What is the Secretary of the Treasury?
When Obama becomes President January 20, 2009, he will become the boss of 15 executive departments. Together with the Vice President, each of those 15 department heads (called ‘Secretaries’) constitute the President’s cabinet (see the current cabinet here). Tim Geithner will become the head or ‘Secretary’ of the Treasury Department and as such a member of President Obama’s cabinet. Among other technical functions, Secretary of Treasury implements the economic policies of the President–a position that will be hugely important as the economic crisis grows. Also: the Treasury Secretary’s signature goes on every piece of currency issued while he is at the helm. If you look on the bottom right corner of the bills in your wallet, you should see the signature of the current secretary (Henry Paulson) and, possibly, the last one (John Snowe). What is the ‘National Economic Council’? In addition to his cabinet, when Obama becomes President he will also inherit a bunch of organizations establish
