Friday, August 20, 2010

Independents need not apply (Dogs and Sailors, Keep off the grass)

Once again, it’s election time and guess what? The major media outlets are mostly reporting the platforms of the major party candidates. Surprise, surprise, surprise! More recently, the AARP disclosed (I like the word disclosed because it conveys a sense of secrecy, sneakiness or exclusion) they will be hosting the first gubernatorial debate and guess what? You’re absolutely right! The criteria established to be in the debate favors only well financed, special interest funded (or bought, depending on your perspective), major party candidates. No surprise here. I guess AARP only wants Vermonters to hear from the individuals who are culpable for the mess we face. Do we need to hear anymore from the candidates that allowed the mess to occur that we find ourselves in, budget deficits despite increasingly higher and higher taxes?

How will we ever get out of the mess we’re in if we continue to rely on the same candidates and same political parties that got us into the mess? When will we learn that we need to hear the ideas and solutions of other candidates and parties, especially ones who were not responsible for the mess yet who are willing to step up and offer ideas and solutions to clean up the mess.

I know from my many years of experience as a strategy & change and business improvement consultant that the best solutions are derived from listening to many people not fewer.

During the debate, I think the candidates should be asked to wear bowling shirts that have patches representing their major financial contributors. Moreover, the size of the patch should be indicative of the amount of money the contributor donated. That way we will have a better idea of who the candidate is actually representing. I’m willing to do so.