None So Blind

Success is a sometimes thing. As much as we all strive for it we don't always make the grade. Personal success is most difficult. We are expected to start setting our sights in our early teen years. Then we must get a proper education. Along the way we must develop a work ethic, learn human interaction, and build an appropriate personal life. If your family is financially stable, psychologically stable, and fully supportive. It is a little easier as long as you play within your game. As these support factors are unavailable, it becomes much harder. Sometimes it becomes impossible.

Political success is another matter entirely. Once one is elected to political office, be it City Councilman or President of the United States, there are road maps that can be used that will bring a willing follower right to the center of the success target. Of course, it helps if you can put your ego aside and actually learn from those that went before.

The bigger the job, the harder it is to succeed. But also the clearer the road map. One of the most challenging jobs in politics today, is that of big city mayor. But we can look at New York City for a road map. The mayoral careers of Ed Koch and Rudy Giuliani are good examples. Neither man was a humble man. They both knew to succeed their city had to be more important that their egos. Both men worked long hours and made good decisions. Perfect, no. But you don't have to be perfect to do good. 

Obviously these two men have laid out a better road map than, say, any mayor of Chicago, or Washington D.C., or Detroit. That is a list of low performance that goes on forever.

As for states, one might look at the aftermath of Katrina and compare Alabama and Louisiana. For overall success, how about Texas. The summers are ungodly hot. The winters can be about any kind of weather. They get hit with hurricanes and tornadoes on occasion. But businesses are flocking there. Employment is up. The middle class thrives and is upwardly mobile. That sounds like a good road map to follow. North Dakota also is thriving. But the states that are dying look at these success stories and do just the opposite.

If you should happen to acquire the job of President of the USA there are some outstanding maps to follow. Should you follow Jimmy Carter or Ronald Reagan? Reagan would get my vote every time. But being President is a complicated job. There might be some small inset maps for special use. Like Teddy Roosevelt's, "Walk softly and carry a big stick." or Harry Truman's "The buck stops here." Should one follow Neville Chamberlains policy of appeasement or Winston Churchill's "Blood, sweat and tears."

So the maps and the signs are all out there and available. One need only read history and learn from it without ego or agenda. But as always, "There are none so blind as they that will not see."