10 Predictions for 2012

I believe most Americans would agree to these predictions:

1. Obama Care will be declared unconstitutional.

2. The economy will continue to sputter with average GDP growth at 1.5%-2%, far short of the requirements for a recovery and far short of initial administration budget projections. There will be continual downward ‘revisions’ of GDP performance on a quarterly basis. What growth there is will be eaten by inflation in the second half of the year.

3. Fast and Furious will blow up completely taking Attorney General Holder with it. It’s always the cover up! This will lead to reviews of other Justice Department policies; each will cast more and more doubt on the ‘fairness’ of administration policy.

4. Romney will be the nominee for the Republicans. Iowa, 2nd at worse, wins in N.H. and Florida. Romney will defeat President Obama, narrowly in the popular vote (1%-2%) more significantly in the Electoral College.

5. Romney’s VP will be either, Bob McDonald Governor of Virginia, or Rob Portman, Senator from Ohio. McDonald is capable of delivering the Conservative message with a smile and a non threatening manner; he solidifies both right and the independent center. Portman is solid economically. Ohio will be important in the general election.

6. Cabinet wise, look for John Bolton at State, David Petraeus at Defense. Also look for Bush administration folks to reenter the Romney administration in some capacity: Michael Murkasy and Michael Hayden being likely candidates.

7. Republicans will control both houses of Congress; main stream Republicans will battle with Conservatives. The Congressional politics of 2013 and 2014 will be headlined by this philosophical power struggle on the right. Democrats will fight for attention.

8. There will be noise about Hillary as VP; however, she sees the potential for an Obama loss. She either does not want to play or realizes that even should Obama lose, she will be credited with a ‘smaller loss’; win, win for her in some ways. Should Obama win, could a re-elected Obama live with a VP that will be generally credited with keeping him in office? There were reports that had Michelle Obama killing the idea of Hillary as VP last time around! Is Obama willing to piss off Michelle?

9. Portions of the Democratic Party see Obama as frightening and dangerous. They see the Party cast into the wilderness based on ongoing control by hard left Progressive elements. They want Hillary but will settle for a Republican win if that’s what it takes to force the party to turn back toward the middle. They will do their best to undermine Obama without being tainted by the effort.

10. Unemployment numbers will fluctuate above 8%; the manner in which they are formulated will come under intense scrutiny and eventually border on scandal. The White House WILL attempt to influence the, hypothetically, independent agency to report the ‘best possible numbers’.

John Wayne of NM 10:13AM January 03, 2012