Joe Biden Names Neera Tanden to Cabinet, and People Are Not Happy
11/30/2020 08:49 pm EST
Progressive
Tanden pointedly removed the term "progressive" from her Twitter bio on Monday, perhaps noting that it no longer matched with the current connotation of the term. Tanden is generally seen as an enemy of the political faction now being called "progressives" in the U.S., including Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar.
Tweets
Tanden is prolific on Twitter, and many Republican critics called her out for this after her appointment was announced. Others called this ironic given the way President Donald Trump uses social media.
Lobbyists
Critics also brought up Tanden's history of accepting money an gifts from lobbying groups and individuals, arguing that this was tantamount to accepting bribes.
Progressives
While self-described provessive voters were put off by Tanden, not all politicians who fall into that group were. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Stacey Abrams and others endorsed her on Monday.
Centrist
Tanden's supporters argued that she has only done what one needs to do in order to make their way in a political career, and that it is actually a good sign that both Republicans and progressives do not like her. This framed the Democratic party in the U.S. as the political center, rather than the left.
Aid Programs
On Monday, Tanden tweeted about how much it meant to her to take over the OMB so that she could oversee assistance programs she once relied on. Critics responded with comments about her past disdain for such programs during her career.
Confirmation
While Tanden's critics on both sides complained, her supporters grew concerned about whether she would be confirmed to her office at all. The Senate is required to confirm the president's cabinet appointments, and if Republicans refuse to do so with Tanden, it could set a bad tone for Biden's presidency.
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