Saturday Roundup - New 2024 Election Presentation, With Dems, The May Jobs Report and More

Welcome New Subscribers! Together, Let's Do More, Worry Less

Happy Saturday all. It’s been another intense week of US politics. Today I’m sending a long a selection of recent writings and videos for your weekend reading, viewing and listening pleasure. I also want to thank all of you who stepped up and became a paid subscriber here in recent weeks. We hit our goal of 1,000 new paid subscribers by April 30th - thank you all. Your support keep this place going and the Hopium flowing!

Let’s get to it:

My New Presentation About The 2024 Election - Why I’m Optimistic We Will Win This November. In addition to the comprehensive 20 minute video presentation, you can find a new detailed written analysis of recent polling and electoral trends. I dropped this on Thursday so lots of fresh data and insights here.

The Strong Biden Economy, 49 Million Jobs Under Democrats - In a new detailed analysis I look at the new May jobs report, the historically strong Biden economy, and revisit one of the main themes and understandings here at Hopium - that when Democrats are in power, things get better. Republicans, however, when in power keep failing to do their part.

With Democrats, Things Get Better - In many ways Hopium Chronicles is a child of this presentation, which takes an depth look at American politics since 1989 when the Cold War ended a new age of globalization began. It tells a story, one that I call the most important, least understood story in American politics today - that when we are in power, things get better in American. We see growth, lower deficits, American progress. When Republicans come to power we see something else. We see recessions, higher deficits, American decline; and now with MAGA we see something far more malevolent and dangerous than just a failed American political party. Essential viewing for all who want to go deeper into the big understandings here at Hopium.

The Remarkable Success of The Democratic Party’s Hispanic Strategy - This is a presentation I put together in October of 2022 which takes an in-depth look at the Hispanic vote since the 1990s. While this is from 2022, the analysis is still relevant and fresh and worth your time. For what it finds, contrary to conventional wisdom, it has been Republicans who’ve seen erosion with Hispanic voters, not Democrats (outside Florida that is). You can also find a detailed written analysis along with the 20-25 minute video.

Recent Interviews With Important Leaders

• Anna Hochkammer - Anna is a good friend and a leader of the coalition fighting to overturn Florida’s new six week abortion ban. She provides a great overview of this vital campaign to restore rights and freedoms to the women of Florida.

• Ruben Gallego, The Next Senator from Arizona - Ruben joined us a few weeks ago to update us on his important run for the Senate. So proud of what’s been able to do so far, grateful so many of you have supported him this year.

• Governor Gavin Newsom - Our good friend and Hopium community member Gavin Newsom joined us on Hopium’s 1st anniversary to talk the 2024 elections and defeating MAGA. This was a great discussion with one our party’s most important and compelling leaders.

• Anderson Clayton, Chair Of The North Carolina Democratic Party - The dynamic new leader in this critical battleground state joined us to provide an update on her progress in turning North Carolina blue. She joins us at 47:30 in the discussion, and thank you all of you for supporting her essential work.

A Few More Meaty Things

• Voting on Day 1, Building The Most Powerful Democratic Political Machine We’ve Ever Had - As we look ahead to the general election, we need to start preparing now to ensure Democrats understand that by voting in the earliest days of the early vote you are increasing overall Democratic turnout and helping us win. This analysis also talks about the importance of the work all of you are doing, and how together we are building the most powerful political machine the Democratic party has ever had.

• Why I Started Hopium Chronicles - The very first post at Hopium Chronicles. It spells out why I started this place and what it is I hope to accomplish.

• Get to 55 - This analysis lays out my case for why MAGA’s escalating extremism makes more possible for us this election cycle. This post was released in our first week at Hopium and is essential to understanding how we see the world here.

• Trump Is The Ugliest Political Thing We’ve Ever Seen - A detailed look at the historic awfulness of Trump, and the very real world struggles MAGA is having in mounting serious political campaigns across the US.

• Six Things Voters Are Going To Learn About Trump That Will Make It Very Hard For Him To Win - In the coming months voters are going to learn six new things about Trump they didn’t know before, and any of one of these six things will make it very hard for him to win. Overcoming all six I think is not something this deeply diminished and dangerous man will be able to do.

• Not Obeying In Advance - One of the core understandings here at Hopium, taken from the teachings of Dr. Timothy Snyder.

• The Protestors Are Blowing It, Parts 1 and 2 - In a new two part analysis (here, here) I discuss why I think the campus protest movement has lost its way, and is now doing far more harm to its vital cause than good.

Let’s Do More, Worry Less - We are in the final push for these three must-win projects. Thanks to everyone who has helped out - we’ve blown past our original $100,000 goals for all three:

Donate To and Join The Biden-Harris Campaign - Job 1 this year is defeating Trump. As the general election has begun it’s time to get on board the Biden-Harris train. Please donate whatever amount you can - $5, $10 - to get started and become part of the big campaign of 2024.

So far the Hopium community has raised $228,000 from 2,500 of you for Biden Harris - thank you all!

Have you ordered your Biden-Harris lawn sign yet? You can do so here.

Make An Early Investment in North Carolina - North Carolina is our most important 2024 battleground expansion state. Please donate today!

For more on why I think North Carolina is so important watch my in-depth interview with Anderson Clayton, the dynamic new NC Dem Party chair; learn about the extremists running statewide in North Carolina this year and why they give us a great opportunity to grow, expand and flip NC blue; and hear Anderson give us an update on her work and the impact our investments are having on the ground.

So far we’ve raised $182,000 from over 2,400 of you for Anderson and the NC Dems - thank you all. You can also learn how to volunteer for the NC Dems from wherever you live here. Let’s get to $200,000 for Anderson!!!!!!!!!

Look at what having Anderson there at the helm, with resources, means:

Help Ruben Gallego Win Arizona - Join me in helping Ruben Gallego in his campaign to become the next Senator from Arizona. The polls are encouraging there, and this is a very critical 2024 battleground state - must win Biden-Harris state, front-line abortion battleground, must win Senate, two House pick up opportunities (and maybe the state house too). Because Senator Sinema stayed in for so long, Ruben is a bit behind where he should be financially and organizationally, and needs our help today. Watch my recent interview with Ruben, and please donate today! We have already raised over $140,000 from over 2,200 of you - thank you all! Let’s to $150,000 this week!

You can volunteer to help Ruben and the AZ Democrats here.

Spread Hopium - Encourage people in your networks to become a Hopium subscriber. Remarkably we are now over 65,000 strong and growing rapidly - thank you all!

Note that options for group and gift subscriptions are available to those who want to try bring friends and colleagues into the Hopium community. Click on the group and gift tabs here to learn more. Thank you all for helping keep this community growing and the Hopium flowing!

Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you - Simon