CONGRESS | Rep. Barbara Lee has not been shy recently about her desire to move up the upper rings of the Democratic Party. On Thursday, the Congressional Black Caucus, of which she is a member, urged President Obama to consider Lee for the vacant cabinet position at the Labor Department.
Hilda Solis resigned this week with an eye on running for the Los Angeles Board of Supervisors. The caucus also recommended Rep. Melvin Watt (D-N.C.) for commerce secretary, but it is the lack of women on Obama’s menu of cabinet nominees that is causing concern among some Democratic Party groups.
The National Journal also speculated U.C. Berkeley law professor Maria Echaveste, a former Clinton deputy chief of staff, may also be in the running.
Lee’s apparent itching for a higher profile in D.C. was apparent last November when she placed herself in the running for the vice chairmanship of the House Democratic Caucus. She ultimately pulled out at the last moment, allowing Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) to run unopposed.
The progressive Oakland Democrat is best known for her sole opposition to the Iraq War and as one of the most liberal voices in Congress—two facts which may make conservatives uncomfortable. Lee has also been a strong supporter for extending unemployment benefits to out of work Americans.
In recent decades, being head of the Department of Labor and having connections to the Bay Area, has almost been a prerequisite for getting the job. Before Solis, U.C. Berkeley law professor Robert Reich held the office during the Clinton administration.
ebcitizen.com 
MW:
You seem to want to improve our governance quite a bit. Please share with us who should be representing us in the various offices. Your encylopedic knowledge should allow you to come up with a great person for every Federal, State and local office.
We know very, very, very, very well what you don't want. What DO you want?
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By MW:
In the above comment, the next to last line should read “SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA” instead of California Bay area.
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By MW:
Barbara Lee for Labor Secretary is an “excellent ” idea, since obviously the San Francisco Bay area does not have enough of its clowns, demagogues, and hypocrites already basically running Washington DC.
For starters, Dianne “Says she is for Gun Control But Carries a Revolver in her Own Purse” Feinstein is easily and far and away the most powerful person in the entire US Senate.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is still far and away the most powerful Democrat in the entire US House of Representatives.
And altho she is not as powerful as Feinstein, Barbara Boxer is also one of the most powerful creatures in the entire US Senate.
So now we “need” to place another one of the Bay area's clowns in a position to help run WDC!!!
In fact, that insane asylum that calls itself San Francisco for at least decades has been California's real and actual capital, and although most of us have been going through the charades of pretending that Sacramento is. However such San Franciscans and San Francisco area people as Willie Brown, John Burton, and Bill Lockyer have really and actually been running California for decades, and before them it was Artie Samish, and considering what a “great” job they did running California, therefore let's let the politicians from the California Bay area still further tighten their grip on virtually everything that also happens in WDC.
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While Nancy is nothing to sing home about, I'll take her any day over ALL of the above.
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No piffy comment about Skinner?
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Talk about some horrible, horrible, tired old retreads.
Quan–Look at her track record. OUSD, City Council, mayor. Each well beyond unimpressive, swerving into just plain awful.
Swanson.. Gosh, even the thought of him going to the State Senate is bad enough. He is one worn out tired guy who should just retire and perhaps sit on some ceremonial board of a non-profit. Emphasis on “non-profit”…because if it isn't already a non-profit, it soon will be.
Hancock… Oh great, and perhaps she can share the duties with her musical chairs partner, the mayor of Berkeley.
Corbett. Looks like she'll have to decide on which house to live in. Actually Ro Khanna would seem the perfect fit for Lee's seat, since is so adept at changing districts on a whim.
Bonta… Well so far, his legislative track record is the best of the bunch… ( yes, I know, he has no legislative track record)
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This is HUGE!!! There's a real possibility of Corbett, Bonta, Quan, Swanson, Skinner, and Hancock all running for Lee's seat in a special election. The ensuing chaos would result in the 1998 musical chairs all over again.
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