Gaslit Nation

"Stand up now!" is a chorus in a folk song from 1600s Europe against the divine right of kings. It's the anthem we need for this moment as a popular uprising brings a new generation of leaders into Congress. Actor and director Steven Pasquale joins Gaslit Nation to discuss his new powerful play Clifford Odets's Waiting for Lefty, about the New York City 1935 taxi strike, at a time when America had recently elected FDR and a new Congress to take on the blood-sucking Elon Musks and Jeff Bezoses of the day. 
The rest of this week's bonus show is a celebration of America–in the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence–declaring its independence from the oligarchy and Russian-backed traitors. We also brace ourselves for the critical work ahead to demand accountability, transparency, and collective power as we remind our new leaders who they work for. 
To listen to the full episode, support Gaslit Nation on Patreon and Substack by joining our community of listeners. Every month another newsroom folds or gets bought by a billionaire, which is exactly why listener-funded media matters. Discounted annual memberships are available, and on Patreon you can give the gift of membership.
Gaslit Nation is funded by our listeners. We could not make this show without you. Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism in these tough times.
Show Notes
Want a plan to bash the patriarchy? Live your most creative life and help build a better world with Andrea's new book, A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women: 20 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Power in a World on Fire: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/807202/a-reasonable-guide-for-unreasonable-women-by-andrea-chalupa/
Join the Matriarchy Rising Book Tour!: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/ 
Waiting for Lefty, extended through December 6 Classic Stage Company  https://www.classicstage.org/lefty/
'Waiting for Lefty' Off-Broadway review, a rallying cry for workers' rights  https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/reviews/waiting-for-lefty-off-broadway-review
Why Clifford Odets' Plays Continue to Sing 90 Years On https://www.tdf.org/on-stage/tdf-stages/why-clifford-odets-plays-continue-to-sing-90-years-on/
Elon Musk becomes the world's first trillionaire https://www.inquirer.com/news/nation-world/spacex-elon-musk-trillionaire-ipo-income-equality-power-trump-mars-20260612.html
The Diggers' Song, transcribed from the original manuscript https://eprints-gro.gold.ac.uk/34703/7/gjad040.pdf
Bread and Roses: Defining Basic Needs https://jwa.org/teach/livingthelegacy/labor/bread-and-roses-defining-basic-needs
Union Members, 2025 https://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/union2_02182026.htm
Congress returns for crowded lame-duck session https://abcnews.com/Politics/congress-returns-crowded-lame-duck-session-hegseth-impeachment/story?id=137918357
Annie Andrews projected to win U.S. Senate race, flipping South Carolina seat blue https://www.foxcarolina.com/2026/11/04/annie-andrews-projected-win-us-senate-race-flipping-south-carolina-seat-blue/
Troy Jackson wins Maine U.S. Senate race over Susan Collins  https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/susan-collins-troy-jackson-maine-senate-race-results-2026/4043388/
America saw the blue wave coming but drastically underestimated the extent of the Dem tsunami  https://foxnews.com/politics/america-saw-blue-wave-coming-drastically-underestimated-extent-dem-tsunami
US Midterms Make History With First Gay, Muslim and Native American Leaders  https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/2026-us-midterms-historic-candidates-representation-1830105
Chris Pappas makes history as the first out gay man elected to the U.S. Senate  https://www.advocate.com/politics/election/chris-pappas-wins-senate-election
'Healthcare not bombs': How Gaza shaped Adam Hamawy's path to US Congress https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/11/5/healthcare-not-bombs-how-gaza-shaped-adam-hamawys-path-to-us-congress
Transgender woman flips district Donald Trump won three times  https://newsweek.com/transgender-woman-flips-district-donald-trump-won-three-times-12665729
Black Loyalists in the Evacuation of New York City, 1783 https://www.gothamcenter.org/blog/black-loyalists-evaculation-zy4la
Lost Battlefield: The Disastrous Battle for New York https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/lost-battlefield-disastrous-battle-new-york
Here's what to know about federal agents' killing of Alex Pretti in south Minneapolis https://www.startribune.com/heres-what-to-know-about-federal-agents-killing-of-alex-pretti-in-south-minneapolis/601570797
Want a plan to bash the patriarchy? Live your most creative life and help build a better world with Andrea's new book, A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women: 20 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Power in a World on Fire: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/

Why has Jared Kushner escaped accountability for so long? Welcome to Part II of our discussion with investigative journalist Matthew Cole about his explosive new book Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East.
Now that a popular uprising has brought the largest incoming class of new leaders into the House since 1933–when the people revolted against the business elites indifferent to their suffering in the Great Depression–it's time for transformative change and to hold the oligarchy accountable, starting with nepo-baby Jared Kushner. Gaslit Nation calls on Congress to pass the Kushner Act, barring family members from grifting in the halls of power, selling our national security to the highest bidder, even dragging us into an unwinnable disastrous war in Iran. Did Kushner accept $2 billion from Middle East autocrats–the UAE and Saudi Arabia, with an assist from Netanyahu–as a bribe for Trump to defy military experts and go to war with Iran? Congress must find out.
In Part II of our discussion with Matthew Cole, we discuss:
The threats on the lives of those who dare to stand up to the autocratic regimes of the Middle East.

Russia's role in Kushner enriching himself across the Middle East and why that matters, especially for Ukraine.

Where longtime Kremlin operative Paul Manafort fits into all this and how Manafort–one of the many people facing existential debt in 2016–got his job on the Trump campaign.

How to finally hold Kushner accountable and protect our country from the next Jared and Ivanka.

For our bonus episode this week, subscribe to listen to the full discussion, which looks at why Hakeem Jeffries may have secretly met with Kushner, how Kushner helped empower the rise of sociopath MBS and therefore the subsequent murder of Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi, Ivanka's ambition to become president and carry on the Trump dynasty, and more. To listen to the full episode, subscribe to Patreon.com/Gaslit or GaslitNation.Substack.com – discounted annual memberships are available, and on Patreon, you can give the gift of membership. Get access to bonus shows, all shows ad free, invites to exclusive events like our Monday salons, listener chats, and more when you subscribe on Patreon or Substack. Thank you to everyone who supports Gaslit Nation, especially in these hard times – we could not make this show without you.
Show Notes:
Join the Matriarchy Rising Book Tour!: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/
Want a plan to bash the patriarchy? Live your most creative life and help build a better world with Andrea's new book, A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women: 20 Steps to Find Your Purpose and Power in a World on Fire: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/
Princes and Thieves: Jared Kushner and Mohamed bin Zayed's Secret Plot to Remake the Middle East, by Matthew Cole https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Princes-and-Thieves/Matthew-Cole/9781668095324
What you need to know about 666 Fifth Avenue https://www.cbsnews.com/news/what-you-need-to-know-about-666-fifth-avenue/
"Princes and Thieves" Author Matthew Cole on Jared Kushner & the "Secret Plot to Remake Middle East" https://www.democracynow.org/2026/11/2/matthew_cole_jared_kushner_book
Jared Kushner Threatens Legal Action Over Vanity Fair Story Alleging Secret Bank Accounts https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/jared-kushner-vanity-fair-book-legal-threat/
Jared Kushner's Phone Was Hacked. It Exposed an Alleged $2 Billion Foreign Money Web https://dailycaller.com/2026/10/23/jared-kushner-phone-hacked-foreign-money-web-united-arab-emirates-saudi-matthew-cole/
How Kushner Conducted Foreign Policy for Profit https://business-standard.com/book/how-kushner-conducted-foreign-policy-for-profit-126110100856_1.html
Raskin Urges Kushner to Recuse Himself From Negotiations Amid Book's Allegations https://truthout.org/video/raskin-urges-kushner-to-recuse-himself-from-negotiations-amid-books-allegations/
Susan Rice Told House Investigators Why She Unmasked Trump Officials https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/13/politics/susan-rice-house-investigators-unmasked-trump-officials
Kushners Unload 666 Fifth Ave. to Brookfield in 99-Year Lease https://fortune.com/2018/08/04/kushners-666-fifth-avenue-lease
House Democrats Investigate Mysterious Qatar-Linked Cash Infusion That Bailed Out Kushner Building https://lieu.house.gov/media-center/in-the-news/house-democrats-investigate-mysterious-qatar-linked-cash-infusion-bailed
Mueller Probe Witness Gets 10-Year Sentence on Child Porn, Abuse Charges https://news.yahoo.com/mueller-probe-witness-gets-10-180948775.html
Mueller Witness Pleads Guilty in Illegal Scheme to Funnel UAE Money to Hillary Clinton's 2016 Campaign https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/?p=1532055
Lukoil's Foreign Asset Sale Becomes Part of U.S.–Russia Talks on Ending Ukraine War, NYT Reports https://meduza.io/en/news/2026/10/05/lukoil-s-foreign-asset-sale-becomes-part-of-u-s-russia-talks-on-ending-ukraine-war-nyt-reports
U.S. Peace Negotiations With Russia Could Now Involve Multi-Billion Dollar Lukoil Deal, NYT Reports https://kyivindependent.com/u-s-peace-negotiations-with-russia-could-now-involve-multi-billion-dollar-lukoil-deal-nyt-reports/
US and Israel Strike Iran https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20260228/us-and-israel-strike-iran
Jared Kushner Threatens Legal Action Over Vanity Fair Story Alleging Secret Bank Accounts https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/journalism/jared-kushner-vanity-fair-book-legal-threat/
A Billionaire Wanted a Trump Pardon. His Family Gave Alina Habba a $50 Million Deal. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/20/us/politics/julio-herrera-pardon-alina-habba.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share
Raskin targets Kushner over alleged foreign money ties The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee is already staking out jurisdiction over Jared Kushner investigations if Democrats take back the House. https://www.ms.now/news/raskin-kushner-alleged-foreign-money-ties

Come one, come all to celebrate the historic 2026 Midterms and dream big for ourselves and the kind of country we want to live in. Join us at today's salon at 4pm ET to celebrate and share what you're hopeful for and how election night went for you in your neck of the woods. 
To celebrate and rebuild, join the Matriarchy Rising Book Tour. Find a stop near you here or in the show notes. This Thursday evening, Andrea will be at Titcomb Bookshop in East Sandwhich, MA, then onto Wellfeet, MA, joined by special guests, then onto Baltimore, MD, New Haven, CT, and NYC. More dates to be announced.
Now that we're recovering from the midterms, look out for an email from Andrea soon if you pre-ordered A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women. (Thank you to everyone who did!) You have until November 24 to pre-order your copy and get a signed book plate and thank you gift. Forward your receipt to GaslitNation@gmail.com -- thank you to everyone supporting the launch of this book and helping raise an army of women and girls and allies who love us.
To join today's salon , register with the link published this morning on Patreon.com/Gaslit or GaslitNation.Substack.com -- join our community of listeners there and get bonus shows, all shows ad free, invites to exclusive events, and more. Discounted memberships are available, and on Patreon you can give the gift of membership. Thank you to everyone who supports the show -- we could not make Gaslit Nation without you. 
Matriarchy Rising Book Tour: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/

Elie Mystal joins Gaslit Nation to scream with joy and discuss what Democrats must do now to meet the moment. We discuss a leadership challenge to Hakeem Jeffries and Chuck Schumer, why leadership battles–just like our primaries–are healthy and necessary for democracy, how Democrats must avoid pulling another Merrick Garland while in power, and which fascists we can't wait to see subpoenaed first. 
Elie Mystal is The Nation's justice correspondent and a columnist; host of its legal podcast, Contempt of Court; and author of the weekly newsletter "Elie v. U.S." He is the author of the New York Times best-sellers Allow Me to Retort: A Black Guy's Guide to the Constitution and Bad Law: 10 Popular Laws That Are Ruining America.
This is Part I of our discussion. To listen to Part II, where we get into how to tell which Democrats are controlled opposition, why we need to press Ro Khanna and anyone who tolerated the rise of techbro fascism and now wants to become president, why Gavin Newsom can't be trusted, who to impeach and why, Trump's desperation making Stephen Miller chief-of-staff, and so much more, subscribe to Gaslit Nation on Patreon.com/Gaslit or GaslitNation.Substack – discounted annual memberships are available, and you can give the gift of Gaslit Nation. Get bonus shows, invites to exclusive events, all shows ad free, and more. Thank you to everyone who supports the show–we could not make Gaslit Nation without you. 
Pre-order A Reasonable Guide for Unreasonable Women by November 24 and forward your receipt to GaslitNation@gmail.com. We'll send you a thank-you gift and a signed book plate to make your first-edition personally inscribed. https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/
Join the Matriarchy Rising Book Tour! 
Titcomb Bookshop in East Sandwich, MA Nov 12 at 6:30pm with Julie DeLaurier of Rise & Resist

Wellfleet Preservation Hall in Wellfleet, MA Nov 14 at 4pm with Julie DeLaurier of Rise & Resist and Dr. Crystal Fleming, author of How to Be Less Stupid About Race

Greedy Reads — Remington in Baltimore,MA Nov 19 at 7pm with Max Weiss of Baltimore Magazine 

Hockessin BookShelf in Hockessin, Delaware Dec 2 at 6:30pm with Olga Lautman of Trump Tyranny Tracker

Possible Futures in New Haven, CT Dec 4 at 6:30pm with Luciana McClure, feminist artist and eductor  

Sullaluna in NYC Dec 6 with Mona Eltahawy, author, Feminism vs Fascism 

Join the Matriarchy is Rising Book Tour here: https://www.andreachalupa.com/unreasonable/

Don't call it a blue wave. It was a rage wave. Americans are united against oligarchy. The status quo is finished. A new, better America is rising from the ashes. That is why we must fight for real leaders who meet the moment, starting with a meaningful leadership challenge to Hakeem Jeffries and Chuch Schumer. No one can lead us in the Congress who takes AIPAC money, which supports a lawless Israel, aligned with the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Russia in a transnational crime syndicate against democracy.
The people have spoken. And we're just getting started.