Well the way I look at it, the status quo will be like the Vietnam war, it becomes an inherited problem, makes anyone involved look bad. So after Bush people will be sick of Republicans, enough to vote in a Democrat, now this poor obeese black lesbian (ok ok white middle aged man of wealth from an ivy league school) will be stuck with a very badly losing war, economic dificulties, trade problems etc, and a supreme court that is probably going to be a little combative, so im thinking that will lead to a good try, maybe even a very effective term, but public opinion will be easily spun by images of an even more fucked up war/scandal etc that has been laid in Bush's last term in office. So after this term of progress and improvement (thats the "best" case scenario) the people will most likely be very upset with whats going on, it will be on paper worse then in Bush's time, then in come the republicans with promises of stability, tough stance on issues, America first yadda yadda in goes George Bush junior-junior (whatever, you know what I mean, all out republican) and the real damage that will be done is that in that term, in 2012-2016 all the supreme court judges pending retirement will retire, being replaced by republican friendly hard liners, setting the stage for constitution changes over the next few years to set up multi term presidencies (tehre are precedents in the past) abolishment of some rights and freedoms, for everyones safety etc.