Unemployment, and so on

[Kevin]

JFK inspired us to go to a dead rock in space, and recover very little except the technology to get there and back again.

And where are our current Russians that will own space if we don't prove that we are better and thus get to the moon first? Where is the great communist will over run us if we DON'T get to the moon? Do you want to turn China into that? I suppose you could, but JFK had a situation that he could use to further what in some cases were personal goals. Do you want someone to do what Bush did in sending us to Iraq, because that is the most recent example that parallels.

You do also realize that the House and Senate were democrat for all of Kennedy's time in office too right? He simply didn't have to do some of the political wrangling that others (including Reagan so I know you aren't blind to the point) did either.

I'm thinking of a leader, like JFK, or Reagan, who can avoid the pitfalls of partisanship, inspire the people with a solid vision, then get it done. For a president who wants to get re-elected, being a good, or great leader is also self-serving. I'm just asking him to stand up and be that leader, and if not, then step aside and let someone into the office who will make a difference.

So again you are looking for getting something railroaded. IT'S MY VISION YOU WILL FALL IN LINE! You do realize that JFK and Reagan both did stuff like that to get what they wanted. If someone in their own party didn't agree they drove them out of the party. I'm not saying there isn't benefit to that. But it's a different type of driving on rails.

Personally I'd rather see the President have less power and Congress have more in general. I think that keeps things more transparent and in better balance. The three branches are not working out right now as envisioned, every president has created more power for position. I'm not sure I want another one who through "force of will" ends up getting more power, because the way the system works that is pretty much the only way, in practice, that someone could do what you want.

I'm not an Obama supporter. I'm having a hard time thinking of a presidential candidate that I've really liked in my lifetime. I'm not sure the man you are clamoring for exists. I didn't mind Reagan and he did get things through a "hostile" congress at times though Star Wars was a boondoggle, I really don't think "trickle down" economics works, and the "war on drugs" that started under his admin seems like just the type of thing you hate as well (and I agree with you on that too, it was a big waste of money).

I didn't and don't follow stuff closely to know if people opposed to your examples of JFK and Reagan flat out stated there only goal was to make sure that anything they wanted to happen failed like current Republicans have said. One of the few ways out of the an argument where both sides are saying my way or the highway is to wait it out. There aren't a lot of ways to back out of those types of statements without being perceived as "weak" by people that you may want as allies at some point.