• #1714 Trump's Anti-Knowledge Agenda is Inviting the Next Authoritarian Dark Age
    Jun 6 2025

    Air Date 6/6/2025

    Today, Trump's administration is doing everything in its power to end the era of educational dominance the US has enjoyed for decades. The simple fact that explains the change is that democracy used to be valued across the political spectrum while todays Republican Party is authoritarian and understands that an educated public is a public that demands democracy while an uneducated public is much easier to manipulate and oppress.

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    Full Show Notes

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    KEY POINTS

    KP 1: How Trump has reshaped the federal workforce - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-29-25

    KP 2: As Trump cuts funding, researchers look for opportunities outside the U.S. - Soundside - Air Date 4-21-25

    KP 3: Anti-Science Mugging on the Right and the Ascent of American Anti-Intellectualism - Citations Needed - Air Date 5-28-25

    KP 4: Trump's Dark Age Admin is 'attacking the foundations of empirical knowledge', journalist says - MSNBC Reports - Air Date 5-28-25

    KP 5: Trumps Rants about Harvard Get Darker as He Loses a Big One in Court - The Daily Blast - Air Date 5-29-25

    KP 6: Prof Jason Stanley Trump is targeting the three pillars of democracy as he follows fascist playbook - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 6-1-25

    KP 7: Worse Than McCarthyism Historian Ellen Schrecker on Trumps War Against Universities & Students - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-30-25

    KP 8: Tanya Clay House on Freedom to Learn, Danaka Katovich on Attacks on Activists - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-2-25

    (01:00:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

    On what will fill the gap left by anti-intellectualism

    DEEPER DIVES

    (01:07:27) SECTION A: ANTI-SCIENCE

    (02:27:53) SECTION B: ANTI-HIGHER EDUCATION

    (02:56:38) SECTION C: ANTI-PUBLIC GOODS

    SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

    Description: An illustrated image of an arm and hand holding up a protest sign with an image of a brain on it.

    Credit: “brain icon mind thinking” via Mohamed_hasan, Pixabay | Pixabay license

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    3 h y 51 m
  • #1597 The rise of fascism around the world driven by economic insecurity (Throwback)
    Jun 3 2025

    Original Air Date: 12-8-2023

    Neoliberalism has created a lot of economic suffering and insecurity in addition to weakened social ties over the past few decades. And now, in what may be the most devastating result of the ideology yet, neoliberalism may be leading much of the world toward fascism bolstered by legitimate grievances about economic precarity which are coopted by the false promises of right-wing populism.

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    SHOW NOTES

    Ch. 1: Far-right extremism on the rise around the globe - The ReidOut with Joy Reid - Air Day 11-28-23

    Ch. 2: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23

    Ch. 3: Argentina's Trump? Far-Right Javier Milei Wins Presidency with Echoes of Past Dictatorship - Democracy Now! - Air Date 11-21-23

    Ch. 4: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 2 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23

    Ch. 5: Media Coverage of the Trump Movement is Missing Vital Context - On the Media - Air Date 11-29-23

    Ch. 6: 'Democracy on a Knife's Edge' Far-right electoral victories in Argentina, Holland; Trump threatens Insurrection Act - The Bradcast - Air Date 11-28-23

    Ch. 7: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 3 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23

    Ch. 8: Media Coverage of the Trump Movement is Missing Vital Context Part 2 - On the Media - Air Date 11-29-23

    Ch. 9: How Can Democracy Survive in an Age of Discontent Rachel Navarre and Matthew Rhodes-Purdy on Populism and Political Extremism Part 4 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 11-28-23

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    1 h y 3 m
  • SOLVED! #10 - The Old Guard is Dying
    Jun 2 2025

    Air Date: 6–2-25

    Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss:

    • The role of art in political movements and moments under capitalism
    • The problems with the Democratic Party that go far beyond Biden
    • The Democrats’ gerontocracy that is literally dying and allowing Trump legislation to pass
    • Our response to the latest DNC Executive Committee Meeting (held May 29th in Little Rock, AR)

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    REFERENCES:

    Don’t Expect Art To Save Us - Current Affairs

    To Be a Consumer of Culture Means Living in a Hostage Situation - Slate (from 2023)

    The Problem Goes Well Beyond Biden - Current Affairs

    The Democratic Party Is Literally Dying - The Nation

    Inside the Democrats’ Reboot - Time

    The DNC Executive Committee Meeting via Progressive Hub

    SOLVED! SONG! “Push” - Concepts: Human Intelligence. Song: Artificial Intelligence. Based on SOLVED! Ep. #10: “The Old Guard is Dying” (June 2nd)

    TAKE ACTION:

    Write to the DNC

    June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action

    Find your Indivisible group - or start one

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    Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

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    Produced by:

    Jay! Tomlinson

    Thanks for listening!

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    23 m
  • #1713 Yes, GOP Policies Really Are That Bad: Trump's Corruption and the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
    May 30 2025

    Air Date 5/30/2025

    Given the overwhelming weirdness of Trump and his malfeasant style of governance, it would be perfectly understandable for casual observers to believe that his signature piece of legislation, weirdly named in reality the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act," was itself also likely to be pretty weird; a potential departure from usual Republican Party policy priorities. In reality, what's weird is how deeply normal it is: take from the poor and give to the rich while letting corporations get away with murder.

    Full Show Notes

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    KEY POINTS

    KP 1: All the president's side hustles - Today, Explained - Air Date 5-15-25

    KP 2: 'Met Gala of pay-for-play' Trump crypto dinner is brazenly corrupt, says Hayes - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 5-22-25

    KP 3: Historian Julian Zelizer Trump's corruption is the worst ever seen in the White House! - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 5-13-25

    KP 4: Analyst Trump's Middle East Trip Isn't For Peace. It's a Turn Towards Fighting China - BreakThrough News - Air Date 5-16-25

    KP 5: Trump's Big Beautiful Bill is Baloney - The Coffee Klatch with Robert Reich - Air Date 5-17-25

    KP 6: Trump-GOP Tax Bill Cuts Medicaid, SNAP To Give Handouts To Billionaires Part 1- The Majority Report - Air Date 5-20-25

    KP 7: Trump Castrated the Courts! Big Beautiful Bill ENDS Constitutional Protection Against Dictatorship - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 5-20-25

    (00:55:49) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

    On why seeing is not believing and how that helps Republicans

    DEEPER DIVES

    (01:02:25) SECTION A: CORRUPTION

    (01:45:05) SECTION B: BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL

    (02:19:13) SECTION C: IMPACT

    SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

    Description: Composite image depicting Trump giving a speech at a podium with his hands out and an image of House Speaker Mike Johnson’s face in a circle over his shoulder. Text over the image reads “THE BIG CRUEL STUPID BILL”

    Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Photo credit: “President of the United States Donald J. Trump at CPAC 2017 February 24th 2017” by Michael Vadon, Flickr | CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Darkened overlay and text and image overlays | “Mike Johnson” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped into circle with darker overlay

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    3 h y 13 m
  • #1712 Eugenics Redux: A Gilded Age Ideology Brought Back for the Second Gilded Age
    May 27 2025

    Air Date 5/27/2025

    Slippery slope arguments persist because good ideas taken to extremes become bad ones. Eugenics exemplifies this—often starting with good intentions.

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    KEY POINTS

    KP 1: The movement that inspired the Holocaust - Alexandra Minna Stern and Natalie Lira - TED-Ed - Air Date 3-10-22

    KP 2: MAHA's Soft Eugenics - Conspirituality - Air Date 3-8-25

    KP 3: It Must Be Eugenics - I Must Be BUG'N - Air Date 4-24-25

    KP 4: Hayek's bastards w/ Quinn Slobodian - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 3-30-25

    KP 5: Even More News: Grok's Meltdown, Donald Trump's Rampant Corruption, and Ms. Rachel w/ Mehdi Hasan - Some More News - Air Date 5-16-25

    KP 6: Undercover inside a ‘scientific racism’ network - Today in Focus - Air Date 10-25-24

    (00:49:40) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

    On the likely future of gene editing ethics

    DEEPER DIVES

    (01:02:09) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT

    (01:44:19) SECTION B: RFK JR. ON AUTISM

    (01:59:39) SECTION C: TECH BROS

    (02:46:44) SECTION D: PRONATALISM

    (03:05:05) SECTION E: MAGA

    SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

    Description: Composite image depicting HHS Secretary RFK Jr. at a microphone in the center of an overlay of repeating, identical “people” icons. A handful of icons are different, bright neon colors and have a red X in a box over them.

    Credits: Composite design by A. Hoffman. Elements from Pixabay. Photo credit: “Robert F. Kennedy Jr.” by Gage Skidmore, Flickr | CC BY-SA 2.0 | Changes: Cropped, background color change, and added overlay

    Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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    3 h y 25 m
  • SPECIAL MEMBERS EDITION! Myths, Vampires, and Sinners (the movie!) - SPOILERS!
    May 26 2025

    Air Date: 5-26-25

    *CONTAINS SPOILERS FOR THE MOVIE “SINNERS”*

    You thought you were going to listen to SOLVED! today, and you're not alone. We also thought we were going to make an episode of SOLVED!, but this turned into something a little bit different. So, we're calling it a “special” in which Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss storytelling and mythology in general, and the extremely relevant and fascinating themes of the new Ryan Coogler film “Sinners,” in particular. Because storytelling is the process by which humans attempt to understand ourselves, it is, by its nature, never ending.

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    REFERENCES:

    Humans are not the only animals that create their own culture - Earth.com

    Ancient Myths in Modern Times: Illuminating Bygone Legends Through Technology - Connolly Cove

    The Vampire in Mythology: Analyzing the Symbolic Meanings and Archetypes of Vampire Figures - Mythology Worldwide

    “Sinners” - A film by Ryan Coogler starring Michael B. Jordan

    TAKE ACTION:

    June 14th - “No Kings” Nationwide Day of Action

    Find your Indivisible group - or start one

    Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials

    Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121

    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!

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    17 m
  • #1355 I Can't Breathe, The Three Words That Define an Era (Throwback)
    May 24 2025

    Original Air Date: 6/29/2020

    From 2020: Today we take a look deeper at the concept of "I can't breathe," going beyond the literal utterances by victims of police brutality and COVID-19 sufferers to the metaphorical epidemic of exhaustion, burnout, depression and disaffection in the US and around the world.

    Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

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    SHOW NOTES

    Ch. 1: Black Lives Matter Protests, "Outside Agitators," and the Coronavirus - DOOMED with Matt Binder - Air Date 5-30-20

    Ch. 2: Structural robbery, mass resistance with William C. Anderson Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 6-4-20

    Ch. 3: George Floyd, you, me… us - Jim Hightower - Air Date 6-9-20

    Ch. 4: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 1 - Tysky Sour, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20

    Ch. 5: America, Racism & Patterns of Change (with Heather Cox Richardson)- Stay Tuned with Preet - Air Date - 6-11-20

    Ch. 6: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 2 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20

    Ch. 7: Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor on how racism & racial terrorism fueled nationwide anger - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20

    Ch. 8: The End of Policing with Alex Vitale Part 3 - Tysky, Novara Media - Air Date 6-3-20

    Ch. 9: The Uprising and Its Leadership: What Does it Look Like in This Moment? - The Takeaway - Air Date 6-10-20

    Ch. 10: Cornel West: Nationwide uprisings herald "America's moment of reckoning" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-1-20

    Produced by Jay!

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    1 h y 11 m
  • #1711 How It Started, How It's Going- Assessing the Flooded Zone Full of Shit
    May 21 2025

    Air Date: 5-21-2025

    A popular MAGA refrain is, "promises made, promises kept." The key is having known which promises to take seriously. Weaponizing the government against his enemies and attempting to wield dictatorial power, sure. Benefit his supporters or the working class more broadly, or rid the government of waste, fraud, or corruption... not so much.

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    KEY POINTS

    KP 1: 100 Perfect Days - Pod Save America - Air Date 4-29-25

    KP 2: 100 Daze of Trump's 'Fascist Death Spiral' with Heather Digby Parton of Salon, 'Driftglass' of 'Pro Left Podcast' - The BradCast - Air Date 4-30-25

    KP 3: There is no president, really - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 4-26-25

    KP 4: 100 days of payback - Today, Explained - Air Date 4-29-25

    KP 5: Trump Is Losing A Lot In Court. Plus, the First Episode of The Divided Dial (S2). - On The Media - Air Date 5-9-25

    KP 6: 100 Days of Hypocrisy - Main Justice - Air Date 4-29-25

    KP 7: A Trumped Up Police State Is Coming Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 5-8-25

    KP 8: 100 Days of Chaos Skye Perryman - Future Hindsight - Air Date 5-1-25

    (52:39) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

    On the upcoming No Kings protest on June 14

    DEEPER DIVES

    (57:36) SECTION A: EXECUTIVE POWER

    (1:35:05) SECTION B: IMMIGRATION & FORCE

    (1:58:20) SECTION C: INCOMPETENCY AND SELF ENRICHMENT

    (2:40:49) SECTION D: RESISTANCE

    SHOW IMAGE CREDITS for #1711 - Trump 100 days

    Description: Black and white photo of Trump at a podium at the White House looking stern, with a policeman standing behind him.

    Credit: “P20250519JB-0425P20250519JB-0425” by The White House, Flickr | Government work, Public Domain

    Produced by Jay!

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    3 h y 5 m
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