Wed, 3 March 2021
Air Date 6/21/2019 Today we take a look at the ways that Native Peoples are represented in white society and pop culture, how some are working to take back their own narratives and some insight into the profound effects, both positive and negative, of how peoples are represented. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES The Washington Post conducts a flawed survey resulting in a misleading conclusion that most native peoples don't consider Redskins to be an offensive term Racist representation of native peoples in sports and culture supports the anti-native sentiment that drives the MMIWG epidemic Ch. 3: A Native perspective for museums - Native America Calling - Air Date 4-9-19 Native peoples have had their stories told form them by white people for centuries, working in museums and cultural centers create the opportunities to tell their own stories W Kamau Bell and Hari Kondabolu step in a pile of native cultural appropriation and then slowly, messily wade their way out of it Discussing cultural appropriation in many forms including the legal trademarking of one of the terms most central to native Hawaiian culture, Aloha Ch. 6: 'Reel' Indians and the invention of Hollywood Indian English - Backstory - Air Date 11-22-14 A history lesson on the Hollywood creation of all of the stereotypes we reflexively think of when we think about how native peoples speak Ch. 7: On Native American Loss and Triumph - On the Media - Air Date 10-5-18 David Treuer discusses the means by which Indians have been fighting for social and political change for centuries. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Changed my mind in favor of impeachment - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the Canadian TV show “First Contact” and what it teaches us about how people do and don’t change their mind EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Native American imagery is all around us, while the people are often forgotten (National Geographic) The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women Epidemic Is Inseparable From Native Appropriation(Bustle) ‘It’s called a genocide’: Gavin Newsom apologizes to California’s Native Americans (San Francisco Chronicle) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: Rerun_1283_Native_MisRepresentation_Native_Peoples_Series_Part_5_-_3-3-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:42pm EST |
Sun, 28 February 2021
Air Date 2/27/2021 Today we take a look at the climate-fueled disaster in Texas from almost every angle; from the strictly scientific to the purely political and all of the disaster capitalism in between. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: UnF*cking The Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why on Earth are Winters Getting Worse if the Planet is Getting Warmer - Weathered - Air Date 2-1-21 Weathered is a show hosted by meteorologist Maiya May and produced by Balance Media that helps explain the most common natural disasters, what causes them, how they’re changing, and what we can do to prepare. Ch. 2: Power Outages Becomes Propaganda Nexus - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-17-21 Many Republicans, including Tucker Carlson, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and others, falsely claim that the Texas power outages are a direct result of Texas being too reliant on "unreliable" wind power Ch. 3: Chris Hayes To Ted Cruz: Governance Is Not Just ‘Performative Trolling’ - All In - Air Date 2-18-21 There are a million things that a senator can do in the middle of a disaster, none of which interests a politician like Ted Cruz, who sees himself as basically Rush Limbaugh with a Senate office Millions of people in Texas were plunged into freezing cold and darkness as a major winter storm overwhelmed the state's power grid. More than 12 million Texans face water disruptions and have been ordered to boil tap water for safe consumption Naomi Klein, senior correspondent at The Intercept and a professor at Rutgers University, says Republicans’ reaction is “because of panic” over their own culpability. This episode of Warm Regards focuses on two more facets of decision making based on data about how the climate is changing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: How to Prepare for Climate Change Part 1 - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 2-5-21 Ch. 8: How to Prepare for Climate Change Part 2 - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 2-5-21 Ready for the coming impact of climate change? Fear not as CBS Sunday science expert David Pogue tells #StrangeDaysPodcast how to get ready + Frank Schaeffer warns how radicalized evangelical Christians threaten Biden’s agenda & democracy. Ch. 9: Tara Houska and Ruth Breech on Divesting from Toxic Capitalism - For The Wild - Air Date 8-21-19 Climate disaster is unfolding before our eyes every day, and yet banks have poured $1.9 trillion into maintaining and expanding the fossil fuel industry since the Paris Agreement was adopted. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The divide is more religious than political - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on cancel culture MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1401_Texas.Climate_Air_Date_2-27-21_General_-_2-28-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EST |
Wed, 24 February 2021
Air Date 6/28/2019 Today we take a look at the ways that extreme inequality and many of the worst instincts and repercussions of capitalism are being upheld and perpetuated by our culture of philanthropy. It turns out that what we see as the rich giving back is really more of a purchase on their part, a purchase of our acceptance of inequality and the right of the wealthy to rule. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Gilded Rage - Future Perfect - Air Date 5-21-19 To put our new age of extreme inequality in perspective, we look back at Andrew Carnegie, who gave America a huge number of libraries so they’d forgive him for his brutal steel mills. We ask: Is the same thing happening in 2019? Ch. 2: Anand Giridharadas: Winners take all Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 9-27-18 Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, on the win-win business- and plutocrat-friendly philanthropy of today’s nouveau riche. Ch. 3: Rob Reich: Is big philanthropy destroying democracy? - Tiny Spark - Air Date 11-7-18 Stanford professor Rob Reich’s new book Just Giving: Why Philanthropy Is Failing Democracy and How It Can Do Better investigates how charity can undermine democratic values and explores the ways federal policies help to facilitate greater inequality. Ch. 4: Could billionaires solve global poverty? - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-25-19 Time editor at large, Anand Giridharadas, discusses whether billionaires can put an end to global poverty if they had the will to do so, and talks about his recent book, Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World Ch. 5: Rob Reich on whether philanthropy is bad for democracy - Rationally Speaking - Air Date 11-12-18 This episode features political scientist Rob Reich, author of "Just Giving: Why Philanthropy is Failing Democracy, and How it Can Do Better". Does it deserve to be tax-deductible? And do philanthropists have too much power in society? Ch. 6: Anand Giridharadas: Winners take all Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 9-27-18 Anand Giridharadas, author of Winners Take All, on the win-win business- and plutocrat-friendly philanthropy of today’s nouveau riche. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Inequality is the #1 issue - James from Sacramento, CA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on covering inequality and presenting a bonus clip on two manifestations of racism BONUS CLIP: Myths of the ruling class with Anand Giridharadas - Why is this happening? - Air Date 10-8-18 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1285_Philanthropy.Inequality_Air_Date_6-28-19_-_2-24-21_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:11pm EST |
Sat, 20 February 2021
Air Date 2/20/2021 Today we take a look at the fight to create and maintain workable and humane economic and social floors, beneath which people are not allowed to fall. The fetishization of market forces embraced by decades of neoliberals and weaponized by authoritarians have left millions desperate for basic standards. To draw the connection, we look at the protests by Indian farmers against proposed deregulation and the fight for $15 in the US. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: NEWYORKER.COM/BEST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Your four talking points for $15-an-Hour minimum wage - Working Life Podcast - Air Date 2-17-21 Right before our eyes, in these very days and at this time of crisis, you can see so clearly this bankrupt system, defended and promoted by greedy CEOs and spineless politicians, but a system people are trying to rebel against and take down. Rebecca sits down with the Economic Policy Institute's David Cooper for a deep dive into Democrats' Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. The big news in the minimum wage world this week is the new CBO report—which, among many benefits, also found that a $15 federal minimum wage would cost jobs, increase the deficit, and raise prices. Goldy and Paul explain how CBO arrived at their numbers. Rebecca sits down with the Economic Policy Institute's David Cooper for a deep dive into Democrats' Raise the Wage Act, which would raise the federal minimum wage to $15 by 2025. This week, journalist and Washington Post columnist, Rana Ayyub, joins to discuss the protest movement and how Modi·s reaction to it fits his pattern of illiberalism and nationalism that marches India away from democracy. P. Sainath, an Indian journalist and the founder of People’s Archive of Rural India, or PARI, who describes why working-class Indians are standing up against “absolutely vicious” new rules that were rammed through Parliament, and show no sign of stopping. Ch. 7: All walls must fall w/Harsha Walia - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 2-15-21 Harsha Walia discusses her new book, Border and Rule: Global Migration, Capitalism, and the Rise of Racist Nationalism, the Indian farmers' movement, and how she became an organizer. Professor Richard Wolff joins RJ Eskow to discuss the historic strike taking place in India and possible influence on other countries. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The big news in the minimum wage world this week is the new CBO report—which, among many benefits, also found that a $15 federal minimum wage would cost jobs, increase the deficit, and raise prices. Goldy and Paul explain how CBO arrived at their numbers. Ch. 10: Amazon Workers Organize! - Working Life Podcast - Air Date 2-10-21 Thousands of workers are trying to get a union at Amazon's huge warehouse in Bessemer Alabama. The ballots have just been mailed and we get an update on the organizing campaign from a good friend of the show Dave Mertz FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the results of our disinformation headline contest TAKE ACTION! Call Your Senators to Pass a $15 Federal Minimum Wage: 888-639-5155 Stay engaged with @fightfor15 & #fightfor15 on Twitter Tell Sen. Joe Manchin how you feel, too! EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The Fight for a $15 Minimum Wage Is Our Selma (Time, Op-Ed) Sanders confident of raising minimum wage as part of $1.9tn Covid package (The Guardian) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Image of a young Black woman holding sign that says "Fighting for $15" next to an image of a young Indian man holding a sign that says "If you ate today, thank a farmer". Composite Design by Amanda Hoffman. Images include: “FightFor15-1330695 - #Fightfor15 Protest in Pittsburgh, PA - April 2015” by Mark Dixon, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and rotated *and* “052 Indian Farmers Protest” by Felton Davis, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness and contrast
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com 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
Direct download: 1400_India.15_Minimum_Air_Date_2-20-21_General_-_2-20-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:58pm EST |
Tue, 16 February 2021
Air Date 2/16/2021 Today we take a look at the competing histories fighting for dominance in the minds of Americans; the mythologized and romanticized history as represented by the "patriotic" framing of history from the 1776 Commission report and the much more fact-based approach that doesn't skirt the issue of race from the 1619 Project. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Nikole Hannah-Jones, the architect behind "The 1619 Project," and Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How To Be an Antiracist,” joined Chris Hayes to examine the 400 year legacy of slavery in America. Prof. Eddie Glaude Jr. joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Trump administration's 1776 Report is an attempt to stoke a culture war via historical nonsense. Ch. 3: Eric Foner on The 1619 Project - Start Making Sense - Air Date 11-21-19 Historian Eric Foner talks about The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which argues that the legacy of slavery is central to all of the American past and present—including the White House today. Ch. 4: The 1776 Report - Past Present - Air Date 1-26-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss ·The 1776 Report· issued by the outgoing Trump administration. Ch. 5: The Original Sin of 1619 - In The Thick - Air Date 8-20-19 Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones led a team of black journalists, writers and poets to create The 1619 Project, a deep and thoughtful look into the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in this country. But a lot of the response has been predictable MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Midnight in the Garden of American Heroes - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 2-11-21 Matt and Sam explain West Coast Straussianism, the school of thought behind one of the last acts of the Trump administration: its publication of the "1776 Report," the Right's shabby response to the 1619 Project and blueprint for the American Founding Ch. 7: Adolph Reed Critiques The 1619 Project - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-14-20 Adolph Reed talks about the 1619 project through the lens of anti-essentialism. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Proper attribution for vaccines - Dr. Gay Ch. 9: Financial health of the show? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on framing vaccine manufacturers properly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1399_1619_vs_1776_Air_Date_2-16-21_General_-_2-16-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:08pm EST |
Sat, 13 February 2021
Air Date 2/13/2021 Today we take a look at the fallout from the January 6th insurrection, the case for impeachment and/or punishment for every single person involved and discussions for why this process is so important to the stability of the country. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: Unf*cking the Republic Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: AOC shares harrowing personal story from January 6th attack - The BradCast - Air Date 2-2-21 AOC relates her experience in the capitol and explains why the enablers of the insurrection total lack of remorse is a problem. We air excerpts from speeches by Democratic Congressmembers Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan. "Some are already demanding that we move on or, worse, attempting to minimize, discredit or belittle the accounts of survivors" With former President Donald Trump's impeachment trial set to begin in the Senate this week, we feature the speech Democratic Congressmember Cori Bush of Missouri made Thursday on the floor of the House of Representatives to demand accountability for the Ch. 4: Dem House Managers submit pre-Impeachment Trial briefs - The BradCast - Air Date 2-2-21 House Democrats submit their pre-trial filings, detailing a graphic, detailed, painstakingly-documented argument for Trump's conviction for inciting the insurrection. Trump's lawyers filed a largely limp legal brief in response, filled with false claims. Elie Honig, CNN legal analyst and host of the CAFE daily impeachment podcast Third Degree, talks about the ongoing Senate impeachment trial of former president Donald Trump. Eight hundred people stormed the Capitol building on January 6, but fewer than 200 have been charged with crimes. Why so few? Elie Mystal, The Nation's Justice correspondent, says every one of the 800 committed crimes that day and should be prosecuted. Ch. 7: Life After Fascism: A Brief History - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 1-21-21 Timothy Snyder, professor of history at Yale University and a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, offers historical context for the attack on our democracy. Healing, On its face these concepts sound fine enough: after all, who doesn't like peace? Unity sounds great! But in the majority of political contexts, these warm and fuzzy buzzwords rush past the work of justice and reparations. Seth takes a closer look at former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial being a chance to hold Trump accountable for his crimes and to shine a national spotlight on the decay of the GOP and our democratic institutions. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene - Past Present - Air Date 2-9-21 In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the controversial tenure of freshman Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. Ch. 11: Incitement - What Trump Can Teach Us About Con Law - Air Date 1-30-21 With the trial looming, we look at whether Trump has a good argument against the charge he incited a riot on Capitol Hill, and whether or not it's constitutional to impeach someone after they leave office. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a new game I just invented Game Headlines: Biden to Begin Allowing Asylum Seekers Waiting in Mexico to Enter U.S. Biden to Rescind Medicaid Work Requirements Biden administration launches review aimed at closing Guantanamo prison MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Composite by Amanda Hoffman. Image Includes: "Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped/blurred with red overlay *and* "Hats" by Tyler Merbler on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with red overlay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com 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
Direct download: 1398_Insurrection_Accountability_Air_Date_2-13-21_General_-_2-13-21_11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:55pm EST |
Wed, 10 February 2021
Air Date 2/10/2021 Today we take a look at the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the US and around the world. Between White and Black in the US, Israeli and Palestinian in Israel and the Global North and Global South broadly, the legacies of colonialism and racism predictably play themselves out. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST | C-Span Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Elisabeth Rosenthal on Troubled Vaccine Rollout - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Many could and did predict that the distribution of the Covid-19 vaccine would be marred by the Trump administration being the Trump administration, and the hollowing out of public health infrastructure. Zeynep Tufecki [@zeynep], associate professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, explains why public health officials send mixed messages on everything from masks to variants. Ch. 3: Racial Disparities Already Taking Shape In Covid Vaccination Rates - MSNBC - Air Date 2-6-21 Rachel Maddow looks at how even though people of color suffer disproportionately more from Covid-19, vaccination statistics are already showing disproportionately fewer people of color being inoculated The Rev. Paul Abernathy on his work addressing vaccine skepticism in Black communities, starting by earning trust and recruiting vaccine trial volunteers in predominantly Black neighborhoods in Pittsburgh. "Israel actually is violating international law because it is denying its responsibility as an occupying power," says Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, member of the Palestinian Parliament "Israelis are getting the vaccines, and Palestinians are getting nothing." As COVID-19 raged and pharmaceutical companies raced to develop a vaccine, Western media routinely asserted the premise that vaccine 'intellectual property' is a zero-sum possession that's been 'stolen' by malicious foreign actors & blackmarket criminals. Ch. 7: Who Owns the COVID-19 Vaccines? - On the Media - Air Date 1-29-21 Dean Baker [@DeanBaker13], senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, on why intellectual property may be getting in the way of vaccine distribution. As COVID-19 raged and pharmaceutical companies raced to develop a vaccine, Western media routinely asserted the premise that vaccine 'intellectual property' is a zero-sum possession that's been 'stolen' by malicious foreign actors & blackmarket criminals. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Vaccine priorities: political and ethical questions about who comes first, after health care workers. Gregg Gonsalves considers the arguments. 40+ African countries have been hit by second wave, and just six have received relatively small vaccine shipments. John Nkengasong, director of the Africa CDC and Prevention, says the world faces "a moral catastrophe" without vaccine equity. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on "moral panic" - Christina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on corporations resisting reasonable regulation to avoid setting precedents MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1397_Vaccine_Rollout_Air_Date_2-9-21_General_-_2-10-21_12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:36pm EST |
Fri, 5 February 2021
Air Date 2/5/2021 Today we take a look at the role that social media plays in the radicalization of discontented communities and engage in the debate over content moderation and de-platforming of individuals. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why everyone hates Big Tech, with The Verge's Nilay Patel - The Weeds - Air Date 7-19-19 Verge editor-in-chief and Vergecast host Nilay Patel joins Matt in this special crossover episode to explain what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows platforms to circumnavigate liability for user content, really means. Ch. 2: Let’s Break Up Facebook, Google, Amazon - Newsbroke - Air Date 1-30-21 Trump has been removed from the nation’s capital and the nation’s social media feeds. And while it was fun to watch him and other far-right accounts “getting owned” by Twitter, Facebook, Google and other platforms, it does pose an important question Ch. 3: Solving the Facebook Problem at Home and Abroad - On The Media - Air Date 5-22-19 When former Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes penned a New York Times op-ed calling for the breakup of the platform, he was lauded by anti-corporate politicians and the press. Then came a series of hard questions Ch. 4: Zephyr Teachout on "Break 'Em Up" - Off-Kilter - Air Date 8-4-20 Rebecca talks to Zephyr Teachout about her new book "Break 'Em Up: Recovering our Freedom from Big Tech, Big Ag, and Big Money" and why we need an antitrust movement for our time. Sacha Baron Cohen is the well-deserved recipient of ADL’s International Leadership Award, which goes to exceptional individuals who combine professional success with a profound personal commitment to community involvement and to crossing borders Ch. 6: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 1 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. Recode’s Peter Kafka speaks with New York Times’s Tech columnist Kevin Roose about big tech’s power and responsibility - and whether it is going to have accountability. Former Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos joins Mehdi Hasan to explain how Facebook is tackling radicalization on its platform, and where the company is still falling short. Ch. 9: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 2 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Your Nation's Attention for the Price of a Used Car - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-6-20 Today’s extremists don’t need highly produced videos like ISIS. They don’t need deep pockets like Russia. With the right message, a fringe organization can reach the majority of a nation’s Facebook users for the price of a used car. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Social Media Externalities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1396_Social_Media_Radicalization_Air_Date_2-5-21_General_-_2-5-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:32pm EST |
Wed, 3 February 2021
Air Date 11/12/2019 Today we take a look at some of the ways that conservative policies, willed into existence almost exclusively by white people, measurably hurt people and shorten life expectancies, including those who most fervently support the self-destructive policies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES ‘People are voting for these policies that are shortening their own life spans.’ — Author of 'Dying of Whiteness' Jonathan Metzl argues that the politics of racial resentment is killing Americans in the heartland. Ch. 2: Slavery and the Lack of Universal Healthcare - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-20-19 Jeneen Interlandi, New York Times editorial board member and staff writer for the New York Times Magazine, talks about the intersection of race and lack of universal healthcare in America. Ch. 3: An Incredible Con - Slate Presents: The Queen - Air Date 5-20-19 For presidential candidate Ronald Reagan, Linda Taylor epitomized the brokenness of the federal bureaucracy and the broader trend of poor people getting rich off the public dime. Ch. 4: Dying of Whiteness with Jonathan Metzl - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 3-26-19 Jonathan Metzl writes that the policies promising to Make America Great Again, policies rooted in centering and maintaining the power of whiteness, are shortening the lives of the white Americans who vote for them. Ch. 5: Greater than Fear - Brave New Words - Air Date 9-6-19 In 2018, progressives in Minnesota won across races, defining what it means to be “Minnesotan” through an aspirational narrative of multi-racial populism. Tim speaks with Dr. Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University, and the author of the new book, Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment is Killing America’s Heartland. Ch. 7: People seeking asylum - Brave New Words - Air Date 9-6-19 Over the last few years, facing a conservative and openly xenophobic administration, human rights advocates mounted and won four campaigns challenging offshore detention of people seeking asylum. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: What was I thinking back then, gosh what am I thinking now? - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 9: Pre-recorded bullshit ads - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on learning to be wrong and the sad future of podcasting MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1318_Why_We_Cannot_Have_Nice_Things_How_Racism_Hurts_Everyone_Including_White_People.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:05pm EST |
Sun, 31 January 2021
![]() Air Date 1/31/2021 Today we take a look back at the year 2011 in our annual 10-years-past retrospective to see what we may learn. 2010 was an enormous year of news which included the death of Osama Bin Laden, the manufactured budget crisis in Wisconsin, the shooting of Gabby Giffords, Occupy Wall Street, the birth of Trump's Birtherism and much more. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Dumb new congress - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 1-6-11 Ch. 2: Single-Payer Plan - Bernie Sanders Ch. 3: An insiders account of the GOP official strategy - Citizen Radio Ch. 4: Crisis in the Dairyland - For Richer and Poorer (Economics - Wisconsin, Public Unions) - The Daily Show - Air Date 3-3-11 Ch. 5: The survival of the Democratic party in Wisconsin - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2-17-11 Ch. 6: Scott Walker's Koch Bro. Prank Call - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-23-11 Ch. 7: Evil People Have Plans - Lee Camp Ch. 8: Obama's Wrong-Headed Libyan War - The Progressive Ch. 9: ACLU: Obama Continues Bush Abuses - The Young Turks - Air Date 7-9-11 Ch. 10: Drones not always precise in real world - CounterSpin Ch. 11: A Triumph of Nonviolence in Egypt! - The Progressive Ch. 12: Social Media Allowing Revolutions (Egypt result) - The Young Turks Ch. 13: Osama Bin Laden Dead... What Happens Now? - The David Pakman Show Ch. 14: Activist McKibben: Tar Sands pipeline is climate game over - Countdown Ch. 15: Supporting the EPA and the Koch Bros accidentally fund accurate climate research - Green News Report - Air Date 10-25-11 Ch. 16: Fox News makes you less informed - The Majority Report Ch. 17: The HuffPo buyout and the future of journalism - On the Media Ch. 18: Giffords Shooting 911 Tapes Police Audio First word of Tucson, Arizona shooting, attack on Gabrielle Giffords Ch. 19: FLASHBACK: Right-Wing Media Downplays Threats Toward Democrats - Media Matters Minute Ch. 20: Sarah Palin, Sharron Angle, Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck_ Are You Happy Now_ - The Progressive Ch. 21: Oslo Norway Shooter Right Winger...Who's Telling You the Truth? - David Pakman - Air Date 7-26-11 Ch. 22: Congress' Budget-Cutting Immorality - Jim Hightower Ch. 23: Armadebtdon 2011: National Bullshit Ceiling - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-18-11 Ch. 24: Legalized Corruption of Government Exposed by Abramoff - Young Turks - Air Date 11-7-11 Ch. 25: Good news for the big guys - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 4-1-11 Ch. 26: Keith Olbermann reads first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street - Countdown Ch. 27: We stand as one - Joseph Arthur Ch. 28: What the Occupy Wall St movement wants - Planet Money Ch. 29: Occupy my Heart - Ben and Fritz Ch. 30: Cenk Announces Wolf-PAC.com at Occupy Wall Street Ch. 31: Fox News Falsehood: Half of Americans Don't Pay Any Taxes - Media Matters Minute - Air Date 7-18-11 Ch. 32: Trump 2012 - Media Matters Ch. 33: Donald Trump Polls 2012 Presidential Candidate Or Clown_ - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-13-11 Ch. 34: The Trump Inc. Podcast Made a Time Capsule - Trump Inc. - Air Date 1-19-21 Ch. 35: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1395_2011_Retrospective_Air_Date_1-31-21_Members_-_1-31-21_11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:48pm EST |
Tue, 26 January 2021
Air Date 1/26/2021 Today we take a look at our long history of ignoring domestic, right-wing terrorism from the Oklahoma City bombing through to the predictable actions of militia groups in 2020 and beyond. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSORS: Unf*cking the Republic CALL TO ACTION: Join the CCAN Polar Plunge to fight Climate Change: KeepWinterCold.org Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tracing the roots of the America's biggest domestic terror attack - PBS News Hour - Air Date 2-17-20 The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing was the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A new documentary on the PBS series American Experience takes a fresh look at the events and motivations that led to the attack by Timothy McVeigh Ch. 2: The Dangers of White Supremacy - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 10-2-20 Sam talks with Kathleen Belew, assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, about what we get wrong when we talk about the white power movement. While working as a senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2009, Daryl Johnson authored a report warning about the increasing dangers of violent right-wing extremism in the United States, sparking a political firestorm in the process Ch. 4: How the Oklahoma City Bombing Changed the U.S. - AJ+ - Air Date 2-26-19 In the almost 25 years since explosives killed 168 adults and children, what has the United States learned from the Oklahoma City bombing? And what can it tell us about the future of far-right extremism in the U.S.? Ch. 5: Most Violence is Right Wing. Period. Stop Lying - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-22-19 Most violence is right wing, and it's important not to be distracted from that undeniable reality. The government must wake up to the threat of domestic terrorism before it's too late, says former Homeland Security counterterrorism analyst Daryl Johnson. Ch. 7: What’s Fueling Far-Right Hate in America? - AJ+ - Air Date 2-19-19 The number of far-right extremist groups prone to violence is increasing in the U.S. It's a threat the government was warned about a decade ago. But what's fueling the rise of hate, and what's the nation doing to combat it? Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson discusses what the Biden administration's national security team will have to undertake. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) To talk about the rise of white supremacist violence and the Trump administration’s response, we speak to Daryl Johnson, a former senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. No one listened when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI sounded the alarm about the rise of white supremacist and far-right domestic terrorism, says former DHS intelligence analyst Daryl Johnson and Greg Huffman of Facing South. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: We made it! (But not all of us) - Nick from California Ch. 12: The cause and result of moral panic - Paul from Vermont FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on moral panic and the shifting eras of white supremacist violence MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Original images: "Proud Boy - Jan 6th" Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Before the Siege" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Tree of Life building at sunset" by David Fulmer on Flickr, Lincese | "Charleston Church" (Mother Emmanuel) by Zack Carlson on Flickr, Public Domain | "20th Anniversary - Oklahoma City Bombing" by US Army Corps of Engineers - Tulsa, License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com 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
Direct download: 1394_Ignoring_Right-Wing_Terror_Air_Date_1-26-21_General_-_1-26-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:06pm EST |
Sat, 23 January 2021
Air Date 4/2/2019 Today we take a look at the so-called "Algorithms of Oppression." Not that they're made to be that way on purpose but that it is a natural outcome of a profit-based system that incentivizes people to post the most click-baity content while the system learns the viewer's weaknesses to ruthlessly feed them whatever will keep them engaged. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Support our show on Patreon! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Social Media Propagates Hate - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 3-21-19 YouTube will keep playing until you stop it, and it pushes extremes regardless of ideology. It is ruthlessly optimized to keep humans engaged, and YouTube can't possibly police their own content. Ch. 2: Algorithms of Oppression with Dr. Safiya Noble - Delete Your Account - Air Date 4-11-18 Dylan Roof was radicalized through Google - searching one thing gives you further items down the rabbit hole - not the opposing viewpoint. What's worse, is big tech has no accountability for their actions. Ch. 3: The Algorithm with Adam Conover - Point of Inquiry - Air Date 1-10-19 We are all falling for the YouTube slot machine of instant gratification Ch. 4: Fighting White Supremacy on Social Media - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 3-19-19 Are tech companies trying to crack down on hate speech? Those articles are super profitable for social media, and it creates a sensation, so they're not incentivized to change. Ch. 5: Yuval Noah Harari on Hacking Humanity - Ideas from CBC Radio - Air Date 9-5-18 Yuval Harari joins to discuss the human animal and our irrelevance in the digital age. At least when we were being exploited we were still needed. Ch. 6: Is the Press Finally Learning How to Cover White Supremacy? - On the Media - Air Date 3-22-19 Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google are still light years away from developing an enforceable code of ethics for dealing with hate groups but Bob and Joan Donovan discuss why she believes that stymieing the spread of hate online is possible. EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Facebook is finally banning white supremacy that goes by other names (TechCrunch) Google’s algorithms are keeping us in a political bubble, study finds (MarketWatch) How to Escape Your Political Bubble for a Clearer View (The New York Times, 2017) Echo chambers are dangerous – we must try to break free of our online bubbles (The Guardian, 2017) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: Rerun_1261_Algorithms_of_extremism_Air_Date_4-2-19_Ad_Free_-_1-23-21_13.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:59pm EST |
Tue, 19 January 2021
MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 1/19/2021 Today we take a look at the historical roots and modern manifestations of how white supremacy has turned the GOP base into Frankenstein's monster which cannot be controlled and has finally turned on its creator Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden·s inauguration. Ch. 2: ACLU Responds to Events at the U.S. Capitol Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 1-8-21 We wanted to come together to respond to the moment: focusing on moving forward with electoral integrity and a deeper commitment to racial justice. Today you’ll hear experts from the ACLU in conversation: Monica Hopkins, Jeffrey Robinson, and Dale Ho. Ch. 3: Confederate Offspring - Strange Days with Fernand Amandi - Air Date 1-14-21 Jared Yates Sexton & Tim Wise Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared her 'close encounter' during the Capitol riots, and ripped apart Republican 'cowards' during an IG Live. Ch. 5: We've Had Insurrections Before Part 2 - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 1-12-21 Sam revisits this history with Jamelle Bouie, columnist at The New York Times. They explore why the path toward political unity in our time might actually be through division. Ch. 6: The January 6 Attack on the U.S. Capitol - Past Present - Air Date 1-12-21 In this episode, Natalia, Niki, and Neil discuss the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. Ch. 7: Debunking the Pro-Trump Economic Anxiety Myth - The Choice - Air Date 1-14-21 The Atlantic’s Adam Serwer joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Capitol insurrectionists are part of the tradition of painting Trump's supporters as poor and uneducated when they are anything but. Ch. 8: Why Republicans Must Rebuke Trump's Big Lie - All In - Air Date 1-14-21 “If people like Jim Jordan really want to help, they can go on Fox News and tell people there was no election fraud, that this was a free and fair vote. And their side lost,” says Chris Hayes. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) TOM PERRIELLO, now Executive Director of the Open Society Foundation-U.S., explains how the country might be able to carve a path forward to reconciliation and healing after Trump leaves office. Donald Trump riotous insurrection is not merely about economic oppression and class, as some have argued over the last week. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: The importance of the work of this show - V from Central New York Ch. 12: Flying the flag on January 20 - Bud from Boise Ch. 13: Sharing the show - Rainer from Cuba FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments introducing FDR's Second Inaugural Speech Ch. 15: Second Inaugural Address of Franklin D. Roosevelt MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1393_GOP_Frankensteins_Monster_Air_Date_1-19-21_General_-_1-19-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:16pm EST |
Sat, 16 January 2021
Air Date 1/16/2021 Today we take a look at the underlying fears and motivations for the insurrection that go beyond the Big Lie™ of a stolen election to the bedrock of white supremacy that has driven white riots for more than 100 years. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: ACLU Responds to Events at the U.S. Capitol - At Liberty - Air Date 1-8-21 We wanted to come together to respond to the moment: focusing on moving forward with electoral integrity and a deeper commitment to racial justice. Today you’ll hear experts from the ACLU in conversation: Monica Hopkins, Jeffrey Robinson, and Dale Ho. Ch. 2: Dorothee Benz on January 6 Insurrection - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-8-21 We talk about coverage of the January 6 attack on the Capitol with political scientist Dorothee Benz. Ch. 3: We've Had Insurrections Before - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 1-12-21 Sam revisits this history with Jamelle Bouie, columnist at The New York Times. They explore why the path toward political unity in our time might actually be through division. As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden·s inauguration. Ch. 5: Governor Schwarzenegger's Message Following this Week's Attack on the Capitol "This is my message to my fellow Americans and my friends around the world after January 6, 2021." As the House votes to impeach President Trump, the FBI warns there could be a repeat of the violent insurrection he encouraged on January 6, with Trump loyalists planning to hold armed protests nationwide ahead of Joe Biden's inauguration. Donald Trump made history yet again on Wednesday by becoming the first President to be impeached twice. Ten Republicans joined Democrats in the U.S. House to charge the soon-to-be-former President with "Incitement of Insurrection". Constitutional attorney John Bonifaz says the House “did its duty” and that the Senate must move to take up impeachment proceedings. “Those who did not vote to convict last time are responsible, in part, for allowing this president to stay in office..." VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Fear-anger and the capital - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 11: Conversing respectfully and the ammo shortage - Beth from Seattle Ch. 12: The joys of sharing - Jon from Omaha, NE FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on anger, conspiratorial thinking and secret artwork MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE "BEFORE THE SIEGE" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, Black Vignette, Increased contrast & saturation
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com 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
Direct download: 1392_Insurrection_Air_Date_1-16-21_Members_-_1-16-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:58pm EST |
Sun, 10 January 2021
Air Date 1/10/2021 Today, in our 15th-anniversary episode, we take a look at the the years and years of warning signs we having been highlighting since 2006 that collectively predict the armed insurrection against the government as the natural end point for a radicalized, conspiratorial, White/Christian-supremacist, permanently-minoritarian political movement that has lost its ability to win power by legitimate means. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! EPISODE SPONSOR: The New Yorker Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Fascists, Chris Hedges - Ring of Fire - Air Date 2-12-07 Chris Hedges explains the decades-old prediction of the rise of Christian fascism Ch. 2: Ginsberg and O'Connor death threats - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2006 Ginsberg and O'Connor deal with detailed death threats as part of the effort to take over the judiciary Ch. 3: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition - Air Date: 3-10-2006 Sandra Day O'Connor warns of creeping dictatorial tendencies referencing efforts to control the courts Ch. 4: Avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-22-2006 Cenk Uygur highlights the need to prevent dictatorship by avoiding the first steps that can lead to it Ch. 5: Tim Wise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16 Tim Wise explains what drives Trump supporters and the burgeoning Trumpism movement Sasha Abramsky speaks with Trump supporters, many of whom ask him his ethnicity before being willing to speak with him Ch. 7: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-02-16 Secret Service agent choke-slams a journalist at a Trump rally. What will Trump do if he actually wins? Ch. 8: CNN's morally bankrupt hiring of former Trump campaign staffer - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-1-16 CNN profits from the Trump campaign to the detriment of the country Ch. 9: Trump Victory Inspires Acts Of Hate Against Minorities - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-11-16 Post-election rash of hate-crimes spike after Trump victory. Ch. 10: You Will Not Believe This Insane Antisemitic Email - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-14-16 David Pakman shares an email he recieved and vandilism he witnessed in the wake of Trump's victory Ch. 11: A White Nationalist Will Be Advising Trump'��s Administration - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-14-16 Steve Bannon tapped to join the Trump administration Ch. 12: How to fight our enemies, the blacks and jews - A real-life White supremacist podcast - Air Date 11-10-16 Clips from an unabashedly White-nationalist podcast in the wake of Trump's election win Ch. 13: It can't happen here - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 A look at the long history of racial grivance that fuels fascist tendencies in the US Trump issues an executive order effectively banning Muslims from several countries Trump's treatment of the media is precisely in line with the strategies of dictators around the world Trump doubles down when criticized for his comments in the wake of the Charlottesville White supremacists rally Ch. 17: Donald Trump Puts Our Democracy and Our Lives in Serious Danger - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 01-13-18 Not a single president has met more than one of the four qualities identified by political scientists as warning signs of an authoritarian or fascist leader. Trump meets them all. Is this how our Democracy dies? Scott Crow explains why the rise of progressive-left movements are always countered by a rise in right-wing conspiracy theories and why fascism downright requires conspiracies to survive. Donald Trump is "stoking and inciting - for the purposes of political power - the worst amongst us to take action in his name," says Steve Schmidt. Ch. 20: Violent Extremism in the U.S. - NowThis World - Air Date 11-4-18 White supremacist and other right-wing violence are currently the deadliest active domestic extremist movements in the U.S., according to data from several civil rights groups that track hate crimes and extremist violence. Ch. 21: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. President Trump claims without evidence that anti-fascists are inciting riots at protests against police brutality, but has downplayed groups like the “boogaloo” movement, which are using the protests as cover to carry out violence, even murder. Ch. 23: Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police - CounterSpin - Air Date 7-24-20 While we wait to see if corporate media can decide which optic is an optic too far, we talk about the legal, constitutional elements of the fight for our right to protest, including against the forces that are sent to police the protesting. Marjorie Kohn. Ch. 24: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 25: Final comments to wrap up this anniversary episode MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson 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
Direct download: 1391_Fascism_Remix_Air_Date_1-9-21_General_-_1-10-21_12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:30pm EST |
Tue, 5 January 2021
MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft Air Date 1/5/2021 Today we take a look at the often-overlooked decade of Reconstruction in the wake of the Civil War. After hundreds of years of slavery, Reconstruction was a brief moment of relative democracy and equality before the white power structure reasserted itself and instated the policies that would be known as "Jim Crow Laws" which would last another 80 years. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Second Revolution Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Sam hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning Yale Historian David Blight to discuss his recent biography of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, and how the Reconstruction era lives on in our contemporary politics. Ch. 3: The Second Revolution Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 4: Slavery, Race, and the Confederate Army - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-14-18 Professor Colin Woodward joins us to discuss the importance of slavery in the minds of Confederate soldiers, as well as its effects on military policy and decision making. He tells us about the Rebels’ persistent belief in the need to defend slavery Ch. 5: The Second Revolution Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Second Revolution Part 4 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Experiment with Refer-o-Matic - Nick From California New Ch. 8: Power and defining the marginalized - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the epic Refer-o-Matic program and why we should be messaging to rural America MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: "Statue of 'Robert Smalls, U.S. Congressman' -- The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Washington (DC) October 2016" by Ron Cogswell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com 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
Direct download: 1390_Reconstruction_Air_Date_1-5-21_General_-_1-5-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30pm EST |
Sat, 2 January 2021
MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Air Date 6/29/2020 Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Matt Binder discusses the Black Lives Matter protests, the police killing of George Floyd, the media's narrative on the protests, riots, and looting, the "outside agitator" trope, and the looming cloud of the coronavirus pandemic. Writer William C. Anderson on the real theft in capitalist society and the uprisings against it, and his article "Forget 'Looting.' Capitalism Is the Real Robbery" for Truthout. Ch. 3: George Floyd, you, me… us - Jim Hightower - Air Date 6-9-20 There’s a growing understanding that we really are “all in this together,” so we’ve got to stand up for George Floyd, each other… and the America we want. Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 1 - Tysky Sour, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. Boston College History Professor Heather Cox Richardson joins Preet to discuss the evolution of the Republican Party, the utility of historical parallels in this time of protest, and the policies that might help heal our nation. Ch. 6: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 2 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. “These are not just repeats of past events,” says scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor. “These are the consequences of the failures of this government and the political establishment … to resolve these crises.” Ch. 8: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 3 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Aaron Bastani interviews author of ‘The End of Policing’, Alex Vitale, to ask just how bad law enforcement is in the United States, and what can be done about it. The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? How can leadership lead a social movement to victory? Professor Cornel West calls the U.S. a “predatory capitalist civilization obsessed with money, money, money.” He also makes connections between U.S. violence abroad and at home. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on how we all push ourselves until we can't breathe MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1355_The_Three_Words_That_Define_an_Era_I_Cant_Breathe_repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:46pm EST |