Front load hefty benefits and backload heftier benefits, a compromise both would agree on.

But that's not my point. If that chart were a pinball machine, it would be on perpetual 'tilt'. You don't have to write like that.

You know how congress works--someone comes up to McCain, "John, we have an idea for veteran's benefits, what do you think?" "No, it's too front loaded, I couldn't support it". McCain doesn't support Veteran's Benefits. That's their game of BS, and I don't think writers should play along. If you want a more honest government, if you want the kind of new Washington Obama is claiming he wants, then call them on their gamesmanship.

So, you wouldn't claim McCain wants 100 years of conflict in Iraq, because that's not what he said, and you wouldn't claim that he says the economy is good, because that also is not what he said, and wouldn't say it was ridiculous for McCain to talk about how Hamas wants Obama--because Malley just resigned or was fired because of his contacts with Hamas, and you wouldn't make the claim that McCain's solution to everything is war, because the piece you linked to reads as a desire for clear and firm diplomacy. In other words, if the old way is to paint the opponent as a caricature, then don't do that.

There is a difference between understanding economics as a senator and understanding economics like Milton Friedman--or Galbraith, if that is closer to you tastes. It doesn't literally mean he doesn't know enough about the price of oil to know that increasing the supply of oil would drive down the price.

I'm not going to get upset that Obama said there were 57 states in the US, and you shouldn't get upset that politicos either contradict themselves or outright lie--unless of course, the politico is claiming that he or she will not be like the others, when in fact he or she is just like the others.

Regarding Iraq, McCain criticized the soft footprint approach--which made this thing last this long, and wanted a hard footprint, which, within a year of its implementation, has shown this conflict will be winding down--unless Iran decides to become a major player, as Hezbollah has become in Lebanon.

I'm saying that if you want a new politics, it's going to require a new discourse. I'm hoping you'll be doing this. I know that you can.