We made it, 2018 has come to an end and a new year is upon us. What a year it has been, with so much turmoil in Tallahassee and Washington it is hard to imagine what other shoes will drop in 2019. One thing is almost certain, the Muller investigation will come to an end (at least in part) and several people in the current administration who shouted “Lock Her Up” will likely be wearing orange jump suits, ironically behind bars themselves.
If nothing else, I have been glued to the cable news networks like I was suffering an addiction to a real-life telenovela. But here is the scary part, this is real, and people’s lives are being impacted by an erratic, egomaniac who sits in the oval office. NBC should let our President know that The Apprentice reality show was canceled years ago. His actions have consequences and people are literally dying at our borders trying to escape tyranny and corruption in their native lands. When they finally make it to the promised land, we call America. Many are shocked to find a new brand of discrimination and chaos as they stand in line for days if not weeks, clutching their children as they are ushered off to holding areas if, and only if, they are lucky enough to get past the ‘metering system’ to claim refugee status.
The Administration is apparently coming apart at the seams with more senior members of the Trump administration jumping ship as our international allies scratch their heads as insults are hurled at them. So, what does the Trump score card look like halfway though his first term? Let’s look at his accomplishments as reported in the Wall Street Journal:
- Withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
- Reversal of a rule that would mandate that oil and gas companies report payments to foreign governments.
- Revoked an executive order that mandated compliance by contractors with laws protecting women in the workplace.
- Canceled a phaseout of the use of private prisons.
- Overhauled and scaled down the Department of Justice and the State Department.
- Withdrew from the Paris climate agreement.
- Erased net neutrality rules established by the FCC under Obama.
- Withdrew troops from Syria effectively leaving it up to the Russians and Turks to wrap it up.
- Reversed an Obama ban on drilling for oil in the Arctic.
- Withdrew a rule regulating fracking on public land.
- Repealed a rule allowing transgender individuals to serve in the military.
- Withdrew federal protections for transgender students in schools.
- Ended the declaration of June as Pride Month
What will 2019 bring? Who knows, but one thing is certain, America is resilient. We have been tested like never before and we are still going strong. I like to say, “we are shaken but not stirred”. The rule of law will prevail, and justice will be served (eventually). We will emerge stronger and wiser as a nation with checks and balances being restored in congress. So, chin up, it was a bumpy ride, but 2019 looks promising if we all stick together and do what’s right!
