Fri, 31 December 2021
Original Air Date 3/6/2021 Today we take a look at the origins of race and the building of a caste system in the US based largely on the lessons from Isabel Wilkerson, author of "Caste: The Origins of our Discontent" Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Biewen: The lie that invented racism - TED - Air Date 11-1-20 To understand and eradicate racist thinking, start at the beginning. That's what journalist and documentarian John Biewen did, leading to a trove of surprising and thought-provoking information on the "origins" of race. Ch. 2: Made in America (Seeing White, Part 3) - Scene on Radio - Air Date 3-16-17 Chattel slavery in the US, with its distinctive · and strikingly cruel · laws and structures, took shape over many decades in colonial America. The innovations that built American slavery are inseparable from the construction of Whiteness as we know it. Ch. 3: The Invention of Race - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 4: Caste in America with Isabel Wilkerson - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-11-20 Does the United States have a caste system? In her research on the Jim Crow South, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson found that the word ·racism· fell far short in capturing the depth and totality of oppression people existed under Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. This brief video presents three of Theodore W. Allen’s theses related to the invention of the “white race” and his important analysis of the white supremacy’s role in beating back struggles from below in three great crises in U.S. history. A new way of thinking about race and class with Isabel Wilkerson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Invention of Race Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the bonus material - Kim from Montana FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black chalkboard background with the word "CASTE" written in white
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Direct download: 1402_Caste_Air_Date_3-6-21_Members_-_3-6-21_17_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EST |
Tue, 28 December 2021
Original Air Date 12/15/2020 Today we take a look at the current state of hyper-partisanship and its origins. The system seems broken because it is broken and it was never designed to work this way in the first place. And what about that bygone era of bipartisanship? It's likely that was a fluke and the result of one-party dominance in the New Deal era, it is not the norm throughout history. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changes in American Political Parties Part 1 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 2: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. Ch. 3: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 1 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 4: Changes in American Political Parties Part 2 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 5: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 2 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 6: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Sharing in misery - Zeke from Steamboat Springs, CO Ch. 11: Another Dave from Olympia shares the wealth - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on where your money to the show goes 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: 1387_Partisanship_Air_Date_12-15-20_Members_-_12-15-20_18.59._Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:26pm EST |
Sat, 25 December 2021
Original 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 MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) 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
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Direct download: 1390_Reconstruction_Air_Date_1-5-21_Members_-_1-5-21_18_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00pm EST |
Wed, 22 December 2021
Air Date 12/22/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Check out Coffee from the Unf*cking the Republic podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lessons from the Luddites - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: Class Struggles in the US Today - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-2-21 The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has. Ch. 7: Can Child Labor Solve Labor Shortage The GOP Thinks So... - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-2-21 Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have come up with a novel way to stem the effects of an ongoing labor shortage: loosen child labor laws governing the number of hours and times that teenagers are allowed to work. Ch. 8: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Lessons from the Luddites Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Fear that Democrats will lose the House - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 12: Thoughts on multiple tiers of humans - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how progressive thinking embraces equality while conservative thinking often requires division MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1463_Labor_Strikes_Air_Date_12-22-21_General_-_12-22-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:32pm EST |
Tue, 21 December 2021
Original Air Date: 12-7-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Old and new usages of "White" - A little-known version of class mobility in Spanish colonial America - The Great Resignation
References: Loving Your Job Is a Capitalist Trap - The Atlantic
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Sat, 18 December 2021
Air Date 12/18/2021 Today we take a look at the roadmap to authoritarianism we are currently following including the detailed and multifaceted roadmap to a coup that was practiced leading up to January 6, 2021 and is being refined in preparation for the 2024 election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Get the Wisdom App for my Ask Me Anything event on Dec. 20 at 8pm EST BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How To Dismantle A Democracy - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 8-3-21 If you’re curious about why Tucker Carlson is doing his show from Budapest, Hungary all week, so is Mehdi. Especially given that country’s recent history of doing away with democracy and rise of autocracy. Ch. 2: Will There Be Accountability for Treason On Jan 6th? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-21 The January 6th Conspiracy is clearer to everyone even Congress. Trump initiated a coup attempt, Donald Trump and many others committed treason. The U.S. House voted to recommend the Department of Justice charge former President Trump's former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with criminal contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. Ch. 4: American Democracy Is Under Attack - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 12-10-21 President Biden hosted a WH summit on protecting democracies against rising autocracies when the U.S. is itself on the list of ‘backsliding democracies.’ Jason Stanley joins Mehdi to talk about it. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of history and Italian studies at New York University and an expert on fascism and authoritarianism. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) A new "smoking gun" document spells out the road map for the broad criminal conspiracy launched by Donald Trump and his minions to steal the 2020 election from the American people. Today’s youth are overwhelmingly left-wing. So who are the young conservatives? On Episode 40 of The Politics of Everything, hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene talk to Sam Adler-Bell, a writer and the host of the podcast Know Your Enemy. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Conservatives are self-appointed arbiters of human nature - Abdul from South Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the nature of social audio vs other internet communication MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1462_Path_to_Authoritarianism_Air_Date_12-18-21_General_-_12-18-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:03pm EST |
Wed, 15 December 2021
Air Date 12/15/2021 Today we take a look at the cracks and fissures appearing ever more quickly in the neoliberal order that was already widely criticized before the pandemic stripped it bare, exposing all of the inherent inequality and inhumanity baked right into the system. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows, Bonus Content and limited release wallpaper!) Get the Wisdom app to join my AskMeAnything on Monday, Dec 19 at 8pm EST! Check out TenTree.com for sustainable clothing and use the code BEST for 15% off! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Where we examine most popular cliches, jargon, etc that economists, economic reports, and pundits use to sanitize, obscure and provide a little science-ism to what is little more than power-flattering cruel, racist, austerity ideology. Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. Ch. 3: Noam Chomsky Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Noam Chomsky to discuss a whole raft of issues, including the climate crisis, the military budget, healthcare, challenging the corporate structure, reforming both the tax system and our elections, and how the Democrats have abandoned the working class Ch. 5: Noam Chomsky Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Ch. 6: Reagan on Employee Ownership Ch. 7: Ecology, Co-ops, and Profit - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-8-21 Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Melissa Scanlan on her new book showing how coops are a better bet than traditional capitalist corporations to solve current ecological crises. Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Many blue states are actually doing worse in some areas than red states. It is in blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Personal disability experience - Jade from Upstate New York Ch. 11: Thoughts on human nature and systems - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the nature of laws and morality MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1461_Neoliberalism_Air_Date_12-15-21_General_-_12-15-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:50pm EST |
Tue, 14 December 2021
Become a sustaining member or upgrade today and get special wallpaper! Plus, as a thank-you gift during this drive, receive our special Best of the Left art for your phone or tablet when you sign up before the end of the year! In 2021, a distressing number of members had to downgrade or cancel their memberships because their financial situations had changed. Times are tough and uncertain, we certainly get that and are feeling the squeeze ourselves. So, if you CAN become a member today, we could really use it. We’re asking for 100 new or upgraded members by the end of the year. But honestly, it'll take more than that to get us back to stable financial footing so we really appreciate any support you can provide. And don’t forget that we now have Best of the Left gift memberships! So, consider giving the gift of progressive media this holiday season.
*Fine Print Regarding the Apple Podcasts app: If you sign up or upgrade through our site or Patreon, look for a link to the artwork in your confirmation email but if you sign up for your membership directly through the Apple Podcasts app, there won’t be a link to the artwork in your email but forward your receipt from Apple to jay@bestofleft.com and I’ll get right back to you with it. |
Sun, 12 December 2021
Air Date 12/12/2021 Today we take a look at the many structures of American government that tilt to favor minority rule and conservatism which, in our case, is one and the same. Some structures like the Senate and the filibuster were intentionally designed to give extra weight to the minority while others like gerrymandering and the influence of large-dollar political donors were, well, I suppose they were designed for about the same reason but just in a different way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get Limited-Time-offer BotL Artwork, AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Lawrence Lessig gives a talk on Unrepresentative Democracy Ch. 2: Why Wyoming Has More Power Than California in the Senate - AJ+ - Air Date 10-14-20 The United States Senate is one of the least democratic institutions in the Federal Government. It shuts out millions of Americans and dilutes the votes of most of the country. And yet every law has to go through the Senate, and so do most federal judges. Political scientist David Faris joins Amanda and Faiz to discuss how Republicans are using extreme gerrymandering, combined with their structural advantages in the Senate and electoral college, to subvert democracy. The Humanist Report (THR) is a progressive political podcast that discusses and analyzes current news events and pressing political issues. Our analyses are guided by humanism and political progressivism. Ch. 5: Andrew Perez on the Filibuster - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-18-21 The filibuster is the crucial backdrop to any conversation about the Biden agenda, though media don't always bring that point home. Ch. 6: A To-Do List for Senate Democrats - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-17-21 Dahlia Lithwick tackles one of the major challenges of this moment: how to fix American democracy. Dahlia is joined by the Nation’s Elie Mystal and former chief of staff for Sen. Harry Reid and author of Kill Switch, Adam Jentleson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman welcome politics writer for Salon Chauncey DeVega on the show to discuss a wide range of topics including the media's coverage of Biden, the Democrats' poor messaging, and what is happening to our democracy. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on public policy, human nature and Cold War talking points MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1460_Minority_Rule_Air_Date_12-11-21_General_No_Year-End_Pitch__Merch_-_12-12-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:06pm EST |
Wed, 8 December 2021
Air Date 12/8/2021 Today we take a look at the state of disability rights and reexamine what we thought we knew about what it means to be disabled in a society that is not built to accommodate various physical and mental disabilities. Is one inherently disabled by their condition or do they become disabled when they bump up against unnecessary barriers in society? Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: Check out Tentree.com and use the promo code "Best" for 15% off BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Rebecca Vallas is a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation Rebecca talks with four of the disabled women leaders who've been making history on the front-lines of the ongoing fight for disability economic justice: Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Judy Heumann, Rebecca Cokley, and Mia Ives-Rublee. Ch. 3: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 1 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 This week Lateef Mcleod joins the Wrong Boys to discuss the principles of Disability Justice, why accessibility is important for everyone, and how capitalism systematically reduces people to our labor power, denying our wholeness as human beings. Ch. 5: The Capitalist War Being Waged on Disabled People w Ellen Clifford - Downstream - Air Date 11-22-21 Ellen speaks about her book, The War on Disabled People: Capitalism, Welfare and the Making of Human Catastrophe, discussing the social model of disability, the history of the Disabled People’s Movement, and consequences of austerity policies. Ch. 7: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 2 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 3 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 Ch. 9: Why Are All The Baddies Disabled w/ Amanda Leduc - DownStream - Air Date 11-25-21 Ash Sarkar is joined by disability rights advocate Amanda Leduc, author of Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space, to discuss how depictions of disability have impacted the lives of disabled people and why Bruce Wayne isn't a hero. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Human nature - David from Los Angeles FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the Christian moralizing of economics and poverty MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of an empty accessible parking space with an accessibility symbol (person in wheelchair) painted in yellow on the ground in the space. The words "Is this the only time you put yourself in my place?" are painted underneath. Credit: Origin unknown, but earliest reference found is from 2014 on Twitter from the accounts @bengilchrist and @IsNoPrincess.
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Direct download: 1459_Disability_Air_Date_12-8-21_General_-_12-8-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:53pm EST |
Tue, 7 December 2021
Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Breaking phone addiction - A comprehension quiz for our past two bonus episodes - Cartoon uteruses - Male supremacy, incels and violence - The socialization of attraction References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Thu, 2 December 2021
Air Date 12/2/2021 Today we take a look at the state of White Supremacy in the US through the lens of three recent trials; Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal for his role in the deaths of two and injury of one in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the conviction of the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery during what they claimed was a citizen's arrest, and a civil suit filed against White Supremacists for their role in the death and injuries during the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and counter-protest. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT TENTREE.COM AND USE PROMO CODE "BEST" FOR 15% OFF POWER YOUR PROFANITY WITH UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE AT UNFTR.COM/SHOP SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: White Violence on Steroids - In The Thick - Air Date 11-16-21 Julio is joined by Elie Mystal, justice correspondent at The Nation, and Michael Harriot, senior writer at The Root, to talk about white supremacy and anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system. Ch. 2: Kyle Rittenhouse and the “self-defense” defense - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-22-21 Legal scholar Eric Ruben explains how “self-defense” can apply to shooting unarmed people in public. We discuss the details of these two cases, how they differ, and the questions they raise about the normalization of violence in the U.S. Ch. 4: “Why Are Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers So Scared?” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 We speak with Nicole Lewis, Senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate. She says claims of self-defense from armed white people serve as a “racist dog whistle” Tonight's guest is Gwen Keyes Fleming, former DeKalb County, Georgia district attorney. A civil trial seeks to hold white supremacists accountable for organizing the deadly “Unite the Right” rally there in 2017 and conspiring to commit racially motivated violence Ch. 8: Can You Bankrupt White Supremacy? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 A federal jury has ordered a group of white supremacists to pay over $26 million in damages for their role in organizing the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Kyle Rittenhouse is being welcomed by a society that was partly created using racialized terrorism. Human rights advocates are calling for charges to be dropped in the case of Chrystul Kizer, who faces homicide and other charges for killing her white sex trafficker in 2018 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Surviving to turn the tide - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the status of our government responsiveness to public sentiment MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black text on a white sign held during a protest says "The system isn't broken it was built this way". Protestors wearing masks walk in the background. Credit: "21-4-17 Black Unity" by David Geitgey Sierralupe, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and brightness
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Direct download: 1458_White_Supremacy_Trials_Air_Date_12-1-21_General_-_12-2-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EST |
Sun, 28 November 2021
Original Air Date 12/09/2020 Today we take a look in real-time at the construction of the world's newest Lost Cause narrative, the failed re-election of Donald Trump. This is not our country's first experience with Lost Causes and it's not, contrary to popular opinion, even our second connection to a Lost Cause narrative because we didn't invent the first one, we borrowed it from somewhere else and I will tell that story today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay's Opening Comments Ch. 2: Reading Harry Potter In Scots Ch. 3: Jay’s comments: the history of a Lost Cause Ch. 4: Sir Walter Scott, The Old South and The Lost Cause - Who Put The Klan Into Klu Klux Klan? In this documentary, archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver examines racism in the Deep South and the Scots who first occupied it who influenced where we are today. Ch. 5: How Southern socialites rewrote Civil War history - Vox - Air Date 10-25-17 The United Daughters of the Confederacy altered the South's memory of the Civil War. Ch. 6: How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 Ch. 7: Monumental Lies - Reveal - Air Date 12-8-18 Myths of the Civil War and slavery are being kept alive at Confederate monuments, where visitors hear stories of “benevolent slave owners” and enslaved people “contented with their lot.” We team up with The Investigative Fund Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Ch. 9: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. Ch. 10: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guidethen there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. MEMBERS BONUS CLIPS Ch. 11: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Jay’s comments: the last few connections Ch. 13: Final comments on our ongoing campaigns 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: 1385_Lost_Cause_Air_Date_12-9-20_Members_-_12-9-20_22.31_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:58pm EST |
Thu, 25 November 2021
Air Date 11/24/2021 Today we take a look at the state of the ever-increasingly authoritarian Republican Party as they hack the media by being too terrible to hold to account, hack the democratic process through gerrymandering and endlessly rebrand because in their core they stand for nothing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) VISIT TENTREE.COM And use the code [BEST] get 15% off your first order BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES A Denver journalist is taking on the incredibly low standards the media has set for GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), focusing on the “the cruel, false, and bigoted things she says for attention and fundraising.” As the world grapples with the humanitarian fallout in Afghanistan, former four-star U.S. General Stanley McChrystal is watching it unfold knowing all too well what's on the line. Ch. 3: The Unmistakable Drumbeat of Authoritarianism - The BradCast - Air Date 11-16-21 The drumbeat of rising authoritarianism in the U.S. is getting ever louder. Republican-controlled state legislatures employ extreme partisan gerrymandering in Ohio and Georgia, robbing minority voters of representation and positioning the GOP to take over “The elites are out to get you and your hard-earned pay.” “We’re spending too much on protecting foreign nations and not enough defending our own borders against immigrant invaders.” “China is taking your job and will soon take over your phone.” Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton & Nick Hauselman discuss Steven Bennon turning himself in to the FBI briefly before holding a press conference to threaten Democratic leadership. “We should be concerned about what it means in terms of the safety of members of Congress and the nature of the modern Republican Party. But what it means for the very health of our American democracy,” says Chris Hayes in the wake of Rep. Gosar’s censure MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) "Presidents are not kings, and the plaintiff is not president." These were the words of a U.S. Federal judge rejecting former President Donald Trump's request to withhold records about the January 6th insurrection. Republican Senator John Kennedy made a complete fool of himself while attempting to hammer Saule Omarova, Joe Biden's pick to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which regulates banks. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Aging and Conservatism - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on toughness philosophy vs the ever-raising baseline MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1457_GOP_Authoritarianism_Air_Date_11-24-21_General_-_11-25-21_00.15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:55am EST |
Sat, 20 November 2021
Air Date 11/20/2021 Today we take a look at the state of international climate negotiations and the intersection of capitalism and colonialism in the role of indigenous peoples around the world in stewarding the lands in a climate-friendly way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 We talk to journalist Elizabeth Kolbert about this history the COP Ch. 2: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 1 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Negotiations in Glasgow are going down to the wire, yet few believe world leaders will get us anywhere near limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Is COP26 heading for failure? We speak to Simon Lewis. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. Ch. 3: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 Coming off of COP26, we talk to journalist David Wallace-Wells about the real cost of the climate crisis and who is paying the price. Ch. 4: COP26 Closes Out What Comes Next - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-15-21 Negotiations at COP26 have been formalized into the Glasgow Climate Pact and already faces criticism. Julian Brave NoiseCat, climate activist, writer and fellow at New America and the Type Media Center, discusses disappointment in the agreement. Ch. 5: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 2 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Thousands of youth activists from all over the world gathered in Scotland this week for the COP26 UN climate summit. They say climate change is already transforming their countries and that their generation has the most to lose. Ch. 7: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 3 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Ch. 9: Border walls and the climate crisis Nick Buxton - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 The Transnational Institute's Nick Buxton on the report "Global Climate Wall" and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen judges a costume contest. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments with an update on shifting conservative baseline syndrome MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: At night, a white light projection on a stone monument in Glasgow, Scotland (UK) reads “Reject False Solutions”. Credit: “COP26 light projection in Glasgow by Backbone and friends” by Backbone Campaign, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1456_COP26_Air_Date_11-20-21_General_-_11-20-21_16.34.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:19pm EST |
Thu, 18 November 2021
Hear the full show by becoming a member! Original Air Date: 11-2-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Te deths of the Red Scare™ - Why some Christians think that empathy is a sin - Why those Christians are wrong about empathy being a sin - Why those Christians are probably just narcissists - Why we can all empathize with those Christians war on empathy (sort of)
References: Strange Sound with Joseph Perry Umberto Eco: A Practical List for Identifying Fascists Have you heard the one about empathy being a sin? - BaptistNews.com
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_241_Sample_-_11-18-21_16.21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:34pm EST |
Tue, 16 November 2021
Original Air Date 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: The Second Revolution - 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. 3: Democracy: Past, Present... and Future? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-26-19 Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: More Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 6-10-20 What will it take to make the United States a more fully-functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? Ch. 5: Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it - TEDx - Air Date 10-20-15 Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig makes the case that our democracy has become corrupt with money, leading to inequality that means only 0.02% of the United States population actually determines who's in power. Ch. 6: The Right's Long History of Ignoring the Will of the People - On the Media - Air Date 11-6-20 Rick Perlstein, historian of American conservatism and author, most recently, of Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980, has tracked this anti-majoritarian current in the American right for centuries. Ch. 7: The Republicans' War on Voting Rights, Protesting and Democracy - Some More News - Air Date 10-22-18 In this week's episode of Some More News, we do a deep dive on the Republicans' attacks on our voting rights, our right to protest and, well, Democracy. Which is bad and not good. Ch. 8: Schooled for Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 5-13-20 In most American schools, children *hear about *democracy, but don’t get to *practice *it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like? Sam hosts Cornell Professor of American Institutions Suzanne Mettler to discuss her latest book, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy and what we can learn from history to understand American democracy's vulnerabilities. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Changing the caucus party - Erin from Philly Ch. 11: What happens if they somehow steal the election? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on action being the only antidote to anxiety MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1379_Myth_of_Democracy_Air_Date_11-10-20_Members_-_11-10-20_20.11_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:26pm EST |
Sat, 13 November 2021
Air Date 11/12/2021 Today we take a look at the current state of homelessness in America and the best solution we currently know of to tackle the problem. Surprisingly simple, the best way to end homelessness is to give people homes. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Homelessness - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 11-1-21 With homelessness increasing nationwide, John Oliver takes a look at the way we discuss the unhoused, what policy failures are making the problem worse, and how we can help. Ch. 2: Should America Outlaw Homelessness - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-8-21 Homelessness is an epidemic in America “Housing First” is a the solution that has been embraced by countries around the world. Time to repudiate the failed Reaganomics experiment and take homelessness seriously again here in America. Ch. 3: Housing First - 99% Invisible - Air Date 12-8-20 In the 1980's, a psychologist named Sam Tsemberis was working with mentally ill homeless people on the streets of New York. Sometimes, when he thought it was necessary to keep someone safe, Sam would have people committed to a psychiatric hospital. We’re seeing massive homelessness in cities across America because a handful of Wall Street billionaires want to make a killing - Will America remove housing from their clutches? Ch. 5: How Finland Ended Homelessness - Second Thought - Air Date 9-3-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Criminalization of Poverty - Justice In America - Air Date 1-23-19 On this episode, we explore the countless ways the criminal justice system criminalizes poverty—and homelessness in particular. From what is considered criminal to how it is punished, people that are poor or in America are punished more. Correction: The introduction to this story stated that 35,000 people are without a place to live in San Francisco. In fact, that figure refers to the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, Oakland and surrounding counties. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the panicked flail of those who used to be ahead of the curve but have now been left behind MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1455_Homelessness_Air_Date_11-12-21_General_-_11-12-21_18.42.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:23pm EST |
Wed, 10 November 2021
Air Date 11/9/2021 Today we take a look at the Facebook business model that is driving hate, lies, violence, extremism, and the breakdown of democracy around the world as well as some of the regulatory ideas geared toward reigning it in and mitigating the damage. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES UCLA professor Ramesh Srinivasan, who says the papers confirm what many critics have warned about for years. “This new form of digital capitalism that I believe Facebook is trailblazing is one that is playing with our intimate emotions on every level." Tristan and Aza go behind the headlines with Frances herself. We go deeper into the problems she exposed, discuss potential solutions, and explore her motivations — along with why she fundamentally believes change is possible. We've been hearing about revelations from the leaked 'Facebook Papers.' What has the social media giant has been doing, and what they haven't been doing, around the world? Guest: Sheera Frenkel, New York Times technology reporter. Ch. 4: Zuckerberg's Metaverse - TyskySour - Air Date 10-29-21 Facebook is now Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg says our future is in the Metaverse. Is virtual reality the future of the internet, or Zuckerberg’s latest gimmick? With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Science Fiction Origins of the Metaverse - On the Media - Air Date 11-5-21 Why the tech moguls love science fiction so much, the perils of reading these "world-building" novels too literally, and how new forms of the genre today are already making the Metaverse look obsolete. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Facebooks treatment of nonprofits and the actions you can take to call for regulation TAKE ACTION! Take part in The Facebook Logout, Nov. 10th-13th via Kairos & coalition - Read the demands Call on DOJ, SEC, and FTC to Open Criminal Investigations into Facebook Execs via American Economic Liberties Project & MoveOn.org Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A cardboard cutout of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wearing a black shirt that says "FACEBOOK" and holding a flag (referencing his infamous July 4th video where he rode a hydrofoil on a lake while holding a giant American flag). The flag is dark blue with white text that says "I know we harm kids, but i don't care." with a Facebook icon. A roadway with cars and a building with scaffolding can be seen in the background. Credit: "Zuckerberg_Sum_Of_Us_2" by SumOfUs, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness, contrast and saturation Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1454_Facebook_Papers_Air_Date_11-9-21_General_-_11-9-21_18.57.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:04am EST |
Mon, 8 November 2021
BECOME A MEMBER TO HEAR THE WHOLE SHOW! https://www.bestoftheleft.com/support
Original Air Date: 10-21-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Why "Blacks Rule" - Hostile Architecture vs human needs - The Amanda Principle as relates to Paul Ryan - How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals are Evil - That Conservatives are dying to own the libs and still blaming liberals - The benefits of playing with kids
References: "Blacks Rule" and "Left is Best" Hostile Architecture is making more and more people uncomfortable Tom Morello: ‘Paul Ryan Is the Embodiment of the Machine Our Music Rages Against’ How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals Are Evil Opinion: Conservatives are dying to own the libs. Neuroscientist: "First Hour of The Morning is CRUCIAL" | Andrew Huberman Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson oOriginal Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_240_Sample_-_11-8-21_14.40.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:05pm EST |
Sat, 6 November 2021
Air Date 11/6/2021 Today we take a look at the raucous school board meetings where parents have been expressing their displeasure with protecting one another from a deadly pandemic or making children aware of the existence of systemic racism in America. Just as with the Tea Party, the Dark Money behind the movement didn't light the fire but is very adept at fanning the flames. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: School board brawl - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-2-21 It's Election Day in the USA. This time around, the nasty political fights and insurrections are going local. NPR's Anya Kamenetz explains. Ch. 2: School Board Members Face Violent Threats - Zerlina. - Air Date 10-6-21 Angry parents have been flooding local school board meetings to protest critical race theory, school diversity initiatives, and mask mandates. Dr. Uché Blackstock and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Wiley join Zerlina to discuss the latest threats. Ch. 3: Why Are School Board Officials Getting Death Threats? - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-19-21 School boards are the latest frontier in the culture wars, as incensed community members and right-wing activists protest mask mandates and anti-racist curricula. “These things that were considered non-partisan, just the administration of schools are now being charged and really put under a magnifying glass in a way that is intended to extract maximum political benefit,” says Judd Legum Judd Legum explains how Virginia school boards are being weaponized to elect a republican governor. America’s lack of media literacy and historical affinity for conspiracy theories have allowed QAnon to move from the dark corners of the web to violence at the US Capitol. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: GOP’s Critical Race Theory Crusade Is The New Tea Party Movement - Zerlina. - Air Date 6-28-21 The GOP’s tea party had success in the 2010 midterms with its low-key racist rhetoric. But now, conservatives have pivoted to more overt racism with their grandstanding on critical race theory. MSNBC columnist Hayes Brown breaks it down. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Complicated feelings on policing - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the nature of the debate over the present and future of policing MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1453_School_Board_Tea_Party_Air_Date_11-6-21_General_-_11-6-21_12.31.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:39pm EST |
Wed, 3 November 2021
Air Date 11/3/2021 Today we take a look at the current wave of strikes and labor movements through the lens of pandemic economics and the history of businesses abuse of the worker. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Jacobin writer Alex Press says the averted strike is part of a “broader moment” of labor militancy across the United States, including workers at Amazon, Kellogg’s and elsewhere. “Workers are willing to fight back,” she says. Ch. 2: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 1 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 3: A Look at the Worker Shortage in the Food Service Industry - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-28-21 The Takeaway also looks at how Covid exposed the systemic inequalities in the restaurant industry with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley. Ch. 4: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 5: Nice work week, if you can get it - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 The 40 hour work week has been the standard for 80 years. What will it take to lower that? Shane Larson from CWA joins Goldy to explain why right-to-work laws are so harmful, how they came to be, and why it’s so important to pass the PRO Act to fight for workers’ rights. We speak with Dutch Merrick, prop master and armorer for over 25 years. Despite safety protocol and expertise, he says, Hollywood crews are getting “worked to death” with 80- to 100-hour workweeks, which he suggests played into the accidental shooting. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) While undeniably gruesome and tragic, the black plague had a silver lining: the unprecedented lost of life made labour scarce, while infrastructure and other capital were left relatively unharmed. Ch. 9: Nice work week, if you can get it Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 Origins of the 40 hour work week. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Please clarify various stats on law enforcement and incarceration - Bud from Boise New FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the details behind the stats of criminal injustice and incarceration plus why flat-earthers haven't trekked to the edge and looked over TAKE ACTION 5 Ways to Support Workers on Strike (Teen Vogue) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of men holding blue and white protest signs in the air that say "UAW On Strike". The photo is from a recent strike by John Deere workers. Credit: "20211020-OSEC-LSC-1195" by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | Public Domain
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Direct download: 1452_Pandemic_Labor_Battle_Air_Date_11-3-21_General_-_11-3-21_18.00.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:29pm EST |
Sun, 31 October 2021
Air Date 10/21/2020 Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an unabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the world less so - all while maintaining an anti-imperial, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, live-and-let-live poker face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Trump lies all the time but he's also continuing one of the great lies of America Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic. Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. The Intercept’s investigative series The Iran Cables offers historical insight into Iran’s operations in neighboring Iraq, which are informed by the bloody history of the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. invasion, and subsequent occupation of Iraq Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20 America's "original sin" in the Middle East: the CIA's (and Britain's) coup d'etat in Iran in 1953. Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - 2 WEEKS LEFT, GET OUT THE VOTE - Best of the Left Ch. 8: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 9: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17 "Stumbling", "sliding", "drawn into" war––the media frequently assumes the US is bumbling its way around the world. The idea that the United States operates in “good faith” is taken for granted for most of the American press. Ch. 10: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13 Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11. Ch. 11: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Domestic focus is about setting a good example - Chris from San Diego Ch. 13: Thoughts on right-wing vs left-wing anarchism - Alex Ch. 14: Fighting for legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the dangers and paranoia that come with illegitimate power MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1376_Myths_Foreign_Air_Date_10-21-20_Members_-_10-21-20_23.20_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:55am EST |
Thu, 28 October 2021
Air Date 10/27/2021 Today we take a look at some of the ways that 25 years of Fox News has reshaped our media and political landscape. Crucially, understanding Fox isn't just about their influence on their conservative viewers but how they manage to hack the political conversation for the rest of us. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War On Fox Is Over - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-22-13 Archive clip from A parody of itself (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-17-14 Ch. 2: Losing Relatives to Fox News - You're Wrong About - Air Date 12-7-20 Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Ch. 3: Kevin Drum on how Fox 'News' broke America - The Bradcast - Air Date 9-17-21 Data journalist and longtime Mother Jones columnist KEVIN DRUM explains his exhaustive analysis of the madness of this political moment, and how and why we arrived at it. The Right has seemingly gone mad due to the spread of conspiracy theories. Ch. 4: You're watching Fox News. You just don't know it. - Vox - Air Date 5-24-19 Fox News was created to push right-wing nonsense to the mainstream, and now there’s no escape. Ch. 5: Conspiracy Network OAN 90% Funded by AT&T - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 10-7-21 Right wing conspiracy network OAN turns out to be 90% funded by AT&T Ch. 6: How Fox News Made Every Moment of the Last 25 Years Worse - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-7-21 Yes, it’s been 25 years since Fox News came on the air—25 years of “refracting the absolute most absurd and destructive and deadly disinformation and misinformation from the right wing fever swamps,” Carusone tells co-hosts Molly and Jesse. Ch. 7: What 25 Years Of Fox News Poison Has Done To America - All In - Air Date 10-8-21 Chris Hayes marks 25 years of dangerous lies from Fox News: “There is a direct pipeline from what appears on Fox News to the absolute worst manifestations, worst behavior, worst elements of our politics and society.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Former Fox News Reporter Tells All - David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-05-13 Archive clip from Ridiculing Fox isn't just fun, it's important (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-28-13 Nicole Hemmer, the brilliant historian of conservative media, joins to discuss how Fox News and the larger conservative media-verse protects Trump but also lures him into disaster. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the multi-decade victim mentality of conservatives about the media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A slightly distorted Fox News logo sits askew at the center of a hypnotic spiral. Credits: “Fox News” by Johnny Silvercloud, Flickr | License | Changes: Added hypnotic swirl background, cropped, faded edges || Hypnosis Spiral via Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1451_Fox_News_25_Years_Air_Date_10-27-21_General_-_10-27-21_09.55.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:57am EST |
Sat, 23 October 2021
Air Date 10/23/2021 Today we take a look at a few of the ways that enormous corporate and personal and family wealth is being hidden around the world, most prominently in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Pandora Papers Reveal a Shadow Economy - On the Media - Air Date 10-8-21 Gerard Ryle [@RyleGerard], director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, on how the Pandora Papers unmask hidden owners of offshore companies. Plus, what the papers might mean for the future of cooperative journalism. Ch. 2: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 We talk with 'Washington Post' reporter Greg Miller about what the some 12 million documents of the Pandora Papers tell us about these hidden assets. Ch. 3: We set up an offshore company in a tax haven - Planet Money - Air Date 10-6-21 The Pandora Papers released this week reveal how many world leaders allegedly hold wealth through the use of shell companies. We listen back to when we set up our very own Planet Money shell companies. Ch. 4: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for a global corporate minimum tax. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group and GZero Media, talks about how that would affect the US economy, and looks abroad to who it would help, and who it would hurt. Ch. 6: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 Chuck Collins on the IPS report "Silver spoon oligarchs: How America’s 50 Largest Inherited-Wealth Dynasties Accelerate Inequality." The Pandora Papers have revealed how the super-wealthy shaft the rest of us. but why aren't billionaires from US in the papers? Chuck Collins joins Thom to reveal the secrets of the super rich. Ch. 8: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) On this episode, originally recorded and released in October 2019, Anand joins Nick and Goldy to explain how do-gooding can perpetuate inequality. Ch. 10: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 3 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments giving a mental health update MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The words "Tax the Rich" are written in black and red marker on a manila folder. A protester, whose hands can be seen on each side of the folder, holds up the folder to the camera. Credit: "Tax the rich at Occupy Wall Street" by Timothy Krause, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and saturation
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1450_Pandora_Papers_Air_Date_10-23-21_General_-_10-22-21_20.38.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34am EST |
Thu, 21 October 2021
Original Air Date: 10-3-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Collective trauma for various groups and individuals in the wake of 9/11 - Collective trauma that is leading to vaccine hesitancy in groups not prioritized by our health system References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_239_Sample_-_10-21-21_17.50.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:51pm EST |
Wed, 20 October 2021
Air Date 10/20/2021 Today we take a look at the flip side of the so-called "Missing White Woman Syndrome" and highlight the structural legacies of colonialism that have put indigenous communities in North America at the greatest at risk of murder and rape among all demographics in the US and Canada. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Indigenous women in the United States experience some of the highest rates of violence and murder in the country, according to federal data. Tribes and advocates attribute this to a confluence of factors - institutional racism, a lack of resources. While Gabby Petito's death has captured national attention, tens of thousands of people are reported missing or murdered every year in the U.S. Native women are murdered at rates 10 times the national average. As the disappearance and later confirmed murder of Gabby Petito has grabbed headlines, many observers have pointed to the thousands of other cases – many of them women of color – that have never garnered national attention. Ch. 4: MMIW Day 2021 - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 5-5-21 May 5th has been designated as MMIW Day since 2017 but 2021 is ushering in "MMIW National Week of Action!" Ch. 5: Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women - AJ+ - Air Date 10-16-18 AJ+'s Dena Takruri visits Winnipeg, Manitoba, where more Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered than anywhere else in the country. Ch. 6: MMIWG2S+: No more red hand prints! - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 5-10-21 Guests Jennifer Marley (@JenMarley1680) and Cheyenne Antonio join RPH co-hosts Elena Ortiz (@spiritofpopay) and Melanie Yazzie (@melanie_yazzie) to discuss efforts to end MMIWG2+ from a left Indigenous feminist perspective. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) 5500 Indigenous women and girls go missing or murdered every year. We need to change the laws that govern the Indigenous Tribes because they make it easier for people to attack indigenous people. We continue our look at Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Jennifer Marley, a citizen of San Ildefonso Pueblo and a member of the grassroots Indigenous liberation organization The Red Nation. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: r/Antiwork: Unemployment for all, not just the rich! - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the impacts of pandemics on labor through the centuries MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A young, Native American woman looks toward the camera. She has a red paint hand print over her mouth. She wears a gray beanie, burgundy jacket and her dark hair is in braids. "A participant in the Greater Than Fear Rally & March in Rochester Minnesota. The rally & march were held in response to President Trump's Rally at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester." by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1449_MMIWG2S_Air_Date_10-20-21_General_-_10-20-21_09.15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:33pm EST |
Sat, 16 October 2021
Air Date 10/16/2021 Today we take a look at some of the structures of "copaganda," from misreported stats and coverups to propagandistic opinion articles and police procedurals that flood the pop culture landscape. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Alec Karakatsanis on "Crime Surge" Copaganda - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-1-21 We hear from Alec Karakatsanis, executive director of Civil Rights Corps, and author of the book Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System. Today we break down a new study that shows police killings were undercounted by MORE THAN HALF. This confirms what many of us have suspected about the "official data" on police violence, and it's only the tip of the iceberg. Ch. 3: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 1 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 From Paul Blart: Mall Cop to A Touch of Frost, ‘copaganda’ has our pop culture bang to rights. What impact does the ubiquity of police dramas on our screens have on the real criminal justice system? Derecka Purnell draws from her experience as a human rights lawyer in her new book, “Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom,” to argue that police reform is an inadequate compromise to calls for abolition. Democrats and Democratic Party-aligned media have allied with conservatives and right-wing media are rehashing the same tired responses: more police, longer sentences, and tougher laws. Guests Alec Karakatsanis and sociologist Tamara K. Nopper. Ch. 6: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 2 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: What the Hell Happened to Police and Criminal Justice Reform - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 10-8-21 The dean of UC Berkeley’s Law School looks at how the courts have prioritized criminal control over civil rights for suspects and defendants. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Thank you for the quality of the show and to all medical workers - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the comparison between police work and conspiracy cults MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1448_Copaganda_Air_Date_10-16-21_General_-_10-16-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:41pm EST |
Tue, 12 October 2021
Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization’s shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 8: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 9: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 10: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: 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: 1374_Myths_Columbus_American_Exceptionalism_Air_Date_10-13-20_Members_-_10-13-20_21.59_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34pm EST |
Sun, 10 October 2021
Air Date 10/9/2021 Today we take a look at structures and specifics of settler colonialism from around the world including the US, Caribbean, Australia, Israel and Mexico Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC! SHOW NOTES Ben Norton was invited to give this talk on US imperialism in Latin America, for the Workers' Party of Ireland. He discusses the history from European settler colonialism, through the Monroe Doctrine, the first cold war, and the three revolutions. Ch. 2: Slavery, race and capital in the sixteenth century / Gerald Horne - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-21-20 Gerald Horne discusses the relationship between racism and expansionist foreign policies Ch. 3: Settler Colonialism Is Behind Climate Denial - Novara Media - Air Date 1-5-20 Australia is on fire. So why do so many of its politicians seem intent on denying the cause? Ch. 4: Pearls for empire / Molly A. Warsh - This Is Hell! - Air Date 9-20-21 Historian Molly A. Warsh on her book "American Baroque: Pearls and the Nature of Empire, 1492-1700" from UNC Press. Ch. 5: Rewriting resistance: how Black rebellion shapes world events - People's Republic - Air Date 8-20-20 This week, we continue our commemoration of Black August with Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history and author of over 40 books, including The Counter-Revolution of 1776. A 2017 lecture by Ilan Pappé titled "The Value of Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism" hosted by the WRMEA. Ch. 7: Crimes of Apartheid - In The Thick - Air Date 5-14-21 Maria is joined by guest co-host and ITT All-star Jamilah King to discuss the continued violence and attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and forces in Gaza. We hear from Gaza-based journalist Hana Salah about what she is seeing on the ground. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Marc talks with Rick Perlstein about growing up Jewish in Milwaukee, the process of unlearning Zionist indoctrination, and how the United States' support of an Israeli ethno-state foments continued violence. Did racism and white supremacy arise as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the 17th century, or did these concepts exist prior to the mass enslavement of Africans and the genocide of the indigenous peoples on what is now called America? The boys speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: No velvet glove - Nick From California Ch. 12: Followup on conspiracy theory hot take - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how conspiracy theorists are like timeshare sales people MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1447_Settler_Colonialism_Air_Date_10-9-21_General_-_10-9-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:04am EST |
Wed, 6 October 2021
Air Date 10/6/2021 Today we take a look at what precipitated Occupy Wall Street and the legacy it left behind as we can see it now from 10 years after the encampment at Zuccotti Park in the heart of the financial district in NYC. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES This program is devoted to Occupy Wall Street (OWS) on its 10th anniversary. Prof. Wolff discusses OWS as a historic turning point, as legacy for the US left, and his personal experience. Ch. 2: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 1 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 It’s Occupy Wall Street’s tenth anniversary. Dan interviews Astra Taylor. We discuss Occupy's ramifications for organizing and class consciousness with Ruth Milkman, labor scholar at City University of New York's School of Labor and Urban Studies and Nastaran Mohit, Organizing Director of NewsGuild of New York. Ch. 5: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 2 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 Ch. 7: Keith Olbermann reads first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street - Countdown MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Glenn Greenwald in 2011 gives analysis of the political dynamics that led to Occupy Ch. 9: Prophetic article calling for the occupation - Majority Report - Air Date 10-25-11 Speaking with Christopher Ketcham about his article calling for destain for bankers and discussing the progressive movement of the 1880s Ch. 10: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 3 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 The legacy of Occupy live on, even in Joe Biden VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A response for Alyson from Boulder - Scott from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the ideological splits on the left dating back to Occupy Wall Street MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Occupy Wall St. protesters in New York march down the street holding a large white sign that says "OCCUPY" in black letters. Other protesters behind them hold smaller protest signs of cardboard and poster board and wave flags. Credit: "Occupy_12_17_DSC_0334" by Michael Fleshman, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1446_Occupy_10th_Anniversay_Air_Date_10-5-21_General_-_10-6-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:43pm EST |
Sun, 3 October 2021
Air Date: 9-15-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Top-Down and Bottom-Up processing that leads to biased interpretation of information - Dying of individualism and federalism failures amid COVID - The legacy of Vietnamese refugees following the Vietnam War - What happens when attraction is stronger than any code of ethics or social pressure
References: Google/Apple exposure notification API saved thousands of lives, but apps largely flopped in US Spanish bishop quits church after falling in love with writer of Satanic erotica
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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Thu, 30 September 2021
Air Date 9/29/2021 Today we take a look at the so-called "crisis" on the border involving Haitians attempting to cross into the United States. Some say it's a crisis the US is dealing with, others say it's inappropriate to call human beings a crisis. We humbly suggest that these human beings, not the US, are EXPERIENCING a crisis and the US is exacerbating it. And Biden, by following Trump’s policies, is creating a political crisis for himself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out Unf*cking the Republic! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Thousands of Haitan migrants who were camping out under a bridge in a Texas border town seeking to cross the Rio Grande and find refuge in the US are now being forced back to their home country. Psaki cites title 42, a Trump administration rule program allowing the government to expel refugees under the cover of preventing Covid-19 from spreading in the US. The MR crew discusses how disingenuous it is of the Biden Administration Ch. 3: Not a Humane System - In The Thick - Air Date 9-24-21 Maria and Julio dive deep into the violent border enforcement we witnessed in Del Rio, Texas where thousands of Haitian refugees were being held and turned away. They discuss the horrifying images of Border Patrol agents attacking Haitian iimmigrants. Ch. 4: Coronavirus-fuelled racism adds to Haitians' plight in Chile - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 5-7-20 Haitians in Chile - the largest migrant community in Latin America - are underpaid and often live in dire conditions. Ch. 5: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. Ch. 6: Haiti Needs a New Narrative - On the Media - Air Date 8-4-21 In the wake of the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse on July 7th, international media rushed to cover Haiti’s latest political crisis—painting a familiar picture of a nation in turmoil, Haitians in need. Ch. 7: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Haiti and International Aid - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 8-23-21 After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti’s southwestern region, many of us were left wondering -- what does it mean to best support Haiti through disaster? And if the global community has donated so much humanitarian aid, why does it keep happening? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on viral images from the border and why truth is at a structural disadvantage MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1445_Haitians_on_the_Border_Air_Date_9-29-21_General_-_9-29-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:09am EST |
Sun, 26 September 2021
Air Date 9/25/2021 Today we take a look at the continuing efforts of Trump and his supporters to subvert and ultimately destroy democracy through conspiracy theories, gerrymandering and harassment campaigns Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Donald Trump sends a delusional letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger requesting Trump be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election in the state Analysis of the CA recall as a giant waste of time and money Ch. 3: Agents of White Supremacy - In The Thick - Air Date 9-17-21 Nathalie Baptiste writes about the flaws of California’s recall election process in this piece for Mother Jones. Tonight's guests are Charles Stewart III, professor of political science at M.I.T.; and Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University. Sam Seder discusses gerrymandering with David Daley. Mary Trump explains why so many Americans are still in deep denial about Donald Trump’s enduring power and his ability to cause destruction and other harm to American society and the world. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Redistricting Battle Heats Up Across the U.S. - The Takeaway - Air Date 9-21-21 Ari Berman, senior reporter at Mother Jones, joined The Takeaway to talk redistricting and gerrymandering around the country, as well as the districts and states to watch in the coming months. Ch. 8: How Will the Ongoing Trump Coup End - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-5-21 Trump's slow coup is setting off a nuclear bomb at the heart of our Republic, but the scariest part no one knows if Democracy will survive? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Safe, legal, and rare bullshit - Alyson from Boulder, CO Ch. 10: 9/11 and inevitable slide/leap into wars - Maureen from Boston Ch. 11: The war prayer - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to avoid conspiratorial thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A group of middle-aged and older men stand under a hand-written protest sign that says "Stop the Steal", some wearing camouflage, some wearing masks, all wearing varying baseball caps. Location: Minnesota State Capitol. Credit: "Stop the Steal" by Chad Davis, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
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Direct download: 1444_Trumpism.Elections_Air_Date_9-25-21_General_-_9-25-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:09am EST |
Tue, 21 September 2021
Air Date 9/21/2021 Today we take a look at the parallel legacies of 9/11 including the war on terror and military spending, the casual acceptance of Islamophobia, the adoption of ever-wilder conspiracy theories, and the acceleration of the political divide in America culminating, so far, in the January 6th Insurrection. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 9/11: A Story in Three Parts. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 9-10-21 We were tempted to let the 20th anniversary of 9/11 pass given it will be oversaturated with remembrances and armchair punditry as well as the usual tragedy porn imagery. Ch. 2: Endless militarization has bled US society dry - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 9-14-21 It’s been 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Since then, the US has channeled an unfathomable amount of its resources into the military-industrial complex. According to the Costs of War Project, the wars launched by the United States following 9/11 have killed an estimated 929,000 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. Ch. 4: 20 Years Later: How 9/11 Changed Being Muslim in America - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-10-21 Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter for HuffPost where she focuses on immigration, Islamophobia, and social justice issues, joins to discuss how being Muslim in the United States changed after the September 11th attacks. Ch. 5: 20 Years Since 9/11, 20 Years of Conspiracy Theories - Doomed - Air Date 9-10-21 Matt looks at the conspiracies, hoaxes, and urban legends that surround the day and the Bush administration. Ch. 6: The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump - Vox Conversations - Air Date 9-12-21 Sean Illing talks with national security reporter Spencer Ackerman, author of the new book Reign of Terror. They discuss the staggering changes to our country in the 20 years since 9/11 Ch. 7: America, 20 years after 9/11 - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 9-10-21 Jeremy Cliffeand Sarah Manavis are joined by New Yorker columnist and author Evan Osnos to discuss his new book, Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury and how America has changed since the attacks on New York and Washington. Ch. 8: The Direct Line From 9/11 to January 6th - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 9-10-21 Award-winning journalist Spencer Ackerman examines how 9/11 opened the door to America’s worst historical impulses and led directly to Donald Trump and January 6th. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Rescue 9/11 w/ Jim Lobe and Laila Ujayli - American Prestige - Air Date 9-11-21 The boys interview Laila Ujayli, associate editor at Inkstick Media, about growing up as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America. Congressmember Lee courageously voted no against the AUMF twenty years ago. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Brian Williams and the campaigns we can win vs the campaigns worth winning MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The camera looks up at a young Muslim woman, wearing a black hoodie with the hood up over her black head covering, as she stands outside a glass entryway looking out into the distance. An American flag is wrapped around her shoulders. Credit: "Protest against Donald Trump's Muslim ban" by Fibonacci Blue | License | Changes: Cropped and very slight increase in contrast, brightness and saturation
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Direct download: 1443_9.11_Air_Date_9-21-21_General_-_9-21-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:59pm EST |
Sat, 18 September 2021
Air Date 9/18/2021 Today we take a look at the new Texas abortion restrictions and the response from the Supreme Court along with lots of contextualizing commentary taking us back to the Fugitive Slave Act and all the way through to the strain of patriarchal White terrorism that is at the core of the current conservative movement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES We’ll talk with Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, former president of the National Lawyers Guild and author of, among other titles, Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues. SB 8 is unconstitutional and good to go in Texas (and probably a bunch of other states too). The most restrictive ever abortion rights laws in the U.S. went into effect in the Lone Star state. Called SB8, it bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people even know they’re pregnant. Texas Republicans are creating a real life Handmaid's Tale, does Elie Mystal know how to fight it? Elie Mystal is the justice correspondent for The Nation and author of the forthcoming book, Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. Ch. 9: FURY - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 9-7-21 This week’s episode is devoted to the Texas state attack on reproductive rights and civil rights and its ramifications – not just for Texans, but for all Americans. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The Jane Collective was a group that operated out of Chicago and performed thousands of abortions between 1969 and 1973. Guest Laura Kaplan, author of a book about the collective, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Theory of change; a sub-theory - Scott from Canada Ch. 13: Paying congress less is a bad idea - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the virtues of militaristic messaging MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Image Credit: “The Burden is Undue” by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, slightly enhanced contrast
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Direct download: 1442_Texas_Abortion_Law_Air_Date_9-18-21_General_-_9-17-21_15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Wed, 15 September 2021
Air Date 10/09/2020 Today we take a look at the future of abortion rights and the broader reproductive justice movement in the face of a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The GOP Ended Up Hating Abortion - AJ+ - Air Date 8-4-19 Republicans and their base used to be more supportive of abortion rights than Democrats. Now, they’re pushing for abortion restrictions with an aim to overturn Roe v. Wade. Why did the GOP turn its back on abortion rights? Ch. 2: Body of Law Beyond Roe - On the Media - Air Date 12-13-19 Activist and scholar Loretta Ross explains the tenets of reproductive justice and how they expand the frame beyond Roe and abortion; Reva Siegel of Yale Law School describes the framework of ProChoiceLife. Ch. 3: Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion - National Network of Abortion Funds - Air Date 4-16-20 Access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, largely depends on where you live and how much money you have. Abortion funds are taking the hassle and harassment out of healthcare by helping people all across our network access and fund abortions. Candidates weigh in on current abortion laws and President Donald Trump's campaign promise to shift the Supreme Court to the right. Ch. 5: What Happens When You Restrict Abortion? - AJ+ - Air Date 10-8-19 Restricting abortion access doesn’t have the same impact on everyone. It adversely affects people of color and low-income residents more. But why and how? We traveled to the place with the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S. to find out. Lost abortion rights and no paid maternity or family leaves keep women from advancing at work as they take time to care for children. Abortion and family leaves are sites of the revolutionary struggle for America's personal and family life. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: "One Person, One Vote" is our saddest and scariest myth - Lance FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the zombie talking point of us living in a republic rather than a democracy MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: Rerun_1373_Repro_Justice_Air_Date_10-9-20_Members_-_9-15-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47pm EST |
Tue, 14 September 2021
Original Air Date: 9-1-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - How dynastic billionaires are destroying democracy - The mass psychosis induced by discussing mass psychosis
Reference: You Can Have Billionaires or You Can Have Democracy
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Sat, 11 September 2021
Air Date 9/11/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give deeper context to the current wave of right-wing extremists threatening violence against the government, our election system, mask and vaccine COVID measures and anyone not agreeing with their conspiratorial worldview. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Killing By Numbers: The history of April 19th and 20th - On The Media - Air Date 8-24-10 From Hitler’s birth to the killings at Waco, Columbine and Oklahoma City, each event echoes or evokes the anniversary of the last. Ch. 2: Gun marches - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 4-24-10 Reporting from 2010 on the anti-government, armed rallies in and around Washington, DC The FBI announced Thursday that it had thwarted a plan by far-right militia members to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and charged six men in relation to the plot. The plot began as talk on social media sites. As COVID-19 cases surge in the United States, anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests are continuing nationwide, with some turning violent. In a shocking story out of California, at least one person was stabbed and two journalists were attacked. Radical Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn threatens "bloodshed" if elections remain "rigged" A rundown of recent right-wing would-be Capitol Bombers. In an extended conversation with Spencer Ackerman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter, he examines the connection he sees between the rise of right-wing extremism in the United States and the so-called war on terror. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How The FBI Got Inside The Hutaree Militia - All Things Considered - Air Date 4-24-10 Ch. 9: The Truth Behind The Alleged Michigan Kidnapping Case - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-22-21 According to the FBI, a group of men in Michigan hatched a plan to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year. But a Buzzfeed News investigative report has revealed new details—particularly the role that FBI informants played in it. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The downsides of term limits - Jonathan from NY Ch. 11: Term Limits, congressional pay and corruption - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on term limits and congressional pay MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The U.S. Capitol building dome is outlined by a wooden gallows and a noose, which was erected on January 6th on the lawn of the Capitol by right-wing insurrectionists on January 6th, 2021. Credit: "Gallows V" by Tyler Merbler, Flickr | License | Changes: Slightly cropped
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Direct download: 1441_Right_Wing_Exremists_Air_Date_9-11-21_General_-_9-10-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Wed, 8 September 2021
Air Date 9/8/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of red-lining, the building and subsequent destruction of Black communities and the health and environmental impacts of segregation. The concept of “Structural Racism” is often a metaphor, not something physical that you can touch, but that is not the case when it comes to environmental racism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES We're making a deadly mistake if we don't talk about environmental justice when we discuss racism and Black liberation. Ch. 2: Redlining & Climate Change: A Deadly Combination - News Beat - Air Date 4-27-21 Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned redlining and housing discrimination in general, three out of four redlined communities rated "hazardous" 80 years ago are struggling economically today. Guests: Catherine Flowers founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice and Amy Stelly, a designer and board member of the Urban Conservancy. Ch. 4: Environmental Racism is Real Part 1 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 We talk to Environmental justice lawyer Claire Woods about how black and brown communities face the brunt of many environmental justice issues, the connection to racism, and what we can do to help. Ch. 5: Biden Promises To Grapple With Environmental Racism - Short Wave - Air Date 2-4-21 NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher talks about the history of environmental racism in the United States, and what Biden's administration can do to avoid the mistakes of the past. Ch. 6: Environmental Racism is Real Part 2 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Summary + reading from The Sum of Us on pollution in segregated cities VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Post-Civil War Reconstruction and the occupation of Afghanistan - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how structural racism becomes personal racism and comparing Reconstruction with the occupation of Afghanistan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: An official, rectangular metal sign bolted to a telephone poll displays the image of a cropped city map with a red outlined area. Below, the sign reads "Portland's Historic Redline District." Smaller text below reads "In Portland's past, 'redlining' practices created exclusionary zones for 'Negroes and Orientals' by real estate, banking and insurance companies. Agents could lose their licenses for crossing this color barrier. Now, urban gentrification displaces low-income families, as the remaining affordable housing stock in this area disappears." Credit: "Redlining" by radcliffe dacanay, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
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Direct download: 1440_Environmental_Racism_Air_Date_9-7-21_General_-_9-7-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:52am EST |
Sat, 4 September 2021
Air Date 9/4/2021 Today we take a look at the slow motion disaster that is the worldwide refugee crisis. We start with the recent focus on Afghan refugees fleeing their country in the wake of America's 20-year war before expanding the view to American and European policies toward asylum-seekers from around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES President Joe Biden has allocated $500 million in new funds for relocating Afghan refugees following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The U.S. had already vowed to help evacuate over 80,000 Afghan civilians We speak with Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar about her memoir “This Is What America Looks Like,” the Biden administration’s recent airstrikes in her birth country of Somalia and why the U.S. must remain a country of refuge for people fleeing war Ch. 3: ‘Desperation And Frustration’: Rep. Omar Reacts To The Biden Refugee Cap - All In - Air Date 4-19-21 “It’s with desperation and frustration that we are speaking out against the Biden administration in their backtracking on this. We do applaud them for changing course, and we just want to make sure they follow through with clear communication.” Ch. 4: Why seeking asylum in America is so difficult - Vox - Air Date 7-12-18 America has led the world in refugee resettlement for 15 years, but asylum cases have pushed political tempers to a tipping point. Ch. 5: Green Thinking: Climate and Refugees - Arts & Ideas - 6-15-21 What role do museums and heritage organisations have to play in the climate emergency? How do we stop cultural and historical landmarks from falling into the sea, or is it time to learn to say goodbye? Ch. 6: This is the worlds deadliest border - Vox - Air Date 5-14-15 Nearly 2,000 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean so far this year. Vox's Dara Lind explains why. Ch. 7: Death toll surges as migrants try to reach Europe - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-27-20 There’s been a surge in the numbers of people drowning in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as migrants from Africa try to reach Europe. Activist groups are blaming European Union policies for their deaths. In which John Green discusses the Syrian refugee crisis and the growing number of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea crossing the sea with the help of smugglers to seek refuge in European Union nations. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Red State Refugees - The Documentary Podcast - Air Date 8-25-20 President Trump has dramatically reduced the numbers of refugees arriving in the United States, vowing to protect native-born Americans’ interests. But there’s a catch - some of the nation’s reddest communities may not survive without them. Ch. 10: The Cycles of Trauma for Vietnamese Americans - In The Thick - Air Date 7-23-19 More than forty years after the Vietnam war, Vietnamese refugees are being deported under Trump's immigration policies. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: New listener - Mike from Texas Ch. 12: Misplaced focus on Manchin - Dan from Greenville, SC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on theories of change whether you want them or not MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1439_Refugees_Air_Date_9-4-21_General_-_9-3-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:25pm EST |
Wed, 1 September 2021
Air Date 9/11/2020 Today we take a look at the easily predictable, yet growing, eviction crisis in America that is entirely thanks to a political and economic system that is structurally incapable of functioning for the benefit of people over profit. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ali Velshi Explains The Looming Eviction Crisis - MSNBC - Air Date 7-21-20 Ali Velshi breaks down why millions of Americans could be forced out of their homes Ch. 2: The Evictions Cliff Part 1, The Cost of Housing - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Dan Threet of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Jay Willis, senior contributor for The Appeal. Ch. 3: There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 7-11-20 There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? Ch. 4: Heartbreaking CNN Segment Highlights Eviction Crisis - The Rational National - Air Date 9-3-20 CNN puts a face to the eviction crisis that could hit 30-40 million Americans by the end of 2020. Tara Raghuveer, director of the campaign for a Homes Guarantee and founding director of KC Tenants. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Help Unhoused, Poor and Low-Income Voters Access the Ballot - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: Elizabeth Warren Talks Pending Eviction Crisis in America - NowThis - Air Date 7-25-20 ‘This coming eviction crisis is a racial justice crisis’ — Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains why the looming eviction crisis could be devastating for communities of color. Ch. 8: Can Trump Really ‘Stop Evictions?’ - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-2-20 A Trump administration order could allow many renters to avoid eviction through Dec. 31 Ch. 9: There Is No Ethical Capitalism - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 9-4-20 Understanding the amorality of capitalism through a structural lens VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the frames through which we see the world - Naomi from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the dominant culture, national myths and the dominance of whiteness TAKE ACTION! Join The Poor People's Campaign's "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Effort "We Must Do M.O.R.E" Digital Toolkit Watch the "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Moral Monday Mass Assembly on 9/14 at 7pm ET on Facebook National Low Income Housing Coalition: National Federal Eviction Moratorium & Toolkit Nonprofit VOTES: Voting information pertaining to unhoused people National Coalition for the Homeless "You Don't Need A Home to Vote" Manual Get involved in the "You Don't Need a Home to Vote" Project National Housing Law Project Resources for People Facing Eviction During the Pandemic National Homelessness Law Center 2020 Election Guide EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How the COVID-19 housing crisis could affect voter participation (Fast Company) Evictions Across US Raise Concerns About Voting Process (Voice of America) How The Eviction Crisis Could Compound Voter Suppression Come November (Huffington Post) Housing advocate on what to do if you’re being evicted: ‘You have rights’ (CNBC) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE "IMG_0344" from Chicago Right to Recovery Caravan Rally by Ervin Lopez on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, brightness and saturation
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Direct download: Rerun_New_Ads_1366_Eviction_Crisis_Air_Date_9-11-20_General_-_9-1-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:48pm EST |
Sat, 28 August 2021
Air Date 8/28/2021 Today we take a look at our departure from Afghanistan, how the decisions were made to leave in this fashion and what we should go going forward to prevent similar foreign escapades in the future Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 1 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Phyllis Bennis on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and the infrastructure and budget bills in the House. Ch. 4: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 Ch. 5: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 The stunning collapse of the government of Afghanistan following President Biden's decision to remove U.S. troops from the country has led to chaotic scenes in Afghanistan, including at the airport in Kabul. Guest: New Yorker' staff writer Steve Coll. Ch. 6: When We Leave Afghanistan Tomorrow and Forever. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-21-21 Today’s episode explores our national amnesia, examines the Vietnam comparison, talks about what happens when our occupations end and questions the continuation of a wartime military budget. We look at the situation in Afghanistan, and pressure on Biden to stay longer, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who for years has called for an end to the longest war in U.S. history. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 The death toll from twin suicide bomb attack outside the airport has topped 110 people, including 13 U.S. troops. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Term limits, revolving door and inexperience - Bud from Boise Ch. 12: Individual, collective, ceremony and thanks - Jeff from the Mountains of California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the ups and downs of term limits and the benefits of a ceremony mindset MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1438_Afghanistan_Withdrawl_Air_Date_8-28-21_General_-_8-27-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EST |
Wed, 25 August 2021
Air Date 8/25/2021 Today we take a look at the history of the war in Afghanistan. First of all, do you think that it's been going on for 20 years? Think again, it's been a lot longer than that. From British Empire Building to Cold War gamesmanship, Afghanistan has been a center of conflict since long before American citizens bothered to take notice. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Matthew Hoh on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Michael Brooks breaks down the history of the modern military establishment. Ch. 4: War presidents - Rachel Maddow Show We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. Ch. 6: The Pentagon Papers Of Our Time with Craig Whitlock - On the Media - Air Date 12-20-19 Bob Garfield talks with Craig Whitlock about the Afghanistan Papers and the comparison to the Pentagon Papers. As thousands of Afghans try to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control, we look at the roots of the longest U.S. war in history and spend the hour with Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter Spencer Ackerman. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: 30,000 speech - The Daily Show President Obama channels George W. Bush in his speech announcing the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: No bipartisanship for now - Rich from Oregon FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on questioning a theory of change before supporting an idea MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1437_Afghanistan_Remix_Air_Date_8-25-21_General_-_8-25-21_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:47pm EST |
Sat, 21 August 2021
Air Date 8/21/2021 Today we take a look at the history of bipartisanship and appeasement in the US dating back to before the Civil War and tracking it all the way up to the current negotiations over the infrastructure bill. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 1 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden ran for president promising to “revive” the spirit of bipartisanship, put an end to factional battles, and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. Biden often speaks about bipartisanship as a cherished value that he would restore to Washington, but Ocasio-Cortez is dubious. Ch. 3: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 2 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Ch. 4: Exhaustion of Bipartisanship - In The Thick - Air Date 6-25-21 Maria and Julio discuss remarks from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the 38th annual NALEO Conference, and they get into the vice president’s visit to El Paso and the US-Mexico border. Sam and Emma host Ari Rabin-Havt, the former Legislative Director and Chief Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, to discuss the prospects of the Senate bipartisan infrastructure bill. Ch. 6: Manchin Capitol Riots Made Me MORE Bipartisan - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-9-21 In a recent interview, Senator Joe Manchin claimed that the Capitol Riots changed him, and made him double down on bipartisanship. Ch. 7: Why Appeasement Won't Work This Time Around - On the Media - Air Date 1-8-21 White southerners called it “redemption.” To Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum, it was a catastrophe of appeasement and an object lesson in the politics of reconciliation. Ch. 8: Keri Leigh Merritt on the New Lost Cause - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Historians are shaking their heads as media talk about January 6 as "unprecedented"; while shocking and dispiriting, it has layers and layers of precedent that need to be learned and engaged, if we are ever to actually have a racial reckoning. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-21-19 For most of American history, American politics has been under one-party rule. For decades, that party was the Republican Party. Then, for decades more, it was the Democratic Party. Ch. 10: What a More Responsible Republican Party Would Look Like - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-2-21 This is the modern G.O.P.: a post-policy party obsessed with symbolic fights and curiously uninterested in the actual work of governing. But does it have to be that way? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the merits of taking liars at face value MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1436_Bipartisanship_Trap_Air_Date_8-21-21_General_-_8-20-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Wed, 18 August 2021
Air Date 8/18/2021 Today we take a look at history of white people deciding to get their way through violence and the tradition of having the government look the other way Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The KKK: History and Myth - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-24-17 Practically nothing in the history of the United States has suffered from myth-making and misunderstanding as much as the history of race relations and racist violence. The history Ku Klux Klan is no exception. This is ironic. Ch. 2: Remembering a White Supremacist Coup - Reveal - Air Date 10-23-20 On the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that still plagues our nation today. Ch. 3: Voices: Children ‘stripped of innocence’ - Cape Up - Air Date 4-11-19 A member of the Little Rock Nine and a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing both lost the illusion of safety in their young lives. Ch. 4: Armed and Dangerous - On the Media - Air Date 9-24-20 Armed right-wingers are stoking violence in cities across the country. On this week’s On the Media, a look at the origins of the American militia movement. Plus, as things heat up, Facebook is fanning the flames. Ch. 5: The Evolution of All-American Terrorism - Reveal - Air Date 6-27-20 The Trump years have seen an increase in domestic terrorist attacks linked by hateful ideologies that thrive online. Reveal teams up with Type Investigations to track each case and determine what the government has done to fight them. Ch. 6: Radical Caucasian Extremism - News Beat - Air Date 1-9-21 This hugely important episode highlighted the threat posed by such extremists, even as many in the media and government engaged in Islamophobic rhetoric about Muslim Americans. Former FBI agent Mike German says "Unfortunately their policies have actually masked how they use their domestic terrorism resources to make it harder for the Congress to understand how many of those resources are going toward white supremacist violence," MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. Ch. 9: Southern Shame Culture & How to Fight Racism w/Jemar Tisby - The Holy Post - Air Date 1-20-21 Jemar Tisby (The Color of Compromise) rejoins Phil to discuss his new book, How to Fight Racism. Actual, real steps to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response on remix climate episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the arguments against individual climate action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo taken during "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, AL on March 7th 1965. A young John Lewis has fallen on the grass, lifting one hand, while a police officer stands over him wielding a billy club. Credit: "12 - Civil Rights Movement" (low resolution). Original from the Library of Congress (via U.S. Embassy The Hague on Flickr) | License | Changes: Cropped
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Direct download: 1435_White_Violence_Air_Date_8-18-21_General_-_8-18-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:07pm EST |
Fri, 13 August 2021
Air Date 8/13/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give context to the news of the 2021 IPCC report ringing the alarm bells for the climate crisis Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The IPCC's new report - @greennewsreport - Air Date 4-3-14 Ch. 2: Green News Report w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen - Air Date 8-10-21 New U.N. climate report described as 'code red for humanity'; California's Dixie Fire now the largest in the U.S. and in state history; PLUS: Apocalyptic scenes from wildfires around the world demonstrate climate change is already here... Ch. 3: Global Water Shortages Pose Threat of Terror & War - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date 02-16-14 Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive into a troubling UN climate report and discuss how capitalism prevents humanity from saving itself while undermining democracy. Ch. 5: Why humans are so bad at thinking about climate change - Vox - Air Date 4-19-17 The biggest problem for the climate change fight isn’t technology – it’s human psychology. Ch. 6: Report confirms the effect of climate change happening today, spurs action - @greennewsreport - Air Date 5-6-14 Ch. 7: When Republicans believed in climate change - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 04-22-14 Geoff Mann, professor of geography at Simon Fraser University and co-author of the book, Climate Leviathan, discusses the authoritarian dangers ahead, as the world tried to cope with climate change. Ch. 9: Climate crisis and jobs with Naomi Klein - What Comes After What Comes Next - Air Date 6-11-20 Naomi has spent two decades documenting the transformations that take place under the cover of disaster. She has also written extensively about how tackling the climate crisis can both create jobs and make the economy much fairer and more equitable. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Doug talks extreme heat with Dr. Ladd Keith, Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona. Ladd and Doug discuss the media coverage of the recent pacific NW heat wave. Ch. 11: Putting the Freeze on Global Warming - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-25-14 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the benefits of taking pride in work and country MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Fire engulfs trees in a forest at night. Smoke billows in the dark sky above the flaming, skeletal black trees. Credit: "The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest near in California began on Aug. 17, 2013 and is under investigation. The fire has consumed approximately 149, 780 acres and is 15% contained. U.S. Forest Service photo." by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
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Direct download: 1434_Climate_Remix_Air_Date_8-13-21_General_-_8-12-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EST |
Tue, 10 August 2021
Air Date 8/10/2021 Today we take a look at the mechanisms by which the legacy of White Supremacy is harmful to the health and wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES This week, author Heather McGhee breaks down the driving force of American economic exclusion via the swimming pool. Baratunde asks Heather about all she has learned traveling across the country to write her book, The Sum of Us. Ch. 2: The Role 'Nice White Parents' Play in School Segregation - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-9-20 Chana Joffe-Walt, producer for This American Life and host of the new podcast Nice White Parents, and Dr. Rachel Lissy, senior Program Officer at Ramapo for Children, talk about investigating the relationship between white parents and segregation Ch. 3: The NFL's Race-Norming Problem Is All Over Medicine - What Next - Air Date 6-7-21 The NFL recently announced it would stop using “race norming” when assessing who would receive a share of their recent $1 billing settlement for former players. The practice assumes Black players started with lower cognitive function. Researchers say facial recognition software is up to 100 times more likely to misidentify people of color than white people. This week, Boston voted to end its use in the city. Ch. 5: People Like Us, Education - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Can We Finally End School Segregation? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-21-21 By many accounts, American schools are as segregated today as they were in the nineteen-sixties, in the years after Brown v. Board of Education. WNYC’s podcast “The United States of Anxiety” chronicled the efforts of one small school district. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Patriotism and the culture wars - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the nature of airing dirty laundry MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Color photograph of a corner of an old public pool that has been filled in. Where there was once water is now green grass. The railing of a metal ladder is still intact, but a weed grows around its base. Blue square tiles still edge the concrete corner. Photo Credit: "The Memorial Pool in Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD, by artist Joyce J. Scott" by Graham Coreil-Allen (Pool/Park History) | License | Changes: Slightly cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1433_Structural_Racism_Air_Date_8-9-21_General_-_8-9-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Sat, 7 August 2021
Air Date 9/13/2019 Today we take a look at the history and the process of the building of an American empire that currently spans the globe but allows as few people of color to vote as possible. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Daniel Immerwahr: Empire State of Mind Part 1 - On the Media - Air Date 8-22-19 The history of US imperialism — and why the familiar US map hides the true story of our country. With Northwestern University historian Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States. Ch. 2: Doctrine of Christian Discovery - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 3: Harvest of Empire Part 1 - Making Contact - Air Date 6-25-19 It's not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States. Many Latin American’s were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions. And the US often had a role in creating those crises. Journalist Todd Miller (@memomiller) joins Sam to discuss his new book, "Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the U.S. Border Around the World." Ch. 5: Harvest of Empire Part 2 - Making Contact - Air Date 6-25-19 It's not just jobs and prosperity that draw immigrants to the United States. Many Latin American’s were brought here, or forced to come by dangerous or deadly conditions. And the US often had a role in creating those crises. Ch. 6: Daniel Immerwahr: Empire State of Mind Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 8-22-19 The history of US imperialism — and why the familiar US map hides the true story of our country. With Northwestern University historian Daniel Immerwahr, author of How to Hide an Empire: A History of the Greater United States. Ch. 7: Blood, lies and the American empire - This is hell - Air Date 5-13-19 Black Agenda Report's Danny Haiphong traces a 300 year history of fake news in America. Danny is author of the book American Exceptionalism and American Innocence: A People's History of Fake News—From the Revolutionary War to the War on Terror VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Gun responsibility vs naked evil - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on this weeks topics poll 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: 1305_Empire_Air_Date_9-13-19_Repost_8-7-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST |
Wed, 4 August 2021
Air Date 7/10/2020 Today we take a look at the origins and legacy of Manifest Destiny, the historical term most closely tied to our most toxic version of nostalgia: the one longing for America's golden age of genocide Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Intro contemplating conservative thinking applied to genocide Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 3: The Interest of the White Man demands their extinction - @BackStory - Air Date: 01-19-18 Ed talks with historian Benjamin Madley about the devastating impact of the Gold Rush on California’s native tribes – and how both government officials and everyday citizens justified enslaving and killing native peoples. Ch. 4: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 1 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 6: Doctrine of Christian Discovery Part 2 - Let’s Talk Native - Air Date 3-18-19 I learned that most educators know nothing about the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. How can you teach about colonization, slavery, the American genocide, Westward expansion or imperialism without teaching the origins of it all? Ch. 7: Paul Frymer on the building of an American empire - The Dig from @jacobinmag - Air Date 1-30-18 We are living on land from which indigenous people, over hundreds of years, have been violently removed. Almost everyone knows this — yet it’s rarely mentioned in stories that Americans tell themselves about who we are as a country and how we got here. Native American historian Nick Estes explains the crimes against Indigenous people committed by the four presidents whose faces are carved into Mount Rushmore. Ch. 9: Understanding the origins of scalp hunting and "redskins" - Empire Files - Air Date 11-25-15 Abby Martin interviews Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, renowned indigenous scholar and activist, about her most recent book "An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States." We call up brilliant scholar Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz to dig into her work, An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the pain caused by the breaking of your shell of understanding MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +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 Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: 1357_Manifest_Destiny_Air_Date_7-10-20_Repost_8-4-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:45am EST |
Sun, 1 August 2021
Air Date 8/1/2021 Today we take a look at the anti-government protests in Cuba in the context of decades of anti-communist propaganda in the US and our punishing embargo intended to destabilize Cuba to the point of governmental collapse. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES We go to Havana, Cuba, to look at what is behind protests that brought thousands of people into the streets of Havana and other cities in rare anti-government protests denouncing the island’s economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restrictions put in place by Trump Admin rollback of Obama admin's policies toward Cuba have created significant restrictions that are in the way of providing aid. Emma's suggestion is simple: Circumvent those restrictions immediately. Ch. 3: The Protests in Cuba Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 7-20-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the mass protests in Cuba. Ch. 4: What is McCarthyism And how did it happen - TED-ED - Air Date 3-14-17 In the 1950s, part of a campaign to expose suspected Communists, thousands of individuals were aggressively investigated and questioned by government panels. Named after its most notorious practitioner, the phenomenon known as McCarthyism destroyed lives. Ch. 5: A New Red Scare Is Coming - Second Thought - Air Date 7-9-21 If you thought McCarthyism was gone...well, no such luck. In this episode, we'll discuss the US' newest wave of reactionary, anti-communist rhetoric and legislation. Ch. 6: The Protests in Cuba Part 2 - Past Present - Air Date 7-20-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss the mass protests in Cuba. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Investigating Democracy - Now & Then - Air Date 6-8-21 On the second episode of Now & Then, “Investigating Democracy,” Heather Cox Richardson and Joanne Freeman discuss the history of congressional commissions. We discuss the 1954 back-and-forth between Senator Joseph McCarthy and the Army. We go to Havana, Cuba, to look at what is behind protests that brought thousands of people into the streets of Havana and other cities in rare anti-government protests denouncing the island’s economic crisis during the COVID-19 pandemic. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Abortion terminology - William in Charlottesville, Virginia FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the terms we use to explain our support of abortion rights MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1432_Cuba_Protests_Air_Date_8-1-21_General_-_8-1-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:48pm EST |
Wed, 28 July 2021
Air Date 7/28/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of residential schools for native children in the US and Canada. We hear some of the voices of victims, from those looking to establish truth and reconciliation and some thoughts on what it would really take to get a full accounting of this genocide and its impact through generations. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Boarding School Healing - Native American Rights Fund - Air Date 1-25-17 The Native American Rights Fund is pursuing strategies to support the healing of boarding school survivors; Native American children, families, and communities; and tribal nations. Ch. 2: Stealing Children to Steal the Land - Intercepted - Air Date 6-16-21 The Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc First Nation uncovered a mass grave of 215 children on the grounds of a former residential school in British Columbia, Canada. Naomi Klein discusses the relationship between stolen children and stolen land. Ch. 3: How the US stole thousands of Native American children - Vox - Air Date 10-14-19 The long and brutal history of the US trying to “kill the Indian and save the man”. Ch. 4: What We Inherit - Code Switch - Air Date 6-5-18 On this episode, the story of one family's struggle to end a toxic cycle of inter-generational trauma from forced assimilation. Getting back to their Native Alaskan cultural traditions is key. Like Canada, America has a painful history of creating boarding schools to assimilate Native American children, leading to trauma, abuse and death. For more than 150 years Indigenous children were taken from their families and forced into boarding schools Ch. 6: No Apologies, Land Back - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 7-5-21 Red Power Hour is back! The Red Nation podcast host Nick Estes (@nickwestes) joins RPH co-hosts Elena Ortiz (@spiritofpopay) and Melanie Yazzie to discuss justice for boarding and residential schools. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The recent discovery of 215 bodies at the Kamloops Residential School in British Columbia, Canada surprised everyone except Native people. For several decades survivors of these genocidal institutions have told stories of the abuse, neglect and violence Ch. 8: Unapologetically Indigenous w/ Sarah Pierce and Amy Sazue - Future Hindsight - Air Date 2-25-21 Championing Indigenous students to be successful in school systems starts with school curriculums – telling the accurate history of the United States – and leadership that represents the Indigenous Americans they serve. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and patriotism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1431_Native_Residential_Schools_Air_Date_7-28-21_General_-_7-28-21_15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:44pm EST |
Fri, 23 July 2021
Air Date 7/24/2021 Today we take a look at the messaging wars over abortion and reproductive justice more broadly as well as the politics of supporting full abortion rights and the likely restrictions coming at the hands of the Supreme Court. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 1 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 How do we dismantle the anti-choice movement? We’re talking through what needs to change on our side, and how we can unify our message towards the anti-abortion crowd. Strap in, folks-- it’s the grand finale. The Supreme Court is set to review a MS law banning abortion after 15 weeks that intends to challenge Roe v. Wade, raising concern for advocates about how reproductive rights can be preserved without the landmark ruling. Kathryn Kolbert and Julie Kay. Ch. 3: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 2 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 Ch. 4: Does Roe v. Wade Stand A Chance Part 1 - Whats Next - Air Date 5-26-21 The fight over abortion access is far from settled. Ch. 5: Preston Mitchum on Roe and Reproductive Justice - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-21-21 We’ll talk about the Supreme Court’s potential overturning of Roe v. Wade with Preston Mitchum, director of policy at URGE: Unite for Reproductive & Gender Equity, and adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center. Ch. 6: Changing the Way We Talk About Abortion Part 3 - Ordinary Equality - Air Date 4-7-21 Ch. 7: Does Roe v. Wade Stand A Chance Part 2 - Whats Next - Air Date 5-26-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: This City Wants Your Racist Uncle to Enforce Their Abortion Ban - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 6-10-21 Lubbock, Texas, passed a “sanctuary city for the unborn” ordinance, a so-called heartbeat ban that would ban abortion at around six weeks. The ban would allow anyone to sue to enforce the ban—and not just anyone in Lubbock or Texas, anyone in the country. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Consequences of Everyday Racism - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the Podcast Awards MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Activists of varying ages standing on the side of a road hold up a red canvas banner that says "Abortion on Demand and Without Apology" in bold black letters. "Abortion on Demand and Without Apology" by Debra Sweet, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced saturation and contrast, extended the road for formatting purposes
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Direct download: 1430_Abortion_Air_Date_7-23-21_General_-_7-23-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:15pm EST |
Wed, 21 July 2021
Air Date 2/4/2020 Today we take a look at the past, present and future of behavior modification from worms to pigeons to prisoners, and finally, internet users. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
MEMBERSHIP (Get bonus content and ad-free episodes) SHOW NOTES Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 2: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 1 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 3: Yuval Noah Harari and Tristan Harris - Wired Magazine - Air Date 12-3-18 Discussing the unsettling fact that humans have far less agency over their thoughts and actions as we desperately want to believe Ch. 4: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 2 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Kai and Amanda talk with several experts about how humans are persuaded and the modern psychology of persuasion. Ch. 6: Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff Part 3 - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 1-13-19 Douglas Rushkoff explains why we should revolt against the algorithms so we can get back to our essential human messiness. Ch. 7: Buying Attention - Hidden Brain - Air Date 1-1-18 In the internet age, viral stories and fake news have grown more powerful - algorithms give us exactly what pushes our buttons, and gave Trump his power. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Iowa caucus - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 9: The positive uses of anger - Chris from San Diego FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on my neoliberal nightmare of a day Limerick of the day from @Limerick_News 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: 1334_Behavior_Modification_Air_Date_2-5-20_Ad_Free_-_2-4-20_Repost_7-21-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:24pm EST |
Fri, 16 July 2021
Air Date: 7-2-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Why the right wing, and many others, fetishize native tribes in the US HEAR THE REST! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content)
References: VOA News: Going 'Native': Why Are Americans Hijacking Cherokee Identity? https://www.voanews.com/usa/going-native-why-are-americans-hijacking-cherokee-identity
HuffPost: Why White Americans Love To Claim Native Ancestry https://www.huffpost.com/entry/opinion-warren-cherokee-dna_n_5bc63a69e4b0a8f17ee6ba9a
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes! |
Tue, 13 July 2021
Air Date 7/13/2021 Today we take a look at the costs of the Olympic Games including financial, ethical, moral and social. Private profits come at the hands of public investment, disruption of communities, curtailing of rights and, this year, extensive health risks. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The Olympics Became So Expensive For Host Cities - CNBC - Air Date 6-21-21 Cities incurring overrun costs when hosting the Olympics is not just unique to just Rio; according to the Council on Foreign Relations, since 1960, every Olympics saw high overrun costs. As overrun costs become a growing concern, several cities withdrew Ch. 2: The 2020* Olympics - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-18-21 *Are being held this summer in Tokyo. And it’s a mess. It's a scam to extract resources from local governments in hopes they can "win" corporate cash, headquarters, facilities, and, of course, the promise of "jobs". Cities around the world debase themselves to compete for the "honor" of hosting the Olmpics. Jules Boykoff, Pacific University professor of politics and government, former US Olympian and author of NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Beyond, discusses the Olympics industrial complex. In a development that shocked and saddened fans of track and field, and the Olympics, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) announced Friday morning that Richardson had accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for cannabis. Runner Sha'Carri Richardson was not named to the U.S. relay team and will officially not compete in the Tokyo Olympics following her positive test result for marijuana. Ch. 7: Olympic Athletes Not Allowed To Protest - TYT Sports - Air Date 4-30-21 Athletes are being warned about protesting at the 2021 Olympics. Rick Strom breaks it down. Ch. 8: Anne Orchier of NOlympics LA on Tokyo 2020 Olympic Opposition - Burn It All Down - Air Date 7-8-21 Lindsay Gibbs interviews Anne Orchier of NOlympics LA about opposition to the Toyko 2020 Olympics from on-the-ground organizers in Japan, which is largely led by unhoused people and those who will be displaced by the games. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Olympic racism is being exposed - By Any Means Necessary - Air Date 7-6-21 The racist and transphobic history behind disqualification of Olympic women runners due to “naturally high testosterone” levels, as Nambian sprinters Christine Mboma and Beatrice Masilingi are kept from competing in the Tokyo Olympics. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Names - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on why we all, including Sha'Carri Richardson, are victims of White Supremacy Bonus: The Racist Origins of Marijuana Prohibition - Business Insider - Air Date 3-1-18 How did marijuana become illegal in the first place? As it turns out, it has some roots in racist rhetoric pushed by politicians and the media in the 1930s, when it first became illegal. MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1429_Olympics_Air_Date_7-13-21_General_-_7-13-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:04pm EST |
Sat, 10 July 2021
Air Date 8/12/2020 Today we take a look at Restorative Justice as an antidote to a wide range of injustices we face, from mass incarceration to having a toddler throw a cheerio at your forehead and much of what lies in between. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Ch. 2: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Prison abolitionist Mariame Kaba wants us to explore some truly radical notions. Hear her dismantle what she calls the current "criminal punishment system" and instead employ the ideology of restorative justice. Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 5: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Danielle discusses the alternative options to a violent prison system with community interactions over punishment. When people feel responsible and connected it really changes their lives. Restorative justice works in schools. Our system is a goliath, but we are a million sparks to break it down. Ch. 9: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered What does restorative justice look like? Community-driven repair, making sure the victims and perpetrators work together, rather than punishing both parties. Bob discusses the problems with prisons and the alternatives to mass incarceration with Danielle Sered Ch. 13: The transformative power of restorative justice Part 4 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-18-20 Studies show restorative justice programs leave survivors more satisfied, cut recidivism rates, and cost less. sujatha baliga is the director of the Restorative Justice Project at Impact Justice. VOICEMAILS Ch. 14: Even the clip out of context gave enough context - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the one thing I know about all of your friends MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1361_Restorative_Justice_Air_Date_8-12-20_Ad_Free_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:49pm EST |
Wed, 7 July 2021
Air Date 7/6/2021 Today we take a look at the talking points and policy pushes that have kept wages in America artificially low for decades. The circumstances today are almost entirely new with unprecedented, COVID-related upheaval shocking the economy and labor market but the tactics used the demean workers and undermine their rights are as old as the hills. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Michael Hiltzik on No One Wants to Work! Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-14-21 Data doesn’t support a connection between unemployment benefits and difficulty in hiring is beside the point. That work “ethic” equals the willingness to work in whatever conditions at whatever wage is an unchallenged with Michael Hiltzik. Industry lobbying groups constantly whine about "labor shortages," knowing the media will mindlessly repeat these claims without any skepticism as to why they're reporting the exact same "labor shortages" each year for 40 years. Guest CEPR's Kevin Cashman Ch. 3: Why Do We Work So Damn Much - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-29-21 This is a conversation with James Suzman about the past, present and future of humanity’s relationship to work and to want. Ch. 4: Michael Hiltzik on No One Wants to Work! Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-14-21 Data doesn’t support a connection between unemployment benefits and difficulty in hiring is beside the point. That work “ethic” equals the willingness to work in whatever conditions at whatever wage is an unchallenged with Michael Hiltzik. Larry Mishel and Josh Bivens, explain how their work reveals that massive upward redistribution of income our nation has suffered these past four decades can largely be attributed to policies intentionally designed to suppress wages of American workers. An important part of a counter-narrative is provided by worker co-operatives: the way they treat workers, and productivity, and the balance of worker health and company success, in a pandemic and every day. Today we speak with Jaisal Noor. Ch. 7: Insurgent Working Class and Organization - Economic Updates with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 6-17-21 Wolff is joined by Professor Manny Ness to discuss worker insurgencies and political organizations in the global South today. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Why Do We Work So Damn Much Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 6-29-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Blog renaissance - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: On the etiquette of difficult names - Bud from Boise FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the etiquette of difficult names MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Credit: "Tips are how we make a living wage" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and enhanced brightness and contrast
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1428_Labor.Wages_Air_Date_7-6-21_General_-_7-7-21_15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:07pm EST |
Fri, 2 July 2021
Air Date: 6-17-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Exploitation of the poor carefully explained away - Increasing wealth of the ungodly wealthy raucously celebrated
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com |
Tue, 29 June 2021
Air Date 6/29/2021 Today we take a look at racism on a more personal level than usual with a focus on individual lived experiences that still speak to the systemic nature racism more broadly. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Notes and Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1427) BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: What kind of Asian are you? - Helpmefindyourparents - Air Date 5-23-13 In this video, What Kind of Asian are you? Scott plays a friendly jogger who is very interested in guessing the heritage of Stella. In today's episode, we're discussing forever wars, never-ending police violence, and vaccines. Wow, you guys, it's a lot. Ch. 3: The Struggles Of Being An Asian American - Refinery29 - Air Date 5-31-18 In honor of Asian Pacific Heritage Month, we wanted to close out this time with a discussion on what it means to grow up Asian American. We speak with several women who share their experiences and wisdom gained from it. Police murder is so constant and consuming forcing us to find ways to mitigate the trauma response in our own bodies. one unfortunate way we do that is to pretend there is something the person could have done that would have kept them from being killed. Ch. 5: 'Where We Come From': By Any Other Name - Code Switch - Air Date 6-26-21 Anyone with a name that isn't super common in the United States will tell you that the simple act of introducing yourself can lead to a whole interrogation: Where are you from? What does your name mean? Help me pronounce it using words I understand! Ch. 6: Is Racism Making People Sick - Glad You Asked - Air Date 4-3-21 After the events of 2020, we are no strangers to stress and anxiety. But for Black and brown Americans, that stress was nothing new. Racial health gaps have always existed within the medical system. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: People Like Us - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on removing the hyphen from hyphenated Americans Article: Drop the Hyphen in Asian American - Conscious Style Guide MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1427_Everyday_racism_Air_Date_6-29-21_General_-_6-29-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:44pm EST |
Sat, 26 June 2021
Air Date 6/26/2021 Today we take a look at the mainstreaming of Pride in recent decades and what that is doing to the liberatory origins of the Pride movement. Corporatization and "pink washing" highlight the wide-but-shallow support for LGBTQ liberation while debate over inclusion of LGBTQ police marching in uniform highlight the remaining oppressions that are still ignored by large swaths of the more mainstream-friendly LGBTQ community. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Notes and Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1426)
Follow @WhoWroteBetter (https://twitter.com/WhoWroteBetter)
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are Corporations Taking Advantage of Pride - Hysteria - Air Date 6-17-21 Tien Tran and Shaniqua McClendon stop by to discuss cause marketing and why pride is feeling more pink washed than year’s past. Finally, why Batman is actually the worst boyfriend...in Sanity Corner. Ch. 2: Pride - PFLAG National What Makes Pride - Air Date 6-1-21 Viewers get to know two BIPOC Pride organizations and their organizers: Jay Walker, Co-Founder of Reclaim Pride Coalition, and Taylor Alxndr, Executive Director of Southern Fried Queer Pride. Ch. 3: The History of LGBTQ+ Pride Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 6-15-21 In this episode, Niki, Natalia, and Neil discuss the history of LGBTQ+ Pride. Ch. 4: Kink, Cops And Corporations At Pride - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 6-4-21 When Pride comes around every June, the same arguments start up again— should there be kink, cops and corporations at Pride? And who is Pride for? Sam talks to writer and author Roxane Gay. Ch. 5: The History of LGBTQ+ Pride Part 2 - Past Present - Air Date 6-15-21 Ch. 6: The Status of Laws and Policies Targeting the Transgender Community - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-1-21 Across the country, state legislators have introduced bills that target members of the transgender community. Ch. 7: Chasten Buttigieg Blasts Hypocrisy Of RNC Chair, Stresses The Equality Act - MSNBC - Air Date 6-9-21 Chasten Buttigieg blasts the RNC chairwoman for claiming her party is supportive of LGBTQ Americans MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Progress on voting rights, filibuster, SCOTUS upholds Obamacare - The BradCast - Air Date 6-17-21 The Republicans' stolen-and-packed Supreme Court approved discrimination against same-sex couples by a Philadelphia foster care group, but LGBTQ advocacy groups say the very narrow ruling could have been much worse. Ch. 9: Pride 2021 has set a record in anti-trans bills in America - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 6-6-21 Ivette Feliciano spoke with Chase Strangio, Deputy Director for Transgender Justice for the ACLU LGBT & HIV Project, about this record setting year in state legislation aimed at the transgender community. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: American Rescue Plan, Equality Payment - Rich Ch. 11: Curation - Amy Ch. 12: Corporatocracy - Christian Ch. 13: Pumping up Twitter - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on @WhoWroteBetter on Twitter (https://twitter.com/WhoWroteBetter) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1426_Pride_Month_Air_Date_6-26-21_General_-_6-26-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23pm EST |
Wed, 23 June 2021
Air Date 6/23/2021 Today we take a look at the purposeful effort to erase the history of anti-Black terrorism in America and the renewed efforts expose our true history in order to learn from it and create the opportunity for healing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Notes & Transcript (https://www.bestoftheleft.com/1425) BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The massacre of Tulsa's "Black Wall Street" - Vox - Air Date 2-27-19 100 years ago, a white mob destroyed an American neighborhood called “Black Wall Street,” murdering an estimated 300 people in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ch. 2: Joseph Torres on Media & Tulsa Massacre - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-4-21 Janine Jackson interviewed Free Press’s Joseph Torres about media and the Tulsa Massacre for the June 4, 2021, episode of CounterSpin. Ch. 3: Blood on Black Wall Street - Excavating the Past - Into America - Air Date 6-3-21 100 years ago this week, a white mob burned down Tulsa's Greenwood District, a bustling business district. For decades, the government refused to acknowledge the Tulsa Race Massacre ever happened. Ch. 4: The Tulsa massacre, 100 years later - Today, Explained - Air Date 6-1-21 It was one of the worst incidents of racial violence in American history, but for a long time very few Americans learned what happened to the Black residents of the Greenwood district in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As President Biden signs legislation to make Juneteenth a federal holiday to mark the day in 1865 when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned of their freedom more than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation we speak to the writer Clint Smith MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Al talks to Michael Harriot, Senior writer at The Root online newspaper Sam and Emma host author Clint Smith, staff writer at the Atlantic, to discuss his new book, How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America on how the legacy of slavery has been passed down and obscured through generations VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: University athletics - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on Deadline for Democracy marches and Harriet Tubman's lifespan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Historic, black and white photograph of the aftermath of the Greenwood Massacre (Tulsa, OK). A man in overalls and a hat walks through rubble, his face in silhouette. All around him is destruction, downed power lines, and the remnants of building facades. Credit: "Greenwood Massacre", Flickr | License | Changes: cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1425_Juneteenth.Tulsa_Massacre_Air_Date_6-23-21_General_-_6-23-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:27pm EST |
Sat, 19 June 2021
Air Date 6/19/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of obstruction in service to big donors' interests while sacrificing the ability to run a functioning democracy in the process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: West Virginia's Robyn Kincaid on the maddening Joe Manchin - The BradCast - Air Date 6-9-21 Robyn Kincaid explains the mysteries of Manchin, the history of his family's political dynasty in the state, and key factors that may be at work in Manchin's inexplicable obstruction of Biden and the Democrats' agenda. Ch. 2: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Breaking down the conflict-averse nature of the Democratic Party. Ch. 4: Breaking Down President Biden's $6 Trillion 2022 Budget - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-21 The president's budget attempts to incorporate plans on infrastructure, housing, and healthcare, and is likely to receive conservative backlash for raising the federal deficit. Ch. 5: What Does Joe Manchin Want? John Nichols on Filibuster Reform - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-9-21 Congressional action could block voter law changes—but that requires filibuster reform, and Joe Manchin says he won’t vote for filibuster reform. What does Joe Manchin want? John Nichols comments. Ch. 6: Joe Manchin Gets Candid With Billionaire Donors in Leaked Audio - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-16-21 Sen. Joe Manchin reveals his thoughts on the filibuster in a leaked Zoom call with fundraisers. Ch. 7: Does America Have a Chance At Democracy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-12-21 When a political party is more obsessed with identity than issues - America is in trouble. Can America function as a multi-racial, ethnic, religious democracy? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Explaining Manchin's love of being the center of attention and those who love to use him as a shield against criticism BONUS Ch. 10: Curation Lesson #4 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Bo Burnham's "Inside" TAKE ACTION! June 21st in D.C. & Virtual: Poor People's Campaign: March to Demand a 3rd Reconstruction | TW: @UniteThePoor Pressure Manchin & Sinema via No Excuses PAC | TW: NoExcuses_PAC Pressure Manchin via West Virginia Can’t Wait |TW: @WVCantWait Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image. Photo of Sen. Kristen Sinema (D-AZ) on the left and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the right. More than half of their images are overlaid with red, the rest with blue. A vector image of the U.S. Capitol is in the foreground, a rope is coiled around the dome being pulled at each end out of view. Credit: Composite image designed by Amanda Hoffman Image 1: "Kyrsten Sinema" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays Image 2: "FAA REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION" by Senate Democrats, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1424_Joe_Manchin.Filibuster_Air_Date_6-19-21_General_-_6-19-21_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:59am EST |
Tue, 15 June 2021
Do you feel valued by your health insurance company? Because they are definitely working to extract as much value out of you as they can. Air Date: 6-4-21 - Broken health insurance exchanges - Health insurance company meddling - Health insurance companies using surveillance capitalism - Feeble efforts to resist commodification
Produced by: |
Sat, 12 June 2021
Air Date 6/12/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of sports including racism, sexism, capitalism, media and mental health. So, pretty much just like regular politics but with the one group of rich people who society broadly thinks don't have a right to be heard. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Professional sports are never more than an inch away from the deepest core of what's happening in America. They are an amazing crucible of politics and culture that manage to reflect the issues we are working through as a country. On this episode, we parse the racist, anti-labor characterization of athletes in media, how they are both scary threatening men and tiny children who shouldn't be paid and breakdown how this topic has cultural implications to other labor struggles. Ch. 3: Absurdly Racist NFL Scandal EXPOSED In New Pledge - The Damage Report - Air Date 6-3-21 The NFL pledged to halt the use of “race-norming”. John Iadarola and Dr. Rashad Richey break it down on The Damage Report. Jackie MacMullan made an inexcusable comment to Kyrie Irving. Rick Strom breaks it down. Ch. 5: Why College Athletes Don't Get Paid - Vice News - Air Date 12-29-19 College sports have become a multi-billion dollar industry, but the NCAA's regulations prohibit amateur athletes from profiting off their abilities to go pro. But a new lawsuit could completely uped the NCAA and the college athletic business model. Ch. 6: Hope Solo Wants Soccer Justice - Edge of Sports - Air Date 5-24-21 This week we speak to legendary goalkeeper Hope Solo about her 20 year career in USA Soccer and what she would do if she was in charge of the Federation. We get into issues concerning equal pay and the pushback. Ch. 7: Naomi Osaka, Athletes, and Mental Health - Past Present - Air Date 6-8-21 In this episode, Natalia, Neil, and Niki discuss the controversy over tennis champion Naomi Osaka’s decision not to participate in post-match press conferences. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Sole By The Pound: Sonny Vaccaro on NCAA Sham Amateurism - Edge of Sports - Air Date 11-30-16 Today we speak to the most influential person in basketball who never laced up sneakers or coached on a sideline: former Nike executive Sonny Vaccaro – the guy who connected sneaker money to so-called amateur hoops. Ch. 9: Megan Rapinoe - The Old Man and the Three with JJ Redick and Tommy Alter - Air Date 11-25-20 As a soccer superstar, Megan Rapinoe is beloved and admired worldwide. But as her millions of fans know, it's not just because of what she does on the pitch. A well known activist, she has been outspoken and a leading voice on several topics VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Critical Race Theory and objective facts - Christian from Arkansas FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the future continued breakdown of shared realities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cropped photo of four, African American, San Francisco 49ers football players kneeling on the side lines before a game during the national anthem, two with hands over their hearts. Other people of various races stand around them, one woman looks over at the kneeling players. Credit: "San Francisco 49ers National Anthem Kneeling" by Keith Allison | Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1423_Sports_Racism_Labor_Air_Date_6-12-21_General_-_6-11-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00pm EST |
Wed, 9 June 2021
Air Date 6/9/2021 Today we take a look at the motivations behind legislation being introduced in statehouses around the country to ban the teaching of Critical Race Theory, criminalize the right to protest and limit the right to vote. Now if only there were some theory we could look to to understand the complicated interconnectedness of these subtly racist ideas... Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Most students in America are only taught about a handful of important Black Americans in history class. Here’s a look at why schools should teach students about race and why certain parents are opposed to that shift. Ch. 2: Critical Race Theory - Past Present - Air Date 5-25-21 In this episode, Niki, Neil, and Natalia discuss the current controversy over critical race theory. Ch. 3: Elly Page on Anti-Protest Bills - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-23-21 If the Chauvin verdict is testament to the power of protest, so too are the vigorous efforts to squelch that power. Plus: Right-wing legislators target trans kids at the state level. Ch. 4: Not Ready For That Conversation - On The Media - Air Date 4-23-21 Tami Abdollah [@latams], national correspondent for USA Today, on how Republican-controlled legislatures across the country have been introducing bills to criminalize protests — or as they put it, to stop the rioting. Ch. 5: GOP States Are Pushing for Stricter Penalties for Protesters - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-27-21 The Takeaway spoke with Nora Benavidez, the director of U.S. Free Expression Programs at PEN America, and Elly Page, senior legal advisor at the International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, working with the U.S. Protest Law Tracker. Extreme voting restrictions have advanced in several Republican-led states across the U.S., including in Florida. Mother Jones reporter Ari Berman says these efforts are an extension of former President Trump’s “big lie” about voter fraud. This “Trump grip” narrative is nonsense and it needs to stop —the Republican Party has made it crystal clear with their voter suppression efforts that they no longer believe in democracy. They are doing this because they want to. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Trey Martinez Fischer says the legislation would have “a tremendous impact” on ballot access in the state. “Just like every bad policy, Hispanics, Latinos and Asian Americans will be disproportionately impacted," "the time for a national response is now." Ch. 9: How Corporate Media Protects Violent Cops - Carlos Maza - Air Date 6-4-20 Police departments across America have declared war on unarmed protesters. They get away with it thanks to a corporate media ecosystem that helps shield cops from criticism and discredit the people protesting police brutality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Lesson #3 The Value Proposition FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Iconography of a person speaking into a bullhorn with an arm up and other people icons listening to represent "protesting" with a red circle with a line through it over the image. Credit: "No protesting" by David Pursehouse | Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced contrast, saturation and brightness
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1422_CRT_Protest_Voting_Air_Date_6-9-21_General_-_6-9-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34pm EST |
Sun, 6 June 2021
Air Date 6/6/2021 Today we take a look at the tensions building between the US and China with an emphasis on understanding the context in which China has grown from a Cold War afterthought into a force capable of challenging American hegemony. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com LISTEN TO UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Graham Allison: Is war between China and the US inevitable - TEDTalks - Air Date 11-20-18 Taking lessons from a historical pattern called "Thucydides's Trap," political scientist Graham Allison shows why a rising China and a dominant United States could be headed towards a violent collision no one wants. Ch. 2: The world's great powers - Worldly - Air Date 2-18-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex break down one of the DC foreign policy world’s hottest new catchphrases: “great power competition.” It’s the idea that international politics in the 21st century will be dominated by a struggle for influence between the US & China. Ch. 3: The Century of Humiliation w/ Carl Zha - The East is a Podcast - Air Date 6-12-20 Carl Zha is the host of the Silk and Steel podcast. Ch. 4: Why Is China Investing Billions in Africa - NowThis World - Air Date 12-16-18 China has invested billions of dollars into the continent of Africa to build massive infrastructure projects in African countries. Ch. 5: China's trillion dollar plan to dominate global trade - Vox - Air Date 4-5-18 It's about more than just economics. Beijing has accused the U.S. of perpetuating a Cold War mentality as President Joe Biden and senior administration officials shore up alliances in the Pacific region to counter China’s growing influence MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Industrial Policy: How the Green New Deal's Architects Would Do IP - ChinaTalk - Air Date 5-13-21 Saikat and Zack take us inside the creation of the Green New Deal, lay out how bold leadership can change a nation's economic trajectory, lament Democrats' lukewarm appetite for industrial policy, and offer up their vision for a American developmental Rodney Jones, a long-time Asia analyst, colleague of Rob Johnson's, and currently Principal of Wigram Capital Advisors in New Zealand, discusses how China and other Pacific Rim countries succeeded in containing the Covid-19 pandemic VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Don't forget all the work that goes into the show - Nick From California Ch. 10: #1358 and explaining the systems of power - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the Center for Humane Technology as a response to Surveillance Capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A Chinese flag waves just above an American flag in front of a background of trees. Image Credit: "American and Chinese flags" by futureatlas.com | Flickr
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1421_China_Air_Date_6-6-21_General_-_6-6-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:31pm EST |
Tue, 1 June 2021
Air Date 6/1/2021 Today we take a look at the world of surveillance capitalism and the current age of techno-optimism that is just the newest iteration of the age-old effort to consolidate power and wealth by undermining individual freedom and democratic self governance. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 1 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. From microscopic "smart dust" tracking devices to DNA-tracing tech and advanced facial recognition software, journalist Sharon Weinberger leads a hair-raising tour through the global, unregulated bazaar of privatized mass surveillance. Ch. 3: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 2 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. Ch. 4: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What’s the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? Ch. 5: Surveillance Capitalism: Shoshana Zuboff Part 3 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 7-16-20 Shoshana Zuboff discusses a world in which technology users are neither customers, employees, nor products. Instead, the raw material for new procedures of manufacturing and sales that define an entirely new economic order: a surveillance economy. Ch. 6: That Time Disney Built a Creepy Government - Wisecrack - Air Date 1-15-21 Disney World is beloved all over the globe for the pure escapism it offers. But the story behind this fantasy world is a lot weirder, and a whole lot less magical than it might seem. In Stephen's unfortunate new segment "Uh-Oh," he takes a look at the dangers posed by a Nevada bill that would allow big tech companies to build and govern their own cities without state oversight. What could go wrong? What does the digital acceleration in this pandemic mean for our future? Shoshana Zuboff spoke with Anthony Gooch. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Steve Durbin — Identity Is Weaponized - ISF Podcast - Air Date 3-29-21 ISF CEO Steve Durbin and producer Tavia Gilbert discuss the ISF’s latest report, Threat Horizon 2023: Security at a Tipping Point. Today, we dig deeper into the report’s second threat: Identity is weaponised. Ch. 10: Rana Foroohar: The Surveillance Economy - New Economic Thinking - Air Date 8-22-20 Financial Times columnist Rana Foroohar talks to Rob Johnson about how the pandemic opens the door to more surveillance technology from Silicon Valley, but also to a growing consensus on reigning in Wall Street excess. BONUS: Ch. 11: Curation Lesson #2: Alternative option explained VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Mere aggregation - Diana Ch. 13: Use It or Lose It copyrights - Jonathan from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments to say thanks MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Close-up of a single human eye with the faded pattern impression of a microchip around the edges. Credit: Spying eye | Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1420_Surveilance_Capitalism_Air_Date_6-1-21_General_-_6-1-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:56pm EST |
Sat, 29 May 2021
Air Date 7/2/2019 Today we take a look at the ways in which Christians are being rallied to see themselves as the true victimized minority in America, a key component to stoking right-wing nationalism Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Rise of the Christian Taliban - The Intercept with Mehdi Hasan - Air Date 6-20-18 Mehdi Hasan is here to warn you about a growing threat to the laws and values of the United States from a group of religious extremists and fanatics. Ch. 2: Reverse Discrimination Isn't A Thing - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 4-11-19 The religious right claims reverse discrimination in that they are being unfairly required to exist in the same world as trans people Ch. 3: Is Mike Pence Christian? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-15-19 Mike Pence argues that to be a Christian one must discriminate against gay people, prevent women from getting abortions or birth control, support tearing refugee children from their parents and prevent the working poor from having access to healthcare. Mike Pence insists that it's the Christians who are being discriminated against. Ch. 5: Educating and Engaging with Lyra McKee - This Way Out - Air Date 4-29-19 Lyra McKee (full TEDx talk) shares her experiences transforming lives with conversations in religious spaces Ch. 6: Master Plan to Dismantle LGBTQ Rights - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 4-25-19 What are the LGBTQ cases heading to the Supreme Court? It's 2019 and people can be fired for not adhering to heteronormative gender ideas. Corporate, Christian, Conservative resistance is damaging and disgusting. Ch. 7: House Passes the Equality Act - This Way Out - Air Date 5-20-19 The House passes the Equality Act in an effort to stop LGBTQ discrimination and ensuring their freedoms. GOP is pushing back with the fallacious idea that white Christians are being discriminated against. Ch. 8: Demand the Senate Pass the Equality Act & Protect Trans Health Rights - Best of the Left Activism Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. Republicans are always claiming that everything progressives do is an attack on religious liberty, even sometimes just existing by some people is seen as an attack on "religious freedom'... in the meantime, Republican speaker Paul Ryan fires a religious leader fires a Chaplain over politics? VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: From depression to anxiety - Corey from New Jersey Ch. 11: Prisoners dilemma and the presidential election - Heather FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the overthinking many do during primary elections TAKE ACTION! Tell the Senate to Pass the Equality Act Protect Trans Health: Comment on Trump’s Discriminatory Rule EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 7 maps show the mess LGBT laws are in the USA (USA Today) The Senate should stand up for all Americans and pass the Equality Act (Rep. Patrick Maloney in The Hill) A History of Federal Non-Discrimination Legislation (93rd - 114th Congress) (Human Rights Campaign) Why Trump Is Rolling Back LGBTQ Health-Care Protections (The Atlantic) The Trump Administration Will Allow Health Workers To Refuse Abortion And Sex Reassignment Services (Buzzfeed) Researched & 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/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: 1286_Christian_Nationalism_Air_Date_7-2-19_Ad_Free_-_5-29-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47pm EST |
Tue, 25 May 2021
Air Date 5/25/2021 Today we take a look through a wide-angle lens at the current flareup of the conflict in Israel and Palestine including a discussion of disparate power dynamics, lived experience in Palestine, the creation story of Hamas, understanding the definition of apartheid and recognizing how the reactions in American politics and media are shifting. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Michael Brooks takes a question on Israel - The Mill Series - Air Date 3-9-20 The Mill Series hosted Michael Brooks at Lafayette College on Thurs Feb 27, 2020. Ch. 2: Life and Death in Occupied Palestine - Deconstructed - Air Date 5-21-21 On May 7, Israeli police raided the Al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem during the evening prayer. Hamas responded a few days later by launching rockets from Gaza into Israel. Israel retaliated with its own strikes, and the violence escalated. Ch. 3: Blowback: How Israel Helped Create Hamas - The Intercept - Air Date 2-20-18 Did you also know that Hamas — which is an Arabic acronym for “Islamic Resistance Movement” — would probably not exist today were it not for the Jewish state? Ch. 4: Is Israel Guilty Of Apartheid Against Palestinians - AJ+ - Air Date 5-14-21 Although it’s most famously associated with the white supremacist regime that used to rule South Africa, apartheid is actually a crime with specific conditions. In this explainer, we look at what those conditions are and whether they truly apply to Israel Ch. 5: Focus on Palestine feat. Mohammad Alsaafin - Chapo Trap House - Air Date 5-20-21 Felix is joined by journalist for AJ+ Mohammad Alsaafin for a wide ranging discussion on Palestinian resistance and the future of Zionism and the Palestinian cause. Heather Digby Parton will be here to run down the biggest stories of the week. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Debunking Israel's Human Shield Defense in Gaza Massacre - Empire Files - Air Date 5-19-21 Abby Martin gives 5 points that evaporate Israel's assertion that the civilians it kills in Gaza were "human shields." Ch. 8: The U.S. Media Has A Palestine Problem - AJ+ - Air Date 5-22-21 Israeli occupation of Palestine tends to be a touchy subject for news media, so much so that they break journalistic standards and writing etiquette just to avoid implicating one party another BONUS Ch. 9: Curation Lesson #1: Definitions FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments playing a logical deduction guessing game in celebration of Towel Day MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1419_Israel_Air_Date_5-25-21_General_-_5-25-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:44pm EST |
Sat, 22 May 2021
Air Date 5/22/2021 Today we take a look at the global struggle to acquire and distribute sufficient doses of vaccine in an effort to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. It is not going as well as one might hope. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
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SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Pandemic Immunoprivilege - In The Thick - Air Date 4-27-21 Ranna Ayyub writes for Time Magazine about the COVID-19 crisis in India and the Prime Minister’s failure to lead during this second wave. Dean Baker, a senior economist at the Center for Economic and Policy Research, joined host Jamilah King on the podcast to talk about the impact this decision could have on bringing the pandemic to an end. The international disparity in vaccine access between rich and low-income countries highlights “the irrationality of global capitalism,” says acclaimed Filipino scholar and activist Walden Bello. Refuting the hollow arguments made by the likes of Bloomberg News against waiving the vaccine patents. We breakdown the anti-TRIPS waiver corporate and ideological forces behind the seemingly good-hearted #VaxLive concert on May 8th. Ch. 6: Covid Vaccines - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-3-21 John Oliver explains why some people don’t want to get the Covid-19 vaccine and how they might be reassured. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: James Love on Bill Gates & Vaccine Politics - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-7-21 How we navigate that has to do with media’s elevation of “experts” like Bill Gates raise serious questions about why we allow billionaires to set policy on something as important as public health. We talk about that with James Love. Ch. 9: Pandemic Immunoprivilege Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 4-27-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Disney IP and copyright law - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on our recent bonus episode about surveillance capitalism MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1418_Vaccine_Rollout_Air_Date_5-21-21_General_-_5-22-21_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:52am EST |
Wed, 19 May 2021
Air Date 5/18/2021 Today we take a look at the potential of the end of American involvement in the war in Afghanistan as well as some of our recent actions related to Yemen and Syria as well as our relationship with Saudi Arabia. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com EPISODE SPONSORS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST | UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES President Biden announced a complete troop withdrawal from what he called the “forever war” in Afghanistan, by September 11th. “Only the Afghans have the right and responsibility to lead their country,” Biden said from the White House. Ch. 2: America is finally leaving Afghanistan - Worldly - Air Date 4-15-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex talk about President Joe Biden’s announcement that all remaining US troops will withdraw from Afghanistan by September 11, 2021 — the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks that launched the war. Ch. 3: Let's End the War in Yemen - Deconstructed - Air Date 2-12-21 In his first significant foreign policy announcement since taking office, President Biden broke with both former presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama and declared an end to U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. The humanitarian crisis in Yemen is deepening amid the pandemic and cuts to international aid from the United States and its allies, leaving millions of Yemenis facing famine after years of a brutal U.S.-backed, Saudi-led bombing campaign Ch. 5: Biden Bombs Syria - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 3-17-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and Matt discussed Joe Biden's decision to bomb Syria and what it means for his foreign policy going forward. We also talked with David Sterman of New America about what it means to have an endless war. Ch. 6: The Art of Fake-Ending Wars - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-14-21 In this episode, we discuss the United States' history of fake-ending wars, who these pronouncements are meant to please, why troops levels are often impossible to know, and why so many of our so-called "wars" are not really wars at all, but occupations MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Joe Biden's War Powers - Intercepted - Air Date 4-28-21 If you went back and looked at every foreign policy decision Joe Biden made — every single one — would you be any closer to understanding him? Ch. 8: Samantha Nutt: The real harm of the global arms trade - TEDTalks - Air Date 6-23-16 In some parts of the world, it's easier to get an automatic rifle than a glass of clean drinking water. Is this just the way it is? Samantha Nutt, doctor and founder of the international humanitarian organization War Child, explores the global arms trade VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Disney, racism and capitalism - Sasha Ch. 10: Recommending "Somebody" podcast for example of DARVO - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on DARVO from the police in the Somebody podcast Bonus clip: Somebody MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1417_Afghanistan_War_Air_Date_5-18-21_General_-_5-19-21_01.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:30am EST |
Fri, 14 May 2021
Air Date 7/20/2020 Systems maintain themselves through the efforts of many moving parts that need not understand their roles in maintaining the system as a whole, only their specialized task. Today, I use a case study incident to show how the system of racism defends itself against attack. Many separate parts, none of which understand how their individual actions connect to the larger system, work in complicated yet predictable ways to carry out this defense of racism much like the many specialized antibodies of an immune system work together to isolate and eradicate threats to the host. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to the story of a story Ch. 2: Yascha Mounk on antiracism in America - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-10-20 Ch. 3: Jay explains the fraught nature of interracial relationships Ch. 4: Introducing the Education Council Meeting incident - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-10-20 Ch. 5: Edward Irizarry speaks about the privilege and racial dynamics of the council Ch. 6: Explaining DARVO: Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender Ch. 7: Robin Brochi responds to Edward Ch. 8: Tom demands to know what’s racist about holding a brown baby Ch. 9: Additional input from other council members Ch. 10: The story of the story Ch. 11: Recap and wrap up Original meeting video: CEC D2 Working Business Meeting June 29, 2020 16:55 - Edward Irizarry Speech 22:50 - Robin Brochi's Apology 26:25 - Tom Wrocklage asks what about his actions were racist 39:20 - Beginning of segment that is ultimately clipped out of context Tom's I-have-a-black-friend video: My friend from my living room on the June 11th CECD2 meeting FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +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 Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: Rerun_1358_White_people_talking_about_race_Air_Date_7-20-20_Ad_Free_-_5-14-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:58pm EST |
Tue, 11 May 2021
Air Date: 5-11-21
Red Bull, Elon Musk, and Matt Gaetz - The Bulwark Brooke speaks with Lulu Miller about her new book, "Why Fish Don't Exist" Billy Bragg - Not Everything That Counts Can Be Counted Commentary: I love Disney World, but wokeness is ruining the experience
Produced by: |
Sat, 8 May 2021
Air Date 5/8/2021 Today we take a look at the culture that Disney has helped create and how they did it, using cuteness as a weapon to push ideas from racist stereotypes and segregation to the masterful use of hollow nods toward progressivism while reinforcing the ethics of individualism in order to give systemic injustice a pass. 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: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 1 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Scholar, writer, and activist Walidah Imarisha is someone who’s been thinking hard about what stories Disney tells and why. She teaches a class on race and Disney films at Portland State University. Ch. 2: 40 Acres and a Movie - Still Processing - Air Date 4-8-21 Disney owns a piece of every living person’s childhood. Now it owns Marvel Studios, too. Jenna and Wesley look at depictions of racist tropes and stereotypes in Disney’s ever-expanding catalog. The company has made recent attempts to atone for its past. Ch. 3: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 2 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Ch. 4: Woke Disney - Lindsay Ellis - Air Date 9-30-21 Nodding to progressive ideas while just proping up capitalism is just marketing. Ch. 5: Disneyfication of American History - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 6: How Disney Ruined Culture - Wisecrack - Air Date 11-9-20 It's no surprise that Disney has an absolute stranglehold on the culture we consume today. But the joys of the Magic Kingdom aside, what if it's actually kind of really bad for art? We'll explain in this Wisecrack Edition: How Disney Ruined Culture. Ch. 7: The (Not So) Wonderful World of Disney - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 2-16-18 Sam talks to filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy E. Disney, about her views on inequality in the U.S., corporate greed and why, despite her last name, she's become one of the more vocal and prominent critics of The Walt Disney empire. Ch. 8: DED Talks: Why Walt Disney is Nothing Like You Think He Was - Cracked - Air Date 1-19-15 Disney tell's his story MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Disneyfication Of Cuteness - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 10: Copyright: Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-23-21 This video, like everything else in the world, is copyrighted. But what does that really mean? Copyright laws started out as a way to protect creators from having their hard work stolen, but it's turned into something else entirely. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Ableism in the show - Alyson from Colorado FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Woke Disney and Ableist language MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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Direct download: 1416_Disney_Air_Date_5-8-21_General_-_5-8-21_12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:53pm EST |
Wed, 5 May 2021
Air Date 5/5/2021 Today we take a look briefly at the trial of Derek Chauvin itself before moving on to various responses, a wide-angle lens on some of the forces at play in policing and the work still to be done. 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: Chauvin Found Guilty on All Counts - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-21-21 Introducing the guilty verdict of Derek Chauvin Ch. 2: Chauvin Guilty - Criminal (In)justice - Air Date 4-22-21 A Minneapolis jury has found former police officer Derek Chauvin guilty on all three counts in the murder of George Floyd. What does it mean for criminal justice reform? We go to Minneapolis to speak with Kandace Montgomery, co-executive director of Black Visions Collective, about their response to the guilty verdict for former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin for the murder of George Floyd. Staff writer for The New Republic, Osita Nwanevu, joins the show to share his thoughts on the conviction of Derek Chauvin. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Ch. 5: What have we learned - Dr. Roger Ray Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-25-21 While we want to show respect and support for public servants generally, such respect must also be met, especially now, with a willingness to question authority and to challenge the racism and classism that is so deeply embedded in policing. Ch. 6: Live Event Announcement Join Jay and Roger Ray in a live discussion on Ch. 7: Why Cops Don't Change - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 4-19-21 A retired NYPD detective says the force’s stubborn, insular culture was built to last. And Elie Mystal explains a 1989 Supreme Court ruling that made killing “reasonable.” Ch. 8: What have we learned - Dr. Roger Ray Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-25-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Why Cops Don't Change Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 4-19-21 The guilty verdict for Derek Chauvin came as a relief to many nationwide, but the number of people killed by police since his trial began underscores the broader issues that remain. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A rant for Patrons - Andy from New Orleans FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the business of progressive media 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: 1415_Chauvin_Trail.Police_Air_Date_5-5-21_General_-_5-5-21_21.28.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm EST |
Wed, 28 April 2021
Air Date 8/22/2020 Today we take a look at the long history and motivations for voter suppression, explain why it tends to help one party over the other and why vote-by-mail is the best solution to the majority of our voting problems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay explains that voter suppression is like pointillism in that it can only be understood by taking a wide enough view
Ch. 3: The pointillism of voter suppression (continued)
Ch. 4: Victoria Bassetti of the Brennan Center on the myth of widespread voter fraud - @DecodeDC - Air Date 10-20-16
Ch. 7: Carol Anderson on the Realities of Voter Suppression - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-12-18
FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Know Your Voting Rights & Make a Plan (ACLU) Let People Vote - State-by-State Rules & Options (ACLU) Volunteer for a 2020 Voter Protection Team (FairFight) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: "December 10 March for Voting Rights" by Michael Fleshman |Changes: cropped | License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +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 Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: 1362_Politics_is_Pointallism_Back_Up_to_See_Things_Clearly_Voter_Suppression.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:14pm EST |
Sat, 24 April 2021
Air Date 4/24/2021 Today we take a look at the major infrastructure investment plan proposed by the Biden administration, progressive perspectives arguing to make it better and the need to democratize the institutions that constitute our infrastructure. 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: Check out UnF*cking The Republic Podcast! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Megan Cassella, Politico reporter covering Biden administration economic policy, talks about the big infrastructure proposal from President Biden. Ch. 3: Is America big enough to Go Big again? - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 4-13-21 It’s time for America to go back to the future – a future of true greatness created by a people united to build a strong nation for the Common Good. Ch. 4: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. Ch. 5: Infrastructure, Jobs, and More - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-5-21 Catherine Rampell, syndicated opinion columnist at The Washington Post, political/economic commentator at CNN and special correspondent at PBS NewsHour, runs through the latest in national politics and news. We’ll hear about the Accessible, Affordable Internet for All Act (AAIA) from Ernesto Falcon, senior legislative counsel at Electronic Frontier Foundation. Ch. 7: Live Event Announcement On this week's show, Prof. Wolff discusses how the US home rental market is failing over 20% of all renters, and the basic flaws in Biden's $2 trillion infrastructure proposal. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Financial journalist and Exec Editor of The American Prospect, DAVID DAYEN, on Biden's infrastructure and public investment bill, how it will be funded, how it addresses economic inequality and the US social welfare infrastructure, what to expect next. Ch. 10: Infrastructure, mobilization, survival w/ Laleh Khalili Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 4-14-21 Political scientist Laleh Khalili on her article "Apocalyptic Infrastructures" for Noēma Magazine. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Further thoughts on public welfare programs - Craig from Ohio Ch. 12: More thoughts U.S. complicity - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the new propaganda paradigm leading the charge at Fox News Bonus clip: THE QUESTION MARK - THE DAILY SHOW WITH JON STEWART - Air Date 9-13-06 Bonus clip: Tucker Carlson Jeopardy - The Daily Social Distancing Show - Air Date 2-15-21 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE Description: Worker in a hard hat installing fiber optiic internet cable lines from a giant spool into a concrete hole in the ground. Credit: "SRNL Fiber Optic Cable Installation" by Savannah River Site, Flickr | 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: 1414_Infrastructure_Bill_Air_Date_4-24-21_General_-_4-23-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:20pm EST |
Wed, 21 April 2021
Air Date 4/21/2021 Today we take a look at the insurrection and police violence through the lens of White Supremacy and the rise of the likes of Tucker Carlson who has become the leading spokesman for laundering White Supremacist talking points through a marginally respectable facade. 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 "It is very hard not to see some fundamental contradictions in how our country, the state, wields force against its citizens," says Chris Hayes, comparing police responses in Black Lives Matter protests and the Capitol riot. Ch. 2: Black, White, and Blue - Progressive Faith Sermons - Air Date 4-18-21 While many are uncomfortable with calling for defunding the police, there is no way around the need for massive reform of our nation’s police force (and military) to root out the systemic racism that makes encounters between white police and black citizen Ch. 3: Tucker Carlson - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 3-15-21 Tucker Carlson is admired by white nationalists, elected officials, and maybe some of your relatives or coworkers. Given that he has the ear of so many Americans, John Oliver explains where Tucker came from and what his rhetorical tactics are Trevor reflects on the ever-present occurrence of deadly police violence against Black people in the U.S. and the seeming lack of cops willing to rise up and take a stand against it. Ch. 5: Did Tucker Carlson Order Insurrection - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-26-21 The last broadcaster to suggested something like this against the United States government, was Axis Sally. Worse it was all based on a lie that you might believe about the second amendment. According to reports, a group of House Republicans including Georgia's Marjorie Taylor Green and Arizona's Paul Gosar are forming an "America First Caucus" to protect "Anglo-Saxon political traditions." The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Arrest The Police - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-16-21 Jared and Nick have a frank discussion on policing in America in the wake of the Adam Toledo shooting in Chicago. Plus, they dissect what it is the Republicans are embracing considering the usual tropes don't seem to hold as much weight anymore. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments TAKE ACTION! If you pay for cable, you are supporting Fox News: UnFoxMyCableBox via Media Matters Tell Congress: I Won't Pay for Hate via Free Press EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE If you have cable, you are subsidizing Fox News. It might be time to cut the cord. Here's how (Daily Kos) ‘Fox News cheats’: Twitter explains how you pay Fox even if you don’t watch it—and how you can stop (Front Page Live) Fox News Foes Face Uphill Fight to Get Cable Network Dropped (Bloomberg) Tweet from Sleeping Giants on Carlson's lack of advertisers (Sleeping Giants) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: An artist's rendering of Fox New's host Tucker Carlson, with knitted brows, wearing a Klu Klux Klan robe and hood and pointing straight ahead. The background is a Confederate flag. Credit: "Tukkker" by Paul Lee, Flickr | Public Domain
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: 1413_White_Supremacy.Tucker_Carlson_Air_Date_4-21-21_General_-_4-21-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:26pm EST |
Sat, 17 April 2021
Air Date 4/17/2021 Today we take a look at the surge of anti-trans legislation coming from Republican-controlled state legislatures. Being concerned that suppressing voter turnout by targeting Black and Brown voters may not be enough to keep them in power, they are resorting to targeting another vulnerable population in the next of their infinite series of attempts to create a wedge issue by pitting people's lives and wellbeing against the prejudices of their constituents. We also examine the harm being inflicted on trans people, the trans-exclusionary Radical Feminists who have partnered with conservative coalitions to limit trans rights and briefly explore the world of sex-segregated athletics. 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: The Problem with the Focus on the Family - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Ch. 2: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 1 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Caller clarifies misinformation of data regarding trans identified youth vs youth referred to gender clinics. “We are truly witnessing an escalation of attacks on trans people unlike anything I’ve ever seen in government,” says Chase Strangio. We also speak with journalist and activist Raquel Willis, who says higher visibility for trans people is not enough. Dr. Joshua Safer, the executive director at Mount Sinai's Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery, explains why gender-affirming therapies — such as puberty blockers or hormone treatment — are safe and healthy for trans youth. Ch. 5: Debunking Myths About Trans People Part 2 - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 4-10-21 Ch. 6: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 1 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 The coordinated flood of legislation isn’t new. But now, it’s targeting kids. Ch. 8: The "radical feminists" working against trans rights - Post Reports - Air Date 2-26-20 Samantha Schmidt on a strain of feminism that rejects the existence of transgender identity. Ch. 9: A National Wave of Anti-Trans Bills Part 2 - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 3-3-21 Hudson Taylor's talk offers the following thesis: If we are to end homophobia and trans-phobia in the world of sports (and in the world at large), we must end sexism and gender stereotyping in sports first. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Misconceptions about trans people can be shaped by who tells their stories. Three trans journalists weigh in on how that should be done: Imara Jones - creator of TransLash Media, Kate Sosin - reporter at The 19th, Orion Rummler reporter at Axios. Ch. 12: The Problem with the Focus on the Family Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 4-9-21 We talk Sophie Bjork-James' book, the Divine Institution, to demonstrate how Evangelicals use the nuclear family in order to both attack members of the LGBTQ+ community and detract away from systemic issues related to race and other Public Health issues. Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the messy nature of reality TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protest sign that says "TRANS RIGHTS ARE HUMAN RIGHTS" with two Trans Pride flags on either side of the word "ARE." Credit: "Trans Rights are Human Rights" by Marc Nozell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, blurred edges to wide image
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: 1412_Anti-Trans_Laws_Air_Date_4-17-21_General_-_4-17-21_11.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:13pm EST |
Fri, 16 April 2021
TAKE ACTION PasstheEqualityAct.com: *Lobby Day April 21st & #EqualityTime Phone Banking* Learn about end-the-filibuster pressure campaigns in BOTL Episode #1411 EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE What You Need To Know About the Equality Act (Center for American Progress) Why the Equality Act Is So Important (Rolling Stone) Beautiful, sacred and powerful: Inside the roller coaster fight for trans kids in Arkansas (Reckon South) The Roots of Anti-Trans Violence - Report (Transgender Law Center) This record-breaking year for anti-transgender legislation would affect minors the most (CNN) New poll shows Americans overwhelmingly oppose anti-transgender laws (PBS)
Posted April 16, 2021; Written by Best of the Left Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman Hear the segment in the context of Best of the Left Edition #1412: Trans People as Disposable Chess Pieces in a Despicable Political Game
Direct download: Activism-_Tell_the_Senate_to_Pass_the_EqualityAct_to_Protect_LGBTQ_Rights_and_More.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:40pm EST |
Wed, 14 April 2021
Air Date 4/14/2021 Today we take a look at the one element of our government that, above all others, has contributed to the absolute disfunction of our democracy. The filibuster was never intended by the founders, always anti-democratic, often used for racist ends and is now being abused at a rate never before seen. 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 Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Filibuster - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 9-9-19 John Oliver explains why filibusters exist, why they shouldn't, and why it's stupid to drink coffee like a cat. President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate. Mitch McConnell is on a warpath, and he's getting all his favorite lies lined up. Sam Seder and the Majority Report crew discuss this. Adam Jentleson, who served as a former senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Mehdi Hasan to explain the history of the filibuster and how, according to Jentleson, it helps conservatives override the nation's democratic system. Ch. 5: Is Filibuster Reform Mitch McConnell's 'Kryptonite?' - Zerlina. - Air Date 3-16-21 Rep. John Yarmuth thinks so. He explains to Zerlina Maxwell why the rule is so important to the Senate Minority Leader, and why McConnell is “scared to death” about the possibility that Democrats will abolish it. Ch. 6: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 David Sirota explains the motivations and unseen pressures playing on Joe Manchin as he continuously pivots his position on the filibuster. Ch. 7: Activism: Support No Excuses PAC and W.V. Cant Wait - Best of the Left - 4-14-21 Ch. 8: Now Is the Time to End the Filibuster - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-18-21 Amy Goodman gives a commentary explaining the need to end the filibuster. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Adam Jentleson, former deputy chief of staff to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, talks with Rachel Maddow about why it's a good idea for Senate Democrats to reform the filibuster and pass popular legislation Ch. 10: Reid Calls for Filibuster Reform to End Gridlock - Nevada Senator Harry Reid - Air Date 11-22-13 On the Senate floor, Senator Reid laid out why we need to reform the rules to ensure qualified presidential nominees get up-or-down votes. Ch. 11: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Wading into the discussion on the child tax credit - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on racism and population TAKE ACTION! EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Parliamentarian Rules Democrats Can Officially Bypass the Filibuster (Truthout) Inside the West Virginian Movement to Push Joe Manchin to the Left (The New Republic) Progressive PAC kick-starts search for challengers to Manchin, Sinema (Politico) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cartoon version of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holding a chart that says "Republican Filibusters." The horizontal bar graph below the title shows an X axis starting with "88th term 1963-64" and ending with "110th term 2007-2008." The bar values range from 3 at the beginning of the time-line to "153 Projected for end of term" at the end. Credits: "Mitch McConnell, Filibuster King" by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License | Changes: Increased white background to make vertical image square, smudged existing shadow to extend farther, dark blue border added
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: 1411_Filibuster_Air_Date_4-14-21_General_-_4-14-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm EST |
Sat, 10 April 2021
Air Date 4/10/2021 Today we take a look at the need for a modern assessment of the corporate monopolies who dominate our online and offline experiences, including seeing the negative consequences of monopolies through a racial justice lens. 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 Podcast Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Cory Doctorow, award-winning author, technologist, and founder, joins Azeem Azhar to explore the power of big tech monopolies and how a future wave of antitrust lawsuits could unleash innovation across the sector. Ch. 2: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Ch. 4: The Facebook News Blackout and the News Media Bargaining Code - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-23-21 In this week's episode we unpack what the code is, what it does, why it's necessary and what happens next with Director of the Australia Institute's Centre for Responsible Technology, Peter Lewis. Rebecca talks to Jeremie Greer--one of Liberation in a Generation's co-founders and co-exec directors--about centering grassroots leaders of color in the anti-monopoly movement, and reimagining the antitrust movement’s work through a racial justice lens. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Google and the use and abuse of economic modeling Part 2 - Follow The Money - Air Date 2-16-21 In Anti-Monopoly Activism: Reclaiming Power through Racial Justice, Jeremie Greer and Solana Rice (co-founders and co-executive directors of Liberation in a Generation) argue for organizers of color to be embedded—and centered—in the anti-monopoly fight. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Child tax credits don't cause population booms - Erin from Philadelphia Ch. 12: Biden and China - Jonathan from New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on child welfare programs, birth rates and uncomfortably honest political talk 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: 1410_Tech_Monopolies_Air_Date_4-10-21_General_-_4-10-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:19pm EST |
Thu, 8 April 2021
Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - The great shames of the nation - A comparison between Korean-language and English-language coverage of the Atlanta shootings - When it comes to catalyzing a will to change, seeing is believing (and motivating) - The GOP culture wars are about to go scorched-earth because they have nothing else References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes! |
Tue, 6 April 2021
Air Date 6/17/2020 Today we take a look at the uprising sparked by the killing of George Floyd in the context of a world in which that event was just the last straw in an innumerable series of straws. 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! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A Decade Of Watching Black People Die - Code Switch - Air Date 5-31-20 The last few weeks have been filled with devastating news — stories about the police killing black people. At this point, these calamities feel familiar — so familiar, in fact, that their details have begun to echo each other. Tamika Mallory: “At this point, we’re looking at a nation and a world that has decided that what we saw happen on camera … is no longer acceptable... people have taken to the streets to demand change." Ch. 3: Trevor Speaks Out About the Murder of George Floyd - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-1-20 Trevor discusses the murders of Ahmaud Arbery and George Floyd, the Minneapolis protests, and how racial injustice and police brutality continue to impact black Americans. Ch. 4: Why The 2020 Anti-Racism Uprisings Feel Different - News Beat - Air Date 6-5-20 A veteran of the 1967 Newark Rebellion discusses George Floyd’s death, the culture of police brutality, and whether today's movement can produce change. Ch. 5: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20 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. 6: Uprisings Against Police Killings of Black People - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-3-20 After a week of protests, the nationwide (and now worldwide) uprising against racism and police killings of Black people in response to the murder of George Floyd continues to grow. Ch. 7: The thin blue line between looting and standard economics - The Bugle - Air Date 6-6-20 Andy, Hari and Tom react to the protests in the USA. We hear the voices of Floyd’s brother Philonise and Reverend Al Sharpton, who urged those gathered “to stand up in George’s name and say, 'Get your knee off our necks!'” Ch. 9: Protests Sweep Across the Globe - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-9-20 Americans take to the streets in historic numbers to protest police brutality, the demand for books about racism skyrockets, and meaningful police reform catches on. Ch. 10: This Is Not a Game - In The Thick - Air Date 6-12-20 Maria and Julio get into how race and activism show up in sports - historically and in the current Black Lives Matter movement - with Howard Bryant, a senior writer for ESPN and correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition. Ch. 11: NFL's Roger Goodell We Were Wrong, #BlackLivesMatter - The Young Turks - Air Date 6-5-20 NFL's commissioner has released a statement saying they were wrong to stop protests. Ch. 12: Amanpour Knows an Uprising When She Sees One - Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 6-9-20 CNN International anchor Christiane Amanpour has seen a lot of unrest around the globe. She says we have to see the George Floyd protests for what they are. An uprising. Ch. 13: The Racial Justice Uprising in the U.S. is Taking Hold Overseas - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-8-20 Many foreign leaders have condemned the killing of George Floyd, but demonstrators outside of the U.S. are also attempting to call attention to racial injustice within their own borders. Ch. 14: Protest, Pain & Hope with Karen Attiah - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 6-4-20 Washington Post Global Opinions editor Karen Attiah discusses the ongoing protests sparked by police brutality, legacies of racial violence in America, and the language we use to speak about inequality. Ch. 15: Roundtable On Police Killings & Global Resistance - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 We look at the international response to the police killing of George Floyd. Countries are now being forced to face their own racism and the inter-relationship between racism and imperialism. Ch. 17: Voices of the uprising - Sojourner Truth Radio - Air Date 6-5-20 Highlighting the voices of protesters TAKE ACTION Join The Movement for Black Lives' SixNineteen mobilization: 6/19 (Juneteenth) through 6/21 Visit SixNineteen.com to find events near you, participate virtually, join the D.C. action, or register your own event Text DEFEND to 90975 to get updates on #SixNineteen and future actions Follow @Mvmnt4BlkLives and use #DefendBlackLives , #SixNineteen , #BlackLivesMatter ,& #DefundthePolice on Twitter EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE #SIXNINETEEN: Movement For Black Lives Calls For Juneteenth Actions (Essence) An American Uprising (The New Yorker) What Exactly Does It Mean to Defund the Police? (The Cut, NY Magazine) America, This is Your Chance (NY Times Op-Ed, Michelle Alexander) Police Erupt in Violence Nationwide (Slate) Freedom to Thrive: Reimagining Safety & Security in Our Communities (Popular Democracy) Resources for White People to Learn and Talk About Race and Racism (Fractured Atlas) A Letter to White People Engaged in Conversations Around the Phrase “Defund The Police” (Medium) Louisville police release the Breonna Taylor incident report. It's virtually blank (Louisville Courier Journal) This Is How Hard It Is to Invest in Black Neighborhoods (Bloomberg CityLabs)
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +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 Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: 1353_George_Floyd_Uprising_Air_Date_6-17-20_-_6-17-20_20.37_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EST |
Sat, 3 April 2021
Air Date 4/03/2021 Today we take a look at the need for reform to our gun laws through the lens of the recent mass shootings. Support for various reform measures reaches as high as 90% approval in the US, making it one of the most stark examples of our broken, unresponsive, undemocratic government. 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 NBC News' Jacob Ward takes a look at the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on mass shootings and gun violence to see how those trends might change now that states begin to lift Covid-19 restrictions. As gun violence flares up once again in this country, Republicans are quick to change the subject while gun apologists roll out their standard response to calls for reform: now is not the time. Ch. 3: The gun solution we're not talking about - Vox - Air Date 9-11-19 Universal background checks won't fix America's gun crisis. But there's something else that might. Rachel Maddow looks back on how Joe Manchin, with Pat Toomey, in the wake of the Sandy Hook gun massacre, supplanted President Obama's call for universal background checks Gun safety advocate Fred Guttenberg, who lost his daughter Jamie in the Parkland school shooting, expresses his frustration with the lack of gun safety legislation, and calls to end the hold the NRA has on Republicans. Ch. 6: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-26-21 This week on CounterSpin: If you look, you can find reminders that the Second Amendment was forged, distressingly, with the aim of preserving “slave patrol” militias in the South. And that courts consistently interpreted it as meaning a “collective” right Ch. 7: Can You Look At The Carnage Of Gun Violence? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-24-21 Could you look at the mangled bodies of Americans murdered by gun violence without demanding that guns stop being so available? Ch. 8: Ban Assault Weapons Now - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-25-21 The massacres in Boulder, Colorado, with ten killed, and in metro Atlanta, with eight killed, are just two more instances of senseless gun violence enabled by the NRA. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings - The Takeaway - Air Date 3-26-21 A Look Back at Colorado's History of Mass Shootings Lt. Joe Kenda (ret.) was a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department for twenty years. During that time, he solved 356 of the 387 murder cases he investigated. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Maintaining beliefs and cognitive dissonance - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the cognitive biases related to aquiring new information TAKE ACTION! MFOL Aid and Alliance - A resource sharing program that will distribute nearly $500k to support anti-violence work led by BIPOC youth organizations and activists on the ground. Directly supporting communities most impacted by gun violence and decentering whiteness in the movement. MFOL Policy Demands for Biden-Harris Administration EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Violence Against Women Act Runs Into GOP Objections on Guns and Trans Rights (Mother Jones) $5 Billion For Violence Prevention Is Tucked Into Biden Infrastructure Plan (NPR) Can New Gun Violence Research Find a Path Around the Political Stalemate? (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Young woman holds a sign at a rally that has the crossed-out words "Thoughts and Prayers." Underneath, it says "REFORM." Credit: "March for Our Lives, NYC" by mathiaswasik, 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: 1409_Gun_Control_Air_Date_4-02-21_General_-_4-2-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:26am EST |
Wed, 31 March 2021
Air Date 3/31/2021 Today we take a look at the history of anti-Asian hate in America dating back to the very first racially discriminatory immigration law, the ramifications of our imperial exploits in the Philippines, the pattern of lynchings, the myth of the "model minority" and the role of White Supremacy to keep everyone in their roles and White people ignorant of it all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
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SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Missing History of Asian America Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. The crew speaks with professors Jane Junn and Karthick Ramakrishnan about the context of the Atlanta attacks and how Asian-American political participation has evolved in recent decades. Ch. 3: A History of Hate - In The Thick - Air Date 3-23-21 Maria and Julio unpack the root causes that led to this tragedy with Sung Yeon Choimorrow, ED of the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, and Kristine Villaneuva, a journalist and project editor at Resolve Philly’s “Equally Informed” initiative. Ch. 4: The Missing History of Asian America Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Helen Zia, author of Asian American Dreams: The Emergence of an American People and other books about the Asian American community. She tells the story of that era’s scapegoating of Asian Americans, and draws a line all the way back to the 18th century. Anti-Asian hate in the United States is “not anything new,” says Viet Thanh Nguyen, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Vietnamese American writer. “The history of anti-Asian violence in this country goes back to as long as we’ve had Asian immigrants in this country Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence. Ch. 7: Take Action to #StopAsianHate & Protect APPI Communities via @StopAAPIHate Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/activism. Ch. 8: Reacting to the Atlanta Shootings - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 3-28-21 Imani and Jess talk about the increasing violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, the importance of allyship in its wake, and how racist stereotypes against the AAPI community are also fueling new anti-choice legislation Ch. 9: A History of Pandemic Xenophobia & Racism - Social Distance - Air Date 3-24-21 Jim and Maeve speak with Alexandre White, a sociologist and medical historian at Johns Hopkins University. He shares his views on how a legacy of prejudice tied to disease should lead us to reexamine how we respond when outbreaks occur. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: The Missing History of Asian America Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 3-22-21 Arun Venugopal, senior reporter in WNYC’s Race and Justice Unit, shares his reporting on the community in New York City, which has emerged as an epicenter of day to day reports of harassment and violence. Talking About the Atlanta Shooting, Purity Culture, & Anti-Asian American Violence VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Preferring guaranteed jobs and universal social safety net - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Further thoughts on the child tax credit - Rich FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on White Ignorance and White Supremacy TAKE ACTION Stop AAPI Hate Calls to Action: Donate to 40 local U.S. AAPI organizations via Movement Hub Ask your elected officials what they are doing to combat anti-Asian hate Advocate for expanded civil rights protections safeguarding Asian Americans and others Support Ethnic Studies in your local school districts and educational institutions Support local Asian-owned businesses EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How to stop the dangerous rise in hatred targeted at Asian Americans (USA Today) A Tense Lunar New Year for the Bay Area After Attacks on Asian-Americans (NY Times) Hundreds of volunteers are escorting elderly Asian Americans to keep them safe (The Hill) The history of fetishizing Asian women (Vox) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Three women at a rally against anti-Asian racism. An Asian woman in the middle holds a hand-written cardboard sign that says "We are not the virus. Hate is." Another sign to the right says "Stop Asian Hate." Credit: "Stop Asian Hate Rally @ Art Gallery" by GoToVan, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness &. 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: 1408_Anti-Asian_Hate_Air_Date_3-31-21_General_-_3-31-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:38pm EST |
Sun, 28 March 2021
Air Date 3/28/2021 Today we take a look at the progress being made on the effort to reform and defund the police in America as well as the reignited campaign to make society safe for women in the wake of the Sarah Everard murder in the UK. 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: Austin’s Plan To Defund The Police - In The Loop - Air Date 2-22-21 Another Grim Milestone & Austin’s Plan To Defund The Police House Democrats passed a landmark bill Wednesday that would expand voting rights and another key piece of legislation on police reform through the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act -- something Democrats have been pushing for since the death of Floyd. The House passed the sweeping George Floyd Justice in Policing Act this week. But as long as partisan politics remains the status quo, lawmakers will continue to fail Black Americans. MTV News correspondent Dometi Pongo explains. Ch. 4: Fight to Pass the George Floyd Act, BREATHE Act, & Take LOCAL Action! - Best of the Left Activism Ch. 5: Republicans Vote Against Protecting Women - The Rational National - Air Date 3-18-21 172 members of the house Republican caucus voted against the renewal of the VAWA. Ch. 6: The Problem With the Violence Against Women Act; - Ring of Fire Radio - Air Date 3-26-21 This week on Ring of Fire, Olúfẹ́mi O. Táíwò, Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Georgetown University and Abigail Higgins, a journalist covering inequality health and gender join us to discuss their piece in The Nation. Despite the High Court rejecting a challenge against the police’s ban of Sarah Everard's vigil, Telegraph Columnists Bryony Gordon and Claire Cohen said they will still attend. Ch. 8: Sarah Everard & Violence Against Women - TyskySour - Air Date 3-12-21 The disappearance and death of Sarah Everard has shone a spotlight on the epidemic of violence against women in Britain, and has provoked an outpouring from women on social media sharing their own experience of harassment, threats and violence Ch. 9: Why women feel unsafe on Britain's streets - Channel 4 News - Air Date 3-11-21 "We are tired of having to pre-empt possible violence. Of having to risk assess every ordinary action every day, every hour of our lives". Ch. 10: Sarah Everard's vigil aggressively broken up by London police - CNN UK - Air Date 3-14-21 The British government is calling for an investigation after police aggressively broke up a vigil being held for Sarah Everard, a 33-year-old woman whose alleged murder while walking home in South London has reignited a national debate in Britain MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: The Economics of Abolition - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 12-24-20 “Defund the police” became a rallying cry in the summer of 2020 as demonstrators flooded streets across the United States to demand an end to police brutality in the wake of the deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd at the hands of the police. Ch. 12: Into Defunding the LAPD - Into America - Air Date 6-11-20 ‘Defund the police’ has become a familiar rallying call at protests across the country. It’s a push to reduce the size of police department budgets, in order to reallocate resources to other parts of the community. And a few cities leaders are listening. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Taking kids from parents and the racism of anti-immigration - Bud from Boise FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on how to report the truth while lying to the high heavens TAKE ACTION! Fight to improve & pass the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Fight to pass the BREATHE Act (Movement for Black Lives) (BOTL segment from last summer) Join a local organization or chapter fighting police brutality: some suggestions Explore the ACLU's FIGHTING POLICE ABUSE: A COMMUNITY ACTION MANUAL EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE George Floyd Justice in Policing Act Explained (Note: Headline updated) (Vox) Now is the time to revolutionize policing (BREATHE Act) (Vox) Movement for Black Lives opposes George Floyd Justice in Policing Act (PBS) Why Police Brutality Is a Public Health Issue (Self) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Memorial for Sarah Everard in the U.K. Photo of a tree in a park with flowers and candles at the base and a sign tied to the trunk that reads "#ReclaimTheseStreets!". A woman with a face mask is bending over to add flowers to the memorial. Credit: "Vigil for Sarah Everard in Sheffield" by Tim Dennell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and increased contrast and 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: 1407_Police_Reform.Sarah_Everard_Air_Date_3-28-21_General_-_3-28-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:19pm EST |
Fri, 26 March 2021
Air Date: 3-26-21 Sign up for a membership to hear the full show! Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by:
Direct download: Bonus_Show_227_Sample_-_3-26-21_2329.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:28pm EST |
Tue, 23 March 2021
Air Date 3/23/2021 Today we take a look at the American Rescue Plan and discuss what it does, where it falls short and whether it could signal the end of an era. 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 Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES President Biden today signed his American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID rescue and relief package that history may someday regard as the long-overdue end of the four-decade old Reagan Era. Zero Republicans in the House or Senate voted for it. We speak with economist Stephanie Kelton, author of "The Deficit Myth," about how the bill could help cut child poverty in half and provide a historic economic boost to the poorest people in the United States. Ch. 3: End of Conservative Era? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-15-21 Are we leaving Reagan and Nixon behind for a new FDR era? Is America waking up to the horrors of Reagan and Nixon? President Biden today signed his American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID rescue and relief package that history may someday regard as the long-overdue end of the four-decade old Reagan Era. Zero Republicans in the House or Senate voted for it. Ch. 5: Help Is On the Way - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 3-12-21 To break down the major income-boosting elements in the ARP Act, and a look at what families can expect to receive in economic relief— Seth Hanlon, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a former advisor to President Obama for tax policy. Biden has signed the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, Democrats are hailing as the largest anti-poverty bill in a generation. “This is transformational,” says economist Joseph Stiglitz. “It says, 'We are actually going to live up to our aspirations" Ch. 7: What's In Biden's Relief Bill - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 3-13-21 Highlighting the change in political philosophy that this relief bill demonstrates as well as understanding the 'stickiness' of good policy that helps people Prof. Richard Wolff explains that this relief bill is not a giant giveaway, it's a small downpayment on returning what is owed to the poor and working classes for the upward redistribution of wealth over the past 50 years Ch. 9: Stimulate This Beyotch - Unf*cking the Republic - Air Date 3-19-21 An analysis of the outcome of the relief bill and what it says about our country's ability to govern itself thoughtfully. And alsop swearing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Moderate Democrats and Republicans alike repeated one common criticism—that infusing so much money into the economy would cause inflation. Austan Goolsbee, past Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, explains why those fears are misplaced. Prof. Richard Wolff explains concierge doctors and the privatization of everything. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Universal earned income benefits - Scott Ch. 13: No Payments to Families with Children - Rich FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on child welfare programs and perverse incentives EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE The goal is "Improved Medicare for All" and we must keep pushing for it, but if you need help right now, you should know... NY Times: "The American Rescue Plan [...] would increase government subsidies to health insurers for covering recently laid-off workers and those who purchase their own coverage." NY Times: "The first step of the federal upgrade should be ready by April 1: Healthcare.gov, where people sign up for insurance in 36 states, will start showing prices that reflect the new policy." Need Health Insurance? A Guide to New Options Under the Stimulus. (NY Times) Obamacare’s About to Get a Lot More Affordable. These Maps Show How. (NY Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: In foreground, a gravestone with the words "R.I.P. Reaganism" and in the background, part of a stimulus check from the U.S. Department of Treasury. Credit: Composite design & text by Amanda Hoffman. Grave image (Pixabay), Stimulus check image (Pixabay)
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: 1406_American_Rescue_Plan_Air_Date_3-23-21_General_-_3-23-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39pm EST |
Sat, 20 March 2021
Air Date 3/19/2021 Today we take a look at the decades-old problems with our immigration system, what changes are being made under the new administration, and some of the underlying causes for the massive disfunction we have in addressing the issue. 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: The New Yorker Magazine Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Eyes Sweeping Immigration Reform Legislation - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-18-21 Deputy White House Communications Director Pili Tobar joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the Biden administration's immigration reform agenda, and how the president plans to get the votes necessary to pass the most comprehensive immigration reform bill in years Overflowing ICE detention centers. Families separated at the border. A multi-billion-dollar border wall. Over the course of his four-year presidency, Donald Trump used executive power to wage war on the United States’ immigration system Ch. 3: The First 100: Joy Olson - Only in America with Ali Noorani - Air Date 1-27-21 Among President Biden's immigration actions is a $4 billion four-year plan to address root causes of migration in Central America. But when lawmakers talk about addressing migration's “root causes,” what do they really mean? The Biden administration is struggling to address the flow of migrant children crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without their parents, many fleeing extreme violence, poverty and natural disasters in their home countries Ch. 5: Biden's Immigration Agenda Tested at the Border - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 3-9-21 With the number of unaccompanied migrant kids in U.S. custody tripling in recent weeks, Florida Immigration Coalition Spokesperson Melissa Taveras joins Mehdi Hasan to discuss the implications for Biden's immigration policy. Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Ch. 7: The business of immigrant labor w/ Ruth Milkman - This Is Hell! - Air Date 3-10-21 Sociologist Ruth Milkman on the dynamics of immigration law and low-wage work, and her new book "Immigrant Labor and the New Precariat" for Polity Books. Ch. 8: The Democrats' Long War on Immigrants - Intercepted - Air Date 2-17-21 As Joe Biden took the oath of office this January, Guatemalan security forces at the Honduran border thwarted thousands of U.S.-bound migrants. Decades-long American imperialism has facilitated displacement throughout the region MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Democrats' Long War on Immigrants Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 2-17-21 Ch. 10: Separating Children: Laura Briggs - Future Hindsight - Air Date 2-18-21 Laura Briggs is the author of Taking Children: A History of American Terror. We discuss the history of child separation for political ends, ranging from the enslaved and Native children, to the children of the poor and Central American refugees. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Biden needs media training but isn't aggressively evil - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the mental drain of media BS and the need for small victories TAKE ACTION: Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Follow @DetentionWatch Support anti-detention state legislation in Maryland, New Mexico, & Washington EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE: ‘Like an Experimental Concentration Camp’: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center (Law & Crime) “A SILENT PANDEMIC”: Nurse at ICE Facility Blows the Whistle on Coronavirus Dangers (The Intercept) COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at Otero County Prison Facility (US News & World Report) New Report Documents Systemic Abuse at a New Mexico Immigrant Detention Center (Innovation Law Lab) Thousands of immigrants suffer in solitary confinement in U.S. detention centers (NBC News) Op-Ed: Why abuse and neglect of immigrants proliferate in ICE detention (LA Times) A Cage is Still a Cage: President Biden Must End U.S. Detention of Children and Families (TIME) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Close up of a protest sign that reads "Immigration is inevitable. Cruelty is optional.' in hand-written, multi-colored lettering. A smaller sign is held in the background that says "END DETENTION." Credit: "Protesting ICE and Deportation Raids Chicago Illinois 7-13-19_1836" by Charles Edward Miller, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped and increased 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: 1405_Biden_Immigration_Air_Date_3-19-21_General_-_3-19-21_18.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EST |
Fri, 19 March 2021
TAKE ACTION: Join Detention Watch Network's #FirstTen to #CommunitiesNotCages Week of Action - March 22nd-26th Follow @DetentionWatch Support anti-detention state legislation in Maryland, New Mexico, & Washington EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE: ‘Like an Experimental Concentration Camp’: Whistleblower Complaint Alleges Mass Hysterectomies at ICE Detention Center (Law & Crime) “A SILENT PANDEMIC”: Nurse at ICE Facility Blows the Whistle on Coronavirus Dangers (The Intercept) COVID-19 Outbreak Reported at Otero County Prison Facility (US News & World Report) New Report Documents Systemic Abuse at a New Mexico Immigrant Detention Center (Innovation Law Lab) Thousands of immigrants suffer in solitary confinement in U.S. detention centers (NBC News) Op-Ed: Why abuse and neglect of immigrants proliferate in ICE detention (LA Times) A Cage is Still a Cage: President Biden Must End U.S. Detention of Children and Families (TIME) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
Direct download: ACTIVISM__Shut_Down_Detention_Centers__Join_the_FirstTen_to_CommunitiesNotCages_Week_of_Action_March_22-26_via_DetentionWatch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:36pm EST |
Tue, 16 March 2021
Air Date 7/30/2019 Today we take a look at the ongoing debate about socialism between socialists and non-socialists alike, including discussion of tactical strategies on where to set our goals and how to get from here to there 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 Ch. 1: John Nichols on Bernie and Socialism - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-19-19 Bernie Sanders gave an important speech on socialism last week, and our John Nichols spoke with him about it -- beforehand. Socialism has grown a lot because of demonization. The Left has a war to lose - left policies are the direction of progress and the world is leaning that way - but without proper education and fighting it will take a lot longer. In the long run, democratic socialism wants to end capitalism - to empower working people. It's not just New Deal liberals - its pushing further. Massive momentum is on the Democratic Socialist side and collective action will win. The main alternative to neoliberalism is the proposed renewal of social democracy, such as in the form of Bernie Sanders' proposals. But to move forward we need to discuss the limits of a welfare state that ultimately does not change class relations Was the New Deal socialist? Yes and no. Bernie is pointing to the central model of most democratic socialist-style governments - he points to the good policies of democratic socialism instead of strict definitions. Bernie's solutions, while admirable and helpful, are merely reforms of a fundamentally broken and contradictory system. Reforms set us up for inevitable roll-back by the powerful as we've seen since FDR. Ch. 7: Bhaskar Sunkara on the possibilities of socialism in America - This is Hell - Air Date 5-21-19 Bhaskar Sunkara explores a path to socialism in America - as capitalism collapses and pulls politics towards the right, the promise of a worker-driven, democratic society built on equality and justice can be won by a broad, working-class movement Bernie is calling out the massive power disparities in the US and what policies we can work towards - an Economic Bill of Rights. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Fighting climate change means fighting capitalism - Jesse from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the connection between political debates and parenting advice MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE Lorie Shaull , Flickr | License (Modifications: Cropped)
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: 1293_Democratic_Socialism_Air_Date_7-30-19_Ad_Free_-_7-30-19_18.01_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:24pm EST |
Fri, 12 March 2021
Air Date 3/12/2021 Today we take a look at the multiple tactics being implemented in an attempt to undermine the entire concept of democracy because adhering to the will of the majority and allowing for unfettered protests is currently working to the distinct disadvantage of the Republican Party. Most people see the right to vote and to protest as foundational to a functioning democracy, others see them as impediments to their divine right to rule. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
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SHOW NOTES Sarah Repucci explains the factors that have helped drive the grim decline in freedoms and democracy in the U.S. and other areas of the world in recent years, which countries are most at risk and why the United States has dropped in the rankings. Ch. 2: Republicans Launch 253 Voter Suppression Bills - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-2-21 Republicans launch 253 voter suppression bills across the country, realizing they didn't suppress enough votes in the 2020 election. Ch. 3: The coming anti-protest laws w/ Alleen Brown + Akela Lacy Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 2-12-21 Journalists Alleen Brown and Akela Lacy on their report "State Legislatures Make “Unprecedented” Push on Anti-Protest Bills" for The Intercept, and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen empathizes with savages and samurai. Ch. 4: RED ALERT: Anti-Protest Bills Popping Up Everywhere - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-19-20 Anti-protest bills of all kinds are popping up in numerous states across the United States. Ch. 5: The coming anti-protest laws w/ Alleen Brown + Akela Lacy Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 2-12-21 Ch. 6: Ari Berman on the Attack on Voting Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-12-21 Do elite media think that whether or not the US, in 2021, under pressure from racists, goes back on the whole “one person one vote” thing is a legitimate topic for debate? Across the U.S., Republican lawmakers have introduced more than 250 bills in 43 states aimed at restricting voting access. Ari Berman, author and reporter for Mother Jones, says Republicans are “breaking democracy” with their push to restrict voting. Larry Lessig speaks with Representative John Sarbanes, the architect of the For The People Act (H.R. 1). The two dive into the provisions of this critically important piece of legislation to fix our democracy and what to expect in the months ahead. Ch. 9: Fight GOP Voter Suppression Laws - Best of the Left Activism Stand up against efforts to suppress the vote and subvert our democracy! Democracy strikes back against the anti-democracy GOP, because every democracy story these days includes Republican fraud or attempted voter suppression. House Democrats passed H.R.1 -- the 'For the People Act' -- with zero Republican votes. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Sarah Repucci explains the factors that have helped drive the grim decline in freedoms and democracy in the U.S. and other areas of the world in recent years, which countries are most at risk and why the United States has dropped in the rankings. VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Critiquing charitable giving - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the deep humanity of patronizing patriotism TAKE ACTION! Common Cause H.R. 1 Campaign - Text & Phonebank & Resources Demand Elimination of the Filibuster Follow Your State Legislature & Contact State Reps, Senators and Governor Support Opponents of Suppressionists in Public Office Vote Riders - Help Fight Suppression & Help Voters Get IDs They Need EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE For the People Act Is Needed to Stop New GOP Voter Suppression Bills (Teen Vogue) Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021 (Brennan Center for Justice) How to Restore and Strengthen the Voting Rights Act (Brennan Center for Justice) Blue States Suppress the Vote, Too (The New Republic) Republicans Are Taking Their Voter Suppression Efforts to New Extremes (Mother Jones) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Circular protest sign held in the air by a pair of hands with the words "Voting is a Human Right. Stand for Freedom. Join the Fight!" Credits: "December 10 march for voting rights" (2011) by Michael Fleshman (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: 1404_War_on_Democracy_Air_Date_3-12-21_General_-_3-12-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:18pm EST |
Tue, 9 March 2021
Air Date 3/9/2021 Today we take a look at the current goings on around the world regarding our foreign policy under the new but not-so-new-feeling leadership of Joe Biden. We check in on Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and a couple of assorted arms sales to authoritarian leaders who support our foreign policy. 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 Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Administration Should Strike a Deal with Iran - World Class - Air Date 2-18-21 Abbas Milani — an expert on U.S.-Iran relations — discusses the Iranian economy, the future of Iran’s leadership, and what a potential nuclear deal could mean for the U.S. The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. Ch. 3: Biden's First Act Of War Hits 3 Countries - Empire Files - Air Date 3-3-21 Biden's Feb. 26 strike in Syria was a crime, and risks major war with three countries. Abby Martin explains. Ch. 4: Whither the Antiwar Left - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-25-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Afghanistan and why it's lost. We also talked with journalist James Carden about the state of the antiwar left and whether Joe Biden might do some good on foreign policy. Ch. 5: What's Next For The War In Afghanistan - NPR Fresh Air - Air Date 3-4-21 America's 19-year war in Afghanistan may soon be coming to an end. The Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to withdraw all its troops by May 1. But the Afghan government was not included in those talks. Ch. 6: Can Joe Biden Save Yemen - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-11-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed Joe Biden's announcement that he would withdraw all American support for the war in Yemen. Joe Biden once vowed to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Now, it looks like he's letting him off the hook. Emma Vigeland and the Majority Report crew discuss this. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The future of the US-Saudi relationship (ft. Sen. Chris Murphy) - Worldly - Air Date 3-4-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex debate whether the US should continue to treat Saudi Arabia as a close partner given its atrocious human rights abuses and the declining US dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Abby Martin covers Biden's first arms deals to major human rights abusers Chile & Egypt; another US military base in Okinawa, opposed by majority of residents, threatens unique biodiversity; militia puts US at crossroads of a new Iraq war Ch. 10: Can Biden remake Trump's Middle East - The Bunker - Air Date 11-25-20 From Israel to Iran, Donald Trump thought he could reset the Middle East. His fixation on the region defined the last four years of US foreign policy. But what will Biden’s presidency mean for America and the Middle East? VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Introduction to our caste system - Roy from Washington State FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Biden attempting to talk about Afghanistan and China BONUS CLIPS: CNN Official interview Joe Biden on Afghanistan 'Making progress' - CNN - Air Date 11-28-10 What Biden Said About Uyghurs - CNN Presidential Town Hall MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Image Description: Close up photo of the words "War is Peace" on the page of the book "1984". Credit: "War is Peace" by Mark Hillary | 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: 1403_Biden_Foreign_Policy_Air_Date_3-9-21_General_-_3-9-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:40pm EST |
Sat, 6 March 2021
Air Date 3/6/2021 Today we take a look at the origins of race and the building of a caste system in the US based largely on the lessons from Isabel Wilkerson, author of "Caste: The Origins of our Discontent" 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: BOOKSHOP: BESTOFTHELEFT.COM/CASTE BLINKIST: BESTOFTHELEFT.COM/BLINKIST Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Biewen: The lie that invented racism - TED - Air Date 11-1-20 To understand and eradicate racist thinking, start at the beginning. That's what journalist and documentarian John Biewen did, leading to a trove of surprising and thought-provoking information on the "origins" of race. Ch. 2: Made in America (Seeing White, Part 3) - Scene on Radio - Air Date 3-16-17 Chattel slavery in the US, with its distinctive · and strikingly cruel · laws and structures, took shape over many decades in colonial America. The innovations that built American slavery are inseparable from the construction of Whiteness as we know it. Ch. 3: The Invention of Race - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 4: Caste in America with Isabel Wilkerson - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-11-20 Does the United States have a caste system? In her research on the Jim Crow South, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson found that the word ·racism· fell far short in capturing the depth and totality of oppression people existed under Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. This brief video presents three of Theodore W. Allen’s theses related to the invention of the “white race” and his important analysis of the white supremacy’s role in beating back struggles from below in three great crises in U.S. history. A new way of thinking about race and class with Isabel Wilkerson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Invention of Race Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the bonus material - Kim from Montana FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments TAKE ACTION! Fight for $15 in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight for H.R. 1 - For the People Act in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight for George Floyd Justice in Policing Act in the Senate: 202-224-3121 (voice) or 202-224-3091 (tty) Fight to pass the BREATHE Act (read our activism segment): Email members of Congress and more Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black chalkboard background with the word "CASTE" written in white
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: 1402_Caste_Air_Date_3-6-21_General_-_3-6-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:28pm EST |
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 |
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