Well, here we are, struggling to smile as if we see an end to the gloom we’ve been living through in anticipation of something better.

But, isn’t this what we sort of dreamed about last year, even though we expected much less? I’ve lost a lot of my natural optimism and find it hard to summon much enthusiasm for a rearrangement of the national mood in America or a mending of the torn fabric of our society.  Although I’m not much for resolutions, because I know they seldom endure past the end of the month, I do have some hopes for this coming year and I am saying some prayers along with them.

I don’t watch as much news as I used to. When I do, I see that almost every story is defined for us by a team of democrat strategists and republican strategists. What I wish for is the emergence of some American strategists. You know, people who think like our last (and hopefully our next) president. People whose one desire is to see a resurgence of faith in our ability to generate success and security across the land and have that emotional prosperity spread around the world to deliver a vision of self-determination to all.

After mentioning democrat strategists, I wonder if anyone knows what their objective was in destroying our energy independence and driving so much wealth into the coffers of Russia and OPEC.  The answer is obscured by media but the result is obvious; we are paying $4 MILLION a day more for energy than we were a year ago when Joe Biden began his domestic abuse strategy. My wish for a sensible energy policy is to start being sensible.

While I’m on the subject of abuse; the democrat dream of erasing our borders has spread misery, pain and social destruction far and wide. The diabolical democrat strategy of using people as pawns to further their political agenda once hit hardest in our black population where poverty seems rooted, education seems unimportant and crime seems acceptable. Now, rather than admitting the failures of social engineering, liberals are working to expand its destructive culture far beyond what used to be our border. Human trafficking, drug smuggling, rape, murder, and death from thirst and starvation, have grown exponentially under “Border Czar” Kamala Harris. In my wildest dreams I couldn’t imagine what would compel a mother to simply give up her child to the coyotes that thrive on our weak leadership. My wish is that somehow, some way, this evil democrat/media campaign will come to an end.

It doesn’t stop there. When the great Covid scare jumped from health to politics, the emotional abuse it fostered was spread in ways we have yet to see. Businesses and jobs lost, fist fights on airplanes, jeering and taunting in markets and the humiliating display of our senile President sitting alone and wearing his mask while muttering through a scripted comment that no one can understand, or playing with his dog on a windswept beach brings face palms everywhere. But the images of Olympic medal winners, graduates, and even wedding parties in masks has me shaking my head. Wonderful memories erased with pictures that might as well be taken through an opaque shower door.

Recently, not far from my home, a middle-school boy won a statewide science competition for developing an innovative way to replant forests after fires or clear cuts. His idea of using a “potato shooter” to fire pointed biodegradable projectiles filled with soil and seed can reduce the labor toll of hand planting efforts in rugged terrain immeasurably. There was his picture, an apparently beaming young man in front of his science display, wearing a mask that blots out his identity and hides this proud moment from the children and grandchildren in his future. My wish is that the useless political campaign of obedience will come to an end this year – and never return.

Another thing, never to return in woke culture, seems destined to be women’s sports. From what I can tell, the women are willing to quietly give up all they have dreamed of, and worked for, rather than suffer the social abuse that would come with speaking up for themselves. If they were to stand together and refuse to compete against male beings claiming to be women, this controversy would die tomorrow and trans-leagues would subsequently follow. I wish that were the case.

For so many poor courses of action to be corrected, we must be involved with our elected officials, and join every effort we can, to produce a fair election in 2022. Alas, my optimism is often shattered by the reality of apathy or a response that goes no further than forwarding an email, sharing a meme, or taking the time to throw things off track by critiquing typos or punctuation errors. I am wishing for a more productive involvement from conservative neighbors in our American community this coming year.

Well, here we are, struggling to smile as if we see an end to the gloom of what we’ve been living through in anticipation of something better.

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Today’s Guest Opinion is written by Jim Boyer, the Panhandle Pundit; a life long ski bum and realistic environmentalist, retired building contractor and long time property rights advocate. Speech writer, marketing specialist in demographic targeting, public speaker –  has worked on local state political campaigns and held local public office.

Featured photo was provided by Jim Boyer for use in this article. All rights reserved.