UNcommon WISDOM | Reflection. Perspective. Insight.

…stress the need for courageous, intelligent, and dedicated leadership… Leaders of sound integrity. Leaders not in love with publicity, but in love with justice. Leaders not in love with money, but in love with humanity. Leaders who can subject their particular egos to the greatness of the cause.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Healing Healthcare
Advancing a Healthy Debate About Fixing Healthcare...Once and For All

by Michael Wagner | Jul 29, 2017 | Healthcare, Leadership | 1 Comment

I. An Endless Debate Providing low cost, high quality, readily accessible healthcare is a classic “wicked problem” – a complex challenge that never seems to go away and never seems to get fixed. Despite decades of debate, countless experiments, and nearly constant...

PIVOT Politics
Overcoming Public Discontent with Our “Political Status Quo”

by Michael Wagner | Jun 15, 2017 | Democracy, Leadership | 0 Comments

I. INTRODUCTION We need to permanently shift how we play politics. We need to rethink how we engage, debate, and work with our political foes. We need to modify how we use power and authority. We need to embrace a different approach for interacting with one another...

Every Vote Hurts
A Simple Lesson on Decent Democracy

by Michael Wagner | May 5, 2017 | Democracy | 1 Comment

One thing I learned 30 years ago when I was first elected to the S.D. Legislature. Good politicians — dare I say true Statesmen — deeply understand that EVERY vote they cast hurts someone. Whether it is restricting someone’s freedoms, taxing...

Political Smoke Without Fire
Why the REPEAL & REPLACE Legislation Will Fail

by Michael Wagner | May 4, 2017 | Healthcare, Leadership | 0 Comments

I normally get asked about legislation that impacts health care. And normally, I would like to offer more carefully written commentary that what follows in this post! However, Congress is moving at break-neck speed to pass “Repeal and Replace”...

The Argument for Leadership
Analyzing the United Airlines "Dragging Debacle" for Leadership Lessons

by Michael Wagner | Apr 13, 2017 | Uncategorized, Leadership | 0 Comments

The story is well reported – on April 9th, a United Airlines passenger was drug off an airplane by security officers after he refused to get off the plane. Social media, news outlets, and coffee shops across the world are talking about the now infamous “fight club”...

Expectations of the ELECTED EMPLOYEE
Too Many Elected Officials Have Lost Sight of Both Role and Responsibility

by Michael Wagner | Apr 5, 2017 | Democracy, Leadership | 1 Comment

There is a troubling and widespread phenomenon at play in our democracies around the world. It seems that politicians have lost sight that they are not Kings, but rather Servants. They are first of all employees, and secondly bosses. When they choose to run for...

Bloodsport Not Leadership
Recognizing When Politics is Not Leadership At All

by Michael Wagner | Apr 1, 2017 | Democracy, Leadership | 0 Comments

Regardless of political persuasion, Donald Trump being elected President of the USA has given new life to the question…”What makes a good leader?” It is a question that is often debated and rarely answered with 100% satisfaction. And for those who are saddened by...

NOT Open For Debate
Core Principles of Democracy and Liberty are Non-Negotiable in a Free Society

by admin | Mar 1, 2017 | Uncategorized, Democracy | 0 Comments

President Trump has excluded serveral key media outlets from a recent press briefing. CNN, The New York Times, Politico, and a few others. Meanwhile, he included other sources such as Breitbart, One America News Network, and others. Regardless of your politics —...

Riskier Than Ever
Why High Risk Pools Are Not What They Promise To Be

by admin | Mar 1, 2017 | Healthcare | 0 Comments

The House GOP Caucus has released some details about the “Repeal and Replacement” of the ACA. I won’t get into a prolonged policy discussion on Facebook about the pros and cons of that. But, one provision that has been reported… High-risk...

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