SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET: 

NFL RATINGS KEEP SLIDING – FROM THE NEW YORK POST:   The TV audience for NFL games steepened its slide in week 11, losing a million viewers versus last year’s season-to-date average.  The 6.3-percent slump — worsening from comparable declines between 5.6 and 5.7 percent during the previous three weeks — plagued a week whose off-the-field drama made gridiron tackling seem almost tame by comparison.  The league doesn't seem to be doing much to solve the problem.  Indeed, it acts as if the NFL's problems are small and temporary.  We may be seeing the slow fade of America's favorite sport.  Not only is the audience smaller, but the passion just isn't there.  Playing to a half-empty stadium dents the morale. 

IT'S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE LAWSUITS – FROM CBS CHICAGO:   Companies are taking a cautious approach to holiday parties this year, given the recent climate of sexual harassment and misconduct.  The vice president of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, a Chicago-based human resource consulting company, says human resource executives across the country are feeling some trepidation about the annual company holiday party in the face of countless reports of inappropriate sexual contact in the workplace.  “It’s just such a big topic, it’s on everybody’s mind, and it’s particularly on the minds of HR executives that are often planning these parties,” Andrew Challenger said. “So they’re taking measures to create a safe environment for their employees, and I think it’s laudable, and it’s also a little disappointing.”
According to Challenger, Gray & Christmas’ annual survey on holiday party plans, 11 percent of employers will not hold a holiday party, while 80 percent will. However, fewer of those parties will serve alcohol, use caterers and other such services, or invite guests of employees to attend.  What's really on the minds of executives is lawsuits.  This current flood of sex charges may produce a new industry, and probably three new TV series, each about a "selfless, crusading lawyer determined to make the world safe for women and football players."

CASH-POOR DEMS – FROM DAILY WIRE:   The anti-Trump "Resistance" may still be active in some communities, but it's definitely not cutting any checks to the Democratic Party.  According to fundraising numbers released on Tuesday, the Democratic Party — and it's leader, Tom Perez — managed to raise only $3.9 million in October, one-third of the $9.2 million raised by the Republican National Committee. That's the worst October the DNC has had in more than 15 years.  October took the Republican Party out of debt; it's now raised $113.2 million for the year, with around $40 million ready in the bank for the 2018 mid-term elections. Democrats, meanwhile, have raised approximately half that — $55 million — and have only $5 million available for 2018 races. They're also still struggling with a whopping $3.2 million in debt from the 2016 campaign.  Maybe Hillary could write a check, in exchange for the 2020 nomination.

November 22,  2017