I won’t spend a lot of time on this. We’ll be digesting it. Some of us are happy. Some of us are appalled. Some of us, well, we’re just entertained.

Frank will have lots to say about this, probably Monday, based on his Twitter feed. But, for now, I’m going to follow IMAO commenter Jimmy’s suggestion and open this up for comments.

Yes, it’s Saturday night. There could be some things said in the heat of liquor that need to be corrected tomorrow. But, for now, it’s an open thread.

What do YOU think about the primary results? Or the races ahead?

Jonah Goldberg has a great idea: Spend the day making stuff up. No one will be able to disprove you.

* Newt built a little momentum from slapping down Obama as the “food stamp president”, but it still isn’t going to happen. Intrade has Romney at 91.2% chance of being the nominee, and at this point it doesn’t matter what cool line someone can come up with; the only way Romney could be stopped is to have some sort of epic stumble heretofore unknown. Like video of him running over a poor person in a limousine while laughing… but Romney has been very careful never to let that be videotaped.

Plus, I just don’t trust Newt. One day he’s an awesome conservative, the next day he’s worried Paul Ryan’s necessary budget plan is too harsh and mean. And then he’s throwing red meat to the right just before attacking capitalism in the form of the investment firm Romney worked for. I like one Newt, but I’m scared of the other. Can’t elect Newt unless we know which one we’ll get.

* How do you know you’re super radical fringe? Even Nancy Pelosi is trying to distance herself from you. Yes, suddenly Democrats are realizing that maybe a bunch of violent, incoherent hippies is not the path to reelection. Still, they keep Nancy Pelosi around, which means they haven’t quite figured out how to become appealing to the general public.

* Wisdom of the Day from M:

If you take the word “spatula” out of the dictionary it’s just a list of things that aren’t spatulas.

* Man, I’m just out of stuff to say today. Stupid news; be more interesting.

Isn’t there something just so reassuring about a career politician? He has never worried about “profit” or “efficiency” or “success”; his every job has involved only helping people.

Read and be ensmartened.

Has anyone else noticed that Michelle Obama’s eyebrows run at opposite angles to her brow ridges, making it look like she has two x’s above her eyes?

It’s like Beaker was on vacation and Dr. Bunsen Honeydew had a bad accident with her at Muppet Labs.

By the way, from now on, you’ll be helpless to keep from noticing Michelle’s XX problem in every picture you see of her. Sorry about that.

Bonus question: what was originally in the background before they the White House web-nerds photoshopped in the out-of-focus stockings and Christmas tree?

For the first time since they started the BCS, a non-conference champion won the title game. And, unless you count the Bowl Alliance (1995-1997 seasons), it was the first time the SEC champion lost the “title game.”

But was it really a title game?

A lot of people seemed to be upset that Alabama, which didn’t win its conference — heck, it didn’t even win its division — was even in the title game.

Of course, I don’t remember hearing all those people piss and moan when Oklahoma played in the title game in 2004 (2003 season) even though they got beat by Kansas State in the Big 12 title game. LSU ended up beating the Sooners in the National Championship Game.

I also don’t remember a bunch of whining when Nebraska was in the title game in 2002 (2001 season) when they didn’t qualify for the Big 12 title game. Miami beat the Huskers in the National Championship Game.

But, this time, the non-conference champ beat the team that “deserved” to be there, unlike the two Big 12 teams from the 2001 & 2002 seasons.

Of course, this was a rematch from a game played earlier in the year. That’s never happened before. Unless you count the 1997 Bowl Alliance title game (1996 season) between Florida and Florida State. FSU won the regular season finale, but Florida won the rematch in the National Championship Game.

So what happened — a non-conference champ in the game and a rematch in the game — has happened before. All this whining should have happened the first time one of these things happened. Or the second. Or the third. Waiting until the fourth is a little late.

What should have happened? There should have been a playoff. The 11 conference champions and the top five non-conference champions should have been placed in a pool of 16. Like I wrote about here. Then, the two teams that are still standing after that have shown they deserve to be there. Who knows what would have happened? We may have had an Alabama-LSU rematch. Or, a game between Oklahoma State and Boise State.

Will a playoff happen? No, because a true championship isn’t the goal of the people in charge.

So, we’re stuck with a very imperfect system. Sort of like how we pick presidential candidates.

Anyway, now Romney is expected to sew up his inevitability soon. Intrade has him at over 90% chance to win New Hampshire, and that will probably be about it already.

So do you guys like Romney? Okay, but can you tolerate him? Sure you can.

* Iowa was supposed to be Ron Paul’s big day, but he ended up taking third by winning hugely among the non-Republicans voting in a Republican primary. He also did well in the youth vote, also known as morons.

Still, third is a respectful finish… which makes Iowa less respectful for giving it to him. So will Ron Paul be able to build off his momentum and attract more crazy to propel him to the win? Probably not. If only real life were an online poll that nuts with lots of time on their hands could game.

* As for the other candidates, Gingrich seems angry he came fourth, Rick Perry came fifth and his “reassessing” his campaign, and Michelle Bachman came in last — after having won the Iowa straw poll — but claims she’s going to continue her campaign (though it’s starting to look otherwise). Oh, and I guess Huntsman is still around who has been concentrating all his time on New Hampshire. He’s the one not-Romney who hasn’t had his time in the sun yet. Will he surprise everyone in New Hampshire and get the desperate votes of everyone still hoping to stop Mitt? Probably not. We tried to stop Romney and failed, people. We can just hope Obama does no better.

* John McCain has endorsed Mitt Romney. So if you were worried that Romney is some sort of RINO squish, that should allay your fears.

* Obama is putting his campaign theme together that he hopes will propel him to victory. Here’s one that might work for him: “Know what’s annoying? Jobs.”

* The Pentagon is abandoning the idea they should be able to wage two wars at once. So if we’re already in one war and you try to war against us, you’re going to be put on hold.

* Things have seemed pretty bad in the world lately, but there is still innovation. For instance, we now have Scotch in a can! Just what a desperate people were waiting for: 12 ounces of Scotch in a non-resealable container. You get the alcohol content of eight beers in a single can, so less waste to hurt the environment.

Seems kind of low class though. It’s certainly not sophisticated as cognac in a can.

* A Marine, going off faulty information on the internet, thought he could legally carry in New York City, and when he tried to check his gun at the Empire State Building in an attempt to comply with laws, he wound up arrested and may face fifteen years in prison. Good job gun laws protecting us from law abiding citizens who will volunteer they have a firearm when asked.

We’re now past forty states with right to carry, so shouldn’t we be shaming these last few holdouts the way we would places that still support segregation? This is America; we should have no tolerance for being backwards on the concept of liberty.

* Wisdom of the Day from Sarah:

I didn’t realize Ron Paul had a wife. I kind of thought he was like Papa Smurf.

Cross-posted at America is an Obamanation!

I hereby resolve to:

• do a better job of helping out around the house
• be respectful of liberals
• not think everyone who voted for Obama is an idiot
• not throw rocks at the neighbors’ dogs
• not make fun of rednecks
• not make fun of yankees
• not think everyone who voted for Obama is a moron
• be a role model for children
• pay attention when my wife is talking
• apologize when I’m wrong
• compliment people more often
• become a serious blogger
• stop recycling old posts
• not think everyone who voted for Obama is a dumbass
• sprout wings and fly

Best wishes for a safe, prosperous, and happy 2012.

There’s been a backlash, of course. Which means they won’t be able to sell quite as many Thin Mints or Do-Si-Dos as they have in the past.

Since the Girl Scouts (the organization) seems to pander to the left, perhaps they’ll have some new cookie offerings this year.

Maybe some of these:

• Samoa Money From Soros
• Bitches!
• Taxalongs
• Dulce En Los Mocasines
• Obamas
• Come Outs!
• Promover El Aborto
• Fagalongs

I wonder what other new cookie varieties we’ll see from the Girl Scouts now that their left-wing bias is no longer secret. Ideas?

I’m not going to steal all of Woody’s thunder, but I will list a couple here. Then, I’ll ask for more suggestions.

He’s got more. I didn’t even steal the best one.

Now, here’s where I could use your help. I want some suggestions for bumper stickers. You can make your own images and post them, or just suggest a sticker. They don’t even have to be about Ron Paul.

NOTE: Oh, by the way. How much you want to bet that a bunch of Ron Paul nuts come by and don’t offer bumper sticker suggestions, but instead start spouting whatever the current Ron Paul Talking Points are?

When people are hopeful, they’ll bypass all their reservations about a new candidate (that’s how Obama got elected).
A potato could run against Obama, and people would say, “Well, a potato won’t increase spending or raise taxes. In fact, a potato could be the next Calvin Coolidge!” That’s why Obama has to crush all hope and make people believe that, as bad as things are, this is as good as it gets no matter who is president. Plus, a potato is a racist.

If you don’t know what a President of All Presidents is, you haven’t read Axe Cop: Bad Guy Earth, and I pity you.

Here’s how we determined this list. You know at the bottom of each post, you can rate the posts from 1 (“Hated it”) to 5 (“Awesome”) stars? Well, we looked at the posts from the past year, limiting the list to posts with 30 or more ratings. Then, we took the highest rated ones, and are presenting them here. We’re not ranking them from 1-10, but simply presenting a chronological listing of the top ten posts of the year, as you, the IMAO reader, rated them.

• Doesn’t ANYONE Like This Woman…
  Posted by Harvey on February 11
• Who Are the Koch Brothers
  Posted by Frank J. on February 24
• Where Did Obama Grow Up?
  Posted by Frank J. on March 3
• Fred Phelps vs Paul of Tarsus
  Posted by Basil on March 7
• Is He Sure About This?
  Posted by Harvey on April 4
• In My World: Let Them Eat Hybrids
  Posted by Frank J. on April 8
• The Left’s Problem with Trig
  Posted by Frank J. on April 25
• Callooh! Callay!
  Posted by Frank J. on May 2
• Need More Borders for Obama
  Posted by Frank J. on May 20
• Liberal logic
  Posted by Basil on October 29

Are these really the best of the best? According to your voting, yes. If there were some posts during 2011 that you thought were better than these, feel free to leave a comment telling about your favorite.

And, if you don’t bother to rate posts, well, just like in the presidential election, if you don’t bother to vote, don’t complain about the results.

Still, this list of ten is a pretty good list. Even if a couple of mine made the list. (That’s just motivation for Frank to write better stuff. Or to rate my stuff with one star.)

By the way, in the sidebar on the right, Frank keeps a running list of the top rated posts of all-time. Well, since IMAO went to WordPress in 2008, anyway. You can always check out the classics there.

Oh, one other thing. I wish I had some hard statistics on comments. Some of the comments left this year were fantastic. In addition to writing the occasional post here, I am a long-time reader of IMAO, and I’ve always enjoyed the comments here. I want to thank you for providing me with some laughs, too.

The Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2

1. And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.
2. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
3. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David
5. To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.
6. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14. Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse; The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds, While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads; And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, had just settled down for a long winter’s nap, When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of mid-day to objects below, When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer, With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name: “Now, Dasher! Now, Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! On, Comet! On Cupid! On, Donder and Blitzen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly, When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky, so up to the house-top the coursers they flew, With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too. And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof the prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my hand, and was turning around, down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound. He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot, and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot; A bundle of toys he had flung on his back, and he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes — how they twinkled! His dimples how merry! His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry! His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow, and the beard of his chin was as white as the snow; The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth, and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly, that shook, when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly. He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf, and I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself; A wink of his eye and a twist of his head, soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work, and filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk, Laying his finger aside of his nose, And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle, and away they all flew like the down of a thistle. But I heard him exclaim, as he drove out of sight,

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

SarahK is busy changing diapers and cleaning house and baking pecan pie for Frank. Being a mom is hard work. Having two children around the house (a 14-month old and a 378-month old) is tiring.

Mr. Right has popped up, and may show up again. But, it’s hard always being Mr. Right.

Harvey … well you just never know. He stays busy and doesn’t check in here as much as we’d like.

SpaceMonkey? With Frank not around for a few days, he won’t be checking in and correcting Frank’s spelling. He’s a busy guy, has kids, and this time of year is busy for normal people, much less for Cosmic Simians.

And, of course, we haven’t seen hide nor hair of the others for a while. Around here, anyway.

Me? I’m traveling this weekend, spending Christmas with my son. First time in years we’ve spent Christmas together.

What’s all this got to do with anything? Well, it kept me from beginning a post like this:

We’ve all got better things to do than deal with you, so entertain yourselves. But, in the spirit of Christmas, be nice, be charitable, and share with others.

Share your favorite blogs, news items, stories, thoughts, and such with others. Maybe even things that would be great Christmas gifts for others. (Keep it nice if it’s for a Republican presidential candidate; reserve any venom for the other side. For this post, anyway.)

Maybe list things that you’d like to give the president (you dont’ have to be so nice there; we do have an agenda here, after all). Like a wedgie. Or a brain.

Or, gift ideas for others. Use your imagination.

If you want to be all nice and syrupy and give honest, heart-felt greetings, you can. But, there are two opportunities for that: there’s a Christmas Eve post tonight (“A Visit from St. Nicholas”) and a Christmas morning post (Luke 2:1-14). Those are already scheduled to appear, at 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM, respectively. But, if you can’t wait until then, go ahead here.

Give the gift of … well, whatever it is you call it.

This year, why not give the gift that keeps on taking?

Presenting, “Occupy Santa Claus Lane”…

Featuring more wonderful seasonal songs that never once mention what’s-his-name’s supposed birthday, sung by the #OWS Glee Club. Like:

Occupy Santa Claus Lane

Twinkles Bells

The Little Drummer Circle

Violent Night

Also featuring some other wonderful new carols sung by many prominent progressive guest artists, such as these:

ROD BLAGOJEVICH:
Blago the Big-Haired Jailbird

JOE BIDEN:
God Love Ya, You Merry Taliban!

JON CORZINE:
It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Larceny

ERIC HOLDER & THE ATF CHOIR:
Gun-Walking in a Border Wonderland

ANTHONY WEINER:
#Hacked! The Pantsless Congressman Tweets

And much, much more!

Best of all, you can just charge the cost of your purchase to somebody else! Order now!

And don’t forget to check out our past favorites:

The First Nobel (2009)

A Solstice Carol (2010)

Cross-posted at America is an Obamanation!

So, despite Barack Obama being born August 4, 1961 in Honolulu, the trees are trimmed with decorations celebrating Him during this holiday season.

What?

Christmas tree? What Christmas tree?

Oh, that thing in front of the U.S. Capitol? Yeah, some people still call it by that archaic name, but we can’t have anything related to this “Christ” person, because of the Separation of Church and State that’s in the Constitution, so…

What?

Oh, it’s in there. Somewhere. Let me look.

Okay, it’s not in the first seven articles. Maybe it’s in one of the amendments. Ah, here it is.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion…

See? Oh, wait. It goes on.

…or prohibiting the free exercise thereof

Well, that’s not it. But everybody knows it’s in there, even if nobody can find it. And, as a result, we can’t have a tree that celebrates this Jesus person.

But, the Constitution doesn’t say we can’t celebrate Obama. In fact, it says we have to. I think that’s in the Commerce Clause or something. Or maybe it’s in the Right to Privacy section. But it’s got to be in there.

So, in celebration of Barack Hussein Obama, we urge you to take that tree you have in your house and get rid of anything that has a Jesus implication. Like Angels. Except Albert Pujols. You can keep him.

And watch that Santa stuff. We don’t want children getting the idea that Santa brings them things, when everyone knows Obama is responsible for the stuff you have. He lets you keep some things, and we are beholden to him for that. So don’t confuse the kiddies with that silly Santa nonsense.

We know that some traditions die hard. So, if you want to have something from that Bible book on it, maybe something from Psalms. Number 19 would be good:

The decrees of the LORD are firm, and all of them are righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold

See, that could apply to Obama, so it would be okay. But, you got to be careful. You don’t want people reading something into it and get the idea that there could be worship going on. Unless it’s worshiping Obama, which is good. And right. And required.

What if you don’t have a tree? Because you’re a Jew or a Muslim or a Jehovah’s Witness or an atheist or a Pastafarian or something else? Simple. Go get one. Gaia won’t mind you cutting down a tree for something as important as Obama. And put up your Obama tree. Like the U.S. Capitol did.

And, be sure to have ornaments that actually mention Obama. But not Jesus.

We don’t want to forget the reason for the season.

“Still, we’re assured of how smart Obama is and that he’ll tell us his next genius idea as soon as he gets his tongue unstuck from the flagpole.”

In other news, Westwood One, the company that got Doug’s show produced in the first place, was purchased by media conglomerate Dial Global, who has chosen not to renew Doug’s contract. The show ends production sometime in the next 3 or 4 weeks. I don’t have a specific end date yet.

As for me, Dial will likely shuffle me off to one of its other programs to do web work. No word on what that might be, yet.

Meanwhile, enjoy the Douggy goodness while it lasts.

From the audio files:

1) “…First thing that’s going to happen [on election day 2012] is the paper-shredders in Washington are going to start revving up… The second thing that’s going to happen is a lame duck President, like Obama… he will inflict as much damage as fast as he can…”

2) “…[Obama's Thanksgiving] remarks were completely void of any religious references, although Thanksgiving is a holiday that traditionally is steeped in giving thanks and praise to God…”

3) “…I do not know why everyone except for the President does not fly commercial. If it’s good enough for you and me… if it’s safe enough, then why the heck aren’t they doing it?…”

4) “…The Supreme Court is reviewing Obamacare… Some people on the left – the Obama White House possibly amongst them – believe that this situation is a win-win for Obama…”

More audio clips here.

And for those who would rather read than listen, gems-a-plenty:

1) “The gloves are off. We have a choice in 2012. We can choose to be a country of economic growth, employment, low taxes, and low debt. Or you can vote for liberals, and if they win, we can continue down the road of economic stagnation, unemployment, food stamps, high taxes, and high debt.”

2) “The Thanksgiving holiday is a symbol of the fact that consumption is the result and reward of production. Sadly, in Europe they don’t have anything like this, as either a holiday or an idea.”

3) “When Obama hears the word ‘Thanksgiving,’ he thinks it’s a national holiday for people to give thanks to him.”

4) “Obama’s is trying to run on all kinds of different things. He’s operating on what I call the ‘spaghetti theory’ – you throw a plate of spaghetti against the wall and you see what sticks. Because he’s got nothing to run on because he can’t run on his record.”

5) “I suspect that Mitt Romney’s hairstyle represents the most consistent view he’s ever had.”

6) “This super committee failure is deliberate campaign politics. Obama’s rotten economy, his rotten performance on jobs, is something he wants to run on as if it were the Republicans all along, for the past three years, who’ve stood in the way of him making the economy recover.”

7) “We are watching right now the fight for communism to succeed at the world’s dominant power, which defies logic. Because it’s deadly, it’s violent, it has nothing attractive about it other than the vanity of the human beings involved in it.”

8) “Obamacare is 2700 pages long. It’s indecipherable. It’s complicated to a degree that it is hard for the average person to even fathom it. And this severs the link between law and the average citizen. It makes it impossible for the law to be something that the citizenry can even know or understand to any reasonable degree.”

9) “I’m not against hospice care. What I’m against is the way Obamacare pushes doctors to use it as execution care.”

10) Obama talks about America as if he’s some outside observer, like some outside commentator. Every time Obama talks about Americans, he exclusively talks about them in trite, condescending stereotypes, almost as if everything he knows about America and Americans were something he learned second-hand.”

I know it’s a cliche to quote “Atlas Shrugged” in relation to the Obama administration, but #8 puts me in mind of this paragraph on the REAL reason for passing abominable laws like Obamacare (emphasis added):

“Did you really think that we want those laws to be observed?” said Dr. Ferris. “We want them broken. You’d better get it straight that it’s not a bunch of boy scouts you’re up against – then you’ll know that this is not the age for beautiful gestures. We’re after power and we mean it. You fellows were pikers, but we know the real trick, and you’d better get wise to it. There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What’s there in that for anyone? But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted – and you create a nation of law-breakers – and then you cash in on guilt. Now that’s the system, Mr. Rearden, that’s the game, and once you understand it, you’ll be much easier to deal with.”

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – A PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks – for His kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of His providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which He hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

GO. WASHINGTON.

On this Thanksgiving Day, we hope you will take the time to consider the blessings that you have received, to give thanks for those blessings, and that you may be an instrument of blessing to others.