Trump’s voters – nearly half of the country – cheered it, demanded it. After all, the Beltway is full of creatures of the night (and day, when they decide to work), that cherish, above all, self-preservation, an ability to puff up their egos and line their pockets with benjamins from corporate interests. The very voters that have placed Donald in power will find out that with this insider crew that the base, yet again was seen as rubes. (I’ll just leave that last bit there.)
With zero experience in government and zero military service, you’d expect any President-elect to serve up a few cabinet appointments with like-minded politicos to advise him/her. But Donald J. Trump is there to DRAIN THE SWAMP. This fabulous list of anti-swamp drainers is not surprising in the least to me, but the list doesn’t include anyone that is interested in actual reform. This is a list of deplorable grifters and ethically compromised individuals that any Trump voter SHOULD be appalled by. But, since they were able to overlook and excuse so many things in order to anoint King Cheeto no matter what has said or done during his career or this run for the Presidency, I’m sure they will rationalize these choices to. But the people on this list are going to disappoint the voters who actually believe the swamp could be drained if he just promised it.
Names floated so far are Trump’s Golden Children Clown Car…
1. Secretary of State – Newt Gingrich
This is perhaps the most preposterous name in the mix, so he receives more ink. A disgraced former Speaker of the House, the idea that our country’s representative to the international community, our chief diplomat, could be Newt Gingrich, is stomach-churning and embarrassing. In terms of policy, Newt was a booster of the Afghanistan and Iraq wars and believes waterboarding isn’t torture. And in the world community where progress on LGBT rights has moved closer to the front-burner with each passing year, thrice-married moralist Gingrich will put a stop to that, but he will try to distract the public with diversionary statements. After the Pulse mass murder in Orlando, protecting the LGBT community from terrorism was his spin:
“Tragically,” what the “gay rights movement will come to realize that Islamic supremacy is their mortal enemy. People get killed in countries dominated by Sharia if they are gay. So I think in that sense, maybe this is the beginning of a new conversation about how serious of a threat Islamic supremacism is.”
- Supported a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage nationwide.
- Called same-sex marriage “a perfect example of what I mean by the rise of paganism.”
- Warned about the threat of “a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, is prepared to use harassment.”
- Backed the creation of a federal body to investigate the supposed persecution of anti-gay activists.
- Funneled $125,000 to the anti-LGBT American Family Association to assist its campaign to remove judges who ruled in favor of marriage equality.
- Favored the reinstatement of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.
We suffered enough while he was Speaker. The thought of other world leaders dealing with this moral hot mess is beyond belief, but it could happen, particularly because of his past statements conflating Islam with terrorism. When opposing a mosque near Ground Zero, here’s Newt:
“There should be no mosque near Ground Zero in New York so long as there are no churches or synagogues in Saudi Arabia,” he said.
He then proceeded to equate American Muslims not just to terrorists, but Nazis, arguing that building a mosque near Ground Zero “would be like putting a Nazi sign next to the Holocaust Museum.”
2. Interior Secretary – Sarah Palin.
With so few women on Trump’s short list, to see this grifter’s name pop up anywhere is a reminder of the GOP’s craven disregard for experience (she couldn’t even complete one-term as governor of Alaska). The Republicans tried to foist the corrupt extremist Sarah Palin on the country as veep on the 2008 Presidential ticket, a heartbeat from running this country. Why not bring her on board to expand Trump’s vision for America? She’s ready to serve!
3. Attorney general – Rudy Giuliani.
Before 9/11, the former mayor of New York City made a name for himself as United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, and served as a Federal prosecutor in the early 80s, is well-known for his stellar work sending mobsters to prison. So he’s at least qualified for this position on paper. But if anyone was paying attention to his unhinged efforts as a Trump apologist on the airwaves during the campaign, whatever luster (and, honestly, sanity). As Attorney General sycophant under Trump, Giuliani will no doubt place a high priority on continued investigation and prosecution of Hillary Clinton. He also implied that women are not capable of serving as President. #Deplorable. (Note: the Bridgegate scandal-ridden Trump transition team lead Governor Chris Christie could suggest himself for this, but I don’t think even Trump can be that stupid to pick him). And it looks like Christie’s stock has really fallen as a result of Bridgegate; this afternoon homophobe womb-controller veep-in-waiting Mike Pence has now been handed the task of transition.
Another complete insider who will not serve the country well (I know, an understatement), is U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama. He voted for the Iraq war, he was the first sitting senator to hop into the Trump clown car, saying “I told Donald Trump this isn’t a campaign, this is a movement.” And it’s probably not a surprise to you that he opposed the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” And you have to question the judgment of a man whose lapdog approach of Trump’s “Pussygate” scandal with this lunacy – it’s overblown because Trump loves women. The idea of Sessions and Trump commiserating on the use of nuclear weapons is frightening – Sessions believes that the next President will be “very cautious” nukes despite numerous ignorant and terrifying statements by the candidate.
Can’t wait to see Sessions and short-lister for Homeland Security chief, Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke, get to work defending the nation.
5. Ken Blackwell – Domestic Transition Team Lead
Trump tapped the former Ohio treasurer and secretary of state is as far-right and anti-LGBT as they come. The Family Research Council professional moralist will have a lot of latitude to do damage to the LGBT community by advising the President-elect on appointments at the departments of energy, environmental protection, labor, transportation, health and human services, housing and urban development, interior and agriculture. Blackwell very could land a cabinet position as well. His history of meddling in the 2004 election is still in a lot of memories. This level of extremism — bringing the Southern Poverty Law Center-declared hate group’s agenda into the Trump White House will no doubt do lasting harm — and is counter to any consideration that Trump is good for the gays.” What could go wrong with a man who said this:
“I think homosexuality is a lifestyle, it’s a choice, and that lifestyle can be changed,” Blackwell said in response to the question “Is homosexuality a sin, and can gays be cured?” according to published transcripts. “I think it is a transgression against God’s law, God’s will.”
He continued: “The reality is, again…that I think we make choices all the time. And I think you make good choices and bad choices in terms of lifestyle. Our expectation is that one’s genetic makeup might make one more inclined to be an arsonist or might make one more inclined to be a kleptomaniac. Do I think that they can be changed? Yes.”
Donald J. Trump has, as part of his 100 Days agenda has said that President Obama’s executive order banning federal contractors from engaging in anti-LGBT discrimination will be rescinded. That is right out of the FRC playbook. He also plans to:
Reinstate a rule instituted by President George W. Bush that provided broad “conscience protections” for health care workers refusing to participate in care for religious reasons. According to the Washington Post, the rule “was widely interpreted as shielding workers who refuse to participate in a range of medical services, such as providing birth control pills, caring for gay men with AIDS and performing in-vitro fertilization for lesbians or single women.” In 2011, the Obama administration rescinded much of the Bush-era regulation but maintained conscience protections for health care providers who do not want to perform abortions. Ancalle noted that the FRC wants to make sure that new regulations allow physicians not to care for transgender patients by providing hormone therapy and other treatment.
Ken Blackwell will make good on the FRC plan in his work for the Trump administration. He is part and parcel insider of the Beltway hate machine.
Today there are is additional information about who is advising the President-elect. Right out of Breitbart Central…
The transition team is adding 12 members, including a Republican donor, Rebekah Mercer; Stephen K. Bannon, Trump’s campaign chairman; Reince Priebus, the chairman of the Republican National Committee; Peter Thiel, a cofounder of PayPal; Representative Marsha Blackburn, Republican of Tenesssee; Trump’s three adult children and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.
This motley crew (and nearly all on Trump’s list) guarantees that no swamp is going to be drained.
