I listen to NPR at work 6 hours a day, 5 days a week, so I feel I'm pretty informed about what's going on in the world. There are certain trends in the news and if you listen closely and connect the dots, you come up with a scary picture for the future.

The environmental degradation, economic instability, political unrest, disease, and impoverishment, which have all existed for decades if not centuries, are reaching a critical moment. Many factors are playing and feeding off one another and there's not nearly enough time, resources, or harmony amongst our current leaders for any meaningful solutions.

We are going to have to make monumental changes and sacrifices in how we live, especially those of us who are lucky enough to be living comfortably in the first world nations. This means more, MUCH more, than turning down our thermostats, paying a little more for bread and gasoline, and changing out a few lightbulbs.

So what's it going to take to get my vote? Leaders who are able to see these problems for what they really are and implement timely, bold, and agressive solutions. These leaders need to tell the people the whole truth without sugar coating it or insisting that these problems are only temporary. These leaders are not likely going to be popular (to say the least), but please, don't kill the messenger. These kinds of leaders are necessary now more than ever.