What is the vision for America from its leaders? Clearly, it’s one where the meek shall inherit our money, our praise, and eventually our lives. Anyone who is capable and productive – and proud of it – will incur the wrath of government upon him. So REALTORS had better watch out – because it’s not just the media that hate capable men.  Legislators, a la Connecticut, will use their power to punish anyone who proudly demands compensation for his accomplishments. Government itself now holds our most productive minds in disdain. Guilty without charge – for bank CEOs and basketball coaches – and anyone else who has earned their living. As an industry obsessed with “top producers,” REALTORS should be very worried that the best of their ranks will be targeted next. Simply for being great.

Today, two Connecticut lawmakers – public servants supposedly – are calling for Jim Calhoun to be reprimanded for his outburst the other night on television.  If you remember, we praised Calhoun for telling a journalist to stick-it for asking a snide question about Calhoun’s salary. Even the journalists in the room groaned when the freelance idiot, whose claim to fame is a tape recorder and a press badge, asked Calhoun if he was going to take a salary cut because times were tough in Connecticut. From our perspective, Calhoun was right to offer the journalist advice to shut up – or meet him outside for a knuckle-sandwich – considering Calhoun had just won his 800th game. And, let’s not forget, it was a press conference to talk about a basketball game – not the balance sheet of the organization.

Yet fear not, oh meek and humble public! Your Mother Government will rescue your offended ears, and spare no expense or effort of the public office to demand Calhoun recant his Outburst. Wards of the state, freeloaders of tuition and taxpayer money, be consoled! Your tireless defenders of humility and weakness will break Calhoun of his pride!

Apparently Rep. Roberta B. Willis, D-Salisbury, and Sen. Mary Ann Handley, D-Manchester are demanding the University reprimand Calhoun because he is a “role model” and his behavior should reflect a more “ethical” position.

Whose ethics?

Why is it unethical to be proud of one’s accomplishments? By what ethical standard is being paid a high salary in exchange for high performance – 800 wins – something bad? What kind of world do our legislators wish for us, when they find no disgust in journalistic hooliganism, but demand a proud man of unparalleled accomplishment simply submit?

When we suggested that Jim Calhoun could fix the real estate industry, we meant it. Pride of skills, knowledge and accomplishments is the hallmark of performance in any industry. High compensation by consumers is merely their acknowledgment that they value top performance – and are willing to pay for it. We pay more for a Mercedes-Benz. We pay more for a first-class ticket. We pay more for top-performing real estate companies to sell our homes.

Yet top performance is now on trial. Like never before, at the highest echelons of government. Under the specter of legislative action. And basketball coaches aren’t the only ones in the sights of power-mad politicians.

When bankers can be humiliated in front of television cameras in the halls of Congress, when legislators can take time away from a recession, two wars and a housing crisis to criticize a basketball coach, then the real estate industry should start to panic. Millions of our websites proclaim our greatness. We proudly display testimonials from clients, wear our designations like military badges at convention, and pose for pictures with trophies as top producers. For an industry so obsessed with its greatness that our business cards feature our photos, real estate agents might want to reconsider whether it’s such a good thing to be the top agent any more.

Or the top company. Why risk telling anyone your company generated the most revenue, paid the highest commissions and sold the most homes – when your potential reward will be public humiliation from your own political representatives?

Maybe it’s time for our industry to consider some new marketing strategies and award categories. Meekest REALTOR. Least paid producer. Company who took the most government bailout funds. Agent who cut their commission the most. Brokerage with the fewest agents who earned a living.

A marketing plan of meekness, and performance to match, would certainly avert the stare of our political masters. And as for consumers, who supposedly prefer underpaid underachievers, they’ll just have to wait a little longer for their homes to sell. Just as basketball teams with underpaid coaches don’t win 800 games, consumers with the low-performing broker will just have to wait for another bailout for their home to sell.