Ed Surgan’s letter [“Empty Chairs,” Letters, November 21] inspired me to write this letter. Among other things, Mr. Surgan crows that the cabinet that Donald Trump has chosen will be ready to govern on day one.
It remains to be seen how many of Trump’s questionable selections will make it through the confirmation hearings. Thankfully, Matt Gaetz has already fallen by the wayside. Other controversial nominees (Pete Hegseth, Tulsi Gabbard, RFK Jr. and others) also may fail to make it through the confirmation process.
The facts about each of Trump’s cabinet nominees have been well-reported and I won’t discuss them in this letter. Suffice to say that even loyal Republican senators found Matt Gaetz to be unacceptable, and they may reject other Trump cabinet nominees. After all, the Senate has the role of “advise and consent.”
Our founders designed our government to have a system of checks and balances so that no branch of government becomes too powerful. Of course, Trump’s team is already talking about using recess appointments to get his nominees put in place if they can’t get through the Republican majority in the Senate.
With the help of the Supreme Court, the presidency is more powerful than ever. Hopefully, the Senate will fulfill its role as a check on the executive branch of government. If not, our democratic system of government may devolve into an autocracy.
Dick Sheehan
Manorville
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