Airliners.net

This is great news. He'll do a phenomenal job and fix some of the most immediate needs in this country!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics ... index.html

IrishAyes wrote:

This is great news. He'll do a phenomenal job and fix some of the most immediate needs in this country!

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics ... index.html

Long distance travel in the US is the issue IMO.
If they have trillions to spend on an epidemic, surely they can build a Maglev network?
A central horizontal Transcon plus 3 vertical corridors would cost them less than a trillion and provide jobs, continued revenue and a lot of added value.
A train every 15 minutes, green domestically produced energy, more comfort at similar speeds (600km/h) as flights, higher reliability, much lower operating costs.

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government?

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Zeppi wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government?

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Precisely. It’s similar to CEO’s running companies that may not have too much in common with their previous company. However, this is in substance and what I believe matters are management and team-building skills.

SL1200MK2 wrote:

Zeppi wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government?

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Precisely. It’s similar to CEO’s running companies that may not have too much in common with their previous company. However, this is in substance and what I believe matters are management and team-building skills.

Hopefully Buttigieg lives up to that. One can only hope his mayoral experience has prepared him for a strong leadership role. Either way, we haven't seen the last of him. He reminds me a lot of Nikki Haley in that both are shrewd operatives, who don't seem to lose their cool and know an opportunity when they see one.

I would have preferred a person with government and transportation related experiences.

SL1200MK2 wrote:

Zeppi wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government?

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Precisely. It’s similar to CEO’s running companies that may not have too much in common with their previous company. However, this is in substance and what I believe matters are management and team-building skills.

Okay, what experience does he bring in judging the right people for transportation work that involves engineering other than their political affiliation and having the “correct” positions? Another man to push government waste to Democratic lobbyists, I’d guess.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/12/15/politics ... index.html

Add that all up, and the transportation secretary job makes perfect sense for Buttigieg as he seeks to build out and burnish a resume for a future national bid.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pete_Buttigieg

Buttigieg is a graduate of Harvard College and Oxford University, attending the latter on a Rhodes Scholarship. He was a consultant at the management consulting firm McKinsey from 2007 to 2010.[7] From 2009 to 2017, he was an intelligence officer in the United States Navy Reserve, attaining the rank of lieutenant. He was mobilized and deployed to Afghanistan for seven months in 2014.[8]

Did two terms as a mayor of a prominent town in the midwest, and has expertise in leadership, and medium town infrastructure that he can bring to the federal level.


I expect him to do more than the nobody that is currently the running joke of transportation secretary in the eternal infrastructure week of the Trump administration.

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

You can be negative all you want about it, he has leadership, education, speaks well, and listens to all the options. Much better than ALL of Trump's cabinet.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

Hell, I'm more qualified in that role than he is and I'm not qualified.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Man you guys have a short memory. Buttigieg is no 'reward to progressives' - he was opposed by that wing of the party because of his McKinsey background. Too many corporate friends and you're anathema to them.

Flaps wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

Hell, I'm more qualified in that role than he is and I'm not qualified.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

What qualifications does Ben Carson have to run HUD ? Andrew R. Wheeler to run the EPA ? The list goes on and this happens for all administrations.

What I can tell you is the man managed to turn around a dying city, he's a democrat and gay in Indiana and got reelected with over 80% of the vote.

Please feel free to put your personal political interests before country, but in this case, I have a feeling you will not look good.

luckyone wrote:

SL1200MK2 wrote:

Zeppi wrote:

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Precisely. It’s similar to CEO’s running companies that may not have too much in common with their previous company. However, this is in substance and what I believe matters are management and team-building skills.

Hopefully Buttigieg lives up to that. One can only hope his mayoral experience has prepared him for a strong leadership role. Either way, we haven't seen the last of him. He reminds me a lot of Nikki Haley in that both are shrewd operatives, who don't seem to lose their cool and know an opportunity when they see one.

I think it has the potential. Although I'm not sure about the comparison to Nikki Haley. Agree to disagree on that one.

Aaron747 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Man you guys have a short memory. Buttigieg is no 'reward to progressives' - he was opposed by that wing of the party because of his McKinsey background. Too many corporate friends and you're anathema to them.

A bit of a dated view, to be honest. Things are changing and he is a millennial, after all, which has strongly veered startup/tech/grassroots organizations that have honestly helped change the outcome of some very important elections. Their ethos tend to be very anti-corporate America.

Also, remember that your affiliations with organizations for prolonged periods of your life do not define, nor directly affect, one's visionary leadership capabilities and contacts. Those are refined over time. It's a blend of many backgrounds (Ivy League, Rhodes Scholar, Army, McK, among others). I'd recommend reading his book, "Shortest Way Home" that does a really good job expounding on that theory.

IrishAyes wrote:

luckyone wrote:

SL1200MK2 wrote:

Precisely. It’s similar to CEO’s running companies that may not have too much in common with their previous company. However, this is in substance and what I believe matters are management and team-building skills.

Hopefully Buttigieg lives up to that. One can only hope his mayoral experience has prepared him for a strong leadership role. Either way, we haven't seen the last of him. He reminds me a lot of Nikki Haley in that both are shrewd operatives, who don't seem to lose their cool and know an opportunity when they see one.

I think it has the potential. Although I'm not sure about the comparison to Nikki Haley. Agree to disagree on that one.

Hopefully for all our sakes it’s effective. Yeah we can disagree. I just watch them both and I see a lot of similarities. They’re both cool heads, pretty much unflappable. They both have good political timing — Haley bailed on the Trump administration before the 2018 midterms and has pretty much kept her distance after getting a pretty line on her resume.

Aaron747 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Man you guys have a short memory. Buttigieg is no 'reward to progressives' - he was opposed by that wing of the party because of his McKinsey background. Too many corporate friends and you're anathema to them.

Indeed. He’s a centrist. And actually he would be the second LGBT cabinet officer, though he would be the first to be confirmed by the Senate. As short as his Navy career may be (a total of 8 years from the time he enlisted in the Reserve), its longer than the military careers of the past four presidents.

jetwet1 wrote:

Flaps wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

Hell, I'm more qualified in that role than he is and I'm not qualified.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

What qualifications does Ben Carson have to run HUD ? Andrew R. Wheeler to run the EPA ? The list goes on and this happens for all administrations.

What I can tell you is the man managed to turn around a dying city, he's a democrat and gay in Indiana and got reelected with over 80% of the vote.

Please feel free to put your personal political interests before country, but in this case, I have a feeling you will not look good.

Don’t forget ol’ Betsy for education. That was a real doozy.

ltbewr wrote:

I would have preferred a person with government and transportation related experiences.

Just like with Granholm who IIRC is a lawyer by trade with little to no energy background but when you are an activist you don't need any experience. Pretty scary stuff. Granholm is just like Warrren, she totally scares me when she talks.

It's really not a surprise. The Fringe left is behaving exactly like I thought.

NIKV69 wrote:

ltbewr wrote:

I would have preferred a person with government and transportation related experiences.

Just like with Granholm who IIRC is a lawyer by trade with little to no energy background but when you are an activist you don't need any experience. Pretty scary stuff. Granholm is just like Warrren, she totally scares me when she talks.

It's really not a surprise. The Fringe left is behaving exactly like I thought.

Fringe left? How is he fringe left? Biden’ now fringe left? Far from it. Is the heat in Bangkok messing with you?

NIKV69 wrote:

ltbewr wrote:

I would have preferred a person with government and transportation related experiences.

Just like with Granholm who IIRC is a lawyer by trade with little to no energy background but when you are an activist you don't need any experience. Pretty scary stuff. Granholm is just like Warrren, she totally scares me when she talks.

Not that you would ever let facts get in the way of your diatribes, but just for reference:

"According to her official bio, while serving as governor, Granholm worked to diversify Michigan's economy, which had been largely based on auto manufacturing, including by growing the state's alternative energy sector."


https://thehill.com/policy/energy-envir ... -as-energy

NIKV69 wrote:

It's really not a surprise. The Fringe left is behaving exactly like I thought.

"It's not really a surprise. The Fringe right is commenting exactly like I thought."

There... I fixed it for you...

jetwet1 wrote:

Flaps wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

Hell, I'm more qualified in that role than he is and I'm not qualified.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

What qualifications does Ben Carson have to run HUD ? Andrew R. Wheeler to run the EPA ? The list goes on and this happens for all administrations.

Or a more direct comparison, what was Elaine Chao's qualifications to run the DOT besides being Mitch's mail order bride?

IrishAyes wrote:

Aaron747 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Man you guys have a short memory. Buttigieg is no 'reward to progressives' - he was opposed by that wing of the party because of his McKinsey background. Too many corporate friends and you're anathema to them.

A bit of a dated view, to be honest. Things are changing and he is a millennial, after all, which has strongly veered startup/tech/grassroots organizations that have honestly helped change the outcome of some very important elections. Their ethos tend to be very anti-corporate America.

Also, remember that your affiliations with organizations for prolonged periods of your life do not define, nor directly affect, one's visionary leadership capabilities and contacts. Those are refined over time. It's a blend of many backgrounds (Ivy League, Rhodes Scholar, Army, McK, among others). I'd recommend reading his book, "Shortest Way Home" that does a really good job expounding on that theory.

I think Pete is more progressive than how he chose to run earlier this year. I think he saw that Warren and Sanders were vacuuming up all the far left support and thought that his path to the Presidency was closer to the center. He made a deliberate choice to run as a moderate, but my gut says that had he won the election, he would have governed far more liberally.

bgm wrote:

NIKV69 wrote:

ltbewr wrote:

I would have preferred a person with government and transportation related experiences.

Just like with Granholm who IIRC is a lawyer by trade with little to no energy background but when you are an activist you don't need any experience. Pretty scary stuff. Granholm is just like Warrren, she totally scares me when she talks.

It's really not a surprise. The Fringe left is behaving exactly like I thought.

Fringe left? How is he fringe left? Biden’ now fringe left? Far from it. Is the heat in Bangkok messing with you?

Biden isn't making the decisions. Not even close.

Zeppi wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government?

That's largely irrelevant if you are preapared to employ the right people with the necessary brainpower, vision and science affiliation to work the problem. You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.
Did Musk have any experience building rockets or EV's?
Heck, did the US have experience with rockets 60 years ago? No, but smart people hired even smarter people to do the job!

I see this as a huge chance for the US, certainly better than more old white men who may have experience operating steam locomotives...

Last time I checked the transportation secretary of Trump's cabinet didn't match your description

If he makes serious effort to turn around the skeletal passenger rail network in this country then great. If he just tosses a few bones to Amtrak like some fancy maps showing a transcontinental high speed railway and some new locomotives then I guess we'll be stuck with the status quo for at least 4 more years.

Zeppi wrote:

You know, the opposite of Trump and his ilk.

Steve Dickson, the current FAA administrator, has no relevant experience to lead it?
While the Trump administration isn't the best example (probably the worst), there are exceptions.
For the record, Pete's nomination is ridiculous (and I voted for Biden).
It is 100% about elevating Pete's standing in the party. Nothing else.
Out of a 300+ million country population, this is the best person for the job?
Doubt it.

NIKV69 wrote:

Granholm is just like Warrren, she totally scares me when she talks.

Poor little snowflake.

Knowing what I do about all the airline CEOs I have a hunch Ed Bastian is the only one who doesn’t have a problem with this move. Ultimately he’s had Delta on a carbon footprint reductive for awhile now likely know that it was inevitable once political control flipped that some sort of regulations would get slapped on the airlines. Buttigieg being as far left as he is I think makes this much more likely now

Cabinet officials need to have experience in being in leadership positions of large private or government organizations. Pete Buttigieg has only been the mayor of a relatively small city, at least Grnaholm was the Governor of a substantial sized state (Michigan) who had to deal with 100k + employees, Of course many will say we have had Presidents who were Governors too, but others like Trump and Obama who had little or no government experience or only led small organizations.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

That's not important. Didn't you read the OP's comment? "This is great news, and he'll do a phenomenal job!!!"

Redd wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

That's not important.

And it isn´t. How many CEO take jobs, and do it very well, with no previous experience in the industry, or even any education relating to that industry? Plenty.

And quite frankly, whomever even expressed once that Trump could do the job of POTUS, even if they didn´t voted for him, doesn´t even get to raise that point. No government experience, no applicable business experience, no experience running more than a organisational small family business, and as far as we can tell never a success business either.....

Heck, Buttigieg is even a more successful real estate guy than Trump https://southbendin.gov/initiative/vaca ... roperties/
So... for Republicans he is unquestionably qualified even for President, at least if they are consistent.

best regards
Thomas

tommy1808 wrote:

Redd wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

That's not important.

And it isn´t. How many CEO take jobs, and do it very well, with no previous experience in the industry, or even any education relating to that industry? Plenty.

I suggest waiting to see how he does before we award him the Nobel Prize.....Crazy idea, I know, but participation trophies don't mean all that much in the grown-up world.[/quote]

tommy1808 wrote:

Heck, Buttigieg is even a more successful real estate guy than Trump https://southbendin.gov/initiative/vaca ... roperties/
So... for Republicans he is unquestionably qualified even for President, at least if they are consistent.

best regards
Thomas

I don't think you understand how success is measured in real estate.

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead. I think too many of us have forgotten that pretty much all politicians are crooked and power hungry parasites.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Political right: Identity politics are the worst!
Also the political right: Hold my beer while I dismiss and trivialize this person's achievements and record, and minimize their existence to a singular part of their identity.

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead. I think too many of us have forgotten that pretty much all politicians are crooked and power hungry parasites.

Couldn't agree so much.

IN any case Mayor Pete has one thing, is very very smart.

To think you can be a mayor of a small city of 100,000, to become front runner for President with the Democrats, to later become Transportation secretary. Is quite an amazing feat. All of this done so quickly, you gotta believe the man is very smart, to accomplish these things.

The same can be said of Kamala, who is one heartbeat from becoming president.

AirWorthy99 wrote:

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead. I think too many of us have forgotten that pretty much all politicians are crooked and power hungry parasites.

Couldn't agree so much.

IN any case Mayor Pete has one thing, is very very smart.

To think you can be a mayor of a small city of 100,000, to become front runner for President with the Democrats, to later become Transportation secretary. Is quite an amazing feat. All of this done so quickly, you gotta believe the man is very smart, to accomplish these things.

The same can be said of Kamala, who is one heartbeat from becoming president.

And yet Republicans still worship a cult leader that despite inheriting millions, failed to match the stock market in income growth, and went bankrupt multiple times in business.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

And yet still more qualified than 99% of the boot lickers in the Trump administration

skyservice_330 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Political right: Identity politics are the worst!
Also the political right: Hold my beer while I dismiss and trivialize this person's achievements and record, and minimize their existence to a singular part of their identity.

...the Muslim/Transgender bans were definitely not identity politcs

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead.

Sure, but the current administration is the antithesis of merit. In fact you'd need a dowsing rod and an electron microscope to find anyone with merit, not just for their government position but in their professional lives before joining the administration.

MaverickM11 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

And yet still more qualified than 99% of the boot lickers in the Trump administration

skyservice_330 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Political right: Identity politics are the worst!
Also the political right: Hold my beer while I dismiss and trivialize this person's achievements and record, and minimize their existence to a singular part of their identity.

...the Muslim/Transgender bans were definitely not identity politcs

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead.

Sure, but the current administration is the antithesis of merit. In fact you'd need a dowsing rod and an electron microscope to find anyone with merit, not just for their government position but in their professional lives before joining the administration.

And that’s even before getting to the campaign legal team and their ‘fraud’ witnesses with all kinds of falsified credentials and resume padding.

MaverickM11 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

And yet still more qualified than 99% of the boot lickers in the Trump administration

skyservice_330 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

Political right: Identity politics are the worst!
Also the political right: Hold my beer while I dismiss and trivialize this person's achievements and record, and minimize their existence to a singular part of their identity.

...the Muslim/Transgender bans were definitely not identity politcs

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead.

Sure, but the current administration is the antithesis of merit. In fact you'd need a dowsing rod and an electron microscope to find anyone with merit, not just for their government position but in their professional lives before joining the administration.

Who says we aren't judging him on his merit? The guy is smart and articulate. He is a democrat with arguably the best showing in the primary outside of Biden and Bernie who went on to endorse the winner and currently has no job. That doesn't seem like someone that would be out of the ordinary for a cabinet position.

cledaybuck wrote:

MaverickM11 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume. Oh and mayor of the 305th largest city. His main strength is being LGBT, a first for a cabinet officer and reward to the progressives.

And yet still more qualified than 99% of the boot lickers in the Trump administration

skyservice_330 wrote:

Political right: Identity politics are the worst!
Also the political right: Hold my beer while I dismiss and trivialize this person's achievements and record, and minimize their existence to a singular part of their identity.

...the Muslim/Transgender bans were definitely not identity politcs

Redd wrote:

Personally I really like Pete Buttigieg, but we have to stop bravoing these politicians for being black/gay/latino(a)/possessing a vagina/, and judge them on their merit instead.

Sure, but the current administration is the antithesis of merit. In fact you'd need a dowsing rod and an electron microscope to find anyone with merit, not just for their government position but in their professional lives before joining the administration.

Who says we aren't judging him on his merit? The guy is smart and articulate. He is a democrat with arguably the best showing in the primary outside of Biden and Bernie who went on to endorse the winner and currently has no job. That doesn't seem like someone that would be out of the ordinary for a cabinet position.

Listen: literate, not a white supremacist, no history of defrauding people, and not hell bent on destroying the department he's in charge of is a mitzvah and more merit than anyone in the Trump admin

To be honest I've found some of Biden's cabinet choices to be odd.

I have zero doubt in Buttigieg's intelligence or ability, but DOT wasn't a post anyone had him penciled for. Like many cabinet secretaries, he will have to rely on the career bureaucrats just below the appointed leaders to get him up to speed in the first couple months. I'm not sure what to make of it in the sense that I don't know what direction Biden is wanting to take the department and how Buttigieg fits that vision.

Granholm to Energy strikes me as another unusual choice. I understand she has been a clean energy proponent and that's likely why Biden selected her, but an at least minimal familiarity with oil and gas is usually desired since regulating that industry is a huge part of the job. Again, sort of out of left field and will need time to get up to speed but I think I can see what Biden wants with her selection.

Becerra for HHS was also a surprise. All I can figure is that Becerra has been aggressive as California Attorney General in pursuing legal cases against big health companies to try and reduce costs and Biden wants to pursue a similar strategy. I doubt it's a coincidence that 60 minutes ran that piece about him going after Sutter Health for building a monopoly in Northern California right as he was selected by Biden.

Department of the Interior sure turned ugly. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham was offered the job and turned it down. She wanted HHS since that's her background, but Interior was particularly problematic since three other New Mexicans are in the running for the job and that meant political infighting. Rep. Deb Haaland has been pushed hard by Native American groups since she'd be not only the first Native American cabinet secretary, but has been vocal on the tribal rights issues that Interior has sway over, and Haaland clearly wants the job. Senators Udall (retiring) and Heinrich (not retiring) are also on the list of potential nominees. Lujan Grisham taking the role is politically problematic in New Mexico and the Biden team threw that hot potato in her lap when they offered the job and word leaked.

MaverickM11 wrote:

cledaybuck wrote:

MaverickM11 wrote:

And yet still more qualified than 99% of the boot lickers in the Trump administration


...the Muslim/Transgender bans were definitely not identity politcs


Sure, but the current administration is the antithesis of merit. In fact you'd need a dowsing rod and an electron microscope to find anyone with merit, not just for their government position but in their professional lives before joining the administration.

Who says we aren't judging him on his merit? The guy is smart and articulate. He is a democrat with arguably the best showing in the primary outside of Biden and Bernie who went on to endorse the winner and currently has no job. That doesn't seem like someone that would be out of the ordinary for a cabinet position.

Listen: literate, not a white supremacist, no history of defrauding people, and not hell bent on destroying the department he's in charge of is a mitzvah and more merit than anyone in the Trump admin

Exactly. For Trump, being grossly unqualified *IS* the perfect qualification for the position.

Meanwhile, Betsy is rallying her education peeps to 'be the resistance' with the new administration. Little does the tone deaf old bat realize that they've been the resistance for the past 4 years.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urged career employees at the Education Department on Tuesday to “be the resistance” when the Biden administration comes into power next month, according to a recording of her remarks obtained by POLITICO.

During a department-wide virtual meeting to discuss the shift to the new administration, DeVos acknowledged that most of the agency’s thousands of career employees “will be here through the coming transition and beyond.”

“Let me leave you with this plea: Resist,” DeVos said. “Be the resistance against forces that will derail you from doing what’s right for students. In everything you do, please put students first — always.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/1 ... ent-445900

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

After the past four years, does that really matter? Oh, that's right: Democrats MUST be held to an impossibly high standard.....

bgm wrote:

MaverickM11 wrote:

cledaybuck wrote:

Who says we aren't judging him on his merit? The guy is smart and articulate. He is a democrat with arguably the best showing in the primary outside of Biden and Bernie who went on to endorse the winner and currently has no job. That doesn't seem like someone that would be out of the ordinary for a cabinet position.

Listen: literate, not a white supremacist, no history of defrauding people, and not hell bent on destroying the department he's in charge of is a mitzvah and more merit than anyone in the Trump admin

Exactly. For Trump, being grossly unqualified *IS* the perfect qualification for the position.

Meanwhile, Betsy is rallying her education peeps to 'be the resistance' with the new administration. Little does the tone deaf old bat realize that they've been the resistance for the past 4 years.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos urged career employees at the Education Department on Tuesday to “be the resistance” when the Biden administration comes into power next month, according to a recording of her remarks obtained by POLITICO.

During a department-wide virtual meeting to discuss the shift to the new administration, DeVos acknowledged that most of the agency’s thousands of career employees “will be here through the coming transition and beyond.”

“Let me leave you with this plea: Resist,” DeVos said. “Be the resistance against forces that will derail you from doing what’s right for students. In everything you do, please put students first — always.”

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/1 ... ent-445900

Her “resistance” will crowd surf her out the door into a dumpster where she and her extended family belong

Chao is anything but a “mail order bride”. Let’s see, Mt Holyoke BA, check. Harvard MBA, check. Prior Deputy Sec of Transport, check. Prior Secretary of Labor, check. Director of Peace Corps, check. I think you can agree she has much better chops than one Pete, Mayor of minor city with 60 buses.

seb146 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

After the past four years, does that really matter? Oh, that's right: Democrats MUST be held to an impossibly high standard.....

I’d get rid of the department except for the safety regulation parts), along with Labor (like the next a sop to Union power which is now gone due to lack of interest), Education (sop to teachers unions, scores have been worse ever since its formation) , Energy (show me one BTU this waste has created), Ag (3%of population in Ag), Commerce(what do they really do other than predict the weather which any number of media outlets can screw up just as badly). So, I guess being competent is not necessary.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Chao is anything but a “mail order bride”. Let’s see, Mt Holyoke BA, check. Harvard MBA, check. Prior Deputy Sec of Transport, check. Prior Secretary of Labor, check. Director of Peace Corps, check. I think you can agree she has much better chops than one Pete, Mayor of minor city with 60 buses.

She's also 30 years older than Pete, whose education resume is just as strong. Her background otherwise is also shady as sh!t, but her connection to Mitch means she's above any consequences. Mitch is "married to China", according to Trump's premier election lawyer Sidney Powell

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

seb146 wrote:

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

And what transportation or infrastructure experience does he bring to government? None that I read in the link.

After the past four years, does that really matter? Oh, that's right: Democrats MUST be held to an impossibly high standard.....

I’d get rid of the department except for the safety regulation parts), along with Labor (like the next a sop to Union power which is now gone due to lack of interest), Education (sop to teachers unions, scores have been worse ever since its formation) , Energy (show me one BTU this waste has created), Ag (3%of population in Ag), Commerce(what do they really do other than predict the weather which any number of media outlets can screw up just as badly). So, I guess being competent is not necessary.

But you didn't answer the question. I get that Republicans demand government be made smaller when they are not in control of it but we had four years of Republicans being in government that have no business being in government.

I would argue that both DeVos and Ben Carson are perfect examples of what happens when we get rid of different cabinet departments. They have done little to nothing but treat special interests and not those of the American people.

The real reason the right doesn’t like Pete is because they see him as a future threat and don’t want him to get experience to add to his resume that he may be currently lacking.

He’s a good dude and got good political aspirations ahead but this appointment is a bit of a head-scratcher. Don’t get me wrong I am fully supportive of him getting something in the Biden administration but this position he seems a bit underqualified.

On the other hand Granholm, ugh. She was a terrible governor in MIchigan and she left the state one hot minute after leaving office and never looked back. She was gunning for a position in the Obama administration but got overlooked. This appointment looks like a political favor or quid pro quo.

GalaxyFlyer wrote:

Right schools, mgt consultant (no ability there) and short Navy career seeking to burnish his resume..

I would never vote for someone just because they were a veteran. That's how you get guys like Randy Cunningham and Duncan Hunter. On the other hand I never be dismissive of their service by saying things like they joined to pad their resume. Especially if I did not have evidence of it.