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

Air Date: 3/3/2026 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we examine the multi-front struggle for control: military force and economic coercion seizing resources abroad, institutions weaponized to constrain bodies at home, platforms and propaganda capturing minds, and the democratic resistance proving that organized people can still win. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! PART 1: TAKING WHAT THEY WANT (00:02:31) #1762 - Trump's Imperialistic Shakedown of Venezuela 1: Trump Admits Venezuela Attacks Are All About Their Oil - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 12-18-25 2: USA Is the Worst Pirate on Earth: Trump Boasts of Stealing Venezuela's Oil - Geopolitical Economy Report - Air Date 12-26-25 3: Trump's Piracy in the Caribbean - The Real News Podcast - Air Date 12-23-25 (00:29:28) #1768 - The End of an Era: The International Rules-Based Order Gives Way to Trump's Might-Makes-Right Plutocracy 4: Gaza, Venezuela, and Greenland Mark End of World Legal Order Set up in 1945 - Redeye - Air Date 1-19-26 5: "Empire in Decline": Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-26 6: Mark Carney and the New World Order - Front Burner - Air Date 1-20-26 (00:53:33) #1764 - Wealth Inequality is Bad for Society and There's No Good Counterargument 7: The Capitalist Mindset - The Market Exit - Air Date 12-9-25 8: Where Are Americas Leaders? - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 1-6-26 PART 2: CONTROLLING BODIES (01:04:42) #1766 - The Fragility of State Violence: The ICE Occupation, Renee Good, and the Minneapolis Uprising 9: Abolish ICE - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-7-26 10: ICE Is a Way to Deal With Surplus Males - Therese - Air Date 1-9-25 11: ICE Can Hack Your Phone Without You Knowing - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 9-5-25 (01:30:58) #1763 - It's Not a Health Care System, it's a Wealth Extraction System 12: 20M Americans Set to Lose Healthcare Coverage Jan. 1 After Congress Goes on Recess - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 13: Agonizing Choices on ACA Deadline Day Part 1 - Brian Lehrer_ A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-15-25 14: Medicare For All Non-Negotiable #3 Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 2-8-25 (01:57:14) #1767 - Wars Are Won By Teachers and Trump is Attacking Them Like a Foreign Adversary 15: 'Abandoning' Kids' Futures AFT Pres. Slams Trump Dept. of Education Changes - MS NOW - Air Date 11-19-25 16: How Trumps Agenda Hurts College Students - Right Now With Perry Bacon - Air Date 11-19-25 17: Trump Set to Garnish Wages for Student Loan Defaults - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 PART 3: CONTROLLING MINDS (02:20:20) #1773 - How Big Tech Captured Attention, Kids, and Democracy 18: Trouble at TikTok Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-4-26 19: Is Social Media Having Its Big Tobacco Moment Part 1 - The Global Story - Air Date 2-16-26 20: DMs! My Kingdom For DMs! - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 2-17-26 (02:46:22) #1765 - AI Capitalism Will Not Deliver an AI Utopia 21: The AI Bubble Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25 22: Desperate OpenAI Turns To Erotica - Novara Media - Air Date 10-16-25 23: Trump Considers Order to Override State Regulations on Artificial Intelligence - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-20-25 (03:09:13) #1772 - From Fragile to Fascist: How Broken Masculinity Feeds Authoritarianism 24: The Terrifying Rise of "Vice Signalling" - JimmyTheGiant - Air Date 1-28-26 25: The Incel to ICE Pipeline (with F.D Signifier and Caroline Kwan) Part 1 - Matt Bernstein -...

Original 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 a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Srnicek & Williams - Dank Audio Stash - Air Date 4-8-21 Introduction to Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work by Nick Srnicek and Alex Williams Ch. 2: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 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: The Two Futures Of Automation Capitalism VS Socialism - Second Thought - Air Date 12-15-21 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: Planet of the Robots: Four Futures of AI (Documentary) - 1Dime - Air Date 10-15-21 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: Universal Basic Income Explained (An Automation Solution) - Futurology - Air Date 5-28-24 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. 6: The Two Futures Of Automation Capitalism VS Socialism Part 2 - Second Thought - Air Date 12-15-21 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. 7: Universal Basic Income Explained (An Automation Solution) Part 2 - Futurology - Air Date 5-28-24 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. 8: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski Part 2 - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 Ch. 9: The People's Republic of Walmart Interview with Leigh Phillips and Michal Rozworski Part 3 - Novara Media - Air Date 6-13-19 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS: Description: Photo of a patch on a backpack that says "What would you do if your income were taken care of?" Credit: "Berlin UBI March" by Patrick Maynard, Flickr | License: CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 1/31/2023 Today, we take a look at just some of the nearly infinite ways in which our society, culture and economy are infused from top to bottom with Scam Culture™ that is bleeding us dry both financially and mentally. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Grift Economy: Everything is a scam, always. - Thought Slime - Air Date 11-5-21 For those that need to read this: you aren't a capitalist. You're capital. Ch. 2: Power and Corruption: The Devos Family - iilluminaughtii - Air Date 1-20-23 Betsy DeVos and her family have been important figures in the business world for decades. They're involved in a massive MLM, invest in shady businesses, and have put their money toward politics for as long as anyone can remember. Ch. 3: Bill Black: The Best Way to Rob a Bank is to Own One - theAnalysis.news - Air Date 5-31-21 How does a corrupt mortgage scam by brokers in California become a massive national fraud that puts the whole economy into a deep crisis? Bill Black on theAnalysis.news with Paul Jay. Ch. 4: Why FTX's Crypto Scam Is A Tale As Old As Time - The Problem With Jon Stewart Podcast - Air Date 12-7-22 "Whatever fun name you wanna put on it, it's the same damn thing we've seen over and over again." David Dayen, Executive Editor of The American Prospect, joins us to talk through the spectacular rise and fall of crypto exchange FTX Ch. 5: The Gig Economy Was Always A Scam - Wisecrack - Air Date 8-8-22 The gig economy has revolutionized how we think about work, but not necessarily for the better. How have a bunch of multi-billion-dollar companies like Uber or Instacart so fundamentally changed our economy? Ch. 6: Why Spotify Will Ultimately Fail - Benn Jordan - Air Date 1-9-23 An investor's guide to breaking the thing you're trying to sell. Ch. 7: James O'Brien caller wrote his dissertation on 'incel' culture - LBC - Air Date 1-27-23 Explaining the appeal of Andrew Tate and his accolites to young, insecure men Ch. 8: TikToker Exposes New A.I. Scam That Is Absolutely TERRIFYING - Rebel HQ - Air Date 1-13-23 TikToker @benno56 shares his family's experience with a terrifying new A.I. voice-mimicking scam. Max Burns breaks it down. Ch. 9: Mark Rober's Prank And The Truth About Scammers And Capitalism - Second Thought - Air Date 6-17-22 Scam call centers are just one cancerous offshoot of bureaucracy under capitalism, and while pranking these places may be cathartic, it's not enough to tackle the root cause. Ch. 10: Is all money just a ponzi scheme? | Vicki Robin - Big Think - Air Date 7-22-18 "Money, it's a gas," wrote Pink Floyd's Roger Waters for their hit 'Money'. Author, speaker, and social innovator Vicki Robin would probably agree: she posits that most people don't understand the true, human, working value of money. Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 2-17-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: The Dual State: A Contribution to the Theory of Dictatorship" Leave a message on our new system! FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES Your friends are still acting like everything is normal in America. What do you do? - Vox They Were Ordinary Germans. We Are Ordinary Americans. - The New York Times How to Survive the Information War - The Atlantic Galaxy Brain podcast: How to Be A Citizen in the Information War (And Stay Sane) - Galaxy Brain (The Atlantic) Can Woke 2 Go IRL? Even Thomas Chatterton Williams Thinks It's Possible - Vanity Fair Why Hannah Arendt and the Banality of Evil Still Matter Today - Philosopedia The Popular Front Isn't Foreign — It's American /// Want to Fight Fascism? Look to U.S. History. - In These Times As Congress Begins to Grapple With Restrictions on ICE, States Take Matters Into Their Own - Talking Points Memo Lawmakers visit Minnesota for inspiration — and to warn the nation - Minnesota Reformer BACKSTAGE We Must Establish The Run Against Authoritarianism - Bad Faith Times EXTRAS: 00:13:27 Best of the Left #1770 - Getting in the Fight Against ICE and Authoritarianism 00:19:42 Best of the Left Bonus Edition #334 - "Collaborators, Internal Exiles, and Dissidents" from Jan. 26, 2025 (pre-YouTube) SAMPLE | MEMBERS Prosecutor Fired After Voicing Frustration With Immigration Caseload - The New York Times F Minus Comics TAKE ACTION: How to Support Minneapolis Communities In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY No Kings Next Steps One Million Rising Trainings 5calls.org Find your Indivisible group - or start one Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 Leave a message 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!

Air Date: 2/23/2026 Today we examine how the platforms that monetize your attention are merging with state power. We'll hear how TikTok's new owners include Trump ally Larry Ellison, how DHS sent hundreds of subpoenas to unmask anonymous ICE critics, how Ring's Super Bowl ad cheerfully introduced AI-powered neighborhood surveillance, and how the social media addiction trials that are being likened to the Big Tobacco settlement of the 90s, are finally exposing what these companies knew about the harmful nature of their products all along. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: Chris Hayes in Conversation with Jonathan Haidt About The Sirens Call Part 1 - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-26 KP 2: Trouble at TikTok Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-4-26 KP 3: Is Social Media Having Its Big Tobacco Moment Part 1 - The Global Story - Air Date 2-16-26 KP 4: The Social Media Addiction Trials Begin Part 1 - On The Media - Air Date 2-13-26 KP 5: Ring's Lost Pet Ad Fetching a Surveillance State - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 2-10-26 KP 6: DMs! My Kingdom For DMs! - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 2-17-26 (00:53:14) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Big Tech is the New Big Tobacco - Here's what that means for our future DEEPER DIVES (01:01:11) SECTION A: LAWSUITS A1: Predatory Tech Silicon Valley on Trial in Landmark Youth Social Media Addiction Case Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-19-26 A2: Why New Mexico Is Taking Meta to Court - Here & Now Anytime - 2-5-26 A3: The Social Media Addiction Trials Begin Part 2 - On The Media- Air Date 2-13-26 A4: Is Social Media Having Its Big Tobacco Moment Part 2 - The Global Story - Air Date 2-16-26 A5: Trouble at TikTok Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 2-4-26 A6: Predatory Tech Silicon Valley on Trial in Landmark Youth Social Media Addiction Case Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-19-26 (01:44:53) SECTION B: TIKTOK B1: TikTok, Gen Z's Move to Social Media and Elite Panic Over Unsanctioned News Part 1 - Citations Needed - Air Date 2-4-26 B2: TikTok's New Trump-Approved US Owners Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-28-26 B3: TikTok, Gen Z's Move to Social Media and Elite Panic Over Unsanctioned News Part 2 - Citations Needed - Air Date 2-4-26 B4: TikTok's New Trump-Approved US Owners Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-28-26 (02:19:50) SECTION C: PLATFORM POWER C1: Tech Giants Are Nothing But Middlemen, with Tim Wu Part 1 - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 2-18-26 C2: The Plan Is to Make the Internet Worse Forever with Cory Doctorow Part 1 - Downstream - Air Date 12-8-25 C3: Let's Talk About Ring, Lost Dogs, and the Surveillance State - Decoder with Nilay Patel - Air Date 2-16-26 C4: Tech Giants Are Nothing But Middlemen, with Tim Wu Part 2 - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 2-18-26 (02:56:37) SECTION D: ATTENTION HARMS D1: Chris Hayes in Conversation with Jonathan Haidt About The Sirens Call Part 2 - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 2-10-26 D2: AI Chatbots Upended Their Lives. Then They Turned to Each Other - Consider This - Air Date 2-4-26 D3: The Plan Is to Make the Internet Worse Forever with Cory Doctorow Part 2 - Downstream - Air Date 12-8-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a pre-teen girl leaning on a table holding a phone in her hands that she looks at so closely it covers her entire face. Credit:"teen iphone smartphone girl" by cyndidyoder83, Pixabay | Pixabay License Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL:...

Air Date: 2/19/2026 Today we trace the pipeline from masculine grievance to fascism. We'll hear how ICE agents' own family members describe them as low-IQ bullies chasing signing bonuses, why a former white nationalist explains that the alternative to unpacking discomfort is becoming overtly racist, how incel culture evolved from lonely forums into a MAGA recruitment tool, and what researchers found about why men socialized to equate violence with manhood end up joining state-sanctioned death squads. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: White Men, We Have A Problem - Swolesome - Air Date 1-7-26 KP 2: Do You Get It Now, Ben? - SOME MORE NEWS - Air Date 2-11-26 KP 3: ICE Agents' Own Family Members Expose How They're "Low IQ" and "Racist" Losers - The Humanist Report - Air Date 2-5-26 KP 4: The Terrifying Rise of "Vice Signalling" - JimmyTheGiant - Air Date 1-28-26 KP 5: Who's We? - PissedMagistus - Air Date 1-17-26 KP 6: The Incel to ICE Pipeline (with F.D Signifier and Caroline Kwan) Part 1 - Matt Bernstein - Air Date 2-6-26 (00:49:13) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR The Manosphere Correctly Diagnoses Some Problems but Their Solutions are a Con DEEPER DIVES (01:04:19) SECTION A: FRAGILE MASCULINITY A1: The Patriarchy Is Fracturing… - Dr. Deneen Speaks - Air Date 1-17-26 A2: Are Women Responsible For Fixing Broken Men? - The Speech Prof - Air Date 2-9-26 A3: Masculinity Isn't Real | The History They Won't Teach - Therese - Air Date 1-27-26 A4: "Any Woman Who Doesn't Find Me Attractive Is LYING!!!" - The Speech Prof - Air Date 1-27-26 (01:27:11) SECTION B: PIPELINE TO HELL B1: The Incel to ICE Pipeline (with F.D Signifier and Caroline Kwan) Part 2 - Matt Bernstein - Air Date 2-6-26 B2: The Masculine Urge to Join a Fascist Death Squad - Signified B Sides - Air Date 1-26-26 B3: Here's Why Tim Pool LOVES ICE - Luke Thomas Gets Political (LTGP) - Air Date 1-27-26 B4: Syril Karn in Andor Is The PERFECT Representation of Fascism! - Film Obsessed - Air Date 1-22-26 B5: Everything Is Gender - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-11-26 (02:07:49) SECTION C: THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE C1: Political Meme Propaganda Machine - Harland Spinks - Air Date 1-25-26 C2: Exposing the Far Right - Against the Grain - Air Date 2-4-26 (02:26:50) SECTION D: AUTHORITARIAN CURIOUS D1: The Contradiction That Exposes Scott Galloway's Real Agenda - Therese - Air Date 12-4-25 D2: The Rise of the Authoritarian-Curious - Then & Now - Air Date 2-9-26 D3: Shirley, He Can't Be This Stupid - We Gon Be Alright - Air Date 1-19-26 D4: America's Nazi Influencers - Novara Media - Air Date 1-20-26 D5: The CRAZY Thing That Connects Alex Jones, Tucker Carlson, Jordan Peterson, and Nick Fuentes - Science Fiction with Damien Walter - Air Date 12-23-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of photos of a white man looking sad facing away from the camera, and then enraged looking toward the camera. Credit: Internal composite design. Images by Engin_Akyurt, Pixabay | Pixabay License Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 2/15/2026 Today we explore the gap between free speech rhetoric and the reality of arrested reporters. We'll hear how a decade of cancel culture panic over college students gave way to actual government suppression of journalists, why the DOJ is perverting a law designed to fight the Ku Klux Klan to prosecute Black journalists, how the administration that promised to "bring back free speech" is maintaining lists of forbidden words, and what history teaches about humor as a weapon against authoritarianism. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: AG Bondi Confirms FBI Executed Search Warrant at WaPo Reporter's Home - MS Now - Air Date 1-13-26 KP 2: Why Trump Arresting Journalists Is a Sign of Weakness - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-30-26 KP 3: The Justice Department Tries to Prosecute Black Journalists Part 1 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 2-3-26 KP 4: Stars and Stripes in Peril Part 1 - On The Media - Air Date 1-28-26 KP 5: Humor Can Topple Dictators Part 1 - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 10-18-25 KP 6: The Effectiveness of Nonviolent Activism - Inside International Affairs - Air Date 2-28-24 (00:52:02) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why authoritarians are so afraid of the media DEEPER DIVES (01:02:13) SECTION A: STATE REPRESSION A1: One Authoritarian's Playbook - Rights & Wrongs - Air Date 6-2-25 A2: Following Independent Journalists Fighting for Free Press in Russia - Fresh Air - Air Date 2-5-26 A3: Stars and Stripes in Peril Part 2 - On The Media - Air Date 1-28-26 A4: FBI Searches Reporter's Home, Raising Concerns About Intimidation of Free Press - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 1-14-26 (01:26:49) SECTION B: LEGAL ATTACKS B1: Trump Lashes Out at Reporter, Highlighting a Pattern of Attacking Press He Dislikes - Trump's Terms - Air Date 11-20-25 B2: Trump Continues Series of Verbal Attacks on Female Reporters - Anderson Cooper 360 - Air Date 12-9-25 B3: Deportation of Reporter Mario Guevara's Is Attack on Free Speech and Journalism - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-3-25 B4: Don Lemon Arrested for Reporting on Minneapolis, 12 States Are Suing HHS, and Queer Artists Win Big at the Grammy's - Queer News - Air Date 2-2-26 B5: Journalism Is Not a Crime: Georgia Fort & Don Lemon Arrested for Covering St. Paul Church Protest - Democracy Now! - Air Date 2-2-26 B6: The Justice Department Tries to Prosecute Black Journalists Part 2 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 2-3-26 (02:03:30) SECTION C: MEDIA INSTITUTIONS C1: Will Journalists Choose to Save or Sink Democracy with Joy Reid & Dean Obeidallah Part 1 - Laura Flanders and Friends - Air Date 1-23-26 C2: The Washington Post Cuts and the Role of the Foreign Correspondent - The Monocle Daily - Air Date 2-5-26 C3: 'If You Can Keep It' The Future Of The Free Press Part 1 - 1A - Air Date 2-2-26 C4: Will Journalists Choose to Save or Sink Democracy with Joy Reid & Dean Obeidallah Part 2 - Laura Flanders and Friends - Air Date 1-23-26 C5: 'If You Can Keep It' The Future Of The Free Press Part 2 - 1A - Air Date 2-2-26 C6: Setareh Ghandehari on ICE Violence, Jon Schleuss on Pittsburgh Paper Shutdown - CounterSpin - Air Date 1-16-26 (02:56:52) SECTION D: LAUGHTIVISM D1: Humor Can Topple Dictators Part 2 - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 10-18-25 D2: Biology!, Jokes About Death & Humor as a Practice of Resistance with ALOK - The Daily Show - Air Date 1-15-25 D3: The Power of Laughtivism | Srdja Popovic at TEDxBG - TEDx Talks - Air Date 2-14-13 D4: ICE Agents Can't Keep It Together When Protester Trolls Them - The Majority Report - Air Date 10-12-25 D5: A...

Air Date: 2-3-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - Trump's Pillars of Support, and plugging into community building & local support networks Ch. 2 - Case studies in success: Avelo Airlines & Spotify and why they matter Ch. 3 - Pressure campaigns at home and abroad and why they are important Ch. 4 - The new cracks in MAGA, and building up the political opposition party we need SOLVED! BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!): The second amendment folks' weird moment after ICE murdered Alex Pretti FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES DISCUSSED Why Nonviolent Resistance Doesn't Require Your Opponent to Have a Conscience - Tim Hjersted, Films for Action Think There's Nothing You Can Do to Stop ICE? Think Again. - The Nation Here's How We Pressured an Airline to End Its Contract With ICE - TruthOut Want to Stop ICE? Go After Its Corporate Collaborators. - The Nation CEOs of major Minnesota businesses finally speak out, sign meek call for 'deescalation' - Bring Me The News 'Tariff for Oligarchs': Top Economist Urges Europe to Fight Trump by Punishing US Billionaires - Common Dreams Some Conservatives Veer Off Party Line After DHS Agents Kill Another US Citizen - Mother Jones Here's Your Damn Playbook, Democrats - The New Republic This Could Be the Moment MAGA Collapses - The New Republic MORE RESOURCES Here's How to Find Out Which Corporations Are Collaborating With ICE - Little Sis How to Weaken ICE: Cut Off the Corporations That Make Deportations Possible: Unified Strategy to Join, Support, or Build Boycott Campaigns Against ICE Vendors and Suppliers - Herman Legal Group We Must Establish The Run Against Authoritarianism - Bad Faith Times BACKSTAGE Trump is Making an Enemy of the Gun Lobby - The Intercept EXTRAS: Meta lays off employees across multiple teams - Tech Crunch (Oct 16, 2024) People Think Amazon Is an E-Commerce Company, but 74% of Its Profit Comes From This Instead Best of the Left #1769 Politics Beyond the Ballot Box: Elections and the Movements that Power Them Fox News's Peter Doocy Confronts Kristi Noem: 'Is It the Protocol To Use Deadly Force' if Alex Pretti 'Was Disarmed?' ICE confirms new office in College Park - Atlanta News First Ossoff Inquires about Rumored New ICE Detention Facility - Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) Prominent MAGA streamer compares ICE to Gestapo after Pretti shooting TAKE ACTION: How to Support Minneapolis Communities In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY No Kings Next Steps One Million Rising Trainings 5calls.org Find your Indivisible group - or start one 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!

Air Date 2/10/2026 Today we explore what effective resistance actually looks like. We'll hear why Jamelle Bouie says the panic of those in power signals that opposition is working, what abolitionists teach us about fighting without knowing the ending, and how Minneapolis proved that democratic force can overwhelm physical force. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: What I've Learned From Reading History - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-28-26 KP 2: Five Ways to Fight Trumps Fascism - Robert Reich - Air Date 8-19-25 KP 3: Abolish ICE! No Brainer. Then What? Also, How? - Matthew Cooke - Air Date 1-27-26 KP 4: "They Have Agency In This Moment. They Can Walk Away" - Maria J. Stephan's Message To ICE Officers - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 1-23-26 KP 5: Democrats Need To Change How We Talk About ICE | Kat Abughazaleh For Illinois - Kat Abughazaleh - Air Date 1-26-26 KP 6: Gadgets For People Who Don't Trust The Government - Benn Jordan - Air Date 1-4-26 KP 7: What Does Minnesota Today Tell Us About What Resistance Requires? - Tad Stoermer - Air Date 1-24-26 KP 8: What Is a General Strike (and Why Did the U.S. Outlaw Them) - More Perfect Union - Air Date 5-1-25 KP 9: Elites Shit Themselves as Serious Momentum Builds for a Nationwide General Strike - The Humanist Report - Air Date 1-28-26 KP 10: We Don't Need Irony. Just Make It Good - Jessie Gender - Air Date 1-26-26 (00:49:16) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the war on empathy A Time to Be Cringe: Why Gen Z Needs Some Millenial Humor (SOLVED! #29 - 12-12-25) DEEPER DIVES (00:59:25) SECTION A: WHAT DO WE WANT A1: Force the Fight: A Resistance History Lesson From the Anti-Federalists - Tad Stoermer - Air Date 1-26-26 A2: Trump's Vacant Stare Is Sending Shockwaves Around the World - Heather Delaney Reese - Air Date 1-24-26 A3: The Kids Aren't Alright - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 1-25-26 (01:21:40) SECTION B: WHAT DID WE WANT B1: Beyond the Ballot Box: Pacification and Intergenerational Memory in Social Movements Part 1 - Radicals in Conversation - Air Date 11-28-24 B2: The Black Labor Movement Part 1 - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-20-26 B3: Policing the Civil Rights Movement - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-26-26 (01:50:25) SECTION C: HOW DO WE DO IT C1: Beyond the Ballot Box: Pacification and Intergenerational Memory in Social Movements Part 2 - Radicals in Conversation - Air Date 11-28-24 C2: The 3.5 Percent Rule - Erica Chenoweth - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 5-11-25 C3: ICE Protesters GO OFF After Alex Pretti Murder: "Trump's Troops SLAYING US in the Street!" - Status Coup News - Air Date 1-25-26 C4: "We Stand with Minneapolis": Baltimore Marches Against ICE - The Real News Network - Air Date 1-24-26 C5: Americans Flex Democratic Muscles to Show That, Together, They're Stronger Than Trump - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-27-26 (02:24:10) SECTION D: WHAT WORKS D1: ICE Out of Minnesota: Unions & Churches Lead Economic Blackout in "Day of Truth and Freedom" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-23-26 D2: "ICE Out": Tens of Thousands March in Minnesota in General Strike Against Immigration Raids - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-26-26 D3: The Black Labor Movement Part 2 - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-20-26 D4: 1946 Oakland General Strike - Stuff You Missed in History Class - Air Date 3-24-25 D5: Confronting Capitalism: Why the US Never Got a Labor Party - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 1-21-26 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a protest in Minneapolis showing people holding signs that say "ICE is not welcome!" And "FUCK ICE" and...

Original Air Date: 8-25-2017 Today we look at the constant struggle between the freedom to speak and the necessary limits placed on that freedom due to the rights of others to not be substantially harmed by that speech Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! 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! Show Notes Ch. 1: WSJ Reports: ACLU Rethinks Defending Hate Groups Protesting with Guns - Wochit News - Air Date 8-17-17 Ch. 2: ACLU Will No Longer Defend Hate Groups Protesting With Firearms - MSNBC Ch. 3: Understanding the line between free speech and hate speech - BackStory - Air Date 8-23-17 Ch. 4: I was a prominent neo-Nazi. Ignoring white extremists is a mistake. - Vox - Air Date 4-14-17 Ch. 5: Nazis Don't Get Free Speech! - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 08-22-17 Ch. 6: Understanding who joins Antifa - Trumpcast from @Slate - Air Date 8-18-17 Ch. 7: How Do We Define Hate Speech? - @Thom_Hartmann - Air Date 8-21-17 Ch. 8: Antifa: A Look at the Antifascist Movement Confronting White Supremacists in the Streets - @DemocracyNow - Air Date: 08-16-17 Ch. 9: How not to fall for fascist rhetoric - 1943 US War Department Voicemails Ch. 19: Free speech absolutism - Ryan in Minneapolis, MN Ch. 20: Free speech absolutism is bullshit - Zach from Atlanta, GA Ch. 21: Railing against free speech would be a gift to the right - Todd from Delaware, OH Ch. 22: Recommending Chomsky video - Elizabeth from North Carolina Ch. 23: The Constitution is not a suicide pact - Will from Mississippi Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 01-28-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES The Left is Always Right Too Early - Current Affairs Well, It's Time for Populism, They Guess - Slate The Trump Backers Who Have Buyer's Remorse - The Atlantic The Vibe Shifts Against the Right - NY Times The Americans Who Saw All This Coming—but Were Ignored and Maligned - The New Republic The Resistance Libs Were Right - NY Times BACKSTAGE Eugenics: the skeleton that rattles loudest in the left's closet - The Guardian EXTRAS: Hot Dog Car Sketch - I Think You Should Leave CLIP: Leigh McGowan (Politics Girl) responds to Scott Jennings on CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip "One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This" by Omar El Akkad (If you buy this book, or another, through this link, you support indie book stores and we get a small commission! Check out other great books on our Bookshop shelf) "A Time to Be Cringe: Why Gen Z Needs Millennial Humor" (SOLVED! #29) TAKE ACTION: How to Support Minneapolis Communities In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY No Kings Next Steps One Million Rising Trainings 5calls.org Find your Indivisible group - or start one 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!

Air Date 2/1/2026 Today we examine what's actually working against the Trump regime and the role of this year's elections. Unsurprisingly, his own voter fraud investigation just proved him a liar, Democrats are overperforming expectations in House special elections, and Zohran Mamdani's campaign based on having fun in community needs to be a model for every movement against authoritarianism. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trump Admin's Endless Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Elections Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 1-20-26 KP 2: Donald Trump Wants to Cancel the Midterm Elections Part 1 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-16-26 KP 3: Get Out the Vote with Tom Lopach Part 1 - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 12-4-25 KP 4: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26 KP 5: Daily Take Is the Post Office About to Decide the 2026 Midterms - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 1-2-26 KP 6: THAT Is A Mandate (feat. Kat Abughazaleh) Part 1 - The Daily Beans - Air Date 11-5-25 KP 7: The Next Socialist In Congress with Claire Valdez Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-26 (00:55:41) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the role of community and friendship in fighting fascism DEEPER DIVES (01:03:26) SECTION A: IMMIGRATION POLICING A1: THAT Is A Mandate (feat. Kat Abughazaleh) Part 2 - The Daily Beans - Air Date 11-5-25 A2: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26 A3: Karen Hunter To Counter Trump We Protest, Fight Back, and Double Down on Building a Community Part 1 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 1-17-26 (01:24:17) SECTION B: POWER AND ORGANIZING B1: The Democratic Party's McClellan Problem - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 12-30-25 B2: Mobilizing the Mamdani Volunteer Army Part 3 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-12-26 B3: The Next Socialist In Congress with Claire Valdez Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 1-22-26 B4: Working Families Party on Mamdani's Win; 2026 Midterms - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 11-17-25 B5: Karen Hunter To Counter Trump We Protest, Fight Back, and Double Down on Building a Community Part 2 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 1-17-26 (02:04:54) SECTION C: VOTING RIGHTS C1: Donald Trump Wants to Cancel the Midterm Elections Part 2 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-16-26 C2: Trump Admin's Endless Waste, Fraud, Abuse in Elections Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 1-20-26 C3: Justice for Victims, Housing Hope, and the Rise of Progressive Leadership - Good News for Lefties | Daily News for Democracy - Air Date 1-12-26 C4: Get Out the Vote with Tom Lopach Part 2 - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 12-4-25 (02:32:50) SECTION D: CANDIDANCY D1: Hardcore Competence with Kat Abughazaleh - Hysteria - Air Date 1-22-26 D2: Good News Deep Dive with Candidate for the U.S. Senate in Alabama Dakarai Larriett - Good News for Lefties Daily News for Democracy - Air Date 1-24-26 D3: Mamdani's Momentous Win with Sarah Jaffe - The Curve - Air Date 11-5-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of one half of a huge crowd of Zohran Mamdani campaign volunteers in a park holding campaign signs and smiling. Credit: "Zohran Mamdani volunteer canvassers" via Zohran for NYC Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 1/29/2026 Today we examine the collapse of the American-led, rules-based world order (such as it was) in real time. Canada's Prime Minister pointed out that the emperor has no clothes and declared US hegemony over while Europe called Trump's bluff on Greenland... all the more reason why he would prefer a fake "Board of Peace" that he can rule over as a worldwide plutocracy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: TACO Returns: Trump 'isolated and Humiliated' by Greenland Saga Says Hayes - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-21-26 KP 2: Why Trump Just Threatened Canada in Davos | About That - CBC News - Air Date 1-21-26 KP 3: Trump's War on Iran / Davos / Canada-China Relations with Prof. Jiang Xueqin of Predictive History - Reason2Resist with Dimitri Lascaris - Air Date 1-22-26 KP 4: MAGA Empire with Aslı Bâli and Greg Grandin Part 1 - The Dig - Air Date 1-16-26 KP 5: Iran's Protest Movement with Yassamine Mather and Kevan Harris - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 1-20-26 KP 6: Mehdi Reacts to the Intense Debate Over Iran's Protests - Zeteo - Air Date 1-17-26 (00:44:46) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why an might-makes-right is evil DEEPER DIVES (00:56:10) SECTION A: GREENLAND (OR IS IT ICELAND?) A1: Chris Hayes' Map-based Theory Behind Trumps Greenland Obsession - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-14-26 A2: Why Donald Trump Really Wants Greenland - Full Story - Air Date 1-19-26 A3: 'What Starts World Wars': Trump Ramps up Greenland Obsession, Floats Military Action - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-6-26 A4: Trump Threatens Greenland: The Start of World War 3? with Richard Wolff - The Socialist Program with Brian Becker - Air Date 1-21-26 A5: Greenland Tariffs Have European Leaders Ready To Give Up On Trump - Mallen Baker - Air Date 1-18-26 (01:33:49) SECTION B: IRAN IN CHAOS AND STILL A TARGET B1: Iran's Khamenei Says US, Israel Links Behind "thousands Killed" in Protests - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 1-18-26 B2: MAGA Empire with Aslı Bâli and Greg Grandin Part 2 - The Dig - Air Date 1-16-26 B3: News Brief: For Media Reporting on Iran, Trump Suddenly Morphs Into Pro-Democracy Humanitarian - Citations Needed - Air Date 1-17-26 B4: What Will Happen in Iran Now That Protests Have Died Down? - DW News - Air Date 1-17-26 (02:02:12) SECTION C: CANADA MADE AN ADVERSARY C1: Canada Prepares For US INVASION - And Mark Carney Declares US Hegemony OVER - Owen Jone - Air Date 1-21-26 C2: Mark Carney and the New World Order - Front Burner - Air Date 1-20-26 C3: Canada-China Form New Partnership: This Is Huge - The Rational National - Air Date 1-16-26 (02:25:22) SECTION D: THE WORLD MOVES AWAY FROM THE DOLLAR D1: The New Trump World Order - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 1-19-26 D2: Oxfam Warns of Rising Authoritarianism & Billionaire Boom - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-21-26 D3: Foreign Central Banks Are Dumping US Debt At Alarming Rates - UNFTR Media - Air Date 12-19-25 (02:50:02) SECTION E: DYING COLONIALIST EMPIRE E1: "Empire in Decline": Historian Alfred McCoy on U.S. Aggression in Venezuela, Iran & Beyond - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-26 E2: Will Trump's Board of Peace Replace the UN? - Today in Focus - Air Date 1-21-26 E3: MAGA Empire with Aslı Bâli and Greg Grandin Part 3 - The Dig - Air Date 1-16-26 E4: Gaza, Venezuela, and Greenland Mark End of World Legal Order Set up in 1945 - Redeye - Air Date 1-19-26 E5: America Is Now The Enemy - Large Man Abroad - Air Date...

Re-Air Date: 01–26-26 Original Air Date: 06-09-24 Unless you were a member in June of 2024, this episode of SOLVED! will be brand new to you! If you were a member back then, THANK YOU and this one is worth a re-listen. We're slowing down production for a little bit to reorganize our production processes, so enjoy this episode from our archives (and before YouTube) where Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: - How the media focus on the "politics" of an event trivializes the impact that event has on real people - The detrimental effects combining the daily news grind and the prioritization of profits forces has on news coverage - How keeping news coverage light and ignoring the effects of neoliberalism leaves desperate people vulnerable to fascism - The way history is repeating itself when it comes to news media not treating a demagogue's rhetoric as the emergency it is - The difference between symbolic beliefs vs factual beliefs FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon REFERENCES: Why Americans Hate the Media - The Atlantic (1996) The Media Still Doesn't Grasp the Danger of Trump - The Intercept Don't Believe What They're Telling You About Misinformation - The New Yorker TAKE ACTION: How to Support Minneapolis Communities In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach No Kings Next Steps Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY - Tell Congress to stand down the federal escalation One Million Rising Trainings Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Find your Indivisible group - or start one 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!

Air Date: 1/25/2026 Today we examine education as the battleground for democracy itself. We'll hear how authoritarians erase history to maintain power, why liberal arts colleges don't exist in authoritarian societies, how the administration is punishing universities for their political views, and what the detention of student protesters reveals about the cost of dissent in Trump's America. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: Rewriting Reality How the Battle for History Shapes the Future - WhoWhatWhy's Podcasts - Air Date 9-26-24 KP 2: Fighting Fascism with Education - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-26-25 KP 3: 'Abandoning' Kids' Futures AFT Pres. Slams Trump Dept. of Education Changes - MS NOW - Air Date 11-19-25 KP 4: 50 Years After the Birth of Special Education, Some Fear for Its Future Under Trump - All Things Considered - Air Date 12-3-25 KP 5: How Trumps Agenda Hurts College Students - Right Now With Perry Bacon - Air Date 11-19-25 KP 6: Trump Set to Garnish Wages for Student Loan Defaults - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 (00:46:40) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the American and Chinese Cassandras of authoritarianism DEEPER DIVES (00:54:44) SECTION A: EDUCATION AND DEMOCRACY A1: Rewriting Reality How the Battle for History Shapes the Future Part 2 - WhoWhatWhy's Podcasts - Air Date 9-26-24 A2: Fighting Fascism with Education Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 9-26-25 A3: Because Democracy Depends On It - Ralph Nader Radio Hour - Air Date 11-29-25 A4: The Great US Brain Drain - Stuff They Don't Want You To Know - Air Date 1-9-25 (01:31:21) SECTION B: EDUCATION AND MONEY B1: Republicans Plan to Overhaul the Federal Student Loan System. Here's What to Know - Trump's Terms - Air Date 4-30-25 B2: How Trumps Agenda Hurts College Students Part 2 - Right Now With Perry Bacon - Air Date 11-19-25 B3: Federal Student Loans Are Changing. Here's What to Expect in 2026 - Morning Edition - Air Date 12-23-25 B4: Community Colleges Face New Challenges as Trump Battles with Higher Education - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-18-25 B5: Trump Officials Loosen Strings on Federal Education Money for Iowa. More States Could Follow - Latest Stories From The Associated Press - Air Date 1-7-26 (01:56:44) SECTION C: EDUCATION AND FREE SPEECH C1: 'If You Can Keep It' Trump Takes Aim At Academic Freedom Part 1 - 1A - Air Date 10-20-25 C2: Student Detained for Foreign Policy Views Speaks - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-22-25 C3: 'If You Can Keep It' Trump Takes Aim At Academic Freedom Part 2 - 1A - Air Date 10-20-25 C4: Student Detained for Foreign Policy Views Speaks Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-22-25 (02:27:06) SECTION D: EDUCATION AND THE DOE D1: Inside the Trump Administrations Plan to Change Public Education - ProPublica - Air Date 1-6-25 D2: Trump Hurts His Base Again Education Cuts Hit Red States More, Ending Help for Most Vulnerable - The Briefing - Air Date 7-16-25 D3: Inside the Trump Administrations Plan to Change Public Education Part 2 - ProPublica - Air Date 1-6-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Close up photo of the seal of the US Department of Education with a sign over it that says "CLOSED" Credit: Internal composite design. Elements from Pixabay | Pixabay License Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at...

Air Date: 1/21/2026 Today we look at ICE's reign of terror as a paramilitary occupation force and the communities pushing back. We'll hear about Renee Goode, an unarmed woman shot dead by federal agents, and Keith Porter, killed by an off-duty agent on New Year's Eve, in addition to historical parallels from Civil-Rights Era Selma, Alabama and the Boston Massacre. The signs of hope here are that the oppressed won those fights and the oppressors were forced to retreat - there's every reason to believe that the same pattern can repeat today. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: 'We Want This Terror to Stop': Ilhan Omar Calls for ICE to Leave Minnesota - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 1-13-26 KP 2: Peaceful Vs. Violent Resistance — What's the Answer? - The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel - Air Date 1-9-26 KP 3: ICE Is a Way to Deal With Surplus Males - Therese - Air Date 1-9-25 KP 4: How Do You Share a Country With People Who Reject Reality? - Cy Canterel - Air Date 1-12-26 KP 5: Abolish ICE - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-7-26 (00:46:11) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR From the Boston Massacre to Renee Good: How the State Demonizes Its Victims DEEPER DIVES (00:46:37) SECTION A: IT'S ALWAYS BEEN RACISM A1: Trump Wants To 'Ethnically CLEANSE' America: Rep. Frost to Mehdi - Zeteo - Air Date 12-19-26 A2: Making Sense of This Moment | Explainer - Heather Cox Richardson - Air Date 1-8-26 A3: "Stolen From Us": Family Demands Justice for Keith Porter, Black Father Killed by Off-Duty ICE Agent - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-13-26 A4: Black Folks Have Been Warning Us - Elliot Sang Again - Air Date 1-13-26 (01:22:43) SECTION B: ICE ABUSES PEOPLE B1: How Trump's Deportation Campaign Is Reshaping Small Town America - Bloomberg Originals - Air Date 12-1-25 B2: Where ICE Has Taken The Most People | On The Grid - WIRED - Air Date 10-8-25 B3: Why the US Is Deporting so Many People - Johnny Harris - Air Date 10-31-25 (01:50:19) SECTION C: POLICE ARE A DOMESTIC MILITARY C1: ICE Is Evolving Into an Extrajudicial Army. Dr Richard Wolff Explains How - The Real News Network - Air 1-12-26 C2: How America Turned Its Police Into an Army - New Economic Thinking - Air Date 2-28-18 C3: Secretive Border Patrol Program Is Detaining US Citizens for 'suspicious' Travel - Associated Press - Air Date 11-19-25 C4: Why Americas Police Look Like Soldiers - Vox - Air Date 6-25-20 (02:09:52) SECTION D: REVOLUTION D1: Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero Part 1 - Upstream - Air Date 1-7-26 D2: More Americans Are Saying the Quiet Part Loud: They Want a Revolution - The Humanist Report - Air Date 1-14-26 D3: Can Anyone Stop ICE? - Today, Explained - Air Date 1-14-26 (02:38:44) SECTION E: ICE IS ABOUT PROJECTING POWER E1: Will ICE Get Away With This? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 1-15-26 E2: ICE Can Hack Your Phone Without You Knowing - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 9-5-25 E3: 'STUNNING': Trump's DOJ Won't Investigate ICE Shooting, Prompting Outrage and Resignations - The Briefing with Jen Psaki - Air Date 1-13-26 E4: "ICE Is OK with Renee Good's Killing": Journalist Ken Klippenstein on ICE Tactics & Recruitment - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-14-25 (03:10:48) SECTION F: WHAT COMES NEXT? F1: Immigration, ICE, and Working Class Rebellion w/ Cecilia Guerrero Part 2 - Upstream - Air Date 1-7-26 F2: Governor Walz Addresses Ongoing Federal Presence in Minnesota - Office of the Governor of Minnesota - Air Date...

Air Date: 01-12-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES Does Anyone Care That Young Women Are Just as Lonely as Men Are? - Cosmopolitan What Did Men Do to Deserve This? - The New Yorker The male loneliness epidemic is a myth - The Quinnapiac Chronicle Don't blame women for men's loneliness. Blame capitalism - Salon America glorifies what makes it lonely, and women silently pay the price | Opinion - USA Today Unlocking Economic Mobility Through Social Connectedness - Purpose Building Communities America has a loneliness epidemic. Here are 6 steps to address it (2023) - NPR (2023) Why America Needs More Public Pools - The Atlantic EXTRAS: Best of the Left #1433 "The legacy of White Supremacy in schools, health care and public pools" (Aired: Aug. 10, 2021) "Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World" by Anand Giridharadas (If you buy this book, or another, through this link, you support indie book stores and we get a small commission! Check out other great books on our Bookshop shelf) "A Time to Be Cringe: Why Gen Z Needs Millennial Humor" (SOLVED! #29) TAKE ACTION: No Kings Next Steps Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY One Million Rising Trainings In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Find your Indivisible group - or start one 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!

Air Date: 1/17/2026 There's a lot to be concerned about with AI but the biggest concern is the economic system we have in place at the moment when AI is being introduced. Capitalism is not a good steward of new and potentially dangerous technology, as we've seen from Zuckerberg's move-fast-and-break-things era of social media that he later recognized as having triggered a genocide. When the profit drive necessitates light-speed growth, ethical and safety considerations are the first things to be jettisoned and things get broken. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: What Sam Altman Doesn't Want You To Know - More Perfect Union - Air Date 12-19-25 KP 2: The AI Bubble Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25 KP 3: The Hidden Forces Driving the AI Bubble Part 1 - Instant Genius - Air Date 11-13-25 KP 4: Desperate OpenAI Turns To Erotica - Novara Media - Air Date 10-16-25 KP 5: Avoiding Fake News in the AI Era Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-8-25 KP 6: Trump Considers Order to Override State Regulations on Artificial Intelligence - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 11-20-25 (00:48:47) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On why capitalism is the biggest problem of AI DEEPER DIVES (00:57:14) SECTION A: AL BUBBLE A1: So Are We in an AI Bubble? Here Are Clues to Look for Part 1 - Planet Money - Air Date 1-9-25 A2: The Hidden Forces Driving the AI Bubble Part 2 - Instant Genius - Air Date 11-13-25 A3: The AI Bubble Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-28-25 A4: AI Robot Slaves and Other CES Miracles Part 1 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 1-12-26 A5: So Are We in an AI Bubble? Here Are Clues to Look for Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 1-9-25 (01:39:59) SECTION B: PORN AND SLOP B1: Avoiding Fake News in the AI Era Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 1-8-25 B2: Deep Fakes, Data Centers, and AI Slop — Are We Cooked Part 1 - On the Media - Air Date 12-19-25 B3: Meet The Women Being Deepfaked Into Porn by AI - BBC - Air Date 9-4-24 B4: Digital Stimulation AI and Porn - The Economist - Air Date 12-10-25 B5: How AI Porn Isolates Us with Noelle Perdue Part 1 - The 404 Media Podcast - Air Date 12-9-25 B6: AI Robot Slaves and Other CES Miracles Part 2 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 1-12-26 B7: How AI Porn Isolates Us with Noelle Perdue Part 2 - The 404 Media Podcast - Air Date 12-9-25 (02:30:14) SECTION C: REGULATION C1: Two Proposed Bills Cover AI and Deep Fake Pornography in Indiana - WTHR - Air Date 1-2-26 C2: Deep Fakes, Data Centers, and AI Slop — Are We Cooked Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 12-19-25 C3: AI 1 — Humanity 0 - Today, Explained - Air Date 12-17-25 C4: Trump Family Businesses Rake in $4 Billion After His Reelection with Focus on AI, Crypto, & Nuclear - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-6-26 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of a high-tech robot running on a road while money falls into flames behind it. Credit: Internal design. Images via Pixabay | Pixabay license Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 1/14/2026 Being a bad person who doesn't care about others is helpful in one's pursuit of becoming wealthy. However, becoming wealthy is also helpful in becoming a bad person who doesn't care about others, not that anyone sets out with this as a goal but it is a natural byproduct of wealth and the normal functioning of our market economy. What this means is that the nature of money, market dynamics, and wealth to corrode morality is a systemic problem, not a collection of individual failings, and should be addressed as such. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: The Truth About Income Inequality No One Told You - UNFTR Media - Air Date 7-21-25 KP 2: K-shaped Economy: Why the Wealthy Are Thriving as Most Americans Fall Behind - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 10-14-25 KP 3: Chris Hedges: The Warped Psychology of the Rich - The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel - Air Date 6-24-25 KP 4: The Capitalist Mindset - The Market Exit - Air Date 12-9-25 KP 5: How Power Corrupts Part 1 - The Art of Manliness - Air Date 4-6-22 KP 6: Where Are Americas Leaders? - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 1-6-26 KP 7: Why WORKERS Should OWN Companies - The Market Exit - Air Date 4-30-25 (00:48:50) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On all the reasons we need to squash wealth inequality DEEPER DIVES (01:02:59) SECTION A: THE EFFECTS OF WEALTH INEQUALITY A1: The USA Is a "Third World" Country for Millions of Americans - Raising Wildflowers - Air Date 7-13-25 A2: The Shocking Truth About Wealth Inequality in America - Established Context - Air Date 2-22-2025 A3: How Wealth Corrupts Democracy with Christy McGillivray - Head in the Office - Air Date 10-24-25 A4: How Power Corrupts Part 2 - The Art of Manliness - Air Date 4-6-22 A5: UK Budget - The End of Democracy? Part 1 - Garys Economics - Air Date 11-23-25 (01:42:01) SECTION B: THE MINDSET OF THE RICH & POWERFUL B1: RESOURCE WARS and the Economics of Scarcity with Richard D Wolff - Jacobin - Air Date 9-4-24 B2: Tax Is Not Theft: Why the "It's My Money" Argument Is Wrong - Richard J Murphy - Air Date 12-18-25 B3: The Jacob Rees-Mogg Illusion: Why the Rich Think They're the Victims - Barry's Economics - Air Date 11-16-25 B4: The Fraud Behind Our 'Thought Leaders' - The Chris Hedges YouTube Channel - Air Date 1-5-26 (02:18:09) SECTION C: TAX THE RICH C1: 'People Are so Disgusted' - Economist Thomas Piketty on Why We Need a Wealth Tax - Channel 4 News - Air Date 12-10-25 C2: UK Budget - The End of Democracy? Part 2 - Garys Economics - Air Date 11-23-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A horizontally split image of two photos: on top, an extravagant yacht sailing at sunset. On bottom, an open wallet with some $1 bills inside and some coins spilling out. Credit: Internal composite design. Images: "Wallet" and "yacht" via Pixabay | Pixabay license Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date: 1/9/2026 The Republican Party has been angry about every government service and regulation designed to help average people for at least the past 90 years. And, given any opportunity to hobble or destroy any of those services or regulations in the past decades, they've done just that. Now, after 15 years of striving to destroy the Affordable Care Act - itself originally a conservative plan from the Heritage Foundation (not joking) - they're using the cult-like hold that Trump has on the party to move faster and more recklessly than they are usually able. And again, average people are going to pay the price in both dollars and deaths. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! In honor of our 20th birthday, we're giving new Members 20% OFF FOR THE LIFETIME OF YOUR MEMBERSHIP...this includes Gift Memberships! (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: 20M Americans Set to Lose Healthcare Coverage Jan. 1 After Congress Goes on Recess - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-30-25 KP 2: Roundup Congress Skips Town Without ACA Vote, Trump Reclassifies Cannabis - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 12-19-25 KP 3: Getting Serious About Medicare For All with Dr. Abdul al-Sayed (Ep 313) Part 1 - The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 12-23-25 KP 4: TrumpRx - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-6-25 KP 5: Agonizing Choices on ACA Deadline Day Part 1 - Brian Lehrer_ A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-15-25 KP 6: Medicare For All Non-Negotiable #3 Part 1 - UNFTR - Air Date 2-8-25 KP 7: Its Time for Medicare for All Part 1 - Solutions with Henry Blodget - Air Date 11-10-25 (00:56:07) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how our health system harms everyone except the owners DEEPER DIVES (01:05:14) SECTION A: ACA SUBSIDIES A1: Republicans and Obamacare, Again - Start Making Sense - Air Date 12-10-25 A2: Trump Keeps Claiming He Has a Health Care Plan, Flubs Congo Presidents Name, & Takes Another Nap - Jimmy Kimmel Live - Air Date 12-4-25 A3: Agonizing Choices on ACA Deadline Day Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 12-15-25 A4: Federal Health Subsidies Are Expiring. Now, States Are Trying to Fill the Gap - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 12-31-25 A5: Money Is What Matters (to Republicans) Part 1 The Hartmann Report - Air Date 12-30-25 A6: Medicare For All Is Still The Solution! Part 1 - Current Affairs - Air Date 1-15-25 A7: Old Man Shouts At People, and Other End of Year Observations, with Heather Digby Parton and 'Driftglass' - The Bradcast - Air Date 12-19-25 (01:57:02) SECTION B: DRUG PRICING B1: TrumpRx Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 10-6-25 B2: Its Time for Medicare for All Part 2 - Solutions with Henry Blodget - Air Date 11-10-25 (02:16:13) SECTION C: HEALTHCARE REFORM C1: Medicare For All Is Still The Solution! Part 2 - Current Affairs - Air Date 1-15-25 C2: Getting Serious About Medicare For All with Dr. Abdul al-Sayed (Ep 313) Part 2 - The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 12-23-25 C3: Medicare For All Non-Negotiable #3 Part 2 - UNFTR - Air Date 2-8-25 C4: Money Is What Matters (to Republicans) Part 2 - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 12-30-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a doctor's stethoscope laying on top of $5 and $20 bills. Credit: "Stethoscope On Money" by George Hodan | https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/ Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com