Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

I'm not overly worried about managing the bureaucracy for the top spot and more worried about policy perspective: the view of international affairs from someone who has learned it through the oil industry can be problematic, especially when dealing with the Middle East and Russia. Oil is a big piece of why we work so hard to help the Saudis screw up stuff, even while they provide mammoth support for terrorism, especially in other MENA countries.

On the other hand, I suspect a big part of the job over the next four years will be trying to ease things after his boss stirs up a shit storm (see, e.g., Taiwan). Oil may well prepare him for that kind of crisis management.

But, you know, this is where a good vetting in hearings might educate us all on how he'll do.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

2. Particularly given John Bolton, a neocon buffoon of the first order, will be the likely deputy secretary (probably as a smiling nod in Netanyahu's direction).

Re: Ever wonder why the Nihilists were Russian
 

I think the clip of those Russian nihilists is going to be very useful over the next four years. Which one do you think is your boy Trump? I think he's the tall one, Putin the one in charge, and the short guy is Assad.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AEMiz6rcxc

"We fuck you up!"

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

Inapt.

1. 10mil who can pay something but are precluded due to pre-existing conditions can be brought into the current system with a mix of cost cutting and creative risk pooling.
2. Another 15mil who w/o pre-existing conditions who can pay something can be brought into the system with a mix of cost cutting and creative risk pooling.
3. 30mil more who cannot pay anything, some of whom have pre-existing conditions, cannot be brought into the current system with a mix of cost cutting and creative risk pooling. They blow up the equation every time -- even in a nimble system like the ACA.

Expand Medicaid for group 3, and create a separate system for them. Use a mixture of cross-state risk pooling, cost-cutting, and tax increases to allow groups 1 and 2 into the private system.

Everybody gets care, and the best parts of the ACA are preserved.

Re: Ever wonder why the Nihilists were Russian
 

That's a hard guess, but one thing is certain: "White Russian" takes on a whole new connotation.

Yes, that was too easy. But it had to be done.

ETA: Trump is "my boy" like happiness is Morrissey's favorite emotion.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

He's been to more countries than 90% of people in DC, and worked out deals in extreme circumstances. He's also run a corporation bigger than the state dept, and worked in a sector where he has to think truly long term. I think it's a decent pick, and welcome it, as it avoids Bolton getting the slot, and neutralizes him if he gets the Deputy slot.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

I believe I saw a statement from Rand Paul along the lines of "no admin position for Bolton, period." I hope he follows through.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

The man's a fucking idiot. A dangerous, war mongering idiot.

Fuck the entire Irving Kristol* crowd. Pack of truly nihilist traitors, with absolute shit for brains.



_____
* Bill's dad, and the architect of Neoconservatism.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

Yeah, gee, it might have been a good idea to vote against them, huh?

I got to catch up recently with a friend who was part of the Obama NSA, and he reports that the Trump transition team has a very serious hard-on for Iran.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

Get different friends.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

ZOMG. From a budget standpoint, the ACA -- meaning the legislation that was passed, including both the parts that you describe here AND other stuff that you haven't described here -- did not "blow up the equation" because other stuff you haven't described covered the costs of what you do. If you only talk about the new house I'm buying and ignore the other stuff I do to balance my own budget, of course I can't afford the new house.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

Conservative news outlets have been reporting for a couple days that Bolton got shut out of everything. But seriously, I'd pick Bolton for Undersecretary over Roger Ailes.

I am generally pleased with the cabinet appointments so far in that while they in no way are close to whom I would pick, they exceeded my expectations and could have been far worse. Like Secretary Palin or Hannity.

I think Ben Carson is definitely a weak pick, and I do not care for Tillerson as SoS. I used to work for an Exxon competitor, and we always held Exxon up as very like our own company, but well run and with decent management. But Trump is clearly an idiot, despite his assertion that he is "like, a smart person" and doesn't need intelligence briefings. [Don't get me wrong. It is probably better that Trump not get the security briefings] But his unwillingness to call the annexation of Crimea an act of aggression, and his unthinkable statements regarding NATO, and the Russian influence among his confidants and advisers (as Manafort supposedly still has influence behind the scenes) are pretty concerning.

I don't think Tillerson is the guy to stand up to Putin.

OTOH, I find it hilarious how severely Dems, led by Obama, mocked Romney when he said that Russia was the biggest international threat, but now the Russians have rigged the election against the great Hillary of the Reset Button!! I am enjoying the reaction almost as much as I am to the Democrats rediscovering the Constitution and separation of powers and the importance of the filibuster in Presidential appointments.

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

And isn't Bolton going to be doing all the dirty work? That guy is fucking crazy.

TM

Re: I used to be disgusted, and now I try to be amused.
 

The Trump administration is almost certainly going to try to go to war with Iran, largely on the same pretext as Iraq - they're bad and that's all that matters. Heck, we know they've tried to get WMD!

Right now the GOP seems unlikely to really try to stop them, even though it will cost millions of lives, trillions of dollars and has zero chance of a good result (i.e., a remotely stable alternate government in the foreseeable future).