2009 A Year in Review

As this is my last blog of 2009, I’m doing it. I’m the first! The very first 2009: year in review! It has been an exciting one hasn’t it? We started with a brand new president, full of hope, 2009 was going to be a great year! Well, I don’t know if it was great, so much as just completely crazy.


2009 has seen some big issues come our way, from California’s budget crisis (parts one and two), to national healthcare, to possibly dismantling the Federal Reserve.

So let’s recap:


- We have a new President ladies and gents! Someone who people either find hopeful or horrific, no one can accuse Obama as being lazy as he’s packed some big issues into his first year in office.

- The economy goes from bad to bad. Ok, let’s face it, the economy hasn’t really gone anywhere in the last year. We’ve been assured that without the billions in bailout money it would’ve been a whole lot worse, but it isn’t exactly a whole lot better either.


- Among several other states, California finds itself in a budget crisis because of the economy. The legislature throws some band-aids on it to stop the hemorrhaging, but is back in the red only a few months later.

- To protect consumers, Congress starts discussing several different angles on financial regulations. None are particularly helpful and appear to just increase the crazy bureaucracy. Except for the possibility of getting rid of the Federal Reserve, which would put the power of the purse back in Congress’s hands where the founders intended it. But, given how we all feel about Congress, are we really comfortable with that?


- Senator Al Franken is elected giving the Democrats 60 votes in the Senate, a so-called “supermajority”. Except that for some reason they still can’t get anything passed. (To hear my full rant on this particular issue, feel free to email me!)

- California’s Gubernatorial election is in full swing! It appears that the conservative candidates will be Steve Poizner, Tom Campbell, and Meg Whitman vs. democratic candidate Jerry Brown.

- This year saw the outing of a power religious group: “The Family”. While the particular political dealings of this group are still veiled, I highly recommend the book for some totally scandalous (but completely true) reading: http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780060559793/The_Family/index.aspx


- Two propositions are submitted to California’s Secretary of State giving the people the opportunity to scrap the current California constitution and start all over.

- Healthcare. Need I say more?


It’s been quite the year. Publicly and personally, it’s been a year full of change. At times it’s been scary, and at other times it’s been nothing short of amazing. I hope your 2009 brought you health and happiness and that 2010 brings you everything you hope for. Happy New Year everyone!