(REPEAT POST) BEACONS OF COMMON SENSE-The Middle of the Road

Below is a post from 2018 about "the middle of the road."  I had posted it "a few short months" before the fall election.  Now we are close to the 2020 election.  Not much has changed, and I still think the message hits the bulls-eye.  What you think?
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In a few short months, another election will be here.  We the People will have another chance to “speak,” and tell our leaders what we want them to do.  

When we elect representatives in our American Democracy, we ask them to represent us because they come from us, and are like us.  They should do their work on behalf of us.  They should serve, not rule.  They should serve briefly and then make room for others.  They shouldn’t have perks, literally, they should have what we have, and live as we do.  They should be honest so we can respect them. 

It’s time to begin a new era!  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.  (REPEAT).  Elective office is a public service opportunity, not a career.

So now, please join me in the middle of the American road with a new focus on possibility and potential.  Let’s not drive on the left or right shoulders, but travel down the middle of the road, where the language spoken is common sense supported by HONESTY AND PUBLIC SERVICE.  While the shoulders certainly define the outer limits or extremes of the road, and every road has its shoulders, they aren’t where we should be traveling down, and certainly not governing from.  

Just as the speed bumps on the shoulders can shake a car apart, literally shake a car apart, in some kind of grand intramural tug of war, the left and right are shaking our country apart.  IT’S DISGUSTING AND JUST PLAIN WRONG!  IT NEEDS TO STOP!

If we can find balance in the middle of the road, a destiny of continued blessings for each of us, and for America, will be assured.  Yes!  Let’s meet in the middle of the road where common sense lives.  Let’s use our right to free speech responsibly.   However, with the right comes the responsibility to listen.  Even more, listening must mean we are willing to change.  We must be willing to let the other person, or the other argument, or the other viewpoint change us.  If we all come with that commitment, we will indeed meet in “the middle of the road,” and continue building an incredibly strong Common Sense for America.

. . .  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 © 2019 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

QUALITY AND QUALIFIED

It matters little how any of us feel about specific issues, if the people we elect don’t have certain important and key personal attributes and skills.  This is true whether we’re electing a new President or members of Congress.  We need to also remember that the attributes and skills required to be an effective President are different (but complimentary) from the attributes and skills possessed by a successful Congressperson.

In my post on January 11th of this year, I highlighted Robert Dallek’s course, TO LEAD A NATION, The Presidency in the Twentieth Century, in which he discusses the reasons why some of the Presidents of the Twentieth Century (Theodore Roosevelt through Ronald Reagan) rose to greatness, while most of us can’t remember who the others were.  

Mr. Dallek identifies several things that the “great Presidents” consistently score high in.  This list of six items includes:  Vision, charisma, pragmatism, consensus building, trust or credibility, and luck.

Before we vote in November this year, and elect a new House of Representatives and one third of the Senate, what if we identify the attributes and skills that a member of Congress should bring to the job.  I propose that the list for a Congressperson includes items in five areas:  Problem solver and action oriented, detail minded and pragmatic, consensus and team builder, trustworthy and credible, and service minded and unselfish.  This list also complements Mr. Dallek’s list for Presidents.  Wouldn’t it be nice if the President and Congress could work together no matter what party they might belong to?  Aren’t personal attributes and skills a good place to start so that at a basic level they will all feel like they want to work together.  

All of us have jobs where our personal attributes and skills were the first things considered when we were hired.  Why would we want to do anything different when we vote (hire) for the people we are asking to do the work that needs to be done for America?

No matter how we feel on the issues, let’s elect quality people who can govern, and want to do the difficult work of governing. As voters, our goal should be to elect a Congress that we can give an approval rating above 20%.  If we elect quality and qualified people to represent us, they will know how to help us sort out the issues.

Remember, when we step into the voting booth in November, lets vote for people who are problem solvers and action oriented, detail minded and pragmatic, consensus and team builders, trustworthy and credible, and service minded and unselfish.

Spread the word!  Tell your friends about the Voting Alert Beacons!

. . .  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 © 2014 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.