The Democratic National Convention in Chicago next week will be euphoric as Kamala Harris accepts the party nomination. Like every convention, it’s also going to be a lobbyist paradise, with giant corporations throwing lavish parties. United Airlines' Josh Earnest, former White House Press Secretary under President Obama, will host an after-party at the company's Chicago headquarters, featuring Elon Musk apologist Walter Isaacson, author of Musk’s mythologizing biography.
United Airlines has reason to be at the DNC, and it’s not to celebrate terrifying passengers with several malfunctions, including wheels falling off and mid-flight engine trouble. They are actively working against Democratic legislation in the Senate to break-up the credit card fee monopoly of Visa and Mastercard, legislation that would save consumers $15 billion. Major airlines like United want to stop it, because they make more profit from credit card mileage programs than from flying planes. United’s C.E.O., Scott Kirby, recently gave himself a 90% raise, earning $18.6 million in 2023, just a few years after taxpayers bailed out his airline at the height of the pandemic. Will United Airlines succeed in influencing Democrats at their biggest party in years, at the expense of us all?
Reecie Colbert, political commentator and host of Urban View on Sirius XM, joins Gaslit Nation, along with Terrell Starr of the essential Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack, to discuss how to hold a Harris/Walz administration accountable to the hopeful and inclusive vision of America they’re running on, as well as how to protect the first Black woman president from white rage and misogyny. We also look at Ukraine’s historic surprise invasion of Russia and what it means in the global fight against fascism at home and abroad.
This week’s bonus show, available to subscribers at the Truth-teller ($5/month) and higher, answers questions from listeners subscribed at the Democracy Defender ($10/month) and higher, with a special look at what to say to white women in Virginia and Georgia thinking of voting for Trump. To get every episode ad free, bonus shows, invites to special events, and more, subscribe at Patreon.com/Gaslit! Thank you to everyone who supports our independent journalism!
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Show Notes:
Brooklyn Paper Op-ed | Credit Card Competition Act would put Brooklyn ahead of Wall Street
https://www.brooklynpaper.com/credit-card-competition-act/
How the Elon Musk biography exposes Walter Isaacson https://www.theverge.com/2023/10/1/23895069/walter-isaacson-biography-musk-review
Your unofficial DNC party checklist https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2024/08/12/your-unofficial-dnc-party-check-list-00173704
Merchants Support Senator Durbin’s Comments in Favor of the Credit Card Competition Act
https://merchantspaymentscoalition.com/merchants-support-senator-durbins-comments-favor-credit-card-competition-act
Airlines Are Just Banks Now They make more money from mileage programs than from flying planes—and it shows. https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/09/airlines-banks-mileage-programs/675374/
United Airlines flight attendants picket, say CEO compensation grew 90% https://finance.yahoo.com/news/united-airlines-flight-attendants-picket-214129294.html
Moscow's Chkalovsky Airfield Targeted in Drone Attack: Video https://www.newsweek.com/moscow-chkalovsky-airfield-drone-attack-video-1937725
Ukraine claims to control 1,000 sq km of Russian territory https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2lmr29ygjo
Brandon Friedman on Twitter:
Do not fly United. The last 48 hours:
"United Airlines Boeing 777 loses tire while taking off"
"United flight out of IAH caught fire"
"United flight makes emergency landing after suspected hydraulic failure"
"A United Airlines flight veered off the runway and onto the grass"
https://x.com/BFriedmanDC/status/1766524616271413250
Meet Reecie Colbert, Host of Sirius XM’s The Reecie Colbert Show and Urban View https://reeciecolbert.com/
Black Diplomats Podcast and Substack https://www.blackdiplomats.net/
