A Look at 2011

Today is January 1, 2011 and I’ve been reading a number of articles online about what they think this year will be like in a number of areas, politics, society, technology, business, etc, etc. I’d thought I would add my two cents to the mix. I think I’m about as qualified as most of the writers, since I don’t think most people can predict that well and just sort of use these predictions to continue their agenda.

Politics
I expect a lot of people telling us that they are for the elimination of partisanship and then continuing on the same course as last year. The Democrats will be moaning about the loss of seats and the Republicans will be gloating. Expect both sides to say that they wish the other side would sit down and talk. In the end, the Democrats and the Republicans will be in a very similar position as they are today. Which is ineffective. Will partisanship continue? Oh yes. Will Congress pass reform to clean up lobbyists and money? Nope, Congress will try to do something, but frankly, lobbyists and money will block any attempt to clean up Congress since Congress doesn’t know how to live without this money. Someone will try.

Society
People talk about the rise of the Tea Party. I think the real Tea Party will go under and the new faux Tea Party of the Republican Party will take over. The real Tea Party (the real men and women of the country that feel a change is needed) will be pushed to one side and told that the government will be doing exactly what the real Tea Party wants, except they won’t. Look to Michelle Bachman and the faux Tea Party types try and reach out to the real base. I give the Real Tea Party people some credit. I think they and thousands of people realize we are in trouble. The problem is that they have no leadership who doesn’t have a personal agenda. If they ever get a real person to step in front of the parade, they could be a great influence. But that person will be probably crushed by the faux leadership running to the front to act like leaders.

Jobs
Watch the numbers rise. I think there are more jobs on the horizon. They won’t be great jobs, but will be better than the minimum wage jobs we have been adding. Washington talks about the middle class, but does little to help it. Until the middle class has good jobs and better chances, only then will a recovery occur. But the middle class doesn’t donate money to politicians.

Business
US businesses have figured out that the US isn’t going to provide a lot of money to the bottom line and so they are determining the best course of action to keep their profits up and their executive jobs. This is the reason for expansion into China, India and other countries. Except both China and India are both willing to allow other countries products in and then have a local entrepreneur step in and offer cheaper and better marketed products to their own people. China sort of looks at the Pepsi’s and McDonald’s as the test markets. Let them come in and sell the people that they should be buying a Pepsi and then when people want one, then sell a Chinese version that is cheaper. Nationalism is too strong, but the lure of a buck is too much for US companies.

Technology
As businesses keep demanding people work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to pretend we are the center of the world, I believe more and more technology will be used to allow people to believe they have a home life and yet be connected. Smartphones demonstrate that you can be on a vacation and still have a leash to work. They can yank it at any time they need you. And with more and more tools, like IPads, you can tie into work to take care of problems, meet, review etc.

A bit negative, I know. But I really do believe that at the end of 2011, we will look back and think we were just spinning our wheels for a year.