The last few days show my limits in political knowledge and interest. I have no idea whether the recent Trump cabinet and official choices are good or not. Staffing an administration is way beyond my --albeit unpaid-- pay grade.
I think that's putting Gabbard in over her head, setting her up to fail. Better would have been to give her Veterans Affairs, or make her Deputy SecDef or one of the Under Secretaries. 'Course, she'll have John Ratcliffe at CIA to help her.
The only good thing about Gaetz as AG is that it gets him out of the House and the Chaos Caucus. Maybe should have given him the FBI instead.
I also think Rubio would have done more good in the Senate, given that slim majority and the lesser experience his successor necessarily will have.
Similarly, Stefanik would have been better left in the House. With that caucus' even slimmer majority, her experience as one of the mucky mucks of the caucus hierarchy and her experience as a plain Representative will be hard to replace.
I’m not going to second guess. I’m not saying that Tulsi Gabbard is the pick I’d have made for DNI. Inter alia, she’s a medical professional with no background in intelligence. Hegseth is a decorated combat veteran with 20 years in the army, but he’s never run a big organization before.
But the career professionals have kind of screwed it up sideways for a while now. At least it will be a fresh set of eyes. After the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, my faith in the institutions and their career professionals is broken.
As an officer, she served in an MP unit and then went to Civil Affairs. Not intel assignments, but more so than simply a medical professional would have. As a Rep, she was on the Committee on Homeland Security, 2013-14, Armed Services, 2013-2021, Foreign Affairs, 2013-2019, and Financial Services, 2019-2021.
I have no idea if a better candidate could be found, though. Surely more credentialed candidates, plenty of them, but the Swamp is really screwed up and so maybe not better candidates.
Maybe Trump's plan is to fire so many people that his appointees will be experienced enough to succeed at leading the size of organizations that remain.
I hope Mrs. Gabbard is tough enough for the job. Reining in the CIA, the FBI, and the military intelligence services will take an iron will and an absolute refusal to concede.
Well, she certainly didn't choose the easy path by giving her support to Trump, and I think finding herself a victim of counter-intel run amok, she's going to be pretty motivated.
My thinking is, neither Resident Brandon or Airhead Kamala has been running anything, he has raging dementia and she is literally an idiot. The machinery of the Deep State has been running all these departments for years.
The task at hand in my mind is to root out the parasitic Marxists who have burrowed themselves into the hide of these departments and keep the others who kept their heads down doing their jobs as best they could all these years. nmewn
It's been bandied about that the Gaetz pick for AG is a subterfuge to allow Trump's other cabinet picks an easier confirmation process. Then when Gaetz doesn't get confirmed, Desantis can install him in Rubio's vacant Senate seat.
Even better? GAETZ as A.G.!!!
ReplyDeleteThe last few days show my limits in political knowledge and interest. I have no idea whether the recent Trump cabinet and official choices are good or not. Staffing an administration is way beyond my --albeit unpaid-- pay grade.
ReplyDeleteYep, I'm with you on that.
DeleteI think that's putting Gabbard in over her head, setting her up to fail. Better would have been to give her Veterans Affairs, or make her Deputy SecDef or one of the Under Secretaries. 'Course, she'll have John Ratcliffe at CIA to help her.
ReplyDeleteThe only good thing about Gaetz as AG is that it gets him out of the House and the Chaos Caucus. Maybe should have given him the FBI instead.
I also think Rubio would have done more good in the Senate, given that slim majority and the lesser experience his successor necessarily will have.
Similarly, Stefanik would have been better left in the House. With that caucus' even slimmer majority, her experience as one of the mucky mucks of the caucus hierarchy and her experience as a plain Representative will be hard to replace.
Eric Hines
I’m not going to second guess. I’m not saying that Tulsi Gabbard is the pick I’d have made for DNI. Inter alia, she’s a medical professional with no background in intelligence. Hegseth is a decorated combat veteran with 20 years in the army, but he’s never run a big organization before.
ReplyDeleteBut the career professionals have kind of screwed it up sideways for a while now. At least it will be a fresh set of eyes. After the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, my faith in the institutions and their career professionals is broken.
As an officer, she served in an MP unit and then went to Civil Affairs. Not intel assignments, but more so than simply a medical professional would have. As a Rep, she was on the Committee on Homeland Security, 2013-14, Armed Services, 2013-2021, Foreign Affairs, 2013-2019, and Financial Services, 2019-2021.
DeleteI have no idea if a better candidate could be found, though. Surely more credentialed candidates, plenty of them, but the Swamp is really screwed up and so maybe not better candidates.
Civil Affairs is great experience. I discount Congress, but again, I don’t mean to second guess. I hope it works.
DeleteI'm loving Kash Patel wherever they put him.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Trump's plan is to fire so many people that his appointees will be experienced enough to succeed at leading the size of organizations that remain.
ReplyDeleteFrom your lips etc.
DeleteIowahawk, Dave Burge, in his usual clever way points out "eat your heart out elitist losers, Geatz has degrees from BOTH William and Mary."
ReplyDeleteI hope Mrs. Gabbard is tough enough for the job. Reining in the CIA, the FBI, and the military intelligence services will take an iron will and an absolute refusal to concede.
ReplyDeleteWell, she certainly didn't choose the easy path by giving her support to Trump, and I think finding herself a victim of counter-intel run amok, she's going to be pretty motivated.
DeleteMy thinking is, neither Resident Brandon or Airhead Kamala has been running anything, he has raging dementia and she is literally an idiot. The machinery of the Deep State has been running all these departments for years.
ReplyDeleteThe task at hand in my mind is to root out the parasitic Marxists who have burrowed themselves into the hide of these departments and keep the others who kept their heads down doing their jobs as best they could all these years.
nmewn
It can probably only work, as Thomas suggested, if accompanied by mass firings.
ReplyDeleteIt's been bandied about that the Gaetz pick for AG is a subterfuge to allow Trump's other cabinet picks an easier confirmation process. Then when Gaetz doesn't get confirmed, Desantis can install him in Rubio's vacant Senate seat.
ReplyDelete