Secretary of State - Colin Powell (quite a shame - knew the facts and foresaw the quagmire with Iraq);
Attorney General - John Ashcroft (thank the lord almighty);
Education Secretary - Rod Paige (leave no child has been a disaster - even if it were funded, which it has not);
Commerce Secretary - Don Evans (old buddy from oil exploration days in Texas);
Agriculture Secretary - Ann Veneman (not even sure if the position is necessary);
and Energy Secretary - Spencer Abraham (highest gas prices in history).
Additionally, Bush has tapped failed National Security Advisor Condoleeza Rice as the next Secretary of State, resulting in another opening for a near-Cabinet level position. (About that little thing that happened on September 11, 2001...)
History tells us that this is no big news: Reagan and Clinton changed seven cabinet positions for their second terms, and Richard Nixon made nine changes. However, Bush has now began a policy, reminiscent of Soviet Russia, in consolidating his power by filling vacancies with trusted staff allies and removing those with differing opinions on policy (namely Powell). Trusted ally, Alberto Gonzales, counsel to the president, has been named as the next Attorney General.
