- What kind of mindset do politicians have, fixed or growth?
This weekend I have been busy working on an online course about the adolescent brain. My own brain feels a bit heavy as I am fighting a head cold and trying to embrace this online course with gusto! I’ve read a lot this weekend and it isn’t about politics. However, I am sure I can make an analogy between the “fixed” mindset and “growth” mindset as it pertains to politics and politicians. Here is a good diagram that I can share with you, so you can understand what I’ve been thinking about. It is fascinating so click on it and study it!
http://michaelgr.com/2007/04/15/fixed-mindset-vs-growth-mindset-which-one-are-you/
If you study the chart you will tend to recognize what kind of mindset you have yourself. Of course we all will want to think that we have a “growth” mindset as it is pretty obvious that with a growth mindset you can go far in the world. I was thinking about politicians, both Republicans and Democrats. It seems like the status quo is made up of the fixed mindset and the growth mindset would be those that aren’t afraid to change things up a bit. Change is hard to achieve with a “fixed” mindset nation. Even though we may know that doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the somewhat silly definition of crazy, many voters are ready to do just that. Even though they know what will happen if they vote the Republicans back in power, many are willing to do it even at the risk of their own best self interests.
The problems with the Democrats are looming ever larger as we get closer and closer to the election. Many are concerned about the health care bill that was passed. I refuse to call it “Obamacare” as I know the same thing was done to Hillary Clinton when she tried to pass a universal health care plan. We all remember “Hillarycare”. The same people are out saying the same things about “Obamacare”. The truth is none of us really know whether the positives outweigh the negatives for the health care plan. I’m beginning to think we have to give it some time as it seems like those with the money and the great health care are the ones squealing the hardest to repeal it. The mindset of the Republicans is “fixed”. They don’t want to change anything. There whole idea is to give tax breaks to the wealthy and big business and it will trickle down to the little guy. Unfortunately, that ship has already sailed and it sunk! After forty years of this trend, look where we are at. The ugly head of poverty has reared again. It seems that while the rich are getting richer, the poor are also getting poorer and some of the middle class are being knocked down to the level of poverty. The tax break for the wealthy that GW passed that is set to expire didn’t work. If it had worked, it seems to me that we wouldn’t be where we are today, in a heap of an economic mess!
I want some new ideas in politics. Let’s get some growth minded people in office that are willing to think beyond the petty ideas of partisan politics. Some might think the Tea Party people are the answer but when I hear things like, “We should get rid of social security from these people.” I know that isn’t the answer. I understand their frustration with taxes. However, most people that have a decent job don’t spend their lives complaining about their taxes. In fact they’re too busy living their life. If we all can have jobs that pay a decent wage, I’m sure most of us wouldn’t be as concerned about those darn taxes.
Republicans are excited about the possibility that they may take back the House and even the Senate. Through no real effort on their part or any new ideas, this may be true. So many want to “Throw the bums out!” and the bums are the people in power, the Democrats. How soon we all forget what a wasteland the Republicans made of our country.
What mindset do you have? Is it “fixed” in the past or leaning towards “growth” for the future? Think long and hard before you vote those old bums back in as they will probably be worse than the current bums and they will have a “fixed” mindset. They think they are right about everything. Don’t reinforce this image they have of themselves by rewarding them with your vote. In Nevada they don’t want you to vote if you are a Latino that voted for Democrats.
That’s right Latinos, don’t vote, that will show them. Talk about voting for your own best interest or not voting for them. I always encourage people to vote. Regardless of party we all should vote. It’s the only way to get a true representation of what the people want. I encourage everyone to vote, even Republicans!
However, we already know what the Republicans will do. Their policies are the policies that they hold in their “fixed” mindset. They will take us back to the future or the past. Their policies favor big business and the wealthy. If you aren’t with them, you are against them. Their thinking is black and white with nothing in between. They will try to control you through everything from gay marriage, women’s rights, teaching Creationism in schools and other divisive issues to the separation of church and state. They will talk about how great the constitution is and then they will set out to change some of the amendments to it. You know what you get with those Republicans. It may seem safe to you because it is familiar as it’s a show you have seen before. However, if you want something new for this nation, open your mind to the possibilities of a “growth” mindset. Vote for people that have a vision of a different future. Embrace change and think about how we might be able to be stronger as a nation if we all work together for the growth of our great nation. Let’s not step back to the fast but embrace the future. Vote for people that have a “growth” mindset for the future and the middle class. Don’t vote for the past. Vote for the future and the future of our children.
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