One more bonus for South Dakota’s stocking—Jo Johnson’s cartoon impression of what Santa Joe may bring us in 2021:
But remember: democracy and good government aren’t gifts from any magical demigod in a rocket sleigh. As President-Elect Biden will continue telling us through the next four arduous years, democracy only works when we make it work. Beating back all the challenges to our democracy—coronavirus, foreign hacking, domestic terrorism—requires that all of us work diligently together.
I’m reminded of a quote about this season from the Jesuit Priest Alfred Delp.
He wrote, “Advent is the time for rousing.”
Delp believed that first we are shaken to our depths.
Then we’re ready for a season of hope.
As a nation, we have certainly been shaken to our depths this year.
Now it’s time to awaken, to get moving — for hope.
We’ve gotten through tough times before in this nation.
And we’ll get through these difficult times as well.
And we’ll do it by coming together by working with one another.
By being what we are at our best — the United States of America.
Certain things are beyond partisan interests.
They are national interests.
They require us to cooperate.
I’m confident we can do that.
After a year of pain and loss, it’s time to unite, to heal, to rebuild [President-Elect Joe Biden, remarks, Wilmington, Delaware, 2020.12.22].
Even Santa can’t deliver those presents without the help of all the little elves and tiny reindeer. Turn off your TV, read the papers, listen to NPR. Tune in to public meetings, write your legislators and Congresspeople, vote every chance you get… and give no quarter to liars, cheats, racists, and others who would make America a Trumpigarchy instead of a democracy.
Where is Dusty today .Why didn’t they stay in DC and get us our 2000 dollar check or 600 dollars and congress is off till Monday what a joke.Problem solvers.Heck give everybody 50grand and call it good.Depression will come if you keep spending.But please help the poor.
Howz this for help? drumpf pardons Manafort who told Mueller drumpf offered pardon to buy Manafort’s silence in several investigations. drump delivered his second impeachable quid pro quo with his pardon of Manafort. Strike fifty something against drumpf.
MFI – fortunately for President Trump, the umpire (continuing your baseball metaphor) calling the strikes is the GOP Senate. Again, they will call this a foul tip at worst (if not a base hit).
A happy Festivus to all!
O, it is feasible Dems could win both Georgia seats, even though that won’t come anywhere near the 2/3 majority needed to remove the stain. It will certainly help Dems seat Biden’s picks for cabinet and judgeships.
SS just sent me my long awaited SS cola and my first check of the new year is $14.60 smaller than the previous check. Thanks BC/BS.
Bill O’Reilly: “If you cross Fox News Channel, it’s not just me, it’s Roger Ailes”—at the time the head of the network—“who will go after you. . . . Ailes operates behind the scenes, strategizes and makes things happen so that one day BAM! The person gets what’s coming to them but never sees it coming. Look at Al Franken, one day he’s going to get a knock on his door and life as he’s known it will change forever. That day will happen, trust me.” When Tweeden accused Franken, one of his wife’s first thoughts was of O’Reilly’s prediction.
Fox sued Franken over his 2003 best-seller, “Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them,” which relentlessly disparages the network and its big star at the time, Bill O’Reilly. It includes a chapter mocking Hannity as, among other things, “an angry, Irish Ape-man.” Franken writes that, after having a greenroom shouting match with Hannity about Rush Limbaugh, in 1996, he “had never in my life hated a person more.”***
Debra Katz, who has represented Christine Blasey Ford and other sexual-harassment victims, remains troubled by Franken’s case. She contends, “The allegations levelled against Senator Franken did not warrant his forced expulsion from the Senate, particularly given the context in which most of the behavior occurred, which was in his capacity as a comedian.” She adds, “All offensive behavior should be addressed, but not all offensive behavior warrants the most severe sanction.”(print edition of the July 29, 2019).https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/07/29/the-case-of…CyeH6_IzhrwY7tH3U3V8Z1mx_4jv2y819t06ABoCKqoQAvD_BwE
Just some thoughts about political talent and behavior. How important are those two Democratic seats in the Senate right now. Trade Franken for McConnell, anyone?