Episodes

Sunday Apr 03, 2022
4/4/22 - GOP Obsessions
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
Sunday Apr 03, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. New York is the only place on earth insane enough to continually come for Amazon…and win.
2. Trump’s phone logs - or lack thereof - are the latest in his ongoing quest to one-up Richard Nixon.
3. The White House is very concerned about the effect of inflation on the defense budget, not as concerned about it impacting your ability to eat.
4. Known liar Madison Cawthorn finally gets in trouble for telling an absolutely unbelievable story that’s…probably his first true one.
5. The KBJ SCOTUS hearings prove once again that the GOP cannot think of anything other than child pornography.
6. America’s least-favorite slam poet is ready to bring crazy sentence syntax back to Washington.
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
![3/7/22 - Don’t Say BBB [w/ Dakota Hall from Alliance for Youth Action]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
3/7/22 - Don’t Say BBB [w/ Dakota Hall from Alliance for Youth Action]
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
Sunday Mar 06, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Dakota Hall, ED at Alliance for Youth Action, joins us to talk about young voters, the SOTU, and more!
2. Joe Biden misread the mood of the American people as he jovially celebrated returning to the office during the SOTU. That’s right, he wants to send you to the place where your bosses are!
3. Cisneros and Cuellar head into a runoff in the Democrat’s bellwetheriest bellwether race.
4. Mask laws are ending, so get your noses ready for spring.
5. President Zelensky spoke for all of earth when he asked Rick Scott to please, finally, for the love of God, mute himself
Find the Alliance for Youth Action Online:
Twitter: @alliance4youth
Instagram: @allianceforyouthaction
Facebook: @AllianceforYouthAction
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 Feb 06, 2022
2/7/22 - NBC State Media
Sunday Feb 06, 2022
Sunday Feb 06, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. USA fighting Chinese propaganda by using a private media conglomerate as our own state media.
2. Whether or not the jobs numbers are good, it’s good to remember that they’re always fake
3. CA’s single payer demise is not an indication of voter sentiment, Politico. Stop using consultants as sources.
4. MN Police doing a great job of disproving the one bad apple theory
5. Meanwhile Joe BIden still publicly believing in the one bad apple theory
6. Garcetti holds his breath in photos while Los Angeles holds their breath waiting for him to just go to India already.
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
![1/31/22 - More Binders Full of Women [w/ guest Kat Calvin]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
1/31/22 - More Binders Full of Women [w/ guest Kat Calvin]
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
Sunday Jan 30, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Our long-promised guest Kat Calvin is finally here!
2. Biden is collecting his own binders full of women for Breyer’s soon-to-be-open SCOTUS seat.
3. After 36 years of single handedly saving democracy, Pelosi assures us she will run again!
4. We incepted the San Jose Mayor to try gun insurance and couldn’t be more excited!
5. The Olympics are here, so you can finally experience the splendor of living through the Golden Age of Ice Dancing TM.
6. Of course the Bidens are cat people.
Find Kat and Her Work Online:
- Kat on Social: @katcalvinla
- Subscribe to Kat's Newsletter
- Spread The Vote (@spreadthevoteus on social)
- Project ID Action Fund (@projectidus on social)
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
![1/24/22 - Call and Let Us Know [w/ guest Gaby Goldstein of Sister District]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Monday Jan 24, 2022
1/24/22 - Call and Let Us Know [w/ guest Gaby Goldstein of Sister District]
Monday Jan 24, 2022
Monday Jan 24, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Gaby Goldstein from Sister District is here to talk midterms and the importance of building our bench at the state level.
2. Joe Manchin is teaching America a lesson about why you don’t negotiate with terrorists
3. Joe Biden proves once and for all that he’s mentally competent enough to be mentally incompetant for two full hours.
4. Are we at war with Russia? Can somebody call and let us know?
5. If the LAPD is the only source quoted in the article, it’s probably not news, it’s PR.
6. Japanese Snow Monkeys show us the path forward in 2022.
More From Our Guest:
* Follow Sister District on Twitter: @sister_district
* Find Sister District on the Web: https://sisterdistrict.com
* Follow Gaby on Twitter: @gaby__goldstein
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

Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
1/19/22 - Veep is Supposed to Be a Parody
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
Tuesday Jan 18, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Extremism, according to Joe Manchin, is you voting.
2. As you bemoan Biden’s bad week last week, the one thing that should give you solace is that this is the 52nd bad week of his term.
3. Note to Kamala Harris and all future Vice Presidents: Veep is a parody.
4. 2024 is shaping up to have…the same primary as 2020?
5. Eric Adams is not even good at nepotism.
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!
![1/10/22 - Thanks, Teachers! [w/ guest Carissa Byrne Hessick]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Jan 09, 2022
1/10/22 - Thanks, Teachers! [w/ guest Carissa Byrne Hessick]
Sunday Jan 09, 2022
Sunday Jan 09, 2022
In Which We Discuss:
1. Carissa Byrne Hessick joins us to talk about her book Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal.
2. COVID is everywhere thanks to…teachers?
3. Jobs: You can now even do them with COVID!
4. Voting: What if we could protect your ability to do it
5. Chris Matthews and Hillary Clinton chime in with a message from the bunker.
6. Madison Cawthorn ends his marriage to a Crossfit Influencer who may or may not be a Russian spy.
* Follow Carissa on Twitter: @CBHessick
* Buy Carissa's Book: Punishment Without Trial: Why Plea Bargaining is a Bad Deal
* Buy Lila's Book: Some Kids Left Behind
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!
![11/22/21 - You Should Run For Office [w/ guest Amanda Litman]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
11/22/21 - You Should Run For Office [w/ guest Amanda Litman]
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
Sunday Nov 21, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. Amanda Litman from Run For Something tells us why YOU should run for office!
2. Call in the brass band: We signed a bill! Turns out it is still physically possible to sign those.
3. A sprawling bill that will help all americans is now headed to the senate where it will die because of…the price of milk?
4. World War II swim meets, Jimmy Carter’s sweaters, and other missives from Kevin McCarthy’s 9 hour speech.
5. The legal system is broken beyond repair. That’s it. That’s what we have to say about that.
6. Kamala Harris becomes the first female president due to a colonoscopy...in her defense, that’s just as legitimate as the electoral college.
Follow Amanda on Twitter: @amandalitman
Learn more about Run for Something: runforsomething.net
Run for Office: runforwhat.org
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!

Sunday Nov 14, 2021
11/15/21 - Mayo Pete
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
Sunday Nov 14, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. We watched Mayor Pete so you wouldn’t have to!
2. But don’t worry, we still took bets on how many collared shirts Steve Bannon will wear when he turns himself in on Monday.
3. Also, Britney is Free...
4. But your groceries sure aren’t, and they’re only getting more expensive.
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!
![11/8/21 - The Congressional MLM Caucus [w/ guest Laura Packard]](https://pbcdn1.podbean.com/imglogo/ep-logo/pbblog456765/IMG_0920_300x300.jpg)
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
11/8/21 - The Congressional MLM Caucus [w/ guest Laura Packard]
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
In Which We Discuss:
1. Laura Packard is here to talk healthcare and Build Back Better!
2. To the surprise of zero hosts of this podcast, Terry McAuliffe was not the best candidate for Virginia governor
3. The BIF passed, the BBB needs the CBO. Is it DOA?
4. Nobody saw Australia emerging as the supervillan of this week’s climate summit
5. Last month's jobs numbers are great or terrible, depending on whether you’re Brent or Lila
6. Nothing has ever made more sense than Krysten Sinema’s ties to MLM
Learn More About Laura:
Follow Laura on Twitter: @lpackard
Follow Laura on Instagram: @laurapackardactivist
Follow Healthcare Voter on Twitter: @HealthCareVoter
Check Out Laura's Recent Op-Ed in Business Insider
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!