Leadership solved problems without excuses. When Pres. Obama came into office he was given over 700 Billion Dollars in Stimulus, his party had control of the House and Senate and he blew it. True leadership would have implement a National WPA employment strategy. True leadership would have built a national high speed rail transportation system, True leadership would have issue and executive order creating a two year moratorium on home foreclosures. True leadership would have allow "Too Big To Fail Banks" to fail. True leadership would have ended Bush Wars and used the money to eliminate college tuition for 4 years. True leadership would have create regional retraining centers that retrained the unemployed while they received unemployment compensation. Shall I go on?
True leadership would have ensured that every child had the same quality of buildings, technology, teachers, assistance, after school meals and extra exposure activities, clubs, group & learning environment. True leadership would have not engaged in Solyndar Style Pay-To-Play deals. True leadership would have ensure that results be provided in exchange for stimulus funding . Maybe I should stop here! Naw! To help someone of us understand what true leader is capable of, I'll add just a few more examples. True leadership would have created a cabinet level position "Secretary of Innovation" which would have been a direct link to the American People to eliminate the red tape and barriers to job creation. True leadership would have reformed all entitlement, except social security and disability insurance, in a way help moved able body individuals to self sufficiency, while maintaining a strong stafety net to ensure no American is hungry, homeless or without their basic needs. True leadership solves problems without excuses. (Monuments of Nothingness, Tools of Incompetence)
I could go on, but I've made my point.
Charles E. Campbell YE Spr. 89 Tutwiler
Twitter: @CharlesCampbell FB: Charles E. Campbell LinkedIn: Charles E. Campbell
I am always cautious not to assume that leadership is some how formulated and equated to a set of particular situations and/or circumstances. I am also not really sure it's fair to put all of this on the head of a new president charged with walking on water while simultaneously resurrecting the dead, otherwise known as our economy.
The dead horse here is that he walked into a typhoon with the expectations of calming the waters right then and there. I think his biggest mistake and greatest misjudgment was trying to please everyone. That obviously is not indicative of true leadership.
Leaders make unpopular, and oftentimes, divisive decisions that put them in a rather isolated place. What if he did all those things? What about the other things that would have gotten neglected? It is virtually impossible to make everyone happy, but is it fair to assess him as not being a true leadership - if there really is such a thing?
And what does true leadership really mean? It appears you've defined true leadership in some rather limited terms without really providing a basis for an opposing argument as to why these things weren't done.
Again, in my opinion, his mistakes stem from the fact that he's trying to be a people pleaser - making sure he keeps those highly influential supporters happy. And, he's much to nice. He had several opportunities to put his foot down and ignite his presidential powers - but he didn't.
And now, If I'm reading these news reports right, he's signed into law the The Defense Authorization Act, an act that allows American citizens to be detained for periods of time when they are 'assumed' to be conducting terrorist activities.
WHAT? I'm still trying to get more information here, but if he signed this bill, well then, I will fall in line with your assessment that his leadership, though unsettling, has come under Pinocchio type subjection - and I think we all know who's pulling those strings.
Wednesday, December 21st 2011 at 9:57PM
Tashana Sims Hudspeth
