The reactions of people to Trump's Cabinet picks (and top advisors) have been mixed. Even supporters of Trump cheer some of the choices while grumbling (or going crazy) at others. 

Three choices have elicited especially harsh criticism: Matt Gaetz, Tulsi Gabbard, and RFK Jr. 

Gaetz has inspired the most consternation, although the attacks on Gabbard have, in some ways, been more vicious because she has sacrificed much as a member of the military and is now being accused of being a Russian mole or terrorist apologist. 

Joe Walsh Flames Tulsi Gabbard As 'Putin Cheerleader' Who Wants to Seek 'Revenge For Russia' https://t.co/RMcMkKerOf

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) November 16, 2024

The attacks on Gaetz are vicious enough but in a different way. They go straight to his character and seem based on unproven smears, even less supported by any evidence than the smears directed at Brett Kavanaugh and my writing buddy Mark Judge. We keep hearing about evidence and witnesses but never have seen any of either. Much of the hatred is based on his opposition to the corrupt system and not really about any ethical lapses. 

But even less controversial picks are being attacked based on their views, their inexperience, or some other and more vague concerns. 

Rubio is too much of a hawk, Tulsi too much of a dove, and Hegseth, also a hawk, is too outside the box and inexperienced in the way that the Generals who run the Pentagon are experienced. Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy will be wrecking balls. 

How long before the Star of David is labeled a racist symbol by the left wing mob? We must stop this nonsense. https://t.co/hRXX9ArCDp

— Ezra A. Cohen (@EzraACohen) November 16, 2024

And all of them are scaring the bejeezus out of Establishment Washington. 

DEI employees threatening to quit over Sec Def Hegseth appointment

FDA employees threatening to quit over RFK Jr HHS appointment

DOJ employees threatening to quit over AG Gaetz appointment

At this rate Elon & Vivek won't have to fire hardly anybody. Fkn tremendous.

— Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) November 15, 2024

I can't say whether all of these picks will be ideal or even good because the proof will be in the pudding. A recipe is only good if the results are good and the chefs are skilled. But one thing I have noticed is that Trump, this time, isn't just bringing in loyalists, as presidents usually do, and he was unable to in 2017, but he is bringing in the most diverse group of advisors in decades. 

Does anybody think Marco Rubio and Tulsi Gabbard will agree on everything? Elise Stefanik will have her own views, too. God knows what Elon Musk will toss into the mix on any number of issues. 

Trump has assembled, if not a team of rivals exactly, a team filled with strong-willed people who will articulate different views on different issues and not be stuck in ideological ruts. 

The path we have been following hasn't worked out so well, either domestically or abroad. Trump's team is inclined to move fast and break things, as happens in the entrepreneurial world, and that scares people who are thriving in the current system. 

In an ideal world, moving fast and fixing things instead of breaking then fixing them would be better, but we don't live in that world. Nobody knows how to fix things because the blob is a blob, not a machine susceptible to tweaks that will improve things. 

There are no "white paper" solutions to problems that have metastasized over decades. 

So Trump is hiring extraordinary people with innovative and often competing ideas and will set them loose. Some of what they try will fail; sometimes, they will be rivals, and other times allies. 

Trump doesn't have a lot of time to make massive changes, and massive changes need to be made. Washington insiders have neither the inclination nor the stomach to break what needs to be broken. 

Being hated by Washington insiders isn't necessarily a qualification for any of these jobs, but anybody who IS qualified for these positions will necessarily be hated by them. I don't assume howls of despair or rage from the right people prove that Gaetz is the perfect choice or that Tulsi Gabbard will turn out to be a great DNI, but the howls of rage are at least indicative that they could be. 

Anybody who doesn't elicit rage and fear is the wrong choice. 

I am comforted that Trump hasn't chosen an ideologically uniform group. That means Trump will hear from people who disagree and make the final decisions. This will be no Biden administration that was simply a more radical Obama term. Real decisions will be made at the top based on weighing the best arguments made by people unafraid to disagree. 

That's a good place to start.