I heard this new term that I thought was worth sharing:
Corruptocrats
Refers to corrupt politicians.
Couldn’t believe it’s actually in the dictionary.
Not all of them are, obviously.
Could it be a whole “political party” too? lol
If only everyone was pure of heart and intention. 😉
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal, and note that no disrespect intended to anyone)
This so reminded me of…
Spider Man, Spider Man, Does Whatever A Spider Can.
Veterans Day must be a great day to get your windows washed.
Or to spin a web of intricate proportions in D.C. politics.
Either way aside from the windows, what of significance is actually getting resolved in our partisan capital?
(Credit Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Who would’ve thunk it…the FBI chief goes kerplunk.
James Comey–only 37% through his tenure as Director–is fired for the (mis)handling of the Hillary Clinton email fiasco.
But Hillary never even saw justice.
The politics in Washington is forever an ironic cliffhanger.
The democrats who were supposedly aggrieved by Comey in the election are now screaming foul for his dismissal
And the republicans who supposedly benefited by Comey closing and opening of the case against Clinton are signing praises for his release.
Nothing is ever as it seems.
Aliens could be falling from the sky and it would still be a political event.
Washington conspiracy and counter-conspiracy theories…but the work of the people does it ever get done? 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I thought this was very telling today about the difference between the public and private sectors…
I was teaching a class and gave the students a challenging scenario and problem and asked how they would solve it.
The class was a mix of leaders and managers from the public and private sectors–this time weighted mostly on the commercial side.
Typically, the students from the government usually provide answers in terms of lengthy analysis processes, negotiations, vetting and getting buy-in and approvals through many layers of bureaucracy and red tape, as well as getting people to understand the what’s in it for me (WIIFM) value proposition.
However, this time, one the students from the private sector said bluntly, the following:
We can either do it the easy way or the hard way!
So I asked, “What do you mean the easy and hard ways?”
And he answered:
The easy way is that we can try at first to appeal to people, but if that doesn’t work then the hard way is we just do what needs get done.
Again with great interest and curiosity, I inquire, “And how do you that?”
This time someone else answers, and says:
We do “rip and replace”–we pull up the truck in the middle of the night and we rip out the things we don’t like and replace it with what we do, period.
Then I ask innocently again, “So what happens the next morning?”
And the 2nd person answers again, and says:
Who cares, the job is done!
This reminded me a little of the old images of the mob gangster pulling up in the shadows of the night to someone’s door that wasn’t cooperating and applying the baseball bat to the knees!
Yes, it’s a very different and extreme way of getting what you want and when you want it, done.
Quite a BIG difference between the private and public sector approach to getting thing done!
One one hand, we have the speed and execution of the marketplace versus the more lengthly thoughtfulness and inherent compromises of government and politics.
What’s it gonna be–some bureaucracy, seemingly endless red tape, and horse-trading or the good ol’ baseball bat to the knees? 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So before the holidays, like Thanksgiving, many nice organizations try to do a little something for their employees and let them go home a little early.
It’s a small something that let’s people know they are appreciated, and on top of it, they get to “beat the traffic.”
I heard from someone that one organization was stopping this long time practice, saying that only the very head(s) of the chain of command, could do this for the people…but they didn’t.
Sort of “penny wise and dollar foolish” to take away that little spot-on giving to one’s staff.
It’s goodwill, appreciation, and kindness that is especially appropriate before the holidays for hardworking and good people.
One manager told me how their people especially looked forward to this little gesture, and often came to asking about it with such joy.
So the manager told me that they just said before holiday times, “I’m not looking what time you leave today.”
To me that sounded like genuine leadership, where people are not just treated as “human resources,” but instead “human capital”—something to invest in and not just something to use `willy nilly. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
This sign from yesterday reminded me of the debates last night.
Arguments, attacks, and counterpunchs between the candidates (and the parties they represent).
But in the end, the sign is pointing us in the wrong direction anyway.
While we keep hitting each other up for getting and maintaining the awesome scepter of American power, our competitors on the international stage are moving on with their personal and national agendas, and we are in seemingly perpetual gridlock.
The big problems that we face are not going away, and declaring who is the winner of the showtime debates, daily rallies, and witty sound bites, may feel good from the standpoint of whether our candidate is winning or not, but frankly is not solving any of our problems either.
A good fight is spectacular to watch, but we can be our own worst enemies as we are lost in shallow policy and rhetoric debates amidst leadership confusion, indecision, and (un)popularity contests, and even the winner may take home nothing but the rights to hoist another upside down sign.
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I took this photo of a handout being distributed at a major local university here in Washington, DC.
Sort of ironic for this sign that says:
“Big Government Sucks”
…to be handed out in the capital of the United States of America!
It would make sense that this negative notion of big government is connected to the low approval ratings of Congress (17%) and government services (64.4) provided.
People are seeing and sensing that big government is bad government when it is:
– Dictatorial, corrupt, and discriminatory.
– Mired in fraud, waste, abuse, and coverups.
– Self-serving for the politicians that are elected to serve the people.
– When it is bureaucratic and ineffective.
– When it is confused and without vision or plan for the country.
– When it’s indecisive, makes bad decisions, or can’t successfully execute short- and long-term on it’s mission.
– When it is lacking in basic values of democracy, freedom, and human rights for all.
At the same time, big government can be great government, when it is a beacon of light for its citizens and for the nations of the earth.
– When it protects us from dictators, demagogues, terrorists, weapons of mass destruction, criminals, and all sorts of disasters.
– When it holds strong and cutting-edge the economy, prosperity, innovation, education, and competitive advantage of the nation.
– When it safeguards and keeps sustainable the environment for future generations.
– When it preserves and fortifies freedom, human rights, social equity, equality, and justice.
– When it looks after the needy and less fortunate.
– When it lead the world in exploration, discovery, partnerships, and ultimately doing good for the people, the planet, and our future.
Big government sucks when it goes wrong and then they start handing out these sad signs on our nation’s premier college campuses.
This is a big problem to turnaround?
But with smart, committed, and moral leadership it can be done! 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
This guy’s socks were very cool.
If you can say that socks make the man then perhaps this is it.
Superman that is!
No special shirt, underwear, or cape required–the socks communicate it all.
For the man of steel or one in the making (if worn at workout time).
Then again, I was trying to imagine someone actually having the guts or nuttiness to wear these to the office.
If they would, it probably be with the following in mind:
I can do anything helpful to get the job done–
1) Rolling out cutting-edge systems and business process improvements faster than a speeding bullet
2) Creating positive change more powerful than a locomotive
3) Able to leap with integrity over organizational obstacles, red tape, and naysayers in a single bound
It’s a change consultant. It’s a corner office bureaucrat. It’s a “superleader!”
Up up and away…it can be done (even without the socks). 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
So I took this photo of a smashed mirror hanging out of a corner trash can in downtown D.C.
Half is reflecting the garbage in the can and half is reflecting the buildings and trees outside.
Such a metaphor for the society we live in these days.
Where we are broken, and society is broken, and certainly lots of government is broken.
And the shards of glass reflect on the both the garbage of what has piled up inside us and the system, but also the possibilities on the outside for development, growth, and change.
The broken mirror with the sharp glass shards is dangerous, but perhaps by seeing the mess we are in, we can finally step up and do something to fix it.
No more circling the wagons, infighting or deflecting from the issues; no more blaming the past or demonizing the opposition; no more excuses for stagnation, incompetence, or impotence; no more whitewashing and red tape; no more firefighting, shoddy quick fixes or waiting for another break/fix; no more whirlwind spin around the dazed and confused; no more sugar-coating, backpedaling, or dressing up or down the facts; no more playing politics or deceiving ourselves and others–is that even possible any longer?
Instead, we change to a model of acknowledging that which is broken and teaming together to fix it–doing something positive, and constructive for ourselves and the world–oh, fix it Dear Henry, please fix it. 😉
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
Over and over again the left AND the right try to get a knockout on Donald Trump.
But what happens?
He’s not knocked out.
He’s not even knocked down.
To the contrary, he is still standing and seems to become stronger!
What is going on with this phenomenon?
Some would like to call it perhaps a psychosis of the masses.
Other like to belittle those that like him by dissing their intellectual status and calling them stupid.
Many even seem to go to every extreme to to make him out as crazy, fascist, bigoted, hateful, and a con man.
Yet, for the most part it’s doesn’t seem to be working–people are still flocking to him.
It’s like the more they try to gang up on him, torment him, bash him, and zing him–and rather than buckle, he is still there standing and remains strong–perhaps, the more “proof” it is for people that he can and will stand up for America!
With dismal ratings for the President, Congress, and government overall, the outsider, the business man, the billionaire, the dealmaker, the one who isn’t afraid to speak his mind and to say to the people the non-politically correct thing is coming across refreshing to many who are seeking change from the the last 7 years, 15 years, or further.
With many seeing the current politics of the U.S. as leading from behind, appeasement, weak, divisive, and disengaged, it is not surprising to see bands across America yearning for something more.
Is Donald Trump strong and anti-establishment or truly bad and dangerous?
This is for America to seek the truth on and wisely decide.
What’s riding on this?
Whether Trump OR another candidate to be determined –(someone/anyone) — can potentially get things positively and constructively done in our large and complex political machine that has in many ways become increasingly stymied by bureaucracy, obstructionism, defeatism, game-playing, selfishness, pork barrel politics, (corruption,) sequestration, government closures, and political fighting across the aisle/behind the aisle/and in the aisle.
Let’s hope for America and the world’s sake the voters get it right.
But keep bashing Trump and you are keeping his message of superior strength and hope very much alive. 😉
(Note: This is not an endorsement for any candidate or political party)
(Source Photo: Andy Blumenthal)
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