It Could Happen Here Weekly 225 (March 28, 2026)

Podcast by Cool Zone Media and iHeartPodcasts
Featured Hosts: Robert Evans, Garrison Davis, Mia Wong, James Stout, Dana Al Kurd, others
Episode Type: Weekly compilation (content from episodes March 18–25, 2026)

Overview

This jam-packed compilation episode of It Could Happen Here covers a pivotal week (March 18–25, 2026) in U.S. and global politics, war, legal battles, and financial collapse. With rotating hosts and experts, the weekly episode explores:

The legal fallout from the "Prairie Land Antifa" terrorism trial and implications for protest movements
The radicalization and rightward shift of the Fifth Circuit Court, Judge James Ho, and judicial activism on abortion, immigration, gun rights, and free speech
Israel’s ongoing assault on Lebanon within the context of the war with Iran, adding layers of humanitarian devastation and geopolitical maneuvering
A crash course on shadow banking’s role in the world economy and why the sector’s complexity and lack of regulation is a disaster waiting to explode
News updates on Trump administration strategies for ICE, airports, and the ongoing war with Iran, as well as sky-high oil prices and their global ramifications

The tone is a mix of analytical, urgent, and darkly humorous, consistently highlighting the through-lines: criminalization of dissent, emboldened right-wing courts, humanitarian collapse in the Middle East, and structural rot in economic and political systems.

1. Prairie Land Antifa Trial—Details & Consequences

(Starting at 03:12)

Key Points

The Trump administration won its first conviction in an Antifa "terrorism" case.
8 people were convicted for riot, conspiracy to use explosives, and providing material support to terrorists; one was convicted of attempted murder of a police officer (03:25–04:13).
Evidence and prosecution centered on planning group chats, use of Signal, wearing black bloc, and possession of radical zines (07:51–12:47).
Prosecution’s case made heavy use of defendants’ online discussions, especially around bringing firearms and “suppressive fire” (09:35–10:38).
Legal precedent was set for using fireworks at protests as “explosives,” broadening future liability (32:43–34:33).
"Material support to terrorism" charges are now broader, potentially criminalizing peripheral involvement (e.g., group chats, mere presence) (35:17–38:33).

Quotes & Moments

Robert Evans:
“Police … have the right to pull guns on whoever they want whenever they want. Pretty much.” (06:43)
Garrison Davis:
“This is not the first time the government has tried to use this sort of like, conspiracy against a large group of protesters. Notably, they tried to do this in Atlanta unsuccessfully.” (39:53)

Takeaways

Admission of armed presence and online chat quotes (“I’m not going to jail, I’m bringing guns”) were pivotal in convictions.
The trial’s use of Signal chat evidence and prosecution of “ideological proximity” to Antifa, SRA, and John Brown Gun Club indicate government willingness to target loosely-tied activists.
Jury instructions (Pinkerton liability) allow for broad conspiracy allegations.
The line between protest support and terrorism is increasingly blurred, making organizing riskier for left-wing activists.

2. The Fifth Circuit Court & Judge James Ho—Conservative Judicial Revolution

(Beginning ~48:11)

Key Points

Featured experts Michael Phillips and Steven Monticelli examine the evolution of the Fifth Circuit Court from a civil rights engine to a reactionary spearhead.
Judge James Ho, an immigrant and former clerk for Clarence Thomas, is highlighted as an agent of “auditioning for the Supreme Court” through extreme opinions (72:49).
The Fifth Circuit’s contemporary record is one of hostility toward reproductive rights (abortion decisions), LGBTQ+ rights (drag bans), free speech, and even labor rights.
The court’s opinions have often been so radical that they’re frequently overturned by the conservative Supreme Court (74:07).

Quotes & Moments

Leo Yu (expert guest):
“[Ho is] trying to audition for the Supreme Court… create something that is, quite honestly, just not even sensible. … It’s just insane.” (72:49)
Michael Phillips:
"If he [Judge Ho] miraculously returned, Wisdom [a legendary civil rights judge] would not recognize the appeals court he spent so much of his life serving." (59:47)

Takeaways

The right’s cliches about “liberal judicial activism” are now boomeranged: Ho’s and the Fifth Circuit’s rulings are openly ideological.
The Fifth Circuit is a key venue for cultural war offensives against abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and government regulation.
The court’s decisions reflect and shape the shifting ground of American law at the intersection of politics, religion, and civil liberties.

3. Israeli Escalation in Lebanon & the War with Iran

(Starting ~95:17)

Key Points

Guest Ilya Ayub, in conversation with Dana Al Kurd, details Israel’s massive military escalation in Lebanon.
Cites ongoing displacement (“at least 20% of Lebanon”) and intentional targeting of infrastructure, breadbasket regions, and civilian areas (96:16–103:16).
Israeli policy is framed as “domination for domination’s sake,” with Israeli politicians making openly genocidal or “stone age” threats to Lebanon (99:31–102:32).
Lebanon’s political/economic context: Already suffering extreme crisis, with a weak, externally-funded military and huge refugee populations; citizens experience extreme despair and disempowerment (106:40–111:25).
Both Ayub and Al Kurd connect Israeli actions to longstanding impunity, U.S. support, and the existential costs to the region (128:34–133:41).

Quotes & Moments

Ilya Ayub:
“Despair is, I guess, one word to describe it. There’s definitely a sense of helplessness…There’s no such thing as an Iron Dome in Lebanon.” (106:40)
Dana Al Kurd:
“Genocide as a tool of conflict management.” (118:44)
Ilya Ayub:
“If Israel is not stopped in any way at this point, this will continue and there is no objective reason to believe otherwise.” (129:55)

Takeaways

Israel’s campaign in Lebanon is part of a new, openly maximalist regional doctrine.
The cost to ordinary Lebanese is devastating, compounded by the country’s economic and political collapse.
The U.S. role is framed as essential for Israel’s impunity; international calls for accountability and changed policy are highlighted.

4. Shadow Banking—Economic Collapse Explainer

(Beginning ~137:19)

Key Points

Mia Wong delivers a crash course for non-experts on shadow banking—the massive, mostly unregulated financial sector that’s larger than the traditional banking system.
Shadow banks include private equity, hedge funds, money markets, insurance companies, and other entities doing “banking” without regulatory oversight.
Shadow banking is at the root of the 2008 financial crisis and, due to regulatory arbitrage and unchecked risk, is even more enormous and fragile today.
The episode uses burger analogies to explain maturity transformation, liquidity, leveraging, mortgage-backed securities, and the proliferation of financial instruments disconnected from real assets.

Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mia Wong:
“These are the guys who blew up the economy in 2008... They took a mortgage and then did a bunch of bullshit to it in what’s called a securitization chain.” (152:07)
Angela Yee (co-host):
“Everything is fully reliant on this, like, stupid gambling bullshit, Emperors-wearing-no-clothes economy. If anybody points out that none of this is connected to a material reality, everything falls apart.” (194:22)

Takeaways

Shadow banking is “betting markets with the entire world economy.”
The 2008 crash was not a crime due to system design; most shadow banking remains legal and is systemically embedded.
Today’s economic structure is even more reliant on shadow finance, with risk of collapse ever-present due to its complexity and opacity.

5. U.S. Domestic: ICE, Airports, and the DHS Shutdown

(Starting ~202:07 and punctuated throughout)

Key Points

Amid the DHS shutdown, Trump directed ICE agents (not trained for TSA roles) to airports, leading to confusion, minimal actual impact on security lines, and one high-profile arrest and deportation (213:14–215:10).
Trump himself compared his ICE deployment idea to the “discovery of the paperclip” (210:04), showcasing the often-absurd justifications for policy.
Congressional negotiations over reopening DHS continue, with “no men in women’s sports” and other culture war planks folded into the discussion.
ICE’s expanded airport role is seen as largely symbolic, but the public racialized policing effect is real.

Quotes & Moments

Garrison Davis:
“ICE agents cannot actually do the job of TSA, since they do not have the training nor the certification required to do so.” (213:40)
Robert Evans:
“There was never any chance of this helping anything. This is only going to be more of a pain in the ass for people at airports...” (214:56)

6. U.S.-Iran War & the Oil Price Shock

(From 218:28 onward)

Key Points

The Iran war enters its second month, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices reaching crisis levels (~$175/barrel).
The U.S. Navy’s options for breaking the blockade involve high risk of catastrophic casualties; administration is desperate for off-ramps and is manipulating market messaging (225:10–226:48).
The collateral effects: widespread shortages and economic collapse across South and Southeast Asia, with businesses shuttered, rationing, and days off work becoming common (230:14–234:17).

Quotes & Moments

Robert Evans:
“You have a very narrow waterway through most of this... it’s really easy to mine that path.” (222:34)
Mia Wong:
"[In Asia] they literally can’t afford to keep the economy running." (231:54)
Mia Wong:
"All of these countries are unbelievably reliant on oil, natural gas... This crisis is just going to continue as long as Trump keeps this war going." (234:17)

7. The Specter of Mass Deportation

(From 236:55)

Key Points

Gregory Vivino, former DHS commander, revealed in a NYT interview he had a “master plan” to deport 100 million—far beyond even the total undocumented population.
The administration’s drive toward ethnic cleansing is now voiced openly, underlining a schism between “true believer” white nationalists and the business-faction GOP that understands the economic destructiveness of such a plan.
New DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullen gives tepid signals of reform, but the political reality signals continued instability and draconian possibilities.

Quotes & Moments

Garrison Davis:
“What this master plan actually looks like or what it included, also not expounded upon... unclear.” (240:11)
Mia Wong:
“This is like most of the non-white people in the U.S. ... people who are just, you know, people here like me.” (239:55)

Notable Timestamps for Segment Hopping

Prairie Land Antifa Trial: 03:12–45:31
Fifth Circuit / James Ho focus: ~48:11–93:59
Lebanon/Iran war segment: 95:17–134:29
Shadow Banking Explainer: 137:19–201:50
U.S. news/ICE/Airport segment: 202:07–247:28

Recurring Themes & Final Notes

The criminalization of dissent and expansion of state prosecutorial power
The rightward lurch of American courts, with consequences for civil liberties and vulnerable populations
Crisis and collapse—legal, economic, humanitarian—as symptoms of underlying systemic rot
Dark humor and exasperation at systemic absurdities and failures

Quote of the Week

“Everything is fully reliant on this, like, stupid gambling bullshit... If anybody points out that none of this is connected to a material reality, everything falls apart.”
— Angela Yee (194:22, shadow banking segment)

For Listeners:

This episode delivers critical context for the week’s headlines—protest repression, judicial extremism, collapse in Lebanon, shadow banking’s dangers, and much more. Whether you want granular details on activist trials, war, courts, or financial doom, this sprawling episode is an indispensable chronicle of collapse and crisis.

[End of Summary]

It Could Happen Here Weekly 225 (March 28, 2026)

Overview

The legal fallout from the "Prairie Land Antifa" terrorism trial and implications for protest movements
The radicalization and rightward shift of the Fifth Circuit Court, Judge James Ho, and judicial activism on abortion, immigration, gun rights, and free speech
Israel’s ongoing assault on Lebanon within the context of the war with Iran, adding layers of humanitarian devastation and geopolitical maneuvering
A crash course on shadow banking’s role in the world economy and why the sector’s complexity and lack of regulation is a disaster waiting to explode
News updates on Trump administration strategies for ICE, airports, and the ongoing war with Iran, as well as sky-high oil prices and their global ramifications

1. Prairie Land Antifa Trial—Details & Consequences

(Starting at 03:12)

Key Points

The Trump administration won its first conviction in an Antifa "terrorism" case.
8 people were convicted for riot, conspiracy to use explosives, and providing material support to terrorists; one was convicted of attempted murder of a police officer (03:25–04:13).
Evidence and prosecution centered on planning group chats, use of Signal, wearing black bloc, and possession of radical zines (07:51–12:47).
Prosecution’s case made heavy use of defendants’ online discussions, especially around bringing firearms and “suppressive fire” (09:35–10:38).
Legal precedent was set for using fireworks at protests as “explosives,” broadening future liability (32:43–34:33).
"Material support to terrorism" charges are now broader, potentially criminalizing peripheral involvement (e.g., group chats, mere presence) (35:17–38:33).

Quotes & Moments

Robert Evans:
“Police … have the right to pull guns on whoever they want whenever they want. Pretty much.” (06:43)
Garrison Davis:
“This is not the first time the government has tried to use this sort of like, conspiracy against a large group of protesters. Notably, they tried to do this in Atlanta unsuccessfully.” (39:53)

Takeaways

Admission of armed presence and online chat quotes (“I’m not going to jail, I’m bringing guns”) were pivotal in convictions.
The trial’s use of Signal chat evidence and prosecution of “ideological proximity” to Antifa, SRA, and John Brown Gun Club indicate government willingness to target loosely-tied activists.
Jury instructions (Pinkerton liability) allow for broad conspiracy allegations.
The line between protest support and terrorism is increasingly blurred, making organizing riskier for left-wing activists.

2. The Fifth Circuit Court & Judge James Ho—Conservative Judicial Revolution

(Beginning ~48:11)

Key Points

Featured experts Michael Phillips and Steven Monticelli examine the evolution of the Fifth Circuit Court from a civil rights engine to a reactionary spearhead.
Judge James Ho, an immigrant and former clerk for Clarence Thomas, is highlighted as an agent of “auditioning for the Supreme Court” through extreme opinions (72:49).
The Fifth Circuit’s contemporary record is one of hostility toward reproductive rights (abortion decisions), LGBTQ+ rights (drag bans), free speech, and even labor rights.
The court’s opinions have often been so radical that they’re frequently overturned by the conservative Supreme Court (74:07).

Quotes & Moments

Leo Yu (expert guest):
“[Ho is] trying to audition for the Supreme Court… create something that is, quite honestly, just not even sensible. … It’s just insane.” (72:49)
Michael Phillips:
"If he [Judge Ho] miraculously returned, Wisdom [a legendary civil rights judge] would not recognize the appeals court he spent so much of his life serving." (59:47)

Takeaways

The right’s cliches about “liberal judicial activism” are now boomeranged: Ho’s and the Fifth Circuit’s rulings are openly ideological.
The Fifth Circuit is a key venue for cultural war offensives against abortion, LGBTQ+ rights, and government regulation.
The court’s decisions reflect and shape the shifting ground of American law at the intersection of politics, religion, and civil liberties.

3. Israeli Escalation in Lebanon & the War with Iran

(Starting ~95:17)

Key Points

Guest Ilya Ayub, in conversation with Dana Al Kurd, details Israel’s massive military escalation in Lebanon.
Cites ongoing displacement (“at least 20% of Lebanon”) and intentional targeting of infrastructure, breadbasket regions, and civilian areas (96:16–103:16).
Israeli policy is framed as “domination for domination’s sake,” with Israeli politicians making openly genocidal or “stone age” threats to Lebanon (99:31–102:32).
Lebanon’s political/economic context: Already suffering extreme crisis, with a weak, externally-funded military and huge refugee populations; citizens experience extreme despair and disempowerment (106:40–111:25).
Both Ayub and Al Kurd connect Israeli actions to longstanding impunity, U.S. support, and the existential costs to the region (128:34–133:41).

Quotes & Moments

Ilya Ayub:
“Despair is, I guess, one word to describe it. There’s definitely a sense of helplessness…There’s no such thing as an Iron Dome in Lebanon.” (106:40)
Dana Al Kurd:
“Genocide as a tool of conflict management.” (118:44)
Ilya Ayub:
“If Israel is not stopped in any way at this point, this will continue and there is no objective reason to believe otherwise.” (129:55)

Takeaways

Israel’s campaign in Lebanon is part of a new, openly maximalist regional doctrine.
The cost to ordinary Lebanese is devastating, compounded by the country’s economic and political collapse.
The U.S. role is framed as essential for Israel’s impunity; international calls for accountability and changed policy are highlighted.

4. Shadow Banking—Economic Collapse Explainer

(Beginning ~137:19)

Key Points

Mia Wong delivers a crash course for non-experts on shadow banking—the massive, mostly unregulated financial sector that’s larger than the traditional banking system.
Shadow banks include private equity, hedge funds, money markets, insurance companies, and other entities doing “banking” without regulatory oversight.
Shadow banking is at the root of the 2008 financial crisis and, due to regulatory arbitrage and unchecked risk, is even more enormous and fragile today.
The episode uses burger analogies to explain maturity transformation, liquidity, leveraging, mortgage-backed securities, and the proliferation of financial instruments disconnected from real assets.

Quotes & Memorable Moments

Mia Wong:
“These are the guys who blew up the economy in 2008... They took a mortgage and then did a bunch of bullshit to it in what’s called a securitization chain.” (152:07)
Angela Yee (co-host):
“Everything is fully reliant on this, like, stupid gambling bullshit, Emperors-wearing-no-clothes economy. If anybody points out that none of this is connected to a material reality, everything falls apart.” (194:22)

Takeaways

Shadow banking is “betting markets with the entire world economy.”
The 2008 crash was not a crime due to system design; most shadow banking remains legal and is systemically embedded.
Today’s economic structure is even more reliant on shadow finance, with risk of collapse ever-present due to its complexity and opacity.

5. U.S. Domestic: ICE, Airports, and the DHS Shutdown

(Starting ~202:07 and punctuated throughout)

Key Points

Amid the DHS shutdown, Trump directed ICE agents (not trained for TSA roles) to airports, leading to confusion, minimal actual impact on security lines, and one high-profile arrest and deportation (213:14–215:10).
Trump himself compared his ICE deployment idea to the “discovery of the paperclip” (210:04), showcasing the often-absurd justifications for policy.
Congressional negotiations over reopening DHS continue, with “no men in women’s sports” and other culture war planks folded into the discussion.
ICE’s expanded airport role is seen as largely symbolic, but the public racialized policing effect is real.

Quotes & Moments

Garrison Davis:
“ICE agents cannot actually do the job of TSA, since they do not have the training nor the certification required to do so.” (213:40)
Robert Evans:
“There was never any chance of this helping anything. This is only going to be more of a pain in the ass for people at airports...” (214:56)

6. U.S.-Iran War & the Oil Price Shock

(From 218:28 onward)

Key Points

The Iran war enters its second month, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices reaching crisis levels (~$175/barrel).
The U.S. Navy’s options for breaking the blockade involve high risk of catastrophic casualties; administration is desperate for off-ramps and is manipulating market messaging (225:10–226:48).
The collateral effects: widespread shortages and economic collapse across South and Southeast Asia, with businesses shuttered, rationing, and days off work becoming common (230:14–234:17).

Quotes & Moments

Robert Evans:
“You have a very narrow waterway through most of this... it’s really easy to mine that path.” (222:34)
Mia Wong:
"[In Asia] they literally can’t afford to keep the economy running." (231:54)
Mia Wong:
"All of these countries are unbelievably reliant on oil, natural gas... This crisis is just going to continue as long as Trump keeps this war going." (234:17)

7. The Specter of Mass Deportation

(From 236:55)

Key Points

Gregory Vivino, former DHS commander, revealed in a NYT interview he had a “master plan” to deport 100 million—far beyond even the total undocumented population.
The administration’s drive toward ethnic cleansing is now voiced openly, underlining a schism between “true believer” white nationalists and the business-faction GOP that understands the economic destructiveness of such a plan.
New DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullen gives tepid signals of reform, but the political reality signals continued instability and draconian possibilities.

Quotes & Moments

Garrison Davis:
“What this master plan actually looks like or what it included, also not expounded upon... unclear.” (240:11)
Mia Wong:
“This is like most of the non-white people in the U.S. ... people who are just, you know, people here like me.” (239:55)

Notable Timestamps for Segment Hopping

Prairie Land Antifa Trial: 03:12–45:31
Fifth Circuit / James Ho focus: ~48:11–93:59
Lebanon/Iran war segment: 95:17–134:29
Shadow Banking Explainer: 137:19–201:50
U.S. news/ICE/Airport segment: 202:07–247:28

Recurring Themes & Final Notes

The criminalization of dissent and expansion of state prosecutorial power
The rightward lurch of American courts, with consequences for civil liberties and vulnerable populations
Crisis and collapse—legal, economic, humanitarian—as symptoms of underlying systemic rot
Dark humor and exasperation at systemic absurdities and failures

Quote of the Week

“Everything is fully reliant on this, like, stupid gambling bullshit... If anybody points out that none of this is connected to a material reality, everything falls apart.”
— Angela Yee (194:22, shadow banking segment)

For Listeners:

[End of Summary]