Donald Trump’s troubled outreach efforts: Post-election hiring plans signal a shady takeover

Last night in front of a massive crowd of 75,000 people, Kamala Harris gave what was billed in his name”closing argument” At the Ellipse, the site of Donald Trump’s infamous incitement-to-insurrection speech on January 6th. insult comics or rude talk radio hosts or former wrestling stars ripping off their shirts. It was only the vice president who stood before this huge crowd, laying out the stakes of the election and presenting his vision for the future.

Much of his speech was familiar to those who followed the campaign closely. His denunciation of Donald Trump was clear and direct, and his list of policy goals was meticulous and comprehensive. But he was also clearly making a sales pitch to undecided voters who were still undecided. He promised his critics: “Even if you don’t vote for me, I will always listen to you.”

I will always tell you the truth, even if it’s hard to hear. I will work every day to build consensus and reach compromise to get things done.

Harris said she would give her critics a seat at her table, unlike Trump, who sees them as enemies. He promised to be a president for all Americans and to always put country before party or himself.

This kind of rhetoric always causes alarm to a liberal Democrat like me, who has suffered from Blue Dog Democrats for many years. centrist sales Who couldn’t get over losing all the Reagan Democrats in the 1980s and ended up strengthening the GOP. But I think this is different. This is about Harris Republicans, and just as Reagan Democrats defected 40 years ago because they felt their party had abandoned them, Harris Republicans are in the same position today.

We don’t know exactly what Harris means by giving a Republican a seat at her table beyond promising her a Cabinet position, but I’ve seen little evidence that she’s prepared to give up on corporate tax cuts or offer to waffle on abortion or gay rights. More than Reagan adjusted his agenda in the slightest. He treats them with respect and thanks them for joining the right cause. We can predict that the people invited to the table will be within the boundaries of what we call mainstream American politics.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Donald Trump. We’ve learned some new information about who he’s invited to his table in the last few days, and it’s a little disturbing.

For example, on Sunday, “60 Minutes” interviewed this guy Trump says he plans to tsar the borderTom Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term (and author of Project 2025’s immigration agenda). He made clear that he was doing everything he could to police Trump’s massive deportation plan, revealing that the goal was wholesale deportation.

That’s right, they plan to deport the American children of undocumented workers. If they don’t like it, they can of course stay without their parents. Sorry kids, you picked the wrong family.

The New York Times recently reported Trusted Trump advisers like Boris Epshteyn are pressuring the former president to bypass official FBI background checks as he seeks to staff a second administration. Conveniently, Steve Bannon just was released from federal prison Tuesday, after serving four months in prison for contempt of Congress related to Jan. 6.

Another person at Trump’s table is Robert F. Kennedy Jr. offered himself to the highest bidder. At the hate fest at Madison Square Garden over the weekend, Trump told the rabid crowd While it didn’t fit Kennedy’s environmental agenda, “I’ll let him run wild on health, I’ll let him run wild on food, I’ll let him run wild on drugs.”

Kennedy later explained that what Trump meant by this was to take “control” of all healthcare institutions:

This man, aside from the worm in his brain and his penchant for collecting roadkill, biggest conspiracy theorists in the country. Even to recommend public health or the USDA may be held responsible beyond crazy. It is unknown whether Trump will actually do such a thing. He often makes promises he can’t keep. But it’s worrying that he even believes telling his followers that he’s going to do this is something they want to hear. Note that there will be no railings. If Trump wants to let Bobby run wild, his followers will find a way to overcome any obstacle.

And then there’s the Big Kahuna, Elon Musk, whom he has outsourced much of his campaign to and has promised to put in charge of a new “Department of Government Efficiency.” He asked Musk how much he thought could be cut from the $6.5 trillion budget and he said about $2 trillion.

According to Washington Post and anyone with any knowledge of the budgeting process would argue that “sharply cutting the budget, which would require eliminating a range of government services, including food, health care and housing assistance — and could erode funding for programs that lawmakers in both parties say they want” to Social Security “to protect as much as

The thing is, Musk understands exactly what this would mean, even if Trump’s raving followers have no idea. Billionaires will be fine. The rest of us, not so much. Here’s an X user reacting to Musk’s online plans and Musk’s response:

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MSNBC reported At the X town hall held on Monday:

When asked about “tackling the nation’s debt,” he mentioned changing the tax code and then said some Americans would experience some financial hardship. “Most importantly, we must reduce spending to live within our means,” he said, adding that these efforts “will involve some temporary difficulties, but will ensure long-term prosperity.”

Musk later said he would “balance the budget immediately” and added: “Obviously, a lot of people who benefit from the government are going to be upset about this. I’m probably going to need a lot of security, but it needs to be done. And if it doesn’t get done, we’re going to go bankrupt,” he said, adding that these efforts will involve “some temporary “It will involve challenges, but it will ensure long-term prosperity,” he added.

You have to love how he assumes America will be so big that there will be mass violence in the streets. Luckily, it can provide a lot of security, which is a good thing.

The total 2024 discretionary federal budget, including military spending, which excludes interest payments, Medicare, Social Security and other mandatory programs, was $1.6 trillion in 2024. Congressional Budget Office. You do the math. Obviously Musk didn’t do this.

Again, will any of this happen? Who knows? But if there’s one person Trump owes a lot to, it’s Musk, who is already fully entrenched in the national security apparatus as a major defense contractor. Trump may also want to give Musk free rein, and if so, who’s going to stop him? Don Jr. ?

These are just a few of the important names Trump has promised to feature his table. I think it’s fair to say that this is a little more concerning than Kamala Harris making Adam Kinsinger VA Secretary or inviting Liz Cheney to voice her opinion on Ukraine. These are people who should not be allowed within a hundred miles of the White House. By comparison, Harris’ bipartisan support for a small group of Republican apostates is downright quaint.