- My most popular columns and audio segments this year.
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This is my last column for the year as I prepare to enjoy the holidays and rest up for 2020. As has become customary, I'm using this opportunity to review my top essays from the past year.
As you know, I write on a variety of subjects, such as management, systems, technology, social issues, politics, and observations of our changing world. Sometimes my work is instructional and informative, other times it is controversial or humorous. I certainly hope it isn't boring. By the number of subscribers I have, their comments, and the hits I have on my web sites, I do not believe this is the case.
This has been a fiery political year and, as such, my political columns did very well. Nonetheless, what follows is based on my "hits" by my readers.
My top columns for the year were:
1. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: DO WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM? - Jan 4th - I began the year with a report from Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) who gave a border security briefing to ranking Congressional leaders. Unfortunately, the Democrats were not interested.
2. PRESIDENT TRUMP VS. THE SQUAD OF FOUR - July 17th - How four female freshmen Congressional Democrats are pushing the party left.
3. WHAT EXACTLY IS AN ASSAULT WEAPON? - Sep 19th - I found it necessary to write this column after I discovered how naive Americans are about guns.
4. CAPITALISM VERSUS SOCIALISM: REFERENCE GUIDE - Mar 6th - Another educational piece aimed at describing the differences between the two ideologies. Most young people haven't a clue as to the differences.
5. HOW I LOWERED MY CABLE BILL - Sep 24th - This was a non-political piece where I described how I brought my bill down. Hopefully, people found it handy.
6. RULES FOR DEPLORABLES – NEW BOOK - Oct 3rd - A review of a new book by Cathi Chamberlain describing the political tactics of community organizer Saul Alinsky and the Democrats.
7. IMPEACHMENT? WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID? - Oct 1st - The Democrats' movement to impeachment was predictable (and frivolous).
8. ANTIFA UPDATE - Aug 27th - The hate group is quickly becoming a terrorist organization. When they are finally declared as such, they will finally be stopped.
9. WHO IS CREATING THE CULTURE OF HATRED? - Aug 13th - It certainly isn't the Republicans.
10. TIME FOR A NATIONAL DEBATE ON SOCIALISM - Feb 13th - For a country so obsessed with Socialism, I'm surprised how many do not understand what it is.
HONORABLE MENTION
SOMETHING DOESN’T ADD UP - Apr 23rd - It's amazing how politically naive young Americans are.
THE WHISTLE-BLOWER RULE IS WRONG - Nov 12th - And may very well violate the Constitution.
REPUBLICAN WOMEN GET ACTIVE - Oct 17th - and are pushing back.
BRYCE LAUNCHES NEW BOOK, "Tim’s SENIOR MOMENTS" - May 6th - On how we celebrate aging. I've been pleased with the response.
AUDIO SEGMENTS ON YOUTUBE
I also provide an audio version of most of my columns for those people on the go, courtesy of YouTube. I would like to believe people listen to me at the gym or beach, but more realistically, people tend to tune in while they are traveling or at work. Interestingly, the popularity of my audio segments is not the same as my written columns.
1. WHY WE HAVE TO TAKE ALEXANDRIA ORTEGA-CORTEZ SERIOUSLY - Jan 25th - She may appear goofy to us, but young people are listening.
2. THE TRUMP CULTURAL REVOLUTION - Mar 1st - How society has changed under President Trump.
3. REDISCOVERING THE DEAN MARTIN SHOW - Jan 29th - This was a non-political piece where I remembered Dean Martin as an entertainer. A lot of people enjoyed this column.
4. THE WITCH HUNT CONTINUES - Mar 25th - and ultimately found nothing in the end. What a waste of time and money.
5. ANTIFA UPDATE - Aug 27th - See #8 above.
6. TRUMP'S TAX RETURNS, PART DEUX - Apr 16th - There is still no requirement for the President (or anyone) to release their tax records to the public.
7. TIME FOR A NATIONAL DEBATE ON SOCIALISM - Feb 13th - See #10 above.
8. WHO IS REALLY THE RACIST HERE? - Jan 30th - Democrats have been conditioned accordingly.
9. IMPEACHMENT? WHO ARE THEY TRYING TO KID? - Oct 1st - See #7 above.
10. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: DO WE REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM? - See #1 above.
HONORABLE MENTION
SOMETHING DOESN'T ADD UP - Apr 23rd - how politically naive young Americans are.
PRESIDENT TRUMP VS. THE SQUAD OF FOUR - Jul 17th - See #2 above.
WHY ARE DEMOCRATS ABANDONING RELIGION? - Apr 30th - A very good question. Gallup contends they are.
I will be on sabbatical for awhile until I am ready to get back in the saddle. Merry Christmas.
Keep the Faith!
P.S. - Also do not forget my new books, "How to Run a Nonprofit" and "Tim's Senior Moments", both available in Printed and eBook form. Great holiday gifts!
Note: All trademarks both marked and unmarked belong to their respective companies.
Tim Bryce is an author, freelance writer and the Managing Director of M&JB Investment Company (M&JB) of Palm Harbor, Florida and has over 40 years of experience in the management consulting field. He can be reached at timb1557@gmail.com
For Tim's columns, see: timbryce.com
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Copyright © 2019 by Tim Bryce. All rights reserved.
Listen to Tim on WZIG-FM (104.1) in Palm Harbor,FL; Or tune-in to Tim's channel on YouTube. Click for TIM'S LIBRARY OF AUDIO CLIPS.
Despite resistance from the Congress, President Trump has made considerable progress in his first term; he has reshaped the federal courts to enforce the Constitution, he has moved the American embassy in Israel to Jerusalem (something other presidents promised to do, but failed to deliver), he has rebuilt our military and is assisting veterans, illegal immigration is being slashed, he made several key trade deals (particularly the recent USMCA to replace NAFTA), he crushed ISIS, and introduced policies and programs resulting in a booming economy of historic proportions. Despite all this, perhaps his biggest achievement is taking "The Swamp" to task and is beating them.
Secretary Hillary Clinton has been flirting with the idea of running for president again. If she does, this will be her third try, having lost to President Obama in 2008 and President Trump in 2016. She drops strong hints everywhere she goes, be it on the speaking circuit or on the radio with Howard Stern. 
When Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D CA-12) made a formal request for articles of impeachment against President Trump on December 5th, it was tantamount to a declaration of war with the Republicans. As if the division between Democrats and Republicans wasn't already bad enough, Speaker Pelosi drove a spike between the two sides that may never be repaired. Just about everyone understands this was politically motivated and certainly not a bipartisan effort. Of my liberal friends, I could only find three who honestly believed the Speaker did this as an unbiased move. Everyone else, including most Democrats grudgingly admit it was political in nature.
I have always had a problem with the way the college football national championships are formulated, whereby no more than four teams are selected for a playoff system involving just three games (the semi-finals and national championship). Other college sports, particularly basketball, have a more inclusive system of brackets involving many teams. So, why not football? Even state high school championships include more teams.
Nobody likes to admit making a mistake. We tend to believe it makes us look bad in the eyes of our coworkers, friends and particularly the boss. It's a real test of our integrity. Some people like to cover-up mistakes so they go undetected or, even worse, let someone else take the blame for them. I find mistakes tend to fester and grow if left unchecked, thereby causing bigger headaches and costing a lot more money if we don't catch them in time.
I'm seeing a strange perspective emerging in business as it applies to productivity. Instead of considering the amount of output produced, people now seem only concerned with the amount of time served at work. I see this in I.T. organizations where programmers have said to me, "Wow, I spent twelve hours at work today." I heard this same exact expression from a guy who was laying sod on my lawn. I answered them both the same way, "That's nice, but what did you produce in that time?" Interestingly, they both were at a loss for words and vague in terms of what they produced. It appeared to me, they thought they were being productive simply by the number of hours attending work. 
Thanksgiving is a favorite of mine and I have written about it on numerous occasions (see below). It's more than just the food, it's about being around friends and family. It's the telling of a joke or story, a fond memory, and a glass of cheer. All of this reflects on the love we have for those who surround us, to wit...
Not surprising, Florida is a preferred destination for tourists in winter and retirement. We offer plenty of warm sunshine, sports and attractions, golf and tennis, boating and fishing, fine restaurants, comfortable living, no state income tax, southern charm, and aside from the occasional tropical storm, a safe and comfortable environment. People are coming to Florida in droves, either to vacation or live. It is the #1 state where people are moving to. Not surprising, we have a construction boom here.
The snowbirds are finally back in Florida. For the uninformed, this represents the migratory habits of our elderly neighbors in the north who have developed an aversion to winters at home and head for the warmer climate of the Sunshine State for five or six months. Our restaurants thereby become overcrowded and our roads are clogged with motorists with a wide variety of driving habits, resulting in stop-and-go traffic to drive us crazy. Make no mistake though, we welcome our northern neighbors back as they represent +90 million tourists who visit us (yes, it is that much) and pump over $60 billion into our economy. 
I have been active in politics for nearly 48 years now as a Republican and have witnessed many changes to the party over the years. I have campaigned for candidates, served on political board of directors, served as a correspondent at political events, and have written about politics for well over a decade. As a political pundit, I am pleased to have correctly predicted the outcome of the 2016 and 2018 elections, and No, I certainly didn't do it by studying the polls (which are useless).
The impeachment inquiry of President Trump has taken center stage in the political campaign of 2020, even to the point of overshadowing press coverage of the Democrat presidential candidates. The inquiry focuses on a statement from an alleged whistle-blower who expressed concern regarding a telephone call the President had with the incoming President of the Ukraine. As of this writing, the whistle-blower's identity remains anonymous. Frankly, we do not know if this is one person or several as the complaint appears to have been written by a team of lawyers. As a result, the President and his representatives cannot ask questions of his accuser.