What a competent administration we have. And this is with all three branches of the Federal Government run by Republicans.
#Incompetent
#Incompetent
Govt. Shutdown, Acting Chief of Staff, Acting AG, and an Acting Sec. of Defense
- Thread starter DrHoops
- Start date
Republicans constantly run on an anti government stance, so it’s no surprise when they don’t run in worth a shit when they have control.
Why would any respectable person go work for such a total asshat? The last 2 years have just confirmed as much.
Our govt is in serious trouble.
Our govt is in serious trouble.
The Peter Principle is currently at its apex across the entire administration.
Unless I'm mis-reading you and/or jumping in without fully reading and/or I'm just wrong, I don't think that's right. Yes, Trump is incompetent among many other things. But that's not what is driving this administration. It's not like they're trying to lead and just floundering. They're actively seeking to exploit and extract; that's what they do and how they view everything. They have no real interest in governance other than setting up exploitation opportunities.
I think we will survive until 2021. I dunno if democracy as we know it will survive 2 terms.
I wasn't going deep. Just look at what we've got: Whitaker as AG, Devos at Education, freaking Rick Perry at Energy (in charge of all our nukes), Carson at HUD; need I go on? This has to be the most incompetent administration top to bottom since at least Harding or Buchanan, perhaps besting (worsting?) even them.
But they're at least partially achieving their desired end game of exploiting and extracting and of otherwise undermining the viability of good governance. That's largely what they want. The results you don't like are purposeful.
There's nothing scary about Rick Perry being responsible for our nuclear program. What exactly worries you about him? The guy has a long record of competent governance in Texas, why would you include him in a list of those you consider incompetent? He's not my favorite Republican, but he's competent.
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Without knowing the ins and outs of his actual terms as governor, if one only had his presidential debate performances to go on, one would think Rick Perry is as dumb as they get.
Perry didn't even know nuclear was going to be part of his portfolio. He thought it would be all about dealing with his oil buddies.
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2017/01/rick-perry-energy-secretary-nuclear-arsenal
I'd have bet $100 that 50 percent of the people on the WC didn't know that. I'd bet some of those would have criticized Perry for not knowing it also.
I don't believe this canard. I don't think it's possible for the longest serving governor in the history of Texas to not know that the DOE managed America's largest nuclear bomb making facility located in his state.
That’s why he loves dictators/autocrats. Like Putin, Jong-Un, Duarte & Ergogan.
They all share the same worldview. And that worldview ain’t exactly values based, or based on the rule of law. It’s based on corruption, winning at all costs & not playing by any rules. His instincts are distinctly un-American. To say the least.
It’s not as if this was a secret pre-election. Those paying attention knew this wasn’t going to go or end well. It’s not as if there wasn’t plenty of evidence out there.
It amazes me that he has any support left. Those that support him are complete fools that don’t understand what makes this country, well, this country. If he had his way, the entire government would be subservient to him. Screw the American people.
That’s just it Aloha. It’s his JOB to know. Not knowing makes him incompetent, at best.
This is the same guy that wanted to eliminate the department he’s in charge of running. If you’re going to make big statements like that, you should at least have a small understanding of what you’re saying. And if you’re running on those statements for political office as part of your message, then damnit, you better know SOMETHING about it.
The Republican Party has become the party of ignorance. For some reason, all that matters now is talking points and adherence to party dogma- screw reality.
I will say that he’s probably one of the most competent cabinet members right now. Which is incredibly scary.
You don't believe that Perry didn't know it or that 50% of the people at the WC didn't know it?
Technically, it was not his job at that time. It was his job after he was confirmed.
You don't believe that Perry didn't know it or that 50% of the people at the WC didn't know it?
I don’t believe Perry wouldn’t know that.
I think you're right. The NYT article that Vanity Fair cited didn't say that Perry didn't know that the Energy Department was responsible for the nuclear program. His inexperience with nuclear energy as opposed to that of previous Secretaries was the primary point of the article.
I'd still bet that 50% of the WC wouldn't have known it.
As to the title of this thread, I just wish we had someone acting like a president.
Trump is running the administration like a business, at least like one of his businesses, i.e. do what the hell he wants and milk it for all it's worth.
That notion from some people that we should "run government like a business" has always bothered me, because businesses aren't ever making their decisions for the benefit of the country as a whole, certainly not for the benefit of the low income tiers of the country. In fact, if a business helps the poor or spends money on pollution abatement (even if required by law), it will (1) claim a tax deduction, (2) call it "philanthropy", and (3) film a public service announcement to be aired during football games and the Masters bragging about its "corporate values."
WTF article did you read?
WASHINGTON — When President-elect Donald J. Trump offered Rick Perry the job of energy secretary five weeks ago, Mr. Perry gladly accepted, believing he was taking on a role as a global ambassador for the American oil and gas industry that he had long championed in his home state.
In the days after, Mr. Perry, the former Texas governor, discovered that he would be no such thing — that in fact, if confirmed by the Senate, he would become the steward of a vast national security complex he knew almost nothing about, caring for the most fearsome weapons on the planet, the United States’ nuclear arsenal.
In the days after, Mr. Perry, the former Texas governor, discovered that he would be no such thing — that in fact, if confirmed by the Senate, he would become the steward of a vast national security complex he knew almost nothing about, caring for the most fearsome weapons on the planet, the United States’ nuclear arsenal.
The one I linked, and it didn't say that he didn't know that the Energy Department was responsible for the nuclear program. It said exactly what I said it said, that he didn't know a lot about the nuclear program.
I quoted the first two paragraphs of the article you linked.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/18/us/politics/rick-perry-energy-secretary-donald-trump.html?_r=0
Mark, it simply does not say that he didn't know that the Energy Department was responsible for the nuclear program. You have to infer that because it doesn't say that, and there is no reason to infer it. He obviously thought he'd have more to do with traditional energy and found that nuclear energy (and weapons) was lot more of his portfolio than traditional energy. This is a fact that we should be able to agree on.
What we should be able to agree on is that you're bending over backwards to give Perry the benefit of the doubt, and I'm not.
What you said is not factual. It's not about giving him the benefit of the doubt, it's simply acknowledging the objective fact that the article did NOT say that he didn't know the Energy Department was responsible for our nuclear program. If there is any bending over backwards here - it isn't me doing it.
Given the catastrophe that the Trump administration represents I find nothing about Rick Perry that reassures me he is up to manning the DOE ship in a potential crisis. Forget about intelligence--which is not in evidence. There is no sign of any strength of character in the man. In normal times this might not be so much a concern. We do not live in normal times.
He doesn't scare me - the man was the longest serving Governor in Texas history so he has a long history of governance and a reaffirmation by his constituents. There is nothing in his past that would make him seem erratic or otherwise worry me in his position. The part about his character is a strange thing to say. Besides being a Republican and a politician, what would make you concerned about that?
The fellow appears entirely grounded in pandering to the right...he is no Romney, Kasich, Corker, McCain, Dole or even a Cheney or McConnell. It is surprising to me that you can't tell this about the guy. There is no order the guy won't follow.
It cracks me up when you develop these boogieman theories about certain Republicans. What particular evil order are you worried he might follow? Perry is to the right of me, but he's not a nut. He's no danger where he is. I certainly won't claim he's the best person for that job, but he's competent enough to run the department for now.
Perry is neither to the right nor the left of you. He appears to the right of you because that has so far been the calculation he has made about what will serve his ambitions. He is a relatively stupid but modestly competent grifter who follows the currents of power on the right wherever they may lead. People without character are a danger in leadership positions...but they are a greater danger precisely in moments of crisis. Do you think Perry has the character of say, Mattis? Or Tillerson? Or even Jeff Sessions? I don't think it is close.
For the record I think you know in your heart of hearts that Perry doesn't measure up. You teach leadership...competence is not character. Perry is not a bogeyman he is a figurehead reading whatever lines, taking whatever actions his political advisors tell him will be advantageous.
Exactly. The GOP is the Party of 1%ers. Period. All others who vote Republican 1) are getting duped and 2) are normally not really offered an alternative by Democrats who are driven by the ultra-left 10%.
Ironically, that's probably good. If Democrats were to focus primarily on economics and get things running really smoothly, there might not be a viable second party at all and then if some Trumpalot came along and demagogued his way into power of the DNP, we could be royally screwed. At least, that's a pessimistic doomsday scenario.
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