On the way today I listened on NPR to the Senate confirmation hearings for Steve Mnuchin, who is nominated for Secretary of the Treasury. I thought he gave an impressive opening statement. He obviously has a good resume -- Yale University, Goldman Sachs, his own successful investment business -- and he defended himself quite convincingly against charges that he had unfairly profited from foreclosing homes during and after the Great Recession.
However, when it came to questions from the Senators he was not nearly so persuasive. He dodged questions, gave self-serving answers, and tried to obfuscate whenever someone presented him with uncomfortable numbers or facts. After a while you could tell when he was about to complicate his response to hide any potential wrongdoing because he'd start out by saying, "I want to be perfectly clear about this . . . ."I don't know how long the hearings went for. I listened to, probably, two hours. Then I'd had enough.
Tomorrow is inauguration day. I am a Democrat, but no socialist, no super leftist from the Sanders/Warren wing of the party. But still, I find it hard to believe that, starting tomorrow, Donald Trump will be president of the United States. How did that happen, anyway?
In the morning I will be driving through Washington, DC -- or more accurately around Washington, DC, on the Beltway, then heading south on I95. I sure hope there isn't too much traffic, clogging the roads and delaying me for hours.
And I sure hope that, over the next six weeks while I'm away, Donald Trump and his band of merry pranksters don't get us into a heap of trouble with China, or Russia, or Europe. Or crater the economy, foment social unrest, or do anything else that will upend the plans of those of us who are retired, or the lives of our kids who have hopes for the future.
13 comments:
We have been warned for two weeks not to venture in. No matter who is being sworn in- the beltway is going to be a mess! Maybe I-81 and go around? The 301 out of Annapolis and then join back up Fredricksburg? I went to DC on Wednesday. Between the press, the protesters and the Trump people, it was a bit crazy. Not Obama 2009 crazy- but crazy. I remember being stuck for six hours trying to get out of DC that year!
Have a safe drive.
Enjoy Florida.
Well you have missed a month of fabulous weather! I assume you are going to the west coast as usual? If you want to have dinner with some people in Bradenton I can arrange it. I took the car train for the first time this year and totally enjoyed it. Hope the traffic is not too bad.
I will be marching in the local women's march tomorrow. Everybody I know is going, so it will be an event that will help me realize that I'm not alone. There are thousands of such marches around the country. And I will stay engaged for as long as I'm needed. :-)
Safe travels Tom. Driving around Washington is a nightmare! We go out of our way to avoid that area.
Hopefully you'll arrive ahead of the storms they are predicting for this weekend.
Have a good safe trip but will be surprised if you manage to escape some of the traffic congestion with D.C. events from what I know about the area. The cabinet nominee interviews have been interesting with some quite alarming. All violence being perpetrated following this inauguration plays right into DTs long term plans to increase his power in the name of law and order.
My television is off today. I plan to turn it back on in four years.
I also had my television (and computer and radio) off today. Stephen's plan to keep his television off for the next four years is not a bad idea!
Enjoy Florida!!
I watched the first part of the inauguration, thinking, 'Oh well, It's part of history.' But once Obama and Michelle left on the helicopter, there was nothing to see, so I switched the television off. It may stay off for a few years.
Enjoy your trip to Florida. I have been to Orlando in 1975 and to Miami in 2013.
I cannot get over Hillary won the popular vote but Donald won the electoral college..He is in my opinion NUTS and a big BULLY..When they showed the former President Obama and Michelle Obama on the helicopter I thought wow at least 4 years of living hell for women, minorities, the older generation ( I am in that group) and a wall to block people coming in from Mexico to the USA..Never did I think people would be duped to vote for him but they did..I will try to be a better human being and not bow to his lowness and crudnesss and stupidity! Let's pray he just keeps his big mouth shut for a little while!
Trump was elected because many 'moderate' people stayed home and did not vote. Sometimes we must hold our noses and vote whether we like the party nominee or not.
I am an Independent, but I voted against Trump because he is tempermentally unfit, so don't blame me. Mnucin sounded good and held his own. He's the least of my concerns...for now. I'm much more concerned with the heads of EPA, Health, and Education. I like Governor Rick Perry despite everything.
The Dumpster has already begun to wreck healthcare. What a dope.
Hope your travel to Florida is safe and you enjoy whatever you can . Who knows what's coming with that T bully?
Have a safe travel and blast in these six weeks, we all are concern on the point how things will turn once Trump takes charge, it will surely have impact on our relation with China, Russia or more countries.
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