This week, I asked our staff at Talk Radio News Service to give me their predictions for the New Year. Our staff members have a wide variety of backgrounds and range from liberal to conservative. So, here are their predictions for the New Year!
Justin Duckham, our youngest staff member and our Pentagon correspondent, says:
• After being denied a speaking spot at the 2012 Republican convention, Ron Paul will irk the GOP establishment by announcing plans to host a competing event on the same days. The drama surrounding the move and the resulting media narrative of a schism within the party will overshadow anything that happens at the Republican convention.
• Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley make the vice presidential shortlist, with one of the two ultimately landing on the ticket.
• There’s serious talk among House Republicans over removing Boehner from his role as speaker and replacing him with Cantor. However, Boehner maintains his position after the bulk of the conference realizes that a sharp turn to the right will alienate general election voters.
• Mark Kelly will run for the congressional seat currently held by his wife, Gabrielle Giffords.
Richard Miller, who is both our military correspondent and a military historian, has the following predictions for 2012:
• Obama will lose, period. It will not be as easy as some righties think, but he will not win. The history isn’t with him.
• No blockade of Homuz. The real story there isn’t intentional war but the risk of accident or action by a rogue IRG element looking to start a war and no red line between Washington and Tehran to settle things.
• The euro folds for good. It either splits into two currencies or just folds.
• Look for an October surprise by an increasingly desperate Obama. The only sustained bump he’s had in two years came when he killed Osama. He might ramp up a military confrontation against Iran.
• No-brainer: Republicans take the Senate and keep the House.
• Economy continues flat.
• Supreme Court hears Obamacare arguments in March and narrowly upholds the law. But if Obama loses, the law will be waived or repealed.