Jame's Predictions

A few predictions for the next four years, for those that are more hopeful send me your predictions, for those that are more pessimistic god help us but send them along:

In 2008 we will still have troops in Iraq, will have spent in excess of 1/2 a trillion dollars, will have killed at least 150,000 Iraqis and most tragicly lost over 4000 american lives.

In 2008 we will have even a greater number of americans living in poverty however the wealthiest 10% of the population will be richer than ever.

In 2008 we will have 2 possible 3 new supreme court justices. There will probable be our countries first hispanic justice but all of them will make William Renquest Nixon's "radical right" appointee look moderate. This type of appointment is already the case in the the appellate courts and will continue.

In 2008 the economy will be have shed as many high paying technology and manufacturing jobs as it has in the last four years. The median income adjusted for inflation will have fallen 3-5% if not more.

In 2008 the housing market will not have recovered from the "real estate adjustment" and home values will be 15-25% below their 2004 level.

In 2008 a barrel of oil will be $60-65 a barrel if not more. This may not occur as a crumbling world economy may lead middle eastern countries to gear up production and oil may fall to $30 a barrel.

In 2008 a case or perhaps several will be working through the court system to place stricter limits on a womans right to choose.

In 2008 a majority of states will have passed gay marriage bans.

In 2008 North Korea will have more nuclear weapons.

In 2008 Iran will be closer than ever to completing their first nuclear weapon.

In 2008 we will have witnessed at least one if not several successful terrorist attacks on american soil.

In 2008 Isreal will have had four years of continued violence and terror in Palestine. Having assinated most of the PLO leadership a more radical leadership will be calling for ever increasing violence.

In 2008 Afghanistan will ship more heroin than it has in 20 years.

In 2008 it will take $2.10 to equal 1 euro. We won't see as many european tourist as you would expect.

In 2008 Texas will lead the world in executions.

In 2008 "no child left behind" will still be an un/underfunded mandate and many children will be going to poorly funded, overcrowded, poorly staffed schools. These same children will be tested and found to rank below the top ten countries in math and science.

In 2008 more american will be without healthcare. For those that have healthcare their copay will be at an alltime high and their will be an even larger list of noncovered drugs and proceedures.

In 2008 we will start phasing in a privitized social security plan. If you make less than $60,000 a year when you retire your benefits will be less than if we had stayed with the current system.

In 2008 the deficit will hit a new record high and the idea of a surplus will be but a dream we tell our children about.

In 2008 the minimun wage will be the same as it was in 2004 as it was 2000 as it was in 1996. There will be a call for the elimination of the minimun wage in congress. It will be narrowly defeated.

In 2008 official unemployment will be 6.8% there will be a record number of people underemployed working parttime jobs.

In 2008 There will be no estate tax and if there is a capital gains tax it will be at a historic low.

In 2008 the number of fortune 500 companies that payed no taxes in 2007 will be at an all time high.

In 2008 there will be legislation before congress for national draft.

In 2008 illegal immigrants will be allowed to receive guest worker visas. This will drive down wages and push overtaxed social services to catastrophic failures.

In 2008 Texas will lead the nation in unplanned pregnancies and have the nations highest infant mortality rate. The state will still have an abstenance based sex education curriculum.

I can go on but I can't stomach it.

-- James Denton