2023: Predictions and Hopes

 In less than 36 hours, we change over to the new year.  I will celebrate the new year by crossing the Wilford Brimley-Coccon line.

Here are my predictions for what the next twelve months will bring.  The actual key predictions will be underlined.  As always, these are just the ramblings of the author- please do not rely on them when making any decisions, especially financial ones:

1)  Three technologies- Artificial Intelligence, Fusion Energy, and Genetic Editing- will continue to make progress.  In each case, there will be advancements (genetic editing is already being used to treat genetic diseases.) Also in each case, there will be a backlash that will develop, becoming one more front on the US culture war

2)  The Ukraine-Russia war will continue throughout 2023.  As Russia gets caught in a stalemate, they will focus on putting pressure on the Western nations to force Ukraine to come to peace talks, painting Ukraine as the villain if Ukraine won't just give up 'some' of their country.

China, eying Taiwan, is watching closely.  Any sign of weakness on the part of the West will encourage them to find a pretense to invade Taiwan.

3) The US just had their 2022 elections- which means they will gear up for the 2024 Presidential elections.  Each party is facing an existential crisis that will just start heating up over the next year.

The Democrats will need to decide if they trust Joe Biden (who turned 80 last month) as President for four more years.  Someone who is not considered a top tier contender will challenge him on the Democratic side, and every public stumble will have the voters consider throwing their support behind the challenger.   

4)  The GOP needs to decide if they will break off their toxic relationship with Donald Trump.  I think the GOP Establishment saw enough in 2022 to know how toxic he is.  The Establishment will discourage any other contenders from running to anoint Florida Governor Ron DeSantis as the frontrunner to defeat Trump in the primaries and go after Biden in 2024 (much like the Democratics did with Biden in 2020).

5)  Let's go with some more lighthearted areas to wrap this up:

* The Buffalo Bills will defeat the Philadelphia Eagles to win their first Super Bowl Title

* The Boston Celtics will defeat the Denver Nuggets to win the NBA Title

* The Los Angeles Dodgers will defeat the New York Yankees to win the World Series

* "Everything Everywhere All At Once" will win the best Picture of the Year

We will check back in twelve months to see how the predictions fared.

Be well.