Beyond liberating minds and/or enlivening imaginations by what we say and do in the world, leave it up to the locals to determine their own fate. We won't always like or approve of the results. But neither is most of it any of our business.
These suggestions will not be popular with everyone. But my bet is that they will be far more popular than staying the present course with minor adjustments and endless haggling over health care reform and social security, or of staying the course in two pointless wars augmented by occasionally giving good speeches.
These ideas won't ensure your reelection but they will redefine your presidency. More importantly, they will redefine America, and America's place in the global community. You will either be reelected or leave office because of them, but real leadership often is just that. Washington could have lost when he led those brave ragtag troops across the cold waters of winter and pitted them against a well-trained army. Lincoln could have let the war end without emancipating the slaves. FDR could have bailed out only the banks and Wall Street.
But hey, it's a tough game you are in and I'll understand if you don't heed my advice. After all, the Jets lost the game 24-19, although they came close to winning the whole thing in the fourth quarter. The Republican Thugs, er, sorry, the Steelers held on with a stubborn defense and shrill fans, using the same old running game that Republicans are known for. Maybe the Jets didn't pick it up enough. Or maybe they just failed to score that third touchdown.
My feeling is that you, Mr. President, can score that touchdown. But first, you have to go where no American president has gone and stop a war dead in its tracks. Don't wait for Congress to cut off the funding, which is how we finally got out of Vietnam. Unless you are able to do this one first thing, there won't be money enough, or time enough, to do much of anything else.
It's your third quarter in the playoff game, Mr. President. This is, for now, the most important game of your life. The nation awaits your leadership. The world awaits your voice. What are you going to do?
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