BEACON OF HOPE - Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks

It's a fateful moment in history. We've seen divisive elections, divided societies and the growth of extremism -- all fueled by anxiety and uncertainty. "Is there something we can do, each of us, to be able to face the future without fear?" asks Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks. 

His Answer:  "We can face any future without fear so long s we know we will not face it alone.  For the sake of the future you, together let us strengthen the future us."

In this electrifying talk, the spiritual leader gives us three specific ways we can move from the politics of "me" to the politics of "all of us, together."



. . .  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 © 2017 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

BEACON OF HOPE

MAN (OR WOMAN) IN THE MIRROR!!! 

In almost every post I make to the Voting Alert Beacons Blog, I mention or call out the importance of fulfilling our personal responsibilities to ourselves, our families, our communities, and America, our country.  I will continue to do so in future posts.  However, nothing I’ve written, or I will write, will be as eloquent or on target as Michael Jackson’s song, “Man in the Mirror.”  It is a true Beacon of Hope.

My call to responsibility ensures that our America Freedoms continue and that the Voting Alert Beacons Vision is realized.

Voting Alert Beacons Vision

• Work toward the day when, through high voter turnout in our elections, we realize once again the genius of our combined American intelligence.  
• Give rise to a new higher standard of civil service and servant leadership.  
• Turn the tide on negative campaigning, and the influence of money and polls, so that elections become events of national renewal.  
• Strike the bell beginning a new period of enlightenment in the American democracy that will ring for millennia to come. 
• Renew and fulfill the original American Dream, the right to vote, for all her citizens, so that America continues to shine as a beacon for the world.

God Bless 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 © 2017 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

VISION

I wrote the first Voting Alert Beacons post on March 26, 2012.  A lot has happened in America and the World since I wrote that post.  To the point of voting and governing this great land, there have been two Presidential elections and a mid-term election, not to mention scores of local and state elections.  

Along the way, the Beacons have grown and matured.  I’ve added a couple Beacons and fine tuned several.  Through it all, my belief in the power of each individual vote, the wisdom of a voting America, and the increasing brilliance of America’s star has only grown stronger.  

Even now as all public talk seems filled with vitriol and petty differences, and the two major parties are entangled in some kind of grand intramural competition, we are all bearing witness to great American history in the making.  For the first time, someone not a career politician has been elected President.  It doesn’t matter that it was Donald J. Trump.  It matters that it happened at all.  It is a bugle cry to a core belief of mine.  A belief that drove me to create the Voting Alert Beacons in the first place.  

I believe that elected office is a public service opportunity, not a career.  That belief is embodied in the Voting Alert Beacons vision below:

• Work toward the day when, through high voter turnout in our elections, we realize once again the genius of our combined American intelligence.  
• Give rise to a new higher standard of civil service and servant leadership.  
• Turn the tide on negative campaigning, and the influence of money and polls, so that elections become events of national renewal.  
• Strike the bell beginning a new period of enlightenment in the American democracy that will ring for millennia to come. 
• Renew and fulfill the original American Dream, the right to vote, for all her citizens, so that America continues to shine as a beacon for the world.

Let us always remember that 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 © 2017 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

O’ AMERICA

Compared to the bond that we all share as Americans, compared to the history, both good and bad, that we all share, compared to the accomplishments we share, and can claim as personal because we are Americans, compared to the sea of limitless possibilities which is our destiny, if we will claim it, there is no religion, no language, no color of skin, no issue, no geography or no argument that can separate us, unless we let it.

All we need to do is follow the Voting Alert Beacons, and vote.  When we “raise our voices” through our votes on the same day, we vote together as a country.  Counted one at a time, our voices sound very different.  We are a country of many different points of view.  

However, through voting we harmonize with each other in the song we sing.   The more people who vote, the more harmonic the melody becomes, and we become the greatest acapella choir.  Our best decisions in voting result from our diversity as a country, and when we exert the personal independence and liberty we all enjoy as Americans.  

Our decisions shine brightest when we have faith, in both our diversity and independence, and we follow our faith. The act of voting itself turns our heads to the future causing us to imagine new possibilities, and energizing us with the hope they bring.

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 © 2016 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.  

Voting Does Make a Difference — IF WE

The real enemy the American democracy faces is apathy among we voters.  Where apathy exists, it is an expression of frustration with government at many levels and a feeling of powerlessness to do anything about it. 

Here’s the IF WE

The Voting Alert Beacons is a simple process that does three basic things:  1) Stop negative campaigning, 2) Take the money (special interest) influence out of our government, and 3)  Attract the “best and brightest” people back into public service.

Here’s the QUICKSTART LINK

VOTING CAN CHANGE ANYTHING WE NEED TO CHANGE, AND THEY CAN’T MAKE IT ILLEGAL!!

So, what do you say?  Lets change a few things!

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.  

EXCEPTIONAL-ISM

In the process of justifying what’s happening to Crimea, President Putin, from the Russian Federation, has complained about something called American Exceptional-ism.  Generally, I don’t think we Americans think about ourselves as being exceptional.  Instead, most of us in our day to day lives just go about getting the job done.  Like most people in the world we want to take care of our families, and find happiness in what we do with our lives.  Perhaps, we could point to our democracy and the foundational right to vote. 

Then, if anything is exceptional, it would be the spirit of freedom and liberty that was given to us in the beginning by our founding fathers and mothers.  If we are guilty of anything, it is only that we wish others around the globe might enjoy the same blessings that we enjoy.  We might also be guilty of our conviction that everyone has the right to rise to their own potential without restraint and restriction other than the limits of their own efforts and desires.

Here’s one expression of our American conviction.  Enjoy!

MY CREED ...by Dean Alfange (Flying "W" Ranch)

“I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon.  I seek opportunity to develop whatever talents God gave me, not security.  I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.  I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.  I refuse to barter incentive for a dole.  I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.  I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout.  I will never cower before any earthly master nor bend to any threat.  It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say-----This , with God's help, I have done." 

All this is what it means to be an American. 

Mr. Putin, you should give this a try.  You might even find some success.

. . .  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. 

The Voting Alert Beacons Vision

Following is a "re-post" from last September.  Given the current failure of our elected representatives in Washington DC, and the need for us as voters to focus on electing new public servants, this vision below seems like a great place to start.  Remember, the next election opportunity is now less than a year away in November 2014.

Recently I was talking with a friend who had seen my Voting Alert Beacons blog, and they weren’t sure what it was about.  Why are you writing it, they asked?  As we talked more, I showed them the “tab” which contained the vision, and described how there were simple things an individual citizen could do to make their vote more effective.  All of these “simple things” are positive in spirit and designed to call forward the best in our elected public servants, and the best in America as a nation.

Then they asked whether I seriously thought enough citizens would take these simple steps.  We talked about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.  We talked about the “60’s” and how citizens can come together in ways not thought possible to do things that seem impossible.  While it is only the beginning, we should not be discouraged.  As you can see in the blog “tab” or here in this post, it is now only a vision, but it is the first most important step.

I have a small consulting company called Wormhole Consulting, LLC in which we always begin engagements and challenges with, “What we have the vision to see, we can find a way to be.”  In my experience, the most difficult step is always the first step.  We must first see, and find the vision.

Now read below and review.  The most difficult first step has been taken.

Vision for VOTING ALERT BEACONS

By the Presidential election of 2016, and continuing thereafter, reach a 95% voter turnout thereby realizing the genius of our combined American intelligence, and giving rise to a new higher standard of civil service and servant leadership.  Without negative campaigning, and the influence of money and polls, elections will become events of national renewal.  Let us strike the bell beginning a new period of enlightenment in the American democracy that will ring for millennia to come.  We can renew and fulfill the original American Dream, the right to vote, for all her citizens, and once again let America shine as a beacon for the world.


The day after the 2016 election, the media will report the following:

• 95% of eligible voters cast ballots
• All candidates for President created visions and offered them to America
• For the first time in American memory, the new President leads with a vision of success that looks 25 years into the future
• The new President was elected by 75% of the votes cast giving their vision a mandate

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

The Voting Alert Beacons Vision

Recently I was talking with a friend who had seen my Voting Alert Beacons blog, and they weren’t sure what it was about.  Why are you writing it, they asked?  As we talked more, I showed them the “tab” which contained the vision, and described how there were simple things an individual citizen could do to make their vote more effective.  All of these “simple things” are positive in spirit and designed to call forward the best in our elected public servants, and the best in America as a nation.

Then they asked whether I seriously thought enough citizens would take these simple steps.  We talked about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King.  We talked about the “60’s” and how citizens can come together in ways not thought possible to do things that seem impossible.  While it is only the beginning, we should not be discouraged.  As you can see in the blog “tab” or here in this post, it is now only a vision, but it is the first most important step.

I have a small consulting company called WormholeConsulting, LLC in which we always begin engagements and challenges with, “What we have the vision to see, we can find a way to be.”  In my experience, the most difficult step is always the first step.  We must first see, and find the vision.

Now read below and review.  The most difficult first step has been taken.

Vision for VOTING ALERT BEACONS

By the Presidential election of 2016, and continuing thereafter, reach a 95% voter turnout thereby realizing the genius of our combined American intelligence, and giving rise to a new higher standard of civil service and servant leadership.  Without negative campaigning, and the influence of money and polls, elections will become events of national renewal.  Let us strike the bell beginning a new period of enlightenment in the American democracy that will ring for millennia to come.  We can renew and fulfill the original American Dream, the right to vote, for all her citizens, and once again let America shine as a beacon for the world.


The day after the 2016 election, the media will report the following:

• 95% of eligible voters cast ballots
• All candidates for President created visions and offered them to America
• For the first time in American memory, the new President leads with a vision of success that looks 25 years into the future
• The new President was elected by 75% of the votes cast giving their vision a mandate

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

IF IT QUACKS LIKE A DUCK AND WALKS LIKE A DUCK, WHAT IS IT? CORRUPTION?

In other countries, both rich and poor, developed and underdeveloped, we shake our heads at the corruption we think we see.  We are critical, as we should be anywhere, that we see money exchanged directly with the influencer.  We call these bribes and are thankful that such things don’t happen or are very rare in America.  Or, do they, sort of?

Now consider this …

• Corporations, unions, lobbyists, special interest groups of all kinds make very large campaign contributions to candidates.
• For many years now, Presidents have made appointments to important government posts at home and abroad in considerations for campaign funds donated and favors given.
• Elected public servants receive as compensation salaries that are above the private sector for similar work and responsibilities, gold plated health insurance, budgets for overly large staff, “investigative” trips that are of little value to taxpayers, but quite enjoyable to the elected public servant and their families, and the age old “franking” privilege with the post office.
• In terribly abusive cases, elected public servants exchange power for sexual favors and break the law.

These are just a few examples where the people we elect to lead us give away their influence and the power of their positions in exchange for cash and perks.  I realize the money rarely flows directly to their personal bank accounts, and instead legally goes to huge campaign funds, but they enjoy the benefits just the same.

Over the years, well meaning senators and representatives, along with the President at the time have tried to change our written laws to reform our political system, but any restrictions are unconstitutional as they should be.  Then how do we fix this?

Beacon #5:  THE MONEY

The remedy is simple and its application is constitutional and absolute.  We vote for candidates who only accept money from individual citizens.  Furthermore, we vote for those candidates with the smallest average citizen contributions.  

Beacon #6:  ALL VOTE and Vision for VOTING ALERT BEACONS

It’s important, however, that we ALL VOTE.  If 95% of us vote using this method, many things will change for the better.

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

Just Vote Your Feelings!

• When you grow tired of the childish behavior of our national leaders, just vote your feelings.
• When you’re fed up with the whole thing, don’t sit at home, just vote your feelings.
• When you’re tired of people who think working in Congress or any of the state legislatures is a career, remind them it isn’t.  Impose your own term limit on them by just voting your feelings.
• When campaign yard signs get on your nerves as an intrusion to what is a personal matter, and a private consideration, just vote your feelings.
• When campaigns make you sick to your stomach, and you just want to run away, instead of feeling a sense of opportunity and optimism, just vote your feelings.
• When you see the BOZO Principle (see the 7-4-13 post) in operation at all levels of state and federal government, just vote your feelings.
• When you must balance your checkbook, but it seems like the politicians never knew how, just vote your feelings.
• When there doesn’t seem to be a leader anywhere, find another average citizen (or you) to lead knowing they will do much better than your average politician, and just vote your feelings.
• When it’s hard to remember and know that America’s best days are still ahead, just vote your feelings.
• When you think the government (at any level) believes that it’s in charge, not the voters, then just vote your feelings.
• … and on and on and on and on, just vote your feelings.

Next Steps

Now look again at Voting Alert Beacons #6 and #7 to remind yourself what your responsibilities as a citizen are, and to remember that a secret personal vote is extremely effective.  Remember that you’re smart and you can trust your vote with your feelings.   Resolve to do your part in changing a voter turnout of 61.8% in 2012 (as reported by the Census Bureau) to a turnout of at least 95% in the next election, and all the elections that follow.

Then, just vote your feelings!

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

Voting Alert Beacons QUICKSTART revision ...

On June 11, I posted the first version of Voting Alert Beacons QUICKSTART.  Recall, that the QUICKSTART is a bare essentials guide for voting in a way that maximizes the power and effectiveness of individual votes.

Since I posted the first QUICKSTART, like a drumbeat we are hearing that there is a lack of leadership at all levels in Washington DC.   Scandal after scandal is erupting.  Further, even the pundits and political commentators are now talking about how our elected officials are acting out of their own self-interest and those of their political parties (both parties).  Not all, but it seems that many have forgotten that they are public servants, and should act like servant leaders. 

What are servant leaders?  There are many defining lists of characteristics published by authors, but you always come away with the same positive feelings and understanding of servant leadership.  Sometimes the words are different, but the theme is always the same. 

Given the gap of servant leadership in Washington DC, I’ve added a new Step 2 which includes a list of servant leadership qualities. 

When you vote, this is the first step when considering the individuals you can choose from.  As Step 2 indicates, you don’t need to study leadership to vote most effectively.  Just vote for the candidate who can be described by the largest number of qualities.

QUICKSTART

Step 1:  Remember that by the U.S. Constitution, the citizens run things in America.  We do this by voting.

Step 2:  Vote for the candidate who the greatest number of the following words applies to:  Listens, Values diversity, Cultivates trust, Develops other leaders, Helps other people, Encourages, Uses persuasion, Thinks “you” not “me”, Acts with humility and Thinks long term.  

Step 3:  Vote for the candidates that talk only about their vision and why they are the best qualified candidate in terms of talents and experience.

Step 4:  Vote for the candidate that takes little or no money from any organizations and has the smallest average contribution amount from individual citizens.  

Step 5:  Be sure to vote and keep your vote a secret.

At the core, it really is that simple. 

Stay tuned …

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved. 

NOTHING CHANGES UNTIL SOMETHING CHANGES

Elections can bring high hopes.  They can bring new energy to our democracy.  An election should also bring a renewal having nothing to do with anything partisan.  However, sometimes none of this happens.  Sometimes the energy and the renewal turn into disappointment. 

After the election of 2012, I think we all felt relief that things would return to normal.  Many of us also hoped that things would get better and the fulfillment of the many campaign promises might occur.  What a disappointment.  Why did we think anything would change?!?

But nothing changed this time.  Everything is literally the same, almost.  We have the same leaders.  All of the issues remain.  All the talk on the campaign trail and in the debates now seems to have been nothing but excited breathing.  Six billion dollars was spent by all the campaigns.  Plus, we have several new “scandals” that now challenge the core credibility of government itself.

Let’s look at some of the details.

Same President:  Barack Obama

Same Vice-President:  Joe Biden

Same Senate Majority Leader:  Harry Reid

Same Speaker of the House:  John Boehner

Same Representatives in the House:  90% of those seeking re-election were successful

Same Senators in the Senate:  91% of those seeking re-election were successful

NOTE:  The re-election of both House Representatives and Senators was greater in 2012 than in 2010.  With the job performance in both chambers at an all time low, it’s hard to imagine why their jobs are apparently more secure.

All of this proves once more that nothing changes until something changes.  Oh, by the way, another thing that didn’t change in the last election is that approximately the same number of us voted in 2012 as in the past recent elections.  Voter turnout has been hovering in the 50-60% range for many years.  This voting result almost certainly explains in a large part why nothing else changed.

Let’s make some changes.  Let’s begin by changing the one thing that will change everything else.

Let’s change our voting habits today.  Mark your calendar to vote on November 4, 2014.  Do it now!!!  It doesn’t matter how you vote on the issues or for which candidates.  If we all vote, the right decision will emerge out of our collective wisdom.  In the Voting Alert Beacons, I’ve already set a goal of 95% turnout in 2016.  Let’s take a smaller step for 2014.  75% is a good number.

The “how” in change.  In future posts, I will offer my thoughts on how to apply the Voting Alert Beacons to the specific issues and challenges that America now faces. 

If you look carefully at each of the Beacons you will notice that they are simple and act like magnifying lenses allowing each of us as individuals to affect great change through our votes.  As we implement each Beacon we shouldn’t see ourselves as alone and powerless.  View your actions as the sum and whole of all voters.  Imagine that all voters use this same system to decide how to vote.  What each of us decides on the issues isn’t as important as using these Beacons to make those choices.

Again, remember, nothing changes until we change something.  There is much we need to change, but let’s start with the most basic thing:  Voting!

. . .  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 © 2013 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

We argue too much about where we are, and whose fault it is.  We need to first decide where we wish to go, and then create a vision or plan for how to get there.

President Obama and Mr. Romney, what are your visions of success for America 25 years from now?  Instead of your positions on the issues, please tell us what your visions are.  Do you have visions of success?  

Ok, let me begin with the Voting Alert Beacons vision as an example.  

“By the Presidential election of 2016, and continuing thereafter, reach a 95% voter turnout thereby realizing the genius of our combined American intelligence, and giving rise to a new higher standard of civil service and servant leadership.  Without negative campaigning, and the influence of money and polls, elections will become events of national renewal.  Let us strike the bell beginning a new period of enlightenment in the American democracy that will ring for millennia to come.  We can renew and fulfill the original American Dream, the right to vote, for all her citizens, and once again let America shine as a beacon for the world.”

The day after the 2016 election, the media will report the following:

• 95% of eligible voters cast ballots
• All candidates for President created visions and offered them to America
• For the first time in American memory, the new President leads with a vision of success that looks 25 years into the future
• The new President was elected by 75% of the votes cast giving their vision a mandate

How do the individual Voting Alert Beacons support the vision so that the story told above can be realized?  All of the Beacons are tied to each other.  Think of them as a sport team where each team member plays an important part.  All the Beacons play critical parts in reaching the vision of success that will be reported by the media the day after the 2016 election.  

Nothing changes until we do something and take action.  Our most important action is to always vote (Beacon #6).  Always voting is the most important responsibility a citizen has in a democracy (Beacon #2).  It is a personal right and responsibility (Beacons #1 and #2).  The genius of America’s collective energy emerges when we cast our votes in secret (Beacon #7).  Our votes are further strengthened when we don’t express our opinions through polls.  Our opinions should be focused and only offered through our votes (Beacon #4).  We can also use our votes to minimize special interest influence and corruption by voting only for candidates that accept contributions from individual voters in relatively small amounts (Beacon #5).  In the end, our most important right is strengthened and preserved when we use it effectively (Beacon #1).

Follow the Voting Alert Beacons!

In future posts, 

President Obama’s and Mr. Romney’s visions for America.

Remember, 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 © 2012 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

Today I checked several of the news websites to see what issues and important things are being reported on in the Presidential election campaign.


Here’s the list::

• Proposed “Buffett Rule” for taxing the wealthy
• Various tax code changes
• Possibly eliminating the Department of Education and Department of Housing and Urban Development
• The move into high gear of campaign fundraising
• The fight over the female vote
• Searching for a Vice-President candidate by both parties
• The harsh attacks that Mr. Romney and President Obama are already trading
• The Romney dog Seamus riding on the car rooftop 

This list contains items that range from important to childlike to ridiculous.  

Nonetheless, it is still an important list because of what it doesn’t contain.  We have no idea what the “vision(s)” are of which the items are a part and should support.  Each item should fit into a “Vision of Success” for America, or it shouldn’t be a topic of discussion.  Without the vision or big picture, it is impossible to know how to feel about any of the issues, and then which candidate to vote for.

Ok, what is a “vision of success” and why do we need it?

Let’s start with an example.  One of the most often cited and thought about visions is President John Kennedy’s vision and challenge to America that it would land a person on the moon and return them safely by the end of the decade.

Here’s his language.

“We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy - but because they are hard! Because that challenge is one we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone and one we intend to win!”  …  John F. Kennedy - Rice University speech on September 12, 1962

So, that’s an example of a vision of success.  It reached for a high achievement and inspired a nation.  As a result, the vision was fulfilled and America landed a man on the moon in 1969.  How did that happen?

In concept, it is fairly simple.  The vision transformed America by providing a picture of what could be.  It was a catalyst that focused the attention of everyone on the goal of landing on the moon.  With that focus it also brought alignment across many organizations and individuals.  With the alignment great amounts of energy was unleashed toward attainment of the goal.  Everyone “pulled the rope” the same direction.  The historical ability of America to rise to meet great challenges was called upon.  In the end, all of the elements were united by the clear and compelling vision of the moon land.  A vision which has played over countless times in the image of Neil Armstrong descending the ladder and first stepping on the surface.

Call to Candidates

We want to know what your vision of success is for America and why you think it’s the right vision.  We aren’t interested in your view of the other candidate’s vision.  That’s our job.  Please put all of your energy into developing your vision of success and then tell us what it is.  

Voting Alert Beacons Vision

I’ll go first.  In my next post, I’ll offer a vision of success for the Voting Alert Beacons.

In future posts, 

1. I will discuss a range of things to consider as each of us thinks about who to vote for next November.  I’ll do my best to give comment and examples on how to apply the Voting Alert Beacons to the back and forth discussion between the candidates.  
2. I look forward to offering a few new ideas and items like a practical definition of what exactly a “vision of success” is, and how to compare several visions for their possibilities.  
3. Let’s talk about leadership in terms of vision, passion, and values. 
4.  I will also offer a job description for the Presidency of the United States so that we have at least a basic standard for knowing if a candidate is qualified, along with their strong points and weak points.

Throughout, I hope to do my best to get the candidates to talk to us as voters instead of arguing with each other.  It is my hope that the candidates will respond and focus less on defeating each other, and more on giving us reasons to vote for them.

. . .  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 © 2012 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.

All elementary school teachers have helped their students through the process of learning how to play with their fellow students on the playground.  It’s not uncommon for arguments to break out, and from time to time and they can become physical.  These disagreements have many common causes.  There is name calling, not knowing how to share, who got there first, unintentional shoving and bumping, ownership disputes, “me” is more important than you or the rest of you, and more.   To a teacher, all of this is opportunity.

This is where children learn to be good neighbors and not playground bullies.  There are many ways to work through a disagreement with two students including cooling off and calming down, trading spots to encourage empathy-“how do you think they feel?”, talking and negotiation.  The lessons are fundamental to good citizenship.  Lessons like selflessness instead of selfishness, being helpful and not hurtful, talk and negotiation instead of force, and empathy.  With practice, lessons are learned.

However, after learning all of this on the playground in elementary school why do we forget the lessons as adults?  Specifically, in politics why can adults who are well educated and aspiring leaders act like common playground bullies on TV and the rest of the media?  This is an age old question and this will only change through the disciplining process of losing an audience and losing votes.  The ultimate lesson is in losing an election.  What can ordinary citizens do with the right to vote?  How can we become the “elementary school teacher?”

As voters, what are the specific steps we can take to start this process?  It is simple but requires patient application over a long period.  Simply put, we should listen to candidates who talk about themselves and what they propose, and then ignore those candidates who talk about the other candidate and rarely talk about themselves.  Candidates should focus on telling their own story to the voters not distorting the story of the other person.  What a candidate says about their plan and themselves is important to us as voters.  What they say about the other candidate, isn’t.  As voters, we can decide.  We need to follow Voting Alert Beacon #3.

In my next post, I will discuss how the media can support a more positive process and Beacon #3, along with how Beacon #3 can be applied to them.

. . .  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 © 2012 by David William Wygant. All rights reserved.