Isn’t that one of the most important teachings of Christianity? Treat others as you’d like them to treat you?

It’s the Christmas season when, supposedly, millions around the world honor the birth of Christ… buy practicing overindulgent and crass commercialism.  That’s not the way it’s supposed to be.

By way of full disclosure, I’m Jewish– a non-practicing Jew at that, but I think I’m more “christian” than most of those gift-hoarding hypocrites who only look out for their own best interests and don’t give a damn about their neighbors who are truly in need.

Yes, I’m a bit bitter.  I spent about 30 minutes on my show this morning talking with Cindy Paoletti, a “99er” who’s actually a 3 year-er.  Next Friday marks the third anniversary of the day she lost her job. JP Morgan Chase -her employer of 23 years (who got a lot of our taxpayer money) fired her, and sent her job to India.

Thanks to the Bush almost-a-depression-recession, she’s been unable to find work, along with millions of others.

President Obama is quacking about all the accomplishments we made in the lame duck session, and rightly so. But one group has been ignored, and they’re the ones who need our help most of all.

I’ll continue talking about the plight of the 99ers… the people who’ve exhausted their unemployment benefits and, this holiday season, will likely head to food banks and shelters.  This year, many of the letters to Santa are from kids not asking for toys, but for coats, shoes and food.

This is America? I’m sickened by it.

How do we fix it? I don’t know.  But this afternoon on The Randi Rhodes Show, my first guest will be Congressman Raul Grijalva, co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.  I was going to ask him about the state of the progressive movement as we close out 2010 and embark on a new year.  But instead, I will ask him what the House Progressive Caucus will do to help those most in need in this country.

We’ll also try to lighten up the mood this afternoon, our last live show before Christmas. (But I will be back in for Randi next week, Monday through Thursday too!)

Gotta Laff will join us from her home at the Political Carnival. She joins me for a weekly segment on my program, bringing us some of the under the radar stories we might otherwise have missed.  This afternoon, we’ll remember some of our favorites from the past year.

And although the news in 2010 has, at times, been rather grim, my friend John Fugelsang has the unique talent of being able to make us laugh at things that otherwise might make us cry.  He’ll do that for us this afternoon as well.

And we’ll listen back to the news from June 2010, as we wrap up the first half of our year-end rear view year in review!

Tomorrow, we’ll have “best of” shows on both mine and Randi’s programs…So, have yourself a merry little Christmas, Happy Festivus, whatever holiday you celebrate… or just have a great weekend. But remember… do unto others as you’d have them do unto you.

Talk to you next week.