cabinetry

theres been a lot of speculation and advice flying around lately over who will make up Obama's cabinet. i think what is most important is that Obama picks the smartest and most expert people in their fields to head up cabinet positsions. i really hope that Obama follows his Lincoln-esque rhetoric with picks from the whole political spectrum. if he fills his cabigh ranking net full of left leaning politicians, it will become an echo chamber. he ought to appoint some political opponents to these high ranking offices.

some ideas:
Al Gore for Secretary of State. i dont know if he would accept it, he may rather continue to pursue his climate change work. however, as SoS he would bring that very topic to the top of the national and international agenda with the gravitas it never had before. Gore is also a respected statesman in a day when politicians rule.

Colin Powell for Secretary of Defense. hes been there, he knows the job, and he brings a point of view from the right. he was also duped by Bush&Co which drove him from the position. that experience i think would force hime to become very skeptical of other and assert his own a opinion, which is key.

Energy: we need someone who will push the green agenda as well as using existing US resources and technology. im thinking T. Boone Pickens. the problem with him is that he has a monetary interest in this agenda. i think we can all appreciate the importance of this cabinet job now, and he has the vision for a transition to green technologies and i think he has realized that good ideas come from all over and will hear them out. i doubt he will get the pick, but the only other person that comes immediately to mind is Gore, and i have bigger plans for him.

Transportation: this is going to be a huge challenge with enegy issues, pollution concerns, and an increasingly crumbling infrastructure. i have no front runner. i have heard of no one with the policy objectives to get us where we need to be. this is going to be a big job. we need more mass transit (read:trains), we need to step up maintanence on out roads and interstates. what comes to mind is someone at NYC's MTA. a system that is still expending and has been in operation for a century or so. they would have the experiance with crumbling infrastructure, rail, and expanding needs that will be at the forefront of this office.

Homeland Security: i think this office needs to belong to a former military officer. this job requires running things like the military. you need a strong supply chain that can deliver goods quickly where they are needed, like a moving front in a war. it also demands military experiance to deal with terrorist and military threats to the US. Ann Dunwoody comes to mind after she became the first woman to acheive four star status. who knows if she would leave the Army to take on this post, but i think shes more than qualified.

i dont have the time or knowledge to sort through the rest, but i think thats a good start.