(07-07-2017 06:04 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-07-2017 05:51 PM)OldOwlNewHeel2 Wrote:  

(07-07-2017 04:58 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  

(07-07-2017 04:42 PM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  

(07-07-2017 12:47 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I too would like to see those positions filled. We need more of those posts filled. I am sure the time involved in making lists, vetting candidates, and getting them to volunteer for the Congressional grilling are factors. The only excuse Trump can offer would be that his time has been filled with a lot of stuff about "smoke'. Still needs t be done.

But some appointments are postponed for what seems forever. I remember reading an article on this which noted one judgeship had been vacant for eleven years. I guess Trump is responsible for the last 6 months, but the other 10.5 years would seem to fall under other names.

Judges and the executive branch positions are in different fields, IMO. Every change over requires a complete overhaul of executive branch appointments - I don't believe the judiciary is the same.

Trump has been dragging his feet for some unknown reason, and has really hamstrung a lot of his departments. And per a number of reports, part of the blame lies with how Trump himself acts/operates. Apparently a lot of senior officials have no desire to work for someone who pretty much requires a loyalty oath and Trump doesn't want to nominate people who have criticized him in the past.

Reports? From whom?

As long as we are speculating, I speculate a lot of people don't want to subject themselves to Congressional scrutiny and put themselves at risk for forgetting a foreign contact a year ago.

I know I wouldn't.

Of course, if they can't follow simple directions on a form that literally thousands of people have filled out without incident, maybe we don't want them serving in such a high position?

Of course, we have no way of knowing if all of those thousands filled it out correctly and completely, just that nobody came looking for the minutest details. That is an assumption, that everybody did it right but the one who got caught. Like nobody speeds on the Interstate but the guys with tickets.

Like I said, i would be wary in the current climate of trying to fill out that form. I doubt that I could list all the foreign nationals I have come into contact with over the last year (is that the cutoff?), much less recall each conversation verbatim. For sure, I know of Russians, Cubans, Germans, Greeks, probably a dozen nationalities, one Iranian (saw him Wednesday) but what if I forgot one? No jail for me, please.

Back when I was running my business, I would go to Mexico dozens of times a year. I doubt I could have listed every Mexican i spoke to while there even on the date of return, much less a year later. Normally wouldn't be a problem, but in the current climate I might decide to play it safe and not accept an appointment.

Right, except for the fact that you're not excused from speeding just because someone else may have gotten away with it. And who should we fault for letting these supposedly uncalled-for investigations continue? The Republican in the White House? The Republican in charge of the DOJ? The Republican acting director of the FBI? The Republican heads of the House and Senate oversight committees? The Republicans staffing every leadership position in Congress? Or is there a mysterious staffer named Arack Bobama secretly running things?

Edit: In any event isn't our hypothetical a bit flawed? I don't recall Sessions ever saying he just "forgot" about a meeting. He purposefully omitted two official meetings, then denied the third was a "meeting" at all. That's not the same as "forgetting" and then getting called out on it.