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The Lean to the Left Podcast

The Lean to the Left Podcast

Author: Bob Gatty

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No-holds-barred progressive commentary and newsmaker interviews with journalist Bob Gatty and guests. Insight into today's news plus analysis, with focus on social issues and just a little lean to the left.

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
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Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast, where we talk about progressive politics and the important social issues of our time. Today we’re looking at leadership and what some might think is an unlikely resource – the LGBTQ+ community.Our guest is Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting and coaching firm based in San Francisco, USA, and Nairobi, Kenya, specializing in organizational strategy and culture, transformational leadership, global inclusion, executive coaching, conflict resolution, and strategic storytelling. Joel is the author of a new book, “The Soul of Queer Folk, How Understanding the LGBTQ+ Culture Can Transform Your Leadership Practice.”He is also the co-founder of metaPrincipleTM, a global institute designed to train practitioners on how to facilitate equity work anywhere around the world. Joel is an adjunct professor at the IESEG School of Management in Paris & Lille, France, where he teaches Storytelling for Leaders and Story Listening.As a change agent, Joel works strategically to cultivate innovative, creative, and adaptive environments where the cultural genius of everyone can be harnessed and leveraged successfully.On the podcast, Dr. Davis Brown says prejudice and violence against the queer community is on the rise in this country and elsewhere, and he blames right wing politicians and religious zealots for making that situation work.“Anytime there is quote unquote advances in equity and advances in progressive politics, if you will, there's always a backlash, and I think it's become sport, unfortunately, for a number of factions in our country to denigrate queer people because it helps to raise money, helps generate clicks. It helps to get people riled up,” he says.“They know that they don't have anything substantive to talk about. And so, it's a way for them to stay relevant, to stay in power and queer people have always been, for whatever reason, easy scapegoats because we still are a relatively marginalized community.”However, Dr. Davis Brown stresses that there is much that can be learned about leadership from the LGBTQ+ culture, which is the topic of his book, ““The Soul of Queer Folk,” including the ability to “interrogating itself to figure out who we are.”In addition, he says, “recognizing that there's a connection between all of us and that what I do for myself and what I do for others also impacts the world around us, but also recognizing that supporting justice in the world and such, creating a more just society is something that can't just be born out on social media and it just can't be talked about in private circles is something that you actively have to take action to achieve. And so those are some of the key lessons that I think we could learn from the LGBTQ+ community.”Here are some questions we addressed with Dr. Davis Brown: ● Why did you name the book “The Souls of Queer Folk”?● Why should a person who is not LGBTQ+-identified read this book?● What key themes should readers take away from this book?● Who could benefit from this book? Is this only for corporate professionals? Who’s the ideal audience?● What does the LGBTQ+ community possess that makes it an ideal case study for leadership?● What is Cultural Genius™? And how does it apply to leadership and the theme of your book?● What does it mean to be a transformational leader, and how does the LGBTQ+ community exhibit transformational leadership?● Why is this book timely right now?● Don’t other ethnic or social communities exhibit leadership? Why should we focus on the LGBTQ+ community?● How do you define transformational leadership?● How is this book different from traditional books on leadership?● What does it mean to be Queer-minded?● How is the LGBTQ+ community able to survive despite such daunting circumstances and how can they continue to persevere?● It seems like the LGBTQ+ community increasingly is confronted with acts of hate and violence. Has this worsened in recent years, and if so, why?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
It is a remarkable story, and despite obvious political ramifications for lawmakers representing coal states, the U.S. has cut the use of coal for electricity generation from 50% in 2005 to 19.8% in 2021, and it's still falling.In fact, according to our podcast guest, scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot, renewables like solar and wind power are expected to overtake coal as the world's top energy source by 2025, just two years from now.In this extremely informative episode, Kerfoot walks us through those developments and explains what they mean for the future, including impact on the world's environment as we deal with climate change.Kerfoot begins the episode with an explanation of the various types of coal, how they are used, and their cost. He says that as we move away from coal to renewables, energy prices will dramatically decrease even as we reduce the greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change.Here are the costs associated with various types of energy generation, according to Kerfoot: 1) Onshore Wind – 2.6¢ to 5.0¢ per kWh 2) Onshore Solar PV – 2.8¢ to 4.1¢ per kWh 3) Natural Gas ($3.45 MMBTU) – 4.5¢ to 7.4¢ per kWh 4) Geothermal – 5.6¢ to 9.3¢ per kWh 5) Coal – 6.5¢ to 15.2¢ per kWh 6) Natural Gas Peaker Plants – 15.1¢ to 19.6¢ per kWh 7) Nuclear – 13.1¢ to 20.4¢ per kWh."Clearly, onshore wind and solar are significantly cheaper sources of electricity on a levelized cost basis than coal-fueled power plants. I anticipate that new technologies will allow the cost of electricity from wind and solar to continue to decrease over the next decade," Kerfoot says. Here's the breakdown of energy sources in the U.S.in 2021 compared to 2005: In 2005, utilities used Coal (49.6%), Nuclear (19.3%), Petroleum Gas (19.1%), Hydropower (6.7%), Oil (3.0%), and Renewable Energy (2.3%) (geothermal, solar, wind, and biomass) to generate electricity in America. In 2021, utilities used Petroleum Gas (38.8%), Coal (21.9%), Nuclear (18.9 %), Renewables (13.7%), Hydropower (6.2%), and Oil (0.5%).In 2021, all forms of renewable energy (hydropower, wind, solar, etc.) generated 19.9% of the nation’s electricity.What caused this big shift to renewables?In 2005, there was growing concern across our nation over the impact of global warming, which results in climate change, Kerfoot says, adding that there was also concern over our nation’s energy security. Moreover, the price of crude oil (WTI) was over US $56/Barrel and was forecast to go over $100/Barrel by 2008, which is what happened, he explains.Because of these developments, Congress passed the bipartisan “Energy Policy Act of 2005,” providing tax incentives to encourage domestic energy production including renewable energy like wind and solar, nuclear power, “clean coal”, and oil/gas technology."The legislation did Not have any significant impact on rejuvenating nuclear power development or the coal industry. The legislation Did have significant impact on the development of wind and solar technology and hydraulic fracturing (fracking) technology in the oil/gas industry," Kerfoot says."The tax incentives encouraged entrepreneurs, like the late T. Boone Pickens to develop wind farms in Texas. In 2006, a wind farm boom commenced in many of the Great Plains states, which have strong consistent winds, an abundance of entrepreneurs, innovative power companies, and low population densities," he explains."Current data indicates that renewable energy (including hydropower) will greater than 50% of the nation’s electricity before 2050. The times they are a changing."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
The Republicans are doing everything they can to attack President Biden because of his age, saying the 81-year-old Biden has lost his capacity to effectively serve as president.Many Democrats share the concern about Biden’s age and not-so-secretly wish there was a younger, qualified option to the president.Stay with us to meet 52-year-old Jason Palmer, a venture capitalist who is challenging Joe Biden for the 2024 Democratic presidential nomination. He’s a super longshot to unseat the 81-year-old president.Previously a General Partner at New Markets Venture Partners and Deputy Director at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Jason firmly believes in what he calls “conscious capitalism” and modernizing our government so the United States can be a true leader in the 21st century.Jason is a leader in the technology and innovation space, having served in executive positions at Microsoft, Kaplan Education, The Gates Foundation, and his impact investor firm, New Markets Venture Partners.A Harvard Business School alumni, Jason believes his 30 years of business and technology leadership qualifies him to run President, saying it is time to “pass the torch to a younger generation.”Here are key questions we discussed with Palmer:Q. What is “conscious capitalism?”Q. Tell us about your background and why you decided to run for president.Q. You must admit this is an incredibly long shot to unseat Biden. How do you see this happening? What’s your path to winning the nomination?Q. But you campaigned extensively in New Hampshire ahead of their primary, but you came in 10th and managed only 142 votes, or just 0.1 percent of those voting. That must have been discouraging. Marianne Williamson received over 5,000 votes, and she’s already dropped out of the race.Q. So you believe you can catch fire with younger voters, especially?Q. But besides the age factor, what do you bring to the table that makes you think you can and should be President?Q. What’s your message to voters who like Biden, believe he’s done a remarkable job despite Republican intransigence, and push worries about his age aside?Q. You’re not a household name, at least not as yet. So how do you plan to overcome this lack of name recognition?Q. Artificial intelligence is rapidly growing in the U.S. with a potential serious impact on the economy, and on employment in many sectors. What are your thoughts about that and the overall importance of technology?Q. Why are you better than Biden in handling these disruptions?Q. What about unions and organized labor? As a business executive, what are your thoughts about companies like Starbucks facing efforts to organize their employees?Q. What would you do about the student loan crisis in this country? Do you believe student loans should be forgiven?Q. Yes, you have significant business and technology experience that could serve you well as president. But what about foreign policy and other key areas where you lack experience?Q. Can you see yourself face-to-face against Putin?Q. To what extent should the U.S. be involved in Ukraine’s battle against Russia?Q. And what about the situation in Israel and the Gaza Strip? What should the U.S. do?Q. What are your thoughts about the immigration crisis and Trump’s ability to stop Congress from passing the reform legislation that Republicans had previously insisted upon?Q. Say you win the nomination. What would be your strategy in going after Trump…he who is only four years younger than Biden and faces more than 90 criminal charges stemming from his effort to overturn the 2020 election, as well as his business dealings.Q. Do you think Nikki Haley has a chance to unseat Trump for the GOP nod?Q. What is your core message to voters? Why should they support you? Q. How long do you plan to stay in this race if results don’t improve?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
In the United States, the racial divisions among us seem to be deepening, fueled at least in part by political opportunists who prey upon fear and emotion.Our Lean to the Left podcast guest is Juliet Hooker, a leading thinker on democracy and race and author of a new book, Black Grief, White Grievance. Her book examines racial politics and argues that both White and Black communities must learn to accept loss – for different reasons and to different ends."Political loss has been unequally distributed in the history of the United States," she says during the interview. "Because of White supremacy, Black people, in general, have had to shoulder a disproportionate number of losses and Whites as a group have been able to avoid loss more because of their position as the dominant group, politically, economically, socially."This uneven distribution of loss has consequences for democracy," she asserts, "because it means that some citizens are making more sacrifices on behalf of the stability of the country than others. And in democracy, everyone is supposed to lose, right? That's the definition of democracy. There's change, there's rotation, no one wins all the time. And so that's one of the overall arguments."The Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by Donald Trump's MAGA supporters is a perfect example of the "White grievance", says Professor Hooker."I think it is," she says. "Of course, there are a number of different things that were going on that fueled January 6th, but I think We one way to think about or one of the factors is definitely this mobilization of the sense that that certain people aren't supposed to lose right in the US that they are the true Americans, right?"About Professor HookerProfessor Hooker is the Royce Family Professor of Teaching Excellence in Political Science at Brown University, where she teaches courses on racial justice, Black political thought, Latin American political thought, democratic theory, and contemporary political theory. Before coming to Brown, she was a faculty member at the University of Texas at Austin.She also is the author of Race and the Politics of Solidarity, Theorizing Race in the Americas, and editor of Black and Indigenous Resistance in the Americas: From Multiculturalism to Racist Backlash.Here are some questions we explored with Professor Hooker as she discussed Black Grief, White Grievance:Q. First, tell us about your book, its premise, and what prompted you to write it.Q. In the promos for your book, it says that in democracies, citizens must accept loss; we can’t always be on the winning side. But in the United States, the fundamental civic capacity of being able to lose is not distributed equally among the races. Please explain.Q. In your book’s introduction, you write that “Black grief and white grievance are linked because white grievance obscures and supplants Black grief and is often mobilized in response to it. Please explain. Q. How did the Trump administration exacerbate this?Q. Trump, of course, refuses to accept the loss of the 2020 election and the January 6 attack on the Capitol was the result. Is that an example of White grievance?Q. What about Trump’s attacks on immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S?Q. You also write that “while Black grief has historically been mobilized by Black activists in service of Black freedom, we must reckon with the loss this entails.” What do you mean?Q. You write that Black citizens are “expected to protest only in the most civil, nondisruptive ways in order for their losses to be legible. Refusals to contain Black rage are said to be counterproductive because they alienate potential white allies.” Are you saying that violent, disruptive protests are justified?Q. Many of the January 6 protestors have received lengthy prison sentences for their actions. But you write that “armed white antimask protesters at various state capitals and white insurrectionists at the Capitol received kid-glove treatment compared to the heavy-handed, violent, repressive tactics unleashed on racial justice protesters.” Do you believe justice is being served in these January 6 cases?Q. Do you believe Donald Trump will face justice for his actions regarding the election and January 6? Why or why not?Q. What about police shootings of unarmed Black people? What needs to happen to end such actions?Q. You write that “Despite recurring anxiety that Black rage at ongoing loss will fray the bonds of the body politic, it is in fact white refusal to accept legitimate political loss that is the most profoundly antidemocratic force in US politics.” Please elaborate.Q. How can these continuing racial tensions be eased in the U.S.?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
According to the National Institutes of Health, 20 million Americans suffer from substance abuse at some point in their lives. Mary Beth O’Conno was one of those, but since 1994 has been sober from methamphetamine use disorder. She wrote about her journey in an award-winning memoir, “From Junkie to Judge: One Woman’s Triumph Over Trauma and Addiction.” Mary Beth shares her story with us in this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast and answers the question: how does a junkie get clean & become a judge?Within a week of being born, Mary Beth was dropped off at a convent. Eventually, she moved in with her mom, but she -- her mom -- was more focused on her own needs and desires than her young child. At age nine, her stepfather kicked her in the stomach for spilling milk, beat her when she displeased him, and molested her at age twelve. A few months later, she took a sip of Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill wine, which made her feel euphoric and relaxed. So, she drank as much as possible, added pot, then pills, then acid. At sixteen, she found methamphetamine and experienced joy, but when this high was no longer sufficient, she turned to the needle and shot up. That began 16 years of severe addiction, resulting in destroyed relationships, problems at work, and damage to her physical and emotional health. But, today, Mary Beth O’Connor is a retired federal administrative law judge. She is director, secretary, and founding investor for the She Recovers Foundation, a director for Life-Ring Secular Recovery, and a member of the advisory council for the Hyer Calling Foundation. Her opinion pieces have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Philadelphia Inquirer, Recovery Today, and other publications. Six years into her recovery, Mary Beth attended Berkeley Law. She worked at a large firm, then litigated class actions for the federal government leading to her appointment as a federal administrative law judge in 2014, a position from which she retired in 2020.Here are some questions we discussed with Mary Beth as she answers the question: How does a junkie get clean & become a judge?Q. Tell us more about your background and what made you to turn to meth.Q. What happened that prompted you to seek help?Q. The Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program didn’t work for you. Why not? What did you do?Q. What peer support options are available to those seeking recovery, and why is that important for the recovering addict?Q. How can your book, “From Junkie to Judge,” help those individuals win their battle against addiction?Q. Tell us about the She Recovers Foundation. Why was it started and what does it do?Q. How about LifeRing Secular Recovery?Q. Back when you were struggling as a drug addict, did you ever think you would be in this position today – a published author, counselor, and retired federal judge?Q. How can your story inspire others? Q. I just interviewed a guest who spent five years in prison for a white collar crime. After his experience in prison where most inmates were incarcerated because of illegal drugs, he now believes all such drugs should be legalized; that this would drastically reduce crime and save billions by ending an unwinnable war against illegal drugs. How do you feel about that?Q. Where can people learn more about your work and obtain your book?\Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Would you buy into a plan to reduce violence & crime and make our streets, schools, workplaces, and homes safe again from an ex-con who spent nearly five years in prison for defrauding investors? Well, that’s our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. Herbert Kay spent nearly five years in prison for defrauding investors, convincing them that risks were fall smaller and rewards far greater than they really were. Today, freed, he continues to pay restitution to his victims.In between, Kay has been a retailer, insurance salesman, stock broker, registered principal, public speaker, bestselling author, venture capitalist, business turn-around expert, TV talk show host, network talking head, consultant, direct marketer and real estate developer.And, now he’s the front man for a 501c3 non-profit that promotes what he calls the 1964 Plan, which he says would make America the safest country in the world if implemented.During the interview, Kay explains how his experience in prison provided the insight that has resulted in his plan, which includes making all drugs legal, restoring the nuclear family and ending no-fault divorce, moving welfare programs from the federal government to the states, providing humanitarian care for the homeless, and advocating for a return to celibacy until marriage.Kay tells a story from prison where he, a Jew, deliberately tried to pick a fight with a White supremacist so the guards would stop it and he would be placed in protective custody. The ploy backfired and the Nazi-loving con became Kay's prison tutor, helping him safely survive his time behind bars.Here are some questions we covered with Kay as he discussed his plan to reduce violence & crime:Q. First, tell us what happened that landed you in prison?Q. You’ve told me that prison was the best experience of your life, why was that?Q. What did you learn in prison that resulted in your 1964 Plan? And where did the name come from?Q. Your website says the 1964 Plan would irradicate mass murder, homelessness, human trafficking, violent crime, and addiction. How would it do that?Q. OK, let’s talk about the restoration of the nuclear family. Are you saying that you want women to stay home, cook and clean and tend to the kids while hubby is the bread winner?Q. Really, you want to ban birth control pills, end no-fault divorce as well as government welfare payments?Q. Ok, you want to legalize drugs – all drugs. What good would that do? Aren’t drugs the reason why there is so much violent crime today?Q. Prison reform is a core component of your plan. What needs to happen?Q. Your plan establishes a national compulsory service requirement for every teenager. How would that work and what would it accomplish?Q. Your plan addresses homelessness. Tell us about that.Q. Back to drugs. What are your thoughts about Trump’s wall as a way to keep illegal drugs out of this country?Q. In the white paper introducing your plan, You say “Our politics have descended into a pit of obsequious gladhanding weasels without a single vertebrae, and they have spent us to the brink of destruction.” What makes you think these “gladhanding weasels” would embrace your plan, parts of which would be hated by those on the right and the left?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
The 2024 presidential race is set as a rematch of 2020, and even though Donald Trump faces 91 federal and state felony charges, his grip on the Republican Party has never been stronger.Nevertheless, author and political thought leader Steve Phillips believes the new American majority, consisting of people of color plus progressive whites, will prevail.In fact, on the Lean to the Left podcast, Phillips contends that this coalition of people who want to see America become a multiracial democracy should result in Democrats keeping the White House, flipping the House, and holding the Senate, and thus defend the multiracial democracy from attacks by modern-day Confederates. "That's the majority of people in the country, and that majority is growing every day," says Phillips on the Lean to the Left podcast, "and that's the other aspect of what is driving Republican politics, is stoking fears around this changing composition. People can see it and they feel it in their bones that the nature of the country is going to change in terms of its racial composition."Phillips says the presidential elections are the closest thing America has to a national referendum, and "except for the 2004 election of Kerry versus Bush, the Democrats have won the popular vote in every single presidential election since 1992. So that further shows that the raw numbers are on the progressive side, which is why the Republicans on the right are so ferociously determined to try to suppress the vote."So, says Phillips, the author of the new edition of his book, "How We Win the Civil War," Republicans are doing everything they can -- just as they did in the years after the original Civil War -- to prevent people of color coming out to vote because that is the only way for the white power structure to remain intact.America already is in a second civil war, he says, adding that the January 6, 2021 MAGA attack on the U.S. Capitol was part of that. In “How We Win the Civil War,” Phillips analyzes the 2022 midterm elections – including why there was no Red Wave and why Stacey Abrams lost but Rev. Raphael Warnock won in Georgia, a topic he also addresses on the podcast. Democrats, he contends, must recognize that we’re in a contest between democracy and white supremacy left unresolved after the Civil War, and, he says that Trump’s entire agenda is focused on making America white again.His work serves as a roadmap towards securing a multiracial democracy and provides a stepping stone towards ending white supremacy for good, contends Phillips. He is a New York Times bestselling author, columnist, and the author of the New York Times and Washington Post bestselling “Brown Is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created a New American Majority.”Phillips also is the founder of Democracy in Color, a political media organization dedicated to race, politics, and the multicultural progressive New American Majority. He hosts “Democracy in Color with Steve Phillips,” a color-conscious podcast on politics, and is a regular columnist for The Nation and The Guardian.The updated paperback edition of "How We Win the Civil War," published on March 12, is available at Amazon and other major booksellers.Here are some questions we addressed with Phillips:Q. In your new book, you warn that the Confederates never stopped fighting the Civil War, that conservatives are taking full advantage of this reality, and that those in denial imperil our democracy. Is this election more about defending and preserving than anything else?Q. What is the way forward? How can those who want to make America a multiracial democracy prevail over those who cling to the idea that we are a fundamentally white nation?Q. How did Trump manage to become so powerful within the Republican Party, despite his many flaws that often run counter to traditional Republican beliefs?Q. Why would ANY person of color support Trump? We have a Black U.S. Senator – Tim Scott of South Carolina – who is one of his chief sycophants and apparently hopes to be Trump’s vice presidential running-mate.Q. Trump is continuing his tirade against immigrants and even sabotaged what turned out to be a bipartisan immigration reform bill that would have helped end the crisis at the southern border. That’s part of his Make America White Again agenda, right?Q. Do you believe that most Americans want to see a multiracial democracy, or do you believe that’s a pipedream?Q. How is it that Stacy Abrams lost her bid for governor of Georgia, but Rev. Raphael Warnock won his Senate seat there?Q. In your book, you write that modern day conservatives, and many liberals, promote the idea that Black people are poor because they lack the necessary skills, training, or character to get good jobs or run businesses that can generate wealth. Your response to that?Q. Do you believe Democrats have been strong enough in refuting the Republican effort to overthrow the U.S. government? Why? What should they do?Q. What would be the consequence if Trump should defeat Biden and return to the presidency?Q. What should progressives and Democrats do to defeat Trump, hold the Senate majority and regain control of the House of Representatives? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Uncover the truth about Racism in the Doctor's Office as Dr. Sanlare Gordon sheds light on systemic discrimination and its impact on healthcare for people of color.A recent national survey indicates that many Black, Hispanic and other minority individuals experience some form of discrimination or racism when they seek health care.Since 63.9% of active physicians identify as white, while only 20.6% are Asian, 6.9% Hispanic, and only 5.7% as Black or African American, could this be a reason they experience racism in the doctor’s office?Dr. Sanlare Gordon, board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, discusses this form of discrimination and racism on the Lean to the Left podcast. She is a staff physician at Pandia Health, the only women-founded and women-led birth control delivery service, and serves as a traveling OBGYN physician, filling in where there is a need -- especially in small and rural communities where doctors are in short supply.Why is it that women of color feel that they are the victims of racism in so many health care settings?"The true answer is systemic racism, and we're still dealing with systemic racism, because there was absolutely a time to where blacks and Hispanics and indigenous people just weren't even allowed into medical schools," she says."And then finally there were medical schools that would allow us to be there, but it wasn't the majority. There will be like, okay, one or two per class. We do now have historically black colleges and universities that do have medical schools."Then, she says, of the medical schools that are out there, "we don't have that many. In my class, we had 160 people. In my class of 160, it was eight black people. And I know that I can name all of them. They're all in my phone. So it's just really and truly not that many of us being actually admitted into the schools."To change that, Dr. Gordon says more emphasis needs to be placed on teaching minority students how to take standardized tests and that more people of color should be hired for administrative positions, including in the medical school admissions process.Dr. Gordon's interview is filled with humor and anecdotes about her experience as she discusses the impact of racism on people of color, particularly women, in the doctor's office or other medical facility. She talks about how Black or Hispanic women often are uncomfortable sharing their private medical concerns with white male doctors, and how often their conditions are misdiagnosed because of racial bias -- and how that can lead to worsening conditions or even death. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Unless our political leaders demonstrate both wisdom and political courage, Social Security will run out of money in nine years and beneficiaries will see their checks slashed automatically by 25 percent.  And that will mean an average annual reduction of $17,000 or $18,000 per year, according to James B. Lockhart III, former Principal Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer of the Social Security Administration during the administration of President George W. Bush.  “Either Congress can reform the program or at that point, it would take half a trillion dollars a year to make up for the difference of promised benefits,” says Lockhart on the Lean to the Left podcast. “What happens is, there's a trust fund and the trust fund was built up over the years. In the ‘83 reforms, the Greenspan reforms, they changed the retirement age and did some other things very slowly.“And that trust fund is starting to be eaten into today because effectively the government borrowed the money from Social Security. And so now the government's paying back all of those bonds and in nine years, the bonds will disappear. The trust fund will disappear and there'll be a hole of a half a trillion dollars a year and growing every year thereafter.So, how can Social Security be saved?“The only way to cover that hole is reform," says Lockhart. "Our Congress has to pass a law that says, oh yeah, we're gonna spend another half a trillion dollars a year. Where they're gonna get that half a trillion given the deficits and the debt outstanding is a very big question.”  Because it takes courage for politicians, including the president and members of Congress, to take the tough action needed to preserve Social Security for generations to come, they keep delaying action to avoid losing support from seniors and those nearing retirement age.  A combination of both benefit and tax reform will be necessary to put Social Security on solid ground, says Lockhart, who calls for creation of a special commission to examine and reform federal entitlement programs, including Social Security and Medicare. Resulting recommendations would be put before Congress for an up-or-down vote.But even that takes guts.Currently, President Biden and Donald Trump both promise not to cut benefits or raise the retirement age, and Biden says his tax reform proposals – to increase corporate taxes and taxes on the wealthy -- would not affect anyone earning less than $400,000 per year.Both are wrong in their approach, says Lockhart, explaining that less than 2 percent of Americans earn $400, 000 a year, so much more revenue would be needed.About James B. Lockhart IIIAuthor of the award-winning book, "America Underwater and Sinking”, Lockhart, who once served as an officer aboard a U.S. Navy nuclear submarine, is a senior fellow of the Bipartisan Policy Center. He served as the director of the federal housing finance agency, regulator of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the federal home loan banks and its predecessor agency, the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight, as well as the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation.During the George W. Bush administration, Lockhart co-chaired the Bipartisan Policy Commission on Retirement Security, which developed recommendations that he says would have put Social Security on solid footing forever. However, most of those recommendations have not been enacted because of the political risks involved.What are Lockhart’s recommendations? What steps should be taken to save Social Security and prevent that automatic 25 percent benefit cut once the Trust Fund dries up?Watch this episode to find out.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.Check out this episode of the Dixie Dems on the Lean to the Left podcast, recorded just prior to Super Tuesday when Con-man Donald Trump delivered a knockout blow to Nikki Haley in the GOP presidential sweepstakes.Despite Haley's defeat and the fact that she's withdrawn from the race, there is talk on this episode of how she could still manage to win the GOP nod if Trump is convicted of at least one of the 91 felony charges against him. Should that happen, would worried Republicans turn to Haley instead?"Let's say that Trump goes into the convention as a convicted felon (and) enough Republicans who they're at the convention say, I can't support a convicted felon, right?", suggests Dixie Dem Arthur Hill of North Carolina."So switching my vote to Nikki Haley and Haley comes out of the convention as the as the candidate. And I think that's bad news for Democrats because I think Nikki Haley has a much better shot at beating Biden than Trump does," he says.And what about Fulton County, GA prosecutor Fani T. Willis? Will she be kicked off the Georgia case involving Con-man Don's attempts to overturn the 2020 election in her state? If so, what happens then?"Not a damn thing," says Dixie Dem Robert Thompson, of Georgia.There's much more.The conversation turns to the fact that Georgia Republican Congressman Barry Loudermilk led a tour of the Capitol basement on Jan. 5, 2020, the day before the MAGA attack on the Capitol -- something that could have aided protestors' efforts to interfere with the official vote count. Meanwhile, Loudermilk voted to impeach Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over immigration issues.Hill talks about the new North Carolina Democratic Party chair, Anderson Clayton, 26, who is determined to generate Democratic support among young and rural voters. And, says Hill, answering voters who say they can't vote for Biden, Clayton responds by saying, "We can push Joe Biden if he's not as progressive as we want him to be, but we cannot push Donald Trump. We can't push a Donald Trump who doesn't want young people to have a right to vote. We can't push a Donald Trump. Who doesn't want young people to have a right to abortion. We can push a president who cares about and believes in young people.""She's full of those kinds of quotes," says Hill. "She's a tremendous orator and and she's she's creating a lot of excitement up here. And I think it's going to bode well for the Democrats in North Carolina in November."Even pop star Taylor Swift finds herself in this episode, as Dixie Dem Bob Gatty, of South Carolina, points out that she's being accused by Republicans of being part of a covert government effort to defeat Con-man Trump.It's another entertaining episode of the Dixie Dems. Check it out.
Since his election defeat to President Biden in November 2020, Donald Trump has put America through virtual hell, claiming Biden stole the election, inciting the attempt by his MAGA mob to prevent certification of that election, and despite 91 criminal charges against him, attempting to win the Republican nomination and return to the White House. Those charges stem from his attempts to overturn the election, interfering with the election results in Georgia, falsifying business records in New York, including hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, and mishandling classified records after leaving the presidency.He's been fined hundreds of millions of dollars so far, and his financial empire is jeopardized to the point that he’s hawking a garish line of gold sneakers for $399 a pair – that he says Black people should like because they love sneakers.But what's ahead for Donald Trump?When those court cases are all finished, will he serve even one day in prison? What if he's convicted of a felony? He would be unable to vote for himself, but could serve as President, says David H. Moskowitz, a retired Pennsylvania attorney who’s written a new book, “The Judge and the President: Stealing the 2020 Election.”In this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, we get his take on all of these developments and what Moskowitz believes might lie ahead for Trump -- and our nation.Moskowitz analyzes the four major cases against Trump which involved 91 charges stemming from his attempts to overturn the election, interfering with Georgia election results, fraudulently falsifying business records in New York, and mishandling classified records after leaving the presidency.The Bottom LineMoskowitz predicts Trump will be convicted in the federal election interference and estimates that there is a less than 50 percent chance that an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court would be successful. However, he believes that case will not be resolved until after the November election.In the Georgia case, Moskowitz predicts that the trial will last six to nine months, and that if he is convicted, he will appeal. However, if that case goes to the U.S. Supreme Court, he says Trump's chances for success are less than 15 percent.Regarding the classified documents case, Moskowitz predicts that Trump will escape conviction, and that the New York case involving hush money payments to adult porn star Stormy Daniels is likely to end up with a hung jury.He also predicts that Trump will be forced to cough up the $454 million judgements against him in the New York business case involving alleged fraudulent estimates of the value of his properties.Further, Moskowitz predicts that ultimately Trump will be allowed by the Supreme Court to remain on the 2024 presidential election ballot, despite efforts by some states to declare him ineligible.Moreover, Moskowitz suggests that Trump may end up agreeing to a plea deal that would allow him to avoid jail time but include an agreement that he will no longer seek public office.Moskowitz practiced law for 40-plus years, developed real estate, and was a pharmaceutical CEO. He received degrees from Penn State, Villanova Law School and Oxford University. He served as counsel to municipalities, municipal authorities, civic associations, and represented clients in numerous countries around the world.He writes based on his legal experience and front row seat to the election – his wife was a Pennsylvania elector -- and efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results.What's Ahead for Donald Trump?Here are some key questions we discussed with Moskowitz to answer that question:--What are the key points that you make in your book regarding Trump, the election, and the aftermath?What would be the consequences to our country had Trump succeeded in preventing the peaceful transfer of power after he lost the election?In your book, you describe three heroes from the Jan. 6 insurrection. Who were they and why?Can we walk through the four cases involving Trump and what you think lies ahead? First, the federal election interference case led by special counsel Jack Smith. What are the key charges and what do you believe will happen here?Let’s move to the Georgia election interference case. Give us your analysis of that and what you think the outcome might be.How about the classified documents case. Do you believe this is as serious as the others? Is Trump at risk of being sent to prison over this?What about the hush money case in which Trump is accused of falsifying business records relating to a $130,000 payoff to buy Stormy Daniels’ silence. There are 34 felony counts in this case.Trump is appealing a $454 million judgement against him, which includes being barred from serving as a leadership role in any New York business for three years. What’s the likely outcome here?And then there’s the $83.3 million Trump was ordered to pay to writer E. Jean Carroll for ruining her credibility as an advice columnist when he called her a liar after she accused him of sexual assault. Your thoughts about that one?What do you think of the efforts in some states to kick him off the ballot?What impact will these cases have on Trump’s bid to return to the White House?He says Black Americans should relate to his criminal indictments and so should support him. What do you think about that?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Uncover the truth about America's status as an empire in the insightful interview with British author Patrick Watts. Is America an empire? Find out now.British author Patrick Watts has published a new book called “The End of the American Empire,” in which he warns that unless some of the issues that beset our country are resolved, the “American empire” will collapse.What lies ahead for our country unless changes are made? Is America an empire?Watts writes that “The wounds of the past cannot be healed through ignoring the fact they ever occurred, but neither through an endless cycle of guilt, apology and revenge.“In an increasingly divisive, fraught political climate full of hyperbole, accusation, and online echo chambers, the American people need to remember who they are and why they have ruled the world for almost a century."He says that with the possible return of Donald Trump to the presidency, "the lessons of this book must be learnt now.”Patrick is based in London and joins us from there. With degrees in history and international relations, he is a non-partisan observer eager to help Americans navigate what he believes is a crucial and perilous moment in our nation’s history.Patrick’s book addresses the current climate as the country gears up for the election. Arguing that the United States is best described as an empire, he lays out the historical, political, social and geopolitical reasons why the American empire might collapse sooner rather than later, with huge domestic and global consequences.Some questions we discussed with Watts:· You’re British. Why did focus on the US, and how are you qualified to do so?· Why do you use the term American Empire?· What do you believe is causing the decline of the American Empire?· Why do you believe the American Empire should be prolonged?· How can the fraught political climate in the US be improved?· Do you think the American political model is destined to fail?· Do you believe another American Civil War will occur in your lifetime?· What parallels have you observed with the end of previous Empires with the current situation in the US?· Who do you hope wins the upcoming American presidential election?· Is China the biggest threat to the U.S.?· Which charities will benefit from the sales of your book?· What is the Access Project? How can people get involved?· Where can people learn more about The End of the American Empire and how can they reach out to you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
As we see in news headlines and in our own neighborhoods, water crises are more frequent and increasingly severe, and the world’s approach to providing the water that grows food, sustains cities, and supports healthy ecosystems fails to meet the demands of growing population and the water challenges of a changing climate. But the grim news reports of empty reservoirs, withering crops, failing ecosystems need not be cause for despair, argues award-winning author and environmentalist David Sedlak, who is with us on the Lean to the Left podcast.In Water for All: Global Solutions for a Changing Climate, just published by Yale University Press, Sedlak identifies the challenges society faces, including ineffective policies and outdated infrastructure, and the many tools at our disposal. He offers an informed and hopeful approach for changing the way water is managed so we can create a future with clean, abundant, and affordable water for all.Sedlak is the Plato Malozemoff Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, and director of the Berkeley Water Center. He is author of the award-winning Water 4.0: The Past, Present, and Future of the World’s Most Vital Resource. "Climate change combined with global development is going to result in (water) crises happening more frequently and being more severe," Sedlak says, "but at the same time, the knowledge that we've accumulated and the technologies that we've developed and are developing give us new answers."(It) depends a lot upon whether we can let go of some of our preconceived notions about how we manage water and take a different path forward in," he adds. "And I think that if we're capable of doing that; if we're capable about seeing this as a time when the status quo no longer works and we have to try something different, there's a chance to come out in a much better place."Here are some key questions we discussed regarding water challenges of a changing climate:Q. Your book starts off discussing the six separate water crises that exist today. How about discussing them?Q. So what are the solutions to these crises?Q. What can be learned from communities that have experienced water crises and the actions they have taken?Q. You talk about the wealthy and their ability to cope with water shortages. But what about those less fortunate like the urban poor and those in rural communities?Q. How can emerging technologies unlock untapped water resources without damaging the environment?Q. You discuss some ideas to expand conventional and unconventional water sources. What are some of the most promising ideas there? Q. Are there places in the world that are practicing good water usage? What can we learn from them?Q. So where do we go next to ensure the best outcome? How do we tackle these areas in concrete, strategic ways? Q. Your last book, Water 4.0, looked at the history of water systems. What did you learn in the decade between Water 4.0 and now that made you want to write this book? Q. Where can people find your book?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Whatever happened to the concept that before making a decision it's wise to listen to both sides of the story?That's the idea behind Ponderly, a new social media platform that’s intended to be a safe and engaging space where users can get the facts, consider the other side, and decide what to think.The point is to cut through the rhetoric, lies and misinformation that is spun out on major social media platforms and help bring people together, and we have as our Lean to the Left podcast guest Amir Shiekh, Ponderly's founder, whose goal is to cut through the rhetoric on sensitive and controversial issues and reduce the divisiveness that has become so prevalent in our society.Unlike other social media platforms, Ponderly provides short, quick-read articles about key issues in the news with writers offering analysis, pro and con.An example: Should razor wire along the southern border be removed? Read both sides of the story and then decide and comment.In this episode, Amir explains Ponderly's goals and objectives, how it works, and even how writers can get involved. While the platform is brand new and still being tweaked, Shiekh says subscribers now number "in the thousands" and plans are for it to grow dramatically in the years ahead as it provides an alternative to Facebook and other social media platforms.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
It was on January 22, 2017 that President Trump’s counsellor to the president, Kellyanne Conway, defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false statement about the size of the crowd that showed up for Trump’s inauguration. Alternative facts, she said, in explaining Spicer’s claim that Trump’s crowd was the largest to ever witness an inauguration. Not lies. Not falsehoods. Just alternative facts. Our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast is Ted Griffith, author of the upcoming book, Theater of Lies: Misinformation divides us -- with purpose. How to protect ourselves, and why we must. It will be out later this month and will reveal the secrets that leaders in business, media, and government don’t want us to know about lies and misinformation -- the spin. Griffith is a 40-year communications professional who has spent his career mastering and employing the tools of mass persuasion. A communications professional who has spent the last forty years learning and employing the tools of persuasion, Griffith has represented high profile leaders in sectors such as mining, energy, healthcare, water, tourism, waste management, municipal and provincial governments, and amateur and professional sports.Griffith served as a vice president at Canada’s largest PR firm, NATIONAL Public Relations, and was its number one consultant for several years. He has expertise in crisis communications and worked behind the scenes on the 1988 Ben Johnson Olympic Steroid Scandal, Canada’s tainted blood scandal, power failures, and various product recalls.Here are some questions we asked Griffith as we explored the impact of lies & misinformation on our society:Q. From your long experience you say that lies and misinformation have infected most every part of our lives. How is that, and what can we do about it?Q. Why are lies so often used to control people? We’ve certainly seen that in this era of Donald Trump.Q. How can people discern if they are being fed lies or “alternative facts” by people in power?Q. Do you believe people have been trained since their childhoods to believe lies by people in authority? Please explain.Q. What role do you expect the Theater of Lies to play in the 2024 election?Q. What is the illusion of binary thinking, how someone can believe something they know nothing about?Q. How does your book, “Theater of Lies,” deal with all of this?Q. One of the issues that is often the subject of misinformation is climate change. How has climate change been affected by lies and misinformation?Q. Do you believe the use of the term climate change rather than global warming is part of misinformation strategies? By whom?Q. What can we do to combat lies and misinformation in the climate change space?Q. Tell us what your company, The Fixers Group, does for its clients. Q. When, exactly, will your book be published and where can people find it? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Not sure if it's ego or an insatiable sex drive, but many politicians are willing to risk their reputations and careers for a few moments of sexual gratification.That's been proven in the case of Donald Trump, who now must pay a total of $88.3 million to former writer E Jean Carroll as a result of his alleged sexual attack on her at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue Manhattan store in 1996.On Friday, January 26, a jury ordered Trump to pay Carroll $83.3 million because of his continued social media attacks over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in the department store dressing room. Earlier, another jury awarded her $5 million for sexually abusing Carroll.“Absolutely ridiculous!” Trump said after the verdict. “Our Legal System is out of control, and being used as a Political Weapon.”Well, Donald, if you kept your zipper zipped and didn't believe you could do whatever you want to whoever you want whenever you want, perhaps you wouldn't now be scrambling to figure out what assets you'll sell to pay off the now 80-year-old Carroll.That $83.3 million verdict came down two days after we produced an episode of the Dixie Dems on the Lean to the Left podcast that includes discussion of two other separate political sexual escapades involving the now former Republican chair in Florida and Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, who is leading the prosecution of Trump and others for interfering in Georgia's 2020 presidential election.Early in January, the Florida GOP fired Chairman Christian Ziegler as police investigate a rape accusation against him, which Ziegler has denied. However, Ziegler and his wife, Bridget, admitted to police that they previously had a consensual three-way sexual relationship with Christian Ziegler's accuser.Meanwhile, in Georgia, Willis has been accused of having an inappropriate relationship with Nathan Wade, a special prosecutor she hired to handle the elections case against Trump. She has defended her hiring of Wade and has not directly denied a romantic relationship. A Trump defense attorney is seeking to use that accusation to have Willis and Wade removed from the case and the indictment thrown out."From what I understand, Trump's current fixer Is the one that drummed all this BS up and it's enough BS to where they got it in front of the right judge and apparently they're going to go back and pull some stuff out of a divorce decree or whatever, but literally it's the same old MO," says Robert Thompson, founder of Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals," on the episode. "You've got Trump just trying to find a fixer just to shed any sort of doubt on anything that's going on. Good luck."Joining Thompson and South Carolina's Bob Gatty as part of the Dixie Dems is Arthur Hill, vice chair of the Brunswick County, NC, Democratic Party."They might have turned a few heads and they might have swayed some public opinion and so on, but justice still marches on here, doesn't it? It doesn't stop the case," Hill says on the show.Other highlights in the Trump, Sex and Politics edition of the Dixie Dems:Trump runs roughshod over GOP candidates, leaving former SC Gov. Nikki Haley as the only remaining challenger.What are Haley's chances?Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), a previous Trump challenger gets engaged, and tells Trump now that he "loves" him. (Guess that could have gone in the sex discussion above).South Carolina cross burning prompts calls for a hate crime law.SC Democratic primary coming Feb. 3. GOTV drive underway.SC GOP primary is Feb. 24; Trump's big lead over Haley.Trump says electric vehicles "don't go far." Evidence shows EVs help reduce ailments caused by pollution.Biden's achievements, despite criticisms."The stock market hit another all time high. Unemployment is low. Inflation has slowed down. We're getting 5 percent interest on our savings account to combat inflation to encourage people to save money," says Thompson. "So when Biden got elected, what were they wanting to happen beyond what has happened?"Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
During the early years of life, the human brain undergoes significant development and the environment is vital in helping to shape a child’s future.Today, our cars, as well as trucks and busses, are the largest contributor to harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S and children growing up in urban areas, especially, are vulnerable.In fact, outdoor air pollution, much of it caused by transportation, has caused 4.5 million deaths as fully half of Americans live in areas that don't need federal air quality standards, and children in those areas are 3.7 times more likely to live in the most polluted areas, with 4.5 million kids suffering from childhood asthma.So How Can EVs Improve Health?Kate Harrison, an expert on electric vehicles and co-founder and Head of Marketing at MoveEV, says that increased use of electric vehicles would dramatically reduce those figures. In fact, she estimates that if all new cars, pick-up trucks, and SUVs sold by 2035 were electric vehicles using green energy there would be:89,300 fewer premature deaths2 million fewer asthma attacks10.7 million fewer lost work days$978 billion in public health savingsMoveEV is an AI-backed EV transition company that helps organizations convert fleet employee-owned gas vehicles to electric, and then reimburse for charging at home.So, how can EVs improve health? Here are some key issues discussed with Kate on the Lean to the Left podcast:How would the adoption of electric vehicles on a large scale both improve the environment, and people’s health?How does early childhood toxic emission harm kids, especially those in non-White communities?What is the evidence that replacing gas-powered vehicles with EVs really makes a difference?What actions can cities take to improve the quality of air?Are there enough charging stations?Do you envision the time when we can go to the local c-store and charge-up instead of fill-up?What about battery life?Doesn’t the basic act of charging a car result in higher greenhouse gases for the production of that electricity?How does your company help communities that want to power-up their EV capabilities?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
Are all White people racist against Blacks? What about Blacks? Are they generally racist against Whites? How do we overcome racism in America?Those questions and more are covered in this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast with author, attorney Fatimah Gilliam and Justice Counts podcast co-host Mark M. Bello.After all, we’re living in a time when a former president refuses to acknowledge his re-election defeat, falsely claiming that thousands of votes were cast illegally. Many states – mostly led by Republicans – are making it harder for people of color to vote on the assumption that they would vote in favor of the Democrats. Even the courts are getting in on the act. Fatimah Gilliam is an author, lawyer, consultant, public speaker, and entrepreneur whose career combines expertise in the law, diversity, human capital, leadership, stakeholder engagement and negotiations.She holds a law degree from Columbia Law School, a master’s in public policy from Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government and an undergraduate degree from Wellesley College.Gilliam is the founder and CEO of The Azara Group, which provides diversity and inclusion, leadership development, negotiation and strategy consulting services to Fortune 500 corporations, senior executives of billion-dollar businesses and industry thought leaders.She is the author of a new book, “Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You.”Here are some key points we discussed in the interview:So, there’s a case in the 8th Circuit in Missouri that might severely limit voter access. I understand it might be headed to the Supreme Court. What’s it all about? Should our listeners be concerned?What’s the make-up of the 8th Circuit panel? In Missouri, it must lean Republican, right?Why do Democrats seem to be for more freedom and access to voting, while Republicans want to restrict access?Are these efforts racist? Are we talking about blatant bigotry here?In general, we have a voting rights act, right? Why isn’t it enough to protect us?You speak about what you call “Jim Crow 2.0.” You say that the strategy will strip freedoms and suppress votes of people of color and younger, urban, elderly, and disabled Americans. What’s the strategy and what can people do about it?In the materials you provided us, you mention Supreme Court cases of Shelby County v. Holder (2013) and Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee (2021). What do these holdings say and how did they skirt around the voting rights act?Do we need a new voting rights act? Will that ever happen if we continue to have divided government?There is a big election coming in 2024. Because of the Dobbs decision, abortion will be on the ballot. People will want to vote. It may be the most important election of our lifetime. Talk to us about the law of voting. Do you consider voting a right or a privilege? If it’s a right, what can people do to assure that they can vote in upcoming elections?Even if state and local governments put barriers in front of lower and middle-income voters, what can they do to assure that they can vote in 2024? Where do they go to find out what they must do to qualify for a voter registration card?Talk to us about “Race Rules: What Your Black Friend Won’t Tell You.” Does the book answer some of the questions we’ve been asking today? Is it a blueprint for citizen’s who want to assure that they have the right to vote in 2024?You say that the book provides rare access to what many Black people won’t say to White people, what Black people secretly think and feel about White people’s behaviors and choices. What do Black folks say and feel about White folk’s behaviors and choices?You also argue that self-education without behavioral change is half stepping? What behavioral change is needed and what does appropriate self-education look like?Are White people generally racist against Blacks? If so, why?What about Black people? Are they generally racist against Whites?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
We're living in a time of revolution, a time when the forces of climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) are converging in a way that will undoubtedly, dramatically change the world.Tom Riley, a retired NASA instrument engineer and prolific author who believes AI offers tremendous potential for the world, has written a new book called "Dark Heat," and it pulls all of that together.When Tom retired from NASA in 2014, he started coaching young people in science, technology. engineering and mathematics (STEM), and he quickly realized he needed to develop a detailed discussion of what today's generation must do about our climate crisis and how it will affect their future."The thing that struck me so strongly was that we owe our young people an explanation and some guidance on what to do in this very difficult time," he says. "We simply are not providing them with the direction they need."To help achieve that, Riley decided on a series of books aimed at today's generation, with the third one, "Dark Heat," now available. Written with the assistance of AI, it's a novel that pairs two "want-to-be detectives," Sarah and her AI companion, Janet N, who go into action when a friend who was involved in black market smuggling of food goes missing."They go through a long, complicated search to find out what happened to their friend and who the black marketers were," explains Riley, who has two engineering degrees and is a veteran of more than 40 years in high tech, mostly in space operations."It became very clear that the problems of climate change were just so overriding that it was unfair for me to teach young people about space if they're going to be hit upside the head by the climate crisis," Riley says on the podcast. "So we had to convert over, and I had to do a lot of research on what the problems were, what the long term problems were, what the short term problems were, (and) what the breaking points were."Then last March, "the large word AIs became available with ChatGBT 4, and all of a sudden we were sprinting past one of the big landmarks that was either going to make or break us. Consequently, we started this project to write a mystery with AI as a partner," he explains.Check out the complete interview for more about Riley's efforts in preparing today's generation for climate change and the burgeoning growth of artificial intelligence.Special BonusMeanwhile, Riley is providing two signed copies of "Dark Heat" for the first two Lean to the Left listeners or viewers who request one. To win a copy, just send an email to bob@leantotheleft.net with Dark Heat in the subject line, and your name and mailing address in the body of the email. The first two requests will receive the book free of charge.Here are some key topics we discuss in the interview:Climate change: doom and gloom or unicorns and rainbows?Individual action is needed -- now. What should young people do?How will climate change affect the world's food supply and what impact will that have on us in the U.S.?Can AI, including robots, be employed to cope with the climate crisis?As a space expert, do you believe there is life beyond Planet Earth?A look at the Kecksburg, PA UFO incident from 1965. What was it?Employment will be the area of biggest impact as artificial intelligence gains a foothold in the economy.For more info about Riley check out his website at www.bigmoondig.com.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
The Covid 19 pandemic was fraught with political and bureaucratic mismanagement that resulted in thousands of needless deaths, according to renowned Washington, DC-area physician and author Dr. Ravi Iyer.Perhaps worse, however, was the warning issued by Dr. Iyer on the Lean to the Left podcast, saying that sloppy actions by scientists and the Wuhan laboratory in China allowed the virus to escape and unless preventive steps are taken, the same thing could happen again."The one thing that we need to understand right now is we don't have proper guardrails, because this kind of science is going to continue to get done," he says. "The Pandora box is open and all over the world people are going to do this. It's going to happen. They key is how can you do this safely? How do you regulate it? Virologists are fighting tooth and nail to prevent regulation. They want business as usual."Dr, Iyer is the author of a compelling new book, The Reaper's Dance, which puts the reader in a ringside seat to the horror of the Covid pandemic, the calculations of men who were in positions to influence the fate of millions, the science that might have unleased the pandemic, and the science that saved the world.He is the founding physician and president of the Iyer Clinic in Fairfax, VA. A physician-scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur with research publications in the mechanisms of gene controls and several lpatents on human and veterinary medicines and devices, he is also CEO of ActivPower, Inc., a nutrition and wellness company he founded.America's response to the pandemic was "very bad...a clusterfuck,"Dr. Iyer said. "You would have a CDC official making a statement about a public health policy and (then) there will be somebody else from this side of the administration saying something to contradict this guy.""Deeply flawed leaders," he contended, "played to the fears of a deeply disillusioned population and they, the flawed leaders' demagoguery, came to America at the right time to tap into the fear of loss ofd power." Half the population, he added, felt like they were "under siege, feeling that they, their way of life was going away for reasons that they could not understand."Other key points discussed as Dr. Iyer offered his analysis and warning:Many Americans distrust the pharmaceutical industry, which they believe is simply focused on generating profits, thus adding to skepticism regarding the vaccines.Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, was partially responsible for Covid 19's spread because his agency provided funding for the Wuhan lab in China.Dr. Iyer's clinic used such commonplace items as overalls and swimming pool chemicals to protect personnel there, even as other preventive items were in short supply, and not a single worker became ill.He credits former President Donald Trump with his "warp speed" approach to bringing out the Covid vaccine, but then said Trump "dropped the ball" when he learned FDDA approval would not come before the November election and said it was then up to the states to individually implement it.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.
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Comments (4)

Will Shogren

This guy is very good, this podcast is very bad. All power to the workers and to hell with old liberals.

Jan 28th
Reply

Will Shogren

Liberalism is cancer.

Jan 28th
Reply

Will Shogren

25,000 dead and counting at the hands of Israel. A woman like her should be put up against a wall with the rest of her ilk. Free Palestine 🇵🇸

Jan 28th
Reply

Will Shogren

I would wipe my fucking ass with that Zionist's wretched old face. "Lean to the Left"

Jan 28th
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