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Guiding Principals of “Decision Points”

"My favorite Bible verse for politicians is Matthew 7:3 - 'Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye.'" (Decision Points, page 266)

Decision Points

When I first picked up Decision Points by President George Bush I did not exactly know what to expect.  Throughout his presidency, Mr. Bush had always been portrayed as some what of a bumbling simple minded fellow.  His public speaking abilities did not help this image (which Mr. Bush makes light of several times in the book), and Mr. Bush rarely ever publicly defended himself against the lampoons and mockery that seemed to follow him in the press.

What I found in this book is a detailed account of fourteen different issues, or decision points, that Mr. Bush encountered in his life both on a personal, professional, and presidential level.  In each account Mr. Bush does an excellent job of sharing the background on each issue, including some very personal moments, and then discusses the decision he made and why he made it.  Along the way we learn about how Mr. Bush approaches problem solving and many of the experiences that have shaped his life and decision making abilities.  The reader does get Mr. Bush's take on the positions that were against his decisions, but it is written in way that explains his decision and not negatively towards those who were opposed to it.  He could have very easily used this medium as a parting shot to his critics but he chose not to.

I found Mr. Bush's approach to solving complex and explosive issues very sound and an example I can follow.   In Chapter 4, Mr. Bush describes his thought processes when dealing with the issue of stem cell research.  Here is where the reader begins to get a clear sense of how methodical Mr. Bush was when contemplating difficult issues which is something that was clearly not portrayed in the media.

"I told Margaret and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Bolten that I considered this a far-reaching decision.  I laid out a process for making it.  I would clarify my guiding principles, listen to experts on all sides of the debate, reach a tentative conclusion, and run it past knowledgeable people.  After finalizing a decision, I would explain it to the American people.  Finally, I would set up a process to ensure that my policy was implemented." (Decision Points, page 114)

How many of us today could say that they have guiding principals in their life? Mr. Bush talks about some of his indirectly in this chapter and you realize just what a monumental struggle it was for him to think clearly on this issue.  On the one hand, Mr. Bush is pro-life and felt strongly about protecting human life in all of it's forms, even if that life is just an embryo.  On the other hand, he had lost a sibling to leukemia, one of many diseases that stem cell research is being used to seek a cure.  It was clear to me after finishing this chapter that this decision was far more a personal one more than a political one and his own political career was not a factor.

I was also impressed just how much time and effort Mr. Bush put into this decision making progress.  He met extensively with people from both sides of the argument;  doctors, researchers, patients, and religious leaders such as Pope John Paul II.  When he did reach what he thought to be his decision, in called in more experts to listen to his line of thinking and weigh in on his approach.  In the end, he made a decision that not only allowed research to continue on existing stem cells with federal funding it stopped funding for stem cell research that destroyed additional embryos.

While many praised the President's decision there were many who were against it.  Over time, their voices became louder as it appeared that it could be a political benefit for some.  This is where a lot of the negativity regarding Mr. Bush begins to bubble up and the attacks against him become increasingly more personal.  Mr. Bush addresses this hostility and attacks on his character in this chapter.

"Some have said I should have pushed back harder against the caricatures.  But I felt it would debase the presidency to stoop to the critics' level.  I had run on a promise to change the tone in Washington.  I took that vow seriously and tried to do my part, but I rarely succeeded." (Decision Points, page 125).

Whether Mr. Bush intended it or not, this chapter very much set the tone for me as I read the remaining "decision points".  I highlighted several passages in this chapter (on the Nook - it's really easy!) and I found myself reviewing them several times.  I wanted to see if I could see Mr. Bush applying the same principals and decision making processes as he reached other milestones in his presidency.  I quickly learned that he did.

Up next:  9/11/01

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