Hopes for the New Year
(The Conservative Wahoo Substack will be free until at least 1 April, after which I will consider paid subscriptions)
Like many Americans, I consider 2020 to have been somewhat of a let-down, although I am not ready to chalk it up as the worst year of my 55 trips around the sun. The global pandemic has caused incalculable death, disruption, and sadness, but the nature of my life (work mostly in front of a computer, low population density situation, 21st century US amenities, I pretty much live like a Hobbit etc.) has left me largely protected from its ravages. I have been inconvenienced, but I have not been terribly impacted. And I consider myself incredibly fortunate to be in the situation I am.
I look around me and see much to improve upon though. Our country is in a state. I saw a great phrase the other day, “civic vandalism”, applied to the actions of a particularly difficult to understand GOP Senator who seems dedicated to frittering away whatever vestiges of principled conservatism he once held tight. The Congressional GOP stands ready to beclown itself “en masse” tomorrow, when it tries to vote to nullify the electoral college results of several states. This effort will fail of course, but the stain of a once great party dedicated (at least in the past) to a finely-honed appreciation for constitutionalism, voting to subvert the expressed will of the American people in a free and fair election, is lamentable.
I have only belonged to one party. I registered as a Republican as soon as I could, and I remained one until May of 2016 when it appeared clear that the Party would nominate someone I could not countenance. It occurred to me then that he would destroy the GOP, I said so loudly and often, and I watch its slow-motion dismantlement with a mix of schadenfreude and lament.
There has been a great debate among like-minded former Republicans as to whether the destruction of the Party is desired or simply a stern rebuke. The consequences of one’s view are important, as some have said they would not vote for any Republicans anymore in order to hasten the demolition, a decision that would deprive them of the opportunity to vote for someone whose ideas and character are otherwise acceptable. This seems strategically unwise, irrespective of how initially satisfying the act may be. I’m still mulling this question over. They aren’t making the decision hard though.
But a new year is dawning, and with it, the eternal virtue of hope. So here, in no real order whatsoever, are some hopes of mine for the coming year.
A Diminished Presidency. I look forward to the possibility of having a President who is less important, visible, grating, and buffoonish. I would like for the federal legislature to do its job and constrain the executive (see years of blogging at conservativewahoo.com for my consistent view of this through two Obama terms and the Trump debacle). I would like to see a President who acts with poise, civility, and — dare I say — class.
The Sporting Life. The inevitable taming of the virus will lead us back into the world of popular sports. I am not a sports freak*, but I do enjoy the occasional football, futball, basketball, and baseball game on the telly. Many leagues around the world have gamely pressed on without actual fans in the stands, but the experience of watching a game without a crowd is very different and less enjoyable.
Eat, Poppa. Eat! The devastation of the restaurant industry is real. I cannot wait to eat out again.
The Great Outdoors. I live on a river in a beautiful part of the country. We have boats that sail, boats that are paddled, boards that are paddled, and boats that have engines. I spend precious little time on any of them, unable to break away from the gravitational pull of this computer. I hope to spend more time on the river this year. I also want to grow things. We have ample garden space, but I have had little to do with it.
A Nicer Place. I hope for America to be a nicer place in 2021, and I realize that I have little hope for such a thing if I continue to be as occasionally oh…. not nice…. as I have been in 2020. So here’s to being a nicer guy.
*Except for University of Virginia sports.