So my undertstanding related to your issue #1. There is something called the "Byrd rule" in the Senate, (no doubt named after Robert Byrd of WV) It is actually a law, not just a "rule" that states in a reconcilliation process, you need 60 vottes to add things into a budget bill that doesn't impact the actual budget . Adding a fee on temporary restraining orders does not impact the fiscal budget, so it would be struck from the Senate version by the Byrd rule.
Actually both of your issues would come under the rule.
Does this rule really exist??? I hope so but don't know & nobody is acting life such a rule exists? But I agree -- when is a budget bill not a budget bill, but a way of passing lots of unrelated stuff -- in this case -- BAD stuff??
Really looking forward to watching this video! You’re four people I respect immensely!
Meanwhile, one of many things on my mind is the 2026 Midterm Elections. It’s absolutely imperative that we gain control of the House of Representatives, and that we make a valiant effort in what will be an uphill battle to also flip the Senate.
Axios has a rather interesting article on the Trump Regime’s efforts to prevent a Democratic takeover of the House. The Mad King definitely does NOT want Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and our skilled Democrats to launch lots of Congressional investigations and hearings into all the illegal stuff he & Elon & their team have done – nor carry out a third impeachment!
Regarding our imperative to flip the House and Senate, Ben Wikler (WisDems)made comments on The Contrarian a few days ago that I believe all of us on the pro-Democracy side should take to heart.
According to Wikler, ”There’s a whole bunch of research about basically how to turn outrage into actual election results…The key thing is to communicate continuously, to share with folks” regarding the content of the recently-passed Reconciliation bill. Today is the day to text the people you know who don’t pay much attention to politics and tell them about the huge cuts to health care and the tax cuts for the super rich. Post about it now on social media.
As Wikler says, the goal for election season in 2026 is “…to be reminding people of things, not for us to be trying to convince them that something happened a year and a half ago that they missed. And this is really critical. What we find over and over in politics is that when you just explain the facts of what is in the Republicans’ policy to undecided voters, to people in focus groups and so forth, they refuse to believe it. It sounds like Democratic propaganda. They think there’s no way that’s what really happened. This is preposterous. And the closer you get to an election, the more it seems like it must be a biased partisan attack to simply state the truth. And so if you want to change that dynamic, you need to make sure people find out about it the moment it happens. The way that memories are formed is through emotion. You need to have an emotional reaction to something and that etches it in your brain and then you can reactivate those emotions”.
In other words, if we fail to evoke people’s anger against the horrible terms of this bill now, it will be very difficult to evoke that emotion when it’s time to vote in the midterms.
Great find! I subscribe to The Contrarian but had somehow missed this.
"The key thing is to communicate continuously…" Not to beat a dead horse, but precisely this is what Team Biden failed to do. Great policies, impressive legislative victories and terrific results – but lousy or close-to-nonexistent communications.
I also believe that the House Dems failed to do this as well. The Republicans did nothing but obstruct and showboat, and should not have been able to keep the House. I was dismayed to see that the same person in charge of strategy last time kept the job, at least when I last read about it, but I'm hopeful that a better party will do a better job.
I listened to that interview. Ben is spot on. I have been sharing out media tidbits all weekend about what's really in that bill. Keep the relentless pressure on about what they've done and continue to do it, but do it in your friend groups and daily conversation as well as online.
This is so important! Last week Simon mentioned that Trump wants to be in our heads 24/7 and that consuming all the news gives us a dopamine hit. I confess that he has succeeded in infecting me. This weekend my normie brother and family came to visit. It was amazing to be forced to take a break from the constant deluge of news. I tried really hard not to rant, but failed on several occasions. And I could tell that they thought I was over the edge. They have always been low news consumers, and I failed to educate them about what's really happening in a way that was successful. I have to figure out how to be dispassionate but factual. It's such a tricky balance!
Edited to add: The one place I had success was on DOGE. Our dad took a buy out in the 90s when Clinton successfully shrank the federal government, so my brother knows this can happen responsibly. We had a good conversation about how stupid it is to go in with a chain saw when a scalpel is needed.
One thing that really bothered me starting in T**** 1.0 was that you couldn’t speak factually about what the administration was doing without sounding like a conspiracy theorist. I never found a way to grapple successfully with that.
I am glad smarter people than I are starting to find ways to address it. Continuous communication is a great approach because you don’t have to discuss everything at once. And maybe after we repeat it enough times, people will start to believe it. A Big Truth should be at least as believable as a Big Lie, right?
This idea of continuous conversation is a version of "info warring" and something we've been discussing and doing since Hopium began in 2023. Its why I try to publish 7 days a week.
Yes! It is one of the things I like about Hopium, along with the people and optimism.
Of course continuous communication is nothing new, but this was the first time I understood why it is the perfect counter to the big lie (and a way to avoid sounding like a lunatic). I previously just figured it worked to keep the issues top of mind.
This is amazing. Everyone should see this. We could really dig into each of these things. I hope Ken Martin and his posse understand this. Simon... what do you think?
I have read that there is a provision in the disastrous bill the House passed that is now in the Senate that would allow Trump to delay or cancel elections. Has anyone else seen this? If this is true, we need to be screaming this from the rooftops.
Elections are in the Constitution so it’s hard to see how a law could allow their suspension. Moreover, they are run by the states. Sounds like BS. Show me.
There's some misinformation floating around, including a post with a bunch of stuff that isn't in the bill attributed to Cheney and Kinzinger, which Kinzinger has disavowed.
Ten Sneaky Sleeper Provisions in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill
This is the headline on an article from the American Prospect. Four days ago, they looked at "the horrors hidden in the fine print". NOTE: There is nothing about elections. So this is a rumor, a very destructive rumor, that you can happily ignore!
Thanks for all this, Simon. I'm not sure what messaging will stick but I'm trying them all. Just called my rancid NC senators and only got voicemail so I'm taking that as a good sign.
I'm one of the organizers of our "No Kings" rally and march here in Durham on Flag Day and we're leaning hard into patriotism and how Democrats are truly the party that embraces the flag and all it stands for while the corrupt GOP embraces the MAGA, Confederate, Nazi, and Gadsden flags. Our theme is "With Liberty and Justice For ALL!" and we are working hard to get folks to recognize that we need to get to 3.5 percent of the country actually hitting the streets to help turn back the tide to facism. And bonus, our keynote speaker is Justice Anita Earls, Allison Riggs' lone ally on the NC Supreme Court. We are also working with a graphic designer to come up with free, printable signs for the event to have visually beautiful, cohesive, G-rated (and thereby broadcastable) messaging.
Here's a link if you want to get an idea of our event. Please scroll down to "Accessibility" to see where we're going. And please share with anyone in the Durham area you might know.
I see a couple of ways that the attack on science can be woven into the economic disaster currently being perpetrated. With the BBB, we are going into enormous debt in order to fund tax cuts for the rich and huge increases in spending for border security and defense in general. Trump is touting how much he is protecting the American people. But, as I wrote last week, I don't feel safe and a big part of that is that I am worried that there won't be good medical practices such as vaccines and scientific research on important diseases like cancer and Parkinson's and Alzeimer's. Also, the lack of funding for weather research and reporting is an acute risk to safety. There are many other reasons that, despite pouring an obscene amount of money into defense, Trump's adminstration has made me feel less safe, including the incompetence of the people in charge of our security. And the second connection is the one Simon mentioned. Scientific research is an engine of innovation and economic development.
Back to work today. I have a meeting set up with my state assembly reps for later this week as part of Moms Demand work. Good opportunity to make contact with them and establish ties that will be valuable in other areas.
Phone calls will be made today to Booker & Kim re tariffs/reconciliation and bringing home the abductees from El Salvador.
There was another Tesla Takedown on Saturday, well-attended and lively! We continue to plan not only No Kings here locally, but local Dem outreach, including voter registration, relational organizing, phone banking and door knocking. We are simply NOT going to let them elect a MAGA governor!
Postcards from Field Team 6 and Prog Turnout Project as well.
Ancetedol story of a small company acting in the resistance!
My mom has been a long time customer of Penzey’s Spice company. And over the weekend she received a surprise/out-of-the-blue package from them (to be clear, she had not placed any recent orders), filled with individual give away pouches of spice with packaging saying “resist”.
Here is the letter that came with the box, signed by the owner of the company:
Two Possible Futures Ahead!
One where those who believe in the promise of America give up. One where they don't. We chose your home for this box because your backyard is where America's fate is to be determined. Please find a place to pop this open and share with people in need of a tasty seasoning to brighten their day.
Sprinkle RESIST! heavily on hummus or chopped avocado and it will be spicy. Sprinkle it on a burger, or wings, or vegetables before roasting and its heat fades with cooking leaving just wonderful tastiness. Use RESIST everywhere by itself or alongside your favorite seasonings to add a new spark. RESIST! is Good.
Sorry to add more to your plate, but you know this matters.
Thanks for being our customer,
Included in the box were instructions of two stores in her state that she can purchase more boxes if she should choose, as well as ordering them online. My mom is now making a list of places to put them! (Also, funny enough, after telling me about the box—she told me I had to share it with the Hopium Community!)
Oh this is fantastic! I love it. The best I've got is the Canadian specialty sock company, Viasox, who makes diabetic and compression socks advertising that because of the tariffs coming, they are forced to offer 2 pairs for the price of 1. LOL I don't know how long they can keep it up, but I took advantage!
call is in to R congressman regarding 2nd and 3rd fronts. Call is in to R senator regarding 1st front. I’ll call this afternoon about the 2nd/3rd fronts. I’m continuing to write with postcards to voters. Continuing to promote June14 protests to everyone.
I'm trying to gather various Resolutions, Letters to America, Articles of Condemnation, or whatever you have called your drafts or documents prompted by Simon's call to raise the rhetorical level of this fight, and recommitting aloud to our founding documents and principles (democracy, Constitution, no king, three branches of gov't with checks and balances, rule of law, name the abuses and usurpations of power, etc.).
If you're willing to share yours, please post them here or send them to rapoliner@gmail.com. I'm hearing interest from other organizers, but samples would help. Thanks, and special thanks for the excellent ones already sent from Durham NC and Bernalillo County NM!
Self report – progress on resolution! Bernalillo County Commissioner Olivas likes my proposed resolution entitled “Defending our Democracy and the U.S. Constitution,” and will move it forward to a hearing. He found it to be “well researched and well thought out,” and offers only a few edits. One idea I have is for Hopium members to use this model to introduce and pass a similar resolution in each Congressional District, led by someone from Las Cruces / Doña Ana County and from Santa Fe County. Together, the three resolutions will be a powerful voice of the citizens and political institutions of NM that can be useful to Attorney General Torrez to support the ongoing lawsuits cited in the resolution, and to encourage our US Senators and Representatives to draft A Letter to America.
The draft resolution statement (based on a Tucson model) that follows the preamble and precedes the reference list reads as follows:
That New Mexico’s Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners declares its support for the role of the United States Congressional delegation of the State of New Mexico to lead their colleagues to stand up and reclaim their Constitutional duty to be an equal partner in the administration of the U.S. government, to work hand-in-hand with the Judicial Branch to ensure that the Constitution is not violated by the Executive Branch, and to ensure that illegal or unconstitutional actions that have occurred are overturned.
That the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners:
1. Declares its support for the role of the United States Congress as a coequal partner of three in our constitutional Democratic Republic.
2. Supports and encourages the Congressional delegation of the State of New Mexico to lead their colleagues to stand up and reclaim their Constitutional duty to be an equal partner in the administration of the U.S. government, to work hand-in-hand with the Judicial Branch to ensure that the US Constitution is not violated by the Executive Branch, and to ensure that illegal or unconstitutional actions that have occurred are overturned.
I love this Deborah. I have copied and would love to send to my personal contacts on the local County Board of Supervisors (2 of the 5 who know me pretty well.) to see if we can do something similar. AG Rob Bonta of Californa has been very active in lawsuits against the administration like Raul Torrez, so we could have a similar sort of list of references. Are you okay with that?
Thank you, Lisa. I will be surprised if any subsequent changes are requested, since the resolution has already been reviewed and edited by the sponsoring Commissioner. Four out of five of the Commissioners are Democrats, and only three votes are needed to pass the resolution.
Wonderful! I just sent the link to the final revisions to a member of my county's Board of Supervisors, asking whether our board might consider something similar. Our county is a blue dot in the state of Iowa, so it could happen.
Thank you for focusing on science, Simon! I too am very concerned about this, being a scientist myself and an environmental educator (which also includes public health). One of my protest signs says, “Science Powers Our Future” and around a big “explosion” of energy in the center (just my green marker making a big Sun design) I listed acronyms of many of the organizations where funding for research and public health have been cut. (Included Medicare and Medicaid, CDC, NIH, NOAA, NASA, National Parks and more)
I’m a scientist too and I love Simon’s idea of a Moms Demand Vaccines-type movement. We should explore how to make this happen. Our country has led the world in scientific and medical research. We can’t take this BS sitting down!
I recently spoke with a prominent issue advocate — yes, a lobbyist — who works both sides of the isle. She described the current state of the GOP as not just dysfunctional, but dangerously unmoored. The level of cognitive dissonance and destructiveness, she said, is at least 10X worse than anyone anticipated. It's a cult.
She pointed to Russell Vought as the orchestrator. He’s the ringmaster of a movement determined to implement Project 2025 line by line... and then go even further. According to her, Vought is pushing beyond the plan’s already radical scope, aiming to dismantle the very institutions that uphold American democracy. She described Musk as a clown-show distraction.
Western liberal democracy and anyone who defends it is the enemy of Vought and the GOP. Their goal is not to debate the enemy, but to destroy it. Forever.
Remember, the road to fascism is paved with silence. As things get worse — as they will get much worse — the instinct for many will be to retreat, to protect themselves, and to go quiet. That’s exactly what Vought and the GOP want.
Hey this is a great post. I want to share it. But who was the lobbyist you spoke to. I don't really like to post quotes without the source. So if you're willing to share, let me know. I will email it out and post it on FB. I have some friends who are trying to be active. Thank you so much.
There’s actually a few layers behind Vought like The Heritage Foundation, Lenard Leo, The Federalist Society, the libertarian Koch group and ALEC.
They have been working intensely for the past 15-20 years toward White Christian Nationalist and Libertarian goals. Toward a
renaissance of the “ Gilded Age”. Vought may be the tip of the spear in 2025 but the spear is long with history and plotting. Reading the history of this group’s progress gives a lot of ah ha moments to the destruction of our country going on currently. It leads back to Gingrich and Reagan.
Interesting to research: a profoundly dangerous build up of opposition to supporting American voters financial goals or safety net needs.
Simon - thanks for the thoughtful and long essay this morning. Something tells me you spent a good part of your weekend writing that... We are the beneficiaries of your research and thoughts. I'm grateful.
When historians look back at this period in scientific research, surely someone will note that the American university / scientific research community was almost entirely created by European scientists and researchers who were leaving Europe because of fascism and communism. America was beckoning these people in order to create strength in all kinds of research and graduate degrees in the fields that will now have to go somewhere else to pursue their research. It is one of the stupidest things he's done - in a long list of stupid unnecessary fights he's picked with people, groups, institutions, and countries where we were doing fine.
Let's hope we can salvage some of this stupidity before it's unsalvageable.
I sent an email to the NYT reporter of that story "complimenting" her on how well she sane-washed Trump, and cited The Independent's more accurate headline and coverage. She did mention some of his bizarre comments deep in the story--and reporters don't write headlines--but the coverage overall was inexcusably whitewashed.
Thank you, Simon! I loved your discussion with BTC, especially the acknowledgement that Pelosi set an example to other older Dems. She doesn't often get enough credit for it.
I'm super concerned about the vaccine issue. My grandson is going off to college in the fall and will be traveling with his sports team. He should be able to get a COVID booster and a flu shot. If anyone doubted that Trump is trying to sabotage America, this latest madness should make it clear. Putin wants us sicker, weaker, dead and Trump is doing that for him.
I called my Maryland Congressman and Senators about this issue and about the budget bill and tariffs. I'm writing postcards for Virginia today.
Unless something changes, to be very clear, a COVID vaccine will not be available for your grandson this fall. It is not a question of being able to afford it. It will not authorized for use on people under 65 or not in vulnerable communities.
Yes, that's how I understood it. It's terrible. If it were a question of affording it, I'd gladly pay. If he can go to Canada or Mexico to get it, I'll gladly pay. But he should be able to get one here in America.
Do America's young people really want to go back to staying home, taking classes on Zoom, and wearing masks? They should be angry about this.
Senator Alsobrooks is making health one of her signature issues and has been going after RFK. I've urged her to get even louder on this issue.
I think it may not be covered by insurance, and there may be government programs that won't cover it, but, if people can pay who are not in the recommended group, I think they will still be able to get it, unless companies make less of it because of this recommendation. It's a shame that someone with no medical training is making these decision with no scientific oversight. A big part of why I fear for my safety and that of my family these days.
I do not believe this is correct. They are not authorizing vaccines for use - not about reimbursement - for anyone under 65 and not in a at risk group. They are essentially saying that this vaccine we have all be getting these last few years is not safe enough for use by the broader public any more.
Covid vaccines have been approved for all ages by the FDA as a body. Does anyone know if the FDA as a body has restricted the vaccine to just 65+\health conditions? Or is it just a couple of trump’s FDA heads acting alone and making declarations? My understanding is the FDA acts as a committee and would have to actively withdraw approval for the vaccine for under 65.
It's a very good article, but readers should be aware when the following point is brought up: "In their commentary, Makary and Prasad noted that “all other high-income nations confine vaccine recommendations to older adults or those at high risk” for severe disease." It goes on to say: "This is largely accurate." To which I would say "Woah."
The other countries might specify (rather than "confine") the most important segments to get the vaccine, but in checking Canada, Japan, Germany and France, NONE of those restrict access the way the United States is doing. Those policies are there in case a shortage occurred, so that the highest risk would have priority access.
The New Republic just reported this: "Whatever the rationale for stripping the vaccine, it was made without the input of the CDC’s usual advisers: Its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is not scheduled to meet until the end of June."
Just in time for a VERY tough variant that is hitting Asia: NB 1.8.1 (Some cases have already arrived here.)
And it is not clear that vaccines have been updated for the new variants for Covid or flu. I read a few months ago that updating the vaccines would not be happening.
One main site I stick with for this type of info is U of Minnesota's "CIDRAP" -- the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. www.cidrap.org
About 3/4 of the way down, you'll see that the vaccine advisers to the FDC are recommending that the JN.1 strain vaccine be used on the other latest variants. Seems like it's very effective.
Regarding flu, the thing I have found invaluable is the CDC's Weekly Influenza Report. As you may be aware, the seasonal vaccine has really good effectiveness for 90 to 120 days -- so it's best to try to time them.
A link to the current report (all green). There's a slider above the map that you can use to track this past flu season. (In Georgia, I timed my shot for the second week of November.)
I constantly ask how RFK Jr.'s demented thinking yields a sound public health policy when the COVID vaccine is meant to minimize the impact of the virus, keep you out of the hospital if you contract it, but does not significantly impact transmissibility.
Does he and his team even recognize this?
How could restricting the vax to some groups while excluding others possibly work in the public realm where we all live together: old, young, vulnerable, compromised, and "healthy" (of course, until you are NOT - "healthy")?
"Healthy" is a here-and-now determination.
And haven't studies shown that instances of vaccine reactions are, in the main, far less devastating economically/medically than the risk of long COVID (which can happen in otherwise "healthy" people)?
And I wouldn't trust this regime to look out for the health of any woman, pregnant or not.
I struggle to understand what I don't seem to understand about the state of public health under this crank. I'd appreciate his dedication to healthy food (Michelle Obama pilloried for the same) and removing pharma ads from public airwaves. He should stick to that.
So my undertstanding related to your issue #1. There is something called the "Byrd rule" in the Senate, (no doubt named after Robert Byrd of WV) It is actually a law, not just a "rule" that states in a reconcilliation process, you need 60 vottes to add things into a budget bill that doesn't impact the actual budget . Adding a fee on temporary restraining orders does not impact the fiscal budget, so it would be struck from the Senate version by the Byrd rule.
Actually both of your issues would come under the rule.
Does this rule really exist??? I hope so but don't know & nobody is acting life such a rule exists? But I agree -- when is a budget bill not a budget bill, but a way of passing lots of unrelated stuff -- in this case -- BAD stuff??
FLIPPING THE HOUSE (and SENATE) in 2026
Really looking forward to watching this video! You’re four people I respect immensely!
Meanwhile, one of many things on my mind is the 2026 Midterm Elections. It’s absolutely imperative that we gain control of the House of Representatives, and that we make a valiant effort in what will be an uphill battle to also flip the Senate.
Axios has a rather interesting article on the Trump Regime’s efforts to prevent a Democratic takeover of the House. The Mad King definitely does NOT want Speaker Hakeem Jeffries and our skilled Democrats to launch lots of Congressional investigations and hearings into all the illegal stuff he & Elon & their team have done – nor carry out a third impeachment!
https://www.axios.com/2025/05/27/trump-5-steps-gop-house-2026
Regarding our imperative to flip the House and Senate, Ben Wikler (WisDems)made comments on The Contrarian a few days ago that I believe all of us on the pro-Democracy side should take to heart.
According to Wikler, ”There’s a whole bunch of research about basically how to turn outrage into actual election results…The key thing is to communicate continuously, to share with folks” regarding the content of the recently-passed Reconciliation bill. Today is the day to text the people you know who don’t pay much attention to politics and tell them about the huge cuts to health care and the tax cuts for the super rich. Post about it now on social media.
As Wikler says, the goal for election season in 2026 is “…to be reminding people of things, not for us to be trying to convince them that something happened a year and a half ago that they missed. And this is really critical. What we find over and over in politics is that when you just explain the facts of what is in the Republicans’ policy to undecided voters, to people in focus groups and so forth, they refuse to believe it. It sounds like Democratic propaganda. They think there’s no way that’s what really happened. This is preposterous. And the closer you get to an election, the more it seems like it must be a biased partisan attack to simply state the truth. And so if you want to change that dynamic, you need to make sure people find out about it the moment it happens. The way that memories are formed is through emotion. You need to have an emotional reaction to something and that etches it in your brain and then you can reactivate those emotions”.
In other words, if we fail to evoke people’s anger against the horrible terms of this bill now, it will be very difficult to evoke that emotion when it’s time to vote in the midterms.
From the podcast at around 9 minutes:
https://contrarian.substack.com/p/coffee-with-the-contrarian-0522
Great find! I subscribe to The Contrarian but had somehow missed this.
"The key thing is to communicate continuously…" Not to beat a dead horse, but precisely this is what Team Biden failed to do. Great policies, impressive legislative victories and terrific results – but lousy or close-to-nonexistent communications.
I also believe that the House Dems failed to do this as well. The Republicans did nothing but obstruct and showboat, and should not have been able to keep the House. I was dismayed to see that the same person in charge of strategy last time kept the job, at least when I last read about it, but I'm hopeful that a better party will do a better job.
I listened to that interview. Ben is spot on. I have been sharing out media tidbits all weekend about what's really in that bill. Keep the relentless pressure on about what they've done and continue to do it, but do it in your friend groups and daily conversation as well as online.
This is so important! Last week Simon mentioned that Trump wants to be in our heads 24/7 and that consuming all the news gives us a dopamine hit. I confess that he has succeeded in infecting me. This weekend my normie brother and family came to visit. It was amazing to be forced to take a break from the constant deluge of news. I tried really hard not to rant, but failed on several occasions. And I could tell that they thought I was over the edge. They have always been low news consumers, and I failed to educate them about what's really happening in a way that was successful. I have to figure out how to be dispassionate but factual. It's such a tricky balance!
Edited to add: The one place I had success was on DOGE. Our dad took a buy out in the 90s when Clinton successfully shrank the federal government, so my brother knows this can happen responsibly. We had a good conversation about how stupid it is to go in with a chain saw when a scalpel is needed.
One thing that really bothered me starting in T**** 1.0 was that you couldn’t speak factually about what the administration was doing without sounding like a conspiracy theorist. I never found a way to grapple successfully with that.
I am glad smarter people than I are starting to find ways to address it. Continuous communication is a great approach because you don’t have to discuss everything at once. And maybe after we repeat it enough times, people will start to believe it. A Big Truth should be at least as believable as a Big Lie, right?
This idea of continuous conversation is a version of "info warring" and something we've been discussing and doing since Hopium began in 2023. Its why I try to publish 7 days a week.
Yes! It is one of the things I like about Hopium, along with the people and optimism.
Of course continuous communication is nothing new, but this was the first time I understood why it is the perfect counter to the big lie (and a way to avoid sounding like a lunatic). I previously just figured it worked to keep the issues top of mind.
This is amazing. Everyone should see this. We could really dig into each of these things. I hope Ken Martin and his posse understand this. Simon... what do you think?
Institute of Peace reclaims its headquarters after court win over Musk’s cost-cutting team
By GARY FIELDS
Updated 9:27 PM EDT, May 21, 2025
https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-institute-of-peace-headquarters-df9dc7d4b1ea744db647527a4b28d807
The Institute has an impressive building at a premier DC location. No wonder the DOGE wankers wanted to squat there!
This is good news, though of course the Corrupt Regime is appealing the decision.
This is a win! trump is a Loser.
Celebrate the wins, baby!
I have read that there is a provision in the disastrous bill the House passed that is now in the Senate that would allow Trump to delay or cancel elections. Has anyone else seen this? If this is true, we need to be screaming this from the rooftops.
Do you have a link or specifics?
Elections are in the Constitution so it’s hard to see how a law could allow their suspension. Moreover, they are run by the states. Sounds like BS. Show me.
There's some misinformation floating around, including a post with a bunch of stuff that isn't in the bill attributed to Cheney and Kinzinger, which Kinzinger has disavowed.
Ten Sneaky Sleeper Provisions in Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill
This is the headline on an article from the American Prospect. Four days ago, they looked at "the horrors hidden in the fine print". NOTE: There is nothing about elections. So this is a rumor, a very destructive rumor, that you can happily ignore!
https://prospect.org/blogs-and-newsletters/tap/2025-05-23-ten-sneaky-sleeper-provisions-trumps-big-beautiful-bill/
Thank you for this!
I do not believe this is in the bill. Either back it up or take the post down. Thank you.
Thanks for all this, Simon. I'm not sure what messaging will stick but I'm trying them all. Just called my rancid NC senators and only got voicemail so I'm taking that as a good sign.
I'm one of the organizers of our "No Kings" rally and march here in Durham on Flag Day and we're leaning hard into patriotism and how Democrats are truly the party that embraces the flag and all it stands for while the corrupt GOP embraces the MAGA, Confederate, Nazi, and Gadsden flags. Our theme is "With Liberty and Justice For ALL!" and we are working hard to get folks to recognize that we need to get to 3.5 percent of the country actually hitting the streets to help turn back the tide to facism. And bonus, our keynote speaker is Justice Anita Earls, Allison Riggs' lone ally on the NC Supreme Court. We are also working with a graphic designer to come up with free, printable signs for the event to have visually beautiful, cohesive, G-rated (and thereby broadcastable) messaging.
Here's a link if you want to get an idea of our event. Please scroll down to "Accessibility" to see where we're going. And please share with anyone in the Durham area you might know.
https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/793310/
Thanks, Christine! I'm in Durham and will share this (and participate!).
Fantastic! Once we have the designs for the posters I'll share them here for all of our Hopium community to share wherever they are marching.
I see a couple of ways that the attack on science can be woven into the economic disaster currently being perpetrated. With the BBB, we are going into enormous debt in order to fund tax cuts for the rich and huge increases in spending for border security and defense in general. Trump is touting how much he is protecting the American people. But, as I wrote last week, I don't feel safe and a big part of that is that I am worried that there won't be good medical practices such as vaccines and scientific research on important diseases like cancer and Parkinson's and Alzeimer's. Also, the lack of funding for weather research and reporting is an acute risk to safety. There are many other reasons that, despite pouring an obscene amount of money into defense, Trump's adminstration has made me feel less safe, including the incompetence of the people in charge of our security. And the second connection is the one Simon mentioned. Scientific research is an engine of innovation and economic development.
Back to work today. I have a meeting set up with my state assembly reps for later this week as part of Moms Demand work. Good opportunity to make contact with them and establish ties that will be valuable in other areas.
Phone calls will be made today to Booker & Kim re tariffs/reconciliation and bringing home the abductees from El Salvador.
There was another Tesla Takedown on Saturday, well-attended and lively! We continue to plan not only No Kings here locally, but local Dem outreach, including voter registration, relational organizing, phone banking and door knocking. We are simply NOT going to let them elect a MAGA governor!
Postcards from Field Team 6 and Prog Turnout Project as well.
Keep going!
Ancetedol story of a small company acting in the resistance!
My mom has been a long time customer of Penzey’s Spice company. And over the weekend she received a surprise/out-of-the-blue package from them (to be clear, she had not placed any recent orders), filled with individual give away pouches of spice with packaging saying “resist”.
The text on each package reads:
Corrosion's come to town.
Now is when the love in your heart matters most.
Kitchen's gonna get hot.
Smoky, too.
You can stand it.
Burgers, vegetables, eggs, sandwiches, guac, wings.
Share with All who Care,
Here is the letter that came with the box, signed by the owner of the company:
Two Possible Futures Ahead!
One where those who believe in the promise of America give up. One where they don't. We chose your home for this box because your backyard is where America's fate is to be determined. Please find a place to pop this open and share with people in need of a tasty seasoning to brighten their day.
Sprinkle RESIST! heavily on hummus or chopped avocado and it will be spicy. Sprinkle it on a burger, or wings, or vegetables before roasting and its heat fades with cooking leaving just wonderful tastiness. Use RESIST everywhere by itself or alongside your favorite seasonings to add a new spark. RESIST! is Good.
Sorry to add more to your plate, but you know this matters.
Thanks for being our customer,
Included in the box were instructions of two stores in her state that she can purchase more boxes if she should choose, as well as ordering them online. My mom is now making a list of places to put them! (Also, funny enough, after telling me about the box—she told me I had to share it with the Hopium Community!)
Wow, what an innovative, fun, and I imagine tasty way to spread the resist message!
Oh this is fantastic! I love it. The best I've got is the Canadian specialty sock company, Viasox, who makes diabetic and compression socks advertising that because of the tariffs coming, they are forced to offer 2 pairs for the price of 1. LOL I don't know how long they can keep it up, but I took advantage!
I heartily endorse both Penzey's and their Resist! seasoning! It's become the new all-purpose spicy seasoning in our house
This is so clever! Good use of mockery against the clowns.
That is awesome! I used to order from Penzey’s 20 years ago, back when I could be bothered to cook. Guess I’m going to have to place a new order!
A great share CC B,
Thank you.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Self report fromWI
call is in to R congressman regarding 2nd and 3rd fronts. Call is in to R senator regarding 1st front. I’ll call this afternoon about the 2nd/3rd fronts. I’m continuing to write with postcards to voters. Continuing to promote June14 protests to everyone.
I'm trying to gather various Resolutions, Letters to America, Articles of Condemnation, or whatever you have called your drafts or documents prompted by Simon's call to raise the rhetorical level of this fight, and recommitting aloud to our founding documents and principles (democracy, Constitution, no king, three branches of gov't with checks and balances, rule of law, name the abuses and usurpations of power, etc.).
If you're willing to share yours, please post them here or send them to rapoliner@gmail.com. I'm hearing interest from other organizers, but samples would help. Thanks, and special thanks for the excellent ones already sent from Durham NC and Bernalillo County NM!
Self report – progress on resolution! Bernalillo County Commissioner Olivas likes my proposed resolution entitled “Defending our Democracy and the U.S. Constitution,” and will move it forward to a hearing. He found it to be “well researched and well thought out,” and offers only a few edits. One idea I have is for Hopium members to use this model to introduce and pass a similar resolution in each Congressional District, led by someone from Las Cruces / Doña Ana County and from Santa Fe County. Together, the three resolutions will be a powerful voice of the citizens and political institutions of NM that can be useful to Attorney General Torrez to support the ongoing lawsuits cited in the resolution, and to encourage our US Senators and Representatives to draft A Letter to America.
The draft resolution statement (based on a Tucson model) that follows the preamble and precedes the reference list reads as follows:
That New Mexico’s Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners declares its support for the role of the United States Congressional delegation of the State of New Mexico to lead their colleagues to stand up and reclaim their Constitutional duty to be an equal partner in the administration of the U.S. government, to work hand-in-hand with the Judicial Branch to ensure that the Constitution is not violated by the Executive Branch, and to ensure that illegal or unconstitutional actions that have occurred are overturned.
Amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Link to final revisions from Bernalillo County that I just received. Resolution Title: Defending our U.S. Constitution and Separation of Powers https://drive.google.com/file/d/1enskRdXj5Kzu_TOhlZJO8qcJWba1BCTN/view?usp=sharing
Here is the revised resolution statement.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED:
That the Bernalillo County Board of Commissioners:
1. Declares its support for the role of the United States Congress as a coequal partner of three in our constitutional Democratic Republic.
2. Supports and encourages the Congressional delegation of the State of New Mexico to lead their colleagues to stand up and reclaim their Constitutional duty to be an equal partner in the administration of the U.S. government, to work hand-in-hand with the Judicial Branch to ensure that the US Constitution is not violated by the Executive Branch, and to ensure that illegal or unconstitutional actions that have occurred are overturned.
I love this Deborah. I have copied and would love to send to my personal contacts on the local County Board of Supervisors (2 of the 5 who know me pretty well.) to see if we can do something similar. AG Rob Bonta of Californa has been very active in lawsuits against the administration like Raul Torrez, so we could have a similar sort of list of references. Are you okay with that?
Absolutely!
I already heard back from 1. "I'm knee deep in budgets, but this looks great and I cant wait to dive into it! Thanks for sending"
When it is passed please post the text here - great resource for our Hopium resources page! Great job!
Thank you, Lisa. I will be surprised if any subsequent changes are requested, since the resolution has already been reviewed and edited by the sponsoring Commissioner. Four out of five of the Commissioners are Democrats, and only three votes are needed to pass the resolution.
Wonderful! I just sent the link to the final revisions to a member of my county's Board of Supervisors, asking whether our board might consider something similar. Our county is a blue dot in the state of Iowa, so it could happen.
🙌🏻🙌🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸💃🏻💃🏻💃🏻yay!!!!!
Thank you for focusing on science, Simon! I too am very concerned about this, being a scientist myself and an environmental educator (which also includes public health). One of my protest signs says, “Science Powers Our Future” and around a big “explosion” of energy in the center (just my green marker making a big Sun design) I listed acronyms of many of the organizations where funding for research and public health have been cut. (Included Medicare and Medicaid, CDC, NIH, NOAA, NASA, National Parks and more)
I’m a scientist too and I love Simon’s idea of a Moms Demand Vaccines-type movement. We should explore how to make this happen. Our country has led the world in scientific and medical research. We can’t take this BS sitting down!
"Fighting the darkness" really says it all.
I recently spoke with a prominent issue advocate — yes, a lobbyist — who works both sides of the isle. She described the current state of the GOP as not just dysfunctional, but dangerously unmoored. The level of cognitive dissonance and destructiveness, she said, is at least 10X worse than anyone anticipated. It's a cult.
She pointed to Russell Vought as the orchestrator. He’s the ringmaster of a movement determined to implement Project 2025 line by line... and then go even further. According to her, Vought is pushing beyond the plan’s already radical scope, aiming to dismantle the very institutions that uphold American democracy. She described Musk as a clown-show distraction.
Western liberal democracy and anyone who defends it is the enemy of Vought and the GOP. Their goal is not to debate the enemy, but to destroy it. Forever.
Remember, the road to fascism is paved with silence. As things get worse — as they will get much worse — the instinct for many will be to retreat, to protect themselves, and to go quiet. That’s exactly what Vought and the GOP want.
.
Don’t go silent.
Stay engaged.
Stay disciplined.
Stay loud.
Hey this is a great post. I want to share it. But who was the lobbyist you spoke to. I don't really like to post quotes without the source. So if you're willing to share, let me know. I will email it out and post it on FB. I have some friends who are trying to be active. Thank you so much.
As you can imagine, disclosing her name could be disastrous for her work.
JCOK,
There’s actually a few layers behind Vought like The Heritage Foundation, Lenard Leo, The Federalist Society, the libertarian Koch group and ALEC.
They have been working intensely for the past 15-20 years toward White Christian Nationalist and Libertarian goals. Toward a
renaissance of the “ Gilded Age”. Vought may be the tip of the spear in 2025 but the spear is long with history and plotting. Reading the history of this group’s progress gives a lot of ah ha moments to the destruction of our country going on currently. It leads back to Gingrich and Reagan.
Interesting to research: a profoundly dangerous build up of opposition to supporting American voters financial goals or safety net needs.
Simon - thanks for the thoughtful and long essay this morning. Something tells me you spent a good part of your weekend writing that... We are the beneficiaries of your research and thoughts. I'm grateful.
When historians look back at this period in scientific research, surely someone will note that the American university / scientific research community was almost entirely created by European scientists and researchers who were leaving Europe because of fascism and communism. America was beckoning these people in order to create strength in all kinds of research and graduate degrees in the fields that will now have to go somewhere else to pursue their research. It is one of the stupidest things he's done - in a long list of stupid unnecessary fights he's picked with people, groups, institutions, and countries where we were doing fine.
Let's hope we can salvage some of this stupidity before it's unsalvageable.
Onward.
N.Y. Times roasted for sanewashing ‘lunatic’ Trump: Is ‘Karoline Leavitt moonlighting’ as headline writer?
Updated: May. 27, 2025, 9:08 a.m. | Published: May. 27, 2025, 7:49 a.m.
By Kevin Manahan | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
https://www.nj.com/politics/2025/05/ny-times-under-fire-for-sanewashing-deranged-lunatic-trump-again.html
I sent an email to the NYT reporter of that story "complimenting" her on how well she sane-washed Trump, and cited The Independent's more accurate headline and coverage. She did mention some of his bizarre comments deep in the story--and reporters don't write headlines--but the coverage overall was inexcusably whitewashed.
Thank you, Simon! I loved your discussion with BTC, especially the acknowledgement that Pelosi set an example to other older Dems. She doesn't often get enough credit for it.
I'm super concerned about the vaccine issue. My grandson is going off to college in the fall and will be traveling with his sports team. He should be able to get a COVID booster and a flu shot. If anyone doubted that Trump is trying to sabotage America, this latest madness should make it clear. Putin wants us sicker, weaker, dead and Trump is doing that for him.
I called my Maryland Congressman and Senators about this issue and about the budget bill and tariffs. I'm writing postcards for Virginia today.
Unless something changes, to be very clear, a COVID vaccine will not be available for your grandson this fall. It is not a question of being able to afford it. It will not authorized for use on people under 65 or not in vulnerable communities.
Yes, that's how I understood it. It's terrible. If it were a question of affording it, I'd gladly pay. If he can go to Canada or Mexico to get it, I'll gladly pay. But he should be able to get one here in America.
Do America's young people really want to go back to staying home, taking classes on Zoom, and wearing masks? They should be angry about this.
Senator Alsobrooks is making health one of her signature issues and has been going after RFK. I've urged her to get even louder on this issue.
I think it may not be covered by insurance, and there may be government programs that won't cover it, but, if people can pay who are not in the recommended group, I think they will still be able to get it, unless companies make less of it because of this recommendation. It's a shame that someone with no medical training is making these decision with no scientific oversight. A big part of why I fear for my safety and that of my family these days.
I do not believe this is correct. They are not authorizing vaccines for use - not about reimbursement - for anyone under 65 and not in a at risk group. They are essentially saying that this vaccine we have all be getting these last few years is not safe enough for use by the broader public any more.
I made this the focus of my calls to Tillis and Budd today.
It's very confusing. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/health/covid-vaccine-restrictions-eligibility.html
This is a good article about the status of Covid vaccines: https://www.science.org/content/article/what-does-new-fda-framework-mean-future-covid-19-vaccines-u-s
Covid vaccines have been approved for all ages by the FDA as a body. Does anyone know if the FDA as a body has restricted the vaccine to just 65+\health conditions? Or is it just a couple of trump’s FDA heads acting alone and making declarations? My understanding is the FDA acts as a committee and would have to actively withdraw approval for the vaccine for under 65.
It's a very good article, but readers should be aware when the following point is brought up: "In their commentary, Makary and Prasad noted that “all other high-income nations confine vaccine recommendations to older adults or those at high risk” for severe disease." It goes on to say: "This is largely accurate." To which I would say "Woah."
The other countries might specify (rather than "confine") the most important segments to get the vaccine, but in checking Canada, Japan, Germany and France, NONE of those restrict access the way the United States is doing. Those policies are there in case a shortage occurred, so that the highest risk would have priority access.
The New Republic just reported this: "Whatever the rationale for stripping the vaccine, it was made without the input of the CDC’s usual advisers: Its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is not scheduled to meet until the end of June."
Just in time for a VERY tough variant that is hitting Asia: NB 1.8.1 (Some cases have already arrived here.)
And it is not clear that vaccines have been updated for the new variants for Covid or flu. I read a few months ago that updating the vaccines would not be happening.
One main site I stick with for this type of info is U of Minnesota's "CIDRAP" -- the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. www.cidrap.org
About 3/4 of the way down, you'll see that the vaccine advisers to the FDC are recommending that the JN.1 strain vaccine be used on the other latest variants. Seems like it's very effective.
Is that for Covid? Was there any mention about the flu vaccine which can be difficult to figure out?
When it gets closer to flu season, they will certainly update on flu -- one way or the other.
Regarding flu, the thing I have found invaluable is the CDC's Weekly Influenza Report. As you may be aware, the seasonal vaccine has really good effectiveness for 90 to 120 days -- so it's best to try to time them.
A link to the current report (all green). There's a slider above the map that you can use to track this past flu season. (In Georgia, I timed my shot for the second week of November.)
https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/usmap.html
I constantly ask how RFK Jr.'s demented thinking yields a sound public health policy when the COVID vaccine is meant to minimize the impact of the virus, keep you out of the hospital if you contract it, but does not significantly impact transmissibility.
Does he and his team even recognize this?
How could restricting the vax to some groups while excluding others possibly work in the public realm where we all live together: old, young, vulnerable, compromised, and "healthy" (of course, until you are NOT - "healthy")?
"Healthy" is a here-and-now determination.
And haven't studies shown that instances of vaccine reactions are, in the main, far less devastating economically/medically than the risk of long COVID (which can happen in otherwise "healthy" people)?
And I wouldn't trust this regime to look out for the health of any woman, pregnant or not.
I struggle to understand what I don't seem to understand about the state of public health under this crank. I'd appreciate his dedication to healthy food (Michelle Obama pilloried for the same) and removing pharma ads from public airwaves. He should stick to that.