Waltz Gets a Signal

 

When anything happens in TrumpWorld that sort of comports with reality, like the Signal chat-loving NSA Mike Waltz getting the boot, I want to do a blogpost about what the heck seems to be going on, but am always tempered by it being TrumpWorld, and the facts probably being muddier and dumber than what we initially hear. Of course, the fellow who initiated the notorious SignalGate chat is out, and so is his deputy, Alex Wong. 

Of course. A proper Administration might have done that weeks ago, and sent SecDef Hegseth packing as well. 

But this is TrumpWorld. It probably isn't the chat itself so much as Waltz having a perceived "unfriendly" journo in his saved phone contacts that did him in. And the contributions of MAGA influencer Laura Loomer. 

Marco Rubio is, like Elon Musk in the other day's cabinet meeting, wearing multiple hats, now. All I know is, Waltz shouldn't be replaced with Witlesskopf because that would be horrible--so that's what will probably happen. 

The Kennedy Hearing was Ugly

 

When your own family thinks you are a weird conspiracy freak who is uniquely unqualified and literally call you a grifting predator, well, that's probably bad news, right? 

But when quizzing by US Senators demonstrates you don't know Medicare from Medicaid and have not just trimmed your public pronouncements to suit your audience but are a legal grifter profiting off of your own BS (as Sen. Warren demonstrated), well, that hurts to be aired publicly, in so many words, doesn't it? 

Or maybe it doesn't.

This guy gave himself a brainworm from consuming roadkill, admits to dumping a bear corpse in a public park, seems sketchy about how germ theory works, has no medical or scientific background whatsoever, has opinions about the AIDS virus and vaccines that would have been shameful and out of date 25 years ago, let alone today, and yet?

He's got influence in his corner. Why they want him, I don't know. You might think people would want someone who isn't a whole fucking flake in an important position like Secretary of Health and Human Services--

Unless you just aren't that interested in health and will be goddamned if you see it as a basic human service. 

Aw, Screw it, Fire Pruitt!

One might have expected that there was something a little weird about Pruitt when he wanted the $43k soundproof booth in his office, or when he alleged that he really needed to fly first class because people said mean things to him when he flew coach. But I really think this past few days' worth of revelations has exceeded all expectations regarding a man and his grift. The sweetheart condo rental deal made between Pruitt and the wife of a lobbyist who had projects subject to the approval of Pruitt's office is pretty dodgy once the details come into focus, and his deliberate staff manipulations look an awful lot like an abuse of power. Little details like wanting to use the sirens on his motorcade to get through traffic more quickly when he was running late, or noting that he not only had a deep discount on his Capitol Hill digs, but fell behind on paying for it, seem almost comical, but point to a truly cavalier attitude towards government service. 

But what is frankly amazing is that, despite all this, Pruitt's effectiveness in dismantling the EPA's regulatory abilities outweighs what one might suppose would seem an embarrassing appearance of corruption. All in all, a touch of corruption doesn't seem to be all that new a detail in Pruitt's bio, to the extent that it becomes clear that the Trump Administration and it's admirers may feel that Pruitt's corruptibility is a feature, not a bug. What else can one make of the rumor that Trump is considering not just not firing Pruitt, but considering him as a replacement for Attorney General Jeff Sessions. 

Because if a person is not merely corrupt, but almost comically so, why wouldn't someone with Trump's obvious baggage want to have him running the Department of Justice?

I could be wrong--Fridays are made for firings in TrumpWorld, after all, and many an official has found themselves getting the axe after getting the "full confidence of the President" guarantee. It's possible that the Samantha Dravin/Rob Porter leaking angle will eventually do Pruitt in in a way that the misuse of taxpayer funds has not. But seeing Senators Cruz and Paul come to Pruitt's defense and blame his scandals on the media makes me wonder if we might be about to see an experiment in just seeing if this can be "weathered out". 

This is pretty terrible--the guy definitely seems shady as hell and should be out! But if Trump starts tossing every shady person working for him...who is he going to have left?

Cabinet-Making isn't Easy

Trump complains "pathetic" Dems are holding up his Cabinet, but all available nominations are confirmed: https://t.co/UgpBJFlQX4 pic.twitter.com/iB5UkBkCPM

— The Hill (@thehill) March 3, 2017

The thing I was saying about how President Trump's biggest staffing problem is Trump? The problem is still Trump. Also, the people he picks aren't the best (or most honest).

Does he not know this? Sounds like more of a personal problem than a personnel problem.

(This, too, looks like a personal problem. I take it the calm after the favorable speech reviews is over, and we are back to the Twitter storm.)

Pravderp

To be working in the Trump White House? Eventually, sure

I don't know how it can be true, but Melissa McCarthy's over-the-top representation of Press Secretary Spicer's occasionally bombastic style on SNL sort of makes me look forward to tuning in to the real thing. I feel like he's settling down so far as questions are kind of ordinary and procedural about the President's schedule and ordinary things, and those exchanges even show a little humor.

Still some howling moments though. 

Questions regarding whether certain internal loyalty requirements or micromanagement are slowing the staffing of key WH positions was met with a claim that the Trump Administrations was "ahead of the curve". That was pretty much true--in November and December. But it seems like it is lagging now, and not because of Senate delays. The relationship with Mexico was described as "phenomenal"--I guess "awkward" is definitely a phenomenon when one country decides to deport people to another country even if they aren't from there. Spicer also spoke positively about the task force VP Pence will be heading to look into the non-existent voter fraud. Which is happening eventually because we won't have an agency that does that.  Shame, too, because people who know there wasn't actually any voter fraud are asking for receipts (and they don't exist). Are they going to look for proof that the vocal people at town halls are getting paid next?

The narrative presented at these press briefings does look a bit different from objective reality. I've been mentally thinking of labelling it "Pravderp". You  know, part Pravda, the state-run paper that did what I guess RT does now, for the Soviet state. And "derp", because I don't know that our actual journos really buy into it. After all, the media were mostly trained at some point to know when to smell a rat, and dissembling right in front of them is bound to awaken even the most ossified nasal passages to the whiff of rodent scat.

Anyhow, it's my portmanteau, and I think I shall stick with it.

"Nevertheless, she persisted."

It strikes me as fairly interesting that an obscure US Senate rule was used to shush MA Senator Elizabeth Warren as she was about to read into the Senate discussion on Sen. Jeff Sessions' confirmation to US AG a letter from Martin Luther King Jr's widow, Coretta Scott King, which had been written to encourage against a Federal judgeship for Sessions many years ago. Sen. McConnell indicated that this letter was being used by Senator Warren to impugn a fellow Senator.

I guess we have a kind of difference of opinion about what it means to impugn a person's character. For example, an epithet might be delivered that unfairly labels a person's activity. Or, one could just be straight-up describing the actual activity that a person engaged in, with the hope that the hearers decide for themselves what that conduct reveals. I think the reference to the letter is in keeping with the latter description of Warren's words, and that she should not have actually been told to hush up and sit down.

Senator Jeff Merkley of Oregon, to his credit, picked right up where she left off. 

The Senate Dems are at a distinct disadvantage in trying to deny the placement of Trump's cabinet picks. Tuesday, Trump's choice for Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, was confirmed by Vice President Mike Pence acting as Senate tie-breaker. This occurred after unprecedented citizen feedback against her confirmation (Sen. Toomey might think PA residents aren't going to remember this six years out but, I dunno. We might.) But despite President Trump's somewhat disingenuous whining about how long it's taking for his cabinet to be complete (Obama had it worse--of course!) he is liable to get all his picks confirmed in pretty good time, despite how awful they are, because the GOP doesn't mind letting them in--

But to be quite realistic? How in the world does anyone not realize that what the Democratic base wants from our representatives is a fight? I want people like Senator Warren to persist their hearts out. I want the GOP in congress to look like hypocrites backing up scoundrels every damn day, and I want them called out by Democrats for it.

Every damn day.

So, thanks, Senate Dems, for persevering and persisting. I hope we enlarge your ranks the next election. Thanks for sticking up for civil rights and opposing an AG candidate that would not support them adequately.  It means a lot.

The Bondi Shande

In a uniquely Trumpian fashion, there is word that FL AG Pam Bondi will be taking a position in the Trump White House. The same Pam Bondi who got a $25K donation from the Trump Foundation which was not at all ethical, and coincided with her choosing not to pursue Trump University on behalf of many Floridian claimants? Yeah, really. That very same Pam Bondi.  

Would that also be the same Pam Bondi who has other allegations of corruption surrounding her, to the extent that reptoid in a people suit Rick Scott even threw her under the bus for a bit over postponing an execution because the timing didn't work with her self-promotion.

She is a breath-taking piece of work, and her receipt of a campaign donation from Trump, followed by a White House position, all for the simple non-job of not following up on a consumer complaint, tells us an awful lot about how she will fill whatever role was found for her.

It is:

Outstanding choice, Trump transition! So much obvious naked contempt for even the remotest semblance of rectitude. There are only so many words; I am bereft.

Curious Standards

There is a reasonable possibility that Donald Trump is considering former CIA Director and general David Petraeus for Secretary of State--and for what it's worth, I really think I like him as a pick better than I do Rudy Giuliani (who I just see as a very bad fit all around--not a diplomatic guy!) or Mitt Romney (who, based on what KellyAnn Conway has been telegraphing, and the open idea that Romney should have to crawl a little bit in abject penitence for defying Team Trump--makes me want to yell at him: Run away Mitt! Run far away! They are coming for your dignity!)

But can we admit it's just a little bananas that Trump is considering someone who FBI Director Comey explained has violated the rules regarding handling classified information way worse than anything Hillary Clinton ever did?

Because I think this would be important. Hillary Clinton was the subject of chants to "lock her up", and calls from the RNC Convention demonizing her and making a case against her because of her email server, from people like Rudolph Giuliani and NJ Governor Chris Christie. But what Petraeus did is okay in Trumplandia--he is still fine for a sensitive cabinet role. And Gen. Michael Flynn, who was tapped for National Security Adviser, was also reckless as heck regarding "forbidden" communications. He's fine, too.

I bring this up because even though Donald Trump was, as some might term it, "gracious" about not prosecuting Hillary Clinton over her emails anymore (like this would actually be up to him?) it's still being held over her head as if he might take an interest. Call it the "potato peeler of Damocles", perhaps. At anytime, if he finds her dangerous, he'll consider using the Department of Justice to just skin her. (Which, I don't hesitate to add, isn't how a Chief Executive should be using the Justice Dept. at all!)

Is it because they are military men that they get the pass? Conservatives? Is it because there's just this something about HRC that makes what might be considered "bucking the rules" or "making mistakes" for Flynn and Petraeus, a federal case about shadiness when it pertains to Hillary Clinton?

I don't know--it just looks like one hell of a double standard.

HATAWL 3: Everything He Said He Would Do

So among things that are now happening with what potential Trump say out loud where the people can hear--let's talk about the possibility of a Muslim registry--the US had something similar during the Bush Administration for tracking people (males, specifically, over the age of 16) who came from a list of suspect countries. That program survived court challenges regarding its Constitutionality but didn't so much catch would-be terrorists so much as people who overstayed their visas. (It was ended largely because other DHS tracking systems made it redundant.) A part of an anti-immigration policy, it seems like using terrorism as a pretext to discourage Muslims from coming to the US, even to work or go to school--a step in the direct of a Muslim ban, without being an outright Muslim ban.

But rhetoric that cites Japanese internment camps as a precedent is alarming. It gives the impression that the system would be used  to ultimately "round up" people for mass deportation or detainment. The incoming Administration used campaign language that doesn't really encourage me to give them the benefit of the doubt. GOP Senator Tom Cotton has been floated as a possible Secretary of Defense pick:

Cotton made a name for himself soon after arriving in Washington by penning a letter to the Ayatollah of Iran disputing the Obama administration’s right to engage in negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal — a deal Trump has called “terrible” — and pulling almost all Senate Republicans on board. Sessions, meanwhile, is renowned for being one of Congress’s most uncompromising voices on immigration enforcement, which fits in well with the president-elect’s plans to build a southern border wall.

Both Cotton and Sessions believe that the United States should have kept more troops in Iraq, and agree with Trump that waterboarding should an available tool to U.S. interrogators — Cotton recently went so far as to argue that waterboarding doesn’t constitute torture — a stance considerably more hawkish than that held by most members of Congress.

I don't think it's reassuring that someone who has said there are too many empty beds in Guantanamo, that detainees can all "rot in hell", and advocates for torture is considered appropriate for that position. But it's not at all out of line with Trump's own comments about Guantanamo Bay and torture (even "taking out"suspected terrorists' families which sounds like a call for murder).  It doesn't sound like anything that would "make America great" to me--

But ISIS seems to like the sound of it:

"This guy is a complete maniac. His utter hate towards Muslims will make our job much easier because we can recruit thousands," Abu Omar Khorasani, a top Isis commander in Afghanistan, told Reuters.

"Our leaders were closely following the US election but it was unexpected that the Americans will dig their own graves and they did so," Khorasani continued, describing President Barack Obama as a moderate infidel with a little more intelligence than Mr Trump.

 "A complete maniac". Who is surrounding himself with more of them.

*How A Trump Administration Will Look= HATAWL

HATAWL 2: The Celebrity Apprentice Cabinet

I think "How a Trump Administration Will Look" is going to be a regular feature at this blog as we see the incoming administration take place, so pardon my awkward title: "HATAWL" is just a necessary acronym so my blog titles don't become too unwieldy. Before I launch into the current going-on, I just wanted to link to this fine recap of all the many ways in which Donald Trump the candidate and his campaign were simply not what we think of a "normal". Keeping this concept of "abnormality" in mind is probably a useful way to understand how his position-filling process is just naturally going to also be "abnormal".

See, after all, the above Tweet (screen-capped on the off-chance that it will be deleted as having been ill-advised--or perhaps better said, "unadvised"). "Very organized process taking place as I decide on Cabinet and many other positions. I am the only one who knows who the finalists are!" it reads, for those whose setting don't enable images, and it is sent from Trump's own verified account. It's hard to know how to take it--is he just responding genuinely to counter claims that this process is "bonkers" or a "total mess".  But does he legitimately see his potential selections for important cabinent roles as "finalists" as if he was still running "The Celebrity Apprentice"? Or is it possible he is having us on, a little? (As for as presidentin' goes, this is probably not good form--not that he has respect for such things.)

But word that there has been an actual "purge" of Trump transition folks with ties to Bridgegate-impacted Gov. Chris Christie does seem awkward--how much of this choice has to do with Trump's own actual distaste over how Christies handled the scandal, and how much has to do with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner's pay-back over Christie's prosecution of his father and uncle? One of the reasons I find this alarming is because someone like former MI Rep. Mike Rogers seemed like a pretty competent guy--the sort of knowledgeable and reasonable sort that even Democratic presidents might consider for something like CIA chief. This kind of decision-making doesn't seem really helpful.

But he is being replaced by Frank Gaffney, former Rep. Pete Hoekstra and CA Rep. Devin Nunes--welp, that's still kind of alarming. Gaffney was banned from CPAC a few years back for having an oddball conspiracy theory that Grover Norquist had ties to the Muslim Brotherhood.  (I have questioned Norquist over his economic ideas, but give me a break! Not a closet creeping sharia guy, ok?) Hoekstra totally Chaffetz-ed up regarding some classified info which kind of makes me wonder if he's altogether an s.m.a.r.t. choice. And Nunes? Eh, he fits right in.

But some of the other eyebrow-raising picks? A possible selection of Kris Kobach, anti-immigration and anti-civil rights SOB, for Trump's AG?  Laura Ingraham, radio host and awful person, for press secretary?  Peter Thiel for anything. Any damn thing at all. Gay vampires are very cool according to 1990 goth Anne Rice fan me, but this dude is something else.  And as an environmentalist, I am not even ready to talk about Myron Ebell having anything to do with the EPA. He's thinking Sago Mine owner Wilbur Ross for Commerce (huh! I guess Don Blankenship is unavailable, right?) 

It almost feels like a series of threats that wouldn't just challenge a liberal's stomach, but that of many a conservative as well. Maybe a case of showing us the worst scenario so his eventual actual picks don't seem as bad as they could have been? (That's a known negotiating tactic.) 

But I just think it's weird, right? That his cabinet discussions should even make you wonder if this is real life or a game. Maybe that Tweet means something--but I don't think these decisions should be treated like a reality show.

Well, Alrighty Then!

Dr. Ben Carson does not want to be a part of President-elect Trump's cabinet:

While Carson was floated as a possible appointee to oversee the Department of Health and Human Services or the Department of Education, Williams said he never received a formal offer for either post.

"Dr. Carson was never offered a specific position, but everything was open to him," Williams told The Hill.

"Dr. Carson feels he has no government experience, he's never run a federal agency,” he went on. “The last thing he would want to do was take a position that could cripple the presidency."

Yes, he really was running for president himself just a little while ago. But you know. Life comes at you fast.

How A Trump Administration Will Look

As the President-elect Trump has not yet been sworn in, I'm trying to take the chatter about what his cabinet will look like with a grain of salt--I'm not saying I've never given in to speculation about it before, of course. It's just that some of what I'm hearing is so, so...really seriously awful.  I mean, we're looking at Rudy Giuliani or John Bolton for Secretary of State. One (Giuliani) I've regularly castigated as an abject racist, and the other (Bolton) I've whole-heartedly called a "blood-thirsty loon".  This is a picture that doesn't make me hopeful that we will see a Trump cabinet that is full of win.

I'm basically gritting my teeth about Trump settling for the "guys (mostly male) that he can get". So, take the idea that Steve Bannon of Breitbart moves from his position as the Trump Campaign CEO to senior advisor and Chief Strategist. There is this little problem called "He's known as a white supremacist". Like, this is a staffing decision the KKK and American Nazi Party endorse.  And whom one former Speaker of the House decided to say was not either anti-Semitic because he worked in finance and the media, which actually is itself kind of anti-Semitic.

But maybe Trump might feel beholden to someone who gave so much free internets publicity to his campaign and mitigated the other right-wing opposition against him?  Of course, Trump is going to think about rewarding his friends. Like Sen. Jeff Sessions.  You could probably try to complain that he doesn't even know exactly how his presidential responsibilities work--but he's going to catch on, you know. Executive experience and all that.

I just tend to think that a Trump Administration will look like the Trump Campaign. And even though it won the electoral college, gosh! I think it will be terrible. There are exactly zero things that make me think it could be otherwise.