It's a New Year - Let the Gloom Begin!

It's a new year so that can only mean doom and gloom for the world. The media couldn't wait to get out the forecast for 2008, and it calls for a shortage of oil and food, recession, inflation, housing market collapse, credit woes and joblessness. To hear the American media tell it, you would think the world was on the brink of the apocalypse due to global warming and American tyranny around the world. Of course, this is the old playbook they have been using since George W. Bush was elected president. Everything around the world was rosy until January 20, 2001 when the United States swore in the man that would bring destruction upon all.

Of course the media has something besides impending doom to look at thanks to the 2008 election season. A savior could arise to save the world from total collapse into archaic ruin. For that to occur though, our next president would have to be a Democrat. Or at a minimum a liberal (Hello, Mike Huckabee).

I refuse to buy in to the media's portrayal of the State of the Union. Yes, there are credit issues and housing issues. The dollar is weak but that should actually help the economy within a year or so. The credit problem is the fault of American's who overextended themselves over the past several years and now find themselves in a jam that they should have to deal with, not every one. The housing collapse is the fault of these "flippers" who never thought the real estate market would correct itself. Once again, it is not the job of the American public to bail out people who can't pay their mortgage. Obviously, if there are simple methods to keep foreclosures lower, those steps should be taken but the American government should not be on the hook for makring mortgage payments.

On the international front, I remain cautiously optimistic. Pakistan, thus far, has been able to absorb the loss of Benazir Bhutton and is moving ahead with election despite a delay. Iran has lowered their rhetoric and I believe there are probably more backdoor meetings occuring with that country than any of us could imagine. Iraq has turned a corner and, with some perseverance and luck, we can create a stable government that rejects terrorism and tyranny. I believe that we are making progress despite the so-called "cowboy" policy we have used to "alienate" the rest of the world.

When all is said and done, no one knows what 2008 will bring. Sure, it could turn bad but it could also turn really good. I have faith in the United States and its citizens to work through the credit and housing troubles. I have faith in the American military to maintain stability throughout the most volatile regions in the world. I even have faith in our government to stay out of the way so Americans can solve our problems (well, I have a little faith...). I do not have faith in receiving a fair and accurate portrayal of any of this from the media because they have made it clear that what is bad for us is good news for them. And the media has already forecast doom and gloom and they certainly don't want to be wrong.