Thursday, November 04, 2004
What could be coming
Bad things that *could* be happening in the coming years:
1. The end of Social Security as we know it, through a privatization that guts benefits for anyone under 45
2. All out assault on insurgent strongholds in Iraq, followed by some sort of election (perhaps limited to safer regions), followed by an American pullout, followed by civil war
3. Deep cuts in non-defense spending
4. More tax cuts for the rich and corporations, and a continuing budget deficit
5. A right-ward shift in the SC and judiciary, with consequences lasting years. Repeal of Roe v Wade possible for the first time.
6. Continued blurring of the line between church and state
7. Increased extraction in the US---oil, coal, timber, etc---especially on federal lands
8. Continued erosion of Congressional power to the presidency
9. Continued lack-luster economic performance
10. A permanent decline in the quality of media reporting and investigation of the activities of the federal government, and a growing conservative tint to media coverage. Increased media concentration
11. Increasingly Orwellian and fascist national discourse; opponents of the President increasingly described as disloyal or anti-American
12. Growing economic inequality, and growing concentration of political power in the hands of the superwealthy and their heirs
13. Increased xenophobia and tensions with former allies in Europe; closer relations with Russia and Israel
14. Efforts to erode the remaining checks on majority power, especially in the Senate
15. A currency crisis, with the dollar falling, interest rates rising, and consumer debt loads leading to widespread bankruptcy and foreclosure (which would let the air out of the housing bubble, then who knows?)
16. If Bush can find the troops, more foreign adventures in Iran or Syria
Heaven help us if there is another significant terrorist attack on the US. In that case I would expect another foreign war and substantial new restrictions on civil liberties in the US.
1. The end of Social Security as we know it, through a privatization that guts benefits for anyone under 45
2. All out assault on insurgent strongholds in Iraq, followed by some sort of election (perhaps limited to safer regions), followed by an American pullout, followed by civil war
3. Deep cuts in non-defense spending
4. More tax cuts for the rich and corporations, and a continuing budget deficit
5. A right-ward shift in the SC and judiciary, with consequences lasting years. Repeal of Roe v Wade possible for the first time.
6. Continued blurring of the line between church and state
7. Increased extraction in the US---oil, coal, timber, etc---especially on federal lands
8. Continued erosion of Congressional power to the presidency
9. Continued lack-luster economic performance
10. A permanent decline in the quality of media reporting and investigation of the activities of the federal government, and a growing conservative tint to media coverage. Increased media concentration
11. Increasingly Orwellian and fascist national discourse; opponents of the President increasingly described as disloyal or anti-American
12. Growing economic inequality, and growing concentration of political power in the hands of the superwealthy and their heirs
13. Increased xenophobia and tensions with former allies in Europe; closer relations with Russia and Israel
14. Efforts to erode the remaining checks on majority power, especially in the Senate
15. A currency crisis, with the dollar falling, interest rates rising, and consumer debt loads leading to widespread bankruptcy and foreclosure (which would let the air out of the housing bubble, then who knows?)
16. If Bush can find the troops, more foreign adventures in Iran or Syria
Heaven help us if there is another significant terrorist attack on the US. In that case I would expect another foreign war and substantial new restrictions on civil liberties in the US.
