Gaslit Nation

Americans must fight a war on two fronts: against MAGA fascism and Democratic Party complacency. Wajahat Ali of the Left Hook on Substack and author of Go Back to Where You Came From: And Other Helpful Recommendations on How to Become American joins Gaslit Nation to discuss how to actually build back better this time. 
Donald Trump is America's karma of white supremacy, greed, and misogyny. But while the MAGA virus burns through our institutions, another danger is the "Big Club" in Washington, D.C. where Republicans and Democrats share the same donors, the same golf clubs, and the same refusal to tax the rich. 
The DNC thinks they can waltz into power by not being Trump, but voters want a fighter and they want accountability. We are watching a righteous rage build across the globe, from the resistance in Ukraine and Hungary to vigilante violence here at home. When an Amazon worker drops dead and colleagues are told to work around the body, the status quo makes revolution by any means inevitable. 
Ukrainians are fighting a war on two fronts: homegrown corruption and Kremlin fascism. We must see ourselves in the same fight. If the Democrats choose the James Carville "possum strategy" and refuse to face reality, they are simply clearing the deck for a more competent autocrat in 2032. 
EVENTS AT GASLIT NATION:
Gaslit Nation Salons take place Mondays 4pm ET over Zoom and are recorded and shared on Patreon.com/Gaslit for our community

New! There's now a California Signal Group for Gaslit Nation listeners to find each other and connect in that state, availableon Patreon. 

The Gaslit Nation Outreach Committee discusses how to talk to the MAGA cult, availableon Patreon. 

Minnesota Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon. 

Vermont Signal group for Gaslit Nation listeners in the state to find each other, availableon Patreon. 

Arizona-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to connect, availableon Patreon. 

Indiana-based listeners launched a Signal group for others in the state to join, availableon Patreon. 

Florida-based listeners are going strong meeting in person. Be sure to join their Signal group, availableon Patreon. 

As always, keep it kind in our chat groups, extend grace and assume good faith. A culture of care is how we build a better world. 

Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit
Show Notes:
Amazon Accused of Hiding Worker's Death for a Week, Making Employees Keep Working as Corpse Lay on Floor https://futurism.com/future-society/amazon-accused-hiding-death-week
Worker who allegedly set fire to California warehouse compares self to Luigi Mangione https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/apr/10/california-warehouse-arson-luigi-mangione
Newsom Vows to Stop Proposed Billionaire Tax in California https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/13/us/newsom-billionaire-tax-california.html
Christiane Amanpour and Jill Lepore on CNN: Civil War Confederate President Wasn't Tried, Why It Matters In Trump Case https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXVOIab3ek8 
The Black Death by Thomas Asbridge review – a medieval horror story https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/apr/08/the-black-death-a-global-history-thomas-asbridge-review-pandemic-history-covid
Why Does "DoorDash Grandma" Keep Showing Up with MAGA Members? https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2026/04/14/has-doordash-grandma-appeared-with-other-gop-leaders-what-to-know/89602972007/
Aaron Rupar: "A woman named Lonna Drewes at a news conference just now accused Eric Swalwell of drugging her drink and sexually assaulting her. Here's part of her statement." https://bsky.app/profile/atrupar.com/post/3mjhtlsrn5i2z
David Dayen: "Several important nuggets in here: • Swalwell was rebuilding Newsom's inner circle; he was the establishment hope • One lobbyist: "Were we willing to delude ourselves or not ask questions that should have been asked? 1000%" • His campaign started sending cease-and-desists last year" https://bsky.app/profile/ddayen.bsky.social/post/3mjfu4px42c25
Lesley Abravanel: "In a major shift, Cook Political Report has now moved 4 Senate seats toward the Democrats (NC,GA, OH, NE). That's on top of 5 House races that Cook Political moved leftward just last week, all partly due to Trump's  unpopular war in Iran that sent gas prices skyrocketing." https://bsky.app/profile/lesleyabravanel.bsky.social/post/3mjflo3zkdc2t

To those who could not join our launch party for Mrs. Orwell tonight, we've made you a play list from the event. It opens with a British Pathé newsreel of what to do in an air raid; Edward R. Murrow reporting from London on the Blitz; a popular war-time show "Gert & Daisy";  Flanagan and Allen's "Run Rabbit Run," and "Ay Carmela!" one of the most popular songs of the Spanish Civil War, which Eileen and Eric Blair would have heard throughout their time in Spain. We're going to play this audio at the start of tonight's event, to connect the global war of fascism vs. democracy back then to today, as Ukraine faces the same daily bombardment as Europe did under Hitler.

Gaslit Nation presents an Instagram Live discussion recorded over the weekend with the acclaimed illustrator Brahm Revel, the artist of Mrs. Orwell. Brahm is based in Barcelona, where Eileen and Eric Blair (aka George Orwell), spent their honeymoon fighting fascists in the Spanish Civil War. Eileen was holed up in the Hotel Continental, which still exists, where Stalin's agents searched her hotel room, stealing Orwell's Spain diaries and other papers, which are believed to be somewhere in Moscow to this day.
We're celebrating freedom fighters, past and present, tonight at Powerhouse Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn at 7pm ET, for the launch of Mrs. Orwell. Patreon supporters get in free! Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman will be there, and so will the good folks of Razom for Ukraine and the Media and Democracy Project, co-sponsors of the event, because the Orwells would have been fans. So come and get a Mrs. Orwell tote bag, meet other Gaslit Nation listeners, and celebrate the defeat of Orban, MAGA, and the Kremlin in Hungary. 
Enjoy this conversation with Brahm about the creative process that went into the making of Mrs. Orwell and why the story matters for us today, in an age that needs our own creativity and defiance.
Today's Gaslit Nation Salon is still on for today at 4pm so join us via the link posted on Patreon.com/Gaslit! 
Join our community of listeners and get bonus shows, ad free listening, group chats with other listeners, ways to shape the show, invites to exclusive events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Discounted annual memberships are available. Become a Democracy Defender at Patreon.com/Gaslit

FDR had to take some bold swings to transform America for the better. He had his pearl-clutching critics who thought he was going too far. But that's what was needed to usher in the New Deal and strengthen democracy and improve people's lives. The "good guys" must not be passive. We must fight back. Virginia, the world's eyes are on you to vote YES on redistricting -- vote now through April 21. You will help restore balance to Republican authoritarian gerrymandering. Your YES vote in Virginia is an emergency stop-gap meant to save our national ship from sinking and take back the gavel from Kremlin MAGA Mike Johnson in the House. Thank you to all who spread the word about this important, urgent vote, and get out the vote. If you still have questions, here's an overview from Arlington Democrats: https://www.arlingtondemocrats.org/redistricting
If you're in NYC or nearby, join us April 13 at 7pm at Powerhouse Arts Arena in DUMBO, Brooklyn, one of the most beautiful neighborhoods in all of NYC. We're going to celebrate Mrs. Orwell, Andrea's new graphic novel with the genius illustrator Brahm Revel, about an unsung heroine of literature, Eileen O'Shaughnessy Blair, the wife, muse, and unsung creative partner of Eric Blair, aka George Orwell. There would have been no Homage to Catalonia, Animal Farm, 1984 without Eileen O'Shaughnessy Blair. Patreon supporters get in for free and get a Mrs. Orwell tote bag. Message us on Patreon.com/Gaslit to get on the guest list. See you Monday night for an unforgettable evening dedicated to a defiant heroine of the power of the pen. 
Thank you to Razom for Ukraine and the Media and Democracy Project for being co-sponsors of this event. 
Details here: https://events.ticketleap.com/tickets/powerhousebookstores/book-launch-mrs-orwell-by-andrea-chalupa

Vice President JD Vance, a creation of the Peter Thiel dark-money machine, traveled to Hungary to openly threaten voters on behalf of the Kremlin's favorite strongman, Viktor Orban. This is emotional blackmail on a global scale. Vance effectively told a post-Soviet nation that if they don't re-elect Orban this Sunday, they lose the protection of the U.S. military. It's a "nice country you've got there, shame if something happened to it" mafia tactic.
Why is MAGA obsessed with Hungary? Because the EU is a regulatory miracle that Big Money hates. To the Peter Thiels of the world, Orban is the wedge designed to divide the EU, weaken Russian sanctions, and pave the way for a fascist Bannon nightmare across the continent. Under Orban, Hungary has become the most corrupt state in the EU, suffering from massive brain drain and crumbling infrastructure.
Despite the threats, there is hope. On Sunday, April 12, Hungarians may unite behind a charismatic new leader, Péter Magyar. Will they choose freedom and fight against tyranny, like in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution, or will MAGA's blackmail work? We shall see. For a look at the MAGA virus in the UK, we continue our conversation with Dorian Lynskey, author of The Ministry of Truth: The Biography of George Orwell's 1984.
Want to hear Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chats, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!
Join our April 13 book launch and live-taping to celebrate Mrs. Orwell. Patreon supporters get in free!  https://powerhousearena.com/events/book-launch-mrs-orwell-by-andrea-chalupa-in-conversation-with-nomiki-konst/
 
Show Notes:
 
Where the US got $20B to bail out Argentina https://www.npr.org/2025/11/13/nx-s1-5607023/where-the-us-got-20b-to-bail-out-argentina
 
Hungary eyes US financial shield as EU funds remain frozen https://www.reuters.com/world/us-financial-shield-bolsters-hungary-amid-eu-funding-freeze-minister-says-2025-11-10/
 
Andrea's thread on Hungary's decline under Orban https://x.com/AndreaChalupa/status/1766082022781354193
 
MAGA's favorite strongman might be on the brink of defeat. We're about to find out whether an authoritarian can lose at the ballot box. https://www.vox.com/politics/485058/hungary-election-2026-orban-trump-vance-maga
 
Viktor Orbán told Putin 'I am at your service' in October phone call https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/apr/07/viktor-orban-told-putin-i-am-at-your-service-in-october-phonecall
 
Italy: Steve Bannon's populist academy in the Trisulti monastery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjSL1ofqGb8
 
Epstein files shed more light on Steve Bannon's efforts to influence European politics https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/05/jeffrey-epstein-files-steve-bannon-european-politics 
 
How Jeffrey Epstein sought to help Steve Bannon build a global populist movement https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/09/politics/steve-bannon-jeffrey-epstein-global-populism
 
Péter Magyar, the former Orban ally vying for power in Hungary https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c78l7vyylgqo