Category: Government

10/6/2013 0 Comments

Not Surprised

While attending a conference with senior military leaders we were informed that the likelihood of Congress failing to pass a continuing resolution was highly improbable. Less than three days later the Senate and House failed to agree and we were surprised.

Most of my organization’s employees sit at home unable to go to work and are unsure when they will be able to resume their jobs. For one income folks and families on tight budgets, the forced layoff is angst-producing. One missed paycheck is fraught with second and third order effects. As frustration with our government continues to climb I am taken back to my teenage years living in a third world country ripe with corruption. Increasingly it feels like we are becoming third world. But I am not surprised.

Answerable

Have you ever served shifty leaders—men or women who despite the problems faced somehow evaded responsibility? I am reminded of politicians. While there are certainly good and competent politicians, too often it seems that the majority of our elected leaders spend more time blaming the other party for the country’s misfortunes than in working to fix the crisis. Blaming others is merely attention shifting—a flawed technique applied by weak leaders. Unfortunately, we feed weakness by allowing those we vote in office to create and perpetuate a system that rewards them with lifetime perks and privileges. No matter what their convictions, once elected their need to stand answerable before us in fixing what is broken is compromised.

Authlicism

Often when I am driving on the road for long periods of time, I will tune in to listen to different radio talk shows. I have observed a pattern across the spectrum of those who claim to represent conservative America. Often they speak disrespectfully of politicians with statements like “he is an idiot” or “she is a moron.” They mockingly belittle the mental competency of their intended targets or accuse them of evil motives. Several of these hosts skillfully move between humor and anger and it is easy to be sucked into the emotion-charged airwaves.

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Photo used under Creative Commons from Rachel Maxey Miles

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Not Surprised

Answerable

Authlicism

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