The people on the committee were two immediate supervisors of 18 people, nine for each of the supervisors.

I don't know if you have ever been on a committee or not but there is usually one fact that will hold true. Sooner or later, disagreements are going to occur and things will bog down. It is one of the reasons I have usually declined to have anything to do with committees.

The same holds true with brain-storming sessions. Far too often, productive discourse comes to an end, replaced by time consuming argumentative rhetoric that does nothing to help the people present come to decisions.

But, as supervisor over all the people present, it was part of my duties to be there and chair the proceedings. It seemed as it it would be a relative easy task and shouldn't have taken more than an hour.

Things went really well through entrees since money helped decide it. As with so many dinners, chicken was the cheapest and all could decide on the basic items that go along with chicken.

Then, we came to specialty items. All we had to decide was whether or not we were going to have broccoli with cheese or without. All but three people liked brocholli so it shouldn't have been a big deal.

There started the rub. Fat-conscious members didn't want cheese but those of us who work hard to keep from building up fat knew one course of broccoli with cheese wouldn't hurt us.

After a bit, the members of the committee had formed behind the two intermediate management people. Each side was made up of ten people with the committee chairperson having the deciding vote. Ten to ten and the chairperson. Not a good situation.

Anyway, the battle began raging. All at once the issue left the realm of cheese and broccoli and entered the realm of "let's-don't-get-a-damn-thing-decided".

Leaders started bringing in personalities of the opposition and breaking every rule of debate. It was no longer that cheese isn't good for us; it was, "Why you idiot. Why can't you just go along with us?"

Or, "You stupid _____, don't you even know that not everyone likes broccoli, let alone with cheese on it?" And, comments along the lines of "No wonder my people do more for the company".

Here are the facts. As stated earlier, only three didn't like broccoli. Of those that did, 15 liked it cooked while two liked it raw. Of the 15, 12 liked it best with cheese (seven in one group and five in the other) and three without. One of the people who didn't like it with cheese was the supervisor of one the two groups.

The leaders of the two factions became quite vehement and, for some reason, the people behind them stayed there, no doubt based on the perception it might keep them stay in favor with their leader and be beneficial to them in the future.

Finally, after two hours, the chairperson decided to call it a night. The battle was raging on and ill-will was spreading like wildfire. I could have stopped it but there was a lesson to be learned by people who had hopes of future promotions.

So I told the people that it seemed best at the time that everyone go home, think about it, and maybe a decision could be reached the next day.

The biggest problem was not the issue but the two supervisors. This, as you know, often happens in any organization. If the supervisors weren't present, then the extraneous material they were throwing in would not influence their people and the dead-lock would end.

The next day the two supervisors were given tasks which had to finished that day, tasks which were also sure to run into the time for the meeting to start.

Then, in the meeting, the proposal and choices were read. Without the negative influence of the leaders, each person voted as he thought, not in the way his leader attempted to influence him.

The five in the group with the leader that liked it without cheese voted for their favorite, with cheese, along with the seven in the other group. Thus, a majority had reached the decision.

Not only that, but without ill-will being promoted, a further comprimise was reached in a matter of minutes. There would also be a side dish of broccoli without cheese to suit that percentage and a selection of vegetables for dipping, including raw brocholli.

Seems like a stupid story of getting bogged down, doesn't it? But, when personalities, extraneous feelings, and other matters enter in, it is what happens in organizations, especially when leaders hold a great deal of power.

If getting bogged down in such a foolish manner does seem stupid, then the next time our Congress gets bogged down, take a good look at what is causing the lack of a decision.

Is it facts or is it other than facts? Is it something involving personal and/or party power gain? Try to find out exactly what is going on. And, when a decision, even if it is a lack of a proper decision is reached, find out what your representative thought.

It is imperative, Ladies and Gentleman, that when you hear or read a statement such as "I had to go along for the party good", then you know a decision has been made by that politician not based on facts and not necessarily for the good of the people and the advancement of this nation.

And, if you are a politician that lets your vote be influenced by other than the facts of what is the best decision for the good of the majority of the people in this nation, then shame, shame, shame on you.

You have failed in your obligation to the people of this nation.