Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Expertly-curated progressive politics, news, and culture produced by leftist humans, not algorithms or AI. This is an award-winning podcast that dives deeply into a wide range of national and international issues facing society and governments. We draw from hundreds of sources of progressive news and commentary. Est. 2006. Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in each episode and be introduced to new sources you will not have come across on your own!
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Bonus Sample #299 Selling Bliss
04/18/2024
Bonus Sample #299 Selling Bliss
Air Date: 4-18-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how a tech start-up is trying to sell a shortcut to bliss - the world of drug-free psychedelic experiences - the capitalists trying to solve the loneliness epidemic REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1249 Understanding the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israeli mistreatment of Palestinians (Throwback)
04/16/2024
#1249 Understanding the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israeli mistreatment of Palestinians (Throwback)
Original Air Date 2/12/2019 Today we take a look at both the BDS movement and the backlash response to it resulting in firings and legislation in many states (and pending federally) to restrict employment and business opportunities from those who fail to pledge in writing to not support of the boycott of Israel Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: We speak to art critic and writer Kareem Estefan, co-editor of “Assuming Boycott: Resistance, Agency, and Cultural Production,” about Boycott, Divest, Sanction (BDS) Ch. 2: Legendary activist and scholar Angela Davis speaks out after the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute rescinded a human rights award for her, reportedly due to her activism for Palestinian rights. Ch. 3: Ali Abunimah discusses a leaked report from Creative Community for Peace (CCFP), a front for Israel government-backed lobby group StandWithUs, which admits the cultural boycott is "constantly growing" and "innovative." Ch. 4: We’ll hear about so-called “anti-BDS” laws, and their context, from Josh Ruebner, policy director at the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. Ch. 5: While Senators Cardin and Portman are trying to sneak a last-minute amendment into the budget bill to make BDS illegal - violating free speech - 26 states are also moving to make boycotts of Israel illegal. We speak to IPS’s Phyllis Bennis. Ch. 6: Tim discusses CNN’s firing of contributor Marc Lamont Hill (a former guest on the show), for comments he made in favor of full equality and justice for the Palestinian people. MUSIC () Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at
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#1622 Capitalism Culture Catastrophes On Land, Sea, And In The Sky - Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Boeing Blowout, and the Continuing Threat to Railway Workers
04/12/2024
#1622 Capitalism Culture Catastrophes On Land, Sea, And In The Sky - Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Boeing Blowout, and the Continuing Threat to Railway Workers
Air Date 4/12/2024 The forces of capitalism and deregulation loom large as industrial transport disasters continue to pile up with new focus brought to the issue by the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse and the series of dangerous and deadly failures from Boeing. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Two full days after the disastrous collapse of a bridge in Baltimore, little is known about six construction workers who went missing—and are now presumed dead. Ch. 2: The Real News convened a panel of journalists working all sides of this story to get a sense of what we know about the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, what key questions still need to be answered, and what happens next. Ch. 3: Discussing the Baltimore disaster in the context of infrastructure investment more broadly Ch. 4: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the threat to society of runaway corporate executive pay References: MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo taken from inside the Alaska Airlines flight 1282 Boeing plane that lost its door mid-flight. A rectangular hole in the side of the plane reveals a wall of white clouds. The nearby seats are empty and oxygen masks hang from the ceiling. Credit: (NTSB) as part of their investigation. | License: Public Domain Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at Contact me directly at [email protected]
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#1621 How Democrats Lost Their Way On Economics And Are Starting To Find It Again
04/09/2024
#1621 How Democrats Lost Their Way On Economics And Are Starting To Find It Again
Air Date 4/9/2024 The neoliberal legacy of the New Democrats continues to loom large but it really does seem like the progressive wing of the party and the broader demand for populist economic policies has had an impact. Now people just need to know that it's happening. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: In this episode of the Prospect’s Generations podcast, editor at large Harold Meyerson, who joined the Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee in 1975, and writing fellow Luke Goldstein, who was attracted to socialism by Bernie Sanders Ch. 2: Historian Lily Geismer looks at how the the Democratic Leadership Council and Clinton-era Democratic Party increased inequality, through development zones, charter schools, welfare “reform”, and microfinance. Ch. 3: Our politics today is haunted by the failures of Bill Clinton—the “centrist” who “triangulated” with Republicans, lost on healthcare, and proclaimed that “the era of big government is over.” Nelson Lichtenstein explains Clinton’s turn to the right MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 7: CENTRIST AND RIGHT-WING economists continue to advocate for laying off workers and engineering a recession to address inflation. But why not set price controls instead? Ch. 8: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the way we think about political criticism MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of President Joe Biden shaking hands with a hard-hat-and-safety-vest clad union worker during a campaign event in Pennsylvania. Credit: “” by Governor Tom Wolf Flickr account | License: | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #292 Someone is Wrong on the Internet
04/07/2024
Bonus Sample #292 Someone is Wrong on the Internet
Air Date: 4-7-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Many facets of our society are clearly broken by capitalism, and bizarrely for some, chaos is the only thing that beings agency to their life - The delusion of RFK Jr. voters, the understandable desire to vote third party, and the age-old cry of the 'uniparty' - The trend of conservative voters among communities of color and where they find themselves in Trump's Republican Party - And that one of the Democrats main stumbling blocks is they're only interested in keeping things exactly as they are REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1379 Tell Stories, Not Myths: Democracy in America (Throwback)
04/05/2024
#1379 Tell Stories, Not Myths: Democracy in America (Throwback)
Original Air Date: 11/10/2020 Today we take a look at the long and shifting history of the myth of democracy in America. We've never had it since the beginning but the reasons have shifted, ebbed and flowed over time. Now, in the midst of an attempted slow-motion coup, we look back at this most central American myth. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Two of the last three presidents — George W. Bush and Donald Trump — came to office after losing the popular vote. "The Framers who met at the Constitutional Convention really had no idea what they were doing when they established how to pick a president" Ch. 2: After the Civil War, a surprising coalition tried to remake the United States into a real multiracial democracy for the first time. Reconstruction, as the effort was called, brought dramatic change to America. For a while. Ch. 3: Don't remember the past? Does that mean you're condemned to repeat it? What does our country's past tell us about our present— and how can it help us imagine a better future? This week, two leading thinkers on the tricky challenges of democracy. Ch. 4: What will it take to make the United States a more fully functioning democracy, and how can we, as citizens, bring about that change? By host and producer John Biewen, with series collaborator Chenjerai Kumanyika. TAKE ACTION Written by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC () Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1620 Threatening the 2024 Election to Subvert Democracy, from Legal Maneuvers in Congress and Unconstitutional Congressional Maps to Violent Threats Against Election Workers
04/03/2024
#1620 Threatening the 2024 Election to Subvert Democracy, from Legal Maneuvers in Congress and Unconstitutional Congressional Maps to Violent Threats Against Election Workers
Air Date 4/3/2024 As the country gears up for the election in November, we look at a variety of ways the GOP and their election-denialist supporters are preparing to subvert the democratic process to get the result they want. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: A question remains among most American, and specifically Arizonan, voters: how can we make elections better? David Becker is a co-founder of the Center for Election Innovation and Research to improve elections through technology and reliance on data. Ch. 2: A federal jury in Washington ordered Rudy Giuliani, Donald Trump’s former campaign attorney, to pay $148 million to two Georgia election workers for distress caused by lies he spread following the 2020 election. Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Donald Trump and the far right want the 2024 election to be so chaotic they can make the case that Trump won, even if he goes down in flames losing by spectacular numbers. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Ch. 10: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the backfire effect of lies about mail-in voting MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photo of a protestor, wearing a mask, and holding a sign up that says “When we count, democracy wins.” Credit: “” by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #297 No Laughing Matter
04/01/2024
Bonus Sample #297 No Laughing Matter
Air Date: 4-1-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how Trump uses humor to normalize his behavior and engage his supporters - how humor is not always a great weapon against fascism and autocracy REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1619 A Guide to Protests Against Injustice from the Peaceful to the Deadly
03/30/2024
#1619 A Guide to Protests Against Injustice from the Peaceful to the Deadly
Air Date 3/30/2024 We are living through an age of protest from the opposition to the Iraq war, the Arab Spring uprisings, Occupy Wall Street, through to marches against Trump, and now the war in Gaza. So, we thought we should take a look at the art and science of protest itself. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The 2010s saw a new era of mass protest, from Arab Spring uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt and Syria, to Occupy Wall Street, EuroMaidan and Hong Kong’s Umbrella Movement. Many of these movements shared a “horizontalist” or leaderless approach Ch. 2: Organizers Layla Elabed and Waleed Shahid join us to discuss their recent successes with the movement to vote uncommitted against Joe Biden in the ongoing democratic primaries. They lay out their goals Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Ch. 5: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the importance of building momentum over time with protest MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photo of a handmade protest sign taped to a chainlink fence that says "This is a movement not a moment." Taped to the bottom of the sign is a smaller sign that says "Jacob Blake" with hearts around it. Credit: "" by Elvert Barnes, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped, slightly increased brightness, contrast and saturation. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #296 Coping: Magic Mushrooms, Bath Time, Perpetual Therapy, and Pain Killers
03/28/2024
Bonus Sample #296 Coping: Magic Mushrooms, Bath Time, Perpetual Therapy, and Pain Killers
Air Date: 3-28-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how the wealthy use psilocybin to deal with stress and break the rules of time - the working class get bath time and training on how to self-care their stress away - the REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1463 People Are Waking Back Up To The Need For Labor Unions (Throwback)
03/26/2024
#1463 People Are Waking Back Up To The Need For Labor Unions (Throwback)
Original Air Date: 12/23/2021 Today we take a look at some of the history of labor struggles in America and the current wave of strikes that is giving renewed energy to the labor union movement and the struggle for better working conditions for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 2: Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 3: We hear from Kaiser Permanente workers, and then Labor Notes’ Jonah Furman joins The Intercept’s Washington Editor Nausicaa Renner to discuss this year’s strike wave. Ch. 4: The episode includes a blow-by-blow analysis of a recent interview with the CEO of Kellogg's to translate Wall Street speak for “how to fuck workers and influence inflation.” Ch. 5: Suzi talks with John Logan about the unionization victory at Starbucks in Buffalo, and the continuing Kellogg Co. strike. Ch. 6: The "labor shortage" isn't, "Build Back Better" does not begin to approach what Europe already has. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Gavin Mueller [@gavinmuellerphd], assistant professor of New Media and Digital Culture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, on what modern lessons can be learned from the Luddite workers of 19th century England. Ch. 10: MUSIC () Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1618 Forget Equality, Embrace the Feminism of Freedom - Breaking entirely free from the structures of White supremacy and heteropatriarchy
03/23/2024
#1618 Forget Equality, Embrace the Feminism of Freedom - Breaking entirely free from the structures of White supremacy and heteropatriarchy
Air Date 3/23/2024 Equality has been at the heart of civil rights movements for decades but what we have failed to see is that in striving for equality we cannot help but reinforce the unquestioned preexisting structures of society which, themselves, may be at fundamental odds with true freedom for all. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Watch author Marcie Bianco's book talk and reading at Politics and Prose bookstore in Washington, D.C. Ch. 2: By detailing the diversity of human arrangements, including the prevalence of egalitarian and matrilineal societies around the world – past and present – Angela reveals that male-supremacy is neither natural nor immutable. Ch. 3: Emma hosts Kyla Schuller, Assistant Professor of Women's and Gender Studies at Rutgers University, to discuss her recent book The Trouble With White Women: A Counterhistory of Feminism. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Ch. 9: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on what the path beyond equality and toward freedom looks like MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: A photo of a protest in a city street. A person holds up a neon pink sign that says “Smash Patriarchy. Smash Capitalism.” Part of a Starbucks logo can be seen behind the sign. Credit: “” by Peter, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped, slight increase in brightness, contrast and saturation. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #295 Cause it's all about control
03/21/2024
Bonus Sample #295 Cause it's all about control
Air Date: 3-21-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - how AI became a tool in the gender culture war - the real reasons "soft girls" and "tradwives" are a thing REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1617 The Profitable and Political Moral Panic Around Trans People: Debunking Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, Groomers, and Detransitioning Misconceptions
03/19/2024
#1617 The Profitable and Political Moral Panic Around Trans People: Debunking Rapid Onset Gender Dysphoria, Groomers, and Detransitioning Misconceptions
Air Date 3/19/2024 We break down some of the pseudoscience the trans panic is built on, look at the political drive to erase trans people, understand how language of panic shifts over time, and present and alternate view of societal healing for a healthier humanity. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Mia and Gare are once again joined by Dr, Julia Serano to discuss how the concept of contagious stigma drives moral panics against cis and trans people alike Ch. 2: Just a week into 2024 and Red State Republicans have already introduced over 150 bills targeting the transgender community. Journalist Erin Reed, host of 'Erin in the Morning,' updates us on the sorry parade. Ch. 3: ALOK sits down with Jamie Lee Curtis to explore themes of gender, race, trauma, belonging and the human condition. Ch. 4: A panel discussion centered on the representation of trans issues in the media. Moderated by Katherine Cross. Ch. 5: MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: Ch. 10: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on a new reframing of the right to the freedom of sex MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: A colorful, hand-drawn protest sign says “Protect Trans Youth” with the trans pride flag. Credit: “” by Taymaz Valley, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1616 The Party of Putin and the Propaganda Leading the GOP to Trump and the US to Russian-Style Autocracy
03/15/2024
#1616 The Party of Putin and the Propaganda Leading the GOP to Trump and the US to Russian-Style Autocracy
Air Date 3/15/2024 Republicans have been trending toward Putin fandom for more than a decade but with each passing year the stakes get higher, the propaganda gets more brazen, and what they're willing to support gets more grotesque. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Ch. 2: Vaughn Hillard discusses meeting with Trump voters who have started to echo the rhetoric from Putin and Russia when it comes to that country’s war on Ukraine and how the base of the MAGA movement has leaned into authoritarian rhetoric. Ch. 3: Casey Michel joins to discuss why white nationalists like David Duke, Richard Spencer, and Matthew Heimbach have long since looked to Putin's Russia as inspiration for their far-right movements in this country Ch. 4: Author and reporter Heidi Siegmund Cuda has the dirt that ties Mike Johnson to President Putin. Does Mr Johnson want to follow Russia's example and become an authoritarian pseudo-theocracy? MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 8: Andrea and Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack discuss the assassination of Navalny and the work ahead to build a meaningful opposition. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 9: Final comments on the global view of autocratic propaganda MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Protestors in a major city at night hold up cutouts of Putin’s head and Trump’s head. Large cutouts of open hands are on either side of Trump. Credit: “” by rob walsh, Flickr | License: Public Domain | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #294 Answering men's cry for help
03/11/2024
Bonus Sample #294 Answering men's cry for help
Air Date: 3-11-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - mascuzynity and the conservative male ethos - talking to young men to prevent their slide to the right - and that brutal man camps that are more a symptom and cry for help than a solution REFERENCES: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at Follow at Like at Contact me directly at Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1165 To Exist is to Resist: Life and Activism in Occupied Palestine Working Toward Rights and Democracy For All in Israel (Throwback)
03/08/2024
#1165 To Exist is to Resist: Life and Activism in Occupied Palestine Working Toward Rights and Democracy For All in Israel (Throwback)
Original Air Date 2-17-2018 We hear from activists and advocates to get a sense of the life, land, and walls that divide occupied Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr Ch. 2: Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Ch. 5: Ch. 6: Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at Support the show via Check out the BotL / App in the App Stores! Follow at Like at Contact me directly at [email protected] Review the show on and !
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#1163 Strange Bedfellows: Looking at why Ethno-Nationalists Admire Israel and the Violence Inflicted on Gaza (Throwback)
03/05/2024
#1163 Strange Bedfellows: Looking at why Ethno-Nationalists Admire Israel and the Violence Inflicted on Gaza (Throwback)
Original Air Date 2/7/2018 Looking at Israel from a variety of angles including what they do to Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank and why White supremacists, of all people, support them Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! Show Notes Ch. 1: Opening Theme: Loving Acoustic Instrumental by John Douglas Orr Ch. 2: Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Ch. 5: Ch. 6: Ch. 7: Ch. 8: Final comments addressing some of the concerns about the #MeToo movement (Music from , ) Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at Support the show via Check out the BotL / App in the App Stores! Follow at Like at Contact me directly at [email protected]
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Bonus Sample: #293 I love you, man
03/03/2024
Bonus Sample: #293 I love you, man
Air Date: 3-3-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - why men struggle with friendship - why men and boys are lonelier than ever - the impact of different masculine identities on relationships - something The Beatles apparently did that no one seems to talk about REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1615 Envisioning a Leftisț Economic Future of Postcapitalism, High-Tech Automation, Universal Basic Income and a World (Mostly) Without Work
03/01/2024
#1615 Envisioning a Leftisț Economic Future of Postcapitalism, High-Tech Automation, Universal Basic Income and a World (Mostly) Without Work
Air Date 3/1/2024 We don't have to think too hard to understand the fears of a world in which work, and the ability of millions to support themselves, are lost to automation and artificial intelligence. But that is only a capitalist future in which the benefits of technological advancement are hoarded by the already-wealthy. Today we imagine a different path. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams Ch. 2: Since the demise of the USSR, the mantle of the largest planned economies in the world has been taken up by the likes of Walmart, Amazon and other multinational corporations. Ch. 3: With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like. Ch. 4: In this video we will be discussing automation, which is often confused with being the ‘technological revolution’ in it of itself as it is what the mainstream focuses on, and for good reason, as how we handle automation will determine the trajectory or co Ch. 5: With jobs being automated and handed off to machines at an ever-increasing pace, it's only natural to consider what our future will look like. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 10: Final comments on living our values and stepping away from work MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of a patch on a backpack that says "What would you do if your income were taken care of?" Credit: "" by Patrick Maynard, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1614 Deep-Fakery and Deep Consequences for Democracy: AI-generated fake news threatens elections around the world and makes people question the ability to know what is real
02/28/2024
#1614 Deep-Fakery and Deep Consequences for Democracy: AI-generated fake news threatens elections around the world and makes people question the ability to know what is real
Air Date 2/28/2024 AI-generated deepfakes, entirely fabricated audio and video of recognizable people, are here. They have been on the horizon for years but they have finally arrived during the biggest global election year in history which may prove to be a make of break year for democracy itself as we struggle to separate fact from fiction and autocracy is on the rise around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Deepfaked news segments that appear to be delivered by well-known journalists and TV networks are going viral on social media. Oftentimes, the view counts of deepfaked segments largely outnumber those of real news stories. Ch. 2: An AI-generated Biden called voters in New Hampshire ahead of the primary and told them to stay home. X locked down the search term “Taylor Swift” after AI-generated nudes of the pop giant flooded the platform. Ch. 3: Tech giants including Microsoft, Meta, Google, Amazon, X, OpenAI and TikTok unveiled an agreement on Friday aimed at mitigating the risk that artificial intelligence will disrupt elections in 2024. Ch. 4: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on even more dangers from news sites populated with AI-generated content MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Computer-generated image of a silhouetted man standing in front of a large wall-sized image of the profile of a middle-aged man with digitized lines and cracks running through it. Credit: "" by NickyPe, Pixabay | Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #292 Techno Authoritarians vs Interoperabilities
02/25/2024
Bonus Sample #292 Techno Authoritarians vs Interoperabilities
Air Date: 2-25-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss: - authoritarian Technocracy - and why interoperability may be one of the best weapons against it REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1613 Breathless Speculation: Biden's Baggage, Trump's Tyranny, Misleading Media, Courts and Criminality
02/23/2024
#1613 Breathless Speculation: Biden's Baggage, Trump's Tyranny, Misleading Media, Courts and Criminality
Air Date 2/23/2024 2024 is already shaping up to be even more of a disaster than expected. The causes for anxiety are many and varied, leaving many of us with questions. We generally try to avoid topics and commentaries that lean into the realm of pure speculation but today we decided to lean all the way in to answer your most pressing questions. What about Biden's support of Israel? What about his age? Should he be replaced at the Democratic Convention? How likely is Trump to do the horrible things he promises? And what about his court cases? Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Krystal and Emily discuss a US court ruling Biden may be complicit in genocide after the ICJ's ruling against Israel. Ch. 2: "The administration needs to change course in foreign policy in the Middle East to gain the trust of people who we have lost," says California Democratic Congressmember Ro Khanna. Ch. 3: Did the media convince you that Biden is losing his touch? Thom Hartmann explains why you can’t trust this false narrative. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the presidential age debate and what we're really voting for MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Graphic design composite featuring a large pile of red, triangular traffic attention/warning signs. Every sign has a question mark in the middle with the exception of two, which show the faces of President Biden and Donald Trump, respectively. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Composite components: “” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr (License: | Changes: Cropped). “” via Trump White House Archive, Flickr (Public domain). “” via Pixabay (Public domain). Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1612 New Tech and the New Luddite Movement; Inequitable Distribution of Benefits from New Technology Always Sparks Demands from Labor and AI is Rekindling the Old Arguments
02/20/2024
#1612 New Tech and the New Luddite Movement; Inequitable Distribution of Benefits from New Technology Always Sparks Demands from Labor and AI is Rekindling the Old Arguments
Air Date 2/20/2024 "Luddite" should never have become the epithet that it is as the Luddites were never afraid of or opposed to technological advancement, they only opposed the exploitation of workers and the degradation to society that came with the unfair distribution of the benefits of the targeted technology. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Activists are fighting back against generative AI and reclaiming a misunderstood label in the process, says Brian Merchant in a new piece for The Atlantic. Ch. 2: Jathan Sadowski (@jathansadowski) of the This Machine Kills (@machinekillspod) podcast repairs our sabotaged understanding of the legacy of the Luddites. Ch. 3: Lauded for his groundbreaking work in reverse-engineering OpenAI's large language model, GPT-2, AI expert Connor Leahy tells Imran Garda why he is now sounding the alarm. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the fork in the road and a look at our options References: MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: An 1812 block print of “The Leader of the Luddites” depicting a man in disheveled early 1800s clothing and missing one shoe leading other men up a hill while a building burns in the background. Credit: “”, Messrs | Working Class Movement Library catalog | Public Domain Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at Listen Anywhere! Listen Anywhere! Follow at Like at Contact me directly at [email protected]
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Bonus Sample #291 Recommendations and Manipulations
02/19/2024
Bonus Sample #291 Recommendations and Manipulations
Air Date: 2-19-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda and Deon discuss: - how augmented reality and the Apple Vision Pro affects the human brain - how algorithms are changing and flattening our culture - how to take back your life from algorithmic choices REFERENCES: 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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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#1611 Higher Education: the Myths, McCarthyism, and Change Makers at a time when education is under attack for free speech, DEI and CRT but arguably needs changes to meet a changing world
02/17/2024
#1611 Higher Education: the Myths, McCarthyism, and Change Makers at a time when education is under attack for free speech, DEI and CRT but arguably needs changes to meet a changing world
Air Date 2/17/2024 The debate over education has been derailed from the legitimate concerns of the past focused on the downfalls of No Child Left Behind and Common Core policies into a cul-de-sac of ignorance over opposition to diversity, equity and inclusion programs and the teaching of critical race theory. Not to mention the new McCarthyism that has sprung up to squash any criticism of Israel's genocidal war in Gaza. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Free speech on campus, book bans, education gag orders, the overturn of affirmative action, the resignation of former Harvard president Claudine Gay. All of these issues center on one hot-button topic: DEI. Ch. 2: Author Bradford Vivian joins Emma to discuss his book Campus Misinformation: The Real Threat to Free Speech in American Higher Education. Ch. 3: Powerful institutions, including the media, combine a selective understanding of free expression with a vehement desire to enforce it. Ch. 4: Sam and Emma host Jon Shelton, professor at the University of Wisconsin at Green Bay, to discuss his recent book The Education Myth: How Human Capital Trumped Social Democracy. MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the tradeoffs we make when we allow culture wars to dominate the education debate Articles: SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of the gothic facade of a university with dark clouds overhead. Credit: "", Pixabay |
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#1610 The Border, and Our Border Politics, Are a Mess - As Trump and MAGA-driven misunderstanding and panic about the nature of immigration dominates election concerns.
02/14/2024
#1610 The Border, and Our Border Politics, Are a Mess - As Trump and MAGA-driven misunderstanding and panic about the nature of immigration dominates election concerns.
Air Date 2/13/2024 The entire political system has lurched to the right on immigration as Democrats adopt the talking points of the Republicans and the MAGA Republicans put Trump's election chances over the policies they claim to support. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: MAGA Republicans have vowed to block the latest immigration reform bill, while also saying immigration is a crisis and immediate threat. Donald Trump’s influence over MAGA Republican elected officials regarding immigration is discussed Ch. 2: Ch. 3: Republican Chip Roy goes off on a fiery rant against his own party, explicitly calling out Donald Trump for posting false claims on Truth Social over the border deal he plotted to destroy. John Iadarola and Sharon Reed break it down on The Damage Report. FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on the incentives for our politicians to fail at governing Related Articles: SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of detained migrants - adults and children - lined up against the US-Mexico border fence as a border patrol officer walks by. Credit: "" via Picryl | License: Public Domain
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#1609 The Post-Roe World is Bad But it Could Still Get Worse - Abortion Bans in the US Are Causing Widespread Suffering for Both Patients and Doctors Attempting to Navigate the New Normal
02/10/2024
#1609 The Post-Roe World is Bad But it Could Still Get Worse - Abortion Bans in the US Are Causing Widespread Suffering for Both Patients and Doctors Attempting to Navigate the New Normal
Air Date 2/10/2024 Continuing to tell the stories of those directly impacted by abortion bans is important to demonstrate the extreme stances taken by anti-choice politicians but we also look ahead to potential ways the situation could be made even worse as well as efforts to relieve the suffering. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The results of overturning Roe have reached their awful, logical conclusion. Ch. 2: In episode 5 of The Nocturnists: Post-Roe America we talk about the culture of silence around reproductive health in medical spaces, and how breaking that silence is our only hope for reclaiming our reproductive freedom. Ch. 3: Ch. 4: The saga of Kate Cox in Texas is making it clear to every American that GOP opposition to abortion isn’t just about abortion: it’s ultimately about controlling every aspect of women’s bodies and lives. ... FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 12: Final comments on addressing concerns regarding the 15-minute city concept of walkable towns TAKE ACTION! Support repro rights orgs doing vital work, such as: Curated by BOTL Communications Director Amanda Hoffman MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photo of a protestor holding a handmade sign that reads "You can't ban abortion. You can only ban safe abortion." Credit: "" by Matt Hrkac, Flickr | License: | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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#1608 Widespread Loneliness is a Solvable Social Problem - Urban Design, Architecture, Co-housing, and Community Action and Support Can Make Our Towns Better
02/07/2024
#1608 Widespread Loneliness is a Solvable Social Problem - Urban Design, Architecture, Co-housing, and Community Action and Support Can Make Our Towns Better
Air Date 2/7/2024 Loneliness is an epidemic that long-predates the COVID lockdowns that only made things worse but it's not primarily cultural or even technological in origin. The issue largely has to do with how our built environment is designed and then social and technological aspects compound the problem. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The U.S. Surgeon General declared a new public health epidemic in America, loneliness. A new report finds loneliness can have profound effects on mental health as well as heart disease, stroke and dementia. Ch. 2: The infrastructure in the US is one of the main culprits for our loneliness. In this video, we deep-dive into why that is and how it has come to be this way. So, what can we do to fix this? Ch. 3: Ch. 4: Loneliness doesn't always stem from being alone. For architect Grace Kim, loneliness is a function of how socially connected we feel to the people around us -- and it's often the result of the homes we live in. She shares an age-old antidote to isolation .... MUSIC () SHOW IMAGE: Description: Photograph taken from behind a woman in a dark room who is leaning out an open window. She looks out at a brick apartment building across the way. Credit: "" by Jon Eric Marababol, Wikimedia Commons | License: Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at
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Bonus Sample #289 A Cul-de-Sac of Ignorance
02/06/2024
Bonus Sample #289 A Cul-de-Sac of Ignorance
Air Date: 2-6-24 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - The impacts of the myth of the model minority - Haley and Ramaswamy Denying America's racism as they both experience and use racism during the Republican primary race (Hear the full Bonus Shows! + No Ads!) REFERENCES: Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at Follow at Like at Contact me directly at Review the show on Apple Podcasts!
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