Behind the Bastards

It Could Happen Here Weekly 209

November 22, 2025

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  • Implementing social democratic policies at the city level, such as free public transit proposed by Mayor Mamdani, faces significant structural hurdles due to reliance on the bond market and opposition from state-level authorities like Governor Hochul. 
  • Nick Fuentes attributes the decline in marriage and sexual dysfunction among young men to the availability and novelty of pornography, which he claims creates sexual desensitization and pushes users toward extreme content like trans pornography. 
  • The power of the police, characterized as a semi-autonomous fascist force, presents a fundamental threat to any progressive administration, as evidenced by historical actions like the 1992 strike and direct threats against Mayor Bill de Blasio's family. 
  • Tucker Carlson's attempt to mentor Nick Fuentes on relationships, focusing on the idea that wives should provide 'hero worship' for successful men, was contrasted by Carlson's own advice against hubris, which the hosts found surprisingly reasonable but ultimately indicative of Fuentes' isolated worldview. 
  • The firing of Alma Avae and three colleagues from Condé Nast following a union demonstration is viewed as an egregious, illegal, and politically motivated anti-union purge targeting trans and non-white staff, mirroring broader right-wing media consolidation trends. 
  • Palestinian knowledge production, exemplified by the Journal of Palestine Studies, is framed as a crucial, long-standing form of resistance against erasure, especially urgent now given the concerted efforts to silence Palestinian scholarship in the American Academy. 
  • Scholars studying Palestine have historically faced intense surveillance, targeting, and the necessity to maintain extreme rigor in their work, a condition that has only intensified since October 7th. 
  • The current attacks on Palestinian studies in academia are fundamentally a class issue, used by institutions to prevent social mobility and suppress critical analysis, rather than solely being about Palestine itself. 
  • The massive capital investment in the AI industry, financed by subprime-like loans and real estate speculation, is characterized as the greatest misallocation of capital in history, potentially leading to a worse economic crash than the dot-com bubble because the underlying asset (compute power) is not a sustainable physical asset. 
  • The current economic feeling of widespread financial struggle, despite reported growth, is attributed to massive wealth accumulation in the tech sector, with an impending collapse predicted as capital shifts into the metaverse and AI bubbles. 
  • The US State Department designated four European leftist groups (Antifa Ost, Informal Anarchist Federation, Armed Proletarian Justice, and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense) as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) despite a lack of apparent threat to the US and contradicting local government assessments. 
  • Texas Governor Greg Abbott's designation of CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as FTOs is characterized as an act of Islamophobia rooted in old conspiracy theories, which is legally questionable as Texas lacks an FTO list and the action targets a civil rights organization. 
  • A federal judge struck down Texas's newly drawn congressional map for racial gerrymandering, ordering the use of the 2021 map for the upcoming midterms, while a similar challenge in California faces a different legal hurdle. 

Segments

Mamdani’s Challenges: Bond Market
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(00:05:41)
  • Key Takeaway: City governments must rely on the bond market to fund major projects, forcing them to pay exorbitant fees and interest to Wall Street banks.
  • Summary: Unlike the federal government, city governments cannot issue their own currency, mandating the use of the bond market for significant funding. This system forces cities to beg for money from financial institutions and funnel tax revenue into servicing debt. The 1975 NYC bond crisis demonstrated that investors can effectively halt city functions by refusing to buy bonds, leading to the dismantling of social programs to regain solvency.
State Opposition to Agenda
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(00:14:38)
  • Key Takeaway: Governor Hochul actively opposes Mayor Mamdani’s key progressive proposals, such as making buses free, preferring slow, means-tested rollouts for initiatives like universal childcare.
  • Summary: The state government, led by Governor Hochul, presents a significant hurdle to Mayor Mamdani’s agenda, as she is outright opposed to fare-free buses and prefers phased, bureaucratic approaches to childcare expansion. Hochul’s stated opposition to removing fares suggests a preference for maintaining existing revenue structures over implementing broad, free services. This dynamic forces the city administration to negotiate with a relatively conservative statewide Democratic Party.
Capitalist Growth Constraint
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(00:17:47)
  • Key Takeaway: A structural constraint on any city administration is the requirement to maintain capitalist economic growth, meaning the mayor’s job ultimately involves ensuring corporations make increasing profits, which conflicts with workers’ interests.
  • Summary: Running a capitalist government necessitates prioritizing economic growth, defined as increasing corporate profits, which fundamentally opposes the interests of the exploited working class. Social democratic efforts can be undermined when the economy stalls, as seen historically when leaders like Michael Manley in Jamaica faced austerity measures imposed by the IMF. The mayor must constantly choose between workers’ needs and the demands of capital to keep the economy functioning.
Police as Right-Wing Force
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(00:20:30)
  • Key Takeaway: The police represent a major threat to progressive governance because they are the most consistently right-wing group in the US, existing to protect white supremacy and capital, and will riot against oversight.
  • Summary: The state’s reliance on armed enforcement means a progressive mayor must depend on the loyalty of police officers, who are often neo-Nazis or deeply conservative. Police forces have demonstrated their willingness to directly threaten mayors, exemplified by the 2020 kidnapping and publicizing of Bill de Blasio’s daughter during a protest. This internal threat limits the administration’s ability to control police violence, especially against groups like pro-Palestine protesters.
Fuentes on Pornography and Dysfunction
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(00:31:40)
  • Key Takeaway: Nick Fuentes argues that the availability and novelty of internet pornography cause sexual dysfunction in men, making real women unable to compete and leading to issues like erectile dysfunction.
  • Summary: Fuentes claims that the hyper-stimulation from pornography creates a tolerance level where regular sex cannot compare, sabotaging relationships. He suggests that this sexual desensitization also contributes to the rise in homosexuality and transsexuality, viewing trans porn as a particularly intense ‘dose’ in this progression. Tucker Carlson’s reaction to this segment was notably befuddled, though he later expressed concern over the security risks associated with mass porn consumption.
OnlyFans and Legal Immunity
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(00:49:06)
  • Key Takeaway: Nick Fuentes and Tucker Carlson view platforms like OnlyFans as a major societal ill, with Carlson arguing for arresting facilitators while Fuentes suggests arresting the women (‘body assets’) involved.
  • Summary: Fuentes notes that OnlyFans has destigmatized participation in pornography, making it as casual as having a TikTok account, which he contrasts sharply with foreign threats like Iran. Carlson believes the facilitators and website hosts should be arrested for enabling this activity, while Fuentes implies women on the platform should also face legal consequences. This exchange highlights the right-wing focus on policing sexual content over geopolitical concerns.
Marriage Crisis: Women’s Liberalism
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(00:52:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Fuentes asserts that the primary reason for the marriage crisis is that women are too liberal and feminist, creating an irreconcilable gap with conservative men, despite Tucker Carlson suggesting men should lead by example.
  • Summary: Fuentes claims that while men are becoming more conservative, women remain highly liberal and feminist, making relationships impossible due to differing views on gender roles. He cites no-fault divorce and women’s high self-estimation (‘ho-flation’) as legal and social incentives that undermine male leadership. Tucker Carlson countered that strong husbands should correct this behavior, but Fuentes remained skeptical that marriage could overcome societal liberal influence over time.
Nick Fuentes Relationship Views
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(01:03:59)
  • Key Takeaway: Nick Fuentes views women’s roles through an Ayn Rand lens, emphasizing ‘hero worship’ for the male entrepreneur, a framework Tucker Carlson surprisingly pushed back against.
  • Summary: Fuentes expressed frustration with women not expressing themselves, framing the wife as the villain in narratives like The Sopranos because she impedes the main character’s success. Carlson countered that excessive hero worship leads to hubris, arguing men need someone interested only in them, not their achievements, to remain balanced. The hosts noted Tucker’s pushback on this relationship dynamic, rather than Fuentes’ anti-Semitism, was telling.
Condé Nast Union Purge
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(01:13:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Condé Nast executed retaliatory firings against union leaders, including a trans VP, immediately following protected union activity protesting layoffs that disproportionately targeted progressive and trans staff at Teen Vogue.
  • Summary: Two-thirds of Teen Vogue staff, covering progressive and trans issues, were laid off, followed by a second round hitting video and copy teams, creating widespread fear. Four union members, including Alma Avae, were fired without severance after marching on the Chief People Officer to demand answers about the layoffs and management’s stated goal to avoid Trump administration ire. The union filed grievances for retaliatory firings, noting the action was a massive escalation compared to past, non-punished union demonstrations.
Palestinian Knowledge Production
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(01:56:05)
  • Key Takeaway: The Journal of Palestine Studies, established in 1971, represents a long tradition of knowledge production as a form of resistance against erasure, predating recent student movement demands.
  • Summary: The Journal of Palestine Studies is the flagship English-language journal for Palestinian Studies, founded by figures like Walid Khalidi who documented the empirical basis of Plan Dalit. Producing knowledge about their situation is an insistence on existence for Palestinians, countering the mainstream centering of Israeli voices. Before October 7th, Palestinian scholars already operated under constant surveillance and targeting, requiring them to be exceptionally prepared compared to peers in other fields.
Palestinian Studies Pre-Oct 7th
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(02:01:52)
  • Key Takeaway: Palestinian studies scholars have long operated under surveillance and targeting, a reality that other academic disciplines only began confronting during COVID-19 archive closures.
  • Summary: Doing Palestinian studies required scholars, especially Palestinians, to be ten times more prepared and act as if they were always being recorded. This duress has imposed a necessary rigor on the field, which has existed since at least the 1980s, as documented in works like ‘They Dare to Speak.’ Despite this, there are significantly more Palestinian studies scholars now than a decade ago.
Academic Obstacles and Institutional Bankruptcy
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(02:07:24)
  • Key Takeaway: The genocide in Palestine has exposed the bankruptcy of academic institutions, revealing their rapid engagement with obedience and authoritarianism, which invalidates the career goals scholars have worked toward.
  • Summary: The perceived ‘arrival’ in academia has changed due to institutional responses to current events. Palestinian scholars have historically been told their field doesn’t fit established political science theories, leading to delegitimization of Arab and Palestinian sources. Furthermore, the lack of resources for Palestinian studies limits who can enter and sustain work in the field.
Palestine as a Class and Political Paradigm
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(02:10:42)
  • Key Takeaway: Palestine functions as a paradigm revealing the disconnect between the Democratic and Republican parties and popular realities, linking the issue to broader class struggles against the extractive billionaire class.
  • Summary: The political significance of Palestine extends beyond the conflict itself, reflecting widespread public disgruntlement with the political system. Students protesting genocide face immediate repercussions like doxxing and accusations of anti-Semitism, linking their own experiences of oppression to the Palestinian cause. The lesson that history does not always advance is understood by students living through debt and insecurity.
Weaponization of Title VI Investigations
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(02:15:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Title VI investigations targeting universities for alleged anti-Semitism have dramatically increased post-October 7th, with the vast majority targeting faculty’s extramural speech, often proving fraudulent.
  • Summary: A joint AAUP and MESA report details how Title VI investigations are being weaponized to police speech, with many cases focusing on faculty opinions outside the classroom. The weaponization of anti-Semitism charges prevents students from recognizing actual anti-Semitism, including that exhibited by some state actors and in political rhetoric. The constant vigilance required for Palestinian scholars feels like being an outlaw, or ‘fugitive labor.’
Centering Palestinian Voices and Knowledge
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(02:20:04)
  • Key Takeaway: Centering Palestinian voices in research rejects the logic of excluding Palestinians from the category of the human, which is necessary to counter the logic that makes killing them seem expendable.
  • Summary: Palestinians must lead knowledge production because they possess agency and the unique perspective to determine relevant questions, thereby enriching scholarship globally. Scholars must provincialize Europe, refusing to let the ‘question of Europe’ (the Jewish question) dictate the terms of analysis, and instead center the question of Palestine for alternative tools. Recommended action is to study rigorously, reject sensationalism, and take care of one’s community.
J.D. Vance Sentencing and Epstein Emails
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(02:26:56)
  • Key Takeaway: The release of the Epstein files revealed an exchange between Mark and Jeffrey Epstein referencing ‘Bubba’ and Trump, highlighting the historical unity of the ruling class through their shared association with the pedophile.
  • Summary: A 67-year-old man named J.D. Vance was sentenced for threatening political figures, distinct from Senator J.D. Vance. The Epstein emails showed Mark Epstein asking Jeffrey if Putin had photos of Trump performing oral sex on Bill Clinton (nicknamed Bubba), though Mark later denied the Clinton reference. The reaction of House Speaker Mike Johnson to the unamended Epstein file release bill showed deep concern, suggesting the files contain damaging information for powerful figures.
Thomas Crooks Shooter Narrative Distraction
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(02:48:05)
  • Key Takeaway: Right-wing media outlets aggressively promoted the unsubstantiated narrative that the Trump attempted assassin, Thomas Crooks, was a transgender extremist using ’they/them’ pronouns, ignoring his documented racist and violent political searches.
  • Summary: The New York Post claimed Crooks used ’they/them’ pronouns on DeviantArt, which is the platform’s default setting, to frame him as a trans shooter, a narrative amplified by figures like Benny Johnson and DC Draino. Crooks’ actual search history revealed an obsession with mass shootings, bombings, and violence against specific groups, aligning with a nihilistic school shooter ideology rather than a specific trans extremist agenda. This focus served as a clear distraction from unflattering stories about Trump, particularly concerning the Epstein files.
AI Bubble as Worst Capital Misallocation
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(02:57:23)
  • Key Takeaway: The current AI boom is a ‘super bubble’ worse than the dot-com crash because the underlying asset—compute power—is not a sustainable physical asset, leading to the greatest misallocation of capital in history.
  • Summary: The vast majority of GDP growth is concentrated in information processing equipment and software (data centers), financed by subprime-like loans, creating a combined tech, real estate, and speculative bubble. Unlike the dot-com era, where physical infrastructure remained after the crash, the AI bubble’s collateral (processors) burns out quickly, leaving behind impractical buildings attached to expensive generators. This irrational investment is driven by the need to reproduce trillions in capital pools, which may lead to a severe crash before positive societal changes from the technology can materialize.
Cyclical Economic Bubbles
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(03:08:29)
  • Key Takeaway: Massive pools of capital seeking reproduction drive cyclical economic crises, exemplified by the 1970s debt crisis and the 2008 crash.
  • Summary: Trillions of dollars in capital must be invested to reproduce wealth, leading to speculative bubbles like the Japanese housing bubble and the 2008 crisis. The tech sector temporarily absorbed this excess capital, but its collapse, particularly in areas like the metaverse and AI, is anticipated to be cataclysmic for everyone outside that small sector. This dynamic explains why many feel broke while economic indicators suggest growth.
FTO Designations of Leftist Groups
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(03:12:42)
  • Key Takeaway: The US designated four European leftist/anarchist groups as FTOs, seemingly without coordination with local governments who had recently assessed their threat levels as decreasing.
  • Summary: The State Department designated Antifa Ost (Hammerbund/Hammergang), the Informal Anarchist Federation (FAI, Italian), Armed Proletarian Justice, and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense (Greek) as FTOs. Antifa Ost was linked to violence against attendees of a 2023 Hungarian rally honoring WWII Nazi groups like Blood and Honor and Combat 18. These groups are anarchist, not explicitly anti-fascist, and appear to lack direct ties or immediate danger to the United States.
Texas Designates CAIR/MB
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(03:18:11)
  • Key Takeaway: Texas Governor Greg Abbott declared CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as FTOs under a state property law (SB 17), an action widely viewed as Islamophobic and legally dubious.
  • Summary: The designation under SB 17 could prevent the Muslim Brotherhood or CAIR from renting or buying property in Texas, though the Muslim Brotherhood likely has no such plans. CAIR responded that the proclamation has no basis in law and that Abbott lacks authority to unilaterally declare American institutions terrorist groups. This action revives old, ‘boomer-era’ Islamophobic conspiracy theories linking these groups to a long-term plan to impose Sharia law.
Texas Redistricting Overturned
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(03:22:02)
  • Key Takeaway: A federal court, including a Trump-appointed judge, struck down Texas’s 2025 congressional map for substantial racial gerrymandering, mandating the use of the 2021 map for the midterms.
  • Summary: Judge Jeffrey Brown found substantial evidence that the Texas map was drawn to intentionally exclude non-white voters from certain districts. This ruling is set to be heard by the Supreme Court, potentially impacting other states attempting similar redistricting measures. California’s GOP challenge to its own redistricting measure may face a harder legal challenge because it lacks the explicit ’trigger language’ tied to the Texas outcome.
Polish Rail Sabotage
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(03:24:23)
  • Key Takeaway: A railway section connecting Warsaw to Ukraine was destroyed by sabotage, likely Russian, prompting a disappointing European response focused on hardening borders rather than welcoming refugees.
  • Summary: An explosion destroyed a railway section and damaged overhead cables connecting Poland to Ukraine, which Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk called sabotage, likely Russian in origin. The speaker criticized Europe’s response of hardening borders against migration, arguing that accepting Russia as a totalitarian state necessitates welcoming those fleeing such regimes. Hardening borders, which already cause many migrant deaths, is seen as counterproductive to democratic ideals.
ICE Enforcement in North Carolina
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(03:26:30)
  • Key Takeaway: ICE has increased enforcement operations in Charlotte, NC, following political pressure and local conflicts over mandatory cooperation with ICE detainers under state law HB 10.
  • Summary: ICE moved its enforcement focus to Charlotte, partly due to racist pressure on X.com, and partly due to ongoing friction with Mecklenburg County Sheriff McFadden. HB 10, passed by the NC legislature, requires cooperation with ICE detainers, but McFadden claims ICE fails to collect individuals held on those detainers 163 times. CIS has labeled Charlotte a ‘sanctuary jurisdiction’ based on this conflict.
ICE Agent Draws Gun Locally
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(03:29:05)
  • Key Takeaway: An off-duty ICE agent in Temecula, CA, was detained by local police after pulling a handgun on a 17-year-old boy, an incident rarely resulting in immediate federal agent detention.
  • Summary: Gerardo Rodriguez, known locally as an ICE agent, pointed a handgun at a 17-year-old boy, accusing him of speeding, until neighbors de-escalated the situation. Rodriguez was detained by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, marking a rare instance of direct confrontation where a federal agent appeared to be acting under pseudo-authority. This follows other incidents in Southern California where agents pulled guns on civilians without facing immediate detention.