Shadow Cabinets
You sometimes hear, most recently from Ezra Klein, that it would be illegal to appoint a shadow cabinet during the campaign because of the law against “directly or indirectly” promising anyone government jobs. In practice, though, it’s easy enough to leak that you’d appoint “someone like Chuck Hagel” as Secretary of Defense if you want to signal that you’ll appoint Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. The reason not to do that isn’t the legal problem, it’s the other consideration Ezra brings to bear — you don’t want to re-enforce the idea that progressives can’t handle the job. If you’re going to go the route of putting a politician in the Secretary’s chair (which, paired with a Deputy Secretary from the policy world, seems pretty likely) then pick a progressive politician.
It would be much more productive, I think, to take someone with a solidly conservative domestic record but internationalist views on foreign policy and make him (or her) UN Ambassador or something. That sends the message that the liberal approach to world affairs has appeal that transcends party lines or debates over tax policy or whatever else. Or, similarly, if you could find someone with a generally conservative record but sound views on climate change and give that person an environmental policy role. Those are ways of co-opting conservative politicians in order to broaden the appeal of progressive solutions, rather than a way that draws attention to alleged weaknesses in the progressive approach.
17 Responses to “Shadow Cabinets”
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August 23rd, 2008 at 9:47 am
Let’s recall that President Clinton appointed
Rethuglican Senator Bill Cohen as his Defense
Secretary (although, in fairness, it should be pointed out that Cohen was far less conservative on domestic affairs then is Hagel.
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:24 am
I think everybody is misreading that statute.
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:31 am
Isn’t Mr. Yglesias going to comment on the selection of Joe Biden? It doesn’t seem very popular amongst the denizens who comment here.
August 23rd, 2008 at 11:49 am
So when do we actually get a progressive (I have come to hate that cowardly word) agenda?
So far all I’ve seen is your run-of-the-mill triangulation of GOP issues.
The D’s still let the GOP drive the agenda like the invertebrates they are. There is a left-wing in America, larger in number than Washington is aware. Our system makes sure our voices are never really heard but for the fringe.
We have been taught, very carefully taught and when I think of bloggers like MY and EK considered on the left of issues, I realize how thoroughly indoctrinated to neo-classical propaganda we have become.
August 23rd, 2008 at 12:07 pm
GOP is the Mau mau.
August 23rd, 2008 at 2:57 pm
From a policy point of view, shadow cabinets in the US would be an improvement, but it goes against the grain of the standard “small target” strategy in American politics.
I’m also not sure if shadow cabinets are feasible in a presidential system. In a parliamentary system, each cabinet member stands to lose their job, quickly, if parliament turns against them. It behoves them to spend some time on the floor of the legislature (even in systems where members of the cabinet are not allowed to simultaneously serve in the legislature, they are given some version of floor priveleges), so eventually the same opposition legislatures will start to develop expertise in some areas so they can more effectively keep tabs on, criticize, and well shadow the government. Our system, where cabinet officials are pretty much creatures of the president, to the point where presidents have appointed their relatives, campaign managers, and personal lawyers to head executive departments, just does not have this dynamic.
The most I can see is a party developing a “swat team” of about six visible politicians, who are always appearing on the Sunday talk shows to deliver the party’s talking points on foreign policy, economic policy, civil liberties, etc. These politicians would be strong candidates for high level jobs when their party gained the White House. But the national parties are structured as coalitions of state parties, so the coordination probably isn’t there to do something like this.
August 23rd, 2008 at 9:07 pm
I promise John B. Bolton the job of Ambassador Plenipotenitary to the Republic of Mongolia (check their winter climate), and some other worthies to Djibuti, Chad and Central African Republic.
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