Ned Lamont is best known for his differing views with Joe Lieberman on the war. As an opponent of the war, he is often labeled as someone from the far left, with one’s position on the war trumping all other views in the minds of some. It is often forgotten that Lamont is also a businessmen who hardly sounds like a far left radical. With Democrats often representing the fiscally conservtive viewpoint, in contrast to the wasteful policies of the GOP (along with support of crony capitalism which is as far from true capitalism as socialism), it is important for Democrats to write about business. Today Lamont writes about how his business experience has influenced his campaign in The Wall Street Journal:
Here are the four lessons of my business life that I talked about every day on the campaign trail, and that have resonated with Connecticut Democrats:
• First, entrepreneurs are frugal beasts, because the bottom line means everything. In Connecticut, voters are convinced that Washington has utterly lost touch with fiscal reality. We talked about irresponsible budget policies that have driven the annual federal deficit above $300 billion and the debt ceiling to $9 trillion. Meanwhile, the government is spending $250 million a day on an unprovoked war in Iraq while starving needed social investment at home. I am a fiscal conservative and our people want their government to be sparing and sensible with their tax dollars.
• Second, entrepreneurs invest in human resources. Our business strives to pay good wages and provide good health benefits so that we can attract employees that give us an edge in a competitive marketplace. Well-trained and well-cared-for people are essential for every business these days, particularly in a global economy. It’s getting harder and harder for American businesses to compete on price, but we innovate and change better than any economy on the planet. The quality of our work force is one of America’s competitive advantages–if our education system fails our children and our employers, we’ll lose the future.
That’s why I talked about my work as a volunteer teacher in the Bridgeport public schools, which can’t afford to be open later than 2:30 p.m., schools that send children home to an empty house. That’s why my campaign offered a strong alternative to standardized tests and No Child Left Behind. That’s why I believe in an employer-based health-care system that covers everyone, and providing tax benefits to small businesses so they can provide insurance without risking bankruptcy.
• Third, in a market-driven economy, entrepreneurs can never lose touch with what customers, suppliers and workers are saying. A great strength of our campaign is that we embraced the grassroots and netroots, suburbs and inner cities, and used the most advanced technology to empower our door-knockers and activists. We listened hard and respectfully to what voters told us, and gave them the confidence to trust someone new.
• Finally, entrepreneurs are pragmatic. Unlike some politicians, we don’t draw a false strength from closed minds, and we don’t step on the accelerator when the car is headed off the cliff.
