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Obama in Context
Matthew Yglesias — Chris Bowers has an interesting post looking at the composition of the Obama cabinet and concluding that the personnel is on average to the right of the average Democratic member of congress. It’s worth understanding, however, that the same methodology would lead to the conclusion that Obama’s cabinet is to the right of the veto points in congress. Those points are the median member of the House (a Blue Dog) and in the Senate either a centrist Democrat for things requiring a majority or else someone like Susan Collins to break a filibuster. It’s those characters who determine the scope of what’s ...

Is the Obama administration to the right of Congress?
The Monkey Cage — Chris Bowers (via Matt Yglesias) Of the eighteen cabinet members (not counting Joe Biden, who I have seen listed as a cabinet member at times), sixteen are Democrats. Of those sixteen, eight are affiliated with the DLC, or 50%. Obama’s Democratic cabinet selections have twice the DLC representation of the Democratic membership of Congress. … Obama’s cabinet selections, when compared to the Democratic caucuses in the House and the Senate, has a significantly higher representation of DLC members ...

"Change" not living up to expectations?
QandO — ... And "progressives", well, as you might imagine they’re getting the shaft as well. Chris Bowers breaks down the unhappy numbers for you: ...

Where's My Monkey Wrench?
Newshoggers.com — ... Being a conservative Democrat also makes you far more likely to receive a major cabinet appointment. Not even counting the Republicans, New Democrats outnumber Progressives in President Obama's cabinet by 7-1. ...