Tue, 25 December 2018
Air Date: 12/21/2013 You didn't think the War on Christmas™ could get any more exciting but then someone decided to bring race into the mix and the whole thing blew sky high. We'll report back as casualty numbers are confirmed. Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Show NotesCh. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill Ch. 2: Act 1: Genesis of Bill O'Reilly's War On Christmas - Jimmy Dore Show - Air Date 12-6-13 Ch. 3: Song 1: Ding Dong Merrily On High - I Saw Three Ships..... and Other Carols Ch. 4: Act 2: Christian Radio Host Wants to "Punch Atheists" - Majority Report - Air Date: 01-08-13 Ch. 5: Song 2: Carol of the Bells - Christmas Celebration Ch. 6: Act 3: Pat Robertson: Atheists 'Miserable' & Trying to Steal Christmas - David Pakman Show - Air Date: 11-22-12 Ch. 7: Song 3: Walking In the Air - The Snowman Ch. 8: Act 4: Scrooge was not the hero of 'A Christmas Carol' - Bill Maher - Air Date: 11-11-11 Ch. 9: Song 4: Scrooge - The Muppet Christmas Carol (Special Anniversary Edition) Ch. 10: Act 5: War on Christmas: Christians Losing Culture War! - Young Turks - Air Date: 12-15-12 Ch. 11: Song 5: I Saw Three Ships - I Saw Three Ships..... and Other Carols Ch. 12: Act 6: On Veterans Day, Hannity Devotes Twice As Much Time To "War On Christmas" - Media Matters Minute - Air Date: 11-12-13 Ch. 14: Act 7: Megyn Kelly: Don't Worry Kids, Jesus and Santa Are White!! - Majority Report - Air Date: 12-13-13 Ch. 15: Song 7: God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen - David Grisman's Acoustic Christmas Ch. 16: Act 8: The fear of a black Santa continues - All in With Chris Hayes - Air Date: 12-16-13 Ch. 21: Song 8: Nutcracker: Act 1: March - Nutcracker Ch. 18: Act 9: Megyn 'Santa And Jesus Are White' Kelly A Victim Of Race-Baiting - Young Turks - Air Date: 12-17-13 Ch. 21: Song 9: Mistletoe and Holly - Christmas With Sinatra and Friends Ch. 20: Act 10: Sarah Palin 'War on Christmas' Book Flops - David Pakman Show - Air Date: 12-06-13 Ch. 21: Song 10: Get down for the holidays - Jenny O. Ch. 20: Act 11: Right Wing's Fake War on Christmas Started Nearly 100 Years Ago - Majority Report - Air Date: 12-19-13 Ch. 21: Song 11: Good King Wenceslas - The Millennia Collection: Best-Loved Christmas Carols Ch. 20: Act 12: The Dark Mastermind Behind The War On Christmas - Young Turks - Air Date: 12-20-13 Ch. 21: Song 12: Christians and Pagans - Mortal City Ch. 20: Act 13: Jesus Is a Liberal Democrat - Colbert Report - Air Date: 12-16-2010
Direct download: Rerun_784_War_on_Christmas_Air_Date_12-21-13_Ad_Free_-_122518_07.44.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Fri, 21 December 2018
Air Date: 12/21/2018 Today we take a look at the Yellow Vests protest in France to understand what they are, how they started and what implications they have for the struggle between neoliberal, fascist and progressive politics worldwide Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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SHOW NOTES Militant "yellow vest" protests continue in France, despite President Macron's efforts to offer concessions. World Politics Review's Judah Grunstein talks to us from Paris and provides a background briefing on the Yellow Vest protests. Ch. 3: Woke Pamela Anderson Explains Paris Riots - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 12-7-18 Pamela Anderson gives a great breakdown of the Yellow Vests protest and protests in general. Ch. 4: The Yellow Vest Protests in France - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-4-18 Alissa Rubin, New York Times bureau chief in Paris, talks about the deadly Yellow Vest protests in France, and whether world leaders can take necessary steps to address global warming without imposing overly harsh economic burdens on hard-working citizens. With the rise of the Yellow Vest (Gilets jaunes) movement, there no clearer evidence that zombie neoliberalism is bound to fail. This crisis cannot be solved with the centrist policies and politics that caused it in the first place. “By many accounts Macron’s paying the price not so much for taxing carbon as for ignoring inequality and passing tax breaks for the rich, while pushing more austerity on people already at breaking point.” Laura Flanders, weekly commentary. The yellow vests have pushed President Macron to kill the proposed fuel tax. Here’s what you need to know about the tax - and what we can learn from the gilets jaunes. We talk about the Yellow Vest movement and what it means for the left going forward. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: I say Happy Holidays because I get my Christmas cards out late - Jeff from Charlotte, NC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on selective inclusion and exclusion and clarification on why it’s good to be able to argue your opponent’s side MUSIC:
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1237_The_Yellow_Vests_Air_Date_12-21-18_-_12-21-18_21.16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm EST |
Tue, 18 December 2018
Air Date: 12/18/2018 Today, as we do each year, we take a look at the current state of the War on Christmas™ but with more of a historical focus on how we got here Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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SHOW NOTES Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. Neil argued the “war on Christmas” is largely a media phenomenon, noting that many religious leaders have chosen to ignore the controversy or to argue that the real war on Christmas is the holiday’s over-commercialization. Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. Ch. 4: White Supremacy and the So-Called “War on Christmas” - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 1-6-18 Randy Blazak is the guest on this week’s episode of The Chauncey DeVega Show. He is a tenured sociologist and criminologist who has taught at Portland State University as well as the University of Oregon. Ronit and Katie talk holidays and slut-shaming Christmas carols. Historian Judith Flanders explores the populist, adaptive, multi-purpose, meaning of Christmas. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Thoughts on the Brazilian election and the global right-wing backlash - Jeff from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments MUSIC:
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1236_War_on_Christmas_Air_Date_12-18-18_-_12-18-18_20.40.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:21pm EST |
Fri, 14 December 2018
Air Date: 12/14/2018 Today we take a look critically at the life and times of George H.W. Bush Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Episode Sponsors: Action Heat| HRW.org/best| Madison-Reed.com+ Promo Code: Left Amazon USA| Amazon CA| Amazon UK| Clean Choice Energy Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon! SHOW NOTES Janine Jackson takes a quick look at coverage of the death of George H.W. Bush. Ch. 2: Remembering the President Completely - On The Media - Air Date 12-7-18 This week Brooke talks to Buzzfeed senior culture writer Anne Helen Petersen about whose voices and experiences are prioritized in presidential remembrances and why they leave us with an incomplete picture. After learning that his own Justice Department is investigating his crimes, Vice President Spiro Agnew embarks on a secret, behind-the-scenes effort… to obstruct justice. It’s a scheme that ends up involving George H.W. Bush George H. W. Bush paved the way for today’s Republican party with his racist Willy Horton campaign, the nomination of Clarence Thomas to the Supreme Court, and pardoning the Iran-Contra conspirator whose trial would have exposed his own abuse of power. Ch. 5: Thoughts on George H.W. Bush's environmental legacy - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 12-2-18 We review parts of Bush Sr.’s legacy today — without either dancing on his grave or lionizing — particularly on the environment. A panel of experts looks at some of the actions of George H.W. Bush that warrant a more critical response. Ch. 7: George H.W. Bush and the war on drugs - @tmbsfm with @_michaelbrooks - Air Date 12-3-18 We discuss George HW Bush's legacy of decimation and murder. Ch. 8: George H. W. Bush, American War Criminal - @Intercepted w @JeremyScahill - Air Date 12-4-18 Jeremy Scahill details the crimes of George H.W. Bush, the sick propaganda of the corporate media memorials; and the trail of blood, death, and tears Bush leaves behind. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Powerful vs vulnerable in privacy and transparency - Terry from New York Ch. 10: Thoughts on the Brazilian election and the global right-wing backlash - Jeff from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on this one weird trick that could improve our debate-based media immeasurably MUSIC:
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1235_George_HW_Bush_Air_Date_12-14-18_-_12-13-18_19.30.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Tue, 11 December 2018
Air Date: 12/11/2018 Today we take a look at the election of a true neofascist to be president of Brazil and some of the economic and political realities that lead us to this point Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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SHOW NOTES Janine Jackson takes a quick look at the recent press, including Brazil’s new fascist president Ch. 2: Globalization — the Economics Work, the Politics Do Not - Who What Why - Air Date 5-10-18 Ian Bremmer makes the case that democracy, plus technology, plus political globalism simply can't work. According to Bremmer, we need to look no further than Trump, Brexit, and recent European elections for proof. Conversation with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald about the Brazilian election resulting in far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro being elected Brazil’s next president. Speaking with Brian Mier, an editor at Brasil Wire who also edited the book Voices of the Brazilian Left, about the election of Brazil’s new President Jair Bolsonaro Ch. 5: Wanis Kabbaj: How nationalism and globalism can coexist - @TEDTalks - Air Date 11-13-18 Why do we have to choose between nationalism and globalism, between loving our countries and caring for the world? In this talk, Wanis Kabbaj explains how we can challenge this polarizing, binary thinking VOICEMAILS Ch. 6: Analyzing the 2018 elections and beyond - V from Central New York Ch. 7: When hate comes for one group it comes for all groups - Mary Lynn from MN FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the power dynamic of privacy vs trasnparency MUSIC:
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1234_Brazils_election_Air_Date_12-11-18_-_12-11-18_11.42.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Fri, 7 December 2018
Air Date: 12/7/2018 Today we take a look at the ongoing war in Yemen including its origins, multitude of players, the US supporting that is helping drive the worlds worst humanitarian crisis and what we can and should do to stop it. Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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SHOW NOTES Janine Jackson gives a quick update on MSNBC‘s coverage of Yemen. Ch. 2: Why U.S. Bombs Are Falling in Yemen - The Daily - Air Date 11-19-18 The killing of Jamal Khashoggi has renewed criticism of Saudi Arabia, including the kingdom’s role in the war in Yemen, a war that the United States has backed from the beginning and has created one of the worst humanitarian crisis' in the world. Ch. 3: Whitewashing America’s Role in Yemen - Citations Needed (@CitationsPod) - Air Date 11-28-18 Adam and Nima look back at the media’s coverage of the tragedy in Yemen that obeys a very narrow Overton Window on our wars of empire Ch. 4: Why Is No-one Trying to Stop the War in Yemen? - The Inquiry - Air Date 4-4-17 The UN is calling it a humanitarian crisis. And yet it’s far from clear which, if any, of the multiple nations and groups involved in the conflict, is working to end it. In other words, our question this week, why is no one trying to stop the war in Yemen? Ch. 5: The Saudi-US Agenda Behind Destroying Yemen (Pt 1/2) - @TheRealNews - Air Date 8-3-18 Professor Isa Blumi of Stockholm University and author of "Destroying Yemen," discusses the motives and impact of the unrelenting US-backed assault An update on Yemen as Senator Bernie Sanders is now leading an effort to block U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Our guest is Jehan Hakim, chair of the Yemeni Alliance Committee, which is working to end the war. Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Ch. 8: Trump’s Muslim Ban Tearing Apart Families - News Beat - Air Date 8-1-18 Twenty-two million people are at risk of starving to death in Yemen due to the U.S.-backed bombing campaign there. Compounding the tragedy is Trump’s self-professed Muslim Ban barring families from ever reuniting—even to escape near-certain death VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Warrens DNA - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 10: Exploring the connection between race and identity - Elizabeth from Virginia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on what genocide is and isn’t TAKE ACTION! 1. Tell Your Members of Congress to support: SENATE (WAR POWERS RESOLUTION): S.J.Res.54 - A joint resolution to direct the removal of United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. HOUSE (WAR POWERS RESOLUTION): H.Con.Res.138 - Directing the President pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities in the Republic of Yemen that have not been authorized by Congress. 2. Share this action on social media with the hashtag #YemenCantWait 3. Help the Yemeni people directly: International Rescue Committee - Yemen (IRC) Humanitarian crisis: What can I do to help? (BBC) Charities Responding to the Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen (Charity Navigator) Yemen Crisis: How to help people and children facing famine (NBC) EDUCATE YOURSELF 85,000 Children in Yemen May Have Died of Starvation(NY Times) Congress is finally pushing the US to withdraw from Yemen. It's about time(The Guardian) Demand an End to US Support for the War in Yemen(The Nation) Yemen's humanitarian crisis worsens each day. Here's how to stop it(CNN) Climate Change Is Aggravating the Suffering in Yemen (The New Republic) How Congress Can End the War in Yemen (NY Review of Books) When will America stop participating in Yemen's genocidal war? (The Guardian) Life in Yemen Is Sophie's Choice (The Atlantic) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
MUSIC(Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1233_Yemen_Air_Date_12-7-18_-_12-7-18_11.11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EST |
Tue, 4 December 2018
Air Date: 12/4/2018 Today we take a look at the two major recent climate change reports that were released and some of the new energy arriving in Congress determined to be equal to the task Be part of the show! Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Behind the scenes at the IPCC with Dr. Katharine Mach - America Adapts - Air Date 3-13-17 Dr. Katharine Mach, Director of Stanford Environment Assessment Facility - Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and former Co-Director of the Working Group II of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Ch. 2: Discussing the new IPPC report - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 10-8-18 The IPCC report warns that unless very serious changes are made by governments over the next 10 years, the worst effects of global warming will arrive far sooner than previously predicted A new United Nations report published this week highlights a number of climate change impacts that could be avoided by limiting global warming to 1.5 C compared to 2 C, or more. The conclusion: Every bit of warming of matters. Once again, examples of media missing the point in just such a way that protects corporations and blames individuals for systemic problems Arguing that our economic status quo cannot be seen as a constraint to recommended climate actions Ch. 6: Special Report on the National Climate Assessment - @GreenNewsReport - Air Date 11-26-18 Major U.S. climate report warns global warming is already devastating America’s environment and economy — and unless we act aggressively to reduce emissions, it is going to get MUCH worse Ch. 7: The Science Behind Trump’s Climate Report - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-28-18 Christopher Joyce, correspondent on the science desk at NPR, talks about the science behind Trump Administration’s climate report, and the push for a Green New Deal. Ch. 8: Who Is To Blame For The Earth's Destruction? - Sustainable Human - Air Date 3-7-18 It’s partly economic. It’s partly infrastructural. It’s partly the habits that were imbued in us growing up in this culture - habits of competition, habits of scarcity, habits of judgment, habits of struggle. Varshini Prakash of the Sunrise Movement talks about why hundreds of activists occupied Nancy Pelosi's offices demanding a Green New Deal and an end to fossil fuel contributions VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Making a dirty deal with white supremacy - Zev from Southern Illinois Ch. 11: Explain the Elizabeth Warren issue to me - Nick from California Ch. 12: Here's my B+ answer on Elizabeth Warren - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the dead-end conclusion of having the wrong conversation :
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher| Spotify| Alexa Devices| +more Check out the BotL iOS/AndroidApp in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1232_Understanding_our_last_chance_to_save_ourselves.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00am EST |