There are quite a few Cabinet members, though you only tend to hear about a handful, namely Clinton, Holder and Gates. For instance, there is the Secretary of Labor:
Soon after she became the nation's labor secretary, Hilda Solis warned corporate America there was "a new sheriff in town." Less than a year into her tenure, that figurative badge of authority is unmistakable.
Her aggressive moves to boost enforcement and crack down on businesses that violate workplace safety rules have sent employers scrambling to make sure they are following the rules.
The changes are a departure from the policies of Solis' predecessor, Elaine Chao. They follow through on President Barack Obama's campaign promise to boost funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, increase enforcement and safeguard workers in dangerous industries.
H/t Atrios.
Yesterday, I referenced an activist opinion, where two conservative Bush appointees -- very controversial when nominated -- reached out to decide (contra to the stance of the Obama Administration) that the international law of war basically had no place in determining detainee questions. "Activist" is a word I don't quite fancy, since it tends to mean a ruling the person who uses the word doesn't care for. But, neutrally, it clearly can mean an opinion that goes further than necessary, for good or ill. When libs on the Ninth Circuit do that, some sort of don't take to it, do they?
Anyways, elections have consequences, even if Obama doesn't seem that good. Compare the Secretary of Labor in the Bush Administration; see, e.g., Bushwomen by Laura Flanders. On the election front, the worries about '10 should be kept in proper perspective as noted here.