Behind the Bastards — It Could Happen Here Weekly 221

Date: February 28, 2026
Podcast: Behind the Bastards (Cool Zone Media, iHeartPodcasts)

Episode Overview

This compilation episode of It Could Happen Here features a series of discussions centered on the intersection of politics, social justice movements, state power, surveillance, and resurgent far-right politics. Major topics include organizing the largest rent strike in a century in response to federal occupation and ICE actions in Minneapolis, the expanding powers and violence of law enforcement, the political rise of a new generation of overtly fascist-adjacent right-wing candidates, the fallout from President Trump's most recent State of the Union, and a meta-analysis of White House and Congressional actions affecting everyday Americans.

The tone is urgent, deeply critical, but often leavened with incredulity, humor, and a sense of solidarity with resistance efforts.

Organizing a Mass Tenant Strike in Minneapolis

Host: Mia Wong | Guest: Tara Raghuveer, Director of the Tenant Union Federation

[02:55–28:04]

Background and Context

• The episode foregrounds the ongoing federal occupation of Minneapolis and St. Paul, especially involving ICE operations and their economic consequences for working-class and immigrant communities.
• Widespread tenant suffering—rising rents, falling living standards, and exploitative landlords—underscores the need for collective action.

Key points:

• Rent is "too damn high":
  "We're paying higher rents than we've ever paid for the worst conditions we've ever endured." (Tenant Union Federation Director, 04:21)
• As people are priced out of large cities, they end up in smaller, more desperate rental situations with fewer protections.
• The crisis has catalyzed grassroots tenant organizing—including mutual aid, anti-ICE trainings, and rapid info-sharing through building group chats.

How the Federation Organized So Quickly

• Multiple longstanding organizations, including Inquilinos Unidos and the South Minneapolis Tenants Union, joined together in just 4.5 days—something unimaginable outside a crisis.
  "A process that might have otherwise taken months...took a matter of four and a half days." (Tenant Union Federation Director, 07:14)
• This rapid formation demonstrates the power of crisis in overcoming disunity among activist formations.

Unprecedented Labor-Tenant Alliances

• The Twin Cities have a unique context of strong, trusting relationships between labor unions (e.g., SEIU Local 26) and community groups.
• Labor helped lead a general strike day (Jan 23), with ongoing cross-movement collaboration.
  "Labor leadership in a context like this is in touch enough that they understand who's leading some of the decentralized autonomous resistance work..." (Tenant Union Federation Director, 11:30)

Demands of the Strike

[13:25]

• 1. ICE Out – Full removal of ICE agents
• 2. Statewide Eviction Moratorium – No evictions under occupation and lasting protections
• 3. Real Rent Relief – Financial aid with strings attached to protect tenants, not just bail out landlords

"We cannot GoFundMe our way out of this scale of emergency." (Tenant Union Federation Director, 19:41)

Human Impact

• $47 million in lost wages, thousands unable to pay rent, mutual aid nearly exhausted.
• Eviction is literal wintertime death in Minnesota—and puts people directly into ICE's grasp.

  "You're evicting people into the hands of the Gestapo, which is one of the most evil things that can even possibly be contemplated." (Mia Wong, 22:58)

The Challenge and the Hope

• Will the momentum outlast the crisis?
• The Federation stakes its future on sustained, disciplined organizing—not just vibes or social media hype.

  "This is not a vibes-based organizing drive...We mean that shit." (Tenant Union Federation Director, 27:09)

State Violence, Policing, and Firearms in the U.S.

Hosts: Robert Evans, Carl Casarda, et al.

[31:34–62:28]

Law Enforcement's Routine Use of Lethal Force

• Police and Border Patrol routinely justify lethal violence with the mere presence or suspicion of a firearm—often by "dropping" guns on bodies (Danziger Bridge shooting, Daniel Shaver, Philando Castile).
• These are not isolated to new "Trumpist" forces; they're longstanding patterns, especially at the border and in marginalized communities.

"The reality is that the existence of guns in the country means that the police have the ability to justify killing and Border Patrol has the ability to justify killing someone for no reason." (Robert Evans, 34:35)

The Culture of 'Killology' and Structural Impunity

• The "warrior cop" mentality, influenced by figures like Lt. Col. Grossman, breeds a hair-trigger, CYA mindset.

  "You have to be...trained how to interact with these very dangerous people...because they can kill you and nothing seems to come of it." (Carl Casarda, 38:03)

• This is a policy, training, and legal problem (qualified immunity, lack of accountability), not an individual "bad apple" problem.
• Police do not face the legal terror that civilians would for using deadly force—civilians must justify every aspect, officers benefit from the presumption of good faith and, when in doubt, "feared for their life" is the only justification needed.

Extension and Blowback

• The expansion of "masked and unidentified" federal agents risks deadly misunderstandings ("Castle doctrine" in Arizona).

  "You're expecting Americans...to see masked men at their doors and show discretion, it seems like a bad bet to me." (Robert Evans, 57:09)

The Rise of Griper Politics and James Fishback's Florida Campaign

Host: Garrison Davis, James Stout, Robert Evans

[62:28–102:10]

Who is James Fishback?

• Former hedge fund analyst turned D-list right-wing influencer, "Doge advisor" (in name only), and persistent hanger-on in various MAGA/alt-right spheres.
• Now running for governor of Florida, openly courting America's "online fascist" fringe (the Groypers, led by Nick Fuentes).

Campaign Tactics

• Fishback leans heavily into online "Griper"/incel culture references, gross misogyny, and overt anti-immigrant racism.
• Notorious for stunts—e.g., threatening to shoot "intruders" with an AR-15 for the cameras (72:44), using Holocaust-adjacent language ("make the trains run on time"), open antisemitic dog whistles ("goy slop").
• Memorable Quote:
  "As Florida Governor, I will refuse to let subhuman jesters spike our collective cortisol. Not even once. Also, no foids or E-girls." (Fishback, 68:24)

Policy Positions

• Promises to fire all H1B workers, raise tuition for foreign students to $1 million, and "divest every penny from Israel."
• Openly embraces the "great replacement" conspiracy; anti-immigration not just illegal but legal too.

The Griper/Gen Z Play

• Fishback is banking on activating a bloc of young, online right-wing men—in polling, he massively leads among 18–34s even as he lags overall (94:03).
• His candidacy is a trial balloon for how much overt fascist/white nationalist signaling can now be openly pill-pushed in GOP primaries.
• Even his opponents (e.g., Byron Donalds) are attacking him as a "fake Groyper," not for being a racist, which signals the shifting Overton Window.

The State of the Union — Trump's Latest Address

Hosts: Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, James Stout, et al.

[105:34–145:27]

Tone and Pageantry Over Substance

• Highly performative, medal-laden ceremony—Trump used much of his speech to award medals, highlight "heroism," and cultivate a pageant of nationalist and military spectacle.
• Attempt at "simulating empathy" while avoiding direct mention of ICE and minimizing focus on unpopular topics (the occupation, state violence).

"Trump spent a lot more time focusing on the achievements of other people, literally handing out a bunch of awards..." (Robert Evans, 106:17)

Key “Achievements” Claimed

• Dubious or outright false statistics (e.g., fentanyl smuggling “down 56%”—true cause is unrelated Chinese supply chain issues (109:43); 2.4 million 'lifted' off food stamps—actually, people were just cut).
• Economic hardship stories spun as signs of 'winning' ("We're winning so much we don't know what to do," 112:58), even as the stories themselves show the system's brutality.

Parade of Victims and Militarism

• Numerous "bloody shirt" moments—parading victims of crime, including car accidents, murders, and war, often racialized or weaponized to justify further crackdowns.
• Ceremony included military heroes, a trans "detransitioner", and pageants of American strength, reminiscent of “textbook fascism” (James Stout, 141:13).

Resistance in the Room

• Notable heckling and protest, especially from Rep. Ilhan Omar, who shouted "you're killing Americans" during Trump's self-righteous tangent on the DHS shutdown (135:47).

Executive Disorder: News Analysis and Policy Developments

Hosts: James Stout, Mia Wong, Sophie Lichterman, plus segments

[148:48–211:58]

Rent Strike & Statement Roundup

• Recap of main rent strike developments as covered earlier.
• Small news: GA rebukes Elon Musk America PAC for illegal ballot mailings; USPS given immunity from legal repercussions for mail sabotage (egregious impacts on Black renters, 150:39).

Surveillance and the Ring/Flock Privacy Fiasco

Segment by Garrison Davis and Sophie Lichterman

• Amazon's Super Bowl ad for Ring’s “Search Party” feature (AI-based neighborhood video search to find lost pets) was widely seen as a soft launch for a neighborhood panopticon.
• "Exposed a scary truth—the technology ... can be used to hunt down a lost pet or a person." (Sen. Ed Markey, quoted at 161:16)
• After backlash, Ring dropped a surveillance partnership with police/security company Flock—but continues to develop and sell their data-sharing tech.

ICE/ERO Training Deterioration & Escalation

• Whistleblowers reveal ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations basic training has been drastically curtailed:
  • “There are now just nine of these practical exams, whereas before there were 25.” (James Stout, 183:52)
  • Training days cut from 75 to 42. Open-book, multiple choice replaces hands-on law enforcement and legal knowledge.
• Expert testimony:
  • "ICE will graduate thousands of new officers who do not know their constitutional duties ..."
  • ICE is "lying to Congress and the American people..." (Stout, summarizing Ryan Schwank, 184:14)

CBP’s Abuses of Unaccompanied Children

• Lawsuits reveal CBP still expelling unaccompanied Guatemalan minors, using coercion and deception to secure "voluntary" waivers—despite judicial injunctions.

"It's not the migrants who are hurting children in this instance. It's the government." (James Stout, 191:04)

Tariff Litigation & Trump’s Defiance of the Supreme Court

Segment by Mia Wong

• Supreme Court strikes down Trump's previous tariffs under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA)—Trump immediately pivots to using a different authority (Section 122 of the Trade Act of 1974), imposing global tariffs.
• But: Section 122 only allows flat across-the-board tariffs (max 15%), must be renewed by Congress every 150 days—likely doomed.
• Trump continues to ignore court rulings, vowing to press on with tariffs regardless (125:15), marking an escalation of Constitutional crisis.
• Deep-dive into the arcane legal basis of various tariff authorities, all heavily abused, with little logic other than naked protectionism and “America First” theater.
  • “The US cannot have a balance of payments crisis. It definitionally cannot have one... you’re going to hear a lot of people talking about how the US is in a balance payments deficit. No, no... Complete nonsense.” (Mia Wong, 198:10)

The IVF Debate: Science, Morality, and Policy

Segment by Sophie Lichterman, with James Stout, Mia Wong

[169:17–182:16]

• The far-right remains divided about IVF (in vitro fertilization); Charlie Kirk gives the anti-IVF hardline, arguing it's immoral due to discarded embryos (“definitionally is saying, like, we're gonna discard life to get to life. Yeah, I have a problem with that.” 171:24)
• Trump, meanwhile, has cynically shifted to supporting IVF as an electoral issue, promising universal insurance or government coverage—which never materializes.
  • “He is not the father of IVF. And this is fraudulent advertising. Just a way of trying to promote his like, artificial empathy to a wider audience...” (Sophie Lichterman, 176:16)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tara Raghuveer: "We cannot GoFundMe our way out of this scale of emergency." (19:41)
• Mia Wong: "You're evicting people into the hands of the Gestapo, which is one of the most evil things that can even possibly be contemplated." (22:58)
• Robert Evans: "The reality is that the existence of guns in the country means that the police have the ability to justify killing and Border Patrol has the ability to justify killing someone for no reason." (34:35)
• James Fishback (quoted): "As Florida Governor, I will refuse to let subhuman jesters spike our collective cortisol. Not even once. Also, no foids or E-girls." (68:24)
• Sen. Ed Markey (re: Ring/Flock): "The technology in its doorbell cameras can be used to hunt down a lost pet or a person. Americans oppose this creepy surveillance state." (161:16)
• Mia Wong: "The US cannot have a balance of payments crisis. It cannot, it definitionally cannot have one..." (199:26)

Conclusion

It Could Happen Here Weekly 221 offers a sweeping, critical look at America in crisis—from the grassroots defense of tenants against state violence, through the normalization of police impunity, to the rise of explicit far-right organizing and the embrace of fascist aesthetics within GOP politics. It tracks the normalization of state/corporate surveillance and the legal manipulations by federal authorities to expand their power, all in the context of democratic breakdown and economic precarity.

The hosts emphasize the importance and possibility of community solidarity, disciplined organizing, and mutual aid, while warning of the dangers posed by escalating authoritarianism, administrative overreach, and the rise of openly fascist cultural politics.