Best Of The Left - The Best Of Progressive And Liberal Talk

Air Date 11/25/2025 We live in a world awash with baseless conspiracy theories but that doesn't mean there are no true conspiracies, as exemplified by Jeffrey Epstein. But it bears repeating, that we didn't need the exposure of a massive conspiracy to know that Donald Trump was a sexual predator because he said as much on tape before he was elected the first time in 2016. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Trump Welcomes Murderer to White House; Congress Votes to Release 'Epstein Files' - The BradCast - Air Date 11-18-25 KP 2: How Epstein Email Politics Shifted Over The Weekend Part 1 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 11-17-25 KP 3: 1992 Tape Of Trump And Epstein - The Day That Was - MS Now - Air Date 7-18-19 KP 4: Epstein

Re-Air Date: 11–18-25 Unless you were a member in December 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 B.Y: before YouTube) where Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:   Ch. 1 - The political origins of SimCity and how capitalism warps our choices Ch. 2 - A new video game offering a very different vision of societal management Ch. 3 - Naomi Klein's insights on the Left's missteps responding to the Mirror World Ch. 4 - Applying cynicism and skepticism in moderation   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES: SimCity Isn't a Model of Reality. It's a Libertarian Toy Land - Wired Build-a-Brrr - The Baffler Naomi Kl

Air Date 11/21/2025 In an ethical political system, being willing to break the law in order to starve people amid a political dispute wouldn't be a source of greater leverage and power but it is in ours and the shutdown put the wildly different senses of ethics between the parties on full display. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Government Shutdown or General Strike How to Fight Trumps Agenda - The Socialist Program w Brian Becker - Air Date 11-12-25 KP 2: What Its Like Suing Trump in Court Over SNAP Funding - Boom! Lawyered - Air Date 11-13-25 KP 3: The History of SNAP How Food Stamps Feed America - The Politics of New America - Air Date 11-4-25 KP 4: MAGA Republican ERUPTS Over Major SNAP Consequences As Gross Tantrum Backfir

Air Date: 11-10-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps” Ch. 2 - “Politically correct” Ch. 3 - “Ethnic cleansing” Ch. 4 - “Meritocracy” Ch. 5 - Our current “wealth pump” crisis and how it has been solved throughout history BACKSTAGE! Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!): The best words to articulate the current moment FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon REFERENCES Why The Phrase 'Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps' Is Nonsense - Huffington Post How Cancel Culture Became Politicized — Just Like Political Correctness - NPR Manifest Destiny and Zionism, a legacy of ethnic cleansing - Mondo Weiss What Happens to Language When Authoritarianism Takes Hold - Lucid (Substack) RSA Minimate: The Tyranny of Merit  - Michael Sandel The Satirical Origins of the Meritocracy - Kottke Hundreds of societies have been in crises like ours. An expert explains how they got ou

Air Date 11/7/2025 The most dangerous part of nuclear weapons has always been the people in charge of them. As we potentially enter a new arms race, some of the worst people in the world are in charge of the vast majority of nuclear weapons. 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! 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! KEY POINTS KP 1: Will Trump Spark a New Nuclear Arms Race - TLDR News Global - Air Date 11-9-25 KP 2: A History of the Doomsday Clock in 4 Minutes - Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists - Air Date 1-30-24 KP 3: The Lie of Nuclear Deterrence - ICAN's Melissa Parke in Hiroshima, Nagasaki, & Korea for Atomic Bomb 80th Commemorations, Hibakusha Part 1 - Nuclear Hotseat - Air

Air Date: 11/11/25 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we examine how power is being quietly consolidated across institutions, how propaganda and AI are reshaping our sense of reality, and how division and fear are fueling both domestic repression and global aggression. From the Supreme Court to state media manipulation, from dismantled voting rights to foreign influence campaigns, we trace the machinery of authoritarian control—and spotlight the journalists, educators, and activists still pushing back to keep truth and democracy alive. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! PART 1: INSTITUTIONAL CAPTURE & CONSOLIDATION (00:01:44) 1742 Captured Court, Captured Nation: SCOTUS Serves

Air Date 11/7/2025 The United States claiming a divine (and imperialist) right to tamper in the politics of South American countries is nothing new. As is so often the case with Trump, the biggest difference is that he’s doing proudly and in the open what used to be done only shamefully and in secret. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: What Is Happening with Venezuela & The US EXPLAINER - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 9-8-25 KP 2: Ceasefire in Gaza, The Monroe Doctrine Under Trump, and a US Economy on the Brink of Collapse Part 1 - Red Menace - Air Date 10-14-25 KP 3: Jeffrey Stein on Trumps Boat Attacks, Katya Schwenk on AI Surveillance Pricing Part 1 - CounterSpin - Air Date 10-24-25 KP 4: Bailing on Farmers to

Re-Air Date: 11–6-25 Unless you were a member in January of 2025, this episode of SOLVED! will be brand new to you! We’re slowing down production for a little bit to reorganize our production processes, so enjoy this episode from our archives (and B.Y: before YouTube) where Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:   Ch. 1 - Why people love villains Ch. 2 - How plutocracy kills Ch. 3 - Why the path forward is through membership organizations   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES   The Year Villainy Won - Wired https://www.wired.com/story/the-year-villainy-won/   Plutocracy Kills - The American Prospect https://prospect.org/2024/12/26/2024-12-26-tkacik-best-of-2024/   Democracy Is Not a Customer Loyalty Program - Jacobin https://jacobin.com/2024/11/political-parties-schumpeter-democracy-liberalism

Air Date 11/4/2025 Elections are always coming up, some sooner than others, so we thought we would take a look at the state of our democracy and what we must do to maintain it in the face of the greatest direct assault on our institutions we've seen in our 250 year history. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Trump 2028? - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 10-29-25 KP 2: Why Im Voting YES On Prop 50 - Robert Reich - Air Date 10-28-25 KP 3: Trumps 'Crowd Control' Plan For Midterm Election Is Real - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 10-27-25 KP 4: Exposing Trumps 2026 Election Mastermind Part 1 - Democracy Docket - Air Date 10-22-25 KP 5: Trump's Predictable Bad Faith on Election Security Gives His Opponents an Advantage -

Air Date 11/02/2025 A lot of people on the left aren't feeling the love for their country right now and that's understandable but we have some thoughts on more productive ways to channel those conflicting feelings toward a country that is currently falling far short of living up to its founding ideals. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Democracy's Morticians Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt on 'How Democracies Die' Part 1 - Lawfare Archive - Air Date 5-1-18 KP 2: How Trump Changed the World with Anne Applebaum Part 1 - PoliticsJOE Podcast - Air Date 6-14-25 KP 3: Giving Up Is Unforgivable with Joyce Vance Part 1 - Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date 10-23-25 KP 4: How to FIGHT Mob Boss Politics in America with Senator Andy Kim Par

Air Date 10/28/2025 As we were looking for episode topics, I came across an article making the case that racism is a real problem in the country and that there were lots of recent examples that proved the point. And I was like, "Racism? In the US?! In Trump's Republican Party?? That doesn't sound like the country I've heard of." (sarcasm) But then we looked into it and it turns out racism is everywhere and also quite bad. (true) 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Will Supreme Court Gut Voting Rights Act Weaken Electoral Power of Black Americans? - Democracy Now! - Air Date 10-16-25 KP 2: 'Kids Telling Edgy Jokes’? Hayes SHREDS Vance’s Defense of Racist GOP Group Chat - All In W/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-15-25 KP 3: Capitol Police

Air Date 10/25/2025 Trump's attacks on free speech, particularly with the use of the Federal Communications Commission, goes far beyond the Jimmy Kimmel story. We're in the middle of an all-out assault on  freedom of speech, a free and unbiased press, and freedom of association. 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! 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! KEY POINTS KP 1: FCC's Anna Gomez & Axios' Sara Fischer - Axios - Air Date 9-19-25 KP 2: Bari Weiss, CBS News, And The Conservative Media Takeover - Lever Time - Air Date 10-9-25 KP 3: Trumps Horrifying Plan to Destroy Free Speech W/ Ken Klippenstein - Current Affairs - Air Date 10-10-25 KP 4: ‘They’ll Be Others’: Trump THREATENS

Original Air Date: 10/13/2020 Today we take a look at the myths of Columbus and American Exceptionalism™ that we cling to and turn our gaze to some of the less-understood but more accurate and important aspects of our collective history 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Can You Handle The Truth? - Native Opinion Podcast an American Indian Perspective - Air Date 10-20-19 Ch. 2: Why the US celebrates Columbus Day - Vox - Air Date 10-8-20 Ch. 3: Columbus In His Own Words - Let's Talk Native TV - Air Date 10-12-19 Ch. 4: In Search of a Better American Myth - Progressive Faith Sermons, Dr. Roger Ray - Air Date 10-11-20 Ch. 5: Jon Schwarz on social silence, hidden history, and why Trump is our most honest president - The Katie Halper Sh

Air Date: 10–14-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - The cartoonish conservative and libertarian responses to Trump’s state capitalism Ch. 2 - Trump’s interest in sovereign wealth funds, and the lie the right sells its supporters about getting money back Ch. 3 - The left spectrum of reactions to Trump’s state capitalism Ch. 4 - Why Trump is definitely, 100%, not in any way a socialist SOLVED! BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm: Ayn Rand’s nearly psychotic opposition to altruism FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e REFERENCES: The Danger of Trump Seizing Private Companies - Time magazine Trump’s “State Capitalism … a Hybrid Between Socialism and Capitalism” Won’t Make America Great Again - Cato Institute Trump Is Embracing 'Daddy State' Economics - Reason Trump's brand of US capitalism faces 'socialist' backlash from conservatives -

Air Date 10/19/2025 Robber Barons™ of The Gilded Age™ told themselves stories about how they were ushering in progress for all which is why, they argued, they shouldn't be constrained by things like safety regulations or worker unions - impoverishing millions while injuring and killing thousands in the process. It took a stock market crash, the Great Depression, WWII, and The New Deal to finally wrench the power away and redistribute it for the sake of building a middle class that could work in relative safety in the US. Today's Robber Barrons™ ushering in techno-feudalism under the banner of AI-For-All are no different but with even higher stakes in the balance. 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! Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: We're in Our AI Slop Era Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25 KP 2: What AI Means for You

Air Date: 10–5-25 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:   Ch. 1 - The state of American media consolidation Ch. 2 - The debate over free speech and the how the history of the right proves they have never been in favor of it. Ch. 3 -  The Trump administrations latest aggressive anti-free speech moves, and the Jimmy Kimmel suspension Ch. 4 - A look at how independent media was absorbed in the early days of Putin’s regime, and the dire importance of not complying in advance Ch. 5 - A perspective on why the Trump administration will lose the war on free speech, and some other hopeful notes SOLVED! BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm: Ezra Klein’s bizarre interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This full episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES: You Think the Bari Weiss–CBS News Story Is Bad? No—It’s Much Worse. - The New Republic The Billionaire

Air Date 10/10/2025 The strategy that Trump and the masterminds behind Project 2025 are following is to move as fast as possible to implement their agenda because they know perfectly well how unpopular it is and will be as time goes on. It's hard to argue that anything good will come of this but I'm going to try during my comments anyway. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Checking In On The Federal Workforce As The Government Shuts Down - 1A - Air Date 10-1-25 KP 2: How Trump Is Using The Shutdown To Punish Blue States - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 10-3-25 KP 3: The Vought Doctrine Make It Hurt - Velshi - Air Date 10-5-25 KP 4: SCOTUS Rulings BACKFIRE on THEMSELVES Part 1 - Legal AF - Air Date 8-2-25 KP 5: Trumps Bat

Air Date 10/7/2025 The Trump administration has been doing what we knew it would: breaking laws and losing about 95% of their court battles. And the conservatively stacked Supreme Court has been doing what we knew it would: overwhelmingly ruling for Trump to cover his tracks because that's what they were put there to do. 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! BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! KEY POINTS KP 1: Hiding in the Shadow Docket - The Hartmann Report - Air Date 8-24-25 KP 2: Does It Matter? Trump Keeps Losing on Immigration in the Courts - Democracy Now! - Air Date 9-3-25 KP 3: US Supreme Court Allows Trumps Controversial Immigration Raids to Continue in LA - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 9-9-25 KP 4: The Supreme Court’s Power Grab Under Trump - Why Is This Happening? The Chri

Air Date 10/3/2025 People around the world are angry, often for different reasons and even more frequently based on falseities - though not always. For instance, the Right in the UK and France are upset about immigration though most of those who are angry are wrong about the facts. But there's also widespread dissatisfaction with national governments and pessimism about their ability to make life better over the short term which is leading to much less predictable politics. 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! 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! KEY POINTS KP 1: Block Everything W/ Sebastian Budgen Part 1 - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 9-16-25 KP 2: Why France Might Soon Have a Far-rig

Air Date: 09/30/25 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month we track the dangerous convergence of domestic collapse and international chaos by looking at political violence and martyrdom accelerating division, institutional capture from the courts to the media, the dismantling of voting rights and public health infrastructure, military deployments at home and wars abroad, plus the resistance movements fighting back through town halls, labor organizing, and revolutionary art despite overwhelming odds. 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! 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: THE HOME FRONT CRUMBLES (00:01:50) #1739