Experience?  Toughness?  Patriotism?  Christian?  These simplistic (and one of which is illegal) requirements, considering our previous presidents; successful and not, make me want to take another look.  What does it take to be a competent President in the Twentyfirst Century?

I'll start with Patriotism (because it seems to be defined by who wears a lapel pin --> true loyalty to our populace has gone by the wayside).  If loyalty to our country is so cheaply defined, could not AlQaida capitalize on it by wearing lapel pins as they go through airline check-points? 

What could be less patriotic than to send our loyal soldiers into a war that was based on false pretenses?  Or calling off our legitimate attack against those who attacked us on 911 (hiding out in Tora Bora, Afghanistan) to go into a country that was no threat to us, and had NOTHING to do with 911? 

Was the Iraq invasion/occupation patriotic?  No, certainly not.   Treasonous?  I think so.  This pathetic, multitrillion-dollar misadventure was not Patriotic; it was a way to make George's and Dick's friends move from the category of multi-millionaires to billionaires.  Patriotic?  That was their schtick -- and they keep on selling it.

Let's move on to Christian.  That should be an easy one, since the actual CONSTITUTION prohibits any religious test for holding office.  Funny that these "strict constructionists" forget that little item.  Barack happens to be a Catholic, which as far as I am concerned is not his best feature, but the whole thing about him being a "secret muslim" is disgusting not because it is disgusting to be a muslim, but because it is disgusting to use it as a scare tactic (especially since it is a lie.)

The next biggie in so many people's minds is  EXPERIENCE.  I agree to a point,  but not in the way it is currently touted.  No one can know everything.  No one can be an expert in all the complicated things that engage our world and our country.  So, it is important to choose advisors who have experience providing GOOD ADVICE!  People who are smart and have a view of the world that makes sense.  Experience in screwing up is NOT an asset!  Dick Cheney and Rumsfeld had a ton of experience--------enough said!

Toughness?  I think we've had enough swaggering!

Finally, what we really need is someone with good judgement....someone who has the big picture.  Someone who can keep cool and cut to the heart of the matter and who can give a nuanced reaction to challenges. 

And in the end,  we must have someone who realizes that having a conversation, even with one's enemies, is the beginning of diplomacy.   It doesn't mean that (as the leader of the most powerful nation in the world) you are giving them status -- the status from that meeting depends on how you handle the meeting -- if you are so powerful, you control the message if you are not a dope.

In the end, we need to have a leader who sees that we can use our ingenuity and greatness to capitalize on the need for new energy sources.  Someone who has the vision to realize we can be the leaders in this field as we used to be in others.  Our country needs comprehensive public transportation and public health care if we are going to compete in the world.  Why would a company come to the US if they have to spend millions more dollars on health care here than in Mexico?

We have a choice.  We could be the leaders in the world of re-newable energy sources.  We could turn ourselves around if our leaders were not all in bed with oil companies and countries.   So much money to make...so little time to make it....

What is standing in our way?  The negative, obstructionist, anti-progressive attitude that pervades our system.  We need to make all our citizens understand that what we need is a new engine; a new industrial revolution; one that doesn't leave people behind.  YES WE CAN!