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Remember Lee Iacocca, the man who rescued Chrysler Corporation from it's death throes? He has a new book, and here are some excerpts.

Lee Iacocca Says:

"Am I the only guy in this country who's fed up with what's happening? Where the hell is our outrage? We should be screaming bloody murder. We've got a gang of clueless bozos steering our ship of state right over a cliff, we've got corporate gangsters stealing us blind, and we can't even clean up after a hurricane much less build a hybrid car. But instead of getting mad, everyone sits around and nods their heads when the politicians say, "Stay the course".

 Stay the course? You've got to be kidding. This is America, not the damned "Titanic". I'll give you a sound bite: "Throw all the bums out!"

  You might think I'm getting senile, that I've gone off my rocker, and maybe I have. But someone has to speak up. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

 The most famous business leaders are not the innovators but the guys in handcuffs. While we're fiddling in Iraq, the Middle East is burning and nobody seems to know what to do.  And the press is waving 'pom-poms' instead of asking hard questions. That's not the promise of the "America" my parents and yours traveled across the ocean for. I've had enough. How about you?

  I'll go a step further. You can't call yourself a patriot if you're not outraged. This is a fight I'm ready and willing to have.

 The Biggest "C" is Crisis !

  Leaders are made, not born. Leadership is forged in times of crisis.   It's easy to sit there with your feet up on the desk and talk theory.  Or send someone else's kids off to war when you've never seen a battlefield yourself. It's another thing to lead when your world comes tumbling down.

  On September 11, 2001, we needed a strong leader more than any other time in our history. We needed a steady hand to guide us out of the ashes. A Hell of a Mess.

 So here's where we stand. We're immersed in a bloody war with no plan for winning and no plan for leaving. We're running the biggest deficit in the history of the country. We're losing the manufacturing edge to Asia, while our once-great companies are getting slaughtered by health care costs. Gas prices are skyrocketing, and nobody in power has a coherent energy policy. Our schools are in trouble. Our borders are like sieves. The middle class is being squeezed every which way. These are times that cry out for leadership.

  But when you look around, you've got to ask: "Where have all the leaders gone?" Where are the curious, creative communicators? Where are the people of character, courage, conviction, omnipotence, and common sense?  I may be a sucker for alliteration, but I think you get the point.

  Name me a leader who has a better idea for homeland security than making us take off our shoes in airports and throw away our shampoo?  We've spent billions of dollars building a huge new bureaucracy, and all we know how to do is react to things that have already happened.

  Name me one leader w ho emerged from the crisis of Hurricane Katrina. Congress has yet to spend a single day evaluating the response to the hurricane, or demanding accountability for the decisions that were made in the crucial hours after the storm. 

Everyone's hunkering down, fingers crossed, hoping it doesn't happen again. Now, that's just crazy. Storms happen. Deal with it. Make a plan.  Figure out what you're going to do the next time. 

 Name me an industry leader who is thinking creatively about how we can restore our competitive edge in manufacturing. Who would have believed that there could ever be a time when "The Big Three" referred to Japanese car companies? How did this happen, and more important, what are we going to do about it?

  Name me a government leader who can articulate a plan for paying down the debt, or solving the energy crisis, or managing the health care problem. The silence is deafening. But these are the crises that are eating away at our country and milking the middle class dry.

  I have news for the gang in Congress. We didn't elect you to sit on your asses and do nothing and remain silent while our democracy is being hijacked and our greatness is being replaced with mediocrity.  What is everybody so afraid of? That some bonehead on Fox News will call them a name? Give me a break. Why don't you guys show some spine for a change?

  Had Enough?

  Hey, I'm not trying to be the voice of gloom and doom here.  I'm trying to light a fire.  I'm speaking out because I have hope.  I believe in America.  In my lifetime I've had the privilege of living through some of America's greatest moments.  I've also experienced some of our worst crises: the "Great Depression", "World War II", the "Korean War", the "Kennedy Assassination", the "Vietnam War", the 1970s oil crisis, and the struggles of recent years culminating with 9/11. If I've learned one thing, it's this:
"You don't get anywhere by standing on the sidelines waiting for somebody else to take action. Whether it's building a better car or building a better future for our children, we all have a role to play. That's the challenge I'm raising in this book. It's a call to "Action" for people who, like me, believe in America.  It's not too late, but it's getting pretty close. So let's shake off the crap and go to work. Let's tell 'em all we've had "enough."

Jim Richards

Why do republicans find such joy in see Hillary loose and not much joy in seeing their Candidate win?lol She scares you huh. Just a reminder Bob Dole beat Bush Sr in Iowa. I do enjoy watching all this develop.

Hillary Loses in Iowa,comes in third, Hmm, maybe people are listening to the truth about her, if she loses in New hampshire, stick a fork in her, shes done.

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About jimr Member Since: July 01, 2006 Last Signed In: May 04, 2008 Profile Views: 6711 Blog Views: 20274 View Profile Send a Message Send To A Friend Sign Guestbook Add as a Friend Previous Posts PRISON EXPANSION THREATENS OUR QUALITY OF LIFE! BEWARE OF PHONE-Y CALLS! WHEN YOUR HUT'S ON FIRE! URGENT NEWS FOR ALL CITIZENS! THE MAYOR'S PERSONAL AGENDA! BUYING THE PRESIDENCY! HILLARY'S DONATIONS SUSPECT! THE CAB RIDE! TONIGHT'S THE BIG NIGHT, PEOPLE! IT'S YOUR CITY - AND YOUR MONEY! Archives August 06 September 06 October 06 November 06 December 06 January 07 February 07 March 07 April 07 May 07 June 07 July 07 August 07 September 07 October 07 November 07 December 07 January 08 February 08 March 08 April 08 May 08 June 08 July 08 August 08 September 08 October 08 Subscribe! RSS 2.0 How does this work?

jimr - > TEHACHAPI SAFETY, SECURITY AND POLITICAL ISSUES -> NEW 2008 CEREAL BOX

NEW 2008 CEREAL BOX larger view Leave Comment Subscribe to comments Posted in these Groups: Topics: posted by jimr on Friday, January 4, 2008 at 04:52 AM Report a Violation Viewed 173 times 6 comments from 5 users <Reverse Sort Order> 1 posted by LoriMorales on Jan 4, 2008 at 03:25 PM As a little reminder ..... Lee set it up and the federal government - that's you and me, jimr - bailed Chrysler out. Report Violation posted by LoriMorales on Jan 4, 2008 at 03:21 PM We get our one little vote - if the voting machine works properly, which is only 75% of the time.  Who is Lee voting for?  I'll bet he votes for one of the major candidates.  And each and every one of them owes allegiance to some lobbyist .... pick your poison.  Is it the oil machine?  The tobacco companies?  The farmers?  AARP?  Insurance?  How 'bout the evangelicals?  What will they ask for in return for their block of votes? Report Violation posted by gillfish on Jan 4, 2008 at 11:06 AM This is a great post Jim. Lee Iaccoca says what we all think but yet we don't take any action on. It's really (for me) what can i do? Who really cares and would take my concerns serious? I've had form letters sent back to me from our state leaders thanking me for my concern and that's about it. I think we are stressed to a point that we do hunker down because we can't deal with the overwhelming crisis's in this country and around the world. I see the genocides in Dar fer and am sad but of course I do nothing (what could I realistically do). It's too much for me. We need real leaders. I really don't think any of the candidates are capable of the greatness it would take to lead us out of this very black period. Obama talks a good talk, Hillary has more experience, none of the republicans are cutting it-Huckabee? Come on. Politicians have publicists who script everything so that ,say for instance Bush, speaks he sounds phoney or when he is speaking without the script he sounds like a moron or clueless.  I will be buying this book. Remember to vote. It is the one thing we all can do. Write your congressperson etc. Most big newspapers list  who to write. Report Violation posted by jimr on Jan 4, 2008 at 10:30 AM Everyone should read Lee Ioccoca's new book "Where Have All The Leaders Gone?" and decide for themsleves. Here's an exerpt: