#1731 Raw Power, the Presidency, the Courts, and Democracy in the Balance

#1731 Raw Power, the Presidency, the Courts, and Democracy in the Balance

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics August 20, 2025 Duration: 3:41:10
Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
NewsCommentaryPolitics

Air Date 8/20/2025

There's been a faction of conservatives who have been trying to instill king-like powers into the presidency for a long time, so it shouldn't be surprising that Trump is getting so much help from the packed court and the apparatchiks in the states who are more than happy to turn their precious federalism on its head as long as their king is in charge.

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Justifying Democracy w/ Osita Nwanevu - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-11-25

KP 2: Texas Hold Dems - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25

KP 3: Fighting Fire with Fire with Texas Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 8-7-25

KP 4: Bruce Bueno De Mesquita The Five Rules of Power Politics - Big Think - Air Date 5-13-12

KP 5: When Unaccountable People Come for Your Vote - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-26-25

KP 6: Executive Lawlessness w/ Leah Litman on the Supreme Court Enabling Presidential Overreach Part 1 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 7-18-25

KP 7: Leah Litman on the Grievance and Conspiracy Theories That Run SCOTUS Part 1 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-11-25

(00:50:56) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On how fascists run interference

DEEPER DIVES

(01:03:07) SECTION A: GRIFT AND FORCE

A1: Trump's Presidential Library Grift. Plus, the Hacker Behind the NYTs Mamdani Story. - On the Media - Air Date 7-25-25

A2: Trump Threatens National Guard Deployment to DC - DSR Daily - Air Date 8-11-25

A3: Loyalty Over Competence At Trump's Justice Department - What A Day - Air Date 7-31-25

A4: Trump Deploys National Guard - HasanAbi - Air Date 8-14-25

A5: Trump Press Secs Weird Fawning Rant Goes Awry as Poll Slide Worsens - THE DAILY BLAST - Air Date 8-1-25

A6: U.S. Profoundly Changed by Authoritarian Leader; 'We're Beyond Waiting and Seeing Now' - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 8-4-25

A7: How Today's Tensions Mirror Pre-Civil War America - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 8-8-25

(02:00:53) SECTION B: GERRYMANDERING

B1: Republicans Ramp Redistricting Fight up to a 10 - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 8-10-25

B2: Fighting Fire with Fire with Texas Rep. Cassandra Garcia Hernandez Part 2 - The Practivist Pod - Air Date 8-7-25

B3: TEXAS HOLD DEMS Part 2 - Today, Explained - Air Date 8-7-25

B4: Republicans Ramp Redistricting Fight up to a 10 Part 2 - No Lie with Brian Tyler Cohen - Air Date 8-10-25

B5: U.S. Profoundly Changed by Authoritarian Leader; 'We're Beyond Waiting and Seeing Now' Part 2 - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 8-4-25

B6: Justifying Democracy w/ Osita Nwanevu Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 8-11-25

B7: How Today's Tensions Mirror Pre-Civil War America Part 2 - Why, America? with Leeja Miller - Air Date 8-8-25

(02:52:39) SECTION C: COURTS

C1: Stacking the Bench with Creeps and Kooks - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 8-4-25

C2: Leah Litman on the Grievance and Conspiracy Theories That Run SCOTUS Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 8-11-25

C3: When Unaccountable People Come for Your Vote Part 2 - Amicus with Dahlia Lithwick - Air Date 7-26-25

C4: Stacking the Bench with Creeps and Kooks Part 2 - Strict Scrutiny - Air Date 8-4-25

C5: Executive Lawlessness w/ Leah Litman on the Supreme Court Enabling Presidential Overreach Part 2 - The Intercept Briefing - Air Date 7-18-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Image of a king of diamonds playing card with a king with orange skin and blonde hair, and a nervous expression on his face, against a dark American flag.

Credit: "king-card-casino-diamond" via Pixabay | Pixabay License

 

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
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