The coming year will be a very telling time period for the
future of our country. The 2012 election left Washington with the Republicans
in control of the House of Representatives and the Democrats in control of the
White House and the Senate. Both claim voter support for their positions.
As I mentioned in last month’s column, a slim majority of our country voted last November for a President intent on having a small percentage of our citizens pay even more for government aid and entitlements for the growing percentage of our country relying, in part, on Uncle Sam.
The question for our country, and my second prediction for 2013, is whether that slim majority’s vote is the new norm or was it just a vote against a Republican candidate who did not properly present his vision for our future. I choose the latter and predict the Republican brand will come back as voters experience the ramifications of President Obama’s economic and foreign policy decisions.
My first prediction for 2013 is that it is time for another voice From The Right to speak out on behalf of conservatives in DRW Magazine. I think my thoughts and positions are pretty well known and predictable after opining in this magazine throughout President Bush’s second term and President Obama’s first term. I look forward to providing my final words of wisdom next month.
As for the rest of 2013, I predict the following:
Economy
With tax rates increasing on high income individuals, on small businesses, on estates, and on savings and investments, the economy will sputter along in 2013 despite tremendous pent up demand for goods and services because the money will still not be there for individuals to afford those items. Continued easy money from the Federal Reserve will somewhat help the housing and auto industries as income starved consumers will still have low interest loans and leases available to them. But the defense industry with its thousands of suppliers and the medical equipment industry will both retract this year causing a notable decrease in our nation’s GDP.
Unemployment will continue to drop slightly month over month as government jobs increases now that property tax revenues are again on the rise in most states. Business employment will remain mixed although I predict the ongoing shift to a part-time workforce will continue now that Obamacare has given economic incentives to do so.
Sadly, President Obama who has less of an understanding of economics than my kids, will continue to borrow 40 cents of every 1 dollar spent by the federal government. He will get political support from the media for agreeing to some “cuts” over 10 years that will be nothing more than an accounting trick. But most of those cuts will simply go to the burgeoning cost of Obamacare as insurance exchanges start ramping up later this year.
Domestic Policy
2013 will be another banner year for liberals as more states enact laws to legalize same sex marriages, Obama will push Congress to support the new dope laws in Colorado and Washington states, the faux battle over “women’s rights” will continue as the Supreme court hears another challenge to forcing employers to cover contraceptives, and an initially non-partisan effort on gun control will turn mean spirited as the country comes to terms with the tragic and tearful murder of innocent children in Newton, CT
Perhaps the biggest issue which our country will face in the coming year is how to finally deal with securing our country’s borders and figuring out a way for illegal immigrants to continue to contribute to our country without being sent home. I believe that children under 18 will be the first to be given a path to citizenship in 2013 while their parents and extended family members will have to wait until after the 2014 election for a solution to their status as the Republicans will never give immediate voting rights to 20 million illegal aliens and Democrats will keep pushing the issue for political gain until they again control the House, the Senate, and the White House.
Foreign Policy
I will give Hillary Clinton credit for putting her personal health and life at risk on behalf of our country as she has traveled to more foreign countries more times than any recent Secretary of State I can remember. But I believe her positions – and those of her expected successor Senator John Kerry – will continue to be bad for our country in 2013. When the Egyptian citizens recently protested their new Muslim Brotherhood President Morsi’s efforts to dictate policies and laws at his own discretion, Hillary said nothing. Just as she and President Obama said nothing when Iranian citizens protested the re-election of Ahmadinejad four years ago.
Our foreign policy under Obama and Clinton/Kerry will continue to put our country at risk of being marginalized on the world stage when it comes to stopping Iran from getting a bomb, from letting the wrong side take over Syria, and from stopping the UN’s push to Palestinian statehood with Jerusalem as its capital.
Happy New Years to you and yours! May your 2013 be as fruitful
and enjoyable as possible!
