The Lean to the Left Podcast

Here we are in the middle of a ton of political news with a bunch of GOP wannabes challenging Trump for the nomination, Trump’s four indictments and upcoming trials, the Republicans going after Hunter Biden…and what are we going to talk about today on the Lean to the Left podcast? Rock ‘n Roll, time travel, and baseball. Great to have Andy Frye with us today. Andy’s the author of the novel "Ninety...

Do you want to live to 100? That's the goal of Mark Barnes, co-author of Hacking Life After 50: 10 Ways to Beat Father Time and Live a Long, Healthy, Joy-Filled Life. He’s a longtime educator, entrepreneur, and not only does he hope to live past 100, he wants to bring anyone interested along for the ride. Mark is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast, and his episode will stream on YouTube and...

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast, where we talk about progressive politics and the important social issues of our time. Today we’re looking at leadership and what some might think is an unlikely resource – the LGBTQ+ community. Our guest is Dr. Joel A. Davis Brown is the Chief Visionary Officer of Pneumos LLC, a management consulting and coaching firm based in San Francisco, USA,...

The renewable energy industry -- wind, solar, and geothermal energy -- generates far more jobs than coal, and those jobs pay well and won't end when the coal mines are depleted and shut down. That's the conclusion of energy scientist Jack L. Kerfoot in this, the third in a series of podcasts exploring climate change progress in five states in the southwest. Episode one, focusing on four Northeaste...

To counter negative stereotypes afflicting probation clients across the country, award-winning filmmakers/editors, Jonathan Fisher and George Carrano handed cameras to people in the probation system including its officers. What transpired was an exercise in "participatory photography*" now represented in a book and PBS documentary called, In A Whole New Way: Undoing Mass Incarceration By A Path Un...

Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast. Today we’re talking politics, and with me are Arthur Hill, from North Carolina, and Robert Thompson, from Georgia. I’m a Maryander transplanted into South Carolina, and together we’re the Dixie Dems. Arthur is communications chair of the Brunswick County, North Carolina, Democratic party. Robert is based in Atlanta and founded Peach News Now and i...

A couple years ago, a long-time labor activist, Dan McCrory, wrote a book called “Capitalism Killed the Middle Class: 25 Ways the System is Rigged Against You.” He firmly believes that a strong labor movement is the key to saving the middle class. McCrory has been a labor activist for 30+ years and a writer even longer. “Capitalism Killed the Middle Class” was a finalist in the UK’s Page Turner Aw...

When Shana Francesca, our guest today, was just three years old, she was raped by her babysitter's boyfriend. When she was older, she was the victim of attempted sex abuse by her father, an evangelical minister. Today, Shana has turned those experiences into a mission of helping others cope with life's challenges and achieve joy in their lives. You’re rolling along with your life, busy with work,...

As a single mom to her only child, Barbara Legere journeyed alongside her son through his mental health issues and addiction. She wrote a memoir about her son’s suicide, called “Keven’s Choice: A Mother’s Journey Through Her Son’s Mental Illness, Addiction and Suicide.” And, she’s just written a second book, "Talk to Me I'm Grieving - Supportive Ways to Help Someone Through Grief.” We have Barbara...

Warning that the environmental consequences of climate change are already upon us, energy scientist Jack Kerfoot and Maya van Rossum, originator of the Green Amendment, are calling upon voters to elect state and federal legislators who recognize that challenge and are determined to take concrete action. Speaking on the Lean to the Left podcast with host journalist Bob Gatty, Kerfoot and van Rossum...

Our guest today is author William C. Judge, whose new book “The Wonder of it All” shares the inspirations of his life experiences and profound reflections that shape his view of the world. As the Foreword by Linda Gardner Crandall states, “Judge writes poignantly about his hopes and past disappointments, his travels and the people in his life who have influenced him in unique ways.” Bill is a vete...

Can you be a big-time Trump supporter and still lobby to protect animals and family farmers at a right wing organization? In the case of our guest today, the answer is no, and it’s cost him the leadership of FreedomWorks, the conservative group that came to symbolize the tea party movement. But he’s not fading quietly into the sunset. Marty Irby, former COO of the right-wing lobbying group, Freedo...

Renewable energy sources, including solar and wind, far outpace coal when it comes to generating jobs even in states where fossil fuels are the primary source of energy, according to scientist and energy expert Jack Kerfoot. In this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, Kerfoot says politicians bought and paid for by the fossil fuel industry continue to claim they support coal, primarily, becau...

On this Dixie Dems episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, you'll hear Georgia Republican wacko Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene laud President Biden for all of the great work he's done since his election. Yes, that's true. In fact, so true that the Biden campaign has turned those comments by Greene into a killer TV ad. Also on this episode, you'll hear a Republican Congressman inside a couple's bedro...

With the Supreme Court’s rejection of President Biden’s debt relief program, millions of borrowers will have to resume their payments in October. For about 804,000 others, recent executive action by the president mean that their student debt will be wiped away. Since Biden has been president, he’s been looking for ways to ease this burden, an effort that’s been thwarted by Congressional Republican...

President Biden had to cut a deal with the Republicans to get the debt limit extension passed and avoid an economic catastrophe. But in doing so, he had to water down his climate change initiative…and that’s causing a lot of concern among environmentalists. We’re going to talk about that today with someone who’s in the trenches. Maya K. van Rossum is the Delaware Riverkeeper and leader for the Del...

Artificial Intelligence is gaining tremendous momentum, a development that has caused some experts like Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak to warn that AI development should at least be paused. We’re going to explore that today with Tom Riley, a retired NASA instrument engineer and prolific author who believes AI offers tremendous potential for the world. In an open letter released in April, more than 1,...

The U.S. Supreme Court has effectively ended affirmative action at universities, an action that ends a decades-old policy aimed at increasing diversity and addressing the underrepresentation of minority students. We’ll look at that far-reaching action today with our guest, Dr. Omékongo Dibinga, author of a new book, "Lies About Black People: How to Combat Racist Stereotypes and Why It Matters." Dr...

Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming embedded in American society, and many experts say it will be as life-changing as the internet, revolutionizing our economy and everyday lives. But there are huge concerns, and our guest today will address some of them. Stay with us. Coming to us today from Highland Park, IL is Michael Pickard, a prolific author who’s had a successful career in informati...

Joshua Shea is a former pornography addict now on a mission to get the world talking about pornography addiction, and the potential ramifications of being addicted to porn. He's written four books on the subject. Joshua’s most recent book, I'm Reading This Book About Porn Addiction For a Friend , introduces readers who are struggling in early recovery, or looking for more information about a suspe...

This is the first in a series of episodes analyzing climate change progress in various regions around the country with energy consultant Jack Kerfoot. Which states are making real and timely progress at reducing greenhouse gas emissions and what are the factors that are contributing to their success? Which states are really just paper tigers…all talk and little action? That’s what we explore in a...

Just over three years ago George Perry Floyd Jr. was murdered by a police officer in Minneapolis during an arrest after a store clerk suspected that Floyd had used a counterfeit $20 bill. Derek Chauvin, one of four police officers who arrived on the scene, knelt on Floyd’s neck and back for more than nine minutes. “I can’t breathe,” Floyd wheezed to no avail. The incident renewed calls for police...

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. We’ll talk about candidates, Trump’s legal troubles, Trump pardon talk, the big Supreme Court gerrymandering decision, and much more. --- Hey guys, welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast and the June 2023 episode of the Dixie Dems with my...

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), one in ten older adults in the US suffers from elder abuse, so since June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month, we’re speaking with bestselling investigative journalist and true-crime biographer Stephen G. Michaud, who has written a riveting book about a tragic case involving a wealthy Texas rancher who was victimized by those who were cha...

In a new poll, nearly 40% of respondents said the thought of a Biden-Trump match-up in 2024 made them feel exhausted, and according to politics and satire expert Dr. Sophia A. McClennen , the only way to cure this overwhelming political fatigue is through comedy, specifically satire. We have a former president who’s under indictment for obstruction and mishandling classified documents after his de...