I’m sure you’ve heard it all before. I’m really excited about your campaign and its possibilities for the future. I’m one of the hundreds of thousands who have contributed to a political campaign for the first time because of you. I’ve searched for your name on YouTube, I’ve read every NYTimes editorial and listened to every public radio podcast about your campaign, I’ve counted delegates and pondered superdelegates, I daydream about who you might choose as running mate, secretary of state, attorney general… I’m amazed that there are still people in this country who aren’t yet convinced you’re the best candidate, by far.
But imagine a typical someone: mid-thirties, unmarried, in relationships time after time only to be disappointed by each one in turn. One lover cheats, one can’t let go of earlier commitments, another is completely self-absorbed. And all of them eventually lie. So when a new flirtation comes along, it’s perfectly natural to feel some apprehension along with the attraction.
That’s just how I’m feeling now. And I imagine a lot of people, of both genders, feel similarly. I’m hoping with all my heart that you become the Democratic presidential nominee, and that you subsequently kick major Republican backside in the general election. But here’s some advice for afterwards, to help keep the tarnish off the delicate relationship you will have started with the American people.
Don’t be a politician, be a government representative. Of course the Democratic Party and a lot of other factions will have helped you achieve your goal of the presidency, but never forget that your post-election responsibility is to ALL the people of the country. When you make decisions, make them for civic, moral, and honorable reasons, not political ones. In a recent New Yorker article about New York State Governor Eliot Spitzer, he replies to a question about moral guidance by saying “… the toughest decisions and the right answers to those tough decisions are still the ones that you come to when you just sit down and you say, ‘O.K., what are we trying to do?’ What are the right moral values to guide it? Ignore all the politics. Ignore the screaming and shouting.”
If you really want to change Washington, you will have to ignore the inevitable screaming and shouting that will come when you push against the status quo. Instead of talking politics, develop the 21st-century equivalent of FDR’s fireside chats and communicate directly with us, clearly, honestly, and often. Encourage the American people to get educated about the issues, not by preaching or drowning us in details, but by teaching and leading by example. In a recent interview with Bill Moyers about her recent book “The Age of American Unreason”, author Susan Jacoby said that the President’s responsibility would be better defined as “Educator-In-Chief” rather than “Commander-In-Chief”. When you embark on a new foreign policy agenda, show us the map, introduce us to the people, give us the background and the perspectives. For health-care and other domestic issues, talk to us clearly about the pros and cons of various approaches and explain your choices. Show the American people that conservation equals patriotism, consuming less does not mean giving in, and a State of the Union address can be as gripping as an episode of American Idol. Give us an avenue for feedback other than polls. Then, when you need support for change against old-school politics, come to us. From your mouth to our ears and back to our Congressional representatives. You’ve been saying that it takes working together to accomplish meaningful change, and that will continue to be true after the election as well.
Change the Bush White House of Secrets and Deception to the Obama White House of Openness and Truth. Renounce the unconstitutional Executive privileges the Bush White House has procured and exploited and bring our government back into balance. Remind Congress of their responsibility to demand accountability from all areas of government and encourage their investigations on behalf of the American people. Ferret out and squash the activities that have been going on in our intelligence and military operations that have caused us to lose the respect of the rest of the world. Publicly take action against the use of torture tactics, eradicate Blackwater-type mercenaries from our military, act in accordance with the Geneva Convention, and close Guantanamo Bay. Reconfirm that, in this democracy, we are all indeed equal under the law. Last but not least, in your cleaning, scrub deep down into the fluorescent halls of government agencies like the FCC and the FDA. Remind them of their mandate to work on behalf of the people of this country, not the business entities. Get Congress to help you, and the people will help them.
Finally, in regards to the idea of “re-branding America”, I know you’re the best one for the job. We need to reinstate confidence in American values around the world and show the rest of the world that we are one of them, and willing to listen as well as talk. Help yourself by finding as many equally hopeful and dedicated diplomats and public servants as possible, people who are wise to the ways of the world without having been jaded by them in the process.
I know this is a really tall order, and more than anyone should expect from a new affair. Don’t worry, we understand change doesn’t happen overnight, and we can be patient. But from “Day One”, you need to show your commitment in this relationship, and prove that you’re serious about working with us on this change thing. I’ll vote with my heart, then hope, watch, and wait for your call to join in.
