It Could Happen Here

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It Could Happen Here Weekly 230

May 2, 2026

Guest

Andrew Sage

Andrew Sage, independent commentator and podcaster behind Andrewism, gives a concise historical overview of Libya and Gaddafi. He covers the 2011 uprising, NATO’s intervention and its long-term fallout. Short, focused takes trace Libya’s fragmentation, proxy influences, oil’s role, and the humanitarian collapse that followed.

03:24:33

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ANECDOTE

Mamdani’s 100 Day Museum Showcased Tangible Wins

Garrison Davis describes Mayor Zoran Mamdani's 100‑day museum and speech above the Basement nightclub highlighting snow shovel and tenant victories.
The event showcased tangible wins: snow shovel fix, tenant organizer appointment, and a child‑sized podium for free childcare.

insights

INSIGHT

Mayoral Moves Produced Rapid Tenant Remedies

Mamdani used the Rent Guidelines Board and tenant office to push housing protections fast, altering oversight and securing repairs via bankruptcy interventions.
Davis cites $34M recovered, 6,070 apartment improvements and new Alternative Enforcement Program oversight.

insights

INSIGHT

State Partnership Enabled Rapid Childcare Expansion

Mamdani partnered with Governor Hochul to expand free childcare and 2K/3K programs, leveraging state funds for municipal policy.
Davis notes $1.2 billion in state funding and expansion of free 3K and pilot on-site child care for city workers.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Politics as Extremophile Adaptation

AI, Project Maven, and Failed Military Logic

12:06 • 15min

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Social Media, Extremes, and Public Disengagement

27:08 • 9min

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Violence, Radicalization, and Political Responsibility

35:48 • 7min

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Libya: Origins of the 2011 Uprising

42:22 • 1min

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NATO Intervention and Its Aftermath

43:24 • 11min

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Fragmented Post‑Gaddafi Politics

54:37 • 7min

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Foreign Backers, Proxy Forces, and Oil Leverage

01:01:56 • 59sec

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Humanitarian Collapse in Libya

01:02:55 • 4min

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Preview: Gaddafi's Record

01:06:35 • 3min

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Gaddafi: Early Life and Coup

01:09:26 • 6min

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Jamahiriya, People's Congresses, and Repression

01:15:52 • 4min

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Welfare State Gains vs. Authoritarian Control

01:19:44 • 4min

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Abuses: Sexual Coercion and Minority Suppression

01:23:14 • 6min

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Economic Liberalization and Western Ties

01:29:15 • 4min

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Gaddafi's International Role and Pariah Status

01:33:14 • 9min

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Zoran Mamdani: 100 Days and Governing as Socialist

01:42:05 • 5min

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Housing, Rent Board, and Tenant Protections

01:46:55 • 5min

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Universal Childcare and City Investments

01:52:05 • 1min

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Transit, Bus Lanes, and Free Bus Pilot

01:53:28 • 2min

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Budget Crisis and Fiscal Transparency

01:55:00 • 3min

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Homelessness Policy and NYPD Tensions

01:57:54 • 4min

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Department of Community Safety and Labor Wins

02:01:42 • 7min

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Pothole Politics and Municipal Socialism

02:09:03 • 4min

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Municipal Grocery Stores and Wealth Tax

02:13:07 • 4min

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Messaging, Delivery, and National Implications

02:16:53 • 6min

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Executive Disorder: Weekly News Roundup

02:23:06 • 1min

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Congress, FISA, and Federal Policy Moves

02:24:12 • 4min

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Maine Senate Primary Upset and Local Ground Game

02:28:26 • 4min

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International Incidents: Northern Ireland Bombing

02:32:36 • 14sec

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USGS Lithium Finds and Environmental Costs

02:32:50 • 5min

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Supreme Court Voting Rights Decision

02:37:57 • 4min

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White House Correspondents' Dinner Shooting

02:41:29 • 2min

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Court Filing Details of the Attacker

02:43:10 • 6min

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Did the Shooter Fire? Ballistics and Video

02:49:24 • 4min

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Shooter's Background and Online Footprint

02:53:03 • 7min

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Manifesto Motives: Christianity, Ukraine, and Rage

02:59:48 • 17min

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Conspiracy Theories and Mistrust After Shooting

03:16:48 • 13min

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Immigration, ICE Detention Ruling, and Border News

The Return of Muammar Gaddafi

Hatham Gusemi

This work by Hatham Gusemi analyzes the revival of Gaddafi’s image and the political currents that romanticize his era in Libya and beyond. It situates the cult of personality within post-revolutionary instability and critiques narratives that whitewash authoritarian abuses. The book surveys how nostalgia for Gaddafi manifests in discourse and politics, particularly among populations affected by post-2011 turmoil. Gusemi interrogates the social and economic roots of that nostalgia and its implications for Libya’s future. The study is grounded in regional scholarship and contemporary observations.

#51182

My Fourth Time, We Drowned

Sally Hayden

In 'My Fourth Time, We Drowned', Sally Hayden documents the perilous journey of migrants through Libya, exposing the harsh realities of detention centers and the failures of international organizations. The book is a powerful exploration of resilience and survival amidst one of the world's most devastating humanitarian crises.

#91319

Libya

The History of Gaddafi's Pariah State

John Oakes

John Oakes' book provides a detailed journalistic account of Muammar Gaddafi's rise and four-decade rule in Libya, charting political developments, repression, and foreign relations. It explores key events such as the Cultural Revolution, the creation of the Jamahiriya, human-rights abuses, and Libya's international isolation. Oakes draws on interviews, archival material, and reportage to contextualize how oil wealth and personal rule shaped Libya's institutions and society. The book assesses Gaddafi's domestic policies and international provocations that contributed to his pariah status. It is a readable synthesis for those seeking to understand Libya under Gaddafi and the country’s trajectory into the 21st century.

#81409

Qaddafi and the Libyan Revolution

Andrew Lycett

David Blundy

Blundy and Lycett offer a comprehensive examination of Muammar Qaddafi's revolution and governance in Libya, combining investigative journalism with biographical detail. The book traces the 1969 coup, the consolidation of Gaddafi's authority, ideological shifts, and the mechanisms of repression used against opponents. It situates Libya's internal developments within regional and international contexts, including relations with neighboring states and the West. The authors use interviews, contemporaneous reporting, and analysis to depict the complexities of Qaddafi's rule and its impact on Libyan society. This work is valuable for readers seeking a thorough narrative of Libya's modern political history.

All of this week's episodes of It Could Happen Here put together in one large file.

- The Age of Extremophiles

- Libya with Andrew

- Gaddafi with Andrew

- Zohran Mamdani's First 100 Days

- Executive Disorder: White House Correspondents Shooting, Voting Rights Act

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Sources/Links:

Libya with Andrew

Iran retaliation: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjrqqd8lw2wo

Timeline of Libyan History: https://www.britannica.com/place/Libya/History

Timeline of Libyan revolt: https://www.britannica.com/event/Libya-Revolt-of-2011

Behind the NTC: http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1062/2/who-drove-the-libyan-uprising

Consequences and Motivations of Libya intervention: https://jacobin.com/2015/02/libya-intervention-nato-imperialism

https://web.archive.org/web/20220517202837/https://merip.org/2011/11/was-the-libya-intervention-necessary/

https://jacobin.com/2021/03/nato-libya-war-uk-us-france-regime-change

https://jacobin.com/2011/09/libya-and-the-left

Rebel abuses: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-14891913