The US Presidency 2018

[FJAG]

I'm starting this thread under the guidelines issued by Mike on the April 26th, 2018 as set out at this link.

https://army.ca/forums/threads/127903/post-1531305.html#msg1531305

The aim here is to give a forum for discussion about events and activities that involve President Trump's administration. and include such issues as the Mueller probe, cabinet secretary level appointments and the like. I would suggest that we leave broader US Politics topics such as US Foreign policy, gun control, election results, Congress etc to separate topics.

:cheers:

 

[FJAG]

Admiral Jackson has withdrawn his nomination to be appointed Secretary of the VA:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/politics/ronny-jackson-va-nominee/index.html

:cheers:

 

[tomahawk6]

Senator Tester D from Montana, made up the negative stories about Radm Jackson.Anyway he just made the list for 2 stars.I suspect that in a few years he will get his 3d star and will be the USN's Surgeon General.

 

[mariomike]

QUOTE

Senate Republicans express concerns about Trump’s choice to lead Veterans Affairs

Ronny L. Jackson, President Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, is facing mounting skepticism from Senate Republicans over whether he has the management experience to lead the nation’s second-largest bureaucracy.

Republicans say they know little to nothing about Jackson and are quickly studying up as they prepare for one-on-one meetings with the nominee.

The comments from several GOP senators, particularly those with influence on veterans’ issues, signal Jackson will have to work overtime to convince not just Democrats but also Trump’s own party that he is qualified to oversee the beleaguered agency. That challenge comes at a time when Senate Republicans are already juggling other controversial nominations that will consume much of the political oxygen on Capitol Hill.

“Certainly, I do have concerns about his experience, as far as managing people,” said Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.), who sits on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, which will vet Jackson’s nomination. “There is some concern about whether he’s been in a position to lead an organization like that.”

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), another committee member, also expressed worries about Jackson.
“The VA is a difficult place to manage, regardless of what your background experience is. I want to know more about how he believes that he’s capable of fulfilling those responsibilities, and I have a wide array of questions in regard to his experience and background,” Moran said. “I need to be convinced that he can make a difference at a department in which the culture and the upper echelons of its leadership need to have somebody who can take charge.”

At best, Jackson is getting a tepid reaction from Senate Republicans, many of whom had praised his ousted predecessor, David Shulkin, even if they occasionally clashed with him over policy.

A White House spokesman did not return a request for comment Tuesday on the Senate Republicans’ concerns surrounding Jackson’s qualifications.

More at link
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/senate-republicans-express-concerns-about-trumps-choice-to-lead-veterans-affairs/2018/04/10/190696b2-3d02-11e8-912d-16c9e9b37800_story.html

END QUOTE

 

[mariomike]

Senator Tester D from Montana, made up the negative stories about Radm Jackson.

Do you have a source for that?

 

[tomahawk6]

Of course I do but I doubt anyone cares.

 

[FJAG]

Senator Tester D from Montana, made up the negative stories about Radm Jackson.Anyway he just made the list for 2 stars.I suspect that in a few years he will get his 3d star and will be the USN's Surgeon General.

I think that there were some twenty individual complainants but that isn't really what influenced my thinking. I think I stated before on another thread that the man was a navy Captain in October 2016 and has never run anything bigger than a medical platoon or the White House clinic which is around twenty to thirty some odd folks.

I'm not sure if he's a two star Rear Admiral (Upper Half) yet. He was substantially promoted to one star and I know his nomination for Rear Admiral (Upper Half) two star went into the Senate Committee on or about March 20th, but I haven't seen that he's confirmed yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronny_Jackson#Career

See here for Shock Trauma Platoons generally: https://calhoun.nps.edu/bitstream/handle/10945/31978/96Dec_Fuhrer.pdf;sequence=3

No matter how nice a guy he is, I can't see him qualified to handle an organization of 378 thousand folks with hundreds of facilities and a budget in excess of US$180 Billion.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Veterans_Affairs

Honestly. I think your veterans deserve better than that.

:cheers:

 

[tomahawk6]

The link:

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/04/trump-rips-smear-merchant-sen-jon-tester-over-admiral-jackson-lies-this-is-going-to-cause-him-a-lot-of-problems-video/

Here are previous VA heads.

https://www.va.gov/about_va/vahistory.asp

Edward Joseph Derwinski.
Anthony Joseph Principi.
Robert James Nicholson.
James Peake.
Robert A. McDonald.
Eric Shinseki.
David Shulkin.

 

[FJAG]

I've been looking for Fox's comments on Trumps phone interview with Fox and Friends but can't find anything on their site. Does anyone have a link?

This is CNN's take on it:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/04/26/opinions/trump-fox-news-interview-dantonio-intl/index.html

And the Atlantic's:

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/04/trump-fox-and-friends/558992/

:cheers:

 

[Blackadder1916]

I'm not sure if he's a two star Rear Admiral (Upper Half) yet. He was substantially promoted to one star and I know his nomination for Rear Admiral (Upper Half) two star went into the Senate Committee on or about March 20th, but I haven't seen that he's confirmed yet.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronny_Jackson#Career

According to the US Senate website his nomination is still in committee.

https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/1764/actions

 

[beirnini]

Since my post was the last in 'Global Politics' before this new guideline came out I apologize if it was in any way the proverbial "straw that broke the camel's back".

From The Atlantic article posted by FJAG;

[Fox'] Kilmeade stepped in to politely cut Trump off and to offer him a graceful closing. “We could talk all day but looks like you have a million things to do,” Kilmeade said, and brought the interview to an end. Trump has only one event listed on his public schedule for the day.

It's simply incredible we live in a world where the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES gets cut off and shoo'ed out of a live interview on a network and show that are his biggest cheerleaders. I can't stomach more than about 10 seconds of listening to his mangled and aimless streams of consciousness, so I can't imagine what brought Fox & Friends to finally say uncle.

Makes you wonder who really has the power in US politics.

 

[Halifax Tar]

No matter how nice a guy he is, I can't see him qualified to handle an organization of 378 thousand folks with hundreds of facilities and a budget in excess of US$180 Billion.

How many people do have equivalent experience to that ?  That's a bloody huge and expensive organization.

 

[tomahawk6]

Here is the promotion announcement.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1474252/flag-officer-announcement/

Here are some possiblities for VA.

https://www.armytimes.com/veterans/2018/04/26/five-candidates-to-be-the-next-va-secretary-nominee/

 

[mariomike]

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/04/trump-rips-smear-merchant-sen-jon-tester-over-admiral-jackson-lies-this-is-going-to-cause-him-a-lot-of-problems-video/

QUOTE

The Gateway Pundit
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gateway_Pundit#References
The Gateway Pundit is a far-right, pro-Trump website.

The website is known for publishing falsehoods and spreading hoaxes

END QUOTE

I think your veterans deserve better than that.

:cheers:

QUOTE

The Army Times

Trump’s Ronny Jackson disaster will make fixing the VA a lot harder
https://www.armytimes.com/veterans/2018/04/25/trumps-ronny-jackson-disaster-will-make-fixing-the-va-a-lot-harder/
WASHINGTON — The controversies surrounding President Donald Trump’s pick to take over the Department of Veterans Affairs have not only thrown the agency’s leadership into disarray but also threaten to undo years of work by previous officials to try and rehabilitate the massive bureaucracy’s public image.

END QUOTE

 

[Remius]

How many people do have equivalent experience to that ?  That's a bloody huge and expensive organization.

True to an extent.  But Jackson's management experience is limited to what a small clinic would do.

One would think that leading, managing or even being a deputy/vice CEO or something of a large organisation might be some sort of pre condition to be picked.

The US likely has a plethora of Generals, CEOs and what not with that kind of experience with large organisations.  However, many wouldn't want that file at all and many don't exactly want to work for this President who has been rather unpredictable in his hiring and firing.

 

[Rocky Mountains]

Senator Tester D from Montana, made up the negative stories about Radm Jackson.Anyway he just made the list for 2 stars.I suspect that in a few years he will get his 3d star and will be the USN's Surgeon General.

A matter of interest -The Surgeon General is head of The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed service of the US government.  The Surgeon General wears a uniform very similar to a USN uniform and has the rank of Vice Admiral.  The current Surgeon General, Jerome Adams, previously a civilian, was first commissioned as a Rear Admiral in The United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.  Jackson would still have a problem to be Surgeon General - Senate confirmation - and Trump would have to find a job for the current Surgeon General who was appointed not long ago.

 

[tomahawk6]

here is write up for the Surgeon General of the Navy.Each service has one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Navy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Army


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Air_Force

 

[FJAG]

here is write up for the Surgeon General of the Navy.Each service has one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Navy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Army

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgeon_General_of_the_United_States_Air_Force

Exactly right. Each is a three star with numerous two and one stars who have management experiences of large complex organizations. In addition there is the Military Health System which is led by the Assistant Secretary of Defence  for Health Affairs who has an experienced senior staff and oversight of numerous complex service related medical facilities and programs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Health_System

Amongst these senior folks one would undoubtedly find someone with sufficient ability and knowledge to manage an entity like VA if there isn't already a capable leader within VA itself to take over.

And that just proves the point. With all this talent available, it makes little sense to pick someone for the job who was a mere Navy captain eighteen months ago and managed nothing bigger than a small clinic.

:cheers:

 

[tomahawk6]

With regard to the VA,I think they are overwhelmed with war veterans from WW2,Korea,Vietnam,Iraq and Afghanistan.Facilities date from WW2.Not enough doctors and nurses.They do the best they can.

 

[Blackadder1916]

Here is the promotion announcement.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Releases/News-Release-View/Article/1474252/flag-officer-announcement/

Actually, it is only an announcement of the "nomination".  Before RAdm Jackson can be promoted, Senate confirmation is required in the same way that confirmation was needed before;
his promotion to his current rank - Senate confirmation 13 July 2016, or
promotion to Captain - Senate confirmation 21 June 2012, or
promotion to Commander - Senate confirmation 2 Aug 2006

It is possible, hell, maybe probable that RAdm Jackson will get his second star.  Most nominations, even at the flag level, seem to be rubber stamped by the Armed Services Committee and pass by simple voice vote in the Senate.  However, not everyone gets that treatment.  While I haven't found any that were worded as "rejected", there are cases of nominations to flag rank that have been returned to the President without action.  I suppose that instead of a public "fuck you" to the President it is easier to simply not send the nomination to the floor for a vote.  Based on the public attention that has already been focused on RAdm Jackson due to the VA Sec nomination, I think it likely that further action about this nomination will not be the usual pro forma.  There have been questions about his qualifications to manage large, complex organizations and they won't magically disappear now that he is no longer slated for the VA.  Whether such accusations are valid or not is no longer the issue, he has now become political and it is unlikely that his nomination to RAdm will pass without question.

As for his future military career, my personal opinion is that he will retire shortly after leaving the White House Medical Unit.  He has basically been there since promotion to Commander and though he may have the chops to fill a position as a 2 star doctor, he has been away from the world of Navy Medicine.  He is not the first military physician to get his/her stars by being the President's sawbones, but of the ones in the last several administrations they did not seamlessly transition back into their individual services leapfrogging over the doctors whose CVs had decades of progressively more responsible clinical, command and staff experience.

A couple of examples of individuals (not medical types) who had their nominations to RAdm (lh) returned to the president.

https://www.congress.gov/nomination/115th-congress/765
https://www.congress.gov/nomination/112th-congress/1390