bullypulpit
12-18-2016, 01:22 PM
Kleptocracy: government by those who seek chiefly status and personal gain at the expense of the governed
Kakistocracy: a state or country run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens
As I write, this on the eve of the Electoral Colleges vote…a vote that will likely confirm the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States, we see the septuagenarian degenerate creating a cabinet of people eminently unqualified for the positions he is appointing or nominating them to. His inner circle is occupied by racists, homophobes, misogynists, anti-Semites, Islamophobes, religious extremists and amoral plutocrats. Let’s take a look, shall we?
· Secretary of State: Rex W. Tillerson: President and CEO of Exxon-Mobile, with extensive ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. It is worth noting that Exxon-Mobile had to put the brakes on exploration and development of oilfields in the Russian Artic Circle in 2014. This as a result of US sanctions against Russia for its incursions into Ukraine. This exploration and development could resume with “improved” relations with Russia, and represents a HUGE conflict of interest for the Nominee for Secretary of State.
· Interior Secretary:Ryan Zinke: Representing Montana’s at-large congressional district for one term, Rep. Zinke has a 3% voting score with the League of Conservation Voters. Also of note, Oasis Petroleum was Zinke’s largest campaign contributor, and also has a stake in the Dakota Access Pipe Line.
· Energy Secretary: Rick Perry:Ricky, in his 2011 presidential bid, couldn’t remember which three government departments he wanted to scrap, has been tapped to head one of those departments. Perry will be replacing nuclear physicist, Ernest Moniz. Ricky’s only real qualification for the position are his ties to the fossil fuel industry. His bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M was in “animal science”.
· Treasury Secretary: Steven Mnuchin: A former Goldman-Sachs broker, Mnuchin is a cipher, having no previous public, political or organizational experience to speak of. His most recent accomplishments include buying Indy Mac from the FDIC, changing the name to “One West” and selling for a huge profit in 2015. He has also provided financial backing to the movie industry. He will likely support policies which will net billions of dollars in profits for hedge fund managers, like Trump supporter John Paulson.
· Education Secretary: Betsy DeVos: Ms. DeVos is a Michigan billionaire and conservative activist who has spent millions in lobbying efforts directed at expanding school voucher plans which siphon tax dollars form public schools into the pockets of private education companies, all in the name of “school choice”. Ms. DeVos has no educational credentials or experience to speak of. In addition, there is the issue of “$5.3 million in fines imposed on her political action committee for campaign finance violations in Ohio eight years ago”, fines that have yet to be paid. Her only apparent qualification for the position appears to be the nearly $1.8 million Ms. DeVos and her family contributed to the Trump campaign.
· Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson: Does anything else really need to be said? Hell, even Carson admitted he’s not qualified for the job.
I could go on, but if you don’t get the point by now, you won’t. Trump is packing his cabinet and inner circle with a growing list of plutocrats, lobbyists, hate-mongers, extremists and the morally and ethically bankrupt. And I didn’t include the list of big money campaign contributors who are getting plum posts.
No, Trump is setting the stage for government corruption on a never before seen scale with the conflicts of interest surrounding his own financial empire and those of the future members of his administration. They will loot the treasury and leave everyone who actually works for a living holding the bag, and reduced to serfdom. Trump’s kleptocratic kakistocracy, soon to be squatting in the White House.
References
Center for Biological Diversity Statement on Ryan Zinke as Trump’s Choice for Interior Secretary. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2016/ryan-zinke-12-13-2016.php (https://www.blogger.com/null)
DiChristopher, T. (2016). Exxon Mobil could tap huge Arctic assets if US-Russian relations thaw. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/13/exxon-mobil-could-tap-huge-arctic-assets-if-us-russian-relations-thaw.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Donald Trump Is Choosing His Cabinet. Here’s the Latest List. (2016, December 15). The New York Yimes. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/politics/donald-trump-administration.html?_r=0 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Douglas-Gabriel, D. (2016, December 14). Democratic senators press Trump’s education pick Betsy DeVos to pay years-old $5.3 million fine. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/12/14/democratic-senators-press-trumps-education-pick-betsy-devos-to-pay-years-old-5-2-million-fine/?utm_term=.3e47ffddfa54 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Elperin, J. (2106, December 13). Trump taps Montana congressman Ryan Zinke as interior secretary. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/trump-taps-montana-congressman-ryan-zinke-as-interior-secretary/?utm_term=.e7fba801adcf (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Gold, M., & Narayanswamy, A. (2016, December 9). Six donors that Trump appointed gave almost $12 million with their families to back his campaign and the party. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/12/09/the-six-donors-trump-appointed-to-his-administration-gave-almost-12-million-with-their-families-to-his-campaign-and-the-party/?tid=sm_fb&utm_term=.fdde9cf80f41 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Halper, E. (2016, November 22). Ben Carson made it clear that he was too inexperienced for a Cabinet job. Now Trump says he’s considering Carson for one. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-after-ben-carson-declared-himself-unfit-1479836816-htmlstory.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Henderson, S. (2016, December 6). Betsy DeVos and the twilight of public education. The Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/stephen-henderson/2016/12/03/betsy-devos-education-donald-trump/94728574/ (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (2014). http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Rick Perry Biography. (2016). Retrieved 12/18/2016, from http://www.biography.com/people/rick-perry-20663471#synopsis (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Sorkin, A. R. (2016, November 30). Steven Mnuchin, Expected Treasury Pick, Is an Outsider to Public Policy [Special Section]. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/business/steven-mnuchin-expected-treasury-pick-is-an-outsider-to-public-policy.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Kakistocracy: a state or country run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens
As I write, this on the eve of the Electoral Colleges vote…a vote that will likely confirm the election of Donald Trump to the Presidency of the United States, we see the septuagenarian degenerate creating a cabinet of people eminently unqualified for the positions he is appointing or nominating them to. His inner circle is occupied by racists, homophobes, misogynists, anti-Semites, Islamophobes, religious extremists and amoral plutocrats. Let’s take a look, shall we?
· Secretary of State: Rex W. Tillerson: President and CEO of Exxon-Mobile, with extensive ties to Russia and Vladimir Putin. It is worth noting that Exxon-Mobile had to put the brakes on exploration and development of oilfields in the Russian Artic Circle in 2014. This as a result of US sanctions against Russia for its incursions into Ukraine. This exploration and development could resume with “improved” relations with Russia, and represents a HUGE conflict of interest for the Nominee for Secretary of State.
· Interior Secretary:Ryan Zinke: Representing Montana’s at-large congressional district for one term, Rep. Zinke has a 3% voting score with the League of Conservation Voters. Also of note, Oasis Petroleum was Zinke’s largest campaign contributor, and also has a stake in the Dakota Access Pipe Line.
· Energy Secretary: Rick Perry:Ricky, in his 2011 presidential bid, couldn’t remember which three government departments he wanted to scrap, has been tapped to head one of those departments. Perry will be replacing nuclear physicist, Ernest Moniz. Ricky’s only real qualification for the position are his ties to the fossil fuel industry. His bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M was in “animal science”.
· Treasury Secretary: Steven Mnuchin: A former Goldman-Sachs broker, Mnuchin is a cipher, having no previous public, political or organizational experience to speak of. His most recent accomplishments include buying Indy Mac from the FDIC, changing the name to “One West” and selling for a huge profit in 2015. He has also provided financial backing to the movie industry. He will likely support policies which will net billions of dollars in profits for hedge fund managers, like Trump supporter John Paulson.
· Education Secretary: Betsy DeVos: Ms. DeVos is a Michigan billionaire and conservative activist who has spent millions in lobbying efforts directed at expanding school voucher plans which siphon tax dollars form public schools into the pockets of private education companies, all in the name of “school choice”. Ms. DeVos has no educational credentials or experience to speak of. In addition, there is the issue of “$5.3 million in fines imposed on her political action committee for campaign finance violations in Ohio eight years ago”, fines that have yet to be paid. Her only apparent qualification for the position appears to be the nearly $1.8 million Ms. DeVos and her family contributed to the Trump campaign.
· Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson: Does anything else really need to be said? Hell, even Carson admitted he’s not qualified for the job.
I could go on, but if you don’t get the point by now, you won’t. Trump is packing his cabinet and inner circle with a growing list of plutocrats, lobbyists, hate-mongers, extremists and the morally and ethically bankrupt. And I didn’t include the list of big money campaign contributors who are getting plum posts.
No, Trump is setting the stage for government corruption on a never before seen scale with the conflicts of interest surrounding his own financial empire and those of the future members of his administration. They will loot the treasury and leave everyone who actually works for a living holding the bag, and reduced to serfdom. Trump’s kleptocratic kakistocracy, soon to be squatting in the White House.
References
Center for Biological Diversity Statement on Ryan Zinke as Trump’s Choice for Interior Secretary. (2016). Retrieved from http://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/2016/ryan-zinke-12-13-2016.php (https://www.blogger.com/null)
DiChristopher, T. (2016). Exxon Mobil could tap huge Arctic assets if US-Russian relations thaw. Retrieved from http://www.cnbc.com/2016/12/13/exxon-mobil-could-tap-huge-arctic-assets-if-us-russian-relations-thaw.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Donald Trump Is Choosing His Cabinet. Here’s the Latest List. (2016, December 15). The New York Yimes. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/us/politics/donald-trump-administration.html?_r=0 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Douglas-Gabriel, D. (2016, December 14). Democratic senators press Trump’s education pick Betsy DeVos to pay years-old $5.3 million fine. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2016/12/14/democratic-senators-press-trumps-education-pick-betsy-devos-to-pay-years-old-5-2-million-fine/?utm_term=.3e47ffddfa54 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Elperin, J. (2106, December 13). Trump taps Montana congressman Ryan Zinke as interior secretary. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/12/13/trump-taps-montana-congressman-ryan-zinke-as-interior-secretary/?utm_term=.e7fba801adcf (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Gold, M., & Narayanswamy, A. (2016, December 9). Six donors that Trump appointed gave almost $12 million with their families to back his campaign and the party. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2016/12/09/the-six-donors-trump-appointed-to-his-administration-gave-almost-12-million-with-their-families-to-his-campaign-and-the-party/?tid=sm_fb&utm_term=.fdde9cf80f41 (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Halper, E. (2016, November 22). Ben Carson made it clear that he was too inexperienced for a Cabinet job. Now Trump says he’s considering Carson for one. The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/nation/politics/trailguide/la-na-trailguide-updates-after-ben-carson-declared-himself-unfit-1479836816-htmlstory.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Henderson, S. (2016, December 6). Betsy DeVos and the twilight of public education. The Detroit Free Press. Retrieved from http://www.freep.com/story/opinion/columnists/stephen-henderson/2016/12/03/betsy-devos-education-donald-trump/94728574/ (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. (2014). http://www.merriam-webster.com/ (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Rick Perry Biography. (2016). Retrieved 12/18/2016, from http://www.biography.com/people/rick-perry-20663471#synopsis (https://www.blogger.com/null)
Sorkin, A. R. (2016, November 30). Steven Mnuchin, Expected Treasury Pick, Is an Outsider to Public Policy [Special Section]. The New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/30/business/steven-mnuchin-expected-treasury-pick-is-an-outsider-to-public-policy.html (https://www.blogger.com/null)