Obama's free advice from Boston U profs

(21 professors offer their unsolicited advice)
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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Tamar Frankel

Professor of Law, Boston University School of Law

SUBJECT: Guiding Principles

Please:

1. Maintain and retain our trust in you and in America. Help us create a culture of trustworthiness.

2. Follow your ideals. Let us follow ours. Avoid ideology.

3. Use conflicting ideas to prevent the good from slipping into bad. Meld individuals' desires with society's needs. Offer food, but not gluttony. Encourage drive for profit but not greed and misappropriation. Recognize success on the merits but not by deceit.

4. Avoid theories in the service of power without accountability; selfishness without care for others; and freedom without law.

FROM: Andrew Bacevich

History & Int'l Relations professor, Boston University

College of Arts and Sciences

SUBJECT: Afghanistan

You seem keen to up the ante in Afghanistan by increasing the U. S. troop commitment there. Before making a final decision, take some time to think that one over. With the war in Afghanistan now in its eighth year and things not going well, it could be that the problem is not enough boots on the ground. Or it just might be that our stated objective -- creating a modern, cohesive nation-state where none has ever existed -- is misguided. Perhaps instead of more troops we need a new policy.

If you do commit to enlarging the war, keep two things in mind. First, we'll have to cover the costs. Don't look to our allies for anything but symbolic help. The Brits and the Canadians have fought gallantly, but as for NATO, well, the once-vaunted alliance has essentially ceased to exist. Second, once your honeymoon ends -- and it will, sooner than you think -- the Afghan war will be your war. Don't let it become your Iraq. Good luck.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Tom Fiedler

Dean, Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: White House press corps

Among the most thankless journalism jobs in Washington, D.C. is that of White House correspondent. It shouldn't be, of course, and in the popular imagination it ranks among the most prestigious. Truth be told, though, the unhappy folks who daily occupy the White House press room are little more productive in a journalistic sense than, say, monkeys in the zoo who perform for the chance of getting food scraps. These reporters gather when summoned by the press secretary to get the daily feeding. Questions are parried; seldom answered. And when a dollop of news is dropped at such a session, it is usually camouflaged with the warning that it is for "background" or "not for attribution." Woe be to the White House staffer who invites a reporter into his or her office for an interview on the record.

It shouldn't be this way -- and doesn't have to be. I realize that presidents have tried with varying success since the days of JFK to manage the message. That's the president's right; your success in the campaign in doing so suggests that you're certainly adept at it. But let me make a plea for a different approach to a relationship with the White House press corps, one that would be reminiscent of the approach taken by your apparent role model, FDR. In a phrase, rather than seeing the press corps as an annoyance to be controlled and manipulated, look at it as a combination sounding board and megaphone. Open up the White House (figuratively speaking) to press coverage and inquiry. Let your staff speak freely and on the record (relying on background briefings only when especially sensitive topics, such as national security and diplomacy). Perhaps, like LBJ, take occasional walks around the Rose Garden with a handful of journalists where they can take your measure.

Sure you'll get roughed up occasionally. But in today's era of the omnipresent microphone (and videocam) you won't be able to control the media in the way that some of your predecessors, such as Ronald Reagan, were able to. Remember that the antidote to a bad press is more press.

The White House press corps will appreciate -- and rise to -- the added responsibility. And, most important, the American public will be better served by a president who not only speaks of open government, but embodies it.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Maureen A. O'Rourke

Dean, Boston University School of Law

SUBJECT: The Constitution

The notion that upholding our system of government enshrined in the Constitution and the fundamental freedoms that define us as a nation is both a worthy goal and one that may require some sacrifice seems no longer to be a message that is easily embraced. Why would it? We are not only far removed from the Founding Fathers and the sacrifice of the generations that fought two World Wars, but we also receive a relentless stream of news about politicians and a system gone awry.

You will shortly promise to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Even with all of the nation's issues, you have no more important challenge. I hope you find that this generation will respond to your leadership and that we, like others before us, will both recall and preserve the best of what it means to be an American.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Louis E. Lataif

Dean, Boston University School of Management

SUBJECT: Union "card-check" proposal

Congratulations on your historic victory! In the recent election, your supporters and all voters enjoyed the precious liberty of casting secret ballots; your Congressional colleagues in their party caucuses cast secret ballots; and American workers cast secret ballots when voting to be represented by a labor union.

Do not destroy workers' rights to a secret ballot by encouraging the deceptively-named Employee Free Choice Act. That "Card-Check" proposal effectively kills the secret voting privilege by undoing decades of settled labor law. Importantly, it would irreparably damage individual liberty, the small businesses that propel U.S. employment, and the fabric of your own promising presidency.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Farouk El-Baz

Director, Center for Remote Sensing,

Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

SUBJECT: Leadership

You have inspired a whole generation and won the hearts of the world.

On 4 November, an elderly Egyptian on a street in Cairo was interviewed by a TV reporter and said: "I voted for Obama with my heart."

You are now at the helm and need only to keep inspiring all Americans to rise above all the troubles and help steer the country back to greatness.

The resilience and energy of Americans is limitless, if they are challenged, encouraged, and motivated to do what is seemingly impossible.

Don't send anyone anywhere; ask them to follow you as you lead.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Mitchell Zuckoff

Journalism professor, Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: The media

You're to be commended for the remarkable way your campaign spoke directly with the public through media you controlled - from my.barackobama.com to text message blasts to paid television ads. That made perfect sense when your goals were to collect votes and money. Now that campaigning has given way to governing, and your goals are to lead a great and troubled nation, I respectfully urge you to engage fully with the media you don't control. Answering journalists' probing questions and considering their informed skepticism will help you to succeed as fully as a president as you did as a candidate.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: William Keylor

Int'l Relations & History Professor, Boston University

College of Arts and Sciences

SUBJECT: Protectionism

As you take office amid the most serious financial challenge that the United States has faced since the Great Depression, resist the pressure from domestic interest groups to rescue them from the consequences of the economic downturn by erecting barriers to foreign competition. High tariffs, increased subsidies for domestic farms and industries, and other protectionist measures may preserve American jobs and American profits in the short term. But in the long term they will become self-defeating by prompting our trading partners to adopt similar "beggar thy neighbor" policies that will prolong the painful economic downturn the world is experiencing.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Nathan Schwadron

Astronomy professor, Boston University College of Arts and Sciences

SUBJECT: Scientific exploration & discovery in new era of physical innovation

We must become greater physical innovators to overcome major societal problems -- ranging from the availability of inexpensive energy to the changing conditions of our physical world induced by humans, the Sun and even from beyond the outer boundaries of our solar system.

As a nation of explorers, we prize discovery, and our investments in robotic exploration and basic science to NASA and the NSF should be a core part of our renewed focus on physical science, technology and education. Our investments should be made to spur on competition and to control costs by promoting centralized leadership while stimulating innovation.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Christopher Daly

Journalism professor, Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: Media Relations

Suggestion: Talk to reporters, early and often. Do not treat them as an "interest group" or a threat. They are the eyes and ears of the American people. Keep dealing with the news media even when you have grown sick of them.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Thomas J. Whalen

Associate Professor of Social Science

Boston University College of General Studies

SUBJECT: "Team of Rivals"

Don't become too enamored with this "team of rivals" approach you've recently articulated in the mass media. It is fitting and indeed proper that you should have access to a broad array of opinions in making important presidential decisions. But don't allow yourself to be dragged into the petty bureaucratic turf wars that are bound to occur with such high profile, politically ambitious appointees like Hillary Clinton and Gov. Bill Richardson in place.

If you don't believe me, go ask former Commander in Chief Jimmy Carter. In his truncated term in office, he took a similar tack when it came to the operation of our nation's foreign policy in the late 1970s. He placed ideological opposites Zbigniew Brzezinski and Cyrus Vance at the head of National Security and State respectively. Their subsequent squabbling and overall acrimonious behavior gave a schizophrenic quality to our foreign policy that left our friends and allies abroad to puzzle over our true intentions. The results, the invasion of Afghanistan, the Iranian hostage crisis, and the failure to achieve substantive nuclear arms control, speak for themselves. Don't let history repeat itself.

The "team of rivals" makes for a catchy political slogan, but its worth as a practical governing policy leaves much to be desired.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Kevin Gallagher

Assistant Professor of International Relations

Boston University College of Arts & Sciences

SUBJECT: Rethinking US Trade Policy

Keep your promise to re-tool U.S. trade policy so that it can bring real benefits to the U.S. and our trading partners. Three steps are needed toward this end:

First, honor the WTO ruling deeming US subsidies for cotton illegal.

Second, honor the campaign pledge to evaluate impacts of NAFTA and other agreements.

Third, retool U.S. trade policy based on the assessment so that trade can begin to benefit the U.S. and the world without adversely affecting human rights and the environment.

Honoring and re-evaluating our existing trade commitments will give us the legitimacy at home and abroad to revitalize the trading system toward a sustainable future.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: John Carroll

Communication Professor

Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: Five Easy Pieces of Advice

• Whenever Nicolas Sarkozy phones the White House, tell him you'll call right back.

• Whenever you assume the role of Hoopster-in-Chief, go to your right as often as possible.

• Whenever you have a meeting with Rep. Barney Frank (D-I'm Not Finished Yet), bring a magazine to read.

• Whenever you get the chance, refer to Alabama as AlObama.

• Whenever you finally get a dog for Malia and Sasha, do not name it Checkers.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: N. Venkat Venkatraman

Professor, Boston University School of Management,

Information Systems Department

SUBJECT: Technology and American Competitiveness

I hope that your first term will be marked by America regaining its preeminence with technology and innovation in energy, biotech, information, and communication technology. Hence:

1. Create National Technology Council -- parallel to the Economic and Security Councils -- to develop a long-term coordinated focus on science-based innovations. Our recent efforts have been disjointed and piecemeal; our leadership position weakened; and the level of apathy towards science and technology among our youth is troubling.

2. Foster Globalization at the Citizen Level. Although the Web has made us more connected, we do not have a good grasp of what it means to live, work and play in this linked world. Every American is touched by global trends even of she/he never leaves our shores. We need to create conversations within our communities about our role in this connected world beyond value-laded labels such as offshoring jobs and trade barriers.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Thomas Nolan

Professor, Boston University,

Metropolitan College Department of Criminal Justice

SUBJECT: Disaffected Youth

President Obama could prove instrumental in eliminating the war metaphor from our public (justice) discourse. We have been for too long fighting wars on various domestic fronts that have empowered law enforcement agents to isolate, target, and oppress populations of underclass youth under the guise of military engagement: be they gang bangers, drug dealers, "impact players," et al.

The new President could give the imprimatur to devoting resources to providing, through education, the means to the hegira [flight to escape danger] from repression for youth who we've demonized as enemies in inspiring them to embrace virtue and justice as our progenies.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Jay Wexler

Professor, Boston University School of Law

SUBJECT: Not Very Complicated Church-State Issue

When you take office in January, you will face a perhaps unprecedented number of difficult challenges that will call for the exercise of immense skill, intelligence, and judgment. My advice to you, however, has nothing to do with any of these complex and intricate problems.

Instead I humbly urge you only to do one thing, and that is this: Absolutely do not, under any circumstances, whether it be purposefully or merely accidentally, follow the lead of the Bush White House and put a picture of a Christmas tree on the invitation to the White House Hanukkah reception.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Garland Waller

Professor of Television, Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: A Hidden National Scandal

Congratulations! Not just on your election, but on your life. You seem to have the greatest blessing of all -- a happy loving family. And my greatest hope is that you will be able to use the power of your office to the aid of those families who have been torn apart by domestic violence and child abuse.

It is one of the secret shames of our judicial system that if a man beats his wife, abuses his children, and then seeks full custody of them, he is statistically likely to get it. Please do not ignore this hidden national scandal.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Susan Akram

Immigration Law Professor, Boston University School of Law

SUBJECT: Immigration-law reform

Although the last thing you need is more advice, here's some unsolicited advice on one issue of great concern that will -- or should -- be on the top of your urgent 'to do' list: comprehensive immigration reform.

Although there may not be much agreement on how to fix it, there is widespread consensus that the immigration "system" in the U.S. is badly broken. Billions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted on immigration enforcement that doesn't work, criminalizes non-criminal acts, and diverts precious resources from legitimate criminal enforcement and other dire domestic needs.

There are now approximately 12 million undocumented persons living and working in the U.S. Despite an increase in the annual Border Patrol budget of 332% since 1993, the numbers of undocumented keep climbing. Yet over 85% of the undocumented are working, paying taxes, and contributing to their communities. Employers continue to hire the undocumented for skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled labor needs that the domestic labor pool is currently unable to meet. The shrill rhetoric demanding enforcement and deportation is simply political jargon, not serious policy. The vast majority of undocumented immigration is attributable to people responding to the "pull" of labor needs; those reuniting with family members who are legally here; and those with legitimate claims to refugee, torture protection, or other urgent humanitarian status.

A thoughtful, long-term immigration policy must focus on the pillars of U.S. immigration that have been in place since the first immigration rules -- economic needs, family unity and urgent humanitarian concerns.

On the first pillar, immigration reform will require a realistic framework that both protects U.S. workers and provides a flexible temporary and permanent visa system that adequately responds to today's U.S. labor needs. This means a complete overhaul of both the rules and processes for the issuance and regulation of the entire range of employment-based visas.

On the second pillar, immigration reform requires controlled but also realistic limits on family immigration. A visa system that does not allow huge numbers of U.S. citizen and permanent-resident families to bring their immediate families to live with them within a reasonable period of time will continue to be the main impetus for undocumented immigration. Moreover, there are approximately three million U.S. citizen children with at least one undocumented parent; a policy that threatens to deport these parents has serious negative effects on the children and the communities in which these families live.

On the third pillar, the U.S. must take its share of the world's refugees and persons needing legitimate humanitarian protection. Currently, the U.S. hosts 1.8% of the world's refugee population of 11.4 million persons (less than that if the larger population of 25.1 million persons in "refugee-like" situations is taken into account). This is an obligation that the U.S. shares through longstanding treaty commitment with all of the rest of the regions of the world; yet, today, the world's poorest nations carry the disproportionate global refugee burden while the U.S. hosts the smallest share.

When these three pillars are adequately addressed, enforcement will be manageable and cost-effective. To be effective, immigration reform must be truly comprehensive.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Hyun-Yeul Lee

Mass Communication Professor, Boston University

College of Communication

SUBJECT: Us the People, For the People

In a not too distant future, you took a walk and sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. As you heard whispers and saw shadows of movement, the steps revealed a sense of history reflecting your empathy, cause and willingness. You noticed other footprints gather around you as you looked out into the Washington horizon. Could these traces have been children at play, and inquisitive about the things you were looking out to? Could this have been one child dreaming about how the world can change from different vantage points? As you stepped away from the Memorial, you realized that it could have just been history's way of pointing to what's to come for the people.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Fred Bayles

Journalism Professor, Boston University

College of Communication

SUBJECT: The media (aka The Beast)

It seems presumptuous to offer advice on journalists to someone who has been inside the media swarm for as long as you. Still, situations change. You'll be in a big White House with lots of people around to fend off those frenzied journalists. Your people will agree with everything you say and they'll get more upset than you when a writer mocks you for a slip of the tongue. Or when some TV reporter finds a contradiction between what you said today and what you said in 2004. Or when a columnist ridicules your sincerity, your family, your choice of dogs.

It will be tempting to stay in the bubble that is the presidency and ignore the media squawk outside the window. Try to avoid the cocoon. It didn't work well for your predecessor and, now is not the time to lose contact with the big chaotic American family. So bite you lip and stay engaged. As annoying as the media may be, they still represent the American public that hangs on your words of reassurance.

Finally, some advice about the dog. Since you told Barbara Walters you want a "big rambunctious dog," someone is bound to recommend an Airedale terrier. It's a big beautiful, energetic dog with a low allergy index. Ignore the advice. Airedales have the soul of the Devil. Besides, it's doubtful they'd pass the security check.

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TO: President-elect Obama

FROM: Charles Merzbacher

Film & TV Dept., Boston University College of Communication

SUBJECT: Weaning Us From Our Addiction