Hi, all, and happy Tuesday.
I want take a moment to thank you for sticking with me.
Why do I say that? For a few reasons. First because I, along with pretty much every other political Substack author I know, have seen a real fall-off in subscriptions in the last few months. It’s actually been fairly surprising, as this newsletter has grown steadily since its inception.
The drop-off, of course, was exacerbated by my decision to include a call to action on Gaza in the newsletter last week; I knew some would likely leave as a result, and some, indeed, did. That’s fine. It was the right thing to do. I’m OK with paying the consequences.
But mostly, I think, this subscription-related flatlining is due to a couple of things: first, Substack has grown so much and so fast that people are culling their subscriptions to only those they really feel they’ll read. Second, there is a profound sense of exhaustion out there—a feeling that our actions aren’t worth it, or that it’s all just too much. And I get it.
But it makes me all the more grateful to those of you who are sticking with this work.
I bring this all up because I woke up this morning thinking about hope. I wasn’t, in short, feeling it. At all. But then I remembered something I’ve told you many, many times: Hope isn’t always a feeling. It’s simply a thing we do. Perhaps the most powerful form of hope is the kind that manifests as action when, as far as our feelings are concerned, there’s no motivation to take action at all.
That, I think, is where we find ourselves now. I know this all feels horribly bad. I know the reasons for discouragement appear far larger than the reasons for optimism. And yet I know from personal experience that my certainty that “everything is doomed” is often quite misplaced. Humans’ ability to predict the future, in fact, is generally nonexistent.
So yes. This does not feel like a hopeful time—quite the contrary. But the fact that you keep trudging—especially now, when so many have opted to tune out completely—is the most hopeful thing I can imagine. It is also the main reason we may survive this and move on to better times.
Thanks, then, for giving me hope. Thanks for sticking with this work. Thanks, most importantly, for sticking with your country in its hour of greatest need.
That’s what “hopeful warriors” do. And you, my friends, are hopeful warriors indeed. Whether you feel like it or not.
Call Your Senators (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is ______.
Trump has announced he is nominating EJ Antoni, the chief economist at the Heritage Foundation, as the next commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. I oppose this nomination. Antoni is not only unqualified for the job, he’s a highly partisan operator who can’t be trusted to report the facts. Getting solid, nonpartisan economic statistics from the government is critical for the economy. Posting inaccurate job numbers will wreck the reputation of an independent agency long seen as the gold standard. The Senator should vote no and demand that Trump reinstate Commissioner McEntarfer, who was doing an excellent job.
Also, Trump’s military takeover of DC is disgusting, dangerous and racist. It’s an assault on democracy. It needs to stop at once. What is the Senator doing to make sure it does?
Call Your House Rep (find yours here) 📲
Hi, I’m a constituent calling from [zip]. My name is _______.
Also, Trump’s military takeover of DC is disgusting, dangerous and racist. It’s assault on democracy. It needs to stop at once. What is the Congressmember doing to make sure it does?
Also, the Trump administration’s promise that the Maxwell transcripts would shed meaningful light on Epstein’s network or the government’s investigation — was proven false in court yesterday. We are not going to let this go and we don’t appreciate being lied to. Release all of the Epstein files—while protecting the victims, of course. We will not stop asking for true transparency until we get it. Thanks.
Extra Credit ✅
Last week, Brown University became the latest high-profile institution to cut a backroom deal with the Trump administration – caving to an extortion scheme that forces discriminatory policies and surveillance measures onto campus in exchange for restored funding.
It’s not just Brown. Columbia and Penn have already capitulated, and behind closed doors, Harvard could be next. But resistance is growing.
Indivisible is partnering with Crimson Courage to support an open letter urging Harvard to stand firm and reject Trump’s demands.
Add your name to the open letter telling Harvard they must resist – democracy depends on it.
After you sign the open letter to Harvard, take action to demand courage from your university – whether you’re a student, faculty member, booster, or alumnus. Click here for instructions to contact your university’s leadership and call for them to resist Trump demands.
Extra (For Fun) Credit ✅✅
Texas Republicans have set up a tip line to rat out the Texas Democrats. As Isaiah Martin said in his recent post, “PLEASE, for the sake of the public, DO NOT FLOOD THIS NUMBER with tips on Bigfoot sightings, UFO sightings, or asking why Trump is on ‘the list.’”
1-866-786-5972
Thanks!
Get Smart! 📚
Join the One Million Rising training on August 13 to start planning a strategic non-cooperation campaign.
In the final session of Indivisible’s One Million Rising series, they’ll walk you through the process of designing and executing a non-cooperation campaign with friends, neighbors, colleagues, or other connections. This is the final installment of their One Million Rising series, and you’re welcome to attend even if you missed previous sessions! You can watch a recording of the kickoff call here and catch up on the most recent session here. Watching the two previous sessions is encouraged, but not required, to make the most of the final One Million Rising call on August 13.
Messaging! Messaging! Messaging! 📣
Here’s a slide I just shared on my Instagram. Perhaps you’d like to share it, too? (You can download it here.)
It’s from a tweet by CAP economist Bobby Kogan, who based his numbers on the newest CBO report.
For the caption I wrote:
From economist Bobby Kogan on X: “New analysis of the big beautiful Bill shows the bottom 20% get poorer, not much change for most of America, and the top 10% get meaningfully richer and that’s before tariffs. It was the largest transfer of wealth from the poor of the rich in a single law in history.”
Are we great yet?
Get in the Streets! 🪧
Find an event this Saturday, August 16, to protest Trump’s effort to rig electoral maps and steal the 2026 election. Trump’s map takeover is starting in Texas, but it won’t stop there. We’re fighting back nationwide with a day of action this weekend.
No event near you? Register your own protest here.
Resistbot Letter (new to Resistbot? Go here! And then here.) 💻
[To: all 3 reps] [H/T Coleman Rogers] [Text SIGN PGXGMV to 50409, or to @Resistbot on Apple Messages, Messenger, Instagram, or Telegram]
(Note that for the most effective RESISTBOT it’s best to personalize this text. More about how to do this here. But if you’re short on time just send it as is using the above code.)
Every survivor of sexual assault and exploitation deserves to have their voice heard and story told without judgment or victim-blaming. The Rep Ayanna Pressley proposed Congressional hearings regarding the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking case present a critical opportunity for brave individuals who suffered unimaginable trauma to share their experiences and seek accountability.
By allowing testimony from Epstein and Maxwell’s victims, Congress can shed light on the disturbing systems and powerful figures that enabled these monsters to prey on vulnerable girls for decades. Allowing these survivors to be heard validates their suffering and could prevent future atrocities by exposing the full truth.
I urge you, our elected leaders, to fully support and prioritize these hearings as a step toward justice and protecting the innocent.
OK, you did it again! You’re helping to save democracy! You’re amazing.
Talk soon.
Jess
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