THEN: Secretary of State (KY), 1996-2004; Candidate for Lieutenant Governor, 2007
NOW: JYB3 Group (Owner) -public affairs consulting firm; Miller Wells law firm (Of counsel)
Full Biography:link
By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Feb 7, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
I love big ideas and the one I’m about to share may be the biggest idea of 2011!
What if I told you I had devised a way that would reduce personal debt by 8-9% each year (yet there would be zero loss to our quality of life or reduction in things we want to purchase)?
In addition to personal debt reduction, we could eat away at the international trade imbalance by an equivalent annual amount.
And finally, the “generalized frustration” each American feels daily would be moderately and noticeably reduced.
Would you be interested?
Of course, you would.
Here’s my idea. Ban all “up-selling”–the annoying practice of enticing Americans, a group who already can’t shop responsibly, to buy stuff we neither need nor want with money we don’t have!
The only thing we would miss is the stuff we bring home that we neither want nor need….and keep it available for those who truly need these items (yet another economic efficiency).
But–and here’s the brilliant part–only ban upselling domestically. For all international sales we will “require” companies to up-sell. This means every time we transact for a major export—e.g. sell aircraft, soybeans, semi-conductors, etc to a foreign country– we require that the US company ask if they’d like fries, an extra muffin, stamps, batteries, or to open a new bank account (in the US).
Of course, individually no single upsell will make much of a dent. But over time the US trade imbalance will be rectified, we won’t need another bailout from DC, we’ll walk around less antsy becuase we’ll feel competent to shop for ourselves, and for the first time in a long time we’ll be a model of personal fiscal restraint for the rest of the world.
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Feb 6, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
The difference between liberals and conservatives….
My son found out recently that Sony Bono was a Republican member of Congress and wanted to to know more about him and his prior career.
I’m showing him the clip at the bottom of this post which I think demonstrates beautifully the core distinction between conservatives and liberals—a national obsession that, to me, seems blown out of proportion and even arbitrary.
Basically, if you boil down all the differences between to the two political types, liberals are slightly superior in the areas of fashion sense and rhythm (see Cher).
Conservatives, by contrast, are slightly more task oriented and better at getting elected to Congress. (See Sonny).
That’s really about it.
Oh, and liberals and conservatives tend to marry each other.
And when the try, can even make a pretty catchy duet.
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Feb 3, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
“Happiness is knowing who to blame,” a friend of mine used to facetiously joke–especially when he was trying to nudge me into taking responsibility for a situation I was complaining about–and trying to blame someone else for creating.
I thought he was right then…and still think he’s right.
What he was really saying is that seeking to resolve frustration by blaming others only creates the temporary illusion of happiness–or relief. It’s not real and won’t last.
A better approach is thinking hard and honestly about what role I played–so I can own my part in an unpleasant predicament.
When I do that, I at least have some hope of changing things.
f it truly is another person’s fault, chances of changing that person—and then of that person changing the offending situation– leaves chances of things improving looking pretty bleak.
So, it seems, the more I am focusing on finding my role in displeasing areas of my life (instead of seeking out others to blame), the more hopeful I feel.
So maybe the saying should be “Hopefulness is knowing where I am to blame.”
By John Y. Brown III, on Thu Feb 2, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Thought for the day.
This comes from a story I’ve retold many times. It’s a good story and may or may not be true. I just can’t recall clearly. But it’s plausible it happened the way I recall.
But, as the saying goes, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
So, here goes…
When I was a boy I collected baseball cards. The cards had quotes by the players on the back. My favorite was a quote be Bill ‘Spaceman’ Lee, outspoken and colorful pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. Lee was quoted as saying,
“Sometimes I pitch myself down 3 balls and no strikes, just to make it interesting.”
I was fascinated by that quote. I loved it and saw something in it that was profound–yet funny.
Do you do this in your life? Out of boredom, create a difficult situation you must extricate yourself from–just to “make it interesting?” Just for the adrenaline rush?
I have to admit I do on occasion. And I regret it…and am going to try not to do that today.
By John Y. Brown III, on Wed Feb 1, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Dad jeans? I don’t think so.
My teen daughter took me shopping a few days ago for some real jeans. The kind that looks like they’ve been run through an industrial grinder, splotched with bleach and carefully torn and tattered at the edges.
You know, the cool kind.
Actually, they call them “distressed” jeans. Although I’d never thought of it this way, it’s nice to have a pair of jeans that match my sense of self. Distressed. It’s edgy and yet congruent.
I’m 48 and not willing just yet to resign myself to wearing dark shoes, white socks and shorts or dad jeans.
So, how did it work for me?
Did I look like a 25 year old Zac Efron (who I found out last night my wife secretly thinks is really cute but she doesn’t know I know)?
According to my wife, “no” to any comparisons to Zac Efron (who in my opinion uses far too few letters to spell his name, I’m guessing for affect….so I could live with that).
But “yes” as to making me look younger. “Not a day over 45 according to Rebecca.”
That was just enough to whet my appetite. Tomorrow I may change how I spell my name to Jon Brn. I’m already feeling 42 just thinking about it.
By John Y. Brown III, on Tue Jan 31, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Today in Sunday School we discussed discipleship and how hard it must have been to follow Jesus’ call.
I was assigned to read the verse about Peter denying Jesus three times and asked what would I have done in his shoes, if called by Jesus to drop everything (family, friends, business) to follow Jesus.
Tough spot to be in.
It’s church so, on the one hand, the pressure is on to give the Christian and obvious answer.
On the other hand, it’s church so you better be truthful.
And what if the two conflict?
My answer was that I would have said, “Yes, sign me up! I’m on board….all the way!”
And then later in the day, when no one was looking, I would slip off.
People (including other disciples would wonder, “Where the heck did John go? He was here earlier.” I’d stay gone long enough for the group to move to the next town.
And I’d show up where I left the group the next day. I’d blame Peter for giving me the wrong date and time to meet (pointing out that Peter’s seemed a little off the beam lately with all the denial stuff and I’ve been worried about him and praying for him).
I’d further blame the rest of them for leaving without me. I’d remind everyone I was one of the first to sign on and cite my enthusiasm at the time…..and disappointment for being left behind.
If you hadn’t figured out by now, I went with the “honest” answer over the “most Christian sounding” answer.
I did add –and this was my “save,” sort of. I would quietly monitor the group for several weeks. If after that time it looked like they were completely legit, I’d make a surprise appearance, act like I’d been trying to catch up with them for several weeks and become a loyal disciple once and for all.
By John Y. Brown III, on Mon Jan 30, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Know your strengths and your calling.
Just as importantly, know your weaknesses and limitations. For your sake —and because it’s the right thing. And because it works out best for all concerned.
Nine years ago I was entering my last year as secretary of state (term limited) and planning to run next for state auditor. It was the next logical step for me politically, no one else had filed on the democratic side and the filing deadline was approaching.
But there was a problem. I didn’t want to be state auditor.
It wasn’t an intellectual resistance. It was a gut feeling that it wasn’t a good fit for me….that I would have a hard time putting my heart into the job. I liked to build things and wasn’t a natural investigator. And accounting was never my strong suit.
Mostly, though, I didn’t want to run for political office just to stay in the game. I had watched other politicians run for office when they didn’t have their heart in it. And despite being favorites to win, they seemed always to lose.
Why? I think voters sensed they didn’t have the “fire in their belly” and that the office they were seeking was more of a place holder for something better in the future. I told myself I would never let that happen to me. But now I was faced with the ultimate test.
What would I do?
Read the rest of… John Y’s Musings from the Middle: Know Your Calling
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Jan 27, 2012 at 12:00 PM ET
Know thyself.
Brutal self-honesty and continuous self-reflection are integral staples of a well-lived life in which we can be “True to ourselves.”
Last Friday I went by a trophy store in town and started asking myself some hard questions. It’s been a long time since I’ve received a trophy for anything. Or a plaque for that matter. And I really like receiving both and felt like it was about time to get something again that I could put on my shelf or wall and be affirmed by –and hope others notice and are impressed.
So I started thinking to myself, “Who says you can’t buy yourself a trophy or plaque?” I mean, maybe it’s an oversight that I (we) haven’t received any kind of award in a long time…and by giving ourselves a trophy all we are really doing is correcting the oversight.
More or less.
Anyway, I felt comfortable with my logic and got to wondering what on Earth would I get myself a personal trophy for. And I wanted to be brutally honest about what I should and shouldn’t give myself for a personally purchased award. Because without self honesty, all the awards are just meaningless decorations.
(I started by mulling an NBA MVP—but will back date it 12 or 15 years to be more believable. But I think I’m going to go with something that really could happen. “Best Intentioned Consultant on the Second Floor Bank Building off Ann St.” It’s not only believable ….it’s a really long title which always seems more impressive than short titles. Guess next I need to start working on an acceptance speech. ; )
By John Y. Brown III, on Fri Jan 27, 2012 at 8:30 AM ET
A friend, Don Marcum, asked about the possibility of a National Primary, and wondered if I had any thoughts on the matter.
As luck would have it, I have quite a few ready-made thoughts from a column I wrote 15 years ago when people cared about what I had to say about such things.
It was my first few months as KY’s newly elected secretary of state and a group of us were being interviewed on C-SPAN about the presidential primary system. Without much thought I proposed consideration of a National Primary….which went over like a lead balloon (aimed to land on my detractors!). Some of those who spoke up were professional election administrators and analysts who were well versed in the virtues of our current system not the least bit interested in considering new alternatives. And they made some good points.
But on the way home the more I thought about it the more I felt there was something to this idea…..And, I’ll admit, I was a little irked and challenged by the swift and impassioned rebuke I received and wanted to make a sensible case for a National Primary and prove it wasn’t “a crazy idea” as one commentator suggested.
I have dug up the article and post it below:
Read the rest of… John Y. Brown, III: A National Primary?
I love big ideas and the one I’m about to share may be the biggest idea of 2011!
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