A Vision – One Goal – One Speech

In several weeks, on September 12th, we will mark the 50 year anniversary of the Rice University speech in which President John F. Kennedy gave America the vision and goal of sending a person to the moon, and returning them safely, before the end of the decade.  

As a result, Neil Armstrong stepped onto the surface of the moon on July 20, 1969 at 9:56pm EDT and President Kennedy’s vision for America was fulfilled.  Less talked about, and certainly nowhere near as dramatic in the moment as that “first step,” are the civilization changing effects the moon effort put into motion.  Not only did the moon landing remind us of the unlimited nature of humankind, but everything that was discovered and produced in the process is responsible for many of the things we use and enjoy in our lives today.

Here’s a partial list of areas and items:  Environmental research and monitoring, Weather predicting, Monitoring vegetation, Aerospace engineering, Electronics, Telecommunications, Education in math and the physical sciences, Micro technology, Health and medicine, Light emitting diodes to ease pain and speed healing, Improved ear thermometers, Ventricular assist devices, Artificial limbs, Transportation, Aircraft anti-icing systems, Highway safety grooving, Improved radial tires, Corrosion detection on aircraft, Public safety, Video enhancing and analysis systems, Fire resistant materials, Firefighting equipment, Consumer items, Stay dry clothing, No fog goggles, Home recreation, Temper foam for beds and crash protection, Enriched baby food, Portable cordless vacuums, Freeze dried food, Environment and Agriculture, Water purification, Solar energy, Pollution remediation, Computers and computer technology, structural analysis software, Remotely controlled ovens, Powdered lubricants, Improved mine safety, Food safety, Food sterilization, Food packaging.

Our world is what it is today because of the speech by President Kennedy.  He was one man with a vision, a goal, and the drive to lead.  At that time, as today, America faced many challenges.  Perhaps, if we could remember some history, there would be lessons we could adapt and some old ideas we could make new.

Maybe we should notice that in this political season, with the extra turmoil and turbulence we seem to be experiencing this time in the election for President, two important things will have happened before the election in November.  On August 5, Curiosity landed safely on Mars and has begun its exploration, and on September 12th, we will celebrate the 50 year anniversary of President Kennedy’s speech.  

Candidates Obama and Romney, let’s go to Mars.  Find a vision, set a goal and let’s get moving again.  Then in the process, we’ll invent things we can’t even imagine yet, we’ll learn things we didn’t know were there to be learned, we’ll create an education system open to all of humankind, we’ll cure diseases we don’t even know exist yet, we may eliminate hunger, and we might create more jobs then there are people on the planet.

What are you waiting for?  
Remember:  VISION, GOAL, AND LEADERSHIP!!!


. . .  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.

The Olympics are thrilling!

It’s spectacular to watch athletes pursuing their dreams and pursuing excellence.  Not only do we have the privilege of watching the best of humanity stretching their minds, their bodies and their spirits to reach their own “personal mountain tops,” but we get a glimpse of the unlimited nature of our species.

If only the “race for President” would be made of the same stuff.  A race that calls forth the best in the candidates not the worst, and one that puts the same unlimited nature on display, not more of the same steps backward that history has too many of.

On Facebook this morning a good friend wrote this post:  “If only we could be as excited about the presidential election as we are about the Olympics.”

Indeed!  I typed the following response:  “With the Olympics, we know each of the athletes is pursuing approximately a 15-20 year vision or dream.  If either of the candidates for President would give us a 20 year vision or dream for America, I'll bet the election process would not only be more interesting, but it might be productively good for America.  Now it's like watching two kids fighting on the playground.  They either need to shape up or we should kick them out of school.”

Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney, it’s time that each of you share your long term vision for America!  We want to know what vision you will lead from if elected President of America.

GOOD GRIEF, YOU HAVE A VISION, DON’T YOU?

. . .  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.

The American Dream

Recently there has much discussion about “The American Dream,” and how we can renew and revive it.  In the current campaign for President, both candidates describe it as the right to a job, or, the right to own a house.  Somewhere in the conversation there is usually a reference to the “shrinking” middle class or the notion that everyone should have a method or way of becoming part of the middle class.   Of course, no one really knows what the middle class is.  So we go in circles and this is dead end thinking.  How can we decide what “The American Dream” is?

One idea might be to apply what I call the “Tsunami Test.”  Sadly, because of the events of the past several years, most of us understand what a Tsunami is.  This test says that if a giant Tsunami were to cover America in its entirety and destroy everything, would the American Dream also be destroyed.  According to Candidates Obama and Romney, the dream would be a goner, because all the stuff that would be destroyed is the same stuff they equate with the dream. 

Let’s look at the flip side.  After a Tsunami shouldn’t we focus on what’s left?  What would be left beyond a pile of devastation?  We’d be left, right?  Or, at least some of us, and while it would be a disaster of absolute destruction, our dreams would live on through us, wouldn’t they?  You bet they would, and aren’t we now talking about the real American Dream.

The authentic American Dream is made of stuff like the right to vote, the freedom to succeed or fail, and the freedom or opportunity to be who you want to be and become what you can.  In short, the American Dream makes America the land of opportunity, right?  It still is!

There’s more.  People from the rest of the world are lined up to get here.  They aren’t coming for a house.  Even if it appears that they come for a job, aren’t they really coming for the opportunity represented by the job?  

Bottom Line ---

America is still the place where a nobody can rise from nowhere to become somebody.  Now that is the American Dream!  It is alive and well!


. . .  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.

Our greatest Presidents all had the same six qualities!

Robert Dahlek is an American historian who is considered an expert on American Presidents.  Before retiring, he most recently taught at Boston University, and earlier served at Columbia University, UCLA, and Oxford.  He has won the Bancroft Prize and numerous other awards for his scholarship and teaching.

In a series of lectures on the Presidents of the 20th Century, Mr. Dahlek identified which were the most effective Presidents, and the impact they had on the Office of the President itself.  He found six qualities that these Presidents all brought to the job.  While each President faced unique challenges while in office, the same qualities emerged and were visible in each.

At the top of the list and considered most important of the qualities was vision.  Having a sense of direction and knowing what future success looks like.  All of these Presidents were charismatic.  They often had different styles of communication, but they were able to easily connect with the people they lead.  When it came to getting work done and finding a way to move forward they were pragmatic, not dogmatic.  They knew how to get results while keeping the vision in view.  Using their charismatic and pragmatic qualities, they could build a consensus.   In the people they lead, they evoked or created a sense of trust and credibility.  People saw these things in them because they were in fact trustworthy and credible.  The last quality they all seemed to possess was luck.  This could be seen as a “flip of the coin” which they won from one point of view, but it’s easy to wonder if they didn’t create their own luck.

Judge for yourself.

Think of a President who you think was the greatest in your opinion.  It doesn’t matter from what party or when they served.  Just think of your personal choice and also think about how many of the above six qualities they seemed to possess.  Only you will know, but I’d guess that the President you think most highly of had all six.

Now think about candidates Obama and Romney.  At this point in time, how would you grade them on these six qualities?  Write it down.  Then check back every week with the list and re-grade them based on what they’ve said or done in the campaign that week.

Mr. Obama and Mr. Romney you need to grade yourselves too.  No, don’t grade the other guy.  We’ll do that.

At this point in time, I would suggest that both of you are lacking with the first quality.  Start there.  What is your vision of success for America twenty five years from now?  Please forget the issues and go back to creating a vision.  Remember, issues will always divide and visions always unite.


. . .  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.

Happy Flag Day Everyone!

This morning I was reading some news accounts and predications about speeches that candidates Obama and Romney are giving in Ohio.  All of the “political predictors of the future” are guessing about what each may say.  While I’m hopeful, I have doubts that either will talk about something that is close to a vision for success.  Tomorrow, if I’m wrong and there is something exciting to write about, I certainly will.

Today, I’d like to write about our most precious right.  The right to vote.  Especially, since it’s Flag Day, and I feel patriotic.

Actually, I don’t have much to write, but I do have some questions for us to think about.

Voting Alert Beacon #4

• There are so many polls taken during the election season.  What if everyone refused to participate?  What if we told the pollsters it was none of the business (See Voting Alert Beacon #7)?
• How would the candidates create their positions?
• How would the candidates create the negative marketing ads?
• Would this new kind of “blindness” caused by the lack of polling information cause them to look inward to their own personal beliefs and visions?
• Would they then have to talk to us about where THEY think we should go, and where they want to lead us?

Voting Alert Beacon #6

• What if everyone voted, literally?
• Doesn’t it make sense that increased numbers of citizens voting would help us make better choices as a country?  Do you ever wonder about all the people who don’t vote regularly because they’re just discouraged, and how many of them are really creative and smart?  What if we had that valuable input?
• Some people would like to vote, but they don’t have a way to the polls.  You know, no car or they’re physically handicapped.  Why can’t all of us who are blessed just make sure everyone in sight has a way to the polling places to vote?
• If voting is so important to a democracy, why don’t we get citations or tickets when you don’t?  We can get a ticket for speeding, right?  Of course, because we are a free people, we have a right NOT to vote, don’t we?  No, let’s not mess with that.

Voting Alert Beacon #7

• What would be the effect on candidates and the “race for office” if no one knew how we voters were going to vote?  Really, what if they had no idea?
• Would the value of our individual votes go up?
• Would candidates spend as much time criticizing their opponents?
• Or, would they talk more about what they want to accomplish and why we should vote for them?
• Oh, what about the special interests?  What if the unions, the professional associations, and lobbying groups we belonged to had no idea how we were going to vote?  Many of these special interest groups give voice to important concerns, but do they have a right to knowledge about how we will vote?
• Come to think about it, does anybody or anything have a right to influencing, controlling or knowing about our vote? 

What if everyone who is eligible to vote cast a vote, and what if they were all cast in total secrecy?  Sounds exciting, doesn’t it?

Hey, sorry for all the questions!  I was just practicing how to be a thinking voter!

Again, Happy Flag Day!


. . .  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.

Candidates Obama and Romney, PLEASE CHANGE YOUR TUNE!

This post is dedicated to VOTING ALERT BEACON #3: LISTEN / IGNORE

Instead of criticizing each other, calling each other names, and effectively bullying each other in the name of becoming President of the United States, it’s time for both of you to turn away from each other and face the voters.  Talk to us!  Remember, we have the votes you want.

Last Friday, Candidate Obama made a speech on the economy in which he said something about the private sector doing pretty good.  Of course, Candidate Romney jumped on that like he had found a vein of gold and his inauguration for the Presidency was going to be next week.  Really, Mr. Romney, you didn’t give us all the context and the things you said were not very nice.

Yesterday, on Tuesday, Mr. Obama commented in a speech that Mr. Romney had learned entirely the wrong lessons from a successful career in business spanning 25 years.  He went to say how flawed he thinks Mr. Romney’s economic ideas are.  There was a tone of ridicule.

In the past week, I’ve read several articles questioning whether both candidates have lost touch with reality, and whether they are able to connect with the voters.  Think about it.  We have two individuals who want our votes, but spend their time yelling at each other.  At a time when we need new ideas about how to move into the future, we have two individuals who stubbornly insist on looking backward and blaming each other for history.

GUYS, PLEASE PAY ATTENTION!  YOU NEED YOU TO TALK TO US, THE VOTERS.  WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT THE FUTURE AND WHAT YOU’RE GOING TO DO TO GET US THERE.  EACH OF YOU NEEDS TO TELL US WHAT YOUR VISION OF SUCCESS IS.  THEN WE’LL TAKE IT FROM THERE.  WE’LL VOTE FOR THE VISION WE THINK WILL GET US THERE.

Oh, one more thing.  I am dead sick and tired of spending time in a school classroom all day, or volunteering my time in youth development, where we constantly teach our children and future leaders how to talk to each other.  We work hard at helping them understand how rotten bullying is, and that it isn’t acceptable.  I think we’re making a lot of progress with the kids.  Then I come home and find you two guys acting like bullies on the national news in the name of becoming President of the United States.  PLEASE KNOCK IT OFF!


. . .  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.

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.