As seen on TV
Now that the dust has settled on the first week of the Trump administration, we can start to get acquainted with this season's cast of (cabinet) characters. I know we've come to expect the unexpected where Trump is concerned, but I think he's really outdone himself with this bunch.
But, I'll let you be the judge of that.
Pete Hegseth, his nominee for Secretary of Defense, Sean Duffy, his nominee for Secretary of Transportation, and Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, his nominee for Surgeon General all have something in common.
That something? He's seen them all on television!
Prior to their nominations, Hegseth and Duffy hosted shows on Fox News and Fox Business respectively, while Dr. Nesheiwat serves as a regular contributor on Fox News.
A lot of jokes have been made about the "Cable News Presidency," but these nominations give that phrase a whole other meaning. I mean, there's unqualified, really unqualified, and then there's this.
How does being the Medical Director at a for-profit chain of urgent care clinics qualify one to be the highest-ranking medical official in the country?
How does a two-bit former Congressman with no transportation experience get nominated to be in charge of our nation's roads, bridges, and trains?
How is a man who was removed from a National Guard assignment for his extremist, Christian nationalist views, in any way qualified to run the Pentagon?
Aside from being wholly unqualified experience-wise, there are also very serious concerns about character and fitness for public office. For years, serious allegations of abuse, sexual harassment, and alcoholism have followed Hegseth.
In light of his nomination, these allegations have resurfaced. Sworn affidavits and testimony have been given to the Senate, detailing incidents in which he was intoxicated while in his military uniform, made unwanted sexual advances toward women, and caused his second wife to hide in a closet out of fear for her safety.
All three of these nominees pose a significant threat to the well-being of our country. The only thing they're shining examples of is the GOP's disdain for effective governing.
America deserves better, and that's what I'm fighting for every day in Congress.
Together in this fight,
Jim
