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

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! Join our Discord community! 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. Ch. 4: This Ruthless Criticism of All That Exists Marxism as Science - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 2-2-19 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 ​ ​ ​

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 Full Show Notes | Transcript 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 (02:03:47) #1702 Destroying Education, Boosting Christian Nationalism: Rewriting the Past and Hamstringing the Future (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

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!)   FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram YouTube   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’ Megyn Kelly Rebukes Matt Walsh for Saying Women Should Be ‘Traditionally Feminine’: Men Find Working Wives ‘Smokin Hot’ - Mediaite 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!)   Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 Leave a message at 202-999-3991

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 Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Why Pope Francis successor could have great influence on U.S. politics - MSNBC Reports - Air Date 4-23-25 KP 2: Trump Purges Military Leaders And Angela Denker On The Radicalization Of White Men - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 2-25-25 KP 3: The Meaning of Pope Francis - Know Your Enemy - Air Date 4-25-25 KP 4: Weekly Roundup The Pope, JD Vance, and Anti-Christian Bias - Straight White American Jesus - 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 KP 7: The Radical Catholic Right from Paul Weyrich to JD Vance Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 9-23-24 (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! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

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 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: 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 3: Who Got Rich? The Trump Tariffs, Explained by MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle - PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT- Air Date 4-11-25 KP 4: From “Liberation Day” to Chaos: Trump Pauses Most Tariffs While Escalating Trade War with China - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-10-25 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

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: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube   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     Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 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!

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 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: 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 5: What a photojournalist saw as Venezuelan migrants arrived in El Salvador - 60 Minutes - Air Date 4-6-25 KP 6: Dictator Behind Trump's Notorious El Salvadorian Prison Deportations Wants U.S. Dissents Locked Up - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 4-16-24 KP 7: Trump's Real Plan With El Salvador Revealed - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-15-25 KP 8: Sen. Van Hollen on Meeting Kilmar Abrego Garcia in El Salvador & Escalating Constitutional Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-21-25 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! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

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 Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: What few people know about the program that saved America - Meg Jacobs - TED-Ed - Air Date 6-17-21 KP 2: Trump is coming for Social Security. And he has a new 'Big Lie' to justify it. - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-5-25 KP 3: What DOGE could mean for Medicare and Medicaid? - Consider This - Air Date 2-10-25 KP 4: Food banks feel the pain from higher prices and cuts to government programs - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-10-25 KP 5: Important HHS services _will grind to a halt_ with cuts, former Secretary Sebelius says - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-2-25 KP 6: Trumps Butchering Social Security to Feed His Starving Billionaires w/ Alex Lawson - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 3-12-25 KP 7: 'The federal workforce feels tormented': Federal employees on the consequences of losing their jobs Part 1 - On Point - Air Date 4-1-25 KP 8: INTERVIEW: Tim Faust on Defending Medicaid - The Worst of All Possible Worlds Part 1 - Air Date 3-31-25 (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!

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 Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Free Mahmoud Khalil with Ben Wizner and Baher Azmy - At Liberty - Air Date 3-26-25 KP 2: News Brief Dem Leaders, 'Free Speech' Warriors Mostly Shrug as Trump Disappears Political Dissidents - Citations Needed - Air Date 4-2-25 KP 3: Trump's Revenge - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-1-25 KP 4: Trump Pauses Tariffs, Businesses Welcome Relief, Trump Targets Former Officials - Up First - Air Date 4-10-25 KP 5: Mahmoud Khalil and a New Red Scare. Plus, Press Freedom Under Threat. - On The Media - Air Date 3-14-25 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! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

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 Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! ACTIVISM ROUNDUP KEY POINTS KP 1: The Broligarchy Pt 2: Is this Techno-Fascism? Part 1 - Close All Tabs - Air Date 4-2-25 KP 2: Capitalism Has Mutated Into Something Worse with Yanis Varoufakis - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 2-7-24 KP 3: How Technofacism is Rooted in Silicon Valley / Becca Lewis Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 2-11-25 KP 4: We Went To Georgia Facebooks Data Center Took This Town Hostage - More Perfect Union - Air Date 3-27-25 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.   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X