Just a bit of inspiration from Jon Stewart…
I just finished watching last night’s segment on the Daily Show with Bolivian President Evo Morales. The man is truly inspirational.
Here’s his story in a brief nutshell: He grew up a common farmer. He didn’t like the way his country was being run. He decided to change things.
And in doing all that, he became the first indigenous head of state in nearly 500 years,
All those things aside, the most impressive thing about Morales’ presidency is simple: He sets goals, and then actually works until he’s achieved them.Morales is reforming education. Schools in Bolivia now teach native languages to help kids understand their history. The program is giving children a strong foundation of community pride as they grow up to become global citizens.
But most impressively is what he’s doing to reform both the gas and mineral industries. These multi-million dollar industries have now been nationalized. That means more control – and more money – is now in the hands of those men and women working for those companies. It’s a move that’s putting nearly 800 million dollars back in their pockets.
So why does all this matter to us living here in the U.S.?
When asked why he’s doing all that he is, Morales replied by saying, "We are not a government of mere promises: We follow through on what we propose and what the people demand." It’s the kind of leadership more and more voters will be looking for when they head to the polls in 2008.We want creative leaders. We need people who can identify problems, come up with solutions, and – here’s the hard part – actually make good on fixing things that are broken.
Boliva’s Morales is making a promise to his people to listen to their needs and to address their concerns. It’s a simple idea, and it’s working.
Now, just imagine what would happen if our government officials followed President Morales’ lead and made good on all their political promises?
It could mean all the difference.
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