Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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Monthly-ish Mix: Layers of Authoritarian Control and the Rising Resistance
Air Date 8/12/2025 The Monthly-ish Mix™ is here to get you caught up on recent news without being overwhelming! This month, we're covering the full spectrum of authoritarian threats—military in the streets, surveillance in our phones, conspiracies in our feeds, and corruption at the top—before turning to the grassroots organizers and Democratic Socialists who are building the resistance and winning. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991, message us on the infamous 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: DIRECT STATE VIOLENCE (00:01:34) #1719 - The Fascist Playbook: Immigrants, Brown Shirts, and the Backlash 1: Tanks on DC's Streets and a Us Senator in Handcuffs - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 6-14-25 2: Papers, Please Hayes Flags New Police Tactic Trend in Trumps America - All in w/ Chris Hayes - Air Date 6-19-25 3: Palantir Peter Thiel's Data-mining Firm Helps Doge Build Master Database to Surveil Immigrants - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-3-25 (00:22:14) #1722 - Imbalance of Powers: The Supreme Court and Executive Branch Collude for Unchecked Power Grab 4: SCOTUS May End Birth Right Citizenship Soon - Thom Hartmann Program - Air Date 6-30-25 5: The Injunction Ban, Explained - Leeja Miller - Air Date 6-30-25 6: 'Lawlessness Will Flourish': Scotus Justice Issues Chilling Warning After Major Ruling - The Beat - Air Date 6-27-25 PART 2: SYSTEMIC DESTRUCTION (00:39:30) #1723 - Scam Nation: Trumpism is the Art of Screwing You Over in Every Way Possible 7: Is AI Productivity Worth Our Humanity w/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25 8: Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger Mcnamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk, & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25 8: The Real Reason Investors Are Going All in on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25 (01:02:26) #1721 - The Evolution of the Military Industrial Complex: Now with AI! 10: Is AI Productivity Worth Our Humanity w/ Prof. Michael Sandel - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 6-26-25 11: Empire of AI: Karen Hao & Roger McNamee Expose Sam Altman, Musk & Big Tech - The Nerd Reich - Air Date 6-16-25 12: The REAL Reason Investors Are Going All In on Palantir - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-24-25 PART 3: REALITY MANIPULATION (01:23:14) #1725 - A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies 13: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different - Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25 14: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25 15: The Real Conspiracy Behind the Texas Floods - More to the Story - Air Date 7-16-25 (01:42:48) #1726 - Epstein Forever: Trump flails as criticism finally comes from inside the MAGA house 16: Epstein Files Firestorm Shows the Power of Online Conspiracy - There Are No Girls on the Internet - Air Date 7-8-25 17: Epstein Conspiracy, or Epstein Conspiracy Theory? - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 7-7-25 18: Epstein Survivor Calls for Accountability: Release the Files, End Impunity for Rich, & Powerful Abusers - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-18-25 19: We Tracked Every Visitor to Epstein Island - Wired - Air Date 11-22-24 Part 4: Global Chaos (02:12:24) #1718 - On the Path to Destruction: Israel Attacks Iran as Support for War on Gaza Drops 20: Jon Stewart on Israel's "Urgent" Iran Strike, Minnesota Murders & Maga's Blame Game - The Daily Show - Air Date 6-16-25 21: "A Show of Human Solidarity": Ex-U.S. Diplomat to Join Global March to Gaza to Break Israel's Siege - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-10-25 (02:32:30) #1727 - Super-Powered Men For Good and Ill: Fascism, Media, and the Manoshpere 22: Tired of Putin's 'B******t': Trump Reverses, Says Us Should Send Weapons to Ukraine - Erin Burnett Outfront - Air Date 7-8-25 23: The Next Generation of Maga Influencers - Some More News - Air Date 5-28-25 24: Brief Mehdi Hasan vs Jordan Peterson - Conspirituality - Air Date 7-26-25 PART 5: BUILDING RESISTANCE (02:54:25) #1720 - Building an Organized Left, the Eternal Oxymoron 25: Ralph Nader's Message to Doomers: "Stop Making Excuses!" - Current Affairs - Air Date 6-22-25 26: "We Fight for Working People with No Apology": Zohran Mamdani Beats Cuomo in Nyc Mayoral Primary - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-25-25 27: Is Protesting Ineffective? | Penny for Your Thoughts - Dasia Sade - Air Date 6-23-25 (03:21:46) #1724 - How to Socialism: Einstein liked socialism, you think you know better? 28: Mamdani's Spectacular Victory w/ Alan Minsk - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 7-2-25 29: 'The Economy Is Rigged": Robert Reich on Zohran Mamdani, the Democratic Party, Inequality, and Trump - Democracy Now! - Air Date 6-26-25 30: Old Democrats Must Go or Trump Never Will - UNFTR Media - Air Date 7-15-25 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
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