What Credentials Are Required To Lead the U.S. Department of Energy?
We tend to think that the Secretary of Energy has a hard job. And it used to be exactly that, which is why the past two leaders of the U.S. Department of Energy, Dr. Ernest Moniz and Dr. Steven Chu, had impeccable credentials in academia and management; both carry PhDs in physics, and came to the job with decades of success in leading large teams of people.
After all, these leaders have a vast array of duties that include managing the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and implementing cutting edge energy technologies to maximize national security while minimizing environmental damage. Perhaps what made the Secretary’s job toughest is that the American people, at the time, at least, had a great reverence for science, and were smart enough to know that success in this job required both top-level intelligence and acute judgement, while failure at the job meant unequivocal disaster for our nation and perhaps the entire world.
Fast-forward to today, where Rick Perry leads the DoE, without an iota of academic training or career experience in energy. How did that happen?
Well, for one, at this point no one cares. When Perry shot down renewable energy in favor of fossil fuels at an event last week, he said, “If you can guarantee me that the wind is going to blow tomorrow, if you can guarantee me that the sun’s going to get to the solar panels…then I’ll buy into that. But you can’t.” Americans listened to that and said, “Well I guess he’s got a point there, doesn’t he?”
Re: his position on global warming, the same group responded, “Well, who cares if my kid in high school has more science under his belt? He’s the governor of a big state, isn’t he?”
We’re at a point where none of the science and technology surrounding grid management, power transmission, energy storage, load balancing, peak shaving, energy efficiency etc., means anything. Just as those listening to Moniz and Chu needed to know that they were being led by science, today’s audience is comfortable knowing that the big brains in energy are aware that the sun goes down at night and the wind doesn’t blow at a constant speed.
As usual, the leader isn’t the disease; he’s a symptom of the disease: metastasizing ignorance and compulsive lowering of the intellectual bar.
Craig,
I think I’ve identified your problem.
Essentially, you seem to believe members of Cabinet should be qualified experts in the portfolio the represent. (Cabinet Secretary of health should be a Doctor or Defense should be a career soldier, etc).
In reality, this is not a requirement, or even always of benefit. Cabinet Appointments are entirely about translating political policy in departmental policy, and implementing administration accordingly.
In countries with non-executive heads of State, Cabinet Ministers are appoint from elected members of parliament regardless of qualifications in the nature of their portfolio.
Dr Chu is without a doubt a brilliant scientist, but he shares the same qualifications as the current Secretary. The only qualification necessary for any Cabinet appointment are the confidence of the elected President and endorsement of the Senate.
Dr Chu’s political, management and administrative qualifications were virtually non-existent and although many of his policies were successful and beneficial, others were highly questionable, costly and unsuccessful.
In 2011 Dr Chu support a report preventing the expansion of US natural-gas development on environmental grounds citing the risks of hydraulic fracturing to great to be allowed to expand.
In 2006 Dr Chu was a confirmed advocate of ” Imminent Peak oil” demanding massively costly measures to cope with projected oil shortages by 2018 !
Dr Chu remains an advocate for a ” global “glucose economy”. He advocate replacing oil with the glucose from tropical plants. (the practicalities are still being worked out).
On the other hand, Rick Perry has only a BSc Texas A&M University, and served in the Air force both as a pilot and logistics controller.
(Not many kids in high school have either qualification).
Rick Perry also served as Agriculture Commissioner for Texas, before being Elected Governor of Texus for three consecutive terms. Perry has also served as a board director for several energy corporations.
Rick Perry may not be who you want as Secretary of Energy, but he’s certainly well qualified to hold any Cabinet position.
During a previous presidential campaign, Perry said he intended to abolish the department. At a minimum, appointees should not have declared interests antithetical to the statutory purpose of the department. Perry is therefore unqualified.
I hadn’t thought about that. But of course, this is the aim of the Trump administration: the demolition of any aspect of the federal government that provides value to the common citizen.
Craig,
That’s just an opinion, but you are fully entitled to make up any opinion , just as other are entitled to disagree.
What, unlike Cameron, you are not entitled to make up is your own facts!
The only qualification required by Rick Perry is the confidence of the elected President and confirmation by Congress.
They, and they alone, represent the “will of the people”. If Secretary Perry want to abolish the Department of Energy, he is entitled to do so as long as the Congress and President agree to pass the appropriate legislation.
It’s obvious that Perry simply want’s to achieve measures of reform. Washington bureaucratic reform is long overdue.
Wow – marcopolo – you believe I’m entitled to make up my own facts? That’s something I’ve never remotely considered appropriate, and I’m not likely to change that position, but thanks anyway. Curious… What facts above do you think I made up?