I heard the phrase ‘running hot’ used for business the first time in 1998. We had started an internet ASP, had a great name and had acquired a large number of eye balls - visitors. Uniquely we were charging and receiving money for our solution. A Board Member suggested it was time to run hot, that is to bring in more investment dollars and increase the spend on marketing and sales.

Venture money was available but required a detailed plan on how exactly the money would be spent and how we would increase revenue with a specific date to become profitable. With the plan in place we were successful at ‘running hot’ we took the company International. At times, borrowing dollars to fuel growth works.

Our government is borrowing and investing large amounts of money intended to drive and rebound our economy - ‘running hot’. Our deficit is rapidly rising and unlike the Venture inestment that is written off due to failure, the dollars the government borrows must be repaid. And so they may, at least we all hope so. The elephant in the room is the question, exactly how do we pay the debt back? What is the specific plan? As business leaders we must ask the question just as we would for our own businesses. And if the answer is not complete or if it doesn’t make common sense we should react accordingly and fire those who put us in this situation.

“Government is like a baby: An alimentary canal with a big appetite at one end, and no sense of responsibility at the other.”  Ronald Reagan

According to most polls the United States is about to experience a cultural change to the liberal left. Liberalsm historically means more government intrusion and management of our lives. And our government’s track record of managing large initiatives successfully is not a good one.

Will we really change? If Congress, the Senate and the White House all go Liberal, we will. Will the change be as dire as some predict? Again, it is difficult to imagine the government successfully managing so much of our eonomy and our lives.

Reagan was right most of the time. As executive leaders we should all carefully consider the proposed changes before us and vote according to what we believe is best for the USA.