I agree. There is quite a bit framing work to do to transform the election into foreign-policy-centric battle centered on War vs. Peace. Plus, the deal also involves some kind of Argintina-style financial arrangement that could be significant, but no details are available.

Here it is 5/5: www.aljazeera.com/opinions/202...

@polisky.bsky.social

I also trace the limits of Orbanomics and the taxpayer funded illiberal ecosystem that keeps both leaders aligned. If you are interested in the global dynamics of illiberalism and why Trumpism and Orbanism keep reinforcing each other, this article might be worth your time. 4/5

Cheap Russian oil props up Orban’s domestic playbook, yet it also deepens Hungary’s dependence on Moscow and Washington. That dependence is political, economic and ideological. In the piece I show how Orban trades long term capacity building for short term lifelines. 3/5

The analysis digs into the Trump-Orban energy deal that looks like a win for Orban at first but is really a dangerous illusion. The one-year waiver on Russian oil gives him temporary breathing room but tightens the structural trap that has defined Hungarian politics for more than a decade. 2/5

Grateful to Rose Aguilar and @johannamiyaki.bsky.social for hosting this important series and for bringing comparative insights into the American debate.

Listen to the 50-minute episode here: www.kalw.org/show/your-ca...

4/4

We also touched on the simple but uncomfortable truth that illiberal actors across the world cooperate very effectively. If progressives want to protect democracy, they need to match that level of coordination. Hungary offers painful but useful lessons. There's always a chance to fight back. 3/4

We talked about why both small and large D #democrats keep losing ground in the fight against #illiberalism, how socioeconomic dislocation opens the door for #autocratization, how the built-in elitism of American institutions makes democracy weaker, and how autocrats hijack institutions. 2/4

The United States faces enormous challenges, but it is inspiring to see new political innovation emerging. New York is New York; you cannot simply copy this story elsewhere, but you can certainly learn from it.

Here is to democracy 2.0, for the people, with the people. 4/4

Mamdani brings something fresh: progressive substance, authentic narrative, a relatable style, and grassroots organizing for the precarious majorities living through today’s polycrisis. 3/4

His politics offer a real alternative to Trumpism. If we want to defeat illiberalism for good, identity politics and moral panics won't be enough. We need a democratic politics that also targets the material conditions that make illiberalism appealing: insecurity, despair, and unmet basic needs. 2/4

Same in Hungary: fifteen years in power, and Orbán still finds ways to perform victimhood again & again.
More on the Kimmel story: edition.cnn.com/2025/09/17/m... 8/8

Fourth: discursively, it’s fascinating how the world’s most powerful man still manages to speak as a victim.
Trump said ABC showed “courage” in canceling Kimmel—casting liberalism, the “deep state,” or PC culture as the real oppressor. 7/8

Third: the FCC angle. Using regulatory power to push outlets toward self-censorship is a classic Orbán tactic. Carr’s talk of enforcing the “public interest” recalls Hungary’s sovereignty bill, where “national interest” justified silencing critics. 6/8

Hungary doesn’t have the layered media landscape of the U.S., but aligning local broadcasters & print media with the government has been central to Orbán’s strategy. Loyalty is not just ideological—it’s profitable. 5/8

Such attacks demonstratively raise the cost of speaking up and speaking out.
Second: the role of local media owners is also familiar. Orbán’s crew systematically went after outlets—buying them up or forcing them into compliance. 4/8

Trump promised to go after Kimmel right after celebrating Colbert’s cancellation, and Kirk’s assassination gave him a political opening. But this is just a fig leaf—personally targeted campaigns are the lifeblood of Orbán’s regime too. 3/8

Still, the story is eerily familiar to anyone who has followed Orbán’s politics.
First: it’s a nationally orchestrated campaign to hunt down media figures who challenge Trump. No authoritarian leader likes being the butt of the joke. 2/8