Despite the ever-present media hysteria, it’s become clear that on the issue that really matters, Trump finished 2019 strong. I’m speaking, of course, about the economy. 2019 started with some economic turmoil and uncertainty. The trade war with China created a stock market whiplash and business anxiety.

But the data shows things have finally turned around. Economic confidence has been rising for months. 52 percent of investors approve of Trump’s handling of the economy, compared to just 32 percent who do not approve.

It’s no wonder that stocks have been hitting record highs. After the tax reform bill, the fundamentals of the economy were strong, and market performance reflected that.

That is, until the trade war killed Trump’s would-be boom in the cradle. Now that Trump is again on solid footing, he could be well on his way to victory in 2020 … as long as he steers clear of another trade war.

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The last weeks of 2019 brought two film releases that deserve the attention of the widest possible audience for their affirmation of enduring values. Though both “A Hidden Life” and “Just Mercy” received only very limited distribution at year’s end, they should win new attention in the new year for their historically accurate portrayal of real-life heroes motivated by deep Christian faith.

Franz Jaegerstaeter, the subject of “A Hidden Life,” was an Austrian farmer who, in the midst of World War II, refused to take an oath of loyalty to Hitler because he felt higher loyalty to his God and Savior. “Just Mercy” highlights the tireless work of Bryan Stevenson, an African-American lawyer motivated by his commitment to the church to rescue the wrongly convicted from death row.

With religion under regular assault from so much of popular culture, these two superbly well-crafted films offer a refreshing, much-needed alternative.

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A recent headline that I’ll quote directly illustrates our pervasive sexual confusion today: “Trans man gives birth to non-binary person’s baby with female sperm donor.”

Let’s analyze this headline in light of truth. 

“Trans man gives birth”—Reuben, who gave birth to the child, is a biological woman who self-identifies as transgender.

“To non-binary person’s baby”—Jay, Reuben’s partner, is a biological woman who doesn’t want to be identified as a woman.

“With female sperm donor”—We’re talking about the sexual contribution from a biological man who self-identifies as a trans woman.

Don’t be confused. 

Though our culture embraces chaos and separates biology from identity—procreation is stubbornly logical.  

Only the natural sexual contribution of a man and woman can produce a baby. 

Only a woman can give birth.

Biology constitutes identity.

Here’s a revised headline: “Despite Much Controversy, Nothing About Biology Has Changed.”

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In the aftermath of President Trump’s order to kill Qasem Soleimani, the leader of Iran’s Quds Force—and a terrorist—a lot of attention is being paid to an interview I conducted with then-candidate Trump in September of 2015.

At the time, Trump was not familiar with Soleimani—and admitted as much. But he added a clue to his thinking then, citing a story written about his unpredictability. Trump told me: “you don’t want to let people know what you’re going to do with respect to certain things that happen. You don’t want the other side to know.”

What Trump has demonstrated—time and again—is the strategic value of this unpredictability combined with a willingness to use force. It has restored U.S. deterrence.

The death of Soleimani is a reminder to Iran and to the watching world that it challenges the United States at its great peril.

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In response to the appropriate, and precisely targeted drone strike against Iran’s terror chieftain Qasem Soleimani, the former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick unleashed a singularly loathsome tweet. “There is nothing new about American terrorist attacks against Black and Brown people for the expansion of American imperialism,” the self-styled human rights activist declared.

Apologists for Kaepernick defended his dishonor to the national anthem as an example of patriotic dissent but his latest eruption exposes him as an America-hating fool. This tweet itself is racist.

General Soleimani was directly responsible for the deaths of at least 600 US troops—including black and brown soldiers, of course. Killing General Suleimani while he perfected plans to kill more Americans was hardly a demonstration of “imperialism” but rather an act of self-defense that bears no connection to Kaepernick’s race-based screed.

If the Nike company and other corporate sponsors continue to support Kaepernick’s hateful extremism then sane consumers should seek alternate sources for over-priced footwear.

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New York Times columnist David Brooks wants Democrats to drop their impeachment gambit.

His colleague Bret Stephens wants Democratic presidential candidates to pare down their essentially socialist proposals that would Venezuela-ize the American economy.

And the brothers Emanuel—my former mayor, Rahm and Ari—don’t think it’s a good idea to tell 150 million Americans that even if they like their private health insurance they don’t get to keep it.

And what’s the response?

Elizabeth Warren continues to push her complete set of Marxist fantasies.

Joe Biden calls for fossil fuel company executives—yes—to be imprisoned.

And Pete Buttigieg wants to decriminalize all illegal drugs in the face of the opioid crisis.

As we enter the election year, Democrats are divided into two camps.

One wants to defeat Trump at the ballot box.

The other just wants to exact vengeance on Trump voters.

All the candidates to this point are in the “vengeance” camp.

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The new year brings new questions about the Democratic Party and its impeachment obsession. After urgent demands for Trump’s immediate removal, Democrats suddenly slowed down the impeachment process—delaying a Senate trial and hoping to stretch out that proceeding to the beginning of 2020’s primary season.

The Dems mean to focus relentlessly on Trump’s alleged unfitness for office, to keep attention away from their own radical agenda. They know public opinion may be closely divided on the president himself, but big majorities oppose such Democratic priorities as outlawing private health insurance, racial reparations for slavery, tax hikes, open borders, canceled college debt, and the job-killing Green New Deal.

The Democrats know that if they make the election a referendum on Trump’s polarizing personality they could possibly win. But: a pitch for votes based on their stridently progressive platform would lose in a landslide.

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Like a pristine new calendar, the Year 2020 begins without a blemish, but all too soon it will be recorded as history. We know this much: 2020 will bring a national election to the United States, and the race for president will be the main story of the year. By the end of 2020, we will know a very great deal about the political future of the United States. We already know how much is at stake.

The year will bring achievements and set-backs, storms and earthquakes, wars and rumors of wars. Millions of babies will be born worldwide in 2020, and we can only imagine the world they will know decades from now. There will be weddings and funerals and holidays and ordinary days—good days and hard days.

There will be 366 days in 2020—one extra day in February. Make every day count. May 2020 bring you and yours abundant blessings and many good days.

Happy New Year from Townhall.com.

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2019 was a year marked by what did happen … and by what didn’t.

The year did begin with a massive budget showdown and a government shutdown. It didn’t end that way, and instead Republicans and Democrats joined together in a massive increase in federal spending. It was a year that saw a 16-year-old Swedish climate activist declare herself a child and demand that world leaders and the United Nations give her a platform. They did.

It was the year that the one of the most historic symbols of Western civilization, Paris’s Notre Dame Cathedral, did burn. But, it didn’t fall.

It was the year that something like 27 Democrats did start running for their party’s 2020 presidential nomination. Some of them will make it to the first votes in Iowa, others already didn’t.

It was the year that the House of Representatives did vote to impeach President Trump.

But when it came time to forward the articles of impeachment to the Senate for a trial, Speaker Nancy Pelosi didn’t, or at least, hasn’t.

Altogether, it was a strange year of dids and didn’ts.

In any event, it is now history.

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You … shall not … pass!

Where were you 18 years ago when the greatest trilogy in cinematic history debuted?

In December 2001, “The Fellowship of the Ring” hit theaters. It was an epochal event, for the Lord of the Rings trilogy made nearly 3 billion dollars worldwide.

The films became a genuine cultural phenomenon for many reasons: the story is exhilarating, the conflict between good and evil is stark, and the movies are beautifully orchestrated. This was far from a guaranteed outcome, though: Oxford don J. R. R. Tolkien labored over the trilogy for years, facing frustrations, creative droughts, and self-doubts.

But Tolkien prevailed and Peter Jackson picked up the torch. We should too. December is a great time for fathers and mothers to read the books with their children.

The films are right: goodness is real.

Home is precious.

And: Evil will not win in the end.

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