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

Air Date 5/21/2024 Whether by the US government playing matchmaker for the domestic weapons industry or through the illegal trade of the 'iron river,' the US is the leading seller of weapons around the world, fueling violence and conflict, oppression and rights abuses. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! FRONTPAGE FP 1: US Leads Global Arms Sales - American Prestige - Air Date 3-15-24 FP 2: How Washington Plays Matchmaker For The US Gun Industry Part 1 - Big Take - Air Date 10-30-23 FP 3: Can a lawsuit stop Mexico’s ‘iron river’ of guns? - The Take - Air Date 8-13-21 FP 4: How America’s Guns Fuel Violence across the Border: With Guest Ieva Jusionyte - Facepalm America - Air Date 2-27-24 SEE FULL SHOW NOTES (1:02:19) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the problems with looking for good or bad intentions (1:08:24) SECTION A: A1: Inside Biden's Secret Arms Deal - Deconstructed - Air Date 9-22-23 A2: Josh Paul Reveals The Truth Behind US Arms Supply to Israel - Laura Flanders and Friends - Air Date 11-7-23 (1:30:10) SECTION B: B1: Can Mexico win... Part 2 - The Inquiry - Air Date 3-7-24 B2: Ieva Jusionyte, "Exit Wounds: How America's Guns Fuel Violence Across the Border" (U California Press, 2024) - New Books Network - Air Date 4-15-24 (1:42:43) SECTION C: C1: Why America's police look like soldiers - Vox - Air Date 6-25-20 C2: Why US gun laws get looser after mass shootings - Vox - Air Date 7-28-22 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: A square version of the American flag with silhouettes of guns and bombs in place of white stars. Three bombs are falling from the pattern across the red and white stripes. Credit: Pixabay image modified by A.Hoffman Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Original Air Date: 5/9/2015
Today we take a look at the continuing failure that is the War on Drugs™ as well as some of the signs of hope that we may be making progress toward shutting it down
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!)
Join our Discord community!
SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: Is Marijuana Harmful to Health? - Healthcare Triage (@HCTriage) - Air Date: 04-19-14
Ch. 2: Man Gets 13 Years in Prison for 2 Joints Worth of Pot - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 03-13-15
Ch. 3: Legalized Marijuana = Millions For Public Schools In Colorado - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 03-16-15
Ch. 4: Johann Hari on Everything We Know About the Drug War & Addiction is Wrong - @democracynow - Air Date: 2-6-15
Ch. 5: Legalizing marijuana doesn't lead to doomsday scenarios - Le Show (@theharryshearer) - Air Date: 10-26-14
Ch. 6: Rand Paul & Others Introduce National Medical Marijuana Bill - @davidpakmanshow - Air Date: 03-11-15
Ch. 7: Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders Talk Drugs - Majority Report (@majorityfm) - Air Date: 06-01-15
Ch. 8: Marijuana Shows Medical Value, Feds Don't Give A Sh*t - @theyoungturks - Air Date: 04-12-15
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)
 
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!
Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft
Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft
Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com

BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Hear the Full Show, Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)
Air Date: 5-16-24
Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon and Erin discuss:
- How mega drive-throughs are ruining American towns and cities
- Why giant car washes are popping up across the country and what we could have instead
- How Tokyo's beautiful public toilets are an inspiration
- The impact boring and ugly buildings are having on our mental health
REFERENCES:
RFK Jr. revealed he had a parasitic brain worm. Here’s what to know. 
Social Media is Not What Killed the Web 
Mega drive-throughs explain everything wrong with American cities 
Car Washes are proliferating across the U.S. Here’s why
Why are they building so many car washes? And storage facilities?
Tokyo’s Public Toilets Will Leave New Yorkers Sobbing 
The Global Danger of Boring Buildings 
 
Join our Discord Server

Leave a message at 202-999-3991
Produced by:
Jay! Tomlinson
Thanks for listening!
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com
Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft
Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft 
Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com 
Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

Air Date 5/15/2024
In an age of cultish in-group/out-group politics and media, we seek to find messaging for progressive partisans to achieve electoral success
Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Transcript
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)
Join our Discord community!
FRONTPAGE
FP 1: Everything's a cult now - The Gray Area
FP 2: Examining how U.S. politics became intertwined with personal identity - PBS NewsHour
FP 3: Jason Stanley on the Politics of Language - Amanpour and Company
FP 4: A Conversation About How Dems Can Win in November with Rachel Bitecofer - Deep State Radio
FP 5: Employ Negative Partisanship w. Rachel Bitecofer - Future Hindsight
FP 6: Everything's ... Part 2
FP 7: Hit 'Em Where It Hurts ... Part 2
FP 8: Employ Negative ... Part 2
(59:24) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
On the importance of finding common-but-adaptable messaging
(1:02:14) SECTION A: IDENTITY
A1: Everything's ... Part 3
A2: Examining how U.S. ... Part 2
(1:10:14) SECTION B: POLITICAL RHETORIC
B1: 'Hit 'Em Where It Hurts' urges Dems to go on attack - Morning Joe
B2: 'Our message resonated with voters' - Morning Joe
B3: Watch VP Harris slams Trump over abortion access - MSNBC
(1:26:17) SECTION C: MESSAGING
C1: Employ Negative ...Part 4
C2: Republican Policies VERY Unpopular With Voters - The Majority Report
C3: Everything's ... Part 4
C4: Employ Negative ... Part 3
(1:50:33) SECTION D: INDEPENDENTS
D1: Hit 'Em ... Part 3
D2: Why Voters Are Down On The Economy - 538 Politics

Air Date 5/11/2024
The effort to turn theory into practice that will open up new ways of thinking about antitrust lawsuits attempting to rein in big tech and other mega-corporations, which are operating in a new phase of capitalism.
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Transcript
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!)
Join our Discord community!
SHOW NOTES
Ch. 1: FTC Chair Lina Khan on Antitrust in the age of Amazon - Planet Money - Air Date 11-3-23
On today's show, a conversation with FTC Chair Lina Khan on what it's like to try to turn audacious theory into bureaucratic practice, the FTC's new lawsuit against Amazon, and what it all means for business as usual.
Ch. 2: Apple's Antitrust Problem - Professor Talha Syed - The BTLJ Podcast - Air Date 3-10-24
Professor Syed reveals his thoughts and assessment of the new Brandeis movement, headed by Lina Khan and Jonathan Kanter of the FTC and DOJ.
Ch. 3: FTC Chair Lina Khan on Antitrust in the age of Amazon Part 2 - Planet Money - Air Date 11-3-23
Ch. 4: How to Fight Monopoly Power with FTC Chair Lina Khan - Factually! - Air Date 11-8-23
Lina Khan, appointed chair of the Federal Trade Commission by President Biden, has become the foremost voice of this movement and has engaged in high-profile battles to reshape how America deals with monopolies.
 
SEE FULL SHOW NOTES
MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)
Ch. 8: Real Estate Fees Crushed By Anti-Trust w David Dayen - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-26-24
FINAL COMMENTS
Ch. 12: Final comments on the new show format tried out in the campus protesters episode as well as a retraction
MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)
SHOW IMAGE: 
Description: A court document with “Antitrust” at the top sits on a desk with a gavel and block on top.
Credit: “Antitrust” by Nick Youngson via Pix4free | License: CC BY-SA 3.0 | Changes: Added solid background
 
Produced by Jay! Tomlinson
Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com

Air Date 5/7/2024
Civil resistance on campuses across the country against Israeli genocide in Gaza calling for cease fire and divestment, university administrations up to the Biden administration respond, often with overwhelming violence and claims of antisemitism.
Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
Transcript
BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Shows + No Ads!)
Join our Discord community!
FRONTPAGE
FP 1: The US college protests... - Today in Focus - Air Date 4-25-24
FP 2: Behind Columbia... - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 4-24-24
(47:13) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
(50:54) SECTION A: POLICE RESPONSES
A1: Atlanta Police Violently Arrest Emory... - Democracy Now! - Air Date 4-26-24
A2: Juan González, Veteran of '68 Columbia Strike... - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-1-24
(1:06:59) SECTION B: INSIDE THE PROTESTS 
B1: Pro-Israel THUGS Attack... - Owen Jones - Air Date 5-1-24
B2: Live from the Encampments - CODEPINK Radio - Air Date 5-1-24
(1:34:52) SECTION C: BIDEN'S POLITICS AND ACCUSATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM
C1: Nicholas Kristof ... Part 2 - Brian Lehrer - Air Date 4-26-24
C2: Manufactured Panic Over Peaceful... - The Majority Report - Air Date 4-23-24
(1:57:05) SECTION D: UNIVERSITY ADMINS AND ENDOWMENTS
D1: Why Colleges Have No Idea... - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 4-23-24
D2: Columbia University President ... - The Bitchuation Room - Air Date 4-27-24
(2:37:42) SECTION E: MEDIA CRITICISM
 
SEE FULL SHOW NOTES
IMAGE
Description: A photo of a lawn in front of a university building at Vassar College showing students standing near tents, a sign that reads "Liberation," and a Palestinian flag along a walkway. 
Credit: "Liberation Lawn at Vassar College (cropped)" by Found5dollar, Wikimedia | License: CC BY-SA 4.0 | Changes: Cropped