What might have happened?

[TampaYankee]

Asked in another thread but moved here for more appropriate forum placement.

I wonder what might have happened if McCain/Palin had been elected?

Just a guess... but not an uneducated one, I think.

No GM or Chrysler.

No second half installment of TARP, Wall St bailout, maybe? If so then several big banks MIA along with AIG.

No American Recovery and Reinvestment Act with much higher unemployment, probably Depression levels. Country still in recesstion, more likely Depression, probably world-wide.

Still record high deficits with more tax giveaways and even lower tax revenues with the increased unemployment, more unpaid-for wars to fight.

Right wing social agenda on the rise in goverment policy, regs and laws.

More war... probably Iran, definitely Libya according to last week's comments. Increased defense spending a good guess.

No DADT repeal or Health Care Reform. No recourse for women employess of war contractors who get raped and then illegally detained by companies. MOre of this type of stuff.

I believe that the electorate would be very unhappy with Congress and President McCain, polling of Democrats would be at all time highs, rightly or wrongly.

Oh, and a brain-dead VP who, if we are lucky, spends most her time trying to shoot a moose.

I suspect others might have a rosier outlook but I don't know on what basis.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Wow TY, you really are against Republicans. I believe in creative destruction. It can be inconvenient and stressful for many people but it will take us to a better shape. I also believe that making the transition easier during the creative destruction process is important. Unfortunately, I don't think that is in progress. Financial "reforms" that took under Obama administration simply mask problems so does health care reform. It prevents creative destruction IMO. I'm not implying that McCain would have done better. Nobody knows. Many once great nation in history fell and I guess it will happen to the US too. We can delay it of course by accepting new ideas and thinking outside the box.

[Guest zipperzone]

Wow TY, you really are against Republicans. I believe in creative destruction. It can be inconvenient and stressful for many people but it will take us to a better shape. I also believe that making the transition easier during the creative destruction process is important. Unfortunately, I don't think that is in progress. Financial "reforms" that took under Obama administration simply mask problems so does health care reform. It prevents creative destruction IMO. I'm not implying that McCain would have done better. Nobody knows. Many once great nation in history fell and I guess it will happen to the US too. We can delay it of course by accepting new ideas and thinking outside the box.

I don't think what TY said necessarily indicates he against Republicans. He's just against the idiocy that McCain?Palin wound bring to Washington. The scariest part of all is contemplating what would happen to the country and the whole world, if they had been elected and McCain died of a heart attack brought on by the pressure of the job, not an unlikely scenario, IMO. Think about it - that would leave Caribou Barbie as the most powerful head of state in the world. If you think that is a healthier situation than Obama, at his worst, then you really are thinking outside the box.

Outside the box is a figure of speech that has risen in popularity in recent years. It most commonly used to describe whack-job solutions that haven't a chance in hell of working. Just anther buzz-word that attempts to add credibility to things that don't deserve any.

[Guest BeachBoy]

More war... probably Iran, definitely Libya according to last week's comments. Increased defense spending a good guess.

Probably Iran? DEFINITELY Iran! Remember him singing "Bomb Iran" to the Beach Boys song?

[TampaYankee]

Wow TY, you really are against Republicans.

I dont know what my feelings have to do with the list I created. Does anyone really believe that what I said isn't likely to be true. Most of the list comes from McCain and Republican statements and votes on the record.

BTW, I voted Republican in every Presidential election through Dole, with the exception of Carter. I voted McCain in the 2000 Primary, the last GOP vote I cast.

[Guest hitoallusa]

Thanks TY. I read your initial post very fast and I simply stated my premature interpretation.

I dont know what my feelings have to do with the list I created. Does anyone really believe that what I said isn't likely to be true. Most of the list comes from McCain and Republican statements and votes on the record.

BTW, I voted Republican in every Presidential election through Dole, with the exception of Carter. I voted McCain in the 2000 Primary, the last GOP vote I cast.

[Guest BeachBoy]

I keep coming back to this list, TY, and thinking about it - I've always been fascinated by the idea of the what-ifs of life, especially when it comes to stuff like this.

I think I agree with you on most of your list, except, I think, for:

Right wing social agenda on the rise in goverment policy, regs and laws.

Honestly, I don't know about that one. I don't know if with a GOP in the WH they would feel the need to push their agenda anymore - simply because no one in power gives a shit about the social agenda in a practical sense, only in a political sense - keep them runnin' scared and lovin' Jesus, and they'll vote for us forever - so once they got in, they'd put it away until they needed it again.

I could be totally wrong, though - for all I know we could have been ass-deep in Family Values by now. And not in a good way.

[TampaYankee]

I keep coming back to this list, TY, and thinking about it - I've always been fascinated by the idea of the what-ifs of life, especially when it comes to stuff like this.

I think I agree with you on most of your list, except, I think, for:

Right wing social agenda on the rise in goverment policy, regs and laws.

Honestly, I don't know about that one. I don't know if with a GOP in the WH they would feel the need to push their agenda anymore - simply because no one in power gives a shit about the social agenda in a practical sense, only in a political sense - keep them runnin' scared and lovin' Jesus, and they'll vote for us forever - so once they got in, they'd put it away until they needed it again.

I could be totally wrong, though - for all I know we could have been ass-deep in Family Values by now. And not in a good way.

It's an interesting conjecture. Not sure what we are seeing in the House is consistent with that but they don't have the WH so it doesn't disprove it either. It does seem that the Tea Party has the GOP establishment running scared.

[Guest BeachBoy]

It's an interesting conjecture. Not sure what we are seeing in the House is consistent with that but they don't have the WH so it doesn't disprove it either. It does seem that the Tea Party has the GOP establishment running scared.

Honestly, I think the Tea Party, as a major movement, has dissolved - and the GOP is longing to win them over by stoking their distinguished fires.

[BiBottomBoy]

If McCain/Palin had been elected we'd:

1. Still be at war in Iraq

2. Still be at war in Afghanistan

3. Still have prisoners at Gimo

4. Be trying the 9/11 masterminds in military instead of civilian courts

5. Be in the middle of a massive culture war

6. Have high unemployment rates.

7. Have a Supreme Court that gives more rights to corporations than people.

8. People would spend more time worrying about American Idol than real political events

9. We'd be bombing Libya

10. We'd have to see Palin on television all the time.

11. Fringe groups would be bitching about the deficit.

12. China would hold most of our foreign debt.

13. We'd have a health care system remarkably similar to the Huckabee one.

14. We'd be gearing up for the most expensive presidential election ever.

Oh, wait...

[TampaYankee]

If McCain/Palin had been elected we'd:

1. Still be at war in Iraq

2. Still be at war in Afghanistan

3. Still have prisoners at Gimo

4. Be trying the 9/11 masterminds in military instead of civilian courts

5. Be in the middle of a massive culture war

6. Have high unemployment rates.

7. Have a Supreme Court that gives more rights to corporations than people.

8. People would spend more time worrying about American Idol than real political events

9. We'd be bombing Libya

10. We'd have to see Palin on television all the time.

11. Fringe groups would be bitching about the deficit.

12. China would hold most of our foreign debt.

13. We'd have a health care system remarkably similar to the Huckabee one.

14. We'd be gearing up for the most expensive presidential election ever.

Oh, wait...

Don't forget the two new right wing members of the Supreme court too. That would make the right wing majority 7-3, with another liberal member on the cusp of retirement.

[Guest BeachBoy]

That would make the right wing majority 7-3, with another liberal member on the cusp of retirement.

Jesus, that gives me heart palpitations. And not the good kind.