What would your Cabinet be?

[Free Bird]

Say you were elected President in the present day. What would be your cabinet of current public figures?

VP: Justin Amash
SoS: Jon Huntsman
Treasury: Mitt Romney
Defense: Jack Reed
Interior: Mark Begich
Agriculture: Steve King
Commerce: Reformat
Labor: Mark Pryor
HHS: John Barrasso
HUD: Abolish
Transportation: Jodi Rell
Energy: David Vitter
Education: Abolish
Veterans Affairs: Jim Webb
HS: Abolish

In an ideal world, merge Energy and Agriculture into Environment and have someone who supports both oil and green energy head that

CoS: Tom Foley
UN Ambassador: Mark Zuckerberg
Surgeon General: Ben Carson

[Vega]

Secretary of State: Susan Rice
Secretary of the Treasury: Paul Krugman
Secretary of Defense: Michele Flournoy
Attorney General: Ivan Fong
Secretary of the Interior: Christine Gregoire
Secretary of Agriculture: Mark Ritchie
Secretary of Commerce: Walter Dods
Secretary of Labor: Thomas Perez
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Sylvia Mathews Burwell
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Lillian Murphy
Secretary of Transportation: Anthony Foxx
Secretary of Energy: Steven Chu
Secretary of Education: Mark Takano
Secretary of the Environment: Kathleen McGinty

Veterans Affairs is merged into Defense, same for Homeland Security. A Secretary of the Environment is added.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Abolish Agriculture? That's...that doesn't seem very well thought through. I've literally never seen that suggested before, even by people who absolutely hate existing agricultural policy.

Vega, I understand the rationale for merging Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security into Defense, but are you aware that Veterans Affairs is, itself, an absolutely immense bureaucracy, and merging it into the already-immense Pentagon might end up, frankly, unwieldy? (Also, pretty much every other country has separate remits for the stuff that Defense does and the stuff that Homeland Security does.)

[Free Bird]

Abolish Agriculture? That's...that doesn't seem very well thought through. I've literally never seen that suggested before, even by people who absolutely hate existing agricultural policy.

Vega, I understand the rationale for merging Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security into Defense, but are you aware that Veterans Affairs is, itself, an absolutely immense bureaucracy, and merging it into the already-immense Pentagon might end up, frankly, unwieldy? (Also, pretty much every other country has separate remits for the stuff that Defense does and the stuff that Homeland Security does.)

I JUST realized what I dipsh**t idea abolishing agriculture is. FT

[Vega]

Vega, I understand the rationale for merging Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security into Defense, but are you aware that Veterans Affairs is, itself, an absolutely immense bureaucracy, and merging it into the already-immense Pentagon might end up, frankly, unwieldy? (Also, pretty much every other country has separate remits for the stuff that Defense does and the stuff that Homeland Security does.)

It just seems odd to have it be in the Cabinet. Why don't we have a "Secretary of Coal", going by the logic of keeping it in the cabinet. It just seems off.

But, I see your point.

In my opinion, the U.S. ran fine before we had a Secretary of Homeland Security, and it would run the same now. The current Secretary for HS could be like the Secretaries of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Abolish Agriculture? That's...that doesn't seem very well thought through. I've literally never seen that suggested before, even by people who absolutely hate existing agricultural policy.

It would make a lot more sense than you'd think. The USDA has become a "themed department" responsible for a bunch of unrelated duties such as mailing out food stamps, selling crop insurance, managing National forests, giving handouts to telephone companies in Alabama, overseeing the monopolization of niche crop farmers, and deciding how many slices of pie we should eat each week, all because they loosely relate to growing plants (or not).

Given unlimited power, this is how I would reorganize USDA.

Agricultural Marketing Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare/forced monopolies)
Agricultural Research Service -   Transfer to a new department devoted to Federal science programs
Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service - Merge duties into FDA
Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion   - Transfer to a new department devoted to Federal science programs
Economic Research Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare)
Farm Service Agency - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare/Price-Fixing)
Food and Nutrition Service - Transfer to HHS
Food Safety and Inspection Service - Merge duties into FDA
Foreign Agricultural Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare)
Forest Service - Transfer to Department of Interior (Would protect the trees better)
Grain Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration - Merge duties into FDA
National Agricultural Statistics Service - Transfer to central statistical service in the Department of Science
National Institute of Food and Agriculture   - Eliminate (Duties redundant to Agricultural Research Service)
National Resources Conservation Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare/ Redundant to state agencies)
Risk Management Agency -Transfer to a rebuilt Commerce Department devoted to regulating commerce
Rural Business and Cooperative Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare/ Redundant to SBA)
Rural Housing Service - Eliminate (Redundant to HUD programs and duties)
Rural Utilities Service - Eliminate (Corporate Welfare/ Redundant to DOE programs and duties)

I feel like all of the important stuff (which is mostly not really farm policy related) can be transferred to a better agency for administrative purposes.

[Mr. Reactionary]

Vice President (VP) - Governor Nikki Haley
Department of State (DOS) - Former Ambassador Jon Huntsman
Department of Defense (DOD) - Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
Department of Treasury (DOT) - President of Dallas Fed Richard Fisher
Department of Justice (DOJ) - Governor Susana Martinez
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) - NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton
Department of Commerce (DOC) - Senator Mark Warner
Department of Infrastructure (DIF) - Former Governor Mitt Romney
Department of Trade (DTR) - Former Congressman Dick Gephardt
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)- Governor Bobby Jindal
Department of Science (SCI) - NSF Director France Cordova
Department of Environment (DOE) - Former Secretary of Interior Gale Norton
Department of Interior (DOI) - Senator Heidi Heidtkamp
Department of Civil Service (DCS) - Former Governor Mitch Daniels
UN Ambassador (UN) - Former Ambassador Richard Burt
Federal Reserve Chairman (FED) - Senator Rand Paul
CIA Director (CIA)- CIA Deputy Director Avril Haines
Postmaster General (USPS) - Former CEO Carly Fiorina
Solicitor General (SG) - Former VA Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli
Supreme Court (SCOTUS) - Former Solicitor General Paul Clement
Chief of Staff (COS) - Senator Rob Portman

[Miles]

Vice President: Maggie Hassan (D-NH)

Chief of Staff: Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of State: Jon Huntsman (R-UT)
Secretary of Treasury: Brad Miller (D-NC)
Secretary of Defense: Gene Taylor (R-MS)
Attorney General: James Comey (R-NY)
Secretary of Interior: Mark Udall (D-CO)
Secretary of Agriculture: Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Secretary of Labor: Mark Critz (D-PA)
Secretary of Commerce: Martin O'Malley (D-MD)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Pat Quinn (D-IL)
Secretary of Transportation: Nick Rahall (D-WV)
Secretary of Energy: Gina McCarthy (D-MA)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Patty Murray (D-WA)
Secretary of Education: Kay Hagan (D-NC)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: Bob Kerrey (D-NE)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Susan Collins (R-ME)

Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)- Governor Bobby Jindal

Plz no.

[RogueBeaver]

Vice President: Paul Ryan
Secretary of the Treasury: Richard Fisher
Secretary of State: Robert Zoellick
Attorney General: Paul Clement
Secretary of Defense: Joe Lieberman
Secretary of Interior: Linda Lingle
Secretary of Agriculture: Dave Heinemann
Secretary of Labor: Elaine Chao
Secretary of Commerce: Meg Whitman
Secretary of HUD: Kevin Faulconer
Secretary of Transportation: Bob Ehrlich
Secretary of Energy: John Breaux
Secretary of HHS: Bobby Jindal
Secretary of Education: Abolish
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Pete Hegseth
Secretary of Homeland Security: Brian Sandoval

[Chunk Yogurt for President!]

Vice President: Justin Amash (R-MI)
Secretary of State: Walter Jones (R-NC)
Secretary of the Treasury: Ron Paul (R-TX)
Secretary of Defense: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano (R-NJ)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Cherry, I'm thinking, as opposed to oak.

[Vega]

Cherry, I'm thinking, as opposed to oak.

Cherry is a little bit liberal of a color for cabinets, no? Better to go with the more refined and conservative Oak made cabinet.

[Mr. Smith]

Cherry, I'm thinking, as opposed to oak.

Cherry is a little bit liberal of a color for cabinets, no? Better to go with the more refined and conservative Oak made cabinet.

Redwood man, that's the way to go.

[Zioneer]

Cherry, I'm thinking, as opposed to oak.

Cherry is a little bit liberal of a color for cabinets, no? Better to go with the more refined and conservative Oak made cabinet.

Redwood man, that's the way to go.

I'll go for bamboo; I intend to sell the country to the Chinese.

[Brewer]

Cherry, I'm thinking, as opposed to oak.

Cherry is a little bit liberal of a color for cabinets, no? Better to go with the more refined and conservative Oak made cabinet.

Redwood man, that's the way to go.

I'll go for bamboo; I intend to sell the country to the Chinese.

I'd rather go with maple, as a consolation to our friends from the north after I annex Canada.

[VPH]

Vice President: Martin O'Malley (D)
Secretary of State: Ron Wyden (D)
Attorney General: Harold Koh (D)
Secretary of Defense: Jim Webb (D)
Secretary of Interior: Lisa Jackson (D)
Secretary of Agriculture: Tom Vilsack (D)
Secretary of the Treasury: Richard Carrión or Dan Tarullo
Secretary of Labor: Bernie Sanders (I)
Secretary of Commerce: Olympia Snowe (R)
Secretary of HUD: Antonio Villaraigosa (D)
Secretary of Transportation: Bill Graves (R)
Secretary of Energy: Angus King (I)
Secretary of HHS: Howard Dean (D)
Secretary of Education: Lily Eskelsen García
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Abolish and split functions between HHS and Defense Dept
Secretary of Homeland Security: Colin Powell (R)
(Added) Secretary of Civil Rights: Jesse Jackson (D)
Federal Reserve Chair: Paul Krugman
FCC Chair: Tim Wu

[TNF]

Vice President: I'd need someone who would be ideologically close to me, but who could also balance the ticket demographically. Ideally my pick would be someone from an urban area and a woman of color. Preferably someone younger than me, as well.


Secretary of State: I'd definitely choose an antiwar activist for this spot. Someone who wouldn't hesitate to bring home the troops and cut ties with NATO.

Secretary of the Treasury: Marxist economist.

Secretary of Defense: Someone that would be willing to implement reforms that democratize the armed forces, abolish the privileges of the officer class, and transform the military into an instrument for revolutionary war. Ideally this would be a rank-and-file soldier.

Attorney General: Someone willing to prosecute the leadership of the old regime to the fullest extent of the law, smash racist and other bigoted groups, and steer the Red Terror through its most critical period, without getting too out of hand and risking counterrevolutionary attacks.

Secretary of the Interior: An ecosocialist activist.

Secretary of Agriculture: A rank-and-file farmer or member of a farm co-op that would push forward with socializing agribusiness and placing it under workers' control.

Secretary of Commerce: Marxist economist.

Secretary of Labor: A rank-and-file union leader.

Secretary of Health and Human Services: A rank-and-file union leader.

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: A tenant activist.

Secretary of Transportation: A rank-and-file union leader.

Secretary of Energy: A rank-and-file union leader.

Secretary of Education: A rank-and-file union leader.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs: A veterans' rights activist.

Secretary of Homeland Security: Abolish.


Chief of Staff: Someone with a very good pulse on public opinion. Perhaps a journalist.

Director, OMB: Marxist economist.

Administrator, EPA: Ecosocialist activist.

Trade Represenative: Rank-and-file union leader.

Ambassador to the UN: Abolish, withdraw from the UN.

Chairman, CEA: Marxist economist.

Administrator, SBA: Change to the 'Cooperatives Administration' and put a Marxist economist in charge.

[Del Tachi]

Vice President:  Condoleeza Rice (R-CA)

Chief of Staff: Haley Barbour (R-MS)

Secretary of State:  Bob Corker (R-TN)
Secretary of Treasury:  Robert Zoellick (R-IL)
Secretary of Defense:  Ray Mabus (D-MS)
Attorney General:  Jeff Chiesa (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior:  Mary Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of Agriculture:  Mark Keenum (R-MS)
Secretary of Labor: Jim Talent (R-MO)
Secretary of Commerce:  Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development:  Mitch Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of Transportation:  John Mica (R-FL)   
Secretary of Energy:  James Connaughton (R-DC)
Secretary of Health and Human Services:  Tevi Troy (R-NY)
Secretary of Education:  Jeb Bush (R-FL)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs:  Mark Pryor (D-AR)
Secretary of Homeland Security:  Joe Liebermann (I-CT)

Some of these choices probably aren't wonky enough.

[Sumner 1868]

Secretary of State: John Quincy Adams
Secretary of the Treasury: Henry Carey
Secretary of Defense: Jeanette Rankin
Attorney General: Upton Sinclair
Secretary of the Interior: Frank Church
Secretary of Agriculture: Howard Lyman
Secretary of Commerce: Mark Twain
Secretary of Labor: Eugene Debs
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Paul Wellstone
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Fredrick Douglas
Secretary of Transportation: Joseph Strauss
Secretary of Energy: Mike McCormack
Secretary of Education: Samuel Read Hall
Secretary of the Environment: Rachel Carson

[rpryor03]

Vice President: Susana Martinez  (R)

Secretary of State: Robert Zoellick (R)
Secretary of the Treasury: Glenn Hubbard (R)
Secretary of Defense: Michael Hayden (I)
Attorney General: Jeff Cheisa (R)
Secretary of the Interior: Luis Fortuno (R)
Secretary of Agriculture: Adam Putnam (R)
Secretary of Commerce: Kay Bailey Hutchinson (R)
Secretary of Labor: Scott Walker (R)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Tim Murphy (R)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Mathew Wambua (I)
Secretary of Transportation: John Mica (R)
Secretary of Energy: Jack Gerard (I)
Secretary of Education: Michelle Rhee (D)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Josue Robles (I)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Joe Lieberman (D)

White House Chief of Staff: Mike Leavitt (R)
Director of the OMB: Jim Nussle (R)
Administrator of the EPA: James Connaughton (R)
Ambassador to the UN: John Bolton (R)
Chairperson of the Council of Economic Advisers: Greg Mankiw (R)
Director of National Intelligence: Cofer Black (I)
National Security Advisor: Richard Williamson (R)

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Abolish Agriculture? That's...that doesn't seem very well thought through. I've literally never seen that suggested before, even by people who absolutely hate existing agricultural policy.

Vega, I understand the rationale for merging Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security into Defense, but are you aware that Veterans Affairs is, itself, an absolutely immense bureaucracy, and merging it into the already-immense Pentagon might end up, frankly, unwieldy? (Also, pretty much every other country has separate remits for the stuff that Defense does and the stuff that Homeland Security does.)

Rick Perry probably wanted to abolish it, but decided that he'd have a hard enough time remembering only 3 departments he'd want to abolish.