What a year 2014!

As I am starting a real estate blog, I dont plan on updating this blog for a while, so this may be my only post for 2014.  (Although I may post a link to the new Blog in Spring.)

We start with a civil liberties public victory in the end of prohibition beginning.

Washington State, my alma mater, and Colorado State, my new home are beginning what we saw as the last gasp of Alcohol Prohibition—States Rights.

In that context we already know, including the upcoming elections, this will be a historic year.  The ballgame in my mind is focused on Congress.

There seem to be three distinct possibilities: (1. bad/same/worse) (2. same/bit better/bit worse) (3. improved);

Let me state that I only hold about a 20 ~ 30% hope for the latter case.  I think the default will be the second scenario, but I feel there is just as much chance we could have a muddle or scuttlebutt that effectively makes Congress somehow more unpopular, and more do nothing.

Start by noticing that the Fiscal wings of both parties got it sorted for the next two years (passing the budget), so they could focus on what will be really weird and tangential differences—elections are pretty silly—rather than civil rights as mentioned last election cycle.

The most probable scenario is that middle case.  Same memes of superficial ad hominum against the President, two parties effectively running a permanent campaigns, rather than legislating, and the sources of our common problems continuing to be ignored and unremedied.

I also imagine the Supreme Court will make news in both sessions this year, most of us just wont know exactly how or why.

My hope is for scenario number three: That each politician, each party machine, and each candidate acts like a citizen who is on some sort of job interview—put the proof in the pudding and legislate.  I am hoping most of you (Congress) are replaced (by a plurality of third parties), so in fact the problems are addressed appropriately—this may be your last chance to make a positive difference!

I appreciate everyone who has found the calling to public service, and know that most of them are essentially decent people, or at least were.  That said, if your so busy doing what you are there for then at least you’re doing your job, and at best the people may like it.  They will show their thanks, if they put you back in for another four years.