Dear Mr. President-Elect,
Unlike
many of my colleagues, family members and friends, I do not challenge your
right to assume the role of President, as the Electoral College did cast the
majority of their votes for you.
As a
patriot and a government-worker myself, I hold the office of the President in
the highest regard. I have even argued
that every President of The United States has done at least one good
thing for policy and for the public good during their tenure. I have been called a bad liberal for
believing such things, but when you are in the thick of public service, you get
a much different perspective than the lobbyists on both sides of the aisle have
the luxury of maintaining.
With
this in mind, and retaining the highest of respect for the office of the
Commander in Chief, I implore you be vigilant, concerned, patient, and
kind. Please do not start wars during
your tenure as President. Please do not
make birth control prohibitively expensive.
Please try your best to encourage the public’s esteem. Do good works. Assuming that we only have this one life to
do the best that we possibly can—do the best that you can and be the
best President that you possibly can be.
Whether Republican or Democrat, Liberal or Conservative, there is an
expectation (a reasonable one) that while one is President, one should try
their best to be above reproach.
I work
with finances, and so almost every day my numbers are subject to
discussion—base assumptions change, expectations change. If I took challenges, corrections, or
opposition to my work personally and vented any number of reactions to these on
Twitter, my job would be in jeopardy.
This is as it should be. Public
administration (whether protected by Civil Service laws or not) is the art of
working with others to arrive at solutions to public problems. Working with others is key. I can do irreparable damage to my reputation
if I do not keep that in mind. A measure
of decorum is necessary, and it is a sacrifice to provide that decorum. Maintenance of decorum attributable to your
position is the sacrifice that you are (at least minimally) agreeing to make
when you step into The Office of The President of The United States.
I can
completely understand the drive to go the opposite direction – after all, your
persona during the election season was a brash and outspoken candidate who
breaks the rules and comes close to throwing out the rule-book.
I have
faith that you can find a middle ground to soldier ahead in the role of
President without needling your public on Twitter. We as a country need to know that you will
work for all of us, not punish us for exercising the right to free speech. Not everyone is destined to be a
President. The rules that will now apply
to you are so much stricter than the rules for the rest of America. Be worthy of the office. Be my President, too.
Best regards,
Amanda C. Prescott, MPA
