A Vacuum Of Leadership

We have become a country of extremes.  The 'conservatives' on the Republican right and the   'liberals' on the Democrat left playing tug of war for the soul of the country.  I'm convinced neither side has won due to a lack of leadership. 

 Leadership requires more than personality.  It requires ideas, solutions, resolve and perhaps most of all responsibility.  Where is it?

It seems oddly pathetic Obama will have Bill Clinton as keynote speaker at his convention.  The two aren't particularly fond of one another and to make matters more of an embarrassment, Mr. Clinton is by far the more popular of the two.  My, we Americans are a forgiving bunch considering the shame he brought on the office of the presidency.  As our economy continues to drift in a morass of uncertainty, Mr. Obama is not running on his record.  He doesn't have one on which to run.

Instead, as had been predicted, the campaign has disintegrated into nothing more than the most foul insults and insinuations to come out of Washington in some time.  That's saying something.

What is clear I think is that Mr. Obama really doesn't want to take responsibility for anything nor does he want any of the rest of us to.  Forget the removal of bin Laden. He has claimed to have done it, but by his own philosophy he really didn't.  Just like any of us who are successful didn't do it ourselves, he didn't take out bin Laden by himself.  Not by a long shot. That, however, is where the similarity ends.  Give credit where it's due when due and claim it for self when deserved.

Of the two candidates at least Mr. Romney has some genuine success in a world outside of politics.  His problem is he is taking the bait put out by the Democrats because of his inability to 'connect' with us.  Personally I do not begrudge him his success nor his wealth.  I do not think it is unfair that he and others like him have more than I do.  That's because I'm comfortable with myself.  Could I have done better?  You bet.  But the fact that I didn't lies with myself - no one else.

With our so called leaders in such disarray, its no wonder there is a vacuum.  Obama really knew nothing about management nor governing when he took office.  Rather than growing into the job it seems to me he has run from it.  He leads from behind.  He apologizes. He dictates or takes matters into his own hands whether it's legal or not.  He campaigns by pandering.  When he's unsuccessful it's always someone else's fault.

Mr. Romney seems on an equal plane.  If he had leadership capabilities he'd be laying out specifics where he could and vision where he couldn't.  Instead he is busy trying to explain away gaffes and in a sense, himself.  I really wish he would just admit to who and what he is.  It's okay.  Some of us still admire success and individualism.  Some of us are comfortable with not being equal - we don't think it's 'unfair'.

This sameness in the two men, the lack of leadership traits, is reflected in the polls.  A more dynamic, visionary and confident candidate would be far ahead of Mr. Obama.  An Obama willing and able to govern without the approval of everyone in the world would be leaving Mr. Romney in the dust.

With over 300,000,000 people in the United States, it's hard to believe this is the best we could come up with to vie to be the leader of the free world.  Or even the pretender.