What happens if Bush wins?

[crawjo]

In another thread, a poster referred to the possibility that a Bush reelection would mean "hell on earth."

I think that's quite a bit of hyperbole, but I'd be interested to read what you guys think will be the result of a Bush victory, which I think is more likely than not at this point.

If Bush wins, what will things look like in 2008? No vague generalities, please, look into your crystal ball and give me some specifics.

[Tanager]

Well, I know it doesn't make the radar of most folks, since the economy and foreign relations both garner significantly more attention, but I think the Bush administration has been a very, very poor one on environmental issues, and I see that deepening. I would imagine we would see a bigger push for old growth logging, more roads built into what were formerly designated roadless areas, and I think we would see a continuing trend towards the rollback of protections afforded under the ESA.

[Al in NYC]

Could mean my emmigration...

[crawjo]

Originally Posted by Tanager

Well, I know it doesn't make the radar of most folks, since the economy and foreign relations both garner significantly more attention, but I think the Bush administration has been a very, very poor one on environmental issues, and I see that deepening. I would imagine we would see a bigger push for old growth logging, more roads built into what were formerly designated roadless areas, and I think we would see a continuing trend towards the rollback of protections afforded under the ESA.

Good answer, Tan. I agree 100 percent with that assessment.

Since there is no reason to believe that he will see the error of his ways, I think we could reasonably expect the destruction to continue. That will make the task of healing all the more difficult.

Another possibility is that the American people will finally see this regime for what it is and force him to resign. It has happened before, it can happen again, and never has there been as much justification for a people's revolt as the appointed Bush regime generates.

There is also the clear possibility that a desperate neocon-controlled GOP will once again take steps to throw the election--this time, of course, the American voter is not quite as naïve, and one hopes that the Democratic party also has had a wake-up call.

[RBS]

More chipping away at civil rights, more givebacks to the Bush administration's corporate sponsors in the form of environmental destruction, more polarization, even less separation between church and state, and smugness everywhere.

[Ellery Eskelin]

Originally Posted by Chris A

Another possibility is that the American people will finally see this regime for what it is and force him to resign.

Or he could leave himself open to impeachment. Not as silly as it sounds if you read John Dean's rationale (see the "Worse than Watergate" thread). I've mentioned this on a couple of threads but no one has really picked up on it yet...but the authorization for war was not that Bush could just go and do whatever he wanted with changing rationales along the way. No matter what anyone thinks good or bad about why the US went into Iraq Bush had a very narrowly defined authorization with respect to WMD and an Iraqi connection to 9/11. Any other rationales are beside the point with respect to congressional authorization.

[Coda]

I see more money in my pocket if Bush is re-elected. The stock market and business will continue to prosper. Oil will be cheaper due to continued pressure on the Middle East. I also see the continued decline of Old Europe and the rise of more third world countries. Our presence in the Middle East will help keep Iran in check.

I envision a revision of Social Security and to a limited extent healthcare with the aim to put more decision making back to the individual. Government will continue to push programs out to the local level where accountability is greater.

Four more years is a long time.
For what it's worth, if JK were re-elected I envision about the same outcome, except that he'll roll back the tax breaks.

[clinthopson]

In a way, the ultimate result could be good. After four more years of gigantic deficits; uncontrolled polluters; thousands of more dead young Americans in Iraq, and probably Iran; further deterioration of our infrastructure; more collapse of our health care system and more power to the religious extremists maybe the voters will recognize the Republicans for what they are and move the contry back to the center.

Yes, I said the center. The far left can do a lot of damage in different ways.

Of course the weathiest 5%, the xenophobes, rambos and religious whackos will be in hog heaven.

[Root Doctor]

Jeff Foxworthy will be honored at the Kennedy Center.

[Ellery Eskelin]

Also...
If Bush is reelected I think the public outcry over the administration's persistent secrecy will be so immense that pressure will build on the administration to come clean on a myriad potential scandals...in addition to the upcoming report due regarding the distinct possibility that this administration misled us to war there are other open issues such as the the bugging of the UN security council, the Valerie Plume affair, Cheney=National Energy Policy records/Halliburton/Enron, Bush's dismantling of the Presidential Records Act....and those past issues that probably won't go away, Bush's past drinking and drug use, Harken oil stock. And what about Cheney's health?

Originally Posted by Ellery Eskelin

And what about Cheney's health?

I guess Bush will drink to that!

[Gentle Giant]

FWIW, I didn't say that a Bush re-election would be hell on earth. I stated that if a progressive really wanted to make sure he wasn't re-elected, if that would seem like hell on earth to them, then they shouldn't risk it by voting for Nader.

OTOH, I believe quite seriously and strongly that W is on track for becoming the worst president in our history. He is the only president I can think of to actually weaken the nation and threaten its security in the world. Much of the bad he's done is unforgivable and if we survive at all will take years to undo.

[GoodSpeak]

What happens if Bush wins?

Rich will become richer through tax-breaks and corporate welfare will skyrocket our economy into a repression, er...sorry, a recession;

There will be continued destruction of our environment, smog laws, water and land pollution laws;

The school voucher will be made law and signal the death knell for equal access to a quality education;

The Middleclass will learch ever closer toward extinction;

SSI will be profitized, er...sorry again, privatized;

Job loss will continue at a staggering rate relative to corporate greed and out sourcing jobs to India, China and various other countries;

Finally, the republicans will use the conservative media to defer any responsibility for the mess they create and to blame the Democrats for their own mistakes, lies and idiocy.













Canada is looking better all the time...

[clinthopson]

I'm considering moving to Oaxaca.

[Al in NYC]

It's Montreal for moi.

[LennyH]

Originally Posted by Coda

I see more money in my pocket if Bush is re-elected. The stock market and business will continue to prosper. Oil will be cheaper due to continued pressure on the Middle East. I also see the continued decline of Old Europe and the rise of more third world countries. Our presence in the Middle East will help keep Iran in check.

I envision a revision of Social Security and to a limited extent healthcare with the aim to put more decision making back to the individual. Government will continue to push programs out to the local level where accountability is greater.

Four more years is a long time.
For what it's worth, if JK were re-elected I envision about the same outcome, except that he'll roll back the tax breaks.

More money in your pocket, huh?

The money will come out of your pocket one way or another. Bush should have realized that he could not have his war AND his tax cut. About half of this years' record deficit is because of the war. Our rapidly expanding national debt has a serious, negative impact on the cost of the goods and services you buy because of the impact it has on the value of the US dollar. Have you noticed how the dollar has continued to decline in value against the Euro and other major currencies?

Let's use Gas as an example. Do you realize how much more, percentage-wise, gas prices have risen in the US over the past couple of years compared to Europe? World demand has caused oil prices to escalate but it effects us more than most because of our weaker dollar. I heard somewhere recently where some other countries are buying oil on the international market and then selling it to us to make a profit.

Hope you enjoy that tax cut. Don't know what tax bracket you're in, but I'm not sure you'd find it very appealing if you could measure the full impact.

[tippy]

More Stupid Bush Tricks on David Letterman.

[jesus marion joseph]

Originally Posted by Root Doctor

Jeff Foxworthy will be honored at the Kennedy Center.

LOL

[Jazzzoline]

Originally Posted by Al in NYC

It's Montreal for moi.

Why Montréal? Any reason?
You don't expect of paying less taxes, I hope.

[Darryl G. Thomas]

To answer the original question, the day after the election I'll get up, shower, dress, go to work and probably take a lot of shit from my co-workers. Sometimes I feel like I'm employed by the RNC here.

More tax cuts will be proposed. Probably not passed though because I think the fiscal conservatives in the Republican Party will say enough is enough.

I think the Bush Doctrine is dead. We don't have enough money nor troops.

Privatization of Social Security will be pushed big time.

There will be a lot of rhetoric about abortion, same sex marraige, stem-cell research, affirmative action (did I hear right, Bush has come out against legacy admittances to college?), and all the "wedge" issues (got to get primed for the '06 elections).

Nothing will get done about health care (that would be the case for Kerry too).

There will be more deregulation across the board (regulations cut into business profits and hurts the investor class).

More of the tax burden will be passed onto the salary class (this is about a 20-year trend, I believe).

And I'll have a frown on my face for a couple of days.

[crawjo]

I think the record deficits will continue regardless of who is president. I noted in Edwards's speech at the DNC convention that the Dems are proposing a rollback on the taxcuts for the wealthiest two percent of Americans. But this rollback was sold not in order to balance the budget, but in order to pay for expansion of various programs; ranging from healthcare to education and college tuition and on and on.

I think the only thing that will erase the deficits will be what did it before: a strong economy generating lots of revenue.

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by Jazzzoline

Why Montréal? Any reason?

Montreal is the Canadian city closest to Manhattan, perhaps? Or maybe Al has a secret craving for Ben's Smoked Meat.

Four more years of Bush. Hmmm. The United States will become ugly with fear, as Al Qaeda and other newly formed terrorist groups will find new ways to kill lots of Americans in America or wherever else they can. The U.S. economy will falter as more and more funds are diverted to trying to increase security at home from attacks. The 2008 elections will be indefinitely postponed because of a constant state of red alerts posted by Homeland Security. As Christmas 2008 approaches, and still no elections, the U.S. Army Reserves (severely depleted by service in Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, and possibly Indonesia) will be called out to quell riots in major Eastern cities.

Alternatively, Bush will be assassinated by Al Qaeda in '06, Cheney will hear the news and have a heart attack and keel over, and we'll be under the wing of none other than Dennis Hastert. He'll run a caretaker government until '08, when Colin Powell and Barak Obama will be elected President and Vice President, respectively. They will be faced with an impossible economic situation, and will be hounded from office in '12, when Neil Bush will be elected President by promising to defraud big European and Chinese banks to get enough money to get the government out of hock.

Thank you Scott for pointing out my error, which is my fault, my fault, my own most grievous fault.

[crawjo]

Here's something I've been thinking about recently. Suppose Al Qaeda does want to disrupt the U.S. elections this year. What would happen if (God forbid) they succeeded in assassinating both Bush and Kerry?

[cookie]

Amsterdam.

Originally Posted by Professor Finch

Alternatively, Bush will be assassinated by Al Qaeda in '06, Cheney will hear the news and have a heart attack and keel over, and we'll be under the wing of none other than Dennis Hastert. He'll run a caretaker government until '08, when Colin Powell and Barak Obama will be elected President and Vice President, respectively. They will be faced with an impossible economic situation, and will be hounded from office in '02,

2102? Thats one hell of a run!!!!

[Tanager]

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

2102? Thats one hell of a run!!!!

Not only that, but 2102 won't be a Presidential election year, so I assume they get impeached or tossed from office in DD's scenario. It sounds reasonable to me.

[Dr Dave]

Go ahead and have fun with my typo. Election of '12, OK?

One day you'll all be sorry.

[Dr Dave]

Originally Posted by crawjo

Here's something I've been thinking about recently. Suppose Al Qaeda does want to disrupt the U.S. elections this year. What would happen if (God forbid) they succeeded in assassinating both Bush and Kerry?

Then it will perhaps be Cheney vs. Edwards? Whatever. I don't think they'd even try.

[Darryl G. Thomas]

Doc,

I think you have the makings of a novel there. Straight out of Tom Clancy. Or that dude who wrote "Advise and Consent".