Many have been lamenting the seeming absence of strong progressives in Obama's administration. Well, in an important development, Obama is appointing Melody Barnes as head of Domestic Policy Council:
Later today, President-elect Barack Obama will announce that our friend and former colleague Melody Barnes will be named as Director of the White House Domestic Policy Council. The Council "coordinates the domestic policy-making process in the White House and offers policy advice to the President." In her new role, Melody will be working with allies such as incoming HHS Secretary Tom Daschle to bring about comprehensive health care reform. Her policy portfolio will include issues such as education, immigration, criminal justice, and other domestic issues.
Matthew Yglesias vouches for Ms. Barnes progressive bona fides and stresses that this is actually a rather important appointment:
This hasn’t been a very high-profile role under the Bush administration since Bush doesn’t really believe in domestic policy aside from tax cuts, but for an administration that’s trying to play a constructive role in American life it’s a very important job...
Barnes has some of the liberal credentials that people have seen lacking in some other Obama appointments. She served as Chief Counsel to Ted Kennedy on the Senate Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2003, was CAP’s Executive Vice President for Policy, and then left to join Obama’s campaign as policy director.
She will also be one of the highest ranking African-Americans in the administration. Here is video Yglesias provided of a C-Span Q & A with Barnes:
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Now, I just wanted to add my two cents concerning this outcry lately from many progressives that Obama's appointments have been too centrist. I have to say that I find the debate a bit bewildering. I voted for the candidate and his vision. I don't care who he appoints as long as these people are competent enough to implement his policies. And everything we have heard about the coming agenda, especially on the domestic front, should be a liberal's wet dream. We are going to have massive spending on infrastructure, healthcare, green jobs, and energy independence. And yet, because the people Obama is choosing may have previously worked in the Clinton administration or may have worked previously in Washington or may have some corporate law experience, somehow his administration's goals are seen as too centrist or - gasp! - conservative. Can someone point to a Republican or even Democratic administration since LBJ that has focused as boldly on domestic needs? Not only does Obama's administration appear to be more progressive than any administration we had in the last 40 years, it's going to be more progressive than the one he campaigned on.
We in the blogosphere are an important part of the Democratic coalition. But just because we are concerned about our country and progressive policies, does not mean we know how best to implement progressive policies and achieve progressive goals. Can we wait until Obama makes concrete announcements and articulates his plans before we start whining?