Trump Cabinet confirmation hearings **live commentary thread**

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I hate to be "that guy," but has anyone questioned Sessions about pot yet?

He was asked and his answer was pretty much "I won't not enforce federal law".

Pretty much, stock up on plants/seeds if you haven't already

Oh, I'm sure he'll find federal laws he'll be happy to "not enforce".

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

This sh**t is joke. Republicans are guiding him through this confirmation.

Yeah, the Dems have never done that in the history of confirmations, have they. 

For a CEO of Exxon and holder of the Russian Order of Friendship, no, I don't think they have.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

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One of the many, many grand problems of dealing with the incoming Pussygrabber Presidency is that the superficial awfulness, which is almost comic, serves to obscure the underlying and ultimately destructive dangers and horror it represents.

Watching the incoming Trump administration is like a watching the antics of a stupid, violent, drunk on some reality TV show... and then realizing they're the sole parent for three young children.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

If you want to hook Carson up with a job, make him Surgeon General. He'd be good at it!

While Carson is undoubtably a brilliant surgeon in his own right, his own abilities as a physician wouldn't translate into being an effective public health administrator; it's downright dangerous to have someone in the SG office who treats addiction as a moral fault and (presumably) doesn't support safe-sex programs, with the former being especially relevant in the face of the opioid epidemic.

Trump had no clue what HUD does.  We're talking about a guy who thought the EPA was called The Department of Environmental.  He probably just saw Urban and he thought it deals with "Urban" issues, so why not just put an "Urban" guy there.

Given that I'm still not sure Trump (or anyone on his transition team) understands what the DoE does, this seems terrifyingly plausible.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

How is it possible that highly incompetent persons like Gilliband and Harris are on such important commitees??? I'm deeply shocked by the scale of silliness in their questions. Pure ideology, not a single piece of understanding for what Mattis/Pompeo have to do. Simply crazy...

The idea that any Republicans' are qualified to weigh in on the competence of elected officials is laughable.

Their party leader is a reality TV star who lacks even basic understanding on a huge range of issues and struggles with grade-school level English.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Monica Crowley is no longer headed to NSC. Hopefully they pick somebody better this time around.

Heh. It's Trump, so I'll be somewhat shocked if it's not someone worse.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Looks like Spicer is about to get the boot:

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I'm not surprised.

I'm pretty sure Kellyanne Conjob was his first choice, but Priebus and Ryan convinced him otherwise.

I think Piers Morgan might take over. Kellyanne is finished too

This says that they are looking for a new Communications Director, not a new Press Secretary.

The CNN report saying Trump was unhappy with Spicer said the president blames Priebus for pushing for Spicer for the job.

"Priebus vouched for Spicer and against Trump's instincts," a source told CNN.

The president "regrets it every day and blames Priebus," the source added.

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/318385-report-trump-regrets-hiring-spicer-blames-priebus

When was the last time Pussygrabber blamed himself for ANYTHING?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Fake president Pussygrabber's twitter is now ranting about the record long time it's taken his Cabinet to be  confirmed.

Given his track record, I'm assuming he's lying, still.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I'm fine with Walker. Opens up WI-GOV.

Put all the worst elements of the GOp in one basket, then throw it out?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

How many Cabinet-level appointees are left?

To vote on, or who haven't been demonstrated to have questionable connections to Russia?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

We need to put a hold on Trump's nominees until after the investigation and subsequent election.

I'm sure the Republicans will agree.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Those darn minority Democrats, voting to adjourn! Don't they know they're holding up Trump's imaginary nominees?




Trump just isn't nominating the people he needs to. (Likely in part because of his demand for unconstitutional oaths of fealty loyalty oaths and world-famous thin skin.)

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/politics-government/white-house/article154052384.html

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On a slightly different note, it is nice to see Trump being so honest with the public:
"Want approvals." Is there any small child who hasn't felt the same way?

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

FBI Director nominee removed reference to case involving Russian government from law firm bio
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/20/politics/kfile-fbi-nominee-law-firm-bio/index.html

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So much winning!

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

But they will vote against most nominees so that they have an extensive anti-trump record to show off in the 2020 presidential election campaign.

Yeah, here are the six Senators who have the lowest "Trump score" (meaning they "vote with Trump" the least, according to 538):

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/congress-trump-score/?ex_cid=rrpromo

Gillibrand 7.0%
Sanders 9.3%
Warren 9.3%
Merkley 11.6%
Booker 11.6%
Harris 14.0%

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that that's a list of people who are apparently thinking about running for president! 

heh. Yeah. My first thought on seeing Booker's name on the list was "yeah, he's definitely running".

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

White House just officially announced that Trump intends to nominate Jon Huntsman as ambassador to Russia.

I'm a little surprised Huntsman would willingly tie himself to this dumpster fire of an administration.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

Trump expected to tap Kirstjen Nielsen to lead Department of Homeland Security

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-expected-to-tap-kirstjen-nielsen-to-lead-department-of-homeland-security/2017/10/11/21770f8e-aeaf-11e7-9e58-e6288544af98_story.html

Looks like a solid pick... which makes me question that Trump had much to do with it.

[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

50-49 #senate confirmed the nomination of @RepJBridenstine to serve as Administrator of @NASA

Senator McCain did not vote.

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Next week:

Nomination of Stuart Kyle Duncan to the 5th Circuit Court
Hearing for the Nomination of Ronny L. Jackson to lead the VA (Wednesday 2:30 pm in the Committee on VA)
Nomination of Mike Pompeo to be Secretary of State

That sound you hear is me swearing and throwing things.

Yeah. I liked it better when Idiocracy wasn't a documentary.

Senate Confirms Climate Change Denier To Lead NASA

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[Absentee Voting Ghost of Ruin]

I don't understand why Democrats are getting bent out of shape over Haspel. Sure, she tortured some folks. But we had this fine President who decided we were just going to ignore all the war crimes we committed and move on. Getting upset over it now seems to be more than a little late. Unless they're saying we should round up all our past and current war criminals for fair trials (say, at the Hauge). Is that what the Dems are saying?