Thread: Estimates of the future

In recent years I have made a habit of predicting events that may transpire, and much to my own dismay it tends to come true. I wish to discuss my methods as well as predictions with the rest of you, and fish out other opinions or observations on what will or has occurred.

The first goal is a review of what has happened in general. This is mainly how accuracy in prediction is reached. It's an unfortunate thing, but humans rarely tend to advance and instead regress. This applies to politics most of all. It was my prediction that due to the poor reign of George W. Bush Jr., most people would be swayed to vote in a Democrat senate, congress, and president, regardless of who ran. A democrat led system was almost certain, and it came as no surprise when it happened. Neither was I surprised at the outcome.

I predicted that in this scenario there would be increasing animosity. Due to the prior eight years, members of the senate and congress for each party have grown very spiteful of one another. So much so one tries to pass laws just to spite the other; an act which harms many citizens that oppose said legislation. No clearer is it than in the bailout scheme, which is against the wishes of the entire republican party and some of its own members. Do keep in mind that these are not just individuals; these people are supposed to represent sections of the country that voted them in, and as a result represent those portions of the country.

This bailout specifically has increased tax payer burden simply to save companies that should have known better. I wonder if I were to gamble away my entire fortune and drown myself in debt, would the government bail me out as well? To the cost of my neighbors who now share my debt? A compromise was never reached nor attempted to be reached. The democratic party, and Obama in spite of his promises, swept through congress not adhering to any warnings. Indeed, it was he that proposed another bailout! This iron fisted democracy and pattern of simply crushing the other party under single-party voting power is what I would call "Democratic fascism".

What will transpire? I believe this pattern will continue. People and politicians will increase the divide between themselves and in doing so divid the country. The democrats will attempt to be the nanny as they always do, increasing our tax burdens in order to "help us" with our own money. The republicans will kick and scream for individual control and freedom as they, in the same breath, support major corporate control over our lives. Worst of all, the reasonable voices will die out. People like Ron Paul will cease to be as the public votes more and more on raised dogma, with their parents indoctrinating them into specific parties as though a religion. The media will also increase its biases and control under the guise of "neutral" and "accurate" reporting.

In the end inflation will go through the roof due to these bailouts, companies will seek to use that money for pure profit and barely hire back half of those they laid off, causing a temporary spike in share profits. Unemployment will remain at this increased level for many years, poverty will increase, taxes will increase, the governments meddling in our lives will increase, freedoms will take an even further back seat, and the constitution will continue to be interpreted in ways that mysteriously support oppressive or dishonest laws, and ultimately our economy will collapse as the affects of the bailouts wear off and our future is unable to pay the increasing mortgage!

Both sides are doing what Corporate Tunnel Vision tells them to. They have the ability to give us some of that tunnel vision too, because all major TV and media outlets (minus a scarce few) are owned by about 5 companies.

Democrats do the bailouts. The Republicans do the de-regulation.

Cycle the two parties in and out of power, and their profits are guaranteed (until the whole economy itself collapses, then they'll all have to find another ship to sink). It's good cop, bad cop, where of course they're actually both bad cops.

Darius, you cheat!

Political predictions can't be open-ended. They must have a cut-off time, otherwise you might take your well-thought-out dogmas to your grave.

Here instead is a more equitable set of predictions that will happen this year.

(1) The US GNP will drop another 5% this year which will stave off a cross-the-board jump in general inflation.

(2) Obama's job performance rating in polls will fall below 40% by the end of this year.

(3) Events in the Middle East will worsen on all fronts.

(4) North Korea will experience rioting and looting and Kim Jong ll will respond by firing missles into the Sea of Japan.

(5) In Cuba an uprising by hungry people will fail.

(6) Public funding to fight imaginary Global Warming will fall to zilch. Yet faux science will proclaim that falling world temperatures are indicative of Global Warming.

(7) One of my predictions here will be wrong. And if I were a betting man I would bet on lucky number (7).

There are also resources news providers employ to plan content, even years in advance. They line up items like treaty expiry dates, scheduled elections, human rights conferences, etc. You can see "perfect storms" converging.