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Christmas has passed and the song, “Baby, It’s Cold Outside,” may have only thought it had been sung for its final time of the season. However, I hope you’ve got plenty of wood cut for the fireplace and your stack of kindlin’ is healthy. Looks like are in store for a cold, cold week.

            As people my age might remember from the Johnny Carson Tonight Show, “How Cold?”

            It’s so cold that the Democrats and Republicans in Washington are finding it impossible to get into a heated argument! For the first time in my life I have been yearning for a good heartburn! Well, so much for global warming.

            Although our temperatures are going to plummet for about a week, there is always another place that has it worse. Like Iowa, where the Republican presidential caucuses were held last night. Iowans must be pretty hearty people to get out in sub-zero weather to hear political speeches and, then, vote. Over one hundred thousand gathered in gymnasiums, churches, and the like to prove their love for their state and this nation.

            The night was very kind to former president Donald Trump. He was a big winner garnering over fifty percent of the vote. Whether you like him or not, and there’s plenty of people on both sides of that question, you have to appreciate his thick skin and his perseverance.

            His surprising win in 2016 led to four years of his opponents throwing even the kitchen sink at him. Most of what his opponents claimed, such as his collusion with Russia, was proved to be untrue. It was evident that he was not a Washington insider and those insiders considered him a threat to their gravy trains. He made his mistakes with some appointments, but, true to his businessman instincts, he wasn’t afraid to fire them and, by the end of his term, Trump had built a good team.

            Still the opposition would not rest and, even after he was out of office, he had to fight impeachments and, now, over 91 indictments. As a result, it looks like his 2024 presidential campaign will be as busy in the nation’s courtrooms as it will be in giving speeches for another term in office.

            Even more so, there are state officials who are taking the unheard of steps of not even allowing the Trump name to be on the presidential ballot. I hope the United States Supreme Court is going to pull a Barney Fife and nip that in the bud. Sometimes I ask myself, “Why doesn’t the man just move to Mara Lago and play golf?”

            Donald Trump is proving to be like the Eveready Bunny by his determination to keep on going. Or is he like the Timex watch that “takes a licking and keeps on ticking?” No doubt he wants the job and is willing to fight for it even if the fight doesn’t seem to be a fair one.

             It seems that every four years, when we have a presidential election, we say that this is the most important election in our history. Surely, there have been challenges in our nation’s history that have been huge, but there are situations happening now that make me wonder if our nation’s future is going to be fundamentally changed.

            What a blessing it is to live in a nation like the United States of America. I have enjoyed my life and it’s going to take determination, perseverance, and courage to keep this country on the right track. This election for the right to lead our nation is very important. I pray that we get it right.

            Meanwhile, baby, it’s cold outside. Watch out for those polar bears!