QOTD: Who From the Automotive World Would Be a Good Cabinet Secretary?

by Tim Healey

Published: August 21st, 2024

qotd who from the automotive world would be a good cabinet secretary

Even when one is on vacation in another country, it can be hard to disengage from American political news, especially during a presidential election year.

So yes, I heard about Donald Trump floating Elon Musk's name as a potential cabinet member should Trump win the election.

My own thoughts on that idea are best saved for an op-ed, so I will keep them to myself in this space. But I did start wondering -- would someone from the car world be a good cabinet secretary?

Maybe a former automaker CEO? A Bob Lutz-like figure, perhaps? Lutz himself is probably enjoying his life too much these days.

Maybe it would be someone like Roger Penske -- someone who has made a name for themselves not with an OEM but in other aspects of the automotive business.

I'd prefer it if you toss out serious answers, but I can't stop you from making joke nominations.

What I can do, however, is stop you from making comments that break our rules. I spend part of my days moderating your comments and it's still too rough around here. Yes, this is a political QOTD about a political news story that we've covered, but that doesn't justify jerkwad behavior on your part. Please play nice or face the banhammer.

OK, with that out of the way, you know what to do.

Sound off below.

[Image: General Motors]

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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2 of 77 comments

El scotto on Aug 23, 2024
If Harris wins: Gretchen Whitmer. Think it through. If Trump wins: Any rich over 60 fat white guy who gave the GOP big bucks. Because I'm far too lazy to do the research; I'm pretty sure that any cabinet Secretary makes at least $150,000 and gets congressional-level retirement benefits. Think free medical for life.

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Blueice on Aug 28, 2024
"Blueice - I have family in South Bend, and discovered that people still talk about the excellent job he did up there. He laid the groundwork and started a process that has resulted in the population finally increasing, new jobs and companies moving back there, and finally started fixing that city's absolutely awful infrastructure. He wasn't just picked out of the blue to this cabinet position - his service to his country, his community, his education and accomplishments have taken him a long way. Probably a whole lot damn further than an internet troll who can't spell "department." Once again, you are off-line, Flyfanman. Sure Pistol Pete, removed 1,ooo abandon homes in 1,ooo days, charging penny less owners on the way. Yes, he improvedthe central business district, with government unit welfare. Have you seen the most important duties of government ?? The crime rate under his leadership scored record highs most of his eight-year tender. https://www.city-data.com/city/South-Bend-Indiana.html His relationship with black residents, also reach record lows. He was also known as Polehole Pete, unable to fix the cities street. What has he done as head of DOT, not much. He can not fix the issues in the FAA and the airline industry and bridges are racist to him. LOL. How long did it take him to go to East Palestine, seven days. He must have been nursing his child.Now to another lead failureship by Sailor Pete, part and parcel of the O'Bidden administration. https://www.zerohedge.com/military/another-pete-buttigieg-failure-merchant-marine-manpower-deficit-sidelines-17-support-ships There is a massive hole in the Deportment of Transportation. This troll has smoked out another leftest over a spelling. You and Pete have a lot in com[men]. He is a train wreck, Flyman: I hope you are not on board.

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