Donald Trump Cabinet Officers

The First Hundred Days Of Trump Second Term More Revolutionary Than FDR!

Ronald 68 Comments

The First Hundred Days of Donald Trump, Second Term, is coming up on Wednesday, April 30.

The nation and the world have seen the most revolutionary, radical set of actions and statements by Donald Trump that the nation has ever witnessed.

One would have thought that Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Hundred Days of the “New Deal” from March 4, 1933 to mid June 1933 would be a marker that would never be matched.

But Donald Trump has far surpassed the impact of FDR, and in many ways, trying to wipe out most of the last century and more of the federal regulatory state and the leadership of the democratic world in international relations.

Trump has demonstrated that Presidential power is way out of line, a growing problem since FDR onward, but with most occupants of the White House having good intentions in their assertion of power, unlike Trump.

The massive use of executive orders, 137 so far, an all time record for such a short time as President;

the threats and actions against universities, law firms, cultural institutions, corporations, state governments;

the bypassing of judicial interventions;

the Republican party in Congress refusing to assert their authority;

the growing dictatorial attitude of Trump appointees inside and outside the Cabinet;

the repudiation of our traditional alliances in world affairs;

the dangerous flirtation with protective tariffs that undermines the American economy;

the clearcut corruption and grift being conducted in clear vision;

and so much more not listed here,

all have created a whirlwind of chaos and anarchy that affects all Americans in deleterious ways!

A True National Hero: New Jersey Senator Cory Booker Breaks Personal Filibuster Record In Speech On Donald Trump Abuses Of Power!

Ronald 3 Comments

In the midst of so much tragedy being perpetrated by Donald Trump and his Cabinet Officers, we have a great national hero in New Jersey Democratic Senator Cory Booker!

Booker just broke the personal filibuster record of then Democratic, later Republican, Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina in 1957.

Thurmond was railing against civil rights legislation, specifically the Civil Rights Act of that year, a despicable action by a well known white supremacist in the early Civil Rights Era.

Booker was condemning the multitude of horrors being perpetrated by the most dangerous and lawless President America has ever witnessed, a totally honorable action!

The nightmare of Donald Trump was laid out over about 25 hours nonstop by Booker, working to rally his Democratic Party and non MAGA Republicans and Independents, to lead the charge against the criminal activities being perpetrated in just ten weeks of the Trump second term Presidency!

Booker will be remembered for this, and other Democrats need to pick up the mantle and conduct similar filibusters to work to prevent the worst aspects of future legislation and actions during the next months and years.

Basically, every Democrat in the Senate should commit himself or herself to similiar tactics, and they will be as much appreciated and admired as Senator Booker is right now, although he has always been a decent, caring Senator since 2013!

Gutless Wonders, And NOT Profiles In Courage: Republican Senators Who Allow Themselves To Be Controlled!

Ronald 8 Comments

A very disturbing development is the reality that several Republican Senators, who have expressed concern and doubts about various Donald Trump Cabinet Appointments and other nominees who require Senate approval, have shown they are NOT “Profiles in Courage”, but instead “Gutless Wonders”!

The threat of Elon Musk promoting opponents in upcoming Senate primaries has led to these Senators bowing to pressure, and making themselves look unprincipled, and without any morals, ethics, or scruples.

The need for these Senators, all of whom have great financial assets and earlier careers where they did well financially, to cave in to pressure is astounding.

Even if they lost their seats in the Senate, or chose not to run for reelection, they would not be in any kind of financial straits that would pressure them to be cowards, but they are precisely that!

I am referring to those Senators I had written about that might be barriers to Trump’s nominees, including:

Joni Ernst of Iowa
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
James Lankford of Oklahoma
John Curtis of Utah

Additionally, a newer Republican Senator, Todd Young of Indiana, after having doubts about Tulsi Gabbard, bent to the pressure from Vice President JD Vance to back her for Director Of National Intelligence!

With upcoming confirmation votes next week, it looks quite hopeless that any nominee will be stopped by four Republican votes against such nominee.

Subject to change, it seems as if only Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky might vote NO, beyond Pete Hegseth, and who can be sure that even those two Senators will be consistent.

This is all very exasperating and disillusioning, as we are on the road to the worst ever Presidential Cabinet of advisers in American History, people in many cases outrageously horrible to be in their positions and guaranteed to conduct themselves in illegal, unethical, and immoral ways!

Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins And? Will Trump Nominees Be Stopped?

Ronald 12 Comments

Two Republican women Senators, considered the most “moderate” in the party caucus, have come out in committee against the nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense.

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine have made clear that they are unhappy with Hegseth’s statements in the past against women in the military, although he has backed off on that idea recently.

Murkowski does not face an election until 2028, and already in the past, had kept her seat as an Independent in one election race. And Susan Collins has hinted she may not run for reelection in 2026, but even if she does, she is in a strong position in a state that is more “Blue”, but her ability to keep her seat has been strong in the past. She has served 28 years and is the longest serving female Republican Senator in American history.

The question is whether there are two more Republicans who will have the guts and courage to join Murkowski and Collins. Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell, former Majority and Minority Leader, is a “free spirit” in his last two years in the upper chamber, who disagrees with Donald Trump on foreign and defense policy, so might rebel against Hegseth.

Joni Ernst of Iowa seemed a possible negative vote, but was pressured in her home state to support Hegseth, and therefore looks likely to vote for him despite some qualms.

As stated by this author and blogger in an earlier post on January 12, there are a few other Republican Senators who might, hopefully, join in opposition, particularly the new Utah Senator John Curtis, seen as similar in moderation as was Mitt Romney, plus Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, James Lankford of Oklahoma, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina!

If not voting against Hegseth, there is greater possibility that some of this group will vote against other objectionable nominees, including Tulsi Gabbard, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr, and Kash Patel.

Guarantee Of Chaotic 119th Congress!

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The 119th Congress (2025-2027) is guaranteed to be chaotic, and might be worse in performance than the 118th Congress (2023-2025).

With the final count having finally been settled in the House of Representatives, there will be a total of 220 Republicans and 215 Democrats, but since Matt Gaetz resigned, and Michael Waltz of Florida will be National Security Adviser, and Elise Stefanik of New York will be United Nations Ambassador, the actual balance for the first few months of the new year will be 217-215, until special elections fill those three seats.

This means any one Republican abandonment, or members absent for votes, and chaos will reign, and Democrats may gain the majority on some issues, and even, if there is opposition to the Speaker by a few Republicans, could lead to new elections for the House leadership.

Also, while the Senate now has 53 Republicans, there is a high likelihood that at least four or more Republican Senators will reject a number of Donald Trump’s Cabinet appointments.

The 118th Congress was reckless and chaotic enough, but now there will be fewer Republicans than in the last Congress in the lower chamber, and some Senators will be unwilling to bow to Donald Trump on some of his outrageous nominees for the Cabinet, and other actions by the 47th President when he takes the oath of office!

Republican Senators Who Are Likely To Oppose Some Trump Cabinet Nominees

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Signs that a substantial number of Republican Senators are seen as likely to oppose some Donald Trump Cabinet nominees, particularly Pete Hegseth for Secretary of Defense; Tulsi Gabbard for Director of National Intelligence; and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Among those Senators who have issues with Trump appointees are the following:

Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
Thom Tillis of North Carolina
Todd Young of Indiana
Jonie Ernst of Iowa
Mitch McConnell of Kentucky
Bill Cassidy of Louisiana
Susan Collins of Maine
James Lankford of Oklahoma
Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma
John Cornyn of Texas
John Curtis of Utah (Senator Elect)
Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia

If four or more of this group vote against any of the above appointees or any others, such individual would not be able to be part of the Cabinet or other advisers.

However, the concept of a “recess” appointment could become a controversial action taken by Donald Trump, which would likely become a legal issue, and be seen as a grab for power.

Transgender And Immigration Issues Convinced Gullible Working Class To Back Trump!

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It is a sad reality that the working class of America–whether white, Latino, or African American– was bamboozled by Donald Trump to believe he was concerned about their lives and would promote labor causes, when nothing is further from the truth.

The high inflation that occurred under Joe Biden had nothing to do with Joe Biden and the Democrats, but was simply a reaction to the COVID 19 Pandemic, so would have occurred if Donald Trump had been reelected President.

But Republicans and Donald Trump used fear of transgender Americans and of a small number of undocumented immigrants who have committed crime to stir up the population of working class Americans, many of whom are not actively engaged in following public affairs, to convince them to vote Republican.

But now, working class Americans will pay for their decision to vote for Trump and a Republican Congress by facing the reality of a Presidential cabinet made up of multi millionaires who are promoting massive tax cuts for the extremely wealthy, and imposing of high protective tariffs.

This will lead to a massive increase in the national debt and surging prices for all kinds of imported items, causing a new wave of inflation.

The Republican Party and Donald Trump do NOT have the interests of working class people in their agenda, and labor unions will not be supported, as they have been under Joe Biden.

And Donald Trump will cut back on exixting regulations on corporations and banks, promoting more of a chasm between the working class and upper class.

Only the upper class will celebrate Donald Trump’s Presidency, once the working class becomes fully cognizant that they have been tricked into supporting someone who utilized emotional issues of transgender rights and immigration to promote their agenda of making the wealthy wealthier, and the working class and poor more exploited!

Never Has Any President Had Such A Horrendous Group Of Cabinet Nominees!

admin 20 Comments

Donald Trump is setting a record for the most horrendous selection of Cabinet nominees in American history!

Every President will have critics about one or more of his appointees, but Trump beats them all, and not just the traditional four spoken about–Matt Gaetz (now withdrawn); Pete Hegseth; Tulsi Gabbard; and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

There are others who are also terrible choices, including Mike Huckabee to be US Ambassador to Israel; Kristi Noem to be Secretary of Homeland Security; Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency; Doug Burgum, Secretary of the Interior; Chris Wright, Secretary of Energy; Howard Lutnick, Secretary of Commerce; Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; and Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education.

And Trump is refusing to allow FBI Background Checks, which makes it terrifying to have Cabinet Officers who are not fully vetted!

Two Women Republican Senators Likely To Resist Trump Appointments, But Can They Gain Two Other Republican Senators As Supporters?

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Two women Republican Senators who have often disagreed with and voted against Donald Trump—Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Susan Collins of Maine—are seen as likely to resist many of Trump’s controversial Cabinet nominees.

Both women voted to convict Trump on impeachment charges in his second trial. Both are seen as moderates, and have shown courage and conviction in their careers in the Senate, with Collins in the Senate since 1997 and Murkowski since 2002.

The question is whether they can gain at least two Republican colleagues to join them in fighting to reject Trump’s outrageous Cabinet nominees, including:

Matt Gaetz, Attorney General
Pete Hegseth, Defense
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services
Tulsi Gabbard, Director of National Intelligence

It seems clear other Republican Senators are very unhappy with some, or all of these choices, but will they be willing to challenge Trump is the unknown matter.

And sadly, future Senate Majority Leader John Thune, of South Dakota, not Trump’s “favorite”, has to deal with the likelihood of Trump deciding to call for the Senate to go into recess.

This would be an abdicating of their responsibility as a co-equal branch of government, and allowing two year “recess” appointments, which might be challenged in the courts, but with no clear answer as to what the resolution on the matter would be!

Impossible To Reject All Of Trump’s Outrageous Cabinet Appointments!

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Reality must sink in, that there is no possibility to expect the Republican controlled US Senate to reject all of Donald Trump’s outrageous Cabinet appointments. Trump is not allowing FBI checks of his nominees, and threatens to force recess appointments of his nominees, if the majority Republicans do not play along!

At most, maybe one might be stopped, with the one thought to be most likely being Attorney General nominee, former Congressman Matt Gaetz, who has most members of the House of his party, and many Republican Senators really opposed to him, based on his scandalous life, but also his horrendous relationships with fellow Republicans over the years.

Sadly, Director of National Intelligence nominee, former Congresswoman and Democrat Tulsi Gabbard; Secretary of Health and Human Services nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr (also a former Democrat); and Pete Hegseth, Fox News host and nominee for Secretary of Defense, despite horrendous information about all three of them, will unlikely be able to be stopped.

All of these male nominees have been accused of sexual harassment and sexual abuse, but will likely overcome accusations of their misbehaviors, as Donald Trump has managed to do so throughout his life!

The idea that America’s Justice Department; Intelligence Agencies; Health Care System; and Military and Defense establishment are under attack by extremists chosen by a President who is out to destroy the existing system of American democracy, is a reality hard to accept.

All decent people, including this author and blogger, are fighting off a sense of despair and depression, but knowing that if good people give in and give up, then the damage done will be greater, than if there is resistance.