Happy 2017

Happy 2017 – we made it! Not that there was any real doubt, but 2016 was such a tumultuous year for the world that I couldn’t help feeling at times that 2017 couldn’t get here fast enough.

We’re off to a reasonably good start by a few measures. The stock market is up, the unemployment rate is at its lowest level since pre-recession 2007, and retailers had a decent holiday season (other than perhaps Sears, K Mart and Macy’s) despite the extreme weather in much of the country. On the surface, these are all positive indicators that smooth the way for the incoming Presidential Administration.

The Trumps move into the White House two weeks from today, unless of course the President-elect decides that Trump Tower in New York City will be the new White, or should I say 24 karat gold plated, House. He is already making a positive mark, if his handling of the Congressional Ethics Office fiasco this week turns out to be a harbinger of things to come. When House Republicans attempted to shut down the independent watchdog as their opening gambit of the new Congressional session, he wasted no time in putting the kibosh on their plan. Of course, his larger point was to keep their eyes trained on the much bigger prize, repeal of the Affordable Care Act. That’s a can of worms that has everybody squirming, either with delight or terror, depending on which side of the aisle you sit on. But that’s for greater minds than mine to work out.

As for me, my eyes are trained on Super Bowl LI (that’s 51, for you non-football fans). It’s too early to say who this year’s MVP prospects will be, but we do know that, in keeping with tradition, the victor will be planning a trip to Disney. I can promise the 2017 Super Bowl MVP a great time, since Tracy and I just got back from our own Disney vacation with Lily, Kate and Max. It was the kids’ first visit, and they enjoyed it almost as much as we did. The Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Epcot all delivered as promised. And meals with Mickey and crew were just as I remembered from past visits. Now it’s back to reality for all of us, where truth is sometimes stranger than fiction (see above paragraph).

Buckle your seat belts. The ride is about to begin.

May 2017 bring peace, prosperity and common sense to the world.