Advise And Consent

This is nuts. From Fox host to Secretary of Defense. pic.twitter.com/6BiOKv1dXk

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

The Pentagon is a curious amalgam of military and private contractors. The military establishes the parameters of equipment which contractors try to meet. It’s a bit more complicated than that, but one hand washes the other, and they need each other for more than just clean hands.

It’s a relationship that also keeps many a Congressperson in office. Congress accommodates the military-industrial complex more than any other constituency in America. Only Social Security is as sacred as the military.

Trump just gave one of the most complex, difficult and important jobs in the world that requires a lifetime of experience, knowledge, and achievement in military affairs to a Fox host.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

What are the odds they let Pete Hegseth endanger that?

In 2019, Trump’s Secretary of Defense nominee Pete Hegseth said that he never washes his hands and can’t remember washing them once in the past 10 years: “Germs are not a real thing. I can’t see them.” pic.twitter.com/4qNO1SL6Q0

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

Sen. Lisa Murkowski let out a “wow” when asked about Trump’s pick of Pete Hegseth for secretary of defense. She says she’s surprised because Hegseth’s name wasn’t on any list of who’s under consideration. Doesn’t know if he would have a tough time getting confirmed.

— Andrew Desiderio (@AndrewDesiderio) November 13, 2024

We must, apparently, assume the worst:

Pete Hegseth, soon to be the second only to Trump in command of the most powerful military in U.S., declares liberals, leftists, Democrats, even Presidents of the U.S. "domestic enemies." He doesn't mean it as a figure of speech. 5/ pic.twitter.com/uSP5YoWryP

— Jeff Sharlet (@JeffSharlet) November 13, 2024

Reagan appointed James Watt as Secretary of Interior, and Watt proceeded to dismantle and denigrate the  department. He did a lot of damage, but what’s the constituency for the Native Americans (which he infamously pointed to for what he called examples of the failures of socialism) and the National Parks (which he at least never shut down)?

The Pentagon’s constituency is practically Congress itself.

 And evading advise and consent entirely won’t make the decision effective, or even affective:

So is Trump creating a new government agency to be headed by Musk and Vivek, or is this some kind of informal arrangement? Is this a position that requires confirmation? A budget? Staff? Is there oversight? Do ethics and disclosure rules apply? Like outside political activity? pic.twitter.com/4mKKRfcZkZ

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

Yeah. DOGE is not a thing. Except as a marketing opportunity:

Didn’t take him long to adopt Trump’s approach to government. pic.twitter.com/GzKsY4m2wJ

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

I remember David Stockman, Reagan’s OMB Director.  Stockman was a true believer in a balanced budget who found out Congress sets the federal budget, without the advice or consent of the White House. Bill Clinton balanced the budget, but Reagan never did.

So Trump is just going to call this Elon/Vivek thing a new government department when it’s really just a commission to study things and make recommendations? But they couldn’t call it what it is because Elon already had the title picked out and the tee shirts ordered.

— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) November 13, 2024

Elmo’s just in it for the attention. He’ll get bored soon enough.