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We Might Have a Dictator, but We Don’t Have a Dictatorship | Punching Up with Maya Maya
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August 28, 2025
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37:32Now PlayingMaya May doesn’t waste a breath before calling out the reality we’ve been forced to accept: “You should be able to send your children to school without worrying about them getting shot.” She’s furious that parents spend more energy on fear than on raising their kids, and she ties it straight back to the politicians who “protect their money but don’t protect the children of America.” The rage is real, but so is the demand for change.
Even in that darkness, she keeps her eye on the fight that’s still possible. “We might have a dictator, but we don’t have a dictatorship,” Maya insists, pointing to the districts still flipping and the people refusing to give in. Eliza Orlins, a public defender (and Survivor and Amazing Race alum) who has lived through the chaos of New York politics, reminds us the National Guard swears an oath “to the Constitution, not to a political party.” That tension — between illegal orders and lawful resistance — hangs heavy over the hour.
Paul Farahvar brings the view from comedy stages across the country, where he sees “buyer’s remorse” creeping into Trump’s base alongside the tariffs and the Epstein fallout. His warning lands: people care less about democracy until their wallets get hit. And yet, both he and Orlins see cracks forming in Trump’s power — not because of loyalty, but because incompetence runs the DOJ.
What rises out of all this is an unexpected kind of hope. Maya laughs about rooting for Gavin Newsom, Orlins admits she never thought she’d do the same. “Sometimes our fighters choose us,” Maya says, and the point is clear: imperfect allies are still allies when democracy’s on the line.
Tune into this week’s episode of Punching Up and hear how comedy, law, and resistance collide. And let us know your thoughts in the comments!
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