The Team Obama Should Have Picked

[laststeamtrain]

The Team Obama Should Have Picked

By RAMZI KYSIA

November 27, 2008 "Counterpunch" -- - I feel cheated. I feel betrayed. And I’m not even a Democrat.

Our nation hasn’t yet finished counting all the election returns, but the outlines of a future Obama Administration are already clear: Clinton at State, Geithner at Treasury, Summers to head the National Economic Council, Holder at Justice, Emmanuel as Chief of Staff, General James Jones as the likely National Security Advisor, and Robert Gates likely to stay on at Defense.

There not a progressive among them. Not even one. If Obama was vague about his personal politics during the primaries and general election it was for a reason: he doesn’t have any.

I’m not sure what I honestly expected, but I know it wasn’t this. In the history of American politics we’ve had quite a few “conservative” administrations that didn’t do much of anything save look after the interests of the powerful. We’ve had corrupt administrations, and reactionary administrations. We’ve seen the appointment of so-called centrists, alongside people so far to the right (Al Haig, James Watt, Ellen Sauerbrey, John Bolton, among many others) that they make Attila the Hun look liberal. But we’ve seldom seen anyone who even mildly represents working-class America.

Obama is as close to a complete outsider as has ever been elected to the White House. His personal history and cultural narrative are unique and compelling. His rhetoric is uplifting. He has been elected by the largest margin of victory in twenty years. His party comfortably controls both houses of Congress. His campaign energized millions and created an incredible network of volunteers across the country who can now be called upon for continued political action. And, beyond these things, our nation now faces economic and foreign policy crises that have even our elites worried, and looking for fresh approaches.

With all these advantages, if Obama can’t find it in him to name even one person from the so-called “Democratic wing” of the Democratic Party, then it isn’t because he’s a coward, and it isn’t because he’s reaching out to conservatives - it's because he doesn’t want to.

I’m a radical. I’m an anarchist and a pacifist, and I didn’t expect Obama to name bell hooks as Secretary of State, or make Amy Goodman his Communications Director, or install Michael Albert at Treasury. I’m not a fool. I expected him to reward his political supporters. Napolitano at DHS and Daschle at HHS are no surprise, and they may even do well in those positions. I hope so. I did expect Obama to name moderate Republicans and centrist Democrats to some positions as well. He should, if he intends to build a new movement in American politics. But not these people, and not just these people. With Henry Kissinger and Bill Kristol are endorsing Obama’s team - you know we’re in for trouble.

<more>

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21329.htm

[davidinalameda]

1. I like Tom Campbell for Treasury

I like him-he's pretty good for a repug

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Lakers... n/t

[mopinko]

10. white sox

i think the blackhawks are doing well this year, also.

[LaurenG]

3. Me?

I don't think we're in trouble.

edit - added an apostrophe

[Undercurrent]

4. The author is a self professed anarchist.

As such, he is against political order, or rules. His critique is a bit like a vegetarian telling folks how to make a beef pot roast.

[laststeamtrain]

5. You're thinking of one type of individualist anarchism. There are others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anarchism

Anarchists are against a coercive state not all political order or rules.

[Undercurrent]

26. Ah yes.

[ChazII]

6. Thanks for the cartoon

in brought a smile. You analogy is a good one, too.

[Undercurrent]

25. Thanks. I like the cartoon too!

[Qibing Zero]

18. And a big ad hominem blarg to you too. ;)

P.S. - The best grilled chicken salad I've had in my life was cooked by a vegetarian (whose family was not).

[Undercurrent]

24. hehe

I was kidding a bit. Actually, my adult daughter has been a vegetarian since she was 11, and she is a spectacular cook. She even had a job as a cook in France while in collage. She can cook anything. ;-)

[John Q. Citizen]

21. Except that he's right about this particular point that no Wellstone Dem is in place,

I'm bummed about that.

The author writes well, backs up his contention with facts and makes a good case.


If you have a rebuttal to his argument I'd rather hear that than character assassination.

[Undercurrent]

27. Sorry you interpreted it that way.

I didn't engage in character assassination. That was certainly not my intent. I would like to see a Wellstone thinker in the line-up too, but I'm not in a tizzy about it one way or another. (I just don't have the energy these days.)

The bottom line is I that trust Obama to do as much of what he promised as he can. Otherwise I wouldn't have voted for him. But I'm willing to be patient, and wait until he is actually President.

[John Q. Citizen]

31. I'm of the mind that we need to be pushing for what we want. I'm positive that

the corporations are doing everything in their power to push Obama and his administration to do things that are favorable for them, and if we sit back and wait we may end up missing the boat.

So while I like Obama and feel he's a good man, i also know that we need to help keep him in touch.

[Radical Activist]

28. And we shouldn't be surprised to see an anarchist take the most negative, cynical view

of Obama's actions. I would guess that he/she has waiting to be disappointed by Obama. Those eager to find disappointment are sure to be satisfied.

I'm philosophically more anarchist than anything else. But, I also have realistic expectations about Obama and I'm not so quick to give up hope that positive change will come. Obama said all along that change comes from the people and that he isn't going to do it for us. So why complain that we have to get working? What else did anyone expect?

[Dawgs]

7. Another armchair QB that doesn't like the people picked but can't name who would be better.

These people make me sick.

And, Obama is still the one to make the decisions, not those in his cabinet.

[laststeamtrain]

8. There's a whole list of names in the article at the link. n/t

[G_j]

11. the author's choices,

(some great ones too!)

The Team Obama Should Have Picked

Secretary of State: Joseph Stiglitz

Deputy Secretary: Tony Hall

Secretary of the Treasury: Tom Campbell

Deputy Secretary: Gar Alperovitz

Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel

Deputy Secretary: Lawrence Korb

Attorney General: Gabrielle Kirk McDonald

Deputy Attorney General: Joel Rogers

Secretary of the Interior: Douglas LaFollette

Deputy Secretary: David Baron

Secretary of Agriculture: Dolores Huerta

Deputy Secretary: Jill Long Thompson

Secretary of Commerce: Roxanne Qualls

Deputy Secretary: Michael Shuman

Secretary of Labor: Maria Echaveste

Deputy Secretary: John Cavanaugh

Secretary of Health and Human Services: Tom Daschle

Deputy Secretary: Sidney Wolfe

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Angela Glover Blackwell

Deputy Secretary: Elliott Sclar

Secretary of Transportation: Shelley Poticha

Deputy Secretary: Janette Sadik-Khan

Secretary of Energy: Claudine Schneider

Deputy Secretary: Amory Lovins

Secretary of Education: Angela Valenzuela

Deputy Secretary: Geoffrey Canada

Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland

Deputy Secretary: Isiah Legget

Secretary of Homeland Security: Janet Napolitano

Deputy Secretary: Mary Schiavo

Chief of Staff: David Bonior

National Security Advisor: Dr. Anne Cahn

Ambassador, United Nations: Susan Rice

Chair, National Economic Council: Robert Reich

Director, Immigration and Naturalization Service: Bill Ong Hing

Director, Environmental Protection Agency: Robert Kennedy, Jr.

First Supreme Court Nomination: Mari Matsuda

[Shiver]

9. *eyeroll*

Yes, yes... the first picks weren't progressive, so obviously NONE of the picks will be progressive. It's not like appointing someone to the left would make the media scream "HE'S GOING EXTREME LEFT!!!!11OMG"

THERE ARE AT LEAST SEVEN MORE CABINET PICKS LEFT, DAMMIT! I am sick of having to say that...

[Breeze54]

15. So what? The top posts went to the center and the RW... *puke*

*DAMMIT! I am sick of having to say that!*

[leftchick]

12. WE ARE IN SHIT

DEEP SHIT.

:(

[BeFree]

13. Maybe

But we should have known all along that Obama had the approval of the Powers That Be- PTB.

He would have never got as far as he did in fundraising or position. It is entirely possible that Obama sold the PTB on the idea that he would not hurt the PTB too badly.

Anyone who didn't consider some kind of similar scenario before the election hasn't been following politics too closely, imo. No one gets to where Obama is without approval from the PTB.

[Dragonfli]

20. And yet people still call it chocolate mousse

They can't get enough of it

[gratuitous]

14. Still willing to be Secretary of Funk

Although a nice ambassadorship would always be welcome. It would make my life to have people be forced to call me "Your Excellency," which is the proper address to an ambassador.

[davidinalameda]

23. Mr. Clinton has a lifetime appointment to that position

and I do not mean Bill!

[Radical Activist]

29. You should leak to the New York times that you accept the offer to be SOF

Worked for Hillary.

[emilyg]

16. Life is full of "should-haves". Ignore them.

[nino3436]

17. Richard Clarke (former Counter Terrorism Czar)

I have read "Against All Enemies" and found it to be
one of the mose enlightening and riveting pieces of work on
politics written by a non-partisan and long-time servant to
our great Nation, Richard Clarke.  
MY QUESTION TO ANYONE AND EVERYONE IS:
Has Richard Clarke ever been considered or made himself
available for an Obama cabinet position ,preferably
counter-terrorism czar which he held and performed marvelously
under Reagan, Bush Sr., Clinton, and Bush Jr. (whom he
resigned under). 

Bush Jr. reduced Clarke's job duties when taking over as
president even after both Clinton and Clarke briefed Bush Jr.
saying that his number one concern in the first part of his
term should be stopping Osama Bin Laden.  Bush Jr. ignored
classified obtained information from Clarke stating that
Al-Qaida was planning to attck us in a major city with
commercial airlines.  Bush payed no mind to this.

After 9/11 occurred as Clarke predicted to "T", 
Bush and Cheney asked him to find a link between Bin Laden and
Iraq. After doing extensive research, Clarke could not find
any such link and told this to Bush who eacted angrily.

Without going into detail (because this is all outlined in
Clarke's book "Against All Enemies"), Clarke went on
to resign stating that he felt as if he was serving in a
corrupt administration.  

Bottom line is I think that Richard Clarke would make an
excellent choice for Obama's cabinet.  If not for
Counter-Terrorism Czar, some position advising Obama of
potential terroristic threats to the United States.

Is this possible?  Has Clarke expressed any interest in a
position?  Is he retired?  Is he being considered?

Any information pertaining to Richard Clarke's current
position would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks... 

[Thickasabrick]

19. Meh....blowhard....I trust Obama. I might agree in a year if things

start moving south but I want to give this Obama a chance and trust his decisions.

[Warren DeMontague]

22. Know what, dude? When the radical anarchist pacifist candidate wins, you'll probably have more of a

say.

[leftchick]

30. With Henry Kissinger and Bill Kristol are endorsing Obama’s team - you know we’re in for trouble.

that is exactly what has been worrying me. All of this fucking love from repukes, neocons and of course LIEberman for his choices? I mean What The Fuck? Has everyone lost their minds? It is enough to scare the shit out of any thinking progressive.

[Occam Bandage]

33. They just lost, and lost big-time. Obama could appoint a schnauzer to Secretary of Energy

and they'd act like it was a great choice. They're acting like the Dems did after '02--approve of everything, because they have no idea how to act as an effective minority party, and they figure that maybe being nice will stop the bleeding.

[Occam Bandage]

32. Hey, a radical anarchist at Counterpunch is complaining about something. Wow.

Wonders never end.