Opinion

Lazy at the Top, Broken at the Bottom.

Why American leadership fails — and what that means for the rest of us.

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Without understanding we lose vision. Without vision we lose trust. Without trust we lose the nation.

Driven to Succeed

One of my favorite stories from the islands is that of a little girl in my daughter’s class at primary school. She was 10 and as poor as it was possible to be in these modern times.

She had one school uniform, stained after being handed down through siblings. She never looked clean, her hair was tangled and wild and her shoes were cracked and worn.

She looked beat down and defeated. Head bowed, sad eyes. She never had lunch, couldn't keep friends and often walked home alone, unloved and pitiful.

We helped her back then. Lunch for two was just as easy to pack. Two sandwiches, two apples. Two juice boxes. As the year progressed we discovered she lived in a rough shack, built out of scrap wood and discarded roofing material.

But despite all the obstacles in her way, our little friend was academically brilliant. First in class, every test. It seemed nothing could stop her at…