Watched both of your prior events today live and about to jump on your last one of the day. Can’t get enough of your insightful analyses - thanks for ALL you do and here’s to you getting some rest!
I knew when I joined Hopium a couple of years back I was entering a real “ Masters Class” in political science and by pure luck I had fallen into exactly the learning and action environment I most enjoy. What I didn’t realize was how up front and integrally you’d involve us in that political world!
Who knew? I now feel on first name basis with Tom ( Bonnier) and Suozzi and Anderson and Jane! The list goes on and on. I know if I walked up to any of them and introduced myself they’d welcome me and say something like “ OMG, you’re one of Simon’s Hopium “plucky patriots” or something like that. 🤣
Thank you seems so little to say for the way you’ve broadened my life and most likely the lives of many in this community. However I do thank you Simon, deeply and sincerely for inviting us to be on your team of “ plucky patriots”; to be part of working hard to save our Democracy for our children and grandchildren.
Clearly we’ll have more dark days before us however in the meantime: It’s been tough and fun, purposeful and now, today, so satisfying.
Thank you Simon for the day-after election analysis. You give this subscriber a sense of hope for our democracy. The people who you interview along with your own insightful analysis of where the country stands in its politics has been enormously helpful in our understanding of the awful regime we are all living through. I look forward to continuing to have your clear eyed views as well as being grateful for the welcome dose of hope that we can all have a part in fighting to keep our democracy.
Dear Simon and all friends at Hopium, I’ve been a member of this community for a good couple of years now and just wanted to say a huge thank you and congratulations to all of you. I am British and the frustration of not being able to actively help you all can feel overwhelming at times. You all represent the America I trust and admire and I am so grateful to every last one of the proud and plucky patriots you are. Enjoy your success (briefly) then get back to work because what you are doing is effective and necessary. This has not and will not be easy, keep widening that big tent of yours because I honestly believe now that you can and will reach that more perfect union and achieve a democracy that will be a better example to the world than it has ever been. Good luck and go well my friends.
Thank you so much, Alexis, for your support! It feels good to know we have people supporting us across the pond in our struggle. It’s good to know we aren’t alone!
Agree. As a DC native, political science major and total politics nerd, as well as a lifelong activist, this is my wheelhouse, and I feel like I've found my people. Thank you for the inspiration and the education, Simon!
Loved the talks thank you. I have lived in my VA community for 15 years and this was the first time Democratic volunteers have come to me. (5 this time) I think the huge Trump banners "scare" them away. Anyway, I did talk them and thanked them for coming. Ironically the one Republican that came I told this is a hungry Fed worker you are speaking too. May this Democrat wave continue.
Simon. I hope you are feeling vindicated. Your efforts lead us toward change in the right direction -- toward a revived democratic republic. Thank you for staying the pace. We are with you.
why didn’t DNC invest in ‘other’ states? aren’t we learning that every state has a different identity? DNC withholding approval from potential candidates!!! I am going state level and happy to ignore ‘party’ posturing! I’m putting my $$ into year round local groups!
My colleague worked the polls in a small NC town. She said there was no real reason for anyone to vote as every race was uncontested. But people waited in line to vote! She was teary when she told me. And I teared up hearing it.
There is both a quiet, introspective, intrapersonal evolution taking hold of folks and a communal, interpersonal one. Each feeds the other, and once inside and outside are affirmed and synced, I have noticed some people are a bit happier, more willing to fight, and feeling more confident in their own sense of agency. They CAN have the government they DESERVE, and they can have the help of others to do it.
This is a lovely way to put it. I think of it as evolving on both the micro- and macro-cosmic levels. And, in all honesty, it seems to me that we are in the midst of one of those massive, seismic, transformative paradigm shifts WORLD-WIDE. Any comparisons to past periods of history (the first 1,000 years of Christianity, the transformation that happened world-wide between 1933 and 1954, the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948) would seem hyperbolic; but I genuinely think we are in just such a time.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Simon et al, for all you are doing during this crazy time in our country! I felt hope for our democracy while watching the returns last night. I live in SC and it's very hard to live in a red state during these times. So great to feel joyous with these amazing WINS!!!
Everyone, please call and/or email your Senators and Reps, if Dems, and tell them DO NOT CAVE. If they cave, we will not have their backs again, as we did in this election!!!
I have contacted Schumer to say that I oppose caving at this point and that after one of the best weeks Dems have had in recent memory, Americans deserve nothing less!
You gotta give Chuck a little bit of leash here as he tries to contemplate how he's going to navigate having to interact with the new mayor. FIrst up: He's probably tossing in his flip phone for a smart phone.
LOL! Also, I give him leash because he's looking at a national constituency in terms of building towards a Senate majority. That constituency may bend more towards a Spanberger than a Mamdani and is a different issue from standing firm on healthcare subsidies.
Loved your talk with Jen and Norm. They are amongst my faves.
BTW, I canvassed both days this last weekend and one day the weekend before. I also wrote letters to VA. The HD candidates we supported all won!!!!
will there be a transcript of the one with Jen and Norm?
Watched both of your prior events today live and about to jump on your last one of the day. Can’t get enough of your insightful analyses - thanks for ALL you do and here’s to you getting some rest!
Thank you, Simon for your fearless leadership!!! You are amazing!
I knew when I joined Hopium a couple of years back I was entering a real “ Masters Class” in political science and by pure luck I had fallen into exactly the learning and action environment I most enjoy. What I didn’t realize was how up front and integrally you’d involve us in that political world!
Who knew? I now feel on first name basis with Tom ( Bonnier) and Suozzi and Anderson and Jane! The list goes on and on. I know if I walked up to any of them and introduced myself they’d welcome me and say something like “ OMG, you’re one of Simon’s Hopium “plucky patriots” or something like that. 🤣
Thank you seems so little to say for the way you’ve broadened my life and most likely the lives of many in this community. However I do thank you Simon, deeply and sincerely for inviting us to be on your team of “ plucky patriots”; to be part of working hard to save our Democracy for our children and grandchildren.
Clearly we’ll have more dark days before us however in the meantime: It’s been tough and fun, purposeful and now, today, so satisfying.
🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Well said.
Thank you Anne 🇺🇸
Thank you Simon for the day-after election analysis. You give this subscriber a sense of hope for our democracy. The people who you interview along with your own insightful analysis of where the country stands in its politics has been enormously helpful in our understanding of the awful regime we are all living through. I look forward to continuing to have your clear eyed views as well as being grateful for the welcome dose of hope that we can all have a part in fighting to keep our democracy.
Dear Simon and all friends at Hopium, I’ve been a member of this community for a good couple of years now and just wanted to say a huge thank you and congratulations to all of you. I am British and the frustration of not being able to actively help you all can feel overwhelming at times. You all represent the America I trust and admire and I am so grateful to every last one of the proud and plucky patriots you are. Enjoy your success (briefly) then get back to work because what you are doing is effective and necessary. This has not and will not be easy, keep widening that big tent of yours because I honestly believe now that you can and will reach that more perfect union and achieve a democracy that will be a better example to the world than it has ever been. Good luck and go well my friends.
Thank you so much, Alexis, for your support! It feels good to know we have people supporting us across the pond in our struggle. It’s good to know we aren’t alone!
Agree. As a DC native, political science major and total politics nerd, as well as a lifelong activist, this is my wheelhouse, and I feel like I've found my people. Thank you for the inspiration and the education, Simon!
Wow: “…. found my people”.
I love that Lisa. 🙏🏻
🇺🇸
Loved the talks thank you. I have lived in my VA community for 15 years and this was the first time Democratic volunteers have come to me. (5 this time) I think the huge Trump banners "scare" them away. Anyway, I did talk them and thanked them for coming. Ironically the one Republican that came I told this is a hungry Fed worker you are speaking too. May this Democrat wave continue.
Nice to hear from Tom once again. Also nice to get an on-the-ground perspective from ME. The hopium is flowing!
Simon. I hope you are feeling vindicated. Your efforts lead us toward change in the right direction -- toward a revived democratic republic. Thank you for staying the pace. We are with you.
why didn’t DNC invest in ‘other’ states? aren’t we learning that every state has a different identity? DNC withholding approval from potential candidates!!! I am going state level and happy to ignore ‘party’ posturing! I’m putting my $$ into year round local groups!
My colleague worked the polls in a small NC town. She said there was no real reason for anyone to vote as every race was uncontested. But people waited in line to vote! She was teary when she told me. And I teared up hearing it.
There is both a quiet, introspective, intrapersonal evolution taking hold of folks and a communal, interpersonal one. Each feeds the other, and once inside and outside are affirmed and synced, I have noticed some people are a bit happier, more willing to fight, and feeling more confident in their own sense of agency. They CAN have the government they DESERVE, and they can have the help of others to do it.
Agree - I saw this at the doors. People were like, "yeah sure, I'll vote. What else would I do?" Gotta love it.
This is a lovely way to put it. I think of it as evolving on both the micro- and macro-cosmic levels. And, in all honesty, it seems to me that we are in the midst of one of those massive, seismic, transformative paradigm shifts WORLD-WIDE. Any comparisons to past periods of history (the first 1,000 years of Christianity, the transformation that happened world-wide between 1933 and 1954, the creation of the modern state of Israel in 1948) would seem hyperbolic; but I genuinely think we are in just such a time.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, Simon et al, for all you are doing during this crazy time in our country! I felt hope for our democracy while watching the returns last night. I live in SC and it's very hard to live in a red state during these times. So great to feel joyous with these amazing WINS!!!
https://youtu.be/88yjagTmjjw?si=QLAnqTjyCEtfXbxQ here is an ad from 7 years ago, first time candidates. Including familiar faces from last night.
LOVE THAT! Thanks for sharing!
The highly publicized No Kings protests must have spread the word along as well
Tom is correct that ICE actions are still the top of the list. But many of us felt it personally when he tore down the east wing.
Some Dem Senators are considering a deal with Repubs to end the shutdown and it’s not good. From Bernie Sanders:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqYFZHAYTQ8
Thank you for passing this along.
Everyone, please call and/or email your Senators and Reps, if Dems, and tell them DO NOT CAVE. If they cave, we will not have their backs again, as we did in this election!!!
I have contacted Schumer to say that I oppose caving at this point and that after one of the best weeks Dems have had in recent memory, Americans deserve nothing less!
Thank you!
Thank you, especially, for telling Schumer! No weak knees here, no betrayal!
You gotta give Chuck a little bit of leash here as he tries to contemplate how he's going to navigate having to interact with the new mayor. FIrst up: He's probably tossing in his flip phone for a smart phone.
LOL! Also, I give him leash because he's looking at a national constituency in terms of building towards a Senate majority. That constituency may bend more towards a Spanberger than a Mamdani and is a different issue from standing firm on healthcare subsidies.
Thank you for seeing this and asking us all to call.
Appropriate use of Springsteen - and approved by him - (tm). ;)