An Open Letter to Anyone Considering Running for President in 2020 from One of Your Constituents

Before you start telling me about your positions on immigration, abortion, taxation, etc. there are a few things I need to know.  Some are easy.  Some are not.  I do recognize that you have to say what you have to say to get elected.  Therefore, I really won’t look at what you say as much as what you do now and have done in the past.

Here’s what I need to see:

Your pick for Vice President should represent a constituency substantially different than your core constituency.  This is one of the simple items.  It’s running for office in a democracy 101.  If you can't do this, you aren't likely to get elected.

You need to manage your campaign staff effectively.  If there’s a lot of turmoil and turnover in your campaign staff, why should I believe your management of the White House staff be any better?  If you can’t manage your own staff now, how are you going to navigate through the federal bureaucracy to get anything accomplished?

I will watch carefully the people you put on your staff and pick as advisors.  Do you gather to yourself the smartest and the best or those who will tell you want you want to hear?  Running the government of the United States is far more complicated than running a campaign and the ramifications of making mistakes are far direr.  I will pay attention to who you listen to and how you handle advice that runs counter to your own views and desires.

Are you committed to the presidential oath?  Will you support and defend the Constitution or will you put party or personal issues first?  Do you understand the office of the President of the United States is not something to be possessed, but a duty to be carried out?

Do you understand that each of the cabinet position, each department, and each agency represents a constituency?  Do you understand that the people you select for these positions tell us what you think about that constituency?  Do you understand that if you claim to want to unite everyone that you need to pick the right people for these agencies and then listen to them?

Will you pick to head the EPA someone passionate about protecting the environment?

Will you pick to head the Justice Department someone passionate not just about law, but about justice?

Will you pick to head the State Department someone dedicated to solving problems with other countries through diplomacy?

Will you pick someone to head the Defense Department a person dedicated to preparing the American military for the most likely current and future defense needs? 

Will you pick to head Commerce someone dedicated to improving American business in the long term?

Will you pick someone to head the Treasury someone who understands economics and works to protect the U.S. economy in the long term?

Will you pick someone to lead the Labor Department someone who understands that improving the life of the labor force is good for business and economy in the long run?

And so on for each department and agency.

Instead of telling me that you are for this and against that….. can you convince me that you’ll collect all the data you can, listen to all the input you can, and then make the tough decisions?

If you can convince me of that, you’ll have my vote.