My predictions for the next four years.

[denverbill]

I'm not sure if this goes in Acrimony or Support, so I'll choose Acrimony just to piss people off.

Well, Georgie doesn't have to face the voters anymore. He has even more control of the House and Senate. So what will be happening in the next 4 years.

My predictions? First, amnesty for illegal aliens. Yes, it really pisses off his base, but who the fuck cares about his base anymore? He wanted it 4 years ago, he wanted it 3 years ago, but the screaming from his based kept him from doing it. That's all over now. Like Reagan before him in his 2nd term, he's going to slam through amnesty to guarantee cheap labor for his real base, the elite businessmen and CEO's. Neither Bush nor Cheney will be running in 2008, but they will still want a Republican to win, so it's best to do it very early in their term, so people have 4 years to forget it. Hell, they forgot who attacked us on 9-11 within a year. It will be a TOP priority in 2005.

#2, drilling in ANWR. No way Democrats can block this anymore, and no Republican gives a damn about it. Goodbye ANWR. Maybe you'll get lucky and they won't destroy TOO much of you.

#3, goodbye estate tax, hello landed gentry. The gap between the uber-haves and the have-nots will increase astronomically. Gradually, virtually all land will transfer into the hands of a few wealthy individuals. No, it won't happen overnight, or even on Idiot-boys watch, but it will start to happen when they kiss this great leveler of playing fields goodbye.

#4, increasing social security taxes. After all, you can't 'privatize' social security and keep benefit levels the same without forcing people to contribute more somehow (unless you increase SS taxes on the rich {hahahahah, yeah right}). Yes, it will be 'painful', but it 'has to be done to save Social Security', just like Reagan did once again. Best yet, it affects the poorest 95% of people far more than the uber-wealthy.

#5, making reimportation of Canadian drugs a prosecutable offense. Yes, they've seethingly tolerated it for the last couple years, but they had to get the old people to vote for them in 2004. Old folks can go fuck themselves now. It's the drug companies that matter now.

#6, unfortunately, this budget deficit is now just WAY out of control, and some painful cuts will need to be made, especially in any area of government where there is no corporate involvement. Examples of those programs include welfare, food stamps, AFDC, block grants to states, some Medicaid and Medicare programs, veterans benefits (hey, they are used to sacrifice), government regulatory agencies like the EPA, FDA, and ATF, etc. Thankfully, 'privatized' government budgets like the new Medicare prescription drug plan won't need to be cut, however, additional taxes might have to be implemented to cover the skyrocketing costs.

#7, foreign policy will continue as before. Arrogant, bullying, petulant, and reactionary. We will undoubtedly be hit by terrorists again, giving renewed impetus to yet another war. The draft will be instituted shortly thereafter, when not enough patriotic young Republicans volunteer for duty in Iran.

#8, pack the courts with conservative judges. Now, mind you, they don't really give a flying fuck about abortion. If they end abortion, they have no more wedge issue. Besides, a case has to actually reach the court for it to reverse Roe-v-Wade, and even conservatives tend to believe in the right to privacy. However, where conservatives are really useful in the courts is in empowering the corporation over the individual. Oh, and if it helps get school vouchers through, so much the better. There's a helluva lot of money going to education spending now that isn't going through private hands first.

#9, tort reform. In conjunction with #8, don't even count on being able to hold corporations or individuals liable for damages you suffer again. Perhaps if you are wealthy enough to field a huge team of lawyers (ala OJ) you might prevail. As to the rest of you, get over it.

#10, increase the salaries of Congress and the President. Being President is hard work, after all.


I'm sure they have lots of other interesting ideas to ram up our national ass, but if they don't get 8 or more of these things done, they'll have wasted their best chance in the last 100 years. Undoing the 20th century will be the goal of Republicans in the 21st century. Goodbye unions, public education, labor laws, the 40 hour work week, overtime, and even progressive taxation. Say hello to company script. And remember, you get a 5% discount when you use your Wallors (Walmart dollars) at the company store.


That's my vision for the next 4 years. Anyone like to share theirs?

[IrateCitizen]

1. Grover Norquist's dream come true -- states going bankrupt

States are already hurting due to the incredible decline in federal aid. Things stand to only get worse over the next 4 years.

I would not at all be surprised to see a state virtually go bankrupt over this time period. I think that CA may actually be a prime candidate in this regard.