US Government dysfunction and runaway political polarization bingo card. I don’t expect any particular one of these to happen but it seems plausible that at least one of these will happen.
A sanctuary city conducts armed patrols to oppose ICE raids, or the National Guard refuses a direct order from the president en masse
Internal migration is de facto restricted for US citizens or green card holders
For debt ceiling reasons, the US significantly defaults on its debt, stops Social Security payments, grounds flights, or issues a trillion-dollar coin
US declares a neutral humanitarian NGO like the WHO a foreign terrorist organization
A major news network (eg CNN) or social media site other than Tiktok (eg Facebook) loses licenses for ideological reasons
A Democratic or Republican candidate for president, governor, or Congress is kept off a state ballot
A major elected official or Cabinet member takes office while incarcerated
Election issues on the scale of 1876, where Congress can’t decide on the president until past January 20
A state or local government establishes a 100% tax bracket or wealth tax
The Fed chair is fired, or three board members
A NCAA D1 college or pro sports league establishes a minimum quota for transgender athletes
Existing solar/wind plants are decommissioned, or a state legally caps its percentage of solar energy (not just making it contingent on batteries or something practical)
US votes for a UN resolution to condemn itself, e.g. for human rights abuses
US withdraws from the UN, NATO, G7 or G20
US allies boycott the 2028 Olympics
Court packing; the Supreme Court has more than 9 justices
agree, I originally wanted to make a list of all things that would be wildly unpopular but that toxoplasma of rage could theoretically make happen. But then it seemed more interesting to list things that could have more government or geopolitical relevance.
My understanding is that CNN doesn’t have or need “licenses”, because it is a cable news network. Broadcast licenses from the FCC are for broadcast stations.
Issuing a trillion-dollar coin doesn’t seem nearly as bad as any of the others in its bullet. Isn’t it just an accounting gimmick roughly equivalent to raising the debt ceiling by $1 trillion?
The idea is they’re printing money, not just borrowing it, which in the extreme would cause hyperinflation (and is equivalent to default since debt is in nominal dollars). It probably seems less bad though.
US Government dysfunction and runaway political polarization bingo card. I don’t expect any particular one of these to happen but it seems plausible that at least one of these will happen.
A sanctuary city conducts armed patrols to oppose ICE raids, or the National Guard refuses a direct order from the president en masse
Internal migration is de facto restricted for US citizens or green card holders
For debt ceiling reasons, the US significantly defaults on its debt, stops Social Security payments, grounds flights, or issues a trillion-dollar coin
US declares a neutral humanitarian NGO like the WHO a foreign terrorist organization
A major news network (eg CNN) or social media site other than Tiktok (eg Facebook) loses licenses for ideological reasons
A Democratic or Republican candidate for president, governor, or Congress is kept off a state ballot
A major elected official or Cabinet member takes office while incarcerated
Election issues on the scale of 1876, where Congress can’t decide on the president until past January 20
A state or local government establishes a 100% tax bracket or wealth tax
The Fed chair is fired, or three board members
A NCAA D1 college or pro sports league establishes a minimum quota for transgender athletes
Existing solar/wind plants are decommissioned, or a state legally caps its percentage of solar energy (not just making it contingent on batteries or something practical)
US votes for a UN resolution to condemn itself, e.g. for human rights abuses
US withdraws from the UN, NATO, G7 or G20
US allies boycott the 2028 Olympics
Court packing; the Supreme Court has more than 9 justices
Multiple Supreme Court justices are impeached
The NCAA one seems very out of place on this list.
agree, I originally wanted to make a list of all things that would be wildly unpopular but that toxoplasma of rage could theoretically make happen. But then it seemed more interesting to list things that could have more government or geopolitical relevance.
Agreed.
My understanding is that CNN doesn’t have or need “licenses”, because it is a cable news network. Broadcast licenses from the FCC are for broadcast stations.
Issuing a trillion-dollar coin doesn’t seem nearly as bad as any of the others in its bullet. Isn’t it just an accounting gimmick roughly equivalent to raising the debt ceiling by $1 trillion?
The idea is they’re printing money, not just borrowing it, which in the extreme would cause hyperinflation (and is equivalent to default since debt is in nominal dollars). It probably seems less bad though.
It also makes for a fantastic heist movie premise.