by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
This week Donald Trump's Wicked Witch of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, resigned, was forced to resign, or was fired - depending upon your news source, and Swampmaster Trump has already appointed a replacement to serve in an "acting" capacity. Regardless of Nielsen's abrupt departure, and the sudden naming of a replacement zombie to keep her office chair warm, there should be no significant policy disruptions because Trump's senior advisor charged with creating and implementing racist policies, Stephen Miller with the spray-on hair, remains in place.
Trump and Stephen Miller should be able to keep the "acting" Secretary of Homeland Security, Kevin McAleenan, in line with the administration's evil and half-baked anti-immigration schemes until a new secretary is named - if and when that ever happens.
There are twenty-four cabinet-level positions within the executive branch of government, and during the first two years of Donald Trump's so-called administration, those positions experienced a 65% turnover rate. In fact, keeping track of the arrivals and departures of Trump cabinet members is almost as challenging as counting the lies in his speeches and tweets!
Currently there are at least seven acting department heads (cabinet secretaries) and important agency administrators serving in an "acting" capacity - and my list may be incomplete. Some of these border on being shocking.
For instance, the "acting" head of the Federal Aviation Commission, an agency which safeguards the very lives of America's air travelers, has been at his post since January of 2018. The "acting" head of the Environmental Protection Agency, another agency which makes decisions and takes actions that affect the lives of most Americans, has been performing his leadership theatre since last July.
The Departments of Defense and Interior have had "acting" leaders since the beginning of this year, and our Ambassador to the United Nations has also been serving in an "acting" capacity since New Year's Day. Trump's Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, has also been "acting" since the first week of January.
These important positions are staffed by temporary leaders because Trump has not sent nominations for their replacements to the Senate for confirmation - a Republican body that routinely acts as a rubber stamp for the Trump administration.
What gives? Are these departments and agencies secretly being run by East wing rodents and cockroaches like Stephen Miller, and there is no need for permanent leadership to keep the engines of government running smoothly? Or are there other factors at play.
Donald Trump has said that he likes having "acting" administrators because they provide him with more "flexibility."
As it stands, having a big cadre of "acting" leaders gives Trump an important advantage, and it helps him to stack the deck against congressional oversight. All cabinet level appointees have to be approved by the Senate, and "acting" leaders do not. Trump might prefer some totally hideous appointment for an important position, someone the caliber of a Betsy DeVos, for instance, and he could send that person on over to occupy the office by declaring him or her to be an "acting" administrator. Even some Republican senators might be offended by the ignorance or cruel tendencies of the candidate, but they would have no say in the matter. Donald Trump would reign supreme!
And if a potential administrator did not have to go before the Senate for confirmation, that would be one less opportunity for Congress to openly question Trump policies before the television cameras.
Hiring "acting" department heads does give Trump more flexibility - the flexibility to hire even bigger nincompoops!
Wouldn't it be sweet if he appointed "acting" judges!
Citizen Journalist
This week Donald Trump's Wicked Witch of Homeland Security, Kirstjen Nielsen, resigned, was forced to resign, or was fired - depending upon your news source, and Swampmaster Trump has already appointed a replacement to serve in an "acting" capacity. Regardless of Nielsen's abrupt departure, and the sudden naming of a replacement zombie to keep her office chair warm, there should be no significant policy disruptions because Trump's senior advisor charged with creating and implementing racist policies, Stephen Miller with the spray-on hair, remains in place.
Trump and Stephen Miller should be able to keep the "acting" Secretary of Homeland Security, Kevin McAleenan, in line with the administration's evil and half-baked anti-immigration schemes until a new secretary is named - if and when that ever happens.
There are twenty-four cabinet-level positions within the executive branch of government, and during the first two years of Donald Trump's so-called administration, those positions experienced a 65% turnover rate. In fact, keeping track of the arrivals and departures of Trump cabinet members is almost as challenging as counting the lies in his speeches and tweets!
Currently there are at least seven acting department heads (cabinet secretaries) and important agency administrators serving in an "acting" capacity - and my list may be incomplete. Some of these border on being shocking.
For instance, the "acting" head of the Federal Aviation Commission, an agency which safeguards the very lives of America's air travelers, has been at his post since January of 2018. The "acting" head of the Environmental Protection Agency, another agency which makes decisions and takes actions that affect the lives of most Americans, has been performing his leadership theatre since last July.
The Departments of Defense and Interior have had "acting" leaders since the beginning of this year, and our Ambassador to the United Nations has also been serving in an "acting" capacity since New Year's Day. Trump's Chief of Staff, Mick Mulvaney, has also been "acting" since the first week of January.
These important positions are staffed by temporary leaders because Trump has not sent nominations for their replacements to the Senate for confirmation - a Republican body that routinely acts as a rubber stamp for the Trump administration.
What gives? Are these departments and agencies secretly being run by East wing rodents and cockroaches like Stephen Miller, and there is no need for permanent leadership to keep the engines of government running smoothly? Or are there other factors at play.
Donald Trump has said that he likes having "acting" administrators because they provide him with more "flexibility."
As it stands, having a big cadre of "acting" leaders gives Trump an important advantage, and it helps him to stack the deck against congressional oversight. All cabinet level appointees have to be approved by the Senate, and "acting" leaders do not. Trump might prefer some totally hideous appointment for an important position, someone the caliber of a Betsy DeVos, for instance, and he could send that person on over to occupy the office by declaring him or her to be an "acting" administrator. Even some Republican senators might be offended by the ignorance or cruel tendencies of the candidate, but they would have no say in the matter. Donald Trump would reign supreme!
And if a potential administrator did not have to go before the Senate for confirmation, that would be one less opportunity for Congress to openly question Trump policies before the television cameras.
Hiring "acting" department heads does give Trump more flexibility - the flexibility to hire even bigger nincompoops!
Wouldn't it be sweet if he appointed "acting" judges!
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