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2024 In Review

By December 28, 2024Commentary

Well, it certainly is easier to talk about what did happen than predict what will happen.  I suppose the big event in the United States, and for the world, was Trump’s election.  I don’t know for sure what would have happened with Harris, but I suspect the same band of dunces would have been in charge.  The world would continue to become less safe as totalitarian nutbags in Russia, North Korea and Iran in particular, took advantage of our vacillation and weakness.  Our economy would continue to be burdened with expensive and stupid laws and regulations.  Our society would be focussed on what people look like and how they identify instead of the merits of what they know and do.

Other important events shaping the world are Israel’s relentless efforts to eliminate the real source of trouble in the Mideast–Iran and all its proxies.  This is a clear demonstration that sometimes crushing force is the only method for dealing with those who believe in nihilism–that violently wrecking everything is ok.  I don’t know what the Mideast will ultimately look like, but the more rational Arab and other countries in the region are likely happy to see the elimination of the nihilists and would welcome a change in Iran as well.  The uncertain support the Bidementia administration offered to Israel, as it sought Arab votes in Michigan, did not help and was disgraceful, as was the rampant anti-semitism visible on university campuses.

The ongoing war in Ukraine continues to reveal just how barbaric the Russian regime and frankly most Russian people are.  Putin fortunately is wasting immense human and economic resources in Ukraine, and his weakening is both good for the world but also dangerous, as he truly has no guardrails within Russia on his power and he has shown over and over a willingness to commit murder and sabotage on foreign soil.  The world will be a far better place when Putin is gone, but while he is here he is the number one threat to humanity.

I would like to say that 2024 became the year that woke identity politics and other far, far, far left whackoisms began to be forced into retreat, but I am not sure.  In the UK, Ireland and other countries, people are actually being prosecuted for exercising free speech like saying a man is a man or that some Muslims have dangerous beliefs.  In the US those ideologies are so deeply entrenched in our institutions–universities, the legal profession, the medical profession, even law enforcement–that it will take years of really concerted efforts to completely root them out and to create mechanisms to prevent any ideology from recapturing them.

And on my favorite bete noire, deficits and debt, not only was no progress made, we just piled another $2 trillion onto the debt, with no end in sight.  Interest rates and inflation stayed, and will stay, elevated, making the eventual resolution even more painful.

But hey, on the positive side, my Minnesota Vikings, against all odds, have been a really good team.  Just shows, you never really know what is going to happen and you can always work for and hope for the best.

Join the discussion 2 Comments

  • Mike M. says:

    “while he [Putin] is here he is the number one threat to humanity.”

    I don’t think so. Putin is a bad dude and a serious problem. But he is reasonably predictable and is not going to use nukes short of a major invasion of Russia. I don’t think we can say that with much confidence about Little Rocket Man.

    Putin wants to reestablish the Russian Empire. Xi aims for world domination by China.

    And who knows what the Ayatollah might do once he gets nukes. After all, his government is the sponsor of the Mid-East nihilists.

    So I think Putin is on the list, but not at the top.

  • Pamela Elbers says:

    Love reading your views! I agree 100%…as usual! So much else I could say on the condition of the Country, but it’s a nice day out here in Ca., and we’re going for a walk!

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