Bold Statements

L'audace, l'audace, toujours l'audace is French for "Audacity, audacity, always audacity." It is normally attributed to Napoleon and General George Patton. It describes a way of thinking and acting in life. Audacity is the act of "the willingness to take bold risks." Boldness is closely related and defined as "...not hesitating or fearful in the face of actual or possible danger or rebuff; courageous and daring:..." And like anything else, it can be either good or bad.

As we look at our government we see a demonstration of audacity on a daily basis by those politicians identified as Progressive, Liberal, Democrat, or RINO. We see weakness and timidity in the leadership of the opposition. If we don't flip the traits of each side it will continue the slide from American Exceptionalism to American Impotence. Or, worse but still a valid concern, American Tyranny.

Our President has lied, cheated, and subverted the plain language of the Constitution. He has killed American Citizens without benefit of trial. He has failed to actually execute the laws of the land. And, he has openly stated that if the Congress doesn't follow his lead and do as he says... he'll do it himself. The very definition of audacious and bold in the worst possible sense. And the beginning of a potential American Tyrant.

In the Congress on faction has bent over backwards to subordinate themselves to his power. The other has talked tough but in the end submitted rather than fight. Those up-and-coming politicians that advocate boldness in pursuit of liberty and freedom are demonized by all the above. The Republican Party, long billed as Conservative and committed to Liberty and Constitutional values, is in the midst of a civil war. The establishment Republicans are more closely aligned with the Democrats than they are with conservative elements. By their own actions they show that the priority is to remain in power even if it means rolling over and showing their belly.

What can you do? Here are Four Simple Steps that the electorate can take. In future posts we will go into more detail.

1. Call or write your elected representatives on every issue of importance. Make it known that you are a voter. Make it known that this isn't a private conversation and you will be spreading the results of it around. Most elected reps have a facebook and twitter page. If you contact them that way there might be a more immediate response if the rest of the world picks it up and helps you to beat the drum.
2. Crucify, publicly via social media, every politician of any party that is provably unethical or criminal. You and I have the right to openly expect elected officials to be Statesmen vice Politicians. By allowing corruption to go unseen, unaccounted, or ignored we are the enablers of the Tyranny of Low Expectations. Instead demand great things and settle for nothing less.
3. This one goes hand-in-hand with the above. As elections approach, get involved. Do the due diligence on every candidate and publish via social media the results. If one of the candidates is suspected of beating his wife it would be smart to publish it. After all, we are demanding greatness instead of rewarding substandard character right? Right?
4. Identify key legislation that is either good or bad and go after it. Use the vast resources of the internet to provide factual support or opposition. Be openly prepared to defend your conclusions with rational thought. You should welcome the conflict because it will attract those that normally sit on the fence and take no action.

It's up to you. You can match the boldness of those working to steal your liberty or you can sit back and keep on playing angry birds.

If there is not a Disqus comment box at the end, if you click the title one will appear.

For more information: Audacity Boldness Congress Leadership Politics

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Americans Elect 2012 Review and Comments

I'm always spouting off about being or getting involved. Even if you don't agree with me you should be engaged in your world and the movers and shakers. A new, to me anyway, method is Americans Elect 2012. I looked it up and signed up just to see what it was all about.

Essentially the site is going to do the things needed to get a non-partizan candidate for President and Vice-President on the ballot in all fifty states. It will do this by havign registered voteres sign up, answer questions about thier views, and vote in an online convention. The winner of the vote will be placed on the ballot in all fifty states. The site believes it will break the gridlock of partisan politics.

Overall I think the site has merit. I think that if their sales pitch actually works it could, over time, become a focus of a growing debate. So, I will see it through just to find out if I am right or not.

After answering 136 questions (there are more but my clicker was asking for overtime cash) I stumbled across one that floored me. Remember that everyone on the site is supposed to be a registered voter. That means they care and actually participate in the process. Your answer, weighted based on priorites you establish, is factored into all the other answers so you get a national and state average.

The Question was: Which of the statements below is closest to your personal view?

The results were:

Option and % Of Answers	Answers
A 13%	It is very important to stick to principles
B 18%	It is more important for politicians in Congress to stick to the principles and values on which they campaigned
C 67%	It is more important for politicians in Congress to work with members of the other party and make consensus policy
D 2%	Unsure

That tells me that I am wasting my breath talking about character. It appears to me that 67% of the registered voters who have been to the site would knowingly elect crooks and liars as long as they reach across the aisle and come to a consensus.

It's no wonder that an Ethics Challenged for Speaker who moonlighted as a Serial Adulterer is gaining in the polls.

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Character Counts in Politics

The Presidency is not merely a political figurehead. The person holding the office is supposed to be a leader. And, if you cannot trust the fundamental character of a leader you need a new leader.As a child, it used to be common for kids to say "I want to be President when I grow up". The President was someone we were supposed to admire for all the right reasons and chief among them was the persons character. A list of Leadership Traits and Principles used to train Marines quantify the importance of character in a leader.

To put a point on it, the name of the game is character. The word itself has positive and negative aspects. If you say, "That George, he's such a character" the impression is often good. But, tell someone that they are not real, they are "just playing a character"; and depending on context it could be a bad thing. Then there is character in the form of the gestalt of personality traits and quirks that often defines if one is perceived as a good and moral person.

Mitt Romney, as a person, appears to be a man of character. I've seen nothing to indicate that he is anything but a loving father and husband. He is devout in his faith. As a person of high morals I'd say that he is a man of good character. Politically I cannot endorse him since he reminds me of the typical chamelion politician. But that is a professional observation.

Newt, on the other hand, is the opposite of Romney. Newt is a great politician. But, his character stinks. He is a serial adulterer, his ethics are atrocious, and a he's moral hypocrite to boot. I used to be a fan back in the day until his (now) obvious character flaws came to light.

Ron Paul appears to have the character of Romney in his personal life. Politically, his character is one of consistency over about thirty years. So, I can vote for him instead of simply against President Obama.

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Is This The Sound of Civil Discourse?

I seem to remember the President asking that some bit of civility return to politics.
Yeah right. A smattering of easynews will cure that wish faster than a firehose on a birthday cake.

Right now, it seems that Politico is calling those aligned with the Tea Party "Terrorists". And that sentiment is echoed by various members of congress in full hearing of the Vice President.

Of course, I'm sure there are people on the other side of the aisle that call the liberals all sorts of names. I could be wrong, but I haven't seen anything from the main stream media documenting it though.

I guess it's too much to hope for that the powers that be will simply get it done in a workmanlike manner. While a well turned phrase is a mark of style it seems that Civility is just another casualty of the culture wars.  

Technorati Tags: politico civility terrorism biden congress terrorist democrat republican vice president politics

Questions for Ron Paul

On the Wall Street Journals Question of the Day section there is a discussion going that wonders if Ron Paul can be the GOP Nominated Candidate.

One person, jay addams, has boldly proclaimed that

He will take away from the front-runner in the next election as an Independent or third party candidate.-- Source

My response on the message board is intended to wake up those who can be of some help. The facts are that we get the government we deserve. We need to build a bridge to get from where we are to where we want to be.

So, my questions to all those who support Ron Paul are limited. As you look at them, remember that the answer must fit within today's reality while honoring the philosophy of Ron Paul and the ideals of a literally read Constitution.

1. What do we do about the national debt?
2. How do we get rid of Social Security without screwing over the people who have a lifetime of wages paid into it?
3. How do we raise the money needed to pay for the government we get? Let alone the one we want?

Those three questions are more than enough for one mere presidential contender. I hope they choose to address them.
FTFGIMAD

Technorati Tags: election 2012 election 2012 Ron Paul

Ron Paul Announces For President 2012

Folks might be right when they say that RP has no chance of winning. That means a lot of people will not vote for him for fear of "wasting" a ballot on a lost cause. I'd rather die on my feet fighting for a lost, but worthy, cause than to live on my knees just to say I was on the winning team.
FTFGIMAD

Charly Rangel, LIndsay Lohan, & Three Mile Island

Lindsay Lohan v. Deaths in Middle East. Quick! How many service members died in the middle east today? How well was their lives profiled on the national media services? But is there any way you didn't know that Lindsay Lohan went to jail? What does that say about society and the media that feeds it?

Rep. Charles "Charly" Rangel won't step aside despite the ethics trial coming up. I don't mind a principled man fighting to save his name. I don't expect Mr. Rangel to actually resign. Instead I would have had him step aside from all of his duties (not just committees) and focus on the fight. Once vindicated, then he could resume his duties. The military does this all the time. I wonder why people in congress are somehow unable to follow a good example. Check these posts out for more thoughts on Congressional Ethics.

BP v. 3 Mile Island: Back in the day, Jimmy Carter faced an energy issue oriented year. We were talking about using more nuclear power to stave off dependence on foreign oil. But, with the incident at Three Mile Island, anti-nuclear activists derailed the dream. Fast forward to today with the BP incident adding to an already long list of petro-disasters. I wonder if we can swing the pendulum. Nuclear energy has a safety record to be envied if only the media would fairly report it.

Realistically speaking what we can do is:
Urge Rep. Rangel to step aside from all Congressional duties until the ethics trial is concluded.

Urge your elected officials to review the safety records of petro and nuclear energy production. Once they see that nuclear energy is a victim of bad PR and zealous activists ask them to support building more nuclear plants.

Remember that every day should be memorial day if only for a moment. Let Lindsay have her fifteen minutes, but give others the same time.

FTFGIMAD Technorati Tags: lindsay lohan, three mile island, bp, nuclear energy, charly rangel, ethics

Charlie Rangel Steps Down Before He Can Be Fired

The bigger they are, the harder they fall. And, considering who is in command of the Congress these days you have to be amazed that Charlie Rangel felt enough heat to step down from his lofty perch as the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. If you remember last weeks blog post about the one that got away, we compared the House Ethics Committee to prisoners being in charge of the Parole Board. All along I've maintained that every elected official is either a crook or a liar. Since it's only a matter of degree I have to wonder what else they had on the Hon. Mr. Rangel.

And, let's be real, if you are going to chair the committee that is responsible for all things tax related you had best be spot on with your own taxes. Rangel wasn't, and so last week he stepped down rather than be pulled down like a statue of Saddam Hussein. For a bit more, and a look at the guy who replaced him, check this out.

David S. Broder - The daring Charlie Rangel - washingtonpost.com:

"This is not the way Sandy Levin would have wanted it.

The Michigan Democrat became acting chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee last week after its former chairman, Charlie Rangel of New York, stepped down -- temporarily, he says -- because he was censured by the House ethics committee for going on a corporate-financed junket." ....

FTFGIMAD
Technorati Tags: Taxes, corruption, ways and means, charlie rangel, ethics, congress, sandy levin, realist

Crooks In The News

Regular readers understand that one of the big reasons I bill myself as a "Realist" over other labels like "Liberal", "Conservative", etc is that truth is what is important. The truth is that no party lives up to its' hype. For me, I learned about leadership and how it ties in to ethics and character as a Marine. To this day it amazes me that those who protect u are held to a higher standard than those who govern us.

If you are a new reader, I would truly appreciate your input on this issue. Other blog posts that explore Ethics in our Government can be found here. Some will have a gap in them. If you click the "read more" link it will be worth your time.

And in recent news, here is yet another reason to permanently distrust those we elect. The problem with the ethics committee is the crooks sitting on the parole board.

House ethics panel ends inquiry into Visclosky - washingtonpost.com

By Carol Leonnig

Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, February 26, 2010; 3:21 PM
A team of congressional investigators believed they had probable cause that Rep. Pete Visclosky sought campaign contributions in exchange for steering federal contracts to corporate donors, but a House ethics panel decided not to inquire further into the matter

FTFGIMAD
Technorati Tags: ethics, corruption, visclosky

Liar, Liar, Pants On Fire

Oh wow. The Republicans and the CIA have taken off the gloves and are going after House Speaker Madame Nancy Pelosi. Heh. Could not have happened to a nicer lady at that. Who says equal rights are not here and now?

If I sound gleeful it's because I have been saying for as long as I have been blogging that all pols are corrupt to some degree. All pols lie like a dog in sunshine. Anyone who is a realist instead of a partisan understands and tempers their political view with that.

Madame Speaker hath been speaking with a forked tongue concerning the enhanced interrogation techniques used by the CIA. She was vocal, public, and vicious. She wanted to publicly charge and then try officials from the previous administration who allowed, condoned, authorized, or rationalized these techniques.

Now the story is out that she was well aware of not just generalities but of specifics going back to 2002. Of course she has said "uh uh, not me, I didn't know" in about fifty different dialects of polspeak (aka CYA). But, rather than keep secrets, the CIA is leaking them on the good speaker. Former Speaker of the House Gingrich chimed in his two bits by ripping off a bloody bit of Madame Speakers hide as well.

"I think she has lied to the House, and I think that the House has an absolute obligation to open an inquiry, and I hope there will be a resolution to investigate her. And I think this is a big deal. I don't think the Speaker of the House can lie to the country on national security matters,” Gingrich said.

He continued: "I think this is the most despicable, dishonest and vicious political effort I've seen in my lifetime."

"She is a trivial politician, viciously using partisanship for the narrowist of purposes, and she dishonors the Congress by her behavior."

"Speaker Pelosi's the big loser, because she either comes across as incompetent, or dishonest. Those are the only two defenses,” Gingrich said. “The fact is she either didn't do her job, or she did do her job and she's now afraid to tell the truth.”

Once again, the way to catch a pol in a lie is to watch their lips. If they move, you got em.

Technorati Tags: Speaker of the house, nancy pelosi, pelosi lied, CIA, torture, enhanced interrogation technique, pelosi knew, newt gingrich

Politics As Sport

With the Presidential pre-season in full swing there comes war and rumors of war. Not Iraq, not the drug war, but instead a limited engagement on every conceivable front as the contenders work to make it to the playoffs (er I mean the primaries) and finally to the big bowl game itself. If the Democrats want to maintain control, and win the 08 elections... Here is some more free advice.

First and foremost they need to make sure that they are living the life that they talk about. They need to hammer ethics, ethics, ethics and more ethics until every American is talking about it. The rules need to be no nonsense, tough, and zero tolerance. Individually they need to build on the Leadership Traits and Leadership Principles. In other words, on a daily basis they need to make politics respectable.

By living the life, they must confess, atone, and improve. Newt knows this and has confessed. Look for him to begin some form of atonement. Emphasis/comment added is mine.

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former House speaker and potential presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has confessed, telling conservative Christian leader James Dobson that he was cheating on his wife at around the same time the House was impeaching President Bill Clinton over his White House affair with Monica Lewinsky.


But Gingrich said that didn't make him a hypocrite, because Clinton was impeached not for the affair, but for lying about it. Technically correct, but somehow not satisfying, kinda weak actually, almost like the definition of "is". Oh well, Pot, meet kettle.

"The president of the United States got in trouble for committing a felony in front of a sitting federal judge," the Georgia Republican told Dobson in an interview posted Friday on Dobson's Focus on the Family Web site. (Listen to Gingrich admit he had an affair )

Then, they must make a connection with "the people". Obama is going all out and appearing to be articulate and human. Hillary is shouting and shrill. IF she doesn't fix it, Obama will run away from her as long as the Clinton Mafia doesn't target him.

The best way to connect with the McUSA's is to give them something. Tax cuts spring to mind. Currently it's all the rage to be hypercritical of the rich and the taxes they do or don't pay. Look for a tax hike on the rich in 07 methinks. Look for buried legislation that will offset it as well. Doners understand how the game is played. So, point your browsers to Thomas and Yahoos Elected Officials to see what it turns out to be.

Watch for the judiciary to have a fight on it's hands over gun control. The USSC hasn't ruled on the second amendment in years. The recent ruling that shot down the handgun ban in DC may trigger a similar lawsuit/overturning in San Fransisco. It will be harder there however since the 9th circuit rules with an iron fist. Congress is going to have to watch closely lest they get tripped up. Why is this important? Because currently the Republicans are not well liked in the individual liberty issues. Making sure that rulings like this are supported is both the right thing and sound tactics.

At issue in the case was the wording of the Second Amendment, which is broken into two parts: "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."


Washington had contended that the reference to "people" in the second part of the amendment should be considered as a collective right applicable only to the "militia" referred to in the first part.


But the judges in the majority held that the phrase "people" is well understood in constitutional law to refer to individuals -- and that the first clause was an explanation of the major purpose of the second clause, not a limitation on it. -- CNN

Another hot issue is immigration. If Congress can fix this, they win. Hands down. I haven't personally met an American that supports amnesty. I haven't personally met an American that supports illegal immigrants receiving any public assistance either. The first and most important thing to do is enforce the existing law until change is enacted. IF some wish to hold the white house accountable for violations of the law, they need to be consistent. From the LA Times (emphasis and commenting is mine):

"Every police chief since Daryl Gates has supported Special Order 40," Villaraigosa told reporters. "They have because they understand that in a city as under-policed as Los Angeles is, we need to focus on crime. We need to ensure that the victims of crime, the witnesses of crime come forward. We don't want them to believe we're going to report them to ICE when they do come forward and report a crime." Newsflash for the Mayor. The reason they are called "Illegal" immigrants is to highlight that they are committing a crime. IF the police chief is supporting an order to not enforce the law, then it is time for a new Chief of Police, and maybe a Mayor as well.

Officials with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund express similar concern. They say they do not oppose the deportation of convicted criminals by federal authorities but believe rescinding Special Order 40 would be a setback because without it some witnesses to gang crimes who are not legally in the country might be unwilling to cooperate with police.

That's it for now. Ethics, Civil Liberties, and Enforcing existing law. If they can do that then they will win.

Gingrich confession: Clearing the way for a 2008 run?
Court strikes down D.C. handgun law
Gang crackdown raises touchy issue

Ethics Gun+Control Immigration Election+2008 Civil+Liberties

Leadership Principles for Congress

A short while ago I published the individual traits that political leaders should aspire to. Now is the time to take those traits and turn them into tasks. Again, I am drawing from my career as a US Marine to try and point our new Congress into a successful direction. In order to shorten the length of the post I will print the principles verbatim, and my interpretation of them as they apply to politics. The link at the end will allow you to see the "official" version as applied to Marines. Remember, if you think these standards are too tough for politicos, the Marines live them daily. BTW, I am not slamming the other services. But, since I am a retired Marine I reserve the right to work from my comfort zone.

Know yourself and seek self-improvement.

Sounds easy doesn't it? Can you remember the traits and figure out which go into making this important? You cannot be a leader without a style. If your leadership style is fake, it will fail over time. The point is that no one is perfect and you must look inside yourself and identify your strong and weak points. As an elected official you need to be able to face your voters and tell them not only how good you are, but what you are doing to improve yourself.

Be technically and tactically proficient.

Remember the trait of knowledge? Here it is. Technically proficient means that you have the skills to complete a task. Tactically proficient means you can employ those skills in the real world. As a leader you are also supposed to be a mentor or a teacher. You are supposed to groom your replacement. To do that you must be an expert. BTW, this doesn't mean that you must be a certified expert at every possible task. It means that in some areas you have a working knowledge which will allow you to supervise the detail experts without getting the wool pulled over your eyes.

Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates.

You cannot be an effective leader without teamwork. As you assign tasks, prioritize the fires to be put out, and carry out the business of the office you must delegate tasks to your subordinates. They have to own them. When the cats away..... is a truism if you are not a leader. People dodge the boss. People strive to earn the approval of a leader who not only gives you a task, but the latitude to make that task your own.

Make sound and timely decisions.

In the last post I quoted Patton. For an Army guy, he was alright :) This is where judgement, justice, knowledge, decisiveness, and integrity come into play. Just to reinforce the point... "A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future." Attributed to General George Patton Jr

Set the example.

This in my humble and professional opinion is the single most important of these principles. There is nothing like a positive example to help someone rise to a higher level. It demonstrates by the most influential of communications, deeds, the courage of your convictions. Once upon a time a child could aspire to be the President and it was considered an honorable goal. Now, most folks don't consider politicians honorable at all. There is a saying that deeds, not words, define the person. By openly setting the example of honor, courage, and commitment you (the freshman congress critter) may just cause a bit of a sea change.

Know your Marines and look out for their welfare.

This is a very close second to setting the example. In this instance you are looking out for your staff and your constituents. You need to know the attitude of your constituents on virtually everything. It doesn't mean that you have to do it thier way. Because, we both know that you don't truly work for them. But, by applying your courage, integrity, and knowledge you will vote and do what you believe to be the best thing. And you will be able to explain it without coming across as a hair-splitting politician. By looking out for your subordinates, you will earn trust and loyalty. Remember, they are the ones making you look good or bad. And so you must repay that loyalty and effort with your own.

Keep your Marines informed.

I don't recall. I didn't know. Didn't get the word? Those statements can be the precursor to disaster. Remember that you are responsible, and accountable for everything your subordinates do or fail to do. So, keep them in the loop. If it is a dirty little secret, then you do the dirty work.

Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.

Here is another conundrum. If you seek responsibility you will find it. But if it goes wrong, and something will, you must place yourself in the bullets path. Don't blame a staffer that did something wrong. Remember, if you are observing and practicing the next three principles, then they are speaking with your voice. So, stand up in public and take your medicine. Then if correction or discipline is required do it in private hold them accountable to you.

Ensure assigned tasks are understood, supervised, and accomplished.

Pretty simple right? Then why do people screw up the tasks they are given. If you keep em informed, and make sure they understand the task it should be gravy right? Here is how to do it. Make each task a personal mission. A mission statement requires three elements.

First is a Task. A task is a clear statement of the results required. Example:Provide a listing of registered voters to me. Second is Conditions. List any conditions attached to the task that add to or take away from execution. Example: During normal business hours using only government approved sources. Finally is the Standard: The standard will tell the subordinate exactly how he or she will be "graded" or success and failure measured. Example: No later than close of business Friday and the list must be accurate to within 90 days.

So for the above example you would create a short concise paragraph that incorporates all three requirements. For example: Bob, I need you to provide me a list of registered voters. Do all the legwork during normal work hours and use only approved government sources. This has to completed and on my desk by 5:00 pm on Friday and must be current as of the last 90 days.
Bob now has a mission. It is personalized to him so he can take ownership of it. Your final step is to ensure Bob actually delivers it on time and within the standard.

Train your Marines as a team.

It's common knowledge that any politician must have a staff. With all the minutia of the .gov it's a sure bet that his staff is going to accomplish things in his name and not always with his knowledge. In addition to being clear and concise with your expectations you must know that your staff has to coordinate things in your name. You must ensure that they can work well together. Picture a sports team. Many specialized positions working together to score points. Each member of your team must mesh with everyone else. Remember, they will speak with your voice. Everything they do or fail to do is your responsibility. Begin by pair them off and assigning the pair a mission as outlined above. Continue adding moving parts and more people until they work as a unit.

Employ your command in accordance with its capabilities.

Take the last couple of principles and then look in the mirror. Be objective. Figure out the strengths and weaknesses of yourself and your team. Do not set them or yourself up for failure by biting off more than you can chew. That doesn't mean you are always going the easy way either. You only get better by stretching yourself. So, look at what appears to be the limit, and push it: Hard.
For the Voters: That's it. Sounds easy doesn't it? I mean, our guys and gals in harms way live these or variants of these every day. As a realist, I don't believe any politician is 100% worthy when measured by these standards. But, I submit that if you can evaluate which traits and principles your guy publically demonstrates you are a lot closer to a vote that is intellectually and morally honest. Thanks for reading.
For the Pols: I bet you think you are living up to these. Well, maybe you are or aren't but I submit that if you can at least make an honest attempt it will show in public even without an events manager to stage them for you. You now have the ball, it's time to score some points. Thanks for reading.

The USMC Leadership Principles page

Leadership Traits for Congress

What makes an ideal member of Congress? I intend to explore what mix is needed to get the perfect Senator or Representative. For my discussion I will be referring in this post to the official list of Leadership Traits from the Marines. They worked well for me for 22 years. Right up front I admit that I am skeptical of whether a politician really can live up to the lot of these. But in all fairness we expect our Marines to live up to them on a daily basis.


Leadership Traits are nothing more than personality or character traits that make up a person. When you combine leadership traits into tasks you get leadership principles, which we will cover in a day or three. At the end of this post is the official USMC page devoted to this topic. I left the definitions intact along with the suggestions for improvement. I added a Congressional Spin to each.

JUSTICE

Definition: Justice is defined as the practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives consideration to each side of a situation and bases rewards or punishments on merit.

Suggestions for Improvement: Be honest with yourself about why you make a particular decision. Avoid favoritism. Try to be fair at all times and treat all things and people in an equal manner.

Congressional Justice: While each Member is part of a party, justice requires that you consider the opposing view and weigh the pros and cons based on facts and not who contributed to your campaign or which committee appointment you would like.

JUDGMENT

Definition: Judgment is your ability to think about things clearly, calmly, and in an orderly fashion so that you can make good decisions.

Suggestions for Improvement: You can improve your judgment if you avoid making rash decisions. Approach problems with a common sense attitude.

Congressional Judgement: Good Judgement means that you make the best decision you can within the time allotted based on all the facts. Like Justice, your decision or your good judgement will come from a strong sense of your own core values, the facts at hand, and a healthy dose of reality.

DEPENDABILITY

Definition: Dependability means that you can be relied upon to perform your duties properly. It means that you can be trusted to complete a job. It is the willing and voluntary support of the policies and orders of the chain of command. Dependability also means consistently putting forth your best effort in an attempt to achieve the highest standards of performance.

Suggestions for Improvement: You can increase your dependability by forming the habit of being where you're supposed to be on time, by not making excuses and by carrying out every task to the best of your ability regardless of whether you like it or agree with it.

Congressional Dependability: You simply have to be there to do your job. Adopt the attitude that all votes are key votes. Don't make the mistake of believing dependability means you can always be counted on to follow the party line.

INITIATIVE

Definition: Initiative is taking action even though you haven't been given orders. It means meeting new and unexpected situations with prompt action. It includes using resourcefulness to get something done without the normal material or methods being available to you.

Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your initiative, work on staying mentally and physically alert. Be aware of things that need to be done and then to do them without having to be told.

Congressional Initiative: This should be the easiest trait for a Politician to master. You got elected at least party based on issues. So, attack those issues. Find out what is being done and get involved. If nothing is being done, don't follow the herd, start the stampede.

DECISIVENESS

Definition: Decisiveness means that you are able to make good decisions without delay. Get all the facts and weight them against each other. By acting calmly and quickly, you should arrive at a sound decision. You announce your decisions in a clear, firm, professional manner.

Suggestions for Improvement: Practice being positive in your actions instead of acting half-heartedly or changing your mind on an issue.

Congressional Decisiveness: Like the definition above says, weigh everything you have access to and make the call. Sometimes things will change and you will have to adjust. OODA is a military acronym for Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. It is a never ending cycle. When you begin to Act you are simultaneuosly Observing and preparing to re-orient yourself to the changing reality. The best quote that exemplifies being decisive is: "A good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed at some indefinite point in the future." Attributed to General George Patton Jr

TACT

Definition: Tact means that you can deal with people in a manner that will maintain good relations and avoid problems. It means that you are polite, calm, and firm.

Suggestions for Improvement: Begin to develop your tact by trying to be courteous and cheerful at all times. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

Congressional Tact: If I had to lose one this would be it. You are required to tell the absolute good, bad, and ugly without being deliberately offensive. Do not undermine courage, integrity, or judgement due to tact. For the Congress, this means that while politeness is a mark of bearing, don't become so enamored of a well turned phrase that you lose the message.

INTEGRITY

Definition: Integrity means that you are honest and truthful in what you say or do. You put honesty, sense of duty, and sound moral principles above all else.

Suggestions for Improvement: Be absolutely honest and truthful at all times. Stand up for what you believe to be right.

Congressional Integrity: This is it, the single most important character trait of a leader. If you have no integrity, then everything you do is tainted. Integrity means that the truth is more important than politics as usual. It also means that you don't parse your words so that you can "Lie the Truthful way". IF you ask about the definition of "is", then you might need to work on this.

ENTHUSIASM

Definition: Enthusiasm is defined as a sincere interest and exuberance in the performance of your duties. If you are enthusiastic, you are optimistic, cheerful, and willing to accept the challenges.

Suggestions for Improvement: Understanding and belief in your mission will add to your enthusiasm for your job. Try to understand why even uninteresting jobs must be done.

Congressional Enthusiasm: This should be obvious. Why be an Elected Representative if you don't love it? How stupid is it to do something you hate continuously? If you don't love getting up every day and going to work (which philosophically speaking is the peoples business) then go home. Enthusiasm is contagious and is like a shot of Nitrous to the other traits.

BEARING

Definition: Bearing is the way you conduct and carry yourself. Your manner should reflect alertness, competence, confidence, and control.

Suggestions for Improvement: To develop bearing, you should hold yourself to the highest standards of personal conduct. Never be content with meeting only the minimum requirements.

Congressional Bearing: Being presidential in both appearance and deportment is a must. Being able to do what is needed while radiating calm, and confidence is inspiring. In other words do not lose your bearing and tell a member of congress to fuck off on or off the record

UNSELFISHNESS

Definition: Unselfishness means that you avoid making yourself comfortable at the expense of others. Be considerate of others. Give credit to those who deserve it.

Suggestions for Improvement: Avoid using your position or rank for personal gain, safety, or pleasure at the expensive of others. Be considerate of others.

Congressional Unselfishness: I'm not sure that any pol can be unselfish. It is so culturally ingrained to make the deal, get the money, etc. It's not realistic to expect it yet. But I think it is realistic to put out the requirement and then make a focused effort to train them to standard.

COURAGE

Definition: Courage is what allows you to remain calm while recognizing fear. Moral courage means having the inner strength to stand up for what is right and to accept blame when something is your fault. Physical courage means that you can continue to function effectively when there is physical danger present.

Suggestions for Improvement: You can begin to control fear by practicing self-discipline and calmness. If you fear doing certain things required in your daily life, force yourself to do them until you can control your reaction.

Congressional Courage: There's not much I can add to the official line. A Congressman must have the courage of his or her convictions no matter what the party line is. The song says that you've got to stand for something or you'll fall for anything. Tests of courage for elected officials is to see who or how they explain negative publicity. Other tests are when they break ranks because it's the right thing to do (not just seeking soundbytes).

KNOWLEDGE

Definition: Knowledge is the understanding of a science or art. Knowledge means that you have acquired information and that you understand people. Your knowledge should be broad, and in addition to knowing your job, you should know your unit's policies and keep up with current events.

Suggestions for Improvement: Suggestions for Improvement: Increase your knowledge by remaining alert. Listen, observe, and find out about things you don't understand. Study field manuals and other military literature.

Congressional Knowledge: To the Freshman Congress Critters: Learn everything you can about anything at all related to your job. It means that you must know the ethics manual cold, you must know the key provisions of bills you vote for/against. It means that you must burn some late night oil boning up on events so that you cannot later claim you were fooled.

LOYALTY

Definition: Loyalty means that you are devoted to your country, the Corps, and to your seniors, peers, and subordinates. The motto of our Corps is Semper Fidelis!, (Always Faithful). You owe unwavering loyalty up and down the chain of command, to seniors, subordinates, and peers.

Suggestions for Improvement: To improve your loyalty you should show your loyalty by never discussing the problems of the Marine Corps or your unit with outsiders. Never talk about seniors unfavorably in front of your subordinates. Once a decision is made and the order is given to execute it, carry out that order willingly as if it were your own.

Congressional Loyalty: This is a conundrum. I've been saying all along that party loyalty is second to some of these traits. And yet, if you (as an elected official) are not loyal to your constituents and to an extent your allies, you may lose the next election. I would caution that you place your loyalty after due consideration of the effect it will have for you to do well by your constituents. Once you've placed your loyalty out there, don't back down unless it would require you to breach your own integrity.

ENDURANCE

Definition: Endurance is the mental and physical stamina that is measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship. For example, enduring pain during a conditioning march in order to improve stamina is crucial in the development of leadership.

Suggestions for Improvement: Develop your endurance by engaging in physical training that will strengthen your body. Finish every task to the best of your ability by forcing yourself to continue when you are physically tired and your mind is sluggish.

Congressional Endurance: Means you stick to it until you get it done. You go the extra mile and slog it out. It might mean reading the last hundred pages of a bill to (fill in the blank) in order to satisfy yourself that it is right and proper because the vote is first thing in the morning.

Please remember that I don't honestly believe any pol can live up to these standards. But I damn sure expect them to try. The reason I am actively trying to throw out ideas to help the current office holders succeed is that I want results. I and the rest of the McUSA family are pretty disgusted at the last Congress who had a clear majority and did nothing with it. Just politics as usual isn't a leaders path. Instead it is a well worn rut.

"Because it is important to always be able to remember the basic leadership traits, the acronym "J.J. DID TIE BUCKLE" is used. Each letter in the acronym corresponds to the first letter of one of the traits. By remembering the acronym, you will be better able to recall the traits." - From the same website where I pulled the above traits.


The USMC version