The Trump Cabinet and key post thread (2 Viewers)

[superchuck500]

Surely to be a clown show. We know that RFK certainly thinks he’s getting nominated for HHS, which includes FDA.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

RFK, Jr is just a mixed bag overall. It's not like everything he suggests is terrible - and some of them are good ideas. But his complete abandonment of scientific process for the health care industry should be disqualifying.

 

[TampaJoe]

I think the comment is the total abandonment of the basic duty of the sent for advising and consent of Cabinet positions that you're seeing here is a threat to democracy.

Basically, RFK, Jr, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard are objectively unqualified for the jobs they are nominated for. It should not be a big deal for the Senate Republicans to tell Trump to do better... but they won't. That sort of abrogation of responsibility of pushing back against the more extreme impulses of the president is bad for democracy.

Read the room Jim. People in both parties voted to shake things up. That is what we are seeing.

I watched RFK’s hearing. While I doubt he and I agree politically on much, I was impressed by some of his points regarding our general health and chronic disease. I find myself agreeing with him that the costs associated with these things will be the end of us unless we focus on the core problem. It’s not just a cost issue as health affects education, national defense, safety and security, etc.

I’m not sure these don’t deserve a hard challenging examination. So maybe he is the guy for the job. We don’t have to agree or implement all his ideas but some of them my be well worth a look.

 

[porculator]

Yeah, it's certainly true that he has some agenda items that are really good ideas - the US lags behind in the regulation of food production and components. It's a shame that it also goes with some really bad ideas about public health management . . . but also, do we really think the Trump administration is going to take those kinds of positions on big food and big agro - even if RFK were in a position to influence it?

The already got rid of the Biden-admin rules on chemical discharge into water.

Trump's halting of EPA limits on PFAS in drinking water "a tragic setback," Long Island environmentalist says

President Donald Trump withdrew a Biden administration plan to set new limits on chemical discharge into drinking water, worrying some Long Island leaders.

www.cbsnews.com

Well you could make that point about any nominee for any position. If all cabinet members are all going to get steamrolled by the "Trump admin's positions" then why does it matter who has the job?

You have to hope for some cabinet members with a spine who know how to BS Trump enough to keep their jobs but be obstructionist behind the scenes. That was the case for a lot of the 2016 nominees, who eventually got fired or resigned, but were able to keep things running in spite of the chaos above them.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

Read the room Jim. People in both parties voted to shake things up. That is what we are seeing.

I watched RFK’s hearing. While I doubt he and I agree politically on much, I was impressed by some of his points regarding our general health and chronic disease. I find myself agreeing with him that the costs associated with these things will be the end of us unless we focus on the core problem. It’s not just a cost issue as health affects education, national defense, safety and security, etc.

I’m not sure these don’t deserve a hard challenging examination. So maybe he is the guy for the job. We don’t have to agree or implement all his ideas but some of them my be well worth a look.

I strongly disagree, even though I agree with the idea of needing to address core health issues. Kennedy fundamentally does not believe in the rigorous review process for approving medication. He's not suggesting tweaks to the process, or shoring up ways to ensure reasonable dissent is heard. He's entirely dismissive of it... and that's a pretty core part of the HHS. It's not a lifestyle management agency.

There are 330 million people in this country. You can find a serious person who wants to address core problems that isn't fundamentally deficient in critical reasoning.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Just to make sure I understand your point. Are you saying RFK Jr. is somehow a threat to Democracy? Haven’t heard that one.

I think the comment is the total abandonment of the basic duty of the Senate for advising and consent of Cabinet positions that you're seeing here is a threat to democracy.

Basically, RFK, Jr, Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard are objectively unqualified for the jobs they are nominated for. It should not be a big deal for the Senate Republicans to tell Trump to do better... but they won't. That sort of abrogation of responsibility of pushing back against the more extreme impulses of the president is bad for democracy.

UncleTravelingJim, his eyes open.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

To kind of expound on what I'm talking about.. in 2019, 2 babies in Samoa were killed by an improperly manufactured vaccine. Vaccinations were paused while the quality control measures were reviewed and improved. When they started back up, RFK Jr, flew there to pitch the idea of a "natural experiment" to see what would happen if a large section of the population stayed unvaccinated to the measles.

He had no power, and it's unclear if his pitch to the prime minister changes policy -- however, what ended up happening is thousands of kids developed the measles and 83 babies died. While that was happening, he was still writing to the prime minister and helping a local anti-vaccine activist spread lies about the vaccine discouraging parents from getting their kids vaccinated -- while children were dying.

His ideas are dangerous and without scientific merit. He should be nowhere near decision making with regards to public health.

 

[TampaJoe]

I strongly disagree, even though I agree with the idea of needing to address core health issues. Kennedy fundamentally does not believe in the rigorous review process for approving medication. He's not suggesting tweaks to the process, or shoring up ways to ensure reasonable dissent is heard. He's entirely dismissive of it... and that's a pretty core part of the HHS. It's not a lifestyle management agency.

There are 330 million people in this country. You can find a serious person who wants to address core problems that isn't fundamentally deficient in critical reasoning.

I don’t get that from his testimony. He stated numerous times that he is behind making decisions based on the science. That was not always the case during the pandemic. Policy was often made by the seat of some unelected bureaucrats pants.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Read the room Jim. People in both parties voted to shake things up. That is what we are seeing.

I watched RFK’s hearing. While I doubt he and I agree politically on much, I was impressed by some of his points regarding our general health and chronic disease. I find myself agreeing with him that the costs associated with these things will be the end of us unless we focus on the core problem. It’s not just a cost issue as health affects education, national defense, safety and security, etc.

I’m not sure these don’t deserve a hard challenging examination. So maybe he is the guy for the job. We don’t have to agree or implement all his ideas but some of them my be well worth a look.

I agree with some his points myself.

But where is that line regarding whether he should be leading HHS?

If he says 3 things that are perfectly valid and 8 batshirt crazy things that could/would very well lead to people being hurt/killed I'm sorry you can't get confirmed

Find someone who will address those valid points but also not cause a measles epidemic

 

[faceman]

I agree with some his points myself.

But where is that line regarding whether he should be leading HHS?

If he says 3 things that are perfectly valid and 8 batshirt crazy things that could/would very well lead to people being hurt/killed I'm sorry you can't get confirmed

Find someone who will address those valid points but also not cause a measles epidemic

I would think if your own family calls you a dangerous predator, you might want to listen.

 

[UncleTrvlingJim]

I don’t get that from his testimony. He stated numerous times that he is behind making decisions based on the science. That was not always the case during the pandemic. Policy was often made by the seat of some unelected bureaucrats pants.

Fortunately the sum of our knowledge isn't limited to a testimony where he can lie or obfuscate his ideas. We have his public statements and behavior over a very long time.

 

[MT15]

RFK, Jr is just a mixed bag overall. It's not like everything he suggests is terrible - and some of them are good ideas. But his complete abandonment of scientific process for the health care industry should be disqualifying.

This is where I am. He’s a compulsive liar, has shown horrible personal judgement - like someone said you have to eff up spectacularly to acquire a brain parasite in a developed nation, has zero morals, zero integrity, has shown no ability to evaluate scientific data, and no willingness to listen to people who know more than he does about any subject.

His confirmation would be a total disaster. Trump will never let him do any of the things he says that would be actually helpful, and he - in the end - won’t even care. Trump won’t stop him from implementing his worst ideas. So we would get the worst possible scenario from him.

 

[Optimus Prime]

I would think if your own family calls you a dangerous predator, you might want to listen.

There was some rep (Gosar?) who’s own relatives not only called him a lunatic they did a campaign ad saying he was a lunatic

People didn’t listen and voted for him anyway

Any number of people who worked closely with Trump on a regular basis said he was unfit, unstable, unqualified and undeserving

People didn’t listen and voted for him anyway

Sadly the “you might want to listen” ship has sailed

 

[Optimus Prime]

This is where I am. He’s a compulsive liar, has shown horrible personal judgement - like someone said you have to eff up spectacularly to acquire a brain parasite in a developed nation, has zero morals, zero integrity, has shown no ability to evaluate scientific data, and no willingness to listen to people who know more than he does about any subject.

His confirmation would be a total disaster. Trump will never let him do any of the things he says that would be actually helpful, and he - in the end - won’t even care. Trump won’t stop him from implementing his worst ideas. So we would get the worst possible scenario from him.

Just watched a short clip of RFK being taken to task for his past anti vax statements

This dude tried to say basically “I was just pointing out that vaccines aren’t 100% effective and medications can affect different people in different ways”

Mofo, that is NOT what you said, that NOT what you were trying say, that is NOT remotely close to what you meant

Just the latest in a long line of “I did not say or mean all the things I said and meant right up until I was nominated for this position”

Next up: Kash Patel

 

[wardorican]

Fortunately the sum of our knowledge isn't limited to a testimony where he can lie or obfuscate his ideas. We have his public statements and behavior over a very long time.

But did you read the room Jim?

 

[MT15]

OB ER doctor’s take on RFK, Jr. It should be disqualifying that he doesn’t know if an ED has to save a woman’s life.

 

[MT15]

I don’t get that from his testimony. He stated numerous times that he is behind making decisions based on the science. That was not always the case during the pandemic. Policy was often made by the seat of some unelected bureaucrats pants.

So how do you square this sudden ardent supporter for making decisions based on science with, say, his entire life of ignoring science to assert crackpot health theories that have been disproven - by science - time and again?