Discussion Thread: Senate Confirmation Hearing | Pete Buttigieg - Secretary of Transportation | 01/21/2021 - Live 10:00 AM ET

Except you can have a mix of both

On a fundamental level you can't. Meritocracy means that every position is filled by merit. And you don't really want a meritocracy, you would just create a society with way less social mobility and diversity and instead get an elite class of rich and influential people in positions. Who get's to choose who has most merit? Again, the most rich and influential. Btw, merit and meritocracy are 2 different things.

The position of secretary of transportation is already not a democratically elected position, the people arent voting Pete Buttigieg.

The position itself isn't, but the President get's to choose his cabinet freely, and he is elected.

Secondly, who votes for someone dont think will do the best job?

Almost every employer does this, they don't always want the most skilled, but best suited for their culture. Almost every politician isn't fit for their job, but they are chosen cause of their willingness to work with their administration.

Pete Buttigieg was not nominated to this position because Joe Biden thinks he is the best candidate, but because he is repaying a favor and artificially boosting the resume of "rising star" in the party.

Basically every cabinet and administrative position, ever.

/r/politics Thread Parent