Thanksgiving Open Thread

I’m thankful for many, many things, but I’m especially thankful that this country is about to get back on the right track, to begin regaining its stature, and to start helping those who need help, as we ought to.

What are you thankful for?

22 thoughts on “Thanksgiving Open Thread”

  1. …in addition to finally being able to turn the page on the last eight years, for good health, good music and good friends.

    Thank you, friends.

  2. …that on January 20, I will have a president I can be proud of.

    …that just being a Republican wasn’t good enough for terrible representatives in red districts like Bill Sali, Marilyn Musgrave, Tom Feeney, Virgil Goode, Robin Hayes, and Thelma Drake.

    …to the Club for Growth for helping pad our majority.

  3. For my family & my friends. I’m thankful for some wonderful blessings about to come my way. I’m thankful for the Nevada Democratic Party for delivering 5 beautiful electoral votes to our President-Elect, and for helping Dina Titus and more legislature Dems get elected. Oh yes, and I’m thankful for new President!

    I wish I could say the same about the California Democratic Party or Human Rights Campaign or The Task Force, but hopefully H8 will soon be overturned and I’ll feel thankful for them some time in the future.

  10. many other Californians are thankful for:

    James Madison. The Founding Father who gave us a system of checks and balances that, for the past eight years, has stymied an Administration that was hell-bent on dismantling the environmental safety net of the past 100 years. George W. Bush will leave a limited (if devastating) legacy from coal, oil and gas extraction, but most of the infrastructure that was designed to prevent such destruction has been preserved.

    Greg Nickels. The Seattle mayor who proved that if the federal government wouldn’t lead on climate change, states and cities could. More than 1,000 Cool Cities, dozens of Cool Counties and almost half of the states have now taken leadership action and committed the U.S. to rejoin the rest of the world in the fight against the climate crisis.

    Fran Pavley. The former California assemblywoman who led her state in adopting Clean Car Standards for CO2 that finally brought the auto industry to the table to compromise on its greenhouse gas emissions last fall — perhaps (we’ll see) even in time to save the U.S. companies from bankruptcy.

    House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. For making it clear that Congress would act on energy and climate as soon as the White House got out of the way.

    James Hanson. The NASA climate scientist who managed to keep open the flow of scientific knowledge on the growing climate crisis, even when the Bush administration tried to shut him down.

    Senate Majority/Minority Leader Harry Reid. Reid’s finest moment came in the Minority, when he stood up to Bush’s attempt to pack the federal judiciary.

    Al Gore and Rajendra Pachauri. The Nobel Academy recognized their achievement; the rest of us are in their debt.

    Laurie David. The Hollywood environmentalist who conceived that a movie about a famously formal politician delivering a slideshow could win an Academy Award.

    Green tech entrepreneurs. For getting us ready for the 21st century.

    Henry Waxman. For holding the Bush administration’s feet to the fire for the past two years, and laying the groundwork for the House of Representatives to deliver on President-elect Obama’s agenda.

    The federal judiciary. For remembering that, as James Madison intended, they took an oath of office to the Constitution, not the President of the United States or the Vice-President.

    And finally…

    Democracy. For giving us Barack Obama.

    And my additions:

    Harvey Milk: For setting us on the road to equality and justice for all. Exactly 30 years ago to this date, Milk’s assassination mobilized the city for progressive change.

    And also, still being able to laugh!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CndP1fYC0M

  11. ….and a more Democratic Congress (for now).

    I’m not thankful for Chris Matthews’ increasingly likely Senate run.

  12. 1. To the democrats in congress if they avoid fatricidal attacks (civil war). This does not include ethics violations.

    2. To Virginia democrats if they avoid bitter primaries and win Gov and AG both.

    3. To Obama and Janet Napolitano if they find a way to keep Arizona gov in the hands of democrats. We need to consolidate hee and giving up gov to Republicans may not be the way to do it.

    4. To NY democrats if they find a way to gain majority in the state senate.

  13. Not really thankful for too much else ATM.  Economy is down, makes for a tense holiday season all around.  

  14. The greatest music that you’ve never heard… My dear lad Tim and a bunch of great people who happen to be stunning musicians.Go ahead and click– it’s worth it.

    Tim O’Brien — vocals and guitar

    Darrell Scott — mandolin and harmony vocals

    Jerry Douglas — dobro and harmony vocals

    Aly Bain – fiddle

    Ronan Browne — whistle

    Russ Barenberg – guitar

    Donald Shaw — piano

    Todd Parks — bass

    James Mackintosh — percussion

    BTW, Darrell is playing Tim’s legendary “A” shape mandolin by Mike Kemnitzer of Nugget Mandolins, which was made, many years ago now, from some antique barn boards from SE Ohio.

  15. I’m thankful Lou Barlettas’s Mexican Scapegoat campaign did not work in Pennsylvania-11.

    I talked to relatives in the Poconos yestereay who left New York City to get away from “them” (them being immigrants of different ethnicities) and my uncle told me he voted for Kanjorski even though he had been leaning Barletta most of the year.

    His rationale was simple “Illegal-immigration is bad and needs to be fixed, but that’s all he (Barletta) talked about as if that’s the only solution to every problem.”

    If it doesn’t work in the Poconos, it isn’t going to work anywhere that’s blue or purple.

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