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My wife and I had just picked up our son after his flight from Atlanta. He was back in New England after a fishing trip with his older brother and some friends. We were happy to have him home and eager to hear stories about the bass that got away.

As we pulled away from the curb, we spotted a family gathering. A half-dozen folks – what looked like parents and some young people. In the middle, a young Marine in his Dress Blues. I don’t know where he was coming from, but his face was deeply tanned.

We waved as we passed. A smile as wide as Massachusetts crossed his face. Someone in the group hugged him. An Easter blessing for a Bay State family. A young Marine – home.

Most years, Town Meeting is over in a night or two. The auditorium of the high school is usually at least two thirds full, the conversation civil, Roberts Rules of Order and Madam Moderator sufficient enough to keep everything moving along. It’s the years when something momentous is on the warrant, often involving a significant amount of money, that we fill overflow rooms and can go until 11 PM for several nights before a final vote. 

In the past, even when we’ve had to discuss some contentious issue, once the vote was taken it was over and accepted – – majority rule. The rest of the meeting would flow along as usual. This year, however, things were different, and I think it reflects what’s going on in the country as a whole.

The contentious issue split Town Meeting participants into two camps: those who felt the town should be doing everything possible to rein in spending and borrowing, and those who felt it was important to invest now for the future. The pro-investment vote was in the majority, but not enough for the two- thirds required for a bonding issue. The investment was voted down. The vote came at the end of the first night.

The next night, several articles requiring funding approval were stalled as speakers came to the microphones to voice frustration over why these particular articles might deserve funding when the investment from the night before did not. It was uncomfortable and nonproductive – the evening dragged on as several articles were used as soapboxes for individuals who wanted to make a point. At least two articles did not pass and the feeling was that votes were withheld punitively. It was sad to witness and that sadness was reflected in the faces of several volunteer members of our town’s finance and planning committees – individuals who give countless hours to help guide and run our town.

So, just because there is a majority vote, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the majority rules. A minority can make things miserable for everyone else. Town Meeting isn’t yet over. I’m not looking forward to the third night. I wonder what the turnout will be.

There’s a part of me that wanted to gloat over this story, with groups like the U.S. Chamber, which rail against almost any government program and bemoan any government regulation, getting their just deserts. Unfortunately, this ideological thinking, which resists any honest and thoughtful analysis of real world problems, hurts American businesses and workers and the overall American economy. But somehow I still don’t think we’ll see the national U.S. Chamber or Business Roundtable put forward an economic agenda or target their political spending in a way that advances practical economic policy.

Their stories were both informative and entertaining, and we all walked away with some useful lessons, not only for young professionals, but for women at all levels of their careers:

1. Men are from Mars; women are from Venus.

The sooner we embrace that men and women are different animals, the sooner we can ensure that each gender has access to professional resources that help them thrive in the workplace. Past conversations about this topic have tried to align the various professional development methods of men and women; thankfully, the conversation has shifted to recognize that we communicate, learn, manage and interact differently – and more importantly, that it’s okay. Both managers and junior-level professionals should recognize this fact and work together to find each person the resources to succeed and advance.. Having said that, it is also the responsibility of each individual to diversify his or her experiences and become a more well-rounded professional who can later pass the torch to future generations of overachievers, regardless of their planetary origin (cue: The Beastie Boys).

2. Finding the right mentor is critical to achieving professional success.

We all understand the importance of having a mentor, but often there isn’t enough emphasis on finding the right mentor. Whether a current or former colleague, or another person in your industry, each professional should have a network of several mentors who have stood in her patent leather stillettos; mentors who know her industry and her unique role within the industry, and who have her best interests at heart. Your mentor should be someone who provides honest, unfiltered feedback without judgment, and a person who genuinely wants to see you succeed. NOTE: Your mentor should probably not be your boss, as it may present a conflict of interest.

3. Hard work isn’t enough.

Although we’d all love to believe that we can succeed based on merit alone, it just isn’t the case anymore. The most successful women are not only the hardest-working people in the room (although it’s certainly a contributing factor), but the smartest women in the room. They keep the big picture in mind and seek out creative opportunities or solutions, while always keeping a finger on the pulse of emerging trends. They learn how to capitalize on and embrace the qualities that make them unique, setting them apart from the pack and garnering even more notice for their hard work. Don’t be the tree that falls in the forest – set the whole thing ablaze and make people take notice of your most powerful self.

For a play-by-play of lessons learned at the BBJ Advancing Women Breakfast, follow Denterlein on Twitter.

For more of Geri’s thoughts on how young professionals can become more successful, check out her book:  The Power Chicks’ Guide to Boston

He is one of the very few moderates of either party who holds a seat in the 112^th Congress. Brown was the third most liberal Republican senator (slightly behind Collins and Snowe of Maine), with a conservative ranking of only 55.3 on a 100-point scale.

In its annual Vote Ratings, the National Journal found that 2011 was among the most polarized in the 30 years since the Journal started publishing these rankings.

As John Aloysius Farrell writes, “For the second year in a row but only the third time in the 30 years that National Journal has published these ratings, no Senate Democrat compiled a voting record to the right of any Senate Republican, and no Republican came down on the left of any Senate Democrat.” Compare that to 1982 when 58 senators had records that fell between the most conservative Democrat and the most liberal Republican.

The House is nearly as divided, with only 16 representatives falling between the most liberal Republican and most conservative Democrat (versus 344 thirty years ago!).

These rigid, march-in-lockstep political parties don’t serve our political system well. The Federalists were deeply distrustful of majorities and structured a system that makes it difficult to form majorities (magnified by rules such as the filibuster). The system requires negotiation, compromise and for factions to rise above their differences and work together. Alas there is not a whole lot of talking going on across the aisles in Congress (nor in the larger polity I’m afraid, but this is the subject of another post).

Although I’m a Democrat, there’s a part of me (the part that cares more about being a democrat) that says I should vote a split ticket on November 6, because indeed American democracy needs more Scott Browns. But in such a polarized situation, it seems irrational to add a vote to the other side (even if only 11/20ths of the time). So I’ll cast my vote for Elizabeth Warren , thereby assuring (assuming other like-minded “rational” actors like myself) that the 113th Congress will remain as dysfunctional as its predecessor.

Look, my husband lost his job at Universal Music (it’s OK, he’s on to WAY bigger and better things!) in part because piracy led to declining sales. But it wasn’t the only reason Universal was in a tailspin. Shutting down sites like Bittorrent or Wikipedia isn’t going to solve that problem – and, I’d argue, it’s not even that big a problem. Generally speaking, the kind of “piracy” that happens online is more like sharing your favorite band via mixtape – it leads to greater visibility and often, greater sales.

It’s akin to one of the important rules of crisis communications: don’t hide from the problem; FIX IT.

SOPA and PIPA are Web 1.0 solutions in a Web 2.0 world. They are blunt instruments in a world that regularly uses stilettos. We can do better.

Almost 168 years to the day when Dickens classic was first published, modern Republicans are making judgments about the unemployed in our country that would make even Ebenezer blush. Take this from Senator Orrin Hatch: “In fact, we need some incentives for people to get back to work. A lot of these (my emphasis) people don’t want to work unless they get really high paying jobs, and they’re not going to get them ever. So they just stay home and watch television. I don’t mean to malign people (you don’t?), but far too many are doing that.” Gee and I thought it was investment bankers whose excessive risk taking (and securitizing of that risk throughout the economy) who were mostly to blame for the country’s economic maladies. Now I know better.

Or take this whopper from Rep. Kingston of Georgia (in support of drug testing the unemployed seeking benefits): “people who are unemployed should be looking for a job and should not become voluntarily ineligible by taking illegal drugs.” Hmmm. Who knew drug use was so rampant among the unemployed? Probably helps account too for all that TV they’re watching.

Fact is indeed stranger than fiction.

Statements like these are gift wrapping the 2012 elections for the Democrats, who should take a page from the Ghost of Christmas Present and turn Republicans’ own words against them.

He’s a retired sailor who spent more than 20 years in the US Navy. Sea duty on the USS Texas, the USS Carpenter, the USS Hopewell. A veteran of both World War II and Korea.

A few years ago, we went to the Veterans Day ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. He wore his service ribbons on his jacket. His Fleet Reserve Association cap was on his head. He was proud to be there, and I was honored to stand beside him.

 One of my earliest memories is standing on a pier, flags waving, band playing as his ship pulled in. I remember seeing him climb out of a training aircraft – in a flight suit with a parachute pack hanging off his rump. My brother and I had chores. One of mine was shining his dress shoes. I can still turn out a presentable spit-shine.

 At 89, he’s still on his own – an old sailor and his dog. He reads the papers and checks his e-mail at the library every day. Never misses the Sunday political shows and always has an opinion. He dotes on his grandsons and tolerates my advice.

 I pause today to thank my Dad – Raleigh O Sahl USN-Ret. A child of the Great Depression who did his duty, stood his watch, built a family and a life, and never forgot that he wore the uniform.

 Recurring themes were the push for passage of the Jobs Bill and the alternative use of executive power as a means to enable policy where possible and appropriate. For example, the administration has issued an executive order to expedite payments from the federal government to contractors from 30 days to 15 – which will help small businesses across the board. For details on the conference and the report go to the link at the White House Office of Public Engagement:

 search.whitehouse.gov/