Amazing podcast! Can’t even comment except to say thank you. Listened and then had my husband listen and twice was even better for me. Contacted our senators here in red Florida and will call tomorrow!!!
Subscribing to Hopium and happy to have paid for Lincoln Square. We need you!!
Simon and Stuart: Our lives officially suck. We, meaning all of We, the People, are being threatened with every imaginable dire consequence that Slimeball Miller can dream up. He's sort of winning because he thinks he's getting even with us for his gawdawful so-called life. Trump has made extreme bank illegally and gets away with it. Putin is winning because of Donald's insatiable need for Putin's love. Ukraine keeps insisting they can win but ... I can't force myself to finish this sentence.
I have to wonder if the Capitol can stand another attack when MAGA/J6 finally get that "Aha!" moment, or for them, I suppose it will be a "Holy Shee-it" moment when they finally, finally realize just how played they have been their entire lives and they stop blaming "the Dems" for their misery. That will not be a pretty day for them or us.
Simon, you said that 12 people have died in ICE custody. That is something that should be blasted across the headlines. There should be some kind of "countdown" or better "COUNTUP" posted all over the place with the number of people who have died in ICE custody. Please start that.
It was hard to listen to this without crying out loud. I still have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. We cannot allow this creature to destroy our humanity and our planet. What Donald is doing to feed the greed of the oil companies and the uber wealthy like Bezos, who would rather throw a 20 million dollar wedding than pay his taxes to help his fellow beings, is beyond disgusting. My oldest daughter has used the term "eat the rich." Today, I understand her sentiments. This is not politics. This has nothing to do with Christianity or any other religion. This is evil.
Simon, all due respect, but Donald Trump is not a “simple” man. Many simple men are kind, considerate, compassionate, empathetic, but Donald Trump has non of these qualities, in fact he exemplifies the exact opposite qualities, he is a cruel person, he is one among the worst villains in history. He is a simpleton, he is not simple. He is unable to produce a coherent , intelligent thought. His repeated misuse of the word “beautuful” to describe budgets, policies, laws, etc. shows what an airhead he is.
Stuart: "Vote for it and hope it loses" is a horrible instruction when your client is in the majority! Horrible for the American people. Which is what's wrong with politics.
We the people have sometimes forgotten that we own our country, not any president. Whether he wins something does not mean that we the people win.
When we win, he loses because he does not care about goodwill or the common good. He wants Putin to win and is doing everything to take our country down from the inside. The evidence is everywhere—including this horrible bill. Remember that.
Call your Republican members of Congress every day to tell them to wake up and bury this ugly bill. Their job is to vote our will—not the president’s will.
Here's what worries me: I think they don't care how bad the bill is because they don't expect to have to worry about it. Why? Because they don't expect to run fair elections in 2026. How come we aren't talking about this. Are we, in this community working on a strategy for that possibility?
We have to have a more proactive strategy to deal with the goon squad. I'll be writing postcards all summer, and I'll email my representatives every day. I will continue to do this. I am going to Montana for two months, and I will seek out an Indivisible group there so that I can attend any protest I can find. I wish we had Substack cards listing some good groups like Hopium, etc. So many people who might be interested in all of this don't even know Substack exists. I will continue to advocate for all of you, but it would save a lot of breath to simply be able to hand folks a card.
I live in Vermont where all my representatives are on the side of democracy. I get frustrated though because other than Bernie, they are still playing by the old rules and that doesn’t cut it. I too attend protests and I think the protests may make Congress people more hesitant to push the envelope but not sure. I will continue to protest and support candidates around the country who seem like they have new ideas. I want to believe we can come out of this and rebuild something better than before.
I agree, and I believe we can build something better. We cannot do this unless we are clear in our objectives and secure in our humanity. What the joy-filled and peaceful spirit of the protests I've attended has shown me is that people are hungry for positive action. I'm taking another Zoom course tomorrow through Pace Bene on nonviolent resistance. Only joy, love, creativity, and intelligence can overcome all this hate and incompetence.
Amazing podcast! Can’t even comment except to say thank you. Listened and then had my husband listen and twice was even better for me. Contacted our senators here in red Florida and will call tomorrow!!!
Subscribing to Hopium and happy to have paid for Lincoln Square. We need you!!
Simon and Stuart: Our lives officially suck. We, meaning all of We, the People, are being threatened with every imaginable dire consequence that Slimeball Miller can dream up. He's sort of winning because he thinks he's getting even with us for his gawdawful so-called life. Trump has made extreme bank illegally and gets away with it. Putin is winning because of Donald's insatiable need for Putin's love. Ukraine keeps insisting they can win but ... I can't force myself to finish this sentence.
I have to wonder if the Capitol can stand another attack when MAGA/J6 finally get that "Aha!" moment, or for them, I suppose it will be a "Holy Shee-it" moment when they finally, finally realize just how played they have been their entire lives and they stop blaming "the Dems" for their misery. That will not be a pretty day for them or us.
Simon, you said that 12 people have died in ICE custody. That is something that should be blasted across the headlines. There should be some kind of "countdown" or better "COUNTUP" posted all over the place with the number of people who have died in ICE custody. Please start that.
It was hard to listen to this without crying out loud. I still have tears in my eyes and a lump in my throat. We cannot allow this creature to destroy our humanity and our planet. What Donald is doing to feed the greed of the oil companies and the uber wealthy like Bezos, who would rather throw a 20 million dollar wedding than pay his taxes to help his fellow beings, is beyond disgusting. My oldest daughter has used the term "eat the rich." Today, I understand her sentiments. This is not politics. This has nothing to do with Christianity or any other religion. This is evil.
Simon, all due respect, but Donald Trump is not a “simple” man. Many simple men are kind, considerate, compassionate, empathetic, but Donald Trump has non of these qualities, in fact he exemplifies the exact opposite qualities, he is a cruel person, he is one among the worst villains in history. He is a simpleton, he is not simple. He is unable to produce a coherent , intelligent thought. His repeated misuse of the word “beautuful” to describe budgets, policies, laws, etc. shows what an airhead he is.
100 percent. The inhumanity is next up. Great listen.
Stuart: "Vote for it and hope it loses" is a horrible instruction when your client is in the majority! Horrible for the American people. Which is what's wrong with politics.
We the people have sometimes forgotten that we own our country, not any president. Whether he wins something does not mean that we the people win.
When we win, he loses because he does not care about goodwill or the common good. He wants Putin to win and is doing everything to take our country down from the inside. The evidence is everywhere—including this horrible bill. Remember that.
Call your Republican members of Congress every day to tell them to wake up and bury this ugly bill. Their job is to vote our will—not the president’s will.
Here's what worries me: I think they don't care how bad the bill is because they don't expect to have to worry about it. Why? Because they don't expect to run fair elections in 2026. How come we aren't talking about this. Are we, in this community working on a strategy for that possibility?
We have to have a more proactive strategy to deal with the goon squad. I'll be writing postcards all summer, and I'll email my representatives every day. I will continue to do this. I am going to Montana for two months, and I will seek out an Indivisible group there so that I can attend any protest I can find. I wish we had Substack cards listing some good groups like Hopium, etc. So many people who might be interested in all of this don't even know Substack exists. I will continue to advocate for all of you, but it would save a lot of breath to simply be able to hand folks a card.
I live in Vermont where all my representatives are on the side of democracy. I get frustrated though because other than Bernie, they are still playing by the old rules and that doesn’t cut it. I too attend protests and I think the protests may make Congress people more hesitant to push the envelope but not sure. I will continue to protest and support candidates around the country who seem like they have new ideas. I want to believe we can come out of this and rebuild something better than before.
I agree, and I believe we can build something better. We cannot do this unless we are clear in our objectives and secure in our humanity. What the joy-filled and peaceful spirit of the protests I've attended has shown me is that people are hungry for positive action. I'm taking another Zoom course tomorrow through Pace Bene on nonviolent resistance. Only joy, love, creativity, and intelligence can overcome all this hate and incompetence.
Consider reading how to stop fascism by Paul Mason. Very helpful to have that knowledge.
Thanks. I’ll add that to my list. I’m finishing up another good one, The Politics of Jesus. Jesus was no wooly lambkin.
Very true. An astute teacher like the Buddha and Mohamed.