Bruce, do you pay attention to what we do here everyday? This community is all about action, doing, engaging, working it. Perhaps you can share what you are doing other than posting here......
Bruce, I am unhappy with your contributions on here of late. We don't need you to try to direct the activities of these community or tell us what to do. It's presumptuous and unwelcome. This post above is also unnecessarily combative and lecturing. Come here, share your good works, but do not try to start directing activity here or tell me or others what to do. This site has been encouraging grassroots activism for almost three years and has accomplished a great deal, together. This line - "So let's all work to get more of those folks engaged in the work this community is doing" - is what we do here, every day. We don't need you telling us what to do. We've been doing it for almost three years. Thank you - Simon
Thank you. I regret that you feel that way, and I have deleted my comment. However, I feel you misunderstood my comment. My activism and work align closely with yours, and so do my passions. I will continue to support your work and your Substack. I have only rarely commented here, and generally only to support your views. In the future, I will confine my views on the importance of civic engagement to my own Substack. I apologize for my comment; I'm sorry it was misunderstood or misinterpreted.
My intention was not to direct or tell anyone else what they should do. It was only to encourage others to engage in civic life and to thank all those already doing the work. I greatly admire and support your work, your voice, and your influence.
I will also continue my own civic engagement, grassroots organizing, and activism. I will continue to raise funds and help recruit, train, and build support networks for Democratic and progressive nonpartisan candidates for local offices statewide in Texas, with a focus on the long-ignored rural districts.
I thank you and all of you here in this community for what you do, your activism, and your good work.
Here is Washington County UT we have almost every open seat - from School Board to County Commissioner to Utah Senate & House seats - are now being contested by a Democrat. We are part of the Washington County Dems and will be supporting all these candidates in every way we can - financially, rallies, etc. Dems here are finally organizing and stepping up!
Thank you. That is what engagement looks like. We are also working here in Texas, making progress, and there are groups doing similar work in Blue and Red states across America. Thank you to all of them and to all those doing the work.
As a fellow Utahn up north, all I can say is that is amazing and I applaud the Washington County Dems an all involved in making that happen! Thanks for sharing and for your significant contributions.
In my opinion, getting informed is getting involved. I may not make a huge, splashy contribution by some people's standards, but I do share information I know. I have helped people in my circles with ballots and how to vote. They ultimately, make their own decisions, but I know I influence their decisions. I tell my friends what I know and encourage them to come here, etc. They, in turn, tell their family and friends. I believe small contributions are equally important. For "small" contributions lead to change. So, if I am just noise, I am okay with it bc noise does get attention and changes minds. JMO
Doesn't sound like "just noise" to me. Sounds like great communication--stay informed yourself and share what you learn with others so they can do the same. That's how change happens.
Thank you Simon. I sent a contribution to Mark Kelly yesterday. … IMHO the immediate release of all Epstein’s Files should be added to your 5 non-negotiable Democratic campaign points.
Simon, thanks for the great news about David Pepper! He would be fantastic in Ohio. This is really encouraging. I'm also seeing news that Mary Peltola is almost certainly going to run in Alaska. I haven't given up on swinging the Senate. One or two Supreme Court justices are likely to retire in the next few years and we can't let Trump appoint another.
I called Congressman Raskin about the ACA vote and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about the war powers resolution. I said I need them to be on the floor to vote. I'm continuing to work on my postcards to NC voters.
I wrote postcards for Scott Sanders, who ran in a special election for the Georgia House. No Democrat has run in this district since 2018. He got 29% of the vote: about 2000 voters. His campaign had the following positive effects: Democrats in this very red corner of the world now know that they have 1999 like minded friends, and the Repug had to get out and actually campaign. This is what a 50 state strategy looks like. One starts small and builds.
Ah, yes. Quite red. That's impressive for a DEM. I live in Pike south of Henry/Spalding/Fayette, and it is probably redder than Cherokee. The last time a DEM ran for anything was probably 15 years ago for county commissioner. She's well liked, very involved in community service, and a business owner, and could not gain traction. Common comment she heard: "I like you alot, but I could never vote for a Democrat. But I will pray for you." 😂 That is still the mind-set of Pike County.
Monday night we had about 200 people at a hastily called Indivisible demonstration in Las Cruces NM - lots of honking in solidarity! Making my calls and posting the capital switchboard phone number in comment sections across substack.
The Russian-allied Republican Communist Party has succeeded in its 1950's goal of overthrowing the government of the United States. The crazed old tv performer playing leader dances on his various stages, talking to himself in his demented monologues as he grabs our attention away from the smash-and-grab destruction committed by his cronies, toadies, and fellow-travelling grifters.
Meanwhile we are inching closer to gaining control of the House of Representatives. Are we ready... can we keep pushing toward tripping up and toppling the Reds and their loony chief commissar?
However, to be clear, the criminals in DC who are currently driving us to the edge aren't communists. Marx and Engles essentially argued that it is the insatiable greed of unrestrained capitalists that leads to revolution...which it did with tragic consequences in the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the subsequent 70 years of Soviet rule.
At this point, I don't see any way out of our crisis other than the eventual dismantling of the republican party (I know, cue hard eye rolls and laughter!). But whatever it is that follows our current era must NEVER smack of communism. Instead, what I hope rises out of the rubble of our republic will be a targeted rewriting of the constitution...starting with a much more precise articulation of the separation of powers...that assures far stronger safeguards against autocracy and a resulting renewal and reinvigoration of our democracy and its norms.
Jeff, pooty wants a NWO. miller, thiel, vought, musk, orange, vance, johnson, etc. are all too happy to help pooty with that. And it's important to remember that pooty is playing BOTH sides of the aisle.
I have concluded that President Trump and his goon squad has been transformed into Emperor Todd Serango, the planet of stupid people. He does a good simulation of Doctor Evil aka Mike Myers as well. Think of it! He put the US military especially the Delta Force at extreme risk to gain personal control over the Venezuelan oil patch. He believes that he can turn the Bolivarian government into Vichy France by only the threat of a follow on military invasion. To hell with democracy. Now the Venezuelan diaspora is about to learn a brutal lesson. Already the post Maduro regime is cracking down on its political opponents and digging in! A military escalation will be far more dangerous now that the element of surprise is gone.
It seems to me we are acting to prevent a democratic government in Venezuela. A democratic government would never agree to give away its natural resources. The Trump regime needs corrupt actors who will agree to pay their protection racket. At some point, we might wind up using our military to actively suppress democracy there. I don't see free and fair elections happening.
I ordered up some FT 6 postcards. They are the only ones I could find with active campaigns.
Contacted my Senators offices (actually got a human at Chris Murphy's for the first time! and Richard Blumenthal and asked them to vote for the Kaine war resolution and to protect our Nato allies) called Rep. John Larson's office to extend the ACA that I may not need it but my friends and neighbors do.
So, how about a new campaign to support the inspiring Acton-Pepper ticket in Ohio? While it may be a strategic departure from the Hopium Congressional strategy for 2026, what a great opportunity to put some genuinely wonderful public servants into office and turn one more red state purple…
so if you head back to the main post I just added a new campaign called "Winning Ohio." Our contributions there will be split evenly among Sherrod Brown, Action/Pepper ticket and the Ohio Democratic Party. Head there and donate if you are fired up to flip this critical battleground state blue!
So sorry to be a bother, but I can't find the "Winning Ohio" fund on today's post or under the Actions tab on the Hopium main page. Maybe I'm missing something or looking in the wrong place? I've been waiting to make a Sherrod Brown donation until Hopium put up a link so our community gets credit. And if there's a "Winning Ohio" link to split Brown and Acton/Pepper so much the better! Thanks! Maybe Lincoln can reply so that Simon can focus on other items.
I will look again! I finally found it on the main Hopium Substack page of today's post, but it wasn't on today's emailed version. Persistence paid off--with help from Elizabeth T--as I made the donation. Go, Ohio! And as a University of Michigan Law School graduate, it takes A LOT for me to say that!
I just called Rep Maloy's office on ACA extension and actually spoke to someone. Left messages for Sen Lee & Curtis to demand they sign onto the War Powers Resolution. My husband is the local co-chair of the Southern Utah Visibility Brigade. We have event today on an I-15 overpass. "No War For Oil" . Be loud and proud my friends!!
Hi everyone - Mark Kelly's strong refusal to bend the knee is so inspiring - and deserved given his biography. Standing up to this crowd baffles them and we all need to keep doing it! See you all tonight.
CALIFORNIA: Special Election with Old or New Maps?
Yesterday, Simon and I and others discussed whether or not California’s special election to replace Doug Malfa (who died yesterday) as Congressman in CA-01, would be conducted according to old or new maps? Today’s Morning Digest from David Nir & Jeff Singer of The Downballot focuses on just this question.
"Ordinarily, special elections that take place after redistricting but before the next general election use old district lines—but not always. A 2022 special election for Nebraska’s 1st District was held using the state’s new map that had been adopted the previous year, a move that did not face a legal challenge.
"One legal commentator, Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern, argued that Newsom should nonetheless order that the new boundaries be deployed.
"“It’s the map adopted by the people of California, and on top of being democratically defensible, it’s the kind of hardball that [Ron] DeSantis or [Greg] Abbott would obviously pull in the converse scenario,” he wrote on social media, referring to the Republican governors of Florida and Texas."
Thank you kindly! I’m usually stunned at how much territory you do manage to cover in your main post, while still keeping it unified. And always action-oriented!
There were five special elections yesterday. In four of them the result reflected the strong partisan lean of the respective districts, although we continued to see strong Democratic overperformances.
In South Carolina’s HD-98, at last count, the Republican candidate was leading by a scant 21 votes! This means this district’s election is probably headed for an automatic recount.
NB. Cross your fingers: It is possible that some uncounted provisional ballots remain to be tallied.
Bruce, do you pay attention to what we do here everyday? This community is all about action, doing, engaging, working it. Perhaps you can share what you are doing other than posting here......
Bruce, I am unhappy with your contributions on here of late. We don't need you to try to direct the activities of these community or tell us what to do. It's presumptuous and unwelcome. This post above is also unnecessarily combative and lecturing. Come here, share your good works, but do not try to start directing activity here or tell me or others what to do. This site has been encouraging grassroots activism for almost three years and has accomplished a great deal, together. This line - "So let's all work to get more of those folks engaged in the work this community is doing" - is what we do here, every day. We don't need you telling us what to do. We've been doing it for almost three years. Thank you - Simon
Simon,
Thank you. I regret that you feel that way, and I have deleted my comment. However, I feel you misunderstood my comment. My activism and work align closely with yours, and so do my passions. I will continue to support your work and your Substack. I have only rarely commented here, and generally only to support your views. In the future, I will confine my views on the importance of civic engagement to my own Substack. I apologize for my comment; I'm sorry it was misunderstood or misinterpreted.
My intention was not to direct or tell anyone else what they should do. It was only to encourage others to engage in civic life and to thank all those already doing the work. I greatly admire and support your work, your voice, and your influence.
I will also continue my own civic engagement, grassroots organizing, and activism. I will continue to raise funds and help recruit, train, and build support networks for Democratic and progressive nonpartisan candidates for local offices statewide in Texas, with a focus on the long-ignored rural districts.
I thank you and all of you here in this community for what you do, your activism, and your good work.
Here is Washington County UT we have almost every open seat - from School Board to County Commissioner to Utah Senate & House seats - are now being contested by a Democrat. We are part of the Washington County Dems and will be supporting all these candidates in every way we can - financially, rallies, etc. Dems here are finally organizing and stepping up!
Thank you. That is what engagement looks like. We are also working here in Texas, making progress, and there are groups doing similar work in Blue and Red states across America. Thank you to all of them and to all those doing the work.
As a fellow Utahn up north, all I can say is that is amazing and I applaud the Washington County Dems an all involved in making that happen! Thanks for sharing and for your significant contributions.
In my opinion, getting informed is getting involved. I may not make a huge, splashy contribution by some people's standards, but I do share information I know. I have helped people in my circles with ballots and how to vote. They ultimately, make their own decisions, but I know I influence their decisions. I tell my friends what I know and encourage them to come here, etc. They, in turn, tell their family and friends. I believe small contributions are equally important. For "small" contributions lead to change. So, if I am just noise, I am okay with it bc noise does get attention and changes minds. JMO
Thank you. It is actions such as those that move the needle.
Like the mustard seed
Doesn't sound like "just noise" to me. Sounds like great communication--stay informed yourself and share what you learn with others so they can do the same. That's how change happens.
I agree and we, in turn, also learn and share with others.
Oilagarchs will be the end of democracy and the world if we allow this travesty to continue…
Thank you Simon. I sent a contribution to Mark Kelly yesterday. … IMHO the immediate release of all Epstein’s Files should be added to your 5 non-negotiable Democratic campaign points.
Simon, thanks for the great news about David Pepper! He would be fantastic in Ohio. This is really encouraging. I'm also seeing news that Mary Peltola is almost certainly going to run in Alaska. I haven't given up on swinging the Senate. One or two Supreme Court justices are likely to retire in the next few years and we can't let Trump appoint another.
I called Congressman Raskin about the ACA vote and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about the war powers resolution. I said I need them to be on the floor to vote. I'm continuing to work on my postcards to NC voters.
Good news on Mary Peltola! Alaska Native with name recognition there. She has a real shot at winning.
I wrote postcards for Scott Sanders, who ran in a special election for the Georgia House. No Democrat has run in this district since 2018. He got 29% of the vote: about 2000 voters. His campaign had the following positive effects: Democrats in this very red corner of the world now know that they have 1999 like minded friends, and the Repug had to get out and actually campaign. This is what a 50 state strategy looks like. One starts small and builds.
Hey I'm in GA, too. What part of the state is this?
Cherokee County
Ah, yes. Quite red. That's impressive for a DEM. I live in Pike south of Henry/Spalding/Fayette, and it is probably redder than Cherokee. The last time a DEM ran for anything was probably 15 years ago for county commissioner. She's well liked, very involved in community service, and a business owner, and could not gain traction. Common comment she heard: "I like you alot, but I could never vote for a Democrat. But I will pray for you." 😂 That is still the mind-set of Pike County.
Monday night we had about 200 people at a hastily called Indivisible demonstration in Las Cruces NM - lots of honking in solidarity! Making my calls and posting the capital switchboard phone number in comment sections across substack.
The Russian-allied Republican Communist Party has succeeded in its 1950's goal of overthrowing the government of the United States. The crazed old tv performer playing leader dances on his various stages, talking to himself in his demented monologues as he grabs our attention away from the smash-and-grab destruction committed by his cronies, toadies, and fellow-travelling grifters.
Meanwhile we are inching closer to gaining control of the House of Representatives. Are we ready... can we keep pushing toward tripping up and toppling the Reds and their loony chief commissar?
To answer your question, hell to the YES!!!
However, to be clear, the criminals in DC who are currently driving us to the edge aren't communists. Marx and Engles essentially argued that it is the insatiable greed of unrestrained capitalists that leads to revolution...which it did with tragic consequences in the collapse of Tsarist Russia and the subsequent 70 years of Soviet rule.
At this point, I don't see any way out of our crisis other than the eventual dismantling of the republican party (I know, cue hard eye rolls and laughter!). But whatever it is that follows our current era must NEVER smack of communism. Instead, what I hope rises out of the rubble of our republic will be a targeted rewriting of the constitution...starting with a much more precise articulation of the separation of powers...that assures far stronger safeguards against autocracy and a resulting renewal and reinvigoration of our democracy and its norms.
Nobody is laughing at Marx anymore--this is late, late capitalism at work.
Jeff, pooty wants a NWO. miller, thiel, vought, musk, orange, vance, johnson, etc. are all too happy to help pooty with that. And it's important to remember that pooty is playing BOTH sides of the aisle.
I have concluded that President Trump and his goon squad has been transformed into Emperor Todd Serango, the planet of stupid people. He does a good simulation of Doctor Evil aka Mike Myers as well. Think of it! He put the US military especially the Delta Force at extreme risk to gain personal control over the Venezuelan oil patch. He believes that he can turn the Bolivarian government into Vichy France by only the threat of a follow on military invasion. To hell with democracy. Now the Venezuelan diaspora is about to learn a brutal lesson. Already the post Maduro regime is cracking down on its political opponents and digging in! A military escalation will be far more dangerous now that the element of surprise is gone.
It seems to me we are acting to prevent a democratic government in Venezuela. A democratic government would never agree to give away its natural resources. The Trump regime needs corrupt actors who will agree to pay their protection racket. At some point, we might wind up using our military to actively suppress democracy there. I don't see free and fair elections happening.
I ordered up some FT 6 postcards. They are the only ones I could find with active campaigns.
https://turnoutpac.org/postcards/
Postcards to Swing States has multiple News Boosting campaigns going, if anyone is interested. I just ordered some yesterday.
That one is new to me. Thanks I will check it out.
New to me too. Just ordered some. Thanks!
Contacted my Senators offices (actually got a human at Chris Murphy's for the first time! and Richard Blumenthal and asked them to vote for the Kaine war resolution and to protect our Nato allies) called Rep. John Larson's office to extend the ACA that I may not need it but my friends and neighbors do.
So, how about a new campaign to support the inspiring Acton-Pepper ticket in Ohio? While it may be a strategic departure from the Hopium Congressional strategy for 2026, what a great opportunity to put some genuinely wonderful public servants into office and turn one more red state purple…
so if you head back to the main post I just added a new campaign called "Winning Ohio." Our contributions there will be split evenly among Sherrod Brown, Action/Pepper ticket and the Ohio Democratic Party. Head there and donate if you are fired up to flip this critical battleground state blue!
Awesome - I will be contributing today!
So sorry to be a bother, but I can't find the "Winning Ohio" fund on today's post or under the Actions tab on the Hopium main page. Maybe I'm missing something or looking in the wrong place? I've been waiting to make a Sherrod Brown donation until Hopium put up a link so our community gets credit. And if there's a "Winning Ohio" link to split Brown and Acton/Pepper so much the better! Thanks! Maybe Lincoln can reply so that Simon can focus on other items.
It was there when I read the post, right with all the other active campaigns.
Ok thanks
I will look again! I finally found it on the main Hopium Substack page of today's post, but it wasn't on today's emailed version. Persistence paid off--with help from Elizabeth T--as I made the donation. Go, Ohio! And as a University of Michigan Law School graduate, it takes A LOT for me to say that!
I just called Rep Maloy's office on ACA extension and actually spoke to someone. Left messages for Sen Lee & Curtis to demand they sign onto the War Powers Resolution. My husband is the local co-chair of the Southern Utah Visibility Brigade. We have event today on an I-15 overpass. "No War For Oil" . Be loud and proud my friends!!
Hi everyone - Mark Kelly's strong refusal to bend the knee is so inspiring - and deserved given his biography. Standing up to this crowd baffles them and we all need to keep doing it! See you all tonight.
CALIFORNIA: Special Election with Old or New Maps?
Yesterday, Simon and I and others discussed whether or not California’s special election to replace Doug Malfa (who died yesterday) as Congressman in CA-01, would be conducted according to old or new maps? Today’s Morning Digest from David Nir & Jeff Singer of The Downballot focuses on just this question.
https://www.the-downballot.com/p/morning-digest-heres-how-republican
Here is part of what they write:
"Ordinarily, special elections that take place after redistricting but before the next general election use old district lines—but not always. A 2022 special election for Nebraska’s 1st District was held using the state’s new map that had been adopted the previous year, a move that did not face a legal challenge.
"One legal commentator, Slate’s Mark Joseph Stern, argued that Newsom should nonetheless order that the new boundaries be deployed.
"“It’s the map adopted by the people of California, and on top of being democratically defensible, it’s the kind of hardball that [Ron] DeSantis or [Greg] Abbott would obviously pull in the converse scenario,” he wrote on social media, referring to the Republican governors of Florida and Texas."
A/S grateful for your contributions here.....I cannot get to everything in the main post so these addendums and explanations are helpful.....
Thank you kindly! I’m usually stunned at how much territory you do manage to cover in your main post, while still keeping it unified. And always action-oriented!
Thinking back to Nixon and all his noise about law and order, the Republicans no longer care either, domestically or internationally.
As Stuart Stevens says, "It was all a lie."
There were five special elections yesterday. In four of them the result reflected the strong partisan lean of the respective districts, although we continued to see strong Democratic overperformances.
In South Carolina’s HD-98, at last count, the Republican candidate was leading by a scant 21 votes! This means this district’s election is probably headed for an automatic recount.
NB. Cross your fingers: It is possible that some uncounted provisional ballots remain to be tallied.
Two VA special elections went to Dems: Michael Jones won State Senate District 15 and Charlie Schmidt won House of Delegates District 77