Original Air Date 6/11/2022

Today we take a look at the reasons why Democrats lost rural America and why it's important to make gains outside urban centers through working-class coalitions and a focus on the policy failures of unchecked Republicanism.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: How can Democrats win back rural America? (with Bill Hogseth) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 1-26-21

Democrats used to win elections in rural areas, but that seems like a distant memory now. This week, Zach is joined by Bill Hogseth, a political organizer from rural Wisconsin, to talk about the difference between making promises and delivering change

Ch. 2: Can Democrats Win in Rural America? - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-4-22

Maine state Sen. Chloe Maxmin tackles one of the most pressing problems confronting the modern Democratic Party: how to reverse its decades-long backslide in rural support. Maxmin and her co-author and campaign manager Canyon Woodward join Ryan Grim

Ch. 3: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22

Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections.

Ch. 4: Joe Shepherd of United Rural Democrats - The Rick Smith Show - Air Date 5-9-22

By working people. For working people. Welcome to The Rick Smith Show.

Ch. 5: How Democrats Lost Rural America w/ Anthony Flaccavento Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 3-24-22

Anthony Flaccavento, Virginia-based farmer, author, and co-founder of the Rural-Urban Bridge Initiative, joins the Jacobin Show to discuss rural America—and why the Democrats lose so consistently in rural elections.

Ch. 6: David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy - The Tennessee Holler Podcast - Air Date 2-9-22

Former OHIO Democratic party chair David Pepper On Why We Need to Focus on State Capitols to Save Democracy, and why we all need to do our part to lift it up.

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Ch. 7: Corporate Democrats Have a Vested Interest in Not Listening to Workers – RAI with Thomas Frank - The Real News - Air Date 9-5-17

On Reality Asserts Itself, Thomas Frank, author of “What’s the Matter with Kansas” and “Listen, Liberal”, tells host Paul Jay that the Democratic Party serves the professional class and the top 10% and no longer cares about the poor or working class.

Ch. 8: The New Democrats w/ Lily Geismer - The Dig - Air Date 6-5-22

Dan’s second episode with historian Lily Geismer, who he interviewed in 2019 about Don’t Blame Us: Suburban Liberals and the Transformation of the Democratic Party. This interview is on Left Behind: The Democrats’ Failed Attempt to Solve Inequality

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 9: Final comments on the ignoring the middle class and poor open the door to right-wing populism of the worst sort

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE: 

Description: Photo of a blue, dented, and rusted mailbox on a spike leaning against an old wooden fence. Its flag is down, indicating no mail. Thick, golden tall grass grows behind it against a blue sky. 

Credit: "Rural America" by Kris Notaro, Flickr | License CC by 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness and saturation

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Air Date 6/25/2023

Today, we take a look at the state of the religious right as declining religiosity and the looming 2024 election put a strain on the movement.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Trump Indicted, Robertson Dead, + Catholic Public Schools? - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-9-23

Brad and Dan being by discussing Trump's indictment on federal charges. They then break down the life and death of Pat Robertson - an architect of the Religious Right and someone whose influence resounds in American Christian nationalism today

Ch. 2: The Power Christian Nationalists Seek | The Evil Ignorance of Marjorie Taylor Greene - The Benjamin Dixon Show - Air Date 4-27-23

Ch. 3: How Rapture Theology Shaped America (Part 2) - The Holy Post - Air Date 5-10-23

How did a theological system that rejected Christian participation in politics eventually give birth to the Religious Right? Phil talks to historian Daniel Hummel about the spread of rapture theology in the 20th century

Ch. 4: Trump Taps Into Evangelical Fascism To Hypnotize His Followers - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 9-20-22

Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman discuss a rally Donald Trump hosted over the weekend, where he mixes the rapture of fervent religious followers with the QAnon conspiracy set to lure people with the sweet siren sounds of fascism.

Ch. 5: DeSantis Tries To Attack Trump on Abortion - The Damage Report - Air Date 6-19-23

Ron DeSantis attacks Trump on his abortion stance. John Iadarola and Brett Erlich break it down on The Damage Report.

Ch. 6: Americans Are Losing Their Religion. That's Changing Politics. - FiveThirtyEight Politics - Air Date 4-22-21

About 20 years ago, 70 percent of Americans belonged to one of those houses of worship. Today, it’s 47 percent. While that doesn’t mean a majority of Americans are areligious, the share of religiously unaffiliated Americans has also been increasing

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Ch. 7: Is Religion Dead? - Wisecrack - Air Date 6-9-23

Philosophy and religion might seem as incompatible as peanut butter and raw garlic. But what if understanding religion from a philosophical perspective could actually illuminate some of our deepest cultural and social values?

Ch. 8: How My Christian Faith Fell Apart | A Case Study of DECONSTRUCTION - Sara Martin - Air Date 8-26-20

How does someone go from a faith-filled follower of Jesus to no longer identifying as a Christian? In this video, I share my personal story of how my faith fell apart and demonstrate how, step by step, a person’s relationship with Jesus can unravel.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 9: Final comments on the enduring support for Trump by the evangelical right

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

God's Playground - Nathanael Christy

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Original Air Date 2-5-2019

Today we take a look at the history of FDR's "Four Freedoms" and "Economic Bill of Rights" that laid the groundwork for the fight for economic freedom for all that continues to this day.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Harvey Kaye, "The Fight for the Four Freedoms" - Book TV - Air Date 5-11-14

Harvey Kaye examines the progressivism of the Roosevelt-era and argues that a reminder of the "four freedoms" could address today's political and social issues.

Ch. 2: What Ted Cruz Doesn't Get About 'Freedom' - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 7-21-16

Thom talks about Ted Cruz's speech at the Republican Convention and compares his definition of 'freedom' with the way it was described by Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Ch. 3: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 1 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18

F.D.R. recognized that the original bill of rights would not be enough to make all American’s truly free and proposed an economic bill of rights. Of the eight amendments he proposed in 1944, seven are still waiting to be implemented.

Ch. 4: Fighting for the Four Freedoms - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-15-14

Historian Harvey J. Kaye talks about how FDR was able to mobilize Americans to create "the strongest and most prosperous country in human history."

Ch. 5: Libertarian Definition of "Freedom" is Freedom in Name Only - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 8-1-13

Explaining that libertarian thinking doesn't incorporate the existence of economic coercion

Ch. 6: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 2 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18

Ch. 7: Bernie Sanders & FDR's Second Bill of Rights - Berniementum - Air Date 8-12-15

President FDR's Second Bill of Rights speech - January 11, 1944 Sen. Bernie Sanders speech at the National Press Club - Mar. 9, 2015 Music - "There is Romance" by Imcompetech

Ch. 8: Fight for the Four Freedoms What Made FDR & the Greatest Generation Truly Great (w: Harvey J Kaye) - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date 9-9-15

University of Wisconsin Professor Harvey J Kaye author of Fight for the Four Freedoms: What Made FDR and the Greatest Generation Truly Great, explains Ronald Reagan and the great pushback against a progressive America

Ch. 9: An Overdue Second Bill of Rights Part 3 - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 10-7-18

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 6/20/2023

Today, we take a look at the story of how neoliberalism was born, how corporations were organized to help push it into the mainstream, and how the courts were reshaped to permanently tilt the rules in favor of corporate power.

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Ch. 1: Chile, Neoliberalism and the CIA - AJ+ - Air Date 11-29-19

This is the story of how Chile came to be called the “neoliberal laboratory of the world’ ... and it even involves the CIA.

Ch. 2: The Powell Memo. Corporate America's Call to Arms. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 2-9-23

Today’s episode discusses the nature of the memo, the inspiration for it and details its prescriptive elements.

Ch. 3: How the Corporate Takeover of American Politics Began - Robert Reich - Air Date 12-13-22

In 1976, I watched as thousands of corporate lobbyists descended on Washington. Fast forward to today, and lobbying has become a $3.7 billion dollar industry.

It all began with the Powell Memo.

Ch. 4: Greed Is Rotting America From The Inside Out - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 7-29-22

The GOP has become a rotting corpse, politically, infested with maggots & defended by wealthy vultures. It has only one true principle, greed, & is determined to reinvent America in greed’s image

Ch. 5: Economic False Prophets Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-10-23

Ralph welcomes New York Times reporter, Binyamin Applebaum, author of “The Economists' Hour: False Prophets, Free Markets, and the Fracture of Society”

Ch. 6: What has Greed Cost America - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 10-28-14

Thom Hartmann begins a conversation about how greed has destroyed the American economy.

Ch. 7: Economic False Prophets Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 6-10-23

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Ch. 8: Wall Street's ESG Scam EXPLAINED - Breaking Points with Krystal and Saagar - Air Date 6-16-22

Krystal and Saagar are joined by researcher and policy analyst Ron Ivey to better understand the wall street ESG scam being investigated by regulators for its deceptive practices

Ch. 9: Anti-Capitalist Investing Is... Absurd — Jen Pan - Jacobin - Air Date 6-11-22

Jen Pan explains why the new trend of "anti-capitalist investing" is just elite charity with another name, and only helps maintain the power of elites over everyone else's lives.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 10: Final comments on the next revolution in values we need

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 6-17-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss:
- Hoopy Froods
- Other people with diarrhea 
- The lack of civil engineers to manage the waste water
- Neoliberal pay scales of business professors 
- How billionaires became our gurus

REFERENCES:
The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The billionaire’s guide to self-help

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Original Air Date 4/13/2022

Today we take a look at the mainstreaming of crypto and NFTs by celebrity endorsements, why they're terrible by nearly any metric and why they are emblematic of our broken culture.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs - Folding Ideas - Air Date 1-21-22

If someone pitches you on a "great" Web3 project, ask them if it requires buying or selling crypto to do what they say it does.

Ch. 2: NFTS and Celebrities: A Match Made in Hell? - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-4-22

How did NFTs become the new Coca-Cola? NFTs are everywhere, nowhere more so than on the lips of celebrities. But why are celebrities getting into the world of crypto? And what can the rise of celebrities endorsing NFTs tell us about our society?

Ch. 3: Celebrities Love Cryptocurrencies - and it's lame (Feat. Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman) - Crypto Critics' Corner - Air Date 2-16-22

Bennett and Cas are joined by Ben McKenzie and Jacob Silverman who discuss the ideas behind their upcoming book about cryptocurrency, their issues with celebrity shilling of speculative assets, and how it really feels like corporate greed

Ch. 4: Why Scams Are Inherent To Cryptocurrency - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 3-27-22

Explaining the systemic reasons why the features of crypto are so amenable to scams

Ch. 5: Can Our Climate Survive Bitcoin? - Reveal - Air Date 3-25-22

Bitcoin’s demand for electricity is so great that it’s giving new life to the dirtiest type of power plants: ones that burn coal. In Hardin, Montana, the coal-fired power plant was on the verge of shutting down until bitcoin came to town.

Ch. 6: Line Goes Up Creator Breaks Down The Problem with NFTs and Cryptocurrency - The Damage Report - Air Date 3-6-22

Crypto specialist, Dan Olson, shares his takes on NFTs and explains pieces from his insanely popular video, "Line Goes Up – The Problem With NFTs." John Iadarola and Dan Olson break it down on The Damage Report.

Ch. 7: The Crypto Grift Descends on Ukraine - Scam Economy - Air Date 3-17-22

Matt Binder breaks down how grifting cryptocurrency founders, entrepreneurs, investors, and hustlers are trying to pump their money-making schemes for a profit and generate good PR for the crypto industry under the guise of charity for Ukraine.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on how people, myself included, get scammed

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date 2-2-2020

Today we take a look at the relationship between fear, anger and how to deal with the structural forces of harm in our society. To help us, we examine two of the greatest thinkers of the past 65 years, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mister Rogers, and go beyond the nonviolence of King and interrogate Mr. Roger's insistence on liking everyone just the way they are.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: W. Kamau Bell on coming face to face with white supremacists - Finding Fred - Air Date 11-26-19

Empathy can be found when you understand what circumstances people came from

Ch. 2: Author Christian Picciolini on how white nationalists recruit and radicalize online - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-18-19

Reformed neo-Nazi and author Christian Picciolini explains how white nationalists target vulnerable online communities

Ch. 3: The dubious luxury of anger - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 6-24-17

Understanding the fear that underlies anger.

Ch. 4: Help the Helpers: Evil cannot withstand forgiveness - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19

On being your best self. On the least of these. On the virtues of a cup of tea.

Ch. 5: Help the Helpers: But forgiveness can be complicated - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19

You can't be nice to everyone because being nice to certain people is inherently cruel to others.

Ch. 6: Anger and forgiveness as a survival strategy - In The Thick - Air Date 10-4-19

Discussing the conviction and sentencing of Amber Guyger, the Dallas police officer who shot and killed her black neighbor, Botham Shem Jean

Ch. 7: Forgiveness in the #MeToo era - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 6-24-18

Many faith traditions emphasize the importance of forgiveness. But in the context of the #MeToo movement, can forgiveness silence women who have been abused?

Ch. 8: Why Do Black People Always Have to Forgive? - The Real News - Air Date 10-4-19

As Botham Jean’s brother makes headlines for “forgiving” Amber Guyger, Real News hosts Jacqueline Luqman and Lisa Snowden-McCray to discuss what Christian forgiveness in the face of oppression means.

Ch. 9: Why accountability matters for faith-based forgiveness - Interfaith Voices - Air Date 7-13-18

Serene Jones says deep forgiveness is actually part of a larger process of seeking justice and accountability.

Ch. 10: The art and science of apologies and forgiveness Commentary - Best of the Left - Air Date 3-23-19

Final comments on strength, power, fragility, apologies, forgiveness and the legacy of the Confederacy

Ch. 11: Help the Helpers: Grace - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19

Grace is to focus on the humanity of others than to see them as monsters.

Ch. 12: Help the Helpers: The fear and hurt that gets in the way - Finding Fred - Air Date 12-17-19

The difficulty of focusing on helping the needy rather than punishing the dangerous

Ch. 13: Van Jones: Why Casting “Bigots” Out Doesn’t Move America Forward - Big Think - Air Date 12-6-17

There is a limit to empathy, you cannot tolerate the intolerant for too long—but having empathy for those who interpret change as scary, and understanding why they think that way, maybe the only inroad to untying this great mess.

Ch. 14: The birth of the Black Power Movement - King in the Wilderness (HBO) - Air Date 4-2-18

The story of King's reaction to the rise of the Black Power movement and the roles of anger, fear and sickness

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 15: Final comments on the various sicknesses infecting our society

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

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Air Date 6/13/2023

Today, we take a look at the struggle to act ethically, at least by our own measure if there's not a universally-agreed standard to compare with, relating to the purchase of both the necessities of life we all need as well as the more luxury items that get added on top.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: No ethical consumption under capitalism: short deep dive - @professor_neil - Air Date 4-13-23

Origin of "no ethical consumption under capitalism"

Ch. 2: Hasan and The Left's Paradoxical Relationship with Consumer Capitalism - The Kavernacle - Air Date 5-26-23

What once was a statement of fact, now has been taken as an excuse to essentially be a consumer without even thinking about the ethics involved of what you were buying.

Ch. 3: "Separating Art vs. the Artist" doesn't work for Harry Potter - Kuncan Dastner - Air Date 4-14-22

Secrets of Dumbledore and Hogwarts Legacy aren't enough to save this franchise

Ch. 4: There are many forms of ethical consumption under capitalism, you just have to understand ethics - poppysaw - Air Date 2-11-23

Alternate thoughts on the ethics of consumption within capitalism

Ch. 5: Ethical Consumption - Pullback - Air Date 3-7-23

So, there’s no ethical consumption under capitalism. Does that mean there’s no value to movements like slow fashion, eating local, and Fairtrade?

Ch. 6: The moral philosophy of The Good Place (with Mike Schur and Pamela Hieronymi) - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 12-9-19

This is a conversation about how and why The Good Place exists and what it reflects about The Odd Place in which we actually live. Unlike a lot of conversations about moral philosophy, this one is a lot of fun.

Ch. 7: Ethical Capitalism: Is It Possible? - Wise Crack - Air Date 7-19-21

We live in an era of increased skepticism towards capitalism. But is participating in capitalism inherently antithetical to living an ethical life? Or is it possible to act ethically within a capitalist system?

Ch. 8: Ethical Behavior in Modern Society – Can We Still Get Into The Good Place? - Like Stories of Old - Air Date 4-30-19

A video essay on modern day ethics as discussed in the Netflix show The Good Place. Focusing in particular on the notion of ethical consumerism and individuality from a sociological perspective.

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Ch. 9: Conscious Consumerism: Does it make a difference - Roundtable - Air Date 7-10-19

Conscious consumerism focuses on making positive decisions throughout the buying process, with the intention of helping to balance some of the negative impacts that consumerism has on the planet.

Ch. 10: “No Ethical Consumption” is Not License for Nihilism & Hedonism. So What Is It? (Hausfrau Friday) Parkrose Permaculture - Air Date 6-3-22

My 17 yr-old and I have noticed an unsettling trend on social media: folks choosing to take the concept of "No ethical consumption under capitalism" as a license to give up when it comes to trying to make ethical purchases for our bodies and our homes.

VOICEMAILS

Ch. 11: Response to cohousing episode

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on why people being misled into unethical behavior gives me hope

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE:

Description: White text in a funky font says “There is no ethical consumption under capitalism.” in quotation marks on a black background.

Credit: Design by A. Hoffman using "BM Kirang Haerang" font.

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Air Date 6/10/2023

Today, we take a look at the emerging trend of various community housing styles people are using to build community, fight loneliness and lighten the load of everyday chores and tasks.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Cohousing The Future of Community and Human Connection Part 1 | Trish Becker-Hafnor - TEDx Talks - Air Date 1-13-20

Trish is the owner of StorySpring Consulting and Director of Community Engagement at the University of Denver’s Graduate School of Social Work.

Ch. 2: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 1 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22

On this episode, I’m speaking with Katie McCamant, President at CoHousing Solutions. Katie brings the depth and diversity of her 35 years of experience as a developer, architect, and cohousing resident to benefit her clients.

Ch. 3: Cohousing communities help prevent social isolation - PBS Newshour - Air Date 2-12-17

Groups in Denmark and the U.S. are choosing to live in intentionally intergenerational communities, which emerged to strengthen social ties between aging seniors and their younger counterparts who are balancing work and family.

Ch. 4: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 2 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22

Ch. 5: Cohousing Communities of Ann Arbor — Episode 4 of Planet Community - Foundation for Intentional Community - Air Date 1-17-19

Cohousing communities are collaborative neighborhoods created with intention and a little ingenuity.

Ch. 6: Cohousing The Future of Community and Human Connection Part 2 | Trish Becker-Hafnor - TEDx Talks - Air Date 1-13-20

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 7: Jack Kerouac's boarding house now co-living for creatives - Kirsten Dirksen - Air Date 11-7-20

Sara McEre bought the former 19th-century boarding house in San Luis Obispo (CA), it was rundown. Instead of converting it to apartments for a profit, she turned it into a communal living residence for 19 like-minded individuals.

Ch. 8: Microgrid energy and community cohousing - Local Zero - 5-4-22

We hear from Andy O’Brien from the Bristol Energy Cooperative, and Monica King from Bridport Cohousing in Dorset.

Ch. 9: Katie McCamant of CoHousing Solutions Part 3 - Transforming Cities - Air Date 8-24-22

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on a couple of undervalued benefits of cohousing

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE:

Description: A photograph of a winding path through a colorful, close-together neighborhood of houses with children's toys and flowers on the grass.

Credit: "Cohousing" by Joy Cross, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, increased saturation and contrast

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date 1-22-2019

Today we take a look at socialism in America from our often violent response to the concept in the wake of the Russian Revolution through the recent revival in interest, driven primarily by the younger generation today

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Ch. 1: Red Dawn Americans and the Bolshevik Revolution - @BackStory - Air Date 11-9-17

One hundred years ago, Vladimir Lenin and his Bolshevik Party seized power in a revolution that would change the world. Today we explore how that distant revolution had an immediate impact in the United States.

Ch. 2: What the Russian Revolution Proved Possible - Empire Files - Air Date 12-18-17

To understand the context of this first socialist experiment, how it happened and what caused the many problems it faced, Abby Martin sits down with Brian Becker, a long-time socialist organizer.

Ch. 3: America’s Unofficial Religion - The War On An Idea Part 1 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17

Everyone in the United States knows that “socialist” or “communist” is considered a bad word. How did things get that way? Abby Martin explores the history of anti-communism in America and the heavy repression of an idea that became an unofficial religion

Ch. 4: "Socialism" in the Air - On the Media - Air Date 7-27-18

The word "socialism" has been trending, appearing on op-ed pages, FOX News, ABC's The View and beyond. In this word watch, Bob speaks with another self-described socialist, Current Affairs editor-in-chief Nathan Robinson

Ch. 5: Americans are ready for socialism - @ThisIsHellRadio - Air Date 3-13-18

Columnist Elizabeth Bruenig looks beyond the failures of liberalism, to the possibilities of socialism. Elizabeth wrote the op-ed “It’s time to give socialism a try” at the Washington Post.

Ch. 6: Richard D. Wolff - What are Capitalism & Socialism? What differentiates them from each other? - acTVism Munich - Air Date 2-21-17

In this interview with Professor of Economics Emeritus (University of Massachusetts), Marxist economist and founder of Democracy at Work, Richard D. Wolff, we talk to him about Capitalism and Socialism.

Ch. 7: Why Are People Talking About Socialism? with Paul Jay - @TheRealNews - Air Date 1-2-19

Explaining why socialisms time may have come - the failures of capitalism

Ch. 8: Dr. Richard Wolff on Marxism 101: How Capitalism is Killing Itself - Empire Files - Air Date 11-28-17

Prof. Richard Wolff explains some tenets of how a modern socialists system could work

Ch. 9: America’s Unofficial Religion The War On An Idea Part 2 - Empire Files - Air Date 11-27-17

Capitalism can no longer compare itself with the dysfunctional Soviet Union but can only be compared to itself and it's failures

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

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Air Date 6/6/2023

Today, we take a look at the widespread impact of marketing on culture, consumerism, transportation, food, gender roles, and gun ownership in the United States.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Our Consumer Society - Then & Now - Air Date 6-9-22

I explore our consumer society, looking at the history, philosophy, psychology, and sociology of what consumerism really means. Is it a useful concept? Where did it appear from? Are there alternatives?

Ch. 2: Would You Fall for It? - Not Just Bikes - Air Date 1-9-23

In the 1950s, the US automobile industry was lobbying hard to get more funding for roads and highways. Part of this effort included propaganda targeted to the general public.

Ch. 3: How The Auto Industry Carjacked The American Dream - Climate Town - Air Date 4-8-21

Based on an article by Spencer R. Scott P.h.D.

Ch. 4: How Backyard Grilling Conquered America - Cheddar Explains - Air Date 5-19-20

Backyard grilling is an American institution. But have you ever wondered where it came from? You might be surprised to learn that the history of your weekend barbecue twists and turns back through the earliest years of America’s past.

Ch. 5: WOKE BRANDS - hbomberguy - Air Date 2-22-19

Can a product be truly progressive? How can I free my skin? Let's discuss!

Ch. 6: Men Eat Red Meat, Women Eat Salads –– But Why? - Cool Stuff Ride Home - Air Date 10-26-22

How and why did food become so gendered? Y’know, men eat red meat and women eat salads. When did those associations begin?

Ch. 7: Marketing Masculinity: How Guns Are Marketed, Glamorized, and Normalized - Marketing Muckraking - Air Date 5-25-22

Just like tobacco companies targeted kids to create a market of “replacement smokers,” so do gun manufacturers. Boys as young as 6 are targeted with ads conflating guns with masculinity so that by the time they turn 18, the seed has been planted.

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 8: These Stupid Trucks are Literally Killing Us - Not Just Bikes - Air Date 3-6-23

Engineers, planners, politicians, and advocates all around the world are trying to improve their cities and build more great walkable places with viable alternatives to driving. But there's a looming trend that could undo all of that hard work

Ch. 9: Of Meat and Men: How Beef Became Synonymous with Settler-Colonial Domination - Citations Needed - Air Date 6-30-21

"Beef. It’s what’s for dinner," the baritone voices of actors Robert Mitchum and Sam Elliott told us in the 1990s. "We’re not gonna let Joe Biden and Kamala Harris cut America’s meat!" cried Mike Pence during a speech in Iowa last year.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 12: Final comments on the counterweight to the power of marketing

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE:

Description: A 1930s print car ad shows an illustration of a large silver Pontiac car with nicely dressed couples admiring the outside. The tagline reads “If you want to ride in luxury and save your money, too… Pontiac’s the Answer”. Some ad copy is visible below the image in small unreadable text.

Credit: “Pontiac Car 1938 Ad” by Indiana Ivy Nature Photographer, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, some left-side color extended

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date: 5-31-23
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss:
- Towel Day
- Adults liking things made for kids
- What it means for something to be suitable for kids or adults
- Bronson Pinchot
- The decline in students studying the humanities

REFERENCES:
The Real Reason Young Adults Seem Slow to ‘Grow Up’

This writer brilliantly explains to Bill Maher why millennials refuse to grow up

We're All Babies Now

Everyone needs to grow up

The End of the English Major

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Produced by:
Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
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Air Date 6/3/2023

Today, we take a look at the dynamics at play between our immigration and labor policies that lead to the exploitation of children in dangerous and deadly jobs.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing Part 1 - Robert Reich - Air Date 5-16-23

Corporations are now using the “labor shortage” as an excuse to bring back child labor. It’s part of a horrifying trend: Since 2015, child labor violations have risen nearly 300%.

Ch. 2: We Uncovered the Corporations Bringing Back Child Labor in America - More Perfect Union - Air Date 4-3-23

Iowa’s extreme child labor bill began in the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds and was written by top corporate lobbyists.

Ch. 3: The Child Labor Crisis In America Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 5-4-23

Tonya Mosley spoke with New York Times investigative reporter Hannah Dreier, who has been reporting on the children, and Washington Post business reporter Jacob Bogage, who has been reporting on conservative campaign to weaken child labor laws

Ch. 4: HORRIFIC Child Labor Practices In Dangerous Meatpacking Facility - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-23-23

NBC News Reporter Julia Ainsley reports on the accusation of PSSI using child migrant labor in Nebraska meatpacking plant.

Ch. 5: Inside the Conservative Campaign to Relax Child Labor Laws - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 4-27-23

In a recent article, Washington Post reporter Jacob Bogage explains how campaigners are cloaking these rollbacks under cover of "parental rights." Bogage joins Hari Sreenivasan to discuss why conservatives appear willing to put children at risk.

Ch. 6: News Brief: Media's Credulous Labor Shortage Reporting Helps Lay Groundwork For Repealing Child Labor Laws - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-12-23

We detail how uncritical acceptance by centrist––and even liberal––media that the US is seeing an unprecedented "labor shortage" is helping justify repealing child labor protections in roughly a dozen states.

Ch. 7: The Child Labor Crisis In America Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 5-4-23

Ch. 8: New York Times: Biden Admin Ignored Warnings About Migrant Child Labor, Punished Whistleblowers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-19-23

Our guest Hannah Dreier, a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at _The New York Times_, has published a bombshell new investigation headlined "As Migrant Children Were Put to Work, U.S. Ignored Warnings."

Ch. 9: NYT Exposé Shows Migrants Kids in U.S. Are Forced into Brutal Jobs for Major Brands - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-28-23

We speak with the Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Hannah Dreier, We are also joined by Gregory Chen, senior director of government relations for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Ch. 10: Why Child Labor in America is Skyrocketing Part 2 - Robert Reich - Air Date 5-16-23

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 11: We Uncovered the Corporations Bringing Back Child Labor in America Part 2 - More Perfect Union - Air Date 4-3-23

Ch. 12: News Brief: Media's Credulous Labor Shortage Reporting Helps Lay Groundwork For Repealing Child Labor Laws Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-12-23

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 13: Final comments on what child labor shows us about the ongoing debate within the GOP

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE:

Description: Colorized historic photo of Addie Card, a 12-year-old blonde girl in a smock with bare feet posing in front of machinery at a textile mill in 1910 where she worked. Her expression is neutral.

Credit: “Addie Card, 12 years old. Spinner in cotton mill, North Pownal, Vermont, 1910”  by by Lewis W. Hine via the Metropolitan Museum of New York. Processed and colorized by Kelly Short using Gimp 2.6.11 | License: Public Domain 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date 8-2-2011

Today we take a hard look at the debt ceiling debate of 2011 because we’re going through the exact same thing right now with only a few of the names changed

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Debt Ceiling Fight Is Fake - Young Turks - Air Date 6-20-11

Ch. 2: Debt Ceiling Hypocrisy - Jim Hightower - Air Date: 7-11-11

Ch. 3: Armadebtdon 2011: National Bullshit Ceiling - The Daily Show - Air Date 7-18-11

Ch. 4: Lincoln, the 14th amendment and full faith and credit of the U.S. - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date: 7-26-11

Ch. 5: Media covering Obama and the debt negotiation - Counterspin - Air Date 7-28-11

Ch. 6: Rhetoric Surrounding Debt Ceiling Debate Gets Ridiculous - Media Matters - Air Date 7-12-11

Ch. 7: Debt to America! - The Bugle - Air Date 7-28-11

Ch. 8: Manufactured crises get solved easily and cynically - Common Sense - Air Date 7-20-11

Ch. 9: Who's lying more? - On the Media - Air Date 7-29-11

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

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Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com