MSN involuntary clickbait news splash page, as of 1030 AM on Wednesday, politically related headlines sampler:
On any average day, these are zone-flooded from the right, and tilt more unfavorable to Biden and Democrats and more favorably to conservatives, Republicans, and by extension Trump.
Let’s look at today –
Bad for Donnie, better for Joe-
Crime and Punishment! (3)
Joe Biden Suddenly Leads Donald Trump in Multiple Battleground States (msn.com)
GOP’s Biden-Manhattan conspiracy theory suffers a double blow (msn.com)
Trump said Clinton shouldn't run under investigation. Now he's running as a convict (msn.com)
"In Wisconsin, when third-party candidates are included, 38 percent of respondents said they would vote for Biden while 31 percent would vote for Trump, according to the poll.
"Under the same circumstances in Michigan, 41 percent said they would vote for Biden and 39 percent said they would vote for Trump.
"In Pennsylvania, Biden would also win with 41 percent of the vote to Trump's 39 percent."
My understanding is the pollsters are trying to account for the so called hidden trump voters they missed in 2016 ( I'm not sure that is even accurate, as HRC would have won that race without Comey, but then it could be very well be true, because trump may have had enough of them to put him over the top, and the polls underestimated his share in 2020 as well; some theorize trump does bring out the people who don't usually vote ). Those polls are still basically a wash though, with neither over 50% and I assume a lot of undecideds who will decide while waiting in line.
I appreciated how you framed the Gaza issue …. As a challenge but not a threat. You are correct, Simon. This is too abstract of an issue to connect with most voters. Of course, it’s a life and death issue for those struggling for food, water and shelter in that part of the world.
As someone with one foot planted in Texas and the other in Michigan… I pay attention because of the 350,000 Arab-Americans in Michigan. Biden got a big percentage of that vote. Michigan will be close. I trust Biden … he’s gonna have to find the elusive sweet spot. We don’t yet know if this issue will fade or blow up.
Gary, as we've discussed this before, the 350,000 figure is deeply misleading. In 2020 there were 200,000 Muslim American voters in MI, of which Biden won about 140,000. The idea that every Muslim or Arab-descended voter will be voting on what's happened on Gaza and only on what's happened in Gaza is absurd on the face of it. There are more polls showing Biden ahead in MI than any other battleground state right now. As I say again and again, let's have the policy debate, for I think those who are critical of Biden on Israel-Hamas have a strong case to make. The political and electoral case, however, has been full of lies and exaggerations from the beginning, and those who advance them are insulting all of us and the President too.
All true. And it's more of a challenge than a threat - as you have characterized it. Trump carried Michigan by about 11,000 votes out of some 4.5 million in 2016. That 350,00 figure counts population, not Arab American voters. IF Michigan is going to be close again, I'd rather have community leaders in Dearborn on my side or neutral than against me. There's lots of time. We don't know where it will be in October. I trust Biden....
Pro tip: The people who feel the need to scream loudest rarely have the facts on their side.
(Worth noting: While what is happening in Gaza is still dreadful, collateral casualties are now dramatically reduced. Lots of much-needed aid is getting in. And for each day, Hamas is more and more weakened; Hamas simply cannot be allowed to be left in power or to rebuild militarily.)
I trust Biden -- the best way to move ahead on this issue. To get all of those Americans, Arab-Americans or just the Gaza-very-concerned, as my husband is, to trust Biden. I like
Biden's embrace of Bernie Sanders. A lighthouse of morality.
I am an 80-year-old mostly retired civil rights lawyer. I completely applaud what you are doing to energize Democrats. At least once or twice a week I click through your emails and make donations to North Carolina and Nebraska bluedot. Keep up the good work!
Simon- You really are in tune with the activist community. I think many of us needed that boost you provided last night. This is the result, in part, because we are not seeing genuine enthusiasm. I'm not suggesting we go full tilt Howard Dean, but I am expressing disappointment in the Democratic apparatus for not screaming from the ramparts: He is convicted of 34 felonies and then earnestly and loudly shout out the list you so eloquently read. You can't be the only surrogate for the party. What happened to enthusiasm. Given that Biden has the rap of not having enough energy, wouldn't it make sense to surround him with energy? Your presentation last night was so impassioned and you should never apologize for that, we need more leaders like you. Us activists are part of conveying your message, but I hope those associated with the party get your memo and start screaming from the ramparts. I know Jamie Raskin stands alone in doing this. We need to see they are willing to go out as hard and loud as you are asking us to do. Thanks for being you.
For a longer take (~2 min) on how bad Mark Robinson is as a candidate (and human being!) check out https://www.realmarkrobinson.com/. The NC Democratic Party put is out last year, anticipating that he would be the GOP nominee.
Here is an excellent ad on how even with restricted abortion in NC, the clinics are overwhelmed with clients from even more restricted states - especially since the Draconian FL ban went into effect!
Holy cow. That man is worse than Trump. Those videos made my skin crawl and my stomach churn. NC already on my donation list because of congressional seats, but this just bumped it up a notch. I am descended from NC folks, and my cousins, no matter their color, do not deserve a governor like this man. Thank you for opening my eyes more on what is going on there.
I feel so empowered by your updates and all we do together at Hopium, Simon. It has focused me and where my campaign contributions are sent. I always donate through your page, I enjoy the feedback on the amounts and our goals. It’s great to know we are all in the same boat rowing the same way!!
Simon, I feel so acknowledged every time you mention postcard writers, as that is my major form of activism next to sending money!! I've written close to 10,000 with Postcards to Voters since Tony started with Jon Ossoff's campaign in spring 2017.
Also loved your speech of speeches at the end of Tuesday night about Roosevelt and Dems moving freedom from that of nations to that of individual people. New thought for me and very inspiring. Thank you.
There are many postcarding groups. That is a good one. I happen to write almost exclusively for Postcards to Voters (see website for how to join). They focus on candidates from as "small" as city council or mayor to as big as US Senate all across the nation but one race at a time. When no candidate has requested help, we write to encourage voters to register to vote by mail, particularly in Florida where people have to re-up that all the time. Getting Democrats out to vote in a race that otherwise might receive little attention has been a winning strategy, not just for that candidate but for others on the ballot as well as getting the voter into the habit of turning out. I don't know if you follow Jessica Craven or Robert Hubbell on Substack but they often recommend some of the other postcarding groups besides PTV. I think any of them are fine---pick the one that fits your commitment. By that I mean, for some you provide the cards and stamps, for others you get the cards from them. They always supply the voter addresses and script once you are signed up. Good luck! Hope this works for you.
My friend Ruth and use BlueWave campaigns. We found it easiest to start with as they provide a kit and offer purchase of stamps from their site. They also provide address labels which we love. They charge $12.00/ 100 postcards. We order $200 each time plus 2 orders of stamps. Their postcards are usually artistic and beautiful We also do postcards without labels
Postcards to Voters (www.postcardstoVoters.org) is the granddaddy of postcarding groups. They write partisan GOTV postcards to Democratic candidates in close races that, as Marsha mentions in her response, are often overlooked. Turnaround is quick and is mail as you go.
The group you mentioned is Postcards to Swing States and they write non-partisan postcards with messages that are not targeted to any specific candidate. They have campaigns in 11 states this year IIRC. The postcards are free - you provide the stamps, but the minimum quantity of addresses in 200 and postcards are held until the mail date (October15, this year). You are given a choice of 3 different messages that have been field-tested.
I'm writing NC postcards with them through my local Indivisible chapter along with the Mecklenburg County Democrats. (Voters come from all over the state). Various people throughout the county have big totes on their front porch where you can pick up bundles of 100 postcards, along with scripts and addresses.
I have also written for Activate America (www.activateamerica.vote) that focuses mostly on House and Senate races in swing states. They write year round and tend towards issue-oriented messages for issues like reproductive freedom, gun violence, and healthcare costs. (For example, they ran campaigns in 2023 for several swing congressional districts in NY against the GOP incumbents who are very pro-gun-lobby). They were also very active in the two OH ballot initiatives last year. Postcards are mail as you go. AA also does phone and text-banking and has Amplify which gets volunteers to amplify pro-Biden messages on their favorite social media platform.
Field Team 6 (www.fieldteam6.org) is unique in that they focus on registering new Democrats and progressive-leaning Independents. They use sophisticated analytics to target unregistered voters who they believe lean Democratic. They are always a bunch of different campaigns going on at the same time in a bunch of swing states and/or districts. I have been writing for one of their campaigns to Women in NC and for this campaign they give writers a choice of 3 targeted messages comparing and contrasting Dems vs. MAGA Republicans.
“Join People Power for Florida as we kickoff our 2024 phonebanking program with State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, Congressman Maxwell Frost and other special guests! This year we have a unique opportunity in Florida to make abortion a constitutional right in our state's constitution by voting yes on Amendment 4. We are calling voters in targeted districts across the state and informing them about Amendment 4 and helping them request their vote by mail ballots.”
I have always framed it to people, "We know their bargain, if the voters give them power they will use it to hurt people who aren't like them, poor people, queer kids, everyone knows who they don't like. And if you (the voters) give them that power they may give you a tax cuts. The rich will definitely get those cuts but you might too if you are lucky. But I don't think they can buy off the good people of America that easily."
Great stuff today, Simon. The horrific Texas miscarriage story left me in tears, and the Josh Stein ad is incredibly powerful, using Robinson's own words to showcase the misogyny that motivates his literally anti-choice stance.
I wanted to put in a good word for Blue Wave Postcards:
I'm very attracted to postcarding; I think it's an excellent way to grab the attention, and inform, a whole lot of Democratic, or possibly Democratic, voters. You almost have to look over a postcard and see what it's about, especially if the design is eye-catching. But writing a ton of postcards is a real challenge for people with some movement problems, such as essential tremor, Parkinson's, tendonitis, or carpal tunnel problems. The Blue Wave folks have provided a workaround by providing kits to buy that include (according to the state/issue you choose) pre-printed (YAY!) postcards with a colorful, eye-catching design, along with pre-printed (YAY AGAIN!!) address labels. You can also buy postcard stamps from them. So all you have to do is slap on the label and stamp and write a couple of short sentences, along with your first name, and you're good to go.
As a person with essential tremor in my dominant hand, I am loving this, because, although I also do targeted giving (guided by Simon and Jessica), there's nothing like the feeling of physically participating in an action designed to produce a Blue tidal wave in November! And I'm listening to these two songs to encourage me on the way:
Rhiannon Giddens leading us in Woody Guthrie in the first tune, and my current favorite chorus -- Trump, you're goin' to jail -- on the second. Keeping the faith here!!
I’m with you Michelle! I love the artistry and ease of BlueWave. And the group of volunteer females who run this company are a whole other story. Professional multicultural patriot mix who are so determined and dedicated. We feel lucky to have them as a resource. My 96 year old friend LOVES the address labels! Their BW goal is 5 million postcard for this November election! So far all their campaigns have sold out.
Thank you Michelle🙏🏻 I’ll be sure and do so- Ruth will love it. She’s also a “ Hopium Girl”!
You’re so right. Ruth is a warrior. We recently met at the library to work on our postcards. Ruth didn’t complete hers so I offered to finish them: she clutched them to her and said: “ Oh, no Irene! I want to do my part!” I choked up. This is the fire in all of us that Simon speaks of. Love of our country. Patriotism-She’s absolutely determined and passionate about Biden’s election. We walked together in the Women’s March in Los Angeles post 2016 election with her nieces. Ruth was devastated that 74 million + Americans had voted for djt. So she was out there with us, at 88, marching.💃🏻
Agree!! We found Los Angeles just stunning. I heard later there were 750k of us?!? In LA alone. Whatever the number, it was mind blowing how many people were there! And I’m so glad so much of that energy evolved (burst out of?) those Marches to multiple grassroots action groups. What do they say about “waking the sleeping monster?” Or is it “ dragon”?
BTW: don’t you want to chuckle when GOP calls libs “woke”? Think we’d rather be asleep? So glad to be part of the Hopium Chronicle community, awake,with eyes wide open to the chaos and challenges;
I think we need to remind ourselves, and others, of the marches and how wonderful and inspiring they were. We need all the energy and inspiration we can get to keep charging toward November!
Thank you for the info about Blue Wave. I have Dupuytren's disease in my hands (hereditary). Until this winter I thought I'd escaped the worst of it with only mild impacts, but then something triggered a major inflammation and now I can basically only write a few sentences at a time, and only with a very fluid pen. Frustrating to someone like me. Going to look at Blue Wave right now. Isn't this what Simon's Hopium is all about? Us all helping each other keep our heads up and finding ways to get challenging things done?
You're right, Annie -- that is exactly what this community is all about! I have massive respect for your determination to be involved in spite of your condition. Go, Annie!!! 👏🏻
I just wanted to say that I appreciate Hopium and this community. I’ve made the mistake of being too online lately post verdict and it has really got me down (after reading the DC Strum and Drang) The ugliness and cynicism of the Trump and MAGA response to the conviction and the media enabling, celebrating of it was/is just awful to behold and dispiriting. Last night’s session was very helpful as is the positive, can do outlook of the community. So, I just took a walk and reminded myself that the electorate is out there (not here in DC) and that - while things are very ugly here - there (in MI, WI, Pen, AZ, NC and elsewhere) people are living their lives and the news that broke through recently was Trump being a felon (no one is following the very depressing post conviction spin in the real world) and that we also have things like abortion ballot measures (which the usual suspects in DC have buried as yesterday’s news). Most importantly, we have the right case to make and the right candidate. We are going to win this thing by focusing on what matters - voters. Thanks for the support Hopium.
for the first time in a long time, my house district has a race that needs winning. I now have a local focus for my embryonic activism. Never before have I participated in the political process beyond simply voting. Now there's something for me to do that is locally relevant. I'm signing on to be a foot soldier in the good fight, even though I do not belong to a political party.
Please comment on the RFK factor and the impact upon Biden’s momentum and hopefully electoral success. Although it is obvious that RFK is such a flawed candidate, he seems to be gaining dangerous traction. Would love your perspective. Thank you.
MSN involuntary clickbait news splash page, as of 1030 AM on Wednesday, politically related headlines sampler:
On any average day, these are zone-flooded from the right, and tilt more unfavorable to Biden and Democrats and more favorably to conservatives, Republicans, and by extension Trump.
Let’s look at today –
Bad for Donnie, better for Joe-
Crime and Punishment! (3)
Joe Biden Suddenly Leads Donald Trump in Multiple Battleground States (msn.com)
GOP’s Biden-Manhattan conspiracy theory suffers a double blow (msn.com)
Trump said Clinton shouldn't run under investigation. Now he's running as a convict (msn.com)
GOP in disarray! (5)
Matt Gaetz Splits With Donald Trump (msn.com)
Donald Trump Facing 'Five-Alarm Fire' Over Election—GOP Strategist (msn.com)
Donald Trump Suffers Huge Vote Against Him in New Mexico Primary (msn.com)
Trump-backed candidate defeated in Republican Senate primary in New Jersey (msn.com)
Marjorie Taylor Greene Gets Schooled On NATO Amendment | Watch (msn.com)
A bad investment? (1)
Trump Stock Down Amid 'Serious Anomalies' (msn.com)
Bad for Joe, better for Donnie-
Joe Biden Suffers Huge Primary Vote Against Him in South Dakota (msn.com) (1) - and fairly meaningless
Good news for the gun gal! (1)
Lauren Boebert Gets a Huge Boost in Colorado (msn.com)
This morning’s 9:2 ratio doesn’t look so bad to me at all.
Couldn't find any reference to those polls....can you clarify? Thanks.
"In Wisconsin, when third-party candidates are included, 38 percent of respondents said they would vote for Biden while 31 percent would vote for Trump, according to the poll.
"Under the same circumstances in Michigan, 41 percent said they would vote for Biden and 39 percent said they would vote for Trump.
"In Pennsylvania, Biden would also win with 41 percent of the vote to Trump's 39 percent."
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/joe-biden-suddenly-leads-donald-trump-in-multiple-battleground-states/ar-BB1nFzDQ
If the Amish vote were neutralized, larger leads in PA and WI.
My understanding is the pollsters are trying to account for the so called hidden trump voters they missed in 2016 ( I'm not sure that is even accurate, as HRC would have won that race without Comey, but then it could be very well be true, because trump may have had enough of them to put him over the top, and the polls underestimated his share in 2020 as well; some theorize trump does bring out the people who don't usually vote ). Those polls are still basically a wash though, with neither over 50% and I assume a lot of undecideds who will decide while waiting in line.
I appreciated how you framed the Gaza issue …. As a challenge but not a threat. You are correct, Simon. This is too abstract of an issue to connect with most voters. Of course, it’s a life and death issue for those struggling for food, water and shelter in that part of the world.
As someone with one foot planted in Texas and the other in Michigan… I pay attention because of the 350,000 Arab-Americans in Michigan. Biden got a big percentage of that vote. Michigan will be close. I trust Biden … he’s gonna have to find the elusive sweet spot. We don’t yet know if this issue will fade or blow up.
It remains a challenge…as you accurately cast it.
Gary, as we've discussed this before, the 350,000 figure is deeply misleading. In 2020 there were 200,000 Muslim American voters in MI, of which Biden won about 140,000. The idea that every Muslim or Arab-descended voter will be voting on what's happened on Gaza and only on what's happened in Gaza is absurd on the face of it. There are more polls showing Biden ahead in MI than any other battleground state right now. As I say again and again, let's have the policy debate, for I think those who are critical of Biden on Israel-Hamas have a strong case to make. The political and electoral case, however, has been full of lies and exaggerations from the beginning, and those who advance them are insulting all of us and the President too.
All true. And it's more of a challenge than a threat - as you have characterized it. Trump carried Michigan by about 11,000 votes out of some 4.5 million in 2016. That 350,00 figure counts population, not Arab American voters. IF Michigan is going to be close again, I'd rather have community leaders in Dearborn on my side or neutral than against me. There's lots of time. We don't know where it will be in October. I trust Biden....
Pro tip: The people who feel the need to scream loudest rarely have the facts on their side.
(Worth noting: While what is happening in Gaza is still dreadful, collateral casualties are now dramatically reduced. Lots of much-needed aid is getting in. And for each day, Hamas is more and more weakened; Hamas simply cannot be allowed to be left in power or to rebuild militarily.)
I trust Biden -- the best way to move ahead on this issue. To get all of those Americans, Arab-Americans or just the Gaza-very-concerned, as my husband is, to trust Biden. I like
Biden's embrace of Bernie Sanders. A lighthouse of morality.
Simon, thank you for inspiring and motivating meeting yesterday. Happy Graduation!!!
I am an 80-year-old mostly retired civil rights lawyer. I completely applaud what you are doing to energize Democrats. At least once or twice a week I click through your emails and make donations to North Carolina and Nebraska bluedot. Keep up the good work!
Please add Florida.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/
Simon- You really are in tune with the activist community. I think many of us needed that boost you provided last night. This is the result, in part, because we are not seeing genuine enthusiasm. I'm not suggesting we go full tilt Howard Dean, but I am expressing disappointment in the Democratic apparatus for not screaming from the ramparts: He is convicted of 34 felonies and then earnestly and loudly shout out the list you so eloquently read. You can't be the only surrogate for the party. What happened to enthusiasm. Given that Biden has the rap of not having enough energy, wouldn't it make sense to surround him with energy? Your presentation last night was so impassioned and you should never apologize for that, we need more leaders like you. Us activists are part of conveying your message, but I hope those associated with the party get your memo and start screaming from the ramparts. I know Jamie Raskin stands alone in doing this. We need to see they are willing to go out as hard and loud as you are asking us to do. Thanks for being you.
That Stein ad… brutal.
For a longer take (~2 min) on how bad Mark Robinson is as a candidate (and human being!) check out https://www.realmarkrobinson.com/. The NC Democratic Party put is out last year, anticipating that he would be the GOP nominee.
Here is an excellent ad on how even with restricted abortion in NC, the clinics are overwhelmed with clients from even more restricted states - especially since the Draconian FL ban went into effect!
https://carolinaforward.org/blog/one-morning-in-charlotte
Holy cow. That man is worse than Trump. Those videos made my skin crawl and my stomach churn. NC already on my donation list because of congressional seats, but this just bumped it up a notch. I am descended from NC folks, and my cousins, no matter their color, do not deserve a governor like this man. Thank you for opening my eyes more on what is going on there.
You are welcome. If you or anyones else reading this has friends and/or family in NC please forward it to them!!
I feel so empowered by your updates and all we do together at Hopium, Simon. It has focused me and where my campaign contributions are sent. I always donate through your page, I enjoy the feedback on the amounts and our goals. It’s great to know we are all in the same boat rowing the same way!!
Simon, I feel so acknowledged every time you mention postcard writers, as that is my major form of activism next to sending money!! I've written close to 10,000 with Postcards to Voters since Tony started with Jon Ossoff's campaign in spring 2017.
Also loved your speech of speeches at the end of Tuesday night about Roosevelt and Dems moving freedom from that of nations to that of individual people. New thought for me and very inspiring. Thank you.
Awesome! Thank you for your amazing service!
Yup! May *Agent Orange* be issued an orange prison suit on 11 July.
Is this the group you work with/recommend? https://www.turnoutpac.org/postcards/
There are many postcarding groups. That is a good one. I happen to write almost exclusively for Postcards to Voters (see website for how to join). They focus on candidates from as "small" as city council or mayor to as big as US Senate all across the nation but one race at a time. When no candidate has requested help, we write to encourage voters to register to vote by mail, particularly in Florida where people have to re-up that all the time. Getting Democrats out to vote in a race that otherwise might receive little attention has been a winning strategy, not just for that candidate but for others on the ballot as well as getting the voter into the habit of turning out. I don't know if you follow Jessica Craven or Robert Hubbell on Substack but they often recommend some of the other postcarding groups besides PTV. I think any of them are fine---pick the one that fits your commitment. By that I mean, for some you provide the cards and stamps, for others you get the cards from them. They always supply the voter addresses and script once you are signed up. Good luck! Hope this works for you.
Hi Mary,
My friend Ruth and use BlueWave campaigns. We found it easiest to start with as they provide a kit and offer purchase of stamps from their site. They also provide address labels which we love. They charge $12.00/ 100 postcards. We order $200 each time plus 2 orders of stamps. Their postcards are usually artistic and beautiful We also do postcards without labels
Postcards to Voters (www.postcardstoVoters.org) is the granddaddy of postcarding groups. They write partisan GOTV postcards to Democratic candidates in close races that, as Marsha mentions in her response, are often overlooked. Turnaround is quick and is mail as you go.
The group you mentioned is Postcards to Swing States and they write non-partisan postcards with messages that are not targeted to any specific candidate. They have campaigns in 11 states this year IIRC. The postcards are free - you provide the stamps, but the minimum quantity of addresses in 200 and postcards are held until the mail date (October15, this year). You are given a choice of 3 different messages that have been field-tested.
I'm writing NC postcards with them through my local Indivisible chapter along with the Mecklenburg County Democrats. (Voters come from all over the state). Various people throughout the county have big totes on their front porch where you can pick up bundles of 100 postcards, along with scripts and addresses.
I have also written for Activate America (www.activateamerica.vote) that focuses mostly on House and Senate races in swing states. They write year round and tend towards issue-oriented messages for issues like reproductive freedom, gun violence, and healthcare costs. (For example, they ran campaigns in 2023 for several swing congressional districts in NY against the GOP incumbents who are very pro-gun-lobby). They were also very active in the two OH ballot initiatives last year. Postcards are mail as you go. AA also does phone and text-banking and has Amplify which gets volunteers to amplify pro-Biden messages on their favorite social media platform.
Field Team 6 (www.fieldteam6.org) is unique in that they focus on registering new Democrats and progressive-leaning Independents. They use sophisticated analytics to target unregistered voters who they believe lean Democratic. They are always a bunch of different campaigns going on at the same time in a bunch of swing states and/or districts. I have been writing for one of their campaigns to Women in NC and for this campaign they give writers a choice of 3 targeted messages comparing and contrasting Dems vs. MAGA Republicans.
There are also groups that write postcards focusing on particular constituencies including Environmental Voter Project (www.environmentalvoter.org), Northeast Arizona Native Democrats (https://neaznativedemocrats.org/), and Reclaim Our Vote (https://www.centerforcommonground.org/reclaim-our-vote). The latter focuses on engaging BIPOC voters in southern states where they have been traditionally disenfranchised.
Thank you Cheryl for all of this valuable information, and for the vital work that you are doing. Go 💙!
You are very welcome.💙
The heartbreaking story of the Texas couple must be shared widely…😢
Two ads to share from Biden/Harris and Progress Action.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0BVeL_jzKE
https://youtu.be/SYvhUGm34_o
“Join People Power for Florida as we kickoff our 2024 phonebanking program with State Representative Anna V. Eskamani, Congressman Maxwell Frost and other special guests! This year we have a unique opportunity in Florida to make abortion a constitutional right in our state's constitution by voting yes on Amendment 4. We are calling voters in targeted districts across the state and informing them about Amendment 4 and helping them request their vote by mail ballots.”
https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/630845/
Apropos Texas: Join the right MAGA – Mothers Against Greg Abbott!
https://mothersagainstgregabbott.com/
Thank you for sharing your contagious optimism.
Hi, I made a contributing contribution to John Tester’s campaign. We need more like John in the Senate. He is a true servant leader.
I’m contributing to him from California. He’s a great Senator 💙
Simon I liked your new list.
I have always framed it to people, "We know their bargain, if the voters give them power they will use it to hurt people who aren't like them, poor people, queer kids, everyone knows who they don't like. And if you (the voters) give them that power they may give you a tax cuts. The rich will definitely get those cuts but you might too if you are lucky. But I don't think they can buy off the good people of America that easily."
Great stuff today, Simon. The horrific Texas miscarriage story left me in tears, and the Josh Stein ad is incredibly powerful, using Robinson's own words to showcase the misogyny that motivates his literally anti-choice stance.
I wanted to put in a good word for Blue Wave Postcards:
https://shop.bluewavepostcards.org
I'm very attracted to postcarding; I think it's an excellent way to grab the attention, and inform, a whole lot of Democratic, or possibly Democratic, voters. You almost have to look over a postcard and see what it's about, especially if the design is eye-catching. But writing a ton of postcards is a real challenge for people with some movement problems, such as essential tremor, Parkinson's, tendonitis, or carpal tunnel problems. The Blue Wave folks have provided a workaround by providing kits to buy that include (according to the state/issue you choose) pre-printed (YAY!) postcards with a colorful, eye-catching design, along with pre-printed (YAY AGAIN!!) address labels. You can also buy postcard stamps from them. So all you have to do is slap on the label and stamp and write a couple of short sentences, along with your first name, and you're good to go.
As a person with essential tremor in my dominant hand, I am loving this, because, although I also do targeted giving (guided by Simon and Jessica), there's nothing like the feeling of physically participating in an action designed to produce a Blue tidal wave in November! And I'm listening to these two songs to encourage me on the way:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWUa7aAIfLE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjUnHXfmGrk
Rhiannon Giddens leading us in Woody Guthrie in the first tune, and my current favorite chorus -- Trump, you're goin' to jail -- on the second. Keeping the faith here!!
Love Giddens. She’s a treasure.
I’m with you Michelle! I love the artistry and ease of BlueWave. And the group of volunteer females who run this company are a whole other story. Professional multicultural patriot mix who are so determined and dedicated. We feel lucky to have them as a resource. My 96 year old friend LOVES the address labels! Their BW goal is 5 million postcard for this November election! So far all their campaigns have sold out.
96 years old and a warrior for democracy! That makes my day! Please give your friend a hug from me. :-)
Thank you Michelle🙏🏻 I’ll be sure and do so- Ruth will love it. She’s also a “ Hopium Girl”!
You’re so right. Ruth is a warrior. We recently met at the library to work on our postcards. Ruth didn’t complete hers so I offered to finish them: she clutched them to her and said: “ Oh, no Irene! I want to do my part!” I choked up. This is the fire in all of us that Simon speaks of. Love of our country. Patriotism-She’s absolutely determined and passionate about Biden’s election. We walked together in the Women’s March in Los Angeles post 2016 election with her nieces. Ruth was devastated that 74 million + Americans had voted for djt. So she was out there with us, at 88, marching.💃🏻
The Women's March in Chicago, which my hubby and I attended, was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. We need more of this!
Agree!! We found Los Angeles just stunning. I heard later there were 750k of us?!? In LA alone. Whatever the number, it was mind blowing how many people were there! And I’m so glad so much of that energy evolved (burst out of?) those Marches to multiple grassroots action groups. What do they say about “waking the sleeping monster?” Or is it “ dragon”?
BTW: don’t you want to chuckle when GOP calls libs “woke”? Think we’d rather be asleep? So glad to be part of the Hopium Chronicle community, awake,with eyes wide open to the chaos and challenges;
Working hard together, to save our democracy
I think we need to remind ourselves, and others, of the marches and how wonderful and inspiring they were. We need all the energy and inspiration we can get to keep charging toward November!
Thank you for the info Michelle!
Thank you for the info about Blue Wave. I have Dupuytren's disease in my hands (hereditary). Until this winter I thought I'd escaped the worst of it with only mild impacts, but then something triggered a major inflammation and now I can basically only write a few sentences at a time, and only with a very fluid pen. Frustrating to someone like me. Going to look at Blue Wave right now. Isn't this what Simon's Hopium is all about? Us all helping each other keep our heads up and finding ways to get challenging things done?
You're right, Annie -- that is exactly what this community is all about! I have massive respect for your determination to be involved in spite of your condition. Go, Annie!!! 👏🏻
I just wanted to say that I appreciate Hopium and this community. I’ve made the mistake of being too online lately post verdict and it has really got me down (after reading the DC Strum and Drang) The ugliness and cynicism of the Trump and MAGA response to the conviction and the media enabling, celebrating of it was/is just awful to behold and dispiriting. Last night’s session was very helpful as is the positive, can do outlook of the community. So, I just took a walk and reminded myself that the electorate is out there (not here in DC) and that - while things are very ugly here - there (in MI, WI, Pen, AZ, NC and elsewhere) people are living their lives and the news that broke through recently was Trump being a felon (no one is following the very depressing post conviction spin in the real world) and that we also have things like abortion ballot measures (which the usual suspects in DC have buried as yesterday’s news). Most importantly, we have the right case to make and the right candidate. We are going to win this thing by focusing on what matters - voters. Thanks for the support Hopium.
for the first time in a long time, my house district has a race that needs winning. I now have a local focus for my embryonic activism. Never before have I participated in the political process beyond simply voting. Now there's something for me to do that is locally relevant. I'm signing on to be a foot soldier in the good fight, even though I do not belong to a political party.
Please comment on the RFK factor and the impact upon Biden’s momentum and hopefully electoral success. Although it is obvious that RFK is such a flawed candidate, he seems to be gaining dangerous traction. Would love your perspective. Thank you.
Fantastic session, Simon!