Stay ConnectedExpertly-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!
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
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
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)
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 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 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
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
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!
KEY POINTS
KP 2: Water Wars - Sustainable Minimalists - Air Date 12-14-23
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
Air Date: 1-26-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - The mindset of collaborators - Why many people turn inward and drop out - at their own risk - under authoritarianism - The nature of true dissidents and what we can learn from them
FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e
REFERENCES:
History Will Judge the Complicit
The Desire to Turn Inward Is a Delusion
How to Keep Your Moral Compass
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!
Original Air Date: 3/7/2017
Today we look at the dangerous myths of individualism and the American Dream™, some of their origins and some of their consequences
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Show NotesCh. 1: Opening Theme: A Fond Farewell - From a Basement On the Hill
Act 1: Cultural influences on our perspective of self w/Gish Jen - Think Again - Air Date 3-4-17
Act 2: You are not as free as you think you are w/Raoul Martinez - @thisishellradio - Air Date 2-24-17
Act 3: Individualism in the prosperity gospel brand of Christianity - Ideas from CBC - Air Date 1-8-17
Act 4: The Cold War propaganda of anti-collectivism w/Gish Jen - Think Again - Air Date 3-4-17
Act 6: Training is all that matters - A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
Act 8: The Dangerous Myth of the American Dream w/Raoul Martinez - @thisishellradio - Air Date 2-24-17
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Air Date 1/21/2025
Decades ago, the conscious decision was made to exacerbate inequality for the sake of economic growth that would supposedly lift all boats. What probably wasn't understood at the time is that the logical conclusion of that choice would be to break democracy and usher in oligarchy. Now working people are left with only bad choices and empty promises.
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
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!
KEY POINTS
KP 1: Workers Without a Party - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 12-11-24
KP 4: How Democrats Can Win Back The Working Class - Lever Time - Air Date 11-8-24
KP 5: Why Elites Love Identity Politics - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25
KP 7: Democratic Dealignment w Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor - The Dig - Air Date 11-9-24
KP 8: Why Elites Love Identity Politics Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 1-1-25
(54:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the path Democrats have charted
DEEPER DIVES
(1:02:38) SECTION A: PARTY RECKONING
(1:23:40) SECTION B: NEOLIBERAL STRANGLEHOLD
(1:39:24) SECTION C: CROSSED WIRES
(2:08:27) SECTION D: SOLUTIONS
SHOW IMAGE
Description: Composite image of multi-colored people outlines crossing over each other with arrows in the background pointing two different directions.
Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman, Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay
Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!
Air Date: 1-20-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - Our new show name! - Getting over hurdles to find and form local community as a form of resistance and preparation - The study groups teachers are forming to teach and learn real history - How Citizen Assemblies could transform American politics for the better
FOLLOW US ON: Bluesky Mastadon Instagram Facebook YouTube Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e
REFERENCES:
A New Year's resolution for an Uncertain Future (The New Republic)
Teachers Turn to Study Groups for Anti-Racist Learning as History is Whitewashed (TruthOut)
What Could Citizens' Assemblies Do for American Politics? (The New Yorker)
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 1/18/2025
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
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!
KEY POINTS
KP 1: Jimmy Carter Part 1 - Past Present - Air Date 2-28-23
KP 4: The Faith of Jimmy Carter - Facepalm America - Air Date 4-12-23
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
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
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!
KEY POINTS
KP 1: The long con of America's ultra-wealthy elites - The ReidOut - Air Date 1-2-25
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
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!
KEY POINTS
KP 1: What should Trump do to resolve his conflicts of interest? - @DecodeDC - Air Date 1-11-17
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 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
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
