This Election 2023 Super Special opens with a discussion on building unions, because the big takeaway is grassroots power is the most reliable power we have left. In a time of historic income inequality, which furthers the flames of fascism, we need to extend the Big Blue Wave energy into the growing rebirth of unions. Political and economic justice go hand-in-hand. For our Patreon community, there’s a deep dive on the election, and a special call to action for those who support the show and make Gaslit Nation possible. Thank you all so much! If you would like to hear the full episode, get all episodes ad free, join our community of listeners, and so much more, subscribe to support our independent journalism at Patreon.com/Gaslit.   With all the important races this year, we strategically set our sights on one goal: denying Youngkin a Republican majority in Virginia. Together we exceeded our expectations: we held the Senate, flipped the House, and helped elect the first trans woman to the Virginia state senate, and put Youngkin’s political future in doubt. There were headlines like this one from Politico following his major election night losses: “Glenn Youngkin’s white knight era is over.”  We supported grassroots infrastructure that could lead to Virginia being called early again on election night like it was in 2020. Sister District, the grassroots group we partnered with, made 43-percent of its candidates phone calls, and our Gaslit Nation phone bank with them was their largest to date of this election. Thank you to everyone who did whatever you could wherever you are. We're going to get through this dangerous crossroads together. What's clear is that the grassroots communities that formed in the original 2018 Blue Wave are still active. Now we need to help expand that energy into economic justice. That’s why this Election 2023 Special opens with an interview featuring longtime Gaslit Nation listener Brock Madden speaking with Jasmine Leli, the Buffalo, N.Y.-based Starbucks barista and member of Starbucks Workers United. Based in Seattle, Brock is looking to organize other restaurant workers like him to unionize. If you want to start a union and don’t know how or where to start, this discussion will inspire you to take action, no matter how small at first.  Thank you to Jasmine and Brock for this important conversation. If you’re in the Seattle area and would like to build with Brock, email him at huckleberry_98226@yahoo.com SHOW NOTES: CLIP: “Fraud Family!” Ivanka Kushner greeted by protesters at a New York courthouse https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5LMNFfEmLo Nikki Haley Praises Ivanka Kushner https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1049681209553547266?t=ziSGT40B4wIDx0mtDVEMWg&s=19 Trump and Allies Forge Plans to Increase Presidential Power in 2025 The former president and his backers aim to strengthen the power of the White House and limit the independence of federal agencies. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/17/us/politics/trump-plans-2025.html “After GOP donors threatened to stop funding him for being unmarried, Tim Scott is now appearing publicly with who he says is his girlfriend named Mindy. He says they have been dating for ‘about a year or so.’” https://twitter.com/NoLieWithBTC/status/1722466341838369122 “NEW from @CAPAction 's @citizenwillis : Since Sunday, cable networks are airing 10x more coverage of Biden's polling than this story detailing Trump’s MAGA plot to weaponize the government against his political enemies. @CNN : 29x as much @FoxNews : 38x as much @MSNBC : 3x as much” https://twitter.com/CMSeeberger/status/1722380856520491467 “This may be the most important result tonight that most people have no idea about: solidifies D majority on the court that decided more Trump 2020 lawsuits than any other in the country, and that is very likely to hear major cases in 2024 related to voting rights and elections.” https://twitter.com/alex_burness/status/1722107803920204047  “Exit polling on Ohio issue 1 is showing broad