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Commentary
President Elect Joe Biden's consideration of Cabinet member appointments and other positions must be scrutinized by the American people first
By Anh Lê
The New York Times article, "Top contenders for Biden's Cabinet draw fire from all sides" (November 28, 2020), reminds us that President Elect Joe Biden's consideration of Cabinet member appointments and other positions in his administration must be carefully scrutinized and vetted by the American people first.
Can his nominations withstand the most rigorous standards of what our government should look like?
President Elect Biden's selection of Cabinet members and other appointments must be done on the basis of who is the most competent person for the job, and not as "who is the most familiar face" to him or as "who is to be rewarded as political payday"?
Michele Flournoy should not and must not be nominated as Secretary of Defense.
Her career and private consultancies have essentially been to connect her clients with defense contractors and weapons and armaments corporations.
Her businesses have been to work as a major lobbyist for both her clients and the defense and armaments corporations without being required to register as a lobbyist.
Antony Blinken was recently nominated by President Elect Biden to serve as Secretary of State.
The American people should know that Michele Flournoy and Antony Blinken have been close collaborative business partners in their various consultancies and businesses, and that both have profited financially greatly, and still do so, from their revolving door work with the Defense Department.
For someone like Michele Flournoy, whose career has been to peddle arms sales, to be nominated as Defense Secretary would be dangerous.
Would her business interests and profiteering from arms sales with the Department of Defense dictate her policy decisions?
Would they also not propel her to make rash decisions to go to war against another nation, albeit a sovereign nation, under the pretext of a pre-emptive strike to "protect the homeland " and "defend the cause of peace"?
Defense contractors and weapons and armaments manufacturers profit greatly whenever our nation wages war abroad.
Imagine the inherent dangers and pitfalls of policy making between Ms. Flournoy at the Pentagon and Mr. Blinken at State. It would be a scenario that would raise myriads of serious ethical questions and questions regarding conflicts of interest and their influence on policy making and decisions.
We the American people must heed the words of President Dwight Eisenhower, who warned us against the dangers of the "military-industrial complex."
Ms. Flournoy and Mr. Blinken have been active players in the "military-industrial complex," have profited greatly from their roles, and continue to do so.
If President Elect Biden were to nominate Michele Flournoy for a Cabinet appointment or another post, it would be most appropriate for her nomination to be scrutinized and vetted by the Senate. Any questions that are raised during the vetting process of Michele Flournoy, in the event she is nominated, should also be asked of Antony Blinken.
President Elect Biden must be careful not to nominate only individuals who have served in past administrations. Otherwise, it appears that he only wants to recycle his favorites, who then are like tire retreads.
We the American people need fresh new faces, fresh new blood, fresh new ideas, not stale and worn out old ideas.
Rep. Karen Bass would be an excellent Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Her leadership in Congress and her experience make her eminently qualified.
Contrast Rep. Bass with the current Secretary at HUD, who was not able to answer the most basic of questions posed to him by several Congresswomen at a Congressional hearing on housing issues.
Remember how when Rep. Katie Porter asked Dr. Ben Carson about REO's and FHA housing mortgaging, and he faintly replied, "is it, oreos?" We don't need a brain surgeon for the job. We need someone who is highly qualified for the job, is eminently qualified for it, and knows what she is supposed to do to serve the American people.
When President Elect Biden announced the first round of Cabinet nominees, Vice President Kamala Harris applauded his choices and said that they truly reflected and represented the diversity of our nation.
There certainly is more diversity in the initial group of nominees than in the current administration. But does this initial group of nominees represent the full diversity of our country? The composition does not show that.
We the American people should demand of President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris to choose more women, including women of color, for Cabinet positions and other offices. We should demand that they listen. And we should expect that they do.
We should tell President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris to demonstrate to the American people where they stand on choosing the "best and the brightest" for their incoming administration. Will it be made up of primarily men, and primarily Caucasians? Will it still be a remnant of the "good old boys network" or will it be different?
The recent presidential election results show that most Asian Americans voters cast their ballots for the Biden-Harris ticket. But not one Asian American face was among the initial group of nominees standing on the stage with President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris. One would hope that Asian Americans are not regarded as invisible by President Elect Biden.
President Elect Biden must be made mindful of the fact and truth that recycling tire retreads is not the best path for the journey ahead as our nation confronts the most serious challenges and problems of the 21st century.
The current administration is often criticized for its brand of nepotism, incompetence, and corruption.
Yet, we the American people should remind President Elect Biden and Vice President Elect Harris that there is only a thin line between nepotism as exists in the current and outgoing administration and the rewarding of one's political buddies and recycling the "has-beens" in what is supposed to be a new and fresh administration.
References include:
(1) "How Biden's Foreign Policy Team got rich," published in The American Prospect (July 6, 2020)
(2) "Biden Cabinet Hopeful's Unusual Lease: Break in Case of Appointment," published in The American Prospect (November 12, 2020)
(3) The American Prospect Editor discusses potential top aides in a Biden administration, Video posted at The Hill (July 11, 2020)
Anh Lê is an independent journalist.
Copyright @ Anh Le, December 1, 2020