With all the rumors swirling about President-elect Barack Obama offering Hillary Clinton the job of Secretary of State, I’m left with one question: Why? There is no doubt in my mind that Senator Clinton is a hardworking, highly intelligent and highly driven individual, however her taking over the “first amongst equals” position in the new cabinet seems to have some glaring drawbacks.

For starters, Hillary Clinton is a drama magnet when it comes to press coverage. This is not necessarily her fault. The press tends to construct its own narratives regarding public officials which then in turn are very difficult to break as time goes on and more examples of the pre-existing, self-fulfilling storyline are piled on. However, the very nature of the bitter, former rivalry between Senator Clinton and President-elect Obama during the primaries is highly dramatic in and of itself and the drama-tinged press coverage of their working relationship could prove a major distraction for an administration that needs to succeed during a very difficult time in American history.

Secondly, I simply don’t believe Hillary Clinton is the most qualified person for this job. While the former First Lady has unquestionably polished her foreign policy credentials during her time in the United States Senate to the point where she can be considered competent in the area, there are still much more experienced people hovering around the Democratic foreign policy establishment, most notably Richard Holbrooke and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. We’re talking about the difference between above average (Clinton) & outstanding (Holbrooke or Richardson) as far as the respective depths of knowledge and personal relationships with diplomats around the globe are concerned with these candidates. As trying as the coming years will be in regards to foreign policy, it stands to reason that the incoming administration should choose the absolutely most qualified individual available to shepherd our Department of State.

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As the election nears to a boiling point there’s much to be done to make sure that every single eligible person who can vote does so. Unfortunately, many people, including veterans, are not being given the opportunity to register to vote. Yes, this is crazy as these people have already proudly served our country and given more sacrifice for it than most of us. So, why is the Veterans Administration not allowing veterans at nursing homes and hospitals allowing people to be registered to vote? The US House of Representatives knew this policy was nonsense and passed legislation to undo the VA policy. However, the US Senate needs to do the same.

takepart Please take a minute to tell your senators to support veterans right to vote today-timing is running out before people can register to vote.

(Photo: billaday’s flickr photostream)

This past weekend signaled the end of an era in American capitalism with the two remaining US Investment Banks changing their status under SEC rules.   Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley will formally shift themselves into Bank Holding Companies capable of taking deposits.   The move, approved by the SEC in the hopes of stabilizing the debilitated finance markets, will place these two Wall Street giants under much more stringent government regulations - the same regulations that preserved the majority of commerical banks in this country like Bank of America, JP Morgan Chase and, so far, Citigroup, while storied invesment banks like Merrill Lynch, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns were either acquired by their commercial banking counterparts or disappeared entirely after making too many risky moves and losing the confidence of the marketplace.

After having lived in New York City for more than a decade, I find this turn of events almost unbelievable.   If you had asked me 5 years ago what was the most stable, prominent and lucrative company to work for in the world I would have probably said Goldman Sachs, the Rolls Royce of investment banks.   To see these institutions on Wall Street voluntarily subjecting themselves to more government regulation to ensure their survival is simpy astonishing.

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The Bear roars once again on Wall Street as two of the largest investment banks in the United States have failed. After a weekend of intense negotiations with the Federal Government and other investment houses slated as potential buyers, troubled brokerage house Lehman Brothers has announced it will file for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy protection after its fellow financial institutions all said “Thanks, but no thanks” to acquiring the doomed company. Across town, Merrill Lynch will meet with a somewhat better, having agreed to be acquired by Bank of America in a deal worth roughly $50 million.

All I have to say is that I leave New York for two weeks and the whole place goes to pot. Both of these companies managed enormous amounts of capital and seemed as untouchable, in the eyes of a lay-observer such as myself as any organization in the world.   Their swift declines, with hardly a moments notice, are a grim reminder of the historically volatile economy we’re facing.  

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When it comes to global warming, some people just don’t get it. This can be frustrating enough when dealing with a misguided friend or acquaintance. But when the denier happens to be a United States Senator, one of a mere 100 voices charged with protecting the vital interests of the country, frustration can give way to sheer astonishment.

Enter Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK), one of the most outspoken and passionate deniers of Global Warming in all of American politics - and given the utter lack of action on the urgent issue by the Federal government until just recently this is no small feat. Things have begun to change for the better though, with or without Senator Inhofe, in the recent passage of legislation upping the required mileage on automobiles sold in the United States and with the 2007 ruling by the Supreme Court that the EPA must do more to enforce the Clean Air Act which has slowly prodded the Bush Administration into talking about doing something (which sadly represents progress since it’s more than they had been doing).

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The TakePart Top 10 Weekly Roundup is a compilation of the week’s most notable stories from our entertainment-meets-social-action blogging network. Check out some of our most popular stories of the week, as well as a few TakePart blogger favorites!

TakePart Gang:

Everything I Know About Climate Change, I Learned in the Fifth Grade by Martin Musatov

When Torture Is Condoned, Is FISA That Shocking? by Wendy Cohen

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Nicole Hughes:

Baltimore Woman Turns Tragedy Into Art

Why Don’t We Do More to Stop Global Warming?

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Andy Kondrat:

Foods You Should and Shouldn’t Buy Organic

Paper or Plastic? The Environmental Impact

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Jon Popham:

The Energy Independence Bill: A Filibuster Odyssey

“Bruno” Fools Mossad Agent

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Gina Telaroli:

While Iran Tests Missiles, Test These 5 Iranian Films

Mao’s Out, Time to Capitalize On the Olympics

Imagine a country suffering from the highest energy costs in its 232 year history. A country that imports 70% of its needs for an expensive, environmentally hazardous fuel that enriches some of the most unstable, oppressive governments on Earth to power its gargantuan transportation sector. Then imagine a burgeoning alternative energy industry, ready to take shape in the country, waiting to boom, hoping for the necessary government cooperation to get itself off the ground. The leadership of the country craft legislation to allow for investment tax credits for alternative energy, a boon to investors desperate to find a good place for capital in a risky economic market. A bill which would practically guarantee a groundswell of investment to fund the new industry. The bill passes with ease through the lower chamber of the country’s bicameral legislature. But when the bill enters the legislature’s upper house, the minority party stops the bill cold, by refusing to even allow debate on the legislation vis-a-vis a procedural trick.

Well guess what? You don’t have to imagine anymore, because the scenario presented above is taking place right now in Congress. The bill is The Energy Independence and Tax Relief Act (H.R. 6049). The upper house of the legislature is the United States Senate. The minority party blocking the measure are the Republicans and the parliamentary tactic they’re using to stop desperately needed investment and progress in the alternative energy sector is the filibuster.

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