The Skeptical Leftist Podcast

Governments are spending billions on militaries while cutting housing, healthcare, and climate programs. In this episode, we cover five major stories from June 2025—from mass protests and ICE raids to Canada's ballooning defense budget and the unraveling of the global aid system. 🛡 Canada’s military spending bonanza https://apnews.com/article/canada-nato-military-spending-carney-5f4f02c5dbf5323b39...

In this episode, I talk with Owen MacDonald, leftist YouTuber and political commentator, about the myth of market freedom, why capitalism depends on state violence, and how right-wing media avoids ever engaging with real ideas. We get into the culture war’s empty spectacle, the climate crisis, and how libertarian fantasies fall apart the moment you ask “freedom for who?” It’s a wide-ranging but gr...

 Ian Bushfield of the BC Humanist Association joins me to talk about secularism, religious privilege, and the legal fights to keep church and state separate in Canada. We get into prayers at municipal meetings, public funding for religious schools, Christian nationalism, and what it really means to have freedom from religion. We also touch on the rise of religious influence in Western separatist m...

Wildfires rage, Gaza bleeds, and Walmart posts record profits. In this episode, we dig into the twisted logic of a system that thrives on collapse, from state violence in Palestine and brutal immigration policy to the unchecked greed driving up grocery prices while the world literally burns. We also talk about Indigenous mutual aid during Canada’s wildfire crisis, the deportation of a terminally i...

I talked with author Nick Girard about religion, power, and writing as resistance. We got into how faith can be used to justify domination, how capitalism traps us in despair, and why he wrote a book where God is the villain. It’s a personal and political conversation about doubt, masculinity, and imagining something better. 📕 Nick’s book: https://a.co/d/e5S9emd 🌐 Website: https://iamforworldpea...

In this episode, I’m joined by Eron from Re-Education to talk about anarcho-nihilism—what it is, what it isn't, and whether it’s all just edge-posting or if there's something worth digging into. We talk about individualist anarchism, Stirner, egoism, and what it means to resist when you don’t believe a better world is coming. Is this a real political tendency or just vibes and chaos? And w...

From Mali to Montreal, from May Day marches to Maori resistance, the world’s on fire—and people are pushing back. In this episode of Loose Wires , we cover five major stories of revolt and repression: pro-democracy protests in Mali, care worker solidarity in Aotearoa, anarchist actions on May Day, Gaza solidarity at Utrecht University, and the legacy of José Mujica. Plus: Emma Goldman’s flaws, Has...

The NDP is in shambles. Mark Carney is in power. And Bay Street got exactly what it wanted. Jessa McLean joins me to talk through the fallout of Canada’s latest election, from the NDP's collapse to the return of austerity politics dressed in technocratic polish. We get into what happened, what’s next for the left, and why electoralism isn’t going to save us. Follow Jessa’s work at Blueprints of Di...

In this episode I’m joined by Jordan and Prince from The Dugout Podcast for a deep conversation about Black anarchism, radical education, and building community power beyond the state. We talk about what it means to reject authority while reclaiming care, history, and survival. This isn’t theory for theory’s sake—it’s about practice, archives, and keeping each other alive in a world that would rat...

From ICE detentions to AI layoffs, defunded libraries to RCMP scandals, nothing about this week’s headlines says “progress.” In the first episode of Loose Wires , Cory and AncomSciComm break down five stories that show how power protects itself, no matter who’s in charge. We talk about the illusion of change under Canada’s new PM, the deepening crackdown on pro-Palestinian voices, and the slow hol...

Why do action movies feel so unsatisfying lately? In this episode, I talk with Chris from It Had to Be Said about how pop culture trains us to cheer for the status quo — whether it’s vigilante cops, billionaire superheroes, or government-backed soldiers. Follow Chris: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ItHadToBeSaid Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/anarchodaoist.bsky.social   Support the show: Pat...

What do we even mean when we talk about “Saskatchewan”? Is it really a rural, farmer-driven province — or are we just clinging to a myth that hasn’t been true for decades? In this episode, I talk with Alex Birrell, host of Unmaking Saskatchewan , about political disillusionment, settler colonialism, and the strange identity crisis that defines this province. We get into everything from party polit...

In this episode, I sit down with Steve Boots for a wide-ranging chat about unlearning reactionary ideas, building community, and trying to make meaningful content in an algorithm-driven world. We get into our own political journeys, the burnout that comes with being online all the time, and the weird mix of personal growth and public pressure that comes with making leftist media. You can find Stev...

In this episode, I’m joined by Seamus Geoghan to talk about what it means to build real community as the system around us falls apart. We get into the role of mutual aid, the failure of institutional politics, and how everyday acts of care are a form of resistance. Along the way, we touch on anarchism, surviving collapse, and why there's no savior coming—just each other. Here are some links we...

This time on Red Reviews, Justin and I dig into God and the State by Mikhail Bakunin — one of the most enduring works of anarchist theory. We talk about why Bakunin saw rebellion as a core part of what it means to be human, how disobedience challenges systems of domination, and what it means to live freely in a world built on obedience. From Satan as the first rebel to the dangers of scientism, th...

I came across one of those Facebook posts that frames itself as "just common sense" — but underneath, it's pushing a lot of political spin and selective outrage. Instead of pretending it’s harmless, I broke it down piece by piece. I'm not above politics — this is a political video. I just hate when bad narratives like this get passed around as if they're neutral or apolitical...

In this episode, I sit down with The Wolf Spirit for a wide-ranging conversation about anarchism, power, and resistance. We talk about what anarchism really means beyond just rebellion, the role of strategy in building movements, and why organizing doesn’t have to mean hierarchy. We also get into cultural struggles—how reactionary elements creep into subcultures like metal and gaming, the anti-cap...

The Enlightenment promised liberty, equality, and justice—but did it ever fully deliver? In this episode, we dive into The Political Theory of Liberal Socialism by Matt McManus to explore how socialism isn’t a rejection of Enlightenment ideals but their fulfillment. We break down the tensions between liberalism and socialism, the failures of left-liberalism, and why expanding democracy beyond poli...

Misinformation is everywhere, but why do we keep falling for it? Social scientist Matthew Facciani joins me to explain how our beliefs are shaped by identity, bias, and the media we consume. We discuss the psychology of misinformation, why both the left and right fall into their own traps, and how bad actors exploit these weaknesses. We also discuss the role of AI, fact-checking, and whether we ca...

Christian nationalism isn’t just a movement—it’s a well-funded machine. In this episode, we dig into The Power Worshippers by Katherine Stewart and break down how billionaires, think tanks, and right-wing operatives have spent decades quietly reshaping American politics through the church. From dark money networks to school vouchers and Supreme Court takeovers, we unpack how this ideological proje...

Journalism is dying—so what comes next? I sat down with Big Shiny Takes co-host Marino Greco to talk about the collapse of mainstream media, the rise of independent journalism, and why the Canadian political landscape is stuck in neutral. We get into media critique, class struggle, and why corporate control over the press is killing real reporting. Plus, Marino shares why he’s stepping away from j...

The US has spent decades trying to crush Cuba, but why does this small island nation still stand? In this episode, we dive into The Declarations of Havana , exploring Fidel Castro’s most radical ideas, how his speeches shaped the Cuban Revolution, and why the empire still fears them. From anti-imperialism to mass mobilization, we break down how Castro framed Cuba’s struggle for independence and wh...

In this episode, I talked to Siobhan O'Connor, who has lived through it all—growing up in a hardcore evangelical environment, serving in the military, coming out as trans later in life, and watching the world turn more hostile toward people like her. We get into her story, the right’s relentless attacks on trans people, and how even so-called allies keep failing the community. She shares what...

Capitalism is dead… but it just won’t stay buried. This episode, we’re diving into Mark Fisher’s Capitalist Realism —one of the most influential leftist texts of the last 20 years. Why does it feel like nothing ever changes, even when everything is constantly in crisis? How does capitalism keep itself alive, even as it rots? And most importantly, how do we break out of this nightmare? Let’s get in...

This week, we’re wrapping up our trilogy on Anton Pannekoek with a deep dive into his classic work, Workers’ Councils . What’s the real alternative to capitalism and state socialism? Pannekoek argued it’s workers themselves taking control—no bosses, no bureaucracy, just collective power. We unpack his critiques of unions, the state, and nationalism, and explore his vision for a society run by work...