Is there anybody on this planet who isn't thrilled that America's embarrassment, also known as the Presidential election campaign, is finally and mercifully at its conclusion?
November 9, 2016 (Update): Well our prediction of a Hillary win was obviously just plain wrong, but we were not alone. We stand by the fact that outgoing Attorney General Lynch will look for a way to at least embarrass the President-Elect, although having him indicted looks less likely. And we stand by our prediction that our new President will be a one term leader. As for our other prognostications, we largely reiterate them with the possible exception of the removal of abortion from the Republican platform in 2020. That seem less likely now.
November 8, 2016: That this nation of declining greatness, an idea that once lit the world, couldn't come up with better candidates than the two clowns in the spotlight, could be a sign that Rome is once again falling. The future could be very grim indeed.
What better way to celebrate the end of Decision 2016, but to cautiously look forward to Election Day, November 3, 2020? Here are our prognostications leading up to that upcoming circus.
1) Donald Trump will have been indicted for something at least once. If you don't think that Attorney General, Loretta Lynch--who we predict will retain that post in Hillary Clinton's cabinet--isn't already preparing for a lynching (no pun intended) of The Donald, then you haven't been following this campaign very well. Lynch, or her successor if Clinton does not keep her on, will exact punishment for Donald's campaign of nastiness, even if the administration feigns arms-length retribution by having a shill do the dirty work.
2) Hillary Clinton will not run for reelection. Clinton will pay the ultimate sacrifice for predictions 6 through 13 and take a proverbial bullet for her party when it becomes clear that she cannot hold onto the White House. For the record, if the unforeseeable happens and Trump wins (he won't), Donald won't run for reelection for much of the same reasons.
3) The Republican Party will have a woman at the top of the ticket. Think Nikki Haley, Kelly Ayote or even the resurgence of Condoleezza Rice.
4) The Republican platform will remove all mention of abortion. Unless you have your head so far up your ass that you can't see the truth, even the staunchest of pro-lifers know that this is a losing issue in a progressive nation. Yes, this will cost them the support of most Evangelicals and other bible thumpers, which is why...
5) The Christian right will run an independent candidate for President. It won't matter though because "Haley/Ayote/Rice" Democrats will give Republicans the White House in 2020.
6) The deficit will have topped $40 trillion. Checks to Iran will continue to roll off the printing press and look for a big payment to North Korea in an attempt to keep that country under control as well. But everything will hit the fan when there is no money for unfunded mandates which is why...
7) Obamacare will have been scrapped. There's already an announced 25% increase in premiums and a 25% decrease in carriers. And the biggest bill is yet to come. We are already at the beginning of the end for Obama's second biggest failure, the first being...
8) Race relations continue to deteriorate. Why is it that few talk about the fact that this country's race relations are at its lowest ebb in 50 years under a black President and two black Attorneys General? Are these not three people who are the example for the black community? Are they not proof that anybody can overcome the racism that undoubtedly still exists in this country? Why haven't they worked to calm racial tensions rather than endorsed them through inaction? Perhaps a President Rice will finally show the black community that they can believe that anything is attainable even in the face of unimaginable obstacles.
9) Unemployment will have topped 10%. Clinton will succumb to the pressure and tax the rich who in turn will flip the nation the bird by ramping up the automation of jobs and/or move them overseas. That will be hastened by the $15/hour minimum wage that Clinton promised Bernie Sanders.
10) A National Sales Tax or Value Added Tax will be in place. We actually advocate such a tax as the fairest way to generate income. The more one spends, the more one pays. The USA is the only nation in the Western world without such a tax. Unfortunately, rather than effecting a decrease in income tax rates, the NST/VAT will be combined with an outrageous income tax rate, which will still won't be enough money and will only serve to piss off the 55% of the nation that pays any income tax at all.
11) Interest rates will skyrocket. Housing prices will fall. America will need the money and the only way to do that is to sell more bonds and the only way to do that is to increase interest rates. This will not be favorable to the economy and especially the housing market.
12) The DOW will have traded down to 12,000 or lower. Blame this on the unstable state of the US economy hastened by pending higher taxes, a much higher minimum wage, higher interest rates, higher unemployment and a tax on stock trading that will be forced down Hillary's throat by Bernie Sanders. Yes Virginia, a crash is coming.
13) The value of the Euro and British Pound will rise at least 50% against the US dollar. Global interest rates will keep pace with US rates and this country's predicaments will cause a decline in the dollar's value. At least this will make US goods more attractive to foreigners and US destinations appealing to vacationers..
14) Marijuana will be 100% legal. As it should be. But abusers, such as those that provide it to minors or those driving under the influence will bear unprecedented punishment. As they should.
15) None of the "pot stocks" currently trading on the OTCmarkets will be viable. These companies will all have been either suspended from trading, changed lines of business, or be dormant. These companies are all pretenders. Think past schemes PHOT, FITX, FSPM and so many more. By the time of the next election, the marijuana industry will be run by national conglomerates, likely the current tobacco companies.
As Hillary Clinton launches a new administration, one thing is clear: Americans have a profoundly negative view of her and are dissatisfied that they were saddled with a choice that they see as the lessor of two evils. It's enough to make Mount Rushmore crumble.