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This is the time of year when many of us reflect on the outgoing year and look forward to the new year and what it will bring. I’m no different. As I reflect on 2024, all I can say is “Goodbye,” “Good riddance,” and, as my lovely mother would say, “Don’t let the door hit you where God split you.”
Let’s face it: 2024 was mentally, physically, emotionally and politically exhausting. I’m not complaining about the results. I freely admit I am not a Trump fan. However, I am glad he had a clear win, i.e., he won the Electoral College and the popular vote, albeit with less than 50%. So I’m not sure how much of a “mandate” that is, but, hey, in politics, a win is a win.
Republicans have functional control of the government, but they don’t have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, and the House is basically a two- to three-vote majority for now. There are a lot of checks and balances, so for anyone who thought the world was coming to an end, take a pill, ease off the accelerator and step back off the ledge.
Locally, the sexual harassment scandals that hit both ends of Market Street had me scratching my head this year also. Stories of very inappropriate behavior by Democrats and Republicans permeated the airwaves and Internet. And here’s a news flash, there is a lot more out there; we have only hit the tip of that iceberg.
I was taught early in my career not to try to get my meat in the same place I get my bread; only bad things can come from this. Maybe more lawmakers and officials should have been taught this lesson. I know they wish they would have.
Speaking of Market Street, you know I couldn’t go without mentioning the lightning rods for political controversy in 2024: Attorney General Todd Rokita, Secretary of State Diego Morales and Lt. Gov.-elect Micah Beckwith. I would label them the four horsemen of the political apocalypse, but I’d be missing a fourth one. I’ll leave that for you to fill in the blank. Of course, the author of this column is excluded.
2024 wasn’t so much a bad year as it was exhausting. It was one nonstop news event after another. We literally went from the 24-hour news cycle to the 24-second news cycle. Also, the divisiveness and downright animosity got ridiculous. I had to break up a family message thread when my nephew, who supported Trump, got into it with my niece, who supported Kamala Harris. It went from “I voted for …” to the old Jerry Springer show. That was when I stepped in and put my foot down and reminded them what their deceased grandparents would think.
So, looking back at 2024, all I can think of is, good riddance. 2025 has got to be better. And given that there is no election next year, it’s already off to a good start.•
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Shabazz is an attorney, radio talk show host and political commentator, college professor and stand-up comedian. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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