Episodes
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To our Gaslit Nation community on Patreon, the Zoom link has been posted for today's political salon at 4pm ET. A longtime listener will walk us through security tech strategies to help us stay safe during this time. So bring your questions! Here are the details: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zoom-link-for-et-116250004?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
For more on what we're up against when it comes to tech fascism, read the two recent pieces by Carole Cadwalladr in The Observer:
A new era dawns. America’s tech bros now strut their stuff in the corridors of power https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/11/a-new-era-dawns-americas-tech-bros-now-strut-their-stuff-in-the-corridors-of-power
How to survive the broligarchy: 20 lessons for the post-truth world https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/nov/17/how-to-survive-the-broligarchy-20-lessons-for-the-post-truth-world-donald-trump
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Discounted annual subscriptions are available!
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Episodes manquant?
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Andrea is off to London this week to work on film projects and speak at the Ukrainian Institute of London this Friday about In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones, the graphic novel adaptation of Mr. Jones, the film the Kremlin doesn't want you to see, so be sure to watch it. Today, the Gaslit Nation community had a productive salon to organize our fury into action and hope. A clip of that is in this short recording. Our Patreon supporters can hear the first 30 or so minutes of the recorded salon here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/recording-11-115820794?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Look out for a new episode of Gaslit Nation next week! Until then, stay strong!
If you're in London, details for the Ukrainian Institute event this Friday: https://ukrainianinstitute.org.uk/events/explaining-the-holodomor-to-global-audiences/
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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Was the election stolen? Yes. Through voter suppression; a criminal lack of institutional support, especially after MAGA stole voting machine data from Georgia; a dominant far-right echochamber across all media platforms; several Russian operations including buying MAGA influencers; oligarch consolidation; mainstream media capitulation; and good old fashioned racism, misogyny, and homophobia and transphobia that has long plagued this country.
Why did so many Democratic Senators in battleground states win when Kamala Harris didn't? One reputable pollster explained to Andrea that it's likely due to Independents voting for Trump then splitting their ballot by voting for the moderate Senators. Kamala Harris may have ran as a centrist, but she was painted as a communist who will give your kids sex change operations at school and raise your taxes. Plus, she's Black.
In this election super special, Andrea and Terrell fact check the blame game running rampant right now and help us stay grounded for the horrors ahead. Thank you to all who joined our post election salon over Zoom. We're meeting every Monday at 4pm ET and recording at least the first 30 minutes for those who cannot be there. Andrea shared her guide on how best to use this time across social media platforms, for those who want to amplify these warnings for others, to help our communities brace for impact:
Twitter: https://x.com/AndreaChalupa/status/1854913386540093776
Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@AndreaChalupa/113448400577711156
Spoutible: https://spoutible.com/thread/37796683
BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/andreachalupa.bsky.social/post/3lahbf2sfro2r
Threads: https://www.threads.net/@andreachalupa/post/DCHj1PmP5R8
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We know what comes next. You're not alone in this. We're having a gathering today at 4pm ET over Zoom which will be recorded and shared for our Patreon community. Here's the info: https://www.patreon.com/posts/post-election-et-115498712?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
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Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins Gaslit Nation to break down the Kremlin’s plan for America: stirring up civil war. Russia is hoping to kick our already chaotic political circus into overdrive, but here’s the twist that the Kremlin—along with many white male pundits—completely missed: women across the political spectrum are furious.
Whether it’s the GOP’s authoritarian fantasies, including femicide, or the media’s endless obsession ignoring women’s humanity, women in every state across America are punching Nazis in the ballot box, driving out a historic early vote.
Later in the week, look out for the Gaslit Nation Election 2024 Super Special, featuring Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack. It will include this week’s bonus show, available to Patreon subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) tier and higher. On Monday at 4pm ET, we’re having another political salon over Zoom to brace for the impact of MAGA trying to steal our election with Russia’s help, either through Mike Johnson, the failed legal architect of Trump’s Big Lie, or the MAGA majority on the Supreme Court, should the electoral college come down to one state. Or else, we’re celebrating with a Gaslit Nation virtual block party! Either way, to our Patreon community that keeps the show going, see you on Monday, for whatever comes next.
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our Victory group chat, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
Show Notes:
Clip: Anne Selzer on her Iowa polling: https://x.com/PettyLupone/status/1853169502147449005
Clip: Larry Krasner, Philadelphia DA on election terrorism: https://x.com/abughazalehkat/status/1853631034790662312
Clip: John Jackson, American veteran in Ukraine: “My brief message to Americans voting today. From Ukraine, the epicenter of that struggle between good and evil, between democracy and dictatorship. Please lend me 90 seconds of your time:”
https://x.com/hissgoescobra/status/1853802605509501029
Narrowing nationwide polls reveal a coin-toss for the House majority
https://www.economist.com/interactive/us-2024-election/prediction-model/house
Recent safeguards should quash efforts to overturn election results, experts say It would take congressional majorities and most swing-state legislatures to upend the election. https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2024/11/04/recent-safeguards-should-quash-efforts-to-overturn-election-results-experts-say/
Man Arrested and Charged with Attempting to Use a Weapon of Mass Destruction and to Destroy an Energy Facility in Nashville
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-use-weapon-mass-destruction-and-destroy-energy-facility
Man arrested after federal officials say he sought to destroy Nashville power site https://www.yahoo.com/news/man-arrested-federal-officials-sought-004723571.html
Robert Reich on Mastodon: “If Harris wins, will Congress certify the results? There are now 172 election deniers in Congress. But the new Congress gets sworn in before the presidential election is certified. Your down ballot votes could decide whether your presidential vote is respected or discarded.” https://mastodon.social/@[email protected]/113429039266528054
The Kingdom of Lyz Lenz’s God Land Is Within You https://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/08/in-god-land-lyz-lenz-makes-the-case-for-nuance.html
Andrea Chalupa on Twitter: “The Reagan Revolution ignited a culture of “greed is good," alongside the rise of Christian nationalism. Democrats, for their part, embraced this shift, allowing unions to weaken and newsrooms to erode, all in the name of boosting corporate profits. As a result, Trump and Manafort’s brand of corruption thrived in plain sight. Throughout American history, progress for Black people has been met with violent white rage, and Trump’s birtherism was the inevitable response to the first Black president. Meanwhile, Russia's support for Trump wasn’t just about sowing chaos in U.S. politics; it was part of a broader geopolitical strategy to lift sanctions and advance their long-standing imperial ambitions, which have been unfolding since Russia invaded Georgia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is merely the latest chapter of rising Russian imperialism. All of this is compounded by the deep, structural misogyny and racism in America, a nation built on genocide that persists to this day with the prison industrial complex and the epidemic of violence against Native American women. These forces are not isolated—they are interconnected, fueling each other in a dangerous cycle. The gasoline on that fire is unchecked social media as well as Silicon Valley greed. What's left of newsrooms are populated by white men who aren't sensitive to most of these issues since they're blinded by their own privilege.” https://x.com/AndreaChalupa/status/1853788934393766019
Jimmy Kimmel Surprised That Bombshell Jeffrey Epstein Tapes About Trump Friendship Aren’t Getting More Attention https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/jimmy-kimmel-jeffrey-epstein-tapes-trump-friendship-1236200783/
Clip: Wil I Am “Yes She Can” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lR1rxxIYa-w
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This week’s bonus show features Part II of our conversation with psychiatrist and bestselling author Dr. Bandy Lee. We dive into the phenomenon of “Trump contagion,” strategies for handling MAGA cultists in your life (including how to respond if harassed in public), whether Trump is the Antichrist (spoiler: he is!), and whether Trump staged the recent assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
This week's show also answers a pressing question from a listener. Democracy Defender Patreon supporter Melissa asks: “If you or anyone else has any good reads to recommend on the Green Party and its origins, would love to read it as they are clearly now a Kremlin owned and operated effort to divide and conquer the left.” Melissa, we’ve got you covered! Check out our Jill Stein Voter Guide Super Special.
If you know someone considering a vote for Jill Stein, share this special episode highlighting her troubling track record of hypocrisy. Despite being labeled a “peace candidate,” Jill Stein is a multimillionaire profiting from investments in the military-industrial complexand fossil fuels.
Interestingly, the European Green Party has called for Jill Stein to withdraw from the race and endorse Kamala Harris, stating: “With wars raging and authoritarianism on the rise, Europe needs Kamala Harris as President of the United States—a reliable partner who can take urgent action on the climate crisis and foster a just, sustainable peace in the Middle East.”
The European Green family, which consists of Green parties across Europe, has emphasized that their values starkly contrast with those of Jill Stein’s (fake) Green Party. In their statement, they criticized the US Greens for their connections to authoritarian leaders and diverging policies, particularly regarding Russia’s genocidal invasion of Ukraine.
To catch the full episode, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to all our supporters for making this show possible!
Show Notes:
Meet the Working Families Party on Gaslit Nation: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/stop-eric-adams-power-grab
Vatnik Soup: Meet Spoiler Candidate Jill Stein: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0GFCPsXusI
Bernie Sanders on Gaza and the 2024 Election: https://x.com/BernieSanders/status/1851040553745432775
“Zelensky’s frustration is clear—painfully sad, even— after the White House leaked secrets of his victory plan. But should we be surprised? Since 1991, Joe Biden and other Washington elites have been against Ukrainian freedom. Watch:” https://x.com/JPLindsley/status/1851921386513514734
US elections: European Greens call for Jill Stein to step down https://europeangreens.eu/news/us-elections-european-greens-call-for-jill-stein-to-step-down/
I’m an Environmentalist. That’s Why I Can’t Vote Green. Award-winning filmmaker and director of Gasland Josh Fox on why he will never vote for Jill Stein. https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/jill-stein-green-party-hypocrite/
Former Green Party presidential candidate cooperates in Russia probe into 2016 election
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/former-green-party-presidential-candidate-cooperates-in-russia-probe-into-2016-election
Jill Stein Will Hand Over Russia-Related Communications to the Senate Investigation https://theintercept.com/2017/12/18/jill-stein-will-hand-over-russia-related-communications-to-senate-commmittee/
Jill Stein's Green Party campaign will be turning down some congressional requests for documentation, calling them “overbroad.” https://theintercept.com/2018/04/26/russia-jill-stein-senate-intelligence/
Jill Stein Won’t Stop. No Matter Who Asks. People in Stein’s life have implored her to abandon her bid for president, lest she throw the election to Donald Trump. She’s on the ballot in almost every critical state. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/20/us/politics/jill-stein-harris-trump.html
Jill Stein Is Killing the Green Party With membership at new lows and no electoral wins to their name, it’s time for the Greens to ditch the malignant narcissist who’s presided over its decline. https://newrepublic.com/article/186004/green-jill-stein-2024-election
Jill Stein pushing Kremlin talking points that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is NATO’s fault: https://www.instagram.com/drjillstein/reel/C-qXXvet419/?hl=en
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our Monday political salons over Zoom, our Victory group chat, invitations to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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On a dark and stormy night, oligarchs emerged from the shadows to endorse a Russian-backed Nazi…Welcome to Gaslit Nation’s Halloween Radio Play!
This year’s spine-chilling tale from our vault, “The Bigly,” was written by Gaslit Nation listener Nancy Wallace, and produced by Eliza Smith and Karlyn Daigle. Got a haunting story of your own? Send your submissions to [email protected] for next year!
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our Victory group chat, invites to live events, and more! Discounted annual subscriptions available! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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The MAGA cult represents a profound public mental health crisis. Since 2017, Dr. Bandy Lee has raised the alarm about the pervasive influence of Donald Trump's psychopathy on his followers, coining the term "Trump contagion," and it may have affected people in your own circle.
In her urgent book, The Psychology of Trump Contagion, Dr. Lee argues that the mental health implications of Trump's MAGA movement are significantly underestimated. With her extensive background in public sectors such as prisons and state hospitals, she has observed how toxic influences can spread. Rather than lifting those around them, healthy individuals risk adopting the pathologies of those with severe impairments—a dynamic she has witnessed in environments like street gangs or dysfunctional families, reminiscent of the Trump family itself.
Trump's manipulative tactics leave many feeling trapped and powerless, distorting reality to maintain his grip on power. At the heart of Trump's pathology are his pronounced narcissism, violent tendencies, and deep-seated feelings of inadequacy—all exacerbated among his followers by societal stressors like the income inequality crisis.
In Part 1 of our conversation, we delve into the dark psychology behind Trump and his enablers, including the lack of urgency by Nancy Pelosi during the first two impeachments, as this show warned, as well as the roles played by media executives, and corporate greed.
This week’s bonus show, out Saturday, for our Truth-Teller ($5/month) members and higher will address pressing questions about Jill Stein in our listener Q&A, produced by our Democracy Defender ($10/month) members. We’ll also continue our discussion with Dr. Lee on how to navigate relationships with MAGA cultists, whether Trump staged his assassination attempt, and the troubling connections to pedophile rings within the corrupt family court system. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
Show Notes:
Join our final phonebank with Sister District this Wednesday at 6pm ET! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
Near Fort Myers, Florida? Join Andrea for a day of action! https://www.mobilize.us/leecountydec/event/680718/
Are you in London? Andrea will be speaking at the Ukrainian Institute of London on Friday November 15th. Details here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/ukrainianinstitutelondon/1450274
The More Dangerous Case of Donald Trump: 40 Psychiatrists and Mental Health Experts Warn Anew https://www.amazon.com/More-Dangerous-Case-Donald-Trump/dp/B0DJ4JZD2B
The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind https://www.amazon.in/Psychology-Trump-Contagion-Existential-Democracy-ebook/dp/B0CW1DWBZ9
Discover more of Dr. Bandy Lee’s work at her personal site: https://bandylee.com/
This week’s opening song was “Change Happens (One Conversation at a Time) by Ellen Schwartz and Roger Bruno of the Band Too Human. Check out their work here: http://toohumanonline.com and Submit your own music here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628.
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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Are you a voter in New York City or know someone who is? We need your voice! Indicted Mayor Eric Adams—who, like Trump, also loves foreign bribes—pushed through ballot measures two through six that centralize more power in the mayor’s office. This consolidation risk comes at a time when we must remain vigilant against rising autocracy, especially given New York's rich history as a sanctuary for resistance, from the abolitionist movement to standing up to Trump. Be sure to vote YES on ballot measure one, which enshrines reproductice healthcare, LGBTQ rights, and more in our state constitution, and vote NO on ballot measures two to six.
To help us navigate Adams' gaslighting and strategize ways to overcome America's oligarchy crisis is Jasmine Gripper, co-state director of the New York Working Families Party. Before you head to the polls, don’t miss this important interview! Be sure to vote along the Working Families Party line, especially since disgraced former Governor Andrew Cuomo raised the threshold for third parties to appear on the ballot.
Interested in joining or starting a Working Families Party chapter in your state? Visit their website at workingfamilies.org for more information.
Look out for a new Gaslit Nation out tonight featuring the chilling insights of Dr. Bandy Lee on Trump contagion and how it spreads the cult of violence that turned Germany into a dictatorship in just six months.
Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, invites to live events, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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You asked, we delivered! Welcome to Gaslit Nation's Guide: How to Start a Podcast. We’d love to hear about your ideas, progress, and any questions that come up along the way. If there’s enough interest, we’ll host a follow-up workshop to dive deeper and answer everyone’s questions in one place.
Want to hear the full bonus show? Join the conversation with a community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit and get bonus shows, all episodes ad free, submit questions to our regular Q&As, exclusive invites to live events, and more! Annual subscriptions are available! Subscribe today at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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Want our shows ad free? Subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit to join our community of listeners, get bonus shows and all episodes ad free, invites to exclusive events, submit questions to our regular Q&As, and more! Discounted annual memberships available!
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The world is waiting to see if just enough Americans in a handful of states love democracy more than misogyny. Playing their role in this real-life horror show are white women—the majority have voted Republican since 2000, with more white women voters leaving Biden than leaving Trump. Why? The mental slavery of patriarchy gets internalized, just like mind-warped Russians openly embracing totalitarianism and being fed into the meat grinder in Ukraine.
In this special Gaslit Nation, Terrell Starr reports from the country of Georgia, which operates like a Republican-hostage state thanks to the Kremlin’s capture of just enough political and business elites. Sound familiar? Terrell shares the resistance strategies on the ground, how they might apply to the U.S., and why he thinks the people of Georgia will overthrow their own Kremlin-backed nightmare, called Georgia Dream, this weekend at the polls.
Time to dust off your Facebook friend list! Reecie Colbert, political analyst and host of The Reecie Colbert Show on Sirius XM, shares her insights into how to persuade white women in swing states not to vote for fascism. This important discussion, recorded over the summer and saved for prime get-out-the-vote season as we hit the final homestretch of Gaslit Nation’s phone banks with Sister District and Indivisible (check the show notes to RSVP for those events!), will help you reach out to the white women swing voters in your life!
Listeners in our Patreon community have asked about podcasting. So this week’s bonus show will be our special How to Make a Podcast Workshop to help you raise your voice. We don’t need another “Trump is bad” podcast. But we do need more independent voices keeping a watchful eye on local corruption eclipsed by Trump’s Kremlin Klown Kar, which the media can’t get enough of, especially when it comes to normalizing Russian state capture. To hear that workshop, out this Thursday, subscribe at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) level or higher—discounted annual memberships available! Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism—we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
See you Wednesday for our phone bank party with Sister District at 6pm ET. Never phone banked before? It’s easy! Quick trainings are provided! RSVP here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
Want help with the MAGA cultists in your life? Join our live-taping about the psychology of Trump and his MAGA cult with Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind, October 29 at 12pm ET! A zoom link will be shared on Patreon the morning of the show!
This week’s opening song was “Change Happens (One Conversation at a Time) by Ellen Schwartz and Roger Bruno of the Band Too Human. Check out their work here: http://toohumanonline.com and Submit your own music here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628.
Show Notes:
Elon Musk’s daily $1 million giveaway to registered voters could be illegal, experts say https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/20/politics/elon-musk-voter-giveaway-legal-questions/index.html
Harris, Trump and shifting demographics in the US election: In the US presidential election in November, roughly 244 million people are eligible to vote. What demographic groups make up the country's voting population? And how have they voted in the past? https://www.dw.com/en/harris-trump-and-shifting-demographics-in-the-us-election/a-69477852
When will DeSantis listen to his own voters on ex-felons' voting rights? At a time of bitter, partisan division, a supermajority of ordinary Democrats and Republicans joined forces to pass the most significant expansion of voting rights since 1965. https://www.aclu.org/news/voting-rights/when-will-desantis-listen-to-his-own-voters-on-ex-felons-voting-rights
Massive Pro-Europe Rally Held In Georgia Ahead Of Key Parliamentary Vote https://www.rferl.org/a/georgia-election-dream-zurabishvili-saakashvili-russia-kobakhidze/33165650.html
Moldova President Hails EU Referendum Win After Russia Meddling Claims The referendum on joining the EU passed with a razor-thin majority in the key electoral test for the former Soviet republic bordering war-torn Ukraine. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/40860
Craig Unger: Trump rose on Russian money. It was all legal. https://www.sltrib.com/opinion/commentary/2019/04/01/craig-unger-trump-rose/
Donald Trump Accused of Committing 'Massive Crime' With Reported Phone Call https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-accused-crime-benjamin-netanyahu-call-ceasefire-hamas-1942248
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Thank you to Democracy Defender-supporter Melissa for the question that produced this week’s Q&A Bonus show! Be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit to submit your questions, get all shows ad free, and hear the full bonus episode!
Why is DeJoy still in charge? Well, it all comes down to numbers—specifically, the ones the Democrats don’t have yet. The USPS Board of Governors is still short of the votes needed to remove Louis DeJoy. There’s a glimmer of hope on the horizon with Biden's nominations of former Florida Rep. Val Demings and former Labor Secretary Marty Walsh, but they need to get through Senate confirmation first. Even if that happens, the entire Democratic bloc on the board has to agree to boot DeJoy. And here’s the kicker: they’ll also need an Independent to back them.
Now, about that Independent, Amber McReynolds: she was appointed by Biden. But, plot twist—this Biden appointee has gone on record saying the USPS is doing just fine. So yeah, not exactly a slam dunk for Team “Fire DeJoy.”
This is how corruption is allowed to fester—DeJoy stays, he enriches his family through shady deals, and the USPS, along with its overworked staff, remains on the chopping block. It’s the Reaganomics playbook: shrink government services, weaken unions, and let privatization sweep in to pick at the bones. All while the people who depend on these services are left with empty mailboxes and a dysfunctional system. Welcome to DeJoy's America!
This week’s bonus show includes a fiery continuation of Gaslit Nation's interview with Elie Mystal, Justice Correspondent for The Nation and author of the bestselling book Allow Me to Retort A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution. We discuss one of the most dangerous men in America: Merrick Garland. To listen to the full episode, be sure to subscribe at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level or higher, and to submit a question for our next Q&A bonus show, subscribe at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) level or higher. Discounted annual memberships available. Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism, especially during these tough times. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
Look out for our special workshop How to Make a Podcast publishing October 24th for our supporters at the Democracy Defender level and higher, unless you grabbed the early bird special in September and signed up at the Truth-teller level and higher!
Join our live-taping about the psychology of Trump and his MAGA cult with Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind, October 29 at 12pm ET!
Subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit to join our community of listeners, get bonus shows and all episodes ad free, invites to exclusive events, submit questions to our regular Q&As, and more! Discounted annual memberships available!
Show Notes:
To Restore Abortion Rights, Democrats Must Win the Senate. If Democrats manage to win the White House but lose the Senate, then people in GOP-controlled states will continue to be forced to bring pregnancies to term against their will.
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/to-restore-abortion-rights-democrats-must-win-the-senate/
DeJoy maintains financial ties to former company as USPS awards it new $120 million contract. XPO Logistics pays DeJoy and family businesses at least $2.1 million annually to lease four office buildings in North Carolina https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/08/06/usps-dejoy-xpo-logistics/
Joe Biden Passes 'Essential Stop' in Bid to Save Mail-in Ballots - Attorney https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-joe-biden-mail-ballots-2024-election-postal-service-1932369
Senators call on postal board to abandon DeJoy’s USPS reforms. The overhaul is harming the Postal Service, Democrats say, though postal leadership says it just needs more time. https://www.govexec.com/management/2024/04/senators-call-postal-board-abandon-dejoys-usps-reforms/396048/
Can Biden fire US Postmaster General Louis DeJoy? https://www.federaltimes.com/federal-oversight/2022/08/24/can-biden-fire-us-postmaster-general-louis-dejoy/
If You Can Keep It: Voting By Mail (1A) https://the1a.org/guests/amber-mcreynolds/
82 House Democrats Urge Biden to Name Postal Board Nominees to “Protect and Expand” a Public USPS on letter endorsed by 36 public-interest groups
https://takeonwallst.com/2024/02/82-democratic-members-of-congress-urge-biden-to-name-postal-board-nominees-to-protect-and-expand-a-public-usps-endorsed-by-36-public-interest-groups/
Watch Live: Postmaster General Louis DeJoy grilled at Senate hearing https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ba0pak1UOCo
Musk buying votes in swing states https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna176075
See you this Wednesday for our phone bank party with Sister District at 6pm ET – we’re calling into must-win Arizona! RSVP here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
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How do we protect ourselves from Trump’s MAGA Supreme Court? Expand the court like our lives depend on it, because they do! Elie Mystal, the Justice Correspondent for The Nation, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy’s Guide to the Constitution, joins Gaslit Nation to discuss urgently needed judicial reform and how to do it.
One of the first things the Nazis did was take over the judiciary in Germany. Republicans have long waged lawfare against our democracy, and now they’re just one election away from establishing a dictatorship. The far-right’s long-game has been met with hand-wringing, complacency, and neoliberalism from Democrats. And now we’re out of time, making court expanding an urgent priority for our nation, should Kamala Harris win.
But will the Supreme Court steal the election for Republicans, like they did for George W. Bush in 2000? That and Trump’s cult of toxic masculinity are discussed in this week’s Gaslit Nation, also featuring Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack. This week’s bonus show, available for our subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, continues the conversation with a special focus on dangerous Attorney General Merrick Garland, and answers questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) and higher for our bonus Q&A. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation and makes our independent journalism possible – we could not make this show without you!
See you this Wednesday for our phone bank party with Sister District at 6pm ET – we’re calling into must-win Pennsylvania! RSVP here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
This Thursday at 7pm ET, we’re making calls with Indivisible to hold onto the must-win Senate. RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/indivisible/event/628701/
Look out for our special workshop How to Make a Podcast publishing October 24th for our supporters at the Democracy Defender level and higher, unless you grabbed the early bird special in September and signed up at the Truth-teller level and higher!
Join our live-taping about the psychology of Trump and his MAGA cult with Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind, October 29 at 12pm ET!
Subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit to join our community of listeners, get bonus shows and all episodes ad free, invites to exclusive events, submit questions to our regular Q&As, and more! Discounted annual memberships available!
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In the darkest days of World War II, Algerian-French writer Albert Camus sent a defiant message to the Nazis: our victory is inevitable. If you're feeling any election anxiety or grappling with uncertainty about the months ahead, watch this video on Camus' powerful Letter to a German Friend, from his book Resistance, Rebellion, and Death. It's a reminder that our resistance to authoritarianism has deep, resilient roots.
And if you're dealing with MAGA extremists in your life—whether you're navigating tough conversations, protecting your space from harassment, or simply trying to understand the cult of Trump—join our live taping with Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind, on October 29 at 12 PM ET for our Truth-Teller-level subscribers and higher. You can also send in your questions for Dr. Lee through Patreon if you can't make the live event.
On October 24th at 7pm ET, we're releasing a recording of our How to Make a Podcast workshop to answer the questions we frequently get from listeners and help you find your voice. This will be available to our Democracy Defender-level subscribers and above, starting today.
We have a lot of exciting events lined up in the coming weeks to connect with our community of listeners. Don’t miss our Political Salons every Monday at 4 PM ET on Zoom—a space to vent, ask questions, share what's going on in your world, and just hang out. It's become a dynamic part of shaping the show!
Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation—we couldn't make this show without you. Be sure to subscribe and join us for the lively discussions ahead!
A programming change: Our bonus episode Q&A answering questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender-level and higher will now run next Saturday. Get your questions in, if you haven't yet!
Photo: With my uncle Vitalij Keis in his library. For more on his story, listen to our 2013 interview with NPR here: https://theworld.org/stories/2013/08/15/orwells-animal-farm-and-ukrainian-refugees
Show Notes:
Camus’ Letters to a German Friend, a Warning for Our Times https://casdinteret.com/2021/11/albert-camus-letters-to-a-german-friend-warning/
Broadcast to Germany: Dorothy Thompson Speaking https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1943/01/broadcast-to-germany-dorothy-thompson-speaking/657045/
Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’ and Ukrainian Refugees https://theworld.org/stories/2013/08/15/orwells-animal-farm-and-ukrainian-refugees
Orwell and the Refugees: The Untold Story of Animal Farm https://www.amazon.com/Orwell-Refugees-Untold-Story-Animal-ebook/dp/B007JNKF5G
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Gaslit Nation is vindicated yet again. Today, The New York Times reports on Bob Woodward’s latest book War, which confirms what we’ve been warning about since day one: Russia is infiltrating the U.S. through Trump’s MAGA fascist cult. The same tactics of weaponized corruption that Paul Manafort, Trump’s longtime friend and neighbor in Trump Tower, used to bring “Ukraine’s Trump” Viktor Yanukovych to power are being deployed here. Ukraine has long been a testing ground for Russian aggression, and what happens there is a precursor for what Russia will try in other nations, including the U.S. This is why Ukraine’s success is our own.
We recorded this week’s episode Tuesday morning before the publication of the report on War, which claims Trump has spoken to Putin at least seven to a dozen times since leaving office. It also reveals, unsurprisingly to Gaslit Nation listeners, that while Trump was waging war on so-called blue states—withholding life-saving supplies during the height of the pandemic—he sent Covid tests to Putin amidst a shortage of tests, further proving his fealty to the world’s most sanctioned terrorist.
This week, Terrell Starr reports from Berlin, Germany, a country grappling with its own MAGA crisis with the rise of the far-right AfD (Alternative for Germany). We unpack why some nonwhite voters support Trump despite it being against their interests; MAGA disinformation weapon Candace Owens; and Stacey Abrams' warning that “demographics are not destiny.” We also explore how to survive the apocalypse–a time of climate crisis driven by gas station dictatorships, MAGA’s Big Oil backers, and their fascist footsoldiers.
In times of compounding crises and confusion, Gaslit Nation is here to help you stay grounded. This week’s bonus show for subscribers at the Truth-teller level ($5/month) and higher will answer questions from our Democracy Defender subscribers ($10/month and above). We’ll dive into why Louis DeJoy remains in power and the origins of the Green Party’s Kremlin cicada, Jill Stein. Tune in Saturday morning for that! Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
Show Notes:
Reform the Electoral College https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/5/28/reform-the-electoral-college
Sister District x Gaslit Nation GOTV Phonebank! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
Book Raises Unverified Claims About Trump’s Ties to Putin The journalist Bob Woodward cited an unnamed aide saying that Donald J. Trump had spoken to Vladimir V. Putin as many as seven times since leaving office. Multiple sources say they cannot confirm that report. https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/08/us/politics/trump-putin-woodward-book.html
Ron DeSantis Not Relying on FEMA As Florida Braces for Hurricane Milton https://www.newsweek.com/ron-desalts-not-relying-fema-hurricane-milton-1965526
Come As You Are Weekly Political Salons! Join us every Monday at 4 PM ET via Zoom! Let’s share frustrations, ask burning questions, seek support, and help shape Gaslit Nation. Everyone’s voice matters—whether you’re a political junkie or just finding your voice, you belong here! Recordings available exclusively on Patreon.
🎤 Upcoming Virtual Live Tapings:
October 24 7pm ET: How to Make a Podcast workshop – we need your voice!
October 29 12pm ET: Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind
All these events, access to our Victory Chat and Art is Survival Chat, ad-free shows, bonus episodes, Q&As, and more await at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual discounts available!
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A Gaslit Nation listener at the Democracy Defender level asked for a handy guide to help a small business owner considering voting for Trump to reconsider. If you need help convincing the small business owners in your life not to vote against their interests, Gaslit Nation has you covered! This special episode breaks down all the reasons Trump will be disastrous for small business owners, including the bribes they’ll have to pay after Trump finishes turning our country into lawless Russia, which has been the plan all along, as Gaslit Nation first warned.
This week’s bonus show also covers the VP debate. Why didn’t Walz dogwalk Vance like Harris dogwalked Trump? Walz is the guy who coined “weird,” so we know he could have destroyed Vance, listing all the ways he’s a Peter Thiel tool. Why didn’t he? The answer may be in Walz’s closing words. His warnings at the very end gave us important insight and guidance into what to expect in the tense months ahead, as discussed in this week’s bonus show. Our discussion with investigative journalist Greg Palast, about his new must-watch film Vigilantes, Inc., and the audience Q&A at our live-taping, is included in this week’s bonus show. Look out for more live-tapings soon!
To our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher, keep your questions coming as the Gaslit Nation Q&A continues! If you didn’t hear your question answered this week, look out for it soon. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
To hear this full bonus episode, get all shows ad-free, invites to exclusive events, join other listeners in our Victory group chat, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Discounted annual subscriptions available!
Come As You Are Weekly Political Salons! Join us every Monday at 4 PM ET via Zoom! Let’s share frustrations, ask burning questions, seek support, and help shape Gaslit Nation. Everyone’s voice matters—whether you’re a political junkie or just finding your voice, you belong here! Recordings available exclusively on Patreon.
🎤 Upcoming Virtual Live Tapings:
October 22 12pm ET: Dr. Bandy Lee, author of The Psychology of Trump Contagion: An Existential Danger to American Democracy and All Humankind
October 24 7pm ET: How to Make a Podcast workshop – we need your voice!
Show Notes:
How to Effectively Communicate in a Time of Polarization: Digital Defenders - Freedom Over Fascism with Anat Shenker-Osorio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO8vyp45sEw
Biden’s small-business boom may undercut Trump’s polling edge on economy A record 18.1 million new small businesses have sought to launch since the Democratic president’s inauguration https://www.marketwatch.com/story/bidens-small-business-boom-may-undercut-trumps-economic-edge-41030fa3
Small Business Growth Rising Faster Under Biden and Democrats Than Trump https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/democrats/2024/6/small-business-growth-rising-faster-under-biden-and-democrats-than-trump
Biden’s Budget Proposes a New Direct Lending Program for the SBA https://www.inc.com/melissa-angell/bidens-budget-proposes-new-direct-lending-program-for-sba.html
Lawmakers Push Bill to Block the SBA From Expanding Further Into Direct Loans https://www.inc.com/melissa-angell/lawmakers-push-bill-to-block-sba-from-expanding-further-into-direct-loans.html
Biden won't put his name on aid checks (unlike you know who) Last year, Trump prioritized putting his name directly onto COVID relief checks. This year, Joe Biden is more interested in governance than self-promotion. https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/biden-won-t-put-his-name-aid-checks-unlike-you-n1260398
The Great Grift: How billions in COVID-19 relief aid was stolen or wasted https://apnews.com/article/pandemic-fraud-waste-billions-small-business-labor-fb1d9a9eb24857efbe4611344311ae78
Trump Erased Millions of Possible PPP Fraud Flags in Last Days in Office Officials cleared nearly all potential fraud flags given to loans above $2 million just days before Trump left office. https://truthout.org/articles/trump-erased-millions-of-possible-ppp-fraud-flags-in-last-days-in-office/
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On Gaslit Nation, we often say that America’s history is an authoritarian one for nonwhite people. That brutal legacy flows directly through the family of Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. His ancestors were among the first to bring enslaved Africans to Georgia and fought to prevent America’s Founding Fathers from banning slavery in the Declaration of Independence. Fast forward to today: Brian Kemp continues that legacy by denying voting rights to the descendants of those his ancestors enslaved. And in Georgia, you can’t even learn about this history because Kemp has worked to suppress it—that’s how he holds onto power.
As the must-watch documentary Vigilantes, Inc. by investigative journalist Greg Palast reveals, “suppressing history suppresses the vote.” Narrated by Rosario Dawson and produced by Martin Sheen, George DiCaprio, and Maria Florio, the film is available for free at SaveYourVote.org, a site launched by Leonardo DiCaprio. The name Vigilantes, Inc. traces back to 1946, when the Ku Klux Klan used it as a cover for their operations. Today, Kemp is leading the charge to use the Klan’s playbook to steal Georgia for Donald Trump in 2024, and MAGA has a new A.I. weapon.
Palast is known for his investigative reports for The Guardian and bestsellers including The Best Democracy Money Can Buy. This week’s bonus show, out Saturday for subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, will feature the audience Q&A with Palast at our live taping. Listeners' questions at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) level and higher will open the bonus show, incuding how to explain to small business owners that serially corrupt, Kremlin asset, career criminal Donald Trump is no businessman—he just played one on TV. Look out for that special Q&A bonus episode this Saturday, exclusively on Patreon. Discounted annual memberships are available. Thank you to everyone who supports the show, especially in these hard times–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!
Watch Vigilantes, Inc. for free here: SaveYourVote.org
Check out Greg Palast’s work here: ww.gregpalast.com
Our next phonebank party is this Wednesday October 2nd at 6pm ET with Sister District, calling into Michigan. RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrictnyc/event/642096/
To join our “Come as You Are” Political Salons over Zoom to vent, ask questions, or just hang out, every Monday at 4pm ET through Inauguration Day, subscribe at the Truth-teller level or higher on Patreon.com/Gaslit!
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Our hearts are with everyone affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene. To support those in need, GoFundMe has created a page of verified mutual aid campaigns where you can make a difference: https://www.gofundme.com/c/act/hurricane-helene.
In our latest Gaslit Nation 'Come As You Are' Political Salon, we explored the MSNBC documentary From Russia with Lev, diving into its revelations and the critical context it missed. This is an excerpt from Andrea's review, which then goes deeper, highlighting what to watch for in the film and what’s conspicuously absent. In the documentary, Lev Parnas apologizes to Hunter Biden for his role in the scheme to fabricate a scandal aimed at derailing Biden’s 2020 campaign to help keep Trump in power. Andrea also shares a list of others to whom Parnas owes an apology—starting with her sister, Alexandra Chalupa, the former DNC consultant who risked her life to sound the alarm to both Democratic and Republican leaders, as well as the media and public, about Russia’s interference in our democracy to install Trump in 2016, part of a Kremlin-led campaign of state capture.
Join us every Monday at 4 p.m. ET for our Gaslit Nation political salons on Zoom, exclusively for Truth-teller level patrons and higher. It’s a chance to vent, ask questions, and connect with fellow listeners. We’re also hosting a special VP debate night watch party in our Victory group chat. Don’t miss out—discounted annual subscriptions are available! To join, visit us at Patreon.com/Gaslit.
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Our hearts go out to the people impacted by Hurricane Helene and their anti-government governments, who will be replaced one day with public servants, which is what this conversation is about. To help those who are impacted, there’s a resource on where to donate in the show notes. (Do not choose the Red Cross, for reasons explained in the show notes). Thank you.
Thank you to everyone who joined our live taping with Laboratories of Autocracy and Saving Democracy author David Pepper, who is not just a democracy warrior, but also the mastermind behind the new podcast series Project 2025: Up Close and Personal. Picture this: short, terrifying vignettes with a cast so star-studded, you'd think it was Hollywood's last gasp before a fascist takeover—J. Smith-Cameron, Fisher Stevens, Richard Schiff, Morgan Fairchild, Omid Abtahi, and many more! We previewed "Chapter 2" of the series–it’s the audio equivalent of a cold sweat. You can listen to it [here].
Democrats have been playing defense for so long, they've forgotten what offense looks like. "There are two million uncontested races out there," David pointed out, which is about as comforting as knowing JD Vance’s particular brand of weird fills the halls of power in Republican hostage states. David also shared the story of how he got a call out of the blue from Vice President Kamala Harris last spring, to discuss ways to fight back. Thanks to the audience Q&A, he shared who he thinks should be her Attorney General—should she win, of course.
Want to make that dream a reality? Join the fight! Gaslit Nation hosts phonebanks with Sister District every Wednesday at 6 p.m. RSVP [here]. Join our next live taping on Tuesday October 1st at 12pm ET with Greg Palast, discussing his new film Vigilantes Inc: America’s New Vote Suppression Hitmen. Bring your questions on all the ways Russian-backed MAGA is trying to steal the election, their plans if they lose, and ways to protect the vote.
Come As You Are Weekly Political Salons! Join us every Monday at 4 PM ET via Zoom! Let’s share frustrations, ask burning questions, seek support, and help shape Gaslit Nation. Everyone’s voice matters—whether you’re a political junkie or just finding your voice, you belong here! Recordings available exclusively on Patreon.
🎤 Upcoming Virtual Live Tapings:
October 1 at 12 PM ET: Join investigative journalist Greg Palast to discuss his new film Vigilantes Inc: America’s New Vote Suppression Hitmen
October 24 7pm ET: How to Make a Podcast workshop – we need your voice!
All these events, access to our Victory Chat and Art is Survival Chat, ad-free shows, bonus episodes, Q&As, and more await at Patreon.com/Gaslit at the Truth-Teller level and higher. Annual discounts available!
Show Notes:
How To Help After Hurricane Helene https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2024-09-26-how-to-help-hurricane-helene-victims-where-to-donate
The Red Cross Won’t Save Houston It has proven itself unequal to the task of massive disaster relief. We need a new kind of humanitarian response. https://slate.com/business/2017/08/dont-give-money-to-the-red-cross-we-need-a-new-way.html
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