Called Senators Rosen & Cortez Masto to express my opposition to war with Venezuela and encouraged them to speak out against it. Now is the time to be vocal and oppose the Trump regime's diversionary war moves!
PBS World channel aired a program called “A More Perfect Union: inspiring civic and civil conversation across America. It’s a panel discussion with Ken Burns and Sarah Botsein, Co-Directors of The American Revolution. The conversation is about how America’s founding principles are relevant today, including how citizens work together as participants in a democracy. https://www.pbs.org/video/a-more-perfect-union-inspiring-civic-civil-conversations-across-america/ You can watch with PBS Passport or Amazon Prime video.
Other panelists are:
Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center
Melody Barnes, Executive Director, University of Virginia Karsh Institute of Democracy
Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies, American Enterprise Institute and author of American Covenant: How the Constitution unified our nation and could again.
With the real prospect of a leadership turnover in 2026, I hope House Dems are developing an aggressive agenda to be launched the instant Jeffries takes over. I would think that the economy must be the first priority, to show Americans we are working for their futures. Repeal the tariffs, a CR that restores ACA subsidies and SNAP, then a budget framework that kneecaps ICE, increase the top income tax rate, repealed carried interest exemption, etc. Then, national security: funding for Ukraine, hearings for Waltz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and repudiation of attacks on Venezuela, “drug” boats, etc.
One of my favorite suggestions about the actions to be taken as soon as Democrats regain the majority: “…To demonstrate to America the seriousness of [Democrats’] commitment to transforming the status quo with real change, keep the House in session for 24 hours. Make the first day the long day that America deserves.”
“Malevolent” … Simon keeps using that description of Trump’s regime.
I can’t think of a better use of a single word to characterize Trump and all that he stands for. It smacks the proverbial nail right on the head!
Gonna be interesting to watch that special congressional election in Tennessee tomorrow. It’s a plus 22 GOP district. If the Dem brings it into single digits… a lot of GOP congressional members are going to head for the exits.
If she wins? Wow! GOPers might even start standing up to the malevolent and dangerous creep.
I hope Behn can capitalize on the recent scandals with last minute ads. I know the ad buys must be crazy right now, and I hope she had some in reserve!
Outer Houston-area Texas Republican Congressman Troy Nehls announced he won't seek reelection in '26. He was elected in '20 and reelected in '22 and '24. But his margin of victory shrank from 27% in '22 to just 7% in the last election. Perhaps he sees the writing on the wall.
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) — Boasting about his cognitive health, on Monday Donald J. Trump asserted than an MRI performed on his brain found nothing.
“I had a perfect MRI,” he told reporters. “The greatest doctors in the country looked at my brain and came up empty.”
Trump said there was no point in releasing his MRI because “there’s nothing to see,” adding, “It’s like the East Wing.”
Love Borowitz. In the video Simon shared, as soon as he said “it wasn’t my brain” I thought, “it was his brain,” although I do give him credit for pointing to his head when he said “brain.” He knows where the brain is supposed to be!
Thanks, Simon! I called my Congressman and Senators.
I think we need to be framing that Aftyn Behn has already won by making this race competitive. Forcing the Rs to spend money and time on what should have been an easy election is a victory in itself. Our message needs to be that no R is safe anymore.
There was a good discussion this morning on The Daily Blast about how Trump is now appearing weak and why that matters. I think Simon's message is getting through.
Congresspersons call script anyone can riff off of:
- [Senators] pass HR 6019. No handouts for GOP J6ers.
- I want to see consequences for Witkoff (coached Russia on how to manipulate the president) Noem (defied court orders sending people to a foreign prison in violation of 5th & 8th Amendments) & Hegseth (murdered people).
- Justice for Sarah Beckstrom: get Nat’l Guard off our streets where they are sitting targets for shooters and our national gun fetish. Also, shouldn’t flags be at half staff for her?
Hello, everyone. I am back in Minneapolis after the holidays, and it is snowy and cold and beautiful. It's how it's supposed to be. It makes me feel hopeful. It really feels like this horrific period is for now, and it will pass. I hope the Democrats can put the best of themselves out into the world--be bold, be fearless, be compassionate, be smart, be visionary, to build a country of good government that leaves no one behind. (Including the people being persecuted by this administration).
After this communities' incredible support for Behn, I've been thinking about the power of what Simon has built, and I hope the broader party is inspired by this model. People want to believe in something. They want community. They want to work together. That's why TP USA was so successful, why MAGA was successful. It's why Indivisible is working. I hope as we keep fighting together under Simon's leadership, other pro-democracy movements begin building communities of proud plucky patriots. There are more of us than there are of them.
Called Senators Rosen & Cortez Masto to express my opposition to war with Venezuela and encouraged them to speak out against it. Now is the time to be vocal and oppose the Trump regime's diversionary war moves!
can't find it in a theater; it came and went quickly. audiences seem to like it far better than critics. i'm hoping it will be streaming soon.
Please go watch "Nuremburg". Powerful and timely-- Hegseth is a war criminal.
yes, 100%
PBS World channel aired a program called “A More Perfect Union: inspiring civic and civil conversation across America. It’s a panel discussion with Ken Burns and Sarah Botsein, Co-Directors of The American Revolution. The conversation is about how America’s founding principles are relevant today, including how citizens work together as participants in a democracy. https://www.pbs.org/video/a-more-perfect-union-inspiring-civic-civil-conversations-across-america/ You can watch with PBS Passport or Amazon Prime video.
Other panelists are:
Jeffrey Rosen, President and CEO, National Constitution Center
Melody Barnes, Executive Director, University of Virginia Karsh Institute of Democracy
Yuval Levin, Director of Social, Cultural, and Constitutional Studies, American Enterprise Institute and author of American Covenant: How the Constitution unified our nation and could again.
yes, that is on my list! thanks for the reminder.
RFK, Jr. and his minions need to go.
With the real prospect of a leadership turnover in 2026, I hope House Dems are developing an aggressive agenda to be launched the instant Jeffries takes over. I would think that the economy must be the first priority, to show Americans we are working for their futures. Repeal the tariffs, a CR that restores ACA subsidies and SNAP, then a budget framework that kneecaps ICE, increase the top income tax rate, repealed carried interest exemption, etc. Then, national security: funding for Ukraine, hearings for Waltz, Gabbard, Hegseth, and repudiation of attacks on Venezuela, “drug” boats, etc.
Sarah, your comment made me think of an inspiring article by Stuart Stevens from September, “My Plea to Democrats: Stop Being Polite, Go Nuclear”
https://substack.com/home/post/p-172771795
One of my favorite suggestions about the actions to be taken as soon as Democrats regain the majority: “…To demonstrate to America the seriousness of [Democrats’] commitment to transforming the status quo with real change, keep the House in session for 24 hours. Make the first day the long day that America deserves.”
How glorious to imagine!
Stuart Stevens also says “nationalize Space X.” I like that idea.
“Malevolent” … Simon keeps using that description of Trump’s regime.
I can’t think of a better use of a single word to characterize Trump and all that he stands for. It smacks the proverbial nail right on the head!
Gonna be interesting to watch that special congressional election in Tennessee tomorrow. It’s a plus 22 GOP district. If the Dem brings it into single digits… a lot of GOP congressional members are going to head for the exits.
If she wins? Wow! GOPers might even start standing up to the malevolent and dangerous creep.
I hope Behn can capitalize on the recent scandals with last minute ads. I know the ad buys must be crazy right now, and I hope she had some in reserve!
She needs to get Dolly Parton maybe.
Outer Houston-area Texas Republican Congressman Troy Nehls announced he won't seek reelection in '26. He was elected in '20 and reelected in '22 and '24. But his margin of victory shrank from 27% in '22 to just 7% in the last election. Perhaps he sees the writing on the wall.
Borowitz has beautiful satire about Trump’s MRI:
. "Trump Claims MRI on His Brain Found Nothing"
WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report) — Boasting about his cognitive health, on Monday Donald J. Trump asserted than an MRI performed on his brain found nothing.
“I had a perfect MRI,” he told reporters. “The greatest doctors in the country looked at my brain and came up empty.”
Trump said there was no point in releasing his MRI because “there’s nothing to see,” adding, “It’s like the East Wing.”
https://www.borowitzreport.com/p/trump-claims-mri-on-his-brain-found
Or it could be a scan of a different part of the anatomy. It's like the East Wing. All ball room now.
The funny thing is, Trump wouldn’t dare invite anybody with real balls to his Ball Room.
I keep asking people to guestimate how many balls the ballroom will hold, but no one has given me a serious answer.
Ballroom delenda est.
Love Borowitz. In the video Simon shared, as soon as he said “it wasn’t my brain” I thought, “it was his brain,” although I do give him credit for pointing to his head when he said “brain.” He knows where the brain is supposed to be!
I called my 2 Republican TX senators and Republican Congressman Gonzales about Pete Hegseth's war crime and the need to pass healthcare legislation.
It's tight and tomorrow's the day, but Behn looks good, having climbed up to a 46% to Epps' 48% in the conservative Emerson poll published on 11/26.
Thanks, Simon! I called my Congressman and Senators.
I think we need to be framing that Aftyn Behn has already won by making this race competitive. Forcing the Rs to spend money and time on what should have been an easy election is a victory in itself. Our message needs to be that no R is safe anymore.
There was a good discussion this morning on The Daily Blast about how Trump is now appearing weak and why that matters. I think Simon's message is getting through.
Love that FDR quote in today’s post. Strong words that paint a picture of greed against patriotism. We could use more language like that today!
This MRI thing is becoming a "count the jellybeans in a jar" contest- is there a prize for whoever guesses the right body part? Geez.
It's the brain but you know they got a few scans of his dick just for laughs.
We're not even sure it was an MRI -- it could have been a CT or PET scan.
Congresspersons call script anyone can riff off of:
- [Senators] pass HR 6019. No handouts for GOP J6ers.
- I want to see consequences for Witkoff (coached Russia on how to manipulate the president) Noem (defied court orders sending people to a foreign prison in violation of 5th & 8th Amendments) & Hegseth (murdered people).
- Justice for Sarah Beckstrom: get Nat’l Guard off our streets where they are sitting targets for shooters and our national gun fetish. Also, shouldn’t flags be at half staff for her?
Simon, have you thought about getting Cait Conley for an interview? She is running against Lawler, assuming Lawler doesn't just retire.
She is inspiring. She would be great on the House Armed Services Committee.
Hello, everyone. I am back in Minneapolis after the holidays, and it is snowy and cold and beautiful. It's how it's supposed to be. It makes me feel hopeful. It really feels like this horrific period is for now, and it will pass. I hope the Democrats can put the best of themselves out into the world--be bold, be fearless, be compassionate, be smart, be visionary, to build a country of good government that leaves no one behind. (Including the people being persecuted by this administration).
After this communities' incredible support for Behn, I've been thinking about the power of what Simon has built, and I hope the broader party is inspired by this model. People want to believe in something. They want community. They want to work together. That's why TP USA was so successful, why MAGA was successful. It's why Indivisible is working. I hope as we keep fighting together under Simon's leadership, other pro-democracy movements begin building communities of proud plucky patriots. There are more of us than there are of them.
Happy Democracy December.
Started the week with this succinct message to my Dem reps:
"Hegseth and Noem must be held accountable for their illegal actions. As ever, Trump is unwell and unfit to serve. He must leave office immediately."
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