"What do presidents do? Define reality, agreeably."

> ONE BIG IDEA: A New Feature for our Democracy WHICH IS: A way for ALL to BE (effectively) HEARD. WHAT/HOW: A VOTING/OPINION DEVICE in every hand.     Man of Constant Sorrow (by the Soggy Bottom Boys)     49     Caucasian     ORATOR / designer     Wed to Art and God (Ah, the broken hearts {smile})     POSTMODERN Bible-thumper         Democrat         Sarah Lincoln's STEPSON         Tony Blair (BEFORE Satan seduced him)         thumbslide.tv BOKE : american candidate BOKE : artistofideas TeaTimeSunday         I can write a Shakespearean-form sonnet in 20 min.         absolutely none / no bad habits / no favors owed         When I see the Pacific horizon, or feel God's eyes   It is my gift -- and my curse -- to weigh all things in the balance. To feel (within my body, my gut, my heart) the opinions of all people ... and still not throw up my hands and scream. {smile} BUT RATHER ... taking all those angles of vision ... within my mind and heart ... attempt to speak for all. ALL THE WHILE ... Turning my eyes and ears and fullest attention to the people who I am attempting to represent. HEARING them. ADJUSTING to their response. Which is to say... that I SPEAK in an INTERACTIVE MODE ... that is less a transmission of my thoughts ... than a total commitment to truly approximate the VOICE OF THE PEOPLE. I BELIEVE ... my gift for this ... is, I will claim ... the highest quality that can be reached in the public realm. BOTTOM LINE: By accident of birth and fortunate circumstances ... I have been graced with the peculiar gifts needed for the kind of president we need at just this moment. I believe I can make it clear to all that is true ... If I can't. Vote me out of the country. {smile} There's always Paris. Amen. {smile} BOKE   SQUELCHING A RUMOR ... updated Wednesday May 26, 2004 at 01:09:39 PM (PT) Although I will not deny some uncanny similarities {smile} ... I am not the 'crazy' Uncle Boke that Henry Louis Gates, Jr. refers to in his autobiographical book, Colored People.       Is a human soul created by egg fertilization and cell division -- OR in interaction and communion with others? My position lies in that question.       A soldier in battle is forced to kill this instant or die. Society has no such urgent need to kill someone. To kill without need is evil.       That is beyond the president's control. (And it is time to quit pretending it is under the control of Alan Greenspan ... even if the stock market drops below zero as its reality is destabilized. Fear not. Money will rise. {smile}       A good idea. {smile} Of course there hasn't been a good version of it around in nearly a century. A RHETORICAL education but fitting our time. (Much discussion needed.)       I am in favor of having one. {smile} All things must be weighed in the balance ... including the future -- which seems to weigh so little ... right now.       If homosexuality is a normally occurring, genetically determined feature of many lives-- by what right would we deny them their fitting, sanctioned partner?       An issue that gets far more attention than it deserves -- especially in a Christian nation. {smile} Christians must love their enemy, not kill them. Right?       One for all, and all for one.       There are practical limits to population flows. The lawmakers must be wise in balancing needs and limiting chaos, but the angry anti-immigrant noise should be shamed into silence.       Let us rescind the law(s) that put the LAW into drugs and medication of every kind. Let companies be sued for packaging poison, but otherwise let people ingest what they will. (Full discussion required.)       Accept that U.S. policy has been idiotic, forever. Re: IRAQ - Divide it into three nations. Help people move. Get out. Re: Israel - Move it to Texas. {smile} Hard problem which must begin with restoring the meaning of America.       Martin Luther King Jr. knew he had to let the dogs bite him. His father could not stand the thought. Can you imagine facing this choice? Start there.       Promises, promises. Let's keep them. Discuss making different ones. Perhaps a range of choices. Perhaps not. {smile} Let the people express their desires.       Americans should reflect on what it means to be fortunate. And act accordingly.       A word so negatively charged it cannot be discussed. Unless it means something else -- the common good. Let's start from there.     The information contained on the candidate pages is created by the candidates themselves. It does not reflect the views or opinions of Showtime Networks Inc. or the producers of American Candidate.