I'm not sure whether to call it a "post apocalyptic dream", a nightmare or just a dream about a future I really fear.  Of course I have embellished, but isn't that a writers prerogative?

The Future that could be Ours

It is the year 2020.  President Santorum has just completed two terms. Due to a the repeal of the 22^nd amendment, that was pushed through by a Tea Party controlled Congress.  He is well prepared to run for another term, having received billions in PAC money!   The Tea Party Republicans, now control both houses of Congress, due to redistricting that took place right after the election of President Santorum.  Democrats failed in their attempts to prevent this, thanks to many Southern States unanimously voting Republican.

Abortion was made illegal back in 2014, with the ratification of the 28^th amendment.  It is not only illegal to have an abortion, but now a doctor performing one, can be charged with murder in most states.  The woman having one, can be imprisoned for up to life, for her crime against the “unborn”.

The death penalty has been re-instated in every state of the Union.   It has been extended to cover the new crimes against the unborn, as well as armed robbery and sex crimes.  Hate crime laws have pretty much been abolished, since the Supreme Court declared them unenforceable. California being the only state, still keeping them on the books.

Gay Marriage, has become a thing of the past.  Having passed the “Defense of Marriage Act”.  Gay Marriages that were performed before this law went into effect, were declared null and void.  Sodomy laws have become reinstated in 26 States.  The states of Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and South Carolina have made the act a first degree felony, subject to capital punishment. To date only two people have been convicted, and are awaiting execution in Alabama.  Florida was the second state, to make this a capital offense.  They have instituted a campaign to hunt down homosexuals, and prosecute them for their crimes.  More convictions, are expected in the near future.  Many homosexuals, have fled to Europe where it is still legal to be gay.

Poll Taxes have been reinstated in several states, due to the repeal of the 24^th amendment back in 2016.  This has resulted in the Tea Party, controlling  legislatures in all of the southern states.  There was some backlash at first, but since the building of internment camps across the US, this has greatly been reduced.  The Patriot Act, has been amended to include "any actions or speech that could be beleieved to harm the United States".

The Affordable Healthcare Act, more commonly known as “Obamacare” was eliminated, after being declared illegal by the now mostly Republican controlled, Supreme Court.  Likewise hospitals are no longer required to treat uninsured patients.  Emergency rooms, having been allowed to turn away non-paying pateints since the demise of Obamacare.  This has resulted in a slightly lower insurance cost, to the taxpayers, but with inflation rates going up the price of medical care has risen as well.

The minimum wage was abolished by a unanimous decision, in a Congress which is now 90% Republican controlled.  Unions likewise have little power anymore, due to the majority of states becoming “Right to Work” States.  The result is more jobs have been created, the downside is many of the new jobs, pay very little.  In working class families, most members including children over the age of 14 now work.  Factory work has once again returned to the US, now that we have become competitive with Third World countries in the labor market.  This has created a trade imbalance with the EU, which for the most part, still has high paid workers.  They have declared the US to be in violation of trade agreements made under previous administrations.  President Santorum, has declared their actions to be of little substance.  The US having withdrawn from the United Nations, and closing embassies in many foreign countries as well.

To date, three new wars have been started.  The first with an invasion of Iran in 2013.  Fighting is still going on there at a fierce level, with other mideast nations threatening to join Iran.  To date, 96,000 troops have been killed.  Our invasion of Cuba has been more successful, and has been helped by rising sea levels which have made much of the coastal regions of the island uninhabitable.  This invasion would not have happened without the support of the Miami Cuban American community, who donated heavily toward the Republican party.   They have also dedicated themselves towards resettling Cuba, after our presence is no longer needed there.  Returning much of the land, confiscated by the Communists to their former owners.   The third invasion, occurred when Puerto Rico, declared itself an independent nation and tried to help the Cuban forces.  The US Possession, is now under martial law, and it's residents no longer free to travel to the US mainland.  Puerto Ricans still on the US mainland, have been taken to internment camps in Montana and North Dakota, where they will remain until they can be sent back to the island.

The wall between Mexico and the US has been strengthened and surrounded by mine fields since 2015 when a new illegal immigration law was put into effect.  Relations with Mexico have been cut off, and tensions remain high.  The illegal drug trade on the other hand, still poses problems as the smugglers have resorted to new and more high tech methods.   President Santorum, says this is only a minor setback as more and more money is poured into the War on Drugs.   The invasion of Puerto Rico, quelled any plans for the State of Hawaii to try and do the same.   There had been a movement there, to secede from the union, after their healthcare system was declared illegal.

Rising sea levels due to higher temperatures, blamed on natural phenomena, have inundated several island nations in the Pacific.  The city of Venice also, has succumbed to the rising levels.  New York City, is currently building a tidal barrier, to attempt to keep the island of Manhattan, from becoming the next victim.  Parts of Florida and the Gulf Coast, have also been inundated. Little economic loss is expected however, since most of these areas have been converted to oil fields within the past decade.  The fishing and tourist industries long since having left the area.

Air quality has suffered somewhat , since the abolishment of the EPA.  It however, is no worse than it was during the nineteen fifties.  Rivers are once again free of fish and vegetation, thanks to the same regualtion agency being abolished.  Companies are now free once again, to use the rivers again to dump waste, and they are freed the expense of having to clean them up.

Relations with Canada have been strained, ever since Vice President Palin, suggested that Canada should become part of the United States.  She has not backed down from her position, and has the total support of Secretary of State Rush Limbaugh.  Palin suggested that they join the United States, when the sea ice covering the Arctic regions finally melted, and allowed shipping across the northern straits.  Canada was unsuccessful in it's attempts to prevent the United States from controlling these waters.

In his State of the Union address, President Santorum praised the voters who elected him. He stated that since his second term, “We have finally rid our nation, of the evils of abortion and homosexuality. We have successfully eliminated Communism in Cuba, and we are once again safe from illegal immigration.  But most of all, we have created millions of jobs and eliminated taxes for those who create jobs, and companies are no longer shackled by unfair regulation!”