Our song for September is 'The Cost of Living' by PrisonPenPal. Check out more of their music here!  To have your music featured on the show, submit it here -- share your art on Gaslit Nation! 

HyperNormalisation was first coined by Russian-born anthropologist Alexei Yurchak in his book Everything was Forever, Until It Was No More. (It also inspired the Adam Curtis docuseries by the same name).  The term describes the final years of the Soviet Union when the system was failing, everyone knew the system was rotted from within by greed and corruption, yet people carried on, the broken system becoming the new normal. When our government can easily be shutdown by a Kremlin-backed, proudly fascist party, while its leader continues to call for violence, walking free after having tried to violently overthrow our government, and disinformation echo chambers on the far-right and far-left openly mock and attack the victims and targets of that fascism, America has reached HyperNormalisation. And the priority of the business elite is to protect their immorally low-tax rate and hoard their wealth, following in the footsteps of those who helped bring Hitler and Pinochet to power.

Elon Musk’s X has become the biggest outlet of Russian disinformation, according to the EU. That’s “mission accomplished” for the American far-right and its Russian backers. Formerly reliable so-called “resistance” accounts on Twitter that once led the way combating Trump and Putin have succumbed to self-censorship and catering to Musk’s oppressive algorithms like they’re an authoritarian regime. This causes them to fall silent on ringing the alarm on the stakes to all of us for stopping Russia’s genocide in Ukraine, LGBTQ+ rights that are being scapegoated through genocidal rhetoric, and more. You know things are bad when even Ralph Nader is ringing the alarm of fascism and wants to campaign for the Democrats!

Since the beginning of the show, the focus has been on grassroots power–the most reliable power we have left. Together, we made 15,000 phone calls to get John Fetterman into the Senate, and he’s leading the way against corruption and greed. To maintain your courage and stay grounded in the truth, check out the Gaslit Nation Action Guide. You can also join Andrea, J. Smith-Cameron, and people across the country in State Fair, a grassroots group with the States Project organizing for the upcoming Virginia election to stop Posh Trump Youngkin from winning a majority in Virginia’s state government and banning abortion.

In this episode, you’ll hear an excerpt of the August 5th live taping of Gaslit Nation at Caveat in NYC with the Risk! Storytelling podcast by comedia Kevin Allison of the iconic comedy group The State, which launched the comedic geniuses Michael Showalter, Michael Ian Black, David Wain, and many more. Thank you to everyone who came out! We hope to do more live tapings closer to the election.

This week’s Q&A will feature the audience questions at the live taping featuring historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the bestselling book Strongmen: Mussolini to Present, and Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman of the Kremlin Files podcast. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Read More

Welcome to the recording of the live taping of Gaslit Nation featuring historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the bestselling book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, co-host of the Kremlin Files podcast, and reactions from our live audience. We recorded this episode at P&T Knitwear in New York City. Thank you to everyone who came out on a torrential rainy night. We hope to do another live event closer to the election.

Ruth, Olga, and Andrea discuss whether Putin and Trump are winning and how to stop them; how to navigate the hellscape during a time of cults on the far-right and far-left; why are Americans having Ukraine fatigue even though Russian fascism helps prop up the Republican Party threatening our own democracy, and how to build a livable future even when everything feels especially demoralizing and overwhelming. The live audience Q&A will run as an upcoming bonus episode. Thank you to everyone who joined the conversation!

This week’s bonus episode is the live audience Q&A featuring Terrell Starr reporting from Ukraine during the recent virtual live taping of Gaslit Nation. That discussion includes how to stand up for yourself at work when you’re being exploited and gaslit; what to do when those around you don’t understand the urgency of the moment; and more! Thank you to everyone who keeps Gaslit Nation going especially during these difficult times. We could not make our show without you!

Look out for upcoming discussions with Heather Cox Richardson sharing lessons from American history, her new book Democracy Awakening: Notes on the State of America, and the original Nazi hunter: Andrea’s boyfriend Ulysses S. Grant. Visiting Gaslit Nation soon will be Jesse Eisinger, a Senior Editor at ProPublica and author of The Chickenshit Club Why the Justice Department Fails to Prosecute Executives. Jesse is on the team exposing corruption on the Supreme Court, and he uncovered that former Manhattan DA Cy Vance, Jr. failed to charge Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr. in a fraud case.  He'll discuss how to protect our democracy from the Supreme Court, how to undue the Reagan Revolution, and more!

Read More

A special reminder! This coming Monday September 18th at 7pm at P&T Knitwear on the Lower East Side, Andrea will join historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the bestselling book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, and Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman of the Kremlin Files podcast for a special in-person live taping of Gaslit Nation. A select few copies of the Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! signed by both Andrea and Sarah will be available at the event. Get them while supplies last! Event details are here. For Patreon supporters, there will be a special meet-up at 6pm just for you that includes FREE N95 masks and signed Mr. Jones posters – details to come!

In this special live taping of Gaslit Nation, journalist Terrell Starr reports from Kyiv, Ukraine on what his life is like living among drones, missile attacks, bomb sirens, and the amazing bars and restaurants of Ukraine. The defiance of life among Russia’s death and destruction sustains people as they carry on with their days, many wounded and now disabled, as Terrell describes, and facing nuclear threats and the aftermath of the massive dam explosion. Terrell and Andrea discuss the GOP’s latest Kremlin disinformation smear of Biden with their impeachment show trial heading into 2024 to help Russian asset Trump, why the G20 summit in India watered down its statement of support for Ukraine, why Elizabeth Warren gives us hope by taking on Elon Musk who was recently praised by Putin after it was revealed he sabotaged Ukraine’s efforts to liberate Crimea, a cesspool of repression under Russian occupation. All that and more are discussed in this look at the threat of autocracy in the US and beyond.

The live audience Q&A with compelling questions and comments from our listeners will run next week as a bonus episode. This week’s bonus show includes a Q&A of Sarah answering questions from our listeners. To have your questions answered, send us a private message or drop them in the comment section below. Thank you to everyone who supports the show, especially during these difficult times. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!Twitter).

Read More

Special announcements:

• Don’t forget to take our survey and help shape our show heading into yet another most important election of our lifetimes! Click this link to take the quick survey! Thank you so very much!

• Terrell Starr of the Black Diplomats podcast will join Gaslit Nation Tuesday September 12th at 12pm ET for a live taping – get your ticket by subscribing at the Truth-teller level or higher and join the conversation in the chat! The access link will be sent exclusively to our Patreon community the morning of the show.

• Historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, author of the bestselling book Strongmen: Mussolini to the Present, and Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman of the Kremlin File podcast, will join Andrea at a special in person live taping of Gaslit Nation Monday September 18th at 7pm ET at P&T Knitwear on the Lower East Side. Patreon supporters can join Andrea for an exclusive early meet up at 6pm ET for signed Mr. Jones posters. Free N95 masks will be available at the event.

In this super caffeinated episode, Andrea breaks down the recent news on the climate crisis exposing Burning Man and America’s Grover Norquist crisis; the classic authoritarian story of business elites fueling the rise of Nazis – this time by flocking to Florida for the tax breaks; how Twitter helped Saudi Arabia target and destroy the lives of activists; the apparent self-censorship on Twitter as people make moral compromises to try to game the Big Brother algorithm by avoiding issues Elon Musk works against like Ukraine and trans rights – Gaslit Nation sees you!

J. Smith-Cameron, “Gerri” on Succession and the star of theater, film, and TV, shares an important call-to-action to protect quality of life and democracy in Virginia in the impending state elections there, which will help determine which party wins the electoral college in 2024. To join J. and Andrea at State Fair, their States Project giving circle, for events to reach voters in Virginia, sign up here. Our efforts helped a grassroots victory flip the Pennsylvania state House from Republican to Democratic control, helping protect the integrity of the vote there in 2024.

Finally, Daniel Squadron, a former New York state Senator, and Melissa Walker, a novelist and activist, of the States Project join Gaslit Nation to expose the far-right machine fueling “Posh Trump” Glenn Youngkin, the Governor of Virginia and a potential presidential candidate who would bring a dog whistler-version of Trumpism to the White House.

This week’s bonus episode will be a special Q&A answering questions from our Patreon community. To have your question answered and join the conversation, support the show by subscribing at the Truth-teller level or higher. Your subscription sends every episode ad free to your inbox and gives you full access to our archives, including all bonus episodes, and supports independent journalism during this critical time. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation – we could not make the show without you!

Gaslit Nation will remain on Twitter, but would like to expand to other platforms to break our dependency on Apartheid Barbie’s “authoritarian town square.” Follow us here and let’s continue the conversation – more platforms will be added and developed soon:

Threads @GaslitNation

Instagram @GaslitNation

Facebook

Mastodon @GaslitNation

YouTube

Tiktok

Spoutible @GaslitNation 

Post at @GaslitNation 

BlueSky (Jack Dorsey betrayed us before by selling us out to Elon Musk, he’ll do something like that again. Dorsey also let the Saudis use Twitter to hunt down dissidents according to this chilling lawsuit against Twitter).

Read More

Acclaimed science fiction author, activist, and journalist Cory Doctorow stops by Gaslit Nation to discuss life’s important issues: A.I., combating corporate greed, and the art and times of Taylor Swift. Doctorow is the author of several books that capture the age, including his latest novel Red Team Blues. His other works include the nonfiction on monopoly and creative labor markets Chokepoint Capitalism; How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism; the Little Brother series for younger readers; the graphic novel In Real Life; and the picture book Poesy the Monster Slayer. Doctorow was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2020.

In our bonus episode, for Patreon supporters who keep our show going, Andrea shares a special gift to our community in celebration of Ukraine's Independence Day on August 24th! 

Take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A by leaving your answers in the comments section or send them in an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of your responses on the show!

Read More

Acclaimed science fiction author, activist, and journalist Cory Doctorow stops by Gaslit Nation to discuss life’s important issues: A.I., combating corporate greed, and the art and times of Taylor Swift. Doctorow is the author of several books that capture the age, including his latest novel Red Team Blues. His other works include the nonfiction on monopoly and creative labor markets Chokepoint Capitalism; How to Destroy Surveillance Capitalism; the Little Brother series for younger readers; the graphic novel In Real Life; and the picture book Poesy the Monster Slayer. Doctorow was inducted into the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Hall of Fame in 2020.

In our bonus episode, for Patreon supporters who keep our show going, Doctorow takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. We invite you to share your own inspiration with our community! Take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A by leaving your answers in the comments section or send them in an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of your responses on the show!

Read More

That familiar refrain at Gaslit Nation: So many traitors, so little time. Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis made the time for a sweeping, detailed indictment of Trump and 18 others in his Kremlin Klown Kar for trying to overturn the will of the people of Georgia. You can read the annotated indictment here. And we finally got RICO! Charged with being the crime boss that he is, Trump faces a minimum of five years in prison if found guilty of racketeering.

RICO is historically used to break up organized crime as one of the indicted, Rudy Giuliani, knows very well. Trump's longtime friend and former lawyer Giuliani used RICO to go after the Italian mafia in New York City, which made room for Trump's longtime benefactors: the Russian mafia and their easy, endless supply of money. The Idiot Sons Don Jr. and Eric have even admited the Trump family's businesses depended on Russian money.

In this fourth (and counting?) Trump Indictment special, Andrea discusses some of the red flags, some reasons for hope, and what's next as a Russian mafia asset continues to run for president as Russia wages war against the democratic world, carrying out horrific war crimes and genocide in Ukraine.

For those in New York City, join Andrea, Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, and historian Ruth Ben-Ghiat, the author of the bestselling book Stronmen: Mussolini to the Present, for a special live taping of Gaslit Nation on Monday September 18th at 7pm at the independent bookstore P&T Knitwear. There will be no livestream, unfortunately, but we'll run the episode soon after on Gaslit Nation. Patreon donors can join Andrea for a special in-person meet-up at 6pm before the event -- details to be sent out soon on Patreon! Thank you to everyone who supports the show and makes our independent journalism possible. We could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Read More

Investigative reporters Josh Chin and Liza Lin, authors of the chilling book Surveillance State: Inside China's Quest to Launch a New Era of Social Control, share important insights into China's dictatorship, the Western companies cashing in on its surveillance state, how technology helps China carry out the Uyghur genocide, and what can be done about "dictator tech." With China determined to win the A.I. "space race," what does that mean for the rest of the world?

Based in Seoul, Josh Chin is the Deputy Bureau Chief of China for the Wall Street Journal. An award-winning investigative journalist, Chin was expelled from China for his reporting. Based in Singapore, Liza Lin, also an award-winning investigative journalist, covers data use and privacy for the Wall Street Journal. She previously worked for Bloomberg News.

In our bonus episode, for Patreon supporters who make our show possible, Josh Chin and Liza Lin take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. We invite you to share your own inspiration with our community! Take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A by leaving your answers in the comments section or email GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of your responses on the show!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

Read More

Join Andrea and Kevin Allison of the RISK! Storytelling podcast and an original member of the comedy group The State on Saturday August 5th at 4pm EST at Caveat on the Lower East Side in NYC -- in person or by livestream -- to celebrate the launch of the new Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It's Easier Than You Think! Details here.

Corporate surveillance is its own kind of dictatorship. Big Brother is watching, and trying to harvest as much data as possible about you. In this enlightening discussion, Cindy Cohn, the Executive Director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation and host of the podcast How to Fix the Internet. shares how corporate surveillance works, what we can do to protect ourselves, how to build a better internet, the overreach of technology used on the U.S. border, the Silicon Valley gold rush of surveillance tech including from Peter Thiel, and more! We may be up against powerful forces, but leaders like Cohn are fighting back. 

In our bonus episode, for Patreon supporters who keep our show going, Cohn takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. We invite you to share your own inspiration with our community! Take the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A by leaving your answers in the comments section or send them in an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of your responses on the show!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

This conversation was recorded late April 2023. The Supreme Court case referenced ruled that social media companies are not responsible for users' posts.

Read More

The song you just heard at the top of the show was 'Last Gasp of the Dinosaurs' by Arthur Loves Plastic. You can find more of Arthur Loves Plastic's music on Soundcloud at soundcloud.com/arthurlovesplastic

This is Part II of our discussion with Douglas Rushkofff, author of the must-read Team Human and Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires. Rushkoff is an author and documentarian on the frontlines of understanding how technology and tech billionaires are impacting our lives and the world. His twenty books also include the bestsellers Present Shock, Throwing Rocks and the Google Bus, Program or Be Programmed, Life Inc, and Media Virus. His films include the PBS Frontline documentaries Generation Like, The Persuaders, and Merchants of Cool. He won the Marshall McLuhan Award for his book Coercion, and the Media Ecology Association honored him with the first Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity. For more on his indispensable work visit his website.

In our bonus episode, Rushkoff takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. To submit your own answers and give inspiration for ways to recharge as we run our marathon together to protect our democracy, leave your answers in the comments section or send an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of the responses on the show!

And don’t forget that Andrea will join comedian Kevin Allison of the RISK! Storytelling podcast for a special live event at Caveat in New York City on Saturday August 5th at 4pm to celebrate the launch of the new Gaslit Nation book Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! To get a ticket to that event in person or to watch the livestream, visit this website. Signed copies of the book can be ordered at the event!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

Read More

Billionaire Bunkers are a stunning exercise in self-delusion, as the books of our next guest show. In this inspiring conversation with Douglas Ruskofff, author of the must-read Team Human and Survival of the Richest: Escape Fantasies of the Tech Billionaires, the topics range from how to be a respectable prepper to how to raise good humans and whether A.I. is coming for our jobs and our minds.

Rushkoff is an author and documentarian on the frontlines of understanding how technology and tech billionaires are impacting our lives and the world. His twenty books also include the bestsellers Present Shock, Throwing Rocks and the Google Bus, Program or Be Programmed, Life Inc, and Media Virus. His films include the PBS Frontline documentaries Generation Like, The Persuaders, and Merchants of Cool. He won the Marshall McLuhan Award for his book Coercion, and the Media Ecology Association honored him with the first Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity. For more on his indispensable work visit his website.

In our bonus episode, Rushkoff takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. To submit your own answers and give inspiration for ways to recharge as we run our marathon together to protect our democracy, leave your answers in the comments section or send an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of the responses on the show!

And don’t forget that Andrea will join comedian Kevin Allison of the RISK! Storytelling podcast for a special live event at Caveat in New York City on Saturday August 5th at 4pm to celebrate the launch of the new Gaslit Nation book Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! To get a ticket to that event in person or to watch the livestream, visit this website. Signed copies of the book can be ordered at the event!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

Read More

Welcome to the Gaslit Nation Presents: The Future of Dictatorship. To start things off, we’re looking at how technology is worsening the income inequality crisis in America and what to do about it.

For that, meet this week’s guests, the brilliant minds behind the must-watch documentary Americonned, inside America’s income inequality crisis as told through the heroic grassroots power to unionize at Amazon in an age of A.I. and automation. The film’s director-producer is Sean Claffey, who has worked in the film industry on feature films, documentaries, and commercials for 25 years, and the writer-producer is Dave Pederson, the producer of the Oscar nominated film “Super Size Me”, and the Cannes Award winning “The Third Wave.”  Here is the trailer of their powerful must-watch film.

In our bonus episode, Dave Pederson takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. For our next Gaslit Nation live taping, join Andrea and comedian Kevin Allison of the RISK! Storytelling podcast for a show at Caveat in New York on Saturday August 5th at 4pm to celebrate the launch of the new Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! To join in person or virtually,  reserve your ticket here! Signed copies of the book can be ordered at the event!

To submit your own answers and share inspiration for ways to recharge as we together run a marathon to protect our democracy, leave your answers in the comments section or send an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of the responses on the show!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

Read More

It’s Independence Day! There’s no better way to celebrate than standing up to a bully. Whether it’s a twice-indicted Russian mafia asset running for president, or his cult of violent white supremacists, there’s no shortage of bullies running amok these days. Science journalist and bestselling author David McRaney, author of the books How Minds Change and You Are Now Less Dumb, shares his research on how to handle a situation where the person you're talking to insists on an alternative reality, using that to try to gaslight, intimidate, and, in a word, bully. 

At Gaslit Nation, one of the questions we often get from our listeners is how to help loved ones lost to a disinformation cult, like QAnon and Trump's Big Lie. From harassing election workers to overwhelming school board meetings to disinformation merchants challenging actual experts to debates (“Debate me, bro!”), the Bannon strategy of flooding the zone with shit has ensnared people, separating families and friends. McRaney shares his surprising insights on how to reach people and provide an empathetic space for them to find their way back. For more on this topic, listen to Gaslit Nation's discussion with cult expert Dr. Janja Lalich, who recommends a slightly approach. Both discussions are essential guides for navigating this time of rampant disinformation and toxic political cults.  

In our bonus episode, McRaney takes the Gaslit Nation Self-Care Q&A. For our next Gaslit Nation live taping, join Andrea and comedian Kevin Allison of the RISK! Storytelling podcast for a show at Caveat in New York on Saturday August 5th at 4pm to celebrate the launch of the new Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! To join in person or virtually, reserve your ticket here! Signed copies of the book can be ordered at the event!

To submit your own answers and share inspiration for ways to recharge as we together run a marathon to protect our democracy, leave your answers in the comments section or send an email to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We’ll read some of the responses on the show!

Gaslit Nation Self-Care Questionnaire

1. What's a book you think everyone should read and why?

2. What's a documentary everyone should watch and why?

3. What's a dramatic film everyone should watch and why?

4. Who are some historical mentors who inspire you?

5. What's the best concert you've ever been to?

6. What are some songs on your playlist for battling the dark forces?

7. Who or what inspires you to stay engaged and stay in the fight?

8. What's the best advice you've ever gotten?

9. What's your favorite place you've ever visited?

10. What's your favorite work of art and why?

Read More

Putin is weak and getting weaker. In this special live taping of Gaslit Nation, Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman, who has a long history of investigating and exposing the Russian mafia state’s active measures in the U.S. and Europe, joins Andrea to discuss where things are headed in Russia’s escalating power struggle, what it means for Ukraine, and how the world needs to start preparing for a post-Putin Russia.

“Putin is finished,” Olga warns in this urgent discussion. Putin may be forced into retirement in a dacha on the outskirts of Russia or “die in his sleep,” with Shoigu or another tool of the Russian security forces becoming the new strongman. Prighozin’s attempted military coup was the inevitable escalation of growing tensions between warring factions, but as Olga points out, the siloviki–the ruthless, imperialistic, genocidal security forces–are in charge, and always have been, even during the collapse of the Soviet Union. They are the kingmakers, and it’s clear that they want Putin gone. Prigozhin served a purpose of striking Putin with a fatal blow, and the months ahead will continue to weaken him as Russia continues to lose an unwinnable war in Ukraine.

Our bonus episode this week includes our extended audience Q&A at our live taping, with a focus on Russia’s influence campaigns in U.S. elections. As mentioned in this week’s show, there’s going to be a special live taping of Gaslit Nation held in New York City at the Lower East Side venue Caveat, hosted by Kevin Allison of the popular and provocative storytelling podcast RISK! on Saturday August 5th at 4pm EST. The discussion will include the making of the brand new Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think!, and include an opportunity to order signed copies. For tickets to join the event in person or wherever you are by watching the livestream, get your tickets here!

Read More

Gaslit Nation has been vindicated, and it sucks to be vindicated about the deadly inertia of a mafia state accomplice! After two years of describing obvious inaction on obvious crimes and being assured by an army of bot-brained propagandists that Merrick Garland is fighting the good fight but Must Keep Silent for Reasons You Will Understand in Time, we have new confirmation that, no, he’s just a terrible Attorney General! And that Lisa Monaco, the deputy attorney general, is equally bad! In this episode we discuss the Washington Post expose “FBI resisted opening probe into Trump’s role in Jan. 6 for more than a year”, dig into the background of Monaco (for more background on Garland, listen to our enormous archive of treasonous complicity), and talk about what Biden should do next.

Happy Pride Month! For the second part of this episode, Andrea interviews Lindz Amer who is back on Gaslit Nation to discuss their new must-read book Rainbow Parenting Your Guide to Raising Queer Kids and Their Allies. From their author bio: “Lindz Amer created Queer Kid Stuff—an award-winning original LGBTQ+ educational webseries for all ages—that has reached millions of families. They perform at libraries, schools, and theaters all over the world spreading queer joy and working on numerous projects that bring queer and trans representation into mainstream children's media. In 2019, they gave a viral TED Talk on the importance of talking to kids about gender and sexuality. They currently write for preschool television and also host the parenting podcast Rainbow Parenting, as well as Activist, You! for kids featuring interviews with youth activists.” Check out Rainbow Parenting today!

Our bonus episode is our usual Q&A of questions from Patreon subscribers at the Democracy Defender lever or higher, and is available to listeners at the Truth-Teller lever or higher. If you asked a question and we haven’t answered it yet, don’t worry – we are getting through the backlog this month. Sarah took a couple weeks off due to a family emergency but is back so we will both have everything answered by the end of June. Next week June 27 12pm EST will be a live-taping of Gaslit Nation featuring Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman. To sign up for that, support the show at the Truth-teller level or higher to receive a link to join the virtual event on the morning of the show! Thank you for your support of Gaslit Nation!

Read More

Gaslit Nation comes full circle! Our new graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! was released today, on the same day longtime Russian mafia asset Donald Trump was finally arrested on federal charges of espionage. The A.I. overlords writing the simulation we’re all stuck in certainly have a festive spirit!

If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy, including for a young person in your life, check out this endorsement for the book and the show from historian Timothy Snyder, the New York Times bestselling author of On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century: “Everyone who wants to grow up in a healthy democracy should know about Gaslit Nation.” We agree! Which brings us to this week’s big news. We’re going to record a Trump Federal Arrest Super Special, out Friday, featuring Sarah back on the show to share her insights and predictions on what’s next as the Trump criminal circus plays out heading into 2024.

Today’s episode puts on trial celebrated war criminal Henry Kissinger, a villain of history who kept popping up like a Where’s Waldo? in our research for Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! To walk us through some of his latest reporting unearthing the horrors Kissinger committed, investigative journalist Nick Turse stops by Gaslit Nation. Terse is a contributing writer for The Intercept, covering national security and foreign policy, and the author of the books Next Time They’ll Come to Count the Dead: War and Survival in South Sudan; Tomorrow’s Battlefield: U.S. Proxy Wars and Secret Ops in Africa; and Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam. He is also the managing editor of TomDispatch.com.

This week’s bonus episode, available to subscribers at the Truth-teller level and higher on Patreon, will be the full episode of our Trump Federal Indictment Super Special, which we’ll share a free excerpt of wherever you get your podcasts. If you’re not already a part of our community of listeners, be sure to sign up at the Truth-teller level or higher to get access to the live taping of Gaslit Nation on June 27 at 12pm EST featuring Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman answering your questions about the Trump indictments, the Russian elites civil war, Russian spy networks in the West, and more! The show link will be sent straight to your inbox on the morning of the event for Patreon supporters at the Truth-teller level or higher so be sure to subscribe today to support the Gaslit Nation! Thank you to everyone supporting independent journalism, especially in these uncertain times! We could not make the show without you!

Read More

This week’s special episode opens with a news round-up, asking once again–who paid $500,000 to bail George Santos out of jail, and what do they expect in return? Nikki Halely’s genocidal hate speech against trans people gets fact-checked. (Halely is reportedly the Kushner’s horse in the race in their attempt at a comeback.) Mike Pence formally announced he’s running for president, presenting an opportunity on the debate stage to talk about that time Trump’s violent mob chanted, “Hang Mike Pence!”

At the top of the show, there’s a special highlight of Russia’s explosion of a dam in the southern Ukraine region of Kherson, flooding the homes of thousands of people as well as drowning a zoo. To explain the stakes for Ukraine and the world in its existential struggle against Russia’s genocidal invasion, Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch drops by Gaslit Nation. Ambassador Yovanovitch was targeted by the dark web of corruption driven by Trump and Rudy Giuliani. She shares her harrowing story in her inspiring memoir Lessons from the Edge, out now in paperback with a new afterword.

Got questions? We got answers! This week’s bonus episode out Friday will provide a deep dive on the news, point to where things are headed, and answer questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. To submit your questions and get access to bonus shows, live events and our full back catalog of bonus episodes, be sure to subscribe to Gaslit Nation on Patreon! We’ll be back with a live taping of Gaslit Nation on Tuesday June 27 at 12pm EST with Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman. If you’re signed up at the Truth-teller level or higher, look out for a link sent to your inbox the morning of the event on how to join. We look forward to seeing you there and invite you to drop your questions in the chat!

Read More

This conversation was recorded May 24, 2023 as a Gaslit Nation live taping and includes at the end a Q&A of questions dropped in the chat by our audience. Thank you to everyone who joined us!

Can Florida, and with it, the rest of our democracy be saved? Or is Florida destined to be an authoritarian cesspool under Brooks Brother Viktor Orbán – Ron DeSantis? In this special solution-rich episode of Gaslit Nation, author David Pepper discusses his latest book Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American.

David shares important lessons from the upset of Jacksonville’s mayoral race; why Florida’s Democratic Party State Chair Nikki Fried could give DeSantis a run for his money, and we discuss how Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota have their acts together while New York’s Democratic Party remains stuck under Jay Jacobs who handed the House to Kevin McCarthy, bringing the American and therefore the global economy to the brink. (Elections have consequences, which is why Jay Jacobs must be replaced – join the movement here!)

If you’re stuck in a so-called blue state like New York that’s failing due to machine politics and complacency, or if you live in a fascist-gerrymandered hostage state known as a red state, this discussion has concrete steps you can take to empower your community. Local elections are the frontlines of our democracy, no matter where you live. And none of us are in this battle alone.

Thank you to everyone who joined our live taping with David Pepper. Be sure to check out his book Saving Democracy. If you would like to join a future live taping of Gaslit Nation, be sure to support the show at the Truth-teller level or higher. And to submit questions for our regular Q&As, sign up at the Democracy Defender level or higher. We’ll be back with an all new Q&A this coming Friday so stay tuned! Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Read More

Welcome to our special live taping of Gaslit Nation! Thank you to everyone who joined us and asked such profound and moving questions in the live Q&A. It was a replenishing joy to hear from you. Thank you so much to the great Kasia Babis, a renowned illustrator and activist in Poland who created the visual world of the Gaslit Nation graphic novel Dictatorship: It’s Easier Than You Think! available now on pre-order, and out everywhere starting June 13. If you haven’t met the book’s rascally narrator yet, Judge Lackey, see him at work by watching the book’s fun animated trailer.

Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman also joined the live-taping to discuss whether Putin’s days are numbered (they are!), who will replace him (someone worse?), and whether the Freedom of Russia Legion liberating Russian towns and villages inside Russia from Putin’s dictatorship is real (it appears so!), and what it all means. Will Putin use nukes, especially as Ukraine’s spring offensive gets underway? What should the world’s response be to Putin going nuclear?

We're having another live taping Wednesday May 24 at 2pm EST with David Pepper on his new book Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American.  You can get access to that by subscribing to the show at the Truth-teller level or higher -- details will be sent out to those subscribers on how to join the live taping the morning of the event.

Our bonus episode this week will be the Q&A of our live taping. We’ll be back with an all new Q&A answering questions submitted by our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. To submit your questions or to get access to the bonus episodes, and our full back catalog of bonus episodes, be sure to subscribe to the show on Patreon to keep us going! Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Read More

Sports Illustrated cover model George Santos was arrested for fraud! This week’s episode processes the shock over that news, and asks the all important question of who in their right mind would post a $500,000 bond to bail out George Santos, and what are they getting in return? Where there’s smoke, there’s fire, and Santos is the smoke of a larger corruption ushering in fascist kleptocracy.

In this week’s episode, Andrea is joined by old friend of the show Terrell Starr of the essential podcast Black Diplomats. Sarah is taking a step back from the show to deal with a family situation, as she has shared on Twitter. In this episode, Terrell and Andrea discuss the Durham Report, Nikki Haley and her pals the Kushners clawing their way back to the White House to steal more from the American people, and the inspiring resilience of the Ukrainian people facing off against Russia’s genocide.

Next week’s live taping of Gaslit Nation on Tuesday May 23rd at 1:30pm EST will feature Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman who grew up in Brighton Beach and, instead of becoming a Trump Crime Family accomplice, co-founded an anti-corruption NGO in Europe, Institute for European Integrity. There will be a second *newly added* live taping on Wednesday May 24th at 2pm EST featuring David Pepper to discuss his new book Saving Democracy: A User's Manual for Every American. To join those events, be sure to subscribe to the show at the Truth-teller level or higher, and look out for the details sent to your inbox on the morning of May 23rd then again on May 24th.

A new bonus episode comes out this Friday answering questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher. Thank you to everyone who supports the show – we could not make Gaslit Nation without you!

Read More