Melody Barnes to Run Domestic Policy Council
My ThinkProgress colleagues are reporting that Melody Barnes, who was at CAP before I got on board, will head the Domestic Policy Council in the Obama White House. The DPC is in charge of interagency coordination and policy formation for such topics as education, immigration, criminal justice, and health care — in short, domestic policy. 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. Here’s some YouTube:
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.
54 Responses to “Melody Barnes to Run Domestic Policy Council”
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November 24th, 2008 at 10:02 am
How long before Fred or Steve Sailer shows up and declares this an affirmative action hire?
November 24th, 2008 at 10:29 am
1) Given that Bush and Our Congress have stolen $12 TRILLION from us WHY does this matter?
2) Given that 500 whores in Washington can steal everything that’s nailed down and can kill 4500 of our sons with NO retribution, WHY does this matter?
3) Given that we have seen it PROVEN that NO matter what we do we will always be slaves to a few hundred billionaires –because they control Congress and Congress controls us — WHY does this matter?
4) Could Matthew explain to me how the current US government is in any way fundamentally different from living under Saddam Hussein in Iraq or Stalin in Russia?
In all three cases, you help the big man –you get a few crumbs. You oppose the big man –you get stepped on. You do nothing — Big Man’s tax collectors steal everything you work to acquire.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:33 am
Why should we give a shit who Obama appoints — it’s now clear that it’s not going to matter. Republicans LOSE two elections — and $7.4 Trillion flow out the back door of the Treasury to the richest motherfuckers in the country.
I can just see Bush and Cheney sitting in the White House — when Bush leans over and whispers “Change You can Believe In” and Cheney collapse in whoops of laughter.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I’m loathe to tell someone that they’ve lost all credibility because of views they’ve expressed. When I was in college, and quite a bit more militantly leftist than I am now that I’ve mellowed in my late-20s, few things pissed me off more than people dismissing my arguments without rebutting them.
That said, you can’t be serious Don Williams. I mean, I could be snarky and say that Stalin and Hussein both had mustaches, and President Bush does not! Or that Saddam had many palaces as official residences, and President Bush only has the White House (and you could probably count Camp David).
Or I could be serious and say that Iraq and the Soviet Union were brutal governments to their own people that simply doesn’t exist in this country. Iraq invaded Kuwait not to liberate it, but to incorporate it. As stupid as invading Iraq was, I never heard anyone argue that it should be made a 51st state. Even in Don Rumsfeld’s wildest dreams, Iraq was only supposed to be an independent state friendly to the US to a degree that would allow US businesses to take advantage of its resources.
Oooh, or here’s a good one, neither Hussein or Stalin (or their respective parties) were voted out by the people during their lifetimes. The current Republican model of governance was repudiated in this election that would have caused violent purges in the Soviet Union or Saddam’s Iraq.
The Bush Administration has shown incompetence at every level as well as a poverty of good ideas in dealing with nearly every issue that’s come to them. Comparisons to Hussein and Stalin, however, are just silly and unproductive.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:54 am
Seems like a solid pick.
But is it weird to point out that she looks a liiiiiittle bit like Michelle (at least in that photo)?
November 24th, 2008 at 11:18 am
Not weird Miguel,
But irrelevant. I think she sounds like an amazing pick. It will be good for the country to have a president that believes that domestic policy IS relevant to the lives of the people he governs…
November 24th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Miguel,
This person looks nothing like Michelle Obama. They are both attractive black women, but, what else is similar in their appearance?
November 24th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Re MosBen’s comment “Oooh, or here’s a good one, neither Hussein or Stalin (or their respective parties) were voted out by the people during their lifetimes. The current Republican model of governance was repudiated in this election that would have caused violent purges in the Soviet Union or Saddam’s Iraq.”
———–
But we haven’t really changed the government –that’s the point. Hillary Clinton , Haim Saban’s sock puppet , in a Secretary of State. Every economic power position the new Obama administration being packed with Robert Rubin’s proteges –that’s “Change We can Believe In”.
What we’re seeing now is more like Krushchev’s criticizing Stalin’s “cult of personality”.
In some ways, we’re worse off. At least the Iraqis under Saddam knew they were being fucked by a con.
How can you change things when 98 percent of the country believes the demonstratably false bullshit that was poured into their brain at age 10 in grade school?
November 24th, 2008 at 12:10 pm
DTM,
To your point, do you think that because she’s a woman and African-American that news of her appointment might also be less exciting to some?
Freddie,
Stevie Sailer? You make me LOL. I haven’t that of that pathetic loser in ages. He and John Derbyshire must be having kittens at the thought of the Obamas living in the White House!
November 24th, 2008 at 12:14 pm
Some people just don’t get it: MosBen still find reason to defend the Bush Administration, even though the facts speak for themselves; Bush has looted the treasury and he continues to do so up to this very moment, taking everything that’s not bolted down, leaving only crumbs for Obama to work with. Bush is responsible for of over 4500 american soldier dead and over 30,000 wounded, as well as over 100,000 Iraqi dead and over 3million refugees. He’s responsible for ‘arabian horse trainer heck of a job brownie’ from the New Orleans desaster,for calling off the pursuit of bin Laden when he was trapped in the caves of Tora bora, for Karl Rove, for putting the lives of Valerie Wilson at risk by allowing her CIA cover to be blown… the list is endless. Yet, MosBen still has the gall to defend the man and even find fault in the appointment of a woman whose job will be to coordinate the elements indispensable to the well-being of the nation at home! America is a scary place. No wonder the rest of the world has grown afraid of this once great and noble nation.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
The comments here, so far, begs the question: What combination of “progressive” and/or liberal personages would satisfy your quest for the perfect cabinet and WH staff? We just elected the most intelligent, even-tempered, caring and charismatic person in a generation to lead us through the worst economic and foreign policy climate of our lifetime. Now that he has been elected, you “progressives” immediately jump all over him for his choices - before he sits one day in the oval office. Where should he go, people, to find expertise? The Republicans? The European nations? The Moon? I trust Barack Obama. I trusted him during the grueling prmaries. I trusted him during the hard fought campaign and I trust him to make the right choices to see us through this terrible time. Evidently, many of you arm chair wannabe presidents don’t. Maybe you never did.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Melody Barnes is one of the slowest, least impressive liberal minds out there. You all must remember her from the OJ Simpson trial days. She was one of CNN’s talking heads, a lawyer brought on to opine on the day-to-day testimony with Leo Terrell. Her insights and how she presented them were so shallow and muddled that by the end of the trial her appearances had been all but phased out.
This is really astonishing, and we should all be demanding in-depth explanations from Obama about his intentions. Yeah, it should have happened during the campaign, but we let the media and Obama (and McCain) control what we should know.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Jane…what are Obama’s intentions???? Are you serious? You’re sounding like sarah palin.
November 24th, 2008 at 12:55 pm
We just elected the most intelligent, even-tempered, caring and charismatic person in a generation to lead us through the worst economic and foreign policy climate of our lifetime.
Oh dear. Someone’s being drinking deeply of the Obama Kool-Aid. He’s not just a new president, he’s Moses!
November 24th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Jane C-You actually paid that much much attention to teh OJ trial?
Wow.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Unfortunately, the most dangerous bit of misunderstanding here is on the part of MosBen in thinking that the Bush Administration was even concerned with competence. They did exactly what they planned and wanted to do. They set up a foreign war they had been planning, secured massive no bid contracts for their friends and own interests who build the bombs and then conveniently reconstruct what the bombs took apart, gave the oil companies their largest profits ever, got poor white and brown folk to be their cannon fodder, and meanwhile bankrupted the public’s economic foundation. They were extremely successful. They did what they wanted and made out. The only thing they won’t have is a fond and rosy picture in the history books, which need a grand makeover anyway. In what may become the worst economic times this country has seen, the leading criminals in the Bush administration are going on to other lucrative ventures having been so lovingly bankrolled by us.
Also, we knew before Saddam attacked Kuwait what he was planning. There was a diplomatic meeting of representatives of the surrounding countries, and there was a U.S. representative there. It was said that Iraq was going to enter Kuwait, and no one made a stink. You can find the actual typed minutes of that meeting on the internet. I’m sorry I do not have that link off the top of my head…It preceded those fake stories about Iraqi soldiers breaking into hospitals and ripping babies out of beds and killing them…So I guess the question becomes is it worse to attack a weak neighbor, or to let someone else attack a weak neighbor so that you can attack and completely decimate them while sounding the horn of righteousness?
November 24th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Mixner:
I know a troll when I read one. How’s that slow drip of arsenic you’ve been given over the last 8 years?
November 24th, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Oh dear. Someone’s being drinking deeply of the Obama Kool-Aid. He’s not just a new president, he’s Moses!
When you spent the election trying to decide between John McCain and Bob Barr, it must be kind of disconcerting to see people who actually like and admire the candidate they voted for.
Hey, Mixner, which cabinet post do you think William Ayers will get? His professional and charitable life would seem to make Secretary of Education the most natural fit…but then, I understand he’s also done some work at the Pentagon.
ha ha. Sore loser.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I’ve spent some time with Melody Barnes in a Judiciary Committee related matter and she’s a very solid and talented individual. We’re lucky people of this caliber are still willing to subject themselves to the spotlight (even if only a small one) of taking a political appointment of this level.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
JaneC
ALL Black people must look alike to you. It was the late Melanie(not Melody)Lomax who commented on CNN during the OJ trial and she thought he was GUILTY.
Melody Barnes graduated with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill and got her law degree from the University of Michigan and 1 tier school. I doubt if she has a ” slow, unimpressive mind.
Watch her C-Span interview for proof.
November 24th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
I think Jane C has her confused with someone on The View….
November 24th, 2008 at 1:57 pm
She’s certainly the most photogenic member of the new administration:
http://www.washingtonian.com/page_dbimages/5424/10.1.bestdressed10.jpg
November 24th, 2008 at 2:09 pm
lol @ JaneC who got her facts wrong.
Not just the wrong name, but the wrong person altogether. I guess all people of color must look alike to the uninformed.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Hey Don Williams -
Re your comment:
Given that 500 whores in Washington can steal everything that’s nailed down and can kill 4500 of our sons with NO retribution, WHY does this matter?
We lost some daughters too.
November 24th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Re Sallie’s comment “Now that he [Obama] has been elected, you “progressives” immediately jump all over him for his choices - before he sits one day in the oval office.”
———–
1) That’s because at the ongoing rate of $Trillion giveaways to the Rich, most of us are going to be fucking bankrupt by the time Obama takes the oath of office.
2)Re Sallie’s comment “Where should he go, people, to find expertise? The Republicans? The European nations? ”
Gee, I dunno. People say finance is complex — I see it as simple:
a) If you don’t know who’s the sucker in a deal, then it’s you.
b) If $7.4 Trillion of taxpayer loans, guarantees, and outright gifts are handed out , you can assume the taxpayer ain’t going to make a profit on the deal.
c) A good-faith Tribune of the People at this point would be measuring rope and making nooses — not appointing close associates of the primary causes of this disaster to high office.
Anyone think Larry Summers is going to have the stomach to inquire deeply into the causes of this disaster? Who was it who pushed to repeal banking regulation back in 1999 and who started this massive goatfuck?
November 24th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Look again at those appointments.
Does that look like a setup to dispense justice and retribution onto the guilty and to question the intellectual shortcomings of Rubinomics?
Or does it look like a setup for a massive coverup?
November 24th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Another leftist who supports abortion, affirmative action, and big government solutions to all of life’s problems. It’s going to be a long, expensive four years…
(Before you call me a racist or a Nazi, my comment does NOT mean I believe Bush and his cronies did a stellar job, it just means that replacing big-spending idiots who ignore the Constitution with even bigger-spending idiots who loathe the Constitution is no great step forward.)
November 24th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Re Clare’s comment “We lost some daughters too.”
————–
At the point where US casualty toll in Iraq reached 4518, only 109 were female deaths.
Of those, about 41 were from non-hostile causes (accidents , suicides,etc). See http://icasualties.org/oif/Female.aspx
November 24th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
I love this pick. Remember everyone that the federal government is huge and Pres. Obama knows how important local administration is. We will start to see, i think, African Americans who genuinely reflect the ideological “climate” of the majority of the African American political Community, and not token brown faces,who were picked for their looks and to “yes sir” every right wing policy of the nadministration. It has long been a strategy of the right to place high visibility minority appointments in high positions, while real right wing idealogues filled the open federal judge positions and other substantial jobs in D.C and across the country, that make a direct difference in peoples live.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
“The Bush Administration has shown incompetence at every level as well as a poverty of good ideas in dealing with nearly every issue that’s come to them. Comparisons to Hussein and Stalin, however, are just silly and unproductive”
That’s your idea of defending the Bush Administration? Alright, I guess I probably should have just avoided posting in the thread.
For the record though, Stalin was responsible for millions of deaths, while President Bush is probably on the hook for a couple hundred thousand. Was President Bush the worst in the nation’s history? I sure think so, but Stalin has singular place in history because he is fairly uniquely terrible in world history. Comparisons to Stalin don’t make your argument stronger.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Re MosBen’s comment “For the record though, Stalin was responsible for millions of deaths, while President Bush is probably on the hook for a couple hundred thousand”
————
1) I figure that a million Americans will die years before their time as a result of the shape Bush has left Medicare in — taking into account the federal debt he has personally authorized and the additional $Trillions that are off the books –e.g, the $Trillions in Fed guarantees required because Bush didn’t feel like regulating “bid’ness”.
2) And if the Avian Flu mutates into pandemic form, millions more will die given our shitty medical and economic system. But we will still have those shiny new stealth fighters. The ones which failed to stop Sept 11.
3) Nations can die from slow arterial bleeding as well as from outright massacres.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Don Williams…just because there were “only” 109 female deaths, does that make them less important? Or was it because they were females, its less important to you. These woman served their country just as men do.
November 24th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
I know a troll when I read one.
I don’t think so. But I do, “Sallie.”
November 24th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
Anyone with the name Melody is ok in my book.
November 24th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
@Don Williams, Your comments are profoundly disrespectful of those that lived & died under Saddam’s & Stalin’s regimes. One of the best ways to make sure no one will listen to you is to make completely & utterly ridiculous & hyberbolic statements. Tell me how all your hooting & hollering is actually going to help the problems you see in America. Are you going to get the rest of us to “wake up” & see things the way you do? Remember what you’re putting out here may seem like fact to you but since you don’t actually have the evidence to back it up it’s just your perception of reality. You sound like one of those folks that would love for things to actually be the way you see them so that when the “truth” comes out you can say there I told you so.
You’re about this though. It doesn’t look like a setup to despense justice & retribution. I didn’t know the economic types were in a position to hand down justice.
November 24th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Her parents must so very proud of her.
I feel we will be very lucky to have an advocate such as her at the table.
November 24th, 2008 at 10:47 pm
Re: Was President Bush the worst in the nation’s history? I sure think so, but Stalin has singular place in history because he is fairly uniquely terrible in world history.
Er, Lyndon Johnson was responsible for the deaths of three million Vietnamese. McKinley was responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Filipinos. Reagan at least shared indirect responsibility for much of the killing in Central America during the 1980s, and he didn’t have the excuse that he was fighting people that really wanted to kill us. Bush is a corrupt and stupid bastard, but he’s far from the worst president the US has ever had.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:54 am
let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
1. it was clear from the start that Obama was no ideologue. He’s a pragmatist and has an enormous challenge.
2. He’s strong and forthright and managed a brilliant campaign.
Change begins with him and the change is going to be satisfying to most constituencies. It will be a triumph to watch him deflate the amorphous, expensive mess of the past 8 years.
3. We need to care about an excellent pick like Melody Barnes, she will drive results that will matter.
I am so impressed how our new President has moved and built his administration to the extent that he has the defacto policy the US and world are counting on.
I believe it: Change we can believe in. Go Barack, Go Melody show them how empathy works.
November 28th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I want to be President Obama Secretary of Sustainability and Long Term Planning
Has anyone ever never seen the US government communicate a long term unified vision and then describe how every piece of legislation, each part of the tax plan, and how each executive order they proposed tie into that long term vision? NO. And that is why this executive branch needs to start integrating all of its different parts under one umbrella to help ensure the US will be a major player on this planet in the coming decades. The auto industry is a great example of what bad planning and no vision can do to a large entity. The US could suffer the same fate if it does not start to make some radical changes that will keep it competitive in the global environment.
The globe has limited resources and how we as a planet use the resources is going to determine if our species makes it another 2000 years. The US plays an enormous role is setting the global tone when it comes to lifestyle, manufacturing standards, and consumption rates across the industrialized and non industrialized countries. The US needs to take this yoke of sustainability very seriously as it may be the weakest link in Americas rusting suit of armor. If the US cannot figure out how to balance our energy usage, our waste production, and our resource consumption soon we are going to become incredibly overburdened by inefficiency and high over head costs. This will drive academia, business, and residents away in droves and they search for the next country where dreams come true.
The Secretary of Sustainability and long term planning position needs to be created and be equal in power to the chief of staff and secretary of state. If you have no business you have no tax revenue. If environmental issues drive catastrophic change to the eastern seaboard you have no tax revenue. If we don’t get a long term plan together and start working to it in 20 years when I want to retire this country will have no tax revenue! You can’t fix roads, you can’t help other countries, you can’t incentivize growth, and you can’t decrease the national debt without tax revenue. This cabinet position would therefore be just as important as the current positions but would be created with the sole purpose of unifying the current secretaries’ individual goals into one vision and taking the cabinet, the president, and the legislature to task when they are not aligned to the vision. This secretary would also need to work with the white house communication staff and department leaders to flow this plan out to the public and to all government employees. This secretary is also responsible for helping guide the residents of the US in a more sustainable direction.
Many large corporations who need to look 30 years into the future to understand where their customers will be have started seeing energy and sustainability as major components of their future offerings. Google, GE, Boeing, DuPont, and GM have created Vice President positions within their respective companies to deal with these emerging needs. The Obama government will need this insight and the current cabinet positions only offer parts of this picture.
I want to be President Obama Secretary of Sustainability and Long Term Planning
http://www.linkedin.com/myprofile?locale=en_US&report%2Esuccess=-vVpM-koAJi3iOI2oXfnNmuRG-VK4Hl523eSJntqGv034HlbHze1Jn01KG8I3zk5
I have the educational background to look at problems from many different points of view. Aerospace being my primary professional background is rooted in looking long term and driving efficiency in every project. I want to bring that type of strategic thinking to this country and to the president’s cabinet.
I have the energy to steer the president’s cabinet and this country in a more sustainable direction and the fortitude to hold influential leaders to an agreed upon long term plan. I have worked with leaders from across the country to build long term visions and the detailed plans that will help realize those visions for many different projects. This has involved working with many “A” type personalities from diverse backgrounds to bring the team to a consensus by documenting agreements and listening to each point of view.
I have the patience to wait for the right time to push and issue and to have the right conversation on my terms. I also have the ability to learn from and listen to the people around me. This trait is the single largest asset I can bring to the Obama cabinet.
I am a very quick learner that has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. I will remained reserved until I feel I have collected enough facts to comment or judge a situation. I can start to add value to a team in days rather than weeks and can be brought up to speed on any tool quicker than my peers.
I am a very driven person who can accomplish anything I set my mind to. My number one motivator is frustration. When things are not being done correctly or are being done very inefficiently I feel that I have three choices; I could walk away and forget it is happening, I could just live with the way things are being done, or I can try and fix the situation. I almost always choose the latter. Thus how this country has been managed has been a disgrace that I often find comical, till I remember that it is my country that is shooting itself in the foot for the thousandth time.
After assessing the past 3 administration I find a very surprising lack of a long term vision for the US. Maybe these administrations had one and did not communicate to the masses or maybe I am just an ignorant person, but I have never seen a plan. Oh, I have seen bills with sunset dates, and minimum limit increases by such and such a date. But I have never seen an encompassing vision that ties all of the bills, the budgets, the aid packages, and the tax plans together. How is this possible? How do we, the US with all of our brain power not have a well communicated long term strategy for the country? I would like to be the person that helps create this 10 year sustainable strategy for the Obama administration, and for myself so that this country can really start to get productive and the world will have a good example to follow.
I asked my grandfather when the last time he believed in a presidential candidate as opposed to voting for the lesser of two evils, his response “Eisenhower.” I was not to keen with either candidate’s campaign, but I have been thoroughly impressed by how Mr. Obama has been attacking this transition phase of his first term. I am starting to believe in what his administration could accomplish. For this reason I would like to offer my services, drive and knowledge to make sure this administration is a success.
December 12th, 2008 at 7:15 am
6. Pittsburgh (2-0) did not play. Next: vs. Akron, Friday. 7. Texas (1-0) vs. Tulane. Next: vs. Saint Joseph’s, Monday. 8. Notre Dame (1-0) did not play. Next: at Loyola Marymount, Friday. 9. Gonzaga (1-0) vs. Idaho. Next: vs. Oklahoma
December 12th, 2008 at 11:29 am
NORMAN, Okla. — Stephen Curry had 33 points and nine assists Monday night and No. 21 Davidson beat James Madison 99-64 in the first round of the NIT Season Tip-Off. Davidson (2-0 ) advanced to play No. 12 Oklahoma tonight. Curry switched
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