Those quotes and worries sound like a ringing endorsement for Democrats to continue using whatever procedural methods they can in slowing down Cabinet nominees, if they're that worried about people actually having enough time to uncover shit about the people they're picking for these positions.
It's also an ongoing issue with Trump and his white house: They need to work with the larger Republican party to forward their agenda, but they are just not very good at their jobs, and they are not team players. Lots of Republicans are afraid of getting called out by Trump and getting challenged in the primaries... But it's all stick, Trump has no carrots to offer. That's only going to go so far if his popularity continues to decrease.
Part of the problem is that the GOP hates him and has said so openly for a long time. They've recently tried to pretend they don't but for a long time they were out there calling him the worst names. And aside from the various other things this causes, the biggest impact is that Trump is surrounded by people who flocked to him early who are, because of the above point, by definition not popular or well connected within the GOP. He brought Preibus in to try and bridge this gap but as far as we know it hasn't worked in the slightest and Trump's people and Preibus' are completely at odds within the White House.
But the people who supported Trump first and the people he is surrounding himself with are largely not people with well connected ties to his party or who are well liked by it.
This is another example of the dog catching the car.
The base got their gang of "outsiders" elected, but they can't make them play nice with the guys and gals that actually work on the Hill and know how government is supposed to function (ignoring the 6+ years of obstructionist bullshit). Makes for some interesting dynamics going forward in the run up to the midterms in 2018.
No matter where you go...there you are. ~ Buckaroo Banzai
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
Puzder didn't even get to a hearing, did he?
Also, I'm waiting for the "Crying Pruitt" riff on the Crying Indian commercial the first time someone opposes something he wants to do.
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
Puzder didn't even get to a hearing, did he?
Also, I'm waiting for the "Crying Pruitt" riff on the Crying Indian commercial the first time someone opposes something he wants to do.
Which makes me wonder what he's done.
We know Puzder was a bad candidate... but what was he so afraid of? What would have come to light?
There's no plan, there's no race to be run
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
Puzder didn't even get to a hearing, did he?
Also, I'm waiting for the "Crying Pruitt" riff on the Crying Indian commercial the first time someone opposes something he wants to do.
Which makes me wonder what he's done.
We know Puzder was a bad candidate... but what was he so afraid of? What would have come to light?
Wasn't his divorce an unpleasant affair? So bad to the point that Oprah was willing to publish a video correlating to the abuse he inflicted upon his ex wife during the divorce?
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HacksawJ. Duggan Esq.Wrestler at LawRegistered Userregular
The trick of getting through "grueling confirmations" seems to be a complete lack of shame. I mean, again, Sessions and DeVos and the "kill EPA" guy managed to get though by just getting through the heat since the GOP has the votes to do so. I mean, even putting aside that this is the Trump admin, a lot of these people expect...what? To get nods through Congress with no effort while being unqualified? The violin there is only visible with a microscope.
Puzder didn't even get to a hearing, did he?
Also, I'm waiting for the "Crying Pruitt" riff on the Crying Indian commercial the first time someone opposes something he wants to do.
Which makes me wonder what he's done.
We know Puzder was a bad candidate... but what was he so afraid of? What would have come to light?
Wasn't his divorce an unpleasant affair? So bad to the point that Oprah was willing to publish a video correlating to the abuse he inflicted upon his ex wife during the divorce?
Yes.
But what sank his chances was saying nice things about undocumented immigrants( as in, maybe they're actually people). Republicans don't really care about violence against women.
The more I learn about McMaster the more I'm baffled Trump would pick him. The guy seems to be an intellectual who's all about butting heads with politicians if it benefits the country/security.
I chalk this up to, 'Trump = Stupid'.
Someone like McMaster has probably had to deal with machismo idiots on a regular basis & learned how to manipulate them.
That, or the intelligence community finally has enough blackmail of their own on Trump to be able to force McMaster in.
I've been wondering this for a bit - why do you have such a high turnover of staff during following every change in president? Is there a rationale to it, or is it one of those things from the constitution or precedent set by an early president that doesn't make as much sense in a complex bureaucracy?
I ask because in our parliamentary system the government ministers will change (who decide policy) but the civil service remains the same (who designs and implements policy), so having 500+ new appointees potentially every 4 years seems a touch mad.
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knitdanIn ur baseKillin ur guysRegistered Userregular
The US government is very big. It's probably the size of all Europe's governments combined. 500 people is a drop in the bucket and they're generally the people at the top of agencies. Or ambassadors. We have a lot of ambassadors.
“I was quick when I came in here, I’m twice as quick now”
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
No, it's basically just stupid. We elect too many positions and we confirm too many positions.
The fact that the Senate can leave the US federal judiciary like half staffed is ridiculous, for example. Or that the head of the FDA is appointed at all. Seriously, why is that a political position?
If Trump was a halfway decent politician, he could take advantage of his position to set up an actual good government right now. If he picked competent people who knew how to do these jobs, the Democrats would vote for them in a heartbeat, and the Republicans would follow the party line because that's what they do. Fill his government with people who can run the government well, and then chill at the White House North and South for most of the week for the next four years while taking credit for a well run ship. Being a "Trump Republican" could come to be a sign of praise across party lines, to mean being a technocrat who just wants the job done effectively.
But Trump likely can't see it.
Shadowhope on
Civics is not a consumer product that you can ignore because you don’t like the options presented.
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TraceGNU Terry Pratchett; GNU Gus; GNU Carrie Fisher; GNU Adam WeRegistered Userregular
A California transit agency is ratcheting up pressure on President Trump to unblock federal funding for an electrification project, which suffered a major setback last week after its grant money was put on hold.
In a petition to the White House, Caltrain is urging the administration to reverse course on its decision to halt $647 million worth of grant money for the transit agency until at least the fiscal 2018 budget. California officials say the delay could have a major impact on the economy and jobs in the region.
The move follows directly on the heels of a letter from 14 California Republicans, who pleaded with Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao to block the federal grants and argued that the money would be wasted.
No, it's basically just stupid. We elect too many positions and we confirm too many positions.
The fact that the Senate can leave the US federal judiciary like half staffed is ridiculous, for example. Or that the head of the FDA is appointed at all. Seriously, why is that a political position?
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
If Trump was a halfway decent politician, he could take advantage of his position to set up an actual good government right now. If he picked competent people who knew how to do these jobs, the Democrats would vote for them in a heartbeat, and the Republicans would follow the party line because that's what they do. Fill his government with people who can run the government well, and then chill at the White House North and South for most of the week for the next four years while taking credit for a well run ship. Being a "Trump Republican" could come to be a sign of praise across party lines, to mean being a technocrat who just wants the job done effectively.
But Trump likely can't see it.
To be fair, technocracy is exactly the opposite style of governance that he was elected for (bearing in mind the popular vote caveat, etc.).
The people who voted for him *want* vapid, dick-swinging strongman politics to dominate the Executive.
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
Yeah I'm really fucking surprised by this actually.
Like, what?
Also the idea that DeVos is already facing resigning or defying the president is hilarious.
Via Politico, this one's a little water cooler gossipy, but also entertaining
Candidates for top jobs in President Donald Trump’s administration are getting spooked after Andrew Puzder’s nomination was scuttled, and they fear the White House isn't doing enough to protect them from grueling confirmations, according to several sources involved in the process.
The concerns are affecting not only some of the highest-profile nominations, including agriculture secretary pick Sonny Perdue, but also candidates for ambassadorships, judicial positions and other posts. The chill that’s settled in even has some people considering bowing out of contention, meaning Trump’s attempt to quickly fill his government could drag out even more.
[...]
Puzder’s decision Wednesday to withdraw as nominee for labor secretary after a series of damaging revelations came to light in recent weeks has further rattled some people considering taking Senate-confirmed jobs.
They worry that Democrats’ efforts to delay votes on nominees give opponents more time to shine a light on embarrassing opposition research and put pressure on moderate Republicans to vote “no.”
“We knew Puzder was going to be tough; there should have been a strategy to move ahead on the other ones,” said a former Trump transition official. “If you hang out on the ridge line, you’re going to get shot."
One person working for a Cabinet nominee complained that the nominee struggled to get White House officials on the phone and saw little public support from Trump even as the nominee was coming under constant fire from Senate Democrats.
An executive at a group that worked closely with one of Trump's nominees said the White House made little effort to coordinate its message with outside organizations.
“It’s their nominee. They have to run point. And they just weren’t,” the person said. “Usually you’ve got a White House political and communications operation that is reaching out to their allies as the ebb and flow transpires and asking groups to amplify or downplay or recharacterize certain things that are happening to their nominees. And that just wasn’t happening.”
Trump doesn't give a shit about them. They got conned just like all his other supporters
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
It's quite possible DeVos is quite a sympathetic person. The issue is making her aware that you are an individual whose problems exist beyond the abstract. (Which isn't to say she's aloof, just sheltered from the rest of the world due to her wealth and status.)
must admit i'm surprised by the idea that DeVos would go to bat for Trans students. pretty much the exact opposite of what i would have expected.
I'd view it cynically that Devos wants to dismantal our current education system and if she picks a known losing fight she'll become too toxic to really fuck shit up.
I would like some money because these are artisanal nuggets of wisdom philistine.
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
Yeah I'm really fucking surprised by this actually.
Like, what?
Also the idea that DeVos is already facing resigning or defying the president is hilarious.
I'm not. If she actually had any principles she'd choose to resign rather than disenfranchise a minority group.
If we push trans students out of public schools they will be stuck homeschooled by toxic liberal households. We will never reach them with gods education unless public schools are super accessible.
There are multiple angles that could explain this, but I am willing to wait and see the actual angles she is going for.
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
It's quite possible DeVos is quite a sympathetic person. The issue is making her aware that you are an individual whose problems exist beyond the abstract. (Which isn't to say she's aloof, just sheltered from the rest of the world due to her wealth and status.)
Everyone is the hero of their own story. I have no doubt that DeVos THINKS she's doing good with her efforts and truly believes the experiences for-profit schools and charters create are superior to public. I don't outright think she has it in for anyone specifically, as this is likely her pet effort of "help the children" and when faced with the ugliness of removing a protection from any child, there's a knee-jerk reaction of "that doesn't feel right".
Just another case of people tied to Trump learning that this is real life and there are consequences and hard decisions.
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
It's quite possible DeVos is quite a sympathetic person. The issue is making her aware that you are an individual whose problems exist beyond the abstract. (Which isn't to say she's aloof, just sheltered from the rest of the world due to her wealth and status.)
Everyone is the hero of their own story. I have no doubt that DeVos THINKS she's doing good with her efforts and truly believes the experiences for-profit schools and charters create are superior to public. I don't outright think she has it in for anyone specifically, as this is likely her pet effort of "help the children" and when faced with the ugliness of removing a protection from any child, there's a knee-jerk reaction of "that doesn't feel right".
Just another case of people tied to Trump learning that this is real life and there are consequences and hard decisions.
It's also likely that as another billionaire she's never really had to answer to anyone. While she got pushback from the other side in michigan I'm sure everyone working for/with her followed whatever orders she dictated.
Same thing with not quite secretary of labor Hardee, tillerson, etc. These people are all used to getting their way, or at least having everyone around them work toward their particular vision, now suddenly they have to consider whatever president Bannon orders them to accomdate through Trump.
Not dysfunctional at all
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I ZimbraWorst song, played on ugliest guitarRegistered Userregular
The DeVos story stinks of PR bullshit. There's absolutely nothing in her record to suggest she gives a shit about trans kids or has a spine.
The DeVos story stinks of PR bullshit. There's absolutely nothing in her record to suggest she gives a shit about trans kids or has a spine.
Plausible. But it wouldn't shock me to learn that the billionaire who bought herself a cabinet seat without brushing of on the prereqs didn't deign to acquaint herself with the administrations policy positions either.
It fits with the one-percenter "not accustomed to taking criticism or direction" thing.
DeVos always stunk more of religious-libertarianism than religious-authoritarianism ala Gingrich to me, which would explain why she's uncomfortable by this.
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FencingsaxIt is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understandingGNU Terry PratchettRegistered Userregular
The DeVos story stinks of PR bullshit. There's absolutely nothing in her record to suggest she gives a shit about trans kids or has a spine.
She doesn't have a spine. If she did, she would have resigned. The point I'm making is more that she thinks Trans kids are actually people, which is a significant step up from where we thought she was.
If we push trans students out of public schools they will be stuck homeschooled by toxic liberal households. We will never reach them with gods education unless public schools are super accessible.
There are multiple angles that could explain this, but I am willing to wait and see the actual angles she is going for.
I'm willing to extend a benefit of the doubt & say she doesn't hate transgender students.
That makes her a worse person judging by her actions; she knows & feels it is wrong, but chooses to agree with it anyway.
DeVos always stunk more of religious-libertarianism than religious-authoritarianism ala Gingrich to me, which would explain why she's uncomfortable by this.
But forcing schools to make students use the bathroom of their gender is something that religious libertarians would be all up about. "First Amendment means freedom to discriminate" and all.
I like schuss' theory best. Maybe she's uncomfortable with her growing perception as a supervillain.
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I ZimbraWorst song, played on ugliest guitarRegistered Userregular
The DeVos story stinks of PR bullshit. There's absolutely nothing in her record to suggest she gives a shit about trans kids or has a spine.
She doesn't have a spine. If she did, she would have resigned. The point I'm making is more that she thinks Trans kids are actually people, which is a significant step up from where we thought she was.
This is the part I don't believe to be true.
ETA: And even if she does believe that in her heart of hearts, she wasn't willing to stand by that position so she can still cram it.
I Zimbra on
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ButtersA glass of some milksRegistered Userregular
A fight over a draft order that would rescind protections for transgender students in public schools has erupted inside the Trump administration, pitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions against the secretary of education, Betsy DeVos.
Ms. DeVos initially resisted signing off on the order and told President Trump that she was uncomfortable with it, according to three Republicans with direct knowledge of the internal discussions. The order would reverse the directives put in place last year by the Obama administration to allow transgender students to use the bathrooms of their choice.
Mr. Sessions, who strongly opposes expanding gay, lesbian and transgender rights, fought Ms. DeVos on the issue and pressed her to relent because he could not go forward without her consent. The order must come from the Justice and Education Departments.
Mr. Trump sided with his attorney general, these Republicans said. And Ms. DeVos, faced with the choice of resigning or defying the president, has agreed to go along. The Justice Department declined to comment on Wednesday.
[...]
The draft also contains language stating that schools must protect transgender students from bullying, a provision Ms. DeVos asked be included, one person with direct knowledge of the process said. “Schools must ensure that transgender students, like all students, are able to learn in a safe environment,” the letter says.
[...]
That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
It's quite possible DeVos is quite a sympathetic person. The issue is making her aware that you are an individual whose problems exist beyond the abstract. (Which isn't to say she's aloof, just sheltered from the rest of the world due to her wealth and status.)
Everyone is the hero of their own story. I have no doubt that DeVos THINKS she's doing good with her efforts and truly believes the experiences for-profit schools and charters create are superior to public. I don't outright think she has it in for anyone specifically, as this is likely her pet effort of "help the children" and when faced with the ugliness of removing a protection from any child, there's a knee-jerk reaction of "that doesn't feel right".
Just another case of people tied to Trump learning that this is real life and there are consequences and hard decisions.
Except at every turn she's fought to prevent those charter and for-profit schools from being held to the same standards and scrutiny that public schools are. If she believed they were superior wouldn't she welcome performance analysis to prove her point? I think she's far more concerned with undermining secular education and protecting their publicly funded cash cows.
The DeVos story stinks of PR bullshit. There's absolutely nothing in her record to suggest she gives a shit about trans kids or has a spine.
She doesn't have a spine. If she did, she would have resigned. The point I'm making is more that she thinks Trans kids are actually people, which is a significant step up from where we thought she was.
This is the part I don't believe to be true.
ETA: And even if she does believe that in her heart of hearts, she wasn't willing to stand by that position so she can still cram it.
Having the minimum human decency isn't to be celebrated, and it doesn't mean her other policies are anywhere near decent. I agree with regard to cramming.
Posts
This is another example of the dog catching the car.
The base got their gang of "outsiders" elected, but they can't make them play nice with the guys and gals that actually work on the Hill and know how government is supposed to function (ignoring the 6+ years of obstructionist bullshit). Makes for some interesting dynamics going forward in the run up to the midterms in 2018.
~ Buckaroo Banzai
They expect total deference to this President.
Fuuuuuuuuuuck that.
Puzder didn't even get to a hearing, did he?
Also, I'm waiting for the "Crying Pruitt" riff on the Crying Indian commercial the first time someone opposes something he wants to do.
Which makes me wonder what he's done.
We know Puzder was a bad candidate... but what was he so afraid of? What would have come to light?
The harder the rain, honey, the sweeter the sun.
If he did do something, did he (A) forget about it, or (B) think it wouldn't come up?
Or was Trump promising him champagne wishes and caviar dreams, but all he got so far was a Monster Thickburger and a case of the mud butt?
Wasn't his divorce an unpleasant affair? So bad to the point that Oprah was willing to publish a video correlating to the abuse he inflicted upon his ex wife during the divorce?
Yes.
But what sank his chances was saying nice things about undocumented immigrants( as in, maybe they're actually people). Republicans don't really care about violence against women.
That, or the intelligence community finally has enough blackmail of their own on Trump to be able to force McMaster in.
I ask because in our parliamentary system the government ministers will change (who decide policy) but the civil service remains the same (who designs and implements policy), so having 500+ new appointees potentially every 4 years seems a touch mad.
-Indiana Solo, runner of blades
The fact that the Senate can leave the US federal judiciary like half staffed is ridiculous, for example. Or that the head of the FDA is appointed at all. Seriously, why is that a political position?
But Trump likely can't see it.
Wow that's fucking stupid.
Same reason head of the ATF is one as well.
https://nytimes.com/2017/02/22/us/politics/devos-sessions-transgender-students-rights.html That the Department of Justice civil rights enforcement is going to be gutted was already obvious, but I didn't expect DeVos to have an issue with an executive order trying to throw trans students under the states' rights bus.
To be fair, technocracy is exactly the opposite style of governance that he was elected for (bearing in mind the popular vote caveat, etc.).
The people who voted for him *want* vapid, dick-swinging strongman politics to dominate the Executive.
Yeah I'm really fucking surprised by this actually.
Like, what?
Also the idea that DeVos is already facing resigning or defying the president is hilarious.
Trump doesn't give a shit about them. They got conned just like all his other supporters
It's quite possible DeVos is quite a sympathetic person. The issue is making her aware that you are an individual whose problems exist beyond the abstract. (Which isn't to say she's aloof, just sheltered from the rest of the world due to her wealth and status.)
I'd view it cynically that Devos wants to dismantal our current education system and if she picks a known losing fight she'll become too toxic to really fuck shit up.
pleasepaypreacher.net
I'm not. If she actually had any principles she'd choose to resign rather than disenfranchise a minority group.
It's not "going to bat" if you decide to strike out on purpose
or something
i don't know sports metaphors
but the point is that she bitched about it but it seems like she fell back in line
There are multiple angles that could explain this, but I am willing to wait and see the actual angles she is going for.
Everyone is the hero of their own story. I have no doubt that DeVos THINKS she's doing good with her efforts and truly believes the experiences for-profit schools and charters create are superior to public. I don't outright think she has it in for anyone specifically, as this is likely her pet effort of "help the children" and when faced with the ugliness of removing a protection from any child, there's a knee-jerk reaction of "that doesn't feel right".
Just another case of people tied to Trump learning that this is real life and there are consequences and hard decisions.
It's also likely that as another billionaire she's never really had to answer to anyone. While she got pushback from the other side in michigan I'm sure everyone working for/with her followed whatever orders she dictated.
Same thing with not quite secretary of labor Hardee, tillerson, etc. These people are all used to getting their way, or at least having everyone around them work toward their particular vision, now suddenly they have to consider whatever president Bannon orders them to accomdate through Trump.
Not dysfunctional at all
Plausible. But it wouldn't shock me to learn that the billionaire who bought herself a cabinet seat without brushing of on the prereqs didn't deign to acquaint herself with the administrations policy positions either.
It fits with the one-percenter "not accustomed to taking criticism or direction" thing.
She doesn't have a spine. If she did, she would have resigned. The point I'm making is more that she thinks Trans kids are actually people, which is a significant step up from where we thought she was.
I'm willing to extend a benefit of the doubt & say she doesn't hate transgender students.
That makes her a worse person judging by her actions; she knows & feels it is wrong, but chooses to agree with it anyway.
But forcing schools to make students use the bathroom of their gender is something that religious libertarians would be all up about. "First Amendment means freedom to discriminate" and all.
I like schuss' theory best. Maybe she's uncomfortable with her growing perception as a supervillain.
This is the part I don't believe to be true.
ETA: And even if she does believe that in her heart of hearts, she wasn't willing to stand by that position so she can still cram it.
Except at every turn she's fought to prevent those charter and for-profit schools from being held to the same standards and scrutiny that public schools are. If she believed they were superior wouldn't she welcome performance analysis to prove her point? I think she's far more concerned with undermining secular education and protecting their publicly funded cash cows.
Having the minimum human decency isn't to be celebrated, and it doesn't mean her other policies are anywhere near decent. I agree with regard to cramming.