267: Don’t Let Yourself Be Gaslit By Our Two Presidents

Gaslighting.  Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse that involves manipulating someone into questioning their sanity, memories, or perception of reality.  Sounds horrible right?  An example of this: a person or institution may say that an activist campaigning for change is irrational or “crazy,” or they may deny biases if someone confronts them about microaggressions.

Nobody wants to be gaslit – it makes you feel confused, anxious, and isolated, and we know from research that feeling like that can have a real impact on your mental AND physical health.

 

But here we are, being gaslit by the leaders of our very own United States government. And when we say things like this, I keep coming back to George Orwell’s quote from 1984 - or was it 2025? - which says: “The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.” This is exactly what’s happening now.

So - how do we keep ourselves from being fooled? How do we make sure that our collective mental and physical health as a nation doesn’t go down the toilet? We need to gather evidence to counteract the denial, the trivializing, the stereotyping that’s happening.

So, in this episode, that’s what we’re going to do. Gather evidence to make sure you have all the info you need to stand up and push back against people who say what’s happening is normal. Educate yourselves and then each other because mainstream media is covering the chaos. We (the collective we, I mean)  have to cover the truth.

To be clear: nothing that’s happening now is normal. And we cannot be gaslit into thinking it is.

 

What to listen for:

• Why the government is not actually bloated, and the mass firings are illegal

• How tariffs are taxes, which will be increasing prices for YOU at the register - for eggs, houses, appliances, and more

• Safety and security are at risk - both domestically with air traffic concerns, all the way to the shift in our international world order - and with the reduction in healthcare and schooling, among other things sure to come 

• What you can do, both locally and through calling your representatives. Use 5calls.org.

• Follow the Project 2025 Tracker: https://www.project2025.observer/

Further resources, from the Grassroots Connector substack: Investigative Journalism with Traditional Roots

• AP News: Globally trusted source of fast, accurate, and unbiased news. Operates as a nonprofit cooperative owned by major U.S. daily newspapers, radio, and TV stations, which share its news stories. Articles are written by staff in 100 countries and all 50 states, most of whom are members of the Newspaper Guild Union, part of the AFL-CIO—committed to nonpartisan, fact-based reporting, upholding the highest transparency, accuracy, and integrity standards while championing press freedom and journalist safety worldwide.

• The Courier: A pro-democracy news network aiming to counter misinformation, hold leaders accountable, and build a more informed and engaged electorate, covering policies affecting communities, focusing on democracy, economic justice, healthcare, climate, and inequality. Owned by Good Information Inc., COURIER, a public benefit corporation, is funded by reader contributions, sponsors, and philanthropic support while maintaining editorial independence.

• The Guardian: Global news organization delivering independent, progressive investigative journalism that holds power to account and amplifies unheard voices. The primary shareholder is the Scott Trust, which reinvests all profits to support public-interest journalism free from political or corporate influence (more on Scott Trust here). Over half of its funding is from readers worldwide.

• Mother Jones: A nonprofit, reader-supported investigative newsroom founded in 1976. America’s oldest investigative news outlet focusing on democracy, voting rights, racial justice, and reproductive rights. Based in San Francisco (with bureaus in Washington, DC, and NYC) MJ is a progressive, independent news source.

• NPR: An independent, nonprofit media organization known for in-depth, fact-based journalism. Supported by a diverse pool of revenue, including corporate sponsorships, member station fees, and philanthropic contributions. NPR is committed to transparency and journalistic integrity.

• MeidasTouch Network (MTN): founded by brothers Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas, is a pro-democracy, independently owned news network. The network's news division, MeidasNews.com, is led by former prosecutor Ron Filipkowski. The network features contributions from prominent legal analysts, journalists, and political experts, including Karen Friedman Agnifilo, Michael Popok, Harry Litman, and Brian Karem.

• ProPublica: An independent, nonprofit newsroom dedicated to exposing abuses of power and betrayals of public trust through investigative journalism. With a team of over 150 journalists, ProPublica tackles critical issues like government, business, health care, and the environment, aiming to spur real-world reform and accountability. Founded in 2007, ProPublica is funded primarily by donations. See financials here.

• Reuters: 170-year-old global news agency, guided by its Trust Principles to ensure integrity, independence, and unbiased reporting. Its fact-checking unit focuses on verifying claims and visual material from social media, with findings published on Reuters.com. Adheres to its Code of Principles as a signatory of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN).

• Rolling Stone: Over the last several years, RP has earned a reputation as a trusted progressive voice by holding the powerful accountable and shining a light on injustice. Progressive and disruptive (in the best sense of the word).

• The 19th: A nonprofit newsroom founded in 2020 to empower women and LGBTQ+ people, emphasizing 

• underrepresented communities, with free, independent journalism focused on gender, politics, and policy. Named for the 19th Amendment, its mission highlights the ongoing struggle for equity and inclusion in democracy. Funded by memberships, philanthropy, and corporate support. (Donors are listed by name for the sake of transparency).

• Teen Vogue: A strong voice in politics, takes a progressive stance, and amplifies perspectives of young people on issues like democracy, identity, and social justice. Editor-in-Chief Versha Sharma describes it as “a guide and resource for young people who want to change the world for the better, all the while, reminding them to have fun and find joy doing it.”

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