Episodes

Sunday Oct 16, 2022
10/17/22 - Just Not That Smart
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
Sunday Oct 16, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Our prop guide will be in your inbox this week!
2. LA managed to snag the lead story in the New York Times last week which shows just how big a catastrophe the city council was having
3. Catherine Cortez-Masto, the Julia Brownley of 2022
4. In the wise words of Herschel Walker himself, he’s “just not that smart.”
5. Nancy Pelosi governs the same way she tears into a Slim Jim
6. Can somebody explain Elon Musk, Russia, and Twitter to us please? We’re not interested enough to research it.
Other Updates:
Ballots are on their way and our prop guide is coming soon! Drop us a line at braintrustapproved@gmail.com to join out prop guide email list.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

Monday Aug 29, 2022
8/29/22 - Against All Odds, Rights Matter
Monday Aug 29, 2022
Monday Aug 29, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. According to primary voters, taking away women’s fundamental rights does, in fact, matter to people.
2. It’s clear people don’t really understand how student loans work.
3. White House twitter is looking to add some special New Jersey flavor.
4. Virginia tricks itself into banning gas cars in 2035.
5. Donald Trump announces his new memoir will contain all the nuclear codes.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind.
Plus, subscribe to Lila's new podcast, What Can I Do, wherever you get your podcasts!

Sunday Jul 17, 2022
7/18/22 - Master of the Self-Own
Sunday Jul 17, 2022
Sunday Jul 17, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. The West Wing fight, brought to you by Overstock.com
2. The next January 6th hearings are PRIMETIME, which means speculation, drama, and the most primetime of gossiping!
3. John Bolton, the mustache, the weasel, the man, is the master of the self-own
4. Joe Biden checks in with his fraternity bros in Saudi Arabia
5. We’re going to lose Congress for literally no reason whatsoever
6. Joe Manchin and the truth: A Trumpian tale
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind
![7/11/22 - Permission To Have An Idea [w/ Carla Nordstrom]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
7/11/22 - Permission To Have An Idea [w/ Carla Nordstrom]
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
Sunday Jul 10, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Feeling helpless post Dobbs? Carla Nordstrom joins us with a list of action items that will help you sow the seeds of chaos!
2. Sri Lankans hold the pool party of the summer during their palace coup extravaganza! This is why you shouldn’t hold coups in January.
3. My baloney has a first name, it’s P-A-T-S-Y
4. Everything is the left’s fault. [End of Quote. Repeat the line.]
5. Democrats spend their primary season doing what they do best: Electing Republicans.
6. COVID. It’s on you.
Plus, find Carla's Girl Power playlist at the bottom of the post!
More from Carla Nordstrom: CBS News / Over 50 years ago this woman had an illegal abortion. Now, she's telling her story.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind
Carla Nordstrom's Girl Power Playlist:
I’m Just a Girl No Doubt
The Pill Loretta Lynn
You Don’t Own Me Lesley Gore
Girls Just Want to Have Fun Cindy Lauper
Harper Valley PTA Jeannie C. Riley
Respect Aretha Franklin
Not Ready to Make Nice The Dixie Chicks
9 to 5 Dolly Parton
Talking About a Revolution Tracy Chapman
Sisters are Doing it for Themselves Eurythmics
Independent Women Destiny’s Child
I am Woman Helen Reddy
Can’t Hold Us Down Christine Aguilera
Our Problem Amada Shires
I Will Survive Gloria Gaynor

Sunday Jun 26, 2022
6/27/22 - The End of Roe/World Roundtable
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
Sunday Jun 26, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
We’re doing a roundtable about the end of Roe and…that’s basically it.
About Our Guests:
BEN SOFTNESS is an old friend of Lila’s who spent years as partner at a DC law firm, where he briefed half a dozen cases in the Supreme Court on issues of statutory and constitutional law. He’s the author of an article on how the Supreme Court is usually incrementalist and avoids seismic shifts in the law to protect its legitimacy —an article who's premise was recently disproven! He is also the reformed Republican from Lila’s book, Some Kids Left Behind, available wherever books are sold.
SASCHA MEISEL is a lawyer and friend of the pod who’s experience in campaign work and the law seemed relevant here. And also she’s Lila's personal lawyer b/c sometimes Lila gets into her car and cries until she gives her legal advice.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

Sunday May 15, 2022
5/16/22 - Stupidity Week
Sunday May 15, 2022
Sunday May 15, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Protests should feel more like protests and less like guitar circles: A graduate thesis from Brain Trust Live.
2. Somehow Donald Trump missed the opportunity to endorse a pro-rape candidate in the PA primaries, and that seems like an oversight.
3. There’s nobody to vote FOR on the LA mayoral ballot, just people to vote against.
4. Biden had a prime stupidity week, but at least the deficit is going down.
5. Baby formula: Let’s find some.
6. Student Loans: Let’s cancel some.
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

Monday May 09, 2022
5/9/22 - Governing With Imagination
Monday May 09, 2022
Monday May 09, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. It’s time to try to dream as big as Republicans.
2. Also, If you’re in line to protest at the homes of the SCOTUS judges, stay in line!
3. When Jen Psaki and Bill Kristol give you life advice, do the opposite.
4. If you’re going to pursue student loan forgiveness, try actually forgiving some loans.
BUT most importantly, you can do more than vote. Burn it down! Become ungovernable!
Brain Trust Live is Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!
And, as always, you can buy and review Lila's book here: Some Kids Left Behind

Sunday Oct 10, 2021
10/11/21 - Invented Problems
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
Sunday Oct 10, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. Having COVID has given Allen West too much free time. Let’s get that man out of the hospital ASAP.
2. The Debt Ceiling: A problem we invented just so we could solve it.
3. Infrastructure: It never ends. It also never starts.
4. It’s fake panic time for the fake jobs numbers!
5. With schools finally open, it’s time to get back to the business of studying duck and cover techniques, the only true way to prepare kids for the American workplace.
6. It’s the return of Sinkhole Radio!
Get a vaccine so you too can record a podcast in the same room as your co-host!
Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

Sunday Sep 19, 2021
9.21.21- No Takeaways
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
Sunday Sep 19, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. 9/11 is over, but you can still buy Lila’s book, Some Kids Left Behind.
2. The main correct takeaway from the CA Recall is that money was wasted and there’s nothing to learn from it.
3. Everybody is trying to leave the Senate
4. Losing statewide office once is one of the ways to get yourself onto a ballot for statewide office in Texas.
5. Infrastructure season update: lol.
6. Joe Biden, just like last time he was in the Executive Branch, is not afraid to deport you.
Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!

Monday May 31, 2021
6/1/21 - The News From A Single Room
Monday May 31, 2021
Monday May 31, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. Biden administration hellbent on up to one year of big structural change, which is actually the opposite of structural change
2. Biden debuts infrastructure month, which is exactly like infrastructure week in that nothing gets accomplished, it’s just longer.
3. Someone is about to have to take four months off work to to decide a question with a simple answer: Is Donald Trump a criminal? Yes.
4. The battle of the working class origin stories is coming to a Florida Senate primary near you.
5. There’s no one who wants Donald Trump to die more than Matt Gaetz. Pass it on.
6. Tom Perez is joining Jay Carney in union-busting hell.
Also:
Get a vaccine so you too can record a podcast in the same room as your co-host!
Brain Trust Live is (still) Lila Nordstrom and Brent Thornburg's look at the week in electoral and political news. Join the millions of quarantiners, sirens, helicopters, barking dogs, and computer beeps who love our podcast and tell your friends about BTL! Then rate us on iTunes or find us Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Stitcher, or Instagram!