Some more truly random thoughts #50

Inspector Generals: You are fired!

Trump fired 18 inspector generals. Why? Was it for political reasons? If they were doing their jobs, there would be no need for DOGE. Is there an inspector general at USAID? The inspector generals are supposed to be independent. But are they? It turns out that half of them are appointed by the agency heads – an obvious conflict of interest. Practically speaking all IGs should be appointed by the president and be independent of the agencies that they inspect and report directly to congress.

But Congress is too busy trying to get themselves reelected than to pay much attention to what happens at the agency level. When one starts paying attention like Joni Ernst, they simply get stonewalled. Something needs to be done. If waste and fraud exist then the IG needs to be fired and replaced by a junkyard dog to ferret out the garbage. Of course, the agency head must go too. Although, it is difficult to replace a head confirmed by the congress, enabling waste and fraud would constitute grounds for dismissal. BTW, Defense and HHS both have over 1,500 employees in their IG offices. 1,500?  These agencies should be squeaky clean. I bet they are not. 

You mean I won’t get arrested for using my gas powered leaf blower?

Trump ended for now  the government’s war on gas stoves, light bulbs, central air conditioners, clothes washers and dryers, walk-in coolers and freezers, gas-powered water heaters, commercial refrigeration equipment, and air compressors. Lee Zeldin, the EPA administrator is moving fast to cancel all the ridiculous mandates of Michael Regan, Biden’s EPA chief. What about tankless water heaters, water nozzles, shower heads, leaf blowers, lawn mowers and weed eaters? Don’t forget about the bathroom toilets which now often require two flushes where one used to do the trick.

Will RFK, Jr stay a kook?

RFK, Jr has been sworn in at HHS. Even though he has truly weird ideas, my bet is that he will not move to codify them. I believe that Trump was motivated by Kennedy’s campaign to “make America healthy again.” Watch for attempts to remove artificial colors from our food. Froot Loops! Watch for a roll back in high fructose sugars and salt. American foods are loaded with sodium, refined grains, sugar, saturated fats and unhealthy oils. Why? Packaged processed foods are cheaper than more healthy choices. It is more convenient to stop by a fast food restaurant than to prepare a nutritious meal at home. I have not eaten a fast food meal since 1971. Most Americans know that they are not eating healthy. They probably know that it leads to obesity. But do they know that it could also lead to impaired cardiac function, diabetes, cognitive decline and asthma? Even so, some will not give up their sugared sodas, chips, fries, burgers and pop tarts.

Kennedy is a vaccine skeptic but not of all vaccines. A lot of us resisted taking a COVID vaccine. My problem was that the drug companies were indemnified against being sued which logically would make them less careful and the drugs less safe. Kennedy was vilified for voicing similar concerns. He has announced that he is establishing a vaccine-injury system to track adverse effects of vaccines. This system along with his food health concerns will put him in the crosshairs of the lobbyists for the food and pharmaceutical giants who will resist every move he takes. Lets hope that Trump will continue to support this effort to MAHA.

Some faint praise for Mitch McConnell

Most on the right do not care for Mitch McConnell. But isn’t it interesting that he stepped down as majority leader when Trump was elected? McConnell and Trump obviously do not like each other. Although McConnell kept the odious Merritt Garland off the Supreme Court, there is no love lost between he and Trump. Yet stepping down and giving the gavel to John Thune meant that McConnell allowed Trump’s nominees to sail through the Senate, despite his voting against many of them. But seriously, even the most MAGA amongst us has to admit that RFK, Jr, Pete Hegseth and Tulsi Gabbard were all weird choices. Only a Trump apologist would disagree.

A bad case of TDS

The Trump haters are totally irrational. One of my dearest friends suffers from Trump Derangement Syndrome – although she says such a thing does not exist. She wishes that Trump had been killed that fateful day in Pennsylvania. She insists that Trump won’t leave after his term ends. I asked her who would support his staying in office. He won’t have the support of the congress, the courts or the military. I don’t know of a single MAGA type who wants Trump to hang around and be a dictator. She then said “I still stand by my statement that there may not be an administration after this one.” Surely this is TDS. She said “Well Georgia’s Buddy Carter has introduced a bill to acquire and rename Greenland “Red, White and Blue Land.” Pardon me but maybe Buddy Carter is an idiot. She then said that Tennessee’s Andy Ogles had introduced a resolution to amend the Constitution to allow Trump a third term. I told her that she should know better. There is no chance that such a resolution would pass both houses of congress with a two thirds vote, then be ratified by three fourths of the states. I said that maybe Andy Ogles was a fool too. She also said that government guardrails that used to exist are not there anymore leaving us with few checks and balances. Funny but that is what I had said during the Biden administration when the republicans in congress refused to do their jobs, leaving the heavy lifting to the republican AGs.

The Donald the First? Hardly. My TDS infected friend seems to have forgotten that Trump’s alliance even within his party is not ubiquitous. Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Mitch McConnell, Tom Tillis and John Curtis are no slam dunks. Courts have blocked DOGE’s access to sensitive Treasury Department records and blocked layoffs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Remember the judge that excoriated Trump’s attorneys over trying to repeal birthright babies? A federal judge blocked Trump’s order mandating that transgender women in federal prison be moved to men’s facilities and the government stop paying for their gender-affirming care. A federal judge in Massachusetts delayed the deadline for federal workers to accept Trump’s buyout offer. Currently, there are 70 lawsuits brought against Trump with more coming. Trump will win some and lose some. What is he going to do fire the judges? Some dictator!