Rulers vs. Leaders
During the last election I kept hearing (but I didn’t really take notice of it because it always seemed like it was in the periphery) this and that about how great we were because we elected our ‘rulers’. It was one of those things that feel like a splinter in your sock. It just kind of irritates you every time you take a step.
And the idea that we elect a ‘ruler’ just irritates the crap out of me.
I can’t speak for every American, but I thought that all Americans were created ‘equal, which means to me that I’ve got the same rights as any man or woman in America; be it Barack Obama or George Bush or Joe the Plumber. I don’t know about anyone else, but I take exception to the idea that anyone is going to ‘rule’ over me.
I learned growing up that part of being ‘American’ was the resistance to being ‘ruled’. From our Founding Fathers to John Wayne to Harley Davidson to Rock & Roll to Cowboys to the Alamo, hell the entire state of Texas… everything that I know about the spirit of America has its roots in not being ‘ruled’.
I know, there has to be some people out there that don’t mind being ruled, and to you I’d like to offer you a minimum wage job at the local McDonalds.
For everyone else out there, how do you feel about being ruled over?
Now, that’s not to say we don’t need leaders in the country. While we have an abundance of people who want to be our rulers; we have a distinct lack of leaders in this country.
What’s the difference between a ruler and a leader?
A ruler will sit in Washington DC and tell Americans how to live their lives, how to run their businesses, how to treat their employees, what kind of healthcare they must carry, and what people can eat, drink, smoke, listen to, watch on TV, and eventually think.
A leader will live their own lives and be an example of how to live their lives, how to run their businesses, how to treat their employees, what kind of healthcare they must carry, and what people can eat, drink, smoke, listen to, watch on TV, and eventually think.
Let’s take Barack Obama for example. As a ruler, he wants to legislate that you and I provide healthcare for our neighbor. In order for his plans to work he has to get as many healthy people into the system to pay for the sick people, and he’s willing to use every power available to him to enact it (be they Constitutional powers or not). Now, as a leader, Mr. Barack Obama would take a percentage of his millions and encourage his millionaire friends like Warren Buffet to dip into their own fortunes and help out a few million people who need healthcare.
A ruler writes legislation that mandates that all business owners will provide healthcare for their employers, hire a certain percentage of women, minorities, gay, lesbians and/or transgendered employees, and make sure that their business has a zero carbon footprint. A leader just does it.
A leader will go out and simply do it, and I’d be the first one in line to support them. If Barack Obama were to take a couple million dollars of his own money… and maybe even a few million from his rich Hollywood friends… and start a business using only private money and running on the same principles that he wants to force on everyone in America (and if he made a good product) I’d be the first in line to support his business.
If Barack Obama were to vow to veto any Federal mandate for healthcare, but pony up a few million dollars of his own money (and a few million from his Hollywood friends) to simply provide healthcare for people who need it…
… I’d be first in line to campaign on his behalf.
Because that’s the difference between a leader and a ruler. Barack Obama wants to be a great ruler…
… and I for one don’t want to be ruled!!!
(and this isn’t a partisian issue. The Republicans are just as guilty as the Democrats are… they just want to be ‘ruler lites’)
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