Jess, I want you to know how much you have done for me since discovering your substack. You have been so instrumental to my renewed hope that people want better.
When I was young, I was nearly swept up in libertarian anti democracy propaganda; it was so bad I actually married someone who loved Ted Cruz and would later become an all out sov cit when I was just 22. I grew up poor, very poor, and happened to be chronically online very young and realized how bad neoliberalism was, but I was so close to taking the populist response to that horrible truth.
When I left that man and that way of thinking, I found HCR, and then you, I realized that so many people hadn't just given up when it all seemed so bleak in 2016 (just one week after my fateful wedding!!). I realized that I wasn't alone in wanting better for my parents, my friends, and everyone who has been gutted by this ongoing Reagan era of existence. My faith in America is deeply hurt right now, and I hope those who voted for him or abstained from voting get their just desserts. That's not nice of me but it's true.
But you, Jess, have done so much to help democracy. I hope my nieces and nephews get to read your name in a history book someday. Thank you so much for everything. We will continue on. The sun will rise tomorrow.
Thank you for everything. You changed my life. I wrote and called and screamed and begged my Republican representative here in Ulster County NY, all because of you, and guess what, HE LOST. Yes!!! Mark Molinaro lost! In Ulster County, NY we did great. And it was because of you and our wonderful volunteers. So to say you did a stellar job is an understatement- you did amazing! And we will not let up. We will protect the most vulnerable, love one another and stand up and show courage. You’re a star!
Jess, I've never commented here before, but want you to know what an inspiration you have been since I first found your newsletter and, later, your IG. I feel so different than I did in 2016; sure, there's shock, horror, and grief, but the paralysis is gone. We've been building resistance infrastructure since 2016, whether we realize it or not. As Heather Cox Richardson said recently, this is a movement - and we're in it together.
"You are awakening to the same country you fell asleep to. The very same country. Pull yourself together. And, when you see me, do not ask me ‘What do we do now? How do we get through the next four years?’ Some of my Ancestors dealt with at least 400 years of this under worse conditions. Continue to do the good work. Continue to build bridges not walls. Continue to lead with compassion. Continue the demanding work of liberation for all. Continue to dismantle broken systems, large and small. Continue to set the best example for the children. Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy. Continue right where you are. Right where you live into your days. Do so in the name of The Creator who expects nothing less from each of us. And if you are not continuing ALL of the above, in community, partnership, collaboration? What is it you have been doing? What is it you are waiting for?”
Written by Venice Williams, a black spiritual and cultural midwife
_____
Deep gratitude for you, Jess, and for the Rebecca Solnit quote.
Simon Rosenberg said today on a midday call with 1,000+ paid subscribers: "Take care of others, and yourself." "We have work to do. But that work is not urgent." Take this time to spend time with friends, with family, to get exercise, to pursue a passion or hobby, to be out in nature.
The quote from Venice Williams is so beautiful and poignant. Thank you, Eric. I will try very hard to have it inspire me. Right now, I’m blocked by desperation and feeling helpless/hopeless, not a good place.
Jessica, thanks for all you did. We had a huge loss, but we also had some victories. For example, two Black women were elected to the U.S. Senate.
I know I said many times this was the most important election of our lives, but now I think I was wrong. The 2026 and 2028 elections will be even more important.
Thank you for all you’ve done. Anne Lamott posted Rebecca Solnit’s healing words also. They are a comfort. I’m getting too old for this crap, but I’m not giving up. 2028!
We Dems here in blood red Ohio are licking our wounds. To say we are grief stricken and gobsmacked would be an understatement. In addition to getting felon Trump again we lost our beloved veteran Senator Sherrod Brown to Trumper Bernie Moreno and have the odious JD Vance as the new VP elect. I worked the polls in my red county and I would hazard a guess that 8 or 9 voters out of 10 voted for Trump et al. I will get over this-I have to- but it is a bitter pill that I am tasting today.
Just spent $75 that I probably shouldn’t have to support the gifted writing and original thinking and clarity of Jessica.
About every 15 minutes I think of some other horrible aspect of a Trump presidency. It started with SCOTUS, and that my 29 yr old daughter might have to deal with that for decades. My thoughts went on and on. But something was bothering me, and I couldn’t figure it out.
Then, in a flash of terrifying lightening, I thought of how women with PTSD from surviving sexual violence must feel today.
I felt nausea.
My daughter is one of these women. I called her to check in. She confirmed this is a horrible day for sexual assault survivors. It’s all there- women-hating men, the woman’s lack of control, the sanctioning of government and church backing an adjudicated rapist/president.
Our country has raped these brave women again.
I am viscerally sick, thoughts racing, every fiber of my mother self feeling hopeless to protect and comfort my daughter, and all other women.
The proof that once again, white women sold their fellows into slavery, i can only attribute to 4 things.
1 religion
2 fear
3 racism
4 deeply seated self-hate. how many women in America have Stockholm Syndrome? Capitalism tells them they are worthless, except as a group to market household products, clothes and self-care products to.
if a little girl goes to church early enough, she'll acknowledge her place in society soon enough.
and white women are to produce white babies to stave off the inevitable demographic change.
Clearly our model of the electorate and our theory of the case was deeply flawed, for reasons that will hopefully become clear in time. It may never have been possible to win this one, given the problems with media and disinformation + racism and missogny. But what we can say for certain is we gave it 110%. We didn't sit this out nor obey in advance. What we now know is this fight is going to take a lot longer than we planned/hoped.
Thank you so very much, Jessica for all the amazing work you’ve done. I always looked forward to your enthusiastic emails and videos - so inspiring. I look forward to getting more! Yes, our hearts are broken. But, once we’ve grieved and mourned, we will move on to the work that we are being called to do. I know that I speak for many people when I say that we owe you our gratitude.
Jessica, thank you for your incredible leadership in these fraught times! You have been a tireless cheerleader for the rest of us, and I join everyone in sending you virtual hugs of comfort, even as I gratefully accept them (in-person and virtual) from fellow humans in my circle! We will protect each other as we dive into this wilderness—thank you for your guidance!!
I’m devastated. And so grateful for your inspiration,Jess, and for the inspiration of all of us in the opposition. I’m gutted. AND so grateful for all the work done in NC, because we have a DECENT - great! - incumbent governor and Attorney General, and also Mo Green for the children. So much of our work didn’t pan out; we lost the opportunity to have a fabulous president in VP Harris. AND we have broken the supermajority in the NC House (Bryan Cohn, Dante Pittman), and elected FOUR Dems to the US Congress (Don Davis!).
I am terrified for our country and feel blessed to live in NC.
Jess, I want you to know how much you have done for me since discovering your substack. You have been so instrumental to my renewed hope that people want better.
When I was young, I was nearly swept up in libertarian anti democracy propaganda; it was so bad I actually married someone who loved Ted Cruz and would later become an all out sov cit when I was just 22. I grew up poor, very poor, and happened to be chronically online very young and realized how bad neoliberalism was, but I was so close to taking the populist response to that horrible truth.
When I left that man and that way of thinking, I found HCR, and then you, I realized that so many people hadn't just given up when it all seemed so bleak in 2016 (just one week after my fateful wedding!!). I realized that I wasn't alone in wanting better for my parents, my friends, and everyone who has been gutted by this ongoing Reagan era of existence. My faith in America is deeply hurt right now, and I hope those who voted for him or abstained from voting get their just desserts. That's not nice of me but it's true.
But you, Jess, have done so much to help democracy. I hope my nieces and nephews get to read your name in a history book someday. Thank you so much for everything. We will continue on. The sun will rise tomorrow.
HE would later become an all out sov cit, not me!! Dang autocorrect.
Thank you for everything. You changed my life. I wrote and called and screamed and begged my Republican representative here in Ulster County NY, all because of you, and guess what, HE LOST. Yes!!! Mark Molinaro lost! In Ulster County, NY we did great. And it was because of you and our wonderful volunteers. So to say you did a stellar job is an understatement- you did amazing! And we will not let up. We will protect the most vulnerable, love one another and stand up and show courage. You’re a star!
We flipped a few seats in New York! More next time!
Hello upstate NYer! I am so happy to see Riley won. A small bright light on a dark day.
Jess, I've never commented here before, but want you to know what an inspiration you have been since I first found your newsletter and, later, your IG. I feel so different than I did in 2016; sure, there's shock, horror, and grief, but the paralysis is gone. We've been building resistance infrastructure since 2016, whether we realize it or not. As Heather Cox Richardson said recently, this is a movement - and we're in it together.
Indeed we are. Thank you, Ashley.
I'm with you Ashley- I'm still shocked, but not quite as shaken (amazingly) as I was the last time. Yes, we will stay the course.
"You are awakening to the same country you fell asleep to. The very same country. Pull yourself together. And, when you see me, do not ask me ‘What do we do now? How do we get through the next four years?’ Some of my Ancestors dealt with at least 400 years of this under worse conditions. Continue to do the good work. Continue to build bridges not walls. Continue to lead with compassion. Continue the demanding work of liberation for all. Continue to dismantle broken systems, large and small. Continue to set the best example for the children. Continue to be a vessel of nourishing joy. Continue right where you are. Right where you live into your days. Do so in the name of The Creator who expects nothing less from each of us. And if you are not continuing ALL of the above, in community, partnership, collaboration? What is it you have been doing? What is it you are waiting for?”
Written by Venice Williams, a black spiritual and cultural midwife
_____
Deep gratitude for you, Jess, and for the Rebecca Solnit quote.
Simon Rosenberg said today on a midday call with 1,000+ paid subscribers: "Take care of others, and yourself." "We have work to do. But that work is not urgent." Take this time to spend time with friends, with family, to get exercise, to pursue a passion or hobby, to be out in nature.
The quote from Venice Williams is so beautiful and poignant. Thank you, Eric. I will try very hard to have it inspire me. Right now, I’m blocked by desperation and feeling helpless/hopeless, not a good place.
Jessica, thanks for all you did. We had a huge loss, but we also had some victories. For example, two Black women were elected to the U.S. Senate.
I know I said many times this was the most important election of our lives, but now I think I was wrong. The 2026 and 2028 elections will be even more important.
Thank you for all you’ve done. Anne Lamott posted Rebecca Solnit’s healing words also. They are a comfort. I’m getting too old for this crap, but I’m not giving up. 2028!
Actually, 2026
One good thing -- our Congressperson Elissa Slotkin beat the odious Mike Rogers, keeping Stabenow's Senate seat blue 💙💙 We will recover!
👏👏
Hallelujah!
We Dems here in blood red Ohio are licking our wounds. To say we are grief stricken and gobsmacked would be an understatement. In addition to getting felon Trump again we lost our beloved veteran Senator Sherrod Brown to Trumper Bernie Moreno and have the odious JD Vance as the new VP elect. I worked the polls in my red county and I would hazard a guess that 8 or 9 voters out of 10 voted for Trump et al. I will get over this-I have to- but it is a bitter pill that I am tasting today.
Just spent $75 that I probably shouldn’t have to support the gifted writing and original thinking and clarity of Jessica.
About every 15 minutes I think of some other horrible aspect of a Trump presidency. It started with SCOTUS, and that my 29 yr old daughter might have to deal with that for decades. My thoughts went on and on. But something was bothering me, and I couldn’t figure it out.
Then, in a flash of terrifying lightening, I thought of how women with PTSD from surviving sexual violence must feel today.
I felt nausea.
My daughter is one of these women. I called her to check in. She confirmed this is a horrible day for sexual assault survivors. It’s all there- women-hating men, the woman’s lack of control, the sanctioning of government and church backing an adjudicated rapist/president.
Our country has raped these brave women again.
I am viscerally sick, thoughts racing, every fiber of my mother self feeling hopeless to protect and comfort my daughter, and all other women.
The proof that once again, white women sold their fellows into slavery, i can only attribute to 4 things.
1 religion
2 fear
3 racism
4 deeply seated self-hate. how many women in America have Stockholm Syndrome? Capitalism tells them they are worthless, except as a group to market household products, clothes and self-care products to.
if a little girl goes to church early enough, she'll acknowledge her place in society soon enough.
and white women are to produce white babies to stave off the inevitable demographic change.
Sending love and hugs to you, Jess, and everyone here at Chop Wood. I don't know what else to say right now.
Clearly our model of the electorate and our theory of the case was deeply flawed, for reasons that will hopefully become clear in time. It may never have been possible to win this one, given the problems with media and disinformation + racism and missogny. But what we can say for certain is we gave it 110%. We didn't sit this out nor obey in advance. What we now know is this fight is going to take a lot longer than we planned/hoped.
All media is addicted to the money he generates from his outrageousness…we somehow need to make politics boring again!
Thank you so very much, Jessica for all the amazing work you’ve done. I always looked forward to your enthusiastic emails and videos - so inspiring. I look forward to getting more! Yes, our hearts are broken. But, once we’ve grieved and mourned, we will move on to the work that we are being called to do. I know that I speak for many people when I say that we owe you our gratitude.
Jessica, thank you for your incredible leadership in these fraught times! You have been a tireless cheerleader for the rest of us, and I join everyone in sending you virtual hugs of comfort, even as I gratefully accept them (in-person and virtual) from fellow humans in my circle! We will protect each other as we dive into this wilderness—thank you for your guidance!!
Thank you for being with us, cheering us on. We must continue the fight, we lost the battle, not the war.
Jessica 2028. ❤️
2026!
I’m devastated. And so grateful for your inspiration,Jess, and for the inspiration of all of us in the opposition. I’m gutted. AND so grateful for all the work done in NC, because we have a DECENT - great! - incumbent governor and Attorney General, and also Mo Green for the children. So much of our work didn’t pan out; we lost the opportunity to have a fabulous president in VP Harris. AND we have broken the supermajority in the NC House (Bryan Cohn, Dante Pittman), and elected FOUR Dems to the US Congress (Don Davis!).
I am terrified for our country and feel blessed to live in NC.