Trump Team Update -- 4-out-of-25 Get Passing Grades

Good News: Suicide Pact
Bad News: Even More 'F's, 'D's than Before

Our Bumbler 45000, with its data crunching power on 'next level', has broken out a new scoresheet for Trump's key appointments.

Vice President: Mike Pence  -- F+
Chief of Staff: John F. Kelly -- B-
Chief Strategist: vacant
State: Rex Tillerson -- C-
Treasury: Steven Mnuchin - a Democrat, corporate variety: D+
Defense: James Mattis - Thinking man's advisor; though civilian control of defense is best: B+
National Security Advisor: H. R. McMaster - Another independent thinker; also military brass: B-
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions: F
Interior: Ryan Zinke -  F+
Agriculture: Sonny Perdue: D+
Commerce: Wilbur Ross: D-
Labor: Alex Acosta (nominated): C-
Health and Human Services: vacant
Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson: F
Transportation: Elaine Chao - former Sec. of Treasury: C-
Energy: Rick Perry: F-
Education: Betsy DeVoss: F-
Veterans: David Shulkin - Able administrator with no axe to grind: A-
Homeland Security: vacant
UN Ambassador: Nikki Haley - former Governor: C-
Budget: Mick Mulvaney - D
CIA: Mike Pompeo - knowledgeable, no torture: C-
Environment: Scott Pruitt: F-
Legal Counsel: Donald McGahn: D
Press: Sarah Huckabee-Sanders: D-

Women are way underrepresented in the above list (4 out of 25), as are other obvious categories (only one black American, one Latino, one Asian-American...hmmm, tokenism?

The easiest way forward is canning the worst, and bringing in a good choice, as was done with the shockingly unfit Michael Flynn at National Security Advisor, and the only slightly less wrong-headed Steve Bannon as Chief Strategist, not to mention Preibus as Chief-of-Staff, Price as H&HS, etc.  Characters doing the most damage: Sessions, Perry and Pruitt (for example, see this brutal take-down of Perry's override of his department's policy analysis).

Just 4 of 25 receive a C or better, down from 10 last time, and they are all, or mostly, part of a suicide pact that has reportedly agreed to resign en masse if any one of them is ousted!  Some are probably sticking with it to provide adult supervision.

Grading The Trump Team

Good News: National Security Advisor: From 'F' to 'A-'
Bad News: Many More 'F's than 'A's and 'B's

The Bumbler 45000 has grown tired of Trump's steady 40%-45% zone approval rating.  So, it's breaking out a new scoresheet to be updated in the months to come.  It'll track Trump's key appointments, leaving out personalities it feels aren't worth the necessary computing power.

Vice President: Mike Pence
Chief of Staff: Rince Priebus
Chief Strategist: Stephen Bannon
State: Rex Tillerson
Treasury: Steven Mnuchin - a Democrat, corporate variety: C
Defense: James Mattis - Thinking man's advisor; though civilian control of defense is best: B+
National Security Advisor: H. R. McMaster - Another independent thinker; also military brass: B+
Attorney General: Jeff Sessions
Interior: Ryan Zinke - Shot down public lands selloff; is an outdoorsman: C+
Agriculture: Sonny Perdue (nominated)
Commerce: Wilbur Ross
Labor: Alex Acosta (nominated)
Health and Human Services: Tom Price
Housing and Urban Development: Ben Carson
Transportation: Elaine Chao - former Sec. of Treasury: C
Energy: Rick Perry
Education: Betsy DeVoss
Veterans: David Shulkin - Able administrator with no axe to grind: A-
Homeland Security: John F. Kelly - somewhat independent minded: C+
UN Ambassador: Nikki Haley - former Governor: C
Budget: Mick Mulvaney - deficit hawk: C
CIA: Mike Pompeo - knowledgeable, no torture: C
Environment: Scott Pruitt
Legal Counsel: Donald McGahn
Press: Sean Spicer

All the missing grades are 'C-' and below.  They will be held for further review.  Let's give these people a chance to either be replaced, or find a way toward the light.

A note: men are over-represented in the above list (21 out of 25), as are other obvious categories (only one black American, one Latino, one Asian-American).

The easiest way forward is canning the worst and bringing in a good choice, as was done with the shockingly unfit Michael Flynn at National Security Advisor.  This would be a good time to be looking for a new Attorney General, for example.

Just 10 of 25 receive passing grades!