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Looking ahead
3 Nov 2004 10:02 amPresident George W. Bush has been re-elected by a majority of the popular vote (and the greatest percentage of the population in the last several elections); the Republicans have a majority in both the House and Senate. It's very likely that three Supreme Court justices will be nominated this term.
I'd like to make a few predictions, based on the last four years and the perceived mandate. Keep in mind these are at the national level; local conditions can vary wildly. Feel free to skip to the bottom of this post if you think we're now on the road to the promised land.
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Government monitoring of citizens will increase and become more intrusive. More innocent people will have their lives disrupted to insure domestic tranquility. Dissent will be viewed as disturbing that domestic tranquility, and may extend to reading, viewing, surfing or owning non-conforming media. The chilling effect on creativity will be strong. The upside is that major successful terrorist activity in the US will be less likely and the growth of the surveillance industry will produce jobs.
We will remain in Iraq as military support and advisers; permanent bases will be built in Iraq. Iraq will be used as a base of operations to apply military pressure on Iran; war with Iran is likely unless civil war in Iraq keeps American forces engaged there.
Environmental protections will be greatly loosened or removed. Most national forests and BLM lands will be opened to resource gathering, some disruptive or destructive.
Diversity and tolerance will be discouraged, especially in regards to gays and non-Christians. (This isn't a poke against Christians, but against the extreme Christian right). Outright discrimination will become more common, and in some cases officially sanctioned. Blacklists - like the no-fly list - will be expanded. Loyalty checks will become common. Non-conformists will have a much harder time re-entering the US after travel abroad; even conforming citizens will have random issues on re-entry. Student and work visas will become harder to get or renew.
Scientific objectivity will be discouraged unless it supports government policy (see also the blacklists). America will lose even the appearance of being on the technological forefront.
The economy will muddle along without much tinkering by the administration; we will be in trouble if we've indeed reached the oil supply plateau. That we've reached that plateau isn't certain - yet (and isn't dependent on who's in office).
"You're with us or against us" will be the operative phrase for the administration. Intimidation will be an accepted tool when legal means are not available. In general, this administration will be unresponsive to the needs of the public and will chase after their perceived divine goals.
Dick Chaney will run for president in 2008 (that's the stuff of nightmares).
====
Personally, I see several rough years ahead, and several more years after that resolving the long term issues from the polices started or continued under this administration. I think I will be better off at the end of four years - but that will be as a result of my own efforts (and the foundation I've already laid), and will be against the general trend. I'll certainly be more stressed.
I'd like to be wrong. I did vote for President Bush in 2000, and for Kerry in 2004.
EDIT: No, I didn't think that Kerry would put us on the road to the promised land, either, and some of the points above would still have happened under Kerry. I simply thought he was the better choice.
We (the Americans) are now all in the same boat. Try to keep that in mind.
I'd like to make a few predictions, based on the last four years and the perceived mandate. Keep in mind these are at the national level; local conditions can vary wildly. Feel free to skip to the bottom of this post if you think we're now on the road to the promised land.
====
Government monitoring of citizens will increase and become more intrusive. More innocent people will have their lives disrupted to insure domestic tranquility. Dissent will be viewed as disturbing that domestic tranquility, and may extend to reading, viewing, surfing or owning non-conforming media. The chilling effect on creativity will be strong. The upside is that major successful terrorist activity in the US will be less likely and the growth of the surveillance industry will produce jobs.
We will remain in Iraq as military support and advisers; permanent bases will be built in Iraq. Iraq will be used as a base of operations to apply military pressure on Iran; war with Iran is likely unless civil war in Iraq keeps American forces engaged there.
Environmental protections will be greatly loosened or removed. Most national forests and BLM lands will be opened to resource gathering, some disruptive or destructive.
Diversity and tolerance will be discouraged, especially in regards to gays and non-Christians. (This isn't a poke against Christians, but against the extreme Christian right). Outright discrimination will become more common, and in some cases officially sanctioned. Blacklists - like the no-fly list - will be expanded. Loyalty checks will become common. Non-conformists will have a much harder time re-entering the US after travel abroad; even conforming citizens will have random issues on re-entry. Student and work visas will become harder to get or renew.
Scientific objectivity will be discouraged unless it supports government policy (see also the blacklists). America will lose even the appearance of being on the technological forefront.
The economy will muddle along without much tinkering by the administration; we will be in trouble if we've indeed reached the oil supply plateau. That we've reached that plateau isn't certain - yet (and isn't dependent on who's in office).
"You're with us or against us" will be the operative phrase for the administration. Intimidation will be an accepted tool when legal means are not available. In general, this administration will be unresponsive to the needs of the public and will chase after their perceived divine goals.
Dick Chaney will run for president in 2008 (that's the stuff of nightmares).
====
Personally, I see several rough years ahead, and several more years after that resolving the long term issues from the polices started or continued under this administration. I think I will be better off at the end of four years - but that will be as a result of my own efforts (and the foundation I've already laid), and will be against the general trend. I'll certainly be more stressed.
I'd like to be wrong. I did vote for President Bush in 2000, and for Kerry in 2004.
EDIT: No, I didn't think that Kerry would put us on the road to the promised land, either, and some of the points above would still have happened under Kerry. I simply thought he was the better choice.
We (the Americans) are now all in the same boat. Try to keep that in mind.
