Lessons from 2012 US Presidential Elections

The elections have come and gone, while we may be in a hurry to forget the details of the bitter campaign, we must not forget the lessons left behind. Fortunately, there is something to take away for everyone and they are neither red or blue centered. The following are my top picks:

1. The solution to the economy lies neither with Obama or Romney according to Ken Fisher a   columnist for Forbes magazine and the Founder and CEO of Fisher Investments. (I hope that makes you feel better). 
2. Never under estimate the competition no matter how good you are. We all know the impact a bad debate had on President Obama. 
3. Be careful what you say especially when you are on camera. It can eventually be taken out of context and used against you. We remember the infamous 47% comments made by Gov Romney and the redistribution of wealth statements by President Obama.
4. On matters of principle, be firm. For anything else, go with the flow. Both presidential candidates were accused of flip flopping. This reduced credibility and believability on both aisles.
5. Focus on issues and not personalities. Any time either candidate focused  on race, wealth, birth certificate...etc. It often worked against them and made the public sympathetic to the perceived underdog.
6. The moments after victory or defeat are important because they can make you memorable or forgettable. I am not in a position to judge authenticity but Pres Obama's speech seemed inclusive while Gov Romney seemed like an outreach
7. No condition is permanent. Gov Romney nearly won the election  which was impressive considering the fact that he was several points below the president.
8. It is not necessarily the best candidate that wins an election but the first seller. The democrats had many negatives going into the election but they compensated that with a good strategy to bring out their supporters. The republicans had a good message but  were outwitted by the sales team of the democrats
9. Diversity is the spice of life and it helps win elections too - Just before the winner was announced, the democrats had a lot of diversity in the crowd but the republican crowd was very homogeneous.  
10. People will first buy into you before they burn into what you have to offer.
11. The American dollar bill has on it "In God We Trust". I guess that the nation builders put that for a reason knowing that the best of us is still fallible.
12. Where there is life, there is hope. There is hope for America. Division means two visions. Any divided house is sure to fall. It is time to come together and do great things again.  You have done it before, you can do it again.