Gaslit Nation

Latest Episodes:

The Save Democracy Challenge Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

Dictators and aspiring tyrants want us to be demoralized, to be bullied psychologically into submission. Bullies are always surprised when people resist and fight back. The 2022 Midterms were a historic time of fighting back: the first major elections since the violent attempted overthrow of our democracy. People showed up and organized in record numbers, denying Trump's Big Lie and the America First fascist movement the victories they needed to steal the electoral college in 2024. Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania are all protected by elected public servants who believe in democracy, and that's thanks to voters and organizers who refused to be intimidated. In this week's special episode, we highlight four Gaslit Nation listeners who worked hard to protect our democracy in the midterms, some volunteering as far as Ukraine. In this inspiring conversation, you'll meet Dr. Nicole Speer, a recently elected member of the Boulder City Council who manages a brain imaging research facility at the University of Colorado. She shares her story of running for office and how others can do the same. You'll also hear from Hugh Stempfley of Illinois who trained as an election judge alongside his grandson, and shares their story of two generations on the frontlines of protecting our democracy. Jed Holtzman of San Francisco is active in his community advocating for policies and other actions to urgently protect our civilization from man-made climate change and his advice on why text-banking is a great way to pitch in, even if you only have an hour to spare. And finally, you'll meet entrepreneur Isaac Flanagan who left his comfortable home in Colorado to bring desperately needed humanitarian supplies to the frontlines of Russia's genocidal invasion of Ukraine, even while helping get out the vote in the U.S. midterm by calling voters in a California swing House district. We thank everyone who helped get out the vote in these and all elections. Our democracy depends on you, even though it shouldn't. Thank you to everyone who works hard to protect our democracy and shows why we always say: grassroots power is the most reliable power we have left. In our bonus episode, available to subscribers at the Truth-teller level and higher, we cover the International Criminal Court at The Hague that just indicted war criminal Putin -- an arrest notice that makes Putin a wanted man in well over 100 countries. We also touch on the potential Trump indictment which noticeably isn't coming from the DOJ. We also answer questions submitted by our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. Thank you to everyone who supports the show and keeps our civic-action community and independent journalism going. We couldn't make this show without you!

Teaser - Putin Indicted...Trump Next? Mar 21, 2023

Show notes

Mass-murdering genocidal maniac and proud Russian imperialist and cult of Stalin worshipper Vladimir Putin has been indicted by the International Criminal Court at The Hague. This means there are 123 countries, including every European Union nation, that is legally obligated to arrest Putin should he step foot on their soil. It also means there's no going back to business as usual with Russia as long as Putin is in power.

The ICC indictment and Putin's disasterous war put a big target on Putin's head. Fellow war criminal Igor Girkin who oversaw the early days of Russia's invasion of Ukraine continues to openly critize Putin, telling him to "shut up" and accuses him of using a body double while the real Putin hides behind long tables. The in-fighting among Russian elite continues, threatening Putin's grip on power. He should stay away from windows and tea parties. Will an indictment of Trump, Putin's favorite asset -- a multi-decade investment via laundered dirty Russian money -- be next?

This week's bonus episode, excerpted here, opens with a discussion of the Putin indicment and the potential for a Trump indictment. We go on to answer questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. To submit questions to our regular Q&As, and join our community of listeners, subscribe and support our independent journalism by signing up at Patreon.com/Gaslit

Peter Thiel's Silicon Valley Bank Collapse Dreams Mar 15, 2023

Show notes

It looks like the Libertarians of Silicon Valley suddenly love government when they need the government to bail them out. Socialism for the mega-rich, taxes and fascism for the rest of us. In this week's episode, we delve into the fantasy hellscape of Peter Thiel, his investments in surveillance tech and A.I. that would give aspiring autocrats like him unstoppable power; Dictator Xi of China as a warning of what could happen to the United States if the Silicon Valley Libertarian Fascist Brigade usher in Big Brother 2.0, why Democrats aren't doing more to stop them (because some are cashing in!).

Thiel's allegedly instigated banking collapse comes at an opportune time. Rattling the economy when the 2024 presidential elections are around the corner will drive economic anxiety and uncertainty at a time when Democrats need to defend the White House. This will pave the way for a wannabe fascist dictator like Ron DeSantis, the Viktor Orban of Florida, who is using the kind of anti-gay laws Putin used to consolidate power in Russia. DeSantis just gave an interview to Walter Duranty of Fox News, telling Tucker Carlson that supporting Ukraine in the face of an existential genocide from a modern day Hitler is not in the U.S. interests, which means he's secured Russia's help in the upcoming election.

In our bonus episode, we answer questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. This week's discussion includes why we should keep an eye on Russia's threat of invading Moldova (again!) to open up a new front to seize Ukraine; how to hold onto hope and push back against corruption; and how to organize one's life to be creative and productive despite the hellscape we find ourselves in, and a fun story about a recent run-in with Hillary Clinton, possible Gaslit Nation listener? If you want to keep Gaslit Nation going and support the show, join our community of listeners on Patreon to get access to weekly bonus shows, ask us anything in our regular Q&As, and join live events. We couldn't produce the journalism the world needs without you!

Show Notes:

Opening clip: https://twitter.com/jonsarlin/status/1634712724117794817

Closing clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WU1kS2jUpnY

Formal Reprimand of Rep. Frank Is Urged by House's Ethics Panel https://www.nytimes.com/1990/07/20/us/formal-reprimand-of-rep-frank-is-urged-by-house-s-ethics-panel.html

A lot of people heard what Barney Frank said about the new banking law. Few knew he works for a bank. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2018/05/24/a-lot-of-people-heard-what-barney-frank-said-about-the-new-banking-law-few-knew-he-works-for-a-bank/

GOP blames Silicon Valley Bank's collapse on 'ESG' policies. Here's what to know. https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2023/03/14/svb-esg-woke-investing/

Congress just approved a bill to dismantle parts of the Dodd-Frank banking rule https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/congress-just-approved-bill-dismantle-parts-dodd-frank-banking-rule-n876516

Ron DeSantis says backing Ukraine is not in the U.S. interest, a sign of a GOP divided https://www.npr.org/2023/03/14/1163363579/desantis-trump-ukraine-republican-split

Congressional Stock Trading - If You Don't Know, Now You Know | The Daily Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7Vyyc6YCKk

Dozens in Congress beat stock market in 2022 despite downturn on Wall Street: analysis https://nypost.com/2023/01/06/dozens-in-congress-beat-stock-market-in-2022-analysis/

Teaser - Will Russia Invade Moldova to Seize Ukraine? Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

This is an excerpt of our Gaslit Nation bonus episode where we answer questions submitted by our listeners. To submit your own questions and to get access to our bonus episodes and never miss a show, subscribe on Patreon. You won't hear every episode of Gaslit Nation unless you subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit

Against National Divorce Mar 08, 2023

Show notes

This week Gaslit Nation is running an audiobook excerpt from Sarah's book THEY KNEW: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent. We are running this excerpt now because we are appalled by the pundits and politicians proposing "national divorce". We want you to understand the conspiracy of kleptocrats behind it. Theirs is not a grassroots initiative, it's an organized attempt of plutocrats to shake you down by pushing civil war and hardening facile definitions of "red" and "blue" states. Sarah wrote THEY KNEW in 2021 and it is horrifying to see the plots described years ago attempt to come to fruition. This does NOT mean that the victory of the treasonous plutocrats is inevitable. It means we the people must fight back, and the best way to fight back is with the truth. We do not want Americans to fall for opportunistic and destructive rhetoric, and therefore we are warning you of what they are trying to accomplish and what will happen if they succeed.

Our message is coming to you from the state of New York and from the state of Missouri – two states that are purple, purple like a bruise.

Gaslit Nation will return next week will our usual breakdown of current events. For our thoughts on ongoing issues like Russia and China's alliance, the war on Ukraine, and the lack of accountability from the DOJ and other agencies, listen to our Patreon bonus episode. Every week we do a Q & A with our listeners and additional commentary. You can access this episode and an archive of hundreds of past episodes by joining at the Truth-Teller level or higher.

Gaslit Nation is made possible solely by our listeners and Patreon subscribers. If you like the show, tell a friend or leave a review. If you'd like to ensure we can keep the show going, join us on Patreon! We thank you for your support.

Teaser - Russia and China: The Best of Frienemies Mar 07, 2023

Show notes

This is an excerpt of this week's bonus episode where we explain how there's no honor among thieves, especially when they're jointly furthering the imperialist ambitions of autocracy around the world and trying to steal land and steal rights. To hear every episode of Gaslit Nation, subscribe at the Truth-teller level or higher on Patreon by joining our community of listeners at Patreon.com/Gaslit

Artificial Intelligence and the Information Void Mar 01, 2023

Show notes

Every now and again you need to step back and look at the big picture, and then you see that the big picture is a mirror reflecting a void with a mirror reflecting a void with a mirror…hey, welcome to the Gaslit Nation AI Apocalypse Special!

We have a lot of things to get out of our system, apparently, before The System claims us as its own, and they include: artificial intelligence, the death of the news industry, the struggle to survive multiple collective traumas at once, Sigmund Freud and his nephew Edward Bernays and their dual creation of psychological warfare and public reactions, "the death eaters that prop up the dancing clown of Trump", child labor and the bipartisan leaders that defend it, the brutal backlash to the social movements of the last decade, nepo babies and purchased merit, weird facts about Hitler, how Trump's pardons tell you everything you need to know about who really controls America, and the ceaseless desire of our officials to crush progressive policies that help people.

We will cover Fox News and the origins of covid and all the other breaking news stories next week, don't worry. That slow-moving soap opera of corruption will still be there! What we tried to figure out in this episode is how to find truth in an era of digital media manipulation, informational voids, and shattered community. Because we're living this life, not just writing about it. It is tough to break news when the news breaks us!

For our Patreon bonus episode, available to subscribers at the Truth-Teller level or higher, we answer questions from our beloved listeners! Topics include: DOJ corruption; environmental disasters; Saudi Arabia, Russia, and transnational crime; Matt Gaetz; Kamala Harris; Seymour Hersh, Ukraine, and much more! Sign up at the Democracy Defender level or higher to send in questions and at the Truth-Teller level to listen to the show and get access to hundreds of past bonus episodes.

Gaslit Nation survives solely because of our listeners! We are shadowbanned in the current Twitter era and could use help spreading the word about our show. If you like it, tell a friend and leave a review! And consider joining our Patreon to keep us going. Thank you for your support!

Show Notes:

Our new unofficial Gaslit Nation theme song, 'Don't Be an Asshole' on our Twitter page and in the show notes for this episode on our Patreon page. You can find more of Andrew and the Spirit House's music on Bandcamp at andrewjonesandspirithouse.bandcamp.com.

I have no mouth and I must scream (wjccschools.org)

President Trump Commutes Sentence of Sholom Rubashkin – The White House (archives.gov)

Sholom Rubashkin: the inside story of how a kosher meat kingpin won clemency under Trump | CNN Politics

Rubashkin Cleared of Child Labor Charges - Tablet Magazine

(21) Sarah Kendzior on Twitter: "@revmagdalen In 2017, Pelosi successfully petitioned Trump for the prison release of a man who ran a farm using migrant slave labor, including child labor. Workers were raped and had limbs amputated. Look up Agriprocessors; the horror stories are endless. Excerpts below: https://t.co/sFJYblSLsT" / Twitter

Teaser - Saving the DOJ Feb 28, 2023

Show notes

In this week's Gaslit Nation bonus episode, we answer questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher, including how to save the DOJ in a time of elite criminal impunity. To get access to this and every episode of Gaslit Nation, subscribe to the show on Patreon by signing up the Truth-teller level or higher on Patreon. You will not hear every episode unless you subscribe. Join our community of listeners today: Patreon.com/Gaslit

Russia's Total War on Ukraine: One Year Later Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

It has been one year since Russia launched its escalated invasion of Ukraine that has led to hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of Ukrainians displaced, exiled, or kidnapped. We have been covering the Kremlin's genocidal ambitions and how Ukraine has been used as a petri dish for operatives to experiment with attacks on democracy since we launched Gaslit Nation in 2018. This brutal escalation was a long time coming -- and Ukraine knew it, which is why Ukrainians were able to fend off Russian invaders while the West offered only belated and limited support. We discuss what's changed since February 2022, what Ukraine still needs to win, Biden's recent visit, and the geopolitical consequences of the war for the rest of the world. We also discuss the importance of US territorial integrity and sovereignty as insurrectionists here seek to divide and conquer in a way reminiscent of (and often financially backed by) Kremlin operatives.

The rest of our episode is an interview with Ukraine expert Yana Prymachenko of Princeton University. From the university's website, "A native of Ukraine, Yana Prymachenko received her Ph.D. from the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. She was a research scholar at the Institute of History of Ukraine from 2003 to 2022. She joined the faculty at Princeton as Visiting Scholar in the fall of 2022. Her research interests vary greatly, ranging from the Soviet culture in the 1920s-30s, the history of the Second World War, the memory politics in Russia and Eastern Europe to the study of Soviet propaganda and informational wars."

For our bonus episode, available to Patreon subscribers at the Truth-Teller level or higher, we answer questions sent in by our listeners! We discuss whether Merrick Garland's failures are a feature or a bug, what to do when good causes get hijacked by bad actors, the continued attacks on LGBTQ Americans, the discrepancy between Biden's foreign and domestic policies, and much more! Gaslit Nation is funded entirely by listeners and we need your support to survive. If you appreciate what we do -- and would like bonus episodes and other perks – please join us on Patreon. Thank you!

Show Notes:

Join Andrea on Saturday February 25 at an upcoming virtual event to commemorate the one year anniversary of Russia's imperialist re-invasion of Ukraine.

She will be joining the all civic group "The Media and Democracy Project" for a streamed screening of my film "Mr. Jones" and have a "Q and A session" afterwards.

They will discuss the film, what role the media plays in defending against disinformation and authoritarianism - and what we can all be doing to support BETTER media.

Admission is FREE Suggested donation to the Kyiv Independent - as we need to support "media AND democracy" in Ukraine (and here in the US).

In Taking Crimea, Putin Gains a Sea of Fuel Reserves https://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/world/europe/in-taking-crimea-putin-gains-a-sea-of-fuel-reserves.html

Imperfect allies and non-state actors: Lessons from the 1991 no-fly zone in Iraq https://www.brookings.edu/blog/order-from-chaos/2021/05/28/imperfect-allies-and-non-state-actors-lessons-from-the-1991-no-fly-zone-in-iraq/

Teaser - Bad Actors Hijacking Legitimate Causes Feb 21, 2023

Show notes

Our Gaslit Nation Q&A is back! This week we answer questions from listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher about the Norfolk Southern train derailment and explosion in East Palestine, Ohio; what stood out to us in the State of the Union address in terms of what comes next; the GOP's ongoing scapegoating of LGBTQ people and what can be done about the far-right's law-warfare, and more. You won't get every episode of Gaslit Nation unless you subscribe to our show on Patreon. To sign up and get access to our bonus episodes, join our community at Patreon.com/gaslit

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