President Joseph Biden

[revo]

Pete Buttigieg to be nominated for Secretary of Transportation.

[Teenwolf]

Congress works in bipartisan agreement to fuck over Americans. What started as a Democratic demand for $3.4 TN in crucial Covid relief payments was whittled down to $184 Bn, 5% of the original ask, but it comes with a wonderful little hitch.... corporations are being shielded from any liability for endangering or abusing or unjustly firing their employees during the pandemic.

The progressive demand to include a $1200 cash stimulus cheque was denied in bipartisan fashion, guaranteeing a lot of pain to come.

Also, Biden was caught in a private call saying that he's extremely resistant to using executive orders to do anything. Which guarantees you will get nothing for 4 years except canceling the stuff Trump.did and restoring the level of dysfunction of the Obama administration, but with an economic recession that cuts 4x deeper in terms of bankruptcies. That's gonna restore the soul of America.

Why did nobody mention the Raytheon CEO appointed to Sec of State? He's Black, pop a bottle! He's also functionally unable to perform approximately 70% of his job without a conflict of interest, but oh well.

[revo]

Why did nobody mention the Raytheon CEO appointed to Sec of State? He's Black, pop a bottle! He's also functionally unable to perform approximately 70% of his job without a conflict of interest, but oh well.

It’s Secretary of Defense, and he certainly wasn’t CEO.

[Teenwolf]

It’s Secretary of Defense, and he certainly wasn’t CEO.

Ok, I didn't know the exact details, thanks for the correction.

So tell me, what was the secretary of defenses' role with Raytheon, and how is that okay?

[GwynnInTheHall]

[Ken]

Isn't it wonderful?

[GwynnInTheHall]

Isn't it wonderful?

Some things come easy.

[revo]

Ok, I didn't know the exact details, thanks for the correction.

So tell me, what was the secretary of defenses' role with Raytheon, and how is that okay?

He was on their Board of Directors. A paid position, but he was not even an employee.

According to his bio, he also serves on the boards of directors of Nucor Corporation, Tenet Healthcare Corporation and Guest Services, Inc., and on the board of trustees of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Auburn University.

Obviously, as a 4-star general, he was highly qualified to be on the board, where they typically act as an outside consultant on various internal issues. It generally just means he has a ton of relevant experience in that field. So it's not like this is Dick Cheney II, as Austin doesn't "owe" Raytheon anything.

[chancellor]

He was on their Board of Directors. A paid position, but he was not even an employee.

According to his bio, he also serves on the boards of directors of Nucor Corporation, Tenet Healthcare Corporation and Guest Services, Inc., and on the board of trustees of the Carnegie Corporation of New York and Auburn University.

Obviously, as a 4-star general, he was highly qualified to be on the board, where they typically act as an outside consultant on various internal issues. It generally just means he has a ton of relevant experience in that field. So it's not like this is Dick Cheney II, as Austin doesn't "owe" Raytheon anything.

The bigger issue here is that he'll need a waiver from Congress to serve as SecDef since he's much less than seven years removed from active command. I'm sure he'll get it, but it'll be interesting to see what those in Congress who howled about Mattis' waiver do here. beyond a doubt, he's qualified, and I don't see any issue with his four-ish years since active command.

OTOH, Teenwolf's point about potential corruption for the person appointed to be SecDef is a good one - I really wonder how much value the seven-year rule has anymore. Back 50 years ago, I understand it. Today, my suspicion would be that a civilian who came up through a Raytheon or similar defense contractor to a senior position, or was put in a senior position after leaving political office, would be far more vulnerable to corruption than a military leader who's served for 30+ years and seen the good and bad of the contractor supply chain.

[Teenwolf]

The bigger issue here is that he'll need a waiver from Congress to serve as SecDef since he's much less than seven years removed from active command. I'm sure he'll get it, but it'll be interesting to see what those in Congress who howled about Mattis' waiver do here. beyond a doubt, he's qualified, and I don't see any issue with his four-ish years since active command.

OTOH, Teenwolf's point about potential corruption for the person appointed to be SecDef is a good one - I really wonder how much value the seven-year rule has anymore. Back 50 years ago, I understand it. Today, my suspicion would be that a civilian who came up through a Raytheon or similar defense contractor to a senior position, or was put in a senior position after leaving political office, would be far more vulnerable to corruption than a military leader who's served for 30+ years and seen the good and bad of the contractor supply chain.

I'm glad we can have adult conversations amidst all the children pissing their pants.

Thanks for the clarification. Corruption in the military industrial complex chain shouldn't be a surprise, or something to defend, but some delusional cheerleaders around here can't put down their pom poms.

[heyelander]

I'm glad we can have adult conversations amidst all the children pissing their pants.

Classic

[chancellor]

I'm glad we can have adult conversations amidst all the children pissing their pants.

I'll do my best, though I admit I have my moments.

Seriously, if I'd be critical of a Biden pick, it'd be Buttigieg as SecTrans. Yes, he's very, very smart, but he has little to no transportation background - his military experience is intel, not logistics, nor was his work at McKinsey logistics focused, though someone has adroitly edited his Wikipedia page to add logistics experience. And if you're concerned about corruption, the consulting world gets little dirtier than McKinsey.

[The Feral Slasher]

I'll do my best, though I admit I have my moments.

I disagree

[GwynnInTheHall]

I'm glad we can have adult conversations amidst all the children pissing their pants.

Thanks for the clarification. Corruption in the military industrial complex chain shouldn't be a surprise, or something to defend, but some delusional cheerleaders around here can't put down their pom poms.

Hilarious.

First it's funny that you're sucking chances dick every time he throws you a bone even after calling him a disgusting racist.

Second your ridiculous continued use of hyperbole (no one is cheering anything-pom poms lol)

Third, no one is pissing anything except you, in the wind.

#1. Biden will issue executive orders.
#2. As you pointed out, the nominee is black, probably never thought he'd be considered when he retired and who is more qualified to sit on a defense contractor board than someone who has 30+ years of experience.

He also, as revo stated, sits on several other boards so I guess his corruption is covered in any appointment.

Like I said before, all you want to do is bitch. You turn nothings into qanon like conspiracies. You then attack anyone who remotely contradicts you.

But at least you're predictable.

[Teenwolf]

I'll do my best, though I admit I have my moments.

Seriously, if I'd be critical of a Biden pick, it'd be Buttigieg as SecTrans. Yes, he's very, very smart, but he has little to no transportation background - his military experience is intel, not logistics, nor was his work at McKinsey logistics focused, though someone has adroitly edited his Wikipedia page to add logistics experience. And if you're concerned about corruption, the consulting world gets little dirtier than McKinsey.

Yeah, its Buttigieg's payoff for staying in the primary to screw Sanders. Competency was never part of the equation.