a problem only congress can't see

If you do a computer search on "leadership," Google will give you 138,000,000 references in less than one second. Wow! Apparently we know a lot about leadership. We can define it, discuss it, illustrate it – but have trouble finding real life examples. More often than not it evades us in our search for the "right" leader. We want our leader to be a person of integrity, fully informed on crucial is¬sues, sensitive to the rights of minorities, eloquent in presentation, and aware of the concerns of a diverse society. There is nothing wrong with these qualifications. They take us in the right direction. However, there is an additional quality that is rarely mentioned in a discussion on leadership. The American humorist, Arnold H. Glasgow was on target when he wrote, "One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency." This requires the common sense ability to learn from past experience.
       We readily acknowledge that "history repeats itself" but have trouble acting accordingly. We know that if a person drives recklessly it's only a matter of time until they'll have an accident. For a leader to be unaware of probable consequences or unwilling to take appropriate action indicates rather obviously that they are the wrong person for the position. On every level, a leader must be able to recognize that it is unwise to pursue a course of action that in the past has led to an undesirable result. Misguided policies should be abandoned. We know that if you bang your head on the table you'll get a headache. In the same way, if a nation weakens its ability to defend itself, others will take advantage. They always have, they always will – cause and effect.
       And there are other problems that become emergencies if a nation doesn't take appropriate action. Certainly one is our spending problem. What would you, as the one responsible, do if the family debt were significantly above your income? What would happen in your family if an able-bodied member refused to work? How long would your family allow one of its members pursue a life-style that has proven to be personally harmful as well as detrimental for others? Such problems are not too hard to understand, are they? We would quit spending so much, make the lazy do something to help, and do our best to assist the wayward in changing their destructive habits.
       So why don't we as a nation acknowledge our problems and take the action necessary to solve them? Why is it that we allow an unsustainable debt to continue to grow? We are told that under the previous administration, for every job created, 45 people have been added to the food stamp roster. No patriot wants to witness the de¬mise of our nation. So where is the leadership that will redirect us away from the inevitable result of our current set of priorities? A wise father doesn't spend more than he earns, teaches his children their obligations as a member of the family, and helps the black sheep turn from their destructive lifestyle and enjoy the proven benefits of a life with boundaries. Is there a leader on the national stage willing and able to direct a profligate people back to those values that made us what we once were?