Should Lieberman Succeed Gates as Sec-Def?

To save some time the short answer is of course unquestionably NO. Lieberman in the course of his career has never been in a position where he had to exhibit managerial and leadership skills. As we have seen through the folly of two former US Senators, Obama and Biden; just because one can pontificate from behind a microphone or from a grandstand doesn’t equate to having an ability to lead, much less manage.

Equally sticky is Lieberman’s long standing relationship with the military defense complex. This is akin to the problematic relationship between Goldman Sachs, the Federal Reserve, Department of Treasury, Timothy Gietner and President Obama; it's amazing Americans have not woken up to this little arrangement. Similarly, Lieberman would open the door for the enlargement of the defense industry, and the questionable and  unconstitutional relationship between the Department of Defense and Homeland Security that is taking place, and would most certainly swell if he was the Secretary of Defense. No, Lieberman should not be considered. Still it is going to be extremely difficult to find a person to lead the Department of Defense that is or has not been part of the military defense complex.

Yet there was a time in this country when a sitting US Senator would leave ones position in Congress and serve in a range of positions in the Executive Branch, and without conflict of interest. However that was before the passage of the 17th Amendment.

Prior to the 17th Amendment there wasn’t the conflict there is today between the US Senate and special interest. Prior to 1913, special interest was clearly prevented from having the ability to shuttle our tax dollars into their pockets because the US Senator represented the state and served as a check against the popular inclinations of the House. Yet today it’s nothing but complete redistribution of our wealth put into the hands special interest. This is precisely why the federal government has grown to the point it has today, and assuredly what would continue to happen if Lieberman became the Secretary of Defense. Again the template for this can clearly be seen with a former Senator who has transitioned over to the Executive Branch, President Obama, and the highly problematic relationship he has with Wall Street and Goldman Sachs.

No, until the states have their rightful place within the Federal Government, and checks and balances are restored, allowing former US senators to serve in the Executive Branch is no different than the fox guarding the hen house.

Updated 24 January 2011