Depressing thought experiment.

Today it careened down the "what would it take for America to become a fasict dictatorship by 2015?"

Now, of course, some of you will say "zomg it is now!!!111eleven", but come on. Sure we might potentially be on the collision course (read below), but the Constitution is still (mostly) intact.

Anyways, here's what my brain came up with. Please note that I'm not a fanatical left-wing nut, nor a fanatical right-wing screwball. I'm just a depressed patriot.

Remainder of Bush's term (2006-Jan 2009): Continued fumbling of national disaster handling means the loss of hundreds of billions of dollars in the economy as entire communities are wiped off the earth, especially along the coast and tornado alley. Continued corruption allegations sweep through his administration and Congress, pretty much inditing the current Republican party on dozens of conspiracies, frauds, and other corruption charges.

The President's approval rating is in the single digits by the time he leaves office.

The Democrats take this opportunity to viciously attack the Republican party and sweeps into office via landslide. New president, new Congress.

Democrats' Term (2009-2012): As the democrats are busy self-congragulating themselves, the economy begins to wobble. Increasing gas prices finally shoot through the roof to six and seven dollars a gallon of gas; the world's oil production faciilities, already stretched to the max, become under increasing attack by fanatical terrorists. This is, of course, coupled with China and India's increasing demand for oil.

Oil continues to rise as transportation costs become increasingly hard to bear for the ordinary American; driving a 7-mpg gas guzzler 90 minutes to work and back becomes expensive. People begin to bemoan the lack of public transportation infrastructure.

General Motors and Ford Motor Company both declare bankruptcy and close their doors. Hundreds of thousands of workers lose some of the last meaningful manufacturing jobs in the country. The event of losing such a huge revenue stream for the economy sends it into shock. Houses are foreclosed by the truckload. Companies and shops, especially around Michigan and Ohio, are shut down en masse, not only because of the auto companies, but because the economy has simply collapsed in this region (Michigan's economy is almost entirely automobile based).

The problems ripple through the rest of the country; banks begin to falter, the housing market finally collapses under its bubble. Fuel has been running out for the weeks leading up to 2012. A particularly harsh winter has thousands of folks unable to pay natural gas bills to heat their homes. Hundreds die of frostbite.

2012 sees fuel riots at gas stations as people become desparate to cling to the few jobs left in the blue collar sector. Businesses are collapsing at a frightful rate as gigantic holes in the economy are emerging due to the breakdown of the transporation infrastructure.

Global warming causes an increase in natural disasters. Hurricanes have essentially obliterated Florida and the Gulf Coast. A few major Earthquakes in California and tornadoes along the midwest continue to ruin the country.

The national debt has continued to climb into the fifteen trillion dollar mark. China, the majority debt-holder for our nation, decides it wants to cash in on the debt we sold them. Unable to pay on most of it, the federal government defaults on a lot of the loans, further destroying the economy. Inflation explodes.

Unemployment hits DEpression-era levels.

The democrats bring all overseas troops home, partly due to the increasing riots, but also because they simply can't pay for them anymore. Iraq, Iran, and Israel especially are left in the lurch. NATO loses half its forces. South Korea is almost completely exposed to North Korea, which has been detonating nuclear weapons as a show of force.

The sudden departure of the USA from the world stage, coupled with it's defaulted debt, leaves a sour taste in most other country's mouths. America is fully disgraced on the world stage.

It's during this point that people realize that the Democrats haven't been doing any better than the battered Republican party. A new radical party comes up, wrapping itself in Patriotism and calling itself the New American party, led by an extremely charismatic leader. They promise an end to the fuel riots, a return of a proud America to the world stage, and new jobs for the recently homeless and unemployed. Finally, he also finds a convenient scapegoat: Mexicans and Arabs, taking most of the low-level jobs, some living here illegally. The party promises to "solve" these problems.

Folks rally behind this new party, and in 2013, the Congress is 75% New American. The new President swears into office.

As Congress is now just a rubber-stamping tool for the president, he begins granting himself sweeping new legislation powers. He declares nationwide martial law and deploys the full American Armed Forces in the cities to regain law and order. Riots finally stop, albeit in mostly bloody manners; hundreds die in every city as the armed forces struggle to regain order.

THe President also sets up "protection" camps for Mexicans and Arabs, and forcibly deports them from their homes and cities to these new facilities. Conditions are, of course, horrible. Food riots are common. A few camps in Kansas become massacre grounds, as thousands are killed in a massive food riot pushing against the guards.

The press is unable to report on this, as martial law is still in effect. People are scared in their own homes as thousands of troops are marching up and down the streets to regain order. Food shortages are common. the FBI, CIA, and NSA are given wide wire-tapping powers. New advances in quantum computing (in Europe and China) have allowed them to monitor and record every phone call, instant message, and email made by Americans. People showing anti-government sentiment are "detained" for "suspected terrorism".

As 2015 rolls in, the President's vitriol has become increasingly anti-immigrant, and blames America's neighbors on its current problems. Troops begin massing on oil-rich Canada and Mexico's border, arguably for "national security". The draft is enacted for the first time in 50 years, with millions of men and women impressed into service and sent to the borders.

The world looks on nervously.

Now what?

You wake up and vow never to eat a couple of triple-decker cheese, tuna and choclate fudge toasted sandwiches as a midnight snack again?

Blimey. Almost as much as we pay in the UK!

ROFL! Wouldn't you just love to hear the screams if they were paying $10 a gallon? Like I just did about an hour ago...

I mean, I'd happily drive a small truck doing 7mpg and polluting the world if I could buy petrol for that price...

Actually, America paying a realistic price for oil products would be the best thing for the world, it might put a stop to their reckless wastage of what is after all, a limited resource.

Creepy.

Last night hubby and I were discussing John Titor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Titor) and what he said was going to happen in the future.

We sort of took that, coupled with what's was going on now politics, massive debt, immigration, bird flu and global warming and carried it to the extreme, and came to almost the identical scenario that you did.

Our whole discussion started with when I noticed that someone proposed "RFID chipping" immigrants.

I think that if we are not careful as a nation we could easily slide into very dark times.

.

England is tiny compared to the USA. I can drive across England on a single tank of gas.

The price of gas in England is cheaper than in the USA, but the British government piles it high with taxes. Blame the government for those high prices.

The Postman

Okay, I know what you're thinking. A Kevin Costner post-apocalyptic movie, but it was so over-the-top that I fell in love with it. A lot of the humor in the movie is poking fun at the genre, and I think it was intentional. I've been a big fan of the genre and so you have to keep your expectations low.

Anyway, your scenerio was pretty close to the premise of the movie.

I liked it much better than Waterworld.

The movie sucks......................
............read David Brin's novel.

That's the whole point. It sucked so bad it was good.

I mean, Tom Petty playing himself as the Mayor of a town built on a hydroelectric dam? It was a hoot!

Actually it would be probably the worst thing for the world..

Since America's economy is based on cheap energy -

Do you think our economy can go down without taking the rest of the world with us at this point?

Look at Germany in the 1930's ..

I'd be much happier if the failing US economy *was* taking the rest of the world with it ... I've been getting an awful L$ -> UK£ rate for the last month or so, thanks to the current weakness of the US$

As long as I have my Cartoon Network, broadband, and the Internet, I dont care what happens

Unless flesh-eating zombies appear in the equation.

The US economy at $7 or $10 a gallon wouldnt fall, it would CRASH

right now the US economy is bad and good at the same time -

Good for some people, bad for others.

I think most would rather something more like the 1990's where it was good for everyone except those who were stingy with paying employees.

Just a small point. People don't die of frostbite...it's the hypothermia that kills em.

The problem isn't so much that the American economy requires cheap energy. The reason it does so is because we have an economy based on keeping as many people in debt as possible. If people didn't owe so much for their house, car, student loan, 2 credit cards, personal loan, home equity loan, and could all get to a job within 20 minutes of their home, we'd do just fine at $10/gallon. The fact is that we create so many avenues for debt, then actually penalize or restrict by employment those who don't delve themselves into debt with luxuries or even necessities, that noone can afford to pay a penny more for ANYTHING.

....millions of Americans try to flee to Canada. We shoot them en masse.

Don't shoot me, I'm already in touch with your immigration department as it is

When we become Fascist where do you think well go for more "living Space"


Mexico is full ..

That leaves canada

But Mexico is warmer, and from what i read shooting Mexicans is a sport over there, when not paying them slave wages illegally.

So invading mexico gives you a place in the sun, target practice, and slave labour.

in 25 years America will be part of mexico

And Corona.

mmm....slavery leads to deliciousness.

Reminds me of the question,

Q: "Does the USA need an official national language?"

A: "Si"

-Ghoti (slowly learning Spanish)

Sadly the future you describe could happen.

I've done all I can do to survive whatever craziness is in store. I'm out of debt, quit my job at Ford, moved from MI to Philly, where I live a 3 minute walk from the rail line.

Should've stayed in Michigan! Closer to Freedom!