… and another thing, Mister
President ... Just wanted to say congratulations, shake your hand and all
that.
It’s been a long, hard election season, and we voters have
done a swell job raising complex questions with no easy answers. Even though we’d
like those easy answers to exist.
So solving all the problems of the world is your job now.
Yep … now that you’re in office we want our presidents to fix, fix, fix.
Let’s get on with business, alrighty?
I wonder if you could do something about the economy. Do it
quick. We need jobs, and we need them bad. Higher wages all around would be
nice too … particularly for me.
And it would be swell if you could end all the wars around
the globe. Every war that’s ever happened is the responsibility of the POTUS, so
keep our military small and politically correct, while still protecting our domestic
and international interests—okay?
By the way, Mister President, you need to make sure we’re
well respected in the world. Not seen as arrogant, because we don’t want other
nations thinking we’re strutting our stuff. But we need to be seen as powerful—really
powerful—even to those dictator types like Chavez who only understand power
their way. So could you sort that out please, Mister President?
And, Mister President, would you put it on your agenda tomorrow
to stop global warming? Man, I’m sick of taking vacations in the rain. I want a
president who ensures no weird weather from here on out. Your new middle name
needs to be Mister Sunny Days President. No crop failures. No hurricanes. No
famine or pestilence. Never.
And another thing,
Mister President, would you puh-leez
fix health care? I hate spending more each month on health care than I do on my
mortgage. But for goodness sake, don’t do what the Canadians did. If we’ve got
the flu, we want to be able see our doctors more than once in five years. Well,
maybe you should kinda do what the Canadians did. You know—make health care ABSOLUTELY
FREE and all.
Could you make sure America stays Middle Class? Keep out the
Mexicans is what I’m talking about. And the Pakistanis, they’re starting to
worry me. And anyone with the last name Ahmadinejad. But I don’t want to carry
a passport when I fly. And I don’t want to be profiled. You’re really starting
to press my civil rights, Mister President. So just watch it, okay?
This time, don’t have sex with your secretary.
And don’t record anyone talking about you in the hotel next
door. All right, buddy?
Don’t bow to the Chinese ever again.
And—good grief—learn how to correctly spell potatoe.
And another thing, Mister President—don’t spend any more
money. Keep those thousand points of light as small as possible. But make sure
the roads are fixed, the schools aren’t shuttered, and no child gets left
behind.
Oh, and Mister President … could you … for once … be cool? This time, I want my president playing
bass guitar. Bass guitar players are always cool.
Thanks Mister President. It’s gonna be a great next four
years.
Question: What do you hope the president accomplishes (or not) in the
next four years?
18 comments:
Aha, I get it. A clever way of asking what our expectations are of this office.
And no clear answers to a lot of these complex questions either.
Well done. Good for a chuckle. But also thought-provoking too.
Hilarious. Makes you think. Thanks.
Like it like it - too much expected from one man. It takes all of us and it's still a big struggle. What I want? For the congress and the president to get something done and not just play chess with checkmate all the time.
Marcus, You've presented a tough question to answer, but to take a stab at it, I would like to see some reaching across both sides of the aisle with this new president to fix some broken things in this country. Have some pride in the country and be willing to defend any representative of this country, be it a soldier, OR a diplomat.
Well said, Carlton.
I would like the President to just be a Statesman. A Statesman is defined, as not a tyrant, he is the free leader of a free people and he must possess four critical qualities:
1. A bedrock of principles
2. A moral compass
3. A vision
4. The ability to build a consensus to achieve that vision.
I would love a President who had all four.
Great thoughts Swimmerman.
Marcus, Great article... I'm going to share it! Happy election day to you. :)
Thanks Infinite. Always appreciate the shares.
Marcus: How appropriate for today. I am probably not alone in being very very tired of the commercials on tv. I felt like the little girl who cried to stop the commercials except a 70+ year old would look foolish. My statements are not either side as one would not know my party from my ballot. I thnk the US govt needs to maintain a very strong military as I remember WW II and most conflicts from 1941. I would like to see more companies open on US soil for employment and give them some tax breaks. I can list more, but do you notice how four years takes on the body image of our Presidents? I think the President should declare a holiday if the Chicago Cubs win a World Series.
Gary
Marcus, I like this because it doesn't at all betray which way you lean (frankly, I'm getting tired of hearing what people think about it. I don't give a damn what Bruce Springsteen or Meat Loaf think who should win).
Anyway, I hope it makes people see some of the absurdity in what they want, and demand, of the President. Ultimately, the post left me feeling like the job is quite impossible and not to be desired. Which, especially in this day and age, is pretty much true.
Really, I'm just glad the political ads are done with.
Good thoughts, both. Thanks.
A very good way to present all the problems and wishes to solve by presindet and his followers. Now pleople can see that it is a mass of things, and not solveable in one or two election periods. But you can put a nice start for a lot of them. And that's what I expect of the president, even he is not mine, because I'm german. Try to lead things in the good way, and get them started. You don't have to solve things in the meantime, you have to make sure they have the chance of getting solved in the far future.
To find out what are the RIGHT problems to solve is his business! There are too many of'em. And if you solve one problem, the other can get bigger from that. So you have to focus, made out the right and important ones.
I wish him luck with that. For the sake of all of us.
T
"I wish him luck with that. For the sake of all of us."
A great line, Tobi, indicating global influence, not just national. Thank you.
Well said Tobi! I was about to say something similar. Every country outside the USA was holding its breath. We non-Americans can only hope for the best during these elections. We watch the USA from far away. I am always amazed that certain things that are so normal in Europe or other countries seem so difficult to achieve in the USA. (healthcare is an example). My heart was pounding like crazy on the morning I was about to find out who would be the new president again. I am really happy it is Obama again. He now has a chance to continue his work to solve the many issues in your country. I hope Obama will get some more credit and a good second period. I sure hope some more problems will be solved for each of you of my American friends!
Thanks Yuri. Good thoughts, and interesting to see how people outside the states view America's elections.
Government health care is a very, very tricky issue in America right now, and most people I know are poised to see how it will all emerge.
So far, about the only thing that's happened is that our health care premiums have gone up about 30%--and they continue to rise.
I grew up in Canada, so I know what socialized medicine is like. Pros and cons to be sure. My parents are still there. They don't worry about doctors' bills, like we do in the states, but it can take a long time to get scheduled for a needed procedure, unlike the quickness we enjoy here. So it's a real mixed bag.
Anyway, still hopeful that this country will head the right direction on all these important issues. :)
thanks again for your comment.
Hi Marcus, I understand what you are saying. It all sounds so simple when you're watching from far away. I am just lucky I grew up in the Netherlands, and next year I will live in Denmark again. They have some of the best healthcare system in the world over there. We are very fortunate to have that. I just hope things will get better for the Americans these coming years!
Agreed!
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