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Best of the Left - The best of progressive and liberal talk
BestOfTheLeft.com
This podcast is a beautifully executed compilation combining the absolute best in progressive and liberal political news, commentary and occasional comedy with great music to pull it all together. Each edition focuses on a political theme and delivers a variety of stories and perspectives from an array of sources on that theme. By the way, this is an ENHANCED PODCAST with cool features built in which is fun but that means that it's not compatible with everyone's audio player. For the STANDARD MP3 feed visit BestOfTheLeft.com to subscribe (even if you still want to use iTunes to manage your subscription).
- 2 hours 37 minutes#1685 Faux Populism and Neoliberalism: Working People Are Stuck Between Oligarchy and Disregard
Air Date 1/21/2025
Decades ago, the conscious decision was made to exacerbate inequality for the sake of economic growth that would supposedly lift all boats. What probably wasn't understood at the time is that the logical conclusion of that choice would be to break democracy and usher in oligarchy. Now working people are left with only bad choices and empty promises.
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KEY POINTS
KP 1: Workers Without a Party - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 12-11-24
KP 4: How Democrats Can Win Back The Working Class - Lever Time - Air Date 11-8-24
KP 5: Why Elites Love Identity Politics - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25
KP 7: Democratic Dealignment w Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor - The Dig - Air Date 11-9-24
KP 8: Why Elites Love Identity Politics Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25
(54:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the path Democrats have charted
DEEPER DIVES
(1:02:38) SECTION A: PARTY RECKONING
(1:23:40) SECTION B: NEOLIBERAL STRANGLEHOLD
(1:39:24) SECTION C: CROSSED WIRES
(2:08:27) SECTION D: SOLUTIONS
SHOW IMAGE
Description: Composite image of multi-colored people outlines crossing over each other with arrows in the background pointing two different directions.
Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman, Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay
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21 January 2025, 6:19 pm - 21 minutes 57 secondsBonus Edition #333 - This is What Democracy (Actually) Looks Like
Air Date: 1-20-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Our new show name! - Getting over hurdles to find and form local community as a form of resistance and preparation - The study groups teachers are forming to teach and learn real history - How Citizen Assemblies could transform American politics for the better
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REFERENCES:
A New Year's resolution for an Uncertain Future (The New Republic)
Teachers Turn to Study Groups for Anti-Racist Learning as History is Whitewashed (TruthOut)
What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do for American Politics? (The New Yorker)
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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
20 January 2025, 1:29 pm - 2 hours 48 minutes#1684 The Last Honest President: The imperfect life and legacy of Jimmy Carter
Air Date 1/18/2025
We are looking back on Jimmy Carter's life and legacy as a lens through which to more clearly see and understand the current state of our politics, our incoming president, the Middle East, the climate, and more.
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KEY POINTS
KP 1: Jimmy Carter Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 2-28-23
KP 4: The Faith of Jimmy Carter - Facepalm America - Air Date 4-12-23
KP 6: When Carter called out America - Today, Explained - Air Date 12-30-24
(46:27) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the supposed desire for truth
DEEPER DIVES
(52:22) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT
(1:33:23) SECTION B: FOREIGN POLICY
(2:07:22) SECTION C: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
(2:25:30) SECTION D: REPUBLICAN RATFUCKING
SHOW IMAGE
Description: Black and white photo of President Jimmy Carter in front of the White House in 1977. Credit: “President Jimmy Carter and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at the White House, Washington, D.C.“ by Marion S. Trikosko, Library of Congress | License: Public Domain
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18 January 2025, 8:53 pm - 2 hours 30 minutes#1683 Oligarchy Unmasked: President Musk, the crackup of capitalism, and the MAGA meltdown
Air Date 1/15/2025
Elon Musk is leading the way for his class of tech broligarchs anxious to take over the MAGA movement and shape it to their own ends of deregulation, tax cuts, and lucrative government contracts. The disappointment that is inevitable for the MAGA populists is coming even faster than expected.
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KEY POINTS
KP 1: The long con of America's ultra-wealthy elites - The ReidOut - Air Date 1-2-25
KP 5: Elon & Vivek's H1-B Crash Out - Bad Faith - Air Date 1-2-25
KP 6: Our Moment is Approaching - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-31-24
KP 7: Weekly Roundup Jimmy Carter vs Elon Musk - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-3-25
KP 8: The Oligarch Class - Left Anchor - Air Date 1-3-25
(55:27) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the rehashing of the anti-democratic argument for extreme wealth for the benefit of humanity
DEEPER DIVES
(1:07:40) SECTION A: OLIGARCHS
(1:35:23) SECTION B: THE MAGA FRACTURE
(1:51:04) SECTION C: GLOBAL INFLUENCE
(2:21:44) SECTION D: ORGANIZING
15 January 2025, 4:44 pm - 1 hour 8 minutes#1682 Looking Back to Trump 1.0 (Remix)
Air Date: 1/11/2025
Today, we look back to the warnings we gave ourselves at the beginning of the first Trump administration. In 2017 there was concern about corruption and his business dealings, ethics around his nominees, and the inability of the media to cover him properly.
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KEY POINTS
KP 1: What should Trump do to resolve his conflicts of interest? - @DecodeDC - Air Date 1-11-17
KP 3: Zephyr Teachout on Trump and the emoluments clause - Amicus from @Slate - Air Date 12-24-16
KP 4: Trump's team exhibits classic abuser behavior - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 1-23-17
KP 6: A Taxonomy of Trump Tweets - On the Media - Air Date 1-13-17
KP 7: Masha Gessen on the rules for surviving autocracy - Trumpcast from @Slate - Air Date 11-14-16
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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11 January 2025, 11:00 am - 2 hours 8 minutes#1681 Trump's American Imperialism: Threatening Friends and Annoying Neighbors
Air Date 1/8/2025
Trump's first term was marked by all of the friendships he built with some of the world's worst, most oppressive leaders. His second term is getting an early start as he has begun making threats toward traditional allies and friends including Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Panama.
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KEY POINTS
KP 2: Donald Trump’s New Manifest Destiny - WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch - Part 1 - Air Date 12-26-24
KP 3: Why Elon Musk interferes in politics around the world - DW News - Air Date 1-3-25
KP 4: Is Musk Flirting With Fascism? - Politics unpacked - Air Date 1-3-24
(49:09) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the baby-brained ideas of the far right
DEEPER DIVES
(54:40) SECTION A: PANAMA
(1:16:10) SECTION B: MANIFEST DESTINY
(1:35:47) SECTION C: MUSK
(1:48:38) SECTION D: TRUMP 2.0
SHOW IMAGE
Description: Composite image of a vector drawing of a confused-looking Trump leaning on a podium with a globe and dice being rolled. A risk dial is on the front of the podium showing an increasing threat level.
Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman | Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
8 January 2025, 10:54 pm - 20 minutes 38 secondsBonus Edition #332 Transgressive Thoughts in a Villain Era
Air Date: 1-6-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Why people love villains - How plutocracy kills - Why the path forward is through membership organizations
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REFERENCES:
Democracy Is Not a Customer Loyalty Program
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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
6 January 2025, 2:09 pm - 1 hour 49 minutes#1680 The US puts the Hell in Health Care: For-profit insurance, Pharma, and the hatred and conspiracies they breed
Air Date 1/4/2025
The murder of a health insurance CEO being met with widespread approval and the risk of going backward on life-saving vaccines pretty much sums up the current state of our approach to health care in this country.
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KEY POINTS
KP 3: The Dark History Behind RFK Jr.'s Health Policies - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-11-24
KP 4: Vaccine skepticism Will the new Trump admin axe the polio vaccine - The ReidOut - Air Date 12-13-24
KP 6: The Health Care Crisis Is The Democracy Crisis - The Lever - Air Date 12-17-24
(48:31) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the racist history of opposing universal health care
DEEPER DIVES
(53:28) SECTION A - RFK Jr.
(1:07:08) SECTION B - Luigi Mangione
(1:22:43) SECTION C - United Health Care
(1:41:01) SECTION D - Health Care History
SHOW IMAGE
Description: A cropped photo of two people holding a handmade sign that says “Healthcare for people NOT for profit!”
Credit: “Demand SINGLE PAYER Expanded & Improved Medicare for All HR 676 Now Protest” by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0
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4 January 2025, 3:56 pm - 1 hour 5 minutes#1554 Destroying Education and Democracy for Fun and Profit (Throwback)
Original Air Date: 4/19/2023
Today, we take a look at the history and present of the interconnected movements to privatize education and dismantle democracy.
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SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Segrenomics: The Long History of Cashing In On Unequal Education - Have You Heard - Air Date 1-3-18
Ch. 2: Democracy and Public Education: A Future in Peril - Have You Heard - Air Date 8-12-21
Ch. 3: The Hidden Agenda of Privatization with Jessica Piper (pt.1) - Teach Me, Teacher - Air Date 10-31-21
Ch. 4: Betsy DeVos Is Still Making Moves to Destroy Public Schools - The New Abnormal - Air Date 4-1-23
Ch. 5: The Surprising History Behind Charter Schools - WBUR - Air Date 11-4-16
Ch. 8: Diane Ravitch on Pandemic School Privatization - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-22-20
Ch. 9: Racism-High-Stakes Disaster Education | Dr. Ricardo Rosa - TEDxCCSU - Air Date 11-24-15
Ch. 10: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE NEWS - Air Date 10-12-22
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
31 December 2024, 10:30 am - 2 hours 42 minutes#1679 The Middle East War Process: Syria's Transition, Israel's Expansion, and Beyond
Air Date 12/28/2024
Decades of dictatorial rule in Syria have come to an end, leading to something else to be determined. Israel sprang into action taking control of Syrian land on their border. And no one seems to care what the US thinks of all this, which is telling.
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]
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Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon)
Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience!
KEY POINTS
KP 1: Assad Ousted From Syria - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-10-24
KP 2: Assad downfall: Is the Arab Spring back from the dead? - Middle East Eye - Air Date 12-14-24
KP 4: Why is Israel bombing Syria? - The Take - Air Date 12-17-24
(53:44) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On closing out the year
DEEPER DIVES
(56:35) SECTION A - THE SYRIAN PEOPLE
(1:38:56) SECTION B - ISRAEL
(2:03:38) SECTION C - HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND THE PROXY WAR
SHOW IMAGE
Description: The sun shining through a Syrian flag flying in the breeze against a clear sky.
Credit: “Close up of Syrian flag” by Ahmed akasha, Pexels | License: Pexels
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
28 December 2024, 2:26 pm - 1 hour 9 minutes#1566 Wrestling with Ethical Consumption Under Capitalism (Throwback)
Original Air Date: 6/13/2023
Today, we take a look at the struggle to act ethically, at least by our own measure if there's not a universally-agreed standard to compare with, relating to the purchase of both the necessities of life we all need as well as the more luxury items that get added on top.
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected]
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)
Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon)
Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience!
SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: No ethical consumption under capitalism: short deep dive - @professor_neil - Air Date 4-13-23
Ch. 3: "Separating Art vs. the Artist" doesn't work for Harry Potter - Kuncan Dastner - Air Date 4-14-22
Ch. 5: Ethical Consumption - Pullback - Air Date 3-7-23
Ch. 7: Ethical Capitalism: Is It Possible? - Wise Crack - Air Date 7-19-21
Ch. 9: Conscious Consumerism: Does it make a difference - Roundtable - Air Date 7-10-19
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
25 December 2024, 10:30 am - More Episodes? Get the App
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