We are now in the heart of the holiday season. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanza, the Winter Solstice, or nothing at all, things will slow down a bit for the next week or so. For many people this time of year is a time to reflect on the accomplishments of 2024 and look forward to what lies ahead.

I think we can all agree that one of the major accomplishments of last year is that we all got through it. It may not have been easy or pretty, but somehow, we all found a way to survive.

Even though this time of year many people sing about peace on earth and good will towards men, I don’t see that happening anytime soon. The Middle East is a powder keg, Russia and Ukraine continue to kill each other, and here at home we have a president who has been propped up for the last four years, and a president-elect who seems to be more interested in punishing his political enemies, rewarding his political allies, and breaking up immigrant families, than working to find bipartisan solutions to our problems.

I fear 2025 and the foreseeable future will be a s#%t show. When I watch the news, I find myself saying the Serenity Prayer, I have to admit, I do get a bit of perverse enjoyment watching what’s happening on Capitol Hill.

As I look ahead to 2025, I wonder how long before Elon Musk and Donald Trump can no longer stand each other. You know it’s got to happen. Elon made Trump look weak when his tweet killed the original bipartisan continuing resolution to keep the government open. And then when Trump put out a second plan, congress said no to that too. But the third time was a charm, keeping the government open even though the debt ceiling remains, much to the dislike of the President-Elect.

Why was Trump even part of this discussion? He’s not the president yet. Shouldn’t Biden have been on the front lines trying to get things passed? He should have been, but it appears that our president has been propped up for the last four years like an Oval Office version of Weekend at Bernies.

So, what does 2025 bring?

Locally it brings a mayor’s race. That’s going to be fun to watch. Mayor Stothert and Mike McDonnell don’t like each other very much. McDonnell is already running TV ads. Yes, the next president hasn’t even been sworn in yet and we’re already on the cusp of a new campaign season.

This will be a campaign where the current state of the Nebraska Republican Party doesn’t have the money or the will to support any Republican incumbent. Even though McDonnell switched parties and joined the Republicans, his support to keep the blue dot won’t make him a favorite of party loyalists.

What about the Nebraska Democratic Party? Well, as Mom always used to say, “If you can’t say anything nice don’t say anything at all.”

For the life of me, I will never understand why we can’t have the mayor and city council races during the off-year congressional elections. It would save the taxpayers money and give the voters some relief from the non-stop political ads.

One other thing to look for in 2025 will be the continued and intensified attacks on the so-called mainstream media. The incoming head of the FCC has already sent a letter to ABC’s parent company, warning Disney that the agency will be keeping a close eye on them regarding their news coverage and affiliate deals.

Trump, hot off his victory with George Stephanopoulos is now suing the Des Moines Register over an inaccurate poll they published. Even though there is no evidence that the poll was done to mislead, that’s not stopping Trump from suing.

Look for more attacks on media that carry news stories this administration finds unflattering. Reporters, and their big business owners must not be intimidated by such bullying and threats. The founding fathers made the free press the First Amendment for a reason. Dictators control the press in countries like Russia and North Korea. We cannot go down a slippery slope and let that happen here.

After a brief respite, a whole new world is right around the corner. Who knows what 2025 will bring? A year ago, much of what happened in 2024 wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

So, buckle your seat belts and hold on to your hats, we are going to be in for quite a ride. I just know that whatever happens, somehow, we’ll get through it.

I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous, and Drama-Free New Year.

Tom Becka is a long time Nebraska broadcaster who for over 30 years has been covering Omaha and Midwest issues on both radio and TV. He has been a guest on numerous national cable and news shows, filled in for nationally syndicated talk radio programs and Talkers Magazine has recognized him as one of the Top 100 talk show hosts in the country 10 times. Never afraid to ruffle some feathers, his ‘Becka’s Beat’ commentaries can be found online on Youtube and other digital platforms.

Opinions expressed by columnists in The Daily Record are not necessarily those of its management or staff, and do not constitute an endorsement or recommendation. Any errors or omissions should be called to our attention so that they may be corrected. Contact us at news@omahadailyrecord.com.