71 year old long time Dem political activist here, sincerely hoping that you can redirect your anger and energy toward Trump, MAGA and all Republican enablers of this anti-democratic regime.
No one is perfect. We have the leaders that we have. We’re in the most consequential of elections. Respectfully suggesting that this is a time to work to defeat as many Republicans as possible by the biggest margins possible, and that handwringing and bile directed at Democratic leaders is hugely counterproductive at this time.
Save the discussion about party leadership for after the election.
Thanks, Simon. Enjoy your time off. New Mexico is indeed the Land of Enchantment. A magical place.
Sorry about your father-in-law and condolences to your wife and family. Let them know how much we appreciate what you do. You are a lifeline during these most distressing times.
I have been in Peru, but when I return, I will be back to letter writing and canvassing. This bit with North Korea is infuriating and Republicans have the nerve to call Dems Communist.
Eric Blanc on Brian Lehrer this a.m., talking about divisions within DSA. Tomorrow, Brian will do a segment on the Democratic Party, and on Wed a segment on Conservatives.
caught some of that; i don't know who was asking about whether mamdani or aoc are
being asked about where they stand on more radical ideas, but it may have been a caller; it was a very fox-like, gotcha type of vibe from the questioner.....blanc was good, he is a professor at rutgers....the go to place when you need an expert on just about anything in a hurry......the rocks behind bin laden in his videos? call the rutgers geology dept....they could and did tell you where it was made.....got a question about tomatoes? call rutgers....also worth a listen is david rothkopf's interview with nick hanauer on new economic paradigms....he notes why should anyone be looking to a theory that dates to 1846 on what to do with the economy today; rothkopf shared a story how they met on a plane, he got invited to dinner with some others who mostly became billionaires, and one nerdy guy was playing with his food and said he was going to sell books online, which rothkopf thought was the stupidest idea out there. it was jeff bezos....
Why are so many in the Hopium Community, especially seniors, getting so many Democratic text and email requests? This article shows that a spam network of Democratic-adjacent sites are using a Republican playbook to attempt to extract money from seniors. It's certainly happening to me. I get 1-2 texts per day from these pseudo-political sites, but I delete, and only donate to Hopium-linked sites. https://data4democracy.substack.com/p/hook-and-squeeze?r=10322&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer
I was gonna share that article here. It's a blockbuster, esp. the beginning in which he cites all the ways the institutions tried to censor it. UGH, just UGH. Citizens United.
He wrote another piece today about the NYT killing the piece following a cease and desist letter from the DSCC and DCCC written by the Elias law firm. The letter made now requests for factual changes just pushed that the NYT not run it. The piece made it through multiple fact checking rounds and then was killed after a decision by higher ups. Makes me grateful for this community and knowing, thanks to Hopium, to give to state parties. See: https://data4democracy.substack.com/p/with-fear-and-favor
One of the MANY reasons I appreciate Hopium so much. As others have noted, I now donate exclusively through the Hopium site because I trust Simon's endorsements and the donation process he's established.
I'm getting them also and just automatically deleting them. I also, if given the choice, write "StoptoEnd" and then delete and that ends that particular request. I get new ones then, but keep doing it.
Thank you for the update Simon. Really hope Vindman can pull ahead of Moody in the nick of time. Talk about a real difference in character right?!? Anyway, stay safe and have a great time.
Dear God please 🙏. Unfortunately, just cuz FL has elected Trump, Rick Scott, and DeSantis, it wouldn’t be a shock to the system to see Donalds elected. However, Jolly, I feel is one of the more solid candidates we’ve put up in the state thus far. Not to mention, the landscape as it is, fueling all the frustration, disillusionment and so forth amongst the electorate (across the party spectrum) may ultimately work to Jolly’ favor. Donalds can already be easily connected to Trump and Trumpism. However, it’s gonna come down to how they each campaign. Jolly can flip the Governor’s seat. Money won’t stop him from doing that. The differences in campaign styles, messaging styles, etc. will be the deciding factor. LOTS of Dems in FL! It’s not a ‘ruby red state.’ It’s about timing, messaging, and retail campaigning. Obv, I prefer both Jolly and Vindman win their respective races. Hey, a Vindman win would mean another seat for us in the senate. That said, if I truly had to choose, i actually think I would prefer to see Jolly prevail first. The thought of how detrimental Donalds could be to the state of FL is not a pretty one. So here’s to hoping for a double whammy.
We've got two great euphemisms this election cycle: "left on the decoy plane" and "traveling with Natalie." Guess that's what they're calling it these days.
Simon, all best to you and your family and I extend my best wishes as well. Your posts are just invaluable, thank you. Starting to go door to door for Janelle Bynum (one of our targets in 2024) in Oregon's Fifth. Please friends--leave the Hakeem and Schumer bashing out of this discourse.
This is wartime--we are against the most dangerous people in our history. The House and Senate will have the oppty to vote on leadership after the war. NOT NOW.
Thank you, Herbert. Every moment spent bashing Dem leadership is a moment that could have been spent calling out trumpy Dumpty’s cruelty and corruption and the spineless republican lickspittles that stand by his side while he demeans everything that is best about America.
Hi Herbert - I fully agree about the bashing of Dem leadership in Congress. Plenty of time to discuss/debate this in the new Congress. Now is the time to be united against MAGA everywhere.
Not too long ago, I kept hearing Jon Ossoff was the most vulnerable Senator in this year's election. He's up 8 points over Collins. Somebody got that wrong. Thank goodness.
Last week, our Sequatchie County Democratic Party in TN voted to give $1000 each to 3 candidates: Jerre Green for Governor, Victoria Broderick for TN 4 and Michael Woodlee for TN State House 31. We were bummed to find out we cannot do it, unless we create a State Pac, so now we are working on this.
We just became a County Party 16 months ago. We are so proud we have some money to give out to our candidates. Last November, we gave to our local food bank 350 lbs of food and $960. This summer we did a fill the back packs for children starting school. We also had a float in the 4th of July parade and threw out 4 coolers of candy. We were warmly greeted. I'm glad the locals have an alternative to MAGA.
Congrats on forming the Sequatchie County Democratic Party! And thanks for having that Party be so visible in your communities. That's how we win in red places--"we're not Democrats, we're your neighbors."
I love this… Thank you for not just trying to win elections but also engaging in community service. The whole purpose of the Democratic Party is the empowerment of people to do public good.
I will say, the military and police complying with the wishes of a fascist administration is the one thing we should be really on the lookout for. The GOP rally with police is alarming. I haven't seen much evidence of complicity between the police and the Trump regime. But if it happens, it represents a whole new level of fascism.
Or collaborations between paramilitary wings like Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Patriot Front, and the police. That would represent a very bad sign.
OMG I was going off about the S Korea thing last night. Obvi he is not at all aware, nor is anyone telling him, that there was never an official end to the Korean War, only a cessation of military operations: https://www.britannica.com/question/How-did-the-Korean-War-end
Eddie Glaude today: "Stop responding to the nonsense of MAGA and their enablers. Stop presuming the reasonableness of their claims (about communism and socialism) and address directly who they are and what they support. MAGA should be forced to explain why they shouldn’t be banished from our politics as Democrats and others present an alternative vision of how we are to live together." - full article here: https://www.anativeson.org/p/shifting-the-frame
Always worth reading his work in its entirety, but this quote stood out bc it parallels Simon's statement about our mission. Don't do MAGA's work for them. Don't fight amongst ourselves. Do promote our candidates and our party. End of story.
Thank you for getting this out to us before taking your well-deserved break, Simon! Condolences to you and your family on the loss of your father-in-law.
Lincoln, is there any chance that you might post a sentence or two each day to make a place for paid subscribers to chat if they wish? Would other paid subscribers be interested in that?
Sent my weekly email of 3 Hopium supported House candidates to 300 or so people. This week I highlighted two lawyers, one historian. Manny Rutinel, Marni von Wilpert, Bob Harvie.
can the dems in congress send over a criminal referral for hatch act violations for AG blanche & FBI patel? know it wont go anywhere since DOJ wont prosecute, but still the hatch act is a law and it was broken. maybe dems cant do it because repubs are chairs of committees. but after nov it can be done. just keep sending criminal referrals to DOJ. sooner or later it will become a huge DOJ scandal while they are pursuing the comey seashells case & the reflecting pool non vandalism cases. also maybe bar complaints for blanche in DC or NY?
71 year old long time Dem political activist here, sincerely hoping that you can redirect your anger and energy toward Trump, MAGA and all Republican enablers of this anti-democratic regime.
No one is perfect. We have the leaders that we have. We’re in the most consequential of elections. Respectfully suggesting that this is a time to work to defeat as many Republicans as possible by the biggest margins possible, and that handwringing and bile directed at Democratic leaders is hugely counterproductive at this time.
Save the discussion about party leadership for after the election.
Thanks, Simon. Enjoy your time off. New Mexico is indeed the Land of Enchantment. A magical place.
Sorry about your father-in-law and condolences to your wife and family. Let them know how much we appreciate what you do. You are a lifeline during these most distressing times.
I have been in Peru, but when I return, I will be back to letter writing and canvassing. This bit with North Korea is infuriating and Republicans have the nerve to call Dems Communist.
Eric Blanc on Brian Lehrer this a.m., talking about divisions within DSA. Tomorrow, Brian will do a segment on the Democratic Party, and on Wed a segment on Conservatives.
https://wnyc.org/browse/shows/episode/simplecast/e4bbdc00-be45-4d0f-a09f-8d0e058ad40f
caught some of that; i don't know who was asking about whether mamdani or aoc are
being asked about where they stand on more radical ideas, but it may have been a caller; it was a very fox-like, gotcha type of vibe from the questioner.....blanc was good, he is a professor at rutgers....the go to place when you need an expert on just about anything in a hurry......the rocks behind bin laden in his videos? call the rutgers geology dept....they could and did tell you where it was made.....got a question about tomatoes? call rutgers....also worth a listen is david rothkopf's interview with nick hanauer on new economic paradigms....he notes why should anyone be looking to a theory that dates to 1846 on what to do with the economy today; rothkopf shared a story how they met on a plane, he got invited to dinner with some others who mostly became billionaires, and one nerdy guy was playing with his food and said he was going to sell books online, which rothkopf thought was the stupidest idea out there. it was jeff bezos....
Why are so many in the Hopium Community, especially seniors, getting so many Democratic text and email requests? This article shows that a spam network of Democratic-adjacent sites are using a Republican playbook to attempt to extract money from seniors. It's certainly happening to me. I get 1-2 texts per day from these pseudo-political sites, but I delete, and only donate to Hopium-linked sites. https://data4democracy.substack.com/p/hook-and-squeeze?r=10322&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer
I was gonna share that article here. It's a blockbuster, esp. the beginning in which he cites all the ways the institutions tried to censor it. UGH, just UGH. Citizens United.
He wrote another piece today about the NYT killing the piece following a cease and desist letter from the DSCC and DCCC written by the Elias law firm. The letter made now requests for factual changes just pushed that the NYT not run it. The piece made it through multiple fact checking rounds and then was killed after a decision by higher ups. Makes me grateful for this community and knowing, thanks to Hopium, to give to state parties. See: https://data4democracy.substack.com/p/with-fear-and-favor
I'm getting them too Mark and ignoring them. I'm also exclusively donating through Hopium also.
One of the MANY reasons I appreciate Hopium so much. As others have noted, I now donate exclusively through the Hopium site because I trust Simon's endorsements and the donation process he's established.
I'm getting them also and just automatically deleting them. I also, if given the choice, write "StoptoEnd" and then delete and that ends that particular request. I get new ones then, but keep doing it.
Thank you for the update Simon. Really hope Vindman can pull ahead of Moody in the nick of time. Talk about a real difference in character right?!? Anyway, stay safe and have a great time.
And Jolly would make a huge difference
Dear God please 🙏. Unfortunately, just cuz FL has elected Trump, Rick Scott, and DeSantis, it wouldn’t be a shock to the system to see Donalds elected. However, Jolly, I feel is one of the more solid candidates we’ve put up in the state thus far. Not to mention, the landscape as it is, fueling all the frustration, disillusionment and so forth amongst the electorate (across the party spectrum) may ultimately work to Jolly’ favor. Donalds can already be easily connected to Trump and Trumpism. However, it’s gonna come down to how they each campaign. Jolly can flip the Governor’s seat. Money won’t stop him from doing that. The differences in campaign styles, messaging styles, etc. will be the deciding factor. LOTS of Dems in FL! It’s not a ‘ruby red state.’ It’s about timing, messaging, and retail campaigning. Obv, I prefer both Jolly and Vindman win their respective races. Hey, a Vindman win would mean another seat for us in the senate. That said, if I truly had to choose, i actually think I would prefer to see Jolly prevail first. The thought of how detrimental Donalds could be to the state of FL is not a pretty one. So here’s to hoping for a double whammy.
We've got two great euphemisms this election cycle: "left on the decoy plane" and "traveling with Natalie." Guess that's what they're calling it these days.
Love it.
LOVE to see Sen. Ossoff really bring it!
Thanks, Simon!
I watched the entire Ossoff speech and it was very, very good. I'm writing postcards to Ohio voters today.
Simon, all best to you and your family and I extend my best wishes as well. Your posts are just invaluable, thank you. Starting to go door to door for Janelle Bynum (one of our targets in 2024) in Oregon's Fifth. Please friends--leave the Hakeem and Schumer bashing out of this discourse.
This is wartime--we are against the most dangerous people in our history. The House and Senate will have the oppty to vote on leadership after the war. NOT NOW.
Thank you, Herbert. Every moment spent bashing Dem leadership is a moment that could have been spent calling out trumpy Dumpty’s cruelty and corruption and the spineless republican lickspittles that stand by his side while he demeans everything that is best about America.
Hi Herbert - I fully agree about the bashing of Dem leadership in Congress. Plenty of time to discuss/debate this in the new Congress. Now is the time to be united against MAGA everywhere.
Not too long ago, I kept hearing Jon Ossoff was the most vulnerable Senator in this year's election. He's up 8 points over Collins. Somebody got that wrong. Thank goodness.
Last week, our Sequatchie County Democratic Party in TN voted to give $1000 each to 3 candidates: Jerre Green for Governor, Victoria Broderick for TN 4 and Michael Woodlee for TN State House 31. We were bummed to find out we cannot do it, unless we create a State Pac, so now we are working on this.
We just became a County Party 16 months ago. We are so proud we have some money to give out to our candidates. Last November, we gave to our local food bank 350 lbs of food and $960. This summer we did a fill the back packs for children starting school. We also had a float in the 4th of July parade and threw out 4 coolers of candy. We were warmly greeted. I'm glad the locals have an alternative to MAGA.
Congrats on forming the Sequatchie County Democratic Party! And thanks for having that Party be so visible in your communities. That's how we win in red places--"we're not Democrats, we're your neighbors."
I love this… Thank you for not just trying to win elections but also engaging in community service. The whole purpose of the Democratic Party is the empowerment of people to do public good.
grt work! thx for update! glad to see dems active in the red state of tn!!
Every Fuehrer Bunker needs its own Natalie Harp.
The Kim Jung Un post is absolutely nuts and extremely dangerous. It's just so fucking wrong. Even for Trump, it's hard to understand.
I'm glad the USS Lincoln is ending its mission. It's abusive. I hope Trump loses the military vote. He deserves to.
Finishing up tonight 50 postcards to MI, to be mailed in October.
I will say, the military and police complying with the wishes of a fascist administration is the one thing we should be really on the lookout for. The GOP rally with police is alarming. I haven't seen much evidence of complicity between the police and the Trump regime. But if it happens, it represents a whole new level of fascism.
Or collaborations between paramilitary wings like Proud Boys, Oath Keepers, Patriot Front, and the police. That would represent a very bad sign.
Law enforcement isn't a monolith. We see that with their varying levels of collaboration with ICE.
Yeah it's there. But it hasn't, in my opinion, trended into something more dangerous yet.
OMG I was going off about the S Korea thing last night. Obvi he is not at all aware, nor is anyone telling him, that there was never an official end to the Korean War, only a cessation of military operations: https://www.britannica.com/question/How-did-the-Korean-War-end
Putz 😡. My father z"l served in Korea. He is probably spinning in his grave right now.
Well considering how Trump is down one dictator friend after Orban lost, not surprised he’s found a replacement
Eddie Glaude today: "Stop responding to the nonsense of MAGA and their enablers. Stop presuming the reasonableness of their claims (about communism and socialism) and address directly who they are and what they support. MAGA should be forced to explain why they shouldn’t be banished from our politics as Democrats and others present an alternative vision of how we are to live together." - full article here: https://www.anativeson.org/p/shifting-the-frame
Always worth reading his work in its entirety, but this quote stood out bc it parallels Simon's statement about our mission. Don't do MAGA's work for them. Don't fight amongst ourselves. Do promote our candidates and our party. End of story.
Keep going!
Thank you for getting this out to us before taking your well-deserved break, Simon! Condolences to you and your family on the loss of your father-in-law.
Lincoln, is there any chance that you might post a sentence or two each day to make a place for paid subscribers to chat if they wish? Would other paid subscribers be interested in that?
Sent my weekly email of 3 Hopium supported House candidates to 300 or so people. This week I highlighted two lawyers, one historian. Manny Rutinel, Marni von Wilpert, Bob Harvie.
can the dems in congress send over a criminal referral for hatch act violations for AG blanche & FBI patel? know it wont go anywhere since DOJ wont prosecute, but still the hatch act is a law and it was broken. maybe dems cant do it because repubs are chairs of committees. but after nov it can be done. just keep sending criminal referrals to DOJ. sooner or later it will become a huge DOJ scandal while they are pursuing the comey seashells case & the reflecting pool non vandalism cases. also maybe bar complaints for blanche in DC or NY?
Finished 25 postcards for Paige Cognetti in PA. Next up, 25 for Janelle Stelson, also in PA.
I am headed out to a retreat in the Redwoods in Northern CA. Zero access to internet. See y'all next week.
Keep pushing