Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Damn right I heard that as a threat.

When your entire life is steeped in white supremacy, equality feels like discrimination.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

I see no possible difficulties whatsoever with this fool-proof plan.

I like you, you’re my kind of trouble.

Spilling the end game before they can coat it in frankl luntz-approved dogwhistles.

The most dangerous place for a black man in America is in a white man’s imagination.

“Everybody’s entitled to be an idiot.”

Following reporting rules is only for the little people, apparently.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

An almost top 10,000 blog!

Bark louder, little dog.

And now I have baud making fun of me. this day can’t get worse.

Bad news for Ron DeSantis is great news for America.

Republican obstruction dressed up as bipartisanship. Again.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Reflecting on 2019

Reader Interactions

31Comments

  2. 2.

    JanieM

    A good resolution, John, one that I would do well to make myself.

    As to the other, I feel the opposite. When I was a kid I read this aphorism in a magazine of my mom’s: “The years go by like grace notes in a song. Only the days and nights are ever long.” The older I get, the truer it seems.

    Happy New Year!

  7. 7.

    O. Felix Culpa

    Wishing all a happy and meaningful  2020! There’s important work ahead. I’m thankful for this community.

  8. 8.

    TS (the original)

    As you age every year is shorter, because it is lived as a % of the years that have gone before.

    To a 5 year old – one year is 1/5th of their life – 20%

    To a 50 year old – one year is 1/50th of their life – 2%

    In my many years on the planet, I have never seen fires like we are having this year. Apart from losing homes & in some cases their lives, many people are without shelter, food, fuel & at the minute few ways out of their ruined communities.

    My resolution is to face the reality of climate change & campaign for changes from politicians and the community.

  9. 9.

    Mai naem mobile

    Happy New Year to All. Hope we have some good news in November because I sure as heck can’t survive another repeat of  2017-2019.

  11. 11.

    laura

    Oof, the speed of life!

    We just got home an hour ago from a sweet geezer show – surf guitar band from 4 til 7 and then off to their “real gig” and a nice crowd of youngs and olds and dogs. As it wrapped up there was a lot of bidding this rubbish year ado and hopes for this New Year.

    I’m ready to jump into 2020 with both feet. Bring it on!

    Tom Paine said we have the power to begin the world again. So let’s do that.

  12. 12.

    WaterGirl

    Have we heard from the commenter in the afternoon thread whose brother was in a safe room at the embassy?

    I’m so sorry I can’t recall your name at the moment, but I hope things are less uncertain than they were this afternoon.  Praying for safety for all involved.

  13. 13.

    JAFD

    Hello everyone,
    The WQXR New Year’s Eve ‘countdown’ of the poll of listeners’ favorite music has once again put Beethoven’s 9th Symphony as #1, and the announcer introduced it, after listing the troubles and ills of Beethoven’s later years, with “this triumphant Ode to Joy”.
    So, hoping for a joyful 2020 to all of you. Thanks to everyone for your support, to Water Girl for her work, and especially to Mr. Cole for founding this community ! Bless you all.

  14. 14.

    WaterGirl

    So, John, if you are planning to be kinder next year, does that mean that when you tell me to “get to the point, just spit it out”, you’ll do it in a different tone of voice?  ‘Cause I’m not at all sure that would feel right!  :-)

    Happy New Year, Cole, and thanks for giving us the best home on the internet.

  16. 16.

    Mary G

    Thanks for this blog, John. This was an incredibly shitty year healthwise, but I am beginning to see some light at  the end of the tunnel, and hope that will continue so we can get these thugs out of the government.

  17. 17.

    WaterGirl

    @Mary G: You are an inspiration to me, Mary G, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one.

    Raising a virtual glass to 2019, a year of ups and downs, don’t let the door hit you on the ass on the way out.  And to 2020, here’s to health and happiness, and may we all kick some ugly orange ass together!

  18. 18.

    Central Planning

    We had a nice evening with the kids and a bunch of their friends. Here’s to hoping I’m awake in 21 minutes.

    The best New Years we ever had was falling asleep on the coach around 9pm, waking up at 11:55pm, watching the ball drop, and then going to bed.

    See y’all next decade!

  19. 19.

    Duane

    Happy New Year everyone! Thanks Cole, and all the rest that keep Balloon Juice going. I really do appreciate it. Now for some cartoons and snacks.

  20. 20.

    James E Powell

    Happy New Year! We have one hell of a year ahead of us. Let’s try to get it right, do justice.

  21. 21.

    Mj_Oregon

    Happy New Year, John!  I hope you decide to make that fruitcake from my grandmother’s recipe I emailed you and gift all your family and friends with fruitcake next Christmas.  Or maybe not.  You might end up disinherited and friendless.  Anyway, I hope we all have a blessed year in every way.  Bring on 2020

  28. 28.

    HRA

    A very Happy New Year to you John, the FPs, the ones who comment and those who lurk in this place.

  29. 29.

    Eric S.

    Happy New Year all. I arrived home right away the stroke of 12 in Chicago. I’m here to comfort Master Ozzie The Cat as the fireworks are lit off.

  30. 30.

    Mainmata

    Thanks, John, for providing a cosmopolitan, always interesting platform on which to exchange opinions about all sorts of things but especially politics. Of course, next year, will be the Year of Living Dangerously in the USA (I am currently in Indonesia hence the particular reference). It will be and must be an all-out effort to save what’s left of our democracy before the oligarchs and white supremacists seize it for themselves.

    Best wishes to all for the New Year.

  31. 31.

    J R in WV

    We went to an annual NYE potluck dinner with old friends, and had a great evening. Got home about 1:30, it’s a steep drive over a high ridge on a one lane dirt road, and then along the ridge top, down another steep drop into the head of a long winding hollow. Not a sound around us at Rick and Kathy’s farmhouse, deep woods, cold and crisp. Not much traffic on the way home, but I was leery of every passing vehicle, you never know which one was someone who got blitzed at their party…

    But no harm done, calm easy drive all the way.

    The dogs and cats were glad to see us — to them it was just an evening with a really late dinner. Then I had trouble calming down and then getting to sleep, but once I was down it was good deep sleep until just past noon.

    Happy New Year to all !!

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