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The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 24: Some Reasons For Hope?As the economy teeters, the GOP follows Trump into the threshing blades. Is it a good idea to cut FEMA? The civilized world rejects MAGA, as Texas doubles down. And, a plea to John Fetterman.2025-05-121h 11The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 23: (Almost) Everything Is AwfulToday's episode is chockful of topics!Jesse Welles Sings About Tarrifs;Tarrifs Eating Faces;A Weimar-style Collapse in DC;WTAF John Fetterman;Free Kilmar Garcia; Are We STILL going after DEI?; andHands Off Protests.Tune in! Share with your friends! Share on social media! Subscribe! And please support us on Patreon!2025-04-141h 17The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 22: Reporter Bill Hangley Returns to Talk Parks, DOGE, Soviet-style "Governance," and UkraineFriend of the pod, Hall Monitor's Bill Hangley—who you may remember from last seaon—spent the mid-1990s reporting from eastern Europe. He's back to discuss how DOGE could affect Philly parks—and ultimately make it impossible to get anything done. Plus, Trump and Putin move to partition Ukraine. Marty has thoughts. It's two hours of fun!Please support us on Patreon.Produced and edited by Brendan Skwire.2025-02-261h 16The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 22: Reporter Bill Hangley Returns to Talk Elon, DOGE, and Soviet-style GovernanceFriend of the pod Bill Hangley drops by to discuss how Elon's DOGE vandals are remaking the USA in the USSR's image. Martin talks about Ukraine and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. Brendan tries to get a word in edgewise, but to no avail. Nearly two hours of fun!2025-02-251h 16The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 21: Hangin' With the Professional LeftThe hosts of the Professional Left podcast, BlueGal and Driftglass, drop by to talk a whole lotta politics, from the golden-olden days of blogging, to Never Trumpers, to organizing and nurturing a progressive media ecosytem to counter the stumbling legacy media. Also knitting, and corn. Delicious, delicious corn.
Find us and support us on Patreon!
The Progress Pondcast
The Professional Left
We need a new external hard drive, and those things cost money!2025-02-021h 01
The Professional Left Podcast with Driftglass and Blue GalEp 872: Reality Bites Back - The Resistance Isn't OverIn this episode, Driftglass and Blue Gal tackle claims that "the resistance is over" by drawing powerful parallels between current "resistance fatigue" narratives and similar premature declarations during the Bush era. They discuss Paul Krugman's revelatory piece about his departure from The New York Times, explore the real-world evidence of continued grassroots resistance, and explain why simplistic "everything button" solutions to defeating fascism don't exist. We also cover the latest developments in the Trump "administration."Special announcement: Instead of our regular Thursday show, catch the hosts live on the Cliff Schecter show this Thursday, and on Progress...2025-01-291h 17The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 20: How the GOP Will Come For Medicaid, with Marc Stier, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Policy CenterThe Pennsylvania Policy Center's executive director Marc Stier drops by to chat with the guys about how the GOP is coming for Medicaid and more—and what we can do to stop them. Also, a special holiday post script!
Have a listen, like and subscribe, and please support us on Patreon.2024-12-2358 minThe Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 19: Washington Monthly's Philip Longman Discusses Antitrust, the Democrats, and Working Class VotersWe have a great one for you this episode, folks. Philip Longman, Senior Editor at the Washington Monthly and the Policy Director at the Open Markets Institute drops by to discuss how 50 years of weak antitrust policies has hurt the Democrats with working class voters—and what they should do to win them back.
If you like what we do at the Progress Pondcast, please support us on Patreon for as little as $5.00 a month. Thanks, and make sure to like and share our show!2024-12-151h 30The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 18: Rudy911 Blows a Gasket; Trump's Cabinet of Horrors; Hope Ya Like High Prices, MAGA morons; and It's All Blue Skies From HereRudy Giuliani keeps digging that hole, while his hero Trump doesn't lift a finger to help him. Maybe that's because Trump is too busy picking through the trash for cabinet members, because they're such garbage even Maggie Haberman can't keep up. The fellas also have a good laugh at the MAGA morons who think Trump is gonna lower prices—boy do they have a surprise coming! Finally, Brendan gets dragged back onto social media kicking and screaming, and finds it's not THAT bad at BlueSky.2024-11-301h 04The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast Episode 17: A Message to You Rudy; the Right Melts down Over Women's Sufrrage; and Trump Plots with Mike Johnson to Steal the ElectionRudy Giuliani faces a reckoning and loses all his stuff. Meanwhile, right wing gasbags bluster about married women voting! And the big story: Marty speculates on the secret plan hatched by Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson to steal the 2024 election.
Please support our work on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/progresspondcast
And as always, please like, follow, subscribe, and share with friends and family on social media.2024-11-031h 06The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 16: Various Items, Trump Meltdowns, Low-Propensity Voters, and Other StuffKind of a rambler this episode. The guys talk about getting old, Brendan has a birthday, Trump melts down several times in public, and Marty worries about low-propensity voters. Plus we're both naked.
BTW, this is hard-ass work. Not only are we using data (which ain't free), it takes me (Brendan) at least 2-3 hours to edit a single episode. No one's paying us to do this, so please support us and our work on Patreon, so we can take over the world: https://www.patreon.com/progresspondcast.
Thanks...2024-10-211h 00The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 15: A Visit From PA State Representative Joe HohensteinPA State Rep (and lifelong Philadelphian) Joe Hohenstein drops by to talk about state politics—including the disgrace of PA Republicans booing the Capitol Police who defended the House and Senate on January 6—as well as the importance of constituent services, the 2024 election, and protecting our most vulnerable. Oh and his large menagerie of rescue pets.
Give us a listen! Like and subscribe! Share with your friends! Support us on Patreon! Like us on Facebook!2024-08-271h 16The Progress PondcastProgress Pond Episode 14: Kamala's In! And, The Return of Bill HangleyWe had such a good time last week with Bill Hangley, we invited him back for round two! The guys discuss Kamala Harris's historic candidacy and MAGA's predictable freakout, as well as Trump's racist remarks at the National Association of Black Journalists convention—was it a meltdown or more kayfabe? JD Vance has a lot of problems with furniture, cats, women, and childless people. Who should Harris pick for veep? How Biden's decision to drop out of the race is a real Obi-Wan Kenobi (Joe-bi-Wan Kenobi) move, and how the prisoner exchange with Russia helps Harris.
...2024-08-021h 42The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 13: Marty and Brendan Are Way Ahead of the Game; Guest, Bill HangleyMarty, Brendan, and guest Bill Hangley discuss the 2024 campaign, including call for Biden to drop out. Bill discusses his recent opinion piece, "The Case for Kamala" and plays a song off his new album!
Less than an hour after recording (but well before editing), Biden dropped out.
Please visit us online at the following links, and support us on Patreon!
https://progresspond.com/
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v...2024-07-221h 13The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 12: What Happens Now?Martin and Brendan share their takes on the Biden/Trump debate, and what Democrats should do. Also, we now have a Patreon page where you can support us.
Need more politics and analysis between podcasts? Find us online at Progress Pond.2024-06-301h 02The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 11: Memorial Day, American Songbook, Trump Trials, Michael Cohen, and Rudy's Selling CoffeeThe guys celebrate Memorial Day! Brendan honors family and friends who served, Marty speculates on what verdict the jurors will render in Trump's New York trial, both of us make fun of thug-turned-schlub Michael Cohen, and we also have some fun with Rudy Giuliani's new barista gig.2024-05-271h 04The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 10: Trump Trials, Day 2The fellas laugh and laugh at Donald Trump's legal travails. Will Donald melt down if Stormy testifies?2024-04-2552 minThe Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 9: Tryin' Something New with Guest Mike NormanMike from Ohio, longtime commenter at Progress Pond, drops by for our first guest visit. We crap on Vince McMahon; discuss politics and chili in Ohio; and savor the trifecta of the DeSantis collapse, Trump’s problems, and Rudy911’s continuing descent.
Intro/outro music, "The Walk," provided by The Royal Hounds. "Some Kinda Gold," provided by The No Good Crowd. Podcast written and produced (where not ad libbed) by Martin Longman and Brendan Skwire. Engineered, and edited by Brendan Skwire.
Visit us online at Progress Pond, or find us on Facebook.2024-01-291h 03The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 8: Biden's Nickname for Trump, ICP, Trump on Trial, Libertine Moms for Liberty,Brendan and Marty ponder magnets and how they work; Joe Biden saddles Trump with a hilariously obscene nickname; taking Trump down to the studs; and the Moms for Liberty are back and getting their freak on.2024-01-1145 minThe Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 7: Dead War Criminals, Public Figures Behaving Badly, And Bibi Screwed UpThe guys roast Henry Kissinger over an open fire, make fun of professional liar George Santos, smack their heads over Israel, and point and laugh at the scandal-beset Moms for Liberty. Plus, Brendan has a new song out and both the guys have microphone problems. 2023-12-0438 minThe Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 6: 2023 Election gloating, Speaker Mike Johnson is a pervert, deep thoughts on Israel and GazaMartin and Brendan discuss the fallout from the 2023 (dare we say it) Blue Wave. Then it's Speaker Mike Johnson, who wants everyone to know he doesn't watch porn, and has an app on his phone monitored by a special someone to make sure he keeps his filthy paws to himself. With all that porn-resistance, will the Speaker have time to avert a government shutdown, or will his hands be occupied? And on a serious note, some deep thoughts on Israel, Gaza, and Hamas.2023-11-1546 minThe Progress PondcastProgress Pond Episode 5: Why the Republicans’ Speaker Hell Was SO Predictable and What Happens NextMartin and Brendan are both fighting colds. Martin does a victory lap as the House GOP “majority” collapses.
2023-10-2527 minThe Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 4: Boneheads and BigotsBoneheads and Bigots: Can the stupidest man in Washington keep his gavel and cling to power? And, chairs goes flying as a Pennsylvania school district descends into chaos over LGBTQ+ policies.
Kevin McCarthy sources: https://progresspond.com/2023/01/02/kevin-mccarthy-has-already-lost/
https://progresspond.com/2023/05/30/its-kevin-mccarthys-moment-of-reckoning/
https://progresspond.com/2023/06/29/kevin-mccarthy-hopes-cabinet-impeachments-will-save-him/
https://progresspond.com/2023/07/03/at-risk-house-republicans-are-getting-restless/
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/kevin-mccarthy-faces-perfect-storm-demands-shutdown-looms-rcna104490
https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/triad/news/2023/09/12/gaetz-says-impeachment-inquiry-not-enough--threatens-to-oust-mccarthy
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/09/13/defense-bill-house-republicans-00115530
Central Bucks School District:
...2023-09-231h 03The Progress PondcastProgress Pondcast Episode 3: Republicans Get AWKWARDBrendan's student loans get forgiven! Awkward Americans identify with/are disgusted by Ron DeSantis! Oliver Anthony Terhunes amorous Republican blowhards! And, who won the GOP debate thing (hint: not America)! All this week on the Progress Pondcast!
Brent Terhune: https://youtu.be/WYueFnyAWy0?si=6kzN78Qyo9QjXtPe
Oliver Anthony: https://youtu.be/cv9uMXiY29s?si=lTlob_xgJxgVmtaI
Awkward Americans: https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2023/08/17/ron-desantis-awkward/2023-08-301h 03The Progress PondcastThe Progress Pondcast, Episode 2: Joe Klein Sucks! And, Will Trump Go To Prison?In this week's episode, we discuss perennial wanker Joe Klein's Washington Post column on Hunter Biden amounts to more wanking. Also, why are pundits trying to get Trump out of a jail sentence when the dude hasn't even been convicted yet?2023-08-121h 09
The Progress PondcastThe Progress Podcast: Episode 1Welcome to the Progress Podcast with Martin Longman and Brendan Skwire. In our inaugural episode: Jason Aldean is a moron, and Brazil solves its Bolsonaro problem.2023-07-2941 min