predictions for the future

[maurer]

where do you see the country headed in 5, 10, 15 years?

my prediction is that we'll see a rapid government expansion (we are already seeing this), followed by a few years of depression and then a world war in perhaps . kind of like how we wound up with FDR, except more pronounced and at a faster pace. maybe some more informed posters could refute or support this?

[Ironstone-]

Originally Posted by maurer

where do you see the country headed in 5, 10, 15 years?

Maybe an inch or so towards Asia.

[maurer]

very clever of you brah

[Ironstone-]

Originally Posted by maurer

very clever of you brah

Thx.

[potatoe]

Finding even more insane ways to tear itself apart.

[Duckenheimer]

Depression and civil unrest that substantially supersedes the LA riots. (within 5 years)

No guesses as to the extent of either or anything more important that happens.

[Thinman]

In the US, We might see the first generation that doesn't have the same standard of living their parents had.

[rockyl686]

Originally Posted by maurer

where do you see the country headed in 5, 10, 15 years?

my prediction is that we'll see a rapid government expansion (we are already seeing this), followed by a few years of depression and then a world war in perhaps . kind of like how we wound up with FDR, except more pronounced and at a faster pace. maybe some more informed posters could refute or support this?

well let me get out my crystal ball here,lol


I think you're pretty spot on with most of these things, mainly because war is the only way to rebuild the manufacturing base to bring us out of this problem, well it's not the only way we could just stop doing that and reverse it. (But I think that probably is a contradiction to what the people in power want) the truly clever in this administration an future administrations understand that it was military spending that brought us out of the Great Depression.

So they will most likely manipulate for something like this again.

The wildcard is the fact that war for any reason has been vilified since the 1960s to a great extent by the same people who now would need to use it as a tool to prop up their failed ideology, irony is kind of interesting isn't it?

Add to this the fact that the Internet allows people to share information very rapidly, information availability tends to make the cycles of oppression and aggression to shorter in nature than at any time in history, the question is, how long until we regulate the Internet the way China and some other countries do?

[otisthebat]

i forsee a complete re-writing of the constitution on the basis that "it wasnt meant to apply to our current situation."

and a touch of "we promise we will give up this power once the situation has improved."

[VAPlowhorse]

Originally Posted by maurer

where do you see the country headed in 5, 10, 15 years?

my prediction is that we'll see a rapid government expansion (we are already seeing this), followed by a few years of depression and then a world war in perhaps . kind of like how we wound up with FDR, except more pronounced and at a faster pace. maybe some more informed posters could refute or support this?

I do not see a world war by any means. Since the great leap forward in military technology since WWII, two major combatants could not directly engage one another without mutual destruction to some degree. War will continue to follow the example set in the 20th century of large, nuclear countries paying smaller countries to fight their enemies or their enemies friends. If China or Russia starts grabbing territory, we will still fight them by providing guns and money to their enemies, it simply makes more sense.

As to the country, likely more of the same economic trends, though an overall decline due to lack of global dominance. We will most likely have less proportional purchasing power, especially in terms of land, than our parents enjoyed. The good we purchase will be far more advanced and useful, yet we will just not have as much in comparison. This will likely be linked to increasing prices as countries we used for labor/cheap raw materials become more modernized and advantages disappear. Politically, the federal government will continue to expand and localities will continue to lose power as their functions are absorbed by Washington. This will ultimately raise taxes for the same service and chip away at the height of the standard of living. Global government will likely become more viable in the form of environmental protocols and similar agreements that lay the foundation.

That may be looking too far ahead. In the short term, I do not see us going into a depression. The Great Depression was a global event far bigger than America and we have recovered from similar recessions several times. Biggest thing I see economically is that we will no longer be the default kings of the mountain. This could ultimately slow us down, yet flatten out the low points on the curve as well. In short, who knows?

[NorthMass]

we will see economic disaster next year or in 2011, followed by a presidential campaign that will feature a neocon, Obama, and a libetarian. The neocon and the libertarian will most likely be the 2 leading candidates.

[Barry Bonds]

We'll go out with a whimper, not a war.

The U.S. will be Mexico North, or worse.

The U.S. will be inconsequential economically, militarily, and socially.

[tts0lid]

doom doom doom. gloom gloom gloom. we have a democrat in office, we're all gonna die. yada yada yada.

[maurer]

Originally Posted by tts0lid

doom doom doom. gloom gloom gloom. we have a democrat in office, we're all gonna die. yada yada yada.

it really has nothing to do with democrats... i would have predicted the same during GWB's tenure... i simply think that obama is quickening the pace with his increased spending and government control.

[One More Time]

Originally Posted by maurer

it really has nothing to do with democrats... i would have predicted the same during GWB's tenure... i simply think that obama is quickening the pace with his increased spending and government control.

I agree. However, the programs Obama is pushing through really scare me. I feel bad for my kids & future grandchildren, but there is absolutely nothing I can do (other than call senators/congress which I have and will do)

[YARDGORILLA]

It's Mourning in America.

5-going
10-going
15-gone