A year from now.

I have a theory about the next year. Okay - a couple of theories. But one that struck me two days ago has been rolling around in my head collecting other thoughts and though it is clearly not a complete theory - I am going to midwife it now.
It assumes an Obama win - sorry. The polls are all over the map and the race is probably tighter than it appears. But the media won't allow Obama to lose. How much Palin spends on her hair is now the idiotic "news" of the day. Obvious sexism aside, I, for one, would like to know how much Biden spends on booze. This non news news will continue until the election.

A year from now moderates - read as "Clinton voters" - will be much happier with President Obama than the Arugula Left that currently is frothing and foaming about the lightbringer. There is almost no way to tangibly predict what President Obama will do. His past and voting record and associations say we are going hard Left. Then again his economic and foreign policy advisers are all moderates or conservatives. The American military will be engaged in Iraq to a lesser degree. But many of those soldiers will be redeployed elsewhere. Iran will have to be dealt with whether Obama likes it or not. This will cause heartburn in the Huffington/Kos cheering section. Though the Andrew Sullivan types will justify and rationalize until their heads explode.

Israel is another matter worth thinking about. Certainly Obama will be less pro Israel than his immediate predecessors. But we will defend her regardless. The American psyche won't allow anything else. If we don't deal with Iran, Israel will - and we will come down on Israel's side - to the frustration of the hard left who see the Palestinians as the only victims in the region. The most rabid anti-Zionists that alight on the Obama site are in for a rude awakening. Allowing Iran a nuclear weapon won't be tolerable to the American military. Obama will be called an "imperialist" soon enough. Biden telegraphed as much the other day.
Biden pretty much admits that Obama's response will piss off the Democratic base. I'm thinking military action against Iran after a terror strike on U.S. soil. That's just a guess.

Regardless, Obama won't allow himself to be seen as anything but muscular in dealing with trouble. The fantasy of "hope and change" won't hold up long for the Left.

On the economic front taxes will go up nominally. Conservatives will squeal. But moderates will go along. In the end Obama is being dealt the worst hand imaginable economically. He won't be blamed for a while. After about 10 months it will absolutely be considered his problem and shortly thereafter his fault. For all the yelling about "socialism" there will be no money for drastic changes. Instead of targeted tax cuts we will get targeted tax hikes AND targeted tax cuts. The usual Democratic corruption will be in evidence, replacing the usual GOP corruption.

The Supreme court will have some openings - but I would not look for Lawrence Tribe as the type that will be nominated. Look for solid moderates - like Hillary Clinton. Obama will not be expending capital forcing ideologues past the Senate and Fox news.

When Biden says tough decisions will have to be made he is, in fact, referring to the Democratic base having to swallow hard.

A moderate/left administration replacing the current right wing crew will surprise many. (I am not even sure how far left Obama will go. ) It will disappoint even more.

I could be wrong - it may be that Obama will usher in a dark age of Maoist thought as so many fear. We will probably find out soon enough.