When you need a medical procedure done, like an operation for example, do you go for someone new to the field or do you look for a “career surgeon”?
really, really dumb analogy with a surgeon. BTW surgery is done all the time by guys right out of medical school. And also by guys/gals who are still in training at med schools. A friend of mine had a broken arm and a resident in training did her surgery. I have no problem with that. The regular Dr. supervised . My son was delivered by a Dr. right out of training as OB/GYN.
I don’t mind a guy serving 12 years. Beyond that is not needed.
The point, as I think should be obvious, is that experience is valuable. I don’t know why in politics some seem to dislike it.
12 years experience is fine. 30,40 years is not needed to do the job.
12 years!! That’s WAY too long - no more than 9.5 years is acceptable and my arbitrary standard trumps yours.
Good.
Biden ran on experience and I’m glad he’s appointing experienced people to positions. Especially after the last 4 years.
I don’t understand this comment; are you suggesting that diversity shouldn’t be important? Should he instead have pursued a cabinet full of white men? Or are one or more of the candidates unqualified in your opinion? If so, who?
I’ve been a teacher 19 years and I am still learning things every day. I can’t imagine governing is less nuanced.
It looks like Biden’s getting some pushback from national security Democrats on the Gen. Austin nomination. Because he’s been retired less than seven years, he would need a waiver from both the House and Senate in order to be considered for Secretary of Defense. When Trump nominated Mattis in 2017, 17 Democratic Senators voted against the waiver. If those Democrats stick to their guns, combined with what’s likely to be overwhelming Republican opposition to any Biden nominees, that could kill it right there.
And I say that’s a good thing. There’s simply nothing so special about Austin or so unique about our national security situation that we should undermine the principle of civilian control of the military twice in four years. The whole point of the SecDef is to have a civilian in charge of the Pentagon. A good SecDef brings an outsider perspective and is ready to challenge and, when appropriate, overrule the brass on their recommendations. And that’s not to impute ill motives to officers – it’s that spending your entire career in any organization can lead to a constrained way of thinking.
While that’s a good reason, some of those folks are pushing for Flournoy, who is a bit more willing to use military force than I would prefer.
I’m for Jeh Johnson as SecDef, among the alternatives.
If he wants real diversity he should appoint some high school drop out meth addicts. Plenty of those around. Instead of the usual Ivy League grads.
Diversity is an entirely appropriate consideration for high ranking public-facing appointments like cabinet officials. There’s never only a single qualified candidate for a cabinet job – there are always dozens if not more. Symbolism is an important factor for politics, including political appointments, as well as the kind of different experience that diversity in gender, ethnicity, etc., can bring. Until we actually have a fair and equal society, it’s appropriate and even a positive good when efforts are made to improve gender and ethnic/racial diversity in the cabinet (and other high positions).
Wow, if you’re so angry with this nomination process and president-elect, perhaps the Pit would be a welcome place for you. Seriously, everything you’ve posted here has been the same basic threadshit. I’m not sure what you want at this point other than to shit over every pick Biden announces.
ModNote: This is thread-shitting. Please cease it now.
I think it would be great if he just re-hired James Mattis. The question is, would the Republicans vote against confirming him, just to spite him because of his falling out with Trump?
Yes, they would.
If a question begins “Would the Republicans do…” And the something to be done is either:
Stupid
Hypocritical
Against all norms of government
Counterproductive
Outrageously stupid
Evil
or All of the above
The answer is always: HELL YES (and proudly so)
Lamoral, I too was just thinking that Mattis would be a great SECDEF nominee for Biden, because of his bipartisan credentials, his undoubted experience, his principled (although late) stand against Trump, and because Senate Republicans would have to tie themselves into ideological pretzels (as they surely would) to vote against him now.
Then again, as a comedian said three years ago, “It tells you a lot about the Trump Cabinet that the most mature individual in it has the nickname ‘Mad Dog.’”
Biden is recycling a lot of Obama people so Mattis does not fit the bill.