If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The president's cabinet should be judged for their ideology, experience, and character, not because of what boxes they check off on their census form.
Tom Perez is exactly what the Labor Department needs to continue its important work of expanding opportunity for all Americans. Although the Civil Rights Division will no doubt feel his loss, he will leave it a much more effective and professional office than when he arrived.
On Monday, President Obama nominated Thomas Perez to serve as Secretary of Labor. Immediately, conservative lawmakers and commentators began pushing back, calling Perez a radical, political choice.
If we do not slow our reckless pollution of the atmosphere and invest in new, clean sources of energy, we risk dangerously destabilizing our climate. I hope Obama's nominees will help our nation lead the world through the difficult challenges that lie ahead.
Republican senators like Chuck Grassley may ask some excellent questions, but some of his colleagues are likely to be in attack mode. Here are eight lines of constructive senators should pursue, along with some specific questions for each of them.
Yet in the midst of wonderful inaugural events spiced with Latino sabor, an underlying concern emerged -- what future will America see if we have zero Latinos serving in the Cabinet?
The 94-3 Senate vote confirming John Kerry as our new Secretary of State is, in that regard, a remarkably unifying, indeed affirming, action as I see it. Not a thing to do with gender, race, God, age or political party: simply the most qualified American for the job.
Barack Obama arrived in Washington in 2009 buoyed by the slogan "change we can believe in." The bitter Hagel hearings will be a fierce reminder that, when it comes to foreign policy, old is new, and the words "change" and "Washington" don't belong in the same sentence.
Whether a chief executive sits in the White House, corporate headquarters or elsewhere, having a top leadership team of highly competent professionals to execute key strategic and policy goals is absolutely critical to mission success.
The president has weathered a good deal of criticism for a lack of women in high-level appointments. The administration has defended its mostly white-guy picks, and told the girls to wait -- more female appointments are coming. Here are a few entries to get them started.
During his first term, 36 percent of President Obama's appointments went to women. That means, of the 23 cabinet positions, eight are women. Unfortunately, more than a few first-term women appointees are stepping down.
There's a distinct downside to choosing Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense: for the first time in decades, there will be no woman serving in any of the top four national security slots.
If William Kristol wants to have a real debate on the real issues, let's have it. Let's have a debate on the neocon military policy of preemptive war, interventionism and nation-building versus a more reasoned approach, with use of the military as a last resort.
Sure, there's strong precedent for confirming presidential cabinet appointments and valuing competence and credentials. But McCain and Graham in their infinite wisdom are pointing to a way more entertaining path.
As President Obama prepares for a second term, it is a certainty that there will be turnover in his Cabinet and among political appointees across all ...
