What does a BIDEN Presidency look like?

[The Brain]

I'm pretty sure Merrick is his given name.

I can only work with the clay the Lord has provided.

[Sheilbh]

Looking at the rumours/confirmed appointments by Biden and while I'm sure they're competent and will be good at their role (especially Yellen), it does really add to that feeling of American gerontocracy. So far John Kerry (76) has a climate role, proposed UN Ambassador is Linda Thomas-Greenfield (68), Janet Yellen for the Treasury (74).

There's Antony Blinken (only 58 - but that would make him the oldest member of the UK cabinet).

Obviously I've mentioned Pelosi etc before. But the thing with these executive positions that I wonder is, can't they be used to promote young talent (especially with similar politics to you)?

Also there's been loads of talk about the weakness of the upcoming Democrat bench - how much of that is there fault and how much is just people not getting out the way to let the young(er) generation come up?

[Tamas]

There's Antony Blinken (only 58 - but that would make him the oldest member of the UK cabinet).

And what a gathering of young statesmen that UK cabinet is! :p

[Sheilbh]

And what a gathering of young statesmen that UK cabinet is! :p

Comparatively - I just feel like in your late 60s-70s you should be moving into "party grandee" or "big beast" territory rather than actively running things.

I wonder if it's a cultural thing and similar in the corporate world - there are very few CEOs in that age bracket - they're mainly late 40s-50s.

But also it's just really important that you don't keep the seat warm for so long that there's no chance for other people to rise up.

[Eddie Teach]

On one hand, young people suck.

On the other, old people have sucked longer.

[Admiral Yi]

Corey Booker should get something.  Booty Judge should get something.

[The Larch]

Apparently the GSA administrator has finally ok'ed Biden's transition efforts.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Looking at the rumours/confirmed appointments by Biden and while I'm sure they're competent and will be good at their role (especially Yellen), it does really add to that feeling of American gerontocracy. So far John Kerry (76) has a climate role, proposed UN Ambassador is Linda Thomas-Greenfield (68), Janet Yellen for the Treasury (74).

There's Antony Blinken (only 58 - but that would make him the oldest member of the UK cabinet).

Obviously I've mentioned Pelosi etc before. But the thing with these executive positions that I wonder is, can't they be used to promote young talent (especially with similar politics to you)?

Also there's been loads of talk about the weakness of the upcoming Democrat bench - how much of that is there fault and how much is just people not getting out the way to let the young(er) generation come up?

Same reason many of our movie blockbusters are sequels and remakes: familiar characters and storylines so it's considered a lower risk.

[The Brain]

How common are antediluvians in top jobs in other kinds of organizations in the US? Like major corporations?

[Valmy]

Andrew Yang for Secretary of Commerce.

[Valmy]

How common are antediluvians in top jobs in other kinds of organizations in the US? Like major corporations?

Very common in the olde thyme industries. Tech has broken that recently but some day Bezos and all them will be old and still probably CEOs.

[Admiral Yi]

Andrew Yang for Secretary of Commerce.

Commerce doesn't do anything.  All the cool parts of the job got sucked out by the Trade Rep.

Well, they do stuff like weather forecasts, but the Secretary himself has a lot of time to kill.

[viper37]

And what a gathering of young statesmen that UK cabinet is! :p

Comparatively - I just feel like in your late 60s-70s you should be moving into "party grandee" or "big beast" territory rather than actively running things.

I wonder if it's a cultural thing and similar in the corporate world - there are very few CEOs in that age bracket - they're mainly late 40s-50s.

But also it's just really important that you don't keep the seat warm for so long that there's no chance for other people to rise up.

I think, usually, the average cabinet member of a US administration lasts longer than in a British parliamentary system.  In our system, we can have junior ministers, either in terms of portfolio or age, and if they screw up, they can get thrown to the wolves.  In the US, it's usually the fault of the President since he did picked them himself, not through the hazardous election process and generally, he's stuck with them for the ride, bar something really important, where as our opposition parties ask for a minister dismissal every week or so.

I guess it's more important to them to avoid risks caused by inexperience.

[Valmy]

Andrew Yang for Secretary of Commerce.

Commerce doesn't do anything.  All the cool parts of the job got sucked out by the Trade Rep.

Well, they do stuff like weather forecasts, but the Secretary himself has a lot of time to kill.

Which is probably why he is considered a front runner

But Yang had ideas about better economic metrics to measure the health of the economy, maybe he can do some of that in Commerce I don't know. But him being in the cabinet at all would be a big win so I am hoping this rumor turns out to be true.

[Sheilbh]

I think, usually, the average cabinet member of a US administration lasts longer than in a British parliamentary system.  In our system, we can have junior ministers, either in terms of portfolio or age, and if they screw up, they can get thrown to the wolves.  In the US, it's usually the fault of the President since he did picked them himself, not through the hazardous election process and generally, he's stuck with them for the ride, bar something really important, where as our opposition parties ask for a minister dismissal every week or so.

I guess it's more important to them to avoid risks caused by inexperience.

I get that - the UK system is far more political. Although here I don't think firing a junior minister would ever satisfy the press - if it's not a cabinet minister, it's not a real scandal.

It just seems like possibly Biden especially should be using this to promote younger talent/give them a chance rather than people from his generation (and should be promoting young figures on his wing of the party). But also I know people have commented on the lack of depth/underwhelming candidates in the Democrats but if so many senior positions are taken up by people in their 70s that might be part of the problem in the modern age.