Sunday, April 02, 2006
Sunday April 2, 2006 - Year 4, Day 13 - more or less
+2C/34F, sunny, calm & dead quiet along our walk . . . neighbourhood sleeps on ‘old time’ forgetting daylight saving time change, as did I
I’ve had a sleep-in morning that has me running later than expected but having this morning’s session @ the convention cancelled made up for it + I am well rested !
and . . . they are off
a race has begun . . .
some still angling toward the starting gate
others already rounding the first of many turns
the race will be more marathon than sprint
the race will be more about character than speed
the race will be more about brains than style
it will be less about those who have than those who have not
it will be less about programs than philosophy
it will be less about issues du jour than policy
it will be less about money than quality
it will be less about greed than need
it will be less about power than people
it will be less about who you know than who you are
it will be less about ideology than character
it will be less about knowledge than wisdom
it will be less about financing than intellectual capital
I am wondering about the qualities, vision, ideas & character of our next leader, next premier
I know several of the ‘unofficial candidates’, others I don’t know at all
people will sometimes follow a passionate though misguided leader for a while
but they will never follow a passionless one anywhere
the contenders all have something in common: they’ve not uttered a visionary word, not a syllable to define who they are or what they stand for, presuming I suppose that we will treat the future of Alberta like a high school popularity contest - about this they are mistaken
none have shown anything yet but the ability to smile, shake hands & say polite things – all of which I can get from any greeter at Wal-Mart
someone . . one at least . . I hope
or maybe several - will raise the bar of debate to a level we can see
someone, I hope, will raise it higher still
the very party who showed Ralph & his cadre of Peters the door – telling him to go sooner rather than later, are thirsty for intellect & vision & passion & hard work from a clear thinking smart leader, a combination we’ve not had since Peter Lougheed days – it’s time !
“Drastic action can be costly, but it can be less expensive than continuing inaction.”
- Richard Neustadt
more or less
Mark
I’ve had a sleep-in morning that has me running later than expected but having this morning’s session @ the convention cancelled made up for it + I am well rested !
and . . . they are off
a race has begun . . .
some still angling toward the starting gate
others already rounding the first of many turns
the race will be more marathon than sprint
the race will be more about character than speed
the race will be more about brains than style
it will be less about those who have than those who have not
it will be less about programs than philosophy
it will be less about issues du jour than policy
it will be less about money than quality
it will be less about greed than need
it will be less about power than people
it will be less about who you know than who you are
it will be less about ideology than character
it will be less about knowledge than wisdom
it will be less about financing than intellectual capital
I am wondering about the qualities, vision, ideas & character of our next leader, next premier
I know several of the ‘unofficial candidates’, others I don’t know at all
people will sometimes follow a passionate though misguided leader for a while
but they will never follow a passionless one anywhere
the contenders all have something in common: they’ve not uttered a visionary word, not a syllable to define who they are or what they stand for, presuming I suppose that we will treat the future of Alberta like a high school popularity contest - about this they are mistaken
none have shown anything yet but the ability to smile, shake hands & say polite things – all of which I can get from any greeter at Wal-Mart
someone . . one at least . . I hope
or maybe several - will raise the bar of debate to a level we can see
someone, I hope, will raise it higher still
the very party who showed Ralph & his cadre of Peters the door – telling him to go sooner rather than later, are thirsty for intellect & vision & passion & hard work from a clear thinking smart leader, a combination we’ve not had since Peter Lougheed days – it’s time !
“Drastic action can be costly, but it can be less expensive than continuing inaction.”
- Richard Neustadt
more or less
Mark
342,644
