23 Comments

God, you help keep me sane. Thank you, Simon.

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Thank you Simon for providing the ammunition we need. It’s clear, concise and most importantly, it’s factual.

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Thank you Simon! We need this type of information to continue for all to be reminded of the facts. Keep up the great work!

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https://youtu.be/CFHbaUFAWrc

https://youtu.be/H-qEB48qup0

Lovely flowers! I like seeing the balance of dealing with maga, vs. nature images (Sunday’s post) and solid leadership images you share.

It is the essence of hope. Thank you!!!!!

Simon, I am TOO EXCITED to see you start a regular segment or/and interviews with YT’s Growing pro-democracy channels (MeidasTouch, Democracy Now, NoLieBTC, Pod Save America, Victor Shi.....)

Please tuck in and read my ramble, FAMILY.....please add feedback for Simon to consider. I apologise it is long.

If you don’t watch these, channels, try NoLieBTC Democracy Watch above links to see what I am attempting to describe.

I realise people aren’t getting news by major networks as much. Digital, like YT and Twitter, IG, FB newsletters directly to inbox, Substack, soooo many ways that I am not even familiar with are how people are searching for credible sources. Ground News website/app is a interesting new one that has quantitative and bias stats on news articles Check it out, and see the news you don’t choose. Anyway, I have watched subs to MTN and NoLie BTC grow by 500K each over last six months!

I feel

this exposure would drive Simon’s paid subs and allow you to harness the RAW ENERGY of the viewers on these platforms by 1) linking & thus educating them with your ‘With Dems.....’ 2) push and encourage Spreading the factual info your share 3) most importantly, GIVE ACTUAL ACTION PLAN to viewers who haven’t connected yet that they don’t have to be angry and IDLE til voting day!

Instead..... sharing info with our social networks and be info Warriors, Donate time/$$$$ to voter reg groups and campaigns early and often, get active with mobilize.us, local dem and grassroots groups, ‘ door to door always on campaigning’ groups, postcard groups, GOTV, sign up on folks like Jess Craven who give a daily democracy checklist. ( this isn’t complete etc etc etc)

Watching NoLieBTC (2 Million subs) lately with his new Democracy Watch with Marc Elias hatches the idea, or how he also does his Legal Breakdown with Glenn Kirshner as examples. MTN (1.25 M subs) does similar with weekly segments with experts.

Call it ‘Get to 55’ and spill Hopium everywhere. You would be the ONLY ONE who ties together the facts and says ‘don’t doomscroll or drama obsess! ....HERE is what YOU can do now, today, sign up with this org, give $ to this campaign, sub here to get a dem checklist of reps to call on issues etc.

because ‘With Dems this mess is BETTER’.

So your segments would be like interviews you already have done Civics Center for example. Maybe someone from FieldTeam6, or DemCast. Have Economic discussions where you break down relevant graphs in different segments. Pick your next candidate for us to support. Highlight in another how Donna Deegan won, maintaining such a positive and righteous message. There would be endless material for you to choose from and your experience and wisdom is driving it, but your audience would grow instantly, and draw those interested to sub on Hopium.

Please consider it maybe bimonthly on 1 or multiple of these platforms. Because your work isn’t competitive or controversial..... it’s universal. You explain the economic picture now and in the past, factually. And you understand and explain SO WELL how that and signing and expanding dem territory is how to break maga.

Not CONVERTING those stuck in and arguing. (Some may convert hopefully ) No we find new political territory.

Because Get to 55!!! IS New and young voters, good candidates, $$$ in grassroots, donate early and automatically, a win anywhere is a win nationwide ( ie Jacksonville, Wisc SSC, Alabama SC case).

Thus every person listening to these channels can find ways to be active in local, state and National politics, from there computer, mailbox, and wallet and effect outcomes for OUR COLLECTIVE GREATER GOOD =

Spreading Hopium.

Subsequently I imagine it would make you $ by splitting? the revenue with the platform admin for your segments! So more income to keep pushing this new dream and freedom of yours. You would do so well on regular segments, convincing informative gravitas which comforted me so much on MTN during 2022 election. They were so good Simon!!! https://youtu.be/G42hiYbwJUs. Here is one of those from 7 months ago with you discussing Dem Strategy before the election.

I think the ‘Get to 55’ and a National voter reg concept could really be supported by this sort of mass roll-out on one or multiple platforms. Where you routinely visit and share relevant & important Hopium topics.

Well tell me what you think.

Sorry for rambling and i hope I conveyed it clear enough.

Peace all!

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Hey Simon

I love your blog and website.. it's very, very helpful synthesizing the Democratic message running up to 2024...

Do you have any suggestions for organizing a broad messaging campaign against the incredibly irresponsible Republican representatives who are out in the media mischaracterizing and suborning Trump's violation of national security?

Tks

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Imo Merrill, there are plenty of people pushing back on the incredibly irresponsible R’s, see my post above. YT and other platforms point and shame those bad R’s ALL DAY LONG. Even MSNBC. But it doesn’t make them change. And it won’t.

That is why Simon is so unique because he points to the positives. Get loud about what works. Dems are working for All. We don’t need to keep saying R’s are wrong. They just are mostly. Just repeat loudly what D’s do better year after year. And sign new voters.

My That is why in my post above I would LOVE if Simon would share Hopium ideas in reoccurring segment vid features on those platforms. It would close the gap and balance the crazy with sanity and hope in one place..... and in front of Millions of subs!

Thanks for being here!

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We're always really grateful to Simon for his many creative strategies and his thorough research concerning President Biden's record. I really feel we need very strong messaging soon, perhaps right after Labor Day. Everyone is tired and filled with anxiety about the state of our divisive society. We need a break. During the 2022 midterms President Obama, Bernie, Elizabeth Warren, Amy Klobuchar, Cory Booker, and others tirelessly travelled all over the country campaigning for Democrats in the House and Senate, Governor's races, and other races of local concern. We need a repeat of that effort. We need to call out mainstream corporate print and TV media for ignoring President Biden and failing to provide regular, positive news on programs such as the Inflation Reduction Act. the PACT Act enhancing benefits to Veterans, the Infrastructure Act. It needs to start soon! Get some rest. We need to start right after Labor Day, sooner if it is possible for certain subscribers to Simon's Hopium Chronicles. Thank you.

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Yes, Simon I share your SubStack with my news-junky friends. What a fresh take on current events and a much needed breath of fresh air!!!

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Exactly!

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Thank you for this. The right-wing is off its flipping nut and the followers appear to have no sense of self-preservation, which I believe most of the rest of us do.

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Re Ft Liberty, Braxton Bragg was a failure as a general, an ill-tempered micromanager who lost the respect of officers and enlisted men alike and who was unpopular in the South. He was removed from field command in 1863 after losing the Battle of Chattanooga, and spent the remainder of the Civil War as an advisor to Jefferson Davis (another unpopular micromanager).

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The GOP is well aware that with Democrats, things get better. In fact, the GOP counts on it. Who did Kevin McCarthy rely on to save the global economy from default? Democrats. Who did Mitch McConnell count on to “take care of Donald Trump after the J6 insurrection?” Democrats. Who are the GOP presidential candidates hoping will take out Trump from the race because they are too spineless to do it themselves? Prosecutors in Democratic-run local, state & the federal government. The GOP knows who to turn to when you need to get things done. And they know is isn’t their own party.

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I will sleep much better tonight. What a positive report! Many thanks, Simon.

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They are starting to act like a 90 year old parent in denial about cognitive decline and cataracts who we have to take driving privileges away from and move into assisted living because they’ve become a danger to themselves and others. The opportunity is here and isn’t going away.....as long as we stay on the same team together and do the work we will win and win big. Americans have been slowly but steadily increasing their awareness and acknowledgment of the dangers of the GOP in its present form since the day after Trump won the 2016 election, and as long as we remind them that we are a good alternative and help them navigate the registration and voting process, they will help clean this mess up.....I’m optimistic by nature, but I’m incredibly optimistic on this.

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Yes, I like your optimism Steve! Caught a bit of your live, yesterday I think. You do great Billy Joel.

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Thanks Bridget! He and Elton are the #Godfathers of my career 😎🎹🎶🎤👍

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This is really good, Simon. Thanks!

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Thank you Simon. As always you are clear, full of facts and showing reasons to be hopeful. That alone is worth it’s weight in gold.

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I so appreciate this information, especially the graphic info. It’s one of the best ways to change someone’s mind. And because it’s succinct I can counter wrong information when I hear it. Thank you isn’t enough but I hope you can feel the strong emotions of gratefulness I have for what you’re doing and giving the public access to it. I feel more involved than ever because I’m being treated as someone who can make a difference!

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Simon, thanks. Your updates are timely in keeping us all focused on what is critical.

There are a few areas I would like to see you provide additional information on, or at least some links on where we can go to look for ourselves:

1. The recent SCOTUS decision on racial gerrymandering in Alabama: How does that decision affect the 2024 elections in Alabama? How does that decision affect similar practices in other states? What states? Who is responsible for overall strategy and tactics to correct some of these practices? Can it make a difference?

2. There are 2 areas of public policy where Democrats and Independants have very large majorities in support of their positions: a woman's right to choose, and gun safety. We saw in Kansas what can happen when one of these issues is on the ballot. Based on that, I believe that if one or both of these issues were to be on every state ballot in 2024, it would drive very high turnout. What do you think? If I am correct, what is being done at every state level to implement these referenda?

Thanks for everything.

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