Meeting Overview (July 2, 2025): Operation Hope / Rebellion PAC

Operation Hope
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Date: July 2, 2025
Facilitator: Cenk Uygur
Theme: From Warrior to Peacemaker—and why that doesn’t mean surrender

CONTEXT SHIFT

“We fight the politicians. We don’t fight the voters.”

Cenk framed a strategic evolution: no retreat from populist values—just a smarter battlefield. Rather than performative purity or ideological infighting, Operation Hope is building infrastructure to win on actual deliverables.

WHAT’S CONFIRMED

  • New Senate candidate drops Monday (TYT exclusive)—super populist in key race.

  • Randy Bryce, Ojeda, and others getting media support (training, videos, platform-building).

  • KhannaCare (H.R. 3943) remains top volunteer campaign.

  • “Populist Tag Team” model proposed: right-left volunteer pairs in congressional districts to build public credibility and defuse spoiler panic.

  • Rebellion PAC: 4 confirmed candidates (Ro, Nina, Ojeda, Osborne). Focus is red/purple outreach.

COMMUNITY IDEAS UNDER CONSIDERATION

  • Revive crowdfunded progressive lobbying (e.g., Lobbyists for Good model).

  • Create a media clip/meme team to elevate candidates’ messaging across platforms.

  • Encourage use of social trust networks—Uber convos, family bridges, etc.—to seed apolitical outreach.

  • Coordinate a Town Hall Day with right-wing listeners to test bridge-building potential.

STRATEGIC TENSIONS

1. Movement or Media?

If we can’t even get Kyle & Krystal on board, is this a movement or just a show?

Cenk: We’ve asked 284 times. The cavalry comes after we win. Deputize messengers beyond TYT. Consider Ro as movement ambassador.

2. Progressive or Populist?

Are we losing our progressive soul?

Cenk: The Populist Plank (higher wages, family leave, drug pricing, etc.) is 100% progressive. We’ve changed tactics, not values.

3. Activist Anger vs. Strategic Patience

Why wait for Social Security or healthcare cuts to act?

We’re positioning ourselves as the only viable alternative once betrayal comes. The trap is being set.

NEXT STEPS (NEED DECISION/DIRECTION)

  • Should we draft specific media asks (e.g., “Kyle, will you interview Zoran?”) instead of generic invites?

  • Do we launch the Tag Team pilot in 1–2 districts now? Who leads?

  • Do we organize a next-town-hall “Bring a Right-Leaning Friend” day?

  • Should we set up a KhannaCare ‘Track the 37’ board to visualize progress?

CLOSING NOTE

This movement isn’t about being right louder. It’s about being strategic enough to win. If others want to plant different flags—good. We’ll see who moves people. But for now, the mission is clear:

If you pass the Populist Plank, you earn our vote. If not, we find someone who will.

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Cenk suggested a phased goal for Operation Hope’s KhannaCare campaign (supporting H.R. 3943 – Global Fairness in Drug Pricing Act). He floated this strategic milestone:

“If we can get 37 Democrats to join the bill, then we can go to the press and say: look at this growing movement—built entirely by volunteers outside of Congress.”

So, “Track the 37” is a proposed public-facing visualization and organizing tool that would:

  • Track how many House Democrats have co-sponsored H.R. 3943
  • Show who signed on and when
  • Credit volunteers who helped flip each new rep
  • Use momentum to draw media attention and grassroots pride

It’s a movement scoreboard that transforms invisible calls/emails into visible wins—each new co-sponsor becomes a banner moment.

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