A bi-partisan cabinet for a Democratic President?

[flaminbats]

Even if a Democrat wins the White House, we still need a Democratic Senate..and to pick up seats in the House to govern.

So how can this be done? There are 15 cabinet level positions available for appointments after the 2004 election. I suggest we appoint Nader to one, Democrats to 7, and Republicans..mostly from the Senate to the remaining 7.

The idea is to appoint just enough Republicans from states with Democratic Governors to return control of the Senate to the Democrats. Then, if any of the 7 positions remain..give them to moderate Republicans in the House who meet the same criteria.

In the Senate some possibilities for applicants would include McCain, Luger, Specter, Snowe, Grassley, Roberts, or E. Dole. In the House they might include Tauzin, Sensebrenner, or Jim Nussle.

All of these elected positions would be replaced by Democrats, and the Repukes could be replaced at any time for making trouble. The Democrats I would appoint would include some of the primary candidates, candidates like Gephardt, Braun, and Graham who dropped out, Max Cleland, former department heads from the Clinton years, and retiring Democrats like John Breaux.

Although appointing Republicans would not be pleasant, it would create great publicity for the incoming administration while increasing the President's leverage in Congress. This would also prevent us from repeating the mistakes of the Clinton white house, in which so many Congressional members were appointed that the Democrats lost Congress..

But would it work?

[RichV]

1. I'd favor this, not for 7.

Some lower number. Could easily put them in Cabinet spots if we could be assured they wouldn't cause us any problems. But I don't know how we could be sure.

[flaminbats]

10. 7 would be the max, but this is a number we would not likely reach.

One idea might be to appoint Spector to replace Tom Ridge, and later just abolish the Department of Homeland Defense...killing two snakes with one stone!

[SharonAnn]

2. Interesting Strategy - Thinking Outside the Box?

Normally I wouldn't give Republicans anything or appoint them to anything. Not today! Not thse Republicans!

However, your idea is food for thought.

[flaminbats]

4. I agree it isn't a great list...

but others like Chaffee or Dean are in states that have Republican Governors..not to mention the fact that they would be less resistant to our legislation than would those on my list!

[pocoloco]

3. nader???

WTF

[flaminbats]

5. yep...

I was thinking maybe for the Department of Interior or as the Commerce Secretary. Any suggestions?

[MidwestTransplant]

6. F*ck George W Nader

Why should he want to serve in a Dem. admin. There's no difference between the 2 parties, remember.

[flaminbats]

8. Two reasons...

First nobody would fairly enforce corporate regulations, run the EPA, and run the FCC, or FEC better than a whistleblower like Nader.

And also, this would bring the remaining Greens and independent NAFTA opponents back into the party..while making Nader into an ally as opposed to the enemy.

[rockymountaindem]

7. That wouldn't work...

Just because the Democratic president would ask them to join the Cabinet doesn't mean they'd do it. They'd probably be on to your scheme in about two seconds. Furthermore, they would have to be confirmed by the Repub. Senate, and if anyone accepted they may be kicked out of their party. It would never work.

[flaminbats]

9. I know it is kind of wild...

but I do think that some members like Spector and McCain are extremely frustrated with this administration. Others would accept out of the fear that they cannot continue to win in increasingly Democratic states.

[Doomsayer13]

11. No

A bi-partisan cabinet would lead to incessent infighting, thus fracturing presidential unity.

[flaminbats]

12. good point...

In fact we could use such infighting to build support for a Constitutional Amendment requiring that all of these positions be elected by popular vote!

[TankLV]

22. Not to mention "traitors".

A repukes loyalty is to the repuke party first, and their country last.

Remember this.

Never trust a spy - which is what they would be.

This from the party of the pilfered computer spying files.

They would probably plant bugs and take confidential memos to screw Kerry later when they left.

Once a traitor to the country, always a traitor.

[leyton]

13. Clinton and Dubya have done it to a degree.

Clinton's second Secretary of Defense IIRC was a Republican... William Cohen. A former congressman, I think.

And Dubya has kept on Norman Mineta, from Clinton's cabinet. Mineta was Secretary of Commerce under the latter, Secretary of Transportation currently. He is a Democrat.

I think if the Democratic President can have a strong defense policy, there's no reason why we can't have a Republican Secretary of Defense. It's a position some Republican Senators would take, and it's actually a department where I'd trust a Republican since the President is so close to the entire national security and military operation. (He's got the joint chiefs, the NSC, etc.)

But I don't want seven Republicans in the cabinet. If we win the election, we win, and I don't want to kowtow to them.

[carpetbagger]

18. No republican Sec. of Defense.

It sends the message that republicans are better at defense. We've got plenty of depth in potential defense secretaries, including Kerry, Cleland, Graham, Berger, Ashton Carter, and so forth.

[mndemocrat_29]

14. I think that we could have a couple of Republicans

Possibly Connie Morella or Nancy Johnson from the House (Morella's retired, but Johnson's seat could easily swing Democratic, especially if we can recruit For. Rep. Maloney to run). As for the Senate, we could consider appointing Sens. Snowe and Collins (the governor of Rhode Island is a Republican, so Chafee wouldn't hold the advantage of the Maine senators).

[Demo Gog]

15. Not really feasible...

I don't think many of those Republicans would go for that sort of thing. Plus...I really wouldn't want them to anyway, though I've always been a little partial to Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska. He might make a good Secretary of Defense. Key word, "might."

[flaminbats]

16. not exactly who I had in mind...

when you consider the fact that the Governor of Nebraska is also a Repuke! And I don't favor any republicans being placed in charge of positions like the defense department, especially when individuals like Max Cleland have actually done things to earn this position.

[Demo Gog]

17. I know.

Johanns is a repuke. But I like Hagel. He's about the only one from the "loyal opposition" that I can tolerate.

[flaminbats]

19. The idea is to avoid appointing one to something important...

Again...7 is the maximum I would pick, not to have them around...but to get them out of the way!

If they suddenly decided not to do their job, then they would be fired...

[Demo Gog]

20. Alright fine!

Not Chuck Hagel. Sorry I like the guy! McCain would be good though - Governor Napolitano has a "D" next to her name.

[TankLV]

21. I'd only do it for the purposes of retaking the senate or congress.

Especially if there isn't a "house cleaning" come November - which I now believe is a good possibility.

Other than than - NO, A MILLION TIMES NO!

We've got to be as political and partisan as we can be while we have a chance - there is sooooo much damage that this gang of thugs has done since occupying OUR White House that it'll take a lot to just undo all the damage they've wrought.

Everything is fair game in this war the repukes started.

Start with redistricting and every other political move those greedy repukes did and more!

THIS IS WAR! No compromising. That is how we got in this mess to begin with.

Certainly no phoney "bipartisan" crap.

My name is Tank, and I belong to the democratic wing of the Democratic Party.

[Wabbajack]

23. No repuke

Senator from a state with a Dem Governor or a repuke house member with a marginal seat would except an appointment from Kerry. Why would they hand us their seats?

[Hippo_Tron]

25. I think Louisiana needs to start Gerrymandering...

State leg is controlled by dems and governor is a dem. Congressional districts are still fairly even and we have yet to change this.

[Hippo_Tron]

24. Bad idea, and won't work. US Senator is a very prestigious job...

Hence Bush's former sec. of agriculture is running for Graham's senate seat in Florida.

[Zynx]

26. Nader shouldn't have any position. I would rather have another Republican

Nader is unskilled and untrustworthy. I would rather have a guy like Chuck Hagel or Dick Lugar than Ralph Nader for any position.