On today’s BradCast: I don’t use the word easily. But, if they’re gonna use actual Nazi book titles and Nazi fonts in their ICE recruitment ads, they can hardly be offended, much less surprised, if they are called Nazis, right? Also, if they’re going to undermine democracy the way the Nazis did, yeah, they’re gonna get called out as Nazis! [Audio link to full show follows this summary.]

On today’s program…

• We kick off with a new tune at the top of the show called “Join ICE”, by brilliant young folk singer Jesse Welles. You’ll enjoy it. If I’m right, and you wanna hear it again, or see what Jesse looks like, the video of his new song is right here.

• Next, they’re not even trying to hide it anymore. As the nonprofit news site Religious Dispatches points out, it’s “less of a dog whistle than a bullhorn” at this point. The outlet cites two recent cases of the Dept. of Homeland Security tweeting out ICE recruitment propaganda with both purposeful Nazi references — that might only be fully appreciated by actual Neo-Nazis — and a “Join ICE” recruitment video that uses “the very same gothic lettering, or Frakturschrift, used by Nazis in their publications — including on the cover of Mein Kampf”!

• Speaking of police states now in America, Democratic state lawmakers returned to Texas on Monday after breaking quorum in the state Legislature for the past two weeks. Their goad had been to block the adoption of a newly gerrymandered U.S. House map for Texas in advance of next year’s midterm elections. We discuss why the Dems say they have returned and what that means for the fight against the new map in Texas and for democracy across the U.S. But the Republican’s state House caucus leader has now ordered the Democrats who returned from out of state to be escorted “around-the-clock” by Texas state troopers to prevent them from fleeing again, until the new Special Session called by Gov. Greg Abbott (at Donald Trump‘s order) is over. Or, at least until they’ve used their rightwing legislative muscle — and state troopers — to deprive voters in five blue-leaning U.S. House districts of their right to be represented by a candidate of their choosing.

• Then, Donald Trump is really hoping you’ll forget about his failure to strike a ceasefire “deal” with Vladimir Putin in Alaska last Friday (any his failure to apply “severe” consequences, as promised, against Russia if he didn’t). Of course, Trump continues to hope that you’ll be too outraged about everything else, to remember that he is still refusing to release the Epstein Files that he is featured in. Today’s latest attempted distraction was a long post Monday morning on his failing social media site, vowing to end the use of “MAIL-IN BALLOTS” and get rid of “VOTING MACHINES”, by Executive Order, before the 2026 midterm elections. Of course, he has no Constitutional authority as President to do any of that and, naturally, his rambling, at-times ALL CAPS screed announcing his plans was filled with one false claim after another, which we break down on today’s show. The biggest takeaway, however, is not only that Trump is hoping to undermine democracy, but that he is now putting in place excuses to blame for his party’s trouncing in next year’s midterms. Presuming, of course, that they are trounced. If so, he’ll be able to claim it was the “MAIL-IN BALLOTS” and “VOTING MACHINES” that dunnit, without any actual evidence to support his claims — other than his previous tweets “warning” about same. It’s his 2020 sore loser act redux. Much more on all of this on today’s show.

• Finally, we close with a few callers today, on all of the above…

The BradCast with Brad Friedman 8/18/2025

Trump, Nazis and Trump’s Nazified Elections: ‘BradCast’ 8/18/2025  |  Also: TX Dems return to state after quorum break in fight for democracy...   · · · · ·   Trump, Nazis and Trump’s Nazified Elections: ‘BradCast’ 8/18/2025  |  Also: TX Dems return to state after quorum break in fight for democracy...

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