Sunday, September 20, 2009

VISION TO VICTORY

Ronald Reagan had it; Governor Rick Perry has it. Do you have it?  If not, you'd better get it...so that others will get it.

Every election will be decided when the independents lean in. You want a clear landslide--but you'll win with 50.1% .  The right and the left will reliably remain loyal.  Always.  But the most recent presidential election differed from the 2000 presidential election simply because the independents leaned in a different direction.

Independents lean toward the most compelling vision, and then cast votes in the hope that the future will be better than the past. Ronald Reagan emerged at a time when America perceived that its President had yielded too much ground both at home (think Energy Crisis) and abroad (think Iranian Hostages). Ronald Reagan delivered confidence, growth, and patriotism to a nation that sorely needed it. Reagan successfully worked within his party and across party lines, ideological lines, and oceans.

More recently, Governor Rick Perry has skillfully guided Texas through the nation's economic turmoil. Education, entrepreneurship, clean energy, construction, and healthcare have all improved and prospered under his leadership. Texas' future looks equally bright under his continued leadership, because Governor Perry communicates his vision through actions that families and business leaders readily identify with and embrace.

Fear, negativity, and obstruction only have so much mileage. Name-calling and demagoguery provide red meat for pundits until the next news story comes along.  But families and business leaders look for tangible results and then vote accordingly.

Reagan and Perry, both smart leaders, have understood that the people (the voters) want to trust, identify with, and believe in their elected leaders. Their visions convey optimism without yielding values and principles. Both leaders could disagree with others without being disagreeable, both domestically and internationally.  Leading from a vision of growth, optimism and consensus-building, effective governance has followed.

TODAY'S QUESTION: How are YOU going to convey your PRINCIPLES and VALUES so that the deciding majority embraces your VISION?