The Kushners.

**Cujo** · 12-04-2017, 09:06 PM

Good article.

Jared and Ivanka ask what their country can do for them.

I’ve just read a terrific forthcoming book called “The Revolution of Robert Kennedy,” by the historian John R. Bohrer, which reminded me of how blatantly the Kennedys made their White House a family affair. It was Joseph Kennedy, the president’s father, who decreed that another of his sons, Robert, would be the attorney general. No one spoke to John Kennedy more, or had more influence across the entire spectrum of policy, than his brother.

So blatant was it, in fact, that in 1967 Congress passed a law barring any president from naming a relative to the Cabinet or to the helm of any federal agency. (That also applies to posts in the District of Columbia government, in case Trump was thinking of annexing the city and making Tiffany its provincial governor.) This is why Jared can’t actually have the jobs of all the Cabinet secretaries he’s displacing.

But let’s be real: Drawing a line from RFK to Jared Kushner is like trying to compare B.B. King to Drake. By the time he became attorney general at 35, Kennedy — again, with some assistance from his father — had already achieved notoriety as the unflinching lead counsel for a mob-busting Senate committee. He’d been a government prosecutor for a decade.

Kushner hadn’t served a day on a school board before Trump put him in charge of, you know, America. Near as I can tell, his sole achievement in his young life — much like his wife’s — is to have spent his parents’ money on cool stuff, like some buildings and a once trendy newspaper you’ve never read. (Kushner does have one thing in common with Bobby Kennedy: His father gave a ton of money to Harvard before he attended.)

The Trump family exhibits little defensiveness about Jared. “Nepotism is a kind of factor of life,” the sage philosopher Eric Trump told Forbes for a story this week. Which is certainly true if your life begins with the name “Eric Trump,” but probably less so if you’re one of those voters who want America made great again because your children will not inherit an empire of golf resorts.

And in an interview with CBS this week, Ivanka noted that a lot of these same critics said her father didn’t have the qualifications to run for president, and here he is, which I guess was supposed to be a good thing. “Jared is incredibly smart, very talented, has enormous capacity,” she said.

Well, OK. But first of all, whatever one thinks of Donald Trump, and I’m a skeptic, let’s acknowledge that he did harness the courage to actually run for office and the skills necessary to win. He’s accountable to the voters who put him here and to a lot of Americans who did not.

Jared and Ivanka are accountable to exactly no one. Unlike a Robert Kennedy, neither of them even had to be confirmed by the Senate before wielding unparalleled power in the West Wing. No one got to vote on their empty résumés.

As for how smart Kushner is, I’ve never met him, and I’ve no reason to doubt he’s a quick study and a sharp conversationalist. But, you know, you can’t walk down a street on the Upper East Side without bumping into three smart guys with real estate fortunes. It’s not as if he represents some rare commodity in public life.

Then there are the ethical quandaries around money, which truly are unprecedented in the executive branch. Ivanka first tried to avoid being subject to any conflict-of-interest rules at all by serving as an informal adviser. When that tactic proved even too cute for the White House legal team, she agreed to take a title as assistant to the president and to remove herself, ostensibly, from the management of her businesses — but not from the profits.

She’s still making money off the Trump hotel in Washington, where you can bet a lot of foreign officials will be plunking down cash in the months ahead.

Kushner’s already come under scrutiny because of a deal in which an influential Chinese company offered to invest $400 million in a building owned by his family. The Kushners backed off that one, but it’s clear enough now that the only thing keeping Jared from mixing our business with his is the threat of public scrutiny.

And this gets to the heart of my issue with Kushner and Ivanka, and with the Trump family acquisition of the White House generally. Basically, they’ve decided all of a sudden that they’d very much like to run the country for a spell, but they’re not willing to sacrifice a damn thing for the privilege.

Robert Kennedy could probably have doubled his fortune had he wanted to stay outside of government and profit from his brother’s name. That was never the idea.

Whether you loved the power-thirsty Kennedys or hated them, whether you agreed with their vision for the country or not, no one could reasonably argue that they didn’t choose to serve our interests over their own. The same was true for the Bushes, by the way.

Not so with the Trumps, from Donald on down. Public service is a playground to them, an accidental hobby. (Though apparently not as important a hobby as skiing, which is what Jared and Ivanka were doing while the health care bill was cratering.)

The idea that they should lose anything in order to govern, that doing this with integrity should cost them any real wealth or opportunity, seems as foreign and misguided to them as a North Korean haircut.

I’d be willing to give Jared and Ivanka the benefit of the doubt — even absent any obvious humility or aptitude for their jobs — if they were willing to entirely divest themselves from competing interests, as Cabinet secretaries do. They won’t, because it’s not their way to sacrifice for any greater good, and because they have an evident disdain for those who devote their lives to bettering the country.

To the Trump-Kushner axis, those people are just suckers who don’t have what it takes to get rich, or at least to be born that way.

The privileges they inherited are theirs to keep while they meddle around with policies that affect the rest of us. The honor, I guess, is all ours.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/jared-iva...090040557.html

**Farangrakthai** · 12-04-2017, 09:25 PM

Originally Posted by Cujo

Jared and Ivanka are accountable to exactly no one. Unlike a Robert Kennedy, neither of them even had to be confirmed by the Senate before wielding unparalleled power in the West Wing. No one got to vote on their empty résumés.

that's because they're advisers.

even the chief-of-staff doesn't have to be approved by the senate.

jared and ivanka are very sound people and anyone with a brain would want them in the west wing, close to the trump.

**wasabi** · 12-04-2017, 10:11 PM

She gets my full approval, and attention ,she certainly has nice tits.
Who cares about the rest of her.

**raycarey** · 12-04-2017, 10:14 PM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

jared and ivanka are very sound people and anyone with a brain would want them in the west wing, close to the trump.

he has experience working in his father's real estate company.
she has experience in selling shoes and tchotchkes.

if they weren't related to the president neither one of them would ever have a job in the white house. they wouldn't even be considered for a job.

and your attempt to normalize this behavior that was previously only seen in third world, authoritarian dictatorships perfectly illustrates why you have no credibility whatsoever.

**Farangrakthai** · 12-04-2017, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by raycarey

and your attempt to normalize this behavior that was previously only seen in third world, authoritarian dictatorships perfectly illustrates why you have no credibility whatsoever.

yes, it is different that they are family.

but, who a president chooses as his advisers never has to be approved by the senate.

Originally Posted by Cujo

Unlike a Robert Kennedy, neither of them even had to be confirmed by the Senate before wielding unparalleled power in the West Wing. No one got to vote on their empty résumés.

**Farangrakthai** · 12-04-2017, 10:22 PM

like i mentioned: "jared and ivanka are very sound people and anyone with a brain would want them in the west wing, close to the trump.

liberals should welcome ivanka, too, as her ideological views are mostly liberal, wanting to give more rights for days off for pregnancy, etc.

the u.s. apparently gets the fewest days in the west.

**raycarey** · 12-04-2017, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

liberals should welcome ivanka, too, as her ideological views are mostly liberal, wanting to give more rights for days off for pregnancy, etc.

what you fail to grasp is that the criticism and outrage at this unabashed display of nepotism is not based on partisanship....but the ignorance and incompetence these two have to the jobs they now hold.

this time last year he was in real estate....today he's in charge of Palestine / Israel.

go ahead and keep thinking that's in any way normal or appropriate.

**Farangrakthai** · 12-04-2017, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by raycarey

what you fail to grasp is that the criticism and outrage at this unabashed display of nepotism is not based on partisanship....but the ignorance and incompetence these two have to the jobs they now hold.

this time last year he was in real estate....today he's in charge of Palestine / Israel.

go ahead and keep thinking that's in any way normal or appropriate.

compared to what dubya and obama did in the middle east, i'm willing to give outsiders like kushner/ivanka a chance.

kushner (a jew) even wants to work on a palestinian/israeli peace agreement (which most say is impossible).

that's what i want and that's what kushner wants.

**wasabi** · 12-04-2017, 10:50 PM

That's the answer then, it takes a Jew to solve a Jewish problem.

**Farangrakthai** · 12-04-2017, 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by wasabi

That's the answer then, it takes a Jew to solve a Jewish problem.

yep, it does

**Humbert** · 13-04-2017, 06:38 AM

I guess the argument is that having his family around calms him down. The White House is run like a small family business distrustful of outsiders where fealty is the most prized asset. The Trump empire is really not run like a typical large corporation with a complex organizational structure and checks and balances. More like a monarchy especially when one considers the expense to shuttle his half wit sons around the globe and his weekly visits to Mar-a-lago to live in splendor and play golf.

**Cujo** · 13-04-2017, 07:44 AM

Originally Posted by Humbert

I guess the argument is that having his family around calms him down. The White House is run like a small family business distrustful of outsiders where fealty is the most prized asset. The Trump empire is really not run like a typical large corporation with a complex organizational structure and checks and balances. More like a monarchy especially when one considers the expense to shuttle his half wit sons around the globe and his weekly visits to Mar-a-lago to live in splendor and play golf.

There is something of the let them eat cake about that lot.

**Farangrakthai** · 13-04-2017, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by Humbert

the expense to shuttle his half wit sons

fair enough that you don't like trump.

but, his sons are not morons, IMO.

sure, you may not like them for being proud NRA members (hunters).

though, what is it about them that says they have a lower IQ than someone like you?

pretty sure they don't spend their time calling those they disagree with childish names (like you do on td).

**Cujo** · 13-04-2017, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

Originally Posted by Humbert

the expense to shuttle his half wit sons

fair enough that you don't like trump.

but, his sons are not morons, IMO.

He didn't say they were morons.
But whether they are or not is neither here nor there, the point is the expense the taxpayer is expected to meet shuttling them around. The Kushners as well.

pretty sure they don't spend their time calling those they disagree with childish names

Why are you 'pretty sure' of that?

**Farangrakthai** · 13-04-2017, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by Cujo

the point is the expense the taxpayer is expected to meet shuttling them around. The Kushners as well.

the secret service is just doing their job, of course.

there are hundreds of billions of dollars to be cut in the budget and don't think anyone is suggesting that the secret service should be on the list to save the taxpayers billions.

Originally Posted by Cujo

He didn't say they were morons.

Originally Posted by Humbert

his half wit sons

**Cujo** · 13-04-2017, 11:11 AM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

Originally Posted by Cujo

the point is the expense the taxpayer is expected to meet shuttling them around. The Kushners as well.

the secret service is just doing their job, of course.

there are hundreds of billions of dollars to be cut in the budget and don't think anyone is suggesting that the secret service should be on the list to save the taxpayers billions.

What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense.

Why shouldn't the SS be on the budget cut list? The state department is.

**Farangrakthai** · 13-04-2017, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by Cujo

Why shouldn't the SS be on the budget cut list?

their budget is 3 billion/year. what cuts do you propose?

Originally Posted by Cujo

the point is the expense the taxpayer is expected to meet shuttling them around.

what if ivanka was not protected by the s.s. and was killed by a left-wing loony?

never mind, the u.s. saved millions of dollars?

**Farangrakthai** · 13-04-2017, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Cujo

Why shouldn't the SS be on the budget cut list? The state department is.

the budget for the state department is around 50 billion, so obviously more room for cuts.

**Cujo** · 13-04-2017, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

Originally Posted by Cujo

Why shouldn't the SS be on the budget cut list?

their budget is 3 billion/year. what cuts do you propose?

I would propose funding for protecting the first lady and prince Baron be denied as long as they refuse to move to the whitehouse and some limit be put on Trumps ridiculous Mar A Lago weekends @ $3,000,000.00 per, much of which is overtime and lodging for his SS guard.

**raycarey** · 13-04-2017, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

what if ivanka was not protected by the s.s. and was killed by a left-wing loony?

for starters, jared would be looking for a job.

**Topper** · 13-04-2017, 11:40 AM

Originally Posted by Cujo

I would propose funding for protecting the first lady and prince Baron be denied as long as they refuse to move to the whitehouse and some limit be put on Trumps ridiculous Mar A Lago weekends @ $3,000,000.00 per, much of which is overtime and lodging for his SS guard.

There should be some limitations. I thought the 3 million was just to fly AF 1 down and back.

**Maanaam** · 13-04-2017, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by wasabi

She gets my full approval, and attention ,she certainly has nice tits.

Oy, steady on there, don't lech over Donald's crush.

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

kushner (a jew) even wants to work on a palestinian/israeli peace agreement (which most say is impossible).

Yeah right. He'll agree with everything Bibi wants, which is obviously untenable, and then turn around and say negotiations failed because the Palestinians wouldn't come to the table.

**Humbert** · 13-04-2017, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

fair enough that you don't like trump.

Oh, it's much stronger than dislike. And I feel the same way about his supporters. So don't expect any respect from me for him or for you.

**harrybarracuda** · 13-04-2017, 03:37 PM

I notice the interesting arrangement of lights on Ivanka's dress in the OP.

Presumably if you manage to light the top one, she squirts or something.

**Humbert** · 13-04-2017, 03:45 PM

Originally Posted by Farangrakthai

their budget is 3 billion/year. what cuts do you propose?

So, Trump's weekly golf vacations are untouchable. Covering the security expense for his wife and son living in Manhattan is untouchable. Spending millions on his son's galavanting around the globe to advance their business interests is untouchable. But a black Democratic president vacationing in Hawaii was an outrageous taxpayer burden. The unmitigated hypocrisy of these people.

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