Palin Angling To Be Trump's Overly Ambitious Energy Secretary

by JASmius

I'd have been fascinated to hear in what capacity Trump would want Mrs. Palin to serve. Energy Secretary, perhaps?

- Me, six weeks ago


No, my friends, I'm not a prophet.  At least not about this prognostication.  It wasn't a difficult forecast to make:

Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin says she'd be happy to serve in a Donald Trump administration, but he wouldn't ever have to tell her, "Your fired" — she'd do it herself.

Palin, in an interview aired Sunday on CNN's State of the Union said she'd like be energy secretary "'cause energy is my baby" in oil-rich Alaska.

That would make sense.  She's done with elective politics, will never run for anything again, and couldn't get elected even if she did.  But she could still serve in an appointed Cabinet position.  This would seem to be a good fit.

And while the Energy Department is unconstitutional, it would appear that Mrs. Palin's understanding of the founding document inflates the power that she and her would-be boss would have to carry out what she vowed to do next:

"If I were head of that, I would get rid of it and I would let the States start having more control over the lands that are within their boundaries, and the people who are affected by the developments within their States," Palin said. "It would be a short-term job but … it would be really great to have someone who knows energy, and is pro-responsible development to be in charge."

Laudable goals, all.  But ones that would require congressional legislation to enact into law.  A President Trump certainly couldn't (and wouldn't in any case) "get rid of"" the Energy Department or any other Cabinet level agency on his own, nor devolve Energy's authorities (back) to the States on his own Executive authority, much less a Secretary Palin.  She, on his behalf, could certainly lobby Congress for it, and Congress would almost certainly not do it, but that's the best that she/he/they could do within the enumerated powers set forth in Article II.

The sentiments sound good, but there would never be any concrete results.

Rather like the Trump candidacy itself, actually.

Unsurprising that Mrs. Palin doesn't recognize it.