Same here as we have to beg for money for the Soldier's Monument Commission ( I am a Civil War historian) who is currently working on a program for our Memorial Day opening- right now I am writing about our Medal of Honor soldier whose statue is atop our three story monument. I think I will investigate this further and if they are giving $$$ for these groups, well I will be sending a letter to the governor. I have never been to Virginia, but my name is....well, Virginia. Maybe that counts, right?
Thanks, Simon, especially for the uplifting look at Gov. Spanberger's first 100 days. (Also, I admit to being tickled to learn that the WH wants nothing to do with former Gov. Youngkin, who was hoping for a position there. Hopefully, that creep is done.)
Has anyone looked at Trump lately? I mean really looked at him? He looks like death warmed over. He's apparently not going for his annual physical this month, but he really needs one. Eyes swollen, hunched over, unable to stand for even a few minutes, falling asleep in public. . . . He's clearly not fit for office.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say that Trump is not in touch with reality and needs to be removed right away.
I believe his handlers will do whatever heroic measures will keep him going through the midterms and likely until Jan 20 so JD could run twice. But that kind of intervention has to take a toll, doesn’t it? I don’t know how much longer he could last after that.
And however terrible he is at it, he does have a stressful job. Flying to AZ for a two hour speech and then flying back? Even flying aboard Air Force One, with no TSA line, that has to be tiring.
He should definitely retire from public life for his health. Even as a defendant, he can at least get some sleep while people are testifying.
"Trump’s continued appeasement of Putin while Russia and Iran fight wars against the US and Europe remains among the most corrupt, dangerous and traitorous acts of his regime - and something Democrats should be challenging far more forcefully."
Of all the times that Trump has accused others of what he is actually the one guilty of, this is the archetypal example, the one that sums up all the rest:
Simon is always there to keep our eye on the various critical size balls still in the air amidst the insanity of ballroom discussion and Arch De Trump design plans. One of the largest balls is support for Zelensky. I’m still disappointed that our Democratic leadership has not made this a major issue by having invited Zelensky to speak to an audience of the Democratic Caucus in both Houses as well as like-minded Republicans and to publicly press for continued US aid to an embattled Ukraine. Both of our leaders should easily be pushing back on those who keep saying we’ve spent billions for what? It shouldn’t be difficult to explain the cause we’re supporting with material aid to Ukraine: sustaining democracy in Europe and joining with our NATO allies in doing so. It’s not too late. Putin is now actively supporting our avowed enemy, Iran. Another reason to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin.
Supporting Ukraine as a major democracy in Eastern Europe should be a cornerstone of the Democratic Party’s foreign policy, as is our total support of the NATO Alliance. Let’s hear from our leaders!
Hello friends! I wonder if anyone here can offer a little more depth for me on the situation in Israel beyond what I currently have. And of course, I can do my own research, I just have a busy few days so I probably won’t have time to for a bit… But I was intrigued by the fact that the coalition that has united to take on Bibi appears to be a two factions from the center right (moderate and hard liner). I’m not particularly concerned about ideological spectrum right now as it pertains to toppling authoritarians, but I would have guessed that it would take a coalition of the center, and the center left, with the assumption that perhaps Bibi already had a grip on the hard right. Anyway, if anyone has any context they can share on that, I would be interested in hearing it. Thanks all!
Wow - look at Governor Spanberger's accomplishments in 100 days! This kind of change is what we have to work hard for but also look forward to.
Zelenskyy has the stuff to get all the accolades we can give him. And something tells me David French has risen on Trump's enemy list with that headline.
The O'Donnell interview excerpt was an embarrassment - that she felt she had to sit there and take that abuse and then continue the interview is obscene to me. Taking off your mic and walking off the set is the appropriate response to that kind of behavior. Let him sit there by himself and see how CBS decides to edit him.
So far from Aaron Parnas' awesome coverage and what I've read, it appears the WHCD was colossally under-secure for an event in a public building where the entire executive branch was present. It's like all the professionals have been fired and the clown show is running everything. Oh, wait - all the professionals have been fired.
So tired of this, but we have to press on. Have a great week, everyone!
The fact that Ukraine has become a leader in drone technology is just something I find amazing. I think it also says something about how moribund our military and the vast array of defense corporations has become. We only like expensive toys.
I am encouraged by Spanberger, and I am also encouraged by the start Mamdani has had. In the latter case, I was more skeptical mostly because I knew less. But I realized a few weeks ago that he's reached out to people like Lina Khan to develop sensible approaches to problems. He has, from what I can tell, been thoughtful and pragmatic about this, which I wasn't sure about in the beginning.
By the way, the next Democratic administration needs Lina Khan and people like her to confront the oligarchs. Biden deserves a lot of credit for appointing her I think.
Laying low on a work trip. If I'm not working then I'll be on the beach. Nothing to report.
May I offer this insight into the situation at the Srait of Hormuz, and express my admiration and support for the way "60 Minutes" and in this case Norah O'Donnell have the fotitude to continue to interact with the Evil and Incompetent buddy of Putin and retain their sanity and poise while doing so.
Let’s Get the Strait Straight
Transcript of an interchange between the Captain of a US warship and an Iranian in charge of drones, mines and fast attack boats - obtained from signals inttercepted by the British Intelligence and Seurity Agecny GCHQ, but ignored by the White House becasue they had not been approved by Winston Churchill
US: What are you doing here?
Iran: I'm running a blockade.
US: What! Wait, I'm here to blockade.
Iran: But I got here first.
US: But I can obliterate as well as blockade.
Iran: What's the point of obliteration?
US: To show we can do it better than anyone else, and no civilization can resist us and, if they do they will be destroyed forever.
Iran: But if you obliterate, there is no point in a blockade, because there will be no one left to try to break through the blockade.
US: Oh, you said “left.” You must be a liberal, Far Left fanatic who believes in strategic planning and morality.
Iran: No, I'm a Muslim who listens to the Pope.
US: As I thought - by the way, do you have any drones I can use? The Ukrainians won’t give us any because we’ve stopped supporting them. And I know our President won’t mind if we get some drones supplied by Putin, which I understand you may have, based on your Iranian designs the Russians have improved
Iran: Sorry, the Ukrainians have been giving their drones and drone technologies to the Gulf States, so we need all we can get from the Russians. Whose side are you on anyway, around the world?
US: That depends on the day or even the time of day during the day. Haven’t you read our National Security Strategy published last November? It gave priority to China and concluded (I quote) that the Middle East was of lower priority and did pose threats, but it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. And our traditional allies are worse than useless because they do not behave like Winston Churchill. And their civilization is on a path to extinction – is that the same thing as obliteration?
Iran: No, it is not. Obliteration means everything is destroyed and no one survives. With extinction you just change the God or Gods you worship, develop new myths about your superiority to everyone else, and stop playing American football. So why are you here and not at your base in Japan? Have Witkoff and Kushner and the leading theological rival to the Pope, your Vice President Vance, been informed of the findings of the National Security Strategy or has it not been translated into a Wall Street spreadsheet or a religious tract they can relate to?
US: My hunch is that when he read the Bible, Secretary Hegseth did not get beyond the Old Testament and learn the teachings of Jesus. If you want inside information on who our allies and our supporters are, give Netanyahu a call. And in case you are curious about the dispute between the Pope and Vance, and our President, I can assure you it will not lead to another historical schism in Christianity.
Iran: Oy vey, I was not expecting a schism in Christianity, since the US only seeks obliteration whereas a schism is not destructive enough. But I would be happy to send your otherwise apocalyptic vengeful military leader Hegseth interpretations from hadiths and the Quran which permit a "non-severe" beating as a last resort for a woman’s chronic disobedience strictly after admonition and separation in bed. They must not cause injury, leave marks, or target the face. They might help him to establish more acceptable rules for women in the US military. If you like I can also send you - via a fast attack boat, if you promise not to try to sink it - some bottles of fine Iranian wine we have kept from the pre-1979 period before wine making was prohibited.
US: Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated. Oh, darn it, I must go, I just received new orders.
Iran: To do what?
US: I must go to Central Africa to blockade there - I mean block aid there.
Iran: To quote your President, Praise Be to Allah.
US: As my friends in the Department of Homeland Security say, Hasta la Vista.
I spent the morning in the jury room (thankfully the judge convinced the lawyers not to do a jury trial; he said it was a complex civil case that would have taken at least two weeks). It was reassuring to participate in something so fundamental to our democracy and to be with 200 other people who were also doing their civic duty. They showed us a video about unconscious bias and how important it is to consider that when making decisions (one example the video showed was of a biker on a Harley -- on the left were the adjectives "adventurous" and "free spirited" while the right had adjectives like "scary" and "dangerous"). The judge talked to us about how we have two obligations as citizens -- to vote and to serve on juries.
I put 50 cards in the mail for NC voters and have made my calls. Onward!
The US Forest Service is being destroyed by the administration. Please help rally the troops to call or write congress. I can gladly give more detail to anyone that seek info.
As far as Democrats doing something more forcefully, what would that be? Being the minority makes it difficult to get anything done with the corrupt Republicans in Congress.
Why not buy ads on prime time tv every night that just state the horrible reality of what is going on. Not political ads asking for votes, but the verifiable truth. Short attention span ads.
It'd be great if everyone used sites like this, but they don't. Prime time ads have a large audience that would be a tool to use to keep the truth in front of people. Recently Jen Psaki , MS Now, did a review of the atrocities committed by the trump regime. I found it to be very effective even though I keep up with the news everyday. The daily barrage quickly dims events of only a week ago. Consistent messaging does work.
"Ending tax breaks for Confederate groups."
Living life for so many years now in my secular Jewish, liberal, New York City bubble, I had to sit with that one for a couple of minutes.
Same!!!
Same here as we have to beg for money for the Soldier's Monument Commission ( I am a Civil War historian) who is currently working on a program for our Memorial Day opening- right now I am writing about our Medal of Honor soldier whose statue is atop our three story monument. I think I will investigate this further and if they are giving $$$ for these groups, well I will be sending a letter to the governor. I have never been to Virginia, but my name is....well, Virginia. Maybe that counts, right?
Thanks, Simon, especially for the uplifting look at Gov. Spanberger's first 100 days. (Also, I admit to being tickled to learn that the WH wants nothing to do with former Gov. Youngkin, who was hoping for a position there. Hopefully, that creep is done.)
Has anyone looked at Trump lately? I mean really looked at him? He looks like death warmed over. He's apparently not going for his annual physical this month, but he really needs one. Eyes swollen, hunched over, unable to stand for even a few minutes, falling asleep in public. . . . He's clearly not fit for office.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say that Trump is not in touch with reality and needs to be removed right away.
This is only my opinion, but...
With the state he is in now, there is just no way he finishes his term. No way.
I said that to myself this morning, listening to montages of what he's uttered over the past 48 hours.
I believe he's crossed over a new threshold of unwellness.
I believe his handlers will do whatever heroic measures will keep him going through the midterms and likely until Jan 20 so JD could run twice. But that kind of intervention has to take a toll, doesn’t it? I don’t know how much longer he could last after that.
And however terrible he is at it, he does have a stressful job. Flying to AZ for a two hour speech and then flying back? Even flying aboard Air Force One, with no TSA line, that has to be tiring.
He should definitely retire from public life for his health. Even as a defendant, he can at least get some sleep while people are testifying.
Excerpt:
"Trump’s continued appeasement of Putin while Russia and Iran fight wars against the US and Europe remains among the most corrupt, dangerous and traitorous acts of his regime - and something Democrats should be challenging far more forcefully."
Of all the times that Trump has accused others of what he is actually the one guilty of, this is the archetypal example, the one that sums up all the rest:
"You're a disgrace."
Simon is always there to keep our eye on the various critical size balls still in the air amidst the insanity of ballroom discussion and Arch De Trump design plans. One of the largest balls is support for Zelensky. I’m still disappointed that our Democratic leadership has not made this a major issue by having invited Zelensky to speak to an audience of the Democratic Caucus in both Houses as well as like-minded Republicans and to publicly press for continued US aid to an embattled Ukraine. Both of our leaders should easily be pushing back on those who keep saying we’ve spent billions for what? It shouldn’t be difficult to explain the cause we’re supporting with material aid to Ukraine: sustaining democracy in Europe and joining with our NATO allies in doing so. It’s not too late. Putin is now actively supporting our avowed enemy, Iran. Another reason to support Ukraine in its fight against Putin.
Supporting Ukraine as a major democracy in Eastern Europe should be a cornerstone of the Democratic Party’s foreign policy, as is our total support of the NATO Alliance. Let’s hear from our leaders!
Hello friends! I wonder if anyone here can offer a little more depth for me on the situation in Israel beyond what I currently have. And of course, I can do my own research, I just have a busy few days so I probably won’t have time to for a bit… But I was intrigued by the fact that the coalition that has united to take on Bibi appears to be a two factions from the center right (moderate and hard liner). I’m not particularly concerned about ideological spectrum right now as it pertains to toppling authoritarians, but I would have guessed that it would take a coalition of the center, and the center left, with the assumption that perhaps Bibi already had a grip on the hard right. Anyway, if anyone has any context they can share on that, I would be interested in hearing it. Thanks all!
Wow - look at Governor Spanberger's accomplishments in 100 days! This kind of change is what we have to work hard for but also look forward to.
Zelenskyy has the stuff to get all the accolades we can give him. And something tells me David French has risen on Trump's enemy list with that headline.
The O'Donnell interview excerpt was an embarrassment - that she felt she had to sit there and take that abuse and then continue the interview is obscene to me. Taking off your mic and walking off the set is the appropriate response to that kind of behavior. Let him sit there by himself and see how CBS decides to edit him.
So far from Aaron Parnas' awesome coverage and what I've read, it appears the WHCD was colossally under-secure for an event in a public building where the entire executive branch was present. It's like all the professionals have been fired and the clown show is running everything. Oh, wait - all the professionals have been fired.
So tired of this, but we have to press on. Have a great week, everyone!
many posts call for reporters to push back to his face, she did, rude treatment or not
The fact that Ukraine has become a leader in drone technology is just something I find amazing. I think it also says something about how moribund our military and the vast array of defense corporations has become. We only like expensive toys.
I am encouraged by Spanberger, and I am also encouraged by the start Mamdani has had. In the latter case, I was more skeptical mostly because I knew less. But I realized a few weeks ago that he's reached out to people like Lina Khan to develop sensible approaches to problems. He has, from what I can tell, been thoughtful and pragmatic about this, which I wasn't sure about in the beginning.
By the way, the next Democratic administration needs Lina Khan and people like her to confront the oligarchs. Biden deserves a lot of credit for appointing her I think.
Laying low on a work trip. If I'm not working then I'll be on the beach. Nothing to report.
I'm pleased to be part of the Hopium community. The comments here reflect the quality of the people Simon has attracted.
Welcome Nancy! You will certainly enjoy Hopium! I look forward to reading it every day!
Walking outside listening to Karoline Leavitt regurgitate her Trump-speak, I had to remove my earbuds. I just could not take it.
She has reached a new level of unwellness herself.
May I offer this insight into the situation at the Srait of Hormuz, and express my admiration and support for the way "60 Minutes" and in this case Norah O'Donnell have the fotitude to continue to interact with the Evil and Incompetent buddy of Putin and retain their sanity and poise while doing so.
Let’s Get the Strait Straight
Transcript of an interchange between the Captain of a US warship and an Iranian in charge of drones, mines and fast attack boats - obtained from signals inttercepted by the British Intelligence and Seurity Agecny GCHQ, but ignored by the White House becasue they had not been approved by Winston Churchill
US: What are you doing here?
Iran: I'm running a blockade.
US: What! Wait, I'm here to blockade.
Iran: But I got here first.
US: But I can obliterate as well as blockade.
Iran: What's the point of obliteration?
US: To show we can do it better than anyone else, and no civilization can resist us and, if they do they will be destroyed forever.
Iran: But if you obliterate, there is no point in a blockade, because there will be no one left to try to break through the blockade.
US: Oh, you said “left.” You must be a liberal, Far Left fanatic who believes in strategic planning and morality.
Iran: No, I'm a Muslim who listens to the Pope.
US: As I thought - by the way, do you have any drones I can use? The Ukrainians won’t give us any because we’ve stopped supporting them. And I know our President won’t mind if we get some drones supplied by Putin, which I understand you may have, based on your Iranian designs the Russians have improved
Iran: Sorry, the Ukrainians have been giving their drones and drone technologies to the Gulf States, so we need all we can get from the Russians. Whose side are you on anyway, around the world?
US: That depends on the day or even the time of day during the day. Haven’t you read our National Security Strategy published last November? It gave priority to China and concluded (I quote) that the Middle East was of lower priority and did pose threats, but it is no longer the constant irritant, and potential source of imminent catastrophe, that it once was. And our traditional allies are worse than useless because they do not behave like Winston Churchill. And their civilization is on a path to extinction – is that the same thing as obliteration?
Iran: No, it is not. Obliteration means everything is destroyed and no one survives. With extinction you just change the God or Gods you worship, develop new myths about your superiority to everyone else, and stop playing American football. So why are you here and not at your base in Japan? Have Witkoff and Kushner and the leading theological rival to the Pope, your Vice President Vance, been informed of the findings of the National Security Strategy or has it not been translated into a Wall Street spreadsheet or a religious tract they can relate to?
US: My hunch is that when he read the Bible, Secretary Hegseth did not get beyond the Old Testament and learn the teachings of Jesus. If you want inside information on who our allies and our supporters are, give Netanyahu a call. And in case you are curious about the dispute between the Pope and Vance, and our President, I can assure you it will not lead to another historical schism in Christianity.
Iran: Oy vey, I was not expecting a schism in Christianity, since the US only seeks obliteration whereas a schism is not destructive enough. But I would be happy to send your otherwise apocalyptic vengeful military leader Hegseth interpretations from hadiths and the Quran which permit a "non-severe" beating as a last resort for a woman’s chronic disobedience strictly after admonition and separation in bed. They must not cause injury, leave marks, or target the face. They might help him to establish more acceptable rules for women in the US military. If you like I can also send you - via a fast attack boat, if you promise not to try to sink it - some bottles of fine Iranian wine we have kept from the pre-1979 period before wine making was prohibited.
US: Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated. Oh, darn it, I must go, I just received new orders.
Iran: To do what?
US: I must go to Central Africa to blockade there - I mean block aid there.
Iran: To quote your President, Praise Be to Allah.
US: As my friends in the Department of Homeland Security say, Hasta la Vista.
Love Hopium's list of goals and description of how to think about conditions, "Winning Is An Evolving Battlefield."
Creativity and adaptability are crucial.
As a great athlete said, "If you want the momentum you have to take it" and if you want to keep it, you have to keep pushing.
Wondering what the King and T**** will talk about.
I spent the morning in the jury room (thankfully the judge convinced the lawyers not to do a jury trial; he said it was a complex civil case that would have taken at least two weeks). It was reassuring to participate in something so fundamental to our democracy and to be with 200 other people who were also doing their civic duty. They showed us a video about unconscious bias and how important it is to consider that when making decisions (one example the video showed was of a biker on a Harley -- on the left were the adjectives "adventurous" and "free spirited" while the right had adjectives like "scary" and "dangerous"). The judge talked to us about how we have two obligations as citizens -- to vote and to serve on juries.
I put 50 cards in the mail for NC voters and have made my calls. Onward!
The US Forest Service is being destroyed by the administration. Please help rally the troops to call or write congress. I can gladly give more detail to anyone that seek info.
As far as Democrats doing something more forcefully, what would that be? Being the minority makes it difficult to get anything done with the corrupt Republicans in Congress.
Why not buy ads on prime time tv every night that just state the horrible reality of what is going on. Not political ads asking for votes, but the verifiable truth. Short attention span ads.
It'd be great if everyone used sites like this, but they don't. Prime time ads have a large audience that would be a tool to use to keep the truth in front of people. Recently Jen Psaki , MS Now, did a review of the atrocities committed by the trump regime. I found it to be very effective even though I keep up with the news everyday. The daily barrage quickly dims events of only a week ago. Consistent messaging does work.