Who we are

Compared with just four years ago, the Bush Administration has basically imploded from its own inherent contradictions.

The only way from here is up, and the American people seem to have sensed that just days ago. The mentality that got us into Vietnam and then into Iraq (contrived intelligence in each case) is behind us, at least for awhile.

The organizational ability we first glimpsed when Barack Obama won the Iowa primary is now emerging in a way that will affect the world. Executive orders issued by the Bush Administration that are blatantly political are destined for swift reversal. But not so swift that the boat is capsized. Just four days after being elected, a Spokeswoman for Obama had this to say:

"Before he makes any decisions on potential executive or legislative actions, he will be conferring with congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle, as well as interested groups," Obama's transition spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said. "Any decisions would need to be discussed with his Cabinet nominees, none of whom have been selected yet."

He is already reaching out beyond the confines of government. Obama could be on his way to transforming the very concept of governance. This is team play at its finest.

Business as usual this isn't. What this is, is a harbinger of what we can expect from an Obama administration. He is already making good on one campaign promise: transparency. Unitary, this also isn't. It is simply democracy as it should be practiced.

This web site has long advocated Dialogue as a strategy for finding truths. Dialogue, the highest form of communication is a road well-paved by many others as evident in Dialogue: Guidelines and Links.

We can all breathe easier with a communicator in charge. Notably, Obams's style is similar to Reagan's. Their differences, however, are important. While Obama captures our attention and hearts, like Reagan did, he is much freer of ideology, such as the now-failed trickle-down economics that was Reagan's hallmark. Obama also feels the reality ordinary people face--a feeling Reagan seemed to lack. Obama is into research and using technologies it can spawn instead of dogma--or astrology--which have no basis in fact. Ideologies based on nothing more than fantasy got us into our present mess.

By all accounts he will be moving fast; he will have to to reverse the skidding downward that has been gathering steam folr a year of more. At the same time, he must be wise for mistakes too often accompany impulsive actions. By all accounts, he already has teams deep in studies of what to do next. Obama has never shrunk from asking experts for help. He has teams comprised of economic, political, and scientific advisers. So we can have hope.

America is now akin to a hotel on fire, with smoke obscuring the exits. We simply must follow the experts who know the way out.

Obama is not home yet, not by a long shot. His most critical days will be the next 71 as he selects those who will serve with him. Preferably each would score high in most of the following attributes:

• Free of dogma in their philosophies of public life.
• Essentially free of hang-ups that cloud clear thinking with clouds of emotion.
• Self actualized, able to think rationally for them selves.
• Cognizant of society's needs and responsive to them.
• Middle-of-the-road politically, not extreme about anything, for compromises will be both numerous and necessary.
• Able to transcend their own self-interest for the sake of society.
• Comfortable with the fact that responsibility accompanies power on the international scene.
• Comfortable governing in a transparent manner.
• Team players of the highest order, creative, resourceful, and knowledgeable in their areas of expertise.
• Desire to leave the world better than s/he found it.

If Obama chooses wisely he just could be home free. If not, he will have his work cut out for him.