Thoughts and reflections on the leadership vacuum in our day and age.

1. A Call for Common Sense Brad Benner President Alps Wire Rope Corporation

2. August 11, 2011- THE PROBLEM Given the current uncertainties being entertained, and bantered about, in the USA, and the rest of the world, by its political leaders, who can not be considered representatives of an electorate; a biased media that no longer reports news, but expresses opinion; and greedy market manipulators, be that market exchanges, or corporate executive excesses; I feel compelled to post this message in a format that can be seen by a large group of individuals, hopefully to be read, in order to demonstrate that there still exists common sense and practical problem solving as regards our economic interdependencies and human commonalities.

3. I do not purport to have all answers, nor do I wish to assume the responsibility for determining those answers, but I do believe that the vast majority of the people in the world do realize that, if I may be so bold as to borrow a metaphor from the title of an old children's fable, “the Emperor has no clothes”. I can not speak in a cognizant manner regarding the social unrest in the Middle East, or the financial ramifications of the Euro because the information I am allowed to hear in the USA is too filtered, and biased, as to allow me the ability to make an intelligent decision regarding those matters. I can however discern the issues that are taking place in the USA, because they are plain, information is available, and history speaks to the impacts of one decision versus another.

4. In America we have fallen from our former glory. It is not the first time we have fallen, and our “glory” has always been partial, not complete. There was a time when the majority of Americans were honest and resourceful. A time when it was considered tragic, or worse, to accept welfare, or help of any kind for that matter. A time when a determined person who knew their own mind would chart a course for themselves to succeed, but at the same time understood that success carried a responsibility to give back to the community of influence, and a need to try to improve the society around oneself. To move forward to a higher level of understanding. High ideals were the order of the day. I meet people from throughout the world who still share this same sentiment with me. Yet I do not find common sense, or truth, in the voices of leadership, as referenced earlier, that seek to manipulate for private or corporate gain. This brings me grief, and gives me great anxiety knowing that my three sons, whom I raised to be honorable young men, shall have to endure the corruption of this age.

5. As I stated earlier, I do not have all the answers, but I do know that our problems are not complex. The problem in America is simple to diagnose: Morale Decay. One only has to do a brief review of the rise and fall of the Roman, Greek, and Persian empires, to realize that affluence and complacency resulted in a morale decay that brought about collapse from within. This is History 101. Basic stuff. I am a Christian, and I firmly believe the tenants of my faith. I have, however, met many people who profess another faith, or no faith, who exhibit morale character. This morale character often garners admiration and opportunity. But most importantly in allows a person to know truth, and to exhibit wisdom through the administration of “Common Sense”.

7. Corporate leaders who accept multi-million dollar bonuses during a time when their corporate income statements bleed red ink all over not just the paper they printed on, but the trade journals that report such matters.

8. We would not have employees who blackmail their bosses with lawsuits just so they can get fired, and take their share of the welfare pie.

10. Herein lies the root of the problem. We have leadership in place, at the current time who have codified and perfected this fracturing process to manipulate for private gain. In politics we have “spin doctors”, in the media we have “analysts”, in the corporate environment we have the double headed hydra of consultants and academia, and in the realm of the religions we have so many fractures among fractures that we can not even begin to name all the partisanship. (just look in the Yellow pages under churches to see what I mean.) The common sense solutions required from our leadership will be tough to develop and administer. Jobs will be lost, and change is a certainty. But not all change is bad, just as not all change is good. It is common sense that helps us determine one from the other.

11. Many times when one takes the “hard road”, exhibiting character and fortitude, not for the sake of personal gain, but for the good of the whole, then one realizes that that sacrifices that are foisted upon them, by making this tough determination, brings about their ultimate good, through a personal betterment. This is not to say that sacrifice for the sake of sacrifice brings about betterment. If that was the case there would exist today's many societies that plainly do not any longer exist. This type of sacrifice just fosters the corruption in all ages. No I speak of a sacrifice that impact the character of a person. It requires risk. It exhibits courage. Is fear present? Yes it is. Does fear paralyze a person of morale fortitude? Absolutely not! That person walks through the fear to the appointed purpose.

12. This message is not a solution. This message should garner a question. It should stir something within our humanity that seeks to know truth. It is my hope that this message has shown that a ray of light does pierce through the darkness of this age. That by seeking truth, in the context of our brotherhood, rather than tribalism, we would begin to move towards the public good. That we would seek out the “high ideal”, and not scoff at those who espouse such lofty aims. This my hope of this message.

13. My personal hope is that this search for truth would lead you to the source of that truth. The source that the Founding fathers of the United States referenced in the second paragraph of their Declaration of Independence, which is as follows: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed-” That you would meet and know your Creator intimately. Godspeed, and may God richly bless you.