If You Were President, What Would You Do?

After just writing a critique of President Obama, it occurred to me that I should offer my opinion of what he should be doing.  Recognizing the ominous responsibility of being President and the nearly impossible task of pleasing everyone, the following are broad categories of action that should not be controversial.  Rather than suggestions for specific policy decisions they get at the mechanics of government and how certain modifications might repair a mechanism that many believe to be broken.

To begin with, we have to question why the current government mechanism does not appear to work.  In my opinion, the basic reason it doesn’t work is that its structure provides primary incentive for people to work for personal grain rather than for the good of the country.  Elected officials focus on gaining support for the next election and demonizing their opponents.  I believe that term limits would go a long way in solving this basic issue.

Secondly, The President’s primary function should be leadership, a quality seldom displayed by the current President.  Rather than stirring the pot of partisanship, he should lead the government with a spirit of cooperation and compromise.  He should build the spirit of teamwork and seek to quell rancor that emerges between others.

Rather than promoting a free for all approach to dealing with major issues facing the nation, he should play the role of leader and facilitator in a systematic approach.  A Presidential Commission, composed of both government and appropriate experts from the private sector, should be formed to address each of the major issues.  Current major issues might include, but not be limited to, our massive federal debt, sustainability of Social Security, sustainability of Medicare and its integration with the new Affordable Health Care initiative, revision and simplification of federal tax policy, and the immigration issue.

Very clear guidelines should be established that the Presidential Commissions would be advised to follow.  First of all the ultimate goal(s) of each pending issue resolution should be unanimously agreed to by all commission members.  The commission should then brainstorm the issue with everyone invited to place resolution plans on the table for discussion.  Those plans selected as finalists following thorough discussion should then undergo detailed analysis to calculate the expected probability that each would achieve the previously agreed upon goals.  The plan having the highest expected probability of success should then be advanced for formal recommendation to the President and Congress. 

With term limits in place, including elimination of lifetime benefits, there would be far greater incentive for all members of government to work for the good of the country rather than for personal gain.   Thus, Government service would be far more likely to attract those who truly have a desire to help their country.