Working Smarter to Get our Ducks in a Row......What We've Learned...Hopefully...

Yes, I'll say it again. Wow! What a year. We were blind-sided, front-sided and back-sided like never before. Or at least it seemed like it, because the 24/7 media and social media amplified everything beyond any predictable or rational boundaries. Thus, we were easily overwhelmed by information overload, and even relatively simple issues became clouded from too much media noise and too many talking heads. And the "experts" and pundits were just as confused as we were. Fake news and manic political spin left us distrustful of many information sources.

We're familiar with the old saying about "getting/putting our ducks in a row" to represent getting organized and setting priorities.  Well, we can't "put our ducks in a row" until we reflect on where we are and how we got here. My photo from Grand Lake, Colorado is a reminder that organizing these ducks may be easier said than done.

So, What Happened?

The first shot across the bow was the Brexit vote. In retrospect, a predictor of our subsequent presidential campaign dynamics. Both elections reflected a significant number of citizens who felt neglected and disenfranchised by their governments. Neither had a clear vision of their expectations, but they were perfectly clear that they were rejecting the status quo. And the seated or aspiring incumbents became the scapegoats for this indignation. Many, deservedly so.

The buyers/voters remorse that we saw from many Brits after the Brexit vote is starting to manifest on our shores as the bombast of campaign rhetoric fades into the practical reality of actual governance. The conservative euphoria over "repeal Obamacare, build a wall, defund Planned Parenthood, refuse Medicaid funds, deregulate business and ignore climate change" is moderating as candidates and their supporters wake up to those pesky relevant facts as well as enlightened self-interest.

A presidential campaign debrief shows that a majority of Trump voters DID NOT vote for Trump the candidate. They voted against Hillary, against Washington and FOR CHANGE. And the prospective Trump Cabinet appointees--the good, the bad & the ugly--suggest that he intends to do just that. And, we the citizenry need to rise to the occasion to provide some checks and balances. Pronto.

Have We Learned Anything?

I hope so. I know I have. I know that many elected officials at the State and National levels focused on outdated political and Party ideologies and ignored the needs of changing demographics and real people. And they and we are paying for it. And the media focused too much time on the frivolous or sensational and ignored significant cultural and social dynamics. The loss of so many music, entertainment and sports icons was the icing on a bummer cake.

We learned that we were ill-informed and so distracted by our gadgets that we were oblivious to the evolving plight of too many around us. To veterans not being well served. To an education system ill-equipped to create job-ready graduates in a high-tech world. To a dumbing down of job opportunities as the better jobs were sent overseas to a better-educated and motivated workforce. To critical issues of diversity, racism and police/community relations. And a shameful number of kids abused or neglected in our supposed child protection and foster care programs.

We're In This Together. Let's Mosey!

I was wandering through this West Coast dining room when I spotted these candle holders in repose. My perfect metaphor for community. A nice blend of diversity. Much more in common than not. Maintaining their own identity while fitting nicely together.

If you recall, the Mosey Principles are "Slow Down, Pay Attention, Be Informed and Act Accordingly." We'll have plenty of time to apply them as the New Year evolves. We'll consider many aspects of constructive civic engagement. Our information sources. Our relationships with governmental reps. Prioritizing our issue concerns. With an emphasis on accountability, commitment and collaboration. In other words, "putting our ducks in a row." Together. I look forward to joining you on this journey. Wishing you and yours a Healthy, Happy and Hopeful New Year! LET'S MOSEY!