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

Air Date 2/18/2025 Democracies slide into dictatorship in two ways, first slowly and then all of a sudden. We have been sliding in this direction for at least as long as I have been paying attention to politics and we're finally at the moment where that slow slide shifts into full speed. 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 1: Is America Broken - The Gray Area - Air Date 2-10-25 2: Musk's 'DOGE' is spiraling U.S. into a constitutional crisis - The ReidOut - Air Date 2-7-25 3: Trump's latest target the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 2-10-25 4: Trumps American Takeover - Amicus With Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 2-1-25 5: Musk's Coup and Trump's Christian Zionist Gaza Takeover - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 2-7-25 6: Media Continues Painting Musk's Far Right Coup as Good Faith _Cost-Cutting Effort - Citations Needed - Air Date 2-5-25 7:  Why Are Dems Surprised - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 2-7-25 (55:58) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the long slide to dictatorship Clip: O'Connor Decries Republican Attacks on Courts - NPR DEEPER DIVES (1:03:06) SECTION A: GOVERNMENT AGENCIES (1:29:34) SECTION B: CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS (2:00:04) SECTION C: THE PLAYBOOK (2:22:46) SECTION D: WHAT TO DO SHOW IMAGE Composite image of the US Capitol building, surrounded by symbols of justice, treasury, international aid, and education, with a large brick smashing into the center with the acronym “MAGA” on the end. Credit: Composite images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay

Air Date: 2-16-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Why we may be forced to bring back bullying - The impact of algorithms and what we can do about it - Democrats and the meaning of 'the medium is the message' - The unbelievable stupidity of techbro dweebs and their followers - The sociopathic reasons why Musk is doing this   Not a member? BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)   FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES: The Algorithmic Cage The Big Tech Takeover of American Politics I knew one day I’d have to watch powerful men burn the world down – I just didn’t expect them to be such losers Remedial Civics for Tech Bros (Middle article) Why Is Elon Musk So Hell-Bent on Bulldozing the Government?   Find your Indivisible group - or start one Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 5 Calls app     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!

Original Air Date: 8/4/2015 The dysfunctional state of the US immigration system and the political fight brewing over what to do about it 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! Show Notes Act 1: Coming Out As An Undocumented Immigrant - Latino Voices - AJ+ (@ajplus) - Air Date: 03-20-15 Act 2: Donald Trump WRONG About 'Immigrant Crime' - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 07-08-15 Act 3: Scott Walker Now Bashing Any and All Immigrants - @majorityfm - Air Date: 04-22-15 Act 4: La Raza Annual Conference Will Be Skipped By EVERY 2016 Republican Candidate - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 07-12-15 Act 5: 'OITNB' actress (@dianeguerrero__) speaks out about family's deportation - CNN - Air Date: 11-17-14 Act 6: Mass Graves of Immigrants Found in Texas, But State Says No Laws Were Broken - @democracynow - Air Date: 07-16-15 Act 7: Did You Know Jesus Was Against Immigration? - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 07-16-15 Act 8: Hold Border Patrol Responsible via @ACLU — Best of the Left Activism Act 9: Let Them All In? How Immigration Can Help the Economy - @LearnLiberty - Air Date: 01-13-15 Act 10: The Migrant Manifesto by Musa Okwonga (@Okwonga) - @migrants_rights Network - Air Date: 11-26-12   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Lindsay Owens, a political analyst, and Waleed Moore, a political commentator, delve into the alarming influence of billionaires on democracy. They discuss how oligarchs like Elon Musk are reshaping governance, often at the expense of the working class. The conversation highlights historical parallels with past industrialists while raising concerns over the role of tech in political manipulation. The need for grassroots activism is emphasized to combat the rising tide of plutocracy and maintain democratic values against the backdrop of wealth-driven power dynamics.

Air Date: 2-10-25 Today, Jay! and Amanda (Deon and Erin were sick) discuss: - Why you should be using an RSS reader  - The danger of Mystification as humans try to cope - Musk and Trump's flagrant law breaking - What Dems and you can do, with some tips from our own experience FOLLOW US ON:  Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: You should be using an RSS reader Doppelgänger by Naomi Klein Q & A: Jared Yates Sexton on the ‘Weaponized Abuse’ of Authoritarianism Brian Schatz on How Democrats Can ‘Start Kicking Ass Again’ All the ways Elon Musk is breaking the law, explained by a law professor Five Things Dems Must Do to Fight Trump Now   Find your Indivisible group - or start one: Indivisble.org Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 5 Calls app: https://5calls.org/  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 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 2/7/2025 Trump came in with a plan to subdue the media and large swaths of the media came in with a plan to acquiesce. But it's important to understand why because it's not a conspiracy or people wanting to do harm, it's structural to the system. 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: Revenge- Trump throws lawsuits at the media and demands compliance - The ReidOut w Joy Reid - Air Date 12-17-24 KP 2: Fox News is Back at the White House. Plus, No Joke, The Onion Buys Infowars. - On the Media - Air Date 11-15-24 KP 3: Trump SECRET Meeting with Media before Payoff EXPOSED - The MeidasTouch Podcast - Air Date 12-16-24 KP 4: Mickey Huff The Mainstream Media is [CENSORED] - The Zero Hour with RJ Eskow - Air Date 1-11-25 KP 5: Why Is Mainstream Media Still So Bad At This - The Majority Report - Air Date 2-2-25 KP 6: Public Broadcasting Is In Danger (Again) - On the Media - Air Date 1-10-25 KP 7: Attention pays (with Chris Hayes) - The Gray Area with Sean Illing - Air Date 1-27-25 KP 8: Jim Acosta's powerful last words as he leaves CNN- -It is never a good time to bow down to a tyrant - Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 1-28-25 KP 9: Fox News is Back at the White House. Plus, No Joke, The Onion Buys Infowars. Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 11-15-24 (53:40) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the liberatory power of the humble RSS feed reader DEEPER DIVES (1:00:23) SECTION A: MONEY (1:20:46) SECTION B: ATTENTION (1:34:24) SECTION C: FREE PRESS SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of a TV in a living room with a Breaking News graphic. A person can be partially seen sitting on the couch eating a bowl of popcorn in their lap. Credit: “Breaking news journalism press” by Tumisu, Pixabay  | License: Pixabay  

Air Date 2/4/2025 The era of unquestioned US hegemony is undoubtedly on the decline but the future is much more complicated and uncertain than the straightforward idea of China rising to take our place that we've been told. Though Trump is not the cause of US decline, he may send us out in a tragic blaze of glory. 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: Things Fall Apart - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 1-28-25 KP 2: The end of America's global dominance Part 1 - The New Statesman - Air Date 1-8-25 KP 3: Will France and Germany's woes affect the rest of Europe? | Counting the Cost - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 12-12-24 KP 4: Putin faces 'economic dilemma' amid Trump sanctions threats | World in 10 - Times Radio - Air Date 1-25-25 KP 5: Goodnight, Pax Americana: Neoliberalism and the decline of the US Empire w/ Radhika Desai Part 1 - The Red Nation Podcast - Air Date 9-22-23 KP 6: Yanis Varoufakis on Cloud Capital vs AI: DeepSeek, Technofeudalism, Capitalism and the New Cold War - DiEM25 - Air Date 1-26-24 (46:57) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On soft landings vs crash landings DEEPER DIVES (52:56) SECTION A: AMERICAN DECLINE (1:26:09) SECTION B: CHINA (1:49:01) SECTION C: RUSSIA (2:15:18) SECTION D: FRANCE (2:35:47) SECTION E: CORPORATE CONTROL (2:59:56) SECTION F: WHAT COMES NEXT SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image of a crystal ball with Earth floating in its center and a white question mark on top of it. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Images from Pixabay.  | License: Pixabay   Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Air Date: 2-2-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - How the resistance is transforming, not over - What actually worked when resisting Trump's first term - A curation of good advice on being effective and staying sane this time around FOLLOW US ON:  Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: Goodbye, ‘Resistance.’ The Era of Hyperpolitics Is Over. How to Take Heart From What Really Worked in the First Resistance The Authoritarian Regime Survival Guide, VerfBlog Here's What You Can Do to Keep Democracy Alive During Trump's Second Term Trump Will Overplay His Hand. Here’s How to Be Ready. A Message From the Future With Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez   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 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 1/31/2025 The genocide and subsequent ceasefire in Gaza is only the latest horrifying consequence of botched military misadventures in the Middle East and if the history of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay prisons can teach us anything it's that atrocities have long shadows. 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: Gaza Ceasefire Explained Reading Between The Lines - The Socialist Program - Air Date 1-16-25 KP 2: The Ceasefire in Gaza w Mohammad Alsaafin - American Prestige - Air Date 1-19-25 KP 3: Trump's Middle East Plans w Mouin Rabbani - Behind the News - Air Date 1-23-25 KP 4: On the Situation in Syria and its Implications for the Region - Revolutionary Left Radio - Air Date 1-6-25 KP 5: Katherine Gallagher on Abu Ghraib Verdict - CounterSpin - Air Date 11-29-24 KP 6: Trump's Middle East Plans w Mouin Rabbani Part 2 - Behind the News - Air Date 1-23-25 KP 7: Egypt, Jordan Reject Trump Plan to Clean Out Gaza; Palestinians Return to N. Gaza in Historic Day - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-27-25 KP 8: Gaza Ceasefire Explained Reading Between The Lines Part 2 - The Socialist Program - Air Date 1-16-25 (51:16) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the echos of atrocities DEEPER DIVES (1:02:15) SECTION A: THE DEAL (1:24:41) SECTION B: CEASEFIRE POLITICS (1:46:00) SECTION C: THE EMPIRE (2:28:35) SECTION D: NOW WHAT? SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of Palestinians walking through a street of rubble and debris with collapsed buildings on either side. Credit: “Damage in Gaza Strip during the October 2023 - 27” by WAFA, Wikimedia Commons  | License: CC-SA 3.0 | Changes: Cropped   Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X

Air Date 1/28/2025 The existence of out-of-control wildfires in Los Angeles amid the rising climate crisis is not confusing or strange. How to deal with such an emergency during our ongoing political and information crisis is a completely different story. 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: Untold Stories of L.A. Fires: Incarcerated Firefighters, Black Altadena & Octavia Butler's Warning - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-25 KP 2: Water Wars - Sustainable Minimalists - Air Date 12-14-23 KP 3: Climate Scientist Debunks L.A. Wildfire Myths with Dr. Daniel Swain - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 1-19-25 KP 4: Wildfire Conspiracies And Reinvigorating Black Male Voters with Mondale Robinson & Trae Crowder (Ep 263) Part 1- The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 1-15-25 KP 5: The Politics of Fire - The Keith Boykins Channel - Air Date 1-12-25 KP 6: Fires, Liars, and Oligarchy Rising; Garland nixes execution drug - The Bradcast - Air Date 1-16-25 (47:06) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why progressive visions are interconnected DEEPER DIVES (55:26) SECTION A: WATER (1:18:36) SECTION B: INSURANCE (1:38:09) SECTION C: POLITICAL FAILURE (2:21:29) SECTION D: CLIMATE SHOW IMAGE Description: Photo of downtown Los Angeles at night with the Pacific Palisades fire burning on the mountains in the background. Credit: “Palisades Fire from downtown” by Toastt21, Wikimedia Commons | License: CC-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped, time stamp in lower right corner removed   Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastadon | Threads | X