BY JEFF REYNOLDS | P J MEDIA
AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster
Every year since college, my best friend Dan and I have
compiled our best observations on a wide range of topics that reflect on the
year that has just expired. We follow the well-established template of The
McLaughlin Group program. We lost the venerable John McLaughlin in
2016, after decades of shaping how political analysis and debate programs
should be done.
So, you thought 2020 was insane? 2021 came in and
said,”Hold my beer.”
Biggest Winner of the Year
The Deep State. Between the FBI inciting felonious
conduct with impunity (the fake Gretchen Whitmer kidnapping, inciting the riot
on January 6 to target political foes with the justice system, etc.), “public
health” bureaucrats destroying the notion of individual liberty in service of
the quixotic quest to vaccinate against a respiratory virus, the addition of
87,000 new IRS agents, and the rollback of probably President Trump’s greatest
achievement—reducing the regulatory burden from the federal government—the feds
have, predictably perhaps, reasserted their boot on the neck of the American
public.
Biggest Loser of the Year
The faith of American citizens in their formerly trusted
institutions. Media? Mere propaganda. Public schools? Fully transformed into
indoctrination camps. The police? Hung out to dry by radical leftist district
attorneys. The judicial system? Unable, with only rare exceptions, to stick to
the letter of the law in prosecuting crimes. Congress? Keep on digging that
hole, guys. The executive branch? C’mon, man.
Honorable mention: Assistant District Attorney Thomas
Binger, who should be disbarred for his conduct in the Kyle Rittenhouse trial.
These charges never should have been filed in the first place, but Binger’s
actions were monstrous.
Best Politician of the Year
Joe Manchin and Ron DeSantis (tie). Each has earned the
wrath of the far left, holding fast in their own way to the original intent of
the U.S. Constitution.
The Worst Politician of the Year Award
Kamala Harris. She makes America pine for the days of
Hillary—almost.
Most Defining Moment of the Year
Biden canceling Keystone XL while simultaneously
aprroving Russia’s Nord Stream II pipeline. Absolutely proved once and for all
that “green” policies have zero to do with the environment.
Honorable mention: The U.S. Capitol being fenced off,
guarded by thousands of troops, for the first half of the year. Keeping the
American people out of their government to protect against, what, exactly?
Best Spin of the Year
The NASCAR reporter speaking to driver Brandon Brown after
a win, saying, “Sounds like the crowd is chanting, ‘Let’s go, Brandon!'” This
spawned endless mockery of an endlessly mockable president.
In case you missed it, they weren’t chanting “Let’s go,
Brandon.” Spontaneous chants had broken out throughout the year at sporting
events across America. The last two words of the chant were Joe Biden. I’ll let
you figure out the first word in the chant.
Most Boring Politician(s) of the Year
Joe Biden, whose ideas are even worse than Obama’s, if
you can imagine that. To be fair, he does keep us guessing—what’s he saying,
what will he forget next, whom will he throw under the bus, if they will they
clean the oatmeal stain off his tie before the appearance in the fake White
House set …
Most Charismatic Politician of the Year
Rep. Lauren Bobert (R-CO). She’s legitimately funny, and
that “Lets’ go, Brandon” gown was a scream.
Bummest Rap of the Year
Kim Potter, convicted of manslaughter for mistakenly
deploying her Glock instead of her Taser while attempting to apprehend Daunte
Wright on an open warrant for his arrest. She was justified in using maximum
force, she attempted to use less than maximum force, Wright was resisting and
fleeing, and the letter of the law said she was not guilty. An absolute
miscarriage of justice by a jury tainted by a fundamental misunderstanding of
their duty. One wonders if an impartial jury of peers is even possible in
today’s American landscape.
Fairest Rap of the Year
Mario Cuomo is a horrible father.
Best Comeback
Republicans in special elections. It wasn’t the Brandon Biden Administration. It wasn’t the
Department of Justice. It wasn’t the stolen elections of 2020. It wasn’t
Afghanistan. What REALLY pissed off voters in Virginia, New Jersey, and school
boards across America were the lies told about public school curricula, and the
elitist notion of leftist politicians that parents have no say in how their
children are educated. When a truck driver on a budget of $153 can defeat the
longtime incumbent speaker of the New Jersey House, you know the left has
overreached again.
Most Original Thinker
Robert Malone, MD, the inventor of the mRNA vaccines, who
has consistently advocated for early medical treatment of covid with
inexpensive and save lifesaving drugs, only to be deplatformed.
Most Stagnant Thinker
Oregon Governor Kate Brown, who quietly extended the
state of emergency over the pandemic another six months, into the middle of
2022, despite her state consistently having the among the lowest case rates and
fatality rates from SARS-Cov-2 in the nation. For those keeping score at home,
that pushes it well over two years of two weeks to flatten the curve.
Best Photo Op
The collection of over ten thousand refugees camping
under a bridge in the border town of Del Rio, Texas. If the press had an ounce
of integrity, that would have led the headlines for months.
Worst Photo Op
Afghans clinging to military cargo planes as they took
off, with the knowledge that falling from them was a better fate than what
awaited them after the Taliban took over.
Honorable mention: radical activists chasing Senator
Kyrsten Synema (D-AZ) into a bathroom to protest something they had no prayer
of understanding.
Enough, Already (also known as the “Shut Up
and Get Out Award”)
This one’s easy. Anthony Fauci, Bureaucrat. His highlight
in 2021 was the Anthony Fauci documentary—called Fauci—which
featured scenes of Anthony Fauci working from a home office under a portrait on
Anthony Fauci’s wall of Anthony Fauci. Hearing him say, “I am science,” was
akin to Emperor Palpitine declaring, “I am the Senate!”
Worst Lie of the Year
CRT is not being taught in our schools. Governor Youngkin
and the newly elected conservative majorities in school boards across the
country would like a word.
Capitalist of the Year
Elon Musk. His rejoinder to Senator Fauxcahontas was
perfect.
Person of the Year
The American president will always be in the running for
this award. It could be for a faithful execution of the office to do the very
best for the American people, or it could be awarded for failure on the
domestic and international stages. Joe Biden wins in 2021 for that second
thing.
Honorable Mention
Davyon Johnson, the 11-year old Oklahoma boy who saved a
classmate from choking, only to go on to save a woman from a house fire—the
same day. America needs more of this.
Destined for Political Stardom
Ron DeSantis, who has presented America an alternative to
the fear porn and oppression from federal bureaucrats with his pitch-perfect
performance as Florida’s governor.
Destined for Political Oblivion
America’s radical left. Their hold on the Democratic
Party has led to disastrous results at the polls. The civil war in the party
will get more pitched before moderation naturally wins out by necessity.
Destined for the Other Kind of Oblivion
I’m still surprised Joe Biden has made it this far. Maybe
he’ll defy expectations and finish out his term, but that seems less likely all
the time.
Best Political Theater
Democrat-run cities facing shocking increases in violent
crime, homelessness, and substance abuse deaths, after de-funding the police
and shutting down their entire economies. If this were anywhere other than the
United States, we would be collectively clutching our pearls at the
humanitarian crisis begat by local warlords failing their people.
Honorable mention: Joe Biden’s (alleged) incontinence on
his November junket to Europe. Supposedly losing control of his bowels at the
Vatican, followed by a loud, juicy one in front of Camilla Parker Bowles, seems
metaphoric for his presidency, somehow.
Worst Political Theater
The National School Boards Association sending a hysterically
unhinged letter to the Department of Justice, asking Attorney General Merrick
Garland to save them from concerned parents whose
children are in their charge on a daily basis domestic
terrorists, only for Garland to oblige them and open an investigation.
Honorable mention: Speaking of completely staged outcomes
in the grand tradition of professional wrestling, the appearance of Kamala
Harris on Charlamagne Tha God’s cable show. Mr. Tha God hit her with a hard
question about Joe Manchin, then her media handler attempted to end the
interview, then Harris Put Her Foot Down and insisted on answering the
question. I’ve seen this playbook a million times before.
Most Under-reported Story
The border crisis. This has turned into an unimaginable
humanitarian crisis, and a huge threat to national security. You’d never know
it by watching the nightly news.
Honorable mention: Joe Biden’s fake White House press
setup. Has anyone even asked why he appears in front of the cameras from a
basement made up to look like an office, instead of appearing from the Oval
Office? It reminds me of the Yuri Andropov days of the Soviet Union.
Most Over-reported Story
The riots on January 6 presented as “the worst attack on
the U.S. Capitol since the War of 1812.” Those who believe this dreck don’t
even know the procedure that was being adjudicated by a joint session of
Congress that day, never mind the horrific treatment of those taken into
custody for being there. When a society rejects basic facts and truth in
reporting, bad things happen.
Biggest Government Waste
Biden pushing the Build Back Better plan, which would
cost at least three trillion dollars, before we even spent most of the previous
stimulus bills passed to paper over the economic shutdowns blamed on the
pandemic. The high-speed rail of federal debt is barreling past $30 trillion,
and nobody seems to care about the consequences. Stopping BBB only forestalled
the coming catastrophe for a short time.
Best Dollar Spent
The prosecution of Jussie Smollet, that also helped to
expose the deep corruption of Chicago State’s Attorney Kim Foxx (who was
revealed to have collaborated with Smollet’s sister, contrary to her claims of
impartiality).
Boldest Political Tactic
The federal government coordinating with Big Tech to
remove the sitting American president from social media, as well as thousands
of groups, dozens of political pundits and elected officials, and thousands of
websites, email services, and social media platforms themselves. The Great
Digital Purge of January 2021 was breathtaking to behold, and remarkable in
what purports to be a free society.
Best Idea of 2021
Digging into the Cuomo family’s sexual peccadilloes,
which seems to have opened the floodgates of allegations at CNN. What, exactly,
the hell is going on there?
Worst Idea of 2021
Biden deciding to get out of Afghanistan with no notice,
no assurance for Americans and Afghans who helped us that they wouldn’t be
stranded, no plan to stop billions of dollars’ worth of equipment and priceless
intelligence falling into the hands of the Taliban, and no plan whatsoever to
help everyone we left behind. An absolutely heartless decision, compounded by a
pigheaded unwillingness to alter his plan.
Sorry to See You Go
Norm MacDonald. That one hurt. So did Rush Limbaugh.
The Kim Jong-il Not Even a Little Bit Sorry
to See You Go Award
Harry Reid.
15 Minutes of Fame
Mary Lemanski, who resigned as social media director of
the Democratic Party of DuPage County, Illinois. Lemanski took to Twitter to
mock the victims of the intentional SUV homicide of the Dancing Grannies in the
Waukesha, Wisconsin, Christmas parade. You’re all class, Mary.
Turncoat of the Year
I would say Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin, but they were
actually doing something pretty rare these days—representing their
constituencies. This award may just be permanently retired and named after John
Roberts until such time as he’s no longer on the bench.
Most Honest Person of the Year
Every single last parent who testified against critical
race theory at school board meetings, then, when faced with charges of domestic
terrorism, went out and elected new board members. Giving the double-barreled
bird to elitists is the American Way.
Most Overrated Person, Event, or Story of the
Year
Andrew Cuomo will be the savior of the Democratic Party.
Oops.
Most Underrated Person, Event, or Story of
the Year
The abject failure of “green” policies. Between the Texas
ice storms, western wildfires, and a brutally cold European winter, we see the
results of green energy before it’s even fully implemented. Regulations halt
infrastructure upgrades. Anti-carbon policies create energy shortages. Heating
and transportation prices have already skyrocketed, and we’re just beginning to
create the change the radicals covet.
Grade the Planet (A through F, pluses and
minuses accepted)
F. Though we’ve achieved actual greatness, and innovation
and industry have inexorably kept us progressing, we seem to be headed into an
era of global chaos and uncertainty.
Macroprediction
A DeSantis/Cruz ticket in 2024 will be unstoppable, if we
get that far.
New Year’s Resolution
To become unreliant upon the system, which seems to be
breaking down before our eyes.
_________________
RELATED
ARTICLE
2024
Polling Shows Exactly Where Trump Stands with Voters
By Andrew West | Flag & Cross
Among the 2024 speculation that we bear witness to every
day, perhaps none is as permeating and prevalent as the possibility of another
run for the White House by Donald Trump.
Trump, who came to Washington as a purposeful outsider,
elected to completely squash the status quo. He did just that, and then
some, and is now suspected to be considering another shot at the office in a few
years’ time.
But is he a welcome candidate, or a man whose very
presence in the race conjures concerns among Democrats and traditional
conservatives alike?
A new poll has provided us the answer to that question.
President
Donald Trump dominates the 2024 Republican primary field among Republican
voters, an I&I/TIPP Poll released Monday found.
The
poll found that Republicans are much more enthusiastic about Trump’s potential
run on the GOP ticket than Democrats are about President Joe Biden.
Overall,
60 percent of Republicans said they want to see Trump run again, compared to 37
percent of Democrats who said the same for Biden. Issues and Insights described
Biden’s results as a “devastating sign of Biden’s weakening support within his
own party.”
What
is more, Trump also sees more support for a potential 2024 run than Biden among
independent voters, as 17 percent said they support a potential 2024 Trump run.
Biden, however, only garnered eight percent support in this group.
And there was quite a gap between he and the rest of the
field.
Among
Republicans, specifically, Trump leads potential challengers by 49 percent,
garnering 60 percent support. No other potential candidate saw double-digit
support aside from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), who came in second with 11
percent support.
Trump’s potential run for the White House has likely
remained unannounced on account of the 2022 midterms next year, fearing that
any such revelation would allow the Democrats extra ammunition for us in that
contest.
https://flagandcross.com/2024-polling-shows-exactly-where-trump-stands-with-voters/
