Katherine Cue, of course, isn't the only recent controversial appointment to an elected office. Yesterday, Delaware's Governor announced that she would appoint Vice President-elect Joe Biden's chief of staff Edward Kaufman to his soon to be vacated senate seat. The Governors of Illinois and possibly New York will also name replacements for the seats of President-elect Barack Obama and likely Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's seats in the coming months, and should Mayor Manny Diaz be called up to serve in the Obama's cabinet, the city commission will name his replacement.
In Delaware, Kaufman has announced he will likely retire after two years, and most expect Biden's son Beau to run for the seat when he returns from a tour of duty in Iraq. Some are disappointed it didn't go to someone with political aspirations of their own, but on the flip side the appointment gives the seat to someone who has experience on the Hill and will likely not stray ideologically from the person elected to the seat. Then in 2010, voters will decide who should fill the seat. Though, the dangers of appointing any place holder is that he or she will exercise power with out worrying about re-election, and, in a sense, be accountable to no one.
Kyle Munzenrieder
In most of the other cases, the appointments are expected to go to
people who will run for the seat outright when it goes up for
re-election. Of course, this gives an advantage to a candidate hand
picked by the establishment, and not the people. Who knows what kind of
promises and compromises are made behind closed doors by the appointee
to get these seats.
So, what do you think Riptide readers,
should appointments in these cases go to a competent place holder or
should the political establishment be able to install their favorite
candidate to the seats, thus giving them a head start on the democratic
process?
--Kyle Munzenrieder
