by marko » Fri 04 Aug 2006, 16:44:13
$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Eli', 'I')t is hitting the fan right now.
The shit is certainly hitting the fan in Lebanon and Iraq, but not really yet in the United States. Life goes on here much as it has for the past 15 years or so, since the last major recession. Having Bush in the White House is alarming, but I don't think that it has affected daily life here in a profound way. I think "normalcy" also prevails in Europe, and things are looking up all around East Asia at the moment. Not even high oil prices have had a major effect on life in the more comfortable parts of the world.
I voted for 2008 because I think that the US economy (and with it, the global economy) will start to seriously deteriorate next year. The geopolitical situation in the Middle East can also only get worse in my view. By 2008, both China, with its boom now a bust, and the US, with millions of homeowners facing foreclosure, will be ripe for a war, which is the time-tested way for political leaders to distract their people from problems at home. A conveniently timed terrorist attack on the US could also provide a pretext for the neo-Cons to suspend the election and maintain their hold on power.
It's interesting that 2008 gets by far the most votes. Are others thinking along similar lines?