It Could Happen Here

The gang discuss Trump’s speech at the UN, the Paramount-Warner Brothers merger,
another ICE shooting in Texas, how Mark Carney’s Bill C-39 threatens Indigenous rights and labor, a new election plan in Palestine, UK lifeboat protests, and Trump banning news outlets from the White House.

Sources:

• https://x.com/SecWar/status/2102382410600182000?s=20
• https://x.com/ThomasBordeaux7/status/2102427909881294913?s=20
  
• https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-administration-white-south-africans-refugees-afrikaners/
  
• https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/supporting-americas-ranchers/
• https://bsky.app/profile/ayoub.bsky.social/post/3mw4nwosork2f
• https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/26570976.hundreds-turn-face-police-gosport-migrant-boat-fears---live/ 
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwXS24qsEEM 
• https://www.npr.org/2026/09/23/g-s1-144623/trump-affordable-care-act 
• https://www.propublica.org/article/fbi-susan-collins-navatek-campaign-donations-investigation 
• https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-concludes-federal-ban-handgun-sales-18-20-year-olds-unconstitutional-and 
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c6rm903e22lgo 
• https://youtu.be/uNsQUNUvN0k?si=aFIiSAzCoJuAR1oZ 
• https://www.dhs.gov/news/2026/09/22/correct-record-dhs-debunks-false-narratives-about-shooting-illegal-alien-austin 
• https://www.instagram.com/p/Ddhn2cnItyi/ 
• https://www.kvue.com/article/news/local/attorney-man-shot-ice-north-austin-news-conference-monday/269-9976441c-cedb-486f-85fa-05459daf4a20 
• https://welcome.rescue.org/sites/default/files/2026-04/ENG_CBP%20One%20Parole%20Update%20%26%20FAQ_March2026.pdf 
• https://www.instagram.com/attorneygoldfinch/
• https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.296754/gov.uscourts.dcd.296754.1.0_1.pdf 
• https://www.cnn.com/2026/09/18/media/trump-claims-ban-cnn-msnow-politico-white-house 
• https://x.com/CBSNewsPress/status/2102035354689671560?s=20
• https://variety.com/2026/tv/news/tv-networks-suspend-white-house-pool-protest-trump-cnn-ban-1236871070/ 
• https://variety.com/2026/film/news/fcc-approves-49-5-foreign-ownership-paramount-warner-bros-1236866217/
  
• https://deadline.com/2026/09/paramount-leaving-california-merger-lawsuit-1237105417/
• https://apnews.com/article/warner-bros-paramount-skydance-merger-settlement-1aaa7c471d8ba286ccfad92b18bc1ecf?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share
• https://oag.ca.gov/news/press-releases/attorney-general-bonta-announces-settlement-warner-brosparamount-litigation
• https://oag.ca.gov/system/files/attachments/press-docs/2026-09-21-244-exhibits-re-243-joint-motion-enter-consent-decree-and.pdf
• https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/17/trump-calls-eu-offer-to-canada-associate-membership-laughable-threatens-tariffs 
• https://archive.vn/NJc5J#selection-3749.107-3749.143 
• https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/canada-britain-military-expeditionary-force-nato-9.7347144 
• https://www.reuters.com/world/canada-applies-join-uk-led-military-coalition-says-carneys-office-2026-09-16/ 
• https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/canadas-carney-calls-stronger-ties-with-france-face-new-global-threats-2026-09-20/ 
• https://www.baltimoresun.com/2026/09/21/trump-us-canada-europe/ 
• https://apnews.com/article/europe-canada-carney-associate-member-3fdb111dd4d23d88b3de88c274c52711 
• https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/carney-government-tables-sweeping-bill-to-overhaul-environmental-and-labour-rules/article_3b03e2d3-0dce-4842-ade1-96b3d76dcd97.html 
• https://apnews.com/article/europe-commission-state-union-leyen-speech-address-888f1d0c061ffb2accefc19cdbf39ffc 
• https://thenarwhal.ca/canada-bill-c-39-environmental-assessments/ 
• https://apnews.com/article/canada-europe-trump-tariffs-4078e9549ff9caa5ded08f7dd2f99065 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia looks at how recent shifts in gas prices tell the story of a series of global wars and American empire.

Sources:

• https://www.npr.org/2026/09/18/nx-s1-5973810/houthi-attacks-saudi-oil-world-markets
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/oil-executives-say-the-great-fuel-crisis-is-here-b6b32030
• https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/09/19/attacks-choke-off-saudi-oil-kingdom-confronts-limits-trumps-friendship/
• https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/article/oil-hovers-near-100-as-analysts-warn-trump-diesel-export-ban-would-tighten-global-supply-130359301.html
• https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/what-is-saudi-arabias-east-west-pipeline-and-why-is-it-rocking-oil-markets-3e9823a3?mod=article_inline
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/oil-prices-mixed-as-traders-weigh-u-s-iran-talks-saudi-pipeline-progress-3b33f75c
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trumps-oil-allies-see-nightmare-scenario-of-diesel-export-ban-becoming-reality-16973ae2
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trump-weighs-diesel-export-ban-as-fuel-prices-soar-6d1a3d2e
• https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/us-energy-secretary-wright-says-diesel-export-ban-would-not-work-2026-09-23/
• https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cj207y30wp0lo
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/trump-wants-big-oil-to-build-more-refineries-thats-a-tough-sell-54666292?mod=article_inline
• https://www.ft.com/content/05887f92-c777-48ab-8efa-9a39e7e18a9f?syn-25a6b1a6=1
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/the-relentless-crypto-billionaire-who-moved-to-venezuela-in-pursuit-of-oil-a4f0f219?
• https://www.wsj.com/business/energy-oil/inside-trumps-plan-to-give-the-pentagon-a-stake-in-venezuelas-oil-riches-f054cdc2?mod=article_inline
• https://finance.yahoo.com/energy/articles/chevron-ceo-thinks-world-spare-154027206.html

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James is joined by Andrew to discuss diversity and its value as a concept, not a corporate buzzword.

Sources:

• In Light of Our Differences

       by David Harmon

• The Difference: How the Power of Diversity Creates Better Groups, Firms, Schools, and Societies

       by Scott E. Page

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Garrison outlines various proposals for a regulatory “slowdown” of frontier AI models, Trump’s push against regulation, the risk of regulatory capture, legislation for public ownership of AI companies and control of this technology, and the organizing limits of AI-denialism.

Sources:

• https://x.com/hilbertspaess/status/2097476196791709843
  
• https://x.com/sama/status/2098811563415150910?s=20
• https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/glossary/frontier-models/
  
• https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/cybersecurity-101/artificial-intelligence/frontier-ai/
• https://darioamodei.com/post/we-must-pace-the-frontier
• https://www.anthropic.com/constitution
  
• https://bsky.app/profile/bishonentype.bsky.social/post/3mvg527c3k22n
  
• https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117269745153543631
  
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099597928142688610?s=20
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099648450069512426?s=20
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2099132465612828964?s=20
• https://x.com/cspan/status/2099878657174941991?s=20
• https://x.com/benitoz/status/2099572926865715548?s=20
  
• https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2098973625252708460?s=20
  
• https://x.com/Jason/status/2098817101628600383?s=20
  
• https://x.com/daniel_koss/status/2099751931400847840?s=20
  
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/12/anthropics-amodei-proposes-plan-to-slow-the-pace-of-advancing-ai-capabilities.html
  
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/14/anthropic-walks-tightrope-to-nasdaq-pushing-slowdown-and-pursuing-ipo.html 
• https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-casar-introduce-legislation-to-ban-artificial-superintelligence-and-temporarily-pause-advanced-ai-development/ 
• https://abdulforsenate.com/2026/06/first-do-no-harm-ai-under-democracy/
• https://geesemag.com/articles/stop-the-ai-arms-race
• https://x.com/linamkhan/status/2099204390548639960?s=20
  
• https://www.kirosforco.com/priorities-2 
• https://reports.verasight.io/r/june-2026-ai-survey#key-takeaways
• https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-introduces-legislation-to-create-7-trillion-ai-sovereign-wealth-fund/
• https://council.nyc.gov/press/2026/09/16/3240/ 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James talks about the ecological disaster that is the border wall and interviews Dr. Christina Aiello about the Peninsular Bighorn ram that was killed by razor wire in the Jacumba mountains.

Sources:

https://www.usaspending.gov/search?hash=29de9d51905bd175a701b04c24176b46
https://www-jstor-org.sdmesa.idm.oclc.org/stable/3636811?seq=5 
https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_employer=Atkore 
https://tucson.com/news/local/border/article_a11265b0-17c3-5bed-b50a-72e5d17e1369.html 
https://www.blm.gov/visit/jacumba-wilderness 
https://www.usaspending.gov/search?hash=29de9d51905bd175a701b04c24176b46 
https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/04/08/2025-05992/determination-pursuant-to-section-102-of-the-illegal-immigration-reform-and-immigrant-responsibility 
https://www.enr.com/articles/54215-us-settles-border-wall-suit-against-contractor-fisher-sand-gravel 
https://www.atkore.com/about-us 
https://desertreport.org/a-border-wall-in-the-jacumba-wilderness-area/ 
https://gizmodo.com/trumps-border-wall-torn-apart-by-arizona-monsoon-rains-1847535174 
https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_70B01C25F00001112_7014_70B01C23D00000010_7014 
https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1666138/000166613826000010/atkr-20260429.htm 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks about how the settlers and the Israeli state are working hand in hand to ethnically cleanse Palestinians from the West Bank, and how we should understand the relationship between the two actors.   

Sources:

https://jewishcurrents.org/it-feels-like-a-death-sentence

https://www.972mag.com/armed-settler-hikes-west-bank/

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/06/opinion/israel-west-bank-settlers-violence.html

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/8/29/israeli-settlers-surround-palestinian-home-in-occupied-west-banks-qusra

https://www.972mag.com/bilin-israeli-land-seizure-settler-road/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Margaret reads you a surreal story about the surreal Southwest, written by one of her favorite authors

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file:

• Sanctions, Terror, and the Internet
• Should AOC talk to MAHA?
• Debating the American Role in the Middle East
• A History Built of Uprising
• Executive Disorder: Oil Crisis, New Mail-In-Voting Rules Blocked, Macklemore Based??

You can now listen to all Cool Zone Media shows, 100% ad-free through the Cooler Zone Media subscription, available exclusively on Apple Podcasts. So, open your Apple Podcasts app, search for “Cooler Zone Media” and subscribe today!

Sources/Links:

Sanctions, Terror, and the Internet

• https://www.inventati.org/campaign/press
• https://keepitfree.ai/announcements/a/i-shuts-down-stay-human/ 
• https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0616/ 
• https://davidgraeber.org/articles/the-new-anarchists/ 

Should AOC talk to MAHA?

• https://www.politico.com/news/2026/06/28/poll-maha-health-fractures-kennedy-00972253
• https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/maha-health-concerns-resonate-broadly-but-lag-behind-health-care-costs-even-for-maha-voters/
• https://www.kff.org/public-opinion/kff-health-tracking-poll-maha-and-the-midterms/
• https://www.politico.com/newsletters/playbook/2026/09/05/inside-aocs-maha-outreach-01066409
• https://www.youtube.com/live/h6fe9CaVZCI
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRgeXPsihXI

Debating the American Role in the Middle East

• https://www.cfr.org/articles/the-u-s-led-middle-east-order-is-over-the-mecca-agreement-proves-it
• https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/end-american-middle-east-iran-marc-lynch
• http://foreignaffairs.com/middle-east/new-old-middle-east-gause
• https://www.fpri.org/article/2023/12/the-re-emergence-of-the-palestine-question-in-world-politics/
• https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/jul/29/us-decline-world-order-replacement

A History Built of Uprising

• https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1852/18th-brumaire/ch01.htm
• https://www.endnotes.org.uk/issues/issue-4/endnotes-a-history-of-separation-preface
• https://archive.org/details/blackjacobinstou0000jame

Executive Disorder: Oil Crisis, New Mail-In-Voting Rules Blocked, Macklemore Based??

• https://rudaw.net/english/categories/middleeast/1079247 
• https://www.rudaw.net/english/categories/iraq/1079243
• https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2099321216683425864?s=20 
• https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28621690-paheivdhsord091426/
• https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.291053/gov.uscourts.dcd.291053.192.0.pdf
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a305_4g15.pdf
• https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2097872390076141726?s=20
• https://x.com/USA_Polling/status/2100014172738122001?s=20
• https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2098209805215080868?s=20
• https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117147749847925768
• https://www.foxnews.com/media/homan-confirms-criminal-investigation-involving-ilhan-omar-says-knows-things-going
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2099925671795474759?s=20https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026#conventional-weapons-sep-26 
• https://x.com/Ibrahym22Nagi/status/2099482678479188145
• https://x.com/Bafeltalabani/status/2099810675484668045 
• https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2099869946423431232 
• https://media.defense.gov/2026/Sep/09/2003993626/-1/-1/1/OEF_Q3_JUN2026_FINAL_508%20SECURE.PDF
• https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2026-09/OIG-26-22-Sep26.pdf
• https://x.com/cspan/status/2099878657174941991?s=20
• https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-casar-introduce-legislation-to-ban-artificial-superintelligence-and-temporarily-pause-advanced-ai-development/
• https://geesemag.com/articles/stop-the-ai-arms-race
• https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117269745153543631
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099597928142688610?s=20
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099648450069512426?s=20
• https://x.com/linamkhan/status/2099204390548639960?s=20
• https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2098973625252708460?s=20
• https://x.com/Jason/status/2098817101628600383?s=20
• https://x.com/daniel_koss/status/2099751931400847840?s=20
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/12/anthropics-amodei-proposes-plan-to-slow-the-pace-of-advancing-ai-capabilities.html
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/14/anthropic-walks-tightrope-to-nasdaq-pushing-slowdown-and-pursuing-ipo.html
• https://bsky.app/profile/bishonentype.bsky.social/post/3mvg527c3k22n
• https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/why-saudi-arabias-plan-b-for-oil-exports-is-now-under-fire/4335414/
• https://www.newarab.com/news/saudi-running-out-oil-export-options-routes-choked
• https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/07/global-food-prices-three-year-high-heatwaves-wars-crop-costs
• https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/did-the-houthis-shoot-down-saudi-arabian-f-15-what-we-know-19991908.htm
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/saudi-arabia-calls-mecca-red-175848059.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdXFZLNARm4/
• https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2026/09/15/irish-acts-aaron-rowe-and-beoga-quit-ed-sheerans-us-tour-in-protest-over-palestine/
• https://apnews.com/article/ed-sheeran-responds-macklemore-tour-3fd73815563039bea9b88f5efe745d62
• https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49943754/patriots-kraft-says-macklemore-performance-cross-line
• https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-150614158.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdXFZLNARm4/?stkn=MThsbzc2OWh3d2s5OQ==

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The gang discuss Ed Sheeran dropping Macklemore from his tour over pro Palestine comments, courts blocking new mail-in-ballot requirements, Houthi attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure, a report detailing tiny metal cages at Alligator Alcatraz, a general strike in Eastern Kurdistan, debate on AI regulation, and the Republican midterm convention. 

Sources:

• https://rudaw.net/english/categories/middleeast/1079247 
• https://www.rudaw.net/english/categories/iraq/1079243
• https://x.com/AJEnglish/status/2099321216683425864?s=20 
• https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28621690-paheivdhsord091426/
• https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.291053/gov.uscourts.dcd.291053.192.0.pdf
• https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a305_4g15.pdf
• https://x.com/FoxNews/status/2097872390076141726?s=20
• https://x.com/USA_Polling/status/2100014172738122001?s=20
• https://x.com/bennyjohnson/status/2098209805215080868?s=20
• https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117147749847925768
• https://www.foxnews.com/media/homan-confirms-criminal-investigation-involving-ilhan-omar-says-knows-things-going
• https://x.com/atrupar/status/2099925671795474759?s=20https://www.anthropic.com/threat-intelligence-report-september-2026#conventional-weapons-sep-26 
• https://x.com/Ibrahym22Nagi/status/2099482678479188145
• https://x.com/Bafeltalabani/status/2099810675484668045 
• https://x.com/vvanwilgenburg/status/2099869946423431232 
• https://media.defense.gov/2026/Sep/09/2003993626/-1/-1/1/OEF_Q3_JUN2026_FINAL_508%20SECURE.PDF
• https://www.oig.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/assets/2026-09/OIG-26-22-Sep26.pdf
• https://x.com/cspan/status/2099878657174941991?s=20
• https://www.sanders.senate.gov/press-releases/news-sanders-casar-introduce-legislation-to-ban-artificial-superintelligence-and-temporarily-pause-advanced-ai-development/
• https://geesemag.com/articles/stop-the-ai-arms-race
• https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/117269745153543631
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099597928142688610?s=20
• https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2099648450069512426?s=20
• https://x.com/linamkhan/status/2099204390548639960?s=20
• https://x.com/DavidSacks/status/2098973625252708460?s=20
• https://x.com/Jason/status/2098817101628600383?s=20
• https://x.com/daniel_koss/status/2099751931400847840?s=20
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/12/anthropics-amodei-proposes-plan-to-slow-the-pace-of-advancing-ai-capabilities.html
• https://www.cnbc.com/2026/09/14/anthropic-walks-tightrope-to-nasdaq-pushing-slowdown-and-pursuing-ipo.html
• https://bsky.app/profile/bishonentype.bsky.social/post/3mvg527c3k22n
• https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/why-saudi-arabias-plan-b-for-oil-exports-is-now-under-fire/4335414/
• https://www.newarab.com/news/saudi-running-out-oil-export-options-routes-choked
• https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/aug/07/global-food-prices-three-year-high-heatwaves-wars-crop-costs
• https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/did-the-houthis-shoot-down-saudi-arabian-f-15-what-we-know-19991908.htm
• https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/saudi-arabia-calls-mecca-red-175848059.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdXFZLNARm4/
• https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/music/2026/09/15/irish-acts-aaron-rowe-and-beoga-quit-ed-sheerans-us-tour-in-protest-over-palestine/
• https://apnews.com/article/ed-sheeran-responds-macklemore-tour-3fd73815563039bea9b88f5efe745d62
• https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/49943754/patriots-kraft-says-macklemore-performance-cross-line
• https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/where-patriots-owner-robert-kraft-150614158.html
• https://www.instagram.com/p/DdXFZLNARm4/?stkn=MThsbzc2OWh3d2s5OQ==

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mia begins a series on the history of the most recent series of uprisings by examining how history moves.

Sources:
https://www.marxists.org/archive/marx/works/1852/18th-brumaire/ch01.htm

https://www.endnotes.org.uk/issues/issue-4/endnotes-a-history-of-separation-preface

https://archive.org/details/blackjacobinstou0000jame

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.