Best of the Left Podcast

Fri, 28 April 2017

(2017/04/28) The science of the times

Edition #1099

Today we look at the importance of science in our lives and public policy and also at the Trump administration’s drive to stop science in it’s tracks

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: Science in America - Neil deGrasse Tyson - Air Date 4-19-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: N/A

Ch. 4: Act 2: The history of how we know that humans are driving climate change - Science VS - Air Date 3-16-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: Put It to the Test - They Might Be Giants

Ch. 6: Act 3: How to Convince a Climate Change Sceptic - Quirks and Quarks - Air Date 12-16-16

Ch. 7: Song 3: Messages - Xavier Rudd

Ch. 8: Act 4: Scientists, politics and protest - Science for the People - Air Date 2-16-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Science Is Real - They Might Be Giants

Ch. 10: Act 5: 314 Action and the movement to elect scientists to office - Who What Why - Air Date 4-22-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Science Fair - Recess Monkey

Ch. 12: Act 6: Take Part in Global Divestment Mobilization Week May 5-13 via @GoFossilFree @350 - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: This Fickle World - Theo Bard

Ch. 14: Act 7: Trump Signs Government Scientist Gag Order - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 01-26-17

Voicemails

Ch. 15: Not all anti-choice people want to punish women who have abortions - Alan from Georgia

Ch. 16: Less desire, less suffering - Dale from Minneapolis, MN

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

Ch. 17: Final comments on how to sustain your activism

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

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Join or organize Global Divestment Mobilization Actions, May 5-13,2017

Follow @GoFossilFree and @350 on Twitter

Engage with the Divestment Mobilization hashtag #FossilFree

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Why Divestment is Changing the Climate Movement (The Nation, 2013)

The rise and rise of the fossil fuel divestment movement (The Guardian, 2015)

This is a Timed Test (Slate, Bill McKibben, 2015)

Written by BOTL Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Direct download: 1099_Science_Air_Date_4-28-17_-_4-28-17_9.36_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Tue, 25 April 2017

(2017/0425) Trump and Republicans take aim at women (Reproductive Justice)

Edition #1098

Today we look at the current state of abortion politics here and abroad and explain how the Republicans intend to hurt women and increase the number of abortions worldwide by ignoring science and humanity

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: Education and contraception bring abortion rates as low as 1973 - Savage Love w: @FakeDanSavage - Air Date 1-31-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Thanks, Birth Control: The Song - bedsider

Ch. 4: Act 2: The Story Behind the Mexico City Policy - On the Media - Air Date 1-27-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: Bury the Past - Professional Victims

Ch. 6: Act 3: Trump’s Anti-Abortion Order Likely to Increase Abortions - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 02-03-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Mandy Goes to Med School - The Dresden Dolls

Ch. 8: Act 4: Where abortion is illegal - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 3-30-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Luriana Lurilee - Ben McElroy

Ch. 10: Act 5: Mike Pence Casts Tie-Breaking Vote To Defund Planned Parenthood - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-31-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Beneath the Lies - Abscondo

Ch. 12: Act 6: Protect #ReproductiveRights at the State Level via @PPact @ReproRights @AllAboveAll - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Activism - Shihan

Ch. 14: Act 7: Beyond Choice to Reproductive Justice - @Making_Contact - Air Date 4-12-17

Voicemails

Ch. 15: Understanding human interactions - Alan from Connecticut

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

Ch. 16: Final comments on how the Science of "Blue Lies" May Explain Trump's Support

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

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Get involved with Planned Parenthood Action Fund and follow @PPact

Get involved with The Center for Reproductive Rights and follow @ReproRights

Get involved with All Above All and follow @AllAboveAll

EDUCATE YOURSELF

State lawmakers rush to protect funding for Planned Parenthood (PBS Newshour)

Minnesota House backs ban on state dollars for abortion (StarTribune)

Governor Bullock lets Montana abortion bill become law (Missoulian)

Women march outside as abortion bill debated inside (The State Journal-Register)

Trump Signs Law Giving States Option To Deny Funding For Planned Parenthood (NPR)

Why is Planned Parenthood popular? And if it's defunded, could any other organization fill the gap? (LA Times)

Who's Popular and Who Isn't? (NBC News)

The EACH Woman Act (Congress.gov)

Women's Health Protection Act (Congress.gov)

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: 1098_Repro_Rights_Air_Date_4-25-17_-_4-25-17_6.56_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Fri, 21 April 2017

(2017/04/21) Good-Natured (Economics and Culture)

Edition #1097

Today we make the argument that people are naturally good and that society and economists should treat them that way

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: A lesson in Buddhist economics Part 1 - @thisishellradio - Air Date 3-7-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Out With the Old - Casa Di Mondo

Ch. 4: Act 2: Thomas Hobbes Was Wrong... Our Core Nature Is Good! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date: 01-05-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: One of the Good Ones - Redd Kross

Ch. 6: Act 3: A lesson in Buddhist economics Part 2 - @thisishellradio - Air Date 3-7-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Renegades - X Ambassadors

Ch. 8: Act 4: Nipun Mehta - Designing For Generosity - TEDxBerkeley - Air Date: 02-26-12

Ch. 9: Song 4: Something Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema Club

Ch. 10: Act 5: Lux Narayan: What I learned from 2,000 obituaries - @TEDTalks - Air Date 3-1-17

Voicemails

Ch. 11: You're killing me - Anonymous

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

Ch. 12: Final comments on balancing the bad with a positive vision for the future

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: 1097_Culture_Air_Date_4-21-17_-_4-21-17_6.53_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Tue, 18 April 2017

(2017/04/18) The oligarch who decided to buy the White House (Corruption)

Edition #1096

Today we look at some of the lesser-known characters in the right-wing oligarchy who now own the White House and Supreme Court

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: Inside How the Federalist Society & Koch Brothers Are Pushing for Trump to Reshape Federal Judiciary - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 03-21-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Follow the Money - Vova Zen

Ch. 4: Act 2: Robert Mercers bizarre opinions and influences - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-22-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: The Oligarch - Ephemerals

Ch. 6: Act 3: Dark Data Trump Backers Bankroll Firm Developing Psychological Profiles of Every U.S. Voter - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 03-23-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Take A Look Around {Instrumental) - Limp Bizkit

Ch. 8: Act 4: How to protect yourself in the face of diminishing online privacy - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 3-25-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Mind Control - Stephen Marley

Ch. 10: Act 5: The Secret Family Behind The Rise Of Brietbart News - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 03-28-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Follow the Money - Zounds

Ch. 12: Act 6: Who Bankrolls Breitbart News? - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 03-31-17

Ch. 13: Song 6: Oligarchy - The Haymarket Squares

Ch. 14: Act 7: Erik Prince rises again - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 4-5-17

Voicemails

Ch. 15: Clarifying the right to labor - Dan from Cleveland

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

Ch. 16: Final comments on yet another reason why health care is not slavery

Bonus Clip: Free Healthcare = Slavery (Rand Paul) - The Young Turks - Air Date 5-13-2011

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: 1096_Oligarchy_Air_Date_4-18-17_-_4-18-17_5.41_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Fri, 14 April 2017

(2017/04/14) Reckless Empire and the Forever War (Foreign Policy)

Edition #1095

Today we look at a Trump’s foreign policy so far, question the prevailing narrative and look back at how we got to now

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: Trump Bombs Syria: It's Bad, Really Bad - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 04-10-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Handlebars - Flobots

Ch. 4: Act 2: Taking the wider angle perspective on America's militarism - #PoliticallyReactive with @wkamaubell and @harikondabolu - Air Date 4-12-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: Don't Waste Your Breath - Colour Me Wednesday

Ch. 6: Act 3: Questioning the unquestioned media narrative of US military actions - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 4-12-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Fake Empire - The National

Ch. 8: Act 4: Stupid and easily manipulatable as Commander in Chief - @HumorlessQueers - Air Date 3-25-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Mistake - Hi I'm Case

Ch. 10: Act 5: Strike That Killed Dozens of Civilians Is Exactly What Trump Promised - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-29-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Forgotten - The Haymarket Squares

Ch. 12: Act 6: Fight the War Economy By Growing Local #Peace Economies via @CodePink - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6: Song Link here

Ch. 14: Act 7: Andrew Bacevich on the Carter doctrine and the birth of our endless Middle East war - Le Show w @TheHarryShearer - Air Date 2-12-17

Voicemails

Ch. 15: Thank you for disability episode - Tyler from Maine

Ch. 16: Asking for clarification on health care policy - David from South Carolina

Voicemail Music: Loud Pipes - Classics

Ch. 17: Final comments on why government-administered health insurance isn’t slavery

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

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Visit codepink.org/peaceeconomy to learn more about divesting from war and investing in your community

Take action with Next Steps to building a Local Peace Economy

Follow Code Pink @codepink or their Peace Economy campaign account @PeaceEcon

EDUCATE YOURSELF

What does an 'America First' Policy Actually Mean? (The Nation)

No Rural-Urban Divide Here: We All Want Good Jobs and Strong Local Economies (YES! Magazine)

What a Policy of Real Solidarity with the Syrian People Looks Like (YES! Magazine)

Why These Missile Strikes Won't Make Things Better for the Syrian People (YES! Magazine)

To Billionaire Doomsday Preppers: Your Wealth Won't Save You (YES! Magazine)

Is War Good for the Economy? (Huffington Post Blog, 2013)

A State of Perpetual War (Huffington Post Blog, 2010)

The US and NATO are Preparing for a Major War with Russia (The Nation, 2016)

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: 1095_Foreign_Policy_Air_Date_4-14-17_-_4-14-17_9.08_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Tue, 11 April 2017

(2017/04/11) An identity group that any one of us might join at any time (Disability Rights)

Edition #1094

Today we look at a variety of ways to bring the disability rights movement into the mainstream of media, advocacy and 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

Ch. 2: Act 1: Media coverage of disabilities and the ADA getting better but still lacking - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-31-15

Ch. 3: Song 1: Nothing Is Good Enough (Instrumental) - Aimee Mann

Ch. 4: Act 2: Bringing disability into the mainstream of diversity - Off Kilter (@TalkPoverty) - Air Date: 7-2-15

Ch. 5: Song 2: Going Home - Niklas Aman

Ch. 6: Act 3: Discrimination in immigration then and now - Backstory - Air Date 2-10-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: The Cave - Piano Tribute Players

Ch. 8: Act 4: On Disability and Representation - Black Girls Talking - Air Date 7-20-16

Ch. 9: Song 4: Julie-O - Kevin "KO" Olusola

Ch. 10: Act 5: Stop HR 620: Tell Congress to #ProtectADA via @NDRNAdvocates - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 11: Song 5: La Valse d'Amélie (Version Orchestre) - Yann Tiersen

Ch. 12: Act 6: Elise Roy: When we design for disability, we all benefit - @TEDTalks - Air Date 11-12-16

Ch. 23: Final comments

Bonus Clip 1: Nick Dupree's Story: A Medicaid Victory - All Things Considered - Air Date 2-12-03

Bonus Clip 2: Nick Dupree Fought To Live 'Like Anyone Else' - All Things Considered - Air Date 2-22-17

Bonus Clip 3: Tribute to Nick Dupree - @dccommonsense w/ Dan Carlin - Air Date 3-15-17

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

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Visit the NDRN website to read up on the response to HR 620 and learn what you can do to protect the ADA

Call Congress, especially the 14 co-sponsors of HR 620 (7 Republicans, 7 Democrats)

Learn more about disability culture and experiences through personal stories via Disability Visibility Project and about the importance of disabled people in public service via #CriptheVote.

EDUCATE YOURSELF

HR 620: ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017 (via Countable.us)

Overview of Concerns on HR 620 (via NDRN.org)

Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities Letter of Opposition for ADA Education and Reform Act of 2017, HR 620 (via NDRN.org)

People with Disabilities Battle Trump (via Workers World)

Denham bill would fight ADA lawsuit abuse (via Central Valley Business Journal)

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: 1094_Disability_Air_Date_4-11-17_-_4-11-17_5.22_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Fri, 7 April 2017

(2017/04/07) The Exxon President goes to war with the planet (Climate)

Edition #1093

Today we look at Trump’s recent moves to dismantle Obama’s environmental legacy, the legal troubles he faces and the bright future that renewable energy is still headed towards

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: Trump SHREDDING Obama's Environmental Rules - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-30-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: Revolution (Human Need Over Profit) - Tha Truth

Ch. 4: Act 2: Rolling back Obama's clean energy policies will be harder than Trump thinks - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 3-29-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: Things a Get from Bad to Worse - The Ethiopians

Ch. 6: Act 3: Solar Creating Jobs 2X Faster Than Dirty Coal, Trump Wants Coal - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date: 03-19-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Underneath A Blackened Moon - Keith And Joan Pitzer

Ch. 8: Act 4: Trump Has Weakened America By Destroying Environmental Protections - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date: 04-03-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: What Have We Done - The Haymarket Squares

Ch. 10: Act 5: Why Trump Will Go Down In History As The Exxon President - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 03-18-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: My Country - Nahko and Medicine for the People

Ch. 12: Act 6: Human adaptation at odds with fortress continents - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 3-29-17

Ch. 13: Song 6: Something happened - The Dodos

Ch. 14: Act 7: To save the climate we need to remake the Democratic party - @thisishellradio - Air Date 3-11-17

Ch. 15: Song 7: Do The Right Thing - Beres Hammond

Ch. 16: Act 8: Get in the Streets! Join #ScienceMarch on 4-22 & People's #ClimateMarch on 4-29 via @ScienceMarchDC and @Peoples_Climate - Best of the Left Activism

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

Ch. 18: Act 9: Fantastic, amazing, excellent, very good news for renewable energy - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 3-14-17

Ch. 19: Final comments on a couple more resources for the war on coal

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

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

April 22nd (Earth Day): March for Science Follow: @ScienceMarchDC

April 29th (Trump’s 100th Day): People’s Climate March Follow: @Peoples_Climate

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Activists Announce People's Climate March (Huffington Post)

Peoples Climate Movement Releases March Route (Common Dreams)

Climate Justice Organizations Call for "People's Climate March" on April 29 (DemocracyNow!)

Pussy Hats Making Way For Resistor Beanies In Science March (Huffington Post)

This man in a space suit has a message for Earthlings (CNN)

Congress’s one PhD-trained scientist will join march on Washington (STAT News)

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: 1093_Climate_Air_Date_4-7-17_-_4-7-17_8.44_PM.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm EDT

Tue, 4 April 2017

(2017/04/04) Under surveillance from all angles (Privacy Rights)

Edition #1092

Today we look at the ways in which both corporate and governmental institutions are looking to gain more and more access to your private data and communications

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