Kellyanne Conway's 'opioid cabinet' sidelines drug czar's experts

[DonViejo]

Source: Politico




In Trump's White House, political appointees take control as the opioid epidemic rages.

By BRIANNA EHLEY and SARAH KARLIN-SMITH 02/06/2018 05:18 AM EST

President Donald Trump’s war on opioids is beginning to look more like a war on his drug policy office.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway has taken control of the opioids agenda, quietly freezing out drug policy professionals and relying instead on political staff to address a lethal crisis claiming about 175 lives a day. The main response so far has been to call for a border wall and to promise a "just say no” campaign.

Trump is expected to propose massive cuts this month to the “drug czar” office, just as he attempted in last year’s budget before backing off. He hasn’t named a permanent director for the office, and the chief of staff was sacked in December. For months, the office’s top political appointee was a 24-year-old Trump campaign staffer with no relevant qualifications. Its senior leadership consists of a skeleton crew of three political appointees, down from nine a year ago.

"It’s fair to say the ONDCP has pretty much been systematically excluded from key decisions about opioids and the strategy moving forward,” said a former Trump administration staffer, using shorthand for the Office of National Drug Control Policy, which has steered federal drug policy since the Reagan years.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/06/kellyanne-conway-opioid-drug-czar-325457

[dewsgirl]

1. This falls right in line with his other picks, considering

The rumors of Kellyanne Conway's very own opioid addiction.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

2. KellyAnn? Opioids? I'd have guessed "Meth". nt

[dewsgirl]

6. Actually heard that too, but they are rumors. Rumors

That have persisted since the campaign.

[Politicub]

8. Trump and his cabinet snort lines off Stormy's ass

Now that you mention it, the whole lot of them show the signs of meth addiction.

[Rollo]

14. In my humble opinion, Trump is addicted to cocaine...

...and his long term abuse of the substance has led to his constant sniffling...

[YOHABLO]

3. I wish Conway would just fade away. She's so abrasive and opportunistic. Can't stand her.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. Dear qualified people who have devoted your lives to becoming knowledgeable on any given subject:

Drop dead.

[barbtries]

5. what is their end game?

do they have one? is it just wholesale destruction of the government and if so, to what end? I truly fear for the future of our democracy.

I'm reading The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump. I recommend it to anyone and everyone. Time is short.

[not fooled]

9. It's laid out here

[link:https://www.amazon.com/Democracy-Chains-History-Radical-Stealth/dp/1101980966/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517929778&sr=8-1&keywords=democracy+in+chains|]

“This sixty-year campaign to make libertarianism mainstream and eventually take the government itself is at the heart of Democracy in Chains. . . . If you're worried about what all this means for America's future, you should be” – NPR

[barbtries]

12. thank you.

i added it to my wishlist because i have a backlog of books to read. the one i'm reading right now though, The Dangerous Case of Donald Trump, is really so good i may have to read it again.

[Politicub]

7. You would think Trump would like having a czar

So Russian. So Putin. Although he probably pronounces it as Caesar.

[Rollo]

13. How saladicious...

[Angry Dragon]

10. what a cluster f__k

[lark]

11. drumpf probably has taken bribes to let the drug companies continue to push opioids.

He only does things that benefit him personally.

[TheFrenchRazor]

15. can't believe the number of people here who love the War on Drugs. nt

[riversedge]

16. Conways needs to resign from this post and Trump needs to appoint someone with knowledge

of addictions. This is a sham and hurtful to the people and families who need Help!