Today is my 19th half birthday. Six months from now, when I blow out my birthday candles and make a wish for the year to come, the White House will also be marking a milestone and planning for the future. January 20th is the start of the next presidential term, either the day Mitt Romney takes office or the day that Obama reclaims the presidency for another four years.
- January: Rick Perry drops out of the presidential race and endorses Newt Gingrich.
- February: Sandra Fluke testifies at a congressional hearing in support of health insurance covering contraceptives.
- March: Supreme Court begins its review of Obama's Affordable Healthcare Act
- April: Mitt Romney officially becomes the Republican nominee for president
- May: Obama announces that he supports gay marriage
- June: Supreme Court upholds Affordable Healthcare Act
Just looking at a few political news over the last six months, it is obvious that the political landscape is constantly evolving. Six months may seem like a short wait until I turn another year older, but I imagine it feels infinitely longer when you're running for president of the United States.
Regardless of who is in office six months from now, when I blow out my birthday candles I'll make a wish for job security, good health and less debt in the year to come. Not for myself, but for the American people.