An insight into Michigan's progressive political and pop cultural scene. Pat Johnston highlights how the progressive movement is helping shape Michigan's political landscape with opinion and interviews. It's time to make Michigan's political machine work for the people!
448: Monday Musing: John James & Mike Rogers Always Backed Trump's War On Iran
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Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for October 5, 2026!
Thanks to some excellent reporting by Bridge Michigan, Michigan MAGA Republicans John James & "Florida" Mike Rogers are betting on working class Michiganders forgetting how much they supported The Trump Regime's War on Iran just a few short months ago.
But we aren't forgetting, as LOL's Pat Johnston notes.
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leftoflansing@gmail.com
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Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopard
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NOTES:
"Fact check: Mike Rogers, John James shift positions on Iran war. (https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/fact-check-mike-rogers-john-james-shift-positions-on-iran-war/?utm_source=Bridge+Michigan&utm_campaign=2fd1a5a7f5-Bridge+Newsletter+10%2F02%2F2026&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c64a28dd5a-2fd1a5a7f5-77337713)" By Miles MacClure for Bridge Michigan
#podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Voting #WorkingClass #MikeRogers #AbdulElSayed #JocelynBenson #JohnJames #Israel #Gaza #Genocide #IranWar #GovernmentSpending #Economy #GasPrices #War #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #CorporateClass #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing
1 Oct 2026
447: Media & Political & Data Center Coverage w/ Michigan Advance's Jon King
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Here's Episode #195 of Michigan's Premier Progressive Podcast!
00:00-16:30: Latest MI Election Polls
LOL's Pat Johnston opens the show highlighting some recent polls showing progressive Dr. Abdul El-Sayed leading MAGA Republican "Florida" Mike Rogers in the pivotal U.S. Senate race in Michigan. The trend in many polls are shifting towards Dr. Abdul, and perhaps that's why "Florida" Mike is sounding more like Dr. Abdul on the campaign trail! Suddenly, Rogers says Trump's & Israel's War on Iran must end, and that we also need a moratorium on new A.I. data centers! Polls are also showing Democrat Jocelyn Benson with a huge lead over MAGA Republican Congressman John James.
16:45-45:00: Jon King of Michigan Advance Interview
Jon King is the Editor-in-Chief of Michigan Advance (https://michiganadvance.com/), our favorite source for Michigan news and politics, joins the show to talk about how corporate media is failing the country in these tumultuous times. They talk about The Trump Regime's effort to ban certain news organizations from covering The White House, but they wonder why it took so long for them to finally stand together and fight back. This is why "access journalism" sometimes does more damage than good. They also talk about how paywalls are preventing citizens from learning what's happening in their government, and Michigan Advance's weekly data center coverage as that issue will be a crucial issue in next month's election.
Follow Jon King on Twitter: https://x.com/JonKingNews (https://x.com/JonKingNews)
45:01-53:30: MI Democrat Refuses To Back Dr. Abdul
In this week's "Last Call," Pat covers how Michigan Democratic State Rep. Noah Arbit refuses to endorse and support progressive Democrat, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, for Michigan's Senate race. Why won't Arbit back Dr. Abdul? Because Dr. Abdul rightly criticized Israel's extreme and corrupt government.
53:31-56:08: Ending
Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!
leftoflansing@gmail.com
Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQWjoUxWJCQwSDv-7jKpqQ)!
Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopard
(https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopard)
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NOTES:
"As an American Jew, my first political loyalty is to American democracy (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/08/07/as-an-american-jew-my-first-political-loyalty-is-to-american-democracy/)." By Jon King of Michigan Advance
"Three licks and a question: Who is Gretchen Whitmer governing for? (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/20/three-licks-and-a-question-who-is-gretchen-whitmer-governing-for/)" By Jon King of Michigan Advance
"A Public Flat Earth (https://sarahkendzior.substack.com/p/a-public-flat-earth?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=1175745&post_id=218201323&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=2b3y05&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email)." By Sarah Kendzior of Sarah Kendzior's Newsletter
"Sanders, El-Sayed vow to improve healthcare work environments if Democrats take back U.S. Senate (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/09/30/sanders-el-sayed-vow-to-improve-healthcare-work-environments-if-democrats-take-back-u-s-senate/)." By Ben Solis of Michigan Advance
"Report says Trump Medicaid work requirements won't lead to more employment (https://www.wemu.org/wemu-news/2026-09-23/report-says-trump-medicaid-work-requirements-wont-lead-to-more-employment)." By Kevin Meerschaert of WEMU News
"Mike Rogers wants a job in the US Senate. What’d he do in the House (https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/mike-rogers-wants-a-job-in-the-us-senate-whatd-he-do-in-the-house/)?" By Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan
"Abdul El-Sayed or Mike Rogers? Freep's pick in U.S. Senate race | Endorsement (https://www.freep.com/story/opinion/editorials/2026/09/27/free-press-endorsement-abdul-el-sayed-mike-rogers-michigan-senate-race-midterms/91875614007/)." By Detroit Free Press Editorial Board
"Fox News Poll: Michigan voters split between El-Sayed and Rogers (https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-michigan-voters-split-between-el-sayed-rogers)." By Dana Blanton of Fox News
#podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #MAGA #Republicans #Election #Voting #WorkingClass #unions #WorkersRights #MikeRogers #DataCenters #AbdulElSayed #JocelynBenson #JohnJames #DanaNessel #JonKing #AccessJournalism #NoahArbit #Israel #Gaza #Genocide #IranWar #GovernmentSpending #Media #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #CorporateClass #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing
21 Sept 2026
446: Monday Musing: Mike Rogers Was For Data Centers Before He Was Against Them
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Here's the Left of Lansing "Monday Musing" for September 21, 2026!
It appears MAGA Michigan Republican U.S. Senate candidate "Florida" Mike Rogers is suddenly against the Big Tech Bro data centers, which is strange considering how just a few short months ago, Florida Mike was full steam ahead when it came to building and forcing more data centers across Michigan communities.
LOL"s Pat Johnston explains why, unlike the progressive Democratic U.S. Senate candidate, Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, who actually has policy ideas to enact safefguards and regulations on data center development (as well as a moratorium on data centers), Florida Mike Rogers is simply trying to pull another fast one on working class Michiganders.
Please, subscribe to the podcast, download each episode, and give it a good review if you can!
leftoflansing@gmail.com
Left of Lansing is now on YouTube as well (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQQWjoUxWJCQwSDv-7jKpqQ)!
Music provided by Wanderbeats. To hear the latest project, visit Space Leopard on various streaming sites, or visit: https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopard
(https://www.youtube.com/@SpaceLeopard)
Click here to donate $5 on Left of Lansing on Patreon! (https://www.patreon.com/15494297/join)
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NOTES:
"Mike Rogers loved data centers until voters didn’t (https://www.metrotimes.com/news/mike-rogers-loved-data-centers-until-voters-didnt/)." By Steve Neavling of The Detroit Metro Times
"After data center investments revealed, Rogers backs statewide moratorium (https://michiganadvance.com/2026/08/20/after-data-center-investments-revealed-rogers-backs-statewide-moratorium/)." By Freddy Brewster of The Lever (via Michigan Advance)
"In Senate race, Mallory McMorrow pitches plan to do data centers ‘right (https://bridgemi.com/michigan-government/in-senate-race-mallory-mcmorrow-pitches-plan-to-do-data-centers-right/)’" By Lauren Gibbons of Bridge Michigan
#podcast #politics #progressives #Michigan #Democrats #Trump #JDVance #MAGA #Republicans #Election #WorkingClass #unions #WorkersRights #MikeRogers #DataCenters #BigTech #AI #AbdulElSayed #CorporateGreed #CorporateCorruption #GovernmentCorruption #Populism #CorporateClass #Fascism #EpsteinClass #Authoritarianism #Democracy #LeftofLansing
Who has been a guest on Left of Lansing
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Derrell Slaughter
Dana Nessel
Donovan McKinney
Carrie Rheingans
Joan C Williams
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
34,575
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
13 ratings
Spotify
4.2 / 5
5 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 70 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
92
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
51
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