Original 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, message us on the infamous Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email [email protected] Full Show Not...
Jun 13, 2025•58 min•Ep. 1612
Air Date: 6-11-2025 Following the 2023 attack and counterattack between Israel and Hamas which brought the simmering conflict into the mainstream of American politics, we're now living with the opportunistic weaponization of antisemitism being used as a pretext to crack down on anti-Israel protests and universities that just aren't teaching a Trump-aligned curriculum. Meanwhile, genuinely inexcusable antisemitism is being either condemned or excused by Israel supporters based more on political a...
Jun 11, 2025•2 hr 36 min•Ep. 1715
Air Date: 6-8-25 BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: The right’s attack on free speech and academic freedom Trumponomics, men, and tradwives The lessons to learn about culture wars from the fight for gay marriage How the internet and Trump force us to live in and re-litigate the past How the left can avoid Trump’s culture war traps FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube REFERENCES: Trump...
Jun 10, 2025•24 min•Ep. 11
Air Date 6/6/2025 Today, Trump's administration is doing everything in its power to end the era of educational dominance the US has enjoyed for decades. The simple fact that explains the change is that democracy used to be valued across the political spectrum while todays Republican Party is authoritarian and understands that an educated public is a public that demands democracy while an uneducated public is much easier to manipulate and oppress. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text a...
Jun 06, 2025•3 hr 51 min•Ep. 1714
Original Air Date: 12-8-2023 Neoliberalism has created a lot of economic suffering and insecurity in addition to weakened social ties over the past few decades. And now, in what may be the most devastating result of the ideology yet, neoliberalism may be leading much of the world toward fascism bolstered by legitimate grievances about economic precarity which are coopted by the false promises of right-wing populism. Direct Download Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube ! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: F...
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1597
Air Date: 6–2-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: The role of art in political movements and moments under capitalism The problems with the Democratic Party that go far beyond Biden The Democrats’ gerontocracy that is literally dying and allowing Trump legislation to pass Our response to the latest DNC Executive Committee Meeting (held May 29th in Little Rock, AR) FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube REFERENCES: Don’t Expect Art To Save Us - Current Affairs To Be...
Jun 02, 2025•23 min•Ep. 10
Air Date 5/30/2025 Given the overwhelming weirdness of Trump and his malfeasant style of governance, it would be perfectly understandable for casual observers to believe that his signature piece of legislation, weirdly named in reality the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," was itself also likely to be pretty weird; a potential departure from usual Republican Party policy priorities. In reality, what's weird is how deeply normal it is: take from the poor and give to the rich while letting corporation...
May 30, 2025•3 hr 12 min•Ep. 1713
Air Date 5/27/2025 Slippery slope arguments persist because good ideas taken to extremes become bad ones. Eugenics exemplifies this—often starting with good intentions. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community ! KEY POINTS KP 1: The movement that inspired the Holocaust - Alexandra Minna Stern and Natalie Lira - TED-Ed - Air Date 3-10-22 KP...
May 27, 2025•3 hr 25 min•Ep. 1712
Air Date: 5-26-25 *CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE “SINNERS”* You thought you were going to listen to SOLVED! today, and you're not alone. We also thought we were going to make an episode of SOLVED!, but this turned into something a little bit different. So, we're calling it a “special” in which Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss storytelling and mythology in general, and the extremely relevant and fascinating themes of the new Ryan Coogler film “Sinners,” in particular. Because storytelling is...
May 26, 2025•17 min
Original Air Date: 6/29/2020 From 2020: Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to sh...
May 24, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Ep. 1355
Air Date: 5-21-2025 A popular MAGA refrain is, "promises made, promises kept." The key is having known which promises to take seriously. Weaponizing the government against his enemies and attempting to wield dictatorial power, sure. Benefit his supporters or the working class more broadly, or rid the government of waste, fraud, or corruption... not so much. Direct Download BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libro.fm for a non-evil...
May 21, 2025•3 hr 5 min•Ep. 1711
Air Date: 5-19-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon (Erin was on vacation) discuss: The origins of and problems with “the one way” Christian mindset Why Finland’s happiest country title and happiness itself are terribly misunderstood by Americans How our globalized world is messing with perceptions of our cultural similarities and differences The link between genocides, pseudoscience, and conspiracy theories Naomi Klein’s analysis on the problems with how we talk about the Holocaust How we get back ...
May 19, 2025•19 min•Ep. 9
Air Date 5/18/2025 The full quote from today's title is from one of the most celebrated writers of Southern American literature, William Faulkner, who said, "The past is never dead. It’s not even past. All of us labor in webs spun long before we were born, webs of heredity and environment, of desire and consequence, of history and eternity.” The new film, Sinners, set in the Jim Crow South, attempts to take on some of the subjects that make up that web of history and consequence. The theme of to...
May 18, 2025•2 hr 54 min•Ep. 1710
Original Air Date 6/4/2022 Today we take a look at some of the obvious steps we need to take to reduce gun violence in the United States, debunk some of the favored propaganda supporting unfettered gun ownership and explore the origins of how Gun Culture™ was invented by corporations as the frontier era need for guns began to vanish pushing them to convert guns from tools that were needed but not loved into items that were loved though no longer needed. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 20 min•Ep. 1493
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 [email protected] 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! Joi...
May 09, 2025•55 min•Ep. 1275
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 [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfThe...
May 06, 2025•3 hr 13 min•Ep. 1709
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 bette...
May 05, 2025•18 min•Ep. 8
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 [email protected] 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 infl...
May 02, 2025•2 hr 51 min•Ep. 1708
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 [email protected] 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! Joi...
Apr 29, 2025•3 hr 19 min•Ep. 1707
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 In...
Apr 28, 2025•24 min•Ep. 8
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 [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our links to shop Bookshop.org and Libr...
Apr 26, 2025•3 hr 38 min•Ep. 1706
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....
Apr 22, 2025•3 hr 6 min•Ep. 1705
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 [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community ! KEY POIN...
Apr 18, 2025•3 hr 57 min•Ep. 1704
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...
Apr 14, 2025•2 hr 54 min•Ep. 1703
Original Air Date: 3/5/2019 From 2019: Today we take a look at how the illiberalism of the Israeli government has alienated the vast majority of democratic nations and individuals who support human rights, leaving the country with some of the most far-right, fascist, white-supremacist, anti-Semitic people in the world as their only remaining allies . Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members G...
Apr 08, 2025•1 hr 3 min•Ep. 1254
Air Date 4/5/2025 Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. And with Trump in place, the Christian Nationalists are looking to rewrite history to their liking in order to create the dystopian future they desire. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] 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...
Apr 05, 2025•3 hr 6 min•Ep. 1702
Air Date 4/2/2025 Love them or loathe them, the Democratic Party is the political institution available to the left to structurally take on Trumpism but we need a whole lot of new energy and new commitments to the fight to turn them into an opposition worthy of the moment we face. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript New Format Notes Code BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Use our li...
Apr 02, 2025•3 hr 14 min•Ep. 1701
Air Date 3/28/2025 You might not be trans yourself but that's just like how coal miners aren't canaries because when they saw that the canaries were under threat, they knew the danger was all around them. Fascists always start with those who are the easiest to dehumanize but they never stop there. ANNOUNCEMENT: Watch, like, subscribe & comment on our newly-launched YouTube show, SOLVED! Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show N...
Mar 29, 2025•4 hr 10 min•Ep. 1700
Original Air Date: 3/29/2022 Today we take a look at the current iteration of the cynical culture wars being waged by conservative Republicans against LGBTQ kids for political gain. The current wave of anti-trans and anti-gay legislation sprouting across the country is not about protecting kids and is absolutely nothing new. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email [email protected] Full Show Notes | Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Show...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 9 min•Ep. 1479
Air Date: 3–24-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss: - Our new game Satire Showdown - The authoritarian takeover of the term common sense - How Americans actually feel about DEI initiatives - The right’s turn on Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett - A deep dive on the theory of a multiracial Right and how Democrats should respond FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: How...
Mar 25, 2025•22 min•Ep. 3
