Another Problem with Lee Greenwood?

I love Lee Greenwood's song; so much so, it plays a prominent role in The Calling to Lead!

Did I Predict the Placement and Location of the New San Diego Chargers Stadium?

As many of you know, I am currently shopping my manuscript titled The Calling to Lead and a while back, I wrote about the manuscript's connection to the city of San Diego.

A Belated Anniversary Wish to a Great Show

After seeing a Tweet appear on my BlackBerry feed earlier this evening, I feel the need to wish a Happy Belated 5th Anniversary to a great show: Fox News's RedEye w/ Greg Gutfeld!

Happy Birthday to The 'Right' Solutions

One year ago, The 'Right' Solutions was born! This blog was started in the interest of not only to showcase my writing, but to bring and apply the topics featured in my yet to be published novel, The Calling to Lead, into the real world.

With politics in the center of the news for much of the year, it was a central topic of posts. I will continue on that path, yet if any news breaks about The Calling to Lead, you will also be made aware. Thank you for reading and I you continue to read and check back!

Summarizing The Calling to Lead

Michael Buonocore’s (good heart, in Italian) parents prepared him well to lead through example, teaching him character and values to achieve success, while his education and experiences at Drew University reinforced them. On September 11, 2001, Michael faced personal loss, sadness and anger, but it was those leadership skills that brought Michael to discover his calling to lead; to lead himself out of despair, to lead his fellow Gen-X-ers, newly minted as “The 9-11 Generation,” to building upon the successes of the United States, along with leading his fellow citizens into discovering the importance of being Americans, as well as responsibilities, as individuals and citizens, they should proudly and honorably carry on their shoulders to protect, defend and preserve the nation. The result of Michael’s following that calling changed his own personal course to teach at his alma mater, then, following his long time freelance position at the Fox News Channel, Education Contributor to Fox, and honors received as a teacher, hosting his own prime time, political analysis program. It was that calling to lead eventually inspiring him to run for Governor of New Jersey. After seeing a lack of leadership in Washington and its reaction to a wave of terrorism to hit the United States, Michael decides to seek the presidency, facing the greatest challenges in his career and life. Will the voters of the United States of America be inspired by Michael Buonocore's calling to lead, enough to send him to the White House?

UPDATE: The Calling to Lead

It has been a while since I've posted anything relating to my novel, The Calling to Lead, as we've had elections, various political stories and leadership analysis to make its way into the news that warranted comment. It is time for you, the readers, to have an update.

After a fastidious editing session, I have begun to shop the manuscript to agents and eventually hope to gain representation so as to eventually publish The Calling to Lead. The process is long, as I am sending query letters out to describe the plot of The Calling to Lead, some background information, inspiration/experience that led to its writing, as well as effective marketing strategies to put it in the hands of readers, but I have a strong resolve and will not be giving up anytime soon, as I hope to share my first novel with you all in the near future!

He's Baaack

Former President George W. Bush has returned to the public eye the past two weeks with the release of his memoir, Decision Points. The book explores 14 major decisions in the president's life, many of which took place while in the presidency. He takes the reader through each, whether or not he feels he made the right moves and the ramifications of the decision.

On a personal note, I met the president twice, having a short conversation with him in the first meeting on the campaign trail (This meeting inspired his appearance in interacting with Michael Buonocore in The Calling to Lead) and just shaking his hand in an exchange of "Hello" and "God Bless You" in the second meeting at the Inaugural Ball. He connects well with people on a one-on-one basis and is a man of character. It saddens me he was not able to make and show that connection, especially during his second term. As we watch President Bush in his interviews and the softballs thrown at him to give him a chance to take a swing at Obama, he refuses, and this speaks volumes about his character.

I just finished reading the book today and walk away very impressed. The reader can observe his wit, and as one reads it and uses their imagination, it's as if George W. Bush is speaking the words on the page. Unlike other memoirs, he does not attempt to whitewash history and confronts issues where he was heavily criticized such as Iraq, TARP and Katrina. He defends the decisions he made (Iraq, Afghanistan, Wartime Decisions, The Freedom Agenda, TARP), in analysis of other decisions, he examines where he went wrong, (Katrina, campaign decisions, Social Security Reform, Immigration Reform, personnel) and he discusses disagreements between members of his staff, either with each other or with Bush himself. (Cheney v. Bush on Libby, Rumsfeld v. Powell on Iraq) His most apparent weakness in office was his inability to defend himself and/or articulate his positions. Bush, in his memoir, touches on why he didn't "fight back" (Did not want to dishonor the Institution of the President) and also explains the background further on why he made the decisions he did (Iraq, Katrina). He comes off as satisfied with the decisions he made, honored that he served, and is ready to move on to the next chapter of his life, as explained in this rather witty passage near the end of the book:

"Shortly after we moved to Dallas, I took Barney for an early morning walk around our neighborhood...Barney spotted the neighbor's lawn, where he promptly took care of his business. There I was, the former President of the United States, with a plastic bag on my hand, picking up that which I had been dodging for the past eight years."

When Bush's second term ended, I gave him the grade of B-; far from a perfect president. After reading Decision Points, that B- still stands. First and foremost, we were not attacked after September 11 during his presidency, and that significant achievement should be the first item cited when assessing his presidency. As previously stated on "The 'Right' Solutions" our security is our most important issue as one attack can make every other issue moot. Further positives that were factored in consist of his tax cuts, Supreme Court picks, as well as the honor and protection of our military men and women. He will not come close to that A grade as a result of his his refusal to defend himself/inability to further explain the issues to the people, his endorsement of high federal spending (including TARP), inconsistencies on illegal immigration, and he and his team's inability to stop the Financial Crisis of 2008 5 years earlier.

As a president, George W. Bush will be remembered for his leadership. He took in all accounts, both pro and con, and in the end, made a decision and stuck with it, as opposed to flip-flopping and leading while predicting which way the political wind will blow.

It was very smart Decision Points was released after the midterm elections, as attention was kept on the Republicans who were campaigning to serve in the House and Senate, and as we enter the cycle of the Election of 2012, we will soon hear from Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney, and both can be guaranteed to shake up the political landscape!

The 9-11 Generation-Influencing the Millennials in Avoiding the Mistakes of the Greatest Generation

As I wrote The Calling to Lead and completed my research and planning for the novel, I intensely examined the various American generations, along with generational relations, and their effects on the United States; considering the fact that a generation's rise and transitions is one of the main components of the storyline. In chatting with a close family friend this weekend, we were talking about this subject matter and comparing the Greatest Generation to my Generation, Gen-X, the soon to be 9-11 Generation. As I have stated many times, Generation X will eventually transform into the 9-11 Generation and has the potential to be as great if not greater than the Greatest Generation. In The Calling to Lead, Michael Buonocore represents that Gen-Xer who will transform his generation into the 9-11 Generation and become its leader.

In looking back, the Greatest Generation had two very strong challenges to overcome in The Great Depression and World War II. From our study of The Great Depression, we all know what happened there, how there were no jobs, families were starving, etc, and this continued on right up until we were attacked at Pearl Harbor, bringing us into World War II. Once the war started, the men went to Europe and to the Pacific to fight and defend our nation against the spread of Nazism, Fascism and Totalitarianism. Women had the added responsibilities of keeping the economy going while still tending to their families. After four long years, The Greatest Generation pushed back the evils of the world, then came home to further build this economy and raise their families so they could espouse to their children the greatness and exceptionalism of the United States.

The story is still being written for Generation X/The 9-11 Generation, but again, as I earlier stated, terrorists attacking the United States on her soil shocked my generation into reality that the United States can no longer consider herself safe because we have two oceans on either side of our coast. That attack on that day showed terrorists have the power, if we let them, to bring our country to a halt and we must not allow that to happen. We began to walk with an overall awareness on our city streets, similar to what had been done in London, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Paris for years. In the response to 9-11, some in my generation followed the footsteps of the men of the Greatest Generation and enlisted in the military to stop the terrorists where they live. Others contributed in different ways where they pursued careers where they gave of themselves to others, served the nation or prepared the next generation. This is the primary reason that I became an educator. The younger generations must learn where they came from so they can contribute to where the United States will go when they become leaders.

In this conversation with my family friend, who by the way is a member of the Greatest Generation, the point on which we both agreed was that the while the Greatest Generation had all good intention in raising their children, who became the Baby Boom Generation, wishing to protect them from the horrors their generation had to face, whether providing for them, over-sheltering them, etc., many in that generation accepted these parental protections as the cultural norm and as they became of age, began to influence their leaders into providing this extra protection, and as leaders themselves, would eventually provide this protection, in the form of governmental influence and various governmental programs.

In 2010, we are seeing the Baby Boomers' vision of an overtly strong and influential central government grind the United States to a screeching halt. Taxes have risen (and will rise) to run this expanded government and we are now seeing the effects: high unemployment, stifling regulation and the building of a reliance to depend on the government. As a result, we are facing similar economic challenges that the Greatest Generation felt. Having had enough and wanting to take another path, many in Gen-X/The 9-11 Generation have begun to stand up and to advocate for that rugged individualism and self-determination that has guided and shaped the Greatest Generation and generations that preceded them.

Again, the story for the Gen-Xers/The 9-11 Generation is still being written. This story can be written when we build upon the Greatest Generation, by properly influencing and mentoring the Millennials. Gen-Xers/The 9-11 Generation must teach them the following:

1. The United States of America is the greatest country God has given man. Our forefathers put in place a system where self determination, self reliance and independence is the way of life. We must teach them to fully rely on themselves, whether imparting to them the proper thinking or problem solving skills, and we must teach by example! The Millennials must understand our history so they can carry it on when they become leaders, just as the previous generations did. We must get them involved in reading the news, listening to the news and even having a positive impact on the news. This will preserve the United States.

2. Technology should be used effectively and responsibly. This includes facebook, smartphones, cameras, computers and the Internet. Effective use is defind as reaching them directly through its use. We must be able to speak their language in a similar fashion a teacher must speak in their students' language. In teaching its responsible use, we must make them learn that there's a lot of ugly out there and as a result, we must impart to them their proper uses. Furthermore, they must know how technology can be used against them, which reminds me of a previous post where I said to think before you post. And they should know that as they gain knowledge, they have the power to progress what had already been invented.

3. Building on my first item, we must teach the Millennials that they must rely on themselves to survive. By doing everything for them and not allowing them to learn for themselves, we create a subservient collectivist society. They will take this and believe that all Americans need to do is live and the government will take care of everything. This is the most significant error of the Greatest Generation and the 9-11 Generation must not repeat that mistake. Creating self reliant individuals will allow for a government to be put in power that allows for more independence and self-determination.

4. We must teach the Millennials that without a safe and functioning United States, we, as a nation, cannot survive. September 11, 2001 teaches us that all the terrorists need are one shot. We must take every measure possible to not allow them that shot. Every other issue is moot. This action alone preserves, protects and defends the United States, allowing her to progress and prosper.

When the Millennials and Gen-Xers/9-11 Generation are on the same page, the United States will prosper and my generation needs to take an active role in this endeavor so that success is achieved.

The Journey, Part VIII: Making the Sausage

Being involved with politics since my time as a student at Drew University, whether in classes or as College Republicans President, I have been fortunate to have an up close and personal view of politics. Some years have been closer, some have been more on the edge of the loop, but I've always kept my head in it in some way or another.

To this day, in information I read, stories I hear from friends (and sources for The Calling to Lead), I am astonished by what goes on in both Trenton and Washington. (If constituents knew the truth, they'd be shocked...and maybe a little sickened!) While being astonished, I am also highly intrigued and it is this political drama that has made it into the storyline of The Calling to Lead. Not going to give too much away of it, but we'll see some "Inside Baseball" in both the political and campaign processes. I also need to profusely thank my sources as you folks helped fill in the blanks during those times I have been on the outer edge of the loop and were key in helping me to finish writing The Calling to Lead.

Desperate Measures with 31 Days Remaining

As I previously predicted, it is time to buckle up, as those desperate to hang on or gain power will do anything to make sure it is held or attained.

One of the higher profile hit jobs this week was attempted on Meg Whitman, Republican nominee for Governor of California, as she enters the final month of the campaign, in the week of the Univison debate, against her opponent, former Governor and current Attorney General, Jerry "Brownosaurus" Brown, who has been in California politics for a very, very long time. (hence his dinosaur nickname) News broke earlier this week that she employed an "undocumented" employee as her housekeeper for a lengthy period of time. This former housekeeper recently hired "celebutorney" Gloria Allred to represent her, claiming that Whitman mistreated her, despite the fact the housekeeper made $23 per hour. It has been a whirlwind of events this week in the Golden State! Let's look at this a little more in depth.

First, Gloria Allred. This kind of thing is not new to her. Remember, back in 2003 in the recall election, she, on behalf of her client, Rhonda Miller, filed a sexual harassment suit against Arnold Schwarzenegger in order to damage his chances of winning. That case was later dropped. Throughout her legal career, Allred has shown herself to be an avowed leftist and feminist, as well as a contributor and advocate to left wing causes. It is now coming to light her connections to Jerry Brownosaurus over the years. Furthermore, she exposed herself and her agenda on Mark Levin's radio show as she refused to answer whether she is being paid by someone connected to Brownosaurus or doing this PB. Allred seems more willing to be serving herself (or Brownosaurus, so he can get the Latino vote) than her client, who she outed as an illegal alien. The sad fact is this woman and will likely be tossed aside, indicted and/or deported once the election is over, considering she is admitting to breaking the law.

In responding to these charges, Meg Whitman has defended herself with confidence, as evidenced by this interview; one of many. She did not hide, she answered, produced documentation/evidence to her side and even went as far to offer herself to take a polygraph. If I were running her campaign, while commending her defense, I also would remind her to continue to stay on offense, especially on economic issues, which is necessary to do for a Republican to win in California, as I have previously stated when showing how California can transition into a red state.

I find Meg Whitman's candidacy intriguing. She has been successful in business, as evidenced by her leadership of eBay, a company that went from employing 30 to 15,000 in her 10 years as CEO. In amassing and earning a fortune, she has given back through a charitable foundation, which she and her husband run, as well as in significant donations to Princeton University, her alma mater. In the next step in her life, she looks to further give back, by raising her hand to serve the public as California's next governor, applying her experiences to economically save the state. Whitman's wealth has allowed her to self-finance her campaign, so far, spending nearly $120 million, which will not beholden her to any special interests.

After following and researching her background while writing The Calling to Lead and taking note of her intelligence, success in business and charitable giving, I decided to partially model Kristin Conlan, one of the important characters in my novel, after Meg Whitman. Kristin Conlan plays a major role in the story as I believe Meg Whitman will play a major role in the economic Renaissance of California.

Even though this may be her first time running for office, I believe Meg Whitman will survive this cheap shot, especially in this unconventional election cycle, and will win on the issues. I also believe that Meg Whitman has a strong future in Republican politics.

The Journey, Part VII-Tom Kean: the Man, the Myth, the Legend

A little more about the background behind The Calling to Lead.

Growing up in New Jersey in the 1980s, I, like everyone else who lived here during that time, came to know Governor Thomas H. Kean very well. A former educator, Assemblyman, Assembly Speaker and Minority Leader, he was elected Governor in the closest election in New Jersey history and won re-election by the largest plurality in New Jersey history. During his time in Trenton, he successfully reformed education, cut taxes and encouraged investment and tourism in New Jersey. (Who didn't love New Jersey & You-Perfect Together!!!) After leaving Trenton, Governor Kean became the President of Drew University and in his time there, he raised the notoriety of Drew, inspired his students and became involved in their lives, unlike most university presidents. His leadership is a big reason why Drew is known outside of the Northeast as one of the best Liberal Arts Colleges in the United States. I remember during my time at Drew he was not only a major reason why I chose Drew, but he was a mentor in the fields I decided to pursue after I earned my BA. He expected the best and positively mentored not only me, but his other students and advisees so they may achieve the best. The faith he had in me in my writing opinion pieces in The Acorn, to reviving Drew's College Republicans, to politically speaking out, was memorable as it allowed me to hone the skills for the real world that my parents taught me prior to college. Governor Kean was not only my mentor at Drew, but he was my professor and one of my academic advisors. He is a big reason why Drew University was such a memorable time of my life. The picture you see above is of the Governor embracing me (I cropped myself out) on the Porch of Mead Hall on Commencement Day, 2001.

When I began planning and writing The Calling to Lead, I wished to include Governor Kean and not allowing him to 'play himself' would be unfair, as readers should know his true colors as a mentor and statesman. Therefore, when reading The Calling to Lead, readers will observe his interactions with Michael during his years as a student at Drew University and how their relationship allowed Governor Kean to be a mentor in Michael Buonocore's life. Similar to myself, Michael Buonocore may not be 100% aligned in political beliefs with the Governor, (Like Michael, I consider myself more Conservative than the Governor) but he stays loyal as he understands the significant role Governor Kean played in his intellectual development at Drew University.

I will end this entry with a quote from the Governor that I always remember in everything I do in life:

"Give back to those who have given to you."

This quote also plays a role in The Calling to Lead in how Michael leads his life after his undergraduate years at Drew University.

Chris Christie's "Common Sense Porn"

Earlier this year, Glenn Beck used a phrase to describe New Jersey's Governor, Chris Christie: "Common Sense Porn." (In the clip, Beck is playing a clip of an exchange Governor Christie had with the Star-Ledger's Tom Moran)

Since becoming Governor in January of 2010, Governor Christie has shown himself to be a strong leader, not afraid to tell the truth and he basically governs like a one-term governor. This is rather refreshing as in New Jersey, we are going through many economic challenges and he is not afraid to cover them up or "make nice" of these problems (and to those who caused them) for political expediency. Furthermore, Governor Christie does not blame his predecessor to absolve himself of criticism for the state of the state. Instead, he is rolling up his sleeves and attempting to clean up these problems, despite hostile opponents including the Democrat legislature, the media and the public sector unions. Like Monica Crowley, I believe his actions show leadership!

The Governor is beginning to gain further attention outside of New Jersey as events this week have shown between confronting a heckler in California while on the stump for Meg Whitman, and his partnership with Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg and Mayor Cory Booker, in the interest of the Newark Public Schools.

Governor Christie's leadership has inspired my development of Michael Buonocore in The Calling to Lead, as the two have a similar leadership style, specifically in the areas of speaking common sense and not backing down from a confrontation. Furthermore, their legislative agendas align in many places.

Additionally, I will, in the future, write more about Christie's specific legislative agenda, including my thoughts on his education agenda, but for now, I will include two recent You Tube clips showing some more, as Glenn Beck calls it, "Common Sense Porn."

The Journey, Part VI: The October Surprise

We all have seen this in recent political history: The October Surprise, an event that due to its groundbreaking or surprising nature, has the ability to throw an election one way or the other. Some may be legit, some are just downright nasty. When you read The Calling to Lead, you will note there are three October Surprises that play into the storyline. In my writing and researching, I studied some of the October Surprises in recent history, as well as other crazy incidents in politics to hit the airwaves. I'll leave you all guessing as to what they are and their effect on the storyline, but in the meantime, here are some of the more notable October surprises.

Peace at Hand, 1972: News broke that then National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger brokered a deal to end American Involvement in the Vietnam War. At a press conference that took place in October of 1972, he stated, "peace is at hand." Talks broke down and military actions resumed, including the Christmas Day bombings, but by January of 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed. Peace at hand definitely helped Nixon in his re-election efforts against McGovern as it took a major issue away from him. Combined with this and McGovern's horrible campaign, Nixon was re-elected in a landslide.

Iran Hostage Crisis, 1980: The Iran Hostage Crisis hampered the Carter Administration and was the focus of news coverage for the 444 days it lasted (Nightline originally started as a special news broadcast to cover the hostage crisis). Negotiations failed as did military rescues, most notably Operation Eagle Claw. Both sides thought the opposition would use this hostage crisis as an October Surprise; Carter's camp having a successful military rescue or brokering a last minute deal, or Reagan's camp convincing the Iranians to delay the release past the election. Looking back, I believe that Iran delayed the release to make Carter look like a fool and weaken his stance as President, at the same time embarrassing the United States. The only reason they were released on January 20, 1981 was due to the fact that a new president (Reagan) was more direct than Carter and that they feared what his reaction would be. Therefore, neither camp had any direct influence to release the hostages.

Caspar Weinberger and the Iran-Contra Hearings, 1992: Despite his successes in guiding and leading during Operation Desert Storm, George H.W. Bush's poll numbers took a big hit due to economic challenges at home and Ross Perot was also running as a 3rd Party Candidate. Leading up to the election, Independent Counsel Lawrence Walsh was investigating those involved in the Iran-Contra Scandal. Walsh announced the indictment of Weinberger the month before the election. In his lame duck period after losing the election, President George H.W Bush pardoned Weinberger. I would argue this October Surprise further damaged Bush 41 in his re-election effort.

George W. Bush DWI, 2000: The week before the election, news broke that in 1976, George W. Bush was arrested for a DWI in Kennebunkport, Maine. It was released to the media by a Democrat Party member in Maine who had prior knowledge about it. This last minute release was meant to embarrass Bush and a last ditch effort at throwing the election to Gore, but while it may have had an effect with some Evangelical Christian voters or Mormon voters, it had no effect on the Florida Recount...we can thank the media for that one, calling Florida for Gore at 7:45, when voters in Pensacola and the panhandle (in the Central Time Zone) still had 15 more minutes to vote.

Forged CBS Documents, 2004: Technically in September, but meant to have stayed in the media until October, CBS Producer Mary Mapes had acquired documents from Bill Burkett, allegedly written by Bush's Commander, Jerry Killian (deceased), claimed in these documents that Bush did not fulfill his commitment to the Air National Guard. This story was aired by Dan Rather on 60 Minutes as an exclusive. As the story circulated, the blog Little Green Footballs examined the documents and came to the conclusion they were forgeries, as a result of an examination of the font style (the documents were in Times New Roman, the default font in Microsoft Word, a font not used in a typewriters during the time the documents were allegedly written.) After media follow-ups and an examination of the font, the documents were proven as forgeries. George W. Bush ended up increasing his plurality and as a result of Dan Rather's constant defense and unwillingness to accept responsibility, he was pushed out at CBS.

Mark Foley, 2006: In October of 2006, it came to light that Congressman Mark Foley (R-FL) had sent emails and IMs of a sexual nature to teenage boys who served as Congressional Pages. When the first emails came out, Foley immediately resigned and apologized, but it was later found out that Foley had a pattern of this activity. Foley's Scandal, combined with Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal and Randall "Duke" Cunningham's conviction made it easier for the Democrats to pin the moniker "Culture of Corruption" on the Republicans. In that Midterm, the Democrats won both houses of Congress and their inability to defend themselves in light of the scandal(s), combined with the Republican abandonment of Conservatism, contributed to Republican losses.

We are approaching the final month of the 2010 Midterm Election cycle and I will guarantee that a few October surprises will be attempted. Not sure exactly what, but for sure, I'm thinking creatively. Buckle up as these next 40+ days will be a bumpy ride!

UPDATE: Here comes the mud!

I will never forget!

Tomorrow will be the 9th Anniversary of the attacks on September 11, 2001, where terrorist barbarians callously attacked this nation, using commercial airliners as missiles to destroy the World Trade Center, attack the Pentagon, and attempt to attack the White House or Capitol, but because of the brave souls aboard United Flight 93, that did not happen. On that day, nearly 3000 were killed by those terrorists wishing to do our country harm.

Americans will never forget those who died and were simply going about their lives, as they had done every day before then. Americans will also never forget the sacrifices of our soldiers who stood up to make sure that we never see attacks like this on our soil, ever again! In those days following the attacks, we as a country were reeling, but we held together, had a strong leader guiding us through and rebounded from this act of war committed on our homeland.

This day is also quite culturally significant. Americans believed, prior to this day, that they were protected as a result of geographic location compared to the rest of the world, American strength and stature and a lack of hostile nations since the end of the Cold War. Since that day, we, as a society have become more cognizant of the world around us, our personal safety and our fellow man's personal safety. Even more important, I believe this day has major cultural ramifications that are still yet to come. As I have previously blogged about, this day will force Americans, particularly Gen-Xers, who were just starting their lives on 9-11-01, to rise up and lead, so that they may be the protectors of our values, history and way of life. Personally, living through this day and the subsequent events, inspired me to write The Calling to Lead, using my belief that Gen-Xers will transform into the "9-11 Generation" that will rise to lead this nation, as a backbone to the story.

Tomorrow, I ask you to take a moment out of your day to privately reflect and/or pray for those lost and those who have given of themselves to protect our nation since that day.

May God Bless those lost, the families of those lost and the United States of America!

A More Regular Blogging Basis

Hello, "Right" Solutions readers. With the passing of Labor Day, summer in the northeast is coming to an end, the temperatures will, sadly, grow cooler, and we begin to resume our normal schedules. This goes for this blog as well. Between taking every opportunity to enjoy the summer, especially after the snow and cold-filled winter we had in 2010 in the northeast, finishing up editing on The Calling to Lead and beginning my next project, I have not been blogging as regularly as in the past. As I begin to query The Calling to Lead and resume my schedule, I will be here on "The 'Right' Solutions," blogging about issues surrounding the topics in my novel, as well as anything else I come across that I deem relevant.

Welcome back and enjoy your stay!

The Journey, Part V...Rise of the 9-11 Generation

I am a proud member of "Generation X." Like myself, Michael Buonocore in The Calling to Lead is a proud member of "Generation X."

For years, many in my generation have been criticized by those older than us, specifically the Baby Boomers, in that we have not done anything significant. The Baby Boomers then run through the list of the things their generation has done. (some of which I don't think I could proudly say were good) To my Baby Boomer friends and others who have doubted us over the years, I believe our time has come.

Most historians put Generation X between the years of 1964 thorough 1979 births. Gen-Xers have learned about the greatness and history of this country from their parents, grandparents and teachers, have been inspired by leaders such as Reagan and events like the end of the Cold War; which have allowed those lessons to become reality. Applying what they have learned in those important life lessons, Gen-Xers played roles in the longest peacetime economic boom in United States history. Add another event to that list that will forever impact Gen-Xers: the attacks of September 11, 2001.

Fresh to the professional world, and some having just, or almost finished their four years of college were brutally and brazenly awoken to the evil in the world as terrorists attacked the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. No longer was the United States exempt because of the two oceans that separate her from the rest of the world. On that day and since, members of Generation X have stood up to protect and defend the United States of America, whether spontaneously stopping terrorists from further attacking America in the way that Todd Beamer (born 1968) did, to the brave American soldiers, many of whom decided to carry out plans to fight for our interests abroad so citizens at home will not have to live through another September 11th. Members of Generation X have re-evaluated their positions in life as a result of this event, causing them to ask themselves, "How will I best contribute to America's Exceptionalism?" It may not be tomorrow, it may not be in two months or two years, but that fateful day will drive Generation X and they will then become known as the "9-11 Generation."

As stated above, Gen-Xers have learned about the United States and know what makes this country the best nation God has given man. Gen-Xers also know the importance of the individual to the American success story. As a result, they see what their Baby Boomer president (born 1961) is doing legislatively, in that he and the Congress are pushing though legislation that stifles individualism thorough Federal Government control. With large majorities in Congress, the president was able to pass health care legislation that increases the size, scope and influence of the Federal Government, the ARRA (Stimulus) that increases the size, scope and influence of the Federal Government, as well as the financial reform bill that increases the size, scope and influence of the Federal Government.

It will be a member of the eventually minted "9-11 Generation" that will stand up to this baby boomer president, get the American people on their side and right the ship, giving Americans the opportunity to succeed and use the Federal Government not to stand over, but to stand behind.

We may have that leader now, we may not; but in The Calling to Lead, I describe how that GenX/9-11 Generation leader can rise. Michael Buonocore is that leader and he was deeply affected by September 11, changed his life goal so that it best contributed to the continuation of American Exceptionalism, and rose in prominence because of his leadership skills and ability to articulate how America will continue to be the best nation God has given man. I hope that when The Calling to Lead is eventually published, readers and members of my generation can look at it as a handbook on how tomorrow's leaders in the "9-11 Generation" can be born, grow in influence and become celebrated, distinguished leaders who will positively impact the United States of America for years to come.

The Journey, Part IV

As written in a previous post, I am very proud of my Alma Mater, Drew University. Additionally, my time at Monmouth University and Kean University, where I completed graduate study, have also been influential, not only in my professional life, but in writing The Calling to Lead. Look for these three individuals, who were my educational mentors, in the many characters of The Calling to Lead:

Dr. Julius J. Mastro: Dr. Mastro has long been a fixture of Drew University; a student, alumnus, professor, chairperson and trustee. He had many students over the years and as Chair of the Political Science Department, was responsible for forming and staffing the department. Dr. Mastro's love of Drew was so noticeable and contagious, so much so that he came out of retirement twice to teach Drew's students. He also had a great influence on his students, including myself! Before I took his intro to American Government class (PSCI 6), I was planning on majoring in History. After I took his class, it was the force that brought me to change my mind and become a Political Science major. Dr. Mastro made sure his students were active participants in the learning process through discussion, debate and the application of real world activities. The two things he taught me, as well as the rest of his students stayed with me to this day.

• "Know all sides of the argument"
• "If you want it or believe in it, stand up for it"

For an intro class, PSCI 6 was quite challenging and he gave the hardest exams around, but in the end, his students learned the material. He also had a strong sense of humor that one could mistake him for a comedian instead of a professor. Many a Drewid was teased by him and made to falsely believe that they would have a chance to drive his Jaguar convertible if they got on his good side. Interestingly enough, Dr. Mastro also owned a shoe store in Bernardsville that is still in existence today. Dr. Mastro passed away in 1999, but will be long remembered by his students and the Drew community.

The Honorable Thomas H. Kean: As the president of a university, one would expect the person in this position to be hidden behind a desk in the ivory towers, unseen by students and inaccessible to the public. This was not the case with Former New Jersey Governor Thomas H. Kean. He was readily visible among the campus, meeting with students, sitting down to eat lunch with the students in the Commons, attending campus events and even teaching a class. In this class, Governing a State, Governor Kean taught with the use of storytelling. Each event or moment brought up was relevant to leadership and government; the two themes of his class. Additionally, he brought in speakers to his class that ranged from pundits to State Supreme Court Justices to Legislators in order to show the students the faces behind the stories and allow them to directly tell the students their experiences. We were also welcomed to network with these individuals. The Governor invited his students to various social events around campus and in North Jersey, and also took us on a very memorable field trip to the Statehouse in Trenton.

As a professor, Governor Kean was in close contact with all his students, allowed them the opportunity to exhibit their strengths and was incredibly loyal even after leaving his class. This class and my experiences within, as well as the encouragement and opportunities presented to me by the governor are some of the most memorable academic and professional moments for me at Drew.

Dr. Nicolas Celso, Esq.: Of all the graduate classes in Education I've taken at Monmouth and Kean, and many of them have been quite fulfilling and useful, School Law, a class I took for the Masters in Educational Leadership program at Kean University, was the most useful and fulfilling Graduate Class I have ever taken! The professor, Dr. Nicholas Celso, a former school administrator and attorney/partner in his own firm, knows the material and presents it clearly and articulately to his students. He has been teaching at Kean for many years and I find it amazing that a family member of a friend of mine had him as a professor in his first year at Kean. Back then, Dr. Celso admitted being a novice instructor, but sure did not show it! And he definitely did not show it last year when I took the class! The class was taught very much like a law school class where we had to read cases, examine legal precedents and analyze the reasons why the courts ruled as they did, after learning New Jersey Educational Law (Section 6A and 18A). He was a big fan of the Socratic Method and gave a final exam in the end that was a significant portion of the grade. This class has definitely helped me in my teaching career and will help me if I become an administrator. After taking this class, I learned that (a) many teachers are unaware of the laws and; (b) many administrators are unaware of the laws.

As an educator, I highly recommend my fellow teachers thoroughly read through 6A and 18A and know it by heart! It is unfortunate that some administrators in the system operate with the belief the teachers do not know the law and take advantage of their lack of knowledge Dr. Celso taught me that the career you save in knowing the law may very well be your own.

As I said in earlier Journey posts, my life experiences have helped to form the plot of The Calling to Lead. People who have been influential in my life one way or another have inspired characters in the book. As these three gentlemen have greatly influenced my professional life and their teachings still live on to this day, having them inspire characters in The Calling to Lead is the best thank you and honor I could give to them for mentoring me.

Fox News...the ONLY name in cable news

Almost 14 years old, the Fox News Channel has taken the world by storm!

For as long as we can remember, the news was dominated by ABC, CBS and NBC. As CNN entered the scene, television news still operated with a liberal bias; blatant to those who closely followed their coverage. In the midst of the media slobbering over President Bill Clinton on "All Bill Clinton," the "Clinton News Network," "Nothing But Clinton," and the "Clinton Broadcast System," Americans wanted an alternative and that void was filled by the Fox News Channel.

Roger Ailes is the mastermind behind Fox News and with his intuition, his keen eye for on air talent and his belief that Americans do not want bias in their news coverage, Fox News rose to the top and is currently the highest rated cable news station. Americans truly believe Fox News is 'fair and balanced' and as a result, the network has garnered much success over the years it has been on the air.

In doing my research for The Calling to Lead, I decided that Fox News will play a major role in the storyline and in Michael Buonocore's life. Having intensively researched Fox News at a time I considered working for them, as well as thanks to the folks I know who work there that provided me with information, I have a working knowledge of why Fox News is so successful and including them was the appropriate ode to their importance in American society, politics and the way the media does business. I have taken from Fox News the idea of "Fair and Balanced" in my teaching, as I have explained in a previous blog post.

Liberals and opponents of Fox News hate it. They hate that conservatives have a voice, they smear anyone working for them as dumb, rigid or radical. Additionally, they scream that Fox News has a blatant Conservative bias and constantly cite Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly and Neil Cavuto. What the liberals don't tell their drone supporters is that Fox News television programming is broken into two areas:

Hard News: This is defined as news programming where there is an anchor(s) in the studio who may moderate debates between guests, read the news or introduce field correspondents who are covering the stories they are introducing. On Fox News, these anchors, consisting of Bret Baier, Shepard Smith, Juliet Huddy, Martha MacCallum, etc, are even handed and do not give their opinions. They let the viewer decide for themselves. Fox News is the only network whose hard news programming does not disclose their bias.

News Analysis: This is defined as programming whose hosts DO give their opinion and are required to do so in many cases. Hosts like Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, etc, are intellectually honest about their beliefs and do not hide behind the cover of journalism to give their viewpoints. The critics of Fox News specifically cite this type of programming as the reason why Fox News has a conservative bias, but when you look at the analysts who host shows on Fox, Greta Van Susteren, Geraldo Rivera, as well as some of the pundits like Juan Williams who have guest hosted, they are not conservative...more than can be said for MSNBC who only has Joe Scarborough (and he has a liberal to keep an eye on him in Mika Brzezinski.)

One final note, their pundits or contributors are much more evenly divided than on the other networks. You have Ann Coulter, but you also have Bob Beckel. You have Michelle Malkin, but you also have Penny Lee. Rarely does one see a conservative on the other networks and when they are on, they are usually being talked over or demeaned.

In the past year alone, Fox News has broken stories such as ACORN's fraud, Van Jones, Anita Dunn, Bill Ayers and the recent corruption in the justice department that other outlets have ignored.

So the next time critics scream about Fox News, it would be wise for us to examine the veracity of their attacks and once we find out they are false, thank Roger Ailes and Fox News for introducing a truly fair and balanced news outlet that will continue to have influence over the way journalism is presented to Americans and viewers around the world.

Back in the news...where will this go?

Those of us who were watching the Election of 2008 closely remember this ugly incident in Philadelphia, when members of the Black Panther Party stood in front of a polling place, holding billy clubs and acting in an intimidating fashion. I speak of this case not only because of the news that broke today, which I will explain, but because this event, as it was so shocking to see in America, in 2008, inspired an event in The Calling to Lead. What could happen if (a) that confrontation went further? (b) that confrontation is not legally addressed? (That's all I'm going to say...you probably understand why!)

This afternoon on Fox News, Megyn Kelly, on her show, America Live, interviewed Christian Adams who is whistle-blowing on the Philadelphia 2008 Voter Intimidation case that was dismissed by Attorney General Eric Holder. Adams was the lead attorney on this case. Here is Part I of the interview:



This is a very big development and it is very early to draw any conclusions. I will be looking forward to Part II of the interview, as well as if this will be picked up and further covered by others.


UPDATE: Here is Part II of the interview:



Megyn Kelly did some good work on this one and followed up on him. I wonder where this will go and I think it will take a Republican Congress in 2011 to hold hearings on this and further explore.

The Journey: Part III

Time for a little more reflection on the writing and planning of The Calling to Lead. I'm going to continue with setting and talk a little bit about one of my secondary settings in the novel, San Diego, California, while also getting into a little character development.

Many of you may be asking, "Why San Diego, Chris?" For those of you who know me, you know that I visited San Diego the first time last summer on vacation, when returning to California.. At a time when a vacation was imperative, combined with escaping a not so sunny New Jersey summer, combined with traveling with a good friend, combined with a ride to Anaheim for a visit to Disneyland, it was an incredible trip and I had a blast in San Diego.

There is so much that I love about this city and the San Diego region. It's a good mix of cosmopolitan and "laid back," the weather is always beautiful (it was in the 70s and sunny the entire time we were there), there's a large range of restaurants, bars and activities in the Gaslamp District, the views/vistas are quite breathtaking, the beaches are wide and clean, there is history abound, whether it is pop culture (the Hotel Del Coronado), military (the Naval bases, the USS Midway) or cultural (Old Town), and the people are very nice.

Thinking back on that vacation while writing The Calling to Lead, I wanted to include this city and region so I tied it into the storyline. Last blog entry, I articulated how California can "go red." The character Kristin Conlan is introduced as the engine to make that happens. A San Diego native and a businesswoman turned politician, Kristin Conlan is a combination of Sarah Palin and Meg Whitman. She shares Sarah Palin's ability to connect with people, her athletic background and her political ideology while she share's Meg Whitman's education (Conlan is a graduate of USC and holds an MBA from Stanford) and business acumen. And like both women, Kristin Conlan has a strong attachment to her community and has done much good for it. After working in business and having much success, Kristin Conlan purchased the San Diego Chargers, updating the team, updating their facilities (in turn, further cleaning up the East Village) and bringing home Super Bowl titles. Therefore, she brought a resolution to two problems that are plaguing the San Diego region: ending the San Diego Sports Curse and new Chargers Stadium in the East Village area. Between her work with the Chargers, her charitable work, along with starting an NBA expansion team in San Diego, while replacing the dilapidated San Diego Sports Arena (also in the East Village), she was well known in San Diego and throughout Southern California, so much so that she ran for governor, won twice, was successful at bringing conservative reforms to the Golden State and was popular throughout the state. As The Calling to Lead progresses, she will continue to play a significant role. (You didn't think I was going to tell you everything, now did you!)

San Diego also makes an appearance when Michael, who becomes a pundit, does a show on location, on the flight deck of the USS Midway.

This is a recommended visit when in San Diego as one can learn about her history in battle (saw action in Vietnam and Desert Storm), how those in the Navy lived while at sea, as well as see many military aircraft along the flight deck of the Midway.

 

 

I look forward to taking another trip out to San Diego and I'm glad I included aspects of this region in The Calling to Lead.