It’s New Year’s Eve. Another year is over.
And what a year! Not only did America not make progress, we woke every day to the rantings and transgressions of a profoundly ignorant, senile, mentally-ill maniac who–to our everlasting national shame–occupies the Oval Office.
The good news is that the Resistance grew stronger throughout the year. Seven million genuine patriots turned out for No Kings Day, and smaller protests around the country have continued weekly. The lower federal courts have continued to block the unconstitutional efforts to turn America into a fascist state. Jimmy Kimmel is still on the air, thanks to the millions of Americans who expressed their displeasure by dropping their Disney subscriptions. Democrats over-performed dramatically in virtually every election held in 2025, from school boards to governors. Law firms that “bent the knee” lost partners and clients to those that refused to do so. Even Rightwing pollsters show Trump’s approval far, far underwater–and continuing to decline. And the MAGA movement’s bigots are fighting each other.
All of that is good.
If we can hang on, minimize the ongoing, daily damage being done by this inept, lawless administration (and avoid a “wag the dog” war with Venezuela) maybe we can make it to the midterms and a big Blue wave. As we enter 2026, I’ve got my fingers crossed, hoping for an even more robust resistance. (Not just my fingers; I bought a voodoo doll…)
In what I think is a good sign, the Chattering Classes are beginning to focus on the “after”–on the reforms that will be necessary when this period of insanity is over. I think it’s another good sign that the conversation isn’t about returning to an admittedly non-ideal status quo. After all, if America hadn’t had genuine problems with our governance, if we hadn’t closed our collective eyes to the glaring evidence of economic unfairness, if we hadn’t ignored the growing lack of civic literacy and engagement, it’s unlikely that Trump would ever have been elected.
If we are very fortunate, and we emerge from the current nightmare having learned some valuable civics lessons, there will inevitably be arguments about what the necessary reforms should be. There is some uniformity on the structural side–guaranteeing the right to vote, overturning Citizens United, and getting rid of gerrymandering, the filibuster and the Electoral College, for starts.
And perhaps–just perhaps–we will have been sufficiently chastened by this current, profoundly embarrassing interregnum to admit to ourselves that America is far from “Number One” in social policy, and that we could learn a lot from those “high tax” countries whose citizens regularly rank as far happier than we are.
A resident of one of the Scandinavian countries was recently quoted pointing out something I’ve frequently noted: our fixation on “low taxes” ignores what he called the “real life” tax. As he said, when you add what we pay in taxes to what we pay for health insurance (and copays), college tuition and daycare (all of which are “free” in his country, in the sense that they are benefits paid for through their taxes), Americans not only end up paying considerably more than the citizens of those “high tax” countries, but our access to medical care, college and daycare is unequal. (When it comes to health care, our fragmented system also loses the substantial economies of scale–which is why we pay far more for far less than any other first-world country.)
Right now, of course, Americans aren’t debating policies, governmental or social. Right now, we’re just hoping to emerge from this cold civil war with enough of our constitutional infrastructure intact to make reform possible. So here’s my wish for the coming year: that the resistance continues to grow, that there is a huge Blue wave in November, and that an re-invigorated House and Senate discharge their constitutional duties of oversight and impeachment.
(Meanwhile, witch that I am, I’ll keep sticking pins in that voodoo doll…)
Keep up the witching. I’d say be sure to put a pin or more into the doll’s head, but it’s basically empty and maybe a little sawdust would fall out.
But fixing what’s been broken IS the thing for the coming year. Your paragraph about what needs fixing first is critical: “After all, if America hadn’t had genuine problems with our governance, if we hadn’t closed our collective eyes to the glaring evidence of economic unfairness, if we hadn’t ignored the growing lack of civic literacy and engagement, it’s unlikely that Trump would ever have been elected.”
Let’s encourage our rational and non-corrupt representatives to write the lesson plan for all of the above. Get the 20% of eligible people in your area REGISTERED to vote. That’s lesson #1.
Excellent post! Happy New Year! May sanity, democracy and decency outweigh the negatives that Trump and he s syncopates have endorsed!
I will sleep through the crossover from Trump’s year one to year two of this second term but will wake with little, if any, hope for noticeable change in my daily life. My 2026 will begin with lowered Social Security and retirement income, by only a few dollars but as the saying goes, “It’s the principle that counts.” Being the only one with principles in this issue keeps me in the position of victim of Trump’s “thriving economy”. Locally I woke to the news that Circle Centre Mall is closing the remaining open doors of that 1990’s misbegotten Republican salvation of this city. Will Trump rename the facility and sell his golden wares through that location and force another Redistricting vote on the state with the profits?
“If we are very fortunate, and we emerge from the current nightmare having learned some valuable civics lessons, there will inevitably be arguments about what the necessary reforms should be.” Indiana has spoken, three times, on Trump’s demand for Redistricting; will he find a way to punish local Republicans by ending federal funding into the entire state and discount us as a Red State?
We can hope that the MAGA infighting reaches a self-destructive level “…and that an re-invigorated House and Senate discharge their constitutional duties of oversight and impeachment.” “Hope” is still free and Trump has found no way to fire the hopeful or to tax us for hanging onto what we have left to fight with.
I can’t even force myself to wish you a phony Happy New Year; just hang on as best you can.
Sheila, or Black Magic Woman, writes, “…we pay far more for far less…”.
That is late-stage capitalism in a nutshell. Due to all the mergers and acquisitions allowed by our federal government, competition is a thing of the past. Price fixing is our reality. Healthcare needs to be socialized, but I don’t see our version of the Democratic Party doing anything like that. Hell, the study they completed about the 2024 election was destroyed once it was finished because “They didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.” #pathetic
As Doug Macgregor told Judge Nap, 2026 will see the USA’s wheels coming off as we ignore our inevitable economic collision with reality. There are so many subject areas we could discuss that are pressure points, but I will wait till they unfold next year.
As a hint, who in the world made the call to attack Putin’s location while Trump told him to “wait around for a couple of hours and I’ll call you back.” Trump? Zelenskyy? LOL
No, that is a decision made by an “entity” that wants to sabotage the peace process in Ukraine. Who reaps the benefit of making Zelenskyy and Trump look like idiots? We await Putin’s response…
And speaking of “entities,” those who questioned my comment about ISIS funding need only search for Bibi Netanyahu, June, ISIS. He used Daesh to attack Hamas in Gaza. His famous line, “…we activated clans in Gaza that oppose Hamas. What’s wrong with that?”
The CIA/MI6/Mossad funds and manipulates many nefarious groups around the world to accomplish their goals. Obama had American soldiers or mercenaries embedded in North Syria pretending to be ISIS, and Putin warned him that all ISIS warriors would be attacked in this area. Amazingly, Obama was able to withdraw ISIS from their camps. LOL
Before we killed Osama bin Laden, al-Qaeda was an ally in the region. If you think the Anglo-Zionist Empire will admit to its wrongdoings, you’re naive.
As my mother used to say – “From your mouth to G-d’s ears.” Thank you Sheila for keeping us consistently informed. Wishing you and your family a Happy & Healthy New Year – and here’s to that Big Blue Wave!
As my mother used to say – “From your mouth to G-d’s ears.” Thank you Sheila for keeping us consistently informed. Wishing you and your family a Happy & Healthy New Year – and here’s to that Big Blue Wave!
Thank you, Sheila, for this solid, no holds barred 2025 summary and for a look forward that helps me be willing to take on 2026 with you. I’ve been arguing with and descending into despair reading other people’s attempts. I think I’ll just read your again and consider the topic covered.
I was just looking at Obama’s audacity of hope commentaries and thinking of sending out New Year’s wishes to my family and friends under that banner. It still applies; I remember the rush of hope and overwhelming joy at his election and inauguration, and although he wasn’t perfect in his position as POTUS during his two terms, his respect for the office and the Constitution (he did come with some terrific creds) was undeniable. Living – again – through the debacle presenting the polar opposite that respect has been – and will continue to be – heartbreaking. I too am hopeful of continued resistance, a Big Blue Wave, and folks in Congress growing a pair in 2026. Happy New Year!
Thank you, Professor, for all you do. I treasure your friendship.
I was just reviewing some of Obama’s audacity of hope commentaries and considering sending out New Year’s wishes to my family and friends under that banner. It still applies; I remember the rush of hope and overwhelming joy at his election and inauguration, and although he wasn’t perfect in his position as POTUS during his two terms, his respect for the office and the Constitution (he did come with some terrific creds) was undeniable. Living – again – through the debacle presenting the polar opposite that respect has been – and will continue to be – heartbreaking. I too am hopeful of continued resistance, a Big Blue Wave, and folks in Congress growing a pair in 2026. Happy New Year!
I am starting to believe the underlying motivation for that “real life tax” is all about racism. The more I hear and read about how we got to this MAGA moment in history the more I find out triggering events solidify around deeply racist or anti-racist events in our countries history.
When I heard a story this morning that a state was suspending the entire state child care grants because someone on social media made an accusation that Somali immigrants were swindling the system. “Those” people can’t be trusted and any cruelty inflicted on everyone else is justified. The worst part of this is that I’ll bet many of the people directly affected by this are cheering for it because they have been convinced politicians are doing the right thing.
Happy New Year, Sheila. Please keep the blog going as I find you to be very informative about some issues which interest me greatly. Here’s to a “blue” November!
the past X mas shop at walmart. we have 3 aand a sams in the Bismarck/Mandan area. (we use to have Canadian traffic,eh?) i do the big meals. man food stuff,make extra for my trumper,aquaitances, friend to me is deeper than they would every understand in my blue collar world.seems i needed a few items. mistake. now ive been a pro shopper for my entire life. thats,knowing where and what i need,,i dont do coupons or rewards.(im not wanted at the present time)it was maddening to be driven into,confronted at turns around isles,(snake eyes)and just the miserable people,who were next to christmas. weve had alot of people join our economic boom/our misfortune. and they bought further attitudes to this already on the edge society of trumps malignatcy. now ive been/lived in the big city a good chunk of my life,and expect that there. but now its the big city attitudes combined with trump esque hillbilly structure is in full bloom. im laughing in a way,the bis/man economic build bought by these trumpers,have only fueled into a tension. im waiting for the local cops who,also come from other places,and were targeted for employment by their past military police service. to all meld into a authortarian state by mind. if you dont get out of my way,or ill? the lifetime from here hillbilly trumper will probably find a issue with these people,and of course blame biden or whoever. the newbys i talk with, all voted trump. clash anyone?
best wishes
my view,for 2026 the vote in 11/26 will be stalled,courted to death,denied,police state,marshall law. im finding too many in congress too assure trumps goons
will survive for any reason they deem. wall street will not give up their golden wave to lock up the working class into a economic slavery. and banks around the world are taking stock of the fallout..fact to be aware, the removal of cash as a purchase structure. if you allow cash money to be removed for plastic, then people like vought and lutnick may actully win. they can and will cut off the other sides acess to cash,and we, die.
Dan:
thats media saturation of a targeted story. this is how the rich have convinced the rest to submit to its game. if the feds intend to cut off child aid, then its a direct kick in the nuts to all kids anywhere. we didnt cut off the inspector generals from doing their jobs. if trumps goons want to cut off help for any kids, then it shows nationally how low a asswipe can be at christmas . wave that flag,and get in peoples face about it.