Tom Riggins: Here comes the New Year

I hope you had a Merry Christmas, or for some a politically correct happy holiday. We now move to the New Year and the obligatory resolutions. Those are usually good for a laugh. Just a reminder, you will need to work until April 16 just for the federal government. After that you can work for the state for a few days and then finally for yourself. Happy New Year.
I saw a list of the 10 most common failed New Year’s resolutions. Most were the obvious ones that I am not going to bother listing or resolving for myself. This year, instead of making resolutions which I rarely follow through with I thought I would engage in some wishful thinking and make some resolutions on a larger scale. These are my thoughts on bettering my country.
First and foremost, I wish for a balanced budget amendment. Federal spending is out of control. We have continually operated with continuing resolutions because Congress can’t agree on any budget, much less any semblance of a balanced one. That is no way to run a country. It is apparent that no matter what party is in control, there is no stomach from a sitting Congress to do the right thing and cut spending. Cutting spending means upsetting those who have come to expect government assistance. Spending in 2021 increased dramatically, causing much of today’s inflation.
I resolve to be more tolerant of liberals who preach tolerance as long as it is tolerance of their views. I will not engage in discussions with liberals who, when confronted with facts that refute their premise, choose to try to shout me down or resort to name calling. Being called “racist” or “sexist” when facts are chosen over feel-good views is not helping their positions. There will be a lottery on how long I can keep this resolution.
I resolve not to throw things at the television when President Biden, Fauci, Pelosi, or Schumer start to lecture me on how I should live. I do not accept that the government knows what is best for me. Likewise, I will react in the same manner when Press Secretary Jen Psaki (aka Peppermint Patti) tries to feed me her drivel.
I resolve to watch NBC and MSNBC at least once in the year. I don’t want to watch more than that because it might give them a significant ratings boost. I resolve to re-read Alinsky’s Rules for Radicals one time, as a refresher on how the left operates. It is necessary to know how the other side thinks. Yes that is an oxymoron, but I digress. Karl Marx’s writings are not on the table though. Once was enough.
I resolve to keep an open mind when listening to the ideas of others. I promise not to laugh when a supposedly intellectual elite liberal starts talking about the success of Keynesian economics. The USSR and Venezuela are fine examples. If I really want them to blow a gasket, I will just ask what impact Montesquieu had on the founding of this country. Sorry, you will have to look it up. I don’t want to give it away. Also, I will not laugh when Fauci claims to represent science.
I resolve not to gloat when the COVID pandemic is proven to be a hoax. Yes, the virus is real and it can be serious. However, we have never before seen such suppression and censorship of information, lockdowns in the name of “emergency” that has lasted for almost two years, vaccine mandates that will, I believe, ultimately be shown to be because of government ownership of the mRNA vaccine process, suppression or outright bans on cheap and effective treatments, and use of emergency declarations to violate basic civil rights.
I resolve to take as active part as I am able to work toward undoing the harm the liberal and socialist elected officials and entrenched bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., and Carson City are doing to us and our country. I don’t know exactly what avenue or avenues that might take, but I have some ideas that may share in a later column. I do know that will take all of those who are like-minded to accomplish any meaningful change.
I hope this finds you after a Merry Christmas. I wish you a happy New Year. I hope next year is more prosperous and less adverse than 2021. Well, we can hope, anyway.