The Daily Beans: "Cameras Out" (feat. Cliff Cash)

Air Date: October 28, 2025
Hosts: Allison Gill & Dana Goldberg
Special Guest: Cliff Cash

Episode Overview

This episode of The Daily Beans delivers a sharp, snarky look at progressive news with a focus on government accountability, activist movements, and the daily grind in U.S. political life. Major topics include mass blocking of Trump administration accounts on Bluesky, SNAP benefits under threat, CNN's White House coverage flap, the latest legal fights over protest policing, and a spirited interview with activist-comedian Cliff Cash about on-the-ground resistance and upcoming mobilizations. The episode is sprinkled with snappy banter, deep outrage at injustice, and a call for effective protest messaging—plus, as always, a lot of laughs and good news to keep hope alive.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Congressional Inaction & SNAP Benefits

• Congress Works Just 11 Days: The hosts express disgust at Congress’s extended break while federal workers lose SNAP benefits.
  • "They're getting paid. They're still getting paid during this thing. While our federal workers SNAP benefits are ending. 1.3 million active military and veterans have SNAP benefits. I don't think people realize..." – Dana Goldberg [03:24]
• SNAP as Corporate Welfare:
  • Allison emphasizes that SNAP isn’t “welfare to the poor,” but rather “corporate welfare to the billionaires who do not pay people enough to work.”
  • "If people and Republicans are complaining, why are there 40 million people on SNAP benefits? Ask the billionaires why they aren't paying people enough." [04:01]

2. Upcoming Advocacy & Activism Events

• November 22nd D.C. Mobilization:
  • Hosted by comedian/activist Cliff Cash, focused on confronting Congress over workers’ issues and impeachment.
  • "It's being hosted by a comedian and activist, Cliff Cash. And we're gonna talk to him later." – Allison Gill [04:45]

3. Kilmar Abrego Deportation Fight

• Details of the Deportation Saga:
  • Trump admin’s convoluted attempts to forcibly deport Abrego to various countries (Costa Rica, Ghana, Eswatini, Liberia).
  • Emergency hearing in Judge Sinis’s court; restraining order currently prevents removal.
  • "They just want to admit they want him to say he was guilty for something he didn't do, and he's not doing it." – Dana Goldberg [08:09]

4. CNN, CBS, and Media Shake-Ups

• CNN White House Coverage Controversy:
  • Mark Thompson (CNN CEO) reportedly told staff to scale down coverage of White House demolition after meeting Trump officials; CNN denies.
  • "Yeah, he went to the White House, got down on his knees. The White House told him to stop covering the demolition..." – Allison Gill [10:02]
• John Dickerson Leaves CBS:
  • Seen as sign of editorial changes under new ownership, with Bari Weiss set to lead the news division.
  • "I think he's saying he's gonna miss CBS because I think CBS is over. With Bari Weiss at the helm. My God." – Allison Gill [11:58]

5. Police & Protest: ICE, Court Orders, and Chicago

• Feds Violating Court Orders:
  • Border Patrol documented firing pepper balls and tear gas at protesters in Chicago, apparently violating Judge Ellis’s injunction.
  • Agents defended their actions by claiming protesters "locked arms."
  • "They locked arms. That's why the chemical weapons were justified, impeding agents from leaving Albany Park." – Allison Gill [14:22]

6. Government Shutdown Fallout

• Flight Delays & Controller Shortages:
  • Thousands of flights delayed/canceled as air traffic controllers work without pay; hardships for essential workers.
  • "The most stressful jobs in the world, for free." – Dana Goldberg [16:23]
  • "Would you like to apply for a job we're not paying for until the government gets back to work? This insane." – Dana Goldberg [17:36]

7. Military Incidents in the South China Sea

• Navy Fighter Jet & Helicopter Crashes:
  • All crew rescued, causes under investigation; hosts sardonically blame "warrior ethos" rebranding.

8. Ukraine Peace Talks & Intelligence Community Dissent

• INR vs. CIA on Putin’s Willingness:
  • State Department analysts doubted Russian willingness for peace talks—contradicting more optimistic CIA assessments.
  • "CIA Ratcliffe, the dick bags over at the CIA are like, oh, Putin will totally negotiate. And... [INR] are like, y’all are dumb fucks." – Allison Gill [20:35]

9. 1st Amendment Fight for Drag Shows

• Fifth Circuit Reconsiders Protection of Drag:
  • Despite earlier pro-First Amendment ruling, full Fifth Circuit will re-hear the case, likely prepping for SCOTUS.
  • "It is absurd to think that drag dressing in drag is not free speech... the government wants to tell you what you cannot wear." – Allison Gill [23:04]

10. Bluesky Backlash Against Trump Admin

• Mass-Blocking of Government Accounts:
  • White House and other Trump admin officials join Bluesky—users organize blocklists, resulting in over 100,000 blocks.
  • "As of Tuesday, a dozen of the 20 most blocked accounts were created by the Trump administration last week. That is fucking impressive, everybody." – Dana Goldberg [24:37]
  • "The block feature on Bluesky is nuclear... It blocks them. It blocks their family members, their loved ones, their ideas, their breathing." – Allison Gill [25:27]

Interview Segment: Cliff Cash, Comedian & Activist

Starts at 29:25

On-the-Ground Reporting & Protest Insights

• Recent Actions:

  • Cliff details protest stints in DC and Portland—delivering flyers to Mike Johnson, reading satirical emails at Pete Hegseth’s church, protesting ICE with megaphones, and constant engagement with police and right-wing media.
  • "We left them flyers with pictures of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein hanging out together and all the quotes they said about each other and court documents of them committing child essay together." – Cliff Cash [30:25]

• Manufactured Chaos by Feds:

  • Describes how federal law enforcement and politicians create and film confrontational scenes for propaganda.
  • "They are creating scenarios that look like serious conflict and then filming those in a very cherry-picking type of way." – Cliff Cash [34:49]
  • "They're just creating this thing that looks like chaos and a riot. It's like, you created the chaos. You created the conflict, tear gas, the optics..." – Cliff Cash [35:37]

• Antifa Stereotypes vs. Reality:

  • Most protesters are peaceful, often older, or out of work due to Trump's economy.
  • "A lot of them are like grandmothers and grandfathers. Some of them are people like us that happen to be out of a job because this economy is way worse than anything Biden oversaw." – Cliff Cash [33:34]

• Protest Documentation Is Critical:

  • Both Gill and Cash urge protesters to always document—phone cams, body cams—to push back on state narratives.
  • "Cameras out... Get your camera out. Make sure you record everything, document it, Push back on their propaganda." – Allison Gill [41:07]
  • "You can buy pretty decent little small body cameras for as low as like 30 bucks. I know because I've bought a ton of them." – Cliff Cash [41:37]

• Building to Bigger DC Mobilizations:

  • Details the upcoming November 22 "Remove the Regime" event, Dropkick Murphys headlining, multi-day actions, and the importance of in-person mass protest at the Capitol.
  • "Every country on earth is waiting for us to do that. It's the optics that everybody needs to see... They need to see a stifling number of people in D.C." – Cliff Cash [43:20]
  • "If those people who showed up that close to D.C. will show up in D.C. and then we have some other people coming from other parts of the country, we can absolutely get a million people in D.C. and it will be history." – Cliff Cash [47:36]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "SNAP benefits aren’t a welfare to the poor. They are a corporate welfare to the billionaires who do not pay people enough to work."
  — Allison Gill [04:01]
• "They locked arms. That’s why the chemical weapons were justified, impeding agents from leaving Albany Park."
  — Allison Gill, sarcastically [14:22]
• "The block feature on Bluesky is nuclear... It blocks them. It blocks their family members, their loved ones, their ideas, their breathing."
  — Allison Gill [25:27]
• "They're just creating this thing that looks like chaos and a riot. It's like, you created the chaos. You created the conflict."
  — Cliff Cash [35:37]
• "We will never beat these people all the way until our messaging is way more effective. Until we are telling the truth in a better, more effective way than they are telling the lie, we have no chance of beating them."
  — Cliff Cash [39:14]
• "Revolution is inconvenient. It's not free, it's not cheap, it's not always fun. But this country's worth fighting for."
  — Cliff Cash [47:36]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:54 – Headlines & Show Opening
• 03:24 – Congressional inaction and SNAP benefits
• 06:34 – Kilmar Abrego deportation saga discussion
• 08:09 – Abrego’s refusal to plead guilty and ongoing legal support
• 09:57 – CNN/White House coverage controversy
• 11:40 – John Dickerson leaves CBS
• 12:02 – ICE, court order violations in Chicago
• 16:12 – Airline delays and government shutdown fallout
• 19:31 – Ukraine/Putin “peace talks” intel dispute
• 22:13 – Fifth Circuit/Drag show First Amendment protections
• 23:35 – White House Bluesky account backlash
• 29:25 – Interview with Cliff Cash begins
• 41:07 – "Cameras Out" and protest documentation advocacy
• 43:20 – "Remove the Regime" Nov 22 event details

Tone & Style

This episode is bold, often profane, relentlessly focused on injustice, but also deeply committed to hope and action. Allison and Dana freely vent their frustrations with snark, sarcasm, and empathy for the vulnerable, while Cliff Cash blends humor with hard-edged activism, underscoring how vital truth-telling and collective resistance are.

Takeaway

"Cameras Out" is a rallying cry to see, record, and resist state-backed narratives, and a reminder that mass activism and focused messaging are more crucial than ever as democracy faces crisis. The episode ends with actionable "good trouble" opportunities, grassroots shoutouts, and a call for community resilience.

Further Information

• Cliff Cash online: Cliff Cash Comedy | removetheregime.org
• Activism Resources: Jess Craven’s “Chop Wood Carry Water”
• Good News & Listener Participation: Submit at dailybeanspod.com

For listeners seeking community, clear news, and a shot of activist energy, this episode is essential listening.