Secular Left - Progressive Religion Free View of the News

We look at Ohio politics, a federal religious-liberty commission, and the reaction to recent Democratic Socialist primary wins in New York City. Ohio Republicans repeat false claims about Dr. Amy Acton and COVID-era county fair restrictions, trying to use that issue to help Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign. They don't explain that in 2020 Ramaswamy supported the lock downs and even mandatory vaccin...

Trump won Ohio three times with an 11 point win in 2024 so why is the GOP nominee for Governor Vivek Ramaswamy tied, in the polls, with the Democrat Dr. Amy Acton? The GOP super-majority in the Ohio legislature is worried too so they decided to manipulate their base to get them to the polls in November for Ramaswamy. Although controlling the state since 2011, the Ohio GOP is letting Trump and his...

Of course there is corruption in US politics that some call campaign contributions but President Trump and family have said "hold our beer" with the just the latest being a slush fund to pay off people who attacked the capitol in 2021. There have been corrupt presidents in the past - Harding and Nixon come to mind but nothing like the scale of the Trump family - there doesn't seem t...

We highlight significant outcomes from the May primaries in Ohio, emphasizing how the ongoing struggles against Christian nationalism and extremist ideologies manifest in local politics. One standout event was the primary defeat of some vocal proponents of Christian nationalism, which could signal a shift in voter sentiment since one candidate, Rep. Josh Williams sold his soul to the religious ext...

Before Ohio holds its primary, the presumptuous GOP candidate for Governor Vivek Ramaswamy is running a negative ad against the presumptive Democrat candidate Dr. Amy Acton. Ramaswamy's ad attempts to gaslight voters about Acton's role as the Director of the Ohio Department of Health at the start of the COVID pandemic in 2020. The ad falsely claims Acton acted outside her authority to po...

Our guest is Wil Jeudy an urgent care physician by day and a secular activist the rest of the time. He is the State Director (Texas) for the American Atheists where he helps keep the secular groups in Texas healthy and active. He is the chair of the American Atheists's "Secular Advocacy Team" which tracks and testifies for/against bills during the Texas legislative session.  He form...

We dissect the Trump administration's claims that the U.S. has been at war with Iran since 1979. Contrary to the administration's narrative, that the real issues at play are deeper than mere historical grievances, extending to vital distractions from pressing domestic challenges, including the skyrocketing grocery prices, disappointing job numbers and the Trump-Epstein files. We explore...

The fight to prevent religious indoctrination in the public schools continue as the 5th circuit punts on the issue of posting the 10 commandments in Louisiana schools. Christian nationalists try to Santa Clause the obvious 1st amendment violation. Vivek Ramaswamy, a GOP candidate for Ohio governor has accepted donations from a notorious Nazi reenactor with ties to Northwestern Ohio. We look at the...

In this episode, we start by looking at the political landscape in Ohio as we approach the 2026 gubernatorial election. With Mike DeWine term-limited, the race is heating up between Democrat Amy Acton and the wealthy tech entrepreneur, Vivek Ramaswamy. Ramaswamy, who boasts credentials as a Yale graduate and a venture capitalist in the biotech sector, finds himself showing his lack of understandin...

We look at the unique challenge faced by Republican candidates in states dominated by their party for over a decade, particularly how they navigate elections with only outdated talking points to rely on. We highlight the situation in Ohio, using Robert Sprague as a case study. As the current treasurer, he seeks to run for Secretary of State with a platform centered on a familiar narrative about el...

We look into a video series featuring conservative commentator Dennis Prager titled "The Consequences of Secularism." We take a critical look at Prager's claims, which often rely on misleading language and emotional rhetoric, aiming to push his agenda against secularism - which he doesn't define. Throughout the episode, we dissect the implications of his discourse and what they...

As December temperatures plunge below freezing, it becomes painfully apparent that while churches often advocate for helping the underprivileged, their doors frequently remain closed when it matters most. A homeless man was found dead in Toledo, raising critical questions about why faith-based institutions do not open their doors as warming centers during dire circumstances. With many churches onl...

We look at a concerning aspect of the LifeWise Academy's curriculum, which has been accused of promoting anti-Semitic teachings to children. We look at specific examples from the curriculum that seem to frame Jewish individuals as antagonists in the narrative surrounding Jesus Christ. Is it appropriate to be teaching such material to impressionable young minds, reinforcing harmful stereotypes...

We take a close look at the infomercial/documentary titled "Off-School Property," produced by LifeWise Academy, which claims to present a solution around the separation of church and state in education to have kids learn the Holy Bible. Released in over 700 theaters, this film promotes LifeWise Academy's approach to religious education during public school hours by manipulating fact...

We discuss the resurgence of racism, particularly in this era of Trump’s rule. We start the journey talking about church-state separation in public schools, demonstrating the systematic violation of children’s rights when religious teachings are integrated in their education through policy created by Christian nationalists. This reversal of argumentation has prompted troubling precedent in some re...

We start with the divisive legacy of Charlie Kirk, whose recent death has sparked a wave of controversy and hypocrisy from the far right. We begin by dissecting the blatant attempts to martyr Kirk, likening their efforts to a modern-day propaganda campaign reminiscent of Horst Wessel from the Nazi party era. We fervently argue against the glorification of a man who was a "racist" and &qu...

We're calling out the blatant hypocrisy of Congressman Bob Latta and the GOP's latest con: rebranding Trump's tax cuts. They're trying to sell you a "Working Family Tax Cut," but the truth is, it's a handout to the rich that guts vital programs like Medicaid and SNAP. We'll expose how they're twisting the truth, even when the polls show that most people...

We plunge headfirst into the alarming surge of authoritarianism gripping society, pointedly highlighting the conspicuous silence of self-proclaimed libertarians in the face of blatant governmental overreach. As federal troops patrol urban communities, we question the deafening quiet from those who ostensibly champion individual freedoms and civil liberties. It is perplexing to see libertarian supp...

Congressman Mike Flood's recent town hall, promoting Medicaid work requirements, wasn't just a political event; it was a microcosm of the war on facts.  Flood, while commendable for engaging directly with constituents, peddled a narrative devoid of scientific backing, painting a picture of able-bodied individuals leeching off the system. This blatant disregard for the reality that many M...

The walls are closing in on Trump, and the Epstein files are the wrecking ball.  The longer he hides those documents, the deeper he sinks into the muck of child sex abuse allegations.  It's a delicious irony, isn't it? The self-proclaimed anti-establishment champion brought down by his own shadow.  This isn't just a political scandal; it's a Shakespearean tragedy unfolding in r...

This isn't about policy; it's about power. A cabinet secretary's casual suggestion to replace deported farm-workers with able-bodied Medicaid recipients is a chilling glimpse into a heartless agenda.  This isn't just incompetence; it's cruelty dressed up as a solution.  They expect the poor to pick up the slack created by their own inhumane policies.  It's a sick joke...

The so-called "Religious Liberty Commission," born under Trump, isn't about freedom; it's a brazen power grab cloaked in piety. This Washington D.C. gathering, a veritable who's who of the Christian right, from Dan Patrick to Dr. Phil (?), convened to lament America's perceived lack of Christianity. But behind the hand-wringing, a sinister agenda brews: to enforce a C...

We start with Doug's past as a member of the College Republicans, a segment of his life that seems almost distant now but also eerily relevant to the political climate we face today. His college experience at Ohio State in the mid-'80s was marked by a growing awareness of the discrepancies in the political narrative he had been raised with. Doug recounts how the rising tide of conservati...

In this episode, we look at the State of Utah’s Health Department-commissioned review, which confirmed the safety and mental health benefits of gender-affirming treatments for youth. Despite its clear findings, the review was dismissed by lawmakers determined to uphold a state ban, highlighting a disturbing political hypocrisy. This resistance to science in favor of ideological control exposes a d...

We start by focusing on the ongoing debate around school vouchers in Ohio, particularly as the state legislature is poised to debate the new budget bill, which proposes cuts to public school funding while simultaneously increasing financial support for private institutions. We clarify how these so-called "scholarships" are essentially vouchers that funnel taxpayer dollars into private re...