Napoleon Bonapart, the self-made Emperor of France, was in exile on the island of Elba in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of France. But on February 26, 1815 he escaped his water prison and begin reclaiming his throne. A hundred days later at the Battle of Waterloo, his ambition was soundly defeated. His ambition was destroyed along with the untold number of lives lost on the battlefields of France. He was sent to the island of St. Helena to begin a new and permanent exile.
Citizens of every nation seem to have difficulty admitting their mistakes in choosing leaders. The focus of drive and the passion for power die very hard. As surely as when Napoleon's army were reforming for their final futile fight, we can see today that same futile gathering of the citizens around hopeless leadership.
There is a book somewhere that says, "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is insanity." Looking to the same people over and over again to lead this nation into the new century on a bright note is insane. Maybe we can avoid a national Waterloo and seek leadership from a new pool of talent instead of the old worn out pool of self serving ambitious leaders.
How will we recognize that new pool? They will be practical and speak in terms we all understand. They will approach the public with truth and proven courses of action. They will not promote actions inconsistent with their own historical approach to problems. They will say what we already know, but don't know how to get hold of the reigns of power.
For instance, there are some stances and attributes, I expect to find in those who can properly lead us into the next century. My leader will advocate radical election reform. He or she will ask us to hold state primary elections across this nation on the same day. Lobby groups and Political Action Committees would be forbidden to donate monies to any candidate. In fact political donations would no longer be tax exempt.
Old fashion soap box campaigns would return in a modern version via newspaper, television and other electronic media. Politicians would have to be succinct and consistent in their stances during campaign season. The public would be spared the hug amounts of monies raised and spent on futile causes as well as the hours of boring forked tongued speeches. Three or four television debates or seminars, a series of newspaper articles, an ongoing word of mouth and electronic media campaign, and personal selected visits over say a six week period would do the job.
My leader doesn't have to sell him or her self through a long siege of publicity battles. No, my leader has a past that demonstrates things he or she has done. Campaign rhetoric will focus on how that past will lead us into a brighter future. My leader has a profession other than politician. My leader is a citizen statesman. My leader would rather work at leading this nation during a four year term, than spend three fourths of it campaigning.
Perhaps term limits should be accompanied with a rule that prevents a person from running for a new office, before they resign from the old one. My leader would not have been in the political arena for twenty years or so and tell me he or she is for change. especially if their historical performance says other wise.
Sad as it may seem, our primary campaigns look like a reunion of recycled Napoleons of politics. They have spent enough monies campaigning to balance our budget. They have not shown a record of change and yet they promise change. Yet we will elect one of them and call for a scalp, when change for the good doesn't come about. We just keep doing it over and over again. It is a crazy way to correct a problem. A problem that will design our future to be a national Waterloo if we don't stop here and now. Please if you have the ability and focus to lead us unselfishly come forward now.
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