Best of the Left - Progressive Politics and Culture, Curated by Humans, Not Algorithms

Air Date 3/31/2023 Today, we take a look at the history and legacy of the invasion of Iraq by the United States under George W. Bush and his administration with the support of the vast majority of Americans who had been systematically mislead by falsified evidence used to make the case for war. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord...

Original Air Date 3/16/2022 Today we take a look at the dynamics of mis- and disinformation as well as the history of those, primarily Russia, who are actively using it as a weapon of information warfare against the US, The West, and democracies around the world. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Are you Disinformed or Misinformed? - Harvard Data...

Air Date 3/26/2023 Today, we take a look at the Russian invasion of Ukraine as the debate over continuing to support Ukraine heats up, an arrest warrant is issued for Putin and China makes a state visit to Moscow. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH...

Original Air Date: 3-23-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - giving credit where due - the mysteries of right-wing comedy through the ages - the dream of freedom from cars and trapping people in cities REFERENCES: The 1/2 Hour News Hour Is the right winning the comedy wars? - Vox Fifteen Minutes of Blame - Slate Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Follow at...

Air Date 3/21/2023 Today, we take a look at how GOP-controlled states are subverting democracy with a form of "competitive autocracy" and some of the horrifying legislation these states then pass after they are no longer subject to the opinions of the general public. Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support Join our Discord community! Watch/Listen: The Laura Flanders Show SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The Autocratic...

Air Date 3/18/2023 Today, we take a look at how Fox News is being exposed as the alleged liars-for-pay we always suspected they were by the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET INTERNET PRIVACY WITH EXPRESS...

Original Air Date: 3-10-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Nick being a liar - The competing values behind editing and banning books - Why tech leaders are like 8-year-olds REFERENCES: The BFG Isn’t a BFD Equating the Roald Dahl edits to book banning is living in a Willy Wonka fantasy world Biden talks to Anthony Fontana about 90s rap Connect your Discord to Patreon Leave a message at 202-999-3991 Produced by: Jay! Tomlinson Thanks for listening! Visit us at...

Air Date 3/14/2023 Today, we take a look at the rise of "woke capitalism" as the cudgel now being wielded against any corporations who dare to seek profits by appealing to the majority of potential customers who prefer progressive social positions to that of Republicans. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE...

Air Date 3/8/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the emerging elements of technology and regulation that will likely shape the next era of the internet and our relationship to it. For today, these will include synthetic relationships with artificial intelligence, fake audio and video virtually indistinguishable from reality that will facilitate disinformation, reinterpreting Section 230 for a new era of internet content and the ongoing struggle to regulate social media platforms. Be part...

Air Date 3/4/2023 Today, we tell a story of colonialism, dispossession and cultural renaissance as a lens through which to understand alienation, a primary condition of modernity Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: The annexation of Hawaii The dark history of the overthrow of Hawaii - TED-Ed - Air Date...

Original Air Date 1/15/2022 Today we take a look at tradeoffs that are becoming ever more evident between the advancement of mass communication and social media technologies and the ways in which those advancements contribute to the degradation of social cohesion. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows & Bonus Content) SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Re-musing Ourselves - On the Media -...

Original Air Date: 2-23-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Briefly celebrating a Super Bowl victory - Extinguishing empathy for profit - Manifesting disaster through film - The Ohio derailment - The value of ownership - Reducing workplace stressors REFERENCES: ‘You unleash hell on your kids’: Central Texas mom warns parents about ‘Hocus Pocus 2′ After East Palestine derailment, a resident reflects on Ohio movie "White Noise" The Ohio derailment is an inflection...

Air Date 2/22/2023 Today, we take a look at some of the work of the chaotic wrecking crew that is the GOP of the 118th Congress including their plan to hold the world economy hostage and weaponize the government against Democrats all while infighting their way to the 2024 presidential election. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord...

Air Date 2/17/2023 Today, we take a look at the importance of teaching a full and unflinching version of Black history and why the campaign to block it is reaching a peak at this moment in time. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: BOMBAS.COM/BEST BUY ONE/GIVE ONE TO SOMEONE IN...

Air Date 2/14/2023 Today, we take a look at some origins, alternatives and misunderstandings of capitalism from the Dutch East India Company, to Adam Smith and up through the planned obsolescence and marketing that have tricked us all into working far harder than necessary while failing to make us happy. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our...

Air Date 2/10/2023 Today, we take a look at the recent rise in tensions in the wake of Israel electing what may be their most right-wing government to date. Literal fascists are now in the governing coalition, violence is rising and reforms are being considered to effectively remove judicial review from the governing process all while the US continues to give its support. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email...

Air Date: 2-8-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - Using emotional intelligence to talk about sports - Uncomfortable conversations and circular logic - Nouning The French - Political Spam REFERENCES: The French Want to Remain the French - New York Times Words Matter by Sally McConnell-Ginet (Affiliate link) CONNECT ON DISCORD Connect your Discord to Patreon https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/212052266-How-do-I-connect-Discord-to-Patreon-Patron- Join our...

Air Date 2/5/2023 Today, we take a look at the threat to the lives of environment protectors around the world with a special focus on the first environmental activist in the U.S. to lose their life at the hands of police while defending the environment and the people who depend on it as part of the Defend the Atlanta Forest movement against the construction of what they have dubbed "Cop City." Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email...

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 us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Get AD FREE Shows and Bonus Content) Join our Discord community! OUR AFFILIATE LINKS: ExpressVPN.com/BestOfTheLeft GET...

Original Air Date: 1-17-23 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Erin and Deon discuss: - The updated dress code in the Missouri legislature - One-Way Empathy - Andrew Tate and Capitalism Culture - The management and labor of modern conveniences REFERENCES: Outrage after Missouri lawmakers' new dress code for women in the state House Andrew Tate: The Arrest, Greta Thunberg Feud and Everything Else You Need to Know Southwest's antiquated and atypical flight systems are partially responsible for...