Trump’s Latest Picks: Ben Carson, Nikki Haley, Nancy DeVos

Ben Carson

I don’t have any objection to Ben Carson as HUD Secretary. I understand why he picked the soft-spoken black neurosurgeon. He was a Trump loyalist and that should count for something. Ben Carson was one of the few people who grew on me through the campaign. It’s hard to dislike the guy.

Nikki Haley

I have mixed feelings about this one.

I had been pulling for ambassador to India. I don’t care about the ambassadorships and I am not going to pretend to be upset she was appointed ambassador to the UN. It’s a small victory that she is leaving South Carolina and Lieutenant Governor Henry McMaster will replace her. That’s good.

At the same time, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Nikki Haley engineered the removal of the Confederate Battle Flag from South Carolina. She was a Marco Rubio supporter. She denounced Trump in the Republican response to Obama’s State of the Union Address. She condemned Trump for his failure to disavow the KKK. Apparently, Nikki Haley is avowed by Trump and good now, but the Alt-Right is disavowed as no good.

Betsy DeVos

I can’t object to this appointment as a betrayal of Trump’s platform. We didn’t spend much time discussing education policy, but this is in line with what he said he would do.

Betsy DeVos though? Were White working class voters in Michigan voting for Dick and Betsy DeVos when Trump campaigned on his #DrainTheSwamp platform there? These two are kingpins of the the Republican donor class who refused to support Trump until he embraced the “opportunity agenda.” She lives in a 22,000 square foot mansion. These two were huge backers of Marco Rubio in the primary. Betsy DeVos is avowed now. The Alt-Right is “disavowed” and “condemned.” Does that sit right with you?