No, Mitt Romney, This Isn’t Appropriate

This is not 'part of the democratic process.' It's not normal or acceptable. If you have trouble reading this message, view it in a browser.       No, Mitt, It's Not 'Appropriate' for the President to File Frivolous Lawsuits for a Month After the Election   There are few stronger brands in American politics these days than The Last Reasonable Republican, and no one covets the title quite like Senator Willard Mitt Romney of Utah. The man whom just a few years ago most mainstream Democrats regarded as a symbol of the irredeemable greed and callousness of the plutocratic class is now a sort of cherished liberal character, because he's a Republican who will occasionally do the absolute bare minimum with regard to shoring up our crumbling republic. Tuesday brought the latest iteration of the form, as Frank Thorp of NBC News recorded Romney's response to the growing noise among various congressmen from his own party about somehow challenging the Electoral College outcome in the House of Representatives."This is madness," Romney said, surely delighting Democrats thirsting for a Republican Voice of Reason. "We have a process, recounts are appropriate, going to the court[s] is approp[riate] & pursuing every legal avenue is appropriate, but trying to get electors not to do what the people voted to do is madness." He continued: "It would be saying, 'Look, let's not follow the vote of the people, let's instead do it what we want, that would not be the way a democratic republic ought to work." Then he said he was confident the gambit would fail, which feels both slightly presumptuous and a sad indictment in itself. But let's backtrack a moment, writes Politics Editor Jack Holmes. Read More           There's Evil, and Then There's Erik Prince   One thing we've learned over our four-year indenture to the rule of Camp Runamuck is that there is evil, there is Trump evil, and there is a level of evil beyond that, on which you find Erik Prince and his extended empire of spies and crooks and international ratfckers. (That's not even to mention his sister, who against all odds has survived for the full four years as Secretary of Education without learning anything at all about education.) The New York Times explains just how deeply Prince's tentacles have reached into conservative politics, which, at this point, are pretty well unredeemable on their best day. Here's Charles P. Pierce on how the rot goes so deep and has spread so widely that he's not sure it ever can be rooted out fully. Read More           The Heavy-Duty Corduroy Shirt to See You Through the Holidays—and Then Some   Sure, we've all been living in sweats for the last going-on-a-year, but swaddling yourself in fleece isn't the only path to sartorial solace—there's also something to be said for something weighty and tough. This shirt, cut from 9-ounce fabric, offers a substantial layer of protection between you and the world. And because it's finished with workwear-inspired detailing like those dual flapped chest pockets, it also aesthetically nods to that very idea. Now, that doesn't mean it's going to actually shield you from harm—much less a virus or your Great Aunt Barbara's anecdotes—but there's something to be said for a garment that can put you in the right headspace. And right now, "girded against the world but still celebratory" feels like a pretty perfect place to be. Here's Style Director Jonathan Evans on why Freeman's Sporting Club's new corduroy shirt is just right for right now. Read More           Three Winter-Friendly Outfits for Every Type of Cold Day   It's safe to say that, if pressed, most people wouldn't name winter as their favorite season. It's cold. It's wet. It's cold and wet. But you're not most people. See, winter is a fashion-lover's nirvana, and if the opportunity to throw on so many layers you don't know where your coat ends and your body begins isn't making you positively tingle with excitement, you need to step back and reassess your priorities, bro. We're serious. If you're not out here trying to look like the meme of Joey from Friends wearing a full wardrobe's worth of clothing, you're doing something very wrong. Layering is literally the only good part of the season. If you're having trouble feeling inspired, we whittled down your options to three absolutely smacking outfits—each comprised of a grip of cold-weather staples—to offer but a taste of what this season could have in store if you play your cards right. A specially curated medley of winter vibes, if you will. Because as soon as winter hits, the world really is your sartorial oyster—provided your fingers don't fall off before you have the chance hit that "post" button. So, from big-ass parkas to chunky knitwear to the luxest topcoats around (and pretty much every possible layer in between), here's where to begin your search. Read More           15 Last-Minute Gifts to Grab Before the Shipping Deadlines Hit   In the age of one-click Internet shopping, you've got no excuse for coming up short in the giving of gifts. But even now, time is a precious commodity—you don't want to waste it browsing, nor do you want to hang around the front door, eyes peeled for the UPS guy as the days left 'til the holidays tick away. Which is where we come in. Here are some stylish, no-fail, last-minute options to choose from, no matter the occasion and no matter who you're looking for. Each will get to you fast (thanks, Amazon), and in some cases, immediately, as is the beauty of subscription clubs and membership boxes. Take a look. You'll easily outdo your gift-giving efforts of years past. Read More           All of 2020's Coolest Tech, for Your Gift-Giving Pleasure   Over the past year, startups and massive corporations alike have kept up the tempo of new releases. Despite the pandemic, there are new gadgets to ooh and ahh and damnnn over, from the outlandish to the high-concept to the downright handy. Here are 27 of the most interesting we've seen and used (with some overlap with Esquire's 2020 Gadget Awards). Best case scenario, they are the kinds of gadgets that will make our lives more efficient, safer, and more entertaining in some neat way or another, and look cool in our homes while doing it. Worst case scenario, reading this article will for a few minutes quell the boredom of being perpetually stuck at home with only your Alexa and an outdated gaming console that is decidedly not a PS5 for company, watching everything outside go from bad to worse. Cool new technology reminds us that even as 2020 closes out, we humans can't help but invent, grow, and change. It's something bright worth keeping in mind. Read More         Read More on Esquire.com       Follow Us     Unsubscribe  Privacy Notice   esquire.com ©2020 Hearst Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Hearst Email Privacy, 300 W 57th St., Fl. 19 (sta 1-1), New York, NY 10019