I believe the Roberts court has made "the rule of law" a mockery. It was over for me when I, and every woman, was declared a farm animal with no inherent right to decide what happens inside my own body. It has always been a fiction in the sense that laws are passed by people and there is nothing intrinsically virtuous about them.
It was the law that my family had to submit to being exterminated. It was the law that certain people had to live out their lives in misery as the property of others.
Power can be used for good or evil and Project 2025 is political violence.
Self- report - I called my Democratic congresswoman and reiterated Joe Trippi's suggestions emphasizing that Dems request that ICE money be taken away and given to community policing. I also included Simon's suggestion that in a negotiations you don't just have one ask, you have multiple asks with the understanding that you won't get everything your want. Also, followed Simon's suggestion that we be sympathetic towards our more passive representatives since this political environment is new to them too. Think the office staff appreciated my sympathy.
Someone else to consider for support (Assuming you're taking suggestions): State Rep. James Talarico just announced a run for Cornyn's Senate seat. He used to be my home's representative until the powers that be started screwing with the maps. Clear-spoken, sincere, non-bombastic, and in these circumstances, very electable. Point being, he's exactly the sort of person who merits our support.
Infuriating. But, good to say it out loud - this administration is corrupt, cruel and haters of democracy. The GOP is 100% in support as are their appointed justices. It’s their long game, though some may now feign shock at the details happening on the ground.
Welp, I think y'all know where I'm coming from as a gun safety advocate, and I must echo what Sen. Mark Kelly, whose spouse is a gun violence survivor, said yesterday. There is no place for political violence here in the US or anywhere. And the only reason why we have more gun violence is our easy access to firearms. As we say in Moms Demand, "it's the guns." Utah has no gun permit laws, which means anyone can just purchase a gun and carry it around anywhere, anytime. And Rs allowed Clinton's assault weapons ban to expire. Think about that - it's a choice. Here in NJ, we have one of the lowest rates of gun violence overall because we have very strong, sensible legislation like extreme risk protection orders, mandatory permit process, restrictions on where/when permitted gun owners can carry their guns, and an assault weapons ban, just to name a few.
[Update - Utah has permit laws, but you can carry a gun on a college campus, and they are very lax. Apologies for the error.]
In 1968, my mom joined a movement to contact senators to demand a gun safety law, and the result was the Gun Control Act of 1968. She is why I do what I do, for so many reasons. Raise your voices on gun safety, and on the preservation of democracy and the rule of law, now more than ever.
Simon, thank you for all your wonderful and inspiring words last night.
Keep going!
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” - Rep. John Lewis
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." - Pres. Abraham Lincoln
Thanks for another great gathering of plucky patriots last night. Always informative and uplifting--especially under the difficult circumstances of yesterday's intolerable political violence.
Self reporting: I called TX Senators Cruz and Cornyn and urged them to hold the funding for ICE’s inhumane treatment of immigrants. I also urged them to take back the responsibility for setting tariffs before the economy worsens further.
Talarico has taken over the news but he is up against Colin Allred who announced months ago.
It seems to me that Texas now has three strong candidates running for Senate. I think that as long as the three candidates remain respectful of each other in the primary, this can help all three of them to enhance their name recognition, which may help Democrats down the line. Perhaps one of the losing candidates can run for governor.
big fan of Talarico here. I think primaries are good, all candidates in the spotlight, keeps them in the news in the primary state. I have heard that Allred did not have full support of usual dem voters due to some of his campaign strategies (no need to discuss further) and hoping he'll be easily outdistanced. Talarico is an amazing guy, looking forward to Simon interviewing him here when opportunity presents.
It's worth noting that all inflation measures, and especially CPI because it is at the retail level, are lagging indicators which do not pick up price increases until 3-6 months after the increases occur. A strong case be made that CPI is not fully "bloomed" until 6 months after the applicable price increases. PPI (at wholesale level) is usually 3-4.
As Simon indicated, the tariffs just took effect in August. So, we won't see the full effect of those in the inflation numbers until sometime later this year or early in 2026.
I signed up to help the local Democratic party notify the tens of thousands of NC voters who now have to correct their voter registration information.
Durham passed a resolution! It wasn't the resolution Matt and I have been working on, but perhaps we gave them the idea, as they did this after we had floated our idea to the city council. It is a fourth amendment workplace resolution to help protect people against ICE raids, which is certainly something that we mentioned in our draft resolution. https://abc11.com/post/durham-council-adopts-fourth-amendment-workplace-resolution/17760168/
Matt and I continue to push for a more complete resolution of condemnation against everything the administration is doing; this gives us more hope that we'll succeed!
I am saddened by the shooting and everything else happening. But I have to wonder how we can get out of our echo chamber and reach people on the other side of the divide. Recently read:
appreciate your thought but personally I think he's off base and foregrounding supposed division not helpful at this time. imo emphasis on 'dividedness' is misplaced and inaccurate given T's downward spiral. For example, look at who was pushing for release of Epstein files.
Pagitt, and Vote Common Good -- which I think he co-founded -- has gotten over 5000 churches and "faith communities" together to fight against MAGA. I've been following them -- with regular donations -- for several years now.
I am rattled by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, someone I only know about from descriptions provided by others. His views are abhorrent but his assassination is unacceptable.
Appreciate Simon’s message that we not accept the right wing’s attempt to smear us. Sadly I think that requires a robust response calling out the GOP’s hypocrisy. Their silence on the Hortmans murder and the downright glee of too many (DJT, Jr.) of the Paul Pelosi attack is beyond words.
Trump squandered the opportunity to unite the country at the outset of the COVID pandemic and he has already squandered the opportunity coming from today’s tragedy. He’s unbelievably stupid and limited and toxic.
Be safe out there. Especially all our brave candidates.
With you 100%. Had this on-line discussion with folks yesterday: MAGA was making fun of Paul and Nancy Pelosi after his attack, which was confirmed to be politically motivated. We should not let the MAGA/GOP hypocrisy go unchallenged, while still maintaining integrity and decency. We can be rational, while being firm.
Assuming (BIG assumption) that Kirk's murderer was politically motivated from the "left", this is a very asymmetrical problem, and is partially the result of the environment created by MAGA/Trump's intentional toxicity, division, and grievance-based politics.
Healthcare is in Simon's 4-part agenda every day. "Fight Trump’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA and Medicaid; demand the removal of extremist Robert Kennedy from HHS."
All state parties are receiving money from the national office. Here is a local article about funding received by Indiana. https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/briefs/dnc-awards-70000-to-indiana-democratic-party-in-down-ballot-boost/
D.N.C. Will Send More Cash to Red States, Aiming to Strengthen Party’s Reach --WaPo https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/us/politics/democrats-fifty-state-strategy.html?unlocked_article_code=1.lE8.axgX.JDr7P2O_aykb&smid=url-share
Here is a recent DNC War Room article about Indiana. There is a contact form if you'd like to request info, make a suggestion, or offer to help.
https://democrats.org/news/new-poll-shows-how-unpopular-trumps-gerrymandering-scheme-is-with-hoosiers-majority-oppose-plan/
Or you can contact your state party. https://indems.org/our-party/resources/faqs/
This substack by Joe Trippi goes well with the shutdown discussion in last night's zoom
https://www.lincolnsquare.media/p/its-our-government-we-the-people?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=3561893&post_id=173312458&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=9xdq6&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
I believe the Roberts court has made "the rule of law" a mockery. It was over for me when I, and every woman, was declared a farm animal with no inherent right to decide what happens inside my own body. It has always been a fiction in the sense that laws are passed by people and there is nothing intrinsically virtuous about them.
It was the law that my family had to submit to being exterminated. It was the law that certain people had to live out their lives in misery as the property of others.
Power can be used for good or evil and Project 2025 is political violence.
And for people of color, there is even less autonomy, bodily or otherwise. That is why we need to push for civil rights and change via the ballot box.
Thanks very much for this link! Great article with simple messages to use when we make our calls!
Self- report - I called my Democratic congresswoman and reiterated Joe Trippi's suggestions emphasizing that Dems request that ICE money be taken away and given to community policing. I also included Simon's suggestion that in a negotiations you don't just have one ask, you have multiple asks with the understanding that you won't get everything your want. Also, followed Simon's suggestion that we be sympathetic towards our more passive representatives since this political environment is new to them too. Think the office staff appreciated my sympathy.
Someone else to consider for support (Assuming you're taking suggestions): State Rep. James Talarico just announced a run for Cornyn's Senate seat. He used to be my home's representative until the powers that be started screwing with the maps. Clear-spoken, sincere, non-bombastic, and in these circumstances, very electable. Point being, he's exactly the sort of person who merits our support.
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/09/us/politics/talarico-texas-senate.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUPSSTY1ukM
We are unlikely to get involved in any of the big Dem primaries in Maine, Texas, California or other places.
Fair point. If nothing else, you might want to keep an eye on him; I get the feeling he's going to be the one to beat.
We are in touch and he will be joining us soon. Thanks for the recommendation.
I'm honored to have been of service.
We, as individuals, can support whomever we want through Act Blue. I also think Talarico is a great candidate and donated to his campaign last night.
I’m in Arizona and donate to him monthly. He’s just great!
Infuriating. But, good to say it out loud - this administration is corrupt, cruel and haters of democracy. The GOP is 100% in support as are their appointed justices. It’s their long game, though some may now feign shock at the details happening on the ground.
Welp, I think y'all know where I'm coming from as a gun safety advocate, and I must echo what Sen. Mark Kelly, whose spouse is a gun violence survivor, said yesterday. There is no place for political violence here in the US or anywhere. And the only reason why we have more gun violence is our easy access to firearms. As we say in Moms Demand, "it's the guns." Utah has no gun permit laws, which means anyone can just purchase a gun and carry it around anywhere, anytime. And Rs allowed Clinton's assault weapons ban to expire. Think about that - it's a choice. Here in NJ, we have one of the lowest rates of gun violence overall because we have very strong, sensible legislation like extreme risk protection orders, mandatory permit process, restrictions on where/when permitted gun owners can carry their guns, and an assault weapons ban, just to name a few.
[Update - Utah has permit laws, but you can carry a gun on a college campus, and they are very lax. Apologies for the error.]
In 1968, my mom joined a movement to contact senators to demand a gun safety law, and the result was the Gun Control Act of 1968. She is why I do what I do, for so many reasons. Raise your voices on gun safety, and on the preservation of democracy and the rule of law, now more than ever.
Simon, thank you for all your wonderful and inspiring words last night.
Keep going!
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” - Rep. John Lewis
"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in to bind up the nation's wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan ~ to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations." - Pres. Abraham Lincoln
Thanks for this, Lisa, and for carrying on your family tradition of gun control advocacy.
Thanks for another great gathering of plucky patriots last night. Always informative and uplifting--especially under the difficult circumstances of yesterday's intolerable political violence.
Self reporting: I called TX Senators Cruz and Cornyn and urged them to hold the funding for ICE’s inhumane treatment of immigrants. I also urged them to take back the responsibility for setting tariffs before the economy worsens further.
Talarico has taken over the news but he is up against Colin Allred who announced months ago.
Allred still has the albatross of last year around his neck, and Talarico's a force of nature. My prediction, Allred's in for one hell of a primary.
It seems to me that Texas now has three strong candidates running for Senate. I think that as long as the three candidates remain respectful of each other in the primary, this can help all three of them to enhance their name recognition, which may help Democrats down the line. Perhaps one of the losing candidates can run for governor.
Touche.
big fan of Talarico here. I think primaries are good, all candidates in the spotlight, keeps them in the news in the primary state. I have heard that Allred did not have full support of usual dem voters due to some of his campaign strategies (no need to discuss further) and hoping he'll be easily outdistanced. Talarico is an amazing guy, looking forward to Simon interviewing him here when opportunity presents.
It's worth noting that all inflation measures, and especially CPI because it is at the retail level, are lagging indicators which do not pick up price increases until 3-6 months after the increases occur. A strong case be made that CPI is not fully "bloomed" until 6 months after the applicable price increases. PPI (at wholesale level) is usually 3-4.
As Simon indicated, the tariffs just took effect in August. So, we won't see the full effect of those in the inflation numbers until sometime later this year or early in 2026.
We already see shocking price increases at every shopping trip, but you're right, we haven't seen the latest tariff impact yet.
had a local democratic committee zoom last night that was a combination of depressing and maybe forward moving. Not ready to fight yet. Unfortunately.
I signed up to help the local Democratic party notify the tens of thousands of NC voters who now have to correct their voter registration information.
Durham passed a resolution! It wasn't the resolution Matt and I have been working on, but perhaps we gave them the idea, as they did this after we had floated our idea to the city council. It is a fourth amendment workplace resolution to help protect people against ICE raids, which is certainly something that we mentioned in our draft resolution. https://abc11.com/post/durham-council-adopts-fourth-amendment-workplace-resolution/17760168/
Matt and I continue to push for a more complete resolution of condemnation against everything the administration is doing; this gives us more hope that we'll succeed!
This is a great resolution! It's reasonable to see it as a step toward a more comprehensive resolution, IMO
Hello Simon and Hopium Community,
I am saddened by the shooting and everything else happening. But I have to wonder how we can get out of our echo chamber and reach people on the other side of the divide. Recently read:
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/708590/good-reasonable-people-by-keith-payne/
and listened to:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/straight-white-american-jesus/id1441649707?i=1000723443685
Doug Pagitt may be on to something.
Simon, would you consider interviewing him for the Hopium community?
appreciate your thought but personally I think he's off base and foregrounding supposed division not helpful at this time. imo emphasis on 'dividedness' is misplaced and inaccurate given T's downward spiral. For example, look at who was pushing for release of Epstein files.
Pagitt, and Vote Common Good -- which I think he co-founded -- has gotten over 5000 churches and "faith communities" together to fight against MAGA. I've been following them -- with regular donations -- for several years now.
Thank you everyone for your efforts.
I sent my batch of postcards, and I signed up with Mikie Sherrill to make phone calls. I made a plan for Oct. 18.
Great news from Bucks County, Pa. Politico article
https://www.politico.com/news/2025/09/11/bucks-county-poll-trump-favorability-00556393
Wow, trump won this county by less than 1 point, but is now down 11 in favorability. Good to see and thanks for sharing that
I am rattled by the assassination of Charlie Kirk, someone I only know about from descriptions provided by others. His views are abhorrent but his assassination is unacceptable.
Appreciate Simon’s message that we not accept the right wing’s attempt to smear us. Sadly I think that requires a robust response calling out the GOP’s hypocrisy. Their silence on the Hortmans murder and the downright glee of too many (DJT, Jr.) of the Paul Pelosi attack is beyond words.
Trump squandered the opportunity to unite the country at the outset of the COVID pandemic and he has already squandered the opportunity coming from today’s tragedy. He’s unbelievably stupid and limited and toxic.
Be safe out there. Especially all our brave candidates.
With you 100%. Had this on-line discussion with folks yesterday: MAGA was making fun of Paul and Nancy Pelosi after his attack, which was confirmed to be politically motivated. We should not let the MAGA/GOP hypocrisy go unchallenged, while still maintaining integrity and decency. We can be rational, while being firm.
Assuming (BIG assumption) that Kirk's murderer was politically motivated from the "left", this is a very asymmetrical problem, and is partially the result of the environment created by MAGA/Trump's intentional toxicity, division, and grievance-based politics.
Thank you Simon!
Simon,
Please consider health care as the explosive issue for Democrats. I believe that Charlie Sykes is right. This is going to be an in-your-face issue!
Healthcare is in Simon's 4-part agenda every day. "Fight Trump’s war on science, higher education and our public health; reverse - not delay - the cuts to the ACA and Medicaid; demand the removal of extremist Robert Kennedy from HHS."