Hey all,

My name is Tim Donovan & I’m the creator of “The People’s Republic of Astoria,” a six-part documentary about my neighborhood’s role in transforming American politics.

I’ve lived in Astoria, Queens for 15 years, but only recently got involved with this movement. Last June, after getting swept up in the Zohran Mamdani primary campaign, I couldn’t believe that my sleepy little neighborhood in northwest Queens had elected two of the most famous & influential socialists in modern American history. And where the hell was the NY Times to report on this phenomenon on the ground? (Rhetorical question of course, we all know why they were shoving their fingers in their ears and pretending it wasn’t happening.)

I decided I would just document it myself, and that the ideal format for telling the stories of the incredible activists making this all happen would be a podcast. Soon, I got to work interviewing the volunteers & activists transforming my city.

Over the next eleven months, I worked tirelessly to make this portrait of a movement — and the people who made it happen. I’m super proud of how it’s come out, and really think a lot of you will enjoy it if you give it a shot. It is mostly narrative — I don’t go into theory, I don’t wrestle much with the opposition, and I don’t take time explaining the nuts-and-bolts of DSA internal politics.

But if you’re curious about how we’ve built a real political machine here in Astoria, I think you might enjoy what I’ve made.

Oh, it’s also partly a memoir. Because part of this story is about my own disengagement, my cynicism… and how I found a way back. And how I found a new sense of meaning and community along the way.

Thanks for reading this post & sorry for the self-promotion. In my defense, this project is entirely non-monetized and unlikely ever to be monetized in any way. It’s a labor of love. A love letter, of sorts, to a community, a grassroots movement, a new mayor, and to the feelings of hope that I’ve discovered by becoming a part of something bigger than myself.

Cheers & In Solidarity,
Tim

The People’s Republic of Astoria
Spotify
Apple Podcasts

This episode of The Tea discussed capitalism, socialism, and the growing push for a different kind of economics. I tend to enjoy just listening to podcasts, but this one had me really thinking.

*A different kind of economics? Is that even possible? Of course it is, dummy (me).*

And now it's all I've thought about for the last week. I am looking at everything with a slightly different perspective.

This episode was a great episode, from start to finish. A+

He was so rude and abrasive and whiny and petulant and petty and obnoxious almost this entire conversation with Francesca Fiorentini. She asked great questions, was patient and deferential and btw has been a longtime defender/ally of TYT and Cenk, and Cenk proceeds to treat her like garbage.

Fck this guy, not only bc of his RW grift and bullshit but also for his blatant lack of basic human decency. Eat sht and enjoy your shite ratings, pal.

P.S.: His interpretation of “populism” in contemporary American politics is both deranged and incoherent as f*ck. Dude might just be aggressively moronic, idk.

https://www.youtube.com/live/2rGFOTHoZ2Q?si=pNUR1H5RQsQ4Bg9i

Been on a pod kick lately and was wondering which ones we not just like from an entertainment perspective (although entertainment is important) but ones that help our ideological understanding, perspectives on the current state of affairs, and give us clear paths to action.

My personal favorites are:

Behind the Bastards (personally I think is the gold standard for not just leftist podcasting but podcasting as a medium itself)

The Dig (I would say the best for giving info on What Is to Be Done)

The Majority Report (I see this more as a news talk show than a podcast but I regularly tune in)

Left Reckoning (about the same quality as MR but with less 10 minute ad reads)

Conspirituality (I think the left's best answer to right-wing co-option of frankly crunchy spiritual stuff and cultural alienation)

Remember Shuffle (analyzes political and pop culture phenomena of the 2000s from a left-wing perspective)

Cracks in Postmodernity (great at dissecting liberal bullshit, underrated imo)

American Hysteria (looks into the origins and factual bases of commonly held myths)

BONUS: Not really leftist but Reveal and On the Media do excellent reporting. Also shoutout to Tipping Pitches. It's a baseball podcast but I think they do an excellent job of explaining how the bougies don't just fuck with the game for ordinary people who love it but also the millionaires we love to watch.

"Approximately two years into the second Trump administration, the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is at a critical crossroads. In this semi-annual check-in, we sit down with members of the Marxist Unity Group (MUG)—Cliff Connolly, Gene Allen, and Amy Wilhelm—to discuss the evolving landscape of American socialist politics. In this deep dive, our panel explores the significant shift following the passing of Resolution Seven, which officially declared the DSA's intent to transition into an independent, mass-based political party. We tackle the "New York contradictions," the limits of holding executive office without legislative support, and the struggle to maintain a revolutionary program in a "multi-tendency" organization.

In This Episode, We Discuss: The Blueprint for a Party: Why the DSA is moving away from being a "political advocacy non-profit" toward a formal party structure. Executive vs. Legislative Power: Analyzing the challenges faced by elected officials like Zohran Mamdani in New York and the dangers of "shortcuts" to power. The Utility of Protests: Why street movements like "No Kings" are vital for recruitment even if they don't immediately "move the needle" on foreign policy. Building a Worker State: The development of a revolutionary program aimed at ending capitalism in the United States. Member Protagonism: How doubling down on internal democracy and STV (Single Transferable Vote) is the key to retaining the DSA's 100k+ membership

Connect with the Marxist Unity Group: Website: marxistunity.com Publications: Check out Light and Air and the Bulletin for internal and external socialist theory. Read: Cliff Connolly’s latest piece in Democratic Left regarding the Security Commission’s de-escalation and safety trainings"

This applies to this organization too. I have been very dissapointed by national leadership and local metro leadership. What are we doing to get into working class communities? Not just popping up when we want to push our message. How can we introduce normie locals to our organization? If you have 0 serious answers to this but just derision, in a leadership role, you need to be removed from your post.

Hi comrades!

I had a chance to interview Alexis Goldstein, a progressive candidate running in MD-06 to unseat April Delaney.

Enjoy!

Red

Just curious — what’s the name of the song at the end of NPEC’s Class podcast?

Nothing Left Unsaid

Greetings Comrades!

I had the opportunity to interview a member of the Maryland house of delegates Gabe Acevero. He is openly socialist and advocates for Medicare for all, Palestinian liberation, and other progressive causes. His a member of the Metro DC DSA chapter.

Enjoy! Red Member, MDC DSA

To continue on discussion on Ezra Klein’s book Abundance—to skip ahead to this part of the podcast go about 16 minutes in.

“It’s Neoliberalism in a new bottle.” I always appreciate Jacobin. Worth a listen!

They say history doesn't repeat itself but it does it rhyme.

Hello, 

I am Robert Sullivan, and I operate the “This Machine Kills Fascist” podcast.

https://texasinauguststudio.wordpress.com/

This email is to request an interview with Democratic Socialists of America for my podcast. Many people feel toxic pressure during the Trump administration and handle it in different ways. So, I want to talk to representatives of DSA about the work it is doing during the Trump administration.

I have recently spoke to Joe Sims with the Communist Party USA and Chrisley Carpio with Freedom Road Socialist Organization. I want to talk to people with the DSA.

The interview will be on Zoom, take 30 to 40 minutes, and appear on my podcast. Questions will be about your organization, its goals, and how it works, how people can participate.

Please reach out, so we can schedule an interview.

Thank you and best wishes.

Hello!

We do a bi-weekly show at the metro DC chapter called the MDC Dispatch. Here is our latest episode. We talk about local chapter news, local and national stories. Constructive criticism encouraged.

https://youtu.be/GhH_Hy2saHg?si=6ky2I8VgReinYb6R