Opinion: Trump’s cabinet of oligarchs: So much for ‘draining the swamp’

To the editor: Congratulations to those of you who voted for President-elect Donald Trump or failed to vote because you weren’t happy with the choices. (“Trump to preside over the richest Cabinet in U.S. history,” Dec. 1)

You didn’t get Hillary Clinton, but here’s what we all got:

• Possibly the loss of health insurance for more than 20 million people and the loss of Medicare or Medicaid benefits to millions of the poor or elderly.
• A potential Environmental Protection Agency administrator who doesn’t believe in climate change.
• A billionaire who has never attended a public school as the next Education secretary.
• A former Wall Street banker as the next Treasury secretary.
• Another billionaire affectionately known as the “king of bankruptcy” as the next Commerce secretary.

But don’t worry. Trump said he wouldn’t be controlled by Wall Street or special interests. He said he owes no favors to anyone. Still, we know he will never fully separate himself or his family from the wealth he has amassed. We know that he will continue to profit from his overseas holdings, whether directly or into the pockets of his children. We know that his own interests could put our country in danger.

How do we know? Because about the only truth Trump has ever uttered is that winning at any cost is all that matters to him. And now that he has been elected, to hell with the rest of us.

Terrie McKinley, Aliso Viejo

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To the editor: As a senior who has advocated for universal healthcare, I am appalled but not surprised that Trump has chosen Obamacare critic Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to head Health and Human Services, giving him the green light to do what he and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) want: gut and privatize Medicare along with doing away with Obamacare.

Perhaps believing Trump when he said he wouldn’t undermine Medicare, 53% of seniors voted for the president-elect, according to exit polls. I wonder if they realized that they were voting to end not only the Affordable Care Act, but also Medicare.

Now is the time to wake up and realize we need to work together, young and old, to extend Medicare to everyone, not to end this successful and much needed program.

Anthony Manousos, Pasadena

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To the editor: This is more Trump duplicity. After repeatedly denouncing Clinton for being too cozy with Wall Street during the campaign and giving high-paid speeches to bankers, he’s now raiding Wall Street to fill Cabinet positions.

At long last, has he no shame?

Blair Ceniceros, Claremont

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To the editor: Using bigger alligators may create the illusion of less water. But this is hardly what people had in mind when they heard that Trump was planning to “drain the swamp.”

Darrell Manderscheid, Fountain Valley

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To the editor: Maybe we should rename Trump’s cabinet the “Billionaire Boys Club.”

Jonathan Kaunitz, Santa Monica

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