Editor:
Intelligent capitalists or bombastic pundits…
I read two articles in our local newspaper today that brought to mind the contrast between what can happen when someone negotiates a win-win deal, compared to someone who advocates change but doesn’t actually get involved in activating a deal or initiative that might actually result in positive change, or at least the hope of it.
First story in our local newspaper: A landlord (a member of a local wealthy family that I happen to know personally) negotiated a deal with the city he lives in to have city water/sewage, paved streets and sidewalks installed in the neighborhood where he owns a large number of rental properties (over 30).
The total cost of the project is $1.63 million – the landlord is putting up over $600,000, the city will contribute almost $400,000 (over 30 years).
The other owners in the neighborhood will pay for the remainder of the cost over a 20-year timespan (city will obtain bonds to cover costs upfront).
Everyone’s lifestyle will be improved, property values in that neighborhood will increase (as will values in the surrounding region). A win-win deal for the city and that neighborhood happened because a businessman/community leader advocated for improvement and worked out a deal that was approved by the City Council.
Second story in our local newspaper: Wiley Creek Assisted Living Center is being sold to Mosaic, Inc. by Samaritan, Inc.
Mosaic is going to add a badly needed Memory Center (for dementia, Alzheimers patients) and Samaritan is going to build a new Urgent Care Center/Medical bldg.
Our area currently has only about seven doctors for a population of almost 9,000. Mosaic and Samaritan could double or triple the amount of access to healthcare in our area.
Both companies will increase their revenues/profits and the community will gain much needed access to better healthcare.
Another example of multiple parties working out a deal that is win-win-win for everyone (businesses and community).
The third story I read in an email I received: A radio pundit (I read several other articles by him through a Google search to acquaint myself with his writing style), in this article and others I read, advises “sappy” conservatives to “man up,” confront liberal bombast with conservative bombast, if necessary – be more aggressive, protect “what is ours by heritage and natural right.”
Change the words out (liberal for conservative) and it could be the bombast of a liberal radio/TV pundit – doesn’t matter.
My takeaway from these pundits is that we are all victims who have to attack what we perceive as “them,” the other side, the opposition.
Rarely do we hear anything about actual deals that have been successfully negotiated by either side with each other or the community.
The pundits talk about collapse, the cost of losing, protecting values/morality/ethics/language/holidays, but rarely do they have a story about an achievement that resulted from their generalized bombast.
As I see it we can be a part of the first two stories – negotiators, problem solvers (maybe small problem solutions, by real achievements) or we can be “us,” confronting “them,” with no real achievements to write about.
Hoping we can all be part of local newspaper stories about community improvements…
Keith Scofield
Sweet Home