The Change we were promised

Open letter to President Obama

The last thing you need is someone who is an expert in the field for most of the positions you’re trying to fill. Get someone who is smart and can bring in new ideas and new technology. Get people who know technology and is good at process improvement. Hiring someone who knows all of the key players is the absolute wrong move. Don’t listen to the experts who tell you otherwise. If America listened to them, you wouldn’t have been elected president. John McCain or someone like Tom Daschle would be there in your place.

You are not an expert in the field, nor do you know all of the key players. You are smart, know technology, and have fresh ideas. You said a change was needed. That is the criteria you told us we needed for someone to lead the country. That’s why you passed our interview process. We, the American people, decided that is what the country needed.

Why then do you turn around and start choosing leaders for agencies that need reform that do not fit these criteria? The exact same argument you made to us for choosing you to lead the country applies when choosing someone to lead reform in key agencies. Why would you look for someone with other credentials, when you told us that is what we need to fix things? If this applies to the highest office in the land, it should apply to the highest office in each key agency. Each leader can then hire a Joe Biden to help and give advice.

If congress does not agree with someone you choose that meets the criteria you said we needed for change, then bring it to our attention. We Americans will interview your candidate and provide confirmation. If some members of congress want you to hire their choice, let them run for President. When they get elected, they can choose whomever they want.

We Americans will let congress know that change is needed. Unless they willingly change, the change that started in the White House will move into Congress come election time, or sooner if things keep getting worse.

You also said you wanted to hear from the people. If you’re truly sincere, then you need to give us a vehicle to send you our thoughts and ideas. You put up a blog, but don’t accept comments. You put up a website for the middleclass, but only provide a small 500 character limit form for well wishers. If you truly want to hear from us, the people that elected you then make it easy for us to do so. Give us a proper website to submit ideas. Put up a proper blog so we can give you feedback. Put up kiosks where the middleclass go, like supermarkets, discount chain stores and libraries so you know the ideas are from us and not the rich.

So far, we have seen very little coming out of the White House that reflected your core ideas and principles. For now, we don’t blame you, but the self service ones that have been giving you advice. Go to the people that you know will give you good advice, the American people that elected you.