Burke: Crystal ball, for good and bad, had it mostly right in ‘23

By Tom Burke / Herald Columnist

First, I’d like to wish all a merry and blessed Christmas as the Christian world celebrates the birth of Jesus. I hope we can keep in mind the true spirit of this holy day, avoiding a frenzied commercial exchange of presents or competition for who’s got the best lights-on-the-lawn; and instead celebrate the birth of the Christian savior, their Prince of Peace. (I wonder if the Brits have the right idea exchanging presents on Boxing Day, reserving Dec. 25 for reflection, joy and thankfulness?)

Next, I hope those who celebrated Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights commemorating the rededication of the Second Temple and the miracle of the lamp oil lasting eight days, will find peace and comfort and resolution in spite of the horrors of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, murder of more than 1,200 innocents in Israel, the ongoing war, and the despicable displays of anti-Semitism here in the U.S.

That would be a modern miracle for all mankind.

But now, shifting from the religious to the profane, let’s examine this-year-that-was, via a brief review of how my January 2023 prognosticating turned out.

In summary I predicted the Trump indictments would consume the headlines week after week sucking every bit of oxygen out of the (Republican) mediasphere; MAGA-world would still fully support him; and justice was coming, albeit slowly, to the worst president America ever had and the cheats, liars, insurrectionists, and incompetents who supported him.

OK, I did pretty good on that one.

I also forecast:

• Hunter Biden’s laptop will be an embarrassing R bust. It was. And so has their “impeachment.”

• Republican “investigations” into the Jan. 6 House committee, Afghanistan, inflation, the border, Dr. Fauci, and drag queens, all hot items at the end of 2022, will go nowhere. Nailed that one too.

• The GOP’s attempt to support Putin and Russia and undermine U.S. support for the Ukraine will also go nowhere. Only half-right here. Although we’ve helped Ukraine with massive commitments of resources Republicans are still trying to sink funding. Now Biden is implementing work-arounds and compromises, but it isn’t resolved yet.

• Kevin McCarthy’s House speakership will make a small ripple then sink slowly into the Potomac. It did. The guy who said “I never quit!” quit. He announced his resignation from Congress after being kicked out of his speakership job by his fellow Republicans. (And bitter he is.)

I also warned about the war in Ukraine, the ’24 presidential race, natural disasters, drugs, the do-nothing Republican House (boy, did that come true), Reps. Boebert vs Greene (ugh), immigration, and the economy (inflation is down, the stock market is up, higher than ever, and 14 million new jobs were created with unemployment under 4 percent for the longest stretch in 50 years,) and the Seahawks would miraculously rise to a Super Bowl win in the 23/24 NFL season. (Oops. File that under hope springs eternal and “Wait ‘till next year!”).

I also discussed the insanity of MAGA/Christian-nationalists such as the Eric Trump-backed, self-proclaimed prophet Julie Green who predicted God would send a huge storm to wipe out his enemies, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Liz Cheney would be visited by the Angel of Death for their crimes, and President Biden “has already been judged and is no longer alive.” (I sure won’t be taking any investment advice from Ms. Green.)

But I vastly underestimated the rest of the Christo-nationalist threat.

I (and everyone else) completely missed that Kevin McCarthy’s replacement, Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., would be a full-on Christian nationalist who unequivocally stated, “We don’t live in a democracy, we live in a ‘biblical’ republic,” and amplified his observation with, “What’s happened … over the last 60 or 70 years, is that our generation has been convinced that there is a separation of church and state. Most people think that that’s part of the Constitution, but it’s not.” Really?

Oh, and he wasn’t voted in by the Republican House majority. Nope. Mike says (his) god got him the Speaker’s gig. In his first post-election remarks explained that “Scripture” and “the Bible” are clear: he had been ordained by God.

His wife confirmed it saying, “God made him speaker. It’s biblical.”

So, lucky us, it’s a MAGA Mike two-fer threatening both our Constitutionally-guaranteed religious freedom and the fundamentals of our democracy; as he not only supports the Big Lie and favors the Jan 6 rioters (“We don’t want them … charged by the DOJ”), he’s a self-declared Trump guy saying, “I’m all in for President Trump.” (Or as former Rep. Adam Kinzinger said “House Speaker Mike Johnson is just a well-dressed insurrectionist.”

I’d dearly like to end 2023, and this week’s column, on a decidedly up note, and I will.

We, as a people here in America, enjoy a rich, abundant land; a vibrant economy; the “melting pot” of a diverse population; the wisdom of the Founding Fathers; and a wise and effective leadership these past three years; plus an evolving understanding of how, for better and for worse, we have come to be where we are.

So, in the spirit of this sacred (and big-time fun!) season let me echo the wish of Chris Kringle, Babbo Natale, Pere Noel, Sinterklaas, Father Christmas, Papa Noel, St. Nicholas, Grandfather Frost, Swiety Mikolaj, and the Jolly Old Elf himself (via Charles Dickens and Tiny Tim from “A Christmas Carol”) and say:

“God bless Us, Every One.”

(Note: My predictions for next year will be, next year, in my next column. And oh yes, Happy New Year!)

Slava Ukraini.

Tom Burke’s email address is t.burke.column@gmail.com.