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by Tim_Skubick from Lansing

Last Post 7 days, 23 hours Ago


Is it About You?
Sep 3, 2008 | 4:27 PM
Category: Political
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It is time for John McCain and Barack Obama to practice what they preach.  Mr. McCain claims he is a maverick and Mr. Obama claims this election “is not about me, but about you.”  So prove it.  

They can do that by naming their key cabinet appointments before the election.  That includes secretary of state, attorney general, secretary of defense and even the chief of staff.

Given the performance of Donald Rumsfeld who ran rough shod over the military and dragged the country into the war in Iraq, voters have a right to know who will sit in that secretary of defense seat. 

The current administration has changed attorneys general so many times, it looks like Jim Leyland ranking pitchers left and right. That post is the top law enforcement officer in the country. It’s a disservice to the voters to keep the appointees secret. 

Even the chief of staff should be announced now.  Most folks don’t know this person controls the flow of info and can determine who is the last person to see the president before a critical decision is made.   

Just because this is the correct thing to do, does not mean they will do it.  Watch for their lame excuses: If they claim “It’s never been done before” that’s a dodge.  If they says they don’t have the time to decide, that doesn’t cut it either.  If they admit they won’t do it for fear it might cost them some votes, at least that would be an honest response. 

Reform two would also be groundbreaking. The two men should set aside half an hour a week to talk to each other.  No staff, no spouses, no anybody.  Just the two of them exchanging concerns on what they hear and see on the stump. It might lower the negative rhetoric from both camps if the guys at the top decided enough was enough. 

And in those private conversations they could agree to help each other on some of the false impressions out there.  

McCain is taking some heat for saying he doesn’t know much about the economy.  Be honest, who in the heck does?  But in a recent survey 55% of the voters said it was a major problem for them that he said it.  His remark was simplistic and does not take into account that McCain could select some great economic advisors to complement his weakness.  And while we are at it, the chief economic advisors for both men should be revealed in advance as well.   

Obama could come to McCain’s defense by saying, “Look it.  I will denounce those economic attacks if you’ll return the favor.  You know that my tax increase is not across the board even though your commercials leave that impression.  Just tell everyone, the tax hike is on those making over $250,000 a year.”

Yes all of this is very unorthodox and yes all the campaign advisors would say the two are crazy for adopting these changes.  But if McCain is such a maverick, and if Obama believes the election is about you, then they should just say, “Yes we can.  And yes we will.”

    

   

    

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Member Comments Total Comments: 8
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Zoot_Suit read my blog view my photos
Sep 6, 2008 | 12:54 AM

Tim,

First of all I listen to you and respect your intelligence and opinion; however, I disagree with you comment about us being "dragged" into a war in Iraq, we were not dragged, I feel we (Americans) voluntarily went (regardless of the official reason) to liberate (war CAN be justified for a humanitarian cause, I (USMC) went to Bosnia for the same purpose) an oppressed people and oust an insane mass murderer.

As far as changing staff; hey, sometimes you have to go through a few bad apples before you find a good one (many minds, even if they run consecutively, are still many times better than one).

Addressing whether candidates should announce the cabinet before hand; I feel, might unfairly change the election results as the elected would be a constant whereas the cabinet can be changed when necessary.

I do agree with your idea of the two CANDIDATES sitting down for half an hour per week, in private, strange friendships (parent trap lol) have started that way.

Finally the economy; we as individual Americans are mostly (85%+) at fault for that, we demanded "affordable" products, and what happened; manufactures were forced to pack up and go overseas to find "affordable" labor (don't get me going on labor unions), and as a result, Americans got affordable products, however it was at the expense of their jobs (hind site and all that, now we just need to own up to it).
ThoughtManifest read my blog view my photos
Sep 6, 2008 | 2:35 AM

Great Post.

I blogged about that before In another Blog Community. I totally agree that we all should know who the cabinet appointees are going to be for each party gets into office..

Infact it should be a law that these members are named. Just like the V.P spot. They should be named before each party's National Convention. This way we get to see everyone up on stage and have plenty of time to better understand what each party's plan is before they have a chance to get into office.

But then again that would give the American People a better chance at selecting the most qualified Administration Instead of concentrating on one candidate. Like Americans constantly Do at election time. As if that candidate would be wearing all the hats required to run America.
ThoughtManifest read my blog view my photos
Sep 6, 2008 | 3:20 AM

Zoot,

I totally disagree with you. We were mislead(dragged)into a war. But nothing is new.
-It happened in WW1 with the Sinking of the Lusitania
-It happened in WW2 with Pearl Harbor
-It happened in Vietnam with The Gulf of Tonkin incident.
-It happened in Iraq with the Weapons of Mass Destruction
ALL Wars Fueled behind Lies told to the American People.
As i stated on my post in our conversation. The only people who have good intentions are the Soldiers who risk their lives. Under False Pretenses!!!

History has proven that wars are not waged over ideas of Freedom, and the Liberation of Humanity. Wars are started simply because. A Certain Group wants.
-To get control of that particular Nation's Land
-For Bankers who make extreme amounts of wealth by financing the war. Lending usually to both sides against eachother.
-By Companies who build war machines and receive extreme wealth for their guns, tanks, artilleries,etc..

Coincedently, Certain Key Members and/or Families have all been connected. In every War that has been faught in the name of Liberation. Key members connected in Politics, Banking and War Machine Companies. The Perfect Triangle

"Give Me Control of a Nations Money Supply and I Care Not Who Makes Its Laws"

Mayer Amshel Rothschild
DEEFIRST read my blog
Sep 8, 2008 | 8:38 PM

THAT DON'T MAKE IT RIGHT.
elizabethcook
Sep 8, 2008 | 10:27 PM

Not too long ago I read an article which also suggested that the presidential candidates name their proposed cabinet members ahead of time, so that voters could have more to think on when choosing their president. I think the article was written by Lee Iacocca.

It is in interesting proposal and at the time I read it I thought it to be a good idea. But when discussing it with someone else, she pointed out that these proposed cabinet members might jeopardize their present employment or careers by being named by Obama or McCain as a future cabinet member. After all, employers don't like their employees looking for alternative employment in most cases. Therefore,why would they throw away their current careers for a fifty fifty chance of going to Washington,D.C.?

I just thought I'd toss this argument out there to be considered.
elizabethcook
Sep 9, 2008 | 2:35 PM

I found a copy of the article by Lee Iacocca written for the AARP Bulletin entitled "Let's Put a Leader in the White House." In it, he also asks candidates to name there prospective cabinet members. Here is an excerpt from that article as found online:

"Here’s another thing I want to know before I cast my vote—and this is a pet peeve of mine: Who is going to be on their teams if they’re elected? The presidency is not a one-man or one-woman show. If we’ve learned nothing else in recent history, we’ve learned that it matters who is appointed secretary of defense, or secretary of state, or attorney general. It matters who the key advisers are—the people who have the president’s ear. But have you noticed that when you ask a candidate about possible appointments, you get some drivel about how it’s premature to name names? Why should it be such a secret? When have you ever heard a reporter press a candidate about this? I think we should demand an answer. Let’s hear their lists.

I’ve never been commander in chief, but I’ve been a chief executive officer, and I know that you’re nothing without your team. If you want to be a great leader, you’ve got to surround yourself with great people.

My message to each candidate is simple: Prove that you’re a leader, and name the team—now—that will back you up. That’s what America deserves."
TexasHorns read my blog view my photos
Sep 10, 2008 | 11:01 PM

Tim - good idea for them to name cabinet appointees. The real issue is does their plan increase the defecit or reduce the defecit. Does their plan create jobs or buy votes. Then add a fact check to TAX CUTS that really amount to checks to Americans that earn less than $40K and since a 2% tax cut means nothing to folks that pay 28% in terms of personal budget. What abou their plan interms of real impact on the energy crisis. Does it stimulate jobs, decrease dependency on oil or pander to hardline pary politics.
THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL....SHOW ME THE CHANGE.
TexasHorns read my blog view my photos
Sep 10, 2008 | 11:06 PM

Dragged into war...where were you at 8:10AM on September 11 2001...and when 99% of congress and the senate voted for going to war based on the global intelligence and that provided by our CIA and military. Not to mention that 99% of Americans were eager to go to war to retaliate for 9-11. Dragged into war? We volunteered for the challenge and the price was high but we want to fight the war on their soil not OURS.
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Tim_Skubick

Tim Skubick is a political reporter for Fox 2 News. He has 31 years of covering Michigan politics and government making him the longest serving member of the capitol press corps. He holds BA and MA degrees from Michigan State University and was recently awarded the Silver Circle award from the National academy of TV Arts and Sciences for his 37 years in the broadcast news business.

Member Since: 9/12/2007