"As noted above, George W. Bush ushered in policies that created an eight-year economic roller coaster ride built upon Wall Street's greedy pursuits, passed his tax cuts for the wealthy and created two separate "bubbles" that succeeded in making the poor poorer and the rich richer, launched a private army of hired military contractors and fostered a culture of war-profiteering on an unprecedented scale - all without a 60-vote majority. Use your legislative allies to find a solution between now and January 2011, when the new Congress will be seated and can amend Senate Rule 22, which has made the United States the only democracy in the world not governed by majority rule.

Mr. President, you have spoken. Now, you must quickly begin to lead the nation with action regardless of the opposition you encounter. Public perception of your actions will matter more than the reaction to any speech. Your actions must immediately begin to restore a sense of confidence in your administration's capacity to improve the lives of the American people, the state of our nation as a whole and the well-being of the global society that depends in so many ways upon us. The fate of the republic, and possibly the planet, is in your hands."

About the Author:

Rinaldo Brutoco is a well-known futurist and the founding president of the World Business Academy, a nonprofit think tank launched in 1987 with the mission to educate and inspire the business community to take responsibility for the whole of planetary society. He is a frequent public speaker and a prolific author on renewable energy, climate change and sustainable business strategies. He is the co-author of "Freedom from Mid-East Oil" (2007), a leading book on energy and climate change, and "Profiles in Power" (1997) a college textbook on nuclear power and the dawn of the solar age.

to read the article published Jan 31, 2010, visit
www.truthout.org/the-presidents-leadership-challenge-a-call-bold-action56546