Sat, 2 July 2022
Original Air Date 6/19/2021 Today we take a look at the politics of obstruction in service to big donors' interests while sacrificing the ability to run a functioning democracy in the process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: West Virginia's Robyn Kincaid on the maddening Joe Manchin - The BradCast - Air Date 6-9-21 Robyn Kincaid explains the mysteries of Manchin, the history of his family's political dynasty in the state, and key factors that may be at work in Manchin's inexplicable obstruction of Biden and the Democrats' agenda. Ch. 2: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Breaking down the conflict-averse nature of the Democratic Party. Ch. 4: Breaking Down President Biden's $6 Trillion 2022 Budget - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-21 The president's budget attempts to incorporate plans on infrastructure, housing, and healthcare, and is likely to receive conservative backlash for raising the federal deficit. Ch. 5: What Does Joe Manchin Want? John Nichols on Filibuster Reform - Start Making Sense - Air Date 6-9-21 Congressional action could block voter law changes—but that requires filibuster reform, and Joe Manchin says he won’t vote for filibuster reform. What does Joe Manchin want? John Nichols comments. Ch. 6: Joe Manchin Gets Candid With Billionaire Donors in Leaked Audio - Deconstructed - Air Date 6-16-21 Sen. Joe Manchin reveals his thoughts on the filibuster in a leaked Zoom call with fundraisers. Ch. 7: Does America Have a Chance At Democracy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-12-21 When a political party is more obsessed with identity than issues - America is in trouble. Can America function as a multi-racial, ethnic, religious democracy? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Kyrsten Sinema Sold Out w/ Aída Chávez Part 2 - Start Making Sense - Air Date 3-31-21 The political transformation of Kyrsten Sinema, the new senator from Arizona: She’s one of the two most conservative Democrats in the Senate—but Aida Chavez explains that she started out to the left of the Party. Explaining Manchin's love of being the center of attention and those who love to use him as a shield against criticism BONUS Ch. 10: Curation Lesson #4 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Bo Burnham's "Inside" TAKE ACTION! Pressure Manchin & Sinema via No Excuses PAC | TW: NoExcuses_PAC Pressure Manchin via West Virginia Can’t Wait |TW: @WVCantWait Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Composite image. Photo of Sen. Kristen Sinema (D-AZ) on the left and Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) on the right. More than half of their images are overlaid with red, the rest with blue. A vector image of the U.S. Capitol is in the foreground, a rope is coiled around the dome being pulled at each end out of view. Credit: Composite image designed by Amanda Hoffman Image 1: "Kyrsten Sinema" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays Image 2: "FAA REAUTHORIZATION LEGISLATION" by Senate Democrats, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped with overlays
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1424_Fighting_with_at_least_two_hands_tied_Conservative_Democrats_Manchin_and_Sinema_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:52pm EDT |
Tue, 28 June 2022
Original Air Date 7/5/2019 Today we take an unflinching look at Mitch McConnell and what a bad, bad man he is for basically all of the reasons. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content: Become a member! Get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Money Money Money Part 1 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 Mitch fully embraces the 'evil' of raising money in politics, and truly believes money is free speech. Ch. 2: Voting Machine Lobbyists Pay Mitch McConnell - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 6-13-19 Lobbyists for both major voting machine companies have started contributing to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's re-election campaign as McConnell is blocking election security bills. McConnell, a longtime opponent of campaign finance reform who battled the late Sen. McCain over the issue, made clear in December that the House proposal would never see floor time in the Senate. Ch. 4: Money Money Money Part 2 - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-6-19 McCain and Mitch fought each other over money in politics for years. Mitch wasn't ever going to lose, McCain saw the corruption and tried to call it out. Ch. 5: Mitch Is the Biggest Monster In Politics - The Majority Report with Sam Seder - Air Date 3-8-19 Mitch has been packing the courts, it is monopolization of our judiciary by far right extremists / conservatives. McConnell sees what the progressives are doing, and is dedicated to stopping them at all costs. Ch. 7: Darth Vader Has Arrived - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Tom Dreisbach - Air Date 6-13-19 Mitch fought endlessly to ensure corporate money in politics. Citizens United and Mitch McConnell completely overturned democracy and legalized corruption. Mitch is manipulating our judicial system - Trumps court appointments are pushing terrorism on the people. Mitch is the most productive and destructive GOP in modern history. Mitch blocked Merrick Garland under Obama, and now will indiscriminately fill any SCOTUS opening. Ch. 10: Not A Happy Choice - Embedded with Kelly McEvers and Eric Mennel - Air Date 6-20-19 Mitch rose to fame during the Obama administration, for refusing to work with Obama on anything, which paved the way for Trump VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Christians thrive on oppression - (Another) Heather Ch. 12: The Christian Right's Persecution Boner - Ani from Florida FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why it’s safe to say that Mitch McConnell is an extortionist TAKE ACTION! (Cut for time) SEGMENT: Support the Fight to Oust McConnell in 2020 - Best of the Left Activism Support End Citizens United Support Indivisible Kentucky Support the Ditch Mitch Fund Support Steven Cox Support Amy McGrath (if she announces) Support Matt Jones (if he announces) Researched & written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on iTunes | Stitcher | Spotify | Alexa Devices | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on iTunes and Stitcher!
Direct download: 1287_Mitch_McConnel_Air_Date_7-5-19_Ad_Free_-_7-4-19_21.28_Repost2022.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:37pm EDT |
Sat, 25 June 2022
Air Date 6/25/2022 Today we take a look at some of the takeaways from the hearings investigating the January 6th insurrection. Most notably: they knew, they knew, they knew, they knew from the very beginning that their fraud claims were nonsense and they pushed ahead anyway. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Get three months free of ExpressVPN! Switch and get your audiobooks from Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 New York Times Congressional reporter Luke Broadwater says the effort to overturn the 2020 election results was a "sprawling and diffuse" one that involved local governments as well as White House insiders. Ch. 2: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Brad is joined by guest co-host Dr. Leah Payne. They begin by discussing the first primetime hearing of the J6 Select Committee. They then focus on Tucker Carlson's response to hearings. Ch. 3: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 HEATHER DIGBY offers important insights into today's hearing Ch. 4: The Jan. 6 Insurrection Understanding The Big Picture Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 6-9-22 Ch. 5: January 6th Goes Primetime Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 6-10-22 Ch. 6: Special coverage of House J6 Hearing, Day 3 Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 6-16-22 Investigative reporter Trevor Aaronson is joined by Margot Williams, research editor for The Intercept, and Michael Loadenthal, founder and executive director of the Prosecution Project. These retired Generals fought to defend Democracy abroad, now they are warning that America's Democracy needs to be defended from threats inside the country. Six Republican members of Congress who supported Donald Trump's lies sought broad presidential pardons for their involvement in the campaign to discredit the election results MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Republican Speaker of the Arizona House "Rusty" Bowers described how he was pushed by Trump, John Eastman and Rudy Giuliani to call the Arizona Legislature back into session to investigate claimed illegal votes. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on turning anger into election action TAKE ACTION: Become a Poll Worker Where you Live 2022 Midterms Lay of the Land: Remaining Midterm Primaries and Runoff Elections by Date (270toWin) 2022 Election Maps (270toWin) Find SwingLeft Races in a Target State Near You SwingLeft’s State-Level Target Races (*Scroll down*) The States Project’s Targeted States Volunteer: Virtual SwingLeft Volunteer Orientations - Next one is June 29th! All SwingLeft Events (Virtual and In-Person) Field Team 6 (Virtual and In-Person) VoteRiders: Help People Get Voter IDs Donate Strategically: SwingLeft - House, Senate & States Plan VoteRiders: Give to Help People Get Voter IDs Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
Direct download: 1499_Jan_6_Hearings_Air_Date_6-25-22_General_-_6-25-22_20.58.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:52pm EDT |
Wed, 22 June 2022
Air Date 6/22/2022 Today we take a look at the complicated evolution of Pride Month in an era of much greater LGBTQ acceptance and the simultaneous resurgence of anti-LGBTQ energy that, in many ways, mirrors the arguments of 40 years ago. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Get your audiobook from Libro! Check out The Politics of Everything podcast! SHOW NOTES Throughout the month of June, LGBTQ communities in the U.S. have been celebrating Pride in cities and states around the country. And corporate America has made itself a part of that, too, by increasingly tapping into Pride Month Ch. 2: Anti-trans legislation - It's Been a Minute - Air Date 4-29-22 Ari discusses how this wave of law-making differs from so-called "moral panics" of past decades — and why that matters — with historian Jules Gill-Peterson, of Johns Hopkins University. Ch. 3: Is Pride Too Commercialized? - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-15-22 Today, Pride Month gatherings are more likely to be described as parades than marches. And with rainbow flags adorning the storefronts of big corporations, it might be easy to think the struggle is over. Ch. 4: Disney vs. Itself vs. The Right - Recode Media - Air Date 4-13-22 Within the past few months, Disney CEO Bob Chapek managed to piss off his shareholders, the LGBT community, and right-wing conservatives. Today we talk about how he did it, why it happened, and what’s next. Ch. 5: Don't Rainbow-Wash On My Parade - What A Day - Air Date 6-2-22 June is Pride Month, the unfortunate time when many corporations claim they support LGBTQ+ people, but also support politicians who actively work against LGBTQ+ rights. It’s not a new phenomenon – even before June, for example, activists called out Disney Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” law is part of a nationwide push by Republicans to score political points by attacking gay and transgender students. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Chris Southcote-Want: It’ll all come out in the rainbow wash - TEDx Talks - Air Date 11-18-21 The impact of rainbow washing and why creating inclusive and equitable cultures is the responsibility of us all. Ch. 8: State Farm Gives Up on LGBTQ Rights - Charlotte's Web Thoughts - Air Date 5-24-22 You may have been doom-scrolling yesterday and caught the latest hysteria of anti-LGBTQ extremists in the conservative movement. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the lessons we must relearn generation after generation MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1498_Pride_and_Prejudice_Air_Date_6-22-22_General_-_6-22-22_19.56.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00pm EDT |
Fri, 17 June 2022
Air Date 6/17/2022 Today we take a look at many intertwining realizations that are beginning to permeate society which include but are not limited to the dead-end mentality of infinite growth, the uselessness of growth past a certain point for wellbeing, and the deepening alienation being felt in response to consumerism in place of community. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Get your audiobooks from Libro! Enjoy online privacy and digital globetrotting with ExpressVPN! SHOW NOTES “Infinite growth on a finite planet is a recipe for catastrophe” Some economists have long argued that to really save ourselves from the climate crisis, we need a fundamental overhaul of the way our economies work. Ch. 3: Degrowth: liberation from growthism - The Taxcast - Air Date 9-23-21 Naomi Fowler explores degrowth and how we liberate ourselves from ‘growthism’ with economic anthropologist Jason Hickel. Standing Rock was just one in a long line of battles that Indigenous peoples have been fighting against the twin forces of colonialism and capitalism since first contact. Ch. 5: Eco-Socialist Degrowth? w/ Paul Murphy - Rupture Radio - Air Date 5-2-22 Capitalist growth is destroying our life support systems. We talked about why the notion of decoupling growth from intensive resource use is ultimately unconvincing. Tim Jackson joins David to discuss consumption, growth, macroeconomics, the modern economy, and more. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: How We End Consumerism - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 6-4-21 How we end consumerism, explained. We spoke with him about international capitalism during the pandemic and how to fundamentally move to a post-capitalist world We continue our quest by looking into post-growth. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the climate legislation currently in negotiations and how to win a Rivian EV TAKE ACTION! LAST CHANCE FOR BOLD CLIMATE LEGISLATION: Demand the Full $555 Billion in Climate Investments in the Budget Reconciliation Package and get it passed ASAP!
SUPPORT Grassroots Climate Action: Enter the CCAN fundraiser raffle and win a Rivian Electric Truck (or a Tesla up to a Plaid Model S)! Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: An illustration of a green Earth, with a small plant sprout growing out of it. Green arrows encircle the earth against a pale green abstract background. Credit: Nature-Earth-Sustainability | License
Direct download: 1497_Wellness_Economy_Air_Date_6-18-22_General_-_6-17-22_17.52.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:04pm EDT |
Wed, 15 June 2022
Air Date 6/15/2022 Today we take a look at the many reasons why we are experiencing a housing crisis in the US and beyond but it mostly comes down to treating housing as a commodity to be profited from rather than a basic human need or, if you're feeling radical, a basic human right. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Bombas.com/Best! Support independent bookstores through Libro! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Housing Market - If You Don't Know, Now You Know - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-8-21 Why has it become so hard to buy a home in America? If you don’t know, now you know. Ch. 2: How Foreign Companies Are Raising Housing Prices - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-27-21 Should corporations be allowed to buy houses and raise the housing price in your neighborhood? Ch. 3: John and Ana React to Bonkers Housing Story - The Damage Report - Air Date 3-12-22 The housing market has reached frightening heights which has people looking elsewhere for home buying. Ch. 4: How Socialists Solved The Housing Crisis - The Gravel Institute - Air Date 1-29-21 Zohran Mamdani, New York State assemblyman, talks about how Austrian socialists in the 1920s and ‘30s pioneered an approach that offered better, cheaper, and safer homes for everyone. What happens when the housing bubble bursts? It is easy to see when it has happened but spotting a collapse ahead of time is difficult. Ch. 6: Eviction Rates Are Rising - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-13-22 Discussing the need for tenants to have a right to counsel in eviction proceedings Ch. 7: Why Dems Have Abandoned Public Housing - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-9-22 The Democratic Party has no plan to address the homeless crisis the United States is facing today. One way to fix it would be to provide public housing to people. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) George Clarke visits a council estate in Vienna and is shocked by what he finds. Ch. 9: Short-term rental housing is hurting Ouray residents - Rocky Mountain PBS - Air Date 7-19-21 Increasing housing prices, rent, construction costs, and short-term rental (STR) properties have created an environment that fewer and fewer people are able to thrive in. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on supporting affordable housing through the Build Back Better bill TAKE ACTION! Demand Targeted Affordable Housing Investments Stay in Any Reconciliation Package! - Call your Senators and Reps at 202-224-3121 and use the NLIHC Call Script (and email them) - Use NLIHC's Advocacy Toolkit to help spread the word - Read and share the NLIHC's Inflation Fact Sheet - Follow @NLIHC EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Resurrected budget package no slam dunk as negotiations heat up (June 6th via RollCall) Affordable housing in the US is increasingly scarce, making renters ask: Where do we go? (March 14th via The Conversation) Housing Investments in Build Back Better Would Address Pressing Unmet Needs (Feb. 10th via Center on Budget and Policy Priorities) A growing share of Americans say affordable housing is a major problem where they live (Jan. 18th via Pew Research Center) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: An illustration of a simple green house with a "$" symbol incorporated into it. The vertical line of the symbol is also the shape of the chimney and the front door. Small dollar signs flow out of the chimney, getting smaller as they go up.
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1496_Housing_Crisis_Air_Date_6-15-22_General_-_6-15-22_11.34.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:59am EDT |
Sat, 11 June 2022
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. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Get 3 Months free of ExpressVPN! Check out the American Prestige podcast! SHOW NOTES 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. 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. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) 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
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1495_Rural_America_and_Democrats_Air_Date_6-11-22_General_-_6-11-22_14.33.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:29am EDT |
Wed, 8 June 2022
Air Date 6/8/2022 Today we take a look at progressive victories in primary elections around the country and explain why moderates are not much more than allies of conservatism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Get your audiobooks from LIBRO! Use Promo Code: BEST Check out Bombas.com/BEST for all your clothing essentials! SHOW NOTES “What you’ve seen is a surprising backlash at the voter level to all of the money that flooded in,” says investigative journalist David Sirota of The Lever. “It’s been a pretty good night for progressive candidates, despite all that money.” Ch. 2: Howie Klein of 'Down With Tyranny' on midterm primaries - The Bradcast - Air Date 5-27-22 Howie Klein delivers lively analysis on primary victories (and losses) for progressive Democrats so far in the 2022 midterm election cycle, and a preview of important races coming up in seven states in the Super Tuesday primary on June 7. Ch. 3: Voting, Primaries and Redistricting in the South Part 1 - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-22 We take a look at the latest primary election results from this past week. We’re joined by Maya King, politics reporter for The New York Times, and Stephen Fowler, state and local politics reporter for Georgia Public Radio. Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including recent polling on midterm issues and President Biden's statement on Taiwan. Ch. 5: Voting, Primaries and Redistricting in the South Part 2 - The Takeaway - Air Date 5-28-22 We take a look at the latest primary election results from this past week. We’re joined by Maya King, politics reporter for The New York Times, and Stephen Fowler, state and local politics reporter for Georgia Public Radio. Ch. 6: How "Moderates" Serve The Right - Second Thought - Air Date 12-17-21 This week we're talking about everyone's favorite grillpilled neighbor - the American "centrist" or "moderate". As much as they like to see themselves as enlightened arbiters of progress, centrists are little more than spoilers for actual progress. What progressives should be focusing on in the 2022 midterm elections is clear. It's economics. That's what people are worried about the most and that is what they should run on. Whether they focus on that or not is a different story. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Turner says the corporate wing of the Democratic Party seeks to consolidate the existing leadership’s power while shutting down champions of progressive policies like Medicare for All. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Should Justice Sotomayor retire this year? - Woody from Washington DC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the extreme measures needed to stabilize our political system MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1494_Election_primaries_Air_Date_6-8-22_General_-_6-8-22_15.48.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:03pm EDT |
Tue, 7 June 2022
Original Air Date: 5-16-22 Connect with our Discord community!
Today, I am talking with Amanda, Deon and Erin. We discuss: - The power of Indigenous stories - Elite panic - Panic at the dinner table - Quantification and who counts - Stoking civil war - Fear is the heart of love
References: Southern Living: Why Is It Rude to Eat with Your Elbows on the Table? Beware Prophecies of Civil War I will Follow You Into the Dark - Death Cab for Cutie
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_251_Sample_-_6-7-22_14.05.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:13am EDT |
Sat, 4 June 2022
Air Date 6/4/2022 Today we take a look at some of the obvious steps we need to take to reduce gun violence in the United States, debunk some of the favored propaganda supporting unfettered gun ownership and explore the origins of how Gun Culture™ was invented by corporations as the frontier era need for guns began to vanish pushing them to convert guns from tools that were needed but not loved into items that were loved though no longer needed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-27-22 We revisit some conversations about gun violence and gun culture this week on the show. In March of last year we spoke with Igor Volsky, executive director of Guns Down America In addition to the police response being an unfathomable failure, it is also proof that the ‘good guy with a gun’ theory doesn't work. Ch. 3: Jordan Klepper Debunks The "Good Guy with a Gun" Argument - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-11-15 Jordan Klepper sets out to determine the likelihood of another gun owner stopping an active shooter. The far-right wants you to think the Second Amendment is about average Americans taking up arms against a tyrannical government. But none of that is true... The real history of the second amendment is far more interesting and unsettling. Supreme Court Justice Warren Burger speaking to Charlayne Hunter-Gault, PBS News Hours, 12/16/1991 Ch. 6: How the Gun Industry Used Marketing to Change a Culture - Letters and Politics - Air Date 8-7-19 Today, we are in conversation with Pamela Haag about American gun culture and its influence on policy and gun market. Guest: Pamela Haag is an award-winning nonfiction writer, essayist, cultural commentator, and historian. “Together we rise,” reads the motto on a wall of the Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. The school serves about 600 students in the second thru fourth grades. Over ninety percent are Latinx. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) In this public News Brief, we discuss the phoned-in, cynical response by Republicans to mass shooting and how they've devolved into a dark, meta self-parody. Guest: Robert J. Spitzer is Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Political Science Department at the State University of New York, College at Cortland. He is the author of 15 books including Guns across America: Reconciling Gun Rules and Rights. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the bonus episode in which we explain the cultural foundations of capitalism, guns and beyond MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Credit: “Gun Culture” by Christopher Dombres, Flickr | Public Domain | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1493_Mass_Shootings_Air_Date_6-4-22_General_-_6-4-22_10.03.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:44am EDT |
Wed, 1 June 2022
Air Date 6/1/2022 Today we take a look at the current conspiracy theory known as "The Great Replacement" which posits that a cabal of elites is conspiring to eradicate Whiteness as a culture and as a people in Europe, North America and other countries colonized by White Europeans. We also look at the history of the cabal of elites that conspired to eradicate Native peoples and culture from colonized lands in a pattern of genocide and dispossession. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Imagine for a moment a breaking news story that more than 500 bodies of white children were found buried in unmarked graves at some of the most prestigious boarding schools in New England…That we discovered a federal plot to steal children Ch. 2: The “Great Replacement” Conspiracy Theory - Past Present - Air Date 5-24-22 In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. Nick Estes says the institutions were part of a “genocidal process” of “dispossession and theft of Indigenous people’s lands and resources.” Ch. 4: No Lone Wolves - What Next | Daily News and Analysis - Air Date 5-18-22 A shooting Saturday at a supermarket in a predominantly-Black neighborhood in Buffalo left at least 10 people dead and three more injured. The suspected shooter left a manifesto riddled with racist ideology Ch. 5: Haaland's Boarding School Report - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 5-12-22 Discussing native residential schools as textbook genocide and the new, insufficient report on them. What’s the right-wing answer to the complicated governing issue of the nationwide baby formula shortage? Just stop feeding migrant babies. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Tim Wise counsels that we must remain persistent in the anti-racism struggle and not surrender to exhaustion or otherwise be worn down by repetition. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on those who see themselves in a demographic war for White superiority MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: An historic photograph from 1922 North West Territories, Canada of four Indigenous children in front of a schoolhouse holding paper letters and wearing Western formal dress - including dresses, suits, and top hats. All have serious and sad expressions. Credit: "Children at Fort Simpson Indian Residential School holding letters that spell 'Goodbye'" by Libraries and Archives Canada, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1492_Great_Replacements_Air_Date_6-1-22_General_-_6-1-22_20.00.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:17pm EDT |
Fri, 27 May 2022
Air Date 5/27/2022 Today we take a look at the disruptions to society that can unfold in times of economic distress such as high inflation, price gouging, wage stagnation and income inequality as well as some policy ideas for turning things around. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES "Germany's capitalists drove it into WW1" Warns Richard Wolff. Could America's capitalist lead us into fascism? "Learn from history" Ch. 2: You Are Being Lied to About Inflation - Robert Reich - Air Date 2-28-22 The underlying problem is not inflation. It’s corporate power. The entire American economy is concentrated into the hands of a few greedy, corporate giants with the power to raise prices. Jayati Ghosh, who says prices of essentials are soaring much higher than can be explained by oil prices and supply shortages alone, because of what she calls "feverish speculation" in financial markets and corporate profiteering. Professor Wolff joins to discuss the situation for workers in the US today. OMAR OCAMPO of the Institute for Policy Studies Program on Inequality and the Common Good explains how it happened, and what actions can and must be taken to reverse this obscene trend. An overhaul to the system where the government subsidizes only a few formula brands can help combat the monopolization that has caused this crisis, says David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect. The Biden Administration’s 2023 budget proposal includes a Billionaire Minimum Income Tax and a rewrite of stock buyback practices. Will these changes actually take effect? Niko Lusiani is the Director of Corporate Power at the Roosevelt Institute. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Elon Musk’s Billionaire Games - The Daily Show with Trevor Noah - Air Date 5-7-22 Trevor’s no finance expert, but the details of Elon Musk’s Twitter buy seem a little weird. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the culture of distrust of the poor MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1491_Inflation_Economics_Air_Date_5-28-22_General_-_5-27-22_15.34.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:06pm EDT |
Wed, 25 May 2022
Original Air Date: 4-26-22 References: Excerpt from interview, MARK FERRARI interview (Behind The Scenes) - The Making of Monkey Island Forgetting, not memory, moves us forward - Future Tense - Air Date 3-27-22 A Paradise Built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities That Arise in Disaster by Rebecca Solnit Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by:
Direct download: Bonus_Show_250_Sample_-_5-25-22_22.36.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:33pm EDT |
Fri, 20 May 2022
Original Air Date 5/8/2021 Today we take a look at the culture that Disney has helped create and how they did it, using cuteness as a weapon to push ideas from racist stereotypes and segregation to the masterful use of hollow nods toward progressivism while reinforcing the ethics of individualism in order to give systemic injustice a pass. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 1 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Scholar, writer, and activist Walidah Imarisha is someone who’s been thinking hard about what stories Disney tells and why. She teaches a class on race and Disney films at Portland State University. Ch. 2: 40 Acres and a Movie - Still Processing - Air Date 4-8-21 Disney owns a piece of every living person’s childhood. Now it owns Marvel Studios, too. Jenna and Wesley look at depictions of racist tropes and stereotypes in Disney’s ever-expanding catalog. The company has made recent attempts to atone for its past. Ch. 3: The Racial Politics of Disney Animals Part 2 - Popaganda from @BitchMedia - Air Date 8-28-15 Ch. 4: Woke Disney - Lindsay Ellis - Air Date 9-30-21 Nodding to progressive ideas while just proping up capitalism is just marketing. Ch. 5: Disneyfication of American History - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 6: How Disney Ruined Culture - Wisecrack - Air Date 11-9-20 It's no surprise that Disney has an absolute stranglehold on the culture we consume today. But the joys of the Magic Kingdom aside, what if it's actually kind of really bad for art? We'll explain in this Wisecrack Edition: How Disney Ruined Culture. Ch. 7: The (Not So) Wonderful World of Disney - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 2-16-18 Sam talks to filmmaker and activist Abigail Disney, daughter of Roy E. Disney, about her views on inequality in the U.S., corporate greed and why, despite her last name, she's become one of the more vocal and prominent critics of The Walt Disney empire. Ch. 8: DED Talks: Why Walt Disney is Nothing Like You Think He Was - Cracked - Air Date 1-19-15 Disney tell's his story MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Disneyfication Of Cuteness - American Hysteria - Air Date 1-25-21 Disney has been presenting a fairytale reality within a reality since the 1920s, a far cuter reality that mimics our reality until reality is no longer reality at all. Make sense? Ch. 10: Copyright: Why We Can't Have Nice Things - Wisecrack - Air Date 4-23-21 This video, like everything else in the world, is copyrighted. But what does that really mean? Copyright laws started out as a way to protect creators from having their hard work stolen, but it's turned into something else entirely. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Ableism in the show - Alyson from Colorado FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Woke Disney and Ableist language MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1416_Disney_Air_Date_5-8-21_Members_-_5-8-21_12_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00pm EDT |
Tue, 17 May 2022
Original Air Date 4/14/2021 Today we take a look at the one element of our government that, above all others, has contributed to the absolute disfunction of our democracy. The filibuster was never intended by the founders, always anti-democratic, often used for racist ends and is now being abused at a rate never before seen. 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Filibuster - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 9-9-19 John Oliver explains why filibusters exist, why they shouldn't, and why it's stupid to drink coffee like a cat. President Joe Biden has promised swift action on the pandemic, the economic crisis and more, but much of his agenda hinges on whether he can get enough support in the Senate. Mitch McConnell is on a warpath, and he's getting all his favorite lies lined up. Adam Jentleson, who served as a former senior aide to Sen. Harry Reid, joins Mehdi Hasan to explain the history of the filibuster and how, according to Jentleson, it helps conservatives override the nation's democratic system. Ch. 5: Is Filibuster Reform Mitch McConnell's 'Kryptonite?' - Zerlina. - Air Date 3-16-21 Rep. John Yarmuth explains to Zerlina Maxwell why the rule is so important to the Senate Minority Leader, and why McConnell is “scared to death” about the possibility that Democrats will abolish it. Ch. 6: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 David Sirota explains the motivations and unseen pressures playing on Joe Manchin as he continuously pivots his position on the filibuster. Ch. 7: Activism: Support No Excuses PAC and W.V. Cant Wait - Best of the Left - 4-14-21 Ch. 8: Now Is the Time to End the Filibuster - Breaking the Sound Barrier by Amy Goodman - Air Date 3-18-21 Amy Goodman gives a commentary explaining the need to end the filibuster. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Adam Jentleson, talks about why it's a good idea for Senate Democrats to reform the filibuster and pass popular legislation Ch. 10: Reid Calls for Filibuster Reform to End Gridlock - Nevada Senator Harry Reid - Air Date 11-22-13 On the Senate floor, Senator Reid laid out why we need to reform the rules to ensure qualified presidential nominees get up-or-down votes. Ch. 11: What Is Manchin's Real Agenda w/ David Sirota Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-11-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Wading into the discussion on the child tax credit - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on racism and population EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Inside the West Virginian Movement to Push Joe Manchin to the Left (The New Republic) Progressive PAC kick-starts search for challengers to Manchin, Sinema (Politico) Researched & Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Cartoon version of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell holding a chart that says "Republican Filibusters." The horizontal bar graph below the title shows an X axis starting with "88th term 1963-64" and ending with "110th term 2007-2008." The bar values range from 3 at the beginning of the time-line to "153 Projected for end of term" at the end. Credits: "Mitch McConnell, Filibuster King" by DonkeyHotey, Flickr | License | Changes: Increased white background to make vertical image square, smudged existing shadow to extend farther, dark blue border added
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1411_Filibuster_Air_Date_4-14-21_Members_-_4-14-21_20_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:00pm EDT |
Sat, 14 May 2022
Air Date 5/14/2022 Today we take a look at the options and actions still available after the Supreme Court overturns Roe for those seeking abortions and Reproductive Justice more widely. Plus, an obligatory explanation of how we got to now. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Learning from Pre-Roe to Navigate Post-Roe - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 5-5-22 Law professor and podcast host Melissa Murray, journalist and bestselling author Jessica Bruder, and Slate’s news director Susan Matthews—host of the upcoming Season 7 of Slow Burn focusing on the road to Roe v Wade Ch. 2: Producer Sebastian on the anti-abortion right in the United States - This is Hell! - Air Date 5-5-22 Sebastian gets on his soapbox and lectures about the history of abortion rights and the anti-abortion right in the United States. Looking at the intertwining fights for reproductive and voting rights. Frank Schaeffer once produced propaganda films that helped launch the Christian right. Now he feels regret for what he calls an 'anti-family' movement. Ch. 5: Lindsey Shares Her Abortion Story - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 5-5-22 Our own Dr. Lindsey Osterman has had an abortion, does not regret it, and wants to tell us why this basic healthcare right matters not just for those in extreme circumstances. Ch. 6: Amy Littlefield on the fight for Abortion Rights - Start Making Sense - Air Date 5-12-22 Progressive faith communities are learning how to support reproductive justice Ch. 7: Resisting attacks on abortion rights in the US with Emma Norton - Red Flag Radio - Air Date 5-9-22 Roz talks to socialist activist Emma Norton about the history of abortion rights, the limitations of looking to the Democrats to protect the right to choose, and the struggles that are needed to win. David Daley writing for the Boston Globe writes the thought-provoking article "Your Vote Won't Help Restore Abortion Rights" MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Turnaway Study What The Research Says About Abortion - Short Wave - Air Date 5-9-22 We turned to Dr. Diana Greene Foster, the lead researcher on the interdisciplinary team behind The Turnaway Study. For over a decade, she and her fellow researchers followed just under a thousand women who sought an abortion across 21 states. Ch. 9: Lindsey Shares Her Abortion Story Part 2 - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 5-5-22 Dr. Lindsey Osterman discusses the idea of being made to carry a pregnancy to term before offering the baby for adoption. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to make sure your efforts to support abortion access are well spent Get Involved/Support/Volunteer for Abortion Funds & Learn State Laws: Twitter thread - Getting Involved with Local Abortion Funds (Read on Thread Reader) Find your local Practical Support Organization Abortion Access in Your State: A Quiz (with resources) (Lilith.org) Check out the hashtag #FundAbortionBuildPower Abortion Pills Stand to be Next Battleground in a Post-Roe America (NY Times) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The words "WHAT NOW?" in white are overlayed on a faded image of the U.S. Supreme Court. Below the words, is a faded portion of the top of Justice Alito's leaked draft majority opinion indicating Roe v. Wade will be struck down. Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman using images in the public domain.
Direct download: 1490_SCOTUS_Roe_Air_Date_5-14-22_General_-_5-13-22_18.47.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:15am EDT |
Tue, 10 May 2022
Air Date 5/10/2022 Today we take a look at the impacts of media ownership on society including legacy newspapers and social media platforms owned by billionaires and the consolidation of our news and entertainment corporations through mega mergers. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Bombas.com/Best BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Who Rules America: The Power of The Media | Propaganda - ENDEVR Documentary - Air Date 1-3-21 Who Rules America? takes a comprehensive look into the governing system of the United States of America and reveals the behind-the-scene powers that rule the nation. Ch. 2: Billionaires Control The Media - and Its Destroying Democracy - Novara Media - Air Date 11-20-19 Billionaires control the media, and it's undermining our democracy. The Washington Post announced on Monday the paper had been sold to Amazon.com founder and CEO Jeff Bezos for $250 million. Bezos, one of the world’s wealthiest men, now controls one of the most powerful newspapers in the country. Ch. 4: Elon Musk, Twitter, and the History of Media Oligarchs - Past Present - Air Date 5-2-22 Niki referred to this Los Angeles Times article about the limits of Elon Musk’s “free speech absolutism.” Natalia referenced this New York Times article about billionaire investors in the press. I spoke before FTC Chair Lina Khan and Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Jonathan Kanter this week about how corporate mergers are devastating working conditions, access to diverse voices, and artistic freedom in media. Elon Musk reaching a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion is discussed by Anand Giridharadas. "This future in which there would actually be more abundant and equitable speech terrifies the crap out of people like Elon Musk,” Giridharadas tells Joy Reid. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: How William Randolph Hearst Made The Media - KERA's Think - Air Date 9-27-21 He was one of the wealthiest men in America – and his media empire granted him unprecedented influence. Stephen Ives joins host Krys Boyd to tell the story of William Randolph Hearst and the template he created for the media business. Ch. 8: Is Free Speech Online Just a Myth? - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 5-8-22 A conversation with one of the smartest First Amendment lawyers in the country. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the propaganda of building faulty assumptions into questions MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: The front page of a newspaper is held up by a reader. The newspaper is called “The Media” and the large text headline is a quotation that reads “We Own This, Too" above black and white photos of Jeff Bezos, Elon Musk, and Rupert Murdoch. Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Images include: “newspaper, world is changing”; "Jeff Bezos" by NASA Robotics Competition, Flickr (Public Domain); "Elon Musk" by Tesla Owners Club Belgium, Flickr (CC BY 2.0); "Rupert Murdoch" by Eva Rinaldi, Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0) | Changes: Cropped and black and white
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1489_Media_Ownership_Air_Date_5-10-22_General_-_5-10-22_16.59.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:08pm EDT |
Sat, 7 May 2022
Air Date 5/7/2022 Today we take a look at the jockeying for position that is happening among GOP politicians, both incumbents and hopefuls, in this murky Trump/post-Trump political era in which the path to victory for Republicans is to support Trump unquestioningly while also keeping an eye on the long game for which one should attempt to out-Trump Trump to gain the support of his cultish masses. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES GOP politicians who formerly rejected QAnon and Trumpism are now joining the choir in pursuit of power Next month starts a wave of primaries in Ohio, Georgia, and Pennsylvania that will provide the strongest clues yet on just how much of a hold on Republican voters that Trump still has. Ch. 3: Greg Abbott's Border Shutdown Backfires Spectacularly - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-16-22 Texas Governor Greg Abbott has effectively shut down the US/Mexico border in his state. He did this in the name of stopping the flow of drugs and migrants into the US, but really it was a theatrical stunt to appeal to the far-right. Ch. 4: The Trump Variants Part 1 - Some More News - Air Date 11-9-21 Here's a video about Ron DeSantis, Marjorie Taylor Green, and Matt Gaetz and how they all want to be the next Donald Trump. Ch. 5: The Fight Between Florida and Disney - The Takeaway - Air Date 4-25-22 We speak with Carlos Ball, law professor at Rutgers University, and Nadine Smith, executive director of Equality Florida, about how what’s happening with Disney connects to other recent examples of corporations weighing in on LGBTQ issues. Ch. 6: The Trump Variants Part 2 - Some More News - Air Date 11-9-21 How fascism starts and what happens to the masses when the authoritarian leader goes away. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) DeSantis' anti-gay agenda is all about winning over the conservative entertainment wing VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: The down side of fulfilling jobs - VoicedMail from Discord Community Member FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on creating workplaces that are conducive to human needs MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE:
Credit: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Image layers used include: “Trump and U.S. Image”, Images of politicians all by Gage Skidmore, Flickr and Wikimedia Commons: “J.D. Vance”, “Marjorie Taylor Greene", "Ron DeSanits” | Changes: Cropped and orange filter added
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1488_GOP_Hopefulls_Post_Trump_Air_Date_5-7-22_General_-_5-7-22_16.13.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:17pm EDT |
Wed, 4 May 2022
Air Date 5/4/2022 Today we take a look at the tectonic shifts in the geopolitics happening under our feet; the long, slow decline of the US empire and the neoliberal order, the role of the war in Ukraine in hastening the end of globalization, and the rise of both China in the east and of the oceans around us all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ukraine and an Empire's Decline - Economic Update - Air Date 4-16-22 Wolff talks with host and journalist Chris Hedges about Ukraine and the end of the US empire. Ch. 2: A World to Win Imperialism and the Energy Crisis w/ David Wearing - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 4-1-22 Grace chats to David Wearing, post-doctoral researcher at SOAS and author of AngloArabia: Why Gulf Wealth Matters to Britain. The new war in Europe has been described as a turning point in human history. President Biden reportedly warned Chinese President Xi Jinping via video call Friday that China would face “consequences” if it provided material support to Russia amid the war in Ukraine. Alfred McCoy argues that American global hegemony will end around 2030 replaced by China as world leader but Chinese hegemony will last only for about 20 years and that by 2050, climate change will have brought environmental catastrophe to both countries. Ch. 6: Climate Catastrophe, the Fall of America, and a New World Order - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 1-14-22 A bleak but fascinating look across five continents and seven centuries points to climate and political destruction ahead. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Oil & Disorder ft. Helen Thompson - Bungcast - Air Date 3-29-22 Helen Thompson, podcaster and professor of political economy at Cambridge and author of Disorder: Hard Times in the 21st Century, joins us to talk about the geopolitics of oil, stretching from the 1956 Suez Crisis to the Fracking Revolution of today. Alexander Cooley and Daniel Nexon are the authors of Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order. We had a 90-minute conversation on some important topics for the study of international relations. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Pyramid scheme sticker club - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how people find math so hard that many pyramid schemes likely get started by accident MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1487_New_World_Order_Air_Date_5-4-22_General_-_5-4-22_16.53.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:40pm EDT |
Fri, 29 April 2022
Air Date 4/29/2022 Today we take a look at the rising wave of successful unionization efforts and the corporate tactics being leveled against them, including the propaganda that surrounds the culture of labor. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Around the country, workers are rising up, demanding more, and winning important victories, even though the deck is stacked against them. The question is: Where will the reinforcements come from? Ch. 2: Apple Store employee explains why he's fighting to unionize - ABC News - Air Date 4-26-22 Genius Bar technician Derrick Bowles explains why he and his coworkers are making the move to unionize their Apple Store We speak with the two best friends who led a drive to organize workers at Amazon's warehouse in Staten Island, New York, and made history Friday after a majority voted to form the first Amazon union in the U.S. Ch. 4: Unions And Strikes Are Good - Some More News - Air Date 3-30-22 Hi. In today’s episode, Cody, who is still on strike against the News Lord, discusses the importance of Unions, Co-Ops, and the future of work. Ch. 5: Why Work Won't Love You Back - On The Media - Air Date 4-22-22 In 2021, a record-breaking number of workers quit their jobs, leading to the phenomenon deemed the "Great Resignation." To understand how that happened, it helps to unpack how work has shifted over the past several decades Around the country, workers are rising up, demanding more, and winning important victories, even though the deck is stacked against them. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: The Holiday You May Have Missed - On The Media - Air Date 4-20-22 International Workers' Day is celebrated with rallies and protests all over the world on May 1, but it's not a big deal in the United States. Back in 2018, Brooke spoke with Donna Haverty-Stacke of Hunter College, CUNY about the American origin of May Day FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the intrinsic human needs that, when fulfilled, give meaning to any work TAKE ACTION! Call your members of Congress today and demand the $94 million increase in funds to The National Labor Relations Board: US Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Find Your Senator and Representative House Lawmakers Demand More Labor Board Funds As Workplace Organizing Spreads (Huffington Post) Lawmakers Urge NLRB Budget Boost Amid 'Dramatic Increase' in Unionization (Common Dreams) The Labor Board Is Withering Away, And That's Bad News For The Labor Movement (Huffington Post) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Bernie Sanders Wants Democrats to Make Unions Their Biggest Message (Vanity Fair) Sanders pressures Biden on Amazon unions: ‘The time for talk is over’ (Politico) Starbucks May Soon Face Legal Consequences for Union Busting (Truthout) The Revolt of the College-Educated Working Class (NY Times) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Amazon Labor Union logo - a black outline of an open box with three fists coming out of the top - against Amazon corporate orange. A heart encircles the logo and is surrounded by black. Credit: Amazon Labor Union logo (artist not found upon search). Additional heart border design by Amanda Hoffman. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1486_Labor_Organizing_Air_Date_4-29-22_General_-_4-29-22_21.04.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:28pm EDT |
Tue, 26 April 2022
From critically acclaimed podcast studios Pineapple Street and Wondery comes a new 8-part series called Will Be Wild that shines a light on the human stories left out of the headlines. It goes deep into the lives of people who took part in that day, people who saw it coming, and people who fear that January 6th was just the beginning of something, not the end.
Follow Will Be Wild wherever you get your podcasts, or you can listen early on Amazon Music or early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app.
Listen Here: wondery.fm/BotL_WillBeWild |
Sat, 23 April 2022
Air Date 4/23/2022 Today we take a look at how we got to the form of toothless liberalism we are living with today and begin to reimagine what a more muscular state apparatus could do in the face of the climate crisis. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Emma hosts Luke Savage, staff writer at Jacobin Magazine, to discuss his new book The Dead Center: Reflections On Liberalism And Democracy After the End Of History. Ch. 2: Nationalizing Oil It's About Saving the World - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-11-22 Squeals of “socialism!” aside, we know how to do this and have done it before, repeatedly - This time it’s not just about saving our banks or fighting a war. This time, it’s about saving the world. Luke Savage on his collection of essays about the abandoned hopes of the Obama era, the rise of Trumpism and the inability—or unwillingness—of Liberalism to offer a moral and more just vision for the world. Matt Bruenig, returning to the podcast, is the founder of the People's Policy Project think tank. Johanna Bozuwa, Executive Director at the Climate and Community Project, has written a detailed paper on how we can actually "nationalize this." Ch. 6: Climate Incrementalism is the New Denial w/ Kate Aronoff - Bad Faith - Air Date 5-15-21 Tired of defeatist, nihilistic conversations about climate change? Same. That's why this week, we invited climate journalist and author of Overheated: How Capitalism Broke the Planet, Kate Aronoff. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Emma hosts Luke Savage, staff writer at Jacobin Magazine, to discuss his new book The Dead Center: Reflections On Liberalism And Democracy After the End Of History. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Thoughts on doing psychology right - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on talking about psychology done wrongly... wrongly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1485_Weak_Dems_Nationalizing_Big_OIl_Air_Date_4-23-22_General_-_4-23-22_17.29.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:34pm EDT |
Wed, 20 April 2022
Air Date 4/20/2022 Today we take a look at the bizarre halo effect that seems to surround Elon Musk and then thoroughly puncture it by just explaining a few things about him and his companies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out The Politics of Everything wherever you get podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Myth Of The "Self-Made" Billionaire - Second Thought - Air Date 9-10-21 It’s no secret that Americans love to hear about billionaires. You’ll find them everywhere. They’re on the news [Bezos space launch], have their own TV shows, movies, and even make their way to elected office. Ch. 2: Is Elon Musk a Fraud - Deconstructed - Air Date 5-14-20 Over the weekend, Tesla CEO Elon Musk took to Twitter to voice his frustrations about the ongoing Covid-19 lockdown in Alameda County, California. The billionaire entrepreneur threatened that he would take his auto factory to another state Ch. 3: Tesla SUED Over Racial Discrimination In The Workplace - The Young Turks - Air Date 2-12-22 Elon Musk and Tesla are coming under fire as the state of California is suing the company for allegedly running a “racially segregated” workplace. Black workers are reportedly concentrated in certain parts of the factory and are constantly berated Ch. 4: Elon Musk Is Not Your Friend - Some More News - Air Date 5-10-21 Hi. Elon Musk will not save us. Sorry. Billionaire memelord Elon Musk has dropped yet another batcrap Libertarian rant for his adoring fans, this time regarding the bloodthirsty government and how he hates the pesky electric vehicle subsidies that he would (and already does) benefit from. Ch. 6: Elon Trolls the SEC - What Next: TBD | Tech, power, and the future - Air Date 4-8-22 With 9.1% ownership of Twitter—and a board seat—Elon Musk is the new master of Twitter's future. Why did the wealthiest man in the world just take over the world's most influential platform? Ch. 7: Elon, Segregationist & Culture War in Colorado w/ Chase Woodruff - Left Reckoning - Air Date 2-23-22 The real reason Elon Musk fleed California: incredible racism and animal cruelty charges. Also, how he's giving marching orders to Texas cops. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Elon Musk Isn’t Saving Humanity w/ Manu Saadia - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-25-21 Paris Marx is joined by Manu Saadia to discuss the roots of Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos’ visions for space, and why they serve the billionaires’ need for control, not the betterment of humanity. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Back on the path - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on foundational ideas that help explain politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1484_Elon_Musk_Billionaires_Air_Date_4-20-22_General_-_4-20-22_20.45.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:38pm EDT |
Sat, 16 April 2022
Air Date 4/16/2022 Today we take a look at the coming wave of attacks on abortion and the foundational concept of privacy more broadly that are making their way to the Supreme Court for likely rubber-stamping by at least 5 of the deeply conservative current justices. Undermining the established precedent of privacy that abortion rests on can, and likely will, have ramifications far beyond reproductive rights. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES “Abortion rights don’t fall within that framework of constitutional rights that the Supreme Court feels that it has an obligation to uphold,” says Imani Gandy, senior editor of law and policy for Rewire News Group. Ch. 2: The GOP Is Now Coming For Birth Control - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 3-21-22 The more Republicans come out against the Supreme Court’s Griswold v. Connecticut ruling on contraception access, the more the public should be worried that they will lose the legal right to birth control. Ch. 3: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 1 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. Michele Goodwin speaks on about the links between current conflicts between state and federal law and their historic precedents, such as Brown v. Board of Education and the Fugitive Slave Acts. MARK JOSEPH STERN, legal journalist from Slate, explains the latest news out of the US Supreme Court, beginning with the Senate confirmation hearings last week for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Joe Biden's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Ch. 6: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) “The very party that claims to be very concerned with protecting children—that’s accusing their enemies of being literal pedophiles—wrote a bill that apparently would have allowed children to get married,” says Chris Hayes. Ch. 8: The Latest Battles over Marriage - Past Present - Air Date 4-12-22 In this episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia discuss recent developments in the politics of sex and marriage. Ch. 9: Fundamental Rights Doublespeak Part 3 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 4-9-22 History proves that “unenumerated” does not equal “invented” rights. Joined by David Gans, director of the Human Rights, Civil Rights, and Citizenship Program at the Constitutional Accountability Center. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the upcoming milestone for the show MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1483_SCOTUS_Abortion_and_More_Air_Date_4-13-22_General_-_4-16-22_21.50.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:43pm EDT |
Wed, 13 April 2022
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. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Shop Bombas.com/Best for 20% off your first order! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! 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? 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. 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 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: 1482_Crypto_and_NFT_Air_Date_4-13-22_General_-_4-13-22_18.51.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:18pm EDT |
Sun, 10 April 2022
Original Air Date: 3-15-22 Today, I am talking with Erin (not from Philly), Deon and Erin from Philly. We discuss: - Whether or not to capitalize the B in black - What it means when the B is capitalized - How all of this relates to the rapid expansion of identity labels - Why the solution to segregation and stereotypes is more segregation - And why we think it's worth spending time talking about things like this CONNECT ON DISCORD References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_248_Sample_-_4-10-22_12.00.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:07pm EDT |
Wed, 6 April 2022
Air Date 4/6/2022 Today we take a look at the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court, what her confirmation would mean for representation on the court and what the hearing tells us about the state of our politics. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded where you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: By Any Measure, Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson is Qualified - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-24-22 By any objective measure, Joe Biden's Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, is eminently qualified to be a Supreme Court Justice Ch. 2: Anita Hill on the Supreme Court’s Future Part 1 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-12-22 The upcoming confirmation, and what it means for the court’s future—and for America’s future. MARK JOSEPH STERN, legal journalist from Slate, explains the latest news out of the US Supreme Court, beginning with the Senate confirmation hearings last week for Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson Joe Biden's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court. Jessica Mason Pieklo and Imani Gandy are following the lead of Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) and celebrating joy in this historic nomination. Speaking with legal analysts Imani Gandy and Dahlia Lithwick about Republican embrace of disinformation. Ch. 6: Anita Hill on the Supreme Court’s Future Part 2 - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-12-22 The upcoming confirmation, and what it means for the court’s future—and for America’s future. Ch. 7: ITT Sound Off: Saving the Supreme Court - In The Thick - Air Date 3-25-22 Elie Mystal writes in The Nation: “It was emotionally affecting to watch Jackson, a ridiculously accomplished Black woman, be forced to dance to the tune of these mediocre white senators who were trying to reduce her to a caricature.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Cory Booker speaks out about the hope he feels about Ketanji Brown Jackson joining the Supreme Court Black listeners call in to talk about what it meant to see the judge up there, and react to more of Sen. Booker's words and Judge Brown Jackson's tearful reaction. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response to Maria on puberty blockers - Sophia from Texas FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on motivated reasoning, wild guesses and edge cases MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1481_SCOTUS_Confirmation_Air_Date_4-6-22_General_-_4-6-22_19.41.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:05pm EDT |
Sat, 2 April 2022
Air Date 4/2/2022 Today we take a look at the current iteration of the cynical culture wars being waged by conservative Republicans against LGBTQ kids for political gain. The current wave of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation sprouting across the country is not about protecting kids and is absolutely nothing new. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded where you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Andy Greenberg - Longform - Air Date 12-11-19 Andy Greenberg is a senior writer for Wired. His new book is Sandworm. “I kind of knew I was never going to get access to Sandworm, which is the title of the book - so it was all about drawing a picture around this invisible monster.” Ch. 2: How America’s gas got hacked - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-12-21 The largest-known ransomware attack on American energy infrastructure is driving up gas prices and creating shortages. Wired's Lily Hay Newman says Colonial Pipeline might be a turning point for cybersecurity. Ch. 3: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 1 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 There are currently a number of serious allegations made in the West against Russia. They include the attempted murder of the former spy Sergei Skripal on British soil; interference in the 2016 US election; the hacking of the American electricity grid. Sanger joins Judy Woodruff to discuss the threats and realities, how the U.S. wages cyber warfare, and how prepared the U.S. is to stop attacks. Ch. 5: Is Russia at War with the West? Part 2 - The Inquiry - Air Date 11-21-18 Russia has been practicing cyberwar in a real-life test lab — Ukraine. Andy Greenberg, author of 'Sandworm', recounts how Russia went from repeatedly shutting down Ukraine's infrastructure to unleashing worms that caused billions of dollars in damage. Ch. 7: Is World War III Already Here? - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 1-3-22 Warfare has changed so fundamentally, that we're currently in a war we don't even recognize. It's the war that Russia, China, and other hostile foreign actors are fighting against us — weaponizing social media to undermine our faith in each other MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Last week, a hacker group called DarkSide shut down the Colonial Pipeline, which supplies 45 percent of the fuel consumed on the East Coast. Gas prices skyrocketed, people started hoarding gas, and DarkSide walked away with over $4 million in Bitcoin. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Puberty blockers experimental? - Maria in Pennsylvania FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the deception and logical fallacies at the heart of critiques of gender affirming care MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1480_Cyber_War_Air_Date_4-1-22_General_-_4-2-22_12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:01am EDT |
Tue, 29 March 2022
Air Date 3/29/2022
Today we take a look at the current iteration of the cynical culture wars being waged by conservative Republicans against LGBTQ kids for political gain. The current wave of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation sprouting across the country is not about protecting kids and is absolutely nothing new. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 This weaponization of white womanhood and femininity has deep roots in this country’s history, and is prompting unprecedented consequences for the trans community. Nikita Shepard joins to discuss the history and what we can do about it. Ch. 2: Andy Marra on Trans Youth Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-4-22 Texas state leadership is staking a position on that, but humans everywhere are pushing back, and we talk about that with Andy Marra. Ch. 3: The Anti-Trans Agenda (w/ Gillian Branstetter) - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 3-20-22 Matt and Sam talk to Gillian Branstetter, press secretary for the National Women’s Law Center, about the spate of anti-trans laws sweeping the country. We speak with Chase Strangio of the ACLU about recent anti-LGBTQ legislation in Florida, Texas, and Idaho, and pending bills in other states. Ch. 5: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 6: Don't Say Gay - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-17-22 The furor over Florida’s latest culture-war legislation has Disney, among the state’s largest employers, turning red. Journalist Steven Monacelli joins to discuss how he actually debated Steven Crowder earlier in the day on a college campus in Texas. Why was Crowder there? Because trans people are playing sports. Ch. 8: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 3 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 10: Andy Marra on Trans Youth Rights Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-4-22 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 11: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 4 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 12: The Anti-Trans Agenda (w/ Gillian Branstetter) Part 2 - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 3-20-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 13: Dynamics of our political parties - Craig from Ohio FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the divides within American political parties TAKE ACTION! Contact your Senators to pass the Equality Act via passtheequalityact.com/act Join Lambda Legal's #DontEraseUs campaign to fight anti-LGBTQ+ curriculum (especially if you’re a student or teacher). EDUCATE YOURSELF Read BOTL’s activism segment on the Equality Act from last March (*2021*) for more context Lambda Legal Transgender Rights Toolkit (Lambda Legal) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman Image Description: A white protest sign is held in the air with the words “YOU WILL NOT ERASE OUR KIDS” drawn on it. The word “NOT” is underlined and colored in red. Each letter in the word “KIDS” is colored in with red, blue, yellow, and orange, respectively. A small blue sticker in the top right corner says “I [heart sign] My Trans Child”. Credit: “2018.10.22 We Won't Be Erased - Rally for Trans Rights, Washington, DC USA 06817” by Ted Eytan, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 License | Changes: Cropped, slightly increased brightness, contrast, and saturation
Direct download: 1479_Anti-Trans_wave_Air_Date_3-29-22_General_-_3-29-22_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:16pm EDT |
Thu, 24 March 2022
Air Date 3/24/2022 Today we take a look at the desperate state of refugees fleeing war, strife and climate disruption as well as the response of governments around the world that espouse liberal platitudes of humanitarianism while hardening their borders against those seeking refuge. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Check out Democracy Decoded wherever you get your podcasts! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Fortress Europe: Who gets to come in? - The Real Story - Air Date 11-9-21 The European Union is at loggerheads with Belarus over the arrival of thousands of migrants. It alleges that President Lukashenko has created a deliberate crisis by facilitating the migrants' travel into Belarus and onwards to the country's borders Ch. 2: War in Ukraine - Humane Ukrainians & A Major Refugee Crisis - The Daily Show - Air Date 3-4-22 As Russia's war on Ukraine continues, compassionate Ukrainians come to the aid of Russian soldiers, and Trevor weighs in on the implications of how European countries are welcoming refugees. As Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian crisis, we look at how more Afghans may die from U.S. sanctions than at the hands of the Taliban. The U.S.'s attempts to block support for the new de facto government have prevented vital funding from flowing It’s been more than six months since the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Since the withdrawal, more than 76,000 Afghans have resettled across the U.S. We check in on resettlement efforts, the challenges facing Afghan refugees, and more Ch. 5: Fortress Europe - Declarations: The Human Rights Podcast - Air Date 2-2-22 In this week’s episode, host Maryam Tanwir and panelist Yasmin Homer discuss the role of technology in the securitization of European borders with MEP Patrick Breyer and researcher Ainhoa Ruiz. Ch. 6: Border walls and the climate crisis w/ Nick Buxton - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 The Transnational Institute's Nick Buxton on the report "Global Climate Wall" As the U.S. considers a ban on importing Russian oil as part of sanctions for its invasion of Ukraine, senior advisers to President Biden are reportedly planning to visit Saudi Arabia to secure more oil to make up the shortfall. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Border walls and the climate crisis w/ Nick Buxton Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 Discussing the connection between climate policy and the entities who stand to profit the most by fortifying against climate refugees FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on small-government conservatives' authoritarian tendencies TAKE ACTION! New way to help defeat fossil fuel allied politicians, no matter their party: Jane Fonda PAC Help Refugees Around the World: International Rescue Committee Anera (Middle East focus) House Refugees in Your Home: Room for Refugees (US, UK, Canada) Refugees at Home (UK only) EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE 8 Ways to Solve the World's Refugee Crisis (Amnesty International) The Great Climate Migration Has Begun (NYTimes, 2020) Climate Change Refugees - the world's forgotten victims (World Economic Forum) #AfricansinUkraine (Twitter hashtag) Climate Change and Disaster Displacement (UNHCR) Refugee Environmental Protection Fund (UNHCR) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1478_Refugees_Air_Date_3-24-22_General_-_3-24-22_12.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:23am EDT |
Sat, 19 March 2022
Air Date 3/19/2022
Today we take a look at the details of the planned coup that had its culmination in the form of a violent insurrection at the US Capitol Building on January 6th, 2021 as well as the ongoing efforts to undermine and dismantle the structures of our election system. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: January 6th Planning Was WAY More Detailed Than We Thought - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-5-22 In some ways, the attack on the Capitol looked haphazard but the answer is far scarier. There was much more planning by the group involved. National columnist Will Bunch says there is growing evidence that links Trump and his inner circle to the Capitol attack. Michael Schmidt, Washington correspondent for the New York Times; David Wilson. Former Pentagon adviser Ryan Goodman says former President Trump could have used the Insurrection Act to hold onto power onJanuary 6, 2021. Rep. Pete Aguilar, member of the January 6th Committee It took decades to build our system of non-partisan, professional election administration, but the entire system is now under persistent attack by Trump's MAGA Mob. Michael Schmidt, Washington correspondent for the New York Times Ch. 8: Trump Facing CRIMINAL Charges Per Trump Riot Committee - David Pakman Show - Air Date 3-3-22 The January 6 Trump riot committee has released a list of possible criminal charges committed by former President Donald Trump. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Thoughts on the Ukraine context episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on our new Discord community server and how to join TAKE ACTION! Become a Poll Worker or Election Official: WorkElections.org EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Expert fears partisan actors may replace election workers who quit over threats (PBS News Hour) 1 in 5 local election officials say they're likely to quit before 2024 (NPR) Researchers warn that Christian nationalists are becoming more radical and are targeting voting (Washington Post) One in five U.S. election workers may quit amid threats, politics (Reuters) Local election officials are exhausted, under threat and thinking about quitting (Politico) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo from a rally. A hand holds up a sign that says "Remember Jan. 6th, Senators. Protect Our Democracy Now". Credit: "January 6th Vigil for Democracy" by Becker1999, Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1477_Jan_6_Coup_Air_Date_3-19-22_General_-_3-19-22_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:18am EDT |
Wed, 16 March 2022
Air Date 3/16/2022 Today we take a look at the dynamics of mis- and disinformation as well as the history of those, primarily Russia, who are actively using it as a weapon of information warfare against the US, The West, and democracies around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are you Disinformed or Misinformed? - Harvard Data Science Review Podcast - Air Date 6-17-21 Harvard Data Science Review digs into the world of disinformation and misinformation, and the difference between them. Ch. 2: Moving beyond news deserts and misinformation - Democracy Works - Air Date 2-14-22 Victor Pickard is the C. Edwin Baker Professor of Media Policy and Political Economy at the University of Pennsylvania and author of Democracy Without Journalism? Ch. 3: Why "Cheap Speech" Threatens Democracy - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 3-5-22 Dahlia talks to Rick Hasen about his new book Cheap Speech: How Disinformation Poisons Our Politics–and How to Cure It. Ch. 4: The Firehose of Falsehood Effect - The Propwatch Project - Air Date 4-4-21 Dr. Christopher Paul, senior social scientist of the Pardee RAND Graduate School, discusses his seminal work on the "Firehose of Falsehood" propaganda model. Ch. 5: The long history of Russian disinformation targeting the U.S. - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-22-18 From Pizzagate to George Soros conspiracies, “fake news” has become a noxious presence in public discourse, especially since the 2016 presidential election. Ch. 6: Post-Truth: Lee C. McIntyre - Future Hindsight - Air Date 5-14-20 Authoritarians use post-truth to corrupt our faith in the truth. The end goal is not to make citizens believe lies, but to make them so cynical and uncertain, they think they can never know the truth. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Inside Estonia's approach in combating Russian disinformation - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-15-22 Russian disinformation is rife in countries formerly ruled from Moscow. Some ex-Soviet states have tried to suppress it altogether by banning Russian television stations and even limiting the use of the Russian language on their own domestic channels. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Seeking power from the right and left - Alex from Maryland Old FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on avoiding the nihilism strategy of the Underpants Gnomes TAKE ACTION! Media Literacy Now - Advocate for U.S. Media Literacy Bills at State Level (See Existing Media Literacy Bills and Laws) Tools to Fight Disinformation: List: Tools That Fight Disinformation Online (RAND.org) InVID - Browser plug in to help identify and verify shared videos and images Hamilton 2.0 Dashboard - War in Ukraine (Disinformation tracker) Orgs Fighting Disinformation: Content Authenticity Initiative Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity Alliance for Securing Democracy EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Short Docuseries: Operation InfeKtion (New York Times) Book: “The Misinformation Age: How False Beliefs Spread” by Calin O’Connor and James Owen Weatherall Video Series: Crash Course Media Literacy Training: First Draft News - Training Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: In graphic form, the word "TRUTH" is angled and textured in red. A magnifying glass hovers over most of the letter "U" and the word "LIES" can be seen repeated in rows through the circular glass. Credit: Original design on Pixabay / Changes: angled, text color, background color / Final by Amanda Hoffman
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1476_Disinformation_Air_Date_3-16-22_General_-_3-16-22_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:55pm EDT |
Tue, 15 March 2022
Original Air Date: 2-8-22 Today, I am talking with Amanda, Erin and Deon. We discuss: - Tragic Optimism - Don't Look Up - Simulacra and Simulation - That Funny Feeling References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Fri, 11 March 2022
Air Date 3/11/2022 Today we take a look at the intertwining oil interests that underlie many of the decisions about Russia's invasion of Ukraine and how others are responding to it. It is a tangled mess that the US, Europe and other nations are currently attempting to extract themselves from but it will be a long process. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Bombas.com/Best Shop for 20% off! SHOW NOTES Gas prices are going up, but it's not Biden's fault. Thom exposes Trump, Saudi Arabia and Putin's connection to raise gas prices. We speak to energy and climate investigative reporter Antonia Juhasz, author of "The Tyranny of Oil: The World's Most Powerful Industry," about growing calls for a green energy revolution amid the climate crisis and rising prices for fossil fuels. As the horrors of Russia's war on Ukraine continue, we continue focusing on efforts to counter it. Shell Oil apologizes for getting caught secretly buying cheap Russian oil. The MR crew discusses how increasing oil production domestically is being talked about as a solution, but no one is talking about the importance of nationalizing energy. Ch. 6: Banning Russian oil - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-8-22 Gas prices hit a record high in the United States today. Then the White House put an embargo on Russian oil. The Atlantic's Robinson Meyer explains. The prolific author has said that kleptocratic actions are an “existential threat facing our generation.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Peak Oil- It's a Crude, Crude World. - Unf*cking The Republic (UNFTR) - Air Date 2-5-22 We tie in good ol’ Milton Friedman again to discuss how trading this ubiquitous fuel went from commodity to casino. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the rising demand for clean energy action in the wake of the invasion of Ukraine TAKE ACTION! Find Your Local: Mothers Out Front* (*not just for mothers) Chapters League of Conservation Voters Affiliates Local Politics: Find Your State Legislators and Write and Call Them Find out if your local legislators and candidates have taken the “No Fossil Fuel Money” Pledge Learn how to get your local candidates/legislators to sign the “No Fossil Fuel Money” pledge National Politics: Find out Which Members of Congress are Taking Oil and Gas Money via Open Secrets League of Conservation Voter Environment Scorecard EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE Climate Hawks Join the Debate on Ukraine (New York Times) Newsletter: Heat Pumps for Peace and Freedom (Bill McKibben on Substack) Editorial: What’s better than a ban on Russian oil imports? Ending our dependence on fossil fuels (LA Times) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman SHOW IMAGE: Description: Close up of a white sign that says "War Sized Climate Action Now!" in black, military-style text. To the right, a silhouette of the Iwo Jima memorial shows soldiers raising a wind turbine (instead of a flag). Credit: "CleanEnergyMarch-5-1470274" by Mark Dixon, Flickr | CC by 2.0 License | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness and contrast
Direct download: 1475_Russia_Ukraine_War_Oil_Air_Date_3-11-22_General_-_3-11-22_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:14pm EDT |
Wed, 9 March 2022
Original Air Date 3/10/2021 Today we take a look at the current goings-on around the world regarding our foreign policy under the new but not-so-new-feeling leadership of Joe Biden. We check in on Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and a couple of assorted arms sales to authoritarian leaders who support our foreign policy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Biden Administration Should Strike a Deal with Iran - World Class - Air Date 2-18-21 Abbas Milani — an expert on U.S.-Iran relations — discusses the Iranian economy, the future of Iran’s leadership, and what a potential nuclear deal could mean for the U.S. The Biden administration is facing intense criticism from U.S. progressives after carrying out airstrikes on eastern Syria said to be targeting Iranian-backed militia groups. Ch. 3: Biden's First Act Of War Hits 3 Countries - Empire Files - Air Date 3-3-21 Biden's Feb. 26 strike in Syria was a crime, and risks major war with three countries. Abby Martin explains. Ch. 4: Whither the Antiwar Left - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-25-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed the war in Afghanistan and why it's lost. We also talked with journalist James Carden about the state of the antiwar left and whether Joe Biden might do some good on foreign policy. Ch. 5: What's Next For The War In Afghanistan - NPR Fresh Air - Air Date 3-4-21 America's 19-year war in Afghanistan may soon be coming to an end. The Trump administration negotiated a deal with the Taliban, in which the U.S. agreed to withdraw all its troops by May 1. But the Afghan government was not included in those talks. Ch. 6: Can Joe Biden Save Yemen - Empire Has No Clothes - Air Date 2-11-21 This week on Empire Has No Clothes, Kelley, Dan, and I discussed Joe Biden's announcement that he would withdraw all American support for the war in Yemen. Joe Biden once vowed to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman responsible for Jamal Khashoggi's murder. Now, it looks like he's letting him off the hook. Emma Vigeland and the Majority Report crew discuss this. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The future of the US-Saudi relationship (ft. Sen. Chris Murphy) - Worldly - Air Date 3-4-21 Zack, Jenn, and Alex debate whether the US should continue to treat Saudi Arabia as a close partner given its atrocious human rights abuses and the declining US dependence on Middle Eastern oil. Abby Martin covers Biden's first arms deals to major human rights abusers Chile & Egypt; another US military base in Okinawa, opposed by a majority of residents, threatens unique biodiversity; militia puts US at crossroads of a new Iraq war Ch. 10: Can Biden remake Trump's Middle East - The Bunker - Air Date 11-25-20 From Israel to Iran, Donald Trump thought he could reset the Middle East. His fixation on the region defined the last four years of US foreign policy. But what will Biden’s presidency mean for America and the Middle East? VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Introduction to our caste system - Roy from Washington State FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Biden attempting to talk about Afghanistan and China BONUS CLIPS: CNN Official interview Joe Biden on Afghanistan 'Making progress' - CNN - Air Date 11-28-10 What Biden Said About Uyghurs - CNN Presidential Town Hall Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1403_Biden_Foreign_Policy_Air_Date_3-9-21_Members_-_3-9-21_22_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:26pm EDT |
Fri, 4 March 2022
Air Date 3/4/2022 Today we take a look at the history of Ukraine as a Soviet state, war-torn state, famished state, westernizing state, energy-exploring state, annexed state, and invaded state. We also look at the role of the west and NATO as well as Putin's history and possible motivations. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The real and imagined history of Ukraine - Today Explained - Air Date 2-25-22 Vladimir Putin says Ukraine isn’t a country. He’s wrong. Timothy Snyder is the Bird White Housum Professor of History at Yale University, specializing in the history of central and eastern Europe. Ch. 3: From spy to president: The rise of Vladimir Putin - Vox - Air Date 3-23-17 Putin’s intent on pushing back against the Western world order... and it appears to be working. Ch. 4: What Russia And Putin Actually Want With Ukraine - AJ+ - Air Date 2-17-22 Troops are being deployed, harsh words have been said, and there is potential for an all-out war. Snyder says the focus on NATO ignores the agency of leaders in Ukraine and elsewhere who have the right to seek their own arrangements. Ch. 6: Is the West to Blame for Russia's Invasion? (no) - TLDR News - Air Date 2-27-22 Some have suggested that the West is the blame for Russia's invasion into Ukraine, we'll explain that argument and why it's fundamentally wrong. Ch. 7: Why Russia is Invading Ukraine - RealLifeLore - Air Date 2-26-22 Explaining the oil interests in Ukraine that may be a motivating factor to Russia. Ch. 8: America, Russia, and Ukraine's Far-Right - The Gravel Institute - Air Date 2-18-22 This video is about American funding for the Azov Battalion. It explicitly condemns Russian propaganda that Ukraine is a "neo-Nazi country." Ch. 9: Putin's Bogus Claim To "Denazify" Ukraine - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-25-22 Steven Pifer, the former ambassador to Ukraine under Bill Clinton, and Jason Stanley, author of “How Fascism Works,” join Mehdi Hasan to discuss the Russian propaganda narrative. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: A Young Country With An Old History - WorldAffairs - Air Date 1-31-22 Historians Katherine Younger and Emily Channell-Justice tell Ray Suarez the story of modern Ukraine, and why embracing Western values has made Ukraine a threat to Vladimir Putin. Ch. 11: Ukraine: Questions for the Anti-War Movement - Empire Files - Air Date 2-27-22 An analysis of Putin's anti-communist speech Ch. 12: The Crimean War, Putin, and the War Over Reality - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 3-1-22 Jared Yates Sexton traces how the New World Order conspiracy theory led to this mess. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on why you should probably listen to all that again TAKE ACTION! Ways to Help Ukrainians, Protest War, Etc. (*Please always do your own research before giving*): CODEPINK Global Day of Action, Sunday, March 6th: "Stop the War in Ukraine. Russian Troops Out. No to NATO expansion." (CODEPINK) Support Ukraine's Independent Media Organizations and Journalists (Campaign endorsed by The Kyiv Independent) Here’s How You Can Help LGBTQ+ and Black Ukrainian Refugees (Self) 25 Meaningful Ways You Can Help Ukraine (GlobalCitizen) Linkt.ree of Resources/Ways to Help Ukrainians Curated by the nonprofit @RazomforUkraine (Razom for Ukraine) Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman SHOW IMAGE: Description: A blue and yellow Ukrainian flag is waved in the air in front of a cloudy sky above a protest to show solidarity with Ukrainians. Credit: Amanda Hoffman, February 2022 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Direct download: 1474_Ukraine_context_Air_Date_3-5-22_General_-_3-4-22_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00pm EDT |
Wed, 2 March 2022
Air Date 3/2/2022 Today we take a look at the not-so-slow transformation of Republicans from a Bush/McCain/Romney party to a Trump/DeSantis/Putin party complete with cultish devotion and a dependence on a near-total dismissal of truth replaced by propaganda. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history at NYU and author of "Strongmen," talks about right-wing assault on democracy in the United States and familiar patterns between the Trump movement and other authoritarian movements around the world an in history. Ch. 2: Legitimate Political Discourse - Political Gabfest - Air Date 2-10-22 The GOP embrace of Jan. 6 rioters Explaining the seeming anomaly of Trump in the line of Republican presidential nominees Ch. 4: Republicans in complete disarray - The Bradcast w/ Brad Friedman - Air Date 2-7-22 Trump's Republican National Committee labeled the violent, deadly Capitol Insurrection 'legitimate political discourse, and censured conservative Rep. Liz Cheney and Rep. Adam Kinzinger for participating in the bipartisan House Jan. 6 Select Committee. Ch. 5: Rick Scott: The Man With The Plan? - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 2-23-22 What does the Republican Party really stand for — besides attacking liberals? One Republican senator is giving a masterclass in his plan to save America. David Jolly joins to discuss. Ch. 6: How Vladimir Putin won Republicans' approval - Vox - Air Date 1-13-17 He's an authoritarian strongman, and he's never been more popular with GOP voters. Alex Wagner: “The shocking thing is when these Republicans look at Russia—its repression and flouting of democratic norms and restriction of essential freedom—when they look at all that they may not see a cautionary tale, but an aspirational one.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How Jan 6th Changed Extremism - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-5-22 Brandy Zadrozny talks about the landscape of extremism since January 6th and her new investigation that finds some militia and white supremacist groups have shifted tactics, going from protesting to putting energy into local politics and school boards. Ch. 9: The America We Deserve - In The Thick - Air Date 2-8-22 They get into the latest on the January 6th insurrection, and the connection between voter suppression and anti-Black racism. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on sheep-dogging, coalition governments and power dynamics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1473_GOP_shift_to_authoritariain_cult_Air_Date_3-2-22_General_-_3-2-22_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:22pm EDT |
Sat, 26 February 2022
Air Date 2/26/2022 Today we take a look at the slow but important progress that's been made in the last ten years of efforts toward sensible gun control and accountability for gun manufacturers as well as the activists pushing the issue. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Path to the Sandy Hook Settlement - What Next - Air Date 2-22-22 A deft legal strategy led to the largest payout by a gun manufacturer in a mass shooting case. Guest: @NicoleHockley is co-founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise Foundation. Ch. 2: Sandy Hook families achieve major victory over gun maker - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-16-21 Tonight's guests are Joshua Koskoff, attorney representing Sandy Hook families. Survivors and families of the victims of the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High in Parkland, Florida, have launched a new online tool called the “Shock Market” to track the occurrence of U.S. gun violence. Ch. 4: A New Kind of Gun Control Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 2-3-22 San Jose is trying to pioneer a fresh way to address gun violence. Will it survive all the lawsuits? Guest: Sam Liccardo, mayor of San Jose, California. Gun violence in America has remained high throughout the pandemic. By some early estimates, 2020 is one of the worst years for homicides in recent times. Amna Nawaz speaks to The Trace's Champe Barton about efforts to change gun laws. Ch. 6: A New Kind of Gun Control Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 2-3-22 Valentine’s Day is when we’re supposed to give heart-shaped boxes of chocolates and flowers to those we love. For Manuel “Manny” Oliver, Valentine’s Day is something different. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Woman Accidentally Fires Purse Gun at Basketball Game - David Pakman Show - Air Date 11-6-21 A woman "accidentally" fires her gun, which was in her purse, during a basketball game Mayor Adams's new public safety agenda, guests Anthonine Pierre, leader of Communities United for Police Reform, Richard Aborn, president of the Citizens Crime Commission of NYC and Elise White, deputy research director at the Center for Court Innovation FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the news from the invasion of Ukraine by Russia MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A woman walks during the March on Washington for Gun Control in 2013 holding a sign that says "Sandy Hook Chooses LOVE". A red 'no' symbol is over the silhouette of a semi-automatic rifle. Next to this, are two, gray child's hand prints with a red heart between them. Credit: "March on Washington for Gun Control 032" by Slowking4, Wikimedia Commons | Creative Commons License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1472_Gun_Control_Air_Date_2-26-22_General_-_2-25-22_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00pm EDT |
Wed, 23 February 2022
Air Date 2/22/2022 Today we take a look at the new right-wing protest tactic sweeping the world, truck convoy siege tactics in capital cities. Their causes are nonsensical, their tactics harmful but cracking down on them too harshly may boomerang on progressive protests down the road. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Canada’s anti-vax protest comes to a new head as truckers block off a major bridge connecting Canada and the U.S. Timothy Snyder, author of "On Tyranny," looks at how the U.S. has become a bad actor in the global community as its antigovernment right-wing, inflamed by Fox News and social media, is triggering political and economic disruption by fringe extremists. Ch. 3: Tucker Uses Convoy To Cosplay As Working-Class Ally - The Rational National - Air Date 2-8-22 Fox News host Tucker Carlson used the Canadian 'Freedom Convoy' to cosplay as a working-class ally. Ch. 4: Trucker protests energize Canada’s far-right movement - The World - Air Date 2-4-22 Actions have energized a small but growing far-right movement in Canada. And similar protests have popped up in Europe, where people are trying to convene in a convoy in Brussels to protest against pandemic restrictions Ch. 5: What the truck is happening in Canada? - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-15-22 A convoy of truckers angry over Covid-19 mandates is disrupting life in Canada’s capital city. Their movement is gaining traction in cities around the globe. Ch. 6: Vaccine protests in Canada - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 2-3-22 Thousands have joined the so-called “Freedom Convoy” in Canada, which has spiraled from truckers’ frustrations over Covid-19 vaccine mandates into calls to overthrow the government. As the Convoy occupation expanded beyond choking a single major city, the blocking of supply lines and border crossings raised more questions regarding how the government's reaction might affect political movements in the future. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: What the truck is happening in Canada? Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-15-22 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a successful vacation and the weak allure of the internet MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1471_Trucker_Protest_Air_Date_2-22-22_General_-_2-23-22_09.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:36am EDT |
Fri, 18 February 2022
Original Air Date 2/16/2021 Today we take a look at the competing histories fighting for dominance in the minds of Americans; the mythologized and romanticized history as represented by the "patriotic" framing of history from the 1776 Commission report and the much more fact-based approach that doesn't skirt the issue of race from the 1619 Project. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Nikole Hannah-Jones, the architect behind "The 1619 Project," and Ibram X. Kendi, author of “How To Be an Antiracist,” joined Chris Hayes to examine the 400 year legacy of slavery in America. Prof. Eddie Glaude Jr. joins Mehdi Hasan to explain why the Trump administration's 1776 Report is an attempt to stoke a culture war via historical nonsense. Ch. 3: Eric Foner on The 1619 Project - Start Making Sense - Air Date 11-21-19 Historian Eric Foner talks about The New York Times’ “1619 Project,” which argues that the legacy of slavery is central to all of the American past and present—including the White House today. Ch. 4: The 1776 Report - Past Present - Air Date 1-26-21 In this episode, Neil, Natalia, and Niki discuss ·The 1776 Report· issued by the outgoing Trump administration. Ch. 5: The Original Sin of 1619 - In The Thick - Air Date 8-20-19 Journalist Nikole Hannah-Jones led a team of black journalists, writers and poets to create The 1619 Project, a deep and thoughtful look into the 400th anniversary of the beginning of slavery in this country. But a lot of the response has been predictable MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Midnight in the Garden of American Heroes - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 2-11-21 Matt and Sam explain West Coast Straussianism, the school of thought behind one of the last acts of the Trump administration: its publication of the "1776 Report," the Right's shabby response to the 1619 Project and blueprint for the American Founding Ch. 7: Adolph Reed Critiques The 1619 Project - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 5-14-20 Adolph Reed talks about the 1619 project through the lens of anti-essentialism. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Proper attribution for vaccines - Dr. Gay Ch. 9: Financial health of the show? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on framing vaccine manufacturers properly MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1399_1619_vs_1776_Air_Date_2-16-21_Members_-_2-16-21_19_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT |
Tue, 15 February 2022
Original Air Date 2/5/2021 Today we take a look at the role that social media plays in the radicalization of discontented communities and engage in the debate over content moderation and de-platforming of individuals. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) REFER-O-MATIC! Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why everyone hates Big Tech, with The Verge's Nilay Patel - The Weeds - Air Date 7-19-19 Verge editor-in-chief and Vergecast host Nilay Patel joins Matt in this special crossover episode to explain what Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, which allows platforms to circumnavigate liability for user content, really means. Ch. 2: Let’s Break Up Facebook, Google, Amazon - Newsbroke - Air Date 1-30-21 Trump has been removed from the nation’s capital and the nation’s social media feeds. And while it was fun to watch him and other far-right accounts “getting owned” by Twitter, Facebook, Google and other platforms, it does pose an important question Ch. 3: Solving the Facebook Problem at Home and Abroad - On The Media - Air Date 5-22-19 When former Facebook co-founder Chris Hughes penned a New York Times op-ed calling for the breakup of the platform, he was lauded by anti-corporate politicians and the press. Then came a series of hard questions Ch. 4: Zephyr Teachout on "Break 'Em Up" - Off-Kilter - Air Date 8-4-20 Rebecca talks to Zephyr Teachout about her new book "Break 'Em Up: Recovering our Freedom from Big Tech, Big Ag, and Big Money" and why we need an antitrust movement for our time. Sacha Baron Cohen is the well-deserved recipient of ADL’s International Leadership Award, which goes to exceptional individuals who combine professional success with a profound personal commitment to community involvement and to crossing borders Ch. 6: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 1 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. Recode’s Peter Kafka speaks with New York Times’s Tech columnist Kevin Roose about big tech’s power and responsibility - and whether it is going to have accountability. Former Facebook Chief Security Officer Alex Stamos joins Mehdi Hasan to explain how Facebook is tackling radicalization on its platform, and where the company is still falling short. Ch. 9: Joan Donovan on how platforms enabled the capital hill riot Part 2 - Big Tech - Air Date 1-21-21 Joan Donovan studies social movements and their use of media and technology to spread their message. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 10: Your Nation's Attention for the Price of a Used Car - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 10-6-20 Today’s extremists don’t need highly produced videos like ISIS. They don’t need deep pockets like Russia. With the right message, a fringe organization can reach the majority of a nation’s Facebook users for the price of a used car. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Social Media Externalities MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1396_Social_Media_Radicalization_Air_Date_2-5-21_Members_-_2-5-21_19_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:00am EDT |
Sat, 12 February 2022
Air Date 2/12/2022 Today we take a look at the recent uptick in banning and removing educational subjects and books from school curricula as well as specifically who is being harmed and who is being privileged by these decisions. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Despite claiming that the left wants to stifle "free speech," Republicans are increasingly banning books, including from school libraries Ch. 2: Is Big Money Behind Book Banning Frenzy? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 2-8-22 What's behind the right-wing book-ban frenzy? Is it big money with a long-term plan? We do know it's not a "grassroots" or spontaneous. Ch. 3: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 1 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 We believe that the first amendment is fundamental because it should stop this kind of erasure in its tracks. That’s why we’re meeting this surge of censorship with new litigation and fierce advocacy. Joined by Emerson Sykes, Senior Staff Attorney w/ ACLU Education has always mattered to Black people. Our enslaved ancestors risked their lives to learn what white oppressors withheld. Because those oppressors understood the important role knowledge of ones history and oneself plays in Black liberation. Ch. 5: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 2 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 Ch. 7: Bans & Schools Book Panics - Now & Then - Air Date 2-8-22 Book bans are back. What’s causing this resurgence? What have similar acts of censorship meant throughout American history? And how should concerned citizens respond? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Bans & Schools Book Panics Part 2 - Now & Then - Air Date 2-8-22 Ch. 9: The Movement to Erase Black History and Culture Part 3 - At Liberty - Air Date 2-3-22 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A message to Nick and Quai on anger and what to do with it - Alyson from Boulder, CO FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on perhaps only thinking I have let go of my anger MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of the graphic novel book “Maus I” laying on top of the graphic novel book “Maus II”. The covers show anthropomorphized mice under a white circle with a black swastika and a graphic depiction of a Hitler-ized mouse with whiskers in its center. Credit: “Maus I and II” by Bill Smith, Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/byzantiumbooks/51845556207/in/photolist-2n2epPd-2mZq2A8-2n1Mj1g-XYhG-2TmUhq-55feBS-avJJH3-Tjp4gY-SBWLR9-SBWLHd-TExp9E-8WwJM | License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ | Changes: cropped and tilted left
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: 1470_Book_and_CRT_Banning_Air_Date_2-12-22_General_-_2-12-22_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:57am EDT |
Wed, 9 February 2022
Air Date 2/9/2022 Today we take a look at the simmering geopolitical crisis in Ukraine as Russia amasses military forces along the border. In particular, we hear from those who do not predict the imminent outbreak of war and analyze the various motives at play. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES In which John discusses the crisis in Ukraine, and how the influence of Russia and Europe have shaped Ukrainian politics for centuries. REMINDER: Educational videos are allowed to be more than four minutes long. On the Ukraine crisis, there was a sharp juxtaposition Friday as the Pentagon warned that Russian troops could invade at any time, while Ukraine’s president accused the West of sowing panic. To speak about the key role NATO is playing in the Ukraine crisis, we speak with Ludo De Brabander, spokesperson of the peace organization Vrede vzw in Belgium, where NATO is headquartered. Ch. 4: Sanctions Sanctions Everywhere w/ Yar Batmanghelidj - American Prestige - Air Date 2-4-22 Danny and Derek speak about the attempted coup in Guinea-Bissau, North Korea's missile test, Ukraine, the U.S. operation that killed an Isis leader in Syria, and recent reports about Iran's nuclear breakout capability. Despite Russian President Vladimir Putin continuing to deny accusations of a planned invasion of Ukraine, the Biden administration ordered the deployment of 3,000 additional troops to Eastern Europe on Wednesday to supposedly protect Ukraine. Ch. 6: Ukraine w/ Volodymyr Ishchenko - The Dig - Air Date 1-28-22 An in-depth interview on the historical and political-economic context of the Ukraine crisis with Ukrainian sociologist Volodymyr Ishchenko. The United States and Russia sparred on Monday over the crisis in Ukraine at the United Nations Security Council. Meanwhile, U.S. senators are preparing to unveil a bill that would target Russian President Vladimir Putin, Russian banks and other entities MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Explaining the US-Russia Saber-Rattling - Jacobin Radio w/ Suzi Weissman - Air Date 2-1-22 Hillel Ticktin also joins to continue the discussion about the escalating tensions on the Russian/Ukrainian border. Ticktin argues that the long downturn and economic stagnation are the backdrop to understanding both Russia and the US in this crisis. Ch. 9: Putin's Terrorism and What to Do About It - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 2-1-22 We dig deep into this complex conflict, examining the humanitarian toll it takes on Ukraine, Putin’s ambitions for other regions of the world and the American exploitation of the conflict for partisan purposes. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Value of curation regarding the recent Israel/Palestine episode - Craig from Ohio Ch. 11: Maybe Neil Postman is actually the devil - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on Russia plans besides war and their new agreement with China MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1469_Russia_Ukraine_Air_Date_2-9-22_General_-_2-9-22_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:10pm EDT |
Tue, 8 February 2022
Original Air Date: 1-13-22 References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: |
Sat, 5 February 2022
Air Date 2/4/2022 Today we take a look at several vignettes of recent victories against conservative governments implementing exploitative, neoliberal policies that inspired the people to fight back. We will hear from the recent elections in Chile and Honduras, the massive farmer protests in India and the protest movement against deregulation or petroleum prices in Kazakhstan. Activists, take note. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Socialist Gabriel Boric takes the majority of the vote in Chile, changing the politics of the country. Socialism won over fascism. Now we wonder what will the imperialist countries do about a socialist country in South America? Ch. 2: Two Interviews on Chile - Behind the News - Air Date 12-28-21 Doug speaks with Antonia Mardones Marshall on the recent presidential election and its winner, Gabriel Boric. Plus: Antonia Atria, in an interview from October 2020, on that country's constitutional referendum. “It’s brought hope to the entire country,” says Faridd Sierra. Years of corruption and conservative law-making “showed the Honduras people just how cruel the [National] Party was and … they voted in response,” adds Suyapa Portillo. Ch. 4: India's huge farmer protests, explained - Vox - Air Date 12-30-20 Thousands of India’s farmers have set up camp in Delhi. I'm joined by Navyug Gill from William Paterson University to talk about the historic victory of the Indian Farmers who, after demonstrating for a whole year at the cost of 750 lives, succeeded in forcing the repeal of three farming reform laws. Ch. 6: Kazakhstan's Oyan protest movement w/ Paolo Sorbello - This is Hell! - Air Date 1-20-22 Journalist Paolo Sorbello on his article "‘Our activism won't stop': The Oyan movement recounts the January protests in Kazakhstan" for Global Voices, and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen tangles with all-pervasive networks. Ch. 7: Has Socialism Broken The Chains of Neoliberalism? - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-21-21 In these days of dark news from the rise of militarism to a new wave of Covid, there are green shoots: neoliberalism is finally being replaced by social democracy around the world & in America. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Humanize but don't fall asleep at the wheel - Zelda from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on getting focused on effective politics MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Three elderly Indian men with white beards, wearing turbans (pagri) and a jacket, vest, and sweater (respectively), sit on wall. Each man has one fist raised in the air. The man in the middle holds a long bamboo staff with his other hand. Credit: "Three protestors at the 2020-2021 Indian Farmers' Protest" by Ravan Khosa, Wikimedia Commons | License | Changes: Cropped to square
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1468_International_Chile.India_Air_Date_2-4-22_General_-_2-5-22_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:33am EDT |
Mon, 31 January 2022
Air Date 1/31/2022 Today we take a look at the new buzz around the "metaverse" and why it is not only fairly dystopian in and of itself but also seems to require that the real world be a dystopia in order for the concept to fully succeed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 2: Enter the metaverse! - Today in Focus - Air Date 11-3-21 Mark Zuckerberg changed Facebook’s name to Meta last week – and launched a vision for his company that he claims will transform the way we interact with the internet and each other. So what exactly is the metaverse? Ch. 3: Prof. Wolff: New Metaverse, Same Old Capitalist BS - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 12-3-21 Ch. 4: Why the Metaverse Must Be Stopped w/ Brian Merchant Part 1 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 11-4-21 Brian Merchant discusses Mark Zuckerberg’s big plans for the metaverse, everything that’s wrong with it, the concept’s scifi origins, and why Silicon Valley is desperate to make it happen. Ch. 5: Why Metaverse Real Estate Is Selling For Millions - Cheddar Explains - Air Date 10-29-21 How much real money would you pay for a virtual plot of land? Developing technology is introducing everyone in the real world to new, virtual worlds, like Decentraland. Ch. 6: Why Chris Hayes thinks we're all famous now - Vox Conversations - Air Date 11-15-21 They discuss his recent essay in the New Yorker about fame and the internet, why we seek attention from strangers online, and how some German philosophers might offer guidance for our predicament. Ch. 7: Why the Metaverse Must Be Stopped w/ Brian Merchant Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 11-4-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Why You Should Be Worried About Facebook's Metaverse - Vice News - Air 12-7-21 On December 6, Facebook was sued for its role in facilitating the genocide of Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The Facebook Papers revealed how the company chased profits - often at the expense of safety. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: I don't want to tier people but I think I do - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the humanizing impact of examining people structurally MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1467_Metaverse_Air_Date_1-31-22_General_-_13122_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:44pm EDT |
Tue, 25 January 2022
Original Air Date 1/26/2021 Today we take a look at our long history of ignoring domestic, right-wing terrorism from the Oklahoma City bombing through to the predictable actions of militia groups in 2020 and beyond. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CALL TO ACTION: Join the CCAN Polar Plunge to fight Climate Change: KeepWinterCold.com Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Tracing the roots of the America's biggest domestic terror attack - PBS News Hour - Air Date 2-17-20 The 1995 Oklahoma City Bombing was the largest act of domestic terrorism in U.S. history. A new documentary on the PBS series American Experience takes a fresh look at the events and motivations that led to the attack by Timothy McVeigh Ch. 2: The Dangers of White Supremacy - It's Been a Minute with Sam Sanders - Air Date 10-2-20 Sam talks with Kathleen Belew, assistant professor of history at the University of Chicago, about what we get wrong when we talk about the white power movement. While working as a senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2009, Daryl Johnson authored a report warning about the increasing dangers of violent right-wing extremism in the United States, sparking a political firestorm in the process Ch. 4: How the Oklahoma City Bombing Changed the U.S. - AJ+ - Air Date 2-26-19 In the almost 25 years since explosives killed 168 adults and children, what has the United States learned from the Oklahoma City bombing? And what can it tell us about the future of far-right extremism in the U.S.? Ch. 5: Most Violence is Right Wing. Period. Stop Lying - David Pakman Show - Air Date 8-22-19 Most violence is right wing, and it's important not to be distracted from that undeniable reality. The government must wake up to the threat of domestic terrorism before it's too late, says former Homeland Security counterterrorism analyst Daryl Johnson. Ch. 7: What’s Fueling Far-Right Hate in America? - AJ+ - Air Date 2-19-19 The number of far-right extremist groups prone to violence is increasing in the U.S. It's a threat the government was warned about a decade ago. But what's fueling the rise of hate, and what's the nation doing to combat it? Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson discusses what the Biden administration's national security team will have to undertake. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) To talk about the rise of white supremacist violence and the Trump administration’s response, we speak to Daryl Johnson, a former senior analyst in the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. No one listened when the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI sounded the alarm about the rise of white supremacist and far-right domestic terrorism, says former DHS intelligence analyst Daryl Johnson and Greg Huffman of Facing South. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: We made it! (But not all of us) - Nick from California Ch. 12: The cause and result of moral panic - Paul from Vermont FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on moral panic and the shifting eras of white supremacist violence MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Composite design by Amanda Hoffman. Original images: "Proud Boy - Jan 6th" Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Before the Siege" by Elvert Barnes on Flickr, License | "Tree of Life building at sunset" by David Fulmer on Flickr, Lincese | "Charleston Church" (Mother Emmanuel) by Zack Carlson on Flickr, Public Domain | "20th Anniversary - Oklahoma City Bombing" by US Army Corps of Engineers - Tulsa, License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1394_White_Terrorism_and_Willful_Ignorance_repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:48pm EDT |
Wed, 19 January 2022
Original Air Date 1/10/2021 Today, in our 15th-anniversary episode, we take a look at the years and years of warning signs we have been highlighting since 2006 that collectively predict the armed insurrection against the government as the natural endpoint for a radicalized, conspiratorial, White/Christian-supremacist, permanently-minoritarian political movement that has lost its ability to win power by legitimate means. SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: American Fascists, Chris Hedges - Ring of Fire - Air Date 2-12-07 Chris Hedges explains the decades-old prediction of the rise of Christian fascism Ch. 2: Ginsberg and O'Connor death threats - Rachel Maddow - Air Date 2006 Ginsberg and O'Connor deal with detailed death threats as part of the effort to take over the judiciary Ch. 3: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR Morning Edition - Air Date: 3-10-2006 Sandra Day O'Connor warns of creeping dictatorial tendencies referencing efforts to control the courts Ch. 4: Avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings - The Young Turks - Air Date 3-22-2006 Cenk Uygur highlights the need to prevent dictatorship by avoiding the first steps that can lead to it Ch. 5: Tim Wise on How Donald Trump Legitimizes Racist Ideas - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 01-07-16 Tim Wise explains what drives Trump supporters and the burgeoning Trumpism movement Sasha Abramsky speaks with Trump supporters, many of whom ask him his ethnicity before being willing to speak with him Ch. 7: Thirty Black People Booted From Trump Rally - @theyoungturks - Air Date 03-02-16 Secret Service agent choke-slams a journalist at a Trump rally. What will Trump do if he actually wins? Ch. 8: CNN's morally bankrupt hiring of former Trump campaign staffer - CounterSpin (@FAIRmediawatch) - Air Date 7-1-16 CNN profits from the Trump campaign to the detriment of the country Ch. 9: Trump Victory Inspires Acts Of Hate Against Minorities - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-11-16 Post-election rash of hate-crimes spike after Trump victory. Ch. 10: You Will Not Believe This Insane Antisemitic Email - @DavidPakmanShow - Air Date 11-14-16 David Pakman shares an email he recieved and vandilism he witnessed in the wake of Trump's victory Ch. 11: A White Nationalist Will Be Advising Trump'��s Administration - @RingOfFireRadio - Air Date 11-14-16 Steve Bannon tapped to join the Trump administration Ch. 12: How to fight our enemies, the blacks and jews - A real-life White supremacist podcast - Air Date 11-10-16 Clips from an unabashedly White-nationalist podcast in the wake of Trump's election win Ch. 13: It can't happen here - Ideas from the CBC - Air Date 1-17-17 A look at the long history of racial grivance that fuels fascist tendencies in the US Trump issues an executive order effectively banning Muslims from several countries Trump's treatment of the media is precisely in line with the strategies of dictators around the world Trump doubles down when criticized for his comments in the wake of the Charlottesville White supremacists rally Ch. 17: Donald Trump Puts Our Democracy and Our Lives in Serious Danger - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 01-13-18 Not a single president has met more than one of the four qualities identified by political scientists as warning signs of an authoritarian or fascist leader. Trump meets them all. Is this how our Democracy dies? Scott Crow explains why the rise of progressive-left movements are always countered by a rise in right-wing conspiracy theories and why fascism downright requires conspiracies to survive. Donald Trump is "stoking and inciting - for the purposes of political power - the worst amongst us to take action in his name," says Steve Schmidt. Ch. 20: Violent Extremism in the U.S. - NowThis World - Air Date 11-4-18 White supremacist and other right-wing violence are currently the deadliest active domestic extremist movements in the U.S., according to data from several civil rights groups that track hate crimes and extremist violence. Ch. 21: Corruption of Department of Justice Sets Off Alarm Bells - Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 2-12-20 Rachel discusses the crisis in the justice department and the authoritarian actions of Trump. President Trump claims without evidence that anti-fascists are inciting riots at protests against police brutality, but has downplayed groups like the “boogaloo” movement, which are using the protests as cover to carry out violence, even murder. Ch. 23: Marjorie Cohn on Portland Secret Police - CounterSpin - Air Date 7-24-20 While we wait to see if corporate media can decide which optic is an optic too far, we talk about the legal, constitutional elements of the fight for our right to protest, including against the forces that are sent to police the protesting. Marjorie Kohn. Ch. 24: Trump Caravans and the Threat of Sectarian Violence - The Muckrake Podcast - Air Date 9-1-20 Right Wing vigilantism turns to roving bands of MAGA supporters driving into cities and doling out violence. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 25: Final comments to wrap up this anniversary episode
Direct download: 1391_Fascism_Remix_Air_Date_1-9-21_Members_-_1-10-21_11_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:19pm EDT |
Sat, 15 January 2022
Air Date 1/15/2022 Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which those advancements contribute to the degradation of social cohesion. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Visit Bombas.com/Best for 20% Off! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Re-musing Ourselves - On the Media - Air Date 3-3-06 The late media critic Neil Postman argued in his seminal book "Amusing Ourselves to Death," that as TV prevailed over the printed word, it impaired our ability to make sense of a world of information. Jay Rosen writes the blog, PressThink. Ch. 2: Neil Postman Technopoly - C-Span Book TV - Air Date 7-10-92 Neil Postman, author of Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology published by Alfred A. Knopf Publishers, spoke on the theme of his book which noted the dependence of Americans on technological advances for their own security. Ch. 3: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 1 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 The dystopian best-seller 1984 was published exactly seventy years ago. Its influence has been profound. But does it really speak to today’s politico-cultural environment? Scott Stephens believes Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World is a closer match. Ch. 4: The Trouble With Reality - On The Media - Air Date 5-17-17 This is a conversation between Brooke Gladstone, author of "The Trouble with Reality: A Rumination on Moral Panic in Our Time," and WNYC morning show host Brian Lehrer. Ch. 5: Prescient Predictions 1984; Brave New World; and Network Part 2 - Future Tense - Air Date 7-7-19 Ch. 6: Neil Postman on Cyberspace - The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour - Air Date 7-25-95 Charlene Hunter-Gault interviews media theorist and cultural critic Neil Postman on PBS' The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour in 1995. Postman discusses new media and the "Faustian bargain" of technological change in the context of the "Information Superhighway." Ch. 7: Alexa, What's Amazon Doing Inside My Home? - Land of the Giants - Air Date 7-30-19 What’s the downside to letting Alexa run your entire home? And why is Amazon making a microwave oven powered by Alexa? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on Faustian Bargains MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1466_Faustian_Technology_Air_Date_1-15-22_General_-_12722_10.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:47am EDT |
Wed, 12 January 2022
Original Air Date: 12-21-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Empathy and the In-Group/Out-Group dichotomy - Santa's new side hustles - Races vs Racialized Groups - Representation: Who is allowed to do what to, or take what from, whom?
References: YouTube burnout is real. Creators are struggling to cope Words Matter: Meaning and Power bySally McConnell-Ginet NFB pulls Michelle Latimer's documentary Inconvenient Indian from Sundance festival The Jews Are Tired: The Royal Court, Rare Earth Mettle, and Why Enough is Enough No, Jewish characters do not need to be played by Jewish actors Pok Pok Changed Portland. But Its Era Was Over Before the Pandemic Toppled the Thai Food Empire. How To Negotiate Away From Cultural Appropriation With A Powerful Apology Lionel Shriver's full speech: 'I hope the concept of cultural appropriation is a passing fad' Writing the Other writing class
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Sun, 9 January 2022
Air Date 1/9/2022 Today we take a look at a few of the recent failures and challenges facing the Democratic Party in the face of an oncoming wave of anti-democratic forces bent on establishing an entrenched, minority-rule government through aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Why Is The GOP So Anti-Science Part 1 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 10-14-21 Science historian Naomi Oreskes joins Mehdi to examine the Republican party’s anti-science trend. Noam Chomsky, the world-renowned political dissident, linguist and author, just turned 93 years old. Chomsky spoke to Democracy Now! prior to the discovery of the Omicron coronavirus variant, but he predicted new variants would emerge. Ch. 3: Why Is The GOP So Anti-Science Part 2 - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 10-14-21 Ch. 4: Alpha Male Anti Vaxxers Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-1-22 Brad and Dan kick off this New Year's Day roundup with a look at the false binary anti-vaxxers use to criticize the COVID vaccine and put forth a bad argument as to why they shouldn't get it. Ch. 5: Bill Gates and monopoly medicine Alexander Zaitchik Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 4-15-21 Journalist Alexander Zaitchik on his article "How Bill Gates Impeded Global Access to Covid Vaccines" for The New Republic, and in a Moment of Truth Jeff Dorchen foils another dictatorship before it can start. Ch. 6: Alpha Male Anti Vaxxers Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-1-22 Ch. 7: Bill Gates and monopoly medicine Alexander Zaitchik Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 4-15-21 Dr. Robert Malone appears on the Joe Rogan Podcast and uses the term "mass formation psychosis," which instantly becomes the meme of the month for the American right-wing. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Viral Lies - Reveal - Air Date 1-1-22 Reporter and guest host Ike Sriskandarajah looks into one reason people aren’t getting the COVID-19 vaccine: conspiracy theories. The World Health Organization calls it “an infodemic,” where dangerous medical misinformation sows chaos and mistrust. As COVID cases skyrocket, we speak to Dr. Peter Hotez at Texas Children’s Hospital about the Omicron surge, as well as his groundbreaking work developing an affordable patent-free coronavirus vaccine. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Distinctions without ascribing meaning - Abdul from Charleston, NC Ch. 12: Continuing to value people with opinions that have no value - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the difference between goals and tactics to explain why libertarians are so often wrong MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1465_Anti-Science_GOP.Vaccines_Air_Date_1-9-22_General_-_1-9-22_11_New.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:50pm EDT |
Wed, 5 January 2022
Air Date 1/5/2022 Today we take a look at a few of the recent failures and challenges facing the Democratic Party in the face of an oncoming wave of anti-democratic forces bent on establishing an entrenched, minority-rule government through aggressive gerrymandering and voter suppression. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Julie Hollar on Moving Democrats to the Right - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-13-20 Blaming the left has been the practice of elite Democrats and their media abettors for decades. President Biden’s signature $1.75 trillion Build Back Better package appears to be dead after Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia announced on Fox News this Sunday he would not support the plan to expand the social safety net Ch. 3: Nancy Pelosi DEFENDS Stock Trading In Congress - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-6-21 Congress has been noticeably inconsistent when it comes to enforcing the STOCK Act, a law that is supposed to stop insider trading and conflicts of interest for Congress members and high-ranking staffers. Ch. 4: Remembering the legacy of Sen. Harry Reid - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-28-21 Former Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada has died at the age of 82. Faiz Shakir, a senior adviser to Sen. Reid joins Chris Hayes to discuss his legacy. Political lines are changing, as states across the country redraw their congressional maps — a process with huge implications for the balance of power in Washington, especially heading into 2022 elections. Lisa Desjardins explores. Ch. 6: What Can Biden Do For Voting Rights - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-14-21 Ari Berman recaps President Biden's major speech on voting rights which comes at the same time as some GOP-controlled legislatures have pushed ahead new state laws restricting ballot access. Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock talks with Rachel Maddow about the need for Democrats to take it upon themselves to prevent the continued dismantling of democracy in the United States before there is too much damage to repair. Ch. 8: Activism: Demand Democrats Pass Voting Rights and Election Protection Legislation MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Remembering the legacy of Sen. Harry Reid Part 2 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 12-28-21 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thanks for making me coherent - Nick from California New Ch. 11: To essentialize or not - Scott from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on why essentializing race or sexual attraction is not good or even correct MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
https://www.flickr.com/photos/notionscapital/51396502460/in/photolist-2kEB8fi-fTRP7-2miJvy9 | License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode | Changes: Cropped, increased brightness and increased contrast
Direct download: 1464_Democrats_and_Voting_Rights_Air_Date_1-5-22_General_-_1-5-22_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39pm EDT |
Fri, 31 December 2021
Original Air Date 3/6/2021 Today we take a look at the origins of race and the building of a caste system in the US based largely on the lessons from Isabel Wilkerson, author of "Caste: The Origins of our Discontent" Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: John Biewen: The lie that invented racism - TED - Air Date 11-1-20 To understand and eradicate racist thinking, start at the beginning. That's what journalist and documentarian John Biewen did, leading to a trove of surprising and thought-provoking information on the "origins" of race. Ch. 2: Made in America (Seeing White, Part 3) - Scene on Radio - Air Date 3-16-17 Chattel slavery in the US, with its distinctive · and strikingly cruel · laws and structures, took shape over many decades in colonial America. The innovations that built American slavery are inseparable from the construction of Whiteness as we know it. Ch. 3: The Invention of Race - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Ch. 4: Caste in America with Isabel Wilkerson - Why Is This Happening? with Chris Hayes - Air Date 8-11-20 Does the United States have a caste system? In her research on the Jim Crow South, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist/author Isabel Wilkerson found that the word ·racism· fell far short in capturing the depth and totality of oppression people existed under Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. This brief video presents three of Theodore W. Allen’s theses related to the invention of the “white race” and his important analysis of the white supremacy’s role in beating back struggles from below in three great crises in U.S. history. A new way of thinking about race and class with Isabel Wilkerson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: The Invention of Race Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 11-19-20 During a time when race-based science and the eugenics movement were becoming mainstream, anthropologist Franz Boas actively sought to prove that race was a social construct, not a biological fact. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson says racism is an insufficient term for the systemic oppression of Black people in America. Instead, she prefers to refer to America as having a "caste" system. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the bonus material - Kim from Montana FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black chalkboard background with the word "CASTE" written in white
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1402_Caste_Air_Date_3-6-21_Members_-_3-6-21_17_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:00am EDT |
Tue, 28 December 2021
Original Air Date 12/15/2020 Today we take a look at the current state of hyper-partisanship and its origins. The system seems broken because it is broken and it was never designed to work this way in the first place. And what about that bygone era of bipartisanship? It's likely that was a fluke and the result of one-party dominance in the New Deal era, it is not the norm throughout history. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Changes in American Political Parties Part 1 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 2: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 1 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. Ch. 3: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 1 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 4: Changes in American Political Parties Part 2 - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 7-2-20 We explain why the Democratic and Republican political parties have the same names, but totally different attitudes and policies over the decades. Ch. 5: Trump, Evangelicals, Fascism, Torture, Propaganda Q + A Part 2 - FrameLab Podcast - Air Date 3-17-18 Dr. Lakoff and Gil Duran answer listener questions. Topics include: Trump Evangelicals; Conservatism's #1 Rule; Fascism; Capitalism vs. Socialism; the American Idea; Biconceptualism; How the Government Frames Issues Like Torture, and more. Ch. 6: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 2 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 This is a conversation about that question, about how the system we have incentivizes a politics of confrontation we don’t seem to want and makes steady, stable governance a thing of the past. Princeton political scientist Frances Lee. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational Part 3 - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 12-3-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Sharing in misery - Zeke from Steamboat Springs, CO Ch. 11: Another Dave from Olympia shares the wealth - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on where your money to the show goes MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1387_Partisanship_Air_Date_12-15-20_Members_-_12-15-20_18.59._Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:26pm EDT |
Sat, 25 December 2021
Original Air Date 1/5/2021 Today we take a look at the often-overlooked decade of Reconstruction in the wake of the Civil War. After hundreds of years of slavery, Reconstruction was a brief moment of relative democracy and equality before the white power structure reasserted itself and instated the policies that would be known as "Jim Crow Laws" which would last another 80 years. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP, Gift Memberships and Donations! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Second Revolution Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Sam hosts Pulitzer Prize-winning Yale Historian David Blight to discuss his recent biography of Frederick Douglass, Frederick Douglass: Prophet of Freedom, and how the Reconstruction era lives on in our contemporary politics. Ch. 3: The Second Revolution Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 4: Slavery, Race, and the Confederate Army - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-14-18 Professor Colin Woodward joins us to discuss the importance of slavery in the minds of Confederate soldiers, as well as its effects on military policy and decision making. He tells us about the Rebels’ persistent belief in the need to defend slavery Ch. 5: The Second Revolution Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Second Revolution Part 4 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Experiment with Refer-o-Matic - Nick From California New Ch. 8: Power and defining the marginalized - Pat from Chicago FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the epic Refer-o-Matic program and why we should be messaging to rural America MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: "Statue of 'Robert Smalls, U.S. Congressman' -- The National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) Washington (DC) October 2016" by Ron Cogswell, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1390_Reconstruction_Air_Date_1-5-21_Members_-_1-5-21_18_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:00pm EDT |
Wed, 22 December 2021
Air Date 12/22/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Check out Coffee from the Unf*cking the Republic podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Lessons from the Luddites - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 1 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Victory at Starbucks, Struggle at Kellogg's Part 2 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 12-13-21 Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: Class Struggles in the US Today - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-2-21 The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has. Ch. 7: Can Child Labor Solve Labor Shortage The GOP Thinks So... - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-2-21 Republican-controlled legislatures in several states have come up with a novel way to stem the effects of an ongoing labor shortage: loosen child labor laws governing the number of hours and times that teenagers are allowed to work. Ch. 8: Strike Wave Workers Flex Their Muscle in Tight Labor Market Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 11-10-21 We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Lessons from the Luddites Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-10-21 Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Fear that Democrats will lose the House - Alan from Connecticut Ch. 12: Thoughts on multiple tiers of humans - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how progressive thinking embraces equality while conservative thinking often requires division MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1463_Labor_Strikes_Air_Date_12-22-21_General_-_12-22-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:32pm EDT |
Tue, 21 December 2021
Original Air Date: 12-7-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Old and new usages of "White" - A little-known version of class mobility in Spanish colonial America - The Great Resignation
References: Loving Your Job Is a Capitalist Trap - The Atlantic
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Sat, 18 December 2021
Air Date 12/18/2021 Today we take a look at the roadmap to authoritarianism we are currently following including the detailed and multifaceted roadmap to a coup that was practiced leading up to January 6, 2021 and is being refined in preparation for the 2024 election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Get the Wisdom App for my Ask Me Anything event on Dec. 20 at 8pm EST BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How To Dismantle A Democracy - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 8-3-21 If you’re curious about why Tucker Carlson is doing his show from Budapest, Hungary all week, so is Mehdi. Especially given that country’s recent history of doing away with democracy and rise of autocracy. Ch. 2: Will There Be Accountability for Treason On Jan 6th? - The Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 12-14-21 The January 6th Conspiracy is clearer to everyone even Congress. Trump initiated a coup attempt, Donald Trump and many others committed treason. The U.S. House voted to recommend the Department of Justice charge former President Trump's former Chief of Staff Mark Meadows with criminal contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the select committee investigating the January 6 Capitol attack. Ch. 4: American Democracy Is Under Attack - The Mehdi Hasan Show - Air Date 12-10-21 President Biden hosted a WH summit on protecting democracies against rising autocracies when the U.S. is itself on the list of ‘backsliding democracies.’ Jason Stanley joins Mehdi to talk about it. Ruth Ben-Ghiat is a professor of history and Italian studies at New York University and an expert on fascism and authoritarianism. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) A new "smoking gun" document spells out the road map for the broad criminal conspiracy launched by Donald Trump and his minions to steal the 2020 election from the American people. Today’s youth are overwhelmingly left-wing. So who are the young conservatives? On Episode 40 of The Politics of Everything, hosts Laura Marsh and Alex Pareene talk to Sam Adler-Bell, a writer and the host of the podcast Know Your Enemy. VOICEMAILS Ch. 8: Conservatives are self-appointed arbiters of human nature - Abdul from South Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the nature of social audio vs other internet communication MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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: 1462_Path_to_Authoritarianism_Air_Date_12-18-21_General_-_12-18-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:03pm EDT |
Wed, 15 December 2021
Air Date 12/15/2021 Today we take a look at the cracks and fissures appearing ever more quickly in the neoliberal order that was already widely criticized before the pandemic stripped it bare, exposing all of the inherent inequality and inhumanity baked right into the system. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows, Bonus Content and limited release wallpaper!) Get the Wisdom app to join my AskMeAnything on Monday, Dec 19 at 8pm EST! Check out TenTree.com for sustainable clothing and use the code BEST for 15% off! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Where we examine most popular cliches, jargon, etc that economists, economic reports, and pundits use to sanitize, obscure and provide a little science-ism to what is little more than power-flattering cruel, racist, austerity ideology. Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. Ch. 3: Noam Chomsky Part 1 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Noam Chomsky to discuss a whole raft of issues, including the climate crisis, the military budget, healthcare, challenging the corporate structure, reforming both the tax system and our elections, and how the Democrats have abandoned the working class Ch. 5: Noam Chomsky Part 2 - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-20-21 Ch. 6: Reagan on Employee Ownership Ch. 7: Ecology, Co-ops, and Profit - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 12-8-21 Prof. Wolff interviews Prof. Melissa Scanlan on her new book showing how coops are a better bet than traditional capitalist corporations to solve current ecological crises. Sam and Emma host Jonathan Levy, professor of History at the University of Chicago, to discuss his recent book Ages of American Capitalism: A History of the United States. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Many blue states are actually doing worse in some areas than red states. It is in blue states where affordable housing is often hardest to find, there are some of the most acute disparities in education funding and economic inequality. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Personal disability experience - Jade from Upstate New York Ch. 11: Thoughts on human nature and systems - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the nature of laws and morality MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1461_Neoliberalism_Air_Date_12-15-21_General_-_12-15-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:50pm EDT |
Tue, 14 December 2021
Become a sustaining member or upgrade today and get special wallpaper! Plus, as a thank-you gift during this drive, receive our special Best of the Left art for your phone or tablet when you sign up before the end of the year! In 2021, a distressing number of members had to downgrade or cancel their memberships because their financial situations had changed. Times are tough and uncertain, we certainly get that and are feeling the squeeze ourselves. So, if you CAN become a member today, we could really use it. We’re asking for 100 new or upgraded members by the end of the year. But honestly, it'll take more than that to get us back to stable financial footing so we really appreciate any support you can provide. And don’t forget that we now have Best of the Left gift memberships! So, consider giving the gift of progressive media this holiday season.
*Fine Print Regarding the Apple Podcasts app: If you sign up or upgrade through our site or Patreon, look for a link to the artwork in your confirmation email but if you sign up for your membership directly through the Apple Podcasts app, there won’t be a link to the artwork in your email but forward your receipt from Apple to jay@bestofleft.com and I’ll get right back to you with it. |
Sun, 12 December 2021
Air Date 12/12/2021 Today we take a look at the many structures of American government that tilt to favor minority rule and conservatism which, in our case, is one and the same. Some structures like the Senate and the filibuster were intentionally designed to give extra weight to the minority while others like gerrymandering and the influence of large-dollar political donors were, well, I suppose they were designed for about the same reason but just in a different way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get Limited-Time-offer BotL Artwork, AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Lawrence Lessig gives a talk on Unrepresentative Democracy Ch. 2: Why Wyoming Has More Power Than California in the Senate - AJ+ - Air Date 10-14-20 The United States Senate is one of the least democratic institutions in the Federal Government. It shuts out millions of Americans and dilutes the votes of most of the country. And yet every law has to go through the Senate, and so do most federal judges. Political scientist David Faris joins Amanda and Faiz to discuss how Republicans are using extreme gerrymandering, combined with their structural advantages in the Senate and electoral college, to subvert democracy. The Humanist Report (THR) is a progressive political podcast that discusses and analyzes current news events and pressing political issues. Our analyses are guided by humanism and political progressivism. Ch. 5: Andrew Perez on the Filibuster - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-18-21 The filibuster is the crucial backdrop to any conversation about the Biden agenda, though media don't always bring that point home. Ch. 6: A To-Do List for Senate Democrats - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-17-21 Dahlia Lithwick tackles one of the major challenges of this moment: how to fix American democracy. Dahlia is joined by the Nation’s Elie Mystal and former chief of staff for Sen. Harry Reid and author of Kill Switch, Adam Jentleson. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman welcome politics writer for Salon Chauncey DeVega on the show to discuss a wide range of topics including the media's coverage of Biden, the Democrats' poor messaging, and what is happening to our democracy. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on public policy, human nature and Cold War talking points MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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: 1460_Minority_Rule_Air_Date_12-11-21_General_No_Year-End_Pitch__Merch_-_12-12-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:06pm EDT |
Wed, 8 December 2021
Air Date 12/8/2021 Today we take a look at the state of disability rights and reexamine what we thought we knew about what it means to be disabled in a society that is not built to accommodate various physical and mental disabilities. Is one inherently disabled by their condition or do they become disabled when they bump up against unnecessary barriers in society? Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: Check out Tentree.com and use the promo code "Best" for 15% off BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Rebecca Vallas is a Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation Rebecca talks with four of the disabled women leaders who've been making history on the front-lines of the ongoing fight for disability economic justice: Rep. Ayanna Pressley, Judy Heumann, Rebecca Cokley, and Mia Ives-Rublee. Ch. 3: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 1 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 This week Lateef Mcleod joins the Wrong Boys to discuss the principles of Disability Justice, why accessibility is important for everyone, and how capitalism systematically reduces people to our labor power, denying our wholeness as human beings. Ch. 5: The Capitalist War Being Waged on Disabled People w Ellen Clifford - Downstream - Air Date 11-22-21 Ellen speaks about her book, The War on Disabled People: Capitalism, Welfare and the Making of Human Catastrophe, discussing the social model of disability, the history of the Disabled People’s Movement, and consequences of austerity policies. Ch. 7: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 2 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Disability Justice (w Lateef McLeod) Part 3 - Srsly Wrong - Air Date 11-23-21 Ch. 9: Why Are All The Baddies Disabled w/ Amanda Leduc - DownStream - Air Date 11-25-21 Ash Sarkar is joined by disability rights advocate Amanda Leduc, author of Disfigured: On Fairy Tales, Disability, and Making Space, to discuss how depictions of disability have impacted the lives of disabled people and why Bruce Wayne isn't a hero. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Human nature - David from Los Angeles FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the Christian moralizing of economics and poverty MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of an empty accessible parking space with an accessibility symbol (person in wheelchair) painted in yellow on the ground in the space. The words "Is this the only time you put yourself in my place?" are painted underneath. Credit: Origin unknown, but earliest reference found is from 2014 on Twitter from the accounts @bengilchrist and @IsNoPrincess.
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: 1459_Disability_Air_Date_12-8-21_General_-_12-8-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:53pm EDT |
Tue, 7 December 2021
Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Breaking phone addiction - A comprehension quiz for our past two bonus episodes - Cartoon uteruses - Male supremacy, incels and violence - The socialization of attraction References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Thu, 2 December 2021
Air Date 12/2/2021 Today we take a look at the state of White Supremacy in the US through the lens of three recent trials; Kyle Rittenhouse's acquittal for his role in the deaths of two and injury of one in Kenosha, Wisconsin, the conviction of the three men who murdered Ahmaud Arbery during what they claimed was a citizen's arrest, and a civil suit filed against White Supremacists for their role in the death and injuries during the Charlottesville Unite the Right rally and counter-protest. Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT TENTREE.COM AND USE PROMO CODE "BEST" FOR 15% OFF POWER YOUR PROFANITY WITH UNF*CK THE REPUBLIC COFFEE AT UNFTR.COM/SHOP SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: White Violence on Steroids - In The Thick - Air Date 11-16-21 Julio is joined by Elie Mystal, justice correspondent at The Nation, and Michael Harriot, senior writer at The Root, to talk about white supremacy and anti-Black racism in the criminal justice system. Ch. 2: Kyle Rittenhouse and the “self-defense” defense - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-22-21 Legal scholar Eric Ruben explains how “self-defense” can apply to shooting unarmed people in public. We discuss the details of these two cases, how they differ, and the questions they raise about the normalization of violence in the U.S. Ch. 4: “Why Are Ahmaud Arbery’s Killers So Scared?” - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 We speak with Nicole Lewis, Senior editor of Jurisprudence at Slate. She says claims of self-defense from armed white people serve as a “racist dog whistle” Tonight's guest is Gwen Keyes Fleming, former DeKalb County, Georgia district attorney. A civil trial seeks to hold white supremacists accountable for organizing the deadly “Unite the Right” rally there in 2017 and conspiring to commit racially motivated violence Ch. 8: Can You Bankrupt White Supremacy? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-24-21 A federal jury has ordered a group of white supremacists to pay over $26 million in damages for their role in organizing the deadly 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Kyle Rittenhouse is being welcomed by a society that was partly created using racialized terrorism. Human rights advocates are calling for charges to be dropped in the case of Chrystul Kizer, who faces homicide and other charges for killing her white sex trafficker in 2018 VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Surviving to turn the tide - Eric from Portland FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the status of our government responsiveness to public sentiment MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black text on a white sign held during a protest says "The system isn't broken it was built this way". Protestors wearing masks walk in the background. Credit: "21-4-17 Black Unity" by David Geitgey Sierralupe, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and brightness
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1458_White_Supremacy_Trials_Air_Date_12-1-21_General_-_12-2-21_22.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:35pm EDT |
Sun, 28 November 2021
Original Air Date 12/09/2020 Today we take a look in real-time at the construction of the world's newest Lost Cause narrative, the failed re-election of Donald Trump. This is not our country's first experience with Lost Causes and it's not, contrary to popular opinion, even our second connection to a Lost Cause narrative because we didn't invent the first one, we borrowed it from somewhere else and I will tell that story today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com MEMBERSHIP and Gift Memberships! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) Want to advertise/sponsor the show? Details -> advertisecast.com/BestoftheLeft SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Jay's Opening Comments Ch. 2: Reading Harry Potter In Scots Ch. 3: Jay’s comments: the history of a Lost Cause Ch. 4: Sir Walter Scott, The Old South and The Lost Cause - Who Put The Klan Into Klu Klux Klan? In this documentary, archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver examines racism in the Deep South and the Scots who first occupied it who influenced where we are today. Ch. 5: How Southern socialites rewrote Civil War history - Vox - Air Date 10-25-17 The United Daughters of the Confederacy altered the South's memory of the Civil War. Ch. 6: How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 How the 'Lost Cause' narrative became American history - Washington Post - Air Date 3-5-20 Ch. 7: Monumental Lies - Reveal - Air Date 12-8-18 Myths of the Civil War and slavery are being kept alive at Confederate monuments, where visitors hear stories of “benevolent slave owners” and enslaved people “contented with their lot.” We team up with The Investigative Fund Kevin Levin Exposes the Lie and Whitewashed History of So-Called "Black Confederate Soldiers" and the American Civil War - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 10-18-20 Ch. 9: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. Ch. 10: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guidethen there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. MEMBERS BONUS CLIPS Ch. 11: MAGA, the New Confederate Lost Cause Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-16-20 White supremacist myths turn defeated leaders into heroic victors. Will Donald Trump now get the same transfiguration as Robert E. Lee? If history is our guide then there’s reason to worry about the answer to that question. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Jay’s comments: the last few connections Ch. 13: Final comments on our ongoing campaigns MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1385_Lost_Cause_Air_Date_12-9-20_Members_-_12-9-20_22.31_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:58pm EDT |
Thu, 25 November 2021
Air Date 11/24/2021 Today we take a look at the state of the ever-increasingly authoritarian Republican Party as they hack the media by being too terrible to hold to account, hack the democratic process through gerrymandering and endlessly rebrand because in their core they stand for nothing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) VISIT TENTREE.COM And use the code [BEST] get 15% off your first order BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES A Denver journalist is taking on the incredibly low standards the media has set for GOP Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), focusing on the “the cruel, false, and bigoted things she says for attention and fundraising.” As the world grapples with the humanitarian fallout in Afghanistan, former four-star U.S. General Stanley McChrystal is watching it unfold knowing all too well what's on the line. Ch. 3: The Unmistakable Drumbeat of Authoritarianism - The BradCast - Air Date 11-16-21 The drumbeat of rising authoritarianism in the U.S. is getting ever louder. Republican-controlled state legislatures employ extreme partisan gerrymandering in Ohio and Georgia, robbing minority voters of representation and positioning the GOP to take over “The elites are out to get you and your hard-earned pay.” “We’re spending too much on protecting foreign nations and not enough defending our own borders against immigrant invaders.” “China is taking your job and will soon take over your phone.” Co-hosts Jared Yates Sexton & Nick Hauselman discuss Steven Bennon turning himself in to the FBI briefly before holding a press conference to threaten Democratic leadership. “We should be concerned about what it means in terms of the safety of members of Congress and the nature of the modern Republican Party. But what it means for the very health of our American democracy,” says Chris Hayes in the wake of Rep. Gosar’s censure MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) "Presidents are not kings, and the plaintiff is not president." These were the words of a U.S. Federal judge rejecting former President Donald Trump's request to withhold records about the January 6th insurrection. Republican Senator John Kennedy made a complete fool of himself while attempting to hammer Saule Omarova, Joe Biden's pick to head the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which regulates banks. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Aging and Conservatism - Quai from North Carolina FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on toughness philosophy vs the ever-raising baseline MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1457_GOP_Authoritarianism_Air_Date_11-24-21_General_-_11-25-21_00.15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:55am EDT |
Sat, 20 November 2021
Air Date 11/20/2021 Today we take a look at the state of international climate negotiations and the intersection of capitalism and colonialism in the role of indigenous peoples around the world in stewarding the lands in a climate-friendly way. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 1 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 We talk to journalist Elizabeth Kolbert about this history the COP Ch. 2: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 1 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Negotiations in Glasgow are going down to the wire, yet few believe world leaders will get us anywhere near limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees. Is COP26 heading for failure? We speak to Simon Lewis. With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. Ch. 3: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 2 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 Coming off of COP26, we talk to journalist David Wallace-Wells about the real cost of the climate crisis and who is paying the price. Ch. 4: COP26 Closes Out What Comes Next - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-15-21 Negotiations at COP26 have been formalized into the Glasgow Climate Pact and already faces criticism. Julian Brave NoiseCat, climate activist, writer and fellow at New America and the Type Media Center, discusses disappointment in the agreement. Ch. 5: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 2 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Thousands of youth activists from all over the world gathered in Scotland this week for the COP26 UN climate summit. They say climate change is already transforming their countries and that their generation has the most to lose. Ch. 7: Promises to Help the Climate Keep Breaking Part 3 - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 11-15-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Is COP26 Set To End in Failure? Part 3 - TyskySour - Air Date 11-12-21 Ch. 9: Border walls and the climate crisis Nick Buxton - This is Hell! - Air Date 11-3-21 The Transnational Institute's Nick Buxton on the report "Global Climate Wall" and in a Moment of Truth, Jeff Dorchen judges a costume contest. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments with an update on shifting conservative baseline syndrome MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: At night, a white light projection on a stone monument in Glasgow, Scotland (UK) reads “Reject False Solutions”. Credit: “COP26 light projection in Glasgow by Backbone and friends” by Backbone Campaign, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1456_COP26_Air_Date_11-20-21_General_-_11-20-21_16.34.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:19pm EDT |
Thu, 18 November 2021
Hear the full show by becoming a member! Original Air Date: 11-2-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Te deths of the Red Scare™ - Why some Christians think that empathy is a sin - Why those Christians are wrong about empathy being a sin - Why those Christians are probably just narcissists - Why we can all empathize with those Christians war on empathy (sort of)
References: Strange Sound with Joseph Perry Umberto Eco: A Practical List for Identifying Fascists Have you heard the one about empathy being a sin? - BaptistNews.com
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_241_Sample_-_11-18-21_16.21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:34pm EDT |
Tue, 16 November 2021
Original Air Date 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com SHOW NOTES Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: The Second Revolution - Scene On Radio - Air Date 2-19-20 After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 3: Democracy: Past, Present... and Future? - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-26-19 Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: More Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 6-10-20 What will it take to make the United States a more fully-functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? Ch. 5: Our democracy no longer represents the people. Here's how we fix it - TEDx - Air Date 10-20-15 Harvard Professor Lawrence Lessig makes the case that our democracy has become corrupt with money, leading to inequality that means only 0.02% of the United States population actually determines who's in power. Ch. 6: The Right's Long History of Ignoring the Will of the People - On the Media - Air Date 11-6-20 Rick Perlstein, historian of American conservatism and author, most recently, of Reaganland: America's Right Turn 1976-1980, has tracked this anti-majoritarian current in the American right for centuries. Ch. 7: The Republicans' War on Voting Rights, Protesting and Democracy - Some More News - Air Date 10-22-18 In this week's episode of Some More News, we do a deep dive on the Republicans' attacks on our voting rights, our right to protest and, well, Democracy. Which is bad and not good. Ch. 8: Schooled for Democracy - Scene on Radio - Air Date 5-13-20 In most American schools, children *hear about *democracy, but don’t get to *practice *it. What would a more engaged brand of civics education look like? Sam hosts Cornell Professor of American Institutions Suzanne Mettler to discuss her latest book, Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy and what we can learn from history to understand American democracy's vulnerabilities. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Changing the caucus party - Erin from Philly Ch. 11: What happens if they somehow steal the election? - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on action being the only antidote to anxiety MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1379_Myth_of_Democracy_Air_Date_11-10-20_Members_-_11-10-20_20.11_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:26pm EDT |
Sat, 13 November 2021
Air Date 11/12/2021 Today we take a look at the current state of homelessness in America and the best solution we currently know of to tackle the problem. Surprisingly simple, the best way to end homelessness is to give people homes. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC COFFEE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Homelessness - Last Week Tonight - Air Date 11-1-21 With homelessness increasing nationwide, John Oliver takes a look at the way we discuss the unhoused, what policy failures are making the problem worse, and how we can help. Ch. 2: Should America Outlaw Homelessness - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-8-21 Homelessness is an epidemic in America “Housing First” is a the solution that has been embraced by countries around the world. Time to repudiate the failed Reaganomics experiment and take homelessness seriously again here in America. Ch. 3: Housing First - 99% Invisible - Air Date 12-8-20 In the 1980's, a psychologist named Sam Tsemberis was working with mentally ill homeless people on the streets of New York. Sometimes, when he thought it was necessary to keep someone safe, Sam would have people committed to a psychiatric hospital. We’re seeing massive homelessness in cities across America because a handful of Wall Street billionaires want to make a killing - Will America remove housing from their clutches? Ch. 5: How Finland Ended Homelessness - Second Thought - Air Date 9-3-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: The Criminalization of Poverty - Justice In America - Air Date 1-23-19 On this episode, we explore the countless ways the criminal justice system criminalizes poverty—and homelessness in particular. From what is considered criminal to how it is punished, people that are poor or in America are punished more. Correction: The introduction to this story stated that 35,000 people are without a place to live in San Francisco. In fact, that figure refers to the greater San Francisco Bay Area, including San Jose, Oakland and surrounding counties. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the panicked flail of those who used to be ahead of the curve but have now been left behind MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1455_Homelessness_Air_Date_11-12-21_General_-_11-12-21_18.42.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:23pm EDT |
Wed, 10 November 2021
Air Date 11/9/2021 Today we take a look at the Facebook business model that is driving hate, lies, violence, extremism, and the breakdown of democracy around the world as well as some of the regulatory ideas geared toward reigning it in and mitigating the damage. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES UCLA professor Ramesh Srinivasan, who says the papers confirm what many critics have warned about for years. “This new form of digital capitalism that I believe Facebook is trailblazing is one that is playing with our intimate emotions on every level." Tristan and Aza go behind the headlines with Frances herself. We go deeper into the problems she exposed, discuss potential solutions, and explore her motivations — along with why she fundamentally believes change is possible. We've been hearing about revelations from the leaked 'Facebook Papers.' What has the social media giant has been doing, and what they haven't been doing, around the world? Guest: Sheera Frenkel, New York Times technology reporter. Ch. 4: Zuckerberg's Metaverse - TyskySour - Air Date 10-29-21 Facebook is now Meta, and Mark Zuckerberg says our future is in the Metaverse. Is virtual reality the future of the internet, or Zuckerberg’s latest gimmick? With Michael Walker and Aaron Bastani. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Science Fiction Origins of the Metaverse - On the Media - Air Date 11-5-21 Why the tech moguls love science fiction so much, the perils of reading these "world-building" novels too literally, and how new forms of the genre today are already making the Metaverse look obsolete. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on Facebooks treatment of nonprofits and the actions you can take to call for regulation TAKE ACTION! Take part in The Facebook Logout, Nov. 10th-13th via Kairos & coalition - Read the demands Call on DOJ, SEC, and FTC to Open Criminal Investigations into Facebook Execs via American Economic Liberties Project & MoveOn.org Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A cardboard cutout of Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg wearing a black shirt that says "FACEBOOK" and holding a flag (referencing his infamous July 4th video where he rode a hydrofoil on a lake while holding a giant American flag). The flag is dark blue with white text that says "I know we harm kids, but i don't care." with a Facebook icon. A roadway with cars and a building with scaffolding can be seen in the background. Credit: "Zuckerberg_Sum_Of_Us_2" by SumOfUs, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, enhanced brightness, contrast and saturation Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1454_Facebook_Papers_Air_Date_11-9-21_General_-_11-9-21_18.57.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:04am EDT |
Mon, 8 November 2021
BECOME A MEMBER TO HEAR THE WHOLE SHOW! https://www.bestoftheleft.com/support
Original Air Date: 10-21-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Why "Blacks Rule" - Hostile Architecture vs human needs - The Amanda Principle as relates to Paul Ryan - How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals are Evil - That Conservatives are dying to own the libs and still blaming liberals - The benefits of playing with kids
References: "Blacks Rule" and "Left is Best" Hostile Architecture is making more and more people uncomfortable Tom Morello: ‘Paul Ryan Is the Embodiment of the Machine Our Music Rages Against’ How the Right Wing Convinces Itself That Liberals Are Evil Opinion: Conservatives are dying to own the libs. Neuroscientist: "First Hour of The Morning is CRUCIAL" | Andrew Huberman Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson oOriginal Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_240_Sample_-_11-8-21_14.40.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:05pm EDT |
Sat, 6 November 2021
Air Date 11/6/2021 Today we take a look at the raucous school board meetings where parents have been expressing their displeasure with protecting one another from a deadly pandemic or making children aware of the existence of systemic racism in America. Just as with the Tea Party, the Dark Money behind the movement didn't light the fire but is very adept at fanning the flames. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: School board brawl - Today, Explained - Air Date 11-2-21 It's Election Day in the USA. This time around, the nasty political fights and insurrections are going local. NPR's Anya Kamenetz explains. Ch. 2: School Board Members Face Violent Threats - Zerlina. - Air Date 10-6-21 Angry parents have been flooding local school board meetings to protest critical race theory, school diversity initiatives, and mask mandates. Dr. Uché Blackstock and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Maya Wiley join Zerlina to discuss the latest threats. Ch. 3: Why Are School Board Officials Getting Death Threats? - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 10-19-21 School boards are the latest frontier in the culture wars, as incensed community members and right-wing activists protest mask mandates and anti-racist curricula. “These things that were considered non-partisan, just the administration of schools are now being charged and really put under a magnifying glass in a way that is intended to extract maximum political benefit,” says Judd Legum Judd Legum explains how Virginia school boards are being weaponized to elect a republican governor. America’s lack of media literacy and historical affinity for conspiracy theories have allowed QAnon to move from the dark corners of the web to violence at the US Capitol. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: GOP’s Critical Race Theory Crusade Is The New Tea Party Movement - Zerlina. - Air Date 6-28-21 The GOP’s tea party had success in the 2010 midterms with its low-key racist rhetoric. But now, conservatives have pivoted to more overt racism with their grandstanding on critical race theory. MSNBC columnist Hayes Brown breaks it down. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Complicated feelings on policing - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the nature of the debate over the present and future of policing MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1453_School_Board_Tea_Party_Air_Date_11-6-21_General_-_11-6-21_12.31.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:39pm EDT |
Wed, 3 November 2021
Air Date 11/3/2021 Today we take a look at the current wave of strikes and labor movements through the lens of pandemic economics and the history of businesses abuse of the worker. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Jacobin writer Alex Press says the averted strike is part of a “broader moment” of labor militancy across the United States, including workers at Amazon, Kellogg’s and elsewhere. “Workers are willing to fight back,” she says. Ch. 2: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 1 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 3: A Look at the Worker Shortage in the Food Service Industry - The Takeaway - Air Date 10-28-21 The Takeaway also looks at how Covid exposed the systemic inequalities in the restaurant industry with Saru Jayaraman, President of One Fair Wage and Director of the Food Labor Research Center at University of California, Berkeley. Ch. 4: Take Your Job and Shove It Part 2 - In The Thick - Air Date 10-26-21 Maria and Julio are joined by Luis Feliz Leon, writer and educator with Labor Notes, and Lauren Kaori Gurley, labor reporter for Vice Magazine’s Motherboard to talk about the labor strikes happening across the country. Ch. 5: Nice work week, if you can get it - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 The 40 hour work week has been the standard for 80 years. What will it take to lower that? Shane Larson from CWA joins Goldy to explain why right-to-work laws are so harmful, how they came to be, and why it’s so important to pass the PRO Act to fight for workers’ rights. We speak with Dutch Merrick, prop master and armorer for over 25 years. Despite safety protocol and expertise, he says, Hollywood crews are getting “worked to death” with 80- to 100-hour workweeks, which he suggests played into the accidental shooting. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) While undeniably gruesome and tragic, the black plague had a silver lining: the unprecedented lost of life made labour scarce, while infrastructure and other capital were left relatively unharmed. Ch. 9: Nice work week, if you can get it Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 10-27-21 Origins of the 40 hour work week. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Please clarify various stats on law enforcement and incarceration - Bud from Boise New FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the details behind the stats of criminal injustice and incarceration plus why flat-earthers haven't trekked to the edge and looked over TAKE ACTION 5 Ways to Support Workers on Strike (Teen Vogue) MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of men holding blue and white protest signs in the air that say "UAW On Strike". The photo is from a recent strike by John Deere workers. Credit: "20211020-OSEC-LSC-1195" by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | Public Domain
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1452_Pandemic_Labor_Battle_Air_Date_11-3-21_General_-_11-3-21_18.00.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:29pm EDT |
Sun, 31 October 2021
Air Date 10/21/2020 Today we take a look at some of the many zany foreign misadventures the United States has had over the past 100 years. And by "zany misadventures" I mean the naked pursuit of capitalism at any cost, the support of military coups and other undemocratic overthrows of foreign governments and wars for oil and resources in an unabashed attempt to keep America wealthy and the rest of the world less so - all while maintaining an anti-imperial, pro-democracy, pro-freedom, live-and-let-live poker face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Trump lies all the time but he's also continuing one of the great lies of America Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Dan interviews returning guests Aslı Bâli and Aziz Rana on the long history behind the crisis of American imperial legitimation that has become so manifest amid the pandemic. Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 “America” and “empire.” Do those words go together? If so, what kind of imperialism does the U.S. practice, and how has American empire changed over time? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. The Intercept’s investigative series The Iran Cables offers historical insight into Iran’s operations in neighboring Iraq, which are informed by the bloody history of the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. invasion, and subsequent occupation of Iraq Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20 America's "original sin" in the Middle East: the CIA's (and Britain's) coup d'etat in Iran in 1953. Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 7: Voting Is Not Enough - 2 WEEKS LEFT, GET OUT THE VOTE - Best of the Left Ch. 8: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 9: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17 "Stumbling", "sliding", "drawn into" war––the media frequently assumes the US is bumbling its way around the world. The idea that the United States operates in “good faith” is taken for granted for most of the American press. Ch. 10: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13 Before 2001, there was another 9/11. In 1973, a military coup backed by the United States, overthrew the Chilean government and ushered in seventeen years of brutal dictatorship. In the first of a two part series; we hear stories of the Chilean 9/11. Ch. 11: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Domestic focus is about setting a good example - Chris from San Diego Ch. 13: Thoughts on right-wing vs left-wing anarchism - Alex Ch. 14: Fighting for legitimacy - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 15: Final comments on the dangers and paranoia that come with illegitimate power MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1376_Myths_Foreign_Air_Date_10-21-20_Members_-_10-21-20_23.20_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:55am EDT |
Thu, 28 October 2021
Air Date 10/27/2021 Today we take a look at some of the ways that 25 years of Fox News has reshaped our media and political landscape. Crucially, understanding Fox isn't just about their influence on their conservative viewers but how they manage to hack the political conversation for the rest of us. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The War On Fox Is Over - The Young Turks - Air Date 12-22-13 Archive clip from A parody of itself (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-17-14 Ch. 2: Losing Relatives to Fox News - You're Wrong About - Air Date 12-7-20 Mike tells Sarah what makes older Americans more vulnerable to misinformation — and who is delivering it to them. Ch. 3: Kevin Drum on how Fox 'News' broke America - The Bradcast - Air Date 9-17-21 Data journalist and longtime Mother Jones columnist KEVIN DRUM explains his exhaustive analysis of the madness of this political moment, and how and why we arrived at it. The Right has seemingly gone mad due to the spread of conspiracy theories. Ch. 4: You're watching Fox News. You just don't know it. - Vox - Air Date 5-24-19 Fox News was created to push right-wing nonsense to the mainstream, and now there’s no escape. Ch. 5: Conspiracy Network OAN 90% Funded by AT&T - The David Pakman Show - Air Date 10-7-21 Right wing conspiracy network OAN turns out to be 90% funded by AT&T Ch. 6: How Fox News Made Every Moment of the Last 25 Years Worse - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-7-21 Yes, it’s been 25 years since Fox News came on the air—25 years of “refracting the absolute most absurd and destructive and deadly disinformation and misinformation from the right wing fever swamps,” Carusone tells co-hosts Molly and Jesse. Ch. 7: What 25 Years Of Fox News Poison Has Done To America - All In - Air Date 10-8-21 Chris Hayes marks 25 years of dangerous lies from Fox News: “There is a direct pipeline from what appears on Fox News to the absolute worst manifestations, worst behavior, worst elements of our politics and society.” MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Former Fox News Reporter Tells All - David Pakman Show - Air Date 2-05-13 Archive clip from Ridiculing Fox isn't just fun, it's important (Media) - Best of the Left - Archives - Air Date 2-28-13 Nicole Hemmer, the brilliant historian of conservative media, joins to discuss how Fox News and the larger conservative media-verse protects Trump but also lures him into disaster. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the multi-decade victim mentality of conservatives about the media MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A slightly distorted Fox News logo sits askew at the center of a hypnotic spiral. Credits: “Fox News” by Johnny Silvercloud, Flickr | License | Changes: Added hypnotic swirl background, cropped, faded edges || Hypnosis Spiral via Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1451_Fox_News_25_Years_Air_Date_10-27-21_General_-_10-27-21_09.55.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:57am EDT |
Sat, 23 October 2021
Air Date 10/23/2021 Today we take a look at a few of the ways that enormous corporate and personal and family wealth is being hidden around the world, most prominently in the United States. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Pandora Papers Reveal a Shadow Economy - On the Media - Air Date 10-8-21 Gerard Ryle [@RyleGerard], director of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, on how the Pandora Papers unmask hidden owners of offshore companies. Plus, what the papers might mean for the future of cooperative journalism. Ch. 2: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 We talk with 'Washington Post' reporter Greg Miller about what the some 12 million documents of the Pandora Papers tell us about these hidden assets. Ch. 3: We set up an offshore company in a tax haven - Planet Money - Air Date 10-6-21 The Pandora Papers released this week reveal how many world leaders allegedly hold wealth through the use of shell companies. We listen back to when we set up our very own Planet Money shell companies. Ch. 4: Pandora Papers, Explained Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 10-14-21 Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called for a global corporate minimum tax. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group and GZero Media, talks about how that would affect the US economy, and looks abroad to who it would help, and who it would hurt. Ch. 6: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 1 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 Chuck Collins on the IPS report "Silver spoon oligarchs: How America’s 50 Largest Inherited-Wealth Dynasties Accelerate Inequality." The Pandora Papers have revealed how the super-wealthy shaft the rest of us. but why aren't billionaires from US in the papers? Chuck Collins joins Thom to reveal the secrets of the super rich. Ch. 8: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 2 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) On this episode, originally recorded and released in October 2019, Anand joins Nick and Goldy to explain how do-gooding can perpetuate inequality. Ch. 10: On dynastic wealth in America w Chuck Collins Part 3 - This is Hell! - Air Date 10-12-21 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments giving a mental health update MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The words "Tax the Rich" are written in black and red marker on a manila folder. A protester, whose hands can be seen on each side of the folder, holds up the folder to the camera. Credit: "Tax the rich at Occupy Wall Street" by Timothy Krause, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast and saturation
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1450_Pandora_Papers_Air_Date_10-23-21_General_-_10-22-21_20.38.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34am EDT |
Thu, 21 October 2021
Original Air Date: 10-3-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Collective trauma for various groups and individuals in the wake of 9/11 - Collective trauma that is leading to vaccine hesitancy in groups not prioritized by our health system References: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
Direct download: Bonus_Show_239_Sample_-_10-21-21_17.50.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:51pm EDT |
Wed, 20 October 2021
Air Date 10/20/2021 Today we take a look at the flip side of the so-called "Missing White Woman Syndrome" and highlight the structural legacies of colonialism that have put indigenous communities in North America at the greatest at risk of murder and rape among all demographics in the US and Canada. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Indigenous women in the United States experience some of the highest rates of violence and murder in the country, according to federal data. Tribes and advocates attribute this to a confluence of factors - institutional racism, a lack of resources. While Gabby Petito's death has captured national attention, tens of thousands of people are reported missing or murdered every year in the U.S. Native women are murdered at rates 10 times the national average. As the disappearance and later confirmed murder of Gabby Petito has grabbed headlines, many observers have pointed to the thousands of other cases – many of them women of color – that have never garnered national attention. Ch. 4: MMIW Day 2021 - Let's Talk Native with John Kane - Air Date 5-5-21 May 5th has been designated as MMIW Day since 2017 but 2021 is ushering in "MMIW National Week of Action!" Ch. 5: Canada's missing and murdered Indigenous women - AJ+ - Air Date 10-16-18 AJ+'s Dena Takruri visits Winnipeg, Manitoba, where more Indigenous women and girls have gone missing or been murdered than anywhere else in the country. Ch. 6: MMIWG2S+: No more red hand prints! - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 5-10-21 Guests Jennifer Marley (@JenMarley1680) and Cheyenne Antonio join RPH co-hosts Elena Ortiz (@spiritofpopay) and Melanie Yazzie (@melanie_yazzie) to discuss efforts to end MMIWG2+ from a left Indigenous feminist perspective. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) 5500 Indigenous women and girls go missing or murdered every year. We need to change the laws that govern the Indigenous Tribes because they make it easier for people to attack indigenous people. We continue our look at Indigenous Peoples’ Day with Jennifer Marley, a citizen of San Ildefonso Pueblo and a member of the grassroots Indigenous liberation organization The Red Nation. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: r/Antiwork: Unemployment for all, not just the rich! - Anonymous FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the impacts of pandemics on labor through the centuries MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A young, Native American woman looks toward the camera. She has a red paint hand print over her mouth. She wears a gray beanie, burgundy jacket and her dark hair is in braids. "A participant in the Greater Than Fear Rally & March in Rochester Minnesota. The rally & march were held in response to President Trump's Rally at the Mayo Civic Center in downtown Rochester." by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1449_MMIWG2S_Air_Date_10-20-21_General_-_10-20-21_09.15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:33pm EDT |
Sat, 16 October 2021
Air Date 10/16/2021 Today we take a look at some of the structures of "copaganda," from misreported stats and coverups to propagandistic opinion articles and police procedurals that flood the pop culture landscape. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out the Refuse Fascism podcast! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Alec Karakatsanis on "Crime Surge" Copaganda - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-1-21 We hear from Alec Karakatsanis, executive director of Civil Rights Corps, and author of the book Usual Cruelty: The Complicity of Lawyers in the Criminal Injustice System. Today we break down a new study that shows police killings were undercounted by MORE THAN HALF. This confirms what many of us have suspected about the "official data" on police violence, and it's only the tip of the iceberg. Ch. 3: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 1 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 From Paul Blart: Mall Cop to A Touch of Frost, ‘copaganda’ has our pop culture bang to rights. What impact does the ubiquity of police dramas on our screens have on the real criminal justice system? Derecka Purnell draws from her experience as a human rights lawyer in her new book, “Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom,” to argue that police reform is an inadequate compromise to calls for abolition. Democrats and Democratic Party-aligned media have allied with conservatives and right-wing media are rehashing the same tired responses: more police, longer sentences, and tougher laws. Guests Alec Karakatsanis and sociologist Tamara K. Nopper. Ch. 6: Downstream: Is Line of Duty 'Copaganda'? Part 2 - Novara Media - Air Date 5-5-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: What the Hell Happened to Police and Criminal Justice Reform - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 10-8-21 The dean of UC Berkeley’s Law School looks at how the courts have prioritized criminal control over civil rights for suspects and defendants. VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Thank you for the quality of the show and to all medical workers - V from Central New York FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on the comparison between police work and conspiracy cults MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1448_Copaganda_Air_Date_10-16-21_General_-_10-16-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:41pm EDT |
Tue, 12 October 2021
Air Date 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES This is a heavy episode of our show. Discussions include Blood quantum and its use in Tribal Enrollment, American·s false love affair with President Abraham Lincoln and Christopher Columbus. Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 For centuries, the destruction and disease he ushered into the Americas have been set aside, allowing the myth of a pioneering sailor who discovered America and proved the world was round to embed itself in US culture. Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 On October 12, 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a small island in the Caribbean... these are his words. Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 A civilization’s shared myths account for why things are the way they are. They can bolster loyalty to a religion or a nation, and they can excuse class and race privilege. Jon Schwarz on social silence and hidden history. Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Tracing the origin and misappropriation of the idea of America as a "City upon a hill." Ch. 8: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Exploring the origins and falsity of the idea of "American Exceptionalism™" Ch. 9: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 The irony of telling dissatisfied progressives of color to "Go back where they came from" is that America is only so full of white people because they left their old countries rather than staying and trying to improve them. Ch. 10: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 Happy almost-Thanksgiving. What could be better than football and turkey? Well, there·s genocide and stuff, but we don·t want to ruin your holidays. We·ll leave that to the disingenuous folks who would like to pretend that there is nothing wrong. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: In response to Craig from OH about the progressive myth - Dave from Olympia, WA Ch. 12: Conservative blindspot on climate - Craig from Ohio Ch. 13: Is 'kids in cages' really a conservative blindspot? - Larry from Minnesota FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the blindspots from the right and left including the family separation policy, foreign policy and the climate emergency MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1374_Myths_Columbus_American_Exceptionalism_Air_Date_10-13-20_Members_-_10-13-20_21.59_Repost.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:34pm EDT |
Sun, 10 October 2021
Air Date 10/9/2021 Today we take a look at structures and specifics of settler colonialism from around the world including the US, Caribbean, Australia, Israel and Mexico Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) CHECK OUT UNF*CKING THE REPUBLIC! SHOW NOTES Ben Norton was invited to give this talk on US imperialism in Latin America, for the Workers' Party of Ireland. He discusses the history from European settler colonialism, through the Monroe Doctrine, the first cold war, and the three revolutions. Ch. 2: Slavery, race and capital in the sixteenth century / Gerald Horne - This Is Hell! - Air Date 7-21-20 Gerald Horne discusses the relationship between racism and expansionist foreign policies Ch. 3: Settler Colonialism Is Behind Climate Denial - Novara Media - Air Date 1-5-20 Australia is on fire. So why do so many of its politicians seem intent on denying the cause? Ch. 4: Pearls for empire / Molly A. Warsh - This Is Hell! - Air Date 9-20-21 Historian Molly A. Warsh on her book "American Baroque: Pearls and the Nature of Empire, 1492-1700" from UNC Press. Ch. 5: Rewriting resistance: how Black rebellion shapes world events - People's Republic - Air Date 8-20-20 This week, we continue our commemoration of Black August with Dr. Gerald Horne, professor of history and author of over 40 books, including The Counter-Revolution of 1776. A 2017 lecture by Ilan Pappé titled "The Value of Viewing Israel-Palestine Through the Lens of Settler-Colonialism" hosted by the WRMEA. Ch. 7: Crimes of Apartheid - In The Thick - Air Date 5-14-21 Maria is joined by guest co-host and ITT All-star Jamilah King to discuss the continued violence and attacks against Palestinians by Israeli settlers and forces in Gaza. We hear from Gaza-based journalist Hana Salah about what she is seeing on the ground. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Marc talks with Rick Perlstein about growing up Jewish in Milwaukee, the process of unlearning Zionist indoctrination, and how the United States' support of an Israeli ethno-state foments continued violence. Did racism and white supremacy arise as a result of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in the 17th century, or did these concepts exist prior to the mass enslavement of Africans and the genocide of the indigenous peoples on what is now called America? The boys speak with Alexander Aviña, an assistant professor of history at Arizona State University, about the history of Mexico and U.S.-Mexican Relations from the 1810 Mexican War of Independence to the "drug war" of today. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: No velvet glove - Nick From California Ch. 12: Followup on conspiracy theory hot take - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on how conspiracy theorists are like timeshare sales people MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1447_Settler_Colonialism_Air_Date_10-9-21_General_-_10-9-21_21.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:04am EDT |
Wed, 6 October 2021
Air Date 10/6/2021 Today we take a look at what precipitated Occupy Wall Street and the legacy it left behind as we can see it now from 10 years after the encampment at Zuccotti Park in the heart of the financial district in NYC. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! SHOW NOTES This program is devoted to Occupy Wall Street (OWS) on its 10th anniversary. Prof. Wolff discusses OWS as a historic turning point, as legacy for the US left, and his personal experience. Ch. 2: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 1 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 It’s Occupy Wall Street’s tenth anniversary. Dan interviews Astra Taylor. We discuss Occupy's ramifications for organizing and class consciousness with Ruth Milkman, labor scholar at City University of New York's School of Labor and Urban Studies and Nastaran Mohit, Organizing Director of NewsGuild of New York. Ch. 5: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 2 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 Ch. 7: Keith Olbermann reads first collective statement of Occupy Wall Street - Countdown MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Glenn Greenwald in 2011 gives analysis of the political dynamics that led to Occupy Ch. 9: Prophetic article calling for the occupation - Majority Report - Air Date 10-25-11 Speaking with Christopher Ketcham about his article calling for destain for bankers and discussing the progressive movement of the 1880s Ch. 10: Occupy at 10 with Astra Taylor Part 3 - The Dig - Air date 9-25-21 The legacy of Occupy live on, even in Joe Biden VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: A response for Alyson from Boulder - Scott from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the ideological splits on the left dating back to Occupy Wall Street MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Occupy Wall St. protesters in New York march down the street holding a large white sign that says "OCCUPY" in black letters. Other protesters behind them hold smaller protest signs of cardboard and poster board and wave flags. Credit: "Occupy_12_17_DSC_0334" by Michael Fleshman, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1446_Occupy_10th_Anniversay_Air_Date_10-5-21_General_-_10-6-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:43pm EDT |
Sun, 3 October 2021
Air Date: 9-15-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - Top-Down and Bottom-Up processing that leads to biased interpretation of information - Dying of individualism and federalism failures amid COVID - The legacy of Vietnamese refugees following the Vietnam War - What happens when attraction is stronger than any code of ethics or social pressure
References: Google/Apple exposure notification API saved thousands of lives, but apps largely flopped in US Spanish bishop quits church after falling in love with writer of Satanic erotica
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
|
Thu, 30 September 2021
Air Date 9/29/2021 Today we take a look at the so-called "crisis" on the border involving Haitians attempting to cross into the United States. Some say it's a crisis the US is dealing with, others say it's inappropriate to call human beings a crisis. We humbly suggest that these human beings, not the US, are EXPERIENCING a crisis and the US is exacerbating it. And Biden, by following Trump’s policies, is creating a political crisis for himself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! Check out Unf*cking the Republic! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Thousands of Haitan migrants who were camping out under a bridge in a Texas border town seeking to cross the Rio Grande and find refuge in the US are now being forced back to their home country. Psaki cites title 42, a Trump administration rule program allowing the government to expel refugees under the cover of preventing Covid-19 from spreading in the US. The MR crew discusses how disingenuous it is of the Biden Administration Ch. 3: Not a Humane System - In The Thick - Air Date 9-24-21 Maria and Julio dive deep into the violent border enforcement we witnessed in Del Rio, Texas where thousands of Haitian refugees were being held and turned away. They discuss the horrifying images of Border Patrol agents attacking Haitian iimmigrants. Ch. 4: Coronavirus-fuelled racism adds to Haitians' plight in Chile - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 5-7-20 Haitians in Chile - the largest migrant community in Latin America - are underpaid and often live in dire conditions. Ch. 5: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. Ch. 6: Haiti Needs a New Narrative - On the Media - Air Date 8-4-21 In the wake of the assassination of Haiti’s President Jovenel Moïse on July 7th, international media rushed to cover Haiti’s latest political crisis—painting a familiar picture of a nation in turmoil, Haitians in need. Ch. 7: What Does Haiti Actually Need? Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 8-25-21 The compounding crises in Haiti aren’t a product of bad luck. They are the result of hundreds of years of international interference and poorly-designed aid programs. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Wash. Rinse. Repeat. Haiti and International Aid - The United States of Anxiety - Air Date 8-23-21 After a 7.2 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti’s southwestern region, many of us were left wondering -- what does it mean to best support Haiti through disaster? And if the global community has donated so much humanitarian aid, why does it keep happening? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on viral images from the border and why truth is at a structural disadvantage MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1445_Haitians_on_the_Border_Air_Date_9-29-21_General_-_9-29-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:09am EDT |
Sun, 26 September 2021
Air Date 9/25/2021 Today we take a look at the continuing efforts of Trump and his supporters to subvert and ultimately destroy democracy through conspiracy theories, gerrymandering and harassment campaigns Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Donald Trump sends a delusional letter to Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger requesting Trump be declared the winner of the 2020 presidential election in the state Analysis of the CA recall as a giant waste of time and money Ch. 3: Agents of White Supremacy - In The Thick - Air Date 9-17-21 Nathalie Baptiste writes about the flaws of California’s recall election process in this piece for Mother Jones. Tonight's guests are Charles Stewart III, professor of political science at M.I.T.; and Dr. Ashish Jha, dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University. Sam Seder discusses gerrymandering with David Daley. Mary Trump explains why so many Americans are still in deep denial about Donald Trump’s enduring power and his ability to cause destruction and other harm to American society and the world. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: Redistricting Battle Heats Up Across the U.S. - The Takeaway - Air Date 9-21-21 Ari Berman, senior reporter at Mother Jones, joined The Takeaway to talk redistricting and gerrymandering around the country, as well as the districts and states to watch in the coming months. Ch. 8: How Will the Ongoing Trump Coup End - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 8-5-21 Trump's slow coup is setting off a nuclear bomb at the heart of our Republic, but the scariest part no one knows if Democracy will survive? VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Safe, legal, and rare bullshit - Alyson from Boulder, CO Ch. 10: 9/11 and inevitable slide/leap into wars - Maureen from Boston Ch. 11: The war prayer - Maureen from Boston FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on how to avoid conspiratorial thinking MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: A group of middle-aged and older men stand under a hand-written protest sign that says "Stop the Steal", some wearing camouflage, some wearing masks, all wearing varying baseball caps. Location: Minnesota State Capitol. Credit: "Stop the Steal" by Chad Davis, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
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: 1444_Trumpism.Elections_Air_Date_9-25-21_General_-_9-25-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:09am EDT |
Tue, 21 September 2021
Air Date 9/21/2021 Today we take a look at the parallel legacies of 9/11 including the war on terror and military spending, the casual acceptance of Islamophobia, the adoption of ever-wilder conspiracy theories, and the acceleration of the political divide in America culminating, so far, in the January 6th Insurrection. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: 9/11: A Story in Three Parts. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 9-10-21 We were tempted to let the 20th anniversary of 9/11 pass given it will be oversaturated with remembrances and armchair punditry as well as the usual tragedy porn imagery. Ch. 2: Endless militarization has bled US society dry - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 9-14-21 It’s been 20 years since the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Since then, the US has channeled an unfathomable amount of its resources into the military-industrial complex. According to the Costs of War Project, the wars launched by the United States following 9/11 have killed an estimated 929,000 people in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere. Ch. 4: 20 Years Later: How 9/11 Changed Being Muslim in America - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-10-21 Rowaida Abdelaziz, national reporter for HuffPost where she focuses on immigration, Islamophobia, and social justice issues, joins to discuss how being Muslim in the United States changed after the September 11th attacks. Ch. 5: 20 Years Since 9/11, 20 Years of Conspiracy Theories - Doomed - Air Date 9-10-21 Matt looks at the conspiracies, hoaxes, and urban legends that surround the day and the Bush administration. Ch. 6: The road from 9/11 to Donald Trump - Vox Conversations - Air Date 9-12-21 Sean Illing talks with national security reporter Spencer Ackerman, author of the new book Reign of Terror. They discuss the staggering changes to our country in the 20 years since 9/11 Ch. 7: America, 20 years after 9/11 - World Review from the New Statesman - Air Date 9-10-21 Jeremy Cliffeand Sarah Manavis are joined by New Yorker columnist and author Evan Osnos to discuss his new book, Wildland: The Making of America’s Fury and how America has changed since the attacks on New York and Washington. Ch. 8: The Direct Line From 9/11 to January 6th - WhoWhatWhy - Air Date 9-10-21 Award-winning journalist Spencer Ackerman examines how 9/11 opened the door to America’s worst historical impulses and led directly to Donald Trump and January 6th. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Rescue 9/11 w/ Jim Lobe and Laila Ujayli - American Prestige - Air Date 9-11-21 The boys interview Laila Ujayli, associate editor at Inkstick Media, about growing up as a young Muslim in post-9/11 America. Congressmember Lee courageously voted no against the AUMF twenty years ago. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on Brian Williams and the campaigns we can win vs the campaigns worth winning MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The camera looks up at a young Muslim woman, wearing a black hoodie with the hood up over her black head covering, as she stands outside a glass entryway looking out into the distance. An American flag is wrapped around her shoulders. Credit: "Protest against Donald Trump's Muslim ban" by Fibonacci Blue | License | Changes: Cropped and very slight increase in contrast, brightness and saturation
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1443_9.11_Air_Date_9-21-21_General_-_9-21-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:59pm EDT |
Sat, 18 September 2021
Air Date 9/18/2021 Today we take a look at the new Texas abortion restrictions and the response from the Supreme Court along with lots of contextualizing commentary taking us back to the Fugitive Slave Act and all the way through to the strain of patriarchal White terrorism that is at the core of the current conservative movement. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES We’ll talk with Marjorie Cohn, professor emerita at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, former president of the National Lawyers Guild and author of, among other titles, Drones and Targeted Killing: Legal, Moral and Geopolitical Issues. SB 8 is unconstitutional and good to go in Texas (and probably a bunch of other states too). The most restrictive ever abortion rights laws in the U.S. went into effect in the Lone Star state. Called SB8, it bans most abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, before most people even know they’re pregnant. Texas Republicans are creating a real life Handmaid's Tale, does Elie Mystal know how to fight it? Elie Mystal is the justice correspondent for The Nation and author of the forthcoming book, Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. Ch. 9: FURY - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 9-7-21 This week’s episode is devoted to the Texas state attack on reproductive rights and civil rights and its ramifications – not just for Texans, but for all Americans. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The Jane Collective was a group that operated out of Chicago and performed thousands of abortions between 1969 and 1973. Guest Laura Kaplan, author of a book about the collective, The Story of Jane: The Legendary Underground Feminist Abortion Service. VOICEMAILS Ch. 12: Theory of change; a sub-theory - Scott from Canada Ch. 13: Paying congress less is a bad idea - Nick From California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 14: Final comments on the virtues of militaristic messaging MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Image Credit: “The Burden is Undue” by Lorie Shaull, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, slightly enhanced contrast
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1442_Texas_Abortion_Law_Air_Date_9-18-21_General_-_9-17-21_15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT |
Wed, 15 September 2021
Air Date 10/09/2020 Today we take a look at the future of abortion rights and the broader reproductive justice movement in the face of a conservative super-majority on the Supreme Court Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: How The GOP Ended Up Hating Abortion - AJ+ - Air Date 8-4-19 Republicans and their base used to be more supportive of abortion rights than Democrats. Now, they’re pushing for abortion restrictions with an aim to overturn Roe v. Wade. Why did the GOP turn its back on abortion rights? Ch. 2: Body of Law Beyond Roe - On the Media - Air Date 12-13-19 Activist and scholar Loretta Ross explains the tenets of reproductive justice and how they expand the frame beyond Roe and abortion; Reva Siegel of Yale Law School describes the framework of ProChoiceLife. Ch. 3: Everyone Loves Someone Who Had an Abortion - National Network of Abortion Funds - Air Date 4-16-20 Access to reproductive healthcare, including abortion, largely depends on where you live and how much money you have. Abortion funds are taking the hassle and harassment out of healthcare by helping people all across our network access and fund abortions. Candidates weigh in on current abortion laws and President Donald Trump's campaign promise to shift the Supreme Court to the right. Ch. 5: What Happens When You Restrict Abortion? - AJ+ - Air Date 10-8-19 Restricting abortion access doesn’t have the same impact on everyone. It adversely affects people of color and low-income residents more. But why and how? We traveled to the place with the largest percentage of Black residents in the U.S. to find out. Lost abortion rights and no paid maternity or family leaves keep women from advancing at work as they take time to care for children. Abortion and family leaves are sites of the revolutionary struggle for America's personal and family life. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: "One Person, One Vote" is our saddest and scariest myth - Lance FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the zombie talking point of us living in a republic rather than a democracy MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Support the show via Patreon Listen on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | +more Check out the BotL iOS/Android App in the App Stores! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Facebook!
Direct download: Rerun_1373_Repro_Justice_Air_Date_10-9-20_Members_-_9-15-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:47pm EDT |
Tue, 14 September 2021
Original Air Date: 9-1-21 Today, I am joined by Amanda, Erin and Deon to discuss: - How dynastic billionaires are destroying democracy - The mass psychosis induced by discussing mass psychosis
Reference: You Can Have Billionaires or You Can Have Democracy
Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! |
Sat, 11 September 2021
Air Date 9/11/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give deeper context to the current wave of right-wing extremists threatening violence against the government, our election system, mask and vaccine COVID measures and anyone not agreeing with their conspiratorial worldview. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Killing By Numbers: The history of April 19th and 20th - On The Media - Air Date 8-24-10 From Hitler’s birth to the killings at Waco, Columbine and Oklahoma City, each event echoes or evokes the anniversary of the last. Ch. 2: Gun marches - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 4-24-10 Reporting from 2010 on the anti-government, armed rallies in and around Washington, DC The FBI announced Thursday that it had thwarted a plan by far-right militia members to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and charged six men in relation to the plot. The plot began as talk on social media sites. As COVID-19 cases surge in the United States, anti-mask and anti-vaccine protests are continuing nationwide, with some turning violent. In a shocking story out of California, at least one person was stabbed and two journalists were attacked. Radical Republican Congressman Madison Cawthorn threatens "bloodshed" if elections remain "rigged" A rundown of recent right-wing would-be Capitol Bombers. In an extended conversation with Spencer Ackerman, the Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter, he examines the connection he sees between the rise of right-wing extremism in the United States and the so-called war on terror. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: How The FBI Got Inside The Hutaree Militia - All Things Considered - Air Date 4-24-10 Ch. 9: The Truth Behind The Alleged Michigan Kidnapping Case - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-22-21 According to the FBI, a group of men in Michigan hatched a plan to kidnap Gov. Gretchen Whitmer last year. But a Buzzfeed News investigative report has revealed new details—particularly the role that FBI informants played in it. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: The downsides of term limits - Jonathan from NY Ch. 11: Term Limits, congressional pay and corruption - Nick from California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on term limits and congressional pay MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: The U.S. Capitol building dome is outlined by a wooden gallows and a noose, which was erected on January 6th on the lawn of the Capitol by right-wing insurrectionists on January 6th, 2021. Credit: "Gallows V" by Tyler Merbler, Flickr | License | Changes: Slightly cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1441_Right_Wing_Exremists_Air_Date_9-11-21_General_-_9-10-21_20.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT |
Wed, 8 September 2021
Air Date 9/8/2021 Today we take a look at the legacy of red-lining, the building and subsequent destruction of Black communities and the health and environmental impacts of segregation. The concept of “Structural Racism” is often a metaphor, not something physical that you can touch, but that is not the case when it comes to environmental racism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES We're making a deadly mistake if we don't talk about environmental justice when we discuss racism and Black liberation. Ch. 2: Redlining & Climate Change: A Deadly Combination - News Beat - Air Date 4-27-21 Although the Fair Housing Act of 1968 banned redlining and housing discrimination in general, three out of four redlined communities rated "hazardous" 80 years ago are struggling economically today. Guests: Catherine Flowers founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice and Amy Stelly, a designer and board member of the Urban Conservancy. Ch. 4: Environmental Racism is Real Part 1 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 We talk to Environmental justice lawyer Claire Woods about how black and brown communities face the brunt of many environmental justice issues, the connection to racism, and what we can do to help. Ch. 5: Biden Promises To Grapple With Environmental Racism - Short Wave - Air Date 2-4-21 NPR climate reporter Rebecca Hersher talks about the history of environmental racism in the United States, and what Biden's administration can do to avoid the mistakes of the past. Ch. 6: Environmental Racism is Real Part 2 - Tamarindo Podcast - Air Date 6-16-21 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Summary + reading from The Sum of Us on pollution in segregated cities VOICEMAILS Ch. 9: Post-Civil War Reconstruction and the occupation of Afghanistan - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on how structural racism becomes personal racism and comparing Reconstruction with the occupation of Afghanistan MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: An official, rectangular metal sign bolted to a telephone poll displays the image of a cropped city map with a red outlined area. Below, the sign reads "Portland's Historic Redline District." Smaller text below reads "In Portland's past, 'redlining' practices created exclusionary zones for 'Negroes and Orientals' by real estate, banking and insurance companies. Agents could lose their licenses for crossing this color barrier. Now, urban gentrification displaces low-income families, as the remaining affordable housing stock in this area disappears." Credit: "Redlining" by radcliffe dacanay, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1440_Environmental_Racism_Air_Date_9-7-21_General_-_9-7-21_19.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:52am EDT |
Sat, 4 September 2021
Air Date 9/4/2021 Today we take a look at the slow motion disaster that is the worldwide refugee crisis. We start with the recent focus on Afghan refugees fleeing their country in the wake of America's 20-year war before expanding the view to American and European policies toward asylum-seekers from around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES President Joe Biden has allocated $500 million in new funds for relocating Afghan refugees following the Taliban takeover in Afghanistan. The U.S. had already vowed to help evacuate over 80,000 Afghan civilians We speak with Minnesota Congressmember Ilhan Omar about her memoir “This Is What America Looks Like,” the Biden administration’s recent airstrikes in her birth country of Somalia and why the U.S. must remain a country of refuge for people fleeing war Ch. 3: ‘Desperation And Frustration’: Rep. Omar Reacts To The Biden Refugee Cap - All In - Air Date 4-19-21 “It’s with desperation and frustration that we are speaking out against the Biden administration in their backtracking on this. We do applaud them for changing course, and we just want to make sure they follow through with clear communication.” Ch. 4: Why seeking asylum in America is so difficult - Vox - Air Date 7-12-18 America has led the world in refugee resettlement for 15 years, but asylum cases have pushed political tempers to a tipping point. Ch. 5: Green Thinking: Climate and Refugees - Arts & Ideas - 6-15-21 What role do museums and heritage organisations have to play in the climate emergency? How do we stop cultural and historical landmarks from falling into the sea, or is it time to learn to say goodbye? Ch. 6: This is the worlds deadliest border - Vox - Air Date 5-14-15 Nearly 2,000 migrants have perished in the Mediterranean so far this year. Vox's Dara Lind explains why. Ch. 7: Death toll surges as migrants try to reach Europe - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-27-20 There’s been a surge in the numbers of people drowning in the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as migrants from Africa try to reach Europe. Activist groups are blaming European Union policies for their deaths. In which John Green discusses the Syrian refugee crisis and the growing number of refugees from Syria, Afghanistan, and Eritrea crossing the sea with the help of smugglers to seek refuge in European Union nations. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Red State Refugees - The Documentary Podcast - Air Date 8-25-20 President Trump has dramatically reduced the numbers of refugees arriving in the United States, vowing to protect native-born Americans’ interests. But there’s a catch - some of the nation’s reddest communities may not survive without them. Ch. 10: The Cycles of Trauma for Vietnamese Americans - In The Thick - Air Date 7-23-19 More than forty years after the Vietnam war, Vietnamese refugees are being deported under Trump's immigration policies. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: New listener - Mike from Texas Ch. 12: Misplaced focus on Manchin - Dan from Greenville, SC FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on theories of change whether you want them or not MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1439_Refugees_Air_Date_9-4-21_General_-_9-3-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:25pm EDT |
Wed, 1 September 2021
Air Date 9/11/2020 Today we take a look at the easily predictable, yet growing, eviction crisis in America that is entirely thanks to a political and economic system that is structurally incapable of functioning for the benefit of people over profit. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BECOME A MEMBER! (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ali Velshi Explains The Looming Eviction Crisis - MSNBC - Air Date 7-21-20 Ali Velshi breaks down why millions of Americans could be forced out of their homes Ch. 2: The Evictions Cliff Part 1, The Cost of Housing - Off Kilter - Air Date 7-18-20 Dan Threet of the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Jay Willis, senior contributor for The Appeal. Ch. 3: There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 7-11-20 There Is An Eviction Crisis, How Can We Fight Back? Ch. 4: Heartbreaking CNN Segment Highlights Eviction Crisis - The Rational National - Air Date 9-3-20 CNN puts a face to the eviction crisis that could hit 30-40 million Americans by the end of 2020. Tara Raghuveer, director of the campaign for a Homes Guarantee and founding director of KC Tenants. Ch. 6: Voting Is Not Enough: Help Unhoused, Poor and Low-Income Voters Access the Ballot - Best of the Left Take action! Click the title and/or scroll down for quick links and resources from this segment. For more, visit Bestoftheleft.com/2020Action. Ch. 7: Elizabeth Warren Talks Pending Eviction Crisis in America - NowThis - Air Date 7-25-20 ‘This coming eviction crisis is a racial justice crisis’ — Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains why the looming eviction crisis could be devastating for communities of color. Ch. 8: Can Trump Really ‘Stop Evictions?’ - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-2-20 A Trump administration order could allow many renters to avoid eviction through Dec. 31 Ch. 9: There Is No Ethical Capitalism - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 9-4-20 Understanding the amorality of capitalism through a structural lens VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Thoughts on the frames through which we see the world - Naomi from Canada FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the dominant culture, national myths and the dominance of whiteness TAKE ACTION! Join The Poor People's Campaign's "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Effort "We Must Do M.O.R.E" Digital Toolkit Watch the "We Must Do M.O.R.E." Moral Monday Mass Assembly on 9/14 at 7pm ET on Facebook National Low Income Housing Coalition: National Federal Eviction Moratorium & Toolkit Nonprofit VOTES: Voting information pertaining to unhoused people National Coalition for the Homeless "You Don't Need A Home to Vote" Manual Get involved in the "You Don't Need a Home to Vote" Project National Housing Law Project Resources for People Facing Eviction During the Pandemic National Homelessness Law Center 2020 Election Guide EDUCATE YOURSELF & SHARE How the COVID-19 housing crisis could affect voter participation (Fast Company) Evictions Across US Raise Concerns About Voting Process (Voice of America) How The Eviction Crisis Could Compound Voter Suppression Come November (Huffington Post) Housing advocate on what to do if you’re being evicted: ‘You have rights’ (CNBC) Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE "IMG_0344" from Chicago Right to Recovery Caravan Rally by Ervin Lopez on Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped, increased contrast, brightness and saturation
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: Rerun_New_Ads_1366_Eviction_Crisis_Air_Date_9-11-20_General_-_9-1-21_14.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:48pm EDT |
Sat, 28 August 2021
Air Date 8/28/2021 Today we take a look at our departure from Afghanistan, how the decisions were made to leave in this fashion and what we should go going forward to prevent similar foreign escapades in the future Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 1 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Phyllis Bennis on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Susan Page, USA Today Washington bureau chief, talks about the latest in national politics, including the Afghanistan withdrawal and the infrastructure and budget bills in the House. Ch. 4: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis Part 2 - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 Ch. 5: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 The stunning collapse of the government of Afghanistan following President Biden's decision to remove U.S. troops from the country has led to chaotic scenes in Afghanistan, including at the airport in Kabul. Guest: New Yorker' staff writer Steve Coll. Ch. 6: When We Leave Afghanistan Tomorrow and Forever. - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 8-21-21 Today’s episode explores our national amnesia, examines the Vietnam comparison, talks about what happens when our occupations end and questions the continuation of a wartime military budget. We look at the situation in Afghanistan, and pressure on Biden to stay longer, with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin, who for years has called for an end to the longest war in U.S. history. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: America's Failed Mission In Afghanistan Intentions & Mistakes Part 2 - Fresh Air - Air Date 8-19-21 The death toll from twin suicide bomb attack outside the airport has topped 110 people, including 13 U.S. troops. VOICEMAILS Ch. 11: Term limits, revolving door and inexperience - Bud from Boise Ch. 12: Individual, collective, ceremony and thanks - Jeff from the Mountains of California FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 13: Final comments on the ups and downs of term limits and the benefits of a ceremony mindset MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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 EDT |
Wed, 25 August 2021
Air Date 8/25/2021 Today we take a look at the history of the war in Afghanistan. First of all, do you think that it's been going on for 20 years? Think again, it's been a lot longer than that. From British Empire Building to Cold War gamesmanship, Afghanistan has been a center of conflict since long before American citizens bothered to take notice. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Afghans Try to Flee U.S.-Caused Crisis - The Intercept - Air Date 8-18-21 The Taliban have taken over Afghanistan, forcing the U.S.-backed Afghan government out. The Intercept Vanessa Gezari, who also reported from Afghanistan for years after the U.S. war began, breaks down the historical trajectory that led to this moment. Ch. 2: Matthew Hoh on Afghanistan Withdrawal - CounterSpin - Air Date 8-20-21 We’ll prepare ourselves with insights on Afghanistan from Phyllis Bennis, director of the New Internationalism Project at the Institute for Policy Studies, and from Matthew Hoh, senior fellow with the Center for International Policy. Michael Brooks breaks down the history of the modern military establishment. Ch. 4: War presidents - Rachel Maddow Show We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. Ch. 6: The Pentagon Papers Of Our Time with Craig Whitlock - On the Media - Air Date 12-20-19 Bob Garfield talks with Craig Whitlock about the Afghanistan Papers and the comparison to the Pentagon Papers. As thousands of Afghans try to flee Afghanistan after the Taliban seized control, we look at the roots of the longest U.S. war in history and spend the hour with Pulitzer Prize-winning national security reporter Spencer Ackerman. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: 30,000 speech - The Daily Show President Obama channels George W. Bush in his speech announcing the deployment of an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan. We speak with Washington Post investigative reporter Craig Whitlock, author of the new book “The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War,” which reveals how multiple U.S. presidents deceived the public about progress in the war. VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: No bipartisanship for now - Rich from Oregon FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on questioning a theory of change before supporting an idea MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
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 EDT |
Sat, 21 August 2021
Air Date 8/21/2021 Today we take a look at the history of bipartisanship and appeasement in the US dating back to before the Civil War and tracking it all the way up to the current negotiations over the infrastructure bill. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 1 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Joe Biden ran for president promising to “revive” the spirit of bipartisanship, put an end to factional battles, and bring Americans together after an era of painful division. Biden often speaks about bipartisanship as a cherished value that he would restore to Washington, but Ocasio-Cortez is dubious. Ch. 3: The Unnatural Endurance of Bipartisanship Part 2 - The Politics of Everything - Air Date 3-4-21 Ch. 4: Exhaustion of Bipartisanship - In The Thick - Air Date 6-25-21 Maria and Julio discuss remarks from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris at the 38th annual NALEO Conference, and they get into the vice president’s visit to El Paso and the US-Mexico border. Sam and Emma host Ari Rabin-Havt, the former Legislative Director and Chief Policy Advisor to Senator Bernie Sanders, to discuss the prospects of the Senate bipartisan infrastructure bill. Ch. 6: Manchin Capitol Riots Made Me MORE Bipartisan - The Young Turks - Air Date 4-9-21 In a recent interview, Senator Joe Manchin claimed that the Capitol Riots changed him, and made him double down on bipartisanship. Ch. 7: Why Appeasement Won't Work This Time Around - On the Media - Air Date 1-8-21 White southerners called it “redemption.” To Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw, founder and executive director of the African American Policy Forum, it was a catastrophe of appeasement and an object lesson in the politics of reconciliation. Ch. 8: Keri Leigh Merritt on the New Lost Cause - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-15-21 Historians are shaking their heads as media talk about January 6 as "unprecedented"; while shocking and dispiriting, it has layers and layers of precedent that need to be learned and engaged, if we are ever to actually have a racial reckoning. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Frances Lee on why bipartisanship is irrational - Vox Conversations - Air Date 1-21-19 For most of American history, American politics has been under one-party rule. For decades, that party was the Republican Party. Then, for decades more, it was the Democratic Party. Ch. 10: What a More Responsible Republican Party Would Look Like - The Ezra Klein Show - Air Date 3-2-21 This is the modern G.O.P.: a post-policy party obsessed with symbolic fights and curiously uninterested in the actual work of governing. But does it have to be that way? FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the merits of taking liars at face value MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1436_Bipartisanship_Trap_Air_Date_8-21-21_General_-_8-20-21_16.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT |
Wed, 18 August 2021
Air Date 8/18/2021 Today we take a look at history of white people deciding to get their way through violence and the tradition of having the government look the other way Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The KKK: History and Myth - Professor Buzzkill History Podcast - Air Date 8-24-17 Practically nothing in the history of the United States has suffered from myth-making and misunderstanding as much as the history of race relations and racist violence. The history Ku Klux Klan is no exception. This is ironic. Ch. 2: Remembering a White Supremacist Coup - Reveal - Air Date 10-23-20 On the eve of a contentious election, Reveal looks back to the nearly forgotten election of 1898 in Wilmington, North Carolina. A coup d’etat gave birth to much of the structural racism that still plagues our nation today. Ch. 3: Voices: Children ‘stripped of innocence’ - Cape Up - Air Date 4-11-19 A member of the Little Rock Nine and a survivor of the 16th Street Baptist Church bombing both lost the illusion of safety in their young lives. Ch. 4: Armed and Dangerous - On the Media - Air Date 9-24-20 Armed right-wingers are stoking violence in cities across the country. On this week’s On the Media, a look at the origins of the American militia movement. Plus, as things heat up, Facebook is fanning the flames. Ch. 5: The Evolution of All-American Terrorism - Reveal - Air Date 6-27-20 The Trump years have seen an increase in domestic terrorist attacks linked by hateful ideologies that thrive online. Reveal teams up with Type Investigations to track each case and determine what the government has done to fight them. Ch. 6: Radical Caucasian Extremism - News Beat - Air Date 1-9-21 This hugely important episode highlighted the threat posed by such extremists, even as many in the media and government engaged in Islamophobic rhetoric about Muslim Americans. Former FBI agent Mike German says "Unfortunately their policies have actually masked how they use their domestic terrorism resources to make it harder for the Congress to understand how many of those resources are going toward white supremacist violence," MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) The Atlantic's Adam Serwer and Mehdi discuss Carlson's history of promulgating racist rhetoric on prime time television and its real-life consequences. Ch. 9: Southern Shame Culture & How to Fight Racism w/Jemar Tisby - The Holy Post - Air Date 1-20-21 Jemar Tisby (The Color of Compromise) rejoins Phil to discuss his new book, How to Fight Racism. Actual, real steps to be part of the solution, not part of the problem! VOICEMAILS Ch. 10: Response on remix climate episode - Alan from Connecticut FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the arguments against individual climate action MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Black and white photo taken during "Bloody Sunday" in Selma, AL on March 7th 1965. A young John Lewis has fallen on the grass, lifting one hand, while a police officer stands over him wielding a billy club. Credit: "12 - Civil Rights Movement" (low resolution). Original from the Library of Congress (via U.S. Embassy The Hague on Flickr) | License | Changes: Cropped
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 EDT |
Fri, 13 August 2021
Air Date 8/13/2021 Today we dig through the archives to give context to the news of the 2021 IPCC report ringing the alarm bells for the climate crisis Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The IPCC's new report - @greennewsreport - Air Date 4-3-14 Ch. 2: Green News Report w/ Brad Friedman & Desi Doyen - Air Date 8-10-21 New U.N. climate report described as 'code red for humanity'; California's Dixie Fire now the largest in the U.S. and in state history; PLUS: Apocalyptic scenes from wildfires around the world demonstrate climate change is already here... Ch. 3: Global Water Shortages Pose Threat of Terror & War - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date 02-16-14 Jared Yates Sexton and Nick Hauselman dive into a troubling UN climate report and discuss how capitalism prevents humanity from saving itself while undermining democracy. Ch. 5: Why humans are so bad at thinking about climate change - Vox - Air Date 4-19-17 The biggest problem for the climate change fight isn’t technology – it’s human psychology. Ch. 6: Report confirms the effect of climate change happening today, spurs action - @greennewsreport - Air Date 5-6-14 Ch. 7: When Republicans believed in climate change - @allinwithchris Hayes - Air Date 04-22-14 Geoff Mann, professor of geography at Simon Fraser University and co-author of the book, Climate Leviathan, discusses the authoritarian dangers ahead, as the world tried to cope with climate change. Ch. 9: Climate crisis and jobs with Naomi Klein - What Comes After What Comes Next - Air Date 6-11-20 Naomi has spent two decades documenting the transformations that take place under the cover of disaster. She has also written extensively about how tackling the climate crisis can both create jobs and make the economy much fairer and more equitable. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Doug talks extreme heat with Dr. Ladd Keith, Assistant Professor in Planning and Chair of Sustainable Built Environments at the University of Arizona. Ladd and Doug discuss the media coverage of the recent pacific NW heat wave. Ch. 11: Putting the Freeze on Global Warming - @BillMoyersHQ And Company - Air Date 4-25-14 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the benefits of taking pride in work and country MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Fire engulfs trees in a forest at night. Smoke billows in the dark sky above the flaming, skeletal black trees. Credit: "The Rim Fire in the Stanislaus National Forest near in California began on Aug. 17, 2013 and is under investigation. The fire has consumed approximately 149, 780 acres and is 15% contained. U.S. Forest Service photo." by U.S. Department of Agriculture, Flickr | License | Changes: Cropped
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 EDT |
Tue, 10 August 2021
Air Date 8/10/2021 Today we take a look at the mechanisms by which the legacy of White Supremacy is harmful to the health and wellbeing of individuals and society as a whole. Be part of the show! Leave us a message at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) BestOfTheLeft.com/Refer Sign up, share widely, get rewards. It's that easy! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BestOfTheLeft.com/Descript CHECK OUT OUR FANCY PRODUCTION SOFTWARE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Blinkist GET KEY INSIGHTS FROM THOUSANDS OF BOOKS! BestOfTheLeft.com/Bookshop BotL BOOKSTORE BestOfTheLeft.com/Store BotL MERCHANDISE! BestOfTheLeft.com/Advertise Sponsor the show! SHOW NOTES This week, author Heather McGhee breaks down the driving force of American economic exclusion via the swimming pool. Baratunde asks Heather about all she has learned traveling across the country to write her book, The Sum of Us. Ch. 2: The Role 'Nice White Parents' Play in School Segregation - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-9-20 Chana Joffe-Walt, producer for This American Life and host of the new podcast Nice White Parents, and Dr. Rachel Lissy, senior Program Officer at Ramapo for Children, talk about investigating the relationship between white parents and segregation Ch. 3: The NFL's Race-Norming Problem Is All Over Medicine - What Next - Air Date 6-7-21 The NFL recently announced it would stop using “race norming” when assessing who would receive a share of their recent $1 billing settlement for former players. The practice assumes Black players started with lower cognitive function. Researchers say facial recognition software is up to 100 times more likely to misidentify people of color than white people. This week, Boston voted to end its use in the city. Ch. 5: People Like Us, Education - Hidden Brain - Air Date 6-3-19 Generations of Americans have struggled against segregation. Most of us believe in the ideal of a colorblind society. But what happens when that ideal come up against research that finds colorblindness sometimes leads to worse outcomes? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 6: Can We Finally End School Segregation? - The New Yorker Radio Hour - Air Date 5-21-21 By many accounts, American schools are as segregated today as they were in the nineteen-sixties, in the years after Brown v. Board of Education. WNYC’s podcast “The United States of Anxiety” chronicled the efforts of one small school district. VOICEMAILS Ch. 7: Patriotism and the culture wars - Dave from Olympia, WA FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 8: Final comments on the nature of airing dirty laundry MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions):
SHOW IMAGE: Description: Color photograph of a corner of an old public pool that has been filled in. Where there was once water is now green grass. The railing of a metal ladder is still intact, but a weed grows around its base. Blue square tiles still edge the concrete corner. Photo Credit: "The Memorial Pool in Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, MD, by artist Joyce J. Scott" by Graham Coreil-Allen (Pool/Park History) | License | Changes: Slightly cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Direct download: 1433_Structural_Racism_Air_Date_8-9-21_General_-_8-9-21_17.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:00am EDT |
Best of the Left Podcast
Put a description of your podcast here.
The Podcasts
Syndicate This Site:
Archives:
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | |||||
| 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| 31 | ||||||
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
