WASHINGTON — President-elect Donald J. Trump’s transition staff has issued a blanket edict requiring politically appointed ambassadors to leave their overseas posts by Inauguration Day, according to several American diplomats familiar with the plan, breaking with decades of precedent by declining to provide even the briefest of grace periods.
The mandate — issued “without exceptions,” according to a terse State Department cable sent on Dec. 23, diplomats who saw it said — threatens to leave the United States without Senate-confirmed envoys for months in critical nations like Germany, Canada and Britain. In the past, administrations of both parties have often granted extensions on a case-by-case basis to allow a handful of ambassadors, particularly those with school-age children, to remain in place for weeks or months.
Mr. Trump, by contrast, has taken a hard line against leaving any of President Obama’s political appointees in place as he prepares to take office on Jan. 20 with a mission of dismantling many of his predecessor’s signature foreign and domestic policy achievements. “Political” ambassadors, many of them major donors who are nominated by virtue of close ties with the president, almost always leave at the end of his term; ambassadors who are career diplomats often remain in their posts.
Category: Just Plain Crazy
Oh, okay
Shorter Wall Street Journal: If we say mean things, he’s going to beat us up and take our lunch money.
Breitbart smears Drexel professor for mocking white supremacy
Breitbart Media is leading a smear campaign against a radical scholar of international politics and decolonization for a satirical tweet he published on December 24 mocking white supremacists. Instead of coming to the aid of George Ciccariello-Maher, who has received death threats as a result of the campaign, Drexel University issued a statement on Christmas condemning… Continue reading “Breitbart smears Drexel professor for mocking white supremacy”
I think I have the AJ Delgado-Jason Miller story right
Trumpville has started eating their own. And in the most delicious way. It’s a convoluted story but I’m gonna try to sort it out. The Washington Post announced that Jason Miller has resigned his newly named position as the Trump campaign’s Communications Director to spend more time with his family. Well, that right there makes your… Continue reading “I think I have the AJ Delgado-Jason Miller story right”
Peace on earth, good will toward… white people
Merry Christmas to youtoo, lady. Shoppers at a busy JCPenney in Kentucky were treated to a loud racist rant by the woman second in line for the register. The person in front of her had been a handed some extra items by friend in order to check out together. Racist rant lady felt she was… Continue reading “Peace on earth, good will toward… white people”
They’re afraid of him
Watch this:
.@chrislhayes to @RepCharlieDent: Yes or no question – are you intimidated by Donald Trump? #inners https://t.co/iC5hsbDwIJ
— All In with Chris Hayes (@allinwithchris) December 22, 2016
The continuing adventures of President-elect Tony Soprano
Our mob-chief-in-waiting wants men who are personally loyal to him, and not to the country. He continues to make his own rules, and the cable media of course won’t hit him on this:
GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — President-elect Donald Trump has continued employing a private security and intelligence team at his victory rallies, and he is expected to keep at least some members of the team after he becomes president, according to people familiar with the plans.
The arrangement represents a major break from tradition. All modern presidents and presidents-elect have entrusted their personal security entirely to the Secret Service, and their event security mostly to local law enforcement, according to presidential security experts and Secret Service sources.
Continue reading “The continuing adventures of President-elect Tony Soprano”
Oh dear God. They’re giving Rick Perry nukes.
Okay, okay, I am trying to get a grip but I just can’t. There’s no grip here. I’ve looked everywhere. Forbes Magazine posted an opinion piece about Rick Perry being the best thing ever to grab ahold of the Department of Energy. The column praises Rick Perry for letting the oil industry run amuck in Texas,… Continue reading “Oh dear God. They’re giving Rick Perry nukes.”
North Carolina craziness
“Hey, we know we lost, but now we want to work out a power-sharing arrangement with you.”
Dear sweet Jesus, make it stop
Joe Piscopo is thinking about running for governor of New Jersey.
Trump “inspired” him.
You know, I can’t stand that so many people think running a government is a simple thing. But then, they’re usually ignorant of how much government does.