The other guy

It’s always best to find a scapegoat who you can blame problems on. Are you guilty of a lack of vision or perhaps because of politics don’t have the gumption to make changes when required? Well, simply ignore your own shortsightedness and point a finger at someone else. Instead of taking responsibility for bad management, lay it off on someone below and hope that less of the stink sticks on you. We are all capable of rationalization to get through the day, but actively blaming someone else and letting them take the hit allows you to not have to look too closely in the mirror.

We’ve all seen it in our work lives, but now that strategy seems to be working for Governor Gray Davis in the broader political arena. In published reports last week, Davis’ pollster said the governor’s image had improved because he was able to cast the state’s energy problems “in a partisan light” and blame it on President Bush’s opposition to price caps. Government-by-polling is a growing disease, and certainly mainstream Democrats such as former President Clinton and Governor Davis watch the polls too closely.

What they ought to do is concentrate on their vision and opportunities for direct action. To help out we offer up “Power to the people” on page 20, which shows us that options and solutions are out there. The leaders should quit pointing fingers and start to feel better when looking in the mirror.