A failure of leadership
If I
asked you to name a great leader right now, who
would you name? No, I am not talking about Steve
Jobs who brought Apple back from the brink I am
talking about a great political leader. If it
takes more than a few seconds you're not alone.
The reality is that many people feel the void of
leadership within our country.
We thought that President Obama would be the man to lead change but instead the government, reclining comfortably on a vast cushion of campaign contributions, has allied itself with big business and the big banks against the interests of ordinary Americans. We continue to be disillusioned with government which many have come to believe "is the best money can buy".
The best thing that President Obama can do right now is take the healthcare bill, all 1,800 pages of it, and throw it in the trash on national TV. He can tell the American people that while compromise is essential in politics a compromise that supports special interests rather than the American people is unacceptable. He can then tell the American people that he wants a healthcare bill that accomplishes his primary objectives; coverage for all Americans and guidelines that don't allow insurance companies to randomly drop patients when they need it most. He can then appoint a bipartisan committee to come up with a new healthcare bill while seeking input from voters, physicians and other healthcare professionals including insurance companies. "Don't come out until you have met my primary objectives of healthcare legislation and don't, above all, listen to lobbyists.
This is what leadership is about: assigning priorities based on what the public needs and wants not pushing an idea that has become so warped by special interests that it bares little resemblance to what you had envisioned.
The election in Mass is a referendum that Americans still want change and are fed up with the status quo. The Republicans have their brand positioning: the anti-incumbent party but if they think that this means a free ticket they too are mistaken because Americans are fed up with anything that is big while their life savings get smaller.
We thought that President Obama would be the man to lead change but instead the government, reclining comfortably on a vast cushion of campaign contributions, has allied itself with big business and the big banks against the interests of ordinary Americans. We continue to be disillusioned with government which many have come to believe "is the best money can buy".
The best thing that President Obama can do right now is take the healthcare bill, all 1,800 pages of it, and throw it in the trash on national TV. He can tell the American people that while compromise is essential in politics a compromise that supports special interests rather than the American people is unacceptable. He can then tell the American people that he wants a healthcare bill that accomplishes his primary objectives; coverage for all Americans and guidelines that don't allow insurance companies to randomly drop patients when they need it most. He can then appoint a bipartisan committee to come up with a new healthcare bill while seeking input from voters, physicians and other healthcare professionals including insurance companies. "Don't come out until you have met my primary objectives of healthcare legislation and don't, above all, listen to lobbyists.
This is what leadership is about: assigning priorities based on what the public needs and wants not pushing an idea that has become so warped by special interests that it bares little resemblance to what you had envisioned.
The election in Mass is a referendum that Americans still want change and are fed up with the status quo. The Republicans have their brand positioning: the anti-incumbent party but if they think that this means a free ticket they too are mistaken because Americans are fed up with anything that is big while their life savings get smaller.
