The Skeptical Leftist Podcast

This week, we’re wrapping up our trilogy on Anton Pannekoek with a deep dive into his classic work, Workers’ Councils. What’s the real alternative to capitalism and state socialism? Pannekoek argued it’s workers themselves taking control—no bosses, no bureaucracy, just collective power. We unpack his critiques of unions, the state, and nationalism, and explore his vision for a society run by workers' councils. From strikes to direct action, we look at how this theoretical framework can inspire real-world change. Don’t miss this one as we explore what it really means to build a world run by workers. You can get Workers’ Councils here https://www.marxists.org/archive/pannekoe/1947/workers-councils.htm https://z-library.sk/book/904599/4b0c87/workers-councils.html Or you can buy it here https://www.akpress.org/workerscouncils.html https://redemmas.org/titles/2101-workers-councils/ https://pilsencommunitybooks.com/item/AEIoziCvS29UOEzwW3fxZQ Check out Justin's links and follow him https://www.justinclark.org/ https://www.instagram.com/justinclarkph/ https://www.tiktok.com/@justinclarkph https://bsky.app/profile/justinclarkph.bsky.social https://www.threads.net/@justinclarkph https://www.in.gov/history/ https://blog.history.in.gov/ https://newspapers.library.in.gov/ And check out my linktree https://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!

In this episode, we explore how systems of hierarchy have shaped humanity, from ancient rulers to modern billionaires. Why do hierarchies exist? Are they inevitable, or can we dismantle them? Together, we’ll examine the role of prehistory, morality, and resistance in understanding our current world. From mounds and pyramids to the structures of capitalism, we connect the dots and challenge the narratives we’ve been told. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts—it helps keep the show going! Here is a link for Damien’s blog on mounds and pyramidshttps://damienmarieathope.com/2024/10/shell-mounds-dolmens-kurgans-earth-mounds-ziggurats-mastabas-pyramids-their-origins-evolutions-and-migrations/ Make sure to follow Damien on social media https://x.com/AthopeMarie https://bsky.app/profile/damienmarieathope.bsky.social And check out my linktree https://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!

In this episode of Red Reviews, we dive into Kohei Saito’s Slow Down: The Degrowth Manifesto and explore its bold reinterpretation of Marx’s ideas on ecology and capitalism. We unpack the concept of degrowth, debate its critiques, and ask if Marx’s later writings hold the key to addressing the climate crisis. Along the way, we challenge the myths of consumer blame, examine systemic solutions, and grapple with what it really means to rethink Marx for a dying planet. Here is a copy of this episode’s transcript https://docs.google.com/document/d/10Uw53SnpcDa7BDWl-F8N2Mo85tbTB7y8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=115023785272415422487&rtpof=true&sd=true Some links for further readinghttps://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1881/zasulich/index.htm https://jacobin.com/2024/03/kohei-saito-degrowth-communism-environment-marxism Here are some links where you can get Slow Down https://z-library.sk/book/27413778/29c01a/slow-down-the-degrowth-manifesto.html https://www.akpress.org/slow-down.html https://pilsencommunitybooks.com/item/MexlWhzwbd-b7iAlWPw-yw https://redemmas.org/titles/39973-slow-down-the-degrowth-manifesto/ Check out Justin's links and follow him https://www.justinclark.org/ https://www.instagram.com/justinclarkph/ https://www.tiktok.com/@justinclarkph https://bsky.app/profile/justinclarkph.bsky.social https://www.threads.net/@justinclarkph https://www.in.gov/history/ https://blog.history.in.gov/ https://newspapers.library.in.gov/ And check out my linktree https://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!

In this episode of Red Reviews, Justin and I dive into Naomi Klein's latest work, Doppelganger: A Trip into the Mirror World. We unpack the concept of the "mirror world," where misinformation distorts reality, and examine how diagonalism—blurring the lines between left and right—has created some of the strangest political figures of our time. From Naomi Wolf’s baffling transformation to the role of social media in spreading toxic narratives, this episode is all about the fight for a shared reality. As always, stay skeptical, stay informed, and keep fighting for a better world. You can get a copy here https://z-library.sk/book/26306193/436a34/doppelganger.html Or you can buy one here https://www.akpress.org/doppelganger.html https://redemmas.org/titles/39586-doppelganger-a-trip-into-the-mirror-world/ Check out Justin's links and follow him https://www.justinclark.org/ https://www.instagram.com/justinclarkph/ https://www.tiktok.com/@justinclarkph https://bsky.app/profile/justinclarkph.bsky.social https://www.threads.net/@justinclarkph https://www.in.gov/history/ https://blog.history.in.gov/ https://newspapers.library.in.gov/ And check out my linktree https://linktr.ee/Skepticalleftist If you enjoyed the show, consider supporting us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/skepticalleftist  to help keep the content coming. You can also subscribe to my Substack https://theskepticalleftist.substack.com/  for updates and extra content or get bonus episodes through Spotify https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/skepticalleftist/subscribe . Every bit makes a difference! If that’s not your thing, sharing the episode with friends or on social media goes a long way too. Thanks for listening and for your support! And please, if you can, support the Cathedral Community Fridge https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/  or your local community fridge. Mutual aid matters—let’s help each other thrive!

Hey everyone, welcome back to the show. Today, we’re revisiting some older bonus content, originally from August of 2021, part of our Red Reviews series—this one’s Red Reviews #6. Even though it’s been a while since we recorded it, the issues we discuss are still very much relevant today. We’ll be diving into how some on the left can lose their way when they start shifting to the right, forgetting their responsibility to stand up for regular people—those of us who work hard every day—not the ones sitting comfortably in power. So, let’s get into today’s episode. We’re going to explore why it’s so important to stay true to our principles, especially when things get tough. I hope you find this conversation as meaningful as I do, and as always, thanks for tuning in." Check out Justin's links and follow him ⁠https://www.justinclark.org/⁠ ⁠https://www.instagram.com/justinclarkph/⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@justinclarkph⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/justinclarkph.bsky.social⁠ https://www.threads.net/@justinclarkph ⁠https://www.in.gov/history/⁠ ⁠https://blog.history.in.gov/⁠ ⁠https://newspapers.library.in.gov/⁠ And check out my linktree ⁠https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist⁠

Drew Adamick walks me through what financial survival looks like when the system is built to exploit us. From RRSPs and pensions to credit traps and estate planning, we talk about how to navigate capitalism while still fighting to change it.Support Drew’s work: https://divergentfp.ca Find all my links: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

Kaytlin Bailey joins me to talk about the panic around sex work and pornography, how stigma shapes our culture, and why sexual freedom is always political. We dig into her work with Old Pros and the fight for decriminalization.Here are the links to follow Kaytlin and Old Proshttps://oldprosonline.org/https://www.instagram.com/oldprosonline/https://x.com/oldprosonlinehttps://linktr.ee/oldproshttps://www.instagram.com/kaytlinbailey/And go to my linktree to follow me or support the showlinktr.ee/skepticalleftist

In this episode I dive into the rising tide of authoritarianism and the corporate overreach fueling it. From Canadian soldiers flashing Nazi salutes, to mass surveillance spreading across the UK, to Trump’s threats to deploy the National Guard in Chicago — the pattern is clear. Add in YouTube secretly altering creators’ videos and scraping billions for AI training, and it’s obvious we’re living in the tightening grip of authoritarianism. I also cover Canada finally admitting famine in Gaza, the Air Canada strike over unpaid hours, and the Trump DOJ’s bizarre deportation push.Sourceshttps://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/soldiers-hateful-conduct-nazi-salute-1.7612928https://www.nacion.com/tecnologia/sistema-de-reconocimiento-facial-masivo-en-tiempo/HNRBX6ESRBF5LMJOWGL2D7US7M/story/https://www.huffpost.com/entry/brandon-johnson-chicago-trump-national-guard_n_68ab93b3e4b0176c52bfa5f7https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/the-clowns-arent-funny-anymorehttps://www.ipolitics.ca/2025/08/25/ottawa-slams-israel-after-official-finding-of-famine-urges-halt-to-escalating-war/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cvg3ze0yxy0ohttps://www.rawstory.com/trump-justice-department-2673919484/ https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/aug/25/kilmar-abrego-garcia-uganda-deportation-trump?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://apnews.com/article/uganda-us-deportations-criticism-692a6cbf61c96ac3ed837b567bf2d72chttps://www.politico.com/news/2025/08/23/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-00521576https://apnews.com/article/abrego-garcia-deportation-uganda-ice-2bad172b72c4871bc20bfa221b49b8bdhttps://www.axios.com/2025/08/25/kilmar-abrego-garcia-deportation-uganda-pause-judgehttps://euroweeklynews.com/2025/08/24/youtube-is-editing-billions-of-users-videos-and-training-ai-without-their-consentMutual Aid/SupportSupport KJ’s fight against a brain tumor — donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Eric’s nephew: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kj-with-his-battle-against-a-brain-tumorRegina Cathedral Community Fridge — volunteer-run, 24/7 mutual aid fridge in Regina; feeding local neighbours every day. Help them here: https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) — offering medical care, food, and humanitarian aid to children and families in Gaza and the West Bank: https://www.pcrf.net/donatehttps://linktr.ee/taylor_mcnallie Multiple ways to help people across CanadaAlso check out https://bsky.app/profile/lefttexascongress.bsky.social Support the show Patreon: patreon.com/skepticalleftist Substack: theskepticalleftist.substack.com Ko-fi: ko-fi.com/skepticalleftist Linktree: linktr.ee/skepticalleftist 

Borders divide people and enforce cruelty. In this conversation with Owen McDonald, we look at how the far right exploits immigration panic, how liberals reinforce the same narratives, and how austerity and capitalism depend on scapegoating migrants.Owen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@owenmacdonald7428 • Owen on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/owenmacdonald.bsky.social Find all my links here: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

Nick Girard came back on the show to talk about everything from Russian genocide rhetoric and Canadian arms exports to Gaza, to AI giving deadly advice, to workers fighting back against unpaid labor. It’s another week of capitalism’s most deranged stories, and why solidarity is the only way through.Nick’s work: In the BeginningBuy Nick’s book in Canada https://a.co/d/bbtJsT4Buy Nick’s book in the US https://a.co/d/czu4MawNick on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/nickdgirard/  My links: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist Sources + Mutual AidRussia/Ukrainehttps://meduza.io/en/news/2025/07/31/russian-state-media-runs-op-ed-titled-no-one-should-remain-alive-in-ukraine https://ria.ru/20250730/ukraina-2032235759.html https://irepod.com/podcast/silicon-curtain/breaking-shocking-russian-article-calls-for-genocihttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/trump-putin-ukraine-alaska-peace-talks-where-when-b2804968.html Canada’s continued arms shipments to Israelhttps://www.castanet.net/news/Canada/565901/The-controversy-over-Canada-s-rules-on-military-exports-to-Israel-explainedhttps://player.captivate.fm/episode/0f272101-9e2c-42b2-863a-e50ec89bb26e https://youtu.be/sIFmhdMTLog?si=mqUxvmL3Eo7NM_Bo Journalists murdered in Gazahttps://www.cbc.ca/news/world/al-jazeera-correspondent-anas-al-sharif-killed-gaza-city-israel-1.7605557https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/10/al-jazeera-journalist-anas-al-sharif-killed-in-israeli-attack-in-gaza-city?taid=68990bdaef705d00017cb1f8Bad AI Medical Advicehttps://gizmodo.com/man-follows-diet-advice-from-chatgpt-ends-up-with-psychosis-2000640705 AI Content Used to Spread Hatehttps://globalnews.ca/news/11328903/artificial-intelligence-hate-content-videos/ Cuomo Suckshttps://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/cuomo-mamdani-should-move-out-of-rent-stabilized-apartment.html Fires Spread Across Europehttps://apnews.com/article/heatwave-france-red-alert-fires-0041a4f17e22eaa205964ed5c01d6c24 Air Canada Flight Attendants plan to Strike - (we will cover the updated version of this on Aug 26)https://globalnews.ca/news/11329492/air-canada-flight-attendants-pickets-day-of-action/ Marjorie Taylor Greene is corrupt as fuckhttps://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thedailybeast.com%2Fmarjorie-taylor-greene-suffers-outburst-over-report-exposing-massive-wealth-jump%2F Mutual Aid and support shout outsSupport KJ’s fight against a brain tumor — donate to the GoFundMe campaign for Eric’s nephew: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-kj-with-his-battle-against-a-brain-tumorRegina Cathedral Community Fridge — volunteer-run, 24/7 mutual aid fridge in Regina; feeding local neighbours every day. Help them here: https://www.cathedralcommunityfridge.com/The European Heat Aid Great Walk (2025) — a grassroots campaign walking 20 marathons across Austria, Belgium, and Spain in August to provide heat relief and support to people experiencing homelessness. Donate, follow, or participate: https://www.homelessentrepreneur.org/en/solidary-projects/the-great-walk apartmenttherapy.com+6homelessentrepreneur.org+6donorbox.org+6Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) — offering medical care, food, and humanitarian aid to children and families in Gaza and the West Bank: https://www.pcrf.net/donateAlso check out https://bsky.app/profile/lefttexascongress.bsky.social 

 Democrats keep losing the narrative, and it’s costing them real political ground. I talk with writer Osita Nwanevu about why the party struggles to connect, what it would take to inspire voters, and how they could win people back by standing for something.Find Osita here: https://x.com/ositanwanevu  | https://bsky.app/profile/ositanwanevu.com  | ositanwanevu.com Support my work and find all my links: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

In this episode, I sit down with my friend Eric, a blue-collar poet and Indigenous worker living just across the border in North Dakota. He opens up about what it means to struggle under a system that fails working people—from being denied healthcare to watching lawmakers vote against free school lunches.Eric reads his poem Tax Me More for Freedom and shares a heartfelt vision of a better world built on community, care, and solidarity.Support Eric and his family: GoFundMe – Help KJ with his battle against a brain tumor Instagram – @standing348 YouTube – @ericstanding9898 Facebook – facebook.com/eric.roadMy links and support options: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

What if Sam Harris is completely wrong about free will? In this episode, I talk with Damien Marie AtHope about why the hard determinist view doesn’t hold up, and why believing in change is not only possible but necessary. Damien shares his own story of transformation, breaks down the difference between biological pressures and actual control, and gives a crash course in emotional intelligence, axiology, and why therapy works. We’re not robots — we’re just bad at using the will we do have.Links:damienmarieathope.com linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

ICE raids in LA are starting to look more like kidnappings, agents in masks, no ID, no accountability. We break down what’s really going on and how it fits into a system in decline.Also: Mamdani wins in NYC, Bezos’s wedding antics, and the WEF’s dystopian wishlist.Co-host: @ancomscicomm.bsky.socialSupport the show: linktr.ee/skepticalleftist Sourceshttps://thenarwhal.ca/trouble-in-the-headwaters-documentary/?mc_cid=e57e3cde1c&mc_eid=4476f4fb86https://zeteo.com/p/breaking-zohran-mamdani-wins-nyc?r=17zg6&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=webhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_New_York_City_Democratic_mayoral_primaryhttps://www.removepaywall.com/search?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fcalifornia%2Fstory%2F2025-06-24%2Fmasked-immigration-agents-local-law-enforcement-tensionhttps://apnews.com/article/protesters-immigration-raids-masks-ice-trump-c601c5dc55ce4aecb36998ee15b47772https://www.weforum.org/press/2025/06/from-asteroid-mining-to-democratizing-quantum-world-economic-forum-announces-2025-technology-pioneers-leading-new-wave-of-global-innovation/https://www.anarchistcommunism.org/2025/06/26/the-march-to-war/https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/israel-stocks-currency-shekel-iran-war-conflict-military-economy-outlook-2025-6https://www.peoplesworld.org/article/trumps-war-thinking-israel-controls-u-s-imperialism-would-be-a-mistake/https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2025/06/michael-hudson-why-america-is-at-war-with-iran.htmlhttps://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/robocup-building-team-robots-will-beat-world-cup-champions-180951713/https://www.policyalternatives.ca/news-research/why-did-canada-just-cave-to-trump-by-scrapping-the-digital-services-tax/https://therealnews.com/why-venetians-want-jeff-bezos-to-choke-on-his-wedding-cakeWatershed Security Fund (British Columbia)https://watershedsecurityfund.ca/Supports Indigenous-led flood resilience and watershed restoration across B.C.KTown for All (Los Angeles)https://www.ktownforall.org/donate Legal aid, groceries, and protest support for unhoused and immigrant residents.Aquí Para la Comunidad / InnerCity Strugglehttps://www.innercitystruggle.org/donate Mutual aid and organizing in Boyle Heights—supporting undocumented families.Mutual Aid LA Network (MALAN)🔗 https://linktr.ee/mutualaidlanetwork Decentralized hub coordinating food, housing, and protest solidarity efforts

Graphic artist and leftist content creator Lucretia McEvil joins me for a deep and honest conversation about escaping the corporate grind, building a media practice rooted in storytelling, and rediscovering revolutionary optimism in a system designed to crush it. We talk about what it means to sell your labor but not your soul, how office life shapes our thinking, and why mutual aid and media are powerful tools for reclaiming collective power. Plus: Zohran Mamdani, class betrayal, and why “they don’t want you to feel free” might be more literal than it sounds.Follow Lucretia:YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@lucretia_macevil Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/lucretia.mcevil/ SoundCloud – https://soundcloud.com/mamacakes Patreon – http://patreon.com/lucretiamcevil Support the show:https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist

City buses are hitting 40 °C, gig apps still want their cut, and cops keep buying shiny new toys. I connect the dots between a boiling planet, precarious work, and the prison-industrial cash machine—and ask what it’ll take to snap the circuit.Want the 35-minute after-show? Patrons get it: https://patreon.com/SkepticalLeftist Links • socials: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist • Owen on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@owenmacdonald7428  | Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/owenmacdonald.bsky.social 

Atlantis wasn’t real—but that hasn’t stopped pseudoarchaeologists from using it to sell myths about lost civilizations and master races. In this episode, Damien Marie AtHope and Marquis join me to explore the true origins of the Atlantis story, the rise of hyperdiffusionism, and why so much of this fantasy is rooted in racism and bad history.Links: – Damien’s site: https://damienmarieathope.com/ – Damien’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/@DamienAthope – Support the show:http://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist 

Governments are spending billions on militaries while cutting housing, healthcare, and climate programs. In this episode, we cover five major stories from June 2025—from mass protests and ICE raids to Canada's ballooning defense budget and the unraveling of the global aid system.🛡 Canada’s military spending bonanzahttps://apnews.com/article/canada-nato-military-spending-carney-5f4f02c5dbf5323b395314d4c383cc15 https://www.instagram.com/p/DKuvPLuyY5U/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 🚨 LA protests erupt after ICE raidshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_2025_Los_Angeles_protests https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-06-14/this-is-why-they-protesthttps://www.removepaywall.com/ 👑 No Kings and the liberal co-option of protest https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No_Kings_protestshttps://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/innocent-bystander-shot-dead-peacekeepers-no-kings-protest-salt-lake-c-rcna213158https://x.com/AnarkYouTube/status/1934653422579359816https://bsky.app/profile/chadloder.bsky.social/post/3lrqmrzrlmk26https://youtu.be/sk6SYnKtcrc?si=NFxbSPH_6rwEFuCG🧳 Spanish hotel workers strike against overtourismhttps://euroweeklynews.com/2025/06/11/tenerife-hotel-strikes-2025-what-tourists-need-to-know-before-friday-check-ins/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/15/travel/europe-tourism-protests.html https://www.removepaywall.com/🌍 Iran and Israel escalate conflicthttps://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-iran-strike-each-other-new-wave-attacks-2025-06-14/ https://time.com/7293886/iranian-generals-scientists-targets-killed-by-israeli-strikes/⚡ Lightning Round 1: French prison attackshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2025_French_prison_attacks 🎬 Lightning Round 2: New climate resistance documentaryhttps://extinctionrebellion.uk/2025/06/13/new-film-celebrates-climate-resistance/ 💥 Collapse Watch: The global humanitarian system unravelshttps://www.reuters.com/world/un-cuts-aid-appeal-after-donors-slash-budgets-2025-06-16/ https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2025/jun/16/send-armed-un-troops-to-protect-aid-convoys-gaza-sudan-or-risk-dystopia-un-rapporteur https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/hunger-crisis-deepens-global-hotspots-famine-risk-rises-un-warns-2025-06-16/ https://www.ft.com/content/6969644f-ca2f-4ca5-a230-cc230d6d8acf https://www.ft.com/content/8230ac2b-9d3d-4d35-9c78-db9665b74236 Mutual Aid:Ktown for All – Grassroots mutual aid and housing justice for unhoused and immigrant communities in Los Angeles. 🔗 https://linktr.ee/ktownforallJail Support LA – Providing bail funds, legal referrals, and direct support for protesters and detained community members. 🔗 https://linktr.ee/jslosangelesImmigrant Defenders Law Center – Free legal defense and advocacy for immigrants facing detention and deportation. 🔗 https://www.immdef.org/Clergy & Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) – Faith-based organizing for immigrant rights, labor justice, and sanctuary protections. 🔗 https://linktr.ee/cluejusticeDetention Watch Network – National coalition fighting to abolish immigration detention and support community-based alternatives. 🔗 https://www.detentionwatchnetwork.org/Support the show: lintr.ee/skepticalleftist 

In this episode, I talk with Owen MacDonald, leftist YouTuber and political commentator, about the myth of market freedom, why capitalism depends on state violence, and how right-wing media avoids ever engaging with real ideas. We get into the culture war’s empty spectacle, the climate crisis, and how libertarian fantasies fall apart the moment you ask “freedom for who?” It’s a wide-ranging but grounded conversation about power, propaganda, and the lies we’re sold every day.👉 Support the show: https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist 👉 Follow Owen on YouTube: youtube.com/@owenmacdonald7428 

 Ian Bushfield of the BC Humanist Association joins me to talk about secularism, religious privilege, and the legal fights to keep church and state separate in Canada. We get into prayers at municipal meetings, public funding for religious schools, Christian nationalism, and what it really means to have freedom from religion. We also touch on the rise of religious influence in Western separatist movements and how the law is (or isn’t) protecting marginalized communities.Check out the BC Humanist Association and follow Ian BC Humanist AssociationBC Humanists LinktreeIan on BlueSkySupport the show:https://linktr.ee/skepticalleftist patreon.com/skepticalleftist Share this post and tell a friend