Dear Friends: My ears are still non-functional, but today is one of my favorite days — New Years Eve! I am wishing everyone a safe and happy one, and I have decided to share a few great clips. I will also get my fellow SLOBs to give me their key predictions for next year.
As I am recovering from an illness, I think laughter is the best medicine. From a talented friend of the Shrine, here is a great Obama-inspired parody of a Beach Boys song:
She also has a wonderful homage to our troops, which I have been too ill to share before now:
I discovered a hilarious site — Improve Everywhere. They have their own YouTube Channel. Here is the Improve — Subway Star Wars (you need to click over to the site to actually view it!)
Now for the: 2011 TEA PARTY PREDICTIONS! I have asked my friends for their top three news predictions, with a tie-breaking bonus fourth if they feel lucky. Looks like we Tea Partiers are going to be awfully busy this year!
MUT’s:
1) I agree with HillBuzz: The NYC Sanitation Worker stunt that cost the lives of 2 people, including a newborn, will not be forgotten. There will be nation-wide backlash regarding public employee unions, with a call to end them entirely. Any presidential candidate with a sound anti-government-employee-union message and experience in fighting back on union thuggary will emerge as a serious contender.
2) Obama will have another iconic moment of inanity, and his poll numbers will reside comfortably in the mid-30’s.
3) There will be threats of a government shutdown over the House budget, as it will include spending cuts in “sacred programs” and defunding of Obamacare. Obama will try and do a “Clinton”, and make the Republicans look evil for forcing him to “shut down the government”. Tea Party activists, whose numbers have swelled due to prediction #2, will insert a little backbone into the Republicans — and a savvy, new non-establishment GOP’er will become so well respected as to be taked about as a potential Presidential nominee.
Tie-breaking Bonus Prediction: We will still have the same problems with North Korea and Iran as we do today.
Here’s to hoping. Have a happy and safe New Years Eve. There is a lot of work to do in 2011.
UPDATE 1: From SCTRC’s Sarah Bond:
1. California’s “official” unemployment numbers will jump to 14-15%
2. Local municipal public employee unions will begin a long ugly battle with California State public employee unions over CARB regulations and dwindling funds.
3. Gov. Brown will get his clock cleaned in any attempt to raise taxes in a special election.
Bonus prediction: the Obamas will take at least 6 vacations in 2011 knowing that their time in the lap of taxpayer funded luxury will end in 2012.
UPDATE 2: Shane Atwell’s 2011 prognostications:
1. Collapse of one or more European welfare states, chaotic attempts to rescue, beginning of EU collapse as measures are taken to eject the most fiscally irresponsible.
2. U.S. bails out bankrupt states, Democrats and big government Republicans leading the way. Renewed Tea Party opposition to the orgy of self-sacrifice.
3. The President and his army of regulators take over the U.S., governing our lives through the codes of 100s of agencies. Some states (e.g., Texas) openly oppose this new rule by regulatory fiat. The regulators mostly win in 2011. Governor of Texas is discredited in a sex or bribery scandal leaked by the FBI.
Bonus: 4. War in Asia, U.S. appeases all sides. 5. China further divests from the U.S. dollar/bonds exposing the U.S. as next in line for a European style collapse.
UPDATE 3: From SCTRC’s Dawn Wildman
1. Jim DeMint will further raise his profile and run for POTUS 2012.
2. 2011-2012 the Tea Party will flex it’s citizen muscles and cause heat and discontent for the GOP and DEMS in DC and elsewhere, thus illuminating how smart the citizens actually are!
3. Boehner and Pelosi will be locked in battle for supremacy of the House! This will keep late night TV and the political pundits all a twitter!
Frankly, I predict Boehner will win, smoking and drinking as he does so:
Now, for some Mid-West Tea Party perspective, here are some predictions from my peeps on the American Freedom Network (#2 Resolution – link to their great work more often in 2011).
The Sargent:
1.) The war in Afghanistan continues to go badly, and the US/NATO legitimize the Taliban (perhaps as part of a coalition gov’t) enough to begin negotiations directly with them by the end of the year.
2.) The worsening fiscal situation for states, municipalities, et al, leads to more ‘stimulus’ by the FED (Congress balks at approving any sort of ‘compromise’ package to bail state and local gov’t units out), the result of which is a worsening inflationary picture, rising interest rates, and, using non-governmental statistics, such as those at http://www.shadowstats.com, 13% inflation, 13% unemployment and real interest rates of over 15% by year-end.
3.) Rising energy prices lead to reduced auto sales once gas passed $3.50/gal, in turn leading to another automaker bankruptcy crisis. This time, Ford survives, GM ends up being majority-owned by the Chinese (in exchange for their being bailed out) and Chrysler, minus Jeep, disappears. Michigan’s fiscal situation collapses under the impact of the losses, especially as suppliers, many of whom previously filed for bankruptcy, are liquidated in a new round of business failures.
Bonus: In a last hurrah before Depression-driven attendance and revenue declines force a post-season fire sale, the Detroit Tigers win the World Series, defeating the Philadelphia Phillies and their three Cy Young Award winner-dominated rotation in seven games.
My blogging icon, the Anchoress, chimes in with her 2011 predictions. The one most applicable to Tea Party types is this:
As long as the Tea Party can keep its focus on the constitution and on fiscal matters, it will continue to be a reckoning force. If, however, economic improvements and spending cuts begin to appear, some tensions may appear within the movement, between social conservatives and fiscally-minded libertarians.
i would say there is a chance california gets bailed out by the federal government.
it’s obamas base, and republcians might think they can gain ground in the state by coming to the rescue.
Happy New Year, Leslie!
I’ve been trying to come up with predictions, but in general I think this is going to be a muddle-through kind of year: no big changes to the unemployment rate, gridlock blocking any big policy changes in Washington, California continuing to beg cheat and steal, the Fed continuing to monetize debt and maybe going after munis next, Europe continuing to bail out its basketcases, etc.
Chris Christie and Mitch Daniels continue looking like 2012 contenders — I hope they or someone similar rise up and derail the Romney/Palin/Huckabee frontrunners.
Temple,
Here are my fearless predictions:
1. Extreme cold or heat, extreme rain or drought, ice cap melting or growth, will be explained to be a result of anthropogenic global warming.
2. The economy will recover, but the yet to be deflated housing bubble and debt overhang will stall the recovery by year end.
3. Romney, Palin and Huckabee will fade as leading candidates due to their various flaws and inadequate Tea Party credentials.
4. The nut roots left will froth at the mouth over Obama and Republicans, in equal parts.
5. The battle to reduce spending will be a draw due to split government and Democrat members of Congress resorting to obstructionism with Obama’s tacit approval.
6. A major multiemployer union pension plan will go belly up, taking down a large corporation.
[…] Per my request, here is her prognostications: […]