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.

Beware The Tea Party Darlings

The Republican Party has lost it's identity to the Tea Party and hasn't a clue what to do.

More and more so called Republicans are turning away from the moderates in their own party in an on going and effective effort to reshape the GOP into one of far right conservatism.  Whatever conservatism is these days.

If that isn't reason for a viable third party I don't know what is.

It has happened again in Texas where a darling of the Tea Party beat a more moderate opponent in a runoff for Kay Bailey Hutchisons's Senate seat. I question the stance of any candidate that has the active support of Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Rand Paul, Glenn Beck and Jim DeMint. Why is that?  Because they are all far right and by some considered to be on the fringe.  In some respects they want to intrude into your life just as much as the Democrats only with religious dictates rather than governmental.  Family values.  On their terms.  Not yours.

We've seen from the 2010 elections what happens when people with an ideology and an inability or unwillingness to think about what's best for the country and act accordingly are voted into office. Analyze and compromise are not in their vocabularies.

We hear a great deal about true conservatives without a firm definition.  We hear a great deal about wanting to take back our country but is electing the inflexible really the way to do it?

Granted many Republicans who have been turned out of office have been there too long.  However, these new nominees and electees are not the one man wonders they are made out to be.  They begin their terms with no seniority which minimizes their clout from the get go.  They alone, as one person, will not bring new leadership for years to come, nor shrink government, nor give it back to the people,  especially by refusing to compromise.

Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the nonpartisan Rothenberg Report, had this to say about the candidate I'm referring to, Ted Cruz. "...Cruz is not willing to compromise even if it means being irrelevant to the legislative process."

Read that again.  What's the point of electing a man like that to...well, legislate?

Isn't it time to cut the Tea Partiers loose?  They serve no purpose other than obstruction.  Like spoiled children, if things aren't the way they want them they throw the equivalent of a tantrum.  It's no way to run a country.  Actually, they aren't running the country at all except maybe into the ground. Is there anyone in office who is actually for the country in either party?

The Unions Are Failing Our Kids

I'm not much of a union fan.  They have a mindset I find offensive.  They don't seem to be willing to admit they are far better off than the average private sector  employee.  They have better salaries and certainly better benefits yet they are continually asking for more as if it were an entitlement. It also seems not to occur to them this is the reason so many people are anti-union.  Their tactics don't help either.

On an adult level a battle can be waged but when kids are used as pawns it's criminal.  After all, kids are the most valuable commodity this country has and it behooves all of us, including the unions, to see they receive the best education possible.

When I read about union efforts aimed at protecting the teacher rather than educating the child I wonder if it isn't time to eliminate them and let school districts and teachers fight over pay and benefits between themselves.  Especially when the unions, as in  New York ,  are using their position to protect sexual predators.  It is beyond defending especially in this age of Jerry Sandusky and/or the Catholic church with their recent problems.

Then too there is union opposition to charter schools.  In  Louisiana they are using their stereotypical bullying to prevent private and parochial schools from accepting students with vouchers.

Their excuse that it's unconstitutional rings hollow.  It will play out in the courts but until then the threats should not be going out stating they will use 'whatever means necessary' to prevent voucher students from attending those schools and additionally threatening them with litigation.

Let's face it, if the schools, the teachers, were doing their jobs there would be no need for charter schools or vouchers.  Even here in little Coeur d'Alene we have an excellent charter academy that's ranked number one in the state and it has a waiting list. This is indicative of parents wanting the best for their children.  Where one happens to live has nothing to do with that fact.

Unions have been around for a long time but have they outlived their usefulness?  Using teachers unions as an example perhaps so.  When it comes to protecting the teachers, good, bad and indifferent rather than working toward improving the educational system as a whole I see no point in having them what's more supporting them.

In the New York cases there is a lengthy process before a final arbitrator is chosen by both the school district and the union. An outrageous paycheck of $1400 a day certainly buys a lot of loyalty to the union representing the offending teacher resulting more often than not with a slap on the wrist when dismissal might be far more appropriate.  Such actions are an insult to not only the students and their parents, but also to every good teacher that exists.  I'd like to think they are in the majority but I'll have to see a great deal of improvement in our kids as they come out of school  to be convinced. The unions could help deliver that improvement but I've yet to see a desire to do so.

The Picket Project - The Picket Project Searches for Honest Solutions

Please take note.

We are living in a time that will be remembered as the great transition of the 21^st century. We are watching history unfold.  The economic and social earthquakes we have recently endured have shaken our beliefs, our ideologies, and our authority on a global scale – and nothing can easily undo the damage that has been done.  The consequences of these transitions are still untold; but our world, our country, and our lives will never be the same again.

As the international dynamics shift, America, which was once the brightest shining light in the darkness of a planet draped in tyranny and wreckage, has been at risk of losing its place on the global stage.  Perhaps our country will not meet the same fate as the failed empires of the past, but we can’t rule it out – too many trend lines are pointing the wrong direction.  Satisfaction with government has been justifiably at an all time low, while ideological tension seems to be destroying our chances of recovering from this crisis.

Politically divided, we are in desperate need of leaders who will show us the way forward, to transition into the 21st century America we were destined to be, and to lead the world again in tackling the challenges we all share together. Unfortunately, in our time of need, our current politicians have failed us.

The time has come to decide.

However, election season has arrived, and everything will be different this time:

• All of the House of Representatives’ seats are ripe for the taking.
• 33/100 Senate seats are open for election
• And 1 presidential seat is in jeopardy.

This year, we will elect politicians who can win the hearts and minds of all sides of the debate, and form meaningful compromises that cut budgets, lower taxes, protect our safety nets, invest in the future, and protect our freedom…

…right?

Unless, of course, we elect a singled-focused government which takes a no-compromise approach to solving our political problems.

Maybe the election will result in a new president and a majority who are focused on smaller, less costly, and more accountable government. One which begins to roll back the socialist experiment which has caused overspending on our long overdue credit and propped our entire country up against a house of cards; a house which will inevitably share the Greek, Portuguese, Irish, Spanish, and Italian fate.

Or maybe still, we will elect those who recognize that the US government can borrow at record low interest rates.  At a time where our infrastructure is failing, our schools are broken, and so many people are out of work, every dollar invested in our future can give back $2 in return.  We will protect our environment, our vulnerable, and have an advanced economy which provides opportunities for all; repaying our debt through decreasing wasteful spending and raising taxes.

Whichever we choose, when this election finishes, the American people will have finally spoken – and the new leaders we elect will know what we have elected them to do.  They will come in focused, and ready to serve their country in a meaningful, productive way…

… unless they don’t.

Instead, we just may elect an ideologically focused, divided congress.  A congress that trades beneficial compromises for trench warfare political maneuverings.  One which forces another gridlocked government while we postpone our economic and social recovery until next election.

Which do you believe will happen?

We need to pull our country out of this economic slump.  We need to turn our government into something that works for everyone: efficient and just.  But if we do not clearly state for ourselves how this should be done, we force our politicians to decide for us.  We should not allow the politicians to dictate America’s future alone.

If our political system cannot find a path forward, we at the Picket Project will be working towards finding methods in which mutually beneficial compromises can be had.  We believe that the polarity our nation faces contains underlying truths which cannot be ignored and that the best solutions are found through understanding these truths and leveraging them.  We will be searching for new and creative ideas that can bring our country back together.  Searching for compromises which can bridge the divide between us.  We at the Picket Project will be searching for honest solutions, because they are needed now more than ever.

Over the next few weeks we will be publishing weekly posts contributing to the blog series: “Debate Politics and Social Issues- Picket Project”.  A new post will be online every Thursday morning with a follow up post which will further the content of the previous publication.  This follow up post will be published on the following Monday and will include:

• Further detail of the topics discussed in Thursday’s post
• Responses to Thursday’s post based on reader’s comments and collaborations
• Brief insight into the new post coming later in the week

We need your support.  Leave your Comments, Follow this blog, share us on Facebook and Twitter, and follow the Picket Project on Linkedin!

THANK YOU

Links:

• Will the GOP Take Control of the Senate? The Top 8 Races to Watch
• Is polarization making Congress dumber?
• Gutmann: Hope for compromise in Washington

The Picket Project - Fully Analyzing Political Issues and Social Problems

Partial solutions aren’t enough to solve a crisis. The United States is suffering from a maelstrom of problems – a recession, rising debt, and a declining education system, just to name a few. We need real solutions that provide a path of prosperity for ourselves and the coming generations. Forming these solutions will require understanding the full complexity of the problems we face.

Without this understanding, an oversimplified version of an issue can cause important factors to be dismissed in order to reach a course of action prematurely.  This can create faulty solutions which do not address the underlying cause, creating unintended consequences far worse than the original problem.

Unfortunately, our government is well experienced in this principle.

Take, for example, an attempt to minimize corruption and the influence of lobbyists in the 1970s.  In the wake of the Watergate scandal and amidst rising concerns that back room deals played too large of a roll in our government, new laws took form that required government meetings to be public information.

The basic premise of the sunshine legislation is that, in the words of federalist No. 49, 'the people are the only legitimate foundation of power, and it is from them that the constitutional charter ... is derived.' Government is and should be the servant of the people, and it should be fully accountable to them for the actions which it supposedly takes on their behalf.

The belief was that, by showing the public exactly which bills our representatives are lobbying for and against, it would shine more light onto governmental affairs and naturally disinfect the public disease of corruption and corporate interest.  However, when looking at the political scene today, it seems that corporate influence is at an all-time high and a belief that our politicians are doing what is best for its people is at an all-time low.

With the benefit of hindsight, Fareed Zakaria paints a picture of the inadvertent consequences of these actions.

Most Americans have neither the time, the interest, nor the inclination to monitor Congress on a day-to-day basis.  But lobbyists and activists do, and they can use the information and access to ensure that the groups they represent are well taken care of in the federal budget and the legal code.

Before this bill, well-meaning politicians would allow themselves to take corporate contributions for political campaigns with the same underhanded promises they make today.  The promise that they will try and pass favorable legislation for companies who donate to their campaigns.

Of course, in a typical political manner, what they said and what they did were not always the same. A simple “I tried to sway them, but there was nothing I could do,” would often be enough to keep the money coming in for reelection while still being able to vote based on their personal beliefs.

With the new law in effect, this has become virtually impossible.  Since lobbyists can now review every vote taken, they can cut off funds for politicians who do not vote the way they were asked.  It seems that the factors that contribute to an empowered voter are more than simply availability of information.

Without accounting for economic interests taking advantage of this information, the problem of corruption and accountability was underestimated and oversimplified. This partial solution brought with it consequences – forcing their fellow politicians to focus less on our needs than ever before.

This example is far from unique.  Our history is littered with failed policies and half measures which cause more harm than good, with no sign of an end to the madness.

How can we create truly beneficial solutions in a complex world?

While no one can predict the future, we can avoid some of the worst mistakes by taking the time needed to properly analyze the factors surrounding the issues.  These factors, when fully understood, can help us understand the most likely result of any course of action, and minimize the negative consequences associated with an inaccurate understanding of reality.

The real question is:

Do you believe our politicians today are fully analyzing the problems they are addressing, or are they inviting negative consequences by oversimplifying these issues?

Our goal at the Picket Project is to understand the difference between positive solutions and those which will cause more harm than good; to fully analyze proposed solutions in an effort to understand the costs associated with poorly understood legislation.  Sometimes the challenges we face can only be solved through government action.  On the other hand, there are situations in which the government can make the problem worse.  We are not only working towards determining when a problem does or does not need government action, but also towards understanding what that action should be.  Solutions that everyone can agree to – fully explored and understood.

As always, we look forward to hearing your opinions and we will be regularly updating our content.  Start the conversations here through the comment system on the blog, our Facebook page, and Twitter using the #PicketProject hashtag!

Links:

• A way out of our dysfunctional politics
• The Future of Freedom: Illiberal Democracy at Home and Abroad
• Government in the Sunshine Act