A rare optimistic note to end the week

The MoJo Daily newsletter, Monday through Friday. [View in browser]( [Support our nonprofit journalism]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter](     May 17, 2024 Hi, Mother Jones Daily readers! How are you? How has your week been? Mine’s been surprisingly pleasant, even after it started out by getting stuck on the side of the highway for nearly six hours, and is wrapping up with a wholly unexpected used car purchase. I think a lot of my sunny disposition is coming from kicking off our first big fundraising drive since merging with the Center for Investigative Reporting. It’s very different from our usual campaigns, and for many reasons. But the biggest is how “[Less Dreading, More Doing](” became the theme that ties it all together. Thanks to a note from a reader a few months back, we ended up talking about all the optimism and excitement we’re feeling right now. It’s been infectious, and I hope you’ll [check it out]( and [pitch in a few bucks (or much more!)](if you can right now because this is a BFD for us. And because I don’t want to come up 22 miles short the way I did on Sunday when I ignored the check engine light because it’s usually just a fluke, only this time it wasn’t. Let’s not come up short on [the donations we need]( or on tapping into our deeply held convictions and embracing optimism if that’s what it takes to show up for democracy, justice, and truth in 2024. It can be dreadful at times, but once you start doing something different, everything starts feeling much less foreboding. Our new car arrives on Tuesday! But democracies and quality journalism aren’t quite as easy to replace. –Brian Hiatt P.S. Really do [let me know]( how you’re doing and what you make of our merger with CIR—or just [send me something]( from the news that’s optimistic and hopeful and maybe I can share some of those out. Advertisement [House Sustainer Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [Greg Abbott Declares Open Season on Protesters in Texas]( The pardon of Daniel Perry sends a chilling message. BY TIM MURPHY SPONSORED POST     [Sponsored Content]( [Navigating Farm and Ranch Transfers to a New Generation]( An ambitious program supports land access as many farmers approach retirement, posing challenges for America’s food system. THIS CONTENT WAS PAID FOR AND SPONSORED BY [AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST](. [Trending] [Dobbs had the opposite effect conservatives intended]( BY JULIANNE MCSHANE   [The "good deal" Trump allegedly offered oil execs might be worth $110 billion]( BY OLIVER MILMAN AND DHARNA NOOR   [A Columbia University protester says the NYPD made her remove her hijab—despite new policy]( BY JACOB ROSENBERG AND NAJIB AMINY   [North Carolina's protest crackdown now includes a ban on N95s]( BY JULIA MÉTRAUX Advertisement [House Subscription Ad]( [Special Feature] [Special Feature]( [Less dreading, more doing]( A very 2024 commitment for our new, stronger newsroom. MONIKA BAUERLEIN AND BRIAN HIATT MOTHER JONES MEMBERSHIP UPDATE   An important update on our finances We’re falling behind our online fundraising goals—and we can’t sustain coming up short on [donations]( month after month. It is [impossibly hard]( in the news business right now, and the [crisis]( facing journalism and democracy isn’t going away anytime soon. Neither is Mother Jones. Which is exactly why, despite the challenges we face, we just took a big gulp and [joined forces]( with the Center for Investigative Reporting, which creates the amazing podcast and public radio show [Reveal]( and other investigative projects. It’s going to be hard making it all work, and we simply can’t afford to fall behind our fundraising targets month after month. If you can part with even just a few bucks, [please support Mother Jones and investigative journalism with an urgently needed donation today](. And thank you so much to everyone who recently has. We’re grateful. [Donate]( Did you enjoy this newsletter? Share it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Donate Monthly]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? [Sign up for Mother Jones' newsletters today.]( [www.MotherJones.com]( PO Box 8539, Big Sandy, TX 75755