Emailed both OH Senators re: their responsibility to TAKE responsibility re: the war with Iran, as assigned to them in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. My email to my congressman focused on "public funding for the ballroom" as he is a member of the propaganda squad deployed to cable news to advocate for this.
Hey Simon, In your weekly chat you said you did an interview where you talked about how your outlook has shifted. Can you share that interview? I would be very interested in seeing it.
I believe he was discussing his interview with Amy Hoggart. Here is the link, but if someone could confirm this is the interview he meant, it would be great. I did listen to it. It was very interesting. Even got some baseball history in there.
I’m headed out to a MayDay Strong rally later today. While I agree with Simon that electoral action should be our primary focus, I agree with Indivisible and others that we need to flex our civil/economic muscle as a warmup for reacting to the inevitable fuckery (thanks for that term, Simon) post election. We can use more than one tactic in our defense of democracy, like we can campaign on both “kitchen table” AND “Democracy” issues (and environment, and many other areas at risk). We have several elected officials speaking at the rally in Redwood City, including a CA state senator and a county supervisor, so the local political establishment is on board.
I posted this last night, but it's worth posting again when more Hopium colleagues will see it:
For those in need of a talk that might prompt optimism, here's Timothy Snyder interviewing Lawrence Lessig "on the end of dark money"!! Super interesting about dark money, the history and meaning of freedom of speech, and more.
Here's the website to follow the legal case Lessig talks about (and Neal Katyal will try): https://equalcitizens.us
The last few days have been brutal news-wise. Brutal. And I had no idea this case was in the works at all. The call to action is to share widely since that will help the case when it gets to SCOTUS.
thanks for the Snyder content, always welcome! Also, Dr. Ben-Ghiat will be doing her weekly live meeting on Sunday at 8 pm featuring Adam Klasfeld. YES
Simon mentioned in his weekly talk that the purpose of his trip to Maine was because the party asked him to come and talk about unifying after the primary. I would enjoy an interview with Planter like we had with Sharrod.
there are a number of democrats who will just not support him over past behaviors. period. but they don't all live in maine. there were headlines in the gop aligned press celebrating mills getting out. could be hubris on their part, who knows. he has done the hard work of campaigning, but as rachel bitecofer points out, primary voters are a small number and when you make big promises to them, inevitably they turn on you when you can't deliver, due to our governmental structure. collins is a survivor who brings home cash to maine, and everyone there knows it. but this could be a wave that washes her away.
Platner has a lot of baggage. When he first came out, I was excited about him. When the Nazi tattoo history came out, I listened to his explanation. It was lacking in my view. But, I only listened to his explanation(s) once. It would benefit him and those running his campaign to stop blaming the establishment for the attacks his past mistakes have brought or will bring, own them and try to move on. Just my opinion and I don't live in Maine.
What is the impact of the horrendous recent Supreme Court decision, gutting voting rights, on the plan/hope to "Blue Wave" in the midterms? I missed Wednesday's meeting.
I am just disgusted but not surprised by the overt racism, the race to the bottom in AL, MS, TX, FL, etc. I have visited a couple of those states, and spent a good deal of time in AL a couple years back. To say it's lost in time is an understatement. Selma looked like it was 1965. Roads not repaved, NO internet, no library, few businesses open. And Gov. Ivey is all, "sure, let's F with our House seats." The masks (hoods?) are off. I know people in AL, GA, & TX. This is not the majority's will, not by a long shot. As Simon indicates, I don't think this will play out the way they think it will.
Last night's' emergency call on Callais put on by No Kings was on point and very inspiring, featured a ton of great info and some civil rights heroes - highly recommend! Here's the link if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/EoFf6vHLmt0?si=hnGXkA1cYmVjEN-j
Making calls to Booker & Kim re war hearings/authorization, shadow hearings on the economy. HEARINGS. We want 'em! They were very successful confronting Kegseth. We want more accountability hearings.
And f 'em and their voting chicanery - signup to volunteer at VoteRiders and help folks get voter ID: https://voteriders.org/volunteer/
- and thanks, Simon, for expanding the playing field, which was obvious before and is now essential! - keep going, y'all.
Hi Lisa - there is a documented inverse relationship between racist states and fiscal, educational, and quality of life success that underscores your experience in AL. Racism is not only ugly and sick, but it leads to the breakdown of society in almost every way. Look at a map of the US that shows poverty levels, educational levels, dependence on the federal government and you see those states in the Deep South rise to the top of the list. Who thought we'd have to negotiate Reconstruction again in 2026?
What I know is that our Black American friends know how to persevere, fight like hell, and work hard to gain equality, and we can learn many lessons about our current state of the union from them. Let's put our arms around each other and beat these bastards.
100%. Last night's No Kings call was so inspiring. Hey, my desktop background here at work is the famous photo of John Lewis confronting the AL State Troopers.
and yet you will hear all about the mississippi miracle; dramatic improvements in reading scores due to implementing phonics, which somehow became a conservative darling. don't fall for it; 4th grade scores went up, simply by holding kids back and not letting the worst performers take the tests. and by 8th grade any gains had evaporated. if you can't hold onto the gains, it's not real progress. because whole language is a liberal plot to indoctrinate kids.....
In case you missed it, the national mass zoom held by No Kings in reaction to the Callais decision was last night. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoFf6vHLmt0
It's 90 minutes and worth it, really energizing and inspiring, places this moment in history. Clearly they knew what was coming and were prepared to announce:
John Lewis Good Trouble weekend, July 17-19, to be full of pro-democracy, voting access and rights activities.
Yes, I was so pumped up last night that I posted it right after it ended at 9:30, but the late night crew on Hopium are a small bunch, so reposted, and then saw you had too.
Platner has celebrity credentials, lots of money, and is in the lead. He doesn't need our support the same way other candidates in who are in critical races that haven't drawn national attention do.
Gas was up 30 cents this week in San Jose, CA. I saw a couple stations where premium gas has topped $7!!! Californians are used to paying more, because of additional refining requirments and gas tax for road maintenance, but this is record territory. We have the most cars of any state by far, and air quality is still good because of the cleaner gas. How long until we have gas lines like the 1970s?
It might give an additional boost to plug-in electrics, but you better have a home charger in most places. Public electric charger infrastructure is growing, but it's not there yet. Just don't buy Tesla. There are way too many Teslas on the road. I drive a Ford hybrid with a magnetic bumper sticker that says "F ELON" im Tesla font letters.
It appears the stock market is completely untethered from economic reality, approaching record highs. How long will that continue?
Trump is doing in two months for alternative energy what the environmental movement has been attempting for 30 years! But to be fair, the pivot away from fossil fuels could not have happened without all this important work. I love my hybrid and my solar panels! When I got the panels, the salesman told me that I would not be impacted by rate increases from the electric company, and I sort of inwardly scoffed, thinking that wouldn't save me much money. But now?! He was on the money!
Holy smokes! For the first time ever, I reached staffers at both Tillis and Budd's DC offices. I don't know that that's a good thing, but I told each staffer that I am upset that the administration is trying to make the American people sicker, poorer, and dumber.
Things that are sparking joy for me today: I put 25 more news-boosting postcards in the mail today for NC voters. My daughter created a prairie in our side yard four years ago and the milkweed is going crazy. This little prairie is filled with wild flowers and the insects love it. As I drove into work (I had to administer a make up exam despite the general strike), I noticed that a neighbor is cutting down his Bradford Pear tree. I hope he replaces it with an oak! Another neighbor has taken down all his MAGA signs and replaced them with Easter bunnies and Easter eggs -- renewal in action!
I’d be curious to know how many of the people being priced out of healthcare live in…Louisiana.
Brian Kemp is running for president in 2028, methinks.
Very much looking forward to Simon’s report from Maine.
Emailed both OH Senators re: their responsibility to TAKE responsibility re: the war with Iran, as assigned to them in Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution. My email to my congressman focused on "public funding for the ballroom" as he is a member of the propaganda squad deployed to cable news to advocate for this.
Hey Simon, In your weekly chat you said you did an interview where you talked about how your outlook has shifted. Can you share that interview? I would be very interested in seeing it.
I believe he was discussing his interview with Amy Hoggart. Here is the link, but if someone could confirm this is the interview he meant, it would be great. I did listen to it. It was very interesting. Even got some baseball history in there.
https://substack.com/@amyhoggart/note/c-251531360
thanks for all you do. I love seeing what things the community is doing each day -- it keeps me going
Same, Kathy! And it gives me ideas.
I’m headed out to a MayDay Strong rally later today. While I agree with Simon that electoral action should be our primary focus, I agree with Indivisible and others that we need to flex our civil/economic muscle as a warmup for reacting to the inevitable fuckery (thanks for that term, Simon) post election. We can use more than one tactic in our defense of democracy, like we can campaign on both “kitchen table” AND “Democracy” issues (and environment, and many other areas at risk). We have several elected officials speaking at the rally in Redwood City, including a CA state senator and a county supervisor, so the local political establishment is on board.
I am all in on RECONSTRUCTION 2: ELECTION BOOGALOO
LOVE THIS
Hey, as long as it goes better than Reconstruction 1, I’m all for it 😆
I posted this last night, but it's worth posting again when more Hopium colleagues will see it:
For those in need of a talk that might prompt optimism, here's Timothy Snyder interviewing Lawrence Lessig "on the end of dark money"!! Super interesting about dark money, the history and meaning of freedom of speech, and more.
https://snyder.substack.com/p/thinking-live-with-lawrence-lessig
Here's the website to follow the legal case Lessig talks about (and Neal Katyal will try): https://equalcitizens.us
The last few days have been brutal news-wise. Brutal. And I had no idea this case was in the works at all. The call to action is to share widely since that will help the case when it gets to SCOTUS.
thanks for the Snyder content, always welcome! Also, Dr. Ben-Ghiat will be doing her weekly live meeting on Sunday at 8 pm featuring Adam Klasfeld. YES
Oh that'll be a good pairing - Ruth Ben-Ghiat and Adam Klasfeld - I wonder what topic(s) they'll focus on.
Waiting to hear from you Simon on Graham Platner.
I urge everyone to watch Platner’s interview with Jon Stewart recently. Don’t miss it.
Simon mentioned in his weekly talk that the purpose of his trip to Maine was because the party asked him to come and talk about unifying after the primary. I would enjoy an interview with Planter like we had with Sharrod.
there are a number of democrats who will just not support him over past behaviors. period. but they don't all live in maine. there were headlines in the gop aligned press celebrating mills getting out. could be hubris on their part, who knows. he has done the hard work of campaigning, but as rachel bitecofer points out, primary voters are a small number and when you make big promises to them, inevitably they turn on you when you can't deliver, due to our governmental structure. collins is a survivor who brings home cash to maine, and everyone there knows it. but this could be a wave that washes her away.
Jen Psaki had an extended interview w him (Platner) last night, you can hear it on the audio pod.
With Simon?
No, Platner. Sorry. :)
Platner got the anti-establishment energy. The question is whether he means what he says, or if he'll pull a Fetterman.
He'll be better than Collins, but given the number of Dems we've seen move to the right, or even switch parties after winning, anxiety is not baseless
Platner has a lot of baggage. When he first came out, I was excited about him. When the Nazi tattoo history came out, I listened to his explanation. It was lacking in my view. But, I only listened to his explanation(s) once. It would benefit him and those running his campaign to stop blaming the establishment for the attacks his past mistakes have brought or will bring, own them and try to move on. Just my opinion and I don't live in Maine.
What is the impact of the horrendous recent Supreme Court decision, gutting voting rights, on the plan/hope to "Blue Wave" in the midterms? I missed Wednesday's meeting.
the Wednesday meeting was posted yesterday evening. Simon addresses your question in depth,
Here is the Youtube which has the first half, before he takes questions...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LIzU2pzBjyo
I am just disgusted but not surprised by the overt racism, the race to the bottom in AL, MS, TX, FL, etc. I have visited a couple of those states, and spent a good deal of time in AL a couple years back. To say it's lost in time is an understatement. Selma looked like it was 1965. Roads not repaved, NO internet, no library, few businesses open. And Gov. Ivey is all, "sure, let's F with our House seats." The masks (hoods?) are off. I know people in AL, GA, & TX. This is not the majority's will, not by a long shot. As Simon indicates, I don't think this will play out the way they think it will.
Last night's' emergency call on Callais put on by No Kings was on point and very inspiring, featured a ton of great info and some civil rights heroes - highly recommend! Here's the link if you want to watch: https://www.youtube.com/live/EoFf6vHLmt0?si=hnGXkA1cYmVjEN-j
Making calls to Booker & Kim re war hearings/authorization, shadow hearings on the economy. HEARINGS. We want 'em! They were very successful confronting Kegseth. We want more accountability hearings.
And f 'em and their voting chicanery - signup to volunteer at VoteRiders and help folks get voter ID: https://voteriders.org/volunteer/
- and thanks, Simon, for expanding the playing field, which was obvious before and is now essential! - keep going, y'all.
Hi Lisa - there is a documented inverse relationship between racist states and fiscal, educational, and quality of life success that underscores your experience in AL. Racism is not only ugly and sick, but it leads to the breakdown of society in almost every way. Look at a map of the US that shows poverty levels, educational levels, dependence on the federal government and you see those states in the Deep South rise to the top of the list. Who thought we'd have to negotiate Reconstruction again in 2026?
What I know is that our Black American friends know how to persevere, fight like hell, and work hard to gain equality, and we can learn many lessons about our current state of the union from them. Let's put our arms around each other and beat these bastards.
100%. Last night's No Kings call was so inspiring. Hey, my desktop background here at work is the famous photo of John Lewis confronting the AL State Troopers.
and yet you will hear all about the mississippi miracle; dramatic improvements in reading scores due to implementing phonics, which somehow became a conservative darling. don't fall for it; 4th grade scores went up, simply by holding kids back and not letting the worst performers take the tests. and by 8th grade any gains had evaporated. if you can't hold onto the gains, it's not real progress. because whole language is a liberal plot to indoctrinate kids.....
In case you missed it, the national mass zoom held by No Kings in reaction to the Callais decision was last night. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoFf6vHLmt0
It's 90 minutes and worth it, really energizing and inspiring, places this moment in history. Clearly they knew what was coming and were prepared to announce:
John Lewis Good Trouble weekend, July 17-19, to be full of pro-democracy, voting access and rights activities.
just posted the same link. Great minds!
Yes, I was so pumped up last night that I posted it right after it ended at 9:30, but the late night crew on Hopium are a small bunch, so reposted, and then saw you had too.
Have I missed something or is Graham Platner not included in these fundraising goals?
we don't get involved in primaries, Maine primary is June 9
Platner has celebrity credentials, lots of money, and is in the lead. He doesn't need our support the same way other candidates in who are in critical races that haven't drawn national attention do.
Simon doesn't endorse primary candidates through Hopium, so waiting for the official candidate in Maine before we raise money as a group.
Gas was up 30 cents this week in San Jose, CA. I saw a couple stations where premium gas has topped $7!!! Californians are used to paying more, because of additional refining requirments and gas tax for road maintenance, but this is record territory. We have the most cars of any state by far, and air quality is still good because of the cleaner gas. How long until we have gas lines like the 1970s?
It might give an additional boost to plug-in electrics, but you better have a home charger in most places. Public electric charger infrastructure is growing, but it's not there yet. Just don't buy Tesla. There are way too many Teslas on the road. I drive a Ford hybrid with a magnetic bumper sticker that says "F ELON" im Tesla font letters.
It appears the stock market is completely untethered from economic reality, approaching record highs. How long will that continue?
Trump is doing in two months for alternative energy what the environmental movement has been attempting for 30 years! But to be fair, the pivot away from fossil fuels could not have happened without all this important work. I love my hybrid and my solar panels! When I got the panels, the salesman told me that I would not be impacted by rate increases from the electric company, and I sort of inwardly scoffed, thinking that wouldn't save me much money. But now?! He was on the money!
Yeah, I have a hybrid bc no driveway, little local infrastructure. But next purchase will be an EV. Previously owned, of course.
Holy smokes! For the first time ever, I reached staffers at both Tillis and Budd's DC offices. I don't know that that's a good thing, but I told each staffer that I am upset that the administration is trying to make the American people sicker, poorer, and dumber.
Things that are sparking joy for me today: I put 25 more news-boosting postcards in the mail today for NC voters. My daughter created a prairie in our side yard four years ago and the milkweed is going crazy. This little prairie is filled with wild flowers and the insects love it. As I drove into work (I had to administer a make up exam despite the general strike), I noticed that a neighbor is cutting down his Bradford Pear tree. I hope he replaces it with an oak! Another neighbor has taken down all his MAGA signs and replaced them with Easter bunnies and Easter eggs -- renewal in action!
NICE thank you~!
Thank you, Simon! Looking forward to your report from Maine.
Janet Mills dropping out should change the thrust of your speech today in Maine, yes?