Tracking Trump Administration and Cabinet picks

[Chad Fuck 17658]

Just now, 4th&Five said:

 

This guy?  Again?

[wildcat09 29338]

I see Ana has switched happy hour from Thursday to Tuesday.

[InkaUtexas 25857]

8 minutes ago, 4th&Five said:

 

Never served in the military? Check.

Was on CNN. Check.

Worked for a conservative PAC? Check.

Yeah, lets give him NATO.

[Chad Fuck 17658]

8 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Never served in the military? Check.

Was on CNN. Check.

Worked for a conservative PAC? Check.

Yeah, lets give him NATO.

This dumbass was our acting AG for a year.  He was clueless.

[Fudge Nuggets 19184]

17 minutes ago, wildcat09 said:

I see Ana has switched happy hour from Thursday to Tuesday.

I noticed that last week.  

[InkaUtexas 25857]

Just now, Chad Fuck said:

This dumbass was our acting AG for a year.  He was clueless.

Yeah, but that is a positive for us right?

[Chad Fuck 17658]

2 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

Yeah, but that is a positive for us right?

[Brisketexan 105051]

We're just over two weeks after the ELECTION, not even to the inauguration, and it's a legit conversation to query whether we're at the "appoints his horse as Consul" stage of this admin.

Truly, if someone had submitted a completely factual accounting of Trump's political career, actions, and direct quotes as a script treatment 20 years ago, it would have been tossed in the trash immediately as so fucking absurd and outlandish that it's insulting.

And today....it's non-fiction.  Fucking amazing.

[TexArcher 37761]

10 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Truly, if someone had submitted a completely factual accounting of Trump's political career, actions, and direct quotes as a script treatment 20 years ago, it would have been tossed in the trash immediately as so fucking absurd and outlandish that it's insulting.

I've said for years that it's like we're living in a Jonathan Swift story or SNL sketch that was scrapped because it was too over-the-top to work as satire.  But here we are.  And it gets more surreal and ridiculous by the day.

[tx 3 putt 76865]

1 hour ago, bluto said:

Sadly McMahon might be one of the more qualified candidates as she was on state board of education in Connecticut for one whole year.  What a world. 

 

 

 

[Captainant 27625]

7 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

 

 

You think that matters? If anything, it serves trumps purposes better to have charalatans in cabinet positions. It's an instant litmus test to see if whoever he's dealing with will kiss the ring and play ball. The more outrageous, the better.

[Sbbruin 21829]

So Gaetz was married on MY beautiful Catalina Island?  I feel like I'll get cooties the next time I'm  there.

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/212637012175801/permalink/8115597161879707/

[Mo Horn 8819]

46 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

We're just over two weeks after the ELECTION, not even to the inauguration, and it's a legit conversation to query whether we're at the "appoints his horse as Consul" stage of this admin.

Truly, if someone had submitted a completely factual accounting of Trump's political career, actions, and direct quotes as a script treatment 20 years ago, it would have been tossed in the trash immediately as so fucking absurd and outlandish that it's insulting.

And today....it's non-fiction.  Fucking amazing.

 

35 minutes ago, TexArcher said:

I've said for years that it's like we're living in a Jonathan Swift story or SNL sketch that was scrapped because it was too over-the-top to work as satire.  But here we are.  And it gets more surreal and ridiculous by the day.

VEEP producers would have deemed episodes to unrealistic if writers had written what has happened irl. Pretty sad when I wish the Selena Meyer presidency was actually the one we were getting in January. 

[bluto 4912]

15 minutes ago, Captainant said:

You think that matters?

Zacly. The story put out there is she resigned from the board bc members aren’t allowed to accept political contributions as she ran for senate. Plus all the better no education degree, means she’s an OUTSIDER! 🥴

[Dnaguy 11916]

27 minutes ago, Captainant said:

You think that matters? If anything, it serves trumps purposes better to have charalatans in cabinet positions. It's an instant litmus test to see if whoever he's dealing with will kiss the ring and play ball. The more outrageous, the better.

This reminds me of a story I heard about a true aggy legend, Artie McFarrin. The same Artie that gave all that $ to his beloved ags and what the practice faculty is named for. I worked at his former chemical plant until it blew up due to his legacy of cutting corners on process safety for all the years he ran it.

Anyway, Artie did a background check on all his hires. This included college transcripts for new hires, etc. Not surprising or out of the ordinary.

However, what was out of the ordinary was what he used them for. 
See ole Artie wanted a particular kind of employee and engineer. Passed the FE? Rejected. GPA > 2.75? Rejected. 
What was he looking for? Well, if you had a DUI or some kind of criminal record that was a bonus. Bad credit? +1. Shit GPA preferably close to 2.0? Get this man a second interview. Been fired from your last job? Alright.

See Artie wanted to hire people no one else would. Why? Because they neeeeed that paycheck. You can make them do things, put up with shit conditions and not ask questions, they’d put up with a toxic work culture of fear, and they’d be too dumb to question you when they are asked to break the law.

Yep. That was his management style. Dumb people you can pay less while cutting corners on safety.

It worked too. This aggy hick made so much money that he bought Faberge eggs in Europe and bring them back in his carryon. You can see them now on loan in the Natural history museum in Houston. And also made so much $ he could donate millions to the ags and get his name on the Business school and practice facility.

He died a painful cancer death which is sort of karma. But considering his legacy led to a plant that exploded, death of an employee, and the permanent disability of others I only hope that aggy fuckstick has to live out eternity in a continuous chemical fire where he constantly roasted while watching Justin Tucker drill that winning field goal.

[C-Man 27183]

Hmm, buyer’s remorse on Hegseth already? Maybe, you know, it might be a good idea to run background checks and stuff.

‘Trump transition team ‘quietly’ looking at alternatives to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t honest’ about past’

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-transition-team-quietly-looking-124003030.html

[Ojo Rojo 1946]

Why are y'all not wanting all of these appointees to make it?  I want them all to make it. The more dogshit the pick, the better. The one ray of hope I have is that this administration fucks things up so magnificently that even the dumbest of the dumb won't vote for their fuckin' asses for the next 10 years.  Dems can't and won't do anything right to win elections.  Our best chance for sanity to return is for a ginormous clusterfuck of epic proportions for the next four years.

[DixonHur 11292]

6 minutes ago, C-Man said:

Hmm, buyer’s remorse on Hegseth already? Maybe, you know, it might be a good idea to run background checks and stuff.

‘Trump transition team ‘quietly’ looking at alternatives to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t honest’ about past’

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-transition-team-quietly-looking-124003030.html

This is a great opportunity to nominate someone with an unquestionable understanding of defense.  Say hello to your next Secretary of Defense.

 

[Brisketexan 105051]

Just now, Ojo Rojo said:

Why are y'all not wanting all of these appointees to make it?  I want them all to make it. The more dogshit the pick, the better. The one ray of hope I have is that this administration fucks things up so magnificently that even the dumbest of the dumb won't vote for their fuckin' asses for the next 10 years.  Dems can't and won't do anything right to win elections.  Our best chance for sanity to return is for a ginormous clusterfuck of epic proportions for the next four years.

This.  We the people insist on touching the hot stove.  A quick "yowch!" won't teach us shit.  We need it to be this....times 100:

"Pain" is the only language the American people speak fluently, and we only understand it when it is shouted.  

[TexArcher 37761]

19 minutes ago, C-Man said:

‘Trump transition team ‘quietly’ looking at alternatives to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t honest’ about past’

A guy from Fox News wasn't honest?

Now I've heard it all...

[TwiceHorn 31436]

8 minutes ago, DixonHur said:

This is a great opportunity to nominate someone with an unquestionable understanding of defense.  Say hello to your next Secretary of Defense.

 

One of the best parts about the Hegseth saga is that he's out there rapin while divorce is being finalized because of his affair with baby mama/wife 3 who is about to give birth.

Hegseth's peter had quite the August in 2017.

[C-Man 27183]

Why are y'all not wanting all of these appointees to make it?  I want them all to make it. The more dogshit the pick, the better. The one ray of hope I have is that this administration fucks things up so magnificently that even the dumbest of the dumb won't vote for their fuckin' asses for the next 10 years.  Dems can't and won't do anything right to win elections.  Our best chance for sanity to return is for a ginormous clusterfuck of epic proportions for the next four years.

You act as if we didn’t have this same fucking scenario in 2020 and we still re-elected this clown four years later. The shit isn’t going away because he picks a terrible cabinet. Gaetz as AG could be really, really, really bad.

I admit Hegseth is an awful pick as SecDef but feel incompetence there will get quickly rooted out and dealt with. Others, not so much.

[Gil Bang 25907]

now the big dick toilet guy is ambassador to NATO? 

 

Perfect. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13507]

McMahon was in Trump's first go-round as administrator of the small business administration. That was one of those roles where you're a cabinet level official at the discretion of the President but it's not a secretary position and you're not in the succession line. And she resigned in 2019 so she wasn't there to condemn him or resign after Jan 6th. Therefore she's still viewed as loyal and not a surprise to get a promotion for round 2.

[tx 3 putt 76865]

9 minutes ago, Nice Guy Eddie said:

McMahon was in Trump's first go-round as administrator of the small business administration. That was one of those roles where you're a cabinet level official at the discretion of the President but it's not a secretary position and you're not in the succession line. And she resigned in 2019 so she wasn't there to condemn him or resign after Jan 6th. Therefore she's still viewed as loyal and not a surprise to get a promotion for round 2.

 

shes go to slap the system !

 

[Ojo Rojo 1946]

39 minutes ago, C-Man said:

You act as if we didn’t have this same fucking scenario in 2020 and we still re-elected this clown four years later. The shit isn’t going away because he picks a terrible cabinet. Gaetz as AG could be really, really, really bad.

I admit Hegseth is an awful pick as SecDef but feel incompetence there will get quickly rooted out and dealt with. Others, not so much.

I think this is different. Trump is unrestrained this time. The election mandate + no more elections + getting away with everything = do whatever in the fuck he wants. He's emboldened. These cabinet picks are a huge indicator that there are no bounds.

[Foosters 17821]

13 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

shes go to slap the system !

 

 

[Felix 607]

Bread and circuses.

[Brisketexan 105051]

Just now, Felix said:

Bread and circuses.

And he's gonna slap tariffs on the bread, and/or deport the people who bake it.

So, pretty much just "circuses."

[yoladu 4090]

30 minutes ago, tx 3 putt said:

 

shes go to slap the system !

 

Confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education.....

 

Dem Senator : "Nominee McMahon, how many physical altercations would you say you have had in your lifetime?"

[SydneyCarton 48054]

1 hour ago, C-Man said:

Hmm, buyer’s remorse on Hegseth already? Maybe, you know, it might be a good idea to run background checks and stuff.

‘Trump transition team ‘quietly’ looking at alternatives to Pete Hegseth after he ‘wasn’t honest’ about past’

https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-transition-team-quietly-looking-124003030.html

There won't be any buyers remorse, becuase he won't ditch him. His ego won't let him admit he made a bad choice...until Hegseth says No to him, which will never happen. Not happening, much less over sexual assault or rape. Trump probably high-fived the guy and asked him about his technique. "Pete, you a grab by the pussy guy, or more of a beat the shit out of them in rape them once you're married type? I'm both."

[Chad Fuck 17658]

2 minutes ago, SydneyCarton said:

There won't be any buyers remorse, becuase he won't ditch him. His ego won't let him admit he made a bad choice...until Hegseth says No to him, which will never happen. Not happening, much less over sexual assault or rape. Trump probably high-fived the guy and asked him about his technique. "Pete, you a grab by the pussy guy, or more of a beat the shit out of them in rape them once you're married type? I'm both."

Agree.  This is yet another loyalty test.  Which Republican Senator will vote "no" and have the magats let loose on them?

[Francisco 2.0 32386]

RE: Dr. Oz

Jon Gruber wrote a bit about him:

 

I met Dr. Oz ten years ago. It was after the Apple event on Tuesday, 9 September 2014, at the Flint Center in Cupertino, where Apple unveiled Apple Watch after introducing the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Apple had erected a startlingly large temporary building in front of the Flint Center, which, post-event, was opened to attending media and celebrities to showcase Apple Watch’s various capabilities. But post-event press briefings were held inside the Flint Center, in a byzantine complex of subterranean rooms beneath the massive ground floor auditorium.

I had a one-on-one off-the-record briefing with Jony Ive. (Fascinating and fun — we spent most of the all-too-brief 30 minutes talking about watch bands and the exquisite packaging and charging case of the Edition models.) The waiting area for these press briefings was set up to look a bit like a mostly empty Apple Store. The central focus of this waiting area was a large table with a glass top; under the glass were a variety of Apple Watch models. The table was a prototype of the ones that Apple would put in its retail stores, for which they obtained multiple patents. While I was waiting for my briefing with Ive, the only other person from the media waiting with me was Oz.

It’s a weird thing to be alone, effectively, with someone of Oz’s celebrity. It’s like being in a room with a million dollars in $100 bills stacked in a perfectly-arranged pyramid. No matter how you to try to direct your attention, your mind keeps popping back to Holy shit, there’s a million dollars in cash right there. His hair was perfect, his shirt crisply pressed. It was a very nice shirt. He smiled at all times, and seemed genuinely happy to be there, and genuinely interested in Apple Watch, but not for what Apple Watch actually was or could be, but simply because it was a major new thing, and he was a VIP invitee at the introduction of this major new thing. And my mind would pop, for the umpteenth time, Holy shit, that’s Dr. Oz right there.

We spent an unceasingly awkward 10 minutes circling around that table together. He never shut up. He chattered, nonstop, with inane observations, like “Hey, look at that one, it’s orange! What’s that one, leather?” He was not talking to me, nor was he, really, talking to himself. It was like he was talking to a TV camera, as though we were being filmed for B-roll footage for his show — but there was no camera. It was just me and him, standing around that table exhibiting dozens of Apple Watch prototypes that we were unable to touch, with a handful of Apple PR reps hanging around the sides of the room in silence, pecking away on their iPhones, waiting for a notice from one of their colleagues that it was time to escort one of us to our briefing. Oz was called first, thankfully. It gave me a few minutes of silence to gather my thoughts, and study the watches (albeit under glass), without distraction. I sometimes wonder who his briefing was with. (Phil Schiller, perhaps?)

I came away with the impression that Mehmet Oz was, despite his well-deserved medical renown, preternaturally vapid and preening, and, thus, to me, an incongruous figure. Simultaneously a brilliant mind in the field of thoracic surgery, and yet dumb as a rock in everyday human interaction. I spent the first few minutes with him wondering if I should introduce myself. I spent the last few glad I hadn’t, because he was so obviously a staggeringly uninteresting and uninterested man.

I would have much preferred spending those 10 minutes chatting with Dr. Nick. 

[tx 3 putt 76865]

35 minutes ago, yoladu said:

Confirmation hearing for Secretary of Education.....

 

Dem Senator : "Nominee McMahon, how many physical altercations would you say you have had in your lifetime?"

 

hulk hogan will give her introduction speech 

 

[Ojo Rojo 1946]

2 hours ago, Brisketexan said:

This.  We the people insist on touching the hot stove.  A quick "yowch!" won't teach us shit.  We need it to be this....times 100:

"Pain" is the only language the American people speak fluently, and we only understand it when it is shouted.  

I was thinking more along these lines.

[Wally Fairway 5539]

Just think if a dem president had nominated a (fill in the blank ... aka Representative accused of sex with underaged girls Matt Gaetz) for a cabinet position
How would the republicans have responded?

[TexArcher 37761]

Barack wore a tan suit and Michelle showed her shoulders, and it was the end of the world to these people.  What are those nnnnnnnncommunists doing to our beloved country?!

A few years later, and all of these same family values frauds are on board with a rapist president, a pedo AG, a quack doc in charge of Medicare/Medicaid, and a god damned WWE character dismantling education.

But there aren't any nnnnnnnnncommunists or intellectual elites in this government!

These flag-wearing fucking idiots have hired the executioners of this country, and they're too god damned stupid to even realize it.

[gmr548 16576]

2 hours ago, Ojo Rojo said:

I think this is different. Trump is unrestrained this time. The election mandate + no more elections + getting away with everything = do whatever in the fuck he wants. He's emboldened. These cabinet picks are a huge indicator that there are no bounds.

Absolutely this, but I also have serious doubts this all star team is competent enough to do the work of dismantling the government. Make it function less effectively? Sure, almost a given tbh. But affecting actual, structural change? Don't know about that one.

It would be fascinating to watch if not for the stakes.

[royiv 9244]

6 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Absolutely this, but I also have serious doubts this all star team is competent enough to do the work of dismantling the government. Make it function less effectively? Sure, almost a given tbh. But affecting actual, structural change? Don't know about that one.

It would be fascinating to watch if not for the stakes.

I agree that these folks won’t be doing a lot of anything with regards to original thought or strategy. It’s the Project 2025 playbook they’re handed that makes them dangerous. It’s obvious that all of these picks are morons and useful idiots.  What I don’t know is whether or not the folks that will be pulling the strings are competent enough to implement the playbook. If they are, buckle up because we’re in for a ride.

[Ojo Rojo 1946]

42 minutes ago, gmr548 said:

Absolutely this, but I also have serious doubts this all star team is competent enough to do the work of dismantling the government. Make it function less effectively? Sure, almost a given tbh. But affecting actual, structural change? Don't know about that one.

It would be fascinating to watch if not for the stakes.

That would be the second best possible outcome.

[Pancho 44688]

6 hours ago, wildcat09 said:

I see Ana has switched happy hour from Thursday to Tuesday.

You haven’t yet?

[Zepol87 9185]

Wednesday seems alright

[Beantown Express 2.0 6559]

Someone want to explain to me why this makes sense?  It seems we should share info like that since he is up for Attorney General.  It’s not like it’s a democratic witch hunt against Gaetz.   Isn’t this a bi partisan investigation?   I guess hiding evidence that hurts someone is cool now, huh?

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/20/politics/republicans-ethics-panel-block-gaetz-report/index.html

[Nice Guy Eddie 13507]

there is an increasing loud voice from the right that we should all accept that the DOJ opted to not prosecute Gaetz so therefore the information form the ethics panel doesn’t matter. If you hear someone say this, call bs. Something may not rise to the level of a federal prosecution but still be relevant in allowing someone to be the AG. The bar shouldn’t be that only federal crimes disqualify a nominee.

there is also a view that Gaetz should be allowed to defend himself because it’s possible the accusations are false. I agree 100%. I have zero problem if he wants to argue against the accusations and he can bring witnesses forward.

[Captainant 27625]

51 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

I guess hiding evidence that hurts someone is cool now, huh?

You are aware of how both of Trump's impeachment trials went, right?

[TwiceHorn 31436]

2 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Absolutely this, but I also have serious doubts this all star team is competent enough to do the work of dismantling the government. Make it function less effectively? Sure, almost a given tbh. But affecting actual, structural change? Don't know about that one.

It would be fascinating to watch if not for the stakes.

Yeah, because civil servants do all the work, these guys may not actually need to be effective.

But, run out the civil servants and maybe they do.  It's gonna be a shitshow.

[Wally Fairway 5539]

59 minutes ago, Beantown Express 2.0 said:

Someone want to explain to me why this makes sense?  It seems we should share info like that since he is up for Attorney General.  It’s not like it’s a democratic witch hunt against Gaetz.   Isn’t this a bi partisan investigation?   I guess hiding evidence that hurts someone is cool now, huh?

 

https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/20/politics/republicans-ethics-panel-block-gaetz-report/index.html

You, obviously, didn't get the memo - everything is partisan these days.

[Anastasis 23456]

1 hour ago, Zepol87 said:

Wednesday seems alright

We haven’t even made it to inauguration yet. Got to start endurance training. 

[Brisketexan 105051]

2 hours ago, gmr548 said:

Absolutely this, but I also have serious doubts this all star team is competent enough to do the work of dismantling the government. Make it function less effectively? Sure, almost a given tbh. But affecting actual, structural change? Don't know about that one.

It would be fascinating to watch if not for the stakes.

So...y'all really haven't figured out how this goes, have you?

Incompetent leadership at the top is not really an issue.  They only need to do two things: 1) be fiercely loyal to Dear Leader, and 2) wield the club of threats/retribution against anyone who opposes the regime.  By doing that, they will get the corporate class to do all of the dirty work for them.  The Nazis didn't do much of the work to make Germany a horror show.  German industrialists did.  Eager to protect their wealth and position, when the regime threatened them, they chose to get on board with the regime's plan.  They happily used slave/prisoner labor, they built chemical factories for the purpose of manufacturing chemicals used for extermination, they provided financing for the construction of big public works projects...including death camps, etc.

The Trump regime will threaten American corporate interests if they don't do exactly what the regime says.  And history tells us those corporate interests will get in line, and will operate as arms of the regime, doing its will and its bidding.  And American corporate interests?  Well, they get shit DONE.  Want to build a death camp, and you're willing to shove a mountain of tax dollars at a contractor to do it?  You're gonna get your death camp, and pronto.

Trump and his flunkies aren't the major threat.  The collaborators are.

[Biff Tannen 45661]

5 minutes ago, Brisketexan said:

Want to build a death camp, and you're willing to shove a mountain of tax dollars at a contractor to do it?  You're gonna get your death camp, and pronto.

1400 acres in south Texas say hi