What's the biggest challenge the next President faces?

[dead0man]

Iraq?  Recession?  China?  Russia?  Mexicans?  Angry Christian Fundies?  Death (McCain of old age, Obama because of an old racist)?

[MODU]

The hardest problem will still be energy.  Bush gets a big nod for how hard he's pushed and funded hydrogen development, but failed to do a national program ala Manhattan Project.  And with California failing to reverse their refining requirements, too few new refineries being built elsewhere, Congress blocking ANWAR again, dragging our feet on building new Nuclear reactors, etc... we're not much further along in meeting our energy needs.  The next President needs to act day one, declare a national energy emergency, and bring all the companies together and get things done.

[opebo]

Redistributing income.  Alas he will probably be unable to do anything about this challenge.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Redistributing income.  Alas he will probably be unable to do anything about this challenge.

Thank God.

[Frodo]

No one challenge really outweighs the others, though I can point to perhaps three that would dominate the term of the next president:  the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economic recession, and energy independence, all of which are interrelated and equally important.   

[Beet]

I honestly think that bringing Americans together and turning the page on the divisive cycle of our politics is the biggest challenge that any next President will face, the way things look now. In the short term, crises and other policy snafus will be bigger challenges, but in the long run, across the spectrum of issues, that will be the biggest challenge. In some respects, it was one of the biggest challenges that the last two Presidents faced, and they failed.

[A18]

The country has never been "together." And when it is, that's when I'll worry.

[Beet]

The country has never been "together." And when it is, that's when I'll worry.

Oh certainly Americans have been more together before, or more accurately, our politics emphasized areas in which we were not at such huge odds; or we were not at such huge odds over the issues our politics emphasized. In those circumstances, government is more likely to get things done... perhaps it is cause to worry for those who hope for gridlock and government failure, though

[A18]

Hah; well, my post was perhaps overly glib, but I stand behind its basic point.

Even where a major political figure commanded the support of a clear majority of Americans, it seems to me that American history has always featured intense political divisions. The body politic has been divided into camps of warring ideological factions at least since the debate over the Constitution. And "turning the page on the divisive cycle of our politics" sounds, to my ears, rather like "turning the page on the violent portion of our war," or "turning the page on the argumentative cycle of our debate."

The "divisive cycle" of politics is the only cycle of politics to yet be seen. And it is, I think, the natural one. Elections are all about conflict.

As for more-versus-less divisive, that's a more understandable point of concern. But it still, I submit, misses the point. Sure, just about any particular person would like to mitigate political divisiveness; he wishes, in short, that his ideas were commonly accepted orthodoxy. But if we're divided on substantive matters, surely there's no magic pill that will make us all hold hands and sing songs.

Or have I missed your point?

[Stranger in a strange land]

No one challenge really outweighs the others, though I can point to perhaps three that would dominate the term of the next president:  the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, an economic recession, and energy independence, all of which are interrelated and equally important.   

Energy independence is by far the most important, and will go a long way towards solving the other 2.

[perdedor]

I would say that succeeding George W. Bush after having 8-years of virtually no resistance to his policies is quite a challenge to the next president.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Getting re-elected. For isn't that the primary obsession of all first term Presidents? If he (whoever he is) manages that, then it's time to turn to legacy projects!

[MODU]

I honestly think that bringing Americans together and turning the page on the divisive cycle of our politics is the biggest challenge that any next President will face, the way things look now. In the short term, crises and other policy snafus will be bigger challenges, but in the long run, across the spectrum of issues, that will be the biggest challenge. In some respects, it was one of the biggest challenges that the last two Presidents faced, and they failed.

As long as there are two parties who dominate the system and put more money and energy into not solving problems, then it will always be divisive.  The public is just more aware of it now, which is why more and more are getting turned off by politicians.  Hopefully people will start voting out the people that cause it (on both sides) and actually bring forth real change.  It has to be a bottom up change, since none of the current front runners or the party leaderships are really going to do something on their end.

[opebo]

Redistributing income.  Alas he will probably be unable to do anything about this challenge.

Thank God.

GM3 thinks he has money!

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

Redistributing income.  Alas he will probably be unable to do anything about this challenge.

Thank God.

GM3 thinks he has money!

Nope, just the average American who works a lot, spent wisely, paid off my house, put my kid through college,  all without having anybody's wealth re-distributed to me.  Just like it's supposed to be. 

[Nym90]

Trying to bring some semblance of unity and national resolve will probably be the biggest challenge of all in terms of unattainability, but we'll see.

In terms of issues, I'd say the most important are health care, education, alternative energy/environment, and Iraq. All huge challenges to be sure.