I was reflecting upon our plight driving to work this morning...

[PCIntern]

This nation has as its President someone who has almost reached the nadir of what might be described as a miscreant. In literature, villains are described as evil but invariably they are described as something: genius, handsome/beautiful, devious, brave, glib, charismatic, thoroughly schooled in an academic subject, intellectual, well-read, insightful in the extreme, chess-master in the figurative sense, physically intimidating, creatively sadistic....you get the idea.

This man is nothing....none of those...he is a two-bit actor who would have had trouble keeping his job in middle-management at McDonald's or Wendy's. The America of the 1980's was looking for larger-than-life "heroes", thus Reagan who was also an actor and a pathological liar who (to his slight credit) actually couldn't tell fact from fiction, Chuck Norris and his ilk, all the Wall Street billionaires, and along came this utterly vapid individual who had a big mouth and was a carnival barker living in New York and playing with his daddy's money. Sufficient numbers of people bought into the confidence game of course, and the name became part of the landscape such that it was easy for the masses to embrace this neo-Nazified "populism".

And why not? The tactic worked well in Germany, whose populace was better educated and much more aware than Americans....of COURSE it would work here. The idiot Republican candidates stood on the stage and obligingly waited to be picked off one by one by this ne'er do well phony liar and simply smiled when he tossed his barbed nicknames at them, rather than standing up on their hind legs and blasting him with both barrels. All anyone had to do was walk over to him, stand "too close" to him and excoriate him and he'd have been done for good. But they passively allowed him to punch them without any retribution and so this is what we all received in return. I have no doubt that many of them are scared into submission by the kompromat he and his master Putin have on them. This is and has been an invasion by the Russians, a la Red Dawn without the paratroopers, and we have so far succumbed.

What we need now is a strong, liberal, charismatic, intellectual candidate who is a true patriot who will defend us from within, since the enemy is here, and reestablish the United States of America and state unequivocally what has happened here and overcome this renegade force which has taken power here. We have a chance to begin in a few days but it must be a full-court press, no mercy, no halfway measures will suffice. We want unconditional surrender of these radicals or our days as a so-called Democracy, and you all know what I'm saying, are over.

[akraven]

1. Bookmarked here.

And saved to hard drive. Scary and excellent, and above all truth! Old hippie here, wanting MUCH better for my granddaughters. I'll try to keep on slaying dragons!

Well, not really. I like dragons. Slaying tRumpublicans!

[empedocles]

2. We need a strong, charismatic candidate - with broad, across the voter spectrum, appeal.

[luvtheGWN]

10. I beg to differ!

Speaking as an outsider looking in, I note that your Constitution allows the President to have too many powers and that basically you replaced King George III with a pseudo-king called president.

You truly believe that you have the greatest democracy in the world (yes, I hear that all the time from your politicians and your media) and yet your president is tearing apart the very fabric of it.

And finally, you are so polarized now that where on earth would you ever find a strong candidate with broad, across the spectrum, appeal????

I write all of the above not as any kind of personal criticism, but to show my utter frustration with what has happened with my next-door neighbour.

[FakeNoose]

12. Not quite right

It's true that our president has powers for only for a limited time. There's a built-in retirement plan of 4-year terms, and the president only gets 2 of them no matter how good or powerful he or she may be.

Secondly the Constitution did not originally give so much power to the President, it has taken us over 240 years to get to this point. The Executive Branch was designed to be part of the system of "checks and balances" but the Republican Party has figured out how to beat the system. That's our real danger now: what are the checks and balances when half the country is willfully cheating the other half?

[olegramps]

27. The congress has forfeited it responsibilities for the sake of reelection.

Reelection is their primary goal. They will not oppose any measure if they fear that it will cost them votes or more importantly financial support. The solution for the presidency to limit the number of terms should logically be applied to those who are charged with their responsibilities to control the presidency rather than capitulate to a petty pseudo tyrant.

The Republicans empowerment of the radical extreme right-wing hate radio propagandists has created their own nightmare. This has just been amply displayed in Trumps immediate capitulation when he agreed to a compromise on the funding of the so-called border wall. The conservative media has demonstrated how the medium which the Republicans greedily accepted and supported in its vicious attack on so-called liberals as un-godly, un-American enemies has become their master.

The strangle hold that they have on a major political party is the legacy of Reagan who repealed two measures that has allowed this to develop into a intolerable situation. The Fairness Doctrine and the multiple ownership of broadcast stations are two keys. It should be remembered that the ownership of the airwaves was wisely held to be the sole property of the people and that those who used it only do under a license agreement and must be used for the benefit of the general pubic. It is long over due to retake control of this medium to insure that it is being used properly for the benefit of the public and not as a propaganda weapon.

Lastly, I believe that it is true that the majority of those seeking to enter the country are primarily driven by financial reasons. Just consider that a major issue is the overstay of visas. It is not limited to the those from Central and South America who are being used as scapegoats due to their ethnicity. This situation can be easily controlled with two measures. Passage of a national identity card legislation along with strict legal penalties for employment of undocumented immigrants. If the Republicans are really serious about control of those entering the country they would support these two fundamental actions. A national identity card would be required to open an account, cash checks and be your voting id. That would totally negated the Republicans voter requirements.

I welcome you comments on these proposals.

[empedocles]

30. Citizen's United allows even foreign enemies to buy or rent US politicians.

Underlying problem, as the great Justice Brandeis noted, we can have democracy or concentrations of wealth, but not both.

[Grasswire2]

34. For starters, there ought to be one six year term instead of two four year terms allowed.

Considering that years 3 and 4 are spent campaigning for the second term. It's inherently very stupid.

[empedocles]

29. The Constitution envisioned Congress as the decision maker, with the President

as the executor/manager of the President's will. Political evolution, for better or worse, has empowered the President the prez too much in some areas, imo.

That said I think America and democracy would be better served will a parliamentary system and a President who had to argue his positions before Parliament.

Broad support does not mean fulsome support including the inevitable political extremes. [Irony here again, can't help it]. Meaning broad support at least as broad to effectively, conclusively impeach traitortrump.

[47of74]

3. We also need hard, pipe hitting liberals

The kind who aren’t afraid of saying fuck you Republicans to their faces and then telling them to eat shit and die when they whine about it. Enough with the milquetoast set who are afraid of what the Sean Hannitys and the five giggiling couch fucks of the world will say about them. We need the kind of liberals where the enemy may win the occasional battle against them but they will always strike back. Hard.

[jayschool2013]

21. Like this?

[erronis]

23. Yes, absolutely like her.

[The Liberal Lion]

24. I am one of those that you describe

Except I, and many others, are ready to do more than just talk. We only remain peaceful because it is the wish of the majority of those who we share an ideological belief (namely progressives, liberals) or are stilling willing to be reasonable and negotiable (centrist and what remains of true conservatives). We who are ready to match blow for blow are often denigrated in this forum as extremist. So be it, I say. We will be needed soon when the faint hearted find that their Neville Chamberlain-like accommodation and capitulations gets them only further in the hole. We, those who are ready to give all we have to the fight for justice will be there when we are needed. That need rapidly approaches.

[empedocles]

31. Dems need to win!

Dens are not afraid of the Hannitys, that is a straw man.

Dems do not need to say 'fuck you Republicans' [traitortrump and base 'cons, ok they deserve it] - it often takes some 'con support to get things done.

The reality is found in the harsh, brutal, unforgiving, seminal, NBC/WSJ 2018 poll that stunningly found and confirmed that only 18% of voters had a positive opinion of 'socialist'!! RW media has raised our more extreme and Socialist candidates to otherwise undeserved national recognition levels to attract moderates/conservative/'cons who might lean Democratic in a given election.

This is, like it or not, a center right country. Conservatives, 'cons, are necessary to get things done. We need them to effectively impeach traitortrump. We unnecessarily lost important political positions in 2016 and 2018, with the help of 'the kind'telling' 'cons to 'eat shit', etc.

LBJ and FDR, who had to endure the 'eat shit kind' in their own party, were able to somehow, against the odds, pragmatically pass nearly all the progressive legislation that has been passed in the last 100 years.

Reality is tough.

[JI7]

4. he appeals to bigoted losers like himself who are bitter resentful of others

[elocs]

5. "What we need now is a strong, liberal, charismatic, intellectual candidate who is a true patriot"

That's exactly the kind of candidate that so many fickle voters on the Left who need to be excited and motivated to actually get out and cast their ballots.
Then when things go well for a couple of years they go back to sleep again and the GOP returns.

We should not make the same mistake that so many on the right make in looking at the nation and being convinced it reflects US. It doesn't.
Let's be real, short of a benevolent dictator, this nation is so severely divided on a partisan level that little is going to get done.
But if we were a third world nation where the economy is not as good as it is here people might look at us and anticipate out and out civil strife, one side against the other, each side convinced they are absolutely right.

[watoos]

6. We need more than a good leader.

The right wing corporate controlled M$M has succeeded in demonizing Democrats. Some Democrats were afraid to admit they were a Democrat in public. This scenario is being turned on its head. I was talking with a stranger at the eye doctors and he said to me, what are we going to do about that? He was watching Fox and they were talking about the scary caravan. I said what, people who are fleeing violence to find a better life for their families? Isn't that what Joseph and Mary did? Then I asked the question, are you a Trumper? Just then I got called to go see the doctor so I didn't wait for his response.

C'mon Democrats, put it right back on those Republicans who laughed at us for being freeloaders and snowflakes. Ask them if they are Trumpers and just shake your head will be enough, or even smile. You don't have to get belligerent, be nice, it is Christmas.

[calimary]

25. That point about the Holy Family fleeing to safety in another country

is a guided missile straight into their hypocrisy.

I saw a graphic about that on Facebook just recently, and shared it.

[ananda]

7. I-1 has Putin behind him pullling the strings!

Putin is the arch villain here who has some of those qualities.

[pazzyanne]

17. You are right, but sadly tRumpkins do not view Putin as the enemy.

Chalk that up to our educational system no longer providing civics classes to our children. Chalk it up to our entertainment based world, where, in many cases, parents do not have time to spend quality time with their families so they allow the TV and video games raise their children. And, yes, the M$M carries a great deal of culpability in what is happening to us now, but there are some who are presenting real and supported facts as well.

[localroger]

8. If you ever read It Can't Happen Here

Sinclair Lewis described Trump to high precision in the character of Berzelius Windrip, the President who starts our slide to fascism in 1935.

[Tom Rinaldo]

9. Life doesn't offer up many Bobby Kennedys

Zapata (the Hollywood version) is said to have said something to this effect: "A strong people is the only lasting strength." Those are the two extremes. For every genuine "strong, liberal, charismatic, intellectual candidate who is a true patriot who will defend us from within" there are many more who attempt to pose as one. Most are well intentioned but not always. Some see marketing themselves in that mold as the best route to power and prestige. John Edwards was a recent relatively benign example. Americans have a weakness toward electing actors, literally and figuratively. Charisma and celebrity star power are not as different as I would wish them to be.

There is a middle ground between "a strong people need no leaders" (another version of a supposed Zapata quote) and looking for a great strong leader to save us all. In my experience, dating back to the turmoil of the 60's, a strong people acting on the grass roots level empowers great leaders. Our day to day resistance is as important as wise and strong political leadership.

[watoos]

13. That's what I was trying to say.

It's a lot easier running with the herd, but if the herd is headed for the cliff it takes a few people to turn around and run into them. Eventually the herd will be running in the right direction.

[llmart]

16. I love what the op poster days. It's very insightful.

However, after reading through all the responses so far, I like yours the most because it speaks to what the major problem is and that is the electorate who thought this huckster was up on the stage during the debates and at his rallies telling them the truth about what he was going to do. Instead of substance we are now a country of people who can't take the time to actively participate in the process, but then feel we are smart enough to choose the best person. (When I say "we" I don't mean people on DU.) I think we've forgotten the basics of democracy and the responsibilities of being a citizen, which are that we, the people have the power.

Maybe it's because I came of age in the 60's also and it was our generation that took to the streets in vast numbers and demanded changes. Or maybe it's because we're just too comfortable and naive enough to think that we are the greatest country on earth and we'll never fail. Or maybe it's because so many are chasing after the next shiny object that they have no time to devote to learning anything about civics. Maybe it's just all of the above, but whatever it is, I too believe it has to start with systematic change at the grass roots level, meaning one by one we do whatever we can.

I happen to think that it's going to take a complete breakdown before US citizens realize that our country can be destroyed and we did nothing to stop it.

[calimary]

26. Love your reply title, Tom.

And you’re correct in that observation. So then maybe that means we have to try to find a little bit of Bobby Kennedy within ourselves, and try to be that, outwardly.

[Hortensis]

11. :) That wish list's putting an awful lot on one Democratic leader.

Thing is, I can't think of anyone we're talking about now who could dazzle Democrats into behaving like Republicans and enthusiastically rallying behind one leader. We're different. I would actually be very AFRAID of anyone who could somehow change that.

Suggest we look within ourselves for most of those characteristics, be the citizens we want to see, and call for others to rise to their responsibilities as well. Strong disapproval for failing to stand against the evils growing on the right by not voting.

We absolutely need to above all be SENSIBLE. In 2020 either the Republican or the Democrat nominee will become our next president, and we will be responsible for those we help attain power. Scrutinize at all primary candidates with cool, informed eyes and evaluate their rhetoric against their records. Accept some imperfections, but not dishonesty, divisiveness, weak character or lack of any real achievement.

As for charisma, be wary! Charisma creates dangerously, eagerly stupid, irresponsible followers. Maybe listen to the debates with a bag over the head.

[PCIntern]

15. You might feel that way and I understand...

but this is America: the country that elected Reagan, Bush Jr, and This Asshole. You must have the Charisma...and I'm nopt saying for a second that W had any, but "they wanted to have a beer with him".

[llmart]

18. Yes, and let's not forget what happened to Al Gore.

He was "too stiff", "too serious", a "policy wonk", whatever. This is how Americans vote - by their looks, their gender and the b.s. they throw out there.

[Hortensis]

19. Remember, charismatic "strongmen" on both left

and right, neither of whom had a record that would suggest he could achieve what he promised, pulled not just votes away from better candidates but inspired in some a stubborn cultlike loyalty that together resulted in President Donald Trump. He could never have been elected if we had performed our duty even slightly better.

It can happen again. Charisma elevates many in power beyond their capabilities and makes fools of voters. Our capitols and board rooms are full of people whose biggest, and too often only real, talent is self aggrandizement. That's 100% on the voters.

We'll do far better if more people simply insist on good character, good sense, proven competence, and electibility. And courteously reject the thinking of many that refusing to take a stand at the polls is somehow respectable and/or responsible. Above all, THAT's the change we need to see.

[NRaleighLiberal]

14. well put - I've spent many hours of many days the last two years thinking just such thoughts.

It truly is just unimaginable, what we are seeing.

That we have an idiot president that taps into the base instincts of so many (all of those who don't want a smart able leader - they want someone just as lazy and ignorant as they are)...that is what we are up against.

[drmeow]

20. He's not a villain

Villains have agency. Individual 1 is nothing but a thug - he's mob muscle

[lastlib]

22. My personal opnion---

By 2020 we'll be able to defeat Individual 1 with an old Chevy hubcap for a candidate. His 38% base will still be there, but the rest of America will be so tired of his shtick that they would prefer the hubcap for president over this dork.

That doesn't mean we won't need a great candidate.

[Texin]

28. People shouldn't need a charismatic demigod to spur them to vote.

This country has been steeped in Protestantism (and Judaism and Catholicism, for that matter), that demand people bow to authoritarian worship and obeisance to such authority. We have been schooled to believe that we cannot rule ourselves and must depend on he who spouts, "And only I can save you." The vast majority of people have been gulled into this belief, because we have heard this mantra our entire lives. And from a psychological and physiological standpoint, there is a split into basically two groups of people: those that are fear-based (risk averse = conservatives); and those who are optimistic, welcome change and new adventures, and view challenges as opportunities, not something to run into a cave like a troglodyte. The Democrats shouldn't need to find a candidate that falls into the mold of our version of a holy roller. The candidate should be broadly appealing, but shouldn't be preaching the message of "Only I can save you" like their rethug counterpart.

[PCIntern]

33. You shouldn't need to be told to floss your teeth either but guess what?

You do.

[Hugin]

32. KnR

Nothing to add.