Debt Trap – Is There Hope?

Notice that this video was provided by the head accountant of the government (Director of GAO), David Walker,  back in January of 2008.   David Walker gave up talking to politicians and government officials and went around the country pleading to the public.  Did we listen?

Click here to see economic trends of our government. These charts focus on total government (federal, state and municipalities) economic trends.

Click here to see the economic trends of the U.S. public. In particular look at interest payment trends.

Let’s be honest.  Our government has been more than irresponsible and we has consumers have as well.  The situation seems hopeless.   Can we dig ourselves out?    What do we do?

As citizens of the free country,  we need to have a voice.  We need to assume that we are the CEOs and that our politicians work for us.    In the last article I suggested we find or build social networking tools to help us.  The media should be an important vehicle.  We have government run media – and the extremists.   Where is the balance?   We are.    We need to learn together, research together, dialog together,  track together, etc.   We represent different perspectives – and that is fine.  Take a look at my last blog entry.

As individuals,  we need to stop looking for someone to bail us out.   Let’s own up to our own problems- and take the necessary steps.  There is no magic to getting out of debt – just a lot of discipline of a long period of time.

Don’t politicians work for us? Can social networking help?

Isn’t this our country?   Are we really the CEOs?   Don’t politicians work for us?  Do they?  Is the current approach working?    Do have have problems with secretive meetings, special interest groups,  politics,  favors, sound-bits,  attacks,  slopping planning,  and incredible poor execution?   These politicians are  sometimes articulate – but what are they saying?   Does it really make any sense?    Are these the type of people you’d turn to help you with a complex problem?   Doesn’t is sound like we have a bunch of extremely spoiled children running around causing a mess with our most important rights and resources?

Perhaps it is  time that we  get involved in the assessment, planning, and oversight of  those that report to us.   I know this sounds complex… but does it really need to be?   I guess we could continue to trust what is happening and close our eyes.  As joint CEOs isn’t it time for us to do our part?   So, how do we best do this together?

Perhaps the right social networking tools can help.  Below I have identified a simple, common-sense problem solving approach.  Also, I’ve began to outline social networking features that could help.   I’m not a technician or designer – so your help is appreciated.   The tool would need to be simple and fun and engaging so people will want to be a part of this on an ongoing basis.  Without enough participation this would fail.

Problem Solving Approach and Needed Social Networking Features

1.  Identify desired results:   Examples of desired results for our country may include things like eliminating the federal debt,  reducing divorce rates,  increasing the average personal income,  minimizing crime, etc.    The ideal tool would facilitate the brainstorming, commenting,  linking to similar,  rating, ranking/voting on ideas.

2.  Outline problems and causes: The federal debt is an example of a high level problem.  One cause may include legislators not understanding the effects of the debt,  focusing more spending programs or tax cuts to get votes.  The ideal tool here would allow us to identify problems, causes,  comment on,  link to, rate, and rank/vote.

3. Research:  One of biggest problems is that legislators don’t adequately research lessons learned and best practices.  We see repeated patterns of spending that leads to wasted money.   The ideal tool would facilitate access to and discussion around the applicability of lessons learned and best practices.   Linking, commenting, rating, and ranking/voting would be important features.

4.  Design Solutions: The temptation is to say it is the role of the legislator to design.   We need to bring a broad segment  to be part of this process.   The question is how do we turn off the loud, arrogant and obnoxious voices and turn up the voices of those that have the most common sense.   We need to design solutions that will best the problems and their causes.   Simple cause and effect.   The idea tool would include the ability to brainstorm, narrate, comment on,  debate,  rate and rank/vote on solutions.

5.  Test Solutions:   The Japanese believe that Edwards Deming,  a quality and management guru, had more impact in turning their economy around back in the 70 and 80s than anyone else.   He commented once that he wished that Congress won’t do anything.   They continue to dig bigger and bigger holes.  They don’t understand problem-solving,  they don’t understand cause & effect, and they rush to solutions that leave us bankrupt.    Solutions must be testing and piloted.   The ideal tool would allow us to design test solutions,  and together monitor the  efforts and results, offer course correction ideas…until we see the desired results.   We can choose to skip this step like our politicians but at what cost?

6.  Deploy Solutions: Often solutions only get partially deployed – leading to wasted resources.  Again, the ideal tool would allows us to monitor the efforts and results,  offer course corrections, until we see the desired results.

If you think there is merit in the ideas, please share them.