Our Leaders Need to Give Praise to Our Troops for a Job Well Done
The first time I met my wifes' uncle he was very confident, humorous, outgoing and extremely patriotic about his country. We started discussing the draft and my thoughts on war and national conflict. This was before the 9/11 attacks, but I remember being taken aback with how passionate he was for country and our duty to serve. He was in the military and would continue to have a successful career in the armed forces. After serving numerous tours in Iraq, he came back to the states a completely changed man.
About a month ago we got to spend the day with my wifes' uncle here in Charleston and showed him downtown. The sun was shining and the food and conversation were flowing on his fun filled visit here to the east coast. It was amazing to read his e-mail's during his time over in Iraq and how much it had changed him. He told us that he was acting like the uncle we use to know and love on the outside, but inside he was nothing like that person anymore.
How great an opportunity is this Bin Laden victory for our troops? Our sword and shield who have been battling so long and hard for all of us, only to come home to their loved ones broken and changed. The sacrifices they make are hard to imagine, but I think our leaders have a great opportunity to leverage the Bin Laden victory to boost our troops morale and begin bringing our loved ones home.
Gas Controls Everything
In business school I learned of what happened to our country after the gas spike in the 1970's. But it wasn't until the first gas spike, just prior to the great recession, that I began to appreciate how much gas drives everything in our economy. Just yesterday I went to fill up a 5 gallon container of gas for my yard work for the season and was literally floored at what I was getting for my money. Usually when I fill my car up I equate what I spend to getting 1.5 weeks of driving out of the fill up, but seeing my $20.37 buying this piddly 5 gallon jug was just depressing.
I have had many discussions with colleagues and friends on what we can do about being so dependent on gas for our current way of life. The private sector has known we have had a major lack of an energy policy since the 1970's and what has it accomplished?
US Government Needs to Invest Major Capital Into Alternative Energy
I'm a big believer in the free market and entrepreneurship, but the private sector has failed miserably when it comes to alternative energy. The US government needs to step up to the plate and spend some real capital on alternative energy and do it with complete transparency to win the hearts of the nation. The oil tycoons have all the power, but if our government can show the people what we are up against in pushing back on oil--maybe, just maybe that garbage powered flying DeLorean time machine that Dr. Emmet L. Brown was tooling around in might actually see the light of day.
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