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

#1725 A Flood of Disinformation: A World of Climate Change and Conspiracies


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Air Date: 7-27-2025

Back when I worked in the climate movement, just after the turn of the century, we knew that the extreme weather we were warning about would become ever-more clear to see in people's lived experiences and assumed that any doubts people had about the science of climate change would be wiped away with the evidence they could see with their own eyes as weather became more intense and less predictable. Of course, we didn't foreseen that we were headed straight into the eye of a storm of partisan conspiracism that would fully take over a third of the political spectrum. But here we are, head for high ground.

The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue by Mike Tidwell

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KEY POINTS

KP 1: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different - Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25

KP 2: Trump Press Secs Fury at Media Over Texas Flood Exposes Worst of Maga - The Daily Blast - Air Date 7-9-25

KP 3: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters Part 1- Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25

KP 4: Republicans Get Exposed on Fox Live - The Adam Mockler Show - Air Date 7-10-25

KP 5: Weekly Roundup: Texas Floods and the Vengeful Theology of Kristi Noem + Why the Concentration Camp Had to Be in Florida - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-11-25

KP 6: The Real Conspiracy Behind the Texas Floods - More to the Story - Air Date 7-16-25

KP 7: Disasters, Natural and Man-made Part 1 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-8-25

(00:51:08) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On why we need to fight ignorance with research

The Lost Trees of Willow Avenue by Mike Tidwell

Ebook

Audiobook

DEEPER DIVES

(00:57:45) SECTION A: FLOOD DETAILS

A1: Texas Flooding Tragedy Was Both Predictable and Predicted Part 1 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-7-25

A2: Flooding Is Common in Texas Hill Country. This Was Different Part 2- Consider This - Air Date 7-7-25

A3: Texas Flooding Tragedy Was Both Predictable and Predicted Part 2 - The Bradcast - Air Date 7-7-25

A4: This Is Not a Good Time to Cut Funding for Weather Forecasting - Even More News - Air Date 7-8-25

(01:33:24) SECTION B: FASCIST REGIME

B1: Texas Floods and the Vengeful Theology of Kristi Noem + Why the Concentration Camp Had to Be in Florida Part 2 - Straight White American Jesus - Air Date 7-11-25

B2: Why Kristi Noems Incompetence Matters Part 2 - Bulwark Takes - Air Date 7-10-25

B3: Devastating Texas Floods Highlight Stakes of Vital Weather Services Amid Reckless Trump Cuts - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 7-8-25

B4: Trump Press Secs Fury at Media Over Texas Flood Exposes Worst of Maga Part 2 - The Daily Blast - Air Date 7-9-25

B5: Disasters, Natural and Man-made Part 2 - The Muckrake Political Podcast - Air Date 7-8-25

B6: GOP's Conspiracy Theorist Problem Worsens as Flood Disasters Trigger Misinformation Frenzy - The Briefing - Air Date 7-11-25

(02:13:59) SECTION C: CLIMATE POLICY CAPTURE

C1: A Brighter Climate Future Really Part 1 - The Insurgents - Air Date 7-12-25

C2: The War on Climate Change Policy W/ Lauren Windsor Part 1- The Majority Report - Air Date 7-18-25

C3: Idea: Let Big Oil Dump Its Fracking Into Our Lakes, Rivers, Etc. - Jim Hightower's Radio Lowdown - Air Date 7-10-25

C4: The War on Climate Change Policy W/ Lauren Windsor Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-18-25

C5: How the 'big Beautiful Bill' Is Bad for the Climate Part 1 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-8-25

C6: A Brighter Climate Future Really Part 2 - The Insurgents - Air Date 7-12-25

C7: How the 'big Beautiful Bill' Is Bad for the Climate Part 2 - The Brian Lehrer Show - Air Date 7-8-25

SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Photograph of a damaged bridge in Kerr County, TX over the high river running under it in the wake of the deadly July flood.

Credit: “Texas Floods Devastate Local Communities” by World Central Kitchen, Flickr | License: CC BY 4.0 | Changes: Cropped

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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