Predictions
Posted: November 5th, 2008 | Author: Nathan K. | Filed under: | 10 Comments »These opinions and predictions are mine alone. My amazing, wickedly smart and beautiful wife has her own opinions.
First and foremost, I would like to congratulate Barack Obama on his historic election. With last night’s election, I predict the following:
- National Security:
We will continue to be tested by countries and groups who fear our freedoms, liberty and equality. Actual strength and the projection of strength matter in the world. It is an unfortunate reality, but a whole new generation of Americans will learn this firsthand, simply by the fact that President-Elect Obama has approached foreign policy from a position of weakness.How we will be tested, I cannot say. Russia, just this morning (Nov 5th) has already upped the ante. Be prepared for similar responses from Iran, North Korea, Venezuela, among others. Their public stance will be one of reconciliation, while their actions will be anything but.
Iraq – We are winning there now. Will he remove troops or stay through to the end? I predict that he will see it through, but that without an iron will to see victory over Al Queda and free and independent gov’t in Iraq that it will be a long time before we no longer have a presence.
- National Policy:
We will see major initiatives to increase public spending and expansions of large government programs. I do not think Obama will be able to deliver on all of his promises and his supporters will be sorely disappointed.His campaign is against Gay Marriage, Pro-Nafta, Anti-Nafta, Pro-Business, Anti-Business, Pro-Taxes, Anti-Taxes and so much more. Triangulation was a political strategy mastered by Bill Clinton, now lets see how Obama delivers on all expectations.
- Political Support:
Will wane. As reality sets in, people will start to realize “That isn’t what I thought he said he would do.” “Change” and “hope” are empty terms when reality sets in. They are encouraging, but where are the details.I have never seen so many people not be able to answer the following questions:
1) What is Barack Obama’s main foreign policy initiative? and not be able to answer
2) Where does Barack Obama stand on Card Check? and not know
3) If you are against increased spending, how does that coincide with Barack Obama’s stated initiatives? and not be able to respond
4) What is Barack Obama’s stance on Israel? no one knows… - Bush Derangement Syndrome (which would have become Palin Derangement Sydrome and may yet):
I sincerely hope and expect that the people who did not vote for Obama do not exhibit the same degree of vitriol and disdain for the President Elect as the opposing side has shown to President Bush. Please, no name calling, insults, slurs and vile. BDS never added anything to the national debate.Also, lets see how long Barack Messiah Syndrome (BMS) lasts. Hopefully it won’t be too long…
- Main Stream Media:
Are done… Their credibility, integrity, and carefully constructed facade of neutrality are gone. Now that they aren’t propped up with hundreds of millions of dollars of campaign advertising dollars, lets see how they do. My prediction is that they won’t do well… Blogs and the independent media are here to stay and provide the news and insights that the American people expect.In response to their loss of standing with the Nation, they will start to highlight the things that should have been covered before the election.
OK, there are some predictions above, but here is the meat of the matter:
- Congressional approval will continue to decrease and the democrats will lose both the House and Senate within four years
- Moderate republicans will find their voice – fiscal conserative, foreign policy hawk, social moderate. (more of an expectation)
- Biden will be a non-entity in the Obama administration
- Obama will not let Iran develop the nuclear bomb – his supporters will freak, but the rest of us will be relieved
- Terrorist attacks will increase. Back to the strength issue.
- Obama will not be elected to a second term
The “realism” theory of international relations (which, despite being by far the most widely-held, has an unfortunately antagonistic name) holds that the world is a zero-sum power game, and if one country ups the ante, others have to follow suit or they become weaker simply by comparison. I’m not remotely convinced Obama is willing or able to do what it takes to maintain our military weight.
I like your mainstream media prediction but I lack your faith in our fellow Americans. People seem to like to think they’re learning without actually learning anything at all, which the MSM is great at. (I hate that I share its initials!)
I refuse to believe that an intelligent person, such as yourself, could actually vote for the other side. Remember where I live? Oh, the stories I could tell!! Also, I’d love to hear what your lovely, smart, wonderful, intelligent wife has to say in rebuttal. Wait, let me get some popcorn….
Seriously??? SERIOUSLY??? This is what you were up to this morning? Remember when you were shocked about the Grandaddy broken-hearted post? I’m in shock!!! Dammit. And now I’ve got to craft my rebuttal. You just wait…
Congratulations to Barack Obama and America for making history. I am so proud to be an American. Tears well up in my eyes when I sing the national anthem. I’m not exactly a world traveler, and my degree in Anthroplogy hardly qualifies me as an expert, but I just KNOW this is the greatest country in the world. I am BLESSED to live here. I don’t think I’m the only one who feels that way – ask Barack Obama how he feels today. It’s been a long time coming. But it makes me so sad to see how personal things became. Grown men wearing t-shirts that say “Palin is a c*&$!” (such vitriol!) And the treatment of President Bush has been disgraceful. President Obama faces terrific challenges, and my heart is with him. I hope he can lead with the elegance McCain conceded.
If you views lean conservative, what an oppurtunity for us, too!
Interesting post, I find I agree with most of what you’ve said here.
I find hope in your statement, “Moderate republicans will find their voice – fiscal conservative, foreign policy hawk, social moderate.” I hope this prediction becomes reality.
It will be interesting to see how the coming Obama administration will govern the country. Will Obama lead the USA along a path towards a more socialist society “…spreading the wealth” that the Republicans tried to associate him with? Or will he govern the country in a tempered bipartisan manner that he alluded to in his acceptance speech last night? One thing is for sure, with the Democrats controlling the House, the Senate and the White House, all the positives and negatives during these next two to four years (depending on how the 2010 mid-term elections go) will rest squarely with them. I just hope that President-elect Obama makes the right choices during these next 4 years.
I think some of your predictions would occur regardless of who was elected. Terroist attacks would be worse because the rest of the world would not tolerate Sarah Pallin (seriously I could be a better vice president & I am not even an American). I am hopeful because Obama is willing to listen to the political will of the people. Change is difficult and anyone who thinks Obama can deliver on all his policies is mistaken, but the proposed policies that McCain had in mind would move the US deeper into despair and continue to provide socialist bailouts to the rich banking corporations, farmers etc. The gap between rich and poor would continue to grow under the Republican administration. Spreading the wealth, helping each other out is a good thing. BTW; British Columbia now provides a yearly benefit to help children participate in sports activities just like Australia! This is part of the change we need.
Go Nathan!
Regarding the following quote:
“I sincerely hope and expect that the people who did not vote for Obama do not exhibit the same degree of vitriol and disdain for the President Elect as the opposing side has shown to President Bush. Please, no name calling, insults, slurs and vile. BDS never added anything to the national debate. ”
Bush earned his insults fair and square. Obama’s win is a symbolic victory for so many people of the world, but the fact is he hasn’t done anything yet because he still has 75 days before he takes office. I will wait to see how he leads and what choices he makes as leader before I anoint him the Messiah, but if he makes as many blunders and fumbles as Bush has made during his term in office, then by all means let him have it. Whereas it seems our country had been torn in two during the Bush years, I predict Obama will bring the people of this country back together, and that he will be president of the United States for the next 8 years.
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