Top 10 moves for a successful second half to the Obama presidency.

10. Lose the teleprompter. It’s a horrible, self-destructive device for a guy as smart as you.

9. Communicate in plain English. For example, ban the use of the word “policy,” which most Americans associate with insurance – a necessary evil no one likes. In the political context, it’s an elitist word and a barrier to understanding. In the same vein, ban the word “agenda,” which is a meaningless word the right wing uses against you.

8. Stay out of the news. The press wants to make Obama the lead every day, all day, because it’s easy.  That’s because everybody who’s ever been to an action/adventure movie knows the black guy will be the first to go. Forget the photo ops for a while.

7.  Before taking the advice in No. 3, invite the new Republican members of Congress to breakfast at the White House will full press coverage. Take the lead, gently but repeatedly, in defining the Tea Party no-nothings to the public. Give them the rope to hang themselves. This is vital.

6. Energize your bureaucracy. Tell the IRS to probe the tax exemption of religious and right-wing groups that engage in illegal electioneering. Have your justice department join openly with state attorneys general who are going after the mortgage fraudsters. Push the EPA to take a strong lead on climate issues through regulation and enforcement. Demand public spending disclosure post Citizens United v. FEC -- the public is with you on that.

5.  Make heroes of Mary Schapiro at the SEC and Elizabeth Warren at the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. These are effective, articulate spokespersons for government on the side of the little guy. You need more people like this in the White House and other agencies.

4.  Bring business executives from the manufacturing sector – not Wall Street – into prominent White House jobs. Two candidates: Dan DiMicco, CEO of Nucor Corp. (non-unionized steel maker), and Samuel Allen, CEO of Deere & Co. (unionized global manufacturer). These guys are critical actors in America’s future, but almost no one knows who they are.

3. Push infrastructure spending. Here’s one area there business lobby agrees with you, but you’ve been too timid. Business execs in the manufacturing sector will bash Obama all day. But if you ask them what they want the most, they’ll say a multiyear highway construction bill. You need to wrap your arms around these people.

2. Travel abroad for the sole purpose of promoting U.S. exports. Such junkets used to be standard fare for U.S. politicians. They work. You need to be seen as Mr. Export. Bring home the bacon.

1. Get out of Afghanistan.  Bring the troops home. The recent news from Yemen gives you the opening.  Your mission should be to go after terrorists, wherever they are. The Afghan people have proven they can take can of themselves. Renew that opportunity for them.

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