Well folks, it actually happened. I was holding out hope that this whole Trump presidency thing was just a sick joke, but he really is the President of the United States. As hard as it is to wrap my head around this, I also understand that this is the reality of our country and the best thing I can do now is at least be sure that I am educated. I am a firm believer that knowledge is power, so I want to help empower you all by giving you a quick synopsis of some of the winners that Trump has selected to hold positions in his cabinet.
Secretary of State: Rex Tillerson, CEO ExxonMobil Corporation
If Tillerson is approved for this position, he would be the first Secretary of State without any government or military experience. Oh, and he also has a long lasting business relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, so WHAT A COINCIDENCE.
Education Secretary: Betsy DeVos
Although billionaire DeVos has never actually worked in a classroom, she was involved in education reform in Michigan for decades. She has been an advocate for “school vouchers” which use tax dollars to pay for private school tuition and also was a guiding force behind the expansion of charter schools in Michigan. These charter schools for which DeVos advocates have “abysmal” test scores that are far below the Michigan state average. Charter schools in Detroit have consistently produced test scores ranked in the first percentile, the absolute bottom of the scale, yet continue to be renewed. DeVos is utterly unqualified, with no experience in anything resembling education or leadership experience, which I suppose is no different from Trump’s other picks, but this involves children. The future of our country.
Secretary of Treasury: Steven Mnuchin
This name might sound familiar since Mnuchin’s name has been gracing the headlines as the man who conveniently forgot to disclose nearly $100 million of his assets on the Senate Finance Committee disclosure documents, because he “misunderstood” the questionnaire (which explicitly says to disclose all real estate assets). He also failed to mention that he was director of Dune Capital International Ltd., an investment fund located in the tax haven of the Cayman Islands. I feel like this is a lose-lose because either he is a blatant liar, or he is too ignorant to understand disclosure documents that nobody has seemed to have a problem with…
Secretary of Commerce: Wilbur Ross
Often referred to as the “King of Bankruptcy,” it makes sense why Trump is drawn to billionaire investor Wilbur Ross. Trump and Ross actually have a storied past, since their relationship dates back to the 1990s when investors were considering whether to remove Trump from his position as head of the Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, due to years of continued financial losses. Ross advocated for Trump to remain in his position – and save his image – so these two clearly have a great partnership.
Secretary of Energy: Rick Perry
Despite being quoted as calling Trump “a cancer on conservatism,” Perry has emerged as Trump’s choice for Secretary of Energy. You may know him for his 2012 presidential candidacy when he failed to recall the central point of his platform. Now Perry sits on the Board of Energy Transfer Partners, whose subsidiary is actually Dakota Access, the company attempting to build the Dakota Access Pipeline. Small world, huh?
Ambassador to the United Nations: Gov. Nikki Haley
As the child of Indian immigrants, Haley brings some much-needed diversity into the administration, however, her time as Governer of South Carolina has allowed her little international experience, which is necessary for a diplomatic official in the United Nations. Despite being outspoken against Trump and even getting into a twitter argument (yes, a twitter argument with our PRESIDENT), she ultimately voted for him.
Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency: Scott Pruitt
Saved the best for last I guess. This announcement made many heads spin because some people find it hard to believe that Pruitt is being considered for the head of the EPA when his bio in his website describes him as a "leading advocate against the EPA's activist agenda." Yes, the man who has sued the EPA has now been selected to run the EPA. I have no words.So there you go folks. These are the minds that will be collaborating on critical decisions for the future of our country. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in our favor.
Information compiled from ABC News, Vanity Fair, NY Times, and Washington Post.
