Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy

#1714 Trump's Anti-Knowledge Agenda is Inviting the Next Authoritarian Dark Age


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Air Date 6/6/2025

Today, Trump's administration is doing everything in its power to end the era of educational dominance the US has enjoyed for decades. The simple fact that explains the change is that democracy used to be valued across the political spectrum while todays Republican Party is authoritarian and understands that an educated public is a public that demands democracy while an uneducated public is much easier to manipulate and oppress.

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Full Show Notes

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: How Trump has reshaped the federal workforce - The NPR Politics Podcast - Air Date 5-29-25

KP 2: As Trump cuts funding, researchers look for opportunities outside the U.S. - Soundside - Air Date 4-21-25

KP 3: Anti-Science Mugging on the Right and the Ascent of American Anti-Intellectualism - Citations Needed - Air Date 5-28-25

KP 4: Trump's Dark Age Admin is 'attacking the foundations of empirical knowledge', journalist says - MSNBC Reports - Air Date 5-28-25

KP 5: Trumps Rants about Harvard Get Darker as He Loses a Big One in Court - The Daily Blast - Air Date 5-29-25

KP 6: Prof Jason Stanley Trump is targeting the three pillars of democracy as he follows fascist playbook - The Dean Obeidallah Show - Air Date 6-1-25

KP 7: Worse Than McCarthyism Historian Ellen Schrecker on Trumps War Against Universities & Students - Democracy Now! - Air Date 5-30-25

KP 8: Tanya Clay House on Freedom to Learn, Danaka Katovich on Attacks on Activists - CounterSpin - Air Date 5-2-25

(01:00:04) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On what will fill the gap left by anti-intellectualism

DEEPER DIVES

(01:07:27) SECTION A: ANTI-SCIENCE

(02:27:53) SECTION B: ANTI-HIGHER EDUCATION

(02:56:38) SECTION C: ANTI-PUBLIC GOODS

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: An illustrated image of an arm and hand holding up a protest sign with an image of a brain on it.

Credit: "brain icon mind thinking" via Mohamed_hasan, Pixabay | Pixabay license

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