Greetings all. I had not planned on writing about 9/11 this morning as there is so much happening but powerful remembrances are everywhere, and I have become a bit overwhelmed by the emotion and the weight of it all…….
So here are a few hasty thoughts on this somber morning…..
I want to imagine that if we can have the election we all want to have this November that perhaps we will come to view it as the beginning of the closing of the twenty five year post-9/11 chapter in American history and the start of something new.
Even if we win both chambers this November we will not be rid of MAGA next year but the scale of Trump’s failure at home and abroad will require a new era of politics to emerge in America. I hope that new politics will be grounded in a few foundational projects - dramatic investments to improve the lot of every day Americans; an intense commitment to democratic renewal and accountability for the corruption, lawlessness and illiberalism of the Trump era; and an urgent, plan to accelerate the clean energy transition to slow the warming of the planet and to liberate us from the reactionary, corrosive grip of global petro-politics.
Perhaps, perhaps this election can be the beginning of us finding a true, new path forward through the chaos, and war, and failure, and tragedy…..
As for the present moment I offered a comprehensive overview of where I think we are in my weekly video and accompanying written analysis:
My core understanding is that as bad as things are for Trump and the Rs - and they are bad - they were likely to get worse as head towards the November election. And each day we see what worse looks like…….
Brent crude is $104 a barrel right now. This morning’s CPI report confirms that inflation remains far too elevated. The concern about bonds and global government finances has gotten far more intense this week, as has the perceived idiocy and incompetence of the Trump economic team. Each day we got more data about the unfolding health care shock that is rippling across the country due to Trump’s ruinous attack on our health care system……
But of all the things driving “worse” it is the gathering momentum of the Iranian-Russian alliance and the accelerating unraveling of Pax Americana that could the most damage to the Trump regime in these closing days of the 2026 election.
In the last few days something dramatic has happened in the Middle East - the Iranian-backed Houthis seized land on the Western coast of Yemen and appear to have bombed the main East-West oil pipeline in Saudi Arabia. If this is all playing out as reported - and reports are sketchy as I write this morning - it will be another huge, geopolitical defeat for Trump and increases the likelihood that oil prices keep rising and inflation worsening here and everywhere in the world.
The House and Senate return next week and will be demanding clarity on what has happened this past week in the Middle East for it sure appears that Iran delivered devastating blows to the US and our allies in recent days. The other thing Congress should be demanding is that our ridiculous Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, resign, immediately.
A few more things we are tracking today…..
The FCC forced Jimmy Kimmel not to broadcast an interview with James Talarico this week. So Kimmel released the interview on YouTube. Here it is. Let’s watch together this weekend…..
Ron DeSantis trashed the ridiculous $5,000 bribe:
Republicans in seven states asked the Supreme Court not to approve Trump’s mail ballot order:
Republican chief election officials from seven states said that it’s too late for President Donald Trump’s mail-in ballot order to be implemented before the midterm election, urging the Supreme Court to not allow the rule to go into effect in a
[brief submitted to the court]on Wednesday.
Trump and his allies lost their fight to implement a ridiculous gerrymander in Missouri.
Supporting The Vital Election Projection Work Of The State Parties - Today we are kicking off two new targeted fundraising campaigns to support our election protection work - one to raise $50,000 for the Association of State Democratic Committees (ASDC), and one to raise $50,000 for Hopium itself. Last month in Austin, Texas ASDC President Jane Kleeb and I announced a new election protection program that we helped develop for the state parties, something Jane is calling The New Battlefield Project. Here is how I summarized it at the time:
Enhanced Election Protection- we will ensure that for the first time ever every state and territory has a full time, qualified Election Protection Director; we will also be launching a nationwide training program to help train volunteers to support their state parties in protecting the elections this fall.A National Early Vote Campaign- Pushing our family to vote early makes it more likely we win and harder for them to cheat. This is somethingwe’ve been promotinghere for some time, and it is a vital, vital effort to help us win.A War Room- we will ensuring that the states and territories are tied to one another and to all the national party committees in real time. So if something illicit happens anywhere it can be understood immediately everywhere. We will be also be bringing on national security professionals to help advise the states if things arise that require their expertise.
The program is off and running. Trainings, led by Hopium community member Tim Wegener have begun. Election Protection Directors are being hired in the states. Early vote programs are being developed and implemented across the country, a process that will be supercharged by the No Kings Early Vote campaign. We are standing up the third piece in the coming days, something that I will be spending time on formally advising once it is fully stood up. So we are coming to you today both to help the ASDC expand its initial offering with a bit more investment, and for me to have the resources to hire some help so I can spend time each day with this important new program.
You can support the ASDC/State Party project here, and I will have a link to donate to Hopium up in the next few days. This is the first time I’ve ever come to this community for a direct investment in Hopium. This modest investment will allow me to hire a staff person or two to ensure we can keep getting the powerful content here flowing each day while allowing me to also ensure the success of this vital new project with the state parties across the country…….
I think Jane will be dropping by next week to update us on the progress we are making standing all this up….stay tuned, and thank you everyone! This exciting project has only happened due to the generosity, hard work, and foresight of this remarkable community, and it is critical now we make this additional investment to ensure it’s success…..
and yes, it is that time……
Let’s start with Hopium’s Daily Mantra:
There is nothing Trump and MAGA wants more than for us to be fighting with each other and not with him. We have one job now - elect as many of these wonderful candidates running for the House and Senate as we can. It’s where our focus must be. It’s a year of opportunity for us across the country. We must seize it, together.
Be sure to become an Early Vote Champion in your networks, communities, and organizations……
Sign up to become a Democracy Protector too……
**Our Winning The House Campaign **- Donate | $1,228,100 raised, $1,250,000 goal (new stretch goal) | Donate to all twelve of our initial wave of House challengers with a single contribution split twelve ways | Get to know Jamie Ager (NC-11), Christina Bohannan (IA-01), Paige Cognetti (PA-08), Rebecca Cooke (WI-03), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Sean McCann (MI-04), Jo Mendoza (AZ-06), Chaz Molder (TN-05), Jonathan Nez (AZ-02), Janelle Stelson (PA-10), Shannon Taylor (VA-01), and Sarah Trone Garriott (IA-03) by watching our recently recorded Hopium interviews.
Friends, if these twelve courageous candidates win, the House will flip, even with Callais and their rancid mid-decade redistricting. So eyes on the prize here everyone!
Winning The Senate - $888,100 raised, $1,200,000 goal - Donate | This new fund splits a single donation to our six candidates must likely to flip a Senate seat this November - Sherrod Brown (OH), Roy Cooper (NC), Troy Jackson (ME), Mary Peltola (AK), James Talarico (TX), and Josh Turek (IA).
Our working total includes what we’ve raised for these six so far through direct donations to their campaigns. You can watch our interviews with each of these exciting candidates and/or contribute directly to any of them directly here.
**Winning The House - The Second Wave Fund **- Donate | $382,100 raised, $500,000 goal - We’ve launched a second House fund, one supporting candidates who’ve emerged from late, primaries and need a bit more help.
Our list now features Rebecca Bennett (NJ-07), Bob Brooks (PA-07), Cait Conley (NY-17), Johnny Garcia (TX-35), Bob Harvie (PA-01), Dr. Richard Pan (CA-06), Denise Powell (NE-02), Bobby Pulido (TX-15), Manny Rutinel (CO-8), Dr. Amish Shah (AZ-01), Randy Villegas (CA-22), and Marni von Wilpert (CA-48).
A donation to the Second Wave Fund is split evenly among these twelve, and more as other worthy candidates emerge from their primaries. Our total above includes money we’ve raised for directly for each candidate. You can watch interviews with these great candidates here.
Winning The House - The Third Wave Fund - Donate | $42,600 raised, $500,000 goal | We’ve launched this new fund for candidates who have emerged even later from primaries and need a bit more help as we work to expand our map and go deeper into tough terrain. Our initial list - and it may grow - is Christina Hines (MI-10), Lindsay James (IA-02), Jake Johnson (MN-01), Jessica Killin (CO-5), Nancy Lacore (SC-01), and Brian Poindexter (OH-7).
The “Winning” link in each state brings you to a page that includes interviews and more information about the opportunities we have in each state.
**Winning Georgia ***- *Donate | $38,300 raised, $250,000 goal | Our Winning Georgia campaign splits a contribution three ways among Senator Jon Ossoff, gubernatorial candidate Keisha Lance Bottoms, and the Georgia Democratic Party and it’s great Chair, Charlie Bailey.
Winning Iowa - Donate | $40,100 raised, $250,000 goal | Our Winning Iowa campaign splits a contribution three ways among Josh Turek for Senate, our gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand, and to the Iowa Democratic Party and it’s great Chair, Rita Hart
**Winning Maine **- Donate | $86,100 raised, $250,000 goal | Our Winning Maine campaign splits a contribution evenly among Troy Jackson for Senate, Hannah Pingree for Governor, and the Maine Democratic Party and its Chair Charlie Dingman
Winning Ohio - Donate | $204,100 raised, $250,000 goal | Our Winning Ohio campaign splits contributions evenly among Sherrod Brown, the Acton-Pepper ticket, and the Ohio Democratic Party and its terrific Chair, Kathleen Clyde
Winning Wisconsin - Donate | $23,100 raised, $250,000 goal - Our Winning Wisconsin campaign splits contributions evenly among David Crowley for Governor and the Wisconsin Democratic Party (and its terrific Chair Devin Remiker) and it’s legislative victory fund. Our community has invested heavily in getting helping Wisconsin Democrats flip both state legislative chambers and finally get a trifecta. Now we must finish the job!
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Keep working hard all. We have a country to save, and elections to win all across the country, together! - Simon
