My kind of candidate is the rare breed of person who is good at getting things done. He's a practical type - good with his hands and also good at inspiring and encouraging others to use their's wisely AND with conviction and efficiency. Ability to win elections isn't necessarily indicative of ability to make practical changes happen [particularly these days where the process of politics is a study in misuse of power]. Both Bush's have proven this to be true.
Is Obama that kind of guy? How can one know. Is Gore? There's a better chance with him than almost anywhere else. But Obama can bring tears to ones eyes. So could Mario Cuomo and Cuomo also got things done.
I'm not a happy camper with ANY of the present candidates. I've signed petitions to draft Cuomo and Gore.
There was a story caption in last week's BusinessWeek that read: Investing in Russia's People. It caught my attention because Russia needs that kind of investment and Putin is making it happen.
Whichever candidate convinces me that this will actually happen here in America - that he or she is dedicated and has the will to make it happen - will get my vote.
More than ever I'm interested in:
- Ability rather than like-ability.
- A change of direction from politics as spin, bicker and manipulate to negotiate and solve.
- Strategic investments in education, welfare, health care, physical infrastructure and honest communication.
- Changing our posture in world relationships from braggart/bully to willing participant.
- In rewarding those who educate our children instead of those who sell to them.
- And in reducing fear on three levels: lowering the rhetoric, cooperating in a world-wide fight against terrorist activities and helping lower worldwide poverty so that there are fewer breeding grounds for terrorist incubation.
