Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy – Détails, épisodes et analyse

Air Date: 5/20/2026

Today we examine how the Trump administration is quietly reshaping its unpopular immigration crackdown by moving enforcement out of public view. Plus, we explain how anti-immigration politics is spreading through the post-colonial world, highlighting how it's reshaping political parties and public debate in the UK, Canada, and Australia.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 1 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26

KP 2: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 1 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26

KP 3: Does Legal Immigration Still Exist Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 2-23-26

KP 4: What TPS Recipients Might Experience if They're Sent Back to Haiti - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 4-30-26

KP 5: How The British Made The Far Right Acceptable Daniel Trilling Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 5-11-26

KP 6: How To Beat The Anti-Immigration Playbook Zoe Gardner Part 1 - Bold Politics with Zack Polanski - Air Date 9-10-26

(00:53:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

How ICE Hands Billions to Trump's Donors

DEEPER DIVES

(01:05:43) SECTION A: THE RESET IS THEATER

A1: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 2 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26

A2: Trumps ICE Detention Scam with Katie Blankenship Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-28-26

A3: Kornacki Large Number of Independents Strongly Disapprove of Trumps Immigration Agenda - NBC News - Air Date 2-11-26

A4: Trump Voters REBEL Against Proposed ICE Detention Centers In Their Backyard - The Logical Leftist - Air Date 1-12-26

A5: Border Czar Promises Mass Deportations On the Way - The DSR Network - Air Date 5-7-26

A6: US President Backs ICE Rebrand Amid Scrutiny as Poll Shows Trump's Immigration Approval Falling - WION - Air Date 4-28-26

(01:42:03) SECTION B: DUE PROCESS DISMANTLED

B1: Does Legal Immigration Still Exist Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 2-23-26

B2: Trump Vs. Dreamers Justice Dept. Moves to Make It Easier to Deport 500K+ DACA Recipients - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-26

B3: Supreme Court Appears to Lean Toward Ending TPS for Some Migrants - Trump's Terms - Air Date 4-30-26

B4: Study Finds Trump Administration Cut Legal Immigration Far More Than Illegal Crossings - PBS Newshour - Air Date 4-14-26

(02:08:29) SECTION C: THE GLOBAL FAR-RIGHT PLAYBOOK

C1: Starmer Out Pressure Grows on U.K. PM to Resign as Far-Right Reform Party Surges in Local Elections - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-11-26

C2: "Reform" Of A Lifelong Forever Racist Party In The UK; Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana Today....The Whole USA Tomorrow - The Politicrat - Air Date 5-8-26

C3: White Supremacy Is a Massive Issue in Canada What's Fuelling the Far Right Part 1 - The Truth - Air Date 2-23-26

C4: Angus Taylors Trumpian Immigration Plan Part 1 - Full Story - Air Date 4-15-26

C5: How The British Made The Far Right Acceptable Daniel Trilling Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 5-11-26

C6: White Supremacy Is a Massive Issue in Canada What's Fuelling the Far Right Part 2 - The Truth - Air Date 2-23-26

C7: Angus Taylors Trumpian Immigration Plan Part 2 - Full Story - Air Date 4-15-26

(03:06:00) SECTION D: STAKES AND RESISTANCE

D1: Can Illinois Hold the Feds Accountable for Immigration Crackdown - Consider This From NPR - Air Date 4-28-26

D2: Trumps ICE Detention Scam with Katie Blankenship Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-28-26

D3: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 2 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26

D4: How To Beat The Anti-Immigration Playbook Zoe Gardner Part 2 - Bold Politics with Zack Polanski - Air Date 9-10-26

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 5/15/2026

Today we examine what it would actually take to claw back democracy from billionaire capture — and why some people think it's more possible than it looks. We'll hear about California's proposed billionaire wealth tax, AOC's vision for change that doesn't depend on positional power, and why Peter Thiel's new "AI Tribunal of Truth" may have accidentally revealed exactly what the ruling class fears most.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Possible 2028 White House Run - C-SPAN - Air Date 5-8-26

KP 2: One State Found a Way to Make Billionaires Pay. Your State Could Be Next. - More Perfect Union, Inequality Media Civic Action, & Robert Reich - Air Date 4-1-26

KP 3: Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 1-19-26

KP 4: Jeff & Lauren Bezos Make 'Gratitude Lists' as AMAZON WORKERS DIE AT WORK - Brittany Page - Air Date 4-14-26

KP 5: Why Philanthropy [STILL] Isn't the Answer with (with Anand Giridharadas) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 5-5-26

KP 6: The Case Against Billionaires | Chuck Collins - Washington Monthly - Air Date 1-5-26

(00:47:44) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Who Owns the Upside?

DEEPER DIVES

(00:59:03) SECTION A: TECH POWER, SURVEILLANCE, AND THE END OF TRUTH

A1: Do Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead? (with Taylor Lorenz) - Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff - Air Date 2-18-26

A2: The End of Work: Why Your Kids Won't Have Careers in 15 Years - Trevor Noah - Air Date 4-19-26

A3: This Is Actually Terrifying - Struthless - Air Date 4-16-26

(01:23:24) SECTION B: BEZOS, AMAZON, AND THE HUMAN COST

B1: "Tax the Rich" Is Hate Speech!? - PissedMagistus - Air Date 5-11-26

B2: Why I Support The California Billionaire Tax - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 4-7-26

(01:32:00) SECTION C: HOW THE TAX CODE BUILT THE ARISTOCRACY

C1: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy / Ray Madoff Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-13-25

C2: The Second Estate: Where Billionaires Don't Pay. You Do. (with Ray D. Madoff) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-14-26

C3: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy / Ray Madoff Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-13-25

C4: The $79 Trillion Price of Inequality (with Carter Price) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-24-26

(02:08:11) SECTION D: IDEOLOGY OF CAPITAL

D1: Why Liberals Always Side with Fascists - Michael Burns - Air Date 4-15-26

D2: How Capitalist Propaganda Sneaks Into TV Shows - Marcus Werner - Air Date 4-17-26

D3: The Capitalist Mindset - The Market Exit - Air Date 9-9-25

(02:34:00) SECTION E: MARKETS IN THE MIND

E1: Clavicular Is What Marx Warned Us About - Harper O'Connor - Air Date 5-10-26

E2: How Oligarchs Hijacked America in Just 16 Year - Benaminute - Air Date 4-30-26

(02:55:22) SECTION F: BUBBLE, BACKLASH, AND THE WAY FORWARD

F1: It Will Be 17 Times Worse Than the .com Crash - Upper Echelon - Air Date 5-7-26

F2: How to Live a Life That (actually) Matters - The Market Exit and Rutger Bregman - Air Date 9-19-26

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 4/17/2026

Today we examine how the U.S. war with Iran has exposed the deep structural rot at the heart of American power, the global economic catastrophe quietly building beneath the surface, and the cuts felt at home in order to pay for it all.

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: Excerpt, "Cross of Iron" Speech, 1956 - Dwight D. Eisenhower

KP 2: White House Accidentally Releases Video of Trump Saying the Truth About War's Priority - The Briefing with Jen Psaki - Air Date 4-2-26

KP 3: Lets Talk About Fertilizer - Paul Krugman - Air Date 3-21-26

KP 4: Why Israels Bombing of Lebanon Means All Our Futures Are at Stake - The Independent - Air Date 4-9-26

KP 5: Will There Even Be a "Ceasefire"? - Drop Site News - Air Date 4-9-26

KP 6: The TV War That Backfired - Brendan Miller - Air Date 3-20-26

KP 7: Why the US Couldnt Force a Deal with Iran - LBC - Air Date 4-12-26

KP 8: Hormuz Crisis _Only Going to Get More Horrific Before It Gets Any Better__ Prof. Laleh Khalili - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-16-26

KP 9: Dwight D Eisenhower - Farewell Speech - Address to the Nation - Military Industrial Complex Warning - War and Military Documentaries - Air Date 1-17-61

(00:52:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Eisenhower Warned Us: Trump's $1.5T Military Budget Is Gutting America

DEEPER DIVES

(01:03:57) SECTION A: LEBANON UNDER ATTACK

(01:29:29) SECTION B: THE WORLD DEDOLLARISES

(01:49:40) SECTION C: WORLD ECONOMY IN PERIL

(02:21:45) SECTION D: THE MORAL ROT OF WAR PROFITEERING

(02:46:42) SECTION E: THE DAMAGE OUR MILITARY DOES

(03:06:15) SECTION F: MAKING CHINA GREAT AGAIN

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: A composite image showing a satellite image of the Straight of Hormuz  behind a screenshot of Trump's post that says "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again…."

Credit: Internal composite design. Image: "Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz." by Jacques Descloitres, NASA | Public Domain

Air Date 8/12/2025

The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month, we're covering the full spectrum of authoritarian threats—military in the streets, surveillance in our phones, conspiracies in our feeds, and corruption at the top—before turning to the grassroots organizers and Democratic Socialists who are building the resistance and winning.

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PART 1: DIRECT STATE VIOLENCE

(00:01:34) #1719 - The Fascist Playbook: Immigrants, Brown Shirts, and the Backlash

1: Tanks on DC's Streets and a Us Senator in Handcuffs - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 6-14-25

2: Papers, Please Hayes Flags New Police Tactic Trend in Trumps America - All in w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 6-19-25

3: Palantir Peter Thiel's Data-mining Firm Helps Doge Build Master Database to Surveil Immigrants - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-3-25

(00:22:14) #1722 - Imbalance of Powers: The Supreme Court and Executive Branch Collude for Unchecked Power Grab

4: SCOTUS May End Birth Right Citizenship Soon - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-30-25

5: The Injunction Ban, Explained - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-30-25

6: 'Lawlessness Will Flourish': Scotus Justice Issues Chilling Warning After Major Ruling - The Beat - Air Date 6-27-25

PART 2: SYSTEMIC DESTRUCTION

(00:39:30) #1723 - Scam Nation: Trumpism is the Art of Screwing You Over in Every Way Possible

7:  Is AI Productivity Worth Our Humanity w/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25

8:  Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger Mcnamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk, & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25

8: The Real Reason Investors Are Going All in on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25

(01:02:26) #1721 - The Evolution of the Military Industrial Complex: Now with AI!

10: Is AI Productivity Worth Our Humanity w/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25

11: Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger McNamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25

12: The REAL Reason Investors Are Going All In on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25

PART 3: REALITY MANIPULATION

(01:23:14) #1725 - A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies

13:  Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different - Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25

14: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25

15: The Real Conspiracy Behind the Texas Floods - More to the Story - Air Date 7-16-25

(01:42:48) #1726 - Epstein Forever: Trump flails as criticism finally comes from inside the MAGA house

16: Epstein Files Firestorm Shows the Power of Online Conspiracy - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 7-8-25

17: Epstein Conspiracy, or Epstein Conspiracy Theory? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 7-7-25

18: Epstein Survivor Calls for Accountability: Release the Files, End Impunity for Rich, & Powerful Abusers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-18-25

19: We Tracked Every Visitor to Epstein Island - Wired - Air Date 11-22-24

Part 4: Global Chaos

(02:12:24) #1718 - On the Path to Destruction: Israel Attacks Iran as Support for War on Gaza Drops

20: Jon Stewart on Israel's "Urgent" Iran Strike, Minnesota Murders & Maga's Blame Game - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-16-25

21:  "A Show of Human Solidarity": Ex-U.S. Diplomat to Join Global March to Gaza to Break Israel's Siege - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-10-25

(02:32:30) #1727 - Super-Powered Men For Good and Ill: Fascism, Media, and the Manoshpere

22: Tired of Putin's 'Bullshit': Trump Reverses, Says Us Should Send Weapons to Ukraine - Erin Burnett Outfront - Air Date 7-8-25

23: The Next Generation of Maga Influencers - Some More News - Air Date 5-28-25

24:  Brief Mehdi Hasan vs Jordan Peterson - Conspirituality - Air Date 7-26-25

PART 5: BUILDING RESISTANCE

(02:54:25) #1720 - Building an Organized Left, the Eternal Oxymoron

25: Ralph Nader's Message to Doomers: "Stop Making Excuses!" - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-22-25

26: "We Fight for Working People with No Apology": Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in Nyc Mayoral Primary - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-25-25

27: Is Protesting Ineffective? | Penny for Your Thoughts - Dasia Sade - Air Date 6-23-25

(03:21:46) #1724 - How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better?

28:  Mamdani's Spectacular Victory w/ Alan Minsk - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 7-2-25

29: 'The Economy Is Rigged": Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-25

30: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump Never Will - UNFTR Media - Air Date 7-15-25

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 8–10-25

Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was on vacation!) discuss:

• How modern fascism does not look like the jarring and brutal images people think of, and the "rituals of conformity" in Nazi Germany that remind us of another era we've lived through
• How despotism affects the citizen psyche and how to counter those effects
• The importance of countering Orwellian language under fascism
• Advice on living under authoritarianism, with a big focus on community for sanity and resistance
• BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only): A look at the way societies have collapsed throughout history and where the U.S. falls in the pattern

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Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e

REFERENCES:

Life in authoritarian states is mostly boring and tolerable - Vox

Rituals of Conformity in Nazi Germany - The Montreal Review

The Psychological Impact of Despotism on Citizens: Development Implications - GaradeSud

The Language of Surrender - Notes from the Circus

How to Live Under Authoritarianism (And Protect the People You Love) - Dispatch Revolution

BACKSTAGE:

History shows that societies collapse when leaders undermine social contracts - Phys.org

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Air Date 8/10/2025

Trump has been condemning the media for all of his professional life and is pretty open about doing it so that people won't believe the negative press he so richly deserves. Now, with the power of the presidency, he's turned his battle with the press into a protection racket complete with payoffs and side deals in an attempt to turn the media into pro-Trump propaganda.

Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

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PART 1: DIRECT STATE VIOLENCE

(00:01:34) #1719 - The Fascist Playbook: Immigrants, Brown Shirts, and the Backlash

1: Tanks on Dc's Streets and a Us Senator in Handcuffs - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 6-14-25

2: Papers, Please Hayes Flags New Police Tactic Trend in Trumps America - All in W/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 6-19-25

3: Palantir Peter Thiel's Data-mining Firm Helps Doge Build Master Database to Surveil Immigrants - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-3-25

(00:22:14) #1722 - Imbalance of Powers: The Supreme Court and Executive Branch Collude for Unchecked Power Grab

4: SCOTUS May End Birth Right Citizenship Soon - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-30-25

5: The Injunction Ban, Explained - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-30-25

6: 'Lawlessness Will Flourish': Scotus Justice Issues Chilling Warning After Major Ruling - The Beat - Air Date 6-27-25

PART 2: SYSTEMIC DESTRUCTION

(00:39:30) #1723 - Scam Nation: Trumpism is the Art of Screwing You Over in Every Way Possible

7: Is Ai Productivity Worth Our Humanity W/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25

8: Empire of Ai: Karen Hao & Roger Mcnamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25

8: The Real Reason Investors Are Going All in on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25

(01:02:26) #1721 - The Evolution of the Military Industrial Complex: Now with AI!

10: Is AI Productivity Worth Our Humanity w/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25

11: Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger McNamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25

12: The REAL Reason Investors Are Going All In on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25

PART 3: REALITY MANIPULATION

(01:23:14) #1725 - A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies

13: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different Part 2- Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25

14: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25

15: The Real Conspiracy Behind the Texas Floods - More to the Story - Air Date 7-16-25

(01:42:48) #1726 - Epstein Forever: Trump flails as criticism finally comes from inside the MAGA house

16: Epstein Files Firestorm Shows the Power of Online Conspiracy - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 7-8-25

17: Epstein Conspiracy, or Epstein Conspiracy Theory? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 7-7-25

18: Epstein Survivor Calls for Accountability: Release the Files, End Impunity for Rich & Powerful Abusers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-18-25

19: We Tracked Every Visitor to Epstein Island - Wired - Air Date 11-22-24

Part 4: Global Chaos

(02:12:24) #1718 - On the Path to Destruction: Israel Attacks Iran as Support for War on Gaza Drops

20: Jon Stewart on Israel's "urgent" Iran Strike, Minnesota Murders & Maga's Blame Game - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-16-25

21: "A Show of Human Solidarity": Ex-u.s. Diplomat to Join Global March to Gaza to Break Israel's Siege - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-10-25

(02:32:30) #1727 - Super-Powered Men For Good and Ill: Fascism, Media, and the Manoshpere

22: Tired of Putin's 'bullshit': Trump Reverses, Says Us Should Send Weapons to Ukraine - Erin Burnett Outfront - Air Date 7-8-25

23: The Next Generation of Maga Influencers - Some More News - Air Date 5-28-25

24: Brief Mehdi Hasan Vs Jordan Peterson - Conspirituality - Air Date 7-26-25

PART 5: BUILDING RESISTANCE

(02:54:25) #1720 - Building an Organized Left, the Eternal Oxymoron

25: Ralph Nader's Message to Doomers: "stop Making Excuses!" - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-22-25

26: "We Fight for Working People with No Apology": Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in Nyc Mayoral Primary - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-25-25

27: Is Protesting Ineffective? | Penny for Your Thoughts - Dasia Sade - Air Date 6-23-25

(03:21:46) #1724 - How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better?

28: Mamdani's Spectacular Victory W/ Alan Minsk - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 7-2-25

29: 'The Economy Is Rigged": Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-25

30: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump Never Will - Unftr Media - Air Date 7-15-25

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date 8/6/2025

Today's slate of topics may feel disjointed at first until you realize that they're not. We set out to produce an episode in which we explored powerful men and those who look up to them from various angles and so that ended up including both real and fictional men from supervillains to superheroes.

Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Tired of Putin's 'Bullshit': Trump Reverses, Says Us Should Send Weapons to Ukraine - Erin Burnett Outfront - Air Date 7-8-25

KP 2: What Does Trump See in Putin? Part 1 - The Foreign Affairs Interview - Air Date 3-14-25

KP 3: Russia's Indoctrination Machine Ft. Ian Garner Part 1 - The New Liberal Podcast - Air Date 5-31-25

KP 4: The Next Generation of Maga Influencers Part 1 - Some More News - Air Date 5-28-25

KP 5: Why the Right Hates James Gunn's Superman and Loves the Snyderverse Part 1 - Cinema Survivors - Air Date 7-16-25

KP 6: Super Mad About Superman Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-18-25

KP 7: Brief Mehdi Hasan Vs Jordan Peterson Part 1 - Conspirituality - Air Date 7-26-25

KP 8: Mehdi Hasan Jubilee Debate Left Me Speechless Part 1 - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-22-25

(01:02:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On why supporting the rich and powerful is pathetic

DEEPER DIVES

(01:10:31) SECTION A: RUSSIA

(01:46:10) SECTION B: MANOSPHERE

(02:21:33) SECTION C: DEBATE CULTURE

(03:39:51) SECTION D: SUPERMAN/MEDIA

Original Air Date: 7–22-2023

Today, we take a look at the action needed to curb and adapt to the extreme weather that climate change is already delivering

Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Climate and Energy Journalist Andrew Freedman on the Spate of Record-Shattering Extreme Weather - The BradCast - Air Date 7-10-23

Ch. 2: Bill McKibben Climate Crisis Needs Urgent Action as Earth Records Hottest Temps Ever - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-7-23

Ch. 3: Climate and Energy Journalist Andrew Freedman on the Spate of Record-Shattering Extreme Weather Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 7-10-23

Ch. 4: Emily Sanders on How Not to Interview an Oil CEO, Kaufman & Bozuwa on Fighting Climate Disrupters - CounterSpin - Air date 7-7-23

Ch. 5: Climate Precipice & Israel's Palestinian Expulsion w Bill McKibben, Basel Adra - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-12-23

Ch. 6: To Be Forewarned The Historical Record on Climate Change - WhoWhatWhy - Air date 7-14-23

Ch. 7: Disaster Unpreparedness - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-13-23

Ch. 8: How Will the Next Generation of Cities Address the Challenges of Climate Change? - VOX - Air Date 6-15-23

Ch. 9: Emily Sanders on How Not to Interview an Oil CEO, Kaufman & Bozuwa on Fighting Climate Disrupters Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air date 7-7-23

Ch. 10: Rep. AOC Reintroduces the Green New Deal on its 4th Anniversary - RepAOC - Air Date 4-20-23

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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Air Date: 8-1-25

Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:

• The impact of A.I. LLM "friend" bots on childhood development
• How using A.I. LLMs negatively impacts critical thinking and information retention
• The importance of understanding how A.I. LLM tools work before using them
• The ways in which A.I. LLM tools could and shouldn't help movements on the Left, and evaluating the risks
• BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!) - The Gen Z Stare, and the incidents of A.I. LLM-induced psychosis

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REFERENCES:

AI Will Never Be Your Kid's Friend - The Atlantic

ChatGPT May Be Eroding Critical Thinking Skills, According to a New MIT Study - Time

MIT researchers say using ChatGPT can rot your brain. The truth is a little more complicated - The Conversation

What Happens When People Don't Understand How AI Works - The Atlantic

Steve Jobs on Why Computers Are Like a Bicycle for the Mind (1990) - The Marginalian

Progressive grassroots activist groups must adopt AI or risk irrelevance - Sacramento Bee

Final Thoughts & A Warning: AI as a Tool, Not a Substitute for Thinking - Harvard Kennedy School - Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation

Can AI Chatbots Worsen Psychosis and Cause Delusions? - Psychology Today

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Produced by:

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Air Date: 7/31/2025

Who would have thought that a political movement built almost exclusively on conspiracy theories and a cult of personality would end up being threatened by the cult leader being implicated in the biggest and worst conspiracy coverup… even though it's been well documented for decades?

Content warning for detailed accusations leveled against Trump and Epstein by their alleged victims.

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Full Show Notes

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Epstein Files Firestorm Shows the Power of Online Conspiracy - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 7-8-25

KP 2: Trump Launches Wild Conspiracy Theory Smokescreen After Being Named in Epstein Files - What a Day - Air Date 7-24-25

KP 3: Epstein Conspiracy, or Epstein Conspiracy Theory? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 7-7-25

KP 4: Lame Duck Trump Can't Deny Epstein Shockers: Wolff - The Daily Beast Podcast - Air Date 7-18-25

KP 5: Why They're Protecting Jeffrey Epstein's Secrets (w/ Julie K. Brown) - Lever Time - Air Date 7-6-25

KP 6: Epstein Exposed: Trump, Mossad & the Elites Dark Secrets - Double Down News - Air Date 7-21-25

(00:51:26) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the role of human psychology in conspiracies and authoritarianism

DEEPER DIVES

(00:58:55) SECTION A: THE VICTIMS SHOULD BE THE FOCUS

A1: Epstein Survivor Calls for Accountability: Release the Files, End Impunity for Rich & Powerful Abusers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-18-25

A2: As State Department Office Combating Human Trafficking Faces Cuts, Former Leader Weighs in - Pbs Newshour - Air Date 7-8-25

A3: How Miami Herald's Investigation & Jeffrey Epstein Survivors Helped Blow up a Sweetheart Deal - Miami Herald - Air Date 12-19-19

A4: Documentary: Who Is Jeffrey Epstein, Accused of Sexually Abusing Teen Girls? - Miami Herald - Air Date 11-29-18

(01:34:23) SECTION B: BROKEN NEWS: WE'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE

B1: William Barr Pretends to Care About Jeffrey Epstein's Demise - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 8-2-25

B2: The 'completely Unprecedented' Plea Deal Jeffrey Epstein Made with Alex Acosta - Pbs Newshour - Air Date 7-18-19

(01:49:11) SECTION C: IS THERE A DEEPSTATE?

C1: Chris Hedges: Trump, Epstein and the Deep State - The Chris Hedges Youtube Channel - Air Date 7-2-25

C2: 'Big Revelation': Fbi Was Ordered to Flag Epstein Records Mentioning Trump, Says Senator - All in with Chris Hayes - Air Date 7-18-25

C3: What's Really Going on Between Ghislaine Maxwell and Trump's Justice Department #1680 - David Feldman Show - Air Date 7-22-25

(02:14:19) SECTION D: ENIGMAS NEVER DIE

D1: Who Is Leslie Wexner? Narrated by Margaret Cho - Nowthis - Air Date - 12-13-21

D2: Jeffrey Epstein, Donald Trump and Sexual Blackmail Networks (w/ Nick Bryant) - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 7-16-25

D3: We Tracked Every Visitor to Epstein Island - Wired - Air Date 11-22-24

(02:39:05) SECTION E: THE MEDIA IS BAD THIS

E1: Desperate Distractions Have Trump Caught in a Time Warp?! - Internet Today - 7-22-25

E2: BREAKING: Trump Is Confirmed in the Epstein Files | Hasanabi Reacts - Hasanabi Productions - Air Date 7-23-25

E3: The Trumpepstein Story Is Not a Conspiracy Theory - Rebecca Watson (skepchick) - Air Date 7-16-25

(03:02:29) SECTION F: TRUMP & HIS BASE

F1: The Epstein Files Are Not Going Away | Explainer - Heather Cox Richardson - Air Date 7-22-25

F2: Mehdi Hasan: Why the Dems Are 'failing' on Trump's Epstein Scandal - Lbc - Air Date 7-23-25

F3: Flirting with Civil War: Trumps Dangerous New Rhetoric - Mallen Baker - Air Date 7-24-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Photo of a bus stop in the UK with a large photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump. An unidentifiable person in a hoodie and yellow vest is closing the bus stop frame.

Credit: "Put this photo everywhere for Trump's UK visit" via Crowdfunder by user Everyone Hates Elon | Changes: Cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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