When satire foretells the future, we know we're in trouble

Blast from the past. A typical tongue-in-cheek article from THE ONION written in January 0f 2001 turns out to be strangely — and scarily — prophetic.

Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'

THE ONION, JANUARY 17, 2001 | ISSUE 37•01

WASHINGTON, DC – Mere days from assuming the presidency and closing the door on eight years of Bill Clinton, president-elect George W. Bush assured the nation in a televised address Tuesday that "our long national nightmare of peace and prosperity is finally over."

President-elect Bush vows that "together, we can put the triumphs of the recent past behind us."

"My fellow Americans," Bush said, "at long last, we have reached the end of the dark period in American history that will come to be known as the Clinton Era, eight long years characterized by unprecedented economic expansion, a sharp decrease in crime, and sustained peace overseas. The time has come to put all of that behind us."

Bush swore to do "everything in [his] power" to undo the damage wrought by Clinton's two terms in office, including selling off the national parks to developers, going into massive debt to develop expensive and impractical weapons technologies, and passing sweeping budget cuts that drive the mentally ill out of hospitals and onto the street.

During the 40-minute speech, Bush also promised to bring an end to the severe war drought that plagued the nation under Clinton, assuring citizens that the U.S. will engage in at least one Gulf War-level armed conflict in the next four years. [Emphasis ours.]

Continued here. Thanks to Bluestem Prairie for alerting us to this.