WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND? DISTRICT COURT INVALIDATES OBAMA'S BOGUS RECESS APPOINTMENTS
Unless it is taken to the Supreme Court and subsequently overturned, the District Court finally slapped down Barack Obama's overreaching behavior. If you have not read about it, the particular issues of note were three choices for the NLRB who were named during a pro forma Senate session which Obama claimed was a de facto recess--even though he had employed just such a season (non-recess) to further one of his issues in his first term. This was also the issue around the naming of Richard Cordray to his powerful position over Consumer Affairs. The 200+NLRB rulings made since the illegal appointments are now in serious doubt as to their validity. This could be just the first of several such verdicts. Next up Church rights against Obamacare's contraception rulings.
Flights must be cancelled due to limited visibility. Highways are closed due to the dense pollution. The concentration of particulates in the air of Beijing is 35 times the World Health Organization's safe limit. When things get this bad, something has to give. But what? There are places in the interior of China that are worse yet. Will the Chinese government act? And do what?
I weigh in on how the GOP is mismanaging what they choose to fight about.
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A big problem currently troubling the Republican party greatly is the lack of a unified strategy and a party spokesperson. It is neither good nor appropriate for party leaders like Boehner and McConnell to also be speaking for the party--while they are trying to legislate and do their jobs. I think it is time to find a highly competent person to do this for the party: help shape strategy and speak for the GOP. I have a choice to propose, so please spread the word if you agree. JEB BUSH.
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Since he is an unlikely 2016 Presidential candidate, and can't become FL Governor again (been there, done that), the only other GOP option (in politics) is to run for Senate from FL…but not in place of Marco Rubio…in addition to Rubio. Taking on the strategist and spokesperson role would be great prep for this. What do you all think???
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OF COURSE THERE IS ALWAYS THE ALTERNATIVE OF NEWT IN SUCH A ROLE
IF YOU HAD THE PERSEVERANCE TO READ THE LONG MEMO FROM NEWT IN THE LINK ABOVE, HERE IS MY REACTION:
Newt's lengthy epistle is not wrong--it is largely right--but takes far too much space, thought and words to frame the issues at hand--and nearly overlooks the most serious issues--the vastly different psyche of Americans between his heyday and now!
----
There are two fundamental parts to the challenge of GOP relevance to a voting majority of Americans. Newt doesn't frame hem this way.
1. Fiscal, ideological and constitutional beliefs and positions.
2. Social, lifestyle and psychographic/demographic beliefs and traditions.
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If the GOP moves too far left (liberal) on #2, it will alienate a large portion of it's current, more conservative, religious and moralistic membership. If it does not move more to the center, it has little chance of representing (getting votes from) the factions that supported Obama so heavily--minorities, young, single, secular voters of all kinds (including LGBT)...if you don't know what that acronym means, that's part of the GOP problem!). These groups are a collection of niches who value a different set of rights and roles for government than most GOPers even can imagine!
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That leaves #1, where there are realistically acceptable GOP positions that could appeal to minorities, women, youth, and LGBT voters--many of whom have a good grasp,of fundamental economic issues and the principles of fiscal responsibility. This area is the easier bridge for the GOP to cross in attracting support and voters.
However, as in most human affairs, in a conflict between logic (#1) and emotion (#2) emotion usually wins.
I CAN'T SOLVE THE PROBLEMS OF OUR DYSFUNCTIONAL GOVERNMENT--BUT…
A great leader engenders positive, "can do" attitudes and even engages opponents to participate in finding solutions to the challenges. A weak leader demeans the competition, and is openly critical of them, lording victories over them. In sports, "taunting" draws penalty flags. What penalty flags would this president deserve? Consider Peggy Noonan's insightful column. You can almost hear Barack Obama saying, "NYAH, NYAH, NYAH" to the GOP…That is weak leadership at its worst.
STAFF CUTTING IN THE USA, CORPORATE GROWTH FROM OUTSIDE THE USA
January 10, 2013,. AmEx to Cut 8.5% of Staff--Overhaul to Cost $400 Million in Severance, With Travel Unit Taking Big Hit
There are many examples to cite beyond this one… Just read the news. For every one citing imminent growth in jobs there are 2-3 citing deep cuts.
January 19-20, 2013, GE Profit Rises on China Demand—" said demand in China and other emerging economies offset an "uncertain" outlook in developed markets like the U. S> and Europe…"
Corporate profits are not holding up because if President Obama, but rather in spite of his policies and programs. His friend Jeff Immelt's company, GE, is typical of what is buoying earnings and supporting Wall Street.
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SOME MAY DISAGREE WITH THIS, BUT IT IS OPENLY AND DIRECTLY CRITICAL OF WHAT IS BEING DONE AND HOW…AND AS SUCH, STANDS ON ITS OWN.
BY Historian Arthur Herman
The New Year has started with a monstrosity of a budget deal, one that proves that neither political party, Democrats nor Republicans, is really serious about controlling the growth of big government.
But soap opera dramatics about fiscal "cliffs" and sequestration shouldn’t deflect from where President Obama and Congress are really taking this country. Consider this story from the Wall Street Journal a few days before Christmas:
“Thousands of people in several Argentine cities ransacked supermarkets for a second day in the latest challenge to President Chistina Kirchner, who is struggling to revive a weak economy...In the central city Rosario, two people were killed during the incidents and 137 people arrested. “The violence puts Mrs. Kirchner in a difficult position as the poor are [her] core constituents...Her government spends billions of dollars a year to help low income families, including free health care...[Yet] Argentine activists who claim to represent the poor traditionally block access to supermarkets in the month of December to demand free food and other items...The latest events were some of the worst acts of looting and vandalism in years.... Local media showed dozens of men, women, and children hauling away televisions, refrigerators, and food.”
Some have said my warnings about a coming civil war between makers and takers are exaggerated. It’s true that Argentina’s politicians have been waging class warfare since Juan and Eva Peron–and they aren’t fazed when it turns bloody.
Obama and the Democrats are relative newcomers to the game. But Argentina reveals who really suffers when those who create a nation’s wealth get mugged by those who spend it – as just happened this week in Washington. It’s the poor and the middle class, the very ones big government says it’s trying to protect.
That 47 percent of Americans who get unemployment benefits, Social Security disability checks, Medicare and Medicaid, and government student loans, aren’t the real takers. Like the rioters in Rosario, they’re just pawns in a perennial battle between those who see wealth and prosperity as something created by hard work, ingenuity, and innovation in a free market system – or something to be doled out by government.
Experience teaches that those who believe in free markets are right. The November election and the budget deal, however, show that the other side is winning, and winning big.
Since 1970, America’s public sector has exploded as a percentage of GDP, rising to almost 25% last year. While the national unemployment rate hovers at the 8% mark, government worker unemployment rate is a cozy 3.8%. Sixteen percent (16%), or 1 out of every 7 members of America’s workforce now work for government. By the time the Obama administration ends, we won’t be that far away from Argentina’s 21 percent.
Yet as an economic and social enterprise, government creates nothing. Far from adding to people’s standard of living, government is the number one cause of poverty in this country. It forces those who depend on its largesse to live hand to mouth, with no time or money to plan for the future. They become unable to fend for themselves---and increasingly resentful of those who can.
When the economy tanks and the government checks have to shrink, their only alternative is to take to the streets. That’s what happening in Argentina, and in Greece; and that’s where the growth of government is taking us here, as this current budget deal increases handouts–and more and more Americans are finding that an unemployment or Social Security disability check is their only life line.
Washington’s Republicans and Democrats alike have become the toll collectors on the road to serfdom–and the road to Rosario.
How far down that road we end up depends on how our private sector rallies in 2013 after two numbing defeats, first on November 7 and then on Capitol Hill this week. Washington needs to explain to the 47 percent that when big government wins, we all lose–and that this nation won’t survive if it does.
Historian Arthur Herman is the author of the just released "
THE PREDICTED WAVE OF CYBER-TERRORISM IS NOT ABATING--IT IS GROWING--AND NOT NEARLY ENOUGH IS BEING SAID, OR DONE ABOUT IT
I initially wrote about this problem in 2000, and then again, with THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, in 2009-2010. Someday, the real crisis will be here. If you have anything to do with systems integrity or security-learn more--a lot more, about how to increase it. Build tools that anticipate instead of react. They exist, but take new thought to use. Read all of this next piece, not just the map!
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
LET'S START WITH RIDICULOUS IN A DIFFERENT SENSE--IF YOU DIDN'T ALREADY FEAR CHINESE GLOBAL DOMINANCE, THIS MIGHT PUT YOU OVER THE EDGE
Ironically, there is little in this video that isn't known technology in the USA. Why doesn't it happen here? Politics, unions, regulations, and government meddling--all of which are revolting and repulsive. Watch this for 3 minutes and ask why it wasn't done here in the USA. Better yet, send it to your Congressional representatives and ask them.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GVUsIlwWWM8?rel=0 By the way, the Empire State Building was built in just over 18 months and that was more than half a century ago, with far less technological advancements. It could never happen now! Tragic? You bet it is!
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THE LENGTHS TO WHICH WE TAKE SOME THINGS IN AMERICA ARE RIDICULOUS--AND TO WHICH WE DO NOT TAKE OTHERS ARE REVOLTING
I saw a college basketball game stopped today because a player had a small scratch that was bleeding, and they needed to put tape over it to protect the other players from the obscure risk of being contaminated (with what) by this athlete's blood. Yet this weekend, the Gun Show(s) held openly all over out country allow people to buy lethal weapons with killing power (and speed) that so far exceeds the needs of any hunter, sportsman or citizen protecting their home--and often with no waiting period, and little or no background check or verification. That is truly revolting and ridiculous both. And this from a person who defends Americans rights to bear arms, and own them…but not arsenals of lethal weapons of war and terror. Those should constitute a serious criminal offense to just own them, and carry with it a sentence of prison time. To make room, upon a review of their behavior, release all of the "white collar" and "harmless crime" inmates who have served at least 25% of their initial sentences. That will save money for the states and country, and not increase the danger at all.
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I HEAR ABOUT THE "REPUGNANT NATURE OF TORTURE," BUT LITTLE ABOUT THE REPUGNANT NATURE OF MASS MURDER BY TERRORISTS
Why is that? The bleeding hearts of the Politically Correct faction in America are both ridiculous and at times repulsive in the way they distort their "pet issues" and in doing so deny the vast majority of Americans either their God-given or their Constitutionally granted rights. When criminals and terrorists are treated better than ordinary citizens--that is just plain wrong. When the rights of all Americans are trampled (including by the president and his minions) and then the rights of brutal, deranged and misguided criminals/terrorists are held sacrosanct--there is something seriously wrong. Perhaps those people who are most passionate about protecting the evil minority should have to live with them for a month or a year, in a constrained area of our country, isolated from good, God-fearing, honest Americans. This might have a dual purpose: the ACLU and bleeding hearts would see just how bad the bad people are--and there might be some of that a rancher friend of mine used to call "thinning of the herd."
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SOMETIMES THE CLEAREST OBSERVATIONS COME FROM OUTSIDE…
TOP-11 "ONLY IN AMERICA " OBSERVATIONS -- BY A CANADIAN*
1) Only in America could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who don't pay any income taxes at all.
2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General, and roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black while only 12% of the population is black
3) Only in America could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
4) Only in America can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah and have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.
5) Only in America would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries and pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become American citizens.
6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget and sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists."
7) Only in America could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.
8) Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company ( Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).
9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, and complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money
10) Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000.00 a plate campaign fund-raising event.
11) Only in America can a man with no background, no qualifications and no experience ... and a complete failure at his job ... be reelected.
AT THE END OF THIS KIND OF EDITION, YOU DESERVE A CHANCE TO SMILE. HERE IS ONE!
IMPOSSIBILITIES IN THE WORLD 1. You can't count your hair. 2. You can't wash your eyes with soap. 3. You can't breathe when your tongue is out.
Put your tongue back in your mouth, you silly person.
10 Things I know about you.
1) You are reading this. 2) You are human. 3) You can't say the letter ''P'' without separating your lips. 4) You just attempted to do it. 6) You are laughing at yourself. 7) You have a smile on your face and you skipped No. 5. 8) You just checked to see if there is a No. 5. 9) You laugh at this because you are a fun loving person & everyone does it too. 10) You are probably going to send this to see who else falls for it.
You have received this e-mail because I didn't want to be alone in the “Idiot” category. Have a great Day. Laugh, and then Laugh and sing It's a Beautiful Morning even when it's not.
WHEN THINGS IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU ARE NOT GOING SO WELL, IT HELPS TO MAINTAIN YOUR SENSE OF HUMOR.
BEST, JOHN
*************************************
-----New Book: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…is AVAILABLE NOW ON AMAZON.COM…LOOK FOR IT AND GET A COPY … OR SEVERAL!
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
==== ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH is on the way. I am awaiting the final edited version of the actual book. If I approve it, it's up on amazon very soon. THIS IS THE LITTLE BOOK THAT CAN HELP SAVE THE AMERICAN ECONOMY. It is a gold mine for small businesses, but it is equally applicable--or more so--for large ones. When it is on sale, I will give you the final heads up and hope that you buy multiple copies of it to give to everyone in business that you know and care about.
THE POLITICAL CLIFF, THE DEFICIT AND THE PATH FORWARD IN A DIVIDED GOVERNMENT, AND A GROWING NATION OF DEPENDENCY
Does anyone think these kind of issues will ever really get resolved? I don't. Not now, maybe not ever actually. There are two opposing forces: a president who believes in the welfare state, spending on whatever he wants to do, whenever he wants to do it, and blaming the opposition for anything that goes wrong after that. The GOP is in disarray. They only agree totally on one thing. They oppose Obama and his programs. But that is not enough. Obama's power wins out…for now…and the country loses. I encourage you to read more about this in my recent posts on http://thebrennerbrief.com/2012/12/15/the-gop-must-do-these-6-things/
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QUESTION: ARE YOU WILLING TO CLICK ON A LINK THAT TAKES YOU TO A BLOG--AND THEN COME BACK TO YOUR EMAIL?
I am trying to decide if I should replicate my posts on TheBrennerBrief on here in their entirety. It is easy to follow the stream of my posts on TheBrennerBrief so I am inclined to continue just posting links here. If you have an opinion on this, please let me hear from you.
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BY THE WAY: BOTH PARTIES ARE WRONG IN THEIR ENTRENCHED POSITIONS
Obama's wrong in taking his single minded path to everything by raising taxes and increasing deficit spending. The GOP is wrong by contending that the only solution is the dramatically cut spending. Spending needs to be reined in--but very carefully and very wisely--or it will tumble the economy back into recession. This is a task that Barack Obama is not competent to lead the nation in doing. The GOP needs unity--in fact and in leadership--and then it needs to get realistic about what can be done, and what will really solve America's financial problems. ONLY ONE THING CAN SOLVE AMERICAS DEFICIT PROBLEMS AND ITS ECONOMIC WOES: GROWTH--SPECIFICALLY ECONOMIC GROWTH IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR
--------UNTIL OR UNLESS GOVERNMENT GETS OFF THE BACK OF BUSINESS AND FIGURES OUT HOW TO STIMULATE GROWTH (OTHER THAN THROWING BORROWED DEFICIT SPENDING AT IT)…the problem will get worse, not better. I will write much more about this both here in THE ENTERPRISE, and in THEBRENNERBRIEF in the coming weeks and months. MAYBE SOMEONE WILL ACTUALLY READ IT, AND HEED IT…I CAN ONLY HOPE SO!
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A FINAL NOTE: IT'S BEEN A TROUBLING DECEMBER. FIRST THE CT SHOOTINGS. THEN THE CONTINUED ABYSMAL DISARRAY IN WASHINGTON.
I saw the word repugnant used to describe torture recently. I guess it comes down to what you think is more repugnant--torture or mass murder?
What I find most repugnant is the irresponsible, demagoguery that is masquerading as governance in Washington DC. (One Congressman I am close to said, "it makes me sick to my stomach," and added, "but I don't know what else I can do about it." )( That is an honest elected representative's opinion! SCARY, HUH?
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We are almost at the New Year, and nothing much was getting done in Washington except Obama playing "musical chairs" with his staff and administration. Will those changes make any difference in his misguided policies? That is one of those unknowables, but most likely--given that he's the "'boss" the changes will be minimal and not very positive. John Kerry--UGH. Another thing you can depend on is that every change will be carefully vetted for its PR effect and for how it will be perceived by Obama's followers.
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FROM MY FRIEND DOLPH SANTORINE-- A VERY SHARP AND THOUGHTFUL GUY:
RE: THE SCHOOL SHOOTING, ETC.
I've been to Columbine High School. They were a customer of my company.
I have seen first hand their physical commitment to preventing it from happening in their school again.
The mention of Columbine to those outside of the Denver Colorado metro immediately causes people to remember the tragedy. To those who live in Jefferson
County, it’s just another high school. The wounds heal for the locals, and they leave a scar.
For those of us outside the area, all we remember is the bleeding.
The Sandy Hook school shooting is a national tragedy. Much has been written about it, and the great national outpouring will continue for quite some time.
We were not given the opportunity to finish grieving before the "left" started blaming the "right" because of their defense of the second amendment.
Simultaneously, the "right" blasts the "left" over the alleged moral disintegration that they have championed since the
1960s
.
The extremes are passionate about their positions. Most of us are somewhere in the middle, but we are looking for safety, and all we are getting is “blame storming” and finger pointing.
The television has an endless parade of talking heads pontificating about their position. It’s the weapon. It’s violent video games. It’s our society. It’s the mother. It’s.... whatever. What we need is a more measured approach.
1960s
My heart and prayers go out to the families of the slain innocents. Yours do too, I know. In the light of our national discussion of this disaster, and the loud call for immediate action, it’s essential we remember that all extreme statements are wrong, including this one.
What do we know without doubt?
The killer is to blame.
This is the action of one mentally ill individual. A murderer. He killed to get the weapons, and then used them to kill. He killed his own mother.
No action we take as a society will stop this from happening again. History proves this unequivocally. Banning weapons will not stop it. Taking the civil liberties of those with mental illness will not stop it. Changing society’s fascination with “entertainment violence” will not stop it. Some combination of all of these factors, and more, will make the next spree of evil less likely.
In 1927, a murderer bombed Bath Consolidated School in Michigan, killing 38 elementary school children, two teachers and four other adults. Like Sandy Hook, it was a deliberate planned act. The deadliest school massacre in American History.
The press of the day did not blame anyone but the murderer. The headlines contained words like “Maniac”, “Killer
“Insane”, “Madness”.
It was crystal clear who was responsible. There were no video games to blame. No violent entertainment to blame.
Just one person, and depression.
Even looking back just 13 years to Columbine, the headlines contain words like “slain" and "psychopath” and clearly assign the actions to two individuals, and their depression.
In Newtown, Connecticut, it’s one person, and depression. The common thread remains people, and mental illness.
We are rational society searching for answers. Simply saying that there are three hundred million of us and this will happen again is not enough, even though statistically it is correct.
We are going to have to decide what civil rights we trade off for what level of security.
There are mentally ill among us, and sometimes, they need to be forced into treatment.
They need to be treated for their own well being, and for society’s. Just like the laws are wide open regarding gun ownership through the work of the NRA, it’s become nearly impossible for parents and mental health practitioners to forcibly treat an individual until after they have destroyed the lives of others. This is through the work of the ACLU.
We have the "right" providing the means, and the "left" providing the ways. We remain the middle in a quandary.
There is no single, simple answer. Making this less likely to occur will not be explained in a headline or a sound-bite. It’s complex.
The only thing that might result in absolute security for our children would be banning people, and that is an impossible solution.
I have seen the security measures in place at Columbine post massacre. There were security measures in place at Sandy Hook. That treats the symptom, but where is the cure? How do we insure the safety of our children until the cure is in place?
The extremes will tell you their prescription for cure is a panacea. Deep down we know better.
Will we be fortunate enough for leadership that will seek a carefully measured approach that includes all the factors? It will not be easy. It demands compromise from all of the stakeholders. It puts us on a very slippery slope.
To find a cure, we will have to sacrifice civil rights. There is no option. Which ones, and by exactly how much?
To fully cherish the memory of the victims of these tragedies, we must demand balance, as the extremes are just that, and America deserves better.
WHERE WILL OUR NEW LEADERSHIP COME FROM--HERE'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT KIND OF LEADERS WE NEED.
(NOTE: I didn't have time to vet this to make sure it is all accurate, but it came from a usually reliable source.)
Meet Maine 's New Governor
--- In case you haven't heard about this guy before, his name will stick in your mind--Paul LePage
The new Maine Governor, Paul LePage is making New Jersey 's Chris Christie look timid. He isn't afraid to say what he thinks. Judging by the comments, every time he opens his mouth, his popularity goes up.
He brought down the house at his inauguration when he shook his fist toward the media box and said, "You're on notice! I've inherited a financially troubled State to run. Observe…cover what we do...but don't whine if I don't waste time
responding to your every whim just for your amusement."
During his campaign for Governor, he was talking to commercial fishermen who are struggling because of federal fisheries rules. They complained that O'bama brought his family to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park for a long Labor Day holiday and found time to meet with union leaders, but wouldn't talk to the fishermen. LePage replied, "I'd tell him to go to hell and get out of my State." The Lame Stream Media crucified LePage, but he jumped 6 points in the pre-election poll.
The Martin Luther King incident was a political sandbag, which brought him national exposure. The 'lame stream' media crucified him, but word on the street is very positive. The NAACP specifically asked LePage to spend MLK Day visiting black inmates at the Maine State Prison. He told them that he would meet with ALL inmates, regardless of race, if he were to visit the prison. The NAACP balked and then
put out a news release claiming falsely that he refused to participate in any MLK events. He read it in the paper for the 1st time the next morning while being driven to an event and went ballistic because none of the reporters had called him for comment before running the NAACP release.
He arrived at that event & said in front of a TV camera, "If they want to play the race card on me they can kiss my *—ss," and he reminded them that he has an adopted black son from Jamaica and that he attended the local MLK Breakfast every year that he was mayor of Waterville. (He started his morning there on MLK Day.)
He then stated that there's a right way and a wrong way to meet with the Governor, and he put all special interests on notice that press releases, media leaks, and all demonstrations would prove to be the wrong way. He said any other group, which acted like the NAACP could expect to be at the bottom of the Governor's priority
list!
He then did the following, and judging from local radio talk show callers, his popularity increased even more: The State employees union complained because he waited until 3 P.M. before closing State offices and facilities and sending non-emergency personnel home during the last blizzard. The prior Governor would often close offices for the day with just a forecast before the first flakes. (Each time the State closes for snow, it costs the taxpayers about $1 million in wages for no work in return.)
LePage was CEO of the Marden's chain of discount family bargain retail stores before election as governor. He noted that State employees getting off work early could still find lots of retail stores open to shop. So, he put the State
employees on notice by announcing: "If Marden's is open, Maine is open!"
He told State employees: "We live in Maine in the winter, for heaven's sake, and should know how to drive in it. Otherwise, apply for a State job in Florida !"
Governor LePage symbolizes what America needs; Refreshing politicians who aren't self-serving and who exhibit common sense.
THE LAW IS THE LAW!
This is one of the better e-mails I have received in a long time! I hope this makes its way around the USA several times over!!!!! HERE IS WHAT Governor LaPage said,
"THE LAW IS THE LAW So "if" the US government determines that it is against the law for the words "under God" to be on our money, then, so be it.
And "if" that same government decides that the "Ten Commandments" are not to be used in or on a government installation, then, so be
it.
I say, "so be it," because I would like to be a law abiding US citizen
I say, "So be it," because I would like to think that smarter people than I are in positions to make good decisions.
I would like to think that those people have the American public's best interests at heart.
BUT, he said, "YOU KNOW WHAT ELSE I'D LIKE?""
Since we can't pray to God, can't Trust in God and cannot post His Commandments in Government buildings, I don't believe Government (Federal, State and Local) and its employees should participate in Easter and Christmas celebrations which honor the God that our government is eliminating from many facets of American life.
I'd like my mail delivered on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter. After all, it's just another day.
I'd like the" US Supreme Court to be in session on Christmas, Good Friday, Thanksgiving & Easter as well
as Sundays." After all, it's just another day.
I'd like the Senate and the House of Representatives to not have to worry about getting home for the "Christmas Break." After all it's just another day.
I'm thinking a lot of my taxpayer dollars could be saved, if all government offices & services would work on Christmas, Good Friday & Easter. It shouldn't cost any overtime since those would be just like any other day of the week to a government that is trying to be "politically correct."
In fact....I think our government should work on Sundays (initially set aside for worshipping God...). Because, after all, our government says that it should be just another day...."
What do you all think???? If this idea gets to enough people, maybe our elected officials will stop giving in to the "minority opinions" and begin, once again, to represent the "majority" of ALL of the American
people.
SO BE IT...........Please Dear Lord, Give us the help needed to keep you in our country! 'Amen' and 'Amen' Touché!
=====================
I GUESS THAT IS ENOUGH FOR ANY ONE WEEKEND. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING LED DOWN A PERILOUS PATH BY BARACK OBAMA AND HIS ACOLYTES IN THE SENATE AND HIS MINIONS IN THE ADMINISTRATION. IT MAY BE A PATH TO DEVASTATION--UNTIL OR UNLESS SOMETHING DERAILS HIS "BANDWAGON."
LET'S HOPE SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT SLOWS OR STOPS HIM BEFORE HE DOES MORE IRREPARABLE HARM.
BEST, JOHN
************************************
-----New Book: COMING SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
IT HAS BEEN A DIFFICULT WEEK IN AMERICA, NOT IN THE LEAST FOR SOME PEOPLE CLOSE TO US…
1. On Wed. we learned that a 90 year old friend, "Danny" in TN passed away. He lived a good full life, attended daily Mass every single day for years since he retired. His wife, who survives him was known as "Mom" to my wife--which shows how close they were (NOTE: my wife's mother passed away about 5 years ago).
2. On Thurs. the awful killing spree in CT happened. An event like that defies understanding for anyone with a moral center, a value for human life and a "heart." There is no explaining it or understanding it except as a product of a very sick mind…
(While watching this with sadness and astonishment we discovered that our daughter, who had fallen down a short flight of stairs earlier in the week was in the hospital to be fully checked out. Fortunately, after a series of test and an overnight stay for observation, she was released around midday yesterday, sore but otherwise OK.)
3. Yesterday morning we were awakened by the call of close friends who live nearby to tell us that their 31 year old son Chris, a police officer in MO for only two months answered a routine 911 call to help an unconscious woman, and after helping load her into the ambulance, her son (also previously judged mentally incompetent) leaped out of hiding and shot Chris, killing him. We spent time consoling those friends yesterday, and I drove them to the airport early this morning, as they left for MO to arrange for Chris' funeral--still shaking their heads in stunned disbelief.
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THERE CAN ONLY BE ONE MESSAGE IN THESE KINDS OF TRAGEDIES
Our time on earth is limited, and we don't know how long we will be here.All we can do is live it fully, being the best version of ourselves, every day. That's easier said that done, but at this time of year, we certainly can understand how important it is to have the Christ in Christmas helping us and being with us. The meaning in our lives is provided by the people in our lives--loved ones, friends, and passing acquaintances. NOW is the time of year to appreciate them all the more.
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IF YOU DOUBT THAT CHRISTMAS IS STILL A VERY SPECIAL TIME FOR AMERICANS--WATCH & LISTEN TO THIS
NO MATTER HOW MANY POLITICALLY CORRECT, BUT NARROW MINDED PEOPLE TRY TO UNDERMINE IT--CHRISTMAS IS SPECIAL--AS IS THE REASON WE CELEBRATE IT
"Peace on earth; goodwill to men." Trying to deny millions of Americans who could share in this by banning it in schools, in public settings, and so forth…is the wrong way for our country to move. Now, more than ever, we need God's help. Those who turn away from God (or whatever their particular religion calls "God") deny access to the most powerful force in the world--a force for good, a force for goodwill, and a force to create a better future. This is help we all need.
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WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN YOU MAKE? WHAT DIFFERENCE CAN ANY OF US MAKE? A LOT OF DIFFERENCE!
We can all be leaders if we choose to do so. We can all influence others--more by our actions than our words--but words are powerful too. A man once asked me a hard question: "Why do you write--books, articles, etc.?" It gave me pause, and I took that pause to think, really consider why I do it. My conclusion was my answer to him: "Because I think I have experiences, ideas and thoughts that will help them to be better, do better and enjoy life more. I write because I hope it helps people who read it."
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HOW CAN YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE? START! EACH JOURNEY STARTS WITH BUT A SINGLE STEP….
Start with your family and friends. Help them understand how you feel and what you think. Be open to the fact that each of them may feel or think differently. In a wonderful lesson I learned from Mr. Sam Walton, try to find something good, something that will make what you do better, in each part of what they share with you. Don't judge others intentions--you can't possibly know what they are or were. Take them at face value and try to understand their behavior and positions from their standpoint--it will be different from yours. That alone makes it valuable.
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ISN'T IT GREAT THAT THE LINES I JUST WROTE APPLY EQUALLY WELL TO WORKING WITH CUSTOMERS AND BONDING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS?
You see, the fundamentals apply everywhere. I had a wonderful suggestion from one of my associates at the Prosper Group when we were reviewing ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH. He said, "These principles can apply equally to people's personal lives. Why don't you include a comment early in the book pointing that out?" And I did. I also realized when talking with others, that another topic came up. Helping many Americans find profitable growth could actually help the recovery in the USA. Imagine that, a simple book that could "save the economy" or even "save the country." Is this too grandiose a thought? Rachel Carson's simple book THE SILENT SPRING changed the world immensely, triggering the entire environmental movement, and introducing the idea of considering the environmental impact of our actions.
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THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT I STILL WRITE FOR THE SAME REASONS I ALWAYS HAVE--"TO HELP PEOPLE"
Many of you may not know that a couple of months ago, I began taking BOXING lessons at a local gym. Yes, "at my age!" It have been fun, and great exercise, and I've only done very light sparring a couple of times. I don't know if I ever want to really get in the ring and "fight someone." What I do know is that there is a lot to learn in boxing that applies to life, work and the world in general. Thus, what else would you expect? I am working with the two founders, John & Tim Sullivan to write a little book. Our working title is "IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BOXING; IT'S ABOUT CHANGING YOUR LIFE! Stay tuned as we progress on it. The lessons are surprisingly similar to life, work, etc. and easy to understand. If it sound's like a fun project, it is!
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FINALLY, I WANT TO CLOSE WITH THE PLIGHT OF OUR NATION AND A REFLECTION ON IT AS WELL
The time has come for prayer. Prayer that our government leaders will find it in their hearts and heads to work out their differences and do what is right and best for our country! I am not naive enough to think that we can alter their behaviors "simply by prayer", but prayer is a powerful force, and it works! God gave man free will, and some of the messes mankind gets into because of that free will must make him wonder how wise He was to do that… So whether you believe in God, or Jesus, or Allah, or Buddha, or the many other forms of Supreme Being we human look up to, and whether you read the Bible or the Koran or the Torah or the Book of Mormon, or any of the other holy books…
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Now is the time to PRAY… for those who are suffering here and around the world, for our country and its leaders to find new faith and a way to work together, and for everyone how is meaningful in your life. Hanukkah is just ending; in just 9 days, Christmas will be here, followed immediately by Kwanzaa, and the New Year…
Start now, if you have not been. Live it to the fullest. Resolve to think hard about the piece that follows, since it is part of my Christmas gift to you:
This holiday season, I want to share with YOU the thoughts from the first half of a speech that was never made. Unfortunately, it was cancelled due to lack of attendance—because of the current troubled economic times—and the pressure on overloaded workers and productivity crunches.
Never-the-less, this is a message that I want everyone to have during this holiday season. Times are tough. The pressure is on, in so many ways. Take a few minutes and read these brief questions. Then think really hard about YOUR answers to them. I believe you will start the New Year with a whole different set of priorities if you do this.
>>>What matters most, in your life? Think hard. Is it…?
Your Family?
Your Loved Ones?
Your Friends?
—Or you—as a person?
Your Health & Well-Being?
Your Self-Esteem?
Your Integrity?
—Or….Your Relationship with God?
>>>Which of these matters most?
Sure, they are all important, but when “push comes to shove” and you must choose among competing “important” parts of your life, what will you choose to favor over the others? Now hold that thought and let’s “shift gears.”
What matters most in your work?
Your Job?
Your Income?
Your Satisfaction?
Your Prestige/Position?
Your Achievement?
Your Advancement?
Your Career?
Don’t say “all of them.” That’s a “cop out!” Certainly prioritizing and doing well in some of them leads to success in others, but what order of importance do you assign to them. What matters most?? Consider this bit of wisdom, I first heard from Stephen Covey. (Author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People): “So often we climb the ladder of success without ever checking to see if it is leaning against the right wall.”
Now, think again. What matters most? It’s hard to choose, but if you don’t think about it, the urgent will push out the important, and whether that leads you to "what matters most" is questionable.
>>>What about your happiness? What is happiness anyway? Can you even describe it?
TRY! (Hint: it’s not about material possessions!)
When Was The Last Time You Were Really Happy?
What Were You Doing?
With Whom? Where?
Why Did That Make You Happy?
>>>What matters most? (That made you happy?) Take a couple of minutes & think hard
On your deathbed will you say, “I wish I’d spent more time in the office!”? Also consider whether you “work to live, or live to work?” That’s not a trivial question. Think about it.
What matters most is sometimes best considered from the perspective of others.
Who Really Cares About You?
Who Is There For You When You Really Need Them?
And Who Isn’t?
Who Are You Really There For?
And Who Are You Not There For Enough?
Remember, “Don’t apologize or make excuses, because those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind, don’t matter.” I don’t know who said that first, but it sure is true most of the time.
Now we are back where we started. What matters most—in your life? That answer—or series of answers—should be the guide you use to set your priorities. Setting priorities is among the hardest thing in life and in work! It’s so easy to say, and so hard to do, especially if you decide you want to “enjoy true happiness” and “satisfaction” as a result of your choices.
Click on this audio attachment and listen to it. The message is profound! Think about it.
(It is Harry Chapin's song, "Cat's in the Cradle")
I can’t tell you the "right" answers (for you), but if you’ve read this far, you are starting to come up with some of them. There’s no “Undo” button when your kids are growing up—miss that and it's gone. You get a short time with them, and then they are out on their own. There is no "do over" for time spent away from family and loved ones--even on "important business." There is no “Pause” button or “Rewind and Replay” when a loved one is afflicted with a serious (or terminal) illness—or if they are involved in a tragic, fatal accident. At those awful times, the issue of “what matters most” is often clearer than it had ever been before—and it may be too late.
Take the time now, in this Holiday season and starting New Year to think about, and then choose, what matters most; what comes first, second & what must be dropped off the list, because compared to the other things, it matters almost not at all?Once you decide on those priorities—on “what matters most,” then you must take action? Live for what matters most. Think about it every time you have a decision to make. Then make the right decision—do the right thing—because nothing different happens until you do!
When you consider “what matters most,“ and “get that right” you will improve your life—and be happier and more successful in your work. Hopefully, when you have thought about what “happiness” really is, and really means, you will find it too.
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…and may God bless you and yours this holiday season.
AND GO SEE: http://hopeisnotastrategybook.wordpress.com This one is posted on Sundays (usually) and my co-author Dave Lukas does most of the writing on it. Because Dave and I share so many opinions, it might as well be me writing it, but credit belongs where it is due. Go visit this blog (http://hopeisnotastrategybook.wordpress.com) on Sunday evenings before you start your week, and after you have read this week's edition of THE ENTERPRISE!
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LOTS OF PEOPLE ASK ME HOW BAD I FELT AFTER ELECTION DAY--AND FOR HOW LONG
The answer was pretty bad, but not for long. You see, where I come from is that you control the things you can control and when something happens that you can't control, you don't obsess about it. You figure out what you can do, and do differently, in the face of an undesirable situation. First thing I did was get with my financial advisors and tax planner to consider moves to make before the certainty of higher taxes in 2013 and beyond. The only question is how much higher and in what form.
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THEN I FOUND AN UP AND COMING BLOG SITE…THEBRENNERBRIEF.COM…CREATED BY SARA MARIE BRENNER
I've known her for several years. Her husband, Andy, is our local Ohio State House Representative. She's very bright and very active--and an activist. She tried to make things happen. Since starting The Brenner Brief she has been doing blog-radio interviews with some pretty prominent folks, and ….well, it's better if you go there and look around. It's full of interesting, useful and yes, "Republican" and "Conservative" views mostly. This link goes to the third post of mine, but lets you see the first few lines of all three of them…and then go to the one(s) you want to read.
AS TIME GOES ON, I'LL POST SOME CONTENT ON THE ENTERPRISE AND A WEEKLY PIECE ON THE BRENNER BRIEF, AND POSSIBLY ANOTHER BLOG (stay tuned).
I have a lot of content I'd like to share, and with a new book--ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH-- coming out…the amount will certainly grow. I have now seen a proof of the book and submitted what I hope is the last round of corrections (if the publisher interprets then all correctly). I am still happy with the content and anxious to share teasers with all of you. But I want you to buy the book when it's ready too.
I WILL BE OFFERING SOME DEALS FOR "BULK SALES" TOO…SO THINK ABOUT YOUR COMPANY, ORGANIZATIONS, FRIENDS, ETC.
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Stay tuned for the specials being offered during the Launch Month (probably Jan. 2013)…
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HOW REAL IS MOVIE CYBERTERRORISM FROM SKYFALL, THE NEW JAMES BOND MOVIE?
Many of you know I researched a lot of cuber threats while writing THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY. There have been several movie plots in the past 5 years that incorporated some piece of cyberterrorism. Live Free and Die Hard, with Bruce Willis was one such film. There have been several others. If you want to know how realistically possible the Bond film's threats are, I will tell you the bottom line--very realistically possible. Here's a good article that sums up the major threats http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/14/showbiz/movies/skyfall-cyberterrorism-pierce/
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AS I HAVE TOLD MANY OF YOU, THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY WAS AND IS STILL POSSIBLE!
Neither your vaunted government nor the private sector really knows how to stop cyber-threats of all kinds. Mostly what they have to do is let the threat happen and then take action. Why? Because no one, no group, can anticipate all of the creative mischief and malice that exists in the minds of tens of thousands of hackers globally.
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The threat of THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY is real…still…today, and tomorrow. We can only hope that no one plans as well as my villains did, because like all complex accomplishments, planning is the key to succeeding. Now make sure your firewalls are on, that you don't fall prey to phishing and social engineering and bolster those passwords and change then periodically. And for goodness sake, don't just email your private information off to anyone…no matter how realistic their request email looks. It is almost certainly a phony, a scam, or worse.
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If anyone knows a film maker interested in doing the real "scary-cyber-threat movie"
I would be happy to option the movie rights to THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY.
Contact me, please….
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NOW FOR THE LATEST "CYBER-SCOOP." The government puts US companies in a real bind (no surprise, it it?). HOW? By creating a conflict of legal and ethical proportions: Companies are discouraged from going public with reports of Cyber-intrusions, because the government wants to avoid tipping off perpetrators that the intrusions are known--and being tracked. On the other hand, companies that do not report "material" issues to their shareholders are possibly in breach of their shareholder obligations. However, company executives would rather not go public with intrusions that involve the theft of secrets, confidential information and who knows what else. Why? Because it unsettles the investor markets and makes them look unprotected (unable to stop cyber-intrusions). How's that for being caught on the horns of a dilemma.
Government: Do NOT report publicly, but DO report to us.
Shareholder Disclosure Rules: DO report publicly, if losses are "material." (Could noticeably effect the current value of the company or its future.)
Executive Preference: Do NOT report publicly, because investors will believe we are at risk (they are!) and lose confidence in us--and invest elsewhere!
WHAT TO DO? WHO KNOWS?
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NOTE: REGULATORS ARE BEING ENCOURAGED BY SOME TO GET INVOLVED FURTHER, AND CREATE A CLEAR SET OF RULES. WE ALL KNOW HOW GREAT THE RESULTS USUALLY ARE WHEN THE GOVERNMENT REGULATED ANYTHING! (NOT GREAT! SOMETIMES TERRIBLE!)
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BUT A UNIFORM SET OF REPORTING RULES WILL AT LEAST LEVEL THE COMPETITIVE PLAYING FIELD.
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THE NUMBER OF CYBER-INTRUSIONS IS NOW IN THE MILLIONS PER YEAR. WHAT I WROTE IN THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY IS STILL A VERY REAL POSSIBILITY--AND COULD HAPPEN ANYTIME--CAUSED BY ANY OF THE USA'S ENEMIES.
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THE ECONOMY IS NOT RECOVERING MUCH…AND I'LL EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT WHY IN THE UPCOMING EDITIONS. STAY CALM, BUT STAY DEFENSIVE UNTIL OR UNLESS YOU SEE A REALLY GOOD OPENING…AND THEN "GO FOR IT."
MORE LATER, UNTIL THEN,
BEST, JOHN
*************************************
-----New Book: COMING VERY SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…
DESCRIBED AS "THE BOOK THAT COULD HELP SAVE THE AMERICAN ECONOMY"…. CURIOUS? YOU'LL SEE!
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
I hope you will find my posts and others on The Brenner Brief to be interesting and useful…and send your friends there to read more….
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HAVE YOU STARTED YOUR CHRISTMAS (HOLIDAY) SHOPPING YET?
Here is a novel approach that will fulfill the needs and wishes of many without adversely impacting the balance of trade and may, in fact, help the US economy.
Further, a couple of bright guys named Joe Pine and Jim Gilmore have done the homework that proves "experiences" are often far more valuable and rewarding than material objects. They live on in our minds, hearts and memories, long after the material objects are old, worn out and no longer the fashionable thing to have. Meanwhile, think about these shopping tips:
Christmas 2012 -- The Birth of a New Tradition
As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.
This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Oh.... Yes there is! It is time to think outside the Box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone-- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber? Or how about a massage? Gym membership? Dance school fee? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.
Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.
Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plunking down the Benjamins on a Asian-made flat-screen TV? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course. More money? A family might like some small cement work, room improvements/additions, new windows, or house painting.
There are a gazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint.
Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open. How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?
Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day. Remember the more money suggestions above-just a thought. My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.
OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.
Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre. Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.
Honestly people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.
How about donating food to a family in need or to the local food bank? You could purchase a cow, pig, or chickens for a poor family in a third world country, BUT taking a gift basket of fresh baked goodies to a new family in the neighborhood or needy family down the street is something that will be remembered and may be paid forward someday.
You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that Asia can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US (We the People), encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we could not imagine.
THIS is the new American Christmas tradition!! Please pass this around because we can make a difference...
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IF THAT ONE DOESN'T CHANGE YOUR POINT OF VIEW, HOW ABOUT THIS ONE:
We all complain about the various problems we have in the USA, and they are many and great. But, as I asked in the prior edition: How many of us are willing to leave this country to live elsewhere--somewhere that we think life will be better. Watch this slide show and feel free to pass this edition on to everyone you know. It is the holiday season, and what better time to spread cheer and goodwill--and to count our blessings?
IF YOU READ THE ONES ON THE BRENNER BRIEF, THAT'S PLENTY FOR ONE WEEK!
GET THAT CHRISTMAS SHOPPING DONE AND ENJOY THE REAL MEANING OF THE SEASON…Peace on earth and good will toward all.
Best, JOHN
*************************************
-----New Book: COMING SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH… ON THE FINAL EDIT PASS…
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
As much as there is to criticize in our country these past few years, one question silences most of the criticism and focuses us on the real task ahead.
What other country would you rather live in? Is there anywhere else on earth that you think is better--overall--than the USA?
If that question caused you to pause and think hard, I need to say no more--except that our road ahead remains one that we must persevere to "revitalize, and "re-unify" the majority in our country. If, as many claim, this past election was dominated (and won) by the less informed--then our job is to change the voting population by sharing more, better and more desirable information, and positions with them. If, as the next piece says, "the devil is at work in our country" (as it must have been 47 years ago when this was recorded--then our job is to "exorcise the devils."
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FOR ANY COUNTRY, ANY ORGANIZATION OR ANY ENTERPRISE TO BE GREAT TAKES GREAT LEADERSHIP--AT ALL LEVELS--AND NOT ONLY BY WORDS BUT BY DEEDS
Please help by sharing your thoughts on how to proceed. I am attaching a few worthy ones for your consideration… please read them and respond with YOUR thoughts…
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WHY I MISS PAUL HARVEY--SOME THINGS ARE TRULY TIMELESS….
This was done 47 years ago. April 3, 1965. An amazing prediction. Do youremember the famous ABC radio commentator Paul Harvey?
Millions of Americans listened to his programs which were broadcast over 1,200 radio stations nationwide.
When you listen to this,remember the commentary was broadcast 47 years ago on April 3, 1965.
It's short...less than three minutes. You will be amazed. And perhaps more than a little concerned!
UPDATE ON THE COUNTDOWN ON ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH: down to only a few weeks left…
I have the interior content in front of me, with only a few minor corrections needed. The cover design is done and approved, and thus I should receive a printed draft copy of the book this coming week. I will then input the final round of corrections--and voila' ---a week or two later, a corrected book will appear for my approval at which time it will go up on amazon.com for sale, and the Kindle edition will follow a few weeks after that. Since the delays in production will cause it to mostly miss the Christmas gift giving season and then the Holidays come--the "official launch" will be moved out a few weeks.I will keep everyone posted on the actual availability date, so that IF it is available to buy before Christmas--you'll hear about it.
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THERE'S NO NEED FOR ME TO REWRITE SEVERAL OF THESE PIECES, SINCE THEY ARE "RIGHT ON."
The challenges come not from getting agreement from many parts of the GOP-although that is not trivial. The challenge comes from getting the further right parts of the party to come back toward the center. The Tea Party, the Religious Right, the Rush Limbaugh followers all have (I think) good motives, and sincere desires to make America better. The problem is that unless we can build our own (GOP) coalition of "center-right" voters who will elect our candidates--their positions will continue to be the minority outcry--constantly struggling against elected officials like Barack Obama, Harry Reid, et. al.
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My goal, therefore needs to be bringing this message to all those who are "further right"…and hoping to convince them that we need to form a new coalition with the Republican party, which represents enough of us to win national elections (without compromising--too much--our values and core principles!) Ironically, if MItt Romney had not been forced to tack so far right to win the nomination, and had been able to run on the moderate positions he embodied, he would have been much more likely to win. Perhaps he failed to deliver on the promise of his candidacy, but he was a genuinely good man, and far more qualified than Obama to be president. But that doesn't matter--does it? He lost the election. Now we, and the nation, must endure four more years of Obama's creeping socialism and imperial presidency.
As much as we might dislike these leaders…we must find ways to come together for the good of the country, and get some worthy things started…like reining in the deficit spending, and trimming the deficit by a combination of "revenue" (Code for carefully crafted tax increases) and spending cuts (Including in the entitlements that are the largest, but far from the only cause of the intolerable deficits.
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THIS MESSAGE FROM A CEO FRIEND OF MINE--MAKES A LOT OF SENSE!
John, I wish that Romney had won, but he did not. Why? Because the Republican party has alienated too many young people with their right wing stance on social policies and pushed Mitt Romney too far to the right. If the Republican party does not moderate its positions on women's rights, gay rights, immigration and other social policies, I don't think that a Republican will ever be elected President again.
Now it's time to move on and stop the fighting between the parties. The statements in your letter about potential changes to the filibuster rules made me sick to my stomach. That will only exacerbate the paralysis that has gripped Washington for the past 12 years. It's time to lock Congress into a room and not let them out until they reach acceptable compromises on economic policy changes that will put this country on a path toward restoring our country to an economic superpower again.
Please check out the article in today's WSJ by Alan Murray [Ed. Note: article is attached below]which summarized suggestions coming out of 5th annual meeting of the WSJ's CEO council. 90% of the CEO's in attendance said that they would favor a package that included at least one dollar in tax increases for every 4 dollars in spending cuts and an overhaul of corporate taxes by broadening the tax base, lowering tax rates and adopting a territorial tax system. Those are compromises that are two political parties should agree to that represent real tangible changes that can help to restore our economy. Not the unacceptable rhetoric by the Republican party that it will not accept higher taxes on the rich.
John, it's time for the political leaders of our country to start working together and with the business community to make the changes to our tax codes and entitlement programs that can fix our economy. All citizens must feel some of the pain through higher taxes for the rich and spending cuts on entitlements for those that are not rich.
Those politicians who want to keep fighting for their extreme positions, should be kicked out of Congress in the future elections. It's time to act like one nation of the people, by the people and for the people and not one nation controlled by the lobbyists who represent the rich and the organizations who fight for excessive entitlements. Sorry to vent my dear friend, but please start to support actions to solve this nation's problems rather than the opinions of those that want to continue our problems.
John, it's time for the political leaders of our country to start working together and with the business community to make the changes to our tax codes and entitlement programs that can fix our economy. All citizens must feel some of the pain through higher taxes for the rich and spending cuts on entitlements for those that are not rich.
Those politicians who want to keep fighting for their extreme positions, should be kicked out of Congress in the future elections. It's time to act like one nation of the people, by the people and for the people and not one nation controlled by the lobbyists who represent the rich and the organizations who fight for excessive entitlements. Sorry to vent my dear friend, but please start to support actions to solve this nation's problems rather than the opinions of those that want to continue our problems.
REMEMBER THE FAMOUS WORDS OF PETER F. DRUCKER, THE LATE, GREAT SOCIOLOGIST AND MANAGEMENT EXPERT:
"THE BEST WAY TO PREDICT THE FUTURE IT TO CREATE IT!"
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WE HAVE OUR JOBS CUT OUT FOR US, SO WITH GOD'S HELP AND GOOD INTENTIONS, LET'S GET STARTED.
BEST, JOHN
*************************************
-----New Book: COMING VERY SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
THE ENTERPRISE--ON THE OTHER HAND…SOME OTHER OPINIONS
THERE ARE SOME REALLY NEGATIVE THINGS THAT MIGHT START HAPPENING--AND THEY'LL BE HARD TO STOP
---The Supreme Court has a couple of elderly and infirm Justices--and if just one of them retires or dies, Obama will appoint a liberal that will alter the balance of the Court dramatically! (This makes it imperative to push as many (lawsuits) issues legally as possible to get them to the 5-4 conservative Supreme Court before Obama has a chance to remake it.)
---Harry Reid and the Democratic Senate are now seriously considering revising the Filibuster rules--and can do so using a little used provision that only requires a simple majority (51) vote instead of a the normal 2/3 vote required to change Senate Rules! This would preclude the GOP minority in the Senate from slowing or stopping runaway Democratic legislation.
---Obamacare and Dodd-Frank contain numerous provisions (a major one of which is the Consumer Protection Board) to let the Executive Branch circumvent Congress--and don't think that President Obama won't exploit them. he has already said more than once that if Congress won't go along with him, he'll just go around them! Boards like the one mentioned can get funding directly from the Fed, and do not have to answer to Congress on spending--a direct violation of the checks and balances of the Constitution.
---I fully expect all of these--and more--to happen. It is the kind of tactic used to force Obamacare through with no Republican votes.
(The interesting thing about the filibuster change is that is would be a "double-edged sword" -- should the GOP ever regain majority control in the Senate!)
EVERYONE HAS WRITTEN ABOUT IT, BUT I'LL WEIGH IN
The Hostess failure is one of the most striking examples of how a union can kill a company. Management must share the blame because at some time, it agreed to the ridiculous provisions of the union's demands and let them become part of the company's contract. However, after repeat trips in Chapter 11 proceedings, the union prevailed and the company failed. 18,000 Americans lose their jobs, and some percentage of them were not at fault. If ever there was a time for a National Right To Work law, this is it. Passing one with Democratic control of the Senate and Obama in the White House is impossible--but that doesn't mean individual states cannot pass their own Right To Work laws…about half of the states already have them…and are thriving far beyond the economic growth of those that don't.
THE FISCAL CLIFF AND THE ECONOMIC FUTURE OF THE USA
If you owned a business, or represented the major investors in one, would you trust the Congress and President Obama to find a solution that will ensure the continued recovery AND begin to deal with the crushing debt and impossible entitlements the USA has facing it? NO WAY! Here's the problem. YOU must pay for past transgressions of your fellow Americans and those they elected to Congress and the White House.
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THIS ONE IS NOT MINE, BUT IT SURE IS RIGHT! BETTER TARGET MARKETING, USING AGGREGATION PRINCIPLES (If you want consultant speak.)
HOW did Barack Obama beat Mitt Romney?
SHALLOW ANSWER: Obama's talking points were more astute, his ads better, his campaign better organized. Democrats raised & spent more money than the Republicans.
REAL ANSWER: The Obama campaign out-maneuvered, out-segmented and flat out did a superior job of applying 80/20 to a minute percentage of critical swing voters.
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HERE IS A MUST READ, TO START UNDERSTANDING THE PERSPECTIVES REPUBLICANS MUST EMBRACE
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FROM A CORRESPONDENT:
Congratulations to the Democrats, America's Young People and Ethnic Minorities who so heavily supported Democrats!
You now "own it." Here are the consequences—that you "own"— following your decision to elect Barack Obama to a second term:
—The next terrorist attack you own it. —Can't get a job after graduation, you own it. —Sky rocketing energy prices due to Obama's EPA shutting down the energy producing states, you own it. —A nuclear Iran, you own it. —Bowing to the Soviet Union, you own it. —Another severe recession, you own it. —A volatile border with Mexico, you own it. —Trouble getting good health care, you own it. —Higher heath insurance costs and health care costs, you own it. —No budget, you own it. —Our allies mistrust, you own it. —Another trillion of debt, you own it. —More Benghazi situations, you own it. —No one willing to join the military, you own it. —Trouble getting loan to buy a home, you own it. —More dependency on food stamps, you own it. —Trouble finding good employment, you own it. Several part time jobs instead of a good job, you own it. —A World Government, you own it. —The UN governing the United States instead of ourselves, you own it. —A Senate that will not bring any legislation to the table rather it is "Dead on Arrival", you own it. —China controlling our world trade trampling all over us, you own it. —Loss of our freedoms as we have known it in the past, you own it. —A dictatorship instead of a democracy that follows the Constitution, you own it. —Less take home pay and higher living costs, you own it. —Driving a car that looks like a toy, you own it. —More government corruption and lies, you own it. —More toleration of extreme and fanatical Islamists, you own it. —Terrorist attacks called work place incidents, you own it. —Your revenge instead of love of country, you own it. —President George Bush is out of it now, and there is not another good man for you to villify and lie about.
In a way I am relieved that another good man will not be blamed when it was impossible to clean up this mess you voted for. Have a good day. God bless the United States! God is our hope now.
THESE NEXT TWO MAY DEPRESS YOU TOO MUCH, SO I'LL LEAVE IT UP TO YOU WHETHER TO READ THEM OR NOT.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE HIGH ROAD, AND ASSUME THAT SOMEHOW, OUR COUNTRY WILL "MUDDLE THROUGH" LIKE IT ALWAYS HAD.
If you want to pray, pray for the long life and good health of the current elderly members of the Supreme Court. If they live on and stay on the court, our chances improve--but the odds--and actuaries are against them.
NEXT WEEK WE'LL KICK AROUND SOME OF THE MORE INTERESTING THINGS HAPPENING--AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THEM
BEST, JOHN
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Obama’s America—Path is clear for socialism’s triumph
President Obama has succeeded in transforming America. The constitutional republic is dead. A socialist empire has been born. This is the true meaning — and historical significance — of Tuesday’s election. From the outset of his presidency, Mr. Obama vowed to be a “transformative” leader. His re-election shows that he has achieved his primary goal: erecting a European social democracy.
By any objective measure, Mr. Obama’s first term has been a colossal failure. His signature legislative achievements — the economic stimulus and Obamacare — are unpopular. Unemployment has remained chronically high. Economic growth is sputtering. The recovery is anemic. Inflation is rising. He has presided over multiple, consecutive trillion-dollar-plus budget deficits. He has amassed more than $5 trillion in debt. The national debt is more than $16 trillion — a staggering amount that threatens our economic security. We are sliding toward Greece and impending bankruptcy. Yet the electorate rewarded him with another term.
Why? The answer is simple and ominous: because more than half the population — 50 percent plus one — is dependent upon government benefits. For the past four years, the Obama administration has created a Franco-German welfare state whose sole purpose is to forge a majority political coalition wedded to the Democratic Party. The stimulus; the health care overhaul; the redirecting of financial resources to the inner cities; the explosion in the number of Americans on food stamps and welfare; the massive spending increases in public education, infrastructure and agriculture; the green-energy boondoggles; the bailouts of the auto industry; the contraceptive mandate; the federal funding of abortion; support for homosexual “marriage”; and pushing amnesty for illegal aliens — all of these measures directly bought off key liberal constituencies, such as unions, public-sector workers, environmentalists, blacks, Hispanics, feminists and the homosexual community.
In short, America has been fractured into two nations: the tax producers and the tax consumers, the givers and the takers, those who generate wealth and those who exploit it. Mr. Obama has peeled off the larger chunk. The productive classes are being harnessed into subsidizing the nonproductive elements. Statism and sex trump entrepreneurship and self-reliance.
Contrary to myth, liberalism is not a political ideology but a pseudo-religion — or rather, it is a substitute for traditional religion. It is driven by emotion, symbolism, irrationality and blind, intense faith. Its holy trinity is race, class and gender. Its church is the Democratic Party. And its savior —its secular messiah —is Mr. Obama. He has fostered a cult of personality common among leftist revolutionaries. Despite blatant failures, he is not held accountable by his supporters. Like Vladimir Lenin, Leon Trotsky, Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez, Mr. Obama is never blamed by his ideological followers for any mistakes or misdeeds. It is always someone else’s fault — especially former President George W. Bush‘s. Obama-ites have one ever-present boogeyman: Mr. Bush. He is the American left’s devil.
Moreover, this explains Mr. Obama’s strategy — playing the race card, relentlessly attacking “millionaires and billionaires” and making phony claims of a GOP “war on women.” The only real war is the Democrats’ ceaseless assault upon traditional America. Mr. Obama is practicing the old politics of divide and conquer. His aim is to splinter and polarize society in the ruthless pursuit of power.
The path is clear for Mr. Obama’s complete transformation of America. He has admitted that the key to his re-election was the huge Hispanic turnout. He plans to repay the favor by pushing amnesty for nearly 12 million to 20 million illegal immigrants. The New York Times reports that Mr. Obama considers “comprehensive immigration reform” to be his first priority in a second term. The reason is obvious: Granting amnesty would permanently shift the electoral map in favor of the Democrats. Pivotal states with large illegal populations, such as Texas, Arizona, Florida, Ohio and Pennsylvania, would become deep blue. It would ensure national one-party Democratic rule for generations.
The last line of defense is the Republican-controlled House. The Senate remains firmly in Democratic hands. Mr. Obama will reshape the Supreme Court as he fills inevitable upcoming vacancies. The establishment media is his lapdog. Hollywood backs him. The popular culture idolizes him. Almost every major institution is falling under his influence. The president has shown nothing but contempt for the Constitution. He is remaking America in his own image. Can Republicans stop him? If not, there will be no return from Obama’s America.
Here lies the United States of America Born: July 4, 1776 Died: November 6, 2012
The Will of the People Has Spoken and America Died--The End of an Empire by Dr. Ileana Johnson Paugh - Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Our Constitutional Republic died a peaceful death on November 6, 2012. Having reached the point of no return in a comatose state after years of progressive and illegal immigration assaults, the fabric of conservative society is now completely unraveled and Uncle Sam's America is no more. The United States of America is now relegated to the dust bin of history as a has been empire. The Shining City on the Hill, the hope of so many millions since July 4, 1776, no longer exists. What rises from the ashes is a country that few of us will recognize, like, or learn to accept submissively.
After 236 years of existence, a new country emerges today, run by secular progressives who rejected our Constitution, what we stand for, and who we are as a nation. The Supreme Court will be forever altered after its last conservative members will be replaced by the liberal academics who call themselves “progressives.†The rule of law will be implemented by Executive Orders, making Congress irrelevant.
The communist motto Forward that resonated with so many ignorant Americans will plunge us into many years of darkness from which we will never be able to recover. We have proven our Founding Fathers right, they did give us a Constitutional Republic and we were unable to maintain it. The forces of the failed communist fundamental transformation that were driven underground in many places around the world, resurfaced with a vengeance in the United States and have now taken over.
How long we will still have freedom of speech, movement, assembly, and control of our private property remains to be seen. Faith and churches will be driven underground; allowing secularism to prosper and take deep roots among the progressives whose God is Mother Earth. The welfare dependent Americans, unions, and illegal aliens have chosen for the rest of us the dark path of serfdom to big government and to socialist utopia.
Who would have guessed that the very people who were complaining that the government is not extricating them from disaster or giving them the help they needed in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, would vote for the very politicians who turned their backs on needy Americans after the lights went dark when the political photo opportunities ended?
Who would have guessed that Americans were as ignorant and irresponsible as to choose fiscal destruction over fiscal sanity for their children and grandchildren, secularism and communism over faith, dependence over personal responsibility and self-reliance? Americans have been protesting for the last four years the dismal state of the economy and the direction of our country, the corruption of our politicians, and the loss of personal and economic freedom.
Rallies in support of conservatism overwhelmed venues for Mitt Romney while rallies for our bumbling President became scarcer and scarcer. Yet, miraculously, at the ballot box, our President won all over the country. We lost seats in the Senate. Americans chose liars and cheats to be their Senators and Representatives, rejecting those who protected the Constitution. The candidate from Massachusetts who claimed direct American Indian lineage to Pocahontas is now a Senator, having defeated Scott Brown. Representative Allen West lost his seat by a narrow margin in Florida. Americans chose high unemployment, reduction of our military, communist indoctrination of their children, and loss of personal freedoms unlike we have never seen before in this country.
I am saddened by the loss of millions and millions of American soldiers who have died to preserve freedom yet we lost it on November 6, 2012. Those buried in cemeteries around the world and at Arlington must be rolling in their graves today. We shamelessly allowed their sacrifice of blood and treasure to go in vain. We have no honor because we let down all the soldiers who fought in recent times and returned home limbless with lives shattered from physical and mental wounds of war.
I mourn today the loss of my adopted country. I have fought hard over the last four years to prevent its overt and accelerated destruction but the darker forces stronger than many of us have overcome concerted efforts by millions of Americans to maintain the Republic. Mediocrity, sloth, godlessness, dependence, cowardice, using the law selectively or ignoring it, and hopeless corruption will define the new country. Only God can save us now with his mercy and grace.
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-----New Book: COMING SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
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HERE ARE A FEW LEADING THINKERS TAKE ON WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT "NEXT?"
I am posting these since each of them contains parts of the right direction for "next" means. Political campaigns are, at their core, marketing campaigns. The candidate and his/her party are "the products and the brands". The problems arise when the candidates (campaigns) are not good marketers first…and then good sales people next. The primary job of marketing is to "have what will sell." Romney had only half a bag of that. He was missing the part of his marketing package that addressed all of the softer issues--and Obama's ads painted him into a corner on nearly every one of them.
Then there was the "sales." Romney's earnest approach was good, but not great. His approach in the first debate was much better. He looked like the guy who knew the answers and cared about them--but it was in the part of the campaign where he was strongest--economic policy. When the other two debates saw the return of as alert and aggressive Barack Obama, Romney was far too reserve, perhaps too polite and overall, under-prepared from a marketing standpoint. His balance was out of balance. He played to win on the economy and ignored those sticky touch feely issues where he was set up by voracious attacks of his own party members during the primaries. They provided all the video footage the Obama campaign needed for ads (in Romney's hard tack to the right to win the nomination). Mind you, there was no better candidate, but the lack of pragmatic and sensitive leadership in the strategy and tactics of the GOP sent Romney out to make the sale with half of the marketing plan missing. Then Obama's attack ads filled in the missing parts as negatively as possible.
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SO THE ANSWER TO "WHAT NOW, AND WHAT "NEXT," IS THE SAME AS AFTER A LOSS IN ANY ARENA, BUSINESS, SPORTS OR POLITICS: REGROUP, REFLECT ON THE REASONS FOR THE LOSS (Truly reflect, not in some denial filled delusion, like the Dick Morris's of the world did.) and REVITALIZE (based on what was learned).
Make no mistake. Barack Obama is a tough campaigner and as an incumbent president with millions in support and the vast majority support of the mainstream media--anyone, with any kind of marketing and sales, would have struggled to beat him. But Romney came close--which is reason to hope that, as the pundits below cite, that some "course correction" and some "policy adjustment," combined with some good old "figure out who the voters are and TALK TO THEM IN TERMS THEY WANT TO HEAR!"
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READ THESE, THINK ABOUT THEM. FIND YOUR MORAL, PHILOSOPHICAL, IDEOLOGICAL AND POLITICAL COMPASSES.
Then figure out which people either currently holding office or potentially willing to run, and meet with them. Talk to them. They are, after all, just citizens like you. Help them shape their positions so you can support them, and also that many of the voters who narrowly decided to vote Obama instead of Romney, would support them to. Encourage them to talk to voters in plain, down home language and terms. Keep the "speech writers" at bay and talk to the constituents.
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SIDEBAR: RUNNING FOR OFFICE IS TERRIBLY HARD, DEMANDING, DRAINING AND A BIG SACRIFICE--WE MUST FIND STRONG, SAVVY CANDIDATES…
That's why some of the best people won't do it. At other times, the party leaders grab a young, brave fellow like Josh Mandel here in OH, take him out of a State Treasurer job he's just getting the hang of, and pit him against a tough, old liberal politician like Sherrod Brown. First of all, Josh is a former Marine, in his mid-30's but he looks like he's just out of college. He campaigned hard, but he was hindered by a lack of age, experience, "Gravitas" (I know, I hate that word, but that's the right word), and just didn't have the record and savvy to beat Brown, no matter how hard he ran. We must stop supporting candidates who aren't ready for prime time, or those who are "loose cannons" like Akins and Mourdoch…putting their foot in their mouth on one of the most sensitive issues of all--rape! STUPID!
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I PASTED EXCERPTS BELOW—I ENCOURAGE YOU TO READ THE WHOLE ARTICLES (links are below the excerpts):
[ED. NOTE: I ADDED THE BOLD EMPHASIS TO THE PIECES]
--GEORGE WILL: (Excerpts)
… America’s 57th presidential electionrevealed that a second important national institution is on an unsustainable trajectory. The first, the entitlement state, is endangered by improvident promises to an aging population. It has been joined by the political party, whose crucial current function is to stress the need to reform this state. And now the Republican Party, like today’s transfer-payment state, is endangered by tardiness in recognizing demography is destiny. …
… As it has every four years since 1992, the white portion of the turnout declined in 2012. In 2008, Barack Obama became the first person elected president while losing the white vote by double digits. In 2012 — the year after the first year in which a majority of babies born in America were minorities — Hispanics were for the first time a double-digit (10 percent) portion of the turnout. Republicans have four years to figure out how to leaven their contracting base with millions more members of America’s largest and fastest-growing minority.
… A nation vocally disgusted with the status quo has reinforced it by ratifying existing control of the executive branch and both halves of the legislative branch. After three consecutive “wave” elections in which a party gained at least 20 House seats, and at a moment when approval of Congress has risen — yes, risen — to 21 percent, voters ratified Republican control of the House, keeping in place those excoriated as obstructionists by the president the voters retained. Come January, Washington will be much as it has been, only more so
…. Republicans can take some solace from the popular vote. But unless they respond to accelerating demographic changes — and Obama, by pressing immigration reform, can give Republicans a reef on which they can wreck themselves — the 58th presidential election may be like the 57th, only more so. This election was fought over two issues as old as the Republic, the proper scope and actual competence of government. The president persuaded — here the popular vote is the decisive datum — almost exactly half the voters. The argument continues.
They lose and immediately the chorus begins. Republicans must change or die. A rump party of white America, it must adapt to evolving demographics or forever be the minority.The only part of this that is even partially true regards Hispanics. They should be a natural Republican constituency: striving immigrant community, religious, Catholic, family oriented and socially conservative (on abortion, for example). The principal reason they go Democratic is the issue of illegal immigrants. In securing the Republican nomination, Mitt Romney made the strategic error of (unnecessarily) going to the right of Rick Perry. Romney could never successfully tack back.
For the party in general, however, the problem is hardly structural. It requires but a single policy change: Border fence plus amnesty. Yes, amnesty. Use the word. Shock and awe — full legal normalization (just short of citizenship) in return for full border enforcement.I’ve always been of the “enforcement first” school, with the subsequent promise of legalization. I still think it’s the better policy. But many Hispanics fear that there will be nothing beyond enforcement. So, promise amnesty right up front. Secure the border with guaranteed legalization to follow on the day the four border-state governors affirm that illegal immigration has slowed to a trickle.
…Imagine Marco Rubio advancing such a policy on the road to 2016. It would transform the landscape. He’d win the Hispanic vote. Yes, win it. A problem fixable with a single policy initiative is not structural. It is solvable. The other part of the current lament is that the Republican Party consistently trails among blacks, young people and (unmarried) women. (Republicans are plus-7 among married women.) But this is not for reasons of culture, identity or even affinity. It is because these constituencies tend to be more politically liberal — and Republicans are the conservative party.
…. the party has an extraordinarily strong bench. In Congress — Paul Ryan, Marco Rubio, Kelly Ayotte, (the incoming) Ted Cruz and others. And the governors — Bobby Jindal, Scott Walker, Nikki Haley, plus former governor Jeb Bush and the soon-retiring Mitch Daniels. (Chris Christie is currently in rehab.) They were all either a little too young or just not personally prepared to run in 2012. No longer. There may not be a Reagan among them, but this generation of rising leaders is philosophically rooted and politically fluent in the new constitutional conservatism.
Romney is a good man who made the best argument he could, and nearly won. He would have made a superb chief executive, but he (like the Clinton machine) could not match Barack Obama in the darker arts of public persuasion. The answer to Romney’s failure is not retreat, not aping the Democrats’ patchwork pandering. It is to make the case for restrained, rationalized and reformed government in stark contradistinction to Obama’s increasingly unsustainable big-spending, big-government paternalism. Republicans: No whimpering. No whining. No reinvention when none is needed. Do conservatism but do it better. There’s a whole generation of leaders ready to do just that.
The 2012 election was a substantial victory not only for President Obama but also for liberalism. Obama built his campaign on abortion rights and higher taxes for the wealthy. He was rewarded by an electorate that was younger, more pro-choice and more racially diverse than in 2008. The Obama coalition is not a fluke; it is a force. Some conservatives have reacted in the tradition of Cicero: “Oh, the times! Oh, the customs!”Rush Limbaugh concluded, “We’ve lost the country,” which he described as a “country of children.” “There is no hope,” Ann Coulter said. And Bill O’Reilly: “It’s not a traditional America anymore.”
As a matter of strategy, it is generally not a good idea to express disdain for an electorate one hopes to eventually influence. In this case, despair is also an overreaction. Conservatives have not witnessed the sacking of Rome. They have seen the disappointment of their expectation that the 2010 Republican wave election was an inexorable trend. They have seen politically unfavorable demographic changes — which everyone knew were coming sooner or later — come sooner. They have seen younger voters grow more libertarian on some social issues.
….This is the conservative task over the next few years: not to preserve a rigid ideology but to reconstruct a political appeal along improved but principled lines.
…Some of the most important intellectual groundwork is needed on the role of government. Mitt Romney had a five-part plan to encourage job creation. He lacked a public philosophy that explained government’s valid role in meeting human needs. Suburban women heard little about improved public education. Single women, particularly single mothers, heard little about their struggles, apart from an off-putting Republican critique of food stamps. Blue-collar workers in, say, Ohio heard little about the unique challenges that face declining industrial communities. Latinos heard little from Republicans about promoting equal opportunity and economic mobility.
….Conservatives also face challenges on issues of national identity. The right will always stand for nationalism and patriotism. But during the Republican primaries, those commitments were expressed as the exclusion of outsiders — in self-deportation and the building of walls. The tone was nasty and small.Apart from moral objections, this approach is no longer politically sustainable. Romney won the largest percentage of white voters of any Republican since 1988. He carried both independents and senior citizens. Yet that wasn’t nearly enough. Republicans won’t win future elections with 27 percent support from Latinos, Romney’s dismal achievement. And Republicans won’t increase that support if they favor self-deportation.
The alternative is a vision of American identity preserved by the assimilating power of American ideals. And that would lead Republicans to endorse the Dream Act and to support a rigorous path to citizenship for undocumented workers already in the country.
Republican adjustments to cultural trends, particularly among millennials, will be difficult — although candidates could start by being unambiguous in their condemnations of rape. In fact, the tone taken by most Republicans on cultural issues has shifted considerably over the past several years. The pro-life movement has become more realistic and incremental. Republican opposition to gay marriage is increasingly falling back to the defense of institutional religious freedom. With nearly 50 percent of Romney’s support coming from religious conservatives, there is no rational strategy that employs them as a political foil. But it is more advisable than ever to make public arguments about morality in aspirational rather than judgmental ways.
The Romney campaign was a vast machine with one moving part, its economic critique. The next Republican campaign will need to be capable of complex adjustments of ideology, policy and rhetoric. And it will need one more thing: a candidate with a genuine, creative passion for inclusion.
—REGROUP, REFLECT and REVITALIZE--THERE ARE SOME BIG CAMPAIGNS COMING JUST TWO SHORT YEARS AWAY.
SO WHAT'S NEXT? GET OVER THE LOSS--IT'S DONE. PLAN AND WORK FOR THE FUTURE!
HERE'S THE BEST PIECE I HAVE SEEN ON HOW TO DO THAT.
—LET'S THINK ABOUT HOW TO PUT AMERICA AND AMERICANS FIRST AND PARTISAN POLITICS SECOND…(OR LAST).
Stay tuned for much more…. On
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-----New Book: COMING SOON: ROADMAP TO PROFITABLE GROWTH…
Author of the Award Winner: THE COMPLEXITY CRISIS, the exciting novel: THE CHINESE CONSPIRACY, and co-author of HOPE IS NOT A STRATEGY: Leadership Lessons from the Obama Presidency
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