The 21st century “Kitchen Cabinet”

 

People may vaguely remember the term kitchen cabinet from history class. It may bring up some discontent among people who remember the Andrew Jackson presidency so they may not view hearing the term as a positive, yet let’s look at a new kitchen cabinet.

As a quick reminder the term came up when Andrew Jackson would sometimes meet with various outside interests to discuss policy. The term is still in use, but for today’s purpose let’s focus on an actual Presidential Cabinet made up of people who handle issues most Americans talk about around the kitchen table.

So many times you hear about the White House hosting meetings and events for investment groups, business leaders, CEOs, bankers, think tanks etc…, yet when does the American family get a seat at the table. Sure all these groups say if we know what is going on we can support better business decisions, growth of the economy, yet these policies still benefit the wealthy more than the American family.

People complain to me about me saying we need new political parties. Depending if they are Democrat or Republican they will tout the successes of their party. What neither side discusses is where they failed or fell flat. And more often than not they fall flat. The same promises are made by each party each election cycle because they never did what they promised in the first place. Sure at times they pass legislation that meets their parties campaign promises, but in reality it only benefits a small group of people. Republicans cut taxes mainly for the wealthy and Democrats pass more and more benefits for the poor. There ends up being a large group in the middle that gets squeezed and I know that is not the first time you have heard that along with feeling it every day.

I now promote a new center right party for this new kitchen cabinet. Lately on social media I still hammer away with the need for new parties, yet I am specifically stating we need a new center right party. You can create a new Democrat Party or remake it and same for the Republicans. Yet if you really want to get something done that benefits the majority of this country especially families, you need someone representing their interests. And since most Americans are generally center to slightly center right in their mindsets, this new party can focus on their needs.

And I know one reason the two parties do not want to hear this is because they know they are campaigning to their bases and extremes in their primaries and a center right party would pull everyone who might vote just in the general election away from them. The more you talk about change they more they dig in and try to prevent another party being successful. It is all about getting re-elected nowadays and not about representing you.

What does a new Kitchen Cabinet look like? Well it would need some people not from Wall Street, not from think tanks, not from either political party to align policy with the needs of most Americans. One great aspect of our Constitutional Republic is supposed to be rule by the majority with minorities protected. Sure an oversimplified statement, yet that is the gist of how our government should operate.

I don’t know if you could just pull a random person from the street to be on the cabinet. There is still need for expertise, yet you probably can find throughout the country well educated people who have a more bedrock understanding of basic household issues starting with healthcare, education, family support, retirement specifically social security and Medicare. Many Democrats will say we already do this and I say then why do we still need major help in these areas? More issues include tax reform and cuts, better 401k rules, small business help, job promotion and Republicans will say we already do these and I say then why is the wealth gap growing and why can’t tax cuts be for the people not the wealthy.

Most economists know, but won’t say in Republican circles that if you strengthen the middle and working class then businesses will do well. Yet they rely on tax cuts and other government incentives (handouts) to increase their profits. That is not strengthening businesses it is only exacerbating the wealth gap divide. If businesses relied on actual commerce to make money they would know to pay their employees, cut less during recessions and other factors that may cut into their profits some, yet would maintain a strong economic outlook going forward. As long as Wall Street calls the shots for businesses then the middle and working class will struggle since Wall Street lobbies for all the government tax cuts and other incentives that only benefit them.

For too long Republicans and Democrats rely on the same mindset and people they always have and act like something is different when the name of the President changes. To effect real change we need a change of people from entirely different groups and organizations than the ones that permeate Washington year after year.

We need a Kitchen Cabinet that understands what people talk about in their kitchens at night.