LeadershipJot.com

In Wisconsin

Today is the State of Wisconsin Primary and for the first time in a long while I am at home instead of voting by absentee ballot. There are very few leadership positions as important as the Presidency of the United States, so I have been giving a lot of contemplation as to who I feel is the best leader for the next four-to-eight years.

John McCain

Back in 2000, I was a supporter for John McCain, a highly respectable patriot, knowledgeable and experienced candidate, and someone who is able to make better decisions than most. This year, he is the presumptive nominee with a clear and decisive lead of delegates for the Republican Party nomination.

With the DNC

This year, I am contemplating casting my vote in the Democratic Party. In Wisconsin, voters are allowed to register at the voting booth and select party affiliation at that time. By the way, the open primary registration of Wisconsin works to the advantage of Senators Obama and McCain who both do very well among independent voters.

Hillary Clinton

I honestly do not believe Senator Clinton to be the best choice. She is way too divisive for a leader. I think there would be more problems between the executive and legislative branches of government if she was elected. Do not misunderstand, I think she is very intelligent and capable as a politician, but I do not think she is who this country needs at this time.

Barack Obama

Senator Obama is, in my opinion, a highly influential leader. His oratorical abilities and celebrity status, allow him a great deal latitude from which to lead. I do not agree with every position that he takes, but I don’t 100% agree with every position that any of the candidates take. I do think that America needs an influential leader – someone who can inspire, influence, and provoke positive action.

Party Politics

As you can probably discern from this blog entry, I do not allow myself to be limited by political parties. I think it was George Washington, in his farewell address who warned against political parties and history has proven him to be accurate and wise. Great many problems have risen from party politics. Too many issues become a matter of competition to win than a decision to make for the best interest of the nation. The only good is the default mode of restraint in passing new legislation.

Jeffersonian Principle of Government

The Jeffersonian Principle of Government from our third President, Thomas Jefferson, is that government that governs best is that government that governs least. The division caused by a dual party system does keep the legislature in check, but too often distracts from issues that truly matter. There are thousands of young men and women who are dying in this nation’s wars in Iraq, in Afghanistan, and against terrorism. Too many people are struggling paycheck-to-paycheck in our economy, while fat-cat executives are given huge severance packages when they fail in their jobs. These two issues – war and economy – are the top two issues for me and most significant problems facing our nation at this time.

Casting my Vote to Make a Difference

So, today, I am going to cast my vote to play my role and be responsible for the governing of this nation. Freedom, of course, is not free. It comes with the high cost of responsibility. If we want to maintain a government “of the people, by the people, and for the people,” then we need to be responsible to fulfill our obligations by participating in the political process.

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Critical Element

There is one element that is often overlooked and rarely noted, but was critical to laying the foundation for success of the United States of America that the founding fathers understood.

The eighth sentence of Article I, Section 9, of the United States Constitution reads:

“No Title of Nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no Person holding any Office of Profit or Trust under them, shall, without the Consent of the Congress, accept of any present, Emolument, Office, or Title, of any kind whatever, from any King, Prince, or foreign State.”

History

Throughout much of history, forms of government were dominated by monarchs and nobilities.  The problems that arose from the feudal systems of Europe had a significant impact on the reasoning of the founding fathers of the US.  To mitigate those problems, the authors of the US Constitution created the framework the US government without titles of nobility and without Monarchs.

There have been monarchs and others with titles of nobility or royalty through history that have additionally been great leaders.  But they were great leaders irregardless of the social status, not because of the social status.

Nobility

In and of itself, titles of nobility are okay, but being considered one of privilege leads toward considering oneself a person of power.  When you think you are better than another, you think you are over them in the same hierarchy perspective of a manager over workers.

Power is the absence of leadership.  Power is what some rely on when they fail to develop as a leader.  The mix of power and privilege corrupts one’s ethics which is a critical problem for a leader (see leadership and ethics).

Leadership

Leadership is the critical foundation for the enduring success of the United States.  The absence of nobility provides for the development of leadership without the problems that nobility would create.

New “Nobility”

In the United States, nobility is taking on a new definition and, in my view, a better definition.  That definition leads toward the actions of character, the actions of being noble.

Article I, Section 9, of the US Constitution in its entirety:

“The migration or importation of such persons as any of the states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each person.

“The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended, unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may require it.

“No bill of attainder or ex post facto Law shall be passed.

“No capitation, or other direct, tax shall be laid, unless in proportion to the census or enumeration herein before directed to be taken.

“No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state.

“No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue to the ports of one state over those of another: nor shall vessels bound to, or from, one state, be obliged to enter, clear or pay duties in another.

“No money shall be drawn from the treasury, but in consequence of appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from time to time.

“No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: and no person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.”

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