I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not, but Donald Trump’s cabinet has been getting “tremendous” reviews.
In fact, anyone associated with this administration is widely thought to be performing above and beyond even the most optimistic expectations.
And you shouldn’t be surprised. Remember, Trump “has the best people.” Let’s go back and listen to Trump explain his staffing strategy, shall we?
Yes, “you need truly capable people.”
Obviously we’re being sarcastic. This has been a train wreck from the word go and everyone involved with it has been sucked into the vortex of infamy. Recall this classic bit from Notes From Disgracedland:
Whoever comes within Trump’s event horizon becomes afflicted with the same cognitive incapacity as Trump himself. There is a long list of transient (and a shorter list of persistent) surrogates, all of them disposable victims of cognitive asphyxiation: Kellyanne, both Steves, Giuliani, Christie, Newt, Ben Carson, Jeffrey Lord, and a long list of anonymous spokespersons.Not that these people were ever beacons of rationality, but they have broken new boundaries and set new records after entering the domain of Donald Trump. These creatures thrive in the space between real news and reality TV. They roam different mediascapes, mostly to boost the ratings of the mainstream networks – people tune in only to see the spectacle of public humiliation. And the list does not stop there. Now, even former bankers, Cohn and Mnuchin, who, one can argue, may be ethically challenged, but are nominally still highly rational, they are not making any sense either, even when it comes to counting money.
Well with all of that in mind, consider the following excerpts from a truly amusing short piece by Pedro da Costa:
Barely nine months into President Donald Trump’s term, prominent figures on both sides of the political divide are already wondering whether the administration could be historically incompetent.
Bruce Bartlett, economic historian and former adviser to President Ronald Reagan, took to Twitter and suggested that Trump’s cabinet picks may end up being viewed as the worst ever, singling out Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos and recently-resigned former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price:
Trump always described his administration as “historic.” Looks like he was telling the truth about at least one thing.
Deciphering Trump and his exaggerated claims is really too easy – especially if you followed the man’s history of pathological lies and deceits – before the election. You simply have to reverse the meaning (i.e. “tremendous” means less than mediocre – probably less than competent, “wonderful” means a source of embarrassment to everyone else, etc. etc.) of all of his extreme adjectives regarding himself, family, current “friends” and his Administration.
Regarding all of Trump’s grandiose claims, the late George Carlin (2008) quote can be applied to them best. “It’s all bullshit and its bad for you.” Most Trump cabinet level, other advisors and their self-demonstrated “tremendous capabilities” undeniably fall under the Carlin defined classification above of – “pathological bullshit.”
“pathological bullshit.” — ooooooh, I love that!