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The everyday beast

Biden’s old-fashioned cabinet isn’t getting any younger – not even with Mayor Pete

President-elect Joe Biden made it clear last week that he had heard concerns that his incoming cabinet was on the verge of becoming more of a reunion of Obamaworld remnants than a launch pad for the next generation of party leaders. “Some are familiar faces. Some have new roles. They all face new circumstances and challenges,” Biden summarized his fledgling cabinet last Friday. “That’s a good thing – they bring deep experience and bold new thinking. They know. especially how the government should and can work for all Americans. ”Biden then introduced Tom Vilsack, 70, as his candidate to lead the Department of Agriculture, a position Vilsack held for eight years under President Barack Obama.pushmi-pullyu, who Trying to form a cabinet from a party as diverse – racial, generic, philosophical – as the Democrats, Biden has shown a willingness to address the frustrations of younger Democrats at the lack of generational diversity in his burgeoning government. appointment of Pete Buttigieg, a 38-year-old former rival and ex-mayor of South Bend, Indiana, to lead the Department of Transportation n, does not alter the fact that many younger Democrats are concerned that Biden’s cabinet is too. , old-school.Antony Blinken, nominated to head the State Department, is a long-standing adviser. Nominated to head the Treasury Department, Janet Yellen was President of the Federal Reserve under Obama. General Lloyd Austin, Biden’s surprise choice to lead the Pentagon, was a close friend of Biden’s late son. John Kerry was Obama’s second secretary of state, and Vilsack, whose friendship with the president-elect is old even by Biden standards, was the last speaker at nearly all of Biden’s events in the last days before the Iowa caucuses. “I find it encouraging that the cabinet’s choices have reflected diversity … [but] I would like to see a focus on building leadership across generations, ”said Rep. Katie Porter (D-CA) to The Daily Beast prior to Buttigieg’s choice, adding that it was important to offer posts to “new people … which will provide new perspectives both on specific political issues and how you can be involved in good governance. Buttigieg’s nomination, which brings the average age of Biden’s cabinet secretary nominees from nearly 64 to a relatively youthful 61, followed weeks of mounting pressure from LGBT groups and next-generation Democrats who want Biden to build a bridge to the world. rising stars of the party. (Once you factor in the ages of all cabinet officials, including those nominated to lead the Office of Management and Budget and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, the average age drops to 59.) “Yes,” was the answer from Rep. – Pick Cori Bush (D-MO) when The Daily Beast asked during a Congressional Progressive Caucus call this week if Biden had not yet lived up to expectations by elevating new faces in his cabinet ranks. “I’m not going to say it’s a missed opportunity,” Bush explained. “We have some great people doing a great job … this is our chance for other people to shine, and to see some of the to bring things they’ve been working on in their community, in their business, to this place. ”After Biden cited Buttigieg as his choice to run Transportation on Wednesday, he was hailed by the elder statesman as“ a leader, patriot and problem solver ”. which “embodies a new generation of American leadership.” But his ambition was not always so highly regarded. During the Democratic primaries, the Biden campaign made fun of what characterized it as Buttigieg’s lack of experience – a now-deleted Twitter video implicitly mocked Buttigiegs’ hard struggle ‘to negotiate’ lighter licensing rules on pet chip scanners. ”But Buttigieg’s Biden-friendly ideology and background in management advice have other young pro essentials left cold regardless of their age. “So far, we haven’t seen a cabinet that reflects the concerns of young people who have record numbers to hand over this election to Joe Biden,” said Garrett Blad of the Sunrise Movement, a youth-oriented group advocating for climate change policy. McConnell finally acknowledges Biden’s victory six weeks after the election: ‘The Electoral College Has Spoken’ Blade, who unsuccessfully participated in the Democratic primary for the Indiana House of Representatives in this cycle, said policy and staffing commitments will be crucial to keep younger Democrats in the fold – and suggested creating a task force dedicated to giving the younger people in government a voice. “Since Biden’s cabinet is so far older than the coalition that elected him to office, Biden would create a Task Force on Young Americans,” said Blad, who he said would ensure that the young voters in this cycle would have a record turnout provided for Biden to have a say in the policy decisions that most affect our generation, such as climate change, gun violence and immigration. Responding to those concerns, transition officials stressed that the cabinet is far from ready, telling The Daily Beast that the president-elect’s commitment to form a government that “looks like America” will extend to generational diversity, alongside the historical racial, gender and affective diversity of Biden’s cabinet as currently nominated. A spokesperson for the transition also stressed that with the numerous crises facing the nation – the coronavirus pandemic, resulting economic disaster and widespread mistrust in the U.S. government – the Biden administration has no time to be a training hospital. where cabinet officials learn by doing. “Amid the crises the country is facing, the President-elect is building a team of qualified and competent leaders to get things back on track and further his bold agenda to rebuild better,” said Sean Savett, a transition spokesperson. “Each of these nominees is forward-thinking, crisis-tested, and experienced, and they are ready to quickly use the levers of government to make meaningful differences in Americans’ lives, and on day one. Help in rule. ”- with additional reporting by Sam Brodey Read more at The Daily Beast Get our top stories delivered to your inbox every day. Sign up now! 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