Hopium Chronicles Summer Plans - Upcoming Events, Posts, and Looking Ahead to the Fall

Welcome new subscribers!

Jul 05, 2023

Friends, it’s summer. Given how hard everyone has worked these last few years, COVID, an insurrection, just of all; and given how important 2024 is going to be, it is our official policy here at Hopium Chronicles that folks need to rest, recharge, reboot and unplug as much as they can this summer. That includes me too.

So, over these next two months Hopium is going to downshift a bit. It’s likely - though not a given - political news and events will slow so I probably won’t post every day, and will only post when there are things I think worth your time. I also need to post less for a bit for there are some bigger analytic and research projects I’ve been putting off in the crush of getting Hopium off the ground that I need to get to, two of which I would like to release before early August. In August I’m going to take a few weeks off altogether and will let you know when those dates set.

Hopium is four months old this week, and as many have heard me say I really had no idea what I was doing when I started this thing. I’ve enjoyed it far more than I expected. Substack is a wonderful platform, and it is allowing me to do the kind of work I’ve been wanting to do for years. The community we are building here is dynamic and exciting. I’ve really enjoyed my many talks with allied grassroots groups across the country, and our times together over Zoom. We flexed some muscle and helped contribute to our big wins in Wisconsin and Jacksonville, Florida. We’ve tested live events with thought leaders, and hope to expand those talks in the fall. We are closing in on 15,000 overall subscribers and 2,000 paid. It has been a great start to this plucky project, and Hopium is now officially a Substack “Bestseller.”

Thanks everyone for being part of our early days here. It’s been a lot of fun so far, and I am really excited about what we are going to be able to do, together, over the next 16 months. I’ve already begun a process with our paid subscribers to get feedback on the experience so far, and get recommendations on how to improve and grow. I will be launching a similar process with all of you next week. So start making notes, and get ready for when I turn that process on next Tuesday. I hope to hear from you.

Below you will find a list of our July events, and links to some of our most important posts so far. If I can make two asks from all of you this summer, other than resting up:

Take 30 minutes to watch my With Democrats Things Get Better presentation. This Hopium project is a child of the understandings that come from With Dems. Watching it, wresting with its materials and arguments, will make the experience here far richer and more meaningful.
Bring in one more free subscriber this summer. I want to bring the optimism and message of Hopium to even more Democrats this fall and winter.

July Events

Tuesday, July 18th 8pm EST - Hopium Paid Subscriber Political Briefing and Hangout - RSVP

Thursday, July 20th 1pm EST - With Democrats Things Get Better, July 2023 - RSVP, Learn More

Tuesday, July 25th 8pm EST - My Monthly Political Briefing and Discussion - RSVP

For those in the DC area I will be doing an in-person talk on Saturday, July 22nd at Network NOVA’s 7th Annual Women's Summit: ALL IN to WIN Virginia - Learn more and RSVP.

Key Hopium Posts, Videos and Analysis

My Welcome Message

My Interview with Ron Brownstein in the Atlantic

Get to 55

Getting Louder

The Republicans Have a DeSantis Problem

Not Obeying In Advance

Video/Analysis: Democrats and the Hispanic Vote

A Big Night for Democrats (yes Donna Deegan!)

The Right-Wing Narrative About Biden Is Collapsing

Some Notes On The Biden Economic Speech, Winning the Big Economic Argument This Year

The Youth Vote with Harvard’s John Della Volpe