Mike Pence could easily become the most powerful VP in history.

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So I was reading this article on Vox about how unusual it is that Trump's top two advisers literally have zero policy experience between them. I won't repost the whole article, but here's a good blurb which pretty much sums it um:

[T]o congratulate Trump on mainstreaming bigotry through his No. 2 White House official rather than his No. 1 staff pick sets an appallingly low bar. Running the American government is an enormous job with enormous consequences. The choices the president makes deserve to be held to the highest possible standard, not a low bar of minimal acceptability.

Trump landed on Priebus, fairly clearly, because he gets along with him personally and because Priebus also gets along with congressional Republican leaders. That’s nice. But for a president with no relevant experience or qualifications to be picking key staff positions largely on the basis of their ability to be nice to Donald Trump is a disaster. Some are sketching out the Priebus/Bannon relationship as analogous to the dual power structure of Andy Card and Karl Rove in George W Bush’s White House. But the analogy fails entirely.

Priebus, like Rove, is a professional political operative with no experience in government. Card was a veteran elected official who served four years as deputy chief of staff in the George H.W. Bush administration. And Bush himself served six years as governor of a large state. In the Trump/Priebus/Bannon axis that’s running the government, there’s nobody who has any idea how to run the government.

Praise for Reince Priebus is another sign of how we’re lowering the bar for Trump

Basically the whole article goes on to explain that thesis and why not having any top advisers with policy experience is bad. It's true that Priebus is a lifelong party operative with no experience as an elected official, and that Bannon is a certified psycho who couldn't get elected to anything if he tried. It's also true that Trump takes a lot of advice from his kids and business associates, none of whom have policy experience.

But the article overlooks one majorly important figure---Mike Pence. Pence was in Congress for a decade and governed a fairly large state. Pending any further appointments to Trump's cabinet, Pence is the smartest guy in the room. And even after those appointments, it may well be that Pence remains the only person with ACTUAL government experience within Trump's innermost circle.

That's pretty terrifying, considering that Pence is basically a down-the-line Republican. I would be surprised to discover that he deviated from the majority of his party on any vote.

 

[BaggerofTea]

Yea, Pence is a problem. Bannon is likely to be a problem too.

 

[The G.O.D II]

Who didn't see this coming. He basically offered Kaisch full control over domestic policy and foreign affairs. Pretty sure Pence has it too. And judging by his track record in IN lord help us

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

Maybe Trump was a deep cover agent for the Republican establishment the whole time and the whole country got trolled.

 

[General Mills]

I see people talking about Pence. what has he done?

I only heard of him after Don picked him. In his interviews he seems pretty even and level headed. So much so that he made Kaine look zany in comparison at the debate.

I will say that he is one of the slickest talkers i have seen in a minute. When he has interviews and they try to trip him up or try to make him answer for one of Donalds fukkups he pivots off topic but still remains on topic somehow. dude is masterful at that.


What is his background that has people worried? religious zealout?

 

[Dusty Bake Activate]

I see people talking about Pence. what has he done?

I only heard of him after Don picked him. In his interviews he seems pretty even and level headed. So much so that he made Kaine look zany in comparison at the debate.

I will say that he is one of the slickest talkers i have seen in a minute. When he has interviews and they try to trip him up or try to make him answer for one of Donalds fukkups he pivots off topic but still remains on topic somehow. dude is masterful at that.


What is his background that has people worried? religious zealout?

He's the scariest type of right-winger. Calm and personable but an extremist.

Extremely social stances...gay conversion therapy, abstinence only education, wants to defund planned parenthood.

Supply side economics supporter, has supported the gold standard, supports a flat tax rate. Was against TARP, the stimulus, the auto bailout and Dodd-Frank.

Pro "right-to-work."

Climate change denier, pro drug war.

He is a piece of shyt. He wrote an op-ed against the big tobacco settlement.

 

[Type Username Here]

Damn, people forgot about Cheney already huh?

 

[General Mills]

He's the scariest type of right-winger. Calm and personable but an extremist.

Extremely social stances...gay conversion therapy, abstinence only education, wants to defund planned parenthood.

Supply side economics supporter, has supported the gold standard, supports a flat tax rate. Was against TARP, the stimulus, the auto bailout and Dodd-Frank.

Climate change denier, pro drug war.

He is a piece of shyt. He wrote an op-ed against the big tobacco settlement.

gay conversion therapy ?

Abstinence only?

I am not the biggest politcal guy.. but i have followed the election pretty closely. why didnt Hill or Kaine bring up his extremes.?

I knew Pence was weird when i saw his ugly wife.

She looks like she is hiding some dark filthy secrets. black ass eyes with the pupil barely showing. and that bowl cut

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

He's the scariest type of right-winger. Calm and personable but an extremist.

Extremely social stances...gay conversion therapy, abstinence only education, wants to defund planned parenthood.

Supply side economics supporter, has supported the gold standard, supports a flat tax rate. Was against TARP, the stimulus, the auto bailout and Dodd-Frank.

Pro "right-to-work."

Climate change denier, pro drug war.

He is a piece of shyt. He wrote an op-ed against the big tobacco settlement.

His social stances are a big problem. The gold standard, flat tax, anti tarp dont bother me that much.

 

[General Mills]

His social stances are a big problem. The gold standard, flat tax, anti tarp dont bother me that much.

Im also ok with the gold standard and the flat tax. that super religious stuff is weird wtf

 

[newworldafro]

Damn, people forgot about Cheney already huh?

Yeah.......yall trippin...even Bush under Reagan was some VP running the.show steeze.. Cheney was running this place, while W. was doing goofy stuff.

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

Yeah.......yall trippin...even Bush under Reagan was some VP running the.show steeze.. Cheney was running this place, while W. was doing goofy stuff.

Cheney is quite possibly the WOAT american politician. He did eviscerate in his debates though

 

[General Mills]

Cheney is quite possibly the WOAT american politician. He did eviscerate in his debates though

I forgot Cheney in the debates was zero fukks.

Its like debating Satan

 

[NkrumahWasRight Is Wrong]

I forgot Cheney in the debates was zero fukks.

Its like debating Satan

Yeah he was a machine. Thats the only good thing i have to say about him. Sometimes, when i reflect, i dont blame bush for too much because he was clearly a puppet. Doesnt make him any better than terrible but it was clear to most that cheney was running the show

 

[General Mills]

Yeah he was a machine. Thats the only good thing i have to say about him. Sometimes, when i reflect, i dont blame bush for too much because he was clearly a puppet. Doesnt make him any better than terrible but it was clear to most that cheney was running the show

Speaking of puppets..

I always assumed that Regan was a puppet his 2nd term and that Bush Sr ran the show behind the scenes due to Alzheimers coming on.