Air Date 5/29/2023

Today, we take a look at some of the fundamental problems with our education system and explore alternatives to spark ideas for improvement.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Do schools kill creativity? | Sir Ken Robinson - TED - Air Date 1-6-07

Sir Ken Robinson makes an entertaining and profoundly moving case for creating an education system that nurtures (rather than undermines) creativity.

Ch. 2: The Problem With American Education - Second Thought - Air Date 3-9-21

Americans from across the political spectrum tend to agree that our education system is failing our students. In this episode, we'll take a look at three of the biggest problems the system faces, and consider some possible solutions.

Ch. 3: Understanding the Principles of Montessori Education - New Ideal, from the Ayn Rand Institute - Air Date 5-19-22

What are the principles of Montessori education? How does it compare to other educational approaches? And how does it relate to Rand’s philosophy? Join Sam Weaver for an interview with Dr. Matt Bateman to explore answers to these questions.

Ch. 4: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE News - Air Date 10-12-22

Homeschooling exploded when the COVID-19 pandemic pushed students online. But even though schools have reopened, many kids aren’t going back. VICE News investigates why families are opting out, and what happens to the institution of public school.

Ch. 5: Why Black Parents are Choosing to Homeschool Their Kids - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 6-18-21

Homeschooling among Black families increased by 500% last year, reflecting an increasing trend across America. One that is especially pronounced in communities of color.

Ch. 6: Teaching in the US vs. the rest of the world - Vox - Air Date 1-11-20

Teachers in America have a uniquely tough job. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Ch. 7: Happy Finnish: Why Finland is the country to copy - The Bunker - Air Date 1-14-23

Finland is the happiest country on earth. What can we learn from this Nordic nation? How is its education, health care and housing systems different to ours?

Ch. 8: Pasi Sahlberg: lessons from Finnish education - Social Europe Podcast - Air Date 2-7-22

Around the world, education 'reforms' have made schooling more market-mimicking and competitive, rendering education a 'club good' for the better off. Finland shows how treating education as a public good brings better student performance overall

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: The Philosophy of Quitting School at 8 Years Old (Grown Unschooler Interview) - Andrew Parker - Air Date 2-19-21

Sierra Allen quit school at 8 years old, and two decades later she still stands by that decision. In this conversation, I get an introduction to the unschooling philosophy that made this possible.

Ch. 10: Boundless Life with Suzanne Perkowsky - Education on Fire - Air Date 3-12-23

Suzanne Perkowsky is the Head of Academics at Boundless Life. She was the co-founder of New Nordic Schools, a Finnish education development company that created the Nordic Baccalaureate based on the Finnish education system.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments on why it's possible to improve an education system without replacing it

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Photo of an empty classroom, rows of desks with blue, red and green chairs and a large blackboard on the back wall. Sunlight is shining in from unseen windows.

Credit: “UF Norman Hall Desks Classroom” by Christopher Sessums, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness, contrast & saturation

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date 5-15-2015

Today we take a hard look at modern-day civilization and culture and ponder what we could do to make things better

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Show Notes

Act 1: The Death of Culture at the Hands of the Profit Motive - @majorityfm - Air Date: 01-20-15

Act 2: Visionary Sci Fi for an Age of Acquiescence - The F Word with @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date: 4-20-15

Act 3: .@ShawnAchor - The happy secret to better work - @TEDTalks - Air Date: 2-1-12

Act 4: A Brief History of Humankind - @DecodeDC - Air Date: 4-30-15

Act 5: Lacking liberty from slavery to feudalism to capitalism - Economic Update with @profwolff - Air Date: 2-1-15

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Air Date 5/23/2023

Today, instead of focusing on the problem, we take a look at the growing activism around the crisis of gun violence.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Perspectives on Activism Gun Violence - Hope College - Air Date 3-2-23

We know that not all individuals present will call themselves activists, but we hope the audience can apply what they learn to other areas of their lives.

Ch. 2: March For Our Lives' David Hogg on renewed gun control debate following Nashville shooting - CBS News - Air Date 3-29-23

David Hogg, who helped start March For Our Lives after surviving the 2018 Parkland shooting, joins John Dickerson to discuss how to keep momentum behind the fight for gun control.

Ch. 3: Fred Guttenberg on gun control ‘stop listening to the liars’ - MSNBC - Air Date 5-11-23

Parkland shooting victim’s father Fred Guttenberg joins Ana Cabrera ahead of his meeting with Senate Democrats on gun violence and the path forward as mass shootings remain a constant threat in America.

Ch. 4: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones talks background checks and action on new gun laws - MSNBC - Air Date 4-12-23

Reinstated state lawmaker Justin Jones talks about Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s new executive order on strengthening background checks after Jones was expelled from the state’s legislature for participating in a rally for more gun laws.

Ch. 5: The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence (Community Matters) - ThinkTech Hawaii - Air Date 8-18-22

What Can we Do to Help it in its Efforts. The host for this show is Jay Fidell. The guest is Erin Davis.

Ch. 6: Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts on recent victories - MSNBC - Air Date 1-15-23

Moms Demand Action founder Shannon Watts joins Cori Coffin to discuss recent breakthroughs for gun control advocates in New York and Illinois, even as the nation continues to see tragedies.

Ch. 7: Peace Makers canvassing Lynchburg Neighborhood where teen was shot - WSLS 10 - Air Date 4-16-23

Speaking with ex-gang members now working with the Peacemakers organization

Ch. 8: As states grapple with age limits for buying guns, what’s the potential effect - PBS NewsHour - Air date 5-13-23

Lisa Geller joins John Yang to discuss the impact of age-restriction legislation is having in states that already have age restrictions on purchasing firearms in place.

Ch. 9: Perspectives on Activism Gun Violence Part 2 - Hope College - Air Date 3-2-23

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 10: Moms come together to call for gun reform on Mother’s Day - MSNBC - Air Date 5-15-23

This Mother’s Day a group of moms banded together to demand comprehensive gun reform and they are calling on the general public to help amplify their message.

Ch. 11: “Shock & Surprise”Serbia Reels from Two Mass Shootings, Demands Stronger Gun Control - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-23

We speak with Serbian journalist Ljiljana Smajlović as Serbia reels from a pair of mass shootings that left 17 people dead, incidents that spurred mass protests and demands for stronger gun control.

VOICEMAILS

Ch. 12: Immigrating breaks social ties - Erin from (Just Outside) Philadelphia

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 13: Final comments on how homophobia impedes male friendships

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Protestors in red shirts gather on the lawn in front of the U.S. Capitol building holding a large red sign that says “Moms Demand Action For Gun Sense in America”

Credit: “Gathering before RALLY FOR SENATE ACTION ON GUN VIOLENCE PREVENTION at the US Capitol Grounds” by Elbert Barnes  | License CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date 2/17/2017

Today we look at the state of the corporate-controlled media in the age of Trump, how you can navigate those murky waters, and what we can do to make it better.

Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

​Show Notes

Ch. 1: Diversify your news - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 11-24-16

Ch. 2: Spicer vs. the Interns - On the Media - Air Date 1-27-17

Ch. 3: Is Donald Trump good for journalism? - The Inquiry - Air Date 2-13-17

Ch. 4: Keep Going Back to Substance and the Truth - On the Media - Air Date 1-27-17

Ch. 5: Is 'Biased News' More Destructive Than Fake News? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 12-23-16

Ch. 6: Ned Beatty's NETWORK speech-by Paddy Chayefsky

Activism:

TAKE ACTION

Go to FAIR.org to get Action Alerts and become a “media activist”

Check out FAIR’s Media Activism Kit 

Subscribe to FAIR’s CounterSpin podcast

Member of the media? Check out FAIR’s Media Advisories

EDUCATE YOURSELF

NYT’s False Choice for Democrats: Move to the Right or Divide by Race (FAIR)

Jessica Gonzalez on FCC Chair Ajit Pai (FAIR's CounterSpin)

Scrutiny for Supreme Court Pick Fails to Focus on Rights of Disabled (FAIR)

ACTION ALERT: WaPo’s Post Live Series Is a Love Letter to Corporate Conflicts of Interest (FAIR)

Trump’s Inauguration and the Legitimacy Fetish (FAIR)

Daily Kos Founder Gleefully Celebrates Coal Miners Losing Health Insurance (FAIR)

Written by BOTL Communications Director, Amanda Hoffman

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 5/16/2023

Today, we take a look at the current state and deep context for why our immigration and asylum system broken, and why our policies have made it worse rather than better, all while stoking anti-immigrant hatred.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: The law that broke US immigration - Vox - Air Date 8-9-21

Why the US has so many undocumented immigrants.

Ch. 2: Biden & The Border - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 5-1-23

Explaining the lackluster immigration policy of the Biden administration in contrast to the disaster of the Trump administration

Ch. 3: The US has a 'thirst' for immigrant workers. Why do so many struggle to get legal status? - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-20-21

President Joe Biden has said that changing immigration law remains an important piece of his agenda. But the path to new legislation is complex and hardly clear. One of the biggest flashpoints in this debate is questions about undocumented workers

Ch. 4: Amid Growing Anti-Immigrant Hate, 8 Killed as Driver Plows Into Group Near Migrant Shelter in Texas - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-8-23

We get an update from South Texas, where eight people were killed and at least 10 more injured Sunday in Brownsville after a driver rammed his SUV into a group of people near a shelter for migrants.

Ch. 5: Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist on the Expiration of Title 42 - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 5-12-23

We continue to unpack the expiration of Title 42 and the impact on those entering the U.S. illegally. Bianna speaks to journalist Caitlin Dickerson, who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for her extensive reporting on immigration.

Ch. 6: A Nation of Hating Immigrants - Latino Rebels Radio - Air Date 5-11-23

Amid a wave of anti-immigrant rhetoric and violence, Julio Ricardo Varela welcomes Roberto Lopez to discuss the circumstances around the tragedy in Brownsville, Texas, and how the country has become a nation of hating immigrants.

Ch. 7: The Abuse of Migrant Workers - In The Thick - Air Date 4-26-23

Fernanda Santos leads a discussion with Fernanda Echavarri and Tina Vasquez about their explosive two-part investigation, “Head Down,” which examines the abuse of migrant workers under the H-2A visa program.

Ch. 8: The case for immigration - The David McWilliams Podcast - Air Date 2-6-23

Immigrants are used to having it hard, both in life and in the public eye where they are often vilified. This lambasting though is based on nothing more than lies - the truth is that immigrants help society grow and prosper.

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: The law that could bring Florida's economy to a halt - Make Me Smart - Air Date 5-12-23

As the Title 42 immigration policy ends at the border, a new immigration law that aims to crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers has been signed in Florida. We get into the economic implications of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ new immigration policy.

Ch. 10: Florida's New Immigration Bill Is A DISASTER! - Law Firm of Moumita Rahman - Air Date 5-12-23

I share insights into the new anti-immigration bill signed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. The recently signed Florida immigration law has raised serious concerns, primarily due to its potential implications for undocumented immigrants.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments on Republicans cynically supporting and abhorring child labor exploitation

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE: 

Description: Photo of a section of the U.S. border fence in Tijuana, Mexico with people visible on the opposite side. A concrete building stands on a hill in the near distance.

Credit: “Tijuana Through the Fence” by Tony Webster, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 5/13/2023

Today, we take a look at the history and resurgent idea of the company town, sometimes described by other names to obscure the reality, and the problem of affordable housing they are trying to solve.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22

There's a tendency to think about company towns as a quaint relic of the past, something that disappeared a century ago. But company towns aren't just some quirk of American history, they are American history.

Ch. 2: Chicago's South Side Nightmare - The Rise and Fall of Pullman's Utopia - It's History - Air Date 10-22-22

The neighborhood we know today as Pullman was the first industrial planned community in the U.S., explicitly built for the Pullman Palace Car Company employees.

Ch. 3: The Coal Town System - PBS - Air Date 1-13-16

West Virginia coal operators built small, company-owned towns for their miners to live in. The coal towns were almost always unincorporated; there were no elected officials, no independent police forces.

Ch. 4: Why Elon Musk Is Planning Towns for Tesla, SpaceX and Boring Co. Workers - Wall Street Journal - Air Date 5-8-23

In the almost 200 years that company towns have existed in the U.S., rarely do these planned communities live up to their creator’s utopian vision. WSJ explores why Musk is looking to the company town model for his properties in Texas.

Ch. 5: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns 2 - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22

Ch. 6: Elon Musk Wants To Build DYSTOPIAN Company Town - Breaking Points w James Li - Air Date 5-6-23

James Li breaks down the dystopian dreams of Elon Musk to build a modern-day company town.

Ch. 7: The Housing Crisis Is So Bad Disney Is Building Housing For Workers - TYT - Air Date 11-26-22

Workers are struggling with the high cost of living near Disney World, so the corporate giant will build 1,300 affordable housing units near the park.

Ch. 8: Seattle’s Social Housing Initiative Camille Gix - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-14-23

Camille Gix then joins to walk through Seattle’s I-135 initiative, what “Social Housing” implies, and why this model can bolster the reclamation of housing from the financial world to the public realm.

Ch. 9: Vishaan Chakrabarti: A vision of sustainable housing for all of humanity - TED - Air Date 2-20-22

Architect Vishaan Chakrabarti wants us to start thinking about how we'll house all these people -- and how new construction can fight climate change rather than make it worse

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 10: Un-American and yet, totally American Company Towns 3 - Knowing Better - Air Date 1-23-22

Ch. 11: Arizona schools build tiny homes for teachers - CNN - Air Date 5-1-23

School districts in Arizona are building their own affordable housing for teachers, hoping to recruit a bigger and better batch of educators to address the ongoing shortage.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on the right to repair and why we all live in a company town

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Black and white photo of simple, identical concrete row houses fading off into the distance.

Credit: “Deutsch: "Schweizer Häuschen" in der Bayreuther Sozialsiedlung Burg” by Röhrensee, 1972 | License: CC BY SA-3.0 | Changes: Cropped

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Original Air Date 9/15/2017

Today we look at the history and structures of authoritarianism and explore how they relate to the Trump campaign and administration

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Show Notes

Act 1: It can't happen here Part 1 - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17

Act 2: Evan McMullin on spotting the dangers of authoritarianism - Primary Concerns from @NewRepublic - Air Date 1-4-17

Act 3: Opposing conservative policies and authoritarianism - Who. What. Why. - Air Date 2-11-17

Act 4: It can't happen here Part 2 - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17

Act 5: Historian Timothy Snyder on the prospect of tyranny in America - This is Hell - Air Date 4-29-17

Act 6: Why Arpaio's Pardon Could Trigger Constitutional Crisis - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 08-29-17

Act 7: Full Frontal Is Scared: Masha Gessen Edition - Full Frontal with Samantha Bee - Air Date 1-18-17

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Air Date: 5-10-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- Self-Love and Loneliness
- Friends
- Commercialized Coitus
- Why men are perfectly fine

REFERENCES:
Self-Love Is Making Us Lonely - Time

‘When people can talk about sex, they flourish’: the rise of sexual wellness - The Guardian

Straight Male Friend - SNL

What’s the Matter with Men?

Chad Daniels | Twelfth Night | Daddy Issues

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Produced by:
Jay! Tomlinson
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Air Date 5/9/2023

Today, we take a look at the hyper-polarization of our era and the anti-democratic instincts of the right taking hold in state legislatures. Building on a decade of gerrymandering and voter suppression within a structurally undemocratic American system that has helped Republicans create minority rule in many places and unearned super-majorities in others, they have now turned to simply ejecting their elected political opponents from fully representing their constituents.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Long division: America’s busy state legislatures - The Intelligence from The Economist - Air Date 2-9-23

America’s Congress may be gridlocked, but its state legislatures certainly aren’t. 

Ch. 2: GOP legislatures gaming elections, suppressing voting - The BradCast - Air Date 5-4-23

In Ohio, Republicans are pushing a scheme to raise the qualification threshold for ballot initiatives before voters can mobilize to stop them.

Ch. 3: Banned MT Dem Zooey Zephyr: Silencing me is 'using decorum as a tool of oppression' - The Last Word - Air Date 4-26-23

MSNBC's Ali Velshi reports on the vote Wednesday by Montana House Republicans to ban Democratic State Rep. Zooey Zephyr, who is trans, after she spoke out against anti-trans legislation.

Ch. 4: Have State Legislatures Gone Rogue? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-5-23

The story of two lawmakers expelled from the Tennessee legislature captured headlines across the country.

Ch. 5: Deciding the Fate of Democracy in North Carolina - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 5-7-23

So far, 27 people in North Carolina have been indicted in connection with the effort to overturn the 2020 election on January 6th.

Ch. 6: “Courage Is Contagious”: Zooey Zephyr & Justin Jones on the GOP’s Silencing of State Lawmakers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-23

Tennessee’s Justin Jones and Montana’s Zooey Zephyr, two Democratic state lawmakers who were both punished by their Republican-led legislatures for peaceful protests, say the only way to fight such anti-democratic moves is through broad solidarity.

Ch. 7: North Carolina lawmaker Tricia Cotham switches to GOP, votes to ban abortion - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-4-23

"This is a woman who spoke movingly about her own abortion on the floor of the North Carolina statehouse in 2015 when she was arguing against abortion restrictions," says Chris Hayes on State Rep. Tricia Cotham.

Ch. 8: “Rising Tide of Fascism”: Tennessee Rep. Justin Jones Warns of GOP’s Embrace of Authoritarianism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-23

The largely white Tennessee House of Representatives, with its heavily gerrymandered Republican supermajority, expelled two members, Justin Jones and Justin Pearson, the two youngest Black representatives in the House.

Ch. 9: Tyranny of the Minority: How American Democracy Came to the Breaking Point - Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs - Air Date 5-1-23

Steven Levitsky is David Rockefeller Professor of Latin American Studies and Professor of Government at Harvard University.

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 10: The Polarization Of State Legislatures - Not Another Politics Podcast - Air Date 3-1-23

Are state legislatures polarizing as well? And, if they are, what can that tell us about the state of our democracy?

VOICEMAILS

Ch. 11: Thoughts on big ideas to redistribute wealth - Dave from Olympia, WA

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on an analogy that explains the dangers of poorly framed arguments

SHOW IMAGE

Description: A distorted, high-contrast photo of an American flag on a flag pole against a dark red sky.

Credit: "redflag" by AK Rockerfeller, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Air Date 5/5/2023

Today, we take a look at the history and present of the labor movement to demonstrate how times may change but the fundamental struggle, including many of the exact tactics, remains the same. Plus, get ready to get excited about salts, the secret ingredient in labor movement.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 1 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23

RNN Editor-in-Chief Maximillian Alvarez joins Rattling the Bars for a discussion on the history of May Day, and how the persecution of organizers in the wake of the Haymarket Massacre highlights the importance of extending solidarity

Ch. 2: The History of May Day - The Young Turks - Air Date 5-2-23

The Young Turks discuss the history of May Day.

Ch. 3: Labor in America Part 1 - The Zero Hour - Air Date 1-21-23

Heidi Shierholz is President of the Economic Policy Institute

Ch. 4: Secret Union Tactic Fuels Unprecedented Labor Wins - Bloomberg Originals - Air Date 4-3-23

Bloomberg's Josh Eidelson explains the tactic's recent revival after exclusive visits to undercover training sessions over the past year.

Ch. 5: Donna Murch on Rutgers Labor Action - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-21-23

We’ll get an update from Donna Murch, associate professor of history at Rutgers, and New Brunswick chapter president of Rutgers AAUP-AFT.

Ch. 6: Labor in America Part 2 - The Zero Hour - Air Date 1-21-23

Ch. 7: Union Organizing 101 Building Class Solidarity Every Day - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-18

Jane McAlevey on strengthening the union movement.

Ch. 8: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 2 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: May Day and the Haymarket Massacre Part 3 - Rattling the Bars, Real News Network - Air Date 5-1-23

Ch. 10: Jane McAlevey on Deep Organizing - Jacobin - Air Date 12-10-18

Unions are the weakest they have been in a century. But, as Jane McAlevey explains, the story of a group of Philadelphia nurses shows that deep organizing and a willingness to strike can still win.

VOICEMAILS

Ch. 11: Nuances to add to the JK Rowling episode - Soph

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on framing arguments in defense of trans lives

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Labor protesters march on a city sidewalk. The person in the front holds a placard that says “Support Amazon Labor Union.” The person behind them holds a sign that says “Starbucks: Union Busting is Disgusting.” A third person in the line wears a sign that says “Safety & Unions For All Workers.”

Credits: “Philly Solidarity with Starbucks, Amazon & all workers organizing!” By Joe Piette, Flickr | License: CC BY- SA 2.0 | Changes: Slight increase in contrast

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Air Date 5/2/2023

Today, we take a look at the intertwining of oil wealth, philanthropy, and culture washing from John Rockefeller to the sheiks of the Middle East.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Who Were the Robber Barons? - Brain Blaze - Air Date 10-29-19

The Robber Barons were some dudes who got rich and were pretty sketchy about it all, but then founded a bunch of universities and stuff like that, so I guess we're cool? 

Ch. 2: Jane Mayer / The Koch Brothers and the Weaponizing of Philanthropy - EthicsinSociety - Air Date 4-6-16

Why is America living in an age of profound economic inequality? Why, despite the desperate need to address climate change, have even modest environmental efforts been defeated again and again? 

Ch. 3: “Sportswashing & Greenwashing”: Ex-Soccer Player Jules Boykoff on Qatar Hosting World Cup - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-29-22

We speak with author Jules Boykoff about the climate and political implications of the 2022 World Cup. 

Ch. 4: How One Industry Controls Football - Athletic Interest - Air Date 11-5-21

Who controls football?

Ch. 5: Why Billionaire Philanthropy Won't Solve Anything - Second Thought - Air Date 2-25-22

You ever notice how oligarchs like Warren Buffet and Bill Gates are cast as these uber-wealthy saviors who are singlehandedly raising the world out of poverty? That doesn't happen by accident.

Ch. 6: What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)? - Freakonomics - Air Date 6-8-22

In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf league that’s challenging the P.G.A. Tour. 

Ch. 7: Why Billionaires Won't Save Us - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 5-21-21

I look at how the elite philanthropy of Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, and Elon Musk function as more of a billionaire preservation of wealth and self than as an act of altruism.

Ch. 8: Anand Giridharadas: Why We Should Be Skeptical of Billionaires - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 9-19-18

Anand Giridharadas believes we should be a bit more skeptical about embracing billionaires as the change-makers of our era. 

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: The 2022 FIFA World Cup And The Rise Of 'Sportswashing' (In The Loop) - Scripps News - Air Date 11-21-22

Christian Bryant explores why sporting events are and can be held in countries with authoritarian regimes in this segment of "Scoreboard."

Ch. 10: Fixing the Economy - Garys Economics - Air Date 11-27-22

After having opened up the publics eyes to the problem of Wealth Inequality, Gary reveals to the Channel his own idea for a possible Wealth Tax.

VOICEMAILS

Ch. 11: Reaching a conclusion on understanding the J.K Rowling episode - Boris from Belgium

Ch. 12: The is/ought malfunction in our pattern recognition - Dave from Olympia, WA

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 13: Final comments on the is/ought problem of politics

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: A diptych of photos of Mohammad bin Salman and a painting of John. D. Rockefeller. A drop of black oil falls into a splash over the center of the image.

Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo of “Defense Secretary Jim Mattis stands with Deputy Crown Price of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman Al Saud” by U.S. Secretary of Defense, Flickr | License: CC by 2.0) | Changes: Cropped / Photo of painting of J.D. Rockefeller by John Singer Sargent, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped / Oil drop and splash from Pixabay.

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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