Your cabinet

[Free Palestine]

Suppose you were made head of state/head of government of your country (president, prime minister, whatever).  Who would you select for your cabinet?  You're allowed to shift the departments, as well

I can never really make an exact list, but some ideas:

Make Jimmy Carter Secretary of State if he's up for it.

Appoint Norman Finkelstein to the position of UN Ambassador.

Eliminate the Department of Homeland Security.  Eliminate the Department of the Interior, with most of it's functions transferred to a new cabinet-level version of the EPA, with Indian affairs transferred to a new Department of Equality and Civil Rights.  The first Secretary of Equality and Civil Rights will be Angela Davis.

I'd like for the cabinet to be half-female.

I have no idea, for the other positions.

[Oldiesfreak1854]

This would be my "short list":

Secretary of State: John Bolton or Alan Keyes (R-MD)
Secretary of Treasury: Herman Cain (R-GA)
Secretary of Defense: David Petraeus
Attorney General: Chris Christie (R-NJ) or Patrick Fitzgerald (IL)
Secretary of Interior: Bill Owens (R-CO), Conrad Burns (R-MT), Jim Geringer (R,WY), Jon Huntsman (R-UT), or Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Secretary of Agriculture: Probably Terry Branstad (R-IA), or possibly Jim Edgar (R-IL), but he'd be a long shot for it.
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), or maybe Lee Iacocca, Mel Martinez (R-FL), or Arne Carlson (R-MN)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Possibly Jeb Bush (R-FL), although his last name and family ties make me think twice about him.  Maybe Bobby Jindal (R-LA) or Haley Barbour (R-MS) instead.
Secretary of Transportation: Lee Iacocca, if he doesn't get Secretary of Commerce and Labor, or maybe Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Secretary of Energy: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: John Sununu the elder (R-NH), or maybe Judd Gregg (R-NH).
Secretary of Education: Scott Walker (R-WI), Mitch Daniels (R-IN), or possibly John Sununu the elder (R-NH) if he doesn't get HHS.
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Joe Lieberman (D-CT), or maybe Al D'Amato (R-NY)or Jan Brewer (R-AZ) as long-shot candidates.

Some of these could be rotated based on qualifications for each position, and if I were reelected I might choose some of those that didn't get it in my second term (assuming I were President and not a head of state/government in another country.)
 

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Cabinet level.
Secretary of State: Ron Paul
Secretary of the Treasury: Peter Schiff
Secretary of Defense: Michael Scheuer
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
Secretary of Transportation: Rick Perry
Secretary of Transparency: John Perkins*

Sub-cabinet**.
Secretary of Indian Affairs: Russell Means
Secretary of Healthcare Affairs: Rand Paul
Secretary of Commerce: Jon Huntsman

*This Department will be given the task of reviewing ALL information for the remaining Departments, and publishing what needs to be published, and keeping secrets (like the nuclear football, etc) secret.
 **These are Departments that will be temporarily created to replace the abolished Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, HUD, Energy, HHS, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security departments. They will have a time limit that will end as soon possible. Their jobs will mainly be devolving their powers to the states.

[Modernity has failed us]

Vice President: Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Secretary of State: Chris Coons (D-DE)
Secretary of Treasury: Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Secretary of Defense: Scott Brown (R-MA)
Attorney General: Chris Christie (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Secretary of Agriculture: Terry Branstad (R-IA)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Secretary of Energy: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Secretary of Education: Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Vice President: Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Secretary of State: Chris Coons (D-DE)
Secretary of Treasury: Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Secretary of Defense: Scott Brown (R-MA)
Attorney General: Chris Christie (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Secretary of Agriculture: Terry Branstad (D-IA)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Secretary of Energy: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Secretary of Education: Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

You better just be trolling with that appointment. The man abandons his job, costs his district thousands of dollars, tries to strike a deal to get a TV show based on his exploits, and make an utter fool of himself.

[muon2]

Cabinet level.
Secretary of State: Ron Paul
Secretary of the Treasury: Peter Schiff
Secretary of Defense: Michael Scheuer
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
Secretary of Transportation: Rick Perry
Secretary of Transparency: John Perkins*

Sub-cabinet**.
Secretary of Indian Affairs: Russell Means
Secretary of Healthcare Affairs: Rand Paul
Secretary of Commerce: Jon Huntsman

*This Department will be given the task of reviewing ALL information for the remaining Departments, and publishing what needs to be published, and keeping secrets (like the nuclear football, etc) secret.
 **These are Departments that will be temporarily created to replace the abolished Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, HUD, Energy, HHS, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security departments. They will have a time limit that will end as soon possible. Their jobs will mainly be devolving their powers to the states.

Perhaps not quite. Commerce has at least one function that cannot be devolved. The Census is a required task of the federal government under the Constitution. As for many of the others the states will not be pleased to get a bunch of entitlement programs without a means to pay.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Cabinet level.
Secretary of State: Ron Paul
Secretary of the Treasury: Peter Schiff
Secretary of Defense: Michael Scheuer
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
Secretary of Transportation: Rick Perry
Secretary of Transparency: John Perkins*

Sub-cabinet**.
Secretary of Indian Affairs: Russell Means
Secretary of Healthcare Affairs: Rand Paul
Secretary of Commerce: Jon Huntsman

*This Department will be given the task of reviewing ALL information for the remaining Departments, and publishing what needs to be published, and keeping secrets (like the nuclear football, etc) secret.
 **These are Departments that will be temporarily created to replace the abolished Interior, Agriculture, Commerce, HUD, Energy, HHS, Education, Veterans Affairs, and Homeland Security departments. They will have a time limit that will end as soon possible. Their jobs will mainly be devolving their powers to the states.

Perhaps not quite. Commerce has at least one function that cannot be devolved. The Census is a required task of the federal government under the Constitution. As for many of the others the states will not be pleased to get a bunch of entitlement programs without a means to pay.

I'd give the census to the Transparency Secretary. Overall, this list is fantasy, not realistic. A realistic list of mine is around here somewhere in another thread, but it was very close to 20RP12's.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Secretary of Defense: Scott Brown (R-MA)

Thanks for the free seat!

[SPC]

Ideally, abolish all of them; but until that point is reached, I'll budge:

State: Ron Paul
Treasury: Jim Rogers
Defense: Ray McGovern
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano
Interior: Russell Means
Agriculture: Sally Morell
Commerce: Dominick Armentano
Labor: Mark Mix
Health and Human Services: Joseph Mercola
Housing and Urban Development: David D. Friedman
Transportation: Walter Block
Energy: Christopher Horner
Education: John Taylor Gatto
Veterans Affairs: Adam Kokesh
Homeland Security: Art Carden

[RI]

Some mix of top Keynesian (though not exclusively) economists; top researchers, professors, and engineers; some socially conservative Democrats; and perhaps a couple activist theologian types. As for who specifically, I have no idea. Probably not many politicians.

[Modernity has failed us]

You better just be trolling with that appointment. The man abandons his job, costs his district thousands of dollars, tries to strike a deal to get a TV show based on his exploits, and make an utter fool of himself.

Yeah wasn't really thinking straight

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Vice President: Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Secretary of State: Chris Coons (D-DE)
Secretary of Treasury: Mike Fitzpatrick (R-PA)
Secretary of Defense: Scott Brown (R-MA)
Attorney General: Chris Christie (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Secretary of Agriculture: Terry Branstad (D-IA)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Bobby Jindal (R-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Tim Pawlenty (R-MN)
Secretary of Energy: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Paul Ryan (R-WI)
Secretary of Education: Rick Santorum (R-PA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Jan Brewer (R-AZ)

Terry Branstad's a Republican.  Why did you put a D by his name?

[Miles]

Vice President: Charlie Crist (D-FL)

Chief of Staff: Max Sandlin (D-TX)
Secretary of State: Jon Huntsman (R-UT)
Secretary of Treasury: Brad Miller (D-NC)
Secretary of Defense: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Attorney General: Dustin McDaniel (D-AR)
Secretary of Interior: Gene Taylor (D-MS)
Secretary of Agriculture: Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Elaine Marshall (D-NC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Mitch Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Secretary of Energy: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Phil Bredesen (D-TN)
Secretary of Education: Bob Etheridge (D-NC)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: Bob Kerrey (D-NE)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Susan Collins (R-ME)

[Oldiesfreak1854]

Vice President: Charlie Crist (D-FL)

Chief of Staff: Max Sandlin (D-TX)
Secretary of State: Jon Huntsman (R-UT)
Secretary of Treasury: Brad Miller (D-NC)
Secretary of Defense: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Attorney General: Dustin McDaniel (D-AR)
Secretary of Interior: Gene Taylor (D-MS)
Secretary of Agriculture: Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Elaine Marshall (D-NC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Mitch Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Secretary of Energy: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Phil Bredesen (D-TN)
Secretary of Education: Bob Etheridge (D-NC)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: Bob Kerrey (D-NE)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Susan Collins (R-ME)

Charlie Crist is an Independent.  I'm assuming you put a D by his name because he seems like much more of a Democrat now than a Republican.

[Modernity has failed us]

Terry Branstad's a Republican.  Why did you put a D by his name?

Whoopsie you're right!

[Miles]

Vice President: Charlie Crist (D-FL)

Chief of Staff: Max Sandlin (D-TX)
Secretary of State: Jon Huntsman (R-UT)
Secretary of Treasury: Brad Miller (D-NC)
Secretary of Defense: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Attorney General: Dustin McDaniel (D-AR)
Secretary of Interior: Gene Taylor (D-MS)
Secretary of Agriculture: Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)
Secretary of Commerce and Labor: Elaine Marshall (D-NC)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Mitch Landrieu (D-LA)
Secretary of Transportation: Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ)
Secretary of Energy: Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Phil Bredesen (D-TN)
Secretary of Education: Bob Etheridge (D-NC)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: Bob Kerrey (D-NE)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Susan Collins (R-ME)

Charlie Crist is an Independent.  I'm assuming you put a D by his name because he seems like much more of a Democrat now than a Republican.

Well, if he runs for office again, I doubt he'll go the Independent route again, and the Republicans certainly don't like him...

[Donerail]

Vice President: Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Chief of Staff: Walter B. Jones (R-NC)
Administrator of the EPA: Charlie Crist (I-FL)
Director of the OMB: Dave Freudenthal (D-WY)
Ambassador to the United Nations: John Baldacci (D-ME)
Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors: John Kitzhaber (D-OR)
Trade Representative: Justin Amash (R-MI)
Administrator of the Small Business Association: Jeff Flake (R-AZ)
Secretary of State: Bill Richardson (D-NM)
Secretary of Treasury: Ron Paul (R-TX)
Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Jon Tester (D-MT)
Secretary of Agriculture: Brian Schweitzer (D-MT)
Secretary of Commerce: Max Cleland (D-GA)
Secretary of Labor: John Lynch (D-NH)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Secretary of Transportation: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Secretary of Energy: Mike Gravel (L-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Rand Paul (R-KY)
Secretary of Education: William Weld (R-MA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Gary Johnson (L-NM)

2 Libertarians, 2 Pauls, and 3 appointees (Hagel, McCain, Cleland) designed to screw with Saxby Chambliss.

[CLARENCE 2015!]

Love it, SJoyceFla!!!

[FEMA Camp Administrator]

Vice President: Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Chief of Staff: Walter B. Jones (R-NC)
Secretary of State: Bill Richardson (D-NM)
Secretary of Treasury: Ron Paul (R-TX)
Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Jon Tester (D-MT)
Secretary of Agriculture: Brian Schweitzer (D-MT)
Secretary of Commerce: Max Cleland (D-GA)
Secretary of Labor: John Lynch (D-NH)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Secretary of Transportation: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Secretary of Energy: Mike Gravel (L-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Rand Paul (R-KY)
Secretary of Education: William Weld (R-MA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Gary Johnson (L-NM)

2 Libertarians, 2 Pauls, and 3 appointees (Hagel, McCain, Cleland) designed to screw with Saxby Chambliss.

This is a surprisingly solid cabinet for someone who thinks John Tyler was our second best President.

[Incipimus iterum]

Vice President: Bob Casey Jr(D-PA)
Chief of Staff: Harry Reid(D-NV)
Secretary of State: Jon Huntsman Jr (R-UT)
Secretary of Treasury: Kent Conrad (D-ND)
Secretary of Defense:  John Warner (R-Va)
Attorney General:Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)
Secretary of Interior: Jim Mathenson (D-UT)
Secretary of Agriculture: Ben Nelson (D-Neb)
Secretary of Commerce: Rick Snyder (R-MI)
Secretary of Labor: Tom Harkin (D-IA)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Bill Haslam (R-TN)
Secretary of Transportation: Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Secretary of Energy: Mike Simpson (R-ID)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Phil Bredesen (D-TN)
Secretary of Education: Kay Hagen (D-NC)
Secretary of Veterans Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
Ambassador to the UN: Richard Lugar (R-IN)

[Donerail]

Vice President: Russ Feingold (D-WI)
Chief of Staff: Walter B. Jones (R-NC)
Secretary of State: Bill Richardson (D-NM)
Secretary of Treasury: Ron Paul (R-TX)
Secretary of Defense: Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano (R-NJ)
Secretary of Interior: Jon Tester (D-MT)
Secretary of Agriculture: Brian Schweitzer (D-MT)
Secretary of Commerce: Max Cleland (D-GA)
Secretary of Labor: John Lynch (D-NH)
Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)
Secretary of Transportation: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Secretary of Energy: Mike Gravel (L-AK)
Secretary of Health and Human Services: Rand Paul (R-KY)
Secretary of Education: William Weld (R-MA)
Secretary of Veterans' Affairs: John McCain (R-AZ)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Gary Johnson (L-NM)

2 Libertarians, 2 Pauls, and 3 appointees (Hagel, McCain, Cleland) designed to screw with Saxby Chambliss.

This is a surprisingly solid cabinet for someone who thinks John Tyler was our second best President.

There are certain issues when appointing someone like John Tyler to your cabinet; they're the same issues I ran into when trying to appoint William Proxmire and Robert Taft.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

President: ChairmanSanchez (R-FL)

Vice President: Gary Johnson (L-NM)
 
Chief of Staff: James Carville (D-LA)

Secretary of State: Ron Paul (R-TX)

Secretary of the Treasury: Peter Schiff (R-CT)

Secretary of Defense: Michael Scheuer (R-VA)

Attorney General: Andrew Napolitano (R-NJ)

Secretary of the Interior: Michael Hill (LOS-AL)

Secretary of Agriculture: Rick Perry (R-TX)

Secretary of Commerce: Joseph Salerno (I-NY)

Secretary of Labor: Scott Walker (R-WI)

Secretary of Housing and Urban Development: Pat Buchanan (R-VA)

Secretary of Transportation: Walter Block (R-LA)

Secretary of Energy: Sarah Palin (R-AK)

Secretary of Education: Tom Woods (R-KS)

Secretary of Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland (D-GA)

Secretary of Homeland Security: Jesse Ventura (I-MN)

Michael Hill is the founder of the League of the South. Yes, I abandoned White Nationalism, but I still have, as Nathan put it, a strong case of neoconfederate nostalgia I think states rights is one of the most important elements in politics.

Jesse Ventura is the same as Alex Jones...with experience.

[Modernity has failed us]

Vice President: Bob Casey Jr (D-PA)
Chief of Staff: Harry Reid (D-NV)
Secretary of Homeland Security: Joe Lieberman (I-CT)

Chief of Staff: James Carville
Secretary of State: Ron Paul
Secretary of Agriculture: Rick Perry
Secretary of Labor: Scott Walker
Secretary of Homeland Security: Alex Jones

oy vey

[Donerail]

Secretary of the Interior: Michael Hill
Secretary of Agriculture: Rick Perry Mike Lee
Secretary of Labor: Scott Walker Nikki Haley
Secretary of Energy: Sarah Palin Rand Paul

Isn't Michael Hill a manufacturer of rings from New Zealand? And as for the other three, I fixed it with slightly more palatable options.

[TNF]

State: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
Treasury: Richard Cordray (D-OH)
Defense: Jim Webb (D-VA)
Justice: Jennifer Granholm (D-MI)
Interior: Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
Agriculture: Shirley Sherrod (D-GA)
Commerce: Arlene Holt Baker (D-CA)
Labor: Linda Chavez-Thompson (D-TX)
Health and Human Services: Andrew Stern (D-NJ)
Housing and Urban Development: Virg Bernero (D-MI)
Transportation: R.T. Rybak (D-MN)
Energy: Ed Rendell (D-PA)
Education: Diane Ravitch (D-TX)
Veterans Affairs: Max Cleland (D-GA)
Homeland Security: Erroll Southers (I-CA)

Vice President: Elizabeth Warren (D-MA)
Chief of Staff: David Bonoir (D-MI)