The President turns 50

What can't be governed must be led.

Surrender, and say what needs to be said. The people need to hear a story.

That we're lazy in the worst way, we have no vision for our lives, we're living on the post-toasties of the past--the strongest nation, a city upon a hill etc etc.

Delusion doesn't cut it anymore.

Not at your age.

Nor does The American Dream; whatever that was it is no more.

Better to live up first to what you promised--the hope--and at the same time tell the truth--the change.

It's almost too late, but maybe it's not.

The things you promised haven't been fulfilled. Start there. End the wars, close the political prisons, shutter all but the strategically important military bases, regulate the financial markets with smart, tough economic advisors not beholden to corporate enterprises etc etc.

No one knows what to believe. Not even those who thought they knew. The system is decomposing right in front of our eyes. The Illusions are unsustainable. We are not 'the darlings of divine Providence' (Reinhold Niebuhr, whose book "The Irony of American History you claim to have read) we were led to believe ourselves to be.

But still the trust is enormous.

And the life force is strong.