It's just beginning to occur to me:):):)...

...just how much the last 6 years or so, in American politics...

...has been this really great exploration of what honesty and intelligence in politics and honest and intelligent policy looks like...

...as well as one long rationalization, for far too many people, of why honesty and intelligence -- in politics...but...by extension...in life -- really just doesn't matter...

Bill Bradley was the smartest candidate I think I've ever seen run for the Presidency...

Alan Keyes has a Ph.D. in political science from Harvard (if I'm remembering that correctly)...

But definitely not that intelligent, by my lights...

I don't say that at all because I disagree with Alan's social conservative politics...

I say it because Alan never really had much new to say, ever, about most issues...his big issue was abortion...he didn't really say much new about that...nor really many of the other really important political or other issues of the day...

Alan was an excellent example of an overeducated man without too much intelligent to say (the other version of that joke is a little harsh...but you get the jist)...

Bill Bradley, on the other hand...while only having an undergrad from Princeton (I'm not even sure what it was in, to be honest:):):)...

Was one of the most thoughtful Senators and Presidential candidates I've ever seen, frankly...

Bill Clinton is pretty thoughtful, too...

Bill Clinton's real stregth (arguably better than Bill Bradley's...or...rather...more public than Bill Bradley's similar behind the scenes work in a similar vein) was how he brought people together...

Both Bill's understand that they are not the only or often even the most important actors in the political process...

That people from all different sorts of backgrounds must be brought together to resolve important policy matters...

Bill Clinton's race dialogue initiative and his work to bring environmentalists and business people to the table to resolve environmental matters are excellent examples of how Bill excelled as a more collaborative President than the traditional command and control model that President Bush has tried more -- with much less sucess than his predecessor -- to engage in...command and control, remember, is what brought down the Soviet system and model of governance...and no matter who engages in it -- liberals, conservatives, socialists, theocrats...whomever -- it functions far less effectively than a more collaborative approach to governance...as the last 5 years have served to demonstrate for us, I hope...

But Bill Bradley both is engaged in such efforts -- Bill is associated, you will notice, with the democratic dialogue efforts cited on the center-left of this blog with groups like America Speaks...but really...Bill is involved with a million groups like this...either personally...or more indirectly -- and he is/was just a more honest player in those discussions, as well, I think...

What I really admired about Bill...is that he was not ashamed of being smart...and of talking smart...even when he got all kinds of hell for doing so...

And he was/is honest...about himself...about the political process in America...

Bill Bradley -- unlike President Clinton -- talked honestly about his marijuana use in the 2000 primaries...

And Bill was willing to be thoughtful and critical of the more fundamental problems/issues in American politics...namely...the way that money corrupted the process...but I would add...the way that power is often averse to a more honest intellectual discussion...and was willing to be critical of both parties when they allowed that money and power to wag the dog, so to speak...and to hold himself and his campaign to a higher standard on the issue...even if it didn't win the election for him...

And here's the real irony...

Whereas other candidates were skittish about talking about the money/power nexus...and the ways that it undermined confidence in American democracy...for fear of pissing off the money folks, as much as anything else...

Guess how Bill Bradley's been making his living for the past few years?...

Bill Bradley...Wikipedia...

As an investment banker...and a corporate consultant:):):)...

Ironic, huh?:):):):):)...

That a guy who would be honest with the money world about how it exercised too much influence over politics:):):)...

Would go on to make his living (I'm sure quite well, knowing Bill:):):)...

As a investment banker and corporate consultant:):):)...

I suppose investment banking and the corporate world need honest people just like anyone else:):):)...

And Bill Bradley is just about as honest as they come:):):)...

Ironic, huh?:):):)...

That Americans would spend so much time in the last 6 years or so:):):)...

Trying to argue for themselves and one another:):):)...

That honesty and intelligence just don't matter:):):)...for the general culture...and definitely not for their personal welfare:):):)...

And that the one guy who served as our best example of intelligence and honesty in the last few elections:):):)...

Would be making what I imagine is pretty decent bank as an investment banker and a corporate consultant:):):)...

Isn't it ironic?...don't you think?:):):)...a little too ironic:):):)...but yeah I really do think:):):)...

The truth is that too many people are not just not honest enough:):):):):)...

They're just kind of dumb, I think:):):):):)...

Thinking that somehow the world can function as well without us being more and more honest with ourselves and with one another:):):):):)...

How dumb:):):):):)...

We'll get better, I think:):):)...we already are, think:):):)...

I've got to get ready for work:):):):):)...

Have a great day, everyone:):):):):)...

Love,
Ben