I'm pre-partying with a decent single malt scotch for my parent's Christmas gathering.

The challenge is my brother. He moved to Kansas for his last assignment in the Army, married a local and stayed there. He is ultra-conservative even by Kansas standards. A hard-core Trumpster to the last - still convinced HRC ought to be in jail somewhere.

I don't know what happened to him. He was raised better. Our mother was a Democratic county office holder. Our father is a die-hard Democrat. It must be the water in Kansas.

I rarely get through any visit with him without a political argument but I really don't need that tonight.

Dona nobis pacem.

He's having a ball with his "big board!"

The old-timers here in Arkansas say that back in the Faubus years, you couldn't find anyone who would admit to having voted for the guy and yet he won handily election after election.

I suspect that an Alabama voter called by a pollster would not admit to planning to vote for Moore but when s/he gets into the privacy of the voting booth will do so. Wednesday morning, you won't be able to find anyone to admit they voted for Moore and yet he will have been elected by a wide margin.

Yeah, I know. I'm a skeptic.

Dear Lord, for Tuesday's election in Alabama, we pray.

For a good turn out of African-Americans who do not think antebellum America was better than the America of today, we pray to the Lord.

For be a good turn out of decent people of all faiths (and those without faith) who know that preying on Children is disqualifying for public office, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of Republicans who know that if Moore wins, he will be an albatross hung around the neck of the Republican party for years, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of woman who have simply had enough of misogynists and sexual predators in public office, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of Alabamians who do not want to see their State stereotyped, we pray to the Lord.

For a good turn out of people of all political stripes who have had enough of the debasing of American politics, we pray to the Lord.

For your people to reject the blasphemy of your name for political advantage, we pray to the Lord.

Lord, hear our prayer.

Amen.

Feel free to adapt the prayer to match your faith. If you are without faith, be patient with mine.

Velshi & Ruhle ran a story today attacking occupational licensing. In a very one sided story, Velshi & Ruhle gave coverage only to the ALEC spokesman to attack States' occupational licensing.

We have been fighting this battle for Arkansas for four years. Every session, one of the ALEC-purchased legislators introduces legislation to do away with almost all professional and occupational licensing - no licensing for accountants, engineers, architects, etc. The theory is that if an unlicensed electrician burns down a couple houses, the market will take care of it.

There is no question but that States like Arkansas have some licensing requirements that make little sense. The solution is to look at these individually and correct any problems. The solution is not to loose untrained and unqualified people on an unsuspecting public.

Veshi and Ruhle presented only one side of the issue without any examination into what is being attempted by ALEC.

I am a big MSNBC fan - but they blew it this time.