Citizen Writers Fighting Censorship by Helping Americans Understand Issues Affecting the Republic.
Jeffery Marshall Ed.D., BG(R) 
Leader selection and assessment is a critical leader task. Unfortunately, it is often based on technical skills or dominated by an HR process that may have little to do with virtue and leadership.
Is leadership a process? Processes have inputs and actions/activities that produce outputs. In virtue-based leadership, the inputs are Virtue, Competency, and Candor. The outputs are Integrity, Truth, and Trust.
While there are similarities and crossovers between morality, ethics, and virtue, they are not the same. For me, at least, morality is essentially based on operant conditioning—reward and punishment. Ethics are based on rules and systems. Both are mutable and will vary
Abstract: We live in a society and time that seems very fluid regarding moral and ethical standards and conduct. This is especially true for people on the polar extremes of the left/right divide, but affects all of us. To make the situation even more complex, most of us think we highly morally evolved. Those …
Discernment is perhaps one of the most important, but least studied and written about leadership skills. It is especially important for virtue-based leadership, which requires leaders to consider moral aspects of decisions.
Abstract: During my doctorate in Leadership and Learning in Organizations at Vanderbilt, there were a few readings and discussions over whether there is even such a thing as a “leader” or “leadership”. This is related to the discussion over whether leaders are born—they have innate characteristics and capabilities—or made—they are developed, trained and educated. The …
The Hippocratic oath tells the doctor to do first no harm. Yet that is what a surgeon has to do. Sometimes we need to do harm to do good. The trick is to balance the harm and good, so the good far outweighs the harm.
The media has hyped and fueled American partisan conflicts since the birth of the Republic. That was one reason that instigated the infamous Alien and Sedition Acts.
Is DOGE a thief, a thieftaker (modern usage: bounty hunter) or a diversion? With all the contradictory reports and poor information, it is hard to tell what they are. Both judicial review and thieftaking are rooted in English Common Law, but those that use judicial review are loath to employ thieftaking. To make matters even more complex and muddled, DOGE has not taken a single thief yet, but stories abound about Musk companies getting sweetheart deals. What is the truth? Few know for sure since most of DOGE’s work is done behind shuttered windows with maybe a few slats left open to tantalize the populace. We need open windows and actionable information.
I don’t think we want DOGE to be just a wrecking ball. If DOGE is not a change agent than the Trump administration needs to identify the change agent(s) and develop change management plans. Someone needs to be the architects that re-build government with the Constitution as a blueprint. If we do not rebuild, the tear down will leave us to the barbarians at the gates. Is DOGE a change agent, an audit agent, or just a wrecking ball?
DOGE appears to be taking a short-term approach to change. Audits are rearward looking and point-in-time. While important, they will not systematically change the federal government.
Now what is the President’s DOGE Agenda? I have yet to find a clear, written statement that lays out this agenda. Yes, there is a lot of talk, but perhaps still no written policy statement and objectives.
A series of critical inflection points led us to the point where we currently are with a strong central government with several corrupt and potentially criminal acts. If it was not the federal government, elements of the central government could be subject to RICO. The key inflection points center around the Progressive Era in the early 20th century and include the Wilsonian bureaucratic reforms, the 16th Amendment and the 17th Amendment to the Constitution. Real reform must address these areas. Otherwise DOGE may save some money this year, but will not fundamentally change how the government is structured or operates.
Strategy needs to recognize conflict will happen and where and why. Culture needs to bring it in the open and keep it positive
Government, regarless of form, should be an enabling function for prosperity, stability, and peace.
We hear a lot about democracy in the elections today. But what is really, and what does it need to sprout and flourish?
We hear a lot about democracy in the elections today. But what is really, and what does it need to sprout and flourish?
We hear a lot about democracy in the elections today. But what is really, and what does it need to sprout and flourish?
We hear a lot about democracy in the elections today. But what is really, and what does it need to sprout and flourish?
George H.W. Bush was riding high after the 1st Gulf War. Then he was beaten for reelection by the governor off the 3rd poorest state in the union, “throwaway candidate,” Bill Clinton.