Auchtoon!Fear and Loathing in Grand Rapids…
Originally published in the Grand Rapids Business Journal, September 17, 2007
Drawing editorial cartoons for a Business Journal, it’s hard not to make comparisons between the business world and the government world. Yes, yes, they’re different animals. Both worlds have their own nuances. And we all know that being a successful CEO doesn’t necessarily make you an electable public servant, right Mr. Perot? Mr. DeVos?
But still, you look at what makes a successful business successful — things like respecting customers, building honest relationships with customers, not patronizing the customers — and it’s difficult to understand why this wouldn’t translate directly into good practices in government.
Vice President Dick Cheney was in Grand Rapids recently to follow up on the General Petraeus testimonies on the Iraq War. It wasn’t big news, even locally. It was the standard fare of ominous warnings framed in patriotic tones and followed up with the usual “now go about your business and stay out of mine.” (Actually, now that I think about it, that’s probably exactly how Cheney ran Haliburton.) Kinda makes me all misty for Ross Perot….
