If we had needed a reason to disqualify Rick Perry from being President in 2012, we could have used this one. He didn't actually know what the Energy Department did then when he argued it should be abolished.
And now he is asking to be confirmed as the Secretary of Energy?
And the real tragedy is? He is the LEAST offensive of Trump's nominees. Not kidding.
During his opening statements at today's confirmation hearing to be the new Energy Secretary, former governor Rick Perry apologized for his past statements that called for "abolishing the Department of Energy" and he regrets "recommending its elimination."
Oh, how times have changed.
Gov Perry said, "If confirmed, my desire is to lead this agency in a thoughtful manner surrounding myself with the expertise on the core functions of the department. My past statements made over five years ago about abolishing the Department of Energy do not reflect my current thinking."
He continued, "In fact, after being briefed on some of the vital functions the Department of Energy, I regret recommending its elimination. If confirmed, I will enter this role excited and passionate about advocating and advancing the core missions of the D.O.E., drawing greater attention to the vital role played by the agency and the hard working men and women who dedicate themselves in pursuit of these missions."
Isn't that nice of him?
No, it's not.
It's been the constant outrageous and despicable statements like the ones he made five years ago during the 2012 Republican presidential primaries that have caused so much harm to the country at large, just for a chance to excite the extremist right wing base that is in love with a Trump administration.
As we've seen in these confirmation hearings, most of Trump's nominees either have radical views or actually know or understand nothing about government, the department they will lead or any function their department performs.
The federal government is the soft, easy target for most conservatives except when one of them actually takes a real look at what they do.
Perry actually needs to apologize to the Departments Of Education and Commerce as well.
