Take a few moments to watch commencement address given by Tim Cook of Apple. What strikes you is that even though he is clearly brilliant, tough and accomplished, he is humble and understands the need to work hard. I am glad Mr. Cook is at Apple where he has helped create great products, jobs, share holder value and a growing, profitable company. Too bad we can't seem to hire the same kind of talent in DC or many of our state houses...

Taking on big issues is always hard. Making choices is always hard. When I have had to do this during my professional career, I have relied on two principals to guide me.

The first is to focus on controlling what you can control. Railing on or wringing your hands about things you can't are useless.

The second is to Keep It Simple and if it's not, make it that way.

So if I was magically in charge tomorrow, what would be on the list?

Pass a balanced budget amendment to the US Constitution. The only time the government can run a deficit is during a declared war.

Eliminate unfunded mandates at the Federal level and have state governments do the same. The people who pass programs should have to raise the taxes to pay for them.

The President, Vice Presiden and Congressional leadership should take the same kind of compensation cuts they demanded from the organizations they bailed out. When they return the country to fiscal sanity, we can reevaluate their compensation. Cut the size of the Federal executive and congressional staffs by 50%. 80% of the remaining employees must live and work in their Congressional districts. Less staff and the shell game of 2000 page bills and "legislative language" will end...

Immediately eliminate government pensions for elected officials and political appointees who are not already retired. Means test those that are.

Eliminate all COLAs in government contracts and programs. If raises are needed, Congress can pass them as needed and raise the taxes or make the cuts to cover them. Eliminate all the "fluff" resolutions and noise activities in Congress so they can actually focus on things that need to get down ...

If you really thought about this, there are hundreds of ways to really change the current situation. What do you think?

When I graduated from college, I went to work for Texas Instruments in Houston. During the next 12 years, I learned a lot about creating new products, running a business and about myself. I left in 1992 to start a company with some other folks from TI. As I read this article about what is happening in India, I thought about how this is not happening now in the US. Our big companies have, to a great degree, become stagnant places filled with aging people gaming in to a paycheck. The real action is happening elsewhere...

http://techcrunch.com/2010/11/13/the-future-of-indian-technology

What do you think?