Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics
Expertly-curated progressive politics, news, and culture produced by leftist humans, not algorithms or AI. This is an award-winning podcast that dives deeply into a wide range of national and international issues facing society and governments. We draw from hundreds of sources of progressive news and commentary. Est. 2006.
Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in each episode and be introduced to new sources you will not have come across on your own!
Save time by listening to a range of perspectives on a focused topic in each episode and be introduced to new sources you will not have come across on your own!
Episodes
Mentioned books
5 snips
Mar 28, 2026 • 3h 30min
#1780 Cynicism Is a Scab: Hope, Solidarity, and the Labor Fight That Never Stopped
Rutger Bregman, historian who argues humans are naturally cooperative; Kim Kelly, journalist and labor writer; members of the IWW and contemporary labor organizers. They explore why cynicism helps elites, how solidarity can be built as a structure, vivid strike logistics and community support, the case for teaching labor history, and the role of hope and moral ambition in sustaining long-term organizing.
Mar 24, 2026 • 4h 2min
#1779 Community After God: Why the Left Needs What Church Provided
Hear a clip from The Michael Brooks Show on liberation theology, tracing its roots in solidarity and social struggle. A Quaker representative explains silent, creedless meetings where non-theists find reflection and community. Short segments explore secular assemblies, atheopagan seasonal ritual, and how ritual and mutual aid can replace lost church infrastructure.
Mar 23, 2026 • 22min
SOLVED! SAMPLE! #36 - Bribery Jazz - Corruption is the Water We Swim In
They dig into the deep history of money shaping American politics and how corruption became routine. They unpack how hidden financial pressure, media consolidation, and elite networks create a sealed policy bubble. They coin colorful terms for subtle influence like unspent threats and explore global examples that might offer lessons for change.
Mar 19, 2026 • 3h 37min
#1778 AI, the Pentagon, Labor and Capitalism: The Fight Over Who Controls the Future
Tristan Harris (AI safety advocate), Yoshua Bengio (AI researcher), and labor experts like David Autor (economist) join defense and legal analysts. They debate AI alignment and corporate incentives. They unpack the Anthropic–Pentagon clash over surveillance and weapons. They explore how AI reshapes labor, historical parallels, and policy responses in short, punchy conversations.
9 snips
Mar 16, 2026 • 3h 44min
#1777 How Christian Nationalism, Oil, and Zionism Built The War Against Iran
Panel Commentator: commentator on Gaza and regional impacts. Jamal: diaspora analyst and journalist on lobbying and propaganda networks. They trace how Christian nationalism, oil interests, and Zionist strategy pushed the U.S. toward conflict with Iran. Short, punchy takes on memory, military plans, lobbying networks, regional suffering, and religious rhetoric shaping policy.
Mar 12, 2026 • 3h 39min
#1776 Trump's Pharaoh Complex, Our Flawed Constitution, and the 250th Anniversary
Mike Bedenboe, political commentator, historic preservationist and U.S. Navy veteran, critiques semi-quincentennial plans and proposes civic reforms. Conversations trace founding compromises, how slavery shaped the Constitution, and the risks of turning a national birthday into partisan pageantry. The show explores authoritarian aesthetics, legacy-building by name-squatting leaders, and why constitutional adaptation matters.
Mar 9, 2026 • 1h 4min
SOLVED! FROM THE ARCHIVES - "Collaborators, Internal Exiles, and Dissidents" (Original Air Date: 01-26-25)
A lively discussion of why some people collaborate with authoritarian power and how they rationalize it. They explore the temptation to withdraw from politics and when self-care becomes internal exile. The conversation spotlights true dissidents, especially marginalized voices, and urges small collective actions and sustained community as resistance.
Mar 7, 2026 • 3h 22min
#1775 Jesse Jackson's Rainbow Coalition and the Remaking of American Politics
Brian, a political commentator who traces Democratic Party evolution, and Brian Lehrer, public radio host and analyst, discuss Jesse Jackson’s career. They explore his bridge between civil rights and modern progressives. They cover voter organizing, delegate-rule changes, Chicago roots, coalition-building, controversies, and how his campaigns reshaped party mechanics and grassroots infrastructure.
Mar 3, 2026 • 4h 30min
#1774 Monthly-ish Mix: Who's in Charge?—The Scramble for Control of Nations, Bodies, and Minds
A rapid tour of geopolitical power grabs, from U.S. moves on Venezuelan oil to the erosion of the postwar legal order. They unpack how economic coercion and corporate profit motives reshape institutions and daily life. The show covers state surveillance, ICE tactics, healthcare and student‑debt threats, platform control of attention, AI profit pressures, and examples of grassroots resistance.
6 snips
Feb 28, 2026 • 1h 2min
#1615 Envisioning a Leftist Economic Future of Postcapitalism, High-Tech Automation, Universal Basic Income and a World (Mostly) Without Work (Throwback)
Leigh Phillips, journalist and author known for probing large-scale planning, joins to imagine a postcapitalist future. He explores corporations as planned entities and how automation reshapes work. Conversations cover universal basic income, big-data coordination replacing price signals, and practical political demands like decommodifying essentials and nationalized pharma.
