Jymn’s half-assed Predictions for 2012

Occupy will stay underground and grow its infrastructure and goals. More and more organizations and individuals will pledge allegiance to the movement. The media will interpret this lack of visibility to the failure of Occupy and continue to treat supporters as dirty fucking hippies. The year of Occupy will have to wait until 2013. Instead of Occupy, social media and specific protests around the country will propel a new wave of protests, freeing Occupy to manifest itself in the following year.

The Conservatives will retain their domination of politics and media coverage - most of it fawning, some of it critical but only as a token effort at balance. Stephen Harper will step back and let the younger rising stars soak up the limelight.

Michelle Rempel will lose any sense of individuality and be pushed into a Sunshine Girl role in the Conservative party. Expect her on lots of covers next to Leah Costello, Krista Erickson, Kathryn Marshall and other right wing rising blonde stars. The blurring of the separation of Sun Media and the Conservative party will continue.

Jason Kenney will discover he’s no closer to being the next leader of the Conservatives. The party isn’t that stupid.

The Liberals will be no further ahead than they are now. The faithful will be disappointed in the new leader.

The NDP will hold firm but gain little. The faithful will be disappointed in the new leader.

Sun TV News, after revelations of a sexual scandal and questionable broadcasting business ethics charges, will fold.

After the US rejects the Keystone pipeline, rightbloggers will rush to push China as a reformed ally. Who cares about the charges of human abuses? After the Iraq invasion, everybody does it!

Activists in BC will be the story of the year, especially in regards to plans for pipelines ending on the Pacific Coast. Nothing regarding any major pipeline will be accomplished thanks to the protests.

Patrick Ross will be located.

Arianna Huffington/AOL will rethink her Canadian version of The Huffington Post. The Frum family factor will be greatly diminished, with David remaining a contributor.

CBC will stand. Fans of the network and its history will come to its defence, overwhelming the Sun/Conservative propaganda against the network.

Maxi prisons will be put on hold.

A new media blitz demonizing marijuana will be initiated by the government.

Sidney Crosby will retire.

BC Lions will repeat as Grey Cup winners.

Bruins will repeat as Stanley Cup winners.

The Conservatives propensity for scandal will continue. Canadians will continue to be indifferent. 2013 will be the year of the Conservative Scandal of all time. We will just have to wait one more year.

As 2012 ends, the economy will be worse and Canadians will begin to look more sceptically at the Conservatives. 2013 could be a breakthrough year for the opposition. Will it be ready?

2012 will be no more a reason for optimism than was 2011. Expect 2013 to be huge for progressives, but not because of the opposition but despite it.

X-posted at Let Freedom Rain