The Lean to the Left Podcast

Would you think women are treated differently than men by doctors and other workers in the healthcare system? If that’s true, how would that affect patients? Our Lean to the Left podcast guest today, Lynn Forney, has first-hand experience with that, and it almost cost her life.On the podcast, Lynn says such bias is more common than you might think. In her case, after being stabbed in bed seven times by a stranger and losing 21 pints of blood, she says she suffered even more trauma after going to the hospital in critical condition.There, some of the people who were supposed to help her recover, both mentally and physically, betrayed her – including a male nurse who we’ll talk about in a minute. "They didn't believe me because I'm a woman," she says in our interview.Lynn is the author of a new book, “Choosing Survival,” which describes her attack, the PTSD she suffered, and the mistreatment she endured in the hospital. Unfortunately, we find that the gender bias she experienced – simply because she is a woman – is all too common.The book is candid and emotional as Lynn reveals how the City of Boca Raton, Florida’s, police covered up violent crimes like what occurred to her… just to protect the city’s glitzy reputation.But, even worse was how Lynn was treated by those who were supposed to protect and serve vulnerable victims like her. Unfortunately, this story is all too relatable for women who have experienced sexual assault and rape.Some questions we asked Lynn:Q. Start at the beginning. You were what, 19? What happened?Q. You’re from Texas. Why were you in Boca Raton?Q. So you were stabbed in bed by a stranger in your mother’s house?Q. How were you treated by the police?Q. How did healthcare workers and other systems fail you before and after your attack?Q. What happened in the hospital? The male nurse who wanted to show you about sex?Q. Why do you think they blamed you, or did not trust you? Q. How do you confront victim blaming and shaming?Q. How common is gender bias and shaming in healthcare? Studies have shown that doctors view men and women with chronic pain differently, right?Q. What can be the end result of healthcare gender bias when it comes to diagnosing and treating patients? Can appropriate treatment be delayed…or even denied…for example?Q. You graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor of fine arts degree. You’ve been a dancer and actor, right?Q. How did the attack and your subsequent treatment affect your life and your career?Q. What are your plans going forward?Q. Where can people buy your book?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We have something a little different for you today…no politics for a change…instead a conversation about the influence our mom on our lives in honor of Mother’s Day. Our guest is Jackie Tantillo, host of the “Should have Listened To My Mother Podcast,” which examines who we are because of – or in spite of – our mother.Jackie has worked in broadcasting as on-air talent (radio), on camera talent (commercials and industrials), a national and international voice over talent, voice over acting instructor and producer and production coordinator for over four decades. She worked as a stringer for the ABC Rock Network and interviewed many charismatic music icons.Currently Jackie is enjoying her conversations with her guests from around the world on her podcast. Everyone has stories to tell of their mother and it's important to reflect on that personal relationship whether good or bad.The youngest of seven children, six girls and one boy, Italian American family, Jackie was born overseas in Rota, Spain as her father, a Civil Engineer, managed a large project for the US Navy.Jackie studied at McGill University, Montreal, Canada and State University of New York at Plattsburgh where she graduated with a Mass Media degree.Jackie Tantillo, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast.How did you get started in radio?Your career has been a virtual highlight reel with your voice over work, talk show host, spokesperson, production coordinator, and more. Now you’re doing this “Mothers’” podcast. Why?Tell us about your background, some of the highlights, including what you’re doing now at WABC Radio in New York.How did your mom influence your priorities and what you’ve done in your own life? Should you have listened to her even more than you did?You’re a mom, right?What did you learn from your mom that translates into how you treat your own kids? After all, you were one of seven kids, right? She certainly had her hands full.You like to give back, and you’ve mentored high school students who want to become voice over talents. You enjoy working with young people, right?There are a lot of divisions in this country, which seemly have worsened over the past few years. As you work with these kids, do you have a sense of hope for the future?Tell us about your podcast. Who are some of the most interesting guests that you’ve interviewed?What can people learn from your podcast?What’s your message for all the mom’s out there and for those who plan to honor their moms?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.

We are living in a time when many of our fellow citizens are facing injustices, even threats to their lives, that nobody should have to deal with.If you’re a Black kid and you knock on the wrong door to meet a friend, you could be shot. That’s just a fact. It just happened, and our guest today, Dr. Pamela Gurley, has something to say about that.Dr. Gurley is a Content Strategy Expert, International Speaker, World-Renowned Best-Selling Author, and Journalist who understands the power of words (both verbal and written). As the Founder/CEO of Clark and Hill Enterprise and IAMDRPGURLEY and Founder/President of the Brown Girl and Brown Boy Literacy Foundation, she is on a mission to empower, grow, transform, and motivate others, as well as lead and challenge social norms and false narratives.In 2021, she was awarded the RadioOne EmpowerHER “Empowering Motivation” award for her commitment to uplifting others. We are delighted to have Dr. Gurley as a contributing writer to our Lean to the Left blog site, something that evolved after she appeared as a guest on this podcast last year. Her most recent blog explains new legislation being considered in Florida that would make it a crime, with possible five years in prison, for filming police action, such as a traffic stop or suspect arrest.That legislation, she says, threatens individual freedom of speech and the public's right to hold law enforcement accountable. In effect, it continues Florida's march to becoming a police state under Gov. Ron DeSantis.Dr. Gurley is a retired U.S. Army veteran, holds a BA in Psychology, a Master’s in Health Service Administration, and a Doctorate in Management.In November 2019, she released her first book, “I Am Not A Stereotype: I Am H.E.R.,” and in March 2021, she released her second book, Black Girl Activist, instantly becoming an Amazon Best Seller. On June 3, 2021, she released the first books in her multilingual Brown Girl and Brown Boy children’s books series. She has since published five additional titles totaling 21 books with 3 more on the way this spring. She has also been a part of three anthologies – one with Dr. Gurley as a Visionary Author.Some questions we ask Dr. Gurley during the interview:Q. I understand there is new legislation in Florida and some other states that is particularly troubling. Can you tell us about it?Q. That sounds like a blatant violation of the First Amendment. Do you agree?Q. What about witness intimidation? Doesn’t that legislation cross the line?Q. Does such legislation, in effect, sanction police brutality by hiding their actions from the public and other authorities?Q. When a bystander films a police stop and subsequent arrest, does that not actually serve to protect the police officers assuming they have done nothing wrong?Q. Do you feel that such proposals are prompted simply by racism and the racist attitudes of certain lawmakers?Q. These bills come at a time when Democrats in Congress are pushing for police reform. They fly in the face of that effort. Your thoughts?Q. We’ve had incidents recently where individuals, including people of color, have been victims of the so-called “Stand Your Ground” attitudes prompted by the gun lobby. Your thoughts about that?Q. Tell us about your work and your books, especially your new children’s book series.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Lance Hillsinger worked in social services for 34 years and has written two books based on those experiences. He has a master's degree in psychology from Vanderbilt University and a bachelor's degree in psychology and political science from UCLA.Hilsinger’s first, “In Place of the Parent: Inside Child Protective Services,’ examines the child welfare/juvenile court system. His second book, “Build a Better Bridge: Social Policy for the 21st Century,” the author goes beyond child welfare and examines social welfare programs (cash aid, food stamps, etc.) in general.However, he points out that social welfare programs do not generate welfare. Intergenerational wealth is created, for most families, by homeownership. Thus, in “Build A Better Bridge”, He offers various low-cost/no-cost ideas to increase homeownership as well as reduce truancy, crime, and other social ills that so often accompany poverty.While both books are written in an easy-to-read style. They seek to inform and persuade for common-sense change.Listen to the episode...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

A "witch's brew" of GOP-sponsored political activity in Texas, Florida, Tennessee and other states across the nation tops the discussion in the April edition of the Dixie Dems on the Lean to the Left podcast, now streaming.Arthur Hill, first vice chair of the Brunswick County, NC Democratic Party and Robert Thompson, host of the Got Damn Liberal podcast based in Atlanta, GA, join Lean to the Left host Bob Gatty to discuss these key developments and more.In their crosshairs are efforts by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to restrict abortions, what books can be read and topics that can be taught in the state's school, new legislation infringing on the rights of LGBTQ+ and transgender individuals, Donald Trump's legal problems, and the defection of a Democratic state lawmaker to the Republican Party in North Carolina, among others.In one section, Thompson points out that because of GOP efforts to restrict abortions that vasectomies are on dramatically increasing as many men are concerned about the consequences of impregnating someone and then having to live with the consequences.The conversation also turns to unbridled development in Florida, North Carolina and other states that's in response to large numbers of people, especially retirees, who are seeking low taxes and warmer weather. However, in Florida, Thompson notes, property and casualty insurance rates are skyrocketing even as the state has enacted tort reform that makes it more difficult for plaintiffs to win settlements in courtTrump's legal challenges and his pledge to run for the presidency even if convicted of a crime are also covered, along with his challenge by U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) and former SC Gov. and UN Ambassador Nikki Haley. Thompson observes that country icon Dolly Parton "wants to see more boobs in the White House."Gatty pointed out that Dr. Pamela Gurley, in a new blog for Lean to the Left, discusses DeSantis-initiated legislation that would make it a crime to record videos of police officers as they arrest individuals. If passed, that legislation would impose a five year prison sentence on those who record such videos, a clear First Amendment free speech violation. That blog and a podcast interview with Dr. Gurley will post and stream on April 26.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

There’s a horrible, deadly cancer that not many people know about. It’s called Cholangiocarcinoma. We’ll learn a lot about that today from Jan Meyer, who lost her mother to this disease, and has been fighting Cholangio herself. Jan is a retired registered nurse and was diagnosed with Stage 2B intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in February 2018. She underwent a liver resection and then received chemotherapy for six months. She is doing well now, and is spending her life helping to raise money and awareness for cholangiocarcinoma research -- despite being confined to a wheelchair as a result of a bad automobile accident.On May 20, Jan and her husband, Dean, will hold their 4th annual 5k, called the Quack Out Cholangio 5k Run/Walk to Crush Bile Duct Cancer, with all proceeds earmarked for research. Here are some questions we asked Janice:Q. First, let’s talk about Cholangio…what are the symptoms of this disease?Q. What are some of the risk factors? Is it genetic?Q. I know that Cholangiocarcinoma is a relatively rare disease. Just how rare? Do you know how many people have it?Q. If someone is diagnosed with Cholangiocarcinoma, what’s your advice? Q. To what do you attribute your apparent success in dealing with this disease?Q. Let’s talk about the 5K. How can people get involved?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Welcome to Lean to the Left. I’m your host, Bob Gatty.David E. Feldman has confronted so many serious health problems in his life that it’s a wonder he’s still standing. He’s faced drug addiction, depression, spinal problems that nearly led to paralysis, two hip replacements, intestinal resection with colostomy and cancer.But instead letting all of that beat him, what’s Feldman done? He’s written a bunch of books in which his characters overcome life’s greatest hurdles. In fact, Feldman is the author of eight books, including his 6-book Dora Ellison Mystery Series and a standalone “literary” novel, The Neighborhood, which focuses on racism.And oh, by the way, Feldman is an accomplished working musician and artist. He’s an award-winning filmmaker, too, and His play, Love Lives On, was a winner of the Artists in Partnership Inaugural Playwriting Contest. He’s been the owner of e-Face Media – eface.com – since 1989, which provides web design, videography, brand development, and digital services, among others.This is an episode that is uplifting and encouraging, demonstrating the power of determination and the human spirit, and how writing, music and the arts can be cathartic for people who have had difficult obstacles to overcome.Here are some questions we asked David:Tell us about your story. How is it that you’ve faced all of these serious health concerns and yet have been able to produce all of this creative work and even run a company?How is it that these experiences found their way into your novels? Tell us about them.Your books touch on issues of the day, much like this podcast, focusing on issues such as bigotry, to gender issues, to the lives of people with special needs. What do you see in society today that makes these topics important and relevant?One of your books deals with bullying. Tell us about that and why you wrote it.You recently completed a ghostwriting project about the history of people of a particular heritage in U.S. military. You also ghosted a romance novel and a how-to book about fishing. Is there anything you don’t write about?What’s your view of society today, the divisions, the increase in hateful rhetoric on social media and even in interpersonal relationships?What’s your view of the political situation today, with Republicans in control of the House of Representatives and targeting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security as they complain about a budget deficit that they, themselves, made much worse during the Trump presidency?Thoughts about the 2024 Presidential election?What is the goal of your writing?You have a new book in the works. Tell us about it and where can people find your books?What’s ahead for you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Many states are now restricting, even banning, books that discuss important social issues that can be used in our schools. It’s a misguided attempt to somehow protect children.Our guests today will explore those developments and their implications.Robert Kesten has worked globally promoting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and furthering democracy. His work has taken many forms, including writing and producing an award winning documentary on the Holocaust and Concentration Camps in Poland. He worked on the Ghanaian Constitution, produced events leading to Ukrainian independence, and events for AIDS day and decriminalization of homosexuality in Ukraine, which was the first Soviet Republic to do so.He is currently the Executive Director of Stonewall National Museum and Archives and is actively engaged in the LGBTQ+ community, committed to using history as a tool to make sense of the present and form a community response for today, tomorrow, and beyond.Born and raised in New York, Lesley Abravanel covered the amusingly vapid celeb scene in South Florida for the Miami Herald and several supermarket mags. She also wrote about restaurants, nightlife and travel for such outlets as the Miami.com and the Daily Mail.After 2016, she took a major left turn and started using her platform to speak up about politics, especially after being blocked on Twitter by a certain one-term, twice-impeached former "president" who has recently been indicted. She parlayed that into her current position as Managing Editor for Occupy Democrats and Washington Press, two of the internet's most followed left-leaning websites.She sometimes covers antisemitism in Palm Beach County for The Forward.When she's not fighting fascism, she collects hot sauces, raises twins, and attempts to learn Swedish from her Stockholm-born husband. I strongly recommend that you follow her twitter page. @lesleyabravanelFor the first time in its history- only one teacher from the state of Florida is registered to attend the 10th annual Stonewall National Education Project (SNEP) Educators' Symposium next week (April 13-16) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One teacher. No administrators, no government employees. I’m joined on this program by co-host Mark M. Bello, who also hosts the Justice Counts podcast, which also is streaming this episode.Mark: Robert, only one Florida teacher registered for the Educators’ Symposium. But this event is in Florida and SNEP was started ten years ago in partnership with Florida's Broward County Public Schools. Please tell our audience what SNEP is and why only one teacher is registered to attend the event?Bob: That’s outrageous. Worse, I understand that Florida-type attacks on literature, arts, and music are spreading to other states. Tell us about that.Mark: If the goal is to protect kids, why do the same groups who seek to ban books, also seek to permit assault rifles? Why is the 2nd Amendment sacrosanct, but the 1st not so much?Bob: Lesley, I’d like to turn to you for a second. Hearing Mark read your bio, I think it’s a badge of honor to be banned from Twitter by a certain former president, but I also heard that you were the Managing Editor for Occupy Democrats and Washington Press, two of the internet's most followed left-leaning websites. What caused your twitter ban, and please tell us about your websites and left-leaning advocacy?There is much, much more...take a listen...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

On a Monday morning in late March three nine year-olds and three adults were gunned down by a shooter who opened fire at the Covenant Presbyterian church school in Nashville, Tennessee. The children were students; the adults were staff members. One little girl, Hallie, was the daughter of the lead pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church, which is connected to the school. The shooter, Audrey Elizabeth Hale, used two AR-15 type weapons and a handgun. Hale had been receiving treatment for “an emotional disorder” and had legally purchased seven weapons from five local gun stores. Hale’s motive was not immediately clear.The massacre was just the latest in a chain of shootings that just over the last year have left dozens dead and injured in attacks in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California; Chesapeake, Virginia, Colorado Springs, Highland Park, Illinois, Uvalde, Texas, and Buffalo, New York among other places.As in Nashville, researchers found that shooters tended to alarm people around them, often signaling their plan in advance. Generally, they purchased their weapons legally. After the Nashville tragedy, the chaplain of the U.S. Senate urged lawmakers to “move beyond thoughts and prayers.” President Biden said he had exhausted his executive powers to deal with guns and said Congress should pass an assault weapons ban, saying “there’s a moral price to pay for inaction.”But Capitol Hill lawmakers indicated there was little support for that legislation. Republicans, who control the House of Representatives, reiterated their opposition to actions that would restrict access to guns, saying that mental health issues are the root cause of the gun violence problem in America.That’s why Mark Bello and I present clinical psychologist Emily Bashah and political expert Paul Johnson, former mayor of Phoenix, Arizona. They are co-authors of Addictive Ideologies: Finding Meaning and Agency When Politics Fail You. Dr. Bashah frequently serves as an expert witness in court and has worked on high-profile cases covering issues of domestic terrorism and capital offenses. Johnson was the youngest mayor of Phoenix when he was elected at age 30. He was sued by the NRA for implementing common sense gun laws, and in this episode, Johnson lays out a three-part approach that he believes is politically feasible and could dramatically reduce mass shootings and enhance school safety for children.Here are questioons we asked Dr. Bashah and Johnson: Q. What will it take for this country to take meaningful action to protect the lives of innocent people from mass shootings such as this tragic event in Nashville?Q. Military-style weapons like the AR-15 often are used in these shootings and about one in 10 Americans own such a gun. What is the attraction to these weapons? Should they be banned? Note: A Washington Post survey found that AR-15 owners come from red, blue and purple states, are significantly more likely to be White, male and between the ages 40 and 65. They’re also more likely to have higher incomes, to have served in the military and to be Republican. AR-15 owners are more likely to live in states former president Donald Trump won in 2020 than adults overall. Q. What are red flag gun laws and why are they important in curbing gun violence? Tennessee two years ago failed to pass such a law that could have stopped the Nashville shooter who was known to be suicidal. Shouldn’t there be a national red flag law?Q. What are risk assessments and how can they be implemented?Q. What can communities do to help people who are at risk of committing such violent acts? Bob – Dr. Bashah, why is treating ideological extremism as an addiction important in stopping mass murders?Q. Paul, when you were mayor of Phoenix, you ran into political trouble because of your efforts regarding guns. What happened? Why is it that so many politicians are afraid to act even in the face of these tragic events, which never seem to stop? Q. What are some ways people can deal with friends or loved ones who have fallen into to the trap of addictive ideologies?Q. How can Americans be optimistic when surrounded by all of the negative bias that exists today, and why is this optimism important?Q. How about the role of social media and the news media with respect to political divisions that exist today? What needs to be done? Are further restrictions on social media needed?Q. As a former mayor and politician, Paul, what is your advice to those lawmakers who are beholden to the NRA and seemingly are afraid to act?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Ever wonder what it would be like to be really, really short? Do you think you’d feel discriminated against, or at a competitive disadvantage in life? If you’re a woman, do you believe you face unfair situations because of inequities that favor men? Today we welcome Dr. Deborah J. Burris-Kitchen, a professor of criminology and department chair at Tennessee State University in Nashville, who has just published “Exposed,” a critique of American society, of love and social injustice, through the eyes of a sociologist.It’s a memoir of short stories and poetry that takes the reader on an expedition highlighting her struggle to find love and earn respect as she crashes against wave after wave of toxic masculinity.Dr. Burris-Kitchen lays bare women’s victimization as they continue to fight for empowerment and equality and exposes what she says are the inequities of the American Caste system with a desire to provoke social change. Her previous publications include a book titled Short Rage: an autobiographical look at heightism in America.She also has written extensively about racism and prisons, including “From Slavery to Prisons: A Historical Delineation of the Criminalization of African Americans”.Q. Tell us a bit about your background and what you’ve been up to.Q. What are some of the topics covered in Exposed?Q. How can we transcend stereotypes based on height, race, poverty, transgender, etc.? Q. How can women reclaim their life after being victims of sexual assault? Q. What do you hope the reader will take away from reading Exposed?Q. Your bio says you’re an activist who fights against violence, racism, exploitation, greed, and capitalism. Explain.Q. What are your thoughts about the direction the Republicans are trying to take this country?Q. What goes through your head when you see female politicians, like Marjorie Taylor Greene, suck up to Donald Trump and support the GOP’s right-wing social initiatives that are harmful to women and minorities?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.

DW Duke is a California attorney and an author of six published books with three more books currently in production. His work has focused on human rights and empathy as a tool to overcome confrontation and conflict in the world.DW currently is creating a series of biographical novels and screenplays about social justice issues. One of his books, Racism Awareness, scheduled to be released in March of 2023, addresses root causes of racism and presents effective ways to identify and eradicate it.Another, ”Not Without a Fight,” is a biographical novel based on the true story of a Jewish boy who becomes a Resistance Fighter in World War II in Poland. The book’s message is we shouldn’t be erasing history, we should be learning from it. That’s timely.It’s a pleasure for me and Mark Bello, co-host of the Justice Counts podcast, to welcome you, DW, to our podcast.Mark– Welcome to the podcast. “Not Without A Fight” is your first book based upon a true story set during the Holocaust era. As most of our listeners know, I’m a Jewish Boy and I’ve also written a Holocaust novella, based on a true story. But, talk to us about your book, why you wrote it, and what message you would like readers to walk away with.Bob – Your next book, The Duke Legacy, also is based on a true story, takes place during the civil war era, and tells the story of a young man growing up in the south, and is deeply troubled by slavery. It isn’t lost on me that the kid’s last name is Duke—Is this book about your own family and why did you write it?Bob – Our country is struggling with the problems of discrimination and racism. Is that why you wrote “Racism Awareness?” Talk to us about that.Mark: There is a rise in anti-Semitic activities and attitudes in America today. Jew hatred is on the rise. Do you see many parallels between what’s going on in America today and the rise of Nazism in Germany in the 1930s?Bob – You have said that empathy is a tool in overcoming stereotypes and discrimination. I would agree with that, but it sounds rather simplistic. Can you elaborate for us? What can the average citizen do to improve our interreligious or interracial discourse?Mark – I want to go back to “Not Without a Fight” for a moment. The boy who is the focus of the book survives the war. Did he continue his activism? What was his life like after the war?Bob – Aside from our racial and religious differences, we have a serious political divide in America today. What can be we do to resolve, or at least ease, political polarization in the U.S.?Mark – Bob tells me that there may be a movie in the works based on “Not Without a Fight.” That’s exciting. What is the status of this project and when might we be able to see the movie in theatres or on television?Bob -- You have another biographical novel currently in production called “Because I’m Black.” What is that book about?Mark: Your books are based on rather terrible periods in history. In the first two books, your two protagonists, Thomas Biebers and Washington Duke, hate what’s going on in their respective countries during their lifetimes. What would they think of modern day Germany and America? Would they be pleased or disappointed with our progress?Bob – Your work on discrimination and religious hatred is note-worthy and your books take a fascinating look at troubling times. Where can people find these important books?Mark: In the introduction, Bob mentioned that “Not Without a Fight” core message is that we shouldn’t be erasing history, we should be learning from it. What do you think of the current discussion in America about sugar-coating history books and book-banning? Mark: Wow. DW? You are a man after my own heart. We are better than this. We do not need to be an “us” vs. “them” society. As Rodney King said all those years ago: “Can’t we all get along?” Continued success with your career and lots of luck with “Because I’m Black.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s ruling overturning Roe v Wade, many states are now acting to virtually eliminate the ability of a woman to obtain an abortion, and some states would even prosecute healthcare providers who perform the procedure.We’ll talk about all of that with our guest today, a women’s health coach, Cath Perez.Cathy always had a passion for health and fitness, being organized and sharing her curiosity for life to anyone who would listen. After many years in the corporate arena, supporting others with administrative and HR tasks, Cathy became a “Health” Coach. She’s a Certified Healthy Eating and Weight Loss Coach, a Certified Yoga Instructor (200YTT) and the 159th Worldwide Certified Konmari Organizing Consultant.Cathy now helps women create a healthy relationship with anxiety and stress with healthy habits that she took over 20 years to learn and hone to cope with her own anxiety disorder. Cathy is a strong advocate for women’s rights, and today we’re going to focus on reproductive justice.Welcome, Cathy, to Lean to the Left.--Q. What do women (others who don't identify as binary) require right now & why should the country care? Q. What is Reproductive Justice all about? Q. Why does Reproductive Justice matter? Q. What can be done to support reproductive justice? Q. As a health coach, I presume that you help your clients deal with anxiety and stress, right?Q. Don’t questions around having an abortion cause a good deal of anxiety and stress? What’s your advice to your clients.Q. What advice do you give women who need an abortion but live in states that prohibit the procedure.Q, What’s your view of states that even try to ban the so-called “abortion pill?”Q. Tell us more about your work as a health coach for women. Reproductive Justice or the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), I"m happy to be connected. Or, the people can learn more at the following websites: keepabortionsafe.org or https://www.eracoalition.org/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast and the March 2023 episode of the Dixie Dems with my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia.Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen.Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of GOP Trump acolytes, Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, one of whom got wiped out in his bid for the 2016 GOP Presidential nomination and the other for whom a similar fate awaits in 2024.Today, we take a look at what’s happening politically in our three states as well as nationwide…One of the highlights of this episode is a discussion about the presidential candidacy of Nikki Haley, former SC governor and UN ambassador in the Trump administration. Arthur Hill says Haley "scares" him and predicts she will rise in the polls to become a serious contender for the Republican nomination, even though she's currently in the low single digits in the national polls."I think she's only four or 5% in the polls, but that's because most people don't know who she is," Hill says, "but I think she, has the ability to rise in the polls. I don't know. And, I think Trump's in free fall. I don't see him being as big a factor in the primaries as he has been in the past."About Haley, Hill adds, "To be perfectly honest, she scares me. She's, intelligent. She's she's attractive. She represents a clear alternative to Trump and DeSantis. And I think Pence isn't going anywhere. So I, think that if Republicans who are looking for somebody to ally with that are repelled by Trump and DeSantis, you've got Nikki Haley standing out there waiting in the wings to to increase her popularity."And, it's really early that not too many people outside of South Carolina know about Nikki Haley and even though she's got a track record. She's a governor, she's a former ambassador to the UN. So she's got chief executive chops and she's got international relations chops."I think once the word starts getting out around her I, let me be clear. I'm not supporting Nikki Haley for President , but but I am saying that I think she could be a formidable candidate in a general election." There's much more in this episode, with discussions about "anti-woke" initiatives in numerous states, prospects for Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, and much more.Take a listen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

At the age of 3, Ed Hajim was kidnapped by his father, driven cross-country, and was told his mother was dead. And then, not too much later, he was virtually abandoned by his dad. Many years later, business entrepreneur Ed Hajim received the Horatio Alger award for exemplifying the values of initiative, leadership, and commitment to excellence -- despite personal adversity.Hajim is the author of “On the Road Less Traveled, An Unlikely Journey from the Orphanage to the Boardroom.” It’s a memoir that describes the improbable story of how he bounced from foster homes to orphanages.It was a daily struggle to survive, but Hajim flourished, ultimately becoming an accomplished Wall Street executive and model family man. And now, he is giving back to a world that seemed intent on rejecting him.“On the Road Less Traveled” is packed with stories of how Hajim used his ingenuity to achieve his goals – like wangling a free plane trip to the west coast purportedly for an interview for a job he didn’t want – just so he could be the best man at a friend’s wedding.Hajim is the son of a Syrian immigrant and now has more than 50 years’ experience in the financial industry. His bio reads like a who’s who of major investment companies in which he’s held senior management or ownership positions. Ed Hajim, thanks for being with us today on Lean to the Left. It’s a pleasure speaking with you.Q. Your life story is filled with many twists and turns. How were you kidnapped by your dad? What led to that?Q. Did you ever find your mom? Tell us about that. What was it like to first meet her after 57 years?Q. What was your relationship like with your dad? How did it evolve over the years? How did this affect your life choices?Q. What did you learn from this adversity, and how did that influence your business career?Q. In your book, you describe in many places the sadness and loneliness that you felt because of the lack of immediate family. Did that affect your decisions later in life, especially when it came to business and leading people?Q. You fought poverty, but your memoir describes your ingenuity in finding ways to cover costs – money for college tuition, for example, including for tuition to Harvard Business School when you were, pretty much, flat broke. Talk to me about your determination to be financially independent and what ultimately happened.Q. You write that “Sometimes you need to know when a partnership has run its course. And sometimes, it’s better to sever ties and leave on your own, even if the next step I unknown. That’s often the road less traveled, but it’s so worth the journey.” What were you referring to and why do you say it was “worth the journey?”Q. You write in your memoir about the importance of obtaining a solid educational foundation, which you credit with making your life success possible. Can you elaborate on that? What advice do you give young people who want a higher education but for financial or other reasons are stuck and feel that’s an impossible dream?Q. What have you done personally to support higher education?Q. At the University of Rochester, you started a new magazine, from scratch. You wrote: “I loved putting projects and people together to solve a problem.” That’s pretty much your ultimate business story, right?Q. You received a Navy scholarship, which meant you had to serve three years in the Navy. What did that do for you?Q. You write: “The only constant in life is change. People change and businesses change. If you don’t adapt, you will not survive.” Can you please elaborate?Q. We haven’t talked about the various companies that you worked for or owned. Can you take us on a quickie tour? I know, it’s a lifetime…Q. What would you say were your most significant achievements in business? Q. What were your biggest failures?Q. You’ve just published a new book, “The Island of the Four Ps: A Modern Fable About Preparing for Your Future.” What’s the point of this book? What does it cover?Q. What are the “four Ps?” Q. You’ve been married for nearly 60 years, with three grown children and eight grandchildren. You write in “On the Road Less Traveled” that your wife, Barbara, fell in love with you when she was only a young girl and that you’re seven years older than her. How did she land you and what’s been the result of that marriage?Q. So you were the “hunter, gatherer” and she oversaw home and family. How did that work out?Q. OK, Ed Hajim, what’s next? Do you plan to just sit on the porch and drink iced tea?Q. Where can people find your books?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Welcome. I’m Bob Gatty with Mark M. Bello, social justice lawyer and author of riveting ripped-from-the-headline novels covering some of the major issues of our times. Look up “justice” in the dictionary and you’ll find something like: “Just or fair behavior or treatment.”In addition to hosting the Lean to the Left podcast, I co-host Mark’s “Justice Counts” podcast, where the conversation goes beyond the law to issues that are important – like equal access and fair treatment for everyone.But today we’re going to talk about Mark’s latest books. He’s been busy over the last few months, has won some new awards, including the Mom's Choice Gold Award from an organization of mothers in recognition of his new children's book about bullying, Happy Jack Sad Jack. During the episode Mark talks about this project as well as other new novels that he has in the works, including a new murder mystery and a "legal romance" novel.Take a listen.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Would you like a way to help everyone in your personal and professional networks vote faster, easier, and smarter – and help Democrats win – even in traditionally Republican areas? Today we’re with Wayne Liebman, director of operations and “hairball detangler” at BlueVoterGuide.org, a new, unique get-out-the-vote tool built by grassroots organizers for everyone.It’s progressive, simple, and shareable—bringing along all voters, including hesitant first-timers, to make voting easier and fun. Prior to the 2022 election, Wayne oversaw the creation of Blue Voter Guide. It’s a volunteer-led platform that makes voting easier by showing the endorsements of a wide range of progressive organizations. Blue Voter Guide had over 50,000 users in nine states in 2022, and will expand to all 50 states in 2024.A physician, playwright, and political organizer, Wayne worked to unite Southern California’s grass roots activists and Democratic party infrastructure into a winning alliance in 2018. He helped build SoCal Blue (initially Swing SoCal Left) to co-ordinate efforts to flip SoCal’s five Republican-held swing districts. SoCal Blue fueled the growth of local coalitions (Action Councils) and served as public event hub for thousands of district flipping activities. Following the November, 2018 sweep, Wayne took on the role of Director of Operations for Field Team 6, (Register Democrats, Save the World) partnering as a volunteer with Jason Berlin and C.O.O. Dale Roy Robinson to grow the organization into a national voter registration powerhouse, helping to register nearly 2 million Democrats and contributing to winning a Democratic trifecta in 2020. Wayne continued his work with SoCal Blue and Field Team 6 in 2022. So Wayne, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast. We’re anxious to hear about the Blue Voter Guide.Q. Can you fill us in on the Guide got started and how it works?Q. Is this only for the battleground target states?Q. You’re going to expand to other states, right? It would certainly be valuable in states, like South Carolina, where Republicans dominate but there is a huge influx of new voters from the northeast who need to be encouraged to vote.Q. Does the Guide include all Dem candidates, including local? How about Independent candidates?Q. How about ballot initiatives? Are they included?Q. Can you get a completed ballot to take with you when you vote?Q. What’s been the response?Q. Where can people learn more about the Blue Voter Guide?Q. Are you looking for volunteers to help spread the word? In what areas do you need help?Q. Are there events planned, like phone banking, etc.?Q. How can people sign up to volunteer?Q. I see on your website something called Current Storm. What’s that all about?Q. Are you working directly with Democratic organizations to expand use of the Blue Voter Guide?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Using a gun and handcuffs, Robert Nordlander chased tax evaders and money launderers around the world for the Internal Revenue Service. So considering that it’s tax time now, he’s our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast, where we talk about taxes, audits, avoiding trouble with the IRS, and a lot more.As an IRS-Criminal Investigation special agent, Nordlander was a highly trained federal agent who spent over 20 years chasing tax evaders and money launderers across the globe. His investigations ranged from simple embezzlement to cryptocurrency to using foreign trusts to hide income. He has traveled to various countries on behalf of the United States training other countries' federal investigators.Nordlander’s specialty is following the money, whether in a divorce, partnership dispute, stealing inheritances, or in criminal court. He also helps defense attorneys in criminal tax investigations, and is an expert in how to deal with the IRS with unpaid taxes.He is an Amazon best-selling author, having written two books, "Criminal Tax Secrets: What Every Defense Attorney Should Know" and "Unpaid Payroll Taxes: A Time Bomb You Can Defuse."Nordlander is a licensed CPA and a Certified Fraud Examiner. He also hosts two podcasts -- Fraud Fighter Podcast (which is about the forensic accounting and anti-fraud/anti-money laundering industry) and Criminal Tax Files (which is about criminal tax investigations)."We have a system where individuals or corporations self-assess their tax liability and then, report that information to the IRS," he points out. "The best way to get outta stay out of civil trouble is just by filing whatever's truth and honest and file it on time and accurately."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We’re back with another episode of Dixie Dems, the podcast from Lean to the Left that takes an irreverent look at politics in the south, as well as nationwide.As always, I'm joined by my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Uncle Tom Republican Tim Scott.In this episode, we take a look at political developments in our states and we fire a few shots at the Republicans, especially Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene who catcalled President Biden during the State of the Union address, pain in the behind Rep. Jim Jordan, the newly minted GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley, and many others.The episode includes our observations about the U.S. taking down those unidentified flying objects in February, including the so-called Chinese spy balloon, that was knocked out of the sky by a U.S. fighter jet on Biden's orders, as well as a double murder trial in South Carolina in which a longtime big shot lawyer is charged with killing his wife and son, and another trial featuring so-called Tiger King "Doc" Antle.So, there's lots to take in on this episode. Here's a bit of what we covered:Arthur, what’s happening in North Carolina?How about you, Robert. You’ve got a lot of action there in Georgia, what with wacko Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene continuing to grab attention.What’s happening in South Carolina?Take a listen...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Robin Bartlett takes us back 50 years to a "boots on the ground" account of his extraordinary combat experiences as a 22-year-old 1st Lieutenant with the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam. As a combat infantry platoon leader, he deployed a 32-man platoon on search and destroy missions and helicopter assaults into hot landing zones at the height of the Vietnam War.Today we’ll hear about the horror, fear, anguish, and sometimes illogical humor of that war. Robin talks about the long-term impact, both positive and negative, on his home life and business career...with insights about leadership, courage, PTSD, and life lessons learned.Promoted to 1st Lieutenant after only one year, Bartlett at 22 assumed the leadership of the 1st Platoon, A Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Over the next seven months, he led a platoon on more than 60 helicopter combat assaults and search and destroy missions.Bartlett grew up in a military family. His grandfather, father and brother all attended West Point, and in college, as the Vietnam War escalated and eighteen-year-olds were drafted daily, Bartlett joined his college’s ROTC program. As a Distinguished Military Graduate, he volunteered for Infantry, Airborne, and Ranger training, and assignment to the 82d Airborne Division. He got everything he asked for…and more.Bartlett holds a BA degree in Comparative Literature from Claremont McKenna College in California and a master’s degree in Media from Pace University in NYC. He has written numerous business publications and a professional book published by Dun & Bradstreet.He is the President of the NY/NJ Chapter of the 1st Cavalry Division Association, and a proud member of the 82d Airborne Division Association. He and his wife live in Norwood, New Jersey, and have three sons, none of whom have pursued military careers.Some questions we asked Robin:Q. We’re now celebrating the 50th anniversary of the treaty ending the Vietnam War. Tell us about your experience as a young lieutenant who was given life-and-death responsibility over young men, some barely old enough to buy a beer.Q. Give us your perspective of the war from a “boots on the ground” point of view.Q. How did you manage having misgivings about the mission while being required to follow orders and meet your responsibilities as a platoon leader?Q. What did you learn about leadership, decision making, courage and fear?Q. How did your experience in Vietnam as a 22-year-old platoon leader affect your post-war professional life? What have you been doing since then?Q. Describe what it was like to participate in a helicopter combat assault.Q. When did you come face-to-face with the enemy?Q. You just completed a new video, “Firefights and Courage,” in which you describe an assault and its aftermath. Fill us in on that.Q. Why are the words “Welcome Home” such an important greeting for Vietnam vets?Q. Tell us about your book, “Vietnam Combat: Firefights and Writing History.” What did you learn from writing it?Q. Where can people find it?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

It was 50 years ago that the U.S. signed a peace treaty to end its long war in Indochina, after losing over 58,000 troops and spending billions of dollars in a failed effort to prevent the nationalist-communist forces of North Vietnam from unifying the country.The U.S. killed 2-3 million Vietnamese, dropped 4.6 million tons of bombs, and created 15 million refugees--but still failed.Award-winning historian of the Vietnam War Robert Buzzanco has written and lectured widely about the war, including its final stages, the peace treaty, and the legacy of Vietnam.Buzzanco is a history professor at the University of Houston and co-host of the Green & Red Podcast and is the author of Vietnam and the Transformation of American Life, Masters of War: Military Dissent and Politics in the Vietnam Era and many other publications about the Vietnam War.Last March Bob appeared on the Lean to the Left podcast to discuss the war in Ukraine. We’re delighted to have him back to talk about Vietnam and its aftermath 50 years later.Here are questions we discuss in the episode:Q. Can you put into context what led to the 1973 peace treaty and its aftermath?Q. Let’s talk about the Christmas Bombings launched by President Nixon in December 1972. What led to this offensive and what was the eventual result?Q. Today, Vietnam, our former enemy is a trading partner with the US and last year Americans invested nearly $3 billion there. Was it worth it?Q. What lessons did we lesrn from the Vietnam War?Q. How does that relate to American foreign policy today when it comes to Russia, Ukraine, China and North Korea?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The mass shootings keep coming and innocent people keep getting gunned down. In fact, every day 110 people are killed by guns. On Feb. 14 it will be the five-year anniversary of the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, FL, when 17 people were murdered and 17 others injured.Yet, the politicians do nothing. Today’s Lean to the Left podcast episode looks at that through the eyes of Gabrielle Zwi, a young woman who wrote a song she created from her own experiences. It's called "Guns to a Playground Fight."Late last year Gabrielle, a 22-year-old singer-songwriter, educator, and community organizer based in Rockville, MD, graduated from Columbia University, having safely made it through elementary and secondary school without being gunned down in her classroom.The day after the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, where 21 people, including 19 third and fourth grade children and two teachers were killed and another 17 wounded, Zwi was moved to write her folk-pop protest tune which examines what it means to grow up as a member of the “school shooting generation.”Gabrielle's song was released December 9, just before the 10th anniversary of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting – you know, the one that Infowars founder Alex Jones claimed never really happened and since has been ordered to pay nearly $1.5 billion to the families of victims there.Her song was released in partnership with Lives Robbed, an organization founded by the parents and grandparents of children whose lives were lost to the shooting at Robb Elementary. All of the profits from streaming/downloads and associated performances are being donated to them.The shootings never seem to stop. Less than a week into 2023, a six-year-old student allegedly shot his teacher with a handgun at a Virginia elementary in what police described as an “intentional” shooting. He reportedly used his mother’s legally purchased handgun to shoot his 25-year-old teacher, who led her students out of the classroom after being shot.Take a listen...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today we’re with Lynne Parmiter Bowman, author of the Amazon best selling cookbook, Brownies for Breakfast. You probably won’t believe it, but Lynne is 76. You would most certainly never know it and we’re going to spend some time finding out how she maintains her youth.But there’s a lot more to Lynne Bowman than a pretty face. Lynne has been featured at women's expos throughout the country, speaking on kitchen table culture, community planning and the gift of diabetes. She teamed up with actress Deidre Hall to write and publish Deidre Hall's Kitchen Closeup (2010) and Deidre Hall's How Does She Do It? (2012). In a previous life, she worked with Silicon Valley companies as a creative director, winning national awards. She was Creative Director at E&J Gallo Winery, Advertising Manager at RedKen Laboratories, and held various other positions with agencies and clients in San Jose, Los Angeles, and on the East Coast. Lynne has also worked as an actress, makeup artist, screenwriter, illustrator, legal journalist and television Weather Person. She is the mother of three grown children, and has two grandchildren. So we have a lot to talk about today.What does she mean about “the GIFT” of diabetes? We need to find out about that. We’ll talk about her cookbook, Brownies for Breakfast, and see what that’s all about. And, we’ll talk about healthy eating, things we can do to stay healthy, and a lot more.So, Lynne, thanks for joining us today on Lean to the Left.Q. First off, when we first chatted about you coming on my show, you said you wanted to do it because you “lean to the left, with good reason.” How about explaining that?Q. You’re 76 and still going! You could be doing anything you want, or nothing! Why this?Q. How is Brownies for Breakfast different from other cookbooks for diabetics?Q. The title includes the line “A Cookbook for Diabetics and The People Who Love them.” Why did you include “...and the people who love them” in your title?Q. Does this book have any meat or dairy in it?Q. You’ve done a lot of things in your career, but what makes you an authority on healthy eating and diabetes?Q. What surprised you most during your research and writing?Q. What’s the one new habit that would make a big difference in someone’s health?Q. Do you think there should be more cooperation and coordination between the food and healthcare industries?Q. How do you get kids to eat healthy?Q. Climate change is affecting all of us, and you guys are really experiencing the impact there in California. How does our food culture affect the environment?Q. What are your thoughts about what needs to be done to combat climate change?Q. What are your thoughts about fast food and the constant battle between fast food companies for market share?Q. You and your husband have a small farm on the coast there in Northern California. What do you do there?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

This is a story of absolute determination; the story of a rock jock who had the world by the tail -- until he didn't -- and then what he did to live life at its fullest despite having been dealt a bad hand regarding his health.Kim Curry was a radio broadcaster for 33 years in some of America’s finest cities, a DJ in different time slots, and the Program Director of two of America’s legendary stations; KTSA-AM San Antonio and Power 96, Miami.Curry was a broadcaster in the days when ownership was limited to seven AM and seven FM radio stations, before radio's corporate takeover.Creative freedom and owner trust led to huge ratings as a DJ, consistently scoring the highest ratings in his timeslot. As Program Director, “Kid” Curry led Power 96 to ratings never before seen in the station’s history and achieved the most significant cumulative audience in the Southeast United States.In 2005, Kim Curry was forced into retirement from the radio business after being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. Now, he’s the author of the book, "Come Get Me Mother, I'm Through!"You can follow the story of Curry’s career and battle with a chronic disease at KRCurry.com.Take a listen...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We’re back with another episode of Dixie Dems, the podcast from Lean to the Left that takes an irreverent look at politics in the south, as well as nationwide. TToday, we’ll offer up some prognostications for 2023 as well as take a look at some of the key political developments in our three states, and if our comments turn nationally, don’t be surprised. With me are my partners, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Uncle Tom Republican Tim Scott.So, welcome guys… First, let’s get to the news. Arthur, what’s happening in the Tar Heel State? (Where did that name come from, anyway?)How about you, Robert. You’ve got a lot of action there in Georgia, what with rabble rouser Marjorie Taylor Greene, the crazy one, apparently gaining influence and all.She had a “meeting in the ladies room” with Boebert to tell her she needed to join the swamp monsters – ironic That guy in Florida calling congress to get mccarthy elected Notice how nothing is being said about Nancy Pelosi? Because Republicans have to come up with a whole new narrative on hakeem jeffries GA embracing electric vehicles.And, hey, how about those reports that “John Doe,” a former staffer for the Hershel Walker campaign, has sued conservative leader Matt Schlapp for allegedly sexually assaulting him last October. The unnamed aide is seeking almost $9.4 million in damages. Schlapp is chairman of the Conservative Political Action Coalition and denies “any improper behavior.” See what happens when you get in bed with monsters?And who's heard from Herschel lately anyway?Exactly. What’s happening in South Carolina? Well, the Democrats have had a defection – Sen. Mia McLeod, who unsuccessfully sought the party’s nomination to run against Gov. Henry McMaster – has left the Democrats and is now identifying as an Independent. McLeod claimed her decision is because the state’s Democratic party “no longer espouses the values my constituents and I hold dear.”“By not engaging, enlightening or expanding the electorate…refusing to publicize the June Primary and getting a historical top of the ticket ‘shellacking’ on November 8, the party ensured a Republican super-majority and the losses of eight Black legislators in the S.C. House, five of whom were black women,” McLeod said.Her announcement sent shock waves through the party’s establishment, many of whom derided McLeod for being a lackluster candidate and simply driven by political ambition. Tough for Democrats to win statewide in SC…really tough.The other big news in SC is in the state legislature, which now has a Republican super majority. And they show no signs of moderation. Already, more than a dozen bills have been introduced to attack LGBTQ+ people, and they’re trying to get around the state Supreme Court’s ruling that the state’s extremely restrictive abortion law is unconstitutional. That law banned abortion after six weeks. The court said the law violates a state constitutional right to privacy. Gonna be interesting to see what happens, but my money’s on McMaster and the Republicans to come up with some other draconian approach to deny women the right to control their own bodies.OK, Now for predictions: Robert…how about you first?The House will be even worse of a shit show Benghazi was nothing – if I hear one more thing about Hunter Biden and his laptop! The swamp will get choppy on a qwest to get to the craziest first – 23% national sales tax will fail I thought we were battling inflation? Extreme Mentally ill conservatives will continue to have access to too many guns and there will be more bloodshed. Medicare will be destructed more, $1k/mo to private insurers will be cut and/or traditional medicare will be gone. Social Security age will go up, benefits are already not keeping up with demands.Arthur?OK, I’ll close it up with these predictions:If Republicans play their hard-line game regarding expanding the debt limit and America defaults on its obligations, we’ll face a massive financial crisis and a 2007-like stock market crash.2. Attorney General Merrick Garland will seek to indict Trump on charges stemming from the January 6 insurrection and other nefarious actions. But Trump will somehow escape serious punishment.3. Biden and his Congressional supporters will be targeted by the Republicans who may even seek to impeach Biden, especially now that it’s been discovered that Biden also took classified documents home when he was VP. It’s going to be a tough year for House Democrats.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The high cost of prescription drugs affects us all. But what’s behind them? Is it just pharmaceutical company greed?Welcome to Lean to the Left, the podcast that explores important developments that shape our society and our world. Our guest today is Hank Laskey, PhD, a longtime adviser and consultant in the pharmaceutical industry.Hank brings a ton of knowledge and perspective about this industry and the companies that provide the life-saving drugs so important to us all. We’ll tackle some of the factors that affect the prices we all pay for our prescriptions and hear his thoughts about what can, and should, be done about that.Dr. Laskey also will share with us insight that will help those who want to enter that industry, or advance within in it. That’s part of the reason why he authored a book called “The Global Pharmaceutical Industry: Economic Structure, Government Regulation, and History.”The book combines the study of business and economics with medicine, science, and technology-all within a regulatory framework-and helps the reader understand the multifaceted global pharmaceutical industry.Dr. Laskey, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast.Q. One of the major concerns that most of us have today is the high cost of prescription drugs. With insulin, for example, it got to the point where Congress capped the price at $35 per month—but only for Medicare patients. Can you walk us through what’s involved here?Q. What did you think of Martin Shkreli, the Turing Pharmaceuticals owner who jacked up the price of insulin to crazy levels and who raised the cost of a decades-old drug used to treat infections in babies and people with AIDS by more than 5,000 percent?Q. Every time we turn on the TV we’re bombarded with ads for pharmaceutical products for everything from HIV to cancer to skin rashes. These products are targeted to narrow segments of the population who suffer from these various diseases. Yet, those ads are within programming that is geared to a general audience. Does this make sense?Q. How does the marketing side of the industry interact with the medical side? Are these marketing costs reflected in the ultimate price consumers must pay for these drugs?Q. PhRMA, the lobbying organization representing the industry, has published a piece on the web that claims that “due to negotiations in the market,” prices health plans paid for brand medicines increased by just 1 percent on average in 2021. They blame insurers and other middlemen for forcing many of the sickest patients to pay high out-of-pocket costs. Really? Your comment?Q. Sometimes at the end of a commercial, after all of the possible side effects are revealed, the voice/over will say that “X company may be able to help” with the cost. What are these patient assistance programs offered by biopharmaceutical companies and how do they work?Q. What are the differences between generic drugs and brand medicines? Are the generics just as good and as effective?Q. The industry always claims that the cost for prescription drugs must reflect the high cost of research and development. To many, this seems like a cop-out. Your thoughts?Q. What’s your view of federal regulation of the industry? Does there need to be more? In what areas?Q. Let’s talk about those individuals who would like a career in this industry. You’ve worked as a consultant, published research articles, taught courses for several leading industry companies. What’s your advice to those who want a career in the pharmaceutical industry or move up within it? Does your book address this?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.

If you’ve been to the doctor recently, you probably know that America’s health care system, as good as it is, could really stand some improvements. That’s our topic on the Lean to the Left podcast with a top expert in healthcare, Firouz Daneshgari, M.D.Dr. Daneshgari is a surgeon-scientist, educator and entrepreneur who has worked at the University of Colorado, Cleveland Clinic and Case Western Reserve University. He has published more than 200 scientific articles, led numerous scientific and clinical panels, and trained hundreds of students, residents, fellows and junior faculty.Dr. Daneshgari, known as "FD", is author of “Health Guardianship, the Remedy to the Sick Care System,” a must read if you want to understand what’s gone wrong with American healthcare and would like to see a solution.Following implementation of the Affordable Care Act and approval of its mandates by the Supreme Court, Dr. Daneshgari founded Bow Tie Medical to create systematic innovations for bringing efficiency and value into the healthcare delivery system."We are the most expensive healthcare system in the world," he says on the show. "We are spending twice, three to 500% more than our European or Japanese counterpart.. The reason we are the most expensive is because the healthcare is delivered through 5,000 hospitals that they have become financial institutions, that they use delivery of the clinical services as a revenue generating activities and with that they generate about 50% of waste."That waste, he says, includes clinical services and activities that do not lead to beneficial health outcomes, although they generate revenue for the hospitals, explaining that "There are systematic misalignments between the roles of hospitals as the main providers, consumers, you and I and the third party payer."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Artificial intelligence (AI), is increasing across our economy and in our world. Exactly what is it? What are some of the implications? Why would Elon Musk say “With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the devil?”That’s our topic on the Lean to the Left podcast with our guest is Guy Morris, a proven thought leader in adapting advanced technologies, implementing complex IT applications, and advocate for internet and cyber-security."AI has become one of the most dangerous vehicles for misinformation that we've got," Morris says on the podcast, during which he discusses efforts to create a worldwide digital currency to replace the dollar and other currencies, that various forms of AI threaten individual privacy and financial security, and are being used in weapons systems, including "swarms" of drones that can be dispatched to attack an enemy.He tells how he was contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation because of some of his work in artificial intelligence, and the threat of both Russia and China in the development and deployment of AI.With multiple degrees, and 36 years of Fortune 100 leadership within companies like IBM, Oracle and Microsoft, Guy has a lot of success stories. They range from designing a macro-economic model that out-performed the Federal Reserve and all major banks, building high-performance global teams, driving merger & acquisition deals in energy, innovating early AI Expert Systems technology, and pioneering internet tech and award-winning webisodes.Guy is also a Disney published composer, musician with multiple CDs, inventor, a licensed Coast Guard charter captain, entrepreneur, researcher of history and prophecy, and author of AI, espionage, religious, political and history thrillers, including his latest, "Swarm" and "The Last Ark."We’re delighted to have Guy Morris with us on the Lean to the Left podcast, where we love to explore important developments that shape our society and our world.Listen to the episode.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

When Doreen Padilla was 14 years old, she met Saul Falcon at a new school just west of Denver, and this young woman, half white and half Hispanic, eventually fell in love with this handsome boy with shiny black hair, and one day, years later, they were married.Like many young couples, they struggled to make ends meet. But they had an extra burden – how to gain permanent residency status for Saul, who had been brought to America from Mexico by his parents at age 2.Saul was a dreamer, an immigrant given protection by President Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which allowed him to live and work in the U.S. But then, Donald Trump attempted to kill that program, and the pressure for Saul to obtain documentation and his green card intensified.That journey has been revealed in a new book, “Outsiders, a Journey to Belonging,” by Doreen, our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast today.Doreen grew up in the suburbs of Denver, Colorado, where she lives today with her husband, Saul, and two children. She was the first in her family to graduate from college and go on to earn a graduate degree.In her current role in local government, she wears many hats to support employees in her organization. As a public servant she is dedicated to the communities around her and is consistently advocating for positive change."Outsiders: A Journey to Belonging" , which tells the true story of a dreamer growing up in America, is an important part of that effort. Doreen, welcome to Lean to the Left.Q. Tell us about your book and why you wrote it.Some questions we asked Doreen:Q. What was it like battling to keep Saul from being deported to Mexico, especially after Trump tried to kill DACA?Q. Where do things stand now with Saul and his quest to become a citizen?Q. What advice do you give others who face this same situation?Q. Congress continues to be unable to reform our dysfunctional immigration system. What are your thoughts about that?Q. Immigrants, especially those from across our southern border, continue to be targeted by many politicians, mostly Republicans, and used as political pawns to whip up support from their right-wing base. What are your thoughts about that?Q. How did you and your husband feel when Trump was in office pushing his wall along the southern border to keep immigrants from entering the U.S.?Q. What about now, with the current crisis as thousands try to enter the U.S. seeking asylum from violence in their home countries? What should happen?Q. Your husband was a DACA “dreamer.” What contributions has he made to the U.S. and American society?Q. There are about 2 million “dreamers” in the U.S. today, with about 600,000 being beneficiaries of DACA. What should happen to them?Q. Tell us about Barking Beagle Books. Why did you launch your own publishing company, and what’s the plan going forward?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.

"In America you're free to do anything, you want to do, but you can't choose the consequences of your behavior."So says John Yearwood, author of Jar of Pennies, a novel about a murderer who was failed by America's educational system that focuses on teaching to the test, not on critical thinking. Yearwood is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast."Consequences are going to be determined by what you do," Yearwood says. "And a lot of, kids don't get that idea coming through school and, or for that matter, a lot of other necessary life skills. All of them all of them going along with the, with the principle of critical thinking."So part of what what I'm doing in Jar of Pennies is telling the story of a guy who just didn't have the the, education and to acquire the skill to think through what happens when you do certain sorts of things."And the result of that is he, can only live a, life of reaction. He can't plan for anything in the future, he can't plan his actions so that he ends up in a place where he wants to end up. And the ultimate result of living a life of reaction is he lives just long enough for the state to execute him."A former stringer for the New York Times, Yearwood taught in high schools and universities for 30 years and was an award-winning journalist for 15 years. He has published hundreds of editorials and columns and thousands of news stories, as well as academic works on the First Amendment and the extra-Constitutional powers of the Presidency during times of crisis.John now volunteers helping elementary students improve their reading skills and assisting refugee immigrants when he is not writing.Some of our questions for Yearwood:Q. Tell us about Jar of Pennies and how it relates to our topic today.Q. Is corruption more or less widespread in small town America?Q. Do differences in diversity within the population of small town America vs. larger American cities play a role here?Q. We still are seeing manifestations of racial unrest and bigotry, especially in former slave states in America, but really elsewhere, too. Right?Q. How is “fear” a rural pastime in East Texas, practiced by locals on one another, sometimes in jest, and on most strangers as a way of preventing social change? You like to use a rattlesnake as an example, right?Q. Does the increased use of artificial intelligence, which allows people to use special software to automatically write documents pose a threat to students learning how to write effectively?Q. I noticed a Facebook post in which you say that over the last five years you’ve mentored local elementary and middle school kids as a volunteer reading teacher, and that this year you had two pregnant 12-year-olds in school, both victims of incest. You write that “if you support overturning Roe, then you murdered those girls.” Comment further?Q. What are your thoughts about the supreme court? Should it be expanded?Q. How can people reach out to you and buy your book?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

At a basic level, are humans chasing wants but neglecting essential needs like health, a sense of belonging, a feeling that we are respected, trust, purpose, meaning? As our current era comes to a close, will we return instinctively to what really matters?Those are some core issues tackled on the Lean to the Left podcast by David Wann, an author, filmmaker, and speaker who is passionate about sustainable lifestyles and designs.He was a founder of the cooperative ("Cohousing") neighborhood where he's lived and gardened for 26 years. He's a proud husband and father who has recently adopted the title of "apocaloptimist." He knows how deep we're in but thinks we might make another evolutionary leap.In his first novel, "Tickling the Bear: How to Stay Safe in the Universe," David draws upon his experience as an organic gardener, founder of a co-housing community, and amateur musician to create credible characters who navigate a threatened world and find acceptance and clarity on how to live with gratitude.Altogether, David has written 10 books, including “Affluenza,” now in nine languages, which was followed by “Simple Prosperity”. A third book in the trilogy about creating a more sensible way of life is “The New Normal,” which presents 33 high-leverage actions that can shift our culture in a more sustainable direction.”David also has produced 20 videos and TV programs, including the award-winning TV documentary “Designing a Great Neighborhood,” about the Holiday neighborhood in Boulder, Colorado. He worked for more than a decade as a policy analyst for the U.S. EPA and co-designed the cohousing neighborhood where he lives, in Golden, CO.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The International Energy Agency has reported that the world will add as much renewable energy over the next five years as it did in the past two decades, with renewables such as wind and solar overtaking coal as the largest source of energy generation worldwide by early 2025.That’s a significant development, so to bring it into context we have with us on the Lean to the Left podcast Jack Kerfoot, a scientist, energy expert, and author of the book FUELING AMERICA, An Insider’s Journey and articles for The Hill, one of the largest independent political news sites in the United States.Jack has been interviewed on over 100 radio and television stations from New York City to Los Angeles on numerous energy related topics. This is his fourth appearance on the Lean to the Left podcast.Discussion questions:Why is the demand for coal, declining around the world?2. Which countries are the primary consumers of coal around the world?3. Is the United States reducing its consumption of coal? I4. Is the reduction in coal consumption impacting the United States greenhouse gas emission?5. Where and why are renewable energy projects, like solar and wind being developed?6. Are the volatile fossil fuel prices, the reason for inflation in the United States?7. What exactly are greenhouse gases and what generates greenhouse gas emissions?8. How do greenhouse gases cause global warming?9. What is the impact of climate change?10. What is the future of electric vehicles in the U.S.?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

In dozens of states across the nation efforts are underway to influence, even intimidate, school board members to restrict what can be taught, and what library books can be available, to public school students.In South Carolina, for example, school boards are considering proposals to ban a long list of books from school libraries because of parental objections to their content, whether it involves the discussion of sexual identity, racial disparities, or other "controversial" topics. In Horry County, home to the resort community of Myrtle Beach, the county school board meets January 23 to consider such requests involving some 77 books.Behind the drive to restrict library books and subjects that can be taught are activist conservatives, including Moms for Liberty, which says it "is dedicated to fighting for the survival of America by unifying, educating and empowering parents to defend their parental rights at all levels of government.""This is a very small, radical faction," says Josh Malkin, legislative advocate with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in South Carolina. "Polling shows that folks on both sides of the aisle see book bans for what they are: a very dangerous attack on one of the core values of American democracy. This is not Democratic, it's not Republican, it's not conservative, it's not progressive. This is radical. This is authoritarian, and this is dangerous."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

It’s hard to believe that in this day and age unions representing freight rail workers are having to threaten a strike because they cannot get paid sick days. It took an act of Congress to avert the strike, and still, they were unable to get the sick leave that is only a human right. That’s the kind of fight that is in the blood of our Lean to the Left podcast guest today, Jon Melrod, author of “Fighting Times, Organizing on the Front Lines of the Class War.”Melrod’s story is one of a young man who came to unionism through social activism beginning in his teens. His world view was formed in the 1960s when he saw a chain gang of Black prisoners working along-side the road, and couldn’t understand why the local amusement park near Washington DC refused to allow Black kids to enjoy the pool and the rides.His is a story of student Vietnam War protests, of fighting racism, and then of working as a laborer at various companies where he helped organize workers and protest injustice. Those jobs, which often involved working with toxic chemicals, resulted in his 2004 diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and given only six months to a year to live. Determined to overcome the illness, he marshalled both western and alternative treatments and, despite the odds, survived the deadly disease.Now in his 70s, Melrod has written a memoir that he hopes will help his sons understand what motivated his choices over the years as a union activist after his cancer diagnosis. It’s a fascinating book, filled with personal accounts of his fight to support workers and overcome racism. And it takes us back to the experiences of the 60s and 70s, to violent campus protests against the War and racism.Here are some questions Jon discusses on the show: 1. Tell us about “Fighting Times,” it’s origin and what you hope to achieve.2. What were some of the transformative events that resulted in your determination to help working people?3. You went to a boarding school in Vermont as a teen. What happened there that influenced your world view?4. Tell us about your experiences at the University of Wisconsin, the battle for justice for Hispanic farmworkers, and the fight against racial disparities.5. What prompted you to sort of infiltrate companies like American Motors and lead efforts against racism and unfair labor practices?6. You eventually went to law school. To do what?7. What are your thoughts about the revival of union activism that we are seeing at companies like Amazon, Starbucks, Kellogg’s, Nabisco, John Deer, and American Airlines?8. Do you see a resurgence of young people working to organize at companies that some might believe are immune from union activity, like Starbucks or Amazon, for example?9. What is your view of the future of organized labor in the U.S. today?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today on the December edition of the Dixie Dems on the Lean to the Left podcast we’re taking a look at the mid-term election, Sen. Ralphael Warnock’s win in Georgia over Herschel Walker, and what’s still ahead. With me are Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals, which is worth a listen. Me…I’m based in South Carolina, home of Sens. Lindsey Graham and Uncle Tom Republican Tim Scott.The big news, of course, is Warnock’s victory in Georgia. Robert, what are your thoughts about how that turned out and what that means for Democrats there going forward.What do you guys think about Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona switching to Independent? Do you think this will have any lasting impact on what Dems can get done? Arthur, North Carolina is at the center of a redistricting case now before the U.S. supreme Court, Moore v. Harper. Can you tell us what’s going on?The case stems from North Carolina Republican efforts to stack Congressional districts in their favor, so much so that a state court threw out the GOP map and enlisted a nonpartisan panel to come up with districts that are much fairer. Now that’s been challenged by the NC Speaker of the House and other Republican lawmakers.Looking back at this past year, what do you guys think were the most significant political events…The Jan 6 hearings…the Midterm elections…The FBI Mara-lago raid?The Dixie Dems consensus: President Biden's ability to maneuver key legislation through Congress, despite intransigent opposition from Republicans, and his ability to hold the Senate for Democrats and avoid the "red wave" predicted in the House is the political story of the year.Take a listen:Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The battle against climate change and the need to move sustainability from theory to practice becomes increasingly important and apparent every day.John Pabon has spent two decades in the business of saving our Earth and is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. He joins us from his home in Melbourne, Australia.After leaving a post at the United Nations, John traveled the world studying the impacts of sustainability first-hand in factories, on fields, and in Fortune 500s. His mission is to move sustainability from theory to practical strategies that help people and businesses confidentially make real impact. Over his 20-year career, Pabon has worked with the United Nations, McKinsey, A.C. Nielsen, and as a consultant with BSR, the world’s largest sustainability-focused business network. He is the founder of Fulcrum Strategic Advisors, Programme Director for The Conference Board’s Asia Sustainability Leaders Council, and serves on the board of advisors to the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce. Pabon is also the author of “Sustainability for the Rest of Us: Your No-Bullshit, Five-Point Plan for Saving the Planet.” His upcoming book, “The Great Greenwashing,” will be out soon.On the program, Pabon points out that more and more business owners and managers are finding that cost savings and increased profits are to be found in eco-friendly initiatives, including simple measures for using fewer resources like water and paper, to long-term resilience measures such as installing renewable energy systems. As the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce points out, "consumers are expecting more from companies. In fact, 87% of American’s have “high expectations for companies to do more than make a profit.” Investment portfolios with social responsibility criteria have seen “double digit growth” In recent years."A study completed by the Harvard Business School found that “High Sustainability companies outperform Low Sustainability companies both in stock market as well as accounting performance.”Pabon contends that businesses must be in the forefront in the battle against climate change, and that those that recognize this are satisfying the desires of their customers while also benefiting financially.Here are some questions discussed in the interview:Q. What do you mean when you use the term “sustainability?”Q. What is the state of global sustainability today? Q. Why isn’t “people power” working?Q. What are the biggest myths when it comes to building a more sustainable future?Q. You say we should learn from China about sustainability? Really? Why? What can we learn from them?Q. What role should the private sector have in this effort?Q. You say that the greenies and eco-warriors have actually made the world a worse place. Why is that?Q. We see a lot of talk about climate change and environmentalism. How is your perspective different?Q. You call yourself a pragmatic altruist. What does that mean?Q. What can readers hope to gain by reading your book?Q. What are your five BS-free points? Which do you see as the most important and why? Q. Tell us about your new book, “The Great Greenwashing.” What is “greenwashing’? How can we recognize and avoid it?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

We seem to be bombarded these days with claims that CBD and related products can cure everything from backaches to depression, sleeplessness and more.Neighbors are selling them as a stay-at-home business. You can buy the stuff online, at little specialty shops, even tanning salons, and it seems no matter who you talk to, you'll be told about the miraculous results that can be obtained by a few drops of CBD oil on your tongue.It's like the old snake oil salesman from the old western movies. Just try it. You won't believe the results. But there are no controls, no regulations, no federal review. Really, we're on our own out there.Well, Inesa Ponomarlovalte, founder of Nesas Hemp, is an expert on these products -- cannabinoids -- so I invited her on my Lean to the Left podcast to get some facts. In the interview, we discuss the rapidly growing CBD industry in the U.S. and Inesa walks us through the differences in the various types of CBD products now available – what’s legal, and what works and why.In 2020 global sales of $2.8 billion are expected to rise by more than 21 percent through 2028. U.S. sales are projected to reach $1.8 billion by 2022. So a lot of people are buying these products, which are NOT cheap.Inesa is a holistic health practitioner and an expert on hemp and CBD.. She says she’s on a mission to change the world by teaching people to harness the power of nature, and that’s why she founded Nesa’s Hemp.Interestingly, Inesa is calling on the federal government to regulate CBD and related products. Right now, she says, "it's like the wild, wild West out there."When we interviewed Inesa, Brittney Griner, the all-star center with the WNBA's Phoenix Mercery, had been sentenced to nine-years in a Russian prison for drug possession -- canisters containing cannabis oil prescribed by a doctor to treat pain. Today, President Biden announced that she was on her way home after a prisoner exchange swap for convicted arms dealer Viktor Bout. During the interview, Inesa says sports stars like Griner are helping others realize the health benefits of cannabis products.Here are some questions we asked Inesa:First, let’s start with the basics. Exactly what is CBD and how is CBDa different? To many people, all of these health benefit claims might seem almost too good to be true. What’s your response?So why would an executive of a company that makes and sells such products want government regulations? Usually that’s exactly the opposite of what most industries want….the government telling them what they can and cannot do.What kind of regulations should be established and why?What are your thoughts about the Griner case and its impact on your industry?What’s the impact on the industry of professional athletes like Griner choosing cannabis to treat pain?I’m wondering if CBD products have been shown to be effective in helping people with Covid.How do you feel about legalizing recreational pot. Here in South Carolina, Joe Cunningham, the Democratic candidate for governor, is calling for it to be legalized and his good ole boy Republican opponent has an ad out ridiculing him.Your website says that deep down in your heart, you truly believe you can create a positive revolutionary change in the world. That’s a lot. Please explain.What would you like people to take from this discussion?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today we have something a little different for you. I’m with Ciahnan (Keenan) Darrell, author of the new book, Blood at the Root, and we’re going to talk about the role literature and the arts can play in promoting social justice.According to Justin Gifford, associate professor of English at the University of Nevada, Blood at the Root “is a sharp-witted social satire that takes unflinching aim at race and class privilege in contemporary America.”An award-winning author, and scholar, Ciahnan’s first book was the award-winning “A Lifetime of Men.” His short stories and essays have appeared in several journals, most recently in The Columbia Review, Gone Lawn, and The Legendary. His story 'What Remains' was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Rum Punch Press. Ciahnan holds Masters degrees from the University of Chicago and Stony Brook University, and a PhD in Comparative Literature from the University at Buffalo. Both his creative work and his scholarly research explore systemic inequality and the ways in which discourse on race and gender shape the horizons of individual and social life.These are important topics, so I’m pleased to welcome Ciahnan Darrell to our podcast. Thanks for joining us, Ciahnan…--Bob: To get started, Ciahnan, tell us about Blood at the Root. What’s it about and what’s its message? And where did that title come from?Bob: As a white male, what gives you the right – the authority – to write about issues of race and gender? And why do you feel it is important to do so?Bob In the atmosphere in which live today, with so much division, and yes, ethnic and racial hatred, what role can we, as authors, play in helping to ease these tensions and improve understanding among those with differing views regarding these subjects.Bob: To me, one of the most important issues that we face today is the growing diversity of our country, which I believe is at the root of much of the division we face. Your thoughts about that…Bob: The nation is becoming increasingly diverse, in terms of ethnicity, as we speak. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, the White non-Hispanic population stood at 57.8 percent, a decline of six percent since 2010. That, we know, continues and projections are that soon the White non-Hispanic population will be in the minority. Is this one reason why we see so much hatred and defensiveness from the MAGA crowd and the likes of the Proud Boys?Bob: An important finding in the census is the increased diversity in the younger population. In 2019, for the first time, more than half of the those under 16 identified as a racial or ethnic minority. What are some of the political and cultural implications of that?Bob: As an author and scholar who’s work centers around fairness and equality, what’s your view of the way Donald Trump and his followers have attempted to weaponize fear to pave the road to power? Bob: Your first book, A Lifetime of Men…tell us about that book.Bob: And your short stories…let’s hear about them.Bob: Thanks, Ciahnan, for being with us on our podcasts.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

In this episode of the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts, Mark Bello and I are speaking with David Tabatsky, the author of a riveting book about the Holocaust, “The Boy Behind the Door, How Salomon Kool Escaped the Nazis.” David has authored, co-authored and edited many novels, including Friends Like These, The Marijuana Project, The Battle of Zig Zag Pass and Drunk Log. He was our guest on a previous podcast with author Brian Felgoise, to discuss their book “Filthy Rich Lawyers, the Education of Ryan Coleman.”But “The Boy Behind the Door” is totally different. It’s the true story of a young Jewish boy, who with luck, wit, and help from others manages to escape the Nazis as they murdered friends and family in his hometown in Amsterdam during World War II.It's a riveting interview as Tabatsky tells us how that young boy overcame the terror of Nazi soldiers nearly capturing him to hide out in a nursery, then with others who were willing to help, even as some neighbors were turning in Jews to the Nazis to gain their favor.Many years later, in his twilight years, that boy, Salomon Kool, told his story to Tabatsky so the award-winning author could share it with the world. The result: "The Boy Behind the Door: How Salomon Kool Escaped the Nazis."Here are questions we asked Tabatsky:Mark: We talked to you about Filthy Rich Lawyers, which is a completely different kind of book than “The Boy Behind The Door.” This one, it seems, was far more personal. It is based on a true story, the protagonist is an actual Holocaust survivor. Tell us the backstory. You actually traveled to Amsterdam and interviewed Salomon Kool. How were chosen for this project?Bob: The story is a powerful document about a time in world history that we must never forget. Is this book targeted at young readers with that purpose in mind?Mark: I don’t think I’m ruining anything by asking you this, but I will issue a spoiler alert. Salomon had parents, two brothers, and a sister, all of whom perished in concentration camps. He spent several years on the run, not knowing whether they were alive or dead. Did he share with you what that was like for a boy 13-16 years of age?Bob: Many of his oppressors were Dutch, not German. Some were his own neighbors. Did he talk about what it was like to suddenly be treated like dirt by people who were once his friends?Mark: I want to ask about the title. I read the book; I understand the reference, but I would like our listeners to hear it. There are so many stories from those times where fate, luck, or quick thinking, changed the course of history for this survivor or that one. Tell us about the title?Robert: Mark asked about evil neighbors. On the opposite end of the spectrum, many righteous Dutch gentiles, at great risk to themselves, helped Salomon and hid him. Did he have fond memories of these people?Mark: The book doesn’t delve too deeply into the relationship, but Salomon actually falls in love with the daughter of one of the couples who are hiding him. Tell us about that relationship? He ended up marrying another woman, after the war ended, but did he ever see or hear from Marta Rose again?Bob: I’m wondering, Salomon hid from the Nazis and, with luck, was never actually captured. Obviously, many people, Jews and Gentiles, helped him achieve this rather miraculous outcome. I remember reading about Anne Frank and how several people hid out in an attic for years. We know some people survived or escaped from the camps We know that 6,000,000 Jews died, but do we know how many told similar survival stories like Salomon’s?Mark: I want to go back to the issue of righteous gentiles. There has been an untick in anti-Semitism in America. Jews have always been targets for bad behavior, but here is an example of heroic behavior by a population that would have been safer by not assisting Jews. Was this primarily a Dutch thing, or was this happening in other European countries, as well.Bob: Was your depiction of Salomon’s father accurate? Reading between the lines, it seemed to me that the man may have been losing his mind. The vignette about him proposing that the whole family commit suicide was heartbreaking. Was he thinking rationally at the time Salomon last saw him?Mark: Share with our listeners, Salomon’s last moments with his mother. I cannot imagine how a young boy cope’s and survives such an experience.Mark: Post war, Salomon spends the rest of his life in Amsterdam, true? Did he describe what life was like for Jews in Amsterdam after the war? Can you give our readers a sense of post-war Amsterdam? How many Jews survived and returned? Did they rebuild the population? Were they permitted to return to their homes? How were they treated by the Christian population that once oppressed them? How did the population get along?Bob: I’m curious about Salomon’s post-war life. His entire family was wiped out. He marries another survivor and has two children who eventually move to Israel. Was he happy? Or was he su

Today on the Lean to the Left podcast we’re talking politics with a focus on the past election and what’s still ahead, and with me are my pals, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. He and I both worked in PR and as freelance writers in Washington, DC. And, on Capitol Hill before that.Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals. You gotta take a listen.Nationally, Democrats did surprisingly well, holding onto the Senate – even though the Georgia race is headed to a runoff – and minimizing losses in the House, where the Republicans will take over in January with a much thinner margin than they expected.Trump says he’s running in 2024, a development that has been met with underwhelming approval of top Republican leaders who blame him for what they feel is pretty much an election debacle. Whether his announcement matters much will depend on the outcome of the many investigations into his activities and whether he faces criminal charges. After all, election day 2024 is still two years away. In South CarolinaHere in my neck of the woods in South Carolina, election night was a clean sweep -- for Republicans, who overwhelmingly reelected Gov. Henry McMaster and Sen. Tim Scott, sent a MAGA Republican to Congress, elected someone who didn’t actually meet educational requirements to be Secretary of Education, and swept three local state legislative races.The only positive news is that the winners of the 2022 Rescue Brew “Spokesdog” and “Spokescat” contest have been chosen, with almost $82,000 raised for the Charleston Animal Society’s No Kill South Carolina initiative.Beaux, a 10-month-old Maine Coon from Kiawah Island was picked as the “Spokescat” and Wally, a seven-year-old West Highland terrier-mix rescued during Hurricane Matthew was elected as “Spokesdog.”So that just shows that progressives really can get things done in South Carolina, despite the odds. We just can’t elect humans to office.In GeorgiaNow in Georgia, we have that runoff going on between Sen. Warnock and Herschel Walker. So, Robert, let’s get right to it...Listen to the podcast...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

An estimated 6.5 million Americans age 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's today. Seventy-three percent are age 75 or older, and altogether, about 1 in 9 age 65 and older, or 10.7% of that group, has Alzheimer's.As the population of Americans with this disease continues to increase, so does the burden of caring for them. This year alone, the cost for healthcare, long-term care and hospice services for those age 65 and older with dementia are estimated to be around $305 billion. It's a huge, tragic problem that touches millions of people, their families and friends.That’s why we have as our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast Dr. Shuvendu Sen, a globally recognized physician, author, speaker and humanitarian. He talks to us about effective, alternative methods of preventing and coping with Alzheimer’s.In fact, Dr. Sen says during the interview that individuals who are just beginning to experience memory issues can substantially benefit from meditation, including listening to spiritual or other types of relaxing music, and by taking up Yoga.Dr. Sen received the 2018 Nautilus Silver Award, bestowed previously to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu, Deepak Chopra, Mariel Hemingway and others.A diplomat from the American Board of Internal Medicine, he holds double Master of Science research degrees in Microbiology and Pharmacology from Long Island University, and has received postgraduate training in Internal Medicine from Raritan Bay Medical Center, New Jersey, and in Nuclear Medicine from Cornell Weill Medical Center, New York. Dr. Sen has been extensively published in many scientific journals and is the Chief Editor of the medical textbook, Principles of Clinical Medicine. So, I think it’s safe to say that Dr. Sen knows what he’s talking about. He’s the author of the book “Why Buddha Never Had Alzheimer’s -- a Holistic Treatment Approach through Meditation, Yoga and the Arts,” and shares with us today the answer to that question about Buddha.Some questions we asked Dr. Sen:Q. So to begin, answer the question: Why didn’t Buddha ever have Alzheimer’s?Q. For Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers, it is so frustrating, the lack of effective medication to prevent or reduce cognitive decline. Are there holistic methods that can prevent dementia?Q. What about those patients who already are coping with dementia? Can these methods help them as well?Q. So you are saying that meditation and yoga have been scientifically proven to prevent disease – including Alzheimer’s?Q. Then why is not this more well-known? Why don’t neurologists and other health care professionals who treat dementia patients recommend this approach?Q. What about music? Does listening to music help your patients?Q. How did you connect Yoga and meditation to dementia, to treating Alzheimer’s?Q. Your book discusses two types of meditation; mindfulness (an open-type) and transcendental (focused form). Do you recommend a particular type for each person depending on their condition? How does a person know which one to do? In fact, for those not familiar with meditation, how do they go about it?Q. Can meditation heal other mental illnesses, such as depression and bipolar disorder?Q. What do you say to those people who are skeptical that meditation and yoga can help with dementia?Q. Are there any other points you would like to make?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.

As we honor those who have served our nation, our Lean to the Left podcast guest is Allen B. Clark, a heroic Army officer who shed his blood for our country during the Vietnam War, and who continues to this day to work to help our veterans.In 1967, as a young captain in Special Forces, Clark was part of clandestine intelligence operations in Vietnam when an enemy mortar attacked his camp, critically wounding him and resulting in the loss of both legs.But Captain Clark returned to life as a dedicated patriot and veteran who continued to serve our nation, working in a variety of political, public service, and financial endeavors. While encouraging soldiers and veterans to embrace their faith and heal from their own war wounds over more than five decades, he acquired a keen interest in the real causes of wars.In Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money, a hard-hitting work that pulls no punches, Clark’s extensive research exposes the real causes of war. Throughout the course of his research, Clark discovered a myriad of motivations of individuals and groups who perpetrated the true “behind-the-curtains” stories of our military history. A large focus of the book is on the acquisition of money and power. Clark names the “usual suspects” who have profited from warfare and derived their “bloodied money”. They include Arms merchants; religious entities and their leaders; politicians; international bankers; media titans; lawyers and “secret societies.” As he says in the clip above, "Overall through history, there are example stacked upon example of opportunities for power and lust and greed for money to motivate those who can make money to be prepared to do so once the wars start. It is pinstriped bankers... industrialists and merchants of death and politicians...in richly paneled, carpeted offices who could (not) possibly comprehend or imagine or I dare say, care necessarily about ... those of us patriots who go off to the wars, some still missing in action, dying in far away jungles, deep seas or isolated mountains, or those who return as I have now after 55 years with no legs, with our bodies and souls mangled and tormented." Clark’s first book is entitled Wounded Soldier, Healing Warrior and tells his personal story. His second book, Valor in Vietnam, is a collection of compelling and untold stories by soldiers and civilians. In recognition of Clark’s service, former President Ronald Reagan once said, “There are a host of heroes to whom this country owes a debt it can never repay. Allen Clark lost both his legs while serving his country in Vietnam. When he came home, his body was broken, but his spirit never faltered. He went back to school. He earned his master’s degree in business administration. He served his state in a high government post and is now a successful businessman. He’s an inspiration to all who know him.” Allen, thank you so much for being with us today on our podcast and helping us honor those who serve, and have served, our nation. And we thank you for your service and your sacrifice.Interview QuestionsQ. Your book is called Soldiers’ Blood and Bloodied Money – Wars and the Ruling Elites.” Can you please explain the title?Q. You quote Major General Smedley Butler as saying that the principal cause of wars is competition for world trade. So essentially, we’re talking about greed being responsible for wars and for the loss of life and limb, correct?Q. You also quote Gen. Butler on the subject of disarmament conferences. You write, “these conferences were conducted so that the opposing sides could utilize the negotiations to better arm themselves against their opponents.” Is that your view? Do you have any experience with such disarmament conferences?Q. In another passage you quote Gen. Butler as saying “Out of war, a few people make huge fortunes.” Can you elaborate?Q. You write the following: “Upon reflection, does anyone believe the civilians in their comfortable offices and homes during wartime really care about the frontline soldiers, Marines, sailors, and Air Force personnel?” When you were serving, did you feel that way? Resentment against the civilians, the bureaucrats, the politicians, who were responsible for the war you were fighting? How about after you were so tragically wounded?Q. You have a section called Merchants of Death, and you preface that by saying that many retired military officers work for the arms industry, adding that “this cast of “villians” in this deadly play roam the globe.” Please explain.Q. Let’s talk about the munitions industry and its role in spawning war. You write that “the Arms Merchants of Death have clearly profited substantially from warfare,” adding that “elitists of all countries make their fortunes and the patriots and common folks do the dirty work.” Once again, please explain.Q. To what extent is the press and media complicit in all of this? How?Q. What about the bankers and the financial industry?Q. Once again, you quote Gen. Butler as saying “America must

Rich Jacobs works inside one of the largest maximum-security prisons in the United States. He began his career 20 years ago as a corrections officer and has been a teacher to the inmates for the past 15 years. For thousands of hours, Jacobs has listened to the stories of hundreds of incarcerated men. Despite the darkness behind the walls of concrete, steel, and paint, Jacobs has witnessed many stories of hope and transformation and is the visionary behind www.GetFreeAndStayFree.com, which publishes stories of hope and transformation told by those impacted by the criminal justice system. Get Free and Stay Free’s first book, available since July, was produced with Yoke fellowship Prison Ministry and is titled "Get Free and Stay Free: Inmates Who Found Freedom Inside and Out". Jacobs is an advocate of increasing vocational training for inmates, especially those who are nearing the point of release. But, he cautions, the inmate must want to be trained in order for the program to succeed.“I would say that we can do a better job with providing services, but then the other very important piece to that puzzle is just because you have the services it doesn't mean that it's going to help a man change the way that he thinks. “Government in general has put billions, a trillion of dollars into all kinds of social ills of society the last 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 years. And it almost feels like they throw money at the problems and things just keep getting worse. You’ve got to have the man step up to the plate himself if he's ready to be transformed. You’ve got to have society or corrections or whoever's involved there to help him along the way. But you’ve got to have that one, two punch to, to make it effective.” In fact, Jacobs says, unless the inmate changes his own outlook on life, “Just because you make an inmate smarter doesn’t help if they don’t change – they just become smarter criminals.”Take a listen to the episode. It’s a fascinating look behind the bars of a maximum security prison by a man who’s worked there with inmates for the past two decades.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The World Series is now over and for baseball fans, we’re in that never-never land where all we can hope for is a bit of news from our favorite team while we’re sitting out the long offseason until spring training begins in February.But I’ve got an idea about something that can help you pass the time. Pick up a new book by today’s guest, Bob Wilber. It’s called “How Far,” and it explores the incredible friendship between a baseball player from Southern California and a hockey play from Minnesota.It's an inspiring story for sports fans, yes, but really for anyone who wants to be motivated to achieve their goals despite the curve balls and sinkers that inevitably are thrown in their path.As the son of a major league baseball player and a former pro baseball player himself, BobWilber has lived the athlete’s life. How Far? weaves the compelling story of two disparate athletes who meet and form an unlikely bond. His creative use of first-person writing, having his fictional protagonists appear to write the book themselves in their distinct voices, immerses readers in every thought and word of the two characters. Brooks Bennett is a gifted baseball player (and the son of artist hippies) from Southern California, and Eric Olson is an undersized hockey player from Roseau, Minnesota — where hockey is king. The two men come from vastly different worlds and couldn’t be more dissimilar. And in one spontaneous moment, their paths cross, and their lives change forever. It's a fun and interesting story, especially if you enjoy sports and an inside look at what it's like trying to pursue a Major League Baseball career, and then adapting to life after baseball.Here are some questions we asked Wilber:Q. You’re the son of a Major Leaguer, your mom was a radio personality and then a PR person. You played college and professional baseball and then went into high level sports marketing while also running three different professional indoor soccer franchises as an executive. Then, you launched a 22-year career as a manager and PR rep for a couple of highly successful and popular Nitro Funny Car teams on the National Hot Rod Association tour. After all that, you walked away to become an author! You’ve just published your second book and it sounds like it’s getting rave reviews. Tell us about how you adapted so much throughout your career…Q. I get that you had baseball in your DNA thanks to your dad, and after your professional playing days were over you even were a regional scouting supervisor for the Toronto Blue Jays. But how in the world did you make the shift to NHRA drag racing?Q. After all of that, why walk away to write books? What in your mind told you to go for it and start writing books? That’s a bold leap!Q. So your autobiography, “Bats, Balls & Burnouts" was a hit, and you decided to write another book. Tell us how you settled on the premise and style for “How Far?”Q. How much of "How Far?" is totally real and how much is fiction?Q. And that begs the question: If your two main characters in “How Far?" are fictional, who are they based on?Q. How did you even pick those guys, those sports, and their personalities?Q. Is it a sports book? Would it appeal anyone other than sports fans?Q. Let’s talk some baseball. Are you still connected to the game in any way?Q. What did you think of the World Series, the upstart Phillies against the incredible Houston Astros and Dusty Baker?Q. What are your thoughts about the influence of money on the game today? For example, the LA Angels’ ownership say they won’t trade Shohei Ohtani, the incredible two-way player who’s contract expires at the end of the 2023 season, for which he will earn $30 million guaranteed. But what will he command going forward?Q. And how about the Yankees’ Aaron Judge, who shattered the American League home run record in 2022 and is now ready to enter free agency?Q. Do you think these kinds of mega contracts are good for baseball?Q. What’s next for you?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Christian conservatives, led by a cabal of wealthy, influential Republicans, have executed a long, drawn out coup that now gives them virtually ironclad control of the U.S. Supreme Court, which is supposed to be the final legal arbiter in our country that protects freedom for us all.Instead, according to Andrew L. Seidel, an author and attorney who's defended the First Amendment for more than a decade, conservative Christians, through the appointment of the six right-wing justices who now hold a super majority, have turned religious liberty on its head.In his new book, "American Crusade," Seidel details how conservative Christians have achieved that takeover, how it has affected numerous major decisions, and what can be expected in the future if left unchecked.Seidel exposes the “Crusaders,” powerful right-wing Christian conservatives who are systematically working to, as he writes, “elevate Christian beliefs above the law and exempt Christians from the law, while disfavoring non-religious and non-Christian citizens who are required to follow the law.”He issues a stark warning: “The First Amendment is being destroyed. In its place, Crusaders are forging a weapon to ensure their supremacy.”All of this is discussed in this interview for the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts, co-hosted by myself and author/attorney Mark M. Bello.Questions:MARK: I want to ask you a two part question that is top of mind in America right now. Part 1: Was Roe v Wade correctly decided? Part 2: Almost 50 years later, should it have been sustained on stare decisis grounds? MARK: Considering the outcome of Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health, do you think other social justice decisions are at risk? Gay rights, public schools, contraception, for instance? And why doesn’t equal protection or due process apply to these situations?Bob: In your book, you leave no doubt about the danger of the current Conservative Supreme Court, citing case after case where decisions have been based on religious grounds rather than the law. Can you share just a few of those examples?Mark: I’m dubious that Ketanji Brown Jackson will have any impact at all. What’s your take and is there anything in the short term that can curb this unchecked supermajority? Bob: Reports indicate that conservative justices appear ready to end race-conscious admission decisions at colleges and universities. Chief Justice Roberts also has temporarily halted release of Donald Trump’s tax records to a congressional committee. Are these further examples of the influence of right-wing politics on the court?Bob: Part of the mandate of the 1st Amendment is the separation of church and state. Under the current court, is that in peril?Mark: I believe that Christian nationalism is alive and well in this country, and it is seeping into the court’s decision-making. Andrew: Don’t you see the court trending toward the religious right’s agenda on a number of issues, especially LGBTQ issues, private school funding, and 1st Amendment Separation of Church and State cases like American Legion v. American Humanist Association? As to American Legion, as a Jewish guy and a constitutionalist, I find the argument that the cross has taken on “secular meaning” laughable. I agree with Justice Ginsburg, may she rest in peace, who said in her dissenting opinion: The cross is the foremost symbol of the Christian faith.” Using it as a war memorial doesn’t change that fact. This was PUBLIC land. What’s your view?Mark: And how about Lemon v Kurtzman? In an 8-1 decision, the high court decided that statutes that provide state funding for non-public, non-secular schools violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. How do you think the case would be decided today?Bob: Let’s talk about Masterpiece Cake Shop where the shop refused to make a wedding cake for a same-sex couple on religious grounds, or the Obergefell v Hodges case that permitted same-sex marriage. These were decided differently, obviously. Would today’s court decide Masterpiece the same way and overturn Obergefell? You discuss them in detail in your book. Mark: In Tandon v Newsom, the current conservative majority even prioritized the religious right over common sense COVID safety measures. What’s your view of that decision?Mark: Can we talk about the Constitution, itself, for a moment? For instance, what’s your take on the evolution of the 2nd Amendment? How do we go from “A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed” to you can own military assault rifles?Mark: And a broader question. I presume you would agree with me that the Constitution was a legal document, a framework for our federal, state, and local laws. It was not meant as a political document, correct? But, it has certainly become one. What do you make of people who I call constitutional hypocrites, who selectively enforce certain constitutional provision, but ignore others.

One day Roger Smith was on his hands and knees looking for hours for a sliver of crack cocaine in the carpet. Then, in desperation, he walked into the Pacific Ocean fully intending to take his own life.But something stopped him, and the next day he searched out a rehabilitation clinic. And then, through sheer guts and determination, he straightened himself out, applied himself at work, and eventually became chief executive officer of three different life insurance companies.It was a struggle, Smith says today on the Lean to the Left podcast. "I ended up going into Northern California, found this rehab, and and when I got out of rehab, I did the opposite of of everything that I had been doing," he recalls. "If I put my left shoe on first before, I put my right shoe on first; if I brushed my teeth with my right hand, I was gonna brush my teeth with my left hand. I had many years of addictive habits that I really felt that I had to completely start from scratch."And if that meant doing the opposite of everything I had been doing, because everything I had been doing kept leading me into addiction, then I was gonna do the opposite and I started creating those habits."Smith is the author of the new book, “The Most Unlikely Leader, an Unbelievable Journey from GED to CEO." Once homeless and on the ropes, he rose to become CEO of American Income Life Insurance, National Income Life Insurance and Liberty National Life Insurance companies. His life journey is one that truly proves that no matter how low you are you can always turn things around and achieve your goals.Smith was the recipient of the Yitzhak Rabin Legacy Award, Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award, Healthcare For All Champion Award, Sol Stein Award, as well as numerous other awards and publications. As CEO, he helped transform the way the life insurance industries operate and do business, and in our interview offers advice to up-and-coming would-be executives to help them succeed.First, he said, find multiple mentors while will share their wisdom. Second, remember that "nothing's as good as it seems, and nothing's as bad as it seems.""They should focus on being a visionary," he adds. "They have to see further than the people they're leading, and they have to have influence on the people they're leading." Moreover, says Smith, leaders must earn the trust of those who work with them, which means they must get results.Here are questions we asked Roger Smith:Q. I’ve read that by the time you were a teenager, you had dropped out of school, was living on the streets of Santa Monica, and was addicted to drugs. What happened?Q. You had a friend shot right next to you while running away from a failed robbery attempt? Q. You tried to commit suicide by walking into the Pacific? Why? Was that some sort of a turning point for you?Q. How did you get clean and end up running huge companies? Did you go to school, college, get business degrees? How did that happen?Q. What was inside you that allowed you to do this? How did you discover it?Q. What advice would you give young business execs who want to make it into the executive suites? What’s the most important thing they should focus on?Q. Are mentors important? How should someone select and obtain a mentor?Q. I saw this quote from your book: “Trust isn’t just about keeping your word. Trust is about your team believing that the vision you presented was going to be better for them and better for the company.” Please explain.Q. What are the key characteristics of an effective leader?Q. I saw another quote from you on LinkedIn: “sometimes you have to burn your bridges to not give yourself the option of turning back. Only then can you truly succeed.” Did you have to burn bridges to succeed? Q. Also on LinkedIn, you wrote: If you tell yourself you can’t, you won’t. You must be willing to leave your comfort zone, and face uncertainty with confidence. It’s the only way you’ll grow.” I love that quote. Do you want to elaborate?Q. Are you still in the insurance business, or are you retired now?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Today the Lean to the Left Podcast takes a look at a 2016 murder in Florida, one that ripped away the life of a young man who’s mistake was to celebrate a possible new job and then mistake somebody else’s apartment for his own. Since then, this young man’s father has been seeking justice, but in Ron DeSantis’ Florida, that is not to be found.With us today is Sandy Modell, and he’s here to tell the story about what happened to his son, Ryan. How he came to be shot and killed and his fight for justice in an area of Florida famous for political corruption.It’s a tragic story, and we’re pleased to have Sandy with us today to tell us about it.Welcome Sandy, to the Lean to the Left podcast.--Q. Start at the beginning…what happened? Why did Ryan try to enter an apartment that was not his own?Q. How is it that the man who shot Ryan, James Steven Taylor, did so and hasn’t been charged with murder?Q. Is this a case of Florida’s Stand Your Ground law?Q. In your book about this case, “Murder & Corruption in Florida,” you recount the history of political corruption there and apparently believe that this is the primary reason why Taylor has not been charged, right?Q. You’ve targeted the state’s attorney, Amira Fox, as being a major villain in this story. You’ve even put up billboards calling her out. Why?Q. Rick Scott, now a senator who famously wants to put Social Security and Medicare on the chopping block, was governor when this happened. What did he do, if anything, about the case?Q. What about Gov. Ron DeSantis? Where does he fit into the picture? You write that when you spoke to him at a fundraiser he was sympathetic, even gave you his cellphone number. What’s he done?Q. In the book, you recount how Taylor is now targeting you. What’s happening?Q. What do you want to see happen? Why should Taylor be charged with murder?Q. What’s your next step?Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

The penchant for many Americans to virtually worship a would-be strong-man leader, Donald J. Trump, and for much of the Republican Party to defer to him, has taken our nation to the precipice of a constitutional crisis that could mean an end to liberal democracy. And the upcoming mid-term elections could send us over the cliff."We are big two centimeters from the precipice," warns political scientist Daniel Drache on the Lean to the Left podcast. Here's why:Many Republican candidates are election deniers and "maybe half...believe that Biden is not the legitimate president.Hate speech has increased enormously since 2016 when it played a major role in Trump's election, and studies show that five times more Republicans are using hate speech than Democrats.Large numbers of Independents have moved into the Republican column.The Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade abortion ruling will fail to turn the tide for Democrats."I think the Republicans have an edge and that we're going to see a fundamental change in both the House and the Senate," he says. "That's why I think it's on the precipice. And then, of course, what is the Republican agenda? "Impeachment. Change fundamentally the civil service, loyalty oaths; there's a whole variety of things that the Republicans, vengeful seeking, could believe that it is their term to swing the wrecking ball on the Democratis. So I don't think this is a panic or an overstatement. We're just entering into a very different world Where the hard right really will be in charge of both houses and the conservatives own the judiciary." Drache and fellow political scientist Marc D. Froese have written a riveting book, “Has Populism Won? The War on Liberal Democracy”. It’s a brilliant account of the global upsurge of right-wing populism, what’s behind it, how Donald Trump tapped into the latent anger of voters, and what might lie ahead. Their book examines exactly how populist leaders like Trump reach into peoples’ fear of being left behind, using it as a lever to power by promising to look out for the little person and to return to national greatness. Has Populism Won? is written as a warning about the toxic impact of hate speech and the big lie on liberal democracy.Drache has documented and mapped hyper-globalization and its consequential impacts on communities and peoples for more than two decades. He has published over 20 books on the global political economy, Canada-US relations, NAFTA, social movements, defiant publics, trade governance, and social media. A professor emeritus and Department of Politics and Research fellow at the Robert Centre for Canadian Studies at Toronto’s York University, Drache has also taught in France, India, Argentina, South Korea, Australia, Brazil and China.Here are questions we asked Drache:First, let’s define what we mean by populism, and how that differs from authoritarianism, nationalism, and even nativism.How is it that people like Trump are able to tap into the anger and fears of so many people?Does Trump pattern himself after other authoritarian leaders, like Putin, for example?In your book, you point out that Trump loves to use “dog whistles” to rally his troops. What were some examples? Does that continue to this day? You also write that Trump was willing to endanger the national rule of law if the system did not deliver an electoral victory. Do you believe he will pay the price for these actions?You also note the rise of conspiracy theories that continue to this day, even to the point of the Q-Anon craziness. How does this play into populism and its growth?Donald Trump loves to call the media “the enemy of the people.” He attacks immigrants warning of rapes and murders, in fact, virtually anyone who is outside the mainstream of white, male America. What is the danger here…will this continue…what will it do to our country?You write the following: “How can we maintain democracy when it caters to the basest impulses of society?” That is a great question. What’s the answer?Do you believe that the authoritarian right could become more extremist and politically powerful in the United States? If so, why, and what would that mean for our country?Do you see the possibility of a new civil war in America?What must opponents of right-wing populism do to regain power and restore democracy?How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact populism?The other day someone asked on Twitter who else plans to move to Canada if Trump should be re-elected. Would that do any good?Drache is the second Lean to the Left podcast guest in recent months to suggest that political extremism would propel the U.S. into an authoritarian form of government. "I think at this point we all need to be concerned about political fanaticism, at the moment on the right as opposed to the left," warned Tom Davis, a retired Operation Desert Storm commander and former adviser to the Secretary of the Army.His comments followed those of Bill Kuhn, author of a new book, "Facts & Fury…An Unapologetic Primer on How t

Today we’re talking politics, and with me are my political pals, Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia, plus a special guest, Michael McDonald, from Florida.Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. He and I both worked in PR and as freelance writers in Washington, DC. And, we both worked on Capitol Hill, back in the day.Robert Thompson is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and its opinion podcast, Got Damn Liberals. It’s an awesome podcast, and he takes no prisoners. Michael McDonald is a nationally recognized expert on elections and national politics, and author of the new book, “From Pandemic to Insurrection: Voting in the 2020 US Presidential Election.”Michael is professor of political science at the University of Florida and a leading resource on American elections. His website, www.electproject.org, disseminates election statistics and is widely used as an authoritative source by media, scholars, and others. Michael was a guest on the Lean to the Left podcast a couple months ago, which why I conned him into joining us today.We each take a look at specific races in our respective states of South Carolina, Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina, and then we ask McDonald, who analyzes races nationwide, for his predictions about whether the Democrats can hold onto the Senate and the House. Essentially, he predicts that they will, most likely, retain control of the Senate, but are in real danger of losing the House. But, he hastens to add, things could change significantly between now and the election.Take a listen...Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.

Ebony Parson, 28, died September 14, 2013 in a Conway, S.C Bingo parlor, shot to death by an estranged lover who then killed himself with his own shotgun.Ebony was one of nearly 20 people per minute who are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States. Unfortunately, her abuser, a jealous former boyfriend, took her life.In Ebony’s case, there were warning signs that she was in trouble. In fact, she called 911 so many times reporting abuse that they told her to stop calling or she’d be arrested.October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so today we have with us on the Lean to the Left podcast Ebony’s sister, Gwendolyn Reed, founder of Ebony’s Hope, which she started a year after her sister’s tragic death. The organization’s goal is to inspire, educate and help citizens and to reduce the number of domestic violence murders and other crimes.“Had we known about several different things maybe we could have done something different,” Gwen says on the podcast. “And I, that's just how I feel. I, and Ebony Hope is my, ‘sorry’ to her. I don't know what else I could have done different to save my mom a baby.”So, Ebony’s Hope, a 501c3 charitable organization that accepts contributions, works as a liaison between domestic violence victims and available community and governmental resources. “Ebony Hope is just basically me wanting the community to know and citizens and victims to know that they're not alone. That there's resources here for family members to know that there's help out here in the community. So, they, they won't end up another Ebony. Because I don't want that for anybody.“I cry for my sister sometime one or two times a week. I cry for my mom. Ebony Hope is my ‘daily sorry’. If I save one person, then I did okay with this tragedy.”To help others, Gwen sponsors an annual community event to provide information and help, bringing together other organizations that support domestic violence victims. This year's event takes place on the lawn of the Old Courthouse on Main Street in Conway, SC, Saturday, October 29. More info here. In Washington, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell let the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) expire rather than pass a measure to close the deadly "boyfriend loophole", which allows convicted domestic abusers to purchase guns. The bill had been approved by the House of Representatives, 263-158, with 33 Republicans joining all but one Democrat in passing it -- despite threats from the National Rifle Association. Here are some of the questions we asked Gwen. Q. First, can you recount for us what happened to Ebony and why?Q. Had she been in an abusive relationship with this guy before that?Q. Do you think her death could have been prevented?Q. How did this affect your own life, and that of your brothers and sisters?Q. You said that Ebony didn’t know what resources were available to help her, and that you didn’t either. So you’re trying to fix that with Ebony’s Hope, right?Q. You mentioned that children are the uncounted victims and that a child who has witnessed domestic violence is more likely to become a victim or even an abuser. Explain that, please.Q. What needs to be done to make things better?Q. How is Ebony’s Hope helping?Q. What can the community do to get involved?Q. What are some of the resources available here in South Carolina and elsewhere to help victims of domestic violence?Q. What should someone who is a victim of domestic violence do?Q. You’re the co-author of Fortitude of an Overcomer. What is that?Click here for the complete unedited transcript.Deeper reading: “I’ll Pray for You, A Christian Woman’s Guide to Surviving Domestic Violence.” -- Donna Wayles, interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast. "Fighting Violence Against Women & Children" -- Roger A. Canaff, former Special Victims ADA & author, interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast. "Trauma of a Pastor's Betrayal" -- Sandy Phillips Kirkham, author "Let Me Prey Upon You," interviewed on the Lean to the Left podcast.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-lean-to-the-left-podcast--4719048/support.