How can we as business and community leaders change things in our capitalist system to be more equitable across demographic segments including race, nationality, education, and geography?
Access to capital and customers is the life blood of trade and progress. As trade increases, context is provided for relationships, and community is a natural outcome. Trade is the natural opposition to violence and conflict. Local businesses, owned by local people, buying and selling to local diversity is key. If you want to make a change, provide capital and customers to minority owned and operated businesses. We must STOP waiting for the government to use force to impose equality. Force requires using division to enforce a bureaucratic equity that is too rigid to evolve and succeed. It always fails. People working with people is how things get done and how change occurs. LOCAL LOCAL LOCAL x1000. Capital $ and Customers ;-)
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We live in a country where far too many are addicted to anxiety, fear, dependency, and victimization. Faith and choices focused on God and service to others is a proven therapeutic and it vaccinates and empowers US in community. We must choose to love and serve others above self. That will change everything. Peacefully.
If you have decided that you are right, but you no longer feel a need to listen to anyone else then in reality, YOU ARE WRONG. Additionally, if you feel the need to demagogue and disparage others without any sense of civility, you are WRONG. Being right is NOT enough. It never was, it never will be. This is a huge problem on the left and the right. By Lonnie Bullock..
As we move into early voting and the last few weeks before the election, I have been thinking often about the filters I use in selecting the person I will vote for. Beyond party alignment, beyond fear, beyond media hype, beyond the deception of advertising, I find myself asking, "What will influence my decision when I mark my ballot?" Here are some of the filters I am using to determine my vote: 1. I am a Christian who values the teachings of the Bible so that is my first filter. 2. I have and will forever be a defender and voice for the unborn. I will never silence by voice by voting for a person who devalues the life of the unborn. 3. I value our history of being a republic of states, united under one constitution. 4. I believe government should be as small as possible and exists to serve the people not for the people to serve the government. 5. I believe all people are created equal and should not be used as pawns to accomplish political agendas. 6. I believe in capitalism and that government exists to encourage private ownership and not government control. 7. I believe those who have much, much is required as individuals find ways to serve the community. 8. I value religious freedom and believe the church is essential to the health of communities and our nation. 9. I value law and order equally administered and enforced. 10. I will support those who best match my filter and who love their country. I am proud to be an American and am excited to participate in our great democracy by voting. I encourage all of you who live in America to do the same.
Quote of the day. “People in the bubble have no concept of what it is like to be poor.”
They literally can not conceive of the severity of the problems for internet usage and virtual schooling and the fear associated with feeding a family in the middle of this economic catastrophe. Poor people are not dumb. They have often made bad decisions and are in a bad spot. They are not dumb and they are not lazy. They do need some help, but not at the cost of their dignity. Most people I know are virtuous hard working people. They seek wisdom, exhibit courage, revere honor, and are generally measured and respectful in their words and judgement. Empathy and caring is a tricky thing to show authentically at scale. Some choose to virtue signal and tell you want they intend, how much they care while focusing on how much better it would be if they had more control. I tend towards a different model. I care deeply, but I believe that my actions and choices, in spending of precious resources like time and money, must deliver results in support of my principles. To be nice is nice. To actually help others is nicer. My concern, shared by most, is that leaders also set an example of morality and character. This is unavoidable and critical. How I perceive words and actions can be completely disconnected from reality when leaders play the spin game. All leaders do it. All leaders must do it. Competency in this game is about using character and record of results to find the right balance. Inspiring the masses is an extraordinary ability and responsibility. Until Trump came into the picture it was almost always about walking the lukewarm middle to avoid a radical appearance. He trumped this norm and embraced a model of in your face, out loud thinking, and counterpunching that broke the mold and hit the reset button. Donald Trump is not a nice measured communicator. He does get the job done in my view. In his next term, I’d like to see him adopt a more measured persona. Alas that want is not effective in national elections and the current environment. Trump’s drain the swamp approach reset the playing field. He bears responsibility for ushering in and condoning a “key signature” that is harsh and mean spirited. A decision is starkly presented for US. Do we prioritize result over rhetoric. Nice, well mannered elderly intentions over snap decisions and sometimes harsh decisions. I like what Biden said last night. Character is on the ballot. America’s character is not built on flashy rhetoric and Marxist progressivism in my book. My choice is clear. To keep America great, we must get results and then manage the optics. Managing optics up front with controlling and autocratic decisions in the back rooms is toxic. The central committee begins then to set the moral standards and uses rule of law and force of government to destroy the rights granted by God. When coupled with a victimization, cancel culture that rejects rule of law in favor of mob movements, the rights of the people to speak and live freely are damaged and maybe even destroyed. A deep feeling of resentment and disgust spreads like a virus as omnipotent morality reigns in place of one on one decisions. My solution, vote your conscience and search your heart. Go to church and put God back in charge because of your own interpretations. Talk less, smile more. Above all, decide if you prioritize image over results. To evaluate the results you MUST get past the image and find real numbers and metrics that matter. Look ahead, but don’t ignore the past. With politicians and leaders, past results are a predictor of future decisions. My view of politicians is that most are not virtuous hard working people. They ignore wisdom, rarely do anything courageous, are willing to sacrifice honor for poll results and votes, and in recent years are not measured and respectful. That last one, I’d really like to get back to measured and respectful, but when push comes to shove, progress will provide jobs, and security both physically and financially. I can overlook the bad behavior if the results continue to pile up. If I see decisions ultimately bearing fruit over time and at scale. That is the bar. Progress is not about who is nicer, it is about what decisions best enable life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. On that front, we have come so far, but we have so far to go. Choose wisely when you vote. “Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It would be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.” —C. S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics (1970) "Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the president or any other public official, save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him insofar as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent that by inefficiency or otherwise he fails in his duty to stand by the country. In either event, it is unpatriotic not to tell the truth, whether about the president or anyone else.” ― Theodore Roosevelt Powerful men standing together black and white, young and old, committed to a secure future rooted in individual liberty and justice for all. Justice must be coupled with liberty. Mob rule is not rule of law.
The current strategy of the left that paints conservatives as racist is a fear response. If the Democrats are forced to embrace principle and practice they will lose. Their only hope is to divide and destroy using emotion, cancel culture, and identity politics with the goal of retaining and increasing power. Spreading fear and allowing misery is deplorable on all sides but particularly when its foundation is rooted in a legacy of lies, and anecdotal extrapolation. Conflating and Confusing... are pillars of politicians. Voting blocks are amazing tools and hard for rational, liberty minded individuals to embrace. We all want security and prosperity and the opportunity to pursue happiness. People are equal. Ideas are not. Practical liberty exists in the shades of gray. #2A is just one issue, but it is a big one because it embodies individual rights and power. Local and immediate. Rep. Jerry Nadler is a deplorable example of leadership. He represents NY10... Hard to believe but in NY anything can happen apparently. His political Theatrics are in full swing. There is NO professionalism and civility in the words or tone of his opening statement. #MakesMeSick
AG Barr is an honorable man who shouldn’t be in the room with that disgraceful excuse for a leader. AG Barr, I will stand with you anytime. Carry on. News anchors and media personalities are NOT equal to elected leaders. One side talks and judges what the other does. That is all. The search for principles in reporting goes on. The search for principles in politicians is basicly useless.
It is easy to judge and tear down. It is simple to write a narrative which tells your story. How you tell it does not make it true. The decisions and results are the essential arbiter of truth and credibility. I have long supported the idea of the bully pulpit of the President. I equally support the principle of silence. I’m thinking that Calvin Coolidge was on to something. The executive should decide, enforce, and act, forcing the representatives to actually represent and champion principles of law and order. The judges then judge all of this according to the law of the land. News anchors and media personalities just watch and talk. They are entertainers, not influencers. Are you entertained? The gladiator asked after killing his opponent. I want to grant sincerity to technology and healthcare leaders. I don’t anymore. My cynicism born of the 2020trials and 20+ years in tech and leadership has infected me. I’m not sure there is a cure. I’m not sure there will ever be a cure. Without a modicum of respect, the distrust germinates and spreads like a virus into every experience.
I trust God. Period. His power is absolute. His love is unbounded. He listens and hears me in my whining. The government told you it was dangerous. The government is now telling you it is safe. If you trust the government you should be fine right?!
Perhaps trusting the government and the media is the actual problem with 2020. Think about it. I have a specific and personal view of the #idiotsincharge but I am also bound by my views on Romans 13. As for me and my house... Life. Liberty. Pursuit of happiness. Faith over fear ... trust in God. If you choose to blindly trust and follow the government into fear and subjugation, that is your choice. I strive to not judge. It is very hard. The #idiotsincharge of America’s public health policy are unable or at least unwilling to qualify and quantify risks and reactions to decisions. The risk of dying immediately (acute crisis) MUST be balanced against the long term ramifications and chronic crisis concerns. This reasoning includes employment, social connections, and the entire Maslow hierarchy of needs.
Life, Liberty or Lockdown seems to be the current state of affairs in leadership. The cost of impairing education, and jobs/dignity along with creating systemic dependency and victimization is catastrophic. As a man of faith, I am not afraid to die today. I do not want to die today. I do not want others to die today either, but it will happen as life goes on and our story continues to be written. We live and we die. The crisis is not in the death as much as it is in our choice to not live. We need to reject fear. We need to seek liberty and livelihood and love and service. We must choose a better balance as we rebuild America. Hindsight is 2020. The fear of the first half of 2020 must be managed. To live or not to live will always perplex us in the how. I say that we accept the crisis and manage but we must see and embrace the totality of the crisis. There is no drug to fix it. There is no magic easy button. Every day, I choose to live. You decide or do you? The debate centers on who gets to decide how we care for and treat others. Wearing a mask is a powerful psychological symbol. The medical effect is up for debate.
In this world of 2020 where nearly all trust in government authority has been eroded or even actively destroyed, we the people WILL decide. Blame and shame is a pathetic excuse for leadership. Period. ON disbanding police-->> If Minneapolis wants no more police. Go for it. NYC, Chicago, LA, SF want less police funding and less police services — I think it is insane and it showcases a horrible disregard for public safety but it is their call.
This is a free country and states and localities CAN do as they choose. The rest of US will watch and learn. FYI - police powers are almost wholly reserved for the states... by design within the federalism model. — issues should be taken up with the mayors and governors IMHO. FYI 2– This foolishness will be catastrophic for the poorest and least able to flex and move. Y’all better figure out who you are going to call when the actual evil criminals show up at your door. Arm yourself and educate yourself is my advice. Defunding and Abolishing will be a disaster. Abolish the police is foolishness. Defund the police is misguided and reckless. I am watching my country listen to uninformed, inexperienced children for public policy. This is insanity.
Systemic Reorganization without cultural change changes almost nothing with huge costs. Any movement that REQUIRES 100% compliance by dictate is doomed. Authority and enforcement MUST persist. Rule of Law is the only way. It is naive and utterly ridiculous to embrace an idyllic utopian view that is impractical and dangerous. We have the best system of government in the world. We should be using it and reforming our representatives and leaders using our VOTEs. We the people can and will stand together to reform America. The process for progress never ended and it never will. I don’t know anyone that is opposed to peaceful protests. I don’t know anyone that supports violence against police. I do know a lot of people with highly disparate political views. Community relationships and civility can bridge gaps moving rhetoric into action. Local. Local. Local. Is how we the people change things. Coordinating and executing cultural change clearly takes much longer than anyone of us imagines. Generational transformation appears to be a system of two steps forward, one step back. Succeed and fail and adapt is a process. There is no magic bullet and one size does not fit all.
Trust the government they said. They are looking out for you they said. They know best they said.
And then... POOF! The tinder box illusion of controlling Americans exploded. Only individuals and communities can decide what their priorities are in the end. Right to assemble and free speech is now a priority when it wasn’t only a few weeks ago?! Are the protestors killing their grandparents and communities now? I submit that the USA 🇺🇸 must be open again. Immediately. It already is in reality. When the people can’t breathe, they will rise up. The governor of Va has used his executive order “power” to execute what little remaining solidarity there was in the Commonwealth of Va. His mask mandate is an unnecessary, too late, political stunt that will likely blow up all of us. Businesses are now placed into the position of policing an immoral and ill conceived policy(not a law). Their customer base will focus on the useless mask as a token in place of relationships, community and services. The businesses are forced to stand and be counted as they comply with a one size fits all approach. Lord Northam is wrong to do this to our state. His DCCC handlers are pulling the strings and sacrificing him to their cause. The leftist central planning view is the only chance they have to fight the right way. I pray that liberty minded Virginians will recognize this agenda.
as to businesses, if they require a mask and deny services... that is their right and choice. They will suffer the immediate and local consequences for their decisions. The path from the governor is clear. The people must choose and they will. In the short term, our division is now on display and tensions will only inflame the wounds. What is for thee, is not for me. I wasn't prepared. BTW, I'm still not.. I haven't been tested even though I'm an MD... briefing the public, but I can't explain the legal issues to you. We will need to take the details offline and engage the lawyers. Wear a face mask unless youre eating in a restaurant or exercising... and police will not enforce this. The VDH has the ball... That is all. wait. Let me be clear that I have no idea what I'm doing, I'll need to call my DCCC handlers to explain the details to you. #idiotincharge the good news is that I'm now creating an environment where my morally superior supporters can turn on their fellow virginians openly. Because the left is all that is really protecting VA from the right way.
Paraphrased with full humor that is not funny after the GovVa Covid 19 conference on 5/26 We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal... — that creation and equality is derived from God not govt— Declaration of Independence is about liberty, the American constitution restricts the government not the individual. #FundamentalPrinciples matter. I am pleased that churches are being ALLOWED to reopen their physical facilities. If Walmart, Lowe’s, and food stores can be operated safely, Churches and schools can as well. The arbitrary lockdown for the greater good has passed its time of effectiveness.
Reality is that Elderly, and At Risk members of churches must decide for themselves what the priorities are. We ALL must do this without judgment and condemnation. To continue to lockdown and isolate the healthy and low risk majority is not sustainable or reasonable by my standards. Worship and community fellowship is ESSENTIAL to life. Period. This is how it has always been and how it will always be. You choose what you do and how you do it when free will is prioritized. I wonder how many of our issues are truly geopolitical. I don’t think most are so concerned about society and justice and the world. I think most of us just want to fit in and be allowed to take care of ourselves. We all want a tribe and a cohort to pursue a purpose.
Global solidarity is not high on my list. It is above my pay grade. I focus on things I can actually affect. Local. Local. Local. Even national politics are only interesting as they apply to me and my community. I will help others but I will limit that help as my top priority is my family and my community. Diseases. Not new.
Death. Not new. Partisan division demagoguery and misinformation dissemination. Not new. Americans celebrating their utter dependence and conformity to “the government” - experts, leaders, academics... NEW My country and world view is built on a foundation of self reliance, work ethic, faith in God, and an overwhelming desire to better myself in pursuit of success. The descent into dependency and fear over the past months is staggering. We the people have allowed and encouraged a narrative which preaches that contact with neighbors and family will literally kill you. The pervasive spirit as of May 16 is that the government will save you if you just follow the rules. Government leaders do NOT know the answers nor the way forward for me and my family. I am not dependent on them, they are dependent on me. This paradigm shift is core to the American dream. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.... give me liberty or give me death... Why are 300 million Americans acting like sheep? They have forgotten what it means to BE American. Our wealth and entitlement lifestyle has insidiously infected us with a self focused fear. In place of rugged individualism, we the people now lift up and celebrate conformity, collectivism, and consumerism as the apex of a fallen culture. This is not American. This is not the way. I will not comply. Perhaps I never really did, but at least I see more clearly now. The future is built on faith and family and Americans acting like Americans, taking care of one another, stepping up boldly and leading the world. sheeple, snowflakes, Karens, and cowards should step aside and follow. American? Yes, yes I am and I approve this message. |
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