The dismantling of the Obama legacy has begun in earnest.
A review of President-Elect Trump’s leadership appointments proves the point.
Trump’s selection for Treasury Secretary favors a mammoth tax cut for the wealthiest Americans.
His pick for Commerce views America’s free trade deals as “stupid”; a 180 degree shift from current Obama policy.
Trump’s new Secretary of Education sees no value in public schools and wants the federal government out of the education business.
His pick for Health and Human Services is one of the foremost advocates in congress for repealing and replacing Obamacare.
The guy Trump chose to head the EPA scoffs at the idea of global warming. As Oklahoma AG he is currently in the middle of a lawsuit against the agency he will now lead.
His nominee for HUD…Dr. Ben Carson…who ran for the Presidency of the United States… recently declared himself unqualified to run any administrative agency.
Trump’s National Security Advisor does not view Islam as a true religion…believes that fearing all Muslims is rational…and routinely engages in conspiracy theories that strain credulity; most recently that Hillary Clinton and John Podesta were engaged in a child pornography ring run out of a local pizza parlor.
Donald Trump has chosen retired generals to lead the massive departments of Defense and Homeland Security. These picks are by and large heralded on both sides of the aisle. It is noteworthy that United States Presidents have traditionally appointed non-military personnel to lead these military posts in deference to the constitutional notion that the civilian citizens run the country…not the military.
Trump’s pick for Secretary of State remains unclear. One of the leading candidates is the current CEO of Exxon Mobile. A man who’s Trump like “bromance” with Russian leader Vladimir Putin is so intense that he was awarded Russia’s highest civilian commendation. A man whose ownership of $150 million in Exxon stock would enhance his investment portfolio significantly if as Secretary of State he could persuade President Trump to lift Obama’s sanctions against Russia and allow a trillion dollar oil exploration partnership between Exxon and Russia/Putin owned Rosneft to move forward.
According to multiple sources; if this slate of cabinet appointments is approved it would arguably constitute the most conservative slate of cabinet leadership since Herbert Hoover led the nation into the Great Depression. And we haven’t begun to consider what will in all likelihood be Trump’s 2-3 appointments to the Supreme Court.
These picks bear strong indications of ultra-conservative Vice President-Elect Mike Pence’s handiwork. Which would also lead us to believe that Pence will play a very important policy making role in the Trump White House.
As Trump assembles his demolition team the final votes from the general election are being counted. The most recent total has Hillary Clinton winning the popular vote by 2.7 million votes. The largest popular vote defeat of a winning presidential candidate in 140 years. This would be little more than a historical footnote if the folks living in Trump land would stop saying that Trump won the election in a landslide.
Come January 20, 2017 Donald Trump will be sworn in as our country’s 45th President. Any notion that he takes office with a mandate from the American electorate is pure fantasy. The fact that a majority of American’s did not support him makes that clear.
But regardless of the fact that Republicans suffered yet another general election popular vote defeat…Donald J. Trump WILL be our next President; possessing all the power granted to him under the constitution.
Voters who couldn’t be bothered to make it to the polls should take note.
Elections matter.
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