Trump Cabinet Picks

[roo_ster]

And thanks to harry reid trump only needs a simple majority.  If mcconnell hasnt misplaced his testicles or left them with denny hastert.

Killing the filibuster looked great on paper to the democrats. 

Just say it, "justice cruz."  His name is a killing word

[DittoHead]

Well, I guess Tillerson's conflicts of interest might help distract from Trump's conflicts of interest.

[AmbulanceDriver]

Well, I guess Tillerson's conflicts of interest might help distract from Trump's conflicts of interest.

Care to expound on that instead of just drop a semi-throwaway post in?  I'd be curious to hear what his actual conflicts of interest might be as opposed to just a quip?

[Scout26]

Rick Perry - Sec of Energy.


Say, wasn't that one he proposed to eliminate ??

Why yes, yes it was....

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/onpolitics/2016/12/13/trump-nominate-rick-perry-secretary-energy-reports-say/95363672/


And as an extra bonus, to reaaaaaallllllllyyyyyyy push the leftists into their safe spaces curled up in a fetal ball and crying into their blankies...

Perry’s nomination comes despite his ties to the Dakota Access pipeline battle. He sits on the corporate board for Energy Transfer Partners, the parent company of Dakota Access LLC, which is pushing to build the pipeline.

[makattak]

Perry’s nomination comes despite his ties to the Dakota Access pipeline battle. He sits on the corporate board for Energy Transfer Partners, the parent company of Dakota Access LLC, which is pushing to build the pipeline.

Of course USAToday can't be trusted. I'm fairly certain they were already in the process of BUILDING the pipeline after having gotten significant regulatory approval. Not "pushing to build it."

[DittoHead]

I'd be curious to hear what his actual conflicts of interest might be as opposed to just a quip?

Tillerson's are pretty simple: ~$300 million in Exxon Mobil stock equity and vesting options. As Trump himself put it "He’s in charge of, I guess, the largest company in the world" and he's spent his entire career there. It's certainly not impossible, but it's going to take some work to separate himself from that and go to work for us without any special consideration for his former employer.

John Kerry ran into conflict of interest accusations with energy companies, the CEO of Exxon Mobil isn't going to have it any easier.

[Ron]

President Elect Honey Badger don't give a *expletive deleted*it.

[Scout26]

Yes, but having really, really smart guys like Tillerson dealing with Senate Democrats is going to be great fun to watch...

 

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I hope Tillerson gets past the evangelical fury and angst

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G890A using Tapatalk

[KD5NRH]

Tillerson's are pretty simple: ~$300 million in Exxon Mobil stock equity and vesting options. As Trump himself put it "He’s in charge of, I guess, the largest company in the world" and he's spent his entire career there. It's certainly not impossible, but it's going to take some work to separate himself from that and go to work for us without any special consideration for his former employer.

Frankly, anybody without any conflicts of interest is almost certainly unqualified for any Cabinet post.

[DittoHead]

Frankly, anybody without any conflicts of interest is almost certainly unqualified for any Cabinet post.

Unqualified is a pretty loose term these days. Nobody wants experts anymore so it seems like that opens up a lot of options, certainly some with less significant conflicts of interest if not none. Not to say Tillerson's are insurmountable or disqualifying, he has some options. He will probably have an easier time divesting & distancing himself than Trump will from his business interests.

[MechAg94]

Unqualified is a pretty loose term these days. Nobody wants experts anymore so it seems like that opens up a lot of options, certainly some with less significant conflicts of interest if not none. Not to say Tillerson's are insurmountable or disqualifying, he has some options. He will probably have an easier time divesting & distancing himself than Trump will from his business interests.

No one wants "experts" because the people given that label are usually expert in govt regulation and red tap (creating more, not cutting it).   

[grampster]

So somehow it's a conflict of interest for a millionaire or billionaire to serve his fellow Americans in the government, and it's not for sleazy politicians like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi  and hundreds of others who became millionaires while "serving" their fellow Americans in the government?

As for Trump.  Why does he have to disassociate himself from his companies?  Where in the Constitution does it say a President has to dissolve all his businesses interests in order to be President; that it's a "conflict of interest" for him to maintain his livelihood?

[DittoHead]

So somehow it's a conflict of interest for a millionaire or billionaire to serve his fellow Americans in the government, and it's not for sleazy politicians like Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi  and hundreds of others who became millionaires while "serving" their fellow Americans in the government?

Who said that? This thread is about Trump cabinet picks. Tillerson is one of those and he has a potentially huge conflict of interest with his Exxon Mobil stock and the job he has to do as Secretary of State.

As for Trump.  Why does he have to disassociate himself from his companies?  Where in the Constitution does it say a President has to dissolve all his businesses interests in order to be President; that it's a "conflict of interest" for him to maintain his livelihood?

Trump himself has said he will do this, not because the constitution requires but because it's the ethical thing to do. Whether he is able to, or even puts in any real effort is yet to be seen.

[Hawkmoon]

This thread is about Trump cabinet picks. Tillerson is one of those and he has a potentially huge conflict of interest with his Exxon Mobil stock and the job he has to do as Secretary of State.

Two words: "Blind trust."

End of conflict of interest.

[lupinus]

Two words: "Blind trust."

End of conflict of interest.

I think the response to that is blind trust wink wink. If guy from Exxon goes into it with a huge amount of investment in Exxon, he still knows its there. Similar for someone like Trump, blind trust or no he knows most of his assets are still with the Trump organization.

Not that I care, mind you. I'd rather have the administration packed to the gills with people who have actually done things with their lives other than impress voters and have actually had to deal with the BS Washington creates.

[DittoHead]

Blind trust is the obvious solution with plenty of precedent but, as the Fortune article I linked lays out, there are some roadblocks because of how Tillerson's compensation package is structured. Trump will have an even harder time since his investments are much more diverse and not as easily liquidated.

[RoadKingLarry]

So basically, Trump and hat is shaping up to be his cabinet tend to be people that actually "have a dog in the fight".
Without taking things to extremes, what is good for the overall and financial health of the country is good for business.
Commerce makes the world go 'round. More people in a better financial state results in more people spending money. 

[DittoHead]

Without taking things to extremes, what is good for the overall and financial health of the country is good for business.

Absolutely. If Tillerson had billions of dollars in index funds (which would likely be a significant part of the previously mentioned blind trust), that would be fine and dandy. He has all his eggs in one basket though.

[makattak]

Absolutely. If Tillerson had billions of dollars in index funds (which would likely be a significant part of the previously mentioned blind trust), that would be fine and dandy. He has all his eggs in one basket though.

Does he? I would not be surprised to find a majority of his "eggs" in the Exxon basket, but all seems highly unlikely for any savvy investor. 

[DittoHead]

Does he? I would not be surprised to find a majority of his "eggs" in the Exxon basket, but all seems highly unlikely for any savvy investor. 

100%? Probably not. I mean, I'm sure the guy has some assets besides Exxon Mobil stock. Like a house or two, some nice cars, maybe he bets on penny stocks in his free time - who knows? It's not like I have access to his tax returns. Most places list his overall net worth at $150+ million so I'm pretty sure the vast majority of his wealth is currently tied up with Exxon Mobil.

[roo_ster]

100%? Probably not. I mean, I'm sure the guy has some assets besides Exxon Mobil stock. Like a house or two, some nice cars, maybe he bets on penny stocks in his free time - who knows? It's not like I have access to his tax returns. Most places list his overall net worth at $150+ million so I'm pretty sure the vast majority of his wealth is currently tied up with Exxon Mobil.

I doubt it is a majority at the moment.  He's no fool and not-fools diversify.  Sure, he has a large chunk--much more than any randomly-selected investor--in Exxon.  But I also have a relatively large chunk in my own company's stock, as they match my 401k with company stock (really, a company stock index fund).

OTOH, he has options that mature in the future.  THESE may very well, when they come to fruition, then compose the majority of his accumulated wealth.

It is something to think about, but I would not let the existence of such option or investments keep me from supporting him, were I to support him.  Folk who are successful at that level of business accumulate wealth of some sort.

And Trump is even less a worry, since his assets are more real (real estate) and diversified.  Trump truly would benefit from general and overall growth in America's economy.

[makattak]

100%? Probably not. I mean, I'm sure the guy has some assets besides Exxon Mobil stock. Like a house or two, some nice cars, maybe he bets on penny stocks in his free time - who knows? It's not like I have access to his tax returns. Most places list his overall net worth at $150+ million so I'm pretty sure the vast majority of his wealth is currently tied up with Exxon Mobil.

I'd think their net worth estimates are off, given that his Exxon holdings are currently $235Million. It's more likely that he's worth several hundred million more than it is that his Exxon stock makes up 90+% of his wealth.

[DittoHead]

Can't find a way to see previous years on this site, but last year 75% of his compensation was stock
http://www1.salary.com/R-W-Tillerson-Salary-Bonus-Stock-Options-for-EXXON-MOBIL-CORP.html

[wmenorr67]

Just imagine if we had elected Ross Perot back in the day.