Dear Santa, If 2021 is as bad as 2020, you're fired

[View in browser]( [Mother Jones Daily Newsletter]( December 24, 2020 Ho ho ho and merry Christmas (eve)! Have you put out the milk and cookies for jolly ol' Saint Nick? No, of course not. I'm glad you didn't. You shouldn't have. I didn't. In this economy? Cookies and milk for the head of state of the North Pole? Who can fly and has a magic workshop capable of turning out billions of individualized toys every year? He can get his own milk and cookies. I'll go further, it seems like given this magic person's power that he actually isn't doing enough for us normal humans. For starters: the gifts should become a universal entitlement. No more targeted "gifts for good Christian children." No matter your religion, no matter your age, and to be honest, no matter how good you have or haven't been—who is he to judge us? Who elected him?—Santa owes you a gift. 2) Those elves should be putting some of their magic powers towards solving climate change and cancer. 3) Santa's sleigh must be turned over to the United States and NATO so we can have our scientists find further applications for the flying technology. If, as legend says, the reindeer are the magical element "pulling" the sleigh, then we will need to examine the reindeer. They will need to be studied. They will not be harmed! But they must be studied. But you have my word they won't be harmed! The sleigh and the reindeer will be returned eventually. If these demands are not met immediately then we will be forced to [actually go to war on Christmas.]( What else is happening in the world today? As you may know, a few days ago Donald Trump threatened to veto the COVID aid package and demanded that Congress raise the one-time check payments from $600 to $2,000. Democrats quickly agreed to this because they had been pushing for that the whole time. Nancy Pelosi attempted to pass it in the House today with unanimous consent, a procedure which, as the name implies, can be stopped by any single congressperson. And that's what happened! [Republicans said no]( and the motion failed. Maybe they should talk to Trump, the leader of their party? Maybe Trump should talk to them? Maybe someone should talk to someone? On Monday, the House is going to take it up again under different rules. At this point, everything seems to be completely up in the air. I hope you have a very nice Christmas! And if you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have a very nice Thursday! With tidings of comfort and joy, Ben Dreyfuss P.S. If you read this newsletter regularly, might you consider supporting our team's journalism with [a year-end donation](? We've got a big $350,000 goal this month—our [CEO unpacks that here](—and with just 8 days left, we're still just shy of halfway there. $5 or $500, your support makes our work possible, and we need your help to start closing that gap. Advertisement [House Donation Ad]( [Top Story] [Top Story]( [What Would Happen If We Really Went to War Against Christmas?]( We'd probably lose. BY TIM MURPHY [Trending] [Giving away billions of dollars is hard work—just ask MacKenzie Scott]( BY MICHAEL MECHANIC [With his pardons of Stone and Manafort, Trump completes his cover-up]( BY DAN FRIEDMAN AND DAVID CORN [We asked some of our favorite people what they’d put in a 2020 time capsule]( BY MICHAEL MECHANIC [Is Biden’s Bipartisan Optimism Naive, or Exactly What the Country Needs?]( BY MOLLY SCHWARTZ Advertisement [House Subscription Ad]( [The Big Feature] [Special Feature]( [Why “Love Actually” Matters]( if you can't say it at Christmas, when can you, eh? BY BEN DREYFUSS [Fiercely Independent] Please read Monika Bauerlein's year-in-review column, "[There's No Quick Fix for Healing Democracy](," and make a year-end gift to support Mother Jones' journalism. [Donate]( [Recharge] SOME GOOD NEWS, FOR ONCE [There Will Be Good News in 2021. There Will Be Good News in 2021. There Will Be…]( Recharge is getting a recharge this week and will return after the holidays. Enjoy yours safely. If you’re looking for a boost, [the blog awaits](, and if you’re curious what became of my colleague Ben Dreyfuss’ New Year’s resolutions from last year, [right this way](. I’ve read his list and checked it twice, found it to be very nice, with a bit of spice and honest about vice, and, to keep this concise, it is—as his words of support and creativity are—full of good advice. His resolutions got me thinking about the media zeitgeist and what in 2021 will suffice. On that you cannot name a price, so I’m off now to close this device, prepare some rice or a pizza slice, and search for not quite paradise, but a pair of year-end dice. 2020 belongs on ice. I’ll finish this Recharge, and the year, with a classic: Roses are red, violets are blue, 2020 can go *$#% itself, and if ain’t that true… One more: Roses are red, violets are blue, consider [supporting Mother Jones](, if you’re able to, so we can support you. Here’s to 2021, and to 2022. Share New Year’s resolutions at recharge@motherjones.com. —Daniel King Did you enjoy this newsletter? Help us out by [forwarding]( it to a friend or sharing it on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. [Mother Jones]( [Donate]( [Subscribe]( This message was sent to {EMAIL}. To change the messages you receive from us, you can [edit your email preferences]( or [unsubscribe from all mailings.]( For advertising opportunities see our online [media kit.]( Were you forwarded this email? 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