Who Do You Trust?

Lily

I love the concept of this post. Thank you.

Gee whiz what a question to ponder. I too will have to think about this some. I just hope I don't hurt myself in the process.

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Ok I guess I will make my stab at “Who Do I Trust”

I really Like Newt Gingrich Former Speaker of the House.

I have seen many interviews of him over the years and find him to be an intelligent, honest, and straight forward man. He appears very “Reagan” like in his Political and Economic Principles. He is a staunch believer and defender of the Constitution as it was intended by our forefathers. And a true believer in American Traditions and Values. He is a student of history that believes that in studying history, and learning from it, we reduce our chances of repeating mistakes. I think he would make a great “Commander in Chief”.

Below is a little Bio of Mr. Gingrich I dug up with its source at the end.

Newt Gingrich served as a Member of Congress for 20 years and as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives from 1995-1999.

He is widely recognized as the chief architect of the Republican Contract with America and the key strategist and leader behind the 1994 Republican victory, which created the first GOP majority in Congress in 40 years, and the 1996 and 1998 victories that retained that majority for the first time in 74 years.

Since retiring from politics, Mr. Gingrich founded The Gingrich Group, an Atlanta-based communications and management-consulting firm, which he heads as CEO.

He also serves as a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, DC and as a distinguished visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California. He is currently a political analyst for the Fox News Channel.

Newt is also on the Board of Directors at the Internet Policy Institute and the Advisory Board of the Museum of the Rockies. The former Speaker of the House was named a Distinguished Visiting Scholar at the National Defense University in February 2001.

Before his election to Congress, Newt taught History and Environmental Studies at West Georgia College for eight years.

He is recognized worldwide as an expert on world history, military issues and international affairs and is a member of the Senior Advisory Board of the United States Commission on National Security/21st Century that produced a series of reports that document the our national security challenges as far out as 2025.

Mr. Gingrich is the author of five books, including the best-sellers, "Contract with America" and "To Renew America."

Source= http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/AuthorBiography.aspx?AuthorId=36

Lily

Thanks again for the concept of the post. I hope it goes well and everyone has fun with it.

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Lily,

Great question, But, sad to say, I don't really trust any of the politicos on the horizon, right or left.  I should preface my statement to include the fact that I don't know that many & haven't done an in depth sudy.  I also had to make a few assumptions.

I assume that we're excluding the two nominees for the reason that they are the predominant forces of their respective parties.  So let's move on from there.

Since I couldn't think of one person who would make a better candidate (not even me) I decided to go in another direction.  I looked for qualifications & questions I would ask any potential candidate.

First, I would have to throw in with the person who said that we damn sure don't need any more lawyers in the federal government.  It's lousy with them & they haven't done that much in positive ways.  Obviously, very obviously, even having an Mba hasn't done much good.  Get an accountant or economist.  That's what we need, especially now.

Let's face it, whoever sits in the chair in the Oval Office, has tons of advisors who head departments with tons of more advisors.  So regardless of what particular field you might be talking about, domestic policy, foreign policy, military, science, finance, the president has a ton of advisors upon which he can rely. He/she doesn't have to be an expert on everything.

I would also ask the candidate if they would be willing to form at least two committees.  One to evaluate the wrongs the present administration has done as far as civil liberties, concentration of power, separation of & restoration of the powers of the three branches of government in order to restore what the Constitution proscribed.

Add another committee to find a way to prevent this from ever happening again.

As long as it was such a big thing in this past campaign, I would look for a candidate who would say to people about evolution that no, one doesn't have to believe in it.  Number one, the facts are there, open to all & then to encourage people to find out about the scientific process.

On religion, I would want a candidate to tell people who ask what their religious views  are, to tell them that their views are private, therefore, none of anyones business & are not relevant to the civic responsibilities of running a country.

I would ask them what machinery they would put in place when it is discovered that they are not acting in the best interest of the country, in fact, that their actions were running contrary to constitutional directives.

Obviously, my list is incomplete, but that's what I came up with in this short amount of time.  But worry not.  I'll still keep on thinking.

TH,

While repecting your right to name Newt, I beg to differ.  A bunch of blogs back, & I don't remember whether it was mine or Smuncey's, I mentioned a book I was reading.  The subject was "True conservatives," & conservative ideals.  Allow me to quote the author about Newt.

"Part of the responsibility for this abandonment of legislative duty (and, simultaneously,  the abandonment of the most basic fundamentals of American conservatism) can be traced to the emergence of a highly ambitious backbench congressman from Georgia:  Newt Gingrich.  Even before being elected to a party leadership position, Gingrich had aggessively pushed congressinal Republicans in a new direction in which the pursuit of power trumped all other considerations."

There are more entries about Newt, but I'm not that far into the book yet.  About the author of these statements.  He is former Republican member of the House, Mickey Edwards.  He is also a former national chairman of the American Conservative Union & a founding trustee of the Heritage Foundation. I hope that's conservative enough for you.  His book is titled, "Reclaiming Conservatism, How a Great American Political Movement Got Lost--and How It Can find Its Way Back."

Now I have been accused of being a liberal on these blogs, in spite of the fact that I happen to agree with many of the conservative ideals.  But if a person like this doesn't have much in the way of things positive about Newt, I think you can understand why a goodly portion of the rest of the country agrees with him, regardless of whether they are conservative or liberal.

Those are my musings so far.  As I said, I'll keep trying & keep thinking, as always.  JATFUR.

Rich K

I'd put Alan Keys near the top of my list.......

Steven P Munsey A+, MCP, IASO Orange Park | Green Cove Springs munsey13@comcast.net

No disrespect was taken Mr. Rich.

Makes me wish I could get deeper into the authors head. So I could see and understand more clearly his meaning. And then be able to question Mr. Gingrch on those lines.

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TH,

No disrespect taken.  My reading of this book was born out of many blog entries where the term, "Well He/she is not a "TRUE CONSERVATIVE."  I've heard it so many times, sans a definitive explanation, which the author provides, it made me want to puke.  So, I bought the book & began to learn.

I'll not give any advice save to say, check out the book.  You read, you decide.  I can only offer my impression.  But yeah, I would love to question Mr. G myself.  But then the dream is to have the top people, along with verified copies of their comments on vaarious subjects, & then nail them with the facts.  Oh well.  Such is dreaming.  Hope you get a chance to scope it out.  Me, I'll continue to read & get back to Mozart.  Watch out for the rain.  It's a comin' Babba Louie. JATFUR.

Rich K

They can never take away our dreams Mr. Solo

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TH,

As far as politics go, I, along with many other people, have our dreams & our dream candidate, in our minds, if not in reality.  I only wish that a candidate, any candidate would come close.  But reality, as it always does, intrudes in the most rude & unthinking manner.  JATFUR,

Rich K

Solo;

Maybe you see him every day in the mirror? He'd certainly have your ideas and ideals in mind when he got elected.

Think about it. In two years there will be an at-large seat up for election/re-election. I don't know where you live but the District seat might be open to you also.

We could use you in one of those seats. And I ain't jerking your chain.

Mike Heemer

If only we could incarnate "Mr. Smith" to really send to Washington.

I am affraid we have run out of heros in our times Mr. Solo. Oh we have heros like our boys and girls fightning in the war on terror, they will always be our heros.

But I mean political heros, that will go to Washington with a purest heart. Out of true love of country and the American way. See I too am a dreamer Mr. Solo. I still hope and wait for that person to come along.

So we watch, listen, hope, dream, learn, and pray. And in the meantime make the best choice we can with what we have.  

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Mike,

Thanks for the good thoughts & a bit of praise, at least in my interpretation. In no way could I possibly consider running for any type of local public office, for a number of reasons.

One, I am fully aware that there are any number of people who know one hell of a lot more than I about the ins & outs of Clay County.  I would not want to  dilute any choice the people would want to make.

Two, I am an independent of moderate views leaning towards the pragmatic ways of thinking.  I see this as a disadvantage, no disrespect to the others of the same views.

Three, I am an agnostic, a distinct disadvantage, especially in this type of geographical area,  or whether you're talking national politics.  Whether this is a disadvantage towards a candidate or the voters is for others to decide.  Voters tend to see, interpret & then vote on personal issues of a personal nature.  When they begin to see issues on a larger scale, looking for the greatest good for the greatest number, thinking of an end or issue in the perspective of promoting  something greater than themselves & their personal interests, I might have a chance.

Four, I advocate a process of pragmatic compromise when necessary, a consideration of what our neighbors might think of value, things that have been lost in partisan politics.  It has been the downfall of our country.

I do thank you for your consideration.  Don't worry, my chain is intact, such as it is.

TH,

Thanks for bringing up Mr. Smith.  My brain must have been in reverse because I totally forgot @ him.  But once again, that is a Capraesque ideal.  I fear we won't see the likes of that ideal ever again.  Sad to say. One thought, though.  In Obama, I see a spark, not the whole picture, of course.  But just a spark of an ideal.  Again, dreams get in the way. Lily said it, I've said it & others have said it.  Unfortunately, it will probably boil down to picking the lesser of two evils.  In my personal view, McCain is not the one.  What a way to run a country.  JATFUR.

Rich K

Lily great blog.

My pick for a leader would be a woman, because generally she has had to work harder simply because she’s not a man. She would be an ordinary everyday women that has to manage a household, manage the bills, manage the children and manage to find some time for herself. That’s after she gets home from her job.

She has experience in appearances at social functions to further someone else’s career. She manages several children while getting them to school, making sure they have the necessary things for the day. She manages to do so after getting little sleep the night before because one of them was sick and needed her. She’ll have excellent skills in how to work out difference and problems between children/people.

She manages her household on limited funds and has to make every dollar count. Because she can’t freely spend other people’s money. She can’t afford to be in debt up to her eyeballs, Nor a desire or will to never see a way to pay off that debt.

She’s not hand picked by a few of her friends and then lifted up to be bigger than life by some political backers. She puts others before herself, and know the meaning of compassion not a photo opt that looks good on TV. We have lots of them in America today. I wouldn’t look for any of the political hacks to seek her out. Probably because she’s too busy using common sense logic on how to do all of these things in today tough economic times.

Solo;

Reasons 1 & 2 my freind are exactly why I think you would be good at the job.

But you speak volumes of truth in reason number 3. And that is real unfortunate.

One can only hope that at some point in time the people of Clay County realize that being an 'Active Member' of whatever church is not a qualification requirement and should not be a deciding factor in who to vote for.

Mike Heemer

Mike,

You have wisdom beyond your years & other important stuff.  When one looks at this in an objective manner, when one comes down to it, it is a very damning statement on the American thought process, such as it is.  More's the pity, I think.  JATFUR.

Rich K

Angela,

Why not a woman?  Why not a person of color?  Why not a gay?  Why not an agnostic or atheist?  I’ll give you a hint.  It’s because that the inbred, group think, malignancy that has plagued our country for over two & a half centuries has proclaimed one, bottom line message.  If you’re not like us, shut up, stay down, or get the hell out of our country if you don’t like it.  We don’t want you. We don’t value you.

If you don’t think like us socially, politically, religiously, you are not to be considered as worthy of consideration.  You’re African American, Hispanic, gay, atheist, agnostic, female?  You don’t really belong in the serious political sphere.

We might tolerate your existence & give you some rights.  We might begrudgingly allow you to speak your peace but only after you jump through the hoops & get the required legal permits.  But we won’t take you seriously.  We won’t grant you mainstream acceptance.  Harsh words?  Absolutely.  But look at the historical facts.

All men are created equal.  That’s the first time that thought has ever been put in print for the purpose of freedom.  But notice that it doesn’t include African Americans, who were, at the time, nothing more than property. Notice that it doesn’t include the native born people who were pushed farther & farther into the wilderness to be considered for extermination.  Notice it doesn’t include one half of the white population, women.

Women had to wait until the 1920’s to receive basic rights.  African Americans had to wait until the 1960’s.  The treatment of Native Americans has been a national shame from which our history will hopefully not forget.  Gays are not even mentioned.  They were only condemned.  Atheists & agnostics received little better treatment.  Why?  Because they were all different. Not better or worse.  Only different.   Because no one had the foresight to actually think that these people might have thoughts, desires, thinking processes that might be able to contribute to our society.

Could a woman do the job?  A ridiculous question.  Of course, if she’s qualified.  An African American?  Of course, if they are qualified.  A gay, an atheist or agnostic?  Of course.  If they are qualified.

What a total condemnation of the American people that they haven’t figured out the common denominator of simple qualification.  That’s all that is necessary.  Not party affiliation.  Not religious affiliation.  Not regional affiliation.  Just a simple qualification to do a job & hopefully do it well.

What will be the greatest benefit to our country?  How can we contribute to the world?  How can we be secure in our own borders?  Are we doing the best to help our own people?  Can we do better?  These are simple, yet monumental questions which seemed to have escaped the closed minded, parochial, homophobic, xenophobic thought processes of the masses.  Are we to bank the future of our country on these ridiculous principles?  I hope not.  But if history shows us a lesson, it shows us that our chances are very slim indeed.  We just don’t have the time.  The rest of the world just doesn’t have the patience for us to grow up & start thinking the way we should.  JATFUR.

Rich K

Rick I could not say that any better than you just did.

Solo

Now tell us what you really think

I hear what your saying Mr. Solo. And please do not take me as disrespecting you.

I was raised a good little Catholic girl back when the entire mass was spoken in latin.

I personally call myself a conservative, and I am a registered republican.

But here is where I drop the bomb!!!!

I agree,

I believe all of the above you had mentioned would be fine as a Prez. As long as they were qualified.

So I guess what I am trying to say is sometimes we can be conservative, traditional, and religous and still be forward moving thinkers that hold the belief that we are all created equal. I know I do.

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I would love to see earl Pitts, Native American Redneck at the helm of this ship of state for one very good reason.  Ok, it's not a good reason but that wasn't in the rules.

I think all national arguments could be solved in drinking contests. Who better to go toe to toe with Vladimir Putin in a drinking game? It may take several cases but before sunrise Putin would be sloshed under the table and Pitts would be.... well he'd be under the table too, but not last. Every one believes in something and I believe I'll have another brew. Pitts off!

Angela,

Thanks for the kind words.  Just my two cents worth marked downor up for inflation.  I'm sure that we'll hear more.

TH,

Sometimes I do sugar coat.  Some people can't handle the facts, all due respect  to Col. Nathan Jessup. I'm also sure that we'll hear from them.

Like you, I was also raised as a good little Catholic boy in Chicago when the mass was still in Latin.  I was also an altar boy for my cousin's first high mass.  Now, I'm an agnostic actually thinking about the things that were force fed to me.  Go Figure.   At the very least, I am thinking.  That's more than I can say for some.

As far as ;your last sentance goes, it is a reflection of one who takes the time and energy to think, not just react.  Don't stop.

OGV,

Sorry, I'm not familiar with Earl Pitts.  Can you clue me in?  Drinking contests?  It's been a long time since I've done that.  But what the hey?  It can't be any worse than the system we have now.  PROSIT!!! JATFUR.

Rich K

Pee-Wee For Pres

I would vote for Pee Wee Herman. He is from my home town, and he is not afraid to whip it out and take action, or take matters in his own hands.

Winn

I was hoping so much for something whimsical (spelling).

Thank you for Pee Wee. That is a riot.

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Winn,

Pee Wee, is not a name that we, as a country, should inflict upon the world at large, or small.

Add to that his 70's style of clothing &, well you have a fashion faux pas that is only surpassed by the intellectual faux pas known as "W."  Do you really wnat to foist that upon the world  after what it has been through in the past 7 1/2 years?  Please, I ask you.  Give the world a break. OK? Please?  Pretty please with strawberries & whipped cream on top?

RK

How about Pat Paulsen?  Wonder what he's doing these days?

Amie

Ok IF I have ta, my second choice would be, Lee Iacocca for the following reason I like his no B. S Style, and he gets the job done. I have posted this once before, it’s most certainly worth an encore  

Posted By: Winn1955

By Lee Iacocca with Catherine Whitney

04/11/07 "ICH" -- -- -Had Enough? Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course." Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned Titanic. I'll give you a sound bite: Throw the bums out! You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore. The President of the United States is given a free pass to ignore the Constitution, tap our phones, and lead us to war on a pack of lies.Congress responds to record deficits by passing a huge tax cut for the wealthy (thanks, but I don't need it). The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving pom-poms instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of America my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for.

I've had enough. How about you? I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have. My friends tell me to calm down. They say, "Lee, you're eighty-two years old. Leave the rage to the young people." I'd love to, as soon as I can pry them away from their iPods for five seconds and get them to pay attention. I'm going to speak up because it's my patriotic duty. I think people will listen to me. They say I have a reputation as a straight shooter. So I'll tell you how I see it, and it's not pretty, but at least it's real. I'm hoping to strike a nerve in those young folks who say they don't vote because they don't trust politicians to represent their interests. Hey, America, wake up. These guys work for us. Who Are These Guys, Anyway? Why are we in this mess? How did we end up with this crowd in Washington? Well, we voted for them, or at least some of us did. But I'll tell you what we didn't do. We didn't agree to suspend the Constitution. We didn't agree to stop asking questions or demanding answers. Some of us are sick and tired of people who call free speech treason. Where I come from that's a dictatorship, not a democracy. And don't tell me it's all the fault of right-wing Republicans or liberal Democrats. That's an intellectually lazy argument, and it's part of the reason we're in this stew. We're not just a nation of factions. We're a people. We share common principles and ideals. And we rise and fall together.

Where are the voices of leaders who can inspire us to action and make us stand taller? What happened to the strong and resolute party of Lincoln? What happened to the courageous, populist party of FDR and Truman? There was a time in this country when the voices of great leaders lifted us up and made us want to do better. Where have all the leaders gone?

The Test of a Leader
I've never been Commander in Chief, but I've been a CEO. I understand a few things about leadership at the top. I've figured out nine points, not ten (I don't want people accusing me of thinking I'm Moses). I call them the "Nine Cs of Leadership." They're not fancy or complicated. Just clear, obvious qualities that every true leader should have. We should look at how the current administration stacks up. Like it or not, this crew is going to be around until January 2009. Maybe we can learn something before we go to the polls in 2008. Then let's be sure we use the leadership test to screen the candidates who say they want to run the country. It's up to us to choose wisely.

A leader has to show CURIOSITY. He has to listen to people outside of the "Yes, sir" crowd in his inner circle. He has to read voraciously, because the world is a big, complicated place. George W. Bush brags about never reading a newspaper. "I just scan the headlines," he says. Am I hearing this right? He's the President of the United States and he never reads a newspaper? Thomas Jefferson once said, "Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate for a moment to prefer the latter." Bush disagrees. As long as he gets his daily hour in the gym, with Fox News piped through the sound system, he's ready to go.

If a leader never steps outside his comfort zone to hear different ideas, he grows stale. If he doesn't put his beliefs to the test, how does he know he's right? The inability to listen is a form of arrogance. It means either you think you already know it all, or you just don't care. Before the 2006 election, George Bush made a big point of saying he didn't listen to the polls. Yeah, that's what they all say when the polls stink. But maybe he should have listened, because 70 percent of the people were saying he was on the wrong track. It took a "thumping" on election day to wake him up, but even then you got the feeling he wasn't listening so much as he was calculating how to do a better job of convincing everyone he was right.

A leader has to be CREATIVE, go out on a limb, be willing to try something different. You know, think outside the box. George Bush prides himself on never changing, even as the world around him is spinning out of control. God forbid someone should accuse him of flip-flopping. There's a disturbingly messianic fervor to his certainty. Senator Joe Biden recalled a conversation he had with Bush a few months after our troops marched into Baghdad. Joe was in the Oval Office outlining his concerns to the President, the explosive mix of Shiite and Sunni, the disbanded Iraqi army, the problems securing the oil fields. "The President was serene," Joe recalled. "He told me he was sure that we were on the right course and that all would be well. 'Mr. President,' I finally said, 'how can you be so sure when you don't yet know all the facts?'" Bush then reached over and put a steadying hand on Joe's shoulder. "My instincts," he said. "My instincts." Joe was flabbergasted. He told Bush,"Mr. President, your instincts aren't good enough." Joe Biden sure didn't think the matter was settled. And, as we all know now, it wasn't. Leadership is all about managing change, whether you're leading a company or leading a country. Things change, and you get creative. You adapt. Maybe Bush was absent the day they covered that at Harvard Business School.

A leader has to COMMUNICATE. I'm not talking about running off at the mouth or spouting sound bites. I'm talking about facing reality and telling the truth. Nobody in the current administration seems to know how to talk straight anymore. Instead, they spend most of their time trying to convince us that things are not really as bad as they seem. I don't know if it's denial or dishonesty, but it can start to drive you crazy after a while. Communication has to start with telling the truth, even when it's painful. The war in Iraq has been, among other things, a grand failure of communication. Bush is like the boy who didn't cry wolf when the wolf was at the door. After years of being told that all is well, even as the casualties and chaos mount, we've stopped listening to him.

A leader has to be a person of CHARACTER. That means knowing the difference between right and wrong and having the guts to do the right thing. Abraham Lincoln once said, "If you want to test a man's character, give him power." George Bush has a lot of power. What does it say about his character? Bush has shown a willingness to take bold action on the world stage because he has the power, but he shows little regard for the grievous consequences. He has sent our troops (not to mention hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi citizens) to their deaths. For what? To build our oil reserves? To avenge his daddy because Saddam Hussein once tried to have him killed? To show his daddy he's tougher? The motivations behind the war in Iraq are questionable, and the execution of the war has been a disaster. A man of character does not ask a single soldier to die for a failed policy.

A leader must have COURAGE. I'm talking about balls. (That even goes for female leaders.) Swagger isn't courage. Tough talk isn't courage. George Bush comes from a blue-blooded Connecticut family, but he likes to talk like a cowboy. You know, My gun is bigger than your gun. Courage in the twenty-first century doesn't mean posturing and bravado. Courage is a commitment to sit down at the negotiating table and talk.

If you're a politician, courage means taking a position even when you know it will cost you votes. Bush can't even make a public appearance unless the audience has been handpicked and sanitized. He did a series of so-called town hall meetings last year, in auditoriums packed with his most devoted fans. The questions were all softballs.

To be a leader you've got to have CONVICTION, a fire in your belly. You've got to have passion. You've got to really want to get something done. How do you measure fire in the belly? Bush has set the all-time record for number of vacation days taken by a U.S. President, four hundred and counting. He'd rather clear brush on his ranch than immerse himself in the business of governing. He even told an interviewer that the high point of his presidency so far was catching a seven-and-a-half-pound perch in his hand-stocked lake. It's no better on Capitol Hill. Congress was in session only ninety-seven days in 2006. That's eleven days less than the record set in 1948, when President Harry Truman coined the term do-nothing Congress. Most people would expect to be fired if they worked so little and had nothing to show for it. But Congress managed to find the time to vote itself a raise. Now, that's not leadership.

A leader should have CHARISMA. I'm not talking about being flashy. Charisma is the quality that makes people want to follow you. It's the ability to inspire. People follow a leader because they trust him. That's my definition of charisma. Maybe George Bush is a great guy to hang out with at a barbecue or a ball game. But put him at a global summit where the future of our planet is at stake, and he doesn't look very presidential. Those frat-boy pranks and the kidding around he enjoys so much don't go over that well with world leaders. Just ask German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who received an unwelcome shoulder massage from our President at a G-8 Summit. When he came up behind her and started squeezing, I thought she was going to go right through the roof.

A leader has to be COMPETENT. That seems obvious, doesn't it? You've got to know what you're doing. More important than that, you've got to surround yourself with people who know what they're doing. Bush brags about being our first MBA President. Does that make him competent? Well, let's see. Thanks to our first MBA President, we've got the largest deficit in history, Social Security is on life support, and we've run up a half-a-trillion-dollar price tag (so far) in Iraq. And that's just for starters. A leader has to be a problem solver, and the biggest problems we face as a nation seem to be on the back burner.

You can't be a leader if you don't have COMMON SENSE. I call this Charlie Beacham's rule. When I was a young guy just starting out in the car business, one of my first jobs was as Ford's zone manager in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. My boss was a guy named Charlie Beacham, who was the East Coast regional manager. Charlie was a big Southerner, with a warm drawl, a huge smile, and a core of steel. Charlie used to tell me, "Remember, Lee, the only thing you've got going for you as a human being is your ability to reason and your common sense. If you don't know a dip of horseshit from a dip of vanilla ice cream, you'll never make it." George Bush doesn't have common sense. He just has a lot of sound bites. You know, Mr.they'll-welcome-us-as-liberators-no-child-left-behind-heck-of-a-job-Brownie-mission-accomplished Bush. Former President Bill Clinton once said, "I grew up in an alcoholic home. I spent half my childhood trying to get into the reality-based world, and I like it here." I think our current President should visit the real world once in a while.

The Biggest C is Crisis Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down. On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. Where was George Bush? He was reading a story about a pet goat to kids in Florida when he heard about the attacks. He kept sitting there for twenty minutes with a baffled look on his face. It's all on tape. You can see it for yourself. Then, instead of taking the quickest route back to Washington and immediately going on the air to reassure the panicked people of this country, he decided it wasn't safe to return to the White House. He basically went into hiding for the day, and he told Vice President Dick Cheney to stay put in his bunker. We were all frozen in front of our TVs, scared out of our wits, waiting for our leaders to tell us that we were going to be okay, and there was nobody home. It took Bush a couple of days to get his bearings and devise the right photo op at Ground Zero. That was George Bush's moment of truth, and he was paralyzed. And what did he do when he'd regained his composure? He led us down the road to Iraq, a road his own father had considered disastrous when he was President. But Bush didn't listen to Daddy. He listened to a higher father. He prides himself on being faith based, not reality based. If that doesn't scare the crap out of you,I don't know what will.

A Hell of a Mess.
So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, competence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened. Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan. Figure out what you're going to do the next time.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "the Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it? <!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry. <!--[endif]-->

I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That some bobblehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? Had Enough? Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope. I believe in America. In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments. I've also experienced some of our worst crises, the Great Depression, World War II, the Korean War, the Kennedy assassination, the Vietnam War, the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this: You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to action for people who, like me, believe in America. It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the horseshit and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had enough

It takes an unsatisfied person to make things satisfactory: Winn1955

He's smart, not bad to look at, and who wouldn't want to have a beer with him?  And consider his cabinet!  Elliot Gould (VP), Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie (HHS), Julia Roberts (Secretary of State), Matt Damon (attorney general), on and on.  They all know how to steal from the casinos, and that knowledge would be very helpful when cajoling, charming the world leaders and perhaps Eddie Murphy could be the Ambasador to the "state" (according to George W. Bush) of Africa.  Lots of fun to be had with entertainers.  Aren't all of our politicians just that? 

Oh, by the way, TruthHurts, your pick, Newt, informed his very ill wife, while she was still hospitalized with cancer that he wanted a divorce.  Nice guy, that author of the failed "Contract with America".  And another little known item about  Newt, the guy who was against the Head Start program, when his own kids were pre-school age, they attended Head Start.  Just a little info from your friend, Sunflower.

Thanks,
Judy B.

RIP Pat shuffled off a few years back. He's probably fertilizing a great flower bed right now. I was sad to see him go. He made a lot more sense than his opponents ever did.

I raise a beer in praise. This one's fer you Pat!

Solo - Earl Pitts was the creation of a comedy talk show guy out of Cincinnati named gary Burbank. He had a bunch of characters he did voices for. Earl's commentaries appealed to country music fans as that's where I always heard him. Daily for years Earl would give his, well, odd take on curent events or cultural goofiness. He always began with the "You know what makes me sick? You know what makes me so angry I just want to" and then launch into a comical tirade. He really was funny. Kin of a country Archie Bunker but no hint of racism, just annoyance with American stupidity. He always ended with "Pitts off". I was going to try to imitate that but I just don't have the talent. Lucky you.

Thanks to all of you. I am happy we have such a nice thread going which does not include usless and derogatory rhetoric for a change. (Yes, I am thanking myself too.)  :>) Your are wonderful and I like everyone's contributions. And thank you to Don for not joining in. ;>)

Angela, I think your idea is terrific. I can imagine any number of women with the attributes you ably outlined. If my own mother were still here I would nominate her.

Solo, wow, you are really a marvelous writer. I could also be happy with someone like you in White House. I agree with everything you wrote. I hope that doesn't make me a "lefty." :>) Truth, I don't see your thoughts as anything but equal to Solo. I also like Newt for his intellect. So long as private behavior remains private behavior, I think he is more qualified than many of the candidates at the outset.

When the campaign first kicked off nearly two years ago my first take was I thought Bill Richardson would be the best choice considering his long and varied experience. Accepting that there is no one perfect person for the job and recognizing Mr. Richardson has a few minor weak points, I found him refreshingly plain spoken but I guess he didn't have the all important charisma factor.

That being said, I also applaud the humorous nominations. I, too, loved Pat Paulson.What a marvelous human being he was. I think I would be nervous with PeeWee Herman though. It's been frightening enough with retro 80s fashion to even remotely consider PeeWee's ... well... whatever  it is kind of fashion.

I am still thinking on the subject. Going outside the political arena, I would have to add Cokie Roberts to the mix. I simply admire her mind. She has the ability to get to the crux of the matter and explain it clearly and accurately. I think she would be a marvelous choice. As for a male counterpart.... T. Boone Pickens seems to have an aura about him. (That's no disrespect to Lee Iacocca, I think he's very astute but he is in his 80s.)  Based on Pickens' success, I think he might be good for the job. But after 16 consecutive years, I want anything but a countrified accent in the White house.

I realize I am falling down on the assignment but I will continue thinking on the subject. It looks as if I started out of the gate a lot slower than the rest of you.

Lily's Lore "I don't ever want to be rescued And I don't ever want to be saved I got a feelin' that I'm gonna be alive forever Dancin' on the edge of a grave..." Jim Steinman

A few more comments.  First, thanks to all who offered kind words, praise, & the idea that I would be good for some public office.  Personally, I think you might be a bit wrong and for the reasons I've stated, I would be automatically disqualified.  (more on this in a sec.)

Second, See everyone?  Many contributors, many comments, many ideas & not one accusation or one instance of name calling.  No disrespect on this thread.Told you that we could do it. Neener, neener, neener.

On disqualifications.  In addition to the reasons I've listed, after reading some of your comments led me, with my twisted mind, to investigate.  To amplify, we have a two fold problem in this country as far as the voting process is concerned.

One, we have a segment of our population with substandard educational qualifications.  Add to this, & it's not a new phenomenon, the majority tends to vote in not only partisan patterns, but have forced religion into the melee.

Two, we have politicians who have learned to take advantage of the above and pander to the voters. 

I guess you could add other little items to the mix like gender, race or sexual orientation, but what is sorely missing is a clear view of real problems, the vision to fix them, & the will of the people to view the larger picture and also to remove the partisan generated, extreme attitudes. 

I mentioned pragmatic thinking.  Whether it's a conservative or liberal whoever comes up with a good idea, the first thought anyone should have is, will it work?  Let's discuss it.  If it does work, let's use it.

The "TRUE CONSERVATIVE." (Smuncey, I hope you're reading this.)  Touching on this again, I read a section from the author of the book I mentioned.  He is, if my memory serves me, the first person I've come across with a good definition of a "TRUE CONSERVATIVE."  Let me quote.  "At its founding in 1973, The Heritage Foundation described its mission as the formation and promotion of policies based on four central conservative principles: free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, and a strong national defense,  Twenty years later, one more principle--"traditional American values"--was added to the list."

Now, after being labeled a liberal by some, I have to state that I totally agree with the first four priciples.  I don't know why any person wouldn't.  I'm still working on the last.

My problems with candidates start with the partisan mindset & the big bugaboo, at least for me, which is religion.  As an agnonstic, I am an ardent advocate of church state separation.  Yes I'm against faith based initiatives, the concept of "traditional family values," (too vague, too exclusionary, too subjective) or the incorporation of religion, any religion into the workings of government.  Now if that's not one heck of a disqualification, I don't know what is.  But I think the official, legislated mixing of the two has done more harm than good.

Here's a recent example from the news.  The Dept. of Justice was found to have hired people based on party affiliation (politics) rather than than competence or ability ie, strict qualifications.  A big no no that pretty much everyone knew but had to wait until the report came out.  So what's that got to do with religion?  Like anything else, here's the rest of the story.

After a lukewarm ackowlegement, AG Mukasey went on record.  Monica Goodling seems to be one of the central characters & will probably bear the brunt of official sanction.  Ms. Goodling is a graduate of Regent University School of Law, founded by Pat Robertson in 1986.  Here's where it gets better.  Prior to Bush taking office in 2001, it was rare for any Regent U. graduate to join the federal government, according to investigations by the Boston Globe.  Why?  Two reasons basically.  One was that religious preference in hiring/firing was not as prevelant.  Two, according to a report from the U.S. News & World Report investigation, Regent U. ranks in the lowest tier of law schools in the U.S.  In addition to the sources I just mentioned, I read the main article in Church & State Magazine.

So why is this all so important?  Starting at the top, with the "Decider," his staff and members of the DOJ, a concerted, well thought out, well financed  system was started to hire people with like minded religious views, not strict qualifications, to staff DOJ.  In other words, regardless of qualifications, no liberals, no gays, no pro abortion  views were considered.  It was either adhere & promote our conservative party line, our religious views or you can't join.  Period.

Now add to the mix the same atmosphere with faith based initiatives & you can see why a person like me wouldn't get very far. Don't take my word for it.  Go back & read the reactions of the religious right when Obama said that he would keep faith based initiatives, but would enforce the Constitution & other laws to make them accountable, among other things.  And while we're at it kids, lest we all forget, all of this was perpetrated using our tax monies.  Yep.  We all paid for it, in one way or another.

Lily asked, "Who Do You Trust?"  We all centered on the political side.  I mentioned that I really don't trust any politico, at least not completely.  I will add to the equation that I have a lot of distrust for a large bloc of the American voting public.  You can't have conditions like I just mentioned without the the two. 

Thus endeth the sermon.  Go forward to ruminate.  May the force be with you.  JATFUR.

Rich K

Since nobody is talking much about 5+2 I haven't had much to say.

 But i'll chime in briefly to corroborate oneguysview about Earl Pitts. Very funny stuff. Used to live in Ohio and listened to Gary Burbank quite a bit. I wonder if any of Earl Pitts diatribes are still online somewhere?

Big, Can't tell you if any of the Pitts commenatries are still broadcast but a whole slew of them are available on CD. I ordered several last month. Takes 4-6 weeks to get em but they do show up. There are Earl bits only and there are best of shows from various years. I have to get Adios Muchachos which i think is his summation best of from over many years. If you are interested here is the web site:

http://www.earlpitts.us/

Beer, it's what's good fer what ails ya.

Well now the explains the picture. I guess I'm like RichK. Now I will not be walking around Clay County going that's the guy on the blogs.

I must say I've seen some of his family in Clay County.

So confused ala Vinnie Barbarino.  I never heard of Earl Pitts.  I never heard of Gary Burbank.  Angela mentioned me but I'm not quite sure what the connection is.  Has she seen me, or the other guy?  I don't have a moustache, but I used to.  I do have a baseball cap & a cigar & hair.  I'm still confused.

Big, dark, nasty looking clouds are moving in, open for business & look like they want to kick some butt.  It's getting darker & I hear thunder.  Toto is taking a wizz on the patio door & shaking like a leaf in the wind.  He isn't instilling any courage in me at all.  Auntie M, auntie M.  JATFUR.

Rich K

I was talking about your statement above. I was thinking the same thing.

OGV,

Sorry, I'm not familiar with Earl Pitts.  Can you clue me in?  Drinking contests?  It's been a long time since I've done that.  But what the hey?  It can't be any worse than the system we have now.  PROSIT!!! JATFUR.

Rich K

Thanks for the link oneguy... a worth cause to spend on.

Interestingly... I had thought I had recognized your "photo" but could never put my finger on it until you brought up 'ol Earl Pitts.

Pitts off!

I gotta hand it to him, no matter how old he is he is still one of the most respected coaches around.  He knows his game, he knows his players and he knows how to get the best out of his players.  Some people are born leaders, some aren't.  I hate to say it even though I'm voting for him, but McCain just doesn't have it.  Maybe a few weeks at training could enlighten him what do you think?  I also trust Paris Hilton.  Why you may ask?  I trust that she will risk her reputation, her dignity, and her soul just to be talked about!  And I trusted John Edwards. I trusted Al Gore until he got too green for me. 

I don't know who Earl Pitts is.  Does he drive an RV???