Posted on 07/02/2010 6:19:57 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Last week's flap involving Gen. Stanley McChrystal was notable for many things, but what stands out most in my opinion was how it reflects the declining respect that so many Americans have for those in leadership positions.
While decorum can be imposed by fiat, it is genuine respect that prompts teams to achieve in all fields, and which must be earned. I'm not going to defend the general, who clearly overstepped his bounds and had to be dismissed to maintain civilian control over the military. But he was (and I am) clearly frustrated with micromanagement of the Afghan campaign by politicians lacking military experience and situated thousands of miles away.
In recent years, we have seen far too much of this situation, where those with little or no pertinent experience or knowledge impose their views upon the country and in the process undermine respect for major institutions with their ineptitude.
For example:
•We currently see a Supreme Court nominee with virtually no experience in the law, outside academia and the White House, and none as a judge.
•We have the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee considering the Elena Kagan nomination focusing ad nauseam on her handling of the gays in the military issue years ago at Harvard Law School, and largely disregarding issues that are of real significance to Americans today -- such as her views on the implications of the Constitution's Commerce Clause for the new health care law.
•In House hearings on the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, we have noted experts in petroleum engineering -- Reps. Henry Waxman and Edward Markey -- making determinations as to which well-drilling method was preferable.
•We have a treasury secretary with no private sector experience and who had trouble filing an accurate tax return.
•And last year we saw our president -- with no experience running a business -- deciding to oust the CEO of General Motors.
If our country is going to get back on track, we need to redevelop confidence in and respect for our leaders and institutions. This means first and foremost electing and appointing people who command this respect by virtue of their bona fide achievements and not simply their paper credentials.
In recent years, far too many people with prestigious degrees and titles have made far too many horrible decisions that have caused great harm to Americans everywhere. We need people who have shown through their actual performance in business, the military, government or academia (preferably in multiple areas that pertain to the problems we face) that they can and will handle pressure and act at all times with integrity and good judgment.
The time for on the job training in lofty positions is over.
No one knows everything, so we need people whose demonstrated good judgment extends to acknowledging what they don't know, and deferring to those who are more qualified.
Even people who are competent in one or more areas do damage when they turn into "know-it-alls" or "buttinskys," imposing their view everywhere. Even worse are mediocrities or inept people who have too much confidence in themselves and override those with real expertise. They may have the formal authority to do so, but do irreparable damage to the stature of the institutions they represent. Washington hot air jokes were funny 30 or 40 years ago, but that time has passed.
We can adopt all the technical fixes in the world for health care, the auto industry, the financial sector, the energy sector or elsewhere, but they will only succeed in getting people to spend, borrow, invest and function if they are accompanied by a belief that the country is in good hands and that their persons are secure.
This will only happen if we are led by those who genuinely command respect.
This is about greed, payoffs, lying and treason.
The American voter has screwed themselves over and over with Wilson, FDR, Carter, Clinton, and now Obama. I don’t don’t think they will ever learn.
I fear for the nation.
And when people elect statesmen with true knowledge of this country, our allies and enemies, instead of professional politicians/ex-attorneys who simply want fame and to feather their own nest and could give a hoot about truly serving their country... then we will have qualified people in office.
Unfortunately, most liberal Americans don't see beyond the flash and hype that today's unqualified, ladder climbing candidates utilize to get elected.
Most liberal Americans just want to be excited ...and can't be bothered finding out what boring, sensible qualifications a person with real working, business, or military experience might have. That stuff is not interesting to them. They want fancy speeches, jokes, charisma, charm.
Most liberal Americans are like the women who love the bad boys and end up getting hurt, and then wonder "why?"
That hasn't happened in a loooooong time.
Where is this sense of entitlement that government is supposed to do things for you? Where is this sense of helplessness that only government bureaucrats are capable of providing "necessary services" to people?
In Michigan, there's some new mandates that 911 operators are under that could make it much more expensive for county governments.
Why is the assumption that only government can provide a service such as 911? How much is it worth to you? Would you pay $10 a month to have a private company provide that service? $20?
Why is everyone so hopelessly dependent?
Those “Where”s should be “What”s. Too early to read clearly.
Ladies and gentlemen ... how about a big hand for our guest speaker ... Vice-President 'Bite Me'.
They've earned it. It couldn't happen to more deserving pieces of human debris.
I fear for our Nation as well. November 2 will be our last chance to save Liberty without firing a shot.
But hasn’t it pretty much been “Amateur Hour” in the Nation’s Capital since we invaded Iraq to take away Saddam’s Weapons of Mass Destruction and then didn’t find any to take away? And didn’t Bush and Co. confirm their playing-it-by-ear status when they trusted the Louisiana state-government-swamp-cretins to take care of their own Louisiana urban-swamp-dwellers as Hurricane Katrina approached, and didn’t bother with much of a back-up plan?
Exactly right. The Bush administration depended on the world’s intelligent network, as did the British and the rest of the European nations, to provide them with an accurate assessment of Iraq’s WMD. They also were silly enough to believe that the state and local government should be the first responders and first line of defense to any natural phenomenon and the federal government should only come in when requested by those entities... which is what they did.
Term Limits?
November 2 will be our last chance to save Liberty without firing a shot.
Yep
Kagan's handling of recruiters at Harvard may not directly affect anyone at the moment--but it reveals a lot about her agenda and how she is likely to deal with a number of important issues likely to come before the Court.
Maybe, in view of the subject (Elena Kagan), I should have asked how well the writer can sing “Devil Woman.”
Obama is proof the President should not be an affirmative action hire.
Prosecutes CIA for defending country.
Prosecutes Navy Seals for assaulting most wanted terrorist.
Hides $17.5 billion "stimulus" in NJ.
AmeriCorp firing in violation of federal law.
Obama’s three places of birth.
Obama’s natural-born citizenship?
Obama’s multiple SS nos.
"Teaching career" at Chicago was a sham.
Desiree Rogers ousted for Salahi scam.
Holder mirandizes terrorists.
Incompetano--Americans reported to L/E
ACORN pimps out
Clinton Foundation gave ACORN $250,000
VP Biden's daughter in cocaine bust
Biden bro and son named in offshore Ponzi scheme
Rahn Emanuel (too numerous to mention)
Obama prez campaign accepted AIG donations
Obama prez campaign accepted G/S donations
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (being there)
Cong Barney Frank, Freddie Mac scandals
Sen Chris Dodd, AIG bonuses, Countrywide insider deals
Gov Richardson-pay to play scandal (withdraws)
No. 2 at HUD Ron Sims (violates Public Records Act as Seattle area County exec)
Geithner-Tax cheat (confirmed)
Daschle-Tax cheat (withdraws)
Killefer-Tax cheat (withdraws)
DOL Secy Solis - husband tax cheat (confirmed)
Sen Burris lied about "pay to play" contacts
Auto rescuer appointee Steven Rattner (massive pay-to-play NY pension scandal) )(stepped down)
Louis Caldera, White House Military Office (ousted for $357,000 flyover NYC)
Green Czar Van Jones ousted - San/Fran Communist w/ arrest record.
Married Obama economic advisor Charles Phillips tell longtime mistress he's divorced.
Other Dem Scandals:
Cong Rangel-Tax cheat (ousted from chairmanship).
Sen Franken--voted in w/ ACORN registrations
John Edwards in love child payoff w/ campaign funds
Gov Blagojevich-pay to play scandal (impeached)
Baltimore Mayor Dixon- indicted on perjury, theft charges
Racine Mayor Becker-arrested for child porn, soliciting minors
Hartford Mayor Perez- arrested for bribery
Birmingham Mayor Langford- arrested on federal charges
Former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick-served 99 days jailtime
Portland Mayor Adams- admitted he had gay sex with teen intern
Chicago Alderwoman Troutman-plead guilty to tax fraud and mail fraud
Monica Conyers John Coyner’s wife, Detroit City Council President guilty in Detroit bribery case
Tim Mahoney (D-FL) - Offered $121,000 payoff and $50,000 a year job for two years to quiet former mistress/staffer
Rep William J. Jefferson (D-LA) tried on 6 counts including bribery (hid $90,000 cash in freezer)
NY Gov Spitzer - fed's wiretaps out involvement in prostitution ring.
Cong Alcee Hastings ex-judge, impeached/convicted for bribery (elected to House)
Cong Carnahan (D-MO) lien filed on home for $17,364 unpaid roofer bill
Mass State Sen Dianne Wilkerson arrested on federal bribery charges (stuffed bribes in bra)
Carol Moseley Braun nailed for stealing $249,000 from her campaign treasury
Mass State Sen J. James Marzilli indicted for accosting four women (resigned)
Rep Jan Schakowsky (Dem/Socialist--ILL) husband’s bank fraud
Ex-leader of Young Democrats sentenced in Child Porn case
North Carolina Dem activist sentenced in child porn w/ kids as young as 6
Kerry's Band of Brothers member on-stage at DNC Convention (convicted for child porn)
Aide to Sen Barbara Boxer received/distributed child porn (convicted)
Child molester back working for Democrat in Hawaii Legislature
Wisconsin Dem mayor charged with child-sex crimes
Left-wing radio personality Bernie Ward (possession/distribution of child porn conviction)
Bwaney's ex-boyfriend ran prostitution ring at residence.
Bwaney's current live-in grows marijuana on premises.
Hawaii senator got TARP funds for bank he founded.
Sen Diane Finstein steered govt money to husband's businesses.
Cong John Murtha - massive fraud and corruption.
Cong Chuckles Schumer - crashed IndyMac by causing a run on assets.
42 Dem officials arrested in NJ corruption bust.
WV Alan Molohan -- created/funded phony non-profit.
Cold Cash Cong Jefferson stashed money in freezer (convicted)
Bexar County (San Antonio, TX) Democratic Party missing $200K
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