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The Politics of a “Growth” Mindset

  • Posted on October 24, 2010 at 6:25 pm

What kind of mindset do politicians have, fixed or growth?

This weekend I have been busy working on an online course about the adolescent brain.  My own brain feels a bit heavy as I am fighting a head cold and trying to embrace this online course with gusto!  I’ve read a lot this weekend and it isn’t about politics.  However, I am sure I can make an analogy between the “fixed” mindset and “growth” mindset as it pertains to politics and politicians.  Here is a good diagram that I can share with you, so you can understand what I’ve been thinking about.  It is fascinating so click on it and study it!

http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/

If you study the chart you will tend to recognize what kind of mindset you have yourself.  Of course we all will want to think that we have a “growth” mindset as it is pretty obvious that with a growth mindset you can go far in the world.  I was thinking about politicians, both Republicans and Democrats.  It seems like the status quo is made up of the fixed mindset and the growth mindset would be those that aren’t afraid to change things up a bit.  Change is hard to achieve with a “fixed” mindset nation.  Even though we may know that doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the somewhat silly definition of crazy, many voters are ready to do just that.  Even though they know what will happen if they vote the Republicans back in power, many are willing to do it even at the risk of their own best self interests.

The problems with the Democrats are looming ever larger as we get closer and closer to the election.  Many are concerned about the health care bill that was passed.  I refuse to call it “Obamacare” as I know the same thing was done to Hillary Clinton when she tried to pass a universal health care plan.  We all remember “Hillarycare”.  The same people are out saying the same things about “Obamacare”.  The truth is none of us really know whether the positives outweigh the negatives for the health care plan.  I’m beginning to think we have to give it some time as it seems like those with the money and the great health care are the ones squealing the hardest to repeal it.  The mindset of the Republicans is “fixed”.  They don’t want to change anything.  There whole idea is to give tax breaks to the wealthy and big business and it will trickle down to the little guy.  Unfortunately, that ship has already sailed and it sunk!  After forty years of this trend, look where we are at.  The ugly head of poverty has reared again.  It seems that while the rich are getting richer, the poor are also getting poorer and some of the middle class are being knocked down to the level of poverty.  The tax break for the wealthy that GW passed that is set to expire didn’t work.  If it had worked, it seems to me that we wouldn’t be where we are today, in a heap of an economic mess!

I want some new ideas in politics.  Let’s get some growth minded people in office that are willing to think beyond the petty ideas of partisan politics.  Some might think the Tea Party people are the answer but when I hear things like, “We should get rid of social security from these people.” I know that isn’t the answer.  I understand their frustration with taxes.  However, most people that have a decent job don’t spend their lives complaining about their taxes.  In fact they’re too busy living their life.  If we all can have jobs that pay a decent wage, I’m sure most of us wouldn’t be as concerned about those darn taxes.

Republicans are excited about the possibility that they may take back the House and even the Senate.  Through no real effort on their part or any new ideas, this may be true.  So many want to “Throw the bums out!” and the bums are the people in power, the Democrats.  How soon we all forget what a wasteland the Republicans made of our country.

What mindset do you have?  Is it “fixed” in the past or leaning towards “growth” for the future?  Think long and hard before you vote those old bums back in as they will probably be worse than the current bums and they will have a “fixed” mindset.  They think they are right about everything.  Don’t reinforce this image they have of themselves by rewarding them with your vote.  In Nevada they don’t want you to vote if you are a Latino that voted for Democrats.

That’s right Latinos, don’t vote, that will show them.  Talk about voting for your own best interest or not voting for them.  I always encourage people to vote.  Regardless of party we all should vote.  It’s the only way to get a true representation of what the people want.  I encourage everyone to vote, even Republicans!

However, we already know what the Republicans will do.  Their policies are the policies that they hold in their “fixed” mindset.  They will take us back to the future or the past.  Their policies favor big business and the wealthy.  If you aren’t with them, you are against them.  Their thinking is black and white with nothing in between.  They will try to control you through everything from gay marriage, women’s rights, teaching Creationism in schools and other divisive issues to the separation of church and state.  They will talk about how great the constitution is and then they will set out to change some of the amendments to it.  You know what you get with those Republicans.  It may seem safe to you because it is familiar as it’s a show you have seen before.  However, if you want something new for this nation, open your mind to the possibilities of a “growth” mindset.  Vote for people that have a vision of a different future.  Embrace change and think about how we might be able to be stronger as a nation if we all work together for the growth of our great nation.  Let’s not step back to the fast but embrace the future.  Vote for people that have a “growth” mindset for the future and the middle class.  Don’t vote for the past.  Vote for the future and the future of our children.

Scared Straight

  • Posted on October 18, 2010 at 9:27 pm

Voting for Republicans should scare you to death!

Recently President Obama made the following statement, “Americans are so “scared” they’re not thinking straight about the upcoming elections.”  This brought back “Scared Straight” memories.  If any of you have not seen this old documentary.  Here is a small video clip well worth watching.  Essentially, the kids are “cut ups” and in order to set them “straight” they are introduced to “real” convicts.  Watch the video and think about it in terms of politics.  I think the Democrats and President Obama are playing the wrong message.  Democrats may be so scared they can’t think straight like President Obama claims.  Hell, I’m mad as hell at the Democrats for acting so much like Republicans.  However, Obama and the Democrats need to have the “Scared Straight” message to send to potential voters.  Maybe if voters can really think things through, they will realize that although the Democrats are really bad, by God, the Republicans are infinitely worse.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_Fw2y2S6Ew

So maybe President Obama needs to use the “Scared Straight” tactic for voting.  Maybe he needs to tell it to the voters straight.  Maybe they have to be scared straight into voting Democratic.  Maybe he needs to introduce them to some real Republicans just like the convicts in the movie.  In the movie clip that I just shared with you, towards the end the convict talked about when you ask the quiet guy to take care of you, you just became his property in every way possible.  Is this what is going to happen if people vote for the Republicans?  Maybe voters need to know what differences will take place.  Right now it’s hard to see any differences between the two parties.

So tell me Mr. President.  Scare me straight.  What evil things will the Republicans do next?  The problem I have is I just don’t see much difference between the two parties.  They both seem to like corporations better than people. I’ll be honest.  I’m not rushing out looking for a Republican to vote for I’m simply looking for someone that puts people before corporations.  The pickings have been slim.

You know for years I thought there was a major difference between the two parties.  It’s only been the last few years that the two have some how blended together but we all can still easily recognize a DINO.

You really can’t scare me about merit pay.  That used to be Republican union busting talk.  Some how you thought that was a good idea, so you implemented it.  War used to be something that those crazy Republican “Hawks” always had to dabble in.  Yep, we’re still caught up in these two crazy wars, so there doesn’t seem to be a difference there.  That crazy torture stuff that GW started, which I thought would surely be abandoned along with Guantanamo Bay….well, enough said we still torture or at least we put a hit out on an American citizen and we still have Guantanamo Bay.  How can the Republicans be any worse?  I know it’s the social issues.  Just tell Granny to hang on to her pocketbook and hang on tight.  Those nasty Republicans are looking to snatch away her Social Security check.  They’re also going to get rid of that new fangled health care that no one seems to understand.  By George those Republicans are even going to cut welfare.

All I can say is, “Scare me some more!”  What the Democrats haven’t done is proven they can govern different than the Republicans.  This is a nasty game called politics and it seems like only the most corrupt win.  Well, I do have the answer for President Obama and the Democrats.  Tell the truth. Tell exactly what you think the Republicans plan to do when they get into office.

Here are some starters for you.  It’s not that hard to figure out what they would and would not do.

If you put them head to head, there are differences!

Republicans would:

Aim to repeal the health care bill rather than build on it.

Not pass legislation to extend unemployment benefits.

Pass tax cuts for big business and the high wage earners above $250,000.

Continue to support money for war, any war, because they haven’t met a war they wouldn’t fund.

Would plan on privatizing every aspect of government including education, our roads, anything they can think of to help their buddies.

Repeal the minimum wage because in these tough times we have to let the market determine the wage.

Put everything they can back on the states to pay for because they believe in “state’s rights” above all else.

Give more money to “faith based” organizations.

Take away money from social programs.

Not create any new stimulus projects.

Not provide legislation to fix our crumbling infrastructure.

Cut capital gains taxes and get rid of the estate tax on the wealthiest Americans.

Call for loosening environmental standards to help business.

Push for more off shore drilling without putting safety standards in place.

Now that wasn’t so hard was it?  If you are a Democrat and your mad like me, just think about what the Republicans really want to do. As a Democrat you may now notice that as much as we are disappointed by the current batch of Democrats, they aren’t as bad as the Republicans that we would surely get. Trust me.  They don’t want to help the little guy.  It’s all for big business and corporations.  So, even if you’re mad as hell, vote for the Democrats!

"Scared Straight" should scare you into voting for the Democrats!