Reading Tea Leaves in DC
Dave Muskera, M.A.
November 18, 2007
I ran across this little piece of prognostication/satire while looking through my computer files. I wrote it in October of 2004 just before the November elections for a local political forum I contribute to on occasion. Seems a lot of it came true, got one or two things wrong (happily)…with some points yet to be proven. After all, the current Administration still has the wheel of the ship-of-state - with more time left. We’ll see what happens.
Predictions
October 12, 2004
George Bush will be elected by a margin of 2% to 4% in the popular vote and will gather the needed numbers in the Electoral College. His election will not constitute a mandate, but Bush will continue to act as he has in the past – as if all of America is behind him while ignoring, name-calling and ridiculing those who disagree. Kerry will fade into oblivion even within the Democratic Party. Republicans will maintain control of Congress, but barely.
During Bush’s second term, his house of cards will begin to collapse. There will be a major implosion of his administration that even the press and supporters will have difficulty ignoring or spinning away. Impeachment will be seriously considered. Bush will survive with only minor signs of ware. However, Bush’s physical health will become a national issue of concern. Some will assume he shows signs of early Alzheimer disease. He will make fewer and fewer public appearances - and then only in carefully scripted and controlled settings. We will see much more of the Vice-President who will be the Republican nominee for the Presidents successor.
In the meantime, Bush & Co will be aggressive in attempting to leave a conservative mark on the Judiciary. At the same time, he will commit more and more American resources to war, terrorism and the upholding all of the things that keep the American public cowering and fearful (i.e. Homeland Security and the Patriot Act).
There will be further and devastating terrorists attacks on Americans - both on US soil and in foreign locations.
Bitter battles will be seen in Congress over the approval of Supreme Court nominees. Eventually, the conservative agenda will prevail. Bush will barely mention the “push” to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage but he will not oppose its moving forward in Congress. Running on fear and misinformation in regards to this issue, eleven (11) more states will write anti-gay discrimination into their Constitutions during the “04” elections giving Bush the expected edge in evangelical votes.
Fear will be used again and again as a tool for the manipulation of public opinion. Americans will be more alienated and angrier with each other than at any time since the Civil War. There will be pockets of violet outburst across the country related to nationalistic issues.
Mental health professionals will see an unusual up-swing in the number of people seeking treatment for anxiety related disorders that have become laced with creeping paranoia. Segments of the mental health treatment community will devote increased resources to the care of “terrorism burnout”.
Workshops and seminars covering such topics will become popular. Therapist will recommend to anxiety plagued persons that they stop watching TV news programming, particularly Fox and MSNBC. Democrats will suggest and arrange to offer a series of workshops/seminars on the psychological treatment of “denial”. Discount rates will be offered to government officials.
Iraqi will continue to sink into a civil-war-like quagmire. No “central government” in Baghdad will earn endorsement and legitimacy by a majority of Iraqi citizens. The January 05 elections in Iraqi will be viewed as a farce by everyone except the US government.
The ongoing presence and fighting involvement of US troops in Iraqi will be required for an indeterminate time. More young men and women will sacrifice their lives to the cause of the “war on terrorism”. The number killed will surpass 2,000 sometime before the end of 2005. Veteran’s Hospitals back home will be overwhelmed with the wounded and maimed. The Bush Administration, despite all reason to the contrary, will expand the use of US troops into several other countries and will ultimately renege on its promise not to reinstitute the draft.
The US economy will stall. Gas prices will accelerate and pass $3.00 per gallon before the end of 2006. The astronomical National Debt and continued spending of the Bush Administration will ultimately cause a major economic depression but only after he has left office. The damage done the environment by the reductions and elimination of protective federal regulations will never be fully erased.
In the shorter term, the northeast of the US will see heating bills hit record high levels during a “worse than usual” winter (04-05). Personal “tax cuts” will be gobbled up and spit out by these and other economic forces. SUVs sales will bottom but Hummer sales will pick-up again.
It will finally dawn on even the most stubborn that they have been lied to. By then, it will be too late.
Predictions
October 12, 2004
George Bush will be elected by a margin of 2% to 4% in the popular vote and will gather the needed numbers in the Electoral College. His election will not constitute a mandate, but Bush will continue to act as he has in the past – as if all of America is behind him while ignoring, name-calling and ridiculing those who disagree. Kerry will fade into oblivion even within the Democratic Party. Republicans will maintain control of Congress, but barely.
During Bush’s second term, his house of cards will begin to collapse. There will be a major implosion of his administration that even the press and supporters will have difficulty ignoring or spinning away. Impeachment will be seriously considered. Bush will survive with only minor signs of ware. However, Bush’s physical health will become a national issue of concern. Some will assume he shows signs of early Alzheimer disease. He will make fewer and fewer public appearances - and then only in carefully scripted and controlled settings. We will see much more of the Vice-President who will be the Republican nominee for the Presidents successor.
In the meantime, Bush & Co will be aggressive in attempting to leave a conservative mark on the Judiciary. At the same time, he will commit more and more American resources to war, terrorism and the upholding all of the things that keep the American public cowering and fearful (i.e. Homeland Security and the Patriot Act).
There will be further and devastating terrorists attacks on Americans - both on US soil and in foreign locations.
Bitter battles will be seen in Congress over the approval of Supreme Court nominees. Eventually, the conservative agenda will prevail. Bush will barely mention the “push” to amend the Constitution to ban gay marriage but he will not oppose its moving forward in Congress. Running on fear and misinformation in regards to this issue, eleven (11) more states will write anti-gay discrimination into their Constitutions during the “04” elections giving Bush the expected edge in evangelical votes.
Fear will be used again and again as a tool for the manipulation of public opinion. Americans will be more alienated and angrier with each other than at any time since the Civil War. There will be pockets of violet outburst across the country related to nationalistic issues.
Mental health professionals will see an unusual up-swing in the number of people seeking treatment for anxiety related disorders that have become laced with creeping paranoia. Segments of the mental health treatment community will devote increased resources to the care of “terrorism burnout”.
Workshops and seminars covering such topics will become popular. Therapist will recommend to anxiety plagued persons that they stop watching TV news programming, particularly Fox and MSNBC. Democrats will suggest and arrange to offer a series of workshops/seminars on the psychological treatment of “denial”. Discount rates will be offered to government officials.
Iraqi will continue to sink into a civil-war-like quagmire. No “central government” in Baghdad will earn endorsement and legitimacy by a majority of Iraqi citizens. The January 05 elections in Iraqi will be viewed as a farce by everyone except the US government.
The ongoing presence and fighting involvement of US troops in Iraqi will be required for an indeterminate time. More young men and women will sacrifice their lives to the cause of the “war on terrorism”. The number killed will surpass 2,000 sometime before the end of 2005. Veteran’s Hospitals back home will be overwhelmed with the wounded and maimed. The Bush Administration, despite all reason to the contrary, will expand the use of US troops into several other countries and will ultimately renege on its promise not to reinstitute the draft.
The US economy will stall. Gas prices will accelerate and pass $3.00 per gallon before the end of 2006. The astronomical National Debt and continued spending of the Bush Administration will ultimately cause a major economic depression but only after he has left office. The damage done the environment by the reductions and elimination of protective federal regulations will never be fully erased.
In the shorter term, the northeast of the US will see heating bills hit record high levels during a “worse than usual” winter (04-05). Personal “tax cuts” will be gobbled up and spit out by these and other economic forces. SUVs sales will bottom but Hummer sales will pick-up again.
It will finally dawn on even the most stubborn that they have been lied to. By then, it will be too late.
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