Behind the Bastards It Could Happen Here Weekly 192
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Jul 26, 2025 Gillian Brockel, a journalist specializing in deportation flights, joins Mel Buer, a freelance reporter on ICE resistance, and A Cat With News, who covers community responses in Los Angeles. Together, they dive into the grim realities of U.S. deportation practices, highlighting the lack of transparency and the dangers faced by deportees. They discuss grassroots activism against ICE in LA, sharing powerful stories of community resilience. The episode also touches on the intersection of political narratives and personal struggles within immigration enforcement.
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Grassroots Defeated Trans Medicaid Ban
- Grassroots pressure stopped a Republican Medicaid ban on trans health care in 2023.
- Constituents calling senators forced Democrats to oppose the ban publicly and successfully killed it.
Fear Drives Political Action
- Politicians respond only when afraid, not when asked nicely.
- Angry constituents threaten votes and careers, which compels real action from elected officials.
Class Divide in Queer Advocacy
- Gay Inc. groups represent upper-class interests, not the majority of queer and trans people.
- Most trans and queer individuals are working class and face different challenges than elite advocacy groups.