A space for observation, discovery, and growth
For the First Time in this Blog I am Linking a Single Document – Read It
I Have Something for You
Regular readers know that I often make reference to other articles, documents, and videos, encouraging you to read them to learn more about the topic at hand. Today we take that a step further.
I am going to say very little about this document, except to say that I think it is extraordinary and well worth your time to peruse. We are in a time of great turmoil and challenge in our country.
We Have Discussed Some Big Issues of Late – Let’s Revisit a Few with New Inputs
Let’s See – Where DID I Put that?
Almost everyone I know has “the drawer” in their home. You know, the one that seems to be the catch-all for everything that does not have a place to go. I regret to say I have 2-3 of these around my home. My whole garage may qualify for that status.
Writing a blog inevitably creates a digital drawer in this same tradition.
This is a Singular Moment – Two Earlier Movements Offer Encouragement and Risk
We Have Been Here Before – or Have We?
As Condoleezza Rice recently noted,
“In the wake of Floyd’s death, Americans and people around the world are experiencing shock, grief, outrage — a set of emotions that too often are repeated. If the past is a guide, these feelings will fade, and we will return to our lives. But something tells me — not this time. Floyd’s horrific death should be enough to finally move us to positive action.”
Maybe.
A Wish List for the Day After the Inauguration
Where are We?
I hope you had a pleasant Memorial Day, and that you reflected on what that day means. A lot of what we talk about rests on that foundation of dedication and sacrifice.
Last week I shared with you five of my top ten goals for the Biden administration to pursue. Most of the big items are likely to get done in the first 12-18 months, and not many thereafter. Because of that political reality, setting priorities and timing is essential.
Keep in mind what order all these come in depends on how the election turns out all the way down the ticket.
Join the discussion at: A To Do List for January 21st – Part II
A Wish List for the Day After the Inauguration
History teaches that caution is the prognosticator’s watch word when calling elections. For all the reasons one can think of, Joe Biden should be taking the oath of office next January. But we don’t know that. We will know in about 165 days, but not today. Still, let us surmise for the purposes of our conversation, that Biden does win. Not only does he win, but his party holds the House. Thanks to Donald Trump and friends for showing voters what they were. The Democrats win the Senate as well.
Join the discussion at: A To Do List for January 21, 2021– Part I
This is Not Just Garden Varity Corruption- It’s a Core Evil
What is an Inspector General?
I suspect that not all that many people know much about inspectors general (IG) – their purpose, their history, how they normally operate. That’s too bad. Because few institutions are more important to good governance and accountability. Thanks to Trumps latest attempt to block independent investigations, many of us are about to learn about IGs.
There are variants all around. Some corporate Compliance Officers function much like IGs. Ombudsmen for news organizations also fill similar functions.
Join the discussion at: What’s the Big Deal About Inspectors General?
Two Articles Broke My Heart but They Need to Be Read. Our Friends are Worried About Us.
On my last posting, earlier this week, I shared some editorial cartoons that, as I noted, gave me some laughs, made me angry, made me think. Exactly what such a thing should accomplish. And it seems you agreed. We got a few comments and lots of email about how much we all enjoyed the change and a bit of light heartedness. Goodness knows we could all use a bit of that.
Today, I regret to say I cannot be so lighthearted,
Join the discussion at: Last Time Out We Shared Some Laughs. Now the Other Side
We Looked at Me/We and Freedom/Community. Where Did We End Up?
Earlier this week, we looked at sometimes competing values as we fight the pandemic. We have been in this thing long enough now to come to some conclusions. But before we do that, a slight diversion. Let’s talk about dreams.
Dreams About the Pandemic
Others have noted that more frequent and more vivid dreams seem to be a byproduct of all this isolation. It appears I have succumbed to this symptom. I have recently had two dreams on judging how we are doing as a people.
America is Having an Internal Search. Who are we? What Do We Value?
America Looks for Itself, in Itself
As the pandemic rolls through America, interesting characteristics are arising. They are arising for individuals and collectively. We find ourselves highlighting sometimes very different aspects of our values. Some are just different; some are in conflict.
This is not a new phenomenon. Like a collective Diogenes, we periodically seek to define who we are and what we stand for. But it is more important than ever this time. We must decide what are our national values and priorities going forward.
Join the discussion at: Is it Me or is it We? Is it Freedom or is it Community? All of the Above?
Save Us from Armchair Experts
I learned a valuable lesson as a young Army officer, a lesson that time proved to be valid over and over again. The lesson is as follows. Everyone thinks of themselves as great armchair generals. Everyone thinks they know what is needed for tactics, strategy, and priorities. Darn few people have a clue about what it actually takes to make all those great plans happen on the ground. Master logistics or its all talk,
Join the discussion at: The Secret to Solving Big Problems? LOGISTICS
