I'll never forget my encounter with this bull elk on the outskirts of Rocky Mountain National Park. He and I were both enjoying the sun's warmth in that beautiful meadow. He reflected calm strength and power. He knew his abilities and presumed I did, too. His experience and maturity enabled measured responses to any situation. Panic was his last resort. He didn't have to rise to the occasion. We do. How will we respond?
Our Brexit Lesson...
We've heard, "When the student is ready, the professor will appear." My Uncle Luther put it a bit more bluntly. "Sometimes we all need a little slap upside our haids."
This Brexit experience is that slap with no disguise at all. The cautionary tale with a sledge hammer. No nuance subject to polite or political interpretation. A blatant test of the world's character, especially ours. The United States of America.
The Brits are still reeling. "Wha.. Happened?" "What's the EU?" "I just meant a protest vote. I didn't mean to do this." "I never thought it would happen." "We were mislead by our leaders." "Now I'm really scared." "Can we vote again?" Etc, Etc, Etc. What a lesson for us. How can we convert passion and legitimate civic concerns into constructive action?
I Understand. I'm Mad, Too...
We should all be upset with our state of affairs. There's plenty of blame to go around. A bi-partisan Congress has done little to effectively represent the best interests of this country. Over SEVERAL administrations. Our State Departments and our intelligence communities were over their heads when we stumbled into the Middle East, and we left a costly mess that we're still paying for. And, we're not out yet. These same two institutions (State and intelligence) also missed the magnitude and gravity of the current desperate immigration crisis. With repercussions world wide. And, there's more. The economy, jobs, education and health care, to name a few. And, a rapidly deteriorating national infrastructure crisis without bi-partisan attention. Obama wanted to do more, did as much as he could, but Mitch McConnell publicly pledged that the Republicans wouldn't cooperate. They didn't, and we've all been the losers.
We Owe Sanders & Trump Our Thanks, But Not Our Votes...
The Sanders and Trump campaigns have made invaluable, though often uncomfortable, contributions in the cause of public discourse and political consideration. They and their supporters have raised issues and concerns often ignored or dismissed in traditional Party platforms. And, we ignore the importance of these issues at our peril. I'm convinced that both Party platforms will be strengthened due to the undeniable influence of these significant maverick campaigns.
OK, Dan. But, What About "Lying" Hillary?
The Mosey Principles include "Slow Down. Pay Attention. Be Informed. Make A Difference." Hillary's high negatives stem from the fact she's been on the national and world stage longer than any other candidate. She's been vetted, researched, written about, questioned and commented on for years. She and Bill have a big fan base, but have picked up many critics along the way. Totally predictable in the contact sport of politics. Her opponents have thrown everything at her, and nothing sticks. Critics need to ask themselves, Why? The latest Republican led Benghazi study again found no direct fault with Hillary's performance or response. She's moving forward.
As to the "lying" criticism, let's get real, folks. It is the height of hypocrisy for Trump and his supporters to try to con us with this accusation against Hillary, when Politifact and other national news fact checkers label Trump as the most lying and misleading candidate of them all. We should be embarrassed if we accept any candidate's commentaries without some personal cross-checking. We'll learn something. And not be victims of misinformation and our own gullibility.
The Bottom Line.....So Far...
I say "so far," because a lot can happen in the next few weeks. We've got Party conventions, delegate maneuvers, Veep selections and guaranteed drama. As I mentioned earlier, Trump's candidacy has uncovered and voiced some important issues. Concerns that must be addressed by our appointed and elected governmental leaders. But, Donald Trump is not remotely qualified to hold the highest office in the land. We can't have a loud-mouthed bigot as the figurehead of this Country. We're better than that, though we don't always act it. A huge bi-partisan and independent majority know that and should evidence same with their votes in November.
At this point, it appears we have a Clinton/Trump contest. But, my "so far" qualifier holds open the possibility for other candidates. I'm not a Hillary enthusiast. She's a flawed candidate. That said, she's the only qualified candidate in the race. Of either Party. The R's threw the kitchen sink at Obama and Clinton....and lost. They beat themselves. I don't have to rehash the obvious. Paul Ryan has tried to be loyal by saying he doesn't really support Trump, but "the Republican Party is the best one to tackle today's issues." Too late. We needed you to work with Obama to address major concerns. You wouldn't. Do some Party introspection. Start reflecting the Country you'd like to represent. We're moving on.
The Brexit Lesson and Mosey Challenge....
The obvious Brexit Lesson is that the Brits set an example that we must not emulate. Our campaigns are a sobering reminder of that potential here on our shores. Uninformed, emotional, angry protest votes have created a myriad of serious problems and setbacks for the British people. Their experience has put us on notice as to the dangers of following suit. We've been forewarned to get a grip, step back from the abyss and summon up our best selves.
We cumulatively let down our guard and enabled a dysfunctional government and a dis-engaged citizenry. We know how to do better. We've done better. We're eminently resourceful, if motivated. Brexit and our current political campaign should provide considerable motivation. This is our personal and national test of character. Let's "Slow Down. Pay Attention. Be Informed." Get involved. Be better Americans. And work to positively influence family, friends and colleagues who still might act out of anger and ignorance. We can do this. "Let's Mosey!"