Simon, I am really looking forward to your conversation with Brian Tyler Cohen. He has long been one of my favorite commentators on the unfolding political spectacle – insightful and always appropriately scathing of Trump’s/MAGA’s ridiculousness.
The USD plummeted like a rock earlier today. That’s good for me personally, but I’m sure there are downsides for others.
Media Matters has an excellent piece on this latest "stolen election" scheme. Of course, it's the same old players that were part of the first round (Bannon, Pulte, Solomon). This time, their narrative is going to be: 1. declassify documents to make it look like China interfered with the 2020 election and could be doing so again to then 2. use the "foreign involvement" excuse to declare a national emergency and force voters to prove citizenship without passing the SAVE Act. Associated plans include declaring that Ossoff and Warnock's seats are invalid since the election was stolen in 2020 due to foreign interference. It's about as stupid a plan as it sounds, but it's corrosive and will suck the oxygen out of the room for the next few weeks. What we are witnessing is this administration trying to force conspiracy theories into reality.
So Russia's well-documented interference with the 2016 election on behalf of Trump was a "hoax," but China's alleged interference in the 2020 election warrants a "national emergency."
AND if Ossoff and Warnock are "illegitimate" Senators because of this "China interference," then every R who won a national election in 2020 is also illegitimate.
I liked Nicole Wallace’s take, that if the elections where he won (which happened under the Obama and Biden administrations) were legit, but the election where he lost (while he was in office) was filled with fraud, that means he is arguing that only Democrats can run an honest election.
Yes, that was brilliant reasoning. Too bad most people won't hear it or comprehend it. As John Brennan said in that same interview, "there you go again, Nicolle, trying to apply logic and reason!"
i think blanche will drag out maduro and maduro will confess to election interference against satan and then blanche will move him and his wife to a comfy prison and probably forget about his prosecution alltogether and satan will use this as a national security issue in november because the courts tip toe around national security issues he has learned
I don’t mean to throw stones, but I frankly don’t understand how anybody advocating to “pivot to kitchen table issues” is still employed in the national party. Everything is on fire, including but not limited to the kitchen table…
Okay I will focus more attention on reiterating our priorities re protecting our democratic-republican traditions to my Democratic Congressman. To date I’ve focused more attention on telling my GOP senators (TX) why they suck, which I will continue to do.
this morning I called both my senators to vote against Todd Blanche and Jay Clayton. I then wrote up some talking points beause my friend who lives on the western border of New mexico ( part of Indian Country) has friends who want to call too and wanted a suggestions of talking points and contact information to make calls as well.
A couple of things: there will be lots of eyes watching to see how Susan Collins votes in the Blanche confirmation hearing. A vote to confirm him should virtually guarantee a loss for her this November.
Second, Trump is going to go nuclear (politically) in November. He has no fucking intention of losing the House. He will pull out the stops in order to win. We will see efforts the likes of which our Founders could never have imagined. I am fully aware that there are are hundreds, if not thousands, of attorneys and law firms who are ready for Trump's lawlessness. Let's pray they are prepared to use Our judicial system to stop him.
Just got off the phone… I also feel like we need to be leaning into corruption and democracy because we have to start teaching the American people that things like ridiculous tariffs which cause inflation and cost spikes, unjustified wars of choice, which do the same thing, and massive tax cuts for the Uber wealthy at the expense of social services for the working and middle class are a result of corruption and the erosion of democracy. Not only are they both important, they’re directly related! 🤷♂️
On MSNow last night, Rachel Maddow spent the first half of her show on the recent ICE shootings, and the second half of her show on the court decision that Simon was covering this morning. Then Lawrence ODonnell got on and kept on about the court ruling. I don't watch them that often but caught it last night. It was a very, very damning ruling.
I've cued up the passage where Lawrence interviews Andrew Weissman about it. If you need a reminder to just how big a p.o.s. Blanche is, this is worth watching.
Blanche and the other Trump lawyers involved in this scandal have been referred to their respective bars for investigation into malpractice by the judge. These guys are in deep doo-doo. Just in time for Blanche's hearings on the Hill.
Fingers crossed that it can help disrupt his confirmation.
We know the Democratic Senators won’t vote to confirm either Blanche nor Clayton. However, how many Republicans would we need to deny these confirmations? 4 right? Or is this strictly dependent on the panel that Graham was apart of? Just wondering who we feel could be persuaded to our favor.
Blanche has to get out of Judiciary committee first, which is missing two Rs. I don't know how it works when someone is replacing someone who died, whether they get the same committee assignment - so dunno if Graham's sister will be seated?
"Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled Tuesday Graham could choose to stay on her brother’s committees after his sudden death. The late Graham served on Senate Budget, Judiciary, Appropriations and Environment and Public Works.
“We’ll figure out which of his committees she wants to stay on, and then we’ll go from there,” Thune told reporters."
CNN reported earlier today that ''His (Blanche's) confirmation as the attorney general by the Senate isn’t assured. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death left the Judiciary Committee Republicans with just one vote to lose, a razor thin margin of error that has given the few Republicans with hesitations an ability to negotiate with the department on matters most important to them." https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/14/politics/todd-blanche-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing. There are a total of 21 Judiciary seats filled: 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. The process to fill Lindsey Graham's position on the Judiciary Committee for now will also take some time before it is approved by the full Senate. Seniority is usually a consideration. New Judiciary members will be chosen after the next Congress is seated.
However, the number of votes needed for full Senate confirmation depends on how many Senators are present and voting at the time of the vote for Senate confirmation by simple majority. For example, yesterday there were 96 Senate members present and voting for the NDAA but the threshold for cloture was 60 — 3/5ths of total number of Senators duly chosen and sworn (vs. majority present).
Here are the Rules Governing Senate Committee and Subcommittee Assignment Procedures Updated August 14, 2025. Senate Rules and Practices Relating to Standing Committee Assignments start on page 2. It includes general rules and specific rules for the Republican Conference. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R46806/R46806.7.pdf
CBS was reporting on a land grab in Georgia: big utility company is bullying small landholders in an effort to obtain land to up power production to service data centers. This is the sort of thing that Democrats should side with rural voters on: kitchen table PLUS democratic rights.
Yeah, bummer for France that they lost their World Cup semifinal soccer match to Spain. But they clearly came up against a better squad today. Congratulations to Spain.
Simon, thank you for the updates! I preordered BTC's book and am looking forward to reading it.
Looks like Thursday would be a good day to donate to Jon Ossoff.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say please vote NO on Blanche, please stop Trump from tearing up the city of DC, and to say that Trump is not in touch with reality and must be removed from office as soon as possible.
Simon and friends. I've been shouting it for a few years that we can solve international differences thru sports and entertainment. The World Cup proves that! I've saying for years that things would open up with Cuba if Havana had a baseball team in the AL. Can you imagine the excitement when
Havana played the Yankees and the Florida teams. The we all like baseball, soccer, dance and song.
Simon, since you talk to our electeds on Capitol Hill, and are continuously speaking with the new and exciting candidates you platform on Hopium, do you feel somewhat hopeful that more Democrats will both talk about pocketbook issues AND threats to Democracy AND the latest outrages of ICE?..I see no reason why the Party can't communicate about all that simultaneously since those issues motivate both base Democratic and Democratic leaning voters. I also think Trump's alleged Thursday speech about "foreign interference" in the 2020 election will presage even more anti-Democratic bullshit by the Rs that I hope outages and motivates even more people. I'm calling my VA reps to encourage more fighting on all fronts at the same time. Thanks for keeping us activated.
Mutifaceted campaign fronts are spot on. We must campaign on his failed leadership in affordability, ICE abuses, recklessness re: starting a war with Iran, AND his assault on the rule of law.
Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball has moved NC-11 (Jamie Ager, one of Simon's 12 in the Winning the House campaign) from Likely Republican to Lean Republican.
Simon, I am really looking forward to your conversation with Brian Tyler Cohen. He has long been one of my favorite commentators on the unfolding political spectacle – insightful and always appropriately scathing of Trump’s/MAGA’s ridiculousness.
The USD plummeted like a rock earlier today. That’s good for me personally, but I’m sure there are downsides for others.
He was on David Pakman's show yesterday.
Call and call and call. I’m on it.
Media Matters has an excellent piece on this latest "stolen election" scheme. Of course, it's the same old players that were part of the first round (Bannon, Pulte, Solomon). This time, their narrative is going to be: 1. declassify documents to make it look like China interfered with the 2020 election and could be doing so again to then 2. use the "foreign involvement" excuse to declare a national emergency and force voters to prove citizenship without passing the SAVE Act. Associated plans include declaring that Ossoff and Warnock's seats are invalid since the election was stolen in 2020 due to foreign interference. It's about as stupid a plan as it sounds, but it's corrosive and will suck the oxygen out of the room for the next few weeks. What we are witnessing is this administration trying to force conspiracy theories into reality.
https://www.mediamatters.org/voter-fraud-and-suppression/plot-subvert-midterms-getting-stranger-and-more-dangerous
Insanity
So Russia's well-documented interference with the 2016 election on behalf of Trump was a "hoax," but China's alleged interference in the 2020 election warrants a "national emergency."
It’s the double-standard two-step
AND if Ossoff and Warnock are "illegitimate" Senators because of this "China interference," then every R who won a national election in 2020 is also illegitimate.
I liked Nicole Wallace’s take, that if the elections where he won (which happened under the Obama and Biden administrations) were legit, but the election where he lost (while he was in office) was filled with fraud, that means he is arguing that only Democrats can run an honest election.
Yes, that was brilliant reasoning. Too bad most people won't hear it or comprehend it. As John Brennan said in that same interview, "there you go again, Nicolle, trying to apply logic and reason!"
i think blanche will drag out maduro and maduro will confess to election interference against satan and then blanche will move him and his wife to a comfy prison and probably forget about his prosecution alltogether and satan will use this as a national security issue in november because the courts tip toe around national security issues he has learned
Agreed
I think Ossoff's response has been pitch perfect. No fear, just mocking.
He was great and conveyed the right attitude.
Wasn't that something?
I don’t mean to throw stones, but I frankly don’t understand how anybody advocating to “pivot to kitchen table issues” is still employed in the national party. Everything is on fire, including but not limited to the kitchen table…
Made my calls today.
these stones need to be thrown
Okay I will focus more attention on reiterating our priorities re protecting our democratic-republican traditions to my Democratic Congressman. To date I’ve focused more attention on telling my GOP senators (TX) why they suck, which I will continue to do.
Pluck on.
Music for every occasion https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRNvezElbIg
Grateful Dead Throwing Stones…..
this morning I called both my senators to vote against Todd Blanche and Jay Clayton. I then wrote up some talking points beause my friend who lives on the western border of New mexico ( part of Indian Country) has friends who want to call too and wanted a suggestions of talking points and contact information to make calls as well.
A couple of things: there will be lots of eyes watching to see how Susan Collins votes in the Blanche confirmation hearing. A vote to confirm him should virtually guarantee a loss for her this November.
Second, Trump is going to go nuclear (politically) in November. He has no fucking intention of losing the House. He will pull out the stops in order to win. We will see efforts the likes of which our Founders could never have imagined. I am fully aware that there are are hundreds, if not thousands, of attorneys and law firms who are ready for Trump's lawlessness. Let's pray they are prepared to use Our judicial system to stop him.
Just got off the phone… I also feel like we need to be leaning into corruption and democracy because we have to start teaching the American people that things like ridiculous tariffs which cause inflation and cost spikes, unjustified wars of choice, which do the same thing, and massive tax cuts for the Uber wealthy at the expense of social services for the working and middle class are a result of corruption and the erosion of democracy. Not only are they both important, they’re directly related! 🤷♂️
Thank you, Steve, for formulating a great script for my calls today!
LOL we should just hand them Anne Applebaum's book Autocracy Inc.
On MSNow last night, Rachel Maddow spent the first half of her show on the recent ICE shootings, and the second half of her show on the court decision that Simon was covering this morning. Then Lawrence ODonnell got on and kept on about the court ruling. I don't watch them that often but caught it last night. It was a very, very damning ruling.
I've cued up the passage where Lawrence interviews Andrew Weissman about it. If you need a reminder to just how big a p.o.s. Blanche is, this is worth watching.
https://youtu.be/mMpOhw6KM1s?si=UAm1hWhRVy1DSFc_&t=1509
Blanche and the other Trump lawyers involved in this scandal have been referred to their respective bars for investigation into malpractice by the judge. These guys are in deep doo-doo. Just in time for Blanche's hearings on the Hill.
Fingers crossed that it can help disrupt his confirmation.
Lawrence was en fuego last night.
We know the Democratic Senators won’t vote to confirm either Blanche nor Clayton. However, how many Republicans would we need to deny these confirmations? 4 right? Or is this strictly dependent on the panel that Graham was apart of? Just wondering who we feel could be persuaded to our favor.
'We know the Democratic Senators won’t vote to confirm either Blanche nor Clayton.'
Fetterman says hi!!
More like “hold my beer” lol
Fetterman's still a Democrat?!
Blanche has to get out of Judiciary committee first, which is missing two Rs. I don't know how it works when someone is replacing someone who died, whether they get the same committee assignment - so dunno if Graham's sister will be seated?
Sounds like it has yet to be decided, per a Politco article today. https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2026/07/14/congress/graham-sworn-in-00996905
"Senate Majority Leader John Thune signaled Tuesday Graham could choose to stay on her brother’s committees after his sudden death. The late Graham served on Senate Budget, Judiciary, Appropriations and Environment and Public Works.
“We’ll figure out which of his committees she wants to stay on, and then we’ll go from there,” Thune told reporters."
CNN reported earlier today that ''His (Blanche's) confirmation as the attorney general by the Senate isn’t assured. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s sudden death left the Judiciary Committee Republicans with just one vote to lose, a razor thin margin of error that has given the few Republicans with hesitations an ability to negotiate with the department on matters most important to them." https://www.cnn.com/2026/07/14/politics/todd-blanche-senate-judiciary-committee-hearing. There are a total of 21 Judiciary seats filled: 11 Republicans and 10 Democrats. The process to fill Lindsey Graham's position on the Judiciary Committee for now will also take some time before it is approved by the full Senate. Seniority is usually a consideration. New Judiciary members will be chosen after the next Congress is seated.
However, the number of votes needed for full Senate confirmation depends on how many Senators are present and voting at the time of the vote for Senate confirmation by simple majority. For example, yesterday there were 96 Senate members present and voting for the NDAA but the threshold for cloture was 60 — 3/5ths of total number of Senators duly chosen and sworn (vs. majority present).
Here are the Rules Governing Senate Committee and Subcommittee Assignment Procedures Updated August 14, 2025. Senate Rules and Practices Relating to Standing Committee Assignments start on page 2. It includes general rules and specific rules for the Republican Conference. https://www.congress.gov/crs_external_products/R/PDF/R46806/R46806.7.pdf
Today is Bastille Day!
Allons enfant de la patrie
Le jour de gloire est arrivé
Contre nous de la tyrannie
Emailed both senators yesterday.
CBS was reporting on a land grab in Georgia: big utility company is bullying small landholders in an effort to obtain land to up power production to service data centers. This is the sort of thing that Democrats should side with rural voters on: kitchen table PLUS democratic rights.
I'm sure the newly elected Ds on the GA Public Utility Commission are all over this one.
I noted that it was Bastille Day as well... LoL.
Yeah, bummer for France that they lost their World Cup semifinal soccer match to Spain. But they clearly came up against a better squad today. Congratulations to Spain.
https://ca.news.yahoo.com/blanche-glide-path-us-attorney-101204418.html
Not the most promising take but it seems it would come down to both Tillis and Cornyn 😬🤷🏻♂️🙏.
I just left a forceful voicemail to Tillis on the subject. I'll call his local office as well.
Here’s to hoping 🙏.
Two messages and counting from me to Cornholio…
Ugh. 🙏🏻
Simon, thank you for the updates! I preordered BTC's book and am looking forward to reading it.
Looks like Thursday would be a good day to donate to Jon Ossoff.
I called Congressman Raskin and Senators Alsobrooks and Van Hollen to say please vote NO on Blanche, please stop Trump from tearing up the city of DC, and to say that Trump is not in touch with reality and must be removed from office as soon as possible.
Simon and friends. I've been shouting it for a few years that we can solve international differences thru sports and entertainment. The World Cup proves that! I've saying for years that things would open up with Cuba if Havana had a baseball team in the AL. Can you imagine the excitement when
Havana played the Yankees and the Florida teams. The we all like baseball, soccer, dance and song.
Simon, since you talk to our electeds on Capitol Hill, and are continuously speaking with the new and exciting candidates you platform on Hopium, do you feel somewhat hopeful that more Democrats will both talk about pocketbook issues AND threats to Democracy AND the latest outrages of ICE?..I see no reason why the Party can't communicate about all that simultaneously since those issues motivate both base Democratic and Democratic leaning voters. I also think Trump's alleged Thursday speech about "foreign interference" in the 2020 election will presage even more anti-Democratic bullshit by the Rs that I hope outages and motivates even more people. I'm calling my VA reps to encourage more fighting on all fronts at the same time. Thanks for keeping us activated.
Mutifaceted campaign fronts are spot on. We must campaign on his failed leadership in affordability, ICE abuses, recklessness re: starting a war with Iran, AND his assault on the rule of law.
Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball has moved NC-11 (Jamie Ager, one of Simon's 12 in the Winning the House campaign) from Likely Republican to Lean Republican.
https://centerforpolitics.org/crystalball/the-unlikely-district-that-may-signal-a-wave-election/?fbclid=IwY2xjawTC9mFleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeqfQM5Z8gr1pAhgt4gvuU4pYoXYdp7_kCPs8COouW3AN-COCGxrNNkdtT0H8_aem_Uwib8yWUSjzwj8_faL97FQ