Explore every episode of the podcast Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1573 Confronting Climate Chaos with Action and Adaptation (Throwback) | 03 Aug 2025 | 01:07:33 | |
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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) SHOW NOTES 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. 10: Rep. AOC Reintroduces the Green New Deal on its 4th Anniversary - RepAOC - Air Date 4-20-23 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #17 - How to Use the Bullsh*t Machine: A.I. LLMs’ insertion into childhood, school, work, and movements | 02 Aug 2025 | 00:20:57 | |
Air Date: 8-1-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
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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: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1726 Epstein Forever: Trump flails as criticism finally comes from inside the MAGA house | 31 Jul 2025 | 03:29:05 | |
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. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS 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 (01:34:23) SECTION B: BROKEN NEWS: WE'VE HEARD THIS BEFORE (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 (02:14:19) SECTION D: ENIGMAS NEVER DIE D1: Who Is Leslie Wexner? Narrated by Margaret Cho - Nowthis - Air Date - 12-13-21 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 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 Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1725 A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies | 28 Jul 2025 | 02:58:47 | |
Air Date: 7-27-2025 Back when I worked in the climate movement, just after the turn of the century, we knew that the extreme weather we were warning about would become ever-more clear to see in people's lived experiences and assumed that any doubts people had about the science of climate change would be wiped away with the evidence they could see with their own eyes as weather became more intense and less predictable. Of course, we didn't foreseen that we were headed straight into the eye of a storm of partisan conspiracism that would fully take over a third of the political spectrum. But here we are, head for high ground. The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue by Mike TidwellBe 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 Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different - Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25 KP 3: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters Part 1- Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25 KP 4: Republicans Get Exposed on Fox Live - The Adam Mockler Show - Air Date 7-10-25 KP 6: The Real Conspiracy Behind the Texas Floods - More to the Story - Air Date 7-16-25 KP 7: Disasters, Natural and Man-made Part 1 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-8-25 (00:51:08) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why we need to fight ignorance with research The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue by Mike TidwellDEEPER DIVES (00:57:45) SECTION A: FLOOD DETAILS A1: Texas Flooding Tragedy Was Both Predictable and Predicted Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-7-25 A2: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different Part 2- Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25 A3: Texas Flooding Tragedy Was Both Predictable and Predicted Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-7-25 A4: This Is Not a Good Time to Cut Funding for Weather Forecasting - Even More News - Air Date 7-8-25 (01:33:24) SECTION B: FASCIST REGIME B2: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters Part 2 - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25 B5: Disasters, Natural and Man-made Part 2 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-8-25 (02:13:59) SECTION C: CLIMATE POLICY CAPTURE C1: A Brighter Climate Future Really Part 1 - The Insurgents - Air Date 7-12-25 C2: The War on Climate Change Policy W/ Lauren Windsor Part 1- The Majority Report - Air Date 7-18-25 C4: The War on Climate Change Policy W/ Lauren Windsor Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-18-25 C5: How the 'big Beautiful Bill' Is Bad for the Climate Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-8-25 C6: A Brighter Climate Future Really Part 2 - The Insurgents - Air Date 7-12-25 C7: How the 'big Beautiful Bill' Is Bad for the Climate Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-8-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photograph of a damaged bridge in Kerr County, TX over the high river running under it in the wake of the deadly July flood. Credit: “Texas Floods Devastate Local Communities” by World Central Kitchen, Flickr | License: CC BY 4.0 | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1724 How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better? | 23 Jul 2025 | 03:47:42 | |
Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump NEVER Will - UNFTR Media - Air Date 7-15-25 KP 3: Why We Don't Revolt - Confronting Capitalism with Vivek Chibber - Air Date 6-18-25 KP 4: Socialism for Absolute Beginners - Second Thought - Air Date 5-6-22 KP 6: What If We Ran The Economy? - Andrewism - Air Date 2-3-25 (00:47:58) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the US being inwardly focused to our own detriment DEEPER DIVES (00:57:10) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT A1: Socialism Is Better Than Capitalism...Right? - Hakim - Air Date 1-31-21 A2: SOCIALISM: An In-Depth Explanation Part 1 - Ryan Chapman - Air Date 8-27-22 A3: Einstein's Socialism - Against the Grain - Air Date 11-25-24 A4: Why Women Have Better Sex Under Socialism - Balkan Odyssey - Air Date 11-22-24 A5: SOCIALISM: An In-Depth Explanation Part 2 - Ryan Chapman - Air Date 8-27-22 (01:45:23) SECTION B: FAILURE TO LAUNCH B1: Envisioning Socialist Futures: Planning the Economy Part 1 – 1Dime Radio Podcast - Air Date 8-30-24 B2: Why Are People Scared of Socialism? - Make Your Damn Bed - Air Date 6-27-25 B3: "Socialism Always Fails": A Dishonest Claim (3 Times It Worked) - overzealots - Air Date 9-4-24 (02:16:09) SECTION C: CAPITALISM SUCKS C1: American Healthcare is a Nightmare - Second Thought - Air Date 3-17-25 C2: "Socialism Leads to Dictatorship": Debunked (3 Times Capitalism Did) - overzealots - Air Date 3-1-25 (02:42:05) SECTION D: MAMDANI D1: Mamdani’s Spectacular Victory w/ Alan Minsk - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 7-2-25 (02:55:29) SECTION E: VISION OF THE FUTURE E1: Envisioning Socialist Futures: Planning the Economy Part 2 – 1Dime Radio Podcast - Air Date 8-30-24 E2: Could Socialism Fix American Healthcare? - The Real News Network - Air Date 12-19-24 E3: It's Time To Abolish Debt - Andrewism - Air Date 7-1-25 E5: How To Prevent Collapse - Our Changing Climate - Air Date 3-14-25 E6: What Can We Do When The System Fails Us? - Andrewism - Air Date 4-23-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Image of a fist bursting out of the desolate, rocky ground. Credit: “Fist-struggle-revolution” by olenchic, Pixabay | Pixabay License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #16 - Under Pressure: Aiming Higher to Fix Societal Problems | 22 Jul 2025 | 00:20:26 | |
Air Date: 7–22-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
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REFERENCES:
Exploring portable benefits for gig workers - Brookings Institute Ride-Hailing Apps Make Traffic Worse - And Now They’re Admitting It - Futurism Tipping Is Racist and Harms Us All — It’s Past Time to Eliminate It - Inequality.org Expanding food banks is no substitute for tackling poverty, charities warn - The Guardian GoFundMe Is The New FEMA - Wessiler via Substack GoFundMe Is a Boon for Disaster Survivors. Especially the Wealthy Ones. - The New York Times How GoFundMe Perpetuates Myths of Merit and Deservingness - MIT’s The Reader GoFundMe CEO - Dropout.tv For Trump’s ‘no taxes on tips,’ the devil is in the details - The Conversation
EXTRAS: Snopes: Investigating claims Kerr County rejected Biden admin's $10M offer to improve flood warning systems - Snopes via Yahoo News Study Erin mentions at 00:28:38 showing those in lower economic class think they are higher than they are. - Marketplace Did politics delay approval of Kerr County life-saving infrastructure? - Chrom.com (Former Houston Chronicle digital))
TAKE ACTION: In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Find your Indivisible group - or start one
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1375 The Militia Movement is Having a Moment (Throwback) | 18 Jul 2025 | 01:09:48 | |
Original Air Date: 10–16-2020 Today we take a look at the history and origins of the American militia movement right up to the recent plot to kidnap the Governor of Michigan, the likelihood of more violence and the high probability that they will show up at polling places on Election Day. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads! Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Just months after President Trump tweeted for his supporters to "LIBERATE MICHIGAN!" the FBI has foiled an alleged plot to kidnap and take hostage Democratic Governor of Michigan Gretchen Whitmer. Ch. 2: Ohio has long history with militias; 2020 saw a surge in activity - WBNS 10TV - Air Date 10-9-20 A group of men plotting to kidnap the governor of Michigan met in Dublin. Heidi Beirich, co-founder of the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism, and Daryl Johnson, owner of DT Analytics and former senior analyst at the Department of Homeland Security, discuss the implications for the upcoming election. Ch. 4: Mary McCord on Unlawful Militias - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-9-20 Mary McCord, a law professor at Georgetown University & legal director at the school's Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection and an expert on unlawful militias that manage to be part of the political landscape while somehow escaping media. Ch. 5: Great Replacement Theory - RE-EDUCATION - Air Date 8-16-19 This theory has become mainstream. Armed vigilantes and militia groups are showing up to Black Lives Matter protests across the country. Ch. 7: Robert Evans Are We In a Second Civil War? - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 10-13-20 Robert Evans explains what we need to do to avoid a second Civil War Belew explains white supremacy is a cultural, social and political problem not just the pathology of a small number of people, what "white power" means, and how white supremacist and other right-wing foot soldiers preparing for various forms of "race war" Donald Trump told his followers to "liberate Michigan". They answered by attempting to kidnap Governor Whitmer. SHOW IMAGE: "aIMG_0841" & "cIMG_1169b" & "01IMG_7336" by Becker1999 (Paul and Cathy), Flickr | License | Changes: Composite of 3 different images, cropped, added black background and red design
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1723 Scam Nation: Trumpism is the Art of Screwing You Over in Every Way Possible | 16 Jul 2025 | 04:39:27 | |
Air Date 7/16/2025 It increasingly feels like we are completely past the era of legitimate differences in political philosophy and policy preferences. Now that the Republican governing style has been completely consumed by Trumpism, we've entered the era of scam politics which fits nicely with Trump's traditional retail scams, capitalism's continual reinvention of financial scams, and the new age of crypto scams. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 2: Make America Uninsured Again Part 1- Today, Explained - Air Date 7-2-25 KP 5: The Big Beautiful Bill, Explained Part 1- Leeja Miller - Air Date 7-2-25 KP 6: Why Private Equity Is Buying Hospitals & Shutting Them Down - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-26-25 (00:56:27) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how desperation drives scams and how progressive populism can turn the tide A Pale Blue Dot of Anxiety: Why humans commit despicable acts (SOLVED #9 — 5-23-25) DEEPER DIVES (01:03:55) SECTION A: BIG BEAUTIFUL SCAM A1: Make America Uninsured Again Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 7-2-25 A2: The Big Beautiful Bill, Explained Part 2 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 7-2-25 A5: Trump Accounts A Drop in the Leaky Bucket Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 6-19-25 A9: Trump Accounts A Drop in the Leaky Bucket Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 6-19-25 (02:39:46) SECTION B: TRUMPS PERSONAL SCAMS B2: Vietnam Sidesteps Their Own Laws To Give Trump A MAJOR Bribe - Ring of Fire - Air Date 5-27-25 B3: Trump LOSES IT as ABC host Calls OUT MAJOR Scam - MeidasTouch - Air Date 6-2-25 (03:19:19) SECTION C: OTHER SCAMS C2: EXPOSED 90 Deals In 90 Days Trump Scam IMPLODES Spectacularly - Secular Talk - Air Date 7-7-25 C5: Rule by Private Equity w Megan Greenwell Part 1 - Behind the News - Air Date 7-7-25 C7: Rule by Private Equity w Megan Greenwell Part 2 - Behind the News - Air Date 7-7-25 C9: Who Wins in Trumps Deregulation Spree - Robert Reich - Air Date 7-8-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite of a high contrast image of Trump smirking and giving a thumbs up, over the outline of the US filled in with the flag, and the word SCAM over his chest. Credit: Composite design A. Hoffman. Elements from Pixabay. Trump, Scam, US | License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #15 - This is Propaganda Country: The Grotesque, Cruel, & Artificial Aesthetics of Modern Fascism | 14 Jul 2025 | 00:19:11 | |
Air Date: 7–13-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: ⁃ The calculated, propaganda motives behind “Mar-a-Lago face” and bizarre MAGA hyper-femininity ⁃ How MAGA uses Kristi Noem’s “Border Barbie” vibes to attempt to soften its vicious immigration policy, and project victimization ⁃ How bad AI imagery is now the look of modern fascism ⁃ The cruelty of the White House X account - a propaganda machine of memes (run by Groypers) ⁃ The Right’s psychopathic treatment of immigrants, and bracing ourselves for what’s coming next ⁃ …and more in BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (MEMBERS ONLY!) FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: MAGA glam isn’t about beauty — it’s about politics - Vox The “Delicate, Beautiful, Tiny” Fascism of Kristi Noem - Mother Jones AI: The New Aesthetics of Fascism - New Socialist The Gleeful Cruelty of the White House X Account - The Atlantic The Right’s Cruelty to Immigrants Is Psychopathic - Current Affairs EXTRAS: @Novaramedia and @blindboyboatclub (The video on Trump and wrestling that Erin couldn’t recall during the show!) MEMBERS ONLY Systems are crumbling – but daily life continues. The dissonance is real - The Guardian TAKE ACTION: July 17th - National Day of Action - Good Trouble Lives On One Million Rising Trainings In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Find your Indivisible group - or start one Write to the DNC Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening!
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| #1722 Imbalance of Powers: The Supreme Court and Executive Branch Collude for Unchecked Power Grab | 12 Jul 2025 | 03:18:29 | |
Air Date 7/12/2025 The idea of the founders was to separate and balance the powers of the federal government and that, as Madison wrote, that ambition would counteract ambition. The problem we face now is that the ambition of the Supreme Court is to give as much power as possible to the executive branch because, ironically, they seem to be nostalgic for a king. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 2: The Shadow Docket and How the Supreme Court Uses It - Bloomberg Law - Air Date 11-3-21 KP 3: SCOTUS Clears the Way for Trump's Lawlessness - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 6-30-25 KP 4: Hot Shadow Docket Summer with Leah Litman Part 1 - Justice By Design - Air Date 6-20-25 (00:50:22) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the One Million Rising activist trainings from Indivisible.org DEEPER DIVES (00:56:04) SECTION A: SHADOWY & FUTURE RULINGS (01:25:26) SECTION B: THE IMPLICATIONS (01:50:55) SECTION C: THE GOP'S JUDGES (02:25:22) SECTION D: DICTATOR TRUMP (02:46:07) SECTION E: SORT OF POSITIVE I GUESS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of the conservative justices on the Supreme Court in front of a giant, elaborate gold frame with a painting of an angry-looking Trump in king/general regalia and tie. Credit: Composite design A. Hoffman. Elements: Portrait of Supreme Court Justices, Public Domain | Other elements from Pixabay. License
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
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| #1721 The Evolution of the Military Industrial Complex: Now with AI! | 09 Jul 2025 | 03:10:12 | |
Air Date 7/9/2025 It's an old joke that "military intelligence" is a good example of an oxymoron so I just asked an AI chatbot to finish a joke about what a military becomes when they implement artificial intelligence. It said, "an oxymoron squared - or as the generals call it, "strategically enhanced stupidity with a confidence interval of 95%" which is not funny but still managed to be pretty on point regarding the dangers of overconfidence that inevitably follows from the implementation of new technology. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: Empire of AI w/ Karen Hao - Why Is This Happening - Air Date 6-3-25 KP 2: The REAL Reason Investors Are Going All In on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25 KP 3: The New Military Industry Complex w Sam Biddle Part 1- Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 6-5-25 KP 4: Jeff Hauser on DOGE After Musk, Katya Schwenk on Boeing Deal - CounterSpin - Air Date 6-6-25 (00:55:20) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the coming merger between big tech and the military DEEPER DIVES (01:00:39) SECTION A: SURVEILLANCE A2: The Shady World of Surveillance Pricing (Ft. Lina Khan) - Robert Reich - Air Date 6-10-25 A4: Empire of AI w/ Karen Hao Part 2 - Why Is This Happening - Air Date 6-3-25 A5: Cool Science Radio - Air Date 1-16-25 (01:32:18) SECTION B: MILITARIZED CAPITALISM B1: The New Military Industry Complex w/ Sam Biddle Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 6-5-25 B2: Spotify Changed Everything but Here's the Truth About Daniel Ek - Gibsunday - Air Date 6-30-25 (02:01:38) SECTION C: COMPANIES VS REGULATION C1: Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech w/ Laís Martins Part 1 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 6-19-25 C3: Brazil's Battle to Rein In Big Tech w/ Laís Martins Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 6-19-25 (02:29:40) SECTION D: HUMAN DRAIN D1: If AI Can Do Your Classwork, Why Go to College Part 1- The Gray Area - Air Date 6-30-25 D3: The Growing Environmental Impact of AI Data Centers Energy Demands - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-25-25 D4: If AI Can Do Your Classwork, Why Go to College Part 2 - The Gray Area - Air Date 6-30-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #14 - How to Be An Imperfectionist: Fighting the infighting and building a resilient Left movement | 08 Jul 2025 | 00:20:41 | |
Air Date: 7–7-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
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REFERENCES: The Left Needs to Learn the Difference Between Imperfect Allies and Our True Opponents - Films for Action “America Has No Left Wing” with Vivek Chibber - Factually with Adam Conover (Only between time codes 27:36-52:20) Building Resilient Organizations: Toward Joy and Durable Power in a Time of Crisis - Convergence Magazine The Left is Eating Itself - First Person from The New York Times American Politics Only Pretends to Work - The New Republic
MEMBERS ONLY: It’s Nice to Be right - New York Magazine “MAMDANI” via @astorwalk on Instagram
TAKE ACTION: July 17th - National Day of Action - Good Trouble Lives On Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Find your Indivisible group - or start one
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
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| #1376 Tell Stories, Not Myths- America is a Force But Not Always For Good (Throwback) | 04 Jul 2025 | 01:01:36 | |
Original Air Date: 10-21-20 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 or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) SHOW NOTES Ch. 2: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20 Ch. 3: American Empire Part 1 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 5: 2020 Hindsight on Iraq - Open Source with Christopher Lydon - Air Date 1-9-20 Ch. 6: American Empire Part 2 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 7: American Empire Part 3 - Scene on Radio - Air Date 4-29-20 Ch. 7: The Always Stumbling US Empire - Citations Needed - Air Date 10-25-17 Ch. 9: The Other 9/11: Part One - Making Contact - Air Date 9-3-13 Ch. 10: Empire Unhinged with Aslı Bâli & Aziz Rana Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 6-11-20
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1720 Building an Organized Left, the Eternal Oxymoron | 02 Jul 2025 | 04:01:42 | |
Air Date 7/2/2025 The militarization of Trump's deportation regime and response to protesters is the clearest example of his desire to implement a fully authoritarian government. Pure and simple. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: America Hates The Left & We Need A Plan - Olurinatti - Air Date 12-8-24 KP 2: America Has No Left Wing with Vivek Chibber - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 6-18-25 KP 3: What's 'Left' in America?: The Moral Apathy of Liberal Optimism - Cheyenne Lin - Air Date 9-2-24 KP 4: Ralph Nader’s Message to Doomers: "Stop Making Excuses!" - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-22-25 KP 5: The Worst People in Politics Are LOSING IT Over Zohran Mamdani - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-25-25 (00:45:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to fund the politics we need DEEPER DIVES (00:56:26) SECTION A: PROTESTS (01:25:24) SECTION B: HISTORY & INFIGHTING (02:01:22) SECTION C: SUBVERSION & THE RIGHT (02:38:02) SECTION D: ORGANIZING (03:24:46) SECTION E: THEORY SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a grid of multi-colored Zohran Mamdani political posters that say “Zohran For Mayor” and a photo of Zohran. Credit: “Zohran for Mayor” by Eden, Janine and Jim, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 Changes: Cropped and expanded background Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #13 - How to Make Enemies and Influence People | 01 Jul 2025 | 00:21:56 | |
Air Date: 6–30-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
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REFERENCES: Trump's Manufactured Crisis and the Urgency of Strategic Nonviolence - In These Times A Song of “Full Self-Driving”: Elon Isn’t Tony Stark. He’s Michael Scott. - The Bulwark They Always Call You Unrealistic - Current Affairs The Gobs of Money and Lack of Vision at the Heart of Centrism - In These Times Red Tape Isn’t the Only Reason America Can’t Build - The Atlantic SOLVED! SONG! Concepts: Human Intelligence * Song: Artificial Intelligence: “Make Some Enemies” inspired directly by SOLVED! #13: “How to Make Enemies and Influence People” (June 30, 2025)
TAKE ACTION: Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials about stopping the Big Stupid Cruel Bill Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 July 17th - National Day of Action - Good Trouble Lives On Find your Indivisible group - or start one
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Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1719 The Fascist Playbook: Immigrants, Brown Shirts, and the Backlash | 28 Jun 2025 | 04:12:04 | |
Air Date 6/28/2025 The militarization of Trump's deportation regime and response to protesters is the clearest example of his desire to implement a fully authoritarian government. Pure and simple. 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 Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 3: Trump, ICE, and the US War on Migrants - Red Flag Radio - Air Date 6-15-25 KP 5: Tanks On DCs Streets And A US Senator In Handcuffs - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 6-14-25 (01:00:15) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On protesting with a theory of change DEEPER DIVES (01:07:52) SECTION A: LA PROTESTS AND CIVIL UNREST A4: ICE Raids Continue As LA Fights Back - The Insurgents - Air Date 6-13-25 A5: A Medical Perspective On Protest Safety - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 6-23-25 A7: A Medical Perspective On Protest Safety Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 6-23-25 (02:01:45) SECTION B: FASCIST PLAYBOOK B2: Protests in LA Posse Comitatus is Long Over. - UNFTR - Air Date 6-14-25 B3: The Brainless Propaganda of Stephen Miller - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-25-25 B6: Protests in LA Posse Comitatus is Long Over. Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 6-14-25 B7: The Brainless Propaganda of Stephen Miller Part 2 - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-25-25 (03:05:41) SECTION C: IMMIGRATION CONTEXT C2: Trump, ICE and the US War on Migrants Part 2 - Red Flag Radio - Air Date 6-15-25 C4: How White Fear Fuels The Age of Trump - The Truth Report - Air Date 6-13-25 (03:34:17) SECTION D: SURVEILLANCE D2: Trump's Plan To Surveil America - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-3-25 D4: Trump's Plan To Surveil America Part 2 - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-3-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a protest sign held in the air depicting a colorful drawing of a happy brown-skinned family surrounded by flowers. The text “No more detention” is at the top and “No more deportations. Abolish I.C.E.” is at the bottom. Credit: “Abolish ICE protest” by Master Stever Rapport, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 Changes: Cropped and expanded background
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1718 On the Path to Destruction: Israel Attacks Iran as Support for War on Gaza Drops | 25 Jun 2025 | 03:56:42 | |
Air Date: 6-25-2025 We thought we were going to have an episode about the war Israel is conducting ready for you last week but then they started another war. So, it would have felt odd to release an Israel episode without the latest major updates including Iran. I can only imagine what will happen between the time I speak these words and when you hear them that will make this episode feel out of date. What Happens When Bereaved Israelis and Palestinians Share Their Pain? Listening from the HeartBe 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: Why Is The Media Coverage of Israel vs Iran So Skewed? - Zeteo - Air 6-16-25 KP 3: The REAL Reason Israel Attacked Iran - uncivilized - Air Date 6-18-25 (00:40:25.) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the Parents Circle efforts for reconcilliation DEEPER DIVES (00:49:45) SECTION A: STARVATION A2: When Hunger Is a Weapon - Front Burner - Air Date 6-3-25 A4: Mara Kronenfeld on Israel’s Aid Blockade - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-16-25 (01:42:13) SECTION B: GAZA B1: The Israeli Government’s True Goal in Gaza - On Point - Air Date 6-5-25 B3: The State of the Gaza Negotiations and Ongoing Israeli Massacres - Drop Site News - Air Date 6-3-25 (02:08:26) SECTION C: NETANYAHU C1: Israel Allies With ISIS - To STARVE Gaza to Death - Owen Jones - Air Date 6-10-25 C2: Israeli Forces Open Fire at New Gaza “Aid” Site, as Netanyahu Rejects Ceasefire Deal Part 2 - Drop Site News - Air Date 5-27 (02:30:42) SECTION D: Historical & Media Context D1: Blowback: How Israel Helped Create Hamas - The Intercept - Air Date 2-20-18 D2: How Israel, the Media, & the West Set the Stage for Gaza’s Genocide - Zeteo - Air Date 6-10-25 (02:48:16) SECTION E: WAR WITH IRAN E2: Will the US Join the War With Iran? w/ Akbar Shahid Ahmed - American Prestige - Air Date 6-18-25 E3: Israel Attacks Iran w/ Séamus Malekafzali - American Prestige - Air Date 6-13-25 (03:13:15) SECTION F: PROTESTS F1: LIVE Interview From Gaza Flotilla as Threats Escalate - Empire Files - Air Date 6-4-25 F2: Piers Morgan's DISGUSTING Attack On Greta Thunberg - Novara Media - Air Date 6-9-25 F3: The Grassroots Movements to Break the Siege on Gaza - Drop Site News - Air Date 6-10-25 F4: Why Sisi Won't Lift the Gaza Blockade - Middle East Eye - Air Date 6-11-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description:Photo of a person holding a protest sign out their car window that says “Never again to anyone” with barbed wire across the text. Credit: “2014/08/16 #BlocktheBoat for Gaza” by Daniel Arauz, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #12 - Back to the…1980s? The Power of Nostalgia and Trump’s Reaganitis | 24 Jun 2025 | 00:20:30 | |
Air Date: 6–23-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
FOLLOW US ON:
REFERENCES: Donald Trump and the ’80s Aesthetic - Jacobin The 1980s Are Back, and Not in a Good Way - The New York Times Trump’s Big Fail: Making America the 1980s Again - Mother Jones Trump is What Happens When You Give a Landlord Power - Current Affairs
EXTRAS: “Wrestling is Drag” - Smartypants Dropout.tv https://youtube.com/shorts/zw9bNgKogUI
TAKE ACTION: Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials about stopping the Big Stupid Cruel Bill Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 July 17th - National Day of Action - Good Trouble Lives On Find your Indivisible group - or start one
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1717 Monthly-Ish Mix: Wealth Concentration, Knowledge Suppression, and Identity Exploitation: The Systems of Control of the Authoritarian Playbook | 21 Jun 2025 | 03:11:29 | |
Air Date 6/21/2025 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month, we're focusing on the way authoritarian movements operate across multiple fronts simultaneously to reshape society. 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 BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! PART 1: ECONOMIC CONTROL (00:01:20) #1707 Tariffied: Exposing Trump's Artless Deal (00:26:46) #1713 Yes, GOP Policies Really Are That Bad: Trump's Corruption and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (00:49:50) #1716 The Fight for Workers: Oligarchy and its Bipartisan Enablers PART 2: INFORMATION CONTROL (01:12:17) #1711 How It Started, How It's Going: Assessing the Flooded Zone Full of Shit (01:34:36) #1714 Trump's Anti-Knowledge Agenda is Inviting the Next Authoritarian Dark Age PART 3: SOCIAL CONTROL (02:12:57) #1710 The past is never dead. It’s not even past. Race, Religion, Culture and the Stories we Tell (02:30:51) #1712 Eugenics Redux: A Gilded Age Ideology Brought Back for the Second Gilded Age (02:53:26) #1715 The Weaponization of Antisemitism and Counterproductive Violence
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1716 The Fight for Workers: Oligarchy and its Bipartisan Enablers | 18 Jun 2025 | 03:26:08 | |
Air Date 6/18/2025 Critics of capitalism like us often advocate for the system to come to an end and be replaced with another that aligns better with human needs and continued existence. Well, it's possible that the system is close to having run its course and will be making way for something different. Unfortunately, the natural course of capitalism is to concentrate wealth and, by extension, power so that's what's happened and we're now getting close to basically reinventing feudalism. So, wrong direction. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads! KEY POINTS KP 1: The End of Capitalism: What comes next is worse. Part 1 - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 4-18-25 KP 3: Musk vs. Trump Quinn Slobodian on the Risks of Billionaire Rule - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-6-25 KP 5: Capitalism's Critics w John Cassidy - Behind the News - Air Date 6-5-25 KP 8: Shawn Fain's Radical Plan For 2028 - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-20-25 (01:00:31) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to snowball progressive policies DEEPER DIVES (01:10:12) SECTION A: NEO-LIBERALISM A4: The End of American Empire (w/ Richard Wolff) - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-3-25 A6: The End of American Empire (w/ Richard Wolff) Part 2 - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-3-25 (02:06:40) SECTION B: CORPORATE DEMOCRATS B1: How the Democrats Abandoned Workers - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 5-7-25 B2: The End of Capitalism: What comes next is worse. Part 2 - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 4-18-25 B3: Abundance Gang Wants To Crush Unions - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-7-25 B4: How the Democrats Abandoned Workers Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 5-7-25 B5: Abundance Gang Wants To Crush Unions Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-7-25 (02:57:58) SECTION C: LABOR AND RESISTANCE C1: An update on the longest ongoing strike in the US - Working People - Air Date 5-28-25 C3: Arizona Dems Say NO To Billionaire-Bought Primaries - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-11-25 C4: An update on the longest ongoing strike in the US Part 2 - Working People - Air Date 5-28-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a handmade protest sign held in the air that says “CAPITALISM IS KILLING US” Credit: “ClimateStrike-210924-4-1140371” by Mark Dixon, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped | |||
| #1612 New Tech and the New Luddite Movement; Inequitable Distribution of Benefits from New Technology Always Sparks Demands from Labor and AI is Rekindling the Old Arguments (Throwback) | 13 Jun 2025 | 00:58:19 | |
Original Air Date: 2-20-2024 "Luddite" should never have become the epithet that it is as the Luddites were never afraid of or opposed to technological advancement, they only opposed the exploitation of workers and the degradation to society that came with the unfair distribution of the benefits of the targeted technology. 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 Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The New Luddites - SHIFT - Air Date 2-14-24 Ch. 2: Being a Luddite Is Good, Actually ft. Jathan Sadowski - Left Reckoning - Air Date 5-29-21 Ch. 4: This is not good - jstoobs (TikTok) - Air Date 2-16-24 Ch. 5: The ACTUAL Danger of A.I. with Gary Marcus Part 1 - Factually! - Air Date 7-2-23 Ch. 6: The Left Luddites and the AI Accelerationists - torres - Air Date - 5-15-23 Ch. 8: The ACTUAL Danger of A.I. with Gary Marcus Part 2 - Factually! - Air Date 7-2-23 Ch. 9: The anti-tech movement is back. - Alice Cappelle - Air Date 6-15-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: An 1812 block print of “The Leader of the Luddites” depicting a man in disheveled early 1800s clothing and missing one shoe leading other men up a hill while a building burns in the background. Credit: “The Leader of the Luddites”, Messrs | Working Class Movement Library catalog | Public Domain Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1715 The Weaponization of Antisemitism and Counterproductive Violence | 11 Jun 2025 | 02:36:28 | |
Air Date: 6-11-2025 Following the 2023 attack and counterattack between Israel and Hamas which brought the simmering conflict into the mainstream of American politics, we're now living with the opportunistic weaponization of antisemitism being used as a pretext to crack down on anti-Israel protests and universities that just aren't teaching a Trump-aligned curriculum. Meanwhile, genuinely inexcusable antisemitism is being either condemned or excused by Israel supporters based more on political affiliation than the danger posed to Jews. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: I Am Not Your Pawn - Rabbi Sharon Brous | Purim 5785 - IKAR - Air Date 3-8-25 KP 2: U.S. Jewish Anti-Zionism - Against the Grain - Air Date 4-2-25 KP 3: Who Are ‘JINO Jews’ and Why Do Conservatives Hate Them? - Zeteo - Air Date 3-6-25 KP 5: CNN Attempts To Make 'Free Palestine' Offensive - The Rational National - Air Date 5-23-25 KP 6: The Antisemitism Panic Part 1 - matt bernstein - Air Date 5-30-25 (00:50:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why violence makes for a terrible theory of change DEEPER DIVES (00:59:36) SECTION A: FREE SPEECH A3: Harvard professor hits back at Trump administration - LBC - Air Date 5-24-25 (01:28:03) SECTION B: WEAPONIZATION B3: Why the U.S. is pausing all student visa interviews - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-28-25 B4: The Antisemitism Panic Part 2 - matt bernstein - Air Date 5-30-25 (01:59:28) SECTION C: INDEFENSIBLE C1: Palestinian BABIES are the ENEMY - Israeli politician - Owen Jones - Air Date 5-23-25 (02:11:29) SECTION D: BACKFIRE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A metal placeholder with the Star of David on it resting between two pages of the Torah. Credit: “Star of David emblem” via Ri_Ya, Pixabay | Pixabay license Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #11 - Culture War Distractions While the Oligarchs Rob You Blind | 10 Jun 2025 | 00:24:25 | |
Air Date: 6-8-25 BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
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REFERENCES: Trump’s Attack on Harvard Marks a New Phase in the Culture War - New York Magazine There’s No Trumponomics Without the Tradwife - New York Magazine To Stop Losing the Culture Wars, Learn From Gay Marriage - Jacobin I Can’t Believe We’re Still Arguing About This - The New York Times Democrats Can Avoid Trump’s Culture-War Traps - Jacobin
SOLVED! SONG! “Rob You Blind” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #11: “Culture War Distractions While the Oligarchs Rob You Blind” (June 8, 2025)
TAKE ACTION: June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action Find your Indivisible group - or start one Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1714 Trump's Anti-Knowledge Agenda is Inviting the Next Authoritarian Dark Age | 06 Jun 2025 | 03:50:49 | |
Air Date 6/6/2025 Today, Trump's administration is doing everything in its power to end the era of educational dominance the US has enjoyed for decades. The simple fact that explains the change is that democracy used to be valued across the political spectrum while todays Republican Party is authoritarian and understands that an educated public is a public that demands democracy while an uneducated public is much easier to manipulate and oppress. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: How Trump has reshaped the federal workforce - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-29-25 (01:00:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On what will fill the gap left by anti-intellectualism DEEPER DIVES (01:07:27) SECTION A: ANTI-SCIENCE (02:27:53) SECTION B: ANTI-HIGHER EDUCATION (02:56:38) SECTION C: ANTI-PUBLIC GOODS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: An illustrated image of an arm and hand holding up a protest sign with an image of a brain on it. Credit: “brain icon mind thinking” via Mohamed_hasan, Pixabay | Pixabay license | |||
| #1597 The rise of fascism around the world driven by economic insecurity (Throwback) | 03 Jun 2025 | 01:03:12 | |
Original Air Date: 12-8-2023 Neoliberalism has created a lot of economic suffering and insecurity in addition to weakened social ties over the past few decades. And now, in what may be the most devastating result of the ideology yet, neoliberalism may be leading much of the world toward fascism bolstered by legitimate grievances about economic precarity which are coopted by the false promises of right-wing populism. Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Far-right extremism on the rise around the globe - The ReidOut with Joy Reid - Air Day 11-28-23 Ch. 5: Media Coverage of the Trump Movement is Missing Vital Context - On the Media - Air Date 11-29-23 | |||
| SOLVED! #10 - The Old Guard is Dying | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:23:26 | |
Air Date: 6–2-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:
FOLLOW US ON:
REFERENCES: Don’t Expect Art To Save Us - Current Affairs To Be a Consumer of Culture Means Living in a Hostage Situation - Slate (from 2023) The Problem Goes Well Beyond Biden - Current Affairs The Democratic Party Is Literally Dying - The Nation Inside the Democrats’ Reboot - Time The DNC Executive Committee Meeting via Progressive Hub
SOLVED! SONG! “Push” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #10: “The Old Guard is Dying” (June 2nd)
TAKE ACTION: June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action Find your Indivisible group - or start one Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1713 Yes, GOP Policies Really Are That Bad: Trump's Corruption and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act | 30 May 2025 | 03:12:04 | |
Air Date 5/30/2025 Given the overwhelming weirdness of Trump and his malfeasant style of governance, it would be perfectly understandable for casual observers to believe that his signature piece of legislation, weirdly named in reality the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," was itself also likely to be pretty weird; a potential departure from usual Republican Party policy priorities. In reality, what's weird is how deeply normal it is: take from the poor and give to the rich while letting corporations get away with murder. Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: All the president's side hustles - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-15-25 KP 5: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill is Baloney - The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich - Air Date 5-17-25 (00:55:49) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why seeing is not believing and how that helps Republicans DEEPER DIVES (01:02:25) SECTION A: CORRUPTION (01:45:05) SECTION B: BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL (02:19:13) SECTION C: IMPACT SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image depicting Trump giving a speech at a podium with his hands out and an image of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s face in a circle over his shoulder. Text over the image reads “THE BIG CRUEL STUPID BILL” Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo credit: “President of the United States Donald J. Trump at CPAC 2017 February 24th 2017” by Michael Vadon, Flickr | CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Darkened overlay and text and image overlays | “Mike Johnson” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped into circle with darker overlay | |||
| #1712 Eugenics Redux: A Gilded Age Ideology Brought Back for the Second Gilded Age | 27 May 2025 | 03:25:11 | |
Air Date 5/27/2025 Slippery slope arguments persist because good ideas taken to extremes become bad ones. Eugenics exemplifies this—often starting with good intentions. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 2: MAHA's Soft Eugenics - Conspirituality - Air Date 3-8-25 KP 3: It Must Be Eugenics - I Must Be BUG'N - Air Date 4-24-25 KP 4: Hayek's bastards w/ Quinn Slobodian - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 3-30-25 KP 6: Undercover inside a ‘scientific racism’ network - Today in Focus - Air Date 10-25-24 (00:49:40) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the likely future of gene editing ethics DEEPER DIVES (01:02:09) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT (01:44:19) SECTION B: RFK JR. ON AUTISM (01:59:39) SECTION C: TECH BROS (02:46:44) SECTION D: PRONATALISM (03:05:05) SECTION E: MAGA SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image depicting HHS Secretary RFK Jr. at a microphone in the center of an overlay of repeating, identical “people” icons. A handful of icons are different, bright neon colors and have a red X in a box over them. Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Elements from Pixabay. Photo credit: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, background color change, and added overlay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SPECIAL MEMBERS EDITION! Myths, Vampires, and Sinners (the movie!) - SPOILERS! | 26 May 2025 | 00:17:13 | |
Air Date: 5-26-25 *CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE “SINNERS”* You thought you were going to listen to SOLVED! today, and you're not alone. We also thought we were going to make an episode of SOLVED!, but this turned into something a little bit different. So, we're calling it a “special” in which Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss storytelling and mythology in general, and the extremely relevant and fascinating themes of the new Ryan Coogler film “Sinners,” in particular. Because storytelling is the process by which humans attempt to understand ourselves, it is, by its nature, never ending.
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REFERENCES: Humans are not the only animals that create their own culture - Earth.com Ancient Myths in Modern Times: Illuminating Bygone Legends Through Technology - Connolly Cove The Vampire in Mythology: Analyzing the Symbolic Meanings and Archetypes of Vampire Figures - Mythology Worldwide “Sinners” - A film by Ryan Coogler starring Michael B. Jordan
TAKE ACTION: June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action Find your Indivisible group - or start one Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1355 I Can't Breathe, The Three Words That Define an Era (Throwback) | 24 May 2025 | 01:11:28 | |
Original Air Date: 6/29/2020 From 2020: Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Ch. 3: George Floyd, you, me… us - Jim Hightower - Air Date 6-9-20 Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 1 - Tysky Sour, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Ch. 6: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 2 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20 Ch. 8: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 3 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20
Produced by Jay! Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1711 How It Started, How It's Going- Assessing the Flooded Zone Full of Shit | 21 May 2025 | 03:05:15 | |
Air Date: 5-21-2025 A popular MAGA refrain is, "promises made, promises kept." The key is having known which promises to take seriously. Weaponizing the government against his enemies and attempting to wield dictatorial power, sure. Benefit his supporters or the working class more broadly, or rid the government of waste, fraud, or corruption... not so much. BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: 100 Perfect Days - Pod Save America - Air Date 4-29-25 KP 3: There is no president, really - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-26-25 KP 4: 100 days of payback - Today, Explained - Air Date 4-29-25 KP 6: 100 Days of Hypocrisy - Main Justice - Air Date 4-29-25 KP 7: A Trumped Up Police State Is Coming Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-8-25 KP 8: 100 Days of Chaos Skye Perryman - Future Hindsight - Air Date 5-1-25 (52:39) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the upcoming No Kings protest on June 14 DEEPER DIVES (57:36) SECTION A: EXECUTIVE POWER (1:35:05) SECTION B: IMMIGRATION & FORCE (1:58:20) SECTION C: INCOMPETENCY AND SELF ENRICHMENT (2:40:49) SECTION D: RESISTANCE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS for #1711 - Trump 100 days Description: Black and white photo of Trump at a podium at the White House looking stern, with a policeman standing behind him. Credit: “P20250519JB-0425P20250519JB-0425” by The White House, Flickr | Government work, Public Domain
Produced by Jay! Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| SOLVED! #9 - A Pale Blue Dot of Anxiety | 19 May 2025 | 00:19:00 | |
Air Date: 5-19-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was on vacation) discuss:
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REFERENCES: My Miserable Week in the Happiest Country on Earth - The New York Times Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein (If you buy via this link, you can support indie bookstores and SOLVED! at the same time!) The Demon-Haunted World by Carl Sagan (If you buy via this link, you can support indie bookstores and SOLVED! at the same time!) A Wilder Shore: The Romantic Odyssey of Fanny and Robert Louis Stevenson by Camille Peri (If you buy via this link, you can support indie bookstores and SOLVED! at the same time!) “Pale Blue Dot” - An excerpt from Carl Sagan’s book “Pale Blue Dot” (If you buy via this link, you can support indie bookstores and SOLVED! at the same time!)
SOLVED! SONG! “Pale Blue Dot” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence.
TAKE ACTION: June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action
Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1710 The past is never dead. It’s not even past. Race, Religion, Culture and the Stories we Tell | 18 May 2025 | 02:54:03 | |
Air Date 5/18/2025 The full quote from today's title is from one of the most celebrated writers of Southern American literature, William Faulkner, who said, "The past is never dead. It’s not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity.” The new film, Sinners, set in the Jim Crow South, attempts to take on some of the subjects that make up that web of history and consequence. The theme of today's episode is an attempt to dig into many of the subjects of the film. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 2: Sinners and the General State of Things - The Morbid Zoo - Air Date 5-10-25 KP 3: Western Christianity and White Supremacy Part 1 - Meant For This - Air Date 3-23-22 KP 4: How Do You Put A Price On America's Original Sin? - Consider This - Air Date 3-27-23 KP 5: Storm and Stress: Jim Crow America Part 1 - History is US - Air Date 6-5-22 KP 6: Trump's first 100 days, but it's just the racism - Garrison Hayes - Air Date 5-2-25 (48:29) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how to talk about the interplay between economics and identity politics DEEPER DIVES (57:48) SECTION A: CHRISTIANITY (1:33:29) SECTION B: RACE (2:18:56) SECTION C: CULTURE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Portion of the 1830s painting “Slave Market” (Brazil) depicting two white men discussing the sale of enslaved, black Brazilian men with a church with steeple and cross in the background and the iconography of the Virgin Mary on the wall above. Credit: “Slave Market” by Johann Moritz Rugendas, New York Public Library Digital Collections | Copyright status undetermined by NYPL | Changes: Cropped with increased contrast and brightness
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| #1493 Marketing, Messaging and Mass Shootings (Throwback) | 14 May 2025 | 01:20:11 | |
Original 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 or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Igor Volsky on Ending Gun Violence - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-27-22 Ch. 3: Jordan Klepper Debunks The "Good Guy with a Gun" Argument - The Daily Show - Air Date 12-11-15 Ch. 6: How the Gun Industry Used Marketing to Change a Culture - Letters and Politics - Air Date 8-7-19 SHOW IMAGE: Credit: “Gun Culture” by Christopher Dombres, Flickr | Public Domain | Changes: Cropped
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1275 So, Marxism. What is that all about? (Throwback) | 09 May 2025 | 00:54:37 | |
Original Air Date 5/24/2019 As the neoliberal order collapses from the pressure of its failures to provide for working people, we take a look at the much-maligned, rarely-understood field of economic and social study known as Marxism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Contributions of Karl Marx Part 1 - Economic Update - Air Date 5-25-18 Professor Wolff takes a deeper look at the life and work of Karl Marx in celebration of the 200th anniversary of his birth. Ch. 2: Marxism Today - Analysis - Air Date 6-19-16 Robin who was a BBC reporter for 25 years thinks Marx was always in the background discourse of politics, an influence he partly feared and didn't fully understand. He takes a walk through central London in the footsteps of the great revolutionary. Ch. 3: David Harvey on Marx, Capital, and the Madness of Economic Reason - Left Out - Air Date 11-5-17 David Harvey is arguably the most influential living geographer, as well as one of the world’s leading Marxist scholars. He is among the most cited intellectuals of all time across the humanities and social sciences. J. Moufawad-Paul, a Marxist philosopher and author of "Continuity and Rupture", "The Communist Necessity", and "Austerity Apparatus", joins Breht to discuss his most recent essay "This Ruthless Criticism of All That Exists: Marxism as Science". Ch. 5: Erosion of Consumer Choices - David Harvey's Anti-Capitalist Chronicles - Air Date 4-24-19 Prof. Harvey discusses Marx's theory of Capital and its relevance today. Consumers have less and less autonomy. Their choices, even how they will spend their leisure time, are increasingly influenced by capitalists. Ch. 6: The Contributions of Karl Marx Part 2 - Economic Update - Air Date 5-25-18 Professor Wolff takes a deeper look at the life and work of Karl Marx in celebration of the 200th anniversary of his birth. Produced by Jay! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1709 Monthly-ish Mix: Government Power, Vulnerable Communities, Transformations, Opposition & Resistance | 06 May 2025 | 03:13:04 | |
Air Date 5/6/2025 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we look at government surveillance overreach, challenges facing immigrant and refugee communities, the shifting landscape of American culture brought on by Christian Nationalism and the emerging broligarchy, and grassroots movements challenging institutional power. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) PART 1: GOVERNMENT POWER & ITS MISUSE #1697 The Trump World Order: Are we the Baddies? (00:27:13) #1699 A Government Of the People, By the People, and Weaponized Against the People (00:41:10) #1704 Weaponization and Capitulation: Trump vs Immigrants, Universities, and Media (01:05:30) #1706 Trump's Kafkaesque Deportation Nightmare is the Shame of the Nation PART 2: VULNERABLE COMMUNITIES & CIVIL RIGHTS (01:29:29) #1700 Dehumanizing Trans People is Always the First Step for Fascists (01:49:55) #1705 Threatened Social Safety Nets Are Foundational to Healthy Societies PART 3: CULTURAL & SOCIETAL TRANSFORMATION (02:24:21) #1703 The Broligarchy and the Rise of Techno-Feudalism PART 4: OPPOSITION & RESISTANCE (02:39:54) #1698 Resistance is Not Futile: Support the collective revolt against Trumpism (Special Podcasthon!) (02:53:32) #1701 Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way: Installing the Backbone Democrats Need Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #8 - PART 2: Drowning Men Will Clutch at Straws: Masculinity in a MAGA world | 05 May 2025 | 00:18:01 | |
Air Date: 5-5-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin continue our discussion on masculinity and dive into: - The dangers of the online obsession with Patrick Bateman from American Psycho - John Adams’ famous quote that could give some insight into today’s incels - The Matt Walsh/Megan Kelly skirmish that exposes Walsh’s siloed world-view - A small but interesting group of former Trumpers who seem to have woken up to the bullshit of traditional gender roles - The studies that show women have better sex under socialism - SOLVED! SONG! “Love’s Not a Game” (Directly inspired by this episode!)
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REFERENCES: Sigma grindset: TikTok's toxic worshipping of Patrick Bateman is another sign young men are lost - GQ Magazine John Adams Writes to Abigail: ‘I must study politicks and war’ Daily Wire's Matt Walsh: “Men are generally not attracted to ambitious career-driven women” - Media Matters The Vibe Shifts Against the Right - The New York Times Why Women Had Better Sex Under Socialism - The New York Times (August 2017) SOLVED! SONG! “Love’s Not a Game” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #8: Part 2 EXTRAS “The Will to Change: Men, Masculinity and Love” by bell hooks (If you buy via this link, you can support indie bookstores and SOLVED! at the same time!)
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 | |||
| #1708 Rent Asunder: From the Moderation of Pope Francis to Extremism of JD Vance, the Catholic Church is Deeply Divided | 02 May 2025 | 02:50:47 | |
Air Date 5/2/2025 We're taking the passing of Pope Francis as an opportunity to explore the deeper political implications of the extremist, rightward turn for some in the Catholic Church, including many recent converts. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 3: The Meaning of Pope Francis - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 4-25-25 KP 5: Opus Dei A Catholic Cult with Gareth Gore - Free Thought Matters - Air Date 2-20-25 KP 6: To Understand JD Vance, You Need to Meet the TheoBros - Mother Jones - Air Date 10-2-24 (53:23) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the benefits of democracy DEEPER DIVES (1:04:00) SECTION A: THE POPE (1:22:49) SECTION B: IN POLICY (1:43:34) SECTION C: POST-LIBERAL CATHOLICS (2:17:50) SECTION D: MEN SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image. Showing a disgruntled looking JD Vance looking toward an image of Pope Francis smiling while blessing a child in a crowd. A quote in a box says “What is built on the basis of force, and not on the truth about the equal dignity of every human being, begins badly, and will end badly.” Credit: Design by A. Hoffman | Components: “JD Vance” Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, used in composite | “Blessing of children pope” by ansehen, Pixabay | License: Pixabay
Produced by Jay! | |||
| #1707 Tariffied: Exposing Trump's Artless Deal | 29 Apr 2025 | 03:18:59 | |
Air Date 4/29/2025 The economic and political fallout of Trump’s misguided tariffs, exposing his self-proclaimed deal-making prowess as a fraud and his grasp of the relevant issues to be childlike at best. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: The Lost History of Trump's Tariff War Part 1 - Lever Time - Air Date 4-4-25 KP 2: What we can learn from a past tariff tiff - Make Me Smart - Air Date 2-11-25 KP 5: Is Trump (Already) Giving Up On Tariffs? - TLDR News - Air Date 4-25-25 KP 6: The tariffs are just stupid. - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 4-18-25 (00:48:40) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the related topics of masculinity and labor DEEPER DIVES (00:53:39) SECTION A: MOTIVATION (01:17:08) SECTION B: DOMESTIC EFFECT (01:57:28) SECTION C: INTERNATIONAL EFFECT (02:43:36) SECTION D: HISTORY Tariffied: Exposing Trump's Artless Deal Description: Composite image. An illustrated outline of Trump’s bust, including hair and suit and tie, with overlapping tariff stamps where the eyes and nose should be, and a wide open mouth with a globe between his teeth. Credit: Design by A. Hoffman | Components License: Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| SOLVED! #8 - PART 1: Drowning Men Will Clutch at Straws: Masculinity in a MAGA world | 28 Apr 2025 | 00:23:43 | |
Air Date: 4-28-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Why the “manly” manufacturing jobs Trump and MAGA want are never coming back - Why incels love Trump’s tariffs - The sad flails of the “Make America Manly Again” movement - The “Sigma grindset” guys’ obsession with - and complete misunderstanding of - disturbing fictional movie characters - Cliffhanger! Jay explains our upcoming schedule - SOLVED! SONG! “Blinded” (Directly inspired by this episode!)
FOLLOW US ON:
REFERENCES: Manufacturing jobs are never coming back - Vox The strange link between Trump’s tariffs and incel ideology - Vox Trump’s Tariff Pause Sets Back the “Make Men Manly Again” Movement - The Nation Sigma grindset: TikTok's toxic worshipping of Patrick Bateman is another sign young men are lost - GQ
SOLVED! SONG! “Blinded” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #8: “Part 1: Drowning Men Will Clutch at Straws: Masculinity in a MAGA world” (April 26th)
TAKE ACTION: May Day nationwide action - May 1st Find your Indivisible group - or start one Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials
Reach us via Signal: Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||
| #1706 Trump's Kafkaesque Deportation Nightmare is the Shame of the Nation | 26 Apr 2025 | 03:38:23 | |
Air Date 4/26/2025 For those of us who knew that Trump was lawless and deeply racist in his desire for mass deportations of brown people, we're getting exactly what we expected. For others, at least the lawlessness is coming as a bit of a surprise, and yet, here we are. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 1: Mr. Abrego Garcia - Main Justice - Air Date 4-15-25 KP 2: Dara Lind on Criminalizing Immigrants - CounterSpin - Air Date 4-11-25 KP 3: Are Trump Administration Officials in Criminal Contempt - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 4-21-25 KP 4: Bukele Goes To Washington w. Roberto Lovato - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-20-25 KP 7: Trump's Real Plan With El Salvador Revealed - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-15-25 NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On finding glimmers of hope for the future DEEPER DIVES SECTION A: DEPORTATION PRACTICES SECTION B: VICTIMS OF REGIME SECTION C: VENEZUELA AND EL SALVADOR SECTION D: RESISTANCE SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image. An illustration of ghost-like man, woman, and child walking into a dark, complex maze with the I.C.E. logo and Trump’s mug shot at the entrance. Credit: Design by A. Hoffman | Components License: Pixabay
Produced by Jay! Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1705 Threatened Social Safety Nets Are Foundational to Healthy Societies | 22 Apr 2025 | 03:06:26 | |
Air Date 4/22/2025 George W. Bush proposed privatizing Social Security and didn't succeed. But, as with appointing Justices that would eventually overturn Roe V. Wade, groundwork was being laid as part of a multi-decade effort that would, they hoped, pay off in the future. So don't be surprised when they come for your earned benefits programs just as they came for the fundamental right to bodily autonomy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: What few people know about the program that saved America - Meg Jacobs - TED-Ed - Air Date 6-17-21 KP 3: What DOGE could mean for Medicare and Medicaid? - Consider This - Air Date 2-10-25 (00:51:58) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the false moral arguments for cutting social safety nets DEEPER DIVES (01:02:18) SECTION A: SOCIAL SECURITY (01:51:24) SECTION B: GENERAL CUTS (02:34:52) SECTION C: MEDICAID & HHS SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of a homemade protest sign that says “Hands Off My Social Security” from the Hands Off nationwide rallies. Credit: Private permission photo
Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1704 Weaponization and Capitulation: Trump vs Immigrants, Universities, and Media | 18 Apr 2025 | 03:57:14 | |
Air Date 4/18/2025 Before the election, I heard interviews and statistics about Trump supporters responding to his stated desire to weaponize the government against his political enemies. Their response was that 1) they didn't want him to do that and 2) didn't think he would. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: Free Mahmoud Khalil with Ben Wizner and Baher Azmy - At Liberty - Air Date 3-26-25 KP 3: Trump's Revenge - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-1-25 KP 6: Trumps Attacks on Law Firms, Lawyers, and the Law - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 3-20-25 KP 7: Trump and the Courts w Samuel Moyn - Behind the News - Air Date 3-7-25 (00:52:02) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how racism and anti-intellectualism are a self-inflicted injury to society DEEPER DIVES (00:59:09) SECTION A: COMPLYING ENTITIES (01:46:29) SECTION B: GOVERNMENT WEAPONIZATION (03:01:33) SECTION C: JUDGES AND LEGISLATORS Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1703 The Broligarchy and the Rise of Techno-Feudalism | 14 Apr 2025 | 02:54:05 | |
Air Date 4/14/2025 Everything, it turns out, is a double-edged sword. Democracy and freedom are great but it also contains the keys to its own destruction. Love is pretty good but it turns out that only love can break your heart. And technology, which has freed people from countless hours of menial labor also has the power to subsume our economy, our politics, and much of our everyday lives. It may even be said to have supplanted capitalism itself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: The Broligarchy Pt 2: Is this Techno-Fascism? Part 1 - Close All Tabs - Air Date 4-2-25 KP 3: How Technofacism is Rooted in Silicon Valley / Becca Lewis Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 2-11-25 KP 5: The Rise of Techno-Authoritarianism - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 2-26-24 KP 6: What does Palantir actually do? - Good Work - Air Date 3-28-25 (00:52:52) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the faustian bargain of the internet's walled gardens DEEPER DIVES (01:02:20) SECTION A: FALLOUT (01:45:41) SECTION B: ORIGINS (02:10:50) SECTION C: TECH BROS (02:37:42) SECTION D: APARTHEID Technofeudalism Description: A composite image of Elon Musk, Peter Thiel, and Jeff Bezos wearing tiny golden crowns with dollar signs on them. An illustration of tiny replication of workers at desks in cubicles is in the background.
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| #1254 Israeli right-wing politics has lead to some strange, fascist bedfellows (Throwback) | 08 Apr 2025 | 01:02:45 | |
Original Air Date: 3/5/2019 From 2019: Today we take a look at how the illiberalism of the Israeli government has alienated the vast majority of democratic nations and individuals who support human rights, leaving the country with some of the most far-right, fascist, white-supremacist, anti-Semitic people in the world as their only remaining allies. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Show Notes Ch. 6: The Last Temptation of Evangelicals - Progressive Faith Sermons w @RevDrRay - Air Date 5-21-18
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com | |||
| #1702 Destroying Education, Boosting Christian Nationalism: Rewriting the Past and Hamstringing the Future | 05 Apr 2025 | 03:06:00 | |
Air Date 4/5/2025 Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. And with Trump in place, the Christian Nationalists are looking to rewrite history to their liking in order to create the dystopian future they desire. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 2: Trumps Vision for America I Am God - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 3-7-25 KP 3: How to Stand Up to Project 2025 and Save Public Education - Assembly Required - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 4: How School Integration Failed Black Students w Noliwe Rooks - This Is Hell! - Air Date 3-19-25 KP 7: Make America Great Again means segregation - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 3-25-25 KP 8: Does Trump Have A Mandate - Stop Christian Nationalism - Air Date 11-20-24 (00:54:50) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the power of repetition DEEPER DIVES (01:00:41) SECTION A: PUBLIC EDUCATION (01:45:37.350) SECTION B: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM (02:35:29) SECTION C: RELATED TOPICS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS for #1702 - White nationalism Description: A composite image of an illustration of Trump holding up a white cross against a dark background of a brick wall painted with the American flag. Credit: Custom composite design. | Components License: Pixabay
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| #1701 Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way: Installing the Backbone Democrats Need | 02 Apr 2025 | 03:14:05 | |
Air Date 4/2/2025 Love them or loathe them, the Democratic Party is the political institution available to the left to structurally take on Trumpism but we need a whole lot of new energy and new commitments to the fight to turn them into an opposition worthy of the moment we face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com New Format Notes Code BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! KEY POINTS KP 2: Why Are Some Democrats Trying To Be Republicans？- Kat Abughazaleh - Air Date 3-3-25 KP 4: Why Democrats Are Failing Us - Bean Thinking - Air Date 3-19-25 KP 5: Why Im Running For Congress - Kat Abughazaleh - Air Date 3-24-25 (00:48:03) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR With a VM on trans kids and a sneek peek at SOLVED! DEEPER DIVES (00:58:17) SECTION A: (01:37:40) SECTION B: (02:19:15) SECTION C: (02:35:50) SECTION D: (02:55:46) SECTION E: Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| #1700 Dehumanizing Trans People is Always the First Step for Fascists | 29 Mar 2025 | 04:10:13 | |
Air Date 3/28/2025 You might not be trans yourself but that's just like how coal miners aren't canaries because when they saw that the canaries were under threat, they knew the danger was all around them. Fascists always start with those who are the easiest to dehumanize but they never stop there. ANNOUNCEMENT: Watch, like, subscribe & comment on our newly-launched YouTube show, SOLVED! Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) KEY POINTS KP 1: The Threat of Project 2025 on LGBTQ+ Rights - The Blueprint with Jen Psaki - Air Date 9-16-24 KP 2: The fight to protect LGBTQ+ rights from Trump - Politics Weekly America - Air Date 1-31-25 KP 4: The Rights About-Turn on Parental Rights - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 11-30-24 KP 5: Humanizing Trans People Laverne Cox - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-23-25 KP 7: The Fight for Trans Futures - In The Thick - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 8: Know Your LGBTQIA+ Rights with Chase Strangio - At Liberty - Air Date 2-13-25 (01:02:12) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the launch of SOLVED! DEEPER DIVES (01:10:48) SECTION A: POLICY ROLLSBACKS (01:47:25) SECTION B: DEHUMANIZATION (02:25:13) SECTION C: HISTORICAL ATTACKS (02:59:41) SECTION D: STORIES (03:29:55) SECTION E: TRANS JOY AND RESISTANCE | |||
| #1479 Torturing Children and Families in the Name of Protecting Them (Trans Rights Throwback) | 26 Mar 2025 | 01:08:36 | |
Original 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. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Ch. 2: Andy Marra on Trans Youth Rights - CounterSpin - Air Date 3-4-22 Ch. 3: The Anti-Trans Agenda (w/ Gillian Branstetter) - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 3-20-22 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 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 Ch. 11: Protecting Women and Children Is a Shield for Transphobia Part 4 - At Liberty - Air Date 3-17-22 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! | |||
| SOLVED! #3 - Common Sense Is Not So Common | 25 Mar 2025 | 00:22:18 | |
Air Date: 3–24-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Our new game Satire Showdown - The authoritarian takeover of the term common sense - How Americans actually feel about DEI initiatives - The right’s turn on Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett - A deep dive on the theory of a multiracial Right and how Democrats should respond
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REFERENCES: How populist leaders like Trump use ‘common sense’ as an ideological weapon to undermine facts - The Conversation The Age of Anti-Woke Overreach - The Atlantic ‘She is evil’: Amy Coney Barrett under attack by right wing after USAid ruling - The Guardian Trump and the Rise of the Multiracial Right - In These Times
“Common Sense” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #342: Common Sense Is Not So Common (March 25th)
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Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts! | |||