It Could Happen Here

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.
A Second Electrolysis Union Appears
Morocco's US-Backed Occupation of Western Sahara
The Rise of Organized Retail Crime Propaganda
How Congress Could Bring ICE to a Store Near You
Executive Disorder: Spokane Wildfires, Abdul Wins Michigan Primary, Munition Shortage
Donation links for Spokane wildfire:
https://spokanetribalnetwork.org/
https://innovia.iphiview.com/innovia/GiveNow/AccountInformation/tabid/495/dispatch/accountselection_id$180408_hash$f9c04d9a7ad07c61d181c69d882b312140005878/Default.aspx
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Sources/Links:
A Second Electrolysis Union Appears
gacwa@protonmail.com
https://linktr.ee/GACWA
Morocco's US-Backed Occupation of Western Sahara
Saharawi Voices youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE
The Rise of Organized Retail Crime Propaganda
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/
https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap
https://radsecurity.com/roameo
https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/
https://www.facefirst.com
https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/
https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&geo=US
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/
https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523
https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&id=D000000741
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853
https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php
https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10
https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&t=1768
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&year=2024
https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped
https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&t=2327
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html
https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost
https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo
How Congress Could Bring ICE to a Store Near You
https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ATRI-The-Fight-Against-Cargo-Theft-Exec-Summ-12-2025.pdf
https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-theft-trends/
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-cargo-theft-costing-60-billion-annually-what-that-number-actually-represents
https://www.levernews.com/the-real-story-behind-the-highway-robbery-panic/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853/text
https://www.newstore.com/articles/unified-customer-profile/
https://law.vanderbilt.edu/eyes-everywhere-ices-expanded-use-of-surveillance-technologies/
https://www.aclu-wi.org/news/mobile-fortify-ices-dystopic-facial-recognition-app/
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/06/oregon-state-police-violated-sanctuary-law-sharing-data-ice-lawsuit-claims/
https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/retailers-secretively-using-face-recognition
https://vera-action.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Oppose+CORCA+Organizational+Sign-on.pdf
https://davisvanguard.org/2026/07/orgs-oppose-retail-crime-act/
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-advance-bipartisan-packages-in-national-defense-authorization-act-to-crack-down-on-crime-and-protect-kids-online
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/24/underground-mutual-aid-hillsboro-immigrant-families-ice/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5
https://www.tucsonspotlight.org/ice-detention-bars-tucson-mom-from-her-own-trial/
https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2026/6/11/230128-a-tucson-resident-was-arrested-for-shoplifting-now-shes-in-ice-custody/
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU01/20250122/117827/HHRG-119-JU01-20250122-SD004.pdf
https://revealnews.org/article/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/
https://innovationlawlab.org/news-and-analysis/video-evidence-surveillance-tech-used-op-black-rose
https://www.404media.co/ices-facial-recognition-app-misidentified-a-woman-twice/
Executive Disorder: Spokane Wildfires, Abdul Wins Michigan Primary, Munition Shortage
https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/wildfire/american-red-cross-volunteers-removed-kaiser-canyon-fire-shelter-allegations-racist-discriminatory-language/293-bb0165df-e18f-4b36-95b7-4278f5a327f4
https://gothamist.com/news/federal-judge-blocks-new-yorks-ban-on-ice-agents-wearing-masks
https://x.com/GovKathyHochul/status/2084421714528666043?s=20
https://gothamist.com/news/ny-looks-to-shut-down-kalshi-have-it-pay-36-billion-in-new-lawsuit
https://abcnews.com/US/capital-closed-hundreds-trumps-bank-accounts-2021-anti/story?id=135273257
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/30/trump-blanche-acting-nomination-01017021
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28528054-hearn-dismissal-motion/
https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/politics/jeanine-pirro-removal-reflecting-pool
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1097148959431469
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/04/g-s1-137389/max-miller-congress-house-ethics-committee-investigation
https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/stevens-dismisses-pac-focus-as-campaign-finance-zoomies/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/us/politics/michigan-democratic-senate-primary-aipac.html
https://www.eenews.net/articles/michigan-senate-primary-puts-data-center-politics-to-the-test/
https://abdulforsenate.com/priorities/
https://x.com/MikeRogersForMI/status/2083648125273588199?s=20
https://x.com/IAPolls2022/status/2085013160528921029?s=20
https://prospect.org/2026/07/17/cbc-condemns-will-lawrence-local-black-leaders-back-him-up-michigan-congress/
https://x.com/WeWill2026/status/2076015931227250722
hhttps://youtu.be/3UyXlWgXyAY?si=OsrVNhC2LuJCjgb- ttps://www.wvxu.org/politics/2026-07-16/cook-political-report-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-acton-toss-up
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/ohio-governor-election-polls-2026.html
https://tiffinohio.net/posts/ramaswamy-booed-young-conservatives-convention-cincinnati/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/war-and-conflicts/military-organizations/exclusive-us-has-used-virtually-all-of-its-long-range-precision-missiles-during-iran-war-sources-say/ar-AA29nIXd
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/americas-munitions-crisis-is-real/
https://gtac-hub.com/news/crisis-in-us-munitions-supply-as-155mm-production-stalls
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/texas-ammo-factory-zero-shells/
https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/as-oregon-burns-and-gamblers-bet-lawmakers-push-back-against-wildfire-betting-markets-drawing-millions.html
https://www.hcn.org/articles/people-are-betting-on-wildfires-should-they/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-financial-page/kevin-warsh-is-facing-more-than-a-communication-problem
https://abc7chicago.com/post/25-states-including-illinois-file-lawsuit-president-donald-trumps-new-tariffs/19620616/
https://fortune.com/2026/08/01/fed-chair-kevin-warsh-credibility-shock-rate-hikes-inflation-yield-curve/
https://www.businessinsider.com/bond-yields-inflation-interest-rates-outlook-fed-meeting-kevin-warsh-2026-7
https://archive.vn/gjEFl
https://fortune.com/2026/08/03/yen-dollar-intervention-euros-bessent-japan-debt-yields/
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/02/business/us-buys-japan-yen-intl-hnk
https://www.cfr.org/articles/why-the-u-s-intervened-to-prop-up-japans-yen
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James reports from the wildfires across the PNW while Robert, Mia, and Garrison discuss left-wing wins and losses in the Michigan and Missouri primary elections, the US military's continuing munitions shortage, gambling on wildfires, and what’s up with the new Fed chair Kevin Warsh.

Donation Links:

https://spokanetribalnetwork.org/
https://innovia.iphiview.com/innovia/GiveNow/AccountInformation/tabid/495/dispatch/accountselection_id$180408_hash$f9c04d9a7ad07c61d181c69d882b312140005878/Default.aspx

Sources:
https://www.krem.com/article/news/local/wildfire/american-red-cross-volunteers-removed-kaiser-canyon-fire-shelter-allegations-racist-discriminatory-language/293-bb0165df-e18f-4b36-95b7-4278f5a327f4
https://gothamist.com/news/federal-judge-blocks-new-yorks-ban-on-ice-agents-wearing-masks
https://x.com/GovKathyHochul/status/2084421714528666043?s=20
https://gothamist.com/news/ny-looks-to-shut-down-kalshi-have-it-pay-36-billion-in-new-lawsuit
https://abcnews.com/US/capital-closed-hundreds-trumps-bank-accounts-2021-anti/story?id=135273257
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/07/30/trump-blanche-acting-nomination-01017021
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/28528054-hearn-dismissal-motion/
https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/03/politics/jeanine-pirro-removal-reflecting-pool
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1097148959431469
https://www.npr.org/2026/08/04/g-s1-137389/max-miller-congress-house-ethics-committee-investigation
https://michiganadvance.com/2026/07/30/stevens-dismisses-pac-focus-as-campaign-finance-zoomies/
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/us/politics/michigan-democratic-senate-primary-aipac.html
https://www.eenews.net/articles/michigan-senate-primary-puts-data-center-politics-to-the-test/
https://abdulforsenate.com/priorities/
https://x.com/MikeRogersForMI/status/2083648125273588199?s=20
https://x.com/IAPolls2022/status/2085013160528921029?s=20
https://prospect.org/2026/07/17/cbc-condemns-will-lawrence-local-black-leaders-back-him-up-michigan-congress/
https://x.com/WeWill2026/status/2076015931227250722
hhttps://youtu.be/3UyXlWgXyAY?si=OsrVNhC2LuJCjgb- ttps://www.wvxu.org/politics/2026-07-16/cook-political-report-ohio-governor-ramaswamy-acton-toss-up
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/polls/ohio-governor-election-polls-2026.html
https://tiffinohio.net/posts/ramaswamy-booed-young-conservatives-convention-cincinnati/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/war-and-conflicts/military-organizations/exclusive-us-has-used-virtually-all-of-its-long-range-precision-missiles-during-iran-war-sources-say/ar-AA29nIXd
https://www.aei.org/op-eds/americas-munitions-crisis-is-real/
https://gtac-hub.com/news/crisis-in-us-munitions-supply-as-155mm-production-stalls
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/texas-ammo-factory-zero-shells/
https://www.oregonlive.com/wildfires/2026/08/as-oregon-burns-and-gamblers-bet-lawmakers-push-back-against-wildfire-betting-markets-drawing-millions.html
https://www.hcn.org/articles/people-are-betting-on-wildfires-should-they/
https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-financial-page/kevin-warsh-is-facing-more-than-a-communication-problem
https://abc7chicago.com/post/25-states-including-illinois-file-lawsuit-president-donald-trumps-new-tariffs/19620616/
https://fortune.com/2026/08/01/fed-chair-kevin-warsh-credibility-shock-rate-hikes-inflation-yield-curve/
https://www.businessinsider.com/bond-yields-inflation-interest-rates-outlook-fed-meeting-kevin-warsh-2026-7
https://archive.vn/gjEFl
https://fortune.com/2026/08/03/yen-dollar-intervention-euros-bessent-japan-debt-yields/
https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/02/business/us-buys-japan-yen-intl-hnk
https://www.cfr.org/articles/why-the-u-s-intervened-to-prop-up-japans-yen
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster discusses the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act and how it could widen ICE’s surveillance dragnet.
Sources:
https://truckingresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/ATRI-The-Fight-Against-Cargo-Theft-Exec-Summ-12-2025.pdf
https://www.cargonet.com/news-and-events/cargonet-in-the-media/2025-theft-trends/
https://www.freightwaves.com/news/is-cargo-theft-costing-60-billion-annually-what-that-number-actually-represents
https://www.levernews.com/the-real-story-behind-the-highway-robbery-panic/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853/text
https://www.newstore.com/articles/unified-customer-profile/
https://law.vanderbilt.edu/eyes-everywhere-ices-expanded-use-of-surveillance-technologies/
https://www.aclu-wi.org/news/mobile-fortify-ices-dystopic-facial-recognition-app/
https://www.opb.org/article/2026/05/06/oregon-state-police-violated-sanctuary-law-sharing-data-ice-lawsuit-claims/
https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/retailers-secretively-using-face-recognition
https://vera-action.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/Oppose+CORCA+Organizational+Sign-on.pdf
https://davisvanguard.org/2026/07/orgs-oppose-retail-crime-act/
https://www.judiciary.senate.gov/press/rep/releases/grassley-durbin-advance-bipartisan-packages-in-national-defense-authorization-act-to-crack-down-on-crime-and-protect-kids-online
https://www.opb.org/article/2025/12/24/underground-mutual-aid-hillsboro-immigrant-families-ice/
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/5
https://www.tucsonspotlight.org/ice-detention-bars-tucson-mom-from-her-own-trial/
https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2026/6/11/230128-a-tucson-resident-was-arrested-for-shoplifting-now-shes-in-ice-custody/
https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU01/20250122/117827/HHRG-119-JU01-20250122-SD004.pdf
https://revealnews.org/article/how-a-us-citizen-was-scanned-with-ices-facial-recognition-tech/
https://innovationlawlab.org/news-and-analysis/video-evidence-surveillance-tech-used-op-black-rose
https://www.404media.co/ices-facial-recognition-app-misidentified-a-woman-twice/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Investigative journalist, Kevin Foster outlines the rise of organized retail crime propaganda and the ensuing legislative crackdown.
Sources:
https://www.geekwire.com/2026/drone-vs-shoplifter-watch-how-redmond-pd-tracks-an-alleged-thief-from-high-in-the-sky/
https://nrfprotect.nrf.com/attend/event-recap
https://radsecurity.com/roameo
https://losspreventionmedia.com/top-retailers-rely-on-artificial-intelligence-for-loss-prevention/
https://www.facefirst.com
https://missionlocal.org/2026/07/sf-grocery-outlet-facial-recognition/
https://trends.google.com/explore?q=organized%20retail%20crime&date=2019-10-10%202026-07-02&geo=US
https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/transnational-organized-crime/organized-retail-theft
https://www.retaildive.com/news/retailers-crime-problem-numbers/699107/
https://www.c-span.org/program/senate-committee/senate-hearing-on-organized-retail-theft/662523
https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&id=D000000741
https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/2853
https://counciloncj.org/shoplifting-trends-what-you-need-to-know/
https://www.vera.org/news/the-truth-about-retail-theft
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/dec/07/retail-theft-losses-inventory-nrf
https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/Is-shoplifting-forcing-Walgreens-to-cut-back-in-16536960.php
https://www.businessinsider.com/target-closing-stores-due-to-crime-stats-tell-another-story-2023-10
https://www.youtube.com/live/CcfggLuNAIk?si=wpu-uZyUisXLWRZT&t=1768
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-01-12/newsom-suggests-ways-to-crack-down-on-property-crime-without-dismantling-proposition-47
https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/01/09/property-crime-framework/
https://lao.ca.gov/BallotAnalysis/Proposition?number=36&year=2024
https://nrf.com/podcast/how-san-diego-district-attorney-summer-stephan-combats-organized-retail-crime
https://www.npr.org/2021/10/27/1049651009/mountain-dew-arrest-felony-count-dropped
https://youtu.be/LXwNudSOWls?si=Jbg8Kh3_ucWxmTXQ&t=2327
https://www.pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2018/05/22/states-can-safely-raise-their-felony-theft-thresholds-research-shows
https://www.prisonpolicy.org/reports/money2026.html
https://www.lao.ca.gov/policyareas/cj/6_cj_inmatecost
https://www.sdcda.org/content/office/newsroom/tempDownloads/8c903f42-47ab-4b6d-baf7-4f5dc5a6f4d0_DA%20Testifies%20at%20Senate%20Hearing%207-15-25.pdf
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/19/us/one-year-old-mississippi-boy-police-shooting
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/may/15/banko-brown-killed-walgreens-security-guard-video
https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/01/us/south-carolina-murder-trial-cyrus-carmack-belton
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHNKn0oAdMo
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Dana El Kurd talks with Mohamedsalem Werad, co-founder of Saharawi Voice. Saharawi Voice is a collective of citizen journalists and filmmakers based in the Western Sahara refugee camps in south-west Algeria that provides a platform for Saharawis to share their challenges, experiences, perspectives, and hopes with an international audience. Mohamedsalem is also the co-director of the documentary Haiyu. They discuss recent events related to Morocco’s occupation of Western Sahara, and how the US is implicated.
Sources:
Saharawi Voices youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SAHARAWIVOICE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.