Can a Politician running for President announce before the election who he...

[next VP]

...might choose to be his Economist? Such as, can McCain say he would like to put Mitt Romney as his Economy adviser or higher? Wouldn't that help his campaign immensely? I don't know if they can announce it or start to pick his cabinet.

[Margaret H]

There are many people who functionally set economic policy within an Administration so a candidate can't start naming a whole list during the campaign.
It's best to stick to an easily understandable general principle.

That's actually where Obama is getting himself into a lot of trouble lately.
Most Americans are pretty clueless about how the tax codes and business work.
They assume that "corporations" are bad but many small businesses incorporate as a simple tax function even though they may only make $5,000 annually selling Avon to their friends.
Successful small businesses with Sub-Chapter S Corporations file their taxes on their 1040s so they would get hit with every one of Obama's higher taxes even though many are still struggling.
Obama gives hard income numbers, such as $50,000 or $100,000 as cut-offs but that is a huge amount of money in some States and a very tight budget if your family lives in San Francisco or New York.
He is only appealing to voters'pocketbooks but ignoring fiscal policy in a global economy.
Some of his wider proposals will destroy their jobs and economic security.

Obama keeps changing his mind and nobody can keep his plans straight.

McCain's economic plan is simple.
He's not going to raise taxes because the last round of tax cuts worked across the board to lower taxes to the middle class.
They increased revenue to the Federal Treasury.
The PROBLEM was that Congress spends too much.
McCain promises to cut Federal spending.
He is in favor of free trade because it has created jobs in America increased exports, creating a positive balance of payments.
A Simple Plan that people can understand.

The President appoints a Secretary of the Treasury.
A Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
A Commerce Secretary.
There is an Undersecretary at State who deals with Trade.
A Trade Negotiator.
The Trade Development Administration.
A division within the Labor Department that oversees contracts.
Agriculture has trade officers for exports.
The Import-Export Bank.
And the list goes on.....
All of these offices handle some part of the American economy that strengthen it, creating jobs, protecting American jobs and consumers, and our balance of payments.