Here's my fairly safe prediction of America's election year 2008.

The Republicans this year face a predicament, which is that they are fairly sure to lose the final runoff if they nominate a candidate that represents the status quo. Instead, they have the choice of nominating either (1) someone who stands to deflate the federal government balloon, or (2) someone who would merely reduce some of the damage the federal government does.

If they go this route, the Republicans will choose the one they think is likelier to win the presidency.

The Democrats, meanwhile, will be flipping the coin between two candidates, both obviously in favor of a big strong federal government: one dishonest and evil one, and one apparently more honest, but unusual one.

With the mainstream media being controlled entirely by people with vested interest in the way things are, and with the internet not yet being strong enough to influence a majority of voters, it is likely that:
  • if the Republicans nominate a candidate promoting any real change, the mainstream media will favor the Democratic candidate, who won't;
  • and if the Republicans nominate a candidate promoting no real change, the voters, looking for relief after the Republican incompetence of the past two terms, will vote Democratic.
The overall match is therefore likely to be won by a Democratic candidate.

In the next four years, therefore, the USA will likely have either its first woman, or its first non-white male, as lead tyrant.

In subsequent elections, perhaps as soon as by 2012, the internet will have grown strong enough to surpass the mass outlets as the medium with the most influence on voters. The disinformation and illusion which the mass media spoonfeed to people will keep losing its grip. More people will start to change their minds as they get access to information. There will be more and more phenomena like Ron Paul; each time, such phenomena will be able to get stronger; and eventually, reason might prevail and, once after a long while, all this power might go to someone selfless and sensible enough to finally deflate it.