The details about Ukraine I had missed during the day. This is catastrophic. The fact that he appears to be giving up Ukraine for nothing, and then "wanting our money back" is just shocking. He's worse than Chamberlain. A lot worse. I doubt he even knows who Chamberlain he is so utterly ignorant.
The GOP needs to get it together now. This is beyond disgraceful. We have to fight but this is utterly insane and we need for the GOP to do SOMETHING to constrain this idiot.
Yes. It's hard to comprehend how to approach the trading away of Ukraine. It is at a level of corruption that former Presidents must chime in en masse. And immediately.
Simon, if you are still connected to them, please ask them to speak up.
This is the type of event that Harris could redefine the opposition to Trump.
On fighting for the deep red congressional special elections. Contest them, contest everything. The strategic retreats by Dems right now are ending the wrong message to their supporters.
Simon, I was so disappointed that earlier this week - " Trump got some welcome news earlier this week, when a new CBS News/YouGov poll (conducted Feb. 5 to 7) showed 53% of Americans approving of his job performance. The other 47% said they disapproved." Yahoo News, which I also saw reported on CNN. Can you help me understand this and what you report here in terms of his approval rate. Thanks!
In a war you're going to have casualties. Come on Simon. There are millions of us, let those who don't want Trump running the Kennedy Center fight the fight, and support it! Losing begets losing.
My whole presentation tonight was about the importance of picking our battles and winning....you are being an ignorant ass here tonight and it is unnecessary. If you think we can fight ever battle you are going to learn a lot about causalities my friend.
I don't think I called you an ass or ignorant, but it is what it is. My point is that we can do multitudes. If losing is the price of fighting, fighting, as you encouraged in your presentation is still worth it. For example, I think what we did in 2024 was worth the effort, even if we came up short in key races.
You're emphasizing the danger of getting humiliated by losing an uphill battle. Consider another metaphor for how to fight, and that is muscle building. You keep fighting you keep building muscle, or in this case, keeping everyone who has a beef with Trump engaged for their fight and they will be part of the other ones, too.
In the case of the Kennedy Center should we say we lost but we tried, or we didn't try but consider the success of our strategic non-engagement. To me there latter is not the temper of the times now.
If that makes me an ignorant ass so be it. I have supported the site and donated considerably to the Hopium candidates. I post rarely so this is quite the rebuke. Lesson learned.
I've noticed in the aftermath of the election that criticism is getting taken personally and responded to as such. I meant no personal disrespect, but rather disagreement. Back in the red wave moment in 2022 you were the voice of reason in a sea of media crap. It's why I became a paid subscriber early and I still think that's true.
Simon, I trust you on the wisdom of supporting the three congressional seat races in 2026. I would just ask that you respond to the argument that even if we don't win those house races, but we are able to bring the races significantly closer, this would send an important message to the GOP and to others that we have the momentum. Thoughts?
That’s what I was thinking; privately (or publicly if we do short videos - thinking like parkrose permaculture, she’s in Oregon but connects with knitters & permaculturists across the country.
If we have some personal connection with someone in a red state, can acknowledge how trump/musk has hurt them, and they can change their republican reps minds because hearing from 50 or so citizens every day about issues that matter to them…reiterating this isn’t red/blue. This is the working poor vs billionaires that think we should suck it up & keep working. We support (and have to start listening) and respect, and want to get us to a better place.
Maybe call not just your reps, but call all GOP reps. Doesn't matter if they are your rep, you can call them too. If they ask where you live you can tell them whatever you want. I choose to tell them that I am a constituent, because in away I am. I can't vote for or against them, but I am impacted by them. So I call them and demand they honor their oath to our constitution and our democracy!
To be “ferocious” in our opposition, we need to take concrete action that will really hurt Trump’s Frankenstein’s monster both materially and psychologically. That is why I am advocating a buyer’s boycott of Tesla. There may be other targets as well, but Tesla is already in trouble and is the perfect target of opportunity.
I would like to make Musk go bankrupt, or take a run at it. My problem is financial is not my area at all. But I did hear discussion that a lot of his wealth is held in stocks, If the prices of those fall, his wealth falls. The corporate sector is all supporting this shit so I have no pity. One way to cause a commotion is to make every corporation that he hold shares in nervous they too will be boycotted. What I do see is that the impact of a boycott that is publicized can have immediate impact on the stock price long before the drop in sales has a meaningful impact on the actual balance sheet. The whole stock market is just a bunch of speculators studying the entrails for a buy or sell signal, and are quick to stampede.
What I've been doing for the past few days is writing a piece for the Hopium Community. It's about infowar strategy and tactics, getting loud, getting strong, being Paul Revere to get everybody we can informed so they're mad, everyone who's mad so they act building our numbers to reach the tipping point --- getting everyone outside the box, including us --- and it requires no fundraising.
I had to post it on my substack because the comment section doesn't allow formatting which is needed in an article length piece. I hope you find this helpful.
Thank you, again, Simon, for your honest assessment and for your focus on the positive. I don't think you can imagine how much good you are doing. The message about calling elected officials seems to be seeping out into the general world, not just Hopium. I'm seeing comments in a number of grassroots groups. One member of my grassroots group spontaneously offered to do one-on-one trainings with other members about how to call and what to say. My friend the Greek historian says the Greek gods favored democracy not because it always leads to the best results but because it causes us to grow as humans. Maybe that's what we're seeing now.
Hey, Simon, thanks as always for spending time with us. Last night you briefly mentioned Indivisible, which for a brief moment made me smile, and then you dismissed it as being new, which was disappointing. I would love for you to reach out to the founders and learn more about them. We started a new chapter here in the Akron, Ohio, area in November, and my membership has grown from 19 to over 160 in 2 months. The national organization arms us with information through Zoom calls, emails, downloadable one-sheets, Google docs and everything our membership needs to make calls and get active. Every time one of my members reaches out to me to ask about something, I can go to Indivisible and they are already 2 steps ahead. We are in this together -- I hope you take time to learn more about Indivisible.
Simon, have any politicians or academics drawn a parallel between this time in the US and the rise of Robespierre, the subsequent Reign of Terror, and the self-crowning as Emperor by Napoleon? Who proceeded to prosecute bloody and expansionist wars all over Europe? I am reading this: https://www.city-journal.org/article/why-robespierre-chose-terror. And the parallels are terrifying.
@simon, I participate in your Wednesday meetings as often as I can. We are all super engaged - comments fly by at lightning speed - and it’s awesome. Would you consider either making your presentation 90 minutes or at the end of 60 minutes going into breakout rooms so that we can discuss ideas and options? Perhaps a moderator in each room to report back to you what groups have come up with - ideas for you to consider. Right now I feel like there’s this burst of activity and then it ends and my head is swimming. There’s good information but I can’t process it completely and that makes it hard for me to figure out what to do next. Maybe it’s just me, but I thought I would mention the breakout room idea. Thank you!
When will Trump supporters realize that they are directly responsible for higher prices and mass layoffs? When they are in line at the local food bank and in the unemployment line? Too late!
Thank you, Simon!!! My Senators, Kaine and Warner, held a town hall Monday evening and it was excellent. They are helping people and being outspoken and gearing up for more. I am so proud of them! I thanked them and encouraged their efforts. Communicated with my Congressman about Musk, and Congress needing to exert its power. Donated to a women's shelter and an environmental law group. Looking at groups that are filing the lawsuits against the illegal actions of the administration.
Meanwhile 3 house-races…people in those states can share on their social media spaces. I don’t think it’s a case of spending more than them. I think it’s more mobilizing the bases in the communities being impacted by the decisions of musk and Trump now. I don’t think it’s gonna matter what they (republicans)spend if there’s enough local people doing small, but frequent Videos or I don’t know if TikTok‘s or a thing still or Substacks. Conversations in coffee shops, churches. Writing fierce letters to candidates (especially if they are republican ).
The details about Ukraine I had missed during the day. This is catastrophic. The fact that he appears to be giving up Ukraine for nothing, and then "wanting our money back" is just shocking. He's worse than Chamberlain. A lot worse. I doubt he even knows who Chamberlain he is so utterly ignorant.
The GOP needs to get it together now. This is beyond disgraceful. We have to fight but this is utterly insane and we need for the GOP to do SOMETHING to constrain this idiot.
Yes. It's hard to comprehend how to approach the trading away of Ukraine. It is at a level of corruption that former Presidents must chime in en masse. And immediately.
Simon, if you are still connected to them, please ask them to speak up.
This is the type of event that Harris could redefine the opposition to Trump.
An excellent and very disturbing discussion:
https://open.substack.com/pub/luciantruscott/p/no-matter-what-happens-after-today
On fighting for the deep red congressional special elections. Contest them, contest everything. The strategic retreats by Dems right now are ending the wrong message to their supporters.
Simon, I was so disappointed that earlier this week - " Trump got some welcome news earlier this week, when a new CBS News/YouGov poll (conducted Feb. 5 to 7) showed 53% of Americans approving of his job performance. The other 47% said they disapproved." Yahoo News, which I also saw reported on CNN. Can you help me understand this and what you report here in terms of his approval rate. Thanks!
In a war you're going to have casualties. Come on Simon. There are millions of us, let those who don't want Trump running the Kennedy Center fight the fight, and support it! Losing begets losing.
My whole presentation tonight was about the importance of picking our battles and winning....you are being an ignorant ass here tonight and it is unnecessary. If you think we can fight ever battle you are going to learn a lot about causalities my friend.
I don't think I called you an ass or ignorant, but it is what it is. My point is that we can do multitudes. If losing is the price of fighting, fighting, as you encouraged in your presentation is still worth it. For example, I think what we did in 2024 was worth the effort, even if we came up short in key races.
You're emphasizing the danger of getting humiliated by losing an uphill battle. Consider another metaphor for how to fight, and that is muscle building. You keep fighting you keep building muscle, or in this case, keeping everyone who has a beef with Trump engaged for their fight and they will be part of the other ones, too.
In the case of the Kennedy Center should we say we lost but we tried, or we didn't try but consider the success of our strategic non-engagement. To me there latter is not the temper of the times now.
If that makes me an ignorant ass so be it. I have supported the site and donated considerably to the Hopium candidates. I post rarely so this is quite the rebuke. Lesson learned.
I've noticed in the aftermath of the election that criticism is getting taken personally and responded to as such. I meant no personal disrespect, but rather disagreement. Back in the red wave moment in 2022 you were the voice of reason in a sea of media crap. It's why I became a paid subscriber early and I still think that's true.
Simon, I trust you on the wisdom of supporting the three congressional seat races in 2026. I would just ask that you respond to the argument that even if we don't win those house races, but we are able to bring the races significantly closer, this would send an important message to the GOP and to others that we have the momentum. Thoughts?
That’s what I was thinking; privately (or publicly if we do short videos - thinking like parkrose permaculture, she’s in Oregon but connects with knitters & permaculturists across the country.
If we have some personal connection with someone in a red state, can acknowledge how trump/musk has hurt them, and they can change their republican reps minds because hearing from 50 or so citizens every day about issues that matter to them…reiterating this isn’t red/blue. This is the working poor vs billionaires that think we should suck it up & keep working. We support (and have to start listening) and respect, and want to get us to a better place.
Maybe call not just your reps, but call all GOP reps. Doesn't matter if they are your rep, you can call them too. If they ask where you live you can tell them whatever you want. I choose to tell them that I am a constituent, because in away I am. I can't vote for or against them, but I am impacted by them. So I call them and demand they honor their oath to our constitution and our democracy!
To be “ferocious” in our opposition, we need to take concrete action that will really hurt Trump’s Frankenstein’s monster both materially and psychologically. That is why I am advocating a buyer’s boycott of Tesla. There may be other targets as well, but Tesla is already in trouble and is the perfect target of opportunity.
I would like to make Musk go bankrupt, or take a run at it. My problem is financial is not my area at all. But I did hear discussion that a lot of his wealth is held in stocks, If the prices of those fall, his wealth falls. The corporate sector is all supporting this shit so I have no pity. One way to cause a commotion is to make every corporation that he hold shares in nervous they too will be boycotted. What I do see is that the impact of a boycott that is publicized can have immediate impact on the stock price long before the drop in sales has a meaningful impact on the actual balance sheet. The whole stock market is just a bunch of speculators studying the entrails for a buy or sell signal, and are quick to stampede.
What I've been doing for the past few days is writing a piece for the Hopium Community. It's about infowar strategy and tactics, getting loud, getting strong, being Paul Revere to get everybody we can informed so they're mad, everyone who's mad so they act building our numbers to reach the tipping point --- getting everyone outside the box, including us --- and it requires no fundraising.
I had to post it on my substack because the comment section doesn't allow formatting which is needed in an article length piece. I hope you find this helpful.
https://moralitymademeanatheist.substack.com/p/grasping-the-problem-project-2025
Thank you, again, Simon, for your honest assessment and for your focus on the positive. I don't think you can imagine how much good you are doing. The message about calling elected officials seems to be seeping out into the general world, not just Hopium. I'm seeing comments in a number of grassroots groups. One member of my grassroots group spontaneously offered to do one-on-one trainings with other members about how to call and what to say. My friend the Greek historian says the Greek gods favored democracy not because it always leads to the best results but because it causes us to grow as humans. Maybe that's what we're seeing now.
Hey, Simon, thanks as always for spending time with us. Last night you briefly mentioned Indivisible, which for a brief moment made me smile, and then you dismissed it as being new, which was disappointing. I would love for you to reach out to the founders and learn more about them. We started a new chapter here in the Akron, Ohio, area in November, and my membership has grown from 19 to over 160 in 2 months. The national organization arms us with information through Zoom calls, emails, downloadable one-sheets, Google docs and everything our membership needs to make calls and get active. Every time one of my members reaches out to me to ask about something, I can go to Indivisible and they are already 2 steps ahead. We are in this together -- I hope you take time to learn more about Indivisible.
Simon, have any politicians or academics drawn a parallel between this time in the US and the rise of Robespierre, the subsequent Reign of Terror, and the self-crowning as Emperor by Napoleon? Who proceeded to prosecute bloody and expansionist wars all over Europe? I am reading this: https://www.city-journal.org/article/why-robespierre-chose-terror. And the parallels are terrifying.
@simon, I participate in your Wednesday meetings as often as I can. We are all super engaged - comments fly by at lightning speed - and it’s awesome. Would you consider either making your presentation 90 minutes or at the end of 60 minutes going into breakout rooms so that we can discuss ideas and options? Perhaps a moderator in each room to report back to you what groups have come up with - ideas for you to consider. Right now I feel like there’s this burst of activity and then it ends and my head is swimming. There’s good information but I can’t process it completely and that makes it hard for me to figure out what to do next. Maybe it’s just me, but I thought I would mention the breakout room idea. Thank you!
When will Trump supporters realize that they are directly responsible for higher prices and mass layoffs? When they are in line at the local food bank and in the unemployment line? Too late!
Thank you, Simon!!! My Senators, Kaine and Warner, held a town hall Monday evening and it was excellent. They are helping people and being outspoken and gearing up for more. I am so proud of them! I thanked them and encouraged their efforts. Communicated with my Congressman about Musk, and Congress needing to exert its power. Donated to a women's shelter and an environmental law group. Looking at groups that are filing the lawsuits against the illegal actions of the administration.
Meanwhile 3 house-races…people in those states can share on their social media spaces. I don’t think it’s a case of spending more than them. I think it’s more mobilizing the bases in the communities being impacted by the decisions of musk and Trump now. I don’t think it’s gonna matter what they (republicans)spend if there’s enough local people doing small, but frequent Videos or I don’t know if TikTok‘s or a thing still or Substacks. Conversations in coffee shops, churches. Writing fierce letters to candidates (especially if they are republican ).