Republicans giving Sarah Palin a second look

If I thought praying would help, I'd pray my ass off for this to happen...
The Republican Party has been doing a lot of hand-wringing and finger-pointing since the presidential election. Half the conservative columnists and bloggers say the GOP lost because it overemphasized social issues such as abortion and gay marriage. The other half says the party didn't emphasize them enough. And everyone denounces Project ORCA, the campaign's attempt to turn out voters via technology. But I've got a suggestion for cutting short the GOP angst: Sarah Palin for president in 2016. You think I'm joking? Think again.

2012 MVP Award Nominations Are Now Open!

Who will make the 4th Annual MVP (Most Valuable to the Progressive Cause) Awards List? We're open for any and all of your suggestions. Here are the criteria: 1. This list is Delaware-specific. Those who most helped the progressive cause in Delaware this year. 2. Nominees need not be progressives to qualify. Both Christine O'Donnell and Tony DeLuca previously made the list. I'm thinking that John Sigler is a shoo-in this year... 3. Nominees do not have to come solely from the political arena. In fact, I would love to recognize those who are doing great work away from the headlines. 4. Nominees will only be considered in the form of on-line responses to this thread. Those submitting nominations must have some supporting statement on behalf of the candidacy. Deadline for nominations is Sunday, December 9.

A Die Hard Christmas – An Open Source Christmas Musical for People who are a little tired of ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘A Christmas Carol’

Act 1, Scene 1: "This Christmas will be different" Shoppers excitedly bustle on the sidewalk in front of Nakatomi Towers in Midtown Manhattan. Enter John McClane. [Song - "This Christmas is going to be different - with a bang not a whimper" John McClane & Chorus. The song includes backstory on the troubled relationship between McCalne and his wife, Holly Gennaro-McClane, and how John McClane wants to use the goodwill of the season to romance his estranged wife back into the sack.] The crowds slowly part and McClane is left under a single follow spot. McClane reveals his motivations. He is withdrawn and depressed because he thinks he has lost the ability to come up with new catchphases. [Song: “I Got Nothing (For Christmas).”] Only by learning the true meaning of Christmas can he regain his catchphrase mojo. To do that he must defeat the greed and commercialism of Christmas, McClane exits into the building.

Senator Coons, Support Begich’s “Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act” and forget about Bowles-Simpson

Senator, You seem like a reality based guy. You know full well that Social Security isn't in danger of becoming insolvent any time soon, and according to the program’s actuaries, without any changes, Social Security will be able to pay out full benefits until 2033. But you also have Republican colleagues in the Senate who want to kill the program, and can't stop yammering about what a threat it is to our well being as a nation. So you need to be in favor of some sort of reform.... Well, check this out.

Good for Coons – voting needs to be fixed

I was hoping voting would be would be an issue this year, so I'm glad Senator Coons proposed this:
His bill is a multipronged effort to improve access to the polls. It asks states to create flexible registration opportunities, emphasize early voting periods, promote no-excuse absentee voting, provide foreign language assistance, improve accessibility for disabled voters, train election officials, audit polls with long wait times and create contingency plans for voting during natural and other disasters.

Unions scapegoated as vulture capital firm liquidates Hostess

We all see what is happening, right? Hostess management claims that greedy striking workers are responsible for plant closings, and the lap dog press reports it even though the Wall Street owners of Hostess already planned to close plants even if the workers accepted the cuts and stayed at work. Baker's Union President Frank Hurt says the workers knew the score all along:
Our members know that the plans all along of the Wall Street investors currently in control of this company did not include the operation of Hostess Brands any longer than it takes to sell the company in whole—or in part—in a way that will maximize the profits of these vulture capitalists regardless of the impact on the workforce.
Huzzah for job creators!!

Friday Open Thread [11.16.12]

The Republicans don't want to retool their message, which is excellent news for us:
"Two weeks after their presidential election defeat, Republican Party leaders are falling into roughly two camps as they struggle to explain what happened and devise ways to broaden the party's base. Some top GOP officials worry their message is wrong for a rapidly diversifying population, and that fundamental shifts in policy may be required. But the more dominant voice, and the one gaining currency within the center of the party, says such drama isn't necessary. It asserts that Mitt Romney's loss to President Barack Obama was primarily a tactical failure, a combination of poor articulation of GOP positions and a weak effort to register voters and move them to the polls. Better execution on both, they say, would have swung the few hundred thousand votes in a few states that would have tipped the presidential election the other way."
Maybe they will learn in 2024, after two terms each of Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, while facing Texas Governor Julian Castro.