Delaware Liberal

“Merry Christmas to all! Over two millennia ago, a new hope was born into the world, a Savior who would offer the promise of salvation to all mankind. Just as the three wise men did on that night, this Christmas heralds a time to celebrate the good news of a new King.” — RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, in a statement. This quote sparked outrage on Twitter and the Internets yesterday, as it was assumed that the good news of a new King referred to Trump and that anything involving him was good news, or that Trump was a King. Nah, as much as I loathe to defend Republicans here, this is typical evangelical speak: the new King refers to Jesus Christ. These fanatical evangelicals love referring to Jesus in that way.

From our families to yours, we hope you all have a wonderful holiday, no matter which holiday you celebrate. And if you don't celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah, well we hope you have a relaxing and enjoyable day. Let's all hope 2017 is just a tiny bit better than the absolute and unmitigated disaster that was 2016.

Since I am hosting today and tomorrow's festivities for my family, I have not had time to put together the Open Thread today, so have at it. I hope everyone that celebrates enjoys the holidays, the Last Christmas we will enjoy in a free republic.

Rick Klein: “Twice in the last week, access to Donald Trump’s children has literally been put up for sale. Both times, those sales were canceled, or at least scaled back, following public scrutiny. But the process that allowed those offerings to go forward at all – an auction for coffee with Ivanka, and a hunting trip with the two eldest Trump sons for big inauguration donors – suggests something in the territory of chaos and/or indifference inside the president-elect’s inaugural planning.” “These are the sorts of arrangements that should set off bright red flags – particularly after a campaign where the Clintons were accused of all manner of pay-for-play arrangements. The Trump operation has done virtually nothing to specify its safeguards, even while new arrangements testing any planned boundaries pop up. One good way to ensure that individuals and companies don’t try to buy access and influence? Don’t offer it to them.”

Relaxing Tea Better Fucking Work SMYRNA, DE—Saying he needed to be transported to a tranquil, untroubled state of calmness pronto, local man Pete McCartin, 29, told reporters Thursday that a…

You. Can. Never. Take. A. Republican. At. His. or Her. Word. They are liars. They do not deal in good faith. They will betray you at the earliest opportunity. “After more than nine hours of closed-door meetings, jawboning and complicated legislative stratagems, North Carolina legislators went home in frustration Wednesday after failing to repeal the state law that has prompted economic boycotts, lawsuits, political acrimony and contributed to the defeat of the Republican governor,” the New York Times reports. “Republicans, who control both houses of the legislature, could not agree on a way to repeal the law, commonly known as House Bill 2. The legislation curbs legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, and requires transgender people in public buildings to use the bathroom that corresponds with the gender on their birth certificate.” “The failure to reach a deal in a one-day special session, even after Charlotte, the state’s largest city, fully repealed the ordinance that set the law in motion, was yet another moment of political dysfunction in a state that has become accustomed to it. The session comes just days after Republicans stripped significant powers from Governor-elect Roy Cooper, a Democrat, who is to be sworn in on New Year’s Day.”

When you take on a leadership role in an organization, you generally become attached to it, hoping for its continued success, even after you step down. That is how I feel about the Sussex County Democrats, having served as chair of the 14RD Committee for 4 years, and sitting on the County executive committee because of that role. Consequently, I’ve been asking myself these questions: Democrats had a registration advantage in Sussex County in 2014 (49,865 v. 49,615) and only a slight disadvantage in 2016 (57,522 v. 59,907), so why can’t Democrats get elected in Sussex? Why did every single Democrat lose in 2014 and 2016, except for the one Trump supporters love? Is the County just hopeless, best written off as a lost cause?