#1683 Oligarchy Unmasked: President Musk, the crackup of capitalism, and the MAGA meltdown
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.
Read more#1682 Looking Back to Trump 1.0 (Remix)
Air Date: 1-11-2025
Today, we look back to the warnings we gave ourselves at the beginning of the first Trump administration. In 2017 there was concern about corruption and his business dealings, ethics around his nominees, and the inability of the media to cover him properly.
Read more#1681 Trump's American Imperialism: Threatening Friends and Annoying Neighbors
Air Date: 1-8-2025
Trump's first term was marked by all of the friendships he built with some of the world's worst, most oppressive leaders. His second term is getting an early start as he has begun making threats toward traditional allies and friends including Canada, Mexico, Greenland, and Panama.
Read more#1679 The Middle East War Process: Syria's Transition, Israel's Expansion, and Beyond
Air Date: 12-28-2024
Decades of dictatorial rule in Syria have come to an end, leading to something else to be determined. Israel sprang into action taking control of Syrian land on their border. And no one seems to care what the US thinks of all this, which is telling.
Read more#1678 Trump's Total Dominance Over the Republican Party and the Resistance Efforts Already Underway
Air Date: 12-20-2024
There's no denying that things are about to get bad, Trump and company have had years to prepare for their next turn in office, but those preparing to resist also have the benefit of past experience resulting in a response to Trumpism that looks very different this time around.
Read more#1676 The Incompetence of Authoritarians: Trump's cabinet picks are all loyalty, no ability
Air Date: 12-13-2024
The most important thing to understand about authoritarian governance is that it is neither efficient nor competent, contrary to the myth. The problem lies with the need to hire people based on their unquestioning loyalty rather than any kind of demonstrated ability to do the jobs they're tasked with. The results are, unsurprisingly, chaos.
Read more#1674 #MenToo: The Make America Male Again Election and the Media Driving the Message
Air Date: 12-3-2024
At a time when there are very legitimate concerns about men's place in society, the Manosphere has stepped in to fill the gap in the cultural discussion to give an answer, not a good answer but an answer, to young men about modern masculinity which included a strong push to vote Trump.
Read more#1671 The Non-Exclusive Impact of White Supremacy and Misogyny on the Election
Air Date: 11-20-2024
We live in a deeply racist and sexist society nearly devoid of people willing to admit to being racist or sexist. In a sense, this is a sign of progress - we're in the phase where prejudice still exists but it has become socially unacceptable to openly express it - but to deny the impact on our politics just because people don't admit to their prejudice would be to completely misunderstand the nature of the issue.
Read more#1668 We Are Going Back: Team post-election analysis
Air Date: 11-8-2024
The Best of the Left team holds a special post-election discussion available to all listeners to present the initial takes on the election as well as our own reactions and suggestions for how to move forward.
Read more#1666 The Holy War Against America: The New Apostolic Reformation, Opus Dei, Evangelicals, Christian Nationalists, and the Worship of Donald Trump
Air Date: 11-2-2024
The cult of Trump isn't just about Trump, it's religion and patriarchy reacting to a moment of global economic and climactic instability. But those organizing the religious right aren't just reacting to their environment, they've also been planning for a very long time.
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