Trump administration shakeup continues. Deputy National Security Advisor out.
Singapore - hotbed of Making America Great Again, apparently.
The Apprentice meets West Wing…
“You’re fired!”
If you’re not trying to take political potshots, then there’s no reason not to just use the name they use for themselves.
Just like I don’t say “anti-abortion” or “anti-choice” when referring to Pro-Lifers.
Because while the military does kill people when necessary, they also do many things that save people’s lives.
You’re mis-charecterizing the military and its leadership.
I won’t get further into my opinions of different government bureaucrats; that would not be appropriate here.
I was clearly referring to McMaster and Mad Dog when I used the phrase “paid killers”. It’s an effective rhetorical trick to link the paid killers with the sympathetic figures in the military.
Given that there are still hundreds of key posts Trump hasn’t filled, it appears that the administration is going backwards rather than forwards.
At the start of the Trump administration, I thought the most dangerous person was Michael Flynn. He was a crackpot but a crackpot with extensive national security experience and a certain degree of talent as well as a personal connection with Trump. He seemed exactly the kind of person who would get the Trump administration involved in some major national security catastrophe so it was a major relief when he went.
Steve Bannon was a close second to Flynn in terms of dangerousness. He didn’t have the same policy experience but he was also a crackpot with a certain degree of talent and a personal connection to Trump. He is still around of course but his demotion from the NSC is a good move.
Then, a couple days there was news that McFarland would leave the White House and become ambassador to Singapore.She wasn’t nearly as dangerous as the other two but still a lightweight in a job well above her capabilities. When McMaster became NSA, it was widely argued that her fate would be a good litmus test for his clout inside the administration. It appears that he was able to bide his time and get her removed after a while.
Overall these three changes make me significantly less worried about the Trump administration’s foreign policy. Of course it could still be a failure and perhaps that is still likely given the man on top, but it’s more likely to be a normal failure like previous administrations rather than something truly catastrophic.
Obama took many months to get his posts confirmed in 2008. This is par for the course for unprepared presidents.
And the Congressional Research Service found that Obama had over 1/4 of his positions vacant 1.5 years into his second term.
It’s like calling a veterinarian a “paid animal killer”. Technically it’s true-they euthanize animals frequently and they get paid for it, but it’s still a gross misrepresentation of the job.
:rolleyes:
Interesting quote from Trump regarding Bannon:
*
"I like Steve, but you have to remember he was not involved in my campaign until very late,” Trump said. “I had already beaten all the senators and all the governors, and I didn’t know Steve. I’m my own strategist, and it wasn’t like I was going to change strategies because I was facing crooked Hillary.”*
Not the kind of thing you usually say about someone who has your vote of confidence. Usually when these guys try to put distance between themselves and someone, that someone turns out to be under investigation by the FBI for collaborating with Russians.
Colbert did a hilarious bit on this the other night:
TOTAL! CUCK! MOVE!
Can we just refer to him as Cuck Bannon from now on?
Can’t help it, every time I hear the neo-epithet “cuck”, I think of chickens. Fuckin’ hate chickens.
the linked discussion thread is dated
The most recent status reporting
The tracking at this academic tracking website has the headline President Trump’s appointments lag previous administrations by a month. On track for worst performance in three decades.
If Trump fires Bannon, which is looking more likely, will Breitbart turn on Trump like they did on Kushner? That could get amusing fast.
Story about what President Trump said:
Analysis: Trump just made some very strange comments about Stephen K Bannon
Please have them take away the security clearance that he should never have had in the first place.
These two posts (jasg and BeepKillBeep) are a week apart. So is Breitbart now slamming Kushner, praising him, or sullenly pretending he doesn’t exist?
Depends on if Rebekah and Daddy Bob feel like they got their money’s worth. And I rather doubt it.
I’m thinking that rich people have a disproportionate effect on our politics. Pretty much always did think that, but I still do.
(concept stolen from Mitch Hedburg, may the Goddess hold him warm and close to Her bountiful bosom forever, amen…)