Larry D. Lauer

I yearn for an experienced White House. I also yearn for a resurgence of public service professionals leading and serving institutions, inside and outside government. A country is only as strong as its’ institutions.

When I was a student at American University in the 1960’s, public service was a profession offering decently paid career opportunities, including a measure of prestige. The U.S. Foreign Service, the FBI, the CIA, the state department, and many more, were attractive places to make a lifetime career. I met many of these impressive professionals in AU classrooms, and went to visit them on the job.

So here are my thoughts:

1. The famous words of Ben Franklin ring loud right now, “You have a republic if you can keep it.” In light of this digital technology world, if the electoral college is to function as Franklin imagined, very serious guardrails must be added.
2. Polarized parties in Washington failed to meet the needs of hurting people. A new White House must find ways to listen, and respond to those needs.
3. The new White House must recruit experienced talent into a revived public service. Think-tanks, consultancies, and many international organizations in Washington abound with talent.
4. Working together, these professionals must go to work to plan a final assault on the pandemic, infrastructure projects that create jobs, preserve regulations that protect health and the environment, create climate change initiatives; expand new energy jobs that gradually reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and improve healthcare so that it really works for everyone.
5. With a more professional public service, a smaller and more efficient government should be possible. That can now become a legitimate bipartisan goal.
6. The American president can once again build a cabinet of experienced experts, with clearly delegated responsibilities.
7. The American people should now have a president who will read daily reports, will not spend every weekend playing golf, will not send out cruel and self-serving tweets, and will never use his office to enrich himself and his family.
8. There must never again be an American president who is more comfortable in the company of dictators, than longtime allies.

Working across the aisle is the only way to truly govern. We now will have a White House that knows how to do that!