The Leftscape

Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan speak for the first time after the U.S. presidential election. Together they process the loss by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz to Donald Trump and JD Vance. Between surmising why a majority of Americans voted for the Republican ticket and worrying what changes the next four years may bring, they begin to work through the deep sadness and disappointment, anger, frustration, and fear of encroacing fascism. With many more questions than answers, Wendy and Robin take the first small steps toward sorting out how to cope, how to prepare, and what to do to develop and maintain friend groups and communities that are now more important than ever.

The Leftscape will be on hiatus through the end of the year. In the meantime expect repeat episodes best suited to help us all be ready for the political shift. Take care of yourselves, be well, and we hope you will make the best of the coming holiday season.

Things to do:

Let us know how you’re doing. How can the show best serve you and your communities as we move ahead?

Keep in touch with us on social media @leftscape.

We are now sincerely on Bluesky! Follow us: voxwoman.bsky.social, robinrenee.bsky.social, leftscape.bsky.social

Lemalé Torres has a calling in educating union members on how they can be empower themselves to take charge. She is passionate about understanding the political landscape as an advocate of social justice. Another role in her life deeply affects how much she cares about the issues — motherhood. She met co-host Wendy Sheridan at an event sponsored by Indivisible. They sat down to talk about Torres’ knowledge of Project 2025 and its plans for labor laws from a union perspective as well as what it has to say about education, families, and more. Lemalé Torres says, “The work starts with community, and that is where my allegiance will always lie.”

In This Fortnight I Learned, co-host Robin Renée gets some info on rabid wildlife and Wendy discovers an interesting factoid about why we may need sleep. News includes the terrible Trump rally at Madison Square Garden, ballot boxes for early voting have been attacked in Washington State and Oregon, voter rolls purged in Virginia, war in the Middle East, and New York state hits environmental goals ahead of schedule. In the Blanket Fort, Robin and Wendy cope with election anxiety. The Lefty of the Week is not a single person this time – It is every single one of us who has voted or will vote in the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. It takes all of us. LFG!

Things to do:

Follow Lemalé Torres on Facebook and Instagram.

Read Kamala Harris’ policy positions vs. Project 2025.

Volunteer to help get out the vote.

VOTE!

Visit Wendy Sheridan at the Rahway Craft and Art Fair, Saturday, November 2nd. 10% off if you voted!

Take a break and have a laugh!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbuOVqpuifM

Ivo Becica is an attorney who represents businesses and Human Resources professionals in employment disputes, including providing advice and training on staying in compliance with the law, as well as defending against employee claims when necessary. He writes about labor and employment law at his firm’s blog, HR Legalist. Becica joined co-host Robin Renée for an even-tempered conversation on what Project 2025 has to say about labor and employment issues in comparison to what the Harris/Walz platform proposes.

In This Fortnight I Learned, co-host Wendy Sheridan shares a fact about the slowing of the earth’s rotation while Robin shouts out the Halloween-appropriate, most recently recognized cat breed according to Cat Fancy UK. In the News: Survivors of the atomic bombings of Japan win the Nobel Peace Prize for their campaign to rid the world of nuclear weapons and three economists win for their study on post-colonial wealth, rough weather in the U.S. and Morocco, yet another worrying climate observation, Jack Smith’s unsealed court filing regarding obstruction of the 2020 electoral process, the presidential election’s Jill Stein complication, a promising use for CBD oil, and more. Robin nominates Allison Gill for Lefty of the Week. 

Things to do:

Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today.

Read the HR Legalist blog.

Read Project 2025.

Donate and volunteer for hurricane relief.

Test your media literacy. 

Check out The Daily Beans podcast.

Listen to “Why is Jill Stein Trying to Get Trump Elected” on How We Got Here, a weekly series by the What a Day podcast.

Watch the Democrats’ anti-Jill Stein ad.

https://youtube.com/shorts/tdrVgxCvHtM?si=Bjx_9aTsMoOpvS6n

See wtf Robin is talking about: Skibidi Toilet, Chicken Nugget Singing

Lisa Vandever is an organizer and activist with over 30 years of experience in media, communications, arts and events. A lifelong Democrat, she is a co-leader of the progressive group, Indivisible Rahway, and an active member of Fair Ballot Alliance NJ and OneNJ7. An enthusiastic Garden Stater by way of Oregon, Chicago and Brooklyn, she has been happily settled in Rahway, NJ for two decades with husband, Alan, and two ginger tabbies, Clive and Radley. Everyone who is interested in the 2024 U.S. election, getting involved in local politics, and activism will learn a lot from this discussion that begins focused on Rahway and its greater region.

What did co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan learn this past fortnight? Wendy took in a couple of lofty facts about the weight and density of clouds while Robin attempted Gen Alpha slang. With too much going on to be neatly broken into headlines and deep dives, news items include Hurricane Helene and numerous weather disasters around the world, a lawsuit by members of the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio against Donald Trump and JD Vance, Chappell Roan’s non-endorsement of Kamala Harris, the Rahway Library roundup, Rudy Giuliani’s disbarment, the new haka world record, and much more. In Why Is This Awesome?, Wendy and Robin reflect on the health benefits of arts practices (and get side-tracked by The Church of the SubGenius). Wendy nominates Reverend Kat Irwin for Lefty of the Week.

Things to do:

Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today.

Get active with Indivisible and learn more about Indivisible Rahway.

Help democratic victories with Swing Left.

Help get out the vote with Mobilize.

Learn more about the Fair Ballot Alliance.

Listen to Episode 144 featuring Lisa Vandever, “20 Years of Cinekink.”

Watch “New Zealand reclaims world record for largest mass haka.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnOhDX9QAFk

Tom Limoncelli is an LGBTQ organizer, trainer, and speaker from New Jersey. His speaking and training repertoire includes time management for activists and support group facilitation skills. He is the recipient of several activism awards including the Brenda Howard Award for bisexual activism. Tom spoke about Time Management for Busy Activists on Leftscape Episode 86 almost exactly four years ago in 2020. In this episode he shares about the easy-to-do activism he’s been taking part in to get out the vote as we approach yet another incredibly important presidential election.

In a new/modified segment, Why Is This Not Awesome?, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée look over a report on Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries. In This Fortnight I Learned, Robin and Wendy both bring animal facts (cats and giraffes, respectively). News includes Kamala Harris’ kickass debate performance, flooding in Eastern Europe, an accusation of a CIA plot to assassinate Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, another potential Trump assassination attempt, a Trump court case roundup, the Ig Noble Awards, and Wendy’s Rahway Library Action Update. Robin names Conspirituality co-host Derek Beres Lefty of the Week.

Things to do:

Register to vote or confirm your voter registration today.

Get addresses to GOTV for Democratic candidates.

Get postcards to send to Democratic voters.

Find volunteer activities (remote and in-person) all over the US: Mobilize!

Read Tom Limoncelli’s blog post about postcarding, “Postcards for Democracy.”

Read Project 2025 and its Consequences for Libraries.

Check out The Daily Beans podcast.

Check out the Conspirituality podcast.

Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée are back after summer break for the 2024 Season 2 of The Leftscape! Featured guest Jonah Minkoff-Zern (he/him) is the co-director of Public Citizen’s Democracy Campaign. He has organized nationwide mobilizations to challenge ongoing threats to democracy from former President Donald Trump and his allies, coordinated grassroots activities to pass federal voting rights and democracy reforms, and mobilized national action for a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United. He has led and supported state-based efforts to win voting rights, public financing to protect election officials and prevent artificial intelligence deepfakes in elections, and coordinated national support for the Second Chances Florida ballot initiative, which restored the eligibility to vote to Floridians with felony convictions. Hear him speak with Wendy about the many aspects of the Democracy Campaign’s important work.

In This Fortnight I Learned, Wendy recounts the controvery over which of two simiarly-named people originated Labor Day in 1882 and Robin discusses the first term entered into their personal Pittsburghese dictionary. In News, there is so much to tackle that a great deal more of it is covered in What the Bleep Happened This Summer? on Patreon. X offline in Brazil, the summer COVID surge, the upcoming Harris vs. Trump presidential debate, members of the far-right Alternative für Deutschland elected in Germany, an action against budget cuts at the Rahway Public Library, and the Oasis reunion are some of the stories that made the show. In The Blanket Fort, Robin and Wendy check in on what they’re doing to stay informed without getting overwhelmed. Wendy nominates Frances Perkins as Lefty of the Week.

Things to do:

Learn more about Public Citizen.

Follow Public Citizen on Facebook, X, and Instagram.

Watch the presidential debate on Tuesday, September 10th at 9pm EDT.

Subscribe to 1440.

Check out to What a Day and On the Media.

Read “Inmates Training Hard-to-Adopt Dogs in New Mexico Creates Joy On Both Ends of a Leash.“

Hal Robins is known for his radio broadcasts and public performances, as well as for his participation in the Church of the SubGenius (as Dr. Howland Owll, Master of Church Secrets). He has worked in film and television and is a poet and playwright. Robins is also a fine artist and cartoonist. In this featured conversation with Rev. Andrew Genus, he shares his wit and insight into the world of the SubGenius, the current political state we find ourselves in, and his upcoming appearance at PubeFest in Bethlehem, PA featuring the Ask Dr. Hal Show and other SubGenius shenanigans.

In this final show of the season before summer break, co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée start off in This Fortnight I Learned with some lighthearted factoids about dolphins and tennis balls. All the News We Can Handle was more was enough with the presidential debate and SCOTUS decisions, a few of which deal with presidential immunity, ordinances prohibiting camping within city limits by people who are homeless, and overturning the 1984 decision in Chevron v Natural Resources Defense Council. In The Artscape, Wendy interviews Robin about recent creative projects and process, challenges and small victories. Robin names Kai Wright Lefty of the Week.

Happy a Happy 4th of July and have a great summer! Reach out anytime and keep in touch on social media @leftscape.

Things to do:

Check out the Ask Dr. Hal Show!

Learn the truth about J. R. “Bob” Dobbs and The Church of the SubGenius!

Attend the Second Annual PubeFest! July 5-7, 2024

View the featured image, Dobbs Ourobouros, by Hal Robins.

Read more about Supreme Court decisions on SCOTUSblog.

Listen to the Saved By Zero show with host DJ Andrew Genus.

Watch “Nick Lowe – Alison (Elvis Costello cover)”

https://youtu.be/oPJ5dNFh-Rc?si=xQZ3TP1DU5hfmHh7

Co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan discuss the enormous and detailed Project 2025, a collection of policy proposals created by The Heritage Foundation to reshape the United States government in the image of current-day far right conservativism. It seeks to mandate conservative Christian values, dismantle many social programs and government departments, and to provide ready-made policy positions and personnel for the next Republican president. This description barely begins to do justice to the sweeping, detrimental changes this tome proposes. Wendy and Robin begin to look at its elements broadly and anticipate future conversations about Project 2025 along with discovering and taking part in things we can do to keep it from being enacted.

In concert with the featured conversation, Robin sparks a discussion on a video by Innuendo Studios, “Always a Bigger Fish” in the Geekscape for a better understanding of conservative vs. liberal worldviews.

The show begins on a lighter note with a few rewinds to Episode 160 and This Fortnight I Learned facts about Google searches and ants in New York City. News includes the upcoming presidential debate slated for June 27th, the Supreme Court’s end-of-June decisions, a “tactical pause” of the fighting in a portion of Gaza, the continuing adverntures of Trump and Rudy in the Georgia election fraud case, and wild Przewalski’s horses returned to Kazakhstan’s Golden Steppe. For Lefty of the Week, Wendy names local activist Quanae “Pie Lady” Palmer.

Things to do:

Watch “ What is Project 2025?”

https://youtu.be/A7OlQG9C4zM?si=rTG2uZgrWDHSUwpq

Watch “The Alt-Right Playbook: Always a Bigger Fish”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agzNANfNlTs

Watch “Trump’s Second Term: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYwqpx6lp_s

Meet the ManhattAnts!

Ray Katz is a web developer—one of Philadelphia’s first. He has many hobbies including collecting artifacts related to the history of space flight and animation. His passion and most pressing endeavor, however, is to find effective ways of dealing with climate change. To that end, he has created a new and unique movement, The Saners. He is also the host of the 5 Minutes to Save the Earth podcast. Don’t miss his inspired thoughts on how a grassroots environmental movement can learn from past and present brilliance, use a decent dose of humor, and stand up to the status quo with a joyful resistance.

Leftscape co-hosts Wendy Sheridan and Robin Renée begin the show with a bit of a check-in and a shout out to Pride Month before getting into This Fortnight I Learned. Wendy has learned about a once-ubiquitous melody that was composed by Brian Eno and Robin has learned yet another thing about squirrels. In News, Donald Trump is convicted of 34 felony counts, SCOTUS clears the way for Louisiana to use a new congressional map containing two majority-Black districts, Mexico’s first woman president, Claudia Sheinbaum, is elected, Vermont becomes the first state to require oil companies to pay for the impacts of climate change, all four members of ABBA are knighted, and other stories. Earlier in The Earthscape, Robin and Wendy share their favorite workouts. At the end of the show, Robin names climate activist Lauren MacDonald Lefty of the Week. 

Things to do:

Learn about The Saners and sign up to get involved.

Get inspired by the 5 Minutes to Save the Earth podcast.

Follow Ray Katz and The Saners on X and Medium.

Try working out on a GiBoard.

When was America great? Check out this article for answers.

Check out this creative pride flag creation by Wendy’s daughter, Ariel Sheridan!

Listen to “Uptown Squirrel [update]” on 99% Invisible.

https://youtu.be/H_W6ErOgLwI?si=1Uq3xrTRic8kmAAv

When Abby Driscoll, a senior at Fort Defiance High School in Verona, VA had a piece placed in a school art show, she likely didn’t expect the drama that ensued. Listener Tony Rogers of Fairfax, VA sent the story to The Leftscape via X/Twitter to spark conversation between co-hosts Robin Renée and Wendy Sheridan. This featured discussion ranges from thoughts on the artwork, “But Not Enough to Save You,” to serious concerns about censorship, art and book banning, and right-wing influence on school boards, the importance of down-ballot electoral races, and the power of art as activism.

The episode gets started with Wendy and Robin revealing their latest new knowledge in This Fortnight I Learned — this time on the topics of the design of chef’s hats and well-known actors whose 60s band collaboration is surprising. All the News We Can Handle includes Rudy Giuliani served with notice of his indictment for efforts to overturn 2020 presidential election results, Kristi Noem banned from Native American reservations, and a call from the international criminal court for arrest warrants for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leaders. Also in the news: the Human Rights Campaign’s massive public education and mobilization campaign ahead of the 2024 elections, Nevada activists secure signatures for a vote on abortion access, Art Smart singing lessons, and much more.

Before the featured discussion, Robin and Wendy enter The Blanket Fort for an extended personal check-in.

Things to do:

Watch the video: “A high school artist called out Christian bigotry. Her school board is furious. (Livestream)“

https://youtu.be/SZLiDPhpdvE?si=bBg7_kVDysaqAOcv

Read the article on FriendlyAtheist.com.

Check out wendycardz on Etsy.

Listen to Saved by Zero on Radio PVS and Mixcloud.

Listen to “My Old School” by Steely Dan.

https://youtu.be/rFnwczuvb74?si=vb87jRmtKqm5r5H7

Do you have a topic you’d like to hear discussed on The Leftscape? Let Wendy and Robin know.