Cream Puffs in the Cabinet

There was an interesting column in the Boston Globe this morning (12/24/05) by Robert Kuttner. Referring to Doris Kearns's new book about Abraham Lincoln, Team of Rivals, Kuttner opines that Bush could learn a lot in running his administration from the sixteenth president. I’ve attached the article and recommend it as solid reading.

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2005/12/24/what_bush_couldlearn_from_lincoln?p1=email_to_a_friend

But I think that Kuttner missed the opportunity to discuss something far more fundamental as it relates to our current chief executive. Mr. Bush rarely misses the opportunity to say that we are a nation at war and that his most important role is to defend us in the conflict. That said, with the exception of Defense, his key cabinet spots are occupied by cronies and the powerless: State – Rice, Justice – Gonzales, Treasury – Snow.

A nation at war requires that we all pull together. Lincoln put together a cabinet representing a wide swath of public and political opinion in the Union States. But we shouldn’t forget that often when the nation was on war footing and perceived to be in danger the president reached across factional lines and appointed key officials with different political views from his own. Franklin Roosevelt matched Lincoln with a number of key Republicans in such spots as War, Navy, and Interior.

Even when the guns were quiet but the nation was perceived to be in great peril presidents such as Kennedy reached across the spectrum for key advisors such as Allen Dulles at CIA and Dillon at Treasury who provided broader and better advice than can ever be possible from the incestuous group of insider toadies assembled by Bush.

From the beginning, Mr. Bush wanted only the advice he wanted, and he got it. The Iraq War and his assault on the defined benefit program of Social Security among many others show just how insular his presidency is.

Mr. Kuttner’s point should be enlarged and examined. Because Mr. Bush wants only good news, that’s what he gets until the cigar with the firecracker blows up in his face. Everyone in the house was supportive of what was done in Iraq, but George Bush is catching the spears. Everyone on the team was supportive of his Social Security fiasco, but he’s the one labeled stupid.

The president better broaden the sources of input, even to the level of minor discomfort. Better a small turd on the cabinet conference table than a major fiasco being reported by all of the media outlets.

Three years is a long time to go. How long does it take to learn these lessons? Too long, I guess.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa, and Happy Boxing Day; I’m shutting down for a couple of days to count my blessings and enjoy my family.

Blog on!

Wild Bill