2015 In Review: Setting the Path for 2016

Happy New Year

One of my favorite quotes is, “If you do not know where you have been, then you cannot know where you are going.” Often we use this holiday to look back over the past year, to see where time has taken us and the changes that have occurred. I’d like to take a moment to do that now, but not for the sake of reminiscing, rather I want it to be clear to everyone how 2015 has set us on a path for 2016.

It would be a lot to hit every major story from the past year. Instead I’d like to focus on five events that I see as pivotal for our direction as a country in the coming year.

Pivotal Event #1: The Death of Political Correctness

First, the candidacy and campaign of Donald Trump. Love him or hate him, no one can deny that Mr. Trump has been a game changer when it comes to presidential politics, media and really politics in general. Political correctness, which once had American in a stranglehold, has at the very least, loosened its grip. There are many, including Ted Cruz and Ben Carson, who are saying what Americans have been thinking and the media can no longer ignore it. And many Americans finally feel they’re voices are being heard and vindicated.

Pivotal Event #2: The Rise of the New Media

While I have several concerns regarding Donald Trump, his campaign (as well as Ted Cruz’s and Ben Carson’s) leads me to our second pivotal event of 2015 - the rise of the New Media. At the third Republican debate, Ted Cruz destroyed the media in regards to their thinly veiled bias. I believe was a turning point. The media no longer has the respect and confidence of the American people as it once did. And that’s a good thing. People are waking up to the fact that they have literally hundreds of options regarding where they get their news and information. Getting people to think critically concerning everything they hear and read if what Paineful Truth is all about, so really, we could not be happier about this!

Pivotal Event #3: The Supreme Court’s Ruling on “Marriage”

The Court’s ruling, along with many other instances around the country, (the pizza shop in Indiana, the bakery in Oregon, the florist shop in Washington, etc.) demonstrate a complete misunderstanding of the concept of equality by many in this country. Not only that, it demonstrates a complete lack of understanding regarding the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Real marriage is fundamental to our American values and way of life. It is a cornerstone upon which the family is built. The family is what strong communities are built upon. A good local government finds its firmness on strong communities. State government is built from that. Take away the family, take away marriage, and watch it all come crashing down.

Pivotal Event #4: The Planned Parenthood Videos

I intend to address the omnibus spending debt bill (not budget, debt) that was bi-partisanly passed through Congress and signed by our President a couple weeks ago. (A complete surrender that fully funded Planned Parenthood and many other things Americans are opposed to.)* However, I limit my focus here to the undercover videos that exposed Planned Parenthood’s illegal activities and put a spotlight on the barbaric practices that murder thousands upon thousands of innocent children every year.

America, this has to stop. The right to life is first and foremost. Without that, none of the other rights matters. Republicans had the chance to defund Planned Parenthood, which Constitutionally shouldn’t be receiving taxpayer dollars in the first place. And they failed. America has a heart problem if we cannot protect the lives of the most vulnerable among us.

Pivotal Event #5: The San Bernardino Massacre

This event ecompasses many things. The Paris attacks, mass shootings around the country, Charlie Hebdo, the Syrian refugee crisis, Donald Trump’s Muslim comments, and many others. A book could be written on each of these subjects. But the reason I see them as many facets of one pivotal events is because they have each had the same effect - awakening America to our fragile state as a country and what that means for each individual and for the world as a whole.

America is a tremendous force for good in this world. Americans live in freedom that is unimaginable to most on this planet. You’d be hard pressed to find a true American who wouldn’t want to share this freedom with the rest of the world. However, these events have served to show us that no country is invisible or eternal. Perhaps they’ve made us think, what would happen if we weren’t here?

Sadly, this is a possibility that many are being forced to consider. Combine the crippling $18 trillion in debt, illegal immigration flooding a stagnant job market, the threat of terrorism, an underfunded, restricted military fighting wars that don’t protect the homeland, leaders who not only ignore, but trample our laws and Constitution. Add it all up, and it’s a dismal picture.

And yet despite all that, I am uncontrollably excited about 2016. Standing shoulder to shoulder with each of you, I have seen things that I never thought I would see. There’s been good and there’s been bad. However, I see America waking up. I see people desiring to be involved, desiring to learn and understand. I have seen Paineful Truth reach thousands and thousands of people, informing them on the issues that matter, striving everyday to bring the Truth to light. And we are just getting started.

I believe in America. I believe in you, in “We the People”. I believe “Truth will ultimately prevail where there is pains to bring it to light."

Our future is never sure, but our resolve must be.

Happy New Year, everyone. Here’s to America.

Jonathan Paine

@painefultruth76

painefultruth1776@gmail.com