Here's a guy who's used to being the top banana, but now he doesn't even have the authority to pick his own deputy. (Trump vetoed the selection of Elliot Abrams..somebody who actually knows something about foreign policy formulation...because Trump's widdle feewings were hurt by criticisms of him that he made during the campaign. In fact Trump has blacklisted scores of GOP experts in the foreign policy, defense and national security areas denying the country the badly needed benefit of their knowledge and experience because of his oh-so-fragile ego...)
Tillerson's a bright fellow, and it must be dawning on him by now that his position in this administration is nothing but ceremonial and symbolic (Actual foreign policy is formulated by Steve Bannon) he hasn't been included in any of the meetings Trump has had with foreign leaders, he wasn't sent to the security conference in Munich, his public profile is virtually non-existent and now Trump has indicated that he will be submitting a budget that decimates the State Department budget. (I'm all for the proposed increase in defense spending, but it's both ignorant and foolhardy to think you should try to get the money out of the State Department. Trump's just pandering to the ignoramuses who think we spend 10-20% of the federal budget on foreign aid, rather than the less than 1% we actually spend.)
The State Department is so thinly staffed at senior levels, and has so small a role in crafting for foreign policy, that they don't even conduct daily press briefings anymore. (Which they have done for decades, in both Democratic and Republican administrations.) Add the proposed draconian budget cuts and morale at Foggy bottom must be completely tanking. I expect to see a steady stream of experienced career foreign policy professionals bailing from the department. (A terrible loss for the security of the country)
Tillerson's used to having a real job with real authority, but now he's got a gig that just consists of going to dinners and trying to clean up the latest stupid remarks from his boss. He's also got no incentive to stay for career reasons, because he's not a politician looking to run for higher office. I think it's just a matter of a fairly short amount of time before he decides he doesn't need the frustration and humiliation and says screw it...
Two other good candidates for an early exit:
Ben Carson, Secretary of HUD: Carson's situation is the opposite of Tillerson's; he hasn't had a real job for a long time and has shown no inclination of wanting one. Sec. of HUD is a real job where you're expected to show up for work every day and deal with real issues and real problems. It doesn't just involve making speeches in front of friendly audiences, and spouting uninformed (and in some cases crackpot) opinions to reporters on television. (Which is what seems to be Carson's real passion)
I don't think it's going to be too long before Carson has another rare moment of clarity (like he did when he realized he was completely unqualified to be Sec. of HHS) and he realizes he is completely unsuited both by experience and temperament to head HUD. The job is going to bore him to death...
Wilbur Ross, Commerce Secretary: This guy is yet another thread in the Putingate web, and the press kind fell down on the job in giving sufficient public attention to his relationship with the money laundering bank for the Russian Oligarchs prior to his confirmation:
As the flames of Putingate continue to grow, Ross is going to find himself more and more on the hot seat. At 79, I doubt he's going to find all the negative attention worth the job.Ross confirmed to Cabinet, but White House refuses to release his answers on Russia
WASHINGTON
The Senate confirmed billionaire businessman Wilbur Ross as commerce secretary Monday night after two Democratic members seared the White House for refusing to release Ross’s written response to questions about his banking ties to Russia’s oligarchs.
Ross, 79, is a billionaire who has turned around high-profile companies in the steel, coal, textiles and auto-parts sectors. Most of his life, he’s been a Democrat, and his nomination drew bipartisan support. He encountered opposition from some Democrats after revelations that his majority ownership of Bank of Cyprus made him a business associate wth Russian oligarchs tied to Putin.
Despite those concerns, the Senate confirmed him on a 72-27 vote.
But that was only after a sharp attack on the White House by Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce committee, who voted for the billionaire but said in a floor speech that the White House had done Ross no favors by refusing to release his answers to questions about his relationship with Russian investors in Bank of Cyprus.
“They’ve refused to provide them to the Senate prior to tonight’s vote. Now this is despite repeated phone calls to the White House; it’s also despite repeated phone calls from me to Mr. Ross to ask him to get the White House off the dime,” Nelson said in an impassioned floor speech ahead of the vote. “He had told me he filled out the answers. There is somebody in the White House making the decision that they don’t want to have in writing what Mr. Ross has told me in private conversation verbally.”
Nelson said he would vote for Ross, a Palm Beach, Fla., resident, because he’s a constituent and an admired businessman. But, he noted, the White House lost votes for Ross by failing to address the questions.
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/poli ... rylink=cpy
I think it's very reasonable to expect that this Administration is going to see a far higher turnover rate of senior officials much sooner than is typically the case. there's nothing worse from a job point of view then working for a manic micro-manager who knows fuck-all about what he's trying to manage.
This "finely tuned machine" is likely to be in a state of constant chaos and upheaval as long as Trump is in office...
(That's why I'm rooting for the Dems to win some of the special elections for congressional seats that are coming up soon)
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