Political predictions for 2009, local and national

We consulted an assortment of charlatans, witches, soothsayers, psychics and mystics (in other words, the usual politicians) to come up with our predictions for 2009, local and national.

Webb: These are ironclad prognostications, which I will quickly deny if held to them.

Local predictions:

— All manner of woe and wailing will be heard on Capitol Hill in a few weeks as lawmakers and the governor grapple with the nastiest budget in decades. Forget about pay increases for educators and public employees.

— A fairly monumental executive branch/legislative branch battle will occur. Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has a mandate, but lawmakers are stubborn.

— New Senate President Michael Waddoups will be one tough cookie.

— The Legislature will pass meaningful health system reform.

— The Legislature won't create an independent redistricting committee.

— The Legislature will pass semimeaningful ethics reform.

— Lewis Billings will run for an unprecedented 18th term (or whatever it is) as Provo mayor.

— Utah will receive a fourth congressional seat, setting off a major scramble among congressional hopefuls.

— The economy will rebound fairly strongly in the third quarter this year.

— Brigham Young University football will win the national championship.

— Frank Pignanelli will either run for Congress in the 4th District or be called on a mission by the LDS Church (as the first non-Mormon missionary).

National predictions:

— By the end of this month, most things in the country will be much better, not because anything really is any better, but because the liberal news media will quickly begin painting a much more rosy picture with Barack Obama in power. The steady drumbeat of negativity will be over.

— After the chilliest winter in many years, Obama will get credit for stopping global warming cold.

— Al Franken will turn Congress into a joke, embarrassing the Democrats.

— Dow Jones Industrial Average hits 10,500 by end of the year.