A loyalist in charge of our intelligence agencies? What a great idea. And one that doesn’t need the Constitutional oversight of advise and consent? Even better.
The drain gets a little more swamped
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It is a temporary position. By the time a permanent replacement is needed, the transition phase of President Trump’s second term will be underway.
Sometimes in business temporary managers are hired to serve during periods of change. That might be the purpose here. We’ll know more soon.
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A lot of positions that require Senate approval are “temporary” in Trump world. He knows he can’t get his loyalists through the Senate, even with Magic Mitch supporting him all of the way. He is avoiding “advise and consent” by taking advantage of the 210 day rule. And in this case, the guy was confirmed as an ambassador and has ZERO intelligence experience. But in your view it is OK because it is just temporary.
And when it comes to our national intelligence agencies, I don’t see how a temp should be filling the role just because Trump might get re-elected. At least the temp who’s term expires next month has experience in that world.
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RE: “He is avoiding ‘advise and consent’ by taking advantage of the 210 day rule.”
So you say, but unless you have mind reading powers you can’t actually know that.
RE: “And when it comes to our national intelligence agencies, I don’t see how a temp should be filling the role just because Trump might get re-elected.”
Do you not trust the career professionals who make up the bulk of the IC workforce and management?
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“So you say, but unless you have mind reading powers you can’t actually know that.” It’s called common sense. You might want to try it sometime instead of claiming I have mind reading powers. It doesn’t take a mind reader to see what he is doing. Unless of course you don’t WANT to see what he is doing, which appears to be the case.
I trust career intelligence folks over political appointees who have 1) no experience in intelligence and 2) never run a bureaucracy the size of our national intelligence apparatus.
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RE: “It’s called common sense.”
Reading minds and making unsubstantiated assumptions is common sense. Got it.
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Well, not really. But paying attention to words and actions IS. You ignore that which doesn’t “fit”. Yep. Got it.
See Len’s post if you haven’t already.
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One doesn’t need mind reading powers. Trump said exactly why he likes “acting” appointees.
“I like ‘acting’ because I can move so quickly,” he told CBS’ Face The Nation in February, adding, “It gives me more flexibility.”
https://www.npr.org/2019/04/09/711094554/an-acting-government-for-the-trump-administration
He is purposefully bypassing the “Advise and Consent” power of the Senate. Now that he can’t be impeached no matter what, he is becoming a king. Just exactly what the founders were trying to avoid
For those who want the president to be the most powerful branch, that is fine. For those Americans who prefer to have a government of, by and for the people, this is not good.
Now this president is pardoning and commuting all his buds and his buds’ buds. People who were blatantly corrupt, were tax cheats, lied under oath, etc. He is firing people for obeying the law but perceived as as being disloyal. Does that mean that loyalty is based on lawlessness?
Trump was always a spoiled scion of a father who had contempt for America and it’s values. A tax cheat. His lawyer was “file a suit then get the right judge” Cohn.
He has lifted sanctions for personal favors. Over and over. ZTE, Russian aluminum oligarchs, etc., in return for votes, the investments, and trademarks for family.
No, we don’t need to read his mind. Just watch his actions.
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RE: “No, we don’t need to read his mind. Just watch his actions.”
His action in the current instance is entirely lawful. Do you really mean to suggest that lawful actions should be judged on the basis of the psychology of the actor?
If so, we might as well eliminate laws entirely.
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It is pretty obvious that the founders never expected a president to side step the checks and balances as well as the oversight duties of Congress.
As far as I am concerned, that is an unpatriotic attack on our Constitution, effectively a treasonous act. He has emasculated the Congress and is trying to do the same with the judiciary, which Trump holds in such contempt it truly boggles the mind.
But Trump worshipers will never see that. Until another president does the same thing.
You, Barr and all those who are in favor of a powerful president are setting a dangerous path. Contempt for the rule of law is just the beginning.
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“lawful” The first time THAT word has been used to describe Trump and be accurate. He is USING the law to avoid the confirmation process. Len’s post shows that. If he could hire competent, non-criminals who can be confirmed, we wouldn’t have a “temporary” Executive Branch.
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RE: “You, Barr and all those who are in favor of a powerful president are setting a dangerous path.”
Trump is no more powerful than any other president. Moreover, Grenell’s temporary assignment is neither unlawful nor an abuse of power.
In my view, giving Congress superior power over the executive is the greater danger, as we just witnessed with the incompetent and invalid impeachment effort.
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RE: “He is USING the law to avoid the confirmation process. Len’s post shows that.”
Not really. Mr. Rothman is making inferences, as you are.
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Your lack of common sense is duly noted. AGAIN.
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“ In my view, giving Congress superior power over the executive is the greater danger, as we just witnessed with the incompetent and invalid impeachment effort.”
Your view is noted.
The danger of a single person with enormous power is a lot more dangerous than 538 from every state and constituency we have.
But if the Congress is rife with weak and spineless members, that makes oversight difficult.
The joke was brought out when the Senate acquittal was done and more than a few Republicans admitted they were not happy about Trump’s actions. And the second knee slapper was that Trump “learned his lesson.”
Right!
We’ll see. I am too old to give a crap about the idiots in power. I will debate and argue and occasionally rant because it is sort of fun and nuggets of reality surface every once in a while.
Stuff like the audio of Kevin McCarthy saying: “There’s two people I think Putin pays: Rohrabacher and Trump,” and then Ryan saying they should not let that out…heh,heh.
Hilarious, don’t you think?
The truth gets squashed again.
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The evidence of “loyalist” over competence continues.
He is seen by everyone not in the deluded cult as a complete tool and idiot.
The Germans are even embarrassed for us…
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