Cliff & David Are Joined By Writer/Minnesota Resident, Walter Rhine
This episode of Amped Up with Cliff Schecter was raw, urgent, and politically clarifying. The outrageous, murderous actions by Donald Trump, The Pentagon, and the masked ghouls of ICE obviously created this atmosphere. The hosts and guest, while retaining their sense of humor, just weren’t having it anymore.
As usual, Cliff was joined by co-host David Shuster, and Streamyard-ing in was guest Walter Rhine. All three walked viewers through the human, moral, and political fallout of ICE violence in Minnesota and Defense Department violence in Caracas—and what Democrats must do right now in response.
1. Minnesota in Crisis: Fear Is the Point
Walter opened by describing why he kept his kids home from school—not abstract fear, potential violence unfolding in Minnesota after the horrific shooting. With ICE activity escalating near his community and masked agents operating without accountability, parents have been forced to make these decisions.
This isn’t paranoia. It’s the consequence of federal agents:
refusing to identify themselves
operating without visible oversight
escalating confrontations amid protests
Walter framed it as a decade-long escalation of racialized intimidation, beginning the moment Donald Trump entered national politics.
2. Shoot-First America: Minneapolis Not an Isolated Case
Cliff drew a straight moral line between:
the killing of Renee Nicole Good by ICE in Minneapolis
the bombing that killed Rosa Elena González, an elderly woman in Venezuela
The connective tissue is dehumanization—a Trumpian political culture of Might Makes Right that treats certain lives as disposable, often even celebrates violence. Cliff argued the same logic fuels:
school shootings enabled by gun extremism
In Cliff’s words: If we can’t say the word “fuck” on TV, but we’re fine with kids and grandmothers being slaughtered, our moral compass is broken.
3. White Supremacy as System, Not Exception
Walter articulated a central thesis of the conversation:
This isn’t imported fascism. This is America’s original sin, fully institutionalized, and encouraged to fly its freak flag proudly.
Key points:
White supremacist ideology was never fully dismantled, it was rebranded
The KKK has never been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. government, which is shocking
ICE is a magnet for radicalized actors, including January 6 extremists
Right now the problem is leadership, or lack thereof, from Kristi Noem to J. D. Vance. Classless, shameless, unprofessional cretins. They attack victims like they’re a Kristi Noem puppy or Usha Vance family member, instead of pausing for an investigation.
That reaction, David argued, is the tell.
The Usha Vance family, who must appreciate J.D.’s constant demonization of them so they’ll suffer more racial harassment—or even attacks—during their lifetimes
4. Media Failure and the Both-Sides Lie
A recurring theme: corporate media’s abdication of all responsibility to inform their audience of objective truths, be they scientific, historical, or a shooting any person can see violates every rule of law enforcement (and humanity).
Examples called out:
“Some people say…” reporting when video evidence exists
treating objective facts as partisan opinion
laundering propaganda through false balance
Cliff & Walter made clear this ecosystem allowed fascism to metastasize—unchecked, unchallenged, normalized. It’s the biggest reason you should grab a paid subscription to Blue Amp Media—our breaking stories and analysis has already wrecked MAGA narratives, and we can do even more with your help!
5. The Political Question: Shut Down the Government?
The most urgent debate of the episode: Should Democrats shut down the government to defund ICE and DHS?
Cliff’s answer:
Yes — if you’re willing to fight all the way through.
Key conditions discussed:
Mandatory body cameras
No masks, full identification
Due process enforcement
Arrests of agents violating state and local laws
The worst option, David & Cliff warned, is pretending to fight then folding, a shot at Democratic leadership (Chuck Schumer). They praise fighters like Chris Murphy and argue Dems need new leaders with tactical courage, piercing, memorable messaging, and eagerness to use every procedure in Congress to halt the damage to democracy.
Walter was unequivocal: Oppose. Oppose. Oppose.
6. A Movement Is Growing — But Speed Up!
The show ended with cautious resolve:
Millions participated in recent anti-authoritarian protests
Electoral over-performance suggests backlash is building
Independent media (Substack, YouTube) is filling a vacuum left by corporate press
Walter closed by reminding viewers why he writes: for his kids, and for a future where telling the truth still matters.
Thank you Ellie Leonard, NeuroDivergent Hodgepodge, Lawrence Winnerman, Cat, Joseph Fedorko, and many others for tuning into my live video with Walter Rhein, David Shuster, and Blue Amp Media! Join me for my next live video in the app.
