#1749 Democracy: In Theory, In Practice, and Under Threat

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 [email protected] 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 - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 10-28-25 KP 6: ‘They’re Spending More Than I’d Tax Them’: Mamdani Slams Mega-donors Funding Cuomo - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 10-28-25 KP 7: What If Zohran Loses? Part 1 - Zaid Tabani - Air Date 10-29-25 KP 8: My Message to Muslim New Yorkers — and Everyone Who Calls This City Home. - Zohran Mamdani for NYC - Air Date 10-24-25 (00:49:12) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the willingness to sound the alarm DEEPER DIVES (00:58:05) SECTION A: MAGA POLITICS (01:25:25) SECTION B: GENERAL POLITICS (02:01:21) SECTION C: PROGRESSIVE POLITICIANS (02:25:17) SECTION D: ZOHRAN MAMDANI SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Close up photo of a “I voted early!” sicker from the City of New York Board of Elections Credit: “I voted early!“ by Eden, Janine and Jim | CC BY 4.0 | Changes: Heavily cropped, slight increased saturation and decreased contrast   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

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 [email protected] 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 Part 1 - How to Fix It with John Avlon - Air Date 10-19-25 KP 5: Unitary Executive Meets Textualism Part 1 - #SistersInLaw - Air Date 10-11-23 KP 6: How Underdogs Build Power Stephanie Luce Part 1 - Future Hindsight - Air Date 10-23-25 KP 7: Reclaiming Patriotism From Trumps America with Ted Johnson Part 1 - How to Fix It with John Avlon - Air Date 4-27-25 (00:59:59) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how the Left embraces the contradictions of the US DEEPER DIVES (01:10:45) SECTION A: SOCIETAL DRIVERS (01:47:04) SECTION B: INSTITUTIONAL EROSION (02:18:26) SECTION C: MILITARIZED LAWFARE (02:41:12) SECTION D: PATRIOTISM AND NARRATIVE SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of the Declaration of Independence with three question marks on top filled with the image of the American flag. Credit: Internal composite design. Images via Pixabay. | Pixabay License   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 [email protected]

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 [email protected] 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 INVESTIGATING SWASTIKA FLAG Found in REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMANS DC Office! - Jesse Dollemore - Air Date 10-16-25 KP 4: Racism Is the Policy: Here's 10 Months of Receipts - The Keith Boykin Channel - Air Date 10-15-25 KP 5: TheGrio Daily, Michael Harriot - Systemic Racism Explained - Air Date 4-22-24 KP 6: The Racist Origins of US Law - PBS Origins - Air Date 8-6-20 KP 7: ‘A Very Dangerous Theory:’ MAGA’s Mask-off Racist Vision of America - Velshi - Air Date 9-7-25 (00:50:25) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On how you CANNOT purchase your happiness with the misery of others DEEPER DIVES (00:56:12) SECTION A: HISTORICAL CONTEXT (01:36:52) SECTION B: WHITE LASH (02:04:02) SECTION C: SYSTEMIC RACISM (02:50:39) SECTION D: TRUMP ADMINISTRATION SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: 1970s poster that says “Racism Chains Both” with an image of a black person’s hand and a white person’s hand both in connected shackles. Credit: “Racism chains both Hugo Gellert artist” via Library of Congress Public Domain Archive   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere!  

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 [email protected] 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 More Indictments of Foes After Comey - All In with Chris Hayes - Air Date 9-26-25 KP 5: Is ANTIFAscism Really a Violent Extremist Movement? - Matthew Cooke - Air Date 10-14-25 (00:48:56) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On 'Working the Refs' DEEPER DIVES (00:53:51) SECTION A: ANTIFA (01:15:09) SECTION B: POLITICAL ENEMIES (01:53:02) SECTION C: FREE SPEECH (02:29:52) SECTION D: MEDIA TAKEOVER (02:52:28) SECTION E: MOCKING THE FACISTS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Black and white version of the official portrait of FCC Chair Brendan Carr with the list of words banned by the Trump administration in red over his face. Credit: Internal composite design. |  Carr official portrait via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.   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 [email protected]

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 [email protected] 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 Show - Air Date 11-22-18 Ch. 6: City Upon A Hill: A History Of American Exceptionalism - BackStory - Air Date 1-22-16 Ch. 7: The American Exceptionalism Mythology - Loud & Clear - Air Date 7-5-19 Ch. 8: Columbus redux! - Let's Talk Native - Air Date 7-17-19 Ch. 9: Why The Right Is So Dishonest About American History - Cracked (Some More News) - Air Date 11-21-17 SHOW IMAGE "Christopher Columbus Statue Torn Down at Minnesota State Capitol" by Tony Webster, Flickr | License | Modifications: Cropped   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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 - BBC Trump, national-capitalism at bay - Heterodox Don’t Let Trump Define What State Capitalism Can Be - The New Republic What State Capitalism Can Do—and What It Can’t - The American Prospect Unfortunately, Donald Trump is Not a Socialist - Current Affairs EXTRAS Were the Nazis Socialists? - Britannica r/AskHistorians: “Is Nazism right wing or left wing?” Interview with Hitler - Interviews (Anthology 1859-1993) BACKSTAGE I’ve spent my entire career studying stress—the No. 1 cure for it might ‘surprise’ you - CNBC Leonard Peikoff - Wikipedia

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 [email protected] 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 Your Money, Music and Love Life Part 1 - Here & Now Anytime - Air Date 9-26-25 KP 3: AI Slop Part 1 - Last Week Tonight with John Oliver - Air Date 6-23-25 KP 4: Family Accuses ChatGPT of Helping Their Son Commit Suicide - The Briefing - AIr Date 8-30-25 KP 5: The REAL Reason Trump and Big Tech Want AI in Our Schools - More Perfect Union - Air Date 10-2-25 KP 6: AI and the Demise of College Writing Part 1 - Adam Walker - Close Reading Poetry - Air Date 7-15-25 KP 7: AI, Energy, and Climate Data Center Water Use Alexis Abramson, Julio Friedmann and Angela Yuan Part 1 - The DSR Network - Air Date 10-7-25 (00:56:20) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the pattern of capitalism's social costs DEEPER DIVES (01:05:22) SECTION A: AL SLOP (02:05:43) SECTION B: SOCIAL ASPECTS (02:47:46) SECTION C: LABOR AND EDUCATION (03:46:34) SECTION D: DATA CENTERS SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: AI-generated image of robot hands holding up a small globe against a desolate dessert background. Credit: “ai-generated-robot-earth” via geralt, Pixabay | Pixabay License   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

Air Date 10/15/2025 It's said that money can't buy a variety of things like peace, happiness, loyalty, and, relevant for today; integrity and trust. But in a world in which impressions (a very multilayered word, in this case) can be bought and sold on the open market and an audience's loyalty to influencers, entertainers, and athletes can be leveraged in an attempt to transfer the credibility from the talented to the tyrannical... you better believe places like Saudi Arabia and Israel are going to try. 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 [email protected] 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: How We Stopped Caring About "Selling Out" - Current Affairs - Air Date 8-18-25 KP 2: Comedians Hold NOTHING Back While RIPPING Fellow Comics to Shreds - TYT Sports - Air Date 10-1-25 KP 3: A New Form of Capitalism: The Influencer Culture | Al Jazeera Untangles - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 8-21-25 KP 4: Why I Became a Crypto Shill - Adam Conover - Air Date 5-23-25 KP 5: The Secret Role Of Influencers In Global Propaganda - Taylor Lorenz's Power User - Air Date 9-24-25 KP 6: US and Saudi Arabia Sign 'biggest Arms Deal in History' - DW News - Air Date 5-13-25 (00:48:45) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Explaining that influencers are just infomercial hosts DEEPER DIVES (00:55:11) SECTION A: SELL OUTS & SHILLS (01:35:50) SECTION B: INFLUENCERS (01:58:52) SECTION C: SAUDI ARABIA BUYING SOFT & HARD POWER SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of a microphone in a spotlight against a red curtain with burlap sacks overflowing with money at the base with the Israeli and Saudi Arabian flags on them. Credit: Internal composite design. Multiple images from Pixabay | Pixabay License   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X Contact me directly at [email protected]

Air Date: 10–15-25 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 Facebook Mastadon 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 - BBC Trump, national-capitalism at bay - Heterodox Don’t Let Trump Define What State Capitalism Can Be - The New Republic What State Capitalism Can Do—and What It Can’t - The American Prospect Unfortunately, Donald Trump is Not a Socialist - Current Affairs   EXTRAS Were the Nazis Socialists? - Britannica r/AskHistorians: “Is Nazism right wing or left wing?” Interview with Hitler - Interviews (Anthology 1859-1993)   BACKSTAGE I’ve spent my entire career studying stress—the No. 1 cure for it might ‘surprise’ you - CNBC Leonard Peikoff - Wikipedia   TAKE ACTION: No Kings National Day of Action - Oct. 18th Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY - Tell Congress to stand down the federal escalation One Million Rising Trainings In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach Use the 5 Calls app for scripts and to reach all your elected officials Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 Find your Indivisible group - or start one Write to the DNC   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 [email protected] Review the show on Apple Podcasts!

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 Trump Supporter Who Will Soon Own the News - The New York Times We Have Seen the ‘Woke Right’ Before, and It Wasn’t Pretty Then, Either - The New York Times Trump Administration Wields Its Full Toolbox to Bring Media to Heel - The New York Times We Can No Longer Tell Ourselves This Isn’t Really Happening - The New York Times Is Trump’s Attack on the Media Following Putin’s Playbook? - The New Yorker Trump is going to lose the war on free speech - New York Magazine   EXTRAS Carsie Blanton “ God Bless the Grass” (by Malvina Reynolds) **Carsie Blanton and ~450 other unarmed humanitarians from more than 40 countries have been abducted by Israeli forces from the Global Sumud Flotilla. Call your members of Congress: https://globalsumudflotilla.org/contact-officials/   BACKSTAGE Ta-Nehisi Coates on Bridging Gaps vs. Drawing Lines - The Ezra Klein Show (The New York Times)   TAKE ACTION: No Kings National Day of Action - Oct. 18th Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY - Tell Congress to stand down the federal escalation One Million Rising Trainings