Despite the screams of many terrified Cassandras (one of which I’ve been for a month), warnings didn’t work and Odysseus is set to move inside the white walls of happy Troy. All right, this analogy may be too far-fetched, but many of the celebrating Trojans will eventually have to face the grim reality. And since predicting the future sometimes helps to shape it (just ask CNN and NBC) I’m putting a Nostradamus’s hat on and revealing some predictions. While many smart and much better informed people are predicting now the next Obama’s moves and GOP’s reaction, my premonitions are based only on common sense. And so it goes, in no particular order:
1. Mainstream media (MSM) will go into a “mea culpa” mode.
And it would have nothing to do with consciousness. During this election, the MSM figured that winning was more important that keeping the gloves on and so it went a tad too far. It made moderate liberals to talk about pro-Obama bias, as for conservatives it made them see MSM the way it really has been – a tool utilized to the full degree by the left to gain power. Fox has been labeled conservative for years, but now AP, CNN, NBC and others can’t avoid being labeled liberal by a large chunk of Americans. And this is something they can’t afford, since it undermines their usefulness, not to mention potential business losses. The same pragmatic minds who decided to take the mask off during the election season will decide to put it on promptly now, and to work hard to convince us that they truly are independent and unbiased media outlets. And there’s no better way to do that than saying “Oh my, look at how mean we’ve been to poor Sarah and good ol’ John.” Expect AP stories about media bias, experts’ opinions on how media must be more neutral in the future, a mild (very mild) criticism of Obama and influx of conservative-focused articles. Don’t expect this mode to last long though. Probability: 99%. Advice: don’t buy into it and get used to getting your news from variety of sources, including alternative media (means blogs).
2. President-elect Obama’s staff will work hard to lower expectations.
When your supporters think they won’t have to pay their mortgages after the inauguration, there’s a big gap between change they believe in and change you can deliver. The campaign is over and it’s time start lowering the temperature of the water, so that cold shower of reality doesn’t come as a shock. Expect direct messaging from the President-elect’s staff and influx of let’s-get-real articles in MSM. Probability: 99.9%. Advice: once it’s start happening bring it up with those of your friends who supported Obama, but are open to a discussion.
3. Domestic economic situation will improve significantly in three months after President Obama moves into the White House.
I know it sounds like a crazy conspiracy theory (and it probably is), but Nostradamus’s hat insists on this prediction. The timing of this crisis was too interesting to rule it out. Probability: 70%. Expect: Dr. Slogan to be silent about this topic until his prediction is validated or proved inaccurate by reality. Advice: don’t pay much attention to this prediction unless it gets validated.
And as a bonus, here are a couple of red flags to watch out for:
1. Continuous proliferation of the familiar round logo and portraits of the President-elect.
While the change slogans are likely to go away soon (in part due to the prediction number 2), the round logo can still be utilized. If it does, be wary. Symbols are a very powerful tool and the only symbols the President should be utilizing are those of the country.
2. Suppression of the President-elect’s criticism either by concerned citizens, public officials or any combination of those.
Truth squads were perhaps the most frightening element that surfaced during the campaign. Any truth-squading activity once the campaign is over would be twice as frightening. For a good sample of the level of criticism President Obama should be ready to accept, refer to the public’s and media’s feedback to President Bush.
If you spot new round logos somewhere after December, or face free speech suppression please share your concerns here and on other forums.
That concludes today’s portion of Dr. Slogan’s common sense medicine.
Dr. Slogan's Prescriptions 
Dr. Slogan: Re: #3 above
Since the ‘economy’ is essentially whatever the media arm of the Democratic National Committee (that would be ALL of the ‘mainstream’ media) says it is, I think that your prediction should go from 70% to 100%.
I base this on my observation that whenever the Democrats need the ‘economy’ (whatever that is; something like the ‘temperature of the planet’ to a resolution of 0.1 deg F) to be in the tank, it is in the tank. Whenever they need a strong, robust economy, no economy could be stronger.
Bob Ludwick
(nickname: Mr. Cynic)
“3. Domestic economic situation will improve significantly in three months after President Obama moves into the White House.”
As to this prediction, you are correct in a way but miss the point. His media darlings will begin reporting on the 97% of the American people who have been doing just fine under Bush instead of the 3%. This happens whenever a Republican is in the WH.
Also expect to see “noted experts” brought on to explain that 7%, 8%, and 9%…unemployment is actually healthy for an economy and $8 a gallon gas is a sign of optimal economic success.
So someone thinks the media has a conscience which will compel them toward more “honest journalism”. Have I got news for this fellow!
Chris Matthews is already on record as saying now it is the media’s job to make sure Obama “succeeds” as President. According to Chrissy, any criticism at all (even a mild wonderment as to why the Chief of Staff selection wasn’t ironed out beforehand) is unfair and irresponsible because Obama has a “hard job” now.
Anyone who thinks the MSM will change its stripes is crazy. At some point during the last several years, we reached sort of a tipping point. The MSM decided the stakes were so high that even the semblance of an even handed approach would be irresponsible. Morality, patriotism, love of freedom, and all that is holy demanded that every “journalist” take up the sword and vanquish the evil Booosh and save the world before it is too late. They could no longer afford to pretend to be mere reporters of the news, they had to openly manufacture the news and become advocates for truth, justice and the American way — you know, gay marriage, full constitutional rights for captured enemy combatants, and recognizing the hero status of illegal immigrants and stuff like that.
It was only permitted to humbly and respectfully speak the name of The Anointed One in the context of a fawning report of his latest miracle or super human accomplishment. There was certainly no interest in inquiring about his ties to Black racists or White terrorists or his constitutional eligibility for the office. After all, what did it matter if the manger was in Hawaii or Kenya– he’s here to save us now, and that’s what really counts. Besides there is only so much time for investigation, there are really some important scandals out there like Sarah Palin’s wardrobe.
I grudgingly admit they were more effective than I ever thought possible in destroying one President and inventing another. You and I thought the MSM had been severely damaged by the “new” media, but we were wrong. They are as powerful as ever among the less well informed, and that’s just about everybody when you think about it.
Now that such power has come to fruition, should it be assumed the MSM will give a mea culpa and become actual journalists? Or is it more likely the new power will be used to protect gains and expand influence? The answer is already in. Those brazen few who had the gall to oppose The One Whose Middle Name We Dare Not Speak have been instructed as to the necessary pennance.
McCain has been told to repent, admit his mistakes, and re-assume his role as the maverick who screws conservatives on each major network on a rotating weekly basis. I have no doubt he will comply.
Palin has a tougher road. According to the compassionate journalists, she must retire to Alaska, secure time on national TV and tearfully apologize for setting back the conservative cause, the liberal cause, and general cause of mankind by projecting womanhood in such a despicable fashion. She must acknowledge the “universal scientific consensus” that she has surpassed Global Warming as the greatest threat to human survival by her mere existence. I doubt she will comply.
The surf board carrying the left wing media has hit the crest of the wave and this is the best part of the ride, They ain’t getting off now, brother.
Interesting take. One thing I disagree on. Yes the media can make good economic times look bad. But they can’t make horrible economic times look good. If the Democrats implement wind fall taxes on “big oil” supply goes down, check out the jimmy carter years.
most, if not all, of the morons that voted for Obama probably don’t remember gas lines.
What’s interesting is socialists and marxists of populace slogans and such. yet in practice their policies screw the poor.
Personelly I hope the first business the Democrats take on is the so called “fairness doctrine.” Rush Limbaugh alone has over 20 million listeners daily. That obvious breach of the first amendement will light a fire under the self reliant conservatives that build America.
As a working member of the press, let me tell you: Obama could trip over his shoelaces, and the media would report it as a superhuman feat. But while it’s easy enough to blame the journalists themselves for this kind of nonsense (and even deservedly), think for a moment about who is advocating it. Journalists report to their editors, who in turn report to their publishers…and its advertisers and subscribers who keep the whole boat afloat. If the public, or at least a sizeable segment of the public, were to rebel and simply refuse to accept this crap from the mainstream media, publishers would soon get a cold dose of reality — or risk going bankrupt. Readers (and viewers), it’s time to vote with your wallet!! And let’s not forget our mouths and pens. This is no time to be quiet.
RE: media
If you recall, we heard them saying before this cycle started that they weren’t going to be “GORING” anyone…they had learned their lesson!!
LIARS!~
“So someone thinks the media has a conscience which will compel them toward more “honest journalism”. Have I got news for this fellow!
Chris Matthews is already on record as saying now it is the media’s job to make sure Obama “succeeds” as President. According to Chrissy, any criticism at all (even a mild wonderment as to why the Chief of Staff selection wasn’t ironed out beforehand) is unfair and irresponsible because Obama has a “hard job” now.
> JL Says: But while it’s easy enough to blame the journalists themselves for this kind of nonsense (and even deservedly), think for a moment about who is advocating it. Journalists report to their editors, who in turn report to their publishers…and its advertisers and subscribers who keep the whole boat afloat
Absolutely. You’ve expressed the point I was making (and judging from some other comments somewhat failed to make). Blaming journalists is naive. Yes, many of them have a significant liberal bias, but that’s not the main problem. It’s always about following the money. Somebody pays that bills and behind passionate media there are some pragmatic people. They don’t write long articles, but they write fat checks. And yes, ads may be a way to really affect this — as long as this a substantial effort.
You are exactly correct.
The media will have a small hineymoon period indeed, because only Democrats are left to cover!
I meant Honeymoon.
Hineymoon is redundant.
Your 2 red flags seemed to have come true, but I’m still waiting for predictions 1 to 3 to come true.