One of the things that major politicians seem sadly not to realize should be the most obvious.

In every election cycle, we get candidates identifying problems and offering rhetorical solutions. While they may sound as if they offer real answers, their solutions are hollow, impractical, and unimaginative. Sure, it's good to offer health care reform, but when your solutions are as practical as building a suspension bridge to the moon, you know it's not going to get done. Anyone with half a brain knows its not going to get done. These types of nonanswers are dependent on those WITHOUT half a brain turning out to vote.

People who offer real solutions are in short supply. It's why the advice industry is a multibillion dollar franchise. Several franchises, actually. Because to offer, and actually implement, solutions, takes vision, courage, and leadership skills beyond the lengths to which the average American will go.

One of the most often unasked questions when a problem is presented is "so what would you have me do?" The room usually gets pretty silent at that point.

If we had leaders who were willing to provide real, practical solutions, we might not experience politics as usual. Of course, they'd step on too many toes so they'd probably find themselves out of office pretty quickly.