Mutual Defense Compacts, Wolf Comebacks & Book Brigades: Good News for Democracy, Ecology & Community

Welcome to Good News For Lefties, the daily news antidote for progressive hearts! This week, host Beowulf Rochlen—with his signature old-time radio charm and a dash of cheeky wit—delivers uplifting stories proving democracy, ecology, and people power are alive and kicking.First, universities nationwide defy Trump’s authoritarian crackdowns, forming mutual defense compacts to protect academic freedom, DEI programs, and student protesters from ICE raids. Then, Oregon’s gray wolves hit a historic population milestone—200 strong!—thanks to relentless conservation efforts (despite ranchers’ grumbling).In the courts, a federal judge smacks down Trump’s freeze on climate and environmental justice grants, safeguarding lead-poisoning prevention and green infrastructure. Meanwhile, blue states like California and New York double down on climate superfund laws and cap-and-trade programs, spitting in the face of federal overreach.Plus, heartwarming dispatches from the frontlines of community solidarity: a heroic ranch dog named Buford rescues a missing toddler in Arizona, and a Michigan town forms a human book brigade to save their beloved indie bookstore.It’s liberal, it’s leftist, it’s the daily news you actually want to hear. Share it, rate it, and remember: the future’s still worth fighting for.Listen to our friends Jennifer and Dan of the Banned Camp podcast at BannedCampPodcast.comListen to This Week Again with Susanne Posel.If you have thoughts, ideas, or more good news to share, we’d love to hear from you! Call or message us at 202-656-6271, or drop us a line at [email protected] can find out more about GNFL's daily news stories here:https://www.commondreams.org/news/campus-protesthttps://www.ijpr.org/environment-energy-and-transportation/2025-04-17/oregon-wolf-population-surpasses-200-for-first-time-in-8-decadeshttps://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ri-federal-judge-orders-trump-administration-resume-grant-payments-environmental-nonprofitshttps://pluribusnews.com/news-and-events/state-leaders-dismiss-trump-order-attacking-climate-policies/https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/dozens-searched-missing-2-year-old-arizona-desert-buford-dog-was-real-rcna201654https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/hundreds-of-volunteers-form-a-human-chain-to-get-9000-books-to-new-location-for-indie-bookstore/More good daily news for democracy on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram.If you like Justice Matters with Glenn Kirschner, IMO with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, The MeidasTouch Podcast, and Pod Save America, you'll LOVE Good News For Lefties!Thanks to Rosabelle Heine and Aaron Watson for production assistance.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/good-news-for-lefties-daily-news-for-democracy--6256627/support.