Rules or Tools - What's Your Preference?

Thanks for all the comments on the last post (especially you, nanchu... those halloween flags are the bee's knees). I've been intentionally steering clear of politics on this blog. I much prefer capturing my kids' cuteness and my own idiocy. However, too many things have become lodged in my craw lately...

Those of you who know me know that I might lean a bit to the left, politically... There's a basic philosophical principle that causes me to do so, but I'll get to that later. As a counterpoint, I'd like to point out that if John McCain had gotten the nomination in 2004, I probably would have voted for him. I'd like to think this indicates an ability to think beyond party lines, but maybe it just means Kerry was a really bad candidate. It really disappoints me that the John McCain of 2008 bears little resemblance to the stand-up guy I thought he was 4 years ago.

I guess the big difference (for me) between the current candidates comes down to one thing: vision. I feel like Obama has a sense of where America has been and a vision for what America can be. I don't get that vibe from McCain. I feel like McCain is just a passenger on the RNC bus - like they told him if he just sat in the right seat, they'd drive him to the White House. Though, this may be a product of my liberal leanings as well... Let me get to that point now.

As a parent or pedagogue, you are a leader. Maybe not a leader of public policy, but a leader of a small union (be it family or classroom). As such, you basically have two levers at your disposal to help the children move forward in life: rules and tools. You either set constraints to inhibit some behaviors or provide tools to encourage others.

Certainly, you need both. 3 X 3 will always equal 9 and you need to drill that. But when it comes to thinking critically to make a complex decision, tools and the understanding to utilize them will be more help. Most people lead with one or the other - You're either a "here's how you should do it" teacher, or a "here's an approach to solving this, how would you do it" teacher. This is the distinction I see between parties.

Republicans seem focused on rules (don't get gay married, don't have an abortion, don't be a Muslim, etc.). The Democrats seem focused on giving tools to those who need them (the poor, the middle class, immigrants, etc.). I think the basic philosophical tenets are thus:

If you think your problems are caused by other people and think we need rules to stop them, you are a Republican. Tom Ridge said it this (ominous) way at the convention tonight: "There's no need to change, per se... But we need to leave nothing to chance."

If you think that the solution is in organizing and equipping individuals with the tools they need to improve their situation, then you are a Democrat. Obama had this quote at the other convention: "That’s the promise of America - the idea that we are responsible for ourselves, but that we also rise or fall as one nation; the fundamental belief that I am my brother’s keeper; I am my sister’s keeper."

This extends outside our borders as well. While this past administration has been focused on "spreading democracy," this has played out as tough talk telling others to do as we say and dropping bombs when they don't. The GOP actually laughed at the notion that Obama would resolve crises by going to talk to foreign leaders. I'm with Teddy Roosevelt on this matter - speak softly, but carry a big stick. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean "start whackin' 'til they say uncle." Bill Clinton had this gem of a sound byte in Denver: "People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power."

It all comes down to a difference in perception. So which do you prefer: tools or rules?