Saturday, December 20, 2008

Obama's Cabinet

The topic of Obama's cabinet briefly came up during our class today. One media article refers to it as a cabinet of 'rivals'. I've heard a great deal of talk on the left from people disappointed that a "hawk" like Hillary Clinton would occupy the Secretary of State position, while Robert Gates would stay on from the Bush Administration.

Well, clearly Barack Obama is attempting to create a broad based cabinet of thinking people who aren't just going to be a bunch of "yes" men and women. If you ask me, we could use a bit more of that non-partisan, bridge builder thinking in Canada.

Our professor mentioned today that a number of the newer, and younger faces in the the cabinet have some Harvard connections. Perhaps that could be good for Canada when, and if Michael Ignatieff becomes prime minister, as he himself just left Harvard a few years ago.

I'm not sure if I mentioned this before, but I really like Michael Ignatieff and I have to be honest...I'm beginning to grow tired of Jack Layton and the NDP. Even though the NDP is really, still my party...I've beginning to just crave a change in leadership.

Perhaps it is Obama envy. I would like to see a team of bridge builders and educated people take over the Canadian government. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I'd like for us to adopt the U.S system (certainly not), but I too am getting caught up in all of the excitement. One thing that I like about Ignatieff is that he appears in some of my text books at my university. I've been outside of Canada long enough that I seem to like anything that reminds me of home...especially around this time of year. Maybe after the festive season is over and the Thai summer comes roaring back I'll be all finished with Ignatieff and back to Jack.

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