The Daily Zeitgeist The Trend Shop by 2 Zeit Crew 1/13: Democrats, ICE, Star Wars
Jan 13, 2026
Join comedian Mort Burke, known for his podcast Rebrand and his special Spiritually Filthy, as he teams up with Jack to dive into hot topics. They tackle the Democrats' failure to abolish ICE, examining their historical hesitations and public opinions. The conversation then shifts to Disney’s handling of the Star Wars franchise, analyzing why creativity has struggled since its acquisition. Mort shares insights on corporate decision-making stifling artistic quality while contrasting quality projects like Andor with less impactful releases.
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Democrats Built The Agency They Now Avoid
- The Democratic Party helped create and fund ICE and expanded its budget across administrations.
- Jack O’Brien argues this history explains current failure to abolish or meaningfully restrain ICE.
Caution Costs Democrats Credibility
- Mainstream Democrats avoid bold action on ICE due to political caution and ties to corporate power.
- Jack and Mort say that lack of conviction costs the party credibility with voters and activists.
Obama Continued Tough Enforcement
- Obama expanded immigration enforcement and relied on Bush-era programs rather than reforming them.
- Jack notes many Democrats publicly supported tougher enforcement while privately complicit.