A New Year, A New Calibration

There is a theory in psychology known as the Gestalt Theory that posits that the mind is self organizing, seeks patterns, and that the whole is different than the sum of its parts. The image above is an example of Gestalt, where moving from A to D the mind sees a triangle, an S, a mace (or a sphere with cones/horns), and finally a snake or sea monster. In fact, these are visual perceptions of items that are not really present in the image you see. The mind is self-organizing, and craves patterns and consistency. We view with awe the uniformity of marching bands or Marines in a parade. We seek to find order in chaos.

In my professional world, a fact of life in management is a concept we use called a clean point. A clean point is the realization and agreement that things have become out of control; perhaps a process was not the right process or staffing inadequate to meet demands which has resulted in poor performance. A clean point is where we stop doing what wasn’t working and move forward with a new process or procedure or perspective.

Because of the two things above, I believe we see the stroke of midnight on a new year to be a clean point. We realize that something about our lives or about ourselves is not where we would like it to be. Listen to the resolutions given by friends and family. Among them I am sure you will hear multiple promises to lose weight, spend more family time, drink less, take better care of the yard, and the list is infinite. We use New Year’s Day to calibrate where we are, and look where we would like to be 365 days later. We seek to find order in chaotic lives; we seek patterns that can be relied upon. We know that our lives are more than the sum of the parts, otherwise there would be no triangle to be found.

I think America needs a clean point. I think that we have allowed ourselves to be distracted by the continuation of processes and trying to improve those processes that we simply refuse to acknowledge that sometimes it is best to do nothing at all. Sometimes it is necessary to make massive change to processes. I believe firmly that the election of 2008 and the Obama administration is the perfect opportunity for a clean point in this nation.

I shall say upfront that I do not agree with the liberal agenda for many items that are on the horizon. I can also say that a man who engaged the Clinton steamroller and the Republican machine in places like Virginian, North Carolina, and Mississippi, and stepped onto the podium to accept the Presidency, and did so without barely breaking a sweat, is made up of something as yet unproven. The President-elect has made courageous and important decisions regarding his cabinet. I am not sure of another time that an incoming President has asked senior cabinet members from another party to remain on the cabinet. I see left wing ideas, but I also see a centrist movement and a few right wing ideas looming as well.

We believe that the GOP has become weak, and has allowed conservatism to take a back seat to the other priorities of the party. We seek to change that. We seek to reinforce the nation’s desire for responsible and effective government. We seek to re-establish the Constitutional aims of our founders, but speaking out to our nation and our representatives that we must have a clean point in America. This clean point must be to define what we want from our nation, demand changes to the waste and corruption of politics, and move forward with the aims of success and prosperity for our nation and her citizens.

Change your new year’s resolutions. Make a resolution to be involved, active, persistent, and loud in the demands for conservative principles for our country. Don’t worry, there is much lifting to do and the weight will fall off. We have the perfect opportunity to take conservatism to new heights and new definitions. As the new year begins, there will be many opportunities for you to help us define conservatism. Roll up your sleeves, the four year ride begins soon.....