If she wins in November, Vice President Kamala Harris may face a hostile, Republican-controlled Senate in no mood to confirm the senior Cabinet officials she’ll need to run her administration.

Anticipating that scenario, Harris’ team is exploring whether to keep in place some of the Biden administration officials who’ve already been confirmed by the Senate and wouldn’t need to face the gauntlet again, four people familiar with her transition planning said.

Her aides are also looking at the option of initially retaining some current officials so that she’d have more time to make staffing decisions. With only a few months to build a campaign after abruptly replacing President Joe Biden at the top of the ticket, Harris has had little time to focus on the makeup of a new administration, the people familiar with the planning said.

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  • gsfraley@lemmy.world
    202·
    2 months ago

    Whatever happens, I hope she keeps Lina Khan for FTC, that’s the appointment I care the most about.

    • grte@lemmy.ca
      27·
      2 months ago

      That’s the canary in the coal mine with what she’ll do with her administration.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        4·
        2 months ago

        Sorry, the best I can do is giving Garland a lifetime appointment as AG (* while Democrats control the White House). Think of how much of an epic clapback that would be since they blocked him from a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court. They’ll be so upset when we continue to empower the guy specifically chosen for being extremely inoffensive to Republicans!

        • Logi@lemmy.world
          10·
          2 months ago

          Just lie and then do it anyway. It worked to corrupt SCOTUS, it should work here.

  • Asafum@feddit.nl
    51·
    2 months ago

    I love how if Republicans win they get to shove through every fever dream nightmare thing they want, but if Democrats win they can still have at least 2 years of absofuckinglutely nothing…

    Yay… :(

      • Asafum@feddit.nl
        3·
        2 months ago

        It’s not so much that it’s treated as “zero urgency” from Democrats, but rather Democrats don’t embrace a king “unitary executive” theory that Republicans do. So when Trump wins the Republicans accept that he can push through whatever he (read: the heritage foundation) wants, it’s a big part of project 2025.

        If Democrats win they play by the system that exists, which is: we want something, Republicans say “go fucking die you communist piece of shit” and nothing happens because we don’t have a majority. If we end up with a 50/50 split then Joe Manchild and Self-centered Scinema say “go fucking die you communist piece of shit” and nothing happens because we don’t have a supermajority and they refuse to help kill the filibuster because they’re paid to be Republicans in the Democratic party. This is why the only thing we’ve accomplished through Congress in the last like 20 fucking years is a goddamn Republican healthcare system (Obamacare is Romneycare) because we had enough of a majority for something like 3 months…

  • Rapidcreek@lemmy.world
    462·
    2 months ago

    Fun fact: since all appointees serve at the the pleasure of the President, all Secretaries and under Secretaries write a letter of resignation dated on the day the new President is sworn in. It’s up to the new President if they’re accepted or not.

  • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
    411·
    2 months ago

    That seems like a failing strategy, cabinet members are likely already looking for their next job.

    • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
      20·
      2 months ago

      This is if dems lose the senate control. New cabinet members have to be approved by the senate

      So by keeping old cabinet members, you avoid having to go through the senate again and being blocked by republicans

      • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
        62·
        2 months ago

        Cabinet members are looking before the election though. They are out of a job if trump wins. They are out of a job if Harris wins + the Senate. They may not be out of a job if Harris wins and the Senate goes Republican. That’s not good odds to stick around for.

        • usernamesAreTricky@lemmy.ml
          9·
          2 months ago

          There is quite a bit of time between election and inauguration. Election is early November, inauguration is in early January

          Even if dems win the senate it doesn’t mean they’ll necessarily replace 100% of everyone either. Just opens the options to replace some people. I’m sure the cabinet members would be informed of how likely they are to keep their job

          • ryathal@sh.itjust.works
            3·
            2 months ago

            They also aren’t getting regular jobs, there can be narrow windows to join or take months to find something. If you know in 6 months it’s likely you won’t have a job it’s time to start hunting for a new one. It’s likely at least one cabinet member leaves before the election.