Gaslit Nation

• Build, Baby, Build! The World Needs Your Light - TEASER

  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  

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• How We Got Here

  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

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• Stop Cuomo: The Lindsey Boylan Interview

  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                      

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  25:32
• Lawless

  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/

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  51:12
• TEASER - We Can Overcome Oligarchy

  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/  

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  14:51

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