Trumps picks

[HALL85]

Comments on the choices thus far?

Done:
* Pompeo (CIA Director): No opinion.
* Sessions (AG): Will back immigration plan.
* Bannon (Advisor): Guy gives me the creeps, but as long as no one reports to him. Trump rewarding him for getting him across the finish line?
* Price (HHS): Personally, love this one. Architect of Obamacare replacement. ACA is DOA baby...
* Verma (CMS): Also a great choice. Spoken to a number of folks that agree she is highly respected and reputation as bright and great implementer. With Price, they should make a great team.
* Chao (Transportation): Strong resume. Doesn't hurt that her husband is Senate majority leader.
* DeVos (Education): Big on Charter Schools...our kids need options. Public schools failing in too many areas.
* Flynn (Nat. Security Advisor): Don't like this one based on some of his incendiary comments and known to piss too many people off that he works with.
* Haley (UN Ambassador): Like it. She could have taken other roles with more responsibility, but clearly building her resume with international experience for a potential Presidential run down the road. Don't be surprised if this is a two year gig and she takes on another high profile job.
* Mnuchin (Treasury): Strong resume for sure, but not my wheelhouse to judge at this point.
* Ross: (Commerce): Record of fixing broken companies...seems like he fits the bill.
* Ricketts (Dep. Commerce): Cubs win the W.S....he's on a roll. Repaying loyalty for donating late in the campaign? For Mnuchin, Ross, DeVos, Rickett...why does wealth get positioned as a negative? Makes for a good sound byte I guess.


Leaders in the Clubhouse:
* Mattis (Defense): That would be a home run. Highly respected. Love this guy.
* Carson (HUD): Doesn't excite me at all...outstanding surgeon, but running a department that big is very different. Not the right role for him.
* No leader (State): My hope is Corker. Don't like Rudy at all in this position. Would take Petraus as a second choice. Thought Mitt would have made a much better President than the empty suit, but he went stupid during this campaign.
* Conway (Press Sec.): Was impressed with her down the stretch as Trumps main surrogate. Articulate and pisses the press off...what's not to like.
Footnote: I would also like to see Tulsi Gabbard get a meaningful post. Totally on board with her views on Syria.

Funny how all of these women (except for DeVos) also from immigrant families don't seem to think the misogynist and xenophobe labels mean much.

 

[knowknow456]

My only comment is this is the best and most comprehensive analysis I have seen. Thanks.

 

[Merge]

Most seem to be in line with where Trump was on the campaign trail... so can't really kill any of the picks at this point, but obviously a few that I am not really a fan of. We'll see how it plays out I guess...

 

[HALL85]

Most seem to be in line with where Trump was on the campaign trail... so can't really kill any of the picks at this point, but obviously a few that I am not really a fan of. We'll see how it plays out I guess...

He is certainly surrounding himself with people that are in line with his campaign promises, so presumption that he is "walking back" positions doesn't seem to fit based on the picks. Whether they are effective or not remains to be seen, but he does deserve some credit for getting to work immediately and filling these positions with speed. No golf for Donald right now....

 

[shu09]

I don't have much of a problem with who he's picked, but I also don't really know enough about some of them to have a valid opinion. What I do love is the pick of Mattis as SecDef. Home run, as you said.

I really hope Romney gets SecState. Giuliani would be a disaster, he is not qualified in any way. He's a total blowhard.

Ben Carson would be a poor pick to head any department as well. Not sure what Trump sees in that guy.

 

[SnakeTom]

I really hope Romney gets SecState. Giuliani would be a disaster, he is not qualified in any way. He's a total blowhard.

Ben Carson would be a poor pick to head any department as well. Not sure what Trump sees in that guy.

I could not agree with you more on your view of Giuliani. With some of the things he says I would not rule our senility creeping in. If not Romney I would have no problem with Gen. Petraeus as Secretary of State. As to the other picks so far I find the choice of Steve Bannon offensive and also question the choice of Jeff Sessions due to his record on civil rights.

As far as health care is concerned I understand that Obama care will be eliminated but what I want to know is what they will replace it with, IF ANYTHING. The ACA provides an opportunity for those who could not get coverage otherwise (Pre-existing conditions, job loss etc) to obtain same. There are over 20 million people who have obtained coverage this way. I would hate to see the cord cut & those people just shown the way to the door & told you are on your own now. BYE!

Tom K

 

[Bobbie Solo]

Tom you think these people give a shit about what will happen to these people? Whatever decisions get made about Obamacare from his admin & the Republican leadership will be made strictly on the wishes of their big money donors and the insurance industry. What happens to the little guy factors into this exactly zero. Many of Trumps decision already have sent a clear middle finger to the people who fell for his populist lies during the campaign. Why would this be any different?

But everyone keep telling me that campaign finance reform/lobbyist $ isn't the biggest problem in our system.

Also, the coming gutting of the ACA puts even more of an exclamation point on how weak Obama was on its initial creation. The public option would be wildly popular by now if in place, & impossible to remove. Instead his centrist bullshit & pointless attempts to work with these right wing assholes created a weak program that is ok but not loved overall, & will now probably be destroyed. How about that for your all important "legacy" Obama?

And the hubris of the Democratic leadership continues to be a disaster for us. Thanks Obama, Hillary & the DNC leadership. I don't want to hear from any of these clowns again. They all need to be removed from the public square. But watch Obama magically turn all progressive once he's OUT of office, just like the big game he talked BEFORE he was in office.

Rant over.

 

[shu09]

Obama did talk a big game before he got in and I think he has succeeded in doing most of what he wanted to do. He has been a good president overall.

 

[Bobbie Solo]

He did several things, but if they're rolled back immediately, then who cares?

 

[shu09]

He did several things, but if they're rolled back immediately, then who cares?

You can't just flip a switch and roll everything back. There is a process. In the end, I doubt Trump rolls back most of what Obama did. Some of it, yes. But I think the majority will be kept.

 

[Bobbie Solo]

Based on the picks thus far coupled with the rhetoric from both him & Republican leadership I do not agree at all. They have voted to repeal this like 1000 times. All of a sudden when they control everything they're just gonna play nice?

 

[HALL85]

You can't just flip a switch and roll everything back. There is a process. In the end, I doubt Trump rolls back most of what Obama did. Some of it, yes. But I think the majority will be kept.

Can't see that happening. Price, an Orthopedic Surgeon has been outspoken about the ACA, and is one of the archetects of the "replace" plan. Verma, the CMS pick, is all about implementation and she is good at it. I am anxious to see the replacement plan, but we'll see it soon.

The 20 million number is a misnomer anyway because it doesn't take into account the millions that have dropped their coverage. I was at a meeting with a dozen small/medium business owners/Presidents two weeks ago (20-1,000 employees). All of them are on the same plan as their employees (unlike Congress and the ACA), and they all said the ACA has created the largest drag on them from a cost and administrative burden. The replacement plan exists, the repeal vote is a slam dunk; the question is can Trump get the 60 Senate votes to get it through. Negotiations with Schumer?

Price has actually introduced legislation three times over the past several years that enables the replacement of Obamacare. The basis of the plan is using tax credits and deductions to enable the consumer to choose a plan that best fits their needs rather than a government mandate that penalizes the consumer and gives them limited choices through the exchanges. You can also opt out of Medicare and Medicaid programs through his plan and there is portability between employers. Interesting that his plan has six objectives: access, affordability, quality, innovation, responsiveness and choice. Need to see the details if in fact this will be the plan and what it will cost. Also need to see how the transition will work from the current ACA.

 

[shu09]

Based on the picks thus far coupled with the rhetoric from both him & Republican leadership I do not agree at all. They have voted to repeal this like 1000 times. All of a sudden when they control everything they're just gonna play nice?

I am not talking about healthcare alone.

 

[HALL85]

I am not talking about healthcare alone.

In all seriousness beside the ACA what else did Barry do?

 

[shu09]

In all seriousness beside the ACA what else did Barry do?

• Stopped the financial meltdown when he first took office which prevented a depression
• Helped to rescue the American auto industry
• Set the groundwork to reopen relations with Cuba
• Iran nuclear agreement
• Removed most of our troops from Iraq and Afghanistan after being there for far too long
• Resisted the urge to involve us in Syria's civil war. Putting ground troops in there would have been a disaster
• New START treaty
• Bin Laden raid
• Support for same-sex marriage (although Biden gets the real credit for pushing him)

I think he should be respected for his efforts for stronger gun control measures even though he can't get anything done with an incredibly obstructionist Congress (and special interests) standing in his way. The fact that he has had no major scandals earns him points with me as well. In particular, he handled his second term fairly well in this regard. Second terms were not kind to Bush, Clinton, Reagan and Nixon. He seems to be an honorable man who tried to do things the right way.

On the negative side, the fact that the national debt has ballooned under his watch is his biggest failure. That will begin to haunt us in the medium term I believe, although he is certainly not the only president to have run up debt. I also think his efforts towards "criminal justice reform" are misguided.

 

[HALL85]

Thanks for the list, but I think you've actually proved my point. First of all, it's a pretty weak list for someone that came into office with a huge mandate and a Dem congress and had 8 years. Second, much of what you list is stuff that you can't point to specific things that HE did...(stopped the financial meltdown?). No scandals?? That's a pretty low bar for an accomplishment.

Maybe the best thing he did was to create an environment whereby the "outsider" became an option for voters (Trump AND Sanders).

 

[shu09]

If you want the names of specific legislation that he signed, you can look it up. Dodd-Frank and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act come to mind right away.

He had an obstructionist Congress for 6 of his 8 years. That's tough to deal with when the other party refuses to work with you.

 

[SnakeTom]

Getting the economy turned around is a major accomplishment of the OB administration. When he came in the economy was on the brink of total collapse. Since then the stock market has doubled & unemployment is significantly down. Did he solve everything? Of course not. But major steps were taken to return to normalcy. Obstruction from congress also did not help. Question now is will the economy go back into the crapper with all the Regulations that Trump has promised to abandon.

As to Health care the ACA (call it Obama care or Romney care - your choice - but it was based on the Romney plan which Republicans forget) was certainly not perfect but it was an attempt and an important start. The question now is what will Trump do to replace it or will he just abandon health care altogether.

I'm not calling OB a great President. He wasn't, but he certainly was not at or near the bottom of the pack as you profess. History will probably put him somewhere in the middle of the pack among our Presidents.

Tom K

 

[shu09]

I agree. I think he's an average to slightly above average president. I'd rank him 15th-20th out of all our presidents.

 

[HALL85]

Getting the economy turned around is a major accomplishment of the OB administration. When he came in the economy was on the brink of total collapse. Since then the stock market has doubled & unemployment is significantly down. Did he solve everything? Of course not. But major steps were taken to return to normalcy. Obstruction from congress also did not help. Question now is will the economy go back into the crapper with all the Regulations that Trump has promised to abandon.

As to Health care the ACA (call it Obama care or Romney care - your choice - but it was based on the Romney plan which Republicans forget) was certainly not perfect but it was an attempt and an important start. The question now is what will Trump do to replace it or will he just abandon health care altogether.

I'm not calling OB a great President. He wasn't, but he certainly was not at or near the bottom of the pack as you profess. History will probably put him somewhere in the middle of the pack among our Presidents.

Tom K

We'll have to agree to disagree; you see stock market growth as a metric of success. I see the increase in poverty and wealth gap as more important. How has that improved stock price help the poor?

 

[shu09]

The wealth gap was widening quickly long before Barack Obama ever got near the White House.

 

[HALL85]

The wealth gap was widening quickly long before Barack Obama ever got near the White House.

So you let it keep getting worse? Or I guess he should still blame Bush..

 

[shu09]

So you let it keep getting worse? Or I guess he should still blame Bush..

What should he do? Please provide me with some ideas. What policy prescriptions should he have taken to solve the issue?

 

[HALL85]

What should he do? Please provide me with some ideas. What policy prescriptions should he have taken to solve the issue?

I don't know; maybe policies that would enable more real job creation?

 

[shu09]

I don't know; maybe policies that would enable more real job creation?

16 million jobs have been added under Obama. Unemployment is at a 9 year low of 4.6%. You're barking up the wrong tree.

 

[HALL85]

16 million jobs have been added under Obama. Unemployment is at a 9 year low of 4.6%. You're barking up the wrong tree.

Nice job parroting the talking points.

 

[shu09]

Not talking points, facts.

 

[cernjSHU]

Ah you are now talking about the paradox of the American economy. You are both right and both wrong. Yes, Obama did steer the economy away from the crashing global financial meltdown. The market has boomed under his 8 years and unemployment has dropped. He should be credited for this.

However, I have to criticize him on the way it was done as well. Even at the time, cash for cars and those other stimulant plans were one time solutions that artificially propped up the Economy. But it did not sustain anything real or produce jobs. Even at the time, I thought money should have heavily been invested in infrastructure ala FDR. Electrical grids, bridges, tunnels trains, etc. This creates secondary and tierciary well paying jobs which is the foundation of a rock solid economy. This was not done and therefore the rich got fabulously wealthy and the middle class took it on the chin.

So the economy is a paradox of Obama's biggest success as well as his greatest failure.

 

[HALL85]

Ah you are now talking about the paradox of the American economy. You are both right and both wrong. Yes, Obama did steer the economy away from the crashing global financial meltdown. The market has boomed under his 8 years and unemployment has dropped. He should be credited for this.

However, I have to criticize him on the way it was done as well. Even at the time, cash for cars and those other stimulant plans were one time solutions that artificially propped up the Economy. But it did not sustain anything real or produce jobs. Even at the time, I thought money should have heavily been invested in infrastructure ala FDR. Electrical grids, bridges, tunnels trains, etc. This creates secondary and tierciary well paying jobs which is the foundation of a rock solid economy. This was not done and therefore the rich got fabulously wealthy and the middle class took it on the chin.

So the economy is a paradox of Obama's biggest success as well as his greatest failure.

cern, that's a pretty fair assessment. I've been outspoken about the ACA, since it's one thing that I actually know something about and another area where the middle class has paid a stiff price with the legislation. It is creating an untenable position for small business owners and their employees and contributing significantly to that rapidly growing wealth gap. Looking back, who won? The health insurance, medical device, pharmaceutical and healthcare technology stocks have all outperformed the S&P.

 

[Seton75]

We'll have to agree to disagree; you see stock market growth as a metric of success. I see the increase in poverty and wealth gap as more important. How has that improved stock price help the poor?

He did enter the WH with us fighting two wars going nowhere for too long against our most serious threat since Hitler - yes, imo more than the USSR cause they (USSR) cared if we blew them up - and with the financial markets at a breaking point. If is not like he was given the smooth ride Clinton inherited. And he got through it. And things got better. And he had political opposition whose stated main goal was not the help America, but to make sure he wasn't successful.

 

[HALL85]

16 million jobs have been added under Obama. Unemployment is at a 9 year low of 4.6%. You're barking up the wrong tree.

But unemployment for African American's is still double digits and for Black youth over 30%...both much higher than at the start of the recession in 2008....and that doesn't even begin to touch the decline in real earnings. That tree looks pretty bad....

 

[knowknow456]

But unemployment for African American's is still double digits and for Black youth over 30%...both much higher than at the start of the recession in 2008....and that doesn't even begin to touch the decline in real earnings. That tree looks pretty bad....

Your obsession with discrediting everything President Obama ever said or did is kind of weird. He is what he is. We have new fish to fry.

 

[HALL85]

Your obsession with discrediting everything President Obama ever said or did is kind of weird. He is what he is. We have new fish to fry.

Excuse me, but go reread the thread. I was the one who introduced the topic regarding Trumps selections. Others brought the current President into the conversation to somehow to try to validate his term in office.

 

[HALL85]

Update from the first list:
* Mattis (Defense): Home run...respected by pretty much everyone (except Kristen Gellibrand....lol)
* Carson (HUD): Payback for loyalty and check the box for a minority. HUD is so F'd up anyway, but I don't see Carson as an administrator type.
* Kelly (Homeland Security): Another military guy; strong resume with expertise on Central America.
* Pruitt (EPA): Much like the Price choice...Pit bull to drive his agenda.
* McMahon (Small Business): WWE comes to DC. At least my Bruno Sammartino and Lou Albano autographs have increased in value..
* Puzder (Labor): Can't wait to see the PSA commercials for Labor that follow Puzder's "Carl's" formula..sign me up!!!

Trends:
* Clearly, Trump likes military blend, which IMO is a good thing. To "drain the swamp" good to have guys that don't take crap and can get things done as long as they aren't war happy.
* He is surrounding himself with people that share his core platform positions (ACA, immigration and environmental regulations). Also most are accomplished.
* For those that thought Trump would go off the reservation with his choices, other than Bannon and maybe Flynn, most are either well-thought of at least make sense. This might have something to do with his favorability ratings significantly improving.


The media continues to act like a bunch of dopes; just because he's meeting with Gore, Emmanual, etc., doesn't mean he's "walking back" his positions. Maybe the guy is just listening to all sides so he can advance his agenda understanding what the opposition wants. Judging by the cabinet picks, he's treating them like COO's of businesses to execute his platform and hold people accountable. I also find it amusing that being a billionaire is being cast as a negative when evaluating some of these candidates. Why is that a bad thing? Because they created wealth, got shit done and profited?

 

[cernjSHU]

He did enter the WH with us fighting two wars going nowhere for too long against our most serious threat since Hitler - yes, imo more than the USSR cause they (USSR) cared if we blew them up - and with the financial markets at a breaking point. If is not like he was given the smooth ride Clinton inherited. And he got through it. And things got better. And he had political opposition whose stated main goal was not the help America, but to make sure he wasn't successful.

Clinton inherited a good economy? Really? The bad economy during the Bush administration was one of the main reasons that Clinton won the election. Remember "It's the economy, stupid." Clinton raised the top two tax brackets with the top bracket at 39%. Amazing how the debt was reduced during this era. But Clinton was not dogmatic in his approach. With raising taxes, he also reformed welfare as well as he eventually lowered the capital gains rate to 20%.

 

[SnakeTom]

Clinton inherited a good economy? Really? The bad economy during the Bush administration was one of the main reasons that Clinton won the election. Remember "It's the economy, stupid." Clinton raised the top two tax brackets with the top bracket at 39%. Amazing how the debt was reduced during this era. But Clinton was not dogmatic in his approach. With raising taxes, he also reformed welfare as well as he eventually lowered the capital gains rate to 20%.

Bill Clinton was elected because of the economy just as cernj says. The economy started going south the last two years of the GHW Bush administration. Prior to that he was considered unbeatable because of his foreign policy and the Gulf War. The coalition he put together to fight that war was brilliant. Bill Clinton rode to victory with that "it's the economy, stupid" campaign.

TK