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Here's what faces the President of the United States in the next 20 years, whoever they may be:
Global warming that probably can't be stopped in time, possibly leading to oxidation of the oceans, and death of most species on the planet; the final decline of world production of fossil fuels, with no *legitimate* substitutes in sight; a China with nuclear weapons and the desire to have the same level of affluence that you see in Manhattan, New York, and Manhattan Beach California...but insufficient energy and resources to achieve that affluence; over 300 million people in a country that can, at least in theory, support only about 125 million in some sort of sustainable fashion, and no current, realistic limits on immigration from poor countries, chiefly Mexico; by extension, 6.1 billion people on a planet that *might* with good management, support about 800 million at something like the level of affluence you can find in a Moscow apartment suburb; insufficient potable water, worldwide, to support anything even remotely close to 6.1 billion souls.
In short, human beings are, as several big brains have been pointing out, a plague species. We are near the apex of our particular bell-curve. How will the next three US Presidents deal with these problems? How? Might be worth thinking about that before we case our votes in 2008.
One thing's certain. Another 4-8 years of a GW Bush-type presidency, and we can kiss our asses goodbye. We may have to do that anyway.
We need a Kennedy right now. A Lincoln. An FDR. Short of that? We are in deep, deep shit.
