Join us this week as we explore the slow-motion collapse of expertise and institutions in America through the lens of Isaac Asimov's classic science fiction story "Nightfall."

We examine how the MAGA mob's assault on knowledge mirrors the fictional planet Lagash, where civilization periodically burns itself down in fear of what it doesn't understand. We're witnessing a Cultural Revolution-style purge of expertise - except this time, the things being feared are lies manufactured by Fox News and demagogues.

Plus, Blue Gal reads driftglass's brilliant takedown of David Brooks' latest exercise in intellectual masturbation, where Brooks traces Trump support all the way back to ancient Athens to avoid the obvious conclusion that Republicans have simply chosen to embrace authoritarianism.

As always, we try to distinguish between weather and climate, between forest and trees - but right now there's just Nazi kudzu growing everywhere, getting louder and more dangerous by the day.

This podcast is not safe for work and is recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

LINK TO SATURDAY'S Hal Sparks Live Show tickets: https://heartlandsignal.com/halsparks-live-at-max-and-bennys-restaurant/

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We dive into the Republican party's latest identity crisis as their own media machine turns on itself. We explore how decades of conspiracy theories and manufactured outrage have created a base that demands their leaders deliver on impossible promises—and what happens when reality finally catches up.

We examine the MAGA movement's relationship with truth, the cult-like devotion that prevents accountability, and how certain recent developments have exposed the gears of the right-wing propaganda machine in real time. Plus, we tackle the persistent myth that America needs a "healthy two-party system" and why that thinking might be exactly backwards.

From the cornfield resistance, we're reworking classic theater for modern times—because sometimes the absurd is the only way to make sense of the absurd.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We're visiting America in the ICU on her 249th birthday, hoping the old girl still has some fight left in her.

A sad day as Trump's disastrous bill passes the House. We are still fighting.

This week, we explore the dark matter of American politics - that invisible force that explains why so many voters can't see what's right in front of them. Spoiler alert: it's not really dark at all.

We examine the original No Kings manifesto and ask some pointed questions about which "dark matter" has trained so many Americans not to recognize real threats.

This isn't the time for half measures and tepid language. We're channeling some serious energy for what these times call for.

Episode 914 recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance for the week of July 4th, 2025 - Not safe for work

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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Hat tip to John Fetter-Manchin (copyright Driftglass), we're grudgingly back from our beach vacation (okay, we never actually left the Cornfield Resistance) to bring you the political chaos that just won't quit.

This week, we dive into the summer breakup season hitting Washington hard. From senators throwing tantrums and storming out over Trump's latest budget disaster... to billionaire Twitter feuds that read like celebrity gossip... to Trump supporters getting a harsh reality check about what they actually voted for.

We'll also cover Trump's new fragrance line (yes, really), handwritten notes to the Fed in Sharpie, and why Las Vegas tourism is cratering while the dollar takes its worst nosedive since 1973.

Plus, we explore what happens when the MAGA movement starts eating its own, and Trump's ongoing mission to militarize American politics while politicizing the military.

Fair warning: It's not safe for work, but it is safe for your sanity. Probably.

Episode 913 recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance on July 1st, 2025

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We had severe technical difficulties with our audio with Charlie Pierce (thanks for your time, Charlie!) so that interview had to be scrapped.

But the show must go on! So this evening we recorded a podcast just the two of us.

Bluegal's opinion of Republicans has changed.

Someone FINALLY says, "Liberals were right all along," buuuuut...

Enjoy this more spontaneous-than-usual show.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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This week, we examine Trump's pathological relationship with Fox News and how his morning TV viewing sessions led directly to bombing Iran. We trace the disturbing line from Fox pundits praising Israeli strikes to Trump launching his own attacks—strikes that Rolling Stone reports were "based on vibes" rather than intelligence.

We explore how a president who spent years tweeting that Obama would "play the Iran card" has now done exactly that himself, abandoning his "no foreign wars" promise the moment cable news suggested he needed to "get more involved." It's the story of how America's foreign policy became must-see TV, and how Republicans reprogram themselves to cheer whatever Dear Leader does next.

"The president was closely monitoring Fox News, which was airing wall-to-wall praise of Israel's military operation and featuring guests urging Mr. Trump to get more involved." —The New York [Effing] Times

We close by discussing the 1976 BBC production "I, Claudius" and its plot's uncanny similarities to Washington, D.C. today.

Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

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• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
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• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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We're back from the Cornfield Resistance with another episode examining the eerie echoes of 2003 as familiar faces dust off their war-hungry talking points for another Middle Eastern adventure. We dive into the fascinating split happening in MAGA-land between isolationists and hawks, plus how certain unrepentant ghouls somehow found their way back onto our screens. There's also a delightful trip through our spam folder and the usual Trump chaos, including his latest "two weeks" promise. Oh, and this week, we survived another tornado siren while recording a podcast with Bob Cesca (linked below) because apparently, natural disasters follow us around.

Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance, where we remember stuff.

Link for this episode:

Driftglass and Blue Gal on The Bob Cesca Show: https://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-interview-driftglass-and-blue-gal-day-6-18-25/

Stay in Touch!

• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

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Anyone else notice the growing cracks in the MAGA coalition as supporters openly question whether they've been played?

We dive into the spectacular failures that defined this week in MAGA-land. From Trump's embarrassingly sparse tank parade that drew more protesters (Yay, No Kings Marches!) than supporters, to the horrific Minnesota political assassinations that exposed how quickly the right-wing propaganda machine can pivot from one set of lies to another, especially when reality and facts get in the way.

All this and more from the weekend's news.

It's all part of our ongoing examination of how millions of Americans have become "reprogrammable" - and what happens when their programming starts to glitch.

Not safe for work. Recorded live from the Cornfield Resistance.

Stay in Touch!

• Email: proleftpodcast@gmail.com
• Website: proleftpod.com
• Support via Patreon: patreon.com/proleftpod
• Mail: The Professional Left, PO Box 9133, Springfield, Illinois, 62791

Support the show