The Light That Won't Turn Off: Political Awakening, Media Control, and Moving Forward with Joy with guest Joaquin Flores -Episode 173 Beyond the Lines Podcast

🎙️ Political Realignment in 21st Century America

Joaquin Flores joins to discuss the massive shift in American politics from the 20th to 21st century, noting how traditional left-right divides have blurred.

He observes that many current MAGA supporters hold positions historically associated with the left—anti-war, pro-worker, anti-empire—while those identifying as “left” now support positions like funding foreign conflicts and corporate censorship.

Traditional workers’ movements and anti-war positions now align with Trump voters, while institutional Democrats have become the party of empire, censorship, and manufactured consensus. Flores argues the majority of Americans support current policies but are gaslit by media operations that simulate opposition through artificial engagement and controlled narratives.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

“It’s not that conservatives are necessarily better at messaging, it’s that there are more people receptive to the message… because we are the majority”

“Do not be afraid. Fear is the killer. Proceed with joy and dignity, humility and love. Do not mirror their negativity with negativity. Kill them with love.”

00:00:00 - Intro and show open
00:00:33 - Host welcomes Joaquin Flores
00:03:17 - 21st‑century political realignment in the U.S.
00:05:32 - “Hold the line”, 2020 election & January 6 lead‑up
00:08:28 - Biden gaffe / Poland remarks & ‘regime change’ clarification
00:09:54 - Legacy media, CIA-era tactics & anonymous sourcing
00:10:44 - Heather Cox Richardson critique; NATO/Ukraine/Dem narrative
00:15:39 - Censorship/deplatforming since 2010–2012
00:17:32 - Don Lemon clip; ‘people of color’ label & ‘get a gun’ call
00:21:03 - Vox pop: Support for National Guard in cities (Baltimore)
00:22:36 - Media opportunism; Ana Kasparian example
00:25:54 - ‘Strategy of Tension’: crime waves & new political reality
00:27:15 - Distinguishing anti-crime ops from anti‑labor crackdowns
00:29:14 - NGOs, tent cities, drugs & cycles of despair
00:31:43 - Local perspective: safety now vs. root causes (Memphis)
00:34:07 - On‑the‑ground chroniclers (Portland) & manufactured optics
00:41:21 - Police accountability & qualified immunity
00:43:06 - ‘Fund & train’ police vs. ‘defund’
00:44:11 - Bail/release policy failure example
00:44:56 - Tariffs, deindustrialization & inner‑city crime link
00:46:24 - Anti‑war priorities vs. Ukraine funding; domestic tradeoffs
00:49:13 - Deplatforming via banks & payment platforms
00:51:39 - Patriotism + social justice; internationalism presumes nations
00:54:16 - Astroturfing claims: ActBlue/Substack metrics & bot farms
00:59:51 - 2016 fraud attempts vs. 2020 mail‑in ballot expansion
01:00:52 - Bernie, platform control & narrative setting
01:02:31 - WhatsApp censorship & targeting allegations (Bucha)
01:03:46 - Why the memes land: humor, power & majority sentiment
01:05:54 - Closing: ‘Do not be afraid… kill ’em with love’
01:06:40 - Outro