With a snow storm barreling down on the NE and today is in-person election day for Tom Suozzi,, there is a reason why early voting and mail-in ballots (which the GOP fights against) is so important. I live in CT and can tell you as the snow falls in my area, I would not be heading to a poll today to vote.
This is why Simon pushes for GOTV. Besides taking you off the voting rolls which is important so the campaigns can move onto those still not voting, it also means on an in-person voting day when weather cannot be predicted, you've increased the chances of your candidate winning.
It's wild to see how good Democrats have gotten at turnout as the Republicans have atrophied. It wasn't long ago that Republicans had a big edge in turning out their voters but now we're the ones fired up, voting early, and contacting marginal voters.
I am pretty sure the GOP has canvassers - but I read somewhere that they are paid rather than volunteer. But what the GOP doesn't have is people like us who are volunteering from around the country. I have joined several postcard writing groups that do ZOOM postcard writing parties. Most are either sponsored by a Swing Left or Indivisible chapter, so I am on a half dozen email lists. Swing Left Philadelphia was headed into NY-03 the last 2 weekends to canvas in person. I have signed up for several phone banks sponsored by Grassroots Dems in CA - I keep forgetting that they post their ZOOMs in PST. When I was calling Sunday afternoon, several people mentioned getting multiple phone cards and postcards. I doubt there is a Dem in the district that is unaware of the Special election.
GOP has no answer to all of you. Their hard dollar, traditional candidate and parties are atrophying. In most places their politics now are SuperPACs/oligarchs and right wing media. It is a problem for them that they don't have the kind of grassroots we have now - it is our superpower.
Meg, this is truly the silver lining of the GOP's assault on America and democracy. Before 2016 I would often miss voting in elections, believing our democracy was strong and could take care of itself -- I had grown complacent. After 2016 it became startlingly clear how fragile our democracy is when spineless, cynical, sinister legislators are voted in to execute shadow agendas paid for by their Billionaire "sponsors" to dismantle our democracy one norm at a time. I have NEVER missed an election since, and I now participate by keeping myself informed and writing postcards and donating to elections across the country YEAR-ROUND. The vile GOP has made active participants of I's and D's in our democracy--a habit that will follow me to the end of my days (and I've got at least another 40-50 years left!).
Winning over those Baltic voters could be huge, there's a huge distinction to make between Biden and Trump, and these people tend to be borderline obsessed with their countries of origin. Could be enough to make up for the Arab vote in the Midwest if they really do insist on sitting on their hands and pouting that Biden hasn't abolished Israel.
It was terrific to hear you on Joe Trippi's pod this morning, Simon. The Daily did a pretty good rundown on the NY-3 race. Fingers-crossed that Democrats continue our winning streak today! I'm so grateful for Hopium, which keeps me calm, centered and focused instead of despairing, neurotic and scattered.
If you have previously phonebanked for Tom Suozzi and don't need the technical support, you can phonebank whenever you have time today by signing up with Grassroots Dems here: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/604135/. It will take you right into the system to allow you to make calls. Per https://vote.nyc/ the polls are open until 9 pm.
I'm taking a break, but the people I have talked to so far are still planning to get out later today when it looks like it will have stopped snowing.
great idea. Storm is winding down with some areas hit hard that weren't expecting it and some ( ahem, like CNJ ) not seeing a huge event when it was forecast, but was still rough going in the morning. As the storm exits the streets will get better. Plenty of time to vote.
Just added another donation to Tom to help GOTV. Traveling so that’s all I can do. Sent hundred + postcards in past hoping with The Hopium Community that he wins NY3. Thank you for being you! Joe Trippi and Mitch Landrieu have very interesting backgrounds. So great to have Mitch on Biden team speaking his truth with humor. ❤️🤍💙
Simon- you have Biden's ear. I loved the quote in the WP Dick Waterman obit when he describes John Hurt- "I never saw anything like it, a little old Black man with an acoustic guitar went out in front of 15,000 people and brought them all up on the porch with him. He was magic." Biden has the skill and talent to bring us all up on the porch.
Konstantin Sonin’s numbers for the key immigrant communities in swing states were quite the eye-opener. Very encouraging! Question: is Sonin giving the number of actual voters, or the total count for each ethnic community?
Worth knowing: Considered as a percentage of GDP or per capita, numerous European countries have contributed far more to Ukraine’s defense than the US has. This is not widely acknowledged. (This in addition to the millions of Ukrainian refugees taken in.)
How about the Biden team suggest to everyone who lives in the US, who has family in NATO countries, that their loved ones will next be a target for Putins takeover plans if DT is elected
The Republican assault on NATO and betrayal of our allies puts them at risk. It also threatens over 100,000 US service members on active duty in Europe.
Nearly a million US citizens of voting age live, work, study or serve in Europe. They can request ballots now at fvap.gov or votefromabroad.org
I'm making calls for Suozzi right now and just got an EARFUL from a Democrat who thought the campaign was lousy and that Dems should have run a young, progressive candidate. Otoh, I also spoke to a woman who was practically hysterical about border security, so who knows?
Good morning Simon. Thank you for this morning's writings. I would like to bring my fellow Hopium friends awareness to another Plutocrat I just learned about this morning. Because we have to fight these 'guys' too. Their influence is astounding. Bill Ackman, Democrat :-0,
Billionaire. An informative article in 'Intelligencer'. The audacity of these people. I will focus on what he has said quote: "It's not a question of where people will go to college It's WHO IS GOING TO MANAGE SOCIETY" That sums up what we are facing from this guy (funding Dean Phillips) Musk, Koch's, and the billions from L. Leo and more. After the 'special council's' hack job on Joe, he tweeted "Biden is done there is no chance he will run for another term." We have to factor these people into our activism. Thanks Simon for letting me comment on this. I've done my post carding for Suozzi and now have to focus on Arizona for a bit. See you Thursday!
Ackman has been a loudmouth for many years. He tried to go after Herbalife ( a multilevel marketing scheme ) by actually making a documentary about how bad they were in the hopes that it would tank their stock, which I believe he was shorting.It was a slick production and looked like a normal documentary at first. Guys like him can be dangerous; just because he is a Dem doesn't make him a saint, as you know. His campaign against Dr. Gay at Harvard, in fact, played right into the hands of right wing extremists. It kinda backfired on him when his wife got nailed for plagiarism as well, while at MIT. As a consumer of historical works and a former student and teacher, I think we are a bit carried away these days with what we call plagiarism; failing to cite a few passages in a years long project like a dissertation is different than just copying and pasting IMO. I'm sure everyone's dissertation has some rough spots. If we start demanding that all these folks step down, we're gonna have no one left to teach.....
Thanks for your input. This is the first I have heard of him. And I did read in the article what you have outlined here. I really do not like the hubris of these billionaires .
Simon: Is anyone live-reporting on actual Election Day votes in NY3? Any count or estimate of votes, preferably with partisan breakdown? (I don’t suppose Michael McDonald and his US Elections Projects is active today in NY3...)
We may be understating how much financial support the Suozzi campaign has received from Hopium subscribers like me. I have given multiple times to the campaign because I hear directly from him. Hopium discussions and Tom's interview were definitely the push I needed to open my wallet.
I think this is true. It's much more than the direct $115,000 for we also encouraged grassroots groups themselves to get engaged, and many did outside Hopium. The Hopium Cavalry is mighty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just read on another site that the early morning " knock on door, drag to polls" for Suozzi was canceled early this morning by his group, but they are back on schedule and the roads are good. Storm is history, it's not that cold, snow is melting, streets are good. Looking good. Shout out to all our sanitation workers who keep the roads open and were up all night.
What can I do to pressure House on Ukraine? My rep is a Demo but not all Colo reps are.
Are you familiar with Jessica Craven's substack Chop Wood, Carry Water? Yesterdays post had a script to use for calling your rep.
https://open.substack.com/pub/chopwoodcarrywaterdailyactions/p/chop-wood-carry-water-212?r=1aiy5t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Great. Thanks. I am familiar with it; I'll check. I'll call other state districts since my rep is on board.
So much helpful content in Jessica's Chop Wood, Carry Water.
The conversation on The Trippi show was so good.
With a snow storm barreling down on the NE and today is in-person election day for Tom Suozzi,, there is a reason why early voting and mail-in ballots (which the GOP fights against) is so important. I live in CT and can tell you as the snow falls in my area, I would not be heading to a poll today to vote.
This is why Simon pushes for GOTV. Besides taking you off the voting rolls which is important so the campaigns can move onto those still not voting, it also means on an in-person voting day when weather cannot be predicted, you've increased the chances of your candidate winning.
It's wild to see how good Democrats have gotten at turnout as the Republicans have atrophied. It wasn't long ago that Republicans had a big edge in turning out their voters but now we're the ones fired up, voting early, and contacting marginal voters.
I am pretty sure the GOP has canvassers - but I read somewhere that they are paid rather than volunteer. But what the GOP doesn't have is people like us who are volunteering from around the country. I have joined several postcard writing groups that do ZOOM postcard writing parties. Most are either sponsored by a Swing Left or Indivisible chapter, so I am on a half dozen email lists. Swing Left Philadelphia was headed into NY-03 the last 2 weekends to canvas in person. I have signed up for several phone banks sponsored by Grassroots Dems in CA - I keep forgetting that they post their ZOOMs in PST. When I was calling Sunday afternoon, several people mentioned getting multiple phone cards and postcards. I doubt there is a Dem in the district that is unaware of the Special election.
GOP has no answer to all of you. Their hard dollar, traditional candidate and parties are atrophying. In most places their politics now are SuperPACs/oligarchs and right wing media. It is a problem for them that they don't have the kind of grassroots we have now - it is our superpower.
Meg, this is truly the silver lining of the GOP's assault on America and democracy. Before 2016 I would often miss voting in elections, believing our democracy was strong and could take care of itself -- I had grown complacent. After 2016 it became startlingly clear how fragile our democracy is when spineless, cynical, sinister legislators are voted in to execute shadow agendas paid for by their Billionaire "sponsors" to dismantle our democracy one norm at a time. I have NEVER missed an election since, and I now participate by keeping myself informed and writing postcards and donating to elections across the country YEAR-ROUND. The vile GOP has made active participants of I's and D's in our democracy--a habit that will follow me to the end of my days (and I've got at least another 40-50 years left!).
I love that. And I believe it is an attitude that is catching hold. I've been talking to people who are simply fed up with ignorance and hate.
Having more votes than the other guy is generally a good thing!
Democracy: "All the votes count."
Feudalism: "All the counts, vote."
.
Winning over those Baltic voters could be huge, there's a huge distinction to make between Biden and Trump, and these people tend to be borderline obsessed with their countries of origin. Could be enough to make up for the Arab vote in the Midwest if they really do insist on sitting on their hands and pouting that Biden hasn't abolished Israel.
It was terrific to hear you on Joe Trippi's pod this morning, Simon. The Daily did a pretty good rundown on the NY-3 race. Fingers-crossed that Democrats continue our winning streak today! I'm so grateful for Hopium, which keeps me calm, centered and focused instead of despairing, neurotic and scattered.
thank you! It's a great discussion for anyone who has time in the next few days....
If you have previously phonebanked for Tom Suozzi and don't need the technical support, you can phonebank whenever you have time today by signing up with Grassroots Dems here: https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/604135/. It will take you right into the system to allow you to make calls. Per https://vote.nyc/ the polls are open until 9 pm.
I'm taking a break, but the people I have talked to so far are still planning to get out later today when it looks like it will have stopped snowing.
Suozzi campaign offering rides to the polls for those who need. Info on Suozziforcongress2024.com
great idea. Storm is winding down with some areas hit hard that weren't expecting it and some ( ahem, like CNJ ) not seeing a huge event when it was forecast, but was still rough going in the morning. As the storm exits the streets will get better. Plenty of time to vote.
Giving a ride to voters, and water while they’re waiting in line, is still legal??
Stunned I am! /s
Thanks, Cheryl. 20 Dials or 20 minutes with Grassroots Dems !
Just added another donation to Tom to help GOTV. Traveling so that’s all I can do. Sent hundred + postcards in past hoping with The Hopium Community that he wins NY3. Thank you for being you! Joe Trippi and Mitch Landrieu have very interesting backgrounds. So great to have Mitch on Biden team speaking his truth with humor. ❤️🤍💙
thank you!
Simon- you have Biden's ear. I loved the quote in the WP Dick Waterman obit when he describes John Hurt- "I never saw anything like it, a little old Black man with an acoustic guitar went out in front of 15,000 people and brought them all up on the porch with him. He was magic." Biden has the skill and talent to bring us all up on the porch.
love this
Konstantin Sonin’s numbers for the key immigrant communities in swing states were quite the eye-opener. Very encouraging! Question: is Sonin giving the number of actual voters, or the total count for each ethnic community?
Worth knowing: Considered as a percentage of GDP or per capita, numerous European countries have contributed far more to Ukraine’s defense than the US has. This is not widely acknowledged. (This in addition to the millions of Ukrainian refugees taken in.)
Let's try to get an answer, together, but regardless they are meaningful in these places.
How about the Biden team suggest to everyone who lives in the US, who has family in NATO countries, that their loved ones will next be a target for Putins takeover plans if DT is elected
The Republican assault on NATO and betrayal of our allies puts them at risk. It also threatens over 100,000 US service members on active duty in Europe.
Nearly a million US citizens of voting age live, work, study or serve in Europe. They can request ballots now at fvap.gov or votefromabroad.org
I'm making calls for Suozzi right now and just got an EARFUL from a Democrat who thought the campaign was lousy and that Dems should have run a young, progressive candidate. Otoh, I also spoke to a woman who was practically hysterical about border security, so who knows?
Democracy is a beautiful thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, spoke this morning with someone in the GOTV for Suozzi who said that this is who he is, has always been, and has won with it.
"If Biden loses, I’m gonna build a wall on our Southern Border – and make Trump pay for it."
– Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister, Canada
.
Lmao
Good morning Simon. Thank you for this morning's writings. I would like to bring my fellow Hopium friends awareness to another Plutocrat I just learned about this morning. Because we have to fight these 'guys' too. Their influence is astounding. Bill Ackman, Democrat :-0,
Billionaire. An informative article in 'Intelligencer'. The audacity of these people. I will focus on what he has said quote: "It's not a question of where people will go to college It's WHO IS GOING TO MANAGE SOCIETY" That sums up what we are facing from this guy (funding Dean Phillips) Musk, Koch's, and the billions from L. Leo and more. After the 'special council's' hack job on Joe, he tweeted "Biden is done there is no chance he will run for another term." We have to factor these people into our activism. Thanks Simon for letting me comment on this. I've done my post carding for Suozzi and now have to focus on Arizona for a bit. See you Thursday!
Ackman has been a loudmouth for many years. He tried to go after Herbalife ( a multilevel marketing scheme ) by actually making a documentary about how bad they were in the hopes that it would tank their stock, which I believe he was shorting.It was a slick production and looked like a normal documentary at first. Guys like him can be dangerous; just because he is a Dem doesn't make him a saint, as you know. His campaign against Dr. Gay at Harvard, in fact, played right into the hands of right wing extremists. It kinda backfired on him when his wife got nailed for plagiarism as well, while at MIT. As a consumer of historical works and a former student and teacher, I think we are a bit carried away these days with what we call plagiarism; failing to cite a few passages in a years long project like a dissertation is different than just copying and pasting IMO. I'm sure everyone's dissertation has some rough spots. If we start demanding that all these folks step down, we're gonna have no one left to teach.....
Don't know how to edit this or why there's a link to some site....not my doing.
No space between "shorting." and "It", so it thinks it's an Italian URL. :-)
Go to the ... to the far right of SHARE (i.e., below the body of the post. When you click on the dots, you will see Edit as an option.
Thanks for your input. This is the first I have heard of him. And I did read in the article what you have outlined here. I really do not like the hubris of these billionaires .
Simon: Is anyone live-reporting on actual Election Day votes in NY3? Any count or estimate of votes, preferably with partisan breakdown? (I don’t suppose Michael McDonald and his US Elections Projects is active today in NY3...)
I remain very optimistic. Let’s do this!
These kind of midday reports can be very misleading, so we need to be careful.
Calling is easier than I thought it would be.
Calling is very easy, for usually you are just calling Democrats and reminding them to vote. It's easy stuff.
We may be understating how much financial support the Suozzi campaign has received from Hopium subscribers like me. I have given multiple times to the campaign because I hear directly from him. Hopium discussions and Tom's interview were definitely the push I needed to open my wallet.
I think this is true. It's much more than the direct $115,000 for we also encouraged grassroots groups themselves to get engaged, and many did outside Hopium. The Hopium Cavalry is mighty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Just read on another site that the early morning " knock on door, drag to polls" for Suozzi was canceled early this morning by his group, but they are back on schedule and the roads are good. Storm is history, it's not that cold, snow is melting, streets are good. Looking good. Shout out to all our sanitation workers who keep the roads open and were up all night.