Who do you think will be sworn in on Jan 20, 2009?

[SheilaT]

Since I can't really do the kind of three or four part poll I'd like to do, look at the choices carefully, and give me lots of names.

I want to generate a discussion beyond the usual simple polling that's been done here, which focuses only on Democrats and goes almost exclusively with the Big Three (Hillary, John Kerry, and Al Gore) and results in a lot of energy expended on either defending or attacking one of those three as the Best Possible Nominee for 2008.

So that's why I'm not coming up with any names myself, and I want you all to do is think long and hard about this and give me solid reasons why you think your person will not only get the nomination but will win the election, as well as why that person will win. And the reason I made Republican the first choice in each category, is that we need to be realistic about the likelihood that the regime will consolidate its power and stay more or less in place.

On edit: Please stick to realistic possibilities, and not just the person you'd like to see inaugurated. I should have made that clear in the initial posting.

[wtmusic]

1. Curious -- who decided on the "Big Three"?

[SheilaT]

4. Generally the Big Three

are the ones that come up over and over again as preferred by those posting here. And generate a LOT of nastiness between those who support wholeheartedly and those who wish that potential candidate would disappear.

[reichstag911]

2. GW as president-for-life.

No explanation needed, I think.

[benburch]

3. NOBODY.

GWB will be dictator by then unless we stop him.

[SheilaT]

6. We still have whatever amendment it is that

term-limits a President, so GWB isn't really a valid choice. At least not unless a Constitutional Amendment gets pushed through changing that.

[benburch]

7. Dictators don't follow laws.

History is most clear on that matter...

[nickinSTL]

8. yeah, and Bush and his cronies are SOOO concerned

about following the Constitution :eyes:

They'll declare martial law, or something in the wake of some "emergency", and that will be the end of it.

[bullimiami]

5. jeb fucking bush.

because our democracy is a joke. finished.

[SheilaT]

9. It's hard for me to see

Jeb Bush making it through the entire nomination process, but he's certainly a possibility. However, the question to ask yourself is, does Jeb really have that kind of support from the Republican leadership as a whole, and how would he do during the primary season?

And I'm personally as cynical and angry as anyone here, but I don't seriously believe W will even attempt a third term. Of course, I suppose we could get an interesting scenario where they get the Supreme Court to declare the 22nd Amendment null and void, but let's not worry about that right now.

[eek]

10. if there had been a choice, i'd have chosen "there won't be

a swearing-in"

Rather, I think there will be some sort of Mao/Stalin/kim jung il/saddam hussein - looking Dear Leader Fest
complete with all them purty banners and posters with lil boots' face plastered all over everything.



(shortly thereafter jebbie will take overe because lil boots will want to retire - in triumph "at last! i'm a success, loved by all!" to his rumpus room/ bar )

[SheilaT]

14. I wish I'd thought of that as a choice.

However, I don't think these people will make that naked a grab of the power they already have. They will instead make it look quite legal, and don't need to declare martial law or anything like that. Despite everything, we still have an almost-working system here. Yes, the Republicans control the voting machines (which is why I personally think R's will retain power this fall and stand a good chance of winning in 08), and despite the general disgust at them, they keep on behaving as if 90% of the country really supported everything they do. The disconnect between their behavior and the real world is quite astonishing.

And of course, those who listen mainly to Fox News, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, et al, have no idea that they are living in a parallel universe.

[Andrea]

11. Mark Warner

He would not be my first choice - that would be Al Gore - but I think he is centrist enough to pull over all the Republicans that are disgusted by the current situation.

[jojo54]

12. Am I entitled to a fantasy here?.......

....which is at the eleventh hour, someone (lib or ind) will rise up, take the country by storm and will put this country back on track again.

(sigh). I love dreaming....

[mrgorth]

13. Jeb

Because I think they have us by the short and curlys.

[sofa king]

15. George W. Bush

America is dead. You just don't know it yet.