Let's start guessing Trump cabinet picks

Actually, the title is Secretary of Transportation.

Far too lofty for me. I’d settle for Administrator of the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration), which is part of the D.O.T. The first item on my agenda would be to increase tractor-trailer parking opportunities at theatres around the country. (That’s live theatres. Homey don’t do no movies.) :tongue:

 

Peter Thiel is a name we will hear more in the future.

Thiel is Trump's biggest Silicon Valley supporter. (Most of his peers supported Hillary or remained non-political.)

Thiel invested $500,000 in Facebook in its earliest days, in exchange for 10% of the fledgling company and a seat on its board. We all know how that deal turned out.

Then he was a co-founder of Paypal.

After that, he was a founder of Palentir Technologies, a Palo Alto software firm that specializes in big-data analytics for the US intelligence agencies (CIA, NSA, FBI, Homeland Security...) and private industry such as biotech. Thiel remains its Chairman and largest shareholder (the company is valued at $15 billion).

And he's still a major VC (venture capitalist) with San Francisco's Founder's Fund and others.

His latest and biggest gamble was publicly supporting Donald Trump. Now that's likely to pay off handsomely. Thiel's name will pop up somewhere important.

 

One reason I am giving Trump the benefit of the doubt here is that I feel like his presidency could very well fill a specific niche;

fiscal conservatives who diverge from the GOP on social issues

The GOP was completely agreeable to me years ago. Then it started getting very religious in nature. I'm a fiscal conservative. I believe in a small government. To that end I also support same sex marriage. The GOP of the last few administrations, however, has been anything but small. It has grown the government significantly and tried very hard to dictate morality. Not my thing. Trump's main quality, in my mind, is that he's outside of that power circle. It's fine to be a President to the religious. But I also want that same person to be a president to the irreligious.

If Trump plays his cards right he could potentially bring in all sorts of people from diverse sectors and political affiliations to make something really amazing. Or he might just fall in line and basically be like every other party-line towing president we've had. It's really up to him whether he is truly an independent who used a major party ticket to get the White House or if he's just going to kick back, let Pence run it like a typical GOP shop, and spend his time only working on his personal brand.

As an aside, it could be an interesting reality TV show if you let average people compete for cabinet appointments. Just sayin'.

 

Secretary of Commerce?

 

I hope it's sorta like American Ninja Warrior.

 

New rumors and guesses on Fox business today:

Commerce - Wilbur Ross

State - John Bolton

Rumors are that Trump still wants Rudy Giuliani to be A.G. But Rudy doesn't want that post and is holding out for State or Defense.

 

Christy as Justice Secretary or AG
Dr. Ben Carson Health Human Service Secretary
Sarah Palin Secretary of the Interior
Giuliani AG or State NOT Defense

 

Hopefully Trump will release Freddie and Fannie Mae from Gov't control and back to share holders, they've paid the gov't back two times over. Release the dividends back to shareholder let the stock rally.

 

Hey Degreeinfo! Here's your big opportunity.

Here's your chance to get a starring role in a real-life reality show!

Trump's got a new transition website:

https://www.greatagain.gov

And it includes a 'Help Wanted' page, for 4,000 appointee jobs, ranging from Cabinet Secretaries requiring Senate confirmation, cool jobs like Ambassador, through 'Senior Executive Service' positions, to lower level staff positions.

https://www.greatagain.gov/news/help-wanted-4000-presidential-appointees.html

Here's a 220 page pdf book listing all the positions.

https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/GPO-PLUMBOOK-2012/pdf/GPO-PLUMBOOK-2012.pdf

CIA Director (Bruce?) is on page 141.

 

Collars, Incarcerations and Arrests?

 

No thanks, I have no desire to leave the United States ever again.

Now.....NSA Director, then I'm interested. :biggrin:

 

Drat, I knew I got it wrong. Sorry about that.

 

I think that Trey Gowdy is in the discussion as Attorney General or FBI Director (Comey can be forced out if necessary, he's essentially a eunuch right now), Allen West as Secretary of Defense, Ben Carson as Secretary of Health & Human Services, and Herman Cain as Secretary of Commerce or Chairman of the Federal Reserve.

 

I think Giuliani is the likely pick for AG. It seems that Chris Christie is being shuffled out of the new administration as he was just taken off of the transition lead.

My reasoning for thinking that Rudy is the top contender is this:

He knows Trump and Trump knows him. They are both from New York. They have both worked together. Trump saw NYC pre-Giuliani cleanup and post. I know there are a lot of people who would like Trey Gowdy to have the job. But I suspect Trump is actually going to want a few familiar faces around the table and some people whose loyalty is unquestionable.

But I wouldn't be shocked to see Trey Gowdy in the new cabinet. But I also don't know his career aspirations. If he's hoping for a run at the White House then I'm sure a cabinet post would be handy. If he's angling to become a federal judge then that might be a handy reward for his work dragging Hillary through the mud during the campaign.

I look forward to seeing how this will all turn out.

 

I see Guiliani more as Chief of Staff or National Security Adviser. Both work out of the White House, and have instant access to the President, while the AG is in another building across town, and isn't at the White House regularly.

 

I hear that's the kind of post Newt Gingrich wants. He wants a big-picture strategic-thinker role, a special Presidential advisor job, and doesn't want to get bogged down with the minutia of running a huge government Department.

Another individual that Trump likes and whose name might pop up is David Clarke, the Milwaukee Sheriff who has appeared on Fox quite a bit.

 

Apparently its just been officially announced that RNC Chairman Reince Priebus is going to be White House Chief of Staff.

He's seen as something of a Washington insider but Trump likes him, and needs somebody who knows his way around the Washington bureaucracy. He will have an important role in vetting candidates for other open positions.

 

That is true.

As a former civilian CEO, Trump is used to firing people who are not successful -- and he can continue using that same strategy, to ensure that his administration remains successful in meeting the needs of the nation. Successful corporations are known for implementing rapid and necessary changes to ensure success. Trump will probably execute that strategy in Washington, D.C.

It will also be interesting to see if he pushes for term-limits in Congress. Good luck with that! LOL