1/23/19

My dear Friend and President, DJT,

            I want a new roof. You want a new wall. We both have to do some negotiating to get what we want. I am trying to steel myself for the back-and-forth. I am not a deal maker. I am a teacher.

            You, on the other hand, are supposed to be great at deal making so I am somewhat mystified about why you are having such trouble making a deal this time. I found Linda Feldmann's explanation of your difficulties illuminating. In today's CSM, she pointed out that business deals are different from political deals because you have to keep dealing with the same people all the time. She says you are attacking this deal with a "School of Roy" approach, AKA a positional approach, where you don't back down. She suggests that you try an interest based approach instead where you work to understand everyone's underlying interests, "let subordinates work behind the scenes on a deal, away from the spotlight," and then come up with something that has something for everyone. That's what the teacher's union and LA School District did to end their strike and get the kids back in school.As one teacher speaking to an NPR reporter said, "nobody got everything but everybody got something." I encourage you to call my Dartmouth classmate, Austin Beutner, Superintendent of LA Unified to find out more about how he made the deal and left one teacher "feeling like a rock star."

            According to the WSJ this shutdown is starting to affect people's access to health care, especially on Indian Reservations. The complexity of supplying healthcare to folks requires a smooth flow of information and when employees aren't at their desks, that flow breaks down. Things are getting messy so if you really want to make America Great Again, you need to get the Government Open Again. If the Senate passes the Democratic spending bill tomorrow, I hope you'll take a risk and sign it.

            In the meantime, if you could help me find a roofer, I would greatly appreciate it!

Best,

RCA