Anyone who knows me, knows that I don’t really mean that. Not because I’m any sort of Obama supporter, I’m not. But because I don’t believe that presidents really matter that much in our day to day lives. At least, not if you want to be successful in life.
Born in 1971, the first president I was able to vote for was Bill Clinton. All I really knew about politics was that George Bush caved on his “No New Taxes” pledge, and Clinton promised to cut my taxes. At the time, I didn’t understand that Democrats lie as often as Republicans. Only that Clinton was going to give me a tax cut, and free health insurance, and stood for change… sound familiar?
Clinton failed me on every promise that I thought mattered. Yet under Clinton, I made a hell of a lot of money for a twenty something Loan Originator. Why? Because I stopped counting on my president, and figured out how to make it work on my own. I voted for George W. Bush, but not because I really felt he would make my life all that better. That’s my job.
Over my professional career, I think both Bush and Clinton did a pretty decent job of staying out of my way. I don’t have any faith that Obama will do the same. But it many ways, that could be a good thing. If it’s harder to be successful, then people who work as hard as I do will stand out. Make no mistake, the Clinton/Bush policies on promoting wealth through home ownership are gone. It’s going to be a lot harder to be a loan officer. But on the other hand, those who wait around for president Obama to make it easy for them, or those who sit and sulk that it’s all his fault, will be left behind by those of us who move forward.
You didn’t see very much coverage of the election on lenderama. That was by design. If you want to succeed, worrying about which guy will be occupying the oval office is irrelevant.
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{ 16 comments… read them below or add one }
You make a great point. No matter who’s in office, or what policies they enact, we are largely responsible for ourselves.
True that. Not much point in worrying about what Obama is going to do, or waiting for a free handout. And once Bush goes out of office, hardly anyone will even remember why they were so angry with him. Its just election fever. Doesn’t really make a big difference in day-to-day life.
Todd, as always you say waht a lot are thinking and feeling. I would like to blame Obama for things that are going to happen at the same time why would I wish for things terrible to happen to this great country. The President is the jsut that the President and he is supposed to put people under neath him that will make him greater. that does not alway happen but really we just need to worry about number one and the family. that is what matters most. and if you are taking care of yoru own good for you.
Amen!
It is time to flush the entitlement mentality from our American psyche and get back to my Father’s recipe for success–”assholes and elbows” and a little “Charlie Hustle”–he is a life-long colorful language user and Reds fan.
You say it like a champ Todd!
Good stuff! Great post that distills the formula of success to it’s true components… You make your own reality.
CW -http://www.loanofficermarketinglab.com
The blame game has got to stop. We can blame virtually everyone for the mess we’re in. Hard work will always prevail. Those who keep trucking along and stay current with their “game” will succeed.
Todd and Bill Rice, You are correct! no more entitlement. the reason our country is in such a mess is because this generation is so selfish and greedy. we have an entitlement mentality. we aren’t willing to work for what we get like our parents did. 22 yr olds have to drive hummers and live in $400,000 houses. it is no wonder our country is screwed up. we have to get back to living on a cash basis and living within our means both in the governement and in our homes. I just don’t see Obama getting us back to that. I see him just furthering the entitlment mentality, especialy with his healthcare plan.
Chad C.
(edited by Todd Carpenter) Comment Deleted. Sorry Richard, this post is a condemnation of the blame game, not an invitation to join it.
If the market turns quickly after Jan., Obama will be a great leader. If not, a horrible socialist. It’s all more or less nonsense. The best a president can do is try to use good judgement regardig the information they receive from experts and try not to interfere unnecessarily in citizens lives. We shall see.
I couldn’t agree more. What we need right now are people who would start fixing things on their own, stop pointing fingers on who’s to blame for whatever and do not wait for a miracle to happen. Many people are in financial crisis because they depend too much on the government.
I think the first president I voted for was Carter. The difference between you and me is I knew he couldn’t deliver all the things he was promising, but at least he was promising me things I wanted.
>If it’s harder to be successful, then people who work as hard as I do will stand out.
Yup, there is always a way to be successful. You just have to find it. Change is good for those who know how to adapt.
Ned Carey
I think people get preoccupied with who is in the white house. I figure business is kind of like a game. The rules change every four years. As an individual we can vote but dont have too much control over the final outcome. All we can do is try to play well and adept to changes in the environment.
I agree we should help ourselves and not have others impede into our lives as much as possible, but we do have a war going on, and that affects more than just one person/country. I’m not saying either candidates have a better policy, because as you state, we really can’t know (they all lie*). Our soldiers feel entitled ‘not to die’ but everyone should have that right, I am sorry I can’t expound on this anymore, but my class just ended; Great blog!
If you are going to delete a comment, wouldn’t it be more fair to delete it completely? I feel you misrepresented my economic analysis as being an example of the “blame game”.
Some things, deserve entitlement. As I was about to explain, the war deserves it. Everyone should be entitled to certain things; life, liberty, and the American cliché. But the new generation, my generation, has been coddled by their parents and instead of “growing up” and seeing what is need and what is want, they expect things to be there for them, need or want. I go to a Preparatory school, so you can imagine I have a lot of “entitled” peers. However, I do think that there has been a shift in the American psyche to this more “entitled” mind set not solely in the new generation. Look at the bailout bill! I think it is not because because of one person or thing, but because we (the US) have become settled in our ways. Again, great blog, really gets you thinking.
Richard, I don’t remember what you said in your comment other than it missed the whole point of my post. I rarely delete comments. I’m always prepared for that particular reader to be quite offended. I would be. So whatever it was, I must of felt pretty strongly about how off base you were.
I don’t fully delete posts because that seems rather sneaky. Yes I control the conversation on this blog. It is a dictatorship. I try to be benevolent, but if I do become a tyrant, I at least have the courtesy to do it publicly.