Where have all the leaders gone

Where Have All The Leaders Gone?
Lee Iacocca

As soon as I learned about this new book I sent out an e-mail which contained copy from his first chapter entitled, “Had Enough”? After reading it myself I was hooked and the next day went out to purchase a copy. I still really believe that my book,” The Last Angry Man”, covers more topics and if anything is more forceful. As I said when I sent the e-mail, the difference is that millions will read his book while mine has only reached a little over 150 and then only because I gave away all but a handful.
Every time a person of influence like this puts out a new book another nail is driven into the black heart of the current administration. I cheered as I turned each page. He exposes the sinister practices that drive their ideologies be it the economy or the Middle East.
Whenever I take the time to promote a book I take pains not to repeat what is written, preferring that you buy one for you and add the content to your brain cells. This time I am making an exemption on one part that confirmed for me how distorted our election process has become. It starts on page 239

(“In 1991, Pennsylvania Senator John Heinz died in a plane crash. My friend John Murtha came to me with a proposition: Robert Casey, the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, wanted to appoint me to complete Heinz’s term, and then I’d have run on my own in the fall. Murtha would see that I got some juicy committee assignments, and he thought it would be a stepping stone to the presidency for me.
They sent in a brash young man named James Carville to explain things to me. Carville was blunt and fast talking. Didn’t even stop to ask me what I thought about the issues. He shoved some papers at me. “Here is your position on abortion,” he said. “Here is your position on jobs”. “Here is your position on…”
Finally, I interrupted. “Wait just a minute,” I said. “Don’t I get to…?”
“No, no,” he dismissed me; “we’ve already done all the studies and focus groups.”
“So, you want me in office, but you’ll tell me what to believe?” I asked.
Carville shrugged, and started to continue his lecture. At which point I told him where he could shove it. That was my short- lived flirtation with the U.S. Senate.)

Take this experience of Mr. Iacocca and multiply it thousands of times by aspiring candidates for office without regard to party. These studies and focus groups identify what the prospective voter wants to hear and then they are told what to say on the stump. Is it any wonder things are so out of kilter today and why the leaders Mr. Iacocca is looking for are continually muffled and turned into robots?
If you don’t want to buy it go to your local library. Even those who still believe President Bush is doing a great job need to get the perspective this giant of industry has to share.


Jack B. Walters
3961 N. Hillwood Circle
Tucson, AZ 85750
(520) 722-2958
May 2, 2007
jackbwalters@yahoo.com