Fireside chats

Adapt the the Rooseveltian "fireside chats" formula to TV and keep the American people up-to-date on what it is that you are trying to accomplish on our behalf. Some folks don't understand the big picture. Explain the "why" where possible.

John Gengler, Hockessin, DE

Stand on principles

Continue to stand on your principles and follow your heart not the polls. God Bless you and your family.

C. Holden, Dalton, OH

Church and state

President Bush, you need to do a better job separating your church from our state... our forefathers wanted it to that way.

Erik Heitman, Kansas City, MO

Less government

We need less government and more personal responsibility. Families need to be strengthened and encouraged not taxed and divided. We need to value all human life. Our children need to be taught to think critically from a moral base of right and wrong. The pop culture media and relativistic morality will destroy our country from the inside. It is just as serious of a threat to our survival as terrorism.

Mary Ann Stroven, Orlando, FL

State of the Union address

Use your State of the Union address to start an honest dialog with the nation. Since you don't have to campaign anymore, you don't have to measure your messages to the public. Leave the sound bites in the war room, and have a real discussion with America.

R. Muncada, San Jose, CA

Be more moderate

Now that we know that the ideals of the country are almost split down the middle, [the president] should realize that when he makes a controversial or a very conservative decision that half the country is going to be extremly upset and that he needs to be more moderate. I believe being more moderate is the key to a successful 2nd term. If Bush doesn't concentrate more on our domestic situation the nation will go the liberals the next go around.

Thomas Barnes, Missoual, MT

9/11 Commision

Please work to implement the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission to improve our security by fixing the intelligence operations - too many of your decisions have been based on inaccurate data. Please get it FIXED!!!

Ellen McGregor, Tucson, AZ

Forefathers

Please, in every decision made on behalf of the people as is your duty, make choices that this nation's forefathers would appreciate and future generations will benefit from. We live in a good time now but it will be the decisions that are made today that will determine the fate of this federalist nation as we grow older.

Adam Stuart, Battle Creek, MI

Rebuild workforce

Focus on rebuilding the American workforce with meaningful, well paying jobs. Keep up the pressure on terrorism and on the those within our country who seek to undermine the values and ethics that have helped to make the United States the great nation it is.

Patrick, Jackson, NJ

Listen to call for justice

This nation needs to start focusing on justice for all of its citizens, including the poor and disenfranchised. It is a sad indication of how greedy and self-absorbed the majority of our citizens have become when there is no mention made during debates of those living below the poverty line, or the number of those who are the "working poor." These people are making a valuable contribution to our nation while being ignored by our politicians in favor of pandering to the middle class.

Heather Sevener, Chicago, IL

Concede and govern graciously

I hope, fervently, that John Kerry graciously concedes the election and pledges to help unite the nation. If he does not, we will be weakened as a nation and, I believe, the Democratic Party will pass ignominiously into the history books.
I did not agree with any of the choices provided about how the President could re-unite the Nation. I think he should do it be talking to us, frequently, on national television. At least 3 times a year and better if 6. When he told America what he believed and when he told America what he was going to do, we backed him up. When he sat in the White House and only listed to his advisors, he almost lost the election.

J.D. Mason, Rapid City, SD

Media mis-portrayal

It is very important to get the country united. Both candidates did well with their base, but they need to reach across the aisle. The vote however showed that the United States is more conservative than the media portrays. We need to speak with one voice to the whole world and not as a divided nation.

Mike Rice, Columbus, OH

Living side-by-side

Mr. President please remember that there are other countries in this world with leaders such as you who have their own beliefs and followers of what they believe is "freedom, justice and liberty". Your job is not to save the world but to lead America and represent the American people by making sound decisions that will enable Americans to live side by side with their neighbor countries. To date you should ask yourself if this is what you have been doing.

T. Belifiore, Hayward, CA

50/50

Ok, Mr. President. You have won the confidence and trust of 50% of the country. Your job now is to prove to that 50% that what you said you would do gets done, and make the other 50% that didn't vote for you regret that they didn't vote for you!!

Lorraine, Los Angeles, CA

Table of nations

Our next president must bring us back to the table of nations. We cannot believe, and act, as a tyrannical power. All the world knows we are the sole surviving superpower, we need not act as the world's 'bully', we have already been crowned heavyweight champion....now we must act as a champion, not a teenager seeking his next victim.

J. G. Baker, Burlington, NJ

Respect public's intelligence

Let's have more openness and candor, and a less simplistic black-and-white approach to big issues. Treat us, the public, with respect!

Nancy Charlton, Portland, OR

The deficit matters

The deficit and national debt do matter. The $300 billion dollars for interest on the debt is a total waste. Having 30-40 million American’s without healthcare is criminal. Too many jobs are disappearing. Focus on the needs of the working/middle class and rebuild our respect and relations around the world.

Reuben Rajala, Gorham, NH

Mind our own business

Mr President, can we please keep our nose in OUR business this term? Can America stop trying to police the world? Can we focus more of our tax dollars and human resources on things that will better OUR nation? Like better health care, better jobs, better schools, keeping violent criminals off the street, reducing unfair sentencing, save social security, fix this mess we call Medicare? We've got our own problems!

T. Brown, Milwaukee, WI

Follow founding fathers

I think the President should concentrate on the job our founding fathers intended him to do... Secure and protect the nation, make fair provisions for foreign and interstate trade, and uphold the Constitution. All else should be left alone, or at least to the States to work out for themselves. We make have a "moral" obligation to do more, but we have only a "civil" obligation to ourselves.

K. Joubert, Colorado Springs, CO

Protect the environment

Mr. President, we ask that you protect our environment and that you reduce the massive debt weighing on this country.

Ellen & Eddy White, Cherrylog, GA

Entire nation at war

Mr. President, we must commit more dollars and resources to expanding the military to meet our war against Al Qaeda and other terrorists. The entire nation must be at war, not just those honorable folks who volunteered. We must also commit funds to the care of those service members that are wounded and who return disabled by such wounds.

Barry Gogel, New York, NY

Slash taxes

Please be brave and slash the spending of the federal government. Don't require so much of us that taxes continue to destroy our families and businesses.

John Fortunato, West Babylon, NY

Poetry, not rhetoric

I so long for a poetic voice in electoral debates. The shrillness and ignorance of the sensitivity of Americans is numbing. I want and need to hear candidates say what truly needs to be done - it requires poetry to arrive at the impossible - and then to step aside and let the American people be heard. The politicians' rhetoric is deafening.

NG, San Francisco, CA

Govern, don't rule

I believe you are a good person, and that you care deeply. You should not project your values onto the rest of the nation. You do not have the right to hide your actions from us no matter how well intentioned. You must uphold the Constitution. You are not a ruler but a governor.

Jan, Arlington Heights, IL

Two things

Mr. President, I ask you to do only two things. First, do everything you can to work with those across the aisle. Second, please force a debate to get started in this country about the best way to fight and win our battle against Islamic terrorists.

Jonathan, Dumont, NJ

Church and state

Honor the separation of Church and State. Let God judge, while we exercise compassion, tolerance and understanding of our fellow man.

Jay Abel, Honolulu, HI

Blessed with better institutions

Americans and American government are not immune to the dark side of human nature. We are free, not because we are morally superior to those living with tyranny, but because we've been blessed with better institutions: a balanced constitutional republic and protected natural rights. Please be reverent with our heritage.

Ric and Angela Cantrell, Salt Lake City, UT

'Pay-as-you-go'

Please, get the "pay-as-you-go" system back in place to restore the government to fiscal balance and go after coorporate looters...

Michael, Minneapolis, MN

Not just America's war

Please don’t make the war on terror just an American war. It’s a war between Moderate and the Militant Muslims. For that reason, not just us, but the entire world along with the Muslim nations should wage a war against the militants wherever they are. But first and foremost you’ve got to stop the conflict between Israel and Palestine as soon as possible and then think about democratizing the Muslim nations to achieve long lasting peace.

Kaushal Mehta, Freehold, NJ

Hear other nations

Mr. President, remember that the United States is part of the entire world, and govern accordingly. Our voice should not drown out those of other nations trying to be heard.

Jessica, Denver, CO

Seal borders

Mr. President, I would ask that you seal our porous borders, bring our troops home to maintain the integrity of those borders and DEPORT ALL 12 million illegal aliens.

P.L., Sturbridge, MA

Support choice

Support Roe v. Wade, alternative energy sources, civil contracts, and diplomacy of words, not war.

Keller, Norman, OK

Moderates, not extremists

We the people are generally moderate in our broader view of America. We may have liberal and conservative issues but we desire compromise and bipartisan effort to lead our country to a better future. Stop letting extremists dictate national policy; make decisions based on what is best for Americans.

Matt Raymond, Chicago, IL

Rights of the unborn

Remember the natural rights of the unborn and do all that you can to reduce the killing of our children. Do everything you can to create an environment and society where all children are welcomed.

Becky, Ann Arbor, MI

Integrity

Integrity matters. Be honest. Review world history. Don't make America a colonial empire.
Respect an individual's and nation's right to self-government. Listen to what your cabinet and intelligence

Candy McCall, Mount Juliet, TN

Protect, reach, give, call

Protect our vulnerable youth fighting overseas. Help Iraq and Afghansitan heal by ceasing the practice of high altitude bombing to fight guerilla wars, among other measures.

Reach out to both the ideologically disaffected, and the economically discouraged.

Give a moderate from the other party a cabinet post, to encourage the practice of loyal opposition, and show you are willing to listen to him or her.

Call on America to keep its promises of equal opportunity irrespective of arbitrary categories, such as race, religion, national origin, and sexual orientation.

David Keith Johnson, Seattle, WA

'Govern from the center'

Mr. President, heal this nation. Govern from the center, with compassion, and common sense. Brook no partisanship, eschew extreme rhetoric, and use the prestige of your office to rally the American people to tell their senators and representatives to do the same. Only then can we hope for trust and faith to be restored after such bitter division.

Charles T. Crow, Nashville, TN

Thoughtfully listen

Mr. President, I simply ask you listen. Listen to your constituents, listen to your advisors, and listen to the global community. Strong convictions are vital to effective leadership, but they are worthless without careful thought and consideration.

Brian Thurbon, Topeka, KS

Qualified cabinet

I ask that you get the best qualified cabinet, solicit facts and recommendations, and make a sound decision based on what is best for this nation. In other words, govern. Your policies should not flip-flop from day to day based on polls. Please support the troops and provide them the equipment and support to succeed in Iraq and Afghanistan. Don't set some arbitrary date to withdraw the troops. Instead, bring them home as the Iraqi government and its security forces become competent and terrorist/rebel strongholds like Falujah are made secure. Thanks.

Lewis, Broomfield, CO

Be honest

Be honest and level with the American people. Tell the us the WHOLE truth so we can face the full reality of our nation's current crises TOGETHER. Americans ar not stupid. Listen to ALL sides, and invite them to join the struggle to make this a better planet. If we are successful in doing that, America will truly be a leader in the Free World.

Luise Perenne, Fountain Valley, CA

End Iraq incursion

End the Iraq incursion because we are in a no-win situation. The more we fight, the resistance will stengthen and it will escalate into a regional war which will suck in large powers. It is time for talking, not shooting. Let the terrorist murder more Muslims and their attacks will turn on them.

Paul Peltier, Tacoma, WA

Lead, paint the way

Leaders remain reflective about the past, in touch with the realities of today, and have an inclusive, clearly articulated vision for the future. Remember, most people want to be lead, so paint the way.

Jeffrey, Oak Park, IL

Majority rule, minority consent

The election is over and while not all of us voted for you, it is time to govern us. Discuss policies with those across the aisle. Do not just swap empty rhetoric. Always remember that it is majority rule with minority consent here. Do this and we will follow.

Dan Lucas, Raleigh, NC

No class distinctions, shorten elections

Please keep the aged, the children, and sick in mind. Class should not even enter into anything.
Make real reforms in the elections, not [have] corporation money running everything. Shorten the time period [of elections]. We could take Englands 6 weeks of actual ads, etc. What a pleasure that would be!!

Kai Graff, Medford, OR

Domestic and foreign advice

Domestically, find bi-partisan allies in Congress to limit the influence of lobbyists. Lead a return to serving the common good not just the interests of special interests. Veto bills loaded with 'pork' and address the deficit.

Internationally, reach out to China, Russia, Europe, the Arab world and others to create a true coalition to work toward a solution in Iraq, and Israel/ Palestine.

R. LeRoy, San Diego, CA