To Mr. or Mrs. President,

First, congratulations on your election victory. At the time of writing this, it’s still a week away here in California. In this moment, the country watches the events unfold in every hour, in every minute. It’s a momentus occasion regardless of political affiliation.You have now ascended to the most important public service job in the world, and I implore you to remember this. You are an extension of the people. You are the figurehead of western democracy. You are role model not only to children but also to entire countries. This job, as you are likely familiar, is not about the bravado, the fame, or the power. You will make the hard decisions that no person would ever want to make, and even if those decisions make the world a better place, millions will blame you for the things they see as wrong in their daily lives. You must and you will rise to that challenge.

In our country, though, I believe unity is at risk. We have constant gridlock in congress, with Republican legislatures stubbornly blocking any attempts at things like supreme court nominations instead of moving towards compromise. Why have a congress that doesn’t work? This government isn’t about partisan interest, it’s about creating the best possible environment for the people that live inside its jurisdiction. And with this inaction, we see a rise in intense rhetoric that drives a wedge between neighbors. The grey of reality has quickly become a harsh black and white. Polarization is the norm on both sides of the aisle. You must see, Mr. or Mrs. President, that no matter how numerous or passionate you think your supporters are, there are just as many or more that oppose you. This campaign has so quickly become a dual of one liners instead of policy to cater to these sports fans that have made this election their game. I believe that little to no people have felt the urge to look for the facts, and it doesn’t help that every major news page is reporting different ones for us to ingest. You must find a way to make facts the greatest tool of the presidential arsenal as they once were, instead of the pallid rebuttals and catchphrases that make our country look like a joke to our allies and enemies alike.

I believe that besides addressing our political environment, we must also address the physical one. There is clearly a myriad of problems with our countries’ impact on the Earth. Again, facts must be utilized to bring this issue to the forefront of American life. Now former president Obama has worked towards getting American people and legislatures to recognize this, but there is still an almost insurmountable amount of work to be done. You as president must push these efforts forward. You owe it to the American people and the entire world to make this a staple of your term as president. Without your support, there may not be a Presidency at all in the decades to come. Just recently we passed the carbon tipping point, and it was revealed that the great barrier reef is dying. Now is the time to act.

Regardless of the outcome of the election, you as President must fix what this campaign has rendered useless. A huge percentage of the American populace is disgusted with this showing of divisiveness. As my peers and I move into adult life, we must have a president that understands the issues that the country faces going forward, not how to refute policy with one liners. Remember that you are in public service, and in fact are in the highest form of it that is possible to achieve. As long as you do not forget the people who voted for you and voted against you, these things can be achieved.