Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 222

March 7, 2026

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  • Mutual aid organization Culture of Solidarity operates outside institutional structures in Israel/Palestine to provide direct support while simultaneously engaging in political education to dismantle root causes of oppression, viewing Palestinian liberation as the primary responsibility of Israeli leftists. 
  • The 'Tax the Rich' movement in New York is applying grassroots pressure via rallies and lobbying to secure progressive state funding measures (like the Fair Share Act) necessary to enact Mayor Zoron Mamdani's agenda and counter state-level divestment and federal cuts. 
  • Recent coordinated Israeli and US attacks on Iran, allegedly resulting in the death of Ali Khamenei, have prompted retaliatory strikes by the Iranian regime against neighboring countries, specifically targeting US bases and Kurdish opposition groups in Iraqi Kurdistan. 
  • The ongoing conflict involves coordinated attacks by the US and Israel on Iranian targets, prompting retaliatory strikes by Iran against neighboring countries, US bases, and Kurdish opposition groups in Iraqi Kurdistan. 
  • The Iranian state structure is a complex, centralized religious monarchy where the Supreme Leader holds ultimate approval over all political and national interests, with the IRGC controlling vast economic and institutional sectors, making the regime highly resilient to toppling. 
  • There is significant concern among Iranians, particularly in Kurdistan, regarding the safety of conscripted young men serving in military bases targeted by bombings, and severe economic distress characterized by high food prices and shortages due to the conflict and internet blackouts. 
  • The consolidation of media and intellectual property (IP) ownership, exemplified by the potential Paramount/Warner Bros. merger and music catalog acquisitions, logically incentivizes owners to suppress new creative works to protect the value of their existing, rent-generating IP libraries. 
  • The consolidation of capital, exemplified by media monopolies, creates a psychic atmosphere rife for fascism by promoting nostalgia and preventing new cultural output. 
  • The WTO agreement mandates that member nations build domestic copyright courts and police, effectively allowing US corporations to enforce IP law globally using supranational apparatus. 
  • The current military conflict with Iran is rapidly depleting US precision munitions stockpiles, forcing a potential shift toward using less discriminating weapons that cause significantly higher civilian casualties. 
  • Spain's refusal to allow U.S. air bases for a war on Iran prompted a strong, but likely empty, threat from Trump to cut off all trade with Spain. 
  • A new Kansas law (SB 244) invalidates state-issued IDs and birth certificates for transgender individuals and allows private citizens to sue those using restrooms aligning with their gender identity in government buildings. 
  • Texas primary election results showed that progressive Democrat James Talarico defeated establishment-aligned Jasmine Crockett, while incumbent Dan Crenshaw was ousted by a further-right Republican challenger, Steve Toth. 

Segments

Mutual Aid and Israeli Leftism
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(00:03:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Culture of Solidarity defines mutual aid as caring for community while resisting systems of oppression, starting its work by rescuing food waste during COVID-19.
  • Summary: Culture of Solidarity focuses on food security programs, primarily in Area C of the West Bank, providing culturally appropriate aid packages. The collective consciously avoids institutionalization and salaries to prevent becoming part of the system responsible for the injustices they fight. Their work involves community education events to address the root causes of oppression, not just immediate needs.
Israeli Leftist Responsibility
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(00:15:28)
  • Key Takeaway: Israeli leftists have a primary responsibility for Palestinian liberation, which includes engaging in protective presence in the West Bank to mitigate settler and army attacks.
  • Summary: The organization collaborates with groups like Gisha, Breaking the Silence, and Rabbis for Human Rights to educate Israeli society and resist the occupation. Danielle Cantor notes that the Israeli left faces apathy and the cognitive dissonance of liberal Zionists who oppose the war but still support the military structure. The ultimate goal is accountability and reparations for a just future on the land for both peoples.
Post-October 7th Left Dynamics
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(00:32:27)
  • Key Takeaway: The radical Israeli left has become smaller and more tightly knit following October 7th, as many who previously identified as left abandoned the cause due to the conflict’s intensity.
  • Summary: The segment suggests that many who identified as liberal leftists fell away after October 7th because they could not reconcile opposing the war while simultaneously supporting the state’s foundational premise. The core issue remains the occupation, which ruins the potential for Israeli democracy, necessitating a reckoning with atrocities for any future on the land.
NYC Tax the Rich Protest
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(00:40:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Over a thousand New Yorkers mobilized in Albany to pressure Governor Hochul to support taxing the rich to fund Mayor Mamdani’s agenda and counter state/federal budget cuts.
  • Summary: The protest aims to fund Mayor Mamdani’s policies, which are threatened by a $12 billion deficit inherited from the previous administration. Key legislative goals include a progressive state income tax, the Fair Share Act (a 2% surcharge on incomes over $1 million), and a corporate tax bill, all intended to fund local services and programs like universal childcare.
Mamdani’s Budget Strategy
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(00:44:16)
  • Key Takeaway: Mayor Mamdani is prioritizing transparency regarding the inherited budget crisis and fostering a working relationship with Governor Hochul over direct confrontation, despite external pressure from organizing groups.
  • Summary: Mamdani inherited a massive deficit but chose transparency over concealment, shrinking the gap to $5.5 billion through state aid and savings measures. The preliminary budget proposes a 2% income tax increase on the wealthy as the preferred path, avoiding a last-resort 9.5% property tax hike. Key policy wins include expanding free childcare and canceling plans to hire 5,000 new NYPD officers.
CUNY Funding Fight
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(00:55:12)
  • Key Takeaway: The PSC-CUNY union is advocating for progressive state taxation to fund public higher education and pushing for the ‘Repair Act,’ which would require NYU and Columbia to pay property taxes.
  • Summary: CUNY faces chronic understaffing and facility decay due to decades of divestment, necessitating revenue generation through taxing the rich. The Repair Act seeks a constitutional amendment to collect property taxes from major private universities like NYU and Columbia, which currently pay nothing in lieu of taxes. A ‘New Deal for CUNY’ also includes fighting for the first 60 credits to be free for all students.
Albany Protest Tactics
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(00:58:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Protesters utilized coordinated internal lobbying, distributing flyers directly to legislators and staff in the Capitol corridors, timed around the politicians’ lunch breaks.
  • Summary: After gaining entry, groups marched the interior perimeter and lobbied door-to-door in the legislative office building. The grand finale involved hundreds packing the corridor leading to the Assembly and Senate chambers, chanting ‘Tax the rich!’ as politicians passed through. The week of action following the protest aims to maintain pressure leading up to the March 31st state budget deadline.
Iranian Retaliation and US Involvement
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(01:10:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Iranian attacks targeted neighboring countries, US bases, and Kurdish parties in Iraqi Kurdistan, with US air defense systems actively intercepting missiles and drones over Erbil, a new development compared to past incidents.
  • Summary: Following initial attacks, the American army joined in a coordinated effort with Israel against IRGC bases. Iran subsequently attacked the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq, and Iraqi Kurdistan, primarily targeting US facilities before expanding to civilian buildings and sending drones toward Israel. US air defense interception over Erbil, which resulted in minor damage from falling debris, marks a change from previous instances where such intercepts were not performed.
Internal Iranian Crisis and Civilian Impact
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(01:14:04)
  • Key Takeaway: The Iranian regime has severely restricted internet and phone communications internally, making precise information gathering difficult while civilians face danger, airport/border closures, and panic-driven shortages of essential goods.
  • Summary: Massive bombings are occurring across Iran targeting IRGC and intelligence facilities, often located near civilian infrastructure like schools and hospitals, leading to unknown civilian casualties. The regime cut off the internet and limited phone lines, severely restricting the flow of precise information from cities. Panic buying has caused shortages of essential items like oil, meat, and rice, forcing many residents in major cities to relocate to safer villages.
Plight of Conscripted Soldiers
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(01:18:20)
  • Key Takeaway: Hundreds of thousands of young Iranian men, forced into mandatory military service for bureaucratic reasons, are currently in military bases being targeted, with some confirmed casualties and others deserting after attacks.
  • Summary: Mandatory military service in Iran is required for basic civic functions like opening a business or getting a passport, forcing many young men into service. These military bases are being heavily targeted, leading to confirmed deaths among conscripts. In one reported instance, soldiers whose base was bombed immediately fled with their belongings and did not return, highlighting the lack of loyalty among forced conscripts.
Iranian State Structure Explained
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(01:21:26)
  • Key Takeaway: The Iranian state functions as a religious monarchy where the Supreme Leader approves everything, supported by a complex structure including a religious parliament and the IRGC, which controls the economy and has infiltrated nearly every governmental institution.
  • Summary: The Iranian state is structured like a monarchy where the Supreme Leader acts as God’s representative, approving all major decisions, rendering the elected parliament largely ceremonial. The IRGC is not just a military force but a vast network controlling sectors like oil, industry, and agriculture. The IRGC maintains control by embedding offices in all government facilities, ostensibly to recruit but primarily to observe and monitor the population.
Succession Uncertainty and Ethnic Groups
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(01:28:01)
  • Key Takeaway: The death of the Supreme Leader creates uncertainty regarding succession, with the US potentially seeking an amenable partner like in Venezuela, but ethnic groups like the Kurds are organized and wary of installing a monarch like Reza Pahlavi.
  • Summary: With the religious leadership structure decimated, there is speculation about the US installing a pliable successor, similar to plans in Venezuela. However, Reza Pahlavi lacks a strong social base, and organized ethnic groups (Kurds, Baluchis, Ahwazi Arabs) are prepared to resist any imposed leadership that does not serve their interests, potentially leading to further conflict. Trump’s recent calls with Kurdish leaders suggest external powers are engaging with these regional actors.
Kurdish Resistance Preparedness
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(01:31:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Eastern Kurdistan resistance parties have formed a coalition and are prepared for escalation, anticipating US/Israeli strikes on border bases to facilitate entry, and they explicitly called on supporters not to damage public buildings, suggesting an intent to govern.
  • Summary: Despite ideological differences, Kurdish parties in Iranian Kurdistan have formed a coalition, signaling readiness for potential conflict escalation. They anticipate foreign military action targeting border checkpoints to ease their entry into Iranian territory. A published statement calling for the preservation of public buildings like banks and schools suggests these groups aim to take control of civic infrastructure rather than simply destroy it.
US/Western Betrayal of Kurdish Interests
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(01:39:46)
  • Key Takeaway: The Kurdish people have a long history of being abandoned by the US and Western powers after being urged to rise up, leading to deep skepticism about whether any new Iranian regime will truly serve their interests or if they will be left vulnerable to regional powers like Turkey and Arab states.
  • Summary: The US has a history of abandoning Kurdish allies, notably in Syria after the fight against ISIS, leading to Turkish invasions and loss of gains in Rojava. While the current conflict offers a chance for self-determination, there is fear that the US/Europe will prioritize their own interests, potentially installing a leader like Reza Pahlavi who opposes Kurdish autonomy. The tragedy is compounded by centuries of persecution by neighboring Turkish, Arab, and Persian powers.
Media Consolidation History and Effects
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(01:51:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Media consolidation in Hollywood began with Thomas Edison’s patent enforcement, leading filmmakers to flee to California, and accelerated through vertical integration until antitrust action in the 1940s, only to re-emerge with deregulation and the rise of blockbusters and home video.
  • Summary: Hollywood’s foundation was built by ‘movie pirates’ fleeing Thomas Edison’s monopolistic patent enforcement, who established themselves far away in California. The classical studio system relied on vertical integration, controlling production through distribution, which was broken up by 1940s antitrust action. The subsequent rise of blockbusters and VCRs created new financial incentives that fueled renewed consolidation, leading to media conglomerates owning both film production and news outlets.
Impact of David Ellison’s Skydance Deal
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(02:04:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The acquisition of Warner Bros. assets by David Ellison, a Trump ally backed by immense capital, is viewed with despair not just for political reasons, but because the cable news market he is acquiring is a dying business model sustained only by rising costs as the Boomer subscriber base dies off.
  • Summary: David Ellison’s purchase is concerning due to his stated intent to produce more right-wing content and his history of producing critically panned films like ‘Geostorm’ and ‘Terminator: Dark Fate.’ However, the cable portion of the deal is acquiring a market that is actively shrinking, with subscription costs paradoxically increasing as the older subscriber base dies. The consolidation of IP, like that seen in music catalogs, incentivizes owners to suppress new ideas to maximize rent from existing assets.
Monopoly Capital and Cultural Stagnation
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(02:14:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Monopoly capital exploits esoteric intellectual property law loopholes to prioritize endless rehashes of old music over new artistic creation.
  • Summary: The division between recording copyrights and songwriting copyrights creates a legal structure that financial actors exploit to control cultural output. This system aims to prevent new music from emerging, favoring new versions of ‘boomer tracks’ by contemporary artists. This cultural stagnation produces nostalgia, an affect that is ripe for fascist political mobilization.
WTO and Copyright Enforcement
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(02:16:13)
  • Key Takeaway: Joining the WTO requires nations to establish domestic copyright courts and police, enabling US corporations to enforce IP laws extraterritorially.
  • Summary: The consolidation of capital seen before WWI and WWII is mirrored in current corporate power structures, which have outsourced enforcement to supranational bodies. Lobbyists from film, pharma, and chemical industries pushed for WTO rules requiring member states to build dedicated copyright enforcement infrastructure. This allows corporations to use domestic legal procedures to stop piracy abroad without direct US government intervention.
Trump’s Infrastructure Misunderstanding
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(02:19:20)
  • Key Takeaway: The Trumpist movement is actively dismantling established US economic and trade infrastructure because its actors fundamentally misunderstand how it functions.
  • Summary: The White House already possessed unilateral power to impose trade embargoes via the ‘priority watch list’ for piracy enforcement, a power Trump is now disrupting with tariffs. This behavior is likened to ripping copper wires out of an aircraft carrier because the operators do not grasp its purpose. This dynamic is also seen in corporate takeovers, where resentful, less competent capitalists (like David Ellison) devour existing structures.
Fascist Aesthetics and Literalism in Film
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(02:22:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Historical fascist filmmaking, like that under Goebbels, primarily produced inoffensive comedies and musicals based on the ‘orchestra principle’ to de-intellectualize art, not overtly political propaganda.
  • Summary: The aesthetic of fascist filmmaking is often subtle, focusing on creating generalized feelings around family and domestic life rather than explicit political messaging. Modern audiences are blinded to this, expecting overt propaganda like the Daily Wire’s anti-woke content, while missing fascist themes in literal, action-heavy films like ‘The Beekeeper.’ This current era is characterized by extreme literalism where politics exists only as bureaucracy, a deeply fascist concept.
Trans Film as Medium Preservation
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(02:30:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Trans-led filmmaking is currently one of the last forces fighting to preserve film as an artistic medium rather than just a vehicle for selling merchandise.
  • Summary: Despite a brief attempt to sublimate trans narratives into mainstream film, trans creators are producing content at an unprecedented rate, exemplified by the Wachowskis’ new studio. This new wave of cinema resists the commercial imperative to only produce sequel fodder or toy advertisements. Resolving the dialectic between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ movies may require destroying the underlying class system that dictates cultural production.
Columbia Student Arrest and Political Intervention
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(02:37:21)
  • Key Takeaway: Mayor Mamdani successfully leveraged a direct meeting with President Trump to secure the immediate release of a detained Columbia student.
  • Summary: DHS agents illegally entered a Columbia student’s apartment by falsely claiming they were searching for a missing child to arrest Ellie Agaheva. Mayor Mamdani immediately raised the issue, along with other detentions, during a meeting with President Trump regarding federal funding. Following the meeting, the President called the Mayor to confirm Agaheva’s imminent release, though DHS later cited a decade-old visa termination as the basis for removal proceedings.
DHS Misinformation and Supremacy Clause
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(02:41:06)
  • Key Takeaway: DHS claims that federal officials are immune from state law prosecution is legally inaccurate, as immunity is subject to a two-part test under the supremacy clause.
  • Summary: Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced an investigation into potential federal officer misconduct, which DHS countered with a blanket immunity claim. Federal officials can be prosecuted if their actions are not ’necessary and proper’ in executing their duties, as established in 10th Circuit case law regarding trespassing wildlife officers. This legal nuance is critical when state and federal actions conflict.
Iran War Escalation and Water Crisis
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(02:43:19)
  • Key Takeaway: The US-Iran conflict is exacerbated by Iran’s critical water scarcity, meaning military strikes risk collapsing the state and creating a massive refugee crisis.
  • Summary: The timing of recent attacks suggests Israeli intelligence drove the operation, which occurred during the daytime, unusual for air strikes. Tehran sits atop an empty aquifer, meaning infrastructure damage from bombing compounds an existing existential threat from drought. This situation significantly increases the likelihood of a failed state, potentially leading to a refugee crisis comparable to the early Syrian civil war.
Kurdish Factions and US Misinformation
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(02:46:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Media reports incorrectly conflating Iraqi Kurdish leaders (Barzani/Talibani) with Iranian Kurdish factions place Iranian Kurds directly in the line of fire from the Iranian regime.
  • Summary: Axios reported Trump spoke with Iraqi Kurdish leaders about Iranian operations, but the article demonstrated a poor understanding of the distinct Kurdish groups in Iran (Rojalat). This misinformation singles out Iranian Kurdish groups, like the KDPI, as ground forces for US/Israeli aggression, making them targets for domestic oppression regardless of their involvement. Kurdish groups in Iraq have spoken to both Trump and Iran’s foreign minister, complicating their neutral stance.
Strait of Hormuz Closure and Economic Fallout
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(03:09:54)
  • Key Takeaway: The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, which handles a fifth of the world’s oil supply, triggered catastrophic market collapses in oil-dependent Asian economies like South Korea and Thailand.
  • Summary: Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps declared the Strait of Hormuz closed, impacting 31% of global seaborne crude flow, despite Trump’s claims the US Navy can escort tankers. The inability to secure insurance for passage has halted trade, causing South Korea’s index to drop 12.06%—its largest single drop ever—and triggering circuit breakers in other Asian markets. Escorting slow-moving oil tankers through the strait with battleships is militarily infeasible.
Oil Dependency and War Escalation
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(03:14:00)
  • Key Takeaway: The economies of Thailand and South Korea are severely threatened by the Strait of Hormuz conflict due to their heavy reliance on imported oil.
  • Summary: Both Thailand and South Korea face dire economic straits because their heavy industrial sectors require significant imported oil. The situation is likely to intensify unless Trump quickly wins the conflict and reopens the strait. Oil is not just liquid money; it is essential for powering industrial economies.
Spain Refuses US War Bases
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(03:15:17)
  • Key Takeaway: The Spanish government demonstrated bravery by refusing to allow U.S. air bases on its territory to conduct the war on Iran.
  • Summary: Trump responded to Spain’s refusal by ordering the Treasury Secretary to cut off all trade dealings with the country. The hosts noted the lack of significant cultural backlash in the U.S. against Spain, contrasting it with reactions during the Iraq War. War approval ratings are already below 50% and expected to decline further.
Kansas Anti-Trans Legislation Lawsuit
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(03:18:14)
  • Key Takeaway: Kansas SB 244 invalidates existing driver’s licenses and birth certificates for trans people and allows citizens to sue individuals using restrooms aligning with their gender in government buildings.
  • Summary: The law, which overrides the governor’s veto, immediately invalidated licenses for about 1,700 holders, including one person who had only changed their legal name. The ACLU and two trans Kansans filed a lawsuit arguing the law violates constitutional protections for autonomy, privacy, and due process. This legislation bundles multiple restrictive measures into a single package, creating a precarious situation for affected residents.
Texas Primary Election Fallout
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(03:20:31)
  • Key Takeaway: Texas primary elections featured a potential Trump endorsement shakeup for Cornyn, Crenshaw’s defeat by a far-right challenger, and significant voting confusion in Dallas and Williamson Counties.
  • Summary: The Democratic Senate primary saw James Talarico defeat Jasmine Crockett, with Crockett citing disenfranchisement due to last-minute precinct rule changes and subsequent Texas Supreme Court rulings blocking extended voting hours. Talarico, a progressive Christian former teacher, focused his campaign on affordability and taxing the rich, contrasting with Crockett’s more establishment branding. The defeat of Dan Crenshaw by Steve Toth shows the far-right successfully pushing out incumbents who deviate from the current Republican line.
North Carolina Primary Encouragement
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(03:31:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Anti-trans and pro-ICE politicians in North Carolina who voted against the governor’s vetoes lost their primaries by massive margins, signaling a political shift.
  • Summary: Democrats who voted with Republicans on anti-trans and pro-ICE legislation were defeated by margins ranging from 30% to 50%. This outcome is encouraging because primary voters, who are typically more ideologically motivated, punished politicians for supporting these repressive measures. This suggests that basic respect for trans people is becoming a winning issue, potentially countering the far-right’s historical success in primary mobilization.