2012: One Roller Coaster of a Year

It’s late December, and once again, it’s time to take part in what is fast becoming an annual ritual: reflecting on the events of the almost completed year. Among media pundits, the customary annual consensus that the concluding year will go down as one the most extraordinary and momentous in history has almost become cliché. However, in my opinion, only a handful of years during my lifetime, 1963, 1968 and 2001, meet that standard. While eventful, 2012 falls a tad short. But that’s not to say that this past year hasn’t been one colossal roller coaster ride.

On a personal level, 2012 will leave several memories of enormous happiness countered with one devastatingly painful and grief-stricken experience…the passing of my beloved mother who died last spring at the age of 84. I suppose I’ll always associate 2012 with her death, just as I associate 1988 with my father’s passing. From the opposite end of the emotional continuum, I’ll forever remember 2012 for the birth of my first grandchild. It’s also the year I earned a second bachelor’s degree after graduating from DeVry University.

From a communal perspective, I believe 2012 will be most remembered for the following news stories:

• The Supreme Court ruling that, more or less, made the Affordable Care Act or ‘Obamacare’ a fact of life.
• The reelection of President Barack Obama.
• The reopening of the gun control debate following the shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut.
• The growing acceptance of gay rights.

The Supreme Court upholds 'Obamacare'.

In my humble opinion, this surprising development of 2012 will have the most lasting impact on future generations. The law has sweeping implications, providing coverage to tens of millions of uninsured Americans in an attempt to improve the nation's health and bring down health care costs, and in a 5-to-4 vote, the Supreme Court made it clear: ‘Obamacare is here to stay’. Eventually, the Affordable Care Act will become part of the national fabric as Social Security is now. Folks in future decades will have a difficult time imagining life without it. Eventually, the Affordable Care Act will become as much the accepted national fabric as Social Security is now. Folks in future decades will hard have a difficult time imagining life without it.

President Obama wins reelection.

The results of a presidential election almost always have a substantial impact on people’s lives and shape the course of history. I believe 2012’s clash between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney will embody this fact more than most elections. The competing platforms from both campaigns indicated decidedly different approaches to preserving capitalism. Obama and Democratic Party appeared to be moderate adherents to Keynesian economics, while Romney and the Tea Party-inspired GOP wanted a more hands off government approach advocated by Milton Friedman and his philosophy that places the interests of stockholders above all else. Americans chose the former course, and in the process, reelected the nation’s first African-American president.,

Gun control debate reopens.

I inject this development partly out of wishful thinking that the debate arising from the tragic shooting massacre of 20 children and 7 adults including the shooter at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, CT, might bring about some meaningful gun control legislation and measures. As of this writing, this story continues to rivet the national psyche, and some politicians, including President Obama, are offering possible solutions that might make a difference. Let’s hope that our collective short attention spans don’t take over and compel us to drop the ball as we have so many times in the past. I really have a sense, however, that the wickedness of this crime is stimulating this old debate to a new level.

Tolerance for Gay rights grows.

The 2012 elections brought historic victories for gay-rights supporters. Maine, Maryland and Washington became the first states to approve same-sex marriage by popular vote. These developments followed President Obama’s announcement earlier in the year supporting laws that enable same-sex couples to marry. Obama’s hand was forced apparently when Vice President Joseph Biden declared in an interview several days before with NBC's “Meet the Press" that he was "absolutely comfortable" with gay marriage. These incidents appear to be a reflection of a larger national trend where polls indicate a rapidly growing tolerance of Americans toward gays and lesbians. This new political landscape is in stark contrast to the one from just four years ago.



Not all the trends of 2012 were encouraging. The war in Afghanistan raged on into its 11th year, and in the process, became America's longest in its storied history. Sadly, President Obama has given no indication of it ending any sooner than 2014. Moreover, our foreign policy is becoming more militaristic. Even so-called 'liberals' seem to be chomping at the bit to begin unprovoked wars in Iran and Syria. We almost seem destined to be in a perpetual state of war. Tied into this disturbing trend is our continued use of robot technology (drones) against innocent civilians, and the continued surrendering of our civil liberties with our continued preservation of the "Patriot Act" and its draconian surveillance measures that can be imposed on civilians.

In the balance, however, 2012 was a good year. As we begin 2013, let us hope we see a further broadening of human rights and fair play, and a lessening of the insane violence that seems to plague so much of the planet. Happy New Year!