What does a BIDEN Presidency look like?

[The Brain]

I think all world leaders appreciate a Men In Tights reference.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I'm chiming in now.

It'll be hell on Earth.  Socialism. Leftism.  Communism.  SUpermarkets will be empty.  Long lines to get 15.00 dollar gas.

[Barrister]

I'm chiming in now.

It'll be hell on Earth.  Socialism. Leftism.  Communism.  SUpermarkets will be empty.  Long lines to get 15.00 dollar gas.

Dammit - why didn't you warn us before the election!

[Valmy]

I'm chiming in now.

It'll be hell on Earth.  Socialism. Leftism.  Communism.  SUpermarkets will be empty.  Long lines to get 15.00 dollar gas.

Everybody only moderately right of center is now a communist.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I'm chiming in now.

It'll be hell on Earth.  Socialism. Leftism.  Communism.  SUpermarkets will be empty.  Long lines to get 15.00 dollar gas.

Everybody only moderately right of center is now a communist.

Everyone not giving their money to the dear leader, and prepared to go on a violent rampage, is a traitor.

[Barrister]

Pete Buttigieg is to be named as Biden's Secretary of Transportation.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/15/biden-cabinet-pete-buttigieg-transportation-secretary-445515

I'd been waiting to see where he wound up.  Stories were he wanted UN Ambassador, but he really has no foreign policy experience.  There were stories he turned down VA Secretary (a notoriously badly run part of the government).  Ambassador to China was also floated, but not really a position that would raise his profile.

So, they settle on Transportation.  Buttigieg really has no meaningful Transportation expertise (South Bend Indiana had a fleet of 60 buses).  In the Westminster system where you're limited by who is in your caucus it isn't unusual for Ministers to have no real experience leading their departments, but it's more unusual in the US I think.

[Valmy]

Better than Ambassador to China I guess.

[Sheilbh]

I'd been waiting to see where he wound up.  Stories were he wanted UN Ambassador, but he really has no foreign policy experience.  There were stories he turned down VA Secretary (a notoriously badly run part of the government).  Ambassador to China was also floated, but not really a position that would raise his profile.

Well Ambassador to China would have meant fuck all really - I think Ambassador to Australia could have been an interesting and potentially more profile raising role depending on how it was managed. A major democracy so far fewer limits on what he can say, plus a country on the sort of "frontline" of US v China tensions and a regional leader where he'd be helping build/coordinate the alliance on a day to day basis.

So, they settle on Transportation.  Buttigieg really has no meaningful Transportation expertise (South Bend Indiana had a fleet of 60 buses).  In the Westminster system where you're limited by who is in your caucus it isn't unusual for Ministers to have no real experience leading their departments, but it's more unusual in the US I think.

Yes. But I don't see what difference it necessarily makes given that in the US you also have loads of basically partisan career civil servants to support the cabinet members. I feel like if he could credibly be President the fact he's not a wonk in x policy area shouldn't matter. I'm also not convinced appointing subject area officials helps - look at Obama's often wonky choices - what's more is credibility and closeness or not to the President - x policy expert who's been doing the rounds in Democrat think tanks strikes me as someone who'll be a less effective Secretary of whatever than someone who has politically helped Biden get elected/been a great surrogate and has a bit of capital.

[Maximus]

I thought foreign policy was considered his strong point.

[Barrister]

I thought foreign policy was considered his strong point.

He's a 38 year old former mayor of the 4th largest city in Indiana.  In the past he did a tour in Afghanistan and worked for McKinsey consulting.

Other than speaking multiple languages (I read 8) there's nothing that really shouts foreign policy as a strong suit.

[Valmy]

And none of those languages is Mandarin.

I am just glad Rahm Emmanuel did not end up at Transportation.

[Maximus]

I am just glad Rahm Emmanuel did not end up at Transportation.

Isn't that the truth.

[Sheilbh]

I've always quite liked Rahm Emanuel

[Barrister]

While I'm aware of who Rahm Emmanuel is, and that he was a former White House Chief of Staff for Obama and former Mayor of Chicago, what exactly is the knock against him?

[Eddie Teach]

That he was mayor of Chicago.