Self report. I have just completed a three part training in strategic non-cooperation to fight authoritarianism. The sessions have been recorded and can be seen here by anyone who wants to learn about these strategies for a resistance that addresses all the pillars of society supporting authoritarianism
Gene Wu, leader of the Texas Dem legislators breaking quorum, spoke to us during the training. He was moved to tears when he realized there were 20K on the zoom plus others watching streams hearing him and supporting the effort.
Last night in the session a new action/campaign was discussed "Ground Avelo" that everyone can take part in no matter where you are as it has many facets for action. Avelo airlines has a contract with ice to do flights for ICE in unmarked planes. Here's the link
As someone who has practiced and taught community organizing for decades, I saw in these sessions a remarkable distillation of what we've learned and an escalation in scale of what we are attempting. Heartily recommend following and absorbing Lyn Gerry's link. We can do this!!
I was on the call too - it was great! The other major initiative involved Workers Over Billionaires - talking to small business owners and getting them to 1) do "know your rights" trainings 2) designate "staff only" zones where ICE cannot go without a judicial warrant and 3) Put "No ICE" signs in their shop windows (downloadable from NoKings). They are calling it Solidarity Canvassing to support labor in anticipation of Labor Day. Here is the signup link: https://act.indivisible.org/signup/signs-solidarity-canvassing/
I'm watching session 3 tomorrow- really pleased about Gene Wu being on it!
Adding my endorsement to this series of trainings for everyone here! It's very encouraging to have more tools of resistance than what we've used so far, and no one can ever take learning from you, so you'll always have it when you need it.
I've been on all three training seminars also. There have been protests against Avelo at Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa AZ for a number of months. I haven't done any because the heat here in the Phoenix area can be brutal. But I'm glad to see an escalation and hope to join them when it cools off some. In the meantime I've been doing a Fox take down car caravan. This weekend will be #3. As a licensed allied health care professional I signed the petition with Stand Up for Science to impeach and remove RFK Jr with my full professional credentials. I could feel Gene Wu's emotion through my computer screen.
Hi Patriots - I've been making my calls. Today, I used Simon's suggestion from last night to suggest that my two Dem Senators get back to D.C., at least in rotation. I left a message for Hickenlooper, and the staffer at Bennet's office who answered said a lot of calls have been about this.
For Boebert, who I hope goes on permanent vacation, I talked about vaccines. They are personal for me who had a bad reaction to Covid infection in 2023, so I want her to make sure the vaccines are updated for the latest strains when I get my shots this fall.
Simon, I have to say that as a mental health professional, your descriptions of Trump, and the mechanisms behind his actions as a flailing malignant Narcissist are dead on.
Emailed my congressman using the theme of stand up for science. He is an R; I find it helpful to include quotes from other R's who have served, or or serving in this administration, to bolster my message.
Kathleen, don't forget to bug buildings/bridges/sports arenas to light up for different awareness months. It's not just about writing members of Congress. The simple act of awareness can go further than bugging members of CONgress.
Many people (and I am one) bemoan the absence of a strong, coordinated Dem messaging operation. But I wonder who is the leader of our party when it is out of power - Ken Martin? Pres. Biden? VP Harris? The DNC works with and for state parties but not (as far as I know) with or for elected Dems in Congress. So how do we get everyone on the same page? This seems a conundrum.
Self-report: I called the offices of my members of Congress and reached staff for Rep. Larsen and Sen. Cantwell. I'm really pushing for them to up their game, to act not just as a legislators but as patriotic leaders standing with us in the fight to save American freedom, democracy and the constitutions.
I had to leave a message with Sen. Murray. I may try calling again later. In her case, I wanted to underline what she is doing well and encourage more of the same. In addition, I want her to strike a patriotic note in her stances.
I gave my third donation to Sen. Ossoff and my third donation to Mikey Sherrill.
I'm doing a little preparation for the upcoming endorsement meeting of the Whatcom County Democrats. If I am ever to get anywhere in promoting resolutions, I have to be a more integrated participant in local politics and my local democratic organization.
I'm going to stress standing up for the sciences here. I'm going to provide ways to do this that Simon didn't talk about. IF you contact many different buildings, including the Sears Tower. IF you contact Wrigley Field, they will light up/signs/scoreboards for awareness. Bridges in Pennsylvania and other buildings do that, too. It's done all year. They light up whatever color/light a sign during whatever month of awareness it is. Please contact them. For example. The Sears Tower and Wrigley are bringing awareness to Appendix Cancer Awareness Month this month.
How was this done? Enough people simply contacted the buildings/sports arenas/bridge operators. This isn't just exclusive to the US. It happens around the world. If you politely and firmly get enough people to ask to light up the building/light up a scoreboard, light up a bridge, things happen.
Politely and firmly bug your members of Congress for awareness and funding. Especially for the rare diseases that don't get attention and money. When Hamilton had the original run in Chicago, Miguel Cervantes, who was Hamilton, had a daughter with a rare disease that wasn't even diagnosed at the time. She passed after. Now, that disease has a name. It just takes a heck of a lot of awareness and money.
IF you donate to certain charities, look twice at where your money goes. A lot of money during Breast Cancer Awareness month doesn't go to research. Too much of that goes to the CEOs of the charities. So be careful. Especially of something like Pinkwashing. Yes, it even has a name.
Self Report. I reached out to my rep and one of two senators, pushing them to take a more pro-active, vocal opposition to this administration, by any means necessary. I also sent a note to Kamala Harris via her webpage, suggesting the idea of her doing a Fighting Oligarchy a la Sanders tour through every state with a focus on red states.
Self-Report: Attended a town hall event on Monday with US Rep (D) who took questions for 1.5 hours. Some of the topics ranged from how to get help, what he's been doing to block Trump, and his response to Gaza starvation and Israeli bombings, and who he takes campaign donations from. It was a really productive and informative meeting. So fortunate to have a Democrat in my district.
Making daily calls and emails to White House, and Senators (R).
Simon, thank you for last night's infusion of hope and reality.
Today's Democrats' Daily Blueprint on YouTube notes the birthday of Social Security. Makes me extra proud to be a Democrat. I'm noticing more and more Democratic leaders beginning their statements with "I'm a proud Democrat." I think that's an important way to convey strength.
Here in MD, Governor Moore and Baltimore Mayor Scott are out there defending our state. When there was a Republican in the Governor's Mansion and Baltimore didn't have a partner, Baltimore was averaging almost a homicide a day. Now, with Democrats in charge, crime is at a 50-year low.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about getting louder on the debt and about not funding ICE expansion. I'm writing postcards for Virginia voters today.
And Heather Cox Richardson had a GREAT post today discussing the vital role played by Sec. of Labor Frances Perkins in the development, adoption and implementation of Social Security. Since she was a woman, no doubt Trump will want her name and accomplishments expunged from the history books, but we WILL remember and celebrate. Thank you, Ms. Perkins. And thank you FDR for appointing her to this impactful job.
If you read Money, Lies and God , The Republican attack on science and education should come as no surprise because there are very rich republicans wanting only private schools, no public schools , a kind of retirn to pre- civil war existence and only people who can afford insurance and doctors should have health care. We have to change the vocabulary away from Trump to Republicans. Republicans want you to die earlier so you dont live unproductive lives as useless elderly people, And why should the wrong people be educated? Trump is not the only one who wants pre- voter rights, lyndon Johnson days. I was on a zoom with No Kings last night who had the Texas Senator explain what was happening in Texas but why it was so important to fight. Every democrat should be encouraged to sign up to just feel so good about speaking out anf for democracy.
I know you've said for months that two things are true: (1) Trump is still doing great harm and (2) Trump the strongman brand is unpopular and failing. If he can still do great harm, if the MAGA Party is still facilitating all his authoritarian goals (see Gov Abbott, etc) then does the fact that the "brand" is "failing" matter, except that it makes him more extreme? It's failure does not seem to stop any of the destruction. When does the brand failure actually help the country?
Speaking for myself, and based on what I've learned here, yes, the fact that trump's brand is unpopular matters. Simon's never said that's the end goal, but it's a necessary start. The less popular trump is, the more likely it is that he loses his ability to scare and bully others. I think this might be especially true if, say Spanberger has a huge win in VA in November, and the congressionals really start to focus on the November '26 election. Just my opinion as a political layperson, but one who has come to put a great deal of trust in Simon's judgement on these matters.
Your logic, to me, makes a lot of sense. His unrelentless pulling of his power levers shows his unbridled strength and encourage him further to go on the attack as he sees his plummeting poll numbers... which do little to act as a check while he ravages our democracy.
I am allergic to “We hafta …,” (fight, fight like hell, draw red lines that cannot be crossed, stop ICE…). I’m not a Minuteman, I can’t punch anybody, nobody is handing out torches for a midnight raid on Mar a Lago, and the BlubberyDude has been stepping across any lines since I was a kid in Brooklyn and his father taught him that paying fines was cheaper than complying with the law.
Mostly, here in the Sierra Nevada, I’m trying to convince the minority Dems that hinging all decisions on stopping “Gaza” is a very bad idea, and convincing the general public that tariffs and measles really do affect us, and that Spanish is not the devil’s language. Not to mention that academia is not full of woke sorcerers and that the National Guard is an integral arm of the firefighting coalition and should not be standing around peaceful city centers. Gavin, Schiff, and Padilla, not to mention Ray Bonta, are on the side of the avenging angels of righteousness. I support, but do NOT think I know better than they do.
Thanks Simon, for the call last night and the message today. I will focus on "impeach Kennedy" in my calls today. I hope you get some well-deserved downtime, at least partially in a place with no wifi.
I continue to volunteer weekly with a local group that supports immigrants. One grateful smile is worth the whole shift for me. Spouse is doing the same (in fact there now). I have 100 new postcards for VA that are due to be mailed Sep. 3. The headline this time for each postcard is "Trump's Medicaid cuts threaten Virginia's hospitals and free clinics", and the message encourages recipients to tell their loved ones they could lose access to healthcare and face higher prices, even if they're not on Medicaid. Seems potentially effective, hope it moves the needle even a little, and Spanberger has a crushing (CRUSHING!) win.
Self report. I have just completed a three part training in strategic non-cooperation to fight authoritarianism. The sessions have been recorded and can be seen here by anyone who wants to learn about these strategies for a resistance that addresses all the pillars of society supporting authoritarianism
https://www.nokings.org/rise?emci=b41600b8-1679-f011-b481-6045bdfe8e9c&emdi=dd113dab-2579-f011-b481-6045bdfe8e9c&ceid=3194913
Gene Wu, leader of the Texas Dem legislators breaking quorum, spoke to us during the training. He was moved to tears when he realized there were 20K on the zoom plus others watching streams hearing him and supporting the effort.
Last night in the session a new action/campaign was discussed "Ground Avelo" that everyone can take part in no matter where you are as it has many facets for action. Avelo airlines has a contract with ice to do flights for ICE in unmarked planes. Here's the link
https://www.groundavelo.org/
As someone who has practiced and taught community organizing for decades, I saw in these sessions a remarkable distillation of what we've learned and an escalation in scale of what we are attempting. Heartily recommend following and absorbing Lyn Gerry's link. We can do this!!
Thank you Lyn. I missed part 3 yesterday, and look forward to catching up. We are... a million risiing.
I was on the call too - it was great! The other major initiative involved Workers Over Billionaires - talking to small business owners and getting them to 1) do "know your rights" trainings 2) designate "staff only" zones where ICE cannot go without a judicial warrant and 3) Put "No ICE" signs in their shop windows (downloadable from NoKings). They are calling it Solidarity Canvassing to support labor in anticipation of Labor Day. Here is the signup link: https://act.indivisible.org/signup/signs-solidarity-canvassing/
Gene Wu was AWESOME!
So great to know the Hopium community was present!
I thought the idea of peaceful demonstrations against Avelo was good. Here is a list of which airports they fly out of:
https://www.aveloair.com/airports
Notice how many of these airports are small. Some of them are in very blue places, such as Eugene OR.
And Eureka/Arcata, CA.
I'm watching session 3 tomorrow- really pleased about Gene Wu being on it!
Adding my endorsement to this series of trainings for everyone here! It's very encouraging to have more tools of resistance than what we've used so far, and no one can ever take learning from you, so you'll always have it when you need it.
I've been on all three training seminars also. There have been protests against Avelo at Williams Gateway Airport in Mesa AZ for a number of months. I haven't done any because the heat here in the Phoenix area can be brutal. But I'm glad to see an escalation and hope to join them when it cools off some. In the meantime I've been doing a Fox take down car caravan. This weekend will be #3. As a licensed allied health care professional I signed the petition with Stand Up for Science to impeach and remove RFK Jr with my full professional credentials. I could feel Gene Wu's emotion through my computer screen.
I saw session 3 too. I will watch 1,2 very soon and try to get involved.
Hi Patriots - I've been making my calls. Today, I used Simon's suggestion from last night to suggest that my two Dem Senators get back to D.C., at least in rotation. I left a message for Hickenlooper, and the staffer at Bennet's office who answered said a lot of calls have been about this.
For Boebert, who I hope goes on permanent vacation, I talked about vaccines. They are personal for me who had a bad reaction to Covid infection in 2023, so I want her to make sure the vaccines are updated for the latest strains when I get my shots this fall.
Simon, I have to say that as a mental health professional, your descriptions of Trump, and the mechanisms behind his actions as a flailing malignant Narcissist are dead on.
Emailed my congressman using the theme of stand up for science. He is an R; I find it helpful to include quotes from other R's who have served, or or serving in this administration, to bolster my message.
Kathleen, don't forget to bug buildings/bridges/sports arenas to light up for different awareness months. It's not just about writing members of Congress. The simple act of awareness can go further than bugging members of CONgress.
It all can make a difference. Am participating in local rallies.
Many people (and I am one) bemoan the absence of a strong, coordinated Dem messaging operation. But I wonder who is the leader of our party when it is out of power - Ken Martin? Pres. Biden? VP Harris? The DNC works with and for state parties but not (as far as I know) with or for elected Dems in Congress. So how do we get everyone on the same page? This seems a conundrum.
Self-report: I called the offices of my members of Congress and reached staff for Rep. Larsen and Sen. Cantwell. I'm really pushing for them to up their game, to act not just as a legislators but as patriotic leaders standing with us in the fight to save American freedom, democracy and the constitutions.
I had to leave a message with Sen. Murray. I may try calling again later. In her case, I wanted to underline what she is doing well and encourage more of the same. In addition, I want her to strike a patriotic note in her stances.
I gave my third donation to Sen. Ossoff and my third donation to Mikey Sherrill.
I'm doing a little preparation for the upcoming endorsement meeting of the Whatcom County Democrats. If I am ever to get anywhere in promoting resolutions, I have to be a more integrated participant in local politics and my local democratic organization.
I'm going to stress standing up for the sciences here. I'm going to provide ways to do this that Simon didn't talk about. IF you contact many different buildings, including the Sears Tower. IF you contact Wrigley Field, they will light up/signs/scoreboards for awareness. Bridges in Pennsylvania and other buildings do that, too. It's done all year. They light up whatever color/light a sign during whatever month of awareness it is. Please contact them. For example. The Sears Tower and Wrigley are bringing awareness to Appendix Cancer Awareness Month this month.
How was this done? Enough people simply contacted the buildings/sports arenas/bridge operators. This isn't just exclusive to the US. It happens around the world. If you politely and firmly get enough people to ask to light up the building/light up a scoreboard, light up a bridge, things happen.
Politely and firmly bug your members of Congress for awareness and funding. Especially for the rare diseases that don't get attention and money. When Hamilton had the original run in Chicago, Miguel Cervantes, who was Hamilton, had a daughter with a rare disease that wasn't even diagnosed at the time. She passed after. Now, that disease has a name. It just takes a heck of a lot of awareness and money.
IF you donate to certain charities, look twice at where your money goes. A lot of money during Breast Cancer Awareness month doesn't go to research. Too much of that goes to the CEOs of the charities. So be careful. Especially of something like Pinkwashing. Yes, it even has a name.
Self Report. I reached out to my rep and one of two senators, pushing them to take a more pro-active, vocal opposition to this administration, by any means necessary. I also sent a note to Kamala Harris via her webpage, suggesting the idea of her doing a Fighting Oligarchy a la Sanders tour through every state with a focus on red states.
Not to brag but I’ve been calling about investigating and impeaching RFK jr awhile now. Happy to sign the petition and will continue to beat the drum.
Self-Report: Attended a town hall event on Monday with US Rep (D) who took questions for 1.5 hours. Some of the topics ranged from how to get help, what he's been doing to block Trump, and his response to Gaza starvation and Israeli bombings, and who he takes campaign donations from. It was a really productive and informative meeting. So fortunate to have a Democrat in my district.
Making daily calls and emails to White House, and Senators (R).
Simon, thank you for last night's infusion of hope and reality.
Today's Democrats' Daily Blueprint on YouTube notes the birthday of Social Security. Makes me extra proud to be a Democrat. I'm noticing more and more Democratic leaders beginning their statements with "I'm a proud Democrat." I think that's an important way to convey strength.
Here in MD, Governor Moore and Baltimore Mayor Scott are out there defending our state. When there was a Republican in the Governor's Mansion and Baltimore didn't have a partner, Baltimore was averaging almost a homicide a day. Now, with Democrats in charge, crime is at a 50-year low.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen about getting louder on the debt and about not funding ICE expansion. I'm writing postcards for Virginia voters today.
i'm a proud democrat too! and enjoying my Soc Sec!
And Heather Cox Richardson had a GREAT post today discussing the vital role played by Sec. of Labor Frances Perkins in the development, adoption and implementation of Social Security. Since she was a woman, no doubt Trump will want her name and accomplishments expunged from the history books, but we WILL remember and celebrate. Thank you, Ms. Perkins. And thank you FDR for appointing her to this impactful job.
Have donated to Ossoff
If you read Money, Lies and God , The Republican attack on science and education should come as no surprise because there are very rich republicans wanting only private schools, no public schools , a kind of retirn to pre- civil war existence and only people who can afford insurance and doctors should have health care. We have to change the vocabulary away from Trump to Republicans. Republicans want you to die earlier so you dont live unproductive lives as useless elderly people, And why should the wrong people be educated? Trump is not the only one who wants pre- voter rights, lyndon Johnson days. I was on a zoom with No Kings last night who had the Texas Senator explain what was happening in Texas but why it was so important to fight. Every democrat should be encouraged to sign up to just feel so good about speaking out anf for democracy.
I know you've said for months that two things are true: (1) Trump is still doing great harm and (2) Trump the strongman brand is unpopular and failing. If he can still do great harm, if the MAGA Party is still facilitating all his authoritarian goals (see Gov Abbott, etc) then does the fact that the "brand" is "failing" matter, except that it makes him more extreme? It's failure does not seem to stop any of the destruction. When does the brand failure actually help the country?
Speaking for myself, and based on what I've learned here, yes, the fact that trump's brand is unpopular matters. Simon's never said that's the end goal, but it's a necessary start. The less popular trump is, the more likely it is that he loses his ability to scare and bully others. I think this might be especially true if, say Spanberger has a huge win in VA in November, and the congressionals really start to focus on the November '26 election. Just my opinion as a political layperson, but one who has come to put a great deal of trust in Simon's judgement on these matters.
Your logic, to me, makes a lot of sense. His unrelentless pulling of his power levers shows his unbridled strength and encourage him further to go on the attack as he sees his plummeting poll numbers... which do little to act as a check while he ravages our democracy.
I am allergic to “We hafta …,” (fight, fight like hell, draw red lines that cannot be crossed, stop ICE…). I’m not a Minuteman, I can’t punch anybody, nobody is handing out torches for a midnight raid on Mar a Lago, and the BlubberyDude has been stepping across any lines since I was a kid in Brooklyn and his father taught him that paying fines was cheaper than complying with the law.
Mostly, here in the Sierra Nevada, I’m trying to convince the minority Dems that hinging all decisions on stopping “Gaza” is a very bad idea, and convincing the general public that tariffs and measles really do affect us, and that Spanish is not the devil’s language. Not to mention that academia is not full of woke sorcerers and that the National Guard is an integral arm of the firefighting coalition and should not be standing around peaceful city centers. Gavin, Schiff, and Padilla, not to mention Ray Bonta, are on the side of the avenging angels of righteousness. I support, but do NOT think I know better than they do.
Thanks Simon, for the call last night and the message today. I will focus on "impeach Kennedy" in my calls today. I hope you get some well-deserved downtime, at least partially in a place with no wifi.
I continue to volunteer weekly with a local group that supports immigrants. One grateful smile is worth the whole shift for me. Spouse is doing the same (in fact there now). I have 100 new postcards for VA that are due to be mailed Sep. 3. The headline this time for each postcard is "Trump's Medicaid cuts threaten Virginia's hospitals and free clinics", and the message encourages recipients to tell their loved ones they could lose access to healthcare and face higher prices, even if they're not on Medicaid. Seems potentially effective, hope it moves the needle even a little, and Spanberger has a crushing (CRUSHING!) win.