Soliciting Your Predictions on What Obama Will Do
Let’s accept, for the sake of argument, the assertions of various critics (including commenters to this site) as to the character of Barack Obama. I would like your predictions as to how this will manifest itself, specifically.
For purposes of this post, we’ll take it as a given that Barack Obama is “a[n] evil person” and “scum.” That he is “gutter trash” and a “liar and a thief.” We’ll accept as a sensible concern the possibility that Obama “may create a security force akin to the Gestapo to impose a Marxist dictatorship.”
If all these things are true, surely Obama cannot keep this under wraps. His evil, scummy, gutter trash character will have to emerge in some way.
So what, specifically, will he do?
I’ve already given my prediction: “I think he will damage this country with bad policies.” He’ll raise taxes and appoint rotten judges. He will weaken our fight against terror. At times, he will use shady political tactics to achieve all sorts of wrongheaded, far-left goals. Pretty much what any Democrat would do as President.
Somehow, I think most of you have something more dire in mind. I’d like to know what it is.
I would like specific predictions for Obama’s first three months, first year, and first four years.
How will Obama’s fundamental badness manifest itself in action?
Get on record now! We’ll come back and revisit this post after each relevant time period has passed, to see which dire predictions have come true. Nostradamuses can gloat through their tears.
I’m feeling pretty good about my predictions. Leave yours in the comments.
He’ll sign FOCA….he’s <a href=”” target=”_blank”>said he’ll do it. The abortion lobby is practically foaming at the mouth in anticipation.
He will also take taxpayer money to fund both abortions and cloning embryos for research purposes (the so-called “anti-cloning” bill).
Rich Bordner (fab40f) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:34 amI am pretty confident in one thing he’s not going to do. Even though there is a bowling alley in the White House, Baracky ain’t gonna make it the national sport. He got no game.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:38 amRich,
I agree. That is one of the bad policies that I have always believed Obama would implement.
But surely he’ll do worse than that? That’s standard Democrat fare, and far below the level of evil many here know he is capable of.
I WANT DIRE!
Patterico (cc3b34) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:41 amIt will be worse than Carter or Clinton for several reasons.
First, he has a more liberal Congress than either of them had.
Secondly, unlike Carter, he has no moderate inclinations (while it is understandably easy to bash Carter now, he had some conservative instincts, especially on spending money) and unlike Clinton shows no willingness to moderate as a political device.
Finally, on matters like judges and foreign policy (where mistakes can echo into eternity), he likely will be both immoderate and wrong, time and again.
Maybe we should hope that the liberals have actually been right about things all along. Because if they aren’t, the next four years will be hell.
NCC (d671ab) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:45 amI think Obama is a terrible leader and an empty suit when it comes to relevant experience to be CIC and President, however, if he is truly evil, will it show itself easily? If he is truly evil won’t he be able to hide it well?
Having said that, my prediction is that he will institute a different kind of fairness doctrine and that we are very likely to see some form of reprise of the sedition acts. So, see you guys in jail cause I ain’t shutting up!!!
GM Roper (85dcd7) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:45 amHe will claim credit for victory in Iraq, and that his policies led to said victory, of that there is no doubt.
He will raise taxes.
He will appoint Judges that make Ginsberg look like Scalia.
I also think that he will use the Executive Orders to do what he could never do via the Legislature.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:46 amIt’s Nov. 14, 2008. Where have you been?
Jim Treacher (592cb4) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:47 amAfter a couple years of being completely inept and exhibiting no leadership, i predict we will be attacked by terrorists again…
Here is the prediction….Obama will go ahead and create his civil defense force in order to control Americans….this will cause freedom loving citizens to react and eventually lead to a complete ban on gun ownership and eventually a situation in which these civilian defense forces have to patrol the streets…
I predict that certain places in America will see Obama’s thug mafia standing on corners of suburban America holding military style weapons in order to “protect” citizens…..
So scary, but anyone who thinks this cant happen is naive….its in too many history books…
alecj (9706b8) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:48 amHe’ll do everything he promised in the primary.
I can’t list them, it would be considered racist.
Al (b624ac) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:50 amAllow me to don my tin foil hat. 🙂
My predictions:
Card Check will be enacted along with ending “Right to work” states. Mandatory unionism will soon follow.
Massive tax increases.
Virtual nationalization of the healthcare system.
Mandatory unpaid national service for all americans.
Ending of tax exempt status for a number of mainline churches on the excuse of human rights violations. (example: refusal to perform gay marriages)
Nationalization of the 401K and IRA accounts, putting them under the Social Security system.
(Looted by congress almost instantly)
Nationalization of the energy sector.
Reintroduction and expansion of the Fairness Doctrine. It will be pushed into the internt under the theory that some of the data is transmitted by radio.
(Say goodbye to conservative radio/blogs)
The gutting of the defense department.
The gutting of any intelligence system put in place to stop terrorist attacks.
Once Pres. Obama gets his people on the supreme court:
Repeal of the Heller decision followed by seizure of private firearms.
(To be done after the outlawing of ammunition sale & Posession)
Hate speech laws enacted and upheld.
The virtual end of any private property rights.
Creation of a national police force.
Paranoid enough for ya? 🙂
Evilned (429c11) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:56 amHave Faith
Are you worried about your future? Or the future of your children and grandchildren? Consider the following:
The plight of our new nation was precarious for years after it was founded. The outlook for the future after the harshest war in the history of mankind was bleak for decades. We have experienced many depressions which seemed unendurable and we have been involved in unconscionable wars, most of which were not of our making. We have had leaders who failed dismally and we have endured untold hardships. We have had individuals like Mr. Soros, who tried and failed to destroy the English government, interfere in our domestic affairs; and we have had politicians who do not value the principles the preponderance of our citizens consider important. We have remained the most successful nation in the world.
A typical United States citizen is a Christian who expects to attain success through hard work and frugal life style. He appreciates the efforts of our founding fathers, who were Christians, and fashioned our government in like manner. They codified their beliefs in a Constitution which we revere. He realizes that the success of our Nation depended and will depend on these tenets. He does not share the views of the few that Socialism or Communism are appropriate for us, but he does not attempt to dictate what other nations desire for their governance. Most will acknowledge that he is glad to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate than he.
Inept governance and greedy financiers have resulted in what will likely be a depression like that of the 1930s, which few of us can appreciate. Incompetent leaders are the most likely causes of such a catastrophe and the concomitant results will injure the public. But, that is probably what it takes to remove those leaders and get the economy on a solid footing. Though we may suffer some hardships, we will survive. God is in His Heaven, all’s right with the world.
Tony
Tony (b5211d) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:58 amalecj,
I’m trying to get specific time frames here. By what date will we have a total ban on gun ownership?
I want to have a specific date so I can know when to come back and apologize for being so naive.
Jim Treacher,
I’m talking about having the evilness manifest itself in his actions as President.
Patterico (deab31) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:00 amOne thing Obama has already done is to fundamentally reform how Presidential campaigns are funded. 2008 killed the McCain-Feingold public financing system that Obama once supported, replacing it with one based on Distributed Campaign Finance Fraud (also here).
No serious Presidential candidate will be able to compete without deploying online fundraising mechanisms that enable the collection of large sums in illegal donations. Scruples will lead to being so outspent as to jeopardize the prospect of electoral victory.
My prediction is that Obama will use his appointments at the Justice Department and the Federal Election Commission to ensure that no meaningful inquiry into the abuses of the 2008 campaign is conducted. A corollary is that the Watchdogs of the Fourth Estate will oblige their champion. No stories on this subject will see Page One, below the fold or above it.
AMac (c822c9) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:01 amNobdoy is following the rules of the post. TIME FRAMES!
Seizure of private firearms by what date?
TIME FRAMES!
Patterico (deab31) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:02 amAMac,
I think that prediction is almost a done deal, but I’m not seeing Stalin there. I like the gun seizure predictions more but nobody will tell me when that’s going to happen.
Patterico (deab31) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:06 amTIME FRAMES!
Eh, sorry. For #13, no serious investigations into alleged Campaign ’08 illegalities in 2009, or 2010, or 2011, or 2012. No pit-bull appointments to Justice or FEC that would presage such investigations in any of those years, either. Eight predictions!
AMac (c822c9) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:08 amAnd I’m talking about the expectation that somehow being elected President of the United States of America will make him change his ways.
Jim Treacher (592cb4) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:09 amDo you think The Leader (sounds better in the original German) will require his Civilian Corps to be armed (at minimum with billy clubs or mace) and dressed in brown shirts?
Horatio (55069c) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:10 amHe will definitely take credit for the growing stability of Iraq and claim that his policies were the reason.
He will be vulnerable to appeals to “do something” about global situations that do not warrant a military response but given the typical need of Democratic leadership to show their “toughness” may ala Clinton in Somalia put boots on the ground in places where it is not in our interest to do so.
He will go on television at the very beginning of his term and announce how shocked he was at just how disastrous the Bush economy was that was left for him to fix and thus cannot offer tax cuts but will instead raise taxes across the board.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:11 amPatterico, I missed your #15, sorry. How about this, then:
OBAMA NOMINATES PUTIN TO HEAD THE DEPT. OF JUSTICE IN 2009!
AMac (c822c9) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:12 amPat, how can anyone give you a time frame if we’re still unsure the makeup of the Senate, i.e., whether the Democrats will have a filibuster proof majority?
Mossberg500 (9fd170) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:16 amPatt I see where you are going with this and I would probably do the same if I was you. The original post where alot of people were saying he was “evil scum” came after you called him a “good man”. That is where my disagreement with you was. To be honest his policy decisions will have no effect on whether I consider him personally a “good” man. That ship has already sailed.
This is totally IMHO here but I can’t give you a prediction of what he will do and I do not think that is necessary. Hell he can get in today and lower taxes and become a clone of Ronald Reagan. His policy positions or actions have no bearing on whether or not he is a “good” man. I hope this does not sound like a total dodge but I think what you are trying to solicit here is the arguments of psychos who think the sky will start falling the minute he is inaugurated. I am sure you will be obliged.
Mr. Pink (a64369) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:16 amI pretty much agree with you about what the results of his presidency will be. I think we are kind of fortunate to be getting him at this time when the economy seems to be getting quite bad. This will magnify typical liberal hare-brained notions about what is important to economic growth. They usually have it backwards. It’s going to kill them to have to do things against their nature. In the non-economy areas he seems like a conventional, robotic leftist and will proceed as expected.
Milan (fda170) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:16 amFirst three months:
He will impose mandatory health coverage, through private insurance for those who can pay and through expansion of Medicaid for those who cannot. He will have, overwhelmingly, the support of the insurance industry and the medical establishment who will be guaranteed a stable baseline income and will, in fact, become part of the government. The medical establishment will maintain its rate of return by limiting the number of personnel* and quality of service. *Clinton did something like this in 1997 when he cut out 2,000 residency positions and replaced the doctors-in-training with part-time, older physicians.
He will put an end to the missile defense shield.
He will raise taxes on any family making more than $30,000.00 a year. By how much, I cannot say.
He will sign every gun control law Congress passes but I don’t care. If you need the government’s permission to be armed, you don’t deserve to be armed in the first place. (I’m not sure I should give away my “bitter-clinging” like this but who knows whether I’ll be allowed to do it next year.) 😉
nk (87c95e) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:19 amI’m not going to comment on whether Obama is bad or not. I think he is wrong. I disagree with him. And It’s not Obama, it’s Obama plus Congress plus whatever other power exists behind the scenes.
My dates are from Obama’s inauguration. I’m leaving out obvious things such as obvious rescinded executive orders and circuit courts filled.
First week –
Votes needed for cloture in senate reduced
Fairness Doctrine reintroduced
Don’t ask/don’t tell policy dropped
Military spending cut at least 10%
Anonymous union ballots eliminated
First three months –
We will be overwhelmed with changes that come so fast we will not be able to keep track of them
Bailout given to MSM, others friendly to Democrats
Amnesty, meaning citizenship for most illegal aliens, passed
DC Statehood introduced
Bill to increase number of Supreme Court Justices to 11 passed
9th Circuit Court split into three – passed
Hate crime bill passed making statements that could induce violence against specific groups a primary offense
Native Hawaiian Government Reorganization Act passed
Freedom of Choice Act passed rolling back all state restrictions on abortion
Federal Defense of Marriage Act repealed
The economic crisis will get worse
The public will be distracted by hearings on trumped up charges against Bush Administration officials
First year –
Census bill passed allowing adjustments to the 2010 census results to account for hypothetical missed counts
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:20 amDC Statehood passed, two new Democratic Senators sworn in
Prosecution for hate crimes begins for most outrageous Conservative talk radio and internet commentators
Legislation introduced to create a domestic security force, or the nationalization of the police
WalMart will be unionized
The Government will hold a large chunk of mortgages, and have control over a large number of banks and credit agencies
International crises will occur and be met with a retreat into isolationism
“And Im talking about the expectation that somehow being elected President of the United States of America will make him change his ways.”
That’s not at issue in this thread. We’re taking it for granted that he *won’t* change his ways.
What I want to know is: how will this translate to action? I made my prediction. (My prediction is good for all time periods, btw.) If someone thinks we’re going to have something worse than I have predicted, I want a time frame so we can come back and check the accuracy of the predictions.
Something like: “By January 20, 2010, there will be no more private ownership of firearms.”
Then we come back on that date, and if the prediction is true, I apologize for my naivete.
Without time frames, you guys can always claim that he just hasn’t gotten around to it yet. That’s weaselly.
So if you believe in Obama’s evil nature, put your money where your mouth is. Tell us what that will mean in practical terms, and give us time frames, so we can come back and check if you were right.
Patterico (8709c4) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:24 amAyers did confirm that Hussein O is a bold faced liar. Why would any world leader believe a word he says?
Scrapiron (c36902) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:26 amPatt I will use comment 25 to bolster my opinion that you posted this so you could paint the people that disagreed with you calling him a “good” man as psycho’s and dismiss them. I mean his comment just takes the cake. If I thought everyone that disagreed with me thought like that I would have my nose so far in the air I would smell clouds. Hell what is that guy going to type for an encore, maybe O! will start nuking Israel.
Mr. Pink (a64369) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:27 amFrom: Obama blueprint for change audacity.
An Agenda of Hope
Obama and Biden will increase U.S. foreign assistance and support a $2 billion Global Education fund to provide alternatives to radical madrasas. They will coordinate a program of public diplomacy to restore America’s standing, and build ‘America Houses’ and deploy an ‘America’s Voice Corps’ to build new ties across the Islamic world.
So we can just pay Islamic terrorist to not be Islamic terrorist anymore, how easy is that, amazing that stupid Bush didn’t think of that. Trust Obama these Islamic terrorist will not use that money for weapons or anything else that could help them destroy America.
Obama falls for the terrorist are terrorist because they are “stupid”, which is just liberal hogwash, fact is most of the terrorist are not stupid but highly educated at least with regard to the Qur’an and hadeths.
Lets call this what it really is.
Dhimmicrats paying the jizyah to their Islamic masters.
ML (14488c) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:29 am2012 is the end of the Mayan calender, it is also the end of Obama’s first term. Coincidence?????? I think not!!!!111!!!!
Mr. Pink (a64369) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:29 amHow about some sins of omission? He has already encouraged a cult of personality and then sat back while his backers used the power of the state to harass a private citizen. He’s allowed his campaign to collaborate with ACORN, who would undermine all trust in the electoral process. He’s allowed his supporters to demonize his opponents in the worst terms imaginable. When called out, he accuses his opponents of racism.
Is he going to actively sacrifice babies to his dark master? No, he’ll just let them expire like fish in a bucket on a pile of dirty linens.
And I guarantee that no matter what time frame it is, he will blame his failures on his opponents. Is that evil? It sure as heck isn’t good.
pmm (a8e0d2) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:30 amMr. Pink,
I’m not interested in re-arguing old issues in this thread.
I’m accepting at face value every argument about his character, for the sake of discussion, and asking “So what?”
If his evilness doesn’t translate into action, beyond what any Democrat would do as President, then he can be as evil as you like and we’re no worse off than we would be with any other Democrat.
If his evilness *will* translate into action, then what will it be? And let’s make the predictions verifiable.
That’s what we’re doing here.
Patterico (a25f87) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:31 amYou could be right. I just think you are going to get some psychos out on this thread who will make me look bad by comparison. Hahahahha.
Mr. Pink (a64369) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:35 amDIRE? TIME FRAMES?
Obama appoints Emanuel to run the civil defense forces.
Obama appoints Reverend Jeremiah Wright as Minister General of the Federal Church, and at 1 p.m. Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific, etc. time each Sunday, everyone, except members of the civil defense forces on active duty, must check in at the local Federal Church building to hear that week’s sermon by Wright or one of his appointed preachers.
Obama appoints Chris Matthews to replace Fred Olbermann as Journalist General.
And, all this occurs between March and June 2019.
Ira (28a423) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:35 amHere’s another sin of omission: he will allow Iraqis and possibly Afghans and Israelis to suffer and die lest he risk validating the Bush administration’s foreign policy. After all, what’s an extra judicial killing or two thousand if it means that the Kos kids get their anti-war arguments vindicated?
pmm (a8e0d2) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:37 amHe will obey the opinion polls (see Pres. Clinton).
dave (144ace) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:40 amI keep thinking about the Workplace Ergonomic laws the Democrats tried to pass in the early days of the Bush WH. It’s their inability to say no to nice-sounding, helpful ideas that worries me, and I’ve seen no indication that Obama doesn’t have the same instincts.
I think he will have trouble overseeing the bailout(s), because he can’t stand seeing any of the working people suffer. That’s pretty general though, isn’t it.
He’ll immediately call for a plan to start withdrawing from Iraq, but he will actually only implement it as conditions on the ground permit.
He will immediately go to Europe and beg them to send some troops to Afghanistan. They will comply because they love him, but when their first troops are killed they will balk again.
He will put Hillary Clinton in as Secretary of State, because he’s learned during the campaign season that he really can’t meet with the leaders of Iran, Cuba, Syria, and Venezuela without preconditions. Hillary will protect him from having to do that.
His first big thing will be healthcare. He will mandate what he has said he will mandate, but he won’t provide any real cost cutting measures and it will absolutely spiral out of control. He will make the case that we should cover illegal aliens.
MayBee (d8edb1) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:40 amAn oppressive government wouldn’t want your guns. They would have lots of guns. They would want you.
All they would need is a nice list of gun owners.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:47 amHe would write the opinion polls.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:48 amIn general, we will see standard Leftist pablum, to a greater degree than normal.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:50 amI think your predictions are correct. My only hope is when those acts do not work, he is pragmatic enough to change course. But that is a hope, not a prediction, and it will almost certainly take a GOP controlled congress to turn Barack Obama into Bill Clinton.
George Bush got corrupted by power. What makes you think Barack Obama will not.
Joe (dcebbd) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:51 amPredictions AND timelines. Tall order. Some depends upon Minnesota making itself the butt of an unfunny joke via an unfunny comedian. It appears that state has lost its grasp on how humiliatingly low they can go.
However, assume for the sake of sanity that Coleman wins.
1)First 100 days. Rollback on “consitutional issues” related to captured terrorists, interrogation, the Patriot Act, detention and combatants.
Attempt to legislate national health care and insurance.
Moratorium on foreclosures for 90 days.
Open dialogue with Hamas.
2)First 365 days. Create a jobs/work program, aimed primarily at big cities.
Legislate tax increases across the board for top 25% of taxpayers, but call them “returning” to old rates.
Begin the drawdown in Iraq, regardless of the consequences.
Institute capital gains tax increases.
Nationalize the auto industry with “perks” for “green” cars.
Open up stem cell research without restriction.
Nationalize energy development and consumption, but not drill for more oil. Coal and oil will be backshelved and the softer, gentler, energy sources will be promoted.
Meet with virtually every rogue nation or government via top Cabinet members or in person and open dialogue, regardless of their stances or acts.
Begin to chip away at NAFTA.
Find new tax revenue streams previously not mentioned. Luxury taxes on every high end item, anyplace to find money that comes mostly from the suburbs.
Chilling relationship with Israel, warming relationship with Israel’s sworn enemies.
3)First full term
Education “reform” based upon “community” awareness and “participation”.
Appointment of judges who pass litmus test on every hot button issue.
Nationalization of the insurance industry.
Partial amnesty for undocumented immigrants.
Build a civilian force, reduce the CIA activities and pare down the military significantly.
cfbleachers (1f4df1) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:52 amI stand by my call for a Constitutional Convention for the purposes of giving Minnesota to the Canucks should Alfucking Franken steal a US Senate seat.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:56 amSo Obama is only evil if we can predict exactly what evil deeds he will perform. I think I get the picture.
Jim Treacher (592cb4) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:56 amTo the pragmatic wishful thinkers –
What do you think the Democrats’ objective is? Peace and prosperity are not on the path to power and control. Keep in mind that Obama’s only accomplishment is power.
Note – I hope and pray that I am wrong.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:57 amI suspect that we may be fooling ourselves badly again (some more?) in thinking that we can predict specifics at the action level.
What I think will happen is that all of the people and cults that we know about an a bigger number that we don’t will continue to call in chits (many of them contradicting others and he will be whipsawed into a frenzy whose products I don’t think anybody will be able to predict accurately.
Our best shot is that the Congress will continue to be as ineffective as it has been the past two years. (As a percentage, how many Congressional actions got stopped by veto or filibuster?)
Larry Sheldon (86b2e1) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:57 amI’m going to say that for 3 months
Card Check,
Massive expansion of welfare related spending (eg. S-chip extended unemployment, tax rebates.
Weak international negotiating position.
4 years
Relaxation of any abortion restrictions,
Funneling money to democrat projects especially ACORNesque groups.
Complete blind eye to Dem corruption
Iran to get the bomb
Strongly liberal judges
Extended recession due to poor tax policy.
Increased taxes across the board (mostly through non-income tax increases)
Sharply more progressive tax rates.
I don’t think he’s evil, I do think he’s unprincipled and lacks judgment. (But that’s a whole lot of politicians)
Dr T (69c4b2) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:57 amI’ll predict establishment of a paramilitary force within two years. It will be advertised as a “youth volunteer program” and will have all the aims and objectives of ACORN with the addition of some sort of “make neighborhoods safe” adjunct that will allow the use of non-lethal force.
I hope they wear uniforms. It will cut down on the number of innocent lives taken.
PS – Fools will still be babbling about “but that’s not his intent” based upon the lying thief’s words when they get their heads cracked.
The first batch of executive orders are being prepared right this minute. There are some people who consider government funding of abortion to rank rather high on the evil scale. Those people will see the President as the embodiment of evil the moment that he signs the order. Others, of the vacuous “tolerance is the greatest good” mindless set will argue otherwise. Just as there are those in LA County who are desperately concerned about the brown horde engulfing them while never acknowledging the sanctuary policy which allows and encourages its occurrence.
Sort of pathetic, isn’t it? Now there’s some room for alliterative effort there.
Patterico,
A challenge to “Show me where I’m wrong” deserves either rebuttal or acknowledgment when you’re shown to be wrong. The fact that you can’t recognize a Fenton/Pew operation on immigration as equivalent to their efforts on campaign finance reform does not speak well of your political acumen.
Do I get style points for not using abusive terminology?
Rick Ballard (e3e91f) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:57 amObama will have his surrogates do most of his dirty work.
They will bring back the draft because most of the current force didn’t sign up to serve an anti American commie terrorist lover.
They will use the credit crisis as a template for creating new bailouts for the inner cities, universities, hollywood, newspapers and other leftist propagandists.
They will work towards creating the “one wage” or “going rate” by creating downward pressure on workers wages by importing more and more poverty laborers while increasing the minimum wage until we are all getting the same wage.
There will be massive immigration from Islamic Africa but they will try to keep it under the radar. The will begin banning pork…the food, not the spending.
j curtis (afbc97) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:59 amIn addition to your prediction, Patterico, I believe the following:
1) Within 18 months he will have thrown Israel under the bus, with respect to Iran and her proxies in Syria and Lebanon; because thay are an aprtheid state with repect to the palestinians, and favor outsized responses to attacks from the proxy states. He’ll cast it in the same light as he did the whole Russia-Georgia thing, calling for both parties to stand down…
When the Isrealis refuse, he’ll have his pretext, and under the bus they’ll go…
As a result, before 2012, there will be a nuclear exchange in the middle east…
2) By 2012 He will also de-rail missle defense much like Clinton did with the Superconducting Supercollider. He’ll lie and say that it is too far from perfection, and state that we need the money to rebuild our armed forces ( a white lie-I denounce myself in advance). Faced with budgetary pressure, he’ll follow Barney Frank’s suggestion and cut the defense budget by at least 25% in order to fund more important entitlements–because of the fairness…
As a result, the Russians will resume their intimidation tactics on the EU-after rolling into the Ukraine and former Baltic states. Of course, Obama’s response will again be to mutter vapid platitudes that will sound like the geopolitical version of Rodney King’s, “Can’t we all just get along?”. As an added bonus to the military and economic intimidation by the Russians, the EU will also face threats from Iranian missles; because without our assistance and bunker busting nuclear warheads the Israelis won’t be able to completely destroy the Iranians dug in nuclear program…
Voila, cold war II with an Iranian twist, brought to you by O!…
Unfortunately, that’s change you can believe in!
And the mere presemce of Rahm Emanual will not change O!s response in either case…
Finally, I believe that before 2012 there will be another major terrorist attack here at home. And this scares the bejeebers out of me because I live in NYC! It will be some kind of NBC weapon and it will occur as a result of some Clinton retreads taking charge at DOJ Homeland security…
God help us all, I hope that my tinfoil hat has been too tight while writing these. But you asked, and I provided…
Good luck to all
Bob (99fc1b) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:00 amPatt, I thought you weren’t going to revisit this good vs. evil meme. I understand how tired you can get of the sniping, but this probably won’t solve anything.
You’ve set up a straw man here because, frankly, I can’t see how Obama’s actions as a hyper-liberal Democrat would differ in any way from what I’d expect of an evil man. And you can parse that anyway you want to. Whether he’s good or evil might change the motivations behind his actions. If he has a good heart, then he’s just as dumb and deluded as a lot of liberals I know (there’s a reason some folks here use the term “libtards”). If he’s really evil and conniving, then he’ll pursue the same destructive policies as the libs always have, but with more glee perhaps.
As to a date certain when all the firearms will be collected? What makes you imagine that an evil president would also be stupid? Incrementalism has always been the name of the game. I expect Obama, good or evil, to get whatever he can. Period.
Don (47b0b8) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:00 amBTW, I think Amphipolis in #25 has it about right – although O will probably move the FOCA up to the first week.
Don (47b0b8) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:04 amRelaxation of abortion restrictions?
No – abandonment of all abortion restrictions imposed on the Federal level.
This is guaranteed by the election. There is NO question here. And you can quote me.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:05 amAn push for, at the bare minimum, amnesty, if not a push towards open borders.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:06 amObama will put millions of prisoners back on the street with pardons. He might pardon all the drug related criminals within his first few months in office.
j curtis (afbc97) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:09 amThey campaigned for change. They won the election, and they won big. I see no reason to assume they will not proceed immediately to adopt all of the things they have tried to do since 1994. There are the same people that really wanted to pull out of Iraq during the height of the surge. That’s how Obama beat Hillary. A catastrophe is not an impediment to them, it is an opportunity.
But that’s not enough. They have to ensure that there will be no more 1994. Ever. Permanent power and control are the overriding objective. That’s the kicker. That’s what most Americans will find out too late.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:13 am1. Obama will place onerous restrictions on firearms ownership. Reinstatement of the Brady Assault Weapons ban, a steep excise tax on ammo (after all, they’re not BANNING it, they’re just making it seven times more expensive to buy ammo for it), federal restrictions on concealed carry, an attempt to promote “safer guns” which is a costly boondoggle for gun owners, and federal support for liberal mayors who wish to sue gun manufacturers & dealers.
2. Obama will support reinstatement of the “Fairness Doctrine”. Unfortunately, the “fairness” won’t extend beyond democratic moderates to conservatives, but who really expected that to happen?
3. Obama’s detractors will be “mau-maued” by his followers, both through official and unofficial channels. Think the IRS audits the Clintons unleashed on their critics were improper? That will look like beanbag compared to what Obama is going to loose on his critics.
4. Obama’s foreign policy positions will strengthen terrorists and rogue states. This will create a climate where more Americans will die, both civilians and military. I don’t think he’ll mean for them to die, but when you’re president, “incompetence” is just as bad as “evil intent”. Our allies? Unless we bribe the shit out of them with federal money, they won’t lift a finger to help us, at least not any more than they already help us.
5. Obama’s tax policies will hurt the economy, and his redistributionist policies will help reinforce the culture of “where’s my government check?” in the communitites where self-reliance is needed most.
Russ from Winterset (3c01f1) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:15 amSorry about not giving timelines on my five points. I think he’ll move forward on ALL of them incrementally. After all, the frog won’t jump out of the pan if you turn up the heat slowly.
At 3 months, baby steps. At one year, the next step. At two to three years, look for them to try to stifle dissent and make bigger steps.
Russ from Winterset (3c01f1) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:18 amIncrementalism is the Alinsky model …
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:21 am“That will look like beanbag compared to what Obama is going to loose on his critics.”
Now why would you think that?
(Yes, it’s “that” Durham. Hometown to the sainted Crystal Mangum.)
Rick Ballard (e3e91f) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:23 amWhere to start?
Deep and long recession
Attempt to socialize healthcare
Attempt to shut down voices critical of him vis a vis the “Fairness Doctrine”
Out enemies will hold us in contempt, and they will get frisky
Bankruptcy (with the help of President Bush)
GregInSeattle (03d26d) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:23 amTimeframes, huh?
First 100 days: FOCA, Fairness and Card Check. Say hello to AG Jaime Gorelick. Counterterror defense seriously compromised.
First 365 Days: 2 Supreme Court vacancies confirmed via Democrat Nuclear Option. Kills Missile Defense, thus emboldening Russia, and provoking Venezuelan Missile Crisis
2010: Revolution Redux
2012: Palin/Jindal in a landslide
JB (632201) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:27 am1. This won’t be Obama’s doing per se, but teacher’s unions will require that his picture be placed in every classroom in the nation.
2. Assault weapon ban and a high tax placed on ammunition, even basic hunting ammunition.
3. “Summits” with Putin Medvedev which will lead to selling out our friends in Poland, Ukraine, and Georgia – basically a second Yalta Conference.
4. An increased emphasis on utilizing the United Nations to solve the world’s ills, and an increased willingness to abide to even the most insane edicts issued from Turtle Bay.
5. Obama appointees will ensure judicial diktat in at least 30 states mandates gay marriage be recognized.
6. Stevens and Ginsburg will retire in short order, and will be replaced by judges even more willing to make **** up as they go.
7. The economy continues to tank while government revenues nosedive in a manner never seen before as Obama’s tax increases stifle growth as more and more Americans seek tax havens, which will simply cause him to try and eliminate these tax havens.
8. Deficit spending will be back in vogue, and there will be a guaranteed bogus excuse from ReidPelosi on why it’s OK for them but wasn’t OK for the GOP.
T.R. (6f6929) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:35 amBeing a deeply-indoctrinated leftie in hasty centrist drag (aided by his natural glibidity, and the breathtaking blind faith that urban ‘intellectuals’ have given him), President Obama will proceed as far as Congress will let him in reshaping the United States – in the image of what the transnational progressives would prefer.
Greatly reduce US military power and intelligence capabilities, particularly covert ones;
increase as far as possible the power of unions, and punish by regulations and taxes the powers of entrepreneurial capitalists;
Increase resources devoted to urban mass transportation programs, and increase punishment of individuals who prefer the unsurpassed mobility granted by automobiles;
increase funding and support for urban organizations such as ACORN, in the Chicago style of emplacing a permanent political clique in an undefeatable position – only this one will be nationwide (I think his first concepts of his Civilian Security Force were an early signal of this, since modified as for better disguise);
Strengthen the intolerant left in its control of universities, and increase the efforts of indoctrination in lower schools (he’ll have help from his mentor Ayers on this front);
Strengthen and fund environmental extremists, to yield them far more veto power over the economic activities of businesses and individuals, using as tools the ESA and the conceit that desperate measures must be taken in the US to reduce ‘global warming’ no matter what the economic cost;
Promote legislation labeled to combat ‘hate speech’, thereby increasing government control of free expression – for all the best reasons, mind you, didn’t John McCain think likewise? The cynically labeled ‘fairness doctrine’ comes to mind;
I could go on, but that’s enough before the inauguration.
And I hope to hell I’m wrong.
Insufficiently Sensitive (8f6a35) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:41 amHe will take a “nuanced” position, probably emphasizing intervention through the U.N., and ultimately do nothing when Israel is decisively attacked.
SCal (1c50ea) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:43 amNationalizing the Financial Sector, quickly followed by Nationalizing the Health Care and Energy Sectors.
Just after re-election in 2012, he will call for and get a new Constitutional congress and re-write the founding documents, declaring himself el Presadente for life.
Sinner (cb2225) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:44 amGun control. IF the Dems end up with a supermajority in the Senate, they will enact some new gun control scheme, and The Good Man will happily sign on.
CTD (7054d2) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:46 amIt’s a fool’s game to try to predict what Obama will do. Even he probably has no idea.
That’s why his voters were so dangerously stupid–they placed a carefully packaged empty suit in the most powerful job in the world during a time of crisis.
tim maguire (72f509) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:47 amFirst 100 days: Overturn Bush executive orders, thus allowing federal funds for embryonic stem cell research and to aid abortion-rights groups working in other countries to change their abortion laws.
First year: Fairness doctrine, Card check, FOCA (thus eliminating ALL restrictions on abortion), tax increases, federal ban on handguns.
Years 2-4: Mandatory “community service” for youth, laws against “hate speech” including criticism of gays and muslims (some of whom ironically would KILL gays if given the chance).
Bigfoot (5f9b87) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:50 amFirst year:
Encoded ammunition law.
Ban on all semi-auto weapons.
‘Community Service’ vouchers required to avoid tax penalties.
Limerick (62f652) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:50 amI believe we will have a major terrorist attack very soon after inauguration day. It will be a coordinated effort between China, Russia, Venezuela and Iran (some combination of those countries). It will be an attack so large it will make 9/11 look like a traffic accident; possibly dirty bombs in large cities or a coordinated slew of suicide bombs across the country.
Obama won’t know what to do. He won’t have a clue. He won’t be able to make a single executive decision without consulting his entire enclave of 300 advisors. He will have to conduct public opinion polls to strategize the most PC way to handle the situation. World terrorists will scoff at him and be emboldened to continue. All this time he will be in hiding with schmuck Biden and their families and various pets.
Actually, this video pretty much shows how I imagine Obama and his weenie leftie commie dimrat senators handling such a situation.
ErinF (b752ff) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:56 amAfter bending over backwards to appease the Left, they’ll impeach him for refusing them on something.
Bugler (5313cf) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:01 amhow fast obama moves depends a lot on 3 factors: filibuster-proof senate, 9/11 type crisis and reaction by the public.
senate is still on the table, but looking shaky. were i in a position of leadership in RNC, would try to move some demos such as leiberman out of that party. there are probably some who could be gotten to vote or change affiliation.
as to #2 biden guaranteed this, but no one noticed much he said ‘manufactured crisis’ or something of that nature. any severe crisis on the national security front would empower the big O to institute emergency powers of one sort or another, with little probable opposition from his party.
#3 if repubs continue ‘going along to get along’ and do not pardon my F***nch, get their s**t together, and start communicating and organizing their base to opposed vocally the coming “changes” then we will see accelerated moves to do the following:
3 months. will have on the table ban or severe taxes on gun and ammo purchases, possible bans of gun shows. total freeze on concealed carry permits and gun dealer licenses. no seizure of guns as yet, but recheck of all registered owners for possible violations of laws after purchasing firearms. registration dependant on passing more severe checks than now. possible firearms bans in designated areas with higher homicide rates.
FOCA act, stem cells, cloning promoted.
1 year
FOMA act (freedom of marriage)
selective service registration for all teens, no h.s. diploma or fed student aid for college without service in re-education camps, sorry americorps.
local election officials largely replaced by acorn ‘voluteers’ as condition of federal bailout on struggling state/local governments.
expansion of all federal public service agencies (peace corps, etc.) to combat rampant unemployment
4th year preelection-due to controversies over 2010 election ‘mis-counts’ of ‘undocumented workers’ all election districts re-drawn to better reflect the diversity of our new republic.
Yes, one of the most important censi in the history of America will take place during the era of the big O. have you forgotten the underhanded tactics during the ’00 census, largely handled under the Clinton regime?
alan (9adc19) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:04 amI love this post. Talk about future ammunition by which to further lampoon the Right.
As Obama’s successes pile up and the ridiculous prognostications here turn out to be vindictive far right wet dreams, I will be here at each and every “time frame” LMAO.
Oh what fun awaits…
Peter (e70d1c) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:08 amOkay, Peter. What successes do you see coming in what time frame?
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:10 amThe hell with “nuance.” The pimps that Obama works for want to quickly destroy the American middle class.
TexEd (800539) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:11 amThere will be another muslim terrorist attack by the end of April, 2009, then some international dithering with high profile lefties flying around to talk to other high profile lefties and, then, before the end of June (but, maybe, on July 4th), a second muslim terrorist attack.
These two attacks and a very compliant Congress will allow our Dear Leader (PBUH) to impose whatever Ayers and the other pimps want. Weapons will be confiscated, truth speaker will be sequestered, hate crime/speech laws will allow unions to organize where they will and make any “fairness” laws unnecessary.
The US military will also have to be gutted. As CinC, Obama can “reassign” fleets and divisions, delete weapons programs, sidestep Congress and assign US troops to UN peacekeeping projects all over the world, placing US Marines, for example, under a wealthy, very wealthy, general from Botswana or Nigeria,
I think he’s going to renew the culture war against gun owners that Clinton waged, pushing for the enactment of all kinds of obnoxious laws like a permanent Evil Black Rifle ban, bullet microstamping, bans on lead ammunition in the name of environmentalism, dramatically increased exise taxes on ammunition, and possibly even a national ban on concealed carry. But hey, he supports the Second Amendment rights of sportsmen.
I think he’s going to try to socialize healthcare.
I think he’s going to preside over increases in federal spending that make Bush look like a piker. I think he’s going to turn a blind eye to earmarking now that his party no longer has to bother feigning fiscal responsibility in order to beat up spendthrift Republicans.
I think he’s going to guzzle the anthropogenic global warming Kool-Aid with all that that implies. I think that, as a result, by the end of his first term the domestic auto fleet is going to be comprised of lots more featherweight econoboxes, the inevitable consequence of which is that lots more Americans will die in freeway accidents.
I think he’s going to push for amnesty for illegal immigrants currently in the country, and I don’t think he’s going to even pay lip service to improving border security to fix the problem.
I think he’s going to push card-check legislation enabling organized labor to bully workers into unions.
I think he’s going to return to foreign policy “realism”, with its focus on refraining from anything that might upset the international applecart. I think our enemies will naturally and accurately perceive this as utter fecklessness and proceed to play him for the gullible fool that he is. I think he will act surprised by this every time it happens.
I think he’s going to neglect the military, just like Clinton did. I think he’s going to preside over massive cuts to weapons development and troop readiness while getting us militarily involved in places with absolutely no national security significance, like Darfur.
I think he’s going to appoint unprincipled “living constitutionalist” douches like Cass Sunstein and Erwin Chemerinsky to the federal bench, including to the Supreme Court.
I think he’s going to continually decry “the politics of personal destruction”, complain about “distractions”, and blather about “changing the tone in Washington” every time one of his political opponents has the temerity to fight back against the vicious character assassination deployed by his surrogates and the media (to the extremely limited extent the two groups are distinguishable).
I think his maybe-mandatory-maybe-not civilian community service corps is going to end up looking a lot like the AmeriCorps boondoggle, and I think he’s going to pour a lot more federal money down that rathole.
I think he’s going to aggressively expand Democratic class warfare. I think he’ll make the tax code wildly more progressive (in the sense of soaking the rich, not in the sense of any kind of actual progress), with the goal of expanding the class of citizens with no financial interest adverse to increased government spending from 40% to at least 51%.
I could go on, but this is probably sufficient.
BC (78c6b6) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:12 amI predict that we will lose a city or a great part of a city or more than one city. Along with more than just 3,000 people that were murdered by the “peaceful religion” of islam it will be tens of thousands of people murdered by the “peaceful religion” of islam. It is going to be a 1932-1945 rerun all over again. Get ready America and hold onto your hats for the next 16 years it is going to be a bumpy ride .
Heltau (086647) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:17 amBiden gave the hint. Obama will not answer the next terrorist attack(s) on America by using our military might. He will bring our military actions in the GWOT to a halt, which means the hot war will be fought by the other side, while Obama attempts to negotiate with our enemies.
Steve-o (56a0a8) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:18 amI think the worse that could happen would be a nuclear war between Israel and Iraq, as predicted by Steven Den Beste.
http://chizumatic.mee.nu/not_the_end_of_the_world
I am hoping though that Israel will soon be able to pre-emptively take out Irans capablilities, without the introduction of nukes.
Obviously, if Israel is not ready to move before the Democrats swamp office, Israel will most likely not get the same degree of support a Republican POTUS would have afforded.
Art (8a81d6) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:19 amI think he’s likely to eat his first baby on January 21st, 2009.
About lunchtime.
Pious Agnostic (291f9a) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:19 amCorrection make that Iran.
Art (8a81d6) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:20 amOh wait I have a prediction:
That puppy for the little girls, Sasha and Malia?
It will be a MArxist puppy. They will name it Karl and force it to share it’s food bowl with the other doggies.
It will be horrible, sick and horrible I tell you.
God, save us all.
Peter (e70d1c) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:21 amI think the worse that could happen would be a nuclear war between Israel and Iraq, as predicted by Steven Den Beste.
Steven Den Beste, who I know from Metafilter has been so wrong and so off the mark, that this is beyond risible.
Isreal, will never in a billion years, let Iran get anywhere near an atomic weapon. And neither will the U.S.
Peter (e70d1c) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:23 amThe Chicago Machine corruption will continue.
That, by itself, is plenty reason to say that Barack Obama is not a good man. He is a corrupt man from a corrupt machine.
Daryl Herbert (4ecd4c) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:24 amGun Control by Executive Order….
1- The ATF will deny importation requests for all arms and ammo in compliance with U.N. Small-Arms Protocals.
This will shut down a large segment of the ammo market, & shut down firearms firms such as Taurus-USA (Brazil), Springfield-Armory (pistols from Croatia and Brazil), Charles Daly-KBI (pistols from the P.I., longarms from Turkey), etc.
Ammo that is in “military calibres” (ie, 9mm, 45acp, .223/5.56NATO, .308/7.62NATO, .30-’06, etc.) will be banned for civilian use/possession (five-year felony conviction).
All Firearms Dealers will be required to send copies of their 4473’s to ATF for compilation into a National Firearms Owners Database.
Those that don’t respond will be subjected to a SWAT-style raid, where all of the records and inventory will be confiscated, and they will be arrested (without bail) and prosecuted for “obstruction of justice”, and whatever else they can find.
No new FFL’s will be issued.
No FFL’s will be renewed.
This will shut down the firearms industry by the fourth-year of the Obama Administration (FFL’s are issued for three years).
These E-O’s will be issued in the first 90-days!
Another Drew (4f04a0) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:26 am“As Obama’s successes pile up and the ridiculous prognostications here turn out to be vindictive far right wet dreams…”
You’d be a complete idiot if you weren’t just so damn funny.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:31 amI WANT DIRE!
Comment by Patterico — 11/14/2008 @ 7:41 am
Er, that’s not dire enough for you? How about cap-and-trade, universal health care, and following Paul Krugman’s policy recommendations on the economy, even more consistently than FDR?
If that isn’t dire enough for you, then I’m stumped. There are sensible people out here who don’t think that Obama will actually establish a Gestapo. But Hitler Youth movements weren’t created to engage in lawless force. They were corps for indoctrination. Isn’t that dire enough? Even if, as is most likely, it never gets off the ground, consider that the soon-to-be-leader of the Executive Branch and his Chief of Staff want to create Youth Movement-like organizations. Do you think that has no future consequences?
Ok, let’s make it even more dire. How about appointing judges even further to the left than Stevens, Ginsburg, and Breyer? Sorry, it doesn’t get any more dire than that for America’s future.
You should be a lot less calm and a lot more outraged. No need to lose your objectivity, and it’s fine to suggest to readers that they maintain it. But moral outrage and deep concern is perfectly appropriate.
Jeff Perren (63cea8) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:33 amreimplementation of drilling bans on oil, natural gas, plus implementation of “carbon dioxide is polution” policy causes fuel prices to skyrocket. Carbon fines prevent building any new electricity generating plants of any kind. Global economic depression ensues. Only multi-millionaires who went liquid early enough will survive. The rest of us lose our homes to tax leins and unpaid utility costs. My daughters and I freeze in the dark when our Soylent Green runs out–and we are processed.
cbullitt (951954) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:39 amOR, the Chinese and Russian Nukes warm us to 10 million degrees in a 100th of a second after they get fed up with the depression and decide they want our stuff.
Dire Enough????
Since you value a good prediction well ahead of time, I’ll plagiarize bits from one eight years ago of almost word-for-word exactly what is being done right now in 2008/2009 and Obama’s role will be obvious. No civilian security force is necessary at this time.
Enjoy the ride, world citizens.
Jeff Sandborn (f09790) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:41 amFirst year: Leonardo DiCaprio will be cast to play him in the Oliver Stone movie.
nk (87c95e) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:41 amThe right to work legislation is already being discussed
The Total ban on firearms will be phased in from handguns – all automatics (which I’m okay with it) will be banned in 2009. However shotguns magazine capacities of hunting rifles are going to be examined – not good for America
Fairness doctrine will take time but before 2010 election cycle
Redistricting rules and rules FOR THE CENSUS THE CENSUS – will become the driving issue for permanent power shift that they all seek
EricPWJohnson (cc9286) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:42 am1) FOCA (Christian hospitals will shut down)
2) Card check
3) Repeal bush tax cuts
4) Reinstate the death tax
5) Capital gains to 25% (not 20%).
6) Govt health insurance ( govt can guarantee health insurance just not care)
7) Cap and trade (bankrupt coal)
8) Ban drilling
9) Billions into “Mandatory Service”
10) Billions into ethanol/solar/wind
11) Raise minimum wage to 9.50 and tie it to inflation.
12) Raising taxes on corporations.
13) Some sort of hate speech act + fairness doctrine.
This is what he has promised so far. This of course will have horrible effects on our economy. So how will he handle a sluggish economy? Well, lets see.
12) Bailouts to failing institutions
13) Stimulus checks in the mail
Remember, they are all worried about deflationary forces. So what will be the effects of all this? Hyper-inflation and 10%+ unemployment.
Now remember he is going to have at this point a national security force, and we will likely have experienced a horrible terrorist attack. We are already seeing liberals mobilize against churches.
Something some conservative pundit or religious leader will resort in violence and conservative speech will become regarded as hate speech. Conservative radio will also be silenced.
There goes the media.
So now the media is silence, the economy is in shambles, conservatives are being accused of hate speech, the cultural divide is growing and Obama has an army of thugs (security youth force helping to prevent “civil” unrest).
It’s time for reelection, things are looking bad. Every thing will be blamed on the legacy of Bush and conservatives, expect Obama to demand that republicans in congress get out of his way so he can access the power necessary to fix the problems (new deal 2.0). Govt housing, govt medical care, govt to own auto industry and other industries, govt to run the banks to keep credit flowing.
Now it’s term two. Time to expand the base. Open borders, amnesty for all. Gerrymandering to end republican power in senate.
Welcome to 2014, the year America dies.
At this point inflation will likey still be 10%, the median income will be 50% what it was in 2008. Health care will be in shambles. Oil prices should be very high. People are finding it difficult to afford basic energy needs. Oil and natural gas companies are making record profits. US loses triple A rating.
Govt to sieze oil and gas companies to nationalize energy companies (to keep them from taking advantage of the people), US forced to repay debt. Forgien banks drop dollar, dollar loses 40% of its value between 2014 and 2016. Govt forced to sieze assets to repay past debts and achieve solvency.
Obama extends presidency to third term to “fix” problems. National security force silences opposition, declaring them to be terrorists.
US becomes a communist country.
Do I win yet? I guess we all lose huh.
justin (245fff) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:45 amHitler and Stalin had stooges. Obama is a stooge. It will be a fight between would-be stooge handlers. We don’t really know what Obama will do because we don’t know who his leash-holders will be.
nk (87c95e) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:45 amHe’ll soon bail out Detroit.
sierra (4be1ff) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:45 amI don’t think it’s so much what, single-handedly, Obama will do. I think that Obama is a near-perfect crystalization of the “bad” that’s been happening in, and to, the United States for decades. I live in blue, very blue, Northern Virginia. I’ve lived here nearly all my 60+ years. One of the benefits of living here is the proximity, and easy access, to the homes of many of the founding fathers. Most of these homes, Washington’s Mt. Vernon, Jefferson’s Montecello, Madison’s Montpelier and George Mason’s Gunston Hall, all have wonderful presentations that convey those men’s ideas that formed this country. The United States is indeed something very special, and precious. But that specialness, that preciousness, has been eroded by left-wing politics and corruption to the point of near extinction. This is where Obama comes in. In him I see a man eager to do anything he can to drive the final nail into the coffin of what was the United States of America.
David L. B. (a589e9) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:47 am91. nk – Who gets to play Michelle? Madonna? Sheryl Crowe? Katie Holmes?
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:47 amIn a long line of disastrous Democrat Administrations that go back to but does not include Harry Truman’s Obama’s Presidency is going to be the worst by far.
JohnTBissell (553d99) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:48 amOn day one he will pardon Rezko.
robtron12 (ebbbac) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:51 am#97 JK
Whoopi Goldberg gets to play michelle! (LOL)
ErinF (b752ff) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:52 amI predict during the first year in office:
Abortions for some, American flags for others.
Kang/Kodos 2012
Dmac (e30284) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:54 amI, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:56 amOh I forgot to add in post 93.
By 2010, right wing extremist groups will pop up in a couple of places. There will be another Oklahoma city bombing or unibomber.
Another waco.
Constant coverage of “right wing fear” regarding Obama and constant coverage of right wing “terrorist ” groups along with a citizenry increasingly intollerant of capitalism and conservatism. Conserivatism will be something people only admit to behind closed doors.
Govt forced to bail out newspapers like NYT. Later wallstreet journal falls as well. Govt makes it clear that “advisorial pieces” will result in revoking of funding.
Anyway, things will be bad very bad.
justin (245fff) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:01 amIt will have to be a lady with a well-rounded … ahem … “personality”. Jennifer Lopez.
nk (87c95e) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:03 amHow about Patti Labelle? That hair alone would be priceless.
Dmac (e30284) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:06 amAmerica is like a spoiled teenage girl who just slashed her wrists. Electing Obama is a cry for help.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:06 amWithin a month of inauguration, he’ll either fire Patrick Fitzgerald or move him into a position where he won’t be able to pursue corruption in Chicago.
Within six months, he’ll move on the Fairness Doctrine because he’ll grow weary of having the peasantry criticizing him.
He won’t move on card check because he really doesn’t owe the unions anything — remember, AFSCME was totally in the tank for HRC.
On October 27, 2009, he’ll shoot a man in Reno just to watch him die. And Keith Olbermann will name the man he shot The Worst Person In The World.
Mr. D (f76d05) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:09 amI hope John David Stutts is still in custody.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:11 amHe will cut a deal with Chavez and Castro and be photo’d at Fidel’s bedside, smiling and shaking hands.
He could fly to N. Korea in an historic moment and the two Dear Leaders will embrace.
John425 (eae6ea) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:11 amYou and others have already listed many of the things that he will do, or at a minimum, attempt to do. Some additional predictions:
1. Through his massive grass roots network, as well as his surrogates (this includes the media), he will demonize anyone who opposes his agenda. Conservative voices could become the equivalent of Jews in 1930s Europe, and we see this happening already. Obama did not start this trend, but he will fuel it to cement his power base.
2. The Obama DOJ will drag its feet when it comes to investigating ACORN voter fraud, and the mysterious materializing ballots in closely contested races. This will help give him an edge for the 2012 election, and cement the entire Democrat power structure for decades.
3. ICE enforcement will drop to virtually nil, and he will sign an amnesty bill that will make the last one look like a great deal. Once we have another 20 million illegal immigrant democrat voters on the voting rolls, democrats will stay in power.
4. Obama will cut taxes for just enough people to push the percentage of non tax payers up to about 50%. Once you have that, we will have a permanent democratic majority.
The point I’m trying to make is that Obama and the democrats are gaming the system. Even if people wanted to change the course the country will find itself on, they will be unable to do so. It will be like 99% of Iraqis “voting” for Saddam Hussein in the old days.
Kelly (9e52ed) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:12 amExcellent question, and well set up. Here’s my conjecture:
– He’ll run an aggressive campaign to the radical left in the primary, looking to unseat a superior candidate who is positioned to move to the middle.
– If he can win the nomination, he’ll issue a series of statements and positions in the general election – call them “lies” – which are in direct contrast to everything he has ever said, and every vote he has ever made in his political career, in an attempt to convince stupid voters that he is not the radical leftist that he claimed he was last week.
– He’ll enlist the active support of a leftist press, directing them on what stories he wishes to have ignored, and what events he wishes to have them publicize for him. They will comply beyond his wildest dreams, refusing to report on, much less investigate, any of his past unethical behavior, or votes that he is currently lying about (i.e., Born Alive Infant Protection Act).
– He’ll campain on a promise to use public financing in the general election, then go back on this commitment and opt for private fundraising.
– He’ll emphasize an internet fundraising, with donations below the minimum amount requiring name disclosure, and remove all security features from his credit card donation system, so that small donations are unverifiable.
– He’ll hide all records from his shadowy background, family, college, and post-college, leaving voters to guess as to who he is. Coupled with his failure to publish any written work in college, in his legal career, or – remarkably – in his teaching career, he will campaign as an invisible man.
– He’ll stonewall all inquiries into his unethical and outrageous associations, again counting on a compliant leftist press to smother all inquiry and attack his critics.
If it all works, he might get elected President!
Jaibones (12c3d5) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:13 amThe broad concern is Obama will abandon any move toward the center he may have implied during the cmapaign and heed the will of the far left by moving there.
The sad future that would bring forth suggests too many legislative, policy and executive decisions to detail here. But you can certainly guess what they are.
But the worst of course would be a complete leftist failure toward protecting and defending this country which makes all other problems moot if it comes to pass.
Stanford Matthews (6b633e) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:15 amAs an addendum – I find it puzzling that you and a few other bloggers ridicule the concern among many conservatives and libertarians that Obama will establish a civilian security force. HE said he would. Why shouldn’t we be concerned, especially given this man’s voting record and Marxist associations? This is not something the right pulled out of a hat – both Obama and Rahm Emanuel have brought it up. It is THEIR obligation to clarify the record instead of ridiculing those who question them about a stated policy objective.
Kelly (9e52ed) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:17 amHaven’t you figured it out? Obama is a Trojan Horse. He has no real clear purpose or position. He is a vehicle for all these “great friends” he seems to have powered by the delusion of the masses.
This Hope & Change business was exactly like what any fortune teller does; mutter some meaningful non-specifics and let the mark make his own positive interpretations. I used to enjoy the irony that there was a TV psychic named John Edwards (now selling psychic jewelry on QVC) that would get confused with the baby-daddy John.
Obama’s agenda will be that of Wright, Ayers, and Acorn.
TakeFive (7c6fd5) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:19 amAnd after he’s done ALL of the above, he’ll pull a Bloomberg and vote himself a third or fourth term!
Brooke (8c51f4) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:20 amFirst he will get himself elected to the Senate as representative of the small planet Naboo…
Titans 9-0 (ea512a) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:21 amOh, wait. You meant ‘what will he do now’, didnt’ you?!
– Continue to test radical changes in government policy, backsliding whenever those initiatives test negative. Clean web sites without comment; attack his critics as ODS sufferers, with the unwitting aid of bloggers.
– Pass the Freedom of Choice bill, forcing all Americans to fund abortion on demand for even the most radical procedures.
– Ban all semi-automatic handguns and rifles, and many types of legal ammunition, effectively gutting the second amendment, and setting up a dangerous battle of law abiding citizens and law enforcement.
– Return to the Clinton-era policy of sending U.S. troops into dangerous peacekeeping missions, poorly safeguarded, and grant UN prosecution authority under “international law” against military personnel.
– Create the first Trillion-dollar deficit, with dramatic increases in domestic spending.
Jaibones (12c3d5) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:21 amI believe that his schedule will include the following:
WITHIN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS:
1. Domestically
(a) Sign FOCA and remove all restrictions on stem cell research.
(b) Make it a requirement for all Presidential elections that anyone with a driver’s licence may vote.
(c) Declare the Chicago Blackhawks an endangered species and order federal funds be allocated for their protection
2. Internationally
(a) Acknowledge that Ukraine, Belorussia and the entire Caucasus region, including Georgia are within Russia’s legitimate sphere of influence
(b) Recognise Tibet as a part of China andacknowledge that Taiwan falls within China’s sphere of influence
(c) State that Russia’s involvement in Venezuela and Cuba is none of the US’ business
(d) “Colombia…you’re on your own.”
(e) Effectively withdraw from Iraq and redeploy to Afghanistan
WITHIN FIRST YEAR
1. Domestically
(a) Comprehensive immigration reform
(b) Introduce a project to congress for the comprehensive amendment of the US Constitution, including a new ERA, definition of environmental rights, limitation of property rights, a reallocation of residual powers to the Federal government and a definition of the role of the US Supreme Court in Constitutional interpretation
(c) Sign “card check” into law
2. Internationally
(a) Declare the war in Afghanistan won and withdraw most troops to the US
(b) Oppose the entry of Georgia and Ukraine into NATO
(c) Agree with Russia to not deploy a missile shield in Europe or in Asia…or anywhere else for that matter
(d) Recognize the government of Cuba and open an Embassy in Havana
(e) Re-open the US Embassy in Teheran following secret negotiations with the Iranian government
(f) “Israel…you’re on your own.”
(g) Withdraw from NAFTA
IN THE FIRST FOUR YEARS
1. Domestically
(a) Comprehensive medicare reform paid for, in part, by higher taxes, mandates on employers and re-directing a portion of what’s left of the Social Security Trust Fund
(b) Recognition of ACORN as a Federal agency responsible for the delivery of federal assistance programmes to defined urban areas and for enumeration and registration of voters
(c) Pass a federal Standard Medical Procedures Act which will include as a definition of “medical care” the administration of euthansia to defined groups (including abortion survivors). It will be called the Kevorkian Pelosi Medical Improvement Act
2. Internationally
Blaise MacLean (445965) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:24 am(a) Agree to the inclusion as Permanant UN Security Council members representatives of the Islamic Conference, the Indian subcontinent, Africa, South America and Asia
(b) Deplore the actions of the Canadian government in imposing export taxes on oil (something impossible under NAFTA)
(c) Recognize the annexation by Russia of the Republic of Georgia, eastern Ukraine and Moldova
(d) Recognize the occupation and annexation of Taiwan by the People’s Republic of China stating that “It is our hope that China will respect human rights in Taiwan”
(e) Deplore the ongoing massacres of Jews in the former State of Israel by Iranian backed Hamas and Hezbollah militia saying “The United States urges Syria to use its influence in the region to ensure that innocent human life is protected”
Cerebral bleeding… Oh, wait… check that one off
First M Last (e7c944) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:27 amHe’ll rape all the white women, and when they get pregnant, he’ll rip the babies out of their wombs and eat them alive before the mothers’ horrified eyes.
This will be in the first four hours of his presidency. It will all go downhill from there.
Beware the black bogeyman, wankers.
jasperjava (91fb54) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:31 amEasy. It’ll begin with quickly re-implementing of the “Fairness” Doctrine and slowly evolve into forced marches to re-education camps for non-believers.
Natch (6176aa) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:31 amHate to say it, but I agree with David L.B, in #96. My greatest fear–and my prediction—is that the Democrats will use their unfettered power to ensure that they never, ever lose it again. No one reading this blog today will see a Republican congress again in their lifetimes. Probably not a Republican president, either.
With a complicit MSM, why should they not institutionalize ACORN-style voter fraud, or the sort of stuff we’re seeing right now in Minnesota, with the Al Franken abomination? Why would they want to inhibit Obama-style illegal unknown campaign contributors? Or as Justin points out in # 103, what the hell is to stop them from using their Trillion-dollar slush fund to bail out the NYT and the LAT? Hey, they’re American institutions too, right?
We are witnessing a silent putsch, and our own Republican civility will keep us in denial, until it becomes, finally, overwhelmingly obvious even to the David Brooks/Christopher Buckley/Peggy Noonan wing of the party. We are well and truly screwed, and there will be no “pendulum swing” back to normalcy through the usual political process.
driver (56cdca) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:32 amThe leftist Legacy.. first, I think there will be a major crisis as Joe Biden warned. Probably something to do with Israel taking out Iran’s nuclear capabilities… Obama will side with the UN and condemn Israel.. maybe even “punish” her. Russia will resume it’s aggression towards it’s former satellite countries and Obama will not intervene, only try to set “talks” via the UN. The UN will again be ineffective . Troops will be redeployed from Iraq to Afghanistan. Iraq will become very unstable and “rebellion” attacks will increase.Iran will gain control of Iraq and it’s oil fields. Obama will go to the UN. It condemns Israel for angering Iran. Obama agrees. Obama finds cause to “retire” Betraeus, Afghanistan becomes “Vietnam”. Obama pulls out. Russia pulls in.
The Global Poverty Act will be embraced and we will be required to give the UN .05% of GDP annually.
The patriot act will be repealed. All current and future detainees will receive trials, most will be found “not guilty” and most will be returned to country of origin or, some will be able to remain in the States.
Terroist attacks will occur on our bases/embassies abroad and Obama will defer to the UN.
Domestically, there will be another “crisis” ( maybe even created) that will “justify” stronger gun control if not weapons bans. Energy prices will rise again due to unreasonable regulations on current energy producers, such as coal and oil refineries. Monies for “energy independence” will be thrown towards ethanol, solar, and other less viable sources. There will be no drilling on or offshore, no nuclear plants or new refineries. We will offset our carbon emissions with massive amounts of “carbon credits”. Gas prices will hit an all time high and Obama will justify it for conservation purposes.
New “hate speech”(cloaked in a flowery name like The Freedom for Speech) laws will be enforced. Of course, hate speech will include any criticism of any person on the left or leftist policies, guidelines to be determined by by a special “love” committee appointed and comprised of leftist democrats. Criticism of Christians and conservatives will go unchallenged.
In the interest of gaining sympathy for the down-trodden, “service” corps will be developed. Persons of all ages will be required to serve. Businesses will be required provide paid leave to employees during their required service. College students will serve in return for “tuition credits”. Elderly, retired will serve for health care “lottery tickets” which will improve their chances of actually getting treatment or will put them closer to the top of the waiting list for appointments or care. The service guidelines and certified organizations will be overseen by another leftist appointed committee.
Health care will completely socialized. At first, as promised, people will be able to keep the policy they have, but after realizing that “rich” people are getting better care than those on the Gov’t plan, all health care will revert to the gov’t. it will be supplemented by employers.. who will be required to pay the gov’t for healthcare. Diagnostic machines will become scarce, those who need care will be submitted to a review council that will have the power to accept or deny care, those who are terminal or elderly will be denied. Undocumented workers ( who will become documented very fast) will receive care.
The food police will be welcomed wit open arms to help “prevent”illnesses that overclog our health care system. On the federal level, all trans fats will be banned. Sugar foods will be taxed. Snack foods will be taxed. Meat will be taxed with proceeds going towards the Global carbon Credit program.
Election laws will change.. federal and state. Federal will gain control of the state laws by offering certain “incentives” to state governments or , more likely , send federal “assistance” to monitor voter registrations, etc. in order to “ensure fair elections” (ala Jimmy Carter) for everyone (anti- disenfranchisement laws) These changes will make it difficult, if not impossible, for any republican or conservative to win an election at the state or federal level.
Taxes will increase for anyone making $50,000 or more. Benefits, ie welfare will increase for those making $18,000 or less (per family figures). Capital gains taxes will increase more than expected, businesses will require more “bailouts” and Obama”s plan of demolishing capitalism and federalizing business will be realized. Estate taxes will also increase much more than anticipated, and the beneficiaries that are unable to pay the taxes will be forced to sign all their property and property rights over to the federal Gov’t.
A new “Luxury” property tax will be imposed on any dwelling over 1800 square feet or over .25 of an acre of land.
The construction of the fence will stop. All undocumenteds will receive amnesty, citizenship rights and voting rights.
All of these things (except the gun issue.. a little more complicated) will be “sold” to the public in the interest of “fairness”. “Equality” and “equitable” will be the buzzwords. The media will be complicit at the least.
cakes (5485aa) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:34 amjasperjava already has his Obama goosestep cadence down perfect. Yes You Can, sycophant!
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:39 amMy main thoughts are about to concept of throwing the big reset button, this is very serious stuff, so my thoughts aren’t about policy disagreement. It’s about signs that the game is going to be changed and the old rules no longer apply. These are actions that I perceive raise the stakes of government so much that Republican can’t be allowed in to power after they happen. I really only see two interesting timeframes, for this analysis; before two years, between two years and four. Within the first four year period it would seem to be most important to lock Republicans out of gaining any more power, this would be done by changing the election rules, and restricting free speech., and setting up the conditions, for the second four years.
With in two years, I imagine the following would have to happen.
1) Shuts down ACORN and other investigation, on democratic party electioneering, while continuing investigation into republican campaign.
2) Bring back the FCC Fairness requirements in such a way that does kill off conservative talk radio, and doesn’t change public radio and the MSM.
3) Any regulation of free speech on the internet, most plausible suggestions, I have seen on this suggest a concerted action, by digital brownshirts, outside of official governmental action. This unfortunately has no clear, crossed the line indicator.
4) Formation of the Civilian Security Force, as a do good light weight group.
5) AWB is assumed in this time period, but I don’t consider it indicative of anything.
Two to four years out.
1) Federal changes in voter requirements, that give Illegal’s the outright or de facto right to vote, possibly by making them not illegal.
2) Any regulation of free speech on the internet, most plausible suggestions, I have seen on this suggest a concerted action, by digital brownshirts, outside of official governmental action. This unfortunately has no clear, cross the line indicator. However any attempts to outlaw “hate” speech, that gets serious traction would be a big flag.
3) National Concealed carry ban. Any sort of ammo ban, it might happen as a EPA lead issue. Gun confiscating is not something that I think will happen. Gun registration is required first, we have the makings of a fairly decent registration system already. Policy changes that made it into a real database would be a big warning sign.
4) Civilian Security Force, becomes larger does more things that require it to be active in the “community”, If I or people like me (suburban, employed) have an interaction with them that goes much beyond, “No Thanks” that would be significant.
Four years out.
Oddly at this point, I think it would be the democrats that would be in trouble. The republicans will have been locked out by election rules change, and unable to get a message out in the media. Sharp knives will be needed inside the party, I would expect a lot of statically, unlikely events to cluster around Obama opponents.
The battle between republicans and democrats has rules, and can be gamed. The battle within the democratic party has no rules, and I would expect the methods to keep power to be a lot more ruthless. The problems at this point would oblivious to all that care to look, but at this point it will be difficult for people to coordinate actions to do anything about it.
So as I see it, there are two main axis of attack for an evil Obama, election rules, and free speech. Election rules may seem to fall with the notion of what is fair, and will certainly be pitched that way. I would consider any attacks on free speech to be a serious issue. However It appears that many people are fine with outlawing “hate” speech, Canada and Europe already do it. I am sure that people will tell us it is what we need to do, to have the rest of the world like us.
Joe (d737be) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:40 amI am not sure what part of his policies he will implement in the first three months or first year
but today I know he skipped his typical white grandmothers funeral / memorial service.
ML (14488c) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:40 amAnd you wonder why people call republicans hatemongers.
JEFF GORDON (dec31a) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:40 amO.K.
Chrism (8b3aba) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:42 amDay#1 – Fire all federal judges.
Day#2 – Hire back the “good judges”
Day#3 – Take a day off and laugh himself silly.
Day#3 – See post #90
Day#4 – See post #122
I predict he will be middle of the road and his administration will actually accomplish very little except to facilitate the next Libertarian leaning Republican Leader. His general lack of leadership ability and his appearing to agree with both sides will create huge rifts in those around him which will cause great in-fighting and petty bickering. His press secretary will spend a lot of time back peddling from one or more comments by his staff. In the end his impact on history will be a foot note as the first minority president and will always be though of as a product of affirmative action and not qualified for the job.
Uncle Dako (ca68d6) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:43 amBravo, JEFF! Thanks for driving by as per orders of your new Leader. Yes, yes we all know that Bush is Hitler and that criticizing the One is “hate mongering” but unfortunately some people are able to resist living inside of such a one-dimensional simple-minded worldview such as yours. Must drive you nuts.
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:46 amHe won’t allow any off shore drilling to be explored so when the the demand for oil comes back
Jacko (9f275e) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:51 amyou’ll be stuck again paying $4.00+ a gallon for gas.
Indythinker’s Predictions for President Obama
1. Obama and the Democrats will increase federal spending by a substantial degree. The federal deficit and national debt will balloon. The US dollar will lose much of its value as the vast surplus in money supply cannot be mopped up. Our import-dependent economy will suffer a very high level of inflation. This will require the Fed to raise interest rates to a monstrously high level, which will crush the economy down into Great Depression II.
2. Strict gun control laws and confiscatory sales taxes on guns and ammunition will be enacted. Nevertheless, violent crime will spike during the Obama Administration.
3. Strict anti-smoking laws will be enacted at the federal level.
4. The quality of US medicine will stop increasing. We will see a decrease in life expectancy in the US.
5. Open borders legislation will be enacted.
6. Various members of the Bush Administration will be sentenced to prison for various “crimes” related to the War on Terrorism.
7. Draconian federal campaign finance reform will be enacted which will limit the Republican Party’s ability to get votes outside of the South. The Republican Party will become more of a regional party, soon dwindling to third party status. The Libertarian Party will become the #2 political party in the US.
8. Gay marriage will be established nationally. Gay civil rights will be protected, and gay affirmative action pushed.
9. The US stock market will decline or improve very little until late 2012 or perhaps only later.
10. Dictatorships, oligarchies, and military juntas will be on the march globally. Taiwan, Israel, Columbia, Tanzania, Kenya, South Africa, Poland, Ukraine, Georgia, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan will all cease to become democratic.
11. Obama will initially cut US defense spending, and by the end of his term, increase it due to his foreign policy blunders.
12. Americans will soon realize that Obama is a congenital liar and an utterly incompetent leader. As the economy and foreign policy sours, white and Hispanic Americans will grow less supportive of civil rights and more distrustful of black Americans, irrationally taking out their frustrations with Obama out on black people.
13. There will be no middle class tax cut. There will be substantial tax increases on anyone making more than $100,000 per year, on capital gains, and on anyone making a profit from gold.
14. New taxes will significantly hurt 401ks, and IRAs.
15. Oil and gas companies will face significantly higher taxes.
16. Unemployment will increase, perhaps up to 15%.
17. Obama will not run for re-election in 2012 due to his low approval rating.
18. In the first three months of the Obama Administration, the US will be hit by a mass-casualty Islamic terrorist attack. Secretary of Homeland Security McCain will be blamed. The United States will be hit with a nuclear weapon during the Obama administration, losing a city. Obama will unleash a wave of repression against the Republican Party for “causing” the terrorist attacks with their policies.
19. America will end up much more racist at the end of Obama’s four years than at the beginning, unfortunately, due to the fear, ethnic scapegoating, and waves of irrational hatred and brutality.
20. President Obama will lash out angrily at his supporters after they start leaving him, and then more angrily still at the Republicans he blames for everything that is wrong in the world. After his lashing out fails to change anything, he will sulk and enter into a two-month period in which President Obama is not seen in public very much. During this time he will suffer a serious identity crisis, and a nervous breakdown. He will emerge from this period heavily medicated and completely unpredictable.
21. The United States will invade Pakistan at some point. Pakistan will defeat the US invasion, which will result in many completely avoidable US casualties in the worst military disaster in American history.
22. There are a few other negative items, but I won’t list them here because they are too controversial to talk about in public. Just make sure you personally own a gun, and keep mace on hand.
Indythinker (4ed262) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:52 amAs long as he doesn’t let the fringe (CodePink, etc.) bully him, I think the damage that WILL be done may not be as bad as it could be.
John (bd3549) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:54 amHere’s some dire for you.
Months and years down the road, Obama will try and accomplish what he said he would do.
Card check. Reduce military funding 25%. Dismantle our nuclear defense. Give our enemies the benefit of doubt. Disengage from the war on terror and give Constitutional rights to foreign terrorists. Raise taxes on productivity. Institute national health care. Put extremely liberal judges in the supreme court. Grant amnesty to all illegal aliens. Build a new, large, well funded , civil service corps. Strict gun control laws. Direct national energy policy towards unfeasible goals while undercutting oil independence.
There are more, I’m sure, the point being, that is what he wants to do, and how much he damages the country is directly proportional to how successful he is in bypassing GOP resistance and Constitutional limits, not on his own conscience.
lee (bf65e5) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:59 amDire?
You want dire?
Secretary of the Treasury – Paul Krugman
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:02 pmIf President-elect Obama truly is an evil person, scum, gutter trash, a liar and a thief who will create a security force akin to the Gestapo to impose a Marxist dictatorship; then we’d all better be cautious about answering that late-night knock on the door whi
mj (18b479) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:02 pmThis is what we have come to expect from the trolls.
Racists.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:04 pmMaking predictions is TEH HATE !!!!!!!
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:07 pmThroughout the presidency -Raise more money for himself & the DNC to retain power. Money is the root of… well you know the rest.
Within the first year: Joe Biden will have to step down due to his progressive senile dementia that the media has been mistaking as adorable “gaffes”. Biden’s replacement will be Nancy Pelosi. How’s that for dire?
But you asked – What will he do?…
Mostly have others do for him so he can continue to be a pole turtle. It’s worked so far, why try something new.
Oh you want really dire – he will enact into law that the NL has to use the DH rule like the AL – all in “fairness”. (pardon a bit of levity in a serious thread)
batterup (416e80) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:10 pmWithin one year, conservative bloggers and other dissenters will be under scrutiny from the government and some will face incrimination.
Al-Ozarka (ced8b3) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:11 pmIsn’t JEFF GORDON a NASCAR driver? A participant in the ultimate recreational activity of hate and intolerance?
Jack Klompus (cf3660) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:14 pmBarack Obama ate my baby!
Fritz (81d848) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:15 pmHe will ask for the resignation of the Attorney for every US District Court, as did Clinton. He will accept a medium-sized bunch, to diswguise the fact that Fitzgerald’s is the only one he really wanted.
Jim O'Sullivan (65882c) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:19 pmBarack Obama will actually do to the Constitution and our freedoms the things the left has imagined were done by George Bush.
John V. (826800) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:20 pmDiswguise? Man, I hate it when I hit “send” without proofreading.
Jim O'Sullivan (65882c) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:21 pmObama will squander away the ‘goodwill’ of the world stage inside of six months when he:
1. Does not immediately kowtow to the UN as that would reduce his own power
2. Flips someone off by scratching his cheek/nose with his middle finger
luagha (5cbe06) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:23 pmOh, it’s not so much what Obama will do: It’s what he’ll let the Democrats in control of Congress get away with. We know from the Jimmy Carter years and the first two Clinton years that they re-wrote the laws to favor themselves and their fat-cat supporters back then: expect 2009 -2010 to be as bad if not worse. Obama is an empty suit who takes his orders from Chicago. He’ll murmur sweet nothings to the American people as his cronies steal the country blind.
Orion (007751) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:25 pmI think that President Biden or President Pelosi will be much less influential in the marketing of the post election Obama mission statement than he would have been himself. Their ability to affect serious long term policy change will be handicapped by the ongoing domestic and international turmoil resulting directly from their actions.
Being without Obama, the marketing equivalent of McDonald’s Ronald, Democrats will lose congressional power in 2010, having not had enough time to force the electoral changes they require to maintain legitimate political control.
The American people’s continue assault on not the head of the Hydra, but its legs, arms, and body, will yield neutered screaming Democratic heads, impotent to the all the world.
2012 will bring a Conservative/Libertarian mindset to the people which will lead America to its rightful place as the beacon of freedom to the world where one man alone can make a difference- if he remembers that mankind is at its best not when our heads are in the clouds, our vision obscured, our footing hindered, but when we are clear of mind, body, and spirit to confront the real world, good and evil, with tangible well reasoned efforts. Here we will be able to apply responsible policy rooted in facts vs fairy tales.
We can then work towards those Liberal ideals many of us cherish from childhood, but only to the extent that those ideals are supported by the limits presented in the reality of our human nature. Here we draw the line and focus our energies elsewhere, knowing that there is point where most things can not be improved upon, regardless of legislation passed or rhythmic idolatry.
Obama’s/Biden’s/Pelosi’s acts will not be of historical note as much as the result of those acts and the monumental results that spring forth. Obama’s most lasting accomplishment will not be his efforts to squelch free speech, cripple free enterprise, or force a state of defenseless dependency upon the American people, but rather the reawakening of the American Consciousness upon which the country was founded and thrived like no other.
I for one am not living in fear of what is to come. I for one, welcome it.
OneManAlone (858d94) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:26 pmSince Barack Obama and his supporters see hemselves as progressives, they might revisit Wilson’s notions of the unitary executive. Let me quote David K. Nichol’s The Myth of the Modern Executive (1994, pg 171):
Fritz (81d848) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:31 pmSorry, Nichols, David K. The Myth of the Modern Presidency (The Pennsylvania State University Press), 1994.
Fritz (81d848) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:35 pmI don’t think he has the wherewithall to do anything on his own. We’ve all agreed over the last two years that he’s pretty much an empty suit. So I think just about everything he does will be an idea or policy that has come from someone else. He will be nothing more than a puppet for the next 4 years.
jwarner (0a2a75) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:36 pmLook at it this way, if the congress gets a super-majority, no way Pelosi and Reid are gonna let that opportunity pass. There’s no guarantee that they’re going to get it 2 years from now. My prediction is that he’ll try and push the more radical agendas in the first two years of his term. It would be a miracle for any president this time around to be more than a 1 term president anyway. He’s got nothing to lose. And once these laws are passed, it takes a 2/3’s majority to repeal them, and the republicans will be lucky if they ever get that. Besides, peoples memories are short. Even if he passes a radical agenda in the first 2 years, lots of people will only be concerned with the state of affairs one month before the election. They don’t think about the future or what radical agenda gets passed, until it comes knocking directly on THEIR door.
Brian (8fc6e5) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:39 pmPresident Obama will take my guns, neuter my dog, abort my unborn children, take Rush and Sean away from me forever, and he will force all television stations, whether they are cable or network, to run one episode of either “227” or “Good Times” at all times.
bigcity (b0fe29) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:42 pmI don’t think he has the wherewithall to do anything on his own. We’ve all agreed over the last two years that he’s pretty much an empty suit. So I think just about everything he does will be an idea or policy that has come from someone else. He will be nothing more than a puppet for the next 4 years.
He’s an empty suit because he lacked leadership skills and nobody would listen to him. However, he now has the power of the presidency. Given his bigger than LBJ-sized ego, he will do his best to destroy AmeriKKKa and recreate in a image that makes his racist wife proud.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:48 pmSpeaking of LBJ, I also predict that President Obama will conduct means while sitting on the toilet. That would be awesome.
bigcity (b0fe29) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:50 pmor meetings, rather. That would make much more sense.
bigcity (b0fe29) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:51 pmHe will pick his nose during a State of the Union Address.
dave (144ace) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:52 pmPresident Obama will take my guns, neuter my dog, abort my unborn children
It’s been established that Obama doesn’t care if the child is born or not. We shouldn’t punish the mother with a baby because the abortion doctor was so incompetent that he wasn’t able kill it before it was born, right?
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:53 pm1st 3 mos: Sign new stimulus package heavily tilted toward people who pay no income taxes.Sign Freedom of Choice Act (he already promised to do that). Lift all of Bush’s executive orders. Stop raids for illegal immigrants at their homes (not businesses).
dianne (53be43) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:53 pm1st year: Go for amnesty of illegal immigrants. Pull 1/2 troops out of Iraq. Raise capital gains and dividend taxes.
1st 4 years: All of above plus more gun control, appoint far left supreme court judges, increase hate crime penalties, finish pulling out of Iraq. Revert to Clinton’s tax rates across the board except for people who already pay no federal income taxes to which he will give more.
Exile Sarah Palin…lol
1-20-09 – Obama comes out as the Anti-Christ.
4-15-09 – UN charter changed to establish NWO (New World Order)
4-16-09 – Obama appointed as the Ruler of the NWO
9-19-09 – WWIII erupts in the Middle East
12-12-12 – The End.
desiguy (f90309) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:54 pmbigcity – One channel 24/7 of Sanford amd Son.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:54 pmI predict that President Obama will send Joe Biden to Russia on a goodwill foreign policy trip. Twelve hours later the state or Washington will cease to exist.
bigcity (b0fe29) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:55 pmWill dictate that herds of unicorns and pegasuses run among and fly over the people, shiting nothing but gum drops and quarters, and farting good will.
Joe (dcebbd) — 11/14/2008 @ 12:55 pmI am trying really hard not to be a paranoid, but what I’m seeing on the net is starting to scare me.The thought of a national conscription of all youths from ages 18 to 25 sounds more like an indotcrination. I spent 6 weeks in basic training whem I joined the military, and was thoroughly trained in that time.
3 months sounds more like an indoctrination than anything else. And to make it mandatory means that an entire generation will be bent to BOs will.
As to your repeated pleas for an exact date for the gun implementaion: I vote for the last day of the lame duck session before the next Congress takes their oath in 2010, unless the Dems hold both houses. If they hold both houses after the midterm election, look for it within a month of those elections
Kane
Kanelin (47b658) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:11 pmdaleyrocks- Do you mean that show where George would clutch his chest and tell Weezie that he was coming up to see her? That is one of my faves! I love John Amos in that role, count me in!
bigcity (b0fe29) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:12 pmJim Treacher:
“So Obama is only evil if we can predict exactly what evil deeds he will perform. I think I get the picture.”
I think you don’t.
Read my comment 32.
We are assuming Obama’s evilness and asking if it has any practical significance.
If not, who cares?
If it does, then what is it? Tell us something that we can look at later and verify.
My guess, Jim, is that your predictions would mostly track mine: sucky policies and some treachery in their implementation, but no march towards totalitarianism, gun confiscation, or any other doomsday scenario.
If I’m wrong, tell me.
Patterico (170084) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:14 pmPatterico – Maybe it is just semantic, but I have no doubt that given the opportunity, he would try to severly limited the right of the individual to own guns. His legislative track record shows that. I am not so sure about the confiscation part, but at that point, the difference is just in degrees.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:19 pmBread & Circuses for the masses starting with trials for Iraq War Criminals (Cheney, Neo-cons etc.).
Relentless suppression of dissent; speech codes, hate crimes laws, Fairness Doctrine.
Long, slow steady slide into pacifist foreign policy.
War on Terror reverts to being a legal/criminal problem.
And finally, what 163 said.
Bruno Strozek (66e48f) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:34 pmObama believes in the triumph of reason over experience. Obama has no conception of the likelihood of unintended consequences. Obama is a narcissist.
We’ve been there before.
Dan Collins (4dc2da) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:40 pmHe will do nothing dire. His will be a classical small bore presidency which will be inconsequential in the grand scheme of history. He is not a bold politician, at heart he is a timid follower. As Joe the Biden say, “past is prelude…”. Obama has absolutely no instances in his history to demonstrate that he will attempt to do anything truly radical.
Sure, he’s going to appoint some bad judges, and taxation will increase, but 50 years from now, there won’t be any long lasting effects of the Obama Presidency, any more than there will be lasting effects of the Clinton Presidency.
headhunt23 (4b934b) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:42 pmThe most significant event in his single term of office will be a serious health problem during the summer of 2010. This will render him incapable of performing as president for most of a year. He will return to the presidency but will never recover his vigor. This gap will paralyze action at the political level of the administration as vice president Biden will be so weakened politically by that time(the MSM is going to hammer him as a proxy for attacking Obama, a step they literally fear to take) that despite public concern for president Obama Biden will not be able to muster much support for anything serious. In the late fall of 2010 another major terrorist attack will occur this time in California. The response will be seen as tardy and weak owing to the leadership vacuum. The Katrina rhetoric will finally come home to roost on the Democrats in a particularly vicious way. Despite all these events, the USA will rebound and prosper after the election of Mitch Romney in 2012. Romney’s Mormonism will be seen as less of a problem and in some quarters as a distinct strength after the Mormon bashing exhibited by the increasingly disdained radical gay lobby.
Mason (0a4ad8) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:46 pmAs I said over at Goldstein’s, I don’t think he’ll do much at all. In fact, I predict he’ll be the least effective President evah, Warren Harding and Ulysses Grant pointedly not excepted.
What he will do is carry the can for others, notably the Congress, which has a whole list of agenda items they’re slavering to enact. He won’t even be able to maintain control of his own staff, as evidenced by the behavior of the campaign; how the H* you you expect him to ride herd on Nancy and Harry? If by chance anything good happens to come of it, the Congresscritters will loudly claim credit. Any untoward results or unintended consequences will land on the desk in the Oval Office more or less instantaneously.
Prediction is hard, especially about the future, so I don’t have any dates or specifics.
Regards,
Ric Locke (3d3364) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:51 pmRic
I don’t wish ill health on the man, but the media never noticed his severe cigarette addiction, which he’s currently trying to get rid of. Funny, they never shut up about McCain’s skin cancer treatments.
Dmac (e30284) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:59 pmI WANT DIRE!
Comment by Patterico — 11/14/2008 @ 7:41 am
Patterico,
If doing all in his power as President to ensure that sticking long scissors in the backs of babies’ necks and sucking out their brains becomes the law of the land, not to mention newborn babies’ (the targets of other types of late-term abortion) dying on utility closet shelves, doesnt qualify as “DIRE”, then frankly I don’t know what would do it for you.
no one you know (1f5ddb) — 11/14/2008 @ 1:59 pmThe very first thing Obama will do is fold like a cheap tent to Putin and cancel missile defense in Europe claiming it doesn’t work well enough.
He will try and get all unpopular and divisive decsions done early in the hopes Americans will foeget by 2012 much like Clinton when he cancelled the middle class tax cut before he was sworn in..
Dennis D (ae900a) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:00 pmFirst six months:
Attempt to pass card check legislation
Attempt to pass assault weapons ban
Attempt to reimpose (Un)Fairness Doctrine.
I say “attempt” because he’ll be lucky to get only 1 of the above 3 passed. Obama gives a pretty speech, but, compared to guys like Rush, he’s no communicator. Rush, Hannity, Hewitt, et. al. will quickly turn the Fairness Doctrine into a major First Amendment fight–and Obama will suffering an embarrassing defeat.
One Year:
Major international crisis–probably involving Iran and/or Russia. Obama will come up short and look weak to an emboldened GOP.
Approval ratings: He’ll be lucky to be at 50%, especially after his tax promises don’t pan out.
Four Years: Huh? What makes us think Obama will even successfully get to the end of his first term, much less run for a second?
MarkJ (42fe5b) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:01 pmPatterico,
I’ve never called Obama an evil person, and have never asked you for a response before, but I’d like your thoughts on my last comment, if you don’t mind, when you get time.
That is evil stuff and I am sure he knows what he is defending. He either sat through all that late term abortion testimony in the Senate or he had a responsibility get it if he was out, I don’t know, campaigning for his next office.
no one you know (1f5ddb) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:03 pmPatterico –
For them, it’s not as much a desire for totalitarianism as it is this:
positive rights cannot be achieved without limiting the liberty of individuals
http://www.tcsdaily.com/article.aspx?id=060804H
I think they are serious about pursuing positive rights. Very serious. Everything they have said and done points here. I am almost certain that they intend to bend our form of government (for which they have little respect) to achieve what they think is far better.
Amphipolis (fdbc48) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:07 pmPatterico,
Forgot the time frames you wanted. I’ll say reversal of prolife executive orders – first 1-2 months. Appointing of one to two proabortion SC justices with the approval of Congress – first year. FOCA – first three years – including harsh punishments for prolifers who dare oppose another’s abortion in any fashion (like the RICO laws were used against prolifers in the 80s and 90s). And, after signing of FOCA (say by end of his four-year term), all forms of abortion including late term types completely legal everywhere in the US, with shoring up by additional executive orders all along the way.
no one you know (1f5ddb) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:11 pmnoyk – But Baracky is a centrist, a moderate, someone who brings people together.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:13 pm1) Year 1 – He’s going to change our laws – labor and rights to sue making it very difficult to be in business, own property or be profitable.
2) Year 1 – Wage levels will be set for any company doing business with the government which will be many considering current plans for infrastructure and homeland security, including the citizen security force, plus all of the alternative energy initiatives.
3) Year 1 – Taxes will be raised across the board. High taxes will keep us in a recession for a long time and create high unemployment (12% to 20%).
4) Year 1 – Military spending will be majorly cut to the point where we are weak, but pulling out of the world and dropping defense with offense will help pay for social initiatives.
5) Year 6 – Universal gov’t health care will be passed and will bankrupt the country (Social Security will be bankrupt too), because the economy is not generating enough money to run our huge entitlement system which includes the “pay for work” thing he passes in his first year.
It will be very difficult to reverse the damage.
Casey (566ff1) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:19 pmnoyk – But Baracky is a centrist, a moderate, someone who brings people together.
Comment by JD — 11/14/2008 @ 2:13 pm
I’d like an answer from Patterico; I really would. One thing that occurs to me as I listen to the talk around the blogosphere is that one bright spot that may come out of this proabortion nightmare is that Obama may succeed in doing exactly the opposite of what he claims in regard to uniting people. It would be a good thing to have all conservatives (am obviously including myself in this) face their own priorities and see: what do I consider worth fighting for, in what I oppose about the policies of this President? I think that many people asking questions like Patterico’s is a good thing if it prods people to do that.
no one you know (1f5ddb) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:20 pmIt’s not about what government can do for us; we’re concerned about what it can do to us.
Dan Collins (4dc2da) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:27 pmI predict that Obama will put the US under the jurisdiction of the ICC – and thereby destroy the ability of the US to effectively fight the war on terror or any other military intervention on behalf of needy populations in the Third World.
SPQR (72771e) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:29 pmMy prediction, in the first year Obama and the democrats will confiscate every Americans 401k.
The pretense will be all 401k’s will now be guaranteed, so senior’s will have security. The stock market roller coaster will not effect Americans wealth anymore, of course they will never see a return on their money like the stock market gives, but that will not matter.
The government will save us, they really wont save us but most American idiots will think otherwise, unlike the old days of:
The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help. ~ Ronald Reagan
Obama and his big government can save us from our selves.
ML (14488c) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:31 pmAs president, Obama will not veto a revivified Fairness Doctrine, and will propose the introduction of hate speech legislation after the European and Canadian models. He will sign FOCA. He will sign legislation culminating in or causing the price of handgun (and possibly rifle and shotgun) ammunition to rise by at least 500%. He will complete the ruin of the auto industry and cause the destruction of the coal industry in service to the Green-inspired pseudoscience supposedly proving manmade global warming, and thousands of unemployed miners and their families will be living lives similar to that of the Okies during the Depression. Speaking of Depression: increases in the capital gains and other taxes, combined with increased income tax rates for those making over $100,000 year, as well as the creation of a myriad WPA-like makework and other government programs, will cause continued economic malaise the duration of his presidency and beyond. Most of the public will remain largely unaware of how bad things truly are because the mainstream media will remain committed to the success of Obama administration whether it is successful or not.
Troy Riser (9ecc60) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:34 pmhard left rudder. ANWR will become a Federal Park
Mike L (de7fb1) — 11/14/2008 @ 2:59 pmand be forever barred from development. NO OIL DRILLING. The “Fairness Doctrine” will certainly be put back to squash the loyal opposition. Read>
Talk radio. bye Rush, Shawn, Glen….. The courts
will get very left leaning judges to steal the rest of our rights. While he won’t burn the Constitution literally we won’t recognise it for what it was after his term. If the damage he does
ever gets fixed it will be a very long time coming. I weep for the future.
Patterico,
Your funny.
Read the *Left Behind* series…see “Carpathia.” How’s that for Dire?
Just kidding, just kidding.
Really, though, as a few commentors suggested, I think he’ll probably pawn whatever mistakes he makes off on Bush.
Sorry dewd…no timeframes. Just a hunch. I’ve been wrong before, I will be wrong again, and I might (or might not) be wrong on this one.
Weasely? Maybe. But I’d rather be called a weasel than have the aftertaste of shoe laces in my mouth.
Rich Bordner (fab40f) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:05 pmOops, typo..I meant “You’re” funny.
And I’m an English teacher? Sheesh.
Rich Bordner (fab40f) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:06 pmSPQR – Can Baracky do that without Congressional approval?
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:07 pmWho can even guess?
john (b5211d) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:13 pmWhat will Congress do?
841dm (b5211d) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:18 pmI don’t think they will turn overtly violent too quickly. They will utilize ACORN, intimidation, corrupt local county officials, padded voter registrations, bussed in voters, media smear tactics, and manufactured scandals. The kind of thing Obama used to take the election in 1996 and his run for the Senate. New Black Panthers and ACORN thugs will be used in a similar manner to the antifascist thugs in Europe. Deniable links to these groups give them a fig leaf to explain away much of what they do and do not raise the level of public anger as much. If headline making incidents occur, they do a weak sister investigation and the whole thing gets lost in committee.
With the media fully backing the Democrats it will be very difficult for anyone to make headway in an election where the Democrats have a virtual lock on 55% of the electorate. The union card check system would force union members to reveal who they are voting for providing added security for a Democratic victory.
The “civilian national security force” Obama talked about was to be “just as powerful, just as strong, just as well-funded” as the American military. This should be seen in light of statements regarding a cut to the military of 25%. Likely it would be less than this, perhaps only 10% (65 billion), but if directed towards such a CNSF (Civilian National Security Force) even these levels would be enormous. The 2007 budget for the US Army was 110 Billion and this includes base maintenance, research, and much heavy equipment which a CNSF would not require. 65 billion would be greater than the individual French, German, Chinese, or British military budgets. Not chump change!
The Posse Comitatus law of 1878 would preclude the use of military forces in a security role. The Posse Comitatus act does not prevent non-military organizations from acting in a security role. The Coast Guard is an example of this. A CNSF would not therefore be limited by the act.
From what segment of the population would such a civilian security force be recruited? It would likely be proposed as a means to help the disadvantaged of society and give them a role in helping the nation through airport, border, and ports security roles under DHS (Department of Homeland Security). If the economy worsens as it expected with Socialist policies it would also be seen as a modern day equivalent to the FDR’s New Deal Civil Works Administration/Conservation Corps. Military personnel from the regulars who were ‘sensitive to multicultural issues’ would likely provide the core and training base.
Getting such a force authorized would be the initial hurdle and conservative Democrats would be the real problem. The change.gov site has already started recruiting people and ‘their stories’ to enlist those who are active in particular areas so they can be directed by the administration towards reluctant senators. Once Obama is sworn in, those backers may be summoned to push reluctant members of Congress to support legislation they otherwise wouldn’t. A flash mob assembles outside of a congressman’s office and the media just happens to be on hand to broadcast the event. Most will buckle under. Look up Joe Trippi and the internet and connect it to what the change.gov is doing.
An unarmed public service organization would be more possible. Putting a provision that would later allow an unarmed force to be armed for DHS purposes would be one way of doing it. DHS purposes of course would be determined by Presidential decree.
If the military is withdrawn from Iraq and eventually Afghanistan, it will be downsized as it was under Clinton, though to a much greater extent. Many military personnel would take early retirement as they also did under Clinton and would in all likelihood be replaced at lower manning levels by recruits drawn from more ‘diverse’ sources. Some equipment could be transferred to the CNSF as it was decommissioned from the regulars. The Army would be reduced in strength, starved of funding, equipment, and diversified with ethnic and political recruitment. Officers would be overt political appointees to secure loyalty.
Democracy will still exist in form, but not substance. The CNSF will be the obvious group to ensure ‘security’ at the polling stations and if Republican turnout at these locations is oddly down on election day, well we can expect the same diligence from the MSM to that as they showed to Obama’s campaign financing, ACORN’s activities, and the Joe The Plumber incident. There is no guarantee this will happen, nor is there much standing in their way. IMHO that is not a comfortable place to be.
After this the rest would be up to the political whim of the President and his cronies.
Travis (6b7d49) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:25 pmLate posting here, and I haven’t read through the comments yet, avoiding the post because of my disgust with it.
Patterico, I get it. You tell us what difference does it make whether you got O’s goodness right or wrong. You’ve already said he would do certain wrong things, and bring about harm no worse or better than any other man calling themselves a Democrat. How could his badness signify anything one way or another. You double dog dare those who questioned you to explain the utility of noting his character by predicting the terrible things you assume for the sake of argument you haven’t dreamt.
Look here, if you do not understand the folly of praising this fellow and helping his agenda along with courtesy, fine. I’m not going to pretend to instruct you. But he is worse than you have allowed. He is working to change the national character and channel the power of the mob to do it. To change the government from a defender of borders and protector of property and liberty into a kindly coercive nanny that owns the very breath in out lungs and coopts our money and our bodies to increase its control an influence in our private lives. This way lies that old fashioned, laugable term, tyranny.
Who knows what he will accomplish. I only care about his goal.I intend to block any incremental step towards his goals in changing America into anything resembling his future vision of it.
SarahW (a6e80b) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:30 pmWith all the other fun things going on, don’t forget that he’s going to pack the FEC with toadies and shut down any Justice Department challenges to Democrat gerrymandering after the 2010 census.
cthulhu (e12ebf) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:31 pmWhat, nothing about the coming Islamic/Marxist theocracy dictatorship?
Xanthippas (9c0325) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:34 pmComment by Travis — 11/14/2008 @ 3:25 pm
When will it be time to set up training camps in the “Sierra Maestra”?
Another Drew (4f04a0) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:36 pmFirst six months: he will start the pull out of troops in Iraq and send those troops, trained in desert/urban war fare to Afghanistan. This will destablize Iraq and allow for greater influence from Iran. As our troops are not trained in the warfare of the mountainous regions of Afghanistan, it will be quickly obvious this was a wrong move when body bags start coming home.
He will sign the Fairness Doctrine and the Abortion on Demand bill.
He will increase capital gains taxes and the exemption for the sale of homes will go down to 0. That means that seniors who want to use their downsize because they are empty nesters will not have a much money to live off of.
He will increase taxes on capital gains all across the board discouraging investments.
One year: We will be lucky if there is not another attack on American soil as Iran will be feeling bolder. Also, I think that the Middle East will be a shambles as Israel will try to defend herself but the rest of the Middle East will side with Iran and Syria. For Muslim nations, politics are religion and religion trumps everything.
Jobs will continue to bleed off shore as small businesses go out of business and large corporations go off shore. Unemployment in the double digits, perhaps the worst since the Great Depression.
More cooperation with Europe and a move to install programs much like the quasi-socialist governments of France. Programs that favor Europe’s markets, and not ours, will be implimented.
There will be a power struggle between Pelosi, Reid and Obama, all victims of huge egos.
Gun control laws on steroids. Heavier regulations on not just the purchase of weapons, but on ammunition as well.
SCOTUS: he will replace at least two, but those two will be Ginsburg and one other. So it will be a wash as both are left leaning anyway. Kennedy is the swing vote (leaning left ususally) and if he replaces three, the court will be stacked. Scalia, Roberts, Alito and Thomas are not going anywhere.
retire05 (00e6cb) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:36 pmWolverines!!!
Xanthippas (9c0325) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:37 pmI just have to say…Patterico, you have really outdone yourself. This is practically a Wikipedia entry of right-wing paranoid fantasies, and will serve as a handy reference for the rest of us for years to come…as we watch the vast majority of these fail to come true.
Xanthippas (9c0325) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:41 pmHopefully it will never come to that, but we are deluding ourselves if we imagine ‘It cannot happen here’. Others nations didn’t believe it could happen ‘here’ until of course it did.
Travis (6b7d49) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:43 pmHE WILL IN 2 YEARS DESTROY THE DEMOCRAT PARTY WITH HIS MARXIXTS TEACHINGS
JOE THE UNEMPLOYED (b96f27) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:56 pmXanthippas: These people are too far gone to realize they are off-the-cliff nuts.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 3:57 pmI don’t know how the Obama administration will start. But I do know it will end with the seizure of private property.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:03 pmSee what I mean? Friggin’ nuts.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:05 pmYeah, totally nuts. It’s not like Obama supported DC’s clearly unconstitutional and illegal gun ban or anything. A deep recession with high unemployment and rampant crime. Obama will argue that clearly, that this is in that 5% category where we should follow “empathy” rather than the Constitution. Under the guise of reducing crime, Obama will pass legislation requiring the seizure of guns.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:25 pmKeep diggin’, Munson, keep diggin’.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:32 pmRoy – Do not mind it. It is nothing but an insignificant little troll.
JD (94c827) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:35 pmThe first year of Obama’s leftist illuminati regime won’t be that damaging, because it will take him some time to get things in place. But he will definitely break down our morals and attack the Constitution.
Jeff (337860) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:38 pmLooks like mostly guys post here (saw one Sarah). I have had so much fun reading these comments. Kind of like looking down from heaven on your own funeral. I really like #123 for thoroughness, but love everyone’s effort!!! I am plotting how I will foil the govt by cashing in my entire IRA before they can roll it into the Guaranteed Retirement Account program.
You guys are all really fun. I love men. I plan to giggle uncontrollably for the next four years…
Jane (debb14) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:39 pmIf all these things are true, surely Obama cannot keep this under wraps. His evil, scummy, gutter trash character will have to emerge in some way.
Edwards was able to keep his real character under wraps under the scrutiny of two Presidential elections. Of course, some of us saw his real character before others. Edwards and Obama. Same narcissistic and evil type of person.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 4:48 pmI agree with the posters that say Obama is a lying jerk and always has been.
I agree with Patrick that Obama probably has some redeeming characteristics on the personal level and maybe might agree those things mitigate his political assholery around the Christmas tree or around the campfire singing “Kumbaya” at a church camp he either attended regularly or sporadically depending on the audience.
But to the meat of this, I say that Obama does all the things Patterico descibes within his
term(s). Excuse me is I smile and say “what a weasel” to our host on the time frames. Patterico left his timeframes wide open… perhaps as a device.
So bititng into that, as weasels do, I’ll say guns don’t get taken away at all because there is no way the people will go along with that without screaming, the blue dogs, will go nuts. Not gonna happen.
All the other radical stuff. No way it happens even in 8 years.
That said, gridlock and fierce opposition of one’s proposal does not make a person good. (nor bad)
I am still sure Obama is a liar to my face, who changes his story when he is around the other team… asshole. Really. What do your (Patterico) call someone who tells you how great you are, next in line for promotion… and then you here he/she trashed the shit out of you on the other side of the office?
Bad person.
Gridlock won’t change that.
My prediction?
SteveG (71dc6f) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:01 pm8 years he is gone.
8 years at least to undo his BS
In 2009 appoints America’s first Witchfinder General and Congress appropriates $20 billion to raise the witchfinder army. “Well have no evil here”, proclaims the ONE.
In 2009, signs Kyoto pact and Senate ratifies.
Curtis (e21caf) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:05 pm2009 sees the resurrection of the Fairness Doctrine and its passing into law.
2010 appoints his friend Bill Ayers to the Supreme Court to replace the “mysteriously” dead Alito who was found dead in his house and is presumed to have choked on a pretzel.
2010, White House counsel found shot to death in a nearby park.
Ha! We still haven’t undone LBJ’s crap. And it looks like his Medicare policy will be the one that will kill us. Besides Reagan ending cost plus, the GOP has done nothing. Hell, we even helped expand Medicare with Part D. Moral hazard of giving medications to Medicaid enrollees, I suppose.
Obama will be a a tranformative President much in line with FDR and LBJ. However, he won’t have the happy circumstance of having a Baby Boom to fall back upon. Hence, his liberal policies will be the final nail in our entitlement coffin.
Roy Mustang (2f688e) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:10 pmComment by no one you know — 11/14/2008 @ 1:59 pm
Ditto. Ditto. Ditto. If scissors gouging into the base of a baby’s skull is not DIRE, let alone making it law to force medical aid be denied any who might survive and leave them to die in a basin, then my God, what is?
First month:
Fairness Doctrine. It will be imperative to restrict conservative thought and ideals as quickly as possible.
First 100 days:
All restrictions/bans on any kind of abortion at any point in a pregnancy will be removed.
All terminology deemed as denigrating will be banned from public usage, whether by private citizens in public places or on public airwaves (i.e. illegal alien, terrorist, jihadist, Islamofascist, etc).
Repeal Bush’s tax cuts.
Ban all drilling in ANWAR/Cali off shore.
I agree pretty much w/cfbleachers #42 although I think amnesty will be in total and will happen within the first 2 years and by the end of first term, Cali/Mexico border will be just a memory.
Dana (79a78b) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:21 pmAttempting to predicting how much of his horrible agenda he’ll manage to get through Congress is a fool’s errand, and attempting to predict the time frame is worse. My general prediction is virtually identical to Patterico’s: he’ll harm the country with bad policies, not because he’s a good person with bad ideas, but because he’s a moral midget who cares more about his colossal ego than what’s good for the country – and also holds the bad ideas that Patterico seems to think make him a good person with bad ideas (and which to me merely make him a person with bad ideas).
This is not a distinction without a difference. A good person with bad ideas is far more likely to see the error of his ways, far earlier in the game, and then become a good person with better ideas. I don’t see Obama making that transition. The only way I see him moderating his policies at all is if 1992 repeats itself and the new Republican Congress leaves him no other choice.
Xrlq (62cad4) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:33 pmObama has a far too shallow and left-leaning political record to exact any long term positive changes for America. However, if he appoints some sensible moderate Dems to his cabinet, he may keep toward the center a little and have some positive outcomes. These, again, will not be directly due to any great vision or leadership of his, but of the political practicalities and expediency at hand. How badly do the Dems want to keep the White House and congressional majorities? If Obama is allowed to his own devices, it won’t be very long at all — I just hope he does no permanent damage in the process.
Mark Turner (9c5406) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:36 pm“I am pretty confident in one thing he’s not going to do. Even though there is a bowling alley in the White House, Baracky ain’t gonna make it the national sport. He got no game.”
I’m hoping it becomes a basketball court. ‘got no game.’ ha.
imdw (36ddaf) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:44 pmThis is not a distinction without a difference. A good person with bad ideas is far more likely to see the error of his ways, far earlier in the game, and then become a good person with better ideas.
I think this will also depend on who will be in his inner circle. If its made up of those caught up in the whole messianic hope and change utopia, he won’t see any errors because they won’t either. It will be a most myopic, insular view. I also don’t believe he will see it on his own because he lacks the internal fortitude and character to own up. His underpinnings seem weak. But hopefully, most hopefully, not.
Dana (79a78b) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:50 pmIf Obama and the Dems have any sense at all, they will try to play moderately for the first 4 years so as not to alienate the mainstream of their own party and keep some of the more liberal GOP voters on their side…just enough to get Obama re-elected. Then, once he’s got the second term, and if there are not significant gains in congress by the GOP in 2010, things will take a hard left.
Mark Turner (df137a) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:52 pmI believe obama is either the anti christ or his forerunner, how else can someone with the lack of experience he has , the friends he keeps, and the fact that he could not get security clearance to get an FBI job end up pesident elect? he is a gifted speaker and mesmorizes the crowds.
kathy martin (e5ed1f) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:54 pm107.is very funny
JohnTBissell (553d99) — 11/14/2008 @ 5:58 pmI think that he’ll be a mostly mediocre president, because he won’t really have much of a chance to do much. We finished FY2008 with a 455 billion deficit, just piled on a $700 billion financial services bailout on top of that, we’ve got our congresscritters talking about a 50+ billion auto industry bailout, and the big city mayors are all going to our next president for a handout. Even if he pulled out of Iraq on day one of his presidency, that would save less than $150 billion a year.
The man is looking at a trillion dollar deficit. He can’t cut taxes the way he promised, and he’ll be unable to enact his $200 billion a year in new spending, because he simply won’t have the money.
The Dana in Pennsylvania (556f76) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:03 pmI agree that it’s bad — but let me make a couple of points.
My premise here is simple: it’s bad anytime a Democrat wins the Presidency, because it means the President will work to pass policies that we disagree with.
Now, to the extent anyone wants to criticize Obama for that reason, I’m right there with them.
But many here seem to be accusing Obama of being WORSE than just a Democrat (or a far-left Democrat). He’s evil, Stalinesque, gutter trash, or whatever you want to call him . . . clearly worse than the average Democrat.
I’m tired of arguing that question — and to Don, who says “I thought you weren’t going to revisit this good vs. evil meme” — I say: I’m not. I’m spotting you all the evil character and bad motives you have claimed, and am asking “So what?” How will it make things WORSE than it would be with another Democrat?
I don’t think it will. It’s bad enough with any Democrat, but I don’t see why Obama would be especially bad, or worse than, say, Hillary or Kerry or Gore.
But if the commentariat here disagrees, let them say why. If he’s way eviller than the average bear but won’t do anything worse, then who cares?
If he WILL do something worse, have the guts to predict what it is.
I disagree with Xrlq who says: “A good person with bad ideas is far more likely to see the error of his ways, far earlier in the game, and then become a good person with better ideas.” That’s not how I see it. I’ve always said that I like my Republicans principled, and my Democrats unprincipled. Because in the end, all I care about is getting my policies implemented. Bill Clinton was an OK president because he was willing to compromise his leftist principles.
As to your abortion question, no one you know, I will add that the real evil is abortions of viable babies, however they are done. Dismembering children in the womb may be more “out of sight, out of mind,” but it’s no less troubling.
Yet abortion of viable babies is a Democrat standby. It’s not like it’s unique to Obama.
Patterico (cc3b34) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:06 pmI fully expect the absolute worst, but will be pleasantly surprised with anything less.
Another Drew (4f04a0) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:33 pm“I’m not. I’m spotting you all the evil character and bad motives you have claimed, and am asking “So what?” How will it make things WORSE than it would be with another Democrat?”
I think I made it plain I surmised as much.
SarahW (a6e80b) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:34 pmI think it’s worse because of his dedication to ideas really foreign to the American character, the methods he believes and is willing to deploy in furtherance of them, the mob of willing dupes who will suffer themselves to be betrayed with kisses. We’ll get the government we deserve.
As President, I think Obama will implement every regulation he can to impose on America a Kyoto-style environmental agenda regarding climate change, greenhouse gas emissions, vehicle mandates, anti-fossil fuels and pro-alternative energy sources. The changes will occur incrementally throughout the four years of his Presidency but if Congress signs on with legislation such as windfall profits taxes, stricter emissions standards, and further environmental restrictions on fossil fuel production, the impact will be more immediate, pervasive and onerous. I predict the result will be $5-6/gallon gas in the second year of Obama’s term, inflation and ultimately stagflation.
BTW, I view this as more than a bad policy. There are people who truly believe the planet and human life are doomed because of man-made climate change. Obama is too smart to sign on to that theory. He knows problems like entitlement funding are real and far more pressing issues, but he wants to use climate change to implement his alternative energy/environmental agenda. His agenda will dramatically harm American businesses and citizens and, as far as I can tell, he’s perfectly willing to sacrifice them.
DRJ (a50047) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:52 pmThat sounds an awful lot like the Carter years, which I do not remember fondly. Guess we better stock up on sweaters, and soon.
Dmac (e30284) — 11/14/2008 @ 6:55 pmWhile I accept the premise of Obama’s bad intentions, I believe many of the predictions here are too overt and risky for Obama, or rather that he’s too smart for spectacular moves that would galvanize opposition. I predict a series of quieter maneuvers, and a clever use of catspaws to do the dirty work.
Above all, he will use his first two years to incapacitate dissent.
The Fairness Doctrine is guaranteed. But his rollout of it will be slower than some think, the groundwork laid by a series of speeches (smooth and hopeful ones from him, harsher from others) along with a public information campaign, that labels talk radio hate speech and political obscenity — counter-producive to the unity the country needs and he was elected to achieve. This will be relentless and with the obvious full support of the mainstream media.
Beyond this, he will do what he has always done: use lawyers, now with the awesome threat of the DOJ, IRS and other fed agencies behind them, to intimidate conservative organizations, donors, and others.
He absolutely first needs to crush the most powerful outlets of dissent, for the last two years of his first term will be bad news on almost every front.
rrpjr (e98cdc) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:11 pmComment by Patterico — 11/14/2008 @ 6:06 pm
Thanks for the reply – appreciate the further explanation too. Understood about the Democrats’ position in general in particular about this issue.
Totally agreed, on all counts (I’d only add “even nonviable” too since their appearance isn’t so babylike and cute, but the younger unborn are no less human beings).
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:13 pmFirst month:
Fairness Doctrine. It will be imperative to restrict conservative thought and ideals as quickly as possible.
Comment by Dana — 11/14/2008 @ 5:21 pm
I sure hope you’re mistaken. I fear you’re not. That they’d possibly be able to get away w/ this, esp. given the multiple failed experiments of Air America etc. etc. is, well, rather scary.
no one you know (1ebbb1) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:16 pmIsn’t the fact that Obama’s minions have already brought the power of the state to bear on dissent enough?
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:32 pmThat appears inappropriate.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:37 pm[I agree, and I sent the preceding comment by Jimmy to the spam filter. — DRJ]
The thing that scares me is the laws suggested by the Democrat majority thinking they have been given an Electoral Green-Light (funny that that reasoning isn’t being applied to CA’s Prop 8). I doubt an Obama Whitehouse will be anywhere as dangerous as a House or Senate driven by a perceptual mandate.
Obama, much like Clinton will maintain a poll base leadership, meaning he won’t act w/o polling 1st. The real damage to voting rights, the economy w/ be the post Reid/Pelosi leadership, or lack-there-of. Obama’s crucial mistakes will be lack of action or direction & having the polls or Congress determine the Country’s direction.
PMain (f49a35) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:44 pmIn conclusion, Reagan’s good fortune was Reagan’s doing, Bush I’s bad fortune was… we’ll say Carter’s fault, Clinton’s great economy was… Bush 41’s work (or luck), and Bush 43’s bad economy was Clinton’s fault? Am I right, guys? Makes sense to me. Conservatives=total bliss and Liberal=complete and total world catastrophe. You guys are morons. Get a clue.
And Patterico: If you’re going to ban Robert Rodriguez for his comments (which, I think was a good thing on your part) what about this Jimmy guy?
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:47 pmThanks, DRJ, you know you are always welcome to delete my reference as well.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:47 pmWe have a winner for the biggest d-bag in the universe! Congrats! Come get your prize! A lifetime’s supply of nobody taking you seriously!
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:49 pmtruthnjustice, you call others morons while only showing your own ignorance of the issues you so boldly opine upon.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:50 pmSPQR,
I may delete but I promise not to “condense and edit.”
DRJ (a50047) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:51 pmI’m glad you can be so specific in your counterpoints, SPQR. You haven’t shown me to be ignorant in anything specific so you choose blanket statements.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 7:56 pmtnj – It’s good to see you back making those ever so substantive comments of yours.
It is kind of tough to make the move from asshat troll to serious commenter when you’re schizophrenic about it. Could you please whine some more about people not giving you any respect. I really, really enjoy it when you do that.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:00 pmDaley doesn’t: I would love to but I am going out. While you sit at home eating your boogers (it isn’t really making fun if it is true, is it?) and smacking the ceiling of your basement with a broom handle because your parents are vacuuming during Charles in Charge reruns on Nick at Nite, I will be out conversing with normal people. Good day!
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:03 pmJust for fun, to put my predictions out there and look back after it is all said and done…
yourlilsis (095089) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:04 pm1. First 3 months: all abortions ok on federal level. Attack our freedom of speech by not allowing religious teaching (specifically Christian teachings) on the radio or tv. Put into play that every conservative radio/tv show hour must be matched by a liberal radio/tv show hour, whether people listen/watch, or not. After the “big” event that will take place (Biden says), Obama will fall flat on his face in dealing with the situation. He will also enact the Line item veto.
2. First 6 months: pull most of the troops out of Iraq and point the blame at Bush when things go to hell quickly.
3. First year: put into action first steps toward universal health care. He will sit down with leaders of Iran and North Korea and will alienate both countries, but will refuse to sit down with Israel.
4. First term: complete steps toward universal health care. Remove some rights to bear arms…not sure to what level. Enact own security force. Combine CIA, FBI, NSA and have president as “head” of new agency.
5. During his second term, something will come out about Obama that will be devastating…there will be proof about his actual birthplace, his real motivation to be president, or something along those lines. The result will be huge racial tensions in the US.
6. Finally, people will begin to notice that anyone that questions Obama or his authority will have negative consequences. They will be audited, they will be caught up in legal battles, etc…
Most of these are not original thoughts, but it’s kinda fun to speculate!
truthnjustice, yes you have such substantive insults.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:05 pmtnj – Have fun in the men’s room at the bus station.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:09 pmBy the end of Obama’s first term I expect that I’ll be in a re-education camp along with others who spoke out against The Divine Leader.
Zoltan (c41d1a) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:12 pmPatterico, one other thing; he will cleanse Chicago of all the crooks. Hell, it has started. He just appointed Valerie Jarrett as his Senior White House advisor. You know, Jarrett, Rezko’s good buddy? So now all the crooks in Chicago are calling the moving van. They’re on their way to Washington to serve The nation One.
retire05 (00e6cb) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:13 pmComment by truthnjustice — 11/14/2008 @ 8:03 pm
Those are the remarks of an alleged educator?
Another Drew (4f04a0) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:14 pmSounds more like a 5th-Grader!
Comment by yourlilsis — 11/14/2008 @ 8:04 pm
First 3 months: The GOP is the party that uses abortion to divide, not Democrats. There are more pressing issues to deal with and abortion will not be considered at all during this time, or possibly in his presidency at all. Abortion is already legal, what is to change?
First six months: Well, if you think he plans to be more aggressive in his troop pull out than even he promised during his campaign… but I think that is an over-reach. I think he will keep a general promise to remove troops, as I think we should, but certainly not on the time table you predicted. This is an important time in the growth of Iraq as a free country. If we stay there too much longer (some may argue we’ve already passed this point) then we are not really helping. Do you put a baby learning to walk in a walker or let them walk on their own?
First term: I am not sure that I have a prediction on universal health care. God forbid we re-enact the assault weapons ban that actually made a difference in crime on the streets.
Your fifth point doesn’t warrant a response. It is too “Chicken Little” for my taste.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:14 pmObama has a large, loyal following and a great outreach mechanism. He has also shown disdain for freedom of speech. For example,he issued two separate “Urgent Action Wires” to his followers to clog phone lines and e-mail a radio show that had the temerity to host coservative critics Kurtz and Freddoso. That’s thuggish if a candidate does it, and fascist for a President to do it.
I can’t say when this would occur, only the conditions under which it might. Certainly during his reelection, but before that if he makes an unpopular decision and the opposition gets any traction opposing it.
MartyH (268543) — 11/14/2008 @ 8:19 pmMarty – Under Obamunism, anything is possible.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:04 pmNot exactly to your question, but pertinent. Picked this up in my surfing but don’t remember website:
Silver Lion Location: OH
Reply # 43
Date: Oct 14, 2008 – 10:03 AM EST
Subject: No worries, mate……
There are forty-five (45) goals….here are just a few listed, Cal:
Communist Goals (1963) Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35 January 10, 1963.
Current Communist Goals EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. A. S. HERLONG, JR. OF FLORIDA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, January 10, 1963 .
Mr. HERLONG. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, Fla., is an ardent and articulate opponent of communism, and until recently published the De Land Courier, which she dedicated to the purpose of alerting the public to the dangers of communism in America.
At Mrs. Nordman’s request, I include in the RECORD, under unanimous consent, the following “Current Communist Goals,” which she identifies as an excerpt from “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen:
[From “The Naked Communist,” by Cleon Skousen]
3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States would be a demonstration of moral strength.
7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.
11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the Congo.)
15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as “normal, natural, and healthy.”
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which does not need a “religious crutch.”
40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and easy divorce.
Any Questions?
I thought that was interesting.
Liberty (8349ff) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:37 pmI got this one today that I thought was interesting. I deleted the name for privacy.
Dear Fellow Business Owners –
As a Business owner who employs 30 people, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama will be our next President, and that my Taxes and Fees will go up in a BIG way.
To compensate for these increases, I figure that the customer will have to see an increase in my fees to them of about 8%. I will also have to lay off six of my employees.
This really bothered me as I believe we are family here and didn’t know how to choose who will have to go.
So, this is what I did: I strolled thru the parking lot and found eight Obama bumper stickers on my employees cars. I have decided these folks will be the first to be laid off.
I can’t think of more fair way to approach this problem.
If you have a better idea, let me know.
I am sending this letter to all business owners that I know.
Sincerely,
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 9:45 pmComment by Patterico — 11/14/2008 @ 6:06 pm
“… . It’s bad enough with any Democrat, but I don’t see why Obama would be especially bad, or worse than, say, Hillary or Kerry or Gore.”
Perhaps it is a question of capability.
If I may be so bold, Senator Clinton (health care failure), Mr. Gore (“I invented the internet”) and Senator Kerry (“I was for it, before I was against it”) lacked certain genuineness and solemnity. Their respective policies would have been bad, but limited. In short, they simply did not have the ability to carry out left-wing policies to as large an extent as has been mentioned in these posts.
With President-elect Obama, that is not the case. First, he is a true believer (read his autobiographies, listen to his mentors, who did he marry, what associates did he gravitate toward).
Second, inspect where he started; with nothing compared to Senator Clinton, Mr. Gore and Senator Kerry. This is a serious man.
Third, look at his competence. This man knows how to exploit the instruments of American political power (circumstances, media, political connections, money, etc) to achieve his goals better than any other democrat, as demonstrated by the recent election; note his age and lack of qualifications.
More so than any other, President-elect Obama is more likely to accomplish some of the more radical left-wing objectives, mentioned in the above posts. In many cases, the only restraint will be his conscience and perhaps that is what is so scary about this man.
Timeframe: within four-years
PS: Just curious — does it really matter if a hideous policy is enacted in month “X” versus month “Y”? I am not certain what the purpose of the timeframe question is in this thread (just my ignorance).
Pons Asinorum (e56816) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:16 pm253-That business owner is going to run his own business into the ground. Any business man who leaves business on the table isn’t going to stay in business for long. The j@ck@ss owners who choose to scale back for no apparent reason will be replaced by those who have a better business acumen. Problem solved.
truthnjustice (d99227) — 11/14/2008 @ 10:59 pmBHO is not as dangerous as Congress with Agenda: Pelosi, Frank, Dodd, et al. I’d bet Obam can’t balance a minimum wage earner’s checkbook. He’ll do what he’s told. They won’t move on abortion or guns right away, citizens still angry at election stolen by a) illegal donations, b) fraudulent voter registration, c) fraudulent voters d) reports of incompetent individuals being herded into voting booths with “helpers.” They’ll move as opportunity permits.
First item already up is Environmental Protection Agency regulates carbon dioxide. Comments regarding the Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2008-0318 will require EPA permits for BUILDINGS about CO2 emissions. June 2009.
Card check is also underway. Nobody will notice. Not even most union members because their union bosses aren’t going to tell them. Employee Free Choice Act removes secret-ballot election in deciding union representation and mandates arbitration. All decisions by lawyers with less knowledge of the and who bear no burden for bad decisions. (Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA H.R. 800). By June 2009
Global Poverty Act (H.R. 1302 and S. 2433) makes levels of US foreign aid subservient to dictates of UN. Commits US to 0.7% og GNP. In 13 yrs that $845 billion over what US already spends. Obam sponsored that. Mar 2010
Cap & trade. Mar 2010
As Power Line said: “…[T]o please foreigners …, he will back measures that limit U.S. sovereignty. … In the November 17 issue of the National Review (not available online to my knowledge), John Fonte of the Hudson Institute identifies four “transnational power grabs” that Obama is likely to push for They are: the Law of the Sea Treaty, the Rights of the Child Treaty, the Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the International Criminal Court. Agreement by the U.S. to these arrangements would make us more popular with foreigners, but only at a cost to our national security, our right of self-governance, and our rights under the Constitution.”
(Power Line Blog: John Hindeaker, Scott Johnson, Paul Mirengoff
http://www.powerlineblog.com, November 8, 2008 Posted by Paul at 10:16 PM). First 4 years as opportunity becomes available.
These treaties will be signed 2009 & 2010
Most of the above will not really be noticed by most people. In 3d & 4th yrs can begin internal suppression.
2011 get rid of opposition:
Fairness Doctrine. Sen Schumer would impose regulations, rules and penalties to restrict talk radio, the only broadcast media to question the Obama proposals.
Add to voter list:
Illegal immigration. They’ll make 11,000,000 illegal immigrants citizens, so they’ll vote Demo. We don’t have unskilled jobs anymore and can’t assimilate millions of immigrants. (CSPAN book lectures recently: The New Case Against Immigration: Both Legal and Illegal.) 2011
National healthcare. With no opposition we’ll be saddled with EU style health system. The statistics are not accurate and there’s NO DISCUSSION. Our healthcare is better. (Found great discussion on live birth rates & fact that in EU they measure length, weight to determine if born. We measure breathing. Therefore our stats are much lower — not to mention we count all the people from across border with no prenatal in our stats.) 2011
Now that there is really no more money:
2012: Capital gains. THE O has proposed taxes that will destroy small business to be fair. US econ system has created many more jobs than EU.
2012: Confiscating 401k savings accounts. Last socialist government put our money into Social Security for retirement. Then, to get votes, gave it to those who didn’t contribute. Now they’ll take or 401k retirement accounts because Social Security is going broke.
Now that citizens are really upset:
2012: Universal Voluntary Public Service [aka internal police]. Obama’s Public Allies organization is the model for paying young people, not to learn a trade, skill, or to be useful, but to train as agitators to get out the vote & demand “rights.”
Finalize destruction of Military. Dismantle overseas forces & defense.
2012 Gun control.
Liberty (8349ff) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:14 pmtnj – You obviously have as good an understanding of business as Obama.
daleyrocks (5d22c0) — 11/14/2008 @ 11:39 pmLate to get back, I know.
I see the question now is, what makes Obama worse than Hillary, Kerry, or Gore?
That’s easy. 20 years of Rev.Wright and “GOD DAMN AMERICA”
I think, unlike all preceding Presidents, Obama has a certain amount of antipathy towards the founding fathers, and by extension the way this country is. I’m not saying he is unpatriotic, but I believe the USA he loves is but the potential he imagines.
This has always been a country that valued individual rights, but I don’t think Obama does.
lee (472435) — 11/15/2008 @ 12:37 amwell, strike that last line, I guess I can’t say that about the other three either.
lee (472435) — 11/15/2008 @ 12:47 amOne ring to rule them all,
DIA, Bill Ayers
Curtis (e21caf) — 11/15/2008 @ 2:06 amAttorney General, Jamie Gorelick
SECDEF, Al Gore
CIA, Bernadine Duhh.
SECSTATE, Al Franken
HLS, Edward Kennedy until he dies and is replaced by another nitwit Kennedy.
Pat, I hope you recognize that I have not only avoided criticism of you…but also anyone who found some “good” in Senator Obama during the campaign.
I also hope you took notice that I defended you on every occasion. But I would like to ask a couple questions if I may.
Was FDR a bad person? How about Truman?
I would say no, not at all to both. However, during those administrations there were substantial infiltrations into our state, justice and even national security departments that caused severe damage.
If Obama builds an administration that is replete with the likes of his lifelong mentors…the folks for whom he has had an open ear (at a minimum), certainly a flirtation, if not an attachment…how severe could the damage become?
Frank Marshall Davis, the most radical professors at college, his family friends Ayers & Dohrn , Michael Klonsky, Jeremiah Wright (and the Cone/Marxist inspired theo-politics), Farrakhan, (yes, I believe there is a connection, however loosely to the Nation of Islam and a respect for it), Rashid Khalidi, Brzezinsky, Malley, Bonior.
The incremental damage done by a thousand cockroaches that can’t be seen, but would be felt over time.
It would be entirely revisionist to suggest that no damage was ever done by traitors within the system. This is not to suggest that Obama is a traitor. Perhaps he does not have the overt intent to tear down the system.
Does that mean that Ayers does not as well? How about Klonsky? Wright? Farrakhan? Chomsky?
Perhaps Obama does not have the intent to throw Israel under the bus…and has more heartfelt attachment to her than he does to his “typical white grandmother”
Is that true of Khalidi? How about the late Edward Said? The Walt and Mearshimer crowd?
What do YOU make of those lifelong attachments? I don’t know what to make of them myself, but I know they exist. The reason I don’t know what to make of them, is the entrenched media was complicit in keeping them hidden from view, never dug for answers and we have delivered a full term cipher.
I am still 100% behind you and will continue to argue in your defense. (not sure that it matters to you what a reader does or doesn’t do, but I think right is right, fair is fair and wrong is wrong…and I will defend you because I think you are one of the good guys…for my own reasons)
But, not all of your readers are off base (despite the turds the imbecilic trolls drop in here from time to time)
Most of us are pretty solidly grounded and I believe some of the concerns sound “fantastical” in a vacuum, but not when reasoned out completely.
Aside from the questions outlined above, I have the following for you?
1)Campaign financing: I believe the utter contempt shown for the rules related to tracking foreign investment in our elections, was intentional and destructive. It has been glossed over as usual by the entrenched media. I think it could have long lasting and nefarious tentacles. If proven (it won’t be, because it won’t be investigated…in itself a nefarious outcome), that intentional “back doors” to foreign investments in our elections was PROMOTED…do you see that as an “evil” act?
2)I don’t know what this “civilian army” stuff is all about. Once again, our incurious entrenched media kept it under wraps. However, it is rife with opportunity for mischief. Did you see the you tube paramilitary chants, slogans and exercises during the campaign? A personal, civilian army…only responsive to non-military personnel? Perhaps its intent is holy and virginal in nature…but leftists are cultists (I define traditional liberals as something different from leftists).
If leftists are placed in charge of a “civilian army”, that is rife with opportunity for mischief.
3)Reducing our military preparedness ala the TRUE worst President ever, Carter…was bad enough in the 70’s. We live in a tougher neighborhood these days. Senator Obama suggested that “terrorism” is a police matter and we simply need a “civilian army” to address it.
If he weakens our CIA operations, unravels our intelligence apparatus as unnecessary, makes his domestic goals by shrinking the military (and finding every nickel and dime he can in the suburbs),…will the evil that RESULTS be simply a matter of “chance”?
4)I happen to be a flag waver. I admit it. I sing the national anthem at ball games. I do. I love my country and my countrymen. Senator Obama showed, at a minimum, a particular discomfort with the traditional signs and symbols of “that sort of patriotism”. But he apparently has very little discomfort with creating a variety of his own signs and symbols.
I’ve seen wall sized portraits of him on buildings. Personal seals. I’m sorry, Pat…but that level of narcissism combined with an affinity for (or certainly an open ear for) leftist extremism…is a deadly cocktail for mischief.
By itself, the silly invention of personal seals and flags and airplane tail art…would cause me nothing more than a shake of the head at ego. It’s the lifelong attachment to leftist vitriol, the complete and utter tanking by the entrenched media and shirking of responsibility AND the Idi Amin, Papa Doc, President for Life narcissism that leaves one not knowing how far the ego would travel.
Sound “fantastical”? Of course, it does. Because if someone was to go too far…it would.
If I wanted to start a revolution, and I wanted to do it in the Alinsky model…how much different would it look than it looks today?
Is he going to start the revolution without me? I have no clue. He could be, as you clearly suggest…simply a traditional liberal with his heart in the right place and an open ear for anyone…even those extremely far to the left of him.
My position is, you may be right. My other position is…we simply don’t know.
The exercise I ask YOU to complete, if only on your own…is how would it look to us, if he intended an incremental, “evolution revolution” Alinsky style. And what signs and signals are there already…that are rife with opportunities for mischief?
I’m sure that in every instance, the passengers on the plane that was hijacked were told to remain calm and not be paranoid. It IS paranoid to leap to “fantastical” notions without any evidence that something is afoot.
But, I only ask this…what did Ayers write or preach that he would like to happen? Alinsky? Chomsky? Klonsky? Wright? Cone? Farrakhan? Frank Marshall Davis? Khalidi? Al Mansour? Edward Said? The whole Walt and Mearshimer crowd?
Is it “fantastical” that their visions would NEVER be allowed oxygen in ANY administration? How about in one that has a lifelong history of sympathy and an open ear?
Evil is, as evil does…don’t you agree, Pat?
cfbleachers (1f4df1) — 11/15/2008 @ 5:57 am#254 Pons Asinorum:
I would love to be able to say that you took the words out of my mouth, but I ain’t nearly as articulate.
However, you have nailed the crux of the matter: he is a true believer who thinks in the terms of the revolutionary dialectic.
What will he do, and when? Whatever he can, and as soon as possible. I think him so oblivious to the values of individual liberty that he sees the Constitution as an impediment, not an enabling document.
He doesn’t think himself a “bad” man, and neither do those around him. But like the idiotic lefties who parrot the “But can’t you see you’re voting against your own interests!” canard, he is convinced that he himself is smarter than any of the rest of us…and that things would just be perfect if we all did it his way. Not like that bumbler Stalin, who didn’t really understand Marxist thought, but more like brother Fidel, who has blessed the world with so many doctors and teachers!
Like Arendt’s description of Eichmann, Obama’s banality masks the absolute indifference he has to human life in pursuit of his vision of Utopia. He won’t order the establishment of reeducation camps, but he also won’t object when the petty tyrants who make up his constituency use, abuse, and extend the current powers of the State to “stifle dissent,” using the crushing weight of banality at all times, but with dollops of violence as necessary. After all, we’ve seen such behavior already under the Clintons in Reno’s Justice Department.
And that is troubling.
EW1(SG) (2804e0) — 11/15/2008 @ 5:58 amPat, here is a comment I wrote over at PJM on November 1st, I believe in response to one of Roger’s articles. Do you take large issue with anything I say here?
What does all this mean? I simply can’t piece together an answer that doesn’t give rise to more questions.
I don’t know what to believe, other than to say…I’m not convinced of anything I’m being told and am growing ever more suspicious of what I am not being told, what is being hidden and what is being done with the Left-handed Monkey Wrench that the Grass Curtain Plumbers are using on the truth.
Massive voter registration fraud, massive campaign financing…with serious and dangerous circumvention of safeguards?
Repeated, consistent and haunting connections with some of the most virulent haters of America; these haters attack on the salt of the earth small town folks and “flyover country” residents; an even more frontal assault on the Constitution; a “spread the wealth” economic distribution plan; an open suggestion that a “fairness doctrine” be imposed to shut down talk radio and possibly other dissenters; an outline to drastically curtail the military budget and reduce our ability to defend militarily against foreign enemies; replacing that role instead with a “private civilian army” not constrained by oversight of the military…instead reporting directly to the civilian Commander?
Drown out opposing or dissenting voices? Kick them off the plane and shut them down on the airwaves? Take the property of the dissenters and give it to the loyal party workers? Indoctrinate schoolchildren and have them chant slogans and sing songs to the leader? Paramilitary exercises and “calls to action”, orders to “get in their faces” and browbeat your own parents and grandparents?
The media suddenly and almost completely consumed by a lack of curiousity, it ceases to defend “the little guy”…but instead attacks them with a ferocity heretofore reserved for national politicians. They goosestep their way to salute the private seal, the absence of the flag, the Che Guevara poster.
Let me summarize:
1)Strip the military of funding and reduce its manpower and ability to defend;
2)Strip the access of dissenters by kicking them off the plane, refusing access via the airwaves if they ask tough questions, institute a “fairness doctrine” to eliminate their voice on radio, possibly more on the way with the Internet.
3)Strip the capital and property and begin to redistribute those funds and property to party loyalists;
4)Attack the constitution, insert judges not elected by the people as operatives in redrafting it to suit the policies and procedures which the people never voted to approve.
5)Build a civilian army of loyal party members, in a new revolutionary guard against enemies…whomever they may be.
6)Take away the 2nd amendment rights of the people, by force, if necessary…because they “cling to guns and religion”. Not sure if religion is going to be allowed to “cling” to at this point, or if religious theater and theopolitics will be advanced.
7)Replace traditional symbols with new ones…the flag is the “wrong” kind of patriotism…but personal seals, wall sized portraits, a personal flag for the Leader are the “right” kind. Posters of fellow revolutionaries appears to be ok as well.
8)Nationalized healthcare, nationalized banking and finance, nationalized insurance, nationalized 401k’s, nationalized homeownership, nationalized energy, nationalized education, nationalized agriculture and food production.
9)Elections rife with voter registration fraud and political operatives blocking investigation into the massive, overt and clear attempts to rig an election for one candidate with ties to the offending organizations. Jimmy Carter will be called in to announce that the elections are “fair”.
10) Massive evidence of campaign finance irregularities, foreign influence and laundered money, in order to buy more votes. Control from an outside agency or country is hidden and denied.
11) Louder and more vicious attacks on Jewish people popping up as a “gutter religion”, the “cause of massive suffering”, the “reason there is no peace”. A team is assembled to “reduce the Zionist influence”.
If I was going to start a revolution…I certainly couldn’t pick a better groundwork or foundation than this. I would only ask that you call me an agrarian reformer….although I suppose “community organizer” would work just as well.
I would do the organizing…it’s up to you to do the communing. I would ask you to simply quietly come along, join the “grassroots” movement for “change” and “hope” for our future…built in five year planning increments. Then a Grass Curtain would descend upon you, keeping you safe from those who dissent. Those 25 million will not be bothering you any longer.
I mean…if I intended to launch a revolution. Which I don’t. I’m a centrist. How about you?
cfbleachers (1f4df1) — 11/15/2008 @ 7:37 amComment by cfbleachers — 11/15/2008 @ 7:37 am
You’ve just described what has happened over the last twenty years in Zimbabwe under Mugabe!
Another Drew (bb1716) — 11/15/2008 @ 9:11 amOkay, three month, one year, four years. I’ll try but I’m going for two years instead of four because the results of the 2010 election will have much influence on the second two years.
Within the first three months, Obama will pay off the environmental wackos for their campaign contributions by banning new offshore drilling and exploration. The price of regular gasoline will double. This will lead to: Obama and the Democratic congress will blame the price increases on predatory oil companies and move to impose price controls on gasoline within one year. This will lead to massive shortages, gas lines, even-odd and crippling local gas stations, many of whom will go out of business. Within two years Obama will move to either nationalize of redefine gasoline as a public utility.
Obama will immediately move to increase taxes on the rich. Within three months income tax rates for those earning over $250,000 and social security tax limits will be raised. At the same time more welfare will be embedded in the tax code and defined as tax cuts. The net result will be more taxes for those earning above $50,000 and less for those earning under 25,000 with the middle about a wash. Within a year it will be apparent that the trillion dollars of new programs cannot be paid off by cuts in military spending and the enacted tax increases. By the end of two years, everyone with a full time job will be asked to do their share by paying more taxes.
Obama will gut the military. He probably won’t go as far as Barney Frank’s 25% reduction but it’s hard to buy votes with some military expenses so they will be cut. Iraq and Afghanistan will be abandoned. Time frame is pretty fluid on this. The military cuts will be based primarily on the need to wag the dog.
There will be, within a year, a foreign policy crisis to which Obama will underreact. The resulting bad publicity will cause him to overreact to the next crisis. Hopefully we will only invade Haiti, but it’s more likely that we’ll have a shooting war in Korea, Taiwan, Iran or Pakistan. We will go in without any real plan and will bog down in the style of Vietnam, while Obama and Jamie Gorelick micromanage the effort.
My only four year prediction is that with a Republican win in 2010, inflation and unemployment will rival Carter levels. With a Democratic win in 2010, they will exceed them.
Ken Hahn (e27b63) — 11/15/2008 @ 9:38 amDave Hardy points out that Obama’s questionnaire for political appointees already violates the spirit of the EEOC’s rulings by asking about arrests.
Turns out that Obama’s not as supportive of the Second Amendment as his dishonest campaign ads portrayed him … as his questionnaire also queries applicants if they own firearms.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:03 amDave Hardy points out that Obama’s questionnaire for political appointees already violates the spirit of the EEOC’s rulings by asking about arrests.
Whoa, you actually think that’s a bad thing?!?!
Patterico (cc3b34) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:14 amPatterico, I think Dave points out the cognitive dissonance. However, you and I recall how much trouble the Clinton White House had with drug history among their cronies, and Obama is pulling his out of the same apple barrel.
SPQR (26be8b) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:15 am#266,
voiceofreason2 (590c85) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:41 amI’m more encouraged than less encouraged by the questions they are asking. I think some on the far left could try to make the case that questions 53-56 are to weed out those who favor more liberal policies on illegal immigration. (not my belief just an example).
the question about guns is curious but I don’t think it is the precusor for an attack on the 2nd amendment. Why tip your hand?
If people are hired and are put into positions with access to classified material, the background checks and polygraphs, in some instances, are much more intrusive.
Please let me elaborate on my earlier comment. I think it’s a false assumption that Obama has to “do” anything. His mere presence, I think, will be sufficient to signal a green-light for all sorts of behaviors once deemed impermissable in society. I think we’ll see a sharp increase in “hate crimes,” for instance, but not the kind liberals and other leftists decry, and certainly nothing that the authorities will care to pursue. I think minority-on-white racism will become an everyday, accepted phenomenon, and again, society will shrug it off. Obama doesn’t have to say “Go forth and commit racism.” He’s already signalled that, and he was elected. Obama doesn’t have to say “Go forth and commit fraud.” He’s already signalled that, and he was elected. Obama doesn’t have to say “Henceforth, it shall be the official policy of the United States of America to make cozy with our sworn enemies, and to alienate our allies.” He’s already demonstrated that, and he was elected. And so, on and on, it goes. He is what he is, and we fell for it, hook, line and sinker.
David L. B. (a9765f) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:44 amIt would not appear to make much difference.
Jim Treacher (592cb4) — 11/15/2008 @ 3:53 pmBy the end of his one and only term he will be known as the second coming of Herbert Hoover. Democrats will be lucky to be elected as dog catcher. We will be in the middle of a economic depression. President O will blame all his economic problems on President W.
Robert Camp (7165ca) — 11/15/2008 @ 10:34 pmThree Months –
Legislatively, little probably will be done by the President, but hubris will most likely not allow for the O to learn from Clinton’s past. Therefore, look for the rescission of Executive Orders related to stem-cell research and participation in the UN’s Population Fund.
One Year –
Offers several legislative policy positions for the President. No middle-class tax cuts will be offered and those currently paying taxes will see an increase at all levels. Add to that a mandatory Universal Health Care Policy that penalizes both users and employers for failure to participate. Also include the passage of FOCA, federal restrictions to conceal-carry, and nationalization of auto manufacturers, domestic oil producers, and the abolition of the dual banking system – leading to only national charted financial institutions.
Four years –
Although, the first two years of this presidency might push the electorate to change political power in DC, most likely with the greatest results would be seen in the Senate (which wouldn’t create a great change the proportions in the existing structure of that body). However, the successful use of the media will result in little change to the make-up of the House. Therefore, I predict the mid-term for the President will result in the passage of Green legislation that will criminalize individual acts that harm the environment – and the establishment of a domestic security force will aid in identifying and prosecuting the offenders. Also, hate crime legislation will be broadened to include speech that has the propensity to “agitate” the populace against various progressive ideologies, such as multi-culturalism.
Just my thoughts – if I were Nostradamus.
Papaoli (985d7f) — 11/15/2008 @ 11:45 pmWhat will happen when Obama takes office?
America is the 700 lb. gorilla in the room because of capitalism:
Obama and the democrat congress will take all the 401k money out of the stock market causing a total collapse and shut down, nationalize the banks, nationalize the insurance companies, spend massive amounts of money on health care plans for all and bankrupt the US. Hey, it’s only “fair” to level the playing field for emerging economies.
America is the 700 lbs. gorilla in the room militarily:
Obama will call home all US military from around the globe and eliminate all nuclear weapons. He will provide nuclear technology to Iran for “energy” use with no controls. It’s only “fair” to the world that America stop being a bully.
America needs to be more respectful to the world:
Obama will strengthen the power of the UN to determine when/where/who gets aid or protection. He will pull all funding and support from Israel, even if it means the collapse and takeover of that government in order to be more respectful to the Muslim countries in the region and to be “fair” to the Palestine people exiled from Jerusalem. In return, the UN will create a new position for Obama as Leader of the World.
People are easier to control when hungry:
Obama’s government will declare a state of emergency and take over all agriculture inside the US and all food imports. He will close down the grocery stores in favor of government kitchens which will tell us what and how much to eat every day. This will also go a long way to reducing the “individual” rights and elevating the “community” in importance. In order to be “fair”, Americans will have their food rationed equally. People who have money enough to try to buy better or more food will be seen as anti-community and will be required to do community service, after a brief visit to a reeducation camp.
People will volunteer to keep each other in line:
As innocuous names are promoted for the Civilian Defense, such as Peace Corps, and as the “community” becomes sacrosanct, the retrained and re-educated individual will see it to their personal advantage to elevate their status by reporting non-compliancy. Those who continue to believe that they are entitled to keep their individual wealth will have others at the door, reporting to the government about their selfishness and lack of patriotism.
Private wealth accumulation will be taxed out of existence:
Seniors will be required to liquidize their assets in order to continue to receive government health insurance (mandatory already at the age of 65) or health care. Assets not needed for immediate personal use, like a residence, will be taxed at 50% per year. So property or excessive “wealth”, like anything over $250,000 will be subject to fines, taxes, and penalties. The death tax will be 100%. It’s only fair.
The American Flag is passé and symbolic of the imperialism and nationalism that is offensive to the rest of the world. A new Global flag will be designed by Obama and the old Stars and Stripes will be outlawed. Anyone clinging to the Flag, guns, or religion will be reeducated.
Voting rights will be extended to every resident, regardless of citizenship status. And POTUS term limits, well, Obama won’t need that job when he’s Emporer of the world, so it stays as is.
Ohio Granny (2967c9) — 11/16/2008 @ 3:58 amI can’t believe the hatred and ignorance I am reading on this website. Wow this is scary. I am proud to have someone in office that actually thinks, ponders, and processes before reacting. I don’t hate McCain or Bush I just don’t agree with some of their views or the way the country has been ran the past eight years, but I don’t think McCain or Bush are evil my gosh that is crazy. Just because you don’t agree does not mean you should hate. I hope we can all pull together as a nation as people of the United States not Republicans or Democrats as human beings who care about each other stop the division and the hate. We have to work together to make our world a better place for our children and future generations.
Katie (6e38f2) — 11/21/2008 @ 8:09 amComment by Katie — 11/21/2008 @ 8:09 am
The attributes of “thinks, ponders, and processes” used to be minimum standards for a President. There was a time when honor, courage, fidelity, and wisdom were virtues that every American admired and sought in a President. Our current generation has set standards quite low.
Pons Asinorum (cb0a34) — 12/5/2008 @ 10:29 pmI feel all winds from the earth shall rock america and obama will turn america upside down with black dirt and destroy america as we know it . If he tries to do away with military like he says he will die . I really feel the black arent ready for responsibilites because they yell N word and say they will make slaves out of the whites .
Debbie Marcum (c8d205) — 12/8/2008 @ 9:37 amIf this be , bank of blacks being in slavery once again . Never to free again in america .
I felt first he would be good but when I heard he hated whites and went to all hate white chrurch that should been enough to stop him . I feel God play big role in this somehow . Muslims believe in slavery and blacks want to destroy there freedon and Obama not there man .. Bless all not one race but all . May we find peace .. I still feel war will be on our water’s soon and Obama will bring it on only to kill out white population.