RE: [pf] Leadership

· In general I agree with Kaleopono.

· I don't want to dilute that.
  So I'll just say I think more leaders would come forward if the political
system was focussed on local areas, e.g. if there was no _United_ states,
just the individual cities and states, with Interstate affairs worked out
case-by-case, with no permanent body "at the top" - i.e. _no_ top.
  Then there would be much less power (from wealth) to attract people like
the current bunch.
  The admiration and respect of the people they meet, their constituents,
would be part of the attraction of political life.

 David.

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At 10:16 15/5/2001 -1000, Kaleopono wrote:
>
>IMO the representative democratic political system requires elected
officers of our communities to "put their finger to the wind" and gauge
where (on what issues) their support lies.  They are followers, can never
be leaders in the true sense of the word.  The squeaky wheel gets the
grease.  The squeeks are generated by "hidden" leaders out in the community
from which the government official is elected.  Because it is in their
interest to do so, elected representatives have for decades called
themselves leaders... they like the image, and it comforts many citizens
who conclude that the "leaders" are more knowledgable and know best,
minimizing the extent to which the officials are required to justify their
votes and other actions.  It takes the TV-soundbite-brainwashed-consumer
voter off the personal responsibility to stay informed hook, too.
>
>In reality, the effective leadership in our society today comes mainly
from corporate interest groups and the policy think tanks they fund lavishly.
There is no comparable force providing a vision, nor a comprehensive agenda
for bringing it into reality, that seeks first and foremost to benefit the
vast majority of the citizenry.  Pretty much all of the current
"spontaneous self organizing" of our socio-economic-political system is
going in the direction advocated by the behind-the-scenes leaders and power
brokers who support and elect government officers to advance their vision
of a materialist cornucopia (and considerable personal wealth and power for
very few).
>
>Only very few true leaders operate within our local communities
articulating day-after-day the vision of sustainable health and welfare of
ALL people. Only a very few are carrying out the organizing and group
action initiatives at the local level that are required to get us there.  A
lot more genuine leadership that advocates and educates within the
framework of most people's daily life experiences will be necessary to
manifest the "general will" of the majority within the political structure
of our society.
>
>I do not think the circumstances will change until activist-oriented folks
are called to recognize that the issue of effective leadership is at the
core of resolving every difficulty we face.  We need to cultivate the
honorable profession of leadership and community service.  The people who
receive these valuable leadership services must also support their leaders
materially, psycho-emotionally and spiritually (which may require hard
financial and time budgeting choices).
>
>Kaleopono
>
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