2015 was not a great year for my family, nor was it all that great for most of the rest of you. Let's take a brief look back at the year that was 2015:
We had economy that was still bumping along 8 years after the bottom fell out in 2007 and it hasn't really recovered. Between a U6 unemployment rate that is far too high (~12%), a labor participation rate that is the lowest it's been in over 40 years and is still falling, and signs that we're about to enter yet another recession before fully recovering from the present one because of interference and gross mismanagement by the present administration. What's worse is that we're seeing the same kind of mistakes that were made before this recession being made again, and with the blessings of the Obama Administration.I could keep going on and on about 2015, but frankly it would be too depressing. Let's take a 'look' forward in the new year.
Obamacare is falling apart, never having lived up to any of the promises made by Obama and the Democrats. The decay has sped up with more exchanges going bankrupt with nothing to replace them. It has driven a lot of health care providers to leave the profession, put bigger strains on a health care system that has already been weakened by artificially induced shortages, and left countless millions stripped of health insurance they can no longer afford in order to provide coverage for those who didn't have such coverage before, leaving a net increase in the numbers without health insurance.
Congress has been a disappointment since the last election. The GOP holds majorities in the House and Senate and has not managed to do anything to rein in reckless and wasteful spending, knuckling under to The One in regards to that, deal with the illegal immigration issues, go after the rogue federal agencies that seem to be beholden to no one and nothing, even the US Constitution.
US foreign policy is a joke and has been for years. This past year has seen the reputation of the US further damaged by a weak 'lead from behind' mentality by the Obama Administration. No one takes us seriously anymore except our allies, and they know Obama will abandon them at the drop of a hat. He has forgotten the lesson of Teddy Roosevelt, one that Ronald Reagan took to heart: “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” It is better to be respected (and maybe feared) rather than be liked.
Another thing to be derided is the amount of military spending, cutting back in areas we need the most all while increasing spending in other areas that are, quite frankly, boondoggles that profit no one but the cronies. Apparently no one has studied history, specifically our own, to see where this will lead us – poorly equipped and supported armed forces incapable of deploying where needed in a timely fashion.
We have also suffered under yet another year of Obama's imperial presidency. Need I say more?
In regards to foreign relations and the War on Terror, there are only five words needed to define the coming year: This year will be worse.I wish I could have been more positive about my view to the near future, but unless we break the cycle of unwillingness for either party to truly compromise (meaning actual compromise and not the present “Sit down shut up, and vote the way I tell you to vote” version of compromise) we will not be able to undo the years of damage done by Obama and rebuild America's reputation amongst both its allies and adversaries.
When it comes to new decrees handed down by The One because Congress stands in his way of taking grossly unconstitutional actions, there are only five words needed to define the coming year: This year will be worse.
When it comes to dealing with the increasingly vile and deluded Social Justice Warriors, we'll see an all out war against them and the entire Social Justice movement, something long overdue.
And finally, the every-four-years political silly season will reach its peak and we will elect another president...whereupon three days after the election the next set of candidates will start planning their run for the 2020 election.