This columnist isn't going to assume a Pollyanna attitude and try to convince anyone that 2010 will be memorable because: the Bush Wars are approaching the victory celebration phase, or that the Republicans are providing a textbook perfect example of bipartisan cooperation with a war President, or that business is experiencing the golden age of opportunity. The premise here is that for some portion of the population, in twenty years they will look back at this time period and be sincere when they proclaim: "Those were the good old days!"
Men and women who are in their early twenties this year will probably be oblivious to current events news and not spend endless hours reading the political analysis on both the liberal and conservative web sites. Aren't they in the rutting season phase of their lives? Aren't they "doin' what comes naturally" as often as possible, now? In 2030, they will be in their forties. At that age wouldn't they give anything to travel back in time to the time when they were at their athletic and procreative peak? How many of them would, at that future date, not be in agreement that this time frame qualifies as the good old days?
People, who are in their forties this year, may plunge into some new projects with a fervor that is spurred on by the sound of "time's winged chariot." Twenty years from now, they'll be taking their meds and waiting for their Social Security checks to arrive (if the Republicans haven't achieved one of their goals and killed off that program) and a return to the age of forty-somethng would seem like a golden opportunity.
Today's codgers in twenty more years will still be chasing kids off their lawns, but the old fire and enthusiasm will be considerably diminished by then. It's just natural. There might be one or two exceptions to the rule, but generally speaking the period in life when they give you a retirement party is "better" than being in one's eighties will be.
Odds are that in 2030 some old geezer, who is getting the Netroots Convention's lifetime achievement award, will tell the newbies at the event that: "You shoulda been there when bloggers were the only ones pointing out Bush's shortcomings." The kids will give the old foggy a standing ovation and want his autograph and some pointers. Some rookie journalist will ask him/her to describe how it feels to make a political endorsement that swings an election.
In 2030, according to my calculations, it will be an "off" year for the Rolling Stones to rest up between tours.
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