Advice for President Obama on Highlighting Government Actions

Max's advice for March 16, 2009

Dear President Obama,

Max grew up as the son of a man who knew 'ALL' the answers to the problems of the world. Max's father said so! Many times, his father let everyone know that anyone who didn't know that he had the answers was a turkey or a knucklehead.

The famous Ma Bell, the second most powerful force in the world (next to God of course), thought so much of Max's father's opinions that she made him 'Supervisor of Troubles'. This is true!

The advice Max promised you, President Obama.

Let the nation know what government is doing well!

Max doesn't like to always hear about what the government isn't doing well. The blame game between those sniping at your administration or those sniping at the past administrations is not good for the morale of those trying to fix the pickle we find ourselves in.

There are a lot of people in government that are doing their jobs well and continue to do their jobs well under very difficult situations.

Mr. President, you should try to set fifteen or twenty minutes each week to meet with a government employee whose boss believes they are contributing to the mission of making government work.

It can be an opportunity for you to see how it looks from the government employee's standpoint. Generally your time is very limited so you may have someone, perhaps not in a government position, learn what the employees are doing and why they are considered so important in serving the people.

Employees of the government are only justified if what they do is a necessary function of government that serves the people of the country.

Mr. President, when you worked as a community organizer you must have come across a lot of different people who played important roles in the social success or failure of the community at large. You almost certainly came across a lot of small players who are never mentioned; people who played key roles like opening a building, cleaning up after everyone else had left, or knowing the right person to call.

The government is full of people who just do their job. It is also full of people who do more. There is a large part of government that has still not given up on the nation. They get up, go to work, put the coffee on before the others get in, remember every birthday, even that of the grumpy dude, and just make life pleasant.

There are employees who strap on a firearm and vest before they leave the house every morning. They know that they may have a day of dreary paperwork or a day risking their lives for their country. They wear an alphabet soup three letter insignia to show who they are.

Some employees work in the basic functions of the buildings making sure that the water and lights are on for everyone else. They chase blown light bulbs and frayed computer wires. They sweep up the things that others just walk around. Most days are the same for them. Some days an airplane rips through as they empty a garbage can.

Max isn't as familiar as the president should be with what government employees are doing and how they are valued. He knows from experience that working for anyone, including the people, can be incredibly rewarding or can be the worst job ever. A huge amount of feeling good about doing a good job has to do with the person in charge noticing and saying something.

Mr. President, it is not possible to say something to everyone. It is possible to notice people who have gone unnoticed who play vital roles in keeping our society free.

Max wishes you well in all your efforts to educate the nation on the role of government.

Max writes about greenways, rare diseases, timely topics, places to eat, travel and other issues of interest. He encourages you to add your comments.

Link one is the Bill of Rights that recognizes the person.

Link two is to an example of awards as recognition.

Link three is to an article on general recognition programs.