Break it Down with Rick and Tim

Break it Down with Rick and Tim
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  • WEEKLY SERIES

Tired of the corruption? Tired of the hate? Are you ready to hear two liberal men talk about seeing things through the lens of empathy? The Break it Down with Rick and Tim podcast brings you all the current events and hot topics that we are facing in America. From Critical Race Theory to Women’s Rights. From the overwhelming problems of mental health to out-of-control belief systems with possible solutions. Rictor Riolo and Tim Giardina give their perspective on serious issues and talk weekly about the current state of our rapidly changing world. Every Friday!

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  1. EPISODE 19

    Ghost Stories

    For the premiere episode of season 2, Rick and Tim talk about ghosts. Things have made Rick a believer; whereas Tim is still skeptical. Has Rick's involvement with the Bigfoot world ruined any skeptical integrity he may have? Or is he able to see things from a different perspective? Tim and Rick discover they both have a commonality with their experiences... unexplained phenomena affecting their lights and electrical equipment. This week’s “Let's Trigger Rictor” segment is about the rematch we never asked for: Biden vs. Trump. God help us. Media clips are included from The Sixth Sense, Ghostbusters, Southpark, Poltergeist, Ghost, and The Shining.

    45 min

  2. EPISODE 20

    King Trump and his Supreme Crock.

    Trump’s rogue Supreme Court has done something unthinkable and unimaginable. They have given him immunity with king-like powers. How do we save our country from this radical shift toward autocracy? Did Ruth Bader Ginsburg let us down by not retiring sooner? What kind of court reform must be done if the Democrats win the election? What can be done? Do we stack the court? Impeach the biased and compromised judges? Create term limits? Codify Roe vs. Wade into law? Rick and Tim talk about what they think should happen to bring our nation back to normal and they both have different opinions. Who will these radical Christian nationalists target next? This episode is a comprehensive review of the current unprecedented judicial system that will have a lasting impact on our country for 50 years to come. This week’s “Let's Trigger Rictor” segment is about the commercialization of Gay Pride. is it a good thing? This podcast continues the ongoing discussion regarding the evolution of this corrupt and unprecedented Supreme Court in American history. Clips include NBC News, MSNBC, The Washington Post, Al Jazeera English, Black History In Two Minutes Or So, and TikTokkers jordan.thewlis, doingdarciethings, thedemocrats, stormqbreaker, glamourmag, davidpakmanshow, nowthisimpact, matthewcummingsuellar, and bmbempower8. If you wish to write a letter to the Supreme Court, the address is: Supreme Court of the United States 1 First Street, NE Washington, DC 20543

    1h 17m

  3. EPISODE 21

    Bye-Bye, Biden

    What did President Biden accomplish during his historic presidential term? Rick and Tim break it all down, covering the highs, the lows, and the Trump controversies. They explore Biden's 50-year career in politics, touching on everything from the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan to the passing of the $1 trillion infrastructure bill. They also discuss Biden's role in key issues like the DACA program, the 2023 railroad strike, and his attempt at the most comprehensive border bill ever proposed to the Senate—only to see it blocked by MAGA politicians who wanted it for Trump's own political gains. The conversation also delves into Biden's involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the contentious claim of his part in the so-called "genocide" of Palestinians. Tim highlights Biden's achievements with the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps insulin costs and implements regulations to rein in big pharma, alongside efforts to allocate funds for student loan relief. The discussion turns to the fairness of college loans issued by banks and whether they were given with good intentions. Tim argues that insurance is a scam and suggests, "As a community, we should have the capability to take care of ourselves. Insurance exists to serve their interests, not ours." Rick raises the question of whether the Democratic Party and the media were opportunistic in their handling of Biden's poor debate performance. Tim believes Biden was over-prepared and got lost in his talking points, while Rick thinks Biden was set up as a sacrificial lamb. Who was responsible for the missteps—Biden himself or his team? This week's "Let's Trigger Rictor" is about what Donald Trump says about being a dictator on day one. Clips included are from CNN, NBC News, ABC News, C-SPAN, The White House, TikTokkers: charpmedia, civicsdean, empiricaluniversity, and yahoonews.

    1h 23m

  4. EPISODE 22

    Return of the Trump

    The podcast begins with Rick and Tim's reaction to the 2024 election results of the first election in US history where an adjudicated rapist, convicted felon, and insurrectionist won a presidential election. Topics include Elon Musk, Luigi Mangione, immigration, and what went wrong with Kamala Harris's election campaign.

    1h 14m

  5. EPISODE 23

    ICE and World War II Parallels (Immigration Part 1)

    In this powerful first installment of our two-part deep dive on immigration in America, Rick and Tim break it down to something startling and increasingly unavoidable: historical parallels. From the early tactics of Nazi Germany to the Japanese American internment camps on U.S. soil, we examine how cruelty becomes policy, how fear becomes a weapon, and how the U.S. immigration system has evolved into something darker than most Americans realize. With humor (because if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry), personal stories, and a mountain of research, we break down: 👉 The rise of state-sanctioned intimidation 👉 Propaganda-driven fear campaigns 👉 ICE’s explosive new funding and militarized tactics 👉 Why modern enforcement resembles 1930s authoritarian playbooks 👉 How legal loopholes are weaponized by people like Stephen Miller, Tom Homan,  & Jeff Sessions 👉 The human cost: families separated, communities terrorized, and due process eroded We also look at disturbing recent cases, like the shooting of Marimar Martinez in Chicago, and examine how propaganda, cruelty-as-deterrence, and profit motive collide to shape today’s immigration reality. We’re talking detention expansion, off-shoring asylum seekers, CECOT-style camps, and the cultural normalization of dehumanization. This episode blends history, politics, community experience, and straight-up receipts to show why “it can’t happen here” has never been less true. This week’s “Let's Trigger Rictor” segment is about the use of pejoratives. Who gets to say them? Should they even be said by anyone? What about context? Clips included are from CNN, NBC News, ABC News, Sky News, Inside Edition, 60 Minutes, Fox News, Slice Full Doc, South Park, The Boston Globe, ProPublica, Smithsonian Channel, Women’s March Win, Reuters, Rupaul’s Drag Race, Bethenny, Noticias, Tiktokkers: ms_ryan, mollaanbbingtoncompass, julesandjessie, peeberr, marxistajohan, jon59663, and wily_lara. If you appreciate truth, context, and the occasional drag-queen-level read, you’re in the right place. Let’s break it down.

    1h 17m

  6. EPISODE 24

    ICE Terrorizing Our Communities (Immigration Part 2)

    In this powerful second installment of a two-part deep dive on immigration and ICE in America, Rick and Tim break down the human cost of Donald Trump’s illegal and unconstitutional terror that he has unleashed into our communities. What begins as an observation quickly turns into a moment of real risk, as Tim knowingly puts his own freedom and safety on the line by stepping forward to film and engage ICE officers with his phone, fully aware that simply documenting their actions can make someone a target. Rick stayed behind, continuing to film the entire encounter, capturing not just the confrontation itself but the fear, tension, and imbalance of power that define these moments. Together, they illustrate how witnessing and documenting state violence is no longer theoretical activism but a dangerous, necessary act unfolding in real time, even in the most ordinary public spaces. The episode centers on real incidents that expose the scope and randomness of modern immigration enforcement. Rick and Tim discuss ICE operations that resulted in people being detained without warrants, pepper-sprayed during protests, or taken while simply driving to work or school. They highlight cases involving a daycare teacher detained in front of children, teenagers seized near their schools, and families left traumatized and scrambling for answers. Throughout, they emphasize that official narratives often clash with eyewitness accounts and court rulings, revealing a pattern of overreach, ignored legal protections, and the erosion of due process. The conversation then widens to national cases that illustrate how unchecked power affects the most vulnerable. Rick and Tim examine the detention of individuals with valid work authorization, asylum protections, or special immigrant juvenile status, showing how even legal victories can be hollow when enforcement agencies refuse to follow the law. They also unpack the high-profile case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, exploring allegations tied to gang registries, tattoos, and human trafficking claims rooted largely in circumstantial evidence. Ultimately, the episode argues that documentation, resistance, and public accountability are essential, not just to challenge specific cases, but to confront a system that is inflicting lasting trauma on families, students, and entire communities. Rick also speaks openly about his fear of what comes next, when mass roundups and detention are no longer threats but policy in motion. He warns that once “the undocumented” are gone, history shows the target never disappears, it simply shifts, and the machinery built to dehumanize one group is inevitably turned on others who are deemed inconvenient, undesirable, or expendable, which includes him as an openly gay man. This week’s “Let's Trigger Rictor” segment is about the use of voter suppression via the USPS  and Trump’s claims that teachers are not professional anymore. Rictor creates a “Let’s Trigger Tim” segment, a first! Topic: The controversial comments Neil deGrasse Tyson said about teachers on the Joe Rogan podcast. Did it set off Tim?

    55 min

  7. EPISODE 25

    The ICE Minneapolis Murders of Renée Good and Alex Pretti

    In this episode of Break It Down with Rick and Tim, the hosts examine the ICE killings of Renée Nicole Good and Alex Pretti in Minnesota and the official government narratives that followed, narratives later contradicted by video evidence. Rick and Tim unpack how claims of “self-defense,” “armed suspects,” and “domestic terrorism” were deployed to shape public perception, highlighting how narrative control often precedes accountability. The conversation expands into a broader historical and cultural analysis, drawing lessons from the WWII short Don’t Be a Sucker, Leni Riefenstahl’s Triumph of the Will, and Hannah Arendt’s concept of the banality of evil to explore how propaganda, repetition, and bureaucratic obedience normalize violence. Touching on press freedom, selective justice, and the weaponization of imagery, the episode warns that democratic erosion rarely announces itself loudly, it advances through routine justifications, moral outsourcing, and the quiet acceptance of what should never be normal. Throughout, humor and raw emotion coexist with serious analysis, underscoring the episode’s central warning: none of this is new, none of it is accidental, and ignoring history is how it repeats itself.

    59 min
See All Season 2 (7)

About

Tired of the corruption? Tired of the hate? Are you ready to hear two liberal men talk about seeing things through the lens of empathy? The Break it Down with Rick and Tim podcast brings you all the current events and hot topics that we are facing in America. From Critical Race Theory to Women’s Rights. From the overwhelming problems of mental health to out-of-control belief systems with possible solutions. Rictor Riolo and Tim Giardina give their perspective on serious issues and talk weekly about the current state of our rapidly changing world. Every Friday!

Information

  • Creator
    Break it Down with Rick and Tim
  • Episodes
    35
  • Seasons
    2
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2023 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Break it Down with Rick and Tim