Post

So far, so good, Mr. Obama

All those arch-conservative folks preparing to run screaming into the street as they feared the naming of flaming liberals to the Obama cabinet are breathing a bit easier these days. The selection process appears at this point to have placed good, solid, qualified folks — for the most part — into the Obama inside circle.

Folks who remember the advent of the Clinton Administration were staunch in their contention that like Clinton, the Barack Obama of the campaign trail would quickly morph into a more centrist politician who’s job it is to run the country, not promote the Democrat Party. So far, so good.

(Apparently my sentiments are not shared by my more liberal friends, groups sorely disappointed there aren’t more radical environmentalists, animal rightists, gay politicians and others who feel they and their ideals more accurately represent the Obama pledge for “change” during the campaign.)

Former Iowa Tom Vilsack as ag secretary was not my first choice from the list that circulated here in town, mainly because I didn’t know much about him other than his Iowa caucus activity and because I’ve lived through too many former governors as ag secretaries, and most have not had stellar terms of office. The one exception is Mike Johanns, now the junior Senator from Nebraska. However, the more I read about Vilsack and talk to folks in Iowa of both political parties who worked with him, I’m now fairly sanguine with the selection. Perhaps we’ve gotten a secretary from the Johanns mold. Fingers crossed.

I don’t envy Vilsack the job as he’s going to be challenged on almost every front. First and foremost, he inherits implementation of the 2008 Farm Bill. Second, if President-elect Obama makes good on dragging farm program payments into his net of federal cost cutting, then Secretary-designate Vilsack is in for some long days and sleepless nights.

Alternative energy will also be a challenge. It’s one thing to talk alternatives, but an entirely different task bringing those alternatives to commercialization. Obama made much of energy independence during the campaign, and cabinet selection after cabinet selection talked of helping the president-elect to reach that goal. But Vilsack comes from the heart of corn-based ethanol country, and with the Energy Information Agency just having reported that much-touted cellulosic ethanol technology is “at best a question mark,” the former Iowa chief executive is going to be hard-pressed to maintain his unwavering support of an alternative fuel that sucks food and feed ingredients into the maw of the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The immigration debate won’t be pretty either. Given that U.S. agriculture relies heavily on 12 million immigrant workers in this country, as Congress plows into this quagmire, Vilsack will be charged with some how maintaining an agriculture workforce while promoting the Obama immigration solution whatever it may be.

The Obama economic team is stellar. All of the major players from secretary of treasury through his choices for White House advisor jobs to heads of the SEC, CFTC and OMB, all have the credentials and experience to inspire confidence.

Retiring Rep. Ray LaHood (R,IL) is a superior choice for transportation. There are few members of the House as savvy as LaHood. Sen. Ken Salazar (D, CO) for Interior is an equally smart choice. Salazard used to head the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, and despite his short tenure in the Senate, he’s shown himself to be a politician who can rise above the political rhetoric.

There are other Obama picks that make less sense to me. One is Ron Kirk, the former mayor of Dallas who’s to be named Special Trade Representative. A moderate Democrat with an impressive resume, save for two years as a staffer to Sen. Lloyd Bentsen (D,TX), all of his career has been spent in Texas. There’s little to promote him as our trade czar, and there are those in town who contend his appointment reinforces Obama’s skepticism of free trade. Dr. Steven Chu as energy secretary is another head-scratcher. While a brilliant academic with a personal interest in global climate change, heading the monstrous Department of Energy, especially during the rush to alternatives, will be a tough road. Also, I don’t feel any more confident to read him described as an “Al Gore acolyte.”

Now comes the subcabinet round of appointments. All those deputy secretaries, under secretaries, deputy under secretaries, assistant secretaries and deputy assistant secretaries who’s job it is to actually run the programs day in and day out.

It’s these jobs over which the Obama transition teams must take the time to ensure no ideologue, no radical and no tired or worn out previous administration appointee winds up promoting his or her own agenda. These are the jobs which new blood, new thinking and new approaches to problems that have plagued us for years and challenges that appear almost daily.

So, on a scale of one to 10, one being the worst it could be and 10 being the best, I give the Obama cabinet an eight, verging on a nine. Let’s hope they can keep up the good work.