* President-Elect Donald Trump has been, as we know, generally sparing of details about his still nascent economic program. But he has underscored one notable priority: infrastructure. “And we will put millions of our people to work as we rebuild it,” he has said. To that end, he has set up a transition team website that, among other things, calls for $550 billion to be spent primarily on roads, rail and airports.
How ironic would it be if a President Trump, who puts such a premium on infrastructure, jobs and moving America forward, were to revisit high-speed rail for Florida? He knows all about the ultimate swing state’s I-4 Corridor, the need to expedite transit in the Orlando-Tampa megalopolis and the number of jobs awaiting creation–both from infrastructure as well as synergistic developments around stations.
Think Rick Scott would respond to President Donald Trump the way he responded to President Barack Obama?
* Interesting move by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren to fire off that heat-seeking epistle to President-Elect Trump. It took no rhetorical prisoners in criticizing his transition team’s Wall Street ties. It was a blatantly obvious preview of likely upcoming confirmation battles.
It was also a sign that Warren, 67, is assuming the mantle of populist, establishment trappings-be-damned, de facto leader of the Democrats. She’s saying, in effect: “I’ll be keeping score and I’ll be keeping this party in movement mode.” And she could be positioned as next up to finally shatter that historic glass ceiling–but without Hillary Clinton baggage.
Had Clinton won the election, Warren would likely be looking at a cabinet appointment. But in 2020, she could be eyeing up a 74-year-old incumbent who might have worn thin and fallen demonstrably shy of making America “great again.”
* Everybody agrees that Attorney General Pam Bondi, who whored out for Trump early on, has the inside track on a position with the Trump Administration. She’s already met with the president-elect’s transition team. Drug czar has been mentioned. Too bad it’s not chancellor of Trump U.
* Here’s the good news on actual Trump cabinet selections and those rumored in the running. Trump supporters Dennis Rodman, Ted Nugent, Charlie Sheen, MikeTyson and members of the Robertson Duck Dynasty family are not–repeat not–being considered. And no truth to the rumor that Ann Coulter is a lock to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.