I'm enjoying "Inventing the People" by Edmund Morgan, which describes a grand progression of useful political fictions (from the divine right of kings to popular sovereignty).  I'm looking around for inspiring descriptions of political leadership, noticing that the U.S. stock market is tumbling because of slow economic growth.  I'm not sure the Morgan book will help, but even a well-thought-out political fiction might be helpful around now.  Seriously, though, leadership is going to be the key.

To be persuasive, this leader is going to need lots of real comparative data from around the world.  Plus pictures -- visualizations of that data (don't forget Al Gore riding a rising platform to show the extent of change in global warming).  Al's not running, but he has been great at being persuasive about his subject.

Working, working.  More later.