Air Date: 2/27/2018

Today we take a look at the youth-lead response to the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School as well as some history of youth-protest movements

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 

Ch. 2: Act 1: “The Time to Act Is Now” Florida School Shooting Survivors Confront Trump, Rubio on Gun Control - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 02-22-18

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Quaver - Codebreaker

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Ch. 4: Act 2: The impressive response from students of Stoneman Douglas High School - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 2-22-18

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Lahaina - Cloud Harbor

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Ch. 6: Act 3: The Last School Shooting - On the Media - Air Date 2-23-18

Ch. 7: Song 3:  The Envelope - Aeronaut

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Ch. 8: Act 4: The history and present of youth leadership in protest - #SundayCivics - Air Date 2-25-18

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Minutes - Pacha Faro

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Ch. 10: Act 5: Mary Beth Tinker on the power of youth protest - Trumpcast - Air Date 2-23-18

Ch. 11: Song 5:  Gullwing Sailor - Migration

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Ch. 12: Act 6: Stand with the Students to Demand Real Gun Regulation: Call. March. Boycott. Vote. via @AMarch4OurLives #NeverAgain

Ch. 13: Song 6:  When in the West - Landsman Duets

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Ch. 14: Act 7: The next crop of leaders standing up to injustice - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 2-22-18

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Voicemails

Ch. 15: There was a lack of nuance in the Israel and Palestine episodes - Jeff T from New York

Ch. 16: Sharing some insights from a fearful, gun-owning couple - Steve from Tampa, FL

Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent

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Ch. 17: Final comments on what news I remember from high school and some critical thinking homework in response to the voicemails

Help fight climate change! Donate to Jay's Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions)

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Activism:

TAKE ACTION

#NeverAgain: Take part in the March for Our Lives in DC, or find one near you, on Saturday, March 24th

Donate to support the organizing efforts for the marches nationwide

Encourage young people to pre-register & register to vote before the midterm elections. #VoteforOurLives

Call and write your members of congress about gun control and VOTE!

Boycott and pressure banks & companies with ties to the NRA and gun and ammunition producers.

Other ways you can help: Donate to the Parkland Victims Fund, the MSD Benefit Concert, and/or the Journalism Program at MSD

EDUCATE YOURSELF

The Parkland Students Aren't Going Away (The Atlantic)

How the Survivors of Parkland Began the Never Again Movement (The New Yorker)

Students Who Lived Through Florida Shooting Turn Rage Into Activism (NPR)

Key Gun Violence Statistics (The Brady Campaign)

Florida shooting leads some Republicans to say it's time for Congress to do more than talk (USA Today)

The NRA is being supported by these companies (Think Progress)

Companies are cutting ties with the NRA after the Parkland mass shooting (Vox)

These are the banks financing the assault weapons industry (Think Progress)

Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman 

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Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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Air Date: 4/21/2017

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

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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

Air Date: 2/20/2018

Today we respond to the recent Trump budget proposal with some economic theories of our own, a description of how we could make ourselves happier and more prosperous and an explanation for why the GOP governing philosophy is so at odds with implementing programs that people like

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 

Ch. 2: Act 1: The corporate slight-of-hand in the wake of the New Deal - Economic Update with Prof. Richard D. Wolff - Air Date: 08-31-2017

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Gondola Blue - Towboat

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Ch. 4: Act 2: Sweden Got More Socialist, Economy Now BOOMING - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 05-15-17 

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Wingspan - Bayou Birds

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Ch. 6: Act 3: People in Denmark Are Much Happier Than People in the United States. Here’s Why. - The Nation - Air Date 7-17-17

Ch. 7: Song 3:  N/A

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Ch. 8: Act 4: Using economic crisis to roll back the gains for works made after the last crisis - Economic Update - Air Date 7-7-17

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Contrarian - Sketchbook

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Ch. 10: Act 5: Justifying Universal Social Safety Nets Means Testing Is Incredibly Divisive & Politically Toxic - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 08-31-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Surly Bonds - Aeronaut

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Ch. 12: Act 6: #HandsOff: Reject Trump’s Morally Bankrupt Budget via @amprog @CoalitiononHN @CenterOnBudget @SSWorks

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

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Ch. 14: Act 7: The Two Santa Claus Theory: Republican Strategy to Dismantle the Social Safety Net - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 1-31-18

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Ch. 15: Final comments on the tipping point in the Democratic party that portends hope for the future

Help fight climate change! Donate to my Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions)

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Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Tell Congress to keep #HandsOff necessary government programs by calling, and emailing via the Coalition on Human Needs action page

Check out and share the Center for American Progress Budget Fact Sheets

Check out and share reports from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities

Get involved with the Coalition for Human Needs & Social Security Works

EDUCATE YOURSELF

President's Budget Would Cut Food Assistance for Millions and Radically Restructure SNAP (CBPP)

Policy Basics: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) (CBPP)

Fact Sheet: How Trump's 2019 Budget Hurts Older Americans (Center for American Progress)

Trump's 2019 Budget: what he cuts, how much he cuts, and why it matters (Vox) 

“America’s Harvest Box” Captures the Trumpian Attitude Toward Poverty (The New Yorker)

A Bad Budget for America's Place in the World (Center for American Progress)

Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman 

---

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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

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Air Date: 2/16/2018

Today, after having recently looked at a few of the details of Israel, we take a look at what's happening on the other side of the border, in Palestine. 

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 

Ch. 2: Act 1: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 1 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Parade Shoes - Arc and Crecent

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Ch. 4: Act 2: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine Part 1 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Gullwing Sailor - Migration

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Ch. 6: Act 3: Ben Ehrenreich and Amy Wilentz looking at life for Palestinians on the West Bank - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date is 7-6-2016

Ch. 7: Song 3:  modum - Kai Engel

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Ch. 8: Act 4: Amer Zahr on working toward rights and democracy for all in Israel - Part 2 - @RalphNader Radio Hour - Air Date 3-18-17

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Another Promise Kept - Art Of Escapism

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Ch. 10: Act 5: The Oakland Institute's Anuradha Mittal on Life, Land and the Wall Between Them in Occupied Palestine - Part 2 - This is Hell - Air Date 11-1-17

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Voicemails

Ch. 11: Filling in some gaps in the #MeToo discussion - Margareet from Fortuna, CA

Ch. 12: How do we do egalitarianism right? - Susie from Chicago, IL

Ch. 13: The failure of imagination of jumping to advocating agency - Dave from Olympia, WA

Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent

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Ch. 14: Final comments in which Jay shows the way forward to build gender egalitarianism by repeating what some women have been saying for years

Help fight climate change! Donate to my Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions)

---

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date: 2/13/2018

Today we take a look at the history and context of the Korean Peninsula, how it was split in two in the first place and how self-perpetuating actions have been taken ever since to bring us to the brink of what would be a completely unnecessary and utterly disastrous war

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 

Ch. 2: Act 1: Ghosts of the Korean War - @Making_Contact - Air Date 2-7-18

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Plate Statis - Algea Fields

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Ch. 4: Act 2: Understanding the problems on the Korean peninsula Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-18-17

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Unfolding Plot - Ray Catcher

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Ch. 6: Act 3: If you Remember Vietnam, You Already Know Whats Happening With North Korea - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 09-20-17

Ch. 7: Song 3:  Celestial Navigation - Aeronaut

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Ch. 8: Act 4: Why Kim Jong Un is rational in his own context - Cape Up - Air Date 1-16-18

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Shift of Currents - Aeronaut

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Ch. 10: Act 5: The breakdown in our negotiating tactics with North Korea Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-18-17

Ch. 11: Song 5:  Thread Caramb - Textile Caramb

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Ch. 12: Act 6: Donald Trump Proves North Korea Was Right According To Kim Jong-un - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 09-22-17

Ch. 13: Song 6:  Cloud Line - K4

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Ch. 14: Act 7: What Would War with North Korea Look Like? - The Inquiry - Air Date 7-26-17

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Voicemails

Ch. 15: Explaining rank-choice voting - Erin from Philadelphia

Ch. 16: Catch problematic behaviors before they fester into something worse - Ariel from Memphis

Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent

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Ch. 17: Final comments on prosecutorial discretion in the court of public opinion

Help fight climate change! Donate to my Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions)

---

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

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Air Date: 3/31/2017

Today we look at the multi-front political battles being waged for the heart of the progressive movement, women’s movement, the Democratic party and the county as a whole

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Show Notes

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

Ch. 2: Act 1: A roundup of grassroots resistance groups - Start Making Sense from @TheNation - Air Date 3-8-17

Ch. 3: Song 1: A Lot of Work to Do - Friendly People

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Ch. 4: Act 2: Intersectional feminism is looking to tear down the capitalism establishment - Off Kilter (@TalkPoverty) - Air Date 3-8-17

Ch. 5: Song 2: Intersectionality - Those American Girls

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Ch. 6: Act 3: The Democratic party needs to debate it's differences - The Zero Hour w @RJEskow - Air Date 3-4-17

Ch. 7: Song 3: Keep On Moving Forward - Emma's Revolution

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Ch. 8: Act 4: Why we can't abandon the red states - Belabored (@DissentMag) - Air Date 3-24-17

Ch. 9: Song 4: Immigrants (We Get the Job Done) - K'naan, Snow Tha Product, Riz MC & Residente

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Ch. 10: Act 5: A coalition of movements arise under Trump - @theLFshow w @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 3-15-17

Ch. 11: Song 5: Workers of the World Unite! - The Last Internationale

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Ch. 12: Act 6: Nancy Pelosi Has Super Secret Plan To Keep Losing - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-24-17

Ch. 13: Song 6: Master Plan - My Morning Jacket

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Ch. 14: Act 7: The messaging of inevitability for the progressive movement - The Zero Hour w: @RJEskow - Air Date 3-4-17

Ch. 15: Song 7: Inevitable - Scissor Sisters

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Ch. 16: Act 8: Tap Into the Tools for ‘The Resistance’ - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 17: Song 8: Time for Action - Secret Affair

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Ch. 18: Act 9: Women in the age of Trump and what the movement looks like - We the Podcast with Rep. @keithellison - Air Date 3-30-17

Air Date: 2/6/2018

Today we take a look at Israel from a variety of angles including what they do, who supports them and why

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Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 

Ch. 2: Act 1: Breaking down Trump's moves on Israel - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 1-31-18

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Quaver - Codebreaker

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Ch. 4: Act 2: What doesn't get mentioned when reporting on Israel - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 1-19-18

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Surly Bonds - Aeronaut

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Ch. 6: Act 3: “Gaza An Inquest into Its Martyrdom” Norman Finkelstein on the Many Lies Perpetuated About Gaza - @DemocracyNow - Air Date 01-10-18

Ch. 7: Song 3:  Hundred Mile-No Guitar - K2

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Ch. 8: Act 4: What Israel has to do with local policing in the US - Intercepted (@theintercept) - Air Date 9-20-17

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Lahaina - Cloud Harbor

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Ch. 10: Act 5: Richard Spencer Appears On Israeli TV, Says Ethno-Nationalism Should Make Viewers Respect Him - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 08-21-17

Ch. 11: Song 5:  Stale Case - Darby

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Ch. 12: Act 6: Ilan Pappé: The Myths of Israel - @TheRealNews - Air Date 3-30-17

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Ch. 13: Final comments addressing some of the concerns about the #MeToo movement

Help me reach my goal! Donate to my Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive)

---

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!

Air Date: 2/2/2018

Today we take a look at the economics of immigration, both the good and the bad, both the domestic and international

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Support our Winter Fundraiser!

Join the Best of the Left Social Network!

Show Notes

Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr

Ch. 2: Act 1: The economics of immigration and demonization - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 2-28-17

Ch. 3: Song 1:  Kawruwath Na - Amarasiri Peiris

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Ch. 4: Act 2: The economic benefits of welcoming anyone, regardless of immigration status - The Other Washington from @civicskunkworks - Air Date 5-11-17

Ch. 5: Song 2:  Another Promise Kept - Art Of Escapism

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Ch. 6: Act 3: How Democrats Used to Talk About Immigration - On The Media - Air Date 9-8-17

Ch. 7: Song 3:  Betty Dear - The Pine Barrens

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Ch. 8: Act 4: Why we all need to be involved in immigration fight - @SundayCivics - Air Date 1-28-18

Ch. 9: Song 4:  Le gris, le bleu, d'une profonde humilité - Monplaisir

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Ch. 10: Act 5: Juan Gonzalez on the hidden forces behind global immigration - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 1-31-18

Ch. 11: Song 5:  Homegrown - The Pine Barrens

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Ch. 12: Act 6: Demand Your MoCs Defend Dreamers and Pass a Clean #DreamActNow via Dreamer Pledge Project @IndivisibleTeam @UNITEDWEDREAM - Best of the Left Activism

Ch. 13: Song 6:  Rotisserie Graveyard - Doctor Turtle

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Ch. 14: Act 7: Back when America was great, it was awash in immigrants - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 1-18-18

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Voicemails

Ch. 15: Ranked-choice voting could work against progressives - Jeff from Charlotte, NC

Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent

(Additional music from Blue Dot Sessions, Free Music Archive) 

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Ch. 16: Final comments on ranked-choice voting

Help fight climate change! Donate to Jay!'s Climate Ride fundraiser!

Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

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Activism:

TAKE ACTION 

Use DreamerPledge.org tools and scripts to demand your MoCs protect Dreamers

REMINDERS: DACA ends March 5th! Next Continuing Resolution deadline is Feb. 8th!

EDUCATE YOURSELF

Do three-quarters of Americans support the DREAM Act? Nancy Pelosi says so (PolitiFact.com)

Senate Democrats cave, provide votes based on McConnell’s empty promise (Think Progress)

Compromise or cave-in? Democrats' deal to end shutdown sows division (The Guardian)

Dreamers are Americans Too (TIME)

“Dreamers” could give U.S. economy – and even American workers – a boost (Salon.com)

Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman

---

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

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

Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft

Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!