"Deliver Us from MAGA"

Podcast: I've Had It
Hosts: Jennifer Welch ("A"), Angie “Pumps” Sullivan (absent; subbed by Josh, Jennifer's husband, "B")
Guest: Emma Vigilant (from The Majority Report, "C")
Release Date: November 6, 2025

Overview

This episode of “I’ve Had It” blends sharp political critique with signature irreverent humor as Jennifer and Josh (subbing for Pumps) are joined by Emma Vigilant of The Majority Report. The trio dissect the exhaustion and rage caused by the rise of MAGA politics, the erosion of American institutions, and the Democratic Party’s strategic failures. They also riff on corporate exploitation, social media addiction, the evangelical right’s role in politics, and offer a cathartic "Had It or Hit It" lightning round. The episode reflects frustration with the current political climate but ultimately closes with a message about hope, kindness, and the need for a fighting opposition.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Opening Banter & Guest Introduction

• Jennifer trolls co-host Pumps, who is absent and "on a lesbian adventure in Maine," with jovial speculation about her "lesbian things" vacation.
  • "The rumor I'm starting is that she's in Maine doing lesbian things." (A, 01:01)
• Emma pokes fun at Maine stereotypes, highlights its beauty, and laments Susan Collins’ continued re-election (C, 01:26-01:51).

Daily Grievances Roundtable (02:13-08:41)

Abuse of Cell Phone Boundaries

• Jennifer complains that clients abuse her cell phone number, texting panicked, non-emergency messages at 6am.
  • “We should not have crises at 6am...there should be a rule.” (A, 03:18)
• Emma connects this to “mass psychosis”: dopamine-chasing and constant anxiety due to instant communication.
  • “Everybody's dopamine receptors are so messed up...this is mass psychosis.” (C, 03:43)
• Josh comments on the cycle of tech addiction and accessibility.
  • “You think that when you get off Facebook you’re free, then your cell phone just hits you day in and day out.” (B, 04:21)

Annoyances with To-Go Drinks

• Josh vents about flimsy to-go cup lids, recounting a smoothie-spill disaster.
  • “I'm on the phone...the smoothie just literally collapses in my lap, and the lid comes off.” (B, 06:09)
• Jennifer and Emma riff on “curb your enthusiasm” moments and demand better container security (A/C, 06:56-07:19).

One-Star Reviewers & Consumer Rage

• Emma is “had it” with habitual negative reviewers, saying people should show more empathy, especially with struggling gig workers.
  • “People are struggling enough right now. You don’t need to go out of your way.” (C, 07:35)
• The group connects consumer rage, tip culture, and economic pressure to increased social anxiety.
  • Jennifer rails at corporations shifting responsibility onto customers (tipping for basic tasks) “[It] is not a tippable purchase...all of that has kind of been an incubator for this consumer rage...” (A, 09:16)

Corporate Exploitation & Class Solidarity (12:37-17:32)

• Jennifer targets Walmart and Amazon, illustrating how underpaying workers forces public subsidies, enriching billionaires, and creating systemic inequality:
  • “We are subsidizing the Walton family...these people are rich as shit...the very people that work at Walmart go and vote against the people that can help them.” (A, 12:37)
  • “Jeff Bezos...should be paying an infrastructure tax...all these roads and highways that service all of his cars we are paying for.” (A, 13:34)
• Emma discusses America's lack of class consciousness, contrasting it with European labor solidarity and mass strikes.
  • “There’s a lack of class consciousness in this country...in Europe [unions] shut it down.” (C, 14:14)
• On billionaires: Emma summarizes,
  • “You can’t make billions of dollars and not be okay with exploiting people.” (C, 16:25)

European Strikes & Social Safety Nets

• Jennifer recounts trips to France during strikes: “They are so fucking mad, the French people...” (A, 17:40).
• Critiques U.S. hostility towards government assistance, linking it to GOP propaganda:
  • “We don’t have any pride in any sort of government assistance...the Republican Party has done such a good job propagandizing.” (A, 18:12)

The Shadow Docket, Insurrection Act & Erosion of Rule of Law (22:34-28:55)

• Jennifer laments the collapse of the separation of powers; the Supreme Court’s abdication via the “shadow docket.”
  • “We have seen little Moses, Mike Grinder Johnson...and the Supreme Court completely abdicate their co equal branch of power.” (A, 23:22)
• Josh (a criminal defense attorney) explains the shadow docket’s dangers:
  • “They can issue a...decision...provides no rationale...it throws everything into chaos...undoes decades of precedent.” (B, 23:54)
• Example: Supreme Court enabling stops based on ethnic appearance (26:21).

The Democrats’ Strategic Failures & Red State Realities (28:04-49:50)

• Jennifer deconstructs “I’m fiscally conservative, but socially liberal” as a facile excuse for GOP voting, explaining court erosion undermines even "fiscal conservatives" (A, 28:04).
• Comparison to Russia-style oligarchy and warnings about unchecked power.
  • “At some point, if he keeps getting all of this unchecked power, Kanks is going to be like, you know what? I really like Apple. Why don't we just take that and call it Trump?” (A, 29:37)
• Emma criticizes Dems’ lack of internal democracy, focus on donors not the base, and unwillingness to debate. “How do you sell people on democracy if you don’t practice it yourself?” (C, 30:27)
• Josh and Jennifer cite the Dems’ inability to message in rural areas; single-issue progressive stances are popular even where GOP wins (A, 40:54):
  • “Individually...progressive single line item issues win. But the Republicans have done an incredible job propagandizing in red states via churches.” (A, 41:36)
• On white evangelical political power, “all this shit is rooted in white evangelicalism. And the Democratic Party has not answered...” (A, 42:59)
• Effective Dems: Jennifer advocates running progressive Christians in red states (A, 43:34).

On Authenticity, Elitism, and Rural America (43:34-49:50)

• Jennifer rails on the importance of authentic messaging:
  • “Rural people aren’t as dumb as you think...they just cannot stand people that are inauthentic.” (A, 44:55)
• The Ezra Klein “pro-life Dem” suggestion is criticized: “Pro life Democrats get their ass beat because rural people aren’t as dumb as you think.” (A, 44:55)
• Emma: “People want their material conditions to be met...the Democratic Party has a whole infrastructure in place to avoid doing that...” (C, 46:39)
• Josh: “If you don’t understand rural America...go spend time, go to a church, go to a rodeo...it’s completely different.” (B, 48:49)

Israel, Palestine, and Political Messaging (49:50-55:36)

• The panel discusses how most rural/suburban Americans don't think about Israel-Palestine, warning that Marjorie Taylor Greene’s simple anti-aid rhetoric will resonate while Dems equivocate.
  • “MAGA and the Democrats are not America first, they are Israel first. People in Israel have health care and they get to go to college for free and you pay for it and you’re going medically bankrupt.” (A, 50:44)
• Emma:
  • “She is actually anti-Semitic...But that simple message, it's isolationist...it makes about people’s material reality...” (C, 52:56)
• Universal human rights as a possible Dem message, but party prioritizes chasing “independents.” (A, 55:30)
• Emma: “The base is...understanding the billionaires are the problem...That's de-radicalizing in and of itself.” (C, 64:53)

MAGA, Community, and the Need for a Fighting Left (64:53-68:07)

• Emma: Trump rallies/MAGA moment create a warped sense of community for people feeling isolated and precarious.
  • “It's a perverse sense of community...they feel like they have a common purpose.” (C, 64:53)
• The left/liberals need to form their own strong community around opposition to fascism, moving beyond simply "doing the right thing" to fighting to win (C, 67:03; B, 68:07).
• Josh: “The Democrats, if they don't get...that they play this game and we're playing this game...they will lose every single time.” (B, 67:53)

The Need for Bold, Unapologetic Progressive Politics (68:07-77:14)

• Jennifer: “This is why I'm a proponent of fuck you politics brought to you by progressives.” (A, 68:07)
• She describes being targeted by right-wing media and stresses the need to match the right’s audacity.
• Emma and Jennifer riff on hypocrisy re: anti-trans politics/MAGA figures—suggesting Dems get more campaign "diabolical."
• Josh: “You’re going to have to have some crazy in you...You’ve got to get down in the mud with them.” (B, 76:27)
• Josh: Trump's success was being unorthodox and appearing authentic, even if he’s not (B, 76:57).

"Had It or Hit It" Lightning Round

• ICE:
  • Emma: “Had it with ICE. These fat asses that have no training...horrible people.” (C, 70:04)
• Centrism:
  • Panel: All “had it” — centrism = lack of conviction.
  • Jennifer: “Centrism is like the pick Me of politicians...they are forgettable.” (A, 71:53)
• Riley Gaines (anti-trans athlete):
  • Emma: “She has made a career off of tying for fifth place...there’s nothing more that right wingers get mad about than white CIS women like you or me, defending trans women...” (C, 73:09)
  • Jennifer: “If the trans person hadn’t swam, she still would have gotten fifth.” (A, 73:17)
  • Josh calls for Dems to get “diabolical” on GOP hypocrisy: “Pound it and pound it right into the heart of their faux masculinity...a lot of these MAGA men have been watching porn and...” (A, 74:51)
• USA:
  • Emma and Josh ultimately "Hit it"—they love the country but stress that we’re in a dark period and need to build a real opposition movement.
  • Emma (paraphrasing Michael Brooks): “Be kind to people, but ruthless to systems and institutions.” (C, 80:46)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We’re all in an incubator right now with all this shit.” – Jennifer (A), 10:19
• “You can’t make billions of dollars and not be okay with exploiting people. You can’t get to that point.” – Emma (C), 16:25 (Billions & exploitation)
• “The Republican party has done such a good job propagandizing that if you need anything from the government, you’re a lazy piece of shit...When really the parasites in the country are the billionaires.” – Jennifer (A), 18:12
• “If you don’t have a court system to take a contract in...the economy starts eroding.” – Jennifer (A), 28:55
• “If you don’t understand rural America...go spend time, go to a church, go to a rodeo. It’s completely different.” – Josh (B), 48:49
• “People want their material conditions to be met...you don’t have to abandon people to win.” – Emma (C), 46:39
• “For most people in rural America, they don’t care about this issue [Israel/Palestine]...The Democrats need to message...universal human rights.” – Jennifer (A), 55:30
• “If you don’t have some crazy in you...you’re going to get your ass kicked every time.” – Josh (B), 76:27
• “Be kind to people, but ruthless to systems and institutions.” – cited by Emma (C), 80:46

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:01] – Lesbian Maine jokes; Guest intro
• [02:13] – Daily grievances
• [09:15] – Tip culture; consumer rage
• [12:37] – Walmart & Amazon exploitation
• [22:34] – Supreme Court, Shadow Docket, Insurrection Act
• [28:04] – GOP voting, court erosion & Russia comparison
• [40:54] – Dem failures on messaging in red states
• [43:34] – Need for authenticity; rural voters
• [49:50] – Israel/Palestine & Marjorie Taylor Greene’s messaging
• [68:07] – “Fuck you politics” / right-wing media attacks
• [69:41] – Lightning round ("Had It or Hit It")
• [77:17] – Love for country despite current darkness
• [80:46] – Michael Brooks quote; be kind to people, ruthless to systems

Tone & Style

• Language is frank, witty, and often profane—true to the hosts' comedic and “petty grievance” style.
• Emma brings a sharp left analysis, injecting political specificity and generational insight.
• The episode blends venting with activism, despair with empowerment, and lands on an emotionally resonant note: the need to be ruthless with institutions, but generous with ordinary people.

Takeaways for Listeners

• The rise of MAGA represents not just a political shift, but a breakdown in institutions and class solidarity.
• Corporate power and billionaire dominance is enabled by public subsidies, media addiction, and a complicit or hapless opposition.
• Democrats frequently undermine themselves through elitism, lack of conviction, and poor rural outreach—yet authentic, class-based, unapologetic progressive messaging wins.
• The left’s moral compass must be coupled with fighting spirit (“fuck you politics”), not just procedural virtue.
• Despite the gloom, there’s hope: ordinary Americans are decent, and a fighting, united opposition can build something better.

Closing Words:
“Be kind to people, but ruthless to systems and institutions.” (C, 80:46)