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Hi Friends,
First, thanks to all of you for making The Social Contract one of the top political newsletters on Substack this week! For the first time, we cracked the top 10. Yes, we. As I’ve said from the beginning, this Substack is a community of resisters. It’s not just about me; it’s about all of us. So congratulations to us for making a real impact.
To everyone resisting in big and small ways, in big and small towns, I have two words: HELL YEAH! Today’s pic is from Mark Beardslee, who was part of the “Takin' It to the Streets Overpass Takeover” in Michigan on Friday. This kind of fearless, in-your-face activism is so essential. It’s easy to feel alone in these times, and it helps a lot to see that real people in your own community—not just online—care too.
If you can get out there and protest, I highly recommend it. Be brave.
Enjoy your Sunday,
Joe
In Today's Issue
The Social Briefing: Heroes of the Week
Good Reads for This Week
What Can You Do?
The Social Share
The Social Soundboard
This Past Week
SUBSTACK LIVE: Open to all subscribers, unless noted. Don’t miss it!
Wednesday with Rachel Janfaza [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it!)
Wednesday with Mark Mansour [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it!)
Thursday with Edwin Eisendrath [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it!)
“Welcome to the Party, Pal!” with Mike Nellis [ [link removed] ] (click if you missed it!)
SUPPORT OUR MISSION: If you enjoy this Substack and want to help me and my small, but fiercely pro-democracy team reach more Americans with our message, please consider upgrading to a paid subscription. Thank you!
Amid all the bad [ [link removed] ], awful [ [link removed] ], dumb [ [link removed] ], stupid [ [link removed] ], absurd [ [link removed] ], insane [ [link removed] ], sickening [ [link removed] ], despicable [ [link removed] ], cruel [ [link removed] ], sad [ [link removed] ], embarrassing [ [link removed] ], irresponsible [ [link removed] ], demoralizing [ [link removed] ], infuriating [ [link removed] ], outrageous [ [link removed] ], terrible [ [link removed] ], horrible [ [link removed] ], Constitution-defying [ [link removed] ], fascist [ [link removed] ] news of the past week, we have to acknowledge the TOP FIVE HEROES among us. The list is growing, as more and more of us are standing up to the tyrant. Courage is infectious. Be brave!
GAVIN NEWSOM [ [link removed] ]. California’s governor says, “Bring it on, Texas.” You love to see it.
NEWSOM’S DIGITAL TEAM [ [link removed] ]. Gov. Newsom [ [link removed] ], Camille Zapata [ [link removed] ], and team: you rock.
LEWIS KAPLAN [ [link removed] ]. This federal judge is looking out for migrants detained in NYC who are being treated “as if they were animals.”
THIS GUY. [ [link removed] ] He ain’t leaving without the truth.😂
BRITISH PUB STAFF. [ [link removed] ] They refused to serve JD Vance, so the Veep got tossed. Jolly good!
Did we miss anyone? Send your heroes our way [ mailto:[email protected] ]!
Good Reads for This Week
Half-Baked Alaska: Trump, Putin, and a Failure Decades in the Making [ [link removed] ] —The Next Move
Epstein Targeted Poor White Girls Then Raped Them. Trump Targeted Poor White Voters Then Fucked Them Over [ [link removed] ] —Alisa Writes
AI Will Be More Disruptive Than COVID [ [link removed] ] —Matt Lewis & the News(letter)
On Fear [ [link removed] ] —The Inside Outsider
How Do You Defeat the Oligarchy? [ [link removed] ] —Need to Know by David Rothkopf
Liberalism Might Need Some Populism [ [link removed] ] —Notes from the Circus
If Democrats Got Off Their Asses, Here’s What They’d Be Doing Now [ [link removed] ] —Robert Reich
The Culture Pendulum Swings Back Left [ [link removed] ] —Democracy Docket
The Need for Holy Anger [ [link removed] ] —Tim Whitaker
Lost Together [ [link removed] ] —Notes from the Circus
WATCH: Congressman Adam Smith on Governing in a Polarized Era, Bipartisanship, and Lessons from Public Service [ [link removed] ] —The Roadmap (recommended by Nancy Bateman)
What Can You Do?
PROTEST SIGN IDEAS! Carl Selfe shared this list of signs, saying, “The moment demands protest. To each it should be unmistakable—urgent and morally unassailable. I speak for justice, duty, and shared humanity. Act now for those we must protect. Rise. We have protests to do. Good trouble.” Thanks, Carl!
BLACKOUT THE SYSTEM! If you are able, join this national strike, coming up on September 16-20…
JOIN THE #NOKINGS COMMUNITY! Let’s build a community of Americans who rally around and identify with this basic truth: we don’t have kings in America. I’ve changed all my profile pictures to #NOKINGS, and you can too. Grab a #NOKINGS graphic at www.oneflaginitiative.org [ [link removed] ] for instructions on how to change your profile pics.
SHOW YOUR SOLIDARITY PROUDLY! Let the world know you stand with the No Kings movement with a #NOKINGS shirt!
To get yours, visit oneflaginitiative.org [ [link removed] ], or become a Social Contract Founding Member [ [link removed] ], and we’ll send you one for FREE (plus you’ll get an invite to a once-a-month Zoom with me and other special VIP events), with our thanks.
I continue to believe the cruelty of the Trump Administration will ultimately help defeat MAGA. Most Americans are not cruel. Keep spreading the word. And share [ mailto:[email protected] ] the stories and videos you find with us.
ICE Sends 3 U.S. Citizen Kids, Including Boy With Stage 4 Cancer, to Honduras With Deported Family Members [ [link removed] ] —NBC News
U.S. Citizen Detained by ICE in L.A. Says She Wasn't Given Water for 24 Hours [ [link removed] ] —NBC News
ICE Grabs 7-Year-Old NYC Public School Student Amid Trump Immigration Crackdown [ [link removed] ] —New York Daily News
ICE Detains Green Card Holder Returning from Vacation After 23 Years in U.S. [ [link removed] ] —Newsweek
Westchester County Volunteer Firefighter Detained by ICE, Sent to Michigan Correctional Center [ [link removed] ] —Patch
‘I Miss My Home’: 21-year-old Writes Letter on Deportation to Honduras From Richmond [ [link removed] ] —ABC News
ICE Documents Reveal Plans to Double Immigrant Detention Space by 2026 [ [link removed] ] —The Washington Post
Here’s what some of you are thinking about this week…
Hey Joe,
Appreciate your taking a stand for democracy. I hope one day we can argue about policy, if our democracy survives the midterms.
I am an importer of Italian goods. Have worked really hard at building a small business with my wife. The dollar has crashed and tariffs are daunting. The initial goal of onshoring American production for shoes has died or never really existed. Where is the tariff revenue going? I certainly know who's paying them.
The lie that the origin country pays these duties plays well with a detached MAGA base, but I can show you the receipts, and it’s painful. This wave will wash over our economy, as Trump extinguishes the flame of individual responsibility and entrepreneurship in America.
As a center-right voter, I am now sure that the small-government, free-market Republican Party is dead. Each Republican senator and congressman simply weighs whether they fear Trump or their voters more each day.
Keep up your hard work. I'm afraid you’re probably right about much in your latest podcast, but let’s honor what has been given to us in the form of freedom and the pursuit of happiness. I owe it to my kids, just like my dad did in fighting in World War II.
Keep it up. —Kevin Powers
Hey, I want to hear from you! Want to send us a 600-word op-ed or video clip on how we can mend our frayed social contract and rebuild an America that works? Want to appear with Joe on Substack Live? Just need to vent? Send it our way!
Tell us your story and share your feedback about our Substack community by emailing our editor at [email protected] [ mailto:[email protected] ]. We look forward to hearing from you!
The Social Contract with Joe Walsh is a citizen-supported movement resisting authoritarianism and restoring classic American values like civic engagement, tolerance, and mutual respect. To join our community, sign up to be a free subscriber. To support our mission, please consider becoming a paid subscriber. Thank you!

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