#1770 Getting in the Fight Against ICE and Authoritarianism

#1770 Getting in the Fight Against ICE and Authoritarianism

Author: Best of the Left: Perspectives on Politics, Culture, and Economics February 10, 2026 Duration: 3:07:38

Air Date 2/10/2026

Today we explore what effective resistance actually looks like. We'll hear why Jamelle Bouie says the panic of those in power signals that opposition is working, what abolitionists teach us about fighting without knowing the ending, and how Minneapolis proved that democratic force can overwhelm physical force.

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Full Show Notes

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TOP TAKES

KP 1: What I've Learned From Reading History - Takes™ by Jamelle Bouie - Air Date 1-28-26

KP 2: Five Ways to Fight Trumps Fascism - Robert Reich - Air Date 8-19-25

KP 3: Abolish ICE! No Brainer. Then What? Also, How? - Matthew Cooke - Air Date 1-27-26

KP 4: "They Have Agency In This Moment. They Can Walk Away" - Maria J. Stephan's Message To ICE Officers - The Late Show with Stephen Colbert - Air Date 1-23-26

KP 5: Democrats Need To Change How We Talk About ICE | Kat Abughazaleh For Illinois - Kat Abughazaleh - Air Date 1-26-26

KP 6: Gadgets For People Who Don't Trust The Government - Benn Jordan - Air Date 1-4-26

KP 7: What Does Minnesota Today Tell Us About What Resistance Requires? - Tad Stoermer - Air Date 1-24-26

KP 8: What Is a General Strike (and Why Did the U.S. Outlaw Them) - More Perfect Union - Air Date 5-1-25

KP 9: Elites Shit Themselves as Serious Momentum Builds for a Nationwide General Strike - The Humanist Report - Air Date 1-28-26

KP 10: We Don't Need Irony. Just Make It Good - Jessie Gender - Air Date 1-26-26


(00:49:16) NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

On the war on empathy

A Time to Be Cringe: Why Gen Z Needs Some Millenial Humor (SOLVED! #29 - 12-12-25)


DEEPER DIVES

(00:59:25) SECTION A: WHAT DO WE WANT

A1: Force the Fight: A Resistance History Lesson From the Anti-Federalists - Tad Stoermer - Air Date 1-26-26

A2: Trump's Vacant Stare Is Sending Shockwaves Around the World - Heather Delaney Reese - Air Date 1-24-26

A3: The Kids Aren't Alright - The Majority Report W/ Sam Seder - Air Date 1-25-26


(01:21:40) SECTION B: WHAT DID WE WANT

B1: Beyond the Ballot Box: Pacification and Intergenerational Memory in Social Movements Part 1 - Radicals in Conversation - Air Date 11-28-24

B2: The Black Labor Movement Part 1 - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-20-26

B3: Policing the Civil Rights Movement - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-26-26


(01:50:25) SECTION C: HOW DO WE DO IT

C1: Beyond the Ballot Box: Pacification and Intergenerational Memory in Social Movements Part 2 - Radicals in Conversation - Air Date 11-28-24

C2: The 3.5 Percent Rule - Erica Chenoweth - You Are Not So Smart - Air Date 5-11-25

C3: ICE Protesters GO OFF After Alex Pretti Murder: "Trump's Troops SLAYING US in the Street!" - Status Coup News - Air Date 1-25-26

C4: "We Stand with Minneapolis": Baltimore Marches Against ICE - The Real News Network - Air Date 1-24-26

C5: Americans Flex Democratic Muscles to Show That, Together, They're Stronger Than Trump - The Rachel Maddow Show - Air Date 1-27-26


(02:24:10) SECTION D: WHAT WORKS

D1: ICE Out of Minnesota: Unions & Churches Lead Economic Blackout in "Day of Truth and Freedom" - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-23-26

D2: "ICE Out": Tens of Thousands March in Minnesota in General Strike Against Immigration Raids - Democracy Now! - Air Date 1-26-26

D3: The Black Labor Movement Part 2 - Against the Grain - Air Date 1-20-26

D4: 1946 Oakland General Strike - Stuff You Missed in History Class - Air Date 3-24-25

D5: Confronting Capitalism: Why the US Never Got a Labor Party - Jacobin Radio - Air Date 1-21-26


SHOW IMAGE CREDITS

Description: Photo of a protest in Minneapolis showing people holding signs that say "ICE is not welcome!" And "FUCK ICE" and "ICE OUT OF MN", etc.

Credit: "Protest against ICE in Minneapolis" by Fibonacci Blue via Flickr | CC BY 4.0 | Cropped

 

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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For over fifteen years, Best of the Left-Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy has served as a vital, human-curated digest of voices from across the progressive spectrum. Instead of presenting a single opinion, each episode is built around a specific theme-from economic inequality to climate policy to cultural shifts-and weaves together insightful commentary from a diverse array of journalists, activists, and thinkers. This approach allows you to efficiently grasp the nuances of complex issues by hearing multiple expert angles in one sitting, all while discovering new commentators and sources you might not have encountered otherwise. The result is a richly layered analysis that algorithms simply cannot replicate, offering depth and context often missing from the daily news cycle. Since 2006, this award-winning podcast has cut through the noise, drawing from hundreds of independent and established sources to provide a coherent, thoughtful examination of the forces shaping our society and governments. Tuning in means joining a long-running conversation dedicated to understanding and advancing democratic principles, social justice, and a more equitable economy, all through the focused lens of leftist thought.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Best of the Left - Leftist Perspectives on Progressive Politics, News, Culture, Economics and Democracy
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