Joey's Take -- Trailblazer or Roadkill?

When it comes to dogs, there are basically five kinds of leaders:

-- The Lone Wolf. He starts out as leader of the pack but ends up on his own because no one wants to go in his direction.

-- The Pup. Rash and inexperienced, he's in a hurry to get anywhere else. He doesn't take the time to learn from the past and sniff out the dangers of the trail. Since he doesn't have a clear idea of where he wants to go, he tends to wander. In his haste, he loses his way -- or gets run over by the rest of the pack.

-- Old Faithful. This dog never wanders off the beaten path. He's always got his nose to the ground so he can lead the pack down the same trail everyone else has taken.

-- The Yapper. His nose is constantly in someone else's business. He's so busy barking and whining about what others have done, he leads the pack in circles.

-- The Trailblazer. This dog generally has had experience and has great instincts. But he still takes the time to smell the scents, test the water and plot out a reasonable course. While he doesn't needlessly lead the pack headlong into danger, he stands his ground when necessary. He understands that leadership isn't about being popular -- or having power. It's about vision, responsibility, integrity and accountability.

With the mess our country is in, we need to start seriously thinking about our future leaders -- at the local, state and national levels.

Me? I'm looking for trailblazers.