Obama Cabinet: Presidential Point Guards Distribute the Wealth of Ideas

I'll shoot to score after my options are duly noted

It has been a bit interesting to see how liberal (and conservatives, too) are unsure, miffed and aghast at Barack’s Cabinet members, so far. As if they could somehow put raw, if talented people on the court of politics, public opinion and world stages and not be criticized harshly for fielding a “team of amateurs.” Instead, Barack has taken the course everyone has been calling a “Team of Rivals” after Doris KearnsGoodwin book on Lincoln’s Presidency and Cabinet.

His B-ball playing team looks like this, so far:

Security Players (Power Forward)

Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State.

Robert Gates (Bush’s current Sec of Defense) held over.

Eric Holder, of the Clinton administration, a former Deputy Attorney General and a former United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, will serve as Attorney General.

Janet Napolitano, Governor and former U.S. Attorney for Arizona, will serve as Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.

Dr. Susan E. Rice, a Senior Foreign Policy Advisor to the Obama for America campaign, a Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution, and former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs, will serve as Ambassador to the United Nations.

General Jim Jones, USMC (Ret), former Allied Commander, Europe, and Commander of the United States European Command, will serve as National Security Advisor.

Economic Players (Shooting Guards)

• Secretary of the Treasury: Timothy Geithner
• Chairwoman, Council of Economic Advisers: Christina Romer
• Director, Domestic Policy Council: Melody Barnes;
• Heather Higginbottom will be Deputy Director
• Director, National Economic Council: Lawrence Summers
• Chairman, Economic Recovery Advisory Board: Paul Volcker
• Director, Office of Management and Budget: Peter R. Orszag;
• Deputy Director will be Rob Nabors
• Bill Richardson as Commerce Secretary.

As many liberal outlets call it, “not a lefty in the bunch.” They seem to forget Barack’s voting record tends toward a liberal platform.

But intelligent governance is not about extremes, certainly not a wise thing to swing from the crackpot ideas of Bush’s administration to a ultra-left policymaking organ. Gradual moves in thinking – like out of Iraq in a reasoned amount of time – is best, instead of a quick exit that might force you back into the conflict whence you came. For certain, Barack thought enough about what he’s accomplishing in these picks: continuity, intelligent people with opposing ideas to him, gravitas that at least can be respected here or abroad.

Barack’s job as President will often be as a point-guard. Run the offense. Set up teammates (cabinet members) for easy scores. Get the team to counter the opponent’s best weapons, and focus them in crunch times. Be the leader of the team with philosophies far different from his own. A President is often as good (or as bad) as the people that get his time and ear on major policy, or to continue the analogy: those that get the ball the most better score, else, the team will lose many games.

Time to Score!

You figure that each President’s day is broken up in 10 minute blocks of time for 10-12 hours per day. Likely, a President sees people or discusses issues anywhere between 40-60 times per day. National Security in Iraq. FEMA aid relief after a disaster. Housing and Urban planning in Metro areas. Domestic Violence centers in rural areas. Immigration. Tax relief to seniors. You name it, he hears something about it – and remembers what he wants to and forgets the rest.

He employs these cabinet members to get their underlings (and their underlings) doing the right things. Drafting policy, making the appropriate legislative overtures, and coming to THE MAN  with scoring ideas that can be ran time and time again. (An offense that works.) He takes up those policies that are going to move the team into an easy scoring opportunities.

Do you want inexperienced people, that might not have a firm grasp of the dealings of Washington, or do you want people that (like it or not) are close to the problems (some they created), but able to now get things accomplished with a President’s championing their ideas.

As this country faces some heavy obstacles, it makes logical sense not to put wet-behind-the-ears people in charge of senior advisory positions. Plus, as the team progresses through a 1st term, talent underneath likely will come up to replace those that are not pulling their weight. Rarely does any cabinet stay together for 4 years, or hopefully, 8 years of an Obama administration.

Right now, the team needs a Center (piece) to make some vital projects work domestically.

My feeling is Energy, EPA, Education & Interior are priority positions for ultra-left or experts on these policies. We need serious overhauls of Bush’s policy (or lack thereof) in these places.

(From Political Base)

Potential Secretary of Energy ???

• Brian Schweitzer (D), Governor of Montana (2005-present)
• Arnold Schwarzenegger (R), Governor of California (2003-present)
• Jeff Bingaman (D), Senator from New Mexico (1982-present)
• Al Gore (D) (Former VP under Clinton)

Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency:

• Kathleen McGinty, Former Secretary of the Pennsylvania Environmental Protection Agency (2003-present)
• Ed Markey, U.S. Representative from Massachusett’s 7th District (1976-present)
• Mary Nichols, Director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment
• Lincoln Chafee (R), Former Senator from Rhode Island (1999-2006)

Secretary of the Interior:

• Lincoln Chafee (R), Former Senator from Rhode Island (1999-2006)
• Christine Gregoire (D), Governor of Washington (2005-present)
• Brian Schweitzer (D), Governor of Montana (2005-present)
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Environmental Lawyer and Co-Host of Air America Radio’s Ring of Fire
• Jay Inslee, U.S. Representative from Washington’s 4th (1993-1995) and 1st (1999-present) Districts.

Secretary of Education:

• George Miller (D), Representative from California’s 7th District (1975-present)
• Tim Kaine (D), Virginia Governor (2005-present)
• Linda Darling-Hammond, Professor of Education at Stanford University and Education Adviser to the Obama Campaign.
• Joel Klein, Chancellor of the New York City Department of Education, overseeing the largest public school system in the U.S. with over a million students.
• David Boren (D), Former Governor of Oklahoma (1975-1979) and Senator for 15 years, Boren is currently the President of the University of Oklahoma.
• Tom Kean (R), Chair of the 9/11 Commission and former Governor of New Jersey

 

With any luck, the distribution of talent in this cabinet will lead to a wealth of ideas that Obama can direct (assist) to the basket of accomplishing what President’s always love: a legacy of programs that people remember as “President Such-n-Such’s master stroke.” 

Obama’s master stroke will only be seen as such if it all works out…It rarely is that easy. Putting the ‘policy ball’ in the hoop in Washington is like taking a hook shot over Dikembe Mutombo and expecting it not to get blocked. There is always plenty of finger waving from the Beltway Crowd – “get that out of my house!!! Not on my turf! You ain’t gonna do that to my appropriation bill!!!”

So you better bring your A-game if you’re gonna play hoops in Washington.

Obama, it’s your pick…

Get that out of my house!!!