My Advice to the Newly Elected President
I am writing this letter to the elected president, as I feel that either one could have been my son or the son of any elder, man or woman above the age of 80. Yes, you won the election. Everyone can name a reason why you won the presidency. Now, when you enter the White House you will have a lot of pressure from every corner. Luckily you will have a lot of advisors and everyone has his own task that you will assign to them. At my age, my belief tells me that it is better to be poor among the rich, than poor among the poor.
To help the poor we have to create wealth. For me, this is the basic law. Until now, I still have to see the creation of jobs and the creation of wealth. Through my experience in WWII and as an officer in the army, who fought a few wars and battles, and as a manufacturer, and a worldwide entrepreneur and organizer of international trade shows and conferences, and now in economic and marketing research, with a total of over 60 years of work and still working as a president of my company, I had the pleasure of getting to know many enterprises in the world and government officials and dignitaries from over forty countries, some of whom you may know, and others you may know from history. I was commended by the United States Congress for my achievements. Having lived in many countries, I became fluent in many languages, without having learned them in any school.
I want you to understand that I want any American President, Democrat or Republican, to succeed in his endeavor, as long as he sticks to our constitution. You know why? Because I love the United States, as it was during President Reagan and during President Clinton. If we want to change this country for the better, let the people from many tendencies take part in these changes. You have to know how to surround yourself with the right and honest people, and to create the enthusiasm for those who work with you and those who follow you.
You have to avoid any animosity. If you feel that you are now the President of all Americans, let everyone feel it, let everyone believe in it, it is very important. You will discover a new and great potential in the American people, not only the Democrats or Republicans who helped you, but many others, with experience, people who can create and perform not just in the government, but also in their daily lives.
As you want to be the President of all Americans, it would be smart to avoid creating an atmosphere of winners and losers. This situation would create the opposite of what you intend to create. I know that in order to be President, you have to be American, but let me tell you my short story, as you have not experienced any war.
After each war I smelled the beauty of life, and the beauty of being able to eat bread with a glass of water. I saw how life became wonderful and I appreciated sleeping in my bed without fear.
If no one dares tell you the truth as it is, as a citizen and an observer, please let me tell you that the people - Democrats, Independents and Conservatives alike –check if they are happy or unhappy about what you are doing. If you want to implement your decisions, without preparing, convincing and checking if the American people are comfortable with them, do not impose on our people fundamental changes or other programs without their acceptance, as this is like someone twisting our arms. You know very well that the American people are easy going, but no one can impose on them anything. Do not forget that this nation already passed a great revolution and I would not want to have to see another one. Those programs inspired by foreign countries are un-American.
Yes, you have or you will have the majority, maybe in the congress, and maybe in the senate. You can implement many good projects but go slowly. Please stop for a moment and think about everything you want to accomplish and ask yourself if this is what you want and what the Americans wish for, and what price you are prepared to burden the American people and their future generation with, and if it is against their will, they will lack enthusiasm.
The argument, that many have no healthcare insurance, can be resolved intelligently and with wisdom. Sit down with the opposition people and let's find a solution together. First, let's find the real number of people who have no healthcare insurance and not throw extravagant numbers. Let's find the appropriate way to do it right, and not turning the country upside down, without regards for the elderly, the handicapped, the children, and those who depend on us. The same applies to any other program.
Furthermore, the last storm, Sandy, taught us that a president should prioritize between making election speeches or taking care of the victims and making sure that any order given to FEMA or other institutions is followed and acted upon. This is how we do in the army. A general or even a colonel will not be distracted for anything else, when it is his responsibility to save people. This rule also applies for the Commander in Chief.
Mr. President, if you want to become not only our president, but also a beloved president in history, please take my humble advice, which in fact is my father’s advice. He was a shoemaker who fought in World War I and World War II, and in the evening he was a community arbitrator for the town people, who were of various ethnicities, Arab, French, Italian, Maltese, Spanish, and Jewish. In all his rulings, he made sure there were no winners and no losers. If there were losers, there would always be a feeling of discontent. We don't need to alienate our American brothers. To perform your duty you need the entire nation. Do you want to create losers and winners? Or do you want to be the President of a nation of winners?
Your priority should be to resolve the economic problem and let free enterprise take its course. Job creation is its business and not the government's.
The Middle East problem cannot be resolved, either with negotiations or with power. What our government can do is to try to stop terror and create the conditions in order that any conflict wouldn't spread. Time will do the rest. We have to recognize that in the Middle East and in the Arab World there is no shortage of land.
Emile Tubiana
Economic and Marketing Research
In his free time, Writer and Poet
Distinctions:
Many proclamations from the Cities of New York and other institutions
1986 Commendation by the US Congress.
1987 Man of the Year by the Trade Show Industry.
1988 Commendation by US House of Representatives, Committee on Science, Space And Technology
Copyright 2012 Emile Tubiana
