#1683 Oligarchy Unmasked: President Musk, the crackup of capitalism, and the MAGA meltdown (Throwback)

Re-Air Date: 04-07-26 Original Air Date: 1-15-2025 Elon Musk is leading the way for his class of tech broligarchs anxious to take over the MAGA movement and shape it to their own ends of deregulation, tax cuts, and lucrative government contracts. The disappointment that is inevitable for the MAGA populists is coming even faster than expected. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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: The long con of America's ultra-wealthy elites - The ReidOut - Air Date 1-2-25 KP 2: Crack-Up Capitalism- How Billionaire Elon Musk's Extremism Is Shaping Trump Admin & Global Politics - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-6-24 KP 3: GOP Already At Each Other's Throats While Musk Gloats - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-24-24 KP 4: MAGA civil war explodes between Elon & Trump faithful - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 12-29-24 KP 5: Elon & Vivek's H1-B Crash Out - Bad Faith - Air Date 1-2-25 KP 6: Our Moment is Approaching - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 12-31-24 KP 7: Weekly Roundup Jimmy Carter vs Elon Musk - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 1-3-25 KP 8: The Oligarch Class - Left Anchor - Air Date 1-3-25 (55:36) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the rehashing of the anti-democratic argument for extreme wealth for the benefit of humanity DEEPER DIVES (1:07:48) SECTION A: OLIGARCHS (1:35:31) SECTION B: THE MAGA FRACTURE (1:51:12) SECTION C: GLOBAL INFLUENCE (2:21:52) SECTION D: ORGANIZING SHOW IMAGE Description: Composite image of a close-up of a MAGA hat with a tag attached that says "Made in China". The hat has cracks and the head of Elon Musk pokes out through a tear in the fabric. Trump's eyes are visible below the hat brim. Credit: Composite design by A. Hoffman | Images from Pixabay | License: Pixabay

Air Date: 4/3/2026 Today we examine how decades of U.S. policy toward Cuba set the stage for the current crisis, we explore the human cost of the U.S. oil blockade on Cuba's 11 million people, and how the U.S. justifies an illegal siege while claiming to act in Cuba's interest using time-tested propaganda tactics. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: Explainer 509 Is Cuba Next on Trumps Hit List - The Foreign Desk - Air Date 3-18-26 KP 2: Medea Benjamin Its a Very Dire Situation in Cuba Right Now Part 1 - The Marc Steiner Show - Air Date 3-17-26 KP 3: Will President Trump Act on His Threat to Take Cuba Part 1 - Fresh Air - Air Date 3-24-26 KP 4: Current Affairs Is Going to Cuba Part 1 - Current Affairs - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 5: Aid Convoy Goes to Cuba & Iran War Has Right Wing Media Bugging Out Ft. Brandon Sutton, Nathan Robinson, & Alex Skopic Part 1 - Left Reckoning - Air Date 3-17-26 KP 6: The Future of Democrats and the Desperation of Centrist; The Cuba Blockade with Hasan Piker Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 3-27-26 (00:49:58) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR The Word "Sanctions" Is Hiding a Blockade — US Propaganda Hides Human Rights Abuses in Cuba DEEPER DIVES (01:00:46) SECTION A: HISTORY (01:35:03) SECTION B: CURRENT CRISIS (02:20:27) SECTION C: SOLIDARITY SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of the Cuban flag with the shadow of the United State of America over it. Credit: Internal design. Component images from Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads | X

Air Date: 3–31-2026 Today we examine how money and power have captured American sports from every angle — gambling platforms operating as unregulated casinos, private equity turning franchises into financial assets, leagues suppressing player pay while selling access to politicians, and a sports media apparatus too compromised to report any of it. It's almost all the problems with America on display in one industry. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: Trump's Record $239M Inauguration & the Sports Owners Who Funded It | Spolitics - Jemele Hill - Air Date 4-30-25 KP 2: We Investigated The Shady Business Behind The UFC - More Perfect Union and Luke Thomas - Air Date 3-6-26 KP 3: World Cup CHAOS As Trump And FIFA Abuse Iran - The Ring of Fire - Air Date 3-21-26 KP 4: ESPN & the Death of Journalism - Drew Gooden - Air Date 3-3-26 KP 5: This WNBA CBA Deal Is Bigger Than Basketball… - The Women's Hoops Show - Air Date 3-24-26 KP 6: Senator Chris Murphy CRACKS DOWN on Prediction Markets | PTFO - PABLO TORRE FINDS OUT - Air Date 3-26-26 (00:46:46) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Sports Expose Everything Wrong With America — And Fans Have More Power Than They Think DEEPER DIVES (00:58:11) SECTION A: SPORTS ARE POLITICS & CULTURE (01:58:11) SECTION B: GAMBLING ON EVERYTHING IS BAD IDEA (02:30:27) SECTION C: THE WOKE NBA, NOT THAT WOKE (03:08:12) SECTION D: THE BILLIONAIRES ARE ALWAYS THE PROBLEM SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite image of the silhouette of a business man in a suit holding up an upside-down golden umbrella full of sports balls in a celebratory way as money rains down behind him. Credit: Internal design. Component images from Pixabay   Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow BotL: Bluesky | Mastodon | Threads  Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft  

Air Date: 3–26-26 Welcome to ALMOST SOLVED!, the show that's almost like SOLVED! but one or more things are missing, namely the guarantee of a solution at the end and possibly also one of our cohosts.   Today, Jay!, Amanda, and Deon discuss:   Ch. 1 - Deon's research for his recent Best of the Left episode #1779: "Community After God: Why the Left Needs What Church Provided" Ch. 2 - Listener voicemail & comments on past episodes Ch. 3 - How to heal from the harm of this mess with the article "Culture of Healing" from The Reframe BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!): Some chit chat about expectations and healing.   Leave us a message on our new system!   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES Best of the Left #1779: Community After God: Why the Left Needs What Church Provided Culture of Healing by A.R. Moxon (The Reframe)   EXTRAS: SOLVED! #5: Keep Your Birch Rod Handy: Puritan influence, dictator bosses, & FDR zingers (4-15-25) SOLVED! #34 The Dual State: Life Under Authoritarianism & Your Role in Fighting It (2-20-26) SOLVED! #32* How Progressives Are Always Right Too Soon (With Receipts) (1-30-26) *mentions the Cassandras Books by Mariame Kaba: (FYI: Buying books via the Bookshop affiliate links below supports indie bookstores and this show!) "We Do This 'Til We Free Us" by Mariame Kaba "Let This Radicalize You" by Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba   TAKE ACTION: Stop Trump's Wars In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach No Kings - March 28th One Million Rising Trainings How to Support Minneapolis Communities Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 5calls.org Find your Indivisible group - or start one

Air Date: 3/27/2026 Today we examine the relationship between labor education, moral ambition, and the possibility of a better world. We'll hear about IWW members building a "Philosophy 101" for organizers, a historian's argument that humanity is fundamentally cooperative rather than selfish, and why getting labor history into public schools may be one of the most important organizing projects of our time. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: A Case for Human Decency (by Rutger Bregman) Part 1 - Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso - Air Date 10-25-20 KP 2: 73 Ben Fletcher, Part 1 - Working Class History - Air Date 6-5-23 KP 3: Striking At Kings Part 1 - Labor Heritage Power Hour - Air Date 2-12-26 KP 4: The Unsung Women of the Labor Movement with Jenny Kaplan Part 1 - The Bright Side - Air Date 9-2-24 KP 5: Climate Justice Through Collective Liberation Mikaela Loach Part 1 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 8-6-25 KP 6: Are We Trapped In Meaningless Jobs (With Rutger Bregman) Part 1 - Lever Time - Air Date 12-18-25 (00:49:56) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Solidarity Isn't a Feeling — It's a Structure (And Bosses Know It) Requiem for the Wagner Act DEEPER DIVES (01:01:40) SECTION A: HISTORY A1: Restoration, Revolution and English Enlightenment - The History of England - Air Date 11-9-25 A2: 73 Ben Fletcher, Part 1 Part 2 - Working Class History - Air Date 6-5-23 A3: UNLOCKED Overtime Episode 43 - The General Strike in US History Pt 3 - Work Stoppage - Air Date 1-23-26 A4: The Unsung Women of the Labor Movement with Jenny Kaplan Part 2 - The Bright Side - Air Date 9-2-24 A5: UNLOCKED Overtime Episode 43 - The General Strike in US History Pt 3 Part 2 - Work Stoppage - Air Date 1-23-26 (01:40:45) SECTION B: ORGANIZING B1: Eugene Debs' Winning a World Speech, 1904 - Bucckeyye Historin - Air Date 9-28-24 B2: What Does It Mean To Be Member Run Part 1 - One Big Podcast - Air Date 6-6-21 B3: Revisiting the Legacy of the Fight for $15 (with Yannet Lathrop and Dr. T. William Lester) Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 8-27-24 B4: What Does It Mean To Be Member Run Part 2 - One Big Podcast - Air Date 6-6-21 B5: Are We Trapped In Meaningless Jobs (With Rutger Bregman) Part 2 - Lever Time - Air Date 12-18-25 (02:24:47) SECTION C: EDUCATION C1: IWW Education and Organizing in Higher Ed Part 1 - One Big Podcast - Air Date 1-17-26 C2: Striking At Kings Part 2 - Labor Heritage Power Hour - Air Date 2-12-26 C3: Revisiting the Legacy of the Fight for $15 (with Yannet Lathrop and Dr. T. William Lester) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 8-27-24 C4: IWW Education and Organizing in Higher Ed Part 2 - One Big Podcast - Air Date 1-17-26 (02:55:10) SECTION D: VISION D1: A Case for Human Decency (by Rutger Bregman) Part 2 - Talk Easy with Sam Fragoso - Air Date 10-25-20 D2: Cornel West Hope Is Spiritual Armor Against Modern Society's Spiritual Warfare - Big Think - Air Date 7-27-17 D3: The Importance Of Revolutionary Optimism - Second Thought - Air Date 10-8-21 D4: Climate Justice Through Collective Liberation Mikaela Loach Part 2 - This Is Hell! - Air Date 8-6-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Photo of a worker at a Fight for $15 rally calling into a megaphone while the crowd behind her holds protest signs. Credit: "Fast food workers on strike for higher minimum wage and better benefits" by Fibonacci Blue, Flickr | CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped   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: 3/24/2026 Today we explore what happens when people reject religious dogma but still hunger for ritual, meaning, and the concrete benefits of community. We'll hear from secular assemblies building "church without creed," atheist Quakers finding silence sacred, and a Caribbean thinker designing a naturalistic pagan practice built around science and seasonal ritual — all asking what religion can be when you strip away the supernatural. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: GOD IS NO-THING - Pete Holmes - Air Date 3-3-26 KP 2: Non-religious Americans Seek Community - All Things Considered - Air Date 1-28-24 KP 3: Why Atheists CAN Be Quakers. - Quake It Up - Air Date 8-30-25 KP 4: Why Are Black People Still Christian? - Garrison Hayes - Air Date 4-7-24 KP 5: What Is Liberation Theology & Can It Help The Left? (TMBS 145) - The Michael Brooks Show - Air Date 6-25-20 KP 6: Its Time To Rethink Religion Part 1 - Andrewism - Air Date 3-11-26 (00:49:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On the Left's Community Crisis and What We Can Learn from Megachurches DEEPER DIVES (01:00:06) SECTION A: LIBERATION THEOLOGY A1: Cornel West: Can Socialists Reclaim Christianity? - Jacobin - Air Date 3-4-26 A2: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation - The Magnificast - Air Date 10-30-23 A3: Brief: US V. Liberation Theology (Part 1) - Conspirituality - Air Date 11-1-25 A4: Visions of Freedom — Liberation Theology and Advent - Soul Search - Air Date 11-27-24 A5: The Sunday Interview: How Christianity Shaped America: Matthew Avery Sutton on Power, Evangelicals, and the "Chosen Land" Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 3-15-26 (01:44:22) SECTION B: WHY IS AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY SO CONSERVATIVE_ B1: How Conservatives Co-Opted Christianity - Second Thought - Air Date 9-24-21 B2: America's Christian Death Cult - Michael Burns - Air Date 12-15-25 B3: American Jihad - Conspirituality - Air Date 3-12-26 B4: Donald and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad War Plus Preston Sprinkle - The Holy Post - Air Date 3-11-26 B5: Holy Sh*t We're Doing a Holy War - Side Burns - Air Date 3-5-26 B6: You Don't Understand The Rapture | Jackie Kashian | Stay-Kashian - 800 Pound Gorilla Media - Air Date 1-30-23 (02:24:24) SECTION C: RELIGIOUS FORMS C1: The Sunday Interview: How Christianity Shaped America: Matthew Avery Sutton on Power, Evangelicals, and the "Chosen Land" Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 3-15-26 C2: "There Is No Gen Z Religious Revival" | Religion For Breakfast Part 1 - Unsolicited Advice - Air Date 3-14-26 C3: Love Thy Neighbour? Dawn Foster on Religion and the Left Part 1 - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 4-21-19 C4: Melodie Roschman: Scholar of Right-wing Evangelical Christianity, Gender, and Popular Culture - Adventist Voices by Spectrum_ The Journal of the Adventist Forum - Air Date 2-13-25 C5: Its Time To Rethink Religion Part 2 - Andrewism - Air Date 3-11-26 (03:11:01) SECTION D: BELIEF, WITH AND WITHOUT RELIGION D1: Christian Nationalism, Leftist Politics, and Hegelianism: The Need for a New Philosophy on the Left - Columbia Center for Contemporary Critical Thought - Air Date 10-30-25 D2: "There Is No Gen Z Religious Revival" | Religion For Breakfast Part 2 - Unsolicited Advice - Air Date 3-14-26 D3: The World Is Always Ending - The Magnificast - Air Date 1-13-26 D4: Love Thy Neighbour? Dawn Foster on Religion and the Left Part 2 - Politics Theory Other - Air Date 4-21-19 D5: Red Star Ministry: Marxism, Theology, & The Human Condition - Rev Left Radio - Air Date 8-12-25 D6: Liberation Theology The Cold War - The Cold War - Air Date 9-6-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Image of a robot walking across the street holding two leather briefcases. A thought bubble shows it is thinking about, or launching as it walks, missiles. Credit: Internal composite design. Images/License: Pixabay   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: 3–18-26 Today, Jay!, Amanda, Deon, and Erin discuss: Ch. 1 - The dark history of money in politics, aka: corruption Ch. 2 - What the left must do to actually win Ch. 3 - What the rest of the world can teach America SOLVED! BACKSTAGE: Beyond the Algorithm (Members Only!): The reports of Christian fundamentalist "talk" in the military as the US attacked Iran   Leave us a message on our new system!   FOLLOW US ON: YouTube (This episode premieres on YouTube on Friday - please subscribe and share!) Bluesky Instagram Facebook Mastadon Nostr public key: npub1tjxxp0x5mcgl2svwhm39qf002st2zdrkz6yxmaxr6r2fh0pv49qq2pem0e   REFERENCES David Sirota Explains How Money Rewrote American Democracy - Current Affairs The Left Is Losing Because We're Not Confrontational Enough - (From 2022) Current Affairs Searching the Globe for Answers to America's Thorniest Problems - Current Affairs   BACKSTAGE U.S. Troops Were Told Iran War Is for "Armageddon," Return of Jesus - Jonathan Larsen (Substack) https://open.substack.com/pub/jonathanlarsen/p/us-troops-were-told-iran-war-is-for US troops were told war on Iran was 'all part of God's divine plan', watchdog alleges - The Guardian https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/mar/03/us-israel-iran-war-christian-rhetoric   EXTRAS: (Buying these books, or another book, after clicking the links below helps support indie bookstores and this show!) BOOK: "Master Plan: the Hidden Plot to Legalize Corruption in America" by David Sirota and Jared Jacang Maher  PODCAST: "Master Plan" by The Lever ARTICLE: JD Vance and SCOTUS Case - Rolling Stone BOOK: "Hostile Takeover" by David Sirota BOOK: "Another World is Possible" by Natasha Hakimi Zapata ARTICLE: How Candidates Are Using Winks and Posts to Seek Crypto and A.I. Cash - The New York Times ARTICLE: "The Huge Billionaire Election Influence In Numbers—Nearly One-Fifth Of All Donations" - Forbes   TAKE ACTION: Stop Trump's Wars In a blue state? Help stop ICE overreach No Kings - March 28th One Million Rising Trainings How to Support Minneapolis Communities Free DC Project: FOR ALLIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY 5calls.org Find your Indivisible group - or start one   Join our Discord Server Reach us via Signal: Bestoftheleft.01 Leave a message   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: 3/19/2026 Today we explore the long history of technological disruption — from the Industrial Revolution to the rise of software engineering — and ask whether AI is genuinely different this time, all while autonomous weapons dissolve accountability for the militaries using them and capitalism prevents AI companies from maintaining their ethical aspirations. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: How Long Until AI Takes Your Job - Consider This - Air Date 2-23-26 KP 2: Is AI Coming for Our Jobs - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 2-18-26 KP 3: AI Goes to War Part 1 - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-4-26 KP 4: The AI-Powered War Machines Are Here Part 1 - On The Media - Air Date 3-6-26 KP 5: The Race to Build God AI's Existential Gamble — Yoshua Bengio & Tristan Harris at Davos Part 1 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-19-26 KP 6: Don't Download Claude, Either. - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 3-4-26 (00:51:47) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On Why AI Won't Ruin Your Life — Unless We Let It DEEPER DIVES (01:04:45) SECTION A: LABOR FUTURE A1: Is AI Coming for Our Jobs Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 2-18-26 A2: AI Wont Decide the Future of Work—We Will (with David Autor) Part 1 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 2-24-26 A3: How Work Got So Bad Part 1 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 3-4-26 A4: AI Wont Decide the Future of Work—We Will (with David Autor) Part 2 - Pitchfork Economics with Nick Hanauer - Air Date 2-24-26 A5: How Work Got So Bad Part 2 - Confronting Capitalism - Air Date 3-4-26 (01:47:01) SECTION B: WARFARE B1: The Race to Build God AI's Existential Gamble — Yoshua Bengio & Tristan Harris at Davos Part 2 - Your Undivided Attention - Air Date 2-19-26 B2: Anthropic–Pentagon Contract Dispute Raises Questions About AI's Use in the Military - Soundside - Air Date 3-4-26 B3: Anthropics AI Ethics Vs. the Pentagon Part 1 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 3-5-26 B4: The AI-Powered War Machines Are Here Part 2 - On The Media - Air Date 3-6-26 B5: AI Goes to War Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 3-4-26 (02:27:37) SECTION C: SURVEILLANCE C1: Anthropic Doesn't Trust the Pentagon, and Neither Should You Part 1 - Decoder with Nilay Patel - Air Date 3-12-26 C2: Anthropic–Pentagon Contract Dispute Raises Questions About AI's Use in the Military Part 2 - Soundside - Air Date 3-4-26 C3: Anthropic Doesn't Trust the Pentagon, and Neither Should You Part 2 - Decoder with Nilay Patel - Air Date 3-12-26 C4: Anthropics AI Ethics Vs. the Pentagon Part 2 - Brian Lehrer A Daily Podcast - Air Date 3-5-26 (02:57:16) SECTION D: CORPORATE POWER D1: The Left Doesn't Hate Technology with Gita Jackson Part 1 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-12-26 D2: Don't Download Claude, Either. Part 2 - Why, America with Leeja Miller - Air Date 3-4-26 D3: The Left Doesn't Hate Technology with Gita Jackson Part 2 - Tech Won't Save Us - Air Date 3-12-26 D4: We Need a Moratorium on AI Data Centers NOW. Heres Why. - Senator Bernie Sanders - Air Date 3-11-26 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Image of a robot walking across the street holding two leather briefcases. A thought bubble shows it is thinking about, or launching as it walks, missiles. Credit: Internal composite design. Images/License: Pixabay   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: 3/15/2026 Today we examine how a century of foreign intervention created incompatible national memories between the US and Iran and how Netanyahu exploited that history to maneuver Trump into a war he didn't understand, promising a quick decapitation strike while knowing full well it would become a months-long regional conflict, at minimum. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: Understanding America's Complicated Relationship with Iran - Velshi - Air Date 3-1-26 KP 2: Can Israel & the U.S. Sustain Iran's Military Power? (with Alastair Crooke) - The Chris Hedges Report - Air Date 3-6-26 KP 3: Who Gets to Have Nuclear Weapons and Why? | Start Here - Al Jazeera English - Air Date 7-30-25 KP 4: Why the F#!@ Are We at War with Iran? with Reza Aslan - Factually! with Adam Conover - Air Date 3-6-26 KP 5: 100-Year History of US Meddling, Coups and Wars in the Middle East | Roy Casagranda - UNAPOLOGETIC with Ashfaaq Carim - Air Date 11-25-24 (00:46:57) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR Bombs Don't Liberate: How War Destroys Iran's Real Democracy Movement DEEPER DIVES (00:56:48) SECTION A: BOMBS AWAY (AGAIN) A1: Mehdi Slams Trump's Illegal Iran War - Zeteo - Air Date 3-5-26 A2: 'Iranians Want to Be Bombed'? Inside the Propaganda Campaign for War - BreakThrough News - Air Date 3-7-26 A3: John Mearsheimer: No Winning in Iran for the U.S. - Daniel Davis / Deep Dive - Air Date 3-8-26 A4: "Stop This Bloodshed": Israeli Lawmaker Ofer Cassif Slams Netanyahu's "Fascist Government" Over Iran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-3-26 (01:21:15) SECTION B: JESUS WANTS A FIGHTER JET B1: Whistleblowers Speak Out About Religious Extremism in Military Amid War on Iran - Democracy Now! - Air Date 3-9-26 B2: Christian Nationalist Plan For War With Iran Is To Pray A Lot - Stop Christian Nationalism - Air Date 3-2-26 B3: The Myth of "Judeo-Christian Values" EXPOSED - The Kayse Melone Show - Air Date 1-25-26 B4: Fascist Christian Military Officers Say Iran War Is Armageddon - Stop Christian Nationalism - Air Date 3-3-26 (01:51:35) SECTION C: HOW WE GOT HERE C1: The Iranian Revolution (1979) - The Conflict - Air Date 10-30-24 C2: The Iran-Iraq War, Mapped - Johnny Harris - Air Date 5-31-24 C3: How Iran and the US Went From Friends to Bitter Foes - BBC Africa - Air Date 2-28-26 C4: Before the Iran War: The Secret CIA Operation to Oust an Iranian Regime - American Experience | PBS - Air Date 12-1-22 C5: How Israel Was Created - AJ+ - Air Date 5-15-23 C6: Zionism: From an Idea to Genocide - TRT World - Air Date 10-8-25 (02:45:45) SECTION D: THE THREE-WAY COLD WAR D1: An Endless War: Iran, Israel and the United States (1/2) [Reupload] - DW Documentary - Air Date 6-26-25 D2: The Middle Easts Cold War Explained - Vox - Air Date 7-17-17 D3: An Endless War: Iran, Israel and the United States (2/2) [Reupload] - DW Documentary - Air Date 6-26-25 (03:11:57) SECTION E: ISRAEL'S BORDERS? WHAT BORDERS? E1: The Origins of 'Greater Israel' - Middle East Eye - Air Date 2-24-26 E2: Huckabee Endorses GREATER ISRAEL Triggering Diplomatic Crisis - Breaking Points - Air Date 2-23-26 E3: Why "Greater Israel" Is No Longer A Fantasy - AJ+ - Air Date 10-30-25 E4: How Mossad Kidnapped Israel's Nuclear Weapons Whistleblower | If You're Listening - ABC News In-depth - Air Date 7-25-25 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: Composite graphic image depicting an American flag blended with the Israel flag and cross-stamped bombs where the stars should be, with some falling downwards. The outline of Iran filled with its flag is in the center with a drop of black oil dripping down its side. Credit: Internal composite design. | Elements from Pixabay   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: 3/11/2026 Today is episode 1776, in the year of our nation's 250th birthday, and we thought the occasion called for something big. So, we're tracing the full arc — from the constitutional compromises that made this country possible to the authoritarian vanity project that those compromises eventually also made possible. We're talking about the history, the structures, and the insecure current-but-temporary president who thinks a $400 million ballroom and a coin with his face on both sides will make him a pharaoh. Be part of the show! Leave a voice message, 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! TOP TAKES KP 1: The Fight for a True Democracy Part 1 - 1619 - Air Date 8-23-19 KP 2: THE BROKEN CONSTITUTION with Noah Feldman Part 1 - Political Philosophy Podcast - Air Date 11-30-21 KP 3: Black History Month Is Different This Year Part 1 - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 2-19-26 KP 4: Will Trump Turn Americas 250th Birthday Into a MAGA-fest Part 1 - The Bunker - Air Date 3-3-26 KP 5: Trumps Gilded White House Makeover Is All About Power Part 1 - Reveal - Air Date 12-10-26 KP 6: The U.S. Is Now Trumpistan Prof. Stanley on Trumps Cult of Personality Part 1 - Velshi - Air Date 2-15-26 KP 7: Cass Sunstein on Interpreting the US Constitution Part 1 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 8-15-23 (00:55:00) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR On Why America's Coat Doesn't Fit and Why They're Erasing History to Hide It DEEPER DIVES (01:07:08) SECTION A: CONSTITUTION A1: Slavery in the Constitution Part 1 - Teaching Hard History - Air Date 11-4-25 A2: #699 - No Kings - Dogma Debate - Air Date 7-4-24 A3: Slavery in the Constitution Part 2 - Teaching Hard History - Air Date 11-4-25 A4: THE BROKEN CONSTITUTION with Noah Feldman Part 2 - Political Philosophy Podcast - Air Date 11-30-21 A5: The Fight for a True Democracy Part 2 - 1619 - Air Date 8-23-19 A6: Cass Sunstein on Interpreting the US Constitution Part 2 - Democracy Paradox - Air Date 8-15-23 (02:05:58) SECTION B: TRUMPLAND B1: The U.S. Is Now Trumpistan Prof. Stanley on Trumps Cult of Personality Part 2 - Velshi - Air Date 2-15-26 B2: Trump Reportedly Pushing for His Name on 2 More Landmarks - ABC News - Air Date 2-6-26 B3: WARNING Trumps Fascist Takeover Has Accelerated with. Ruth Ben-Ghiat Part 1 - Democracy Docket - Air Date 1-26-26 B4: Will Trump Turn Americas 250th Birthday Into a MAGA-fest Part 2 - The Bunker - Air Date 3-3-26 B5: Trump Builds Personality Cult as Democracy Crumbles - Mary Trump Media - Air Date 12-29-25 B6: Trumps Gilded White House Makeover Is All About Power Part 2 - Reveal - Air Date 12-10-26 (02:51:18) SECTION C: AUTHORITARIAN NOSTALGIA C1: Civil Rights Lawyer Bryan Stevenson Believes America Needs Truth Telling Now More Than Ever Part 1 - The Current - Air Date 10-22-25 C2: Black History Month Is Different This Year Part 2 - Radio Atlantic - Air Date 2-19-26 C3: WARNING Trumps Fascist Takeover Has Accelerated with. Ruth Ben-Ghiat Part 2 - Democracy Docket - Air Date 1-26-26 C4: Civil Rights Lawyer Bryan Stevenson Believes America Needs Truth Telling Now More Than Ever Part 2 - The Current - Air Date 10-22-25 C5: WARNING Trumps Fascist Takeover Has Accelerated with. Ruth Ben-Ghiat Part 3 - Democracy Docket - Air Date 1-26-26 SHOW IMAGE CREDITS Description: A chaotic composite image against a decomposing American flag background. The Arc de Triomphe (standing in for the proposed "arch d'Trump"), a gilded White House facade, and a rendering of Trump's proposed gilded ballroom all stand behind an image of Trump giving two thumbs up. He is smiling and wearing a tall Uncle Sam-style hat, unaware a bald eagle is about to attack. A gold ribbon with 250th in awkward gold letters floats above it all. Credit: Internal composite design. | Elements from Pixabay and Canva (paid Pro Content 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]