Achievement Ladder's Political Process 2008

Congratulations to all of the Democratic voters in Pennsylvania's primary election for President on Tuesday, April 22, 2008. You have given these two candidates breathing room to prepare for the next two primaries in North Carolina and Indiana. Hopefully, the process will continue until the Democratic Convention in Denver where the nominee of the Democratic Party will be selected. With more primaries to come after May 6, the voters will make the difference!

With all of the monies raised during the past two years by all of the 16 Presidential candidates and now the three remaining candidates, imagine what could have been done with the monies. Although the various media benefited by these monies, what would have been the case for the many people that could have been assisted with these same monies. How many people in the United States are homeless through no fault of their own? How many people in the United States go to bed hungry every night because of their limited economic resources? How many people could have received funds to upgrade and update their career skills to obtain challenging and rewarding careers for their families? How many would have received funds to obtain affordable housing through various not-for-profit organizations who provide a hand up rather than a hand out? How many could have received training to advance from their under achieving jobs? How many people would have been assisted with their challenging medical bills?

The opportunities for many potential leaders is limited when a money value is placed on the political process. How many want to be known for "buying their way" to success by using the leverage of other people's hard earned resources? In a free enterprise environment, competition is considered a good practice; but when oligopoly exists and when income elitism exists, the common person is overlooked and ignored. However, these are the same persons who do the voting for prospective candidates for public office. Where is the service factor? Where is the loyalty factor? Who can afford a minimum of $1.3 million to run against a Congressional incumbent? Your guess is better than mine. Does money always buy success? Does money always buy constituency? Does money always buy loyalty, integrity, and favoritism? Remember to follow the candidates through this grueling process and vote your conscience!

Earth Day 2008 Receives Achievement Ladder Recognition Award

Today is Earth Day 2008. Congratulations to all of the more than 6 billion stewards of this Earth who have successfully contributed to making our world a better place to live. With all of the natural resources that are scattered throughout the Earth, each human person has the personal responsibility to improve and to care for these natural resources that have been given to us by the Uncaused Cause, God, for our effective and efficient use. Using their time, talents, and treasures these human resources realize their commitment to discover and to rediscover the values of all these natural resources for the benefit of the common good.

Each day is truly Earth Day since each day brings a new set of challenges to meet the needs and wants of all who inhabit the Earth. These non-political enthusiasts are truly trustworthy in their actions to make a significant difference in their respective environments. Without personal gain, their contributions to being stewards of their ownerships proves what can be accomplished when given the innovative, the creative, and the inspiring circumstances of their surroundings and their special conditions. These stewards ignore the populations myths that have been unchallenged for better answers that a God-given proposal offers and provides. The success of their adventures and their achievements are witnessed by the cause and effect over a long period of time. We all benefit from each person taking the initiative and the positive attitude to cooperate with other stewards of this Earth by their networking, their partnering, and their collaborating in numerous ventures that significantly to improve and respect the natural resources. Each participant gains self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-discipline through their Earth ecological decisions. Leaders are born everyday to become Stewards of this Earth. May we also respect all Human Resources from natural birth to natural death for their contributions to make their sphere of influence beautiful.

Congratulations to all of the Human Resources of this Beautiful Earth that make a difference every day through their positive commitment as Stewards of these Natural Resources. You are the Earth Day Achievement Ladder Recognition Award Recipients for 2008!

United States of America Welcomes Pope Benedict XVI

When Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, April 15, he arrived with the guidance of the Holy Spirit to complete a special mission in the United States of America. The Pope who is the Visible Head of the Catholic Church in the world gave a very positive presentation today on the South Lawn of the White House. With more than 10,000 persons in attendance, the Pope was warmly welcomed by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at the White House. Appropriately, the Pope's 81st Birthday is today. Happy Birthday, Your Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI.

Thank you, President Bush, for your openness to show respect for the Pontiff. This is the second time that a reigning Pope has visited the United States of America in the last twenty-nine years.

Your Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, you can count on our prayers for the success of your mission while you visit the United States of America. May the peace, the joy, and the love that you express through your words and through your actions touch the hearts of all Americans especially the ones who need it the most and those who think they need it the least.

Long live the Pope Benedict XVI and the inspired message that he brings through the guidance of the Holy Spirit...the Spirit of Love! With the closing comments of his speech this morning, the Pope said, "God Bless America." Our response should be, "America Bless God."

IDES OF APRIL, 2008, ACHIEVEMENT LADDER RECOGNITION AWARD

CONGRATULATIONS TO RON BELSCHER, FLORIDA FBLA-PBL STATE ADVISER, WHO WILL RETIRE AFTER 37 YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO FLORIDA FBLA-PBL ASSOCIATION. Ron is our Ides of April 2008 Achievement Ladder Recognition Award Recipient. Ron retired from Springstead High School, Spring Hill, Florida, a few years ago and continued to be part of the State Adviser Team for Florida Future Business Leaders of America-Phi Beta Lambda Association, Inc.

Future Business Leaders of America/Phi Beta Lambda brings business and education together in a positive working relationship through innovative leadership and career development programs. Ron Belscher lived up to the Mission Statement by his desire, dedication, determination, discipline, diplomacy, dignity, discretion, and discernment in all of his leadership accomplishments.

In 1999, Ron Belscher was awarded the prestigious national honor to the FBLA-PBL Adviser Wall of Fame in Reston, Virginia. Ron was a National Board Member representing the Southern Region, which is the largest membership in FBLA-PBL, Inc. Also, Ron was a Board Member of the National Association of Parliamentarians. His parliamentarian skills were well-known and well-respected by his colleagues.

Thank you, Ron Belscher for all of your years of faithful and unselfish service to the many students who were fortunate to have worked with you and to the many business education professionals who honored your exemplary example and wit.
Ron, your sense of humor will always be remembered as the your way to smooth out a challenging situation that won friends and influenced many people.

Congratulations, Ron Belscher, as our IDES OF APRIL 2008 ACHIEVEMENT LADDER RECOGNITION AWARD RECIPIENT. Continue your Ladder of Achievement Climb up the positive thrust beyond the 100 percent challenge!

Your Vote Always Counts in the Marketplace

As we have been bombarded by political primaries this year with more to come, the enthusiasm for the presidential candidates that once numbered 16 is now down to 3! Yes, one political party has narrowed its choice to one and the other political party is between two persons. There will be more voting to be completed by the remaining states that have yet to cast their personal ballots for these two individuals. Yes, their votes count because these voters made a decision to say, "I did vote" as a responsible citizen. Although the process for the political parties is decisively different in how they use the delegates for the two conventions this coming summer, voices have been heard about what is important to these patriotic voters who really are the difference at the grassroots level. Their votes always count and should always be honored and respected!

However, the General Election in all fifty states this coming November will be worth preparing for in obtaining all of the appropriate and determining information to make an informed and intelligent decision and a choice for the next President of the United States and their respective teams. In addition, the voters will have an opportunity to choose House of Representatives' candidates, Senate candidates, state candidates, county candidates, and local candidates. The margin of victory or defeat depends on the actual voter turnout in November.

Yet, your vote always counts in the marketplace where you decide every day whether a company, an idea, a service, a philosophy, a website will continue to be in existence. Your voting for products, services, entertainment, media, theme parks, travel, etc., are impacted by your purchasing power and your discretionary power after paying (voting) for your mortgage (or rent), utilities (electric, gas, water, sewerage, communications), taxes, etc. Your choices will decide the fate of companies to continue to exist in operation. This is truly economic power. In a free market economy, consumers (voters) have many choices as compared to controlled economies that have limited selections available to the consumer. The power of the consumer is often ignored until the quarterly reports or the annual reports indicate a slow down in spending (voting) by consumers. In the free market economies, the consumer spends (votes) the most on goods and services available as compared to a controlled economy where the government is the number one consumer(voter).

To achieve a successful market flow to the consumers (voters), the various distributors of goods and services appeal to the ultimate consumer (voter) to make a good decision based on good judgment. For example, if the consumer (voter) is interested in making a change in their lifestyle, the labels on the packaging have a source of information that will assist the consumer (voter) to select this product over another product. In choosing services, especially in the health field, the consumer (voter) will select the health professional who best meets the needs of the patient (voter) and that professional's positive achievements in the health field. In the entertainment arena, the voter (consumer) selects the performances, the concerts, the sports outlet, the theme parks that best meets their entertainment needs and wants.

Yes, your vote always counts economically, politically, socially, morally, physically, religiously, ethically, and aesthetically in your personal choices (your votes) consistent with your values in your every day's -- "I won't (0 percent) to "I did it (100 percent) ladder of achievement choices (votes).

April Fools Achievement Ladder Challengers

Another April 1, "Fools Day," has been given to us to accept the challenges that human life demands. Yes, the easy way out is to say, "I won't do this job, career, diet, change, etc." because of many dubious reasons. To encourage ourselves to make any change in our life style means to change my comfort zone...what is easy for me. For many this day is a reminder that we are fooled by many claims that seem too good to be true. We often read our daily newspapers, emails, or listen to our various media outlets that may make us become gullible to the short fix or the quick buck or the easy way out. Fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame on me!

In the spiritual life style that we may embrace, we may become fooled by the smooth talkers and the sly hucksters who know how to reach our weaknesses to accept without question their jargon.

To grow in our spiritual faith takes a leap beyond reason, and to rely on the Uncaused Cause of our wonderful Universe unconditionally. When we discover our inner spiritual being, we realize that the Creator of this beautiful universe wishes us to use our free will to accept and to lean on the unconditional love and attention of our Creator.

When we witness hate, greed, power-hungry individuals, and deceit, we eventually realize that there must be a better way to be a loving steward of our God-given talents, time, and treasures. Although we can still be fooled by apparent "saviours," we will discover a thirst, a hunger, and a deep desire to find out the Truth, the Way, and the Life that really matters to have eternal happiness as God intended for all of His children. Yes, we realize that we are brothers and sisters in this vast universe, and that we have a Saviour who has already given His life for all humanity with His unconditional love.

We become "Fools for Jesus Christ" because the world, the flesh, and the devil have fooled us enough to accept a life-changing desire in our lives. Each day of our lives can take us from "No, I won't accept this truth to eventually saying, "My Lord and My God, I do believe...Help my unbelief. Happy April Fools Day...May God's will be done and His Kingdom come! Let us all become Achievement Ladder Challengers for our Loving God!