Do you have a prediction for America?

[Dworkin]

Hi,

It seems we are in a position of impotence. But we still have our intellects and maybe the ability to predict something of the future, right or wrong.

My prediction is that: if Trump prevails as president for 4 or 8 years he will leave having made more money from public office than any person in the history of the world.

Do you have a prediction for the future of America?

D.

[BeyondGeography]

1. With a high degree of confidence

[unblock]

2. so you're predicting a future for america?

i'm not so sure it has one....

[onethatcares]

3. we're

fucked.

I don't think we have quite grasped the damage that can be done to our country yet.

and for the bullshit artists voters, there will be many "WTFs".

[Littlered9560]

9. +1

[smirkymonkey]

13. I hate to be cynical, but I'm thinking along those lines too.

Trump is someone who will not play by the rules and can't be controlled or tamed. There is no limit to the nighmare he can bring upon us.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

4. Anyone ever read Cormac McCarthy's The Road?

[Aristus]

29. Read it in one sitting.

Man, I wanted to slash my wrists after that...

[Lithos]

30. Added to my list

Needed some new reads this holiday. Waiting for something else to pull the trigger..

L-

[Blanks]

5. My prediction is Trump will resign in the first year...

And the next two years we will be getting news out of congress about the investigation into the Russian hacking. The democrats will take over the house and senate in 2 years and they'll work on legislation that Pence will veto, until he is gone in 2020. A few of Obama's appointments will stay around to help with the transition because Trump can't get his cabinet through the republican controlled congress.

It'll be like the Iran/Contra hearings during the Reagan administration.

People talk about "worse than watergate", but I think it'll be "worse than Iran Contra" more people were investigated, convicted, sentenced etc.

They'll be so mired in scandal, they won't forward much of an agenda. That's my prediction. Next year, you won't be able to find anyone who will admit they supported Trump.

I'm just trying to balance some of the doom and gloom, but there will likely be convictions.

[Kolesar]

8. Fat Bastard's going away with a coronary

He does not have the toughness to be beat up by politicians or the international community. 40% chance he dies or 90% chance he resigns or is impeached and evicted within 18 months. Your predictions are spot on, Blanks. Those clowns left a trail of evidence. They are not methodical like Rumsfeld, Cheney and Rove.

I also think he is going to empower Iran and certainly empower Russia by removing all sanctions on Putin.

[Blanks]

10. Cheney had lots of government experience...

Lots of connections. Trump thinks he's smart, but he's out of his league on this.

Already he's pissing off the intelligence community. I guess he must not have seen the movie 'JFK'.

I don't think he'll get around to removing sanctions on Putin. I think his SOS appointment is gonna put his administration on the defensive against John McCain.

[Kolesar]

11. He is pissing off the aerospace industry

They are practically an unelected branch of our government. They drive all the messaging about what are US interests. What annoys me is that those rich creeps who work for Boeing, Lockheed, General Dynamics all voted for Fat Bastard.

Oliver Stone reference...good

[roamer65]

22. The military industrial complex.

The one that Ike warned us about.

[Strelnikov_]

32. The National Security State

I feel 50/50 he is still alive by mid-terms. Health . . or retired with extreme prejudice by either the NSS or by some high level Republican operatives. Sympathy vote could get them through the mid-terms.

Per others in this thread, Trump is in way over his head, already made many powerful enemies, and is more than likely doomed. Dead, prison or bankrupt in four to six years IMHO.

[Kolesar]

34. I tried to read Heart of Darkness years ago but got too depressed

It was my Reagan era depression. Alcohol may have been involved.

Nice Francis Ford Coppola reference. I don't know if that line was in the original book, but...
retired with extreme prejudice

[KamaAina]

6. Prediction? Pain.

[Buns_of_Fire]

7. Beat me to it...

[Dave Starsky]

35. Me too

Great minds think alike!

[Buckeye_Democrat]

12. I predict that the consequences will be money-related...

... such as lost economic safety nets, and Trump won't do much of anything regarding deportations or building a wall other than some lip service.

Trump cares about money above all else, like many Republican puppet masters.

In the meantime, the liberal students in this video...

... need to travel to these areas...


... to educate those people about what's important.

[libtodeath]

14. Climate change unstoppable with human extinction on its way.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

16. Thankfully, nuclear winter might save us from that scenario.

!!

It's all very troubling.

[ileus]

15. We keep on keeping on as the greatest nation on earth.

[Runningdawg]

17. America

will shortly become ground zero for the 3rd Crusade. Beginning with a terrorist attack that will make 911 pale in comparison. I would say there is at least a 75% chance that attack will be cyber in nature, aimed at our infrastructure, perpetrated by Russia and blamed on Muslims.

[Buckeye_Democrat]

19. If they want to make this country crumble, here's one way.

Wipe out our electronic infrastructure.

We don't manufacture our own large transformers anymore, so maybe China will be nice and send us some?

[Runningdawg]

20. Exactly

[LanternWaste]

18. Like Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

Like Britain in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a long period of heads of state, each conflicting with the ideals of those just prior and just to come, resulting in a state going round and round but in no one, singular direction, losing international support and respect, its trade compacting more and more, and finally falling into second-class nationhood as a new round of super powers takes its place.

To me, this is no new prophecy, but one I've given though to since the late nineties. All things being equal, one president will neither save nor ruin the nation... simply exemplify the best or the worst of us. The world will happen within us and without us. Eighty years as a superpower is more than a fair share in post-industrialism.

Time to take Great Britain's heed (and France's prior to that, and Prussia's prior to that, and the Austrian Empire before that, and on and on), and be proud of (and hope for) fifth, sixth or even seventh place for our children.

[roamer65]

24. Yes, end of the American empire but not the end of America.

Even if we break apart into smaller nation states, I don't think the overriding idea of America will die. There would just be a looser confederation...rather than federation.

[femmocrat]

21. This:

. . . . PLUS this>>>

[Baitball Blogger]

23. My prediction is that we are going to get into a "skirmish" with China.

Last edited Tue Dec 20, 2016, 08:41 PM - Edit history (1)

Putin and Trump are obviously going to be allies in the Middle East, but as corporate individuals, not as super nation leaders. Which means, they are going to hold back US foreign interests for the benefit of working together to pull out as much oil out of the ground in areas that we once fought over.

The American Right are going to be used as useful idiots as they get pulled into supporting Trump's positions, believing there will be cheap oil in the deal. It is going to be another hypocrisy to witness as they watch people getting slaughtered in areas that they once demanded action from Obama.

But, Trump's reckless manner is going to piss off someone and we will go to war before his four years are up.

In other words, we're going to have a more transparent version of the Bush years.

[Locut0s]

25. At best the continual decline of America, at worst global warfare...

We are entering one of the most unpredictable periods of history in well over a half century so making any kind of "prediction" is just clutching at straws. Indeed there may be some possible good outcomes if everything goes well and the Trump administration completely implodes.

But if I'd have to make a prediction anyway I'd predict that at best we are going to see the further decline of the American empire that has already been in sharp decline since the 80s. Obama may just represent be a minor preprevieve in the overall downward trend. Further consolidation of wealth among the top 1/2 of 1%. The disposessed and already struggling parts of America being downgraded to near 3rd world status. Inequality the likes of many highly corrupt developing nations now, where the super wealthy live next to the favellas. In some ways parts of America are like that now but it could get much more stark.

At worst of course Trump could spark some kind of global confrontation. Whether that's something the size of WWIII or not is hard to know. Not sure the pieces are really all in place for something that broad. But nonetheless it would be terribly destructive both in terms of lives lost and debt accrued.

[True Dough]

26. I believe jurisprudence

will pick apart the Trump administration, particularly Trump himself.

Impeachment is inevitable, methinks.

[putitinD]

27. History repeats itself, just read MEIN KAMPF

[VOX]

28. America & Russia will form a white nationalist coalition...

Other Northern European countries experiencing nationalist upheavals will likely also join: Poland, France, maybe Germany and Italy. Its mission will be to 1) Maintain control of the Middle East oil fields; and 2) Do everything to thwart the inevitable northerly migration of people of color who are trying to escape the frying pan of accelerating climate change.

Any opposition or dissent will be silenced. Another "catalyzing event – like a new Pearl Harbor" (per PNAC) will facilitate a clampdown. Militarized police forces will put down protests. Pet media will blast the propaganda 24/7. As just happened in North Carolina, laws will be rewritten so centrist/liberal civil servants can easily be neutralized. The judiciary will be rendered into utter complicity.

It's not a stretch to envision this hellscape. Look at Trump, look at his cabinet picks, look at his private security muscle, look at white nationalists Steve Bannon and David Duke, et al. The neo-nazi site Daily Stormer's banner reads, "America's #1 Most-Trusted Republican News Source"--they are no longer hiding in the shadows.

[sheshe2]

31. My prediction.

Their will be much suffering and death with the nullification of life lines for the poor, infirmed, vets, PoC, blacks women...all minorities. They want us dead yet I have not intention what so ever of going quietly.

[Liberal_in_LA]

36. Women are majority

[truebluegreen]

33. I think all y'all are hopelessly optimistic.

The rule of law is long dead in this country. We all know that, right? Rich and powerful people walk or are actually rewarded for criminal and morally bad behavior, poor and minority people get their lives ruined or ended for jaywalking or mouthing off.

Any concern for Americans as people is long gone: we are commodities, not citizens. The only thing of importance is the profit/loss margin.

Oligarchs and sociopaths direct policy and run our lives, except for those areas where the laws are immaterial to their...material gain. Gay rights? Minority rights? Muslim bigotry? They really don't care, themselves, except when it is useful to maintain their base's enthusiasm and therefore power. We are all beneath them, only pawns in the game.

I don't know if there is any coming back from the election of the cheeto drumpenfuhrer. People are saying that we just need to resist for 2 years, or 4, and then we can retake power and set things to rights. I doubt that.

'Cause it is not just about drumpf, it is about the whole corrupt system--and yes, it was corrupt long before he appeared on the scene. I'd say that the fact he could appear, and remain, was a measure of the deep corruption already present. And frankly, Hillary's candidacy was an indication of that too. There is no argument that she was a deeply disliked--fairly or unfairly!--candidate, and yet, what other alternative did the Democrats have to offer?

I think this is the end of many things, and maybe it is past time for those things to go. American global leadership...even more, the American Empire. American "exceptionalism". American immunity in international dealings. American self-serving self-righteousness.

I can see the US becoming an (obvious) rogue state and pariah, particularly in the realm of climate change. Quite frankly I hope that is the case: our survival could depend on it. And I for one am not sure that the installation of the CEO of Exxon as SoS will lead to a boom in oil production /exploitation: there is still (ironically) a market involved; energy co.s don't necessarily drill everywhere they can (a drilling lease on the books counts as an asset, even without the expense and uncertainty of drilling); and currently prices are low--too low to justify the expense of arctic endeavors. And other nations--including "Jina"!--can see all too clearly that observing the existence of winter is not the same thing is disproving global warming.

Good news is the drumpf election and assemblage of kleptomaniacs and tin foil hat enthusiasts could expose the repukes for what they are: kleptomaniacs and paranoid whackjobs. I guess we will see.

Oh joy.