WEBVTT
1
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:12.759
Good News for Lefties and America. Hello and thanks for
2
00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:17.920
joining another episode of Good News for Lefties. I'm Beowulf Rockland,
3
00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.199
your host, ready to help you swap out doom and
4
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:30.600
gloom for some genuine hope with uplifting stories for democracy defenders, progressives, liberals, socialists, leftists,
5
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.719
and anyone who believes in making America a better place
6
00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:40.560
for everyone. Today's troubling headlines often overwhelm us, and I'm
7
00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.119
sure if you follow the news, you'll read or hear
8
00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:46.560
about some of them today. All the bad news makes
9
00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:50.039
it easy to lose sight of hope, and that's exactly
10
00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.799
why it's vital to highlight the positive progressive wins happening
11
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.759
every day in the United States of America. To help
12
00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:01.640
us spread the positivity. If you enjoy the show, please
13
00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:05.840
rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your
14
00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:09.920
podcast platform of choice. It helps more lefties like you
15
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.519
hear more good news stories and stay positive and motivated
16
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.480
for the days ahead. Now, let's get to some good
17
00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:22.920
news headlines designed to brighten your day. California moved swiftly
18
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:27.519
on Thursday to defend students, faculty, and academic freedom from
19
00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:31.599
what Governor Gavin Newsom denounced as a political assault on
20
00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:36.599
higher education. Newsom announced that any university in the state
21
00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.000
that signs onto the Trump Administration's so called Compact for
22
00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:47.000
Academic Excellence will immediately forfeit state funding, including billions in
23
00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:52.120
student aid distributed through calgrants. The governor casts the deal
24
00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:56.040
as a direct threat to free inquiry on campus and
25
00:01:56.120 --> 00:02:01.000
to give away of institutional independence to partisan idel. The
26
00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:06.280
proposal from Washington seeks to force universities to shutter academic departments,
27
00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:11.960
slash the enrollment of international students, and accept rigid government
28
00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:16.439
definitions of gender, while barring the consideration of race or
29
00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:21.199
sex in admissions and hiring. In exchange universities would be
30
00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:25.840
dangled the prospect of additional federal dollars. Newsom dismissed the
31
00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:30.240
offer as a hostile takeover of America's universities, designed to
32
00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.800
punish diversity, muzzle campus voices, and strip decision making power
33
00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:40.240
from educators and researchers. California leaders underscored that these stakes
34
00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:46.840
reach far beyond bureaucratic policy, affecting real students faculty in communities.
35
00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:52.159
More than four hundred thousand California students rely on calgrants
36
00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:56.159
each year. Newsom said that the state will not prop
37
00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.280
up institutions that sacrifice their student's futures in all order
38
00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:05.719
to appease a political agenda. Calling the compact radical, he
39
00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:09.439
pledged to use the state's leverage to protect California students
40
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:15.400
and safeguard the broad exchange of ideas that defines higher learning.
41
00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.360
The clash highlights California's role as a bulwark against efforts
42
00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:24.560
by the Trump administration to reshape colleges into vessels for
43
00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:28.960
ideological control. By drawing a hard line, the state is
44
00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:34.000
affirming its commitment to diversity, student support, and academic freedom.
45
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:38.879
Universities now face a choice submit to political dictates that
46
00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:43.240
undercut their missions, or stand with students, researchers, and free
47
00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:48.960
inquiry against a partisan agenda. A federal court has delivered
48
00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:53.960
a crucial reprieve for housing advocates, halting a Trump administration
49
00:03:54.080 --> 00:04:00.560
bid to strip vital resources from communities confronting homelessness. District
50
00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:03.919
Court for the District of Rhode Island issued a temporary
51
00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.479
restraining order blocking new Department of Housing and Urban Development
52
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.080
rules that would have made federal housing aid contingent on
53
00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:18.800
rejecting inclusive policies and proven approaches like harm reduction. For now,
54
00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:23.000
seventy five million dollars in federal funding for permanent supportive
55
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:28.319
housing remains secure, shielding service providers from an abrupt and
56
00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:33.000
politically driven disruption. The blocked rules rushed out by HUD
57
00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:38.000
in early September would have barred sanctuary jurisdictions, programs supporting
58
00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:43.279
transgender residents, and agencies that use the evidence based Housing
59
00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.160
First model from competing for federal housing dollars. Advocates and
60
00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:53.000
lawmakers blasted the restrictions as both unlawful and cruel, targeting
61
00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:57.079
the very tools communities rely on to connect vulnerable residents
62
00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.120
with stable housing. The National Alliance to and Homelessness and
63
00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:06.000
Community Partners quickly sued, arguing that HUD had exceeded its
64
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:11.560
authority and undermined Congress's role in directing federal spending. Support
65
00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.000
of housing programs are at the center of the fight.
66
00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:19.439
These initiatives provide long term, affordable homes coupled with voluntary
67
00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.439
services such as mental health care and recovery support to
68
00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:30.040
people experiencing chronic homelessness or living with disabilities. Housing experts
69
00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:34.680
warned that undermining Housing First could leave thousands of families
70
00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:39.120
and individuals exposed to the streets, even as local coalitions
71
00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:43.360
battle severe shortages of affordable housing. With the court's ruling,
72
00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.639
caseworkers and service providers can continue prioritizing the urgent need
73
00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:52.680
for safe shelter rather than bureaucratic hoops set up to
74
00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:58.319
enforce an ideological agenda. Democratic leaders in Congress also pressed
75
00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:01.720
HUD's Inspector General to invent to get the administration's retreat
76
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.079
from obligations already approved under the Biden administration. Senators Kirsten
77
00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.920
Gillibrand and Patty Murray denounced the chaos imposed on nonprofits
78
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:16.240
forced to repeatedly reapply for the same grants while demand
79
00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.759
for housing continues to skyrocket. For advocates, the court's decision
80
00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:23.839
is far more than a procedural win. It is a
81
00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:28.240
defense of fairness and humanity, ensuring that life saving housing
82
00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:32.639
programs cannot be hijacked to serve political theater at the
83
00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:36.680
expense of people in need. Before we get back to
84
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:38.800
the news, I want to tell you about an important
85
00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:44.480
podcast called This Week Again, hosted by Suzanne Posel. It
86
00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.959
takes a humorous look at politics and current events one
87
00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:52.680
week at a time. It's a funny, angry, progressive, sarcastic,
88
00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:56.519
hilarious podcast that drops every Sunday and, in my opinion,
89
00:06:56.680 --> 00:07:00.600
is the largest single repository of creatively and soul names
90
00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:05.079
for Donald Trump. Mango Mussolini and Orange Julius Caesar are
91
00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.199
just the beginning. So if you want to recap of
92
00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.560
the week and you want a laugh into the bargain,
93
00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:14.120
listen to This Week Again with Suzanne Posel on this
94
00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:18.600
platform or wherever you listen to podcasts. That's This Week
95
00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:23.759
Again with Suzanne Posel s USA N N E pos
96
00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:30.839
E L This Week Again, Listen, laugh, repeat. California's oil
97
00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:35.560
refining industry is shrinking, and the reason isn't regulations. It's
98
00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.680
the steady, irreversible decline of gasoline demand. After a decade
99
00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:44.360
of shrinking sales, fueled by cleaner cars, the surge of
100
00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:49.759
electric vehicle adoption and statewide climate policy, gasoline consumption has
101
00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.120
dropped more than eleven percent since twenty fifteen. Now, Phillips
102
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.000
sixty six is Wilmington Refinery in Los Angeles and Valera's
103
00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.439
Benetia refinery in the Bay Area, together roughly supplying fifteen
104
00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:07.199
percent of California's gasoline have announced they will close in
105
00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:10.360
the next two years. What once would have been seen
106
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:17.040
as unthinkable instead is becoming inevitable. Consumers are choosing electricity
107
00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.120
over oil. The closure is mark not just an industrial shift,
108
00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:27.439
but a societal turning point. California's clean vehicle incentives and
109
00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:31.199
the Advanced Clean Cars to mandate requiring one hundred percent
110
00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.399
zero emission passenger car sales by twenty thirty five have
111
00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:38.720
locked in a trajectory that the market was already driving
112
00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:42.840
on its own. With evs accounting for about one in
113
00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:46.840
four new car purchases and efficiency improvements eating away at
114
00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:51.240
fuel demand, the business case for gasoline refining has collapsed.
115
00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.159
Each plant shuttered accelerates the clean energy transition, cutting pollution,
116
00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:02.919
carbon emissions, and fossil fuel DePass while communities tied to
117
00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.600
refining grapple with change. California is preparing for the future
118
00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:14.159
rather than clinging to outdated industrial infrastructure. Policymakers are turning
119
00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:19.840
investment toward workforce transitions, renewable power, and charging networks that
120
00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:25.840
sustain long term economic growth. Temporary supply disruptions may occur,
121
00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.720
but these are the growing pains of progress. The same
122
00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:34.159
way coal closures and the rise of renewables transformed energy
123
00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:40.440
markets before. As refineries wind down, consumers benefit from falling
124
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:44.799
ev costs, cleaner air, and a transportation system designed for
125
00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:49.440
people and the planet, not oil profits. Far from being
126
00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.879
a crisis, California's refinery closures are a preview of the inevitable.
127
00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:59.000
A state and economy outgrowing fossil fuels, gas stations will close,
128
00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:03.120
maintenance build built around engine oil and exhaust systems will shrink,
129
00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:08.639
and even hydrogen demand tied to refining will fade. But
130
00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:11.720
what arises in their place will be far more powerful,
131
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:17.840
a self reinforcing cycle of electrification, infrastructure expansion, and climate resilience.
132
00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:21.480
California isn't falling behind, It's showing the rest of the
133
00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:26.759
world how to move ahead. In Pennsylvania, a new kind
134
00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.320
of vending machine is saving lives and breaking down barriers
135
00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:34.039
to care. Instead of offering ships or soda, health to
136
00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:39.440
Go Kiosks in Redding and Harrisburg provide free inloxone pregnancy tests,
137
00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:44.440
fentanyl test strips, hygiene kits, socks, and wound care supplies,
138
00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:49.639
all without cost and without judgment. The machines, installed through
139
00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:53.039
a penn State led partnership are designed to meet people
140
00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:57.440
where they are offering anonymous access to resources that prevent overdoses,
141
00:10:57.799 --> 00:11:01.480
reduce stigma, and address basic needs often out of reach
142
00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:07.519
for people experiencing homelessness or addiction. The response has been overwhelming.
143
00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.720
In just a year, the two machines have dispensed more
144
00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:16.279
than eleven thousand items, including nearly nineteen hundred doses of naloxone,
145
00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:21.879
medication that reverses opioid overdoses, and thousands of hygiene and
146
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.399
wound care kits. Surveys of users show that four and
147
00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:29.320
five struggle with meeting basic needs, and nearly a quarter
148
00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:34.039
are unhoused or facing housing insecurity. Many reported they had
149
00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:37.000
avoided a traditional healthcare settings due to fear of stigma,
150
00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:43.000
making these machines a rare judgment free lifeline. What makes
151
00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.000
health to Go stand out is that users can remain
152
00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:50.960
anonymous while still connecting with broader services. The interactive screens
153
00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:55.120
not only dispensed supplies, but also list local resources from
154
00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:59.399
food banks and clinics to recovery programs, and even play
155
00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:03.759
videos on how to use items like fentanyl strips. Each
156
00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:06.799
tap on the screen becomes a connection point to health,
157
00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:11.039
safety and dignity. As one user put it simply, they're
158
00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:16.159
saving people from overdosing. They're saving people from dying. With
159
00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:20.159
opioid deaths still a crisis, and overdose numbers in Pennsylvania
160
00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:24.960
only beginning to ease, these machines represent more than an experiment,
161
00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.240
their proof of what harm reduction looks like when it's
162
00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:32.879
put directly into the community. The project's success is fueling
163
00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:37.039
plans for expansion, with more machines expected across central Pennsylvania.
164
00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.159
For the people who rely on them, they aren't just
165
00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:47.559
vending machines. They're portals to survival, dignity, and hope. Up next,
166
00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:54.159
a listener suggested story back in a minute, and now,
167
00:12:54.200 --> 00:13:00.279
a listener suggested story from Derek. In Ipswich, Massachusetts, its
168
00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:04.200
cranberry farmers are choosing a forward thinking path amid challenging
169
00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:10.639
economic conditions by transforming unproductive cranberry bogs back into vibrant wetlands.
170
00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:16.039
Faced with global competition, rising labor and utility costs, and
171
00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:21.159
extreme weather impacts, farmers like Jared Roads, a fourth generation
172
00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:25.559
grower in Carver, have embraced the state's Cranberry bog program,
173
00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.200
which compensates farmers to restore bog lands to their natural
174
00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:33.519
wetland state. The restoration projects not only preserve the land,
175
00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:39.000
but also support native plants, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience.
176
00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:44.320
Over the last fifteen years, Massachusetts has successfully restored more
177
00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.519
than five hundred acres of wetlands, with another five hundred
178
00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:52.240
acres under way. These efforts echo the region's ecological heritage,
179
00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:57.480
since many cranberry farms were originally wetland ecosystems. Projects like
180
00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:01.519
the Eel River Headwaters and roads Own thirty acre bog
181
00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:06.480
demonstrate the power of restoration to filter water, sequester carbon,
182
00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:11.480
provide storm buffers, and create publicly accessible spaces for hiking
183
00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.759
and wildlife viewing. The revitalized wetlands bring nature back to
184
00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:21.399
the landscape, offering a stark contrast to the monoculture cranberry
185
00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:27.440
operations that once dominated these lands. For farmers approaching retirement
186
00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:32.440
or reassessing the viability of cranberry farming, wetland restoration is
187
00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:35.559
a creative way to honour their family legacies while adapting
188
00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:40.559
to new environmental and economic realities. The Massachusetts Division of
189
00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:45.399
Ecological Restoration works alongside local and federal partners to fund
190
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:49.480
these projects, ensuring land remains productive in ways that align
191
00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:54.759
with long term sustainability and community benefit. These restored wetlands
192
00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:58.960
also serve as natural defenses against flooding and climate impacts,
193
00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:04.799
making them critical assets in today's changing world. Massachusetts stands
194
00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.679
as a national leader in this transition, with a strong
195
00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:13.519
commitment to ecological restoration alongside agricultural heritage. As native plants
196
00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:18.039
return and waterways flow freely again, the state showcases an
197
00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:23.639
inspiring model of resilience, combining nature restoration, climate action, and
198
00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:27.759
thoughtful land stewardship to build a healthier, more sustainable future
199
00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:32.840
for both communities and ecosystems. Thanks so much for that story, Derek.
200
00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:36.600
If you have thoughts, ideas, or more good news to share,
201
00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.919
we'd love to hear from you. Call or message us
202
00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.639
at two zero two six five six six two seven
203
00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.320
to one, drop us a line at beowulf at two
204
00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.759
squared Media Productions dot com, or send it to us
205
00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:54.519
at good News for Lefties on Facebook, Instagram or Blue Sky.
206
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:58.840
Students in Nashville stood up boldly in September, walking out
207
00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.200
of their classrooms to demanned urgent action on gun violence.
208
00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.600
About fifty students gathered at the University School of Nashville,
209
00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:12.639
holding handmade posters with a clear message, protect children, not guns.
210
00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:17.480
Their chants echoed the names of young victims, asserting their
211
00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:21.039
right to safety, and calling on lawmakers to ban assault
212
00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.879
weapons and high capacity magazines. This was part of a
213
00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:29.720
nationwide wave of student protests organized by Students Demand Action
214
00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:35.440
and Every Town for Gun Safety, inspiring change from classrooms
215
00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:40.279
to capitals. The protests came on the heels of tragic violence,
216
00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:45.120
including the recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis
217
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.360
where children lost their lives, as well as local incidents
218
00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.639
like the Antioch High School shooting and a recent bomb
219
00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:57.120
threat at the University School of Nashville itself. For teens
220
00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:00.879
like seventeen year old Isabella Olino and fifteen year old
221
00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:05.400
Kate Disher, these events aren't distant headlines. They are daily
222
00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:10.400
realities that make schools feel unsafe and threaten their futures.
223
00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:15.759
Their voices embody a generation demanding that schools be sanctuaries
224
00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:20.240
of learning, not sites of fear. Many students wet beyond
225
00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:25.160
protest signs, making direct calls to governors, senators, and representatives
226
00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:30.039
to hold elected officials accountable. The responses from some offices,
227
00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.960
including Senator Heidi Campbell and representatives Steve Cohen showed that
228
00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:39.200
the power of student activism is being hurt. For participants
229
00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:43.039
like fifteen year old Arlow Williamson, the walkouts were not
230
00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:46.200
only protests, but the reclaiming of agency in a world
231
00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:51.599
where their safety had too often been overlooked. Similar activism
232
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:55.400
bubbled up at Hillsborough High School and other Tennessee campuses,
233
00:17:55.880 --> 00:18:00.000
reflecting widespread youth determination to end gun violence through concrete
234
00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:05.400
eat legislative change. Fifteen year old freshman Cade Dickinson's reflection
235
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:09.279
that the Minneapolis tragedy fell too close to home underscored
236
00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:14.359
the urgency fueling a generation uniting to say enough. These
237
00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:19.559
walkouts signal a movement that refuses to accept inaction in
238
00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:24.119
the face of preventable loss of life. And that's a
239
00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:27.039
wrap for today's edition of Good News for Lefties. Remember
240
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:30.680
if these stories brighten your outlook, please help us spread
241
00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.640
the word by rating and reviewing us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
242
00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:38.559
or your podcast platform of choice. A big thanks to
243
00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:42.200
our production team, Roosevelt Hein and Aaron Watson for making
244
00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:46.240
all of this possible Behind the scenes. I'm Beowulf Rockland,
245
00:18:47.000 --> 00:19:06.799
weird name good news for lefties and America.
246
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:11.599
Here's what you've been missing. On the Stephanie Miller Happy
247
00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.920
Hour podcast.
248
00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:20.640
Donald put down another racist, awful video with Hakim again
249
00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.240
in a sombrero and men behind him.
250
00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.119
They're all Donald Trump.
251
00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:27.200
They're all Donald Trump behind him as the mariachi behind
252
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:33.039
It's okay. So the first video, if you didn't see it,
253
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.200
it was a deep fake basically of Chuck Schumer and
254
00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.880
Hakim Jefferies, and they put Hakim Jeffries in a sombrero
255
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.279
with a mustache for whatever, well for racist reasons obviously,
256
00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:48.400
and then had Chuck Schumer's version say things that he
257
00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:50.640
would never say. Plus he swore, which he doesn't do
258
00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:54.519
in public. I assume he has a sailor's mouth in private,
259
00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.079
but he's never said anything like that in public. And
260
00:19:57.160 --> 00:20:00.680
so Donald last night decided to do it again. He
261
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.640
took basically the video of Jeffreys on O'Donnell and then
262
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:09.480
Lawrence o' donald Lawrence o'donald's last night and basically, you know,
263
00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:13.480
did a similar thing, and uh, he said that Monday.
264
00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:17.279
Jeffries said that Monday's video was a malignant distraction from
265
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:19.559
people who are determined to continue to rip healthcare away,
266
00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:23.559
which is true. And he said that Donald is an
267
00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:26.240
unseerious individual and has no interest in having a good
268
00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:33.440
faith conversation. Also true. So this new video, it's just
269
00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:38.400
it's childish to say the least. I don't expect anything
270
00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.400
else from good point.
271
00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:44.920
Subscribe to the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts,
272
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.880
Stephanie Miller dot com, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
273
00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:56.960
And in case you missed it, here's this good news headline.
274
00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:02.680
Progressive New York City council member Zorhan Mamdani has surged
275
00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.920
to the front of the mayoral race, nearly doubling the
276
00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:08.960
support of his closest rival, according to a new poll
277
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.839
out this week. The findings reflect growing enthusiasm for a
278
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:17.759
candidate who has built his campaign around grassroots organizing, housing justice,
279
00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:23.039
and expanding social programs for working families. Mamdani, who first
280
00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:27.359
rose to prominence by taking on housing inequalities in Queens,
281
00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:31.720
has won endorsements from a range of community leaders and
282
00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:36.160
progressive organizations across the city. Former Mayor Build A. Blasio
283
00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:40.799
through his support behind him, praising Mamdani's unmatched energy in
284
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:45.880
connecting with everyday New Yorkers. The momentum underscores the appetite
285
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:51.079
for fresh leadership that prioritizes public services over corporate interests.
286
00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:56.640
The poll also highlights that Mamdani's message is resonating across Burroughs,
287
00:21:56.960 --> 00:22:02.559
with strong backing from young voters and communities traditionally underrepresented
288
00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:07.400
in citywide elections. Advocates point to his record on rent protections,
289
00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:11.839
immigrant rights, and public transit access as proof he has
290
00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:15.599
both the vision and practical experience to resheep city Hall
291
00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.039
from the ground up. Mamdani's commanding lead positions him as
292
00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:24.200
the favorite in a city hungry for progressive change. Supporters
293
00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:27.000
described the campaign not just as a political race, but
294
00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:31.240
as a movement powered push to make New York more livable, inclusive,
295
00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:34.079
and responsible to the people who call it home.
1
00:00:06.240 --> 00:00:12.759
Good News for Lefties and America. Hello and thanks for
2
00:00:12.839 --> 00:00:17.920
joining another episode of Good News for Lefties. I'm Beowulf Rockland,
3
00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:21.199
your host, ready to help you swap out doom and
4
00:00:21.320 --> 00:00:30.600
gloom for some genuine hope with uplifting stories for democracy defenders, progressives, liberals, socialists, leftists,
5
00:00:31.039 --> 00:00:34.719
and anyone who believes in making America a better place
6
00:00:34.759 --> 00:00:40.560
for everyone. Today's troubling headlines often overwhelm us, and I'm
7
00:00:40.560 --> 00:00:43.119
sure if you follow the news, you'll read or hear
8
00:00:43.159 --> 00:00:46.560
about some of them today. All the bad news makes
9
00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:50.039
it easy to lose sight of hope, and that's exactly
10
00:00:50.079 --> 00:00:54.799
why it's vital to highlight the positive progressive wins happening
11
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:58.759
every day in the United States of America. To help
12
00:00:58.840 --> 00:01:01.640
us spread the positivity. If you enjoy the show, please
13
00:01:01.719 --> 00:01:05.840
rate and review us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your
14
00:01:05.879 --> 00:01:09.920
podcast platform of choice. It helps more lefties like you
15
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:13.519
hear more good news stories and stay positive and motivated
16
00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:17.480
for the days ahead. Now, let's get to some good
17
00:01:17.480 --> 00:01:22.920
news headlines designed to brighten your day. California moved swiftly
18
00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:27.519
on Thursday to defend students, faculty, and academic freedom from
19
00:01:27.560 --> 00:01:31.599
what Governor Gavin Newsom denounced as a political assault on
20
00:01:31.719 --> 00:01:36.599
higher education. Newsom announced that any university in the state
21
00:01:37.120 --> 00:01:41.000
that signs onto the Trump Administration's so called Compact for
22
00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:47.000
Academic Excellence will immediately forfeit state funding, including billions in
23
00:01:47.079 --> 00:01:52.120
student aid distributed through calgrants. The governor casts the deal
24
00:01:52.200 --> 00:01:56.040
as a direct threat to free inquiry on campus and
25
00:01:56.120 --> 00:02:01.000
to give away of institutional independence to partisan idel. The
26
00:02:01.079 --> 00:02:06.280
proposal from Washington seeks to force universities to shutter academic departments,
27
00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:11.960
slash the enrollment of international students, and accept rigid government
28
00:02:12.120 --> 00:02:16.439
definitions of gender, while barring the consideration of race or
29
00:02:16.479 --> 00:02:21.199
sex in admissions and hiring. In exchange universities would be
30
00:02:21.319 --> 00:02:25.840
dangled the prospect of additional federal dollars. Newsom dismissed the
31
00:02:25.919 --> 00:02:30.240
offer as a hostile takeover of America's universities, designed to
32
00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:34.800
punish diversity, muzzle campus voices, and strip decision making power
33
00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:40.240
from educators and researchers. California leaders underscored that these stakes
34
00:02:40.280 --> 00:02:46.840
reach far beyond bureaucratic policy, affecting real students faculty in communities.
35
00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:52.159
More than four hundred thousand California students rely on calgrants
36
00:02:52.199 --> 00:02:56.159
each year. Newsom said that the state will not prop
37
00:02:56.240 --> 00:03:00.280
up institutions that sacrifice their student's futures in all order
38
00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:05.719
to appease a political agenda. Calling the compact radical, he
39
00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:09.439
pledged to use the state's leverage to protect California students
40
00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:15.400
and safeguard the broad exchange of ideas that defines higher learning.
41
00:03:16.000 --> 00:03:20.360
The clash highlights California's role as a bulwark against efforts
42
00:03:20.439 --> 00:03:24.560
by the Trump administration to reshape colleges into vessels for
43
00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:28.960
ideological control. By drawing a hard line, the state is
44
00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:34.000
affirming its commitment to diversity, student support, and academic freedom.
45
00:03:34.599 --> 00:03:38.879
Universities now face a choice submit to political dictates that
46
00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:43.240
undercut their missions, or stand with students, researchers, and free
47
00:03:43.280 --> 00:03:48.960
inquiry against a partisan agenda. A federal court has delivered
48
00:03:49.000 --> 00:03:53.960
a crucial reprieve for housing advocates, halting a Trump administration
49
00:03:54.080 --> 00:04:00.560
bid to strip vital resources from communities confronting homelessness. District
50
00:04:00.560 --> 00:04:03.919
Court for the District of Rhode Island issued a temporary
51
00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.479
restraining order blocking new Department of Housing and Urban Development
52
00:04:08.560 --> 00:04:12.080
rules that would have made federal housing aid contingent on
53
00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:18.800
rejecting inclusive policies and proven approaches like harm reduction. For now,
54
00:04:19.120 --> 00:04:23.000
seventy five million dollars in federal funding for permanent supportive
55
00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:28.319
housing remains secure, shielding service providers from an abrupt and
56
00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:33.000
politically driven disruption. The blocked rules rushed out by HUD
57
00:04:33.040 --> 00:04:38.000
in early September would have barred sanctuary jurisdictions, programs supporting
58
00:04:38.160 --> 00:04:43.279
transgender residents, and agencies that use the evidence based Housing
59
00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:48.160
First model from competing for federal housing dollars. Advocates and
60
00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:53.000
lawmakers blasted the restrictions as both unlawful and cruel, targeting
61
00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:57.079
the very tools communities rely on to connect vulnerable residents
62
00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.120
with stable housing. The National Alliance to and Homelessness and
63
00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:06.000
Community Partners quickly sued, arguing that HUD had exceeded its
64
00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:11.560
authority and undermined Congress's role in directing federal spending. Support
65
00:05:11.600 --> 00:05:14.000
of housing programs are at the center of the fight.
66
00:05:14.519 --> 00:05:19.439
These initiatives provide long term, affordable homes coupled with voluntary
67
00:05:19.480 --> 00:05:23.439
services such as mental health care and recovery support to
68
00:05:23.519 --> 00:05:30.040
people experiencing chronic homelessness or living with disabilities. Housing experts
69
00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:34.680
warned that undermining Housing First could leave thousands of families
70
00:05:34.680 --> 00:05:39.120
and individuals exposed to the streets, even as local coalitions
71
00:05:39.319 --> 00:05:43.360
battle severe shortages of affordable housing. With the court's ruling,
72
00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:48.639
caseworkers and service providers can continue prioritizing the urgent need
73
00:05:48.720 --> 00:05:52.680
for safe shelter rather than bureaucratic hoops set up to
74
00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:58.319
enforce an ideological agenda. Democratic leaders in Congress also pressed
75
00:05:58.360 --> 00:06:01.720
HUD's Inspector General to invent to get the administration's retreat
76
00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:07.079
from obligations already approved under the Biden administration. Senators Kirsten
77
00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:11.920
Gillibrand and Patty Murray denounced the chaos imposed on nonprofits
78
00:06:11.920 --> 00:06:16.240
forced to repeatedly reapply for the same grants while demand
79
00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:20.759
for housing continues to skyrocket. For advocates, the court's decision
80
00:06:20.839 --> 00:06:23.839
is far more than a procedural win. It is a
81
00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:28.240
defense of fairness and humanity, ensuring that life saving housing
82
00:06:28.279 --> 00:06:32.639
programs cannot be hijacked to serve political theater at the
83
00:06:32.680 --> 00:06:36.680
expense of people in need. Before we get back to
84
00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:38.800
the news, I want to tell you about an important
85
00:06:38.839 --> 00:06:44.480
podcast called This Week Again, hosted by Suzanne Posel. It
86
00:06:44.519 --> 00:06:47.959
takes a humorous look at politics and current events one
87
00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:52.680
week at a time. It's a funny, angry, progressive, sarcastic,
88
00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:56.519
hilarious podcast that drops every Sunday and, in my opinion,
89
00:06:56.680 --> 00:07:00.600
is the largest single repository of creatively and soul names
90
00:07:00.600 --> 00:07:05.079
for Donald Trump. Mango Mussolini and Orange Julius Caesar are
91
00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:08.199
just the beginning. So if you want to recap of
92
00:07:08.199 --> 00:07:10.560
the week and you want a laugh into the bargain,
93
00:07:11.120 --> 00:07:14.120
listen to This Week Again with Suzanne Posel on this
94
00:07:14.240 --> 00:07:18.600
platform or wherever you listen to podcasts. That's This Week
95
00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:23.759
Again with Suzanne Posel s USA N N E pos
96
00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:30.839
E L This Week Again, Listen, laugh, repeat. California's oil
97
00:07:30.920 --> 00:07:35.560
refining industry is shrinking, and the reason isn't regulations. It's
98
00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:40.680
the steady, irreversible decline of gasoline demand. After a decade
99
00:07:40.680 --> 00:07:44.360
of shrinking sales, fueled by cleaner cars, the surge of
100
00:07:44.399 --> 00:07:49.759
electric vehicle adoption and statewide climate policy, gasoline consumption has
101
00:07:49.839 --> 00:07:55.120
dropped more than eleven percent since twenty fifteen. Now, Phillips
102
00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:59.000
sixty six is Wilmington Refinery in Los Angeles and Valera's
103
00:07:59.000 --> 00:08:03.439
Benetia refinery in the Bay Area, together roughly supplying fifteen
104
00:08:03.480 --> 00:08:07.199
percent of California's gasoline have announced they will close in
105
00:08:07.240 --> 00:08:10.360
the next two years. What once would have been seen
106
00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:17.040
as unthinkable instead is becoming inevitable. Consumers are choosing electricity
107
00:08:17.120 --> 00:08:21.120
over oil. The closure is mark not just an industrial shift,
108
00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:27.439
but a societal turning point. California's clean vehicle incentives and
109
00:08:27.480 --> 00:08:31.199
the Advanced Clean Cars to mandate requiring one hundred percent
110
00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:35.399
zero emission passenger car sales by twenty thirty five have
111
00:08:35.559 --> 00:08:38.720
locked in a trajectory that the market was already driving
112
00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:42.840
on its own. With evs accounting for about one in
113
00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:46.840
four new car purchases and efficiency improvements eating away at
114
00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:51.240
fuel demand, the business case for gasoline refining has collapsed.
115
00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:57.159
Each plant shuttered accelerates the clean energy transition, cutting pollution,
116
00:08:57.840 --> 00:09:02.919
carbon emissions, and fossil fuel DePass while communities tied to
117
00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:07.600
refining grapple with change. California is preparing for the future
118
00:09:08.759 --> 00:09:14.159
rather than clinging to outdated industrial infrastructure. Policymakers are turning
119
00:09:14.320 --> 00:09:19.840
investment toward workforce transitions, renewable power, and charging networks that
120
00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:25.840
sustain long term economic growth. Temporary supply disruptions may occur,
121
00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:29.720
but these are the growing pains of progress. The same
122
00:09:29.759 --> 00:09:34.159
way coal closures and the rise of renewables transformed energy
123
00:09:34.200 --> 00:09:40.440
markets before. As refineries wind down, consumers benefit from falling
124
00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:44.799
ev costs, cleaner air, and a transportation system designed for
125
00:09:44.879 --> 00:09:49.440
people and the planet, not oil profits. Far from being
126
00:09:49.440 --> 00:09:53.879
a crisis, California's refinery closures are a preview of the inevitable.
127
00:09:54.200 --> 00:09:59.000
A state and economy outgrowing fossil fuels, gas stations will close,
128
00:09:59.320 --> 00:10:03.120
maintenance build built around engine oil and exhaust systems will shrink,
129
00:10:03.559 --> 00:10:08.639
and even hydrogen demand tied to refining will fade. But
130
00:10:08.679 --> 00:10:11.720
what arises in their place will be far more powerful,
131
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:17.840
a self reinforcing cycle of electrification, infrastructure expansion, and climate resilience.
132
00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:21.480
California isn't falling behind, It's showing the rest of the
133
00:10:21.519 --> 00:10:26.759
world how to move ahead. In Pennsylvania, a new kind
134
00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:30.320
of vending machine is saving lives and breaking down barriers
135
00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:34.039
to care. Instead of offering ships or soda, health to
136
00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:39.440
Go Kiosks in Redding and Harrisburg provide free inloxone pregnancy tests,
137
00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:44.440
fentanyl test strips, hygiene kits, socks, and wound care supplies,
138
00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:49.639
all without cost and without judgment. The machines, installed through
139
00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:53.039
a penn State led partnership are designed to meet people
140
00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:57.440
where they are offering anonymous access to resources that prevent overdoses,
141
00:10:57.799 --> 00:11:01.480
reduce stigma, and address basic needs often out of reach
142
00:11:01.519 --> 00:11:07.519
for people experiencing homelessness or addiction. The response has been overwhelming.
143
00:11:08.120 --> 00:11:10.720
In just a year, the two machines have dispensed more
144
00:11:10.759 --> 00:11:16.279
than eleven thousand items, including nearly nineteen hundred doses of naloxone,
145
00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:21.879
medication that reverses opioid overdoses, and thousands of hygiene and
146
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.399
wound care kits. Surveys of users show that four and
147
00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:29.320
five struggle with meeting basic needs, and nearly a quarter
148
00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:34.039
are unhoused or facing housing insecurity. Many reported they had
149
00:11:34.039 --> 00:11:37.000
avoided a traditional healthcare settings due to fear of stigma,
150
00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:43.000
making these machines a rare judgment free lifeline. What makes
151
00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.000
health to Go stand out is that users can remain
152
00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:50.960
anonymous while still connecting with broader services. The interactive screens
153
00:11:51.039 --> 00:11:55.120
not only dispensed supplies, but also list local resources from
154
00:11:55.159 --> 00:11:59.399
food banks and clinics to recovery programs, and even play
155
00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:03.759
videos on how to use items like fentanyl strips. Each
156
00:12:03.879 --> 00:12:06.799
tap on the screen becomes a connection point to health,
157
00:12:07.120 --> 00:12:11.039
safety and dignity. As one user put it simply, they're
158
00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:16.159
saving people from overdosing. They're saving people from dying. With
159
00:12:16.320 --> 00:12:20.159
opioid deaths still a crisis, and overdose numbers in Pennsylvania
160
00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:24.960
only beginning to ease, these machines represent more than an experiment,
161
00:12:25.639 --> 00:12:28.240
their proof of what harm reduction looks like when it's
162
00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:32.879
put directly into the community. The project's success is fueling
163
00:12:32.919 --> 00:12:37.039
plans for expansion, with more machines expected across central Pennsylvania.
164
00:12:37.960 --> 00:12:40.159
For the people who rely on them, they aren't just
165
00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:47.559
vending machines. They're portals to survival, dignity, and hope. Up next,
166
00:12:47.759 --> 00:12:54.159
a listener suggested story back in a minute, and now,
167
00:12:54.200 --> 00:13:00.279
a listener suggested story from Derek. In Ipswich, Massachusetts, its
168
00:13:00.279 --> 00:13:04.200
cranberry farmers are choosing a forward thinking path amid challenging
169
00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:10.639
economic conditions by transforming unproductive cranberry bogs back into vibrant wetlands.
170
00:13:11.559 --> 00:13:16.039
Faced with global competition, rising labor and utility costs, and
171
00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:21.159
extreme weather impacts, farmers like Jared Roads, a fourth generation
172
00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:25.559
grower in Carver, have embraced the state's Cranberry bog program,
173
00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.200
which compensates farmers to restore bog lands to their natural
174
00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:33.519
wetland state. The restoration projects not only preserve the land,
175
00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:39.000
but also support native plants, wildlife habitat, and climate resilience.
176
00:13:40.200 --> 00:13:44.320
Over the last fifteen years, Massachusetts has successfully restored more
177
00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:47.519
than five hundred acres of wetlands, with another five hundred
178
00:13:47.559 --> 00:13:52.240
acres under way. These efforts echo the region's ecological heritage,
179
00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:57.480
since many cranberry farms were originally wetland ecosystems. Projects like
180
00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:01.519
the Eel River Headwaters and roads Own thirty acre bog
181
00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:06.480
demonstrate the power of restoration to filter water, sequester carbon,
182
00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:11.480
provide storm buffers, and create publicly accessible spaces for hiking
183
00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:16.759
and wildlife viewing. The revitalized wetlands bring nature back to
184
00:14:16.799 --> 00:14:21.399
the landscape, offering a stark contrast to the monoculture cranberry
185
00:14:21.440 --> 00:14:27.440
operations that once dominated these lands. For farmers approaching retirement
186
00:14:27.679 --> 00:14:32.440
or reassessing the viability of cranberry farming, wetland restoration is
187
00:14:32.480 --> 00:14:35.559
a creative way to honour their family legacies while adapting
188
00:14:35.559 --> 00:14:40.559
to new environmental and economic realities. The Massachusetts Division of
189
00:14:40.600 --> 00:14:45.399
Ecological Restoration works alongside local and federal partners to fund
190
00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:49.480
these projects, ensuring land remains productive in ways that align
191
00:14:49.559 --> 00:14:54.759
with long term sustainability and community benefit. These restored wetlands
192
00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:58.960
also serve as natural defenses against flooding and climate impacts,
193
00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:04.799
making them critical assets in today's changing world. Massachusetts stands
194
00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:07.679
as a national leader in this transition, with a strong
195
00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:13.519
commitment to ecological restoration alongside agricultural heritage. As native plants
196
00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:18.039
return and waterways flow freely again, the state showcases an
197
00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:23.639
inspiring model of resilience, combining nature restoration, climate action, and
198
00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:27.759
thoughtful land stewardship to build a healthier, more sustainable future
199
00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:32.840
for both communities and ecosystems. Thanks so much for that story, Derek.
200
00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:36.600
If you have thoughts, ideas, or more good news to share,
201
00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.919
we'd love to hear from you. Call or message us
202
00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.639
at two zero two six five six six two seven
203
00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:46.320
to one, drop us a line at beowulf at two
204
00:15:46.320 --> 00:15:49.759
squared Media Productions dot com, or send it to us
205
00:15:49.799 --> 00:15:54.519
at good News for Lefties on Facebook, Instagram or Blue Sky.
206
00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:58.840
Students in Nashville stood up boldly in September, walking out
207
00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.200
of their classrooms to demanned urgent action on gun violence.
208
00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:06.600
About fifty students gathered at the University School of Nashville,
209
00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:12.639
holding handmade posters with a clear message, protect children, not guns.
210
00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:17.480
Their chants echoed the names of young victims, asserting their
211
00:16:17.559 --> 00:16:21.039
right to safety, and calling on lawmakers to ban assault
212
00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:24.879
weapons and high capacity magazines. This was part of a
213
00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:29.720
nationwide wave of student protests organized by Students Demand Action
214
00:16:30.320 --> 00:16:35.440
and Every Town for Gun Safety, inspiring change from classrooms
215
00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:40.279
to capitals. The protests came on the heels of tragic violence,
216
00:16:40.840 --> 00:16:45.120
including the recent shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis
217
00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:49.360
where children lost their lives, as well as local incidents
218
00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.639
like the Antioch High School shooting and a recent bomb
219
00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:57.120
threat at the University School of Nashville itself. For teens
220
00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:00.879
like seventeen year old Isabella Olino and fifteen year old
221
00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:05.400
Kate Disher, these events aren't distant headlines. They are daily
222
00:17:05.480 --> 00:17:10.400
realities that make schools feel unsafe and threaten their futures.
223
00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:15.759
Their voices embody a generation demanding that schools be sanctuaries
224
00:17:15.799 --> 00:17:20.240
of learning, not sites of fear. Many students wet beyond
225
00:17:20.359 --> 00:17:25.160
protest signs, making direct calls to governors, senators, and representatives
226
00:17:25.319 --> 00:17:30.039
to hold elected officials accountable. The responses from some offices,
227
00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:34.960
including Senator Heidi Campbell and representatives Steve Cohen showed that
228
00:17:35.000 --> 00:17:39.200
the power of student activism is being hurt. For participants
229
00:17:39.279 --> 00:17:43.039
like fifteen year old Arlow Williamson, the walkouts were not
230
00:17:43.079 --> 00:17:46.200
only protests, but the reclaiming of agency in a world
231
00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:51.599
where their safety had too often been overlooked. Similar activism
232
00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:55.400
bubbled up at Hillsborough High School and other Tennessee campuses,
233
00:17:55.880 --> 00:18:00.000
reflecting widespread youth determination to end gun violence through concrete
234
00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:05.400
eat legislative change. Fifteen year old freshman Cade Dickinson's reflection
235
00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:09.279
that the Minneapolis tragedy fell too close to home underscored
236
00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:14.359
the urgency fueling a generation uniting to say enough. These
237
00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:19.559
walkouts signal a movement that refuses to accept inaction in
238
00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:24.119
the face of preventable loss of life. And that's a
239
00:18:24.119 --> 00:18:27.039
wrap for today's edition of Good News for Lefties. Remember
240
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:30.680
if these stories brighten your outlook, please help us spread
241
00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:34.640
the word by rating and reviewing us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify,
242
00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:38.559
or your podcast platform of choice. A big thanks to
243
00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:42.200
our production team, Roosevelt Hein and Aaron Watson for making
244
00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:46.240
all of this possible Behind the scenes. I'm Beowulf Rockland,
245
00:18:47.000 --> 00:19:06.799
weird name good news for lefties and America.
246
00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:11.599
Here's what you've been missing. On the Stephanie Miller Happy
247
00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:12.920
Hour podcast.
248
00:19:13.880 --> 00:19:20.640
Donald put down another racist, awful video with Hakim again
249
00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:23.240
in a sombrero and men behind him.
250
00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.119
They're all Donald Trump.
251
00:19:24.200 --> 00:19:27.200
They're all Donald Trump behind him as the mariachi behind
252
00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:33.039
It's okay. So the first video, if you didn't see it,
253
00:19:33.039 --> 00:19:36.200
it was a deep fake basically of Chuck Schumer and
254
00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:39.880
Hakim Jefferies, and they put Hakim Jeffries in a sombrero
255
00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:44.279
with a mustache for whatever, well for racist reasons obviously,
256
00:19:45.119 --> 00:19:48.400
and then had Chuck Schumer's version say things that he
257
00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:50.640
would never say. Plus he swore, which he doesn't do
258
00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:54.519
in public. I assume he has a sailor's mouth in private,
259
00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:57.079
but he's never said anything like that in public. And
260
00:19:57.160 --> 00:20:00.680
so Donald last night decided to do it again. He
261
00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:04.640
took basically the video of Jeffreys on O'Donnell and then
262
00:20:04.799 --> 00:20:09.480
Lawrence o' donald Lawrence o'donald's last night and basically, you know,
263
00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:13.480
did a similar thing, and uh, he said that Monday.
264
00:20:13.960 --> 00:20:17.279
Jeffries said that Monday's video was a malignant distraction from
265
00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:19.559
people who are determined to continue to rip healthcare away,
266
00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:23.559
which is true. And he said that Donald is an
267
00:20:23.640 --> 00:20:26.240
unseerious individual and has no interest in having a good
268
00:20:26.240 --> 00:20:33.440
faith conversation. Also true. So this new video, it's just
269
00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:38.400
it's childish to say the least. I don't expect anything
270
00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:40.400
else from good point.
271
00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:44.920
Subscribe to the Stephanie Miller Happy Hour podcast on Apple Podcasts,
272
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:48.880
Stephanie Miller dot com, or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
273
00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:56.960
And in case you missed it, here's this good news headline.
274
00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:02.680
Progressive New York City council member Zorhan Mamdani has surged
275
00:21:02.680 --> 00:21:05.920
to the front of the mayoral race, nearly doubling the
276
00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:08.960
support of his closest rival, according to a new poll
277
00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:12.839
out this week. The findings reflect growing enthusiasm for a
278
00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:17.759
candidate who has built his campaign around grassroots organizing, housing justice,
279
00:21:18.039 --> 00:21:23.039
and expanding social programs for working families. Mamdani, who first
280
00:21:23.119 --> 00:21:27.359
rose to prominence by taking on housing inequalities in Queens,
281
00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:31.720
has won endorsements from a range of community leaders and
282
00:21:31.799 --> 00:21:36.160
progressive organizations across the city. Former Mayor Build A. Blasio
283
00:21:36.279 --> 00:21:40.799
through his support behind him, praising Mamdani's unmatched energy in
284
00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:45.880
connecting with everyday New Yorkers. The momentum underscores the appetite
285
00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:51.079
for fresh leadership that prioritizes public services over corporate interests.
286
00:21:51.599 --> 00:21:56.640
The poll also highlights that Mamdani's message is resonating across Burroughs,
287
00:21:56.960 --> 00:22:02.559
with strong backing from young voters and communities traditionally underrepresented
288
00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:07.400
in citywide elections. Advocates point to his record on rent protections,
289
00:22:07.640 --> 00:22:11.839
immigrant rights, and public transit access as proof he has
290
00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:15.599
both the vision and practical experience to resheep city Hall
291
00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:20.039
from the ground up. Mamdani's commanding lead positions him as
292
00:22:20.079 --> 00:22:24.200
the favorite in a city hungry for progressive change. Supporters
293
00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:27.000
described the campaign not just as a political race, but
294
00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:31.240
as a movement powered push to make New York more livable, inclusive,
295
00:22:31.559 --> 00:22:34.079
and responsible to the people who call it home.
