Live Political Briefing at 1pm EST, Fighting for Greater Information Integrity, Deegan Debates Tonight, DeSantis Struggles

Excited to get together with everyone today at 1pm EST

The Need for A Big National Conversation About the Integrity of Our Discourse, Privacy, The Harms of the Social Media Age - It’s a foundational tenet of this Hopium project that together we need to create a better and healthier information ecosystem in America. Part of it is Getting Loud, and not allowing the right-wing noise machine to push us around every day (thanks everyone!). Part of it is embracing new platforms like Substack. But part of the solution is going to be in the policy and governing realm. What Elon is doing with Twitter right now is wrong. What Fox “News” does every day is wrong. What social media is doing to teenagers in America is wrong. That Russia continues to operate in our information space every day with impunity is wrong, really really wrong.

Our elected officials must become more comfortable saying all this, and start exploring ways to make things better, better protect the American people and our democracy. As we work to protect our people with common sense gun laws, we must establish some basic ground rules to better protect the integrity of our daily discourse. The First Amendment is being twisted and manipulated by malevolent domestic actors just as the Second Amendment has. Maybe we need a “Moms Demand” for our daily discourse.

The degradation of our information environment is a public health issue, a public safety issue, a national security issue, a healthy democracy issue - a big issue for all Americans. We are not powerless. We have agency. Our leaders need to lead, and we all can and must do better here. Where we are right now is not OK, and it is critical that here we stop obeying in advance once and for all.

Donna Deegan Debate Night/Please Support Her Today - It’s debate night in Jacksonsville, 7pm EST! You can watch Donna take on her DeSantis-backed opponent live, here.

Follow this link to see my Monday interview with Donna, and to get info on how to donate, phone/text or write postcards. This May 16th election is all about turnout, and with our help she can flip this seat in this critical battleground state.

Background Readings for the Monthly Political Briefing Today at 1pm - I’m hosting my monthly live political briefing today at 1pm EST. You can RSVP to get the Zoom links or watch live on YouTube. I will be offering 10-15 minutes of initial remarks and then take your questions up until 2pm. If you can’t make it live a recording of the discussion will be here on Hopium or on my YouTube Channel later today. Hope to see you at 1pm EST, and feel free to invite friends so you can give them a little taste of Hopium!

Some things you may want to review before our call today (or whenever you watch it):

• The MAGA Doom Loop, A Big Opportunity for Democrats

• Not Obeying In Advance

• Dems Good On The Economy, Rs Not So Much

• The Republicans Have A DeSantis Problem

• Get to 55

• My “Two Elections” Take on the 2022 Elections

• What I Mean By Hopium (podcast)

DeSantis Endorsement Watch, via Public Notice:

Thanks to everyone working to help Donna Deegan!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Onward - Simon