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Edition #1003
Today we take a look at the raging battle for the soul of the new economy. The age of working at the factory for decades before retiring with a pension and gold watch is well behind us but what’s coming next? A world where everyone is completely on their own, scraping together work one gig at a time? Or an economy of worker-owners who are compensated fully for their labor and have a voice in the direction of their companies?
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: How Good is the Sharing Economy at Sharing? - KQED News - Air Date: 2-4-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Sharing Song - Jack Johnson


Ch. 4: Act 2: Chris Mackin: Creating Economic Democracy - @theLFshow w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 7-22-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: RazorWire-Remastered - Chris Priest


Ch. 6: Act 3: Uber isn't nearly as new of an idea as you think - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 3-22-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Capitalism Is Tearing Us Apart - sole


Ch. 8: Act 4: Uber Wants to Reorganize the Economy? Workers, too Can Play at that Game - The F Word w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 2-17-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Working Poor - Horse Feathers


Ch. 10: Act 5: David J. Thompson on the superiority of cooperatives - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date: 8-1-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Cooperation - Jim Valley


Ch. 12: Act 6: Nationwide Next System Teach-Ins via @TheNextSystem - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 14: Act 7: Paul Mason - Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 3-3-16



TAKE ACTION:

Activism Resources: 

Find a Next System Teach-In near you or register to host one where you live at http://teachins.thenextsystem.org 

Learn more about the The Next System Project and sign their statement.

Follow The Next System Project on Twitter @TheNextSystem for the latest updates and use '#NextSystem' to join the conversation.

Further Reading:

Not Cool Uber (via Dave Craige on Medium.com)

Sharing Economy Isn’t About Sharing - The Dark Reality Behind This Major Workplace Shift (via Alternet) 

Uber on the Road to Nowhere - Uber Drivers are getting creative in their fight for basic workplace rights (via American Prospect)  

Latest News/Actions: 

Seattle Passes Law Letting Uber, Lyft Drivers Unionize (via Reuters) 

Fed up Uber Drivers Aim to Disrupt Super Bowl 50 - With their Own Mobile App (via Mother Jones)

Jakarta Taxi Drivers Protest Against Uber and Grab  (via BBC)

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #1003: http://www.bestoftheleft.com/_1003_capitalism

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!

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Direct download: Repost_Racism_Air_Date_12-30-16_-_12-30-16_12.53_PM.m4a
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1043

Today we look at some of the structures of money in politics and how the tide is beginning to turn

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Truth About Citizens United - Follow the Money #8 - Represent.Us - Air Date: 1-26-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Addiction - Medina


Ch. 4: Act 2: @DerekCressman on Free speech vs paid speech with guest host @AngieCoiro - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 5-31-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Buy My Vote - The Haymarket Squares


Ch. 6: Act 3: How To Destroy The Corrupt Political Establishment - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Welcome To the Machine - Pink Floyd


Ch. 8: Act 4: @USRepDavidJolly on The STOP Act Part 1 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 8-27-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Moneytalks - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 10: Act 5: Steve Israel on Congressional Fundraising - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 04-04-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Money Grabber (Live @ KEXP) - Fitz and The Tantrums


Ch. 12: Act 6: @USRepDavidJolly on The STOP Act Part 2 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 8-27-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Changes - Langhorne Slim & The Law


Ch. 14: Act 7: Rhode Island Demands Money Out Of Politics - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-21-16


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: Repost_Media_Air_Date_12-27-16_Commercials_-_12-27-16_1.18_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1067

Today we look back on the decade-long War on Christmas™ to understand how we got to now as well as the uphill battle we Christmas Warriors now have in the face of a Trump presidency

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Progressives War On Xmas and O'Reilly's Response - Young Turks Air Date: 2010

Ch. 3: Song 1: War On Christmas - The Enablers & Friends


Ch. 4: Act 2: The War on Christmas: Sam's Big Chance to Further the Cause - Majority Report - Air Date: 11-25-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Holidays Are Here (and We're Still at War) - Brett Dennen


Ch. 6: Act 3: Genesis of Bill O'Reilly's War On Christmas - Jimmy Dore Show - Air Date 12-6-13

Ch. 7: Song 3: War Medley: Onward Christian Soldiers / I'm On the Battlefield / Keep On the Firing Line - Sanders Family


Ch. 8: Act 4: Megyn Kelly: Don't Worry Kids, Jesus and Santa Are White!! - Majority Report - Air Date: 12-13-13

Ch. 9: Song 4: The War On the War On Christmas - Macarone


Ch. 10: Act 5: Sarah Palin 'War on Christmas' Book Flops - David Pakman Show - Air Date: 12-06-13

Ch. 11: Song 5: War On Christmas Is Over - Steve Goodie


Ch. 12: Act 6: Right Wing's Fake War on Christmas Started Nearly 100 Years Ago - Majority Report - Air Date: 12-19-13

Ch. 13: Song 6: Christians and Pagans - Dar Williams


Ch. 14: Act 7: Christians Very Offended By Starbucks Holiday Cups - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-10-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: War on Christmas - Jamie Kilstein and the Agenda


Ch. 16: Act 8: War on Christmas Update: Congressional Resolution Phase - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 12-16-15

Ch. 17: Song 8: War On Christmas Day - Tim Di Pasqua & Tom Anderson


Ch. 18: Act 9: Fox News: Corey Lewandowski Appears On Hannity & Announces War On Christmas Victory! - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 12-8-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Tiny Tree Christmas - Guster


Ch. 20: Act 10: Right Wing leaders assume Republican gullibility w _Obama_s War on Christmas_ deception - @AllInWithChris Hayes - Air Date 12-8-16

Ch. 21: Song 10: White Wine in the Sun - Tim Minchin


Ch. 22: Act 11: Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat - Colbert Report - Air Date: 2010


Ch. 23: Final comments on todays activism and preparing for next years war

Closing Music: There's No War On Christmas When Christmas Is In Your Heart - The Mockers


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Direct download: 1067_War_on_Christmas_Air_Date_12-23-16_-_12-23-16_6.34_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1066

Today we look at the economics of our society through fresh eyes and make the case for a smarter way to work that taps into the things that really matter

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: A history of happiness - Backstory - Air Date 7-17-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Mirage - Sabrina Carpenter


Ch. 4: Act 2: How Does the Commons Work? - @TheNextSystem Project - Air Date 6-21-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: N/A


Ch. 6: Act 3: The case for the 32-hour workweek - The Atlantic - Air Date 7-9-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: This Moment (Live @ KEXP) - Led To Sea


Ch. 8: Act 4: Courtney E. Martin: The new American Dream - TEDTalks - Air Date: 9-7-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Struggle - Ringside


Ch. 10: Act 5: The Pluralist Commonwealth - @TheNextSystem Project- Air Date 9-6-16 

Ch. 11: Song 5: Common Good - David Andrews


Ch. 12: Act 6: Get Community Activism Skills with Citizen Muscle Boot Camp via @storyofstuff - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 14: Act 7: The Economics of Externalities - Progressive Faith Sermons w/ @RevDrRay - Air Date 12-4-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: A few thoughts from a conservative perspective - Bill from Michigan

Ch. 16: They're against it because we're in favor of it - Eric from San Francisco

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments in response to todays voicemails

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism:

TAKE ACTION 

Register for the free, online Citizen Muscle Boot Camp

INSPIRE YOURSELF

After the Election: We Keep Pushing Forward (Story of Stuff Project Blog)

She Was Just One Person…Until She Joined Up with Her Neighbors to Take on Nestlé (Story of Stuff Project Blog)

All Hands on Deck! How We'll Move Forward in 2017 (Story of Stuff Project Blog)

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1066_Culture_Air_Date_12-20-16_-_12-20-16_6.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1065

Today we look at the problems with the media, so many problems, and what lessons we should learn in the wake of the election

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The real kinds of bias that still exist in the media - @InDeepRadio w @AngieCoiro - Air Date 6-11-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: The System - Abscondo


Ch. 4: Act 2: Money isn't the only bad influence on the media - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 10-1-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Follow The Money - Zounds


Ch. 6: Act 3: The media and President-Elect Trump - @LastWeekTonight w: @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 11-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Sunrise - Norah Jones


Ch. 8: Act 4: Media lessons to learn from the election - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 11-11-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Having a Good Time - Theo Bard


Ch. 10: Act 5: Mainstream Media Fighting Trump...Don't Count On It - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-16-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Old News - Rick Estrin & The Nightcats


Ch. 12: Act 6: Reporting on the editor of "The platform for the alt-right" - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 11-18-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Let's Call the Whole Thing Off - Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong


Ch. 14: Act 7: Stopping fake news - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 11-24-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Happy Song Is A Happy Song  - Nick Rivera


Ch. 16: Act 8: Christiane Amanpour on the state of the media in a post fact-world - The Investigators with Diana Swain, CBC - Air Date 11-25-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Pulling together the threads of the economics of despair - Erin from Philadelphia

Ch. 18: How to talk about climate change - Dan from Greenville, SC

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on the biggest free lunch humanity have thought it had

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1065_Media_Air_Date_12-16-16_-_12-16-16_7.37_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1064

Today we look at the systematic suppression of voting rights during the election and the hail mary attempt to avert a Trump presidency through the electoral college

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Myth of Voter Fraud - On The Media - Air Date 10-21-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Fear is a villain - Theo Bard


Ch. 4: Act 2: @AriBerman on voter suppression being back in a big way - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 11-11-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Beneath the Lies - Abscondo


Ch. 6: Act 3: Republicans Gloat Over Supressing Black Vote - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-11-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Abuse of Power - Lion of Light


Ch. 8: Act 4: How Do We Fix Our Broken Voting System? (w/Guest: Mark Crispin Miller) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 11-08-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: The Fix Is In - Ok Go


Ch. 10: Act 5: The Big Lie - @FullFrontalSamB - Air Date 12-5-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Won't Get Fooled Again - The Who


Ch. 12: Act 6: First Republican "Hamilton Elector" Breaks Ranks Against Trump - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-07-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: The Game Is Rigged - The Great Malarkey


Ch. 14: Act 7: Tell the Electoral College to #StopTrump & Vote with the People via @DemSpring and directelection.org - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Introduction to the Hamilton Electors - Amicus from @Slate - Air Date 12-10-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Resist Trump Letters - Alan from Connecticut

Ch. 18: How to get around the fact gap - Andrew from Chicago

Ch. 19: Who's got the conservative argument talking points? - Eli from Northern California

Ch. 20: Conservative argument on the need for real policies - Ryan from Phoenix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on small changes for the member’s feed and a call for conservative appeals for voting rights and against the electoral college

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

RSVP for the Democracy Spring December 19th rally at a state capitol building near you at savedemocracy.org

ASAP ONLY! Download everything you need to print and mail letters to the 273 Electoral College members pledged to vote for Trump at directelection.org

EDUCATE YOURSELF 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Posted December 13, 2016, written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1064_Election_Air_Date_12-13-16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1063

Today we look at some of the underlying issues that undercuts our ability to effectively debate and explore ways to use this knowledge to improve our communication skills

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: How to argue based on the morals of your debating partner Part 1 - You are not so smart - Air Date 11-4-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Debate - Wait Until Dusk


Ch. 4: Act 2: Jonathan Haidt: The moral roots of liberals and conservatives - TEDTalks - Air Date 9-18-08

Ch. 5: Song 2: Truth - Vaughan Penn


Ch. 6: Act 3: Change my view - You are not so smart - Air Date 10-9-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Debate Is Over (If You Want It) - Anti-Flag


Ch. 8: Act 4: The importance of emotionally appealing to voters - @BillMoyersHQ in Conversation - Air Date 4-15-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: When Anger Shows - Editors


Ch. 10: Act 5: How to argue based on the morals of your debating partner Part 2 - You are not so smart - Air Date 11-4-16


Voicemails

Ch. 11: In response to the discussion about college and work - Justin from Indiana

Ch. 12: Explaining jokes about Trump's small hands - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Ch. 13: College isn't just for work, it's for life - Eric from Paris, France

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 14: Final comments with a call for help creating a political translation dictionary

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1063_Debate_Air_Date_12-9-16_-_12-9-16_7.18_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1062

Today we look at some of the recent violence waged against protectors and independent journalists at Standing Rock North Dakota and the temporary victory of the permitting denial from the Army Corp of Engineers for the Dakota Access Pipeline

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: RISE With Standing Rock - @theLFshow w: @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 10-10-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A


Ch. 4: Act 2: Thanksgiving from an Indian Perspective - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 11-27-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Battle of the Little Bighorn - John Murrin Cornelius


Ch. 6: Act 3: Independent media attacked and abused for the crime of journalism at Standing Rock - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 10-28-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Good people - Jack Johnson


Ch. 8: Act 4: Michelle Cook on facing human rights violations at Standing Rock - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 10-3-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: N/A


Ch. 10: Act 5: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Discusses the State of Standing Rock - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 11-24-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Abuse of power - Cutting Edge


Ch. 12: Act 6: The #NoDAPL Fight Is Not Over - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-05-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Fight to Win (feat. Cee Lo Green) - Goodie Mob


Ch. 14: Act 7: Financial Disaster Could Dakota Access Pipeline Lose Its Contracts with Oil Companies on Jan. 1 - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 12-05-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Moneytalks - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 16: Act 8: Call on President Obama to Make Standing Rock a National Monument #NODAPL - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 18: Act 9: HISTORIC Victory At Standing Rock - @theyoungturks - Air Date 12-05-16


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Questioning body shaming against Trump - Kyle from Portland

Ch. 20: Nerds and bullies help explain the feeling of white oppression - Nathan from San Jose

Ch. 21: A 1920's Germany expert chimes in on Trump and authoritarianism - Erica from Massachusetts

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 22: Final comments on body shaming and the connection between nerds and fascists

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION 

Call the White House comments line at 202-456-1111

Get the info to write to the President by visiting the contact page on whitehouse.gov

EDUCATE YOURSELF

The Historic Victory at Standing Rock (The Atlantic)

Standing Rock: Tulsi Gabbard on What the Dakota Pipeline Decision Means (Rolling Stone) 

FAQ: The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's Litigation on the Dakota Access Pipeline (Earth Justice)

President Obama: Declare a "Standing Rock" national monument to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline (Our Revolution)

 

Posted December 6, 2016, written by Best of the Left 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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1062_NODAPL_Air_Date_12-6-16_-_12-6-16_7.16_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1010

Today we take a look at the way our current low-tax structure ends up redistributing the burden of funding society to those least able to pay for it while widening the already staggeringly-large wealth gap.

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: City Stealing From Citizens By Tampering With Traffic Lights - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-18-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: The fix is in - Ok Go


Ch. 4: Act 2: Cops Generating Money off Black Communities... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 07-31-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Shakedown - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band


Ch. 6: Act 3: Billionaire Governor Taxes Rich, Increases Minimum Wage, Economy Explodes - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 02-28-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Trickle Down - Hayseed Dixie


Ch. 8: Act 4: Republican Governors Seek to Raise Taxes On Middle Class and Poor - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 01-28-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Class Warfare - Chris Priest


Ch. 10: Act 5: Details of how Reaganomics in Kansas has utterly failed - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 4-19-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: That’s all - Clare and the Reasons


Ch. 12: Act 6: How To Pay For Tax Cuts For The Rich (If You're A Republican) - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-20-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Robin Hood - Dick James


Ch. 14: Act 7: Don't Think the Poor Pay Enough Taxes? You're Living in a Fantasy World - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 04-25-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Work to Live - Serious Suicide


Ch. 16: Act 8: .@ryangrim on Mississippi's dependence on prisoners for revenue - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 4-19-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Turtle (Bonobo Remix) - Pilote


Ch. 18: Act 9: Why An American In Sweden LOVES Paying His Taxes... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 04-12-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Taxman - Nickel Creek


Ch. 20: Act 10: The myth of a heavy tax burden in the US - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 4-24-16


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: Repost_Taxes_Air_Date_12-2-16_-_12-2-16_7.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1061

Today we look at the argument going on about the direction and focus the progressive movement and Democratic party should take in the wake of the election. Identity politics, essential or a destructive distraction?

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Pundits Blame Trump on Those Most Vulnerable to Trump - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 11-25-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Blame Me! Blame Me! - Anberlin


Ch. 4: Act 2: Bernie Sanders draws the connection between identity and class - The Benjamin Dixon Show (@TheBpDShow) - Air Date 11-21-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Together we fight alone - Darlings


Ch. 6: Act 3: SURJ on how to open up the discussion about class, race, gender... - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 11-24-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: My Conversation - The Uniques


Ch. 8: Act 4: Seeing intersectionality as the important takeaway from the election - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 11-25-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Let's Organize - Organized Konfusion


Ch. 10: Act 5: Identity-only politics is not enough - The Benjamin Dixon Show (@TheBpDShow) - Air Date 11-22-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Oppression - Ben Harper


Ch. 12: Act 6: It's time to stand up and fight for everyone who will be hurt by a Trump presidency - Savage Love w: @FakeDanSavage - Air Date 11-15-16


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Explaining whiteness - Lee from San Diego

Ch. 14: The way we talk about class, work and education - Chris from Littleton, CO

Ch. 15: How do we fight against the wall and for religious liberty? - Darice from Washington, DC

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 16: Final comments on post-election activism and a brief history of progressive economics in the Democratic party

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1061_Intersectionality_Air_Date_11-29-16_-_11-29-16_7.38_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1060

Today we look at the comparison between the rise of Hitler and the rise of Trump, not to say that they are the same but to try to learn from the past in order to see farther into our own future and avoid the terrible ends that are possible

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition - Air Date: 3-10-2006

Ch. 3: Song 1: Oak - Ben McElroy


Ch. 4: Act 2: His rise to power Part 1 - Trumpcast from @Slate - Air Date 11-21-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Nazi (Live) - Chumbawamba


Ch. 6: Act 3: How South Africa Could Prepare the U.S. for President Trump - The Daily Show - Air Date 11-16-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Things a Get from Bad to Worse - The Ethiopians


Ch. 8: Act 4: His rise to power Part 2 - Trumpcast from @Slate - Air Date 11-21-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: I think your a nazi - Stephen Lynch


Ch. 10: Act 5: Comparing the rise of Trump and Hitler - @InDeepRadio w: @AngieCoiro - Air Date 3-26-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Der Fuehrer's Face (From "Nuttsey Land") - Spike Jones & His City Slickers


Ch. 12: Act 6: We Can't Wait To See The End Before We Resist The Beginning Of Fascism - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 11-22-16


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Explaining hippie-punching - Barbara from San Jose, CA

Ch. 14: Membership - Alan from Connecticut

Ch. 15: Explaining the Democrats through Thomas Frank's class-divide lens - Dave from Olympia, WA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 16: Final comments on when it’s time to panic, NationalPopularVote.com and our ongoing experiment of explaining concepts from the show

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Direct download: 1060_Nazis_Air_Date_11-26-16_-_11-26-16_6.54_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness - TEDTalks - Air Date: 12-23-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Happiness - Pet Shop Boys


Ch. 4: Act 2: The World Happiness Report - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-23-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) [feat. MGMT & Ratatat] - Kid Cudi


Ch. 6: Act 3: Living with Gratitude in an Imperfect World - Progressive Faith Sermons w/ @RevDrRay - Air Date: 11-22-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Happy now? - No Doubt


Ch. 8: Act 4: We Are Built To Be Kind - Fig. 1 by University of California - Air Date: 12-2-14

Ch. 9: Song 4: Happy - Sister Hazel


Ch. 10: Act 5: Punctuating happiness - Backstory - Air Date 7-17-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - Tears for Fears


Ch. 12: Act 6: David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful - TEDTalks - Air Date 11-27-13


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Recommending "The Most Good You Can Do" - Nick from Colorado

Ch. 14: A few quick thoughts on voting reform - Jeff from Massachusetts

Ch. 15: Supporting the minimum wage but worrying about automation - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 16: Final comments on finding gratitude in the face of the death of a loved one

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: Repost_Happiness_Air_Date_11-21-16_-_11-22-16_7.55_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1059

Today we look at the wave of white-supremacist hatred that was unleashed on election day and Trump’s pick of a white nationalist, anti-semite to work in the White House

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Listen to the first episode of Wait Wait Don’t Kill Me here: smarturl.it/sca

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Trump Victory Inspires Acts Of Hate Against Minorities - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-11-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Shut It Down - MxPx


Ch. 4: Act 2: Feelin' Alt-Right (Act 1, Part 2) - Full Frontal with Samantha Bee - Air Date: 10-31-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: A Dose of White Supremacy - Neffe Odom Kragh-Muller


Ch. 6: Act 3: A White Nationalist & Anti-Semite in the Oval Office- Trump Taps Breitbart's Bannon as Top Aide - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 11-14-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Second Class Citizen - Area-7


Ch. 8: Act 4: Racists Emboldened By Trump Victory - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date 11-10-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Love Your Neighbor - Todd Agnew


Ch. 10: Act 5: A White Nationalist Will Be Advising Trump's Administration - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-14-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: What A Beautiful Morning! - Drunken Logic


Ch. 12: Act 6: Former KKK Leader Loves Trump Adviser Who Didn't Want Kids in School with Jews - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-15-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Parade - Kimya Dawson


Ch. 14: Act 7: "White Supremacist, Anti-Semitic, Islamophobe" Stephen Bannon as Trump's Chief  Strategist - @TheRealNews - Air Date 11-15-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Let's Work Together - Canned Heat


Ch. 16: Act 8: You Will Not Believe This Insane Antisemitic Email - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-14-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Violent Days - RTZ


Ch. 18: Act 9: Get Trained for the Resistance via @ShowUp4RJ - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Song 9: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 20: Act 10: Just Like After Reconstruction, Trump Vote Highlights White Backlash to Recent Racial Progress - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 11-9-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Standing up for the oppressed - Justin from Indiana

Ch. 22: It's not just Trump, it's congress too - Jessica from Las Vegas, NV

Ch. 23: Explaining why Democrats lost - Nick from California

Ch. 24: Explaining Democrats disdain for working class - Roy in Texas

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 25: Final comments on the false equivalency between pro-Trump and anti-Trump violence

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Find a SURJ chapter near you (or start one) 

Sign up for SURJ national training conference calls

Get resources from SURJ 

Sign up to volunteer with SURJ

Find a SURJ action near you or post your own

EDUCATE YOURSELF 

White People Elected Trump. Now What?

Finding Common Ground with Trump Supporters in Buffalo

 

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Amanda Hoffman


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Direct download: 1059_White_Supremacy_Air_Date_11-18-16_-_11-18-16_9.33_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EST

Edition #1058

Today we look at how the Democratic party has been going wrong for decades in a way that partially explains their electoral loss in 2016 and then use this information as a guide to see where the progressive movement should go from here

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The economics of why Donald Trump won - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 11-10-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Backwards Blues - Adia Victoria


Ch. 4: Act 2: Thomas Frank on the Democrats disdain for the working class has led to their downfall - @thisishellradio - Air Date 11-12-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: One Thing Leads to Another - The Fixx


Ch. 6: Act 3: Bill Ayers on the inadequacy of our politics to face our challenges - @TheRealNews - Air Date 11-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Alright Alright (Here's My Fist Where's the Fight?) - Sahara Hotnights


Ch. 8: Act 4: Trump's economic populism and where we Democrats need to go from here - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-12-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Revolutions - Cody Long and the Red Beauty


Ch. 10: Act 5: Who Should Lead The DNC Now? - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date 11-10-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Go Do - Jónsi


Ch. 12: Act 6: Greenwald on "Democrats, Trump, and the Ongoing, Dangerous Refusal to Learn the Lesson of Brexit" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 11-10-16


Voicemails

Ch. 13: What ways can you help? - Steven from the UK

Ch. 14: How can we bridge the divide in progressive circles? - Anthony from Illinois

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 15: Final comments on healing the progressive movement and a new experiment for voicemails

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1058_Democrats_Air_Date_11-15-16_-_11-15-16_8.46_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1057

Today we reflect on the 2016 election, examine the variety of feelings it has brought fourth and contemplate the next steps ahead of us

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Trump's America- This is What Happens Now - Jay Smooth - Air Date: 11-9-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: S.O.S. - The Suicide Machines


Ch. 4: Act 2: 'This was a whitelash' Van Jones' take on the election results - CNN - Air Date 11-08-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: So Terrible It's Terrifying - Earmint


Ch. 6: Act 3: Mourn, Resist, Organize - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 11-9-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Call for Help - Clay Schneider


Ch. 8: Act 4: Feel your feelings and get to work - Throwing Shade w: @BryanSafi and @gibblertron - Air Date 11-9-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Run Screaming - Stockdale and Shapiro


Ch. 10: Act 5: The day after, take care of yourself - @EdgeofSports - w: Dave Zirin - Air Date 11-11-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Fear, Terror, and the Fear of Terror - Infinite Third


Ch. 12: Act 6: Anger is an appropriate response - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 11-10-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: When Anger Shows - Editors


Ch. 14: Act 7: National Popular Vote - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-13-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Help - Howie Day


Ch. 16: Act 8: Beyond the Electoral College: A State-Based Plan for Electing the President by National Popular Vote - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 11-08-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Kids in fear after the election - Anonymous

Ch. 18: Mad as hell and sick to my stomach - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Ch. 19: Moving forward with self care - Dave from Olympia, WA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on privilege as a superpower and the campaign for a national popular vote

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1057_Election_Air_Date_11-11-16_-_11-11-16_6.20_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1056

Today we look beyond the election to the progressive movement that needs to keep it’s momentum going regardless of who the next president will be

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: When Progressives Fight...We Win! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-15-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: On the Outside - Oingo Boingo


Ch. 4: Act 2: Progressives Must Be Ready: Hillary Win Isn't the Victory - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 10-24-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Time Is Now - Warren Barfield


Ch. 6: Act 3: A Pep Talk For #Progressives From A Man Who Marched With #MLK! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 05-19-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Malcom X (Original single 1974) - Miriam Makeba


Ch. 8: Act 4: Bernie Plans To Fight Against Hillary's Corporatist Cabinet Picks - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-28-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Main Title, Game of Thrones - Ramin Djawadi


Ch. 10: Act 5: Breaking Through Power... It's Easier Than You Think! (w/Guest: Ralph Nader) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 09-22-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Power to the People - John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band


Ch. 12: Act 6: Beyond the election to the movement - The Zero Hour w: @RJEskow - Air Date 11-5-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 14: Act 6: Systemic Political Change Requires Participation – Never Stop Fighting - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date: 09-25-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Terrified of what the election could mean - Eammon from La Habra, California

Ch. 16: Don't lose sight of what you can do yourself - Matt from Pittsburg, PA

Ch. 17: Starting to gain perspective from the show - Jennifer from Columbus, OH

Ch. 18: Race, class and Trump supporters - Mike from Albany, NY

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on political philosophy, Confederates in New York and the difference between understanding and legitimizing

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Direct download: 1056_Beyond_Election_Air_Date_11-08-16_-_11-8-16_3.28_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00pm EST

Edition #1055

Today we look at the two biggest issues with the most limited timelines and far-reaching consequences of our era and how they are both at stake in this election

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: VILE: Trump Picks Climate Denier to Lead Environmental Transition - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 09-28-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Despierta - Filthy Friends


Ch. 4: Act 2: What Do The Next Supreme Court Picks Really Mean For America? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 07-28-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: No Guns No Guns - Mirah


Ch. 6: Act 3: As Earth Reaches Frightening CO2 Milestone, Bill McKibben Calls for War on Climate Change - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 09-30-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next - Manic Street Preachers


Ch. 8: Act 4: Trump: I'll Fill the Supreme Court With Antonin Scalias - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 09-14-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Perry Mason - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra


Ch. 10: Act 5: Shameful Admission: Trump Doesn't Believe Climate Change is Man Made - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 09-29-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Sic of Elephants (Live) - Andrew Bird [featuring Jim James]


Ch. 12: Act 6: 350 Action's May Boeve on Young Voters & Climate Movement - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 10-25-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Pressure - Billy Joel


Ch. 14: Act 7: Republicans Planning To Block Supreme Court Justices FOREVER - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-28-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Makin' It Great Again! - Andrew St. James


Ch. 16: Act 8: The World Is Hotter Than Hell and No One Is Talking About Climate Change - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 10-01-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Some adults think the devil is trying to influence our election - Brad from Irving, TX

Ch. 18: The impacts on restricted access to education - Sally from San Francisco

Ch. 19: Limbaugh is more thoughtful than liberals let on - Mike from Richmond, VA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments with some questions for our new reasonable conservative caller

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone 


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Direct download: 1055_Climate.SCOTUS.Election_Air_Date_11-04-16_-_11-4-16_8.14_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1054

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

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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. 3: Song 1: Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel


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. 5: Song 2: Protect & Serve - Stiff Little Fingers


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. 7: Song 3: I Don't Think About It - Emily Osment


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. 9: Song 4: Refund - Minor Motion


Ch. 10: Act 5: The Deep Story of conservatives and the rise of Trump - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 9-29-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Shame - The Avett Brothers


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. 13: Song 6: Vote - Jefferson Coker


Ch. 14: Act 7: Where shame is the companion to need - @thisishellradio - Air Date 10-22-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Only a Pawn In Their Game - Bob Dylan


Ch. 16: Act 8: The Media That Created Trump - United States of Anxiety - Air Date 10-13-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Shifting to the Right - Greg from North Cackalacky

Ch. 18: Shout out to Wade/asking for conservative show suggestion - Quai from North Carolina

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on a conservative show recommended to those interested in hearing the other side

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1054_Conservatives_Air_Date_11-01-16_-_11-1-16_10.49_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1053

Today we look at a range of voter suppression tactics including voter intimidation from history and present-day

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Revisiting the hard fought battles for voting rights and the implications of new laws - @Making_Contact - Air Date 10-19-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Until the Water Goes Down - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 4: Act 2: STUDY: Black People Wait Twice As Long as White People to Vote - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 08-18-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Adventure, Darling - Gillicuddy


Ch. 6: Act 3: Surprise! DOJ Catches Another State Disenfranchises Voters! (w/Guest: Ian Millhiser @imillhiser) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 09-10-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: A Theme for Bizarre Behavior - Clifton's Ford


Ch. 8: Act 4: A history of voter intimidation - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 10-3-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: That's What's Wrong - Good Old War


Ch. 10: Act 5: GET OUT THE VOTE via @NextGenClimate & Report Voter Suppression via @ElectionProtection

Ch. 11: Song 5: Time for Action - Secret Affair


Ch. 12: Act 6: Victoria Bassetti of the Brennan Center on the myth of widespread voter fraud - @DecodeDC - Air Date 10-20-16


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Vote yes for rent stabilization in the bay area - Mike in Mountain View, CA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 14: Final comments on a couple of the things making me really angry about our broken electoral system

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Volunteer to help get out the vote with NextGen Climate

Report voter suppression by calling Election Protection at 866-OUR-VOTE

Ask questions about voter ID laws by calling VoteRider’s national voter ID hotline at 844-338-8743.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

This Election Is Being Rigged—but Not by Democrats (The Nation)  

North Carolina Republicans Tried to Disenfranchise a 100-Year-Old African-American Woman (The Nation)

Possible Election Day problems worry civil rights advocates (PBS Newshour)

‘The most chaotic election for people of color in 50 years,’ activist predicts (Star Telegram) 

What we often forget when we talk about voting restrictions: the actual voters (Vox)

Indiana officials are trying to block almost 45,000 black citizens from voting (ThinkProgress)

Election 2016: Tracking Reports of Voting Problems Across the United States (NBC News)

This Is What Actual Voter Suppression Looks Like, And It’s Appalling (Huffington Post) 

Trans Voters May Face Problems Voting in U.S. Election, Activists Say (NBC News)

 

Posted October 28, 2016. Written by Best of the Left 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

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Direct download: 1053_Voting_Air_Date_10-28-16_-_10-28-16_6.43_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1052

Today we look at reproductive rights issues from the states up to the presidential election and the future of the Supreme Court

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Oklahoma May Strip Licenses From Doctors Who Perform Abortions - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-27-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: God Only Knows - Beach Boys


Ch. 4: Act 2: Thanks to Republicans, Pregnancy Can Be Deadly For Women In Texas! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 08-19-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Barefoot and Pregnant - Doyle and Debbie


Ch. 6: Act 3: Poland Up to 6 Million Women Protest Proposed Abortion Ban - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 10-5-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Luriana Lurilee - Ben McElroy


Ch. 8: Act 4: Total Abortion Ban In Question After Mass Protests - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 10-07-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Right Here, Right Now - Fatboy Slim


Ch. 10: Act 5: How is Abortion Portrayed in Film and TV? - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date: 9-10-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Bloodless Freak - Thomas Newman


Ch. 12: Act 6: Trump Says Appointing Anti-Choice Judges Will "Automatically" Overturn Roe v. Wade If He's Elected - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 10-20-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Of Thee I Sing: Supreme Court Judges - Casper Roos, Larry Kert & New York Choral Artists


Ch. 14: Act 7: Debate 3- The Good, The Bad, The Nasty (Act 1, Part 2) - Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (@FullFrontalSamB) - Air Date: 10-24-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Nasty - Janet Jackson


Ch. 16: Act 8: @LeahNTorres describes her work as one of the only doctors providing abortions in Utah - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 9-7-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Proud - Tegan and Sara


Ch. 18: Act 9: One of the oldest laws targeting abortion access is finally seeing the fight it deserves - ThinkProgress - Air Date 9-30-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Radioactive - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 20: Act 10: Keep the Pressure on Congress to #BeBoldEndHyde via @AllAboveAll - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 21: Song 10: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 22: Act 11: If You Want To End Abortions, You Should Work To End Poverty. - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-07-16


Voicemails

Ch. 23: Response to Rape Culture episode - Rebecca from Seattle

Ch. 24: What we must understand to understand the policing problem - V from Central New York

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 25: Final comments on the propaganda i witnessed recently  and detail in the newest member's bonus show

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION!

Get involved with All Above All actions on the state and local level

Share All Above All resources on social media with #BeBoldEndHyde 

EDUCATE YOURSELF

What Women Do When They Can't Afford an Abortion (Broadly.vice.com)

What are your state's laws when it comes to abortion coverage? (AllAboveAll.org) 

All Above All's Hyde Amendment Fact Sheet (AllAboveAll.org)

Term And Partial Birth Abortions: The Mythical Arch-Nemeses Of The Anti-Choice Movement (HuffingtonPost.com)

Tim Kaine Now Backs Lifting the Hyde Amendment Banning Abortion Funding (NBCNews.com)

 

 Written by Best of the Left 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1052_Repro_Rights_Air_Date_10-25-16_-_10-26-16_11.07_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1051

Today we look at just a few of the manifestations of rape culture in society with plenty of focus on the need for affirmative consent education

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Pussy-Gate Vile Trump Audio Leaks, Exposes Classless Trump - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 10-11-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: GRAB'm by the PU$$Y - will.i.am ft Apl.de.ap and Liane V


Ch. 4: Act 2: Job Fair for Future Women - Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (@FullFrontalSamB) - Air Date: 02-23-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Can’t Take No for an Answer - David Nunez


Ch. 6: Act 3: #NotAllMen #SometimesAllMen - Trumpcast - Air Date 10-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Backwards Blues - Adia Victoria


Ch. 8: Act 4: Limbaugh- 'Here Come the Rape Police' After One Whiff Of Lack Of Consent - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 10-13-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Consent - Jack and Dean


Ch. 10: Act 5: How rape culture manifests itself - @InDeepRadio w: @AngieCoiro - Air Date 7-2-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: We Are the Kids - WALK THE MOON


Ch. 12: Act 6: Trevor calls bullshit on Donald Trump's "locker room talk" defense. - The Daily Show - Air Date 10-10-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Can't You Tell? - Aimee Mann


Ch. 14: Act 7: What Exactly Do Rapists Look Like? - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date: 10-17-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Boys Will Be Boys - Alisha


Ch. 16: Act 8: Not in my locker room - @EdgeofSports - w: Dave Zirin - Air Date 10-15-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Building Steam with a Grain of Salt - DJ Shadow


Ch. 18: Act 9: #HikeforHealing to Support The #MonumentQuilt for Survivors of Rape and Abuse via @UpsettingRape (FORCE) - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 20: Act 10: Your vagina is not a car - Clementine Ford at TEDxSouthBankWomen - Air Date: 02-05-14


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Two book recommendations of the history of racial oppression - Tyler from Kentucky

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 22: Final comments on the documentary Audrie & Daisy and the need for early education on affirmative consent

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Find a Hike for Healing team near you or start one at https://www.crowdrise.com/hikeforhealing

View quilt squares, get information on making a quilt square, sign up to host a workshop and volunteer at https://themonumentquilt.org

Check out #WhyWomenDontReport on Twitter 

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Our quilt project shares rape survivors' stories (CNN.com)

Trump's Campaign Embraces Rape Culture (ThinkProgress.com)

Everyone's talking to their daughters about Donald Trump. They need to talk to their sons. (Mic.com)

The Conversation You Must Have With Your Sons (HuffingtonPost.com)

8 Societal Barriers That Make it Hard to Report Sexual Assault (EverydayFeminism.com)

Women share stories of sexual assault to show Trump what rape culture looks like (HuffingtonPost.com)

 

Written by Best of the Left 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1051_Rape_Culture_Air_Date_10-21-16_-_10-21-16_9.33_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #988

Today we look at the intersection of the climate crisis with our current economic system including how monopolies, trade deals, market failures and the concept of “externalities” all work together to make climate change worse

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Externalities - by @DavidSuzuki - Resource Based Economy - Air Date: 7-26-13

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A


Ch. 4: Act 2: The True Cost Of Fossil Fuels - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-28-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Price You Pay - Bruce Springsteen


Ch. 6: Act 3: TransCanada Uses NAFTA to sue The US Over Keystone Pipeline! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-08-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Smoke And Mirrors - Giraffe


Ch. 8: Act 4: Nevada guts their net metering program, killing the solar industry - @greennewsreport - Air Date 1-12-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Sunshine to Burn (The Long Grass) - The Sand Pebbles


Ch. 10: Act 5: Ronald Wright on Progress Traps - The Green Interview - Air Date: 8-1-11

Ch. 11: Song 5: Farmscrapers - Dad Rocks!


Ch. 12: Act 6: Is the Military the Future of Renewable Energy? - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 12-04-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Hands To Myself - Selena Gomez


Ch. 14: Act 7: Porter Ranch Massive CA Gas Leak & What It Means - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date 01-12-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Payne's Bay - Beirut


Ch. 16: Act 8: Is Aliso Canyon California's BP Blowout? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-08-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Devil Town - Tony Lucca


Ch. 18: Act 9: #LeapYear Manifesto: For New Economic & Energy Systems via @NaomiAKlein — Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Act 9A: The Leap Manifesto As Explained By @NaomiAKlein - Huffington Post Canada - Air Date: 9-15-15

Ch. 20: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 21: Act 10: Surviving Progress Film (condensed version)


Activism: #LeapYear Manifesto: For New Economic & Energy Systems via @NaomiAKlein

Take Action:

JOIN/Host: #LeapYear Event, Feb-March 2016 via

WATCH: "Leap Year 2016 - Hangout with Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, and more”

hosted by This Changes Everything

Canadians can SIGN: The Leap Year Manifest

Sources/further reading:

"Let’s make this a real ‘leap’ year, and go fossil fuel-free” by Naomi Klein

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Direct download: Repost_Climate_Air_Date_10-19-16_-_10-18-16_6.41_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:12pm EST

Edition #1050

Today we look at the systems at play that put workers and everyday consumers at a constant disadvantage to their business-running overloads - but it has a hopeful ending! 

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: @DavidBurkus: Why you should know how much your coworkers get paid - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 9-20-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: You Can't Get What You Want (Till You Know What You Want) - Joe Jackson


Ch. 4: Act 2: The War on Unions Has Lowered All Our Wages! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 09-01-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Miffed - Tom Rosenthal


Ch. 6: Act 3: Foreign factories, coal-town media and the tipped wage - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 9-2-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: We Stand As One - Joseph Arthur


Ch. 8: Act 4: Do Labor Unions Still Matter? - Seeker Daily - Air Date: 2-23-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Le monde de contre jour - David Ari Leon


Ch. 10: Act 5: MILLIONS Of Workers Go On Strike - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-07-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Join Forces - Caribbean Pulse


Ch. 12: Act 6: Uber's revolution was mostly about circumventing labor unions - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 9-29-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Same Old Story - Pennywise


Ch. 14: Act 7: #BoycottWendys Until They Join the Fair Food Program via @CIW - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Activism - Shihan


Ch. 16: Act 8: On Wealth and Labor - Progressive Faith Sermons w/ @RevDrRay - Air Date 9-4-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Possible effects of the TPP on the corruption industry - Brad from Irving, TX

Ch. 18: Shamefully admitting to being a former libertarian - Chris from Colorado Springs

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on libertarianism and the false dichotomy of the social vs. the individual

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

DON'T EAT AT WENDY'S!

Learn more about the reasons for the boycott at allianceforfairfood.org

Sign the pledge to boycott Wendy's 

Attend a "Behind the Braids: Wendy's Boycott Tour" event near you 

Spread the word on social media via #BoycottWendys

EDUCATE YOURSELF

There is a Nationwide Boycott of Wendy's Underway (via The Nation)

Students Declare Nationwide Boycott of Wendy's Over Farmworker Concerns (via The American Prospect)

Dear Wendy's: I'm boycotting you, but I'm not the one you should be worried about (via Common Dreams)

 

Written by Best of the Left 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1050_Labor_Air_Date_10-14-16_-_10-14-16_7.21_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1049

Today we look at the political philosophy of libertarianism and explain why large parts of it make almost no sense when applied to the real world

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Libertarian Calls In to Teach Us All About the Right Kind of Libertarianism - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 07-10-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Blik - deeB


Ch. 4: Act 2: Why Are Libertarians Mostly Men??? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 07-13-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Fantasy - Anya Marina


Ch. 6: Act 3: Libertarianism Debunked. - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 08-26-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Risk It - Nahko and Medicine for the People


Ch. 8: Act 4: Libertarians Divided Over Driver's Licenses - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 06-02-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Don't Waste Your Breath - Colour Me Wednesday


Ch. 12: Act 6: A History Lesson for Libertertarians - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-13-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Lesson Learned (feat. John Mayer) - Alicia Keys


Ch. 14: Act 7: No Progressives Should Vote for Libertarian Gary Johnson - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 10-04-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Some are in it just to win - Emma from New York City

Ch. 16: Inaugural meeting of the D@W Twin Cities Action Group - Paul from Minnesota

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments debunking a couple of logical fallacies from professional libertarians

Bonus Clip 1: Libertarian Debate Darryl Perry Defines Libertarianism - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 06-24-16

Bonus Clip 2: Libertarian Debate Sam Seder vs. Dave Smith - Majority Report - Air Date 08-22-15

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!


Edition #1048

Today we look at the ways in which the 13th amendment to the constitution opened the doors to a mere evolution of slavery rather than it’s abolition as our national myth contends

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe - Excerpt: Attica explained

Ch. 3: Song 1: Attica State - John Lennon & Yoko Ono


Ch. 4: Act 2: 45 Years After Legendary Attica Prison Uprising, New Book Reveals State Role in Deadly Standoff - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 09-09-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Strong Animals - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 6: Act 3: Prison Labor = Modern Day Slavery? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-16-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: High Demand - The Haymarket Squares


Ch. 8: Act 4: Rattling the Bars US Prison Labor - @TheRealNews - Air Date 9-5-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Forward - Northbound


Ch. 10: Act 5: Noelle Hanrahan on National Prison Strike - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 9-16-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Prison Abolition (feat. Daman) - Conscious Youth


Ch. 12: Act 6: Prisoners Strike To Say 'We're Not Slaves!!' (w/Guest: Maya Schenwar) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 09-21-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Chain Gang (2005 Remastered) - Sam Cooke


Ch. 14: Act 7: Important stories of the prison strike are blacked out by media - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 9-30-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Everyday (Single Version) - Carly Comando


Ch. 16: Act 8: Support Prison Strikers by Joining Actions Around the Country - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 18: Act 9: Advocates: The U.S. Still Profits from Slavery Because the 13th Amendment Perpetuates Prison Labor - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 10-03-16


Ch. 19: Final comments on the timely release of the new Ava DuVernay doc, “13th”

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Read the call to action post on ItsGoingDown.org and find an event near you at the bottom of the post.

Create your own local action to support the prison strikes and submit it to be posted by emailing info@itsgoingdown.org. 

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Why Prisoners Across the Country Have Gone on Strike (via Mother Jones)

"We're Freedom Fighters": The Story of the Nationwide Prison Labor Strike (via truthout)

The biggest national prison strike in American history is happening now (via Daily Kos)

Meet the inmate who launched a massive prison strike from his jail cell (via Vice)

Free Alabama Movement  (website of the inmates spearheading the strike in Alabama)

IWW Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee (unrecognized union for incarcerated prison workers)

 

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1048_Prison_Labor_Air_Date_10-7-16_-_10-7-16_8.10_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1047

Today we look at a few of the ways our two major political parties have worked to entrench their own power with the side effect of ruining the foundations of our democratic system

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Supreme Court vs. the American Voter - Times Op-Doc

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A


Ch. 4: Act 2: This is not your grandfather's gerrymandering w/ @davedaley3 - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 8-17-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Segregation - Rankin Scroo


Ch. 6: Act 3: How The Debates Were Corrupted By The Democrats AND Republicans - @theyoungturks - Air Date 09-25-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The 4th Estate - GFE


Ch. 8: Act 4: Ratf**ked The True Story Behind the Secret Plan to Steal America's Democracy w/ @davedaley3 - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 08-27-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Prove My Hypothesis - Death Cab For Cutie


Ch. 10: Act 5: Two-Party Tyranny Ralph Nader on Exclusion of Third-Party Candidates from First Presidential Debate - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 09-19-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Fake Plastic Trees - Radiohead


Ch. 12: Act 6: VoteRiders.org is out to educate voters about their state Voter ID laws - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 9-30-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Hey Ya - Obadiah Parker


Ch. 14: Act 7: Register and PREPARE to Vote in Your State via @RocktheVote - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Time for Action - Secret Affair


Ch. 16: Act 8: Explaining the plans the GOP has to maintain power as a minority party w/ @davedaley3 - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 8-17-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Security of the voting process in Oregon - Elise in Portland, OR

Ch. 18: Standing up for each other in the metal community - Jason from Iowa

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on the political and mental games we play

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Register to vote at https://www.rockthevote.com

Check your registration status with Rock the Vote's "Am I Registered?" tool 

Check on changes to voter ID requirements in your state at Rock the Vote's "Voter ID Requirements by State" or at VoteRiders.org

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Electionary - A Guide to Election Laws 

“Rigged” - The Documentary (via Fusion TV)

Wisconsin is Systemically Failing to Provide the Photo IDs Required to Vote in November (via The Nation)

Judge Blocks Election Day Registration at Illinois Polling Places (via The Chicago Tribune)

This November, Know Your Voting Rights (via ACLU)

Voter Suppression Laws: What’s New Since the 2012 Presidential Election (Interactive Map) (via ACLU)

 

Written by Best of the Left 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1047_Elections_Air_Date_10-4-16_-_10-4-16_8.38_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1046

Today we look at the designed systems that dictate how and where we work, live and engage with society and think about ways to improve those systems

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Transforming cities, changing the system - @TheNextSystem Project - Air Date: 10-6-15


Ch. 4: Act 2: @JeffSpeckAICP, author of Walkable City: Why Does Suburbia Suck? - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 08-06-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Walking Man - James Taylor


Ch. 6: Act 3: John Nichols (@NicholsUprising): The Fight Against a Jobless Economy and a Citizen-less Democracy - Belabored (@DissentMag) - Air Date 5-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Send a Message - Nick Driver


Ch. 8: Act 4: The social and ecological benefits of sharing the load - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 5-17-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Who Benefits? - Mustard Plug


Ch. 10: Act 5: Gunnar Branson: Moore's Law of Real Estate - TEDxNaperville - Air Date 12-18-12


Voicemails

Ch. 11: Keeping tabs on the mainstream media - Paula from Reno, NV

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 12: Final comments on taking vaccine doses of the mainstream media

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1046_Culture_Air_Date_9-30-16_-_9-30-16_5.59_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1045

Today we look at the systemically racist systems of policing currently in place in our country and the protest movement that continues to rise up against it, including Colin Kaepernick and the growing movement of support around him

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Deadly force in black and white - @Making_Contact - Air Date: 2-17-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Oh, Freedom - Shirley Verrett


Ch. 4: Act 2: Recorded proof of racially-targeted policing - The Benjamin Dixon Show (@TheBpDShow) - Air Date 7-13-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: America - Neil Diamond


Ch. 6: Act 3: Racist & Illegal Justice Department Slams Baltimore Police for Targeting Black Residents - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 08-11-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: This Land is Not Our Land - Utah Phillips


Ch. 8: Act 4: How media gets it wrong on protests against police violence - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 9-23-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: House of Cards Main Title Theme - Jeff Beal


Ch. 10: Act 5: Dave Zirin breaks down the Colin @Kaepernick7 protest - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 9-14-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: American Land - Bruce Springsteen


Ch. 12: Act 6: What we learned about our national anthem from @Kaepernick7 protest - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 9-7-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Rockin' In the Free World - Neil Young


Ch. 14: Act 7: Choice words on the anthem protesters and their detractors - @EdgeofSports - w Dave Zirin - Air Date 9-14-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: John Adams theme song - HBO


Ch. 16: Act 8: Tell Your Legislators to Sign the “Pledge to Preserve & Protect Our Lives” via @NAACP #StayWokeandVote

Ch. 17: Song 8: We Didn't Start the Fire - Billy Joel


Ch. 18: Act 9: Can the American Flag Survive Colin @Kaepernick7? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-03-16


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Thoughts from working at the Sacred Stone Camp - Nick from Colorado

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on the OTHER pipeline protest going on in Big Bend (Defendbigbend.org)

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Send the NAACP's "Pledge to Preserve and Protect Our Lives to your legislators and candidates

Read the "NAACP's Statement on Fatal Shooting of Terence Crutcher During Police Encounter in Tulsa, OK

Get involved with the NAACP's #StayWokeandVote campaign and use the hashtag on Twitter

EDUCATE YOURSELF

"NAACP releases list of demands in response to Charlotte shooting" (WRAL.com)

"If you don't understand Black Lives Matter after Terence Crutcher's death, you never will" (Vox.com)

"How two police shootings of black men sent Tulsa and Charlotte in different directions" (LA Times) 

"Tulsa police chief on fatal shooting of Terence Crutcher: 'There was no gun'" (Tulsaworld.com)

"Colin Kaepernick explains why he sat during the national anthem" (NFL.com)

"#VeteransforKaepernick: Veterans Stand in Solidarity with Colin Kaepernick" (The Root)

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1045_Police_Racism_Air_Date_9-27-16_-_9-27-16_9.14_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1044

Today we look at some of the ways our corporate media work to ignore widespread disaffection and real issues in favor of fluff, argument and ineffectual neutrality

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Media ignores widespread disaffection with political system - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 6-3-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Messages - Xavier Rudd


Ch. 4: Act 2: Why Don't We Hear About Real Issues On The News? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 08-17-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: My Conversation - The Uniques


Ch. 6: Act 3: Independent Media In Danger, Allegations of YouTube Censorship - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 09-02-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: I Love You Money - Lowell


Ch. 8: Act 4: Crisis Engulfs Fox News as Roger Ailes Sexual Harrassment & Spying Scandal Grows - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 08-11-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Abuse of Power - Lion of Light


Ch. 10: Act 5: CNN's morally bankrupt hiring of former Trump campaign staffer - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-1-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: That’s All - Clare and the Reasons


Ch. 12: Act 6: The media and political parties collude to make debates profitable and worthless - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 9-10-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Turtle (Bonobo Remix) - Pilote


Ch. 14: Act 7: A Recent History of Political Lies - On The Media - Air Date 7-8-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Working with Central Americans - Justin from Mitchell, Indiana

Ch. 16: The migration story replays itself over and over again - Justin from Mitchell, Indiana

Ch. 17: How can a community hold an abuser accountable? - Megan from Baltimore

Ch. 18: We have ourselves to blame for the media - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on the degree to which I hate cable news channels

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1044__Media_Air_Date_9-23-16_-_9-23-16_10.15_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1043

Today we look at some of the structures of money in politics and how the tide is beginning to turn

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Truth About Citizens United - Follow the Money #8 - Represent.Us - Air Date: 1-26-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Addiction - Medina


Ch. 4: Act 2: @DerekCressman on Free speech vs paid speech with guest host @AngieCoiro - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 5-31-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Buy My Vote - The Haymarket Squares


Ch. 6: Act 3: How To Destroy The Corrupt Political Establishment - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Welcome To the Machine - Pink Floyd


Ch. 8: Act 4: @USRepDavidJolly on The STOP Act Part 1 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 8-27-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Moneytalks - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 10: Act 5: Steve Israel on Congressional Fundraising - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 04-04-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Money Grabber (Live @ KEXP) - Fitz and The Tantrums


Ch. 12: Act 6: @USRepDavidJolly on The STOP Act Part 2 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 8-27-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Changes - Langhorne Slim & The Law


Ch. 14: Act 7: Rhode Island Demands Money Out Of Politics - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-21-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Standing against racism - Kyle from Portland

Ch. 16: What we can do to get better healthier density - Ryan from Phoenix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on the hopeful outlook of the future of campaign finance reform

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1043_Money_in_politics_Air_Date_9-20-16_-_9-20-16_7.28_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1042

Today we look in on the convergence of Native American and First Nations tribes in North Dakota to protect the water from the Dakota Access Pipeline

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Will The Lakota Tribe's Black Snake Prophecy Come True? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 08-19-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: People of the First Light - Russell Patrick


Ch. 4: Act 2: Standing Rock #nodapl - Levitate Media Group - Air Date 9-3-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: N/A


Ch. 6: Act 3: Canine Expert Decries "Egregious" & "Horrific" Dog Attacks on Native Americans Defending Burial Site - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 09-06-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Cherry Creek Singers - No DAPL song


Ch. 8: Act 4: Native Woman Bitten By Dogs DEBUNKS Media Falsehoods - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-08-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Song for Mother Earth - Lakota


Ch. 10: Act 5: The regulatory loophole that allows easy permitting for new pipelines - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 9-12-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Shove Your Pipeline - Frank Nawrot


Ch. 12: Act 6: Eminent Domain? Iowans Sue to Stop Dakota Access Pipeline, Say It Provides No Public Service - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 09-07-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: As Long As the Grass Grows - Randy Wood


Ch. 14: Act 7: Why fossil fuels companies are rushing to build old infrastructure - @GreenNewsReport - Air Date 9-13-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Ode to Nature - Brulé


Ch. 16: Act 8: Tell President Obama to Revoke USACE Permits & STOP the Dakota Access Pipeline #NoDAPL via @350 - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 18: Act 9: Water Protectors at Standing Rock React to Obama's Intervention in Dakota Access Pipeline Battle - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 09-12-16


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Violence against protesters - Frank

Ch. 20: Determining the end of a dogs life - Sunny from St. Paul, MN

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on how my Climate Ride went and how well I’m recovering

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Tell President Obama to revoke USACE permits by sending him a message

Find actions near you through September 17th and beyond. This map will update, so check back frequently!

Sign up to get the latest news and hear about upcoming actions related to #NoDAPL.

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT THE MOVEMENT

Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp legal defense fund

Contribute to the Sacred Stone Camp supply fund

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Learn about the targets of the #NoDAPL movement

Moments After Judge Denies DAPL Injunction, Federal Agencies Intervene 

What You Need to Know About the Dakota Access Pipeline Protest 

Alabama, Georgia declare state of emergency after pipeline spill

 

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1042_NoDAPL_Air_Date_9-16-16_-_9-17-16_9.32_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #991

Today we take a look at the influence of the food giants on what goes into our food supply, who’s allowed to inspect and regulate it, what our kids are taught about what’s healthy, the policies of international trade that lowers food safety standards and even how farmers raise their chickens

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Why nobody knows what's really going into your food - The Center for Public Integrity (@Publici) - Air Date: 04-13-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Prettiest Remix - Jim Guthrie


00:04:10 Ch. 4: Act 2: Sugar and Salt and Fat: Food Giants Have Hooked Us - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 04-26-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Pour Some Sugar On Me (2012 Re-Recorded Version) - Def Leppard


00:15:10 Ch. 6: Act 3: EXPOSED: Coca-Cola’s Scam To Keep Kids Drinking Soda - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 01-01-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Diet Coke - Airbäg


00:21:53 Ch. 8: Act 4: Carey Gillam on the conflicts of interest in the coverage of our food supply - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-5-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros


00:33:18 Ch. 10: Act 5: Mystery Meat: After WTO Ruling, U.S. Tosses Meat Origin Labeling Law, Leaving Consumers in the Dark - @democracynow - Air Date: 01-07-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: The Cave - Piano Tribute Players


00:37:43 Ch. 12: Act 6: Disaster: TPP Will Destroy US Food Safety - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 11-14-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Solid Ground - Dougie Maclean


00:41:51 Ch. 14: Act 7: Chickens and the farmers who raise them - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 05-17-15


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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Rerun_Air_Date_9-13-16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #994

Today we take a look at the narratives and stories that fill and influence our lives, whose stories get told and why and how that effects the way we see the world

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:37 Ch. 2: Act 1: Mansplaining: The Science - @Upworthy - Air Date: 03-10-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Words Are Seeds - My Gay Banjo


00:02:35 Ch. 4: Act 2: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song) - Louis Prima, Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman


00:16:47 Ch. 6: Act 3: Broad Politics in the Obama Administration - @DecodeDC - Air Date 1-28-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Seat at the Table - Crystal Lewis


00:22:53 Ch. 8: Act 4: #OscarsSoWhite: Black Filmmakers Call Out Hollywood Racism, Exclusion as Calls for Boycott Grow - @democracynow - Air Date: 01-25-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Gatekeepers - Sharrie Williams


00:30:54 Ch. 10: Act 5: $pread, For and By Sex Workers - @onthemedia - Air Date: 5-1-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Power of Words - iamuuri


00:40:10 Ch. 12: Act 6: Worst Oscar responses to #OscarsSoWhite - Backtalk from @BitchMedia - Air Date 2-18-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Bedtime Stories - Chris Reed


00:57:01 Ch. 14: Act 7: #OscarsSoWhite; Watch #JusticeForFlint Instead via @UnitedBlackout — Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


01:00:18 Ch. 16: Act 8: An inclusion crisis in the entertainment industry - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-26-16

 


Activism: #OscarsSoWhite; Watch #JusticeForFlint Instead via @UnitedBlackout

Take Action:

#JusticeForFlint from Blackout for Human Rights

Additional Activism/Resources:

"How to help people hurt by the poisoned water in Flint” via Mashable

Sources/further reading:

”Meet April Reign, the Black Woman Behind #OscarsSoWhite"

"The 17 Biggest Surprises Of This Year’s Oscar Nominations — #OscarsSoWhiteTheSequel” via Buzzfeed

"These 10 Actors, Directors & Executives Can Reverse #OscarsSoWhite” at RevoltTV

"Creed Is The Rocky Film 21st-Century America Needs” at The Establishment

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Rerun_Air_Date_9-9-16_-_9-4-16_8.23_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1041

Today we take a look at matters of life, death and the right to choose when to move from one to the other

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Other Pro-Choice Movement - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-29-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: Machine - David Ari Leon


Ch. 4: Act 2: Death With Dignity Advocate Brittany Maynard Dies At 29 - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date: 11-04-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: Chicago - Plusplus


Ch. 6: Act 3: How to Die in Oregon - Taking Control - SundanceNOW Doc Club - Air Date 10-30-14

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Smallest Piece - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 8: Act 4: Assisted Suicide - Harriet Scott's Story - Last Right Series - The National - Air Date 11-4-13

Ch. 9: Song 4: The Artifact & Living - Michael Andrews


Ch. 10: Act 5: Caller: My Father Committed Suicide after 30 Years of Pain... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-30-14

Ch. 11: Song 5: Dawn Departure, Jefferson County - Black Prairie


Ch. 12: Act 6: Doctor Assisted Suicide Is Now Legal In California - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date: 10-11-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Take Five - Dave Brubeck


Ch. 14: Act 7: How to Die in Oregon - Goodbye Roger - SundanceNOW Doc Club - Air Date 10-30-14

Ch. 15: Song 7: End of the World - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 16: Act 8: Tell Your Legislators to Support Medical #AidinDying via @CompandChoices - Best of the Left Acitivsm

Ch. 17: Song 8: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 18: Act 9: @BCoombsLee: The Brittany Effect: Transforming the Death with Dignity Movement - TEDxMarin - Air Date 10-5-15


Voicemails

Ch. 19: What kind of system do we want to see? - Rick from Scranton, PA

Ch. 20: What to do after the election - Andrew In Forth Worth, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on the last thank yous before Climate Ride and the origin or today’s topic

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Urge your legislators to support medical aid in dying 

Find and become one of the volunteer advocates and educators near you

Download the Compassion and Choices Legislative Guidebook to share with your representative

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Hear stories from those directly impacted

Understanding Medical Aid in Dying (Compassion and Choices)

End of Life Care Commonly Used Terms (Compassion and Choices)

Medical Aid in Dying is Not Assisted Suicide (Compassion and Choices)

Being Mortal: Dr. Atul Gawande on How U.S. Healthcare Fails to Handle the End of Life (Democracy Now!)

Brittany Maynard's Legacy: One Year Later (Compassion and Choices)

Written by Best of the Left 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1041_Death_Air_Date_9-6-16_-_9-4-16_7.36_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1040

Today we take a look at a couple of solutions to homelessness as well as some of the forces at play that effect how and where people live across the country

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Let's End Homeless Hate Laws - Brave New Films: Justice - Air Date: 12-8-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: Homeless (with Ladysmith Black Mambazo) - Paul Simon


Ch. 4: Act 2: Fiscally Conservative: Free Homes for Homeless SAVE MONEY for Utah - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 11-22-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: To Build a Home - The Cinematic Orchestra


Ch. 6: Act 3: Race, Ethnicity, and Urban Land Use Decision-Baltimore Ecosystem Study - @InfinEarthRadio - Air Date 6-2-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Rows of Homes - The Western States Motel


Ch. 8: Act 4: .@TaliaBuford on EPA and Environmental Racism - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-5-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Home - Phillip Phillips


Ch. 10: Act 5: Matthew Desmond (@just_shelter) - Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City - We the Podcast with Rep. @keithellison - Air Date 8-8-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Back Home - Andy Grammer


Ch. 12: Act 6: Right to the City: From Policing to Planning: Putting People in Charge - @theLFshow w: @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 3-8-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Home - Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros


Ch. 14: Act 7: Tell Congress to #MakeRoom for Affordable Housing via @MakeRoom - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Rep. @keithellison on ensuring safe, affordable housing for all  - We the Podcast - Air Date 8-8-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Look into the green party - Chris from Southern Illinois

Ch. 18: Let's move on to after the election - Emma from New York City

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on how supporters of the show helped a family in need

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Sign up and send your message to Congress via the Make Room campaign

Download the Make Room Take Action Toolkit

Encourage your organization to sign the Make Room sign-on letter 

EDUCATE YOURSELF

"Affordable housing advocates push for Baltimore charter amendment, future funding" (Baltimore Sun)

"The lack of affordable housing is causing a public health disaster in Oakland" (Fusion.net) 

"Public health problems in Oakland linked to housing crisis" (San Francisco Chronicle) 

"Dallas is pushing in the right direction on affordable housing" (Dallas Morning News)

"Rep. Ellison Introduces the Common Sense Housing Investment Act" (EllisonHouse.gov) 

"Sanders Announces Vermont Secures $3 Million for Affordable Housing, Praises First-Ever Funding of National Housing Trust Fund" (Sanders.senate.gov)

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

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1040_Housing_Air_Date_9-2-16_-_9-2-16_10.00_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1039

Today we look in detail at the overdue concept of worker owned and operated enterprises and what they can do to help improve the lives of people who work for a living

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Own The Change: Building Workplace Democracy One Worker Cooperative At A Time - The F Word w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 2-9-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: We Demand Change - Tristan James


Ch. 4: Act 2: Dispelling some myths about worker coops - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 6-12-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Banking on a Myth - Andrew Bird


Ch. 6: Act 3: Defying the Crisis - The Spanish Collective Mondragan - Air Date 1-25-12

Ch. 7: Song 3: Look To The Future - Birthrite


Ch. 8: Act 4: Julia Hutchins: How cooperative businesses can answer tough business challenges - TEDxMileHigh - Air Date 12-16-13

Ch. 9: Song 4: Cooperation - Jim Valley


Ch. 10: Act 5: The Promise and Limitations of Worker Co-ops -- Gar Alperovitz - Workplace Democracy - Air Date 9-15-14

Ch. 11: Song 5: Interesting Times - Akira the Don


Ch. 12: Act 6: The UK Labor party taking the lead on worker coops - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 5-9-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Capitalism Is Tearing Us Apart - sole


Ch. 14: Act 7: Join a Local Democracy @ Work Action Group via @Democracyatwrk - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Time for Action - Secret Affair


Ch. 16: Act 8: Some barriers that prevent the creation of worker coops - @theLFshow w: @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 2-23-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Voting in safe states - Steven from Brooklyn

Ch. 18: Thoughts on "Safe States" - Darice from Washington, DC

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on the end of our summer fundraiser

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Find or start a Democracy At Work Action Group in your area at http://www.democracyatwork.info/groups

Follow Democracy At Work on Twitter at @Democracyatwrk 

EDUCATE YOURSELF 

Economic Update Podcast

The Next System Project 

Truth Out

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1039_Coops_Air_Date_8-30-16_-_8-30-16_8.45_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1038

Today we take a look at a couple of the international trade deals currently in the works, why they’re bad and how to stop them

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Karen @HansenKuhn on the secret negotiations of the TTIP - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 5-6-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: North By North - Faded Paper Figures


Ch. 4: Act 2: New Study Confirms #TPP Will Kill #American Jobs! (Guest @WallachLori) - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 05-19-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: A Lot of Work to Do - Friendly People


Ch. 6: Act 3: Sen. Elizabeth Warren on why we need to stop the TPP - CREDO Action - Air Date 6-7-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Count On Me - Bruno Mars


Ch. 8: Act 4: Hillary Clinton Disavows the TPP Now and Forever - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-13-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Gone - Jack Johnson


Ch. 10: Act 5: What the fight against the TPP can learn from the movement against TTIP - Act Out! (@ActOutonOccupy) - Air Date 5-13-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Protest Song - Anti-Flag


Ch. 12: Act 6: Stop Toxic Trade Deals - NationalSierraClub - Air Date 6-27-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Victory - Trampled by Turtles


Ch. 14: Act 7: Why Did Clinton Just Tap a Pro-TPP, Pro-KXL, Pro-Fracking Politician to Head Her Transition Team? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 08-17-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Fake Empire - The National


Ch. 16: Act 8: Trans-Pacific Partnership EXPLAINED! - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 08-04-16


Ch. 17: Final comments on how to fight the TPP during the lame duck session

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1038_TPP_Air_Date_8-23-16_-_8-26-16_11.17_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1006

Today we take a look at the last several decades of the conservative movement and the Republican Party, where they came from and how we got to where we are

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Let's adopt the GOP's national platform - @JimHightower - Air Date: 4-1-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Great Pretender - The Platters


Ch. 4: Act 2: No Legitamate Republican President Since Eisenhower... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-20-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Cheat - The Clash


Ch. 6: Act 3: The Kochs & the Nazis: Book Reveals Billionaires' Father Built Key Oil Refinery for the Third Reich - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 01-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The John Birch Society - The Chad Mitchell Trio


Ch. 8: Act 4: How business made us a Christian Nation™ - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 3-22-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Show Me What I'm Looking For - Carolina Liar


Ch. 10: Act 5: Jelani Cobb on the Democracy of Blame Part 1 - Primary Concerns (@prime_concerns) - Air Date 3-24-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons


Ch. 12: Act 6: Today's Republicans  Employing  Lee Atwater's Dog Whistle Racism - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 02-24-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Racism - Mighty Sparrow


Ch. 14: Act 7: Jelani Cobb on the Democracy of Blame Part 2 - Primary Concerns (@prime_concerns) - Air Date 3-24-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Chickens Comin' Home to Roost - Toronzo Cannon


Ch. 16: Act 8: Nixon's War on Drugs: Aide Says Motives Were Racist & Anti-Leftist - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-27-16


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Rerun_Conservatives_Air_Date_8-23-16_-_8-23-16_8.43_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1037

Today we take a look at the future of progressivism and how the Bernie Sanders campaign has changed politics for a generation

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Bernie Sanders revolution is just getting started - Jim @HightowerNews - Air Date 7-28-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Talking About A Revolution - Tracy Chapman


Ch. 4: Act 2: Bernie Sanders Has Changed Politics for the Millennials! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 04-29-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised - Gil Scott-Heron


Ch. 6: Act 3: Naomi Klein: There Would Be No Bernie Movement Without #FightFor15, Keystone XL & #BlackLivesMatter - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Revolution (Human Need Over Profit) - Tha Truth


Ch. 8: Act 4: Bernie Sanders Has Bright Plans For Future - @theyoungturks - Air Date 07-16-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: One Man Revolution - Tom Morello: The Nightwatchman


Ch. 10: Act 5: Why the Bernie revolution will continue - Jim @HightowerNews - Air Date 8-11-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Keep On Moving Forward - Emma's Revolution


Ch. 12: Act 6: The Lesser Evil - On The Media - Air Date 8-5-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Forward - Northbound


Ch. 14: Act 7: Are We Seeing A Proactive Change In The Democratic Party and Hillary Clinton? - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 07-17-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Revolution - Grandaddy


Ch. 16: Act 8: What Direction do Millennials Want to See the U.S. Go? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 04-29-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Lawless Flawless (Instrumental) - Chris Priest


Ch. 18: Act 9: Bernie Sanders: The Warning Shot Of The Impending Revolution - @theyoungturks - Air Date 04-27-16


Voicemails

Ch. 19: People with disabilities and the sub-minimum wage - Alyson from Colorado

Ch. 20: Minimum wage and automation - Greg from North Carolina

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on theories of change for after the election

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1037_Progressives_Air_Date_8-19-16_-_8-19-16_6.38_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1036

Today we take a look at happiness and how to increase it personally and politically

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Robert Waldinger: What makes a good life? Lessons from the longest study on happiness - TEDTalks - Air Date: 12-23-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Happiness - Pet Shop Boys


Ch. 4: Act 2: The World Happiness Report - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-23-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Pursuit of Happiness (Nightmare) [feat. MGMT & Ratatat] - Kid Cudi


Ch. 6: Act 3: Living with Gratitude in an Imperfect World - Progressive Faith Sermons w/ @RevDrRay - Air Date: 11-22-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Happy now? - No Doubt


Ch. 8: Act 4: We Are Built To Be Kind - Fig. 1 by University of California - Air Date: 12-2-14

Ch. 9: Song 4: Happy - Sister Hazel


Ch. 10: Act 5: Punctuating happiness - Backstory - Air Date 7-17-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Everybody Loves a Happy Ending - Tears for Fears


Ch. 12: Act 6: David Steindl-Rast: Want to be happy? Be grateful - TEDTalks - Air Date 11-27-13


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Recommending "The Most Good You Can Do" - Nick from Colorado

Ch. 14: A few quick thoughts on voting reform - Jeff from Massachusetts

Ch. 15: Supporting the minimum wage but worrying about automation - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 16: Final comments on finding gratitude in the face of the death of a loved one

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1036_Happiness_Air_Date_8-16-16_-_8-16-16_4.41_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1035

Today we take a look at some of the ways that low wages hurts everyone and why the arguments for keeping them low just don’t hold water

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Chase Bank tries to get some good PR out of a tiny raise for workers - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-15-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Minimum Wage - Fenix TX


Ch. 4: Act 2: Wendy's Wants to Automate Stores "Because of $15/Hour Minimum Wage Increase" - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 05-20-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Minimum Wage - The Busboys


Ch. 6: Act 3: Burger King Workers in Denmark Make $20 an Hour! - Thom Hartmann - Air Date: 01-16-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Minimum Wage - Kevin Sandbloom


Ch. 8: Act 4: .@NickHanauer on what's wrong with our upside down economic policies - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 5-13-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Minimum Wage - Romain Virgo


Ch. 10: Act 5: McDonald’s To Slightly Increase Wages - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-16-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Minimum Wage - Bob Rivers


Ch. 12: Act 6: How Walmart Leeches Off of Government & Creates Customers from Employees - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-18-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Minimum Wage - The Closet Monsters


Ch. 14: Act 7: Even Conservative David Cameron Gets it, Raise the Minimum Wage! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 04-23-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Minimum Wage - The Expendables


Ch. 16: Act 8: Join the Fight for a Living Wage via @Fightfor15 and @GoodJobsNation - Best of the Left Activism - 8:12:16, 7.35 PM

Ch. 17: Song 8: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 18: Act 9: Raise wages, kill jobs? - The Other Washington - Air Date 5-9-16


Ch. 19: Final comments on the zen of collective blame

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Sign up with Fight for 15 and sign their petition for a $15 minimum wage

Sign up with Good Jobs Nation and co-sign the call for the Model Employer Executive Order  

GET INVOLVED:

The Next System Project  

Jobs With Justice 

National Employment Law Project Action  

EDUCATE YOURSELF:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOqtl53V3JI 

Read "Fighting for a Living Wage" by Stephanie Luce

Minimum Wage Crusaders Are Holding A Convention To Talk About Racism (Washington Post) 

Bernie Sanders Scores Big Wins with Democratic Platform (MSNBC) 

Fight for 15 to Hold First Ever Nationwide Convention (Fight for 15)

Our voice is being heard in the Fight for $15 (SEIU) 

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

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Direct download: 1035_Labor_Air_Date_8-12-16_-_8-12-16_9.06_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1034

Today we take a look at the recent judicial wins for voting rights as well as how far we still have to go

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Courts Strike Down Voter Restriction Laws That Target African Americans with "Surgical Precision" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 08-01-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: get real - the mountain firework company


Ch. 4: Act 2: Court Throws Out North Carolina's Racist Voting Law As 'A Cure For Problems That Don't Exist!' - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 08-01-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: How Do You Sleep? - Emily DeLoach


Ch. 6: Act 3: The role of the media in covering voter suppression laws - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 8-5-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Gobbledigook - Sigur Rós


Ch. 8: Act 4: The 'Daily Show' Segment That Helped Change N.C. Voting Rights - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-03-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Knock Yourself Out - Jon Brion


Ch. 10: Act 5: Election integrity expert responds to the Election Justice USA report on Democratic primaries - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 8-3-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Room For Improvement - The Tracelords


Ch. 12: Act 6: Demand @RepGoodlatte Hold #VRA Hearings via @NAACP #RestoretheVRA - Best of the Left Activism - 8:9:16, 3.43 PM

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 14: Act 7: This idea must die: Election Edition - @freakonomics - Air Date 7-27-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Short and long term electoral strategy - Quai from North Carolina

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 16: Final comments on what will be to blame when one party loses the election

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Call Rep Goodlatte - Roanoke, VA office: (540) 857-2672; DC office: (202) 225-5431

Tweet at Rep Goodlatte - @RepGoodlatte 

Email Rep Goodlatte at talk2bob@mail.house.gov

EDUCATE YOURSELF

NAACP President Arrested After Staging Voting Rights Sit-in at Lawmakers Office (The Guardian)  

'Do Something, or Arrest Us:" NAACP Demands Restoration of Voting Rights (NBC)

NAACP National President Cornell William Brooks Arrested After Sit In (NAACP) 

The Recent Court Rulings Against Voting Restrictions Explained (Vox) 

What is the Voting Rights Act? Here's Why This Legislations Still Matters, 51 Years Later  (Policy.mic)

Here's What's Happening in the Battle for Voting Rights (Mother Jones) 

Voting Rights and Elections (The Brennan Center for Justice) 

 

Written by BOTL Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman.


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1034_Voting_Rights_Air_Date_8-9-16_-_8-9-16_6.17_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1033

Today we take a look at the reasons behind why people cling so fervently to their increasingly desperate denials of climate change

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Climate Deniers Began in 1940 - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 04-14-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Slash and Burn - Blind Corn Liquor Pickers


Ch. 4: Act 2: Bill McKibben on Exxon, the Power of Divestment, and Being Targeted by Shadowy Right-Wing Group - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 05-26-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Looking At the Sun - Gramercy Arms


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@AriRabinHavt on the climate change lie machine - @InDeepRadio w: @AngieCoiro - Air Date 6-11-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Daylight - Matt & Kim


Ch. 8: Act 4: The GOP declares coal as "clean" absent any evidence - @GreenNewsReport - Air Date 7-14-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Port of Call - Beirut


Ch. 10: Act 5: Exxon Is Still The Worst Corporation In America - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 07-24-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Never Again - Enter the Worship Circle


Ch. 12: Act 6: Trump perpetuates old, tired myths about renewable energy - @GreenNewsReport - Air Date 8-4-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: I Stand Corrected - Vampire Weekend


Ch. 14: Act 7: Per Espen Stoknes (@estoknes): What We Think About When We Try Not to Think About Global Warming - You are not so smart - Air Date 7-28-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: A Beautiful World - Tim Myers


Ch. 16: Act 8: #ReZpectOurWater - Best of the Left Activism


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Vote by mail - Justin from Bend, OR

Ch. 18: We need something proactive to do with our time leading up to the election - Sally from San Francisco

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on some further benefits of voting reform

Bonus Clip: Howard Dean on the benefits of ranked choice voting - @freakonomics - Air Date 7-27-16

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Sign the Standing Rock Youth "Stop the Dakota Access Pipeline" Change.org petition and share with #ReZpectOurWater

Read the letters and watch the videos from the Standing Rock Youth at ReZpectOurWater.com

Follow the Standing Rock Youth on Twitter @ReZpectOurWater

If you live on or near the Missouri River, get involved with the Bakken Pipeline Resistance 

If you're in DC: Lafayette Square Rally for Standing Rock Youth - Saturday August 6th at 1pm

If you're in NYC: Union Square Rally for Standing Rock Youth - Sunday August 7th at 3pm

EDUCATE YOURSELF

UPDATE as of 8/5/16: Standing Rock Sioux Tribe files for temporary blockage of construction of Dakota Access Pipeline (KFYR TV - West Dakota)

Standing Rock Sioux Sues Army Corps Over Dakota Access Pipeline Approval (Indian Country)

Breaking: Dakota Access Pipeline Approved (Indian Country)

Running for Their Lives: 500-Mile You Spiritual Run Against Dakota Access Pipeline (Indian Country)

This Week Tonight with John Oliver: North Dakota (HBO's Last Week Tonight)

What they are up against: 

Corps: We're not for or against Bakken pipeline (The Des Moines Register)

Op Ed by Terry O'Sullivan, President of Laborer's International Union of North America, "It's Time To Move Ahead with Dakota Access Pipeline" (The State-Journal Register)

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1033_Climate_Air_Date_8-5-16_-_8-5-16_11.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1032

Today we take a look at the highlights and lowlights from both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Republican National Convention - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 07-25-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Donald Trump "I'm The Dictator" Music Video (The Apprentice 2004)


Ch. 4: Act 2: Chaos on Convention Floor Protests, Boos and Chants of "Bernie" Mark Opening of DNC - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-26-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Run On - Moby


Ch. 6: Act 3: John Nichols The GOP is More United in Disdain for Hillary Clinton Than in Support for Donald Trump - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Last of Our Kind - The Darkness


Ch. 8: Act 4: DNC Speakers ROAST Donald Trump - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 07-29-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Don't Believe a Word - Ivy


Ch. 10: Act 5: In a Speech Filled with Fear & Xenophobia Donald Trump Accepts Nomination - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-22-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Postcards from Richard Nixon - Elton John


Ch. 12: Act 6: Hillary Clinton Accepts Historic Nomination, Says Election is a "Moment of Reckoning" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-29-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk


Ch. 14: Act 7: Democratic National Convention - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 08-01-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Promontory - Circa Paleo


Ch. 16: Act 8: President Obama Implores Nation to Vote for Hillary Clinton "Carry Her the Same Way You Carried Me" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-28-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: President - Wyclef Jean


Ch. 18: Act 9: Hillary & J.F.K. Are More Alike Than You Think! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 07-29-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Lyndon Johnson Told the Nation - Tom Paxton


Ch. 20: Act 10: John Nichols describes the various aspects of a very interesting DNC - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 7-29-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: The need for community review boards to police the police - Ruben from Oakland

Ch. 22: Voting in this election is a binary choice - Ben in Minnesota

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments on a theory of change for voting reform

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1032_Conventions_Air_Date_8-2-16_-_8-2-16_10.15_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #977
Today we look at the fundamental barrier to democracy in the US and the veritable swarm of movements springing up to tear it down
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Brazil Bans Corporate Money In Politics. - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-19-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Power to the People - John Lennon & The Plastic Ono Band


00:08:16 Ch. 4: Act 2: How to Keep Campaign Donations Secret - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 06-06-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Things a Get from Bad to Worse - The Ethiopians


00:17:03 Ch. 6: Act 3: Corruption is Legal in America - Represent.Us (@RepresentDotUs) - Air Date: 4-30-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: N/A


00:22:47 Ch. 8: Act 4: Represent.Us 2015 Strategy - Represent.Us (@RepresentDotUs) - Air Date: 1-15-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: N/A


00:27:09 Ch. 10: Act 5: CBS Chief Loves Trump, Super-PACs, And Corruption - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-13-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Laughing At You - Head Automatica


00:32:48 Ch. 12: Act 6: Yahoo misses the point about the problems of money in politics - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date: 9-25-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Moneytalks - Vitamin String Quartet


00:36:27 Ch. 14: Act 7: Media Ignores...Americans Want Citizens United Overturned! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-08-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Moneytalks - Vitamin String Quartet


00:41:45 Ch. 16: Act 8: Stamp Money Out Of Politics w/ @BenAndJerrys @StampStampede - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Time for Action - Secret Affair


00:48:15 Ch. 18: Act 9: Help California FREE Act Fight Money In Politics Now! Sign The Petition - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-04-15


Voicemails

00:54:45 Ch. 19: Framing the abortion debate in terms of bodily integrity - Rachel from Mississippi

00:56:51 Ch. 20: Thoughts on "unskilled" workers - Chris from Fairfax

00:59:34 Ch. 21: Agreeing with the Fight for $15 messaging - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

01:01:01 Ch. 22: Minimum wages across borders doesn't matter much - David in Cincinnati

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:01:54 Ch. 23: Final comments on the cost of books in Canada and a detailed explainer for election reform groups

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Stamp Money Out Of Politics w/@BenAndJerrys @StampStampede

Take Action:

Get your stamps/get involved with: Stamp Stampede

Share your marked money with: StampStampede’s social media feeds

Follow the #GetMoneyOutthread

Sources/further reading:

"Here's How Ben & Jerry's Co-Founder Wants To Stamp Money Out Of Politics” via Huffington Post

"Stamp stampede on your dollar -- for democracy” by Ben & Jerry

"Stamp Money Out of Politics – STAMP STAMPEDE” via Democracy Matters

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Rerun_Air_Date_7-29-16_-_7-30-16_12.04_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1031

Today we reminisce about the origins of the Iraq war brought back to the fore by the Chilcot Report coming out of the UK that took seven years and thousands of pages to tell us a lot of things some of us already knew 

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Beating the drums of war montage - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 7-6-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Rock'n Me - Steve Miller Band


Ch. 4: Act 2: Stephen Zunes on the story we tell ourselves about the Iraq war - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-26-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: People say - Portugal. The Man


Ch. 6: Act 3: What you need to know about the Chilcot Report - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 7-6-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: White People for Peace - Against Me!


Ch. 8: Act 4: Tariq Ali on Chilcot Iraq Report: Tony Blair is War Criminal for Pushing Us into Illegal War - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-06-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Masters of War - Bob Dylan


Ch. 10: Act 5: Corbyn: Iraq War a Terrible Decision 'Launched on a False Pretext' - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 07-13-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: WMD - Blow Up Hollywood


Ch. 12: Act 6: Finally - PROOF The Bush Administration LIED About Iraq's WMDs - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-09-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Handlebars - Flobots


Ch. 14: Act 7: Tariq Ramadan: Iraq War Waged for U.S. Economic Interests Has Destabilized All of Middle East - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-06-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Everybody's Gone To War - Nerina Pallot


Ch. 16: Act 8: The manipulation of intelligence leading up to the war - Le Show w @TheHarryShearer - Air Date 7-17-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Trillion Dollar Bargain - Le Show


Ch. 18: Act 9: "We Will Prevail": Three Words, Three American Presidents & An Endless War in Iraq - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 04-08-16


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Understanding why the Dallas shooter did what he did - V from Central New York

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on the toxicity of getting high on your candidate of choice

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1031_Foreign_Policy_Air_Date_7-26-16_-_7-26-16_6.27_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1030

Today we take a look at  a few of the ways that our police departments around the country could be reformed as well as some of the reasons why it’s critically important that these reforms be enacted 

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Ex-Seattle Police Chief Condemns Systemic Police Racism Dating Back to Slave Patrols - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 07-14-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Enemy At the Gate - The Twinkle Brothers


Ch. 4: Act 2: Angie Coiro breaks down the reactions to the violence, mindless deaths of civilians and police - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 7-8-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: That's All - Clare and the Reasons


Ch. 6: Act 3: 46 Stops The Driving Life and Death of Philando Castile - Code Switch - Air Date 7-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: To Serve And Protect - Queen Ifrica


Ch. 8: Act 4: Philadelphia Police Capt. Ray Lewis on solving the root of policing problems - Act Out - Air Date 7-15-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Protect & Serve - Stiff Little Fingers


Ch. 10: Act 5: Black Ohio Cop to Prejudiced White Officers: Take the Uniform Off and Put on KKK Hoodie - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-14-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Free and Equal Speech - Chris Priest


Ch. 12: Act 6: Dallas Police Chief David Brown on his program community policing - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 7-11-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Fight the Power - Public Enemy


Ch. 14: Act 7: End the culture of warrior policing via @ACLU - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Professor Muhammad on crime, race and policing - Code Switch - Air Date 7-9-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Hearing the frustration of the LGBTQ community - Gabriel from Texas

Ch. 18: Hearing the frustration of the black community - Ryan from Pheonix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments with an update on the summer fundraiser

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION 

Sign the ACLU petition “End the Culture of Warrior Policing." 

Call and write to your legislators in the House and Senate to make sure they know you support the passage of the total suite of policing reform bills listed above.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

ACLU Implores Congress Consider Taking Up Law Enforcement Reform Legislation (ACLU) 

You Can Be Pro Cop and Pro Police Reform (Brennan Center for Justice)

Showing Up for Racial Justice - Actions in Your Area (Showing Up for Racial Justice)

10-Point Justice Plan: National Urban League Police Reform and Accountability Recommendations (National Urban League)

Guiding Principles on Use of Force (Police Executive Research Forum)

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1030_Police_Reform_Air_Date_7-22-16_-_7-22-16_8.50_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1029

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 a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

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 falal 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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1029_BlackLivesMatter_Air_Date_7-19-16_-_7-19-16_9.23_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #999

Today we again ring the fascism warning bell as we look at the continuing saga of the Donald Trump presidential campaign. And remember: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good [people] to do nothing”

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Republicans On Board With Trump Target And Kill Families Of Terrorists - @theyoungturks - Air Date 12-17-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Family Values - Johnossi


Ch. 4: Act 2: The Ugly Place That Donald Trump Is Leading Us - Moment of Clarity w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 01-20-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Rome Wasn't Built In a Day - Morcheeba


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@timjacobwise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: When Anger Shows - Editors


Ch. 8: Act 4: Donald Trump, the New George Wallace? Head of Segregationist's 1968 Bid on GOP Front-Runner's Racism - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 01-15-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: People, Turn Around - Delta Spirit


Ch. 10: Act 5: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-02-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next - Manic Street Preachers


Ch. 12: Act 6: How and why fascism comes to power - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 3-6-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: All You Fascists - Billy Bragg & Wilco


Ch. 14: Act 7: Trump's Response to Violence at His Rallies - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-12-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: What happens tomorrow - Duran Duran


Ch. 16: Act 8: Cops Swarm Black Man For Getting Punched At Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-11-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Out of Control - U2


Ch. 18: Act 9: The Call for a Voting Renaissance and Mass Non-violent Mobilization to Stand Up to Trump via @MoveOn - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 20: Act 10: Sasha Abramsky on what Trump supporters really think - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-2-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Understanding the new movement for socialism - Patrick from Dallas

Ch. 22: "Impartiality" stems from privilege - Ruben from San Jose

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments on what it was like to prep for today's episode, plus calling for input for episode #1000

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Read, sign and share MoveOn.org's open letter.

Follow @MoveOn on Twitter for the latest updates on the campaign and other actions to stand up to Trump's dangerous rhetoric.

Use the hashtags #LoveTrumpsHate and #STOPTRUMP on social media. 

Donate to the MoveOn.org "Stand Up to Trump" campaign to support their efforts. 

Sources/further reading:

Democrats Sound Alarm Against Trump (via Politico)

Liberal Groups to Launch Campaign to Defeat Donald Trump (via USA Today)

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #999 http://www.bestoftheleft.com/_999_fascism

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Rerun_Air_Date_7-14-16_-_7-14-16_10.39_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1028

Today we take a look at the results of the referendum in Great Britain to exit the European Union

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Brexit - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 06-20-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Play with fire - The Rolling Stones


Ch. 4: Act 2: The Origins of Britain's Euro-Skeptic Press - On The Media - Air Date: 7-1-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish - The Smiths


Ch. 6: Act 3: The #Brexit Vote Is Not A Left - Right Issue! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 06-24-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: There Is Power In a Union - Billy Bragg


Ch. 8: Act 4: Explaining the economics of Brexit Part 1 - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 7-4-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Thatcherites (Bonus Track) - Billy Bragg


Ch. 10: Act 5: Making Sense of Brexit Paul Mason on Britain's Growing Economic & Political Crisis - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-27-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: You Can't Always Get What You Want - The Rolling Stones


Ch. 12: Act 6: Brexit & Trumpism Are The Wrong Answers To The Right Questions... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 06-28-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Between the Wars - Billy Bragg


Ch. 14: Act 7: Explaining the economics of Brexit Part 2 - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 7-4-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Thoughts on Brexit and the road ahead - Harry from the UK

Ch. 16: Thoughts on the school-to-prison pipeline - Jessica from New York

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on Climate Ride and Netroots Nation

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1028_Brexit_Air_Date_7-12-16_-_7-12-16_10.01_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1027

Today we take a look at the historic reproductive rights ruling from the Supreme Court that just came down in the Whole Woman’s Health case as well as just a few of the ways that anti-choice activists are continuing their fight to curtail reproductive justice

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Explaining the Whole Woman's Health SCOTUS ruling - This Week in Blackness (@TWiBPrime) - Air Date 6-28-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Good Day - Jukebox the Ghost


Ch. 4: Act 2: Republicans Pushing Fetal Burial Laws - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-17-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Remains - Matt Pond PA


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@imillhiser on the history of abortion laws leading up to the Whole Woman's Health ruling - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 7-1-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Obvious Child - Paul Simon


Ch. 8: Act 4: .@AriRabinHavt on how lies about abortion are born and take on a life of their own - @InDeepRadio w/ @AngieCoiro - Air Date 6-11-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Little lies - Fleetwood Mac


Ch. 10: Act 5: Amy Hagstrom Miller (@AmyHM), the plaintiff who won a historic abortion rights case - Amicus from @Slate - Air Date 7-2-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Let it go - The Neighbourhood


Ch. 12: Act 6: Chelsea Handler Fighting Abortion Shame By Telling Her Story - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-30-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Privacy - Michael Jackson


Ch. 14: Act 7: Celebrate SCOTUS #ReproRights Decision with Renewed Vigilance to Pass Woman's Health Protection Act via #ActforWomen Campaign - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Why Alito's dissent is just wrong - This Week in Blackness (@TWiBPrime) - Air Date 6-28-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Thoughts on Omar Mateen and the effects of toxic masculinity - Ruben from Oakland

Ch. 18: A progressive pastor on the Orlando shooting - Don from Bentonville, Arkansas

Ch. 19: A followup to the discussion of the Orlando shooter being gay - Gabriel from Texas

Ch. 20: Thoughts on how gay people are treated in society - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on the need to recognize the humanity in those who appear most inhuman

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Learn more about the Act for Women Campaign and the Women's Health Protection Act at http://www.actforwomen.org

Download the Act for Women Campaign Tools & Resources 

Add your name to the Center for Reproductive Rights' message to Congress to pass the Women's Health Protection Act to prohibit states from imposing abortion restrictions

Use the hashtag #ActforWomen on social media and tweet at your congressperson to urge them to support the Women's Health Protection Act. 

Follow the Center for Reproductive Rights on Twitter @ReproRights 

Find out where and how to watch "TRAPPED," the documentary at http://www.trappeddocumentary.com

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1027_Repro_SCOTUS_Air_Date_7-8-16_-_7-8-16_7.03_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #986

Today we take a look at the case against extreme wealth inequality and not just from an economic justice perspective. Extreme wealth inequality leads to more social ills and destabilization than you probably ever guessed 

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: This Is The Income Inequality Video CEOs Don’t Want Americans To See - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-03-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: Let's Work Together - Canned Heat


00:17:41 Ch. 4: Act 2: Climate Change and Inequality Are Driving War and Catastrophic Conflicts from Syria to Africa - @democracynow - Air Date: 12-04-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Climate Refugees Main Theme - Michael Mollura


00:21:56 Ch. 6: Act 3: Stoking fears to pit workers against workers, never the rich - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 12-11-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Don't Blame Yourself - Sixpence None the Richer


00:25:42 Ch. 8: Act 4: Paul Krugmanon on Thomas Piketty's book: Capital in the Twenty-First Century - @BillMoyersHQ  And Company - Air Date 4-18-14

Ch. 9: Song 4: A Change Is Gonna Come - Ben Sollee


00:43:56 Ch. 10: Act 5: Thomas Piketty's 'Capital' in 3 minutes - BBC Newsnight - Air Date: 04-30-14

Ch. 11: Song 5: Adventure, Darling - Gillicuddy


00:47:43 Ch. 12: Act 6: Make #Poverty an #Election2016 Priority w/@VoteToEndHunger - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


00:50:41 Ch. 14: Act 7: International comparisons of child poverty show who we should look to - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 1-24-16


Voicemails

00:58:09 Ch. 15: Capitalism with the workers in charge - Patrick from Dallas

01:00:42 h. 16: How capitalism should work - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:02:39 Ch. 17: Final Comments on the case against extreme wealth inequality and endless economic growth

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Make #Poverty an #Election2016 Priority w/@VoteToEndHunger

Take Action:

SIGN & SHARE: Pledge to end hunger by 2030

GET INVOLVED with Vote to End Hunger

Sources/further reading:

"Pathologizing the Poor Reinforces Stigma While Deterring Advocacy and Public Policy” via Truthout

”Hunger is a Significant But Solvable Problem, Both in the United States and Internationally” via Vote to End Hunger

”Presidential Candidate Videos” via Vote to End Hunger

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 2016_01_29_The_trouble_with_extreme_wealth_inequality_Economics_Rerun.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1026

Today we take a look at the history of racial oppression in America from slavery to Jim Crow to The New Jim Crow

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Michelle Alexander on The New Jim Crow Part 1 - Leid Stories - Air Date 8-26-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Jim Crow - John Mellencamp


Ch. 4: Act 2: Racism in the United States: By the Numbers - vlogbrothers - Air Date: 01-02-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Listen - Theo Bard


Ch. 6: Act 3: Michelle Alexander on The New Jim Crow Part 2 - Leid Stories - Air Date 8-26-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: War On Drugs - Fifteen


Ch. 8: Act 4: Clint Smith III - "History Reconsidered" - All Def Poetry - Air Date: 04-14-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Know Your History (feat. 8 Ball & MJG) - Drumma Boy


Ch. 10: Act 5: Michelle Alexander on The New Jim Crow Part 3 - Leid Stories - Air Date 8-26-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Winning the War On Drugs - Asylum Street Spankers


Ch. 12: Act 6: Jesse Williams' Powerful BET Awards Speech "We're Done Watching Whiteness Use and Abuse Us" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 6-28-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Strange Fruit (1939 Single Version) - Billie Holiday


Ch. 14: Act 7: Racism vs Prejudice - Kat Blaque - Air Date: 10-5-14

Ch. 15: Song 7: Racism - MYSTAFYA


Ch. 16: Act 8: "What to the Slave is 4th of July?": James Earl Jones Reads Frederick Douglass’ Historic Speech - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 07-03-15


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Arguing guns with conservatives - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Ch. 18: Reaction to many progressives in the wake of Pulse shooting - David from New York

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on David’s reaction to commentaries on the Pulse shooting and the launching of this year’s big fundraiser

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1026_History_of_Racism_Air_Date_7-1-16_-_7-1-16_8.00_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1025

Today we take a look at the continued responses to the Orlando massacre encompassing arguments over islamophobia, homophobia and gun control legislation

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: "Let Us Vote": Rep. John Lewis Leads Historic Democratic Sit-in for Gun Control Legislation - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 06-23-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Fuck the NRA - Jamie Kilstein & The Agenda


Ch. 4: Act 2: Republican’s “Heart Has Changed" After Orlando Massacre - @theyoungturks - Air Date 06-18-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Dreamtime - Uberzone


Ch. 6: Act 3: To Say or Not to Say "Radical Islam" - On the Media - Air Date: 6-17-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Violent Days - RTZ


Ch. 8: Act 4: A lack of due process is equally wrong for travel and guns - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 6-19-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Human Rights - Friendlyness and the Human Rights


Ch. 10: Act 5: Breaking down the disingenuous arguments on both sides of the terror watchlist debate - @CitizenRadio - Air Date 6-22-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Hey Ya - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 12: Act 6: Barbara Herr responding to 'thoughts and prayers' after Orlando massacre at LGBTQ club - @GAY_USAtv - Air Date 6-22-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Malignant Flip - Tab and Anitek


Ch. 14: Act 7: Democratic Effort to Tie Gun Purchase to Terror Watchlist: A First Step or a Dangerous Precedent? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 06-23-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Time for Action - Secret Affair


Ch. 16: Act 8: Orlando Shooter’s Lover Comes Forward - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-23-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Can we just talk a moment about gay bars as sanctuaries? - Adreana Langston

Ch. 18: Rape is not that complicated - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

Ch. 19: Toxic masculinity meets a trans woman - Erin from Philadelphia

Ch. 20: Rape Culture Poetry Response

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments in praise of things being complicated

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1025_Guns_Gays_and_Gods_Air_Date_6-28-16_-_6-28-16_8.53_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1024

Today we take a look primarily at the case of Brock Turner’s triple-felony sexual assault conviction, the pitifully short sentence he received and what all of it says about how our society deals with rape and sexual assault

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Stanford Rapist Barely Punished - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-07-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Benefit Of The Doubt - Amy Annelle


Ch. 4: Act 2: As 13M People Read Stanford Victim's Letter, Advocates See "Watershed" Moment in Fight Against Rape - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 06-09-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: I Think I Broke Something - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 6: Act 3: Sheriff: Rape Kits Unnecessary Since Most Rape Accusations Are False - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-17-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Sheriff - Oliver Onions


Ch. 8: Act 4: RAPIST Brock Turner's PATHETIC Letter To Judge Released - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-10-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Empathy - Chasing Kings


Ch. 10: Act 5: The terrible, enabling parents of a rapist - @CitizenRadio - Air Date 6-13-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Flurry - The OO-Ray


Ch. 12: Act 6: Meet the Law Professor Leading a Bid to Recall the Judge Who Sentenced Stanford Rapist to 6 Months - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 06-08-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Equal Justice - TTwyce


Ch. 14: Act 7: Help Get a Recall of Rape Apologist Judge Aaron Persky on the Ballot in CA via RecallAaronPersky.com - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Action (Spoken Word on Disrupting Rape Culture) - Guante - Air Date: 12-7-12


Voicemails

Ch. 17: An explanation of toxic masculinity - Glory from Orlando

Ch. 18: Recognizing toxic masculinity in my own life - Trent from Salt Lake City, Utah

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 19: Final comments on how to maintain your mental health while following politics

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Visit RecallAaronPersky.com to volunteer, donate or sing up for updates to support the effort to get a recall of Persky on the ballot in California. 

On social media, follow @RecallPersky - the official Twitter account of the campaign - and RT. Use the hashtag #RecallPersky when voicing your support. 

Sign the Change.org petition that demands Stanford University publicly apologize to the survivor of Turner's sexual assault, offer to pay for her counseling and other supportive services, increase resources for sexual assault prevention on campus, increase counseling resources for all survivors, and administer a national survey about sexual violence occurring in fraternities.  

Read and share the powerful words the survivor read to her assailant.

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1024_Rape_Culture_Air_Date_6-24-16_New.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1023

Today we take a look at the myriad driving factors that can combine to drive a person to commit an act of violence such as the Orlando Massacre as well as a variety of reactions to the shooting

Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Support the Pulse Victim's Fund

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: This is not the first or last attack on the LGBTQ community but there is progress - Savage Love w/ @FakeDanSavage - Air Date 6-14-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Tolerance - Michael Franti And Spearhead


Ch. 4: Act 2: The problematic media coverage of the Orlando shooting - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 6-17-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Make the news - Stephanie Haseman


Ch. 6: Act 3: What to label the Orlando shooting and why - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 6-17-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Call it what it is - Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals


Ch. 8: Act 4: LGBTQ community not allowing their pain to be turned into demonization of others - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 6-19-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Happiness - Pet Shop Boys


Ch. 10: Act 5: Trans and Queer Latinxs Respond to #PulseOrlando Shooting - Familia:TQLM - Air Date: 6-13-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Sopra un aereoplanino di carta - Menion


Ch. 12: Act 6: Jorge Gutierrez from the Trans Queer Liberation Movement on the Orlando shooting - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 6-17-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Liberate - Buguinha Dub


Ch. 14: Act 7: If what they say about the LGBT community were true then violence would seem justified - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 6-17-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Words Are Seeds - My Gay Banjo


Ch. 16: Act 8: Wrongheadedly playing right into the hands of terrorist groups - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 6-19-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Hello bonjour - Michael Franti And Spearhead


Ch. 18: Act 9: The toxic hatred that led to the Orlando shooting - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 6-13-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Oxygen - Willy Mason


Ch. 20: Act 10: When It Comes to Orlando Massacre, Domestic Violence Is the Red Flag We Aren't Talking About - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-14-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Why we shouldn't be violent - Al from Seattle

Ch. 22: Classism needs to be considered alongside racism and sexism - Alyson from Colorado

Ch. 23: A Trans Latinx listener finding a feeling of power

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 24: Final comments on toxic masculinity and a request for your thoughts on the same

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1023_Orlando_Air_Date_6-21-16_-_6-21-16_8.05_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1022

Today we take a look at the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Muhammad Ali on the Vietnam War-Draft

Ch. 3: Song 1: Black Superman (Re-Recorded Version) - Johnny Wakelin


Ch. 4: Act 2: John Legend Reads Muhammad Ali's 1966 Antiwar Speech "The Real Enemy of My People is Right Here" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-06-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Float Like a Butterfly - Pama International


Ch. 6: Act 3: R.I.P. Muhammed Ali - Why Do We 'Sanitize' Our Heroes? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 06-06-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Muhammad Ali - Big Head Todd & The Monsters


Ch. 8: Act 4: "Just Take Me to Jail" Remembering Muhammad Ali's Refusal to Fight in Vietnam - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-06-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: I Am the Greatest - Cassius Clay


Ch. 10: Act 5: Bob Lipsyte on getting past the hagiographies of Muhammad Ali - @EdgeofSports - w/ Dave Zirin - Air Date 6-10-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Float Like a Butterfly (feat. Rasheed Ali) - 1968


Ch. 12: Act 6: Saying someone transcends race is bullshit - @CitizenRadio - Air Date 6-6-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Cassius Clay - Jon Hardy & The Public


Ch. 14: Act 7: "The Greatest" Ishmael Reed on the Untold History of Muhammad Ali - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-07-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Doin' the Ali Shuffle - Alvin Cash


Ch. 16: Act 8: Remembering the opposition Muhammad Ali faced for speaking out - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 6-10-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Muhammad Ali - Cory Branan


Ch. 18: Act 9: Don’t De-Islamize Muhammad Ali Scholar Says Muslim Faith was Central to His Views on Racism & War - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 06-10-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Muhammad Ali - Tom Russell


Ch. 20: Act 10: Live from Muhammad Ali's funeral - @EdgeofSports - w Dave Zirin - Air Date 6-16-16


Ch. 21: Final comments on my first introduction to Muhammad Ali

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Direct download: 1022_Ali_Air_Date_6-17-16_-_6-17-16_2.37_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1021

Today we take a look at the assault on the right to reproductive health care from the state houses down to the sidewalks in front of the clinics

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: April's Story: One Woman's Experience of an Abortion at 21 Weeks - Planned Parenthood (@PPact) - Air Date: 09-21-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Heirloom - The Black Atlantic


Ch. 4: Act 2: Dawn Porter on Filming the Only Abortion Clinic in Mississippi for the film Trapped - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 4-22-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Mandy Goes to Med School - The Dresden Dolls


Ch. 6: Act 3: The he-said-he-said abortion debate in the media - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 6-3-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Lost Woman Song - Ani DiFranco


Ch. 8: Act 4: Abortion Laws - @LastWeekTonight w/ @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 02-21-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: December - Frida Hyvönen


Ch. 10: Act 5: Wicked Jezebel Feminist! Users Witness Anti-Choice Abuse in Virtual Reality Film "Across the Line" - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 01-25-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: What It's Like - Everlast


Ch. 12: Act 6: Support the women's health protection act via #ActForWomen - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 14: Act 7: A regretted abortion doesn't legitimize a ban on abortions - Savage Love w/ @FakeDanSavage - Air Date 5-31-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Anti-LGBT rhetoric leads to anti-LGBT violence - Erin from Philadelphia

Ch. 16: A lack of a female president is injurious to the country - Tanya from California

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on the long term effects of finally having a female president

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Learn more about the Act for Women Campaign and the Women's Health Protection Act at http://www.actforwomen.org

Download the Act for Women Campaign Tools & Resources http://www.actforwomen.org/tools-and-resources/

Find out where and how to watch "TRAPPED," the documentary at http://www.trappeddocumentary.com

Use the hashtag #ActforWomen on social media and tweet at your congressperson to urge them to support the Women's Health Protection Act. 

Follow the Center for Reproductive Rights on Twitter @ReproRights

 

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Amanda Hoffman


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Direct download: 1021_Repro_Air_Date_6-14-16_-_6-14-16_6.21_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1020

Today we take a look at the ongoing struggle to secure civil rights equality for trans people in states that are determined to stoke bigotry based on ignorance and fear

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Here's The Truth About The Anti-LGBT "Bathroom Predator" Myth - Media Matters (@MMFA) - Air Date 4-12-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Police On My Back - The Clash


Ch. 4: Act 2: Professionals speak on the importance of supporting trans kids - @GAY_USAtv - Air Date 4-13-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Kids - MGMT


Ch. 6: Act 3: Chase Strangio on the state and federal governments lawsuits against each other - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 5-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: I got your back - Bara Heiða


Ch. 8: Act 4: Debunking Five Right-Wing Myths That Fuel Bathroom Bills - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 5-5-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: N/A


Ch. 10: Act 5: Chase Strangio on the lies about bathroom bills and the damage they do - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 5-13-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Ashamed - Deer Tick


Ch. 12: Act 6: AG Loretta Lynch speech on behalf of the federal government in response to NC bathroom law - @GAY_USAtv - Air Date 5-11-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Directions - Josh Rouse


Ch. 14: Act 7: #FlushDiscrimination via the National Center for @TransEquality - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Sarah McBride on the best trans week ever and the history of bathroom discrimination - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 5-13-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Rick Snyder was trying to privatize the water, not save money - James in Michigan

Ch. 18: Bernie opposes Bernie or Bust - Matt from San Diego

Ch. 19: Jokes - Alan from Connecticut

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments introducing a bonus clip about how to respond to racist jokes

Ch. 21: Bonus Clip: How Do You Handle a Racist Joke? - Decoded MTV News - Air Date: 7-1-15

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1020_Trans_Air_Date_6-10-16_-_6-10-16_3.40_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1019

Today we take a look at the  ways in which racism and sexism are inextricably linked to matters of economic justice for all, even those who benefit in many ways from those systems of inequality

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: MLK on Democratic Socialism... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 07-21-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Nothing Else Matters - Apocalyptica


Ch. 4: Act 2: Michael Kimmel: Why gender equality is good for everyone - men included - TED Talks - Air Date: 9-20-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: I’m free - The Soup Dragons


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@HarrietFraad on how rising equality feels like a downfall for middle-aged white men steeped in patriarchy Part 1 - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 11-29-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Changes - Langhorne Slim & The Law


Ch. 8: Act 4: Wealth Isn't Colorless or Gender Free: Capital and Intersectionality - @theLFshow w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 1-19-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: La Paix - Amadou & Mariam


Ch. 10: Act 5: .@HarrietFraad on how rising equality feels like a downfall for middle-aged white men steeped in patriarchy Part 2 - Economic Update w @profwolff - Air Date 11-29-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: I Was Married - Tegan and Sara


Ch. 12: Act 6: Racism is Killing Poor White Americans... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 11-07-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Harold T. Wilkins, Or How To Wait For A Very Long Time - Fanfarlo


Ch. 14: Act 7: .@TimJacobWise on Racism and Affluence - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 10-13-15


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Is anyone surprised about Trump's authoritarianism? - Eammon from La Habra, California

Ch. 16: Don't be dismissive of claims of death threats - Arkle

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on my new analogy involving cycling in the windy city

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1019_Economics_Racism_Air_Date_6-7-16_-_6-7-16_6.17_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1018

Today we take a look at the structures of racism in the US, who put them there, the problems they cause and what we might do to dismantle them

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Blinded by the White: The Myth of Meritocracy - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 04-22-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Work Horse - Infantree


Ch. 4: Act 2: Gateway to Freedom: Historian Eric Foner on the Hidden History of the Underground Railroad - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 3-11-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Underground Railroad - The Deedle Deedle Dees


Ch. 6: Act 3: Study On The Impact Of Nazi Propaganda - @TheYoungTurks - Air Date: 06-19-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Discrimination - Ancel


Ch. 8: Act 4: Bryan Stevenson: Slavery never ended, it just evolved - Here and Now - Air Date 6-30-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: The Confrontation - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


Ch. 10: Act 5: Heidi Beirich on White Supremacy and the Trump campaign - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 3-4-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Racism - MYSTAFYA


Ch. 12: Act 6: Historian Eric Foner on the Elections, Reconstruction, and Racism Today - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 4-19-16


Voicemails

Ch. 13: Living with little and giving away - Eric from Alabama

Ch. 14: Thoughts on the NV Democratic Convention - Kirk in Los Vegas

Kirk's Nevada Convention video

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 15: Final comments on what's more important than taking offense

Article: "I find this offensive": How "offense" discourse traps us into inaction

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1018_Racism_Air_Date_6-3-16_-_6-3-16_8.46_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1017

Today we take a look at the sorry state of the 2016 election with two of the most hated people in politics leading the way

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Amy Goodman: How the Media Ruins Elections - AJ+ (@AJPlus) - Air Date 4-26-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Static - Jukebox the Ghost


Ch. 4: Act 2: How Clintonism has hurt the Democratic party since the 90's - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 5-27-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: You're a Disaster - Dragonette


Ch. 6: Act 3: MSNBC Becomes Laughing Stock After ADMITTING They Plan To Suppress Voting Against Bernie! - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 5-27-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Good people - Jack Johnson


Ch. 8: Act 4: Liza Featherstone (@lfeatherz): Why This Socialist Feminist Is Not Voting for Hillary -  Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 1-13-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Changes - Langhorne Slim & The Law


Ch. 10: Act 5: Noam Chomsky: Trump is a 'Devastating Prospect'—Cast Your Vote for the Democrat - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 05-26-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Do the Math - The Nadas


Ch. 12: Act 6: Not willing to consign the marginalized to a life under Trump - This Week in Blackness (@TWiBPrime) - Air Date 5-17-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Protect & Serve - Stiff Little Fingers


Ch. 14: Act 7: Bruce Shapiro on what Hillary Clinton needs to do differently - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 5-18-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Where Do I Begin? - The Chemical Brothers


Ch. 16: Act 8: Hillary Clinton Now Losing To Donald Trump - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 05-24-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Reducing advertisements, reducing spending - Rick from Scranton, PA

Ch. 18: Establishment Democrats acting despicably - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Ch. 19: Does our focus on identity politics perpetuate our economic imperialism? - Anthony from Illinois

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on the interconnection of 'identity politics' and neoliberalism

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1017_Election_Air_Date_5-31-16_-_5-31-16_8.47_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1016

Today we take a look at the Trump campaign’s building trend toward fascism and white supremacy based on his actions and those of the people he keeps around him

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Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: One of the major problems with governing people - Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Ch. 3: Song 1: Hitchhikers Guide Theme Song


Ch. 4: Act 2: Ignoring the signs of creeping fascism - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 4-1-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Here Comes The Wave (instrumental) - Silence Is Sexy


Ch. 6: Act 3: The ONE Trait That Predicts Who Supports Trump - The @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 01-22-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Question Authority - Fran Archer


Ch. 8: Act 4: Donald Trump's Top Foreign Adviser, Joseph Schmitz, is a Former Blackwater Executive - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 03-25-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Crusader - Saxon


Ch. 10: Act 5: Heidi Beirich from @SPLCenter on White Supremacy and the Trump campaign Part 1 - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 3-4-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: A Dose of White Supremacy - Neffe Odom Kragh-Muller


Ch. 12: Act 6: Kathleen Frydl (@kfrydl): Sorry folks, it's fascism - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 3-26-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Call It Even - Scott Simons


Ch. 14: Act 7: Democrats Beware: You Don't Want Trump as President! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 05-05-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Consequences - The Robert Cray Band & The Memphis Horns


Ch. 16: Act 8: Trump's List of Supreme Court Picks Is an Utter Disaster - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 05-19-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Worlds Apart (feat. Kerli) - Seven Lions


Ch. 18: Act 9: Trump Ally’s Not So Subtle Threats - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-23-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: All You Fascists - Billy Bragg & Wilco


Ch. 20: Act 10: How Not To Normalize Trump - On the Media - Air Date: 5-13-16

Ch. 21: Song 10: Tomorrow Never Knows - Alison Mosshart & Carla Azar


Ch. 22: Act 11: Elizabeth Warren has Some Thoughts of Donald Trump - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 05-05-16


Voicemails

Ch. 23: Resisting the urge to buy - Eammon from La Habra, California

Ch. 24: Remember the landfill - Zach from Atlanta

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 25: Final comments on third-party voting as a prisoner's dilemma game theory problem

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1016_Trump_Air_Date_5-27-16_-_5-27-16_8.37_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #887

Today we look at the state of poverty in America and some ideas of how to address it

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Have you benefited from a government program - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date: 02-04-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: Eleanor Rigby (Strings Only) - Anthology Box Set


Ch. 4: Act 2:  Extending Unemployment Benefits is Fiscally Conservative - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 10-17-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: Working Poor - House With No Home


Ch. 6: Act 3: Blessed Are The Poor - @jimmy_dore Show - Air Date 5-9-14

Ch. 7: Song 3: Kill the Poor - Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables


Ch. 8: Act 4:  Politician Pushes For Literal Hunger Games - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 11-20-14

Ch. 9: Song 4: Laughing At You - Popaganda


Ch. 10: Act 5:  PBS's Weak Challanges On Ryan Economics - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 10-10-14

Ch. 11: Song 5: Let's Eat the Poor - Let's Eat the Poor


Ch. 12: Act 6: Govt Will Double Food Stamp Value When Used for Local Fruits & Vegetables - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 11-15-14

Ch. 13: Song 6: Food Glorious Food - Oliver! (Soundtrack)


Ch. 14: Act 7: Bernie Sanders' 12 Point Plan to Save the Middle Class - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 12-05-14

Ch. 15: Song 7: Man With a Plan - Man With a Plan - Single


Ch. 16: Act 8: @HalfinTen via Coalition On Human Needs (@CoalitiononHN) - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Time for Action - Time for Action - the Very Best Of


Ch. 18: Act 9: Linda Tirado - Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America - GoodBooksRadio - Air Date: 10-03-14


Ch. 22: Final comments on a stunning piece of cognitive dissonance

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: @HalfinTen via Coalition On Human Needs (@CoalitiononHN)

Take Action!

Get involved with Half In Ten

Follow Half in Ten on Twitter and on Facebook

Participate in #TalkPoverty

Sources/further reading:

"The Safety Net Is Good Economic Policy” by Sarah Steinberg at the Center For American Progress

"Fact of the Week: Safety Net Programs Kept Child Poverty from Skyrocketing during the Great Recession” by Lecia Imbery at the Coalition On Human Needs

"One in five millennials lives in poverty, report finds” by Jana Kasperkevic at The Guardian

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 2015-01-01_Making_Provisions_Poverty.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1015

Today we take a look at how to escape the hedonic treadmill of consumption in pursuit of happiness and moving toward a future of shared prosperity

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The rise of stuff and the flatline of happiness - Capitalism and the environment with Gus Speth -  McGill University - Air Date: 4-22-09

Ch. 3: Song 1: A Change Is Gonna Come - Ben Sollee


Ch. 4: Act 2: Finding a good practice of consumption - Juliet Schor from Stanford University - Air Date 2-4-09

Ch. 5: Song 2: Good Food - Legendary Wings


Ch. 6: Act 3: Michael Norton: How to buy happiness - TEDTalks - Air Date: 04-24-12

Ch. 7: Song 3: I Will Buy You a New Life - Everclear


Ch. 8: Act 4: Culture of work, insatiability and free time - Juliet Schor from Stanford University - Air Date 2-4-09

Ch. 9: Song 4: Cello Song (feat. Jose Gonzalez) - The Books


Ch. 10: Act 5: This Is Literally The Most Censored Topic On The Mainstream Media - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 06-09-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: I Need To Wake Up - Melissa Etheridge


Ch. 12: Act 6: Institutionalizing 3 Buddist poisions (Ill will, Greed and Delusion) - David Loy from Stanford University - Air Date 2-4-09

Ch. 13: Song 6: Happy - Sister Hazel


Ch. 14: Act 7: 7 Tim Jackson: An economic reality check - TEDTalks - Air Date 10-5-10


Voicemails

Ch. 15: We need the fire in our bellies on climate catastrophe - Tim from Boulder, CO

Ch. 16: The problem with the lack of school psychologists - Sally from San Francisco

Ch. 17: Tried veganism as a test and found it surprisingly easy - Patrick from Dallas

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 18: Final comments on turning off the hedonic treadmill and returning to minimalism

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1015_Consumerism_Air_Date_5-20-16_-_5-20-16_10.01_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1014

Today we take a look at the issue of animal agriculture minus the animals: the effects of our meat consumption on human rights, human health and climate change

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: An interview with the co-directors of Cowspiracy Part 1 - Rich Roll -  Air Date 9-14-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Solid Ground - Dougie Maclean


Ch. 4: Act 2: Something You Really Need To Know About The Meat You're Eating - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 2-27-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Happy Meal - The Cardigans


Ch. 6: Act 3: An interview with the co-directors of Cowspiracy Part 2 - Rich Roll -  Air Date 9-14-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Land of Confusion - Genesis


Ch. 8: Act 4: VEGAN 2015 - The Film - PLANT BASED NEWS - Air Date 12-1-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Here's to Your Health - River Zydeco Band & Henk Mutsaers


Ch. 10: Act 5: Vegan For Human Rights - Mic. the Vegan - Air Date: 3-18-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Human Rights - Brother Mudada


Ch. 12: Act 6: What do chickens and our constitutional rights have in common? - Jim Hightower - Air Date: 2-12-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Free and Equal Speech - Chris Priest


Ch. 14: Act 7: Fight Anti-Whistleblower Ag-Gag Laws via @ALDF - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Richard Oppenlander's pre-Cowspiracy screening presentation to the EU Parliament (Part 2 of 7) - Climate Vegan - Air Date: 12-20-15


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Raising taxes lowers the cost of hiring new employees - Jim from Detroit

Ch. 18: The Marxist idea of causing pain to spark the revolution - Alex from Montreal

Ch. 19: Planning ahead from 2016 to 2020 - Brian from Arizona

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on the dangers of Republican governance and moral culpability vs. mathematical reality

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION

Write to legislators and governors in states with Ag-Gag laws via Animal Legal Defense Fund's “Take Action to Stop Ag Gag” and demand they be repealed.

Other Actions

Sign the Last Chance for Animal's Change.org petition to fight Missouri's Ag-Gag Law

Sign the Food Integrity Campaign's petition to fight Ag-Gag Laws 

Sources/Further Reading: 

No More Exposés in North Carolina (via NYTimes.com)

In the Belly of the Beast (via RollingStone.com) (WARNING: THIS IS IMPORTANT, BUT GRAPHIC)

Ag-Gag Legislation by State (via ASPCA.org)

Undercovered: 'Ag-Gag' Laws - How Big Agra Tries to Muzzle Journalists (via Mediate.com)

Big Agriculture Bullies and Lobbies to Keep Americans In the Dark (via Forbes.com)

Groups Sue Over North Carolina's Ag Gag Law, Saying it Violates The Constitution (via ThinkProgress.org)

Ag Boards Think They Should be Exempt From the Freedom of Information Act (via MFAblog.org)

Mercy for Animals Legal Advocacy (via MercyforAnimals.org)

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

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Direct download: 1014_Veganism_Air_Date_5-17-16_-_5-17-16_9.15_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #966

Today we take a look at the structural systems in place that work to funnel many children, disproportionately children of color, out of the school system and directly into the (in)justice system

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The School to Prison Pipeline - Advancement Project (@adv_project) - Air Date: 7-3-13

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A


Ch. 4: Act 2: Spring Valley High - Backtalk from @BitchMedia - Air Date 10-29-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: N/A


Ch. 6: Act 3: Stuck In The School-To-Prison Pipeline - @ajplus -Air Date: 5-20-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: N/A


Ch. 8: Act 4: Criminalizing the Classroom: Inside the School-to-Prison Pipeline - @democracynow - Air Date: 10-28-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Hipozebra - Selva de Mar


Ch. 10: Act 5:  Spring Valley High and the school-to-prison pipeline - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 10-30-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Rivers - Plusplus


Ch. 12: Act 6: School to prison pipeline locks kids into the system early - This Week in Blackness (@TWiBnation) - Air Date: 2-19-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: A Farewell To Trends - dustmotes


Ch. 14: Act 7: Policing Schools - Why Are There Cops In Schools? - @ajplus - Air Date: 10-30-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: N/A


Ch. 16: Act 8: SafeQualitySchools.org- Ending the #School2Prison Pipeline via @adv_project - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: The Poet - Shihan


Ch. 18: Act 9: When School Cops Go Bad: South Carolina Incident Highlights Growing Police Presence in Classrooms - @democracynow - Air Date: 10-28-15


Voicemails

Ch. 19: Jefferson fought to end slavery - Simon from San Diego

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments on my untestable hypothesis

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: SafeQualitySchools.org: Ending the #School2Prison Pipeline via @adv_project

Take Action:

Students, parents, educators, law enforcement, and activists! VISIT The Advancement Project’s SafeQualitySchools.org to get involved.

FOLLOW the #School2Prison thread.

SHARE the "School to Prison Pipeline by Advancement Project” video

CONTRIBUTE your stories: #School2Pipeline Stories

Additional Activism/Resources:

SIGN to demand #BlackLivesMatter issues be addressed in primary debates: #RaiseTheDebate via Black Lives Matter at ”ColorOfChange

Sources/further reading:

”What You Need to Know About #AssaultAtSpringValleyHigh” — Infographic via The Advancement Project

"Where Are Black Children Safe?" Roxane Gay at The New York Times

"America Doesn’t Care About Black Women And Girls” by Ijeoma Oluo at The Establishment

"Black Girl Down… and Up” by PrisonCulture

"Take cops out of schools: More officers mean more arrests, even for offenses like talking back.” via The Washington Post

”A Short History of Cops Terrorizing Students” via The Nation

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 2015_11_06_Criminalizing_the_classroom_School-to-Prison_Pipeline.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1013

Today we take a look at the dangerous effects of trade agreements like the TPP and TTIP and some ways to fight against them before they’re passed.

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Forum on why we must stop the TPP - A Corporate Takeover - Lori Wallach (@WallachLori)

Ch. 3: Song 1: So Far So Close - Jahzzar


Ch. 4: Act 2: Where inequality comes from - Jim @HightowerNews - Air Date: 2-15-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Who lies - Emma's Revolution


Ch. 6: Act 3: How 'Free' Trade Agreements Could Keep Government From Protecting us... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 05-07-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Middle America - Chris Priest


Ch. 8: Act 4: The TTIP Leaks: What We Learned - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 05-07-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Which Side Are You On - Natalie Merchant


Ch. 10: Act 5: Who is behind Obama's push for TPP? - Jim @HightowerNews - Air Date: 2-17-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: The Silvery Light of a Dream - The Apples in Stereo


Ch. 12: Act 6: Forum on why we must stop the TPP - A Corporate Takeover - Kevin Zeese (@KBZeese)


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Wade's white, straight, cis, male privilege on display - Marti from Madison, WI

Ch. 22: A cab driver's perspective on contact work - James from Brisbane, Australia

Ch. 22: Sign up to donate, I just did! - Josh from Dallas, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments on how we do what we do and how you can help

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1013_TPP_Air_Date_5-10-16_-_5-11-16_1.05_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1012

Today we take a look at the origins and sustaining legacies of May Day (International Workers Day) and Mothers Day, another holiday originally begun as a call to recognize the struggles of labor

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: A Living Holiday May Day - Left Out from DemocracyAtWork.info - Air Date 5-1-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Working Reward - The Haymarket Squares


Ch. 4: Act 2: Myra Bradwell: America's First Woman Lawyer... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 04-13-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Welcome to the Black Parade - Vitamin String Quartet


Ch. 6: Act 3: International Women's Day - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 03-15-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Boys Will Be Boys - Alisha


Ch. 8: Act 4: May Day Sermon Profit vs Environment - Progressive Faith Sermons w: @RevDrRay - Air Date 5-1-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Modern Way - Kaiser Chiefs


Ch. 10: Act 5: The origins of Mother's Day - BackStory with the American History Guys - Air Date 5-5-10

Ch. 11: Song 5: Re-Write History - George Dobbs


Ch. 12: Act 6: Lucy Parsons: The Anarchist & Intersectional Feminist Who Inspired May Day - @theLFshow w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 4-28-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Working Class Hero - Exit Clov


Ch. 14: Act 7: 7 Paid Family Leave - @LastWeekTonight w/ @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 05-10-15


Voicemails

Ch. 16: Get out and vote and be sure to vote down-ballot - David from Tennessee

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on who gets left behind by the Bernie or Bust movement

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1012_Labor_Air_Date_5-6-16_-_5-7-16_11.46_AM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1011

Today we take a look at the struggle between those intent on selling doubt about climate science in order to stretch fossil fuel profits as far as they’ll go and those standing up to them in the most direct way possible
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: What they knew and when they knew it - DISOBEDIENCE from 350.org - Air Date 4-30-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Perpetuum Mobile - Penguin Cafe Orchestra


Ch. 4: Act 2: Good News For Solving Climate Change - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-23-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Budding Trees - Nahko and Medicine for the People


Ch. 6: Act 3: Brendan DeMelle (@bdemelle) on Exxon’s Climate Cover-Up - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 4-29-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Deception - The Chamber Orchestra of London


Ch. 8: Act 4: .@NaomiOreskes:  Climate Change Disinformation Is Like Pro-Tobacco Lobbying - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-08-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Head Full of Doubt / Road Full of Promise - The Avett Brothers


Ch. 10: Act 5: Big Oil Is WAY More Evil Than We Thought - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-24-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Mairzy Doats - The Merry Macs


Ch. 12: Act 6: Break Free 2016 #KEEPITINTHEGROUND via @350 - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This fickle world - Theo Bard


Ch. 14: Act 7: DISOBEDIENCE - 350.org - Air Date 4-30-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Some contracted FedEx drivers like the arrangement - Brian from New Jersey

Ch. 16: Thoughts on independent contractors - Jack from Baltimore

Ch. 17: Raptors and Taxes - Matt from Maryland

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 18: Final comments on the exploitation of FedEx contractors and how taxing the rich spurs investment

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Find and sign up for a targeted action near you at breakfree2016.org

Learn more about organizing your own action

Get inspired by the latest 350.org film “Disobedience”  

Join the conversation online via the hashtags #BreakFree2016 and #Keepitintheground 

Follow @350 on Twitter for the latest updates on the action and other news

Donate to support the work of 350.org

 

Sources/further reading: 

4 Reasons Now is our Chance to Break Free from Fossil Fuels (via BreakFree2016.org)

Bill McKibbon: Global Warming's Terrifying New Chemistry (via The Nation)

Inside the Paris Climate Deal (via The New York Times)

President Obama's Climate Action Plan Infographic (via WhiteHouse.gov)

Bill McKibbon: Why We Need to Keep 80% of Fossil Fuels in the Ground (via Yes!)

Fossil Giant BP Sees Fourth-Quarter Profits Sink Nearly 70% (via Smarter Shift)

 

Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman.


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Direct download: 1011_Climate_Air_Date_5-3-16_-_5-3-16_9.37_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1010

Today we take a look at the way our current low-tax structure ends up redistributing the burden of funding society to those least able to pay for it while widening the already staggeringly-large wealth gap.
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: City Stealing From Citizens By Tampering With Traffic Lights - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-18-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: The fix is in - Ok Go


Ch. 4: Act 2: Cops Generating Money off Black Communities... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 07-31-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Shakedown - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band


Ch. 6: Act 3: Billionaire Governor Taxes Rich, Increases Minimum Wage, Economy Explodes - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 02-28-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Trickle Down - Hayseed Dixie


Ch. 8: Act 4: Republican Governors Seek to Raise Taxes On Middle Class and Poor - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 01-28-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Class Warfare - Chris Priest


Ch. 10: Act 5: Details of how Reaganomics in Kansas has utterly failed - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 4-19-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: That’s all - Clare and the Reasons


Ch. 12: Act 6: How To Pay For Tax Cuts For The Rich (If You're A Republican) - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 06-20-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Robin Hood - Dick James


Ch. 14: Act 7: Don't Think the Poor Pay Enough Taxes? You're Living in a Fantasy World - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 04-25-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Work to Live - Serious Suicide


Ch. 16: Act 8: .@ryangrim on Mississippi's dependence on prisoners for revenue - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 4-19-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Turtle (Bonobo Remix) - Pilote


Ch. 18: Act 9: Why An American In Sweden LOVES Paying His Taxes... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 04-12-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Taxman - Nickel Creek


Ch. 20: Act 10: The myth of a heavy tax burden in the US - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 4-24-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Voting my conscience in a solidly red state - Doug from Dallas/Fort Worth

Ch. 22: Clinton is better than any Republican - Nick from Florida

Ch. 23: Change doesn't happen during elections, it happens between them - Scott from Oakland

Ch. 24: Stand for our values even if it's worse in the short term - Rick from Scranton, PA

Ch. 25: A voting strategy epiphany - Charlie From Cincinnati

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 26: Final comments on the all-male review of voicemails and the recent update to the technology of the show

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1010_Taxes_Air_Date_4-29-16_-_4-29-16_7.29_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1009

Today we take a look at the disgustingly undemocratic efforts being waged to minimize the number of people who vote in our elections. 
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: This AMAZING Fact Proves Why American Democracy Is Totally Broken - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 01-06-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Makes No Sense - The rainmakers


Ch. 4: Act 2: Is the Electoral Collage broken? - @DecodeDC - Air Date 11-5-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: N/A


Ch. 6: Act 3: Republicans Are Ready To Steal The 2016 Election – Time To Protect The Vote w/ @AriBerman - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 02-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Crucify - Tori Amos


Ch. 8: Act 4: Bernie Sanders Has Been Cheated Out Of Thousands Of Votes - @RedactedTonight w: @LeeCamp - Air Date 4-2-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Proud to Be an American - Side Street Ramblers


Ch. 10: Act 5: Republicans tell the Truth About Voter Suppression! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 04-07-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Vote - Jefferson Coker


Ch. 12: Act 6: Millions of New Yorkers Disenfranchised from Primaries Thanks to State's Restrictive Voting Laws - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 04-19-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: We can’t stop - Scott Bradlee & Postmodern Jukebox


Ch. 14: Act 7: Demand Modernized Elections and Restore the VRA via @BrennanCenter - Best of the Left Activism - 4:26:16, 11.50 AM

Ch. 15: Song 7: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: A former Republican final had enough of disenfranchising voters - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 4-7-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Concern over violence in bathrooms - Paula from Los Angeles

Ch. 22: Gender-segregated bathrooms are silly - Megan from Baltimore

Ch. 22: The problem of civil rights incrementalism - Erin from Philadelphia

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments rebutting a half-reasonable claim that we shouldn't worry about money in politics

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1009_Voting_Rights_Air_Date_4-26-16_-_4-26-16_6.52_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1008

Today we take a look at the continued fight against the corrupting effects of money in politics including this month’s record-breaking civil disobedience protests at the Capitol Building in Washington, DC
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Congressmen's Warehouse - Big Bad Boris - Air Date: 2-9-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Buy my vote - The Haymarket Squares


Ch. 4: Act 2: Congressional Fundraising - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date 04-04-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Little Chance - Jahzzar


Ch. 6: Act 3: Cenk Uygur On His Democracy Spring Protest - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Democracy - Leonard Cohen


Ch. 8: Act 4: The Election-Industrial Complex - On the Media - Air Date 3-18-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Spend - Jeff Caudill


Ch. 10: Act 5: It's not good for America but it's damn good for CBS - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 3-4-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Eternal Youth Eternal Fun - Fifty Miles From Vancouver


Ch. 12: Act 6: Democracy Spring Cable News Blackout - @theyoungturks - Air Date 04-13-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: I Predict a Riot - Kaiser Chiefs


Ch. 14: Act 7: Alex Lawson (@alaw202) on the long view of the fight against money in politics - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 4-15-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Voting third party is about looking to the future - Gabriel from Pittsburg

Ch. 16: Modifying the trolly dilemma - Ryan from Phoenix

Ch. 17: Not voting while hoping for a third or fouth party to emerge - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 18: Final comments on what happens to progressives when Republicans are in office

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores!

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Direct download: 1008_Democracy_Sprung_Money_in_Politics.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1007

Today we take a look at how racism and economics combine to form a self-reinforcing legacy of unfair housing policies and practices that benefit the wealthy and disadvantage the poor
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: The Legacy of Lynching - On The Media - Air Date: 2-13-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Re-Write History - George Dobbs


Ch. 4: Act 2: Building the lines that divide Chicago under Mayor Richard J. Daley - Backstory - Air Date 3-25-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Chicago - Sufjan Stevens


Ch. 6: Act 3: Sarah Schulman on the mechanics of gentrification - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 3-22-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Gentrification - Oddisee


Ch. 8: Act 4: The integration of Oak Park, Chicago - Backstory - Air Date 3-25-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Rockin' the Suburbs - Ben Folds


Ch. 10: Act 5: The Great Corporate Buy-Up: Because of Corporations, Our Cities Are Not Our Own - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 3-8-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: City on a Hill - The Minor Leagues


Ch. 12: Act 6: SCOTUS Upholds the Real Meaning of the Fair Housing Act - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 06-26-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: (Ain't That) Good News - Sam Cooke


Ch. 14: Act 7: Urge Your Legislators to Increase Federal Resources for Affordable Housing via @SenatorCantwell and A.C.T.I.O.N (A Call to Invest in Our Neighborhoods) #LIHTC - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: This fickle world - Theo Bard


Ch. 16: Act 8: Why does gentrification happen? - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 11-13-15


Voicemails

Ch. 17: Theory of change and why to support Clinton in the general election - Craig

Ch. 18: Go with issues not people or parties - Nomordo from San Jose

Ch. 19: Elections, privilege and the Trolly Car Dilemma - Alex from Illinois

Ch. 20: I can't afford to vote with a binary mindset - Marti from Madison, WI

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 21: Final comments on voting with a theory of change, Podcast Awards nominations and technical changes coming to the podcast feed

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1007_Housing_To_Air_4_19_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #955

Today we take a look at the inherent contradictions in the standard way of pursuing happiness in western culture and examine some alternatives
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:42 Ch. 2: Act 1: The High Price of Materialism - Center for a New American Dream (@newdream) - Air Date: 12-4-11

Ch. 3: Song 1: A Beautiful World - Tim Myers


00:05:54 Ch. 4: Act 2: How To Purchase Redemption From Consumerism! - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 01-14-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Redemption Song - Bob Marley & The Wailers


00:10:05 Ch. 6: Act 3: Almost Half of Americans Didn't Take Single Vacation Day in 2014 - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 01-11-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Vacation - The Go-Go's & Go-Go's


00:14:17 Ch. 8: Act 4: Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us - RSA Animate (@theRSAorg) - Air Date: 4-1-10

Ch. 9: Song 4: All Over The World - Boogie Belgique


00:26:23 Ch. 10: Act 5: The Story of Bottled Water (2010) - @storyofstuff Project - Air Date: 03-17-10

Ch. 11: Song 5: Murky Water - The Autumn Isles


00:34:17 Ch. 12: Act 6: SO INCREDIBLY SAD This is How 3 Generations Answer the Same Question - @BuzzPo - Air Date 7-26-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: N/A


00:37:20 Ch. 14: Act 7: A thousand cuts - @jimhightower - Air Date: 9-22-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Sligo Creek - Al Petteway


00:39:55 Ch. 16: Act 8: #FindYourPark on National @PublicLandsDay - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


00:43:14 Ch. 18: Act 9: Saamah Abdallah: How to achieve good lives that don't cost the Earth - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 7-20-15


Voicemails

00:56:53 Ch. 19: Thoughts on victimless crimes - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

00:58:54 Ch. 20: Libertarians ignore the negotiation of rights - Nathan from Dix Hills, NY

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:01:12 Ch. 21: Final comments on the way we discuss lifestyles and culture

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: #FindYourPark on National @PublicLandsDay

Take Action:

Register to volunteer for National Public Lands Day!

Be sure to get your Fee-Free Coupon as a thank you for volunteering!

Sources/further reading:

"More than 175,000 Volunteers Expected on National Public Lands Day, September 26, 2015” via National Public Lands Day

"Let's Move Outside: Public lands make the best playgrounds!” via National Public Lands Day

"Our Land, Up for Grabs” via The New York Times

"This Land Was Your Land” via The American Prospect

"Volunteer on trail crews for National Public Lands Day, Sept. 26” via The Seattle Times

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 2015_09_22_In_search_of_the_good_life_Culture.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1006

Today we take a look at the last several decades of the conservative movement and the Republican party, where they came from and how we got to where we are.
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Let's adopt the GOP's national platform - @JimHightower - Air Date: 4-1-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Great Pretender - The Platters


Ch. 4: Act 2: No Legitamate Republican President Since Eisenhower... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 10-20-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Cheat - The Clash


Ch. 6: Act 3: The Kochs & the Nazis: Book Reveals Billionaires' Father Built Key Oil Refinery for the Third Reich - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 01-20-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The John Birch Society - The Chad Mitchell Trio


Ch. 8: Act 4: How business made us a Christian Nation™ - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 3-22-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Show Me What I'm Looking For - Carolina Liar


Ch. 10: Act 5: Jelani Cobb on the Democracy of Blame Part 1 - Primary Concerns (@prime_concerns) - Air Date 3-24-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Little Lion Man - Mumford & Sons


Ch. 12: Act 6: Today's Republicans  Employing  Lee Atwater's Dog Whistle Racism - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 02-24-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Racism - Mighty Sparrow


Ch. 14: Act 7: Jelani Cobb on the Democracy of Blame Part 2 - Primary Concerns (@prime_concerns) - Air Date 3-24-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Chickens Comin' Home to Roost - Toronzo Cannon


Ch. 16: Act 8: Nixon's War on Drugs: Aide Says Motives Were Racist & Anti-Leftist - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-27-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Learning the history from Reagan forward - Alan from Connecticut

Ch. 22: This election is the result of the Reagan revolution - Eammon from La Habra, California

Ch. 22: What can apartment dwellers do about clean energy? - Stephanie from Seattle

Ch. 22: We shouldn't have gender-segregated bathrooms - Dan from Albany, NY

Ch. 22: The only way to stop a bad penis is with a good penis - Ryan from Pheonix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments on the viability of gender-neutral public restrooms

Ch. 23: Bonus Clip: We Should Not Have Gender-Segregated Bathrooms & Locker Rooms - David Pakman - Air Date: 3-27-15

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 1006_How_we_got_to_here_Modern_History_of_the_Conservative_Movement.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1005

Today we take a look at some of the various responses to the recent bombing in Brussels, Belgium. Unsurprisingly, politicians who traditionally thrive on fear-mongering are encouraging us to be afraid, just as the terrorists would hope.
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Glenn Greenwald: Cruz, Trump, Clinton "Playing into the Hands" of ISIL After Brussels Bombings - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 03-24-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Naked As We Came - Iron & Wine


Ch. 4: Act 2: Ted Cruz: Cops Should Patrol Muslim Neighborhoods - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-24-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Empathy - Chasing Kings


Ch. 6: Act 3: The patetic media response to the Brussels bombing - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 3-25-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Fearless (Acoustic Version) - For Today


Ch. 8: Act 4: Faith in the Face of Terrorism - Progressive Faith Sermons - Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 3-27-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Fear is a villain - Theo Bard


Ch. 10: Act 5: What are our ideals worth? - @dccommonsense w/ Dan Carlin - Air Date 4-1-16


Voicemails

Ch. 11: The ways in which contractors are getting screwed - Ruben from Oakland

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 12: Final comments on how I was once an independent contractor getting screwed by FedEx

Ch. 13: Bonus Clip:  The CA FedEx case: employees vs. contractors - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 6-21-15

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1005_Brussels_Air_Date_4-8-16_-_4-7-16_5.22_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1004

Today we take a look at the hate-mongering conservative, fright fest issue du jour, trans people being allowed to use public restrooms without harassment. Ignorance leads to fear, fear leads to hate and ignorance, fear and hatred lead to voting for Republicans. That’s been their strategy for decades: exploiting fear of black people, brown people, drugs, gay people and now trans people.They’re always wrong about what they fear but that’s never stopped them before and it isn’t stopping them now.
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Transphobia is the new conservative wedge issue for the 2016 election - Backtalk from @BitchMedia - Air Date 3-31-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: get real - the mountain firework company


Ch. 4: Act 2: .@SarahEMcBride on the fallout of legislating discrimination effects many groups - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date 3-25-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Cospiratore - Old Splendifolia


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@chasestrangio on the reality of transmisogyny around the bathroom lies - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 3-26-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Mothers of the Night - Moby


Ch. 8: Act 4: .@dominicholden on NC causing the otherwise nonexistent problem they're trying to solve - @FakeDanSavage - Air Date 3-29-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Turtle (Bonobo Remix) - Pilote


Ch. 10: Act 5: Bullied by the Government North Carolina Sued After Enacting Sweeping Anti-Transgender Law - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 03-29-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Le Moulin - Yann Tiersen


Ch. 12: Act 6: Fight North Carolina’s LGBT Discrimination Law via @ACLU_NC and @EqualityNC #NoHateInMyState #WeAreNotThis - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 14: Act 7: .@ivancoyote: Why we need gender-neutral bathrooms - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 2-26-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Learning to care about the economy - Michael in Eugene, OR

Ch. 16: Earn this damn vote or lose - Gabriel from Pittsburg

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments on voting and our theories of change

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!


Edition #1003

Today we take a look at the raging battle for the soul of the new economy. The age of working at the factory for decades before retiring with a pension and gold watch is well behind us but what’s coming next? A world where everyone is completely on their own, scraping together work one gig at a time? Or an economy of worker-owners who are compensated fully for their labor and have a voice in the direction of their companies?
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: How Good is the Sharing Economy at Sharing? - KQED News - Air Date: 2-4-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Sharing Song - Jack Johnson


Ch. 4: Act 2: Chris Mackin: Creating Economic Democracy - @theLFshow w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 7-22-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: RazorWire-Remastered - Chris Priest


Ch. 6: Act 3: Uber isn't nearly as new of an idea as you think - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 3-22-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Capitalism Is Tearing Us Apart - sole


Ch. 8: Act 4: Uber Wants to Reorganize the Economy? Workers, too Can Play at that Game - The F Word w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 2-17-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Working Poor - Horse Feathers


Ch. 10: Act 5: David J. Thompson on the superiority of cooperatives - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date: 8-1-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Cooperation - Jim Valley


Ch. 12: Act 6: Nationwide Next System Teach-Ins via @TheNextSystem - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


Ch. 14: Act 7: Paul Mason - Postcapitalism: A Guide to Our Future - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 3-3-16


Voicemails

Ch. 21: Understanding our political system - Kim from Pennsylvania

Ch. 22: The importance of progressive unity in the election - Ben from New Jersey

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 23: Final comments on Democracy Spring and the cabbie who suggested todays episode

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Activism Resources: 

Find a Next System Teach-In near you or register to host one where you live at http://teachins.thenextsystem.org 

Learn more about the The Next System Project and sign their statement.

Follow The Next System Project on Twitter @TheNextSystem for the latest updates and use '#NextSystem' to join the conversation.

Further Reading:

Not Cool Uber (via Dave Craige on Medium.com)

Sharing Economy Isn’t About Sharing - The Dark Reality Behind This Major Workplace Shift (via Alternet) 

Uber on the Road to Nowhere - Uber Drivers are getting creative in their fight for basic workplace rights (via American Prospect)  

Latest News/Actions: 

Seattle Passes Law Letting Uber, Lyft Drivers Unionize (via Reuters) 

Fed up Uber Drivers Aim to Disrupt Super Bowl 50 - With their Own Mobile App (via Mother Jones)

Jakarta Taxi Drivers Protest Against Uber and Grab  (via BBC)

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1003_The_battle_to_reorganize_the_economy_Sharing_Economy_vs._Co-ops.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1002

Today we take a look at the power of the Supreme Court, the importance of getting the right people on the bench and the unfortunate reality that Merrick Garland is not someone that progressives should be supporting
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: A curious definition of 'balance' - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-19-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Miss You - The Rolling Stones


00:02:41 Ch. 4: Act 2: The importance of the Supreme Court - We the Podcast with Rep. @keithellison - Air Date 3-16-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Company Town - Andrew McKnight


00:12:11 Ch. 6: Act 3: Is the Supreme Court too Supreme? - @DecodeDC - Air Date 3-17-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Final Say - Jb Congdon


00:25:58 Ch. 8: Act 4: Merrick Garland...Consensus Candidate Or Sacrificial Lamb? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 03-16-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Close To Me [Closet Remix] - The Cure


00:28:21 Ch. 10: Act 5: Fox Makes Fun of Obama for Picking a Conservative Nominee - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-18-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: We Know Better - Bend Sinister


00:37:04Ch. 12: Act 6: Merrick Garland didn't uphold Habeas Corpus when he had the chance - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 3-18-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Suffering of the Innocents - Squire Tuck


00:39:17 Ch. 14: Act 7: Republican: Confirm SCOTUS Nominee Without NRA Approval? NO WAY! - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-21-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Race to the Bottom - Tom Clairmont


00:44:11 Ch. 16: Act 8: Why Merrick Garland Is Terrible - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-22-16


Voicemails

00:58:40 Ch. 17: Voting system is not part of American education - Greg from New Hampshire

00:59:55 Ch. 18: Explaining socialism - Colin from Cleveland, OH

01:03:40 Ch. 19: Energy and recycling - Allen from Connecticut

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:05:28 Ch. 20: Final comments on the relative co2 emmissions of wood or corn stoves vs oil

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: Merrick_Garland_and_the_fight_for_the_Supreme_Court.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1001

Today we examine how the climate denial industry works and look forward to the positive trends in renewable energy
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Oil Tycoon Attacks Anti-Fracking Researchers - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 05-25-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Hole In My Soul - Aerosmith


00:09:31 Ch. 4: Act 2: .@KertDavies on How the Climate Denial Industry Works - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 12-04-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Sunrise - Norah Jones


00:19:47 Ch. 6: Act 3: .@NaomiOreskes explains what motivates climate deniers - @StarTalkRadio w/ Neil deGrasse Tyson (@neiltyson)  - Air Date: 2-5-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Science Is Real - They Might Be Giants


00:24:16 Ch. 8: Act 4: Koch Brothers Declare War On Electric Cars - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 02-20-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: The Persuaded - Faded Paper Figures


00:33:40 Ch. 10: Act 5: The Guardian Goes Positive w/ @james_randerson - @OnTheMedia - Air Date: 12-18-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: The typewriter song - The Boston Pops Orchestra


00:41:45 Ch. 12: Act 6: Break Free 2016 #KEEPITINTHEGROUND - A Global Wave of Resistance to Keep Coal, Oil and Gas in the Ground via @350 - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This fickle world - Theo Bard


00:45:10 Ch. 14: Act 7: .@algore The case for optimism on climate change - @TEDTalks - Air Date 2-22-16


Voicemails:

00:55:32 Ch. 15: On Swedish socialism - Robin from Sweden

00:59:10 Ch. 16: Trust in government is key to social programs - Erin from Philadelphia

01:02:45 Ch. 17: Offending and silencing - Marty from Eagle Rock, CA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:04:52 Ch. 18: Final comments on offense, harm and how to have a productive conversation

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism:

Find and sign up for a targeted action near you at breakfree2016.org

Learn more about organizing your own action

Join the conversation online via the hashtags #BreakFree2016 and #Keepitintheground

Follow @350 on Twitter for the latest updates on the action and other news

Donate to support the work of 350.org

Sources/further reading:

4 Reasons Now is our Chance to Break Free from Fossil Fuels (via BreakFree2016.org)

Bill McKibbon: Global Warming's Terrifying New Chemistry (via The Nation)

Inside the Paris Climate Deal (via The New York Times)

President Obama's Climate Action Plan Infographic (via WhiteHouse.gov)

Bill McKibbon: Why We Need to Keep 80% of Fossil Fuels in the Ground (via Yes!)

Fossil Giant BP Sees Fourth-Quarter Profits Sink Nearly 70% (via Smarter Shift)

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

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1001_Climate_To_Air_3_25_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #1000

Today we mark our 1000th episode by looking back to the way things were 10 years ago when this show launched. Come with me to a time when The Young Turks hadn’t taken over YouTube, Rachel Maddow didn’t have a show on MSNBC and Al Franken wasn’t yet a Senator
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:02:54 Ch. 2: Act 1: TYT video streaming launch party while CNN makes new hires - The Young Turks


00:06:19 Ch. 3: Act 2: Bin Laden resurfaces and MSNBC calls him a Democrat - Rachel Maddow Show


00:12:30 Ch. 4: Act 3: Speaking with Helen Thomas on the state of the media - Mother Jones Radio


00:16:56 Ch. 5: Act 4: John Boehner running for speaker - Rachel Maddow


00:19:26 Ch. 6: Act 5: John Conyers on Bush wiretapping program - Thom Hartmann


00:24:45 Ch. 7: Act 6: Rage over cartoons perplexes Denmark - The Young Turks


00:30:28 Ch. 8: Act 7: Rob Corddry on Cheney shooting his friend in the face - The Daily Show


00:34:09 Ch. 9: Act 8: Harry Whittington Apologizes for Getting Shot in the Face by Dick Cheney


00:37:23 Ch. 10: Act 9: This happens all the time and by the way, it's incredibly traumatic - Al Franken Show


00:42:48 Ch. 11: Act 10: Hurricane Katrina and it's aftermath - Mother Jones Radio


00:50:13 Ch. 12: Act 11: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition


00:54:23 Ch. 13: Act 12: Sandra Day O'Connor and avoiding these beginnings - The Young Turks


00:59:21 Ch. 14: Act 13: Tom Delay steps down from congress - Rachel Maddow Show


01:02:51 Ch. 15: Act 14: A reminder of all the things terrible about Tom Delay - The Young Turks


01:11:34 Ch. 16: Act 15: Hate Mail from the left - Al Franken Show


01:13:50 Ch. 17: Act 16: I'm the decider - The Young Turks


01:17:26 Ch. 18: Act 17: The Chief Executive's Role - The President's Weekly Radio Address


01:21:22 Ch. 18: Act 18: Highlights from Colbert's White House Correspondents Dinner Speech with David Bender - Rachel Maddow


 01:31:22 Ch. 18: Act 19: Supercut of Colbert at the White House Correspondence Dinner


Voicemails

01:36:36 Ch. 19: 1000 Episodes - Lee Camp

01:37:05 Ch. 20: 1000 Episodes - David Pakman

Plus messages from:

Eammon from La Habra, California

Nancy from San Francisco

Zach from Atlanta

Megan from Seattle

Josh from Lafayette, LA

Erin from Philadelphia

Tony from New Jersey

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:37:50 Ch. 21: Final comments on how I met David Pakman and thanks for the last 1000 episodes

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


 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

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1000_A_look_back_To_Air_3_22_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #999

Today we again ring the fascism warning bell as we look at the continuing saga of the Donald Trump presidential campaign. And remember: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
 
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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Republicans On Board With Trump Target And Kill Families Of Terrorists - @theyoungturks - Air Date 12-17-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Family Values - Johnossi


00:06:43 Ch. 4: Act 2: The Ugly Place That Donald Trump Is Leading Us - Moment of Clarity w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 01-20-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Rome Wasn't Built In a Day - Morcheeba


00:09:07 Ch. 6: Act 3: .@timjacobwise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: When Anger Shows - Editors


00:14:20 Ch. 8: Act 4: Donald Trump, the New George Wallace? Head of Segregationist's 1968 Bid on GOP Front-Runner's Racism - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 01-15-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: People, Turn Around - Delta Spirit


00:22:25 Ch. 10: Act 5: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-02-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next - Manic Street Preachers


00:29:29 Ch. 12: Act 6: How and why fascism comes to power - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 3-6-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: All You Fascists - Billy Bragg & Wilco


00:36:16 Ch. 14: Act 7: Trump's Response to Violence at His Rallies - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-12-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: What happens tomorrow - Duran Duran


00:44:34 Ch. 16: Act 8: Cops Swarm Black Man For Getting Punched At Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-11-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Out of Control - U2


00:51:51 Ch. 18: Act 9: The Call for a Voting Renaissance and Mass Non-violent Mobilization to Stand Up to Trump via @MoveOn - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


00:55:16 Ch. 20: Act 10: Sasha Abramsky on what Trump supporters really think - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-2-16


Voicemails

01:04:46 Ch. 21: Understanding the new movement for socialism - Patrick from Dallas

01:09:33 Ch. 22: "Impartiality" stems from privilege - Ruben from San Jose

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:13:21 Ch. 23: Final comments on what it was like to prep for today's episode, plus calling for input for episode #1000

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Read, sign and share MoveOn.org's open letter.

Follow @MoveOn on Twitter for the latest updates on the campaign and other actions to stand up to Trump's dangerous rhetoric.

Use the hashtags #LoveTrumpsHate and #STOPTRUMP on social media. 

Donate to the MoveOn.org "Stand Up to Trump" campaign to support their efforts. 

Sources/further reading:

Democrats Sound Alarm Against Trump (via Politico)

Liberal Groups to Launch Campaign to Defeat Donald Trump (via USA Today)

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #999 http://www.bestoftheleft.com/_999_fascism

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!

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Direct download: 999_Playing_with_the_Fire_of_Fascism_Trump_and_his_Supporters.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #998

Today we look at a variety of problems plaguing our elections from gerrymandering to restrictive laws intended to make it difficult for people to vote to our aging and deeply problematic electronic voting machines
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Why America needs nonpartisan elections - Open Primaries - Air Date: 10-20-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: We the People (feat. Chief Xcel) - Lateef the Truthspeaker


00:03:13 Ch. 4: Act 2: .@MicheleJawando on the Voting Rights Act at 50 - @TalkPoverty Radio - Air Date: 8-6-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Going Home - Niklas Aman


00:11:46 Ch. 6: Act 3: Gerrymandering by race in South Carolina - @DecodeDC - Air Date 2-25-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: We the people - Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers


00:17:35 Ch. 8: Act 4: 16 States Face New Voting Restrictions in First Election in 50 Years Without Full Voting Rights Act - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 02-29-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Vote - Jefferson Coker


00:29:05 Ch. 10: Act 5: Lawrence Norden on the Real Problems with Digital Voting Machines - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 10-10-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: The System - Abscondo


00:40:21 Ch. 12: Act 6: Nationwide Mobilization to Protect the Vote via @DemAwakening - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


00:43:40 Ch. 14: Act 7: Voting - @LastWeekTonight w/ @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 02-15-16


Voicemails

00:58:41 Ch. 15: Where and how people live has a big impact on a person's life - Rick from Scranton, PA

01:00:45 Ch. 16: A perspective on post-scarcity economics - Megan from North Carolina

01:03:16 Ch. 17: What needs to happen in civil conversation - Anthony from Illinois

01:05:12 Ch. 18: Apple's business model - Ronald from Baltimore

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:06:07 Ch. 19: Final comments on the confluence of digital privacy and Apple's business model

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Visit democracyawakening.org to sign up as a volunteer to help organize this event or to participate in April. 

Follow @DemAwakening on Twitter and on Facebook for the latest updates on the campaign. 

Engage with the movement to restore the Voting Rights Act via #RestoretheVRA on social media.

Sources/further reading:

"Voting Rights - and Wrongs: We're in the midst of the biggest rollback of the rights to vote since Jim Crow" (via Sojourners)

"North Carolina Exemplifies National Battles Over Voting Laws" (via The New York Times)

"Six Pieces of a Real Democracy Movement We've Never Had Before" (via HuffPost Politics)

DemocracyAwakening.org 

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 998_Rolling_back_our_voting_rights_Elections.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #997

Today we look at the arguments for and against unbreakable encryption for smartphones with specific focus on Apple’s current legal battle with the FBI
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Price of privacy - @DecodeDC - Air Date 2-23-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Les monstres - David Ari Leon


00:07:03 Ch. 4: Act 2: Will FBI Take a Bite Out of Apple? Former CIA Agent on Showdown Between Apple & U.S. Government - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 02-26-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Secret - The Pierces


00:16:32 Ch. 6: Act 3: Apple vs. the FBI Part 1 - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 3-6-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: What Is Your Secret - Nada Surf


00:24:26 Ch. 8: Act 4: Politicians Use Scare Tactics To Promote Government Spying - @theyoungturks

Ch. 9: Song 4: The Secret Agent: The Secret Agent Ending - Cello Octet Conjunto Ibérico & Elias Arizcuren


00:31:53 Ch. 10: Act 5: Apple vs. the FBI Part 2 - @HumorlessQueers

Ch. 11: Song 5: Secrets - OneRepublic


00:45:04 Ch. 12: Act 6: Don’t Let California Lawmakers Undermine Smartphone Security via Electronic Frontier Foundation (@EFF) - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


00:47:53 Ch. 14: Act 7: Rodrigo Bijou: Governments don't understand cyber warfare. We need hackers - @rodrigobijou on @TEDTalks


Voicemails

00:58:20 Ch. 15: The future of automation and a basic universal wage - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

01:02:33 Ch. 16: Responding to Rambo and gentrification - Allen from Connecticut

01:03:36 Ch. 17: Being offended doesn't help your cause - Trey from Corvallis

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:06:08 Ch. 18: Final comments on the important difference and connection between offensiveness and harmful

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism:

TAKE ACTION:

Sign the EFF petition to fight California Assembly Bill 1681 at https://act.eff.org/action/don-t-let-california-lawmakers-undermine-smartphone-security 

Follow @EFF on Twitter for the latest updates on the petition and other actions to protect privacy. 

Donate to support the work of EFF at https://supporters.eff.org/donate/button 

Sources/further reading:

Read the entire Assembly Bill 1681

Worried about Apple? California has a Bill that Would Disable Encryption on All Phones (EFF.org)

A Technical Perspective on the iPhone Case (EFF.org) 

CSAIL: Giving Government Special Access to Data Poses Major Security Risks (MIT News)

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #997 http://www.bestoftheleft.com/_997_privacy_encryption 

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 997_Privacy_security_or_both_Encryption_vs_the_FBI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #978

Today we look at the shifting trends of how and why people work and what may happen when the robots take everyone’s jobs
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Tipping Point: Technology Now Destroying More Jobs Than It Creates - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 06-13-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Work to live - Serious Suicide


00:04:15 Ch. 4: Act 2: Nigel Cameron: A world without work - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 4-23-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: What Would You Do? - The Living End


00:22:40 Ch. 6: Act 3: Robots Will Take Your Job SOON! (seriously) - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 05-09-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Robot friend - Pretty Little Demons


00:28:48 Ch. 8: Act 4: Practical Theology (Because who wants impractical theology?) Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 12-13-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Courage - Authority Zero


00:37:31 Ch. 10: Act 5: Barry Schwartz: The way we think about work is broken - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 9-8-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Human Nature - Michael Jackson


00:45:50 Ch. 12: Act 6: Practical Theology (Because who wants impractical theology?) Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 12-13-15


Voicemails

00:56:59 Ch. 13: 7 Violence against women re: abortion? - Robert from New Hampshire

00:59:05 Ch. 14: 8 Response to thoughts on "unskilled labor" - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:01:34 Ch. 15: Final comments on After Tiller, the Progressive Faith Sermon and how human nature is moulded by our circumstances

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

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Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 2015_12_22_The_future_of_work_Culture_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #996

Today we look at the influence of dark money in politics generally as well as the moneyed interests that have been successfully working for decades to make the Democratic party more conservative
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Dark Money: What Might The Money Media Cover If They Weren't Covering Trump? - The F Word w/ @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 2-29-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Billionaire (feat. Bruno Mars) - Travie McCoy


Ch. 4: Act 2: How the Koch Brothers Helped Dismantle the Democratic Party - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 12-29-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Two Masters- Song about Citizens United and Bernie Sanders (with Cartoons) - Smooch McGee


Ch. 6: Act 3: .@JaneMayerNYer on her book Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 2-10-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Oligarch - Ephemerals


Ch. 8: Act 4: Hillary Clinton: Bribes Don’t Work On Me - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 02-17-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Electable (Give It Up) - Jimmy Eat World


Ch. 10: Act 5: Did Campaign Contributions Influence Hillary's Votes? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 02-06-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: A Few Honest Words - Ben Sollee


Ch. 12: Act 6: #DemocracySpring - March and Sit-in to Save Democracy via @DemSpring - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 14: Act 7: Wolf PAC Marches Into Washington And Wins - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 02-26-16


Voicemails

Ch. 15: Charter schools get to cherry pick their students - Amanda from San Diego

Ch. 16: Thoughts on gentrification - Ryan from Pheonix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 17: Final comments requesting feedback for Ryan from Phoenix

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


TAKE ACTION:

Visit democracyspring.org to sign up as a volunteer to help organize this event or to pledge your participation in April.

Follow @DemSpring on Twitter for the latest updates on the campaign. 

Engage with the campaign via #DemocracySpring on social media.

Donate to support the campaign at democracyspring.org/donate

Sources/further reading:

"Open Letter: Let's Sit-in to Save Democracy from the Billionaire Class" via The Nation 

DemocracySpring.org

Hear the segment in context:

Episode #996 http://www.bestoftheleft.com/_996_heart_of_dark_money_money_in_politics

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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 996_Heart_of_Dark_Money_Money_in_Politics.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #995

Today we look at the legacy Antonin Scalia leaves behind, what this means for the Supreme Court going forward and how it’s all effecting the 2016 election
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: How Scalia's Death Can Change The Whole Election! - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 02-14-16

Ch. 3: Song 1: Training Montage - Vince DiCola


Ch. 4: Act 2: Republican Hypocrisy on Scalia Appointment Exposed - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 02-16-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Nonsense - Komeda


Ch. 6: Act 3: President Obama wades into nomination debate on SCOTUSblog  - This Week in Blackness (@TWiBPrime)

Ch. 7: Song 3: Screwed - Slidin' Slim


Ch. 8: Act 4: Paul Rosenberg on Scalia's legacy - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-19-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Hide Your Tears - Daniel Licht


Ch. 10: Act 5: Justice Antonin Scalia's TRUE LEGACY - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 02-14-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Friend of The Devil - Counting Crows


Ch. 12: Act 6: Akhil Reed Amar explains why politically, originalism can cut both ways - Amicus from @Slate - Air Date 2-20-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Coheed and Cambria Sing Justice Scalias Dissenting Opinions - Funny Or Die


Ch. 14: Act 7: How money and politics corrupts the Supreme Court - @dccommonsense w/ Dan Carlin - Air Date 2-26-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: get real - the mountain firework company


Ch. 16: Act 8: Speaking ill of the dead - @Jimmy_Dore Show - Air Date 2-16-16


Voicemails

Ch. 17: High stakes testing and internet connectivity for students - Chris from Colorado Springs

Ch. 18: How to make the model of society fit the world we are becoming - Emma from New York State

Ch. 19: Get involved with Health Impact Assessments - Ryan from Pheonix

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 20: Final comments with some uninformed impressions about how to deal with gentrification

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 995_Scalia_s_death_and_the_seismic_shift_on_the_court_SCOTUS.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #994

Today we look at the narratives and stories that fill and influence our lives, whose stories get told and why and how that effects the way we see the world
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:37 Ch. 2: Act 1: Mansplaining: The Science - @Upworthy - Air Date: 03-10-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Words Are Seeds - My Gay Banjo


00:02:35 Ch. 4: Act 2: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: I Wan'na Be Like You (The Monkey Song) - Louis Prima, Phil Harris & Bruce Reitherman


00:16:47 Ch. 6: Act 3: Broad Politics in the Obama Administration - @DecodeDC - Air Date 1-28-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Seat at the Table - Crystal Lewis


00:22:53 Ch. 8: Act 4: #OscarsSoWhite: Black Filmmakers Call Out Hollywood Racism, Exclusion as Calls for Boycott Grow - @democracynow - Air Date: 01-25-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Gatekeepers - Sharrie Williams


00:30:54 Ch. 10: Act 5: $pread, For and By Sex Workers - @onthemedia - Air Date: 5-1-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Power of Words - iamuuri


00:40:10 Ch. 12: Act 6: Worst Oscar responses to #OscarsSoWhite - Backtalk from @BitchMedia - Air Date 2-18-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Bedtime Stories - Chris Reed


00:57:01 Ch. 14: Act 7: #OscarsSoWhite; Watch #JusticeForFlint Instead via @UnitedBlackout — Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 15: Song 7: Right to Complain - Trombone Shorty & Marc Broussard


01:00:18 Ch. 16: Act 8: An inclusion crisis in the entertainment industry - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-26-16


Voicemails

01:02:50 Ch. 17: The four economic classes and who's really suffering - Dave from Olympia, WA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:09:59 Ch. 19: Final comments with a message from Jordan from Salt Lake City on empathizing with those we disgree with

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: #OscarsSoWhite; Watch #JusticeForFlint Instead via @UnitedBlackout

Take Action:

#JusticeForFlint from Blackout for Human Rights

Additional Activism/Resources:

"How to help people hurt by the poisoned water in Flint” via Mashable

Sources/further reading:

”Meet April Reign, the Black Woman Behind #OscarsSoWhite"

"The 17 Biggest Surprises Of This Year’s Oscar Nominations — #OscarsSoWhiteTheSequel” via Buzzfeed

"These 10 Actors, Directors & Executives Can Reverse #OscarsSoWhite” at RevoltTV

"Creed Is The Rocky Film 21st-Century America Needs” at The Establishment

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 994_Who_gets_a_seat_at_the_table_Culture.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #993

Today we look at the effects of the media companies shift from producing news content as a public service to ‘infotainment’ and where we’re headed in the world of vertical integration and threats to net neutrality
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: CNN's 'courageous' move to blur the lines between news and advertising - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date: 6-12-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Blur the Lines - The Meeting Places


00:02:19 Ch. 4: Act 2: Michael Isikoff And Cenk Uygur On The State Of The News Media Today - (Edited Interview) - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 09-11-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Free and Equal Speech - Chris Priest


00:14:23 Ch. 6: Act 3: PROOF The Media Is Only For The Rich - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 1-9-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: RazorWire - Chris Priest


00:17:39 Ch. 8: Act 4: The next threat of a mega merger of cable companies - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-11-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Perpetuum Mobile - Penguin Cafe Orchestra


00:20:39 Ch. 10: Act 5: Why China is Trying to Rewrite Worldwide Internet Rules... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 08-01-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: North By North - Faded Paper Figures


00:25:21 Ch. 12: Act 6: Net Neutrality is STILL in Danger - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 09-28-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Dirty Paws - Of Monsters and Men


00:37:15 Ch. 14: Act 7: A few of the media's failures in covering the election - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-19-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: My Conversation - The Uniques


00:40:26 Ch. 16: Act 8: 40 Years After "All the President's Men," Redford Plays Another Journo Challenging Power in "Truth" - @democracynow - Air Date: 01-26-16


Voicemails

00:48:43 Ch. 17: Thoughts on food activism - Linea from Illinois

00:52:34 Ch. 18: High stakes in rich areas aren't such high stakes - Megan from near Seattle

00:54:02 Ch. 19: Racism, capitalism and private prisons - V from Western New York

00:57:24 Ch. 20: Living now vs 100 years ago - Stephanie from Seattle

00:58:14 Ch. 21: Speaking past each other about Capitalism - Dave from Olympia, WA

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:01:12 Ch. 22: Final comments on the history of telecoms and the lack of universal service

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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

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Direct download: 993_The_corporatization_of_the_media.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #992

Today we look at how corporations have worked diligently to maximize the profits of insurance and pharmaceutical companies at the expense of America’s general health and budget and then used those profits to buy politicians to ensure the system never changes
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Is Pharma the Most Evil Industry? (w: Josh Zepps) - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date 09-28-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Get Up and Go - Broadcast 2000


00:05:49 Ch. 4: Act 2: HUGE Bernie Sanders Releases Plan for Universal Healthcare - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date 01-20-16

Ch. 5: Song 2: Until the Water Goes Down - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


00:09:32 Ch. 6: Act 3: Hillary Fights Dirty on Healthcare! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-13-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: 1901 - Phoenix


00:17:14 Ch. 8: Act 4: Dr. Sidney Wolfe talks on the vultures of Big Pharma and how they rigged the system - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 1-16-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club


00:31:36 Ch. 10: Act 5: Hillary, FOR Single Payer Until She's Suddenly Against It... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 01-14-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Ask Your Doctor - Don Arbor


00:38:04 Ch. 12: Act 6: Howard Dean Becomes Health Care Lobbyist, Suddenly Against Single Payer Healthcare - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 01-20-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Profit - The Mammals


00:42:50 Ch. 14: Act 7: The True Price Of Prescription Drugs - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-02-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) - Donna Summer & Barbra Streisand


00:47:23 Ch. 16: Act 8: How the Health Insurance Industry Fights Single Payer - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-14-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: It Goes On and On - The Avett Brothers


00:51:29 Ch. 18: Act 9: Actually, UK's National Healthcare Is Excellent - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 03-07-15


01:01:01 Ch. 19: Final comments on the last 3 1/2 weeks of focus on the problem with our economic system

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 992_The_illness_at_the_heart_of_our_for-profit_health_care_system.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #991

Today we look at the influence of the food giants on what goes into our food supply, who’s allowed to inspect and regulate it, what our kids are taught about what’s healthy, the policies of international trade that lowers food safety standards and even how farmers raise their chickens
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Why nobody knows what's really going into your food - The Center for Public Integrity (@Publici) - Air Date: 04-13-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Prettiest Remix - Jim Guthrie


00:04:10 Ch. 4: Act 2: Sugar and Salt and Fat: Food Giants Have Hooked Us - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 04-26-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Pour Some Sugar On Me (2012 Re-Recorded Version) - Def Leppard


00:15:10 Ch. 6: Act 3: EXPOSED: Coca-Cola’s Scam To Keep Kids Drinking Soda - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 01-01-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Diet Coke - Airbäg


00:21:53 Ch. 8: Act 4: Carey Gillam on the conflicts of interest in the coverage of our food supply - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 2-5-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Johnny Appleseed - Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros


00:33:18 Ch. 10: Act 5: Mystery Meat: After WTO Ruling, U.S. Tosses Meat Origin Labeling Law, Leaving Consumers in the Dark - @democracynow - Air Date: 01-07-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: The Cave - Piano Tribute Players


00:37:43 Ch. 12: Act 6: Disaster: TPP Will Destroy US Food Safety - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 11-14-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Solid Ground - Dougie Maclean


00:41:51 Ch. 14: Act 7: Chickens and the farmers who raise them - @LastWeekTonight with @iamjohnoliver - Air Date: 05-17-15


Voicemails

01:01:15 Ch. 15: Why they don't teach the financial reality - Marty from Cleveland, OH

01:02:18 Ch. 16: The hidden obstacles to investments and wealth - Jill in California

01:04:35 Ch. 17: Held back from the American Dream - Eammon from La Habra, California

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:06:15 Ch. 18: Final comments on reasonability and the discussions we have

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 991_The_food_market_Food-Industrial_Complex.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #990

Today we look at the intersection of market capitalism and our prison system where the private prison industry makes billions and lobbies for ever-harsher punishments to continually grow our prison population
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Private prisons: How US corporations make money out of locking you up - @Truthloader - Air Date: 11-07-13

Ch. 3: Song 1: The Maelstrom - Jim Guthrie


00:10:43 Ch. 4: Act 2: What the Prison Industrial Complex can do for YOU! - @RedactedTonight w/ @LeeCamp - Air Date: 08-19-14

Ch. 5: Song 2: N/A


00:12:20 Ch. 6: Act 3: Who bears the cost of incarceration? - Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHPshow) - Air Date 9-19-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Wrong Way - Jahzzar


00:20:22 Ch. 8: Act 4: The Drug War Has to End: David Simon on "The Wire" & Over-Policing of the Poor - @democracynow - Air Date: 08-26-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Keep Them Down - The Young Sinclairs


00:35:51 Ch. 10: Act 5: Prison Phone Rates - We the Podcast w/ @keithellison - Air Date 1-29-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Everything is everything - Lauryn Hill

 


00:46:34 Ch. 12: Act 6: Bernie Sanders: Abolish Private Prisons - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 08-21-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Dart - Stray Dogg


00:55:24 Ch. 14: Act 6: Justice is not For Sale Act to #EndPrivatePrisons via @SenSanders & @RepRaulGrijalva - Best of the Left Activism


Voicemails

00:58:57 Ch. 15: Many from the past would not want to live in our society - Will from Mississippi

01:00:11 Ch. 16: Wade's response to Kate re: extreme inequality - Wade from Ft. Worth, TX

01:03:38 Ch. 17: The problem with programs that divide us - Chris from Littleton, CO

01:05:11 Ch. 18: In poverty and unable to invest - Heather from Tampa, FL

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:07:23 Ch. 19: Final comments on trans health, poverty and financial literacy

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Justice is not For Sale Act to #EndPrivatePrisons via @SenSanders & @RepRaulGrijalva

Take Action:

Use ContactingTheCongress.org to tell your legislators to support the “Justice is Not For Sale Act of 2015” in the House and Senate

Sources/further reading:

"The For-Profit Sadism of ‘Incarceration, Inc.’ — An article in The Nation thirty years ago was an early warning about the growth of the prison-industrial complex.” via The Nation

"The Democratic Presidential Candidates Would End Private Prison Contracts” via The Nation

"Programs Not Profits" — In the Public Interest

"Private Prison Firms Buy Access to Public Officials at Lavish Industry Conferences” via Truthout

"Bernie Sanders Unveils Ambitious Plan To End Private Prisons” via ThinkProgress

Racial Justice: Legal Violence/Private Prisons via Bernie Sanders presidential campaign

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 990_Prisoners_for_profit_Prison-Industrial_Complex.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #989

Today we look at the intersection of our educational system and the detrimental influence that money, austerity policies and the profit motive have on the education that our kids have access to
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:38 Ch. 2: Act 1: Driving America's yellow school bus to educational hell - @jimhightower - Air Date: 12-29-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: School Bus (featuring Tahir Jahi) - Happy Hatters


00:03:08 Ch. 4: Act 2: As Obama Admin Seeks More Funding for Charter Schools, Questions Raised over Billions Already Spent - @democracynow - Air Date: 5-8-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: School Bus (featuring Tahir Jahi) - Happy Hatters


00:19:25 Ch. 6: Act 3: Black Parents Should Opt Their Children Out of High Stakes Testing - @blkagendareport - Air Date: 8-5-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare - Matt and Kim


00:23:38 Ch. 8: Act 4: Stephanie Simon on the power of Pearson publishing - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date: 2-27-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: Compensation - The Del-Knights


00:33:25 Ch. 10: Act 5: Faces Of The Student Debt Crisis In America - AJ+ (@ajplus) - Air Date: 07-09-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Higher Education - Buch Helemano


00:38:09 Ch. 12: Act 6: Bernie Sanders: Free College for All... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 05-22-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Higher Education - Knowledge


00:41:30 Ch. 14: Act 7: Is Hillary’s College Plan More Progressive Than Bernie's? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-11-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: I Love You Money - Lowell


00:49:03 Ch. 16: Act 8: Cancel All #StudentDebt via @thenation & @StrikeDebt - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: This fickle world - Theo Bard


00:53:26 Ch. 18: Act 9: Detroit Student "I Want to Be Able to Go to School Without Worrying About Being Bitten by Mice" - @democracynow - Air Date 01-21-16


Voicemails

01:01:02 Ch. 19: Go to BringBackSolar.com to support Nevada solar - Shawn from Las Vegas

01:02:47 Ch. 20: What we need to teach about financial education - Chris from Dallas

 

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:05:32 Ch. 21: Final comments on financial literacy and the superiority of universal programs to means tested ones

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Cancel All #StudentDebt via @thenation & @StrikeDebt

Take Action:

SIGN: Cancel All Student Debt via The Nation & coalition

READ & Share: "How far to free?” — StrikeDebt’s plan for tuition-free college

Additional Activism/Resources:

Help if you are or are about to be behind/defaulting: Student Loan Borrowers Assistance — "Find a Solution” via National Consumer Law Center

Sources/further reading:

"Why the Student Loan Crisis Is Even Worse Than People Think” via Time.com/Money

"Student Debt Is Worse Than You Think” via The New York Times

"5 Extreme Ways to Get Rid of Your Student Loan Debt” via Attn:

"We Need to End the Student Loan Debt Crisis: To draw attention to the magnitude of the student debt crisis, we’re doing something dramatic.” via The Nation & coalition

Graphic via: BorderlessNewsAndViews.com

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 989_Investments_in_education_should_not_earn_cash_profits.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #988

Today we look at the intersection of the climate crisis with our current economic system including how monopolies, trade deals, market failures and the concept of “externalities” all work together to make climate change worse
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

Ch. 2: Act 1: Externalities - by @DavidSuzuki - Resource Based Economy - Air Date: 7-26-13

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A


Ch. 4: Act 2: The True Cost Of Fossil Fuels - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-28-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Price You Pay - Bruce Springsteen


Ch. 6: Act 3: TransCanada Uses NAFTA to sue The US Over Keystone Pipeline! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-08-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Smoke And Mirrors - Giraffe


Ch. 8: Act 4: Nevada guts their net metering program, killing the solar industry - @greennewsreport - Air Date 1-12-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Sunshine to Burn (The Long Grass) - The Sand Pebbles


Ch. 10: Act 5: Ronald Wright on Progress Traps - The Green Interview - Air Date: 8-1-11

Ch. 11: Song 5: Farmscrapers - Dad Rocks!


Ch. 12: Act 6: Is the Military the Future of Renewable Energy? - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 12-04-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Hands To Myself - Selena Gomez


Ch. 14: Act 7: Porter Ranch Massive CA Gas Leak & What It Means - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date 01-12-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: Payne's Bay - Beirut


Ch. 16: Act 8: Is Aliso Canyon California's BP Blowout? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-08-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Devil Town - Tony Lucca


Ch. 18: Act 9: #LeapYear Manifesto: For New Economic & Energy Systems via @NaomiAKlein — Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 19: Act 9A: The Leap Manifesto As Explained By @NaomiAKlein - Huffington Post Canada - Air Date: 9-15-15

Ch. 20: Song 9: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


Ch. 21: Act 10: Surviving Progress Film (condensed version)


Voicemails

Ch. 22: The system isn't broken, it's fixed - V from Western New York

Ch. 23: The Spirit Level by Richard G. Wilkinson and Kate Pickett - Nick from Denver, Co

Ch. 24: Correcting a few economic points - Kate in Torono (T's are overrated)

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


Ch. 25: Final comments

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: #LeapYear Manifesto: For New Economic & Energy Systems via @NaomiAKlein

Take Action:

JOIN/Host: #LeapYear Event, Feb-March 2016 via

WATCH: "Leap Year 2016 - Hangout with Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, and more”

hosted by This Changes Everything

Canadians can SIGN: The Leap Year Manifest

Sources/further reading:

"Let’s make this a real ‘leap’ year, and go fossil fuel-free” by Naomi Klein

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 988_When_climate_science_meets_faith-based_economics.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #987

Today we look at the intersection and roots of systemic racism and institutional poverty in America and the ways in which each supports and bolsters the other
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:45 Ch. 2: Act 1: The Great Migration - @DecodeDC - Air Date 5-14-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: End of the World - Dan Romer & Benh Zeitlin


00:08:32 Ch. 4: Act 2: Back to Baltimore Witness to History - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 12-11-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Uprising - Muse


00:12:45 Ch. 6: Act 3: Richard Rothstein on the roots racial segregation in Baltimore - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 12-26-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Segregation - Rankin Scroo


00:21:30 Ch. 8: Act 4: Phil Thompson on the Historical Fight for Civil and Economic Rights - @TheNextSystem Project - Air Date: 6-30-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: N/A


00:25:17 Ch. 10: Act 5: Black College Households Lost Half Their Wealth Despite Degrees - @blkagendareport - Air Date: 8-19-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Lesson Learned - Smooth Jazz All Stars


00:30:42 Ch. 12: Act 6: The legacy of racial, economic inequality - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date: 12-29-14

Ch. 13: Song 6: Only a Pawn In Their Game - Bob Dylan


00:43:47 Ch. 14: Act 7: Working against the Racial Wealth Gap - The F Word with @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 12-8-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Forward - Northbound


00:47:02 Ch. 16: Act 8: Narrowing the Racial Wealth Gap w/@AECFNews (Annie E. Casey Fdn) - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Activism - Shihan


00:52:14 Ch. 18: Act 9: Racism is a tool to keep poor white people blaming POC for their problems - The Benjamin Dixon Show (@TheBpDShow) - Air Date: 6-19-15


Voicemails

01:01:32 Ch. 19: We are a defacto segregated country - Erin from Philadelphia

01:03:47 Ch. 20: Pulling the Overton window back to the left - Colby from Portland, Oregon

01:07:12 Ch. 21: Thoughts on the effects of structures of business - Jordan from Salt Lake City

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:10:33 Ch. 22: Final comments on the lack of diversity in the voicemails

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Narrowing the Racial Wealth Gap w/@AECFNews (Annie E. Casey Fdn)

Take Action:

Get Involved with the Annie E. Casey Foundation: Who We Help: Communities

Contact your legislators through OpenStates.org about: ”Investing in Tomorrow”

Sources/further reading:

"Could These Four Policy Changes Close the Racial Wealth Gap?” at Colorlines.org

"UN Experts Catalog Seemingly Endless List of Racial Discrimination in US” at CommonDreams

"The U.S. Supreme Court Barely Saves the Fair Housing Act” at The Atlantic

"Ending the Cycle of Racial Isolation” at The New York Times

"Obama administration to unveil major new rules targeting segregation across U.S.” via The White House

"In Fair Housing Act Case, Supreme Court Backs 'Disparate Impact’ Claims”

“Segregation Now: Investigating America’s Racial Divide” at ProPublica

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 987_The_double_helix_of_racial_and_economic_inequality.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #985

Today we look at the case against extreme wealth inequality and not just from an economic justice perspective. Extreme wealth inequality leads to more social ills and destabilization than you probably ever guessed
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: This Is The Income Inequality Video CEOs Don’t Want Americans To See - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 10-03-14

Ch. 3: Song 1: Let's Work Together - Canned Heat


00:17:41 Ch. 4: Act 2: Climate Change and Inequality Are Driving War and Catastrophic Conflicts from Syria to Africa - @democracynow - Air Date: 12-04-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Climate Refugees Main Theme - Michael Mollura


00:21:56 Ch. 6: Act 3: Stoking fears to pit workers against workers, never the rich - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 12-11-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Don't Blame Yourself - Sixpence None the Richer


00:25:42 Ch. 8: Act 4: Paul Krugmanon on Thomas Piketty's book: Capital in the Twenty-First Century - @BillMoyersHQ  And Company - Air Date 4-18-14

Ch. 9: Song 4: A Change Is Gonna Come - Ben Sollee


00:43:56 Ch. 10: Act 5: Thomas Piketty's 'Capital' in 3 minutes - BBC Newsnight - Air Date: 04-30-14

Ch. 11: Song 5: Adventure, Darling - Gillicuddy


00:47:43 Ch. 12: Act 6: Make #Poverty an #Election2016 Priority w/@VoteToEndHunger - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard


00:50:41 Ch. 14: Act 7: International comparisons of child poverty show who we should look to - Economic Update w/ @profwolff - Air Date 1-24-16


Voicemails

00:58:09 Ch. 15: Capitalism with the workers in charge - Patrick from Dallas

01:00:42 h. 16: How capitalism should work - Colin from Cleveland, OH

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:02:39 Ch. 17: Final Comments on the case against extreme wealth inequality and endless economic growth

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Make #Poverty an #Election2016 Priority w/@VoteToEndHunger

Take Action:

SIGN & SHARE: Pledge to end hunger by 2030

GET INVOLVED with Vote to End Hunger

Sources/further reading:

"Pathologizing the Poor Reinforces Stigma While Deterring Advocacy and Public Policy” via Truthout

”Hunger is a Significant But Solvable Problem, Both in the United States and Internationally” via Vote to End Hunger

”Presidential Candidate Videos” via Vote to End Hunger

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 986_The_trouble_with_extreme_wealth_inequality_Economics.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #985

Today we look at the series of events and conservative policies that lead, predictably, to the public health crisis currently playing out in Flint, MI due to their contaminated water supply
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:37 Ch. 2: Act 1: Michigan locals fight for democracy - @jimhightower - Air Date: 8-29-11

Ch. 3: Song 1: Democracy - Leonard Cohen


00:03:10 Ch. 4: Act 2: Former Michigan Emergency Manager Blows Whistle on Anti-Democratic Law - Rachel @Maddow - Air Date 4-19-12

Ch. 5: Song 2: Gangnam Style (강남스타일) - PSY


00:09:50 Ch. 6: Act 3: How Flint, Michigan, Saved Money and Poisoned Its Children City Declares Water Emergency - @democracynow - Air Date 12-18-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: You're a Disaster - Dragonette


00:20:04 Ch. 8: Act 4: Poisoned Democracy How an Unelected Official Contaminated Flint's Water to Save Money - @democracynow - Air Date 01-08-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: You Don't Miss Your Water - Ben Sollee


00:31:31 Ch. 10: Act 5: "Gov. Snyder Should Be Arrested" Flint Residents Demand Justice over Water Poisoning - @democracynow - Air Date 01-08-16

Ch. 11: Song 5: Murky Water - The Autumn Isles


00:34:44 Ch. 12: Act 6: Calls grow for Michigan governor's resignation - Melissa Harris-Perry (@MHPshow) - Air Date 1-17-16

Ch. 13: Song 6: Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel


00:39:56 Ch. 14: Act 7: Remorseful Snyder apologizes to people of Flint in state address - Rachel @Maddow Show - Air Date 1-19-16

Ch. 15: Song 7: The Water - Feist


00:42:58 Ch. 16: Act 8: Snyder e-mails missing key year in Flint toxic water disaster - Rachel @Maddow Show - Air Date 1-20-16

Ch. 17: Song 8: Drink the Water - Jack Johnson


00:46:03 Ch. 18: Act 9: Fox on Flint- The Residents Sort of Did It to Themselves - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 1-21-16

Ch. 19: Song 9: Keys - the Villains Trust


00:55:11 Ch. 20: Act 10: Restore CDC Funding to Prevent Lead Poisoning via @ColorOfChange — Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 21: Song 10: This fickle world - Theo Bard


00:58:11 Ch. 22: Act 11: Flint water tie eyed in outbreak of deadly Legionnaires' disease - Rachel @Maddow Show - Air Date 1-21-16


Voicemails

01:05:53 Ch. 23: Democratizing capitalism and keeping the market - Kate in Torono (T's are overrated)

01:08:54 Ch. 24: Understanding what's right and what wrong with capitalism - Keith from Brooklyn, NY

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:12:58 Ch. 25: Final comments with some homework for you on aspects of capitalism

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: Restore CDC Funding to Prevent Lead Poisoning via @ColorOfChange

Take Action:

SIGN and share: "Arrest Governor Snyder" via Michael Moore

SIGN and share: "Tell the US government to restore funding for the Center for Disease Control Healthy Homes and Lead Poisoning Prevention program in the Fiscal Year 2017 budget.” via ColorOfChange.org

Sources/further reading:

"Michigan Governor Rick Snyder To Be Called Before Congress” via The New Civil Rights Movement

"Snyder hasn’t been invited to testify before Congress” via Detroit news

"Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan Apologizes in Flint Water Crisis” via The New York Times

"Flint water crisis: EPA regional administrator resigns” via CNN.com

"Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder Releases Emails Tied to Flint Water Crisis” via ABC News

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 985_A_conservative_policy_showcase_Flint_s_poisoned_water.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #922

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 a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: The Death of Culture at the Hands of the Profit Motive - @majorityfm - Air Date: 01-20-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: My Conversation - The Uniques


00:13:04 Ch. 4: Act 2: Visionary Sci Fi for an Age of Acquiescence - The F Word with @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 4-20-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Design - Fiction Company


00:15:58 Ch. 6: Act 3: .@ShawnAchor - The happy secret to better work - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 2-1-12

Ch. 7: Song 3: Everybody Loves a Happy Ending (iTunes Originals Version) - Tears for Fears


00:29:08 Ch. 8: Act 4: A Brief History of Humankind - @DecodeDC - Air Date: 4-30-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: "Going Sane" - Two Cheers


00:40:39 Ch. 10: Act 5: Lacking liberty from slavery to feudalism to capitalism - Economic Update with @profwolff - Air Date: 2-1-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: Revolution - Grandaddy


00:55:40 Ch. 12: Act 6: .@TheNextSystem Project- National Launch Webinar - Best of the Left Activism


Voicemails

00:58:10 Ch. 14: What I took away from the Baltimore episode - Ryan from Pheonix

01:02:54 Ch. 15: Thanks for Baltimore episode - Isaiah from New York

01:03:35 Ch. 16: Nonviolence doesn't work when society is callous to suffering - Diane from Houston

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:06:01 Ch. 17: Final comments on capitalism, culture and The Next System Project

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Activism: @TheNextSystem Project: National Launch Webinar

Take Action:

WATCH The Next System Project National Launch Webinar moderated by Laura Flanders of GritTV

Written by BOTL social media/activism director Katie Klabusich


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 Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 2015_05_15_A_crisis_of_culture_Capitalism_Updated.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST

Edition #984

Today we look at some of the downfalls of our current economic system, a few thoughts on what to do about it and what Bernie Sanders is doing to push this conversation forward
 
Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill

00:00:30 Ch. 2: Act 1: Economist Juliet Schor on Inequality & Climate Crisis - @TheNextSystem Project - Air Date: 5-5-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Luriana Lurilee - Ben McElroy


00:03:19 Ch. 4: Act 2: Capitalism Works Best in an Authoritarian Environment... - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 02-10-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Gone Too Far (feat. Jack Bruce) - Robin Trower


00:07:34 Ch. 6: Act 3: Michael Lewis on how the system is rigged and fundamentally broken - Open Source - Air Date: 3-24-15

Ch. 7: Song 3: Consequences - The Robert Cray Band


00:14:13 Ch. 8: Act 4: Saving Capitalism Promo with Robert Reich (@RBReich) - Goldman School - Air Date: 9-25-15

Ch. 9: Song 4: We Are the Many - Makana


00:18:29 Ch. 10: Act 5:  Robert Reich on "Saving Capitalism: For the Many, Not the Few" - @democracynow - Air Date: 09-30-15

Ch. 11: Song 5: A Few Honest Words - Ben Sollee


00:26:47 Ch. 12: Act 6: Karl Marx on Alienation - BBC Radio 4 - Air Date: 01-19-15

Ch. 13: Song 6: Workers of the World Unite! - The Last Internationale


00:29:05 Ch. 14: Act 7: Whats up with Bernie Sanders and Democratic Socialism anyway? Part 1 - Economic Update w @profwolff - Air Date 10-23-15

Ch. 15: Song 7: Going sane - Bryan Everyshed


00:39:16 Ch. 16: Act 8: Hit piece on Denmark to undercut benefits of democratic socialism - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 11-6-15

Ch. 17: Song 8: What I'm Looking For (Ad Version) - Brendan Benson


00:42:56 Ch. 18: Act 9: Whats up with Bernie Sanders and Democratic Socialism anyway? Part 2 - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 10-23-15


Voicemails

00:59:17 Ch. 19: The problems with the police - Colin from Cleveland, OH

01:04:17 Ch. 20: Domestic spying against decent - Emma from New York City

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics


01:06:27 Ch. 21: Final comments dispelling misconceptions about criticisms of capitalism

Closing Music: Here We Are - Everyone's in Everyone


Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Direct download: 984_To_save_or_destroy_capitalism_Economics.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00pm EST