Based on some discussions here on a Korea thread (sorry, no link-now link http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=845976) which bemoaned the lack of a US Ambassador in S. Korea, I checked this site. List of Current U.S. Ambassadors It appears that the US Ambassador to Pakistan is a David Hale, who has two strikes against him in that (1) He was appointed by Obama in 2015 and (2) He is a career Foreign Service Officer (FSO), not a Trump political appointment.
That’s the thread I started, and it is absolutely absurd that we do not have an ambassador to South Korea, a staunch ally. Apparently according to Chronos in that thread, we don’t have an ambassador to China or Japan either. I guess Trump needs to take his time getting his diplomatic staff together. He’s only been in office a year.
Oh gosh, I see you finally sent an ambassador to Spain! He even lived in Spain before, went to university here twice apparently (no actual degrees listed and the schools’ names are written wrong in that those "La"s are extraneous) and has so far managed to stay out of the bad sections of the newspapers. But who told you we needed another real estate guy? We got plenty.
Do ambassadors get to choose who swears them in? I mean, I have a very German last name, which, in Trump’s mind, means that I should be the ambassador to Poland. But I wouldn’t want Mike Pence to swear me in. Him holding a bible that I’m touching might make him think we’re both gay (especially if his wife isn’t there). I’d much rather have someone else with a more balanced, sensible worldview.
If the ten commandments are banned from courthouse steps and schools, why do we still make politicians swear on a Bible? And end the swear with “So help me God”?
The elected or appointed official should be able to choose what they want to swear on.
Places hand on Mad Magazine
“…and I swear to uphold the Constitution, from enemies both foreign and domestic, so help me Alfred E Neuman”
We don’t make politicians swear on a Bible. The use of “So help me God” is optional as well. Keith Ellison swore his oath on a Koran. Jewish lawmakers often place their hand on the Old Testament. You would be free to use a Mad Magazine or Hustler if your really wanted to, it might make some people take you less seriously.
