Morning all. Let’s begin with those four Facts our Founders submitted to a candid world in The Declaration of Independence that speak so powerfully to us today:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
This morning we wake to a new global economic order, one fashioned, illegally, unconstitutionally by our mad, delusional leader enabled by a corrupt Roberts Court and a supine Congress of quislings. The economic life of every single person in the world has been altered by this one man, acting alone, whimsically, capriciously, vaingloriously, idiotically, dangerously. After months of searching, our mad leader, who has been repeatedly rebuffed and rejected by the American people and the leaders of other nations, has found a way of making himself feel STRONG and POWERFUL again as all nations and people of the world today now feel his STRENGTH, his POWER, his MANHOOD. They refused to bend the knee these nations did, and now they know his POWER. The terrible tariffs have come. Our leader’s STRENGTH and POWER are in the process of being RESTORED. As he forced himself upon others in his rancid journey he is forcing himself now upon the entire world. And the world and America are very much worse for it.
To mark the occasion Trump, in a statement that sounded more like a mad Bond villain than an American President, repeated his noxious and extraordinary lie that foreign governments - and not all of us - were paying these terrible tariffs:
We talked about the terrible, illegal and unconstitutional tariffs in my weekly video discussion last night. You can find a recording and transcript above. It was a lively discussion. Get to it when you can. I think you will find it worth your time.
We began our discussion with the proud, plucky patriots of the Hopium community last night by repeating that basic understanding of where we are now: 1) Trump continues to do enormous harm to the country. He continues to break things that will be difficult if not impossible to repair, and we must continue to act with great urgency to mitigate the damage and win back power 2) “Trump” the brand has weakened. He and his agenda are incredibly unpopular. A clear majority of the country has rejected him and his dangerous agenda. He is in political, physical and cognitive decline. And as he weakens politically, our movement continues to grow stronger.
I reviewed the argument I made in yesterday’s “You Have To Be Willing To Fight” post - that this week it feels like Democrats have finally begun to find a higher gear, that the electorate is warming to us, that we are growing more confident and ambitious. and that we are making meaningful strides in building that ferocious opposition that is required if we are to get to the other side of Trumpism. Our leaders appear to be increasingly aware of the gravity of the responsibility that has been placed upon them in this unprecedented moment in American history, and are increasingly embracing that old Robert Frost line that “the best way out is through.”
Listen to this clip of Governor Pritzker and enjoy his confidence, grit and determination:
I also discussed the need for our movement now to begin to forge a clear national narrative about the harms being done to the country and what we intend to do about it, something we’ve been discussing in our Letter to America initiative and are advancing in our powerful Resolutions Project. I now believe this national narrative must have at least four parts:
The harms his agenda of sabotage, plunder and betrayal have unleashed upon the country and the American people
His unprecedented betrayal of these United States, abandonment of the Constitutional order and clear attempt to establish himself here as a Putin-like czar or dictator
His weakening of our national security, severing of our alliances and strengthening of China and Russia. America is less safe today than we’ve been in many, many generations.
Our commitment to stand as proud American patriots to fight this terrible descent into national decline and autocracy; an agenda laying out our priorities; a call for the American people to join us in this righteous fight.
We also talked last night about the need to continue to aggressively make our case against Trump, as our Founders did in the Declaration of Independence, with their long list of “abuses,” “injuries,” and “usurpations.” Part of our learning from our tragic loss in 2024 is that many of our fellow citizens who do not follow politics closely, who are as Nathan Heller described “rubbed” by news, must be reminded EVERY DAY of Trump’s ongoing betrayal for they live in the poisoned and manipulated world of Twitter, TikTok, Fox News and other social media. Driving down his numbers, further degrading his brand and hold on the public is the first and most important step we must take getting to the other side of this terrible moment.
Fear of and opposition to MAGA is the most powerful force in our politics today. It was what drove our victories in 2018, 2020, 2022, 2023 and in down ballot races in 2024. Americans have been voting against MAGA again and again, as Europeans have, again and again, been denying the fascists power in their recent elections. Evoking the fear of and opposition to this politics of sabotage, plunder and betrayal has worked, again and again; and it is the necessary but insufficient first step in getting us “through.” Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.
Finally, we discussed that as we fashion our national narrative and agenda we must understand the role of making our side strong, not weak; winners, not losers; successful, not failing; heroes, not villains; patriots, not traitors. Yes, we must have a clear, concise, easy to understand agenda, but we must also convince the American people that we have the strength to prevail and see our agenda through. As saw in 2024 being “on their side” isn’t enough. We must be strong enough, tough enough to triumph for only in victory, gaining power, can we actually deliver for those looking for a better path.
2024 Exit Polls - “Can bring needed change” must become our North Star
Our strength, fight, power and grit - and eventual victory - must become from belief, from patriotism, from passion, from a big, bold and compelling narrative and not poll and ad tested “messages” or the debilitating communications we receive from the feral digital fundraisers of our Party. As I wrote earlier this year:
We Need To Talk About All These Corrosive Emails Telling Dems We Are Losing, Not Winning And Whether They Contributed To The Troubling Demobilization We Saw in 2024. Again, Democrats across the country need to be treated as “partners in the fight and not donors to the cause.” When folks ask why are Democratic voters and activists perpetually worried and anxious, it’s because the Party and our campaigns are doing everything they can to scare the crap out of everyone and tell them everything is terrible. We have to find a better way.
We have begun the conversation about what our affirmative agenda should be in our Agenda Project. Take a look, kick it around, offer your feedback. Last night I also spelled out how we can use our opposition to their current agenda in the coming days to make it clear who we are, what we believe and what we are fighting for:
If we believe their tariffs are raising prices and harming working Americans then we need to fight to roll them back.
If we believe that the tax cuts to corporations and the wealthy in the big, ugly bill threaten the fiscal integrity of the United States then we need to fight to repeal them.
If we believe that a supercharged ICE is a threat to our liberties then we need to fight to curtail its expansion and put clear guard rails on its activities.
If we believe that their attacks on our global scientific and academic leadership is doing irreparable harm to the country then we need to ensure that the funding for this research is restored and preserved, and our courageous scientists honored.
If we believe that the gutting of the most ambitious legislation to combat climate change in history will warm the planet faster and make the US less competitive in the tech battles of the future then we should fight to restore these far-sighted and vital provisions.
If we believe that Robert Kennedy JR and the cutting of the ACA and Medicaid is doing extraordinary harm to our public health then we need to fight to restore the funding and stop the sabotage.
If we believe that the cuts to our soft power and intelligence agencies threaten our security then we should fight to restore their funding and programmatic ambitions.
If we believe that Trump and his team are breaking laws then we should make criminal referrals to the Department of Justice and relevant state law enforcement agencies.
If we believe that Trump is a national emergency and a clear and present danger to our democracy then we must act with great urgency and fight 24/7/365.
That’s what we talked about last night. Watch the video. Like it above. Share it and this post with others. We are making progress my friends. It has been hard, and we there is a lot of work ahead but we are making progress.
And now, proud, plucky patriots, let’s do what we do best…..
Support Hopium’s Priority Candidates And Party Committees - A reminder that Election Day, 2025 is a little less than three months away and early voting starts in Virginia in less than six weeks - September 19th!
As background learn about 1) our big recommendations to the family coming out of the 2024 elections 2) the many important wins we had together last cycle 3) my latest thinking on where we are and the path forward for the Hopium community.
Donate, volunteer, learn more about our candidates and opportunities here. I consider all these options must dos for anyone serious about winning this year and next year...
Mikie Sherrill NJ Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $47k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Rep. Sherrill
Abigail Spanberger VA Gov (2025) - $250,000 goal, $161k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer | Watch my interview with Abigail Spanberger
Roy Cooper for NC Senate (2026) - $25,000 Labor Day goal, $250,000 goal, $18,000 raised- Donate | Learn More | Volunteer
Jon Ossoff GA Senate (2026) - $250,000 goal, $45k raised - Donate | Learn More | Volunteer
Hopium House 7 (2026) - $250,000 goal, $178k raised - Donate | Learn More, Volunteer, Watch My Interviews With Our Great Members
Our updated fundraising goals are now for the end of the year, December 31st, except for the 2025 races, which are now for Election Day, 2025.
We can do this people!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our Recommended Actions - We are prioritizing three actions today. You can get our full list of recommended actions here. Let’s get to it:
1 - Call your Senators and Rep To Demand They Rescind Trump’s Terrible Tariffs - Congress simply must take back its tariff authority that Trump has illegally and unconstitutional seized and dangerously abused. It is time now for to rescind these terrible and destructive madman tariffs.
2 - Bring “Resolutions Of Condemnation” To Your Community - Inspired by the tactics of our Founders learn about how Hopium members are advancing “Resolutions of Condemnation” in their communities across the country and consider bringing this initiative to your state, country or city/town. Remarkably, members of this community are now advancing 50 resolutions projects in 20 states. Can we get to all 50 states by the fall election?
Our newly updated Resolutions page includes a new chat for folks to report in on their progress or seek counsel from those interested in launching a resolutions project in their community. This is one way to fight back against Trump’s unprecedented abandonment of our Constitutional order.
3 - Grow Hopium And This Wonderful Community Of Proud, Plucky, Patriots - We’ve set a goal of trying to grow the Hopium community from the 152,000 we are now to 175,000 by Election Day, 2025. Do what you can to encourage your friends, family and colleagues to become a summer subscriber to Hopium, free or paid. If each current paid subscriber brings in just one new subscriber this summer and fall we will hit our goal.
To encourage the growth of our community annual paid subscriptions are 10% off through Labor Day. Use that link to buy gift or group subscriptions, and join our new referral rewards program too. A further note - if you want to up your support of Hopium a powerful way to do it is to buy group or gift subscriptions for others.
Finally, please self-report your activities to our daily paid subscriber chat. These reports help inspire all of us to do more and fight harder! Been impressive to see how many of you remain involved in local, in person protests of all kinds in your communities. Keep it up!!!
Keep working hard all. Proud to be in this fight with all of you, and a fight it truly is - Simon
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