OPINION:
Everyone makes predictions, but only a few are foolish enough to write them down. So, guided by the ancient Roman theory that fortune favors the bold, here goes.
The Dow will finish the year above 46,000.
The price of oil will finish the year below $80 per barrel.
Congress will complete one reconciliation bill by July. It will include tax provisions.
I hope Notre Dame wins the college football championship, but I think Ohio State will. I would be very happy to be wrong about this.
The Bills will win the Super Bowl as part of God’s effort to balance the universe’s karma in the wake of this likely tragedy.
I have no clue who will win the World Series, but it won’t be the Mets, who, despite the presence of Juan Soto, will continue to be the Mets and lose somewhere along the line.
At least one nation in the Western Hemisphere will fail. There will be a lot of talk about the Monroe Doctrine, but slaving, genocidal China will play an important role in resolving the failure.
Despite all the nonsense from the International Energy Agency about peak demand for oil and the energy transition, the world will use more oil, natural gas and coal than it did in 2023.
The increase in oil and natural gas production will be larger than in alternative energy sources.
American consumers will buy about 1.3 million electric vehicles in 2025. That is just a shade more than they bought in 2023 and much less than they would need to buy to stay on California’s mandated trajectory of having all new cars be electric in just 10 years.
Taylor Swift will win album of the year, although Beyonce probably deserves it more. “Wicked” will crush at the Oscars because, let’s face it, most movies are lousy nowadays.
More nations and companies will either remove or change the dates on their pledges to achieve net-zero emissions. This will lead to the inevitable question: If your goal doesn’t have a timetable, is it really a goal, or is it just an expression of good intentions?
Worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases will continue to increase. In response, the next U.N. Climate Change Conference will have an even larger number of participants fly to Brazil to trumpet the 8 billion people on the planet who care more about affordable, reliable and plentiful energy than they do about climate change or the clean energy transition or whatever.
There will be a modest rearrangement of the Trump administration’s personnel before the end of the year. Also, by the end of the year, it will become apparent that the advisory Department of Government Efficiency’s efforts will probably not result in material change to the trajectory of federal government spending or efficiency. Just remember, children: Every dollar the federal government spends was put there by someone who wants it there.
At least two more job nominees in the next administration will not be confirmed. President-elect Donald Trump will withdraw the United States from the Paris climate accord and the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change.
There will be drone attacks somewhere in the First Island chain.
At least one Democrat will announce his or her candidacy for president. My bet is Sen. Brian Schatz.
There will be a new successor to St. Peter before the end of the year. I’d like to think he can’t be worse than the current occupant, but anything is possible.
• Michael McKenna is a contributing editor to The Washington Times.
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