Predicting The Results: The Election of 2016

What is at stake in the election of 2016? Not much.  Unless you count the future of health care, Social Security, Medicare, voting rights, the economy, abortion, gay marriage, and the environment! Not to mention our potential involvements in Middle Eastern wars and the ongoing fight against terrorism. That’s all!

It is a truism every four years to say, “This is one of the most important presidential election of our time.”  

This time it’s true!

Under one scenario, controversial Republican Donald J. Trump wins the White House and the GOP manages to keep control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Within weeks of the inauguration, Obamacare  is scrapped, the country moves towards a privatized system to replace Social Security, illegal immigration becomes a central issue, Congress is asked to authorize building a wall on the Mexican border and a conservative president appoints several very conservative Supreme Court justices who then get to rule on issues such as voter ID laws, abortion, and gay marriage.

Under another scenario, controversial Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton is elected president. If the Democrats manage to capture control of the Senate, they consistently build on the programs and legacy of President Barack Obama and continue moving America away from the conservative principles of the George W. Bush years. Under this scenario, Justice Antonin Scalia is replaced by a progressive/centrist Supreme Curt justice, with more (potentially)Justices needing to be replaced  in a year or two. The expansion of voting rights, minority rights, gun safety laws, environmental protection, aid to education, increased production of alternative energy and slowing global warming take center stage as important issues.

Sounds important to me!