This Is A Great Story. Sad, But Great.

Cindy Stowell, Jeopardy contestant and cancer victim:

Cindy Stowell is an upcoming Jeopardy! contestant who will appear on the show Tuesday, December 13. She competed on Jeopardy! with a singular goal in mind: to donate her prize money to cancer-related organizations.

“When Cindy Stowell taped her appearance on Jeopardy!, she had Stage 4 cancer. Competing on Jeopardy! was a lifelong dream for Cindy, and we’re glad she was able to do so. Sadly, Cindy died on December 5. Our condolences and best wishes to her family and friends.” – Alex Trebek

Spoiler alert - she won on Tuesday so she will be back on Wednesday.

Apparently only Alex Trebek and  few top Jeopardy staffers were aware of her condition, so the audience and her fellow contestants were in the dark. Crazy stuff.

And Jim Geraghty of NRO was a personal friend, so the six degrees of separation are cut down considerably.

Comments

[caro]

what? No comments?

[-peter]

What is second? I'll take new threads for a thousand Alex

[henry]

morning caro.

not sure what to make of the story.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

I am glad she got to fulfill her dream.

RIP, Cindy Stowell.

[Marlene]

Thanks all for the Kindle advice! I swapped out cords and the third one I tried worked. I still might get a new Kindle. :)

[caro]

Geraghty proves how hard it is to write a good obituary.

Hi, Henry. I repeat thanks to you for keeping us all up on what's happening in the great state of Wisconsin.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Trump Inauguration Verified account
‏@TrumpInaugural

We are proud and excited to announce that @jackieevancho will sing the National Anthem at #TrumpInaugural! #MAGA

-----------------------------
Youngest singer ever to go platinum at the age of 10.

Current album:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01KBGV3GC/ref=cm_sw_su_dp

[Anonionaire👉(DO)🙎]

Trump should get his psa done monthly. Its a good indicator of problems & ingested poisonings, like fast acting cancers. Caught early a lot can be handled. Watch and wait means they tell you its too late after waiting. He should also have the lab tests (not there 😷) that overseas fielded operators have; expensive, but worth it.

[Appalled]

Anon at 10:29:

How about Trump goes retro, and hires a taster instead.

[Captain Hate]

Anybody surprised by this?

http://dailysignal.com/2016/12/09/its-not-true-obamacare-insures-20-million-here-are-the-real-numbers/

[Anaire👉()]

IG Horowitz discusses the IG Empowerment Act of 2016 on @GovMattersTV http://govmatters.tv/senate-passes-2016-inspector-general-empowerment-act/

OIG is plum jobs for x employess of the agency /department they monitor 'unbiased.' Stuffed with x employees and held for dems. Like CDC, etc. bloated do nothings. Reports are their labor complaints.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://hotair.com/archives/2016/12/14/politico-how-hillary-blew-michigan-and-the-election/

No credit to Trump, of course.

[henry]

Miss M, let me guess... they stuffed 10,000 too few "ballots" through the Detroit precincts.

[DebinNC]

I hope the crazies won't target that young singer.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Furnace update:

Customer service rep from the crooked company called me back. Their offer was to put the OLD circuit board back in!! Also, she said the reason it was out of code was that it was in a closet.

It is in a utility room and is not enclosed. Then she said maybe they meant a cabinet. Nope, not that, either.

I informed her the other repairman said the furnace was in code and there were no violations.

So I told her that:

1. I had discarded the used circuit board so it couldn't be installed and that was NOT an acceptable offer even if I still had it.

2. The closet tale is a lie, and her supervisor can come out here and see it if he wants.

3. The two guys not only lied to me but are now lying to their company.

4. Either I get some satisfaction or I am reporting them to the Better Business Bureau.

[Buford Gooch]

Miss Marple, reporting to the BBB isn't enough. A lawsuit would better serve you.

[DebinNC]

MM, you're a lot more forgiving than I'd be. No matter how this saga ends, I hope you post your experience at BBB, Angie's List, SuperPages, HomeAdvisor, etc., as a warning to others and a lesson for the company. This is the company who sent a salesman in a separate car from the technician? Show no mercy imo.

[jimmyk]

The problem people like Rubin and Frum face is that they've so painted themselves into a corner that Trump could walk on water or channel Ronald Reagan and they would still be unable to come around and accept him. I think what he's done since the election is a pleasant surprise, in that he's really picked mainly conservative people for his cabinet, despite all the claims during the campaign that he's not a conservative and he's not a Republican. The #NeverTrump conservatives just dig themselves deeper.

[DebinNC]

MM: Better Business Bureau Complaint Process ... Hard to believe the bad company is a BBB member, but if it is by all means file a complaint if you're not thoroughly satisfied with their response. I fear you might have a "letting miscreants off the hook easy" problem like far too many nice people do.

[Buckeye]

Infighting among the Clinton crowd.

Huma getting trashed.

My heart bleeds:)

http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/12/huma-abedin-life-after-clinton

Best is what Weiner is facing:

The story followed a report in the New York Post noting that Weiner, in the wake of his most recent sexting scandal, had cut short his rehab stay after about 30 days, supposedly because he ran out of money. (His family had wanted him to stay for 90 days, at a cost of around $1,000 per day, Richard Johnson reported in Page Six, and his parents reportedly took out a mortgage on their home to help him pay for the cost of the treatment.)

Compounding Weiner’s financial woes, in early December, the New York City Campaign Finance Board fined him more than $65,000 for a variety of infractions related to his mayoral campaign. Weiner apparently spent $600 of his campaign funds on televisions, another $1,539 on his personal dry-cleaning and cell-phone service, and more than $115,000 for a group of expenditures after the campaign was over. Weiner was also ordered to repay some $195,000 in matching campaign funds. Preet Bharara, the U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York, is reportedly investigating Weiner’s latest round of sexting, along with the F.B.I. and the New York City police.

Nothing wrong with Weiner that prison won't fix.

[James D]

Buckeye, I doubt prison will fix what's wrong with Weiner, except in a "peace of the grave" kind of way.

Not that I'd shed a tear about that. I know it makes me a bad and vindictive person, but I'm glad his parents had to mortgage their home to pay his rehab fees, and I hope they go broke and lose that home and end up on the streets eating out of MM's garbage cans.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

DebinNC,

Yes, I have a problem with standing up for myself, although in this case, it would have been my daughter on the hook for a new furnace.

I think I was saved from a high-pressure sales effort only because I told them I had no credit and they would have to talk to my daughter, who is the homeowner.

She, of course, would have bought the furnace since they were pushing the "only $35 per month on credit" vs. shelling out the $700 for the circuit board.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

DidSheSayThat
‏@SonnieJohnson

Trump invites Blacks with ideas on improving communities. Obama invites them to perform.

[Old Lurker]

Wouldn't you love to see two orders delivered by every dept head come Jan 21:

1) Until further notice there will be no travel allowed by any employee of the department unless approved in advance by my Deputy.

2) All expense accounts for every employee and contractor without exception will be audited by outside accountants within the next 90 days. Please prepare your records and all backup materials immediately.

3) All department approved credit cards are cancelled as of this date. Employees who have a legitimate need for a taxpayer paid card may apply to my Deputy for approval on a case by case basis.

How's that for a one-pager?

[Old Lurker]

Sorry...three...I got carried away.

[Old Lurker]

And I meant for the expense account audits to go back three years, just like the IRS holds over taxpayers.

[Captain Hate]

How has Schmucky Schoooomer managed to break all ties to Weiner as if he was never a protege of his? C'mon Schmucky, time to get in front of the tv cameras, which you ordinarily find impossible to resist, and explain just what mentoring you provided this young pervert and why you're pretending you don't know him now. Own it, fucker!

[James D]

The problem in suing the furnace company is that you'd be in small claims court (I think under $5,000 ends up there, if I recall correctly), and you have to spend a lot of time and energy (and money) to do that.

And even if you win, you get a judgement that you have to get enforced somehow, which will be a whole other tedious process.

MM, you might want to send an email to some of your local TV news shows (or post on their FB, etc). They ought to have an "Investigation Team" (whatever they call it) for exactly this kind of thing. The possibility of getting reamed out on the Channel 6 News might induce the furnace people to treat you a little better.

[Truthbetold5]

Pizzagate Pedophilia: The Scandal from Hell

http://www.pravdareport.com/opinion/columnists/14-12-2016/136412-pizzagate_pedophilia-0/

[James D]

OL, I love your three orders.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

4) Please report to the Oval Office immediately and stand on the red x marked on the floor in front of my desk.
Do not move until after I have pulled the lever.
That is all.

[Account Deleted]

MM--

Not being familiar with all of the particulars, I'll offer you this list as it might help you to continue to play to win against this disreputable and incompetent business.

1) Have you communicated in writing with the owner of the business?

2) If not, then be sure to let the owner know you're contacting them prior to pursuing relief through small claims court.

3) Inform the owner of the consequences for the business'failure to provide full satisfaction and restitution on the matter will result in you (as is your right):

a) notifying the local Chamber of Commerce, the Office of the Mayor, and the state police fraud investigation's division; and any advertising outlets/agencies promoting said business about the serious breaches of contract, consumer safety laws (this is a fire-based consumer good), and general business ethics;

b) registering a detailed complaint with the Better Business Bureau; and,

d) filing full negative reviews with any and all service referral agencies such as Angie's list et al.

Play to win. :)

[buccaneer morgan]

So let me get this straight, Aq murdered our ambassador, they first blamed it on a video, then after red queen's corona break and concussion, they were still stalling.

Whereas a self inflicted wound by acme consultants already has a select committee.

[Dave (in MA)]

Maybe the Select Committee will be "hacked" by a Nigerian Prince next.

[Account Deleted]

OL--- you provided the ideal workaround the DOE schmucks refusing to turn over information.

Tie everything to the money those pukes have been burning on their "grant" programs, conference appearances, and other hose-downs.

Drain the swamp for us or face jail time. Your call, bitchez.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Kevlar Kid, James D.,

Thank you for the good suggestions.

I am averse to being on TV because of husband lurking around right now.

The other suggestions are really good, though.

[Account Deleted]

Iggy---- I am a big fan of trap doors, especially at the gallows. Something about the finality of that sound they make.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Humor video courtesy of the Reddit boys, who are still on their Russian kick:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZDLQk0nPGo

[buccaneer morgan]

They are also installed by acme, natch, now we can test one with goose who weighs as much as a womprat.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/house/310333-house-dems-say-trump-will-be-in-breach-of-contract-over-hotel

These people never quit. Note also they are going after Ivanka, too.

[Old Lurker]

The beauty of my three orders is that they would be wildly popular with the entire country except for government employees.

And they are unassailable since they would apply to everyone.

We could make the expense account audits free and fast by offering outside CPA's 10% of any recoveries they find. Again...just like the IRS.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://townhall.com/columnists/kurtschlichter/2016/12/12/president-trump-to-the-liberal-media-hands-up-stop-monopolizing-n2258432

[DebinNC]

“As an example of the power structure I’m [DT] fighting, AT&T is buying Time Warner and thus CNN, a deal we will not approve in my administration because it’s too much concentration of power in the hands of too few.” (Townhall)

Another bullet dodged. Thank you, Lord.

[James D]

MM @ 11:32

The other alternative is to find out where the owner of the company lives, and burn his house down.

Sorry, it's the Sicilian in me coming out...

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

James D.,

LOL! Now I would simply disable his furnace. It's pretty cold here this morning.

Anyway, we will see what happens.

Can't get a letter written until my printer is up and working. So far, the two "tech experts" here in the house haven't gotten around to it.

[lyle]

The other alternative is to find out where the owner of the company lives, and burn his house down.

I'm sorry, but this made me laugh.

[JimNorCal]

Another reason the nomination/appointment of T Rex for SoS is apt.
From 2015.
http://www.ibtimes.com/political-capital/election-2016-hillary-clinton-demands-probe-exxon-after-oil-giant-stops-funding

[clarice]

The real story behind the hacking bullshit:http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/12/14/mike-morell-cited-in-russia-hacking-stories-crafted-misleading-benghazi-talking-points/

[Old Lurker]

MM, what was so funny about James' suggestion was that I had exactly same thought.

Somebody here put me onto the L.T. Ryan book series featuring Jack Noble. Jack is an assassin who, upon finding a bad person doing bad things, well, just shoots him.

Common thread, along with Iggy's "just stand on the X until I pull the lever"...

[henry]

Clarice, citing a known "fake news" source to expose a fake news source could explode the space time continuum.

[clarice]

I'm ready for that--I can't tell time or space any way. I just live in the continuum.

[Beasts of England]

And Trump has already had a meeting with Preet. Sucks to be a Weiner, I guess...

(insert your own ribald joke here)

[Cecil Turner]

How about Trump goes retro, and hires a taster instead.

I wouldn't take the job . . . would you?

TM's Geraghty link is a bit cringeworthy, particularly making an obit of a multipart newsletter.

That said, the Tillerson bit right afterward was very reassuring to us hawks about his national defense creds. The bit about global warming and a carbon tax was considerably less so. Paris is the definition of a bad deal and obviates the constitutional treaty process, and any going-in position ought to acknowledge that. Obviously he wasn't in much of a position to influence that as a private citizen, but touting the tax (and a progressive one at that) made me uneasy.

[Maybe for your lying, too.]

Heh, Morell wants 'retribution'. Honey, you got retribution for your poor security.

[Frau Steingehirn]

"...his (Carlos Danger's) parents reportedly took out a mortgage on their home to help him pay for the cost of the treatment."

I missed this chapter in the Tough Love manual.

[henry]

Carbon tax is just the Chamber of Cronies foot in the door to VAT and the magical ever rising pelf they receive from rising federal revenues.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Frau,

LOL!

[Beasts of England]

I speculate that his embrace of a carbon tax was merely a stop-gap to keep the watermelons (and their enabling AGs) at bay.

[lyle]

Green at Insty links this:

https://geopoliticalfutures.com/obamas-deep-dive-into-putins-intent/

There are a number of questions to ask. First, why did Obama announce what I assume is a major analytic and covert effort to determine whether the Russians did it? Second, why did the CIA then tell officials that it already had done the deep dive and found evidence of Russian actions? Third, why didn’t the CIA tell the president that there was no need for a deep dive? Fourth, why didn’t the CIA share its information with the FBI? Fifth, how would Trump know there was no Russian effort? Finally, why does Congress want to get into the act? The last is the easiest to answer: cameras.

If all the sound and fury were correct, then either U.S. intelligence detected the attempt or the Russians with their usual clumsiness in these matters had poor operational security – unless they wanted it to become public. The detection of an operation to make Trump president did not hurt Clinton. It could devastate Trump. It was emphasized during the campaign that Russian President Vladimir Putin admired Trump, and vice versa. Given that, it would seem likely the Russians wanted Trump to be president. But of course, if they really wanted him to be president and effective, the last thing they would do is anything that would cast a shadow over him. Hacking Hillary to little effect and allowing U.S. intelligence to get wind of it would be imbecilic.

Green adds:

We also [sic] President Obama’s behavior — the unprecedented and reprehensible act of using America’s intelligence services to discredit his successor. This is small, even for the man who described Hillary Clinton as “likable enough” when they were rivals for the Democrat nomination, and who just can’t help reminding people about all the winning he’s done on the campaign trail.

It’s small and cheap and completely expected from a President who poisoned almost every American institution he touched.

And was cheered on every step of the way by the [redacted] press.

[buccaneer morgan]

Now friedman's shop was hacked by anonymous in 2011.

[James D]

OL, there's a great passage in "Winter's Tale" along those lines, too:

"They're not going to do police work, they're going to shoot arsonists and looters."

"To what end?" the governor asked.

"The more arsonists and looters we shoot, the less arson and looting there will be. Isn't that self-evident?"

[Man Tran]

Recovering from a blowout dinner party here last night. After Guy-tinis, my story about a proper Rusty Nail devolved into a new creation using Snake River Stampede and Drambuie. A little too sweet for my taste. "Ivory" proceeds to give us a spontaneous belting out of Cabaret as part of her voice training in anticipation of winning the role of the brunette in Chicago next May. All with the full moon glistening on the water outside.

[jimmyk]

Predictably the NYT has gone berserk over the "Russia stole the election for Trump" nonsense, now even extending it to Congressional races.

I can't get a better image as the NYT website is a bit flaky, but the subtitle is "How Russia Honed its Cyberpower and Trained it on an American Election." These people have jumped the shark.

[henry]

Didn't the NYT spend a decade or three carrying Stalin's water? They should report that.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.breitbart.com/jerusalem/2016/12/14/mike-morell-cited-in-russia-hacking-stories-crafted-misleading-benghazi-talking-points/

Morell now works for Philippe Reines.

[common man]

I guess if your choices are mainly, admit to your donor base what a poor candidate and poor election campaign you ran and accept the consequences or come up with some cockamamie improbable tale about Russian hacking into election devices not connected to the internet, maybe you would go with door number 2 as well. Its a reflection on how stupid they think their donors and base is, and underestimating the stupidity of the Democrat base is never a good idea...

[Cecil Turner]

I speculate that his embrace of a carbon tax was merely a stop-gap to keep the watermelons (and their enabling AGs) at bay.

That was my hopeful interpretation. My more cynical side noted he was more gracious toward the Paris accord than needed.

Switching gears, I found that Friedman analysis completely unpersuasive. In particular this bit:

We need to remember the geopolitics of all this. The Russians were defeated in Ukraine, and far worse, their economy is in serious trouble because of oil prices (the price rise from the OPEC deal has not come close to solving their problems). Some areas of the countryside already are seeing wages go unpaid, shortages of some goods and a hard winter ahead. The Russian intervention in Syria addresses no significant Russian strategic interest. Putin is, as we have said, bluffing strength he doesn’t have.

The Russians don't think they were defeated in Ukraine (and I agree with them). Yes, the oil impact on their economy is causing massive strain, but that makes them more dangerous, not less, and the Syrian gambit (especially when coupled with Iranian overtures) is an obvious attempt to expand influence over oil production--which is arguably their most significant strategic interest.

[Beasts of England]

I guess the NYT hasn't noticed the dem shellacking in gubernatorial, legislative, Senate, and House races over the last eight years, jimmyk. I'm delighted that they're blaming the Rooskies - they can't move forward until they recognize the truth, and then modify their behavior accordingly.

[jimmyk]

Yeah, the only issue is that it creates a personal problem for me as it feeds the insanity among my family members, who rather than accept the election results and give Trump a chance to succeed, are instead clinging to some hope that somehow it didn't really happen. As Trump would say, "Sad!"

[Tom Bowler]

I have this fantasy where Republicans haul James Clapper into their hearings on Russian "election hacking," then read him the contents of the most damaging emails and ask with a straight face, "Director, can you explain why the Russians might think this could aid the election of Donald Trump?"

Hour after hour. Days on end. A parade of Podesta's greatest hits. "Director Clapper, could you explain..."

At the end of it all, get a deposition from Julian Assange. "Were the Russians your source for the DNC emails?"

"No."

For as long as the Democrats keep flogging the "election hacking" story, just keep reading the emails into the record.

[Captain Hate on the iPhone]

The Russians don't think they were defeated in Ukraine (and I agree with them).

Not to backhandedly impugn your judgement but you'd have to be a complete idiot to believe the Rooskis didn't get everything they wanted in Ukraine.

[GUS]

Again. Even IF...Russia wanted Trump to win (which is fucking preposterous), and even if Russia HACKED RODHAM and the DNC, and even IF, Russia gave hacked e-mails to WIKILEAKS.

How did this HACK our ELECTION, and why would the publication of ACTUAL E-mails, have any bearing on the ELECTIONS legitimacy.
Are these COMMIE LIBTARD MOTHERFUCKERS suggesting that what RODHAM, THE DNC, PODESTA and SID VICIOUS'S own words and deeds did not SINK HER??

This should be the definition of FAKE NEWS.

Do you remember anyone screeeeeeching about the DAN RATHERS "PAPERS" being AWFUL and in need of a SPECIAL CONGRESSIONAL COMMISSION equal to the 911 COMMISSION????

[Beasts of England]

That would be tough, jimmyk. There are many good questions for those who want to engage in that narrative, but there's no upside involved when it's family...

[Cecil Turner]

you'd have to be a complete idiot to believe the Rooskis didn't get everything they wanted in Ukraine.

And if they missed something, they could always just have another go at it. Ain't like there's anybody gonna stop 'em.

Might have something to do with the fact, as Trump noted, Putin's approval rating is at 80%. (I just had to throw that link in because it was so funny seeing the PolitiFact chuckleheads having to admit yeah, he was spot-on with that one.)

[GUS]

Something that is seldom said out loud in this country.

The Obama administration, Obama, his hacks and czars are all fundamentally DISHONEST people. They lie with impunity and make shit up. Do any of you think Josh Earnest believes a single word that comes out of his mouth? Crapper is a HACK. The WIKILEAKS saga from this election EXPOSED RODHAM and the LEFT as exactly whom they really are. RUSSIA did not make these vapid ass holes into what they are.

[Tom Bowler]

RUSSIA did not make these vapid ass holes into what they are.

Bingo!

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/310373-priebus-floats-shakeup-for-white-house-press-corps#.WFGWXZJuE5A.twitter%C2%A0

Oh, the howling has already begun!

Next up, Dana Perino will criticize that Priebus doesn't understand how the press office works; guarantee it!

[JM Hanes]

Cecil:

"[T]he Syrian gambit (especially when coupled with Iranian overtures) is an obvious attempt to expand influence over oil production--which is arguably their most significant strategic interest."

Absolutely. Therein lies the genius, should there be any, in the choice of Tillerson. I made my substantial reservations about his nomination known in an earlier thread, but I also think it's incredibly important to understand that oil/gas energy is still what makes the geopolitical-diplo world go round. You've got Russia, whose primary interest is controlling the pipelines into Europe, which, as you point out, means they have massive stategic interests in the ME (Syria/Iraq/Iran), and then you've got energy starved China with energy seeking forays underway all over the globe. All the diplomatic/institutional experience in the world won't be worth much, to a SoS who doesn't understand the oil bidness.

As for carbon taxes, they're just another iteration of the carbon credit entry level global warming scam. Let's hope that Tillerson's reported support was, indeed, entirely cynical.

[DebinNC]

WH Press Room seating chart-2015. WH Correspondents Association sets the seating, but, hopefully, not much longer.

[Cecil Turner]

Let's hope that Tillerson's reported support was, indeed, entirely cynical.

If so, and those comments were designed to placate the enviroweenie left, he's certainly well suited to the diplo scene.

[Hope and Change.]

Cecil and JMH. Once the exaggeration has been leaked out of the bubble of alarm about AnthroCO2, and the realization that any warming man can do is net beneficial, and the further realization of the hundreds of millions of extra bellies being fed by the increased CO2, then all the need for a 'carbon tax' disappears.

We are headed that way with the introduction into his administration of climate realists.

[An important paper, I think.]

Over @ Watts Up there is a new post on the poster that Anthony Watts and Willis Eschenbach are presenting at the AGU about water vapor. The conclusion is that either sensitivity is low, or absent man the earth would have been cooling lately.

[JimNorCal]

"...absent man the earth would have been cooling lately."
So, Watts and Eschenbach will say that mankind is preventing cooling? Or facilitating warming?

Do keep us posted, an interesting development.

[And clouds! Annie get your gun.]

In their conclusion, the two don't quite go so far as I do, a point I make in comments. So they don't address your question directly.

Water vapor is a much stronger greenhouse gas than CO2 and there's a Helluva lot more of it. These two analyzed water vapour data to get their findings. Their findings can be duplicated and will either end up supported

Read the post and comments. Rud Istvan's comment after mine is good, too.

[Blam, blam, blam.]

Bah, 'supported or not'. I got confuzzled thinking about how to explain the paper. It's not terribly difficult(says the one who's been looking at this for more than a decade).

I argue a little with the key point in the post, at the bottom. Interestingly, that key point is different than the one actually in the AGU presentation, which is solid, but more difficult to understand.

[Beasts of England]

Really good point, Cecil!! :)

[jimmyk]

Since this thread seems to have new life, I wanted to respond to BoE:

There are many good questions for those who want to engage in that narrative, but there's no upside involved when it's family...

My concern is not so much dealing with them, but with the fact that the MSM is feeding their fantasies. It reminds me of a talk I heard by Ben Shapiro (not usually my favorite), where he said that transgenderism is a mental illness, and to encourage it by saying "Yes, you really are female" to a male with this issue is actually harmful to him. That's how I feel about this.

[Tom R]

I can see the strategy behind Trump filling his cabinet with military generals and CEOs with first hand experience running large, complex corporations/organizations.

The thing is, all those CEOs and generals could fire people for incompetence or unethical behavior. How are they going to do that with federal civil servants who have almost 100% job security? Even if you are incompetent, if you are a minority or female you are set for life as a federal civil servant. All you have to do is avoid a felony conviction. If you are white or a male, your job is pretty much safe unless you commit sexual harassment or equal opportunity violations.

Bottom line is the federal government bureaucracy is bloated and due for some pruning but the standard way the government does that is wait until someone retires and either leave the position unfilled or replace them with a contractor (who can be easily fired for incompetence).

The State Department, CIA and IRS are in obvious need of some downsizing/purging but I have my concerns on how Trump and his cabinet will pull it off.

[JM Hanes]

Tom R:

I'm looking for quite a bit of outside the box thinking from the new administration. I suspect they'll be able to come up with some pretty creative ways to do the pruning.

[Account Deleted]

"How are they going to do that with federal civil servants who have almost 100% job security?"

Budget reductions mean jobs go away and with it the cordwood occupying those jobs.

Think military base closings.

"Weapons lab" closings. "Army research labs" closings. Department of Defense spending reductions and reallocations ended thousands of "careers" of low-level federalies employed at such facilities here in the Bay Area.

Think of those questions asked of the Dept of Energy about personnel engaged in climate change programs. Each name obviously is attached to some kind of programmatic "justification" for spending on their salaries, benefits, support staff, overhead costs, etc.

Program goes away--- revenue source dries up. Personnel are gone. Some may get reassigned in the reorganization; but the downsizing is coming.

Taking the federal government out of "climate change funding" will end significant numbers of jobs and the careers of the occupants with the budgetary shift.
Expand closings to:

> Social Security installations,

>USDA "experiment stations" and research laboratories that subsidize private sector R&D,

>private sector installations where physicians moonlight and paid on contract as EPA "health researchers",

>installations which support federal staffers who function as "liaisons and consultants" in local school districts-state offices of education-colleges/universities that spend federal money for "special" programs (grants).... and on and on.

Wherever the federal government operate "partnerships" in the 50 states they are organized into "districts", staffed with "field level" bureaucracies, and directed from bureaucratic HQ's in DC.

Legislation and regulations direct the operation and funding of all of it, obviously, which includes the hiring and compensation of all levels of personnel.

Snip, snip. Jobs go away.

Eliminate the program, reorganize the program and the jobs are eliminated, absorbed or reduced to part time.

It's gonna be like pickin nits.

But it is essential to reducing the burn rate of taxpayer money to support what has become a leviathan jobs program for ProggEmoCrats.

You think they are screamin now?

I went through something at a state level when Reaganomics came along. Cuts were real and deep. Cush state jobs vanished. And our federal "partners"? Poof!

Watch for POTUS Trump go for the low-hanging fruit with help from the House of Representatives.

Ya, I know. There are snakes everywhere.... but, I think POTUS Trump will make his case to We, the People--- especially those of us who are not in on the federal employee gravy train.

[Bloatacous💃]

See CSIS speakers are 'consulted' for all kinds of things including the super secret leaked executive daily and the commie computers and the future executive head ,(dems usially destroy these at a young age with voices therapies...), and the government head of computers in the US.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-southchinasea-china-arms-exclusive-idUSKBN1431OK

See CSIS is transparent, like they wouldnt be in the executive daily unless the US dem pantsuit cabal wanted to show their relevancy and need for more dem plum jobs and cash. Technically, CSIS transparency would demand the executive daily ackowledge their transparency.

[Catsmeat]

MM--better than BBB is Yelp--let the wicked company know a bad Yelp review is in the offing if they don't play pretty!