TALE OF TWO POLLS

A Virtuous Circle of Activity

The first poll is conducted by business to understand what products and services we need.  Then, they are able to create the products and services we want.  While the process can vary, it often begins with customer research which uncovers unmet needs.  Then a vision for how the need might innovatively and profitably be met emerges, followed by actions and activities that lead to the creation of the product or service.  Our lives are further enriched, and business makes the profit it needs to employ people,  build more products and services, and pay taxes.  A virtuous circle of activity.

A Negative Feedback Loop Is Created

The second poll is used by politicians to build positions on the issues that will insure they are elected or re-elected.  Some of the negative consequences include the following:

• Polls divide us against ourselves as citizens and voters.
• Polls lessen our independent thinking by creating a bandwagon for us to jump onto.  
• Polls are used to design and measure the effectiveness of negative advertising.  As a result, the advertising becomes more negative and more personal.  
• Polls determine the issues and “talking points of the day.”  The connection between what needs to be discussed and what is discussed becomes weaker and weaker.
• Polls are used to “keep score” between candidates and negatively reinforce the arguments they have with each other.  The campaigns become louder and more negative, and eventually reach a point where we voters are no longer part of the discussion.

A negative feedback loop is created that excludes independent thought, leadership, and new ideas, while serving to suppress honesty and genuine public service.

PLEASE FOLLOW VOTING ALERT BEACON #4:  POLLS

Stop giving and participating in political polls and focus groups taken by the candidates.  Let’s make America a poll dead zone. When we stop telling the politicians what we think, then maybe, we’ll find out what they think.  The only questions that should be answered by anyone, are the questions we voters ask the candidates.  Then we can decide what we think, and vote powerfully and effectively.  

Honesty and public service are the gears that drive our democracy, and we turn those gears with our RIGHT TO VOTE.   LET’S ALL VOTE!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2015 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

CHANGING THE GAME

We (the People) need to re-assert our rules in place of theirs (politicians).  Then, they either change their play, or, We quit giving them cards (our votes), and We deal them out of the game.  

The Voting Alert Beacons are the new rules.  They are a map for voters, and directions for how to play the game for those who want to serve America in elected public office.

Honesty and public service are the gears that drive our democracy, and we turn those gears with our RIGHT TO VOTE.   LET’S ALL VOTE!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2015 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

DO YOU FEEL SAFE?

Government’s obligation to provide for the nations defense, and its safety, has been a core responsibility from the beginning.  For most of us, we think of safety in our cities, towns, neighborhoods and homes.  In that regard, the police and fire departments have always been our first line of defense, our friends and heroes.   When we have suffered public disturbances or mass crime in our cities, or when nature has unleashed her fury and destructive powers, we have relied on the “state guard” to restore the order, or keep order, as we put things back together.

I’m raising these issues now because soon we will be voting again to select a new set of leaders, and whether we are safe, and feel safe, has to do with selecting the right leaders.  I will also confess that for the firs time in my life as an American citizen, I’m not sure if I really do feel safe.  

As we continue to move into another election season, I am thinking carefully about the questions for which we need answers.  Using the Voting Alert Beacons as a guide, I will first look for candidates to think of the questions on their own.  Are they in touch with reality and me?  Then I will listen carefully to their answer.  I will carefully consider the details of their plan(s).  Does it answer the questions?  If they focus on criticizing other plans instead, then I will ignore them, and they won’t get my vote. 

OK, where do we start?  What questions should we begin with?  Well, for me the murder of Kate Steinle, the Chattanooga terrorist attack, and the recently signed nuclear agreement with Iran are good places to start.  They are recent.

Here’s my list.  Add your own questions and go from there.

Kate Steinle:

• How is it possible that a felon with multiple convictions and deportations was released to walk freely in an American city?
• In the midst of this tragedy, why must we watch local, state, and federal officials quarreling about who is to blame? Why can't they think more about how they broke their oaths to keep us safe?
• Doesn’t responsibility start at the border?  How does a person like Kate’s murderer walk or transport himself easily back into the United States?  The border is well defined.  The objective is clear.  Why can’t we close it?  

The Chattanooga Terrorist Attack:

• How is it possible that members of the most highly trained armed forces in the world through all of history were on duty without the means to protect themselves, and those around them?
• How can we ever ask anyone, under any circumstance, to give an oath to preserves and protect the Constitution of the United States (which includes us), and at the same time leave them disarmed?
• An ordinary citizen can carry a firearm in Chattanooga.  Why can’t an elite marine or sailor when they are on duty?
• Generally, isn’t it common sense that those who wish to do us harm with think twice if they know we can, and will defend ourselves?

The Nuclear Agreement With Iran:

• Why did we abandon all of our negotiation goals in the process of arriving at this agreement with Iran?
• What happened to anytime and anywhere inspections?
• Why would we ever want to willingly agree to lift the arms embargo on Iran, and permit them to develop missiles?
• Why do we want to give them $150 billion dollars if their support of terrorism is clear?
• If we want this agreement because it will help the common folks inside of Iran, why didn’t we just support their uprising in 2009?
• What about the only democracy in the Middle East and our friend Israel?  Why are empowering neighbors who define their existence by the destruction of Israel?

OK, I gave you a few questions to start with.  Now think of more questions you’d like answers to.  We need to start asking our leaders for solid answers. 

In this election season, there will be much to think about and questions to ask.  As we ask the questions, and listen to the answers given, all of us will begin to develop “feelings” for what we should do as individuals, and who we should vote for.  Don’t hesitate to follow your feelings and vote accordingly.  After 200 million of us vote, the answer we provide will be more correct than any person or group of experts could ever be.

Let’s also practice looking for honesty and true public service.  By that I mean honesty in fact, and public service that causes our leaders to put us first, not themselves or their careers. Honesty and public service are the gears that drive our democracy, and we turn those gears with our RIGHT TO VOTE.   LET’S ALL VOTE!

. . .  remember that America’s best days aren’t behind her.   America’s best days are ahead of her.  They always have been and always will be.

Dave

Copyright © 2015 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.