Lying Low

We were sitting for the final art exam after three vigorous years of training. 

The British system and it's methods of testing was designed to test your skills but also your ability to follow instructions. If I remember correctly the question was about the use of number 1-9 to create a abstract piece (painting). 

There were students three types of students. Those who were skilled and who needed very little practice to prove so. Then there were those who would be forced to follow the instructions a little more in addition to their limited skills. Then there was a group who struggle in the background and  through the term only to emerge and flourish at the end as victors. 

My friend M was part of the last group. He walked into the room and used the energy of the rest of the students to create something good causing him to ace the exam as one of the few top final results. 

I too was fortunate because I followed the instructions and combined that with some skill and training. 

The race of the white house could produce someone from the last category. 

A candidate that is smart enough not too say too much while using the energy of those who are front runners in the race to create a last minute strategy and plan. In the previous post we alluded to this while talking about pace setters. Migratory birds use formations to ensure that they use a limited amount of energy to fly long distances. Candidates that are known can suffer much more attack precisely because they draw attention to themselves. But the choice to fly low can prove disastrous in campaigns that call for so much visibility. 

We have not seen too much of the social media drive that fueled B.H.O's drive for the presidency or the involvement of young people, nor have we seen the massive voter registration forces that reignited interest in the electoral process for black minorities. 

What we see though is a gathering storm that will focus our attention south of the Mason Dixon line and at the borders predominantly affecting hispanic minorities-an interesting and growing voter block. 

We have also seen concerns about voter registration rules for Identification affecting African Americans as well as fall out from the Katrina Disaster that has brought about marked shift in numbers (100,000 black residents from affected areas have not returned ) ten years after the disaster. 

So the deal with Cuba is important because it helps generate much needed income flow but critically, it has alienated some of the countries historic local allies and dissidents. But also changed the dynamics of immigration, economics and trade.

You could argue that the deal with Cuba has done what some believe could happen if the debate to legalize medical marijuana in states such as Colorado is carried through causing a decline in the narcotics trade south of the Rio Grande. 

The low lying candidate therefore needs to have the pulse of the people. 

He/ she needs to know what the numbers are on immigration and the affects of the much needed reform on agriculture and trade in the southern states. 

He/she needs to have the numbers regarding movement and migration in disaster prone areas and implications of these movements on voting. 

He/she needs to know the complexities of race relations in mid-western states and the corresponding legislation that deal with the same. 

He/she needs to be able to harness new media tools for an emerging generation but also balance these with old school town hall meetings for older more influential groups.