The Professional Left Podcast with Driftglass and Blue Gal

Episode 971 examines why fact-checkers keep losing to Republican lies in America's ongoing culture war, and why better stories—not more facts—are the only way to win. Driftglass and Blue Gal break down Will McGrath's powerful essay "In the Resistance, We Drive Minivans" to show how real stories about real people cut through propaganda in ways statistics never can. The episode also tackles why centrist pundits are tying themselves in knots now that "resistance liberals" turned out to be right about Trump and fascism all along, yet still can't be allowed to lead. It's about storytelling, leadership, and why some people would rather let their Bullshit Igloos collapse than admit the Left saw this coming a decade ago. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Episode 970 asks why Democrats are always expected to play by rules that Republicans openly mock and destroy, and whether apologies from Trump voters mean anything without actual accountability. Drawing on one writer's (Jamil Smith) refusal to accept an apology from a Trump voter, the show tackles the question of what comes after "I'm sorry" in American politics. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Episode 969 explores how politicians and media use vague phrases like "the American people," "the voters," and "the public" without anyone agreeing on what these terms actually mean. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace these polyfunctional words through American history, from Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth to Nixon's "silent majority" and today's political battles over who gets to speak for the nation. They examine how these phrases do political work rather than descriptive work, often excluding people while claiming to represent everyone. The episode reveals why this ambiguous language matters so much in the ongoing fight over American democracy and who counts as part of "we the people." Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Probably no need to play catch-up on this, except for future reference when we hit episode 2000 and are trying to convince the Neo-Republi-tarian Constitutional Independents who will come to dominate the media in 2045 after the Great Forgetting of 2032, that all of this actually happened... More at proleftpod.com. Link for this episode: Chelsey Gods with that song about Kristi Noem. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Average voters stay permanently undecided because they get their information from toxic media sources that have been poisoning them against Democrats for decades, making "running to the center" mathematically impossible and politically useless. Links for this episode: Volts ϟ 1.30.2026 – Michael Hobbes (All About "Reactionary Centrism") https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5cFRQtPbcM Ian McKellen (on Colbert) 'using Shakespeare to tear off the false moral mask that xenophobes wear across the West.' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQiw9xbQUYQ Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpod Support the show

The legacy media's "Both Sides Do It" conventional wisdom is a rotting corpse they've been sleeping with for decades while pretending they couldn't see Trump's fascism coming. David Brooks gets rewarded with cushy jobs at The Atlantic and Yale after being spectacularly wrong for 22 years, while PBS replaces him with a right-wing nobody who praises Trump as "the voice of reason" because of course they did. It's past time to destroy the media's claim that "nobody saw this coming" by pointing out that liberal bloggers have been right all along. But liberals are kept off mainstream air because acknowledging their critique as correct would wreck the legacy media's business model. Meanwhile, resistance continues in Minneapolis with street memorials, and a federal judge issues a scathing opinion comparing Trump's deportation forces to the tyranny that sparked the American Revolution. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

The amnesia machine is already warming up as Republicans rehearse their "I was never really MAGA" speeches while Trump falsely claims Ilhan Omar staged her own chemical attack by a convicted felon Trump supporter. The episode tears apart the advice that Democrats should run against their own party to win over "average voters" who get their information from toxic sources that have been poisoning them against Democrats for decades with the Both Sides lie. As the Washington Post collapses and David Brooks gets rewarded with cushy jobs at The Atlantic and Yale, the media prepares its "both sides struggled with immigration" framing while Trump's FBI raids Georgia election offices to rig the 2026 midterms. The only path forward is relentless pressure and refusing to forgive or forget what Republicans have done, because expressions of GOP "concern" are just theater to test what polls better. Cover Art: Amazing Stories 20th Anniversary Issue, 1946. https://amazingstories.com/2016/12/the-amazing-years/ Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpod Support the show

The killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are called what they really are—lynchings carried out by Trump's armed thugs who were then protected from investigation and sent back out on the streets. A direct line connects decades of right-wing hate radio promising to eliminate liberals to today's fascist violence, explaining why there will be no magical "national awakening" to save us. Never Trump pundits who now support "Defund ICE" after spending years attacking Democrats over "Defund the Police" get dismantled for their hypocrisy, with an explanation of why better messaging won't fix a problem caused by the right's massive propaganda machine. The only path forward is relentless pressure, cutting off money and legitimacy to Republicans, and refusing to forget what they've done when this is over. Cover photo credit: The Library of Congress via PBS. Links for this episode: Driftglass and Bluegal on The Bill Show! The New Republic: CBP Boss Says He Moved Agents Who Shot Alex Pretti to Avoid “Doxxing” https://newrepublic.com/post/205690/customs-border-protection-cbp-agent-alex-pretti-reassigned Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpod Support the show

Welcome to 'The end of the world [order] as we know it' in which we defend anti-ICE protesters who disrupted a church service in St. Paul, Minnesota, after discovering the pastor moonlights as an ICE official, calling out the shocking hypocrisy of a supposed man of God working for Trump's deportation machine. Contrast this peaceful protest with ICE's actual fascist behavior—armed agents terrorizing churchgoers in Chicago and preventing clergy from providing religious services to detainees. We also tear apart Trump's deranged, lie-filled speeches at Davos and the White House, where he embarrassed America on the world stage with conspiracy theories and obvious falsehoods. Trump's Justice Department is going after peaceful protesters while ignoring police violence against immigrants, proving we're watching democracy collapse into authoritarian rule in real time. More at proleftpod.com. Recommended: From ancient Rome to today, war-makers have talked constantly about peace. https://theconversation.com/from-ancient-rome-to-today-war-makers-have-talked-constantly-about-peace-273095 Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

The greatest political mirage in modern American history returns as Trump's second term reveals that while the ingredients stay the same, something fundamental has shifted. Driftglass and Blue Gal dissect how corporate media like Newsweek hides its appeasement under the banner of "Courageous Centrism" while Republicans once again flee the scene of their crimes by rebranding as independents—though this time, many seem too exhausted to bother with the charade. Unlike the counterculture movement that broke and rolled back after Kent State, today's resistance to Trump's fascist overreach is growing stronger, not weaker, backed by governors, mayors, and millions with cameras in their pockets. From Hunter S. Thompson's receding tide to today's rising wave of protest, this episode traces the through-line of American political psychology and asks whether, finally, this time really is different. More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

We start with some personal news: Blue Gal's father passed away on January 9. In other news, she's leaving Crooks and Liars after 18 years for a day job with health insurance—thanks to Republican healthcare f*ckery. The podcast continues twice weekly, just dropping later in the day with Driftglass handling all the prep work. Then we dive into why Trump's regime is doubling down on violence and lies about Renee Good's murder by ICE. We explain how decades of right-wing media have convinced MAGA that a massive Liberal Conspiracy controls everything, and Trump is finally "actualizing" all those lies—from ICE brownshirts in Minneapolis to raiding reporters' homes to threatening the Insurrection Act. But then there's Trump's broken promise on the Epstein Files. Plus: local Republican parties are trapped between a MAGA base demanding loyalty and horrified independents whose votes they need. More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

John Amato of Crooks and Liars discusses his journey from music to political blogging, including his early experiences with video content creation and sharing during the 2000s. Our convo covers the evolution of digital media in politics, with particular focus on the early days of blogging and the collaborative spirit among left-leaning bloggers who shared content through blog roundups. We conclude with reflections on media credibility and misinformation, as well as discussions about favorite TV shows and movies from 2025. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

We start with the ICE murder of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis and the Trump administration's obvious lies about what happened, despite clear video evidence. Then we cover the shocking news that nine House Republicans actually broke ranks to force a vote on extending healthcare subsidies that keep insurance affordable for 22 million Americans—will the Senate kill it anyway? Plus our news roundup, including the dissolution of NPR and PBS funding, and you'll never guess who got busted with fentanyl and meth from—wait for it—NOT Venezuela. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

We open on the fifth anniversary of January 6th by examining MAGA's stunning overnight flip-flop on war and foreign intervention. How did "America First" isolationists like Matt Walsh, Laura Loomer, and Cat Turd suddenly become cheerleaders for regime change in Venezuela? Why are pundits so confused by this reversal when we've seen it all before? Using clips from The Lion in Winter and Lawrence of Arabia, we explain why MAGA isn't a set of policy beliefs—it's a genre, a vibe. Republican voters are like actors reading whatever script Trump hands them, whether it's "No More Wars" on Monday or "Blood for Oil" on Wednesday. We break down the difference between affirmative covenants (like "I will release the Epstein Files") and negative covenants (like "No More Wars"), and why one promise broke MAGA's trust while the other didn't. We also revisit 2005-2006 when Bush's unified Republican government similarly unraveled—not as prediction, but as reminder that political gravity hasn't been repealed, and being shackled to a rapidly unraveling lunatic isn't where any member of Congress wants to be heading into midterms. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpod Support the show

In their final episode of 2025, Driftglass and Blue Gal try to sum up the entire awful year in just a few key words or phrases. As they close out nearly 16 years of podcasting together, the hosts reflect on the core lies drilled into Americans' heads so long that people automatically reach for them whenever the truth becomes too uncomfortable to face. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Driftglass and Blue Gal bring their epic year-in-review series to a close, covering September through December and finally boxing up 2025 to send it to hell. The hosts examine the final months of a year that saw legacy media trapped in their own 'Both Sides Do It' prison, DOGE's promises evaporate into nothing, and the Epstein files get a (incompetent, but still) cover up. But there's also hope in this finale—a massive Blue Wave in November's elections, governors standing up to federal overreach, and signs that Trump's floor might finally be cracking. As they close out the longest decade of their lives, Driftglass and Blue Gal thank their listeners for sticking with facts, empathy, and each other through a year when all three were under constant assault. h/t @markeymarx on Bluesky for the cover artwork More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Driftglass and Blue Gal continue their review of 2025, covering May through August in this second part of their series. The hosts show how the Republican Party's corruption and chaos isn't something new or unexpected—it's exactly what the party has been building toward for decades through right-wing talk radio and Fox News. They walk through major events from those months, including media companies giving in to Trump's demands, the White House deleting official transcripts, federal agents being sent into cities, and military honors given to January 6th rioters. Throughout the episode, Driftglass and Blue Gal make clear that this disaster didn't happen by accident—Republicans got exactly what they voted for three times, and now everyone is living with the results. More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Driftglass and Blue Gal reflect on what they call an "annus horribilis"—a genuinely awful year that fundamentally changed America as Trump's second term brought unprecedented corruption, chaos, and the erosion of democratic institutions. From Qatar's $400 million Boeing 747 bribe to Trump's crypto schemes and the $300 million White House ballroom boondoggle, they catalog the scandals that made 2025 feel like the longest decade of their lives. More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

Trump's "affordability" tour crashes into reality, with the president telling struggling Americans to buy fewer pencils and dolls while his own supporters admit they can't afford groceries. David Brooks' embarrassing 2009 love letter to John Thune as the GOP's wholesome future collides with Thune today holding the biggest bag of political excrement in modern history as the ACA subsidy vote collapses. Republican lies are finally colliding with the lived experience of MAGA voters who can't fake-news their way out of rising prices and broken promises. Trump goes full mafia boss, threatening to strip all federal funding from Indiana if they don't redraw their congressional map to his liking. The special election bloodbath heading the GOP's way arrives while the toilet piranhas of MAGA influencer-land turn on each other. More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpodSupport the show

We examine the difference between political "weather" and "climate" this week, starting with Trump once again bribing farmers with $11 billion after his own tariffs destroyed their markets. We play audio demonstrating Trump's cognitive decline and discuss his increasingly unhinged Truth Social posts, including a bizarre rant about Marjorie Taylor Greene. The Republican Party is now held together by violence and threats, from ICE brutality to intimidation of Indiana legislators. We revisit the enduring plague of "Both Sides" media coverage with examples from Pharrell Williams to prosecutors describing the DC pipe bomber. But there's hope—the Democratic base is finally done giving Republicans second chances, as Mrs. Frazzled's viral video demonstrates. Post YOUR suggestions for the 2025 Crookie Awards here! More at proleftpod.com. Stay in Touch! proleftpod.compatreon.com/proleftpod Support the show