for W3c validation

I really try to stay away from political posts & don’t know what got me thinking about this specific subject tonight, but I decided to write it anyway.

I’ve thought about this issue quite a bit over the last couple years. My basic thesis is that the major reason that the innovative business execs who SHOULD be running this country aren’t is that there is too much bullshit involved in politics. By “should be running this country,” I mean those who could balance our budget and solve some of the major issues this country faces (healthcare, social security, etc). Innovators don’t want to spend time dealing with bureaucracy (which is what politics is) all day long — they want to make things happen quickly. That means weeks, not months or years. Many who have a strong desire for helping others and improving the world choose to instead focus their time/effort in the non-profit sector, where they can actually see immediate progress for their time. Non-profits such as the Gates Foundation, Kiva, ONE, and the Grameen Bank are where the innovative business leaders go.

And the people who ARE running this country? Well, many of them seem to be the ones that enjoy wining and dining w/ lobbyists and holding positions of power.

Several of my friends have told me they can see me in politics later on in life — but I’m not convinced yet. Like many others with an entrepreneurial mindset, I don’t have a huge amount of patience, something that is critical in politics. Without patience, it would be difficult to champion a bill for several months or a year to the House or Senate. But maybe my thinking will change over the next decade or two, who knows.

In the mean time, hopefully, Obama can change politics.