The Lean to the Left Podcast

Seems like there’s always some sort of sex scandal involving politicians, and political persuasion doesn’t seem to have much to do with it. For example about the same time we learned that the female prosecutor in the Georgia Trump election case, a Democrat, has been having an affair with an attorney she brought on to help out, the Florida Republican chair was fired because he and his wife engaged...

Whatever happened to the concept that before making a decision it's wise to listen to both sides of the story? That's the idea behind Ponderly, a new social media platform that’s intended to be a safe and engaging space where users can get the facts, consider the other side, and decide what to think. The point is to cut through the rhetoric, lies and misinformation that is spun out on major social...

It was on January 22, 2017 that President Trump’s counsellor to the president, Kellyanne Conway, defended White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s false statement about the size of the crowd that showed up for Trump’s inauguration. Alternative facts, she said, in explaining Spicer’s claim that Trump’s crowd was the largest to ever witness an inauguration. Not lies. Not falsehoods. Just alternativ...

Not sure if it's ego or an insatiable sex drive, but many politicians are willing to risk their reputations and careers for a few moments of sexual gratification. That's been proven in the case of Donald Trump, who now must pay a total of $88.3 million to former writer E Jean Carroll as a result of his alleged sexual attack on her at Bergdorf Goodman's Fifth Avenue Manhattan store in 1996.On Frida...

During the early years of life, the human brain undergoes significant development and the environment is vital in helping to shape a child’s future. Today, our cars, as well as trucks and busses, are the largest contributor to harmful greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S and children growing up in urban areas, especially, are vulnerable. In fact, outdoor air pollution, much of it caused by transpor...

Paula Delgado-Kling takes us inside the drug trade in Colombia, where her brother was kidnapped for ransom in this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast. It’s difficult for most of us to comprehend the cruelty of those who control the drug trade in Colombia and the unspeakable suffering often endured by young people who become ensnared in their illegal activities. In this episode, Delgado-Kling...

Are all White people racist against Blacks? What about Blacks? Are they generally racist against Whites? How do we overcome racism in America? Those questions and more are covered in this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast with author, attorney Fatimah Gilliam and Justice Counts podcast co-host Mark M. Bello. After all, we’re living in a time when a former president refuses to acknowledge his...

We're living in a time of revolution, a time when the forces of climate change and artificial intelligence (AI) are converging in a way that will undoubtedly, dramatically change the world. Tom Riley, a retired NASA instrument engineer and prolific author who believes AI offers tremendous potential for the world, has written a new book called "Dark Heat," and it pulls all of that together. When To...

The Covid 19 pandemic was fraught with political and bureaucratic mismanagement that resulted in thousands of needless deaths, according to renowned Washington, DC-area physician and author Dr. Ravi Iyer. Perhaps worse, however, was the warning issued by Dr. Iyer on the Lean to the Left podcast, saying that sloppy actions by scientists and the Wuhan laboratory in China allowed the virus to escape...

In 1836, William Henry Harrison was the first presidential candidate to campaign aboard a train, launching a practice of whistle-stop campaigning that allowed candidates to greet and speak with voters in small towns along the way. One of the most famous presidential railroaders was Harry S. Truman. During his 1948 whistle-stop tour, he traveled more than 28,000 miles and delivered more than 350 sp...

It was 73 years ago in 1950 that a Black man named Hillard Brooks was shot and killed by a White police officer after he tried to board a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama. Thomas Gray, who had played football with Brooks as a kid, was outraged by the tragic, unjustifiable shooting. He protested and eventually staged a downtown march to register voters and protest police brutality. Five years later...

Despite the fact that Donald Trump is facing multiple court cases, including criminal charges resulting from the January 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, he still dominates his remaining GOP rivals and his support is showing no signs of weakening. On this episode of the Dixie Dems, Robert Thompson of Georgia, Arthur Hill of North Carolina, and I have a lot to say about the wacky GOP & their dic...

Welcome to the Lean to the Left podcast, where we explore progressive politics and the important social issues of our time. We’re living in a time today when we might say that ethical behavior, particularly in politics, seems to be sorely lacking. We’re looking at that as well as cultural processes of inequality that too often go undiscussed. Our guest is Dr. Amanda Udis-Kessler, a sociologist, an...

Our nation is deeply divided along so many lines, racially, politically, economically. Unbelievably, it’s even possible that a twice-impeached former president who’s been indicted multiple times, including for trying to overturn his election defeat, actually could reach the presidency again. Hate against various groups has grown dramatically and is one of the many factors contributing to the mass...

Tribalism in America must end because it threatens our existence as a society. That’s the view of author and historian Michael C. Anderson, who says social media and a biased news media must share the blame. Anderson, an IT consultant by trade with a PhD in Information Science, has just published his fourth book on the subject, titled Twilight of the American Experiment, Without Moral Balance our...

Legendary feminist and author Dr. Phyllis Chesler warns that the Hamas attacks in Israel could eventually lead to World War III unless democratic powers "stand up to the world bully," the "axis of evil" of China, Russia, Iran, and select Arab countries. Her comments came in an interview for the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcasts, during which she strongly criticized women's organizations...

In the United States, the racial divisions among us seem to be deepening, fueled at least in part by political opportunists who prey upon fear and emotion. Our Lean to the Left podcast guest is Juliet Hooker, a leading thinker on democracy and race and author of a new book, Black Grief, White Grievance. Her book examines racial politics and argues that both White and Black communities must learn t...

Have you ever wondered why your dog or cat seems to know when you’re having a bad day? Why is it that my pup is so comforting when things are going sideways? Is it part of their DNA?Our guest today, Bill Robertson, is the author of a new book, "Uncle Bill's Animal Tales - Life Lessons for Adults". Bill’s book is about his experiences with animals and how he feels they are our greatest teachers & h...

Sexual harassment, workplace violence, school violence, bullying, public violence, campus rape, and sexual assault are all connected to whether there is violence in the home, according to our Lean to the Left podcast guest, Sabrina Osso. One out of three women will be beaten or raped in a lifetime. One out of five adolescent girls is abused by her boyfriend. One out of three young people will be i...

Violent extremism is increasing in the United States and around the world, the latest example being the horrible attacks against Israel by Hamas and the subsequent criticism in the U.S. of Israel for defending itself. Appearing on the Lean to the Left and Justice Counts podcast with thriller author Mark M. Bello and myself, author and clinical psychologist Dr. Emily Bashah discusses the factors th...

The mass shootings that continue to plague our country call for drastic measures, contends author and psychoanalyst Gerald Schoenewolf, but they don't involve confiscating guns or preventing law-abiding citizens from owning guns. As of Oct. 26, the U.S. has had at least 565 mass shootings so far this year, according to the Gun Violence Archive – or about two mass shootings a day. Those numbers cam...

All veterans and their families deserve to receive every single benefit from both state and federal governments that they earned by bravely serving our country,In honor of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, our Lean to the Left podcast guest is Paul R. Lawrence, Ph. D, former Under Secretary for Benefits at the Veterans Administration. An Army veteran, Dr. Lawrence is the author of a new book, "Veterans Ben...

The Republicans are in a real mess in Congress and Donald Trump's continued dominance in the GOP presidential sweepstakes is only complicating matters, so in this episode of the Dixie Dems, we take a look at the drama in the GOP Trump world and how it's unfolding. There’s a lot to talk about, from the debacle of the Republicans’ drama of picking a new speaker of the House of Representatives and co...

The election of Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana to be the new speaker of the House places him in an enormously influential position in Congress and second in line for the Presidency. How will he affect social policy in the U.S.? As the architect of last year’s national “Don’t Say Gay” bill, leaders in the LGBTQ+ community are concerned about what could lie ahead. Todd Sears, the CEO and Founder of...

Jeffrey Archer has topped the bestseller lists around the world, with sales of over 275 million copies in 115 countries and 49 languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction (19 times), short stories (four times) and non-fiction. In this episode of the Lean to the Left podcast, we learn some of the secrets of this best selling author as he takes us inside the...