It is the time of year for this kind of shit, so I thought I would throw my top ten living progressive voices out there. In no particular order
Thom Hartman
Chris Hedges
Noam Chomsky
Michael Hudson
Naomi Klien
Jeremy Scahill
Ralph Nader
Slavoy Zizek
Raj Patel
Paul Stamets
Yes the list is a bit predictable perhaps, and Paul is probably a Northern California kind of thing. Chomsky has violated my sense of progressive values with his stands on several issues, but it would be tough to leave him out. If others want to throw just a name ot two and forgo the somewhat hokey nature of top ten lists feel free.
Comments
I would throw in some guys on main stream television too.. Ed Shultz, Keith Olberman, Chris Matthews, John Stewart, the writers of Saturday Night Live.
They are more centrist than your list but also have a much bigger audience, and they're putting bits and pieces of the liberal story out there and fighting for them via powerful soundbites. T.V. really can't go deep into an issue because time on T.V. is too valuable, but the auditory/visual combo is a super stimuli that is hard to beat with a book or radio.. in terms of changing minds.
Progressives who have been/are senators/congressmen:
Bernie Sanders
Nanci Pelosi
Russ Fiengold
Alan Grayson
Liberals who have passed on:
FDR, Thomas Jefferson, Albert Einstein, Martin Luther King Jr, Jesus, The Buddha, Da Vinci, Gandhi.
Also living spiritual leaders...
The Dali Lama
That said, my top 10 are definitely the dead ones...
I really like Randi Rhodes too.
Amy Goodman would certainly be on the list if it was a top ten of those who are helping the progressive cause. But I do not consider here as voice for the progressive cause unless you consider her talent for questioning guests, in a sense, a voice
Paul Krugman, and Brad DeLong, liberal economics professors.
Markos of DailyKos.
Jon Stewart
Rep. Anthony Weiner
Rep Barney Frank
Keith Olberman
Thom Hartmann
Sen Sherrod Brown
and 10- Stephie and the Mooks
Jim Hightower! and the late great Howard Zinn and Molly Ivins.. gee, I miss Molly Ivins!
I like listening to Karel on Green960. He takes no prisoners and can be very funny sometimes. In the same way I also like Mike Malloy. I think we have a mix here of pundits and talk hosts. I also like Peter B. Also I sense that some more moderate hosts are swinging more to the left given the right of center course by the Obama administration.
BTW, I was on my way to relatives for Xmas Eve and listening to Karel. He read a Sears spot. I wonder how soon Thom will be reading a Walmart spot?
I nominate JOHN TRUDELL
he is truly from the LEFT - or BEYOND the left - not a mainstream supposed left -
"We've been Given an Opportunity"
http://www.youtube.com/user/mothersworldmedia#p/a/96A51042594C116D/1/w-V...
Sheldon Wollin, Princeton Univ.
Retired Monk - "Ideology is a disease"