2nd UPDATE: Is Donald Trump Paranoid and Needs Nixon-type Enemies List

Actual Quote from Here

(link to the quote)

2^nd MAJOR UPDATE on this continuing and very troubling story with this simple question:

IS DONALD TRUMP TRULY COMPILING AN “ENEMIES LIST?”

BTW: This request is his THIRD such request. See others listed below, so this is NOT an unfair or rhetorical question – the public has a compelling right to know and asking: “Am I his next target to be added to his “list” – and, if so, why? What the hell is going on here?

The latest on top of that which follows below is this from CNBC with this headlines:

“Trump team seeks names of officials working to counter violent extremism”

Background highlights from this story:

Trump’s transition team has asked two Cabinet departments for the names of government officials working on programs to counter violent extremism (according to a document seen by Reuters and U.S. officials).

The requests were made to the State Department and DHS – they involve a set of programs that seek to prevent violence by extremists of any stripe, including recruitment by militant Islamist groups within the United States and abroad.

Reuters could not determine why the Trump team asked for these names, and the Trump team did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

FYI: Trump frequently criticized President Obama for not doing enough to battle Islamic militants and for his refusal to use the term “radical Islam to widely describe ISIS and other militant groups.”

(I note: call that the Trump wide paint brush approach: paint everyone with the same brush the same way – regardless of their involvement or not – justify later after the labels have dried in place – or so it seems).

So, Trump as many fear and raise serious concerns about compiling a Richard Nixon “enemies list” if so, for what purpose and why – what could possibly go wrong with that approach, um? This is all very troubling especially on top of Trump’s apparent idea that another “nuclear arms” race is the ticket to “Make America Great Again.” Very troubling indeed and not just for those who aim and claim “You lost, get over it crowd” either.

We need solid answer as to why his is compiling these lists. The public must weigh in and demand answers anyway possible. Media, listen up – you have a duty, too, to keep us informed on this.

Continue story here or the link above.

Apparently this is how Donald J. Trump intends to govern: get lists of those he does not like, then get rid of them. How unique, um?

Thanks for stopping by.

1st UPDATE: The original post about the Nixon-era “enemies list” follows this update which ties into the same subject with this from the Washington Post. Background and highlights follow from this headline:

Trump team asked State Department for info on women’s issues programs, sparking fears of another witch hunt

That headline did raise concerns and as I said, it ties in to the original post about how the Trump team handled this aspect of that: “President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Wednesday disavowed a survey sent to the U.S. Department of Energy that requested the names of people working on climate change in the agency.”

So, is there a pattern developing here – sure looks like it on the surface and that’s hundreds or more Federal employees are concerned, and I think, rightly so. This is the current status of this update in part:

The Trump transition team instructed the State Department to turn over all information about “gender-related staffing, programming, and funding,” setting off alarm bells among those who fear that the new administration is going to purge programs that promote women’s equality along with the people who work on them.

One official said: “It’s not clear to us what the intent is behind this request. The Trump team could be looking to advance gender issues and make it a priority — or you could look at it as a witch hunt.”

Despite that ambiguity, fears spread quickly throughout State Department headquarters that the incoming Trump administration might use this information to single out both political appointees and career officials who worked on these programs.

A different official noted: “These types of requests send a cold chill through the Department and career diplomats dedicated to their work and service to the country. It’s devastating to morale.”

Continue this update the above link. 

It is chilling to say the least and possibly more harmful under the surface. We will have to wait see what happens with the next such request, if any follow these two. So stay tuned and possibly hang on tight, it could be bumpy and messy ahead.

The original earlier post follows from here: Um, a Donald “ala Richard Nixon style” Trump’s “enemies list? Sure seems like it – cite this story from here with the above quote. Makes one think, um?

President-elect Donald Trump's transition team on Wednesday disavowed a survey sent to the U.S. Department of Energy that requested the names of people working on climate change in the agency.

Trump spokesman and RNC mouthpiece, too, Sean Spicer said: “The questionnaire was not authorized or part of our standard protocol. The person who sent it has been properly counseled.” (Note: Spicer declined to comment further on the team's protocols, i.e., the person in question sent out the questionnaire without permission, or they sent it out prior to permission was granted (like the decision on how or when to send it out had been made, or such). We, the public need to know what all that means).

The survey consisted of 74 questions which the Energy Department received on Tuesday (December 13); sample data asked for included:

1.  The names of workers and contractors who had attended any/all U.N. climate meetings.

2.  The names of those who had attended meetings on the social cost of carbon, a metric that federal agencies use in formulating regulations on the energy business.

3.  A list of all the professional society memberships of workers at the department's 17 national laboratories and all of their recent publications.

    

The Energy Department balked at providing the survey saying it would not comply. Then a department spokesman said Wednesday (December 14) that the Trump team disavowing it hopefully signals the return to a smooth transition at the agency.

(I note: Several key answered questions hang over this affair regarding what Spokesman Sean Spicer (who also speaks for the RNC) meant when he said “the person did not follow team protocol” before or when or not, to release the survey – that key).

The White House weighed in on the survey this week with White House spokesman, Josh Earnest, saying the questionnaire “could have been an attempt to target Energy Department civil servants, including career scientists and lawyers and other experts critical to the government's ability to make policy decisions).

In addition, just hours before the Trump team disavowal, Reps. Frank Pallone and Elijah Cummings (both D-MD) sent a letter to VP-elect Mike Pence, head of the transition team, saying the team is entitled to select political appointees who share Trump's climate views, but that any effort to marginalize civil servants on the basis of their scientific analysis would be an abuse of authority.”

Related:

Trump said in the past that climate change was a hoax perpetrated by China.

Trump vowed to rip up last year's landmark global climate deal struck in Paris that was signed by President Barack Obama along with nearly 200 other countries.

(Insert: Le Bourget, France (December 12, 2015) — With the sudden bang of a gavel Saturday night, representatives of 195 nations reached a landmark accord that will, for the first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to help stave off the most drastic effects of climate change).

Since winning the election, Trump has said he will keep an “open mind about the Paris deal.” Ironically, Trump has chosen former Texas Gov. Rick “Oops” Perry, a climate change skeptic to run the Energy Department – the same department Perry couldn’t remember the name of during a 2012 presidential debate – the same department he vowed to eliminate if elected.

Further irony is that Perry, as I said is a climate change and climate science skeptic who was Texas Ag Commissioner before being elected Governor. He has only a BS in Animal Science from Texas A&M.

Perry would be replacing nuclear physicist Dr. Ernest Moniz as Secretary.

FYI: The department’s #1 role is the oversight of the nation’s nuclear energy, nuclear waste, nuclear weapon arsenal, and international nuclear non-proliferation.

That adds more irony to the idea of Trump picking Perry to head that department. Perry, I strongly believe is a very poor choice to say the least, or as Perry might say, “Oops.”

Added late: Very interesting news … stay tuned on this, too.

Thanks for stopping by as usual and stay tuned for updates.