Should business leaders hold key positions in government?

President taps former Procter & Gamble CEO to reform the VA

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PRESIDENT OBAMA TAPS FORMER CEO OF PROCTER & GAMBLE TO HEAD VA

CHARLES PAYNE: I love the idea of a CEO coming to Washington, D.C. Now, will he be allowed to do what a CEO can do? Will he be allowed to bring in the accountability, wreck the place, turn it upside down, and turn it into something that serves the function of the people it is supposed to be serving? If not, it is all a show.

CHERYL CASONE: I think that Bob McDonald is an interesting choice, but not the right choice. He had a rough time at Procter & Gamble.

CHARLIE GASPARINO: Any businessman that goes into the Obama administration has gone in with two arms tied behind their back. Bill Daley went in as chief of staff, and was kind of blocked at every step of the way by Valerie Jarrett. I would say that this guy is a good choice based on what I know or the job, but my problem with the VA is that we don't need a guy to the manage it better, we need a guy to blow it up and radically change the VA.

ADAM LASHINSKY: That is a fair assumption, they probably won't be able to do it, and the cards are stacked so far against anybody taking on this organization's leadership. What anybody needs is political support, and that has nothing do with capitalism or government, but a corporate leader who has the backing of the board because things are so bad can do a lot.

CALIFORNIA PROTESTERS BLOCK HOMELAND SECURITY BUSES CARRYING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS

CHARLES PAYNE: 95 percent of people in Latin America believe that there is going to be amnesty, and now the rush. They get this from the White House. If you want to be firm, tell the people that they can't come here and be citizens, tell them they will be in trouble and be turned away, come out to say it.

CHARLIE GASPARINO: You can't have open borders in a welfare state. If you bus poor people in, you're going to have to take care of them.

CHERYL CASONE: Where is that $2 billion going to go? 40 percent of the security agent's time is going to babysitting, and now we are going to spend $2 billion on the facilities, that means no extra agents out of this. Correct me if I'm wrong, but where is the support? Jan Brewer feels completely abandoned by the president.

ADAM LASHINSKY: The money is first of all to house the people safely, and to send them back. The president has said out loud that we will send them back.

TSA HIKING PASSENGER SECURITY FEES BY MORE THAN 100 percent

CHARLES PAYNE: How come it costs so much money to run government? Its nuts.

CHARLIE GASPARINO: These costs are going up, I just wish it was someone else patting me down.

CHERYL CASONE: Everyone has a limit, but I'm okay with more money going to the TSA. I would rather be safe than anything.

ADAM LASHINSKY: I want the TSA people to have every last dollar they feed to keep us safe. The government employees have kept us very safe since 9-11.

STOCK PICKS

CHARLES PAYNE:

• Harman International Industries, Incorporated (HAR)

• Molson Coors Brewing Company (TAP)

• EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. (EZCH)