Gaslit Nation

Trump-Epstein Super Special [TEASER] Oct 30, 2025

Welcome to the Gaslit Nation Trump-Epstein Super Special, where we dig into the 15-year friendship between convicted felon, traitor, and alleged pedophile Donald Trump and confirmed pedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

We saved this episode for October 30th – Ivanka's birthday – to remind her and Jared they'll never install her as president. America will be liberated from elite criminal impunity, and we will never forget.

Our government, our Supreme Court, our Congress, and too many of our so-called leaders have been hijacked by an elite network of predators – a real-life QAnon hiding behind weaponized conspiracy theories. Everything else is just distraction.

For decades, Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell – his partner in crime and notorious socialite photobomber – collected billionaires, politicians, and power brokers across industries. They believed they'd never face justice because their criminal club protected them in a global kompromat operation tied to Russia and Israel. They had friends in high places like Alex Acosta and GOP cover-up king Bill Barr.

The powerful names exposed by Epstein's victims all swear they "had no idea," even though Epstein had been a registered sex offender since 2008.

And yet, the Epstein files remain sealed. The same institutions that can track your phone and your email somehow can't unseal a few court documents or convince MAGA to re-open our government. Curious, isn't it?

History reminds us: the truth is unstoppable. The Epstein files are just the tip of the iceberg. The public will know the full horrors of Trump's violent crimes. We won't let his deliberately engineered scandals to cover-up his crimes distract us – we demand accountability, we demand justice and solidarity for the victims.

Because the real conspiracy isn't a pizza parlor in D.C – it's the silence protecting the predators in power.

This is an excerpt of this week's bonus show exclusive for our Patreon members who keep our show going. To listen to the full episode and get access to all bonus shows, hear all episodes ad free, get invites to exclusive events like our Monday salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit -- discounted annual memberships are available and you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit

Show Notes:

Inside the Long Friendship Between Trump and Epstein: For nearly 15 years, the two men socialized together in Manhattan and Palm Beach, Fla., before a falling out that preceded Mr. Epstein's first arrest. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/19/us/politics/inside-trump-epstein-friendship.html?unlocked_article_code=1.w08.ODHM.JLhVqkvyEuDF&smid=url-share

Lawsuits against banks with Epstein ties may shed new light on financier's crimes: Experts say claim banks enabled Epstein will be difficult to prove but other outcomes could provide solace to victims https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/oct/27/jeffrey-epstein-lawsuit-us-banks

Red Mafiya: How The Russian Mob Has Invaded America https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/red-mafiya-how-russian-mob-has-invaded-america

Jeffrey Epstein Confidante Ghislaine Maxwell Arrested on Sex Abuse Charges: Prosecutors allege Maxwell helped Epstein traffic and abuse underage girls; he died by suicide awaiting trial last year https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/ghislaine-maxwell-arrested-jeffrey-epstein-aide/2495762/

Judge won't unseal transcripts of grand jury that indicted Epstein ex-girlfriend Maxwell https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/judge-wont-unseal-transcripts-of-grand-jury-that-indicted-epstein-ex-girlfriend-maxwell

American Kompromat: The Craig Unger Interview https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/6/25/american-kompromat-the-craig-unger-interview

Kleptocracy World Order https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2019/4/8/kleptocracy-world-order

Show Trials https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/5/14/show-trials

So Many Cults, So Little Time https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/8/26/so-many-cults-so-little-time

American Gestapo https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/7/23/american-gestapo

Trump Lets Putin Kill U.S. Troops https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2020/7/10/trump-lets-putin-kill-us-troops

Mob Mentality https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/1/5/mob-mentality

Epstein, Trump, and Russia https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/epstein-trump-and-russia-teaser

Unbearable: The War on Women Oct 29, 2025

If you or someone you know needs extra support to survive Trump's economic warfare on the American people, to find help near you, enter your zip code in findhelp.org.

For decades, Christian nationalists have insisted that controlling women's bodies is a moral crusade. What Irin Carmon shows in her blistering new book, Unbearable: Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America, is that this crusade doesn't just target abortion, it poisons every aspect of pregnancy care in America and forces authoritarianism into our homes and doctor visits. Whether you want to be pregnant or don't, the system is designed to remind you who's in charge: not you.

Carmon, an award-winning journalist and coauthor of Notorious RBG, was eight months pregnant when the Supreme Court, stacked with MAGA Mullahs handpicked by a Christian nationalist movement, tossed aside Roe v. Wade. The ruling didn't just ban abortion in swaths of the country; it unleashed slavery-era lawfare, rampant state censorship, and cruelty even for people desperate to carry pregnancies safely.

Through the harrowing stories of five women across America, Carmon exposes a healthcare system warped by Christian nationalism. In Alabama, women risk their lives because doctors fear prosecution. In supposedly progressive New York, indifference and red tape mean patients still face shocking neglect. It turns out the war on women is not confined to "red states," it's everywhere, and it threatens our very democracy.

What keeps Unbearable from sinking into despair are the moments of solidarity: the defiant doctors, advocates, and ordinary people resisting the grip of religious extremism. This is not just a book about pregnancy. It's a warning: America has allowed Christian nationalism to turn women's bodies into a battlefield. And until we call it what it is–a war on women–nothing will change.

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Unbearable Five Women and the Perils of Pregnancy in America By Irin Carmon https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Unbearable/Irin-Carmon/9781668032602

Opening clip: "AOC: There was a day before his presidency, and there will be a day after — and it belongs to us." https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3m45o2k6uf22o

Lawmakers float a nationwide basic income experiment that would cover the cost of a 2-bedroom apartment https://www.businessinsider.com/federal-monthly-basic-income-program-bill-2025-10

"Democratic socialist candidates are looking to gain ground in various city governments this fall, including Cleveland and Detroit, as well as New York City." https://bsky.app/profile/boltsmag.org/post/3m44llxm3vu2x

Western intelligence agencies eye neo-fascist fight clubs: 'an international white supremacist movement': Security services are monitoring 'active clubs' as they move across borders to spread their extremist ideology https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/oct/19/neo-fascist-fight-active-clubs-white-supremacy?CMP=share_btn_url

Studies indicate that addressing financial insecurity through an Universal Basic Income (UBI) could effectively curb crime rates, potentially reducing costs associated with incarceration and law enforcement https://research.binghamton.edu/ResearchDaysPosters/uploads/5831_Wang_Susanna.pdf

"Lightfoot's recently announced guaranteed basic income program will provide monthly $500 cash transfers to 5,000 of Chicago's most in-need households in a city in which 34 percent of Black residents live below the federal poverty line. Although this is, for now, only a small-scale pilot project, policies like Chicago's have the potential to substantially reduce violent crime." https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2022/03/how-cash-transfer-programs-prevent-violent-crime.html

Everywhere basic income has been tried, in one map: Which countries have experimented with basic income — and what were the results? https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/2020/2/19/21112570/universal-basic-income-ubi-map

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

November 3rd 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available here.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available here.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available here.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

The Bushra Amiwala Interview Oct 27, 2025

Gaslit Nation is excited to announce a new show, for our subscribers, featuring Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, a researcher on investigative journalist Craig Unger's bestselling books House of Trump, House of Putin and American Kompromat.

"The oligarchs see the people like the sh*t they grow their money in." That's what Andrea heard while living in Ukraine in 2006, and it perfectly captures the crisis the world faces today. Chaos weapon Donald Trump is a reality TV star of terror whose job is to destroy laws, regulations, and protections to enrich the shadowy elite profiting from global misery. They hide behind Trump. It's time to make them famous.

Follow the Money will feature Andrea and Olga every week, exposing who's getting rich off Trump, Putin, and other merchants of chaos, and what can be done about it.

Gen Z is rising up. In this special episode, community organizer and school board official Bushra Amiwala, now running for Congress in Illinois's 9th District, shares her story, her generation's view of a world in turmoil, and how they plan to build a more progressive and inclusive future, with our help.

For our Patreon subscribers who keep Gaslit Nation's independent journalism alive, we'll see you today at the Gaslit Nation Salon at 4 p.m. ET. The Zoom link is available on Patreon. Thank you for your support–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you.

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Programming change: Our book club discussion has moved to next Monday November 3rd at 4pm at our Patreon salon. For the month of October, we're reading Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky and Total resistance by Hans von Dach.

Show Notes:

DOD accepts anonymous $130M donation to partially cover troop pay White House and military officials will not say who the donor is or whether the gift has been properly vetted. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/10/24/dod-accepts-anonymous-130-million-donation-to-partially-cover-troop-pay-00622219

Watch ad and Reagan address at centre of Trump ending Canada trade talks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCKmMEFiLrI

Bushra for Congress: https://www.bushraforcongress.com/

TEASER - Cold War History Behind Trump's White House Destruction Oct 24, 2025

Like Putin, Donald Trump is determined to hide from the people. He's promising that a taxpayer-funded FBI–run by MAGA troll Kash Patel–will "secure" the next election. The MAGA cult plans to steal it, again. And with Republican gerrymandering, bot farms from Russia to China, and Elon Musk's Twitter turned into a disinformation landfill, he just might pull it off. Again.

Causing one of the longest government shutdowns in American history – again – Trump gives Argentina a $40 billion bailout. Why Argentina? It's where a lot of Nazis fled after World War II, and maybe where the Trumps plan to flee after Americans end their crime spree. It's a bold strategy: betray your own farmers to curry favor with your future Nazi refuge.

Meanwhile, the convicted felon-in-chief is busy literally demolishing the White House. The East Wing is being gutted to make space for what amounts to a kleptocratic ballroom: a pay-to-play shrine for oligarchs and hangers-on. Melania already desecrated Jackie Kennedy's Rose Garden, turning it into a cement Panera Bread patio. It's as if the Trumps are trying to erase everything beautiful about American democracy and replace it with a bedazzled monument to authoritarianism, to repay their Russian backers driven to win a Cold War rematch.

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Join us in shining a light for Ukraine! Donate to the medical needs for veterans in Ukraine: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/44433

Analysis on how Republican Jim Crow helped steal the 2024 election: Will We Have Free and Fair Elections in the Midterms? https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/will-we-have-free-and-fair-elections-in-the-midterms

Phonebanking works! Join our friends at Sister District to get out the vote in Virginia: https://sisterdistrict.com/tag/phonebanking/

ICE Stockpiling Warheads and Chemical Weapons as Lawmaker Fears Trump Planning Strike https://www.thedailybeast.com/ice-stockpiling-warheads-and-chemical-weapons-as-lawmaker-fears-trump-planning-strike/

The Jackie Kennedy White House Tour: https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/norman-mailer-pans-the-jackie-kennedy-white-house-tour/

This article is more than 7 years old JFK files reveal FBI warning on Oswald and Soviets' missile fears https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/27/release-jfk-files-fbi-warning-oswald-soviet-missile-fears

Trump Claims He'd Give His $230 Million Justice Department Grift to Charity. Yeah, Right. The president, who has a history of reneging on charitable pledges, ran his own family foundation into the ground. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/10/trump-230-million-justice-department-settlement-charity-grift/

Donald Trump Jr. co-founds new private members club, Executive Branch, with a $500,000 fee https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/donald-trump-jr-private-members-club-executive-branch.html

Leavitt: "At this moment in time, of course, the ballroom is really the president's main priority." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m3uwoemyzh2i

Trump: "We can never let what happened in the 2020 election happen again. We just can't let that happen. I know Kash is working on it, everybody is working on it. And certainly Tulsi is working on it. We can't let that happen again to our country." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m3qaazbmvz2a

Trump Voters Disapprove of $40 Billion Argentina Bailout: Poll https://www.newsweek.com/trump-voters-disapprove-argentina-bailout-poll-10918329

Netherlands Limits Intelligence-Sharing With US Amid Politicization, Russia Fears: The intelligence chiefs also warned that Russia is escalating its hostile activities as it intensifies its hybrid war with Europe, necessitating a more "assertive" response to Moscow. https://www.kyivpost.com/post/62663

ICE is stockpiling arms, including chemical weapons, guided missile warheads and explosive components. The spending dwarfs anything we've ever seen in the agency - a 700% increase. The President is building an army to attack his own country. https://bsky.app/profile/senchrislarson.bsky.social/post/3m3pl3257322m

Virginia Democrats Plan to Redraw House Maps in Redistricting Push The surprise move could give Democrats two or three additional House seats and is likely to scramble the last couple weeks of campaigning ahead of the Nov. 4 election.https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/23/us/politics/virginia-democrats-redistrict.html

Melania Trump Supported Her Husband's Racist Birtherism Claims on TV: People need to stop talking about "freeing Melania." https://www.teenvogue.com/story/melania-trump-supported-her-husbands-racist-birtherism-claims-on-tv

Trump Sends Weapons to Ukraine: By the Numbers https://www.csis.org/analysis/trump-sends-weapons-ukraine-numbers

So just how significant are the sanctions the U.S. slapped on Russia's oil giants? U.S. also threatened sanctions against those who do business with Rosneft and Lukoil https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/russia-oil-us-sanctions-9.6950160

Russia sanctions bill on hold for now, Thune says https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/10/20/congress/russia-sanctions-bill-on-hold-thune-00615652

Antifa Uprising Oct 22, 2025

What do Stalin, Trump, and Viktor Orbán have in common? They're all fragile men terrified of truth, artists, and of anyone with a moral compass.

In this week's Gaslit Nation, we talk with 91-year-old Peter Hidas, who as a young student helped ignite the 1956 Hungarian Uprising, a movement born of courage and faith in a better world. Peter's story is a testament to what ordinary people can do when they refuse to bow to tyranny.

The revolts that shook the Iron Curtain in 1956 laid the groundwork for the movements that would one day bring down the Soviet empire, to the unforgettable soundtrack of Swan Lake played on repeat on Soviet TV by a collapsing regime. Today, a new generation of brave Russians has reclaimed that symbol: the "Swan Lake Collective" is being played by artists on the streets of Russia, creating a rallying cry "Let the swans dance!" for peace, freedom, and the end of Putin's Fox News–style dictatorship. Gaslit Nation is here to remind you that Putin's days are numbered.

This week's show also celebrates the heroes of the No Kings protests, the Gen Z meme pirates toppling corruption crime sprees pretending to be governments, how Trump and Putin might try to save Orban's doomed April 2026 election, and more.

So keep marching. Keep creating.That's how we win.

The song featured in this week's episode is "Election Day" by The Spiders. Check out their music at thespidersband.com

If you have a song to share on Gaslit Nation, submit it here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628

Join the Gaslit Nation + Sister District Halloween Phonebank this Wednesday at 6pm ET – every phone call to Virginia plants seeds of hope! RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

Andrea's graphic novel In the Shadow of Stalin: The Story of Mr. Jones won the Ringo Award! Get your signed copy by subscribing to the show at the Producer-level or higher on Patreon.com/Gaslit, starting this week. All active donors at the Producer-level and higher, who help make Gaslit Nation possible, will receive a special thank you gift in early 2026: a signed copy of Andrea's soon-to-be-released graphic novel Mrs. Orwell.

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

How to Overthrow a Dictator (Featuring the history of Andrea's father-in-law Mihai Sedaru Barbul) https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/how-to-overthrow-a-dictator

From Epstein's Chief Accuser, a Memoir Both Sad and Devastating: Virginia Roberts Giuffre's posthumous "Nobody's Girl" doesn't break political news, but might break your heart. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/books/review/virginia-roberts-giuffre-nobodys-girl-memoir.html?unlocked_article_code=1.uk8.Fe6u.LwC3e8hbHgjq&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

Videos Show Russian Youths Chant Anti-War Song in St. Petersburg https://www.newsweek.com/videos-russian-youths-chant-anti-war-song-st-petersburg-10883035

Trump says he did not want 'wasted meeting' after plan for Putin talks shelved https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gjp73gp41o

Hungary PM Orbán's advisor in hot water for saying resisting Russia is irresponsible https://www.euronews.com/2024/09/26/hungary-pm-orbans-advisor-in-hot-water-for-saying-resisting-russia-is-irresponsible

What to know about the Trump administration's $20B bailout for Argentina https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administrations-20b-bailout-argentina/story?id=126513232

The Rise of the Inflatable Chicken Resistance https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/20/opinion/no-kings-protest-chicago-tactical-frivolity.html

Smearing Virginia Giuffre: What New Allegations Against Prince Andrew Reveal About Power and Silence https://www.marieclaire.co.uk/opinion/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-smear-campaign-sex-abuse-survivor-social-security-met-police

The Tech Right Gets Its Own Phyllis Schlafly: Katherine Boyle, an influential venture capitalist who is a friend of the vice president, thinks the country's path forward involves cultural conservatism and more weapons production. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/business/katherine-boyle-andreesen-horowitz-american-dynamism.html?unlocked_article_code=1.vE8.7WA9.glWQrABz11-S&smid=url-share

The Contagious Gen Z Uprisings: It's a good time to start paying attention to the youth-led protests that are spreading around the world and that have toppled governments. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/world/gen-z-revolutions-protests-louvre-heist-gaza.html?unlocked_article_code=1.u08.Yg4j.Swx4JtTHBLbC&smid=url-share

Yekaterinburg Street Musician Detained After Performing in Support of Arrested Band https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/21/yekaterinburg-street-musician-detained-after-performing-in-support-of-arrested-band-a90887

Democratic win in Iowa special election breaks GOP supermajority https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/democratic-win-in-iowa-special-election-breaks-gop-supermajority

Trump and Putin's planned summit in Hungary boosts an authoritarian ally https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna238138

Europe Is Answering Putin's Challenge: Members of the NATO alliance are showing real grit—and, for now, the U.S. is with them. https://www.theatlantic.com/national-security/archive/2025/10/nato-putin-trump-europe-ukraine/684592/

CLIP 1: https://bsky.app/profile/courtwing.bsky.social/post/3m3ij7nu23c2f

CLIP 2: https://bsky.app/profile/us-political-news.bsky.social/post/3m3i5tuagec2l

CLIP 3: Springtime for Hitler: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovCf9VRLnDY

CLIP 4: https://x.com/visegrad24/status/1978242426461368656

Palantir: Peter Thiel's Big Brother and Ways to Resist - TEASER Oct 16, 2025

While Peter Thiel obsesses over the Anti-Christ, his company Palantir has been busy building America's Orwellian Big Brother, which began under Trump's first term and was allowed to continue under Biden.

Under Trump's second term, Thiel's Palantir has rapidly expanded into nearly every corner of the U.S. government. A recent New York Times investigation detailed how Palantir's data-mining empire powers law enforcement and intelligence agencies to track, profile, and monitor not just criminal networks, but potentially spy on American citizens. Thiel likes to posture as a radical outsider, but through Palantir he's shaping the machinery of the state to establish a tech-backed dictatorship.

In Part Two of our conversation with journalist Gil Duran, of the essential Nerd Reich newsletter, we dig into the tech coup, what it means for democracy, and why it matters that a billionaire obsessed with the apocalypse is also building the digital panopticon.

We also discuss what happens when Trump dies and MAGA faces a Game of Thrones succession battle? Why don't we have a strong opposition? How do we build one? How do we create real solidarity instead of the weak attempts by some Democratic leaders to "negotiate" with fascists? (There's no negotiating with fascists.) How do we establish our own fifty year plan to rebuild democracy?

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Action alert! Send postcards to California to ensure Prop 50 passes and help support other must-win races: https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards

Action alert! Sister District x Gaslit Nation Halloween Phonebank for VA! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

The One Trait That Predicts Trump Support (w. Matthew MacWilliams) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp19ZKI2m2w

Gil Duran's The Nerd Reich: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT Didn't Think to Ask https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/

Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans The Trump administration has expanded Palantir's work with the government, spreading the company's technology — which could easily merge data on Americans — throughout agencies. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html

The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession: Thirty years ago, a peace-loving Austrian theologian spoke to Peter Thiel about the apocalyptic theories of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. They've been a road map for the billionaire ever since. https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/

I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ95Gmvg_D4

Why Everyone Around Trump is Paranoid Now: Michael Wolff | Inside Trump's Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplPf8F5NaI&t=13s

Peter Thiel calls the anti-Christ as a humanitarian: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ5ATBoF8og

Peter Thiel compares Greta Thunberg to the Anti-Christ: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4xVOOgmH3-w

Thiel compares being woke to Saudi Arabia https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-873PUOq1s8

Trump's Texts to CNN Host Renew Health Speculation https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-texts-to-cnn-host-renew-health-speculation/

Has Big Brother arrived? Inside the secretive Trump effort to centralize government data on millions of Americans https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doge-palantir-data-immigration-b2761096.html

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Peter Thiel and The Anti-Christ Oct 15, 2025

With Trump's health visibly in decline, attention is shifting to Peter Thiel's invention, JD Vance, who may soon be president. Which means Thiel, a billionaire doomsday prepper who thinks the Anti-Christ is Greta Thunberg, could effectively rule the world. What does Thiel's obsession with the Anti-Christ reveal about how we can resist him?

Thiel's worldview isn't just weird Silicon Valley paranoia; it's vintage fascist fan fiction. His ideas trace back to Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt, who justified Hitler's violent purges as necessary for "saving civilization." Schmitt's argument was simple and horrifying: democracy is too weak, so we need a strongman to suspend the rules. Thiel recycles Schmitt's logic in a twenty-first-century sermon on why democracy itself is the real threat. In Thiel's version, collective action to solve global crises like man-made climate change is the definition of evil. So you know what to do, folks: double down on building collective action.

In Part One of our conversation with journalist Gil Duran, of the Nerd Reich newsletter, that tracks Silicon Valley's billionaire Bond villains, we dig into Thiel's apocalyptic delusions, how they shape his politics, and why it's a very big deal that a man this afraid of democracy has his hands in everything from expanding government surveillance to election data. Part Two will be out this Thursday, with a special look at Thiel and Trump's Big Brother–their latest efforts to establish a Chinese-style surveillance state.

Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Action alert! Send postcards to California to ensure Prop 50 passes and help support other must-win races: https://www.activateamerica.vote/postcards

Action alert! Sister District x Gaslit Nation Halloween Phonebank for VA! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

The One Trait That Predicts Trump Support (w. Matthew MacWilliams) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dp19ZKI2m2w

Gil Duran's The Nerd Reich: Is Peter Thiel the Antichrist? NYT Didn't Think to Ask https://www.thenerdreich.com/is-peter-thiel-the-antichrist-nyt-didnt-think-to-ask/

The Real Stakes, and Real Story, of Peter Thiel's Antichrist Obsession: Thirty years ago, a peace-loving Austrian theologian spoke to Peter Thiel about the apocalyptic theories of Nazi jurist Carl Schmitt. They've been a road map for the billionaire ever since. https://www.wired.com/story/the-real-stakes-real-story-peter-thiels-antichrist-obsession/

I Worked At Palantir: The Tech Company Reshaping Reality https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ95Gmvg_D4

Why Everyone Around Trump is Paranoid Now: Michael Wolff | Inside Trump's Head https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplPf8F5NaI&t=13s

Peter Thiel calls the anti-Christ as a humanitarian: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/CQ5ATBoF8og

Peter Thiel compares Greta Thunberg to the Anti-Christ: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4xVOOgmH3-w

Thiel compares being woke to Saudi Arabia https://www.youtube.com/shorts/-873PUOq1s8

Trump's Texts to CNN Host Renew Health Speculation https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-texts-to-cnn-host-renew-health-speculation/

Has Big Brother arrived? Inside the secretive Trump effort to centralize government data on millions of Americans https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-doge-palantir-data-immigration-b2761096.html

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Trump is Scared - TEASER Oct 09, 2025

The first movie ever screened in the White House wasn't Casablanca or Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. It was The Birth of a Nation: a Ku Klux Klan recruitment ad that glorified white rage bloodlust. A century later, Trump's White House is the sequel: staged propaganda to glorify lies, violence, and hate against freedom fighters–otherwise known as antifa–otherwise known as World War II veterans who won the war against tyranny.

Because if you're not antifa, you're pro-fascism.

Trump is the Frankenstein monster of America's darkest chapters: Jim Crow, McCarthyism, Watergate, and reality-TV nihilism. But the heroes who stormed Normandy didn't die for us to cower before a spray-tanned con man.

Which brings us to the Epstein Files: the panic button of MAGA-land. If the Epstein Files were nothing, Trump and Mike Johnson wouldn't be working so hard to shut down our government and prevent a vote. "Teflon Don" has gotten away with years of crimes, including inciting a violent attempted overthrow of our democracy, which led to several deaths, including of law enforcement. So why is he so panicked about the Epstein Files?

The truth will come out, as it always does. And remember: bullies only understand strength. So keep pushing, keep shouting, and for the love of democracy: Release. The. Epstein. Files.

This week's bonus show continues our conversation with Zerlina Maxwell, host of Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM's Progress Channel and author of The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. Find her weekday mornings, 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, on SiriusXM Progress, channel 127.

For our Patreon supporters at the Truth-teller tier ($5/month) and higher, we have an exclusive for you: an odd development that hit our inbox. We'd love to get your thoughts on it over on Patreon.

To hear this full bonus show, be sure to subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit for all bonus shows, all shows ad-free, invites to exclusive events, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available, and you can even give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Show Notes:

Already a Patreon member? Here's how to get your RSS of our episodes: https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360041347732-How-to-use-your-audio-RSS

Top House Democrat seeks Jeffrey Epstein financial records from Dimon, other bank CEOs https://www.cnbc.com/2025/10/09/bank-records-epstein-dimon-raskin.html?taid=68e78b8c80da070001f243a1&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=main&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

Trump's NSPM-7 Labels Common Beliefs As Terrorism "Indicators" https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trumps-nspm-7-labels-common-beliefs

Florida Lawmaker to Meet With Putin Envoy Dmitriev This Month https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2025/10/09/florida-lawmaker-to-meet-with-putin-envoy-dmitriev-this-month-a90763

We Are Elated by the Gaza Ceasefire News. Now, the World Must Hold Israel to Account for 2 Years of Genocide https://open.substack.com/pub/zeteo/p/gaza-ceasefire-hold-israel-accountable-genocide?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email

Listen To The Jeffrey Epstein Tapes: 'I Was Donald Trump's Closest Friend' https://docs.house.gov/meetings/JU/JU08/20250227/117951/HHRG-119-JU08-20250227-SD006-U6.pdf

Trump Has Second 'Yearly' Check-Up In Just Six Months: He's going to "stop by" the doctor's office while he's at Walter Reed Medical Center for another event, the White House said. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-yearly-doctors-appointment_n_68e7007be4b0b4458cb6da16

Publisher Removes Melania Trump Claims From Book, Issues Apology https://www.newsweek.com/publisher-harpercollins-uk-removes-melania-trump-claims-book-issues-apology-10844442

Racist KKK glorifying film Birth of a Nation became the first film shown in the White House under Woodrow Wilson: https://woodrowwilsonhouse.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/WWH-SCHOLAR-SPRING-2023-Hashimoto-Elizabeth-FINAL-PROJECT-BIRTH-OF-A-NATION.pdf

Shadow Network: The Anne Nelson Interview - Part II https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/5/11/anne-nelson-part-02?rq=Focus%20on%20the%20family

Abolish ICE Oct 08, 2025

America has long been on a path toward authoritarianism, as Gaslit Nation warned for years. We also warned the only way out is accountability: abolish ICE and prosecute their crimes against humanity to the fullest extent of international law.

In this week's Gaslit Nation, we examine the normalcy bias that many in white America, especially within the mainstream media, cling to. We also celebrate the defiant voices on the frontlines in MAGA-besieged cities like Portland and Chicago, who are calling this what it is: fascism. Joining us to discuss how to rebuild American democracy, and make it truly democratic this time, is Zerlina Maxwell, host of Mornings with Zerlina on SiriusXM's Progress Channel and author of The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide. Find her weekday mornings 7am to 9am ET on SiriusXM Progresss, channel 127.

As always, we offer solutions and ways to stay grounded amid the terrorism sh*tshow and chaos deliberately engineered to confuse and demoralize us. The way we win is by staying focused and committed to doing whatever we can–wherever we are, with whatever we have–to plant seeds of hope and change. No act is too small.

If you want to make a difference, join us for the Gaslit Nation x Sister District Halloween Phonebank on October 22 at 6pm ET. We'll be calling voters in must-win Virginia races, some of which could be decided by just a handful of votes. Yes, your time and voice still matter. Stephen Miller doesn't want you to go to our phonebank–so be sure to RSVP here.

Thank you to everyone who joined the Gaslit Nation Salon on Monday at 4pm ET. Join us again this coming Monday for a special session featuring our friends at the Media and Democracy Project, as we discuss how to push back against mainstream media capitulation.

largest mass-murder of Jewish life since the Holocaust. Our hearts are with those impacted by that day and Netanyahu's genocidal war to cling to power that followed. For an important discussion for how to build peace, listen to our interview with the Jewish and Palestinian led Alliance for Middle East Peace from December 2024.

Want Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

RSVP to the Gaslit Nation Phonebank w/Sister for Virginia! https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

'Impossible' for Trump to escape Epstein files being exposed | John Bolton https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lvWbM2g31A

The End of White Politics: How to Heal Our Liberal Divide by Zerlina Maxwell https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/zerlina-maxwell/the-end-of-white-politics/9780306873591/

"There's a baby!" ICE agents stop Alamosa family at gunpoint, smash car window Immigration arrest last week in southern Colorado follows national trend of escalating force from ICE agents https://coloradosun.com/2025/10/01/ice-alamosa-arrest-gunpoint-infant/

The Fading of the Red, White, and Blue by Zach Bryan: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPWkQ4CEcNp/

Country Music Star Zach Bryan Turns Political With Anti-ICE Ballad https://time.com/7323600/zach-bryan-ice-song-trump/

Opening clip https://www.youtube.com/shorts/AbqZxPsP91I featuring: https://www.tiktok.com/@of_earth.and_seed

Trump's NSPM-7 Labels Common Beliefs As Terrorism "Indicators" https://www.kenklippenstein.com/p/trumps-nspm-7-labels-common-beliefs

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community.

TEASER - Harriet Tubman Was Clairvoyant Oct 02, 2025

As Trump declares a highly illegal "war on drug cartels" to distract from the Epstein Files, let's turn instead to a much-needed source of inspiration: Harriet Tubman. Described by her first biographer and friend Sarah Hopkins Bradford as "clairvoyant," Tubman offers timeless lessons in resilience, strategy, and hope under brutal oppression.

If you're looking for concrete ways to resist life under a chaos-weapon Russian asset, this week's bonus episode of Gaslit Nation is for you! We share an excerpt from our Book Club discussion of Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Bradford, a children's author who helped preserve Tubman's legacy. We also examine the asymmetrical warfare waged by today's nihilists–and no, we don't mean the ones in Congress–but the "lone shooters" who are actually working together to stage "performance shootings" for one another for a growing outlet for their despair and rage. Trump's government shutdown certainly doesn't help.

Look for the full recording of this week's salon and Read & Resist book club discussion on Monday morning, along with the Zoom link for Monday's salon at 4pm ET. Our salons are a place to sharpen strategy, share solidarity, and to remember that you're not losing your mind: things really are that bad.

And because despair is what the nihilists want, we're throwing a Gaslit Nation Halloween Party with Sister District. Costumes optional, democracy mandatory. We'll be fighting for must-win Virginia races, and yes, you should RSVP. Because if Harriet Tubman can face down the unimaginable, you can probably survive a Zoom party. Join us here: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Harriet, the Moses of Her People https://uncpress.org/9781469607818/harriet-the-moses-of-her-people/

October Books:

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky https://www.graywolfpress.org/books/deaf-republic
Total resistance by Hans von Dach https://archive.org/details/totalresistance0000dach

Read and Resist: Gaslit Nation's Book Club https://www.patreon.com/posts/read-and-resist-132804210?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Trump 'Determined' the U.S. Is Now in a War With Drug Cartels, Congress Is Told A notice calls the people the U.S. military recently killed on suspicion of drug smuggling in the Caribbean Sea "unlawful combatants." https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/us/politics/trump-drug-cartels-war.html?campaign_id=60&emc=edit_na_20251002&instance_id=163691&nl=breaking-news&regi_id=48614702&segment_id=207041&user_id=097a378032011d6e8be1570cdce0a176

Was Trump's strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat legal?https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/was-trumps-strike-on-an-alleged-venezuelan-drug-boat-legal/

Clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m26cxb7ixo2e

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

October 27 4pm ET – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach – Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Trump is the Enemy Within Oct 01, 2025

Trump once said he wanted generals like the Nazis. Today, at his limp MAGA rally, he made his pitch. Photos show military leaders looking stunned, confused, and struggling not to laugh. His approval ratings are collapsing, especially in swing states, as he flails in an Epstein cover-up implicating Mike Johnson, who's blocking the swearing-in of Arizona's new Democratic representative–the vote that could force a House debate on releasing the Epstein files. Trump is the Frankenstein's monster of a 50-year Christian nationalist plan using the prosperity gospel to turn America into a dictatorship, making him the most dangerous enemy from within.

The Seven Mountain Mandate reads like a discarded Lord of the Rings draft where Sauron wins. It's a 50-year plan to bring a strongman like Trump to power and turn America into a dictatorship. Conceived in the 1970s by Bill Bright (Campus Crusade for Christ) and Loren Cunningham (Youth With A Mission), it emerged as a white-rage backlash to Civil Rights, bankrolled by Big Oil. Later, televangelist Lance Wallnau popularized it through Ziklag, a network for Christian nationalists worth over $25 million, and passed the torch to third-generation leaders like Charlie Kirk.

Kirk's Turning Point USA targeted Matthew Boedy, a University of North Georgia professor, harassing him for speaking against guns on campus. After being placed on a "watch list," Boedy began researching and wrote The Seven Mountains Mandate: Exposing the Dangerous Plan to Christianize America and Destroy Democracy.

The Mandate's strategy is to dominate seven cultural "mountains":

Religion – Shape faith and morality to normalize fascism.
Family – Patriarchal households dictate politics; LGBTQ+ people, feminists, immigrants, and academics are silenced, outlawed, and erased.
Education – Raise children in a dominance culture where "might makes right" to normalize fascism.
Government – Collapse church-state separation, recasting America as a "Christian republic," not a democracy.
Media – Control the narrative so news becomes propaganda.
Arts & Entertainment – Capture Hollywood, TV, even TikTok, using culture as a weapon (i.e., attacks on Jimmy Kimmel).
Business – The prosperity gospel – "Jesus wants you to fund my jet" – drew greed-driven donors who built the movement across generations.

The goal: capture every cultural sphere until society mirrors their theology. Stopping it requires progressives to build their own generational strategy, rooted in empathy, inclusion, and solidarity. To start, see the Gaslit Nation Action Guide at GaslitNationPod.com.

We'll see you at the Gaslit Nation Halloween Party on October 22nd at 6pm ET with Sister District as we make calls to must-win state races in Virgina. RSVP here to join us: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The Seven Mountains Mandate by Matthew Boedy https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-seven-mountains-mandate-exposing-the-dangerous-plan-to-christianize-america-and-destroy-democracy-matthew-boedy/1246c2dda176acd7?ean=9780664269210&next=t

Trump said Hitler 'did some good things' and wanted generals like the Nazis, former chief of staff Kelly claims https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-said-hitler-did-some-good-things-and-wanted-generals-like-the-nazis-former-chief-of-staff-kelly-claims

Progressive House Democrats rebuke DCCC 'blacklist' of companies working with primary challengers to incumbent Democrats https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/31/politics/dccc-primary-challenger-rule

Hillary Clinton's 3-Word Misstep: 'All Lives Matter' https://www.npr.org/sections/itsallpolitics/2015/06/24/417112956/hillary-clintons-three-word-gaffe-all-lives-matter

Trump Tells Military Leaders The Enemy Is 'Within' https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-speech-military-enemy-domestic_n_68dbf82ee4b003b6c8dc2fe2

Pete Hegseth accidentally flipping a skateboard into his nuts on live TV https://bsky.app/profile/patriottakes.bsky.social/post/3lzy5msbdis2t

Sequim Washington anti-fascist protest: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wxPBK-5N6UU

New: ICE has bought a tool that tracks the locations of hundreds of millions of phones globally, updates every single day. Usually harvested from apps and advertising https://bsky.app/profile/jasonkoebler.bsky.social/post/3m23j4tmzuc2t

Shadow Network: The Anne Nelson Interview - Part I https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/5/4/anne-nelson-part-01

Clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m22lragfsl2s

Clip: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3m22rfis56223

Clip: Televangelist Asks His Followers For $54m For Private Jet – NBC Nightly News https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiHghDYvpBU

One Battle After Another Sep 29, 2025

One Battle After Another isn't just a film: it's a manifesto. Paul Thomas Anderson's cinematic masterpiece–a three hour long adventure that flies by thanks to dark humor and insane action set pieces–reimagines Harriet Tubman's legacy in a near future, turning Trump's "bad hombre" slur into a rallying cry. It dives into the raw debates: violence versus resistance, the power of holding space inside broken systems to shield and change them.

Make time in your busy schedule to see it at the theater–don't wait for streaming. This film is a cultural event that celebrates America's long tradition of hard-fought antifascism, otherwise known as antifa. You're a bad hambre is the new May the Force Be With You.

Trailer for One Battle After Another: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQUPdVxZNPk

Join Gaslit Nation's Book Club so you can stay prepared and not panic, which is what the fascists want: https://www.patreon.com/posts/read-and-resist-132804210?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

See you today at the Gaslit Nation Salon at 4pm ET to discuss this month's book – Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford. Here's the Zoom link: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zoom-link-for-140005245?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

To join the discussion, be sure to join our community of listeners on Patreon.com/Gaslit and support our independent journalism. Thank you to everyone who supports the show!

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Epstein, Trump, and Russia [TEASER] Sep 25, 2025

What's worse than a conspiracy theory? When the actual conspiracy is even worse than the theory. Jeffrey Epstein carried out a kompromat operation for years, capturing American elite, unleashing a national security nightmare, and destroying the lives of children. In this special episode with Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, we examine Epstein, Trump, and Russia–and the threats that still remain from the real life QAnon.

Epstein was the closest thing Trump had to a friend, going back to the 1980s. The rise of these criminal networks intertwined: Epstein, Trump, and Rudy Giuliani pushing out the Italian mafia as mayor of New York to make room for the Russian mafia–a takeover that accelerated after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Epstein's wife-in-crime Ghislaine Maxwell's father, Robert Maxwell, was a documented KGB asset with a sideline in laundering Soviet billions, and reportedly also worked with Israeli intelligence, the Mossad, at a time when the Kremlin used the Jackson-Vanik amendment passed by Congress to release spies and criminal assets among the Jewish Soviet citizens, like Lautman's family, seeking refuge in the U.S.

While Epstein's survivors beg for justice and promise to release their own list of elite pedophiles, the GOP continue the Epstein cover-up to protect convicted felon Trump, their battering ram against democracy. QAnon was deflection, fueled by Russian disinformation to protect their wrecking ball in the White House. Expect more Russian psyops as the far-right Epstein cover-up continues. Call your reps and demand: release the Epstein files.

Hear the full episode by supporting our independent journalism–your early warning system–at Patreon.com/Gaslit at the Truth-teller $5/month or higher. Discounted annual subscriptions are available.

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Opening Clip: How Trump Just Proved He's an Idiot: Michael Wolff on The Daily Beast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qswzQpHGAzc

Key takeaways from special elections in Arizona and Georgia https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5518904-adelita-grijalva-wins-arizona-election/

President Zelensky at the United Nations in 2025: https://bsky.app/profile/antizionistjew.bsky.social/post/3lzlplmsnzs2p

Speech by the President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Fifth Summit of the International Crimea Platform in New York https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/vistup-prezidenta-na-pyatomu-samiti-mizhnarodnoyi-krimskoyi-100341

Epstein's Financial Crimes: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/rE90leBYSi4

Epstein Trump Friendship Statue: https://bsky.app/profile/wired.com/post/3lzjyrowvec2j

Trump Tyranny Tracker by Olga Lautman https://trumptyrannytracker.substack.com/

The Midterms Start Now: Virginia Is a Bellwether Sep 24, 2025

Listen, we heard Trump today at the U.N. talking crazy, but also saying Ukraine can get its territories back, and then some. As in, occupy Russia? We'll get into all that in this week's bonus show out later this week for our Patreon members. We'll also break down the crime cabal of Epstein, Trump, and Russia. More soon.

For now, Happy New Year! 5786, to be precise. As Jewish families dip apples in honey and blow the shofar, we'd all do well to take inspiration: resilience is the tradition. Which is good, because democracy needs that same resilience right now.

Fox News will tell you New York is a crime-hive communist brothel, while Donald Trump–the convicted felon, enthusiastic coup-plotter, and Orban fanboy–cheers on Christian nationalism like it's a Russian gift basket of underage girls. Thanks to Trump, RFK Jr.–a human centipede of conspiracies–used our tax dollars to declare war on Tylenol. MAGA and their Christian nationalist Charlie Kirk tent revival want to drag us back to an idealized 1950s where everyone smoked indoors for their health and also had polio.

With MAGA using Charlie Kirk's laser light show memorial to fire up their base, we must and can fight back. That all-important work is in the states. Look to Virginia: a bellwether of the 2026 midterms. This week's guest, Shawn Werner, Organizing and Political Director of Sister District, joins Gaslit Nation to explain why the 2026 midterms start now. But will we even have elections?

Here's some hope: groups like Sister District and the Democracy Security Project are training volunteers, protecting elections, and building the infrastructure we need to out-organize the new Jim Crow. Races to watch on election night, for any indication of a blue and angry red MAGA-regrets wave, include Kimberly Pope Adams in House District 82, Lily Franklin at Virginia Tech in District 41, and Leslie Mehta's campaign for the House of Delegates. Win them, and we prove momentum is on our side–and we lay the groundwork to build a victory engine to overcome Trump's desperate shenanigans in 2026.

Consider this episode your official invitation to Gaslit Nation's Halloween Party with Sister District on Wednesday, October 22nd, from 6 to 8 p.m. ET. We'll be dressed up in costumes like our lives depend on it and phonebanking for Virginia. Because democracy cannot defend itself. Fight back now, because fighting back in the MAGA Gulag will be infinitely harder. For more on how to join forces with Sister District in these precious days and weeks ahead, and plant seeds of hope wherever you live, check out SisterDistrict.com.

And again, don't miss this week's bonus show on Epstein, Trump, and Russia. Look out for that soon. To hear the full bonus show, out Thursday, be sure to join our community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit to get bonus shows, all shows ad-free, invites to exclusive events, and more. Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

RSVP for our Halloween Party Phonebank with Sister District October 22 at 6pm ET: https://www.mobilize.us/sisterdistrict/event/847185/

Opening clip: https://bsky.app/profile/zohrankmamdani.bsky.social/post/3lzgxaahz4s2q

ACTION ALERT: Write postcards urging Democratic voters in California to VOTE YES on Redistricting to Save Democracy: https://www.mobilize.us/thirdact/event/777101/

ACTION ALERT: Send a duck to your rep in Congress to ask them to remove "quack" RFK Jr.: https://www.standupforscience.net/quack-o-grams

AOC makes appeal for Democrats' California gerrymander https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/23/aoc-ad-california-gerrymander-00576018

What the Mayor Got Away With Has Already Changed America https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/20/opinion/trump-eric-adams-corruption.html?unlocked_article_code=1.n08.FYw4.R_lM6WOHHBMh&smid=url-share

Jimmy Kimmel & the FCC: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ohPToBog_-g

How We Got Here: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/5/27/how-we-got-here

Bolsonaro Blitz (Zoom Link for Today's Salon - 4pm ET!) Sep 22, 2025

A quick reminder to our community of supporters that the Zoom link for today's salon at 4pm ET was posted on Friday. You can find that here.

Wannabe Trump and eager student of Steve Bannon's dark arts, Jair Bolsonaro, was sentenced this month to 27 years in prison for inciting his supporters to violently overthrow democracy in Brazil. And where was Bolsonaro during the coup attempt? Florida, of course: a state otherwise known as the Republican National Committee. There, his close allies, including his son, met with Bannon after losing the 2022 election, in the lead up to their January 8, 2023 insurrection.

So why did Brazil hold its coup plotters accountable while America did not? The short answer: white people. For generations, white America has enjoyed relative prosperity and peace, told endlessly that this is the greatest country on Earth, ever. That has lulled many into a dangerous, willful coma of complacency, one that Stephen Miller and MAGA's disastrous policies will shatter, the hard way. Will it take years, or will it take decades? That depends on how we use the next 12 months to help mobilize a resilient grassroots resistance–more on that in coming episodes.

Featured in this special episode, for more on Brazil's inspiring resistance, listen to this excerpt from our Gaslit Nation Book Club discussion in August, where we looked at two powerful films about art and resistance. The Lives of Others (2006), by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, follows a Stasi officer whose heart is changed by spying on artists. We also discussed I'm Still Here (2024) by Walter Salles, based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva's memoir about his extraordinary mother, Eunice Paiva, who stood up to Brazil's military dictatorship, fought for justice for her disappeared husband–a dissident politician, and later championed indigenous rights in the Amazon as a human rights lawyer. The full discussion can be found here on Patreon.

We're sharing this excerpt now to celebrate Bolsonaro's conviction and as a reminder that America must wake up. In the weeks ahead, Gaslit Nation will ramp up for the 2026 Midterms, sharing strategies to protect our vote and counter Republican ratf*cking. Stay tuned.

Meanwhile, our September Book Club read is the short but powerful Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford. Join the discussion at the Gaslit Nation Salon this Monday, September 29, at 4 PM. See you there!

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes

AP News Brazil's Bolsonaro sentenced to nearly 30 years in prison for coup plot https://apnews.com/article/brazil-bolsonaro-supreme-court-trial-coup-attempt-f95765c36dbbdc3355ad3af0b70eacf6
Reuters — Brazilians protest efforts to shield Bolsonaro https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazilians-protest-efforts-shield-bolsonaro-lawmakers-courts-2025-09-21/
Los Angeles Times — Bolsonaro in Florida as Brazil riots erupt https://www.latimes.com/politics/story/2023-01-10/us-bolsonaro-florida-brazil-riots
Washington Post — Bannon and Trump allies advised Bolsonaro's circle https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/11/23/brazil-bolsonaro-bannon/
The Atlantic — Brazil Stood Up for Its Democracy. Why Didn't the U.S.? https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2025/02/brazil-bolsonaro-coup/681788/
ACLU — Supreme Court grants Trump broad immunity for official acts https://www.aclu.org/press-releases/supreme-court-grants-trump-broad-immunity-for-official-acts-placing-presidents-above-the-law

KPop Demon Hunters Antifa Sep 19, 2025

A Gaslit Nation listener once asked me: What's the canary in the coal mine for American democracy? My answer: when they come for the comedians. Because when authoritarians kill the jokes, they kill the dissent.

Look at Russia. In Putin's early years, Kukly, a wildly popular political satire by smack-talking puppets, mocked him mercilessly. One of his first moves? Force media consolidation. Suddenly, the show vanished. Fast forward 25 years to today, you can't hold an anti-war sign in Moscow without being arrested.

As The New York Times reported back in 2000: "'Kukly' is political satire. But that is like calling an ermine a rodent. By turns vicious, obscene, hilarious and knowing, it has long been the most popular television show in Russia. At 10 p.m. on any given Sunday, more than half the nation's sets are riveted on the program." [Emphasis mine].

Now it's happening here. Trump and the far-right are consolidating media ownership, especially local stations, while evangelicals push their "Seven Mountains Mandate" to seize control of religion, family, government, business, education, arts, and, of course, media. Trump is their "God's imperfect vessel"–like many strongmen featured in the Old Testament, bulldozing what's left of democracy in a white-rage backlash to the Civil Rights movement.

Formerly "woke" Disney CEO Bob Iger, who previously denounced Trump's Muslim ban and Florida's anti-gay laws, is now in the crosshairs, pressured by Nexstar and Sinclair, Republican-aligned networks with monopoly-level reach. But Disney did this to itself, and the country, by giving a convicted felon a $15 million "charitable contribution" to his "presidential library" to settle a defamation suit. That surrender paved the way for the widespread mainstream media capitulation helping Trump consolidate power.

Jimmy Kimmel has now been silenced for saying what Gaslit Nation also pointed out: Charlie Kirk's killer came from the same white, male, MAGA gun culture that empowered Trump. That truth cost Kimmel his platform, so far, but thanks to you, our listeners, we can keep saying it.

So who rescues us as Trump tries to turn America into Russia? Enter KPop Demon Hunters. Netflix's massive hit–its most watched film–is a reminder that the free market still caters to the people. America's greatest export isn't oil or weapons. It's culture, humor, art. Our comedians are resistance fighters with punchlines. Which means one of the best ways to fight fascism is simple: dictators hate truth and humor. Every single one of us pointing out the truth, and having a damn good time while doing it, will break the fever of this dystopian feverdream.

Because pay attention to Kimmel's monologue that got him pulled from air: he goes into length on Trump's Epstein cover-up. Listen here for yourself or in the end of this week's bonus show. Like Gaslit Nation warned, Charlie Kirk's murder is being used as part of the larger Epstein cover-up.

For our Patreon members, this week's lively salon has already been posted, along with the Zoom link for next week's salon. You can find that here. See you Monday at 4pm ET. If you would like to join our weekly hang outs and help support our independent journalism, get all episodes add free, bonus shows and more, be sure to join our community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Show Notes:

ABC agrees to give $15 million to Donald Trump's presidential library to settle defamation lawsuit https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68

Trump Celebrates Kimmel Suspension As Right Rages Over Charlie Kirk Killing: Live Updates https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-king-charles-live-updates_n_68c80c2be4b0642964ce9b92

Seven Questions with Perry Sook https://rbr.com/seven-questions-with-perry-sook/

TV's Impious Puppets: On Kremlin's Hit List? https://www.nytimes.com/2000/06/18/world/tv-s-impious-puppets-on-kremlin-s-hit-list.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

What is the 'Seven Mountains Mandate' and how is it linked to political extremism in the US? https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/07/10/what-is-the-seven-mountains-mandate-and-how-is-it-linked-to-political-extremism-in-the-us/

1990 report: Ivana Trump told her lawyer Donald Trump kept Hitler speeches beside bed https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2023/12/18/donald-trump-campaign-rhetoric-cnc-vpx.cnn

Clip: https://bsky.app/profile/rbreich.bsky.social/post/3lz5hoh3dip23

Clip: https://bsky.app/profile/jamellebouie.net/post/3lz5faps5tk2g

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/

Jimmy Kimmel's Epstein monologue: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aHT7ICvMtlA&t=573s

Power, Profits, and Protest: Trump, Russia, and the Middle East Sep 17, 2025

This September marks eight years since Donald Trump cozied up to pariah dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt on the sidelines of the United Nations—a secret meeting that reportedly triggered a highly secretive Mueller investigation into whether Trump accepted a $10 million bribe from el-Sisi when his 2016 campaign was desperate for cash. Last summer, Gaslit Nation ran a special episode unpacking this sweeping corruption scandal; you can read a summary here and listen to the episode here.

Fast forward to Trump's Middle East tour this past spring, where he once again explicitly told the world that American foreign policy under his influence isn't about democracy or the rule of law: it's about making deals that just so happen to enrich him and his family.

Joining Gaslit Nation to explain what Trump's fire sale of influence to the highest bidder means for the Middle East and us here at home is Ahmed Gatnash, co-founder and Executive Director of the Kawaakibi Foundation, a powerhouse MENA human rights organization, and co-author of The Middle East Crisis Factory. Gatnash brings a razor-sharp analysis of Russia's expanding grip on the Middle East, the unbreakable spirit of the Syrian people fighting for freedom, and the surprising ways bitcoin is being used as a lifeline for human rights activists who know how to navigate its pitfalls. He also tears into the so-called "two-state solution"—overwhelmingly voted on by the United Nations last week—as nothing more than political theater, and shares his vision of what Palestinians and Israelis truly need to secure real, lasting peace.

This week's bonus show dives into MAGA's latest wave of threats against the opposition and what a full-scale crackdown could look like–what's likely, what's unlikely, and what's already happening that we need to pay attention to. Catch the full discussion this Friday morning by joining our Patreon community. Thank you to everyone who makes Gaslit Nation possible–we could not make our show without you!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

September 29 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a discussion of Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available here.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available here.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available here.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon for our community

Show Notes:

Qatar, Russia sign agreement to jointly invest 2 billion euros into sovereign wealth funds https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250423-qatar-russia-sign-agreement-to-jointly-invest-2-billion-euros-into-sovereign-wealth-funds/

Michael Flynn, Russia and a Grand Scheme to Build Nuclear Power Plants in Saudi Arabia and the Arab World https://www.newsweek.com/2017/06/23/flynn-russia-nuclear-energy-middle-east-iran-saudi-arabia-qatar-israel-donald-623396.html

Why Qatar is Bribing Trump https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/why-qatar-is-bribing-trump?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2mrjsl

House Democrats ask Trump for proof he did not take $10 million 'cash bribe' from Egypt https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/03/trump-egypt-democrats-letter.html

Trump touts Saudi relationship as "bedrock of security and prosperity" amid $600 billion investment deal https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/trump-speaking-us-saudi-investment-summit-riyadh/

2 Trump-aligned GOP operatives face foreign agent charges for helping Qatar https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/02/trump-gop-qatar-00133567

Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.G08.dUBd.YVKXSVfgqo8i&smid=url-share

The Qatar bribery allegations featuring Trump, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, and the Steele dossier, explained https://theweek.com/speedreads/773479/qatar-bribery-allegations-featuring-trump-michael-cohen-michael-flynn-steele-dossier-explained

Qatar pursues US-Iranian nuclear steps after detainee swap https://www.reuters.com/world/qatar-pursues-us-iranian-nuclear-steps-after-detainee-swap-2023-09-20/

Exclusive: Qatar held separate talks with US, Iran touching on nuclear, drones https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-held-separate-talks-with-us-iran-touching-nuclear-drones-2023-09-20/

Iran seeks Russia's support for its nuclear talks with US https://apnews.com/article/iran-russia-us-nuclear-negotiations-2bae3b073bcac464ad9b44a8d5a4c581

Who Killed Charlie Kirk? Follow the Epstein Trail. Sep 11, 2025

Charlie Kirk is dead—taken out by an extremely skilled sniper in deep-red Utah. The MAGA Nazi built an empire scapegoating Black people, trans folks, and women, and cheered on Trump's authoritarian destruction. Get ready for the martyrdom of this incel king and the coming retribution against democracy defenders.

Let's look at what really happened.

Back in July, Kirk had demanded transparency from the Trump White House over Trump's longtime friend: the pedophile Jeffrey Epstein who ran the real life QAnon–we play Kirk's own words at the end of this episode. Instead, Trump turned the FBI and DOJ into personal security forces, relying on them and Mike Johnson in Congress to continue his Epstein cover-up.

Now Kirk's dead. And the shooter? Nowhere to be found. The killer obviously blended in with the predominantly white and male crowd. Was he a professional sniper? Was this a Russian op, or another case of terrorism by an active duty soldier?

Kirk's death looks less like a random act and more like a message: Shut up about Epstein.

And it's working. Trump is already using Kirk's murder to stir up his base, threatening political opponents, and fueling his full-blown authoritarian crusade. But don't be fooled—this isn't about "leftist violence." The data is clear: political violence in America overwhelmingly comes from the far right.

Refuse to be silenced. Demand the full Epstein files. Demand justice for the victims. Because the real danger to MAGA isn't those who enjoy what's left of their Constitutionally protected rights—it's the MAGA base waking up to the truth: Trump is at the center of the Epstein cover-up, because he, like Epstein, is a pedophile.

Release the Epstein files.

Show Notes:

First-of-its-kind Look at Left, Right, and Islamist Extremists Explores Similarities, Differences. According to the University of Maryland's Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice: Far-right extremist violence is significantly worse than far-left violence – there's no comparison. The data shows that American society should take right-wing violence far more seriously, like it takes Islamist extremism. Anyone both-sidesing political violence in America is gaslighting you. https://ccjs.umd.edu/feature/umd-led-study-shows-disparities-violence-among-extremist-groups

Top Democrat Calls for Congressional Probe Into Ties Between Jeffrey Epstein and Peter Thiel: Thiel was one of many whose financial ties to the dead financier should be probed, a prominent senator believes. https://gizmodo.com/democrats-call-for-congressional-probe-into-ties-between-jeffrey-epstein-and-peter-thiel-2000657058

Charlie Kirk talks Epstein, urges Trump administration to act https://www.axios.com/2025/07/15/trump-epstein-maga-charlie-kirk

Zero Fail: The Rise and Fall of the Secret Service by Carol Leonnig https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/543941/zero-fail-by-carol-leonnig/

See Epstein's full 'birthday book,' with alleged personal messages from Trump, Clinton and others https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/see-epsteins-full-birthday-book-with-alleged-personal-messages-from-trump-clinton-and-others

House Oversight receives Epstein estate files, including 'birthday book' : Democrats have posted a photo of the provocative message the president allegedly wrote. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/08/house-oversight-receives-epstein-estate-files-00550721

MSNBC: Witness Describes Charlie Kirk Shooting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DGxsn3FNJsU

Nazi Martyr Horst Wessel: Beware the mobilizing martyrdom by American fascists https://www.bettedangerous.com/p/nazi-martyr-horst-wessel?fbclid=IwY2xjawMvxm5leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHjDVF7jdpNZA03IKR09k7rR2GPT50u9UjV2glvSRXDMzCsGlk1_7BXB7FH_C_aem_U-EXiDdVgWMAOfMMny3OYA

U.S. Military Service is the Strongest Predictor of Carrying Out Extremist Violence https://theintercept.com/2025/01/02/military-veterans-extremism-attack-new-orleans-vegas/

Time for a New American Revolution Sep 10, 2025

America has always had a sadistic streak. From the very beginning, this so-called land of liberty was built on slavery and genocide. Yes, the Founding Fathers were less "philosopher kings" and more "sweaty men in wigs who owned human beings and thought democracy was something best kept away from women, the poor, and anyone who wasn't them."

Fast-forward 250 years, and the far-right is still running the same playbook: cruelty as ideology. Immigrants? Cage them. LGBTQ+ kids? Target them. Women? Control them. The planet? Burn it. What Republicans call "policy" is really just sadism with a tax cut.

Our Constitution was carefully crafted by white elites terrified of ordinary people voting. Thanks to the Electoral College and the Senate, minority rule is baked into the system. In fact, the last two Republican presidents to win the White House actually lost the popular vote. Democracy? More like demo-crazy.

Joining us this week to build a real democracy from the ashes of Trump's MAGA dumpster fire is Osita Nwanevu, a contributing editor for The New Republic, a columnist for The Guardian, and the author of the new book The Right of the People: Democracy and the Case for a New American Founding.

If America truly wants to live up to its mythology, it needs to finally make good on the promise of liberty and justice—for all.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

September 29 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a discussion of Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Rebel Women of the Gilded Age Sep 03, 2025

What do theme parties, abortion rights, and feminist rebellion have in common? Historian Jennifer Wright unearths women who, in their own subtle and not so subtle ways, defied the patriarchy, mocking original incel Anthony Comstock whose 19th-century repressive tactics are being used today in the far-right's war on women.

In her dazzlingly researched books about Gilded Age legends like Mamie Fish, a character on the HBO series The Gilded Age, and innovative abortionist Madame Restell, Wright shows us that women have always found ways to wield power, even in times of deep inequality and political repression. Whether through eccentric parties or underground abortion networks, these women worked with what they had, where they were, and often did it with excitement.

Mamie Fish, for instance, bent society to her will through legendary parties, supporting seamstresses on strike, and introducing actresses and artists into elite circles. Her antics, from dog banquets to a monkey posing as a prince, weren't just performance; they were power.

And then there's Madame Restell: the go-to abortionist of 19th-century New York who never lost a patient and defied the patriarchy until the very end, possibly faking her own death to escape persecution.

What are the rebel women of the Gilded Age trying to tell us? We need creativity in our resistance. Culture is fuel. Fashion, parties, and art can democratize power and offer joy in dark times. When we make activism fun, inclusive, and rooted in lived human experience, we inspire people to join the fight.

For more on rebel women of the Gilded Age check out Jennifer Wright's books Madame Restell The Life, Death, and Resurrection of Old New York's Most Fabulous, Fearless, and Infamous Abortionist and also Glitz, Glam, and a Damn Good Time How Mamie Fish, Queen of the Gilded Age, Partied Her Way to Power. Now go throw a theme party fundraiser and get creative at your next protest.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

September 29 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a discussion of Harriet Tubman: The Moses of Her People by Sarah Bradford.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

"Pace yourself." – TEASER Aug 28, 2025

Our opening clip was the 1989 trailer for Roger & Me, the breakthrough Michael Moore documentary and a favorite of Erica Smiley, Executive Director of Jobs With Justice and one of the most powerful voices in today's labor movement.

Smiley is reshaping how we think about power, not just at work, but across our democracy. She co-authored The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century, making the case that collective bargaining isn't only about wages. It's about people reclaiming control over the decisions that define their lives. From Amazon warehouses to grassroots coalitions, her work connects the dots between economic justice and political freedom. In a time of rising authoritarianism, Erica Smiley is showing us that organized people, not organized money, can win. It's a lesson worth remembering, especially in the wake of New York City's mayoral race.

Want more conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly Zoom gathering for listeners to vent, connect, strategize, and build community while documenting this moment in real time.

Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and we're grateful to everyone who keeps the show going. You can also give the gift of membership to help others join the fight.

And if you're headed to the beach, or just need a break from doomscrolling, don't miss the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our morally bankrupt narrator, Judge Lackey, as he navigates the dark comedy of authoritarianism, dodging accountability and panicking over activists and journalists. Find it at your local library or at Bookshop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Building Real Democracy Starts on the Shop Floor Aug 27, 2025

The fight for democracy in America didn't begin, or end, at the ballot box. As labor organizer Erica Smiley, executive director of Jobs With Justice and co-author of The Future We Need: Organizing for a Better Democracy in the Twenty-First Century, reminds us, our democracy has always been "in training," a work in progress shaped as much by picket lines as polling places.

"Unions are schools for democracy," Smiley explains. In workplaces where people of all backgrounds must build consensus and fight for fair contracts, we learn the skills that sustain a pluralistic society. It's no surprise, then, that authoritarian movements often begin by attacking labor rights and education, because that's where people learn to resist.

From union-busting in the U.S. to neoliberal trade policies abroad, the erosion of collective bargaining has left millions disenfranchised not just politically, but economically.

And that's not just bad for workers: it's fatal for democracy itself.

If we want to rebuild democracy, we can't just "vote harder." We need to organize smarter. That means backing unions, pushing for economic policies that distribute power, and demanding that corporations, especially those exploiting AI and automation, share the wealth they're extracting from human labor.

As Smiley says, "Whoever's in the White House, they still need us to make the cars." That power can't be ignored, unless we choose not to use it.

We may not know what the next 15 years will bring. But if we organize now, we might just build a democracy worth fighting for.

The song you heard in this week's Gaslit Nation is "This Time" by Howard Jeffrey. Check out his music here: https://howardjeffrey.bandcamp.com/track/this-time. If you have a song to share on our show, submit your music to us at Gaslit Nation – we love hearing from you!: 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, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Andor: The Tony Gilroy Interview Aug 21, 2025

"I have friends everywhere."

In this special episode, we're joined by Tony Gilroy, the creative force behind the electrifying Star Wars series Andor. Critics and activists on the frontlines in America have praised Andor for its powerful portrayal of resistance, and with Season 2 up for 14 Emmy Awards, it's clear this is no ordinary space opera. Gilroy's vision grounds the story in centuries of history, showing us what it means to resist empire in all its brutality. Andor is an urgent guide for Americans today.

For more than three decades, Gilroy has been shaping modern cinema with blockbusters and fearless storytelling. He gave us Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and wrote and directed the critically acclaimed political thriller Michael Clayton, which earned him Oscar nominations for both screenplay and direction. His credits include Armageddon and the first four entries of the Bourne series (in which he directed the fourth), Devil's Advocate, Dolores Claiborne, The Cutting Edge, State of Play, and many, many other films.

The son of World War II veteran and Tony and Pulitzer-winning playwright and filmmaker Frank Gilroy, and brother to acclaimed film editor John Gilroy and Oscar-nominated writer-director Dan Gilroy (an Emmy-nominated writer on Andor), Tony Gilroy doesn't just tell stories: he builds immersive worlds where power, corruption, and resistance collide, worlds that help us make sense of our own. We're thrilled to welcome him to Gaslit Nation to discuss this dark chapter in America's history and, through his art, remind us of the courage it takes to stand and fight back.

For Gaslit Nation listeners who want the full breakdown of the convicted felon/war criminal distraction circus and what comes next for the Free World, our latest salon digs into the Putin-Trump gaslighting sideshow in Alaska and how the war can actually end. You can watch the recording at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you to everyone who makes our independent journalism possible!

Don't miss Monday's salon at 4pm ET, only on Patreon, where we'll dive into two powerful films about resisting dictatorship: The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here. The Lives of Others tells the haunting story of artists defying the East German Stasi, while I'm Still Here tells the story of a woman whose husband is disappeared by Brazil's military dictatorship in the 1970s, and how she transforms her country for the better.

These two films are reminders that light will always defeat darkness: it's just a matter of time, and collective courage and defiance.

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Trailer: Andor (Season 2) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE4wxt70aUM

Andor Clip featured in episode: "You're coming home to yourself." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rugpDpd0aV4

'The world is behaving irrationally' - Putin's warm welcome gets cold reaction in Ukraine https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg4mj4011lo

Kremlin critics say Russia is targeting its foes abroad with killings, poisonings and harassment https://apnews.com/article/russia-attacks-poisoning-killing-litvinenko-skripal-5ddda40fd910fe3f8358ea89cb0c49f1?utm_source=copy&utm_medium=share

Gaslit Nation Action Guide: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/action-guide

How to Start a Ukraine-Style Revolution: The Marci Shore Interview Aug 20, 2025

Hello Gaslit Nation listeners! This conversation was recorded before war criminal Putin and convicted felon Trump staged their grotesque spectacle on the blood-red carpet in Alaska. For our analysis of that hellscape—and what it means for Ukraine and democracy defenders everywhere—be sure to check out the recording of the August 18th salon, coming soon to Patreon.com/Gaslit. Thank you for listening and supporting the show!

*

In Ukraine's Revolution of Dignity, we find a roadmap for fighting oligarchy, injustice, and despair. Historian Marci Shore, author of The Ukrainian Night: An Intimate History of Revolution, reminds us that revolutions rarely begin with grand plans.

The 2014 EuroMaidan uprising started with students protesting a classic bait-and-switch. President Viktor Yanukovych, the Ukrainian Trump, ditched a long-promised agreement to move Ukraine closer to the European Union. Instead he took a massive bribe from Russia.

When peaceful protesters gathered, Yanukovych sent in his riot police to beat them, like in Russia. This backfired. Their parents showed up. Then their neighbors. Then thousands more across the country. Within days, Kyiv was packed with hundreds of thousands of furious, freezing citizens demanding dignity, decency, and an end to oligarch rule. Yanukovych has been in exile in Russia ever since, awaiting his American counterpart, Trump.

August 24 marks 34 years since Ukraine overwhelmingly voted to break free from Kremlin rule and declare its political independence. Ukraine's Independence Day is a reminder to never bet against people who've had enough.

As historian Marci Shore shares urgent lessons for us today, saying, "The fact that it can happen at all means that somehow we human beings have that in us. We somehow have that capacity, and we have to cling to that hope."

Marci also discusses the debate many are having in America today: Do we stay or do we go? She and her husband the historian Tim Snyder made headlines when news broke they had relocated to Toronto, for impotant opportunities, ringing an alarm that authoritarian experts had left America.

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Small Acts of Democratic Resistance https://democracyseminar.newschool.org/forum/

Counting Sheep: A Guerrilla Folk Opera https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EccprVySrPQ

Gaslit Nation's interview with Nataliya Gumenyuk https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/lessons-from-ukraine-five-years-after-the-revolution

New Yorker: Donald Trump's Politics of Plunder https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/02/donald-trumps-politics-of-plunder

"If you can't find the job you want, create it." – TEASER Aug 15, 2025

Our opening clip featured the poet June Jordan reciting her powerful piece A Menace to My Enemies. Jordan is a sheroe of this week's guest, the unstoppable Mona Eltahawy: journalist, feminist firebrand, and global truth-teller whose voice cuts through the noise like no one else.

Mona is the author of Headscarves and Hymens, The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls, and her latest, Bloody Hell!: Adventures in Menopause From Around the World. Her work spans continents and revolutions, from the frontlines of Egypt's Arab Spring to the ongoing fight against patriarchy, white supremacy, and fascism everywhere. She's here to inspire rebellion, liberation, and the refusal to be silenced.

Want to be part of conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET on Zoom. Meet fellow listeners, trade insights, vent your rage, and help build a living archive of resistance.

Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and to everyone who already supports the show—thank you. You make this space possible.

Looking for a summer read that pairs well with revolution? Pick up the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our shady narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bumbles through the dark comedy of authoritarianism, dodging accountability and panicking over activists and journalists. Find it at your local library or at Bookshop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

June Jordan reciting her poem "A Menace to My Enemies" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L898_qsfv7M

Smash the Patriarchy with Rage and Risk: Lessons from Mona Eltahawy Aug 13, 2025

If you're still waiting for someone to save democracy, Mona Eltahawy has news for you: you are the one you've been waiting for.

A fearless Egyptian-American journalist and author of The Seven Necessary Sins for Women and Girls and her latest book Bloody Hell!: Adventures in Menopause From Around the World, Eltahawy is no stranger to authoritarianism. While covering Arab Spring protests in Cairo, she was seized by Egyptian security forces and sexually assaulted and beaten, her arm and hand broken. Now, she warns, America is slipping toward the same strongman rule in Egypt. And too many are sleepwalking through it.

Eltahawy's prescription is feminism that terrifies, carried out by both women and men. Because anyone can be a feminist. This is feminism as revolution. As she puts it, "There is no revolution without rage, and there is no revolution without risk."

Her work urges women to embrace power, ambition, anger, and militant self-defense, not to provoke, but to defend. And for their allies to support them. Learn to protect yourself. Teach your daughters common-sense self-defense and how to take up space.

Her hope is that more of us, especially white women in the U.S., will stop cosplaying resistance and start embodying it. "The Handmaid's Tale is not a documentary," she says. "Get out of the TV and into the streets."

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Journalist On Being Sexual 'Prey' In Egypt https://www.npr.org/2011/11/29/142895349/journalist-on-being-sexual-prey-in-egypt

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

"Human sacrifice is central to great powers." – TEASER Aug 07, 2025

Our show opens with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata, a favorite of philosopher Kate Manne, one of the sharpest minds dissecting power, privilege, and the politics of gender.

Kate is a professor at Cornell University and the author of groundbreaking books like Down Girl, Entitled, and her latest, Unshrinking, which takes on fatphobia with the same fearless clarity she brings to misogyny and moral philosophy. Her work is a lifeline for understanding how injustice is baked into our culture, and how we can start dismantling it. If you've ever felt the weight of double standards, moral policing, or body shame, Kate Manne has words that will crack open your world and help put it back together stronger.

Want to keep the conversation going? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly Zoom gathering where we break down the headlines, swap strategies, share survival tips, and connect with other listeners who get it.

Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Discounted annual memberships are available, and we're so grateful to everyone who keeps the show going.

Need a summer read to match the moment? Check out the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our cunning narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bumbles through the dark art of authoritarianism, clinging to power and dodging those meddling activists and journalists. Find it at your local library or at BookShop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Naming the Rot: Kate Manne Exposes the Lies Holding Up the Patriarchy Aug 06, 2025

Courage often starts with saying the obvious out loud, unapologetically. Philosopher and author Kate Manne brings that rare, dangerous clarity, taking on the everyday cruelties of structural misogyny and the moral contortions America performs to pretend everything's fine.

Manne, author of Down Girl: The Logic of Misogyny, Entitled: How Male Privilege Hurts Women, and Unshrinking: How to Face Fat Phobia, challenges how we understand injustice. It's not just "out there." It's built into our systems, our norms, even our language.

We don't need to wait for sweeping reforms to act with integrity. Real change begins with small, daily acts of moral attention. What do we excuse? Whose pain do we ignore? What stories do we let slide by unchallenged?

Misogyny, Manne argues, isn't just about hatred; it's a control system. A mechanism of the patriarchy designed to punish women who won't conform.

In Manne's hands, philosophy isn't abstract; it's a wrecking ball. A tool for exposing rot and naming the machinery of oppression. Her message is clear: transformation begins with how we think, how we speak, and how we show up, for ourselves and for each other.

That's the real work of justice. And it belongs to all of us.

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

August 25 4pm ET – Join the Gaslit Nation Book Club for a powerful discussion on The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here, two films that explore how art and love endure and resist in the face of dictatorship.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

The Little Prince - TEASER Aug 02, 2025

Welcome to the opening discussion of this past week's thought-provoking salon on The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Though often labeled a children's book, The Little Prince, translated into over 500 languages and dialects, second only to the Bible, sparked a wide-ranging discussion that revealed its deeper, more political dimensions.

In our discussion, Gaslit Nation listeners drew connections between the book's themes and the current tragedy and disinformation war on Gaza, while others reflected on the absurdity of adulthood depicted in the story. Our conversation touched on the divine feminine, the corrupting influence of institutional power, especially within the Catholic Church, and the existential weight behind Saint-Exupéry's deceptively simple prose.

We began by exploring the historical context in which the book was written: a time of fractured resistance to fascism, eerily reminiscent of our own era. Just as the French Resistance struggled with internal divisions and the desperate need for leadership, so too does America today, caught between rising authoritarianism and a detached political establishment.

Most amazingly, this conversation took place on July 31st: the 81st anniversary of Saint-Exupéry's death during a reconnaissance mission off the coast of Marseille. His little plane crashed into the sea, just two months before the liberation of Paris.

UPCOMING BOOK CLUB EVENTS:

August – The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here Two films where art challenges dictatorship—from East Germany to Brazil. Book club: August 25 4pm ET
September – Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford Harriet Tubman's story, in her own words based on interviews with The General herself. Book club: September 29 4pm ET
October – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. Book club: October 27 4pm ET
November – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Indigenous wisdom and science for reconnection and gratitude. Book club: November 24 4pm ET
December – The Forest Song by Lesya Ukrainka An eco-feminist Ukrainian play that sings of love, rebellion, and resilience. Book club: January 29

Get the full story and support independent journalism! Join our community at Patreon.com/Gaslit to hear the complete discussion and unlock exclusive benefits. As a member, you'll enjoy ad-free episodes of Gaslit Nation, bonus shows, behind-the-scenes content, Q&A sessions, access to our private group chats, invites to live events like our weekly political salons every Monday at 4 PM ET on Zoom, and so much more.

Become a patron today at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

"Always be learning." – TEASER Jul 31, 2025

We opened with the trailer from Andor, a series that's earned a top spot on the watch list of this week's guest: the fearless Erin Reed, a real-life member of the Rebel Alliance and one of the most essential journalists working today.

Erin is the creator of Erin In The Morning, the go-to source for breaking news on LGBTQ+ rights, trans healthcare, and the rising tide of attacks on civil liberties across the country. Her reporting has exposed the truth behind anti-trans legislation, tracked authoritarian policies in real time, and armed millions with the facts they need to fight back. Her courage, clarity, and compassion make Erin one of the most vital voices in the resistance, and we're honored to have her on the show.

Want to join the conversation? Come to the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's a community of listeners, activists, and fellow travelers where we unpack the headlines, share strategies, vent our frustrations, and build a living archive of this moment in history.

Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps our show alive. Thank you to everyone who helps make Gaslit Nation possible.

Looking for a summer read that pairs rage with laughter? Check out the Gaslit Nation graphic novel, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our delightfully shady narrator, Judge Lackey, as he stumbles through a step-by-step guide to seizing and holding power, dodging accountability, and panicking over activists and journalists. Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Trans Rights Matter: The Erin Reed Interview Jul 30, 2025

In a world awash with disinformation and fear-based politics, what cuts through the noise isn't perfection; it's authenticity. As Erin Reed, a trailblazing journalist and trans rights advocate, puts it: the most effective leaders and allies are the ones who show up with sincerity, values, and courage.

Reed knows this from experience. Alongside her wife, Montana state legislator Zooey Zephyr, they've faced the harshest forms of political repression, from being silenced in state chambers to watching harmful laws passed in the name of "protecting" sports or children. And yet, their fight continues, fueled by love, clarity, and hope.

So how can you support the trans community in meaningful ways?

Stand Firm in Your Values – Democratic Party leaders especially shouldn't be "Republican-lite" or speak through the filter of 12 consultants. Speak from the heart, like Kentucky's Andy Beshear, who stood up for trans rights and still won big in a deep red state.
Educate Yourself and Others – Learn the real facts. Trans athletes aren't "cheating." They're barely even represented in elite sports. Medical care for trans youth isn't a free-for-all; it's cautious, professional, and consent-driven. And no, no one is performing surgeries in school cafeterias.
Be Visible. Be Vocal. – When institutions cave to pressure and erase diversity programs, allies must speak up. Trans people aren't always in the room, but you might be.
Build Solidarity – Globally and locally. Anti-trans disinformation spreads across borders. So should our support. Reach out to advocate groups abroad and build an international coalition of support and solidarity.

History is watching. As Reed reminds us, this is our civil rights moment. Whether you're an activist, a parent, a lawmaker, or a friend, your genuineness, your voice, and your love can help shape a more just future.

All it takes is a spark.

The song you heard in this week's Gaslit Nation is "Tear the Fascists Down" by Deena Marie. Check out her music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2CuUJiaLhVF4x8WlZGLjRJ

If you have a song to share on our show, submit your music to us at Gaslit Nation – we love hearing from you! More info: 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, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

"Outrage is natural, but it must be paired with quiet thinking." – TEASER Jul 24, 2025

We opened with "Papaoutai" by Belgian artist Stromae, a powerful performer who inspires this week's guest, Jamila Raqib. She once saw him live in an unforgettable setting: the ancient Roman ruins of Carthage, Tunisia.

Jamila Raqib is a powerhouse for peace and democracy. As Executive Director of the Albert Einstein Institution, she has spent years training people across the globe in militant nonviolent resistance. Her work fuels the kind of courage that topples dictators and changes the course of history. She trained under legendary activist Gene Sharp whose book From Dictatorship to Democracy the Gaslit Nation Book Club read back in March, brought the fight for freedom to the frontlines, and she's just getting started.

Want more bold conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. Meet fellow listeners, unpack the news, share strategies, vent, and build a real-time record of this moment in history. Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and you can even give the gift of membership.

If you're packing for the beach or hiding from the heat, take along a little inspiration. Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! is our graphic novel starring the delightfully dodgy Judge Lackey. He'll walk you through the do's and don'ts of becoming a dictator and staying one, all while trying to outwit the pesky activists and journalists out to ruin his grip on power.Grab your copy at your local library or at Bookshop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Fire in Our Peace: The Power of Nonviolent Resistance Jul 23, 2025

They want us to believe that silence is strength. That if we keep our heads down, the storm will pass. But we are the storm. And our storm doesn't need fists. It needs strategy, courage, and the fire of militant nonviolence.

In the latest episode of Gaslit Nation, Jamila Raqib, the executive director of the Albert Einstein Institution, delivers a masterclass in radical defiance without a single weapon raised. Raqib doesn't just talk resistance. She teaches the art of war, the nonviolent kind, built on discipline, planning, and unshakeable conviction.

She carries forward the torch of Gene Sharp, the quiet revolutionary whose writings, like From Dictatorship to Democracy, which the Gaslit Nation Book Club read in March, have armed movements from Serbia to Syria. His ideas are dangerous, not because they incite chaos, but because they illuminate how to take power back without bloodshed. And dictators fear that more than any rifle.

This is militant nonviolence. It's strategic. It's disruptive. And when practiced with precision, it brings regimes to their knees.

Blueprint for the Battle Ahead

Raqib outlines a crucial truth: power is not monolithic. It comes from the obedience of people, workers, civil servants, police, students. Withdraw that obedience, and even the strongest tyrant collapses.

Take Serbia. Take Bangladesh. The world keeps giving us proof that nonviolent action isn't weak; it's lethal to authoritarianism when wielded with discipline. These movements succeeded not because they were polite, but because they were strategic. Organized. Defiant.

This is how repression backfires. Every crackdown becomes fuel. Every jail cell, every bullet, every propaganda campaign becomes a rallying cry, if activists know how to use it.

Weapons of the Peaceful Warrior

Raqib reminds us that art is a weapon. Culture is armor. Community is infrastructure. And technology is a battlefield. Whether it empowers or undermines you depends on how well you understand it. Movements rise and fall on logistics, not just slogans.

Fear will always be there. That's normal. But as Raqib insists, fear doesn't mean stop. It means go smart. Fear is a compass, if it scares the regime, you're probably doing something right.

Nonviolence is Not Passive. It's Precision.

This conversation isn't about kumbaya. It's about battle-readiness. It's about studying the terrain of power, exploiting the cracks, and toppling giants with the slow, grinding force of disciplined resistance.

Nonviolence doesn't mean surrender. It means refusing to give your enemy the war they want. It means winning on your terms. And in a time of rising fascism, digital surveillance, and global despair, we must turn to the tools that have worked, again and again.

So study Gene Sharp. Listen to Raqib. Organize like your life depends on it, because it does.

This is not the time for feel-good hashtags. This is the time for public education, mass mobilization, and strategic action. Nonviolent resistance is not soft. It's the hardest fight there is.

But it's the one that wins.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

"Trust your instincts." – TEASER Jul 17, 2025

We opened with the legendary James Baldwin, because this week, we're passing the mic to someone walking boldly in Baldwin's footsteps: Amber Wallin, Executive Director of the State Revenue Alliance and a fearless fighter for tax justice, equity, and economic power from the ground up.

Whether she's calling out lawmakers, organizing communities, or reshaping policy, Amber is part of a new generation of leaders who refuse to back down. Here she shares the thinkers, art, and music that inspires her in the fight as she takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Because self-care is an act of resistance.

Want more fierce, unfiltered conversations like this? Join the Gaslit Nation Salon, live every Monday at 4pm ET. It's our weekly dose of truth, strategy, and righteous rage with listeners from around the world. Sign up now at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Annual memberships are discounted, and your support keeps us going.

Hitting the beach or binging podcasts from the couch this summer? Take along our graphic novel: Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Follow our corrupt narrator, Judge Lackey, as he bungles his way through authoritarianism, dodging activists and desperately clinging to power.Grab it at your local library or at BookShop.org.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Tax the Rich, Save Democracy: The Truth They Don't Want You to Know Jul 16, 2025

We are told that if we tax the rich, that jobs will disappear. That prosperity will dry up. But the numbers tell a different story. In the latest Gaslit Nation, Amber Wallin, executive director of the State Revenue Alliance, joins Andrea to expose the lie at the heart of our economic system. The rich are not fleeing. They are flourishing. And when we make them pay their fair share, everyone flourishes.

Wallin comes armed with data and clarity. She dismantles the disinformation that has allowed the ultra-wealthy to hoard billions while public schools crumble and hospitals close. States that tax high-income earners are not bleeding millionaires. They are gaining revenue and creating more millionaires. They are investing in their people. They are proving what we already know deep down: we can tax the rich and build a society that works for everyone.

The Battle Behind the Budget

For decades, tax policy in America has been a weapon wielded against working people. It has been shaped by lobbyists, shielded by myths, and sold to the public as necessary sacrifice. But history shows us something else. It shows how tax codes have been intentionally designed to protect wealth at the top and starve communities at the bottom.

Wallin makes it clear. We are not fighting numbers. We are fighting a system that tells us scarcity is natural while billionaires pay less in taxes than teachers.

Tax Justice Is Democracy in Action

Economic inequality is a threat to democracy. When wealth concentrates, power concentrates. And when power concentrates, freedom erodes. That is why taxing the rich is not a fringe idea. It is a democratic emergency.

Wallin also emphasizes something often ignored in these conversations: gender equity. Women, especially women of color, are hit hardest by unfair tax systems. Correcting that is not just about fairness. It is about building systems that's humane.

No One Is Coming to Save Us. We Are the Movement.

This conversation is a call to action. States hold tremendous power to reshape the economy. Community organizing, public pressure, and clear messaging can push forward tax reforms that fund schools, roads, housing, and healthcare. Essential services are not luxuries. They are rights. And the money to pay for them exists.

The only question is whether we have the courage to demand it.

Wallin says it best: free markets are not free. They are designed by and for the wealthy, unless we intervene. Tax policy is not boring. It's political warfare. And the sooner we treat it that way, the sooner we win.

We are in a moment of extraordinary possibility. Trust your instincts. Trust the data. And above all, trust the power of the people to build wealth and power for everyone.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Smash the Oligarchy. Smash the Patriarchy. Jul 14, 2025

On July 14, 1789, ordinary French citizens stormed the Bastille, shattering the myth of royal divine right. Three months later, thousands of women marched on Versailles, demanding bread, justice, and dignity, driving the revolution forward with courage and resolve. As Ursula K. Le Guin reminds us, "We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable. So did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings."

Gaslit Nation Presents: Smash the Oligarchy. Smash the Patriarchy. Our summer series features women on the frontlines of the far-right assault on our democracy, our bodies, and our minds. Hear from:

Amber Wallin – Economic justice advocate explaining why taxing the rich benefits all.
Jamila Raqib – Leader in nonviolent resistance, training movements worldwide against authoritarianism.
Erin Reed – Journalist tracking anti-trans legislation and arming communities to fight back.
Kate Manne – Philosopher exposing misogyny's corrupting power in culture and politics.
Mona Eltahawy – Queer Arab feminist, author, and survivor confronting patriarchy and tyranny globally.
Marci Shore – Historian illuminating resistance and revolution lessons from Eastern Europe.
Erica Smiley – Labor organizer championing collective power and workplace democracy for economic justice.

Our summer bonus shows prove rest is resistance. Join our fearless guests on Gaslit Nation's Self-Care Q&A for inspiring ways to recharge.

We win by being the sand in their gears, and we will win! Our special summer series shows you how. Tune in all summer long at Gaslit Nation. For the hottest of hot takes, see you at the Monday salons, only on Patreon.

Want an exclusive look at the film the Kremlin fears? Fact Checker Patreon members and higher get a two-hour, behind-the-scenes audio guide to Mr. Jones.

Subscribe at Guardian of the Fourth Estate or higher for a signed copy of this summer's must-read, Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Limited signed copies available.

Join Gaslit Nation on Patreon at various levels for ad-free shows, bonus episodes, Monday salons, chat groups, and more. Annual subscriptions are discounted, and memberships make great gifts.

Thanks to all who support our independent journalism. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Homeschool Hell Jul 10, 2025

Chrissy Stroop, a leading voice in the #Exvangelical movement, brings historical insight and personal experience to a conversation that traces the Christian right's rise to power from the Reagan era to its disturbing alignment with Russian authoritarianism today.

This week's bonus show explores how evangelical leaders used strategic alliances, particularly the anti-abortion movement, to unite conservative Christians and Catholics under a single political banner. Stroop explains how this coalition gained momentum during Reagan's presidency and has since embedded itself deeply into U.S. policymaking. Particularly troubling is the influence of Christian nationalists on education through the deregulation of homeschooling, often leaving children vulnerable due to lack of oversight.

Stroop also highlights how Christian nationalism, once cloaked in calls for "religious freedom," now openly embraces authoritarian tactics. The alignment with Vladimir Putin's regime, admired by many on the far right, underscores a global trend toward anti-democratic ideologies under the guise of defending "traditional values."

Yet, amidst the bleak realities, Stroop points to reasons for hope. Grassroots activism is on the rise, as communities across the country push back against oppressive legislation and public protests grow more frequent. Organizers are working tirelessly to safeguard democracy and protect civil liberties, especially for marginalized groups targeted by these far-right movements.

The episode is a sobering reminder of how deeply Christian nationalism is embedded in American history, but also a call to action. As this bonus show emphasizes, defending democracy requires vigilance, public engagement, and an unwavering commitment to truth.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Chrissy Stroop is a co-founder of the independent media site The Flytrap: https://theflytrap.beehiiv.com And she writes the newsletter The Bugbear Dispatch: https://www.bugbeardispatch.com/ Check out her work there

Right-wing extremism and homeschooling go hand in hand by Chrissy Stroop https://flux.community/chrissy-stroop/2023/08/right-wing-extremism-and-homeschooling-go-hand-in-hand/

Washington Post Editorial Board: Donald Trump's weapons freeze on Ukraine could bring catastrophe https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/02/ukraine-russia-war-trump-weapons-freeze-missiles/

Palantir's Builds Big Brother for Trump: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html?unlocked_article_code=1.Tk8.on-Q.rokoAAstmOw5&smid=url-share

Was America a Mistake? Jul 09, 2025

What if the American Revolution wasn't a noble birth of liberty, but a costly wrong turn? Before muskets were raised at Lexington and Concord, the British Empire was already inching toward something remarkable: the abolition of slavery. In 1772, just three years before the war began, the landmark Somerset decision in England ruled that slavery had no basis in common law. While it didn't outlaw slavery across the empire, it signaled growing discomfort with the institution. British abolitionists like Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson were building momentum. By 1807, Britain banned the slave trade; by 1833, it abolished slavery entirely.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, the American colonies, especially in the South, were deeply entrenched in slavery. Many of the Revolution's leading voices were enslavers who feared that continued British rule might imperil their human property. In fact, during the war, the British offered freedom to enslaved people who escaped and joined their forces. The Americans, despite their soaring rhetoric about liberty, were far more reluctant to do the same. In this light, the Revolution was not just a fight for freedom: it was also, for some, a fight to preserve slavery.

Had the colonies remained within the empire, they likely would have been pulled along Britain's abolitionist trajectory. Slavery might have ended decades earlier, without the catastrophic toll of a Civil War. Instead, the United States forged its identity through violent rupture, glorifying revolution and enshrining ideals it could not yet fulfill.

America's foundational rebellion may have delayed justice rather than advanced it. Peace, reform, and patient negotiation–Canada's path–might have built a fairer, stabler society. Liberty, contrary to our cherished American myths, isn't always won on the battlefield. Sometimes, it's secured by fighting for reform and changing from within.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?

Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Slave Nation: How Slavery United the Colonies & Sparked the American Revolution https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/slave-nation/

We Could Have Been Canada: Was the American Revolution such a good idea?https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/05/15/we-could-have-been-canada

Bernie Sanders clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HZWzADxM_kw

The Project 2025 Bill Jul 03, 2025

Trump's "Big Evil Bill" sped through Congress, to sell off public lands, gut healthcare, destroy rural hospitals, outlaw state AI regulation for a decade, make it harder to take out loans to go to college, and unleash an immigration enforcement regime bigger than anything we've ever seen. ICE will now have a budget bigger than the FBI, DEA, U.S. Bureau of Prisons combined. This is an oligarchy fever dream that will painfully backfire on everyone.

Trump's Big Evil Bill is the blueprint of Project 2025 in action: a theocratic, authoritarian takeover of our democracy. This bill will expand presidential powers, weaken the lower courts, and crush humanitarian protections and put our already militized police state on Russian Olympian super steroids. Russell Vought, Trump's OMB Director and the architect of Project 2025, made sure the money was there to turn July 4th into a funeral for the American Revolution by installing a mad king.

But here's the truth hiding in the despair: the more pain this bill causes, the more people it radicalizes. Just as past generations rose up during times of injustice, many Americans, especially those who embraced Trump's con, like those manosphere-brain rotted Gen Z men, will be forced to wake up. They'll see the betrayal. They'll feel it. And some will finally fight back.

The far-right had a 40-year plan. We need ours. One model: The Gay Revolution by historian Lillian Faderman. It's the story of how love, courage, and relentless organizing by small groups of determined people, many forced to become activists because of state cruelty like the kind we're now seeing, and won against impossible odds. The Gay Revolution is our roadmap of hope, and it pays tribute to the countless men and women, many who risked everything, many whose names we may never know, to cast out the darkness with love and defiance.

Go to the Gaslit Nation's Action Guide and choose action. Choose empathy. Choose to be the liberation this moment demands.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The song featured in this episode is First They Came for Queers by Mr. Madam Adam. Find more of their music here: https://music.apple.com/us/album/first-they-came-for-queers/1690696748?i=1690696753

How to Protect Your Community from ICE: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/ice-watch-programs-immigrants-how-to-start

How Trump's bill will supercharge mass deportations by funneling $170bn to Ice https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jul/02/immigration-trump-big-beautiful-bill

Donald Trump's weapons freeze on Ukraine could bring catastrophe https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/07/02/ukraine-russia-war-trump-weapons-freeze-missiles/

Pardoned Jan. 6 Rioter Who Threatened Police Joins Justice Dept. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/01/us/politics/justice-department-rioter-weaponization.html

House taking key vote on Trump's "big, beautiful bill," after GOP holdouts threaten final passage https://www.cbsnews.com/news/house-vote-big-beautiful-bill-rules-committee/

Brett Kavanaugh is Ruining People's Sex Lives Jul 02, 2025

This week on Gaslit Nation, we're joined by the fearless, brilliant Carter Sherman, an award-winning journalist at The Guardian and one of the sharpest voices covering reproductive rights and sexual politics. Her new book, The Second Coming: Sex and the Next Generation's Fight Over Its Future, is a battle cry for Gen Z, a generation navigating the fallout of a stolen Supreme Court, Me Too, incel culture, and a pornified internet.

We dive into how young people are rewriting the rules of intimacy in the face of political oppression. Carter's reporting brings us inside the bedrooms and minds of Gen Zers who are coming of age in a country where Roe v. Wade was overturned exactly as we knew it would be. A generation told they're free is now wrestling with the reality that their rights are under siege, and for many, that anxiety has become physical. As one woman told Carter, she couldn't even have sex without being hounded by Kavanaugh's voice in her head.

This isn't just a story of fear; it's one of resistance. Carter shares how young people are pushing back, from Kansas voters defending abortion rights to college students canvassing in swing states. But she also warns of the growing threat: the rise of the Manosphere, where boys are radicalized by algorithm and learn to hate women before they can legally drink. What can young women and young men agree on? That the Democratic Party brand is toxic, because it's Republican Lite.

The Second Coming is a deeply reported, fiercely human portrait of a generation caught between tech, trauma, and tyranny. This week's bonus show will look at the horror of Trump's Big Evil Bill passing through Congress, and our discussion of Lillian Faderman's landbook book The Gay Revolution–a resistance blueprint for us today.

Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make this show without you!

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW DATE! Thursday July 31 4pm ET – the Gaslit Nation Book Club discusses Antoine de Saint Exupéry's The Little Prince written in the U.S. during America First.
Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Read and Resist: The Gaslit Nation Book Club Jun 30, 2025

After Trump's return to power in January 2025, Gaslit Nation launched a book club not just to inform, but to fortify. Each selection is a lifeline offering strategy, moral clarity, and community in an age of disinformation and despair.

This isn't just a book club. It's a survival toolkit for our time.

Read with us. Build with us. Let's overcome the chaos together.

Join us on the last Monday of every month at 4 PM ET at the Gaslit Nation Salon for a live discussion of that month's book or film. Recordings are available on Patreon, along with bonus shows, ad-free episodes, and more, at Patreon.com/Gaslit. Discounted annual and gift memberships available.

Check out our schedule below:

February – Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl and The Stranger by Albert Camus Survival and absurdity under totalitarianism: one man finds purpose in a concentration camp, another questions meaning under occupation. (Book club recording here).

March – From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp A handbook of nonviolent action, this foundational text offers strategic tools for dismantling authoritarian regimes. (Book club recording here).

April – Parable of the Sower by Octavia E. Butler A near-future America unravels. A young Black woman builds a new belief system—and a movement—amid societal collapse. (Book club recording here).

May – Stride Toward Freedom by Martin Luther King Jr. How the Montgomery Bus Boycott was won. MLK's essential guide to grassroots organizing. (Book club recording here).

June – The Gay Revolution by Lillian Faderman The LGBTQ+ rights movement through the stories of those who led it, showing small groups of people make the difference. Book club this coming Monday June 30 4pm ET.

July – Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry A wartime allegory on wonder, loss, and resistance. Book club: July 28 4pm ET

August – The Lives of Others and I'm Still Here Two films where art challenges dictatorship—from East Germany to Brazil. Book club: August 25 4pm ET

September – Harriet, the Moses of Her People by Sarah Hopkins Bradford Harriet Tubman's story, in her own words based on interviews with The General herself. Book club: September 29 4pm ET

October – Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky + Total Resistance by H. Von Dach Poetry and guerrilla strategy: tools for survival and defiance. Book club: October 27 4pm ET

November – Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer Indigenous wisdom and science for reconnection and gratitude. Book club: November 24 4pm ET

December – The Forest Song by Lesya Ukrainka An eco-feminist Ukrainian play that sings of love, rebellion, and resilience. Book club: January 29

How to Contain Russia (Listen to the full episode on Patreon!) Jun 26, 2025

At a time when democracy is under siege from Kremlin-backed strongmen to MAGA disinformation machines, this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show offers much-needed hope. We unpack the NATO summit, celebrate a major grassroots victory in New York City, and also discuss how to contain Russia with security expert Candace Rondeaux, author of Putin's Sledgehammer.

First up: NATO is finally stepping up. All member nations, except Spain, have committed 5% of their GDP to defense and security by 2035. Predictably, Trump is already trying to take credit, but this shift isn't about him. It's a direct response to Putin's ongoing war in Ukraine. European leaders have learned how to handle Trump's ego: offering flattery when necessary while quietly strengthening defenses against the very aggression he once downplayed. That's not concession; it's strategic diplomacy.

Meanwhile, in New York City, there's real reason to celebrate: Zohran Mamdani's victory in the Democratic primary for mayor is a major win for grassroots organizing and progressive politics. His campaign, alongside Brad Lander and others, championed public investment, reallocated resources from the NYPD's military-sized budget, and pushed back against Fox News crime porn fearmongering and disinformation. It's a clear signal that authentic, coalition-driven campaigns have the power to break through. Is the Democratic Party establishment listening?

And finally, don't miss our powerful conversation with Candace Rondeaux, who outlines how to contain Russian fascism and the ongoing threat of the Wagner Group. As we're always saying at Gaslit Nation: fascists don't stop until they're stopped.

Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes

Putin's Sledgehammer – Candace Rondeaux: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/6/17/putins-sledgehammer
Manufacturing Impunity (Global Rights Compliance): https://globalrightscompliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Manufacturing-Impunity.pdf
Trump's NATO Summit – AP News: https://apnews.com/article/trump-nato-defense-ukraine-143b53c6429e8de256c8ce0b97fdcd7f
Zohran Mamdani's Victory Speech: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zohran+mamdani
Russian Parcel Attacks in Europe – Reuters: https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/lithuania-says-russia-responsible-exploding-parcels-that-caused-fires-2024-11-05/
Lander & Mamdani Cross Endorsement Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYH_zerPE3M
Danish Study on Mental Health & Society – Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/psychology-dark-triad-psychopathy-narcissism-personality-conditions-2085956
IPS Study: Wealth Expands After Taxing the Rich: https://ips-dc.org/report-wealth-expands-after-higher-state-taxes-on-high-income-earners/
Join Weekly Protests at Fox News (Rise and Resist): https://www.riseandresist.org/

Support Gaslit Nation on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/gaslit

Anne Applebaum: How Democracies Fail Jun 25, 2025

With the world on the brink of another war, there's no one more essential to hear from than Anne Applebaum, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author of Gulag, Iron Curtain, Red Famine (which cites Andrea's grandfather, a Holodomor survivor), Twilight of Democracy, and Autocracy Inc.

In this urgent conversation, we go to the frontlines of authoritarianism, from MAGA's playbook at home to Putin's alliances abroad, from Orban's Hungary to the rising threat of war with Iran.

We begin in Poland. In 2023, a broad democratic coalition ousted the far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ Law and Justice party, which had spent years eroding democratic institutions. But in a razor-thin presidential race this year, that same authoritarian force clawed its way back. The takeaway? Democracy isn't a destination. It's a constant, high-stakes battle.

"Everybody always wants to write the story of populism and say that it's over, or it's here for good, or we're finished, or we've won. And that's not what the story is going to look like," says Applebaum. "This is the ongoing struggle that all of us will be in, probably for the next few decades, maybe into the foreseeable future. The argument about the nature of the state is now here with us. And neither one side nor the other has achieved a definitive victory, I would say, either in Europe or in the United States."

Then, Iran. Trump launched airstrikes without congressional approval or public debate, risking another U.S. war. Many in the Iranian opposition welcome blows to the brutal regime, but without strategy or legality, this is more of Trump's lawless chaos.

Meanwhile, Putin watches. His alliance with Iran is not ideological, but tactical, with one shared mission: destabilize democracies and sow chaos worldwide.

Applebaum discusses how Hungary became the MAGA model, what Poland's resistance can teach the U.S., and why the fight for democracy is far from over.

This isn't a time for hope alone. It's a time to act. Because autocracy isn't resting. And neither can we.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW! We now have a Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, join on Patreon.
NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, join on Patreon.
June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, join on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, join on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, join on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Impeach Trump Now Jun 19, 2025

Welcome to the skeptic's guide to impeachment. Why is a third impeachment effort of Trump necessary? Because demanding impeachment puts every member of Congress on trial, revealing who we can trust and who is bought off.

Meet unanimous consent: the Senate's dirty little secret, and the power Democrats refuse to use. Imagine if all it took to stop the Senate in its tracks was one simple word: No. Unanimous consent is a very real procedural quirk that gives every single senator, regardless of party or seniority, enormous power. All they have to do is deny consent. Just say no, and legislative business slows to a crawl.

Now here's the catch: Republicans use this tool constantly. Democrats? Almost never.

And that's not because they can't; it's because they choose not to.

How does unanimous consent work?

In the Senate, many of the chamber's archaic rules can be bypassed if no one objects. This process is called unanimous consent. It's used for everything from skipping quorum calls to fast-tracking nominations. The idea is to keep things moving. But here's the shocking part: any senator, at any time, for any reason, can halt this entire process by simply saying, "I object."

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville famously abused this mechanism to block military promotions for nearly a year. And he paid no price for it. Why? Because it's perfectly within Senate rules.

And yet, while authoritarianism rises, civil liberties are under siege, and people are being literally kidnapped off American streets, not a single Democratic senator has used this tool to slow the machinery down.

By mid-April, according to Keira Havens, an organizer of Citizens Impeachment, along with former Congressional staffer for Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota, there were already around 500 recorded unanimous consent agreements in the 2025 Congressional Record. That's around 500 times every single senator, including vocal Democrats like Elizabeth Warren and Cory Booker, gave the green light to fast-track Senate business. They could have slowed things down. They didn't.

In fact, shortly after Cory Booker gave an impassioned speech in a historic filibuster marathon, the Senate used unanimous consent to speed-track a nominee: Jared Kushner's father, convicted felon Charles Kushner, to become the Ambassador to France. (Poor France!)

Unanimous consent isn't some obscure loophole. It's an incredibly accessible and completely legal form of leverage: a filibuster on easy mode. You don't need to prepare a speech. You don't need to command the floor. Senate Dems just say one word: No.

So why aren't Democrats using it? The excuses vary: wait for the midterms, preserve decorum, respect procedure. But these excuses fail a democracy in crisis. There won't be a midterm rescue if authoritarianism cements itself into place now.

Senators like Elizabeth Warren and Chris Murphy speak out against abuses of power, but actions speak louder than works, especially under the watchful eye of history. It's time to hold Trump and his lawless administration accountable.

What Can You Do?

Start using the hashtag: #DemsJustSayNo
Tweet at your senators: @SenWarren, @CoryBooker, @ChrisMurphyCT — Why do you keep consenting 500+ times?
Educate others. "Unanimous consent" = silent agreement. Break the silence.
Join or support organizing efforts like Citizens Impeachment that are pushing for real accountability.

The Senate is designed to give each senator power. But power unused is power surrendered. Republicans understand that. Democrats need to learn fast actions speak louder than words.

They can say no. They should say no. And if they won't, we the people must demand accountability now.

The video of Part II of our discussion will publish on Patreon Monday morning along with the Zoom link for our next Gaslit Nation salon later that day at 4pm ET. See you there!

Show Notes:

CitizensImpeachment.com: https://citizensimpeachment.com/

Opening Clip of Rep. Melissa Hortman: Hortman Files House Protest Over Legislature's Treatment Of Women https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F1B7kashnD0&t=1s

Minnesota Rep. Melissa Hortman Calls Out White Male Colleagues https://www.teenvogue.com/story/melissa-hortman-calls-out-white-male-colleagues-minnesota

Clip of Brad Lander: https://bsky.app/profile/hellgatenyc.com/post/3lrtdzsz4ps2q

The two Michael Wolff interviews referenced towards the end of the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z21Tj19JYag https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRjGoZQShB0

The lawmakers using taxpayer money to pay for ads https://citizensimpeachment.com/

Charles Kushner Senate Vote Confirmation: https://www.congress.gov/nomination/119th-congress/24/4

ICE agents storm Irvine couple's home in search for answers about posters placed around LA https://abc7.com/post/ice-agents-storm-michael-changs-parents-irvine-home-search-answers-posters-placed-around-la/16298909/

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW! We now have a Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.
NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other. Join on Patreon.
June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Putin's Sledgehammer Jun 18, 2025

This week, Gaslit Nation welcomes a leading expert on the future of warfare and U.S. national security Candace Rondeaux, author of the new book Putin's Sledgehammer: The Wagner Group and Russia's Collapse into Mercenary Chaos. Before there was Trump vs. Musk, there was Putin vs. Prigozhin. It turns out the oligarchs trying to kill us are just a couple of scorpions trapped in a jar.

Two years ago this June 23rd, Yevgeny Prigozhin led an armed mutiny of his infamous Wagner group, getting within 125 miles (200 km) of Moscow. In her book and this gripping conversation, Rondeaux unpacks what Wagner really is—and what it isn't—debunking the myths surrounding Russia's most infamous mercenary network. Wagner's mutiny marked the first real crack in Putin's power in decades. Prigozhin wasn't an outsider—he was Putin's creation. Funded. Protected. Enabled. And ultimately? Eliminated. On August 23rd, exactly two months later, his plane exploded above Russia, killing him and his inner circle.A special message from Gaslit Nation:

We enthusiastically endorsed New York City Comptroller Brad Lander for Mayor, ranking him as our top vote. Listen to our discussion with Lander from May here. Lander recently became the latest Democratic official detained by ICE's masked agents—Trump's gestapo—while defending the rights of the vulnerable. As Gaslit Nation warned after the election, Trump will lash out at "blue" sanctuary cities, to attempt to terrorize us into submission. It won't work. More on this in Thursday's bonus show, where we discuss what comes next—including impeachment. Stay tuned.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other: join here.
June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.
June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

They Want You to Be Scared. Don't Give It To Them. Jun 14, 2025

A message from Gaslit Nation to our listeners about the political assassinations in Minnesota. When something bad happens that's clearly meant to intimidate people into silence, the best course of action is to shock and demoralize the perpetrators by channeling your rage and grief into standing up and speaking out. Don't back down.

You're not alone in this. We have our community, and countless others refusing to be silenced.

Join us at a NoKings.org protest today. And if you're in NYC, be sure to vote for Brad Lander and Zohran Mamdani. Watch their fun joint endorsement video in the show notes. Find your early voting polling station there, too. Early voting starts today!

Show Notes:

Minnesota Lawmaker Killed, Another Wounded By Suspect Impersonating Police: The shootings, which occurred at the lawmakers' homes, appeared to be politically motivated. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/minnesota-lawmakers-shot-brooklyn-park_n_684d786ce4b0fcc493777718

Fun Joint Endorsement Video: Zohran & Brad: No matter who, rank us #1 & #2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdeiaMRvWSI

NYCers, early voting starts today! Find your polling place: https://findmypollsite.vote.nyc/

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

We Are All Artists Now - TEASER Jun 12, 2025

Yes, things are dark. But if history has taught us anything, it's this: regimes fall, because people rise. Some soldiers will follow orders. Others won't. And that fault line? It's where dictatorships begin to crack. Just ask Romania in 1989, as we discussed in our March episode, "How to Overthrow a Dictator."

Meanwhile, Trump's team can't even staff the Pentagon, according to reports. No one who can put one foot in front of the other wants to work for "Whiskey Pete."

The NIH is being gutted. Five-year research grants canceled in year four. Science is being purged, not for savings, but for submission. Stalin would be proud. So what do we do?

We create. We resist. We document.

We fund the arts. We fund scientists. We dance in the streets. Because protest is not just rage: it's dance, murals, color, joy.

We outnumber them. They know it. That's why they're afraid. That's why they send in the troops.

So unleash your inner rebel. Paint. Dance in the streets. Testify.

We are all artists now.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

NEW! We now have a Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, available on Patreon.
June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.
June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Trump's concentration camp bill: $160 billion to expand the powers of ICE and build a network of concentration camps https://www.wola.org/analysis/160-billion-to-detain-and-deport-congresss-reconciliation-bill-is-a-betrayal-of-priorities-and-will-harm-the-most-vulnerable/

CNN: Trump sends in the troops: https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3lr76cgcuap26

Gavin Newsom & Federal Tax Boycott (Secession Hints) CBS News – What to Know About Newsom's Tax Threat https://www.cbsnews.com/news/california-gavin-newsom-federal-tax-boycott-trump-what-to-know/

Scientific Purges Bethesda Declaration – Defend NIH Scientists https://standupforscience.org/bethesda-declaration

NIH scientists call on director to protect biomedical research https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/06/09/nx-s1-5425466/nih-research-freedom-bethesda-declaration

Resistance Art Show – KGNU, Boulder (7/11/25) https://kgnu.org/calendar

ArtWorks for Milwaukee – Teen Art Internships (Donate) https://www.artworksformilwaukee.org/donate

Zoe Leonard's Poem "I Want a Dyke for President" – Performed by Mykki Blanco https://www.youtube.com

"Invading Antifa Land" – The Stranger https://www.thestranger.com/news/2025/05/30/80080084/invading-antifa-land

Protesters dancing in Los Angeles https://bsky.app/profile/cafastfoodunion.bsky.social/post/3lr7akcfywk2r

How a Christian School Kid in Indiana Saw the Fall of Democracies Coming Jun 11, 2025

This week, we're joined by the brilliant Chrissy Stroop, a scholar, writer, and all-around truth-teller. Chrissy is a leading voice in exposing the Christian nationalist movement, the exvangelical uprising, and the growing marriage between the American and Russian far-right. She also happens to be a trans woman with a PhD in Russian history and a wild journey that took her from a fundamentalist Christian school in Indiana to teaching in Moscow.

Chrissy and Andrea go way back to the early days of calling out Trump's ties to Russia when doing so earned us hit pieces, smears, and even being called CIA agents or Russian spies, depending on who was yelling. In this episode, we dig into everything: Russia's anti-gay propaganda laws (and why Trump proudly ignored the global boycott to host Miss Universe there in 2013), the dismantling of American public education, and why Christian nationalism is not just a domestic threat; it's a global movement.

Chrissy breaks down how the Christian Right has long operated its own post-truth disinformation ecosystem and how the fear of hell was used as an emotional bludgeon to control kids like her, until her queer awakening in Russia at age 33. She's living proof that you can deconstruct the indoctrination, with a little help of Ranger Rick, and build a life outside of it. From pledges to the Bible and the American flag to Putin's regime and America's culture wars, Chrissy's story is a powerful testament to resilience, resistance, and reclaiming truth.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Listen to Regime Noir's music, like their song Su Testimonio: http://open.spotify.com/track/30TmLqTsRnqYzF0SNKyxIz and follow them on Instagram: instagram.com/regimenoir

Submit your song to be featured Gaslit Nation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

June 16 4pm ET – Gabe Garbowit and Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment join our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.
June 30 4pm ET – America has been here before. Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Know Your Rights! Jun 06, 2025

Today marks the 81st anniversary of D-Day–the Allies landing on the beaches of Normandy to liberate Europe from fascism. As we remember the heroes, we salute the Nazi hunters of then and now. Our resistance lives on. This week, just like early June 1944, was a great week for the resistance. Welcome to the second Gaslit Nation block party of the week. Ukraine launched a stealth campaign, destroying 34% of Russia's warplanes with cheap drones and sheer ingenuity. Meanwhile, in the U.S., the MAGA death cult is imploding. Steve Bannon just declared war on Elon Musk and called for him to be deported, Trump wants to gut Musk's government contracts and Bannon claims an executive order is being drafted to seize SpaceX, and MAGA influencers are melting down. It's an oligarch "Lord of the Flies." Welcome to the second Gaslit Nation block party of the week.

We end on a high note featuring advice from Constitutional law scholar Leah Litman of the Strict Scrutiny podcast and author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. In part two of our discussion, we cover knowing our rights in a time of lawlessness.

Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

June 16 4pm ET – Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment joins our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.
June 30 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available here.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

See you at No Kings March on June 14! More info here: https://www.nokings.org/

Join a Tesla Takedown protest near you: https://www.teslatakedown.com/

Trump describes D-Day as 'not a great day' to German chancellor https://youtu.be/noJgJb-prDU?si=JEVYoPTuzg9sF1OB

As feud explodes into public view, Trump implies government could cut contracts and subsidies to Musk's companies https://www.nbcnews.com/business/business-news/trump-musk-contracts-subsidies-budget-cuts-rcna211288

Musk says Trump is named in Epstein files https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5335453-elon-musk-donald-trump-jeffrey-epstein-files/

Bannon on Trump, Musk implosion: 'We're going to go to f‑‑‑ing war' https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5336511-steve-bannon-elon-musk-donald-trump-feud/

Remember When Elon Musk's 4-Year-Old Son Said They'll 'Quietly Do Whatever We Want'? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/remember-when-elon-musks-4-year-old-son-said-theyll-quietly-do-whatever-we-want/ar-AA1yXSQX

Elon Musk's Kid Keeps Saying Weird Stuff About Trump (includes clip of Musk's kid played in this bonus show) https://gizmodo.com/elon-musks-kid-keeps-saying-weird-stuff-about-trump-2000563118

Trump Tax Bill Targets Current EV Owners With New $250 Annual Fee https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/house-tax-bill-new-ev-annual-fee

Lawless: Gaslit Nation's Interview with Leah Litman https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/5/21/lawless

"Putin is a Dead Man Walking" Jun 04, 2025

Happy Russia Military Transport Aviation Day, everyone! This June 1st, all Nazi hunters celebrated as Ukraine destroyed 34% of Russia's warplanes. We're throwing a Gaslit Nation block party, featuring an old friend from the war, warning the world what comes next.

Splitting his time between the frontline in Ukraine and his animal sanctuary in South Africa, conservationist Lionel De Lange runs aid to animals and people alike on the frontlines of Russia's genocidal invasion, including shooting down drones at night. We discuss how World War III has already started; Russia's recent attempts to bomb Chernobyl to weaponize its radioactive waste against Ukraine and broader Europe; the recent disappointing elections in Poland; Zelensky's brilliant Operation Spider's Web that will live in history books; and why Putin is a dead man walking.

This week's bonus show focuses on how to protect our rights in a time of lawlessness, featuring insights from Leah Litman of the Strict Scrutiny podcast and author of Lawless: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes, and why everyone should watch the livestream of George Clooney's Goodnight, and Good Luck on June 7th.

Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

June 16 4pm ET – Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment joins our salon to discuss the growing movement to impeach Donald Trump.
June 30 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
NEW! Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, available on Patreon.
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

"The PayPal Mafia": Meet the South African Oligarchs Surrounding Trump, from Elon Musk to Peter Thiel https://www.democracynow.org/2025/2/10/elon_musk_doge_south_africa_apartheid

Trump Taps Palantir to Compile Data on Americans: The Trump administration has expanded Palantir's work with the government, spreading the company's technology — which could easily merge data on Americans — throughout agencies. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/technology/trump-palantir-data-americans.html

The Shocking Far-Right Agenda Behind the Facial Recognition Tech Used by ICE and the FBI: Thousands of newly obtained documents show that Clearview AI's founders always intended to target immigrants and the political left. Now their digital dragnet is in the hands of the Trump administration. https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2025/04/clearview-ai-immigration-ice-fbi-surveillance-facial-recognition-hoan-ton-that-hal-lambert-trump/

'Russian bombers are burning en masse' — Ukraine's SBU drones hit 'more than 40' aircraft in mass attack, source says https://kyivindependent.com/enemy-bombers-are-burning-en-masse-ukraines-sbu-drones-hit-more-than-40-russian-aircraft/

Trump still 'open' to meeting Putin and Zelenskyy; Russia rejects unconditional ceasefire – as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2025/jun/02/ukraine-russia-istanbul-talks-vladimir-putin-voldymyr-zelenskyy-latest-news-live?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=bluesky&CMP=bsky_gu

Curtis Yarvin's Plot Against America: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2025/06/09/curtis-yarvin-profile?utm_social-type=owned&utm_brand=tny

Trump's image of dead 'white farmers' came from Reuters footage in Congo, not South Africa https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/trumps-image-dead-white-farmers-came-reuters-footage-congo-not-south-africa-2025-05-22/

Musk Takes Stephen Miller's Wife—as Trump Aide Rage-Tweets https://www.thedailybeast.com/musk-takes-stephen-millers-wifeas-trump-aide-rage-tweets/?utm_medium=socialflow&utm_campaign=owned_social&source=TDB&via=FB_Page&utm_source=facebook_owned_tdb&fbclid=IwY2xjawKlaapleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETE2NDZCMG9NM2dOSFU5S1pDAR7384ziZGmp4sVCXoBU-SJd5L0hk9-SmD8wC7QaL0SH9EuinWQA5ZeNuXW8ow_aem_RnI6u7CVeXAc2hZZFo63AQ

Build, Baby, Build! The World Needs Your Light - TEASER May 30, 2025

In 1967, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood before a group of students and asked them: What is your life's blueprint? Nearly 60 years later, that question still echoes louder than ever.

We're living in a time of weaponized exhaustion. Democracy is being undermined, basic human rights are under attack, and billionaires are playing dictator, gleefully sentencing millions to death by slashing desperately needed aid. But history shows us again and again: when the forces of destruction rise, ordinary people must rise higher.

Dr. King built a movement in the face of death threats, betrayals, and overwhelming pressure to give up. He led the Montgomery Bus Boycott to victory. Our Patreon community came together to discuss his powerful instructional memoir, Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story. We're called to lead our own. Whether you're boycotting companies that cave to fascism or marching on June 14 at the No Kings March, every action matters. Join a community, find your people, and check out the Gaslit Nation Action Guide at GaslitNationPod.com.

The arc of justice won't bend itself. Our job is to build, baby, build. Build movements. Build communities. Build a world where everyone's light can shine.

So what's your blueprint? The world needs your light.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Sensitivity warning: The full conversation on Patreon includes themes related to religion and spirituality, including references to church, faith, and astrology. These topics may be sensitive or triggering for some members based on personal beliefs, experiences, or cultural backgrounds. Engage with care and take the space you need. Thank you!

Show Notes:

Full discussion of Stride Toward Freedom from Gaslit Nation's salon available on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/posts/build-baby-build-130278922?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Martin Luther King, Jr.: "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtOGXreTOU&t=10s

No King's March June 14 2025: https://indivisible.org/statements/indivisible-and-partners-announce-no-kings-nationwide-day-defiance-flag-day-during

Musk Said No One Has Died Since Aid Was Cut. That Isn't True. https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/03/15/opinion/foreign-aid-cuts-impact.html

Elon Musk's Legacy Is Disease, Starvation and Death https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/opinion/elon-musk-doge-usaid.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

In addition to Musk, multiple top DOGE officials leaving Trump administration: Sources https://abcnews.go.com/US/addition-musk-multiple-top-doge-officials-leaving-trump/story?id=122321780

As Trumps Monetize Presidency, Profits Outstrip Protests: The president and his family have monetized the White House more than any other occupant, normalizing activities that once would have provoked heavy blowback and official investigations. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/25/us/politics/trump-money-plane-crypto.html

Women account for 28% of lawmakers in the 119th Congress – unchanged from the last Congress https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/02/21/women-account-for-28-of-lawmakers-in-the-119th-congress-unchanged-from-the-last-congress/

The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle by Lillian Faderman https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-gay-revolution-the-story-of-the-struggle-lillian-faderman/16646200?ean=9781451694123&next=t

Musk's SpaceX town in Texas warns residents they may lose right to 'continue using' their property https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/05/29/elon-musk-spacex-starbase-texas.html

How We Got Here May 28, 2025

This past year, what feels like a hundred in Trump years, Gaslit Nation listeners have asked the same question: How did we get here? The answer, though deeply unsettling, is vital to understand. It's the story of a 40-year campaign waged by far-right Christian nationalists, Big Oil, and corporate power to undermine our democracy.

To help us all make sense of this crisis moment, as a firehose of corruption and racist disinformation blasts from the White House, we've created a special "Best of Gaslit Nation" episode. This powerful montage connects the dots with help from some of the most tenacious experts sounding the alarm.

You'll hear from Ari Berman of Mother Jones and author of Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People—and the Fight to Resist It; Anne Nelson, author of The Shadow Network: Media, Money, and the Secret Hub of the Radical Right; Nancy MacLean, author of Democracy in Chains: The Deep History of the Radical Right's Stealth Plan for America, Elie Mystal of The Nation and author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, and more. Each voice reveals a piece of the puzzle: how the Reagan revolution, Supreme Court corruption, and dark money led us to this breaking point, unleashing Trump as their Frankenstein monster.

But this isn't just about history: it's about action. The Gaslit Nation Action Guide is your toolkit for resisting, rebuilding, and reclaiming our democracy. The darkness we face cannot withstand our collective light.

So stand up. Be defiant. Shine bright. This chapter isn't the end: it's our call to build something better, together.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Two special events! This Thursday May 29 at 8pm ET, the Media and Democracy Forum will host Pulitzer-winning cartoonist Ann Telnaes to discuss editorial cartooning's role in democracy, press freedom, and 2025's controversy involving her rejected cartoon by Washington Post editor David Shipley. RSVP here: https://www.mobilize.us/mediademocracyproject/event/768371/

June 16 at 4pm ET, Keira Havens of Citizens' Impeachment joins the Gaslit Nation salon to discuss the growing movement to demand the impeachment of Donald Trump and why it matters. Look out for a Zoom link on Patreon the morning of the event, and be sure to visit citizensimpeachment.com.

Featured Episodes:

Minority Rule, featuring Ari Berman https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/23/minority-rule

Voter Suppression Emergency: The Ari Berman Interview https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2021/6/24/voter-suppression-emergency-the-ari-berman-interview

The World Must Stand Up to Trump's America, featuring Elie Mystal https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2025/2/11/the-world-must-stand-up-to-trumps-america?rq=elie%20mystal

Bad Faith, featuring filmmaker Stephen Ujlaki https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/16/bad-faith

Democracy in Chains: The Nancy MacLean Interview - Part I https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/6/1/nancy-maclean-interview-part-01

Can the Reagan Revolution Be Undone?, featuring Jesse Eisinger https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2023/12/13/reagan-revolution-jesse-eisinger-part-2

Project 2025 Super Special, featuring Anne Nelson https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/5/21/project-2025-super-specialnbsp

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

June 16 4pm ET – Keira Havens of Citizens Impeachment joins Gaslit Nation to discuss the Trump impeachment movement; details at citizensimpeachment.com.
June 30pm ET – Book club discussion of Lillian Faderman's The Gay Revolution: The Story of the Struggle
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Stop Cuomo: The Lindsey Boylan Interview May 22, 2025

A 2021 Department of Justice investigation concluded that former Governor Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed 13 women, fostering a toxic workplace culture defined by power abuse, intimidation, and retaliation.

In 2020, Lindsey Boylan did something brave and necessary. After years of working under former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, she became the first woman to publicly accuse him of sexual harassment. Her voice cracked the silence, and eventually, 13 women in total came forward as part of a Department of Justice investigation that began under the Biden administration. That courage forced Cuomo to resign, but now he's back, eyeing one of the most powerful posts in the resistance to Trump: New York City Mayor.

Boylan's story is a warning. She worked closely with Cuomo from 2015 to 2018, first as the Chief of Staff at Empire State Development and later as Deputy Secretary for Economic Development. She resigned when the environment became, in her words, "more and more toxic." When media reports floated Cuomo possibly joining the Biden administration as Attorney General, Boylan took to Twitter, risking everything to speak out.

And now? Just last week, in the middle of the NYC mayoral primary, Cuomo flirted with a female radio host on air, asking her out on a date. That's Cuomo gloating that even he can stage a comeback, like Trump, after costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars in legal bills fighting sexual harrassment claims. America cannot afford a sexual predator in the White House and in charge of one of our biggest cities, especially with activists, immigrants, and real journalists increasingly vulnerable to MAGA's creeping fascism.

Share this interview with voters you may know in NYC. And New Yorkers, the mayor's race matters. Use ranked-choice voting wisely: do not rank Cuomo at all.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The woman who brought down Andrew Cuomo: 'I dropped a nuclear bomb on my life' https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/andrew-cuomo-chris-accuser-harrassment-b1926405.html

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo sexually harassed at least 13 women, DOJ says https://www.cnbc.com/2024/01/26/cuomo-subjected-at-least-13-women-to-sexually-hostile-environment-doj.html

U.S. Department of Justice opened civil investigation into sexual harassment claims against Andrew Cuomo https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-cuomo-sexual-harassment-federal-civil-investigation-department-justice/

New Yorkers Are Paying Over $60 Million for Andrew Cuomo's Legal Fights https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-24/andrew-cuomo-legal-bills-over-sex-harassment-covid-paid-by-ny-taxes

Lawless May 21, 2025

The Fox News Supreme Court is a political weapon, and it's being wielded to wreck what remains of American democracy. What happens if Trump declares martial law?

This week on Gaslit Nation, Andrea interviews Leah Litman, a constitutional law professor at the University of Michigan Law School, co-host of the award-winning Strict Scrutiny podcast, and author of the new book LAWLESS: How the Supreme Court Runs on Conservative Grievance, Fringe Theories, and Bad Vibes. This Court is a multi-decade effort by conservatives to seize power they couldn't win through democratic means.

Litman warns about what the Fox News Court is up to. If you thought things were bad, we're staring down a term packed with cases that could fundamentally rewrite public education, religious liberty, and basic civil rights. Take Oklahoma Charter Board v. Drummond. This case actually asks whether the Constitution requires states to allow religious public charter schools. Yes, you read that right: requires. The Establishment Clause prohibits the government from funding religious education. But now, thanks to the conservative justices' persecution complex, where white Christian nationalism is the most oppressed identity in America, obviously, the Court may rule that denying public funding to religious schools is unconstitutional discrimination.

Then there's the challenge to a Maryland school district's decision to include LGBTQ+ inclusive books in elementary schools. A group of religious parents is arguing that merely exposing children to stories with queer characters violates their religious freedom. If the Court agrees, it could hand conservative parents a veto power over what public schools teach, effectively outlawing inclusive education if it makes anyone clutch their pearls.

What Litman makes clear is that these cases are about redefining public life, turning schools into vehicles for a theocratic agenda. And let's be honest: they're not talking about funding schools for Wiccans or the Church of Satan. This is about establishing a Christian nationalism dictatorship. Yes, it can happen here. Yes, it's happening here.

But we are not powerless. Reform is not a fantasy. Term limits. Ethics rules. Court expansion. These are tools, if we find the courage to use them. Because democracy doesn't die in darkness. It's strangled in broad daylight by men in robes, funded by billionaires, and broadcast live on C-SPAN.

And if we don't fight back? We're just letting them get away with it.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

May 26 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Stride Toward Freeom: The Montgomery Story
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

The recent storms have devastated so many in St. Louis, and the Urban League needs our help now more than ever. Please donate what you can to support their relief efforts and help communities rebuild: https://www.ulstl.com/#/

What's as gratifying as a Tesla Takedown protest? A Fox News Takedown protest! https://www.foxtakedown.com/

TEASER - We Can Overcome Oligarchy May 16, 2025

How much have the Trumps made since returning to power? According to The New York Times, a staggering $2 billion in the last month alone. From Russia to the Middle East, the Trumps have long cultivated ties with the global oligarchy, welcoming support from some of the world's most repressive regimes to gain power in 2016 and, now, to enrich themselves.

You've likely heard about the infamous June 2016 Trump Tower meeting with Russian operatives. And perhaps you know about Trump's covert meeting with sanctioned Egyptian dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi during the UN General Assembly that September. But what about the August 2016 Trump Tower meeting involving the Trump campaign and envoys from several Middle Eastern dictatorships?

In this week's bonus episode, we revisit the explosive 2018 reporting that detailed this secretive gathering, now more relevant than ever as Trump embarks on what can only be described as a Middle East cash-grab tour. Among the key figures: convicted pedophile and Trump ally George Nader, and Joel Zamel, an Israeli operative with links to Russian intelligence and expertise in digital influence warfare.

To help make sense of the chaos, and chart a path through it, we continue our conversation with Olga Lautman, a leading expert on the Russian mafia and transnational kleptocracy. It's a deep dive into how the oligarchy operates, and how we resist it.

Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make this show without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The Trumps Get Richer: We take a look at the Trump family's business deals. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/14/briefing/trump-family-business.html?unlocked_article_code=1.HE8.DPvg.yMtnHvgKpHjK&smid=url-share

George Nader pleads guilty to child sex crimes https://www.cnn.com/2020/01/13/politics/george-nader-plea

Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html

Early Gaslit Nation episode on Andrea meeting a Russian agent in the 2016 Trump Tower meeting: https://youtu.be/gftsj4PVbvc?si=A8fGSATV1anM_AKd

Olga Lautman's Trump Tyranny Tracker: https://trumptyrannytracker.substack.com/

Brad Lander for NYC Mayor May 15, 2025

New York City's mayoral race is heating up, and into the inferno walks Brad Lander: City Comptroller, longtime progressive pain in the ass (in the best way), and, most importantly, not a corrupt tool of the oligarchy. That alone is refreshing.

Lander's running on a revolutionary NYC platform: competence, decency, and not being Eric Adams, Andrew Cuomo, or a trash fire named Donald Trump. He's spent his career backing tenants, workers, and immigrants, including showing up at an ICE facility to demand Newark mayor Ras Baraka's release.

On Gaslit Nation, Lander made it clear: he's not here to play nice with predators in power. He's here to break the cycle of corruption, fight for working people, and stop ICE from turning Rikers Island into Guantanamo East.

On climate? "Climate risk is financial risk," Lander says. His plan includes rooftop solar, ensuring net-zero emissions by 2040, and preventing your apartment from becoming a boiling deathtrap during the next heat wave. (Remember Cuomo leaving people to die in nursing homes?)

As the feds abandon us under Trump and Musk, someone's got to step up. Lander wants to expand the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection. And for non-New Yorkers: NYC's mayor matters nationally. This is a frontline job against elite impunity and rising autocracy. We need Lander to help rebuild democracy.

Want to protect New York, and the country, from grifters like Adams and Cuomo? Use ranked-choice voting, ranking Lander #1. Then rank all the other progressives endorsed by the Working Families Party. Do not put Cuomo on your ballot. He already resigned after using his power to prey on women. Don't make us go through that again.

Go to landerfornyc.com and help make New York City safer and stronger, for the sake of its residents and all of America. Share this interview with the New Yorkers in your life to help stop Cuomo and elect Lander New York City's next mayor.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

The Qatar/Trump Super Special May 14, 2025

Welcome to the jetstream, where elite criminal impunity flies above laws and accountability. Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins Gaslit Nation to connect the global dots on oligarchy in the White House.

We start with Qatar, a small but powerful gas station dictatorship, and a leading financier of terrorists. Once diplomatically isolated for its links to fellow terror-state Iran as well as groups linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS, Qatar has been back in business, brokering nuclear talks with Russia and Iran, investing billions with the Kremlin, propping up Hamas, and gifting Trump a $400,000 luxury jet, dubbed a "flying palace." National security risk? Absolutely. Surveillance threat? Almost certainly. Bribery? Looks like it. But what is Qatar getting in return?

Qatar, the second-largest buyer of U.S. weapons, after its nemesis Saudi Arabia, recently secured a $2B U.S. arms deal, thanks to Trump. It also invested $10 billion in a Texas-based natural gas venture that requires federal oversight, under Trump. Andrea and Olga go through all the ways Trump and Qatar enjoy kleptocratic quid-pro-quo, and years of Trump's Middle East-linked corruption that illegally helped him come to power in 2016, enriching him and his family, Kremlin-style.

This week's bonus show, available for subscribers at the Truth-teller level ($5/month) and higher, looks at ways to stay grounded and fight back in the deliberately engineered chaos of oligarchy and its firehose of corruption. Be sure to sign up for a discounted annual subscription to get bonus shows, all shows ad-free, and more. To our subscribers at the Democracy Defender level ($10/month), look out for our Q&A call for questions soon to help shape the show. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make the show without you.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Qatar, Russia sign agreement to jointly invest 2 billion euros into sovereign wealth funds https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20250423-qatar-russia-sign-agreement-to-jointly-invest-2-billion-euros-into-sovereign-wealth-funds/

Michael Flynn, Russia and a Grand Scheme to Build Nuclear Power Plants in Saudi Arabia and the Arab World https://www.newsweek.com/2017/06/23/flynn-russia-nuclear-energy-middle-east-iran-saudi-arabia-qatar-israel-donald-623396.html

Why Qatar is Bribing Trump https://open.substack.com/pub/popularinformation/p/why-qatar-is-bribing-trump?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2mrjsl

House Democrats ask Trump for proof he did not take $10 million 'cash bribe' from Egypt https://www.cnbc.com/2024/09/03/trump-egypt-democrats-letter.html

Trump touts Saudi relationship as "bedrock of security and prosperity" amid $600 billion investment deal https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/trump-speaking-us-saudi-investment-summit-riyadh/

2 Trump-aligned GOP operatives face foreign agent charges for helping Qatar https://www.politico.com/news/2024/01/02/trump-gop-qatar-00133567

Trump Jr. and Other Aides Met With Gulf Emissary Offering Help to Win Election https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/19/us/politics/trump-jr-saudi-uae-nader-prince-zamel.html?unlocked_article_code=1.G08.dUBd.YVKXSVfgqo8i&smid=url-share

The Qatar bribery allegations featuring Trump, Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, and the Steele dossier, explained https://theweek.com/speedreads/773479/qatar-bribery-allegations-featuring-trump-michael-cohen-michael-flynn-steele-dossier-explained

Qatar pursues US-Iranian nuclear steps after detainee swap https://www.reuters.com/world/qatar-pursues-us-iranian-nuclear-steps-after-detainee-swap-2023-09-20/

Exclusive: Qatar held separate talks with US, Iran touching on nuclear, drones https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/qatar-held-separate-talks-with-us-iran-touching-nuclear-drones-2023-09-20/

Iran seeks Russia's support for its nuclear talks with US https://apnews.com/article/iran-russia-us-nuclear-negotiations-2bae3b073bcac464ad9b44a8d5a4c581

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

May 26 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Stride Toward Freeom: The Montgomery Story
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Pope Leo and Opus Dei - TEASER May 09, 2025

Fifteen years after Sarah Silverman's viral call to "Sell the Vatican, Feed the World," we now have a "Marxist Pope," according to Trump stormtrooper Laura Loomer, and our wildest dreams. This week for Gaslit Nation's bonus show, we dive into the groundbreaking election of the first American pope, Robert Francis Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, whose ancestry ties him to Black lineage. While many celebrate this historic milestone, deeper questions remain.

Most crucially, Pope Leo's stance on Opus Dei, a secretive, powerful crime cult aligned with far-right politics and accused of human trafficking and labor abuses, remains unclear, especially given his close connections to Opus Dei in Peru. By Vatican standards, Pope Francis launched an open war on Opus Dei. (Fun fact: Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent and traitor who spied for the Kremlin, was an Opus Dei member).

Pope Francis began the work of reigning in Opus Dei's unchecked power. Pope Leo, seen as a moderate administrator, played both sides during his tenure in Peru, where Opus Dei holds sway. Will he now take bold action to finish Francis's mission, and protect the world from Opus Dei, especially America where Opus Dei has been expanding its influence in Washington, DC, thanks to allies Leonard Leo of the Federalist Society and Kevin Roberts of the Heritage Foundation and Project 2025?

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

May 26 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

'Papabile' of the Day: Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost https://cruxnow.com/papal-transition/2025/05/papabile-of-the-day-cardinal-robert-francis-prevost

Trump's New Favorite Adviser Starts MAGA Meltdown Over 'TDS' Pope https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-new-favorite-advisor-laura-loomer-starts-maga-meltdown-over-tds-pope/

The Far Right is Coming for the Vatican https://www.americanfreakshow.news/p/the-far-right-is-coming-for-the-vatican

Catholic Church To Excommunicate Priests for Following New US State Law https://www.newsweek.com/catholic-church-excommunicate-priests-following-new-us-state-law-2069039

Opus Dei: The Gaslit Nation Gareth Gore Interview: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/12/31/opus-dei?rq=Gareth%20Gore

Mafia boss breaks silence over Roberto Calvi killing: This article is more than 13 years old Godfather turned supergrass accused of murder of 'God's banker' claims case will never be solved https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2012/may/12/roberto-calvi-blackfriars-bridge-mafia

Surveillance Self-Defense: A Presentation by the Gaslit Nation Security Committee https://www.patreon.com/posts/surveillance-128381880?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Parable of the Sower: Gaslit Nation Book Club Discussion: https://www.patreon.com/posts/zoom-link-for-et-128213704?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link

Nature Always Wins: A.I. Worship and the New Tech Gods May 07, 2025

In 1816, 18-year-old Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin (later Shelley) birthed science fiction during a rainy vacation on Lake Geneva. Inspired by a vision of a man crouched beside the corpse he reanimated, Frankenstein warned of what happens when man tries to play God. Two centuries later, the monsters are real, and they're called Musk, Altman, and Zuckerberg.

Today's tech titans, like Frankenstein's Victor, race to build superintelligent machines in their image: soulless wannabe-gods with devastating reach. Gil Duran, of the Nerd Reich newsletter, connects this to A.I. worship, quoting a billionaire obsessed with "creating God" through algorithms. M.I.T.'s annotated Frankenstein likens Victor's horror to Oppenheimer's nuclear regret. We've entered a new atomic age, but instead of bombs, it's information weapons and hacked minds.

As Pulitzer-nominated journalist Carole Cadwalladr warns, this is what a digital coup looks like. A.I. is trained to replace journalists, strip away privacy, and deepen inequality, just as Gaslit Nation has warned since 2018.

What's the answer? Community. Skill-sharing. Nature. The real world. Jack Welch, once worshipped like Musk is today, gutted G.E. with fear-based leadership. Now he's a cautionary tale. So will today's tech gods be.

Mary Shelley saw it coming. "Frightful must it be," she wrote. We agree. But there's power in human connection, in rejecting the machine's illusions. Frankenstein's monster was abandoned. Let's not abandon each other.

Join our resilience salons. Find your people. Build the future together.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes

The song you heard in this week's episode is "Unspoken Word" by Evrette Allen: https://soundcloud.com/user-726164627/unspoken-word-mix-13/s-GEvlnfQnmh4?si=954f31de09d644948d51a225224bd7ba&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Nerd Reich: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein

After two hundred years, are we ready for the truth about Mary Shelley's novel? https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/02/12/the-strange-and-twisted-life-of-frankenstein

Astronomers have determined the exact hour that Mary Shelley thought of Frankenstein. https://lithub.com/astronomers-have-determined-the-exact-hour-that-mary-shelley-thought-of-frankenstein/

AI's Energy Demands Are Out of Control. Welcome to the Internet's Hyper-Consumption Era Generative artificial intelligence tools, now part of the everyday user experience online, are causing stress on local power grids and mass water evaporation. https://www.wired.com/story/ai-energy-demands-water-impact-internet-hyper-consumption-era/

Short-term profits and long-term consequences — did Jack Welch break capitalism? https://www.npr.org/2022/06/01/1101505691/short-term-profits-and-long-term-consequences-did-jack-welch-break-capitalism

Carole Cadwalladr TED Talk: This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOoT8AbkNE

Self-styled prophets are claiming they have "awakened" chatbots and accessed the secrets of the universe through ChatGPT https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/ai-spiritual-delusions-destroying-human-relationships-1235330175/

Canada Did It. Now It's NYC's Turn. Elbows Up! Apr 30, 2025

This week, Canadians didn't just politely shuffle into voting booths: they kicked the door down and destroyed Conservative leader and longtime MAGA fanboy Pierre Poilievre, who lost his seat to Bruce Fanjoy (who we're now, quite literally, major fans of. More on him in this episode!)

Meanwhile, here in the U.S., specifically kleptocrat-besieged New York City, we've got our own political swamp to drain. Mayor Eric Adams, who once likened himself to Biden, now seems more Nixonian, dodging Department of Justice corruption charges by reportedly cozying up to Donald Trump and Tucker Carlson. The result? NYC turned into an ICE command center for Trump's creeping authoritarianism, part of a wannabe-gulag stretching from New York to El Salvador.

On this week's Gaslit Nation, Andrea and Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack celebrate Canada's heroic stand and urge the world to focus on NYC's upcoming Democratic mayoral primary June 24, one of the most pivotal fronts in the global fight against kleptocracy and for the soul of America.

The Left must reclaim "socialism" as quality of life advocacy, building better schools, healthcare that won't bankrupt you, and a social safety net for all, not just those who can afford one. We highlight two standout challengers: Comptroller Brad Lander, a fierce Ukraine supporter who led the effort to divest the City's pension from Russian investments, and Queens Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, who led a hunger strike for taxi driver debt relief.

The question isn't just who can beat Adams, who's running as an independent, and predator Andrew Cuomo, desperate for a comeback. It's who has the record to lead New York in resisting Trump and dismantling the oligarchy.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Opening clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ahh0jINl-PU

Canadian election: https://bsky.app/profile/youranoncentral.bsky.social/post/3lnwgjxcnk22l

Bruce Fanjoy's Green House: This big blue house runs green and clean https://www.nationalobserver.com/2023/08/28/news/big-blue-house-runs-green-and-clean

Here's who's running for New York City mayor in 2025 Get to know the candidates in a wide, weird and unsettled field.

https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2025/04/heres-whos-running-new-york-city-mayor-2025/401994/

Ukraine is the front line in the battle against oligarchic capitalism: The war in Ukraine is not just a fight for sovereignty, but a battle against the global rise of oligarchical capitalism, with the future of democracy and economic justice at stake. https://kyivindependent.com/ukraine-is-the-front-line-in-the-battle-against-oligarchic-capitalism/

Adams to skip New York City's Democratic primary, run for reelection on nonpartisan line: The mayor has been at odds with his party and wants time to recover from now-dismissed federal charges. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/03/eric-adams-reelection-independent-00267865

Judge Ends Eric Adams Case, but Sharply Criticizes Trump's Justice Dept. Judge Dale E. Ho refused to let the government leave open the prospect of reinstating charges against the mayor. But he acknowledged the president's power to determine the fate of prosecutions.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/nyregion/eric-adams-case-dismissed.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DU8.N7E9.W-opYY3A0W4N&smid=url-share

Adams Doubles Down on Trump Alliance, Praising F.B.I. Director's Book: In the mayor's first comments after a judge ordered corruption charges against him dropped, he urged New Yorkers to read a book by the Trump administration's F.B.I. director.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/02/nyregion/eric-adams-kash-patel-book.html?unlocked_article_code=1.DU8.FskD.fhDP-pm2rpfe&smid=url-share

Incumbents are losing around the world, not just the U.S. https://www.marketplace.org/story/2024/11/14/incumbents-are-losing-around-the-world-not-just-the-u-s

ICE Blocked from Rikers as Judge Extends Order Halting Cooperation With Feds https://www.thecity.nyc/2025/04/25/ice-trump-rikers-eric-adams-city-council/

The Great Hack: The Cambridge Analytica documentary https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX8GxLP1FHo

The Bibi Files episode https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/hitler-youth

Stop Netanyahu's Political Purge of the Defense Establishment https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/2025-02-20/ty-article-opinion/stop-netanyahus-political-purge-of-the-defense-establishment/00000195-2008-d2a5-a39d-e778797b0000

Russia used hundreds of fake accounts to tweet about Brexit, data shows https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/nov/14/how-400-russia-run-fake-accounts-posted-bogus-brexit-tweets

Trump fraud ruling adds to his string of legal losses in New York https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-fraud-ruling-new-york-legal-losses/

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

June 2nd 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

TEASER - Ignore the Edgelords. Build Political Power Apr 26, 2025

There's a reason the loudest voices online are often the least helpful. The edgelords, those who posture with performative rage, contrarian hot takes, and a cynical flair for nihilism, aren't trying to build anything. Their goal isn't liberation. It's clout.

But we don't have time for clout. We're living through a coordinated, well-funded, global assault on democracy. In the U.S., basic freedoms are under attack, from reproductive rights to the ability to teach honest history in schools. While the edgelords are busy fighting each other for likes and retweets, authoritarians are organizing, legislating, and winning.

We need to focus.

Real change happens when people organize, not just online, but in communities, city councils, state legislatures, and the courts. Building political power means showing up to vote, yes, because not voting is voting, but also recruiting candidates, knocking on doors, demanding judicial accountability, and refusing to be distracted by culture war bait.

Want to know who to trust in the influencer economy's crowded marketplace of ideas? Prioritize the voices who are brave and smart by pointing out the obvious truth: the only way out is by building political power. The far-right knows that, which is why they work so hard to suppress the vote. Political power is what taxes the rich, enforces the good laws we have, repeals the bad ones, and forces accountability. You cannot do those things unless you are in power.

So ignore the noise. Turn down the doomscrolling and tune in to your community. Find the people doing the work: mutual aid organizers, voting rights advocates, school board watchdogs, and back them up.

Ignore the edgelords. Build political power. It's the only way we win.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Opening Clip: Pat Bondi pretends to care about the rule of law: https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3lnnprevixu2y

Bella Ciao by Pink Martini https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ksj5lCh-JSo

Terrell Starr's Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack: https://terrellstarr.com/

FBI arrests Milwaukee judge, alleging she interfered in immigration operation https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/fbi-arrests-milwaukee-judge-alleging-interfered-immigration-operation-rcna203006

Former New Mexico judge and wife arrested on charges of tampering with evidence linked to suspected Tren de Aragua member https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/25/us/new-mexico-judge-arrested-tren-de-aragua/index.html

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Impeach Him Apr 23, 2025

Welcome to Gaslit Nation, where the firestorm of corruption meets the firehose of resistance. Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack, recently home from Ukraine–the frontline of showing the world how to stand up and fight, joins Andrea to discuss how good Democrats, and We the People they serve, have a lot of power, if we remain defiant.

Senator Chris Van Hollen provided an urgent reminder of this as he warned El Salvador's wannabe strongman Nayib Bukele: the U.S. isn't the only power player in the world, and the international community is watching. This came after Van Hollen was denied access to the Maryland man, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, abducted by Trump's agents, wrongfully deported, and sent illegally to El Salvador's notorious gulag. Yet Van Hollen didn't back down. Even with the White House under occupation by a Russian asset, we still wield power.

The energy in the country is shifting. Over 1,500 "Hands Off!" marches just shook the ground in all 50 states, powered by everyone from labor unions to LGBTQ+ activists to veterans' groups. One Southern white man waved a giant American flag with a giant Ukrainian flag at a protest in Virginia, while wearing a MAGA-looking red cap that said: "My Grandpa Killed Nazis."

Trump's approval is slipping. The push for impeachment is gaining steam thanks to the grassroots movement CitizensImpeachment.com. And while spineless Republicans like Lisa Murkowski make excuses instead of calling for the impeachment of a lawless would-be dictator, people are waking up. We're in a fight for accountability, truth, and justice, and we will win. Don't let disillusionment or complacency stop you from building a world that's fair, just, and truly livable for everyone.

We're not just witnessing history. We're shaping it. So let's keep pushing. Join a Tesla Takedown protest near you, demand your reps in the House call for impeachment, help good people run for office and primary Do-Nothing Dems, ignore the cynical edge lords, and stay creative and defiant as we shine our collective light.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

CitizensImpeachment.com – track which members of Congress are calling for impeachment and how to pressure others to join the movement for accountability and justice: https://citizensimpeachment.com/

Terrell Starr's Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack: https://terrellstarr.substack.com/

Sen. Chris Van Hollen says Salvadoran government "tried really hard" to prevent him from seeing Kilmar Abrego Garcia https://www.cbsnews.com/news/chris-van-hollen-interview-kilmar-abrego-garcia-visit/

Opening clip: Senator Chris Van Hollen's press conference in El Salvador https://x.com/tify330/status/1913040416611455142?t=W4mDUace_uXsVWOdt8de7A&s=19

US paying El Salvador $6M to jail hundreds of Venezuela gang suspects: 'Pennies on the dollar' https://nypost.com/2025/03/17/us-news/us-paying-el-salvador-6m-to-jail-venezuela-gang-suspects-pennies-on-the-dollar/

Anti-Trump rallies held across the U.S. to protest administration's policies https://www.cbsnews.com/news/anti-trump-rallies-hands-off-administration-washington-new-york-boston/

Financial Times on Trump trying to stay in powe foreverr: https://x.com/bennpeifert/status/1913040600791945568?t=j0g7J1AFiX9hSKFXDSskbg&s=19

Trump's illegal kidnapping of peopl and sending them to El Salvador using tax payer money is highly illegal: https://x.com/ReichlinMelnick/status/1912960051326623796?t=AZSVz6PSyCN4TkPbh6vdYg&s=19

FSU student and Parkland survivor describes experiencing second school shooting: "This is America" https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fsu-student-parkland-survivor-school-shooting/

Schiff and Raskin push for accountability: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElEVeJA-byE

Resistance video by the South Korean Activist: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1043733301107315

Stacey Abrams on how is taking your medicine https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ff2LVuUbtMQ

Native Land Pod We Been Outside: Gen Z Responds to Roland Martin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lm6_C4TQF4U

5051: https://www.fiftyfifty.one/

Is this Gen Z's Most Dangerous Candidate? (w/ Kat Abughazaleh)"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3daDf_iih5g

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

How Do You Defeat Elon Musk? Ask the Team Behind Judge Susan Crawford's Victory. Apr 21, 2025

Thank you to all who joined our live-taping last Monday with senior advisors from Judge Susan Crawford's team that defeated Elon Musk, who lost bigly even after handing out million dollar checks.

Patrick Guarasci, chief political strategist for Judge Crawford, and Sam Roecker, senior campaign advisor and communications lead, share how they pulled off a landmark win in Wisconsin's pivotal Supreme Court race, offering a blueprint for reclaiming power in GOP-dominated states.

In Wisconsin, the land of cheese, beer, and GOP ratf*cking, progressives scored a major victory. And they did it despite daunting odds, including opposition from none other than the world's richest man/psychopath. When Musk is not launching cars into space or tweeting himself into SEC investigations, he has been throwing his weight, and giant checks, behind efforts to tilt the judiciary in his favor.

Judge Crawford's campaign wasn't about crypto hype or culture war distractions; it was about qualifications, a smart strategy, and staying laser-focused on issues people actually care about: reproductive rights, fair electoral maps, and keeping the courts independent.

This wasn't just a Wisconsin win. It was a blueprint for how to beat big money with big people power. Students, first-time voters, and folks who typically only turn out for Packers games showed up in force. The lesson? When campaigns speak to real concerns and mobilize communities, they can overcome even the deepest pockets. Senator Ron Johnson, MAGA/Russia loyalist and 2028 re-election hopeful, might want to start updating his résumé.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Will the Tech Bros. Turn on Trump? Apr 16, 2025

The Tech Bros., like Elon Musk and JD Vance puppetmaster Peter Thiel, see Trump as a means to an end: to build their own tech-state fiefdoms as they usher in the A.I. age, at the expense of us peasants. But can this unholy alliance survive Trump's disastrous trade war? And why do they fetishize hating Ukraine?

This week's special guest, Adrian Karatnycky, has been on the frontlines fighting for democracy both at home and abroad. In his critically acclaimed book Battleground Ukraine, Adrian traces Ukraine's struggle for independence from the fall of the Soviet Union to Russia's genocidal invasion today, drawing important lessons for protecting democracies worldwide. He has worked alongside civil rights legend Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in America. He also supported Poland's Solidarity movement, which helped bring down the Iron Curtain, and played a key role, along with iconic Soviet dissident, writer, and Czech statesman Václav Havel, in preserving Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in the 1990s, when many thought the Cold War had ended.

In part two, we discuss the PayPal Mafia's war on Ukraine as part of a broader global assault on "wokeism" (a.k.a. Empathy and democracy), Adrian's impressions of meeting Curtis Yarvin, and how the war in Ukraine can ultimately end. For part one of their discussion, available in the show notes, Andrea and Adrian explore how Europe and the free world can survive the chaos of Trump's America First isolationism and Russia's weaponized corruption and election interference.

Thank you to everyone who joined the Gaslit Nation Salon live-taping with Patrick Guarasci and Sam Roecker, senior campaign advisors for Judge Susan Crawford, discussing their victory against Elon Musk in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The recording will be available as this week's bonus show.

Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make the show without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Battleground Ukraine: From Independence to the War with Russia by Adrian Karatnycky https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300269468/battleground-ukraine/

Part I of Our Discussion: Can the Free World Survive Putin and Trump? https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/can-the-free-world-survive-trump-and-putin

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower

Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

How the Oligarchy Wins—Unless We Fight Back Apr 11, 2025

In a powerful callout, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez slammed Congress and the White House over insider trading. Elected officials shouldn't hold stocks—period. While Martha Stewart went to prison for it, members of Congress routinely outperform the market, raising red flags of insider trading. Donald Trump, for example, told people to buy stocks just before pausing tariffs, triggering a historic $304 billion windfall for billionaires, according to Bloomberg. How many people did Trump tell in private before hitting send on that social media post? Because that would be insider trading.

Corruption flows freely in America—like cheap wine at Mar-a-Lago. Now, MAGA Republicans are pushing the SAVE Act, requiring proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections. It's voter suppression dressed up as security. Noncitizen voting is extremely rare, but this bill could disenfranchise millions—including women who changed their names for marriage and trans Americans. It's essentially a poll tax, nationalizing Jim Crow.

Democrats could stop it in the Senate—unless a handful cave. Four House Democrats already backed it. If passed, this could become the next Citizens United, further empowering oligarchs like Elon Musk and paving Trump's path to authoritarian rule.

What can you do? Show up. Protest. Call your senators, especially those who caved on the budget battle. Demand accountability. And yes, let's talk about AOC primarying Chuck Schumer or Kirsten Gillibrand—New York, an the nation, deserves better.

For more on how to fight back, check the Gaslit Nation Action Guide at GaslitNationPod.com. Join us Monday, April 14, for a salon on defeating oligarchy, with special guests–Patrick Guarasci and Sam Roecker, senior advisors to Judge Susan Crawford's victorious Wisconsin Supreme Court campaign. Together, we're sand in their gears.

In this week's bonus show, Gaslit Nation's special guest Adrian Karatnycky takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. Adrian has been on the frontlines fighting for democracy both at home and abroad. In his critically acclaimed book Battleground Ukraine, he traces Ukraine's struggle for independence from the fall of the Soviet Union to Russia's genocidal invasion today, drawing important lessons for protecting democracies worldwide. He has worked alongside civil rights legend Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in America. He also supported Poland's Solidarity movement, which helped bring down the Iron Curtain, and played a key role, along with iconic Soviet dissident, writer, and Czech statesman Václav Havel, in preserving Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in the 1990s, when many thought the Cold War had ended.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 14 4pm ET – Live-taping with Patrick Guarasci, chief political strategist for Judge Susan Crawford, discussing their campaign's victory against Elon Musk in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race!
April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Here Are the Senate Democrats Who Helped Republicans Avert a Shutdown https://time.com/7268499/senate-democrats-budget-vote/ Will They Help MAGA Pass the SAVE Act? Here's How to Contact Them: https://www.congressionalinstitute.org/contact-congress/

Four Democrats Pass Bill Making It Harder for Married Women to Vote The House of Representatives—with the help of four Democrats—just passed a bill that could disenfranchise millions. https://newrepublic.com/post/193868/democrats-save-act-bill-harder-married-women-vote

The SAVE Act threatens to block millions of Americans from voting while also imposing significant burdens on state and local election officials. https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/dangers-congresss-latest-election-bill

3.5 Million Votes Canceled in 2024 Election: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/will-we-have-free-and-fair-elections-in-the-midterms

U.N. expert decries near 'tyranny' in U.S. against minority voting rights https://www.reuters.com/world/us/un-expert-decries-gerrymandering-parts-us-that-denies-minority-voting-rights-2021-11-22/

Report of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes, on his visit to the United States of America https://www.splcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/files/report-un-special-rapporteur-minority-issues-march-2022.pdf

Attack on Civil Rights: SPLC contributes to UN special report on state of minorities in the US https://www.splcenter.org/resources/stories/attack-civil-rights-splc-contributes-un-special-report-state-minorities-us/

Members of Congress again outperformed the stock market, report shows https://finance.yahoo.com/news/members-congress-again-outperformed-stock-162050482.html

Andrew Ross Sorkin Suggests Government Officials May Have Sold Stocks Ahead of Trump Tariffs: 'Would Not Shock Me' https://www.mediaite.com/tv/andrew-ross-sorkin-suggests-government-officials-may-have-sold-stocks-ahead-of-trump-tariffs-would-not-shock-me/

Ocasio-Cortez: Colleagues 'should probably disclose' recent stock purchases now https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5242235-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-congress-stock-donald-trump-tariffs/

The Power of the Powerless by Vaclav Havel October, 1978 https://www.nonviolent-conflict.org/wp-content/uploads/1979/01/the-power-of-the-powerless.pdf

Can the Free World Survive Trump and Putin? Apr 09, 2025

This week's special guest, Adrian Karatnycky, has been on the frontlines for decades fighting for democracy both at home and abroad. In his critically acclaimed book Battleground Ukraine, Adrian traces Ukraine's struggle for independence from the fall of the Soviet Union to Russia's genocidal invasion today, drawing important lessons for protecting democracies worldwide. He has worked alongside civil rights legend Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO, the largest federation of unions in America. He also supported Poland's Solidarity movement, which helped bring down the Iron Curtain, and played a key role in preserving Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in the 1990s, when many thought the Cold War had ended.

In part one of their discussion, Andrea and Adrian explore how Europe and the free world can survive the chaos of Trump's America First isolationism and Russia's weaponized corruption and election interference. In part two, they discuss the PayPal Mafia's war on Ukraine as part of a broader global assault on "wokeism" (a.k.a. empathy and democracy), Adrian's impressions of meeting Curtis Yarvin, and how the war in Ukraine can ultimately end.

A big thank you to everyone who joined the Gaslit Nation Salon hosted by our Security Committee, which shared valuable insights on protecting our digital worlds in these dystopian times. The recording will be available soon on Patreon. Our next salon is Monday, April 14 at 4pm ET, featuring Patrick Guarasci, chief political strategist for Judge Susan Crawford, discussing their campaign's victory against Elon Musk in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race. The Zoom link will be available on Patreon Monday morning.

Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make the show without you!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 14 4pm ET – Live-taping with Patrick Guarasci, chief political strategist for Judge Susan Crawford, discussing their campaign's victory against Elon Musk in the pivotal Wisconsin Supreme Court race!
April 28 4pm ET – Book club discussion of Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Battleground Ukraine by Adrian Karatnycky https://yalebooks.yale.edu/book/9780300269468/battleground-ukraine/

Exclusive: Russia could concede $300 billion in frozen assets as part of Ukraine war settlement, sources say https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/russia-could-concede-300-bln-frozen-assets-part-ukraine-war-settlement-sources-2025-02-21/

Who is Kirill Dmitriev, Putin's Trump-whisperer: Kirill Dmitriev, head of Russia's sovereign wealth fund, has become a key figure in the Kremlin's outreach to the Trump administration. https://kyivindependent.com/whos-kirill-dmitriev-putins-trump-whisperer/

Nerd Reich: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiju_ky55EI

Gene Sharp's From Dictatorship to Democracy - TEASER Apr 06, 2025

Why did Trump hit 185 countries with tariffs, even uninhabited islands of penguins near Antarctica, but not Russia and its vassal state Belarus, used to wage Russia's genocidal invasion of Ukraine? It's almost like Trump is a Russian asset, repaying Russia for helping him rise to power twice and for all the easy money he received over the years when no credible institution would lend to this trust-fund kid who went bankrupt six times.

But why crash the global economy? The answer only makes sense if you're Putin. As a dictator with no electoral pressure, Putin benefits from destabilizing democracies. By causing economic chaos, he weakens his competitors and fuels backlash against incumbents—exactly what helped Trump return to power in 2024. When you factor in election hacking and influence operations, it becomes clear: crashing the global economy gives the Kremlin an advantage in manipulating elections worldwide. This pressure on elected officials, like Keir Starmer in the UK or Macron in France, plays into Putin's hands. Trump's actions seem to align with that strategy.

In this week's bonus episode, we discuss Gene Sharp's From Dictatorship to Democracy from our recent Gaslit Nation book club. On April 7 at 4 PM ET, the Security Committee will present on protecting our digital world in a dystopian era. Then, on April 14, we'll host a live taping with Patrick Guarasci, strategist behind Judge Susan Crawford's victory in Wisconsin's Supreme Court race, to discuss how to fight and win righteous battles, even if you're up against the richest man in the world.

Thank you to all who support Gaslit Nation–we could not make the show without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Read From Dictatorship to Democracy. It's free! https://archive.org/details/from_dictatorship_to_democracy_1306_librivox

Trump's tariffs: Why are Russia and Belarus spared? https://www.dw.com/en/trumps-tariffs-why-are-russia-and-belarus-spared/a-72150328

Opening: https://bsky.app/profile/acyn.bsky.social/post/3llwfjnhjwc22

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

How to Overthrow a Dictator Apr 02, 2025

Romania made headlines—and shocked the world—when it annulled a presidential election at the end of last year, citing evidence of foreign interference aimed at supporting a pro-Russian far-right candidate. It was a bold and necessary move, one that stands in stark contrast to what the U.S. should have done—and is now facing the consequences for not doing. But why would Romania take such a decisive stand? The answer lies in its history. Romania's Moscow-backed dictatorship was among the most brutal behind the Iron Curtain, a painful past that still unites much of the country today.

In this week's episode, we delve into Romania's complex history, weaving in a personal story from Andrea's own family. Her father-in-law, Mihai Victor Serdaru, a medical student in 1956 Bucharest, attempted to lead a student protest in solidarity with the Hungarian Uprising next door. To help make sense of her years of research, Andrea turned to Dr. Corina Snitar, a historian and Lecturer in Central and Eastern European Studies at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Dr. Snitar is the author of Opposition, Repression, and Cold War: The 1956 Student Movement in Timișoara and contributed the chapter Women's Experiences of 1956: Student Protesters and Partisans in Romania to the book Women's Experiences of Repression in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe.

The discussion of how to topple a dictator will continue in this week's bonus show for our Patreon community, where we'll dive into a lively book club salon for political scientist Gene Sharp's revolutionary handbook, From Dictatorship to Democracy. Sharp's work has inspired liberation movements worldwide, and we'll explore its urgent lessons for us today. Look for that on Friday.

A huge thank you to everyone who supports the show. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

"Just as military officers must understand force structures, tactics, logistics, munitions, the effects of geography, and the like in order to plot military strategy, political defiance planners must understand the nature and strategic principles of nonviolent struggle."

― Gene Sharp, From Dictatorship to Democracy

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

100 Organizations Supporting Trans People in All 50 States Discover the organizations working tirelessly to support trans people across the country and combat anti-trans legislation. Read more: https://www.them.us/story/orgs-fighting-back-anti-trans-legislation
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson | Official Trailer [HD] | Netflix Watch the powerful trailer for The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson, a documentary about the life and legacy of a pioneering activist. Watch the trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pADsuuPd79E
MAGA Influencer Ashley St. Claire Returns Her Tesla Ashley St. Claire calls out Elon Musk for being a deadbeat dad as she returns her Tesla. Watch the video: https://x.com/esjesjesj/status/1906741930467225671
Elon Musk Says His DOGE Role is Hurting Tesla's Stock Price In a candid interview, Elon Musk admits that his involvement with DOGE is impacting Tesla's stock price. Read more on CBS News: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/elon-musk-doge-very-expensive-job-tesla-stock-down-wisconsin/
Donald Trump Gives DOGE Update as Musk Announces He'll Step Down in May Elon Musk confirms he'll step down from his role in May. Details on Newsweek: https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-gives-doge-update-elon-musk-says-hell-step-down-may-2053368
Trump Won't Rule Out a Third Term, Says 'There Are Methods' Donald Trump hints at the possibility of a third term in the White House, stating there are ways to make it happen. Read more on NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-third-term-white-house-methods-rcna198752
Dr. Corina Snitar's Bio Learn more about Dr. Corina Snitar, a respected scholar and educator in social and political studies. Read her bio: https://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/socialpolitical/staff/corinasnitar/
TeslaTakeDown.com Join the Tesla protest here! It's fun and easy. Learn more at TeslaTakeDown.com
DOGE Hitler Youth DOGE Teen owns 'Tesla.Sexy LLC' and worked at a startup that has hired convicted hackers. Experts question whether Edward Coristine, a DOGE staffer who has gone by "Big Balls" online, would pass the background check typically required for access to sensitive U.S. government systems. Read more on Wired: https://www.wired.com/story/edward-coristine-tesla-sexy-path-networks-doge/
Introducing ArchiveGate: Trump's Dangerous Attack on the National Archives Listen to the episode: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/introducing-archivegate-trumps-dangerous-attack-on-the-national-archives
MAGA Reddit Reacts to Trump Seeking a Third Term Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/comments/1jnkvv0/trump_teases_running_for_a_third_term_not_joking/

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Introducing ArchiveGate: Trump's Dangerous Attack on the National Archives Mar 30, 2025

If you thought SignalGate was bad, wait until you hear about ArchiveGate. Trump illegally fired the National Archivist—the first president in U.S. history to do so since the position was established in the 1930s. This wasn't just about a change in leadership; it was revenge on the Archivist's office alerting the DOJ about Trump's stolen classified documents, which were stored around Mar-a-Lago, a known hub for foreign spies.

But it gets worse. Marco Rubio, who is currently the Trump/Putin lackey Secretary of State, is also serving as the acting National Archivist. This unprecedented conflict of interest raises serious concerns. Rubio is juggling three major roles—Secretary of State, head of USAID, and now, National Archivist. This gives him the power to greenlight the destruction of government records, including his own, without any checks and balances.

The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) plays a vital role in maintaining the integrity of our political system, overseeing the administration of the Electoral College, preserving government records, and ensuring transparency. Now, with Rubio in control, we face the potential destruction of key documents and rewriting of history that could threaten our democracy. It's another avenue for Trump to lead a coup to stay in power, like his failed "fake electors" scheme to try to overturn the 2020 election.

As one listener points out in her commentary, edited for clarity, shared in a recent Gaslit Nation salon, we must stay vigilant of these corrupt moves. ArchiveGate is part of a broader plan to hold on to power. But remember, the people are the ultimate force. Together, we can stop this.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Reject Hypernormalization: Gaslit Nation Launches New Project, Survey https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization

Trump's firing of the U.S. government archivist is far worse than it might seem: The National Archives and Records Administration does more than just preserve documents: It's the scaffolding of the American political system. https://www.fastcompany.com/91277620/trump-firing-national-archivist-colleen-shogan

House Dems cite 'fundamental conflict' of Rubio's acting appointments atop USAID and National Archives: Lawmakers' concerns stem from a March 11 memo instructing USAID employees to prepare for mass destruction of agency records. https://www.govexec.com/management/2025/03/house-dems-cite-fundamental-conflict-rubios-acting-appointments-atop-usaid-and-national-archives/404013/

The 'fake electors' and their role in the 2020 election, explained https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/07/20/fake-electors-charges-trump-2020-election/

Unpacking SignalGate with Olga Lautman - TEASER Mar 28, 2025

In this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show, we're joined by Olga Lautman, an expert on the Russian mafia. Her Substack, Trump Tyranny Tracker, is a vital resource documenting Trump's war against America, and the global war of fascism vs. democracy.

Olga made headlines recently by exposing connections between Trump's National Security Advisor, Mike Waltz, and Russia, connected to SignalGate. (We call it the Kremlin Klown Kar for a reason!) Olga breaks down the implications of SignalGate and Trump's Putin-backed war against our democracy.

We also discuss a disturbing trend: an anti-war Russian scientist at Harvard was detained at immigration and faces deportation back to Russia, where she could be imprisoned or worse. This escalates alarm bells that the Trump regime is "disappearing" people, starting with the most vulnerable.

Olga offers insights on recent victories like the historic Democratic win in deep-red Trump country in Pennsylvania, as well as Trump's ongoing efforts to suppress votes and carry out his next coup. We also discuss whether to stay and fight or flee the country.

Stay and fight! Fleeing abroad, especially this early, is like obeying in advance.

Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make this show without you! To listen to the full episode and get all bonus shows, all shows ad-free, and more, be sure to join our community on Patreon.com/Gaslit - discounted annual subscriptions are available.

Show Notes:

Tell Gov. Kathy Hochul NO mask ban in New York state! https://action.aclu.org/send-message/say-no-mask-bans-new-york

Signalgate: Trump Tries To Dodge Explosive National Security Scandal | All Of Them Should Be Fired https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihHU3IVVrfM&t=552s

Don't miss out on our upcoming Gaslit Nation book club discussion and more. For all the details, check the show notes! For March, we're reading Gene Sharp's revolutionary handbook From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond. Our March 31st salon at 4pm will open with a book club discussion of Dictatorship to Democracy. For April, we're reading (if you haven't already!) Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower, and May's book club pick is Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warefare And Underground Operations. Get ready to make some good trouble!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Gaslit Nation Media Guide: "Fascism Needs Ignorance" Mar 27, 2025

The Gaslit Nation Media Committee, a watchdog against access journalism and regime propaganda, has developed this essential guide. We urge all members of the media to reject complicity in the erosion of democracy.

The American crisis is a global struggle between democracy and fascism—one that threatens the entire world. Each of us has a role in defending freedom. If you work in media, use this guide to safeguard your integrity, your liberty, and the values we cherish—before it's too late. Doing your job well can save lives and democracy.

1. Don't Bury the Lede: Call It an Illegal Tech-Backed Coup To build trust, stick to the facts. When Trump's administration acts illegally, say it—especially in the headline. Call it what it is: a tech-backed coup that exposes Americans' most sensitive data and replaces federal workers with unsecured A.I. to establish a new surveillance state. 2. Make Private Prison Execs Famous Investigate the financial interests behind Trump's immigration system—expose executives, board members, and their connections. Pursue them with cameras; they can't hide behind profits while lives are ruined and civil liberties eroded. 3. Fascism Needs Ignorance From dismantling the Department of Education to the "War on Woke" in universities, Trump continues delegitimizing education. This isn't about competition with other countries—it's about giving everyone the chance to grow as independent thinkers who reject fascism. 4. Follow the Money Investigate Trump's major donors and their role in Musk's illegal purge of government services. Hold them accountable—ask how they view their investments amid the chaos. Track their contracts and regulatory benefits. 5. Expose National Security Threats Trump removed key military officials who prevented unlawful actions. Without them, who will stop him? Trump holds the nuclear football, cozying up to adversaries, sending bombs to Israel, and threatening wars against Canada and Greenland. Focus on how our adversaries are taking advantage. 6. Kleptowatch Focus on how companies exploit customers through greedflation and Amazon's payola for search visibility. While the Biden administration has much to answer for, the media must spotlight the absence of enforcement of investigations brought by Lina Khan and Tim Wu, leaving corporate kleptocrats unchecked.

7. Media Must Thoroughly Cover Media Journalists must cover media attacks, including blocked access to info and censorship (e.g., Ann Telnaes at WaPo). Report on media ecosystem shifts, address bias, and clarify distinctions between reporting, opinion, and lies. Provide context on media ownership.

8. Draw Historical Parallels Trump, Musk, and allies are enacting policies similar to dictators like Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin. The media must challenge their unfounded assertions. They are attacking the press and critics, reminiscent of regimes like Pol Pot's and Rwanda's genocide. 9. Trump is Trying to Turn America into an Autocracy: Act Like It Columbia Journalism Review shared 10 essential tips for journalists reporting from autocracies. Share these with your teams, including your company's lawyers—killing big stories and obeying in advance is self-destructive. 10. Shine a Light on Private Prisons The private prison industry needs scrutiny, especially with Trump's lack of oversight. Innocent people are caught in reckless immigration raids as the system grows unchecked. Regular coverage of Guantanamo Bay is crucial due to its history of unlawful detention and Trump's plan for a prison camp there for 30,000 people.

11. Gilead is Here The media has abandoned calling out Trump's toxic masculinity regarding reproductive rights and civil rights. Raise awareness of the deadly consequences for women, including trans women, and all nonwhite people.

12. Access Journalism is Betrayal Fascism's history includes journalists from major outlets becoming "masters of euphemism," (to quote Gareth Jones), downplaying atrocities and broken laws to protect access. History will remember you for doing your job or being bought. Doing your job well can save lives and democracy. 13. Family Members Deserve Special Attention Trump's administration is granting lucrative positions to family members of allies and donors, giving them undue influence over policy. These self-dealing networks must be mapped and exposed. 14. Unmask Voter Suppression Election analysis must address gerrymandering, unfair Senate representation favoring "red states," the Electoral College designed to protect elites, and the gutting of the Voting Rights Act. Don't treat our voter suppression crisis like "horse race" politics.

15. Focus on the 1% Expose extreme wealth inequality—how the 1% dodge taxes and exploit loopholes to preserve their wealth. Put a spotlight on how inequality fuels authoritarianism and is a direct threat to democracy.

16. Cover Protests Highlight actions challenging the White House's destructive crimes. People need to see that citizens care about the laws being broken by Trump's administration and that they're not alone. 17. They're Testing Boundaries: Say It When something is "unprecedented," that means they're testing boundaries, to see what they can get away with. Say it. 18. The Weird Fights Matter Trump renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America may seem "weird," but it's part of the fascist pageantry, like Mussolini's famous eyeliner and Putin's shirtless photos. Look to experts in autocracy to see which stories are being used as a distraction and which stories are important to cover.

An expanded version of the Gaslit Nation Media Guide can be found here: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/media-guide

For More: Ten Tips for Reporting in an Autocracy American journalists have much to learn from colleagues in countries where democracy has been under siege. https://www.cjr.org/political_press/ten-tips-for-reporting-in-an-autocracy.php

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Music Credit: "Tafi Maradi no voice" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Nazi Hunting Mar 26, 2025

What's the best way to fight evil? Laugh at fascist idiots and keep hunting Nazis, with your camera and the power of your voice.

This week, we're honored to welcome legend Sandi Bachom, an award-winning documentary filmmaker of such powerful films as Telling Jokes in Auschwitz and a Getty Images contributor whose work has appeared in acclaimed films like Laura Poitras's All The Beauty and All The Bloodshed, Danny's Strong's Dopesick, and Alex Gibney's Crime of the Century. But Sandi isn't just behind the camera—she's on the frontlines, documenting Nazis, like Trump's MAGA rallies, and the Charlottesville tiki torch march where Heather Heyer was murdered. Sandi was also at the Capitol on January 6th, capturing Trump's violent coup attempt in real time, footage used by the January 6 committee in Congress.

Stay loud. Stay brave. And as always—get ungaslit.

Join the Resistance

Gaslit Nation Book Club: This Monday, March 31st at 4 PM ET, we're discussing From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp—the handbook that inspired revolutions from Ukraine to the Arab Spring. Grab your copy in the show notes and join us!
Share Your Story: History is unfolding now—and we need your eyewitness accounts. Take our Reject Hypernormalization Survey (linked in the show notes) to combat gaslighting and preserve the truth.

This week's episode is sponsored by Factor: Eat smart with Factor. Get started at FACTOR MEALS.com/gaslit50off to get 50% off your first box plus free shipping.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Take Gaslit Nation's Reject Hypernormalization Survey https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization

Read or listen to for free: Gene Sharp's From Dictatorship to Democracy https://archive.org/details/from_dictatorship_to_democracy_1306_librivox

Patti Smith clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wxqhg6z-t9o

Humiliation as Propaganda: Videos of Shackled Detainees Have History in El Salvador https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/19/world/americas/deportation-videos-el-salvador.html

Amid 'DEI' purge, Pentagon removes webpage on Iwo Jima flag-raiser Pages celebrating Navajo code talkers and other minority service members were also erased. https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2025/03/17/pentagon-dei-native-american-iwo-jima/

Olga Lautman unmasks the making of a Russian/Trump group chat: https://x.com/OlgaNYC1211/status/1904344536521797806

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal groupavailable on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

"We Are Becoming an Apartheid State." Mar 21, 2025

Here's the first half of our recording of Monday's Gaslit Nation Salon with Dr. Lisa Corrigan, author of Prison Power: How Prison Politics Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation, and Black Feelings: Race and Affect in the Long Sixties. Dr. Corrigan is the Director of the Gender Studies Program at the University of Arkansas, and Affiliate Faculty in both African & African American Studies and Latin American and Latino Studies. The full discussion was over two hours, with Dr. Corrigan staying on to answer listeners' questions. Patreon supporters can find the full two-hour video recording of our discussion at Patreon.com/Gaslit. See you at Monday's salon at 4pm ET with Rise and Resist!

If you need to channel your rage and grief, especially after this recording, be sure to read Gaslit Nation's book of the month, From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp, which has inspired revolts around the world. Consider contributing in any way you can to crucial state races like Josh Weil's campaign in Florida and Judge Susan Crawford for the Wisconsin Supreme Court race. Every act of love and solidarity for our families and communities—whether it's showing up to protests, making calls, or donating what you can—makes a real difference.

Gaslit Nation's salon on Monday at 4pm will be co-hosted by Rise and Resist, the protest group haunting Elon Musk's nightmares.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared onPatreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Meet Dr. Lisa Corrigan https://gender-studies.uark.edu/directory.php?uid=lcorriga

Prison Power How Prison Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/B/Black-Feelings

Black Feelings Race and Affect in the Long Sixties https://www.upress.state.ms.us/Books/B/Black-Feelings

Trump and Musk pluck $80M in funding authorized by Congress from NYC's bank account: The federal government took funds from the city's bank account and called it a "clawback" of taxpayer money. A lot of other people would call it stealing. https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-elon-musk-new-york-city-fema-funds-rcna192255

From Dictatorship to Democracy: https://archive.org/details/from_dictatorship_to_democracy_1306_librivox

Josh Weil for Congress https://joshweil.us/

Judge Crawford for Wisconsin Supreme Court https://www.crawfordforwi.com/

A Love Letter to Canada Mar 19, 2025

What's the easiest way for Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin to invade Canada?

Simple: Have voters sit out the upcoming election and let Pierre Poilievre become Prime Minister. If you're Canadian—especially if you live abroad—now's the time to get organized. Make sure you and at least five of your family and friends have a plan to vote. Not sure if you're registered? Check here! Voting from abroad? Double-check your registration and make sure you've got everything you need by visiting this link.

In this week's Gaslit Nation Canada Super Special, we're joined by the amazing Leigh McGowan from Politics Girl, plus Marcus Kolga, a Canadian writer, filmmaker, and human rights advocate. Marcus is an expert on Russian and Central/Eastern European issues and Kremlin disinformation. He regularly shares his insights in top publications like The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Maclean's, and The Atlantic Council. Marcus also played a crucial role in the Canadian campaign for the Magnitsky human rights sanctions and has helped drive similar efforts in Estonia, Latvia, Sweden, and Australia. His expertise has taken him to testify before parliaments in the UK, Australia, and Canada, covering everything from Russian disinformation to Interpol reform. Currently, he's a senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute's Centre for Advancing Canada's Interests Abroad.

This week's bonus show will be our live discussion with Dr. Lisa Corrigan, author of Prison Power: How Prison Politics Influenced the Movement for Black Liberation and Black Feelings: Race and Affect in the Long Sixties. Dr. Corrigan is the Director of the Gender Studies Program at the University of Arkansas and also teaches in both African & African American Studies and Latin American and Latino Studies.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond: https://archive.org/details/from_dictatorship_to_democracy_1306_librivox
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Show Notes:

Ways to Vote in Canada:

https://www.elections.ca/content.aspx?section=vot&dir=vote&document=index&lang=e

How Canadians Can Vote Abroad https://travel.gc.ca/travelling/living-abroad/elections-faq

Meet Politics Girl https://www.politicsgirl.com/

Meet Marcus Kolga https://macdonaldlaurier.ca/cm-expert/marcus-kolga/

Nadia Guerrera for Parkdale–High Park https://nadiaguerrera.ca/

Clip: Dropkick Murphys call out a Nazi at their Boston show https://bsky.app/profile/meidastouch.com/post/3lkhxscnvws2x

Clip: Stephen Marche on why the US can't occupy Canada https://bsky.app/profile/jimmyalto.bsky.social/post/3lkgixldo6s2t

Want to topple a dictator? Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy by Gene Sharp https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/images/ic/480x270/p08qz3w0.jpg.webp

Controlled Opposition - TEASER Mar 14, 2025

What's the Republican spending bill all about? It's an extremely dangerous powergab engineered by Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House and dirty lawyer who came up with the legal strategy to try to overturn the 2020 election. The Republican spending bill essentially grants legal protections to Trump and Musk's ongoing illegal mass purge, to protect them against court orders–one of the last levers of power we have left. Any Democrat who votes for this is complicit in Trump and Musk's tech-backed coup, illegally mass firing federal workers to replace them with an A.I. surveillance state.

This week's episode continues our conversation with Gil Durán of the Third Reich and FrameLab newsletters on Controlled Opposition—those Vichy Democrats who refuse to stand up to the fascist Republicans in power. But why? What's in it for them? In a dictatorship, no one is safe—not even former allies like Putin, who've found themselves mysteriously falling out of windows or exploding mid-air. Why are some Democrats still playing the role of complicit bystanders?

The Senate is gearing up to vote on the extreme Republican spending bill, which slashes life-saving programs like Head Start and community health centers, while funneling billions to the Pentagon and Homeland Security. At a time when Trump is threatening to invade Canada and Greenland, and ICE is denying due process to green card holders like Mahmoud Khalil, the stakes couldn't be higher. The bill also cuts Washington, DC's budget—an attempt to punish the city for daring to protest Trump's corrupt regime.

But here's the thing: shutting down the government doesn't empower Trump or Musk—it forces Democrats to get on the front lines and expose the Republican spending bill for what it really is: a power grab designed to protect Trump and Musk's illegal tech-backed coup.

There's hope, though. While Trump and Musk face a future of justice (their approval ratings are plummeting), we need to keep fighting back.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The Nerd Reich https://www.thenerdreich.com/

FrameLab https://www.theframelab.org/

Chuck Schumer and Senate Dems are expected to help advance the GOP spending bill, which Republicans say would let Trump defund whatever projects he wants https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-republican-cr-budget-bill-nightmare-democrats-1235296004/

The 10 Democrats who voted to censure Rep. Al Green are misreading the moment https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/al-green-trump-resistance-democracy-rcna195314

Crypto cash is flooding the 2024 election. Here's who's benefiting. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/crypto-firms-candidates-house-senate-election-2024/

Facebook cofounder Sean Parker illegally damages redwood forest for fantasy Game of Thrones wedding https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/interactive/2024/crypto-firms-candidates-house-senate-election-2024/

Rep. Al Green Speaking in Congress https://bsky.app/profile/thetnholler.bsky.social/post/3ljo4v6aip223

Congressional Supporters of Al Green Sing "We Shall Overcome" in Congress https://bsky.app/profile/ariellaelm.bsky.social/post/3ljqoabwcps2i

Some Democrats Endorse Bill Allowing Elon Musk to Create His Own Currency The GENIUS Act is the first pro-crypto bill Republicans want to rush through this Congress. Thanks to industry money, several Democrats are ignoring the bill's major problems. https://prospect.org/power/2025-03-10-some-democrats-endorse-bill-allowing-elon-musk-create-own-currency/

These 10 Democrats voted to censure Al Green https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5180324-10-house-democrats-censure-al-green/

Announcement! Are you concerned about what the broligarchy is doing with your data but feeling overwhelmed by all the tech? Do you get frustrated by the erosion of your sense of privacy and yet are unsure of what steps you, as a non-techie individual, can do?

Join us on Monday April 7th for a special edition of the Gaslit Nation salon when representatives from the Gaslit Nation Security Committee will share a plan for taking control of your data, protecting your privacy, and regaining data sovereignty in an age of surveillance capitalism.

This presentation will be geared towards non-techies and will help you prioritize steps you can take today to secure your data. Attendees will receive the following documents in a PDF: surveillance awareness self-assessment, prioritized action plan checklist, a calendar for the first thirty days of taking control of your data, and a copy of the presentation slides.

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Nerd Reich Mar 12, 2025

How do we fight back against the broligarchs? Journalist Gil Durán, of the must-read newsletters Nerd Reich and FrameLab, shows the way, in this week's Gaslit Nation.

Jean-Paul Sartre's famous line, "Hell is other people," from his play No Exit, written in Nazi-occupied France, captured a grievance that mirrored the era's ideological clashes—fascism, communism, and isolationism, often overlapping and competing, fueling Stalin's genocides, the Holocaust, and World War II. The solution to sharing society with others, it seemed, was elimination: kill them.

This is why democracies rely on tolerance—you don't have to like my existence, but you must let me exist in peace. Yet today's tech oligarchs, having amassed unimaginable wealth, would rather invest billions in creating tech colonies and new religions to justify mass murder, enslavement, and C.E.O. king fiefdoms than address world hunger, provide free education, and strengthen social safety nets. Their vision isn't coexistence—they're building an anti-empathy billionaire bunker cult.

Gil Durán, a San Francisco journalist and former editorial page editor of The Sacramento Bee and The San Francisco Examiner, has a front-row view of the rise of the broligarchs, analyzing their fascist justifications for cruelty in his popular newsletter, Nerd Reich. Durán spent over a decade in California politics, serving as chief communications strategist for Governor Jerry Brown, Senator Dianne Feinstein, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and Attorney General Kamala Harris. His work has appeared in The New Republic, Esquire, and PBS. He co-founded Framelab, a newsletter on politics, language, and the brain, with Dr. George Lakoff. Most importantly we discuss: how do we defeat the Nerd Reich and the Vichy Democrats?

This week's bonus for our Patreon subscribers at the Truth-teller level and higher continues with Gil Durán of Nerd Reich, examining Democratic leaders as controlled opposition—public allies secretly serving the oligarchs.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

The Nerd Reich by Gil Durán https://www.thenerdreich.com/

FrameLab https://www.theframelab.org/

Trump on Charter Cities: https://www.donaldjtrump.com/agenda47/agenda47-a-new-quantum-leap-to-revolutionize-the-american-standard-of-living

One of Peter Thiel's favorite book: The Sovereign Individual: How to Survive and Thrive During the Collapse of the Welfare State https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780684810072

Find a Tesla Takedown Protest near you: https://www.teslatakedown.com/

Download/print fliers made by Rise and Resist:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1NsdVaglj2-qbaUxPL-aXlPSSMbnjAPV-/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1rCUHIzHfJunm2fnZzdm2sMUWlRYeUtGg/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MfkQlear-zAGgpkth6j_r85sSoXihilr/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fXKCdNCrkPOL8nYI8I9WU7-DGIAGHSXb/view?usp=sharing

https://drive.google.com/file/d/14oYKLO_vzVzEU1sxXSaH1kd_lZ1ylaOG/view?usp=sharing

Clip: Elon Musk realizes he might lose his empire: https://bsky.app/profile/internetceleb.bsky.social/post/3lk2rd73f422n

Robert Reich on Twitter: "When Trump was sworn in, Elon Musk's corporations were under more than 32 investigations conducted by at least 11 federal agencies. Most of the cases are now closed or likely to be closed soon, and the federal agencies are being defanged by DOGE. Funny how that works, huh?" https://x.com/RBReich/status/1898780869092884808

Andrea on Bluesky: "Start building a case for Trump and Musk to be arrested by the International Criminal Court" https://bsky.app/profile/andreachalupa.bsky.social/post/3lk47dkixgs2k

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

TEASER - Book Club: The Stranger and Man's Search for Meaning Mar 10, 2025

This motivating discussion was supposed to run earlier, but then the third year anniversary of Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine was marked by Trump viciously reminding the world he works for Russia by kicking Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy out of the White House, after he, Vance, and MTG's boyfriend tried to ambush the war hero.

In our recorded first ever Gaslit Nation book club, we discussed Albert Camus' The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, to see what wisdom they hold for us today, and how these two works "talk to each other."

For March, we're reading Gene Sharp's revolutionary handbook From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond. Our March 31st salon at 4pm will open with a book club discussion of Dictatorship to Democracy. For April, we're reading (if you haven't already!) Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower, and May's book club pick is Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warefare And Underground Operations. Get ready to make some good trouble!

To hear the full discussion, be sure to join our community on Patreon. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation–we could not make this show without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available here
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available here
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Money, Lies, and God Mar 05, 2025

Who is "Woke Jesus"? It's the actual Jesus from the Bible—the dark-skinned Jewish revolutionary who advocated for feeding the poor and healing the sick. The Christian nationalists who use Trump's MAGA movement as a weapon against our democracy are also at war with Jesus, as this week's guest explains. By the strictest definition, doesn't that make Trump the anti-Christ?

Investigative journalist Katherine Stewart, author of the new book Money, Lies, and God, examines the right-wing Libertarian elites taking over our democracy through white Christian nationalist foot soldiers and offers ways to fight back. Stewart is also the author of The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism and The Good News Club: The Christian Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children. Her journey included witnessing Christian nationalist recruitment and hate campaigns take root in her child's public school. As Andrea discuses in the opening of this week's show, MAGA/Russia are weakening the U.S. from within (mass purge, trade war, declaring war on experts, etc.) so that we're scared and confused, and easier to conquer. We won't let them win.

Thank you to everyone who joined Gaslit Nation's first book club last month! For March, we're reading Gene Sharp's revolutionary handbook From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond. Our March 31st salon at 4pm will open with a book club discussion of Dictatorship to Democracy. For April, we're reading (if you haven't already!) Octavia Butler's The Parable of the Sower, and May's book club pick is Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warefare And Underground Operations. Get ready to make some good trouble!

EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:

March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
March 31 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club: From Dictatorship to Democracy: A Conceptual Framework for Liberation, which informed revolts in Ukraine, the Arab Spring, Hong Kong, and beyond
NEW! April 7 4pm ET – Security Committee Presents at the Gaslit Nation Salon. Don't miss it!
Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join on Patreon.com/Gaslit.
Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group on Patreon.com/Gaslit.
Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Voting is an act of fact checking: The dictator or wannabe dictator claims legitimacy. By voting, even if your vote is illegally not counted, your presence casting the vote adds up, and together the exit polls can indicate whether the election was stolen. Look to Venezuela's grassroots powerhouse effort to count votes to prove the opposition won the election: https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/10/gonzalez-proof-win-venezuela-election-vote-tally-maduro

Russia sought to influence LGBT voters with 'Buff Bernie' ad: Materials made public in committee dump of Facebook propaganda

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2017/11/01/russia-facebook-ad-sought-influence-lgbt-voters-buff-bernie/

The Insider reveals new details of Russian intelligence scheme offering Taliban $200,000 bounties for killing U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan https://meduza.io/en/feature/2025/01/09/the-insider-reveals-new-details-of-russian-intelligence-scheme-offering-taliban-200-000-bounties-for-killing-u-s-soldiers-in-afghanistan

Marisa Kabas on Blueskye: "SCOOP: Now that Linda McMahon is confirmed/sworn in as secretary, Trump will be imminently issuing an executive order eliminating the Department of Education. I've obtained a draft of an email that McMahon will be sending to staff re: the EO and the department's "final mission". Here is a portion:" https://bsky.app/profile/marisakabas.bsky.social/post/3ljj64pfjzk2v

Money, Lies, and God: Inside the Movement to Destroy American Democracy by Katherine Stewart https://bookshop.org/p/books/money-lies-and-god-inside-the-movement-to-dismantle-american-democracy-katherine-stewart/21368231?ean=9781635578546&next=t&next=t

The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism by Katherine Stewart https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-power-worshippers-inside-the-dangerous-rise-of-religious-nationalism-katherine-stewart/8555591?ean=9781635577877&next=t&next=t

The Good News Club: The Religious Right's Stealth Assault on America's Children by Katherine Stewart https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-good-news-club-the-religious-right-s-stealth-assault-on-america-s-children-katherine-stewart/6717978?ean=9781610392198&next=t&next=t

Download "From Dictatorship to Democracy" for free here:

https://archive.org/details/from_dictatorship_to_democracy_1306_librivox

Download "Total Resistance: Swiss Army Guide to Guerrilla Warefare And Underground Operations"

https://archive.org/details/total-resistance-swiss-army-guide-to-guerilla-warfare-1965

Opening clip: https://x.com/theelishev/status/1896120665532719511

Clip: Trudeau: "I heard he talked about banking again this morning in a tweet, which doesn't make any sense because 16 banks are currently active in Canada holding about $113b worth of assets in this country, so American banks are alive and well and prospering in Canada. It's an example of not really being able to see what he wants ... what he wants is to see a total collapse of the Canadian economy, because that'll make it easier to annex us." https://x.com/atrupar/status/1896962522764227069

Clip of Daryl Hannah at the Oscars: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1301955947523848

Clip: Conan Jokes About 'Anora' and Russia At The Oscars 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TiwBNniPhR8

All Hands on Deck, Florida! Mar 04, 2025

You may be asking: does America even have free and fair elections in GOP-gerrymandered hostage states like Florida? Under a wannabe-autocrat like Ron DeSantis, voting becomes a defiant fact check of the legitimacy of the GOP's power. If they were truly effective at governing, why would they resort to gerrymandering and other forms of voter suppression to maintain control?

By voting, even if your vote is illegally not counted, your presence casting the vote adds up, and together the exit polls can indicate whether the election was stolen. Look to Venezuela's grassroots powerhouse effort to count votes before they were conveniently misplaced. In Venezuela, the voters proved the opposition leader Edmundo González, not Russian-backed dictator Nicolás Maduro, won the election. Several independent investigations confirmed their victory. While Maduro clings to power, voting remains a powerful fact check, confronting him with his own illegitimacy and galvanizing the movement to oust him.

In Florida, two special elections will take place on April 1—to replace pedo Putin-puppet Matt Gaetz in the Congressional 1st District with Democratic challenger Gay Valimont, and to replace Zelenskyy co-extortionist Mike Waltz in the Congressional 6th District. Longtime public educator and champion of public schools Josh Weil stops by Gaslit Nation to discuss how you can help support his campaign to hold Elon Musk and MAGA accountable. Early voting is March 22nd to 29th. To phonebank for Josh Weil, check out these virtual phone get-out-the-vote events!

Show Notes:

Join a get-out-the-vote virtual phonebank for Josh Weil in Florida! https://www.mobilize.us/joshweilforcongressionaldistrict6/

Josh Weil for Congress https://joshweil.us/

How Venezuela's opposition proved its election win: 'A brilliant political move' https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/aug/10/gonzalez-proof-win-venezuela-election-vote-tally-maduro

The best freedom money can buy: How the Party of Reagan became the Party of Putin https://www.themarysue.com/the-best-freedom-money-can-buy-how-the-party-of-reagan-became-the-party-of-putin/

Russia and America vs. The Free World Feb 26, 2025

America joined Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Israel, led by indicted corrupt criminal and Putin pal Netanyahu, wanted for war crimes, to vote against Ukraine's United Nations resolution calling for peace and an end to Russia's genocidal invasion. In this week's Gaslit Nation, Andrea and Terrell Starr, of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack, joining from Kyiv, explain how we got here and what to do about it. Fascism helped build America, and global resistance to fascism will help us overcome the threats we face in this dangerous crossroads for America, and the world.

People are waking up from their shock and fighting back. Over $250,000 was raised on GoFundMe for Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl, the woman roughly dragged out of a town hall. The sheriff who threatened her with arrest from the stage is under investigation, along with his three unidentified rent-a-cops. Protests continue at Tesla dealerships, as well as Republican town halls across the country. Tesla owners face vandalism threats and pay to remove the logo, as the company's stock plummets. Twenty-one civil servants of the United States Digital Service, taken over by DOGE, resigned, writing in their letter: "We swore to serve the American people and uphold our oath to the Constitution across presidential administrations. However, it has become clear that we can no longer honor those commitments." France's President Emmanuel Macron fact checked Trump at the White House and helped a banned AP reporter ask a question, and promised to strengthen security across Europe, including for Ukraine. At the Governors Ball in the White House, before Trump, the Army Choir sang the resistance anthem against tyranny, from Les Miserables, "Do You Hear the People Sing?"

To help us lift up our hearts and minds for the work ahead, this week's bonus show, for our Patreon members at the Truth-teller level and higher, is our recorded first ever Gaslit Nation book club, looking at Albert Camus' The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning, to see what wisdom they hold for us today, and how these two works "talk to each other." Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Want ideas on how to resist?

Friday February 28 – U.S. Economic Blackout: No corporate spending, shop small, plan ahead. Details here: https://thirdact.org/texas/2025/02/10/u-s-economic-blackout-planned-for-feb-28/
Tuesday March 4 – 50501 Protest. Find one near you or start one here: https://www.fiftyfifty.one/
Tuesday March 4 – Protect Our Kids Protest by the American Federation of Teachers, to protest the destruction of the Department of Education. Details here: https://www.aft.org/ProtectOurKids and here: https://www.mobilize.us/aft/
Friday March 7 – Stand Up for Science Protest. Details here: https://standupforscience2025.org/
Tesla Takedown Protests – ongoing. Details here.: https://www.teslatakedown.com/
Friday March 14 – NOW March in Washington, DC. Details here: https://nowmarch.org/
Don't Just Do Nothing: 20 Things You Can Do to Counter Fascism: https://itsgoingdown.org/dont-just-do-nothing-20-things-you-can-do-to-counter-fascism/
Protect democracy by protecting yourself: Bookmark! The Ultimate Guide to an Untrackable Phone : https://www.tacticalprivacywire.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-an-untrackable-phone/

Two days after a woman was dragged from a Coeur d'Alene town hall, Sheriff Bob Norris and other parties will face investigation into conduct https://www.spokesman.com/stories/2025/feb/24/two-days-after-a-woman-was-dragged-from-a-coeur-da/

Justice for Dr. Teresa Borrenpohl: Fight for the First https://www.gofundme.com/f/justice-for-dr-borrenpohl-fight-for-the-first/cl/s?lang=en_US&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp13_t1-amp14_c&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link

Hegseth Defends Trump's Firing of Joint Chiefs Chairman Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said in an interview on Sunday that Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. was "not the right man for the moment" and praised President Trump's handling of the war in Ukraine. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/23/us/politics/hegseth-trump-cq-brown-pentagon.html

Trump and Hegseth's Pentagon purge undermines the armed forces How to damage military morale and recruiting? Trump and Hegseth seem to be trying to find out, alas. https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/02/23/trump-hegseth-pentagon-generals/

New FBI director Kash Patel plans to relocate up to 1,500 employees https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory/new-fbi-director-kash-patel-plans-relocate-1500-119064886

Mike Galsworthy ‪on BlueSky: "Just America & Israel voting with Russia, Iran, North Korea... ...against Ukraine." https://bsky.app/profile/mikegalsworthy.bsky.social/post/3lix7n4o4tc2w

French prosecutor seeks 5-year jail sentence and ban from office for far-right leader

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/french-far-right-leader-marine-le-pen-faces-5-year-ban-office-rcna180103

TikTokers Are 'Hunting' Tesla Cybertrucks to Project Anti-Musk Messages on the Tailgate https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/tiktokers-hunting-tesla-cybertrucks-project-174834791.html

TEASER - Hey EU, Pass an Ivanka Trump Travel Ban Feb 21, 2025

To help us navigate these dark times, Gaslit Nation will hold our first book club. Join us next Monday, February 24, at 4pm ET for a salon discussion on two profound works: Albert Camus' The Stranger (the Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning. These books capture the emotional truth of our era. Frankl, a Holocaust survivor and psychologist, offers extraordinary insights into how people confronted genocide in death camps. His account of prisoners organizing cabarets and finding spiritual connections, even in the face of death, is both harrowing and inspiring. Man's Search for Meaning is essential reading for understanding how casual sadism, like Elon Musk's highly illegal mass purge of live-saving government programs, is already taking root in the U.S.

This week's bonus show also features a continuation of our conversations with Elie Mystal, author of Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, on why we need an EU travel ban of Ivanka Trump and others complicit in the destruction of democracy in America, and investigative journalist Greg Palast, director of Vigilantes, Inc., a must-see film about the GOP's war on democracy. To access the full episode, join our Patreon community at Patreon.com/Gaslit.

As we face these turbulent times, Gaslit Nation remains committed to shedding light on the truth. Stay tuned for our all-new episode this Tuesday. Together, we can weather this storm and reclaim our democracy.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Watch Vigilantes, Inc. for free, by Greg Palast: https://www.gregpalast.com/vigilantes-inc-stream-for-free/

Bad Law Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America https://thenewpress.com/books/bad-law

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!)
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Will We Have Free and Fair Elections in the Midterms? Feb 19, 2025

There's a troubling sense of normalcy bias among some Democratic leaders who believe they'll regain their footing in the 2026 midterms, riding another anti-Trump wave. But here's the critical question: will the United States even have free and fair elections? To answer that, we need to look back and ask: was the 2024 U.S. election free and fair? Elon Musk and Donald Trump, and those around them, break the law so brazenly, how can we trust they came to power without breaking the law?

According to investigative journalist Greg Palast, this week's guest and director of the must-see film Vigilantes Inc., which you can watch for free, the answer is a resounding no. Palast's analysis reveals the shocking normalization of Republican voter suppression: over 3.5 million votes were effectively canceled in 2024. This means 3.5 million Americans were denied their fundamental right to vote. And according to Palast, a significant number of suppressed voters are nonwhite. This isn't just voter suppression; it's a modern-day resurrection of Jim Crow, fueled by the Republican Party's relentless assault on democracy. In this week's bonus episode, out Friday, Elie Mystal, the Justice Correspondent for The Nation, and author of the new book Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America, explains how the GOP's reaction to the first Black president was to gut the Voting Rights Act, paving the way for Trump.

In this week's bonus episode, we also continue our conversation with Palast, diving into the power of film as a powerful force for confronting America's darkest history. Plus, we'll also hear from Mystal on why European nations must take a stand by imposing a travel ban on Ivanka Trump and others complicit in the destruction of our democracy—a move that could help hold the Musk-Trump regime accountable for its action, along with divestment strategies that brought down Apartheid. Don't miss this eye-opening episode, out Friday!

Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Watch Vigilantes, Inc. by Greg Palast for free: https://www.watchvigilantesinc.com/

Bad Law Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America https://thenewpress.com/books/bad-law

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!)
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

TEASER - How to Stop a Mafia State Feb 15, 2025

This week's bonus show is our live recording with Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, who answers listener questions about combating the Russian-backed fascist threat of the Musk/Trump regime. We also discuss Trump and Russia's attempts to strongarm Ukraine into a deal that would buy Russia time to continue its genocidal invasion. Don't miss this special episode.

A heartfelt thank you to all our Gaslit Nation supporters. This show wouldn't be possible without you. Together, we're shining a light on the truth and fighting for a better future.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Olga Lautman Substack: https://trumptyrannytracker.substack.com/

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!)
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

The World Must Stand Up to Trump's America Feb 12, 2025

One of the most striking aspects of living under a dictatorship is how eerily normal life can appear on the surface. The sun still rises, children still play in parks. Yet, beneath this façade of normalcy, the foundations of democracy are being purged. Drug-fueled Nazi oligarchs, emboldened by their unchecked power, withhold critical funding, endanger lives, and proudly defy the courts. They destroy the rule of law and unleash a culture of corruption, all while the world watches America turn into a failed state.

Joining us to unpack this dystopian nightmare, as well as what must be done to overcome this global threat, is Elie Mystal, Justice Correspondent for The Nation and author of the new book Bad Law: Ten Popular Laws That Are Ruining America. Mystal, a prophetic voice in the fight for democracy, breaks down what Biden and the Democrats should have done to curb Trump and MAGA extremism when they had the chance. (We'll be shouting we told you so all the way to the gulag!) He explains why Merrick Garland was, as we warned, a threat to democracy, what actions Democrats and the people must take now in the limited time we have left, and why New York State Attorney General Tish James serves as a vital reminder of the importance of local resistance. Most importantly, Mystal calls on world leaders to divest from America, an urgent strategy that helped bring down apartheid.

This week's bonus show is our live recording with Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, who answers listener questions about combating the Russian-backed fascist threat of the Musk/Trump regime. We also discuss Trump and Russia's attempts to strongarm Ukraine into a deal that would buy Russia time to continue its genocidal invasion. Don't miss this special episode, coming to you on Friday.

A heartfelt thank you to all our Gaslit Nation supporters. This show wouldn't be possible without you. Together, we're shining a light on the truth and fighting for a better future.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!): https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/public-safety
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet?: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

How to Protect Our Healthcare Feb 06, 2025

Protests matter because they challenge the regime's legitimacy, remind us we're not alone, and connect us with incredible people fighting to protect human rights in an era of rising technofascism. At the People's March in Washington, DC, in January, which protested MAGA fascism, Andrea met Dr. Meena Bewtra, a physician with Doctors for America—a group of doctors on the frontlines of advocating for healthcare as a human right. In this live taping with our Patreon community, Dr. Bewtra answers listeners' questions. If you have a question for her, let us know, and we'll do our best to get it answered. In the meantime, you can follow Doctors for America on social media. The group recently sued the Trump White House over the removal of health information from vital government websites.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 7 8:30pm ET - Gaslit Nation Board Game Night! We're playing Codenames. Click here for a primer!
Feb 10 4pm ET – Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Russia, Ukraine, and Trump
Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!)
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Available on GaslitNationPod.com
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Thank you to everyone who supports the show!

Hitler Youth Feb 05, 2025

If you want to see where America is headed, watch The Bibi Files. The greatest threat to Israeli democracy, as well as peace for both Palestinians and Israelis, continues to be Bibi Netanyahu and his wife, Sara. Joining us this week are filmmakers Alexis Bloom, director of The Bibi Files, and producer Alex Gibney, who is also working on a documentary on Luigi Mangione and the corruption of the healthcare industry. Check the show notes for a link to watch The Bibi Files–one of the most chilling true crime dramas that show how corruption threatens international security.

As you know by now, Nazi Elon Musk has a team of Hitler Youth dismantling our democracy. We're in a generational struggle, but history shows we can prevail. We defeated the genocidal traitors of the Confederacy, defeated the Nazis in World War II, and dismantled Jim Crow. Ignorance and hate are sadly human traits, but so are progress, collaboration, and the pursuit of a better future.

Our role now is to be sand in their gears. You individually don't need to fight every battle, but if we each adopt just one cause that matters deeply to us and take action—by calling our representatives, showing up in person to talk them out of their fog of complacency, and primary every Democrat who is not meeting this moment—we can slow down the violence of the MAGA agenda and build political power of our own. And in doing so, we can safeguard a future where our families, communities, and the world enjoy a livable future.

If there's one thing these broken little men fear, it's your defiance, your inner light, and your capacity for creative action. They want us demoralized, but we can be hopeful. Now more than ever, we need to come together.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Watch The Bibi Files https://www.jolt.film/watch/the-bibi-files

Andrea's interview on Jessica Denson's Lights On: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjpmySxlrKI

A 25-Year-Old with Elon Musk Ties Has Direct Access to the Federal Payment System https://www.wired.com/story/elon-musk-associate-bfs-federal-payment-system/

AOC Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&feature=shared&v=CVgNJf6CsBA

Andrea's 2005 review of Alex Gibney's Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room https://www.portlandmercury.com/movies-and-tv/2005/04/28/33542/smarter-than-you

'Unfathomable': How this stunning Luka Doncic-Anthony Davis trade came together https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/43676830/how-stunning-luka-doncic-anthony-davis-trade-came-together-los-angeles-lakers-dallas-mavericks

From Chad Loder: NEW: Archived tweets for Gavin Kriger, Musk's 20-something DOGE employee wreaking havoc inside USAID, shows that Kriger has retweeted multiple neo-Nazis including Nick Fuentes, leader of the so-called Groyper movement, and another popular explicit Nazi account recently unmasked by @travisbrown.dev https://bsky.app/profile/chadloder.bsky.social/post/3lhc52j6kns2d

From Justin Baragona: Joe Kent, the guy Trump is nominating to lead his counterterrorism division, employed Proud Boys and Patriot Front members, met with Nick Fuentes and sat down with a neo-Nazi YouTuber for an interview. https://bsky.app/profile/justinbaragona.bsky.social/post/3lhcuqiqhzc2y

From Asha Rangappa: Honestly someone needs to let the dean of the college know that one of their students is actively violating several federal laws. I am certain that violates the student code of conduct and university disciplinary action might be the only enforcement mechanism we have right now https://bsky.app/profile/asharangappa.bsky.social/post/3lhcoe3c3ok2l

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 7 8:30pm ET - Gaslit Nation Board Game Night! We're playing Codenames. Get the Zoom link by joining Patreon.com/Gaslit.
Feb 10 4pm ET – Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Russia, Ukraine, and Trump
Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon.
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon.
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!). Find it on the homepage of GaslitNationPod.com.
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? Find it on GaslitNationPod.com.
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

Thank you to everyone who supports the show!

TEASER - Divided We Fall, United We Fight Oligarchy Jan 31, 2025

Don't count America out just yet! Democrats flipped a state Senate seat in Iowa, in a district Trump won by 21 percent—a resounding rebuke to the psychopath in the White House. In an election year that saw incumbents lose all over the world, Trump barely scraped by with one of the narrowest victories in generations, even with the help of the world's richest man, Elon Musk, bribing voters, rampant far-right disinformation, voter suppression laws, several Russian bomb threats, and GOP ratf*cking—everything we covered on the show during the 2024 election, asking, "Is anyone going to do anything, Merrick Garland?"

Americans are notoriously fickle, flipping back and forth between parties 16 times since 2000. Expect a shift in the midterms and a potential flip in the 2028 presidential election. But here's the real question: what if our elections have become as fake as Russia's? We'll dive into that in an upcoming episode to explore what leverage we have left to protect the integrity of our vote.

What matters most now is unity in opposition to Trump. But how can we come together when so much resentment remains over who refused to vote for Kamala Harris out of protest and encouraged others to do the same. In this week's bonus show of Gaslit Nation, Andrea and Terrell Starr from the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack discuss how we can set aside our differences, forgive the past, and unite for the future of our democracy. It's the beginning of a tough conversation that ignited online after Trump essentially called for ethnic cleansing in Gaza and the deportation of pro-Palestinian protesters here at home—an outcome many of us warned about when we urged people to vote for the sake of humanity's survival.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Rachel Maddow episode that includes segment on Curtis Yarvin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UdHdjuodPg

Transcript: Rachel Maddow episode that includes segment on Curtis Yarvin: https://www.happyscribe.com/public/the-rachel-maddow-show/exclusive-rachel-maddow-interviews-mn-governor-tim-walz-as-trump-plots-end-of-u-s

New York Times profile of Curtis Yarvin (gift article) https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/18/magazine/curtis-yarvin-interview.html?unlocked_article_code=1.tU4.5F3W.Vw3JZNQC_UYS&smid=url-share

Terrell Starr // Black Diplomats Substack https://substack.com/@terrellstarr

The size of Donald Trump's 2024 election victory, explained in 5 charts https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/the-size-of-donald-trumps-2024-election-victory-explained-in-5-charts

Trump's Gaza proposal rejected by allies and condemned as ethnic cleansing plan https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/26/trump-resumes-sending-2000-pound-bombs-to-israel-undoing-biden-pause

Iowa Democrats flip Senate seat in special election to cut into Republican majority https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/elections/2025/01/28/iowa-democrats-flip-senate-seat-in-special-election-chris-cournoyer/77999519007/

Don't Let Liberal Purity Elect Trump https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/30/opinion/gaza-harris-trump.html

Events at Gaslit Nation

Feb 3 4:30pm ET – Dr. Meena Bewtra of Doctors for America joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to share how to protect Obamacare and medicaid
Feb 7 8:30pm ET - Gaslit Nation Board Game Night! We're playing Codenames. Here's a primer: https://youtu.be/zQVHkl8oQEU?si=YjkUvZa9XQQTVlF8
Feb 10 4pm ET – Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Russia, Ukraine, and Trump
Feb 24 4pm ET – Gaslit Nation Book Club at our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss Albert Camu's The Stranger (Matthew Ward translation) and Viktor Frankl's Man's Search for Meaning
March 17 4pm ET – Dr. Lisa Corrigan joins our Gaslit Nation Salon to discuss America's private prison crisis in an age of fascist scapegoating
NEW! Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, available on Patreon
ONGOING! Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, available on Patreon
NEW! Climate Crisis Committee launched in the Patreon Chat thanks to a Gaslit Nation listener who holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences
NEW! Caretaker Committee launched in the Patreon Chat for our listeners who are caretakers and want to share resources, vent, and find community
NEW! Public Safety page added to GaslitNationPod.com to help you better protect yourself from this lunacy (i.e. track recalls, virus threats, and more!) https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/public-safety
ONGOING! Have you taken Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey Yet? It's available on GaslitNationPod.com https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization
ONGOING! Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and the first ~40 minutes are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community
Thank you to everyone who supports the show!

Felon 47 Jan 29, 2025

Welcome to week two of Trump and Project 2025's Reign of Terror. A convicted felon, a Russian asset, an adjudicated rapist, a chronic cheater, a trust-fund brat with six bankruptcies, and a psychopath displaying clear signs of dementia is dismantling the foundations of American democracy, just as promised—and just as we warned. The cruelty is sending dangerous shockwaves across the globe. With each passing day under this regime, the nightmare grows darker.

But here on Gaslit Nation, we're fighting back. Truth is on our side, and our collective liberation and survival depend on our unity and resolve. Together, we can resist, rebuild, and reclaim the future. This week, we're joined by Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack, reporting from Kyiv, Ukraine. He shares his insights on how people around the world can navigate these perilous times, and offers ways forward for the opposition here at home.

In this week's bonus show—available to our Truth-teller subscribers ($5/month and above)—we tackle a difficult and necessary conversation: how the Left can unite despite lingering resentments over the 2024 election, including the question of who refused to vote and why. Gaza will cease to exist under Trump. Under President Kamala Harris, we stood a stronger chance to shift the status quo on Israel and Palestine. We warned that the moral imperative was to vote for the lesser evil to avoid the total evil now being unleashed on the world.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Action alert! Call your members of Congress–find their numbers here: https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

Tell them:
- Vote NO on Kash Patel for FBI Director; Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence; and RFK Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services
- Also, here's a script demanding frozen federal funding be restored: https://bsky.app/profile/celestepewter.bsky.social/post/3lgs36dktik2w

🎲 Game Night Alert! 🎲 Join us for Board Game Night with our Patreon community on February 7 at 8:30pm EST / 5:30pm PST. This time, we're playing Codenames—a fun, easy-to-learn game that's perfect for beginners and pros alike! Never played before? No worries! Check out this quick rules primer to get up to speed: Watch Here! Grab your snacks, bring your friends, and let's play! Grab your membership at Patreon.com/Gaslit!🕹️✨

Take Gaslit Nation's HyperNormalization Survey! More info here: https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/survey-reject-hypernormalization

Show Notes:

Black Diplomats Substack: https://terrellstarr.substack.com/

Trump, Egypt, and Russia: A Nuclear Power Horror Story

https://sites.libsyn.com/124622/trump-egypt-and-russia-a-nuclear-power-horror-story-teaser

White House pauses all federal grants, sparking confusion: Trillions of dollars could be on hold, according to an Office of Management and Budget memo.

https://wapo.st/4gfgcHQ

Researchers are terrified of Trump's freeze on science. The rest of us should be, too. Government support is essential to science. The Trump administration kneecapped it. https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/396911/trump-science-nih-censorship-blackout

CDC ordered to stop working with WHO immediately, upending expectations of an extended withdrawal https://apnews.com/article/cdc-who-trump-548cf18b1c409c7d22e17311ccdfe1f6

Senior USAID staff put on leave amid Trump's order halting foreign aid: The move comes as officials accuse the agency of trying to "circumvent" Trump's aid freeze, according to emails obtained by The Post.

https://wapo.st/42qpQnM

Trump's abrupt decision to play DJ, a sign of 'accelerating cognitive decline' says Cornell expert

https://as.cornell.edu/news/trumps-abrupt-decision-play-dj-sign-accelerating-cognitive-decline-says-cornell-expert

October 2024 episode referenced in this discussion: Adopt a White Woman: https://gaslitnation.libsyn.com/adopt-a-white-woman

Money from For-profit Prisons to US Representatives, 1990-2024 https://www.opensecrets.org/industries/summary?cycle=All&ind=G7000&recipdetail=H&sortorder=N

ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:

Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q
Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw
Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ
Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw
Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ
Read all the details in the PDF here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A

For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET:

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271
The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author) Matthew Ward (Translator) https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262

TEASER - Trump Ushers in the Chinese Century Jan 24, 2025

What's the easiest way for dictator Xi Jinping of China to invade Taiwan? Bribe the President of the United States! Trump's loyalty lies in enriching himself and his family, all thanks to the highest bidder – including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and others. As China shows more signs of preparing to invade Taiwan, Musk's Twitter is normalizing this very idea. Andrea and Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman discuss this and more, including Trump and Melania's meme coin cash grab, in this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show. We also cover ways to fight back, even if things seem to spiral out of control.

Olga Lautman will join the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 10 at 4pm ET! And don't miss our Gaslit Nation Game Night on Friday, February 7 at 8:30pm ET—we'll be playing Codenames! For game night, make sure to create a free account on BoardGameArena.com. Zoom links will be shared the morning of the events on Patreon.com/Gaslit, so be sure to subscribe and help support the show!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Check out Olga Lautman's Substack! https://substack.com/@olgalautman?utm_source=profile-page

Opening Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xvJYrSsXPA

Excellent thread on Federal Trade Commission chair Lina Khan's lawsuits holding corporate giants accountable: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1880370418932150623.html

Trump's Crypto Meme Coin Is His Most Lucrative Get-Rich Scheme Yet https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/what-just-happened-with-usdtrump-and-usdmelania-meme-coins.html

China Suddenly Building Fleet Of Special Barges Suitable For Taiwan Landings https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/01/china-suddenly-building-fleet-of-special-barges-suitable-for-taiwan-landings/

Man says his binned Bitcoin fortune now worth £500m https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgr0dyy152jo

ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:

• Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q

• Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw

• Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ

• Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw

• Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ

Read all the details in the PDF here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A

For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET:

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271

The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author) Matthew Ward (Translator) https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262

Trump is Putin 2.0: Where Does That Leave Putin? Jan 22, 2025

Trump used and discarded the powerful Fred Trump daddy figures who helped him rise to power: infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, whom he abandoned as Cohn was dying of AIDS; Fox News kingmaker Roger Ailes, forced out over sexual harassment allegations; and, possibly, Vladimir Putin. The Russians invested decades of financial and other support into Trump and his family, as Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman explains on this week's Gaslit Nation. But now, with American oligarchs, unlimited money, immunity granted by the illegitimate Supreme Court, pardon power, and a mainstream media eager to please, Trump has everything Putin could only dream of.

What we saw during that grim inauguration weekend, followed by a flood of dangerous executive orders, shows that Trump, as promised, intends to be a dictator from day one. Tech giants, who had a front-row seat to his inauguration, give Trump a social media disinformation machine rivaling the Kremlin's. We're in for dark times, but there's hope. Our traitorous enemies and oligarchs are, in the end, incredibly stupid, and they'll ultimately destroy each other.

This week's bonus show, available to supporters at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, continues the conversation. We'll discuss Trump and Melania's meme coin pump-and-dump scheme that fleeced their own supporters, how Trump is paving the way for Chinese dominance and Xi's long-sought invasion of Taiwan, and ways to fight back, no matter how deliberately chaotic things get.

Remember to protect your sleep during this time and check out the helpful reminder on developing good sleep hygiene in the show notes. They want us overwhelmed and scared, but we must stay sharp and fit. Commit to mindful and healthy practices, including unplugging when needed. By staying strong, we can help carry each other through what lies ahead. No matter how dark things get, we'll get through it together! Afterall, Trump is America, a nation built on the largest Native American mass grave and the genocide of slavery. Trump has always been here. We will fight our way through to another chapter of hard-won progress for future generations to look back on in horror.

Olga Lautman will join the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 10 at 4pm ET! And don't forget our Gaslit Nation Game Night on Friday February 7th at 8:30pm ET–we're playing Codenames! For game night, be sure to make an account on BoardGameArena.com. Both events are for our Patreon community. Zoom links will be shared the morning of the events on Patreon.com/Gaslit so be sure to subscribe to help support the show!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Check out Olga Lautman's Substack! https://substack.com/@olgalautman?utm_source=profile-page

ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:

• Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q

• Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw

• Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ

• Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw

• Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ

Read all the details in the PDF here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A

For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271

The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author) Matthew Ward (Translator) https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262

Opening Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e49VEpWg61M

Martin Luther King, Jr., "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtOGXreTOU

Elon Musk's Anti-Semitic, Apartheid-Loving Grandfather The billionaire has described his grandfather as a risk-taking adventurer. A closer read of history reveals something much darker. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/09/joshua-haldeman-elon-musk-grandfather-apartheid-antisemitism/675396/

Trump's Crypto Meme Coin Is His Most Lucrative Get-Rich Scheme Yet https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/what-just-happened-with-usdtrump-and-usdmelania-meme-coins.html

German-Soviet Pact The German-Soviet Pact was signed in August 1939. It paved the way for Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to invade and occupy Poland that September. The pact was an agreement of convenience between two bitter enemies. It permitted them to carve up spheres of influence in eastern Europe, while pledging not to attack each other for 10 years. Less than two years later, however, Hitler launched an invasion of the Soviet Union. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-soviet-pact#:~:text=This%20agreement%20is%20commonly%20referred,or%20the%20Hitler%2DStalin%20Pact.&text=The%20arrangement%20included%20a%2010,economic%20cooperation%20and%20territorial%20expansion.

Trump pauses US foreign development aid for 90 days, orders review https://kyivindependent.com/trump-pauses-all-us-foreign-aid-for-90-days-pending-review/

Elon Musk's Father on Their Nazis History: https://x.com/DillyHussain88/status/1881670092993560772

Did Elon Musk steal the election for Trump? (Yes!): https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1881118080212115627

House GOP crafts bill to let Trump purchase Greenland https://www.axios.com/2025/01/13/trump-buy-greenland-house-republican-bill

In Rare Criticism, Trump Says Putin Is 'Destroying Russia': President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia praised President Trump's second inauguration, but the American leader did not return the compliment. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-putin-russia-ukraine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q04.QTOS.5McfXW68PNkf&smid=url-share

Welcome to the era of gangster tech regulation Our tech overlords all have problems, and they want to buy the solutions. https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/20/24346317/trump-gangster-tech-regulation-corruption-grift

We Need A New Deal To Save Local Journalism https://defector.com/a-new-deal-to-save-local-journalism-la-fires

News site focused on Elon Musk to launch https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268286/elon-musk-news-site-popular-information

Three media stories to watch for the next 4 years https://www.semafor.com/article/01/19/2025/three-media-stories-to-watch-for-the-next-4-years

Trump signs executive order to pause TikTok ban, provide immunity to tech firms https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268701/trump-executive-order-tiktok-ban

Bad Faith (Christian nationalism documentary) https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/16/bad-faith

Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379

Lessons from Joan of Arc for America and Ukraine Jan 17, 2025

From Joan of Arc, the novel Mark Twain considered his finest work—one that took him longer to write than any of his other books, and one so deeply personal to him that he chose to publish it anonymously:

"When we consider that her century was perhaps the most brutal, depraved, and morally corrupt in history since the Dark Ages, we are left in awe at the extraordinary emergence of such a figure from such a time. The contrast between her and her era is as stark as the difference between day and night. She was truthful in a world where deception was the norm; she was honest when integrity had nearly vanished; she kept promises when few would even make them; her great intellect was devoted to noble causes, while others squandered their brilliance on trivialities or selfish pursuits; she embodied modesty, grace, and refinement when loudness and vulgarity had become commonplace; she harbored compassion when cruelty ruled; she stood firm in her convictions when stability was unknown; she was a beacon of honor in an age that had forgotten its meaning; she was steadfast when others were adrift in doubt; she maintained her dignity in a time of sycophants and servility; she exhibited courage when her nation's hope had withered; she was pure in thought and action in an era where corruption ran rampant at the highest levels; she was all of these things in a world where crime was the everyday business of kings and nobles, and where even the most powerful figures in Christendom shocked the world with their treachery, bloodshed, and barbarism."

In this week's bonus show, Andrea mines the timeless lessons in Mark Twain's portrayal of Joan of Arc, drawing connections between her legacy and contemporary struggles—both in the U.S. and in Ukraine, which faces its most daunting challenge under Russian-backed Trump. No matter how grim the situation may seem, history shows us that movements born from collective action can prevail.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

People's March January 18: Find a location near you: https://map.wewontgoback.com/local

People's March–more info: https://www.peoplesmarch.com/

Opening Clip: https://x.com/atrupar/status/1879698232495734828

Is American an Oligarchy? https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/12/10/is-america-an-oligarchy

Rep. Rick Crawford expected to serve as House Intelligence chair https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/01/16/congress/crawford-to-be-named-house-intel-chair-00198644

Luigi Mangione: Shooter or Superfan? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwGVUvq7Pq4&t=18s

ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:

• Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q

• Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw

• Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ

• Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw

• Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ

Read all the details in the PDF here:

https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A

For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET:

Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271

The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author) Matthew Ward (Translator)

https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262

Crackhead Ken Jan 15, 2025

In a Gaslit Nation first, we're speaking to a guest whose voice is… well, masked like Putin's stiff botoxed face. That's because we've had to protect their identity—our guest today is none other than the undisputed ruler of the underworld, likely the wealthiest person on the planet (given the cadre of oligarchs they've got on speed dial), and—let's not forget—a master strategist. You may know them as Darth Putin KGB, the Twitter titan who once made parody fun before it got, well, a little too real.

Now, if you're finding it hard to understand Darth Putin's voice, don't worry. We tried several different settings to find the right balance between protecting their anonymity and making sure we didn't sound like we were interviewing an angry vending machine. But, for those of you who are truly committed, you can follow along with the full transcript of the interview, which is conveniently available at the top of the show notes.

Darth Putin is also the author of two books, the most recent being How to Tankie: The Anti-Imperialist's Guide to the Modern World, and The Darth Putin Guide to Being a Master Strategist: 13 Rules on How to Think, Act, Dress & Date Like a Master Strategist. We'll be sharing excerpts from our conversation in future episodes, including their thoughts on why satire is needed more than ever in an age of growing fascism, and how to be a master strategist when it comes to making fun of dictators and their lackeys. In this part of the interview, Darth delivers a chilling warning: we must not abandon Ukraine, for the security of both the world and ourselves is on the line. This is obvious to everyone, except for crackhead Ken Pete Hegseth, Trump's frat boy date rapist pick to run the most powerful military in human history.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Transcript of the Darth Putin KGB interview: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fgG16BVg4_hdIMk0aBJWBaI3vW2Rk2xU/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=117489509282294341490&rtpof=true&sd=true

Heart of the Want to Believer from Limbic Psalms by Confusions https://confusions.bandcamp.com/track/heart-of-the-want-to-believer

Submit your song to be featured on Gaslit Nation! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-d_DWNnDQFYUMXueYcX5ZVsA5t2RN09N8PYUQQ8koq0/edit?ts=5fee07f6&gxids=7628

Four Takeaways From the Special Counsel's Report on the Trump Election Case Jack Smith wrote that Donald Trump would have been convicted had the case been allowed to proceed and explained why he didn't pursue charges of incitement of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/14/us/politics/jack-smith-trump-election-report-takeaways.html

Irregular Army How the US Military Recruited Neo-Nazis, Gang Members, and Criminals to Fight the War on Terror By Matt Kennard https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/233226/irregular-army-by-matt-kennard/

Merrick Garland Both-Sides the Coup https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2022/1/12/merrick-garland-both-sides

CBS News: Jack Smith's Trump Report

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNyd7mXI-hU

ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared:

• Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q

• Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw

• Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ

• Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw

• Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ

Read all the details in the PDF here:

https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A

TEASER - Ben Wikler for DNC Chair Jan 09, 2025

Announcement! If you're a Gaslit Nation supporter on Patreon, join us for the first ever Gaslit Nation Game Night this Friday at 8:30pm ET, organized by Gaslit Nation listeners. The game of the night will either be Codenames or Chameleon. The Zoom link is posted in the Victory Chat as well as this episode page on Patreon!

When it comes to the DNC Chair election on February 1st, the only choice is Ben Wikler, chairman of the Democratic Party of Wisconsin since July 2019. None of the other candidates, except for Ken Martin, the state chair of the Democratic Party in Minnesota, even come close. Why? Because, unlike Martin, Wikler has faced off with the worst of our national demons in Wisconsin—a state that's long been a laboratory for GOP autocracy, as detailed in Ari Berman's must-read book Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People—and the Fight to Resist It.

In this week's bonus show Q&A, shaped by our Democracy Defender-level supporters and higher, we make the case for Wikler and break down the dynamics of a race that could shape not only the future of the Democratic Party but the soul of America.

We also dive into the People's March, formerly the Women's March, and announce the Gaslit Nation sign contest for the best protest sign! Join Andrea at the march in New York City at 10 AM on Saturday, January 18th—details to come! To find a People's March near you, or to help organize one if there isn't already one in your area, check out this handy guide: https://map.peoplesmarch.com/local

If you didn't hear your question answered this week, keep an eye out for it soon as the Gaslit Nation Q&A continues! To our Democracy Defender-level folks and higher, submit your questions in a private message for the next Q&A!

Thank you to everyone who supports the show—we couldn't make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Books:

What If We Get It Right?: Visions of Climate Futures By Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, the marine biologist behind the Blue New Deal: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/645855/what-if-we-get-it-right-by-ayana-elizabeth-johnson/
The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by journalist David Wallace-Wells https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-uninhabitable-earth-life-after-warming-david-wallace-wells/12097261?ean=9780525576716
The Future We Choose: The Stubborn Optimist's Guide to the Climate Crisis Christiana Figueres and Tom Rivett-Carnac, two of the architects of the Paris Climate Agreement https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-future-we-choose-the-stubborn-optimist-s-guide-to-the-climate-crisis-christiana-figueres/13156367?aid=1676&ean=9780593080931&listref=caring-for-the-earth-each-other-practicing-sustainable-living

Reading:

Researcher Jenny Cohn wrote a disturbing thread about Sillicon Valley bro-fascists setting their sights on Greenland: https://threadreaderapp.com/thread/1877052010559844478.html?utm_campaign=topunroll
Historian Timothy Snyder on why the U.S. needs a Shadow Cabinet, like the U.K.: https://snyder.substack.com/p/shadow-cabinet
A bombshell report confirming that Russian intelligence paid tens of millions of dollars to the Taliban to target American coalition forces in Afghanistan. What is Trump going to do about this as president? https://theins.ru/en/politics/277723

The Gerrymander Has Been Slayed: Wisconsinites Get Fair Maps for 2024 Election https://campaignlegal.org/update/gerrymander-has-been-slayed-wisconsinites-get-fair-maps-2024-election

As Democrats Reel, Two Front-Runners Emerge in a Leadership Battle The race to lead the Democratic National Committee centers on the favorites, Ken Martin and Ben Wikler, but the party's infighting over them looks nothing like a broad reckoning with its 2024 defeats. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/05/us/politics/dnc-race-ben-wikler-ken-martin.html

The People's March Website: https://www.peoplesmarch.com/

Trump's inauguration coincides with an unprecedented string of high-stakes security events in DC https://apnews.com/article/trump-inauguration-security-a3df8ed878f2c0587f7038d68a0447f6

FTC antitrust case against Meta can move to trial, court rules. The decision marks a victory for the agency and its Democratic chair, Lina Khan, after early legal setbacks. https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/11/13/meta-ftc-antitrust/

Minority Rule: The Right-Wing Attack on the Will of the People--And the Fight to Resist It https://bookshop.org/p/books/minority-rule-ari-berman/19994801?ean=9780374600211

An Unpunished Attempted Coup Paves the Way for a Successful One Jan 08, 2025

On January 6, 2021, we watched on live television as Donald Trump and several Republican members of Congress incited a violent attempted overthrow of our democracy. This insurrection led to several deaths, including police officers who later died by suicide. When Joe Biden was sworn in as President in January 2021, Democrats controlled both chambers of Congress. Instead of using their time in power to pass a resolution or bill banning Trump and his supporters from holding office under the 14th Amendment's "insurrection clause" (Section 3), they held hearings that concluded with a report and a referral to the Department of Justice for possible criminal prosecution. In the 2022 midterms, Democrats lost the House due to America's worsening gerrymandering crisis.

Attorney General Merrick Garland waited two years to appoint Special Prosecutor Jack Smith. While some credit the Democrats' January 6 committee for prompting Garland to take action, the reality is that both Democrats and Garland wasted valuable time. In the four years since January 6, 2021, no resolution or bill was passed in Congress to enforce the insurrection clause of the 14th Amendment. Instead, a group of voters and legal experts attempted to bar Trump from the ballot in Colorado, leading to legal cases such as Trump v. Anderson. In early 2024, the Supreme Court ruled that states could not bar federal candidates, and that applying the 14th Amendment was up to Congress. So, why didn't Democrats act in 2021 and 2022 when they had two years to enforce the U.S. Constitution?

We need an honest accounting of how an insurrectionist will be president just four years after leading a violent attempt to overthrow our democracy. Democrats deferred to Merrick Garland, who then deferred to Jack Smith, who ultimately dismissed his Trump cases in November 2024, after Trump won one of the closest elections in U.S. history. This election took place amid rampant disinformation and the consolidation of far-right media, including Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, turning it into a platform for (pro-Trump and Russia) disinformation–the largest in the world. At the same time, Republicans and the Supreme Court over the years undermined the Voting Rights Act and expanded voter ID laws–a modern day poll tax, disenfranchising 21 million Americans. As Andrea and Terrell discuss in this week's episode, the 2024 election was neither free nor fair. The institutions meant to protect us failed. As Gaslit Nation has long warned, an unpunished attempted coup leads to a successful one. The institutionalists and controlled opposition who enabled this crisis don't realize they are not safe either. Once a dictator is in power, no one can control them.

We also point out that George Orwell warned us about fascist bootlickers like Trump/Musk fanboy Lex Fridman, whose three-hour interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky can be summed up by Orwell's quote: "Political language is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind."

Gaslit Nation officially calls on Lex Fridman to stop quoting Orwell on his podcast—Orwell would have hated you.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Show Notes:

Republicans just took control of the House because of partisan and racial gerrymandering. Here's how https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/11/16/2136410/-Republicans-just-took-control-of-the-House-because-of-partisan-and-racial-gerrymandering-Here-s-how

In Trump's second term, evidence suggests corruption will be worse, not better Donald Trump's first term was astonishingly corrupt. There's already reason to believe his second will be worse. https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trumps-second-term-evidence-suggests-corruption-will-worse-not-better-rcna179589

U.S. to probe Tesla's 'Full Self-Driving' system after pedestrian killed

https://www.npr.org/2024/10/19/g-s1-29030/us-probe-tesla-full-self-driving-system

The Republican Structural Advantage Republicans start every election cycle with structural advantages regardless of the issues and all the other factors that usually determine who wins elections. https://prospect.org/power/republican-structural-advantage/

How conservative media helped the far-right take over the Republican Party https://www.vox.com/2015/7/30/9074761/conservative-media-republican-party

How Media Consolidation Paved the Way for Right-Wing Insurrection A battle playing out at the Supreme Court could make media monopolies way worse. https://inthesetimes.com/article/supreme-court-media-consolidation-fcc-echo-chamber

Media Consolidation Means Less Local News, More Right Wing Slant https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/media-consolidation-means-less-local-news-more-right-wing-slant

The Right-Wing Media Takeover Is Destroying America The purchase of The Baltimore Sun is further proof that conservative billionaires understand the power of media control. Why don't their liberal counterparts get it? https://newrepublic.com/post/178256/baltimore-sun-liberal-billionaires-media-failure

The growth of Sinclaire's conservative media empire https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/10/22/the-growth-of-sinclairs-conservative-media-empire

How Gerrymandering Tilts the 2024 Race for the House Facebook LinkedIn Skewed maps give Republicans big advantages in 11 states, mostly in the South and Midwest.

https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/how-gerrymandering-tilts-2024-race-house

Elon Musk Being Investigated for Violating Terms of "Top Secret" Clearance He has become a major liability for the government. https://futurism.com/elon-musk-investigated-violating-terms-top-secret-clearance

Elon Musk didn't show up for testimony in a probe over his $44 billion Twitter takeover. Now the SEC wants sanctions https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/20/tech/sec-sanctions-elon-musk-testimony-twitter-probe/index.html

The Women's March Rebranded and Reorganized. Now They're Ready for 2025 https://time.com/7203169/womens-march-donald-trump-protest-change/

ABC Settles With Trump in a Case It Could Have Won https://fair.org/home/abc-settles-with-trump-in-a-case-it-could-have-won/

Why Gerrymandering Has Gotten Worse https://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-gerrymandering-has-gotten-worse/

The North Carolina GOP's Latest Ploy to Steal a State Supreme Court Seat https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/12/north-carolina-gop-state-supreme-court.html

North Carolina's Unfair Voting Maps Gave GOP Congress Majority https://www.charlotteobserver.com/opinion/article296319684.html

Judge agrees to dismiss Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case President-elect Trump faced charges over his handling of classified documents and his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss, which culminated in the U.S. Capitol attack. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/justice-department/jack-smith-files-drop-jan-6-charges-donald-trump-rcna181667

The lost year: How Merrick Garland's Justice Department ran out of time prosecuting Trump for January 6 https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/06/politics/doj-trump-jan-6-riot/index.html

NowMarch.org Jan 02, 2025

Andrea will be speaking at the peaceful Now March this Friday, January 3rd, on Capitol Hill calling for Congress to take their final opportunity to stop MAGA fascism. Obviously the time to stop Russian-backed Trump was years ago, as Gaslit Nation has documented for years now. Andrea will join the Now March to support the tenacious organizers, to take a stand on the right side of history, and to never stop reminding people: none of this is normal. An unpunished coup is a dress rehearsal for a sucessful one, and that is where we are in America. For more information visit NowMarch.org and check out this video by Jessica Denson of Lights On, one of the main organizsers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fkRnnglQm4U

Opus Dei Dec 31, 2024

How does Franco's reign in Spain connect to the rise of Trump? In this gripping true-crime thriller, financial journalist Gareth Gore, while investigating a bank collapse in Spain, follows the money trail to uncover a vast international conspiracy behind Opus Dei.

What is Opus Dei? It's a shadowy global right-wing organization founded in Spain just before the Spanish Civil War. Supported by powerful Republican figures like Leonard Leo, Opus Dei is a Christian nationalist movement fueling efforts to dismantle democracy and pave the way for dictatorship in America. Gore, the author of the explosive book Opus: The Cult of Dark Money, Human Trafficking, and Right-Wing Conspiracy Inside the Catholic Church, delves into this insidious network. In this chilling conversation, recorded just before the U.S. election, Gore reveals how Opus Dei's influence stretches from Capitol Hill to the Supreme Court—and what is being done, including by the Pope, to try to curb its destructive power.

This week's bonus show features a live interview with Dr. Emma Briant, one of the world's foremost experts on disinformation warfare and propaganda. Dr. Briant, co-editor of The Routledge Handbook on the Influence Industry and author of Propaganda and Counter-Terrorism: Strategies for Global Change, shares invaluable insights into the weapons of global propaganda.

Gaslit Nation returns with all-new episodes on January 7th! We're excited to continue this fight for truth and justice with you—together, we can plant the seeds of meaningful change. Democracy Defender ($10/month) and higher supporters, don't forget to submit your questions for our upcoming bonus show Q&A!

Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

We're running this week's episode earlier than usual due to the New Year's Eve holiday--happy new year, everyone! We'll get through what comes next together!

TEASER - Dr. Emma Briant on Combating Disinformation Dec 31, 2024

Good news! Staying off social media is good for your mental health and countering disinformation. In this week's Gaslit Nation bonus show, listen to an excerpt of our inspiring live interview with Dr. Emma Briant, one of the world's foremost experts on disinformation warfare and propaganda. Dr. Briant, co-editor of The Routledge Handbook on the Influence Industry and author of Propaganda and Counter-Terrorism: Strategies for Global Change, shares invaluable insights into the weapons of global propaganda. Check out her latest article in the Index on Censorship on how disinformation warfare is being waged on academia.

Our discussion was recorded at Monday's Gaslit Nation political salon with our Patreon community. Thank you to all who attended and asked great questions! To hear the full discussion, be sure to subscribe at the Truth-teller ($5/month) tier or higher on Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Gaslit Nation returns with all-new episodes on January 7th! We're excited to continue this fight for truth and justice with you—together, we can plant the seeds of meaningful change. Democracy Defender ($10/month) and higher supporters, don't forget to submit your questions for our upcoming bonus show Q&A!

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Show Notes:

Meet Dr. Emma Briant: https://emma-briant.co.uk/

Can academic freedom survive Donald Trump's plans for thought control? The president's aim to remove power from universities and punish so-called "woke" ideology has chilling implications for free speech globally By Emma Briant https://www.indexoncensorship.org/2024/12/academic-freedom-survive-donald-trump-plans-thought-control-universities-colleges-education/

TEASER - Art is Survival: Churchill the Artist Dec 28, 2024

Great Britain was woefully unprepared when Hitler's Nazis invaded nearly half of Europe. As the country faced the relentless terror of the Blitz—where cities were bombed like Ukraine is being bombed today by Putin—Churchill was tasked with turning the tide. In the midst of this devastation, he turned to his favorite act of self-care: creating art.

In our ongoing discussion, Robert Schmuhl, author of Mr. Churchill in the White House, explores how painting was a profound source of solace and strength for Churchill. This personal outlet helped shape his leadership during Europe's darkest hour, influencing the fate of the free world. As we always say on Gaslit Nation, art is survival. If you have artwork you'd like to share with our community, we'd love to feature it on our socials. Email us at GaslitNation@gmail.com! For music, we're happy to play your song on the show—just submit your work using the link in our show notes!

This Monday, during our Gaslit Nation salon on Zoom with our Patreon community, we're thrilled to welcome disinformation researcher Dr. Emma Briant. Dr. Briant played a pivotal role in exposing the Facebook–Cambridge Analytica data scandal and is a co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of the Influence Industry, which includes a chapter on lawfare by Andrea's sister, Alexandra Chalupa. Dr. Briant will walk us through the mechanics of influence campaigns—how they work, their effects, and, most importantly, how we can fight back. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from one of the leading experts in the field!

Show Notes:

The song featured in this week's episode is "Free" by Aaron Espe: https://open.spotify.com/track/3M7xHMsoIeNKLkrJ2wY4i6

Submit your song to be featured on Gaslit Nation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS7TftV6Vfnw-iasFLepL6FpIj_KFORDLrAlZGH3nLg7i8lA/viewform

Mr. Churchill in the White House The Untold Story of a Prime Minister and Two Presidents https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324093428

Clip: The Paintings of Sir Winston Churchill https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exABCiPBAVE

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Self-Care with Churchill and FDR Dec 24, 2024

Self-care is an act of resistance, especially when the fate of the free world depends on you. In the latest episode of Gaslit Nation, Andrea interviews Robert Schmuhl, author of Mr. Churchill in the White House. Their conversation reveals the fascinating dynamics between White House roommates Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. It also delves into the debate: did Churchill really see Lincoln's ghost?

Two of the most powerful men of the 20th century, with towering egos and differing leadership styles, shared space in the White House during one of the most tumultuous periods in history. How did they manage? By treating self-care as sacred—a vital lesson for us today as we face a new era of America First and the rise of global fascism.

Schmuhl takes us behind the curtain, exploring Churchill's struggles with depression and the personal toll of war. The episode doesn't shy away from darker aspects, including Churchill's role in the Bengal Famine. It's a thoughtful, nuanced look at two men who shaped the world, yet weren't immune to their own flaws and the overwhelming challenges they faced to liberate Europe and overcome the isolationism at home driven by fascist-aligned America First. Sound familiar?

Show Notes:

The song featured in this week's episode is "Free" by Aaron Espe: https://open.spotify.com/track/3M7xHMsoIeNKLkrJ2wY4i6

Submit your song to be featured on Gaslit Nation: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeS7TftV6Vfnw-iasFLepL6FpIj_KFORDLrAlZGH3nLg7i8lA/viewform

Mr. Churchill in the White House The Untold Story of a Prime Minister and Two Presidents https://wwnorton.com/books/9781324093428

Due to the Christmas Eve holiday and the coziness of this conversation--it's a perfect one to listen to around the fire or while wrapping presents--we're publishing this episode a bit earlier than usual. Happy holidays!

Israel and Palestine: The Path to Peace Dec 18, 2024

"And hope here, I don't think it's passive. It is active. It's a form of resistance against despair. And it must be paired with a political imagination, that belief that we can build the future."

–Wasim Almasri, Director of Programs, The Alliance for Middle East Peace

In this important conversation, Andrea and Terrell speak with Avi Meyerstein, Founder and President of the Alliance for Middle East Peace (ALLMEP), and Wasim Almasri, Director of Programs based in the West Bank city of Ramallah. They discuss what a meaningful path to peace looks like for Israelis and Palestinians, how to achieve it, the priorities the outgoing and incoming U.S. administrations must focus on, and the pending ceasefire deal, which has seen a resurgence of promising negotiations in recent days.

If you're looking for defiant hope and a light to show the way in these dark times, listen to the team at ALLMEP who have been hard at work planting powerful seeds of change. For more on their work, check at the link at the top of the show notes.

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 like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!

Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Show Notes:

The Alliance for Middle East Peace: https://www.allmep.org/

Hopes for Gaza ceasefire-for-hostages deal rise Israeli officials, Hamas sources, and US and Arab figures say deal may be within reach – perhaps within days https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/17/israeli-negotiators-head-to-qatar-as-hopes-rise-for-gaza-hostage-deal

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected