Progressives had to wait for the last cabinet appointment to get a clear, unambiguous progressive champion selected for Obama’s cabinet. Some of the cabinet positions were filled by people that are fairly progressive, but it was not until now, with the appointment of Rep. Hilda Solis (D-Los Angeles), that we have someone prominent and familiar to look forward to. We couldn’t have asked for a better pick for Labor Secretary. You see her strong labor record on her website.
With the selection of Rep. Solis, Obama’s cabinet is complete. And it is amazingly diverse. Here’s a list of appointments, including some that are not cabinet level.
NATIONAL SECURITY
SECRETARY OF STATE- Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE- Robert Gates
ATTORNEY GENERAL- Eric Holder
HOMELAND SECURITY- Gov. Janet Napolitano of Arizona
SECRETARY OF VETERAN’S AFFAIRS- Ret. Army Gen. Eric Shinseki
U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS- Susan Rice
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER- Ret. Marine Gen. James Jones
ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
SECRETARY OF TREASURY- Timothy Geithner
SECRETARY OF COMMERCE- Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico
SECRETARY OF LABOR- Rep. Hilda Solis of California
COMMISSIONER, SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE- Mary Schapiro
DIRECTOR, DOMESTIC POLICY COUNCIL- Melody Barnes
DIRECTOR, NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL- Larry Summers
CHAIR, ECONOMIC RECOVERY ADVISORY BOARD- Paul Volcker
CHAIRWOMAN, COUNCIL OF ECONOMIC ADVISERS- Professor Christina Romer
DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT & BUDGET- Peter R. Orszag
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT
SECRETARY OF ENERGY- Professor Steven Chu
SECRETARY OF INTERIOR- Sen. Ken Salazar of Colorado
ENERGY, ENVIRONMENT COORDINATOR- Carol Browner, the former head of the EPA
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR- Lisa Jackson
CHAIR, COUNCIL ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY- Nancy Sutley
DOMESTIC POLICY
SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT- Shaun Donovan, the head of New York’s housing department
SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES- Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota
SECRETARY OF EDUCATION- Arne Duncan, head of the Chicago public school system
SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE- Fmr Gov. Tom Vilsack of Iowa
SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION- Rep. Ray LaHood, Republican of Illinois
What do you think of this line-up?
To what extent does “being in the cabinet” matter in the USA – other than ensuring you are in charge of a large Department/budget. Most key decisions appear to be made in the White House or in various sub groups with the Cabinet little more than an overall coordination/consultation body.
In most other democracies, the Cabinet is THE key decision making body. I the US being “in the cabinet” seems to be a largely honorific title which adds little to whatever specific departmental responsibilities you hold.
Anyone beg to differ?
Sucks!
But a wonderful appointment has just been made–Jane Lubchenco to head NOAA. Through my work I am acquainted with her as a person and a scientist. We could not ask for more.
As you said yesterday or thereabouts, wait and see how they work out.
So far, this is like a Fantasy Football lineup….looks good on paper.
The Proof is in the Pudding, though–lessee 1) who gets approved and who doesn’t and 2) how well to the end up doing their jobs?
Jane Hamsher, Firedoglake, in one of her several posts on the Warren pick puts it well for me: (emphasis added)
It’s the old Clinton machine..on which the Obama Administration is founded. That represents All risks and no reward.
A cabal of intellectuals mainly culled from Harvard University.
The larger point will become visible….when the infighting begins. All drama and wrongheadness! Yikes:
The PR spin they have put on Obama’s administration hires is that a group of supremely qualified people from differing ends of the political spectrum will come together with heterogeneous and sometimes contentious positions, and that in their conflict they will challenge each other to greater intellectual heights and supply the country with a wellspring of new ideas.
WHeeeeeeeeeeee
who will comb the donkey’s tail?
It is clear that Jane Hamsher hates Obama and will view anything he does in the most negative light. She needs to put down the haterade and jump aboard the Hope train.
The foreign policy/military choices do not bode well at all. All very fond of military violence as a tool of “diplomacy”. None of them has any kind of a grasp on the Middle East (by which I do not just mean Palestine/Israel – the Middle East is much bigger and more diverse than just that issue). And as far as I have heard so far not one single person who is tuned in at all to or cares much aboutb Arab or Muslim concerns, let alone anyone who is actually Arab or Muslim.
I was at a board meeting last night of our largest and most longstanding local (non-political) Arab community non-profits (we focus on providing services to the community and promoting culture and cultural events (just got a wonderful three-year grant for the latter). No one, whether Muslim, Christian, or other, is optimistic about Obama when it comes to our specific concerns domestically and much moreso internationally.
For whatever it is worth, Ray LaHood is of Arab-descent (Lebanese).
Also, Jim Jones is pretty familiar with the Middle East.
Without going into detail, Ray Lahood is not representative of Arabs. His background is from the same group that gave rise to the very right wing faction in Lebanon known as the Phalangists. The Phalangists were open and flagrant collaborationists with the Israel occupation, and, among other things, brutally murdered thousands of men, women, children, and elderly people in Sabra and Shatila in an Israeli-sponsored-and-supported pogrom that spanned three days during which the Israelis sealed the area, and provided various types of assistance. Probably the best and most comprehensive English accounts of this unspeakable crime were written by the journalist Robert Fisk.
And no, of course I am not in any way holding Ray Lahood responsible for the Sabra and Shatila massacres. However, Lebanese-Americans of his background tend to be right wing approaching uber-right-wing, and anything but interested in Arab-American community. On the contrary, even in Lebanon they work very hard to separate themselves from the Arabs by naming their kids with French or English names, and sometimes, ludicrously, referring to themselves as “Phoenecians”. They are virtually all somewhat to deeply hostile toward Muslims. I know quite a bit about this group of Lebanese up close and personal as family-members-by-marriage.
And in any case, it is difficult to see how the Transportation Secretary is in a position to address Arab and Muslim concerns.
As for Jim Jones, “pretty familiar” just doesn’t cut it, especially when Obama has so weighed down his foreign policy group with AIPAC people, and people (e.g. Hillary Clinton) who are very beholden to AIPAC. We would like to see at least one person who is not just “pretty familiar”, but who is actually in tune with our concerns both here and “back home”. Few of us are surprised that we aren’t seeing anything remotely close to that, but the fact that the only two names that come to mind are Ray Lahood and Jim Jones is pretty pathetic.
Why is Phoenician any more ludicrous than Palestinian?
Both refer to ancient countries that don’t exist any more.
What would you suggest as more appropriate for people who are from the land known as Palestine to call themselves?
“Both refer to ancient countries that don’t exist any more.“
You need to check your history.
First, there has never been a country called Palestine. That name has always referred to a particular geographical area.
Second, that geographical area has continuously been called Palestine for centuries up to an including the present.
Phoenicia and the Phoenicians, on the other hand, disappeared nearly three thousand years ago. Therefore, it is more than reasonable for Palestinians to refer to themselves as the people from Palestine, and ludicrous for certain Lebanese to refer to themselves as Phoenicians.
I think it is very interesting that Secretary of State, and U.N. Ambassador are listed under National Security. I guess that is what International Relations has transmogrified into even in the world of the so-called progressive community.
Screw diplomacy, which at least sounds like people trying to get along with each other. Now this country’s relationship with the rest of the world is all about “national security”, which of course connects it directly with the military.
That sure says a lot. What a shame.
I think it’s a fine Republican cabinet.
I waited anxiously for Obama’s choice for Labor. At first glance, with no investigation, I’d say that she is a lightweight who won’t be able to hold her own within the administration or with Congress.
She may agree entirely with organized labor but does she have the chops to revitalize her department and the access to Obama to bring him onboard for backing labor against monied interests?
Obama’s recycling of Clinton-era financial people is truly worrying.
The current economic meltdown has revealed that Clinton trade and economics policies were little more than GOP Free-trade lite. With Rubin and Summers, Obama has just re-empowered the same crew who continued the policies which brought our economy to ruins the middle class to near extinction.