Dear Obama,

You did it! You made history! Your stump speeches were rousing, your proposals noble and your smile unwavering. And it worked. But now it’s real. Now you have to start making the change barely more than half the country believed in and even fewer understand. So, let me give you a few pointers:

1. Your proposals are sexy, but you can’t pay the bill. The America you want to make sounds great, and, with no one in the Senate to stop you, you have a blank check. Be careful though, because if you do all you said you would, you’re going to have to either increase the deficit or take more of my money when I can’t spare it. Don’t be lame.

2. Most people are stupid, so keep up the swagger. Your campaign was brilliant and your rhetoric glossy. Don’t stop now. As you fail to implement all of your grand schemes, don’t lose the good face and a little more than half of America will keep following. That’s change they won’t notice isn’t happening.

3. Take a page out of Kennedy’s book. Ask the people to be their own change. Put some responsibility on the American people to pull themselves up by the bootstraps and join the transformation you’ve preached. That way the citizens will feel ownership, any failure will weigh heavy on them and success will shine favorably on you.

I hope my cynicism doesn’t get you down, Barack. I’m excited for what you stand for and eager to see what the future holds. That said, I know you’re a politician. I know Washington can’t get things done, and I sadly expect your leadership to falter. I know that’s not a revolutionary point of view, and anyone with a messianic product such as your own is bound to disappoint eventually, but I would hate to see you fail dramatically.

On a more serious note, don’t be seduced by history. You’ve already impressed us with your swift rise and uttered historic soundbites almost incessantly. Don’t make your presidency the same glossy product. It’s clear your package is sharp, but don’t be afraid to sacrifice a pretty image to get things done. History will forgive you.

All that said, congratulations. I may be skeptical about the change, but I’m not too cynical to hope.

- Andrew Fatato