Thank you Simon for all the great interviews posted in your first paragraph. Just in time for the weekend. And for your great analysis in the body of the newsletter.
Here is an interesting fact from "The Hill" about getting those last two signatures on the discharge petition for the Epstein Files
"But there are currently four vacant seats in the House, and three of them cover deep blue districts where the Democrat is expected to prevail in special elections slated for later this year. Two of those elections will happen this month, and both of the Democratic candidates are vowing to sign the petition as soon as they arrive on Capitol Hill — enough to hit the magical 218 number required to force the Epstein bill to the floor. "
This Tuesday, Sept. 9 is the special election for the vacant Va. 11th District seat (Fairfax County). I'm heading out now to hand out Dem lit on the last day of early voting.
Sent Senator Cassidy an email demanding he support and speak up on calls for RFK Jr.'s resignation. Cassidy help make this mess and now he needs to help clean it up!
The immigration raid on the Hyundai-LG battery factory in GA that is under construction will have widespread ramifications. It will impact Georgia. According to AI, that state is “a leading hub for EV manufacturing, accounting for a large portion of recent job announcements in the sector [and l]eads the nation in anticipated EV manufacturing jobs and significant private investments in EV and battery production.”
The raid will make it harder for all industries and companies associated with EVs in GA (and elsewhere) to attract and retain immigrant labor for construction and operation. A large construction project like the battery factory provides jobs and production up and down the supply chain, whether companies that feed into the construction and operation of the factory, such as suppliers of battery components and material, or companies that depend on the factory’s output, namely batteries for EVs. Plus, the factory’s production is in all likelihood synchronized with everything it depends on and everything that depends on it, so delaying completion of the factory will cause delays up and down the supply chain.
The raid will poison relations between the US and South Korea, making that country less likely to invest in the US. According to “Immigration Raid on Hyundai-LG Plant in Georgia Rattles South Korea” in the NYT of September 6, “The United States has for years pressured South Korea to invest billions of dollars in American industry, a push that has only increased over the last few months. That made it all the more shocking for South Koreans when they learned that U.S. immigration officials had raided the construction site of a major Hyundai-LG plant in Georgia on Thursday, arresting hundreds of South Korean citizens.” Other nations will take notice.
A further irony, from the same article: “The Hyundai-LG factory, which was scheduled to start operating next year, was the kind of large-scale, job-creating investment that the United States had sought from South Korea. When Mr. Trump agreed to lower his tariffs on South Korea’s exports, like Samsung phones and Hyundai cars, to 15 percent, he secured a $350 billion investment package from the country. How to create and invest the fund is a key part of ongoing negotiations between the two nations. When Mr. Lee traveled to Washington last month, South Korean business leaders who accompanied him committed another $150 billion in direct investments in the United States.”
So if the intent of the raid is to harm Georgia, hinder the EV industry, poison relations with South Korea, and reduce foreign investment, the raid will probably succeed. If not, this is incredibly dumb policy.
There's a story in the local paper today about a K-pop group getting their visas revoked at the last minute. I can't help but think that Trump is going after South Korea now to show North Korea he can hang.
Thought I would never agree with the Orange Turd on anything but the shared clip on vaccines makes total sense. Makes him even more contemptible because Trump knows better, yet is willing to sell us all down the river for his purposes!
Yes, AMEN to Schumer forcing a vote on the tariffs.
No political work today. In the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country for a wedding. Today is a celebration of young love for us!!
Same here -- but I kept thinking "Who's he parroting on this one?" I think of "Trump" as the impressive visuals in The Wizard of Oz. The man behind the curtain is pretty pathetic.
Kind thanks Simon for this interview with Representative Dan Goldman.
Hope he has success getting additional votes for release of the Epstein files.
Appreciate your discussion about Ukraine. I follow Lev and Aaron Parnas, Oleksandr Bolbirer, Olga Lautman and Julie Roginsky and others on Substack importantly reporting on Ukraine. Slava Ukraini / Peace for Palestine / God Bless America in the fight for democracy
Lately I've been thinking about how what Republicans are doing now needs to follow their "brand" for decades to come.
I think Democrats got branded as "weak on defense" back during the Viet Nam war (which, ironically, had almost nothing to do with national defense). There were good reasons to oppose that war, but Republicans were able to brand Democrats as weak-livered, long-haired "peaceniks" who "hated America." Democrats spent a very long time running from that label. It made them afraid to boldly take stances they believed in. I think it led to Dems giving W Bush permission to go into the middle east. They couldn't risk voting against a military measure for fear of that old nasty brand.
If we're able to take back power, we need to make sure that Republicans carry two permanent scars. They're the party that protects pedophiles. (This isn't just Epstein. It's the multitude of evangelical preachers and small-town Republican politicians who are regularly getting arrested for child porn. Has anyone ever put together a list?) And they're the party of bending the knee. Republican politicians bend the knee to Trump, Trump bends the knee to Putin, etc. Those two characteristics need to follow them for decades. Whatever they do, we should look for a chance to characterize it as protecting pedophiles (and hating children, see, e.g. gun violence) and as being weaklings who are bending the knee.
Sometimes it gives me hope to think about a future where they're out of power.
Thank you for your posting this, Catherine— lots of great insights about how we got here.
As to where we’re going next…I felt really empowered when I read this essay a few days ago by Stuart Stevens of Lincoln Square. Just thinking about all the legislation that Dem’s could pass in the first 24 hours after their return to Congressional power in January, 2027 almost made me giddy.
Dem leadership must put a real price on votes on the budget to keep the govt open. Saving Medicaid is what Warren has been advocating at the least. But it seems like Dems could demand more. How about RFK's departure and replacement with someone who respects science?
My third batch of 100 postcards arrives this week! To anyone who hasn’t tried postcarding yet, I highly recommend it. Friends of mine have been happy to chip in a few bucks to defray the cost of stamps, so we’re all sharing the good feeling of fighting for our Democracy!
Simon, your time has come--this is trending and we are rising. RFK Jr hearing a psycho blow up that exposed this monster. He was flayed. My wife is a doctor and nationwide tens of thousands of doctors in every community are furious, activated, and ready to fight. I can tell you that for a fact. Mr. Baer below is correct. The bill has the votes, and the political damage will be akin to Sonny Corleone being machine gunned to death in The Godfather.
I want to emphasize that this is how anger turns to action. No good doctor is ignoring this and they are educating people around the country. This is also true of scientists, educators, nurses, other health pros etc. IT IS HAPPENING.
We’re back where we were in his first term but with an array of tariffs damaging the economy, even as I can imagine they’ll start paying farmers. He was so explicit about tariffs in the campaign trail. I often wonder why both his regular voters and big business just decided to ignore that.
Thanks for the great interview. Dan Goldman is a wonderful congressman. I watched the video and worked at my postcards.
If you haven't seen it, check out Krugman's interview with Michael Mann and Peter Hotez about their book documenting the attacks on science. I learned a few interesting points, and I pre-ordered the book. Definitely the interview is worth a watch/listen.
Thanks for everything Simon! I rarely report but I call my 2 R senators each day even though it feels like whistling in the wind. I prepare new yard signs every 2 weeks to reflect what’s going on (and have been SO HEARTENED by the number of folks who stop to thank me!) I donate as often as possible, am loving writing postcards to VA and NJ, and attending protests.
John I’m not adept at Substack yet so you may be receiving 2 responses but check at Staples for light weight white board; get black adhesive letters from Michael’s craft store & we put wooden stakes on each side (You can also get blank plastic signs from Amazon with metal stakes.)
I usually post something I’ve seen on line that struck me. It has kept my spirits high when people say how much it means to them.
This comment is about the New Yorker’s current Political Scene podcast and in particular Jane Mayer s comments about the Economist cover. She describes an absence of mass protest and leadership; individual voices with no organization pulling them; activism that’s more like individual acts. We know mainstream media is ignoring rallies and myopically focused on political leaders. Et tu New Yorker? Simon, give her a call….Readers, let her know she’s wrong.
It is disappointing. I’ve seen a couple major journalists be very critical like this on social media and it’s ironic, given the extent to which legacy media has been failing us. They aren’t showing a willingness to push back on their own journalistic institutions now.
Thank you Simon for all the great interviews posted in your first paragraph. Just in time for the weekend. And for your great analysis in the body of the newsletter.
Here is an interesting fact from "The Hill" about getting those last two signatures on the discharge petition for the Epstein Files
"But there are currently four vacant seats in the House, and three of them cover deep blue districts where the Democrat is expected to prevail in special elections slated for later this year. Two of those elections will happen this month, and both of the Democratic candidates are vowing to sign the petition as soon as they arrive on Capitol Hill — enough to hit the magical 218 number required to force the Epstein bill to the floor. "
Full article here https://thehill.com/homenews/house/5487779-epstein-discharge-petition-incoming-democrats/
I'm off to the local Indivisible coffee klatch...
Excellent summary Mr. Baer.
This Tuesday, Sept. 9 is the special election for the vacant Va. 11th District seat (Fairfax County). I'm heading out now to hand out Dem lit on the last day of early voting.
That is good news. I just returned from my local Indivisible Fox takedown motorcade. We get a lot of strange looks. 🤔
Great post Simon! I feel encouraged and hopeful for the first time in a LONG time. We'll see. . .
FYI - my new favorite protest sign is : GOP Guardians Of Pedophilia Spread it around!
Sent Senator Cassidy an email demanding he support and speak up on calls for RFK Jr.'s resignation. Cassidy help make this mess and now he needs to help clean it up!
Texting for yes on CA prop. 50!
Thank you. We are gearing up for lot of canvassing but we can’t reach everyone. Any help is appreciated!
The immigration raid on the Hyundai-LG battery factory in GA that is under construction will have widespread ramifications. It will impact Georgia. According to AI, that state is “a leading hub for EV manufacturing, accounting for a large portion of recent job announcements in the sector [and l]eads the nation in anticipated EV manufacturing jobs and significant private investments in EV and battery production.”
The raid will make it harder for all industries and companies associated with EVs in GA (and elsewhere) to attract and retain immigrant labor for construction and operation. A large construction project like the battery factory provides jobs and production up and down the supply chain, whether companies that feed into the construction and operation of the factory, such as suppliers of battery components and material, or companies that depend on the factory’s output, namely batteries for EVs. Plus, the factory’s production is in all likelihood synchronized with everything it depends on and everything that depends on it, so delaying completion of the factory will cause delays up and down the supply chain.
The raid will poison relations between the US and South Korea, making that country less likely to invest in the US. According to “Immigration Raid on Hyundai-LG Plant in Georgia Rattles South Korea” in the NYT of September 6, “The United States has for years pressured South Korea to invest billions of dollars in American industry, a push that has only increased over the last few months. That made it all the more shocking for South Koreans when they learned that U.S. immigration officials had raided the construction site of a major Hyundai-LG plant in Georgia on Thursday, arresting hundreds of South Korean citizens.” Other nations will take notice.
A further irony, from the same article: “The Hyundai-LG factory, which was scheduled to start operating next year, was the kind of large-scale, job-creating investment that the United States had sought from South Korea. When Mr. Trump agreed to lower his tariffs on South Korea’s exports, like Samsung phones and Hyundai cars, to 15 percent, he secured a $350 billion investment package from the country. How to create and invest the fund is a key part of ongoing negotiations between the two nations. When Mr. Lee traveled to Washington last month, South Korean business leaders who accompanied him committed another $150 billion in direct investments in the United States.”
So if the intent of the raid is to harm Georgia, hinder the EV industry, poison relations with South Korea, and reduce foreign investment, the raid will probably succeed. If not, this is incredibly dumb policy.
There's a story in the local paper today about a K-pop group getting their visas revoked at the last minute. I can't help but think that Trump is going after South Korea now to show North Korea he can hang.
Good point. I guess he hasn't decided which side he's on ... or maybe he has.
BTW, going after an industry of the future that provides many thousands of jobs in a swing state is not great politics.
probabaly a twofer. Closer to the bone: S Korea is a model for the fight for democracy; arrested [as well as ousted] former president who attempted a "T" type action. https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-president-yoon-detention-timeline-214ff8dc95ceb3365f60baaf9961b349
yeah he hates that
Trump's Administration is self destructing; the above is so shocking and yet so predictable. Great post tnx.
Sabotage
Good point. I guess he hasn't decided which side he's on ... or maybe he has.
BTW, going after an industry of the future that provides many thousands of jobs in a swing state is not great politics.
Thought I would never agree with the Orange Turd on anything but the shared clip on vaccines makes total sense. Makes him even more contemptible because Trump knows better, yet is willing to sell us all down the river for his purposes!
Yes, AMEN to Schumer forcing a vote on the tariffs.
No political work today. In the beautiful Pennsylvania Dutch Country for a wedding. Today is a celebration of young love for us!!
Same here -- but I kept thinking "Who's he parroting on this one?" I think of "Trump" as the impressive visuals in The Wizard of Oz. The man behind the curtain is pretty pathetic.
Kind thanks Simon for this interview with Representative Dan Goldman.
Hope he has success getting additional votes for release of the Epstein files.
Appreciate your discussion about Ukraine. I follow Lev and Aaron Parnas, Oleksandr Bolbirer, Olga Lautman and Julie Roginsky and others on Substack importantly reporting on Ukraine. Slava Ukraini / Peace for Palestine / God Bless America in the fight for democracy
Lately I've been thinking about how what Republicans are doing now needs to follow their "brand" for decades to come.
I think Democrats got branded as "weak on defense" back during the Viet Nam war (which, ironically, had almost nothing to do with national defense). There were good reasons to oppose that war, but Republicans were able to brand Democrats as weak-livered, long-haired "peaceniks" who "hated America." Democrats spent a very long time running from that label. It made them afraid to boldly take stances they believed in. I think it led to Dems giving W Bush permission to go into the middle east. They couldn't risk voting against a military measure for fear of that old nasty brand.
If we're able to take back power, we need to make sure that Republicans carry two permanent scars. They're the party that protects pedophiles. (This isn't just Epstein. It's the multitude of evangelical preachers and small-town Republican politicians who are regularly getting arrested for child porn. Has anyone ever put together a list?) And they're the party of bending the knee. Republican politicians bend the knee to Trump, Trump bends the knee to Putin, etc. Those two characteristics need to follow them for decades. Whatever they do, we should look for a chance to characterize it as protecting pedophiles (and hating children, see, e.g. gun violence) and as being weaklings who are bending the knee.
Sometimes it gives me hope to think about a future where they're out of power.
Thank you for your posting this, Catherine— lots of great insights about how we got here.
As to where we’re going next…I felt really empowered when I read this essay a few days ago by Stuart Stevens of Lincoln Square. Just thinking about all the legislation that Dem’s could pass in the first 24 hours after their return to Congressional power in January, 2027 almost made me giddy.
Perhaps you’ll enjoy it, too!
https://www.lincolnsquare.media/p/my-plea-to-democrats-stop-being-polite
Dem leadership must put a real price on votes on the budget to keep the govt open. Saving Medicaid is what Warren has been advocating at the least. But it seems like Dems could demand more. How about RFK's departure and replacement with someone who respects science?
They have to stop this ICE expansion.
https://turnoutpac.org/postcards/
It’s time to send out postcards again. You can get yours with the link above.
My third batch of 100 postcards arrives this week! To anyone who hasn’t tried postcarding yet, I highly recommend it. Friends of mine have been happy to chip in a few bucks to defray the cost of stamps, so we’re all sharing the good feeling of fighting for our Democracy!
I am writing for Pa Supreme Court Justices. I enjoy it too!
Simon, your time has come--this is trending and we are rising. RFK Jr hearing a psycho blow up that exposed this monster. He was flayed. My wife is a doctor and nationwide tens of thousands of doctors in every community are furious, activated, and ready to fight. I can tell you that for a fact. Mr. Baer below is correct. The bill has the votes, and the political damage will be akin to Sonny Corleone being machine gunned to death in The Godfather.
I want to emphasize that this is how anger turns to action. No good doctor is ignoring this and they are educating people around the country. This is also true of scientists, educators, nurses, other health pros etc. IT IS HAPPENING.
Due Process SI
Kidnapping NO
Epstein's victims SI
Epstein's fellow rapists NO
Epstein coverup NO
Oregon Representative Javadi (switched to Democratic Party this week) SI
Squeaker Johnson NO
I don’t know whether this will be of interest but a friend shared a current piece about Arkansas farmers desperate about the tariffs.
https://www.kait8.com/2025/09/02/i-have-never-been-worried-i-am-now-arkansas-farmers-gather-share-concerns/?fbclid=IwZnRzaAMpS45leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHhBAmSO4TjDezIhKTdeYNL_QFdx4DeGauCMJUwPE0bwZl6tmb-CgIwQ2Lt_J_aem_eCK7dH75YiXNkO7hK_5y7w#bt2yikpsvtwdb9eye47oeiumftllim0nn
We’re back where we were in his first term but with an array of tariffs damaging the economy, even as I can imagine they’ll start paying farmers. He was so explicit about tariffs in the campaign trail. I often wonder why both his regular voters and big business just decided to ignore that.
Thanks for the great interview. Dan Goldman is a wonderful congressman. I watched the video and worked at my postcards.
If you haven't seen it, check out Krugman's interview with Michael Mann and Peter Hotez about their book documenting the attacks on science. I learned a few interesting points, and I pre-ordered the book. Definitely the interview is worth a watch/listen.
https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/science-under-siege-a-talk-with-peter
Agree. Excellent interview.
Thanks for everything Simon! I rarely report but I call my 2 R senators each day even though it feels like whistling in the wind. I prepare new yard signs every 2 weeks to reflect what’s going on (and have been SO HEARTENED by the number of folks who stop to thank me!) I donate as often as possible, am loving writing postcards to VA and NJ, and attending protests.
Great idea on the yard signs. What materials do you use?
John I’m not adept at Substack yet so you may be receiving 2 responses but check at Staples for light weight white board; get black adhesive letters from Michael’s craft store & we put wooden stakes on each side (You can also get blank plastic signs from Amazon with metal stakes.)
I usually post something I’ve seen on line that struck me. It has kept my spirits high when people say how much it means to them.
This comment is about the New Yorker’s current Political Scene podcast and in particular Jane Mayer s comments about the Economist cover. She describes an absence of mass protest and leadership; individual voices with no organization pulling them; activism that’s more like individual acts. We know mainstream media is ignoring rallies and myopically focused on political leaders. Et tu New Yorker? Simon, give her a call….Readers, let her know she’s wrong.
It is disappointing. I’ve seen a couple major journalists be very critical like this on social media and it’s ironic, given the extent to which legacy media has been failing us. They aren’t showing a willingness to push back on their own journalistic institutions now.