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

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

The hosts dive into the allure of villains in culture and politics, exploring why they captivate our imaginations. A stark critique of plutocracy highlights its detrimental effects on democracy. The path forward is seen in strengthening membership organizations to boost civic engagement. They analyze how democracy has become consumer-driven, reducing voter participation to mere transactions. In an era of transgressive thoughts, they stress the importance of grassroots organizing to revitalize authentic political involvement.

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

Marwan Bishara, an expert on Middle Eastern politics, discusses the aftermath of Bashar al-Assad's fall in Syria and its implications for the region. He analyzes Israel's aggressive actions in Syrian territory and the apparent apathy of the U.S. He highlights the shifting power dynamics among Turkey, Iran, and Israel while reflecting on the human impact of ongoing conflict. Bishara emphasizes the need for nuanced foreign policies amid rising tensions and the urgent call for justice for displaced individuals returning to Syria.

Dive into the complexities of ethical consumption in a capitalist society! Explore the paradox of wanting to act ethically while facing the reality of consumer culture. The discussion highlights the flawed nature of labeling products as 'ethical' and the clash between personal values and market demands. It questions how individual consumption aligns with socialist principles, alongside examining larger systemic issues. Reflect on the moral dilemmas of supporting controversial creators and the challenges of making responsible choices in a commodified world.

The discussion dives into the right's turn toward economic populism, challenging traditional values. Tensions arise between individualism and collective responsibility within the GOP, reflecting internal conflicts over family-supportive policies. The impact of economic policies on families, particularly vulnerable groups, raises urgent questions about empowerment and support. Political language used in conservative circles is scrutinized for its inclusivity, revealing deeper ideological divides shaped by history. This dynamic conversation paints a vivid picture of the evolving political landscape.