I love Woodson and am looking forward to having her represent me in the NC Senate.
I'm afraid my canvassing days are behind me, especially in the beastly heat we have been having here in Charlotte. I am a donor and will phone bank.... and I'd love to write postcards for her if they become available. I am writing Anti-Tricia Cotham postcards for Nicole Sidman who is running in Cotham's NC House district (which overlaps Woodson's Senate district to a large extent).
The postcards came from Flip NC (https://flipnc.org/) which is out of Durham.
But I picked up mine from a local distribution point here in Mecklenburg County - NCDP and our local Indivisible chapter coordinated the pick-up points. But we have to return the postcards to the same distribution point (without stamps) and they will be mailed in bulk. This is to avoid the hassle of in-kind contribution paperwork.
I'm really not sure what to tell you unless you live in or near Mecklenburg county and could pick them up and return them.
Where are you located? Are you asking on behalf of yourself or for a larger postcarding group?
There is an Indivisble meeting tomorrow, so I can see what I can find out about a contact with Flip NC, if you would like.
Thanks, Cheryl. I’m in Durham but was furious last year when Cotham sold out and went over to the dark side. It would be just for me and likely more trouble than is worth it. Maybe I’ll just send a few bucks. I really appreciate your response and love knowing we are in the same state! (NC, I mean. Not Chaos!)
LET’s REGAIN THE WONDERFUL MOMENTUM that we had in May and mid-June! Here are some concrete ideas:
First and foremost, we need to turn the negative attention back to Trump: his lies and Project 2025. Fortunately, the latter is now finally getting some serious coverage in the mainstream media.
Trump is feeling the heat – that’s why he the other day posted a denial on "Truth Social" (sic) that he didn’t have anything to do with Project 2025, didn’t know anything about it, and disagreed with some of it (pretty hard to disagree with parts if you know nothing about it). Nobody took his lie seriously. After all, at least 16 of Trump’s top people have been heavily involved in formulating the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. Moreover, decorations being put up underscore that Heritage will play a central role at the Republican National Convention.
Responses from Latino focus groups that watched the debate indicate that they were seriously turned off by Trump’s lies and are now – virtually unanimously! – ready to vote for Biden. There needs to be serious and very effective Latino outreach! The Latino vote can help us win numerous swing states, including Arizona and Nevada, and might even move the needle in Florida.
Abortion rights will be on the ballot in at least eight states. Surely this can be used spur heavy Democratic, Independent and sane Republican turnout. Those who vote in favor of these referenda need to be convinced to vote for Biden-Harris, and to Vote Blue up and down the ballot.
Democratic Senate candidates are polling very well. Surely it should be possible to bridge much of President Biden’s polling gap in these states?
We have many strategic advantages, many opportunities for increasing Biden’s support and GOTV. These are just a few!
.
PS. FiveThirtyEight still has the race effectively tied! 538’s polling average has stabilized and begun to slowly swing back towards Biden.
PPS. We have to stop the media “feeding frenzy” about Biden’s fitness. Granted, the Biden White House and Campaign must do a better job of addressing this. Democrats, especially, need to get their shit together and control their panic – at the very least cease destructive public statements!
Did you catch that Simon apologized for that? And furthermore, that he edited his last Hopium post, removing his non-professional medical musings? That fact was mentioned, and greatly appreciated, by several commenters who had criticized what Simon wrote.
I did, but I am/was still disappointed as I have always so respected Simon and looked to him during this moment of insanity. But, as he has requested, I will delete my comment. And thank you ArticStones for appropriately and respectfully calling me out!
The Lincoln Project has a jarring video of what *Trump’s Project 2025* may look like in practice. I urge you to take four minutes to watch it – and to share the video with everyone you know!
That is all the motivation we need to keep going. People need to wake up, pull together, and defeat this. I understood that 25 of the authors of Project 2025 were in Trump's administration. Fact check me on this.
Pretty explicit video that should scare anyone who watches it. The only issue I have with it, is that Trump does not look like that anymore which is not a realistic way to present him. It leaves the impression in the minds of those who watch it that this is who is now. Too bad they didn't use recent images.
Funny thing. I was wondering if they know how bad his performance in the debate was and how fragile his mental state, and want to keep the focus off him and onto Biden.
Hi Simon, we love you, but you are kind of killing us out here. We were reeling from your change of tone yesterday from the President of the United States that was put out yesterday. Thank you for your clarification and retraction. -- Molly H.
My heart sank when I read his post yesterday. Okay, we dust ourselves off, pick ourselves up and continue. Trump is clearly feeling the heat and he is doing what he always does - lie, lie, lie. Let's keep spreading the word about Project 2025. The Biden/Harris site has a great summary of what Project 2025 plan is and will implement.
I’ve seen some pretty effective videos on TikTok that Trump is trying to ban Big Bird.
It’s a sad statement on our electorate’s attention span that catchy little sound bites like “Trump is banning Big Bird!” are more effective than listing out the truly horrendous plans in Project 2025, but whatever works, works!
At this point whatever works. It's a hard document to read and I am a good at research. There is a ton of double speak so that it takes some sitting with what is being written to realize just how diabolical it is.
Totally- someone commented here that Biden should hire late night writers to come up with some truly great zingers about Trump and I agree- virality is currency online and a large chunk of eligible voters get almost all their news from social media. A funny meme about Trump banning Big Bird is going to go farther online than a clip of Lawrence O’Donnell somberly stating political facts.
It was also more than a little ableist and insulting. I’m half of Biden’s age, and when I have a migraine (which is often) I too look like a Parkinson’s patient, I suppose: can’t speak in full sentences, shake, look absolutely grey…I guess my boss ought to fire me and have someone younger and fitter do my job, regardless of the fact I’ve made my company a nifty profit. So glad to be thought of as disposable. X(
I suffer from migraines as well. When I have one, I get foggy, can't concentrate and speak very slowly. Sounds and odors affect me as well. Trump was lying constantly. All I know is we must unite and work towards beating Trump not tearing down President Biden. I hear, we are not a cult; we are not like them. Well, I am not in a cult but I will defend Biden or whomever our nominee is on the ticket. This is not even about defeating Trump, it's about saving our democracy - literally. How many more rights are people willing to lose?
I have had my migraines interfere with my speech, and I sound like I am having a stroke. I empathize. I will fight against Trump and Project 2025. Standing with Biden.
In this note you repeatedly call this the Biden-Harris ticket. That's a great frame. But it only works if Harris has a higher, and more favorable, profile. If she defines herself, and isn't defined by the other side.
I would love to see Harris as the “face” of abortion rights. She’s a powerful speaker on the topic (much more so that Biden, both because he’s a man and because of his own Catholic beliefs) and it’s a winning issue for Dems, so I think connecting Harris with abortion rights is a great move.
I’d like to see a lot more of Harris. With. black, Asia, women audiences and young audiences. White me and women are nervous about her. I know. It’s my husband’s concern. I keep saying she activates the Dems to vote. That is how Obama won. Big. Massive voter turnout. I’d like to know if I am correct. Excite All Demsto vote and we don’t need to focus so much on those swing states. Am I right? How did Obama win so big.?
“Harris has put the full force of her office behind the fight for abortion rights. Since the overturn of Roe, she has held more than 60 events in 20 states and brought together 250-plus legislators from 28 states—and this was before she went on tour.”
Harris is getting a lot more air time. One I saw that was interesting was on The Bulwark "It's time to Re-Introduce Kamala to America" Elaina Plott Calabro spoke about a Kamala few of us know. It's worth looking at. Clips of her on the stump are a real contrast and uplifting compared to Joe. She could wipe the floor with Trump. I think she's underestimated.
Time to tell every breathing human being you know about the hideously un-American Project 2025 written and sponsored by a slew of Trump operatives.
It is pure un-American fascist ideology. We have lost thousands of men and women and spent trillions of dollars fighting wars to protect the concept of lWestern Liberal Democracy here and abroad. Now, with Project 2025, the GOP wants to embrace the evil we fought so hard to defeat. Purely un-American.
I am going through the Project 2025 document and keeping a document balled Project 2025 breakdown. They are even proposing that Sesame Street is left biased.
By parsing out sections we can share them. The media has come up with some innocuous sections and keeps repeating these same ones. There are some really serious things being proposed:
The Media
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING Mike Gonzalez
Pages 246-248
A DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF BIAS
Conservatives will thus reward a President who eliminates this tyrannical situation. (My note: Public funding) PBS and NPR do not even bother to run programming that would attract conservatives. As Pew Research demonstrated in 2014, 25 percent of PBS’s audi ence is “mostly liberal,” and 35 percent is “consistently liberal.” That is 60 percent liberal compared to 15 percent conservative (11 percent “mostly conservative” and 4 percent “consistently conservative”).50 NPR’s audience is even to the Left of that, with 67 percent liberal (41 percent “consistently liberal” and 26 percent “mostly liberal”), compared with 12 percent conservative (3 percent and 9 percent “consistently conservative” and “mostly con servative,” respectively).51 That may be an acceptable business model for MSNBC or CNN, but not for a taxpayer-subsidized broadcaster.
PUBLIC INTEREST VS. PRIVILEGE Stripping public funding would, of course, mean that NPR, PBS, Pacifica Radio, and the other leftist broadcasters would be shorn of the presumption that they act in the public interest and receive the privileges that often accompany so acting. They should no longer, for example, be qualified as noncommercial education sta tions (NCE stations), which they clearly no longer are. NPR, Pacifica, and the other radio ventures have zero claim on an educational function (the original purpose for which they were created by President Johnson), and the percentage of on-air programming that PBS devotes to educational endeavors such as “Sesame Street” (programs that are themselves biased to the Left) is small
The FCC also exempts NCE stations from licensing fees. It says that “Noncommercial educational (NCE) FM station licensees and full service NCE television broadcast station licensees are exempt from paying regulatory fees, provided that these stations operate solely on an NCE basis.”55 NPR and PBS stations are in reality no longer noncommercial, as they run ads in everything but name for their sponsors. They are also noneducational. The next President should instruct the FCC to exclude the stations affiliated with PBS and NPR from the NCE denomination and the privileges that come with it.
Department of Defense
SECTION 2: THE COMMON DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Page 91- Christopher Miller
The DOD is also a deeply troubled institution. Historically, the military has been one of America’s most trusted institutions, but years of sustained misuse, a two-tiered culture of accountability that shields senior officers and officials while exposing junior officers and soldiers in the field, wasteful spending, wildly shifting security policies, exceedingly poor discipline in program execution, and (most recently) the Biden Administration’s profoundly unserious equity agenda and vaccine mandates have taken a serious toll.
In this light, U.S. defense strategy must identify China unequivocally as the top priority for U.S. defense (my notes: shift away from Russia as enemy) planning while modernizing and expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal and sustaining an efficient and effective counterterrorism enterprise. U.S. allies must also step up, with some joining the United States in taking on China in Asia while others take more of a lead in dealing with threats from Russia in Europe, Iran, the Middle East, and North Korea. The reality is that achieving these goals will require more spending on defense, both by the United States and by its allies, as well as active support for reindustrialization and more support for allies’ productive capacity so that we can scale our free world efforts together.
Page 94
Implement nuclear modernization and expansion. The United States manifestly needs to modernize, adapt, and expand its nuclear arsenal.
1. Expand and modernize the U.S. nuclear force so that it has the size, sophistication, and tailoring to deter Russia and China simultaneously. 2. Develop a nuclear arsenal with the size, sophistication, and tailoring— including new capabilities at the theater level—to ensure that there is no circumstance in which America is exposed to serious nuclear coercion
DOD FOREIGN MILITARY SALE
pages 100-102
--End informal congressional notification. Informal congressional notification or “tiered review” is a hinderance to ensuring timely sales to our global partners. The tiered review process is not codified in law; it is merely a practice by which the Department of State provides a preview of prospective arms transfers before Congress is formally notified.
--Rationalize and speed arms sales decision-making to preclude our enemies from exploiting bureaucratic slothfulness and allow us to manage the development of indigenous defense industrial bases.
Should have written “Western Liberal Democracy” instead of “liberal Western democracy”. Apparently, large difference in meaning between the two. My anthropologist daughter would not approve.
As I wrote today I don't think we need to brand project 2025. We know what Trump wants to do. We should brand and define him not the project in my view.
I disagree. We should brand this as *Trump’s Project 2025*. By consistently calling it this, we "glue" them to each other and effectively kill two birds with one stone.
Low information voters (our target) won't know about Project 2025 (or care too), but they will know what a "rapist, 34x felon, and have probably seen Jan 6.
Yes. Having the far right's plans in writing (i.e., Project 2025) is something objective that we can point to. It's proof that we're not exaggerating when we warn voters of what Trump could do if elected.
Trump and Project 2025 are two terms for an identical thing. I’m not a political wordsmith but I agree with ArcticStones, we need to weld them together. Especially since it’s in print and Trump won’t be able to hold any moderation of his agenda in front of an audience for more than a day or two.
Of course msm refuses to report on his regular multiple posts every day elevating his crazy extremist agenda and his constant posting of Q Anon death cult memes.
I agree with Simon. People do not know what Project 2025 is. It's what it is proposing to do and that is all Trump. Years of planning and dark money have gone into this. Trump is already on defense on it. "I dunno." Push him on the most egregious proposals. There's enough in there for every cross-section of the electorate.
Trump will continue to try to disassociate himself with Project 2025. Despite this, it is a policy paper -- it exists -- and people need to know about it.
I don't think we should separate Trump from project 2025 because he surrounded himself with the project's proponents when he was in office and will do so again if re-elected. This point needs to be made clear to the voters. Project 2025 is a roadmap to what America will become if he wins. So we need to understand what is in it. He is already trying to deny he knows anything about it which is easily proven to be another lie. Let's not let him conceal his intentions.
Check out what Jessica Craven says about 2025 in her short video, originally posted on TikTok, but also available on YouTube. It is short and imminently shareable:
I have voted in all the elections in my country since I registered to vote in 1973. Voting to me is sacred.
I never once went to a voting poll thinking that I would be casting my vote to save my country from falling into fascism. The freedoms that I have lived with my entire life are in serious jeopardy.
How we got here, who knows & at this point it doesn't matter. All I know is that each of us needs to stop it. And the way to stop it, is to use our one precious vote to re-elect our pro-democracy President.
Simon: if Biden remains the candidate (I personally wish he would step aside), then he could take a campaign strategy from the FDR playbook. Campaign with all his cabinet members out there-- lots of photos of the TEAM. Together. All of them talking about what they do for all of us. And they'll keep at it if the TEAM is re-elected. So many are younger, vibrant, committed and energetic. Always have two or three speaking with him....
Stop this nonsense about he's the only one and he's doing it on his own. So not true.
Agreed about my own personal wishes, Lynn. And personally, Simon expressing concern? I was deeply appreciative. I've got great concerns, and they haven't been assuaged over the past 13 days. I'm not a fan of silence around obvious weaknesses. I agree with Lynn that more visibility of his team would help greatly. I'll work hard for the Democratic candidate, period. All paths right now carry risks. It's not enough to simply highlight Trump and think that will be enough to win a very tight election. Yes, it should be, but it's not. We need a future plan, a sense of possibility, and a platform that's forward looking.
I personally think that it is too fraught to consider having any change in our ticket. I have heard many say as they advocated for Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, that they believed she would bring younger voters, African Americans and Latinos.
What steps are planned to give her a high profile to those groups to energize them? She is great on reproductive health - no one covers that issue better than she does.
Also, do you foresee some high profile endorsements like Liz Cheney coming soon? Hoping so!
If you’re not engaging with the fact that Harris would have to pick a new VP that would then need to be approved through a house vote held by Mike Johnson then I don’t know why you’re moving on to voter engagement. It would be an absolute disaster in my opinion.
I changed my comment to reflect, I am not advocating for Biden to step down. I am merely asking how can she be used most effectively right now, as the belief regarding how she would energize those voters can be put to use. Sorry if I wasn't clear - I share all of your concerns.
Gotcha that makes sense. She’s definitely an asset as VP and I agree the campaign should get her out there.
That said, one thing I know about Biden and his campaigning and leadership style is that he is extremely patient. The pundits and us political junkies always want to change things and adjust immediately to problems, but we forget that huge masses of people don’t engage with this stuff on a daily basis. They might be more weekly or monthly, and THEN there’s a whole group of people who don’t know about anything going on because they won’t tune in until Sept/October.
I think the campaign understands when to put their foot on the gas. Every time I’ve seen people complaining the campaign isn’t doing something, they do it a bit later on and it’s clear it’s well planned out and funded and reaching people.
I respect an apology anytime. So, my sincere thanks to Simon Rosenberg for his apology for his Hopium comments on the subject of President Biden's health. I almost walked away from his Substack and politics after that post because of my trust in Mr. Rosenberg. I just didn't understand how he could be swept away like that.
Anyway
What are some takeaways from this?
1. All of us are going over the cliff from time to time. We need to be there for each other to pull each back up.
2. We are in a war, bloodless coup, revolution or whatever else you want to call it. By recognizing this we can measure the stress we are constantly under. We need to take care of each other.
I appreciate this, Barbara. I call Simon my north star in this election but when I read yesterday’s post my first thought was to feel terrible for him, because he was getting inundated with people convinced Biden had a neurological disorder and because Simon, more than any one of us, has put his heart and soul into re-electing Biden, so this tumult must feel extra disappointing. It just reminded me that he is human despite his many superb qualities! I really appreciated today’s reflection and apology and love your reminders that we need to take care of each other and have each other’s back in this incredibly stressful time. I know I have Simon’s and am super grateful for his leadership.
And also, Joe will work hard for the Two State Solution, the only one that can work. He will support both Israelis and Palestinians. Jewish people have no cause to fear Joe Biden.
The more Trump denies his connection to Project 2025, the deeper the media will (hopefully) try to dig. If I am not mistaken, the primary job of the media is to uncover what is hidden and let people know. And Trump, I am sure, has a lot more to hide than what has already come out., INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROJECT 2025.
If the media neglects its primary duty, then it is up to the ordinary Americans to share what is already known. I urge everyone here and elsewhere to read "Mandates for Leadership" and talk with anyone who will listen --- family, friends, colleagues, etc. --- about the dangers of a second Trump presidency.
Jon Stewart had an interesting monologue on Biden/Trump fitness. For me it says it all; and, also, will be supporting the ticket wholeheartedly. However, we do have an opportunity here to really energize the party and all who want democracy to win..
My problem with all these takes is they don’t engage with the mechanics of resignation.
If Biden resigns it triggers section 2 of the 25th amendment and Harris has to pick a new VP. That pick has to be approved by a House vote. If people think MAGA Mike Johnson won’t turn that into a circus disaster then they haven’t thought it through (this is almost ALL of the pundits)
Then there are ballot access legal challenges. I guarantee Republican AGs and legal groups are absolutely salivating at the chance to go to court. I don’t know why people are skipping over this stuff. It’s a critical reason to just not even consider these hypotheticals anymore in my opinion.
People go straight to voter engagement and excitement, but none of that matters if you don’t get past the legal and mechanical issues.
Well, actually, if that were the President's only concern (we're not sure it is), there is a way to resolve that issue by itself. If Biden resigned, per that scenario, then Harris could pick North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper as VP. Let MAGA Mike Johnson be on the record turning THAT into a "circus disaster." We would almost dare him. Cooper is a relatively popular Democratic governor in what could be a battleground state.
Then electorally, having Cooper on the ticket would counteract many of Harris's electoral vulnerabilities.
Of course, the problem of ballot access legal challenges would really come into play if Biden resigned post-Convention (we think). So, again, if that resignation business were the ONLY difficulty, it seems like there is a workaround for that.
Sincerely,
Michael and David Salzillo
Writers of the Political Pulse of America and Salzillo's Two Cents
It is inaccurate for Haberman and other media to call the Abortion language “watered down” without adding more context. The RNC committee did an end-around the abortion language and went straight for fetal personhood through the 14th amendment.
🚨It’s even MORE extreme than their past abortion-only language. It would also be an effective ban on IVF and probably forms of birth control.
The mainstream media is failing to understand /report this and inform the public.
Check the statement by the SBA prolife org👇
““It is important that the GOP reaffirmed its commitment to protect unborn life today through the 14th Amendment. Under this amendment, it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions. The Republican Party remains strongly pro-life at the national level.”
For everyone spooked by polls with samples of 1,000 or less, please focus more on what’s been happening in 2024 primaries. For example, over 2 million voted in the PA primary in April knowing the age of the candidates. 47% voted for Biden, 39% voted for Trump. Biden got more votes than either Clinton in 1996 or Obama in 2012 in PA’s presidential primaries, which seemed to go completely unnoticed in the media. Meanwhile we need to continually remind voters of Biden’s successes against all odds - and that they didn’t just happen by accident. The majority of Americans will choose Biden over a 34 time convicted felon and traitor and MAGA’s Project 2025 agenda, provided we remain on offense each day.
Thank you for mentioning this.
I love Woodson and am looking forward to having her represent me in the NC Senate.
I'm afraid my canvassing days are behind me, especially in the beastly heat we have been having here in Charlotte. I am a donor and will phone bank.... and I'd love to write postcards for her if they become available. I am writing Anti-Tricia Cotham postcards for Nicole Sidman who is running in Cotham's NC House district (which overlaps Woodson's Senate district to a large extent).
https://www.woodsonbradley.com/
Cheryl, can you hook me up with whomever is running the anti-Cotham postcard writing, please? Thanks.💙
The postcards came from Flip NC (https://flipnc.org/) which is out of Durham.
But I picked up mine from a local distribution point here in Mecklenburg County - NCDP and our local Indivisible chapter coordinated the pick-up points. But we have to return the postcards to the same distribution point (without stamps) and they will be mailed in bulk. This is to avoid the hassle of in-kind contribution paperwork.
I'm really not sure what to tell you unless you live in or near Mecklenburg county and could pick them up and return them.
Where are you located? Are you asking on behalf of yourself or for a larger postcarding group?
There is an Indivisble meeting tomorrow, so I can see what I can find out about a contact with Flip NC, if you would like.
Thanks, Cheryl. I’m in Durham but was furious last year when Cotham sold out and went over to the dark side. It would be just for me and likely more trouble than is worth it. Maybe I’ll just send a few bucks. I really appreciate your response and love knowing we are in the same state! (NC, I mean. Not Chaos!)
I really appreciate your response and love knowing we are in the same state! (NC, I mean. Not Chaos!)
⬆️🤣🤣🤣
If you want to fund some postage stamps for this campaign you can do so here:
https://donorbox.org/flip-iclt-letters
Thanks!
LET’s REGAIN THE WONDERFUL MOMENTUM that we had in May and mid-June! Here are some concrete ideas:
First and foremost, we need to turn the negative attention back to Trump: his lies and Project 2025. Fortunately, the latter is now finally getting some serious coverage in the mainstream media.
Trump is feeling the heat – that’s why he the other day posted a denial on "Truth Social" (sic) that he didn’t have anything to do with Project 2025, didn’t know anything about it, and disagreed with some of it (pretty hard to disagree with parts if you know nothing about it). Nobody took his lie seriously. After all, at least 16 of Trump’s top people have been heavily involved in formulating the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025. Moreover, decorations being put up underscore that Heritage will play a central role at the Republican National Convention.
Responses from Latino focus groups that watched the debate indicate that they were seriously turned off by Trump’s lies and are now – virtually unanimously! – ready to vote for Biden. There needs to be serious and very effective Latino outreach! The Latino vote can help us win numerous swing states, including Arizona and Nevada, and might even move the needle in Florida.
Abortion rights will be on the ballot in at least eight states. Surely this can be used spur heavy Democratic, Independent and sane Republican turnout. Those who vote in favor of these referenda need to be convinced to vote for Biden-Harris, and to Vote Blue up and down the ballot.
Democratic Senate candidates are polling very well. Surely it should be possible to bridge much of President Biden’s polling gap in these states?
We have many strategic advantages, many opportunities for increasing Biden’s support and GOTV. These are just a few!
.
PS. FiveThirtyEight still has the race effectively tied! 538’s polling average has stabilized and begun to slowly swing back towards Biden.
PPS. We have to stop the media “feeding frenzy” about Biden’s fitness. Granted, the Biden White House and Campaign must do a better job of addressing this. Democrats, especially, need to get their shit together and control their panic – at the very least cease destructive public statements!
Did you catch that Simon apologized for that? And furthermore, that he edited his last Hopium post, removing his non-professional medical musings? That fact was mentioned, and greatly appreciated, by several commenters who had criticized what Simon wrote.
I did, but I am/was still disappointed as I have always so respected Simon and looked to him during this moment of insanity. But, as he has requested, I will delete my comment. And thank you ArticStones for appropriately and respectfully calling me out!
The Lincoln Project has a jarring video of what *Trump’s Project 2025* may look like in practice. I urge you to take four minutes to watch it – and to share the video with everyone you know!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpLpOtFNFWg
Folks, that’s the alternative to re-electing Team Biden.
That is all the motivation we need to keep going. People need to wake up, pull together, and defeat this. I understood that 25 of the authors of Project 2025 were in Trump's administration. Fact check me on this.
Popular Information has a list of 31 Project 2025 credited authors and their role in the Trump Adminstration.
Yikes. Creepier still. Thanks.
I got this in my inbox this morning from Faithful America, an ecumenical group committed to fighting Christian Nationalism.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#inbox/FMfcgzQVxbfwMZLrmrlVgfTzQvnNJlrL
Pretty explicit video that should scare anyone who watches it. The only issue I have with it, is that Trump does not look like that anymore which is not a realistic way to present him. It leaves the impression in the minds of those who watch it that this is who is now. Too bad they didn't use recent images.
Message is clear about Project 2025.
Q. Why has ex-president Trump hardly been seen these last ten days.
A. Is his probation officer at liberty to say?
– Does he fear assassination but is unable to find a "body double"?
– Is he finally receiving the medical care he clearly needs?
– Has Trump been electrocuted by a shark?
– Has he had a stroke or a heart attack?
– Have his hair plugs gone septic?
– Did Trump run out of bespoke adult diapers?
– Defenestration from Trump Tower after Vlad realized Donald had become a liability?
– Did Colonel Sanders’ chickens exact revenge by lodging a bone in his throat?
– Did Bibi accidentally trigger the Jewish space laser above Mar-a-Lago?
Let the rumors and loud media speculation begin!
.
Yes, I find this very strange...
He may be staying quiet because the media's still hammering Biden and he doesn't want them to stop.
This made me laugh, thank you! I saw that newest ad from the Lincoln Project yesterday morning. It's powerful and terrifying, so l needed the laugh.
Funny thing. I was wondering if they know how bad his performance in the debate was and how fragile his mental state, and want to keep the focus off him and onto Biden.
From what I have read elsewhere, especially from his own sister, Donald has had a *fragile mental state* since childhood.
Thank you, ArcticStones, for this helpful comment.
Hi Simon, we love you, but you are kind of killing us out here. We were reeling from your change of tone yesterday from the President of the United States that was put out yesterday. Thank you for your clarification and retraction. -- Molly H.
Yep. I was more disheartened by Simon's post yesterday than anything in a long time. Glad he cleared it up!
My heart sank when I read his post yesterday. Okay, we dust ourselves off, pick ourselves up and continue. Trump is clearly feeling the heat and he is doing what he always does - lie, lie, lie. Let's keep spreading the word about Project 2025. The Biden/Harris site has a great summary of what Project 2025 plan is and will implement.
https://joebiden.com/project2025/
I am slowly reading Project 2025. They say Sesame Street is leftist.
I’ve seen some pretty effective videos on TikTok that Trump is trying to ban Big Bird.
It’s a sad statement on our electorate’s attention span that catchy little sound bites like “Trump is banning Big Bird!” are more effective than listing out the truly horrendous plans in Project 2025, but whatever works, works!
At this point whatever works. It's a hard document to read and I am a good at research. There is a ton of double speak so that it takes some sitting with what is being written to realize just how diabolical it is.
Totally- someone commented here that Biden should hire late night writers to come up with some truly great zingers about Trump and I agree- virality is currency online and a large chunk of eligible voters get almost all their news from social media. A funny meme about Trump banning Big Bird is going to go farther online than a clip of Lawrence O’Donnell somberly stating political facts.
Thank you for this, let's all share it!
Yes, my feelings, too!
It was also more than a little ableist and insulting. I’m half of Biden’s age, and when I have a migraine (which is often) I too look like a Parkinson’s patient, I suppose: can’t speak in full sentences, shake, look absolutely grey…I guess my boss ought to fire me and have someone younger and fitter do my job, regardless of the fact I’ve made my company a nifty profit. So glad to be thought of as disposable. X(
I suffer from migraines as well. When I have one, I get foggy, can't concentrate and speak very slowly. Sounds and odors affect me as well. Trump was lying constantly. All I know is we must unite and work towards beating Trump not tearing down President Biden. I hear, we are not a cult; we are not like them. Well, I am not in a cult but I will defend Biden or whomever our nominee is on the ticket. This is not even about defeating Trump, it's about saving our democracy - literally. How many more rights are people willing to lose?
I have had my migraines interfere with my speech, and I sound like I am having a stroke. I empathize. I will fight against Trump and Project 2025. Standing with Biden.
All your points are rock solid.
I’m awaiting the next “Daisy” message to help grab the public’s attention in a dramatic way.
In this note you repeatedly call this the Biden-Harris ticket. That's a great frame. But it only works if Harris has a higher, and more favorable, profile. If she defines herself, and isn't defined by the other side.
Harris has been consistently polling higher than Biden of late. and is doing a great deal of campaigning. She is working very very hard.
I would love to see Harris as the “face” of abortion rights. She’s a powerful speaker on the topic (much more so that Biden, both because he’s a man and because of his own Catholic beliefs) and it’s a winning issue for Dems, so I think connecting Harris with abortion rights is a great move.
I think that was the WH's plan. And she absolutely nails it out there!!!
Right? Because she’s polling so well right now, we should capitalize it by linking our best “asset” to our winningest issue.
And has so many of the important credentials at this particular moment!
I’d like to see a lot more of Harris. With. black, Asia, women audiences and young audiences. White me and women are nervous about her. I know. It’s my husband’s concern. I keep saying she activates the Dems to vote. That is how Obama won. Big. Massive voter turnout. I’d like to know if I am correct. Excite All Demsto vote and we don’t need to focus so much on those swing states. Am I right? How did Obama win so big.?
“Harris has put the full force of her office behind the fight for abortion rights. Since the overturn of Roe, she has held more than 60 events in 20 states and brought together 250-plus legislators from 28 states—and this was before she went on tour.”
https://www.elle.com/culture/career-politics/a60130281/kamala-harris-fight-for-reproductive-freedoms-tour-interview-2024/
Harris is getting a lot more air time. One I saw that was interesting was on The Bulwark "It's time to Re-Introduce Kamala to America" Elaina Plott Calabro spoke about a Kamala few of us know. It's worth looking at. Clips of her on the stump are a real contrast and uplifting compared to Joe. She could wipe the floor with Trump. I think she's underestimated.
Time to tell every breathing human being you know about the hideously un-American Project 2025 written and sponsored by a slew of Trump operatives.
It is pure un-American fascist ideology. We have lost thousands of men and women and spent trillions of dollars fighting wars to protect the concept of lWestern Liberal Democracy here and abroad. Now, with Project 2025, the GOP wants to embrace the evil we fought so hard to defeat. Purely un-American.
Here is what I am doing:
I am going through the Project 2025 document and keeping a document balled Project 2025 breakdown. They are even proposing that Sesame Street is left biased.
By parsing out sections we can share them. The media has come up with some innocuous sections and keeps repeating these same ones. There are some really serious things being proposed:
The Media
CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING Mike Gonzalez
Pages 246-248
A DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF BIAS
Conservatives will thus reward a President who eliminates this tyrannical situation. (My note: Public funding) PBS and NPR do not even bother to run programming that would attract conservatives. As Pew Research demonstrated in 2014, 25 percent of PBS’s audi ence is “mostly liberal,” and 35 percent is “consistently liberal.” That is 60 percent liberal compared to 15 percent conservative (11 percent “mostly conservative” and 4 percent “consistently conservative”).50 NPR’s audience is even to the Left of that, with 67 percent liberal (41 percent “consistently liberal” and 26 percent “mostly liberal”), compared with 12 percent conservative (3 percent and 9 percent “consistently conservative” and “mostly con servative,” respectively).51 That may be an acceptable business model for MSNBC or CNN, but not for a taxpayer-subsidized broadcaster.
PUBLIC INTEREST VS. PRIVILEGE Stripping public funding would, of course, mean that NPR, PBS, Pacifica Radio, and the other leftist broadcasters would be shorn of the presumption that they act in the public interest and receive the privileges that often accompany so acting. They should no longer, for example, be qualified as noncommercial education sta tions (NCE stations), which they clearly no longer are. NPR, Pacifica, and the other radio ventures have zero claim on an educational function (the original purpose for which they were created by President Johnson), and the percentage of on-air programming that PBS devotes to educational endeavors such as “Sesame Street” (programs that are themselves biased to the Left) is small
The FCC also exempts NCE stations from licensing fees. It says that “Noncommercial educational (NCE) FM station licensees and full service NCE television broadcast station licensees are exempt from paying regulatory fees, provided that these stations operate solely on an NCE basis.”55 NPR and PBS stations are in reality no longer noncommercial, as they run ads in everything but name for their sponsors. They are also noneducational. The next President should instruct the FCC to exclude the stations affiliated with PBS and NPR from the NCE denomination and the privileges that come with it.
Department of Defense
SECTION 2: THE COMMON DEFENSE
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Page 91- Christopher Miller
The DOD is also a deeply troubled institution. Historically, the military has been one of America’s most trusted institutions, but years of sustained misuse, a two-tiered culture of accountability that shields senior officers and officials while exposing junior officers and soldiers in the field, wasteful spending, wildly shifting security policies, exceedingly poor discipline in program execution, and (most recently) the Biden Administration’s profoundly unserious equity agenda and vaccine mandates have taken a serious toll.
In this light, U.S. defense strategy must identify China unequivocally as the top priority for U.S. defense (my notes: shift away from Russia as enemy) planning while modernizing and expanding the U.S. nuclear arsenal and sustaining an efficient and effective counterterrorism enterprise. U.S. allies must also step up, with some joining the United States in taking on China in Asia while others take more of a lead in dealing with threats from Russia in Europe, Iran, the Middle East, and North Korea. The reality is that achieving these goals will require more spending on defense, both by the United States and by its allies, as well as active support for reindustrialization and more support for allies’ productive capacity so that we can scale our free world efforts together.
Page 94
Implement nuclear modernization and expansion. The United States manifestly needs to modernize, adapt, and expand its nuclear arsenal.
1. Expand and modernize the U.S. nuclear force so that it has the size, sophistication, and tailoring to deter Russia and China simultaneously. 2. Develop a nuclear arsenal with the size, sophistication, and tailoring— including new capabilities at the theater level—to ensure that there is no circumstance in which America is exposed to serious nuclear coercion
DOD FOREIGN MILITARY SALE
pages 100-102
--End informal congressional notification. Informal congressional notification or “tiered review” is a hinderance to ensuring timely sales to our global partners. The tiered review process is not codified in law; it is merely a practice by which the Department of State provides a preview of prospective arms transfers before Congress is formally notified.
--Rationalize and speed arms sales decision-making to preclude our enemies from exploiting bureaucratic slothfulness and allow us to manage the development of indigenous defense industrial bases.
Should have written “Western Liberal Democracy” instead of “liberal Western democracy”. Apparently, large difference in meaning between the two. My anthropologist daughter would not approve.
If you wish, you can click the three dots below your post, and then choose Edit.
Not if you’re on an iPad.
As I wrote today I don't think we need to brand project 2025. We know what Trump wants to do. We should brand and define him not the project in my view.
I disagree. We should brand this as *Trump’s Project 2025*. By consistently calling it this, we "glue" them to each other and effectively kill two birds with one stone.
I see both sides.I suppose it comes down to the messaging.
Me:Trump wants to take away your birth control.
Voter: Where did he say that ?
Me:Trump's Project 2025,page #
Low information voters (our target) won't know about Project 2025 (or care too), but they will know what a "rapist, 34x felon, and have probably seen Jan 6.
Yes. Having the far right's plans in writing (i.e., Project 2025) is something objective that we can point to. It's proof that we're not exaggerating when we warn voters of what Trump could do if elected.
Trump and Project 2025 are two terms for an identical thing. I’m not a political wordsmith but I agree with ArcticStones, we need to weld them together. Especially since it’s in print and Trump won’t be able to hold any moderation of his agenda in front of an audience for more than a day or two.
Of course msm refuses to report on his regular multiple posts every day elevating his crazy extremist agenda and his constant posting of Q Anon death cult memes.
I agree with Simon. People do not know what Project 2025 is. It's what it is proposing to do and that is all Trump. Years of planning and dark money have gone into this. Trump is already on defense on it. "I dunno." Push him on the most egregious proposals. There's enough in there for every cross-section of the electorate.
Trump will continue to try to disassociate himself with Project 2025. Despite this, it is a policy paper -- it exists -- and people need to know about it.
The Vice President gave a great speech in NV today. I liked the way she hit the issues of what P25 proposes.
Thanks for this. I will try to find a video of her speech.
Lawrence O'Donnell played a long segment on his show tonight.
I don't think we should separate Trump from project 2025 because he surrounded himself with the project's proponents when he was in office and will do so again if re-elected. This point needs to be made clear to the voters. Project 2025 is a roadmap to what America will become if he wins. So we need to understand what is in it. He is already trying to deny he knows anything about it which is easily proven to be another lie. Let's not let him conceal his intentions.
Check out what Jessica Craven says about 2025 in her short video, originally posted on TikTok, but also available on YouTube. It is short and imminently shareable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFirdGCLnfc
Thanks for sharing! Jess is awesome!
I have voted in all the elections in my country since I registered to vote in 1973. Voting to me is sacred.
I never once went to a voting poll thinking that I would be casting my vote to save my country from falling into fascism. The freedoms that I have lived with my entire life are in serious jeopardy.
How we got here, who knows & at this point it doesn't matter. All I know is that each of us needs to stop it. And the way to stop it, is to use our one precious vote to re-elect our pro-democracy President.
Joseph Robinette Biden Jr.
From Scranton, PA
Simon: if Biden remains the candidate (I personally wish he would step aside), then he could take a campaign strategy from the FDR playbook. Campaign with all his cabinet members out there-- lots of photos of the TEAM. Together. All of them talking about what they do for all of us. And they'll keep at it if the TEAM is re-elected. So many are younger, vibrant, committed and energetic. Always have two or three speaking with him....
Stop this nonsense about he's the only one and he's doing it on his own. So not true.
Lynn, I've been thinking that too.
Team and democratic platform!!
We nominated him for 2024. The Democratic Party voters. Who is anyone to throw away those votes?
YES. I have said that if we’re sticking with Biden, the campaign strategy needs a reset. Send out the dynamic young D stars!
Agreed about my own personal wishes, Lynn. And personally, Simon expressing concern? I was deeply appreciative. I've got great concerns, and they haven't been assuaged over the past 13 days. I'm not a fan of silence around obvious weaknesses. I agree with Lynn that more visibility of his team would help greatly. I'll work hard for the Democratic candidate, period. All paths right now carry risks. It's not enough to simply highlight Trump and think that will be enough to win a very tight election. Yes, it should be, but it's not. We need a future plan, a sense of possibility, and a platform that's forward looking.
Another way to think of it: Biden has assembled a tremendous team. THAT is quite an accomplishment -- and he did that on his own.
Simon,
I personally think that it is too fraught to consider having any change in our ticket. I have heard many say as they advocated for Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, that they believed she would bring younger voters, African Americans and Latinos.
What steps are planned to give her a high profile to those groups to energize them? She is great on reproductive health - no one covers that issue better than she does.
Also, do you foresee some high profile endorsements like Liz Cheney coming soon? Hoping so!
If you’re not engaging with the fact that Harris would have to pick a new VP that would then need to be approved through a house vote held by Mike Johnson then I don’t know why you’re moving on to voter engagement. It would be an absolute disaster in my opinion.
(25th amendment section 2)
I changed my comment to reflect, I am not advocating for Biden to step down. I am merely asking how can she be used most effectively right now, as the belief regarding how she would energize those voters can be put to use. Sorry if I wasn't clear - I share all of your concerns.
Gotcha that makes sense. She’s definitely an asset as VP and I agree the campaign should get her out there.
That said, one thing I know about Biden and his campaigning and leadership style is that he is extremely patient. The pundits and us political junkies always want to change things and adjust immediately to problems, but we forget that huge masses of people don’t engage with this stuff on a daily basis. They might be more weekly or monthly, and THEN there’s a whole group of people who don’t know about anything going on because they won’t tune in until Sept/October.
I think the campaign understands when to put their foot on the gas. Every time I’ve seen people complaining the campaign isn’t doing something, they do it a bit later on and it’s clear it’s well planned out and funded and reaching people.
I respect an apology anytime. So, my sincere thanks to Simon Rosenberg for his apology for his Hopium comments on the subject of President Biden's health. I almost walked away from his Substack and politics after that post because of my trust in Mr. Rosenberg. I just didn't understand how he could be swept away like that.
Anyway
What are some takeaways from this?
1. All of us are going over the cliff from time to time. We need to be there for each other to pull each back up.
2. We are in a war, bloodless coup, revolution or whatever else you want to call it. By recognizing this we can measure the stress we are constantly under. We need to take care of each other.
3. We can win this.
I appreciate this, Barbara. I call Simon my north star in this election but when I read yesterday’s post my first thought was to feel terrible for him, because he was getting inundated with people convinced Biden had a neurological disorder and because Simon, more than any one of us, has put his heart and soul into re-electing Biden, so this tumult must feel extra disappointing. It just reminded me that he is human despite his many superb qualities! I really appreciated today’s reflection and apology and love your reminders that we need to take care of each other and have each other’s back in this incredibly stressful time. I know I have Simon’s and am super grateful for his leadership.
Me too. He has been our North star. I have appreciated his work and dedication.
I trust Simon has people taking care of him.
You take care.
Yes, that is how I felt. So happy he has now removed that content.
Yes, absolutely agree.
And also, Joe will work hard for the Two State Solution, the only one that can work. He will support both Israelis and Palestinians. Jewish people have no cause to fear Joe Biden.
The Parkinson's smear that the NYT based its misleading "bury the lede" hit piece on was debunked in 2019:
https://x.com/thomasafine/status/1810450102328156372?t
The more Trump denies his connection to Project 2025, the deeper the media will (hopefully) try to dig. If I am not mistaken, the primary job of the media is to uncover what is hidden and let people know. And Trump, I am sure, has a lot more to hide than what has already come out., INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO PROJECT 2025.
If the media neglects its primary duty, then it is up to the ordinary Americans to share what is already known. I urge everyone here and elsewhere to read "Mandates for Leadership" and talk with anyone who will listen --- family, friends, colleagues, etc. --- about the dangers of a second Trump presidency.
Vote for Joe and Kamala. Vote Blue. 😊
Hopefully the news media will start publishing mugshots of the 16 top Trump people who played a key role in formulating Project 2025. He owns this!
EDIT: The Lincoln Project has already done so:
https://nitter.poast.org/ProjectLincoln/status/1810396776500965601#m
Jon Stewart had an interesting monologue on Biden/Trump fitness. For me it says it all; and, also, will be supporting the ticket wholeheartedly. However, we do have an opportunity here to really energize the party and all who want democracy to win..
My problem with all these takes is they don’t engage with the mechanics of resignation.
If Biden resigns it triggers section 2 of the 25th amendment and Harris has to pick a new VP. That pick has to be approved by a House vote. If people think MAGA Mike Johnson won’t turn that into a circus disaster then they haven’t thought it through (this is almost ALL of the pundits)
Then there are ballot access legal challenges. I guarantee Republican AGs and legal groups are absolutely salivating at the chance to go to court. I don’t know why people are skipping over this stuff. It’s a critical reason to just not even consider these hypotheticals anymore in my opinion.
People go straight to voter engagement and excitement, but none of that matters if you don’t get past the legal and mechanical issues.
I agree. It's speculation spiraling out from false assumptions.
So important, mg.
Well, actually, if that were the President's only concern (we're not sure it is), there is a way to resolve that issue by itself. If Biden resigned, per that scenario, then Harris could pick North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper as VP. Let MAGA Mike Johnson be on the record turning THAT into a "circus disaster." We would almost dare him. Cooper is a relatively popular Democratic governor in what could be a battleground state.
Would Republicans want to upset North Carolina residents like that? It would be a risky strategy, and it is a win-win no matter what path they take. After all, some presidents, from our understanding, have not had VPs (see https://forgottenhistoryblog.com/18-american-presidents-didnt-have-a-vice-president-for-all-or-some-of-their-terms/).
Then electorally, having Cooper on the ticket would counteract many of Harris's electoral vulnerabilities.
Of course, the problem of ballot access legal challenges would really come into play if Biden resigned post-Convention (we think). So, again, if that resignation business were the ONLY difficulty, it seems like there is a workaround for that.
Sincerely,
Michael and David Salzillo
Writers of the Political Pulse of America and Salzillo's Two Cents
It is inaccurate for Haberman and other media to call the Abortion language “watered down” without adding more context. The RNC committee did an end-around the abortion language and went straight for fetal personhood through the 14th amendment.
🚨It’s even MORE extreme than their past abortion-only language. It would also be an effective ban on IVF and probably forms of birth control.
The mainstream media is failing to understand /report this and inform the public.
Check the statement by the SBA prolife org👇
““It is important that the GOP reaffirmed its commitment to protect unborn life today through the 14th Amendment. Under this amendment, it is Congress that enacts and enforces its provisions. The Republican Party remains strongly pro-life at the national level.”
https://sbaprolife.org/newsroom/press-releases/sba-statement-on-gop-platform
For everyone spooked by polls with samples of 1,000 or less, please focus more on what’s been happening in 2024 primaries. For example, over 2 million voted in the PA primary in April knowing the age of the candidates. 47% voted for Biden, 39% voted for Trump. Biden got more votes than either Clinton in 1996 or Obama in 2012 in PA’s presidential primaries, which seemed to go completely unnoticed in the media. Meanwhile we need to continually remind voters of Biden’s successes against all odds - and that they didn’t just happen by accident. The majority of Americans will choose Biden over a 34 time convicted felon and traitor and MAGA’s Project 2025 agenda, provided we remain on offense each day.
Jon, this is an excellent point. What you wrote would make an excellent letter to the editor.
I have long made the point that the pundits ought to view special elections and primaries as "high-quality, very-large-sample polls".
Hopefully the reinvigorated Unions under this administration will keep fighting on behalf of Dems up and down the ticket.
I love Unions. I think every industry needs to be inundated with them!