President Obama’s Report Card

We’re entering the third year of the Obama Presidency and before we know it, the 2012 election season will be in full swing.

While unemployment levels are steep and the economic outlook is (somewhat) bleak, a great deal HAS been accomplished over the past 24 months. Learn more at:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/content/PromisesKept?source=20110120_JB_in&keycode=fd640d126082a313c0eab525a04f5343f0635a34710293a276b16520eb6d439f


Continue to analyze views of your party of choice (and the competition) in order to make informed decisions.


How The West Was Lost

With all the excitement about China’s President Hu Jintao’s visit to the US, everyone is aflutter. Parents are signing preschoolers up for Mandarin classes. Business leaders clamored for invitations to the state dinner.

[ Aside: First Lady Michelle O was … soooo … STUNNINGLY RADIANT! ]

Everyone is trying to figure out why we (continue to be) asleep at the switch. How did … America loose it’s “mojo?”

According to BBC World news, China will have built 10 New York cities by the year 2025. That’s right – 10! Think about it. That’s really not so far off.

For a global perspective on China rising and other economic developments, you’ll want to pre-order your copy of How the West Was Lost: Fifty Years of Economic Folly - And the Stark Choices that Lie Ahead by Economist and Scholar, Dr. Dambiso Moyo. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. ISBN 0374173257 (forthcoming February 15, 2011).

Of Zambian heritage and armed with an MS, MBA (American University), MPA (Harvard) and PhD (Oxford), Dr. Moyo was named one of Oprah Winfrey’s top 20 visionary women in 2009. To learn more, visit:

http://dambisamoyo.com

For those of us well-grounded in multicultural affairs, the story about Eastern prowess Asian business has always been a powerhouse. I’ve been fortunate to have worked as a consultant since the 1980s. Those “in the know” have always had deep connections with Eastern cultures, consultants and operatives.

My primary take away is this: Because Eastern (and African) civilizations are preeminent in the founding of world culture – they’ve had a few more centuries to plan.

Alas, America is a young country.

And, for those interested in an Asian mom’s take on parenting, you may want to purchase The Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother by Amy Chua. She’s a law school professor and her kids get straight A’s.

Although she’s currently woven into the “extreme parenting” narrative, I submit she’s doing something right! Probably simply raising her kids as she was raised. Imagine an entire country raising their kids with similar techniques. The result: a lot of brilliant people with the capacity to take over the world.

America, we have to get our average acts together. While we don't have to take anything to the extreme, we can do better. We are above average, but the test scores of our youth don't show it.

For the mean time, I’ll stick with the fine upbringing leveled by my folks, Fred and Juanita Scott of Hampton, VA; solid, common-sense training coupled with Southern roots.

I’ll put my upbringing up against any fine Asian family any day. If you arm your kids with discipline and the vision to succeed, you have family values that can will last a lifetime.