E324: Blockade Party w/ Noah Kulwin & Brendan James

The hosts of Blowback Podcast report back from Colombia and Cuba!For an extended version of this episode, support the show at http://patreon.com/thiswreckageIn Bogota, they attended a conference of the Progressive International that drafted a declaration for countering the Donroe Doctrine. And in Havana, they witnessed immediate results of Trump's full blockade of oil imports, leaving the island with only 3 weeks of fuel before the power grid fails.Along the way we talk about various forms of ice protests in New York, the lack of internationalist power among the (North) American left, the twisting road of recent US-Cuban foreign policy, the afterlife of the Pink Tide, and some tips on visiting Cuba while you still can.Show notes: Rubio seeks regime change in Cuba: https://www.bellyofthebeastcuba.com/rubio-no-end-to-cuba-sanctions-without-regime-changeThe Progressive International's San Carlos Declaration: https://progressive.international/wire/2026-01-25-nuestra-amrica/en/Trump says US in talks with Cuban leadership: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/01/us-is-in-talks-with-cuban-leadership-says-trump-after-blockade-threatsRussia supplying air defenses? https://www.defensenews.com/global/the-americas/2026/02/02/russian-cargo-plane-arrives-in-cuba-echoing-frantic-caracas-buildup/Song: Celina González - Décimas de la Revolución

Gavin and Hope from the Chicago chapter of the Independent Labor Club join Sean to discuss national news and local chapter news in Chicagoland.Join us for a conversation about the recent events (pig murders) in Minneapolis, what it means to organize against the state, how not to become fodder in blue vs red politics and what autonomous class self-activity looks like amid general crisis.For access to the bonus portion of this episode become a supporter of our workClick on the link for information and to sign up for the Independent Labor Club of North America: www.ilclabor.comFor info on upcoming events from Chicago ILCCheck out Gavin's history podcast: West Bank Robbery

Sean and Andy are joined by Connor Mulhern, lead researcher at the Reactionary International Research Consortium, and Henry Wallace, head honcho at the New International Magazine and Franco-American raconteur, to discuss the networks of power and influence behind the rise of right populist movements across the globe. How might this reactionary global influence network compare to the unsuccessful 20th century attempt to create a fascist international or the relative successes of the Mount Pelerin Society later on? Where does an increasingly reactionary Silicon Valley fit in? What is the connection between Trumpism and the burgeoning European post-fascist movement? And how might they be confronted and defeated without the working class allying itself with the avatars of a dying liberal order like Keir Starmer and Kaja Kallas?https://reactionary.international/cases/ https://www.newintermag.com/washington-is-no-ally/https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/11/opinion/national-security-strategy-us-europe.htmlTo listen to the full episode and all our wonderful bonus content become a supporter of our show at http://patreon.com/thiswreckageSong: JPEG Mafia - Vulgar Display of Power

Our thoughts on the wars, foreign and domestic, covering Greenland, Canada, China, Venezuela, EU, NATO, Israel, Minneapolis, the consolidation of neo-fascist lumpen imperialismSupport the show at http://patreon.com/thiswreckageShow notes: EU’s “anti coercion tool”, the Trade bazooka, turns against Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/world/europe/greenland-us-trade-war.htmlEstonia's suppression of Russian minority: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/russia/article/2025/03/26/estonia-s-parliament-bans-local-voting-for-non-europeans-targeting-russians_6739540_140.htmlIsraeli War Keynesianism: https://jacobin.com/2025/09/israel-war-economy-reservist-compensationhttps://www.972mag.com/israel-genocide-economy-gaza-war/https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-rolls-out-tax-benefits-to-lure-back-tech-talent-and-investments-after-gaza-war/ https://www.boi.org.il/en/communication-and-publications/regular-publications/monetary-policy-reports/monetary-policy-report-first-half-of-2025/Rise of Nazis and a capitalist ‘Dual State’, not dual power: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/18/opinion/renee-good-ice-immunity.html?smid=nytcore-ios-sharehttps://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2025/05/trump-executive-order-lawlessness-constitutional-crisis/682112/ https://www.nplusonemag.com/issue-50/politics/the-fork-in-the-road-2/ Song: Andrew Bird - Dear Old Greenland

Sean and Andy are joined by Marco and Luke of the UK collective Angry Workers of the World, here to discuss their practical activity and intellectual output since the publication of Class Power on Zero Hours several years ago. They also present their relatively new healthcare industry project whose publication Vital Signs seeks to analyze how medical labor, in all its industrial diversity and its day-to-day struggles, might prefigure a world where our class has taken responsibility for production and reproduction of society.This is a wide-ranging and fascinating discussion with fellow workers who are grappling with the biggest questions facing our class at the moment. If you're interested in their project or starting something similar where you live and work they have asked especially healthcare workers in the US to reach out to collaborate with them at Vital Signs.To become a patron and support our work go to www.patreon.com/thiswreckageSong: Megadeath - Angry Again

We discuss PLURIBUS: Vince Gilligan's new show about a misanthropic writer who has to deal with the annoying communist singularity.for the FULL EPISODE subscribe at patreon.com/thiswreckage

Sean is drunk and angryListen to the full episode free and subscribe for our bonus ep about Pluribus at http://patreon.com/thiswreckageShow notes:NYE murder in Cali https://abc7.com/amp/post/keith-porter-death-advocates-want-legal-action-man-shot-killed-off-duty-ice-agent-northridge/18359155Feds block investigation https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/08/us/minnesota-ice-shooting-news.html?smid=nytcore-ios-shareBorder Patrol attacks school kids: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2026/01/08/after-border-patrol-clash-at-roosevelt-minneapolis-schools-cancel-classesLessons from Chicago: https://lakeeffect.noblogs.org/post/2025/12/31/chipocalypse-now/

Our initial reaction to Trump's first regime change and some thoughts on the end of the Bolivarian Revolution.Statement from La Clase: https://laclase.info/content/abajo-la-agresion-yanqui-defendamos-a-venezuela/Support the show at http://patreon.com/c/thiswreckageSong: Rebel Diaz - Work Like Chavez

Sean and Varn are back to talk current events, discuss theory and gripe about everyone and everything. On the tumbrils this week: artificial intelligence, the DSA, sovereign debt, multipolarity and how not to debate with Colin Drumm online. In the second half we talk about 'The Mamdani Moment', Varn's recent ascension to Chief Fly-in-the-Ointment in the DSA, the pre-political theories of the ILC and how the ruling class are dragging us all into the hellfire.For the full episode, and all past Divings into the Wreckage, support this show at http://patreon.com/thiswreckageSong: Gary Numan - This Wreckage

We talk about Adrian's new Ill Will Editions essay Revolts Without Revolution, a development of the memetic theory from his previous essays on Gilet Jaunes and George Floyd for a year of coordinated youth revolts and right-populist power-grabs.Memes With Force: https://illwill.com/print/memes-with-forceMemes Without Ends: https://illwill.com/memes-without-endMaucio Lazzarato - The United States and Fascistic Capitalism: https://illwill.com/fascistic-capitalismNueva Icaria - New Fascisms and the Reconfiguration of Global Counterrevolution: https://illwill.com/new-fascismsPreorder Depose–the first publication from Ill Will Editions: https://store.illwilleditions.com/products/depose-luigi-mangione-and-the-right-to-healthSong: Youthquake - Manuver