Continue Discussion - visit the forum 46 replies
November 2024

aydinke

This is truly going to be the daytime TV pundit cabinet / government, isn’t it?

November 2024

kallend

I hate these unsafe skies. Glad he will make them safe again. :wink:

1 reply
November 2024

James_Hull

Ironic that a person that’s going to end DEI, that supposedly is wrong because it installs unqualified persons in critical positions, is himself completely unqualified for this critical position.

November 2024

n8274k

It’s OK to be in over your head if you know something about swimming. But you can’t work around that by trying to lower the tide.

What kind of leader sets others up to fail?

We have so many important issues in aviation that need experienced minds, not just perfect hair.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ n8274k

wally

Mayor Pete was an experienced mind?

1 reply
November 2024

ChuiMuro

Interesting to have a Canadian post a “comment” about what seems to be the next US Transportation Secretary.
Canadian was quick to mention Duffy’s television career, but nowhere in his comment did he mention that Duffy has a JD. Nor does it mention anything about Duffy being a District Attorney for 6 years prior to his 9 years as Congressman.

Maybe we need someone to enforce rules, in NOT ONLY aviation.

But I get it…at least Buttigieg gained experience in the transportation arena, as a “military Uber” driver.

3 replies
November 2024

12yrvark

Trump says he hires the best people. I take him at his word. Oh, he usually fires those same people, not sure why.

November 2024 ▶ wally

n8274k

I hope we aspire to better than two wrongs making a right

November 2024

musketeerflyer

I posted a reply, but evidently if you disagree with the author you are immediately flagged. This is a one-sided conversation.

November 2024 ▶ ChuiMuro

cannuck

At the cabinet level, it is nice to have SOME experience related to the department, but sometimes a completely unbiased external person can see problems in the forest obscured by the well rooted trees. The expertise comes from the senior bureaucrats, not the Secretary/Minister.

November 2024

dbier

Two things: 1) I’m wondering why the article failed to mention he has a JD and was a District Attorney for 6 years prior to his 2 terms as a Congressman. 2) For what it’s worth - my college buddy (a respected WI attorney - who is moderate politically) knows Duffy personally and believes he’s a great guy and good choice.

November 2024

NopeNotThat

Once the utter insanity of picking people based on fealty rather than skill sets in… the suffering will be beyond comprehension…

Aviation, Medicine… Some of the greatest things in the world came from America… Oh well.

1 reply
November 2024

svanarts

I find it interesting that in real life, the pilots I run into are mostly right of center while on this forum they are mostly left of center.

Yes, interesting.

As to the proposed DOT Secretary I’m not going to try to offer my opinion on what kind of job he’ll do. No need because we’ll find out soon.

2 replies
November 2024 ▶ NopeNotThat

dbier

America voted for a change and clearly felt the former administration’s methodology/choices/policies were intolerable. So reserve your judgement - if you’re able.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ dbier

NopeNotThat

I’ll happily ignore your suggestion. As a 2k hour pilot and 25 year medical professional I think my judgment is far, far better than the common voter… who, among other things, is just now realizing ‘screw the libs’ means bye bye job… Higher costs… Nazis marching… Etc.

ps. nothing I said here was untrue. Union leaders are panicking as their worst fears are now realized, jobs will be vaporized and this comes from the union leaders - not me. Nazis just marched in Ohio openly. Tariffs will result in higher costs, always have and there is no way around it. You can not like the way I said them, but that doesn’t make them factually inaccurate. I thought free speech was important, especially if its accurate. But hey, I get it, feelings apparently DO matter… but still, facts matter more.

2 replies
November 2024 ▶ ChuiMuro

Chuck-the-Wise

When does a television career qualify you for a cabinet position?

November 2024

mambopooch

It would be lovely if we could do without politics on this forum however, picking people that are totally unqualified for their positions and set up to fail is beyond my comprehension. Good luck to all of us in the coming four years.

November 2024 ▶ svanarts

Chuck-the-Wise

Your pilot buddies’ politics have no bearing on who should be in the top position governing aviation safety.

1 reply
November 2024

Chuck-the-Wise

Typical Trump. Being a TV personality and/or rich and/or a golf buddy doesn’t qualify you for anything. Also typical is tying DEI to “unsafe skies,” as if your color or sex put you in the cockpit. You have to qualify as a pilot to be a pilot. I’ve seen golf on TV and know what the symptoms of a cold are but that doesn’t qualify me for surgeon general.

November 2024

bobd

Thank goodness we have someone more qualified to oversee military aviation.

November 2024 ▶ Chuck-the-Wise

svanarts

Nor do yours.

And this makes 20 characters

November 2024

dbier

Why does this system allow NopeNotThat to post inflamatory comments but we can’t reply even in a benign manner?

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ dbier

dbier

I challange the AVweb staff to tell me what in my blocked post was inappropriate or offensive. I’ll wait…

November 2024

FlyerDon

Compared to Matt Gaetz this guy is Clarence from “It’s a Wonderful Life”. He falls into the category of picks that Republican senators can rally around and will breeze through the confirmation process. Apparently his main mission will be to end DEI programs, which seems like something he’ll be able to do in his first week on the job, after that who knows? He’s pro-business which means anti-labor and, short of Delta trying to merge with United, he will approve any proposed airline merger that comes across his desk. Based on his past history I doubt he’ll hold the position for more than two years. The job requires a lot of time and a lot of travel and he has a lot of kids. We should all hope he does a good job regardless of who we voted for. It could have been someone a lot worse.

November 2024 ▶ NopeNotThat

dbier

BTW, Trump will use tarrifs in the way he did last time - selectively - to force countries that are taking advantage of unbalanced trade (i.e. restricting our imports to them) to level the playing field. Are you aware that Biden kept Trumps China tarrifs in place? There will always be extremes on both sides marching (and in the case of libs - occasionally rioting) but when your side labels everyone who disagrees with them as n a z is - that drives the votes away. So by all means please continue letting us live inside your head 24/7.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ NopeNotThat

dbier

BTW, Trump will use tarrifs in the way he did last time - selectively - to force countries that are taking advantage of unbalanced trade (i.e. restricting our imports to them) to level the playing field. Are you aware that Biden kept Trumps China tarrifs in place?

November 2024

dbier

To the AVweb admins: If your system continues to block benign replies to inflamatory comments like those made above by NopeNotThat - then at least please provide the ability for us users to block particular users from our discussion view. I’m all for robust discussion - but your system is not allowing it.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ dbier

NopeNotThat

Snowflake Mode [ON] is the request. For the rest of us: carry on.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ NopeNotThat

NopeNotThat

Actually, how about we just close this thread… you know, save the mods some headache.

November 2024 ▶ ChuiMuro

jbmcnamee

The fact that Mr. Duffy has a law degree doesn’t improve my opinion of his ability to run the DOT, nor does his tenure as a district attorney. It would be nice, for a change, to have someone with an engineering or similar background to run one of the most technically complex departments in the government. DOT not only regulates and oversees the air and land transportation systems, but also the nation’s product pipeline systems. Pretty sure nothing in the law school curriculum covers any of that.

November 2024

Robert_D

The biggest problem I have with this is the phrase “make our skies safe again”. To imply our skies were once safer is a lie. The appointment of this man starts with a lie and that is a huge issue regardless of who he is and what his qualifications are. Why the lies? That is what everyone needs to ask themselves.

November 2024

mjkobb

Wasn’t Trump a proponent of privatizing ATC and user fees during his first term? Pretty sure he was. I’m pretty worried that with majorities in both houses, he may get it through this time, and that will result in a NAS that’s a lot less friendly to general aviation.

November 2024

Frogford

Since when does appropriate experience or expertise have any bearing on political appointees ? (answer: 11/05/24) Tighten your shoulder belts - we are in for some severe turbulence…

November 2024 ▶ svanarts

Frogford

This has nothing to do with left or right of center. We are addressing an issue of knowledge and (preferably) experience. Would you like to find out your doctor did not graduate from medical school?

1 reply
November 2024

TxLoop

It wouldn’t count as particularly relevant experience, but several of the Duffy kids were working part time at the Hayward, WI, airport (KHYR) back in the 1980s. It is possible that Sean was among them.

November 2024 ▶ Frogford

svanarts

As a matter of fact I work at a hospital. The CEO did not graduate from medical school. He went to a business school. He seems to be doing well.

November 2024

svanarts

You have lied more than any other American. Prove me wrong. :slightly_smiling_face:

November 2024 ▶ dbier

NopeNotThat

Ah, rioting. But then, what is rioting?

J6 was just a fun party I s’pose if your rose colored goggles say so.

November 2024 ▶ kallend

goldsternp

Benjamin Franklin once said: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety , deserve neither Liberty nor Safety .”

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ goldsternp

NopeNotThat

Make skies safe again. Are they going to be safe when they slash pay and benefits to ATC workers (‘wasteful, just automate it!’) via that new DOGE department? Should be fun (pulls out popcorn tub)…

November 2024

jon021177

Wine & cheese guy from Canada. What did everyone expect? Avweb’s a skeleton of its formal self. Mainstream media has better aviation content than Avweb these days. I know. I’ll be moderated.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ jon021177

rniles

Cheese? What cheese?

2 replies
November 2024 ▶ rniles

NopeNotThat

This is the most important question in this thread.

November 2024

Raf

The plan to “make our skies safe” is cutting diversity programs while putting someone with zero aviation experience in charge. Worry about unqualified people? They just hired one. The real issue isn’t diversity—it’s clueless leadership.

1 reply
November 2024 ▶ Raf

NopeNotThat

Sigh. The absolute clown show this country is about to experience will be shocking. More of this ‘but we owned the libs’ while walking out with a box from their job will be on t shirts everywhere just a few years from now…

November 2024 ▶ rniles

rpstrong

Should he cut the cheese?