Ok, not football at all, but it matters, eventually.

[WTF11]

WTF,

I know you are across the pond so I'm not sure how familiar you are with the US system but...

Trump does not have control of the house or senate. Yes, he has majority in both if you check past history you'll note that unlike the democrats the republicans never "vote in lockstep". There are 5-10 of them in the senate and a higher number in the house that vote as they see fit reflecting their constituents values. Murkowski, Collins, Romney and several others are no more sure votes for laws and appointments than some of the more conservative democrats. It's ever crazier and more unpredictable in the house. It's the reality of the republicans.

The democrats are totally different. They vote as "they are told". They are similar to the politburo or national peoples council in how they vote. Occasionally in votes where republican cross over on a vote they will allow someone to vote against the party but those are only when they know they've won and need to give the appearance that they are "representing their constituents. Pelosi and Schumer have absolute power of their caucus. It's the primary reason that the democrats get more laws passed. The democrats are also quicker to use "executive orders" which allows them to change things that would never get passed by a congress.

The system is broke over here regardless of which side you fall on. Our founding fathers were brilliant. The whole system was brilliantly created to make passing laws and rules very difficult. The senate was never intended to be a rubber stamp for the house bills. They were not "elected" but appointed by each state and were intended to act as a brake on hasty and ill thought out mob rule laws. The 17th amendment in the late 1800's changed it to popular vote and began the long slide into the dysfunctional state we are today. The founding fathers also never, in their wildest dreams, thought that people would want to become politicians for life. It was their #1 concern when you read the federalist papers. They were concerned that they could not get enough good people to serve. They never envisioned that we'd end up with the vile creatures that spend their entire life as politicians. Thus, no term limits. It doesn't help help that these vermin get the best healthcare in the country and live to be in their 80's and 90's and never retire. They are reprehensible creatures that place their power and wealth over the good of the country. Most go in with no money and retire years later with millions and millions in the bank every though they make under 200k a year and live in the most expensive city in the country.

As a UK resident I don't claim to know as much about the situation in the US as you, but the appointments Trump has announced so far are at the very least "surprising", and at worst sh1t-scaring.....at least for some.

You might be right regarding the voting behaviour, but we are in quite new territory now. Trump is a bit of an elephant, mentally anyway, in that he doesn't forget, and he will be well aware that his first term was damaged (in his view) by internal division and a lack of firm loyalty to the Trump cause. He won't allow that to happen this time round, and the results for Senate and House will encourage him to do just exactly what he wants. ergo.....

There have been situations where the House, Senate and Presidency were all subject to one party (a trifecta) on many occasions during the 20th & 21st century, They have occurred under both Democratic and Republican control, and most recently Trump had a trifecta for his first two years but wasn?t able to exploit any legislative advantage as the Democrats used the VPs ability to break ties, and they (the Democrats) chaired all the Senate committees and controlled the chamber giving Biden a trifecta for his two years in office.

So we now have Trump with a trifecta at the outset of his second term, with a Republican majority in House (6) and Senate (9), that allows for the odd loose cannon, perhaps even seen as a good thing providing the illusion of debate and dissent. In actual fact the vast majority of Republicans, particularly those newly elected, in both places owe their position to the impact of Trump. What he gives, he can just as easily take away and they know it.

The early indications are that Trump is going to appoint those he sees as ?loyal? irrespective of their qualifications for any particular position.

Kennedy is one example, Health and Human services, with no experience or expertise in such disciplines. Perhaps he would be better as Attorney General, the legal profession is at least one he has some experience and expertise in, much better than;

Matt Gaetz?..someone who many in his own party would prefer wasn?t confirmed, but we will see.

Tulsi Gabbard??Director of National Intelligence, what a singularly ironic role to give to someone who flips her political allegiances and has ZERO past experience in the management of intelligence services, although apparently happy, partnered by Gaetz, to submit bills that would have led to criminal charges against Edward Snowden and Julian Assange being dropped (happily the bills were defeated).

Pete Hegseth??Secretary of Defense??words fail me.

Kristi Noem??Head of Homeland Security?..presumably she will use her position to advance her views on fossil fuel exploitation despite the evidence regarding global warming, and the future for abortion in the USA, including the federal ban she attempted to legislate for in 2020, as well as planning for the mass deportations Trump has promised? (Oh,, and banning embryonic stem cell research!).

There are more, and the appointments aren?t complete, more surprises to come?