Disclaimer: I don't own Annie. This is an AU story so it won't match up with the facts of Annie completely. Get over it. One of the differences is that Annie is 7 instead of 10. The others you will find out as you read the story.
"I tell you," FDR said, "We have to find a way to rally the people. We have to find a way to make them feel like things will be alright and we have to find a way to make things alright now who has any ideas."
"I do," Annie said quietly.
"Ah what does a little girl know," Harold mumbled.
"Now Harold we will have none of that," the president intoned sternly, "Go on Annie. Speak up."
"But sir she is seven years old," Harold argued.
"A seven year old still has a brain," FDR said, "And hearing a child's perspective may well give us a new look at things."
"Well," Annie said, "I think one of the first things that you could do is to end the policies that hurt people."
"You see," Harold said, "She's a child that thinks like a child."
"Then I wish everyone would think like a child," FDR replied, "Go on my dear."
"First the first seven years of my life I was brought up in an orphanage. The year I turned three Miss Hannigin went from being a mother like person with love for all the orphans to being a mean person," Annie began, "and mean is just scratching the surface. It turns out she was sick. She drank medicine from a glass and it turned her mean. She had to take the medicine because she was hurting. People are fragile Mr. president. They're strong but they're fragile. They can only handle so much without falling apart. When people are hurt it's not only THEM who hurt. Either they wind up hurting others or the people who love them hurt watching them hurt. Besides hurting others just doesn't seem right to me."
"It doesn't feel right to me either Annie," FDR said, "and the real shame of it is that we needed a seven year old to remind us of what we should already have known."
"To be fair sir," Harold said, "We have more important things to be concerned with. Who thinks about ending the policies that hurt people when there are hunger and threat of wars-"
"We do," FDR said, "Starting right now those policies will no longer be in affect."
"Thank you Mr. President," Annie said politely.
Oliver's phone rang.
"If you'll excuse me," he said, "I have to take this."
"Of course," FDR said.
As Oliver left FDR turned to Annie.
"So Annie," he said, "I'd be interested to hear your other ideas."
"Well take homelessness for example," Annie said, "You have so many extra rooms and adjoining apartments. Why not open those to the people who don't have homes."
"That's actually not a bad idea," FDR said, "I mean it cannot be literally in the white house because technically it's not my house. It changes every 8 years at most but we do have several apartments adjacent to the white house which can house thousands."
"I can't find any objections to that," Harold admitted.
"Another idea is what about putting reward systems in place," Annie said, "Big people reward systems- it will motivate people to do the right thing."
"Once again she's thinking like a child," Harold said.
"Once again," FDR replied, "Would that EVERYONE did."
"You can't seriously think a reward system will change the serious problems we are facing."
"It will help," FDR said, "It may not erase every problem but it will help."