President Trump announced Space Force will headquarter in Alabama. Let this be the start of relocation for other departments of the overgrown federal government.
The centralization of the federal government created another kind of centralization in the form of the geographic concentration of federal workers in the nation’s capital of Washington, DC. Our nation has fulfilled its prophesized Manifest Destiny and our continental size comes with logistical challenges. Keeping all of the vast, bloated, overreaching federal government in one little town nestled on a swamp near George Washington’s house seems ineffective and unwise.
So let’s move things around a bit. Let’s start with the cabinet. Here are some suggestions for cabinet-level department relocation.
Agriculture– Iowa. Easy.
Commerce– This one can stay in DC. It may seem apt to move Commerce to New York, but it’s better to keep the government as far away from business as possible.
Defense– Already headquartered in Virginia and the Pentagon ain’t going anywhere.
Health & Human Services– This one can also stay in DC. Northern Virginia and Maryland are loaded with health institutions and Inova is world-renowned.
Homeland Security– Miami or southern Texas. Port security is always a just concern. Texas may be ruled out only because the Trump administration has already done an exceptional job on tightening up border security.
Housing & Urban Development– Chicago or Detroit. The Windy City and the Motor City were once booming metropolises, but look at them now. Maybe policy makers having to live there will result in some results. NIMBY can be a powerful motivator.
Interior– Wyoming because they could use a modest bump in population.
Justice– There are plenty of crooks in DC to justify sticking around.
State– It’s best for the State Dept. to stay close to the White House and the Pentagon.
Transportation– Los Angles. The City of Angles is a traffic nightmare, they have important international ports, and an airport or two. Of all the cabinet members, the transportation secretary should be required to drive himself and without any police escorts in the hopes of offering some priceless experience.
Treasury– Kentucky. Fort Knox could welcome them and Rep. Thomas Massie could keep a close, watchful eye.
Veterans Affairs– Maryland because that’s where Walter Reed Hospital is located.
As for the rest, the Departments of Education, Energy, and Labor should be dissolved, EPA and SBA should not be cabinet-level agencies, and no comment on placement of the US Trade Rep.