How the Left was Won

#24 - Rush Limbo #2 - 4-27-2007

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:00:32 +0000

Mike and Jake continue their dive into the world of Rush Limbaugh by examining Rush's reaction to the first Democratic debate of the 2007-2008 election cycle. Rush complains about perfectly competent answers and gets mad that he has to give a standard disclaimer on his show.

#23 - Rush Limbo #1 - 2-13-2007

Sun, 08 Feb 2026 22:30:03 +0000

Mike decides to revisit an experience from his childhood by reviewing an episode of Rush Limbaugh. Mike brings his brother, Dan along to join him and Jake in this endeavor. The boys discuss Rush's lies about Nancy Pelosi's plane and adoptive parents, and his opinions of Presidential hopeful Barack Obama.

#022 - ICE ICE Baby

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 16:21:17 +0000

With the ongoing increase in ICE activity, Mike and Jake decide to delve into the history of ICE and how it's always been a terrible organization.

#021 - Israel-Palestine Conflict Revisited

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 05:00:00 +0000

In light of the recent ceasefire Mike and Jake return to the conflict between Israel and Palestine to analyze the topic in a much more thorough manner.

#020 - Random Talking: Political Violence

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

In light of the recent killing of the CEO of United Healthcare, Mike and Jake explore the idea of political violence and whether or not it's ever justified.

#019 - Theory: Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It - Part 1

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake take on their first theory episode by starting Leon Trotsky's book Fascism: What It Is and How to Fight It.

#018 - Fascism in Italy Part 7: Mussolini Gets Canceled

Tue, 07 May 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake celebrate the anniversary of Mussolini's death a week late by wrapping up his story on Karl Marx's birthday. They explore his escape from captivity, his ever-changing mental state in German occupied Italy, and his final attempt to escape and his execution.

#017 - Fascism in Italy Part 6: World War II

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake explore Italy's involvement in the second world war. They learn exactly how incompetent Mussolini was with regard to warfare and what happens to him as a result.

#016 - Fascism in the United Kingdom

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake appropriately celebrate St. Patrick's Day, by having Mike's friend Patrick from the UK. The three discuss the shit show that was Brexit and other nonsense the Tories have put the country through and wonder if the UK is on the road to fascism.

#015 - The Cardinal's Mistress: Chapters 10 and 11

Tue, 05 Mar 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake return to Mussolini's mediocre book. Mussolini spends a lot of time describing a banquet and awful things Popes have done and very little time on the actual plot. Some guy tries to kill Claudia and this is resolved almost immediately.

#014 - Fascism in Italy Part 5: The Lead Up to World War II

Tue, 20 Feb 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake explore the time between the Italo-Ethiopian war and WWII, seeing exactly how Mussolini's and Hitler's relationship changed in that time.

#013 - Random Talking: Neo-Confederates

Tue, 19 Dec 2023 22:15:15 +0000

Jake forgot that he had to write notes for this episode, so Mike and Jake (try to) talk about neo-Confederates and the Lost Cause myth to wrap up the year in our first completely unscripted episode.

#012 - The Cardinal's Mistress: Chapters 8 and 9

Tue, 12 Dec 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake get back to reading Mussolini's book. A mob forms and is quickly placated and a nun gives pretty useless advice to our protagonist.

#011 - Fascism in Italy Part 4: The Italo-Ethiopian War

Tue, 05 Dec 2023 22:43:46 +0000

Mike and Jake finally return to talking about fascism in Italy by talking about Italy's first war after Mussolini's rise to power.

#010 - The Israel-Palestine Conflict

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 05:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake finally find time in their busy schedules to record an episode. This time, they take a break from talking about Mussolini to examine the Israel-Palestine conflict, the history of Zionism and its negative impacts, as well as how antisemites try to hide their bigotry behind anti-Zionism. They also touch on The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, their plans to bring about a dictatorship under Trump.

#009 - Mussolini Recap and Examination #1

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 04:00:00 +0000

After a hiatus, Mike and Jake return with a recap episode going over what we've covered of Mussolini so far and how it relates to today.

#008 - The Cardinal's Mistress: Chapters 6 and 7

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 19:38:13 +0000

Jake and Mike continue reading Mussolini's book. In this installment, we finally see Emanuel and Don Benizio clash and we get to see how the common people are reacting.

#007 - Fascism in Italy Part 3: First Year of Fascism

Tue, 25 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake return after an unexpectedly long break to continue their dive into Mussolini and Italian Fascism. Jake takes the lead this time, giving an overview of the first year of the fascist regime. Also, Mike and Jake experience their first technical difficulties.

#006 - The Cardinal's Mistress: Chapters 4 and 5

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake continue reading The Cardinal's Mistress. The titular Cardinal continues to be absent, but Don Benizio decides to attempt to threaten Claudia into getting together with him and then get drunk when that doesn't work.

#005 - Fascism in Italy Part 2: Mussolini goes Fascist

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake continue to delve into the wacky world of Mussolini and the Italian Fascists. Highlights include Mussolini betraying all his principles, arming a private army, destroying the lives of his first wife and his son with her, and the Fascists taking control of the country.

#004 - The Cardinal's Mistress: Chapters 2 and 3

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike needs more time to do research, so he and Jake decide to continue reading Mussolini's book. Things are beginning to look up, but weird writing choices are still present.

#003: The Cardinal's Mistress: Introduction and Chapter 1

Tue, 13 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake begin their readthrough of Mussolini's most prominent (and only) work of fiction, The Cardinal's Mistress. Highlights include almost no dialog, the main characters doing nothing and a description of a party that goes on for way too long.

#002: Fascism in Italy Part 1: Mussolini's Early Life

Tue, 06 Jun 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Mike and Jake begin their exploration into the origins of fascism. Mike gives Jake an overview of Benito Mussolini's early life. We learn of Mussolini's initial political leanings as a socialist and his violent tendencies towards others.

#001: What is Fascism?

Tue, 23 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Hosts Mike and Jake talk about what they're actually fighting by discussing what fascism really is.

#000: Introduction

Mon, 08 May 2023 04:00:00 +0000

Hosts Mike and Jake introduce themselves and explain why they decided to start this podcast.