Thanks for reminding us to #DoMoreWorryLess! (I do a lot and I still worry but I can't help it.) I wanted to invite folks in the Hopium community to an event we are co-hosting on March 11th at 7:30 pm ET with Anderson Clayton, Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party with an introduction by Simon Rosenberg. Here is the link to RSVP which contains an Act Blue link to donate. https://www.mobilize.us/dashboard/markersfordemocracy/event/608432/ Also, please check out this newsletter from our friends at Postcards4VA with details about writing postcards to thank President Biden. https://preview.mailerlite.com/m6e6t5x8k2/2421932389614753362/q4f7/
1) I'm guessing that VP Harris could also benefit from receiving some cards (or emails). Can we use White House address?
2) A great opportunity to share with your community through a teaching moment: I wrote post cards to get out the vote with a friend at breakfast at a restaurant. We went at 10 (slow time) and and verified it was ok to order and stay for 2 hours. Everyone there was fascinated by what we were doing. I live in CA, and they kept on saying, "oh, so you're from Virginia?" and I said, "no, just doing my part for democracy, power to the people, right on", almost broke into the song Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) by the Temptations. They loved it, and it gave me a chance to talk about the importance of voting (all of them were under 30). Drip, drip, drip DEMOCRACY at all times.
Great idea to write thank you cards to Vice President Harris! You can use the White House address. Your wonderful story reminds me of the early days of Markers For Democracy in 2018 when we used to meet around the farm table at two locations of Le Pain Quotidien in NYC. We always had people come up to us to ask what we were doing. Many of them eventually joined us after they heard. One day, we were writing and then Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney walked over to ask what we were doing and when we told her, she sat down to write postcards to voters with us.
Simon, Keep pounding this message! MSM sends us such distracting, depressing, and deceptive stories, and you are the anodyne, the truth-teller. I love the way you sum it up: Less worry; more action. We cannot be complacent at all! But we can be optimistic and whistle while we work!! -Ron
I feel like the big lament in 2016, when Hillary was warning about this exact reality, was that people don’t care until it affects THEM. With Dobbs, suddenly GOP policies affect the very people who were “above” the horrible immigration policies and trans policies and critical race theory fights, etc. It’s disheartening that it took half the population losing a fundamental right for some people to realize that when we protect minority rights, we are ALL protected, but it does feel like we’re finally there.
As horrible as it is, I hope they keep going after IUDs, IVF, and emergency contraception because the horror of what they want needs to be stark for the 55% of white women voters who vote GOP to FINALLY wake up!! (I’m a white woman voter, btw)
Thank you so much for posting today. I had exactly the same take away, and think that Hailey and her backers are playing a very shrewd strategy, planning for either a fight at the convention, Trump getting convicted, or positioning for 2028. Constantly amazed at the lack of critical thinking in journalism.
It’s definitely an “enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation but I can’t see a downside for us by Haley continuing to show that Trump doesn’t have a chokehold on GOP voters. Those SC primary voters know Trump is winning the nomination and still 40% of them showed up to choose Haley- that’s not a party united behind Trump, even if they’re all too scared to say it!
They won in January in runoffs for the 2020 election. The regular 2021 elections were disappointing - e.g., Youngkin winning the Governorship in VA plus flipping one chamber of the legislature from blue to red.
So true! It's a ridiculous assertion that Trump is strong beyond his die-hard MAGA base. Gavin Newsom forcefully made the case on Meet the Press today: "Trump is weakness masquerading as strength. He's more unhinged than he was even a few years ago. It's extraordinary how quickly he is unraveling. He's a much weaker candidate than he was a few years ago. Democrats are stronger. We're winning: '18, '20, '22, '23...we continue to win and outperform."
He also uses a question about President Biden's age as an opportunity, turning it around to go on offense: "I revere his record. It's because of his age that he's been so successful. It's because of the wisdom and character that's developed over the years that we have the CHIPS and Science Act, Infrastructure Bill, PACT Act, Safer Communities Act. We've seen these bipartisan accomplishments because of his capacity of understanding and leadership. What he's done in three years is a masterclass. Close to 15 million jobs is eight times more than the last three Republican presidents combined. I'm here celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration."
Continuing to channel Simon's incredible wisdom, Newsom advised Democrats to "do more and worry less!" Love that Sunday morning dose of Hopium!
And that’s why the Republicans are after him again. He’s lethal against R’s; exposing them so sharply! Now they are starting up a recall ( Again!) to stifle and distract and siphon $$$ he’s been raising ( millions) for the Biden campaign. Their fears are understandable and their plotting against him show ( IMO) how desperate they are to silence him for now and in the future.
I donated to the Biden campaign and North Carolina Dems. Will continue to do so. Really appreciate your substack columns Simon!!! Yesterday, another media gas bag, Bob Costas, was on CNN (with Michael Smerconish, himself a former conservative radio show host) making a plea for Biden to stop his re-election bid. What is with these people?!
"Who won the Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina? Joe Biden did!"
– Justin King (aka Beau of the Fifth Column)
.
We have considerable reason for celebration. The results from yesterday’s South Carolina primary are uplifting and very encouraging. The media narrative that Trump won a great victory is misleading and illusory. Quite the contrary! Every single primary and caucus result so far underscores his fundamental weakness and his utter inability to unite Republican voters.
(Heck, in South Carolina Trump couldn’t even get 60% support of his own voters. Compare that to Biden’s 96.2% – that’s what party unity really looks like!)
.
Here is a succinct video from "Beau of the Fifth Column". As mentioned above, his bottom line: "Who won the Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina? Joe Biden did."
Hmmm... 59% of 40% in SC. So 23.6% of R primary voters will not vote Trump in the General. I like those numbers.
Here's another number: 2. I am shocked, in the wake of Dobbs and the resulting IVF decision in Alabama, that I have heard and read nothing on the interweb or the teletube about the next POTUS probably appointing 2 SCOTUS Justices. THAT has to be what every Democrat commenter needs to be appending to every statement about the IVF decision.
IMHO Trump is also vulnerable because many of his 2020 donors will sit out 2024. The CPAC turnout was a joke.
I know it sounds naive but is it possible to flip some of those donors? He's now identified himself with white national supremacists. That leaves a lot of those donors out. Here's a list: https://www.opensecrets.org/2020-presidential-race/donald-trump/contributors?id=N00023864
Thank you Justice Alito for the upcoming blue tsunami!
Thanks for reminding us to #DoMoreWorryLess! (I do a lot and I still worry but I can't help it.) I wanted to invite folks in the Hopium community to an event we are co-hosting on March 11th at 7:30 pm ET with Anderson Clayton, Chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party with an introduction by Simon Rosenberg. Here is the link to RSVP which contains an Act Blue link to donate. https://www.mobilize.us/dashboard/markersfordemocracy/event/608432/ Also, please check out this newsletter from our friends at Postcards4VA with details about writing postcards to thank President Biden. https://preview.mailerlite.com/m6e6t5x8k2/2421932389614753362/q4f7/
This is great, Ellen. A couple of thoughts:
1) I'm guessing that VP Harris could also benefit from receiving some cards (or emails). Can we use White House address?
2) A great opportunity to share with your community through a teaching moment: I wrote post cards to get out the vote with a friend at breakfast at a restaurant. We went at 10 (slow time) and and verified it was ok to order and stay for 2 hours. Everyone there was fascinated by what we were doing. I live in CA, and they kept on saying, "oh, so you're from Virginia?" and I said, "no, just doing my part for democracy, power to the people, right on", almost broke into the song Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today) by the Temptations. They loved it, and it gave me a chance to talk about the importance of voting (all of them were under 30). Drip, drip, drip DEMOCRACY at all times.
Great idea to write thank you cards to Vice President Harris! You can use the White House address. Your wonderful story reminds me of the early days of Markers For Democracy in 2018 when we used to meet around the farm table at two locations of Le Pain Quotidien in NYC. We always had people come up to us to ask what we were doing. Many of them eventually joined us after they heard. One day, we were writing and then Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney walked over to ask what we were doing and when we told her, she sat down to write postcards to voters with us.
How wonderful! Thanks for sharing!
We must keep up the work...the r's will put up an ugly fight and we must best them.
Simon, Keep pounding this message! MSM sends us such distracting, depressing, and deceptive stories, and you are the anodyne, the truth-teller. I love the way you sum it up: Less worry; more action. We cannot be complacent at all! But we can be optimistic and whistle while we work!! -Ron
I ❤️🤍💙 Simon!
Here is link to Bryan Tyler Cohen's take on SC GOP Primary. It has a nice clip at the end with a round table of MSNBC hosts analyzing the results;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoqP7MGztDc
Simon, it looks like you are no longer the lone wolf spreading the message that Trump is in trouble!
That was great. When Stephanie said "Joe Biden won the night," I thought, he wins all the nights!
Apologies, Cheryl – you beat me to it. I didn’t see your post first.
No problem. I do that all the time too. Great minds think alike ;-)
I feel like the big lament in 2016, when Hillary was warning about this exact reality, was that people don’t care until it affects THEM. With Dobbs, suddenly GOP policies affect the very people who were “above” the horrible immigration policies and trans policies and critical race theory fights, etc. It’s disheartening that it took half the population losing a fundamental right for some people to realize that when we protect minority rights, we are ALL protected, but it does feel like we’re finally there.
As horrible as it is, I hope they keep going after IUDs, IVF, and emergency contraception because the horror of what they want needs to be stark for the 55% of white women voters who vote GOP to FINALLY wake up!! (I’m a white woman voter, btw)
You should check out Galvanize Action - they are messaging specifically to moderate white women.
https://www.galvanizeaction.org/
Be sure and check out their persuasion playbook: https://playbook.galvanizeaction.org/
Thank you so much for posting today. I had exactly the same take away, and think that Hailey and her backers are playing a very shrewd strategy, planning for either a fight at the convention, Trump getting convicted, or positioning for 2028. Constantly amazed at the lack of critical thinking in journalism.
It’s definitely an “enemy of my enemy is my friend” situation but I can’t see a downside for us by Haley continuing to show that Trump doesn’t have a chokehold on GOP voters. Those SC primary voters know Trump is winning the nomination and still 40% of them showed up to choose Haley- that’s not a party united behind Trump, even if they’re all too scared to say it!
IIRC, Dems also won 2 Senate seats in Georgia in 2021. If this is right Simon, add that year to 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
They won in January in runoffs for the 2020 election. The regular 2021 elections were disappointing - e.g., Youngkin winning the Governorship in VA plus flipping one chamber of the legislature from blue to red.
So true! It's a ridiculous assertion that Trump is strong beyond his die-hard MAGA base. Gavin Newsom forcefully made the case on Meet the Press today: "Trump is weakness masquerading as strength. He's more unhinged than he was even a few years ago. It's extraordinary how quickly he is unraveling. He's a much weaker candidate than he was a few years ago. Democrats are stronger. We're winning: '18, '20, '22, '23...we continue to win and outperform."
He also uses a question about President Biden's age as an opportunity, turning it around to go on offense: "I revere his record. It's because of his age that he's been so successful. It's because of the wisdom and character that's developed over the years that we have the CHIPS and Science Act, Infrastructure Bill, PACT Act, Safer Communities Act. We've seen these bipartisan accomplishments because of his capacity of understanding and leadership. What he's done in three years is a masterclass. Close to 15 million jobs is eight times more than the last three Republican presidents combined. I'm here celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of the Biden-Harris administration."
Continuing to channel Simon's incredible wisdom, Newsom advised Democrats to "do more and worry less!" Love that Sunday morning dose of Hopium!
Thanks for this Jon. Gavin is a good friend and an avid Hopium reader.
Gavin Newsom is such a good communicator for our side- I think I’d like him as a candidate for 2028, but I LOVE how well he’s messaging for 2024.
And that’s why the Republicans are after him again. He’s lethal against R’s; exposing them so sharply! Now they are starting up a recall ( Again!) to stifle and distract and siphon $$$ he’s been raising ( millions) for the Biden campaign. Their fears are understandable and their plotting against him show ( IMO) how desperate they are to silence him for now and in the future.
Note Axios just dropped a new related analysis - https://www.axios.com/2024/02/25/trump-voter-demographics-problem-election-2024
I donated to the Biden campaign and North Carolina Dems. Will continue to do so. Really appreciate your substack columns Simon!!! Yesterday, another media gas bag, Bob Costas, was on CNN (with Michael Smerconish, himself a former conservative radio show host) making a plea for Biden to stop his re-election bid. What is with these people?!
"Who won the Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina? Joe Biden did!"
– Justin King (aka Beau of the Fifth Column)
.
We have considerable reason for celebration. The results from yesterday’s South Carolina primary are uplifting and very encouraging. The media narrative that Trump won a great victory is misleading and illusory. Quite the contrary! Every single primary and caucus result so far underscores his fundamental weakness and his utter inability to unite Republican voters.
(Heck, in South Carolina Trump couldn’t even get 60% support of his own voters. Compare that to Biden’s 96.2% – that’s what party unity really looks like!)
.
Here is a succinct video from "Beau of the Fifth Column". As mentioned above, his bottom line: "Who won the Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina? Joe Biden did."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEMvYRzKWAw
Brian Tyler Cohen, one of my favorites, has a beautiful and more detailed analysis!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WoqP7MGztDc
Happy Sunday, y’all!
.
Hmmm... 59% of 40% in SC. So 23.6% of R primary voters will not vote Trump in the General. I like those numbers.
Here's another number: 2. I am shocked, in the wake of Dobbs and the resulting IVF decision in Alabama, that I have heard and read nothing on the interweb or the teletube about the next POTUS probably appointing 2 SCOTUS Justices. THAT has to be what every Democrat commenter needs to be appending to every statement about the IVF decision.
YES! And why holding the Senate is so incredibly important, too! We remember all too well Mitch McConnell's actions in 2016 and 2020.
Thank you, Simon, for weighing in on a day when you normally take a break from posting. I really appreciate it and I'm sure others do as well.