Joey’s Take: Keeping It Real

I have to apologize for going silent for the past two weeks. My campaign computer was attacked big time by viruses. If I were paranoid, I would blame it on a vast left-wing conspiracy aimed at shutting me up. But I’m a reasonable dog, so I’ll try not to buy into all the conspiracy theories. Instead, I’ll focus on real issues that matter to real people in the real world.

On the eve of the president’s speech to schoolchildren, a few media outlets trotted out Oprah’s list, prepared for the inauguration, of how children can serve their president. Funny, I thought it was his job to serve us. But I’m just a dog. What do I know?

It did get me thinking about how the role of a public servant has changed. The time was when we had citizens serving in a part-time Congress and then going home to take care of business. Now, we have professional politicians who position themselves as leaders, not servants. Yet, ironically, we have a woeful dearth of leadership in federal government.

So here’s a revolutionary thought: My campaign will be based on service – not leadership. If I’m elected, I pledge to:

• Be a servant, not a leader.
• Keep my paw out of your pocket and keep special interest paws out of my pockets.
• Make congressional pay merit pay. Senators and congressmen and -women who don’t show up for work, read the bills they vote for or live by the laws they pass shouldn’t get paid.
• Tie congressional salaries to the economy. If there’s no COLA for Social Security or government workers, there should be no pay raise for the servants in Congress. Period.

I’m Joey. I’m running to be your servant in Congress. And I approved this message.

Joey's Take -- Clean Out the Dog House

I may be a dog, but even I know that these political animals running loose in the Beltway and state capitals need to exercise some control when it comes to their private affairs.

Yes, I know some of our founding fathers had their "indiscretions." But that was back before a vicious 24/7 news cycle demanded to be fed. Before media hounds sniffed out any scent of scandal. Back when sex and sensationalism were not the Kibbles 'n Bits of the press. When people understood what it meant to be a PUBLIC official and recognized that this couldn't be a lifetime career choice for that very reason.

Public service should never be a Gravy Train of self-indulgence. Rather, it should be a path of self-sacrifice. Commitment. Accountability. Yes, even in this era of Bill Clinton, John Edwards, Mark Sanford and John Ensign, integrity still matters.

But to get the leaders we need, we can't just run with the pack and vote for who looks good on camera or howls the loudest. We must look beyond the buzz words and the focus group-tested speeches to find the leaders whose actions speak louder than their bark.

It's time to clean out the dog house!

Joey's Take -- Trailblazer or Roadkill?

When it comes to dogs, there are basically five kinds of leaders:

-- The Lone Wolf. He starts out as leader of the pack but ends up on his own because no one wants to go in his direction.

-- The Pup. Rash and inexperienced, he's in a hurry to get anywhere else. He doesn't take the time to learn from the past and sniff out the dangers of the trail. Since he doesn't have a clear idea of where he wants to go, he tends to wander. In his haste, he loses his way -- or gets run over by the rest of the pack.

-- Old Faithful. This dog never wanders off the beaten path. He's always got his nose to the ground so he can lead the pack down the same trail everyone else has taken.

-- The Yapper. His nose is constantly in someone else's business. He's so busy barking and whining about what others have done, he leads the pack in circles.

-- The Trailblazer. This dog generally has had experience and has great instincts. But he still takes the time to smell the scents, test the water and plot out a reasonable course. While he doesn't needlessly lead the pack headlong into danger, he stands his ground when necessary. He understands that leadership isn't about being popular -- or having power. It's about vision, responsibility, integrity and accountability.

With the mess our country is in, we need to start seriously thinking about our future leaders -- at the local, state and national levels.

Me? I'm looking for trailblazers.