Differences and reasons

I was reading about President Obama and many of his choices for positions with the White House and government, and I noticed the fundmental differences between him and former President George Bush (Obama's predecessor). George made two major mistakes when picking people for jobs. He went with common ideology and loyalty.

It showed the flaws in his work and results. The very people he trusted couldn't think outside their, and his, own box, and consequently the view became very narrow and myopic. And why he failed in almost everything he did. Neither he or anyone around him could see, let alone choose to see, the complete picture or see reality. They used their own set of facts to paint the truth they wanted to see, failing to see who wrong it was.

As I read one time a reporter asked a White House staffer about doing something and the news. He (reporter) said the staffer told him, "We don't respond to anything, especially the news. We make everything and the news." How wrong can you be. They assumed anything the said and did was right and everyone would go along or do what they wanted. It's why Bush had one of the most failed presidency in history.

Obama, on the other hand, seem to like diversity of view, perspective, opinion, etc., everything opposite. It's what President Lincoln did when he was elected, brought his opponents into the White House, cabinet and government. He understood seeing the whole picture and reality, and despite the sometime contentuous atmosphere, you get the most information to, hopefully, make better decisions.

It's kinda' what I do in my life. I share little in common with my friends except some common experiences, like the service, graduate school and the USGS. Otherwise. I like to be around people who are totally different to see the whole array of views, perspective and so on. You never know where you share values and opinions, where you get news ideas, and where you can discuss opposing views with honest, integrity and humor.

I do keep a few close friends with whom I have most, if not everything, in common, but that's for helping me to see what I thinking or feeling is right for me. They're friends for that honesty few can give and most of us accept. Especially criticism. Few of us like hearing criticism, so the person giving it has to be a close friend. I will accept criticism from others, but it always accepted with some reserve.

In the end, though, I still sit down with my own thoughts and make my own decisions, and I always accept the consequence of those decision and my actions. Apologies never come easy, but mistakes is being human, and apology is an act of recogniztion and acceptance of myself.