Are President-elect Donald Trump’s initial picks for key posts in his cabinet beyond the pale — or are they merely strong indications that he intends to govern in ways he said he would on the campaign trail, a platform to which most American voters gave the thumbs-up in the ballot booth?

That’s our Question of the Week for readers.

The former and future president certainly signaled to the country that his would be an agenda of change. But did you expect, for instance, a choice of Matt Gaetz, the Florida congressman who had been the subject of a House ethics inquiry, as the nation’s next attorney general? He’s a lawyer and was a lawmaker, but has no management experience. But is the latter not a problem, because he can hire experienced managers as his deputies to oversee the giant bureaucracy, and implement the president’s policies from the top? Some say the nomination was simply to clear up his congressional troubles, and that Trump doesn’t really expect him to be confirmed by the Senate.

Are they right, or will he serve?

What about Tulsi Gabbard as director of national intelligence? The former Hawaii congresswoman has military experience, but none in the nation’s legions of spy corps. As DNI she would oversee the CIA, the NSA and all the other top-secret agencies. Critics loathe her kind words for Vladimir Putin and the fact that she met with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. Supporters say those stands and actions come from her fear of nuclear war and disdain for Islamic terrorism, and love her libertarian leanings, including support for dropping criminal charges against Edward Snowden and work to release Julian Assange. Would she be good at this crucial job?

What about Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to oversee Health and Human Services? He’s been prominent in COVID conspiracy circles and has said “There’s no vaccine that is safe and effective.” He’s also an advocate for healthier eating and for fighting the obesity epidemic in our country. Will he be an effective overseer of Americans’ healthcare?

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