What is America going to look like a year from now?

[catmandu57]

Any guesses, educated or otherwise. I have the feeling that the first year is going to be the worst, because of the mid term elections, congress will want to appear to be moderating in 06.
So, I believe that any damage that could be done will be fast and furious next year. I'm preparing for an onslaught of conservatibe judicial nominees, program cutbacks, permanent tax breaks for the wealthy, bankruptcy elimination, and an increasing role of local government for education, and maintaining infrastructure.

It's January to April that really scares me, that's when these bastards will show their true colors. What am I missing? what's on the agenda?

[brainshrub]

1. I'm going to bookmark this thread, and look at it next year.

I predict a currency crisis.

I have more predictions, but I'm going to hold my tongue.

[taught_me_patience]

25. that...

and a popping of the housing bubble.

taught.

[Robbien]

2. I believe the financial situation will blow within the next year

and all these corporate favorable rules they are making will just make it a long hard slog for the middle class to get out of the financial mess.

[bobweaver]

3. Houston

[nostamj]

4. Our Nation Under Our God.....

This is a continuation of a piece that was written for a 'dystopia' thread in the new Writing forum. Yes, it's a nightmare scenerio, to be sure. But, if the fundamentalists are allowed and even encouraged to continue their agenda, it is a nightmare we could see coming to pass here.

From: The Diary of Dan Frank

Outside Ithaca, NY. In the year of our Bush 2007

The Fundamentalist Papers

The entire purpose of The Fundamentalist Papers was to gain popular support for the then-proposed ReConstitution. Some would call it the most significant public-relations campaign in history; it was, in fact, the bedrock document for the secularization of the United States as a sovereign Christian nation.

If enough of us are writing these things down, perhaps a record will remain. That will have to be reason enough to continue.

By the time The Fundamentalist Papers, as they came to be known, were enacted into law, we knew it had become inevitable. The perverse and parasitic marriage between wealthy men controlling virtually the entire economy–including virtually all news and entertainment–though their metastacizing corporations and the terrified and enraged masses ready to remake the nation in their "Christian" vision was locked in holy stone.

In the months following the nuke attack in South Florida and the LNG explosions in the Pacific Northwest, a panicked populace was artfully driven into the arms of the most aggressive of the evangelical conglomerates, Our God's America (OGA). OGA's leaders, Pat Roberston and Jerry Falwell, the twin pillars of American christian hypocrisy, stated their organization's goals unequivocally–the restoration of the country's fundamental Christian foundation.

History, be damned!

...to be continued.

[nascarblue]

5. I predict problems with North Korea and a Bush coup in Velenzuela

The fact that Bush and Bush sr. are so tied into Rev. Moon, and most of what Rev. Moon predicted ten years ago has actually come true, I predict we will have problems with North Korea. After all, he has given N. Korea millions to do who knows what with. Reports in the early 90's said it was for nukes. I know it sounds whacky, but a lot of things that have come true sounded whacky 10, 20 years ago and they've all come true. Who would've ever thought a christian cult would have gotten so much power in the republican party?

Everyone in the media laughed at Moon back in the 1970's when he said he was going to take over the world by buying up newspapers, radio and television stations... and sure enough he did. Look at Fox, Washington Times, and Limbaugh.

[Mari333]

6. More hunger, bankruptcy, homelessness

we are being destroyed from within. Stress levels at an all time high
with people forced to work 2-3 jobs just to survive. A LOT more deaths, because of poverty and malnutrition and lack of health care.
I, for one, am selling everything I own and holding my assets close to my vest. Not buying anything but food and necessities.
I spoke with a friend of mine who is a social worker and counselor..her office is filled every day with people with massive stress related problems because of the Bush admin policies...she says the uptick is overwhelming their offices.

[catmandu57]

8. That's what I'm thinking also,

helplessness on a mass scale with the answer being to pray your way out of whatever crisis is befalling you.
Nowhere to turn for help, forclosers going up because local and state taxes will rise rapidly to makeup for the shortfall of federal dollars.
I'm asking this because we have to go see friends this weekend, he voted for the moron* and she for Kerry, I don't see their marriage lasting, but, that's a different thread.
I don't know if the issue of politics will come up, but if it does I want to be prepared to hit him hard between the eyes with reality and tell him to wake the fuck up though it's too late.

[Penguin31]

7. (Tumbleweed blows across the landscape) [nt]

[punpirate]

9. Since Congress has to get re-elected...

... a lot of what you surmise will not take place without some event to codify it all. In the next two years, plan on yet another cataclysmic terrorist act to enable the more or less complete abandonment of the social contract (that doesn't have to be construed as an endorsement of either MIHOP or LIHOP--terrorist attacks have occurred fairly regularly in the last decade or so--1993, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001). It's just an acknowledgement that one is likely to happen, and it will be used, as was the last one, to further the neo-cons' agenda.

Expect another couple of wars. One beginning late in 2005, another a year or two afterwards.

As others have mentioned, expect all the profligate spending to result in a severe currency problem--fighting protracted foreign wars with debt is historically a sign of impending calamity.

The push for evermore conservative judges will proceed apace, no matter what else happens--expect the Democrats to happily agree to confirm all those at the lower appeals court level (where most of the action is), and scream futilely about the Supreme Court nominees.

One of the things that is probably not expected (in part because it can't fully be imagined) is further erosion of the control of Congress in oversight matters and a quickly-attempted further consolidation of power in the Executive branch. The intelligence bill is an early indication--the creation of an intelligence czar as a Cabinet member not only politicizes intelligence to a terrifying degree, it also consolidates more power in the Presidency and weakens Congress. That was its true aim.

Expect more moves in the first year to accrue power to the Presidency. Expect a lot more secrecy. Expect even more cooperation between the Executive and corporate interests. Expect much bolder plans to privatize functions of government--at all levels.

There's more, but I depress myself in suggesting just this much. :(


Edit for syntax.

[clem_c_rock]

15. SO YOU DON'T THINK THESE GUYS HAD ANYTHING TO DO W/ 911?

Sick of the grandest set of coincidences the world has ever seen.

If y'all still buy this, I got some magic bullets and indestructable passports to sell you

[punpirate]

17. Coincidence...

... is not the same as proof. Do I think the commission went after and spelled out the truth, and provided the proof? Hell, no.

Do I think there are crazy fundamentalists out there, at home and abroad, who are determined to get us. Oh, yeah. Have they tried to do so in the past? Yup.

Do I think that the bunch in the current administration are crazy enough to try something like 9/11? Perhaps.

But, until there's proof, I'll reserve judgment. Belief is something I'll leave to the fundamentalists.

Cheers.

[clem_c_rock]

23. I will listen to the families that lost people in 911...

That actually spend more than 30 minutes a week thinking about the official version of the story.

There's many of them out there that are coming up w/ too many questions that aren't being given any answers.

If someone hands me a well researched paper that they've spent hundreds of hours researching, I tend to believe them more than the people who don't even question the subject.

[punpirate]

24. I repeat...

... coincidence is not proof.

I don't say this because I like the Bushies, or disrespect the families of 9/11 victims.

But, as you yourself say, they have lots of questions. No answers. Until someone within government, in a position to know, comes forward with definitive, solid information proving LIHOP/MIHOP, nothing happens.

Moreover, that was not the subject of the original post.

I have plenty of questions about this myself, and I have spent plenty of time trying to educate myself on the known facts and dissing the Bushies for their assaults on the people of this country (you would realize that were you not a newbie and were familiar with my previous posts and with my DU articles).

But, unlike many here, including yourself, I think solid, legal proof is what is necessary to upset the Bush administration's applecart. Even with that, the media and a complacent Congress might still be able to bury the issue forever. That was done with the Kennedy assassination investigation forty years ago. Questions remain, but there's still no solid proof of who was truly responsible for that act, either.

The power of the government to hide information from the public is considerable. You can believe all you wish, but belief simply doesn't matter. Irrefutable proof does.

I suggest you spend your time ferreting out that irrefutable proof, if you can, rather than berating the people who say that proof is required. It's simply a fact of life. Proof counts. When Nixon denied involvement in Watergate, investigators found proof sufficient to impeach, that Nixon was lying. The standards for that proof were high, but it was found. If Bush and company were complicit in the events of 9/11, there is proof, somewhere. Find it, and we will all be in your debt.

Cheers.

[Johonny]

10. well

because of the mid term elections, congress will want to appear to be moderating in 06.


I disagree on this. They'll save some base energizing issue for 2006. Gay marriage, abortion. Something very right wing will be put to vote just before the election.

[knight_of_the_star]

11. Currency crash

I wouldn't be surprised if major holders of US treasury bonds call in their bonds and call our bluff, that by itself will hurt. A lot.

[clem_c_rock]

12. Can you say DRAFT, MASSIVE INFLATION, WORLD LAUGHING AT US

Also,

-at least 100,000 more dead Iraqi's.

-5-10,000 dead american troops

-demonstrators getting killed by riot police


***Also, stupid moderate democrats still argueing about how to find a "charismatic leader" as if that REALLY was the problem.

The only funny thing will be all the moronic Christian rednecks that voted for these freaks will be the first people to lose their jobs in mass.

[SmokingJacket]

13. Another 9-11.

It worked so well the first time.

But different: something that "no one could have guessed they'd..." It'll happen soon after some outrageous scandal emerges, which will be quickly forgotten.

Increasing insanity of the Right -- overt racism and bigotry will become an even more normal part of the culture.

Economy falling apart for the bottom 90%. Stagflation!

Definitely more invasions -- not a new war though! All part of the same "war on terra"

Lots of big empty big box stores dotting the horizon.

Less and less "news" coverage on TV.

Possibly a draft... but they might be able to get away with paying private companies to do the fighting.

[Jurgis]

14. Regarding bankruptcy elimination...

what do they expect to do after that? Bring back debtors' prisons? Maybe the stocks, pillaries....how about the guillotine?

edited for punctuation

[catmandu57]

22. I would imagine

some kind of servitude to clear the debt. Never mind that it's outlawed, they can get around that pesky constitution.

[Just Me]

16. Increased terrorism, increased skepticism among Americans,...

,...at least one more war possibly igniting a world war, an economy pushing the brink of disaster, decreasing voluntary troop strength, greater anti-Americanism, higher suicide/poverty/homelessnes rate, increase in violent crimes, greater assassination attempts at political targets around the globe, historic lows on value of the dollar, increase in bankruptcy filings, etc.

[SemperEadem]

18. the yawning, gaping abyss of corporate greed and welfare

will have swallowed up an increasing number of the middle class...

The rightwing media is the state and in the next year will grow even stronger in its role.

[gorbal]

19. I'll tell yah

People rising up and taking back their country, that's what I see.

[Lone Pawn]

20. Not much different.

I doubt there'll be any major changes, actually. Perhaps social security privitization might start rolling, but not paseed yet.

[One_Life_To_Give]

21. Would take Sutec to completly destroy

Only the almost limitless power of Sutec could destroy everything. (Dr. WHO)

[indigobusiness]

26. Worthless dollar, rampant inflation, $3 gas, $700+ gold.,real estate tanks

Revolution in the air.