# Trump's Cabinet of Curiosities **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [November 10, 2016, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367 "2016-11-10T16:28:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/481 "2016-12-10T21:26:41Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Donald Trump is expected to nominate ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson as his secretary of state, two sources close to the transition process told NBC News on Saturday. > [Rex Tillerson of ExxonMobil Expected to Be Named Trump's Secretary of State: Sources](http://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2016-election/rex-tillerson-exxon-mobil-expected-be-named-trump-s-secretary-n694371) > > So fairly definite now, instead of just being the frontrunner. So, now we know for sure that Trump just took the previous GOP presidential candidate out for a public shaming, and the rest of the GOP is left just saying, “Thank you sir, may I have another.” Cowards. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/482 "2016-12-10T21:48:00Z")
Here are Tillerson’s views of climate change [he favors a go it slow approach] [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mkT5rcViBb0/hqdefault.jpg "Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0) [These comments are half way through an interview at the Economic Club of Washington, you might want to start at the beginning.] [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/mkT5rcViBb0/hqdefault.jpg "Rex W. Tillerson, Chairman and CEO, Exxon Mobil Corporation") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0) A mini-biography: > **[Who is Rex Tillerson, the ExxonMobil chairman who may become secretary of state?](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/10/who-is-rex-tillerson-the-exxonmobil-chairman-who-may-become-secretary-of-state/)** > > A profile of the dark-horse candidate to serve as the nation's top diplomat. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2016, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/483 "2016-12-10T23:48:20Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Here are Tillerson’s views of climate change [he favors a go it slow approach] > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be&t=35m17s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be&t=35m17s) Same retarded points from deniers about not having a consensus. > **[Debunking 97% Climate Consensus Denial](https://skepticalscience.com/news.php?f=debunking-climate-consensus-denial)** > > Communicating the expert consensus is very important in terms of increasing public awareness of human-caused climate change and support for climate solutions.  Thus it's perhaps not surprising that Cook et al. (2013) and its 97% consensus result have... > [@](#): > > Overall, the critiques of Cook et al. (2013) have all exhibited the characteristics of scientific denialism. Given the long history of consensus denial campaigns by fossil fuel interests and climate contrarians, continued resistance to the consensus is an expected result. Nevertheless, the 97% consensus is a robust result from several different studies taking a variety of approaches, including two independent methods used by Cook et al. (abstract ratings and author self-ratings). The criticisms of the paper have all exhibited the same few logical flaws, some more extreme than others, but all erroneous. And also the old chestnut about this being a “hypothesis” and claims that the risk assessments Exxon has calculated are telling them to essentially wait because the “model could be wrong” well that is just the garbage he is making and he is eating it up too. > **[How reliable are climate models?](https://skepticalscience.com/climate-models-intermediate.htm)** > > \While there are uncertainties with climate models, they successfully reproduce the past and have made predictions that have been subsequently confirmed by observations.\ > [@](#): > > While there are uncertainties with climate models, they successfully reproduce the past and have made predictions that have been subsequently confirmed by observations. The point is crucial, because one of the big lies from the fossil fuel supported contrarians out there is that scientists are basing what they report about climate science just on a computer model. Not so. > [@](#): > > Skeptics argue that we should wait till climate models are completely certain before we act on reducing CO2 emissions. If we waited for 100% certainty, we would never act. Models are in a constant state of development to include more processes, rely on fewer approximations and increase their resolution as computer power develops. The complex and non-linear nature of climate means there will always be a process of refinement and improvement. The main point is we now know enough to act. Models have evolved to the point where they successfully predict long-term trends and are now developing the ability to predict more chaotic, short-term changes. [Multiple lines of evidence, both modeled and empirical](http://www.skepticalscience.com/empirical-evidence-for-global-warming-intermediate.htm), tell us global temperatures will change 3°C with a doubling of CO2 (Knutti & Hegerl 2008). > > Models don’t need to be exact in every respect to give us an accurate overall trend and its major effects - and we have that now. If you knew there were a 90% chance you’d be in a car crash, you wouldn’t get in the car (or at the very least, you’d wear a seatbelt). The IPCC concludes, with a greater than 90% probability, that humans are causing global warming. To wait for 100% certainty before acting is recklessly irresponsible. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/484 "2016-12-11T01:03:53Z")
Oh Christ! [Trump expected to tap Exxon’s Tillerson for State, even as Russia ties raise concerns](http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/politics/ct-trump-tillerson-secretary-of-state-20161210-story.html). We are all doomed. Doomed I say. DOOMED! BWA Ha Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha… Tillerson received the Order of Friendship from Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013? Wha??!? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/485 "2016-12-11T01:41:37Z")
Say goodbye to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/486 "2016-12-11T02:15:13Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Here are Tillerson’s views of climate change [he favors a go it slow approach] > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be&t=35m17s](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be&t=35m17s) > > [These comments are half way through an interview at the Economic Club of Washington, you might want to start at the beginning.] > [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkT5rcViBb0&feature=youtu.be) > > A mini-biography: > [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/10/who-is-rex-tillerson-the-exxonmobil-chairman-who-may-become-secretary-of-state/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/12/10/who-is-rex-tillerson-the-exxonmobil-chairman-who-may-become-secretary-of-state/) The WaPo mini-bio actually portrays him as fairly sane on the subject of climate change, especially for the CEO of the biggest oil giant. And it’s certainly true that he reversed the outright denialism at Exxon that had characterized Lee Raymond’s tenure before him, although Raymond was a raving loon. One might suspect that Tillerson has had to walk back some of his science-based views in favor of the required Republican orthodoxy about climate, but I have a different theory. I suspect that Trump actually doesn’t give a damn one way or the other, and feels that he has enough climate change deniers already appointed, particularly Pruitt, to satisfy the red-meat Congressional Republicans. Making nice with his pal Putin is the main thing here. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/487 "2016-12-11T02:52:09Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The WaPo mini-bio actually portrays him as fairly sane on the subject of climate change, especially for the CEO of the biggest oil giant. And it’s certainly true that he reversed the outright denialism at Exxon that had characterized Lee Raymond’s tenure before him, although Raymond was a raving loon. I have to point out that they have moved to the next step, to admit that there is a problem, but do just feeble efforts as there is “no good evidence” to do much more now. The problem is that in the end it just turns into doing virtually nothing. As I pointed before in a different thread, it is only when they do give a signal to the congress critters that they have in their pockets that very significant efforts to curb emissions will be allowed to take place. In the meantime, as far as I know, mostly Shell does keep making good efforts to research or help in the development of new alternative fuels. Exxon, like many other companies that claim to understand the issue now, is almost dropping all efforts to diversify or help develop alternatives or solutions. > **[Big Oil's Big Lies About Alternative Energy](https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/big-oils-big-lies-about-alternative-energy-198957/)** > > As President Obama calls for greater investments in alternatives, the biggest energy companies are doubling down on riskier, more destructive oil sour ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/488 "2016-12-11T03:25:12Z")
> [@GIGObuster](#): > > I have to point out that they have moved to the next step, to admit that there is a problem, but do just feeble efforts as there is “no good evidence” to do much more now. The problem is that in the end it just turns into doing virtually nothing. As I pointed before in a different thread, it is only when they do give a signal to the congress critters that they have in their pockets that very significant efforts to curb emissions will be allowed to take place. > > In the meantime, as far as I know, mostly Shell does keep making good efforts to research or help in the development of new alternative fuels. Exxon, like many other companies that claim to understand the issue now, is almost dropping all efforts to diversify or help develop alternatives or solutions. > > [Big Oil's Big Lies About Alternative Energy](http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/big-oils-big-lies-about-alternative-energy-20130625) I agree in terms of what needs to be done, and I certainly don’t want to give the impression that I’m defending Tillerson. But everything is relative. I’m just saying that Tillerson is relatively a moderate on climate change compared to his predecessor and compared to denialists like Pruitt, and that his relationship with Putin and Russia and his vested interests in the oil industry are far more damning. It seems that most of Trump’s appointments could each inspire an essay on “why this was the worst possible choice by any rational criteria”, mostly focusing on how they’re opposed to the fundamental purpose of the agency they’re supposed to administer, and for Tillerson the latter stuff I mentioned I believe is a lot more significant than his position on climate. I’m not convinced that Tillerson would want to pull out of the Paris accord – he is said to have expressed support for it though also claiming that it will not significantly curtail oil consumption in the immediate future – and I’m sure Trump has long forgotten or doesn’t care that he promised the rubes he’d pull the US out of the agreement. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/489 "2016-12-11T05:02:58Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > Say goodbye to Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Ukraine. That’s not all I’m concerned about, Georgia is on my mind as well. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/490 "2016-12-11T05:11:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > That’s not all I’m concerned about, Georgia is on my mind as well. Trump’s appointing the ghost of Sherman as Secretary of the Interior? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/491 "2016-12-11T05:13:46Z")
> [@](#): > > President-elect Donald Trump will nominate John Bolton to be the nation’s No. 2 diplomat, handling day-to-day operations at the State Department, according to NBC’s Andrea Mitchell and confirmed to HuffPost by a source close to the transition. > > Bolton, who had been on Trump’s short list for secretary of state at one point, is among the most hawkish members of the Republican foreign policy community, a bellicose enemy of Russia and Iran. > **[Trump To Nominate Extreme Militant John Bolton As State Department's No. 2](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/john-bolton-trump-state-department_n_584c6b3be4b0e05aded43d0e)** > > Bolton is an extraordinarily hawkish choice. So you have a pro-Russia Secretary and an strong anti-Russia Undersecretary? Weird. I don’t understand: don’t Cabinet Secretaries choose their own subordinates? Gorsnak: Georgia is a country next to Russia, a former part of the USSR. > **[Georgia (country)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country))** > > Georgia (Georgian: საქართველო, romanized: sakartvelo, .mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}IPA: \[sakʰartʰʷelo\] ⓘ) is a transcontinental country in Eastern Europe and West Asia. It is part of the Caucasus region, bounded by the Black Sea to the west, Russia to the north and northeast, Turkey to the southwest, Armenia to the sou Georgia... ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/492 "2016-12-11T06:13:21Z")
^ Whoosh! ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/493 "2016-12-11T06:20:35Z")
_When you whoosh upon a star…_ ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/494 "2016-12-11T11:15:08Z")
> [@Fiveyearlurker](#): > > So, now we know for sure that Trump just took the previous GOP presidential candidate out for a public shaming, and the rest of the GOP is left just saying, “Thank you sir, may I have another.” > > Cowards. Vichy Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Biffster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biffster/32/339_2.png) [@Biffster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffster)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/495 "2016-12-11T14:33:57Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > [Trump To Nominate Extreme Militant John Bolton As State Department's No. 2 | HuffPost Latest News](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/john-bolton-trump-state-department_us_584c6b3be4b0e05aded43d0e) > > So you have a pro-Russia Secretary and an strong anti-Russia Undersecretary? Weird. > > I don’t understand: don’t Cabinet Secretaries choose their own subordinates? > > Gorsnak: Georgia is a country next to Russia, a former part of the USSR. > [Georgia (country) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(country)) And Moscow girls make me sing and shout That Georgia’s always on my my my my my my my my my mind Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/496 "2016-12-11T21:48:36Z")
[Texas Governor Rick Perry Said to Be Trump’s Top Candidate for Energy Secretary.](https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-12-11/rick-perry-said-to-be-trump-s-top-candidate-for-energy-secretary) Sure, why not. How about [Elmer Fudd](https://www.google.com/search?q=senate+majority+leader&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwirtpvvju3QAhUG42MKHZVbBNEQ_AUICSgC&biw=1600&bih=770#imgrc=dQjK9w8tB-S2NM%3A)for … whatever. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/497 "2016-12-12T00:17:19Z")
So, you figure that Dr. Ernest Moniz, (Ph.D, Professor of Physics and Engineering, M.I.T) will give Rick Perry (Aggie) a briefing? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/498 "2016-12-12T00:20:27Z")
It’s like Trump is asking to be impeached, given all the opportunities for it he’s creating. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/499 "2016-12-12T04:46:38Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > So, you figure that Dr. Ernest Moniz, (Ph.D, Professor of Physics and Engineering, M.I.T) will give Rick Perry (Aggie) a briefing? Hey, Rick got a Bachelors in Animal Husbandry. (I notice Wikipedia called the degree “Animal Science”–the Aggies do get tired of that joke, but Perry has used the older term.) As governor, he had a long history of getting into bed with the oil & gas industry. (Figuratively!) Which will, no doubt, serve him well. ---
**Author:** ![HurricaneDitka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/96bed5/32.png) [@HurricaneDitka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HurricaneDitka)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2016, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367/500 "2016-12-12T05:24:22Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > It’s like Trump is asking to be impeached, given all the opportunities for it he’s creating. What opportunities do you think Trump has created for impeachment? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trumps-cabinet-of-curiosities/771367.md?page=26)