Trump doesn't think or speak lineary, so while the boodbath comment came immediately afterward, it is hardly certain that he was talking about what could happen to the car industry because of the imports.
Also this is Trump's modus operandi "stand back and stand by" at the debate - Trump claimed it was nothing but it was a clear dog whistle to his supporters!
I think it is about the MSM reports on some of the wilder stuff he says
Evan,Perhaps you are aware of Ruth Ben-Ghiat,historian and scholar on fascism and authoritarian leaders.She would define Trump’s bloodbath comments as authoritarian doublespeak. Or more simply, mafia Don talk…Ruth has an excellent Substack (Lucid). It educates..and frightens me.
I've been trying to get some partners for Field Team 6. Simon was great on their Summit program last week. In one day, they got enough funding to add 100,000 new Democrats. Imagine if the Democratic PACs and the state parties were on the same page. They estimate that 3 mil new voters will tilt the election. Here's the pitch:
What can we do?
SOLUTION
The solution is as simple as it is powerful: reaching out to strangers. It’s the proven #1 way to win elections. Did you know that 60% of unregistered voters have never been asked to register.
To win in 2024, we will reach out to millions of unregistered likely Democrats using our one-of-a-kind database and every outreach method possible (phone and text, postcard, email and targeted ad, and in-person too), where new Democratic voters will make the most impact – in the most flippable states and districts.
This is terrific! However, this needs to be combined with systematic work to ensure that voters REMAIN registered. In Georgia and other swing states, there is a concerted, nefarious Republican effort to PURGE people from the voting rolls.
Four MAGA Republican LIES are repeated again and again:
– Crime is out of control under the Biden administration.
– Under Biden, huge inflation is destroying the economy and harming American families.
– Biden has mismanaged our oil and gas production. The US is not energy independent.
– Biden is greatly increasing the deficit and national debt. Trump was going to eliminate the deficit.
TOGETHER, we need to strongly be countering these lies! Unfortunately, they are believed by all too many Americans. As Simon repeatedly underscores, the stories and information each of us shares are essential to overpowering the false narratives. Here is the TRUTH:
1) Crime rates are down almost entirely across the board. Moreover, crime rates among immigrants are far lower than among American-born citizens.
2) Inflation is at a record low – but many companies exploited the pandemic to greatly increase their profit margins, to the detriment of American families. Biden needs to very visibly attack this "greedflation".
3) Under Biden, energy production has reached record highs. And thanks to major investments in renewable energy production, America is moving steadily toward greener energy independence.
4) Trump oversaw one of the largest debt increases in our country’s history. Biden has reduced the deficit – and his proposed budget includes major additional deficit reduction spending.
The most important way is go on offense, be loud our selves, work positive info about Biden and Dems thru our networks. It's the most important thing we all can do. Millions doing that every day helps drown our their noise.
As Simon says we need to be the trusted sources for our friends, family and coworkers. If you are on social media, Demcast is a great repository for info to post
Simon, I love your optimism! During these dark Trumpie comments and actions, it is a bright reminder that the Dems can come thru. The fact that Biden is raising big bucks is an encouraging, good sign. Keep it up and send what you can! Biden has a daily job in addition to working a campaign. All Trump has to do is put on the same blue suit and red tie! Then show up and “mouth-off.” What a bore! Vote all BLUE! We must show our colors in 2024!
I wrote postcards over the weekend for Marilyn Lands running for an AL state house seat in a special election next week - I only got the email Saturday afternoon about the campaign but as of noon today all the addresses had been adopted
I am outside Winston and have kids but don’t work so I try to do what I can while they are at school. Email me and maybe we can connect. I would love to figure out how to post card to black & brown dems in the triad or anywhere in NC for that matter. Thanks for all your comments, you are seem very knowledgeable and connected to grassroots. bfitzger_md@yahoo.com
After reading quite a few difficult substacks this morning today's Hopium Chronicle was a breath of fresh air. Thank you, Simon, for always finding the positive to share with those of us working hard to save democracy.
Shared, as usual, on Spoutible. Still hoping you will join us on the safest social media site - no algorithm, no nazis - just intelligent, caring, interesting people.
I hear you. I don't have time or patience for negativity or self defeatism and neither should anyone else focused on winning. I love how constructive this community is. To that end, another positive Substack I recommend if you aren't already familiar is Today's Edition by Robert Hubbell. It's informative, passionate but also motivating and I find it an overall good companion piece to Hopium.
Please read a letter written to New York Times opinion :
Dear Mr. Sulzberger,
You have said that the New York Times intends to “report both fully and fairly” about Trump and Biden. We believe your paper has failed utterly in that mission.
Where are ongoing reports about Trump’s love of autocrats like Putin and Viktor Orban, and his expressed preference for ruling as an autocrat?
Where are frequent discussions of ‘Mandate for Leadership,’ the Heritage Foundation’s plan for politicizing the entire federal government?
Why do discussions about the grave threat to our democracy appear only in occasional op-ed pieces or guest essays, not in news stories?
Where are ongoing comparisons of Trump’s daily threats and bluster vs. Biden’s detailed program for the next four years?
Your headlines are slanted against Biden.
You report on polls that show Trump ahead but not polls that show Biden ahead.
You focus on Biden’s age but not on growing evidence that Trump has serious cognitive issues.
We need a news source we can trust. Sadly, that source is no longer The New York Times.
It seems the New York Times is following suit with the print media who have chosen to follow bottom line horse racing news to meet their bottom line rather than factual news.
Where are your articles highlighting what Democrats have done in states where they recently gained a trifecta, compared with what Republicans have done in states where they recently won a trifecta?
I’m wearing a Biden shirt on every grocery run til 11/5/24.
I’ve made 25 trips so far — in Florida. And I have two observations to share:
1. In person, people are kind. I was kinda scared to wear a Biden shirt… that fear is what fueled me. Because if MAGA was scary now, I knew they’ll be 10x scarier if Trump wins in November. My experience has blown me away. Not a single unkind remark. When I post about my experiment online, I get a lot of hate… but that is the way bullies are: obnoxious when they are anonymous.
2. I feel better. Better about running errands. Better with every piece of good news. Better when people say “I like your shirt.” Better when nothing happens.
I like your invocation of the "supercharged" Dem grass-roots, Simon. One fundamental reality is missed in the endless media buzz about Biden's approval ratings - that among those 40% who approve of Biden, there are a not-insignificant number who realize that we are seeing a historically great President presiding over a time in America that is, far from "carnage," among the best ever, possibly even topping the periods of growth in the 1980s and 90s that people are so nostalgic for. We are extremely enthusiastic about keeping this guy in power, and we are not going to sit around all year and let everybody whine about having candidates "nobody likes" without setting the record straight.
We know about Biden's passionate supporters because we ARE the passionate supporters, but more and more you see that energy coming out in public discussions. And that passion is going to start changing minds. When people realize that they are going to defeat Trump with a candidate they can truly be proud of, as we are, his stock should soar.
As an aside - isn't it strange how the media has no problem depicting Trump as having incredibly devoted supporters, even though his overall approval and favorability ratings are essentially the same as Biden's, whereas Biden is framed as having a base made up entirely of those who grumpily tolerate him? We, the proud Biden voters, are a dramatically underrepresented voice. We will make ourselves heard this year.
Trump's lawyers said they've approached around over two dozen companies through four separate brokers and have spent "countless hours negotiating" without securing an underwriter. "Defendants' ongoing diligent efforts have proven that a bond in the judgment's full amount is 'a practical impossibility."
.
Translation: None of them trust Trump. The rumors of Trump’s wealth are greatly exaggerated – and his followers’ crowdfunding can’t even keep pace with the interest being accrued!
Jarrod...I subscribe to Simon, Robert Hubbell, Heather Cox Richardson and Thom Hartmann, the best independent journalists around. We cut the cable cord last year and watch PBS Newshour and local news over Roku. So, following these illustrious chroniclers of our times is critically important to me. Thank you for taking the time to like my comment.
Of course ! These communities are so helpful both for movements and individuals. Bears repeating, but I had I not discovered Hopium & just been reading NYT/ listening the daily ( as I had pretty much been doing since 2017) I shudder to think what my current emotional state would be. Simon, Robert & others have done a great job creating safe spaces full of empathy! We can & we will prevail !
Don't forget how we were rationing toilet paper! What a dumb thing for the R's to spew out about how we were better off with the orange toad and his minions.
My son lives in Portland, OR and started an apprenticeship program through the electrical union a couple years ago. He needs to work 6000 hours until he is eligible to take his test to be licensed. He believes he will be able to finish his hours and take his test in October. The constant week to week employment he has worked during the past couple years is because we aren't in a recession. Had the orange toad been in the WH, he never would have been able to complete this journey in the 3 years since he started. So YEAH, we are better off!!
With Biden re-elected, I believe he will continue to have employment in this field. One company he worked for is already seeking him to be a foreman. There is a great need in the trades and opportunities.
Yep, toilet paper was hard to find as people stocked up in early 2020 when we were heading to lock down during the orange toads time in office adding to the chaos of how he handled the pandemic.
Thank you, I just hit the button and donated to Ruben Gallego for AZ Senate. It is essential that we not only re-elect Joe and Kamala but also give them a Democratic House and Senate to work with. Otherwise, you can be sure Republicans will starve the government of funding and do all they can to block administartion nominees. Conversely, President Biden has shown how much he can get done even with a small Democratic majority in Congress. Let’s do all we can to give him one.
I will be contributing to him as soon as I receive my SS check. I will also be contributing to Johana Hayes in the CT 5th district. The Speaker of the House and others came to CT this weekend to get Republicans lined up against her. She is one of the 5 largest targets in the House. A former U.S. Teacher of the Year, they threaten to send her back to the school room, but I believe she and her supporters with a little help will "school" them.
Not Simon, but here's my opinion:
Trump doesn't think or speak lineary, so while the boodbath comment came immediately afterward, it is hardly certain that he was talking about what could happen to the car industry because of the imports.
Also this is Trump's modus operandi "stand back and stand by" at the debate - Trump claimed it was nothing but it was a clear dog whistle to his supporters!
I think it is about the MSM reports on some of the wilder stuff he says
Evan,Perhaps you are aware of Ruth Ben-Ghiat,historian and scholar on fascism and authoritarian leaders.She would define Trump’s bloodbath comments as authoritarian doublespeak. Or more simply, mafia Don talk…Ruth has an excellent Substack (Lucid). It educates..and frightens me.
Here is a very good discussion of Trump’s bloodbath comment: https://open.substack.com/pub/statuskuo/p/status-report-that-bloodbath-comment?r=f5mz&utm_medium=ios&utm_campaign=post. I mean, if Trump were some sort of disciplined speaker who went neatly from one topic to another, you may have a case, but that’s not how he communicates. He’s got violence on the mind, and I’m sorry, calling the car industry a “bloodbath” doesn’t make any sense.
I've been trying to get some partners for Field Team 6. Simon was great on their Summit program last week. In one day, they got enough funding to add 100,000 new Democrats. Imagine if the Democratic PACs and the state parties were on the same page. They estimate that 3 mil new voters will tilt the election. Here's the pitch:
What can we do?
SOLUTION
The solution is as simple as it is powerful: reaching out to strangers. It’s the proven #1 way to win elections. Did you know that 60% of unregistered voters have never been asked to register.
To win in 2024, we will reach out to millions of unregistered likely Democrats using our one-of-a-kind database and every outreach method possible (phone and text, postcard, email and targeted ad, and in-person too), where new Democratic voters will make the most impact – in the most flippable states and districts.
https://www.fieldteam6.org/partner-with-us
This is terrific! However, this needs to be combined with systematic work to ensure that voters REMAIN registered. In Georgia and other swing states, there is a concerted, nefarious Republican effort to PURGE people from the voting rolls.
Working on it.
I am a volunteer with VoPro Pros and have signed up to contact voters in PA prior to primary who are inactive - the step before purging.
They have lots of different volunteer opportunities in different swing states.
If you are interested fill out the form here: https://www.vopropros.com/contact
Thank you! This is hugely important work. I was very alarmed by an article that described how voter purging was being systematized in Georgia.
Four MAGA Republican LIES are repeated again and again:
– Crime is out of control under the Biden administration.
– Under Biden, huge inflation is destroying the economy and harming American families.
– Biden has mismanaged our oil and gas production. The US is not energy independent.
– Biden is greatly increasing the deficit and national debt. Trump was going to eliminate the deficit.
TOGETHER, we need to strongly be countering these lies! Unfortunately, they are believed by all too many Americans. As Simon repeatedly underscores, the stories and information each of us shares are essential to overpowering the false narratives. Here is the TRUTH:
1) Crime rates are down almost entirely across the board. Moreover, crime rates among immigrants are far lower than among American-born citizens.
2) Inflation is at a record low – but many companies exploited the pandemic to greatly increase their profit margins, to the detriment of American families. Biden needs to very visibly attack this "greedflation".
3) Under Biden, energy production has reached record highs. And thanks to major investments in renewable energy production, America is moving steadily toward greener energy independence.
4) Trump oversaw one of the largest debt increases in our country’s history. Biden has reduced the deficit – and his proposed budget includes major additional deficit reduction spending.
.
Can we have more info on how we are targeting Republican disinformation campaign?
The most important way is go on offense, be loud our selves, work positive info about Biden and Dems thru our networks. It's the most important thing we all can do. Millions doing that every day helps drown our their noise.
As Simon says we need to be the trusted sources for our friends, family and coworkers. If you are on social media, Demcast is a great repository for info to post
https://demcastusa.com/
Simon, I love your optimism! During these dark Trumpie comments and actions, it is a bright reminder that the Dems can come thru. The fact that Biden is raising big bucks is an encouraging, good sign. Keep it up and send what you can! Biden has a daily job in addition to working a campaign. All Trump has to do is put on the same blue suit and red tie! Then show up and “mouth-off.” What a bore! Vote all BLUE! We must show our colors in 2024!
Post-carding for Dems of Baker County FL to turn out the vote! While listening to Simon!!! Thanks everyone for ALL YOU ARE DOING!
I wrote postcards over the weekend for Marilyn Lands running for an AL state house seat in a special election next week - I only got the email Saturday afternoon about the campaign but as of noon today all the addresses had been adopted
Grassroots at work!! Yay!!
You are inspiring Cheryl! Aren’t you in NC too? I am in the Piedmont. Where are you?
Thanks!
Charlotte in Meck County - ground zero for flipping the state since our voter turnout lags the other blue areas. 🙄
I'm retired which really helps with having time to do stuff!!
What about you?
I am outside Winston and have kids but don’t work so I try to do what I can while they are at school. Email me and maybe we can connect. I would love to figure out how to post card to black & brown dems in the triad or anywhere in NC for that matter. Thanks for all your comments, you are seem very knowledgeable and connected to grassroots. bfitzger_md@yahoo.com
Just sent you an email with some suggestions!
After reading quite a few difficult substacks this morning today's Hopium Chronicle was a breath of fresh air. Thank you, Simon, for always finding the positive to share with those of us working hard to save democracy.
Shared, as usual, on Spoutible. Still hoping you will join us on the safest social media site - no algorithm, no nazis - just intelligent, caring, interesting people.
I hear you. I don't have time or patience for negativity or self defeatism and neither should anyone else focused on winning. I love how constructive this community is. To that end, another positive Substack I recommend if you aren't already familiar is Today's Edition by Robert Hubbell. It's informative, passionate but also motivating and I find it an overall good companion piece to Hopium.
Please read a letter written to New York Times opinion :
Dear Mr. Sulzberger,
You have said that the New York Times intends to “report both fully and fairly” about Trump and Biden. We believe your paper has failed utterly in that mission.
Where are ongoing reports about Trump’s love of autocrats like Putin and Viktor Orban, and his expressed preference for ruling as an autocrat?
Where are frequent discussions of ‘Mandate for Leadership,’ the Heritage Foundation’s plan for politicizing the entire federal government?
Why do discussions about the grave threat to our democracy appear only in occasional op-ed pieces or guest essays, not in news stories?
Where are ongoing comparisons of Trump’s daily threats and bluster vs. Biden’s detailed program for the next four years?
Your headlines are slanted against Biden.
You report on polls that show Trump ahead but not polls that show Biden ahead.
You focus on Biden’s age but not on growing evidence that Trump has serious cognitive issues.
We need a news source we can trust. Sadly, that source is no longer The New York Times.
It seems the New York Times is following suit with the print media who have chosen to follow bottom line horse racing news to meet their bottom line rather than factual news.
Sadly
Olwen Dowling
One more:
Where are your articles highlighting what Democrats have done in states where they recently gained a trifecta, compared with what Republicans have done in states where they recently won a trifecta?
The shift is palpable.
I’m wearing a Biden shirt on every grocery run til 11/5/24.
I’ve made 25 trips so far — in Florida. And I have two observations to share:
1. In person, people are kind. I was kinda scared to wear a Biden shirt… that fear is what fueled me. Because if MAGA was scary now, I knew they’ll be 10x scarier if Trump wins in November. My experience has blown me away. Not a single unkind remark. When I post about my experiment online, I get a lot of hate… but that is the way bullies are: obnoxious when they are anonymous.
2. I feel better. Better about running errands. Better with every piece of good news. Better when people say “I like your shirt.” Better when nothing happens.
Better when I ask people to join me. Buy a shirt (or 3) https://www.customink.com/fundraising/demsmakelifebetter
I like your invocation of the "supercharged" Dem grass-roots, Simon. One fundamental reality is missed in the endless media buzz about Biden's approval ratings - that among those 40% who approve of Biden, there are a not-insignificant number who realize that we are seeing a historically great President presiding over a time in America that is, far from "carnage," among the best ever, possibly even topping the periods of growth in the 1980s and 90s that people are so nostalgic for. We are extremely enthusiastic about keeping this guy in power, and we are not going to sit around all year and let everybody whine about having candidates "nobody likes" without setting the record straight.
We know about Biden's passionate supporters because we ARE the passionate supporters, but more and more you see that energy coming out in public discussions. And that passion is going to start changing minds. When people realize that they are going to defeat Trump with a candidate they can truly be proud of, as we are, his stock should soar.
As an aside - isn't it strange how the media has no problem depicting Trump as having incredibly devoted supporters, even though his overall approval and favorability ratings are essentially the same as Biden's, whereas Biden is framed as having a base made up entirely of those who grumpily tolerate him? We, the proud Biden voters, are a dramatically underrepresented voice. We will make ourselves heard this year.
We are mostly invisible to the media, althought Simon is raising our profile!
Money doesn’t solve everything but it sure makes things easier.
It looks like you can add one more thing to the list of evidence showing that Trump is a degraded candidate:
Trump unable to finance an appeal bond for at least $450 million, lawyers say
https://wapo.st/3VsNrkl
Axios:
Trump's lawyers said they've approached around over two dozen companies through four separate brokers and have spent "countless hours negotiating" without securing an underwriter. "Defendants' ongoing diligent efforts have proven that a bond in the judgment's full amount is 'a practical impossibility."
.
Translation: None of them trust Trump. The rumors of Trump’s wealth are greatly exaggerated – and his followers’ crowdfunding can’t even keep pace with the interest being accrued!
Jarrod...I subscribe to Simon, Robert Hubbell, Heather Cox Richardson and Thom Hartmann, the best independent journalists around. We cut the cable cord last year and watch PBS Newshour and local news over Roku. So, following these illustrious chroniclers of our times is critically important to me. Thank you for taking the time to like my comment.
Of course ! These communities are so helpful both for movements and individuals. Bears repeating, but I had I not discovered Hopium & just been reading NYT/ listening the daily ( as I had pretty much been doing since 2017) I shudder to think what my current emotional state would be. Simon, Robert & others have done a great job creating safe spaces full of empathy! We can & we will prevail !
Don't forget how we were rationing toilet paper! What a dumb thing for the R's to spew out about how we were better off with the orange toad and his minions.
My son lives in Portland, OR and started an apprenticeship program through the electrical union a couple years ago. He needs to work 6000 hours until he is eligible to take his test to be licensed. He believes he will be able to finish his hours and take his test in October. The constant week to week employment he has worked during the past couple years is because we aren't in a recession. Had the orange toad been in the WH, he never would have been able to complete this journey in the 3 years since he started. So YEAH, we are better off!!
With Biden re-elected, I believe he will continue to have employment in this field. One company he worked for is already seeking him to be a foreman. There is a great need in the trades and opportunities.
Toilet paper?
Speaking of which, here is Trump boarding Air Force One with...his unexpected carry-on.
https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ffab&q=trump+toilet+paper&atb=v238-1&iax=videos&ia=videos&iai=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGbvF2knVsEU
Yep, toilet paper was hard to find as people stocked up in early 2020 when we were heading to lock down during the orange toads time in office adding to the chaos of how he handled the pandemic.
The GOP's hard dollar donor crisis appears to real, and deeply serious - https://www.cnbc.com/2024/03/18/trump-campaign-cash-crunch-small-dollar-donor-fatigue-major-donor-nerves.html
Thank you, I just hit the button and donated to Ruben Gallego for AZ Senate. It is essential that we not only re-elect Joe and Kamala but also give them a Democratic House and Senate to work with. Otherwise, you can be sure Republicans will starve the government of funding and do all they can to block administartion nominees. Conversely, President Biden has shown how much he can get done even with a small Democratic majority in Congress. Let’s do all we can to give him one.
I will be contributing to him as soon as I receive my SS check. I will also be contributing to Johana Hayes in the CT 5th district. The Speaker of the House and others came to CT this weekend to get Republicans lined up against her. She is one of the 5 largest targets in the House. A former U.S. Teacher of the Year, they threaten to send her back to the school room, but I believe she and her supporters with a little help will "school" them.