Good day sunshine

I know I’m not alone in feeling like it’s been sunnier these last few days after what felt a lot like living under the perpetually grey skies of a dystopian novel. Despite the shorter days, I feel personally lighter and friends have shared similar emotions with me in recent days. It’s palpable.

Things will remain difficult, with the Corona virus romping around our country, and the world beyond our borders. There are far too many people struggling with loss of income, lack of access to meaningful educational experiences, health and healthcare and housing issues. I am not unaware of how bad off so many families, businesses and individuals are right now and I’m doing what I can to help.

Despite this reality, I fully expect my mood, and those of like minded individuals, to remain more optimistic, less exasperated. I will no longer feel shame about the current leader of what has been one of the world’s most generous democracies for decades. We have corrected the direction in which we were heading, hopefully in time to #builditbackbetter

For those citing the low prices of gasoline (oil) and mortgage interest rates with the threat to confront anti-Trump voters next year with 2020 data to compare these basic economy indicators, I say please do.*

Two things to remain aware of, in my humanities major mind, I offer below…

1. The biggest jump in gasoline prices that I’ve ever witnessed came immediately after Hurricane Katrina. I won’t claim to know the relationship between oil prices and politics beyond wars and embargoes, but I can’t credit DJT for the recent low gasoline prices. Unless, I’m supposed to be appreciative for the fact that the lack of leadership from the #idiotinchief caused an extended lockdown and thus dramatically decreased the demand for gas, which caused a glut on the market and resulted in the lowest prices in many years. Um, thanks?

By the way, natural disasters, like super storms and hurricanes, are more frequent than in past centuries (because climate change is real) and they’re 100% nonpartisan.

2. The current rates for mortgages are phenomenal for buyers, which is a welcome occurrence at a time when the real estate market in the Hudson Valley, and countless other areas, is blowing up as folks stretch to purchase a place to socially distance and work remotely.

I’m pretty sure, though, that the Fed, which I know nothing about (and full disclosure, I barely passed economics), has felt limited in their actions because DJT has aggressively exerted control over this area of federal policy and prevented actions they may have been taken under less corrupt and desperate presidents.

So, I call bullshit.

And I can’t wait to see your statistics next year.

*The expectation being, of course, that both will be significantly higher in 2021.