It Could Happen Here

Guest host Zaron Burnett investigates the curious question: Can we print our own money? The short answer is: yes, yes we can. To consider the more nuanced aspects of that question, Burnett spoke with Peter LaRochelle from the Schumacher Center for a New Economics. LaRochelle administers a local currency called BerkShares, which is available in the tourist-friendly Berkshire region of western Massachusetts. The alternative currency was created 20 years ago and serves as a successful model for how to create your own local currency. LaRochelle spoke to the various challenges and benefits as well as the financial freedom a community enjoys once you start printing your own money.

Sources/Links:
BerkShares Program https://berkshares.org/
Bob Dunning's Newsletter: https://www.thewaryone.com/
https://centerforneweconomics.org/people/peter-larochelle/
https://centerforneweconomics.org
https://centerforneweconomics.org/publications/local-currencies-in-the-21st-century-understanding-money-building-local-economies-renewing-community/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/economics-econometrics-and-finance/alternativecurrency
https://www.collaborativefinance.org/mutual-credit/local-currency/
https://sustainableandjust.org/initiatives/our-economy/alternative-economies/alternative-currencies/
https://www.theselc.org/california-community-currencies-act
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/towns-invent-community-currencies/
https://www.paulglover.org/hours.html
https://www.paulglover.org/hourcurrency.html
https://www.paulglover.org/atwood.html
https://localwiki.org/davis/Davis_Dollars
https://www.opb.org/artsandlife/series/history/myrtlewood-money-north-bend-oregon-great-depression/
https://www.davisenterprise.com/users/profile/bob%20dunning/
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James looks into the DOJ investigation into egg price fixing and what it can tell us about the way our food system treats animals and people.
Sources:
https://www.justice.gov/atr/media/1450281/dl?inline
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe-unscrambling-the-egg-ma/204490574/
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.978076/gov.uscourts.cacd.978076.77.0.pdf
https://climate.law.columbia.edu/content/trump-administration-cancels-contract-bird-flu-vaccine-development
https://www.usda.gov/about-usda/news/press-releases/2025/02/26/usda-invests-1-billion-combat-avian-flu-and-reduce-egg-prices
https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/APU0000708111
https://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/Poultry/chickegg.php
https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20231204
https://www.dol.gov/index.php/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20240502
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/6248715/1/united-states-v-ramirez/
https://www.versova.com/trillium-farms/
https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndoh/pr/labor-trafficker-sentenced-encouraging-illegal-entry-guatemalan-nationals-including
https://u.osu.edu/osuhtblog/2018/03/02/failed-by-the-government-guatemalan-minors-placed-into-custody-of-traffickers/
"
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From the battle for democracy in the workplace to the division of the class itself, Mia examines how workers lost the world


Sources:
https://www.endnotes.org.uk/issues/issue-4/endnotes-a-history-of-separation-preface
https://libcom.org/article/utopia-rules-technology-stupidity-and-secret-joys-bureaucracy-david-graeber
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/maurice-brinton-the-bolsheviks-and-workers-control
https://www.marxists.org/archive/lenin/works/1918/mar/x03.htm
https://theanarchistlibrary.org/library/david-graeber-bullshit-jobs
https://www.marxists.org/portugues/hughes/1946/mes/90.htm
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Margaret kicks off spooky month by sharing a spooky story of her own about a haunted cave and the 90s teens who get lost in it
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All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file:
US Military Boat Strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific
After Ceuta
Were Macklemore’s First Amendment Rights Violated?
What Happened in the Labor Movement Last Month?
Executive Disorder: DHS Voter Roll Purge, Cornell and Title IX, Hungary’s Anti-Corruption Crusade
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:
US Military Boat Strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/29/us/us-caribbean-pacific-boat-strikes.html
https://airwars.org/boat-strikes-latin-america
https://media.defense.gov/2026/May/21/2003935694/-1/-1/1/OSS_Q2_MAR2026_FINAL_508.PDF
https://www.southcom.mil/News/PressReleases/Article/4563958/us-southern-command-establishes-joint-task-force-western-hemisphere/
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/08/06/southcom-replaces-southern-spear-with-western-hemisphere-task-force-targeting-criminal-networks/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/designating-cartels-and-other-organizations-as-foreign-terrorist-organizations-and-specially-designated-global-terrorists/
https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/2-trinis-killed-in-latest-us-strike-6.2.2425256.22ffca949f
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2026-07-20/us-drone-attacks-mexico-drug-boats
https://apnews.com/article/trump-venezuela-boat-strikes-drugs-cocaine-trafficking-95b54a3a5efec74f12f82396a79617ea
https://www.nacion.com/el-mundo/costa-rica-recibe-dos-cuerpos-y-sobreviviente-de/NICWT53FXRAP3JACIU3HJAJVTU/story/
https://www.wola.org/analysis/killing-spree-extrajudicial-executions-in-the-u-s-boat-strikes-campaign/
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/terrorism/sr-ct-briefing-note-targeting-narco-terrori.pdf
https://www.elclip.org/los-bombardeados-sin-derecho-a-la-defensa/
https://www.elclip.org/bombardeados-sin-derecho-defensa-comando-sur-victimas-caribe-pacifico/
https://www.elclip.org/victimas-comando-sur-bombardeos-caribe-guajira/
https://www.elclip.org/los-bombardeos-un-rompecabezas-al-que-le-faltan-muchas-piezas/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/22/drug-boats-strikes-cia-legal-concerns/
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/invocation-of-the-alien-enemies-act-regarding-the-invasion-of-the-united-states-by-tren-de-aragua/
https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/11/12/us/el-salvador-torture-of-venezuelan-deportees
https://insightcrime.org/venezuela-organized-crime-news/cartel-de-los-soles-profile/
https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1422326/dl
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/05/us/trump-venezuela-drug-cartel-de-los-soles.html
http://thehill.com/policy/defense/5162069-pentagon-officers-fired/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/trump-justice-dept-ousters.html
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/21/us-strikes-caribbean-cia-role
https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-05-26/the-cia-crash-that-opened-a-fraught-month-in-mexicous-relations.html
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/12/trump-drug-boat-venezuela-legal/
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/nov/25/trump-caribbean-boat-strikes-memo
https://insightcrime.org/news/why-is-us-attacking-cartels-that-dont-exist/
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1057610X.2025.2502924
https://en.unav.edu/web/global-affairs/argumentos-y-dudas-en-la-guerra-abierta-por-eeuu-contra-el-narcoterrorismo
https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29899
https://www.justsecurity.org/121115/united-states-dirty-war-narcoterrorism/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2026/07/27/operation-southern-spear-has-not-slowed-cocaine-entering-us/
https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/juan-orlando-hernandez-former-president-honduras-sentenced-45-years-prison-conspiring
https://www.wola.org/analysis/juan-orlando-hernandez-pardon-implications-for-u-s-foreign-policy/
https://theintercept.com/2025/11/07/trump-dto-list-venezuela-boat-strikes/
https://www.justsecurity.org/52343/reasonable-certainty-vs-near-certainty-military-targeting-what-law-requires/
https://www.hrw.org/report/2014/02/19/wedding-became-funeral/us-drone-attack-marriage-procession-yemen
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/24/world/americas/us-ecuador-drug-camp-bombing-dairy-farm.html
https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2026-iran-school-attack/
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/hrbodies/hrcouncil/sessions-regular/session63/a-hrc-63-61-aev.pdf
https://www.foreign.senate.gov/hearings/review-of-the-fy27-state-department-budget-request
https://foreignpolicy.com/2026/06/02/kaine-paul-rubio-trump-drug-boat-strike-justification-latin-america/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/11/28/hegseth-kill-them-all-survivors-boat-strike/
https://theintercept.com/2025/12/05/boat-strike-survivors-double-tap/
https://theintercept.com/2025/12/23/boat-strikes-venezuela-hegseth-bradley-legal/
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/05/us/politics/boat-strike-shows-survivors.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/12/us/politics/us-boat-attacks-law.html
https://theintercept.com/2026/06/10/trump-boat-strikes-human-trafficking-victims/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ob469Cr7U&t=8s
https://www.rtvcnoticias.com/colombia/caribe/confirman-muerte-de-pescador-colombiano-en-bombardeos-estadounidenses
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/11/14/briefing/the-effects-of-the-boat-strikes.html
https://www.infobae.com/colombia/2025/12/03/cidh-recibe-primera-denuncia-contra-operativos-militares-de-ee-uu-en-el-caribe-por-parte-de-la-familia-de-un-pescador-colombiano/
https://x.com/CNC3TV/status/1978838103222628834
https://www.elclip.org/victimas-guiria-bombardeos-comando-sur-trump-caribe/?lang=en
https://www.guardian.co.tt/news/no-justice-yet-for-chad-joseph-after-us-strike-6.2.2476227.31df119986
https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/72191479/45/burnley-v-united-states/
https://trinidadexpress.com/news/local/fishermen-s-us-strike-death-lawsuit-awaits-local-court-hearing/article_20ec9021-6388-4d33-acc4-7e73f044f3a1.html
https://abcnews.com/Politics/week-transcript-12-14-25-sen-mark-warner/story?id=128378685
https://www.elclip.org/interdiccion-maritima-cocaina-jiatfs-dea-vs-bombardeos-comando-sur/
https://colombiaone.com/2025/09/03/colombia-seizes-cocaine-dr/
https://x.com/jiatfs/status/2103187969096003585
https://x.com/jiatfs/status/2086902740387865015
https://x.com/jiatfs/status/2102490082024235340/photo/1
https://x.com/Southcom/status/2097475163658883493
https://x.com/Southcom/status/2095666992779059404
https://x.com/Southcom/status/2096376737458487609
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115136798909755892
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115210075167747572
https://x.com/SecWar/status/1974150886084485503
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/115373751811822463
https://elpais.com/america/2025-10-20/ecuador-libera-a-uno-de-los-sobrevivientes-al-ataque-de-estados-unidos-al-narcosubmarino-en-el-caribe.html
https://apnews.com/article/ecuador-strike-caribbean-trump-fentanyl-colombia-venezuela-0f8f1c004064857046398b388ddb8df5
https://elpais.com/america-colombia/2025-11-04/el-colombiano-que-sobrevivio-al-ataque-de-estados-unidos-a-un-narcosubmarino-sale-del-hospital-libre-y-sin-cargos.html
https://english.elpais.com/international/2026-03-07/one-of-the-two-survivors-of-trumps-caribbean-bombings-dad-i-would-have-been-better-off-dead.html
https://theintercept.com/2026/02/17/boat-strike-trump-southcom-survivors-rescue-plane-hours/
https://www.univision.com/shows/noticiero-univision/pescadores-ecuatorianos-denuncian-haber-sido-atacados-por-fuerzas-de-eeuu-video?utm_campaign=PrimerImpacto&utm_content=sprout&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/rare-survivors-of-pacific-boat-strikes
https://es.mongabay.com/2026/05/pescadores-ecuatorianos-victimas-desaparicion-detencion-arbitraria-tortura-ee-uu-denuncian-expertos/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/an-ecuadorian-fishing-boat-disappears-amid-trumps-strikes-in-the-pacific
https://english.elpais.com/usa/2026-08-13/hegseth-says-colombia-has-authorized-us-military-operations-on-its-territory-to-combat-narco-terrorism.html
https://www.southcom.mil/News/PressReleases/Article/4420523/ecuadorian-and-us-military-forces-launch-operations-against-narco-terrorists/
https://apnews.com/article/trump-military-operations-latin-american-western-hemisphere-a1fccf4414e44341d3dbd54e19ae1ba4
https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/09/joint-statement-on-defending-hemispheric-sovereignty
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/watch-hegseth-miller-urge-latin-american-allies-to-be-more-aggressive-against-drug-cartels
https://www.elheraldo.co/colombia/2025/10/19/vinculan-a-colombiano-que-murio-en-ataque-de-ee-uu-con-escandalo-de-robo-masivo-de-armas-en-2016/
https://airwars.org/incidents/usmar250902a-september-2-2025
https://airwars.org/incidents/usmar250915a-september-15-2025
https://airwars.org/incidents/usmar251003a-october-3-2025
https://airwars.org/incidents/usmar251014a-october-14-2025
After Ceuta
Spain: Liberals Cede Ground to Far Right on Ceuta Border Crossings
Why is Spain in Africa? – Canadian Dimension
Morocco’s US-Backed Occupation of Western Sahara It Could Happen Here | iHeart
Were Macklemore’s First Amendment Rights Violated?
https://www.instagram.com/reels/Dc_bH4_N1FN/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-robert-kraft-statement-1235626352/
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/ed-sheerans-shows-stadium-owned-pro-israel-robert-kraft-cancelled
https://www.instagram.com/p/DdRdsy0m2HK/?img_index=4
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-pro-palestine-statements-1235625967/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/macklemore-statement-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-1235626135/
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/ngmblAp7y_I
https://www.lucasoilstadium.com/tours-stadium-info/background-history/
https://blankfamilyofbusinesses.com/company/amb-sports-entertainment/
https://raymondjamesstadium.com/tampasportsauthority
https://www.tampasportsauthority.com/tsa-about
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/ye/2026/raymond-james-stadium-tampa-fl-33745801.html
https://www.texastribune.org/2026/09/24/ut-texas-austin-palestine-protest-ruling/
What Happened in the Labor Movement Last Month?
https://labornotes.org/2026/09/video-game-workers-win-first-contract-microsoft-owned-blizzard
https://www.health.ny.gov/health_care/medicaid/program/longterm/cdpap/
https://truthout.org/articles/nurses-across-us-demand-hospitals-cut-ties-with-palantir-citing-ice-and-gaza/?source=email-sept-2026-newsletter&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&link_id=34&can_id=5cd4cd77783c61743857a7efb7930b4a&email_referrer=email_3426373___subject_3887973&email_subject=september-2026-newsletter&
https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/statement-on-israeli-bombings-of-medical-supply-warehouses
https://jacobin.com/2026/09/walmart-logistics-canada-union-contract
https://labornotes.org/2024/10/walmart-warehouse-workers-win-first-union-canada
https://documentedny.com/2026/09/23/union-avoidance-cesar-alarcon-golden-krust/
https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/us-truck-drivers-allegedly-going-205300430.html
https://www.dairyherd.com/news/oct-1-trucker-strike-what-happens-when-diesel-prices-force-milk-haulers-road
https://thechiefleader.com/stories/worker-firing-the-latest-chapter-in-autozone-s-unsuccessful-union-busting-campaign,57714?
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/sep/18/autozone-new-york-union
https://aflcio.org/2026/9/29/service-solidarity-spotlight-autozone-workers-vote-join-uaw-first-nationwide-chain
https://x.com/BootsRiley/status/2081402455938761143?s=20
https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-nate-and-the-autozone-union?attribution_id=sl:47223fd6-2040-4a68-bfc1-88bcb64cc61e&lang=en_US&ts=1790511644&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp30-control&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F3/83/422/586049/
Executive Disorder: DHS Voter Roll Purge, Cornell and Title IX, Hungary’s Anti-Corruption Crusade
https://www.camp-oshad.org/
http://America.gov
https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/09/inaugurating-the-era-of-super-intelligence/
https://x.com/WhiteHouse/status/2105292669303791687
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28680584-effective-altruism-opposition-research-file/
https://x.com/DoWCTO/status/2099536442594582922?s=20
https://x.com/DoWCTO/status/2100311000993997135?s=20
https://theintercept.com/2026/09/21/john-fetterman-fundraising-republican-gop/
https://time.com/article/2026/09/29/john-fetterman-democrat-turns-to-republicans-for-campaign-cash/
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/palantir-top-supporter-cbc-foundation-annual-conference_n_6ab44468e4b05097ab6cd6c7
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/09/27/trump-administration-taxpayer-funds-2024-campaign-ad-01094567?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
https://www.facebook.com/cnnpolitics/videos/during-a-cnn-debate-california-gop-gubernatorial-candidate-chad-bianco-said-he-i/1532884141888808/
https://www.ksl.com/article/51628353/california-sheriff-unlawfully-seized-over-650000-ballots-and-must-return-them-state-supreme-court-rules
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/24/us/politics/nevada-voters-homeland-security-trump.html
https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/25pdf/26a308_pok0.pdf
https://www.propublica.org/article/save-voter-citizenship-tool-mistakes-confusion
https://www.threads.com/@thegreatgatsbry/post/Dd6YGpzkane?xmt=AQGzqaZ-H3abT0EW2lfRTONANK8dwciIx844aGm48QTIrQ
https://www.lawcommentary.com/articles/lsu-football-player-rape-title-ix-suspension
https://www.dw.com/en/magyar-hungary-fight-orban-corruption-system-return-democracy/a-77726207
https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/with-two-orb%C3%A1n-era-ministers-detained-magyars-operation-purge-takes-shape/ar-AA2ddhtr
https://www.chathamhouse.org/2026/09/brazils-presidential-election-more-just-another-polarized-contest
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/trump-section-301-forced-labor-165346448.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/30/business/trump-tariffs-court-challenge.html
https://www.ttnews.com/articles/us-delays-tariffs-plan-china
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/g20-trade-ministers-open-talks-under-strain-of-trump-tariffs/ar-AA2dhyJI
https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-it-could-happen-here-30717896/episode/the-economics-of-the-tariff-regime-301846881/
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/07/24/trump-tariffs-lawsuit-301-ieepa.html
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/federal-reserve-renovation-watchdog-report-rcna600656
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