Happy New Year to all and good-bye to 2016

Happy New Year to all, and good-bye to a very hectic 2016. 
The lessons of 2016, and the failures of the nine years seven years, must not be forgotten in the New Year.  Why do I say nine years rather than eight?  Do you remember what George Bush during his last few months in office?   As I recall, he caved to everything Democrats wanted.

In the New Year, politicians in Washington must be ready to say, “We cannot afford it.”  The national debt surpassed $19 trillion earlier this year. Unless we change course, it will rise to nearly $30 trillion over the next decade.  

In the New Year, we have to restore America’s role as a global leader.  President Obama’s failed foreign policy created a void of American leadership, which resulted in the world being a much more dangerous place.  We have to develop a real strategy to defeat ISIS and deal with the multitude of threats we face from all corners of the globe.

In the New Year, we must restore law and order.  Obama’s domestic polices have been even worse than his foreign policies.   His war against our Police began as soon as he took office, and never let up.  His policies have created a bigger divide in this country than has existed since the Civil War.  

In the New Year, we need to advance conservative ideas and principles, by nominating and confirming Judges to the Supreme Court, and other Courts, who will be steadfast in support of the United States Constitution and our Founding Principles.

In the New Year, we the American people demand real change in the way Washington does business.  Come January, an outsider businessman who is listening to the people will be in the White House.   He is surrounding himself with a dream team of policy experts, many of whom have spent most of their careers outside of the Washington bubble.

In all my 78 years, I have never been happier to welcome in a new year, and I hope and pray this new Administration lives up to my expectation.

When Trump is sworn in on Jan. 20, and Republicans in the Senate will spend the first few weeks of his presidency pushing to confirm his Cabinet picks.  Democrats changed the rules and curbed the filibuster in 2013, making it easier for Republicans to move nominations.   Apparently they were so confidant they would remain in power, they were not concerned this might end up biting them in the butt.

But even though they won't be able to block Trump's nominees, Democrats have pledged to fight many of them anyway, highlighting what they say is the hypocrisy of Trump's populist message and his wealthy, corporate-favoring nominees for several posts.

Happy New Year to all and good-bye to the old year.