change - John Norquist

As a change agent in a world that's slow to change, John Norquist has one guiding proposition: It's the ideology, stupid. If you're out to shake things up in the world around you, make sure that you've thought through your own ideology. Know what you believe in -- and know why you believe it. Rather than reacting to other people's ideas, says Norquist, you need to come up with your own agenda, to state it clearly, and to pursue it single-mindedly.

"Outcomes, not inputs" is Norquist's mantra. "Ideology matters a lot in the United States," Norquist says. "A clear and strongly articulated ideology has been one of the strengths of the Republican surge, and it's one of the biggest weaknesses that the Democratic party has right now. The U.S. political world seems to be stuck on 'stupid' -- without the ideology."

Sara Terry (saratery@aol.com) has written about culture and society for the New York Times and Rolling Stone. You can reach John Norquist by email (mayor@ci.mil.wi.us).