman for laundering White Supremacist talking points through a marginally respectable facade. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   **REGISTER FOR OUR LIVE EVENT! Join Jay! & Dr. Roger Ray on May 10th @ 8pm ET for a Progressive Colloquy!**   MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jan. 6 would have been a massacre if police had reacted like it were a BLM protest - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-14-21 "It is very hard not to see some fundamental contradictions in how our country, the state, wields force against its citizens," says Chris Hayes, comparing police responses in Black Lives Matter protests and the Capitol riot. Ch. 2: Black, White, and Blue - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-18-21 While many are uncomfortable with calling for defunding the police, there is no way around the need for massive reform of our nation’s police force (and military) to root out the systemic racism that makes encounters between white police and black citizen Ch. 3: Tucker Carlson - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 3-15-21 Tucker Carlson is admired by white nationalists, elected officials, and maybe some of your relatives or coworkers. Given that he has the ear of so many Americans, John Oliver explains where Tucker came from and what his rhetorical tactics are Ch. 4: Where Are the Good Apples Among America's Police? - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 4-16-21 Trevor reflects on the ever-present occurrence of deadly police violence against Black people in the U.S. and the seeming lack of cops willing to rise up and take a stand against it. Ch. 5: Did Tucker Carlson Order Insurrection - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-26-21 The last broadcaster to suggested something like this against the United States government, was Axis Sally. Worse it was all based on a lie that you might believe about the second amendment. Ch. 6: Hard-Right Republicans Form Caucus To Protect Anglo-Saxon Political Traditions - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-16-21 According to reports, a group of House Republicans including Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Green and Arizona's Paul Gosar are forming an "America First Caucus" to protect "Anglo-Saxon political traditions." Ch. 7: Tucker Carlson Doubles Down on White Supremacist 'Great Replacement' Theory - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 4-13-21 The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Arrest The Police - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-16-21 Jared and Nick have a frank discussion on policing in America in the wake of the Adam Toledo shooting in Chicago. Plus, they dissect what it is the Republicans are embracing considering the usual tropes don't seem to hold as much weight anymore. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments TAKE ACTION! If you pay for cable, you are supporting Fox News: UnFoxMyCableBox via Media Matters Tell Congress: I Won't Pay for Hate via Free Press EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE If you have cable, you are subsidizing Fox News. It might be time to cut the cord. Here's how (Daily Kos) ‘Fox News cheats’: Twitter explains how you pay Fox even if you don’t watch it—and how you can stop (Front Page Live) Fox News Foes Face Uphill Fight to Get Cable Network Dropped (Bloomberg) Tweet from Sleeping Giants on Carlson's lack of advertisers (Sleeping Giants) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: An artist's rendering of Fox New's host Tucker Carlson, with knitted brows, wearing a Klu Klux Klan robe and hood and pointing straight ahead. The background is a Confederate flag. Credit: "Tukkker" by Paul Lee, Flickr | Public Domain    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/17/2021 Today we take a look at the surge of anti-trans legislation coming from Republican-controlled state legislatures. Being concerned that suppressing voter turnout by targeting Black and Brown voters may not be enough to keep them in power, they are resorting to targeting another vulnerable population in the next of their infinite series of attempts to create a wedge issue by pitting people's lives and wellbeing against the prejudices of their constituents.  We also examine the harm being inflicted on trans people, the trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists who have partnered with conservative coalitions to limit trans rights and briefly explore the world of sex-segregated athletics.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Problem with the Focus on the Family - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Ch. 2: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 1 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Caller clarifies misinformation of data regarding trans identified youth vs youth referred to gender clinics. Ch. 3: Trans Day of Visibility Activists Chase Strangio & Raquel Willis Demand Action on Anti-Trans Laws - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-31-21 “We are truly witnessing an escalation of attacks on trans people unlike anything I’ve ever seen in government,” says Chase Strangio. We also speak with journalist and activist Raquel Willis, who says higher visibility for trans people is not enough. Ch. 4: As Anti-Trans Bills Advance, Trans Journalists Weigh In On 'Privilege' Of Reporting - Consider This from NPR - Air Date 4-9-21 Dr. Joshua Safer, the executive director at Mount Sinai's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, explains why gender-affirming therapies — such as puberty blockers or hormone treatment — are safe and healthy for trans youth. Ch. 5: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 2 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Ch. 6: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 1 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 The coordinated flood of legislation isn’t new. But now, it’s targeting kids. Ch. 7: Activism: Tell the Senate to Pass the #EqualityAct to Protect LGBTQ+ Rights, and More - Best of the Left - Air Date 4-17-21 Ch. 8: The "radical feminists" working against trans rights - Post Reports - Air Date 2-26-20 Samantha Schmidt on a strain of feminism that rejects the existence of transgender identity. Ch. 9: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 2 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 Ch. 10: Hudson Taylor: How Rethinking Sex-Segregation in Sports is the Key to Equality - TEDx Talks - Air Date 10-27-16 Hudson Taylor's talk offers the following thesis: If we are to end homophobia and trans-phobia in the world of sports (and in the world at large), we must end sexism and gender stereotyping in sports first. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: As Anti-Trans Bills Advance, Trans Journalists Weigh In On 'Privilege' Of Reporting Part 2 - Consider This from NPR - Air Date 4-9-21 Misconceptions about trans people can be shaped by who tells their stories. Three trans journalists weigh in on how that should be done: Imara Jones - creator of TransLash Media, Kate Sosin - reporter at The 19th, Orion Rummler reporter at Axios. Ch. 12: The Problem with the Focus on the Family Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Ch. 13: Archie Crowley: Language around gender and identity evolves (and always has) - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 3-31-21 Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the messy nature of reality TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protest sign that says "TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS" with two Trans Pride flags on either side of the word "ARE."   Credit: "Trans Rights are Human Rights" by Marc Nozell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, blurred edges to wide image   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS)   Posted April 16, 2021; Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1412: Trans People as Disposable Chess Pieces in a Despicable Political Game

Air Date 4/14/2021 Today we take a look at the one element of our government that, above all others, has contributed to the absolute disfunction of our democracy. The filibuster was never intended by the founders, always anti-democratic, often used for racist ends and is now being abused at a rate never before seen. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Filibuster - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 9-9-19 John Oliver explains why filibusters exist, why they shouldn't, and why it's stupid to drink coffee like a cat. Ch. 2: End the Filibuster: Calls Grow to Retire Relic of Slavery & Jim Crow to Make Senate More Democratic - Democracy Now! Air Date 1-25-21 New President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate. Ch. 3: Count How Many Lies Mitch McConnell Spews In This 1 Minute Clip - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-24-21 Mitch McConnell is on a warpath, and he's getting all his favorite lies lined up. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Ch. 4: Will Democrats Finally Kill the Filibuster Once and for All - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-21-21 Adam Jentleson, who served as a former senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Mehdi Hasan to explain the history of the filibuster and how, according to Jentleson, it helps conservatives override the nation's democratic system. Ch. 5: Is Filibuster Reform Mitch McConnell's 'Kryptonite?' - Zerlina. - Air Date 3-16-21 Rep. John Yarmuth thinks so. He explains to Zerlina Maxwell why the rule is so important to the Senate Minority Leader, and why McConnell is “scared to death” about the possibility that Democrats will abolish it. Ch. 6: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 David Sirota explains the motivations and unseen pressures playing on Joe Manchin as he continuously pivots his position on the filibuster. Ch. 7: Activism: Support No Excuses PAC and W.V. Cant Wait - Best of the Left - 4-14-21 Ch. 8: Now Is the Time to End the Filibuster - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-18-21 Amy Goodman gives a commentary explaining the need to end the filibuster. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: 'What Are We Waiting For?': Why Filibuster Reform Should Happen Sooner Than Later - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 3-19-21 Adam Jentleson, former deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, talks with Rachel Maddow about why it's a good idea for Senate Democrats to reform the filibuster and pass popular legislation Ch. 10: Reid Calls for Filibuster Reform to End Gridlock - Nevada Senator Harry Reid - Air Date 11-22-13 On the Senate floor, Senator Reid laid out why we need to reform the rules to ensure qualified presidential nominees get up-or-down votes. Ch. 11: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Wading into the discussion on the child tax credit - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on racism and population TAKE ACTION! No Excuses PAC WV Can't Wait EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Parliamentarian Rules Democrats Can Officially Bypass the Filibuster (Truthout) Inside the West Virginian Movement to Push Joe Manchin to the Left (The New Republic) Progressive PAC kick-starts search for challengers to Manchin, Sinema (Politico) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cartoon version of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holding a chart that says "Republican Filibusters." The horizontal bar graph below the title shows an X axis starting with "88th term 1963-64" and ending with "110th term 2007-2008." The bar values range from 3 at the beginning of the time-line to "153 Projected for end of term" at the end. Credits: "Mitch McConnell, Filibuster King" by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License | Changes: Increased white background to make vertical image square, smudged existing shadow to extend farther, dark blue border added   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/10/2021 Today we take a look at the need for a modern assessment of the corporate monopolies who dominate our online and offline experiences, including seeing the negative consequences of monopolies through a racial justice lens. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! EPISODE SPONSORS: Unf*cking the Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Big Tech and a Decade of Antitrust with Cory Doctorow Part 1 - Exponential View with Azeem Azhar - Air Date 1-6-21 Cory Doctorow, award-winning author, technologist, and founder, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the power of big tech monopolies and how a future wave of antitrust lawsuits could unleash innovation across the sector. Ch. 2: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Ch. 3: Big Tech and a Decade of Antitrust with Cory Doctorow Part 2 - Exponential View with Azeem Azhar - Air Date 1-6-21 Ch. 4: The Facebook News Blackout and the News Media Bargaining Code - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-23-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Ch. 5: Reimagining Anti-Monopoly Activism Through Racial Justice -- feat. Liberation in a Generation's Jeremie Greer Part 1 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 3-26-21 Rebecca talks to Jeremie Greer--one of Liberation in a Generation's co-founders and co-exec directors--about centering grassroots leaders of color in the anti-monopoly movement, and reimagining the antitrust movement’s work through a racial justice lens. Ch. 6: Big Tech and a Decade of Antitrust with Cory Doctorow Part 3 - Exponential View with Azeem Azhar - Air Date 1-6-21 Ch. 7: Reimagining Anti-Monopoly Activism Through Racial Justice -- feat. Liberation in a Generation's Jeremie Greer Part 2 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 3-26-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling Part 2 - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 Ch. 9: Anti-Monopoly Activism with Liberation in a Generation - Economic Security Project - Air Date 3-29-21 In Anti-Monopoly Activism: Reclaiming Power through Racial Justice, Jeremie Greer and Solana Rice (co-founders and co-executive directors of Liberation in a Generation) argue for organizers of color to be embedded—and centered—in the anti-monopoly fight. Ch. 10: Reimagining Anti-Monopoly Activism Through Racial Justice -- feat. Liberation in a Generation's Jeremie Greer Part 3 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 3-26-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Child tax credits don't cause population booms - Erin from Philadelphia Ch. 12: Biden and China - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on child welfare programs, birth rates and uncomfortably honest political talk MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 4-8-21   BECOME A MEMBER TO HEAR THE FULL VERSION   Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - The great shames of the nation - A comparison between Korean-language and English-language coverage of the Atlanta shootings - When it comes to catalyzing a will to change, seeing is believing (and motivating) - The GOP culture wars are about to go scorched-earth because they have nothing else   References: Rolling Stone: Atlanta Spa Shootings: What Korean-Language Media Told Us That the Mainstream Media Didn’t   WaPo: 'Reclaiming the Public Narrative': A fundraising proposal from the American Culture Project   Heather Cox Richardson   hbomberguy: WOKE BRANDS   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 6/17/2020 Today we take a look at the uprising sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the context of a world in which that event was just the last straw in an innumerable series of straws. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die - Code Switch - Air Date 5-31-20 The last few weeks have been filled with devastating news — stories about the police killing black people. At this point, these calamities feel familiar — so familiar, in fact, that their details have begun to echo each other. Ch. 2: Tamika Mallory Nationwide Uprising Against State Violence Shows People Have Reached Breaking Point - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-4-20 Tamika Mallory: “At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera … is no longer acceptable... people have taken to the streets to demand change." Ch. 3: Trevor Speaks Out About the Murder of George Floyd - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-1-20 Trevor discusses the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the Minneapolis protests, and how racial injustice and police brutality continue to impact black Americans. Ch. 4: Why The 2020 Anti-Racism Uprisings Feel Different - News Beat - Air Date 6-5-20 A veteran of the 1967 Newark Rebellion discusses George Floyd’s death, the culture of police brutality, and whether today's movement can produce change. Ch. 5: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 6: Uprisings Against Police Killings of Black People - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-3-20 After a week of protests, the nationwide (and now worldwide) uprising against racism and police killings of Black people in response to the murder of George Floyd continues to grow. Ch. 7: The thin blue line between looting and standard economics - The Bugle - Air Date 6-6-20 Andy, Hari and Tom react to the protests in the USA. Ch. 8: "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" At Memorial for George Floyd, Mourners Condemn 400 Years of Racism - Democracy now - Air Date 6-5-20 We hear the voices of Floyd’s brother Philonise and Reverend Al Sharpton, who urged those gathered “to stand up in George’s name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks!'” Ch. 9: Protests Sweep Across the Globe - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Americans take to the streets in historic numbers to protest police brutality, the demand for books about racism skyrockets, and meaningful police reform catches on. Ch. 10: This Is Not a Game - In The Thick - Air Date 6-12-20 Maria and Julio get into how race and activism show up in sports - historically and in the current Black Lives Matter movement - with Howard Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN and correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition. Ch. 11: NFL's Roger Goodell We Were Wrong, #BlackLivesMatter - The Young Turks - Air Date 6-5-20 NFL's commissioner has released a statement saying they were wrong to stop protests. Ch. 12: Amanpour Knows an Uprising When She Sees One - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-9-20 CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour has seen a lot of unrest around the globe. She says we have to see the George Floyd protests for what they are. An uprising. Ch. 13: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Many foreign leaders have condemned the killing of George Floyd, but demonstrators outside of the U.S. are also attempting to call attention to racial injustice within their own borders. Ch. 14: Protest, Pain & Hope with Karen Attiah - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 6-4-20 Washington Post Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah discusses the ongoing protests sparked by police brutality, legacies of racial violence in America, and the language we use to speak about inequality. Ch. 15: Roundtable On Police Killings & Global Resistance - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the international response to the police killing of George Floyd. Countries are now being forced to face their own racism and the inter-relationship between racism and imperialism. Ch. 16: #DefendBlackLives: Join the #SixNineteen (#Juneteenth) Rallies 6/19-21 Virtually, Locally or in DC via @Mvmnt4BlkLives Ch. 17: Voices of the uprising - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 Highlighting the voices of protesters TAKE ACTION Join The Movement for Black Lives' SixNineteen mobilization: 6/19 (Juneteenth) through 6/21 Visit SixNineteen.com to find events near you, participate virtually, join the D.C. action, or register your own event Text DEFEND to 90975 to get updates on #SixNineteen and future actions Follow @Mvmnt4BlkLives and use #DefendBlackLives , #SixNineteen , #BlackLivesMatter ,& #DefundthePolice on Twitter EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE #SIXNINETEEN: Movement For Black Lives Calls For Juneteenth Actions (Essence) An American Uprising (The New Yorker) Black Lives Matter Chapters What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Magazine) America, This is Your Chance (NY Times Op-Ed, Michelle Alexander) Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide (Slate) Freedom to Thrive: Reimagining Safety & Security in Our Communities (Popular Democracy) Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism (Fractured Atlas) A Letter to White People Engaged in Conversations Around the Phrase “Defund The Police” (Medium) Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank (Louisville Courier Journal) This Is How Hard It Is to Invest in Black Neighborhoods (Bloomberg CityLabs) Researched and Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!  

Air Date 4/03/2021 Today we take a look at the need for reform to our gun laws through the lens of the recent mass shootings. Support for various reform measures reaches as high as 90% approval in the US, making it one of the most stark examples of our broken, unresponsive, undemocratic government. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The Covid Pandemic Changed Mass Shootings And Gun Violence In America - NBC News NOW - Air Date 3-26-21 NBC News' Jacob Ward takes a look at the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on mass shootings and gun violence to see how those trends might change now that states begin to lift Covid-19 restrictions. Ch. 2: Now's Not The Time To Fix America's Gun Problem, Says GOP In Familiar Refrain - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 3-23-21 As gun violence flares up once again in this country, Republicans are quick to change the subject while gun apologists roll out their standard response to calls for reform: now is not the time. Ch. 3: The gun solution we're not talking about - Vox - Air Date 9-11-19 Universal background checks won't fix America's gun crisis. But there's something else that might. Ch. 4: How Manchin & A Broken Senate Squandered U.S. Will Fair or Gun Reform After Sandy Hook - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 3-24-21 Rachel Maddow looks back on how Joe Manchin, with Pat Toomey, in the wake of the Sandy Hook gun massacre, supplanted President Obama's call for universal background checks Ch. 5: Guttenberg After Another Mass Shooting: "This Is Not About The Second Amendment" - Deadline - Air Date 3-23-21 Gun safety advocate Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jamie in the Parkland school shooting, expresses his frustration with the lack of gun safety legislation, and calls to end the hold the NRA has on Republicans. Ch. 6: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-26-21 This week on CounterSpin: If you look, you can find reminders that the Second Amendment was forged, distressingly, with the aim of preserving “slave patrol” militias in the South. And that courts consistently interpreted it as meaning a “collective” right Ch. 7: Can You Look At The Carnage Of Gun Violence? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-24-21 Could you look at the mangled bodies of Americans murdered by gun violence without demanding that guns stop being so available? Ch. 8: Ban Assault Weapons Now - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-25-21 The massacres in Boulder, Colorado, with ten killed, and in metro Atlanta, with eight killed, are just two more instances of senseless gun violence enabled by the NRA. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings - The Takeaway - Air Date 3-26-21 A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings This week, a gunman in Boulder, Colorado killed ten people while they were shopping in a local grocery store. Ch. 10: Why Do People Kill? Lt Joe Kenda Explains The "Killer Triggers" - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 3-23-21 Lt. Joe Kenda (ret.) was a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department for twenty years. During that time, he solved 356 of the 387 murder cases he investigated. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Maintaining beliefs and cognitive dissonance - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the cognitive biases related to aquiring new information TAKE ACTION! March for Our Lives:  MFOL Aid and Alliance - A resource sharing program that will distribute nearly $500k to support anti-violence work led by BIPOC youth organizations and activists on the ground. Directly supporting communities most impacted by gun violence and decentering whiteness in the movement. MFOL Policy Demands for Biden-Harris Administration EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Violence Against Women Act Runs Into GOP Objections on Guns and Trans Rights (Mother Jones) $5 Billion For Violence Prevention Is Tucked Into Biden Infrastructure Plan (NPR) Can New Gun Violence Research Find a Path Around the Political Stalemate? (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Young woman holds a sign at a rally that has the crossed-out words "Thoughts and Prayers." Underneath, it says "REFORM." Credit: "March for Our Lives, NYC" by mathiaswasik, Flickr | License | Changes: cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/31/2021 Today we take a look at the history of anti-Asian hate in America dating back to the very first racially discriminatory immigration law, the ramifications of our imperial exploits in the Philippines, the pattern of lynchings, the myth of the "model minority" and the role of White Supremacy to keep everyone in their roles and White people ignorant of it all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Missing History of Asian America Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. Ch. 2: The Attacks In Atlanta May Activate Asian Americans Politically - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 3-22-21 The crew speaks with professors Jane Junn and Karthick Ramakrishnan about the context of the Atlanta attacks and how Asian-American political participation has evolved in recent decades. Ch. 3: A History of Hate - In The Thick - Air Date 3-23-21 Maria and Julio unpack the root causes that led to this tragedy with Sung Yeon Choimorrow, ED of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, and Kristine Villaneuva, a journalist and project editor at Resolve Philly’s “Equally Informed” initiative. Ch. 4: The Missing History of Asian America Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. Ch. 5: Viet Thanh Nguyen on Roots of Anti-Asian Hate from U.S. Colonialism to Anti-China Political Rhetoric - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-22-21 Anti-Asian hate in the United States is “not anything new,” says Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Vietnamese American writer. “The history of anti-Asian violence in this country goes back to as long as we’ve had Asian immigrants in this country Ch. 6: Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence - Worst Year Ever - Air Date 3-24-21 Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence. Ch. 7: Take Action to #StopAsianHate & Protect APPI Communities via @StopAAPIHate Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/activism. Ch. 8: Reacting to the Atlanta Shootings - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 3-28-21 Imani and Jess talk about the increasing violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the importance of allyship in its wake, and how racist stereotypes against the AAPI community are also fueling new anti-choice legislation Ch. 9: A History of Pandemic Xenophobia & Racism - Social Distance - Air Date 3-24-21 Jim and Maeve speak with Alexandre White, a sociologist and medical historian at Johns Hopkins University. He shares his views on how a legacy of prejudice tied to disease should lead us to reexamine how we respond when outbreaks occur. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Missing History of Asian America Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Arun Venugopal, senior reporter in WNYC’s Race and Justice Unit, shares his reporting on the community in New York City, which has emerged as an epicenter of day to day reports of harassment and violence. Ch. 11: Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence Part 2 - Worst Year Ever - Air Date 3-24-21 Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Preferring guaranteed jobs and universal social safety net - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Further thoughts on the child tax credit - Rich FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on White Ignorance and White Supremacy TAKE ACTION Stop AAPI Hate Calls to Action: Report an incident of hate  Donate to 40 local U.S. AAPI organizations via Movement Hub Ask your elected officials what they are doing to combat anti-Asian hate Advocate for expanded civil rights protections safeguarding Asian Americans and others Support Ethnic Studies in your local school districts and educational institutions Support local Asian-owned businesses EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How to stop the dangerous rise in hatred targeted at Asian Americans (USA Today) Asian Americans Have Been Attacked, Spat On, and Cursed Out. Activists in the Bay Area Are Bracing for More. (Slate) A Tense Lunar New Year for the Bay Area After Attacks on Asian-Americans (NY Times) Hundreds of volunteers are escorting elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe (The Hill) The history of fetishizing Asian women (Vox) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Three women at a rally against anti-Asian racism. An Asian woman in the middle holds a hand-written cardboard sign that says "We are not the virus. Hate is." Another sign to the right says "Stop Asian Hate." Credit: "Stop Asian Hate Rally @ Art Gallery" by GoToVan, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness &. contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/28/2021 Today we take a look at the progress being made on the effort to reform and defund the police in America as well as the reignited campaign to make society safe for women in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder in the UK. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Austin’s Plan To Defund The Police - In The Loop - Air Date 2-22-21 Another Grim Milestone & Austin’s Plan To Defund The Police Ch. 2: House Democrats pass sweeping elections bill and major legislation on overhauling police - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 3-4-21 House Democrats passed a landmark bill Wednesday that would expand voting rights and another key piece of legislation on police reform through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act -- something Democrats have been pushing for since the death of Floyd. Ch. 3: Can the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Create a National Standard for Police Need To Know - MTV Impact - Air Date 3-4-21 The House passed the sweeping George Floyd Justice in Policing Act this week. But as long as partisan politics remains the status quo, lawmakers will continue to fail Black Americans. MTV News correspondent Dometi Pongo explains. Ch. 4: Fight to Pass the George Floyd Act, BREATHE Act, & Take LOCAL Action! - Best of the Left Activism Ch. 5: Republicans Vote Against Protecting Women - The Rational National - Air Date 3-18-21 172 members of the house Republican caucus voted against the renewal of the VAWA. Ch. 6: The Problem With the Violence Against Women Act; - Ring of Fire Radio - Air Date 3-26-21 This week on Ring of Fire, Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University and Abigail Higgins, a journalist covering inequality health and gender join us to discuss their piece in The Nation. Ch. 7: Sarah Everard vigil Telegraph columnists explain why they're going - The Telegraph - Air Date 3-12-21 Despite the High Court rejecting a challenge against the police’s ban of Sarah Everard's vigil, Telegraph Columnists Bryony Gordon and Claire Cohen said they will still attend. Ch. 8: Sarah Everard & Violence Against Women - TyskySour - Air Date 3-12-21 The disappearance and death of Sarah Everard has shone a spotlight on the epidemic of violence against women in Britain, and has provoked an outpouring from women on social media sharing their own experience of harassment, threats and violence Ch. 9: Why women feel unsafe on Britain's streets - Channel 4 News - Air Date 3-11-21 "We are tired of having to pre-empt possible violence. Of having to risk assess every ordinary action every day, every hour of our lives". Ch. 10: Sarah Everard's vigil aggressively broken up by London police - CNN UK - Air Date 3-14-21 The British government is calling for an investigation after police aggressively broke up a vigil being held for Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old woman whose alleged murder while walking home in South London has reignited a national debate in Britain MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: The Economics of Abolition - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 12-24-20 “Defund the police” became a rallying cry in the summer of 2020 as demonstrators flooded streets across the United States to demand an end to police brutality in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of the police. Ch. 12: Into Defunding the LAPD - Into America - Air Date 6-11-20 ‘Defund the police’ has become a familiar rallying call at protests across the country. It’s a push to reduce the size of police department budgets, in order to reallocate resources to other parts of the community. And a few cities leaders are listening. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Taking kids from parents and the racism of anti-immigration - Bud from Boise FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on how to report the truth while lying to the high heavens TAKE ACTION! Fight to improve & pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Fight to pass the BREATHE Act (Movement for Black Lives) (BOTL segment from last summer) Join a local organization or chapter fighting police brutality: some suggestions Explore the ACLU's FIGHTING POLICE ABUSE: A COMMUNITY ACTION MANUAL EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Explained (Note: Headline updated) (Vox) Now is the time to revolutionize policing (BREATHE Act) (Vox) Movement for Black Lives opposes George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (PBS) Why Police Brutality Is a Public Health Issue (Self) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Memorial for Sarah Everard in the U.K. Photo of a tree in a park with flowers and candles at the base and a sign tied to the trunk that reads "#ReclaimTheseStreets!". A woman with a face mask is bending over to add flowers to the memorial. Credit: "Vigil for Sarah Everard in Sheffield" by Tim Dennell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and increased contrast and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 3-26-21 Sign up for a membership to hear the full show! Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Traumatizing Nick from CA's child - The unfounded universal expertise of engineers - The toxicity and profitability of nostalgia - How the threat of cannibalism disproves slippery slope arguments - Our national return to the normalcy of mass casualty events - Why lefties are getting guns too - The psychology of feeling like our country generally opposes gun reform - Our violent culture - The culture wars - Surviving the future Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 3/23/2021 Today we take a look at the American Rescue Plan and discuss what it does, where it falls short and whether it could signal the end of an era.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! EPISODE SPONSORS: Unf*cking the Republic Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden's 'American Rescue Plan' May Ultimately Be Seen as the End of the Reagan Era Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-11-21 President Biden today signed his American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID rescue and relief package that history may someday regard as the long-overdue end of the four-decade old Reagan Era. Zero Republicans in the House or Senate voted for it. Ch. 2: In Rejection of Austerity, Democrats Push Forward Landmark $1.9 Trillion Relief Package - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-10-21 We speak with economist Stephanie Kelton, author of "The Deficit Myth," about how the bill could help cut child poverty in half and provide a historic economic boost to the poorest people in the United States. Ch. 3: End of Conservative Era? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-15-21 Are we leaving Reagan and Nixon behind for a new FDR era? Is America waking up to the horrors of Reagan and Nixon? Ch. 4: Biden's 'American Rescue Plan' May Ultimately Be Seen as the End of the Reagan Era Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-11-21 President Biden today signed his American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID rescue and relief package that history may someday regard as the long-overdue end of the four-decade old Reagan Era. Zero Republicans in the House or Senate voted for it. Ch. 5: Help Is On the Way - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 3-12-21 To break down the major income-boosting elements in the ARP Act, and a look at what families can expect to receive in economic relief— Seth Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a former advisor to President Obama for tax policy. Ch. 6: The End of Trickle-Down Economics Joe Stiglitz on the "Transformational" $1.9T American Rescue Plan - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-12-21 Biden has signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, Democrats are hailing as the largest anti-poverty bill in a generation. “This is transformational,” says economist Joseph Stiglitz. “It says, 'We are actually going to live up to our aspirations" Ch. 7: What's In Biden's Relief Bill - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 3-13-21 Highlighting the change in political philosophy that this relief bill demonstrates as well as understanding the 'stickiness' of good policy that helps people Ch. 8: Prof. Richard Wolff Imagining a Real American Rescue - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 3-11-21 Prof. Richard Wolff explains that this relief bill is not a giant giveaway, it's a small downpayment on returning what is owed to the poor and working classes for the upward redistribution of wealth over the past 50 years Ch. 9: Stimulate This Beyotch - Unf*cking the Republic - Air Date 3-19-21 An analysis of the outcome of the relief bill and what it says about our country's ability to govern itself thoughtfully. And alsop swearing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: No, the relief bill won't cause inflation (with Austan Goolsbee) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-9-21 Moderate Democrats and Republicans alike repeated one common criticism—that infusing so much money into the economy would cause inflation. Austan Goolsbee, past Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, explains why those fears are misplaced. Ch. 11: Prof. Richard Wolff Imagining a Real American Rescue Part 2 - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 3-11-21 Prof. Richard Wolff explains concierge doctors and the privatization of everything. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Universal earned income benefits - Scott Ch. 13: No Payments to Families with Children - Rich FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on child welfare programs and perverse incentives EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The goal is "Improved Medicare for All" and we must keep pushing for it, but if you need help right now, you should know... NY Times: "The American Rescue Plan [...] would increase government subsidies to health insurers for covering recently laid-off workers and those who purchase their own coverage." NY Times: "The first step of the federal upgrade should be ready by April 1: Healthcare.gov, where people sign up for insurance in 36 states, will start showing prices that reflect the new policy." Need Health Insurance? A Guide to New Options Under the Stimulus. (NY Times) Obamacare’s About to Get a Lot More Affordable. These Maps Show How. (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Image Description: In foreground, a gravestone with the words "R.I.P. Reaganism" and in the background, part of a stimulus check from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Credit: Composite design & text by Amanda Hoffman. Grave image (Pixabay), Stimulus check image (Pixabay)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] ​ ​ ​

Air Date 3/19/2021 Today we take a look at the decades-old problems with our immigration system, what changes are being made under the new administration, and some of the underlying causes for the massive disfunction we have in addressing the issue. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP! EPISODE SPONSORS: The New Yorker Magazine Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Eyes Sweeping Immigration Reform Legislation - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-18-21 Deputy White House Communications Director Pili Tobar joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the Biden administration's immigration reform agenda, and how the president plans to get the votes necessary to pass the most comprehensive immigration reform bill in years Ch. 2: Biden Can't Make Trump's Immigration Cruelty Vanish Overnight - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 2-24-21 Overflowing ICE detention centers. Families separated at the border. A multi-billion-dollar border wall. Over the course of his four-year presidency, Donald Trump used executive power to wage war on the United States’ immigration system Ch. 3: The First 100: Joy Olson - Only in America with Ali Noorani - Air Date 1-27-21 Among President Biden's immigration actions is a $4 billion four-year plan to address root causes of migration in Central America. But when lawmakers talk about addressing migration's “root causes,” what do they really mean? Ch. 4: Despite Immigration Pledges, Biden Admin Detains Thousands of Unaccompanied Migrant Children - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-11-21 The Biden administration is struggling to address the flow of migrant children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without their parents, many fleeing extreme violence, poverty and natural disasters in their home countries Ch. 5: Biden's Immigration Agenda Tested at the Border - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 3-9-21 With the number of unaccompanied migrant kids in U.S. custody tripling in recent weeks, Florida Immigration Coalition Spokesperson Melissa Taveras joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the implications for Biden's immigration policy. Ch. 6: Shut Down Detention Centers: Join the #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action, March 22-26 via @DetentionWatch - Best of the Left Activism Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Ch. 7: The business of immigrant labor w/ Ruth Milkman - This Is Hell! - Air Date 3-10-21 Sociologist Ruth Milkman on the dynamics of immigration law and low-wage work, and her new book "Immigrant Labor and the New Precariat" for Polity Books. Ch. 8: The Democrats' Long War on Immigrants - Intercepted - Air Date 2-17-21 As Joe Biden took the oath of office this January, Guatemalan security forces at the Honduran border thwarted thousands of U.S.-bound migrants. Decades-long American imperialism has facilitated displacement throughout the region MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Democrats' Long War on Immigrants Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 2-17-21 Ch. 10: Separating Children: Laura Briggs - Future Hindsight - Air Date 2-18-21 Laura Briggs is the author of Taking Children: A History of American Terror. We discuss the history of child separation for political ends, ranging from the enslaved and Native children, to the children of the poor and Central American refugees. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Biden needs media training but isn't aggressively evil - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the mental drain of media BS and the need for small victories TAKE ACTION: Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Follow @DetentionWatch Support anti-detention state legislation in Maryland, New Mexico, & Washington  EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE: ‘Like an Experimental Concentration Camp’: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center (Law & Crime) “A SILENT PANDEMIC”: Nurse at ICE Facility Blows the Whistle on Coronavirus Dangers (The Intercept) COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at Otero County Prison Facility (US News & World Report) New Report Documents Systemic Abuse at a New Mexico Immigrant Detention Center (Innovation Law Lab) Thousands of immigrants suffer in solitary confinement in U.S. detention centers (NBC News) Op-Ed: Why abuse and neglect of immigrants proliferate in ICE detention (LA Times) A Cage is Still a Cage: President Biden Must End U.S. Detention of Children and Families (TIME) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Close up of a protest sign that reads "Immigration is inevitable. Cruelty is optional.' in hand-written, multi-colored lettering. A smaller sign is held in the background that says "END DETENTION." Credit: "Protesting ICE and Deportation Raids Chicago Illinois 7-13-19_1836" by Charles Edward Miller, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and increased contrast    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

TAKE ACTION: Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Follow @DetentionWatch Support anti-detention state legislation in Maryland, New Mexico, & Washington  EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE: ‘Like an Experimental Concentration Camp’: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center (Law & Crime) “A SILENT PANDEMIC”: Nurse at ICE Facility Blows the Whistle on Coronavirus Dangers (The Intercept) COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at Otero County Prison Facility (US News & World Report) New Report Documents Systemic Abuse at a New Mexico Immigrant Detention Center (Innovation Law Lab) Thousands of immigrants suffer in solitary confinement in U.S. detention centers (NBC News) Op-Ed: Why abuse and neglect of immigrants proliferate in ICE detention (LA Times) A Cage is Still a Cage: President Biden Must End U.S. Detention of Children and Families (TIME) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman 

Air Date 7/30/2019 Today we take a look at the ongoing debate about socialism between socialists and non-socialists alike, including discussion of tactical strategies on where to set our goals and how to get from here to there Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Nichols on Bernie and Socialism - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-19-19 Bernie Sanders gave an important speech on socialism last week, and our John Nichols spoke with him about it -- beforehand. Ch. 2: Astra Taylor on Socialism, Democracy and Liberalism - Jacobin Radio The Dig with Daniel Denvir - Air Date 7-5-19 Socialism has grown a lot because of demonization. The Left has a war to lose - left policies are the direction of progress and the world is leaning that way - but without proper education and fighting it will take a lot longer. Ch. 3: Democratic Socialists and President Bernie with Meagan Day - This Is Hell with Chuck Mertz - Air Date 3-13-19 In the long run, democratic socialism wants to end capitalism - to empower working people. It's not just New Deal liberals - its pushing further. Massive momentum is on the Democratic Socialist side and collective action will win. Ch. 4: David Harvey On The Limits of Social Democracy and of the Welfare State - The Real News - Air Date 7-8-19 The main alternative to neoliberalism is the proposed renewal of social democracy, such as in the form of Bernie Sanders' proposals. But to move forward we need to discuss the limits of a welfare state that ultimately does not change class relations Ch. 5: Why Bernie Talks About the New Deal with Seth Ackerman - Jacobin Radio - The Vast Majority with Micah Uetricht - Air Date 6-25-19 Was the New Deal socialist? Yes and no. Bernie is pointing to the central model of most democratic socialist-style governments - he points to the good policies of democratic socialism instead of strict definitions. Ch. 6: Democratic Socialism and How We Can Get There with Richard Wolff - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 6-15-19 Bernie's solutions, while admirable and helpful, are merely reforms of a fundamentally broken and contradictory system. Reforms set us up for inevitable roll-back by the powerful as we've seen since FDR. Ch. 7: Bhaskar Sunkara on the possibilities of socialism in America - This is Hell - Air Date 5-21-19 Bhaskar Sunkara explores a path to socialism in America - as capitalism collapses and pulls politics towards the right, the promise of a worker-driven, democratic society built on equality and justice can be won by a broad, working-class movement Ch. 8: Bernie Sanders Speech Connects Democratic Socialism with the New Deal - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 6-22-19 Bernie is calling out the massive power disparities in the US and what policies we can work towards - an Economic Bill of Rights. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Fighting climate change means fighting capitalism - Jesse from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the connection between political debates and parenting advice MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Over the Fence - Delray Cicle Veroni - Cicle Kadde PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker The Rampart - Castle Danger Wingspan - Bayou Birds Stale Case - Darby Turning - Lathe Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE Lorie Shaull , Flickr | License (Modifications: Cropped)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 3/12/2021 Today we take a look at the multiple tactics being implemented in an attempt to undermine the entire concept of democracy because adhering to the will of the majority and allowing for unfettered protests is currently working to the distinct disadvantage of the Republican Party. Most people see the right to vote and to protest as foundational to a functioning democracy, others see them as impediments to their divine right to rule. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT OUR BOOKSHOP!   EPISODE SPONSORS: UnF*cking the Republic Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft   SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Guest Sarah Repucci of Freedom House on 'democracy under siege' Part 1 - The Bradcast w Brad Friedman - Air Date 3-8-21 Sarah Repucci explains the factors that have helped drive the grim decline in freedoms and democracy in the U.S. and other areas of the world in recent years, which countries are most at risk and why the United States has dropped in the rankings. Ch. 2: Republicans Launch 253 Voter Suppression Bills - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-2-21 Republicans launch 253 voter suppression bills across the country, realizing they didn't suppress enough votes in the 2020 election. Ch. 3: The coming anti-protest laws w/ Alleen Brown + Akela Lacy Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 2-12-21 Journalists Alleen Brown and Akela Lacy on their report "State Legislatures Make “Unprecedented” Push on Anti-Protest Bills" for The Intercept, and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen empathizes with savages and samurai. Ch. 4: RED ALERT: Anti-Protest Bills Popping Up Everywhere - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-19-20 Anti-protest bills of all kinds are popping up in numerous states across the United States. Ch. 5: The coming anti-protest laws w/ Alleen Brown + Akela Lacy Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 2-12-21 Ch. 6: Ari Berman on the Attack on Voting Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-12-21 Do elite media think that whether or not the US, in 2021, under pressure from racists, goes back on the whole “one person one vote” thing is a legitimate topic for debate? Ch. 7: A New Form of Jim Crow: Ari Berman on the GOP's Anti-Democratic Assault on Voting Rights - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-2-21 Across the U.S., Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 250 bills in 43 states aimed at restricting voting access. Ari Berman, author and reporter for Mother Jones, says Republicans are “breaking democracy” with their push to restrict voting. Ch. 8: The Architect of The For The People Act (H.R. 1) Part 1 - Another Way, by Lawrence Lessig - Air Date 1-28-21 Larry Lessig speaks with Representative John Sarbanes, the architect of the For The People Act (H.R. 1). The two dive into the provisions of this critically important piece of legislation to fix our democracy and what to expect in the months ahead. Ch. 9: Fight GOP Voter Suppression Laws - Best of the Left Activism Stand up against efforts to suppress the vote and subvert our democracy! Ch. 10: Democracy Strikes Back 'For the People' v. For the GOP Fraudsters Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-4-21 Democracy strikes back against the anti-democracy GOP, because every democracy story these days includes Republican fraud or attempted voter suppression. House Democrats passed H.R.1 -- the 'For the People Act' -- with zero Republican votes. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Guest Sarah Repucci of Freedom House on 'democracy under siege' Part 2 - The Bradcast w Brad Friedman - Air Date 3-8-21 Sarah Repucci explains the factors that have helped drive the grim decline in freedoms and democracy in the U.S. and other areas of the world in recent years, which countries are most at risk and why the United States has dropped in the rankings. Ch. 12: The Architect of The For The People Act (H.R. 1) Part 2 - Another Way, by Lawrence Lessig - Air Date 1-28-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Critiquing charitable giving - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the deep humanity of patronizing patriotism TAKE ACTION! Learn about H.R. 1 & H.R. 4 Common Cause H.R. 1 Campaign - Text & Phonebank & Resources Demand Elimination of the Filibuster Follow Your State Legislature & Contact State Reps, Senators and Governor  Support Opponents of Suppressionists in Public Office Vote Riders - Help Fight Suppression & Help Voters Get IDs They Need EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE For the People Act Is Needed to Stop New GOP Voter Suppression Bills (Teen Vogue) Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021 (Brennan Center for Justice) How to Restore and Strengthen the Voting Rights Act (Brennan Center for Justice) Blue States Suppress the Vote, Too (The New Republic) Republicans Are Taking Their Voter Suppression Efforts to New Extremes (Mother Jones) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Description: Circular protest sign held in the air by a pair of hands with the words "Voting is a Human Right. Stand for Freedom. Join the Fight!" Credits: "December 10 march for voting rights" (2011) by Michael Fleshman (Flickr) | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/9/2021 Today we take a look at the current goings on around the world regarding our foreign policy under the new but not-so-new-feeling leadership of Joe Biden. We check in on Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and a couple of assorted arms sales to authoritarian leaders who support our foreign policy.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Administration Should Strike a Deal with Iran - World Class - Air Date 2-18-21 Abbas Milani — an expert on U.S.-Iran relations — discusses the Iranian economy, the future of Iran’s leadership, and what a potential nuclear deal could mean for the U.S. Ch. 2: Biden "Illegally" Bombs Iranian-Backed Militias in Syria, Jeopardizing Nuclear Talks with Tehran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-1-21 The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. Ch. 3: Biden's First Act Of War Hits 3 Countries - Empire Files - Air Date 3-3-21 Biden's Feb. 26 strike in Syria was a crime, and risks major war with three countries. Abby Martin explains. Ch. 4: Whither the Antiwar Left - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-25-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Afghanistan and why it's lost. We also talked with journalist James Carden about the state of the antiwar left and whether Joe Biden might do some good on foreign policy. Ch. 5: What's Next For The War In Afghanistan - NPR Fresh Air - Air Date 3-4-21 America's 19-year war in Afghanistan may soon be coming to an end. The Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to withdraw all its troops by May 1. But the Afghan government was not included in those talks. Ch. 6: Can Joe Biden Save Yemen - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-11-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed Joe Biden's announcement that he would withdraw all American support for the war in Yemen. Ch. 7: Did Jen Psaki Just Confirm That Biden's Afraid of MBS - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden once vowed to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Now, it looks like he's letting him off the hook. Emma Vigeland and the Majority Report crew discuss this. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The future of the US-Saudi relationship (ft. Sen. Chris Murphy) - Worldly - Air Date 3-4-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex debate whether the US should continue to treat Saudi Arabia as a close partner given its atrocious human rights abuses and the declining US dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Ch. 9: Biden Sells Missiles to Fascists + US Base Destroys Ancient Coral Reef - Empire Files - Air Date 2-19-21 Abby Martin covers Biden's first arms deals to major human rights abusers Chile & Egypt; another US military base in Okinawa, opposed by majority of residents, threatens unique biodiversity; militia puts US at crossroads of a new Iraq war Ch. 10: Can Biden remake Trump's Middle East - The Bunker - Air Date 11-25-20 From Israel to Iran, Donald Trump thought he could reset the Middle East. His fixation on the region defined the last four years of US foreign policy. But what will Biden’s presidency mean for America and the Middle East? VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Introduction to our caste system - Roy from Washington State FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Biden attempting to talk about Afghanistan and China BONUS CLIPS: CNN Official interview Joe Biden on Afghanistan 'Making progress' - CNN - Air Date 11-28-10 What Biden Said About Uyghurs - CNN Presidential Town Hall MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Close up photo of the words "War is Peace" on the page of the book "1984".  Credit: "War is Peace" by Mark Hillary | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 3/6/2021 Today we take a look at the origins of race and the building of a caste system in the US based largely on the lessons from Isabel Wilkerson, author of "Caste: The Origins of our Discontent" Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS:  "UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC" BOOKSHOP: BESTOFTHELEFT.COM/CASTE  BLINKIST: BESTOFTHELEFT.COM/BLINKIST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Biewen: The lie that invented racism - TED - Air Date 11-1-20 To understand and eradicate racist thinking, start at the beginning. That's what journalist and documentarian John Biewen did, leading to a trove of surprising and thought-provoking information on the "origins" of race. Ch. 2: Made in America (Seeing White, Part 3) - Scene on Radio - Air Date 3-16-17 Chattel slavery in the US, with its distinctive · and strikingly cruel · laws and structures, took shape over many decades in colonial America. The innovations that built American slavery are inseparable from the construction of Whiteness as we know it. Ch. 3: The Invention of Race - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 4: Caste in America with Isabel Wilkerson - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-11-20 Does the United States have a caste system? In her research on the Jim Crow South, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson found that the word ·racism· fell far short in capturing the depth and totality of oppression people existed under Ch. 5: It's More Than Racism Isabel Wilkerson Explains America's 'Caste' System - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-4-20 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. Ch. 6: “Theodore W. Allen -- Theses on ‘The Invention of the White Race’ and Lessons from Three Crises” - Jeffrey B. Perry - Air Date 12-18-14 This brief video presents three of Theodore W. Allen’s theses related to the invention of the “white race” and his important analysis of the white supremacy’s role in beating back struggles from below in three great crises in U.S. history. Ch. 7: Isabel Wilkerson wants to change how we understand race in America - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 8-24-20 A new way of thinking about race and class with Isabel Wilkerson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Invention of Race Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 9: It's More Than Racism Isabel Wilkerson Explains America's 'Caste' System Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-4-20 Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the bonus material - Kim from Montana FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Fight for $15 in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight for H.R. 1 - For the People Act in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight for George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight to pass the BREATHE Act (read our activism segment): Email members of Congress and more Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  Description: Black chalkboard background with the word "CASTE" written in white   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/21/2019 Today we take a look at the ways that Native Peoples are represented in white society and pop culture, how some are working to take back their own narratives and some insight into the profound effects, both positive and negative, of how peoples are represented. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Opinion polls about offense and the Redskins football team - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 5-27-16 The Washington Post conducts a flawed survey resulting in a misleading conclusion that most native peoples don't consider Redskins to be an offensive term Ch. 2: The toxic mix of racist representation and misogynistic disregard for women - Let's Talk Native... with John Kane - Air Date 2-14-19 Racist representation of native peoples in sports and culture supports the anti-native sentiment that drives the MMIWG epidemic Ch. 3: A Native perspective for museums - Native America Calling - Air Date 4-9-19 Native peoples have had their stories told form them by white people for centuries, working in museums and cultural centers create the opportunities to tell their own stories Ch. 4: Spirit Animal Native Appropriation - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 5-18-17 W Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu step in a pile of native cultural appropriation and then slowly, messily wade their way out of it Ch. 5: Hawaiian Indigeneity and the theft of Aloha with W. Gerry Ebalaroza - Breakdances With Wolves - Air Date 8-21-18 Discussing cultural appropriation in many forms including the legal trademarking of one of the terms most central to native Hawaiian culture, Aloha Ch. 6: 'Reel' Indians and the invention of Hollywood Indian English - Backstory - Air Date 11-22-14 A history lesson on the Hollywood creation of all of the stereotypes we reflexively think of when we think about how native peoples speak Ch. 7: On Native American Loss and Triumph - On the Media - Air Date 10-5-18 David Treuer discusses the means by which Indians have been fighting for social and political change for centuries. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Changed my mind in favor of impeachment - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the Canadian TV show “First Contact” and what it teaches us about how people do and don’t change their mind EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE NativeAppropriations.com Native American imagery is all around us, while the people are often forgotten (National Geographic) The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Epidemic Is Inseparable From Native Appropriation(Bustle) ‘It’s called a genocide’: Gavin Newsom apologizes to California’s Native Americans (San Francisco Chronicle) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Turning to You - Landsman Duets Vibrant Canopy - Origami Homegrown - The Pine Barrens Wingspan - Bayou Birds Interlude - The Nocturne Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/27/2021 Today we take a look at the climate-fueled disaster in Texas from almost every angle; from the strictly scientific to the purely political and all of the disaster capitalism in between. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: UnF*cking The Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why on Earth are Winters Getting Worse if the Planet is Getting Warmer - Weathered - Air Date 2-1-21 Weathered is a show hosted by meteorologist Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare. Ch. 2: Power Outages Becomes Propaganda Nexus - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-17-21 Many Republicans, including Tucker Carlson, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and others, falsely claim that the Texas power outages are a direct result of Texas being too reliant on "unreliable" wind power Ch. 3: Chris Hayes To Ted Cruz: Governance Is Not Just ‘Performative Trolling’ - All In - Air Date 2-18-21 There are a million things that a senator can do in the middle of a disaster, none of which interests a politician like Ted Cruz, who sees himself as basically Rush Limbaugh with a Senate office Ch. 4: Failed State Texas Power Grid Collapse Impacts Millions. Black & Brown Communities Are Worst Hit - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-18-21 Millions of people in Texas were plunged into freezing cold and darkness as a major winter storm overwhelmed the state's power grid. More than 12 million Texans face water disruptions and have been ordered to boil tap water for safe consumption Ch. 5: Fossil Fuel Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein on Deadly Deregulation & Why Texas Needs the Green New Deal - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-22-21 Naomi Klein, senior correspondent at The Intercept and a professor at Rutgers University, says Republicans’ reaction is “because of panic” over their own culpability. Ch. 6: Adapting and Moving in a Warming World, with Beth Gibbons and Dr. Jola Ajibade - Warm Regards - Air Date 2-8-21 This episode of Warm Regards focuses on two more facets of decision making based on data about how the climate is changing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: How to Prepare for Climate Change Part 1 - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 2-5-21 Ch. 8: How to Prepare for Climate Change Part 2 - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 2-5-21 Ready for the coming impact of climate change? Fear not as CBS Sunday science expert David Pogue tells #StrangeDaysPodcast how to get ready + Frank Schaeffer warns how radicalized evangelical Christians threaten Biden’s agenda & democracy. Ch. 9: Tara Houska and Ruth Breech on Divesting from Toxic Capitalism - For The Wild - Air Date 8-21-19 Climate disaster is unfolding before our eyes every day, and yet banks have poured $1.9 trillion into maintaining and expanding the fossil fuel industry since the Paris Agreement was adopted. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The divide is more religious than political - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on cancel culture Article: Right-wing media helped usher in the age of “cancel culture,” but now pretend it's an invention of the left MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 6/28/2019 Today we take a look at the ways that extreme inequality and many of the worst instincts and repercussions of capitalism are being upheld and perpetuated by our culture of philanthropy. It turns out that what we see as the rich giving back is really more of a purchase on their part, a purchase of our acceptance of inequality and the right of the wealthy to rule. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Gilded Rage - Future Perfect - Air Date 5-21-19 To put our new age of extreme inequality in perspective, we look back at Andrew Carnegie, who gave America a huge number of libraries so they’d forgive him for his brutal steel mills. We ask: Is the same thing happening in 2019? Ch. 2: Anand Giridharadas: Winners take all Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 9-27-18 Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, on the win-win business- and plutocrat-friendly philanthropy of today’s nouveau riche. Ch. 3: Rob Reich: Is big philanthropy destroying democracy? - Tiny Spark - Air Date 11-7-18 Stanford professor Rob Reich’s new book Just Giving: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better investigates how charity can undermine democratic values and explores the ways federal policies help to facilitate greater inequality. Ch. 4: Could billionaires solve global poverty? - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-25-19 Time editor at large, Anand Giridharadas, discusses whether billionaires can put an end to global poverty if they had the will to do so, and talks about his recent book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World Ch. 5: Rob Reich on whether philanthropy is bad for democracy - Rationally Speaking - Air Date 11-12-18 This episode features political scientist Rob Reich, author of "Just Giving: Why Philanthropy is Failing Democracy, and How it Can Do Better". Does it deserve to be tax-deductible? And do philanthropists have too much power in society? Ch. 6: Anand Giridharadas: Winners take all Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 9-27-18 Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, on the win-win business- and plutocrat-friendly philanthropy of today’s nouveau riche. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Inequality is the #1 issue - James from Sacramento, CA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on covering inequality and presenting a bonus clip on two manifestations of racism BONUS CLIP: Myths of the ruling class with Anand Giridharadas - Why is this happening? - Air Date 10-8-18 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Gullwing Sailor - Migration Felt Lining - The Cabinetmaker Slow Lane Lover - Barstool Gondola Blue - Towboat The Back Lot - Sunday at Slims Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/20/2021 Today we take a look at the fight to create and maintain workable and humane economic and social floors, beneath which people are not allowed to fall. The fetishization of market forces embraced by decades of neoliberals and weaponized by authoritarians have left millions desperate for basic standards. To draw the connection, we look at the protests by Indian farmers against proposed deregulation and the fight for $15 in the US. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: NEWYORKER.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Your four talking points for $15-an-Hour minimum wage - Working Life Podcast - Air Date 2-17-21 Right before our eyes, in these very days and at this time of crisis, you can see so clearly this bankrupt system, defended and promoted by greedy CEOs and spineless politicians, but a system people are trying to rebel against and take down. Ch. 2: Inside the Raise the Wage Act, with EPI's David Cooper Part 1 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 1-30-21 Rebecca sits down with the Economic Policy Institute's David Cooper for a deep dive into Democrats' Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Ch. 3: What’s the deal with the CBO report? Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 2-12-21 The big news in the minimum wage world this week is the new CBO report—which, among many benefits, also found that a $15 federal minimum wage would cost jobs, increase the deficit, and raise prices. Goldy and Paul explain how CBO arrived at their numbers. Ch. 4: Inside the Raise the Wage Act, with EPI's David Cooper Part 2 - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 1-30-21 Rebecca sits down with the Economic Policy Institute's David Cooper for a deep dive into Democrats' Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. Ch. 5: Modi’s “Arrogance of Power” and the Indian Farmers’ Protests with Rana Ayyub - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-16-21 This week, journalist and Washington Post columnist, Rana Ayyub, joins to discuss the protest movement and how Modi·s reaction to it fits his pattern of illiberalism and nationalism that marches India away from democracy. Ch. 6: Indian Farmers Lead Historic Strike & Protests Against Narendra Modi, Neoliberalism & Inequality - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-3-20 P. Sainath, an Indian journalist and the founder of People’s Archive of Rural India, or PARI, who describes why working-class Indians are standing up against “absolutely vicious” new rules that were rammed through Parliament, and show no sign of stopping. Ch. 7: All walls must fall w/Harsha Walia - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 2-15-21 Harsha Walia discusses her new book, Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism, the Indian farmers' movement, and how she became an organizer. Ch. 8: Prof. Richard Wolff: India's Historic General Strike - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 12-4-2020 Professor Richard Wolff joins RJ Eskow to discuss the historic strike taking place in India and possible influence on other countries. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: What’s the deal with the CBO report? Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 2-12-21 The big news in the minimum wage world this week is the new CBO report—which, among many benefits, also found that a $15 federal minimum wage would cost jobs, increase the deficit, and raise prices. Goldy and Paul explain how CBO arrived at their numbers. Ch. 10: Amazon Workers Organize! - Working Life Podcast - Air Date 2-10-21 Thousands of workers are trying to get a union at Amazon's huge warehouse in Bessemer Alabama. The ballots have just been mailed and we get an update on the organizing campaign from a good friend of the show Dave Mertz FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the results of our disinformation headline contest TAKE ACTION! Call Your Senators to Pass a $15 Federal Minimum Wage: 888-639-5155 Stay engaged with @fightfor15 & #fightfor15 on Twitter Tell Sen. Joe Manchin how you feel, too! EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Fight for a $15 Minimum Wage Is Our Selma (Time, Op-Ed) Sanders confident of raising minimum wage as part of $1.9tn Covid package (The Guardian) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Image of a young Black woman holding sign that says "Fighting for $15" next to an image of a young Indian man holding a sign that says "If you ate today, thank a farmer". Composite Design by Amanda Hoffman. Images include: “FightFor15-1330695 - #Fightfor15 Protest in Pittsburgh, PA - April 2015” by Mark Dixon, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and rotated *and* “052 Indian Farmers Protest” by Felton Davis, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness and contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/16/2021 Today we take a look at the competing histories fighting for dominance in the minds of Americans; the mythologized and romanticized history as represented by the "patriotic" framing of history from the 1776 Commission report and the much more fact-based approach that doesn't skirt the issue of race from the 1619 Project. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The 400 Year Legacy with Nikole Hannah-Jones and Ibram X. Kendi - Why Is This Happening with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-6-19 Nikole Hannah-Jones, the architect behind "The 1619 Project," and Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How To Be an Antiracist,” joined Chris Hayes to examine the 400 year legacy of slavery in America. Ch. 2: With Hours Left in Office, Trump White House Tries to Rewrite U.S. History - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-19-21 Prof. Eddie Glaude Jr. joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Trump administration's 1776 Report is an attempt to stoke a culture war via historical nonsense. Ch. 3: Eric Foner on The 1619 Project - Start Making Sense - Air Date 11-21-19 Historian Eric Foner talks about The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which argues that the legacy of slavery is central to all of the American past and present—including the White House today. Ch. 4: The 1776 Report - Past Present - Air Date 1-26-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss ·The 1776 Report· issued by the outgoing Trump administration. Ch. 5: The Original Sin of 1619 - In The Thick - Air Date 8-20-19 Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones led a team of black journalists, writers and poets to create The 1619 Project, a deep and thoughtful look into the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in this country. But a lot of the response has been predictable MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Midnight in the Garden of American Heroes - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 2-11-21 Matt and Sam explain West Coast Straussianism, the school of thought behind one of the last acts of the Trump administration: its publication of the "1776 Report," the Right's shabby response to the 1619 Project and blueprint for the American Founding Ch. 7: Adolph Reed Critiques The 1619 Project - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-14-20 Adolph Reed talks about the 1619 project through the lens of anti-essentialism. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Proper attribution for vaccines - Dr. Gay Ch. 9: Financial health of the show? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on framing vaccine manufacturers properly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/13/2021 Today we take a look at the fallout from the January 6th insurrection, the case for impeachment and/or punishment for every single person involved and discussions for why this process is so important to the stability of the country. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: Unf*cking the Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: AOC shares harrowing personal story from January 6th attack - The BradCast - Air Date 2-2-21 AOC relates her experience in the capitol and explains why the enablers of the insurrection total lack of remorse is a problem. Ch. 2: We Can't Just "Move On": AOC & Rashida Tlaib Demand Accountability for Deadly Capitol Attack - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-5-21 We air excerpts from speeches by Democratic Congressmembers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. "Some are already demanding that we move on or, worse, attempting to minimize, discredit or belittle the accounts of survivors" Ch. 3: Rep. Cori Bush Denounces White Supremacist Violence from the Capitol Insurrection to Ferguson - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-8-21 With former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial set to begin in the Senate this week, we feature the speech Democratic Congressmember Cori Bush of Missouri made Thursday on the floor of the House of Representatives to demand accountability for the Ch. 4: Dem House Managers submit pre-Impeachment Trial briefs - The BradCast - Air Date 2-2-21 House Democrats submit their pre-trial filings, detailing a graphic, detailed, painstakingly-documented argument for Trump's conviction for inciting the insurrection. Trump's lawyers filed a largely limp legal brief in response, filled with false claims. Ch. 5: New Audio From The Insurrection And What It Could Mean For Impeachment - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 2-11-21 Elie Honig, CNN legal analyst and host of the CAFE daily impeachment podcast Third Degree, talks about the ongoing Senate impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump. Ch. 6: Prosecute the Insurrectionists—All of Them: Elie Mystal on Storming the Capitol - Start Making Sense - Air Date 2-3-21 Eight hundred people stormed the Capitol building on January 6, but fewer than 200 have been charged with crimes. Why so few? Elie Mystal, The Nation's Justice correspondent, says every one of the 800 committed crimes that day and should be prosecuted. Ch. 7: Life After Fascism: A Brief History - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 1-21-21 Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, offers historical context for the attack on our democracy. Ch. 8: The “Healing” Con: How Warm and Fuzzy Appeals for "Unity" Are Used to Protect Power - Citations Needed - Air Date 1-20-21 Healing, On its face these concepts sound fine enough: after all, who doesn't like peace? Unity sounds great! But in the majority of political contexts, these warm and fuzzy buzzwords rush past the work of justice and reparations. Ch. 9: GOP Senators Want to "Move On" from Trump's Second Impeachment Trial - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 2-8-21 Seth takes a closer look at former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial being a chance to hold Trump accountable for his crimes and to shine a national spotlight on the decay of the GOP and our democratic institutions. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene - Past Present - Air Date 2-9-21 In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the controversial tenure of freshman Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Ch. 11: Incitement - What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law - Air Date 1-30-21 With the trial looming, we look at whether Trump has a good argument against the charge he incited a riot on Capitol Hill, and whether or not it's constitutional to impeach someone after they leave office. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a new game I just invented Game Headlines: Biden to Begin Allowing Asylum Seekers Waiting in Mexico to Enter U.S. Biden to Rescind Medicaid Work Requirements Biden administration launches review aimed at closing Guantanamo prison MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Composite by Amanda Hoffman. Image Includes: "Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped/blurred with red overlay *and* "Hats" by Tyler Merbler on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with red overlay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/10/2021 Today we take a look at the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the US and around the world. Between White and Black in the US, Israeli and Palestinian in Israel and the Global North and Global South broadly, the legacies of colonialism and racism predictably play themselves out. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST | C-Span Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Elisabeth Rosenthal on Troubled Vaccine Rollout - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Many could and did predict that the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine would be marred by the Trump administration being the Trump administration, and the hollowing out of public health infrastructure. Ch. 2: The Perils of Pandemic Doomsaying (and Other Covid Messaging Mix-Ups) - On the Media - Air Date 1-29-21 Zeynep Tufecki [@zeynep], associate professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, explains why public health officials send mixed messages on everything from masks to variants. Ch. 3: Racial Disparities Already Taking Shape In Covid Vaccination Rates - MSNBC - Air Date 2-6-21 Rachel Maddow looks at how even though people of color suffer disproportionately more from Covid-19, vaccination statistics are already showing disproportionately fewer people of color being inoculated Ch. 4: A Pastor's Plight to Address Vaccine Skepticism in Black Communities - On the Media - Air Date 12-4-20 The Rev. Paul Abernathy on his work addressing vaccine skepticism in Black communities, starting by earning trust and recruiting vaccine trial volunteers in predominantly Black neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. Ch. 5: "Medical Apartheid" - Israeli Vaccine Drive Excludes Millions of Palestinians in Occupied Territories - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-5-21 "Israel actually is violating international law because it is denying its responsibility as an occupying power," says Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, member of the Palestinian Parliament "Israelis are getting the vaccines, and Palestinians are getting nothing." Ch. 6: Vaccine Apartheid: US Media's Uncritical Adoption of Racist "Intellectual Property" Dogma Part 1 - Citations Needed - Air Date 1-27-21 As COVID-19 raged and pharmaceutical companies raced to develop a vaccine, Western media routinely asserted the premise that vaccine 'intellectual property' is a zero-sum possession that's been 'stolen' by malicious foreign actors & blackmarket criminals. Ch. 7: Who Owns the COVID-19 Vaccines? - On the Media - Air Date 1-29-21 Dean Baker [@DeanBaker13], senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, on why intellectual property may be getting in the way of vaccine distribution. Ch. 8: Vaccine Apartheid: US Media's Uncritical Adoption of Racist "Intellectual Property" Dogma Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 1-27-21 As COVID-19 raged and pharmaceutical companies raced to develop a vaccine, Western media routinely asserted the premise that vaccine 'intellectual property' is a zero-sum possession that's been 'stolen' by malicious foreign actors & blackmarket criminals. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Vaccine Priorities: Politics and Ethics. Gregg Gonsalves on Covid-19 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 12-30-20 Vaccine priorities: political and ethical questions about who comes first, after health care workers. Gregg Gonsalves considers the arguments. Ch. 10: "A Moral Catastrophe": Africa CDC Head Says Lack of Vaccines for the Continent Will Imperil World - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-5-21 40+ African countries have been hit by second wave, and just six have received relatively small vaccine shipments. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC and Prevention, says the world faces "a moral catastrophe" without vaccine equity. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on "moral panic" - Christina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on corporations resisting reasonable regulation to avoid setting precedents MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/5/2021 Today we take a look at the role that social media plays in the radicalization of discontented communities and engage in the debate over content moderation and de-platforming of individuals. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why everyone hates Big Tech, with The Verge's Nilay Patel - The Weeds - Air Date 7-19-19 Verge editor-in-chief and Vergecast host Nilay Patel joins Matt in this special crossover episode to explain what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows platforms to circumnavigate liability for user content, really means. Ch. 2: Let’s Break Up Facebook, Google, Amazon - Newsbroke - Air Date 1-30-21 Trump has been removed from the nation’s capital and the nation’s social media feeds. And while it was fun to watch him and other far-right accounts “getting owned” by Twitter, Facebook, Google and other platforms, it does pose an important question Ch. 3: Solving the Facebook Problem at Home and Abroad - On The Media - Air Date 5-22-19 When former Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes penned a New York Times op-ed calling for the breakup of the platform, he was lauded by anti-corporate politicians and the press. Then came a series of hard questions Ch. 4: Zephyr Teachout on "Break 'Em Up" - Off-Kilter - Air Date 8-4-20 Rebecca talks to Zephyr Teachout about her new book "Break 'Em Up: Recovering our Freedom from Big Tech, Big Ag, and Big Money" and why we need an antitrust movement for our time. Ch. 5: ADL International Leadership Award Presented to Sacha Baron Cohen - Anti-Defamation League - Air Date 11-21-19 Sacha Baron Cohen is the well-deserved recipient of ADL’s International Leadership Award, which goes to exceptional individuals who combine professional success with a profound personal commitment to community involvement and to crossing borders Ch. 6: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 1 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. Ch. 7: Peter Kafka and Kevin Roose on big tech's power and responsibility - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-18-21 Recode’s Peter Kafka speaks with New York Times’s Tech columnist Kevin Roose about big tech’s power and responsibility - and whether it is going to have accountability. Ch. 8: Insurrection on Capitol Hill Heightens Focus on Social Media Radicalization - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 1-13-21 Former Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos joins Mehdi Hasan to explain how Facebook is tackling radicalization on its platform, and where the company is still falling short. Ch. 9: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 2 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Your Nation's Attention for the Price of a Used Car - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-6-20 Today’s extremists don’t need highly produced videos like ISIS. They don’t need deep pockets like Russia. With the right message, a fringe organization can reach the majority of a nation’s Facebook users for the price of a used car. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Social Media Externalities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/12/2019 Today we take a look at some of the ways that conservative policies, willed into existence almost exclusively by white people, measurably hurt people and shorten life expectancies, including those who most fervently support the self-destructive policies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How Racial Resentment Is Killing White Working Class Americans | Opinions | NowThis - Air Date 5-4-19 ‘People are voting for these policies that are shortening their own life spans.’ — Author of 'Dying of Whiteness' Jonathan Metzl argues that the politics of racial resentment is killing Americans in the heartland. Ch. 2: Slavery and the Lack of Universal Healthcare - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-20-19 Jeneen Interlandi, New York Times editorial board member and staff writer for the New York Times Magazine, talks about the intersection of race and lack of universal healthcare in America. Ch. 3: An Incredible Con - Slate Presents: The Queen - Air Date 5-20-19 For presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, Linda Taylor epitomized the brokenness of the federal bureaucracy and the broader trend of poor people getting rich off the public dime. Ch. 4: Dying of Whiteness with Jonathan Metzl - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 3-26-19 Jonathan Metzl writes that the policies promising to Make America Great Again, policies rooted in centering and maintaining the power of whiteness, are shortening the lives of the white Americans who vote for them. Ch. 5: Greater than Fear - Brave New Words - Air Date 9-6-19 In 2018, progressives in Minnesota won across races, defining what it means to be “Minnesotan” through an aspirational narrative of multi-racial populism. Ch. 6: Dying of Whiteness A Conversation with Scholar Jonathan Metzl - Speak Out with Tim Wise - Air Date 4-2-19 Tim speaks with Dr. Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, and the author of the new book, Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland. Ch. 7: People seeking asylum - Brave New Words - Air Date 9-6-19 Over the last few years, facing a conservative and openly xenophobic administration, human rights advocates mounted and won four campaigns challenging offshore detention of people seeking asylum. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: What was I thinking back then, gosh what am I thinking now? - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 9: Pre-recorded bullshit ads - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on learning to be wrong and the sad future of podcasting MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Derailed - The Depot Astrisx - Bodytonic Quaver - Codebreaker These Times - The Pine Barrens The Summit - K2 Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/31/2021 Today we take a look back at the year 2011 in our annual 10-years-past retrospective to see what we may learn. 2010 was an enormous year of news which included the death of Osama Bin Laden, the manufactured budget crisis in Wisconsin, the shooting of Gabby Giffords, Occupy Wall Street, the birth of Trump's Birtherism and much more. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Dumb new congress - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 1-6-11 Ch. 2: Single-Payer Plan - Bernie Sanders Ch. 3: An insiders account of the GOP official strategy - Citizen Radio Ch. 4: Crisis in the Dairyland - For Richer and Poorer (Economics - Wisconsin, Public Unions) - The Daily Show - Air Date 3-3-11 Ch. 5: The survival of the Democratic party in Wisconsin - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2-17-11 Ch. 6: Scott Walker's Koch Bro. Prank Call - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-23-11 Ch. 7: Evil People Have Plans - Lee Camp Ch. 8: Obama's Wrong-Headed Libyan War - The Progressive Ch. 9: ACLU: Obama Continues Bush Abuses - The Young Turks - Air Date 7-9-11 Ch. 10: Drones not always precise in real world - CounterSpin Ch. 11: A Triumph of Nonviolence in Egypt! - The Progressive Ch. 12: Social Media Allowing Revolutions (Egypt result) - The Young Turks Ch. 13: Osama Bin Laden Dead... What Happens Now? - The David Pakman Show Ch. 14: Activist McKibben: Tar Sands pipeline is climate game over - Countdown Ch. 15: Supporting the EPA and the Koch Bros accidentally fund accurate climate research - Green News Report - Air Date 10-25-11 Ch. 16: Fox News makes you less informed - The Majority Report Ch. 17: The HuffPo buyout and the future of journalism - On the Media Ch. 18: Giffords Shooting 911 Tapes Police Audio First word of Tucson, Arizona shooting, attack on Gabrielle Giffords Ch. 19: FLASHBACK: Right-Wing Media Downplays Threats Toward Democrats - Media Matters Minute Ch. 20: Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck_ Are You Happy Now_ - The Progressive Ch. 21: Oslo Norway Shooter Right Winger...Who's Telling You the Truth? - David Pakman - Air Date 7-26-11 Ch. 22: Congress' Budget-Cutting Immorality - Jim Hightower Ch. 23: Armadebtdon 2011: National Bullshit Ceiling - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-18-11 Ch. 24: Legalized Corruption of Government Exposed by Abramoff - Young Turks - Air Date 11-7-11 Ch. 25: Good news for the big guys - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 4-1-11 Ch. 26: Keith Olbermann reads first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street - Countdown Ch. 27: We stand as one - Joseph Arthur Ch. 28: What the Occupy Wall St movement wants - Planet Money Ch. 29: Occupy my Heart - Ben and Fritz Ch. 30: Cenk Announces Wolf-PAC.com at Occupy Wall Street Ch. 31: Fox News Falsehood: Half of Americans Don't Pay Any Taxes - Media Matters Minute - Air Date 7-18-11 Ch. 32: Trump 2012 - Media Matters Ch. 33: Donald Trump Polls 2012 Presidential Candidate Or Clown_ - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-13-11 Ch. 34: The Trump Inc. Podcast Made a Time Capsule - Trump Inc. - Air Date 1-19-21 Ch. 35: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/26/2021 Today we take a look at our long history of ignoring domestic, right-wing terrorism from the Oklahoma City bombing through to the predictable actions of militia groups in 2020 and beyond. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: Unf*cking the Republic CALL TO ACTION: Join the CCAN Polar Plunge to fight Climate Change: KeepWinterCold.org Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tracing the roots of the America's biggest domestic terror attack - PBS News Hour - Air Date 2-17-20 The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing was the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A new documentary on the PBS series American Experience takes a fresh look at the events and motivations that led to the attack by Timothy McVeigh Ch. 2: The Dangers of White Supremacy - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 10-2-20 Sam talks with Kathleen Belew, assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, about what we get wrong when we talk about the white power movement. Ch. 3: Former DHS Analyst Daryl Johnson on How He Was Silenced for Warning of Far-Right Militants - Democracy Now - Air Date 9-9-12 While working as a senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2009, Daryl Johnson authored a report warning about the increasing dangers of violent right-wing extremism in the United States, sparking a political firestorm in the process Ch. 4: How the Oklahoma City Bombing Changed the U.S. - AJ+ - Air Date 2-26-19 In the almost 25 years since explosives killed 168 adults and children, what has the United States learned from the Oklahoma City bombing? And what can it tell us about the future of far-right extremism in the U.S.? Ch. 5: Most Violence is Right Wing. Period. Stop Lying - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-22-19 Most violence is right wing, and it's important not to be distracted from that undeniable reality. Ch. 6: Opinion | Far-right militias and domestic terrorism in America: 'This threat got ahead of us' - Washington Post - Air Date 9-29-20 The government must wake up to the threat of domestic terrorism before it's too late, says former Homeland Security counterterrorism analyst Daryl Johnson. Ch. 7: What’s Fueling Far-Right Hate in America? - AJ+ - Air Date 2-19-19 The number of far-right extremist groups prone to violence is increasing in the U.S. It's a threat the government was warned about a decade ago. But what's fueling the rise of hate, and what's the nation doing to combat it? Ch. 8: Fmr. DHS Sec. Jeh Johnson: 'Principal Terrorist Threat Is Far-Right Violent Extremism' - MSNBC - Air Date 1-20-21 Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson discusses what the Biden administration's national security team will have to undertake. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Former DHS Analyst Trump Administration Not Taking White Nationalist Threat Seriously Enough - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-30-19 To talk about the rise of white supremacist violence and the Trump administration’s response, we speak to Daryl Johnson, a former senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Ch. 10: DHS Was Tracking White Supremacist Terrorists, but Nobody Wanted to Listen - The Real News - Air Date 9-20-19 No one listened when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI sounded the alarm about the rise of white supremacist and far-right domestic terrorism, says former DHS intelligence analyst Daryl Johnson and Greg Huffman of Facing South. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: We made it! (But not all of us) - Nick from California Ch. 12: The cause and result of moral panic - Paul from Vermont FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on moral panic and the shifting eras of white supremacist violence MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Original images: "Proud Boy - Jan 6th" Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Before the Siege" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Tree of Life building at sunset" by David Fulmer on Flickr, Lincese | "Charleston Church" (Mother Emmanuel) by Zack Carlson on Flickr, Public Domain | "20th Anniversary - Oklahoma City Bombing" by US Army Corps of Engineers - Tulsa, License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 4/2/2019 Today we take a look at the so-called "Algorithms of Oppression." Not that they're made to be that way on purpose but that it is a natural outcome of a profit-based system that incentivizes people to post the most click-baity content while the system learns the viewer's weaknesses to ruthlessly feed them whatever will keep them engaged. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Social Media Propagates Hate - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 3-21-19 YouTube will keep playing until you stop it, and it pushes extremes regardless of ideology. It is ruthlessly optimized to keep humans engaged, and YouTube can't possibly police their own content. Ch. 2: Algorithms of Oppression with Dr. Safiya Noble - Delete Your Account - Air Date 4-11-18 Dylan Roof was radicalized through Google - searching one thing gives you further items down the rabbit hole - not the opposing viewpoint. What's worse, is big tech has no accountability for their actions. Ch. 3: The Algorithm with Adam Conover - Point of Inquiry - Air Date 1-10-19 We are all falling for the YouTube slot machine of instant gratification Ch. 4: Fighting White Supremacy on Social Media - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 3-19-19 Are tech companies trying to crack down on hate speech? Those articles are super profitable for social media, and it creates a sensation, so they're not incentivized to change. Ch. 5: Yuval Noah Harari on Hacking Humanity - Ideas from CBC Radio - Air Date 9-5-18 Yuval Harari joins to discuss the human animal and our irrelevance in the digital age. At least when we were being exploited we were still needed. Ch. 6: Is the Press Finally Learning How to Cover White Supremacy? - On the Media - Air Date 3-22-19 Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google are still light years away from developing an enforceable code of ethics for dealing with hate groups but Bob and Joan Donovan discuss why she believes that stymieing the spread of hate online is possible. EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Facebook is finally banning white supremacy that goes by other names (TechCrunch) Google’s algorithms are keeping us in a political bubble, study finds (MarketWatch) How to Escape Your Political Bubble for a Clearer View (The New York Times, 2017) Echo chambers are dangerous –  we must try to break free of our online bubbles (The Guardian, 2017) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Inessential - Bayou Birds Heather - Migration Gondola Blue - Towboat Astrisx - Bodytonic Solemn Application - Wax Museum Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 1/19/2021 Today we take a look at the historical roots and modern manifestations of how white supremacy has turned the GOP base into Frankenstein's monster which cannot be controlled and has finally turned on its creator Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: “American Abyss” Fascism Historian Tim Snyder on Trump’s Coup Attempt, Impeachment & What’s Next Part 3 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-21 As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden·s inauguration. Ch. 2: ACLU Responds to Events at the U.S. Capitol Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 1-8-21 We wanted to come together to respond to the moment: focusing on moving forward with electoral integrity and a deeper commitment to racial justice. Today you’ll hear experts from the ACLU in conversation: Monica Hopkins, Jeffrey Robinson, and Dale Ho. Ch. 3: Confederate Offspring - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 1-14-21 Jared Yates Sexton & Tim Wise Ch. 4: AOC Shares 'Close Encounter', Rips Apart GOP 'Cowards' During Livestream - The Rational National - Air Date 1-13-21 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared her 'close encounter' during the Capitol riots, and ripped apart Republican 'cowards' during an IG Live. Ch. 5: We've Had Insurrections Before Part 2 - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 1-12-21 Sam revisits this history with Jamelle Bouie, columnist at The New York Times. They explore why the path toward political unity in our time might actually be through division. Ch. 6: The January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol - Past Present - Air Date 1-12-21 In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ch. 7: Debunking the Pro-Trump Economic Anxiety Myth - The Choice - Air Date 1-14-21 The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Capitol insurrectionists are part of the tradition of painting Trump's supporters as poor and uneducated when they are anything but. Ch. 8: Why Republicans Must Rebuke Trump's Big Lie - All In - Air Date 1-14-21 “If people like Jim Jordan really want to help, they can go on Fox News and tell people there was no election fraud, that this was a free and fair vote. And their side lost,” says Chris Hayes. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Trump impeached again; Guest Former diplomat, Rep. Tom Perriello of Open Society US Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 1-13-21 TOM PERRIELLO, now Executive Director of the Open Society Foundation-U.S., explains how the country might be able to carve a path forward to reconciliation and healing after Trump leaves office. Ch. 10: The Trump Riot Insurrection is NOT Only About Economic Oppression - David Pakman Show - Air Date 1-12-21 Donald Trump riotous insurrection is not merely about economic oppression and class, as some have argued over the last week. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: The importance of the work of this show - V from Central New York Ch. 12: Flying the flag on January 20 - Bud from Boise Ch. 13: Sharing the show - Rainer from Cuba FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments introducing FDR's Second Inaugural Speech Ch. 15: Second Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt My Fellow Americans Book My Fellow Americans Podcast MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/16/2021 Today we take a look at the underlying fears and motivations for the insurrection that go beyond the Big Lie™ of a stolen election to the bedrock of white supremacy that has driven white riots for more than 100 years.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ACLU Responds to Events at the U.S. Capitol - At Liberty - Air Date 1-8-21 We wanted to come together to respond to the moment: focusing on moving forward with electoral integrity and a deeper commitment to racial justice. Today you’ll hear experts from the ACLU in conversation: Monica Hopkins, Jeffrey Robinson, and Dale Ho. Ch. 2: Dorothee Benz on January 6 Insurrection - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-8-21 We talk about coverage of the January 6 attack on the Capitol with political scientist Dorothee Benz. Ch. 3: We've Had Insurrections Before - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 1-12-21 Sam revisits this history with Jamelle Bouie, columnist at The New York Times. They explore why the path toward political unity in our time might actually be through division. Ch. 4: “American Abyss” Fascism Historian Tim Snyder on Trump’s Coup Attempt, Impeachment & What’s Next Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-21 As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden·s inauguration. Ch. 5: Governor Schwarzenegger's Message Following this Week's Attack on the Capitol "This is my message to my fellow Americans and my friends around the world after January 6, 2021." Ch. 6: “American Abyss” Fascism Historian Tim Snyder on Trump’s Coup Attempt, Impeachment & What’s Next Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-21 As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration. Ch. 7: Trump impeached again; Guest Former diplomat, Rep. Tom Perriello of Open Society US - The BradCast - Air Date 1-13-21 Donald Trump made history yet again on Wednesday by becoming the first President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in the U.S. House to charge the soon-to-be-former President with "Incitement of Insurrection". Ch. 8: Constitutional Lawyer Trump Is a Clear & Present Danger, a Senate Impeachment Trial Is Needed Now - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-14-21 Constitutional attorney John Bonifaz says the House “did its duty” and that the Senate must move to take up impeachment proceedings. “Those who did not vote to convict last time are responsible, in part, for allowing this president to stay in office..." VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Fear-anger and the capital - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 11: Conversing respectfully and the ammo shortage - Beth from Seattle Ch. 12: The joys of sharing - Jon from Omaha, NE FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on anger, conspiratorial thinking and secret artwork MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Black Lives Matter: Make it Good Again - Song for Change As America Bleeds - Jason Zucker Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "BEFORE THE SIEGE" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, Black Vignette, Increased contrast & saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 1/10/2021 Today, in our 15th-anniversary episode, we take a look at the the years and years of warning signs we having been highlighting since 2006 that collectively predict the armed insurrection against the government as the natural end point for a radicalized, conspiratorial, White/Christian-supremacist, permanently-minoritarian political movement that has lost its ability to win power by legitimate means. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: The New Yorker Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Fascists, Chris Hedges - Ring of Fire - Air Date 2-12-07 Chris Hedges explains the decades-old prediction of the rise of Christian fascism Ch. 2: Ginsberg and O'Connor death threats - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2006 Ginsberg and O'Connor deal with detailed death threats as part of the effort to take over the judiciary Ch. 3: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition - Air Date: 3-10-2006 Sandra Day O'Connor warns of creeping dictatorial tendencies referencing efforts to control the courts Ch. 4: Avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-22-2006 Cenk Uygur highlights the need to prevent dictatorship by avoiding the first steps that can lead to it Ch. 5: Tim Wise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16 Tim Wise explains what drives Trump supporters and the burgeoning Trumpism movement Ch. 6: Sasha Abramsky on what Trump supporters really think - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-2-16 Sasha Abramsky speaks with Trump supporters, many of whom ask him his ethnicity before being willing to speak with him Ch. 7: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-02-16 Secret Service agent choke-slams a journalist at a Trump rally. What will Trump do if he actually wins? Ch. 8: CNN's morally bankrupt hiring of former Trump campaign staffer - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-1-16 CNN profits from the Trump campaign to the detriment of the country Ch. 9: Trump Victory Inspires Acts Of Hate Against Minorities - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-11-16 Post-election rash of hate-crimes spike after Trump victory. Ch. 10: You Will Not Believe This Insane Antisemitic Email - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-14-16 David Pakman shares an email he recieved and vandilism he witnessed in the wake of Trump's victory Ch. 11: A White Nationalist Will Be Advising Trump's Administration Air Date 11-14-16 Steve Bannon tapped to join the Trump administration Ch. 12: How to fight our enemies, the blacks and jews - A real-life White supremacist podcast - Air Date 11-10-16 Clips from an unabashedly White-nationalist podcast in the wake of Trump's election win Ch. 13: It can't happen here - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 A look at the long history of racial grivance that fuels fascist tendencies in the US Ch. 14: The Attorney General Defied Trump's Muslim Ban. He Did One Thing He Knows How to Do He Fired Her - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 01-31-17 Trump issues an executive order effectively banning Muslims from several countries Ch. 15: Christiane Amanpour on the state of the media in a post fact-world - The Investigators with Diana Swain, CBC - Air Date 11-25-16 Trump's treatment of the media is precisely in line with the strategies of dictators around the world Ch. 16: Antifa: A Look at the Antifascist Movement Confronting White Supremacists in the Streets - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 08-16-17 Trump doubles down when criticized for his comments in the wake of the Charlottesville White supremacists rally Ch. 17: Donald Trump Puts Our Democracy and Our Lives in Serious Danger - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 01-13-18 Not a single president has met more than one of the four qualities identified by political scientists as warning signs of an authoritarian or fascist leader. Trump meets them all. Is this how our Democracy dies? Ch. 18: Scott Crow on understanding conspiracy narratives required for fascist thinking - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 2-19-18 Scott Crow explains why the rise of progressive-left movements are always countered by a rise in right-wing conspiracy theories and why fascism downright requires conspiracies to survive. Ch. 19: Steve Schmidt President Donald Trump Is 'Stoking And Inciting' Worst Among Us - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 10-29-18 Donald Trump is "stoking and inciting - for the purposes of political power - the worst amongst us to take action in his name," says Steve Schmidt. Ch. 20: Violent Extremism in the U.S. - NowThis World - Air Date 11-4-18 White supremacist and other right-wing violence are currently the deadliest active domestic extremist movements in the U.S., according to data from several civil rights groups that track hate crimes and extremist violence. Ch. 21: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. Ch. 22: Trump Attacks Anti-Fascists But Is Silent on Boogaloo & Far-Right Groups Engaged in Deadly Violence - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-20 President Trump claims without evidence that anti-fascists are inciting riots at protests against police brutality, but has downplayed groups like the “boogaloo” movement, which are using the protests as cover to carry out violence, even murder. Ch. 23: Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police - CounterSpin - Air Date 7-24-20 While we wait to see if corporate media can decide which optic is an optic too far, we talk about the legal, constitutional elements of the fight for our right to protest, including against the forces that are sent to police the protesting. Marjorie Kohn. Ch. 24: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 25: Final comments to wrap up this anniversary episode MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft Air Date 1/5/2021 Today we take a look at the often-overlooked decade of Reconstruction in the wake of the Civil War. After hundreds of years of slavery, Reconstruction was a brief moment of relative democracy and equality before the white power structure reasserted itself and instated the policies that would be known as "Jim Crow Laws" which would last another 80 years.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Second Revolution Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 2: The Power of Frederick Douglass and the 2nd American Revolution w/ David Blight - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 9-29-20 Sam hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning Yale Historian David Blight to discuss his recent biography of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, and how the Reconstruction era lives on in our contemporary politics. Ch. 3: The Second Revolution Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 4: Slavery, Race, and the Confederate Army - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-14-18 Professor Colin Woodward joins us to discuss the importance of slavery in the minds of Confederate soldiers, as well as its effects on military policy and decision making. He tells us about the Rebels’ persistent belief in the need to defend slavery Ch. 5: The Second Revolution Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Second Revolution Part 4 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Experiment with Refer-o-Matic - Nick From California New Ch. 8: Power and defining the marginalized - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the epic Refer-o-Matic program and why we should be messaging to rural America MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "Statue of 'Robert Smalls, U.S. Congressman' -- The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Washington (DC) October 2016" by Ron Cogswell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 6/29/2020 Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Black Lives Matter Protests, "Outside Agitators," and the Coronavirus - DOOMED with Matt Binder - Air Date 5-30-20 Matt Binder discusses the Black Lives Matter protests, the police killing of George Floyd, the media's narrative on the protests, riots, and looting, the "outside agitator" trope, and the looming cloud of the coronavirus pandemic. Ch. 2: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 3: George Floyd, you, me… us - Jim Hightower - Air Date 6-9-20 There’s a growing understanding that we really are “all in this together,” so we’ve got to stand up for George Floyd, each other… and the America we want. Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 1 - Tysky Sour, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 5: America, Racism & Patterns of Change (with Heather Cox Richardson)- Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date - 6-11-20 Boston College History Professor Heather Cox Richardson joins Preet to discuss the evolution of the Republican Party, the utility of historical parallels in this time of protest, and the policies that might help heal our nation. Ch. 6: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 2 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 7: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on how racism & racial terrorism fueled nationwide anger - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20 “These are not just repeats of past events,” says scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. “These are the consequences of the failures of this government and the political establishment … to resolve these crises.” Ch. 8: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 3 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 9: The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-10-20 The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? How can leadership lead a social movement to victory? Ch. 10: Cornel West: Nationwide uprisings herald "America's moment of reckoning" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20 Professor Cornel West calls the U.S. a “predatory capitalist civilization obsessed with money, money, money.” He also makes connections between U.S. violence abroad and at home. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on how we all push ourselves until we can't breathe MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Thannoid - Bodytonic Hickory Shed - Onesuch Village Coronea - Marisala Cloud Line - K4 Decompression - Rayling Jackbird - Feathers Cat's Eye - Marble Run Rafter - Speakeasy Lord Weasel - Molerider Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/20/2020 Today we take a look at the relationship between fear, anger and how to deal with the structural forces of harm in our society. To help us, we examine two of the greatest thinkers of the past 65 years, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mister Rogers, and go beyond the nonviolence of King and interrogate Mr. Roger's insistence on liking everyone just the way they are. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: W. Kamau Bell on coming face to face with white supremacists - Finding Fred - Air Date 11-26-19 Empathy can be found when you understand what circumstances people came from Ch. 2: Author Christian Picciolini on how white nationalists recruit and radicalize online - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-18-19 Reformed neo-Nazi and author Christian Picciolini explains how white nationalists target vulnerable online communities Ch. 3: The dubious luxury of anger - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 6-24-17 Understanding the fear that underlies anger. Ch. 4: Help the Helpers: Evil cannot withstand forgiveness - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 On being your best self. On the least of these. On the virtues of a cup of tea. Ch. 5: Help the Helpers: But forgiveness can be complicated - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 You can't be nice to everyone because being nice to certain people is inherently cruel to others. Ch. 6: Anger and forgiveness as a survival strategy - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-19 Discussing the conviction and sentencing of Amber Guyger, the Dallas police officer who shot and killed her black neighbor, Botham Shem Jean Ch. 7: Forgiveness in the #MeToo era - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 6-24-18 Many faith traditions emphasize the importance of forgiveness. But in the context of the #MeToo movement, can forgiveness silence women who have been abused? Ch. 8: Why Do Black People Always Have to Forgive? - The Real News - Air Date 10-4-19 As Botham Jean’s brother makes headlines for “forgiving” Amber Guyger, Real News hosts Jacqueline Luqman and Lisa Snowden-McCray to discuss what Christian forgiveness in the face of oppression means. Ch. 9: Why accountability matters for faith-based forgiveness - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 7-13-18 Serene Jones says deep forgiveness is actually part of a larger process of seeking justice and accountability. Ch. 10: The art and science of apologies and forgiveness Commentary - Best of the Left - Air Date 3-23-19 Final comments on strength, power, fragility, apologies, forgiveness and the legacy of the Confederacy Ch. 11: Help the Helpers: Grace - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 Grace is to focus on the humanity of others than to see them as monsters. Ch. 12: Help the Helpers: The fear and hurt that gets in the way - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 The difficulty of focusing on helping the needy rather than punishing the dangerous Ch. 13: Van Jones: Why Casting “Bigots” Out Doesn’t Move America Forward - Big Think - Air Date 12-6-17 There is a limit to empathy, you cannot tolerate the intolerant for too long—but having empathy for those who interpret change as scary, and understanding why they think that way, maybe the only inroad to untying this great mess. Ch. 14: The birth of the Black Power Movement - King in the Wilderness (HBO) - Air Date 4-2-18 The story of King's reaction to the rise of the Black Power movement and the roles of anger, fear and sickness FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the various sicknesses infecting our society MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 11/20/2019 Today we take a look at several topics that, at first glance, may seem to be unrelated but that I think are all tied together with a thread that runs through all of them and points the way toward The Great Transition we are currently in the middle of. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How NeoLiberalism Happened with George Monbiot Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 10-8-19 Nick and his guests discuss the history, the cultural and economic impact of neoliberalism. Ch. 2: Too Hot For School with Jane McAlevey - On the Media - Air Date 9-20-19 The climate protests and collective action of today mirror the same crises and protests of the FDR era. Ch. 3: How NeoLiberalism Happened with George Monbiot Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 10-8-19 Nick and his guests discuss the history, the cultural and economic impact of neoliberalism. Ch. 4: How whiteness distorts our democracy, with Eddie Glaude Jr. - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 4-4-19 Glaude is the chair of Princeton University’s department of African American studies, the president of the American Academy of Religion, and the author of the powerful book Democracy in Black. Ch. 5: How NeoLiberalism Happened with Binyamin Appelbaum - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 10-8-19 Nick and his guests discuss the history, the cultural and economic impact of neoliberalism. Ch. 6: We Are Trapped In The Moral Logic Of Neoliberalism with Adam Kotsko Part 1 - This Is Hell - Air Date 10-2-18 Chuck and Adam discuss neoliberal policy, culture and systems that keep us in massive inequality and divided from each other. Ch. 7: David Kotz: The Rise and Fall of Neoliberal Capitalism - Union for Radical Political Economics - Air Date 6-19-16 Talk on how Neoliberalism will come to an end Ch. 8: We Are Trapped In The Moral Logic Of Neoliberalism with Adam Kotsko Part 2 - This Is Hell - Air Date 10-2-18 Chuck and Adam discuss neoliberal policy, culture and systems that keep us in massive inequality and divided from each other. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: SAD Solidarity - Jesse from Boston Ch. 10: I feel it too - Erin from Philadelphia Ch. 11: Sunshine policy - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 12: Take a walk! - Linda from New Jersey FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on emotional vomiting MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Chilvat - Lillehammer Open Flames - Aeronaut The Envelope - Aeronaut Wingspan - Bayou Birds Celestial Navigation - Aeronaut The Wooden Platform - The Bulwark Stale Case - Darby Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 12/22/2020 Today we take a look at the origins of the War on Christmas™ and the Christian Persecution Complex™ more broadly but with a particular focus on how that sense of persecution has been funneled and focused into support for Republican politicians. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript EPISODE SPONSOR: Physical Attraction Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Myth of the Christian Nation - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-17-19 Dan speaks with author and constitutional lawyer Andrew Seidel. They discuss his new book, "The Founding Myth," and dissect the idea that the USA is a Christian nation. Ch. 2: The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism Is Un-American (with Andrew Seidel) - The Thinking Atheist - Air Date 5-16-19 Andrew Seidel is author of the new book, The Founding Myth: Why Christian Nationalism is Un-American. He speaks with Seth Andrews and takes listener calls. Ch. 3: The Myth of the Persecuted Christian and the Inverted Golden Rule Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 3-10-20 Brad speaks with Paul Djupe to discuss Djupe's findings that those Christians who live in homogenous Christian communities are most likely to believe that Democrats, atheists, and others are trying to take their rights away. Ch. 4: Conservatives Have Mastered Art of Playing Victim While Committing the Crime - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 10-25-20 Explaining the Trayvon Martin Effect whereby the victim and perpetrators are reversed to defend the indefensible and perpetuate the power structure. Ch. 5: The Myth of the Persecuted Christian and the Inverted Golden Rule Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 3-10-20 Brad speaks with Paul Djupe to discuss Djupe's findings that those Christians who live in homogenous Christian communities are most likely to believe that Democrats, atheists, and others are trying to take their rights away. Ch. 6: The Power Seekers: How Christian Nationalists Look at the White House - Interfaith Voices Podcast - Air Date 6-12-20 Andrew Whitehead, a religion sociologist from Clemson University, talks about Christian nationalism. Why is it so embedded in some people's idea of the United States? Ch. 7: Bill O'Reilly and John McCain on Immigration and the White Christian Male Power Structure Classic clip from the golden age of The O'Reilly Factor Ch. 8: The Man Who Mobilized The Evangelical Vote - AJ+ - Air Date 4-15-18 The religious right is seen as a political force today, but it wasn't always. Paul Weyrich arrived in Washington, DC, in the 1960s, determined to shake things up by winning evangelical voters over to the Republican Party. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Myth of the Christian Nation Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-17-19 Dan speaks with author and constitutional lawyer Andrew Seidel. They discuss his new book, "The Founding Myth," and dissect the idea that the USA is a Christian nation. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Upped membership pledge and referring friends - Nick from California Ch. 11: Where's Amanda? - Zach the Theologian FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on health care administration, GA activism and communist Christmas recommendations TAKE ACTION! GA SENATE RUNOFF ELECTIONS ON JAN. 5th: White People: Call White GA Voters with Gaining Ground (SURJ & Southern Crossroads) 5 Ways to Help in the GA Senate Runoffs (BOTL Activism from Nov. 10th) How to Help with the Georgia Senate Runoff Elections (Comprehensive list from Mashable) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 12/18/2020 Today we take a look at the abysmal response to the pandemic in the US, the unavoidable racial overtones inherent in that failed response, the lasting trauma the pandemic has inflicted and why nothing short of systemic change will suffice. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: AOC Calls Out McConnell's B***S**T Stimulus Excuse - The Damage Report - Air Date 12-11-20 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez calls out Mitch McConnell's BS excuse for holding the stimulus package from the American people. John Iadarola and Brett Erlich break it down on The Damage Report. Ch. 2: Chris Hayes: I'm Enraged Over America's 'Depraved' Covid Indifference - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-9-20 Tonight: America's leadership vacuum and the unrest it's breeding across the states. Then, Donald Trump strongarms Republicans to join his last, desperate push to overturn his election loss. Ch. 3: How the Economic Downturn has Hurt Vulnerable Americans - Politics with Amy Walter - Air Date 12-11-20 In the nine months that the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the U.S., the most vulnerable Americans have struggled to keep up with monthly expenses. Eight million Americans have fallen into poverty since May and today there are 10 million fewer employed Ch. 4: Electoral College Votes, Trump STILL Won't Stop - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 12-14-20 The United States continues to be the shame of the world when it comes to rich countries completely failing to deal with the coronavirus pandemic under the guidance of the Donald Trump administration Ch. 5: Check Your Blindspot - Air Date 12-18-20 Ch. 6: Trump Joins New Election Lawsuit as U.S. Hits Record COVID Deaths: A Closer Look - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 12-10-20 Seth takes a closer look at President Trump live-tweeting Fox News and trying to overturn the results of the 2020 election while the coronavirus pandemic hits a new grim milestone. Ch. 7: As COVID Surges Behind Bars in California, Why Is San Quentin Transferring Hundreds of Prisoners? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-15-20 Prisons across the U.S. are facing their greatest swell in COVID-19 cases since the beginning of the pandemic. Nearly a quarter-million incarcerated people in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19, according to the Marshall Project. Ch. 8: Nurse Caring for COVID-19 Patients RIPS Anti-Maskers They’re “Entitled A**holes” - The Humanist Report - Air Date 11-28-20 The Humanist Report (THR) is a progressive political podcast that discusses and analyzes current news events and pressing political issues. Our analyses are guided by humanism and political progressivism. Ch. 9: Tell It To Me Straight, Doc - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 12-14-20 When Dr. Brittani M. James “rage Tweeted” that she totally gets why her patients are skeptical of the medical system, her thread went viral. She joins Kai to offer insights on the apprehension that many Black Americans are feeling. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: What the Ebola Crisis Tells Us About the Coronavirus Pandemic in the Global South w/ Dr. Paul Farmer - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 12-15-20 Sam and Dr. Farmer discuss the history of epidemics in the global south and how the coronavirus pandemic response in America has shown the west's failures to invest in public health and the medical resources necessary to combat a pandemic diseases. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Followup on the structures of right and left-wing populist movements - Lynda from Illinois FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the difference between politics and economics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy!   Air Date 12/15/2020 Today we take a look at the current state of hyper-partisanship and its origins. The system seems broken because it is broken and it was never designed to work this way in the first place. And what about that bygone era of bipartisanship? It's likely that was a fluke and the result of one-party dominance in the New Deal era, it is not the norm throughout history. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changes in American Political Parties Part 1 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 2: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. Ch. 3: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 1 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 4: Changes in American Political Parties Part 2 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 5: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 2 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 6: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Sharing in misery - Zeke from Steamboat Springs, CO Ch. 11: Another Dave from Olympia shares the wealth - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on where your money to the show goes MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) MERCHANDISE! REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy!   Air Date 12/12/2020 Today we take a look at the prospects for Biden's foreign policy looking forward which seems to be mostly looking backward to an era of American over-confidence and self-ascribed "exceptionalism" that may never have been warranted, the fact of which becomes clearer with every passing year, something people living outside the US have known for decades. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: State-Sanctioned Killers: As Trump Expedites Executions at Home, Biden Builds Team for Wars Abroad part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 12-9-20 As Biden builds his Cabinet, his national security team is looking a lot like a replay of the Obama-Biden militarist coterie. Biden’s nominees include notorious hawks who were central to the genocidal war in Yemen andthe weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. Ch. 2: What if the U.S. Just Didn’t? Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 12-10-20 America has an opportunity to take a back seat and embrace global collaboration, Peter Beinart discusses. Ch. 3: Check Your Blindspot - Air Date 12-12-20 The Ground News app features The Blindspot which highlights news stories that just aren’t being covered by one end of the political spectrum or the other so I use The Blindspot to quiz contestants on theirs. Ch. 4: State-Sanctioned Killers: As Trump Expedites Executions at Home, Biden Builds Team for Wars Abroad part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 12-9-20 As Biden builds his Cabinet, his national security team is looking a lot like a replay of the Obama-Biden militarist coterie. Biden’s nominees include notorious hawks who were central to the genocidal war in Yemen andthe weapons sales to Saudi Arabia. Ch. 5: Why Biden Can't Go Back to the Foreign Policy Status-Quo w/ Stephen Wertheim - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 12-2-20 Sam hosts Stephen Wertheim deputy director of research and policy at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, to discuss Joe Biden's foreign policy appointees and why the president-elect should resist the Washington establishment. Ch. 6: What if the U.S. Just Didn’t? Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 12-10-20 America has an opportunity to take a back seat and embrace global collaboration, Peter Beinart discusses. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: A Trap? Why Assassination of Top Iranian Nuclear Scientist Could Tie Biden’s Hands in Future Talks - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-30-20 Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh was assassinated Friday while driving on a highway outside Tehran. Iran accuses Israel of orchestrating the killing, which is the latest in a string of assassinations targeting Iranian scientists VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Fan of Outlander - Cara Ch. 9: Jacobite Uprising/Confederacy Episode - Marc from London (Scotland Originally!) FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on why it's ok to watch Outlander MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/9/2020 Today we take a look in real-time at the construction of the world's newest Lost Cause narrative, the failed re-election of Donald Trump. This is not our country's first experience with Lost Causes and it's not, contrary to popular opinion, even our second connection to a Lost Cause narrative because we didn't invent the first one, we borrowed it from somewhere else and I will tell that story today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Click here--> bestoftheleft.com/refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay's Opening Comments Ch. 2: Reading Harry Potter In Scots Ch. 3: Jay’s comments: the history of a Lost Cause Ch. 4: Sir Walter Scott, The Old South and The Lost Cause - Who Put The Klan Into Klu Klux Klan? In this documentary, archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver examines racism in the Deep South and the Scots who first occupied it who influenced where we are today.  Ch. 5: How Southern socialites rewrote Civil War history - Vox - Air Date 10-25-17 The United Daughters of the Confederacy altered the South's memory of the Civil War. Ch. 6: How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 Ch. 7: Monumental Lies - Reveal - Air Date 12-8-18 Myths of the Civil War and slavery are being kept alive at Confederate monuments, where visitors hear stories of “benevolent slave owners” and enslaved people “contented with their lot.” We team up with The Investigative Fund Ch. 8: Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Ch. 9: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. Ch. 10: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. MEMBERS BONUS CLIPS Ch. 11: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Jay’s comments: the last few connections Ch. 13: Final comments on our ongoing campaigns MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Today's short announcement explains the financial hit the show unexpectedly took recently and lays out all of the ways you can help us get through it, one of which will cost you no money at all.   Relevant links discussed: Membership/Gift Memberships (The lifeblood of the show!) New Merch Store! (Our first-ever merch availability!) Refer-O-Matic (Earn gifts for sharing the show!)   Thanks in advance for your support!          

Air Date 12/5/2020 Today we take a look at what's behind Trump and his autocratic instincts. The enablers, the supporters and the long lineage of authoritarianism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-11-20 If the past week — and past four years — have proven anything, it’s that we are not as different as we believed. No longer is the question, "Can it happen here?" It’s happening already. Ch. 2: Is Democracy in Danger? Legal Experts Dahlia Lithwick and Ian Bassin On Trump, Barr and The Abuse of the Criminal Justice System - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 2-23-20 Dahlia Lithwick of Slate and Ian Bassin of Protect Democracy discuss Trump's sickening lurch toward autocracy post-impeachment with the cooperation of Bill Barr. Ch. 3: Trump's Authoritarian Lineage w/ Ruth Ben-Ghiat - The Majority Report - Air Date 11-12-20 Sam speaks with Ruth Ben-Ghiat (@ruthbenghiat), professor of History and Italian studies at New York University, about her new book "Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present." Ch. 4: Check Your Blindspot 12-4-20 Today's episode of America's favorite political game show! Ch. 5: From Dictator to Demigod - Power Corrupts - Air Date 8-1-19 We explore the strategic logic of cults of personality with stories that you won’t believe but are all too real. Ch. 6: Juan González The Media Has It Wrong. Record Latinx Turnout Helped Biden. White Voters Failed Dems Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-5-20 “How come none of the experts are asking why white voters underperformed the Democratic Party?” Ch. 7: How Trump Hacked the Presidency - Trumpcast - 11-13-20 Why Donald Trump’s violation of norms come with more social or political penalties than legal ones Ch. 8: The Secret Code of the Proud Boys - Trumpcast - Air Date 10-1-20 Virginia Heffernan talks to historian Nicole Hemmer about the Proud Boys—breaking down their hazing and hyper-masculinity, how to be initiated, conservative cults, and how Trump incites them. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Call to increase existing membership pledges - Josh from Wilmington, DE Ch. 11: Responding to Rutger Bregman - Linda from Illinois FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on utopian thinking and criticizing ideas and implementation separately MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 12/2/2020 Today we take a look at some of the highlights of how the 2020 election was won, the people doing the work and what's still at stake. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST | MACKWELDON.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Juan González The Media Has It Wrong. Record Latinx Turnout Helped Biden. White Voters Failed Dems - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-5-20 Juan González says "a false narrative" is taking root that Latinx voters were primarily to blame for the weak Democratic result. "The main story is that people of color, especially Latinos, flocked to the polls in numbers that far exceeded expectations. Ch. 2: The Myth Of The 'Latino Vote' - Latino USA - Air Date 11-13-20 President Trump won Florida, including nearly half of all Latinx-identifying voters in the state. But across the country in Arizona, grassroots groups led a wave of younger Latinx voters to flip the state blue for President-elect Joe Biden. Ch. 3: An Election We Could Not Sit Out How Indigenous Voters Helped Defeat Trump & Elect Biden - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-18-20 We speak with Allie Young, a citizen of the Navajo Nation and founder of Protect the Sacred, who organized a horseback trail ride to the polls. She says it was important to her to motivate Indigenous youth to turn out. Ch. 4: Georgia's Senate Runoffs - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 11-20-20 Georgia's Senate runoffs have become national races as control of the Senate depends on who wins. Tia Mitchell, Washington correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, on if Georgia voters are looking at the runoffs the same as rest the country is. Ch. 5: The Power of Black Women at the Ballot Box - The Takeaway - Air Date 11-9-20 Black women have long been the backbone of the Democratic Party, and this year is no different. Exit polls are showing that more than 90 percent of Black women cast their ballots for the Democratic ticket. Ch. 6: No Car - No Vote in Georgia Senate Run-off 2021 (w/ Greg Palast) - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-23-20 Georgia residents wishing to vote might be out of luck if they don't have a car thanks to Brian Kemp's new rule which amounts to a poll tax, any voter without a car registered in Georgia, could be blocked from voting! Ch. 7: Sam Breaks Down the HUGE Georgia Runoff Election - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 11-14-20 Laying out the importance of engaging with the Georgia Senate runoff elections. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on memberships and merch MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: "Volunteer registers a new voter at Comic Con, hosted by Emily Pearson and Matt Pizzolo comic Emmie-X", 2018 by Black Mask Studios via Wikipedia | License | Changes: Cropped & increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 5/3/2019 Today we take a look at several topics that, at first glance, may seem to be unrelated but that I think are all tied together with a thread that runs through all of them and points the way toward The Great Transition we are currently in the middle of. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Henry Giroux: Trump is the endpoint on cruelty and isolation in American politics - @thisishellradio - Air Date 4-15-17 Cultural critic Henry Giroux examines the slow, steady rise of cruelty in American culture - as the logic of neoliberalism strips our politics of anything besides self-regard, and the right capitalizes on the anger caused by its own policies Ch. 2: Johann Hari To Treat Depression, Provide Meaningful Work, Housing & a Basic Income, Not Just Drugs - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 02-02-18 An extended conversation with Johann Hari, author of a controversial new book, “Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression—and the Unexpected Solutions.” Ch. 3: Roots of Extremism with Deeyah Khan - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-11-19 Deeyah Khan is a British documentary filmmaker and human rights activist. She’s the creator of two extraordinary films airing on Netflix right now, White Right: Meeting the Enemy and Jihad: A Story of the Others. Ch. 4: The Cure To Loneliness - Sustainable Human - Air Date 2-3-18 Loneliness is almost baked into the cake as far as a modern society with the kind of social setup and infrastructure and economic system that we have today. Ch. 5: Gar Alperovitz: Building a Pluralist economy that supports human needs - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 7-26-17 Laura talks with author/activist Gar Alperovitz. From the gloom of today, he sees the principles of a Pluralist Commonwealth emerging. Ch. 6: Gar Alperovitz on the economic movement already underway - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-24-17 It’s time to build new economic institutions that are democratic but also–critically–give us a new power base as well in the communities around the country. Ch. 7: Utopias in history and the need to rekindle utopian thinking - History Extra - Air Date 3-16-17 Rutger Bregman discusses some of his ideas that recently caused a global sensation and the role of a historian in the modern world VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Progressives have always had to drag liberals along - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the need to spread the word about our failing institutions to bolster support for fundamental reform MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Astrisx - Bodytonic Quaver - Codebreaker Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Donder - Darby Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 11/23/2019 Today we take a look at just a few forms the decolonization movement is taking from finance to cartography to the internet and beyond. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Decolonizing Wealth Through Indigenous Leadership - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 7-25-18 Laura speaks to Edgar Villanueva, about being one of the very few indigenous people working in grant-making, and ask what he thinks Native American traditions have to teach philanthropy. His latest book is "Decolonizing Wealth" Ch. 2: Decolonizing philanthropy - Native America Calling - Air Date 12-13-18 Edgar Villanueva, author of “Decolonizing Wealth,” questions the wisdom of accepting funds from philanthropic endeavors built by corporate giants whose business is in direct conflict with Native sovereignty and sustainability. Ch. 3: Decolonize the Internet - Tiny Spark - Air Date 3-8-19 The internet is very white male-biased, it's important to find and prop up all other voices. Ch. 4: Decolonizing Maps - Native America Calling - Air Date 8-28-19 Indigenous Map making is a greatly different experience from what western colonialism forces people to use. Maps can tell a story, and engage with people. Ch. 5: Decolonization Is For Everyone with Nikki Sanchez - TEDx Talks - Air Date 3-12-19 Nikki Sanchez shares her vision of a world where we listen and care and stop dehumanizing people. VOICEMAILS Ch. 6: Hoping to save a life - James from Sacramento, CA Ch. 7: Wealth tax for the children - Chris from San Diego FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the tragedy of wealth and the difference between aggregation and curation Limerick of the day from @Limericking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Lakal - Speakeasy Inessential - Bayou Birds Weathervane - CloudCover Contrarian - Sketchbook Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE dignidadrebelde | Flickr | License | Changes: Added credit   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 11/20/2020 Today we take a look at the results of the elections beyond the presidency and find that progressive policies did well which should be a lesson to Democrats currently looking to find their bearings and choose a direction. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Finding hope in America’s progressive core - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 11-12-20 The hope that resides in these progressive policy positions is the prospect that a truly great American majority might yet be forged – not around some mega-politician – but around our people’s basic values of fairness and justice for all. Ch. 2: Mike Davis: Biden's Big Mistake - Start Making Sense - Air Date 11-11-20 Mike Davis on the Trump voters: Latinos in south Texas and white workers in the rust belt—and Biden’s big mistake: allowing Trump to claim "the economy" as his issue, instead of connecting jobs to controlling the pandemic. Ch. 3: Criminal justice reform won big, with guest Daniel Nichanian of The Appeal - The BradCast - Air Date 11-12-20 DANIEL NICHANIAN, Editor of 'The Appeal: Political Report' explains how last week's election delivered victories for advocates of criminal justice reform in local and county races for District Attorney and County Sheriff, as well as ballot initiatives. Ch. 4: Check Your Blindspot (Sponsored by Ground News) - 11-20-20 America's favorite political game show that uses the Blindspot feature of Ground News to test contestants' political blindspots and media literacy. Ch. 5: Bree Newsome & Prof. Eddie Glaude The Black Lives Matter Movement Helped the Democrats Defeat Trump - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-9-20 Eddie Glaude, author and chair of Princeton University's Department of African American Studies. "It makes no sense that we would go back to the politics that produced Trump in the first place." We also speak to artist and antiracist activist Bree Newsome Ch. 6: Immigration Advocates Have Ideas for the Biden Administration - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-10-20 Anu Joshi, vice president of policy at the New York Immigration Coalition, talks about the NYIC's hopes for the Biden administration, and takes calls from immigrant listeners who are ready for the new administration. Ch. 7: Biden Time: Banking - Planet Money - Air Date 11-13-20 Four things Joe Biden can do as president — even if the Democrats don't control Congress. Ch. 8: Biden Won. Now He Needs to Save the Planet - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 11-11-20 Jamilah King is joined by Mother Jones· climate and environment reporter Rebecca Leber to discuss what we can expect from an incoming Biden administration that has claimed climate action as central to its governing mandate. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how Harmony Square can teach you about online manipulation TAKE ACTION! Read, sign & share the People's Charter (Working Families Party) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE At the City Level, Progressives Flex New Power (City Lab) Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Biden’s Win, House Losses, and What’s Next for the Left (NY Times) Progressive Criminal Justice Ballot Initiatives Won Big in the 2020 Election (Center for American Progress) The $15 Minimum Wage Wasn’t the Only Progressive Ballot Measure That Passed in Conservative States (Mother Jones) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "sign of the times" by Mitchell Haindfield, Flickr | License | Changes: Filled in lower half of 2nd "E", cropped to square   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/17/2020 Today we take a look at the Republican Party and that which is hath wrought. The deeply racist and conspiratorial constituency has been part of the party for decades but it wasn't always the dominant strain. Today it clearly is and in an age of hyper-polarization and with enthusiastic stoking from Trump, that branch of the party is perfectly primed to splinter from shared reality completely in a spectacular, violent way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST | MackWeldon.com/Best IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A devastating indictment of the Republican Party - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 10-10-20 The problem, Stuart Stevens believes, is not that the GOP became something it wasn’t; it’s that many of those within it — including him — failed to see what it actually was. Ch. 2: Is Trumpism the New Conservatism? - The Atlantic - Air Date 7-20-17 Goldwater's conservative movement ended up dominating Republican politics for 50 years. Trump·s takeover of the Republican party looks a lot like Goldwater's, so could an ideological movement resembling Trumpism dominate the next 50 years? Ch. 3: The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-12-20 Anne Applebaum, staff writer for the Atlantic, discusses why the GOP ultimately took the path of Sarah Palin and Donald Trump, not John McCain and Mitt Romney and why what separates Never Trumpers from Trump enablers is a steadfast commitment to democracy Ch. 4: The Good Germans - Gaslit Nation with Andrea Chalupa and Sarah Kendzior - Air Date 9-8-20 The phrase “Good Germans” refers to the Germans living in the Third Reich who enabled Hitler and his Nazi regime yet remained in denial that they were doing so. Or they did know, but they put on a show of respectability. They were “just following orders.” Ch. 5: Don't You Dare Call It Trumpism - The Professional Left Podcast with Driftglass and Blue Gal - Air Date 11-13-20 We discuss why the beltway wants to call it Trumpism and why we must never do so. And the difference between a coastal D+20 district and a Midwest R+5 district reminds us that all politics is local. Ch. 6: The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-11-20 If the past week — and past four years — have proven anything, it’s that we are not as different as we believed. No longer is the question, "Can it happen here?" It’s happening already. Ch. 7: WHOA: 86% of Trumpists Think Biden Didn't Really Win - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 11-13-20 86% of Trumpists believe that Joe Biden didn't really win the election, stealing it from Donald Trump through fraud of some kind. Ch. 8: Trump Tries A Suplex On The American People - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 11-13-20 As Donald Trump and his enablers, the Republicans continue this farcical half-serious coup, Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss how the complicated grift that is professional wrestling explains this slow-moving disaster. Ch. 9: The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-11-20 If the past week — and past four years — have proven anything, it’s that we are not as different as we believed. No longer is the question, "Can it happen here?" It’s happening already. Ch. 10: The crisis isn’t Trump. It’s the Republican Party Part 4 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 11-11-20 If the past week — and past four years — have proven anything, it’s that we are not as different as we believed. No longer is the question, "Can it happen here?" It’s happening already. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: More nuance about legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the high likelihood of violence and death between now and Biden's inauguration MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 11–13-2020 Direct Download  Transcript Today we take a look at the slow-motion coup that we've known was coming since 2016. The baseless lawsuits, the absurd claims and the perpetual grift. Always the grift. BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Coup Cosplay: Chris Hayes On Trump, GOP Trying To Pretend Biden Didn’t Win - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 11-10-20 Chris Hayes on Trump and the GOP trying to pretend Biden didn’t win: "At a certain point, if you are just trollingly pretending to be engaged in a coup, when do you cross over to actually trying for a coup?". Ch. 2: Suppressing The Vote Didn't Work For Trump. Will Throwing Out Ballots? - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-9-20 Richard Hasen, professor of law and political science at the University of California, talks about the current Trump campaign challenges to the vote counting -- and why he's not expecting the Biden victory to be overturned in the courthouse. Ch. 3: Steven Rosenfeld on Vote Counting - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-6-20 Corporate media headlines would have you think it’s still a legitimately tight race for president because they’re holding up Biden’s larger number of votes and delegates alongside Trump’s efforts to huff and puff and blow the House down. Ch. 4: Check Your Blindspot - Air Date 11-13-20 America's favorite political game show that uses the Blindspot feature of Ground News to test contestants' political blindspots and media literacy. Ch. 5: Last Grasp, Last Gasp - On the Media - Air Date 11-6-20 With Joe Biden approaching victory, Donald Trump and his political allies flooded the internet with conspiracy theories. This week, we examine the misinformation fueling right-wing demonstrations across the country with Professor John Mark Hansen. Ch. 6: On November 14th & Beyond, Prepare to Stop a Coup in America via Refuse Fascism & Protect the Results - Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 7: Donald Trump's Plan to Steal the Election from Joe Biden and How We Stop Him - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 11-11-20 Donald Trump is attempting to overturn the results of the election and install himself into power overriding the will of the American people. Ch. 8: Mass protests may need to force Trump from office - The Bugle - Air Date 11-4-20 Nato Green explains the particulars of a protest strategy that can force an unpopular government from power Ch. 9: Trump Has CHECKED OUT as President to Attend to His Full-time Gig as a Grifter! - The Dollemore Daily - Air Date 11-12-20 Jesse discusses Donald Trump's latest scam to soak his supporters for MILLIONS OF DOLLARS, all while he's effectively stopped being President of the United States VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The progressive spark is beginning to smoke - V from Central New York Ch. 11: Pay to Play, the velvet rope economy - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the Velvet Rope Economy Bonus: The 'Velvet Rope Economy' and the virus - CNN - Air Date 3-14-20 As the virus expands worldwide, while millions are put under duress, the 1% can take advantage of their access to the 'Velvet Rope Economy.' TAKE ACTION Protests on Sat., Nov. 14th - RefuseFascism.org Protests Nov. 14th & Beyond - ProtecttheResults.com 10 Things You Need to Know to Stop a Coup (Waging Nonviolence) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Now We Have To Fight Trump’s Tin-Pot Coup - And Biden’s Worst Instincts (The Intercept) This is no conventional coup. Trump is paving the way for a 'virtual Confederacy' (Opinion - The Guardian) A political scientist explains why the GOP is a threat to American democracy (Vox) Tantrum and Theater: Trump's Desperation After Election Loss Isn't Yet a Coup (The Intercept) The Damage of Trump’s Voter-Fraud Allegations Can’t Be Undone (The Atlantic - June 2020) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST  |  System Check Podcast IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: "Let the People Pick the President" The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-30-20 Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: The Second Revolution - Scene On Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 3: Democracy: Past, Present... and Future? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-26-19 Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: More Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 6-10-20 What will it take to make the United States a more fully-functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 5: TAKE ACTION! Georgia On Our Minds - Get Involved in Our LAST CHANCE to Flip the Senate - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 6: Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it - TEDx - Air Date 10-20-15 Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig makes the case that our democracy has become corrupt with money, leading to inequality that means only 0.02% of the United States population actually determines who's in power. Ch. 7: The Right's Long History of Ignoring the Will of the People - On the Media - Air Date 11-6-20 Rick Perlstein, historian of American conservatism and author, most recently, of Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980, has tracked this anti-majoritarian current in the American right for centuries. Ch. 8: The Republicans' War on Voting Rights, Protesting and Democracy - Some More News - Air Date 10-22-18 In this week's episode of Some More News, we do a deep dive on the Republicans' attacks on our voting rights, our right to protest and, well, Democracy. Which is bad and not good. Ch. 9: Schooled for Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 5-13-20 In most American schools, children *hear about *democracy, but don’t get to *practice *it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like? Ch. 10: The Crises of American Democracy & What to Do About Them w/ Suzanne Mettler - The Majority Report - Air Date 9-22-20 Sam hosts Cornell Professor of American Institutions Suzanne Mettler to discuss her latest book, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy and what we can learn from history to understand American democracy's vulnerabilities. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Changing the caucus party - Erin from Philly Ch. 12: What happens if they somehow steal the election? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on action being the only antidote to anxiety TAKE ACTION GASenate.com NewGeorgiaProject.org BlackVotersMatterFund.org VoteRiders.org ACLUGA.org EDUCATE YOURSELF 'The Rise Of The New South': Black Women Organizers Turn Georgia Bluish (WBUR) Activist Brittany Packnett Cunningham’s Post-Election Road Map (W) ‘Civic Engagement Doesn’t Have to Be Corny.’ How Georgia Pulled Off Unprecedented Youth Voter Turnout (Time) #15: If We’re Not Organizing White People, Somebody Else Is (Organizing Upgrade - SURJ) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 11/6/2020 Today, Amanda and I process the election, explain hyper-polarization, and why Black women are saving the country again. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript   VoicedMail™: Examining and understanding the 2020 election results - Jonathan Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 11/2/2020 Today we brace for the election, consider what may come after it and prepare for the role we may need to play in the coming weeks. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Get System Check from The Nation Magazine wherever you get your podcasts! IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What if a US presidential candidate refuses to concede after an election? - TED - Air Date 10-26-20 Van Jones explains why concession speech is one of the most important safeguards for democracy, exposes legal loopholes that could enable a candidate to grab power even if they lose the popular vote and the electoral college -- and what citizens can do! Ch. 2: The American Contest - Law, justice, and the courts: Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 10-24-20 Dahlia Lithwick is joined by Heather Cox Richardson for a big-picture conversation about what that means: minority rule and the court’s role, past and present, in changing visions of democracy. Ch. 3: What If Trump Doesn’t Accept The Election Results? ft. Joshua Kahn Russell - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 10-22-20 Joshua Kahn Russell joins us to talk about the worst case scenario: what if Trump refuses to accept the election results? Ch. 4: Timothy Snyder Warns That as Election Day 2020 Approaches America is in The Midst of a Slow-Motion Reichstag Fire Emergency - The Truth Report w. Chauncey DeVega - Air Date 10-18-20 Timothy Snyder warns that the United States is in the midst of a years-long slow-motion Reichstag Fire emergency that Election Day 2020 may not resolve. Ch. 5: Incredibly powerful video from Sunrise NYC featuring words from Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez - Sunrise Movement 'Let this moment radicalize you’ — AOC inspires in this new ad by the @Sunrise Movement Ch. 6: Weissmann Thinks We Could See Trump Self-Pardon If He Doesn't Win Reelection - Deadline White House - Air Date 10-9-20 Former FBI general counsel Andrew Weissmann and Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold discuss new reports that reveal more on Trump’s financial situation and how they could turn into bigger legal problems for him if he becomes private citizen again. Ch. 7: Hope for the best, prepare for the worst - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 10-12-20 Frank Figliuzzi and Leonard Pitts Jr. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Busting myths above and below the 49th - Orrett from Vancouver, BC Ch. 11: Blindspots on the left - Mike from Toronto FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on you not being more radical than Angela Davis and a new frame for coalition governments in the US TAKE ACTION! GOTV: Swing Left | Field Team 6 | Sunrise Movement | Vote Save America | Indivisible's Windivisible Campaign TALK TO FRIENDS/FAMILY ABOUT VOTING: How to Talk about Voting With Friends Who Don't Vote (HeadCount) How I Convinced My Dad Not to Vote for Trump (The Cut) Convince leftist friends to use their vote as a tool: Use Jay's final comments from episode #1365 (Transcript). (This listener tweeted it out) PROTECT THE RESULTS: 6 Steps to Save the Vote (RepresentUs) Protect the Results (Coalition) #CountOnUs: How to Defeat Trump and Defend the Election (Sunrise Movement) 10 Things You Need to Know to Stop A Coup (Waging Nonviolence) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 2/25/2020 Today we take a look at a post-acquittal, power-mad Trump taking advantage of his thoroughly-confirmed ability to do whatever he wants without repercussion and the work Bill Barr is doing to completely subvert the Justice Department in favor of using it as a tool to favor the President's friends and harm his enemies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  MEMBERSHIP (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. Ch. 2: Trump Tears Democracy To Messes: Is It Too Late? - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 2-13-20 Thom discusses Trump and Barr dismantling justice and democracy. Ch. 3: The Fragility of American Justice with Dahlia Lithwick - On The Media - Air Date 2-14-20 On The Media explores the ways that American justice is cracking under pressure of the Trump administration. Ch. 4: Calls for Bill Barr's resignation have grown impossible to ignore - Bradcast with Brad Friedman - Air Date 2-18-20 Brad discusses Trump's power madness after impeachment. Ch. 5: Justice And Trump with Quinta Jurecic - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 2-19-20 Brian talks with Quinta Jurecic about the crisis in the justice department under Trump and Barr. Ch. 6: Trump Hush Money Case - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-18-20 Rachel Maddow discusses the corruption of Trump and Bill Barr Ch. 7: Pardonpalooza with Anne Milgram - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 2-20-20 Preet and Anne Milgram discuss Trump's pardoning spree. Ch. 8: Has Trump Taken Down Our Democratic Republic? - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 2-15-20 Fascism has taken down democratic Republics multiple times in the past, will this happen to the United States under Trump? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Solidarity with one, solidarity with all - Eammon from Orange County, California Ch. 10: How America can avoid hypocrisy on Israel - Erin from Philadelphia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on solidarity with threatened communities and strategies to avoid hypocrisy Bonus: Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) IRA Ties - The Daily Show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  The Summit - K2 Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Great Great Lengths - The Balloonist Around Plastic Card Tables - Desert Orchard Decompression - Rayling O Holy Still - Vacant Distillery Jackbird - Feathers Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 10/27/2020 Today we take a look at some idea for rebuilding our economy and our society in a way that will help everyone recover from the pandemic and make us more ready for the next emergency we face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What it would take to end child poverty in America - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 8-20-20 Lee and I discuss the psychological impact that poverty has on kids, why investing in children is one of the best investments a society can make, what other countries do right on this front that we can learn from, what it would take to end child poverty. Ch. 2: Care work is more valuable than ever (with Kate Bahn) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 10-11-20 Jessyn and Nick tackle the value of care work, the impossibility of finding affordable child care, and the importance of feminist economics with economist Kate Bahn. Ch. 3: The Tragic Cost of American Child Poverty w: Jeff Madrick - The Majority Report w: Sam Seder - Air Date 10-7-20 Economist and author Jeff Madrick joins Sam to discuss his latest book, Invisible Americans: The Tragic Cost of Child Poverty and how coronavirus austerity will further strip the US welfare system. What people should understand about child poverty. Ch. 4: How Democrats Risk Repeating the Mistakes of the Financial Crisis in the Era of Covid-19 - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 9-17-20 US economy was spiraling out of control in 2008 and 2009, economist James Galbraith predicted that an insufficiently large stimulus would lead to a prolonged recession; he was right, Today he has a set of economic prescriptions for COVID-19 crisis relief Ch. 5: Check Your Blindspot 10-27-20 America's favorite political game show that uses the Blindspot feature of Ground News to test contestants' political blindspots and media literacy. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: FINAL PUSH! GOTV & DONATE STRATEGICALLY! - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: It’s time to stop relying on crisis legislation (with Lindsay Owens) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 8-4-20 Economist Lindsay Owens proposes an alternative plan: a standing, off-the-shelf program to stabilize the economy in the event of an economic emergency. Ch. 8: Rev. William Barber Millions Are Struggling. So Why Do the Debates Ignore Poverty? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-8-20 Rev. William Barber says the 2020 election debates have steadfastly ignored the subject of poverty, even though it affected almost half the United States population before the COVID-19 pandemic and millions more people are struggling since then. Ch. 9: Homelessness on the Rise Amid Coronavirus Pandemic - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-1-20 According to the Eviction Lab, in 17 cities that they tracked, there have been more than 53,000 evictions since the pandemic began. Ch. 10: You can’t starve your way out of a recession (with Kitty Richards) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 8-14-20 Paul talks to Groundwork Collaborative strategic advisor Kitty Richards about how states can act now to invest in their residents, bolster their economies, and push back against skyrocketing inequality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Be aware and prepared but not panicked - Erin from Philly Ch. 12: American power - Aaron from New Zealand Ch. 13: Are there episodes on explaining socialism? - Alfredo from Frankfort, KY FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the completely separate issues of political and economic systems TAKE ACTION! GOTV: Swing Left | Field Team 6 | Vote Save America | Indivisible Swing Left Immediate Impact Fund & Super States (White House, Senate & State Level) DCCC Frontline Fund (Protect Vulnerable House Dems) DCCC Red to Blue (Flip More Red House Seats) EveryDistrict (Flip state legislatures) Democratic Governors Association (Support Incumbents & Flip Red Governorships) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Battleground States Biden and Trump Need to Win 270 (The NY Times) How Biden — or Trump — could win 270 electoral votes (Vox) Stop giving your money to presidential campaigns, donate to local races instead (Business Insider) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Research: Deon Clark, Erin Clayton Transcripts: Ben, Dan & Ken Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 7/5/2019 Today we take an unflinching look at Mitch McConnell and what a bad, bad man he is for basically all of the reasons. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Money Money Money Part 1 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 Mitch fully embraces the 'evil' of raising money in politics, and truly believes money is free speech. Ch. 2: Voting Machine Lobbyists Pay Mitch McConnell - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 6-13-19 Lobbyists for both major voting machine companies have started contributing to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's re-election campaign as McConnell is blocking election security bills. Ch. 3: McConnell Admits Defeat with Cenk Uygur, John Iadarola, and Ana Kasparian - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-8-19 McConnell, a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform who battled the late Sen. McCain over the issue, made clear in December that the House proposal would never see floor time in the Senate. Ch. 4: Money Money Money Part 2 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 McCain and Mitch fought each other over money in politics for years. Mitch wasn't ever going to lose, McCain saw the corruption and tried to call it out. Ch. 5: Mitch Is the Biggest Monster In Politics - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-8-19 Mitch has been packing the courts, it is monopolization of our judiciary by far right extremists / conservatives. Ch. 6: McConnell Makes Obstruction Pledge with Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson, and John Iadarola - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-24-19 McConnell sees what the progressives are doing, and is dedicated to stopping them at all costs. Ch. 7: Darth Vader Has Arrived - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-13-19 Mitch fought endlessly to ensure corporate money in politics. Citizens United and Mitch McConnell completely overturned democracy and legalized corruption. Ch. 8: Is Mitch McConnell the Most Evil Politician in US History with Alex Pareene - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 4-5-19 Mitch is manipulating our judicial system - Trumps court appointments are pushing terrorism on the people. Mitch is the most productive and destructive GOP in modern history. Ch. 9: Mitch McConnell Gets Cornered By Question with Cenk Uygur, Ira Madison and John Iadarola - The Young Turks - Air Date 5-29-19 Mitch blocked Merrick Garland under Obama, and now will indiscriminately fill any SCOTUS opening. Ch. 10: Not A Happy Choice - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Eric Mennel - Air Date 6-20-19 Mitch rose to fame during the Obama administration, for refusing to work with Obama on anything, which paved the way for Trump VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Christians thrive on oppression - (Another) Heather Ch. 12: The Christian Right's Persecution Boner - Ani from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why it’s safe to say that Mitch McConnell is an extortionist TAKE ACTION! (Cut for time) SEGMENT: Support the Fight to Oust McConnell in 2020 - Best of the Left Activism Support End Citizens United Support Indivisible Kentucky Support the Ditch Mitch Fund Support Steven Cox Support Amy McGrath (if she announces) Support Matt Jones (if he announces) Researched & written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Banjo - Grey River Heather - Migration Lord Weasel - Molerider Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Inessential - Bayou Birds Vibrant Canopy - Origami Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Waterbourne - Algea Fields Surly Bonds - Aeronaut Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 10/21/2020 Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an unabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the world less so - all while maintaining an anti-imperial, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, live-and-let-live poker face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: MACK WELDON  |  GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The bipartisan empire machine that runs the United States - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 9-26-18 Trump lies all the time but he's also continuing one of the great lies of America Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic. Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 4: Ghosts of Mossadegh: The Iran Cables, U.S. Empire, and the Arc of History - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 11-20-19 The Intercept’s investigative series The Iran Cables offers historical insight into Iran’s operations in neighboring Iraq, which are informed by the bloody history of the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. invasion, and subsequent occupation of Iraq Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20 America's "original sin" in the Middle East: the CIA's (and Britain's) coup d'etat in Iran in 1953. Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - 2 WEEKS LEFT, GET OUT THE VOTE - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 8: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. Ch. 9: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17 "Stumbling", "sliding", "drawn into" war––the media frequently assumes the US is bumbling its way around the world. The idea that the United States operates in “good faith” is taken for granted for most of the American press. Ch. 10: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13 Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11. Ch. 11: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Domestic focus is about setting a good example - Chris from San Diego Ch. 13: Thoughts on right-wing vs left-wing anarchism - Alex Ch. 14: Fighting for legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the dangers and paranoia that come with illegitimate power TAKE ACTION! TheLastWeekends.org SwingLeft.org/funds FieldTeam6.org VoteSaveAmerica.com Voting problems? Call 866-OUR-VOTE or 866OurVote.org EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Billion-Dollar Disinformation Campaign to Reelect the President (The Atlantic) Behind in the Polls, Republicans See a Silver Lining in Voter Registrations (The New York Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/16/2020 Today we take a look at the history and origins of the American militia movement right up to the recent plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, the likelihood of more violence and the high probability that they will show up at polling places on Election Day.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]  Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: FBI Foils Right-Wing Plot to Kidnap Michigan Gov. Months After Trump Urged "Liberation" of State - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-9-20 Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Ch. 2: Ohio has long history with militias; 2020 saw a surge in activity - WBNS 10TV - Air Date 10-9-20 A group of men plotting to kidnap the governor of Michigan met in Dublin. Ch. 3: Rise of Violent Militias Prompts National Fears After Foiled Kidnapping Plot - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-12-20 Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, and Daryl Johnson, owner of DT Analytics and former senior analyst at the Department of Homeland Security, discuss the implications for the upcoming election. Ch. 4: Check Your Blindspot 10-16-20 America's favorite political game show that uses the Blindspot feature of Ground News to test contestants' political blindspots and media literacy. Ch. 5: Mary McCord on Unlawful Militias - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-9-20 Mary McCord, a law professor at Georgetown University & legal director at the school's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and an expert on unlawful militias that manage to be part of the political landscape while somehow escaping media. Ch. 6: Great Replacement Theory - RE-EDUCATION - Air Date 8-16-19 This theory has become mainstream. Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - Protect the Election Results - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 8: Protests Put Spotlight on the Relationship Between Armed White Vigilantes, Militia Groups, and Law Enforcement - The Takeaway - Air Date 8-31-20 Armed vigilantes and militia groups are showing up to Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Ch. 9: Robert Evans Are We In a Second Civil War? - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 10-13-20 Robert Evans explains what we need to do to avoid a second Civil War Ch. 10: Kathleen Belew Explains the Long History of the White Power Movement and its Global Plans for "Race War" - The Truth Report w. Chauncey DeVega - Air Date 5-26-19 Belew explains white supremacy is a cultural, social and political problem not just the pathology of a small number of people, what "white power" means, and how white supremacist and other right-wing foot soldiers preparing for various forms of "race war" Ch. 11: Did Trump's "Liberate Michigan" Result in Kidnapped Governor? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-8-20 Donald Trump told his followers to "liberate Michigan". They answered by attempting to kidnap Governor Whitmer. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: In response to Craig's progressive myth and identity politics - Alex Ch. 13: VOTE on what you know about, VoicedMails™ - Stacy from San Francisco Bay Area FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the interesting wrinkle of two Trump-haters being involved in the kidnapping plot Article: 13 men charged in alleged kidnapping plot, many with troubled pasts - Detroit Free Press TAKE ACTION! 6 Steps to Save the Vote via RepresentUs Protect the Results via Indivisible, Stand Up America & more Count On Us via Sunrise Movement 10 Things You Need to Know to Stop a Coup (Waging Nonviolence) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Election That Could Break America (The Atlantic) Is Trump Planning a Coup d’État? (The Nation) What Happens If Trump Won't Step Down? (Slate) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: "aIMG_0841" & "cIMG_1169b" & "01IMG_7336" by Becker1999 (Paul and Cathy), Flickr | License | Changes: Composite of 3 different images, cropped, added black background and red design    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]  

Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Can You Handle The Truth? - Native Opinion Podcast an American Indian Perspective - Air Date 10-20-19 This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization’s shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Ch. 5: Jon Schwarz on social silence, hidden history, and why Trump is our most honest president - The Katie Halper Show - Air Date 11-22-18 Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Ch. 6: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 7: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 8: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 9: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 11: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 12: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency TAKE ACTION! VoteRiders.org TheLastWeekends.org Call: 866-OUR-VOTE | Visit 866OurVote.org ProtecttheVote.net NativesVote2020.com Native American Voting Rights Act (2019-2020) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The State of Native American Voting Rights (Brennan Center) Native Vote Infographic (National Congress of American Indians) The 5 Million Americans that the 2020 Candidates Refuse to Talk About (Vox - First Person) How the Native American Vote Continues to be Suppressed (American Bar Association) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com SUPPORT THE SHOW Listen Anywhere! Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date 10/9/2020 Today we take a look at the future of abortion rights and the broader reproductive justice movement in the face of a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Ground News  IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The GOP Ended Up Hating Abortion - AJ+ - Air Date 8-4-19 Republicans and their base used to be more supportive of abortion rights than Democrats. Now, they’re pushing for abortion restrictions with an aim to overturn Roe v. Wade. Why did the GOP turn its back on abortion rights? Ch. 2: Body of Law Beyond Roe - On the Media - Air Date 12-13-19 Activist and scholar Loretta Ross explains the tenets of reproductive justice and how they expand the frame beyond Roe and abortion; Reva Siegel of Yale Law School describes the framework of ProChoiceLife. Ch. 3: Check Your Blindspot - Powered by Ground News America's favorite political gameshow that uses the Blindspot feature of Ground News to test contestants' political blindspots and media literacy. Ch. 4: Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion - National Network of Abortion Funds - Air Date 4-16-20 Access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, largely depends on where you live and how much money you have. Abortion funds are taking the hassle and harassment out of healthcare by helping people all across our network access and fund abortions. Ch. 5: Voting Is Not Enough: Register Voters & Re-Register Purged Voters in Battleground States via @fieldteam_6 - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 6: 'It is time to have a national law to protect the right of a woman’s choice': Warren - ABC News - Air Date 2-7-20 Candidates weigh in on current abortion laws and President Donald Trump's campaign promise to shift the Supreme Court to the right. Ch. 7: What Happens When You Restrict Abortion? - AJ+ - Air Date 10-8-19 Restricting abortion access doesn’t have the same impact on everyone. It adversely affects people of color and low-income residents more. But why and how? We traveled to the place with the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S. to find out. Ch. 8: The Shadows of a Revolution - Capitalism Hits Home with Dr. Harriet Fraad and Julianna Forlano - Air Date 5-31-20 Lost abortion rights and no paid maternity or family leaves keep women from advancing at work as they take time to care for children. Abortion and family leaves are sites of the revolutionary struggle for America's personal and family life. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: "One Person, One Vote" is our saddest and scariest myth - Lance FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the zombie talking point of us living in a republic rather than a democracy TAKE ACTION! Volunteer with FieldTeam6.org/actions  EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Right-Wing Group Seeks to Purge Up to 800,000 Voters in Pennsylvania, A Key Battleground State (The Intercept) Republicans Are Trying to Kick Thousands of Voters Off the Rolls During a Pandemic (Mother Jones) Block the Vote: Voter Suppression in 2020 (ACLU) Wisconsin Supreme Court Hears Arguments In Voter Purge, Mail-In Ballot Cases (WPR) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 10/6/2020 Today we take a look at the legacy of RBG from her time before and as Justice of the Supreme Court as well as the fight ahead against the threat of an unbreakable, extreme conservative majority on the court. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SEE THROUGH MEDIA BIAS WITH GROUND.NEWS/BEST IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: "RBG": Film Director Reflects on Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Lifelong Fight for Gender Equity - What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law - Air Date 9-25-20 Julie Cohen, co-director of the documentary "RBG," speaks on Ginsburg's early years and leadership in fighting for equal rights for women, including arguing a case before the Supreme Court with nine male justices who were condescending to her. Ch. 2: Dahlia Lithwick: How to understand RBG's complicated legacy - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-21-20 Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion of gender equality in the U.S. justice system. Despite Ginsburg's status as a progressive icon late in life, Slate senior editor Dahlia Lithwick says that it's important to understand the full context of her legacy. Ch. 3: Justice Ginsburg's Replacement Could Change Everything - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 9-21-20 Ruth Bader Ginsberg has died, and while everybody is focusing on abortion, the Supreme Court, if it falls into hard-core conservative hands, could do massive damage to the entire spectrum of life in America. Ch. 4: Voting Is Not Enough: Help Flip the Senate via @swingleft - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 5: How “Extremist” Amy Coney Barrett Could Reshape the Supreme Court & Hand Trump the Election - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-28-20 President Trump nominates conservative federal judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, we look at how an emboldened 6-3 conservative majority could dramatically loosen gun laws, hurt immigrant communities and role on a close presidential election. Ch. 6: How To Pack The Supreme Court - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 3-22-20 In this Majority Report clip, Brian Fallon on Supreme Court packing. Ch. 7: Fighting For A Supreme Court Seat Might Seem Rude - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 9-27-20 Thoughts on why the Democrats aren't fighting harder and one major missed opportunity to save the ACA that's already gone by. Ch. 8: The Supreme Court: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - LastWeekTonight - Air Date 9-27-20 In the wake of Ruth Bader Ginsburg's death, John Oliver discusses the future of the Supreme Court, why the government doesn't always represent the political leanings of the electorate, and how those issues will impact the next generation of Americans. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: #SaveOurChildren - Tyler from Minneapolis FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the emergency of legitimacy our country is facing TAKE ACTION! Volunteer with SwingLeft.org Donate to the Swing Left Immediate Impact Fund or a Super State Learn about the Super State Strategy Tight Races in Other Red States: AK: Unseat Sullivan. Give to Dr. Al Gross. (tied) SC: Unseat Graham. Give to Jaime Harrison. (down by 1% points) MS: Unset Hyde-Smith. Give to Mike Espy. (down by 1% points) MT: Unseat Daines. Give to Steve Bullock. (down by 1% point) KS: Open seat. Give to Bollier. (down by 7% points) Vulnerables Dems:  MI: Help Sen. Gary Peters. (up by 7% points) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Democrats Will Be Lost Without the Senate (The Nation) Mitch McConnell has done grave damage to all three branches of government (CNN) Mitch McConnell is destroying the Senate – and American government (The Guardian) Mitch McConnell: The Man Who Sold America (Rolling Stone) McConnell Is on the Losing Side of History — And He Knows It (Politico) Mitch McConnell Assaulted the Constitution (and Got Away With It) (The Nation) The Other Way Trump Could Destroy the Next Presidency (The Atlantic) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE: "Vote" by Dennis Sparks, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 10/1/2020 Today we take a look at the phenomenon of pro-Trump conspiracy cult: QAnon, what it is and why so many people are getting sucked into it. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: QANON Is Antisemitism Hiding In Dangerous Conspiracy Theory? - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 9-15-20 What would happen if a far-right Nazi cult gained power in the United States, infecting your neighbors, friends, family and even your elected officials. Thom Hartmann exposes QANON. Ch. 2: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff - You Are Not So Smart with David McRaney - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 3: QAnon is totally true - The Topical, The Onion - Air Date 9-29-20 Turns out, QAnon is totally true and backed up by evidence (if you read between the lines). Ch. 4: QAnon Makes Human Trafficking Worse feat Michael Hobbes - QAnon Anonymous - Air Date 9-15-20 The 1980's Satanic Panic has many similarities to the 2020 "Save the children" QAnon movement. We explore how these religious freakouts and conspiracy theories harm efforts to combat trafficking. Ch. 5: Mothers For QAnon w: Annie Kelly - QAnon Anonymous - Air Date 9-23-20 Women tied to the QAnon movement have recently achieved sizable electoral victories. Our UK Correspondent (Doctor) Annie Kelly (PhD) drops by to expand on her recent piece for the New York Times. We examine how the movement has made such inroads online. Ch. 6: QAnon News - The Last Post - Air Date 9-22-20 Don't care when your child goes to bed? More concerned when they will wake the f--k up? Wil Anderson - the Don ADman of the advertising world - has spotted a synergy in the QAnon hashtag #savethechildren, and taking children's savings: kids toys. Ch. 7: Reformed Neo-Nazi Explains How People Fall Prey to QAnon Online - MSNBC - Air Date 9-6-20 Shannon Foley-Martinez, a former violent white supremacist now working to extract others from extremist groups, says QAnon attracts people looking for a meaningful connection and a way to navigate a world that feels unsafe. Ch. 8: In Search Of A Flat Earth - Folding Ideas - Air Date 9-11-20 QAnon supporters, like flat-earthers, are looking for a way to dramatically simplify a terrifyingly complex world. Members' Bonus Clips: Ch. 1*: Is QAnon the Future of the Republican Party? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 8-28-20 QAnon is a far-ranging conspiracy theory that alleges, among other things, that a patriotic Trump supporter (or supporters) embedded in the highest levels of the U.S. government has been using internet forums to send coded messages to the American public. Ch. 9: Conspiracy Theories - Power Corrupts - Air Date 5-1-19 We speak to a diehard believer in the bogus QAnon conspiracy Ch. 10: The Rise of "Conspirituality" - On the Media - Air Date 9-25-20 In this moment of growth, one community, in particular, has found itself prey to QAnon: the yoga, wellness, and spirituality world, where skepticism about vaccines has intersected with the rapid spread of disinformation online to create a toxic stew known as "conspirituality." VOICEDMAILS™ Ch. 11: Re: Episode on Post Office and Census - Scott Ch. 12: Biden vs Howie Hawkins - Lars from Brooklyn FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why Democracy is built on a foundation of human perception rather than laws. Also, resources to keep you away from conspiratorial and magical thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/26/2020 Today we present, instead of what was intended to be a rerun episode, Senator Bernie Sanders' major speech on the threat Donald Trump poses to democracy. Plus, new voice messages and a bonus clip in conversation with one of those messages. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Sen Bernie Sanders Addresses the Nation: Trump's Threat to Our Democracy VOICEMAILS Ch. 2: The Progressive Myth - Craig from Ohio Ch. 3: The Nature of the Internet - Jonathan from Florida New bonus clips and voices - Jonathan from Florida Bonus Clip Ch. 4: Facts Don't Care About Your Feelings, But Decent People Do: The Dangerous Emotional Detachment of the Right - Speak Out with Tim Wise - Air Date 11-27-19 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/22/2020 Today we take a look at the rising concern over Facebook as more and more negative impacts of the site become evident to an ever-expanding group of concerned people and, more specifically, we show how it is the fundamental business model of Facebook that is at the heart of its problems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Early Facebook Investor We Need to Hold Big Tech Accountable For Creating “Toxic Digital Spills” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-27-19 Early Facebook investor Roger McNamee talks about big tech companies are amplifying hate speech and disinformation. He also talks more about his book, ·Zucked: Waking Up to the Facebook Catastrophe.· Ch. 2: The Covid Conspiracy Boom on Facebook - On the Media - Air Date 8-19-20 Bob speaks to Fadi Quran about the "superspreader" pages that are amassing these page views, the most popular health conspiracies on Facebook, and whether there's any hope that Facebook will address the proliferation of disinformation on its site. Ch. 3: Beyond the Boycott - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 7-10-20 #StopHateforProfit is an important first step, but we need to go much further. Ch. 4: The Business Model - The Social Dilemma Clip from the docudrama "The Social Dilemma" from the Center for Humane Technology (available on Netflix). Ch. 5: Voting Is Not Enough: Work to Overcome Racist Voter Suppression in Yet Another Election Without the Full Voting Rights Act - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 6: When Attention Went on Sale - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 4-28-20 Information system that relies on advertising was not born w/ the Internet. But social media platforms have taken it to an entirely new level, becoming a major force in how we make sense of ourselves and the world around us. Columbia Law Professor Tim Wu. Ch. 7: Power and Politics in Silicon Valley ft. Ramesh Srinivasan - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 11-10-19 Ramesh Srinivasan (@RameshMedia), Bernie Sanders surrogate and Professor at the UCLA Department of Information Studies, joins us to discuss the politics of technology. Why conversations about technology need to be conversations about power. Ch. 8: Yaël Eisenstat: Dear Facebook, this is how you're breaking democracy - TEDTalks - Air Date 9-8-20 In this bold talk, Yaël Eisenstat explores how social media companies like Facebook incentivize inflammatory content, contributing to a culture of political polarization and mistrust -- and calls on governments to hold these platforms accountable. VOICEMAILS: Ch. 10: Mythology - Alan from Connecticut VOICYMAILS: Ch. 11: Response to Zach the theologian - Nicole Ch. 12: Your argument convinced me - Zach the theologian Ch. 13: White Male Privilege - Heidi FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the two major changes happening to the show TAKE ACTION! Fight Systemic Voter Suppression: 1) Confirm Voter Registration & Talk to Purged Voters: Vote.org National Voter Registration Day Toolkit Call purged voters: Field Team 6 Actions (with Grassroots Democrats HQ) 2) Help People Get Necessary IDs to Vote: VoteRiders Free Help 3) Increase Black Voter Turnout: NAACP Black Voices Change Lives 4) Become a Poll Worker: WorkElections.com MoreThanaVote.org React to Ginsburg's Passing with Action: Volunteer with SwingLeft to Flip the Senate & Target Super States Donate to Targeted Super States via SwingLeft Special Elections (Winner sworn-in in November!): AZ: Unseat McSally. Give to Mark Kelly.  (leading by 9% points) (CPR Rating: Leans D) GA: Unseat Loeffler. Give to Rev. Raphael Warnock. (down by 4% points) (CPR Rating: Lean R) Tightening Polls Toss Ups: MT: Unseat Daines. Give to Steve Bullock. (down by 1% point) GA: Unseat Perdue. Give to Jon Ossoff. (down by 2% points) IA: Unseat Ernst: Give to Theresa Greenfield. (leading by 3% points) ME: Unseat Collins. Give to Sara Gideon. (leading by 5-7% points) NC: Unseat Tillis. Give to Cal Cunningham. (leading by 6% points) CO: Unseat Gardener. Give to John Hickenlooper. (leading by 7% points) Close Polls Lean R & Likely R: AK: Unseat Sullivan. Give to Dr. Al Gross. (tied) SC: Unseat Graham. Give to Jaime Harrison. (down by 1% points) TX: Unseat Cornyn. Give to MJ Hegar. (down by 2% points) KS: Open seat. Give to Bollier. (down by 2% points) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 7 Years of Gutting Voting Rights (Brennan Center for Justice) In 2013 the supreme court gutted voting rights – how has it changed the US? (The Guardian) Here's *exactly* how Democrats win the Senate (CNN) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/18/2020 Today we take a look at some of the dynamics at play for some of the most vulnerable people in America who are doing much of the most essential work under the most precarious circumstances Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Essential and Unprotected Part 1 - FRONTLINE, PBS - Air Date 7-22-20 They've been keeping America fed throughout the pandemic · and they say they·ve had to choose between their health and their jobs. Ch. 2: COVID-19 Presents Major Economic Burden for Domestic Workers - The Takeaway - Air Date 7-7-20 COVID-19 Presents Major Economic Burden for Domestic Workers In recent months, even as some industries have gradually reopened, many domestic workers are still losing jobs and wages due to the pandemic. Ch. 3: Essential and Unprotected Part 2 - FRONTLINE, PBS - Air Date 7-22-20 They've been keeping America fed throughout the pandemic · and they say they·ve had to choose between their health and their jobs. Ch. 4: Unemployment benefits are hard to get. That’s on purpose Part 1 - The Uncertain Hour - Air Date 5-27-20 Millions of Americans who are out of work don·t receive unemployment benefits. That·s by design. Today, we·ll look at the history of the United States· unemployment insurance system Ch. 5: Why “essential” workers are treated as disposable - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 5-20-20 We call them heroes, we label them ·essential,· and we clap for their brave efforts -- even tho with doctors and nurses, these are the people who are putting their own lives at risk to keep our society functioning day in and out amid the worst crisis Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Take Part in National Voter Registration Day on Sept. 22nd via @NatlVoterRegDay @SEIU - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: Unemployment benefits are hard to get. That’s on purpose Part 2 - The Uncertain Hour - Air Date 5-27-20 Millions of Americans who are out of work don·t receive unemployment benefits. That·s by design. Today, we·ll look at the history of the United States· unemployment insurance system Ch. 8: How Labor Organizing Can Help Women and People of Color Unemployed Due to COVID-19 - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-13-20 How Labor Organizing Can Help Women and People of Color Unemployed Due to COVID-19 The economic crisis has disproportionately hurt women and people of color VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Moving beyond the myth of the melting pot - Erin from Philadelphia Ch. 10: Moving beyond the 'empirical' point of view - Chris from Littleton, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the ironic origins of two of America's most cherished cultural pillars TAKE ACTION Register to Vote!  Table of voter registration deadlines by state & type (Business Insider)  Visit NationalVoterRegistrationDay.org (@NatlVoterRegDay) for details on the Sept. 22nd day of action / Watch the kick off event Visit SEIU2020.org to join the union's 2020 election activities Get the VoteJoe relational voting app: Text APP to 30330 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How to Vote in the 2020 Election Project (FiveThirtyEight) Labor union unveils $150M campaign to help defeat Trump (AP) Barack Obama Stars in Snapchat PSA Aimed at Younger and First-Time Voters (AdWeek) Pandemic upends traditional voter registration efforts ahead of November election (CBS) Voter Registrations Are Way, Way Down During The Pandemic (FiveThirtyEight) What you need to know about voting absentee in Alabama (Al.com) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/15/2020 Today we take a look at two of America's oldest institutions which are both under attack, the US Post Office and the Census. The clear through-line of the attacks on both is a classic struggle over power. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Long, Slow Chipping Away of the USPS - On the Media - Air Date 8-21-20 According to New Republic staff writer Alex Shephard, when journalists start talking about public sector programs like the postal service, they tend to be sucked into a partisan, ideological narrative. Ch. 2: A wildcat strike in 1970 solved the last crisis at USPS - The Real News - Air Date 8-24-20 Labor activist Paul Prescod gives context to the fight over the future of the post office. Ch. 3: "The Damage Has Been Done" Historian Says Trump's Postmaster Has Undermined Faith in 2020 Election - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-24-20 Historian Philip Rubio, who teaches at North Carolina A&T State University and worked as a mail carrier for two decades, says decades of political interference have caused a "manufactured crisis" at the U.S. Postal Service. "The damage has been done," Ch. 4: Crisis At The Post Office - Planet Money - Air Date 8-21-20 The fight over the US Postal Service is a lot bigger and goes back a lot further than the appointment of Louis DeJoy. It's a fifty-year-old battle between public service and private enterprise. Ch. 5: Voting Is Not Enough: Know Your State’s 2020 Voting Rules & Voting Best Practices & Help Others - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 6: Liz OuYang on Census Sabotage - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-14-20 We’ll talk about the White House’s transparent campaign to sabotage the census with civil rights attorney Liz OuYang. Ch. 7: Census Suppression & Why It Matters - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 7-15-20 Dulcé Sloan meets voter suppression’s nasty cousin, census suppression, and talks to Dr. Jeanine Abrams McLean, Stacey Abrams’s sister, about the 2020 census and the fight to get Black folks accurately represented via the Fair Count organization. Ch. 8: Why The Census Matters - Another Way, by Lawrence Lessig - Air Date 1-30-20 Adam Eichen is joined by Beth Huang, executive director of Massachusetts Voter Table. The two discuss how the decennial census works, why it is so important, the difficulties involved in enumeration, and what groups are doing to ensure an accurate count. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: White people are tired of living up to the myth - Scott from Arizona Ch. 10: Voicemail Description – Person from City, State FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the importance of a racial understanding of economic policy and contrasting two foundational myth TAKE ACTION Explore and share the "How to Vote in the 2020 Election" Project (FiveThirtyEight) Remember & Share These Voting Best Practices:  1. Request your absentee ballot ASAP! RIGHT NOW!  2. When you have your ballot, vote ASAP but follow ballot rules to the letter to avoid rejection! 3. If you don't want to mail your ballot, find local ballot drop boxes through your state's Secretary of State website or by calling your local election office. Find my state or local election office 4. Track your ballot online to ensure it was received and accepted! To find the tracker, first find your state or local election office Voting in person is still an option, but be prepared for people to disobey health rules, and for long lines and reduced polling places. Find your polling place   EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Voter Registration Deadlines (Vote.org) Voting by mail in a pandemic: A state-by-state scorecard (Brookings) How to Vote by Mail in All 50 States (Vice) The Most Important Mail You'll Ever Send: A Ballot (NPR) In battlegrounds, absentee ballot rejections could triple (AP) A white person and a Black person vote by mail in the same state. Whose ballot is more likely to be rejected? (NBC News) If You Can Grocery Shop in Person, You Can Vote in Person (The Atlantic) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Song Title  Song Title Song Title Song Title Song Title Song Title Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/11/2020 Today we take a look at the easily predictable, yet growing, eviction crisis in America that is entirely thanks to a political and economic system that is structurally incapable of functioning for the benefit of people over profit. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ali Velshi Explains The Looming Eviction Crisis - MSNBC - Air Date 7-21-20 Ali Velshi breaks down why millions of Americans could be forced out of their homes Ch. 2: The Evictions Cliff Part 1, The Cost of Housing - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Dan Threet of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Jay Willis, senior contributor for The Appeal. Ch. 3: There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 7-11-20 There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? Ch. 4: Heartbreaking CNN Segment Highlights Eviction Crisis - The Rational National - Air Date 9-3-20 CNN puts a face to the eviction crisis that could hit 30-40 million Americans by the end of 2020. Ch. 5: The Evictions Cliff Part 2, Cancel Rent and Consider Housing a Human Right - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Tara Raghuveer, director of the campaign for a Homes Guarantee and founding director of KC Tenants. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Help Unhoused, Poor and Low-Income Voters Access the Ballot - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: Elizabeth Warren Talks Pending Eviction Crisis in America - NowThis - Air Date 7-25-20 ‘This coming eviction crisis is a racial justice crisis’ — Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains why the looming eviction crisis could be devastating for communities of color. Ch. 8: Can Trump Really ‘Stop Evictions?’ - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-2-20 A Trump administration order could allow many renters to avoid eviction through Dec. 31 Ch. 9: There Is No Ethical Capitalism - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 9-4-20 Understanding the amorality of capitalism through a structural lens VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the frames through which we see the world - Naomi from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the dominant culture, national myths and the dominance of whiteness TAKE ACTION! Join The Poor People's Campaign's "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Effort "We Must Do M.O.R.E" Digital Toolkit Watch the "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Moral Monday Mass Assembly on 9/14 at 7pm ET on Facebook National Low Income Housing Coalition: National Federal Eviction Moratorium & Toolkit Nonprofit VOTES: Voting information pertaining to unhoused people National Coalition for the Homeless "You Don't Need A Home to Vote" Manual Get involved in the "You Don't Need a Home to Vote" Project National Housing Law Project Resources for People Facing Eviction During the Pandemic National Homelessness Law Center 2020 Election Guide EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How the COVID-19 housing crisis could affect voter participation (Fast Company) Evictions Across US Raise Concerns About Voting Process (Voice of America) How The Eviction Crisis Could Compound Voter Suppression Come November (Huffington Post) Housing advocate on what to do if you’re being evicted: ‘You have rights’ (CNBC) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE "IMG_0344" from Chicago Right to Recovery Caravan Rally by Ervin Lopez on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, brightness and saturation   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/8/2020 Today we take a look at the dynamics of the white nationalist movement, authoritarian psychology, the legacy of Richard Nixon and the uncertainty of a peaceful election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: White Rage, Trump and Americas Race War with Tim Wise - The Truth Report with Chauncey DeVega - Air Date 8-1-19 Chauncey and Tim Wise discuss the rise of white supremacy and fascism in America. Ch. 2: Derek Black was groomed to be the new face of white nationalism. Now he's working against it. - Cape Up with Jonathan Capehart - Air Date 7-28-20 Black grew up in a family of white nationalists, with David Duke as his godfather. But he renounced those views in college and recently has been involved in Black Lives Matter protests. "Everyone has a moral choice to decide," he says. Ch. 3: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence Part 1 - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. Ch. 4: Can We Stop Trump From Playing Dictator? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-11-20 The single most consistent defining characteristic of an emerging dictatorship in a country that started as a democracy is that the dictator regularly holds elections and always wins, because he uses the instruments of government to make sure he wins. Ch. 5: Voting is Not Enough - Get Involved In The Ground Game NOW - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 6: “Authoritarian Nightmare” John Dean Helped Bring Down Nixon over Watergate. He Says Trump Is Worse - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-27-20 As President Trump is set to accept the Republican Party's formal renomination for president amid ongoing scandals and multiple crises, we speak with John Dean, who served as the White House counsel for President Richard Nixon from 1970 to 1973. Ch. 7: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence Part 2 - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. Ch. 8: Democracy Is On The Ballot - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 8-21-20 Will fascism + white supremacy be the new normal if Joe Biden loses the election? Jason Stanley explains to #StrangeDaysPodcast, How Fascism Works. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the debate between voting emotionally or as a tool toward a theory of change TAKE ACTION! GOTV! Grab some friends & get involved with: Swing Left Indivisible Vote Forward Field Team 6 Move On Progressive Turn Out Project Biden-Harris campaign NAACP's Black Voices Changes Lives SuperMajority EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The pandemic is forcing Democrats to ask: How important is door-knocking, anyway? (Vox) The Shocking Upset That Shows How Democrats Can Crush Trump (Daily Beast) NAACP Launches An Unprecedented "Black Voices Change Lives" Campaign to Activate Infrequent Black Voters in Critical Battleground States (NAACP) It’s a lot harder to get out the vote during a pandemic (Marketplace) Swing Left: The 2020 Super States (Swing Left) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  The Envelope - Aeronaut Turning to You - Landsman Duets Chilvat - Lillehammer Hickory Shed - Onesuch Village This fickle world - Theo Bard One Dirty Sleeve - Wax Museum Vibrant Canopy - Origami Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/5/2020 Today we take a look at the protests and counter-protests roiling the nation and recognize the conspiracy-laden fundamentalism of the far-right that is fueling the violence. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police - CounterSpin - Air Date 7-24-20 While we wait to see if corporate media can decide which optic is an optic too far, we talk about the legal, constitutional elements of the fight for our right to protest, including against the forces that are sent to police the protesting. Marjorie Kohn. Ch. 2: Kenosha - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 08-30-20 John Oliver discusses a week that saw the Republican National Convention, a horrific series of shootings in Kenosha, Wisconsin, and a strike in professional sports -- three stories that are really one story, about race in America. Ch. 3: Trump Attacks Anti-Fascists But Is Silent on Boogaloo & Far-Right Groups Engaged in Deadly Violence - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-23-20 President Trump claims without evidence that anti-fascists are inciting riots at protests against police brutality but has downplayed groups like the “boogaloo” movement, which are using the protests as cover to carry out violence, even murder. Ch. 4: Trump Cheers On Violent Terror - The Young Turks - Air Date 9-1-20 Trump is promoting violence in the United States. Ana Kasparian and Cenk Uygur discuss on The Young Turks. Ch. 5: Voting is Not Enough: Become a Poll Worker - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 6: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right-Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. Ch. 7: America's Brutal Police State Expands Its Reach In Portland - The Real News Network - Air Date 7-29-20 The way white moms in Portland are being treated has long been the norm for BIPOC people. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Rewriting the American myth - Erin from Philadelphia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments asking for your thoughts on our national myths and origin stories or about the stories that other cultures tell themselves TAKE ACTION! Become a Poll Worker: WorkElections.com Spread the word/join the recruitment campaigns:  Power the Polls (@powerthepolls): Help recruit the next generation of poll workers to power the November Election. The Poll Workers Project (@PollProject): Volunteer to be a poll worker and become part of the movement to help everyone vote this November The Poll Hero Project (@pollheroproject): Recruiting thousands of college and high school students to be paid poll workers to make the 2020 election a success! More Than A Vote (@morethanavote): Fighting against voter suppression. Recruiting poll workers in heavily Black districts across the country.  EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE States scramble to recruit thousands of poll workers amid pandemic shortage (CNN) Coronavirus creates election worker shortage ahead of November (Politico) Wanted: Young People To Work The Polls This November (NPR) The Poll Workers Project is seeking younger generation to work at the polling precincts (The State News) NBA star LeBron James' group plans effort to recruit poll workers for November (NBC News) Poll Worker Shortages and Potential Solutions (Canvass from NCSL) Florida Hit by Poll Worker Shortage (WFLA) Want to Help Our Community Vote This Year? Be a Poll Worker (HRC, Advocate) From 47 Primaries, 4 Warning Signs About the 2020 Vote (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Astrisx - Bodytonic Copper Halls - Blue Dot Sessions Haena - Cloud Harbor Entrap - Darby Quaver - Codebreaker Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE "March for Justice" Springfield, OR by David Geitgey Sierralupe, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness & contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 9/1/2020 Today we take a look at the concerns being weighed in the debate over returning to in-person learning as the beginning of the school year gets underway. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump Push To Reopen Schools: The Last Person We Should Trust With Safety Of Kids - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-8-20 There are a bunch of problems that have to be solved in order to open schools safely. But the president is incapable of solving them. He just wants them open, so that people can go back to work, and so things can be "normal,” so he can get reelected. Ch. 2: As COVID Infections Soar, Trump Attacks Dr. Fauci, CDC & Pushes Schools to Reopen at All Costs - Democracy Now - Air Date 7-13-20 As the world and the United States shatter the daily records of COVID-19 infections, President Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos continue to push for public schools to reopen in the fall without a plan to adhere to CDC guidelines. Ch. 3: D.C. Teachers Fight for Distance Learning in the Pandemic - The Intercept - Air Date 8-3-20 After city officials in Washington D.C. weighed a plan to send teachers back to the classroom as part of a hybrid learning plan, the Washington Teachers Union mobilized a week of actions to push for virtual learning in the fall. Ch. 4: COVID-19 Will Devastate Schools... And Already Is... - Thom Hartmann Program - 8-4-20 After thinking they had COVID-19 under control, Israel reopened only to find out that schools are the perfect playground for such an insidious virus, schools spread to homes, to businesses, and created new epicenters. In America, it could be worse. Ch. 5: Kids Positive for Coronavirus After ONE DAY in School - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-7-20 Kids start testing positive for coronavirus after one day back in school as the entire school year is now in question. Ch. 6: The Long-Brewing Crisis in Higher Education - On the Media - Air Date 8-28-20 Over the past few weeks, colleges and universities across the United States have re-opened for the fall, despite the public health risks associated with doing so. And the risks have borne out Ch. 7: American civil society is not equipped to deal with a collective problem like Covid-19 - Jacobin Radio Weekends - Air Date 8-8-20 Ana Kasparian and new co-host Nando Vila dunk on the ludicrous arguments for reopening schools. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Mail-in ballots in Washington don't require a stamp anymore - Kate from Spokane, WA Ch. 9: The importance of understanding systems protecting themselves - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Yascha Mounk’s incredibly ironic article preaching the importance of defending the falsely accused MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Waterbourne - Algea Fields Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Rapids - Grey River Minutes - Pacha Faro Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE "Iowa Teacher Drive for Lives" by Phil Roeder, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped & increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 8/25/2020 Today we take a look at the long history and motivations for voter suppression, explain why it tends to help one party over the other and why vote-by-mail is the best solution to the majority of our voting problems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay explains that voter suppression is like pointillism in that it can only be understood by taking a wide enough view   Ch. 2: Why Do We Still Wait in Line to Vote? Part 1 - The Other Washington from @civicskunkworks - Air Date 5-18-17   Ch. 3: The pointillism of voter suppression (continued)   Ch. 4: Victoria Bassetti of the Brennan Center on the myth of widespread voter fraud - @DecodeDC - Air Date 10-20-16   Ch. 5: @AriBerman: Kris Kobach Is Helping Trump Lay Groundwork for Nationwide Voter Suppression Effort - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-05-17   Ch. 6: Voter ID Suppressed 200,000 Wisconsin Votes; Trump Won by 22,748 - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 05-11-17   Ch. 7: Carol Anderson on the Realities of Voter Suppression - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-12-18   Ch. 8: Why Do We Still Wait in Line to Vote? Part 2 - The Other Washington from @civicskunkworks - Air Date 5-18-17 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Know Your Voting Rights & Make a Plan (ACLU) Let People Vote - State-by-State Rules & Options (ACLU) Volunteer for a 2020 Voter Protection Team (FairFight) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:  "December 10 March for Voting Rights" by Michael Fleshman |Changes: cropped | License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 8/12/2020 Today we take a look at Restorative Justice as an antidote to a wide range of injustices we face, from mass incarceration to having a toddler throw a cheerio at your forehead and much of what lies in between. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Abolishing Prisons with Mariame Kaba Part 1 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-9-19 Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Ch. 2: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 3: Abolishing Prisons with Mariame Kaba Part 2 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-9-19 Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Ch. 4: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 1 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 5: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 6: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 2 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 7: Mass Incarceration, Violence & the Radical Possibilities of Restorative Justice with Danielle Sered - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-14-19 Danielle discusses the alternative options to a violent prison system with community interactions over punishment. Ch. 8: Restorative Justice with Sonya Shah - Justice In America with Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith - Air Date 3-13-19 When people feel responsible and connected it really changes their lives. Restorative justice works in schools. Our system is a goliath, but we are a million sparks to break it down. Ch. 9: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Ch. 10: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 3 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 11: Restorative Justice with Danielle Sered - Justice In America with Josie Duffy Rice and Clint Smith - Air Date 3-13-19 What does restorative justice look like? Community-driven repair, making sure the victims and perpetrators work together, rather than punishing both parties. Ch. 12: Repairing Justice. An Alternative to Prison with Danielle Sered Part 4 - On the Media with Bob Garfield - Air Date 7-31-19 Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 13: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 4 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. VOICEMAILS Ch. 14: Even the clip out of context gave enough context - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the one thing I know about all of your friends MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Santre - K2 Thannoid - Bodytonic Vittoro - Aeronaut Long and Low Cloud - The Bulwark Weathervane - CloudCover Horizon Liner - The Pine Barrens Swapping Tubes - Studio J On Early Light - Cholate Feathersoft - Barstool Entrap - Darby Hickory Shed - Onesuch Village On Our Own Again - The Pine Barrens Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 8/8/2020 Today we take a look at the concept of defunding the police; what it means, what it doesn't and what the goals of the movement are.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Race, Police, & The Pandemic - FRONTLINE - Air Date 6-2-20 Jelani Cobb describes how the relationship between black Americans and the police has become a “barometer” for race relations in the country and that explosive tensions are “overwhelmingly” in response to an issue of police use of force. Ch. 2: Panel Discussion on Radical Police Reform - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-10-20 Trevor hosts a panel on movements to radically reimagine policing in the U.S. with Patrisse Cullors, Josie Duffy Rice, Sam Sinyangwe, Mychal Denzel Smith and Alex S. Vitale. Ch. 3: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Explaining that an overburdened police system that takes on way too much, including much that is outside the realm of their training, is something that no one should want. Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale - The Bastani Factor, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 5: Defunding the Police Is Only the Beginning - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 6-17-20 Josie Duffy Rice joins Jamilah King for a discussion about the recent police killing of Rayshard Brookes in Atlanta, the deep racist and classist structural issues with policing in America, and why defunding the police is only step one. Ch. 6: Defund Police What It Means & How It Would Really Work - News Beat - Air Date 6-16-20 In the wake of the police slaying of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protesters have not only flooded the streets, but they're actively pushing reforms that go well beyond traditional solutions. Ch. 7: How to Defund the Police - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-11-20 Racism is baked into the U.S. model of policing. More and more people are starting to believe that no amount of "reform" will help; a full tear-down is required. But what does "defunding the police" actually mean? Ch. 8: Is It Time To Defund the Police? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-11-20 Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the future of policing and community-oriented systems of public safety in the United States. Ch. 9: The Politics of "Defund the Police" - Politics with Amy Walter, The Takeaway - Air Date 6-12-20 Congress is reckoning with how to respond to the protests and calls for police accountability. Two national reporters join to discuss the Justice in Policing Act of 2020. Ch. 10: We Can't Let The Uprising Get Co-opted - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 6-10-20 Notes on the uprising and how we move forward without allowing the forces of neoliberalism to co-opt the movement. Ch. 11: TAKE ACTION:#DefundthePolice Locally via @IndivisibleTeam & Nationally with The #BREATHEAct via @Mvmnt4BlkLives Call on Local Officials to #DefundthePolice via Indivisible Ch. 12: Angela Davis: Abolishing police is not just about dismantling. It’s also about building up. - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-12-2020 Amid a worldwide uprising against police brutality and racism, we discuss the historic moment with legendary scholar and activist Angela Davis. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Taken on a journey - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments puncturing the myth of the individuality of whiteness TAKE ACTION LOCAL: DEFUND THE POLICE Call on Local Officials to #DefundthePolice via Indivisible Indivisible Black Lives Solidarity Action  NATIONAL: PASS THE BREATHE ACT Learn about and support the BREATHE Act Spread the word about the BREATHE Act Sign on as Community Sponsor of the BREATHE Act ELECTORAL: SUPPORT PROGRESSIVE RACIAL JUSTICE ADVOCATES Upcoming State Primaries EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Movement for Black Lives Introduces the BREATHE Act (Colorlines) What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Mag,) What Does It Mean to Invest in Black Communities? (The Nation) How to Defund the Police (The New Yorker) How to Make Defunding the Police a Reality (The Nation) The Cities Taking Up Calls to Defund the Police (Bloomberg) Defunding the Police Will Actually Make Us Safer (ACLU) The Black Lives Matter Protests Are Working. Here’s Proof. (HuffPost) Why We’re Demanding No Cops for Veep (The Nation) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Tripoli - Pecan Grove The Wooden Platform - The Bulwark Tar and Spackle - Plaster Quaver - Codebreaker Begrudge - Darby Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Sunday Lights - Onesuch Village Cloud Line - K4 Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE “Justice for George Floyd - We Demand Change Now” by Fibonacci Blue (Flickr) | Changes: Cropped | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 8/5/2020 Today we take a look at the life and legacy of Congressman John Lewis at a moment in time when the lessons he has to teach us are as important as when he first learned them himself during the dawn of the civil rights era. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Honoring C.T. Vivian & Congressman John Lewis - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 7-21-20 Today on Sojourner Truth, we honor the lives and legacies of two icons of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States: C.T. Vivian and Congressman John Lewis. Ch. 2: #GoodTrouble ft. John Lewis Part 1 - Lift Every Voice - Air Date 1-15-18 Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis & U.S. Senator Cory Booker talk about the struggle for equality and his integral role in helping bring about the end of segregation in the United States. Ch. 3: CT Vivian What kind of people are you? - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-20-20 Tape of C.T. Vivian, a top lieutenant of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who died on the same day as Lewis, standing up to a sheriff in Selma, Alabama to defend the right to register Black voters. Ch. 4: Into Remembering John Lewis - Into America - Air Date 7-21-20 Over the years, Lafayette watched Lewis grow into a national figure, from leading the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and being the youngest speaker at the 1963 March on Washington, to becoming the ‘conscience of Congress.' Ch. 5: Remembering Rep. John Lewis - Fresh Air - Air Date 7-20-20 Lewis grew up the son of sharecroppers and later became an associate of Martin Luther King Jr. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2009. Ch. 6: #GoodTrouble ft. John Lewis Part 2 - Lift Every Voice - Air Date 1-15-18 Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis & U.S. Senator Cory Booker talk about the struggle for equality and his integral role in helping bring about the end of segregation in the United States. Ch. 7: ‘Good Trouble’ A new generation of activists in John Lewis’ indelible legacy - On Point - Air Date 7-20-20 The legacy of John Lewis — the tireless civil rights leader and longtime representative for Georgia's 5th congressional district, who died Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer — won't die with him. Ch. 8: John Lewis - The Politicrat - Air Date 7-19-20 Omar Moore speaks about Lewis, his leadership, his days at SNCC, his Congressional leadership, Bloody Sunday in Selma in 1965, the Coting Rights Act, the March on Washington, that Bridge, and what we must do to honor Lewis. Ch. 9: Remembering John Lewis - On Point - Air Date 7-20-20 We look back on the life of John Lewis, the civil rights icon and congressman who dedicated himself to the fight for racial equality. Ch. 10: Barack Obama's eulogy at John Lewis's funeral Mr. Obama praised Mr. Lewis, saying “he as much as anyone in our history brought this country a little bit closer to our highest ideals.” Ch. 11: #GoodTrouble ft. John Lewis Part 3 - Lift Every Voice - Air Date 1-15-18 Civil rights icon Rep. John Lewis & U.S. Senator Cory Booker talk about the struggle for equality and his integral role in helping bring about the end of segregation in the United States. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the passing of Michael Brooks and my thoughts on the impact of COVID-19 on the movement for racial justice MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Waterbourne - Algea Fields Cloud Line - K4 When We Set Out - Arc and Crecent Vengeful - Warmbody Seamless - Plaster Bitter Roll - Crab Shack Arizona Moon - Cholate Tripoli - Pecan Grove Betty Dear - The Pine Barrens Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 7/20/2020 Systems maintain themselves through the efforts of many moving parts that need not understand their roles in maintaining the system as a whole, only their specialized task. Today, I use a case study incident to show how the system of racism defends itself against attack. Many separate parts, none of which understand how their individual actions connect to the larger system, work in complicated yet predictable ways to carry out this defense of racism much like the many specialized antibodies of an immune system work together to isolate and eradicate threats to the host. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Transcript    MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to the story of a story Ch. 2: Yascha Mounk on antiracism in America Ch. 3: Jay explains the fraught nature of interracial relationships Ch. 4: Introducing the Education Council Meeting incident Ch. 5: Edward Irizarry speaks about the privilege and racial dynamics of the council Ch. 6: Explaining DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender Ch. 7: Robin Brochi responds to Edward Ch. 8: Tom demands to know what’s racist about holding a brown baby Ch. 9: Additional input from other council members Ch. 10: The story of the story Ch. 11: Recap and wrap up Original meeting video: CEC D2 Working Business Meeting June 29, 2020 16:55 - Edward Irizarry Speech 22:50 - Robin Brochi's Apology 26:25 - Tom Wrocklage asks what about his actions were racist 39:20 - Beginning of segment that is ultimately clipped out of context Tom's I-have-a-black-friend video: My friend from my living room on the June 11th CECD2 meeting Tucker Carlson segment on 'White Fragility' Tucker Carlson segment mentioning CEC Meeting incident FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Theme - The Good Fight podcast Opener - American Moon Bicycle Waltz and Fury - Macrame Rafter - Speakeasy When We Set Out - Arc and Crecent Thannoid - Bodytonic Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 7/10/2020 Today we take a look at the origins and legacy of Manifest Destiny, the historical term most closely tied to our most toxic version of nostalgia: the one longing for America's golden age of genocide Transcript Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Intro contemplating conservative thinking applied to genocide Ch. 2: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 3: The Interest of the White Man demands their extinction - @BackStory - Air Date: 01-19-18 Ed talks with historian Benjamin Madley about the devastating impact of the Gold Rush on California’s native tribes – and how both government officials and everyday citizens justified enslaving and killing native peoples. Ch. 4: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 1 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 5: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 6: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 2 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 7: Paul Frymer on the building of an American empire - The Dig from @jacobinmag - Air Date 1-30-18 We are living on land from which indigenous people, over hundreds of years, have been violently removed. Almost everyone knows this — yet it’s rarely mentioned in stories that Americans tell themselves about who we are as a country and how we got here. Ch. 8: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 3 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20 Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 9: Understanding the origins of scalp hunting and "redskins" - Empire Files - Air Date 11-25-15 Abby Martin interviews Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, renowned indigenous scholar and activist, about her most recent book "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States." Ch. 10: Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz on digging deeper to understand America's past - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 6-16-16 We call up brilliant scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz to dig into her work, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the pain caused by the breaking of your shell of understanding MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Thannoid - Bodytonic Waltz for Zacaria - Cholate Quaver - Codebreaker Lahaina - Cloud Harbor One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Cloud Line - K4 Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard Astrisx - Bodytonic Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 7/6/2020 Today we take a look at the problems with cops that aren't the obvious, racist problems. We're talking about the rules that help protect bad cops from accountability, the police unions that insist on those rules and the lack of state or national policies that would structurally disincentivize the hiring or continued employment of problem officers. Transcript Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Race, Police, & The Pandemic - FRONTLINE - Air Date 6-2-20 Jelani Cobb describes how the relationship between black Americans and the police has become a “barometer” for race relations in the country and that explosive tensions are “overwhelmingly” in response to an issue of police use of force. Ch. 2: The Man Who Teaches Our Cops To Kill Part 1 - Behind the Bastards - Air Date 6-1-20 Robert is joined by Jack O'Brien to discuss David Grossman, director of the Killology Research Group. More than a hundred police departments, and thousands of police officers, have taken Grossman’s courses over more than twenty years. Ch. 3: Qualified Immunity and the myth of dangerous traffic stops - Pod Save the People - Air Date 5-26-20 DeRay, Brittany, Sam, and Clint discuss police accountability. Ch. 4: The Man Who Teaches Our Cops To Kill Part 2 - Behind the Bastards - Air Date 6-1-20 Robert is joined by Jack O'Brien to discuss David Grossman, director of the Killology Research Group. More than a hundred police departments, and thousands of police officers, have taken Grossman’s courses over more than twenty years. Ch. 5: Police Unions And Police Violence Part 1 - Planet Money - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the data connecting police unions and police violence. Ch. 6: Not Just Another Protest - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 6-5-20 Sam also talks to BuzzFeed News reporter Melissa Segura on her recent reporting about police unions and what they mean for reform. Ch. 7: Police Unions And Police Violence Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the data connecting police unions and police violence. Ch. 8: What Science Says About Police (with John Rappaport) - Pod Save the People - Air Date 6-9-20 This week DeRay sits down with John Rappaport, a law professor and research scholar examining criminal procedures in the justice system. They discuss Rappaport's findings regarding police misconduct and the effects of police behavior on communities. Ch. 9: American Police: 100 years of reform - Throughline - Air Date 6-4-20 Black Americans being victimized and killed by the police is an epidemic. A truth many Americans are acknowledging since the murder of George Floyd, as protests have occurred in all fifty states calling for justice on his behalf. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the pain and sadness of being lied to by your country MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Thannoid - Bodytonic Watermarks - Crab Shack Derailed - The Depot Cloud Line - K4 Festering - Towboat Waltz and Fury - Macrame LaBranche - Bayou Birds Sunday Lights - Onesuch Village Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/29/2020 Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world. Transcript Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON, SAVE THESE: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Black Lives Matter Protests, "Outside Agitators," and the Coronavirus - DOOMED with Matt Binder - Air Date 5-30-20 Matt Binder discusses the Black Lives Matter protests, the police killing of George Floyd, the media's narrative on the protests, riots, and looting, the "outside agitator" trope, and the looming cloud of the coronavirus pandemic. Ch. 2: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 3: George Floyd, you, me… us - Jim Hightower - Air Date 6-9-20 There’s a growing understanding that we really are “all in this together,” so we’ve got to stand up for George Floyd, each other… and the America we want. Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 1 - Tysky Sour, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 5: America, Racism & Patterns of Change (with Heather Cox Richardson)- Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date - 6-11-20 Boston College History Professor Heather Cox Richardson joins Preet to discuss the evolution of the Republican Party, the utility of historical parallels in this time of protest, and the policies that might help heal our nation. Ch. 6: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 2 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 7: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on how racism & racial terrorism fueled nationwide anger - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20 “These are not just repeats of past events,” says scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. “These are the consequences of the failures of this government and the political establishment … to resolve these crises.” Ch. 8: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 3 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Ch. 9: The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-10-20 The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? How can leadership lead a social movement to victory? Ch. 10: Cornel West: Nationwide uprisings herald "America's moment of reckoning" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20 Professor Cornel West calls the U.S. a “predatory capitalist civilization obsessed with money, money, money.” He also makes connections between U.S. violence abroad and at home. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on how we all push ourselves until we can't breathe MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Thannoid - Bodytonic Hickory Shed - Onesuch Village Coronea - Marisala Cloud Line - K4 Decompression - Rayling Jackbird - Feathers Cat's Eye - Marble Run Rafter - Speakeasy Lord Weasel - Molerider Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/22/2020 Today we take a look at the history of racist policing which flows seamlessly into our present racist policing which itself flows into Trump's authoritarian glee at the opportunity to consolidate violent, racist power in response to protests against violent, racist power. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Police - Throughline - Air Date 6-4-20 Black Americans being victimized and killed by the police is an epidemic. A truth many Americans are acknowledging since the murder of George Floyd, as protests have occurred in all fifty states calling for justice on his behalf. Ch. 2: From slavery to George Floyd: The racist history of U.S. policing - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-10-20 Harvard professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad, author of "The Condemnation of Blackness: Race, Crime and the Making of Modern Urban America," walks through the history of policing from the founding of the United States to today. Ch. 3: The Truth: Police Are Lynching Black Americans! w/ Dr. Jhacova Williams, PhD - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 6-10-20 What if lynching never stopped... and the police took over the job? Ch. 4: Unmasking The 'Outside Agitator' Part 1 - Code Switch - Air Date 6-10-20 Whenever a protest boils up, it's a safe bet that public officials will quickly blame any violence or disruption on "outside agitators." But what, exactly, does it mean to be an agitator? And can these mysterious outsiders be a force for good? Ch. 5: "Looting" concerns distract from bureaucratic violence toward Black people - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-6-20 Carol Anderson, a professor of African American Studies at Emory University, discusses the Red Scare of 1919 and the echo of it we're seeing today. Ch. 6: Unmasking The 'Outside Agitator' Part 2 - Code Switch - Air Date 6-10-20 Whenever a protest boils up, it's a safe bet that public officials will quickly blame any violence or disruption on "outside agitators." But what, exactly, does it mean to be an agitator? And can these mysterious outsiders be a force for good? Ch. 7: The Man Who Teaches Our Cops To Kill - Behind the Bastards - Air Date 6-1-20 Robert is joined by Jack O'Brien to discuss David Grossman, director of the Killology Research Group. More than a hundred police departments, and thousands of police officers, have taken Grossman’s courses over more than twenty years. Ch. 8: Protests Sweep Across America and Beyond Part 2 - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Police get violent with peaceful protesters. Ch. 9: Systemic Exhaustion - In The Thick - Air Date 6-10-20 As thousands of protestors fill the streets, Maria and Julio talk about the #BlackLivesMatter movement, performative allyship, and what it means to abolish the police with Karen Attiah and Dr. Christina Greer. Ch. 10: The Rebellion in Defense of Black Lives Is Rooted in U.S. History, so Too Is Trump’s Authoritarian Rule. - Intercepted - Air Date 6-3-20 With the threat of widespread military deployment in U.S. cities looming, the president is acting as an authoritarian dictator. Ch. 11: Why Ta-Nehisi Coates is hopeful - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-4-20 There is now, as there always is amidst protests, a loud call for the protesters to follow the principles of nonviolence. And that call, as Ta-Nehisi Coates says, comes from people who neither practice nor heed nonviolence in their own lives. Ch. 12: Is This Trump’s Reichstag Fire Moment? Part 1 - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-4-20 President Trump has seized on the nationwide protest movement that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer to advance his most authoritarian political instincts. Fascism scholar Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins Mehdi Hasan to d Ch. 13: The Military Stands Up To Trump - On the Media - Air Date 6-18-20 It began with the President’s notorious bible photo-op, preceded by a military crackdown north of the White House clearing protesters from Lafayette Square. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff later publicly renounced his role in the incident. Ch. 14: Is This Trump’s Reichstag Fire Moment? Part 2 - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-4-20 President Trump has seized on the nationwide protest movement that followed the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer to advance his most authoritarian political instincts. Fascism scholar Ruth Ben-Ghiat joins Mehdi Hasan to d FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on how things are going these days MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Line Etching - Marble Run On Early Light - Cholate Parade Shoes - Arc and Crecent Weathervane - CloudCover Rapids - Grey River Vittoro - Aeronaut Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard Waterbourne - Algea Fields Santre - K2 Chilvat - Lillehammer A Path Unwinding - K4 Denzel Sprak - CloudCover The Summit - K2 Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/17/2020 Today we take a look at the uprising sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the context of a world in which that event was just the last straw in an innumerable series of straws.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU’RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die - Code Switch - Air Date 5-31-20 The last few weeks have been filled with devastating news — stories about the police killing black people. At this point, these calamities feel familiar — so familiar, in fact, that their details have begun to echo each other. Ch. 2: Tamika Mallory Nationwide Uprising Against State Violence Shows People Have Reached Breaking Point - Democracy Now - Air Date 6-4-20 Tamika Mallory: “At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera … is no longer acceptable... people have taken to the streets to demand change." Ch. 3: Trevor Speaks Out About the Murder of George Floyd - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-1-20 Trevor discusses the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the Minneapolis protests, and how racial injustice and police brutality continue to impact black Americans. Ch. 4: Why The 2020 Anti-Racism Uprisings Feel Different - News Beat - Air Date 6-5-20 A veteran of the 1967 Newark Rebellion discusses George Floyd’s death, the culture of police brutality, and whether today's movement can produce change. Ch. 5: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 6: Uprisings Against Police Killings of Black People - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-3-20 After a week of protests, the nationwide (and now worldwide) uprising against racism and police killings of Black people in response to the murder of George Floyd continues to grow. Ch. 7: The thin blue line between looting and standard economics - The Bugle - Air Date 6-6-20 Andy, Hari and Tom react to the protests in the USA. Ch. 8: "Get Your Knee Off Our Necks" At Memorial for George Floyd, Mourners Condemn 400 Years of Racism - Democracy now - Air Date 6-5-20 We hear the voices of Floyd’s brother Philonise and Reverend Al Sharpton, who urged those gathered “to stand up in George’s name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks!'” Ch. 9: Protests Sweep Across the Globe - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Americans take to the streets in historic numbers to protest police brutality, the demand for books about racism skyrockets, and meaningful police reform catches on. Ch. 10: This Is Not a Game - In The Thick - Air Date 6-12-20 Maria and Julio get into how race and activism show up in sports - historically and in the current Black Lives Matter movement - with Howard Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN and correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition. Ch. 11: NFL's Roger Goodell We Were Wrong, #BlackLivesMatter - The Young Turks - Air Date 6-5-20 NFL's commissioner has released a statement saying they were wrong to stop protests. Ch. 12: Amanpour Knows an Uprising When She Sees One - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-9-20 CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour has seen a lot of unrest around the globe. She says we have to see the George Floyd protests for what they are. An uprising. Ch. 13: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Many foreign leaders have condemned the killing of George Floyd, but demonstrators outside of the U.S. are also attempting to call attention to racial injustice within their own borders. Ch. 14: Protest, Pain & Hope with Karen Attiah - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 6-4-20 Washington Post Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah discusses the ongoing protests sparked by police brutality, legacies of racial violence in America, and the language we use to speak about inequality. Ch. 15: Roundtable On Police Killings & Global Resistance - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the international response to the police killing of George Floyd. Countries are now being forced to face their own racism and the inter-relationship between racism and imperialism. Ch. 16: #DefendBlackLives: Join the #SixNineteen (#Juneteenth) Rallies 6/19-21 Virtually, Locally or in DC via @Mvmnt4BlkLives Ch. 17: Voices of the uprising - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 Highlighting the voices of protesters TAKE ACTION Join The Movement for Black Lives' SixNineteen mobilization: 6/19 (Juneteenth) through 6/21 Visit SixNineteen.com to find events near you, participate virtually, join the D.C. action, or register your own event Text DEFEND to 90975 to get updates on #SixNineteen and future actions Follow @Mvmnt4BlkLives and use #DefendBlackLives , #SixNineteen , #BlackLivesMatter ,& #DefundthePolice on Twitter EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE #SIXNINETEEN: Movement For Black Lives Calls For Juneteenth Actions (Essence) An American Uprising (The New Yorker) Black Lives Matter Chapters What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Magazine) America, This is Your Chance (NY Times Op-Ed, Michelle Alexander) Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide (Slate) Freedom to Thrive: Reimagining Safety & Security in Our Communities (Popular Democracy) Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism (Fractured Atlas) A Letter to White People Engaged in Conversations Around the Phrase “Defund The Police” (Medium) Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank (Louisville Courier Journal) This Is How Hard It Is to Invest in Black Neighborhoods (Bloomberg CityLabs) Researched and Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Astrisx - Bodytonic Parade Shoes - Arc and Crecent Quaver - Codebreaker Derailed - The Depot Tripoli - Pecan Grove Chilvat - Lillehammer LaBranche - Bayou Birds Arizona Moon - Cholate Around Plastic Card Tables - Desert Orchard Minutes - Pacha Faro Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Turning - Lathe Tar and Spackle - Plaster Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long arc of racism in America as a primer for many of the topics it would be good for you to be acquainted with as we live through yet another convulsive societal awakening regarding racism and police abuse in our country. If you only ever share one episode of this podcast with friends, family or another else, make it this one. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy IF YOU'RE GOING TO SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Confederacy - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 10-09-17 Confederate symbols are still celebrated despite the ugly history they symbolize. John Oliver suggests some representations of southern pride that involve less racism and more Stephen Colbert. Ch. 2: History of Slaveowners Receiving Reparations with DeRay, Sam, Brittany and Clint - Pod Save the People - Air Date 4-23-19 Discussing the New York Times story: When Slaveowners Got Reparations Ch. 3: 40 Acres and A Mule, Today with Brian Balogh and William Darity - BackStory - Air Date 5-24-19 “40 acres and a mule” promised ex-slave families 40 acres of tillable land on the southeastern coast. However, after many families had settled on the land, the policy was reversed and the area was reinstated to white farmers and former slave owners. Ch. 4: The history of the raising of Civil War monuments - @offkiltershow - Air Date 8-18-17 Jeremy Slevin speaks with Professor Kirk Savage, an author and expert on civil war monuments, to discuss the troubling history of these monuments. Ch. 5: As Confederate Monuments Come Down, the Struggle Continues - On the Media - Air Date 5-26-17 Bob talks with Malcolm Suber, an historian and co-founder of the group Take 'Em Down NOLA, about the significance of removing monuments to white supremacy, and the work that still remains to be done. Ch. 6: Bryan Stevenson wants us to confront racial terrorism and then say, Never again. Part 1 - Cape Up - Air Date 4-24-18 “We can’t go on. We cannot pretend that something really destructive, something really corruptive happened when communities came to celebrate this kind of violence. We have to talk about it. We have to acknowledge the wrongfulness of it.” Ch. 7: Study On The Impact Of Nazi Propaganda - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date 06-19-15 Cenk Uygur discusses the power of propaganda. A study has been released which looked into the effect of Nazi propaganda on Germany, particularly it's long-term impact. Ch. 8: Bryan Stevenson wants us to confront racial terrorism and then say, Never again. Part 2 - Cape Up - Air Date 4-24-18 “We can’t go on. We cannot pretend that something really destructive, something really corruptive happened when communities came to celebrate this kind of violence. We have to talk about it. We have to acknowledge the wrongfulness of it.” Ch. 9: The Great Migration - @DecodeDC - Air Date 5-14-15 Isabel Wilkerson spent 15 years researching and writing her book, “The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration.” The book is the story of nearly 6 million African Americans who migrated out of the South. Ch. 10: A Dream Remembered? How we came to revere MLK - @Making_Contact - Air Date 1-17-17 Gary Younge, author of “The Speech” talks about Martin Luther King Jr.’s Dream and the story behind it. Ch. 11: MLK What They Won't Teach In School - News Beat - Air Date 1-8-18 We take an alternative look at Martin Luther King, Jr.’s legacy, examining how the civil rights icon was so much more than simply the “I Have a Dream” soundbite. Ch. 12: Michelle Alexander on The New Jim Crow - Leid Stories - Air Date 8-26-15 Michelle Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, discusses in a presentation at the University of Tennessee the policies that produced mass incarceration. Ch. 13: The True Origins of the War on Drugs - News Beat - Air Date 8-9-17 One trillion dollars. That’s how much the United States has spent in the last 40 years on the war on drugs. Currently, more than 450,000 Americans are imprisoned for drug offenses—up from 40,000 in 1980. Ch. 14: Racism vs Prejudice - Kat Blaque - Air Date 10-5-14 Ch. 15: Responding to the black-on-black-crime talking point - About Race - Air Date 9-1-15 Ch. 16: A More Beautiful & Terrible History The Whitewashing & Distortion of Rosa Parks and MLK_s Legacies - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 02-06-18 Professor Jeanne Theoharis’s new book is titled “A More Beautiful and Terrible History: The Uses and Misuses of Civil Rights History.” It shows how the legacy of the civil rights movement has been distorted and whitewashed for public consumption. Ch. 17: When Is the Right Time for Black People to Protest? - The Daily Show - Air Date 9-25-17 Trevor unpacks the backlash that NFL players, Stevie Wonder and ESPN commentator Jemele Hill received after speaking out against racism. Ch. 18: How whiteness distorts our democracy, with Eddie Glaude Jr. - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 4-4-19 Glaude is the chair of Princeton University’s department of African American studies, the president of the American Academy of Religion, and the author of the powerful book Democracy in Black. Ch. 19: Why We Riot The language of the unheard - NewsBeat - Air Date 12-18-17 MLK, Jr. once referred to “riots” as the “language of the unheard.” The reasons for such rebellions are myriad: political, social & cultural. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Derailed - The Depot The Envelope - Aeronaut Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard The Cast and Favor - Bayou Birds Waltz and Fury - Macrame Landon Depot - The Depot Inessential - Bayou Birds Rafter - Speakeasy Midday - Pecan Grove Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Around Plastic Card Tables - Desert Orchard Turning to You - Landsman Duets Turning on the Lights - Speakeasy Line Etching - Marble Run Insatiable Toad - Origami The Coil Winds - Vacant Distillery Curio - Vacant Distillery Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/5/2020 Today we take a look at the growing importance of China on the world stage and the growing instinct of the American Empire to confront it even while the fundamentals of the strength of the empire slip away. All that with the Coronavirus on top just to make things interesting. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Support us on PodHero Support us on Flattr EPISODE SPONSORS: ExpressVPN.com/LEFT  |Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at press coverage of China - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-22-20 Ch. 2: How Trump And Xi Set The Stage For The Pandemic - Brian Lehrer A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-10-20 COVID-19 originated in China and exploded across the US. Today, a look at the leaders of those two countries: What have they done right to contain this pandemic, what have they done wrong, and what haven't they done at all? Ch. 3: Vijay Prashad on China (and Sinophobia) - Behind the News from Jacobin Radio - Air Date 4-24-20 Examining the timeline of China's response to the coronavirus and reporting to the WHO Ch. 4: Global health expert: The WHO deserves our thanks - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-30-20 WHO adviser Lawrence Gostin says the organization has actually done well in the pandemic, despite a minuscule budget and political interference. Ch. 5: Coronavirus has pushed US-China relations to their worst point since Mao - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-30-20 The US-China relationship will define geopolitics in the 21st century. If we collapse into rivalry, conflict, and politically opportunistic nationalism, the results could be hellish. Ch. 6: China & US relations w/ Kevin Li, Amanda Yee, & Alex Tom - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 5-26-20 A critical look at the US imperialist "pivot" to China in a time of pandemic. Ch. 7: US Empire Exploits Covid-19 For More War - Empire Files - Air Date 4-7-20 Abby Martin breaks down all the hidden acts of US foreign policy aggression under the cover of the COVID19 pandemic. Ch. 8: Joe Emersberger on Pandemic Sanctions - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-10-20 The US is imposing devastating economic sanctions on Venezuela and Iran, ensuring that they will have a harder time protecting their citizens from the pandemic. We’ll talk about that with writer Joe Emersberger. Ch. 9: The Creation of the National Security State & Conflict with China ft. Daniel Bessner - Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-7-20 Historical context for the drumbeat for another Cold War Ch. 10: America The Farewell Tour w: Chris Hedges - Fortress On A Hill - Air Date 4-15-20 Chris Hedges is a columnist, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, a New York Times best-selling author. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Algea Trio - Algea Fields Rapids - Grey River Cloud Line - K4 Tripoli - Pecan Grove Waltz for Zacaria - Cholate Derailed - The Depot Jackbird - Feathers Santre - K2 Slow Lane Lover - Barstool Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 7/19/2016 Today we take a listen to a few of the reactions from people of color to the shooting deaths of Alton Sterling, Philando Castile and the police officers in Dallas Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 Show Notes Ch. 2: Act 1: Black Father in Letter to His Son "I Thought of You When I Saw the Son of Alton Sterling Weeping" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-14-16 Ch. 3: Song 1: Sur Le Fil - Yann Tiersen Ch. 4: Act 2: Video of and reaction to Philando Castile - Code Switch - Air Date 7-9-16 Ch. 5: Song 2: End of the World - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin Ch. 6: Act 3: You can't reignite a fire that never stops burning - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-8-16 Ch. 7: Song 3: Turtle (Bonobo Remix) - Pilote Ch. 8: Act 4: Tired of being strong, it's time to fix the system - The Benjamin Dixon Show (@TheBpDShow) - Air Date 7-6-16 Ch. 9: Song 4: North bank upper - Plusplus Ch. 10: Act 5: The fatal shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-7-16 Ch. 11: Song 5: Rain Begins To Fall (instrumental) - Silence Is Sexy Ch. 12: Act 6: ‘Black Lives Matter’ Protesters Respond To Dallas Shooting - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 07-09-16 Ch. 13: Song 6: Silhouette - David Ari Leon Ch. 14: Act 7: Dallas shooter was banned from black activist groups - @CitizenRadio - Air Date 7-12-16 Ch. 15: Song 7: Untitled - Zoe Keating Ch. 16: Act 8: Black Surgeon Who Treated Dallas Officers On Race Relations with Law Enforcement - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 07-13-16 Ch. 17: Song 8: A Faraway Home (instrumental) - Silence Is Sexy Ch. 18: Act 9: Scoop Jackson on the unnecessary, yet understood, killings of people and police - @EdgeofSports - w: Dave Zirin - Air Date 7-13-16 Ch. 19: Song 9: Whatchuwando - Krayzie Bone Ch. 18: Act 10: Pastor Michael McBride on what white people can do - Politically Re-Active - Air Date 7-13-16 Ch. 19: Song 10: Adventure, Darling - Gillicuddy Ch. 18: Act 11: People with privilege need to get up and stand shoulder to shoulder - The Read - Air Date 7-13-16 Voicemails Ch. 19: Response to police killing person during standoff - Colin from Cleveland, OH Ch. 20: Examining the police with an analogy with healthcare - Charlie from Cleveland Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics Ch. 21: Final comments on what white people can do to get involved in the movement for black lives Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone TAKE ACTION Find Showing Up for Justice actions near you Sign the We Are Here Movement's Racial Justice Moonshot Petition  EDUCATE YOURSELF This is What White People Can Do to Support Black Lives Matter (Washington Post) Tim Wise Website (TimWise.com) It's Legal to Kill Black People (Hands Up United)  Rewire News - Racism (Rewire.com) Only White People Can Save Themselves From Racism and White Supremacism (Washington Post)    Written by BOTL social media/activism director Amanda Hoffman Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 5/21/2020 Today we take a look at the classic battle between good and... not evil exactly but worse than just 'bad'... 'malicious indifference to suffering in the pursuit of ideology over real-world outcomes' maybe?... as seen through the lens of trying to destroy or save the US Post Office, the battle for basic labor rights and protections and the struggle to define the revolutionary change we are going to experience on the back end of the pandemic for either good or ill. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: USPS - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-10-20 As the U.S. Postal Service faces financial catastrophe, John Oliver discusses why the service is so important, what brought it to this point, and what we can do to help. Ch. 2: Far from a loser, the post office is a money-making operation - Jim Hightower - Air Date 4-21-20 Antigovernment ideologues and privatization dogmatists hate the very word “public” and they’ve long sought to demonize the US Postal Service, undercut its popular support, and finally dismantle it. Ch. 3: Trump Attacks Post Office While Carriers & Clerks Die from COVID-19 - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-29-20 President Trump has lashed out at the U.S. Postal Service as the pandemic brings it to the brink of collapse and more people than ever are relying on the mail. Ch. 4: Is Postal Banking a Good Idea? - David Pakman Show - Air Date 05-14-18 Audience question: Is postal banking a good idea? Ch. 5: Should Trump be America’s Postal Potentate? - Jim Hightower - Air Date 5-7-20 The humble Post Office is a community fixture, a civic inheritance, a rural lifeline, and one of the last vestiges of a shared civic culture in America. Ch. 6: Refocusing May Day On The Revolutionary Struggle For Workers' Rights - The Real News - Air Date 5-5-20 The revolutionary history of May Day is recognized around the world in a way that should inspire workers in the United States to continue their fight. Ch. 7: Mike Elk on Frontline Worker Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-10-20 Mike Elk discusses essential workers and the power of labor and strikes. Ch. 8: Food Workers and the Virus - Belabored by Dissent Magazine - Air Date 5-9-20 We talk with Raj Patel, research professor in the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin and the author of Stuffed and Starved. Ch. 9: Charles Derber Upstairs/Downstairs Economy - Unauthorized Disclosure - Air Date 4-5-20 Charles Derber on whether the pandemic may significantly alter the structure of the economy in the United States. Ch. 10: Congress Sets Aside $1,200 In Trust For Each American Until They Prove They’re Responsible Enough To Handle It - The Topical - Air Date 4-15-20 It’s a historic stimulus bill that will finally offer some financial relief to those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. But will Americans be able to prove they’re mature enough to spend it responsibly? Ch. 11: Ricardo Salvador on the Food System & COVID-19 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-8-20 As for food workers—farm laborers, meatpackers, grocery and restaurant workers—how can they be deemed “essential” and yet treated as expendable? Ch. 12: Demand Congress Pass The #PeoplesBailout via ThePeoplesBailout.org Go to The People’s Bailout dot org to easily write and call your members of Congress demanding they take effective, inclusive, equitable and preventative legislative action. Ch. 13: Coronavirus Capitalism and How to Beat It - The Intercept - Air Date 3-16-20 This video is about the ways the still-unfolding COVID-19 crisis is already remaking our sense of the possible. Ch. 14: The Georgia Experiment - Social Distance - Air Date 4-30-20 Staff writer and Georgia native Amanda Mull join to talk about the political forces pushing to reopen her home state. Ch. 15: A New Economy for a post-COVID world - Progressive Faith Sermons - Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 5-3-20 As President Trump and many states’ governors are pushing (largely minority) workers to go back to work in unsafe conditions for less than a living wage in the midst of a pandemic, is the word “revolution” too strong to use or is it not quite enough? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 16: Final comments on the best-laid intentions TAKE ACTION! Write & Call Your Members of Congress & MORE at ThePeoplesBailout.org Follow @_PeoplesBailout on Twitter Spread the word with #PeoplesBailout on social media EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Bailout is Working - For the Rich (ProPublica) Retail workers at Amazon and Whole Foods coordinate sick-out to protest Covid-19 conditions (The Guardian) For immigrants without legal status, federal coronavirus relief is out of reach (Vox) Essential workers still lack basic safety protections on the job (Vox) Millions Of Americans Have Lost Health Insurance As Unemployment Soars (NPR) Vote safely by mail in November? Not so fast, say Republicans (The Guardian) Republicans plan to spend at least $20 million to combat voting rights lawsuits in 2020 (Vox) Want To Jump-Start The Economy? Include A Green New Deal In The Stimulus Package (Forbes) Elizabeth Warren and Ro Khanna Unveil Essential Workers Bill of Rights (Warren.senate.gov) Bernie Sanders, Kamala Harris, and Ed Markey to introduce a Senate bill to give Americans $2,000 a month until the coronavirus crisis ends (Business Insider) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Turning to You - Landsman Duets The Spinnet - Castle Danger Contrarian - Sketchbook Turning - Lathe Eventual Victory - Codebreaker Haena - Cloud Harbor Our Fingers Cold - K2 Homegrown - The Pine Barrens Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher Vengeful - Warmbody Chilvat - Lillehammer Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 5/15/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss the new film Executive Produced by Michael Moore, Planet of the Humans. We try to hit as many topics as we can but do not claim this is an exhaustive list of problems with the film. In short, the film tries to make a few good points but they are completely drowned in a sea of misinformation potent enough to send climate deniers into a joyous tizzy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy  |  DemandJustice.org/Best SHOW NOTES 00:00:00 Ch. 1: Intro and Index 00:06:12 Ch. 2: Planet of the Humans DEBUNKED Part 1: Misrepresenting Solar Science - Now You Know - Air Date 5-8-20 00:11:44 Ch. 3: Planet of the Humans DEBUNKED Part 2: Ignoring New Renewable Solutions to Intermittency - Now You Know - Air Date 5-8-20 00:17:12 Michael Moore, filmmakers respond to criticism of new bombshell environmental film Part 1: No Defense of Their Bad Science - The Hill Rising - Air Date 4-28-20 00:20:10 Ch. 4: Michael Moore, filmmakers respond to criticism of new bombshell environmental film Part 2: All the Good Points the Film Failed to Make - The Hill Rising - Air Date 4-28-20 00:24:03 Ch. 5: Michael Moore, filmmakers respond to criticism of new bombshell environmental film Part 3: Population Control? - The Hill Rising - Air Date 4-28-20 00:28:39 Ch. 6: The Climate Conversation has Been Imploded 00:31:04 Ch. 7: The Reason Population Reduction is Not the Answer to Our Climate Emergency 00:33:01 Ch. 8: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Manipulative Editing 00:34:44 Ch. 9: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Poor Interview Sourcing 00:36:28 Ch. 10: Poor Interview Sourcing, Misleading Data: The GM Volt Launch 00:39:02 Ch. 11: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - No Follow-Up Interviews 00:46:12 Ch. 12: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Bad Data by Ignoring Innovation 00:47:21 Ch. 13: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Artificially Inflating Small Issues to Seem Large 00:48:52 Ch. 14: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - We’re Just Asking Questions 00:49:30 Ch. 15: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Terrible Graphs and Visuals 00:52:55 Ch. 16: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Silly Anecdotes 00:54:13 Ch. 17: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Assuming Makes an Ass Out of You and Me 00:57:16 Ch. 18: Comparing Mountain-Top Wind Farms to Mountain-Top-Removal Coal Mining is Unconscionable 00:58:39 Ch. 19: The Mechanics of Making a Bad Documentary - Making Arguments in Nonsensical Ways 01:00:58 Ch. 20: White Men Fail to Discuss Reproductive Justice or Environmental Justice in Any Way 01:02:01 Ch. 21: EVs, Green Energy in Michael Moore's Confused New Documentary Planet Of The Humans - Transport Evolved - Air Date 4-29-20 01:04:47 Ch. 22: The Film Leaves Viewers With a Conclusion the Filmmakers Didn’t Intend 01:05:43 Ch. 23: The Film Doesn’t Speak to Anyone Advocating a New Way of Living 01:07:53 Ch. 24: Who is Benefitting and Who is Being Hurt By This Film? 01:12:00 Ch. 25: Planet of the Humans DEBUNKED Part 3: Emboldened Deniers - Now You Know - Air Date 5-8-20 01:14:53 Ch. 26: Right-Wing Media LOVES This Film: The Left 'has attacked' Michael Moore for his 'Planet Human' documentary - Sky News Australia - Air Date 4-27-20 01:17:03 Ch. 27: Debunking the Idea that Anyone Ever Called for the Film to be Banned 01:18:07 Ch. 28: The Damage to the Climate Movement: The Problem With “Planet Of The Humans” Part. 1 ft. Joshua Kahn Russell - Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-7-20 01:24:16 Ch. 29: Attempting to Make Good Points About the Neoliberalism at the Heart of the Climate Movement but Completely Botching it 01:28:28 Ch. 30: The Producers Defend the Use of Bad Science by Asserting that Science Doesn’t Matter 01:30:00 Ch. 31: Michael Moore in a live discussion with Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell Part 1 - Extinction Rebellion - Air Date 5-5-20 01:32:03 Ch. 32: Science is Foundational to Their Arguments but Also Doesn’t Matter 01:34:14 Ch. 33: Michael Moore in a live discussion with Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell Part 2 - Extinction Rebellion - Air Date 5-5-20 01:35:56 Ch. 34: Fostering Conspiratorial Thinking 01:37:50 Ch. 35: Scientists are Religious, Only we Know the Truth: Michael Moore in a live discussion with Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell Part 3 - Extinction Rebellion - Air Date 5-5-20 01:40:43 Ch. 36: Naïve, Wishful Thinking is Not a Thesis 01:42:22 Ch. 37: How to Make an Argument that Centers the Need to Reduce Consumption 01:44:50 Ch. 38: Michael Moore Proves His Profound Ignorance: Michael Moore in a live discussion with Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell Part 4 - Extinction Rebellion - Air Date 5-5-20 01:45:54 Ch. 39: Explaining Moore’s Deep Ignorance 01:50:32 Ch. 40: The Need to Trust in Experts, Not Buffoons 01:51:14 Ch. 41: Accidental Eugenics Leads Predictably to Deeply Racist Outcomes 01:54:42 Ch. 42: Why Focusing on Over-Population is Not the Solution to Our Climate Emergency 01:57:02 Ch. 43: Sunrise Movement Response to the Film 01:59:08 Ch. 44: Response to the Film by Michael Moore’s Former Fact-Checker 02:01:33 Ch. 45: Extinction Rebellion Response to the Film 02:02:57 Ch. 46: Why We Need to Debunk This Film Articles for Further Reading (Or Just to Marvel at the Sheer Number of Them) Planet of the humans: A reheated mess of lazy, old myths, Ketan Joshi This is where hard work got us (another post about the bad film), Ketan Joshi The great giving up (and the film that made it worse), Ketan Joshi 6 Reasons Why “Planet of the Humans” is a Disaster of Misinformation, Ben Wehrman 10 Reasons « Planet of the Humans » Gets Everything Wrong on Climate, Benjamin Tincq Why “Planet of the Humans” is crap, Tom Athanasiou, EcoEquity Film Review: Forget about PLANET OF THE HUMANS by Jeff Gibbs and Michael Moore by Neal Livingston Michael Moore produced a film about climate change that’s a gift to Big Oil, Leah Stokes Planet of the Humans Comes This Close to Actually Getting the Real Problem, Then Goes Full Ecofascism, Brian Kahn, Gizmondo Inside Clean Energy: 6 Things Michael Moore’s ‘Planet of the Humans’ Gets Wrong, Dan Gearino, Inside Climate News A Bomb in the Center of the Climate Movement’: Michael Moore Damages Our Most Important Goal, Bill McKibben, Rolling Stone POTH Traffics in Myths, Errors, and Dangerous Misdirection, John Rogers, Union of Concerned Scientists Planet of the Humans: Let’s just have a think…, Dave Borlace, Just Have a Think (note: a video response) Michael Moore’s ‘Planet of the Humans’ Film Trashes Clean Energy, Offers Zero Solutions, Sally Ho, Green Queen The Important Debate POTH Misses, Kate Aronoff, New Republic Michael Moores New Film Turns Heroes into Villains and Villains into Heroes, Dr. Michael Mann, Newsweek The absurdity of releasing Planet of the Humans in April 2020 #POTH: Michael Moore’s (@MMFlint’s) false choice & a lesson in how not to build a movement How Did Michael Moore Become A Hero to Climate Deniers and the Far Right? (George Monbiot, The Guardian) Extinction Rebellion Response (Twitter) Sunrise Movement's Response (Twitter) George Monbiot's Breakdown of the #PopulationGrowth in Response (Twitter thread) Joanne Doroshow, Michael Moore's Former Fact Checker, Responds (Facebook) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 5/7/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss the dangerous, pervasive epidemic of hope fueled by desperation spreading throughout the country that is leading people to self-destructive thoughts and actions.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS:  SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Dr. Tony Fauci From One Pandemic to Another: Mark Harrington and Peter Staley - EPIDEMIC with Dr. Celine Gounder and Ronald Klain - Air Date 4-10-20 Dr. Celine Gounder talks to Peter Staley and Mark Harrington, members of Act Up, co-founders of the Treatment Action Group, and dedicated HIV/AIDS activists who know firsthand what it is like to live through a large-scale pandemic. Ch. 2: The placebo reject Ch. 3: Waiting For a Game-Changer - On The Media - Air Date 5-6-20 Derek Lowe, the organic chemist behind the science blog In the Pipeline, urges caution. He speaks with Bob about how to report on the so-called "game-changer" drugs, and where he believes reporting on the "race for a cure" falls short. Ch. 4: Profiteering off of the desperation of those with rare diseases Ch. 5: Dr. Leana Wen Discusses the Tortuous and High Stakes Path that Dr.'s Fauci and Birx Must Navigate - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 4-5-20 Dr. Wen gives her unique insight into the dilemma that Fauci and Birx face in dealing with an inarguably crazy president. Ch. 6: Strategic lying to save the lives of the irrational and those with whom they come in contact MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Tar and Spackle - Plaster The Summit - K2 Closer - American Moon Bicycle Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 5/3/2020 Today we take a look at the unique, profound dysfunction at the heart of the train wreck that is Trump's response to the Coronavirus. Plus, we explore the death cult that is the group of people still supporting the president. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Memory Hole - On the Media - Air Date 4-18-20 McKay Coppins [@mckaycoppins], staff writer at The Atlantic, on the latest pivots in the Trump administration's ever-evolving "disinformation architecture." Ch. 2: Is Trump Criminally Responsible for Coronavirus Deaths? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 4-2-20 Mehdi talks with Glenn Kirschner about Trump's inaction and misinformation that is leading to deaths. Ch. 3: What Trump Knew & When He Knew It NYT on How Trump Ignored COVID-19 Warnings Until It Was Too Late - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-13-20 We look at how President Trump led the country to this point with Eric Lipton, lead author of The New York Times’s explosive new exposé, “He Could Have Seen What Was Coming: Behind Trump’s Failure on the Virus.” Ch. 4: Warnings To The White House - Frontline - Air Date 4-10-20 Trump and the government's response to the Pandemic are explored. Ch. 5: Explaining why he can't do that but just did anyway - The Bugle - Air Date 4-18-20 The answer to everything strange in America is slavery. Ch. 6: Michael Lewis On How Trump’s Handling of Covid-19 Has Proven His Book, The Fifth Risk, Tragically Prophetic. - The Al Franken Podcast - Air Date 4-19-20 In The Fifth Risk, Lewis portrayed Donald Trump as a man totally ignorant of and disinterested in the actually functioning of the federal government. Ch. 7: Trump Cuts Funds for World Health Org as Oxfam Warns Pandemic Could Push Half a Billion into Poverty - Democracy Now - Air Date 4-15-20 President Donald Trump says he will cut U.S. support for the World Health Organization. Richard Horton, editor-in-chief of The Lancet medical journal, called it a “crime against humanity.” Ch. 8: Bleach? Nevermind - The Bugle - Air Date 4-25-20 Andy, Nish and Hari attempt to make sense of another week of transatlantic buffoonery. Ch. 9: Is the Trump Cult a Death Cult? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 3-25-20 The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the President’s continuing refusal to take the Covid-19 pandemic seriously. Ch. 10: Jared Yates Sexton reflects on his childhood and life in Trumplandia - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 3-24-20 Jared Yates Sexton reflects on his childhood and life in Trumplandia and the power that Trump’s cult holds over so many white right-wing so-called “Christians.” Ch. 11: Tim Wise Explains How White Privilege is Making the Pandemic Much Worse - The Truth Report with Chauncey DeVega - Air Date 4-21-20 Tim Wise reflects on how only white men such as Donald Trump and his cabal could still be viewed as competent given their gross and willful negligence in how they chose to (not) respond to the pandemic. Ch. 12: The Tactics Of The “Re-Open America” Protests ft. Joshua Kahn Russell - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 4-23-20 Joshua Kahn Russell joins us to analyze the reopen America protests. Ch. 13: Kurt Andersen, Fantasyland, and How Irrational Thought Worsened the Pandemic - Point of Inquiry - Air Date 4-9-20 Kurt Andersen, the author of Fantasyland, explains what happens when the departure from empirical, reality-based thought plays out during a global pandemic. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on my use of The Al Franken Show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Haena - Cloud Harbor Arizona Moon - Cholate Decompression - Rayling Waterbourne - Algea Fields Molly Molly - Barstool Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher 7.1 The Spinnet - Castle Danger Tar and Spackle - Plaster Denzel Sprak - CloudCover Feather on the Crest - Wax Museum Interlude - The Nocturne Tripoli - Pecan Grove Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/29/2020 Today, we discuss clips that highlight two of the most powerful American myths that consistently drive us into calamitous territory: the primacy of market-based solutions and hyper-individualism Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Like a fire with no one to call 'We've left no latent capacity in health care.' - An Arm and a Leg - Air Date 4-22-20 Public safety is built on latent capacity. We pay for people and equipment to stand idle, over-prepared for emergencies. We’ve left no latent capacity in health care. Ch. 2: A whole new problem with a profit-driven health care system Ch. 3: Pandemic, Protests and Profits - Reveal - Air Date 4-25-20 Protesters around the country are pushing to loosen stay-at-home orders, even though health experts say that could lead to a spike in coronavirus cases. Some Amazon workers say not enough is being done to protect them. Ch. 4: A pandemic of individualism TAKE ACTION! DemandJustice.org/Best MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Opener - American Moon Bicycle Rafter - Speakeasy Middle - American Moon Bicycle Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/21/2020 Today we take a look at the ways that COVID-19 are impacting the most vulnerable communities the worst and how our legacy of discrimination is being put on full display. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: ExpressVPN.com/LEFT SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Race and Risk - Coronavirus Fact vs Fiction - Air Date 4-9-20 CNN's Chief Medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta breaks down the various factors and demographics that may make some people and communities more susceptible. Ch. 2: COVID-19 Is Not An Equalizer, Black People At Higher Risk with Khiara Bridges and Douglas White Part 1 - The Takeaway with Lizzie O'Leary - Air Date 4-6-20 The south, rural America and black Americans are all at higher risk during the pandemic. Ch. 3: Why Coronavirus Is Hitting The Black Community Hardest - The Daily Social Distancing Show - Air Date 1-8-20 A closer look at how and why the U.S.’s coronavirus outbreak is disproportionately hurting the black community. Ch. 4: COVID-19 Is Not An Equalizer, Black People At Higher Risk with Khiara Bridges and Douglas White Part 2 - The Takeaway with Lizzie O'Leary - Air Date 4-6-20 The south, rural America and black Americans are all at higher risk during the pandemic. Ch. 5: Pandemic Racism The Wisconsin Primary, Disenfranchisement, and the Cost of Life Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 4-8-20 Milwaukee’s Health Commissioner, Dr. Jeanette Kowalik, discusses the Wisconsin Supreme Court's reckless disregard for public safety as they force the state to conduct in-person voting. Ch. 6: Pandemic Racism The Wisconsin Primary, Disenfranchisement, and the Cost of Life Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 4-8-20 Dr. Ibram X. Kendi discusses what the data tells us about race and coronavirus in America and draws historical parallels between the Trump administration response and the Mississippi flood of 1927. Ch. 7: “I will not apologize for my needs” Part 1 - Off-Kilter - Air Date 3-27-20 With the ongoing debate around health care rationing and ventilator shortages amid COVID19, Rebecca talks to Ari Ne’eman, Alice Wong, and Sam Bagenstos about the importance of disability non-discrimination in health care. Ch. 8: Discounting the disabled and all those with pre-existing conditions - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-3-20 Janine Jackson takes a quick look back at AP‘s coronavirus boilerplate. Ch. 9: “I will not apologize for my needs” Part 2 - Off-Kilter - Air Date 3-27-20 With the ongoing debate around health care rationing and ventilator shortages amid COVID19, Rebecca talks to Ari Ne’eman, Alice Wong, and Sam Bagenstos about the importance of disability non-discrimination in health care. Ch. 10: Janine Jackson takes a quick look at scapegoating China - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-27-20 Stoking anti-Chinese sentiment from the top down. Ch. 11: A Virus Doesn't Discriminate - Coronavirus Fact vs Fiction - Air Date 3-27-20 The coronavirus pandemic has fueled a surge in racism against Asian-Americans around the country. Ch. 12: Civil Rights and Coronavirus - Epidemic - Air Date 3-27-20 Vanita Gupta discusses the responsibility the media has in reinforcing anti-Chinese xenophobia. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Check your privilege - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on who stoicism is for MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Astrisx - Bodytonic Wingspan - Bayou Birds Long and Low Cloud - The Bulwark Santre - K2 The Rampart - Castle Danger Open Flames - Aeronaut Contrarian - Sketchbook Horizon Liner - The Pine Barrens Stale Case - Darby Vittoro - Aeronaut Homegrown - The Pine Barrens Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/16/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss a few of the aspects of life during a pandemic that's causing mental fog and affecting our work. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: We all make mistakes but we’re making a lot more of them right now Ch. 2: The Burnout Generation Ch. 3: Survival Mode Ch. 4: Hidden Mental Health Toll of Coronavirus with Alisa Kriegel - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 3-22-20 The COVID-19 pandemic is going to have a huge toll on mental health, what can we do to mitigate the damage? Ch. 5: Soft Launch of my secret project Ch. 6: Showing the ShowSharer™ MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/12/2020 Today we take a look at the way mass incarceration is coming back to bite the US as jails, prisons and immigrant detention centers are becoming Petri dishes for the coronavirus that will help perpetuate the pandemic as well as non-virus related deaths throughout the population. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Prisons and Jails Are a Coronavirus Time Bomb - Deep Background with Noah Feldman - Air Date 3-24-20 Homer Venters, the former Chief Medical Officer for the NYC Jail system, says that we need to stop the spread of coronavirus in prisons, jails, and detention centers. Ch. 2: Former ICE Director: Release Immigrants from Detention or COVID-19 Will Spread Like Wildfire Inside - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-23-20 Alarm is growing about the safety of more than 37,000 people held in immigrant detention centers and private jails that contract with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, where it is nearly impossible to stop the spread of the coronavirus. Ch. 3: Coronavirus Behind Bars: Crisis In New York Part 1 - News Beat - Air Date 4-8-20 Rikers Island now has more than 200 coronavirus cases and recorded its first COVID-19-related death last weekend. Advocates warn that anyone held in the jail is in mortal danger. Ch. 4: COVID-19 and the border - The Weeds - Air Date 4-7-20 Dara, Jane, and Matt on the intersection between the pandemic and Trump's border crackdown. Ch. 5: Donate to the National Bail Fund Network & Demand to #FreeThemAll via @bailfundnetwork - Best of the Left Activism These community bail funds are freeing people by paying bail and bond and are also fighting to abolish the money bail system and pretrial detention. Ch. 6: No Hierarchy of Humanity Part 1 - Off-Kilter - Air Date 3-20-20 Tom Jawetz and Emily Galvin-Almanza on the steps leaders need to take to reach the nation’s 5,000 prisons, jails, and immigrant detention facilities. Ch. 7: Dispatches from People Stranded in Place - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 4-3-20 WNYC Investigative Reporter Matt Katz brings us calls from inside immigration detention centers. Ch. 8: The Emergency in Our Jails - Social Distance - Air Date 4-8-20 Everyone is being ordered to social distance. Except those who are being ordered into places where that’s impossible. Jim and Katherine talk with Conor Friedersdorf about what can be done. Ch. 9: No Hierarchy of Humanity Part 2 - Off-Kilter - Air Date 3-20-20 Tom Jawetz and Emily Galvin-Almanza on the steps leaders need to take to reach the nation’s 5,000 prisons, jails, and immigrant detention facilities. Ch. 10: When Epidemics Collide: Coronavirus, Criminal Justice & Poverty Part 2 - News Beat - Air Date 3-24-20 Advocates say marginalized communities are going to suffer the worst from the consequences of a broken economy, neglect, and a decaying social safety net. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Reverse seasonal affective disorder - Arkle Ch. 12: This too shall pass - Annie from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on hidden Negative Visualization and the elephant in the room Limerick of the day from @Libericks TAKE ACTION Donate to The National Bail Fund Network's COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund Find other ways to help and get involved through the hashtag #FreeThemAll  EDUCATE YOURSELF Mass Incarceration: The Whole Pie 2020 (Prison Policy Initiative) Detaining the Poor (Prison Policy Initiative) Rikers Reports Its First COVID-Related Prisoner Death (NY Mag: Intelligencer) Andrew Cuomo Has Learned Nothing From the Coronavirus Catastrophe at Rikers (NY Mag: Intelligencer) Fear Among Immigrant Detainees Spreads As Coronavirus Outbreaks Hit ICE Detention Centers (Buzzfeed News) Immigrant detainees in Massachusetts are fighting to be released in the pandemic (Vox) 'Terrified of dying': Immigrants beg to be released from immigration detention as coronavirus spreads (USA Today) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  The Spinnet - Castle Danger Derailed - The Depot When We Set Out - Arc and Crecent Rapids - Grey River Minutes - Pacha Faro Waltz and Fury - Macrame Gusty Hollow - Migration Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "Prison is No Place for a Pandemic" by: Micah Bazant (@micahbazant), Artist in Residence @fwdtogether   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 4/8/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss the extremely counterintuitive practice of Negative Visualization and how it could be one of the most powerful tools to help you feel better about your circumstances and the state of the world during the pandemic crisis. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Discussing the book “A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy” and the practice of Negative Visualization   Ch. 2: Take it like a Stoic coping in the time of coronavirus - Ideas - Air Date 4-3-20   Ch. 3: Discussing how stoicism has impacted us personally MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Middle - American Moon Bicycle Closer - American Moon Bicycle Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!  

Air Date 4/4/2020 Today we take a look at many of the economic angles of the COVID-19 pandemic including the role of the shock doctrine in the wake of the coronavirus, calls for a socially just economic recovery, calls for the elderly to be turned into Soylent Green and the biggest Reverse Robin Hood bailout of all time. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: “Coronavirus Capitalism” Naomi Klein’s Case for Transformative Change Amid Coronavirus Pandemic - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-19-20 Author, activist and journalist Naomi Klein says the coronavirus crisis, like earlier ones, could be a catalyst to shower aid on the wealthiest interests in society, including those most responsible for our current vulnerabilities. Ch. 2: Prof. Richard Wolff on Pandemic Economics - The Zero Hour - Air Date 3-20-20 Prof. Richard Wolff explains the failure of capitalism to prepare or respond to the pandemic Ch. 3: Janine Jackson takes a quick look at recent coverage of the coronavirus and retail workers - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-20-20   Ch. 4: AOC on a Socially Just Pandemic Response - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 3-31-20 Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez talks about the federal relief package which is to include cash payments to everyone, as well as rent and mortgage relief Ch. 5: An economic crisis like we’ve never seen - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-23-20 Annie Lowrey on the coronavirus depression Ch. 6: Jim Naureckas on COVID-19 - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-20-20 The coronavirus is highlighting existing faults and fissures in US society. Stark evidence of government priorities and their impact is coming fast and furious. Ch. 7: Is the cure worse than the disease? - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-26-20 Are we overreacting to coronavirus? An economist and a bioethicist weigh in. Ch. 8: The Cyanide for Septuagenarians Movement - The Bugle - Air Date 3-27-20 A look at the growing movement to ritually sacrifice the elderly and otherwise vulnerable Ch. 9: The Economic Impact of COVID-19 - Deep Background with Noah Feldman - Air Date 3-16-20 Stefanie Stantcheva, Professor of Economics at Harvard, discusses the economic harms of COVID-19. Ch. 10: Trump Shows How Woefully Unprepared He Is For Coronavirus - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-26-20 Commenting on an article from Matt Stoller on the changing nature of our economy Ch. 11: Stephanie Kelton MMT, the Crisis, and the Real Economy - The Zero Hour - Air Date 3-28-20 Stephanie Kelton explains the role of Modern Monetary Theory in the governmental response to the pandemic and economic collapse Ch. 12: Joseph Stiglitz Trump’s “Trickle-Down” Economic Plans Are Not Enough to Meet Coronavirus Challenge - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-19-20 For more on those bailouts and who benefits, we speak with Joseph Stiglitz, Nobel Prize-winning economist, Columbia University professor and chief economist for the Roosevelt Institute. Ch. 13: US news update! - The Last Post - Air Date 3-23-20 Explaining the brutal nature of American individualism in an age of pandemic Ch. 14: The End of the Status Quo - Progressive Faith Sermon - Air Date 3-29-20 The virus did not so much create new problems as it poured gasoline on existing problems with health care, the income gap, foreign policy, prison policies, and the environment. We have the opportunity to forge a better world after COVID-19. Ch. 15: The Reverse Robin Hood Bailout - Intercepted - Air Date 4-1-20 Journalist David Dayen, executive editor of the American Prospect, breaks down the corporate interests and powerful people who stand to gain the most from the looting of taxpayer funds. VOICEMAILS Ch. 16: Getting depressed in the summer - Craig from Ohio Ch. 17: Health center update - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 18: Final comments on the phrases that obscure our reality because you don’t really hate Mondays MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Planting Flags - K4 The Envelope - Aeronaut Inessential - Bayou Birds Yarrow and Root - The Bulwark Cicle DR Valga - Cicle Kadde Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Hundred Mile-No Guitar - K2 A Burst of Light - Delray A Path Unwinding - K4 Cat's Eye - Marble Run Cicle Veroni - Cicle Kadde Banjo - Grey River That Horse Ithica - Sketchbook These Times - The Pine Barrens Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date: 4-1-20 Today, Amanda and I discuss the silent, ever-present taxation that is robbing all of us of our normal levels of mental energy during the pandemic. Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 6/11/2019 Today we take a look at Modern Monetary Theory and the neoclassical economics it is looking to replace. It’s very important to understand the logistical and political mechanisms by which money for progressive policy priorities would be appropriated by Congress and the debate over MMT gets to the core of those issues and seeks to change the paradigm we use to think about government spending. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Debunking the Deficit Hysteria with Stephanie Kelton Part 1 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-6-19 There’s a pattern to the Republicans’ selective concern about increasing the deficit, and it all depends on who holds the power. When you look at the behavior of people in politics, they don’t really care about the national debt as much as they like to ta Ch. 2: What is Modern Monetary Theory? (with Stephanie Kelton) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-23-19 Is government debt real? Is anything real? Professor Stephanie Kelton gives Nick and Goldy a master class on the hottest idea in economics right now: Modern Monetary Theory. Ch. 3: Why should we care about deficits? Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 2-20-19 Stony Brook University’s Stephanie Kelton, an influential proponent of Modern Monetary Theory, and Jason Furman, President Barack Obama’s chief economist, discuss whether we should worry about government deficits and if so, when? Ch. 4: Debunking the Deficit Hysteria with Stephanie Kelton Part 2 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-6-19 Stephanie Kelton is here to break it all down - the national deficit, the nature of money itself, federal spending, and why it’s time to stop comparing it to a household budget. Ch. 5: Why should we care about deficits? Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 2-20-19 Stony Brook University’s Stephanie Kelton, an influential proponent of Modern Monetary Theory, and Jason Furman, President Barack Obama’s chief economist, discuss whether we should worry about government deficits and if so, when? Ch. 6: How Marxism and Modern Monetary Theory Go Hand-In-Hand - The Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 03-21-18 Prof Richard Wolff warns about the asymmetric politics of increasing and decreasing government spending Ch. 7: Debunking the Deficit Hysteria with Stephanie Kelton Part 3 - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-6-19 Stephanie Kelton is here to break it all down - the national deficit, the nature of money itself, federal spending, and why it’s time to stop comparing it to a household budget. Ch. 8: Dealing with the politics of managing Modern Monetary Theory - Planet Money - Airdate 9-26-18 We must take the fingerprints of Congress off the economy in order to manage inflation concerns. Ch. 9: What is Modern Monetary Theory? (with Stephanie Kelton) Part 6 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-23-19 Discussing the conclusions to be drawn from the case for Modern Monetary Theory made by Stephanie Kelton VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Impeachment would be symbolic - Jesse from Boston Ch. 11: Impeach but keep trump - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 12: Making the case for impeachment - Todd from Utah FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments summing up my major takeaways from researching MMT that I think we should all keep in mind MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Tripoli - Pecan Grove Lakal - Speakeasy The Wooden Platform - The Bulwark Long and Low Cloud - The Bulwark Denzel Sprak - CloudCover Glass Runner - Marble Run Pat Dog - Landsman Duets Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE:  John Laurits - JohnLaurits.com     Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 3/26/2020 Today we take a look at the toll the pandemic is taking on mental health and offer a wide range of coping mechanisms to help get everyone through. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trumps Dumbest Statements on the Pandemic - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-18-20 Sam breaks down the failure of the Trump admin. Ch. 2: A Slight Temporary Relief - Social Distance - Air Date 3-18-20 Lori Gottlieb of "Dear Therapist" talks us through how to stay sane. Ch. 3: Coping with Coronavirus Life - The Love, Happiness and Success Podcast with Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby - Air Date 3-16-20 Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby shares some therapeutic practices to get through the pandemic. Ch. 4: Tips for surviving isolation! (Tinder Update) - The Last Post - Air Date 3-20-20 Tinder in an age of Coronavirus. Dating, Jane Austen style. Ch. 5: Adam Grant On the frontlines and in peoples' minds - Epidemic - Air Date 3-24-20 Understanding the psychological elements at play during the course of a pandemic Ch. 6: Dealing with COVID-19 with Buddhist Jack Kornfield - The Tim Ferriss Show - Air Date 3-12-20 Tim and Buddhist Jack Kornfield discuss mentally dealing with the pandemic. Ch. 7: Cüking - The Bugle - Air Date 3-20-20 Exploring new art forms from home. Ch. 8: Coping During COVID-19 - Happier with Gretchen Rubin and Liz Craft - Air Date 3-14-20 Gretchen Rubin and Liz Craft discuss coping mechanisms for the pandemic and social distancing. Ch. 9: How To Preserve Your Mental Health - Coronavirus Daily Briefing - Air Date 3-19-20 Preparing for the pandemic is not just about protecting yourself physically but preparing yourself mentally. Ch. 10: Tips for surviving isolation! - The Last Post - Air Date 3-20-20 A few tips for what you can do to stave off boredom at home. Ch. 11: "And the People Stayed Home" by Kitty O'Meara - Common Censored - Air Date 3-16-20 Eleanor shares the viral silver-lining poem of the pandemic. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: The peaceful upside - James from Sacramento, CA Ch. 13: A trip to the grocery and liquor store - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 14: Bread & Roses & Roger too - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 15: Solidarity forever - Eammon from Orange County, California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 16: Final comments with nothing to add MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Haena - Cloud Harbor Molly Molly - Barstool Cicle Veroni - Cicle Kadde Scratcher - Darby Interlude - The Nocturne Glass Runner - Marble Run Peacoat - Studio J Derailed - The Depot Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Arizona Moon - Cholate Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 3/20/2020 Today we take a look at the social safety net we need in the face of Coronavirus and the forces preventing us from having it. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Janine Jackson takes a quick look at recent coverage of the coronavirus - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-13-20 Some suddenly realize that we need a real social safety net Ch. 2: Lack of Paid Sick Leave Makes It Difficult for Many Workers to Comply with CDC Advice to Stay Home - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-12-20 Labor Department data says that one in four workers have no access to paid sick leave, including two-thirds of lowest earners. The U.S. is one of the only wealthy countries that does not require employers to offer its workers paid sick leave. Ch. 3: Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill Discuss Coronavirus - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 3-17-20 Author Naomi Klein and Jeremy Scahill discuss the bipartisan ruling coalition that created and supported a health system where profits are more important than public health Ch. 4: O Government, Where Art Thou? Medicare For All vs Coronavirus - Rumble with Michael Moore - Air Date 3-15-20 In a modern, functioning, democratic society, how should a public health crisis be handled? And what would America's response to the coronavirus pandemic look like if we had a universal healthcare system such as Medicare For All? Ch. 5: Society Run By Criminal Rackets Not Great For Public Health - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-15-20 In this Majority Report clip, Kevin McCarthy is sure everything is going to be fine. Ch. 6: The coronavirus election - The Weeds - Air Date 3-17-20 Ezra Klein and Matt Yglesias discuss Donald Trump’s disastrous coronavirus speech and dueling pandemic response plans from Sanders and Biden. Ch. 7: “Something Is Wrong in America” Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor & Michael Eric Dyson Debate Sanders v Biden - Democracy Now - Air Date 3-16-20 We play highlights from the debate and get responses from scholars Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Misrepresenting Biden voters - Erin from Philadelphia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the nature of the cliff that we’re all on the edge of TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF Calm - Take a Deep Breath: A compilation of free meditations, stories to go to sleep to, calm music, soundscapes, movements & stretches, meditations for kids, mindfulness tips and resources, and more.   Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  An Opus in Ab - Blue Nocturnal Landon Depot - The Depot The Basket - The Balloonist One Little Triumph - Piano Mover Cradle Rock - Nursury Donder - Darby Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 3/14/2020 Today, Amanda and I discuss the emotional toll of dealing with a pandemic, some facts about how math works in cases of exponential growth, the unfortunate truth about what we should all be doing right now, the predictable amorality of the health insurance and Pharma companies, the unconscionable propaganda from Trump and his supporters and the aspects of humanity that are revealed when tested. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Our BAD week Ch. 2: Italy on the Brink? What Would It Take For That To Happen Here? - Coronavirus Daily Briefing - Air Date 3-9-20 Ch. 3: Individualistic advice in a time of need for social cohesion Ch. 4: Young and unafraid of the pandemic? Good for you. Now stop killing people Ch. 5: Wendell Potter reminds us that the health insurance companies are going to try to screw us over while looking like heroes - Twitter Ch. 6: Pandemic Propaganda - On the Media - Air Date 3-13-20 Ch. 7: Don’t be a hoarder Ch. 8: Quarantined Italians Sing Together Across Empty Streets In Hauntingly Beautiful Video - Huffington Post Ch. 9: The hand-washing advice the mainstream media doesn’t want you to know Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 3/10/2020 Today we take a look at Democratic Socialism and how to explain it because socialism and the freedoms it provides are a lot more American than we tend to think.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Democratic Socialism Explained with Spencer Cox - Washington State Indivisible Podcast - Air Date 5-16-19 Spencer Cox discusses what democratic socialism means in action. Ch. 2: Move Over Socialism Democrats Need to Reclaim the Word "Freedom" - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 3-18-19 Among Democrats, there is a big debate about the word Socialism but should Democrats be talking about the word freedom instead? Ch. 3: Bernie Sanders' Socialism is As American as The Post Office - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 1-23-20 Ben Dixon breaks down a clip from MSNBC and what they get wrong about democratic socialism. Ch. 4: Jackson Mississippi's Socialist Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba - Backstory - Air Date 4-26-19 A conversation with the mayor of a southern town looking to make it the most radical in the nation Ch. 5: Capitalism vs Socialism - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 9-1-19 "Socialism" has become a political scare word used to frighten voters away from progressive programs intended to expand health care coverage, make higher education available to lower-income families, and to raise the minimum wage to a living wage. Ch. 6: Who’s Really Afraid of Socialism? - Deconstructed - Air Date 2-6-19 To discuss America’s long-held resistance to socialism and its current rise in popularity, Mehdi Hasan is joined by Washington Post columnist Elizabeth Bruenig. Ch. 7: Astra Taylor on Socialism, Democracy and Liberalism - Jacobin Radio The Dig with Daniel Denvir - Air Date 7-5-19 The world is changing and we need to make the world work for more people. If we do nothing the world will end, but we have so much to gain. A promised land is just beyond the horizon. Ch. 8: Talking Democratic Socialism with Bhaskar Sunkara - Hear the Bern - Air Date 6-25-19 Bernie Sanders gives a democratic socialist speech and Bhaskar Sunkara helps break it down. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the lasting effects of propaganda and the coming revolution MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Blue Jay - Feathers Astrisx - Bodytonic Yarrow and Root - The Bulwark These Times - The Pine Barrens Tripoli - Pecan Grove Contrarian - Sketchbook Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE "Medicare for All Rally," Molly Adams, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped & increased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 3/7/2020 Today we take a look at the Coronavirus through the lens of the systems it is affecting including the incompetence of a government that doesn't believe in governing, the dangers of the lack of universal access to medical care and the interdependency of our economies regardless of the inevitable racism that flares up in times of panic. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: “Pence is Not a Medical Expert” Is the Trump Admin Ready to Stop a U.S. Coronavirus Pandemic? - Democracy Now - Air Date 2-27-20 We speak with Laurie Garrett, former senior fellow for global health at the Council on Foreign Relations and a Pulitzer Prize-winning science writer. She is the author of several books, including “Betrayal of Trust: The Collapse of Global Public Health.” Ch. 2: Hayes On Dangers Of Incompetent Admin Trying To Lead Us Through A Major Crisis - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-29-20 “The core principle of any of us who have a platform...is to be transparent and clear about what the science says and what the risks might be. And right now, that basic threshold has not been met.” Ch. 3: Coronavirus Reveals Middlemen Destroying The Prescription Drug Market - Ring of Fire - Air Date 2-29-20 David Dayen, from The American Prospect, joins Ring of Fire’s Sam Seder to discuss the real story behind the coronavirus and how middlemen are destroying the prescription drug market. Ch. 4: Coronavirus: The Virus That Can Become a Pandemic - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 1-29-20 The New CoronaVirus out of China could turn into a pandemic and without Universal Healthcare. Americans could face the worst of it. Ch. 5: Lead Health Official GRILLED On Coronavirus Vaccine Cost - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-28-20 When you really dig into our public health policy, you begin to realize how messed up we are in the face of a possible health scare. Ch. 6: Coronavirus: Is the Climate Plague Here? - The Real News - Air Date 2-14-20 Jane C. Hu talks about the rise of xenophobia as the virus spreads. Ch. 7: COVID-19 and Protective Face Masks - Past/Present - Air Date 2-24-20 In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss COVID-19 and the history of protective face masks. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Coronavirus and the election - George from Tonawanda, NY Ch. 9: Comments on DNC machine - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on catching flies with honey MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Smooth Stone - Blue Dot Sessions Algea Trio - Algea Fields LaBranche - Bayou Birds A Burst of Light - Delray Turning - Lathe Cradle Rock - Nursury Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 3/3/2020 Today we take a look at the election through the lens of billionaire politics, from the candidates in both parties to the heads of media organizations to the way a pro-billionaire mentality trickles down to the establishment class on the media and Democratic Party. And what has all of this money been able to buy in terms of opposition research and narrative building against Bernie Sanders? Red-baiting at its most naked and pathetic. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Bernie Sanders’ Rise Prompts Media Meltdown, Establishment Panic: A Closer Look - Late Night with Seth Meyers - Air Date 2-25-20 Seth takes a closer look at some pundits and members of the Democratic establishment panicking after Bernie Sanders won the Nevada caucus in a landslide. Ch. 2: Janine Jackson takes a quick look at recent coverage of Bernie Sanders - CounterSpin - Air Date 2-28-20 The embarrassing journalistic choices by the mainstream media in their coverage of the primary elections. Ch. 3: Michael Bloomberg Is Buying the Election - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 2-19-20 Intercepted investigates the multitude of problematic and harmful aspects of Michael Bloomberg. Ch. 4: The Billionaire Election with Anand Giridharadas - Democracy Now - Air Date 2-26-20 Anand Giridharadas discusses Bloomberg buying his way to the Democratic nomination Ch. 5: Sanders & Socialism Debate Between Nobel Laureate Paul Krugman & Socialist Economist Richard Wolff - Democracy Now - Air Date 2-24-20 A debate on Bernie Sanders and democratic socialism featuring two well-known economists, Paul Krugman and Richard Wolff. Ch. 6: Bernie's Fight Against Trump, the GOP, The Democratic Establishment, and Corporate Media - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 2-26-20 Jeremy discusses the establishment's resistance to Bernie. Ch. 7: The state of the race - The Bugle - Air Date 2-29-20 A comprehensive explanation of the state of the Democratic Primary race VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Get a message going! - Jeff from Charlotte, NC Ch. 9: What do we do if Bernie gets screwed over again? - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on navigating the post-primary election landscape MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Middle - American Moon Bicycle That Horse Ithica - Sketchbook One Dirty Sleeve - Wax Museum Skyway - The Balloonist Wingspan - Bayou Birds Cicle DR Valga - Cicle Kadde Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 2/28/2020 Today we take a look at the historical through-line that has brought us to the present state of border barbarism we're now witnessing. An empire of perpetual expansion has finally reached its limit and decided to close the door. Meanwhile, well-meaning liberals have been playing on the nationalists’ turf for far too long. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Border Brutalism with Greg Grandin Part 1 - In The Thick - Air Date 12-24-19 Greg Grandin discusses his book about the history of American racism and policies against migrants. Ch. 2: Daniel Denvir on All American Nativism - Jacobin Radio The Dig with Astra Taylor - Air Date 1-23-20 Daniel Denvir and Astra Taylor discuss American Nativism and the spiraling harmful policies from our history of racism. Ch. 3: Border Brutalism with Greg Grandin Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 12-24-19 Greg Grandin discusses his book about the history of American racism and policies against migrants. Ch. 4: Michael Edison Hayden on Stephen Miller - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-22-19 Michael Edison Hayden discusses the impact of Stephen Miller's 900 emails to Brietbart on immigration policy. Ch. 5: Our Immigration Conversation Is Broken with Paul Kramer Part 1 - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 11-6-19 Paul Kramer discusses our broken immigration system and part of the problem is seeing human beings as valued only for their labor. Ch. 6: The Politics of Nativism with Daniel Denvir - This Is Hell - Air Date 1-13-20 Chuck and Daniel Denvir discuss America's long history of Nativism and white supremacist policies. Ch. 7: Our Immigration Conversation Is Broken with Paul Kramer Part 2 - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 11-6-19 Paul Kramer discusses our broken immigration system and part of the problem is seeing human beings as valued only for their labor. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: We have to be for a progressive vision, not just against Trump - James from Sacramento, CA Ch. 9: Jay didn’t go far enough rebutting - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the analysis paralysis of the primary election MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Wingspan - Bayou Birds Inessential - Bayou Birds Molly Molly - Barstool That Horse Ithica - Sketchbook Cicle Veroni - Cicle Kadde Gullwing Sailor - Migration Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 2/25/2020 Today we take a look at a post-acquittal, power-mad Trump taking advantage of his thoroughly-confirmed ability to do whatever he wants without repercussion and the work Bill Barr is doing to completely subvert the Justice Department in favor of using it as a tool to favor the President's friends and harm his enemies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. Ch. 2: Trump Tears Democracy To Messes: Is It Too Late? - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 2-13-20 Thom discusses Trump and Barr dismantling justice and democracy. Ch. 3: The Fragility of American Justice with Dahlia Lithwick - On The Media - Air Date 2-14-20 On The Media explores the ways that American justice is cracking under pressure of the Trump administration. Ch. 4: Calls for Bill Barr's resignation have grown impossible to ignore - Bradcast with Brad Friedman - Air Date 2-18-20 Brad discusses Trump's power madness after impeachment. Ch. 5: Justice And Trump with Quinta Jurecic - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 2-19-20 Brian talks with Quinta Jurecic about the crisis in the justice department under Trump and Barr. Ch. 6: Trump Hush Money Case - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-18-20 Rachel Maddow discusses the corruption of Trump and Bill Barr Ch. 7: Pardonpalooza with Anne Milgram - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 2-20-20 Preet and Anne Milgram discuss Trump's pardoning spree. Ch. 8: Has Trump Taken Down Our Democratic Republic? - Thom Hartmann - Air Date 2-15-20 Fascism has taken down democratic Republics multiple times in the past, will this happen to the United States under Trump? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Solidarity with one, solidarity with all - Eammon from Orange County, California Ch. 10: How America can avoid hypocrisy on Israel - Erin from Philadelphia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on solidarity with threatened communities and strategies to avoid hypocrisy Bonus: Rep. Peter King's (R-NY) IRA Ties - The Daily Show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  The Summit - K2 Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Great Great Lengths - The Balloonist Around Plastic Card Tables - Desert Orchard Decompression - Rayling O Holy Still - Vacant Distillery Jackbird - Feathers Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 2/22/2020 Today we take a look at Trump's recently-proposed budget and rule changes targeting the most vulnerable recipients of Social Security benefits. The budget has no chance of passing as it is because, thankfully, a Democratically-controlled House of Representatives will now allow it. However, it is still very valuable to understand why kind of budget and rules Trump and the GOP would pass if they were in complete power. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Trump's War Budget Slashes Support for Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid - The Real News - Air Date 2-13-20 Trump promised he would not touch Social Security and Medicare. He lied. Now we have deficit spending with no social benefits, and Democrats fooled into a compromise that allowed the military budget to soar. Ch. 2: Doctor Responds After Trump Said He’d Make More Cuts to Medicare - NowThis News - Air Date 1-27-20 This doctor is speaking out about the high cost and inaccessibility of health care in the U.S. after Trump said he’d make even more cuts to Medicare. Ch. 3: The #TrumpBudget is cooking the books - Off-Kilter - Air Date 2-13-20 Bobby Kogan, chief mathematician of the Senate Budget Committee, explains how the Trump budget is cooking the books to make it look not as terrible as it really is. Ch. 4: The politics of work and hunger - This Is Hell! - Air Date 1-7-20 Anthropologist Maggie Dickinson on food assistance, poverty and her book Feeding the Crisis Care and Abandonment in America's Food Safety Net Ch. 5: Say No to Stealing Our Social Security Benefits: Alex Lawson on Social Security and disability - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-6-20 Janine Jackson interviewed Social Security Works’ Alex Lawson about Social Security and disability Ch. 6: How To Clean Up The Welfare State - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-3-20 Meagan Day on "How To Clean Up The Welfare State" by building social programs that inspire support through their universality VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Jay didn’t go far enough - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 8: Emerging theme on our collective emergency, recommending After Capitalism - V from Central New York Ch. 9: Why Clinton didn't win - James from Sacramento, CA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on passion in the primaries, early interest in Bernie and why reluctant leaders are the best Bonus: Something is happening - Jim Hightower - Air Date 2-2-16 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Algea Trio - Algea Fields Milkwood - The Cabinetmaker Derailed - The Depot A Burst of Light - Delray Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: AFGE, "Defeating cuts to pay, retirement, health care", Flickr | License    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!

Air Date 2/19/2020 Today we take a look at the, ahem, "Peace Plan" devised by the US and Israel with absolutely no input from Palestinians. Plus, some additional discussion of how things are going in Israel/Palestine (not well) and how opinion has begun to shift dramatically within the Democratic Party. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: “Yet Another Declaration of War on Palestinians”: Rashid Khalidi on Trump’s Middle East “Peace” Plan - Democracy Now - Air Date 1-29-20 Rashid Khalidi and Mehdi Hasan discuss the peace plan the pushes further oppression upon the Palestinian people. Ch. 2: Omar Baddar on Israel/Palestine Peace Plan - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-31-20 Omar Baddar discusses Trump's peace plan and the continued human rights violations against Palestinians. Ch. 3: Israel: Democracy or Apartheid with Noura Erakat Part 1 - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 9-19-19 Mehdi and Noura Erakat discuss Israel and Palestine and if Israel is even a democracy anymore. Ch. 4: Mehdi Hasan: Trump’s Middle East Plan Is a Policy of Apartheid & Settler Colonialism - Democracy Now - Air Date 1-29-20 Rashid Khalidi and Mehdi Hasan discuss the peace plan the pushes further oppression upon the Palestinian people. Ch. 5: Trumps Middle East Plan and Palestinian/Israeli Relations with Phyllis Bennis - Sojourner Truth with Margaret Prescod - Air Date 1-27-20 Margaret and Phyllis Bennis discuss the Trump/Netanyahu deal and their work to consolidate their power and eliminate dissent. Ch. 6: How Israel/Palestine Became A Central Issue In US Politics with Alex Kane - The Real News with Greg Wilpert - Air Date 11-29-19 Alex Kane discusses the US's imperialist support of Israel oppressing Palestine. Ch. 7: Noura Erakat: U.S. Recognition of Israeli Settlements Is “Entrenchment of an Apartheid Regime” - Democracy Now - Air Date 11-19-20 Noura Erakat discusses the Trump administration further legalizing Israel's apartheid regime against Palestinians. Ch. 8: Israel: Democracy or Apartheid with Noura Erakat Part 2 - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 9-19-19 Mehdi and Noura Erakat discuss Israel and Palestine and if Israel is even a democracy anymore. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on whether the support Bernie Sanders seems to have is genuine Bonus: Buttigieg Supporter On Why He Doesn't Like Bernie - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-11-20 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Thannoid - Bodytonic On Early Light - Cholate Derailed - The Depot Banjo - Grey River Festering - Towboat Hickory Shed - Onesuch Village Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/15/2020 Today we take a look at the ways Trump is working to rewrite the rules of trade with NAFTA 2.0 (The USMCA), a post-Brexit agreement with the United Kingdom and what's emerging from the ongoing trade war with China. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.com/LEFT  |  Listen to Politics: Meet Me In The Middle  |  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Manuel Perez-Rocha on NAFTA 2.0 - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-24-20 Manuel Perez-Rocha breaks down the USMCA trade deal and the media's misinformation about it. Ch. 2: The New NAFTA with Lori Wallach - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 1-25-20 Ralph Nader and Lori Wallach discuss the USMCA, the old NAFTA and the revised NAFTA. Ch. 3: Bipartisan NAFTA 2.0 Is Still Fatally Flawed with Nicole Aschoff - The Real News with Greg Wilpert - Air Date 1-21-19 Nicole Aschoff discusses the incremental change of the new NAFTA agreement. Ch. 4: Secret Trade Documents Between US and UK - Novara Media - Air Date 11-29-19 The Trump admin is pushing a trade deal with the UK that will privatize the NHS. Ch. 5: Trade deal between the US and the UK as seen from the UK - Remainiacs - Air Date 1-24-20 What use is the Government’s greenwashed Agriculture Bill when it won’t protect us from low-standard food imports? Ch. 6: Phase One of US-China Trade Deal Is Symbolic with Nicole Aschoff - The Real News with Greg Wilpert - Air Date 1-21-20 Nicole Aschoff discusses the USMCA and China Trade negotiations. Ch. 7: Trump Declares Victory on Trade with Ana Swanson - Diane Rehm On My Mind - Air Date 1-21-20 Diane and Ana Swanson discuss Trump's supposed victory in the Trade war. Ch. 8: The US-China Trade War with Tobita Chow and Jake Werner - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 2-3-20 Tobita Chow and Jake Werner discuss the Trump administration's trade war with China. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: What did Bernie actually say at those Clinton rallies? - Barbara from San Jose, CA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments explaining Bernie’s support of Clinton during the 2016 election Bonus: Every Event Bernie Sanders Did For Hillary Clinton in 2016 - Matt Binder - Air Date 1-21-20 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Cloud Line - K4 PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Minutes - Pacha Faro Swapping Tubes - Studio J Take a Tiny Train - Ray Catcher Tiny Putty - The Cabinetmaker Gondola Blue - Towboat Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   SHOW IMAGE Flickr: "A word cloud featuring "Trade War" | License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 3/12/2019 Today we take a look at the development of the Green New Deal and its impacts on economics, labor, frontline communities climate mitigation and the politics of the possible Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Green New Deal In Development - Green News Report - Airdate 2-12-19 'Green News Report' Special Coverage: The Green New Deal --- what's in it, what's not, and what happens next... Ch. 2: The Climate Fight with Naomi Klein - Start Making Sense - Airdate 2-20-19 Naomi Klein talks the basics of the Green New Deal and the processes that will help support it or harm it. Ch. 3: A Climate Sociologist Explains the Green New Deal (Pt 1:2) - The Real News - Airdate 3-1-19 Daniel Aldana Cohen explains that climate change and the economy are, fundamentally, the same story and recognizing that opens new solutions to both problems. Ch. 4: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Biggest Fight - The Mother Jones Podcast - Airdate 1-9-19 Can the Democrats come together to fight for what the US people need? Climate change is here and we need leaders. Ch. 5: Green New Deal, Yellow Vests - The Laura Flanders Show - Airdate 1-30-19 Building a bigger "WE" The old new deal didn't include everyone, that's why the GND needs to approach more inclusion. Ch. 6: How We Can Pay for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal | Opinions | NowThis - Air Date 2-24-19 ‘The Green New Deal will leave us better off economically than we are today.’ — Listen to economist J.W. Mason explain why it just makes sense to support the development of inclusive, sustainable industries. Ch. 7: Thea Riofranco talks the Green New Deal - Jacobin Behind the News - Airdate 2-22-19 Thea Riofrancos connecting the Green New Deal with the fundamental principles of freedom and important a just transition for labor in the next economy Ch. 8: The Time is Right for the Green New Deal - Start Making Sense -Airdate 2-27-19 The politics of our current system are changing, and the Green New deal is at the forefront of that change. Ch. 9: A Climate Sociologist Explains the Green New Deal (Pt 2:2) - The Real News - Airdate 3-1-19 Daniel Aldana Cohen explains the legacy of racism from the original New Deal that we must not repeat. Ch. 10: What's the Deal with the Green New Deal - Weekly Economics - Airdate 2-24-19 The original New Deal took radical economic action, its time to do the same for the Green New Deal. Ch. 11: Sunrise Movement & Green New Deal - Next Economy Now - Airdate 2-26-19 What does the Green New Deal look like, and who will have the power in the new system? Varshini Prakash of the Sunrise Movement sees The Green New Deal on the horizon. Ch. 12: Green New Deal with David Roberts - Bradcast with Brad Friedman - Airdate 2-8-19 David Roberts joins to discuss the Green New Deal and how capitalism is failing us and the planet. It's important to keep the conversation open. Ch. 13: The Holistic Green New Deal - The Zero Hour - Airdate 2-16-19 Kate Aronoff joins to discuss Green New Deal. To tackle a huge issue like climate change you need a huge vision of reformatting society. VOICEMAILS Ch. 14: The Green New Deal must not make the same racist mistakes of the New Deal - V from Central New York Ch. 15: Be excited about what AOC may accomplish, not about her as a person - V from Central New York Ch. 16: Race should be considered first rather than last - Grant from Nashville Bonus Clip: Ch. 17: Why you still don't understand the Green New Deal - Vox Air Date 3-12-19 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 17: Final comments teasing the bonus episode which is available to everyone for free at Patreon.com/BestOfTheLeft TAKE ACTION! Attend and/or support the Youth Climate Strike on Friday, March 15th (Twitter: @climatestrikeUS) Attend/promote Sunrise Movement's 9 stop national tour: "Road to a Green New Deal" Support and get involved with Sunrise Movement Call Congress: Tell them you support The Green New Deal (Capitol Switchboard: 202-225-3121) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Youth Climate Strike Is Exactly What the Planet Needs Right Now (NRDC) H.Res.109 - Recognizing the duty of the Federal Government to create a Green New Deal(Congress.gov) The Green New Deal would boost the restoration economy. What does that mean? (GreenBiz) How Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s Green New Deal is being built (Grist) It's 2050 And This Is How We Stopped Climate Change (NPR) Why you still don’t understand the Green New Deal (Vox) The Democratic Party Wants to Make Climate Policy Exciting (The Atlantic) The Hard Lessons of Dianne Feinstein’s Encounter with the Young Green New Deal Activists (The New Yorker) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Blue Jay - Feathers A Burst of Light - Delray Celestial Navigation - Aeronaut Donder - Darby Heartland Flyer - The Balloonist Streamer - Arc and Crecent Hundred Mile-No Guitar - K2 Horizon Liner - The Pine Barrens Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Wingspan - Bayou Birds Yarrow and Root - The Bulwark UpUpUp and Over - The Balloonist Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/8/2020 Today we take a look at the globetrotting trend of building and maintaining far-right, authoritarian political power by stoking fear and hatred of Muslims. We will draw the connections between the Chinese Uighurs, the Rohingya people of Burma, the Governmental policy in India to strip Muslims of citizenship and the actions taken by the US over the past decades that have helped to turbo-charge this trend. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: C-SPAN Campaign 2020  |  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The World War on Muslims with Mehdi Hasan Part 1 - Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 1-20-20 Mehdi Hasan and Ezra break down all the harm against Muslim lives across the world. Ch. 2: Why Don't We Care About Chinas Uighur Muslims? - Deconstructed with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 12-29-19 China's Uighur Muslims are being marginalized and sent to reeducation concentration camps, with nary a word from the rest of the world. Ch. 3: The Politics of Nativism with Daniel Denvir - This Is Hell - Air Date 1-13-20 Chuck and Daniel Denvir discuss America's long history of Nativism and white supremacist policies. Ch. 4: The World War on Muslims with Mehdi Hasan Part 2 - Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 1-20-20 Mehdi Hasan and Ezra break down the situation with the Rohingya people of Burma. Ch. 5: Vijay Prashad on India Demonstrations - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-24-20 Vijay Prashad breaks down the current situation in India that is marginalizing Muslims. Ch. 6: India's Citizenship Law with Shailja Sharma - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 1-6-20 Shailja Sharma discusses India's citizenship laws that sparked massive protests and the problems with Modi. Ch. 7: The World War on Muslims with Mehdi Hasan Part 3 - Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 1-20-20 Mehdi Hasan and Ezra break down how islamophobia is the go-to way to ratchet up fear for political gain. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Response to anger episode - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the structural forces of forgiveness MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Derailed - The Depot White Limit - CloudBreaker Tar and Spackle - Plaster Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard Milkwood - The Cabinetmaker Waltz and Fury - Macrame Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/5/2020 Today we take a look at the past, present and future of behavior modification from worms to pigeons to prisoners, and finally, internet users. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: C-SPAN Campaign 2020  |  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A History of Persuasion with Larry Stern - The Stakes with Kai Wright and Amanda Aronczyk - Air Date 8-8-19 Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 2: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 1 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 3: Yuval Noah Harari and Tristan Harris - Wired Magazine - Air Date 12-3-18 Discussing the unsettling fact that humans have far less agency over their thoughts and actions as we desperately want to believe Ch. 4: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 2 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 5: A History of Persuasion with Ian Leslie and Tristan Harris - The Stakes with Jai Wright and Amanda Aronczyk - Air Date 8-13-19 Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 6: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 3 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 7: Buying Attention - Hidden Brain - Air Date 1-1-18 In the internet age, viral stories and fake news have grown more powerful - algorithms give us exactly what pushes our buttons, and gave Trump his power. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Iowa caucus - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 9: The positive uses of anger - Chris from San Diego FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on my neoliberal nightmare of a day Limerick of the day from @Limerick_News MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Astrisx - Bodytonic Swapping Tubes - Studio J Wingspan - Bayou Birds Thannoid - Bodytonic Entrap - Darby PolyCoat - The Cabinetmaker Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/2/2020 Today we take a look at the relationship between fear, anger and how to deal with the structural forces of harm in our society. To help us, we examine two of the greatest thinkers of the past 65 years, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mister Rogers, and go beyond the nonviolence of King and interrogate Mr. Roger's insistence on liking everyone just the way they are. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: C-SPAN Campaign 2020  |  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: W. Kamau Bell on coming face to face with white supremacists - Finding Fred - Air Date 11-26-19 Empathy can be found when you understand what circumstances people came from Ch. 2: Author Christian Picciolini on how white nationalists recruit and radicalize online - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-18-19 Reformed neo-Nazi and author Christian Picciolini explains how white nationalists target vulnerable online communities Ch. 3: The dubious luxury of anger - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 6-24-17 Understanding the fear that underlies anger. Ch. 4: Help the Helpers: Evil cannot withstand forgiveness - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 On being your best self. On the least of these. On the virtues of a cup of tea. Ch. 5: Help the Helpers: But forgiveness can be complicated - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 You can't be nice to everyone because being nice to certain people is inherently cruel to others. Ch. 6: Anger and forgiveness as a survival strategy - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-19 Discussing the conviction and sentencing of Amber Guyger, the Dallas police officer who shot and killed her black neighbor, Botham Shem Jean Ch. 7: Forgiveness in the #MeToo era - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 6-24-18 Many faith traditions emphasize the importance of forgiveness. But in the context of the #MeToo movement, can forgiveness silence women who have been abused? Ch. 8: Why Do Black People Always Have to Forgive? - The Real News - Air Date 10-4-19 As Botham Jean’s brother makes headlines for “forgiving” Amber Guyger, Real News hosts Jacqueline Luqman and Lisa Snowden-McCray discuss what Christian forgiveness in the face of oppression means. Ch. 9: Why accountability matters for faith-based forgiveness - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 7-13-18 Serene Jones says deep forgiveness is actually part of a larger process of seeking justice and accountability. Ch. 10: The art and science of apologies and forgiveness Commentary - Best of the Left - Air Date 3-23-19 Final comments on strength, power, fragility, apologies, forgiveness and the legacy of the Confederacy Ch. 11: Help the Helpers: Grace - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 Grace is to focus on the humanity of others than to see them as monsters. Ch. 12: Help the Helpers: The fear and hurt that gets in the way - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19 The difficulty of focusing on helping the needy rather than punishing the dangerous Ch. 13: Van Jones: Why Casting “Bigots” Out Doesn’t Move America Forward - Big Think - Air Date 12-6-17 There is a limit to empathy, you cannot tolerate the intolerant for too long—but having empathy for those who interpret change as scary, and understanding why they think that way, maybe the only inroad to untying this great mess. Ch. 14: The birth of the Black Power Movement - King in the Wilderness (HBO) - Air Date 4-2-18 The story of King's reaction to the rise of the Black Power movement and the roles of anger, fear and sickness FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the various sicknesses infecting our society MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Open Flames - Aeronaut Surly Bonds - Aeronaut Inessential - Bayou Birds The Spinnet - Castle Danger Algea Trio - Algea Fields Moon Bicycle Theme - American Moon Bicycle Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard On Our Own Again - The Pine Barrens Streamer - Arc and Crecent Cat's Eye - Marble Run The Summit - K2 Vengeful - Warmbody Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/29/2020 Today we take a look at the flurry of controversy around the Democratic Primary race, once again exposing multiple rifts within the party along both ideological and gender lines. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Debates and the Candidates Position on War - Democracy Now - Air Date 1-15-20 The Democratic Debates got a lot whiter, and they share jabs about how much they support war. Ch. 2: The Big White Wave - In The Thick - Air Date 1-14-20 Discussing the impact of voters of color on the primaries and how money in politics reinforces the dominance of white politicians Ch. 3: Warren, Sanders and the Question of Sexism - On the Media - Air Date 1-17-20 Rebecca Traister is a writer at The Cut where she wrote an article responding to the incident called “The Third Rail of Calling ‘Sexism’.” Here, she speaks with Brooke about the trickiness of talking about sexism without falling victim to it. Ch. 4: Can a Woman be President? - Call Your Girlfriend - Air Date 1-24-20 A nuanced discussion of how to talk about sexism within Democratic circles while understanding some of the contextual forces at play. Ch. 5: Hillary Clinton Is Not Going Away - The Young Turks - Air Date 1-21-20 Ana and Cenk discuss Hillary Clinton's documentary where she drags Bernie and Progressives. Ch. 6: Refresher on Bernie Sander's dedication to party unity - Rumble with Michael Moore - Air Date 1-15-20 Michael Moore reviews the facts about Bernie Sanders' support of Hilary Clinton as the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in 2016 VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: We're the bully in the playground - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 8: Two-faced politicians - Naomi from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on how tomorrow’s leaders are made MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Line Etching - Marble Run Glass Runner - Marble Run Around Plastic Card Tables - Desert Orchard Rafter - Speakeasy Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/25/2020 Today we take a look at the climatic, political and social dynamics at play that have helped set the country of Australia ablaze both literally and figuratively Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: My Brother Fled Australia’s Climate-Fueled Inferno Part 1 - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 1-8-20 Australia’s grim warning to the world: our dangerous, climate-altered future is here, right now. Ch. 2: Listener connections to the Australia Fires Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-14-20 Umair Irfan talks about the environmental and human costs of the fire, its connection to climate change, and why any Australians are frustrated with how their politicians are responding to the disaster. Ch. 3: Massive Australian Wildfires And The Consequences Of Climate Change Part 1 - Diane Rehm On My Mind - Air Date 1-7-20 Diane talks with David Wallace-Wells, deputy editor at New York Magazine and author of “The Uninhabitable Earth.” Ch. 4: My Brother Fled Australia’s Climate-Fueled Inferno Part 2 - The Mother Jones Podcast - Air Date 1-8-20 Michael Mann on Australia’s grim warning to the world: our dangerous, climate-altered future is here, right now. Ch. 5: Climate Change, News Corp, and the Australian Fires - On the Media - Air Date 1-15-20 Damien Cave is the New York Times bureau chief in Sydney, and he recently wrote about "How Rupert Murdoch Is Influencing Australia's Bushfire Debate." Ch. 6: Australian Fires and the Culture Wars - Behind the News, Jacobin Radio - Air Date 1-13-20 Writer Jeff Sparrow on the Australian fires. Ch. 7: Massive Australian Wildfires And The Consequences Of Climate Change Part 2 - Diane Rehm On My Mind - Air Date 1-7-20 Diane talks with David Wallace-Wells, deputy editor at New York Magazine and author of “The Uninhabitable Earth.” Ch. 8: The Green News Report - Air Date 1-14-20 Australia’s catastrophic bushfires cause $2 billion in damages; 2019 was the second hottest year ever recorded globally; PLUS: 150 arrested at Jane Fonda’s ‘Fire Drill Fridays’ climate protest Ch. 9: Listener connections to the Australia Fires Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-14-20 Umair Irfan talks about the environmental and human costs of the fire, its connection to climate change, and why any Australians are frustrated with how their politicians are responding to the disaster. Ch. 10: Commentary Australia On Fire & Stopping Green Colonialism - The Michael Brooks Show - AIr Date 1-14-20 The crisis in Australia & moving toward a GND. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Hacking your home screen - Annonymous from Connecticut Ch. 12: Liberals and Progressives need to be a united front - Heather from Colorado FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why any coherent theory of change should bring progressives and Democrats together into a unified force MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Milkwood - The Cabinetmaker Denzel Sprak - CloudCover Waltz and Fury - Macrame The Spinnet - Castle Danger A Path Unwinding - K4 One Dirty Sleeve - Wax Museum Nuthatch - Feathers Rafter - Speakeasy Chrome and Wax - Ray Catcher Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/22/2020 Today we take a look at the history of US tensions with Iran and the reality that it has been the irrationality of multiple Republican administrations working hand-in-glove with the far-right government of Israel that has thwarted any chance of peace. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS:  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The US and Iran: A Brief History with Hussein Banai - BackStory - Air Date 1-10-20 BackStory delves into the long history between Iran and the US following the assassination of Soleimani. Ch. 2: America Exists To Make War with Lawrence Wilkerson - Democracy Now - Air Date 1-13-20 Amy Goodman talks with Lawrence Wilkerson about the endless war machine of US imperialism in Iran. Ch. 3: Iran with Mehdi Hasan Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 1-14-20 Jeremy Scahill hosts a discussion about the state of Iran and what the US has done. Ch. 4: Death of Soleimani Could Galvanize Shia Coalitions Against The US with Narges Bajoghli - Democracy Now - Air Date 1-6-20 Amy Goodman and Sarges Bajoghli discuss the consequences of the assassination of Soleimani. Ch. 5: Hurtling Toward Catastrophe with Nathan Robinson - On the Media - Air Date 1-10-20 Experts discuss the Iran situation and how we got to the brink of war. Ch. 6: Seven Things You Should Know About Trump and Iran with Mehdi Hasan - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 1-14-20 Jeremy Scahill hosts a discussion about the state of Iran and what the US has done. Ch. 7: Danny Sjursen on Iran and War - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 1-11-20 RJ Eskow talks with Danny Sjursen about Iran and how the military approaches Trump. Ch. 8: US and Iran with Mohammad Marandi - Unauthorized Disclosure - Air Date 1-12-20 Iran's reaction to the US assassinating their top General was quite restrained. Ch. 9: No War With Iran Jan. 25th International Day of Action via @CODEPINK - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 10: Iran with Mehdi Hasan Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 1-14-20 Jeremy Scahill hosts a discussion about the state of Iran and what the US has done. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: We need more and better candidates - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the dynamics of presidential candidates including “bench” and “wave” candidates TAKE ACTION! Find a Jan. 25th "No War With Iran" International Day of Action rally near you Tell your members of Congress to support the Senate War Powers Resolution EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Why Iran's Qassem Soleimani was on a not-so-secret trip to Iraq when he was assassinated (Business Insider) Trump authorized Soleimani's killing 7 months ago, with conditions (NBC News) Trump’s team insists Soleimani was an “imminent” threat. Just don’t ask for details. (Vox) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman  MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Wingspan - Bayou Birds Denzel Sprak - CloudCover Weathervane - CloudCover Nuthatch - Feathers Interlude - The Nocturne Contrarian - Sketchbook Andelo - Pacha Faro Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/18/2020 Today we take a look at The Afghanistan Papers which reveal in stark detail much of what the anti-war movement has known or strongly suspected since the beginning. Going beyond the scope of The Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War era, The Afghanistan Papers feature interviews and documentation from top-ranking officials admitting from the start that they had no idea what they were doing in Afghanistan. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Headlines: The Afghanistan Papers - Democracy Now - Air Date 12-10-19 Breaking the news of The Afghanistan Papers Ch. 2: The "Pentagon Papers" Of Our Time with Craig Whitlock - On the Media - Air Date 12-20-19 Bob Garfield talks with Craig Whitlock about the Afghanistan Papers and the comparison to the Pentagon Papers. Ch. 3: They Lied To Us All Along with Danny Sjursen - The Real News with Marc Steiner - Air Date 12-15-19 Marc Steiner talks with Danny Sjursen about the lies of war and the lack of accountability for leadership. Ch. 4: The Truth About The War In Afghanistan with Craig Whitlock - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-16-19 Brian talks with Craig Whitlock about the Afghanistan Papers and the history of the endless war on terror. Ch. 5: The Afghan Pentagon Papers - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 12-14-19 Michael Brooks breaks down the history of the modern military establishment. Ch. 6: The Afghanistan Papers - Eyes Left with Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner - Air Date 12-16-19 Spenser and Mike bring context to the Afghanistan Papers and delve into the history of the endless war. Ch. 7: The Afghanistan Papers with Steven Miles - News Beat with Rashed Mian and Christopher Twarowski - Air Date 12-23-19 An in-depth discussion of the history and corruption of the Afghanistan war. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: I didn't realize I was a socialist - Sarah from Cool, CA Ch. 9: Balancing policy and identity - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on making diversity part of our process of learning and growing Bonus: A Song From US Military Officer In Afghanistan - Eyes Left with Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner - Air Date 12-16-19 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Algea Trio - Algea Fields Cases to Rest - Bodytonic Waltz and Fury - Macrame Tar and Spackle - Plaster Beast on the Soil - Desert Orchard God's Playground - Nathanael Christy Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "Afghanistan War Anniversary", Jayel Aheram on Flickr / License / Changes: Zoomed in and cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/14/2020 Today we take a look back at the year 2010 in our annual 10-years-past retrospective to see what we may learn. 2010 was an enormous year of news and I've been working on this episode so long that I can hardly remember life before I started. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 EPISODE SPONSORS:  Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andrew Bacevich on Afghanistan - Bill Moyers Journal - Aired 5-15-10 Ch. 2: Congrats to Wikileaks! - Progressive Point of View - Aired 8-4-10 Ch. 3: Credit where credit is due - Rachel Maddow - Aired 9-4-10 Ch. 4: Obama Admin- Torture Not Illegal, Just A "Disagreement" - The Young Turks - Aired 3-27-10 Ch. 5: What's Next For Campaign Finance? - Bill Moyer's Journal - Aired 9-12-10 Ch. 6: Corporate Personhood - The Floodgates were Opened Today - Thom Hartmann - Aired 1-27-10 Ch. 7: Dems Must Fight Back on the Filibuster - Colbert Report Ch. 8: Robert Knutter and on healthcare - Bill Moyer's Journal - Aired 1-23-10 Ch. 9: For he's a jowly good fellow - Colbert Report - Aired 1-3-10 Ch. 10: Obama's signing speech - Countdown - Aired 3-31-10 Ch. 11: The Un-Tea party movement - Rachel Maddow - Aired 4-25-10 Ch. 12: Obama crushes house GOP - The Young Turks Ch. 13: Elizabeth Warren on financial reform - Colbert Report - Aired 5-6-10 Ch. 14: Financial Reform Bill is a Joke -- Economic Collapse Coming - The Young Turks - Aired 6-3-10 Ch. 15: Bet Against The American Dream - This American Life Ch. 16: Israel does something crazy/frustrating - The Bugle - Aired 6-17-10 Ch. 17: Joe Biden Hits New Low Defending Israeli Murder - Matthew Rothschild - Aired 6-17-10 Ch. 18: Obama Mute on Israeli Aggression - Matthew Rothschild - Aired 6-17-10 -0:08-0:17 Ch. 19: Scapegoating Immigrant Children Now - The Progressive - Aired 9-7-10 Ch. 20: Republican Wants Illegal Immigrant Camps - The Young Turks - Aired 9-7-10 Ch. 21: Papers please amendments - Rachel Maddow - Aired 5-11-10 Ch. 22: BP oil spill – The Progressive Ch. 23: Test of functioning media and politics - Rachel Maddow - Aired 6-15-10 Ch. 24: Strike it mucky! - The Bugle - Aired 6-23-10 Ch. 25: BP and the oil spill - The Now Show - Aired 7-1-10 Ch. 26: Bush-like missteps - The Daily Show - Aired 6-26-10 Ch. 27: Arne Duncan on US education system - Colbert Report - Aired 4-11-10 Ch. 28: Release the Kagan - The Daily Show - Aired 7-13-10 Ch. 29: Largest ever tax hike - Media Matters Minute - Aired 7-29-10 -0:45 Ch. 30: History made - Sanders speech - Countdown - Aired 12-16-10 Ch. 31: Pro-Gay Groups 'Desperate' For Obama To Take Action - NPR - Aired 12-11-10 Ch. 32: Beck vs MLK - Media Matters Minute - Aired 8-29-10 Ch. 33: Sanity/Fear protest of the absurd – NPR - Aired 11-16-10 Ch. 34: Religious and ethnic intolerance in the election - Rachel Maddow - Aired 11-4-10 Ch. 35: Yes we can, but - Le Show - Aired 11-10-10 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 36: Final comments, last day of working at CCAN - Comments Ch. 37: Real job coming to an end, increasing episode output immediately Ch. 38: Over the Health Care Hump, on to other topics - Aired 4-6-10 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date: 1/6/2019 Today, due to my current bout of perpetual-rake-in-the-face, I share a selection of honorable mentions from the 2009 retrospective show Bonus Clips: Introduction to SERE - Rachel Maddow Timeline summary of torture memos and fallout - Rachel Maddow Liz Cheney talks torture with the complicit media - The Young Turks Mancow gets waterboarded - The Young Turks Cheney testing the constitution - Rachel Maddow Correcting the record on Jim Cramer at CNBC - Daily Show Franken Kicks Conservative Ass - The Young Turks Obama Pwns Himself on Signing Statements - The Young Turks Correcting the record on Jim Cramer at CNBC - Daily Show Glenn Beck loses his mind talking about healthcare - The Young Turks Colbert on Glenn Beck's 9/12 project - Colbert Report High tech culture - On the Media Stephen Colbert study analyzed - On the Media Fox News The New Liberals (Craig T Nelson) - Daily Show Pizza Party - Slate   Leave a message at 202-999-3991   Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  Contact me directly at [email protected]  Review the show on iTunes!

Air Date 3/1/2019 Today we take a look at the social benefits of high taxation as the US gears up for our first genuine debate on raising taxes in a long time with an eye toward the life-improving programs that money could fund. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Dean Baker on Taxing the Rich - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-7-19 We’ll talk about some of the proposals to reduce wealth and income inequality—what they can and can’t do, and why we need them all—with economist Dean Baker Ch. 2: Bruce Bartlett explains the GOP Starve the Beast strategy - Pitchfork Economics - Airdate 1-29-19 Reaganomics and the destructive power of austerity. We need a strong and vocal socialist left to pull the conversation back to the left. Ch. 3: Democrats are Eisenhower Republicans - The Zero Hour w @RJEskow - Air Date 9-9-17 Explaining how the GOP went from the party of fiscal responsibility to the opposite and why the Democrats took up the task themselves Ch. 4: George Lakey on Viking Economics and when change happens Part 1 - @InDeepRadio w @AngieCoiro - Air Date 12-27-17 How did Nordic countries become what they are today? They've worked to eliminate poverty and produce an alternative vision of economies. Workers are happier and more productive. Ch. 5: How to Be Happy - Freakonomics Radio - Airdate 1-2-19 Looking at Gross Domestic Product versus Gross National Happiness and how Nordic countries have built the social trust to afford sweeping social programs Ch. 6: George Lakey on Viking Economics and when change happens Part 2 - @InDeepRadio w @AngieCoiro - Air Date 12-1-17 Why is America the way it is? Reagan. We were heading the way of Nordic economies but Reaganomics put America on the economic defense, regressing our progress. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: The dynamics of supporting candidates - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 8: Was Harris treated differently because of her minority status? - Marguerite from Fortuna, CA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the racial and gender dynamics of covering and criticizing presidential candidates MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Yarrow and Root - The Bulwark Shift of Currents - Aeronaut The Rampart - Castle Danger Thannoid - Bodytonic Wingspan - Bayou Birds Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/5/2019 Today we take a look at the history of FDR's "Four Freedoms" and "Economic Bill of Rights" that laid the groundwork for the fight for economic freedom for all that continues to this day. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Harvey Kaye, "The Fight for the Four Freedoms" - Book TV - Air Date 5-11-14 Harvey Kaye examines the progressivism of the Roosevelt-era and argues that a reminder of the "four freedoms" could address today's political and social issues. Ch. 2: What Ted Cruz Doesn't Get About 'Freedom' - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 7-21-16 Thom talks about Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican Convention and compares his definition of 'freedom' with the way it was described by Franklin D. Roosevelt. Ch. 3: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented. Ch. 4: Fighting for the Four Freedoms - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-15-14 Historian Harvey J. Kaye talks about how FDR was able to mobilize Americans to create "the strongest and most prosperous country in human history." Ch. 5: Libertarian Definition of "Freedom" is Freedom in Name Only - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 8-1-13 Explaining that libertarian thinking doesn't incorporate the existence of economic coercion Ch. 6: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented. Ch. 7: Bernie Sanders & FDR's Second Bill of Rights - Berniementum - Air Date 8-12-15 President FDR's Second Bill of Rights speech - January 11, 1944 Sen. Bernie Sanders speech at the National Press Club - Mar. 9, 2015 Music - "There is Romance" by Imcompetech Ch. 8: Fight for the Four Freedoms What Made FDR & the Greatest Generation Truly Great (w: Harvey J Kaye) - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 9-9-15 University of Wisconsin Professor Harvey J Kaye author of Fight for the Four Freedoms: What Made FDR and the Greatest Generation Truly Great, explains Ronald Reagan and the great pushback against a progressive America Ch. 9: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 3 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18 F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Sanders rant on his supporters hatred of female politicians - Jason from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments in which I resolve the dispute over whether Bernie Sanders supporters are sexist or not MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  The Zeppelin - Aeronaut Astrisx - Bodytonic Peacoat - Studio J Glass Beads - The Balloonist Minutes - Pacha Faro The Wooden Platform - The Bulwark Cicle Veroni - Cicle Kadde Entrap - Darby Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 2/1/2019 Today we take a look at the warring factions of progressive and conservatives who are all trying to amend the constitution in various ways. Some progressives want to call for a Convention of States to propose an amendment, as do some conservatives, while others are calling for an amendment but would rather it go through the Congress for reasons that will be explained. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: We the People Amendment - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 4-28-15 Thom Hartmann talks with David Cobb, National Spokesperson-Move to Amend Website: www.movetoamend.org, about an amendment in The U.S House that would end 'corporate rule'. Ch. 2: The Liberty Amendments Explained Article V Convention of States - Hip Hughes - Air Date 8-15-18 A look at the Constitutional process of starting a Constitutional Convention by the states. And a straight forward focus on Mark Levin's proposed "Liberty Amendments" and the Convention of States pushing for a Constitutional Convention. Ch. 3: Overturning Citizens United Is a Constitutional Amendment the Best Path to Limit Dark Money? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 3-13-13 We host a debate on whether the push for a constitutional amendment is the best path to overturning Citizens United. We speak to Mark Schmitt, a senior fellow at the Roosevelt Institute and John Bonifaz, co-founder and director of Free Speech for People. Ch. 4: The Balanced Budget Amendment Escape Clause - The New American Video - Air Date 4-3-17 The escape clause of a proposed Balanced Budget Amendment gives Congress the authority to not balance the budget while in a national state of emergency. Constitutional expert Robert Brown points that the U.S. is in a constant state of emergency for almost Ch. 5: Cenk DEBATES Constitutional Amendment To Fight Corruption Part 1 - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date 7-8-18 Cenk Uygur joins a panel discussion about the pros and cons of calling for an Article 5 convention to amend the U.S. Constitution to fight money in politics and overturn the Citizens United decision. Ch. 6: Mark Levin, Constitution Article V, and the Liberty Amendments - WesternFreePress - Air Date 7-11-13 Mark Levin shows how the state legislatures, with no permission required from the feds, can amend the US Constitution. It's right there in Article V, and the historical record shows that the Founders meant for that Article to be used in a time like ours. Ch. 7: Cenk DEBATES Constitutional Amendment To Fight Corruption Part 2 - @ TheYoungTurks - Air Date 7-8-18 Law Professor, Ken Chestek, explains the nuts of bolts of going forward with an Article V Convention strategy Ch. 8: Liberals, Conservatives Team Up To Overturn Citizens United - Rebel HQ - Air Date 9-21-17 TYT's Eric Byler talks to Jeff Clements, president of American Promise, an all-volunteer organization working toward a Constitutional Amendment to Overturn "Citizens United." VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Shutdown - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments with my main takeaways about the state of the campaign for the 28th amendment MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Hundred Mile-No Guitar - K2 Castillo - The Nocturne The Zeppelin - Aeronaut No Smoking - Sunday at Slims Streamer - Arc and Crecent Inessential - Bayou Birds Turning on the Lights - Speakeasy Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 1/22/2019 Today we take a look at socialism in America from our often violent response to the concept in the wake of the Russian Revolution through the recent revival in interest, driven primarily by the younger generation today Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Red Dawn Americans and the Bolshevik Revolution - @BackStory - Air Date 11-9-17 One hundred years ago, Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik Party seized power in a revolution that would change the world. Today we explore how that distant revolution had an immediate impact in the United States. Ch. 2: What the Russian Revolution Proved Possible - Empire Files - Air Date 12-18-17 To understand the context of this first socialist experiment, how it happened and what caused the many problems it faced, Abby Martin sits down with Brian Becker, a long-time socialist organizer. Ch. 3: America’s Unofficial Religion - The War On An Idea Part 1 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17 Everyone in the United States knows that “socialist” or “communist” is considered a bad word. How did things get that way? Abby Martin explores the history of anti-communism in America and the heavy repression of an idea that became an unofficial religion Ch. 4: "Socialism" in the Air - On the Media - Air Date 7-27-18 The word "socialism" has been trending, appearing on op-ed pages, FOX News, ABC's The View and beyond. In this word watch, Bob speaks with another self-described socialist, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson Ch. 5: Americans are ready for socialism - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 3-13-18 Columnist Elizabeth Bruenig looks beyond the failures of liberalism, to the possibilities of socialism. Elizabeth wrote the op-ed “It’s time to give socialism a try” at the Washington Post. Ch. 6: Richard D. Wolff - What are Capitalism & Socialism? What differentiates them from each other? - acTVism Munich - Air Date 2-21-17 In this interview with Professor of Economics Emeritus (University of Massachusetts), Marxist economist and founder of Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff, we talk to him about Capitalism and Socialism. Ch. 7: Why Are People Talking About Socialism? with Paul Jay - @TheRealNews - Air Date 1-2-19 Explaining why socialisms time may have come - the failures of capitalism Ch. 8: Dr. Richard Wolff on Marxism 101: How Capitalism is Killing Itself - Empire Files - Air Date 11-28-17 Prof. Richard Wolff explains some tenets of how a modern socialists system could work Ch. 9: America’s Unofficial Religion The War On An Idea Part 2 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17 Capitalism can no longer compare itself with the dysfunctional Soviet Union but can only be compared to itself and it's failures Bonus Clips: Fox & Friends Have TOTAL Meltdown Over Socialism - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 8-6-18 Odd Republican Lady Bashes Ocasio-Cortez On Fox After Meeting Her - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 7-24-18 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments wrapping up conservative arguments against socialist programs MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Trois Gnossiennes - Blue Dot Sesisons Gondola Blue - Towboat Our Fingers Cold - K2 Tiny Putty - The Cabinetmaker Waltz and Fury - Macrame The Summit - K2 The Provisions - K4 Peacoat - Studio J Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date 12/21/2019 Today we take a look at the GOP through modern history to understand how they came to be what they are and how the impeachment is throwing this reality into such sharp relief.  Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991   EPISODE SPONSORS: Clean Choice Energy SHOP AMAZON: Amazon USA | Amazon CA | Amazon UK  MEMBERSHIP ON PATREON (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content!) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What the framers didn't foresee was Mitch McConnell - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 10-26-19 A thought on why it’s Mitch McConnell, not Donald Trump, who poses the core threat to our constitutional structure. Ch. 2: What’s wrong with the Republican Party? - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 11-23-19 Thomas Mann, co-author of It’s Even Worse Than It Looks joins me to discuss how the Republican Party became the institution on display in this process. Ch. 3: The GOP's Ultimate Defense Keeping America Tuned Out - On the Media - Air Date 11-22-19 David Roberts, a writer covering energy for Vox, on the "epistemic crisis" at the heart of our bifurcated information ecosystem. Ch. 4: The biggest difference between Trump and Nixon is Fox News - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 11-9-19 Nicole Hemmer, the brilliant historian of conservative media, joins to discuss how Fox News and the larger conservative media-verse protects Trump but also lures him into disaster. Ch. 5: Comparing the pubic opinion timeline from Nixon to now - Impeachment Today - Air Date 12-18-19 The second time the US impeached a president, it was Richard Nixon. And we all know how that turned out — except we don’t. Princeton history prof Kevin Kruse gives us the tour. Ch. 6: The GOP's circular arguments are dangerous to the country - Impeachment, Explained - Air Date 12-14-19 Noah Feldman is a Harvard Law professor and one of the constitutional scholars who testified at the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing. He joins me to talk about what he saw, what he learned, and the Republican argument that truly scared him. Ch. 7: Trump impeached - Impeachment Updates from The Washington Post - Air Date 12-19-19 The House of Representatives voted last night to impeach President Trump on charges that he abused his office and obstructed Congress, branding an indelible mark on the most turbulent presidency of modern times. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the end of the year, the end of the impeachment investigation and what we are looking ahead to next year MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions): Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr  Minutes - Pacha Faro Astrisx - Bodytonic Trois Gnossiennes 3 - Blue Dot Sesisons Gondola Blue - Towboat Rapids - Grey River Tripoli - Pecan Grove Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent SHOW IMAGE: "He's Number One: Trump Leads GOP Field in New Poll," Mike Licht, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and blurred top and bottom   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!