Just 90 minutes ago, Joseph R Biden Jr.,  announced  his entry into the crowded Democratic primary for the Election 2020.

          Joe Biden’s  45  years of public service (36 years as Senator) and quantitative accomplishments may well be overwhelming.

          At 76 backed by long service his scores on ’empathy’ ;  ‘persuasiveness’ ;  ‘honesty and integrity’ ;  and his ability to engage others, particularly from both sides of the aisle, will always stand out.

          Today’s leadership, nationally and internationally, however,  calls for more than mere basic requirements. More so, because today’s problems are much more complex requiring innovative, creative solutions.

          Just as we say that in business, in the selection of employees, managers, or even first rung leaders it is “character”  and not just  ‘skill sets’,  making the most important determinant;  in Politics too it is  “character”  combined with attitude that forms the Chief determinant of eligibility today. Character, here, is not to mean just what it connotes literally but in the broader sense of  “risk taking initiatives”  for the ultimate good of the community. It is the most essential attitude, an attribute of national leadership in today’s world.

          It is in this context that Joe Biden will find his contest challenging.

          Figure below represents what and how  “character”  contributes to leadership.

          My character triad consists of the following three elements : (a) Imaginative thrust,  (b) Interactive brain,  and  (c) Industrious behavior.

          (a) Imaginative thrust describes a leader in search of a direct, intuitive, and practical awareness and understanding of the problem/action/incident with a healthy mind condition. Immediate knowledge of the event and swift response are critical to this behavior.

          (b) Interactive brain refers to the power to perceive truth of an action/incident without much logical or detailed analysis. The Leader here engages in discussions through aides on the pros and cons of the action/incident as quickly as possible. His gut instinct is also valuable.

          (c)  Industrious behavior explains in terms of sum of all elements of a part being more than the whole. It describes a person who discepts and discusses issues with all stakeholders, specially for new ideas and methods in arriving at a decision. It reveals that the person concerned is highly goal conscious, role conscious, and team conscious to achieve success.

          New Zealand PM, Jacinda Ardern’s response to the bombings in Christchurch mosque is an excellent example of “character” wherein her immediate response in terms of ‘Gun Control Legislation’  within 7 days of the incident satisfied all the three components while fulfilling the goal and role of remedial action. She took personal responsibility ;  She took the opportunity provided by the adversity ;  She designed a creative legislation to the challenging situation ; She took the hopeful view of the risk to formulate a creative solution – all for the benefit of citizens and the nation. Her sanguinity amidst the catastrophe evoked praise and acclamation throughout the world.

          Quite a few Democrats in the fray show  “character”  in terms of the new/creative ideas that make it critical. Andrew Yang’s Universal Basic Income (UBI);  Beto O’Rourke’s  Medicare for America ;  Pete Buttigieg’s  Democratic Capitalism fall under this category, each capable of being the vital cog in the wheel of Democrats’  offerings.

          Mention should be made of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s  “Green New Deal”,  although she is a fresh congresswoman not in this contest. But GND has the potential to be the key issue of Democrats in this election either independently or in a modified format.

          Alexandria Ocasio Cortez may not have thought of ‘character’ in this sense or interpreted in terms of risk taking while conceiving GND.

          But balancing Climate Change and Economic Inequality in a way that protects the environment while preserving and promoting job opportunities is the right path forward for America’s progress and growth – according to Alexandria Ocasio Cortez.

          It is significant to note that many others in the fray (Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Kamala Harris, Jay Inslee, …) have also adopted Climate Change or a modified version of GND as a key issue.

          Will GND give a vital plank to fight the election in 2020 ?

          Whether GND can match the impact of immigration as the key issue in 2016 election which catapulted Donald Trump to the Presidency ?

          Will GND have a striking impact on the voting pattern ?

Will Joe Biden be able to propose a creative program of his own to earn the mark of a key issue and distinguish himself from the pack ?

          No one can be sure at this moment.

” Welcome to the Race, Wisdom Joe “.

    ” Dieu avec nous “

   Thursday, April 25, 2019 – 10.49 p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit :  ”  A problem cannot be solved at the same level of thinking that created it “. – Albert Einstein.

        ” Big event,  big’ wigs,  and big advantage ” 

        What is it ?   It is  CNN’s  First Youth focused  Town Hall.

        Where ?   At  Anselm  College,  Manhattan,  New Hampshire.

        When  ?   Monday,  April 22,  2019.

        Who is the host(s)  ?    Institute of Politics at Harvard Kennedy School,   and   New Hampshire Institute of Politics.

        Why the Town Hall  ?   Millennials and Gen Z generations will represent more than one third of eligible voters by Election Day in 2020. Their views are critical to governance. Hence the interaction.

        Who are the players  ?   Democratic Presidential hopefuls  :   (1)  Senator Amy Klobuchar, Minnesota.  (2)  Senator Elizabeth Warren, Massachusetts.  (3)  Senator Bernie Sanders, Vermont.  (4)  Senator Kamala Harris, California,  and  (5)  Mayor Pete Buttigieg, South Bend, Indiana.

        Who are the Umpires  ?   Anderson Cooper,  Chris Cuomo,  and  Don Lemon of CNN.

        What is the aim  ?   Young voters to engage with Presidential Candidates and ask Questions on Topics driving Youth Agenda.

        Who is the Audience  ?   500 young voters (including more than 200 Harvard students).

        What are the Issues covered ?   Climate change,  Economy,  Healthcare,  Education,  Gun violence,  Foreign Policy,  Lowering Voting age,  Trust in Institutions,  and  Political System.

        Let me start my coverage and presentation of the Town Hall event.   

        First,  Senator Amy Klobuchar – moderated by Chris Cuomo of CNN.

        Rejoining International Climate Treaty will be her topmost action, if she wins.

        Senator Amy Klobuchar supports Grand New Deal, but with some changes  ( Climate change is happening now, not 100 years from now. Iowa, Nebraska, and Missouri will be flooded ;  California, Colorado, and Arizona will be engulfed with fires if we don’t take action now – she said ) ;  Senator Amy Klobuchar supports Universal Healthcare but not Medicare for All fully ;  Senator Amy Klobuchar affords a solution to fix racism in Criminal Justice System through taking the First Step Act further ;  Senator Amy Klobuchar supports Education but not fully tuition free education ( she pitches for refinancing student loan debt, expand Pell Grant program, and to bring back democrats’  plan to make community college free rather than tuition free college ) ;  Senator Amy Klobuchar does not support Education Secretary Betsy DeVos’s call for refunding  special education and trying to get rid of special Olympics funding ;  Senator Amy Klobuchar has high expectations and hence establishes tough standards for work in offices ;  Respect for dignity of work is her philosophy of Governance.

        ” Impeaching President Donald Trump is the business of the Congress. However, Mueller should be brought before the Senate for a hearing too. The important aspect in the whole issue is that President should be made accountable. ”  –  she added to a question on Impeachment of the President.

        Figure below represents Senator Amy Klobuchar’s key actions as President :

        The three elements comprising her actions are :  fixing the infrastructure ,  fixing the school education ,  and  raising corporate taxes.

        Senator Amy Klobuchar views nutrition as very important and strongly supports healthy food in kids’  lunches.

        Senator Amy Klobuchar ended with the remark that  ” it is your moment now ”  putting all students high on the pedestal of judging performance.

        Second,  Senator Elizabeth Warren -moderated by Anderson Cooper of CNN.

        Senator Elizabeth Warren’s vision for a new America consists of three elements : Grassroots Foundation ;  Infrastructure Building ;  and  Minimum Wage.

        Figure below represents Senator Elizabeth Warren’s priorities :

        Senator Elizabeth Warren wants to break up tech giants like Google and Amazon ( with annual return more than $ 25 million ) to limit their control over e-commerce. She also wants a 2% tax on Americans whose net worth exceeds $50 million with an additional 1 %  levy on billionaires. Rich should pay for the poor, middle class – be it Housing, Student loans, Healthcare.

        Senator Elizabeth Warren defends Law Enforcement by accelerating new Gun Safety laws and stringent background checks.

        ” It is not about Politics, it is about Principles ” – she said when asked about impeaching President Trump.  ” Congress has the accountability and the tool available to us is the Impeachment process. Mueller Report has all the fundamentals, points, and footnotes. ” – she added favouring Impeachment.

        While lauding Barack Obama for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau during the financial crisis of 2008, she was full of admiration for him.

        Senator Elizabeth Warren’s chief message is that the present system does not work for companies that want to drill ;  the present system does not work for companies that want a prescription bill ;  the present system does not work for companies that want to encourage workers and unions ;  the present system works only for companies in Wall Street.  This needs to change. She is confident that unions will help build American middle class and big investment in housing will spread the opportunity for more people to progress.

        Senator Elizabeth Warren put common people above the wealthy in every answer. She touched the hearts and minds of common people with her genuine concern for their lives on all issues. She centred around programs towards the path of a Supreme Nation which she has been advocating in her political career.

        Third, Senator Bernie Sanders  –  moderated by Chris Cuomo of CNN.

        Senator Bernie Sanders proposes to promote a healthy and happy planet for all Americans to live.

        Figure below represents Senator Bernie Sanders’ Key Initiatives Triangle to bring back American Glory :

        High quality, Optional, publicly funded  “Pre School”  for all Americans with every dollar invested giving many many more times returns causing less dropouts is where America’s future lies – he avers. He wants to defeat Trump by exposing him as a liar.  Distinguishing between Humanitarian and Military efforts to bring peace internationally he supported Democratic changes to countries but without military intervention – be it SA or Venezuela. Cyberwar is calamitous and catastrophic, according to him.

        Role of U.S.A.  in the world is as important as the Economic issues like jobs, healthcare, and climate change. I am now thinking more of foreign policy issues than earlier and that is a significant change in my book, he added.

        Defeating Trump is more important than impeaching the President, and the recipe for that is more talk on minimum wage, healthcare, education, climate change,  and less talk on Trump/Mueller/Impeachment. He seems concerned that it will work for Trump beneficially if economic growth discourse is shelved.

        Right to vote should be extended to all citizens whether they are terrible people, people in jail, murderers or terrorists because it is an inherent American right to participate in our democracy.

        Senator Bernie Sanders sounded clear and firm in giving shape to his policies and promises while being transparent and accountable is what I arrived at in this discussion.

        Fourth,  Senator Kamala Harris with Don Lemon of CNN as moderator.

        Senator Kamala Harris’s  vision  is centered around a single concept –  “Safe America”.

        True leadership lies in sharing the concerns of people. True leadership shall recognise who we are as Americans in soul and heart. True leadership shall strive to bring unity and not division. True leadership shall ensure equal treatment for all citizens. This is her vision.

        Figure below represents Senator Kamala Harris’s  Priorities Triangle :

         Senator Kamala Harris supports ‘Medicare for All’  program, an expanded public option for health insurance that increased and renders individuals with high income levels also eligible.

        Senator Kamala Harris supports Gun Control measures, and she avers that swift executive action will be taken if Congress failed to pass any new gun control legislation within 100 days of assumption of power.

        Senator Kamala Harris cited  “making America prepare for Cyber War”  as one of her top priorities. She felt that this is a war without blood and one for which America is not prepared. Our infrastructure is becoming more and more vulnerable and greater attention is required.

        Senator Kamala Harris supports impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump because : (a)  Mueller Report provides enough evidence in the direction of Trump administration engaging in obstruction of evidence,  and  (b)  the primary reason for contesting the election is to get rid of President Donald Trump, a premise I’m sure most Americans share – according to her.

        Senator Kamala Harris was not forthcoming when questioned about the voting rights of people in prison, Boston Marathon Bomber, people on death row, and people convicted of sexual assault. She said – ” we need to have that conversation “.  Bernie Sanders supported voting rights clearly earlier in his discussion.

         Senator Kamala Harris promised to act in a way that every citizen will be treated as ideal as described in the Declaration of Independence.

        Senator Kamala Harris appeared energetic and forceful and perhaps raised the temperature and impact of the Democratic nomination process with the opportunity provided in this Town Hall.

        Fifth,  Mayor  Pete  Buttigieg  with Anderson Cooper of CNN as moderator :

        ” We have to deal with the condition of Democracy; the way we make decisions; we have to be cautious ..  ..  We need to show greater concern about Climate Change ;  We have to deal with unfairness and inequality in our economic system today ”  –  the three important issues he points to when asked about his decision to contest.

        Figure below represents Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s  priority triad  :

        The three elements comprising the priority triad are : (a)  Jobs and employment benefits ,  (b)  Affordable Healthcare,  and  (c)  Debt free college.

        While Mayor Pete Buttigieg finds Senator Elizabeth Warren’s proposal to give relief to students with debt appealing, he wants that to be tied to the tax code while being sceptical about high income group participating earnestly.

        Mayor Pete Buttigieg does not favor voting rights for the incarcerated. He sees it as the punishment for the crime committed.

        About impeaching President Donald Trump, he shares the view that he would have to remain more focused on relegating Trumpism to the dustbin of history, and that the impeachment process which in any way is the task cut out for the Congress and the Senate should be allowed to take its own course.

        Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s proposal for immigration reforms lies in a Comprehensive Immigration Reform that will be tied with protection for dreamers, pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants,  relevant reforms to clear up the bureaucracy and the backlogs in the lawful immigration system,  and reasonable measures on border security.  This will also define his leadership.

        Mayor Pete Buttigieg seems to rely upon learning from experience as a growth factor in one’s career. He defended his 1000 home policy that met with strong criticism ( demolishing 1000 deteriorating houses in 1000 days ) specially from those adversely impacted.

        “Faith leads him to pursue humble and faithful service to the people” – to the question as to how he will try to unite conservatives, moderates, and liberals in the election.

        Just two weeks in campaign mode, he assured everyone that he will develop his policy page of his website to better understand views and actions.

        Conclusion  :   Fair questions and fair answers. All candidates fulfilled their solemn responsibility in an effective manner. About 2500 hours of the audience time should be taken to mean virtuousness with praise and acclaim for the event. 

        500  youth as audience.  5 candidates  x  60  minutes each = 300  minutes.   500 x 300 = 150000  total minutes.  150000 ÷ 60 = 2500 hrs.

        Several facts emerged from the discussion and  hopefully the doubts of the audience may have dissolved and apprehensions put to rest.

        This town hall is a pleasant departure from other town halls this season in that the audience ( students including 200 from Harvard ) focused mostly on high impact issues – impeachment,  immigration, and importance of the candidate contesting  rather than the ordinary health, safety, training, taxes, growth and the like. 

        This may well set the  audiences’   and peoples’  thinking in the direction of who ( I mean in the broader terms of Democrats or Republicans ) can take care of the citizens better.

        Audience in the Town Hall may have blessed all the candidates.

   ” Dieu avec nous “

   Tuesday,  April 23, 2019  –  12. 49  p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit :  ” There is no bottomless well of unlimited money in Washington. The only government money that any person can get, whether from Washington, from the city, or County treasurer, or from the Town selectman, must come from the taxes he pays out of his own pocket. ” –  George M Humphrey.

          (A)   The  Scenario  :

          A month since the release of Mueller Report.

          President Donald Trump’s indictment after the Russia probe is beyond the realms of possibility.

          Democrats seem to have their knives in Trump’s other wrongdoings now.

          Their demand for the full unredacted report is growing by the day.

          Robert Mueller’s  (Special Counsel)  testimony is sought by April 23 in the fervent hope of clearing the undetermined and undecided issues and erase the uncertainty of opinion by anyone.

          President Donald Trump’s scathing criticism after the release of the report to the Congress is also on the rise.

          From  “Mueller acted honorably”  after AG William Barr’s four-page summary on 24th March to  “Total  Bulls**t”  the day before is a radical shift.

          Everyone  (citizens including)  is eager to know what the Democrats will do now ;  how they will derive and decide the courses of future actions ;  and what impact this move will have on the mood of citizens from now on.

          (B)   The  Choices  :

          Figure below represents the three possible courses of actions by the Democrats :

          Action 1 :  Senator  Elizabeth Warren has called for Impeachment proceedings to be initiated against the President. A few Congressional members  have  also  extended  support  to  the call . But the Democratic Leadership may be wary of this course of action for fear of failure and the resultant disadvantage politically.

          Action  2  :   Seems certain to be supported by all Democrats. Can place President Donald Trump under check during the remaining part of his term.

          Action  3  :   Seems logically the ideal course of action.  Congressmen  Sean Patrick Maloney (NY)  and  Harley Rouda (CA)  have already voiced their emphasis on this course of action as a non-partison issue dealing with the right and wrong that’ll instantly be hailed by the citizens and the Democratic (even others) politicians alike.

          (C)   The First and the Best  :

          Without making a rod for their own back the Democrats will derive more from a mix of  60%  of  Action  3  and  40%  of  Action  2  to earn their mark in 2020. This is the verdict.

   ” Dieu avec nous “

   Sunday,  April 21,  2019 – 12. 29 p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit :  ” We want to beat Trump in a Big way in 2020 ” – Congressman  Harley Rouda (CA).

        P.S.  If you think this piece is not anything new, I must confess that I am with you. This is intended to be a skeletal format for a mgt  presentation.

          Tonight’s town hall featured author cum activist, Marianne Williamson, who will be running for the President of U.S.A.  in the 2020 Election.

Marianne Williamson with CNN’s Dana Bash.

          CNN’s  Dana Bash moderated the event.

          Marianne Williamson announced her candidacy on January 29, 2019.

          I wish to present the following three aspects while highlighting the event :

          1.  Vision :  Figure below represents Marianne Williamson’s  vision : 

          From disconnect to connect ;  From suffering and conflict to harmony and peace ;  From power of fear to power of love ; – Marianne Williamson wants a transformation in America’s future lead by a political visionary, his/her words reflecting the voice of the heart of citizens.

          2.  Priorities  :  Figure below represents Marianne Williamson’s  Priorities triad : 

           (a) Marianne Williamson bats for  ‘Medicare for All’  with a holistic approach where not just access to doctor but avoiding toxins and environmental disorders will be emphasized.  (b)  She supports Criminal Justice Reform ;   and  (c)  her goal is to let the U.S.  reenter the Paris Climate Agreement.  

          3.  Leadership Style  :  Figure below represents Marianne Williamson’s Leadership style as can be formulated from her responses in the Town Hall :

          The following are the three elements that constitute her Leadership style :  (a)  Timely, lively, and speedy actions be it in restoring Justice (reparations), Economy,  Health or Education. (b)  Arrest the slide that America witnessed in the last 40 years through creation of a moral and spiritual awakening which she terms as the ‘Magic Political Force’  and  (c)  A change in the approach to all the issues plagued by the nation that will be a blend of human-rights/dignities  and  general welfare of the citizens.  She discusses hate and love in this context.

          Conclusion :  Quick on the draw,  prompt in perception,  and ready to impart learning,  meaning, and understanding on all issues – Marianne Williamson proved herself to be an  action taking lady.

   “Dieu avec nous”

   Monday, April 15, 2019 –  3.59 p.m. (IST)

   Tidbit :  ” Love for Israel is second only to my love for the United States ” – Marianne Williamson while answering the question on the alliance of United States with Israel.

          Tonight’s CNN Town Hall featured Former Secretary, HUD, Julian Castro, contributing factfully and reasonably to the people problems.

Don Lemon of CNN, the Moderator.

          Don Lemon of CNN moderated the event.

Julian Castro, former HUD secretary.

          Extent of topics covered in this event is as broad as those in the earlier Town Halls this season – Immigration, Infrastructure, Healthcare, Education, Gun Control, Climate Change ..  ..

          1.  First to Julian Castro’s exploits :  Figure below is a representation of his exploits –

          Julian Castro became the first Hispanic to deliver the Keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, NC, catapulting him to national attention.

          Time magazine placed Julian Castro on its ” 40  under  40 ”  list of rising stars in 2010.

          WEF in 2010 listed Julian Castro among Young Global Leaders.

          Will these give him a leg up in the contest –  Nobody can be sure.

          2.   Second to Julian Castro’s Job Performance  :  Figure below is a representation of Julian Castro’s Job Performance  –

          Julian Castro helped rebuild the disaster affected communities through a $ 1 billion National Disaster Resilience Competition in 2016. It helped stabilise the housing market too.

          Julian Castro promoted a community wide visioning effect through  ‘SA2020’  based on collective People Vision/Goals in San Antonio in 2010. Aim was to turn vision into a reality.

          Julian Castro, as Mayor, helped expand Pre-K  education through special funding from businessmen to the tune of $ 30 million in 2012.

          Job Performance may seem ok but he has not been a senator, governor, or such other powerful person as we now see in the Democratic crowd of aspiring individuals.

          3.   Third to Julian Castro’s Priorities. :  Figure below is a representation of Julian Castro’s Priorities –

          Julian Castro’s Priorities as gleaned from the discussions in the session are three-fold :  

          Julian Castro is a strong advocate of  ‘Medicare for All’  as the key program that all Democrats in general strive to support and strengthen.

          Julian Castro is a strong supporter of Pre-K program to 4 year olds with funding from higher local taxes. He accomplished this to a great degree and delivered on this while serving as mayor of San Antonio.

          Julian Castro is a strong supporter of a decent pathway to citizenship for the undocumented residents of U.S.A. ;  a strong advocate of reconstitution of ICE ;  and a strong opponent of border wall in South.

          Common to all Democrats, needs a distinguishing feature to add.

          4.  Fourth to Julian Castro’s Leadership style  :  Figure below is a representation of Julian Castro’s Leadership style –

          The quality of humanness is what is central to his style of Leadership and Governance.

          (a)  Human Concern and Compassion : The general thinking that we have to choose between border safety and compassion is not right according to him. We can have both and do more with both concern and compassion – be it justice to DACA or to the undocumented immigrants. Human Concern and Compassion is the best way to lead and make decisions on any thorny issue, he believes.

          (b)  Integrity  :  Integrity of administration is one strong quality that he avers learning from Barack Obama. And today, more than ever before, we are in great need for restoring the integrity of White House. Today, more than ever before, we need to be  ‘bold’  in our thinking and actions : be it Climate Change;  be it Judicial appointments;  be it Housing;  be it Taxes;  be it Healthcare;  be it Education  …  …  Integrity is the essence of boldness, he emphasised.

           (c)   Truthfulness  :   Whatever are our facts and real knowledge ;  whatever are our agreements and reality ;  whatever are our faiths and beliefs –  all add value to our actions and they should essentially form the basis for the entire gamut of our activities and decisions.

          A student of Human Relations, he fulfils a basic requirement of a Politician.

          Some observations from Commonsense perspective :

          1.  Julian Castro was able to maintain the enthusiasm and interest of the audience to the substance of his answers. I sincerely feel that the audience will remember the convincing answers afforded by Julian Castro in this Town Hall. To some it would serve to enhance the basics in knowledge of the issues discussed.

          2.   Julian Castro has been successful in enhancing the emotional appeal that he was able to fill the minds of the audience through his focused approach and some repetitions (specially the immigration part, his own personal experience)  during the event.

          3.   Julian Castro chose to make the topic of immigration critical and relevant, reinforcing quite a few times in the session, why the audience here and the American citizens in general have to view this as currently more important and worth caring for. It also helped to motivate the audience to respond with cheers while paying key attention to the details as in the case of DACA and undocumented immigrants.

          Conclusion :  Julian Castro succeeded in being persuasive without being controversial ;  argumentative without being confrontational ;  informative without being rhetorical – getting the audience to pay attention to what he said. Quite an engaging interaction.

   “Dieu avec nous”

   Friday, April 12, 2019 – 10.09 a.m. (IST)

   Tidbit : ” Forging and repairing alliances, and not damaging and disrespecting alliances will be the crux of Foreign Policy ” – Julian Castro in this session.

          Gov. Jay Robert Inslee, Washington,  featured in tonight’s CNN Town Hall held in Washington.

Wolf Blitzer of CNN, the Moderator.

          Wolf Blitzer of CNN moderated the event.

          Usual topics as we have seen in the earlier town hall meetings with Democrats this season.

          Gov. Jay Inslee announced his candidacy on March 1, 2019, for the Democratic nomination for President of the U.S.A.  in the 2020 Election.

          Here are the key aspects that I would like to put forward for information and assimilation :

          1.  Gov. Jay Inslee’s rise to prominence :  Figure below shows the three elements of work that made him prominent :

          (a)  Washington vs Trump, a lawsuit jointly filed with Attorney General, Bob Ferguson,  challenging Trump administration’s order ( executive order 13769 ) to ban entry from 7 muslim majority countries in 2017.This earned a temporary restraining order. Gov. Jay Inslee garnered national attention because of this.  (b)  As Chair of Democratic Governors’  Association during 2018 Gubernatorial elections he oversaw Democrats gaining  7  net Governorships nationwide. This propelled him to national attention again.  (c)  His emphasis on Climate Change and as a critique of Trump Administration’s policies, he made people turn their heads with a larger focus on him.

          2.  Gov. Jay Inslee’s Job Growth Performance :  Figure below depicts Gov. Jay Inslee’s Job Growth Performance during his  reign in three elements :

          (a)  In 2011 he focused on Job Creation marking dozens of proposals to enhance job growth in Clean Energy, Biotech, and Aerospace industry.  (b)  In January 2014 he initiated the renewal of Boeing’s Contract with Seattle area Union employees to build its Boeing 777x aircraft in Everett. This brought 1000s of jobs to Washington.  (c)  In December 2017 he initiated Career Connect Washington creating a Task Force with many stakeholder groups including Amazon, Boeing, Microsoft, and Kaiser Permanents. Result was an increase in Apprenticeship opportunities for 29000 youth in 11 communities.

          3.  Gov. Jay Inslee’s  ‘Strategy’  :  Figure below represents Gov. Jay Inslee’s  Strategy Triad :

          The  ‘Strategy triad’  comprises three aspects :  (a) Climate Change reform – this is as much a moral issue as it is an economic issue according to him. It is also his primary motivation to contest in 2020 Election.  (b)  Healthcare Reform : As with every other democrat in this election, healthcare is a key strategic issue for the Governor.  (c)  Education Reform :  Not just making education tuition free, he is a strong proponent of financial and food support for pre-K education and school education plus first two years of post-K higher education.

          4.  Gov. Jay Inslee’s   Leadership  :  Figure below represents Gov. Jay Inslee’s  Leadership Triad :

          The  ‘Leadership Triad’  comprises three aspects :  (a)  Trust  :  For increasing the ground of Confidence between parties as a  ‘responsibility’,  as a group to control  ‘expenditure’,  as policymaker to improve ‘production’ ,  and  as financial steward to earn  ‘high returns’ .  (b)  Change  :  As a leader to display a sense of strong belief in  ‘transition to a new system’  or  ‘to a new condition’  in a smooth manner.  and  (c)   Economy  :  He pitches for a judicious and efficient use of resources being careful but not necessarily frugal.

          Some general observations from Commonsense perspective :

          1.  Gov. Jay Inslee portrayed himself as someone ready to learn from mistakes even as it appeared to a common man like me that he can be easily managed too.

          2.  Gov. Jay Inslee displayed a simple way of strengthening his arguments with examples,  without any resort to use of material bonds. Whether it was Crime bill,  whether it was marijuana,  whether it was student loan, whether it was Boeing jobs, whether it was climate change, whether it was real estate – he always cited examples, personal or state implementation, to support his views.

          3.  Soft headed and soft hearted as a person, he seems to like soft options for all the problems without being a soft touch – a rare quality for a politician of today’s world.

          Conclusion  :  Gov. Jay Inslee has no qualms distinguishing himself as a leader obsessed with or possessed by a  “Single Strong Idea “,  without excluding others’  points of views. Unique and outstanding in this respect, creating a special identity for himself,  but whether this symbolic trait could win the hearts of the electorate will always be in doubt.

   “Dieu avec nous “

   Thursday, April 11, 2019 – 10.19 a.m. (IST)

   Tidbit : ” I am not part of the resistance, I am the leader of it “. –  Gov. Jay Inslee while answering the question on ‘resistance’ to Trump’s offence of the values of the State.

          Tonight’s CNN Town Hall featured the calm and composed Democratic Senator, Kirsten Gillibrand, from New York. It was held in Buffalo State College, New York.

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, New York.

Erin Burnett of CNN, Moderator.

          Erin Burnett of CNN moderated the event.

          The audience questions covered the usual ones as in the previous similar town halls. Immigration, health, education, social services, gun control, criminal justice system, women’s rights, and governance. Foreign policy has been the missing topic.

          She declared her candidacy for the Democratic nomination for the President of U.S.A. in a rally in the shadow of Trump Hotel in NY on March 17, 2019.

          Quite significant is the fact that her drive and motivation to engage in the primary served well to answer all the questions of the event.

          Three important aspects that I took from this event are given below :

          1.   Leadership :  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s leadership triad is depicted in the figure below –

          The three ingredients comprising her leadership style are (a) bravery,  (b)  strength of character,  and  (c)  elimination of greed and corruption.  She said : ” The governing system is broken now ;  moral fabric needs repair ;  and rebuilding bonds between Americans more than necessary now ” – these are the three things that need to be fixed urgently. When you reject hate and division, hope rises, fear loses, and most importantly “bravery”  wins. Hence, she has taken the plunge. She added, President Donald Trump tears apart the moral fabric of the country, demonises the vulnerable, and punches down. He is not strong, he is weak and is a coward. We need a President who is worthy of ‘bravery’. So, I am running for President. You need to listen, learn, empathise, grow, and become stronger. Donald Trump is unwilling to do it. The administration now represents greed and corruption that need to be eliminated. Then only our strength of character will emerge stronger. This is what we need now and this is what leadership should establish. 

          2.   People Challenge  :  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s account of the People Challenge triad is depicted in the figure below :

          The three major ingredients of her People Challenge comprise : (a)  access to social services,  (b)  access to healthcare,  and  (c)  access to education. She explained in terms of the growing number of people aspiring and participating in the system in respect of all the three, adding that funding and necessary infrastructure development will form the major challenges to implement. She pleaded for a strong government role in the process. Her briefing on these three aspects drew a special applause ( perhaps the most inspiring aspect of the whole event ).

          3.  Strategy :  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Strategy triad is depicted in the figure below :

          The three key ingredients of her ‘Strategy’ triad comprise – (a)  Medicare for all ,  (b)  Federal Job Guarantee,  and  (c)  Effective Gun Control. Healthcare is a right and not a privilege as any other democrat says. Defending ACA,  Reducing drug costs, and making insurance companies accountable will become the chief action plan in achieving the goal. According to her ‘gun violence research fund’ will be a positive move because government can establish an integrated public health system agenda to understand the causes of gun violence and identify the most effective strategies for prevention. Investment to grow jobs will be the third pillar constituting the strategies triad.

          Some general observations from Commonsense perspective :

          1.  She is for a leader who will speak up and fight for people rights while proceeding against the administration’s  ‘cruel policies’ toward Women, Muslims, LGBTQ community, and immigrant facilities at the border.

          2.  Right through the Town Hall proceedings she has been unconstrained and self assertive with emotional stability, without being aggressive, driven only by her sense of conviction and yet proving to be a force in standing up to the broken system thus defining the characteristic of her strength.

          3.  She sounded quite certain and positive in all her answers. She remained as sober, sedate, and rational in her defense as she has been in her stability, acknowledgement, and presentation of reasons for her stance on issues.

          Conclusion :  The main conclusion is that America now ,  more than ever before, presents the greatest moral, ethical, and economic opportunity to pick what a leader would want. She took the example of John F Kennedy’s dream of putting a man on moon – he wasn’t sure he would, but he was sure about the organising principles and the mission that can accomplish the dream. In a similar way, the fundamental principles and mission objectives are fully present for today’s leader and his/her dream.

   ” Dieu avec nous”

   Wednesday, April 10, 2019 – 10.29 a.m. (IST)

   Tidbit : ” Women’s rights is Human rights ;  Human rights is Women’s rights “. – Hillary Clinton  as told by Kirsten Gillibrand in this event.