Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
Good News for Lefties and America. Hello, and thank you
for joining another episode of Good News for Lefties. I'm
Baable Frackling, your host, ready to help you swap out
doom and gloom for some genuine hope with uplifting stories
for democracy defenders, progressives, liberals, socialists, leftists, and anyone who
(00:29):
believes in making America a better place for everyone. It's
no secret that these are challenging times. The disappearing of
immigrants and citizens off the streets of America, Trump trying
to end mail in voting, and the wholesale destruction of
critical government agencies. Today's headlines often overwhelm us with troubling news,
(00:51):
making it all too easy to lose sight of hope.
That's exactly why it's vital to highlight the positive, real
world progress that is happening, every progress that too often
gets drown out by the negativity. Despite the setbacks, there's
genuine movement toward a better America. So let these stories
serve as a reminder that change is not just possible,
(01:14):
it's happening. Carry this up with you and share it
with others. Okay, let's kick off with some good news
headlines designed to Brighten Your Day. Thousands of demonstrators filled
the streets of Washington, d C. In the last week,
demanding accountability and defending democracy as protests erupted against President
Trump's latest attempts to consolidate power. Chanting and drumming and
(01:38):
waving signs, the crowds stretched across the nation's capital, where
a diverse coalition of Americans made it clear that they
would not remain silent in the face of what they
view as an abuse of power, Trump sending National Guard units,
many of them from red states, into the nation's blue capital.
(02:00):
Organizers who describe the demonstrations as both a warning a
mis celebration of civic engagement, emphasizing the people from all
walks of life have united to reaffirm democratic values. Activists,
faith leaders, labor groups, students, and everyday residents stood shoulder
to shoulder, sending a message that the country's future belongs
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to the people, not anyone politician or administration. The protests
carried the energy of the past moments of American history,
when mass mobilization forced accountability and change. Participants said the
demonstrations were not only about pushing back against authoritarian maneuvers,
(02:43):
but also reimagining the nation's path forward. Speakers drew attention
to issues of justice, equality, and transparency, highlighting the ongoing
fight for women's rights, racial justice, queer and trans equality,
reproductive freedom, and economic fairness. Calls for resilience were matched
(03:05):
by an outpouring of optimism, with marchers reminding each other
that the right to assemble and speak out remains a
cornerstone of the American spirit. Despite the tense political climate,
the protests resonated as a hopeful cry for unity and renewal.
Organizers vowed to keep the momentum alive through local organizing,
(03:28):
grassroots advocacy, and voter mobilization in the months ahead. For
many on the streets of Washington this week, the demonstrations
reflected a steadfast belief that everyday, people, when united, can
protect democracy and shape a more just and inclusive America.
Tenants in Boston's Mattapan neighborhood have scored a victory after
(03:52):
a six year battle to keep their homes affordable. Residents
of the Fair Lawn Estate's apartment complex, backed by the
housing justice nonprofit City Life Vita Urbana, organized against dramatic
rent hikes imposed by a corporate landlord in twenty eighteen.
Their persistence paid off this spring when the City of
(04:14):
Boston helped facilitate the purchase of the three hundred forty
seven unit property by an affordable housing developer that is
now guaranteed permanent affordability for longtime residents like Betty Lewis
seventy four. This win is both personal and collective. Lewis
helped form a tenant association after her monthly rent jumped
(04:36):
by three hundred dollars, an increase she couldn't afford on
a fixed income. With encouragement from City Life organizers, she
and her neighbors stood firm against pressure and threatened evictions,
staging vigils, rallies, and even jury trials. This is a
community victory won by neighbors working together, Lewis said. It's
(04:57):
not just for us. We hope it inspire organizing for
housing stability all across Boston and across the state. The
deal was made possible through Boston's Acquisition Opportunity Program, created
to preserve naturally affordable housing stock at risk from speculative investment.
With ten million dollars in Federal American Rescue Plan funds,
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the city ensured Fair Lawns units are now income restricted
in perpetuity. Current tenants are protected by caps on annual
rent increases at two percent, with additional safeguards in place
for low income renters and those using rental assistance vouchers.
City officials have hailed the deal as a cost effective
way to preserve affordability, protecting hundreds of families for a
(05:43):
fraction of what new construction would require. Ten leaders and
advocates are already pointing toward broader reforms, bringing back rent
control and enacting tenant opportunity to purchase policies that would
give residents first rights when lands sell. But for now,
the win at Fairlawn Estates stands as an example of
(06:05):
collective action. As Lewis notes, the lesson for other communities
is clear form a tenant association, know your rights, knock
on your neighbor's door. You're stronger together. For Mattapan tenants,
that solidarity has turned a looming displacement into lasting stability
(06:26):
and hope. Before we get back to the news, I
want to tell you about an important podcast called This
Week Again, hosted by Suzanne Posel. It takes a humorous
look at politics and current events one week at a time.
It's a funny, angry, progressive, sarcastic, hilarious podcast that drops
every Sunday and, in my opinion, is the largest single
(06:50):
repository of creatively insulting names for Donald Trump. Mango Mussolini
and Orange Julius Caesar are just the beginning. So if
you want to recap of the week and you want
a laugh into the bargain, listen to This Week Again
with Suzanne Posel on this platform or wherever you listen
to podcasts. That's This Week Again with Suzanne Posel s
(07:13):
U S A N N E PO s E L
This Week Again, Listen, Laugh, repeat. Two right wing operatives
at the center of a racially targeted voter intimidation scheme
have finally admitted guild after a year's long legal battle.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel announced that John Berkman fifty
(07:37):
nine and Jacob Wool twenty seven pled no contest to
multiple felony charges, including conspiring to intimidate voters and using
computers to carry out their scheme. The pair masterminded robocalls
before the twenty twenty general election that spread lies designed
to dissuade black Detroit voters from casting ballots by many.
(08:01):
The robocalls sent to nearly twelve thousand households with Detroit
addresses falsely claimed that voting by mail would expose voters
to police tracking, debt collection, and even forced vaccinations by
the CDC. Berkman and Wohl themselves identified as the source
(08:22):
of the calls and closed by urging recipients not to
give your private information to the man. Nessel described the
campaign as an egregious example of voter suppression, stressing that
her office would never allow deception and fear to block
Michigan voters from exercising their constitutional rights. The case wound
(08:44):
its way through Michigan courts for years, with defendants appealing
charges all the way up to the state's Supreme Court.
In a decisive ruling, the justices found that the state's
voter intimidation laws clearly applied and that the pair's actions
were not protected by by the First Amendment. They're guilty
pleas come after repeated legal defeats that set an important
(09:06):
precedent affirming the state's ability to prosecute modern tactics of
voter suppression in the digital age. With sentencing scheduled for
December first in Wayne County. Berkman and Wall now face
significant prison time for their conduct. For voting rights advocates,
the case is a victory that underscores the importance of vigilance,
(09:28):
as Nessell put it, accountability even years after election day
helps ensure Michigan's elections remain free, fair, and beyond the
reach of schemes aimed at silencing communities of color. New
York City is making sure kids don't go hungry this
summer by teaming up with No Kid Hungry new York
(09:49):
to provide free meals across all five boroughs, with nearly
one thousand distribution sites at schools, parks, pools, libraries, and
even food trucks. The initial is ensuring that children and
teens have access to nutritious meals every day, no matter
their circumstances. At places like Half in Park in the Bronx,
(10:11):
food trucks are serving free breakfast and lunch seven days
a week, offering options ranging from cheese sandwiches to chicken pasta.
Organizers emphasize that meals are selected only after taste testing
with students, making sure the food is both healthy and
something kids actually want to eat. When kids have access
(10:32):
to nutritious meals, they grow up stronger, they have higher
attendance rates, they do better in school, said Rachel Sabella,
director of No Kid Hungry New York. The program addresses
a critical gap for families during the summer months, when
students no longer have access to free or reduced price
meals during the school day. For many families facing rising
(10:56):
costs of food, rent, and transportation, these meals provide both
relief and stability. By bringing meal sites directly into neighborhoods,
the initiative ensures accessibility and prioritizes the well being of
children in every community. City officials and advocates view this
(11:17):
as an investment not just in health, but in the
future of New York. Strong, well nurished kids are better
learners and more engaged in school, laying the foundation for
greater opportunity. With community partners stepping up, the message is clear,
no child in New York City should go without a
good meal, and programs rooted inequity and care can transform
(11:39):
lives across the city. Up next, a listener suggested story
back in a minute, and now, a listener suggested story
from Connor in Brooklyn Park Minnesota. The Minnesota Viking's newest cheerleaders,
Blaze Sheic and Louis Khan, are embracing the spotlight and
(12:00):
pushing back against backlash after making history as part of
the team's twenty twenty five squad. The pair, among a
growing number of male cheerleaders across the NFL, took the
field during preseason games this month, to raucous applause inside
the stadium, even as a vocal minority online attempted to
stir outrage. Criticism, including homophobic remarks from former NFL player
(12:25):
Antonio Brown, as only spotlighted the progress being made across
the league. Chic brushed off the negativity with humor, posting
a photo of himself and con in uniform with the
cheeky caption, wait did someone say our name? Their lighthearted
response underscored the confidence and joy they bring to the sport,
(12:45):
proving that inclusivity has a place on the sidelines as
much as anywhere else in football. The Vikings organization stood
firmly behind their cheerleaders, affirming in a statement that Chic
and Khan earned their place through the same rigorous audition
process as all other squad members. The team noted that
male cheerleaders are not new to the sport. College cheer
(13:08):
squads have long featured ben and a third of NFL
teams now include them as well. We support all our
cheerleaders and are proud of the role they play as
ambassadors of the organization, the team said. From the Los
Angeles Rams groundbreaking decision to add male dancers in twenty
eighteen to today's NFL landscape with more than a dozen
(13:30):
teams featuring men on the sidelines, this shift reflects a
broader embrace of athleticism, diversity, and representation for fans in Minneapolis,
chic and CON's presence signals the future where football culture
better mirrors the inclusivity of the communities it represents, and,
judging by the cheers from inside the stadium, the game
(13:52):
day experience has only gotten stronger. Thanks for that story, Connor.
If you have thoughts, ideas are more good news to share,
We'd love to hear from you as well. Call or
message us at two zero two six five six six
two seven to one, drop us a line at Beowulf
at two Squaredmedia Productions dot com, or send it to
(14:13):
us at good News for Lefties on Facebook, Instagram, or
blue sky. In Austin, Texas, a new chapter in affordable
housing is taking shape literally through three D printing. Construction.
Technology company Icon has begun building three compact homes as
part of the city's Muller Affordable Homes program. The project
(14:38):
marks one of the first times in the US that
three D printed housing is being directly applied to tackle
affordability for low income residents. Each two story home spans
six hundred and fifty one square feet, with a first
floor that combines living, dining in kitchen space, and a
second floor hosting a bedroom and bathroom. The hybrid construction
(15:00):
uses Icon's large scale three D printer to extrude durable
cement like walls, while traditional builders add timber framing, roofing,
and finishes designed for resilience. The homes are engineered to
provide superior insulation with stand water, mold, termites, and even fire.
(15:21):
Although the one hundred ninety five thousand dollars price tag
may not seem cheap, it represents a significant step down
from nearby three D printed homes in the same community
that start around three hundred fifty thousand dollars and sur
past one million dollars Austin, Texas isn't cheap, my friends.
Advocates view this as proof that advanced construction methods can
(15:44):
help produce costs and increase predictability in housing production for Austin,
a city at the heart of both a tech boom
and affordability crisis. These homes highlight the potential of three
D printing to expand access to housing that is both
sustain anable and secure. If scaled, the technology could offer
(16:04):
communities nationwide a powerful tool in addressing the country's deepening
housing shortage. And that's it for today's edition of Good
News for Lefties. If these stories brighten your outlook, please
help us spread the word. Share this episode on social
media wherever you post. A big thanks to our production
team rooseabelt Heine and Aaron Watson for making all of
(16:27):
this possible behind the scenes. I'm bebolf Frocklin weird name
Good News for Lefties and America.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
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Speaker 1 (17:27):
And in case you missed it, here's this good news headline.
The trash collector strike in Massachusetts now and at sixth
week shows no signs of resolution, as Team Stairs local
union twenty five members voted by a ninety three percent
majority to continue the work staffage for a thirty fifth day.
The strike, centering on demands for improved wages and more
(17:50):
comprehensive health insurance, has seriously disrupted trash and recycling collection
across more than a dozen communities in the North Shore
and Greater Boston area, including Peabody, Beverly, Danvers, and several others.
Union president Tom Maray said that not only has support
for the strike grown among members, but there have also
(18:12):
been no new negotiation sessions with Republic Services for over
two weeks. The impact has prompted towns like Peabody, Danvers
and Beverly to seek financial and legal recourse against Republic Services,
including lawsuits for breach of contract and public health violations
due to the mounting uncollected waste. Emergency rulings for immediate
(18:33):
collection relief have so far been unsuccessful in court, but
municipal officials emphasize that they are exploring all available options
and remain committed to community health and safety. In Peabody,
Mayor Ted Bettencourt urged both parties to return to the
bargaining table and ensured residents that trash collection would continue,
(18:55):
albeit with significant delays, while recycling services remain suspended due
to short staffing. Governor Mara Healy has also intervened, expressing
strong disappointment with Republic Services and calling on the company
to resume negotiations immediately.