Today we talk with Stephen Gowans, a political analyst, and writer who shows how capitalism, its incentives, and its power dominate the political process and impeded the protection of public health.

Order the book, “The Killer's Henchman: Capitalism and the Covid-19 Disaster”

Link to Stephen’s blog (What's Left): https://gowans.blog/

Link to Greg's blog (ZZs Blog): http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com/

#StephenGowans

#Gowans

#KillersHenchman

#The Killer'sHenchman

#COVID

#CovidDisaster

#WhatsLeft

#CapitalismCovid

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

#podcast

Today we talk with Angel Krempa, a former Starbucks shift supervisor in Buffalo, New York, who was fired in retaliation for organizing one of the first successful unionization efforts against the coffee giant.  In 2020, not a single one of the company's 9,000 stores had a union. In the past few months, more than 150 Starbucks voted to unionize, and the corporate overlords are not happy.

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com/

#AngelKrempa

#Starbucks

#Worker Unitied

#HowardSchultz

#RossannWilliams

#Union

#GregGodels

#WorldFederationTradeUnion

#WFTU

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

#podcast

Today, we welcomed Kent Garrett and Jeanne Ellsworth to discuss their book, " The Last Negroes at Harvard," a story of 18 remarkable Black men admitted to Harvard’s class of 1963. The book is equal parts memoir, group biography, and history of a turbulent civil rights era.

Book:  The Last Negroes at Harvard (2020)

https://thelastnegroesatharvard.com/

Podcast: available on Spotify and Apple Podcast

Link to Greg's blog :

ZZs Blog

#KentGarrett

#JeanneEllsworth

#LastNegroesatHarvard

#Classof1963

#Harvard

#CivilRights

#Memoir

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

#Podcast

Today, we welcomed Dr. Mark Vonnegut to discuss his book, "The Heart of Caring: Reflections from a life lived in medicine." Dr. Vonnegut, son of writer Kurt Vonnegut, has practiced pediatrics for the last forty years. We discuss the crisis in the health care system and how for-profit influences are harming the mission of helping patients.

Books: 

The Heart of Caring: Reflections from a life lived in medicine (2022)

Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So: A Memoir (2011)

The Eden Express: A Memoir of Insanity (1975)

Link to Greg's blog :

ZZs Blog

#MarkVonnegut

#TheHeartofCaring

#Pediatrics

#MentalIllness

#Memoir

#KurtVonnegut

#BiPolar

#Godels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#Cummings

#ComingFromLeftField

#Podcast

Today, we welcomed Sam Quinones to discuss his book, "The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth." The book follows his 2015 release,  Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic. Both books are critically acclaimed.

In January 2022, The Least of Us was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) award for Best Nonfiction Book of 2021.

Book: 

The Least of Us: True Tales of America and Hope in the Time of Fentanyl and Meth (2021)

Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate (2015)

Link to Greg's blog :

ZZs Blog

#SamQuinones

#TheLeastofUs

# Dreamland

#Podcast

#Meth

#Fentanyl

#Homeless

#Drugaddiction

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

Today, we welcomed Carlos L. Garrido to discuss Marcello Musto's book, "The Last Years of Karl Marx: An Intellectual History," and his research focus, including Marxism, Hegel, and early 19th Century American socialism.

Book: 

Marcello Musto's book, "The Last Years of Karl Marx: An Intellectual History"

The Midwestern Marxist YouTube channel:  (https://www.youtube.com/c/MidwesternMarx/) and website:  (https://www.midwesternmarx.com/ )

The article mentioned: A Critique of Western Marxism's Purity Fetish 

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com 

#Carlos L Garrido

#MidwesternMarxist

# Marcelo Musto

#The Last Years of Marx

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

We welcomed today Chris Townsend to discuss his four decades as a union organizer and the relevance of William Z. Foster’s book, “American Trade Unionism” on today’s labor struggles. 

Book: 

American Trade Unionism by William Z. Foster

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com

#ChrisTownsend

# American Trade Unionism

#WilliamFoster

#UE

#ATU

#podcast

#Amazon

#ChrisSmalls

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

Greg and Pat welcome Dr. Jennifer Sherman to discuss her book "Dividing Paradise: Rural Inequality and the Diminishing American Dream.” Dr. Sherman is a Professor of Sociology at Washington State University and her work focuses on rural America, poverty, and inequality.

Book: Dividing Paradise: Rural Inequality and the Diminishing American Dream

https://www.kingsbookstore.com/book/9780520305144

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com

#JenniferSherman

#DividingParadise

#WSU

#Sociology

#podcast

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

Greg and Pat welcomed Brian Becker to discuss the Ukraine situation and his book "Imperialism in the 21st Century.” Brian Becker is the National Coordinator of the ANSWER Coalition and an insightful journalist on the “The Socialist Program” which is part of the BreakThrough News podcast. His observations on the Ukraine conflict deserve a wide audience.

Book: Imperialism in the 21st Century.

https://www.liberationschool.org/imperialism-in-the-21st-century/

BreakThrough News podcast

https://www.youtube.com/c/BreakThroughNews/featured

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com

#BrianBecker

#Imperialism21stCentury

#BreakThrough

#TheSocialstProgram

#podcast

#GregGodels

#ZZblog

#ZZsblog

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField

Greg and Pat welcome Suzanne Gordon to discuss her book " Wounds of War: How the VA Delivers Health, Healing, and Hope to the Nation's Veterans.” Suzanne Gordon is an award-winning journalist and author of numerous books regarding healthcare systems, teamwork, patient safety, and nursing.

We are also joined today with guest Bob Bonner, a retired VHA nurse and long-time fighter for better care as a local union president representing hospital workers.

Website: https://www.suzannecgordon.com/ 

Book: Wounds of War: How the VA Delivers Health, Healing, and Hope to the Nation's Veterans

Advocacy: https://www.veteranspolicy.org/

Link to Greg's blog: http://zzs-blg.blogspot.com

# SuzanneGordon

#WoundsofWar

#VHA

#VA

# BobBonner

#GregGodels

#PatCummings

#ComingFromLeftField