Nov 2023 Mod notice:
There may be other, more specific, threads about some aspects of US politics, but this one tends to act as a hub for all sorts of related news and information, so it's usually one of the busiest OTC threads.
If you're new to OTC, it's worth reading the Introduction to On-Topic Conversations
and the On-Topic Conversations debate guidelines
before posting here.
Rumor-based, fear-mongering and/or inflammatory statements that damage the quality of the thread will be thumped. Off-topic posts will also be thumped. Repeat offenders may be suspended.
If time spent moderating this thread remains a distraction from moderation of the wiki itself, the thread will need to be locked. We want to avoid that, so please follow the forum rules
when posting here.
In line with the general forum rules, 'gravedancing' is prohibited here. If you're celebrating someone's death or hoping that they die, your post will get thumped. This rule applies regardless of what the person you're discussing has said or done.
Edited by Mrph1 on Nov 30th 2023 at 11:03:59 AM
I'm curious why Pete in particular. Did he get it because he was one of the candidates with a lot of pull (and is not currently in the Senate)?
Oh God! Natural light!I'm curious why Pete in particular. Did he get it because he was one of the candidates with a lot of pull (and is not currently in the Senate)?
He dropped out in the primary thus benefiting Biden, I would bet money that his appointment is a reward for that.
"Einstein would turn over in his grave. Not only does God play dice, the dice are loaded." -Chairman Sheng-Ji YangWhy the heck would you appoint a former mayor of a small town in Indiana as ambassador to China? That’s the kind of job that should go either to a qualified foreign service or a politician with experience in international relations.
Transport sounds more plausible.
Granted, the source I had was from a Late Show that passed on the rumors of Biden's cabinet picks. Emphasis on rumors.
ASAB: All Sponsors Are Bad.Transport sounds more plausible.
So the consensus is that Buttegeig would be a bad choice for Transport?
That is actually the impression in general I have of Buttigieg: he is popular with the moderate Democratic base. I would also dare say he is more popular than Joe Biden, but just that his popularity isdifferent than "presidential material"...he is rather young, after all and there is a distinct bias for older candidates.
It has always been the prerogative of children and half-wits to point out that the emperor has no clothesTransport, from what I gather, is one of those departments which sounds like it is really important but since most of the day to day responsibilities regarding transportation is actually down to the states then there isn't much to do in the department. Basically, as long as you don't drop the ball on safety issues (looking at you FAA over the Boeing Max scandal) then it's a pretty quiet gig where you can learn the ropes around federal administration, if say your only political experience to date is that of a small town mayor somewhere.
It could become an important department if Transportation became a serious focus - but you'd have to get the budget to do that first which means getting something through Congress, so the real battles over Transportation will happen there, not at the department.
Since the question had been raised earlier:
Twitter confirms Trump can be banned from inauguration day onwards – Donald Trump is the second most-followed politician on Twitter after Barack Obama
Trump antagonizes Republicans with Georgia fundraising ploy – Emails and texts raising cash for Trump's PAC have rankled Republicans, who want cash to flow directly to Georgia's endangered GOP senators.
https://www.politico.com/news/2020/12/14/trump-republicans-georgia-fundraising-445207
Newsmax says it will refer to Biden as president-elect – Startup conservative network Newsmax confirmed Tuesday its reporters and anchors will refer to Joe Biden as president-elect during news coverage going forward.
https://thehill.com/homenews/media/530272-newsmax-says-it-will-refer-to-biden-as-president-elect
Edited by sgamer82 on Dec 15th 2020 at 12:00:35 PM
Re: Buttigieg, transportation, climate:
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-11-04/inside-pete-buttigieg-s-2-trillion-climate-plan
Well, you know, design in cities, especially through the 20th century, really revolved around the car. I'm trying to make sure that design for the future revolves around the human being. Sometimes that means car transportation and sometimes that means walking, biking, or public transit.
We can't expect people to move beyond personally owned vehicles if there's not a good alternative. So we've got to make sure that between ride-sharing, public transportation, and just good old fashioned walking and biking, we've got an array of options right now. The United States subsidizes driving a tremendous amount. We're more reluctant to support transit or things like trains. When I'm president, I envision making that a greater balance and supporting cities that are trying to do that, too, because if we get it right, it's also more sustainable, more healthy, and more economically friendly.
For example, when we transformed the heart of [South Bend], including calming down our traffic instead of just getting cars through it as quickly as possible, it led to growth in small business, because we have a more vibrant core in our downtown. When we change our mentality, it's amazing what possibilities can be unlocked.

Indeed. The suggestions above Spartan's post still fall into the defining what your against issue rather than who you are and how you fight for each other issue that Shenker-Osorio talked about.