Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E. Crow
I may be drummed out of the current version of the GOP for saying this, but Republicans need a Nelson Rockefeller to lead the party, now more than ever. The former governor of New York and Vice President to Gerald Ford was many things – billionaire, art lover, philanthropist, industrialist and ardent anti communist. In this age of political correctness, he would have been classified as a throwback – he could show genuine emotion in public -- he didn’t mind flipping the bird to hecklers. He was a progressive in economics and public works programs, and a staunch believer in the theory that good jobs could be created from private/public partnerships. He was not perfect, nobody is – yet, today’s rudderless GOP had better start looking for a Rockefeller if they hope to beat President Obama, a.k.a. Mr. Man in the Middle (or so he seems to be).
Message to the GOP intelligentsia: It’s the candidate, stupid.
A Dartmouth graduate, Rockefeller was born into one of the 20th Century’s greatest fortunes. However, curious as it appeared, Rocky didn’t seem all that enthralled with his wealth. Liberals will opine he didn’t need to concern himself with the mundane toil of everyday life when those kinds of bucks where at his fingertips, but Rockefeller genuinely didn’t let his riches get to him. He invested quite a bit of himself, personally, and professionally, to helping Middle America gain a larger foothold in the economy. Name one billionaire today willing to get tangled up with politics – there isn’t one willing to do it, save for Ebay’s Whitman.
It is true that Rockefeller tried to buy his way into the Presidency more than once and was shot down – but, it was his money to spend and lose, and not the PAC and union zillions we have to contend with today. In this day and age, Rockefeller would be viewed with suspicion and skepticism just as he was 40 years ago – although a reflective and introspective GOP could look beyond the intellectual decay of the sound bite and the hardliners who inhabit the fringe boundaries of the “party” to recognize that Rockefeller had it right – that government does have a role to play in economic development, that government does have a role to play in the improvement of life in this country – roles that do not bludgeon Americans to their knees with higher taxes but helps them get off their knees with effective government programs – measurable in their results and accountable in their actions.
“Rockefeller Republican” could be the label that wins votes during the upcoming election cycles. It is not important to educate voters who exactly Rockefeller was – it’s probably not important at this point – but his politics seem more interesting than ever.
Showing posts with label Matthew E. Crow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Matthew E. Crow. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Stimulus Bill to Small Business: Drop Dead
Remember America’s small businesses? They’re the ones who have served as the reliable job engines for our economy during the past several years but have been ignored in the President’s stimulus bill. In America’s modern history, small businesses have led America’s job generation machine. Fortune 500 companies haven’t actually grown jobs during the last decade and instead have garnered worse press than a Bernie Madoff telethon. Layoffs, hiring freezes and poor leadership have denied job gains to most of the blue chip companies – the same companies with their hands out to the Feds.
Over the past decade, small businesses have created well over half of net new jobs on a per capita basis. Small businesses are more innovative (based on patents) and small businesses have been leaders in technologies that have led to breakthrough discoveries. Those are facts that have been conveniently forgotten in this stimulus bill. We can correctly surmise why this is so – the uber unions who bet big on an Obama administration weren’t in the game for laughs – they went in up to their necks and are now expecting a return on their investment.
In large part, small business owners themselves are to blame for being left out of the biggest payoff to liberal interests in several decades. When you’re cutting the tall trees, you don’t bring an ax – you grab the biggest, meanest chainsaw you can find and have at it like the unions have done. You organize and raise money – you contribute large sums of that money to the candidate or party you think can best represent your interests. It speaks to the lean, mean types of operations that describe most small businesses that they just don’t have extra cash to buy influence – they’re too busy meeting payrolls and funding their own innovations.
Not one member of the senior staff currently working in the West Wing has ever held a for-profit job, signed a payroll check or owned a business. Both aborted picks for Commerce Secretary (of all the jobs!) weren’t business people, unlike their immediate successors. The recent nominee (no surprise) hasn’t a business background. These bits of troubling information make you wonder what they’ve been smoking over at the U.S. Chamber, which merrily endorsed most of candidate Obama’s development agenda. A small ray of hope amidst this business recovery amateur hour is the President’s pick to head the Small Business Administration. A successful venture capitalist, she will have her hands full working within this administration.
America’s hangover on the morning after this spending binge is shaping up to be a real beauty. Mardi Gras in the Big Easy should have so much wanton debauchery. Unfortunately, guess who gets to hose down the gutters and clean the streets after the party is over? The clean-up crew will be our kids and grandkids, deprived of their opportunity to grow small business in a political climate that only favors big unions and their big money.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E. Crow
Over the past decade, small businesses have created well over half of net new jobs on a per capita basis. Small businesses are more innovative (based on patents) and small businesses have been leaders in technologies that have led to breakthrough discoveries. Those are facts that have been conveniently forgotten in this stimulus bill. We can correctly surmise why this is so – the uber unions who bet big on an Obama administration weren’t in the game for laughs – they went in up to their necks and are now expecting a return on their investment.
In large part, small business owners themselves are to blame for being left out of the biggest payoff to liberal interests in several decades. When you’re cutting the tall trees, you don’t bring an ax – you grab the biggest, meanest chainsaw you can find and have at it like the unions have done. You organize and raise money – you contribute large sums of that money to the candidate or party you think can best represent your interests. It speaks to the lean, mean types of operations that describe most small businesses that they just don’t have extra cash to buy influence – they’re too busy meeting payrolls and funding their own innovations.
Not one member of the senior staff currently working in the West Wing has ever held a for-profit job, signed a payroll check or owned a business. Both aborted picks for Commerce Secretary (of all the jobs!) weren’t business people, unlike their immediate successors. The recent nominee (no surprise) hasn’t a business background. These bits of troubling information make you wonder what they’ve been smoking over at the U.S. Chamber, which merrily endorsed most of candidate Obama’s development agenda. A small ray of hope amidst this business recovery amateur hour is the President’s pick to head the Small Business Administration. A successful venture capitalist, she will have her hands full working within this administration.
America’s hangover on the morning after this spending binge is shaping up to be a real beauty. Mardi Gras in the Big Easy should have so much wanton debauchery. Unfortunately, guess who gets to hose down the gutters and clean the streets after the party is over? The clean-up crew will be our kids and grandkids, deprived of their opportunity to grow small business in a political climate that only favors big unions and their big money.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E. Crow
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
An Antietam Moment for Obama
Content and intent of the stimulus bill -- soon to be passed by Congress, continues to baffle the average American. The term “average” is not meant to insult anyone or infer anything – but rather, the term describes all Americans – not better or worse than our fellow citizens, everyone created equal. To put a finer point on it, we’re all riding on the good ship USS USA together, for better or worse. But every ship has a control bridge, and for the moment, it is the leadership up on the bridge that worries us “average” taxpayers.
Down below decks, we are the engine room mechanics, meal cooks and stewards. We are coal shovels, painters and carpenters. We are the ones who wear the overalls and get dirty. Up on the top deck, wearing their starched whites, are our commanding officers who we hope know what they are doing. Amongst the crew, we wonder out loud of their abilities. Do we want them to be aggressive, passive or just plain competent?
A recognized hallmark of effective leadership is excellent communication skills. Aboard the USS USA, that means White House and other administration officials communicating clearly with each other and with the taxpayer – clearly explaining why the ship is on a particular course. And, God forbid the ship is damaged, telling us precisely what actions they plan on taking. Americans don’t contemplate giving up the ship and we never will – but we have always required adequate and informed leadership.
In these early days of the Obama administration, the telephone lines that run from the bridge to the crew spaces below deck are jammed with mixed messages. It is not enough to say “ladies and gentleman, we’re going to sink and it’s going to be horrible”. Americans respond, “Yeah, so what are we going to do about it?”
The overstatement and soaring hyperbole on the size of the hole in our bottom has so far been the troubling hallmark of White House messaging. The last thing the crew needs to hear as the ship founders is “we’re in a hell of a mess” followed two minutes later by “we’re still in a hell of a mess.”
As the water pours into the ship, or, as is the case currently, billions of dollars flowing out of the taxpayer’s coffers, not one person in the entire administration is able to explain clearly what the devil is being done with the billions of dollars we are being asked to kick in. The money is flowing out of the ship like so much engine oil. The crew hears broad generalities about infrastructure repair, job creation, highway repair and such but absolutely no specifics as to how these pieces fit into the big picture. Remember the AIG bailout money? Yes, that money was pumped out during the last administration, but the current gang on the bridge admiring their gold braid is repeating the same mistake. They are suffering from a case of “the slows”, as President Lincoln like to call it.
Lincoln canned General McClelland after the Battle of Antietam for his “slowness”. Lincoln wanted results, not equivocation. Possibly this president will show the same fortitude of the man he constantly quotes and instill some aggressiveness in his “best and brightest” that have promised great things to the crew.
Captain, we’re waiting.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E Crowe
Down below decks, we are the engine room mechanics, meal cooks and stewards. We are coal shovels, painters and carpenters. We are the ones who wear the overalls and get dirty. Up on the top deck, wearing their starched whites, are our commanding officers who we hope know what they are doing. Amongst the crew, we wonder out loud of their abilities. Do we want them to be aggressive, passive or just plain competent?
A recognized hallmark of effective leadership is excellent communication skills. Aboard the USS USA, that means White House and other administration officials communicating clearly with each other and with the taxpayer – clearly explaining why the ship is on a particular course. And, God forbid the ship is damaged, telling us precisely what actions they plan on taking. Americans don’t contemplate giving up the ship and we never will – but we have always required adequate and informed leadership.
In these early days of the Obama administration, the telephone lines that run from the bridge to the crew spaces below deck are jammed with mixed messages. It is not enough to say “ladies and gentleman, we’re going to sink and it’s going to be horrible”. Americans respond, “Yeah, so what are we going to do about it?”
The overstatement and soaring hyperbole on the size of the hole in our bottom has so far been the troubling hallmark of White House messaging. The last thing the crew needs to hear as the ship founders is “we’re in a hell of a mess” followed two minutes later by “we’re still in a hell of a mess.”
As the water pours into the ship, or, as is the case currently, billions of dollars flowing out of the taxpayer’s coffers, not one person in the entire administration is able to explain clearly what the devil is being done with the billions of dollars we are being asked to kick in. The money is flowing out of the ship like so much engine oil. The crew hears broad generalities about infrastructure repair, job creation, highway repair and such but absolutely no specifics as to how these pieces fit into the big picture. Remember the AIG bailout money? Yes, that money was pumped out during the last administration, but the current gang on the bridge admiring their gold braid is repeating the same mistake. They are suffering from a case of “the slows”, as President Lincoln like to call it.
Lincoln canned General McClelland after the Battle of Antietam for his “slowness”. Lincoln wanted results, not equivocation. Possibly this president will show the same fortitude of the man he constantly quotes and instill some aggressiveness in his “best and brightest” that have promised great things to the crew.
Captain, we’re waiting.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E Crowe
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
The Government's Role in the Economic Recovery: A Partner, Not a Sponsor
The Washington Post reported last week that the President hasn't ventured beyond a four mile radius outside the White House since January 20th and the opponents of the economic stimulus bill couldn't be happier about it. By staying inside of Washington since his inaugural, the President has missed an opportunity to create public support for his stimulus package. There's one honeymoon per marriage, and he's blown his by relying on Beltway insiders to move the stimulus bill ahead
The new White House photographer, Pete Souza, should put his camera down and provide the President with some advice from another President that Souza worked for – Ronald Reagan. Reagan and company – Deaver, Meese, Rollins, Nofzinger et al understood all too well that public acceptance of legislation or public policy debuts had to happen beyond the opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
There are a multitude of “sets” President Obama could have visited to connect with the American voter on why the stimulus bill should be passed, and many of these locations are demonstrative of how jobs can be created when the private and public sectors work together. On second thought, perhaps that’s the reason the President didn’t visit these spots – because they represent Government as a partner, not a sponsor, of job growth.
Some of the best examples of public-private economic development partnerships can be found in University Research Parks. The parks have been around for years and have paid huge dividends to the regions where they are located. Economic cross pollination between graduates, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists combined with the intellectual horse power of the university scientists and professors create an environment where small businesses are created and thrive. Government money provided to the parks has been spent wisely and evenly – with outcomes and deliverables clearly measured.
Speaking of the Gipper, he would have loved the New Orleans Bio Innovation Center as a speech backdrop. A consortium of LSU, Tulane, the University of New Orleans and Xavier University, the center’s Technology Business Incubator has successfully stimulated entrepreneurial bio science companies in an area devastated by Katrina. The bio sciences field is growing at a pace comparable to the health care industry and higher skilled, higher paying jobs are being created right along with the growth.
Another Reagan-esque speech site is the University of Toledo’s Science and Technology Corridor project. Research, development and business generation in the corridor has focused on exploring alternative energy development. Toledo, long swaying in the economic doldrums, is coming alive again with young entrepreneurs creating spin-offs that support research into alternative methods of powering the United States well into the next century, without the need for foreign oil.
Both sites are excellent examples of long term, coordinated economic development collaboration between Universities and their surrounding regions, primed by well managed government funding seen as seed capital, not a bottomless pit of funding. Greenhouses of innovation and competitiveness, these parks are helping regional economies co-exist and thrive in the broader, world-wide economy.
The President had some tailor made examples of economic stimulus projects he could have spotlighted with a personal visit had he chose to. The facts and pictures would have spoken for themselves, and voters would see what public/private partnerships are capable of. The fact that he didn’t take advantage of pre-existing and successful models could signal a vision for economic recovery that trades sheer volumes of unfettered taxpayer money rained upon programs (and yet to be created programs) with little practical thought.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E. Crow
The new White House photographer, Pete Souza, should put his camera down and provide the President with some advice from another President that Souza worked for – Ronald Reagan. Reagan and company – Deaver, Meese, Rollins, Nofzinger et al understood all too well that public acceptance of legislation or public policy debuts had to happen beyond the opposite ends of Pennsylvania Avenue.
There are a multitude of “sets” President Obama could have visited to connect with the American voter on why the stimulus bill should be passed, and many of these locations are demonstrative of how jobs can be created when the private and public sectors work together. On second thought, perhaps that’s the reason the President didn’t visit these spots – because they represent Government as a partner, not a sponsor, of job growth.
Some of the best examples of public-private economic development partnerships can be found in University Research Parks. The parks have been around for years and have paid huge dividends to the regions where they are located. Economic cross pollination between graduates, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists combined with the intellectual horse power of the university scientists and professors create an environment where small businesses are created and thrive. Government money provided to the parks has been spent wisely and evenly – with outcomes and deliverables clearly measured.
Speaking of the Gipper, he would have loved the New Orleans Bio Innovation Center as a speech backdrop. A consortium of LSU, Tulane, the University of New Orleans and Xavier University, the center’s Technology Business Incubator has successfully stimulated entrepreneurial bio science companies in an area devastated by Katrina. The bio sciences field is growing at a pace comparable to the health care industry and higher skilled, higher paying jobs are being created right along with the growth.
Another Reagan-esque speech site is the University of Toledo’s Science and Technology Corridor project. Research, development and business generation in the corridor has focused on exploring alternative energy development. Toledo, long swaying in the economic doldrums, is coming alive again with young entrepreneurs creating spin-offs that support research into alternative methods of powering the United States well into the next century, without the need for foreign oil.
Both sites are excellent examples of long term, coordinated economic development collaboration between Universities and their surrounding regions, primed by well managed government funding seen as seed capital, not a bottomless pit of funding. Greenhouses of innovation and competitiveness, these parks are helping regional economies co-exist and thrive in the broader, world-wide economy.
The President had some tailor made examples of economic stimulus projects he could have spotlighted with a personal visit had he chose to. The facts and pictures would have spoken for themselves, and voters would see what public/private partnerships are capable of. The fact that he didn’t take advantage of pre-existing and successful models could signal a vision for economic recovery that trades sheer volumes of unfettered taxpayer money rained upon programs (and yet to be created programs) with little practical thought.
Submitted by ASO member: Matthew E. Crow
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