After a long spell of inactivity, I'm back.  Not in the Arnie sense, but maybe in a diluted "Finally the Rock has come back to..." sense.

The blog will be updated more frequently and will consist of some big announcements in the next month and change.  The title and look of the blog will change as well, but the random banter will remain true.

Hopefully you (the reader), if there are any of you left, will enjoy some of the material, the announcements, and some commentary from my upcoming travels.  Here is a piece to get you started.

This piece is political in the most grey and cheeseburger/fries Americana sort of way.  I try to be very neutral in terms of my approach and rather focus on the ideals in bold rather then the color of the ballot. For all those that are curious, I'm a registered independent (not that it matters).  Regardless of your political alignment, I hope you find this some sort of interesting.  There was no research done, no analysis, and no background for me to base this on (I've never written politically, and probably won't again!).  I also apologize for the overly abused quote at the conclusion of the piece, but I find it very fitting.  Remember this is just a white, middle class, 30 year old's look at the last four months.

I hope this finds you in good health and good conscious.  For those of you in the Midwest, hang in there the springtime breeze is near.  Those of you out East, I hope the superstorm left you unscathed (who names winter storms now anyway?!?).  Those of you everywhere else I hope you are warm, well fed, and you aren't too busy to not enjoy each day.

Cheers,

KRS

Political Togetherness

This past election has brought forth not only a changing alignment of demographics, but also some of the most abrasive “politics” I have seen in my moderately short life.  More importantly, it has highlighted the elephants in the room that all people, regardless of political affiliation need to address: Communication, Accountability, and Compromise.  

While people on both sides of the aisle and the under-represented, un-indefinable third party all have their own ethics, all of us want the same thing in the end – the best America possible, in the fairest setting allowed. 

An unbelievably high percentage of Americans derive from immigrants from all over the world, bringing intricate details of their cultures.  Through the mixing and adopting of these details, we have created a nation of great diversity and people.  Many of those people had, as we have, the opportunity to achieve great things in life.

Three fundamental issues that are harming our great country are the lack of communication, accountability, and ability to compromise. 

We live in a digital world where communication is so fast and constant that it is easy to get lost in it.  Communication is given from so many sources at once that the message can be misaligned or even hidden for any number of reasons.  Issues arise when people focus on saying what they will do instead of how they will do it.  This is the same issue one would have to address when working with a child, a colleague, or a teammate.  Not fully knowing all the answers is not a sign of weakness, but rather an opportunity to reach out to others willing to help and approach the problem collaboratively.  Furthermore, changing your mind due to experiences, understanding alternative viewpoints, and/or encountering new information is a natural part of the human experience.  I would highly doubt as you read this you can tell me you have not changed anything about yourself or your thought process during the course of your life. 

What we need is as much clear and transparent of communication that we can receive.  I understand there are things in the governmental process that we have no need to know (nor do I want to know), but I also believe the jargon of confusion is widespread.  Government should not hide behind lawyer-speak, but rather converse in a manner that can be understood from Main Street to Wall Street.  The more direct and clear the communication is, the greater the likelihood of understanding regardless of viewpoint.  Once a citizen understands, the better he or she can formulate an opinion and be a valuable member of the democratic process.

Accountability is not only a skill that needs to be stressed in government, but also in the workplace, classroom, in public, and in private.  People in all facets of life need to understand that being held accountable does not designate one as either good or bad, but rather is a situation of learning.  When a citizen breaks the law, a student does not follow directions, or a worker does not follow the procedure, a consequence occurs.  Consequences come in a variety of values from severe to simple, but the idea that you are accountable connects the individual to the action and as a result, reminds you of the events that follow.  Systems, like people, are imperfect, but from accountability come progress and strength.  Accountability helps us build a bridge between each other, the community, our state, and finally, to our republic.  A citizen is accountable to the laws and rights of our Union, regardless of stature, creed, or religion.  The hand dealt to you is yours, attack it within the means of law and good conscious.  Do not look outward to share or give blame; rather, seek insight through collaboration to improve your life and, in turn, those around you. 

The final issue that compounds not only the prospects of our law making system, but other sectors as well, is compromise.  Decades ago when our forefathers established the doctrine that has since guided our great nation, they did so by means of compromise.  Each member of the early flag-bearers to the current citizens of today all share the trait of individuality.  Those individual’s creed and ethics made them each not only unique, but a valuable verse in the song of early America.  Our uniqueness allows our nation to not only see perspective, but to act on it.  While each individual may have a slightly different view of what America should be, it should not deter us from completing the mural.  The method unto which we bestow the color upon the canvas is merely representation of our thoughts combined with others to produce the “amber waves of grain”.  Compromise is everywhere:  day and night, where the sea meets the sand, two children at recess, two workers planning vacation day coverage.  Unfortunately, it seems that when issues arise that should cause us to lean together more closely, magnetism occurs, and not in a beneficial way.   We, as a nation, need to be more like colors on palette, eager to combine for the benefit of the piece.  Compromise is not a deficiency; rather it is one of the noblest skills our species can exhume. Our ancestors did not all survive by standing firm, stubborn, and condescending, and neither will we. 

Together, within our rights and following our duty as free citizens, we can maintain our own ideals while mending our process to convey the greater good.  As was once said before by John F. Kennedy, Jr., “Ask not what this country can do for you, but what you can do for this country.” Because by doing what is best for our country, you will also do what is best for you.