House Passes Ukraine Funding Bill!!! Trump's Terrible Month, Winning North Carolina

Thank you all for working so hard for Ukraine this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2pm ET Update - The House has passed the Ukraine funding bill 311-112. It’s a big bi-partisan majority. Congratulations everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks to everyone who worked so hard on this over the past week. Hugely important day for America and the world……

Happy Saturday all. I’m back in DC, where the House is likely to pass Ukraine funding and other national security bills today. The Washington Post is reporting this morning that once the Ukraine funding bill is signed by the President some military supplies will arrive in Ukraine in less than a week:

The Pentagon has a massive infusion of military aid for Ukraine “ready to go,” U.S. officials said, once a long-delayed funding measure, which is expected to pass the House this weekend, clears the Senate next week and President Biden signs it into law.

The Defense Department, which has warned that Ukraine would steadily cede more ground to Russian forces and face staggering casualties without urgent action on Capitol Hill, began assembling the assistance package well before the coming votes in a bid to speed the process, these people said.

One official, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the Biden administration’s planning, said that once the $95 billion foreign aid bill is finalized, it would take less than a week for some of the weapons to reach the battlefield, depending on where they are stored. The legislation includes about $60 billion for Ukraine, with most of the remainder slated for Israel and U.S. partners in Asia.

The Post is also reporting this delicious bit of news from the House floor this morning:

If you’ve been watching the debate on the House floor today, you probably haven’t seen any far-right members present their perspective against the plan presented by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.). That’s by design.

According to several Republicans, those members have been prevented from receiving “floor time” to speak because of overwhelming opposition from the conference.

These members have been consistent in their opposition, and it has irritated many Republicans who, while they respect their opinions, are upset they blocked debate and prevent regular order. Others are mad that these members are on the wrong side of history and don’t want them to dominate the debate on serious matters.

I am really grateful that so many in the Hopium community have stepped up this week and made calls to their Members of Congress. These calls make a difference in these offices, and if you have time I’m asking that you make one more round of calls this morning. You can use this link to learn who your Member of Congress is if you don’t know, and here’s the roll call of how every House Member voted on the rule yesterday that allowed the final votes to happen today. The votes are this afternoon DC time so try to get a call in this morning.

Senator Majority Leader Schumer has said the bills will be voted on this week in the Senate so get ready to keep making calls this week to your Senators. Here at Hopium we like to do more, and worry less, and what I am pleased with this morning is that we have found yet another way of doing, together - making calls on key issues in front of Congress. Great work all - proud to be in this fight with all of you!

Watch This Great Video Of A Voter Thanking Joe Biden For Lowering His Insulin Bills - What being a Democrat is all about:

CBS News Profiles Anderson Clayton/Winning North Carolina - Check out this great new profile of our friend Anderson Clayton, the 26 year old Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party:

Yesterday I reported on my trip to Phoenix, and how winning Arizona is one of our highest priorities this cycle. Right now our other big priority, other than supporting Biden-Harris, is winning North Carolina. Come learn more about the great Anderson Clayton and her spirited effort to turn North Carolina blue here. I am grateful to the many thousands of you who have made investments in these two must win 2024 states. Given our ongoing strength in MI, PA, WI winning these two states should deliver the Presidency to Joe Biden this November and strike a mighty blow against the extremists in both states.

Trump’s Terrible April - This has been a truly terrible month for Trump. Every day he looks more and more like a weak and desperate man, not a strong man. Let’s review:

• He confirmed he’s the most dangerous abortion extremist in America, putting him and his party on the side of the most extreme - and wildly unpopular - abortion restrictions in the nation all the while looking remarkable feckless, craven and idiotic

• His scammy new company has seen its stock price drop from 79 to 36.

• He became the first former American President to become a defendant in a criminal trial. The prosecution’s opening arguments, which will be devastating for him, begin Monday

• He appears to be in the process of being loudly rebuked on Russia by his own Party

• Based on early April fundraising reports his Party is being dramatically outraised by Democrats across the country

• The long list of prominent and influential Republicans saying they will not for him, which now includes 2 former GOP Vice Presidents, a former GOP nominee, a former national party chair and dozens of high ranking officials who worked for him, just keeps getting longer and more dangerous for him

• He’s now trying to claim - desperately, pathetically - he never came out for repealing the ACA - another wildly unpopular position he has locked himself into this year

• The Attorney General of New York State is now challenging the integrity of the bond he put up a few weeks ago to avoid having his assets seized after having lost his massive fraud case in New York

• On Monday, on the first day of his trial, he feel asleep in public before lunch, and he is repeatedly showing up in public in a scary new shade of orange not found in nature

It seems as we go deeper into 2024 it is becoming increasing clear to more and more people that the Orange Emperor isn’t wearing any clothes, and that Donald Trump is the ugliest political thing any of us has ever seen.

My 2024 Election Analysis - It’s A New, Bluer Election - Some resources for you:

• Why I’m So Optimistic We Will Win This November (Video, 4/16/24) - This is my latest overview of where we are in the 2024 election and why I am so fundamentally optimistic. The post also has a deep dive on recent, encouraging polling data. While it remains a close, competitive election, things have gotten bluer in recent weeks, and Trump no longer leads.

• My Interview With the NYT - Here’s my interview with Adam Nagourney of the New York Times. It’s gotten a lot of attention. Do read. Lots of great stuff in here!

• With Democrats, Things Get Better - The core Hopium presentation, this 30 minute deep dive on the progress America makes when Democrats are in the White House, has an extended section on the strong economic gains the country has made under Joe Biden. A must view for all the budding

  information warriors out there.

Subscribe Today and Save - On May 1st an annual paid subscription here at Hopium will rise from $45 to $50. So if you are not yet a paid subscriber here and want to lock in the current lower rate, consider subscribing today. You will lock in that lower rate for all time, and get all that you can from this site and community for the 2024 election.

A reminder that subscription renewals here at Substack grandfather in your original subscription rate for all time. So if you are already subscribed at $45 you don’t need to do anything. But if you are thinking about becoming a paid subscriber do so before May 1st and lock in this lower rate for as long as Hopium is doing it’s thing.

You can also learn more about gift and group subscriptions here.

The resources paid subscribers provide keeps this site growing and the Hopium flowing! My goal is to get 1,000 to 1,500 new paid subscribers by the end of April. So far 600 have signed up - thank you everyone who has stepped up!

Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you, and do make one more call for Ukraine today - Simon