giza | Election Disappointment (Reply)

Well, it looks like the elections are just about done. I'm pleased that things went much better this year and that there weren't any major accusations or voter fraud or intimidation. I am very disappointed that Bush won, but at least his win wasn't in controversy this time.

And the Republicans now control both the Executive and Legisilative branches of our government. With one party controlling the lawmaking process, I think this is very bad for everyone concerned. Here's what I think is going to happen in the next 4 years:

Further erosions in civil liberties. Expect the government to gain broader search and seizure powers, perhaps through a PATRIOT 2 Act when the current PATRIOT Act expires in what, 2006? Expect free speech rights to be curtailed when it comes to criticizing our leaders. Expect more people to be arrested and held without bail or trial because they are "suspected or terrorist activities".

4 of the Supreme Court Justices are due to retire in the next 4 years. Expect Bush to appoint 4 new ones that are significantly to the right. This will have a disturbing effect on our society for decades to come.

Expect more money put into the "war in drugs", and more people to be jailed and/or have their property seized for victimless crimes.

Expect a Constitutional Amendment that outright bans gay marriage.

Speaking of gays, I predict that at least one gay rights group will be "made an example of" by the government in the next 4 years in some way, shape, or form.

I expect that the situation in Iraq will worsen, and a draft will be started. I expect that more people my age and younger are going to DIE. :-(

I expect that our relations with other countries will get worse in the next 4 years.

I expect at least 1 terrorist attack on US soil in the next 4 years. Osama bin-Laden said it himself, in that our own foreign policies will determine what the terrorists will (or will not) do to us. Osama may be a mass-murdering fuckhead who should be locked up for the rest of his natural life, but he does make a point.

I expect that our economy will do okay, but that the middle class will continue to suffer while the wealthier get tax breaks. (Fun fact: in 2003, I paid several hundred dollars less income taxes even though I took in a record gross income for that year. Did my worse off parents get a tax break? Hell no! And they bust their asses!)

I think that covers most of my worries for the next 4 years. I really hope that I'm proven wrong on most of this stuff. Only time will tell.