A new adventure: The Institute of the Southwest

I have been busy far too long and needed to write something about a new adventure I have thrown myself into. For the past year I have been involved with an emerging organization, The Institute of the Southwest. This has been an exciting adventure for me as I see infinite possibilities to help leaders discover more about their leadership strengths and weaknesses through horse informed experiences. But rather attempting to describe what it's all about, I am posting a Link to its web site here. I strongly recommend you visit and learn about an ancient way of learning. I will get back at posting here soon, but trust me that you won't be disappointed visiting the Institute of the West site. Ciao for now!

An Open Letter to President Obama and Senate Democrats.

I feel enraged at the lack of compassion the Republicans in the Senate have for the unemployed needing a hand in the form of unemployment benefits which have run out. Yet, these same Republican Senators passed every request by the Bush Administration, without providing the funds for them, including the lack of funding of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, unfunded Medicare benefits which they approved, as well as unfunded requirements from the No Child Left Behind legislation they also approved.

They want government destroyed by weighing it down with debt, while they blame Democrats under the Obama presidency for the debt problem. I am outraged that Republican voters allow them to get away with it. Is there no moral compass, where voters know the difference between right and wrong, moral and immoral behavior? The Republican Party used to be a great party. I have voted Republican in earlier years of my life. But the crazies have taken it over and pulled them so far right they are now extreme at their very center. It has caused the Democrats to also go more right and the Progressives are wondering where is the Barack Obama they elected?

The problem has been compounded only because President Obama and the elected Democrats in the Senate have tried to be "bipartisan". This is a character flaw of the leadership and of President Obama. I can forgive them for this up to now. Maybe President Obama needed sufficient data to convince him that the Republicans are serious in their pursuit to defeat him and Democrats. Maybe he needed more data to convince him that they would accept him eventually as President, being half black. Maybe he needed more data to be convinced it was just politics and not a grab for power. He was wrong. It has been a systematic war the Republican leadership has been waging. There has not been one single Republican vote to support your legislation. Isn't that enough data?

It's time, Mr. President and Senator Reid. It's time to get this. It is as real a war as was Iraq and Afghanistan is with its own type of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices). These IEDs are placed in front of all legislation that you propose. It is called by a special name, the filibuster. It's time to play war too! It's time to change the Senate Rules and get the agenda passed you were elected to pass. It's time to take the gloves off and put a steel rod in that spine of yours and stand tall. You don't have much time left before you lose the people that got you elected, Mr. President and Sen. Reed. Change the Rules on the Filibuster and let them see you have the spine to do what they had threatened you with, when they were in power during the eight years of Bush/Cheney. It's time for that so called "Nuclear Option", ending the filibuster as we know it. 41 Republican Senators have held this country hostage over the will of most of the population of this country, as 57 Democratic Senators have voted for the will of the American people.

You haven't lost the middle because of the Republican tactics; you've lost more of the Independents because you haven't stood tall enough to keep their respect. You haven't shown them you deserve their support. You have turned the other cheek instead of metaphorically slapping their face. Mr. President, you can change the way Washington behaves, but first you must lead like you want people to follow. YOU must change your style and your tactics. So must Senator Reid.

So far, it isn't working like it should at this point in your Presidency. But you have had a moment of leadership with General McChrystal being removed from duty. And while I'm at it, you need to have another moment of leadership in the Gulf Oil Spill Cleanup. Admiral Thad Allan is a good guy, but he doesn't give the confidence of a "command and control" guy, like General Schwarzkopf has. Get a strong leader to seize control of this mess in no uncertain terms. We are at war in the Gulf too Mr. President. Don't make the error of trying to lead this yourself. You need someone else who has total authority to do what is necessary and understands logistics and has the skill set to manage this catastrophe. I recommend General Schwarzkopf. Now is time to lead!!!! God help us if you don't.

Update: I sent a first person email to the President at the White House with this letter.

Who should lead the Gulf Oil spill cleanup?

Well I don't know about you, but I am getting tired of this Gulf Oil well not being capped and not stopping the oil leaking into the gulf. I am also just sick watching those birds covered and barely breathing soaked in oil. Oh, and while I hate watching the oil leaking from those 24/7 robot cameras, I like being reminded what is going on here. I thought it was time for some reflection and dialogue on the subject and the leadership, or lack of it, that is responsible for getting this problem resolved.

Let me start with a question posed from the 2008 political campaigns between then candidates, John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. "Who would you like answering the phone at 3:00am in the White House when there was a crisis? I can tell you one thing, it wouldn't be BP's CEO Tony Hayward! Have you ever seen such incompetence from a company and a CEO? I haven't! But let's get back to the question and apply it to all three Presidential candidates.

There is no doubt now, from what we have learned about John McCain, that we would NOT call on him. McCain, the father of the phrase, "Drill Baby, Drill!" has offered nothing on this problem or any problem since then. The Republicans seem to take pride in the fact they don't offer solutions. They like just saying "No" to everything.

Hillary Clinton, I must admit, has surprised me as Secretary of State. She has done a fairly good job and has learned how to support someone who was her rival and do that with grace. Considering the hole we have been in on the International scene with 2 wars and people hating us all over the world from the Bush/Cheney arrogant leadership style, it is remarkable how she and President Obama have turned this around in such a short time. She is doing a good job and could help this problem if she were in charge as President.

President Obama caught all of our hearts with his Audacity of Hope theme during the election, but many of us who voted for him, wanted more audacity and less hope from him, since being elected. He seems to be playing it safe on every issue, from healthcare to financial reform and now to include the Gulf Oil spill cleanup. No one holds him responsible for the catastrophic explosion which occurred and killed those 11 workers. Nor do we hold him responsible to cap and stop the leak, as the government doesn't have the experts capable to jump in and take that role over. But now we do hold him responsible for ensuring the cleanup is done more swiftly and effectively by ordering and commanding the Oil giants to bring their armada of tools, expertise and people to bear on this cleanup. The fact that he has never really managed in business in a command and control manner, like, for example, Mayor Bloomberg has or Lee Iacocca, formerly CEO of Chrysler, or Jack Welsh, former CEO of GE, is a disadvantage for any President.

Look, don't think I want to bash President Obama, I don't. I do however think his advisors are failing him terribly. And what we need now is some national figure of stature with Command and Control experience to handle this mess for the President. I have one suggestion of the type of individual who could do this, General Norman Schwarzkopf. He has the military experience to handle a crisis and also that added benefit of coordinating with the Navy, since this will involve naval forces. After all we have the largest Navy in the world. And he has the respect of the American people from his service and leadership in the War in Iraq.

He would be perfect for this role and it would take the heat off of President Obama who has his hands full trying to improve jobs and the economy and working with Congress on Financial reform and Cap and Trade. Let's draft the General. Start by promoting his name and send an email to the White House suggesting he be called back from retirement to lead this effort.

And while he is at it, we need to mobilize the population there and across the country to help. We could find things to do with the kids out of school for the summer and offer benefits for college tuition for any who help on a sustained basis. We can do tis as Americans. It can be managed and while it will take a long time to clean up, there is no better time to start than now!

On a side note today: This is my 1300th Blog post since I started this Blog in May of 2005 and a fitting topic. What started me blogging was the fact I was so angry with President Bush and VP Cheney's lack of good leadership by nominating John Bolton for U.N Ambassador and the problems with the use of the Filibuster by Congress