New Year's Resolutions - XWL Style

Resolutions for yourself that you intend to keep, but most likely will backslide on before Valentine's Day are a rather passe tradition.

Making New Year's Resolutions for other people, now there's a twist.

In 2010, I resolve that Pres. Obama should resolve to throw the entire rest of the Democratic Party under the bus. He's had a lot of practice throwing compatriots under the bus, so why not go the full Clinton Administration route and work with the incoming conservative governing coalition that is almost certain to get elected in November 2010. The sooner he works against his liberal base, the better his chances will be in 2012. His transformation from Messiah to Lamest of Lame Ducks in less than a year as top administrator has been astounding. His only hope for political survival is to utterly betray his most ardent supporters. I get the sense that he's the right man for the job. It's not like you can betray your own scruples or moral compass if you never had one in the first place, and the more we see from the Obama Administration, the more it seems clear that there's a vacuum of leadership, vision, and purpose at the very top. Rather than fight against this vacuity, Obama needs to use it to his advantage.

In 2010, I resolve that Media should resolve to treat dead folks as they had been treated in life. I've already hit this topic in Festivus, but it bugs the hell out of me, so I'm hitting it again. Show respect for the dead, honor their lives, recognize that to honor a life is to honor all the aspects of that life, warts and all.

In 2010, I resolve that Rush Limbaugh should resolve to take better care of himself. Whatever caused his recent health scare, there are probably some lifestyle changes he can make to prevent future emergency room visits. Make those changes, even if it means stepping away from the mic for awhile, without health, everything else has less meaning.

In 2010, I resolve that the Liberal Punditosphere should resolve to hold the Obama Administration accountable for every promise they break and every compromise they make. I know this may seem contradictory with the advice I gave Obama, but... Actually, there's no but here, it is completely contradictory advice, I just want to enjoy the show of a brutal internecine battle on the sinistral side of the American body politic. That's entertainment, right there. But, I will add, conservatives did the conservative movement no favors when they looked askance when President George W Bush failed to live up to the principles that helped get him elected. No conservative should have supported the establishment of a new Cabinet (Department of Homeland Security), or No Child Left Behind, or TARP, or a dozen other bigger government initiatives pushed through during the previous administration. Had conservatives taken a stand against Bush, they'd be in a much better position to oppose Obama, and liberals should keep that in mind as they look forward to elections this year, and in 2012.

In 2010, I resolve that MeadeHouse should resolve to get a dog. In the big scheme of things, it's a small thing, but it'd be excellent source material for blogposts and photography for years to come, so if Althouse wants to keep the momentum going from the momentous changes 2009 brought, they'd do well to purchase a puppy.

In 2010, I resolve that old naked fat guys who let everything hang out in the locker room at the gyms I frequent for far longer than is comfortable for anyone else in the locker room should resolve to change faster, and at least get some underwear on before getting engrossed in conversation with someone else.

In 2010, I resolve that TimeWarner Cable should resolve to carry NFL Network. Hammer out a deal folks, it can't be that hard.

In 2010, I resolve that the NFL should resolve to resist the allure of putting a team in the Los Angeles area. I like not having a team (or teams) in our TV market so that most Sundays the best games end up on TV, rather than whatever game the local team is playing. All bets are off if Minnesota and Jacksonville are the teams that move, those are well run teams that put out a winning brand of football most years, so that'd be cool. If we end up with the Rams and Raiders back, screw that.

In 2010, I resolve that NCAA Football should resolve to figure out how to move towards a much needed playoff system rather than this BCS BS.

In 2010, I resolve that the NCAA should resolve to quit pretending student-athletes are students first, and semi-pro athletes second. These athletes need to get a share of the revenue they generate, get the slimy and shady crap that goes on to get around the rules out of college sports by allowing for these athletes to make real money. It's helped improve Olympic athletics by ending the pretense of amateurism, it's time to do the same in the NCAA.

In 2010, I resolve that Sarah Palin should resolve to use her celebrity and popularity to support a slate of libertarian leaning candidates in GOP primaries across the country. She seems capable of tapping into the forgotten Reagan Coalition, and if she can help highlight local candidates that can challenge non-Reaganite incumbents within the GOP, she can help break the GOP of its big government habits.

That's plenty, I'm sure I could resolve to create more resolutions, but it's time to go out and get away from the computer for a little bit.

Oh, yeah, and Happy 2010!