Kim, I asking respectfully that you take this post down. We just don't turn good days into bad ones here. It is in my view self-indulgent, and movement weakening. We all understand that tough road ahead. Our goal here is to keep making progress every day. So glad you are here but these kinds of posts are not really welcome here, particularly today.
And i do not agree that Trumpism is still going strong. This is just objectively wrong. Both he and his ideological movement have been significantly weakened, and if you cannot see that, I am not sure this is the right place for you.
And finally, it is not about tone. By any objective measure the last few months have been good ones for us. I am not putting lipstick on a pig. Your insistence in wiping away the significance of the progress is polemical, and not objective - and it's what that I ask that you take the post down. For it is wrong and unhelpful.
Simon—technically speaking, I don’t know how to do that. I’m happy to lose it, but I think you’ll have to do it.
More importantly though, is the reason I posted in the first place. I don’t think I’ve stated anything that is factually incorrect—in fact I channeled the essence of comments you’ve made repeatedly about “…Trump breaking things that will be difficult or impossible to repair”.
I’m a life long Democrat with a background in management consulting specializing in organizational strategy and public policy. What I’ve been doing a lot of this year is applying the tools I used in my professional career to our national situation. We all know that while winning elections is important, it’s what happens next that truly matters. I’m voicing the issues I raised now because all the solutions I’ve come up with are long-lead time approaches that don’t seem to lend themselves to the usual way new office holders tend to function. I’m sincerely hoping that somewhere at the top of our party, someone is already hard at work on this, but I (understandably)am not aware of such activity. I’m very much hoping that you are.
Why are we talking about this today? What's the point? Why are you pushing people away from feeling a sense of accomplishment - something we must have to keep building on our wins to get more wins? If you have been part of winning teams then you know that building a winning internal culture is a huge part of it......
And do you follow Hopium? Do you think we only talk about elections? Have you seen my writing these last few days which are all about weakening the regime, winning arguments? Please. I welcome your voice hear but you simply must do a better job responding to the arguments and sensibilities here, and not use it as a platform to advance your own views and denigrate the good work that is being done here. It's not helpful.
Simon, I’ve been active on and off with my local Democratic Party and also have done a fair bit of lobbying in DC over the years in support of various health care causes. I started following you in mid -2024. I have read everything you’ve posted since that time and watched every scrap of video. I specifically joined the community as a financial supporter in the hopes of reaching out to you with my concerns. While I am sorry if I have upset you (that was not my intent), if I’ve elevated the questions I raised to someone with the power to do something about them, then I am content. As I said, if you’ve read my post, it has served its purpose and you’re more than welcome to delete it.
Our mission here is mitigate the damage he is doing/weaken the regime, advance our agenda, and win back power. We need to stay on task. None of this is helpful today. I am moving on.
I do want to say that pro-democracy activists know all of this, and I am very much hoping that those voices will be at the center of the reconstruction after Trump is gone. To me, the key is to continue to support those voices, and push those who have not perhaps grappled with the enormity of the moment (in both senses of the word) to be thinking bigger right now. Which is what this site is doing, and it's working.
Technically, predictions about the future can't really be "factually correct," or incorrect either! It's fine if these are your educated guesses but they can't really be presented as fact.
The three dots to the right of our names allow us to edit our posts.
I think everyone reading Hopium, and indeed any Democrat paying the scantest attention to the news, is worried about the things you mention. This is why we're here! The Democratic party leadership had some structural problems and inherent complacency that led to the loss of the 2024 election. We all know that. But it takes a lot of time to change things from the bottom up, and that is happening now! From reading Hopium, I know that before this year, only 15 of the states had paid chairs! That has changed now. And hundreds of thousands of people across the country, if not millions, people like me, are now actively involved in changing our political landscape. The people behind Trump are deeply terrifying, but their agenda is not popular. And Trump was the draw for MAGA. It's our job to keep doing the work -- and we are doing it! -- to weaken the regime every single day. I don't think we can watch Bennie Johnson's speech to Kristi Noem, or Delia Rodriguez's or Dan Goldman's and say these elected officials are clueless about what's happening. Just as ordinary citizens have woken up to the threat, so have many of our elected representatives. Not all of them, and those folks need to be primaried. But every week I see new signs of fight and resistance that give me great hope. The Democratic attorneys general have been meeting every week (in early 2025 it was every day) to strategize for ways to fight Trump and the evil folks behind him. There are more of us than there are of them! While I agree that the things you lay out are possible, and that they are deeply frightening, I think there are a ton of things happening now that will mitigate the damage and even prevent worse things from happening. And I believe that there are tons of competent Democrats already in Congress (Chris Murphy, AOC, Bernie Sanders, Jasmine Crockett, etc, etc) who are already showing us the path forward.
Elizabeth: Thanks for the technical help—much appreciated.
Most folks here will probably recall the famous quote from the late Mario Cuomo that says we campaign in poetry and govern in prose. While I’m certainly as interested as anyone in the “poetry,” I’m primarily in the “prose” business. I spent a lot of my professional career helping organizations of various sorts (mostly in health care) understand the externalities they were facing and the actions they could take to achieve their stated goals. What I learned from literally dozens of engagements was this. The nine most dangerous words for any organization in the entire English language are “…we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” The other significant truth I learned is the bigger and more complicated the problem, the longer the lead time needed to develop an effective solution.
Solutions to very large and complex problems that are developed when an organization is up against a crisis more often then not turn out to be bad. Happily, most crises can be anticipated in advance and tentative options explored without the pressure of having to make an immediate decision. Needless to say, saving the US from the clutches of a fascist-friendly Republican Party is probably the biggest and most important challenge any of us will ever face.
All I’m trying to do is to make sure that no one in our party is laboring under the illusion they’ll be able to to “wing it” if (hopefully when) the time comes and succeed.
I subscribe to our Democratic AG's email list here in NC (the amazing Jeff Jackson) and he gives me tremendous hope. The AGs are prepared! They are incredibly smart and strategic. I hear you -- we don't seem to have the equivalent of a Project 2025. But we do have leaders who know how to put together good teams and who rely on subject experts. I know the AGs are working like crazy to fight a lot of things that are not on the public's radar. I suspect and hope that the legislators are doing the same thing.
There is a lot of doom and gloom in this post. It operates under the assumption that the future is already written and there is no point to our actions.
That’s really not what this community is about; we’re hope with a plan. Our actions make a difference.
Catastrophizing isn’t going to help our movement, and is the wrong attitude to take in this fight.
Yes, Steve, thanks for this. I feel, so many times, all the despair, fear, and angst Kim does. A few days ago, a few of us responded to one another that we felt deflated; that ennui had set in, and we were down for the count. And we echoed to one another what we know from experience: It'll pass. And then I watched Dems rip Noem a new one. I saw Repubs begin to cave (a bit, here and there).
Dems have issues. We know this. One of our issues is facing a cult of personality backed by voters who cannot allow themselves to reconcile they were idiots.
We're working through it in a way that feels organic for our Party.
I have to extend some grace there.
And almost every day now, a new face emerges and becomes my hero for the day.
Seth Magaziner wasn't on my radar until the other day. Now I can't learn enough about him. Lucky Rhode Islanders who are represented by him! What a talent! What a potential leader!
My husband and I argued recently bc I would rather not discuss MAGA or trump with him and he doesn’t understand why I won’t. I finally explained that I UNDERSTAND ALL the evil trying to take over our democracy but I read A LOT and understand the forces fighting him off also. I see both. And unfortunately, he doesn’t read about or follow all the good people/ groups I take strength from. The 75 million who voted for Kamala. The 6-7 million activists ( now more like 10 I bet) The Dem AGs who started preparing June of 2024 and meet daily now! the Govenor’s Association, ACLU, Marc Elias, the attorney Warrior! Eric Holder/Barack O for their anti gerrymandering group work. Indivisibles 100s of thousands, The Lincoln Project, The Bulwark, MTN, The Courier, ALL in FOR NC, The Contraian. Ruth, Jess, Joyce, Heather,Harry, Jay, Robert, David, Kick-butt Katie, all on Substack , Anderson, June, Stalwart Judges, and mostly our extraordinary guru Simon who can lead AND follow. There are lots more of wonderful Dem warriors and groups I’m not adding ( too long) but the strength of these forces is always there for me. How do you explain that to one who monitors the news for “all the bad stuff going on” only? Where’s Dr. Spock’s mind meld when needed? I’m neither naive nor uninformed just incredibly determined ( thank you Simon and Hopium community) Down days?Sure, but mostly, inevitably:
I have a lot of friends and family who are constantly negative and without hope, too. It really is as unhelpful as Simon always says. I'll be describing some small victory, and they will respond with "Yeah, but..."
I don't like having to always be the ray of sunshine in the face of their negativity. I think they say stuff like that to me because they know I will try to make them feel better. But they don't reciprocate on my down days.
One thing is for sure, the more you work on making the world better, the more positive you can be. My friends must be sick of me responding to their griping by telling them ways to get more involved.
Agree totally with your comments Jenny. Except for me, I’m mostly the silent listener bc I don’t generally offer any rays of sunshine bc I do realize this war is a heavy battle and can be debilitating to many. I’ve learned as long as people haven’t done the work we’ve done to inform themselves they’re skeptical like my husband is. They only hear the bad, process the negative. I’m not trying to convince them. But for concerned ones that want to be a part of just “ doing something” like my neighbor or niece or grandson or many others, I provide all the information I can, send them articles, let them know what I’m up to and invite them along if they’d like to attend. At one point or another they’ve told me how proud they are of me doing “ my work” as they call it. Personally it’s too draining to me to hear complaining over and over again without taking actions. Which is why I really appreciate Simon’s “ no a- hole’ or negative trolling rules. I’ve been involved in corporate level Quality Improvement and spent years as a Compliance Officer ( Hospital Regulatory) I know how important processing is but being action oriented and keeping your passions fired and tended to and your team upbeat and determined is equally important IMHO. My deep. deep determination for my families sake and my country’s is what fuels me. I sense that presence in most of our community members here on Hopium,TG. Thousands of us doing what we can; doing such good work. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
I understand the frustration, heck I have it and some days are harder than others. Similarly, I disagreed with a close friend today. They heard someone on the radio (I won't name the person) who said they won't support anyone unless they commit to support expanding the Supreme Court and abolishing ICE. I said ok great. So, right off the bat, this person is not going to support the Democratic nominee if they don't support expanding the Supreme and abolishing ICE? Additionally, this person is telling his listeners this? They said yes and they agreed. I said, I want to win first, and then work on those things. Where has the one or two issue voters gotten us? Do I want to expand the Supreme Court, yes. I want ICE and Border Patrol that beat up, dragged and unlawfully detained, arrested and deported people, be prosecuted. It's also dicey bc the friggin, corrupt Supreme Court said they could detain anyone they deemed could be here illegally i.e. Brown and Black and anyone else they want. So, not sure how we deal with that but that's just one more issue that has to be dealt with.
Celebrating the wins doesn't mean forfeiting our battles. But, I believe, we do have to win and celebrate those wins first. I would have never thought the Indiana legislature would have gone against Trump - never and they did! That's a big win.
Tennessee Brando had a great take on this. He asked if you agree with a Democratic candidate on 9 out of 10 things, but disagree on one, so you plan to stay home on Election Day, ask yourself if the Republican candidate would be better? Yes, it’s basic, but he can be very eloquent and passionate and fun to listen to. And he has different ways of phrasing things than most other people.
💯this! I try to say this but I am not eloquent or brief about it. What we having going for our side is that we have the facts. Even the fact that Ketanji Brown Jackson is on the Supreme Court is a direct result of a Democrat being president and having the Democratic votes to get her on the Bench. Yes, Collins, Murkowski and Romney voted for her as well, but I highly doubt Collins would have voted for her if it came down to one vote. I sort of doubt Murkowksi would have as well. Romney? Not sure. Anyway, it was a republican that put all six of the corrupt SC Justices in that took a woman's right to choose away. I think that's a big deal. I tell people and those are only two things that happened in our recent lifetime. They usually say well yes that's true. I think sometimes people just get on a negative bandwagon. It's important to acknowledge how difficult and frustrating this time is but it is also important to then move on from there in a positive manner.
All I’ve ever seen that purports to be our version of that sort of effort are a half dozen assorted aspirational one-liners that bear no resemblance to things that can actually be accomplished in the real world of our current federal government.
This is among the most arrogant and ridiculous things any one has ever posted here. You can come on here and engage without denigrating others and spend more time learning than lecturing.
I am suspending your posting privileges for 30 days. If you choose to return you need to come back here with a far more collegial attitude, for what you've done here today has been corrosive and not helpful. Thank you.
By 7AM the morning after Kilmar Abrego’s release, Judge Xinis was already having to issue an additional order to stop team Trump from taking him right back into ICE custody.
It looks like they got an immigration judge to drum up a phony removal order, purporting to have gone into effect way back in 2019. That is when a removal order was erroneously omitted from the record in his original immigration proceedings. That technicality is how Judge Xinis finally got him out yesterday.
Remember, unlike Judge Xinis, immigration judges lack independence from the executive branch. They are employees of DOJ.
Judge Xinis has issued a 5-page order, prohibiting team Trump from re-detaining Kilmar and citing case law to the effect that they can’t retroactively issue a 2019 removal order in 2025. She also repeatedly discusses the importance of upholding the public’s ability to trust in the justice system and that court rulings will be respected.
And that corruption includes the pardoning of those who import drugs into the country and now the Tate Brothers, sex traffickers. The moral rot in this regime must be attacked by Democrats every day
Someone should calculate the costs of hounding this one guy. The costs of repeatedly trying to indict James, and the failed prosecution of Comey.
I have to think that tilting at windmills to satisfy Trump's desire for revenge is incredibly inefficient, expensive, and prevents government agencies from pursuing actual criminals.
Wastefulness and inefficiency isn't the worst element of this for sure. But it would be something else that some people understand better.
That Minnesota state legislature rep’s letter to Trump backs up my thinking when I posted this to my other social media yesterday, where more of my local friends and acquaintances will see it (copy/paste):
Here's a letter I sent to my reps in the Oregon state legislature re: keeping ICE detention facilities out of Oregon. Feel free to copy/paste/edit to send your own letter.
We need to keep the pressure on. Democrats are sympathetic to our position, and Republicans can clearly see that Trump's regime of racial terror and lawlessness is hurting their electoral chances. Therefore, both have incentive to be receptive to a letter like this.
--
This letter is about the need to keep ICE detention facilities out of Oregon. There should be no such facility put in in Portland or in Newport, or anywhere else in our state.
The immigration detention system has become rife with abuses including: deprivation of access to counsel, obstruction of congressional oversight, physical beatings of inmates, extreme confinement such as shackling inmates into tiny cages exposed to the elements and mosquitos, crushing of genitals, exposure to extreme temperatures, deprivation of food, deprivation of hygiene, forcing people to eat with their faces with their arms shackled, forcing people to sleep on hard flooring with insufficient bedding, forcing people to sleep next to overflowing toilets, overcrowding, deprivation of medical care. One inmate was even found dead, hung from his neck with his arms and legs bound.
All of the above is flagrantly unconstitutional. It also flies in the face of the principle that immigration detention is supposed to be non-punitive. Much of it constitutes torture.
Enclosed is documentation of some of the abuses described above. One is a report from Amnesty International, and the other is a letter from the ACLU to the ICE director. In addition to this documentation, multiple judges have recently made findings that these abuses are occurring. Judge Gettleman in Illinois issued a restraining order after a full evidentiary hearing, at the conclusion of which he found that the conditions at the Broadview facility are unconstitutional. A printout of that restraining order is enclosed. Here in Oregon, Judge Ann Aiken had to give an ICE detainee her lunch at a hearing, upon learning that she had been deprived of food for a lengthy period of time during transport to Oregon from Washington.
We do not want these horrors and this lawlessness occurring in our state. Please do everything possible to prevent any ICE detention facilities from going in here in Oregon.
I posted these links as comments on my other page, so my friends/acquaintances can use the same enclosures if they want.
It’s hard to convince people that contacting their reps does anything. 🫤
I think it’s really important that our team red reps of these smalltownia districts hear from us, and that it’s not just the blue city inhabitants speaking up against this stuff.
They're probably out there for sale somewhere right now- and are they gold? - but I'm not going to look, because I'd have to boil my computer in bleach afterwards.
I hate to go down a rabbit hole of salaciousness. Still, I do recall Epstein's health report card, among his prison records issued after his death, revealed he was treated for Chlamydia.
So, apparently, he spent a lot of time joking about Trump Condoms but never thought to use them.
Humm... ANTIFA can't be put on trial when it doesn't exist. Democrats have known this from day one. Given this third vital moment, I hope others can come to grips with the truth as well, especially Michael Glasheen after being schooled by Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. Someone please edit the ANTIFA page on wikipedia because it is ridiculous propaganda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifa_(United_States)
Let’s hope that Trump and MAGA have finally “jumped the shark” on their dangerous campaign to destroy America. Calling the Affordability crisis a “Democrat hoax” seems increasingly ridiculous to all of us paying higher prices. Labeling anyone who disagrees with Trump a Marxist/Communist/Traitor also seems to be finally losing its punch. Thanks Simon for all of your dedication and hard work!
Just called Rep. Chris Smith (Traitor-NJ04) and told the ofc to ask him to sign on to discharge petition re articles of impeachment for RFK Jr. He's a spineless twit so he most likely won't, but I felt a lot better doing it. Stand up for Science sent out an email blast that links you to the switchboard, but I called the local office number I have programmed into my phone.
Going to call Sens. Kim & Booker shortly.
That hearing w Noem was a feeding frenzy, esp. the part when she got yelled at in the hallway. People are so done with this crap, and I think it may have sunk in w her that Orange is going to throw her under the bus, where it's getting awfully crowded. Rep. McIver brought the street fighter vibe, but my favorite was the total passive aggression by Rep. Thompson. "I know you didn't come in here to lie. But you just did." I want that on a t-shirt. :)
Just finished a VoteRiders shift, helping folks get ID. They def need more folks to help with this work and will be training new volunteers, so now's your chance! VoteRiders.org is the URL.
It's been clear for quite some time that if you hate the monstrosity that is the Electoral College (which should have disappeared automagically, like the 3/5th rule, after the passage of the Emancipation amendments), the best, maybe the only way to break it (for now) is to Make Texas (aka the world's largest plantation--Democrats occupy *every* statewide office in *every* other minority majority state in the country, including neighboring NM) Competitive Again.
Greg Abbott is Macbeth; it's long past time for the woods to come to Austin, TX!
It’s worth remembering that GOP took over Texas in my lifetime, specifically the 80s and 90s. Nothing is set in stone.
I also find fascinating what Simon says about Texas being difficult in which to compete - multiple large, separate media markets. Expect the oligarchs to flood each with filth. It’ll be difficult but it won’t happen on its own.
Sorry about that--I didn't notice this one was a Slate Plus article and just used the generic share. I just tried using the internal share as well, but it looks like the URL is the same, so I've copied and pasted it into a Google Doc with open access:
It's really too bad that so many media outlets think that the only responsibilities that go with their First Amendment rights are to their shareholders, sponsors, and advertisers. Personally I think they all ought to be part of a pass/subscription system where everyone can get x individual articles per month across a broad spectrum of sources, including any and every publication that wants to take part. You pay one low flat monthly fee for free access to x articles across the spectrum.
Anytime you see an article from any participating publication that you want to read, you click on it, the system recognizes you (eg via a cookie), and deducts one article from your monthly allotment.
The government could and should fund the development of the infrastructure necessary to allow any pub that wants to join to seamlessly and costlessly be part of the system. As defined, this would be completely nonpartisan (except to those who "like their voters uneducated," who will soon be in the minority in both houses)
I found your site a few days after the election. I am so glad I did, grateful for your work and wisdom..and conscerned...I never thought I woud see you using four letter words. things must be REALLY bad (I know, they are.)
One item seems to have been removed or de-emphasized from our conversation about Donald over the last month or so - I believe it was around the November elections. The topic that is now not being mentioned that much is “losing our democracy in favor of an authoritarian takeover.”
It’s pretty clear to me why. Simon has been laying this out very pointedly over the last 4-6 weeks. The tide is definitely turning and we the people have no interest in losing our democracy in favor of this shit bag.
People are sick and tired of being sick and tired of this rancid corrupt government and have made it clear they don’t want it at all, under any circumstances. Not only that, we the people have been doing double time to stop it. Look at all the election results we won and the pushback from just the R’s over the last few weeks.
Donald and his rancid team of tyrants don’t get it. They’re not taking our democracy from us. Look around you. Even my Republican friends are disgusted to the point they will either vote Democrat or not vote at all. Any R who doesn’t vote in 2026 is a vote for us - We The People.
We’re doing amazing work. Let’s push our collective feet on their necks even harder. Keep it up!
Thought this a good read. IN state senators saying the pressure campaign itself by Trump was too much. Of course the real reason, I imagine, is they know it’s a bad idea (could backfire, could require more resources for them to contest and defend seats) but to publicly say they aren’t afraid of him is indeed somethin’.
So wise of Hopium to include both the national and international crimes committed by this administration. Hopium helps us see the true scope and depth of the MAGA threat. Today I contact my federal reps to demand support for Ukraine and our allies.
I agree that Trump is having a no-good-very-bad week.
Bennie Thompson's cross examination on Antifa was a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
I signed up to write "news postcards" to voters over the coming months and my calls to my Congressman and Senators are in. I'm adding in my comments that I'm still furious over the East Wing and want them to DO SOMETHING about it.
Kim, I asking respectfully that you take this post down. We just don't turn good days into bad ones here. It is in my view self-indulgent, and movement weakening. We all understand that tough road ahead. Our goal here is to keep making progress every day. So glad you are here but these kinds of posts are not really welcome here, particularly today.
And i do not agree that Trumpism is still going strong. This is just objectively wrong. Both he and his ideological movement have been significantly weakened, and if you cannot see that, I am not sure this is the right place for you.
And finally, it is not about tone. By any objective measure the last few months have been good ones for us. I am not putting lipstick on a pig. Your insistence in wiping away the significance of the progress is polemical, and not objective - and it's what that I ask that you take the post down. For it is wrong and unhelpful.
Simon—technically speaking, I don’t know how to do that. I’m happy to lose it, but I think you’ll have to do it.
More importantly though, is the reason I posted in the first place. I don’t think I’ve stated anything that is factually incorrect—in fact I channeled the essence of comments you’ve made repeatedly about “…Trump breaking things that will be difficult or impossible to repair”.
I’m a life long Democrat with a background in management consulting specializing in organizational strategy and public policy. What I’ve been doing a lot of this year is applying the tools I used in my professional career to our national situation. We all know that while winning elections is important, it’s what happens next that truly matters. I’m voicing the issues I raised now because all the solutions I’ve come up with are long-lead time approaches that don’t seem to lend themselves to the usual way new office holders tend to function. I’m sincerely hoping that somewhere at the top of our party, someone is already hard at work on this, but I (understandably)am not aware of such activity. I’m very much hoping that you are.
Why are we talking about this today? What's the point? Why are you pushing people away from feeling a sense of accomplishment - something we must have to keep building on our wins to get more wins? If you have been part of winning teams then you know that building a winning internal culture is a huge part of it......
And do you follow Hopium? Do you think we only talk about elections? Have you seen my writing these last few days which are all about weakening the regime, winning arguments? Please. I welcome your voice hear but you simply must do a better job responding to the arguments and sensibilities here, and not use it as a platform to advance your own views and denigrate the good work that is being done here. It's not helpful.
Simon, I’ve been active on and off with my local Democratic Party and also have done a fair bit of lobbying in DC over the years in support of various health care causes. I started following you in mid -2024. I have read everything you’ve posted since that time and watched every scrap of video. I specifically joined the community as a financial supporter in the hopes of reaching out to you with my concerns. While I am sorry if I have upset you (that was not my intent), if I’ve elevated the questions I raised to someone with the power to do something about them, then I am content. As I said, if you’ve read my post, it has served its purpose and you’re more than welcome to delete it.
Our mission here is mitigate the damage he is doing/weaken the regime, advance our agenda, and win back power. We need to stay on task. None of this is helpful today. I am moving on.
I do want to say that pro-democracy activists know all of this, and I am very much hoping that those voices will be at the center of the reconstruction after Trump is gone. To me, the key is to continue to support those voices, and push those who have not perhaps grappled with the enormity of the moment (in both senses of the word) to be thinking bigger right now. Which is what this site is doing, and it's working.
Technically, predictions about the future can't really be "factually correct," or incorrect either! It's fine if these are your educated guesses but they can't really be presented as fact.
thank you.
The three dots to the right of our names allow us to edit our posts.
I think everyone reading Hopium, and indeed any Democrat paying the scantest attention to the news, is worried about the things you mention. This is why we're here! The Democratic party leadership had some structural problems and inherent complacency that led to the loss of the 2024 election. We all know that. But it takes a lot of time to change things from the bottom up, and that is happening now! From reading Hopium, I know that before this year, only 15 of the states had paid chairs! That has changed now. And hundreds of thousands of people across the country, if not millions, people like me, are now actively involved in changing our political landscape. The people behind Trump are deeply terrifying, but their agenda is not popular. And Trump was the draw for MAGA. It's our job to keep doing the work -- and we are doing it! -- to weaken the regime every single day. I don't think we can watch Bennie Johnson's speech to Kristi Noem, or Delia Rodriguez's or Dan Goldman's and say these elected officials are clueless about what's happening. Just as ordinary citizens have woken up to the threat, so have many of our elected representatives. Not all of them, and those folks need to be primaried. But every week I see new signs of fight and resistance that give me great hope. The Democratic attorneys general have been meeting every week (in early 2025 it was every day) to strategize for ways to fight Trump and the evil folks behind him. There are more of us than there are of them! While I agree that the things you lay out are possible, and that they are deeply frightening, I think there are a ton of things happening now that will mitigate the damage and even prevent worse things from happening. And I believe that there are tons of competent Democrats already in Congress (Chris Murphy, AOC, Bernie Sanders, Jasmine Crockett, etc, etc) who are already showing us the path forward.
Elizabeth: Thanks for the technical help—much appreciated.
Most folks here will probably recall the famous quote from the late Mario Cuomo that says we campaign in poetry and govern in prose. While I’m certainly as interested as anyone in the “poetry,” I’m primarily in the “prose” business. I spent a lot of my professional career helping organizations of various sorts (mostly in health care) understand the externalities they were facing and the actions they could take to achieve their stated goals. What I learned from literally dozens of engagements was this. The nine most dangerous words for any organization in the entire English language are “…we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” The other significant truth I learned is the bigger and more complicated the problem, the longer the lead time needed to develop an effective solution.
Solutions to very large and complex problems that are developed when an organization is up against a crisis more often then not turn out to be bad. Happily, most crises can be anticipated in advance and tentative options explored without the pressure of having to make an immediate decision. Needless to say, saving the US from the clutches of a fascist-friendly Republican Party is probably the biggest and most important challenge any of us will ever face.
All I’m trying to do is to make sure that no one in our party is laboring under the illusion they’ll be able to to “wing it” if (hopefully when) the time comes and succeed.
I subscribe to our Democratic AG's email list here in NC (the amazing Jeff Jackson) and he gives me tremendous hope. The AGs are prepared! They are incredibly smart and strategic. I hear you -- we don't seem to have the equivalent of a Project 2025. But we do have leaders who know how to put together good teams and who rely on subject experts. I know the AGs are working like crazy to fight a lot of things that are not on the public's radar. I suspect and hope that the legislators are doing the same thing.
But trump will be GONE and that’s what gives me hope for tomorrow
There is a lot of doom and gloom in this post. It operates under the assumption that the future is already written and there is no point to our actions.
That’s really not what this community is about; we’re hope with a plan. Our actions make a difference.
Catastrophizing isn’t going to help our movement, and is the wrong attitude to take in this fight.
Yes, Steve, thanks for this. I feel, so many times, all the despair, fear, and angst Kim does. A few days ago, a few of us responded to one another that we felt deflated; that ennui had set in, and we were down for the count. And we echoed to one another what we know from experience: It'll pass. And then I watched Dems rip Noem a new one. I saw Repubs begin to cave (a bit, here and there).
Dems have issues. We know this. One of our issues is facing a cult of personality backed by voters who cannot allow themselves to reconcile they were idiots.
We're working through it in a way that feels organic for our Party.
I have to extend some grace there.
And almost every day now, a new face emerges and becomes my hero for the day.
Seth Magaziner wasn't on my radar until the other day. Now I can't learn enough about him. Lucky Rhode Islanders who are represented by him! What a talent! What a potential leader!
Understand your points BeeBee!
My husband and I argued recently bc I would rather not discuss MAGA or trump with him and he doesn’t understand why I won’t. I finally explained that I UNDERSTAND ALL the evil trying to take over our democracy but I read A LOT and understand the forces fighting him off also. I see both. And unfortunately, he doesn’t read about or follow all the good people/ groups I take strength from. The 75 million who voted for Kamala. The 6-7 million activists ( now more like 10 I bet) The Dem AGs who started preparing June of 2024 and meet daily now! the Govenor’s Association, ACLU, Marc Elias, the attorney Warrior! Eric Holder/Barack O for their anti gerrymandering group work. Indivisibles 100s of thousands, The Lincoln Project, The Bulwark, MTN, The Courier, ALL in FOR NC, The Contraian. Ruth, Jess, Joyce, Heather,Harry, Jay, Robert, David, Kick-butt Katie, all on Substack , Anderson, June, Stalwart Judges, and mostly our extraordinary guru Simon who can lead AND follow. There are lots more of wonderful Dem warriors and groups I’m not adding ( too long) but the strength of these forces is always there for me. How do you explain that to one who monitors the news for “all the bad stuff going on” only? Where’s Dr. Spock’s mind meld when needed? I’m neither naive nor uninformed just incredibly determined ( thank you Simon and Hopium community) Down days?Sure, but mostly, inevitably:
I feel the force🇺🇸
I have a lot of friends and family who are constantly negative and without hope, too. It really is as unhelpful as Simon always says. I'll be describing some small victory, and they will respond with "Yeah, but..."
I don't like having to always be the ray of sunshine in the face of their negativity. I think they say stuff like that to me because they know I will try to make them feel better. But they don't reciprocate on my down days.
One thing is for sure, the more you work on making the world better, the more positive you can be. My friends must be sick of me responding to their griping by telling them ways to get more involved.
Agree totally with your comments Jenny. Except for me, I’m mostly the silent listener bc I don’t generally offer any rays of sunshine bc I do realize this war is a heavy battle and can be debilitating to many. I’ve learned as long as people haven’t done the work we’ve done to inform themselves they’re skeptical like my husband is. They only hear the bad, process the negative. I’m not trying to convince them. But for concerned ones that want to be a part of just “ doing something” like my neighbor or niece or grandson or many others, I provide all the information I can, send them articles, let them know what I’m up to and invite them along if they’d like to attend. At one point or another they’ve told me how proud they are of me doing “ my work” as they call it. Personally it’s too draining to me to hear complaining over and over again without taking actions. Which is why I really appreciate Simon’s “ no a- hole’ or negative trolling rules. I’ve been involved in corporate level Quality Improvement and spent years as a Compliance Officer ( Hospital Regulatory) I know how important processing is but being action oriented and keeping your passions fired and tended to and your team upbeat and determined is equally important IMHO. My deep. deep determination for my families sake and my country’s is what fuels me. I sense that presence in most of our community members here on Hopium,TG. Thousands of us doing what we can; doing such good work. 🇺🇸🇺🇸
I understand the frustration, heck I have it and some days are harder than others. Similarly, I disagreed with a close friend today. They heard someone on the radio (I won't name the person) who said they won't support anyone unless they commit to support expanding the Supreme Court and abolishing ICE. I said ok great. So, right off the bat, this person is not going to support the Democratic nominee if they don't support expanding the Supreme and abolishing ICE? Additionally, this person is telling his listeners this? They said yes and they agreed. I said, I want to win first, and then work on those things. Where has the one or two issue voters gotten us? Do I want to expand the Supreme Court, yes. I want ICE and Border Patrol that beat up, dragged and unlawfully detained, arrested and deported people, be prosecuted. It's also dicey bc the friggin, corrupt Supreme Court said they could detain anyone they deemed could be here illegally i.e. Brown and Black and anyone else they want. So, not sure how we deal with that but that's just one more issue that has to be dealt with.
Celebrating the wins doesn't mean forfeiting our battles. But, I believe, we do have to win and celebrate those wins first. I would have never thought the Indiana legislature would have gone against Trump - never and they did! That's a big win.
Sorry. I got a bit ramble-like here.
🙌🙌Indiana👏👏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Tennessee Brando had a great take on this. He asked if you agree with a Democratic candidate on 9 out of 10 things, but disagree on one, so you plan to stay home on Election Day, ask yourself if the Republican candidate would be better? Yes, it’s basic, but he can be very eloquent and passionate and fun to listen to. And he has different ways of phrasing things than most other people.
💯this! I try to say this but I am not eloquent or brief about it. What we having going for our side is that we have the facts. Even the fact that Ketanji Brown Jackson is on the Supreme Court is a direct result of a Democrat being president and having the Democratic votes to get her on the Bench. Yes, Collins, Murkowski and Romney voted for her as well, but I highly doubt Collins would have voted for her if it came down to one vote. I sort of doubt Murkowksi would have as well. Romney? Not sure. Anyway, it was a republican that put all six of the corrupt SC Justices in that took a woman's right to choose away. I think that's a big deal. I tell people and those are only two things that happened in our recent lifetime. They usually say well yes that's true. I think sometimes people just get on a negative bandwagon. It's important to acknowledge how difficult and frustrating this time is but it is also important to then move on from there in a positive manner.
Kim, come on. Seriously WTF is this?
All I’ve ever seen that purports to be our version of that sort of effort are a half dozen assorted aspirational one-liners that bear no resemblance to things that can actually be accomplished in the real world of our current federal government.
This is among the most arrogant and ridiculous things any one has ever posted here. You can come on here and engage without denigrating others and spend more time learning than lecturing.
I am suspending your posting privileges for 30 days. If you choose to return you need to come back here with a far more collegial attitude, for what you've done here today has been corrosive and not helpful. Thank you.
By 7AM the morning after Kilmar Abrego’s release, Judge Xinis was already having to issue an additional order to stop team Trump from taking him right back into ICE custody.
It looks like they got an immigration judge to drum up a phony removal order, purporting to have gone into effect way back in 2019. That is when a removal order was erroneously omitted from the record in his original immigration proceedings. That technicality is how Judge Xinis finally got him out yesterday.
Remember, unlike Judge Xinis, immigration judges lack independence from the executive branch. They are employees of DOJ.
Judge Xinis has issued a 5-page order, prohibiting team Trump from re-detaining Kilmar and citing case law to the effect that they can’t retroactively issue a 2019 removal order in 2025. She also repeatedly discusses the importance of upholding the public’s ability to trust in the justice system and that court rulings will be respected.
You can read her 5-page order from 7AM this morning here: https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.mdd.589189/gov.uscourts.mdd.589189.114.0.pdf
Thanks for the update. She is a hero of the opposition for sure.
Unbelievable levels of corruption.
And that corruption includes the pardoning of those who import drugs into the country and now the Tate Brothers, sex traffickers. The moral rot in this regime must be attacked by Democrats every day
Someone should calculate the costs of hounding this one guy. The costs of repeatedly trying to indict James, and the failed prosecution of Comey.
I have to think that tilting at windmills to satisfy Trump's desire for revenge is incredibly inefficient, expensive, and prevents government agencies from pursuing actual criminals.
Wastefulness and inefficiency isn't the worst element of this for sure. But it would be something else that some people understand better.
Great idea! American voters should see those numbers.
I was worried about this; Thanks Pamela!
Anyone else notice that Trump’s bruised and badly-swollen right hand looks like Melania slammed the bedroom door shut on him?
https://news24online.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Donald-Trump-13.jpg
The Band-Aids are a better look.
Are you referring to the sanitary pads Trump wore taped to his ear?
Ha ha. Good one.
😂😂😂
🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣 🤣
😂😂
No more grabbing women by the…
Transfusions will do that.. he is more than likely getting them to keep him alive.
Being a nurse, the first thing I think of is an IV infiltration.
That Minnesota state legislature rep’s letter to Trump backs up my thinking when I posted this to my other social media yesterday, where more of my local friends and acquaintances will see it (copy/paste):
Here's a letter I sent to my reps in the Oregon state legislature re: keeping ICE detention facilities out of Oregon. Feel free to copy/paste/edit to send your own letter.
We need to keep the pressure on. Democrats are sympathetic to our position, and Republicans can clearly see that Trump's regime of racial terror and lawlessness is hurting their electoral chances. Therefore, both have incentive to be receptive to a letter like this.
--
This letter is about the need to keep ICE detention facilities out of Oregon. There should be no such facility put in in Portland or in Newport, or anywhere else in our state.
The immigration detention system has become rife with abuses including: deprivation of access to counsel, obstruction of congressional oversight, physical beatings of inmates, extreme confinement such as shackling inmates into tiny cages exposed to the elements and mosquitos, crushing of genitals, exposure to extreme temperatures, deprivation of food, deprivation of hygiene, forcing people to eat with their faces with their arms shackled, forcing people to sleep on hard flooring with insufficient bedding, forcing people to sleep next to overflowing toilets, overcrowding, deprivation of medical care. One inmate was even found dead, hung from his neck with his arms and legs bound.
All of the above is flagrantly unconstitutional. It also flies in the face of the principle that immigration detention is supposed to be non-punitive. Much of it constitutes torture.
Enclosed is documentation of some of the abuses described above. One is a report from Amnesty International, and the other is a letter from the ACLU to the ICE director. In addition to this documentation, multiple judges have recently made findings that these abuses are occurring. Judge Gettleman in Illinois issued a restraining order after a full evidentiary hearing, at the conclusion of which he found that the conditions at the Broadview facility are unconstitutional. A printout of that restraining order is enclosed. Here in Oregon, Judge Ann Aiken had to give an ICE detainee her lunch at a hearing, upon learning that she had been deprived of food for a lengthy period of time during transport to Oregon from Washington.
We do not want these horrors and this lawlessness occurring in our state. Please do everything possible to prevent any ICE detention facilities from going in here in Oregon.
Thank you.
Here's the link to the Gettleman restraining order: https://capitolnewsillinois.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-05-Broadview-facility-conditions-TRO.pdf
Here's the ACLU letter: https://www.aclu.org/documents/ice-letter-re-fort-bliss
Here's the Amnesty International report: https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/AMR51/0511/2025/en/
I posted these links as comments on my other page, so my friends/acquaintances can use the same enclosures if they want.
It’s hard to convince people that contacting their reps does anything. 🫤
I think it’s really important that our team red reps of these smalltownia districts hear from us, and that it’s not just the blue city inhabitants speaking up against this stuff.
Thank you, Pamela!
"Trump Condoms," anyone?
🤣 I'm in favor of less maga reproduction.
The sound you just heard coming from NYC was a dry retch.
My thoughts exactly. I just threw up in my mouth a little.
They're probably out there for sale somewhere right now- and are they gold? - but I'm not going to look, because I'd have to boil my computer in bleach afterwards.
I hate to go down a rabbit hole of salaciousness. Still, I do recall Epstein's health report card, among his prison records issued after his death, revealed he was treated for Chlamydia.
So, apparently, he spent a lot of time joking about Trump Condoms but never thought to use them.
well now i need to boil everything I own in bleach
And I guess I should really grow up and stop being so fascinated by the business of life and the human beings who live it.
I could have lived and died without that tidbit. Thanks, BeeBee lol! ;)
Always here to help, Anne
Only he probably didn't get that the "HUUUUUGE" label was making fun of him.
Yeah, but what about the price?
I mean, Epstein could have charged twice as much. Hundred percent more! Thousand percent more!
Even free… I think seeing his face on the package and suddenly I don’t need it.
😂😂
🤢🤮
🤢🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮🤮
I shouldn't have read this during breakfast 🤮🤢
Yeah, and thank God here on the East Coast, Happy Hour is still far enough in the future to try and forget.
Humm... ANTIFA can't be put on trial when it doesn't exist. Democrats have known this from day one. Given this third vital moment, I hope others can come to grips with the truth as well, especially Michael Glasheen after being schooled by Congressman Bennie G. Thompson. Someone please edit the ANTIFA page on wikipedia because it is ridiculous propaganda. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antifa_(United_States)
Here are some of the 160,000 ANTIFA fighters that landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day.
https://www.bostonglobe.com/resizer/lWpC2ZDfCLZSX43n2UcXpNhkwEY=/1440x0/arc-anglerfish-arc2-prod-bostonglobe.s3.amazonaws.com/public/H6R7U3UCEMI6TF4IYUKWBGQPV4.jpg
Oh please rewrite that Wikipedia page!!!
I do hope someone here fulfills your wish, but I’ve never had a hand in Wikipedia.
I don't think I've ever seen Rep. Thompson more powerful than in those moments. He was amazing!
With that jerk he was questioning not knowing what to say. And that's because Antifa is NOT AN ORGANIZATION--and deep down, he knows it! Sigh. . .
Let’s hope that Trump and MAGA have finally “jumped the shark” on their dangerous campaign to destroy America. Calling the Affordability crisis a “Democrat hoax” seems increasingly ridiculous to all of us paying higher prices. Labeling anyone who disagrees with Trump a Marxist/Communist/Traitor also seems to be finally losing its punch. Thanks Simon for all of your dedication and hard work!
Just called Rep. Chris Smith (Traitor-NJ04) and told the ofc to ask him to sign on to discharge petition re articles of impeachment for RFK Jr. He's a spineless twit so he most likely won't, but I felt a lot better doing it. Stand up for Science sent out an email blast that links you to the switchboard, but I called the local office number I have programmed into my phone.
Going to call Sens. Kim & Booker shortly.
That hearing w Noem was a feeding frenzy, esp. the part when she got yelled at in the hallway. People are so done with this crap, and I think it may have sunk in w her that Orange is going to throw her under the bus, where it's getting awfully crowded. Rep. McIver brought the street fighter vibe, but my favorite was the total passive aggression by Rep. Thompson. "I know you didn't come in here to lie. But you just did." I want that on a t-shirt. :)
Just finished a VoteRiders shift, helping folks get ID. They def need more folks to help with this work and will be training new volunteers, so now's your chance! VoteRiders.org is the URL.
Keep going!
I didn't think I could love Bennie Thompson more, after the J6 hearings. But I was wrong!!
He has big middle-school-principal energy in that clip, and I LOVE IT!!!
For Benny Johnson's next oversight hearing:
Q - Where is Protifa headquartered?
A - Heritage Foundation? The White House? RNC HQ?
NEW Epstein/Trump emails, photos
https://open.substack.com/pub/ojaiohana/p/trump-i-need-you-right-now-pedophiles?r=5chxge&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true
A great piece in Slate about our opportunities in Texas, up and down the ballot:
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2025/12/texas-redistricting-democrats-republicans.html
It's been clear for quite some time that if you hate the monstrosity that is the Electoral College (which should have disappeared automagically, like the 3/5th rule, after the passage of the Emancipation amendments), the best, maybe the only way to break it (for now) is to Make Texas (aka the world's largest plantation--Democrats occupy *every* statewide office in *every* other minority majority state in the country, including neighboring NM) Competitive Again.
Greg Abbott is Macbeth; it's long past time for the woods to come to Austin, TX!
https://creativepoli.net/liberate_tx_sticker
It’s worth remembering that GOP took over Texas in my lifetime, specifically the 80s and 90s. Nothing is set in stone.
I also find fascinating what Simon says about Texas being difficult in which to compete - multiple large, separate media markets. Expect the oligarchs to flood each with filth. It’ll be difficult but it won’t happen on its own.
Hi Tom--Is is possible for you to share the Slate article as a gift link?
Hi Meg--
Sorry about that--I didn't notice this one was a Slate Plus article and just used the generic share. I just tried using the internal share as well, but it looks like the URL is the same, so I've copied and pasted it into a Google Doc with open access:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WlbonAhmsuhg2IgLCgW8ggWonYWh12UyycAaik9fHDQ/edit?usp=drivesdk
It's really too bad that so many media outlets think that the only responsibilities that go with their First Amendment rights are to their shareholders, sponsors, and advertisers. Personally I think they all ought to be part of a pass/subscription system where everyone can get x individual articles per month across a broad spectrum of sources, including any and every publication that wants to take part. You pay one low flat monthly fee for free access to x articles across the spectrum.
Anytime you see an article from any participating publication that you want to read, you click on it, the system recognizes you (eg via a cookie), and deducts one article from your monthly allotment.
The government could and should fund the development of the infrastructure necessary to allow any pub that wants to join to seamlessly and costlessly be part of the system. As defined, this would be completely nonpartisan (except to those who "like their voters uneducated," who will soon be in the minority in both houses)
That last quote is a classic! It reads something like "for those who like their eggs over easy." I will look for places to use it.
Thanks, Tom.
I found your site a few days after the election. I am so glad I did, grateful for your work and wisdom..and conscerned...I never thought I woud see you using four letter words. things must be REALLY bad (I know, they are.)
One item seems to have been removed or de-emphasized from our conversation about Donald over the last month or so - I believe it was around the November elections. The topic that is now not being mentioned that much is “losing our democracy in favor of an authoritarian takeover.”
It’s pretty clear to me why. Simon has been laying this out very pointedly over the last 4-6 weeks. The tide is definitely turning and we the people have no interest in losing our democracy in favor of this shit bag.
People are sick and tired of being sick and tired of this rancid corrupt government and have made it clear they don’t want it at all, under any circumstances. Not only that, we the people have been doing double time to stop it. Look at all the election results we won and the pushback from just the R’s over the last few weeks.
Donald and his rancid team of tyrants don’t get it. They’re not taking our democracy from us. Look around you. Even my Republican friends are disgusted to the point they will either vote Democrat or not vote at all. Any R who doesn’t vote in 2026 is a vote for us - We The People.
We’re doing amazing work. Let’s push our collective feet on their necks even harder. Keep it up!
Thought this a good read. IN state senators saying the pressure campaign itself by Trump was too much. Of course the real reason, I imagine, is they know it’s a bad idea (could backfire, could require more resources for them to contest and defend seats) but to publicly say they aren’t afraid of him is indeed somethin’.
https://www.cnn.com/2025/12/11/politics/reasons-indiana-senate-republicans-said-no-trump-redistricting
So wise of Hopium to include both the national and international crimes committed by this administration. Hopium helps us see the true scope and depth of the MAGA threat. Today I contact my federal reps to demand support for Ukraine and our allies.
Simon,
I agree that Trump is having a no-good-very-bad week.
Bennie Thompson's cross examination on Antifa was a thing of beauty and a joy forever.
I signed up to write "news postcards" to voters over the coming months and my calls to my Congressman and Senators are in. I'm adding in my comments that I'm still furious over the East Wing and want them to DO SOMETHING about it.