Patrick Goggin
By Patrick Goggin
November 22, 2008
In his cabinet choices thus far, President-Elect Obama is following the Lincoln and FDR model of surrounding himself with incredibly bright, experienced intellectuals not shy about their independence. His intention is clear—for these times nothing but the most skilled are needed in his cabinet to challenge, deliberate and debate with him as necessary to creatively and successfully address the deepening, hard-felt recession and myriad of other challenges that await him on January 21, 2009.
Played up by the media, early hand wringing has occurred by a few Obama supporters and critics skeptical that he truly is “the change we can believe in” because he’s offered some former Clinton administration cabinet members, and even Hillary herself, appointments. However, this perspective offers a very narrow view of change and what can be expected of the oft-times shallow chattering class.
The change I hope for from our new President is that he will govern endowed with the most gifted and fierce specialists, not cronies but leaders in their own right, fully committed to helping him, the nation and planet climb out of these increasingly scary times. The fact that past Clinton appointments are taking leadership positions on USS Obama is good in one important respect: they have substantial relevant experience. Moreover, the singularly independent nature of the Obama appointments will balance out not only themselves collectively, but Obama himself, his very objective.
The 44th President and the nation face historically precipitous times now and for the near future. By earning a 52% mandate via combining his exceptional skills at coalition building, community organizing, and maintaining grounded-reason, Obama and his appointees have been given the mantle to act boldly, all the while pragmatically.
While these times call for bold measures, reasonableness must also prevail if we are to achieve long-term sustainability. In the coming months, as Obama and our new administration deliberate over developing the plans necessary to extricate us from the financial free-fall too many here and around the world feel we must be realistic in our expectations. Even quick measures like stimulus packages take months for their ripples to be felt.
You can be sure change is genuinely afoot. This week, Henry Waxman (CA) ousted John Dingle (MI) as the long-serving Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Waxman is the perfect fit for collaborating with the Obama administration to create and implement the bold measures needed to develop the 21st century green energy infrastructure Obama has committed to significantly investing in. Still, developing this new system will take years if not a decade or more.
Joe Lieberman’s mere slap on the wrist for ostentatiously backing McCain during his ill-fated campaign too shows pragmatic change has come to Washington. Obama and Democratic Congressional leaders know that Senator Lieberman will be needed to advance their agenda. So, rather than kick him while he’s down, instead they allowed him to maintain his coveted committee chairmanship. Now he owes Obama and the Democratic leadership a deep debt of gratitude—his history of loyalty virtually assures his future cooperation. Leading by throwing vendettas to the wayside in order to effectively focus on and solve the critical matters the American people want addressed shows a style of governance I can believe in.
Presently the Obama transition is undertaking an unprecedented agency review to inventory the depth of the Bush administration’s wreckage. Only by properly assessing the damage can Obama’s team develop the comprehensive plans necessary to restore the order and balance long since lost in the Executive Branch.
On January 20, 2009, when Barack Obama stands during his historic inauguration where his great predecessors Lincoln and FDR also stood at a time of national and global crisis, in our exhilaration and high expectations we must practice patience and ground ourselves in a way Obama has modeled. Great crises take time to resolve. The administration preceding Obama has done him and us an enormous disservice through its destructive policies. While Obama and his massive team scours the depth of destruction and charts a course to right the national ship, we must remain grounded and allow our new administration’s bold pragmatism the time and support it needs to succeed.
The Hunger Site
November 23, 2008 at 4:59 pm
Okay, I can understand Rahm Emmanuel as a check against the Carter/Clinton error of not caring for and feeding Congress.’
But it seems that Richardson would have made a better Secretary of State, in that he is probably better inclined to negotiate the US down from from the ledge where Hillar Clinton is not.
And Clinton would have made a better Attorney General than Secretary of State, as she seems more inclined to that than State.
I can see where there are political benefits from making nice with the Clintons, but isn’t Attorney General as nice as Secretary of State?
Similarly, the Federal Reserve has instigated the economic crisis by maintaining high interest rates for so long rather than raising rates and bringing on a recession when it should have over the past decade. The institution of the Fed is at the heart of the crisis and one would be surprised if the people who got us into this mess can find the way out.
-marc
November 23, 2008 at 12:56 pm
I don’t know about that Matt. I think that Patrick is just tuned into the fact that while Obama may not be the president of our dreams, he is far beyond our wildest realistic-imagination just a few years ago. He is the president of America, not the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.
November 22, 2008 at 6:48 pm
And the apologists have officially begun their spinning. I wonder how long people like Patrick will remain in denial and use “bold pragmatist” as a way of: 1.) putting themselves and their valid concerns down (the subtext being that progressives should sit down and shut the fuck up until the “pragmatists” decide they are good and ready to throw a bone our way) 2.) Giving Obama leeway to become ever more conservative, er, I mean “pragmatic”.