Black conservative nominated to to lead State Department's Policy Planning department

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo officiates the Swearing-In Ceremony for Dr. Kiron Skinner as Director of Policy Planning, at the Department of State

(The Daily Signal) - "Skinner, 57, has led cutting-edge technology projects at major universities, served on the Defense Policy Board (which advises the Pentagon), and is as comfortable with generals and general managers as she is with diplomats. By picking her, Pompeo shows that he gets it. Skinner is a good fit for Pompeo’s team. She is a big thinker. While she may be a less familiar name to folks in foreign policy circles, she is well known in the national security and tech policy communities. She will be a strong bridge between the converging world of all things online, security, and diplomacy."

Read more: https://www.dailysignal.com/2018/08/30/in-key-post-at-state-kiron-skinner-will-advance-trump-security-strategy/

⥢ PRO & CON⥤

Heritage Pres. Kay Coles James, a black conservative, on the appointment: Dr. Kiron Skinner "Embraces the Philosophy of Ronald Reagan"

The Heritage Foundation President, argues that Dr. Kiron Skinner is the right person for the job, she writes:

“Watching Skinner on Monday, I was struck, not only by how familiar the process of hollowing out language felt but by how quickly, easily, and politely a Washington audience can accommodate itself to it. Skinner comes to the position with every conceivable qualification, her impeccable national security credentials sharpened by years of experience in academia, government and the private sector. Her stellar collaborative ability and long-standing connections across the conservative community will be vital tools in building consensus in the administration for a strong American foreign policy, and in advising the president and the secretary on turning those policy ideas into reality."  

More: “Her long track record is clear: Skinner embraces the philosophy of Ronald Reagan – strong, conservative American leadership on the global stage is vitally important, both for the U.S. and for the world. In her new role, Skinner will have the opportunity to advance that philosophy, to the benefit of generations to come.”

Heritage Pres. Kay Coles James: Dr. Kiron Skinner "Embraces the Philosophy of Ronald Reagan" https://www.heritage.org/press/heritage-pres-kay-coles-james-dr-kiron-skinner-embraces-the-philosophy-ronald-reagan




Masha Gessen: Under Trump, the Language We Use to Create Political Reality Is Crumbling 

Asserts the Russian-American journalist and LGBT rights activist,. From The New Yorker: "A large part of Skinner’s job is listening to what the President says and trying to make sense of it. She said as much. “The President provides the hunches and instincts,” she said, “and it’s my job, and that of Secretary Pompeo, to turn those hunches and instincts into hypotheses.” She called the hypotheses the “Trump Doctrine” and the “Pompeo Corollary.” Slaughter, logically, asked what the Trump Doctrine was. “That’s a tough one,” Skinner responded, without a hint of irony. “It is, in a kind of broad way, a set of pillars that address twenty-first-century realities.”

She continues his commentary: "I have heard talk like this before, in Russia. A government official once told me that he “carried out emanations”: not policies, laws, or even orders but signals akin to what Skinner called “hunches and instincts.” It’s what officials do in countries that are led by a combination of ignorance and corruption."

sUnder Trump, the Language We Use to Create Political Reality Is Crumbling https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/under-trump-the-language-we-use-to-create-political-reality-is-crumbling