This past Sunday, we watched the news talk shows featuringvarious governmental leaders from both sides of the aisle explaintheir positions on sequestration and its implications for the U.Seconomy. Despite the rhetoric and general mediocrity of thetalking heads from Washington, D.C, I am very positive about thiscountry and believe there are great opportunities in thisnation.

CEOs understand how to manage their business while continuing tolook for new opportunities for market share via products andservices. Whether it's a group of executives in financial services,healthcare, telecom or technology, there's a prevailing questionabout the future of this country. We in the private sector are heldaccountable on a quarterly basis by shareholders who rightfullydemand a return on their investment. The consequences fornon-performance are felt at the board of director's level andsenior management resulting in probing questions about strategy,innovation and culture.

The one curious question people ask repeatedly is about my takeon investing in the public markets. My response for the past twoyears has been uniformly positive, shocking many of thequestioners. CEOs, unlike public officials, are held accountable inregular periods by their board and shareholders. Smart CEOs arefinancially incented and know how to hit the bottom line. Thisdiffers distinctly from the two year horizon of public officialswho focus their actions on political gain, which results in littlerelief for the huge number of underemployed and unemployed peoplein this country.

Economic growth is predicted to shrink by at least half apercentage point from sequestration and will cost the country about700,000 jobs. Unemployment, which has steadily declined for thepast three years, is expected to stay below 8%. With significantnumbers of people out of work, companies feel no incentive toincrease wages. This increasing economic divide in America ismost certainly related to an increasing educational divide. JosephStiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, is known for his publicviews on income level being closely linked to educationalsuccess.

As Warren Buffet says, don't confuse the success of the stockmarket with the state of the economy and employment, as the twooften do not align. Despite the Dow Jones hitting its historichighest level this month, the gap between a company's success andthe American workers employed by them, could continue todeteriorate, as federal budget cuts mandated by sequestrationbegin. Corporations, influenced by greater productivity fromtechnology, faster growth in emerging economies and continued jobcuts, will continue to be able to maintain margins and driveproductivity.

In life, there are controllable and uncontrollable variables.The reality is that unless you are in a senior leadership positionin Congress or the president of the United States, your voicedoesn't count despite what people tell you, and you won't have anymeaningful impact on public policy. Staying focused on thebusiness fundamentals of running your business, will provide thegreatest chances for continued success.

David Walker, the seventh comptroller general of the UnitedStates and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office foralmost 10 years, compares the present-day U.S. to the Roman Empirein decline, with unsustainable policies and practices and long-termobligations underwater to the tune of $50 trillion. His theme isthat we have not had an honest discussion about what we value inour entitlement programs, what they will truly cost and who willpay for them. He says what's needed from Washington is “leadershiprather than laggardship.”

As with any effective criteria-based decision-making businessprocess, his solutions test for leaders includes asking thefollowing questions: Does it make economic sense? Is it sociallyequitable? Is it culturally acceptable? Does it pass a basic mathtest? Is it politically feasible? And can it achieve meaningfulbipartisan support?

My point of view is pretty consistent. Leaders need to leanforward into the opportunities ahead. They won't get distracted bythe Washington bureaucrats that deaden the brain and your creativethinking. They will continue to build business plans that haveaccountability and responsibility to shareholders and members.

They know that enthusiasm and attitude are everything in life.They will limit their consumption of the news from predictablemedia, which provides confusing rhetoric and instead choose to geta deeper understanding of emerging technology trends, their impacton consumers and develop products and services that can beaccretive to their shareholders or members. They will developcriteria for talent and aggressively pursue those people who sharetheir values and want to enjoy a better life.

Stuart R. Levine is chairman/CEO of Stuart Levine &Associates. He can be reached at (516) 465-0800 or stuartlevine.com.