Achievement is a thing done successfully, typically by effort, courage or skill. Attainment, realization, accomplishment, fulfilment, implementation, execution, performance. As I look back over the year 2017 I find myself thinking about what, if any, achievements have been accomplished and what makes these achievements successful and relevant to the American people and who has benefited from these achievements.  

In November, Vice President Pence said President Trump was responsible for our economy being improved by 1.5 million new jobs. Pence and Trump himself have said and see the success of the stock market as an achievement for Americans. They both feel that Trump is responsible for the manufacturers “confidence” in producing goods here in America. Pence says, “we’re just getting started” in regards to the “accomplishments” of Trump.  Pence and Trump both fail to acknowledge that another one of Trump’s achievements this year is to be deemed “historically unpopular” by the American people.  

Trump’s appointment of Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch was the deciding voice that made it harder to file some class-action claims and more difficult for death-row inmates to make inadequate legal representation part of their appeal. So, it looks like another achievement to add to the year for Trump is that poor people who can’t afford “adequate” legal representation will just have to take what the justice system and the attorneys hired by the justice system give them regarding their sentences if convicted and sentenced to death.  

As of April 2017, the total number of death-row prisoners was 2,843. Some may say, “Well, if they are on death-row they must have committed a horrific crime and deserve it,” however, since 1973, more than 155 people have been released and found innocent and released from prison. I wonder how many more are sitting on death row, innocent of the crime and had inadequate legal representation. And of course, the ratio of black inmates sitting on death row greatly outnumber white inmates so once again the black man loses.  

According to The Statistics Portal the year 2017, as of November, saw the police in America achieve a high goal of shooting to death 392 White, 191 Black, 159 Hispanic, 29 other and 44 unknown people for a grand total of 815 people killed by police and we still must get through December to get the final count for the year. If they kill 108 more they will have achieved beating the 2016 number of 963 shooting deaths.  

As we near the end of the year we find ourselves faced with almost daily sexual harassment allegations that show us that this type of harassment is rampant and crosses entertainment, government, corporation and even the White House. Let’s not forget, that Trump was elected President even though we saw and heard, out of his own mouth, that men in powerful positions can “grab women by the p***y.” This year will end with women and men who have been silent speaking out and being heard regarding being sexually harassed on the job by people in “power” positions, such as Trump, and that is a great achievement for the victims.  

President Trump has tried several times to end Obamacare for the millions of American citizens who need it. He has focused most of his attention on dismantling any and all policies that were enacted during Obama’s two terms as president. When it comes to instilling the fear of losing medical treatment, medication and medical insurance Trump is the grand achiever. So far, he hasn’t won the battle of leaving millions of American citizens without medical insurance even though the Republicans have the majority of the house vote. But that doesn’t mean he’s going to stop trying.  

In looking back on 2017, it brings a lot of mixed emotions. We had over 100 killed in mass murders committed in America. People gunned down at concerts, in churches and schools. People gunned down on the streets by known and unknown killers. Police continue to shoot to death citizens they are sworn to protect. Social media has given us first hand viewing of some of these police killings live as they occur, mostly on Facebook live.  

Looking back on 2017, it appears it hasn’t been a very good year for some of us. I can only hope that 2018 will bring some good news because at this moment in time in America, people are wondering if we are headed to World War Three because we have a President who doesn’t seem to care much about being “politically correct” when it comes to dealing with Korea and seems to only care about his agenda, which he says is “making America great again” – but appears to be taking America back to a time before the Civil Rights Movement.