By what standards should we judge our next president? Maybe there are more choices than what I\u2019m about to propose, but so far, I see two main options: Go high, or go low.<\/span><\/p>\n

We know what low looks like<\/strong><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already seen how the low-expectation game plays out, and it\u2019s not pretty. Throughout the 2016 presidential campaign, and on Election Day, voters gave Donald Trump a pass because he\u2019s \u201cnot a traditional politician.\u201d The bar was extremely low. He got away with statements, language and actions that would have sunk any other candidate\u2019s ship in a single news cycle. <\/span><\/p>\n

Judging from what we saw in the campaign, and in the early days of the transition, it\u2019s clear to me that continuing to hold Trump to a lower set of standards\u2014and giving him time to climb the steepest learning curve of any President ever\u2014will inevitably lead to negative outcomes for Americans, for our reputation in the world community, and for the well-being of our planet. Early moves set the tone and the standard, and they’re hard to undo.<\/span><\/p>\n

The only case that I can make for low expectations is this: If Trump is allowed to be a part-time president, with weekends off [as if that could even happen] in his New York tower, maybe he\u2019ll do less damage. And maybe, if he continues to appoint inexperienced political hacks\u2014on the basis of their loyalty to Trump\u2014to the big jobs, there will be such internecine warfare and incompetence in the cabinet that nothing will get done. <\/span><\/p>\n

That scenario, though, is probably just wishful thinking. It\u2019s already clear that Republican Congressional leadership (and I use that term extremely loosely) are licking their chops. They know that Trump is a know-nothing guy with no interest in ideas or learning, who is easily manipulated\u2014often by the last person who whispers in his ear. They are gleefully preparing for four years of enacting the right-wing agenda that they\u2019ve been pushing for decades. All they have to do is to flatter Trump, feed his need for adulation,, and hand him a pen. His lack of knowledge, experience and diplomacy make him a perfect patsy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Letting him off the hook because he\u2019s a newbie\u2014granting him immunity while he gets on-the-job training\u2014is a terrible idea. There\u2019s just too much damage that can be done if we\u2019re not holding his\u2014and Congress\u2019s feet to the fire.<\/span><\/p>\n

Going higher<\/span>
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The better strategy would be to hold him to the standards we have tried to apply to all previous presidents. While it\u2019s very tempting to simply take to the streets to protest the man himself, I think we would do much better to make our protests specific to the policies he announces and the actions he takes, either on his own\u00a0or at the urging [manipulation] of his advisers. Anyone who threatens to take away health insurance from 20 million people deserves a march on Washington. When potential puppet-master Paul Ryan introduces a bill to privatize Medicare, we must fight back. <\/span><\/p>\n

But, in a subtler way, we should also hold the next president’s feet to the fire on some basic standards of behavior. So, in broader terms, I\u2019d like to suggest the following 10 higher standards for presidential behavior. [In no particular order, and not intended to be comprehensive. Additional suggestions are welcome.]<\/span><\/p>\n

1. A serious and engaged approach to the presidency.<\/strong> The willingness to put in the hours of study, serious [and even contentious] discussion, and overtime that it takes to make the highly impactful decisions that a president much make.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. The willingness to appoint and listen to people who may not agree with you.<\/strong> The character to work with people based on their experience, knowledge and proven ability\u2014rather than on their personal loyalty. <\/span><\/p>\n

3. The self-awareness to know when you don\u2019t have enough information<\/strong> to make an educated decision, and the willingness to seek counsel and help.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. A commitment to governing for the common good.<\/strong> The understanding that being \u201cthe president for all Americans\u201d is not just a slogan, it\u2019s a mandate. The character to forego personal gain for the good of society as a whole, and to see your policies and actions in the context of how they will impact the greater society\u2014now and in the future. <\/span><\/p>\n

5. The temperament to slow down, to think before reflexively acting<\/strong>, and to wait until you have enough facts and context to make meaningful, carefully thought-out moves on the world stage or domestically.<\/span><\/p>\n

6. The insight to see whose ideas and advice are the best for the country at-large,<\/strong> and to distinguish between advisors who have a broader vision for our country and those who are motivated by personal gain or ideology. The common sense to appreciate and reward ideas and policies that will improve life for as many people as possible.
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7. The strength to say no\u2014and to have people say \u201cno\u201d to you as well.<\/strong> The core strength to accept legitimate criticism from people close to you, from others in government, and from the press.
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8. The humility to change course when a decision turns out to be detrimental<\/strong> to the country at-large, or to individuals. A sense of personal and professional accountability for actions and words, and the ability to take responsibility for mistakes.<\/span><\/p>\n

9. A commitment to transparency and communication<\/strong>. The courage to face difficult questions from the press, and the patience to answer them thoughtfully. The willingness to share information about yourself\u2014as other presidents have\u2014with the people to whom you are accountable. <\/span><\/p>\n

10. The grace to be a unifier and healer,<\/strong> through words and actions. <\/span><\/p>\n

Gee, this sounds a lot like the \u201cSerenity Prayer,\u201d doesn\u2019t it? The difference is, of course, that I don’t actually pray, and I’m not asking a deity to grant us these characteristics and behaviors in our next president. In fact, I recently saw a Facebook meme in which the writer parodied the Serenity Prayer by saying, \u201cI\u2019m no longer accepting the things I can\u2019t change; I\u2019m changing the things I can\u2019t accept.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I’m calling for Americans–and world leaders–to demand better from Trump that what we saw in the campaign. [I really don’t think he’s got it in him. We’ve seen “the real” Donald Trump. But crazy things can happen.] In any case, we have to make it clear that the behaviors and words that some people excused during the campaign are totally unacceptable for a President.
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My list of presidential standards also sounds, to me, a lot like what we\u2019ve experienced during the past eight years, as Barack Obama has served America with a level of intelligence and classiness that we\u2019ve come to think of as the norm. Let\u2019s do our best to hold the next president to those same standards of behavior. And cry foul\u2014loudly and unashamedly– when he doesn\u2019t. <\/span><\/p>\n

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