Morning all. It’s been another busy, tumultuous week in US politics. I start today with a recording of an interview (above) I just completed with David Jolly, MSNBC commentator, former GOP Representative, newly registered Dem and likely candidate for Florida Governor in 2026. If David runs he will be a great candidate and gives us a chance to put Florida back in play next year. We cover a lot of ground in the interview - his journey from Republican to Democrat, why he believes 2026 could be a good year for us in Florida, the need for Democrats to make voter registration a priority and how given population changes in the US Democrats must learn how to compete in both Florida and Texas this decade.
Here’s a Politico story on David’s joining our party and a link to his site if you want to learn more.
If David decides to run this could be one of the most important races in the country. So meet David, enjoy our discussion, and let’s keep our eyes on this one everyone.
New Hopium Discussions - For your weekend watching and listening pleasure sending along links to some of our recent conversations and presentations:
Katie Phang on leaving MSNBC and joining the pro-democracy movement
Rob Shapiro on why Trump’s economic agenda is more sabotage than strategy
Rep. Tom Suozzi on the reckless Republican reconciliation bill and Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. Joe Neguse on how House Dems are fighting Trump
DNC Vice-Chair Jane Kleeb on building better and stronger Democratic Parties
My conversation with Rachel Janfaza on winning the youth vote (again)
My weekly video on US politics, Trump Is Failing And Far Weaker
Remember you can find all of my interviews/podcasts on the Hopium site under Podcast and on YouTube and Spotify too. This week we will be talking to Abigail Spanberger to get an update on her race, NM AG Raul Torres on the ongoing critical work of the Dem AGs, and Rep. Laura Gillen (NY-4), one of our Hopium House 7. As of now we have no Live events scheduled though that may change. Our paid subscribers gather this week again Wednesday at 7pm ET.
The Fight Goes On, Trump Keeps Losing, The Circle Of Defiance Grows - Yes, we had some ugly stuff happen last yesterday but on balance I continue to believe that Trump is flailing now, desperate to change the story from his failures, stumbles and clown show Courtiers. As we move forward they will have wins, but what matters is that we have more, and keep the momentum moving away from them - and that is where I think we are on this Saturday morning.
We cannot forget that over the past few weeks the Catholic Church choose a very public Trump critic as Pope; we had big wins in Australia, Canada and North Carolina; his 100 days was declared a disaster by the media despite ferocious efforts to spin it by the White House; the Administration was forced to released students Mahdawi and Ozturk and ended their attempt to bully the state of Maine; Trump is now openly admitting that Putin has played him and cannot be trusted; more of his terrible nominees crashed and burned, and his Court looks increasingly corrupt and North Korean-level sycophantic; his crypto bill fell apart, and Rs are struggling to move forward on reconciliation; and the courts just keep handing him devastating loss after loss and after loss.
We got a big win in a very important lawsuit late yesterday afternoon (from the NYT):
A federal judge on Friday called for a two-week pause in the Trump administration’s plans for mass layoffs and program closures, barring two dozen agencies from moving forward with the largest phase of the president’s downsizing efforts, which the judge said was illegal without congressional authorization.
Of all the lawsuits challenging President Trump’s vision to dramatically scale back the form and function of the federal government, this one is poised to have the broadest effect. Most of the agencies have yet to announce their downsizing plans, but employees across the government have been anxiously waiting for announcements that have been expected for weeks.
Ruling just hours after an emergency hearing on Friday, Judge Susan Illston of the Federal District Court for the Northern District of California said the government’s effort to lay off workers and shut down offices and programs created an urgent threat to scores of critical services.
Congress set up a specific process for the federal government to reorganize itself. The unions and organizations behind the lawsuit have argued that the president does not have the authority to make those decisions without the legislative branch.
Judge Illston noted that process requires consultation with Congress on any plan to abolish or transfer part of an agency.
“It is the prerogative of presidents to pursue new policy priorities and to imprint their stamp on the federal government,” she wrote in a 42-page order. “But to make large-scale overhauls of federal agencies, any president must enlist the help of his coequal branch and partner, the Congress.”
Judge Illston listed services that could disappear if the offices that administer them were wiped out, including disaster relief funds for farmers after a flood, in-person appointments for Social Security recipients to discuss their benefits, workplace safety inspections in mines and grants that support kindergarten programs.
The scenario evoked what already happened at the Department of Health and Human Services — when mass layoffs caused major disruptions to programs — but on a larger scale. The deep cuts there indirectly hampered programs such as one that helps low-income families afford heating bills, and another that helps states track rates of chronic disease and gun violence.
While unions and other organizations have sued the federal government over other personnel actions, including indiscriminately firing thousands of probationary workers earlier this year, this is the first time such a broad coalition came together to challenge the administration’s actions. The plaintiffs in the ambitious lawsuit included labor unions, nonprofits and six cities and counties — including Baltimore, Chicago, San Francisco and Harris County, Texas, home to Houston.
“The Trump administration’s unlawful attempt to reorganize the federal government has thrown agencies into chaos, disrupting critical services provided across our nation,” the coalition said in a joint statement. “Each of us represents communities deeply invested in the efficiency of the federal government — laying off federal employees and reorganizing government functions haphazardly does not achieve that.”
This lawsuit is meaningful for it is attempting to block Trump’s entire dismantling of the government project, and it features a broad coalition including large cities and counties (Federalism matters!). While there is more to come here this initial ruling and the rationale behind it are very encouraging.
A lot went right for us this week. But we ended yesterday with two ugly events - Stephen Miller fantasizing about suspending habeas corpus and the arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka. Here is a clip of Mayor Baraka on CNN this morning responding to all the wild new crazy shit the Trump Administration is now saying about what happened:
I still maintain that these late Friday events - Miller’s fantasies, and the arrest of Mayor Baraka - are coming from a place of weakness and desperation. Yes, we have to keep fighting with everything we can; and while doing so it’s critical we do not give them strength and power and authority they do not have. I end the week believing that these guys look increasingly ridiculous and comical; desperate not strategic; losers not winners; and whatever narrow mandate they had has been withdrawn by the American people. We cannot for one moment believe they are not dangerous - they are - but they are also incompetent and outrageous buffoons running a rotting thing who are seeing their power ebb and things break against them again and again. And so they escalate, fantasize, lash out and overreach. We should expect it, and not be suprized or intimidated by it.
Let’s end with some data and analysis from my Wednesday post:
Trump has the worst polling of any President in history at this point. His 100 days was declared a disaster by everyone. Let’s sit with this morning’s new Economist/YouGov Trump job approval weekly track for a moment.
Overall 42%-52% (-10) - down 16 points from Trump’s first week
18-29 35%-56% (-21) - down 26 points
Hisp 34%-61% (-27) - down 22 points
Indies 33%-53% (-20) - down 17 points
Makes < $50k - 40%-53% (-13) - down 17 points
Makes 50-100K - 44%-52% (-8) - down 15 points
Inflation/Prices is 35%-56% (-21) - OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, let’s get to work everyone….
I’m in the process of reworking our “actions” that we take together, and want to focus on these three in the coming weeks and perhaps a few more:
We link his terrible tariffs with his even more terrible reconciliation bill, and work to undermine both of them, together.
We keep fighting to get Dems to more aggressively open up that Second Front, pen a Letter to America, introduce and debate state and local “articles of condemnation” and commit to owning July 4th this year. We have to firmly cement our identity as patriots and theirs as betrayers.
We develop and lean in hard to a big comprehensive argument against their multi-pronged and barbaric assault on our health, our public health system, science, research and academic freedom. I am calling this our Third Front.
Keep self-reporting all. So much going on across the country - thank you!!!! Have two more projects hope you will support today:
1 - Help Abigail Spanberger Win Virginia - Virginia will be one of the big battlegrounds of the November, 2025 elections and we have a great candidate for Governor, Abigail Spanberger. Watch my interview with Abigail, donate, volunteer, and learn more here. Given how many federal employees live in Virginia, this race is also now on the front lines of the Trump/Musk assault on the federal government.
We’ve raised more than $91,000 so far towards our June 30th goal of $250,000 - thank you all. Let’s keep working it for Abigail!
2 - Support The Hopium House 7 - We’ve begun our work to help flip the House next year by supporting and shoring up the 7 newly-elected battleground House Dems we helped elect last year. Catch our interviews with Reps Derek Tran, Janelle Bynum and Tom Suozzi and give to all 7 through a single donation on our new ActBlue page.
We’ve already raised over $74,000 towards our $200,000 June 30th goal - thank you all!
And finally, while Trump is increasing costs (pay more, get less!!!!) for you and your family, Hopium is lowering them - an annual paid subscription here is now 10% off through the end of May.
Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you - Simon
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