The Lean to the Left Podcast

Artist Elizabeth Mikotowicz was nearly beaten to death while being pregnant. She became addicted to pain killer drugs and eventually was sent to prison where she was regularly humiliated and treated as a slave. Elizabeth served more than four years in Maine jails and then the federal prison in Danbury on a variety of drug charges. On the podcast, Elizabeth reveals how she was mistreated by guards,...

America continues to deal with a tide of unprecedented violence and divisiveness that is tearing at the soul of our country. It is an epidemic of abuse and neglect, according g to psychotherapist and author Phyllis Leavitt, who believes America needs a good therapy session or two. Leavitt is the author of a new book, “America in Therapy,” and believes some of the basic principles of good therapy c...

Are you planning for retirement? Already there? Are you working with a financial adviser but wonder if you could be doing better? That's an important question to consider. Greg Aler, founder and CEO of the financial planning firm Golden Reserve, is our guest on the Lean to the Left podcast. Greg believes that many people planning for retirement are being hoodwinked by financial advisors to whom th...

Extreme weather events across the country and around the world make it clear that we are facing a climate crisis, and that we all are in it together. But what can we as individuals do to combat this? That’s our topic today with an expert who will share with us existing solutions and technologies that can have a significant impact on climate change, and what the average person can do to help reduce...

For a fascinating, inside look at the criminal justice system and the work of one of America's most prominent trial attorneys, check out this interview with ames J. Brosnahan, a veteran of more than 50 years of experience in both civil and criminal trial work. During his notable career, Brosnahan regularly undertook complex cases that were about to go to trial. He has tried, to conclusion, 150 cas...

Having trouble with money and building wealth? Is there something more going on than simply not having enough cash to start with? Could it be something psychological? Really? Take a listen to this interview. Richard Friesen is the founder of the Mind Muscles Academy, and creator and developer of the innovative and exclusive “Mind Muscles™” training process that turns the psychology of money and we...

What’s it like to be a liberal in a conservative state or a fantasy writer who’s also an English teacher at a time when books are being banned in some states? Terry Bartley is a journalism, literature, and English teacher at Scott High School in Madison, West Virginia, and writer of the upcoming collection of short stories, Tyranny of the Fey. Terry is the host of the podcast “Most Writers are Fan...

Check out the latest episode of The Dixie Dems, the Lean to the Left podcast episode that takes an irreverent look at politics in the South, as well as across the U.S, featuring Arthur Hill of North Carolina, Robert Thompson of Georgia, and myself in South Carolina. In this episode we take a look at the horrible abortion laws that are being passed in many red states, a right-wing effort in SC to r...

The way things are today with so many divisions among us, sometimes it seems like we can’t even have a discussion about what’s going on in the world without being at each others’ throat. Today, we’re going to talk about that on the Lean to the Left podcast. Our guest is Corey Nathan, host of the popular podcast ""Talkin' Politics & Religion Without Killin' Each Other," who's work is focused on col...

What would you do if your child was bullied to the point where they decided life wasn't worth living…and so they committed suicide? In an instant, all of your hopes and dreams for your child would be gone. Could you have done something? What would you do now? That's what happened to Kirk and Laura Smalley, who lost their son, Richard Ty Field-Smalley, in 2010 following a bullying episode. After th...

Mother’s Day is coming up soon and today we’re delighted to have as our guest Lynne Bowman, a mom, grandmother, and author of a healthy eating cookbook, “Brownies for Breakfast.” It’s Lynne’s second appearance on the Lean to the Left podcast. In the first episode, we talked a lot about how people with issues like diabetes can improve their health by improving their diet, cutting out sugar and bad...

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 ti...

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 (c...

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 en...

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, Internatio...

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 "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...

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 chemot...

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 writte...

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, includi...

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 Elizabe...

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 ju...

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...

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 orga...

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 list...