My 2015 Year in Review
Anybody with a keyboard, it seems, published their 2014 “Years in Review.”
And if they didn’t review the year, they compiled “Top 10” lists of: world news stories; local news stories; political news stories; financial news stories; movies; TV shows; sporting events, or technological advances.
Some enterprising categorizers didn’t stop at the “Top 10” lists. They published their 2014’s “10 Worsts.”
I don’t have any problem with any of those things.
I just realized that I’ve advanced to an age when I can’t even compile a list of the 10 things I did yesterday – let alone things that took place 12 months ago.
So, to sate my desire to be like everybody else, while, at the same time, resisting any temptation to bang my head against the nearest wall so that I might weigh what I think are 10 “important” events of 2014 – I’ve come up with another plan.
Here now is my Year in Review for 2015.
Granted, 2015 is only four days old, and, more peculiarly, I’m writing this days before the New Year. I’m just getting a head start.
I’ll hold the distinction of publishing the first (ever) Year in Review earlier than anybody else.
First, nothing really of note happened on January(s) 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th.
But on Jan. 6, the 114th Congress commenced with its new Republican-controlled Senate.
The session began with a solemn prayer, and five minutes later Texas’ junior Senator, Ted Cruz, embarked on a two-day filibuster, because, well, he’s Ted Cruz.
On Jan. 15, President Obama gave his annual State of the Union address in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives.
Ted Cruz filibustered it, until Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reminded him that there’s no such thing as a filibustered State of the Union Address.
On March 12, Cruz announced his candidacy for the president.
On March 13, 26 other Republicans announced the same intentions.
Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced he was running for president, vice president, and, er, ah, some other office on the same day.
On April 6, President Obama was indicted on charges of taking time off to take part in the annual Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn of the White House.
Ted Cruz filibustered the indictment.
On June 15, Republicans in the House and Senate passed their 206th bill designed to repeal and replace Obamacare.
On June 16, Obama laughed heartily, and then he vetoed the bill for the 206th time.
On Aug. 27, the Republicans held their first of 73 scheduled Presidential Primary debates. It took place at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California.
As expected, Ted Cruz filibustered the debate.
One week later, on Sept. 3, the first Democratic Presidential Primary debate was held at Hillary Clinton’s permanent home – near the White House.
She asked and answered her own questions.
On Sept. 15, Facebook had been temporarily shut down, after it was discovered that everybody, everywhere had “friended” each other.
On Nov. 1, with reports that the national average for a gallon of unleaded gasoline had risen to 56 cents, the National Highway Administration predicted that only a handful of people would travel for Thanksgiving.
On Nov. 20, while President Obama dutifully pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey (raised on a farm in the heartland), his daughters made an entrance, wearing Vera Wang gowns, while they both recited the entire U.S. Constitution.
On Nov. 23, three full days before Thanksgiving, many stores across the country decided to have Mauve Monday sales.
There were reports that some people began lining up at those stores in October.
On Dec. 7, the National Retail Federation announced that holiday shopping had dropped significantly (by 27 percent) below the same period of 2014.
The reasons?
Soaring gas prices, and the fears for personal safety.
On Dec. 31, Wall Street exploded with convulsive activity. The DOW Jones Industrials rose to 22,000, buoyed by the latest unemployment figures.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, nationwide unemployment had dropped to 2.5 percent.
Needless to say, Ted Cruz tried to filibuster that, too.
Edward A. Owens is a three0time Emmy Award winner and 20-year veteran of television news. E-mail him at freedoms@bellatlantic.net.