Take Them As You Find Them

The American democracy faces many challenges for the future: racial tension, a substantial cultural divide, and the prospects of a national, financial collapse are just some of the challenges that daunt us now and have the potential to undermine our future. The statesman will have to be a person that embraces the problems of the republic and makes the most of the resources at his disposal. Few have done this better than the Confederate general Robert E. Lee. Even though Lee lost the war between the states, he made much of the resources available to him. His few words express his philosophy of living. In a letter to his son, he told him, "Shake off those gloomy feelings. Drive them away. Fix your mind and pleasures upon what is before you. All is bright if you will think it so. All is happy if you will make it so. Do not dream. It is too ideal, too imaginary...Live in the world you inhabit. Look upon things as they are. Take them as you find them. Make the best of them. Turn them to your advantage."

The Precedent President

Anytime a new leadership position is created, the first leader will be important in establishing important precedents for the leaders that will follow him. No one did that better than America's first president, George Washington. In this article, I discuss what Washington did to lay a foundation for future presidents.

The Statesman and Discipline

The Statesman knows that before he can be an effective leader, he must win the battle over himself, the ability to say "no" to his impulses. Former President Harry Truman once said, “In reading the lives of great men, I found that the first victory they won was over themselves…Self-discipline with all of them came first.”

The Leader on the Inside*

The Statesman is not just interested in appearing to be a leader; he desires to be a leader on the inside. The Statesman wants to be a leader of character. Character is what you are on the inside and is usually revealed when you are under pressure. Character can be compared with fashion which is the "science of appearances" according to Steven Covey. A person focused on fashion wants to appear to be something that he is not.

The foundation of all character is discipline which is "the ability to say 'no' to our impulses." We can think of the development of character this way:

Our beliefs inform our thoughts
Our thoughts inform our actions
Our actions inform our habits
Our habits comprise our character

We could say that character is the sum of our habits. We need leaders who will not just make the right decisions, but will make the right decisions out of habit.

*Quotes from Steven Covey, Principle-Centered Leadership

Is America a Christian Nation?

The Statesman does not forget the foundation of his nation. For America, that foundation was Christian, as Rep. Randy Forbes (R-VA) reminds the House of Representatives.

The Statesman on Immigration Policy

The Statesman can learn from Rep. Tom McClintock (R-CA) who gave this short speech in response to the denouncement of American immigration policy by Mexican President Felipe Calderon. McClintock stressed that American immigration policy is not exclusionary and it has the purpose of ensuring that those that immigrate to America, do so with the intent of becoming Americans.

The Statesman is....a Woman

Our federal government has reached new levels of arrogance, foolishness and disregard for the Constitution. The biggest external threat to our budget comes from the federal government--oppressive health care mandates, job-killing environmental restrictions, and continual refusal to pay for costs associated with illegal immigration.~ Jan Brewer

The Right of Religion, Speech, Press, and Lying

The Statesman knows there's never a positive right to do the wrong thing. Recently the Ninth Circuit said that laws forbidding lying about one's Medal of Honor status are unconstitutional, inferring that there is a "right to lie" in the Constitution. Apparently, a recipient can turn a medal of honor into a "medal of dishonor."

Court Says Lying About Medal of Honor No Crime

He Being Dead, Yet Speaketh

Sometimes the words of the dead are more powerful than the clamour around us. Listen to a dead man giving us guidance from the grave.

Daniel Webster--Florida's Statesman

Perhaps you heard about the great statesman, Daniel Webster, of the nineteenth century. But wait, there's another one. We have our own Daniel Webster from the great state of Florida who is running for a U.S. House seat this November. A true statesman who is desperately needed today...

The Education of a Statesman

Ronald Reagan

How important is education in the life of a leader? In his book Greatness, historian Steven Hayward compares the educations of President Ronald Reagan and Winston Churchill. Hayward's conclusion is that we should focus on their education outside the classroom, their "informal education" as opposed to their formal training if we want to better grasp what made these leaders special. I have written an Hubpages article, The Education of a Statesman, that gives an overview of the topic.

The Retreat on the Southern Border

In a free society, the first duty of a statesman is to uphold his oath and protect the people of his land. The Obama Administration has abdicated that role. They not only refuse to protect our nation's borders, they threaten to punish those that would defend them.


And now, it's been awhile since I've heard of a greater national disgrace than I heard this morning. Apparently, our Border Patrol is fleeing certain areas of the southern border because it's too dangerous.
"Border Patrol Has Retreated from Parts of the Border Because It's 'Too Dangerous'"

The Easy Answer v. the Simple Answer

They say the world has become too complex for simple answers. They are wrong.  There are no easy answers, but there are simple answers.  We must have the courage to do what we know is morally right. ~ Ronald Reagan

What Makes a Great Leader "Great"?

What makes a great leader, great? Steven Hayward addresses this issue in his book Greatness. I have summarized some of his ideas in this essay.

Hawks and Doves

I'm not a hawk. I'm a dove--a heavily-armed dove.--Jack Kemp

The Hollow Leader

Too many politicians think that the road to success lies in being "open." Too often that is simply another word for "hollow." I believe leaders must have principles, and must stand up for them. Jesse Helms

The Socialization of America

"1. Karl Marx died on March 14, 1883, and was buried in the Highgate Cemetery in London, England. The assumption that Communism died with him was logical since only six people attended his funeral. But the truth is that it had not yet begun its murderous journey through the 20th century.
2. John Maynard Keynes was born on June 5, 1883, in Cambridge, England. His political, economic, and moral influence continues to affect every American.
3. The Fabian Socialist Society was an offshoot of The Fellowship of the New Life, which was born in October 1883 in London, England.
Socialist George Bernard Shaw added: 'You would be forcibly fed, clothed, lodged, taught, and employed whether you like it or not. If it were discovered that you had not character and industry enough to be worth all this trouble, you might possible be executed in a kindly manner.'
That's probably why Margaret Thatcher added that the 'problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.' "(emphasis mine)

Noebel, David A. The Socialization of America May 2009 (The Schwarz Report).

Human Nature

At the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia, someone had proposed that the government limit the army to 5,000 men. George Washington, the President of the Convention, is said to have remarked that he was OK with this enactment so long as we also stipulate to the enemy invaders that they can't send in any more than 3,000 troops.

The Siren Song of Socialism

The appeal of socialism is to human weakness--the desire to avoid responsibility and the craving for material gain. It offers security as a substitute for opportunity, and the price is freedom.--Anonymous (possibly Charles B. Shuman)

Honesty

He's honest, but you have to watch him... -- Chico Marx