My 2 Cents

Sense of Urgency
I learned this bit logic over the years, to work with a Sense of Urgency. Working in the field as a carpenter for 25 years, growing up in a rural area aiding farmers tend the fields, I learned quickly to make hay while the sun shined and appreciated working with a sense of urgency. We knew 10 to 15 minutes in advance when an approaching storm would drop it rain onto us, and we stepped up the pace to wrap up details. It never failed us, that once the air cooled, we had limited time to respond.

A sense of urgency. The feeling that now is the time to get something done, because no one knows what tomorrow will bring. It's a sentiment I suggest you keep in mind when you go to the voting booth. In the next couple of years, our country needs to get something done. We simply can't afford the appalling bickering and time wasting that comes out of Washington. We need honest debate, substantive ideas, and realistic compromise. We need a sense of urgency; we need to get things done! Iraq, energy independence, the health care industry, Social Security, illegal immigration…the list goes on and on. Nothing that can't be solved, but nothing that can be ignored or left to the spin-doctors who are all spinning their webs of deceit and passing the buck to the other person. We are the owners of this country, not the politicians, and we need to send a very clear message that we expect results. Either get to work or get out of the way!

This leads me to an insight. Over the years, working in the construction business, I have noticed that people working together get the job done a lot faster, and turn out a quality product. If someone makes a mistake, it is easily figured out who made it, a lesson is given so next time it does not happen, and then we corrected the mistake and moved on. It was not about blaming someone else, it was about doing what needed to be done now. The sense of urgency.

I now work in an office, and I still carry that sense of urgency with me. But, I have also noticed that some just do not get it. They are too busy covering their butts. They are probably would be politicians, but in business, these people also become expendable in lean times. Our politicians and the ruling party right now has botched up their responsibilities, and while they say polls do not matter, they had better listen up this election. I am a voter, and I am darned pissed off at how this government is being run. They do not seem to know what really matters, aren't willing to learn from their mistakes and their attitude of being self-righteous dudes is appalling. I can attest that the people in Washington would not last a day of a framing crew, and my son Caleb would work them into the ground by noon. They would learn what is meant by work, hustle, and urgency.

Yes, there are challenges ahead, but none of them are insurmountable. All that is needed is to decide to work together, us against the problems and those problems would melt like butter in a hot sizzling black iron skillet. There are storm clouds on the horizon and the cool wind tells me that a major storm is moving in. We can prepare for it with a sense of urgency, or we can get soaked and struck by lightning while we bicker. To me the choice is easy.

I have sent my message out this morning by voting, make sure to get out and have your vote count in the results

Jim