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

Epizode

• #1800 How Capitalism Created Loneliness and How To Joyfully Organize Our Way to Community 12.06.2026 3h 56min

  Air Date: 6/12/2026 Today we examine how America caused a loneliness epidemic by tearing down the places where people used to find each other, how big tech is offering AI as a lackluster substitute for connection, and how people are building the opposite of loneliness with block parties, labor unions, and community gardens. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: How Capitalism Causes Loneliness Part 1 - Second Thought - Air Date 6-2-23 KP 2: Anthropic Discovers the Axis of Evil, and AIs Loneliness Economy - The AI Fix - Air Date 2-3-26 KP 3: The Political Economy of Love Attention, Affection, & What Capitalism Can't Buy Part 1 - Rev Left Radio - Air Date 1-19-26 KP 4: What Do We Mean by Humane Tech Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-4-26 KP 5: Stone Soup A Recipe for Community Organizing Marina Barnett Part 1 - TEDxWidenerUniversity - Air Date 10-24-22 KP 6: The Simple Habit for a Happier Social Life Nicholas Epley Part 1 - TEDTalks - Air Date 5-19-26 (00:49:32) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Why the Left Needs to Have More Fun to Build Real Power My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (00:59:32) SECTION A: THE LONELINESS WE LIVE IN A1: Loneliness - Capitalism's Collateral Damage - Democracy At Work - Air Date 8-29-22 A2: How Capitalism Causes Loneliness Part 2 - Second Thought - Air Date 6-2-23 A3: Loneliness - Capitalism's Collateral Damage Part 2 - Democracy At Work - Air Date 8-29-22 A4: The Political Economy of Love Attention, Affection, & What Capitalism Can't Buy Part 2 - Rev Left Radio - Air Date 1-19-26 (01:29:54) SECTION B: AI COMPANION MACHINE B1: Can AI Companionship Cure Loneliness – or Deepen It Part 1 - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-27-26 B2: People Are Lonelier Than Ever. Enter AI. - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 5-30-25 B3: The Dark Side of AI Companions, and the 1930s LLM - The AI Fix - Air Date 5-5-26 B4: What Do We Mean by Humane Tech Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-4-26 B5: Can AI Companionship Cure Loneliness – or Deepen It Part 2 - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-27-26 (02:18:26) SECTION C: REFRACTIONS AND REACH-OUTS C1: Gladiators, Real Housewives and the Pull of Reality TV Part 1 - Throughline - Air Date 4-30-26 C2: If Hope Is a Muscle, Then How Do I Build It Part 1 - How to Survive the End of the World - Air Date 4-10-26 C3: Gladiators, Real Housewives and the Pull of Reality TV Part 2 - Throughline - Air Date 4-30-26 C4: If Hope Is a Muscle, Then How Do I Build It Part 2 - How to Survive the End of the World - Air Date 4-10-26 C5: The Simple Habit for a Happier Social Life Nicholas Epley Part 2 - TEDTalks - Air Date 5-19-26 (02:58:25) SECTION D: BUILDING IT BACK D1: Stone Soup A Recipe for Community Organizing Marina Barnett Part 2 - TEDxWidenerUniversity - Air Date 10-24-22 D2: How People Are Combatting Loneliness with Community Connections - The Newsfeed - Air Date 5-22-26 D3: Solo How Do We Make the Left Fun Again - The Bardo Podcast - Air Date 3-10-26 D4: Being Human with Marshall Ganz Part 1 - Practical Wisdom for Leaders - Air Date 5-20-26 D5: Biko Koenig, Worker Centered Allyship & Action in the Contemporary Labor Movement (Oxford UP, 2024) Part 1 - In Conversation An OUP Podcast - Air Date 3-11-26 D6: Being Human with Marshall Ganz Part 2 - Practical Wisdom for Leaders - Air Date 5-20-26 D7: Biko Koenig, Worker Centered Allyship & Action in the Contemporary Labor Movement (Oxford UP, 2024) Part 2 - In Conversation An OUP Podcast - Air Date 3-11-26   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    
• #1799 The US and China Are Fighting Over Taiwan, Semiconductors, and Africa's Minerals 10.06.2026 3h 2min

  Air Date: 6/10/2026 Today we explore how Taiwan's own people are stuck between the US and China. Fewer and fewer of them want to rejoin China but their faith in America is sinking just as fast as Trump treats them as a bargaining chip. Their own leaders are split on how to respond. And the place that makes most of the world's advanced chips has almost no seat at the table where its future is being decided. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Xi, Putin & Trump - Who Really Runs the World? | To the Point - DW News - Air Date 5-21-26 KP 2: Can There Ever Really Be "one China?" - Vox - Air Date 5-28-26 KP 3: How the US Is Trying to Challenge China's Critical Mineral Dominance Part 1 - The China in Africa Podcast - Air Date 5-28-26 KP 4: Why Did Trump Take Elon Musk to China? - Paul Krugman - Air Date 5-14-26 KP 5: Why This Island Could Trigger World War 3 - Johnny Harris - Air Date 12-18-25 KP 6: China Will Never Beat Taiwan, Here's Why - Maxinomics - Air Date 3-37-26 (00:53:26) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR The Stories Nations Tell Will Destroy Us_ China, Taiwan, and Trump My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (01:04:39) SECTION A: THE MAKING OF TAIWAN A1: The Taiwan Conflict, Explained - Ryan Chapman - Air Date 10-13-22 A2: Inside China's Plan to Take Over Taiwan "peacefully" | If You're Listening - ABC NEWS In-depth - Air Date 11-28-25 (01:24:47) SECTION B: THE MULTIPOLAR WORLDVIEW B1: China Rising Part 1: How the Unipolar World Is Ending - Beyond the Ballot Box - Air Date 2-10-26 B2: US Unipolarity Vs China's Multipolarity: Whose Vision Will Shape the New Global Order? B3: China Rising Part 2: Taiwan, Xinjiang, Sovereignty and Human Rights - Beyond the Ballot Box (01:52:00) SECTION C: TAIWAN IN THE CROSSHAIRS C1: What's Behind the Record-breaking $11 Billion US-Taiwan Arms Deal? - DW News - Air Date 12-19-25 C2: Is Taiwan Moving Away From the US? - TLDR News Global - Air Date 4-20-26 (02:09:55) SECTION D: THE SUMMIT AND ITS FALLOUT D1: Xi Warns Trump of Potential "Conflict" Over Taiwan in Beijing Summit on Iran, Trade, Tech & More - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-14-26 D2: Trump's FAILED Meeting With China's Xi Jinping Was Humiliating - Pod Save the World - Air Date 5-21-26 D3: Strait to the Abyss - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 6-2-26 D4: Xi Hosts Putin in Beijing, Cementing China-Russia Alliance After Trump's Visit - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-20-26 (02:39:44) SECTION E: THE RESOURCE WAR AND AFRICA E1: How the US Is Trying to Challenge China's Critical Mineral Dominance Part 2 - The China in Africa Podcast - Air Date 5-28-26 E2: Why 3 African States Said No to Taiwan - The China in Africa Podcast - Air Date 4-23-26   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
• #1798 FIFA Sportswashing Fascism: The World Cup from Mussolini to Trump 06.06.2026 2h 53min

  Air Date: 6–5-2026 Today we explore sportswashing past and present, from fascist dictators who first weaponized the World Cup to FIFA's modern extractivism model of corrupt capitalism, and why workers, unions, and fans are now organizing to reclaim the game from those profiting off it. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trump Is a 'master Marketer' Symone Reacts to President Getting FIFA Peace Prize - Chris Jansing Reports - Air Date 12-5-25 KP 2: Jules Boykoff on World Cup and Sportswashing Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-15-26 KP 3: The Fascist World Cup Part 1 - Power Plays - Air Date 5-21-26 KP 4: Exploring the Sportwashing, Greed and Corruption of the 2026 World Cup - The Blazing Musket Podcast - Air Date 5-6-26 KP 5: Trump LOSES IT as FIFA SUFFERS MAJOR CRISIS!! Part 1 - MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-6-26 KP 6: Jules Boykoff on World Cup and Sportswashing Part 2 - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-15-26 (00:45:01) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR FIFA, Trump, and the Patriotism Scam They're Running on America My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (01:01:55) SECTION A: TRUMP'S PLAYBOOK A1: Is This the Most Political World Cup of All Time Part 1 - The Global Story - Air Date 5-25-26 A2: As the World Cup Arrives in Seattle, so Do the Contradictions Part 1 - Soundside - Air Date 5-18-26 (01:14:02) SECTION B: FASCIST ORIGINS B1: Sportswashing Explained Part 1 - Rights & Wrongs - Air Date 5-25-26 B2: Soccers Shadow And Sunlight the Fascist History of the World Cup and 20 Years of Soccer Without Borders Part 1 - Edge of Sports - Air Date 5-28-26 B3: The Fascist World Cup Part 2 - Power Plays - Air Date 5-21-26 B4: Soccers Shadow And Sunlight the Fascist History of the World Cup and 20 Years of Soccer Without Borders Part 2 - Edge of Sports - Air Date 5-28-26 (01:55:31) SECTION C: GREED MACHINE C1: Trump LOSES IT as FIFA SUFFERS MAJOR CRISIS!! Part 2 - MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-6-26 C2: As the World Cup Arrives in Seattle, so Do the Contradictions Part 2 - Soundside - Air Date 5-18-26 C3: Exploring the Sportwashing, Greed and Corruption of the 2026 World Cup Part 2 - The Blazing Musket Podcast - Air Date 5-6-26 (02:19:47) SECTION D: PUSHBACK D1: Cuba Latest, Louisiana Primary, World Cup Travel - Up First From NPR - Air Date 5-16-26 D2: Trump Gets HIS KARMA as FIFA WORLD CUP COLLAPSES!!!! - MeidasTouch - Air Date 4-16-26 D3: Sportswashing Explained Part 2 - Rights & Wrongs - Air Date 5-25-26 D4: Is This the Most Political World Cup of All Time Part 2 - The Global Story - Air Date   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  
• #1797 AI Spent $540 Billion to Make You Lonelier: Betting Against Jobs, Art, and Community 03.06.2026 3h 22min

  Air Date: 6–3-2026 Today we examine the AI industry's economic house of cards, the ideology Silicon Valley uses to sell a broken product, and the very real human costs being paid by workers, the lonely, and communities bulldozed for data centers nobody asked for. Direct Download Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: The AI Backlash Just Got VERY Public - House of El - AI - Air Date 5-24-26 KP 2: The AI Industry Is Losing - Better Offline - Air Date 5-26-26 KP 3: The Aesthetic Pipeline to Techno-Fascism - Alice Cappelle - Air Date 5-27-26 KP 4: Joe Rogan Accidentally Exposed AI in Four Words - Mo Bitar - Air Date 5-22-26 KP 5: How AI Companions Are Destroying Human Intimacy | Angela Ivy Leong | TEDxWest Vancouver - TEDx Talks - Air Date 1-14-26 KP 6: Astra Taylor on AI Data Center Resistance & Fighting "Billionaire Big Tech Agenda"- Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-26 (00:51:20) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR AI Is a Drug and We're All Self-Medicating My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (01:09:29) SECTION A: THE BUBBLE ECONOMICS A1: Will SpaceX and OpenAI Starve the Market? - UNFTR Media - Air Date 5-26-26 A2: Karen Hao: AI Creating a DESPERATE BASE OF WORKERS with No Full-time Employment - Channel 4 News - Air Date 5-22-26 A3: AI and Cancer: Why Superintelligence Won't Get Us to a Cure - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 4-30-26 (01:37:24) SECTION B: IDEOLOGY OF THE TECH ELITE B1: The Left Doesn't Hate Technology with Gita Jackson - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-12-26 B2: Why We Should Care About the Pope's AI Crusade - The Tech Report - Air Date 5-26-26 B3: The UK Government's AI Obsession Is a Big Risk with Will Dunn - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 5-14-26 B4: Maybe It's a Bad Idea To Put Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Sam Altman In Charge of AI - Some More News - Air Date 5-23-26 B5: Have We Trained AI to Lie to Itself — And to Us? - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 4-16-26 (02:21:29) SECTION C: THE HUMAN COST C1: Why AI Friends Will Never Work - The Upgrade with Makai Allbert - Air Date 5-25-26 C2: Richard Dawkins Fell for a Chatbot - Steve Shives - Air Date 5-4-26 C3: She Spent 12 Years Fighting Amazon. Now She Wants to Cut the Power to AI. - For Humanity: An AI Risk Podcast - Air Date 5-2-26 C4: There Is No Such Thing as AI Art ♥️ - Matt Bernstein - Air Date 5-22-26 (02:50:10) SECTION D: RESISTANCE & HOW TO FIGHT BACK D1: How to Talk About AI Risk Without Scaring People Away (With Philip Trippenbach) | For Humanity 82 - For Humanity: An AI Risk Podcast - Air Date 3-28-26 D2: Why AI Doom Content Is Everywhere- Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 5-27-26 D3: How to Talk About AI Risk Without Scaring People Away (With Philip Trippenbach) | For Humanity 82 - For Humanity: An AI Risk Podcast - Air Date 3-28-26 D4: Those Graduation Speakers Getting Booed Right Now - Man Carrying Thing - Air Date 5-23-26   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
• #1796 1.8 Billion for the Mob and a Kill List for Dissent: Trump's payout fund and counterterrorism strategy, decoded 30.05.2026 2h 44min

  Air Date: 5–30-2026 Today we examine how Trump turned a sham lawsuit into a $1.8 billion reward fund for his political allies who attacked the Capitol on January 6th while implementing a counterterrorism strategy that erases right-wing extremism from the threat landscape, refocuses on left-wing violence that hardly exists and threatens to "find and kill" those they deem enemies. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche Defends New $1.8B Anti-Weaponization Fund - Trump's Terms - Air Date 5-20-26 KP 2: Congress Strikes Back as Trump Rushes $1.8 Billion Scam - Legal AF by MeidasTouch - Air Date 5-18-26 KP 3: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 1 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26 KP 4: Some Republicans in Congress Are Standing up to Trump - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-22-26 KP 5: Why Jan. 6 Officers Are Suing to Stop Trump's $1.8 Billion Allies Fund - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 5-21-26 KP 6: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26 KP 7: Daily Take Republicans Found $1.8 Billion Overnight for Trumps Thugs — So Why Are Seniors Choosing Between Food and Medicine - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 5-22-26 KP 8: Dictatorship in Action David Cay Johnston on $1.8B Slush Fund Part 2 - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-20-26 (00:53:15) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Trump's $1.8B Slush Fund & the Corruption We Saw Coming My commentaries on YouTube - Share them! DEEPER DIVES (01:11:48) SECTION A: ANATOMY OF THE HEIST A1: Andrew Weissman on Trumps $1.8 Billion Settlement with Himself Part 1 - Brian Lehrer: A Daily Podcast - Air Date 5-20-26 A2: Trump's $1.8 Billion DOJ-Facilitated Taxpayer Heist; Guest Robert Weissman of Public Citizen Part 1 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-18-26 A3: McConnell RIPS Trumps Jan. 6 Slush Fund as Utterly Stupid, Morally Wrong - All In W Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-21-26 (01:34:28) SECTION B: THE BIGGER PATTERN B1: Trump's $1.8 Billion DOJ-Facilitated Taxpayer Heist; Guest Robert Weissman of Public Citizen Part 2 - The BradCast - Air Date 5-18-26 B2: Andrew Weissman on Trumps $1.8 Billion Settlement with Himself Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 5-20-26 B3: Craven Corruption - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 5-21-26 (01:57:06) SECTION C: ENEMIES OF THE STATE C1: Sources & Methods Trump's Counterterrorism Plan Part 1 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-25-26 C2: Trumps New Counterterrorism Strategy and the Spectre of Left-Wing Violence Part 1 - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 5-12-26 C3: Sources & Methods Trump's Counterterrorism Plan Part 2 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-25-26 C4: We Will Find You and We Will Kill You Part 2 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-15-26 C5: Trumps New Counterterrorism Strategy and the Spectre of Left-Wing Violence - It Could Happen Here - Air Date 5-12-26   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
• #1795 You Say You Want A Revolution: Successful Revolutions are the Boring Ones 27.05.2026 3h 55min

  Air Date: 5–26-2026 Today we examine what separates successful revolutions from failed ones, ask why so many revolutions of the 2010s fell short, understand how revolutionary energy gets neutralized, and explore the strategic case for nonviolent resistance. Full Show Notes Transcript Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: What Makes a Revolution Successful? - The Inquiry - Air Date 5-16-18 KP 2: Left Behind: the Failed Revolutions of the 2010s - The Politics Show - Air Date 2-5-24 KP 3: Is The US In Its French Revolution Era? - Leeja Miller - Air Date 5-13-26 KP 4: How Progress Erases Itself - Dan Harumi - Air Date 5-18-26 KP 5: Why Nonviolence Wins - Degenerate Art by Andrea Pitzer - Air Date 5-14-26 (00:54:11) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Why the Left Keeps Losing to the Right DEEPER DIVES (01:13:12) SECTION A: ANATOMY OF FAILURE A1: Lessons From a Decade of Failed Revolutions - Front Burner - Air Date 1-2-24 A2: Why Revolutions Fail - Hello Future Me - Air Date 9-9-23 A3: How and Why Revolutions Occur - LegalKimchi - Air Date 12-12-22 A4: Difference Between a Coup and a Revolution? - Sean Munger - Air Date 1-12-21 (01:54:11) SECTION B: REVISITING THE RECORD B1: What Was the Iranian Revolution Really About? With Scott Anderson - Intelligence Squared - Air Date 11-2-25 B2: "Counter-Revolution of 1776": Was U.S. Independence War a Conservative Revolt in Favor of Slavery? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-27-14 B3: In Defense of Che Guevara (How the Media Lies to You) - Overzealots - Air Date 1-26-25 B4: The Warriors of a Failed Revolution - Narratively Out Loud - Air Date 9-30-20 (02:32:02) SECTION C: THE CURRENT MOMENT C1: Why Fascism Fails - Then & Now - Air Date 5-18-26 C2: What Is the Relevance of the Russian Revolution Today? A Debate with Kshama Sawant & Eric Blanc - Haymarket Books Live - Air Date 9-26-22 C3: To Save The World, Stop Working - Extra Andrewism - Air Date 5-19-26 C4: Why the Epstein Files Didn't Start a Revolution - Uncivilized - Air Date 4-21-26 C5: "Forget What The Ruling Class Deems Unacceptable. Revolution Is Illegal" - Ed Mead On A Life In Struggle - Millennials Are Killing Capitalism - Air Date 5-26-22 (03:25:38) SECTION D: STRATEGY AND PRACTICE D1: How To Start A Revolution Part 1 - Andrewism - Air Date 12-7-22 D2: Revolution: A How-To Guide - Hakim - Air Date 5-29-21 D3: How To Start A Revolution Part 2 - Andrewism - Air Date 12-7-22   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    
• #1794 From MAHA to Measles: RFK's Public Health Purge Will Make America Sick Again 24.05.2026 2h 58min

  Air Date: 5–23-2026 Today we examine the real-world cost of dismantling America's public health infrastructure, the dangerous pseudoscience driving RFK Jr.'s health agenda, and the contradictions fracturing the MAHA movement from within.And now on to the show Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trump Looks Foolish for Choice of Kennedy and Deep Cuts at CDC as Real-world Perils Play Out - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 5-12-26 KP 2: 'The Wheels Are Coming Off': Trump Already Less Popular Than After Jan. 6 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-22-26 KP 3: How RFK, Jr.'s Beliefs Echo a Troubling Ideology | Science Quickly Podcast - Scientific American - Air Date 3-13-26 KP 4: MAHA Moms Are Mad - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-3-26 KP 5: As WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak a Global Health Emergency, Did USAID Cuts Worsen the Crisis - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-18-26 KP 6: How People with Disabilities Could Bear the Burden of Medicaid Funding Cuts - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 2-3-26 KP 7: RFK Jr Goes Full Eugenics to Congress; IMMIGRANTS BRING DISEASE - Brittany Page - Air Date 4-22-26 (00:54:35) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR RFK's Public Health Descruction is Easier than the Rebuilding We'll have to do Later DEEPER DIVES (01:05:28) SECTION A: THE DAMAGE DONE A1: From COVID to Hepatitis to Measles, RFK Jr. Is Gutting Vaccine Science' Ex-CDC Expert Speaks Out - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-12-25 A2: FDA Chief Pushed Out in Latest Sign of Public Health Chaos Under RFK Jr. - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-13-26 A3: WaPo Bombshell: RFK's CDC Burying Report on Covid Vaccine Success - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-9-26 A4: WATCH: Warnock Criticizes RFK Jr. for CDC Cuts to Rabies Emergency Line - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 4-22-26 A5: World Health Organization Issues Hantavirus Alert - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-16-26 A6: Can We Trust RFK Jr. On Hantavirus? - The Bitchuation Room (with Francesca Fiorentini) - Air Date 5-13-26 (01:47:09) SECTION B: IDEOLOGY AND THE MISINFORMATION MACHINE B1: Elizabeth Jacobs on RFK Jr. and Public Health - CounterSpin - Air Date 9-5-25 B2: RFK's Antivax Push. Measles Resurges Across America - Roland S. Martin - Air Date 2-24-26 (02:06:42) SECTION C: INSIDE THE MAHA COALITION C1: MAHA's Glyphosate Meltdown [feat Mallory DeMille] Part 1 - Conspirituality - Air Date 3-5-26 C2: Why RFK Jr. Is Projecting a More 'Moderate' MAHA Stance - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-27-26 C3: MAHA's Glyphosate Meltdown [feat Mallory DeMille] Part 2 - Conspirituality - Air Date 3-5-26 (02:36:04) SECTION D: HOW A COUNTRY BECOMES "UNDERBABIED" D1: Underbabied? Part 1 - The Professional Left Podcast with Driftglass and Blue Gal - Air Date 5-12-26 D2: RFK Jr. Dissatisfied with Teen Sperm & Sean Duffy Gets Back to Reality - The Daily Show - Air Date 5-12-26 D3: Underbabied? Part 2 - The Professional Left Podcast with Driftglass and Blue Gal - Air Date 5-12-26   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X
• #1793 Anti-Immigrant Brutality Costs Countries More Than Their Morals: ICE, Mass Deportation, and the Global Far-Right 21.05.2026 3h 45min

  Air Date: 5/20/2026 Today we examine how the Trump administration is quietly reshaping its unpopular immigration crackdown by moving enforcement out of public view. Plus, we explain how anti-immigration politics is spreading through the post-colonial world, highlighting how it's reshaping political parties and public debate in the UK, Canada, and Australia. Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 1 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 2: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 1 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26 KP 3: Does Legal Immigration Still Exist Part 1 - What Next - Air Date 2-23-26 KP 4: What TPS Recipients Might Experience if They're Sent Back to Haiti - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 4-30-26 KP 5: How The British Made The Far Right Acceptable Daniel Trilling Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 5-11-26 KP 6: How To Beat The Anti-Immigration Playbook Zoe Gardner Part 1 - Bold Politics with Zack Polanski - Air Date 9-10-26 (00:53:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR How ICE Hands Billions to Trump's Donors DEEPER DIVES (01:05:43) SECTION A: THE RESET IS THEATER A1: Trumps Brutal Immigration Crackdown Continues Part 2 - Velshi - Air Date 3-21-26 A2: Trumps ICE Detention Scam with Katie Blankenship Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-28-26 A3: Kornacki Large Number of Independents Strongly Disapprove of Trumps Immigration Agenda - NBC News - Air Date 2-11-26 A4: Trump Voters REBEL Against Proposed ICE Detention Centers In Their Backyard - The Logical Leftist - Air Date 1-12-26 A5: Border Czar Promises Mass Deportations On the Way - The DSR Network - Air Date 5-7-26 A6: US President Backs ICE Rebrand Amid Scrutiny as Poll Shows Trump's Immigration Approval Falling - WION - Air Date 4-28-26 (01:42:03) SECTION B: DUE PROCESS DISMANTLED B1: Does Legal Immigration Still Exist Part 2 - What Next - Air Date 2-23-26 B2: Trump Vs. Dreamers Justice Dept. Moves to Make It Easier to Deport 500K+ DACA Recipients - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-28-26 B3: Supreme Court Appears to Lean Toward Ending TPS for Some Migrants - Trump's Terms - Air Date 4-30-26 B4: Study Finds Trump Administration Cut Legal Immigration Far More Than Illegal Crossings - PBS Newshour - Air Date 4-14-26 (02:08:29) SECTION C: THE GLOBAL FAR-RIGHT PLAYBOOK C1: Starmer Out Pressure Grows on U.K. PM to Resign as Far-Right Reform Party Surges in Local Elections - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-11-26 C2: "Reform" Of A Lifelong Forever Racist Party In The UK; Tennessee, Virginia, Louisiana Today....The Whole USA Tomorrow - The Politicrat - Air Date 5-8-26 C3: White Supremacy Is a Massive Issue in Canada What's Fuelling the Far Right Part 1 - The Truth - Air Date 2-23-26 C4: Angus Taylors Trumpian Immigration Plan Part 1 - Full Story - Air Date 4-15-26 C5: How The British Made The Far Right Acceptable Daniel Trilling Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 5-11-26 C6: White Supremacy Is a Massive Issue in Canada What's Fuelling the Far Right Part 2 - The Truth - Air Date 2-23-26 C7: Angus Taylors Trumpian Immigration Plan Part 2 - Full Story - Air Date 4-15-26 (03:06:00) SECTION D: STAKES AND RESISTANCE D1: Can Illinois Hold the Feds Accountable for Immigration Crackdown - Consider This From NPR - Air Date 4-28-26 D2: Trumps ICE Detention Scam with Katie Blankenship Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-28-26 D3: 'Buyer's Remorse' This Trump Stronghold TURNS on Massive ICE Facility Part 2 - MS Now - Air Date 4-20-26 D4: How To Beat The Anti-Immigration Playbook Zoe Gardner Part 2 - Bold Politics with Zack Polanski - Air Date 9-10-26   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
• #1792 Capitalist Class Warfare: AI, Billionaire Capture, and the How to Fight Back 16.05.2026 3h 18min

  Air Date: 5/15/2026 Today we examine what it would actually take to claw back democracy from billionaire capture — and why some people think it's more possible than it looks. We'll hear about California's proposed billionaire wealth tax, AOC's vision for change that doesn't depend on positional power, and why Peter Thiel's new "AI Tribunal of Truth" may have accidentally revealed exactly what the ruling class fears most. Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) on Possible 2028 White House Run - C-SPAN - Air Date 5-8-26 KP 2: One State Found a Way to Make Billionaires Pay. Your State Could Be Next. - More Perfect Union, Inequality Media Civic Action, & Robert Reich - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 3: Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 1-19-26 KP 4: Jeff & Lauren Bezos Make 'Gratitude Lists' as AMAZON WORKERS DIE AT WORK - Brittany Page - Air Date 4-14-26 KP 5: Why Philanthropy [STILL] Isn't the Answer with (with Anand Giridharadas) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 5-5-26 KP 6: The Case Against Billionaires | Chuck Collins - Washington Monthly - Air Date 1-5-26 (00:47:44) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Who Owns the Upside? DEEPER DIVES (00:59:03) SECTION A: TECH POWER, SURVEILLANCE, AND THE END OF TRUTH A1: Do Tech Billionaires Want Us Dead? (with Taylor Lorenz) - Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff - Air Date 2-18-26 A2: The End of Work: Why Your Kids Won't Have Careers in 15 Years - Trevor Noah - Air Date 4-19-26 A3: This Is Actually Terrifying - Struthless - Air Date 4-16-26 (01:23:24) SECTION B: BEZOS, AMAZON, AND THE HUMAN COST B1: "Tax the Rich" Is Hate Speech!? - PissedMagistus - Air Date 5-11-26 B2: Why I Support The California Billionaire Tax - Robert Reich and Inequality Media Civic Action - Air Date 4-7-26 (01:32:00) SECTION C: HOW THE TAX CODE BUILT THE ARISTOCRACY C1: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy / Ray Madoff Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-13-25 C2: The Second Estate: Where Billionaires Don't Pay. You Do. (with Ray D. Madoff) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-14-26 C3: How the Tax Code Made an American Aristocracy / Ray Madoff Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 11-13-25 C4: The $79 Trillion Price of Inequality (with Carter Price) - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 3-24-26 (02:08:11) SECTION D: IDEOLOGY OF CAPITAL D1: Why Liberals Always Side with Fascists - Michael Burns - Air Date 4-15-26 D2: How Capitalist Propaganda Sneaks Into TV Shows - Marcus Werner - Air Date 4-17-26 D3: The Capitalist Mindset - The Market Exit - Air Date 9-9-25 (02:34:00) SECTION E: MARKETS IN THE MIND E1: Clavicular Is What Marx Warned Us About - Harper O'Connor - Air Date 5-10-26 E2: How Oligarchs Hijacked America in Just 16 Year - Benaminute - Air Date 4-30-26 (02:55:22) SECTION F: BUBBLE, BACKLASH, AND THE WAY FORWARD F1: It Will Be 17 Times Worse Than the .com Crash - Upper Echelon - Air Date 5-7-26 F2: How to Live a Life That (actually) Matters - The Market Exit and Rutger Bregman - Air Date 9-19-26   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
• #1791 Jim Crow 2.0 — SCOTUS Kills the Voting Rights Act and Unleashes the Gerrymandering War 13.05.2026 3h 10min

  Air Date: 5/12/2026 Today we examine the redistricting scramble unleashed by the Supreme Court's gutting of the Voting Rights Act. We'll hear how Southern states moved within days to crack majority-Black districts, how Tennessee banned public input to rush through new maps, and why every governor's race, state legislative seat, and secretary of state contest in 2026 is now a redistricting fight. Full Show Notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Tamara Keith and Amy Walter on Redrawing Congressional Maps and Testing Trump's Power - PBS Newshour - Air Date 5-4-26 KP 2: Louisiana Is Ground Zero for Voting Rights, Abortion Pill Access Part 1 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 5-7-26 KP 3: Elie Mystal Supreme Court Gutting Voting Rights Act Is About Again Making US an Apartheid State Part 1 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-1-26 KP 4: Did Trump's Supreme Court Rig the Midterms Part 1 - Pod Save America - Air Date 5-1-26 KP 5: What Stacey Abrams Thinks About a Recent SCOTUS Decision and the Voting Rights Amendment Part 1 - Soundside - Air Date 5-5-26 KP 6: 'Foolish' Lone Tennessee Dem Rep. Speaks Out Against GOP's Redistricting Push - Ana Cabrera Reports - Air Date 5-6-26 KP 7: Backtalker Kimberlé Crenshaw on New Memoir, Voting Rights, Critical Race Theory & Clarence Thomas - Democracy Now - Air Date 5-6-26 KP 8: What Stacey Abrams Thinks About a Recent SCOTUS Decision and the Voting Rights Amendment Part 2 - Soundside - Air Date 5-526 (00:53:57) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR How One Senate Rule Is Destroying Voting Rights DEEPER DIVES (01:05:18) SECTION A: THE RULING & THE LAW A1: SCOTUS 86s Voting Rights Part 1 - #SistersInLaw - Air Date 5-2-26 A2: The Death Of The Voting Rights Act EXPLAINED Part 1 - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 4-30-26 A3: SCOTUS 86s Voting Rights Part 2 - #SistersInLaw - Air Date 5-2-26 (01:24:35) SECTION B: HOW WE GOT HERE B1: John Lewis and the Struggle for Voting Rights - Equal Justice Initiative - Air Date 3-9-26 B2: Tennessee GOP Just Embraced Jim Crow 2.0 to Silence Black Voters Just as Trump Demanded - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-7-26 B3: Louisiana Is Ground Zero for Voting Rights, Abortion Pill Access Part 2 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 5-7-26 B4: What Is the Supreme Court Actually Trying to Do - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 5-2-26 (02:02:53) SECTION C: THE STATES SCRAMBLE C1: 'If You Can Keep It' The Supreme Court And The Voting Rights Act Part 1 - 1A - Air Date 5-4-26 C2: Did Trump's Supreme Court Rig the Midterms Part 2 - Pod Save America - Air Date 5-1-26 C3: 'But Do You Trust Them' Hayes Questions Timing of FBI Raid in Virginia - All In W/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-6-26 C4: Trump Pushes to Take Over Elections, Punish His Enemies Pulitzer Prize-Winning Reporter Ned Parker - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-8-26 C5: BREAKING Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Voter-approved House Map - Ana Cabrera Reports - Air Date 5-8-26 C6: 'If You Can Keep It' The Supreme Court And The Voting Rights Act Part 2 - 1A - Air Date 5-4-26 (02:43:06) SECTION D: WHAT COMES NEXT D1: Fighting for Our Voting Rights! - Practivist Pod - Air Date 4-30-26 D2: The Death Of The Voting Rights Act EXPLAINED Part 2 - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 4-30-26 D3: Louisiana Is Ground Zero for Voting Rights, Abortion Pill Access Part 3 - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 5-7-26 D4: Elie Mystal Supreme Court Gutting Voting Rights Act Is About Again Making US an Apartheid State Part 2 - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-1-26   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
• #1790 Assassin Nation: How Political Violence Got Normalized And How To Reverse It 10.05.2026 3h 6min

  Air Date: 5–9-2026 Today we examine how political violence has always been woven into the fabric of American life and who gets to decide what counts as violence in the first place. We'll hear about presidential assassinations, the assassination of Fred Hampton, the MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, and the long history of state-sanctioned violence. And I'll discuss the only real way to bend the curve back away from endemic violence in the US.  Full show notes Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, 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! Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: The Real 'Political Violence' in America - Taylor Lorenz - Air Date 9-12-25 KP 2: The Largely Forgotten History of Philadelphias Police Bombing of Black Organization MOVE - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 5-17-25 KP 3: America's History of Assassinations and Political Violence - Front Burner - Air Date 7-16-24 KP 4: America's Addiction to Gun Violence, Racism, and White Rage Will Be Its Downfall Part 1 - The Chauncey DeVega Show -Air Date 9-19-25 KP 5: "Slow Civil War" Author Jeff Sharlet on the Growing NormalAation of Violence at Home & Abroad - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-27-26 KP 6: The World Is Broken and on Fire. Use Your Anger to Remake It for the Better - The Chauncey DeVega Show - Air Date 3-25-26 (00:50:50) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Why Billionaires Now Fear Civil War DEEPER DIVES (01:04:57) SECTION A: THE FRAMING WARS A1: The White House Correspondents Dinner Shooting: What the "Political Violence" Framing Is Hiding - Resistance History with Tad Stoermer - Air Date 4-26-26 A2: Who's to Blame for Political Violence? - WSJ Opinion: Free Expression - Air Date 9-17-25- Air Date 9-17-25 A3: We're MASSIVELY Overstating Our Political Violence Problem — and That's Dangerous! | Sean Westwood - People Who Read People: A Behavior and Psychology Podcast - Air Date 9-16-24 A4: Assassination Nation – Start Your Week with Ros Taylor - The Bunker – News Without the Nonsense - Air Date 4-27-26 (01:32:09) SECTION B: THE LONG AMERICAN TRADITION B1: The Pen or the Sword? How Lincoln and John Brown Disagreed on Achieving Emancipation Part 1 - History Unplugged Podcast - Air Date 2-23-21 B2: A History of US Political Violence - Americast - Air Date 11-2-22 B3: The Pen or the Sword? How Lincoln and John Brown Disagreed on Achieving Emancipation Part 2 - History Unplugged Podcast - Air Date 2-23-21 (01:52:52) SECTION C: STATE VIOLENCE AND ANTI-BLACKNESS C1: WATCH: "The Assassination of Fred Hampton: How the FBI and Chicago Police Murdered a Black Panther" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 12-4-14 C2: America's Addiction to Gun Violence, Racism, and White Rage Will Be Its Downfall Part 2 - The Chauncey DeVega Show -Air Date 9-19-25 (02:12:44) SECTION D: THE RIGHT-WING ENGINE D1: Political Violence In The U.S. Part 1 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 6-16-25 D2: Timothy McVeigh and the Rise of Right-Wing Extremism - The Lawfare Podcast - Air Date 5-25-23 D3: Political Violence In The U.S. Part 2 - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 6-16-25Political Violence In The U.S. The NPR Politics Podcast Jun 16, 2025 (02:36:23) SECTION E: THE SYSTEM AND WHAT COMES NEXT E1: Assassin Nation with Patrick Blanchfield - The Dig - Air Date 12-18-24 E2: Holding Out for a Hero Feat. Hasan Piker - Chapo Trap House - Air Date 4-27-26 E3: The Cole Hard Truth - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-28-26 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
• #1789 Boomcession: Why the Economy Looks Great on Paper and Hurts in Real Life 06.05.2026 3h 13min

  Air Date: 05-06-2026  Today we examine how the U.S. war on Iran is producing an economic crisis with echoes of the 1970s stagflation era which explains why Trump is now less popular on inflation than Jimmy Carter. We'll also be exploring various element of the structure of our economy, including how GDP became a deeply misleading measure of welfare, why consumer spending increasingly goes toward things people don't want to buy, and how gambling and junk fees are literally counted as economic growth. Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Simply Wrong GOP Lawmakers Caught LYING About Gas Prices Part 1 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-30-26 KP 2: Economic Implications of the U.S. War on Iran Part 1 - Economic Update with Richard Wolff - Air Date 4-14-26 KP 3: These Georgia Swing Voters Do Not Like the Iran War - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 4: Monday Morning Economy Politics Inflation Soars Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 4-13-26 KP 5: Fiasco for Trump as Leaked GOP Memo Warns of Epic Midterm Bloodbath - The Daily Blast with Greg Sargent - Air Date 5-1-26 KP 6: From Safety Net to Power Base Reclaiming Economic Power for Working People (with Jamie Keene) Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 4-21-26 KP 7: Simply Wrong GOP Lawmakers Caught LYING About Gas Prices Part 2 - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 4-30-26 (00:56:48) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Trump's Iran War Is Crashing the Economy And It's Time To Get Ready DEEPER DIVES (01:05:14) SECTION A: THE PUMP AND THE WAR (01:28:41) SECTION B: LIES, SPIN, AND THE ROARING ECONOMY (02:00:33) SECTION C: THE BOOMCESSION (02:39:10) SECTION D: WHAT THIS COSTS REAL PEOPLE Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
• #1788 Monthly-ish Mix: The America That Almost Was—Empire Abroad, Control at Home, and the Long Arc of Resistance 01.05.2026 4h 37min

  Air Date: 05/01/2026 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we open with Jesse Jackson's death as a reckoning with the multiracial coalition America chose not to build, trace the American playbook from the 1953 Iran coup to Cuba to the current war on Iran, examine how the same logic of control operates at home through AI monopolies, sports money, and captured courts, and close with the religious and labor traditions that have always driven change — plus Orbán's defeat in Hungary as proof that authoritarian projects don't last forever. Full Show Notes Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube! Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! PART 1: AMERICA, CONTESTED (00:01:19) #1775 - Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition and the Remaking of American Politics (00:23:12) #1776 - Trump's Pharaoh Complex, Our Flawed Constitution, and the 250th Anniversary PART 2: THE AMERICAN WAY (00:45:27) #1777 - How Christian Nationalism, Oil, and Zionism Built The War Against Iran (01:06:48) #1782 - Cuba's Crisis: Trump's Deadly Embargo, Blackouts, and Dream of Regime Change (01:29:45) #1785 - Iran and the Chain Reaction: The War Nobody Thought Through (Or, Bomb First, Think Never) PART 3: CONTROLLING THE GAME (01:51:40) #1778 - AI, the Pentagon, Labor and Capitalism: The Fight Over Who Controls the Future (02:15:29) #1781 - Your Team Is a Hedge Fund Now: How Gambling and Billionaires Captured American Sports 02:29:38) #1783 - The Ideology of a Cancer Cell: AI, Surveillance, and Silicon Valley's Psychopath Problem (02:51:36) #1784 - Who Gets to Be American, Who Gets to Vote, and Who Decides PART 4: HISTORY'S ENGINE (03:17:49) #1779 - Community After God: Why the Left Needs What Church Provided (03:43:07) #1780 - Cynicism Is a Scab: Hope, Solidarity, and the Labor Fight That Never Stopped (04:09:26) #1786 - Defeating Viktor Orbán in Hungary and the Authoritarian Playbook Worldwide   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads
• #1787 The American President vs The American Pope: Leo XIV, Trump, and the MAGA-Catholic Rift 29.04.2026 3h 16min

  Air Date: 4–29-2026 Today we explore the extraordinary clash between Pope Leo XIV and the Trump White House — a feud involving military threats, medieval papal history, and an American-born pope who refuses to back down. We'll hear why analysts say MAGA's religiosity is pure aesthetic, and what that hollowness means for the millions of Americans still taking their faith seriously. Full Show Notes Transcript Check out our new show, SOLVED! on YouTube Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, message us on Signal at the handle bestoftheleft.01, or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community TOP TAKES KP 1: "Two Versions of Christianity": Pope Leo Calls for Peace as U.S. Uses Religion to Justify Iran War - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 2: What's Driving the Surge of Catholic Converts? Plus Gabriel Salguero - The Holy Post - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 3: What's Behind a Growing Rift Between Conservative U.S. Catholics and the Vatican - PBS NewsHour - Air Date 12-16-23 KP 4: Why Are US Catholics Like That !? - The Kavernacle - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 5: Pope Bob Vs. Trump World Part 1 - Conspirituality - Air Date 5-22-25 KP 6: Did Trump Officials Threaten the Vatican' The Avignon Papacy Warning Explained - SWAJ with Brad Onishi and Dan Miller - Air Date 4-11-26 KP 7: Republicans .0002 Seconds After the Pope Says Anything - Man Carrying Thing - Air Date 4-18-26 (00:47:36) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Pope Leo vs. Trump: The Catholic Opening Democrats Are Blowing DEEPER DIVES (00:56:09) SECTION A: TRUMP AND COMPANY'S LOVE/HATE PAPAL RELATIONSHIP (01:39:29) SECTION B: ANTI CATHOLIC SENTIMENT IN AMERICA (02:05:17) SECTION C: THE POPE VS THE TRUMP (02:49:26) SECTION D: SOME MISC HISTORICAL CONTEXT SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of Pope Leo XIV and Trump against the background of Trump's AI image of himself as Jesus. Credit: Internal design. Components: 1. "Pope Leo XIV 3 (3x4 crop)" by Edgar Beltran, The Pillar via Wikimedia Commons | CC BY-SA 3.0 | Changes: Transparent background | 2. "Donald Trump" by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Transparent background | 3. Trump as Jesus, AI image, Truth Social, Public Domain
• #1786 Defeating Viktor Orbán in Hungary and the Authoritarian Playbook Worldwide 24.04.2026 2h 26min

  Air Date: 4/24/2026 Today we explore how Viktor Orban spent 16 years transforming Hungary into a blueprint for 21st-century autocracy, how that blueprint traveled directly to the United States and what Hungary's stunning defeat of Orban can teach Americans about fighting back 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!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: If Hungary Can Do It Part 1 - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 2: What Orban's Loss Means for Anti-Fascists; Iran's Endgame with Jason Stanley, Mohammad Ali Shabani Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-14-26 KP 3: Viktor Orbán Part 1 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 3-30-26 KP 4: How Do Peter Magyar's Politics Differ From Orban's Right-wing Populism Part 1 - DW News - Air Date 4-13-26 KP 5: On Tyranny, Orbán, and Trump (with Timothy Snyder) Part 1 - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 6: They Actually Voted Him Out Part 1 - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 7: Viktor Orban's Loss in Hungary Gives Us the Roadmap to Destroy MAGA! - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 4-12-26 (00:48:33) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Trumpism Won't End With Trump, Here's What Comes Next DEEPER DIVES (00:56:57) SECTION A: ORIGINS (01:37:50) SECTION B: TACTICS (02:03:08) SECTION C: INTERNATIONAL SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of Hungary's out-going president Victor Orban standing with Trump in the White House while both display a thumbs-up. A "REJECTED" stamp is on Orban and a voting checkbox with an "X" in it is above him. A voting checkbox with a question mark in it is over Trump. Credit: Internal design. Component images: Pixabay Photo Credit: "President Victor Orban and President Trump", White House Instagram, Nov. 7, 2025 | Public Domain   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X
• #1329 Our Longest War Has Been a Lie All Along (The Afghanistan Papers) (Throwback) 21.04.2026 1h 3min

  Re-Air Date: 4-21-2026 Original Air Date: 1–18-2020 Today we take a look at The Afghanistan Papers which reveal in stark detail much of what the anti-war movement has known or strongly suspected since the beginning. Going beyond the scope of The Pentagon Papers of the Vietnam War era, The Afghanistan Papers feature interviews and documentation from top-ranking officials admitting from the start that they had no idea what they were doing in Afghanistan. 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!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Headlines: The Afghanistan Papers - Democracy Now - Air Date 12-10-19 Ch. 2: The "Pentagon Papers" Of Our Time with Craig Whitlock - On the Media - Air Date 12-20-19 Ch. 3: They Lied To Us All Along with Danny Sjursen - The Real News with Marc Steiner - Air Date 12-15-19 Ch. 4: The Truth About The War In Afghanistan with Craig Whitlock - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 12-16-19 Ch. 5: The Afghan Pentagon Papers - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 12-14-19 Ch. 6: The Afghanistan Papers - Eyes Left with Spenser Rapone and Mike Prysner - Air Date 12-16-19 Ch. 7: The Afghanistan Papers with Steven Miles - News Beat with Rashed Mian and Christopher Twarowski - Air Date 12-23-19 SHOW IMAGE: "Afghanistan War Anniversary", Jayel Aheram on Flickr / License / Changes: Zoomed in and cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!
• SOLVED! SAMPLE! #38 - Keepin' it Class-y: How Class Structure and Wealth Inequality Keep Us Stuck 20.04.2026 23min

  Air Date: 4-8-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:   Ch. 1 - The history of the war on poverty in the U.S. Ch. 2 - How the wealthiest 9.9% are keeping the rest of us down with their heads in the sand Ch. 3 - The history and revival of the workers' education movement SOLVED! BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!): How your class impacts your tastes.   Leave us a message on our new system!   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!)   REFERENCES How Inequality Was Redefined as "Poverty"—Letting Capitalism Off the Hook - The Nation Talking of poverty: From the analytical to the political - Sage Journals The 9.9 Percent is the New American Aristocracy - The Atlantic To Build Working-Class Power, We Need a Workers' Education Movement - The Nation BACKSTAGE Taste and Distinction: How Class Shapes What We Like - Thinking Sociologically EXTRAS: Best of the Left #1780 - Cynicism Is a Scab: Hope, Solidarity, and the Labor Fight That Never Stopped BOOK: "We Do This Til We Free Us" by Mariame Kaba (Buying through this link supports indie book stores and this show!) SOLVED! #36 - Bribery Jazz: Corruption is the Water We Swim In SOLVED! #37 - Solidarity Forever: Boycotts, Strikes, & the Labor Movement We Need   TAKE ACTION: MayDayStrong.org - May 1st - No Work. No School. No Shopping. Stop Trump's Wars REI Co-Op Members: Vote to Boycott Greeley Meatpacking Workers (UFCW Local 7R) Strike Fund No Kings - What's Next? One Million Rising Trainings In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach How to Support Minneapolis Communities Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 5calls.org    
• #1785 Iran and the Chain Reaction: The War Nobody Thought Through (Or, Bomb First, Think Never) 18.04.2026 3h 32min

  Air Date: 4/17/2026 Today we examine how the U.S. war with Iran has exposed the deep structural rot at the heart of American power, the global economic catastrophe quietly building beneath the surface, and the cuts felt at home in order to pay for it all. 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!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: Excerpt, "Cross of Iron" Speech, 1956 - Dwight D. Eisenhower KP 2: White House Accidentally Releases Video of Trump Saying the Truth About War's Priority - The Briefing with Jen Psaki - Air Date 4-2-26 KP 3: Lets Talk About Fertilizer - Paul Krugman - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 4: Why Israels Bombing of Lebanon Means All Our Futures Are at Stake - The Independent - Air Date 4-9-26 KP 5: Will There Even Be a "Ceasefire"? - Drop Site News - Air Date 4-9-26 KP 6: The TV War That Backfired - Brendan Miller - Air Date 3-20-26 KP 7: Why the US Couldnt Force a Deal with Iran - LBC - Air Date 4-12-26 KP 8: Hormuz Crisis _Only Going to Get More Horrific Before It Gets Any Better__ Prof. Laleh Khalili - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-16-26 KP 9: Dwight D Eisenhower - Farewell Speech - Address to the Nation - Military Industrial Complex Warning - War and Military Documentaries - Air Date 1-17-61 (00:52:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Eisenhower Warned Us: Trump's $1.5T Military Budget Is Gutting America DEEPER DIVES (01:03:57) SECTION A: LEBANON UNDER ATTACK (01:29:29) SECTION B: THE WORLD DEDOLLARISES (01:49:40) SECTION C: WORLD ECONOMY IN PERIL (02:21:45) SECTION D: THE MORAL ROT OF WAR PROFITEERING (02:46:42) SECTION E: THE DAMAGE OUR MILITARY DOES (03:06:15) SECTION F: MAKING CHINA GREAT AGAIN SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A composite image showing a satellite image of the Straight of Hormuz  behind a screenshot of Trump's post that says "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again…." Credit: Internal composite design. Image: "Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz." by Jacques Descloitres, NASA | Public Domain
• #1784 Who Gets to Be American, Who Gets to Vote, and Who Decides 14.04.2026 2h 39min

  Air Date: 4/14/2026 Today we examine the legal battles shaking the foundations of American citizenship and voting rights as Trump's legal team uses the courts as a weapon against democratic participation — and how advocates are fighting back. We'll hear about the three-D playbook of deceive, disrupt, and deny used by authoritarians and being deployed by Trump ahead of the midterms, and what ordinary people can do right now to protect their votes before November. 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!) Join our Discord community! TOP TAKES KP 1: SCOTUS Hears Birthright Citizenship Arguments - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 4-1-26 KP 2: Will SCOTUS Join the GOP War on Mail-in Ballots Part 1 - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 3-30-26 KP 3: Arizona Secretary of State Trump Is Trying to Pick His Own Voters by Restricting Mail-in Ballots - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-3-26 KP 4: Desperate Election STUNT in California BLOCKED by Supreme Court - Legal AF - Air Date 4-9-26 KP 5: Mark Joseph Stern of Slate on SCOTUS Arguments to Block Late Arriving Mail Ballots Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 3-24-26 KP 6: Voting Rights & Wrongs, According to SCOTUS with Steve Vladeck - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 3-25-26 (00:52:29) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Conservatives' Judicial Originalism Isn't Principle — It's a 40-Year Political Project DEEPER DIVES (01:07:20) SECTION A: BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP (01:39:42) SECTION B: ELECTION INTERFERENCE (02:03:37) SECTION C: MAIL-IN VOTING SHOW IMAGE CREDITS     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
• #1783 The Ideology of a Cancer Cell: AI, Surveillance, and Silicon Valley's Psychopath Problem 10.04.2026 3h 13min

  Air Date: 4/10/2026 Today we examine the ideology quietly driving Silicon Valley — a worldview that treats growth, extraction, and the erasure of human messiness as virtues. We'll hear how tech leaders from Sam Altman to Larry Ellison embody a kind of corporate psychopathy, why Zuckerberg never understood what Facebook actually is, and how the cult of "go for its own sake" may be the most dangerous religion of our time. 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) Join our Discord community TOP TAKES KP 1: This Will Be the Death of Us All! - PissedMagistus - Air Date 3-18-26 KP 2: Palantir Weirdo Gets Cornered By Journalist - The Majority Report w/Sam Seder - Air Date 1-24-26 KP 3: Sam Altman Isn't Building a Company, He's Building an Empire (with Karen Hao) Part 1 - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 3-31-26 KP 4: Sam Altman Is Dangerous To Silicon Valley - Better Offline - Air Date 6-13-24 KP 5: Ash Sarkar Calls Silicon Valley Tech Bros Emotionally Maladapted Psychopaths - BBC Question Time - Air Date 10-27-25 KP 6: Why Fun Tech Jobs Went Extinct - Good Work - Air Date 3-27-26 KP 7: Zuck Never Understood the Metaverse - The Morbid Zoo - Air Date 4-4-26 (00:47:59) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR AI Isn't Taking Your Job—But Your Boss Wants You to Think It Is DEEPER DIVES (01:02:18) SECTION A: ARE THEY ALL PSCHOPATHS? (01:50:08) SECTION B: THE CULT(URE) OF SILICON VALLEY (02:34:34) SECTION C: AN END TO THE ENDLESS SCROLL SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Credit: Internal design. Component images: "Sam Altman" by TechCrunch, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | "Larry Ellison" by Greg Rubenstein, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | "Mark Zuckerberg" by Ian Kennedy, Flickr | License: CC BY SA 2.0 | Changes for all 3: Cropped and effects applied. Other image from Pixabay