2008 Predictions
January 3, 2008
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The dominant issue for 2008 will be the economy. Parts of the country are presently in recession. Whether the country as a whole joins in a recession is another question.
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Decoupling theory proves false as Europe and Asia follow the U.S. in a downturn.
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Gas peaks at $3.50 gal in WI. This would place oil prices 41 cents higher than they are presently. This peak is not retraced for several years as world wide demand wanes due to recession.
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The USCCB is relatively quiet about the election signaling dissatisfaction with both party’s choices.
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The Green Bay diocese remains vacant.
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The bishops in the US will be ignored as they plead for our country’s leaders to address the problems of undocumented workers. Secular alarm over illegal immigration will grow even though immigration will slow significantly due to the recession.
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American Idol will have its weakest season ever.
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Tatoos will lose their popularity with women, becoming conventually known as stupid things done when one was young.
Sounds grim, MZ (especially for us Cheeseheads). Number 8 is good news, though.
Prediction #8:
The Pope comes to Washington, DC, holds a Mass at the baseball stadium at which the two highest ranking Catholics in the US government (the Speaker and the Chief Justice) are invited to receive communion from him. The pro-life movement can then return to the important work of educating the public and lawmakers and end the counterproductive and unseemly ‘communion controversy.’
The dominant issue for 2008 will be the economy. Parts of the country are presently in recession. Whether the country as a whole joins in a recession is another question.
I agree that the economy will be a dominant issue, but I think you underestimate the problems facing the US Economy. The last 6 months have merely been the prelude to what I believe will be a profound and enduring economic crisis. I say this because:
1. The Oil is running out. By some estimations, the all-time peak of production of the world’s fields occurred in summer 2006, and has declined since then, in spite of rising prices and rising demand. There will be some momentary pauses and corrections, over the long term oil will get more and more expensive from here on out. (One concrete prediction: oil will never again be as cheap, in inflation-adjusted terms, as it was in 2000.) The simple fact is that the current arrangement of US civilization is completely dependent on cheap oil. A 20-mile-each-way commute in a world of six-dollar-a-gallon (or more) gas is feasible if you’re making six figures, but isn’t really do-able for most Americans
2. The financial sector is deeply, deeply sick. The home mortgage crisis will deepen, and become an emergency as millions of “upside down” mortgage payers have their rates adjusted upward and are thus no longer able to pay their mortgage – resulting in the sherriff showing up with eviction papers, and their house being added (by the bank) to an already massively glutted market, further depressing house prices, making more “homeowners” with more debt than equity in their houses, thus resulting in more defaults (because they will be unable to repay their mortgage by selling their house if they get behind.) I don’t really see an end to this until the median US home price bears some relationship to the median US income. Prices have a long, long way to fall.
http://climateprogress.org/2007/11/30/global-warming-prediction-presidential-politics/
The summer of 2008 saw riots over gasoline and food prices all over the world.
In France, a poor grape harvest led to a severe wine shortage and higher prices, culminating in a general strike that effectively shut the country down for 59 days.
That congressman from California shot three people in the Capitol building, killing one.
Hurricanes Britney and Donald slammed into the East coast within a month of each other, killing six homeless people in Washington DC, and causing mass property damage from Boston through the Carolinas. The disaster exceeded the abilities of the Federal government, so the United Nations stepped in with immediate aid, manpower, and a nice loan package.
And That’s when the real global warming panic began among the Believers – and the Deniers just ramped up their ‘this-proves-nothing’ drumbeat in response. Remember the guy who killed his roommate because he wouldn’t change his light bulbs? The drive-by shootings at drivers of gas guzzlers? It got crazy there for a while.
But how about the election of 2008? Welcome comic relief for a bad year. First we had Hillary Clinton and Oprah Winfrey facing off against Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin, which was wild enough, but when Al Gore entered the race as an independent at the last minute the sparks really began to fly, didn’t they?
The 3-way cliffhanger wasn’t decided until mid-march – after the UN was forced to take temporary control. Clinton was sworn in on 3/21/2009, surrounded by a platoon of marines (due to numerous assassination threats). In her speech she vowed “strident measures” to deal with global warming, and promised to bring the troops home as soon as possible.
After losing yet another election, Al Gore accidentally overdosed on Xanex and Viagra – he didn’t die; thank the Prophets – but retired from public service once and for all.
Mike Huckabee teamed up with Ron Paul and moved to Vermont, where they later led a secession movement (which failed).
Sarah Palin went back to Alaska, where she continued on as governor for two more terms, resumed her role as soccer mom, and was elected to the local school board.
Here in beautiful downtown Northern California, we’d be quite happy with $3.50 gasoline, thank you very much!
I feel your pain, Jimmy Mac – last time I bought gas, it was 3.67 per gallon at an AM/PM.
Michael: sorry, we’re not about to let Sarah leave! She’s cleaning up the political mess, has successfully taken on the oilies and her girl’s soccer teams need her; as do we!
Tatoos will lose their popularity with women, becoming conventually known as stupid things done when one was young.
What does the “women” part of this mean?