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

Air Date 9/16/2025 Between recent Labor Day rallies and Republican Town Hall meetings, we're seeing that resistance to Trump's deeply unpopular policies is alive and well. Plus we're going to look at some historical legacies of resistance movements that can both inform and inspire us today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on 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!) KEY POINTS KP 1: While We Were Out An Eye-opening Roundup of Everything We Missed or Wished We Had Over the Past Week - The Bradcast - Air Date 9-2-25 KP 2: How Labor Unions Shape Society Margaret Levi (re-release) - TED Talks Daily - Air Date 9-1-25 KP 3: This Is An Invasion - Pritzker, Trump, and the Union Coming Apart + Venezuelan Boat Attack - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 9-5-25 KP 4: What A Raucous Nebraska Town Hall Says About The Country's Mood - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 8-6-25 KP 5: Microsoft Is an Active Partner in the Genocide! Inside the Tech Worker Revolt for Palestine - Working People - Air Date 9-4-25 KP 6: Rules for Surviving Authoritarian Times - How to Fix It - Air Date 6-22-25 KP 7: We Are All D.C. Massive Protests Rock US Capital in Defiance of Trump - The Real News Network - Air Date 9-7-25 (00:53:35) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On what our history can tell us about our present political conflict A Senator Just Unapologetically Declared the U.S. a White Homeland DEEPER DIVES (01:03:18) SECTION A: LABOR DAY (01:36:45) SECTION B: PROTESTS (02:08:57) SECTION C: STATE-LEVEL PUSHBACK (02:39:21) SECTION D: LEGACIES OF RESISTANCE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo from the Labor Day rally in Boston depicting Sen. Ed Markey, Rep. Ayanna Pressley, and Sen. Elizabeth Warren holding a “Workers” banner with other participants. Tall, vertical rally flags are held behind them that say “Justice”, “Solidarity,” “Fairness,” “Security,” and “Freedom” Credit: Internal photo. “Boston Labor Day Rally” | Copyright 2025, Best of the Left, All rights reserved.

Air Date 9/11/2025 I've always learned the high-level understanding that the Nazis were partly able to come to power because the opposition at the time was too caught up with infighting to create a coherent resistance. With hindsight, it's easy to lament how badly they miscalculated the circumstances but living through the modern day and watching the Democratic Party struggle gives even more clarity to how that kind of inability to get organized in the face of existential threats to democracy can happen. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on 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!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Where Is the Party?: Time for Democratic Leaders to ‘Fight with Both Hands’ or ‘Step Aside’ - Velshi - Air Date 8-30-25 KP 2: This Guy, This Line - The Rational National - Air Date 9-2-25 KP 3: How Elites Destroyed the Democratic Party in the US and Fuelled Populism | The Bottom Line - Al Jazeera English -Air Date 8-31-25 KP 4: Desperate Kyle Begs and Pleads With Democrats - The Kyle Kulinski Show - Air Date 8-28-25 KP 5: Ritchie Torres Talks Zionism, LGBT, The Bronx - The Adam Friedland Show - Air Date 8-27-25 KP 6: Journalist Exposes Dark Money on the Left - UNFTR Media - Air Date 8-30-25 (00:50:07) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the murder of Charlie Kirk DEEPER DIVES (01:04:12) SECTION A: DARK MONEY AND THE INFLUENCER WAR (02:01:36) SECTION B: AIPAC, ISRAEL, AND COMPLICITY (02:46:14) SECTION C: MOSTLY WEAK BUT SIGNS OF LIFE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A graphic illustration depicting a donkey colored in red and blue, with stars, looking in shock at its shadow on the ground. Credit: “Democratic Donkey Vector and Icon” by Vectorportal.com | CC BY 4.0   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

Join Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, a champion for progressive change, and Katrina Vanden Heuvel, an expert on U.S.-Russia relations, as they delve into the chaotic political landscape influenced by Trump's provocative policies. They discuss the troubling militarization of law enforcement, the implications of aggressive immigration strategies, and the challenges posed by Trump's geopolitics towards Venezuela and Ukraine. Their insights reveal the urgent need for local resistance and democratic engagement in the face of rising authoritarianism.

Explore the surprising origins of gerrymandering and its impact on American democracy. Discover options for improving congressional representation, including multi-member districts and proportional voting. Hear about the ongoing challenges of voter disenfranchisement and how Democratic states are responding to Republican threats. Engage with the pressing issue of homelessness in DC, discussing actionable ways to provide support for those affected. Plus, a humorous take on the latest Cracker Barrel rebrand adds a lighthearted twist!

Binya Apavam, author of "The Economists' Hour," and Saagar Enjeti, co-host of Breaking Points, join in for a candid exploration of neoliberalism's roots. They discuss how policies from the Pinochet era in Chile laid the groundwork for economic inequalities that persist today. Apavam highlights the Powell Memo's impact on corporate power, while Enjeti dives into the complexities of ESG investing, revealing its contradictions and potential for greenwashing. Together, they critique the troubling dynamics of capitalism and the necessity for systemic change.

Air Date 9/1/2025 The way people consume almost every variety of media, entertainment, and art is different now than it was only 10-15 years ago. That means that the way protest music, revolutionary art, and even mass market productions and performances are going to be different, feel different, and likely find you in different ways than in the past. But the drive to create never dies and art will always be part of the resistance to oppression. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on 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! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS (00:49:08) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the strength of diversity that comes through in art DEEPER DIVES (00:56:08) SECTION A: CULTURE (01:29:28) SECTION B: ART (02:20:20) SECTION C: MUSIC (02:46:54) SECTION D: ANDOR SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of street art depicting a stenciled version of Putin and Trump kissing a la the art on the Berlin Wall satirically depicting the “fraternal kiss” between the leaders of the Soviet Union and the German Democratic Republic. Credit: “Hamburg 2020” by Ittmust | CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Slightly cropped

The podcast dives into the fall of scientific empires, illustrating how oppressive political regimes can stifle innovation. Historical parallels reveal how past fascist regimes hindered scientific progress, leaving countries vulnerable to brain drain. Current trends highlight the exodus of American scientists seeking better opportunities abroad. Anti-intellectualism poses a serious threat to evidence-based science in society. The discussion ultimately calls for global collaboration and unity to tackle future scientific challenges.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a former Trump administration HHS Secretary and environmental activist, joins Dr. Fiona Havers, an infectious disease expert with ties to the CDC. They discuss the Make America Healthy Again movement, critically examining its failure to create genuine health reforms while aligning with pro-corporate agendas. The duo highlights the dangers of cutting mRNA vaccine funding and the rise of misinformation in public health. They also explore the complex intersections of health policy, corporate interests, and the urgent need for systemic changes amidst rising distrust in the medical community.

Air Date 8/24/2025 The nature of politics and public policy is that there's always a need to balance opposing interests. Almost nowhere is there a more intractable set of opposing interests than in the attempt to protect children from harmful content on the internet while maintaining free access to adults, particularly because people wildly disagree about what qualifies as harmful and what degree of privacy invasion is an acceptable tradeoff. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on 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!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Age Verification Will Kill Free Speech Online - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 6-6-25 KP 2: Can the UK Child-proof the Internet? - Front Burner - Air Date 7-31-25 KP 3: Social Media Is Making Us Self-Censor - The Bitchuation Room (with Francesca Fiorentini) - Air Date 8-14-25 KP 4: Republicans Want to Redefine 'Obscenity' - Here's Why That Should TERRIFY You - What A Day - Air Day 5-17-25 KP 5: Meet the Creepy Pro-Trump Billionaire Profiting Off of Internet Censorship - The Humanist Report - Air Date 8-7-25 KP 6: Freedom to Connect: Aaron Swartz (1986-2013) on Victory To Save Open Internet, Fight Online Censors - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-14-13 (00:46:37) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the need to demand serious arguments about serious issues DEEPER DIVES (00:52:04) SECTION A: AGE VERIFICATION (01:19:18) SECTION B: SAVE THE CHILDREN (01:45:50) SECTION C: CENSORSHIP (02:20:34) SECTION D: ANTI-PORN AGENDA   SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a stack of protest signs that say “Fight for your digital rights!” Credit: “Netzpolitik Demonstration for press freedom in Berlin” by Sebaso, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Join Leah Litman, a law professor with a knack for Supreme Court insights, and Steve Maviglio, an astute Democratic strategist, as they delve into the concentrated power of the presidency and the judiciary's role in shaping democracy. They'll tackle the urgent issues of redistricting in Texas and the challenges of maintaining fair representation. The conversation highlights the history of voting rights protests and the implications of authoritarianism in modern politics, making a compelling case for grassroots activism in the fight for democracy.