The Daily Beans – Refried Beans | Cooperative Freedom (feat. Timothy Snyder)

Date: October 23, 2024
Hosts: Allison Gill (AG), Dana Goldberg
Special Guest: Timothy Snyder (professor, historian, author of "On Freedom" & "On Tyranny")

Episode Overview

This episode is a “Refried Beans” special, where Allison and Dana revisit and discuss news highlights, social justice issues, and ongoing political events from the week of October 23, 2024. The episode’s main focus is an in-depth interview with Yale historian and author Timothy Snyder, about his new book "On Freedom"—exploring what freedom means in America beyond the simplistic "freedom from" idea. The hosts also break down major political news, including Trump’s controversies related to the military, election integrity battles, and updates in high-profile legal cases. The episode is snarky, frank, and passionate, aiming to empower progressive listeners with news and actionable hope in the run-up to the November election.

Key News Highlights & Analysis

Trump, the Military, and Eroding Democratic Norms

• John Kelly Confirms Trump's Disdain for U.S. Military

  • Kelly confirms to The Atlantic that Trump called veterans “suckers and losers,” disparaged the costs of military funerals, and admired Hitler’s generals for their loyalty.
  • Quote:
    “He said about Vanessa Guillen...Trump offered to pay for her funeral. When the funeral bill came, he said something to the effect of, ‘No way. It cost 60,000 bucks to bury a fucking Mexican.’ That’s what he said.”
    (Allison Gill, 04:20)
  • Background on Vanessa Guillen’s murder at Fort Hood and Trump's refusal to pay for the funeral, despite public promises.

• Trump’s Authoritarian Temptations

  • Trump shown expressing admiration for dictatorships, reportedly asking for “generals that Hitler had...people who were totally loyal to him, that follow his orders.”
  • The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg details Trump’s sustained disrespect for soldiers, attempts to politicize the military, and desire for unaccountable power.
  • Quote:
    "[Trump] described Medal of Honor recipients as either in very bad shape because they've been hit so many times by bullets or they're dead..." (Allison Gill reading from The Atlantic, 54:30)

Election Integrity, Disinformation & Voter Rights (Hot Notes)

• Election Board Rules Struck Down in Georgia (08:00)

  • Conservative Georgia Supreme Court upholds block on last-minute Trump-aligned election rules; major win for Democrats protecting voter access.
  • Quote:
    “The Supreme Court just upheld...all seven rules, what the judge said, it’s damning...”
    (Allison Gill, 07:28)

• Russian Propaganda Targeting U.S. Candidates (06:14)

  • U.S. officials confirm smear campaign against Democratic VP nominee Tim Walls was orchestrated by Russia and amplified by right wing media.
  • Reflects ongoing foreign interference and manipulation in American politics.

• Republican Lawsuits Targeting Overseas/Military Ballots Fail (16:41)

  • Judges in Michigan and North Carolina reject RNC efforts to restrict votes from Americans living abroad; courts find GOP evidence of fraud lacking.
  • Dana Goldberg notes importance for democracy, impact on military families, and the cynical intent to disenfranchise.

Legal Accountability & Scandals

• Rudy Giuliani’s Asset Forfeiture (05:00)

  • Giuliani is ordered to move most of his assets into receivership to compensate Ruby Freeman and Shay Moss, whom he defamed in 2020 “Big Lie” conspiracies.

• Abercrombie & Fitch Ex-CEO Sex Trafficking Charges (11:00)

  • Mike Jeffries indicted on sex trafficking and interstate prostitution, accused along with others of exploiting dozens of young men for years.
  • Quote:
    “These are three horrible, horrible men...the indictment alleged many of the men were coerced, led to believe attending...would yield modeling opportunities or...not complying could harm their careers.” (Dana Goldberg, 13:26)

• Threats Against Election Officials (15:08)

  • Philadelphia man indicted for gruesome threats (“skin you alive...use your skin for fucking toilet paper”) against a party rep recruiting poll watchers.

Featured Interview: Timothy Snyder on Freedom and Democracy

(Begins: 22:07)

The Purpose and Genesis of "On Freedom"

• Snyder describes his long-standing interest in defining freedom meaningfully—not just as “freedom from” but as “freedom to” and “freedom for.”
  • Quote:
    “As an American, freedom has always been the most important idea for me, but at a certain point, I realized I wasn't good enough at defining what it meant.”
    (Timothy Snyder, 22:57)

The False Dichotomy of "Freedom From" vs "Freedom For"

• Explains the error in American thinking: believing that removing oppression is sufficient, without building positive values and opportunities.
  • Quote:
    “Freedom from is only important because of freedom to...when the oppression is gone, that's when you have to ask yourself, what do I value, what do I care about?”
    (Timothy Snyder, 25:01)

Five Forms of Freedom: Metaphor for Stages of Life

• Snyder maps freedom onto personal development:
  1. Sovereignty (Birth/Childhood)
  2. Unpredictability (Youth)
  3. Mobility (Early Adulthood, seeking opportunities)
  4. Factuality (Mature engagement with reality)
  5. Solidarity (A sense of shared fate/community)
  • Grounding the abstract in child development science and the necessity of societal investments for actual freedom.

Freedom Is Not Zero-Sum

• True freedom necessarily includes others; one’s freedom is incomplete unless it incorporates freedom for all.
  • Quote:
    “Freedom—for me—has to be freedom for you, or it’s not freedom...in order to be free you have to know who you are...the only way to know who you are is to listen to other people.”
    (Timothy Snyder, 32:17)

Authoritarian Drift: Why Americans Gravitate Toward Tyranny

• The difficulty and effort required for democracy make authoritarian solutions seem deceptively attractive.

  • “Democracy is hard...there’s no force in the world which favors democracy except the people who want democracy.”
    (Timothy Snyder, 34:42)

• Misunderstanding negative freedom (as “me against the world/government”) leads quickly to blaming others and justifying authoritarianism.

  • “People start by saying it's me against the government...next thing you know, they're saying, you should build a wall...negative freedom means no responsibility for yourself.”
    (Timothy Snyder, 36:00)

Final Thoughts and Thanks

• Snyder underscores that conversation is the best way to spread these ideas, thanks AG for her work.
• Shares locations for his book tour (Detroit, Kalamazoo, Chicago, Oklahoma City, Dallas) and where to find his writing online ("Thinking About" Substack, Twitter).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trump and the Military:
  “He wanted to call back McRaven and McChrystal to uniform so they could be court-martialed...” (Allison Gill, 51:59)
• On Everyday Freedom:
  “Freedom can’t be about always knowing everything in advance...freedom is about caring about things, it's about having friends, institutions and structures, ...admitting that you love things, admitting you care, working towards things, not being a conformist, taking risks, feeling discomfort.” (Timothy Snyder, 31:00)
• On Courage and Voter Engagement:
  “Talk to someone. See if your friends are voting...Just do something. As Michelle Obama said—just do something.” (Dana Goldberg, 67:05)
• Listener Story:
  “[My 19-year old trans son] voted for the first time ever...the whole room erupted in applause celebrating his first time to cast a ballot.” (Listener, 63:53)

Good News Segment (57:48+)

• Listeners share uplifting stories: voting for the first time, overcoming logistical barriers, and supporting LGBTQ+ family members facing discriminatory voter ID laws.
• Daily encouragement: get out the vote, bring your friends/family, challenge misinformation.

Final Thoughts

• Less than two weeks to the 2024 election—urgency in community organizing and defending democracy.
• The fight is not equal everywhere, but every vote, conversation, and act of solidarity matters.
• “All gas, no brakes. Let’s fucking go.”

TIMESTAMPS FOR KEY SEGMENTS

• Opening Hot Notes & News Roundup: 01:46 – 21:21
• Interview: Timothy Snyder: 22:07 – 38:18
  (Deep dive into concepts of freedom, democracy, and challenges of authoritarianism)
• Atlantic Article on Trump and the Military: 38:18 – 57:47
• Good News and Listener Submissions: 57:48 – End

For more, read Timothy Snyder’s "On Freedom" and check out The Atlantic’s reporting. Don’t forget to double-check your voter status at vote.org, and help friends/family make a plan to vote.

“Vote blue over Q. And please take all that family with you.”
(Allison Gill & Dana Goldberg, closing)