The important December holidays all seem to be about “re” — renewal, redemption, rededication, reform.
Jewish people worldwide celebrate the eight days of Hanukkah, where, after retaking their temple in Jerusalem from the Syrian/Greeks in the second century, they found it in a ruined state. It had to be repaired and then rededicated.
Pagan holidays, such as Yule, celebrate the Solstice, the lengthening of the daylight hours that leads to the annual renewal of life, fertility, and agriculture.
Christmas celebrates the birth of a Messiah, a redeemer who would restore and repair humankind.
The overriding theme in favorite Christmas movies, “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol,” is redemption.
In the former, a decent man faces financial ruin and wishes he had never been born, but an angel sent from Heaven shows him what life would be like had he not been.
He realizes that his life has made a difference in the lives around him and is reassured that his presence on earth is a bulwark against evil.
He returns from this stunning realization with renewed dedication to life and joy.
Everyone knows the Charles Dickens story “A Christmas Carol,” set in England in the nineteenth century; it’s the story of a skinflint who does nothing to improve the lives of the poor or even his family and employees.
He’s so stingy that he doesn’t even bother improving his shabby life.
Ghosts to the rescue this time as three show him three Christmases: his past, present, and future. He experiences an epic epiphany and is reborn. He vows to dedicate his life to being magnanimous and loving.
Americans face a new year and an upcoming presidential election during this holiday season. One of the candidates, a twice-impeached, many times-disgraced fraud and sexual predator, wants a chance to redo his first failed presidency.
This would be a terrible thing for America and democracy.
First, and mainly, this is because his opponent, the current president, Joe Biden, has been enormously successful, and that forward motion for Americans needs to continue, not stop.
The November jobs report showed the economy added almost 200,000 more jobs in November, making the total since Biden took office more than 14 million, while the unemployment rate has stayed below 4% for 22 months in a row, and wage growth is strong.
On Dec. 13, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, one of the key measures of the stock market, climbed to a new all-time high, topping out at over 37,000.
Heather Cox Richardson reports that the U.S. now has 2 million jobs and 2 million employed above the pre-pandemic projections of the Congressional Budget Office. “Dan Shafer of The Recombobulation Area observed, ‘If these numbers were happening during a Republican presidency, the usual business community folks would be celebrating in the streets. But when there’s a D next to the president’s name, it’s tumbleweeds.”
Fox News Channel personality Maria Bartiromo noted that “the economy is a lot stronger than anyone understands.“ She’s wrong there; the Biden White House understands. They made it happen.
If Donald Trump redo his presidency, it would not just be a downturn of the economy — though that would be nearly immediate — but a disaster for American democracy.
One reason Trump couldn’t destroy the republic in his first term was because there were people who put the brakes on.
In a redo, Trump would have the backing of tightly organized and ambitious conservative groups, such as ALEC, calling for a rewrite of the U.S. Constitution to make America a country led by a “strongman,” one with the backing of corporations and billionaires. Democrats support democracy vs Republican autocracy
The Heritage Foundation (a think tank that advises Republican presidents on Supreme Court candidates) has issued Project 2025, outlining Republican plans to remake America into a nation without any protections for the poor, the environment, children, LGBTQ people, women, or Americans’ health, one without any Federal agencies. Their goal? A strongman government, led by corporations who will write the laws.
Trump’s supporters and Republicans openly and unashamedly admit they are trying to end our Republic.
Trump says he’ll be a dictator only on the first day, but on that day, he’ll destroy the environment: “Drill, baby, drill,” he’s announced.
On Steve Bannon’s show, Kash Patel said of the press and those who do not support Trump, “We’re coming for you, we just don’t know if it’s criminally or civilly,” and Bannon replied, “We’re dead serious.”
Famous Trump dinner guest Nick Fuentes said, “Perfidious Jews and other non-Christians, when we take power, they need to be given the death penalty. Straight up.”
Where have we heard this rhetoric before?
We can’t let Republicans turn this country into a remake of Nazi Germany or an environmental and health hellscape devoid of freedom.
President Joe Biden must be reelected to maintain this booming economy and keep America’s ideals and functions intact.
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