Let's Be Thankful

On Christmas Eve, and on the verge of another year, these are some of the things the Hackwhackers are thankful for:

That the country chose sanity and progress over insanity and regression;

That we have Elizabeth Warren, Tammy Baldwin, and Tim Kaine joining a Senate that has more Democrats than anyone dreamed would be possible a year ago;

That we don't have Alan West, Joe Walsh, Richard Mourdock and Todd Akin in office;

That ultra-right plutocrats like the Koch brothers, Sheldon Adelson, "Papa John" Schnatter and others spent upwards of $500 million of their fortunes to win the Senate and Presidency for Rethuglicans and got... nothing;

That we may be seeing the possibilities for Rethug obstruction in the Senate altered by filibuster reform;

That the economy is on the rebound and is expected to pick up more steam in the next 18 months;

That we may (may) have reached a tipping point in America's obsession with guns, and with assault weapons in particular, at a cost that was too high and so unnecessary;

That the notions of a woman's right to privacy and a person's right to marry whomever they love, while under continuing assault by the intolerant and ignorant, are taking hold more and more in the American mainstream;

That we have dedicated, outstanding men and women in our military and special services who risk their lives every day all over the world to protect us;

And, most important of all by far, that we can share the love of family and friends at this time and all year 'round.