Being someone who firmly believes in prudence of forethought and Obama's ability to "bring about meaning meaningful change," I cannot help but think that the moment - this very evening - provides the perfect opportunity to select and announce positions crossing party lines.
Only the best and brightest will do, of course.
Whether it be "kitchen/informal, or official cabinet posts, these persons will have the wherewithal to make or break a neophyte administration'
Thus, Colin Powell, who recently endorsed Barack, seems a likely choice to dust off his Bush-tarnished image and return to a more fulfilling tenure at the United Nations.
Both Bill and Hillary Clinton should have their shoulders tapped upon as well. Hillary has always championed health care and insurance reform, and therefore logically belongs in the position of Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Bill, on the other hand, just as can Ted Kennedy, might be posted to major ambassadorships. Israel for Bill and, unless Kennedy loathes leaving his Senate post with its seniority, he could, considering his battle against a cancerous brain tumor, be placed in a less demanding but useful job, such as Goodwill Ambassador to all Africa.
Party lines matter not a wit in these matters! Henry Kissinger is still a brilliant choice to broker the peace between Israel and Pakistan.
Norman Schwartzkopf certainly would excel as Secretary of Defense, so why not make use of him as well.
An Attorney General may, in our current financial and social crises, prove the most important of the many seats to be filled. Senator John Edwards would prove able and anxious to be confirmed in this position. Scandal? It always rolls off the backs of Republicans, like George Bush Senior's affair. As Americans we need to stop being concerned with sexual business beneath the belt and within the beltway, and, like Europeans, look to ability and public service!
With fourteen appointments to be made, however, we still lack: Secretaries of: Agriculture, Transportation, Treasury, Housing and Urban Development, Energy, Labor, Budget Management, Homeland Security, Education, Interior, and Commerce.
One by one let's run them down:
Agriculture: How about Colorado's John Stulp, whose expertise in management of the critical resources of water and agricultural land in particular in our southwestern state would well qualify him to oversee all states who make up the United States bread, fruit, and vegetable baskets?
Treasury: Much as I hate to admit it, it comes down - just as it did in the case of FDR and Joseph Kennedy in the 1930s - to hiring the most cunning financial magnate to sort out the wheat from the chaff in business, the stock market, and finance. Therefore, why not Donald trump? Trump could hardly refuse such a challenge, loving the limelight as he does! And he would need to work with an equally shrewd Budget administrator and head of Securities and Exchange. That means two more men or women of prominence and wealth with the financial health of the nation at stake over the interests of multi-national corporations! So, who comes to mind?
How about drafting Bill Gates, whose philanthropy 's well established, to head the Securities and Exchange commission, and for the Office of Budget Management place a woman with a heart of gold and purse to match: Oprah Winfrey! If she demurs, then why not try Dionne Warwick, Bill Gates or Michael Dell?
No one knows energy better, with all the financial ins and outs and innovations that may be useful, than T. Boone Picket! He's already spending huge sums for advertisements across the country to gain the attention of everyone concerned with the environment and energy! By God, let's put him in charge where he can pull every possible insider string to our nation's advantage!
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