Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

Air Date 1/21/2025 Decades ago, the conscious decision was made to exacerbate inequality for the sake of economic growth that would supposedly lift all boats. What probably wasn't understood at the time is that the logical conclusion of that choice would be to break democracy and usher in oligarchy. Now working people are left with only bad choices and empty promises. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript 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! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Workers Without a Party - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 12-11-24 KP 2: Democrats Bungled The 2024 Election WAY Worse Than We Thought - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-8-25 KP 3: The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order (with Gary Gerstle) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 1-14-25 KP 4: How Democrats Can Win Back The Working Class - Lever Time - Air Date 11-8-24 KP 5: Why Elites Love Identity Politics - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25 KP 6: The failures of liberals and the Left have helped Trump's rise - The Marc Steiner Show - Air Date 10-30-24 KP 7: Democratic Dealignment w Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor - The Dig - Air Date 11-9-24 KP 8: Why Elites Love Identity Politics Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25 (54:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the path Democrats have charted DEEPER DIVES (1:02:38) SECTION A: PARTY RECKONING (1:23:40) SECTION B: NEOLIBERAL STRANGLEHOLD (1:39:24) SECTION C: CROSSED WIRES (2:08:27) SECTION D: SOLUTIONS SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image of multi-colored people outlines crossing over each other with arrows in the background pointing two different directions. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman, Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!

Air Date: 1-20-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Our new show name! - Getting over hurdles to find and form local community as a form of resistance and preparation - The study groups teachers are forming to teach and learn real history - How Citizen Assemblies could transform American politics for the better FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: A New Year's resolution for an Uncertain Future (The New Republic) Teachers Turn to Study Groups for Anti-Racist Learning as History is Whitewashed (TruthOut) What Could Citizens’ Assemblies Do for American Politics? (The New Yorker) Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/18/2025 We are looking back on Jimmy Carter's life and legacy as a lens through which to more clearly see and understand the current state of our politics, our incoming president, the Middle East, the climate, and more. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript 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! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Jimmy Carter Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 2-28-23 KP 2: From the Archives: Former President Jimmy Carter on Women's Rights, Religion and Power - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-30-24 KP 3: Jimmy Carter's "Decency & Humanity" Came with Deadly U.S. Policies in Latin America_ Greg Grandin - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-7-25 KP 4: The Faith of Jimmy Carter - Facepalm America - Air Date 4-12-23 KP 5: The Jimmy Carter Cudgel & Preparing for Mass Deportations with Gabriel Salguero - Holy Post - Air Date 1-8-25 KP 6: When Carter called out America - Today, Explained - Air Date 12-30-24 (46:27) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the supposed desire for truth DEEPER DIVES (52:22) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT (1:33:23) SECTION B: FOREIGN POLICY (2:07:22) SECTION C: CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM (2:25:30) SECTION D: REPUBLICAN RATFUCKING SHOW IMAGE Description: Black and white photo of President Jimmy Carter in front of the White House in 1977. Credit: “President Jimmy Carter and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat at the White House, Washington, D.C.“ by Marion S. Trikosko, Library of Congress | License: Public Domain Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Air Date 1/15/2025 Elon Musk is leading the way for his class of tech broligarchs anxious to take over the MAGA movement and shape it to their own ends of deregulation, tax cuts, and lucrative government contracts. The disappointment that is inevitable for the MAGA populists is coming even faster than expected. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership, Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The long con of America's ultra-wealthy elites - The ReidOut - Air Date 1-2-25 KP 2: Crack-Up Capitalism- How Billionaire Elon Musk's Extremism Is Shaping Trump Admin & Global Politics - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-6-24 KP 3: GOP Already At Each Other's Throats While Musk Gloats - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-24-24 KP 4: MAGA civil war explodes between Elon & Trump faithful - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 12-29-24 KP 5: Elon & Vivek's H1-B Crash Out - Bad Faith - Air Date 1-2-25 KP 6: Our Moment is Approaching - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-31-24 KP 7: Weekly Roundup Jimmy Carter vs Elon Musk - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-3-25 KP 8: The Oligarch Class - Left Anchor - Air Date 1-3-25 (55:27) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the rehashing of the anti-democratic argument for extreme wealth for the benefit of humanity DEEPER DIVES (1:07:40) SECTION A: OLIGARCHS (1:35:23) SECTION B: THE MAGA FRACTURE (1:51:04) SECTION C: GLOBAL INFLUENCE (2:21:44) SECTION D: ORGANIZING

Air Date: 1/11/2025 Today, we look back to the warnings we gave ourselves at the beginning of the first Trump administration. In 2017 there was concern about corruption and his business dealings, ethics around his nominees, and the inability of the media to cover him properly. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes 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! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: What should Trump do to resolve his conflicts of interest? - @DecodeDC - Air Date 1-11-17 KP 2: SHOCKING: The GOP Doesn't Care That the Office of Govt. Ethics Can't Fully Vet Trump Nominees - Majority Report (@MajorityFM) - Air Date: 01-10-17 KP 3: Zephyr Teachout on Trump and the emoluments clause - Amicus from @Slate - Air Date 12-24-16 KP 4: Trump's team exhibits classic abuser behavior - Bradcast from @TheBradBlog - Air Date 1-23-17 KP 5: We Need To Talk About That Donald Trump Press Conference - Jay Smooth (@jsmooth995) - Air Date 1-12-17 KP 6: A Taxonomy of Trump Tweets - On the Media - Air Date 1-13-17 KP 7: Masha Gessen on the rules for surviving autocracy - Trumpcast from @Slate - Air Date 11-14-16 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 1/8/2025 Trump's first term was marked by all of the friendships he built with some of the world's worst, most oppressive leaders. His second term is getting an early start as he has begun making threats toward traditional allies and friends including Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Panama. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Make US imperialism great again: Trump threatens to colonize Panama, Canada, Greenland, Mexico - Geopolitical Economy Report - Air Date 12-27-24 KP 2: Donald Trump’s New Manifest Destiny - WSJ Opinion: Potomac Watch - Part 1 - Air Date 12-26-24 KP 3: Why Elon Musk interferes in politics around the world - DW News - Air Date 1-3-25 KP 4: Is Musk Flirting With Fascism? - Politics unpacked - Air Date 1-3-24 KP 5: Imperialist Fantasy: Historian Greg Grandin on Trump Threat to Retake Panama Canal, Invade Mexico - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-27-24 KP 6: The Weekender: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Destruction Part 1 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-27-24 (49:09) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the baby-brained ideas of the far right DEEPER DIVES (54:40) SECTION A: PANAMA (1:16:10) SECTION B: MANIFEST DESTINY (1:35:47) SECTION C: MUSK (1:48:38) SECTION D: TRUMP 2.0 SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image of a vector drawing of a confused-looking Trump leaning on a podium with a globe and dice being rolled. A risk dial is on the front of the podium showing an increasing threat level. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman | Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Air Date: 1-6-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Why people love villains - How plutocracy kills - Why the path forward is through membership organizations FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: The Year Villainy Won Plutocracy Kills Democracy Is Not a Customer Loyalty Program Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 1/4/2025 The murder of a health insurance CEO being met with widespread approval and the risk of going backward on life-saving vaccines pretty much sums up the current state of our approach to health care in this country. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Weekly Roundup Luigi Mangione and the End of Civilization - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 12-13-24 KP 2: You Don't Actually Need to Condemn the Murder of the CEO Guy - Serious Inquiries Only - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 3: The Dark History Behind RFK Jr.'s Health Policies - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-11-24 KP 4: Vaccine skepticism Will the new Trump admin axe the polio vaccine - The ReidOut - Air Date 12-13-24 KP 5: Weekly Roundup Luigi Mangione and the End of Civilization Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 12-13-24 KP 6: The Health Care Crisis Is The Democracy Crisis - The Lever - Air Date 12-17-24 (48:31) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the racist history of opposing universal health care DEEPER DIVES (53:28) SECTION A - RFK Jr. (1:07:08) SECTION B - Luigi Mangione (1:22:43) SECTION C - United Health Care (1:41:01) SECTION D - Health Care History SHOW IMAGE Description: A cropped photo of two people holding a handmade sign that says “Healthcare for people NOT for profit!” Credit: “Demand SINGLE PAYER Expanded & Improved Medicare for All HR 676 Now Protest” by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Original Air Date: 4/19/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and present of the interconnected movements to privatize education and dismantle democracy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Segrenomics: The Long History of Cashing In On Unequal Education - Have You Heard - Air Date 1-3-18 Ch. 2: Democracy and Public Education: A Future in Peril - Have You Heard - Air Date 8-12-21 Ch. 3: The Hidden Agenda of Privatization with Jessica Piper (pt.1) - Teach Me, Teacher - Air Date 10-31-21 Ch. 4: Betsy DeVos Is Still Making Moves to Destroy Public Schools - The New Abnormal - Air Date 4-1-23 Ch. 5: The Surprising History Behind Charter Schools - WBUR - Air Date 11-4-16 Ch. 6: The Segrenomics of American Education w/ Dr. Noliwe Rooks - Human Restoration Project - Air Date 2-11-23 Ch. 7: The War on Public Education Is Escalating – with Jennifer Berkshire - Is This Democracy - Air Date 3-16-23 Ch. 8: Diane Ravitch on Pandemic School Privatization - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-22-20 Ch. 9: Racism-High-Stakes Disaster Education | Dr. Ricardo Rosa - TEDxCCSU - Air Date 11-24-15 Ch. 10: The Secret Power of Homeschoolers - VICE NEWS - Air Date 10-12-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 12/28/2024 Decades of dictatorial rule in Syria have come to an end, leading to something else to be determined. Israel sprang into action taking control of Syrian land on their border. And no one seems to care what the US thinks of all this, which is telling. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Assad Ousted From Syria - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-10-24 KP 2: Assad downfall: Is the Arab Spring back from the dead? - Middle East Eye - Air Date 12-14-24 KP 3: Syria's Transition, Biden Migrant Detention Facilities Part 1 - American Prestige - Air Date 12-13-24 KP 4: Why is Israel bombing Syria? - The Take - Air Date 12-17-24 KP 5: “Lawless”: Marwan Bishara on Israel Bombing Syria 800 Times & Expanding Occupation of Golan Heights - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-16-24 KP 6: Syria: Western Hypocrisy, Israeli Expansion & The Fall of Assad - Double Down News - Air Date 12-20-24 (53:44) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On closing out the year DEEPER DIVES (56:35) SECTION A - THE SYRIAN PEOPLE (1:38:56) SECTION B - ISRAEL (2:03:38) SECTION C - HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND THE PROXY WAR SHOW IMAGE Description: The sun shining through a Syrian flag flying in the breeze against a clear sky. Credit: “Close up of Syrian flag” by Ahmed akasha, Pexels | License: Pexels Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Original Air Date: 6/13/2023 Today, we take a look at the struggle to act ethically, at least by our own measure if there's not a universally-agreed standard to compare with, relating to the purchase of both the necessities of life we all need as well as the more luxury items that get added on top. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: No ethical consumption under capitalism: short deep dive - @professor_neil - Air Date 4-13-23 Ch. 2: Hasan and The Left's Paradoxical Relationship with Consumer Capitalism - The Kavernacle - Air Date 5-26-23 Ch. 3: "Separating Art vs. the Artist" doesn't work for Harry Potter - Kuncan Dastner - Air Date 4-14-22 Ch. 4: There are many forms of ethical consumption under capitalism, you just have to understand ethics - poppysaw - Air Date 2-11-23 Ch. 5: Ethical Consumption - Pullback - Air Date 3-7-23 Ch. 6: The moral philosophy of The Good Place (with Mike Schur and Pamela Hieronymi) - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 12-9-19 Ch. 7: Ethical Capitalism: Is It Possible? - Wise Crack - Air Date 7-19-21 Ch. 8: Ethical Behavior in Modern Society – Can We Still Get Into The Good Place? - Like Stories of Old - Air Date 4-30-19 Ch. 9: Conscious Consumerism: Does it make a difference - Roundtable - Air Date 7-10-19 Ch. 10: “No Ethical Consumption” is Not License for Nihilism & Hedonism. So What Is It? (Hausfrau Friday) Parkrose Permaculture - Air Date 6-3-22 Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

LOOKING FOR HOLIDAY GIFTS? bestoftheleft.com/holiday Air Date: 12-23-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was again missed) discuss: - The Realignment of the right-wing toward economic populism and government programs - The need for a different kind of government efficiency than DOGE is offering - The future of the left working to fix government FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: The New Pro-Life Playbook - The New Yorker The American People Deserve DOGE - The Atlantic In This House, We’re Angry When Government Fails - The New York Times Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/20/2024 There's no denying that things are about to get bad, Trump and company have had years to prepare for their next turn in office, but those preparing to resist also have the benefit of past experience resulting in a response to Trumpism that looks very different this time around. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The Shallow, Power-Flattering Appeal of High Status #Resistance Historians - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-3-24 KP 2: Can Trump Really End Birthright Citizenship? - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 3: Rep. Delia Ramirez- Trump's Immigration Plans Are -Un-American, Unconstitutional & Undemocratic - Democracy Now! - Air Table 12-11-24 KP 4: Can Trump Really End Birthright Citizenship? Part 2 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 5: Centrists Signal Capitulation After Trump's Victory - The Majority Report - Air Date 12-16-24 KP 6: Trumps Rage at FBI Takes Dark Turn as GOPers Signal They Wont Resist - The Daily Blast - Air Date 12-13-24 KP 7: The Shallow, Power-Flattering Appeal of High Status #Resistance Historians Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 12-3-24 (53:43) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the importance of scheduled maintenance for democracy DEEPER DIVES (1:00:59) SECTION A - IMMIGRATION INTIMIDATION (1:19:46) SECTION B - BENDING THE KNEE (1:40:16) SECTION C - RESISTANCE SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image of Trump with his arm out admiring a lit match in his hand in front of a burning U.S. Constitution. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman using multiple images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay

Air Date 12/17/2024 Changing the direction of a political party doesn't happen overnight and it usually takes a major disrupting event to shake it out of its well-wore groove. The loss of the Harris campaign to Trump and the evident desperation people have for a new economics that works for people might finally be enough to put Democrats on track to a more full-throated support of economic populism. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil book and audiobook purchasing experience! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Jon Stewart On What Went Wrong For Democrats - The Daily Show - Air Date 11-11-24 KP 2: The Democratic Party Is A Rudderless Ship - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 11-21-24 KP 3: ‘BERNIE WAS RIGHT!’: Corporate Democrat ADMITS DEFEAT - The Kyle Kulinski Show - Air Date 11-18-24 KP 4: Assad Ousted From Syria - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-10-24 KP 5: Can Ben Wikler Fix The Democratic Party? - The Majority Report w/ Sam Seder - Air Date 12-4-24 KP 6: “Get These Incels to Work” (feat. Hasan Piker) Part 1 - Pod Save America - Air Date 11-27-24 (49:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the Democrats perception gap and Ben Wikler for the DNC DEEPER DIVES (1:00:11) SECTION A - WHY DEMOCRATS LOST (1:32:40) SECTION B - TIME TO FIGHT (1:56:05) SECTION C - MOVING FORWARD SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of billionaire Mark Cuban speaking into a microphone at a Harris Walz campaign event. Credit: “Mark Cuban” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Give the gift of membership! (Standard or Patreon) Air Date: 12-15-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was missed) discuss: - Why many people want a village, but most don't act like they do - Some proposed solutions to loneliness and building community - How politicians on both sides lack vision on how to improve peoples lives FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: I’m Starting to Think You Guys Don’t Really Want a “Village” Stephanie Harrison - The New Happy: To build the communities that we long for, we must change our worldview Stephanie Harrison - The New Happy: How to stop being lonely Americans Are Hoarding Their Friends On Family Policy, Neither Party Has a Vision of the Good Life Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/13/2024 The most important thing to understand about authoritarian and dictatorial governance is that it is neither efficient nor competent, contrary to the myth. The problem lies with the need to hire people based on their unquestioning loyalty rather than any kind of demonstrated ability to do the jobs they're tasked with. The results are, unsurprisingly, chaos. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Fight Trump With Everything You Have! Shocking Warning From Hungarian Democracy Movement - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-25-24 KP 2: MAGA 2.0 w Quinn Slobodian & Wendy Brown - The Dig - Air Date 11-29-24 KP 3: A Slew Of A$$hole Nominations...- The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 11-15-24 KP 4: What Pete Hegseth Has Said About Civil War and Whiteness - Brian Lehrer: A Daily Politics Podcast - Air Date 11-27-24 KP 5: Trump goes off the deep end with Cabinet pick - No Lie w Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 12-1-24 KP 6: The Trump Trials... Cases Closed - Americast - Air Date 11-29-24 KP 7: MAGA 2.0 w Quinn Slobodian & Wendy Brown - The Dig - Air Date 11-29-24 (54:37) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why it's important to stay engaged Don’t Let Donald Trump Drive You Into Internal Exile - NYTimes DEEPER DIVES (58:44) SECTION A: THE LINEUP (1:27:56) SECTION B: THE PLAYBOOK (1:52:28) SECTION C: GLOBAL REFERENCE (2:12:50) SECTION D: CRACKS IN AUTHORITY SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite graphic of Trump giving the double thumbs up over black silhouettes of people in suits with the clown face emoji on their heads and “MAGA” on their chests. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Various images via Pixabay. Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Air Date: 12-12-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - What the orcas are up to - Confronting the truth about eating meat - How to not let grief destroy leftist movements - Living a better life by accepting our own mortality FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: Confessions of a Former Carnivore For Our Movements to Win, We Must Learn How Not to Let Our Grief Destroy Us You Are Going to Die Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 12/10/2024 In a moment of darkness, it's important to not only look for light but also understand how to create your own. Today we're exploring the philosophy of Tragic Optimism, the differing frameworks of freedom-from and freedom-to, and the slow progress of democracy but also the organizing strategies that are themselves the best coping mechanisms and path to progress. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Membership 20% off for the Holiday! Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Send the Gift of Membership! (Or on Patreon) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: The Tragic Optimist's Guide to Surviving Capitalistic Nihilism - Dasia Sade Part 1 - Air Date 11-29-24 KP 2: Where Do We Go From Here? Featuring Kali Akuno - Millennials Are Killing Capitalism - Air Date 11-10-24 KP 3: How To Fight Fascism In America - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 11-20-24 KP 4: Timothy Snyder: Is Freedom Misunderstood? - The Agenda - Air Date 10-9-24 KP 5: Neoliberalism Borrowed From Lenin, Why Can’t We? - Unf*cking The Republic - Air Date 11-22-24 KP 6: The Tragic Optimist's Guide to Surviving Capitalistic Nihilism - Dasia Sade Part 2 - Air Date 11-29-24 (49:55) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On holiday memberships DEEPER DIVES (52:31) SECTION A - ORGANZING A1: Organizing in Rural America (w/ Luke Mayville) - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 11-27-24 A2: The Quest for the Offline Left with Cecilia Guerrero: Organizing the South - Fucking Cancelled - Air Date 11-3-24 (1:11:16) SECTION B - COPING MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Original Air Date: 11/29/2023 The movement for universal health care is still underway, though it rarely gets recognized in mainstream discourse. The murder of United Health Care CEO Brian Thompson is an occasion worth using to look at the progress being made to improve our system of promoting the health of all people in the United States as well as efforts to rein in the power of big Pharma that's used to gouge the American people with exorbitant prices. So, that's what we're doing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Healthcare Activist Ady Barkan Dies of ALS; Watch His 2021 Interview on Demanding Medicare for All - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-27-23 Healthcare activist Ady Barkan has died at the age of 39 of the neurodegenerative disease ALS. His story is told in the documentary Not Going Quietly. In 2021, Democracy Now! spoke with Ady Barkan just ahead of the film’s premiere. Ch. 2: Why your health insurance is tied to work - The Weeds - Air Date 10-18-23 The wartime policy that changed health insurance forever Ch. 3: Rethinking the path to winning single payer - Code WACK! - Air Date 4-10-23 Winning Medicare for All in the U.S. may be at a standstill at the federal level, but it's a different story In the states. In 2021 alone, 18 single-payer bills were introduced in states such as Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Oregon. Ch. 4: How Can This Predatory Exploitation Be Considered Health Care - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 11-15-23 If Medicare Advantage, the profit-driven entity that is decidedly NOT part of REAL Medicare, could be summed up in three words, they might be: deny, deny, deny. Ch. 5: Biden vs. Big Pharma Medicare to Begin Negotiations to Lower Price of 10 Costly Drugs & Insulin - Democracy Now! - Air Date 8-30-23 Peter Maybarduk joins us to discuss how the new negotiation process aims to break up drug monopolies and disband the pharmaceutical industry’s profit incentive. Ch. 6: Inequality Undermines Health & Healthcare in the U.S. - Economic Update with Richard D. Wolff - Air Date 11-14-23 Ch. 7: Big Pharma Explained Why Are Meds So Expensive [& The Solution] - The Laura Flanders Show - Air Date 6-12-23 Ch. 8: The Challenge of Caring for Our Elders - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-15-23

Sign Up or Manage Your Membership Air Date: 12-6-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The political origins of SimCity and how capitalism warps our choices - A new video game offering a very different vision of societal management - Naomi Klein's insights on the Left's missteps responding to the Mirror World - Applying cynicism and skepticism in moderation FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/bestoftheleft.bsky.social Mastadon: https://mastodon.social/@bestoftheleft@mstdn.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestoftheleft/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BestOfTheLeft/ Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: SimCity Isn’t a Model of Reality. It’s a Libertarian Toy Land Build-a-Brrr Naomi Klein on her doppelganger (and yours) Be Like Claud Cockburn: Tell Truths to the Masses Join our Discord Server Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Review the show on Apple Podcasts!