Air Date 11/20/2024

We're in the phase where prejudice still exists but it has become socially unacceptable to openly express it - but to deny the impact on our politics just because people don't admit to their prejudice would be to completely misunderstand the nature of the issue.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: The Racism of MAGA Is as American as Apple Pie Nina Turner on Trump & 2024 Election - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-31-24

KP 2: Some Americans Are Already Living in Trump’s Purge - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-1-24

KP 3: Why You Shouldn't Buy the Election Narrative About Black Men - Reveal - Air Date 10-23-24

KP 4: Trumps Nazi Rally at MSG Perfectly Reflected Republican Values - The New Abnormal - Air Date 10-29-24

KP 5: “The Confederacy Won” Why Donald Trump’s Reelection Is a Win for White Supremacy, Xenophobia & Hate - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-6-24

KP 6: Trump campaign was built on 'hate' which has contributed to 'racial terror' NAACP exec - MSNBC - Air Date 11-8-24

KP 7: The Hard Truth About Why Harris Was the Wrong Choice for America Part 1 - The New Abnormal - Air Date 11-6-24

(51:52) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the shifting landscape of social media

Follow BotL: Bluesky, Mastadon, Threads

Our Bluesky Starter Pack

Sky Follower Bridge: Find accounts that have migrated from Twitter to Bluesky

The OpenVibe app for cross-network access to new social sites

DEEPER DIVES

(56:28) SECTION A - A MIRROR FOR AMERICA

(1:25:17) SECTION B - WHITE SUPREMACY FOR THE WIN

(1:49:19) SECTION C - REVERBERATION

(2:09:22) SECTION D - WHAT NOW

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Air Date 11/15/2024

Today’s episode is a remix of multiple past episodes but was inspired by one in particular from just back in July of this year, #1645, when we were making a point of demonstrating what a sham the idea of conservative economic populism is. Well, now that Trump has been reelected - seemingly because regular folks were hoping he’d fix the economy for them - we thought we’d take this moment to highlight the difference between right wing and left wing economic populism.

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CHAPTERS

1: How progressives need to frame their economic message - @theLFshow w: @GRITlaura Flanders - Air Date 12-29-14

2: It’s time to stop relying on crisis legislation (with Lindsay Owens) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 8-4-20

3: “He’s a Fake” Robert Kuttner on How J.D. Vance Disguises His Anti-Worker Views as Economic Populism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-16-24

4: JD Vance, Phony Populism on the Right, the Republican National Convention, and Democratic Party Messaging w Ben Burgis - Parallax Views - Air Date 7-22-24

5: Europe's Circular Economy Action Plan - euronews - Air Date 11-24-20

6: What is Economic Democracy? - The Next System Project - Air Date: 3-1-16

7: Responding to Tim Scott & J.D. Vance on Poverty - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-16-24

8: The Tragic Cost of American Child Poverty w: Jeff Madrick - The Majority Report w: Sam Seder - Air Date 10-7-20

9: Dispelling some myths about worker coops - Economic Update w: @profwolff - Air Date 6-12-16

10: Sean O'Brien faces criticism from Teamsters Vice President for RNC appearance - The Real News Network - Air Date 7-19-24

11: Amsterdam's "doughnut economy" puts climate ahead of GDP - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-24-21

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 11/12/2024

It's easy enough to look into one industry at a time to see what's going wrong, but today we're looking at what is so often lurking in the background of higher prices, lower quality goods and services, and, ultimately, many failing businesses: Private Equity.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Why Does Everyone Hate Private Equity? - The Plain Bagel - Air Date 9-20-24

KP 2: How Private Equity Consumed America - Wendover Productions - Air Date 5-7-24

KP 3: How private equity conquered America - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 3-1-24

KP 4: Warren Calls for Ownership Transparency for Private Equity in Health Care - Senator Elizabeth Warren - Air Date 7-12-24

KP 5: BlackRock: The Conspiracies You Don’t Know - More Perfect Union - Air Date 9-15-24

(48:16) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On getting through this together

DEEPER DIVES

(53:11) SECTION A - HOW IT WORKS

(1:30:42) SECTION B - POWER

(2:03:28) SECTION C - SOLUTIONS

SHOW IMAGE

Description: The words “Private Equity” are typed out  on paper on a clipboard, surrounded by $20 and $100 bills and a pair of glasses.

Credit: “Private Equity” by Nick Youngson, Pix4free.org | License: CC BY-SA 3.0  | Changes: Slightly cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 11/8/2024

The Best of the Left team holds a special post-election discussion available to all listeners to present the initial takes on the election as well as our own reactions and suggestions for how to move forward.

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A few worthwhile reads that gave inspiration for some of our discussion:

Democrats Blow Their Chance to Block Trump’s Resurgence - The Intercept (Discussing the Genocide in Gaza)

Harris and the Democrats Committed to a Rightward Lurch — and Lost Big Time - Truthout (Courting moderate Republicans)

Donald Trump’s Second Term Is Joe Biden’s Real Legacy - The New Yorker

I’m a Gen Z man. Here’s why so many of my peers supported Donald Trump - Fast Company (Revenge of the Bros)

This Time We Have to Hold the Democratic Party Elite Responsible for This Catastrophe - The Nation

10 Ways We Can Prepare for Another Trump Presidency - Truthout

Air Date 11/5/2024

There's big money in politics, and then there's 2024. The role and influence of billionaires have taken on new shapes and patterns as the threat of fascism has made itself undeniably known. From the candidate and campaigners to those acquiescing to the mere threat of power, billionaires are everywhere you look at this election season.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Why Elon Musk Went Full MAGA - Reveal - Air Date 10-30-24

KP 2: Elon Musks War on Workers - 5-4 - Air Date 10-29-24

KP 3: Elon Musk Is SO Bad At This - The Majority Report - Air Date 11-3-24

KP 4: The Trump White Supremacy Festival and Hootenanny - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 10-29-24

KP 5: Ballots Burn in WA, OR; Billionaire WaPo, LATimes owners 'Obey in Advance - The BradCast - Air Date 10-28-24

KP 6: The Trump White Supremacy Festival and Hootenanny Part 2 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 10-29-24

KP 7: How Trump could steal the election - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-29-24

(00:54:26.000) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On how to feel about the road ahead

DEEPER DIVES

(00:59:57.000) SECTION A - DEMOCRACY DYING IN DAYLIGHT

A1: Ballots Burn in WA, OR; Billionaire WaPo, LATimes owners 'Obey in Advance Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 10-28-24

A2: TYT Explodes Over Calling Trump 'Fascist' - The Majority Report - Air Date 11-1-24

(01:17:32.000) SECTION B - ACTUAL ELECTION INTERFERENCE

(01:39:40.000) SECTION C - ELON MUSK THE BILLIONAIRE

(02:04:16.000) SECTION D - TRUMP THE FASCIST

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 11/2/2024

The cult of Trump isn't just about Trump, it's religion and patriarchy reacting to a moment of global economic and climactic instability. But those organizing the religious right aren't just reacting to their environment, they've also been planning for a very long time.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Extremist White Christian Nationalists Prepping For War w Brad Onishi - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-16-24

KP 2: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation - Ideas - Air Date 10-18-24

KP 3: MAGA's 'Young Male Voter' Plan Hits Bottom Of The Barrel - The Majority Report - Air Date 10-22-24

KP 4: JD Vance Joins Lance Wallnau in Spiritual Warfare - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-14-24

KP 5: Ziklag Exposed Secretive Christian Nationalist Network Tries to Purge Voters in Battleground States - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-30-24

KP 6: Spirit & Power Episode 4 Take Back that Which Was Stolen from Us The Charismatic Rituals of the Religious Right - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 10-17-24

KP 7: Unfcking Flashback The American Propaganda Machine. - UNFTR - Air Date 10-12-24

(54:31) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On susceptibility to manipulation

DEEPER DIVES

(59:43) SECTION A - THE MOVEMENT

(1:18:09) SECTION B - TRUMP AND ELECTION

(1:36:04) SECTION C - PATRIARCHY AND RACE

(1:55:36) SECTION D - AMERICAN CHRISTIAN

SHOW IMAGE

Description: A woman with blonde hair wears a Trump campaign flag as a cape while praying on her knees with both arms in the air.

Credit: “Fascism Worship”, 2016, by Johnny Silvercloud, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Increased brightness and contrast

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 10-31-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - How neoliberalism is fucking up renewable energy transitions - Marketing and why the viral Stanley Cup never should have gone viral - How big tech is heavily surveilling school kids without any oversight - How the fossil fuel industry has infiltrated higher education 

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REFERENCES: Germany’s Green Transition Is Faltering

This $23 Stanley Cup Accessory Fixes Your Biggest Complaint About the Tumbler

How the ex-marketing whiz behind Crocs helped turn Stanley into the "it" cup

How the Stanley Cup Went Viral

School Surveillance Earns Tech Companies Billions. Students Pay the Price.

Here’s How the Fossil Fuel Industry Infiltrates and Influences Higher Education

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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!

Air Date 10/29/2024

Trump has only come close to perfecting the grift of the American conservative, he certainly didn't invent the strategy. Today we look at some current and past grifts and explore why they work.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: GRIFT-GOBLIN Donald Trump is Selling HILARIOUSLY CRAPPY Gold Watches Now!!! - Jesse Dollemore - Air Date 9-27-24

KP 2: The "Dirtbag of the Internet" and Trump's Crypto Project - Bloomberg Technology - Air Date 9-13-24

KP 3: Controlling the Weather and Eating Pets: Expert Breaks Down Disinformation - Amanpour and Company - Air Date 10-18-24

KP 4: Down the Rabbit Hole w/ Naomi Klein - The Dig - Air Date 10-8-24

KP 5: Media Literacy Can't Save Us Part 1 - Dummy - Air Date 10-7-24

KP 6: How did grifters like Trump take over the GOP? - The Bunker - Air Date 9-25-24

(48:03) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the scam of political fundraising

DEEPER DIVES

(56:06) SECTION A - GRIFT

A1: Russell Brand Has A New Grift - Novara Media - Air Date 10-16-24

A2: GRIFTER-CON Morons Did Not Disappoint - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 10-1-24

A3: Russell Brand And The Conspiracy Grift - Media Matters - Air Date 1-2-24

A4: Some Grifters Who Finally Faced Consequences – SOME MORE NEWS -Air Date 9-25-24

(1:28:27) SECTION B - SCAMS

(1:50:18) SECTION C - CONSPIRACY

(2:19:48) SECTION D - MISINFORMATION

SHOW IMAGE

Description: Graphic showing a large pile of triangular warning signs with the word “SCAM” inside.

Credit: “traffic-signs-attention-notice” by Gerald, Pixabay | License: Pixabay

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Original Air Date: 2/14/20223

Today, we take a look at some origins, alternatives and misunderstandings of capitalism from the Dutch East India Company, to Adam Smith and up through the planned obsolescence and marketing that have tricked us all into working far harder than necessary while failing to make us happy.

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Indigenous Economics with Tyson Yunkaporta (In Conversation) - Upstream - Air Date 11-10-21

Ch. 2: Transcending Capitalism Insights from Buddhism and Marxism - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 1-3-23

Ch. 3: We don't understand Capitalism. Part One - UNFTR - Air Date 1-27-23

Ch. 4: Your Work Is Not Your Worth - OFF-KILTER with Rebecca Vallas - Air Date 10-21-22

Ch. 5: We don't understand Capitalism. Part Two. - UNFTR - Air Date 1-27-23

Ch. 6: Economics for a New Year - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 1-19-23

Ch. 7: Indigenous Economics with Tyson Yunkaporta (In Conversation) Part 2 - Upstream - Air Date 11-10-21

Ch. 8: Transcending Capitalism Insights from Buddhism and Marxism Part 2 - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 1-3-23

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 10/22/2024

This is your one-stop reference guide to every issue that is being wrongly blamed on immigrants as the Trump campaign rhetoric turns evermore fascist and xenophobic.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Deportation First Trump and Harris Compete for Latinx Votes While Pushing Anti-Immigrant Policies - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-16-24

KP 2: Escaping Otherism Why Dr. Seuss Could Never Find a Rhyme for Genocide - Crazy Town - Air Date 6-12-24

KP 3: The Real Reason Trump Is Demonizing Immigrants - The Lever - Air Date 10-11-24

KP 4: 'Villains nor victims' Why immigration is good for our economy - Velshi - Air Date 6-2-24

KP 5: Escaping Otherism Why Dr. Seuss Could Never Find a Rhyme for Genocide Part 2 - Crazy Town - Air Date 6-12-24

KP 6: Prof Richard Wolff A FUTURE WITHOUT FEAR OF IMMIGRANTS - The Zero Hour - Air Date 10-12-24

(38:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Giving a quick list of immigration lies

DEEPER DIVES

(42:07) SECTION A - MIS/DISINFORMATION

A1: How is Trump winning the US immigration debate - Anywhere but Washington - Air Date 10-10-24

A2: FEMA is running low on disaster money, but not because funds went to housing undocumented migrants - Verify - Air Date 10-7-24

(50:26) SECTION B - REALITY CHECK

(1:08:30) SECTION C - OTHERING

(1:26:35) SECTION D - SOLUTIONS

SHOW IMAGE CREDIT

Description: Trump, with a serious expression, stands at a lectern and points out into the crowd.

Credit: “Donald Trump” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 10-20-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Yet another GOP animal abuse horror - Why weather machine conspiracy theories took off so easily - The questionable UAE organization trying to control rain with cloud seeding - Why more extreme weather isn't swaying certain voters on climate change - Talking about climate change through a patriotic lens - Bonus Segment: The surprising origins of Don't Mess with Texas

REFERENCES: New NRA Chief Once Tortured a Cat to Death

MTG Implies Dems Created Hurricane Helene: ‘They Can Control the Weather’

Marjorie Taylor Greene - U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene cited patents as proof of weather control. That's Pants on Fire!

The New Gods of Weather Can Make Rain on Demand—or So They Want You to Believe

Extreme Weather Has Had a Surprising Impact on Voters’ Attitudes About Climate Change

Kamala Harris Framed Climate Action as a Patriotic Duty. New Research Shows Why That’s Effective.

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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!