Mike Williams

Just a quick post and a reflection on what an elected representative is “supposed” to do.

You shouldn’t care about what a candidate feels about gun control, abortion, taxes, or anything else for that matter.

Yes. I just said that. Why?

Because we live in a Republic and not a Democracy. There is a difference.

Our elected officials (notice I don’t use “leader”) are supposed to do exactly what we tell them to. That’s why we shouldn’t call them leaders. They aren’t supposed to be leading anything. What they should be doing is exactly and precisely what we tell them to and nothing more.

They are supposed to be a servant of the people they represent. If I am concerned about a candidate’s position on gun control then I’m missing the point. We have seriously gotten away from what elected officials are supposed to be and what they are supposed to be doing.

Because we have been doing it wrong all of these years, now I really do have to worry about a candidate’s position on something.

This post is simply a vent. We can’t even get the basics correct and now we want those elected folks to “fix” our healthcare system?

Have we as a society completely lost our freakin’ minds or have we all gotten so lazy that we forget who forged the nation that we now take stewardship of?

If I were running for office, I believe my press conference would go something like this…

Me: Hi. My name is Mike Williams and I’m running for office.

Press: How do you feel about the healthcare debate?

Me: Really doesn’t matter now does it?

Press: I don’t understand.

Me: I’m not running for me. I’m running for you. I’m running to represent you and your neighbors views.

Press: So, you don’t have an opinion on the healthcare debate then?

Me: Why should I? Like I said. I represent you. You’d be better off asking yourself that question.

Press: What about gun control?

Me: Again, how do YOU feel about gun control? I have an opinion and it will be whatever the voters say it is. Have a nice day.

That’s how I describe this week.

When you are so caught up in everyone else’s gig that you don’t even have time to connect with someone or watch the Apple launch yesterday then it’s time to take a break.

Nice.

This week started out bad for not only me but a bunch of friends with whom I work in new media.

Having gotten through most of the week, the bad feeling in the pit of my stomach is still there. Change is hard. This week I was forced into a decision that not only affected me but affected the people I work with as well.

While I’m still blessed to be able to work with most of those folks, it’s a precious few that I worry about losing. I tell myself that I can do without them but the reality is that I don’t want to.

The dust hasn’t settled from the A-Bomb that has been dropped but we are rebuilding and moving on with life.

Sometimes, something like this is precisely the kick in the ass that we all need to do better things; to make a difference; to change the world and be inspired to lead by example.

In all of this, there was a rub that I couldn’t identify and while my eyes were not yet opened nor my mind contemplating, it was my friends old and new who put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and so eloquently stated the bitter obvious. That thing which has eluded me and is an ache I continue to endure is so painfully clear now. It’s a marine named Steve, a writer called Sullivan, a Chiropractor named Melissa, a new friend named Art who have demonstrated a true understanding of the rub.

It is for those people that I give thanks this day.

New media wouldn’t be any fun without them and I’m honored to stand beside them.

As I watch Carolyn Porco on the Science Channel talk about the universe as if we actually know very much about it, I’m reminded of something I saw on Greta Van Susteren’s show on Fox News. It’s something that continues to bug me.

The guest she had on (Friday I believe) corrected another guest (lefty) who kept spewing these numbers out there as far as health care and the uninsured that were patently false and actually wouldn’t really make sense in any reality you happen to find yourself in.

The details of the exchange aren’t important. What upsets me when I watch this is the fact that Van Susteren doesn’t correct the guest. She didn’t even challenge him on his numbers. The right has a real serious problem with this.

Too many times we allow the left to throw a number at us and we don’t challenge them on it. When we do challenge them (rare. very rare) their argument collapses as it should. We just don’t do enough of it.

The conservatives need to start growing a pair and learn to open their mouths when the left throws numbers around. Most of the numbers are skewed or just completely made up.

I love to hear about the “far right” Fox News channel from the left. Let me fill you in on something here. It’s not that Fox News is far right. Because CNN, MSNBC, NBC, and ABC are so far left even the TV Guide Channel looks right leaning.

With my Sunday venting out of the way, let me just say that this week’s Brass Balls Radio is going to be a real treat. Thanks to everyone who participated! Steve Schippert. Jenny Erikson. DNACowboy.

It’s amazing to me. How attitudes and our paradigms change as we get older and hopefully wiser.

For you young people out there, believe it or not there may be a very good reason why you are not in charge of anything.

You don’t have experience. The trouble is that you can have an I.Q. of 175 and be the smartest person in the room but the bottom line is that you lack experience and experience is why people are put in charge.

I’m writing this about one young person in particular.

I saw an opportunity to take a week off from producing and decided to put this young person in charge in my absence.

Needless to say, this quickly took a wrong turn.

So much for some time off for me…