Behind the Bastards: It Could Happen Here Weekly 213

Date: December 20, 2025
Duration: ~2 hrs
Hosts/Contributors: Mia Wong, Robert Evans, Andrew Sage, James Stout, Garrison Davis, Alex Pine, Abby Sato

Overview of the Episode

This "It Could Happen Here Weekly" episode, published by Behind the Bastards, is a compilation of several distinct but thematically related segments. It focuses on two broad themes:

1. The Right-Wing Consolidation and Takeover of Media in the U.S. – Mia Wong provides an in-depth monologue, examining billionaires’ role in reshaping news and social media, the rise of reactionary ideologues in major outlets, union-busting, and ramifications for democracy.

2. Union Organizing and Corporate Resistance – A lively discussion with Blue Bottle Union leaders Alex Pine and Abby Sato details their recent strike actions, the challenges of organizing under Nestle’s ownership, and illuminating anecdotes about the petty and often bizarre anti-union tactics used by management.

Additionally, Andrew Sage and James Stout present a two-part deep dive on the Grenada Revolution—a lesser-known but significant episode in Caribbean and Cold War history—with thoughtful analysis on imperialism, internal movement dynamics, and the aftermath.

The episode closes with "Executive Disorder," the podcast’s satirical news roundup covering:
– new U.S. government travel bans
– war posturing towards Venezuela
– U.S. executive orders on AI and housing
– major immigration and judicial developments
– mass shootings in Rhode Island and Sydney
– and more

Throughout, the tone is forceful, darkly humorous, and deeply critical of both capital and state power, staying true to Behind the Bastards’ style.

1. The Right-Wing Media Takeover in the U.S.

[03:12 - 28:46]
Host/Main Speaker: Mia Wong

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Jeff Bezos as Harbinger: Amazon founder’s 2013 purchase of the Washington Post is contextualized as a signal of accelerating capitalist capture of the U.S. press.

  • “The danger of the American free press is and has always been that we do not have a free press – we have a capitalist press.” (Mia, 03:15)

• 2020 Uprisings and the NYT “Send in the Troops” Op-Ed:

  • The internal struggle at the New York Times symbolized a larger culture war, with editorial resignations over the paper publishing Sen. Tom Cotton’s call for military suppression of protests.
  • Mia illustrates how this moment signaled a challenge to the ruling class narrative: “If the U.S. is structurally racist...the American project is indefensible.”

• The Rise of Bari Weiss:

  • Described as an "ideological diversity hire," Weiss is skewered for her role bringing right-wing voices to the NYT, her resignation, and rebranding as an influential new media mogul.
  • “She now controls one of the most powerful and important news organizations in the United States.” (Mia, 15:25)

• Larry Ellison’s Media Machinations:

  • Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison’s acquisition of Paramount/CBS and appointment of Weiss as a “hatchet woman.”
  • Mass firings of non-white staff and disbanding of “identity-focused” editorial verticals.
  • “One man, Larry Ellison, and his son… bought the fucking media company and installed this unhinged right-wing hack as their ideological secret police.” (Mia, 16:30)

• Consolidation of Media Ownership:

  • Fewer and fewer companies (and individuals) controlling the entire U.S. media landscape.
  • Direct connections to Trump and his administration, with antidemocratic implications.

• Bezos and the Washington Post Redux:

  • Bezos’ direct involvement in shaping editorial policy, driving out editors who won’t toe his line.
  • “It is better that seven people in Washington DC who are identically-minded conservatives read the Washington Post and agree with it, than it is for there to be any sort of independence whatsoever.” (Mia, 22:15)

• Teen Vogue and Leftist Media Liquidation:

  • Closure of Teen Vogue as a stand-alone outlet despite rising readership due to leftist/trans coverage.
  • “They just destroyed it...because it's bad for Donald Trump.”

• Union-Busting and Intersection with Race/Gender:

  • Attacks on media unions as workers’ defense against both racism and capricious ownership.
  • "Workers... are less racist than the bosses. And in fact, would like there to be more nonwhite people." (Mia, 26:35)

• Social Media Ownership:

  • Musk’s Twitter as a reactionary tool; Ellison’s role in attempted TikTok acquisition.

• CNN, Warner Bros, Netflix, and the Looming Threat:

  • The Trump administration is weaponizing antitrust law to drive coverage in its favor.
  • “We don’t live in anything that even sort of looks like a democracy – we live in the dictatorship of capital.” (Mia, 28:21)

Notable Quotes

“There is no secret plan... All you have to do in order to install a right-wing hack as the editor in chief of CBS News is buy the company.”
– Mia Wong [15:55]

“These people are not undefeatable. We beat them before, we can beat them again... they may simply be taking control of a husk they already caused to rot from the inside.”
– Mia Wong [28:10]

2. Union Organizing & Blue Bottle Strike

[31:12 - 67:32]
Speakers: Mia Wong, Alex Pine, Abby Sato

Key Discussion Points & Insights

• Background: Blue Bottle is a specialty coffee chain owned by Nestle (“...the one everyone regards as widely being evil” [32:59]).

• Series of Walkouts & Firings:

  • Blue Bottle Union formed after repeated confrontations over firings, refusal to negotiate, and installation of surveillance cameras.
  • Bosses responded to union activity with both technical labor law violations and pettiness (“...one of the reasons why we unionized to begin with is just because bosses can be petty tyrants.” – Alex, 32:28)

• Strike Actions:

  • Multiple walkouts for unjust firings, wage losses, and benefit issues.
  • The union is independent and able to fund strike funds to replace lost barista wages.

• Petty Management Tactics:

  • Notably, Abby Sato was fired for “wearing green pants”.
  • “Let me tell you, there’s nothing worse than waking up at 4:30... to then clock in and be immediately hit with separation forms because you wore green pants three weeks ago.” (Abby, 40:07)

• Solidarity and Emotional Experience:

  • Walking out to protest pushes management into defensive PR leaks about possibly selling Blue Bottle—a scare tactic.
  • “Union is friendship and friendship is unions and when your friend gets fired you should be able to walk out.” (Abby, 38:47)

• Ridiculous Management Negotiation:

  • Blue Bottle management’s “management’s rights” clause lays claim to near-total control over every aspect of workers’ lives.
  • “They just think that they should be able to control fucking everything.” (Alex, 60:38)

• Concrete Strike Impact:

  • “We kept five out of the six cafes closed in Boston... the only reason one of them could stay open was because all the managers banded together.” (Abby, 54:07)

• Living Conditions & Rent Struggles:

  • A survey detailed the rent burden: “The median rent paid by Blue Bottle employees being $1,045... on average... 46% of income going towards rent, with roughly a third of baristas paying over 60%.” (Alex, 56:07)

Notable Quotes

“This is like fucking medieval – you pissed off the monarch by, like, you wore a color of pants that was unfavorable to the eye of the king...”
– Mia Wong [40:54]

“Anytime a landlord... suggests the thing they want to do is lower rent, they are lying. You can tell because they don’t fucking lower rents unless, like, a global pandemic happens.”
– Mia Wong [195:59]

3. The Grenada Revolution: Rise and Fall

[70:00 - 148:06]
Speakers: Andrew Sage (host, from Trinidad), James Stout (co-host)

Part 1: Background, Independence, and the People's Revolutionary Government (PRG)

[70:00–94:46]

• Geography & Historical Context: Grenada – a "par excellence" small island state, but pivotal in Cold War history.

• Colonial Legacies and Struggles:

  • Violent resistance against European conquest.
  • Slavery established, independence movements in the 1950s-70s.

• Black Power and Leftist Movements:

  • A period of widespread Caribbean uprisings, radical labor, and student protest.

• Rise of Eric Gairy and Political Corruption:

  • Initially a labor leader, increasingly autocratic and corrupt—used secret police known as the "Mongoose Gang”.

• The New Jewel Movement (NJM):

  • Coalition of radical groups led by Maurice Bishop, seeking democratic socialism.
  • Inspired by CLR James & council-communist tendencies, eventually shifted to Marxism-Leninism and vanguardism.

• The 1979 Bloodless Coup:

  • Gairy leaves for the U.N.—while absent, NJM seizes control. Popular with people, little resistance.

• Reflection on Participatory Socialism:

  • Early radical optimism tempered by history’s knowledge of subsequent internal splits and tragedy.
  • “The state’s capacity for violence and surveillance hasn’t caught up to the capacity for mass communication yet.” (James, 88:44)

Part 2: The Revolution’s Achievements, Militarization, and U.S. Invasion

[101:23–148:06]

• Achievements:

  • Emphasis on education, healthcare, maternity leave, efforts (if imperfect) for gender equality, diversification away from mono-crop agriculture.
  • Move away from Westminster parliament to one-party system with some mass organizations.

• Flaws & Challenges:

  • PRG became increasingly militarized, fearing both internal and external enemies.
  • Rising paranoia, repression, party infighting, and loss of democratic promise.

• Internal Rupture & Violent Climax:

  • Split between Bishop and Cord; Bishop put under house arrest.
  • Bishop is freed by popular demonstration, but ultimately executed by rival NJM faction.
  • “They lined them up against the wall and shot them. Summary execution. Others, including trade unionists, businessmen, and high schoolers, were also killed at Fort Rupert.” (Andrew, 125:13)

• Justification for U.S. Invasion:

  • U.S. leverages fears of communism, proximity, and oil to invade; justifies as a rescue of American students.

• Aftermath & Lingering Traumas:

  • Political consequences throughout the Caribbean, leftist demoralization, and incomplete reconciliation/healing for Grenada.
  • “It is very easy to breeze over the deaths of people in historical events as just numbers... But in a country like Grenada... that's two entire human beings with lives, interests, passions, relationships, connections, future snuffed out.” (Andrew, 134:09)

• Critical Reflections on Leadership & Hierarchy:

  • Both hosts warn against personality cults, top-down structures, and urge future radicals to embrace decentralization and participatory self-management.
  • “A genuine revolution depends on people taking direct responsibility, not waiting for leaders...” (Andrew, 141:10)

Notable Quotes

“If we don't acknowledge the very real compromises and mistakes and failures, then [the fallen] have been defeated, and they all died for nothing. But if at least we can learn from it, there's something we can take going forward.”
– James Stout [139:11]

“Participatory, local, self-managed systems are entirely feasible—especially in small Caribbean societies.”
– Andrew Sage [141:48]

4. Executive Disorder: Weekly News Roundup

[151:08 – End]
Panelists: James Stout, Robert Evans, Mia Wong, Garrison Davis

Major Topics Covered

• ICE and Sanctuary City Law Violations in NYC

  • “Sanctuary laws... are very often violated and it’s good to see that being reported on.” (James, 152:51)

• Fentanyl Designated as a Weapon of Mass Destruction (WMD)

  • Satirical commentary on the absurd overreach of WMD rhetoric.

• War on Venezuela: Rhetoric and Risks

  • Analysis of Trump’s truth-social posting about Venezuela, blockade of oil tankers, WMD-style claims, and the legalities of designating a government a foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
  • “It doesn't make any sense to give it to a government. It doesn’t make sense to give it to this government.” (Mia, 161:58)
  • “Even just doing a blockade on these sanctioned vessels is an act of war.” (Mia, 163:03)

• Chevron, Sanctions-Evasion and Oil

  • Explainer on how sanctioned oil reaches market despite blockades; importance to the economies of Venezuela and Cuba.

• Material Causes of Oil Aggression

  • Resource-seeking as a direct motive, contrasting with e.g., the Bolivia coup’s more complex causes.

• Economic Fallout and Human Cost

  • Warnings of likely increased migration and refugee crises stemming from economic strangulation and military action.

• U.S. Travel Bans Expanded

  • Travel ban increased to 39 countries, including new restrictions on family visas and international adoptions. Critique of use of “government bureaucracy failures” as justification.

• Judicial Drama: Judge Dugan’s Trial over ICE/Escaped Defendant

  • Coverage of the ongoing trial of Judge Dugan, accused of helping a migrant evade ICE.

• Mass Shootings in Rhode Island (Brown University) & Sydney, Australia

  • Updates on recent attacks, the complications of policing and misinformation (“doxing” of innocent Brown student).

• Executive Orders on AI, Housing, and Real Estate

  • Trump’s new EO to “sustain and enhance U.S. global AI dominance”, largely aimed at crushing state-level regulations that curb landlords’ AI-driven price-fixing.
  • Politico cited: “There were more than 40 pending bills across the United States related to just AI in the housing sector.” (Robert, 190:38)
  • Critique of AI-triumphalist rhetoric as profit-driven, not idea-driven; deep skepticism of claims that AI is necessary for “restart[ing] the idea machine.”

• Satirical Bits:

  • “Friend of the pod Dan Bongino is stepping down from his work as deputy director of the FBI…America needs him in his much more important role, whatever podcast he was doing…” (Robert, 188:24)

Notable Quotes

“Anytime a landlord…suggests the thing they want to do is lower rent, they are lying. You can tell because they don’t fucking lower rents unless, like, a global pandemic happens.”
– Mia Wong [195:59]

“These AI fucks aren’t talking about ideas – they’re talking about fracking the human mind.”
– Robert Evans [205:24]

Memorable Moments & Humor

• On Petty Firings: “She should have been put to death for the crime of wearing green pants. Of course.” (Alex, 40:48)
• On Management’s Rights Clauses: “I haven’t read this in a while and I forgot how bad it is. Wow…” (Abby, 60:33)
• On Personality Cults in the Revolution: “The youth carried on the mistakes of their forbearers. They betrayed the excitement of people power…” (Andrew, 140:22)
• Satirical Wrap-Up:
  • “If you make me director of the FBI I promise to stop podcasting and start being the most corrupt director of the FBI we’ve ever had.” (Robert, 189:18)

Key Timestamps

• 03:12 – Start of Mia Wong’s monologue on media takeover
• 31:12 – Start of Blue Bottle Union strike interview
• 70:00 – Start of Grenada Revolution segment (Part 1)
• 101:23 – Grenada Revolution aftermath (Part 2)
• 151:08 – Executive Disorder news roundup

For those interested in U.S. media, labor, anti-capitalism, and overlooked global histories—this episode is essential listening, deftly blending investigative depth, personal stories, and gallows humor.

Endnote:

“Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that and know this: The day will come when all these skirmishes and battles, these moments of defiance, will have flooded the banks of the empire's authority and then there will be one too many, one single thing will break the siege…You can fight your own bosses too and you can beat them.”
– Mia Wong [66:33]