This year has been a wild year in the USA and in the World. Our family has been to 12 countries in the year of 2018, and we have experienced some wild issues while abroad and while back home in the USA.
In September 2017 we went through two category 5 hurricanes in Puerto Rico. First Hurricane Irma, and then Hurricane Maria.
The reason why I include that, even though it is from 2017, is because that experience launched us on a new journey. I felt a bit relieved to be traveling again, because there is so much of the world that I wanted to see. These travels took us to Europe, and then Mexico and finally back to the USA. I wrote a bit about our journey at WheresTheMap.info “Family Freed by Hurricane Maria to Take on A Special Project”
I had a goal of allowing my kids to see how the rest of the world lives, both pros and cons. To let them experience the beauty and wonder of the world! Which they joyfully did. I also wanted to learn about immigration and globalization from a foreign perspective, outside of my bubble in the USA.
It was a grand adventure, and we learned a lot. After spending all of that time abroad, we gained a new appreciation for the world that we live in. We also gained a new appreciation for the USA, and after seeing the economy since Trump took office, we were excited to get back to the USA.
This year entailed many new political changes, ones that I had hoped to see as far back as 2016 before Trump took office. We left the USA ahead of the election, because neither candidate appealed to us, and the whole political and economic system left a sour taste. However, in Puerto Rico when we arrived, I had made a video predicting that if Trump did four things, that he would go down in history as one of my favorites.
- Dismantling the Federal Reserve
- Giving Cannabis Back to the States (releasing it from federal control)
- Punishing countries in trade who take advantage of us
- Appointing a Supreme Court Justice who believes in preserving life and opposing Row Vs. Wade
Published on Nov 14, 2016
I thought that Trump would be a liar, as I said in that video. However, Trump has been keeping his promises right and left. He is one of the only candidates that I have ever saw, that has done so.
I reported on Obama’s presidency after he left office, and I noted the highlights of his presidency. I was sorely disappointed with result of that.
Obama broke nearly every major campaign promise that he made.
https://disruptarian.com/?s=Obama+economy
Trump has made a fair share of mistakes, I won’t grant him a free pass on everything just because he has done some things right. However most of those mistakes have to do with issues in his personal life, and do not directly reflect on the job that he has done while President.
The Judge Kavanaugh appointment was a major wake up call to the “silent majority”. I for one knew that the results of these accusations would either be that there would be no proof, and no conviction, or that all of the accusers would turn out to be liars, either trying to hurt Judge Brett Kavanaugh so that he would not be appointed for political reason, or because some of these psychos just enjoy gleaning the spotlight for themselves. Here is a follow up, now that the dust settled of where they are now, and what the results of their accusations were;
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/kavanaugh-accusers-where-are-they-now
As it turns out, based on 5 accusations, 2 of them fessed up and said that their accusations were lies, and the main on Christine Ford, had no evidence, all of her witnesses would not corroborate her story, and all of the ones that she named as being present or involved, said they “have never heard of Judge Kavanaugh and did not know him”. She didn’t know when, where, how or who. But she was SURE it happened.
Some of the other accusers have been referred to the FBI for criminal investigation regarding their erroneous accusations. The other 4 make the point for the main one, is that this was a giant political hoax. I lost friends over my support for Judge Kavanaugh. A few militant feminist who believe in the sexist ideology of “believe women”, rather than “believe facts”, some of whom I had been friends with for over 25 years. Now GONE. Good riddance, I don’t need that bias and dishonesty in my life anyhow.
Trump signed the Farm Bill that decriminalized hemp on a federal level, and gives the states the right to allow and regulate hemp as they see fit. This is an 80+ year prohibition that ended with Trump’s signature on the bill!
https://dailyleafdeals.com/breaking-trump-in-favor-of-states-rights-on-cannabis/
Trump is also working with Senators to give states the right to regulate marijuana/cannabis as they see fit also well. Reference (photo credit to)
The Criminal Justice act aka “The First Step Act” is also a step forward in reducing and ending mandatory minimums, and keeping people out of prison for minor offenses. Ref: https://www.cato.org/blog/first-step-passes-senate
Trump’s stock market, and record unemployment accomplishments are nothing to balk at either. Even Obama was so amazed that he went on a world tour to take credit for it. Despite saying that it was impossible to do, back in 2016 to mock Trump. However when Trump pulls it off, Obama tries to take the credit. Ce La Vie, eh?
Last but not least, in this review anyhow. Pulling out of Syria and Afghanistan! This is something that I have been talking about for years, and I have been praising Ron Paul for his thoughtful insight to these foreign wars.
Obama continued two foreign wars started by Bush, but then also waged 5 more wars without even getting congressional approval.
Trump however is bringing out troops home finally. ANOTHER campaign promise fulfilled!
https://abc13.com/politics/trump-bringing-home-7000-us-troops-from-afghanistan-/4939472/
The Democrats have been bewailing the troop deployments, and endless wars, every time a Republican wants to surge troops, or stay longer.
But NOW, Democrats are desperate to stay at war all of the sudden. Amazing isn’t it?!
Well, like I said, it has been a crazy year! But good in many ways.
We are on a fast track to recovery after going through 5 natural disasters.
To note all of them it went like this.
- September 6th 2017 Hurricane Irma, Puerto Rico
- September 20th 2017 Hurricane Maria, Puerto Rico
- October 9th Hurricane Ophillia (we barely missed this one when we went to Ireland, but when we got there, there were still people without power. We booked our tickets in September, but had to wait to leave, because out flights were pushed out until October, for economic reasons)
- Then in Mexico on June 3rd, as we were about to go to Guatemala for a short stay so that we could renew our tourist visa in Mexico, the Fuego Volcano blew right near the AirBnB that we booked. Fortunately we didn’t lose our money for our booking, but we never heard back from the owner of the AirBnB, and we can only assume some kind of tragedy took place for him.
- After that, we came to Hawaii, and found the perfect home, but unfortunately it was 1.2 miles from the fisser 8 site where Kilauea blew just a month before. But our house was largely unaffected, and we were able to capture some fantastic drone footage during the lava flow.
- We captured most of these experience via aerial photography with our Mavic Pro Drone. See more at: https://www.youtube.com/wheresthemapinfo
We lost everything in our experiences over the last year. Mostly during hurricane Maria. If you would like to help us in our recovery, you can donate via GoFundMe @ https://www.gofundme.com/manage/hurricane-refugees-need-a-home
