The world is going to Hell in a handbasket

Depressed today.  Decided to do a risk assessment of possible (and impossible) and likely (and unlikely) outcomes.  Feel free to chime in.

McCain & Palin win and Republicans eke out a majority in Congress:  Impossible.

McCain & Palin win and Democrats retain control over Congress:  Less and less likely.

Obama & Biden win and Republicans eke out a majority Congress:  Not bloody likely.

Obama & Biden win and Democrats retain control over Congress:  Possible and likely.

If the latter is true, then what?

Ideally, after only two years, American voters are disgusted with total Democratic rule and they throw the Democrats out of Congress, with a chastened Republican majority returning.  Then, in 2012, Americans elect a Republican president, and this whole damn cycle starts again.  Damage to the country during those two years:  substantial (especially at the Supreme Court level), but not irreversible.  (Think Carter, then Reagan.)

Less ideally, the above scenario plays out over an eight year period, not a four year period.  The damage to the country would be more significant, and the ability to reverse it much more challenging.  (Think Clinton, then Bush, although one hopes for someone stronger domestically than Bush.)

Worst case scenario:  All Democratic all the time for the next eight years.  Damage to country:  profound and irreversible.  Hello, Europe!  Here we come.  And, given time, Hello, Eurabia, here we come!  And given really enough time, “Hail, Comrade Mohammed!”

Did I mention that I’m feeling depressed today?  I have got to stop reading the newspapers, the polls and the blogs.  I need to get out more.  I need to sleep on a chair in the sun the way my dog does.  I need lots of chocolate.