WRITTEN BY
Cara Robbins ILLUSTRATED BY
Stefany Belasic
Meet the historymaking Secretary nominees who comprise one of the most diverse Cabinets in American history.
A
FEBRUARY 2021
s the New Year mark s the close of a particularly tumultuous year, it brings with it the opening of 2021– the year in which Joe Biden will take the presidency in a time of disease, riots and political instability. The next four years of repairing America’s sense of self will be a challenge, and one that will require plenty of people working together in the best interest of the public. In times like these it’s important to know who will make up Biden’s administration– though this information tends to be hard to access and even harder to understand. In order to make the next four years of politics easier to access, let’s take a look at the “who” and “what” of Biden’s nominees for the line of presidential succession. Vice President: KAMALA HARRIS The main responsibility of the Vice President is to succeed the president upon death or resignation, and also to preside over the Senate. Kamala Harris has long been a trail-blazer for diversity inclusion in federal politics, bringing issues of racial discrimination and gender equality to the forefront of her Senate and Vice-Presidential platform. Her political career began as a deputy district attorney for Oakland, California, where she prosecuted criminal cases such as drug trafficking, sexual abuse, and and gang violence. She was later narrowly elected to the position of Attorney General for the state of California, making her not only the first woman, but additionally the first Black person to fill this elected office. Her time in office was marked by her ambition to put pressure on organizations using unfair business practices and helping ensure that same-sex marriage was legalized in California. In 2015, she ran for Senate on similar progressive platforms of social justice reform. When she won her election in 2016, she became the first Indian-American and only the second Black woman to serve as a senator for the United States. After running for president in the 2020 elections, she was unable to secure the democratic presidential nomination. Joe Biden, who announced that as the nominee, would focus on creating a diverse and inclusive cabinet, chose Harris to run as his VP and serve as the face of his promised diverse administration. In 2020, she became the first woman, the first Black person, and the first Indian-American to be elected on a presidential ticket. Secretary of State: ANTONY BLINKEN The Secretary of State serves as the President’s main source of advice on foreign affairs, and carries out the President’s foreign policy through the State Department. Antony Blinken is wellversed in working in the executive branch, and in the past he has served as a member of the diplomat in the State Department under Clinton. Under the Obama Administration, he held several high-rank positions within the State Department, including Deputy Secretary of State, Deputy Assistant to the
President, and National Security Advisor to the Vice President. Choosing Antony Blinken for the Secretary of State position can be seen as both a way to tie Biden’s current administration closer to the Obama administration, while also picking a person that he is comfortable with and has worked extensively with in the past. Secretary of the Treasury: JANET YELLEN The Secretary of Treasury helps develop fiscal plans for the country, including tax, international, and domestic policy, as well as managing state debt. Janet Yellen has a long past in the United State’s economic system, serving as an economic advisor to President Clinton, and most notably became the first woman to sit as the head of the Federal Reserve during the Obama administration, handling affairs regarding the national banking system of the U.S.She also served for two years in this position under the Trump administration, though she was not reappointed. Biden’s decision to choose Yellen reinforces his alignment with the Obama administration and his efforts towards gender equality in the executive branch. Secretary of Defense: LLOYD AUSTIN Just as the name implies, the Secretary of Defense servers as the main advisor on national defense to the president. Austin will also be in charge of direction for the Department of Defense. Lloyd Austin is a retired 4-star general who served as the first Black commander of the United States Central Command under the Obama Administration. His appointment to the position of Secretary of Defense is yet another effort to tie Biden’s administration to the Obama administration, and to ensure strong representation of people of color within the cabinet. Attorney General: JUDGE MERRICK GARLAND The Attorney General represents the United States in legal matters. Judge Garland currently serves as a circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals in the D.C circuit. Notably, in 2016, President Obama nominated Judge Garland to fill a position on the Supreme Court after the death of Judge Antonin Scallia. The Republican Senate majority refused to allow a hearing to be held to appoint Garland, citing that whoever was elected the next president should have the ability to choose the nominee. This refusal of allowing a hearing was extremely controversial at the time. After Donald Trump was elected to the presidency, Scalia’s seat went to Neil Gorsuch. Biden’s decision to choose Judge Garland can be interpreted as an attempt to undo or counteract Trump-era. Secretary of the Interior: DEB HAALAND The Secretary of the Interior manages the conservation of federal land and natural resources. Haaland formerly served as chairwoman for the Democratic Party of New Mexico. In 2018, she was elected to Congress as a representative of New THEVINDI.COM | 14
