Gaslit Nation

Latest Episodes:

Festivus Special: Mueller's Low Hanging Fruit Dec 19, 2018

Show notes

At Gaslit Nation, every week is Festivus because we have so manygrievances to air! Our Feat of Strength is that we survived 2018. This week, Sarah and Andrea's Airing of Grievances includes an in-depth look at Russian spy Maria Butina and her NRA "lover" Paul Erickson; a recap of the many criminal acts of Michael Flynn and some speculation as to why he may be eluding punishment; and a long, hard look into the way the mainstream media has covered – or shall we say covered up – the Trump-Russia case, sometimes at the behest of mafia operative and propagandist Paul Manafort.

Individual One: The New Name of the GOP Dec 12, 2018

Show notes

It's another wild week in the United States of America, where any child can grow up to be Individual One! Actually, that's not true, you have to choose a life of crime and complicity, and this week's Gaslit Nation discusses what's new for the indicted (Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort), the people who failed to stop them (James Comey), the accomplices (John Kelly, Nick Ayers), and the new guy who will likely let everyone walk, Iran-Contra style (William Barr). Sarah and Andrea discuss how extreme wealth and corruption of the justice system have created a stratified class that can in a sense do no wrong -- because no one will punish them for the wrong they've done! We also weigh in on the crisis in France, the role of social media in political protest, and the ongoing fallout from the murder of Jamal Khashoggi.

Kleptocracy World Order Dec 05, 2018

Show notes

In this week's Gaslit Nation, Sarah and Andrea express their ongoing frustration about last week's deja news avalanche of stories about corruption that remains unpunished. As America, the land of collective amnesia, realizes yet again that Trump is a Russian asset following the confessions of Michael Cohen, Sarah and Andrea discuss what it means for brazen, blatant criminals to go caught but unpunished.

Gaslit Nation Featurette: Pass a Law Nov 28, 2018

Show notes

In this special episode of Gaslit Nation, Andrea interviews her mother Tanya Chalupa who championed the child carseat law and the seatbelt law in California, as well as working on other child safety bills. She explains how to get a law passed even if, as she was, you're an outsider with very little experience.

And yes, the big news of Manafort Monday is broken down - the explosive Guardian scoop - and Russia's escalation of its invasion of Ukraine. Next week, we'll be back to unpack the latest developments of these stories and more. There's never a slow news week in Gaslit Nation.

Happy Thanksgiving: We're Grateful for Canvassers Nov 21, 2018

Show notes

Happy Thanksgiving, Gaslit Nation listeners! Sarah and Andrea are hosting a feast of interesting (and terrifying) commentary from folks around the US as they welcome winners of the Gaslit Nation Get Out the Vote contest onto the show. Our special guests – Valerie Carzello (@ScullyBully) of South Burlington, Vermont, Catherine Snyder (@catherinecritz) of Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Brian Covey (@hidvorak) of Seattle, Washington discuss their experiences as activists in the 2018 election, the outcome of the midterms in their states, and their dreams for the future. Sarah and Andrea are very grateful not only to the contest winners but to everyone who helped get out the vote in this record-breaking midterms, which not only resulted in important wins for progressive candidates but demonstrated a massive rise in civic engagement that will extend well into the future. Our contest winners stayed on the line to discuss the latest news, including the wildfires in California and the terrible response of the Trump administration to climate change, the latest in the Khashoggi case and the relationship of malevolent millennials MBS and Jared Kushner, and voter suppression in Georgia and the rest of the US. Since it's Thanksgiving, Sarah and Andrea would like to thank everyone who has made Gaslit Nation a surprise hit. We would not be able to keep the show going without you. We are an independent, largely donor-funded podcast, and we are offering extra material to those who subscribe at $10/month or more. (You can sign up here.) We're about to post a Q & A session where we answered reader questions about authoritarianism, activism, art, and Axl Rose, so check that out if in you're in that donor group! We look forward to doing more Q & As and bringing you more bonus features in the future. We will publish a special Gaslit Nation Featurette next week then we'll be back to our regular episodes in December. Have a great holiday break! A special note: Since the audio of this episode is less than ideal, we'll post a transcript of this episode on our Patreon page.

The Blue Wave Continues: Kansas Rising Nov 14, 2018

Show notes

In this episode of Gaslit Nation, Sarah and Andrea are still way too excited about the midterm elections! The Blue Wave turned out to be a slow motion river flowing through the country and reshaping the political map in the process.

We talk about the new winners and losers as well as the battles over voter suppression in Georgia and Florida and how it's not partisan to count all the damn votes. We also wave goodbye to Jeff "Bilbo Bigot" Sessions, one of the most disgraceful and cruel attorney generals in US history, and discuss how the Mueller probe was never that safe under his tenure in the first place since he's implicated in Trump's crimes!

Also not safe: our national reputation, as Trump cozies up to Putin and destroys relationships with our traditional European allies while giving out national medals to, among others, the wife of his biggest GOP donor. As usual, the state, for Trump, is just something to sell.

In sum, this was another deranged and horrendous week but finally, there's a crack of light in the kleptocratic darkness, and it's up to the American people to keep that light shining through!

Midterms Special: The Blue Wave Has Begun Nov 08, 2018

Show notes

The midterms are over and the results are…decidedly mixed! Sarah and Andrea discuss the historical night from their perspectives in Andrea's blue trifecta of New York and Sarah's red nightmare hellhole – er, trifecta – of Missouri. If you are a happy progressive living in a newly blue state or a frustrated progressive living in a newly red state or anything in between, this is the show for you!

We discuss the issues at stake: voter rights, civil rights, climate change, the Mueller probe, the balance of power in Congress, and more. Andrea jubilantly discusses the power of political organizing and sees positive prospects for 2020 so long as we don't get complacent; Sarah bleakly discusses how the GOP manipulates outcomes and her fears for the future. It's like Leslie Knope and April Ludgate have a podcast on rising authoritarianism!

But regardless where we live or what we see coming, Andrea and Sarah both are thrilled to see such massive civic engagement, especially among our audience. Thank you to everyone who participated in our canvassing challenges and who helped get out of the vote! We discuss the historical wins of candidates from marginalized communities, new ballot measures that support human rights, and Democratic control of the House. This is a tumultuous time and no matter what happens, we are here to cover it for the long run.

Gaslit Nation Featurette: Every District Nov 03, 2018

Show notes

We're excited to share this important discussion with Every District, a grassroots fundraising and data-driven effort to turn state governments blue. Regardless of the results of the 2018 midterms, we have a long way to go to rebuild our democracy. As we've covered before on Gaslit Nation, in our interview with Future Now, the battleground is in the states. Affordable health care, voting rights, a fair living wage are just some of the fundamental issues decided by our local representatives. Led by Karl Rove, the far-right has been so effective at dominating at the state level that they're scarily close to being able to call a constiutitonal convention and rewrite our constitution. Every District is in it for the long-haul to reverse this trend, and successes include the big blue sweep in Virginia in November 2017. We urge you to listen to this fascinating discussion with Nicole Hobbs and Drew Morrison, the co-founders of Every District, about what's at stake and the path forward towards creating a more progressive union before it's too late. Nicole and Drew recommend checking out Mobilize America for important actions you can take now through election day - November 6th - to get out the vote (#GOTV). Make sure you have a plan to vote on Tuesday and before you head to the polls check out Ballot Ready to read up on what will be on your ballot so that you can make the most informed decisions. And if you want to support 20 local candidates in this homestretch, Every District is collecting donations for key races - 100% of the donations go to the campaigns to help them turn out voters. We will post our next episode on Wednesday November 7th to discuss the election results. Until then, happy #GOTV and voting!

Halloween Special: The Kathy Griffin Interview Oct 31, 2018

Show notes

Welcome to the Gaslit Nation Halloween Special, which is not so different than a regular Gaslit Nation episode due to the 24-7 horror show we call the Trump administration!

This week, Andrea and Sarah discuss the horrific extremist threats and violence of the past week as well as the constant encroaching repression of the administration's extremist policies. We once again encourage everyone to get out and vote on November 6. Remember that a vote does not only help an individual candidate, but shapes the balance of power in Congress, determining what laws are passed. You are not only voting for yourself, but to help protect the rights of vulnerable Americans as well as preserve the integrity of our democracy. So vote!

This week's guest on Gaslit Nation is comedian Kathy Griffin, who has been a target of the Trump administration ever since she posed for a photo holding up a Trump mask covered in ketchup, leading to her being labeled a terrorist by Trump and his supporters. We at Gaslit Nation do not condone this photo in any way – but neither does Kathy Griffin, who immediately apologized for the picture and who routinely condemns political violence. The administration's treatment of Griffin, combined with its countenance of actual violent extremists, sheds light on serious threats to our national security as well as to freedom of speech. While the MAGAbomber cruised around the country threatening citizens but was ignored as a legitimate threat, Griffin was put on the Interpol list, interrogated by the FBI, and blacklisted by Hollywood.

A Foreign Policy for the Left: Put Gas Station Dictatorships Out of Business Oct 25, 2018

Show notes

We call on a strong foreign policy for the left, one that's driven by turning America into a world leader of renewable energy to finally put gas station dictatorships like Putin's oil-rich Russia and MSB's Saudi Arabia out of business. It's far past time to confront the heinous human rights crimes of these regimes that kill journalists, kill and torture LGBTQ people and opposition leaders. By doing so, we will confront other urgent man-made dangers – the catastrophic effects of climate change.

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