Colin Gordon on Bernie Sanders and the Department of Labor [OPINION]

With a new president will come a brand-new cabinet with a differing philosophy of governance.

Recently, it has been reported that Senator Bernie Sanders has been lobbying to be the next Secretary of Labor. The Democratic primary runner-up certainly warrants consideration for the post, especially if the Biden Administration wants to make an overture to Sanders and his coalition of support; both played a critical role in Biden's electoral success this fall.

Cabinet positions are not just a signifier to the public of how a president intends to govern; each cabinet secretary has broad discretionary powers to enforce or not enforce existing law and policy under their department's purview.

Recently, I was joined by University of Iowa Professor Dr. Colin Gordon to discuss a recent piece he wrote in the leftist magazine Jacobin on the potential of having Bernie Sanders as the head of the Department of Labor.

Though as of this writing, the prospects of his nomination look grim, we spoke more broadly about the history of the Department of Labor, including its potential to empower workers, as it did under New Deal Era Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, or purposefully undermine their responsibility to workers, as it currently is under Secretary Eugene Scalia. You can listen to the full conversation here:

Marcus Ferro is the host of The Marcus Ferro Show airing Saturdays on 1420 WBSM from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Contact him at marcusferrolaw@gmail.com. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.