Everyone's talking about Obama's running mate. But who would you like to see in an Obama cabinet?
Today you can vote on the next Director of the Office of Management and Budget. Also, the previous rounds are still open for voting. More below the fold.
For all of you have been following these polls, I just wanted to let you know that I changed the system of the polls. The problem is that up to Sec. of Labor all polls were won by white men. It is as unrealistic as can be that we'd actually have a cabinet in which all the top positions were held by white men. It's not the 60s anymore. So the Obama Cabinet polls will have to change a little.
What I will do from now on:
I will still poll all positions and the initial polls for all positions are reopened. So you can still vote for State, AG, etc. In the end, I will look at all poll results and will compile five different cabinets including your favorite candidates from each poll (plus a wildcard where necessary). The diversity of the US population will be reflected in each cabinet. And you then get to vote on each cabinet as a whole.
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You can still vote in the following polls. Here are the links:
Please note: candidates who had won earlier polls were not included in subsequent polls. Those candidates (Richardson, Edwards) may now get wildcards.
Secretary of State (Bill Richardson will get a wildcard)
Secretary of the Treasury
Secretary of Defense
Attorney General
Secretary of the Interior (Les AuCoin's vote total will not count due to ridiculously obvious and stupid poll stuffing)
Secretary of Agriculture
Secretary of Commerce
Secretary of Labor (Robert Reich and John Edwards will receive a wildcard)
Secretary of Health and Human Services
Secretary of Housing and Urband Development
Secretary of Transportation
Secretary of Energy
Secretary of Education
Secretary of Veterans Affairs
Secretary of Homeland Security
Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency
You can vote in one or all of these polls. I just ask you to please only vote once.
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Here's the list of current cabinet positions and cabinet level administration offices that will be polled in the coming weeks:
Director of the Office of Management and Budget
United States Trade Representative
Who will be included: a maximum of 15 candidates (max number of positions in Dkos polls), I'll try to make each round as diverse as possible, always keeping in mind competence and knowledge required for the respective position. Therefore, I'll include men and women, minorities, sitting and former elected officials, appointed officials, academics, people from the non-profit and private sectors, Obama as well as Clinton supporters, and, yes, also Republicans and Independents.
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Today's candidates for Director of the Office of Management and Budget are (in alphabetical order, links lead to bio):
Rep. Xavier Becerra (CA) - member of the House Budget Committee
John Chiang - California State Controller
Rep. Rosa DeLauro (CT)- attended the London School of Economics, fmr. Chief of Staff to Sen. Chris Dodd, fmr. Exec. Dir. of EMILY'S List, member of the House Budget & Appropriations Committees
Brad DeLong (CA) - economics prof. at Berkeley, fmr. Dep. Asst. Sec. of the Treasury
Austan Goolsbee (IL) - economics prof. at the U of Chicago Business School, member of the Panel of Economic Advisors to the Congressional Budget Office, Obama for America Economic Advisor
Jim Johnson - fmr. CEO of Fannie Mae, currently leading Obama's VP selection
Jill Lancelot - Co-founder of Taxpayers for Common Sense
Sylvia Mathews - fmr. Dep. Dir. of the OMB, Pres. of the Global Development Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
Nouriel Roubini (NY) - fmr. official at the Treasury Dept. and the President's Council of Economic Advisors, economics prof at the Stern School of Business at NYU
Rodger Schlickeisen - fmr. Associate Dir. of the OMB, fmr. Chief of Staff to Sen. Max Baucus, President of Defenders of Wildlife
Rep. Allyson Schwartz (PA) - member of the House Budget Committee
Rep. Bobby Scott (VA) - member of the House Budget Committee
Rep. Hilda Solis (CA) - fmr. analyst with OMB
Rep. John Spratt (SC) - Chair of the House Budget Committee
Janet Yellen (CA) - fmr. prof./lecturer at the Haas Business School (Berkeley) & the London School of Economics, fmr. Chair of the President's Council of Economic Advisors, Pres. of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco
I would also like to ask you to nominate candidates for the last cabinet position not yet polled - US Trade Rep.
Enjoy voting!