Best of the Left Podcast

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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 

Transcript

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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.

Ch. 3: Monday Morning Politics Afghanistan, Public Health Mandates, And More - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-23-21

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.

Ch. 7: Medea Benjamin Afghan War Is Cash Cow for Pentagon. Biden Must End Delusional China Rivalry - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-25-21

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

Ch. 9: "Mayhem": Chaotic Scenes at Kabul Airport as Suicide Bombs Kill 110+ Afghans & U.S. Troops - Democracy Now - Air Date 8-27-21

The death toll from twin suicide bomb attack outside the airport has topped 110 people, including 13 U.S. troops.

Ch. 10: Forever Wars Not Ending, Just Rebranding w/ Jacob Silverman - The Majority Report w Sam Seder - Air Date 8-16-21


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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Direct download: 1438_Afghanistan_Withdrawl_Air_Date_8-28-21_General_-_8-27-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:00am EST

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 

Transcript

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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.

Ch. 3: The Afghan Pentagon Papers & An Illicit History Of The War - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 12-14-19

Michael Brooks breaks down the history of the modern military establishment.

Ch. 4: War presidents - Rachel Maddow Show

Ch. 5: The Afghanistan Papers Docs Show How Bush, Obama, Trump Lied About Brutality & Corruption of War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-19-21

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.

Ch. 7: Spencer Ackerman Todays Crisis in Kabul Is Direct Result of Decades of U.S. War & Destabilization - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-20-21

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.

Ch. 9: The Afghanistan Papers with Steven Miles - News Beat with Rashed Mian and Christopher Twarowski - Air Date 12-23-19

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

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: 1437_Afghanistan_Remix_Air_Date_8-25-21_General_-_8-25-21_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:47pm EST

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 

Transcript

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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.

Ch. 2: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Elizabeth Warren - The New Yorker: Politics and More - Air Date 10-19-20

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.

Ch. 5: Behind the Infrastructure of the Infrastructure Bill & The Real American Oligarchy - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 7-23-21

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

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

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 

Transcript

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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.

Ch. 7: "Nobody actually accounts for this violence": How the FBI fails to track white supremacist terrorism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-5-19

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)

Ch. 8: Tucker Carlson Doubles Down on White Supremacist 'Great Replacement' Theory - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 4-13-21

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

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

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Direct download: 1435_White_Violence_Air_Date_8-18-21_General_-_8-18-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:07pm EST

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 

Transcript

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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

Ch. 4: The World's On Fire and There's Money in the Flames - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 8-10-21

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

Ch. 8: Geoff Mann: Transforming and Democratizing Institutions to Address Climate Change - Economics & Beyond with Rob Johnson - Air Date 8-9-21

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)

Ch. 10: Extreme Heat in the News, Naming Heat Waves, Thermal Equity and more with Dr. Ladd Keith - America Adapts the Climate Change Podcast - Air Date 7-5-21

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

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

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Direct download: 1434_Climate_Remix_Air_Date_8-13-21_General_-_8-12-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00am EST

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 

Transcript

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BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE!

BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS!

BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE

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BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show!


SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Why Is Our Economy So … White (with Heather McGhee) - How To Citizen with Baratunde - Air Date 4-8-21

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.

Ch. 4: One Bad Algorithm Advocates Say Facial Recognition Reveals Systemic Racism in AI Technology - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-20

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

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

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.

Ch. 4: Empire of Borders: The Expansion of the US Border Around the World w: Todd Miller - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-27-19

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Thanks for listening!

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Direct download: 1305_Empire_Air_Date_9-13-19_Repost_8-7-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EST

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 

Transcript

SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Intro contemplating conservative thinking applied to genocide

Ch. 2: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 1 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20

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?

Ch. 5: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 2 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20

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.

Ch. 8: Confederacy Inc. Donald Trump, Racist Police, and the Whitewashing of History Part 3 - Intercepted with Jeremy Scahill - Air Date 7-1-20

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."

Ch. 10: Roxanne Dunbar Ortiz on digging deeper to understand America's past - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 6-16-16

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Thannoid - Bodytonic
  • Waltz for Zacaria - Cholate
  • Quaver - Codebreaker
  • Lahaina - Cloud Harbor
  • One Little Triumph - Piano Mover
  • Cloud Line - K4
  • Dirtbike Lovers - Desert Orchard
  • Astrisx - Bodytonic
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Support the show via Patreon

Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google PodcastsSpotify | +more

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Review the show on Apple PodcastsStitcher and Facebook!

Direct download: 1357_Manifest_Destiny_Air_Date_7-10-20_Repost_8-4-21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:45am EST

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 

Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: We Just Want the Basics - Rare Protests in Cuba Amid Deep Economic Crisis, Ongoing U.S. Blockade - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-14-21

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.

Ch. 2: Cuba Isn't Suffering Under Communism, It's The USA's Economic Stranglehold - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-15-21

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.

Ch. 7: Tired of Waiting Cuban Americans Say Biden Broke Promise to Lift Cuba Sanctions & Thaw Relations - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-27-21


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.

Ch. 9: We Just Want the Basics - Rare Protests in Cuba Amid Deep Economic Crisis, Ongoing U.S. Blockade Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-14-21

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):

  • Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr 
  • Voicemail Music: Low Key Lost Feeling Electro by Alex Stinnent
  • Activism Music: This Fickle World by Theo Bard (https://theobard.bandcamp.com/track/this-fickle-world)
  • Closing Music: Upbeat Laid Back Indie Rock by Alex Stinnent

 

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