Be bold, Mr. President.

The country needs leadership. Besides the radical "Tea Party," there is little faith in anyone in government - no rising stars that can suck up the media spotlight with bipartisan popularity. There is, in short, no "2005 you" in this political calculus.

You must be bold. The Republican position has been panned by the Economist and even Ben Stein - it is both grounded in foolishness and delusional in the thought that higher taxes will destroy our economy.

The economy is not weak because of taxes, and you must say so. You must have faith that the American people will listen to you - actually listen to you - when you go on TV from the Oval Office to explain the peril that this debt issue involves us in, and the lack of choice that presents itself. You must be clear about the relative size of entitlements vs the defense budget vs everything else, and you must do this in the faith that Americans are waiting for you to step up.

We are waiting for leadership.

So lead.