Lee Iacocca wrote this

[ImaBovine]

Lee Iacocca writes:

'Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, 'Stay the course'

Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America , not the damned 'Titanic' I'll give you a sound bite: 'Throw all the bums out!'

You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq , the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do. And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the ' America ' my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

The Biggest 'C' is Crisis !

Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis. It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory. Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down. George Bush, Dick Chaney and who it this Bozo
coming up next? One of the most Liberal Idiots in the U. S. Senate and he is talking about disarming America . I can't believe the American people are seeing what he is about to do to this country. May God have mercy on us all.

On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A Hell of a Mess. So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia , while our once-great Companies are all moving offshore. We're getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are the worst in the world. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership and we are getting ready to put the most Liberal Senator in the U. S. Senate in as our next President because we want to be fair and elect someone just because of his race. We don't have time to be fair, we need a strong leader.

But when you look around, you've got to ask: 'Where have all the leaders gone?' Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense? I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I hope you get the point.

Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo? We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

Name me one leader who emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Well guess what people? We are having more floods right now. What are we doing to help these people out. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan Figure out what you're going to do the next time. Why are we allowing people to build in flood plains anyway? If you build in a flood area, expect to be flooded and deal with it. Don't expect the Government to bail you out.

Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. All they seem to be thinking now-days is getting themselves bigger salaries and bonuses. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when 'The Big Three' referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it? likely nothing!

Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

I have news for the gang in Congress and the Senate. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity. What is everybody so afraid of? That
some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change? I honestly don't think any of you have one!

Had Enough?

Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here. I'm trying to light a fire. I'm speaking out because I have hope; I believe in America .... In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the 'Great Depression', 'World War II', the 'Korean War', the 'Kennedy Assassination', the 'Vietnam War', the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this:

'You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to 'Action' for people who, like me, believe in America . It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work . Let's tell 'em all we've had 'enough.'

[Fused88]

It's going to take more than marching and angry letters, to fix this mess.

[ImaBovine]

Originally Posted by Fused88

It's going to take more than marching and angry letters, to fix this mess.

I honestly don't ever see this mess getting fixed in the next 2 or 3 presidencies. Bush royally fucked us. Thank god for the 2 term limit. The 2 losers we have running now sure as hell aren't going to fix it.

[Fused88]

Originally Posted by ImaBovine

I honestly don't ever see this mess getting fixed in the next 2 or 3 presidencies. Bush royally fucked us. Thank god for the 2 term limit. The 2 losers we have running now sure as hell aren't going to fix it.

Hopefully it stays a two term limit, I remember reading articles about how they were actually trying to change it so he could stay longer. Weather or not it was complete bullshit I cant say. But its definitely not a good thing.


But if you know what the Constitution says and the Founders advised us to do in this situation. Then I suggest you buy a gun or two if you don't already have one.

[Ramirez777]

Long time reader, first time poster.

I see a wide view of political opinions on these forums, and alot of blame splattered at different political figure heads.

Fused88 is right, it's going to take alot more than angry letters to fix this. You'll also find he is right about the constitution, and that day may come to be a reality in the not so distant future. Although, I would hope we wouldn't have to resort to needing fire arms.

What you have to realize is that we the people are the ones who vote these people into office, and if you're looking for some one to blame, try the mirror.
You're other option is to go out and do somthing about it, and affect some change on your states political theatre. Maybe some day run for office yourself.

As a side note, I disagree with most of you, as I'm a fiscal conservative.

[Fused88]

Originally Posted by Ramirez777

Long time reader, first time poster.

I see a wide view of political opinions on these forums, and alot of blame splattered at different political figure heads.

Fused88 is right, it's going to take alot more than angry letters to fix this. You'll also find he is right about the constitution, and that day may come to be a reality in the not so distant future. Although, I would hope we wouldn't have to resort to needing fire arms.

What you have to realize is that we the people are the ones who vote these people into office, and if you're looking for some one to blame, try the mirror.
You're other option is to go out and do somthing about it, and affect some change on your states political theatre. Maybe some day run for office yourself.

As a side note, I disagree with most of you, as I'm a fiscal conservative.

Thanks for recognizing that im right.

Technically the ability to control our "elected" officials is slipping and alot of them have little or no backlash from there actions these days. And as I pointed out in other threads we don't even have a real say on who's president since the electoral college is easily corruptible.

To me, it looks like we either have to wipe the slate clean and make a new government form this mess or were going to end up with a version of the USSR in the united states.