Practice Thinking: Duty Number ONE-SAFETY

“I do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States.”

When a newly elected President places his or her hand on the bible, and makes a sacred promise to protect the Constitution of the United States, that moves their duty to protect America to the front of the line and ahead of the many other things a President does in the job.

As voters, we have a responsibility too.  As we listen to the candidates, 1) we all hear what they say, 2) we consider the experience they bring, and  3) develop feelings about how we think they will perform in the job.  This is exactly what we’ve all experienced in seeking jobs for ourselves.  However, now we are doing the hiring.  We should be thoughtful and choose wisely.  The input into our thinking and feelings should be current or from history, but relevant.  In addition, the actions and results of a current President give input as we consider how we feel regarding America’s safety, and our personal safety.  This input shapes our expectations for the 2016 batch of candidates, and our expectations for their possible future performance, doesn’t it?

PRACTICE WITH CURRENCY

Well, so what!  OK, let’s take a real example and practice our thinking:  The current debate on gun control.  There are two very divided sides to this issue, and they are driven further apart by special interests and the politicians.  In any event, the President has chosen this issue as a point of focus, arguing with passion that it will bring increased safety to all of us in America.   The question for each of us as voters is, “WILL IT, REALLY?”  

To begin our “thinking practice,” lets look at this from two perspectives:  1) The big picture or national viewpoint, and 2) The local and more personal viewpoint.  Now ask.  Will compliance with the President’s executive orders make us more safe in fact as a nation, and should you choose to own a gun, make you personally feel more safe because you’ve followed the executive orders, or someone has?  Do you feel confident that others will comply as you might choose to do?  What about the bad guys?  What if they don’t comply?  These are tough questions, to which I’m not suggesting an answer.  I’m only asking you to ask the questions.  

I have faith in voter choices, and I have confidence that Americans will make the best decisions with their votes.  I really believe, and that belief forms the basis of the Voting Alert Beacons.  Do you have the same confidence in your choices, and in the choices of your fellow Americans?  I hope so.

PRACTICE WITH HISTORICAL RELEVANCY

Still practicing, and on the issue of safety, let’s think bigger and give thought to what history might teach us.  Expand your thinking to look back at the serving President’s performance record on national safety.  Consider the following events:

• Doubling the national deficit from $10 to $20 trillion (a key safety driver)
• Continuing cuts in defense spending
• Not putting the missile defense system in Eastern Europe
• Watching as Russia invaded Crimea (later annexed) and the Ukraine
• Not implementing by actions that contribute to energy independence
• Benghazi
• Releasing 6000 convicts from federal prisons
• Iran nuclear agreement
• Syrian refugees
• Continued growth of ISIS
• Not sealing the US borders
• Not taking action on the Syrian chemical weapon redline
• Early withdrawal of forces from Iraq
• Plans to withdraw forces from Afghanistan
• Releasing Guantanomo prisoners (with goal to close the prison)

The controversy around all and each of these continues to swirl.  We all have our own ideas and opinions about them, but let’s go back to my earlier question.  In terms of keeping America SAFE, do you think the serving President has properly balanced actions and responses in each, given how all of these connect to  each other to form a tapestry?  Is that tapestry a warm blanket of safety?  Is America safer?  Is there a unifying vision that runs through all of them?  Finally, finish the process by going back to the beginning, and ask yourself how you feel about gun control now.  Should it even be part of the same historical “tapestry and weave?”  Ask yourself how safe you might feel now if different actions had been taken along the way. 

OK, now carry the learnings and feelings you’ve gotten from this thought experiment, and look at the 2016 candidates.  Consider your choice carefully and be sure to vote!!!  

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.  

SCORING THE FIRST DEBATE

The first Presidential debate of the 2016 campaign season is hosted by Fox News.  It will be in Cleveland, Ohio on August 6th, beginning at 5:00pm ET.  Only two more days!  

For this first Republican debate, the good news is that finally all of the candidates will be in one spot, making it easier for we Voters to gauge their experience and capability.  By-the-way, it is also good news that there are so many of them.  Hopefully, more will become Democratic candidates soon.  Having a wide selection of opinions and personalities is good for the country, and makes our job as Voters more interesting.  

The bad news is that it could get noisy.  Will the candidates talk about the issues we’re interested in?  Look for candidates that seem to have we Voters in mind.  Or, will the debate devolve into a discussion that they’re having with themselves?  Look for candidates that directly talk to us.

First remember: Voting Alert Beacon #3:  Listen/Ignore

This is a great opportunity to “listen” to positive candidates and “ignore” negative candidates.  Before the debate, take a moment to review Beacon #3, but the gist of it is that we should listen intently to those candidates who talk only about their leadership ability, experience and position (plan) on the issues.  Just as intently, we should ignore candidates that talk about the other candidates “stuff.”  

For the debate, create a scorecard with two boxes next to each candidate’s name.  Label the boxes as Listen and Ignore.  When a candidate talks only about their stuff, put a check mark in the Listen box.  If they talk about the other candidates stuff put a check mark in the Ignore box.  When they make negative comments of any kind about the other candidate (s), that should also earn them an Ignore checkmark.  

Then after the debate, for each candidate, subtract the number of check marks in the Ignore box from the number of check marks in the Listen box.  Presto, you have the score for each candidate.  Lastly, see who has the largest score, and then think about how you feel about their positions on the issues.

Second remember:  Voter Alert Beacon #7:  Keep It A Secret

Now your done.  You watched the debate.  You kept score using Beacon #3.  You have a candidate high score, and you’re thinking about what they said about the issues.  Keep all of your scoring, and your thoughts or feelings secret.  They belong to only you!  As long as they are your secret, they are powerful, and your vote will be.

Third remember:  Voter Alert Beacon #4:  Polls

Talk with your friends.  Discuss the issues.  Combine information and all learn together.  Just be sure you don’t respond to candidates, media, or organizations who are conducting polls and want your opinion.  If you respond, you lessen your power as a voter, and of your vote directly.

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.  

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.