Outmaneuvering MAGA: Christopher Armitage & Sumathy Kumar on Soft Secession [Episode Cut]

Synopsis:  As the federal government's grip on power tightens, a growing movement is harnessing the power of local governments to resist authoritarianism and protect constitutional freedoms.

This show is made possible by you! To become a sustaining member go to LauraFlanders.org/donate

Description: There are countless strategies for resisting authoritarianism — many of which we’ve discussed on this program. This time, we’re looking at ways to stop the MAGA Right using the power of cities and states. What’s possible when people take federalism seriously and partner with state officials to protect their constitutional freedoms — and elections — from being violated by the federal government? Our guests are organizers and strategists with experience and plans for outmaneuvering MAGA at the state and municipal level. Christopher Armitage is a U.S. Air Force veteran, former law enforcement officer, writer, and founder of “The Existentialist Republic” on Substack. He is the author of a handbook on “Oppositional Federalism”. Sumathy Kumar is the Executive Director of Housing Justice for All and the New York State Tenant Bloc. She was the former Co-Chair of the NYC Democratic Socialists of America and under her leadership, NYC-DSA elected six socialist legislators to the New York State Legislature, including mayor Zohran Mamdani. From withholding federal revenue to building social housing, hear the creative ways people and local governments can turn up the heat. All that, plus a commentary from Laura.

“We need to take power away from the Trump administration and from the GOP. That means taking that power and putting it locally . . . Being able to provide a good quality of life in an affordable environment for your residents is soft succession.”

“Tenants are half the state in New York, they're 70% of the city . . . What I tell people is that you're not by yourself, you're with millions of other people who want this. It is scary to resist what's happening, especially when we see what ICE is doing, what the federal government is doing to people who stand up. But they are doing that because they are feeling threatened by the resistance . . .” - Sumathy Kumar

Guests:

• Christopher Armitage: Journalist & Policy Strategist; Substack, The Existentialist Republic; Author, Oppositional Federalism

• Sumathy Kumar: Executive Director, Housing Justice for All & NY State Tenant Bloc

Watch the episode released on YouTube; PBS World Channel 11:30am ET Sundays and on over 300 public stations across the country (check your listings, or search here via zipcode). Listen: Episode airing on community radio (check here to see if your station airs the show) & available as a podcast.

Full Episode Notes are located HERE.

Full Conversation Release: We offer to our members and podcast subscribers the full uncut conversation in this podcast feed. 

Music Credit: 'Rise' by Maurice Joshua and 2FTHR released on Maurice Joshua Digital, 'Steppin' by Podington Bear, and original sound design by Jeannie Hopper

Support Laura Flanders and Friends by becoming a member at https://www.patreon.com/c/lauraflandersandfriends

RESOURCES:

*Recommended book:

“Oppositional Federalism” by Christopher Armitage: *Get the Book

(*Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. The LF Show is an affiliate of bookshop.org and will receive a small commission if you click through and make a purchase.)

Related Laura Flanders Show Episodes:

•  D.A. Larry Krasner Facing Impeachment: Criminal Justice Reform in the Crosshairs:  Watch / Listen: Episode Cut

•  Organizing for Gaza Ceasefire Through Policy & Protest: Meet JVP & NY Assemblymember Mamdani: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut and Full Uncut Conversation

•  Overcoming the Housing Crisis: The Story of the Cooper Square Community Land Trust: Watch / Listen: Episode Cut

•. A Public Bank for Public Good:  Watch / Listen

Related Articles and Resources:

•  DSA’s Sumathy Kumar & the Socialists in Office Committee, by Stephanie Luce, August 20, 2021, Convergence

•  The Cost-of-Living Crisis Explains Everything, by Annie Lowrey, November 11, 2024, The Atlantic

•  It’s Time for Americans to Start Talking About “Soft Secession”, by Christopher Armitage, August 18, 2025, The Existentialist Republic

•. ICYMI:  New analysis shows democratic AGS who sued protected their states’ public health funding, while GOP-led states lost out, August 28, 2025, Democratic Attorneys General Association

•  New York law aims to stop funding of illegal Israeli settlements in West Bank, by Chris McGreal, May 17, 2023, The Guardian

•. What is The Montana Plan? Transparent Election Initiative

•  Experts Say Blue States Can Stop Paying Federal Taxes, There’s Precedent, by Christopher Armitage, November 10, 2025, The Existentialist Republic

•  Building “Mass Governance” in Zohran Mamdani’s New York City, by Sumathy Kumar and Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Jacobin Magazine

•  Trump Lawsuit Against IRS Puts Him on Both Sides of the Same Case, by Richard Rubin, C Ryan Barber and Annie Linskey, February 1, 2026, The Wall Street Journal

Laura Flanders and Friends Crew:  Laura Flanders-Executive Producer, Writer;  Sabrina Artel-Supervising Producer; Jeremiah Cothren-Senior Producer; Veronica Delgado-Video Editor, Janet Hernandez-Communications Director; Jeannie Hopper-Audio Director, Podcast & Radio Producer, Audio Editor, Sound Design, Narrator; Sarah Miller-Development Director, Nat Needham-Editor, Graphic Design emeritus; David Neuman-Senior Video Editor, and Rory O’Conner-Senior Consulting Producer.

FOLLOW Laura Flanders and Friends

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauraflandersandfriends/

Blueky:  https://bsky.app/profile/lfandfriends.bsky.social

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraFlandersAndFriends/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lauraflandersandfriends

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFLRxVeYcB1H7DbuYZQG-lg

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lauraflandersandfriends

Patreon:   https://www.patreon.com/lauraflandersandfriends

ACCESSIBILITY - The broadcast edition of this episode is available with closed captioned by clicking here for our YouTube Channel