Podcasts about professional left

No rebranding!  They cashed all those checks with the Tea Party.  Episode 1002 of The Professional Left opens with a pop quiz, and the reveal says everything you need to know about how this particular cycle always ends. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace the long, depressing, and darkly funny history of Republicans who were "done with Trump" until they weren't — Beck, Cruz, Graham, Vance, Ingraham, and a cast of dozens — making the case that what looks like a new political reckoning is actually just the same old rebranding operation being assembled from the same wreckage by the same people. Two classic films provide the episode's organizing metaphors: one about building a new plane out of the pieces of the one that crashed, and one about the uncomfortable truth that you can't put an entire party into a lifeboat when the entire party is the problem. The Republican Party didn't get captured by its worst impulses — it revealed them. Driftglass was also on two other podcasts this week! The Nicole Sandler Show:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NlPMu5Y29QThe Brad Cast with Desi and Digby:  https://bradblog.com/?p=17822 Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 1001 of The Professional Left kicks off the post-1000 era with a reading from Octavia Butler — written in 1993, about a fictional America that looks uncomfortably like the one outside your window right now — and uses it as the jumping-off point for a clear-eyed reckoning with why the country got here and who is responsible. The opening of the Obama Presidential Center was a wonderful occasion by almost any measure, but the sight of a certain former president celebrated as a beloved elder statesman on that stage is something Driftglass and Blue Gal simply cannot let pass without comment — because the problem with the Republican party was never Trump, and it didn't start in 2016, and pretending otherwise is just the next chapter of the same lie. The episode traces a straight, unbroken line from the failures and crimes of the Bush years through the racist primal scream of the Obama era to the inevitable arrival of Trump, making the case that every institution now preparing to rehabilitate the post-Trump Republican party is getting ready to run the exact same con all over again. Our job, as it has always been, is to remember — and to keep saying so out loud.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 1000 of The Professional Left opens with the countdown finally hitting zero — and instead of a victory lap, Driftglass and Blue Gal do exactly what they've been doing for 999 episodes: explain the thing hiding in plain sight that everyone else is too polite, too complicit, or too invested in the status quo to say out loud. The Trailer Trash Woodstock that took over the White House lawn gets put in its proper historical context — not as something shocking and new, but as the entirely predictable result of decades of Republican appeasement of its worst impulses, a straight line running from Rush Limbaugh's Lincoln Bedroom sleepover to the rubble of the East Wing. A brief but devastating tour through PBS's Friday night ritual of performative Both Siderism — featuring everyone's favorite human pretzel, David Brooks — makes the case that the cage match on the White House lawn and the quiet dinner-table tones of public television are actually serving the same purpose for two different audiences. And after 1000 episodes of being told they were alarmists, crackpots, and too angry, Driftglass and Blue Gal are still here, still right, and just getting started.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Ian Schulze joins the Five Timers Club this week, and Alissa Bonjour makes her debut in what is now officially her first ever podcast! ;-)*Apologies for my audio during Alissa's game. There was a problem with the files that couldn't be fixed. Ian Schulze from Monkton, VermontLooking for Pink Floyd and Star TrekPlugging his Flashcards on KofiRecommending Rooster and Sort OfAlissa Bonjour from Bloomington, IllinoisLooking for Ted Lasso, Boy Bands, and WordplayRecommending Ted Lasso and other Bill Lawrence shows.#######TRIVIA NATIONALS 2026We're heading back to Las Vegas this year - and I'll be hosting the Pop Culture Bee! Get your tickets at trivianationals.org and use the code POP26 at checkout for $20 off!JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Matt Lamia! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 999 of The Professional Left takes a detour through the smoke-filled back rooms of mid-century Chicago machine politics to explain something essential about the moment we're living in right now — because it turns out that Mike Royko had the whole Trump era figured out decades before Trump came along, he just called it by a different name. Driftglass and Blue Gal walk through how patronage systems work, why people stay loyal to them, and most importantly, what happens when the patron stops delivering the goods — both the material kind and the emotional kind. The cultural patronage Trump has been selling his base — the endorphin hits, the permission to be cruel, the promise that the right people would be hurt — is starting to curdle in ways that are impossible to ignore. And with rural white voters, MAGA young men, and even the faithful starting to ask the one question every patronage machine dreads — "Where's mine?" — episode 999 sets the table perfectly for what's coming next Thursday.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Alissa! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 998 of The Professional Left opens with a game of "Who's This Jagoff?" — a quiz that turns out to be a master class in how the Both Sides Do It lie gets laundered through the media, repeated without evidence, and rewarded with radio shows and television bookings no matter how many times it's been proven false. Driftglass and Blue Gal dig into the deep roots of that lie, traveling back twenty years to a single Neal Conan moment on NPR that perfectly captures how "to be fair" became a reflex that has nothing to do with fairness and everything to do with appeasement. The Scott Pelley firing gets a second look too, revealing a layer of the story that didn't get nearly enough attention the first time around — because it turns out that even the hero of the story had already made his peace with the Both Sides gods before Bari Weiss came along. And while a very well-funded gathering of self-described centrists in Washington, DC, was busy congratulating itself for finding the middle ground between democracy and fascism, Illinois Democrats were over here quietly governing like they actually mean it.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 997 of The Professional Left uses the sudden, very public firing of Scott Pelley from 60 Minutes as a jumping-off point to ask a much bigger question — why do the people with the biggest megaphones still have absolutely no idea what Democrats actually want, or who they actually are? Driftglass and Blue Gal trace the long, embarrassing history of elite pundits who spent decades inventing a fictional Democratic party, got everything catastrophically wrong about the Republican one, and are now loudly demanding that Democrats take their advice anyway. A deep dive into the 2027 Illinois state budget — passed by an actual Democratic majority serving actual Democratic voters — turns out to be a surprisingly clear and satisfying answer to the question the title asks. If you want to know what Democrats want, it turns out you don't need a pundit — you just need to pay attention to what Democrats do when they're actually in charge.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 996 of The Professional Left takes a hard look at the media circus surrounding the Maine Democratic Senate primary, asking who is actually stirring the pot, why they're stirring it, and who benefits when a private matter between a married couple drowns out every important conversation about the Republican incumbent's actual record. Driftglass and Blue Gal walk through a long and inglorious history of political sex scandals — from FDR to Gary Hart to Newt Gingrich — to put the whole thing in perspective and make the case that the bar for Democratic candidates is being set in a very different place than it is for Republicans. The New York Times, The Bulwark, and the usual cast of Both Sides Do It pundits all make 'but the Democrats' appearances, right on cue. And a deeply revealing New York F-ing Times piece about young men who get their political opinions from Joe Rogan and still somehow blame Both Sides equally turns out to be less a portrait of a generation in search of answers and more a masterclass in how conservative propaganda and legacy media complicity get permanently bonded together.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

This episode should wrap up the recordings that feature my unfortunate bout with pneumonia earlier this year, so bear with the voice a bit just for a bit.We have two veterans back in the hot seat this week with Jeff Clear making his sixth appearance and Matt Lamia making his fifth. #######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Alissa! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 995 of The Professional Left takes a deep dive into one of the most revealing tricks in modern political history — the quiet, deliberate shift from "we" to "they" that happens every time a prominent Republican needs to pretend they had nothing to do with the monster they spent decades building. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace this sleight of hand from the early days of Trump's rise all the way to a recent live Bulwark event, showing how the same lie gets polished and repackaged every few years by the same people who should know better — and who absolutely do. The episode also takes a hard look at the comfortable fiction that Trump "revamped" the Republican Party, making the case that he didn't change it at all — he just finally showed everyone what it had always been. And with episode 1000 just around the corner, this one serves as a timely reminder that the coming wave of strategic forgetfulness about the Trump era will look a lot like every wave that came before it — unless enough people refuse to let it happen.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

They're back! Chris and Nanci were both on episodes last month...but we won't talk about those. (Show notes coming soon)#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Alissa! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 994 of The Professional Left takes a hard look at the war on memory — the long, grinding campaign to erase what actually happened to this country and replace it with a comfortable myth that lets the people who caused the damage off the hook. A fascinating breakfast conversation between a writer and ten of his late father's Trump-voting friends provides the jumping-off point, raising a question that cuts right to the heart of everything: where exactly are these voters getting their opinions about Democrats, and has any of them ever actually listened to one? Driftglass and Blue Gal dig into the epidemic of recycled lies that keeps millions of Americans firmly convinced that Both Sides are equally to blame, no matter how much evidence piles up to the contrary. And with episode 1000 just around the corner, this one serves as a sharp reminder of why remembering clearly and accurately — and saying so out loud — is one of the most radical acts left in American politics.Links for this episode: Open Letters by Mersault – https://patricemersault.substack.com/Driftglass's guest appearances this week:Bob Cesca Show (May 20, 2026): https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-driftglass-day-5-20-26/Nicole Sandler Show (May 20, 2026): https://nicolesandler.com/5-20-26/BradCast (May 21, 2026): https://bradblog.com/?p=16941Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Driftglass is one half of the incredible must-listen Professional Left podcast with the equally as brilliant Blue Gal. Patreon.com/proleftpod. Today, we talked about the ongoing Donald Trump heist – unlimited slush fund, his insider trader scheme, his ballroom, and so forth. We also discussed whether now's the right time for Democratic voters to be bashing the Democratic Party, given the current two party system. Meantime make sure to support this podcast at patreon.com/bobcescashow. Music by Bob Malone. Brought to you by Russ Rybicki, SharePower Responsible Investing. Support our new sponsor and get free shipping at Quince.com/bob!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episode 993 of The Professional Left finally arrives at the pivotal year of 2008 — the moment the Republican party began eating itself alive — and traces exactly how a party that had just driven the country into a ditch decided that the best response was to sabotage the guy trying to pull it out. Driftglass and Blue Gal walk through the deliberate, coordinated Republican strategy to destroy Barack Obama before he even got started, complete with the death panels lie, the "government takeover" lie, and the racist conspiracy theory that a reality TV con man would ride all the way to the White House. Mitt Romney makes a long, painful, and very instructive appearance as the man who tried to straddle a party that was already too broken to straddle, rewriting his own book along the way to prove it.If you've ever wondered exactly how America got from the wreckage of the Bush years to the rise of Trump, this episode lays out the trail.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Josh Saak from Boise, IdahoLooking for questions on Major League Baseball, Geography, American History, and Classical Music or ComposersLinks:J-Archive recap of Josh's appearances.Recommends: Planet Money and 99% InvisibleQuizzes at: Mostly online, OQL, Learned League, QuipFavorite Animal: DogEden Spencer from Minneapolis, MinnesotaLooking for questions on Geography, Dogs, and Food & DrinkLinks:Quizzes at: Trivia Workshop live stream, BP Trivia, Learned League - and live at Venn Brewing Recommends: Jim Harold's Campire podcastLooking forward to: A trip to the Dominican Republic#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Alissa! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

In this episode of The Professional Left, Driftglass and Blue Gal trace how the Clinton-era budget surplus was dismantled piece by piece during the Bush years, setting the stage for the catastrophic financial collapse of 2008. While millions of Americans lost their jobs and homes, the mainstream media — led by Both Sides propagandists like David Brooks and the newly hired Bill Kristol — refused to lay the blame where it actually belonged: on the Republican Party. Driftglass and Blue Gal have been calling out this "Both Sides Do It" lie for over twenty years, and this episode shows exactly how that lie worked in real time to let Republicans off the hook for disasters of their own making. From the gutting of PAYGO rules to the death of the auto industry bailout in the Senate, the evidence is clear — both sides don't.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 991 of The Professional Left starts with a question that sounds absurd on its face — are Americans "underbabied"? — and then spends an hour making the case that the people asking that question are the same ones who have spent decades doing everything in their power to make starting a family feel financially impossible. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace the long arc from the post-war baby boom through the Reagan era's war on the social safety net, showing how decades of Republican policy quietly transformed children from a shared public good into a personal lifestyle choice that you'd better be able to afford on your own. A detour through the Enron collapse and the Great Recession ties it all together — because low birth rates aren't the disease, they're the symptom, and this episode lays out exactly what's causing them.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Artwork courtesy of "america has rabies" on BlueSky @thebatshitsutras.bsky.socialSupport the show

Episode 990 of The Professional Left takes a step back from the daily chaos to talk about something the mainstream media almost never bothers with — scale — and why understanding it is the difference between seeing propaganda clearly and getting played by it every single time. Driftglass and Blue Gal run the actual numbers on one of the most successful political smear campaigns of the last decade, and what those numbers reveal about how a fringe slogan gets laundered into a party platform by people who know exactly what they're doing. The Both Sides media gets its share of the blame too, because without their eager assistance, none of this industrial-scale message warfare would work nearly as well as it does. And just when you think the math can't get any more damning, a certain former president shows up to say something that proves the point all over again.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 989 of The Professional Left takes on one of the most overused words in modern politics — "authenticity" — and asks whether anyone in American political media is actually serving the real thing, or just a smooth, processed, cheese-like substitute that melts consistently and tastes like what people want to hear. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace the long, strange history of politicians and pundits who have made a very comfortable living telling their audiences exactly the lies those audiences paid to believe, and why the whole operation works so much better when everyone pretends it isn't happening. A detour through French onion soup, a Bonanza story that will make your jaw drop, and a very revealing moment on CNN all help make the case that what Republican and Independent voters actually want has never really been authenticity at all. If you've ever wondered why the truth keeps losing to a smirk and a folksy quip, this episode has your answer — and it involves processed cheese.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Adam Wendell from Silver Spring, MDLooking for questions on the MCU, TV Theme Songs, and US HighwaysLinks:Recommends: Smart Bitches, Trashy Books his wife's podcastLooking forward to: The next book in the Dungeon Crawler Carl series - A Parade of HorriblesQuizzes at: Mostly online, podcasts, Learned League, WTFFavorite TV Theme: The Muppet ShowJane Hansen from Queensland, AustraliaLooking for questions about AustraliaLinks:Recommends: Killer in the Code podcastLooking forward to: Hosting the Frenemy podcastQuizzes at: Local pubs & clubs playing as “Bitch, Please” and “Agatha Quiztie”…also Sundays on Twitch with Trivia Workshop.Favorite TV Theme: FriendsFavorite Animal: Wombat#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Alissa! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Alissa, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Show note update coming soon!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 988 of The Professional Left is a drama in three acts, each one taking a hard look at a political strategy that keeps failing — and the people who keep insisting it will work next time. Driftglass and Blue Gal dig into the endless, maddening cycle of reaching out to voters who have made it abundantly clear they don't want to be reached, and why the media keeps writing the same breathless story about it anyway. Then things get complicated when a very familiar face from the enemy camp shows up claiming to have seen the light, forcing a very serious question about exactly who gets welcomed into the "pro-democracy coalition" and why. And finally, a minor pundit with a very convenient memory gets a long-overdue look at her greatest hits — because in this Club, the only thing that matters is who you know and when you decided to care.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Episode 987 of The Professional Left takes a deep look at the concept of authority — where it comes from, who really has it, and what happens when the people in charge decide the rules no longer apply to them. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace a clear line from the lawless Bush years straight through to today, making the case that what looks new and shocking is really just the same old playbook with the volume turned all the way up. A surprising visit from a 500-year-old German philosopher helps explain exactly why Trump's war with Pope Leo is going so badly for him, and what that tells us about the difference between real authority and just really loud bullying. And if you think the answer to all of this lies in yelling about the Constitution at people who couldn't care less, this episode will make you think again — and offer a more useful strategy borrowed from a very unlikely historical source.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Springfield pub quizzers know them from their team "Your Mother is a Terrible Cook", and they've faced off on Tangents before, but Vicky Hopper and Sam Kuchar are joined by their other triplet Lexy Sieber for this episode of a special 3-way game format.In case you've never heard them before - this is a NSFW episode. #######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Episode 986 of The Professional Left traces how one simple political rule — Ronald Reagan's "Eleventh Commandment" never to speak ill of a fellow Republican — quietly mutated over decades into something far more dangerous. Driftglass and Blue Gal dig into how that rule created a closed loop where loyalty to the team mattered more than the truth, and how the endless flood of dark money on the Right kept feeding the beast no matter how extreme it got. A disturbing New Yorker article about a new generation of young, openly fascist activists who think Trump wasn't nearly radical enough takes center stage, raising hard questions about where the Republican party goes from here. If you thought MAGA was the bottom of the barrel, this episode will make you think again.LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:  The New Yorker “How the Internet Fringe Infiltrated Republican Politics:  Inside the battle for the post-MAGA G.O.P.” By Antonia Hitchens (paywall)  https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2026/04/13/how-the-internet-fringe-infiltrated-republican-politicsThanks to David B for the “freshly poured” jingle via Musely. Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

"The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter." -- The Maltese Falcon Episode 985 of The Professional Left takes a deep dive into the word "normalizing" — a term that gets thrown around constantly in political coverage, but rarely gets a clear definition. Driftglass and Blue Gal trace how a stubborn 30% of Americans have believed one wild conspiracy theory after another for decades, and argue that what looks like normalization on the Left is really just exhaustion from years of fighting battles that others are only now waking up to. The episode uses a surprising example — the slow, hard-won acceptance of women priests in the Church of England — to show what real normalization actually looks like, and why it's very different from what pundits mean when they scold people about Trump. Personal stories, sharp media criticism, and a 1973 sci-fi film all make appearances along the way, connecting the political moment to something much bigger and longer in the making.Link for this episode:  Driftglass and Blue Gal on The Bill Show from Australia!  https://www.podbean.com/ep/pb-q42x7-1a99204Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

This is a fun one. I hope you enjoy listening to these games as much as I did recording them. We have Trivial Warfare's Nikki Bates in the first game, and 2002 Jeopard Tournament of Champions Quarterfinalist Rowan Ward in the second game. It's a long one...Nikki Bates - Lincoln, NebraskaLooking for World Capitals, Futurama, and Food & DrinkListen to Trivial WarfareKen Burns: The American Revolution on PBSRowan Ward - Chicago, IllinoisLooking for Beavis & Butt Head, Homestar Runner, Horse Racing, and 90s MusicSir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown by Jennifer S. KellyLearned LagLooking for a horse? Try an organization like The Retired Racehorse Project#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

In this episode of The Professional Left, Driftglass and Blue Gal take a hard look at how America ended up in yet another Middle East war — and why the whole thing feels like a rerun that somehow got worse the second time around. Drawing a sharp line from the lies that launched the Iraq War to the chaos of today, they walk through the playbook Republicans use every time reality refuses to cooperate with their sales pitch. The real question isn't just what happened — it's what comes next, and who's already lining up to offer the MAGA base a way to forget they were ever on board with any of it. If you think some of the loudest voices suddenly breaking with Trump are doing it out of principle? Naaah.Links for this episode: Driftglass on The Bob Cesca Show:  https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-driftglass-day/ Driftglass on The Nicole Sandler Show (second half) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jxANUK4Y6k Media Matters for America, “Heretic”: After Trump spiritual adviser Paula White-Cain likens Trump to Jesus during Easter, right-wing media figures lash out. https://www.mediamatters.org/donald-trump/heretic-after-trump-spiritual-adviser-paula-white-cain-likens-trump-jesus-during Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

In this episode of The Professional Left, Driftglass and Blue Gal dig into the decades-long project that brought American politics to its current breaking point — and what it really means that we've arrived here. A viral social media feud involving a Twitch streamer leads to a sharp look at who gets handed a megaphone in today's political landscape, and why the wrong people keep holding them. The episode closes with a story about a specific third party and the oldest trick in the book.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com Website: proleftpod.com Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod or Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Our first team game was a ton of fun to record, so I hope you find it as entertaining as I did. Chris and Sarah were terrific, and their showing made it clear that we should probably do more of these collaborative games in the future, so stay tuned. Chris & Sarah Brewer - Ottawa, IllinoisLooking for Easy Animals, 90s TV, and Rasslin'Notes from the episode:The most famous person from Ottawa? Probably Bob McGrath from Sesame StreetWhat do they recommend? The Mayor of Kingstown and the podcasts Skilletbrew and You Are Not Broken.What are they looking forward to? Weird Al in October.What do they want to ask the next guest? "What is the last thing you did for self-care?"From Ann..."What muppet do you identify with?" Grover and AnimalWhere do they quiz? Lone Buffalo by Tangled Roots in Ottawa#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Shaun Bernstein - Oshawa, OntarioLooking for The Oscars, Comedy, and Presidential HistoryAnne Putnam - Saint Petersburg, FloridaLooking for Muppets, Animation, and 80s and 90s music#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: ⁠https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQ⁠Want to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: ⁠https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/⁠And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:⁠https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop⁠Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to ⁠https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop⁠ for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Cheyenne Fletcher - Tulsa, Oklahoma Looking for College Wrestling, Bad Movies, and Modern Pop MusicLuc Leavenworth - Gurnee, IllinoisLooking for Nickelodeon and Nintendo#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshopThank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Sara Callori! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sara Callori, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Joseph Williams from Vendor, Arkansas and Donald Fuller from Rochester, New Hampshire both make their Tangents debut in this episode. Joesph was looking for questions on history and the Food Network while Donald's categories were World War II and video games. You'll have to listen to see if any of those subjects came up!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshopThank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Adam Wendell! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Hey, it's been a while! The busy season for trivia night fundraisers around here has meant there's been little time for editing the podcast, so we've gone a bit silent here for a few weeks. Happily, we're back now with a great episode and two great guests. And bear with it for a bit - Keith's audio gets better after a headset change. Keith was looking for Theater, Oscars, Math, and The Simpsons - and he reminds you to support your local public library!Links from his segment:The Nevermind the Music podcast.Learned League, BP Trivia, WTF, Triviality, SkilletbrewChris was looking for Professional Wrestling and Personality Disorders - and he invites you to subscribe to his podcast Skilletbrew Trivia!Links from his segment:The You Are Not Broken podcast from Dr. Kelly Casperson.Trivia by Brian at The Lone Buffalo by Tangled RootsThanks to Keith and Chris…and thank you for waiting so long for this episode!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshopThank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Adam Wendell! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Fascism has come to America. What then must we do? Citizens are being murdered in the streets by Trump's Goon Squads, NATO is cracking and Trump has virtually destroyed relationships with all of America's allies. What then must we do? Driftglass and Bluegal of "The Professional Left Podcast" (subscribe at proleftpod.com) are with us to go over the State of the Union. There is also a Star Trek quiz to cheer us up. This is a good one. Subscribe to "The Professional Left" at proleftpod.com.

You might remember Bryan from seven episodes ago when he built a great quiz for sports fans. This time around he was looking for questions on 90s Music, 90s Movies, or The Big Bang Theory. If you haven't heard his first appearance yet, maybe go check that out first, then give this one a listen.What has he been up to?Watching Florida Gators football and finishing off the 2025 MLB season.What can he recommend?A book called Top of the Rock: Inside the Rise and Fall of Must See TV by Warren LittlefieldWhat's he looking forward to?An anniversary trip to the Dominican Republic.Where does he quiz?When he can stay awake, the Tuesday Sunday Night Trivia Workshop Quiz on Twitch.Thanks Bryan!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/ And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Adam Wendell! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Dalton takes a short break from recording Lockdown Trivia to hunt down questions on RuPaul's Drag Race and The West Wing. Get in and have a listen…then go sign up for his show.Episode Links:What's he been up to?Recording the Lockdown Trivia podcast and doing phone stuff at Verizon.What can he recommend?The Floor and Star Trek: Strange New WorldsWhere does he quiz?The Trivia Workshop Twitch stream — NOW ON SUNDAYS!Thanks, Dalton!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday Sunday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/ And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Adam Wendell! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Adam Wendell, Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Author and Illustrator Dustin Resch is familiar to everyone who listens to the other trivia podcasts, but he makes his Tangents debut this week - just in time for the official release of his new children's book Octavio. It's been available for pre-order for a bit, but starting 1/1/26, you can get your hands on it at most online and brick-and-mortar booksellers. Be sure to listen to this episode to hear the real story about the octopus that inspired the book! For the game itself, he was in search of questions on Aaron Sorkin TV, MCU Films, Classic Rock, Grunge Music, Ocean Creatures, and Animals. Surely something from those categories came up…right???Episode Links:What has he been up to?Getting his new book Octavio published after an 8 year journey and working on new projects. It hits shelves on January 1, 2026 and you can find it at any of the places below:AmazonBarnes & NobleBookshop.orgTargetWalmartWhat does he recommend?Podcasts like Trivial Warfare, Triviality, Throwback Trivia Takedown and other stuff he's been a guest on. And children's books like This is How You Know: How Science Happens by Kristen W. Larson and Illustrated by Cornelia Li.Where does he quiz?Mostly online quiz leagues, and also Wednesday nights at a microbrew bbq house called Six Capital Brewing.Thanks, Dustin!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/ And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Marc Poland! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

Amy returns for her third game, this time in search of questions on celebrity marriages, 80s music, and stage names. The big news in this episode is that 80 for Brady is no longer her most recently watched movie. You'll have to listen to find out what finally got her into a theater.Episode LinksWhat does she recommend?British game shows and panel shows that you can track down on YouTube. — Richard Osman's House of Games, Countdown, Would I Lie to You?, Pointless, etc.Thanks Amy!#######JOIN THE DISCORD!!!The best way to get the latest updates about the podcast and the Tuesday night Twitch stream is to join the Discord server. It's easy to do by clicking this link: https://discord.gg/z95CZGQrKQWant to build your own game of Tangents?All you have to do is pick a date that works for you: https://calendly.com/triviaworkshop/ And be sure to check out the other Trivia Workshop links here:https://linktr.ee/TriviaWorkshop New Start Time for the Tuesday Night Live StreamStarting October 14, 2025, we'll be moving the Trivia Workshop Tuesday night stream up to 7:30 pm Central. Unless the bottom falls out for viewership, we'll probably stick with this time.Thank You Patreon Crew!This podcast wouldn't be possible without your support. Thank you all - and welcome to our newest member, Marc Poland! If you'd like to join, it's easy! Just go to https://www.patreon.com/TriviaWorkshop for your options.And as always, thanks to the entire Patreon Crew - Andrew Buxbaum, Anne Putnam, Asha Ouseph, Brandon Fellows, Brian Irving, Brock Kwiatkowsky, Bryan Nash, cheyenne fletcher, Chris Collins, Christian Hernandez, Claire Bancroft, Dalton McGhiey, Danielle Fields, Ian Schulze, Jane Hansen, Jay Borsom, Jeff Clear, Jillian Hawkins, JJaz, John Liu, Kevin Kuschel, Leslie Hyman, Luc Leavenworth, Madeleine Garvey, Martin Ebert, Matt Lamia, Marc Poland, Nabeel Bader, Nanci Skinner, Nicole Bates-Rush, Paul Paquet, Quizmaster Caleb, Samantha Kuchar, Sarah Collins, Scott Anglemyer, Scott Barber, Shaun Bernstein, Skilletbrew, Steven Beningo, StitchinStacey, Tamara Morgan, The Professional Left, Tim Robert Gomez, Tony Schmit, Wendy Curtis, and Will Gilbert

No show today; we've had quite a weekend.  We'll be back to our regularly scheduled podcasting on Thursday.  See you then! Support the show

In this week's episode, we dive deep into the infrastructure project nobody wants to talk about: the construction of political lifeboats.What are we witnessing as Trump's administration unfolds? We're seeing the familiar pattern of those who enabled catastrophe beginning to build their escape routes—just as they did after the Bush administration collapsed, when the "Fake Tea Party" served as the greatest mass escape operation since D-Day—allowing pro-Bush Republicans to magically transform into constitutional conservatives who'd never heard of Bush or Cheney. What does it mean when soybean farmers who voted for Trump three times say they had "no choice"?We borrow from Buddhist concepts of Big Boats and Little Boats to understand how media validators help the guilty avoid accountability. We hear from a Charlotte resident about what Trump's policies are doing to his city right now. And we ask: when Trump falls, will there finally be a reckoning—or just another round of "let's look forward, not backward"? All this and more on this week's Professional Left podcast.Warning: This episode is not safe for work.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.comWebsite: proleftpod.comSupport via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpodor Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

GOP rats are slowly but surely abandoning the sinking Trump ship, and we have to ask:Will "Republican Lifeboats" once again successfully allow the MAGA/Tea Party faithful to escape accountability?We analyze Marjorie Taylor Greene's masterful deployment of the "Magic Words" to blame "both sides of the aisle," framing her slow-motion exit from the Trump pandemonium bandwagon as an act of high principle. She's the first and possibly best lifeboat builder of the post-Trump era, claiming victimhood to elevate herself into the media's "Serious Women with Powerful Voices."How does the media's insistence on the "Both Sides Do It" lie enable this political evasion, even when the stakes are life-and-death (see the US Healthcare system)?Join us as we connect the dots from ancient trauma to modern political evasion, and in the end have a laugh at David Brooks' ludicrous attempt to diagnose—and "Somehow" cure—Christian Nationalism with his own big, dumb, Both Sides Do It meatgrinder.All this and more on this week's Professional Left podcast.Warning: This episode is not safe for work.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.comWebsite: proleftpod.comSupport via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpodor Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

This week, we're talking about the Epstein Files, the shutdown that wasn't really about the shutdown, and why six words might just end a presidency.Meanwhile, some privileged podcasters are dismissing angry "online" Democrats as if losing our healthcare is just a theoretical concern.  Plus:  The increasingly evident mental decline of a president: Trump goes from "inventing" the word "affordability" to *not wanting to hear about it.* George Orwell's question—"Was he, then, alone, in the possession of a memory?"—has never been more relevant.All this and more on this week's Professional Left podcast.Warning: This episode is not safe for work.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.comWebsite: proleftpod.comSupport via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpodor Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Does Driftglass with laryngitis sound like Brenda Vaccaro?  The podcasters disagree, YOU be the judge! (See you on Thursday, which is also Driftglass's 65th birthday!  Woot!) Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.comWebsite: proleftpod.comSupport via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpodDonate via PayPal:  https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/proleftpodcastor Donate in the Venmo App @proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Welcome to Book Club Day at the Professional Left, where we're spoiling a 141-year-old novel that remains the undisputed champ of American literature—and revealing why it's more relevant than ever.What does Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn teach us about the struggle for America's soul in the age of Trump? Huck faces an agonizing choice: turn in his friend Jim and save his soul, or commit what he believes is a mortal sin and "go to hell." What happens when a sound heart collides with a deformed conscience?Why are the Duke and the King—usually portrayed as "lovable scamps" in film adaptations—actually dangerous grifters who sell Jim back into slavery for "forty dirty dollars"? How does Huck transform from a passive, undecided observer into an activist with a plan? And what can we learn from his refusal to accept the "Both Sides" lie of his era?We're fighting the same battle Twain declared war on: a culture that wraps monstrous lies in scripture and protects them with passive, silent complicity.All right, then—we'll go to hell.More at proleftpod.com.Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.Stay in Touch! Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.comWebsite: proleftpod.comSupport via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpodMail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791Support the show

Due to our August break next week, I though we'd bring back Driftglass and Blue Gal a little earlier than their usual every-three-weeks schedule -- because they're awesome and smart and we have great talks every time they're here. Be sure to support the Professional Left podcast everywhere you get your pods, and at proleftpod.com. Today we talked a little Star Trek, we talked a little history, we talked about the Trump-Epstein story, we talked about our roles as podcasters in the political debate, plus what's next for the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and more. Meantime, make sure to support this podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/bobcescashow. Music by Luke LeBlanc.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The liberal power couple of Driftglass and Blue Gal return to the show. Not only did we cover just about everything circulating around Donald's coverup of his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein, but we also nerded out on Star Trek things, including the new season of Strange New Worlds. Plus, some West Wing discourse, Democrats vs fascist propaganda, and more. Be sure to support the Professional Left podcast at proleftpod.com. Meantime, make sure to support this podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/bobcescashow. Music by Bill Toms and Hard Rain.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Driftglass and Blue Gal from the Professional Left podcast are back today after their harrowing brush with a tornado warning last time they were here. This time Driftglass is fresh off an equally harrowing tooth extraction, but he's making the valiant effort to keep up appearances anyway. Today we talked about Donald's coverup of the Epstein client list, Elon Musk's new party, the return of American torture, the new Superman movie, and more. Proleftpod.com to support Driftglass and Blue Gal. Meantime, make sure to support this podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/bobcescashow. Music by Kilo Bravo.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode almost didn't happen due to a tornado! We were a few minutes into our talk when the tornado warning sirens began to go off near the Professional Left studio, so Driftglass and Blue Gal had to run down to their basement in case a tornado hit their house. But they reconnected to the show from the safety of their basement. And you're going to hear the whole thing on today's show – and by the way, we talked about Israel and Iran, we talked about immigration, we talked about the Trump Phones, the No Kings marches over the weekend – all of it. Be sure to support their podcast at proleftpod.com. Meantime, make sure to support this podcast by subscribing at patreon.com/bobcescashow. Music by Antiquity.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.