To be honest, when it comes to personalities in line for the top jobs in Trump’s team to run America, I know little, but I am learning and if I had the time and inclination I would learn a whole lot more.

I don’t know too much about Elizabeth Warren but my brief assessment is she is smart and influential, and I gather she does not like President-elect Trump, but her comments have been noted and will be weighed: “Based on public reports, your transition team and your potential cabinet include over twenty Wall Street elites, industry insiders, and lobbyists making decisions that could have huge implications for their clients or employers,” Warren writes. “They include, among many others, a former Goldman Sachs executive who is rumored to be a Treasury Secretary pick; a paid consultant for Verizon who is making key decisions on your administration’s Federal Communication Commission; a ‘top lobbyist’ whose firm lobbied on behalf of issues related to the Trans-Pacific Partnership who is shaping your Labor Department; and a climate-change-denying, oil industry-paid think tank fellow who is leading your environmental team’s transition … You made numerous promises to the American people in your election campaign, none bigger than the promise to ‘drain the swamp’ of Washington D.C. special interests rigged against the middle class.  The decisions you make with your transition team will shape the next four years of this nation. They will also reflect the strength of your character and your ability to truly lead–not just follow the marching orders of the special interests and Wall Street bankers you purportedly oppose … Let me be clear. Should you refuse, I will oppose you, every step of the way, for the next four years. I will champion the millions of Americans you will fail to protect.  I will track your every move, and I will remind Americans, every day, of the actions you take that fail them. And I will not be the only one watching.  The millions of Americans who voted for you – and the millions who didn’t – will all be watching you.”

I have often reflected on the claim the US President has the most powerful job on the planet, and this in the light of the position the current President has found himself in. Despite all his “power”, he is limited by various systemic checks and balances, specifically by the judiciary and, significantly, the legislature (the Houses of Representatives and Senate), which in his case, but NOT in the case of the President elect it seems, is dominated by those who do NOT belong to his party, and their opposition has done much to reign in power and prevent him furthering his agenda. One of the significant things the President can do is appoint people of his choice to positions of power and, undoubtedly, the power the collective appointees will be able to exercise will be monumental, as history has shown. I am beginning to come to a view concerning those who have been appointed and who may be so in the near future, but right now I am keeping my powder dry and taking in what the wise and the foolish, the supporters and the opposition, have had to say on the matter. Like most people of good will, on both sides of the debate, I hope Trump brings together a “great” team, if only in the best interests of the country, but am realistic to predict it is likely to be a mixed bag and where his leadership will be crucial, because the reality is that all great powers are subject to events outside their control, as well as, in America’s case, the will of the people, and what America needs right now is leadership of the right kind.

Somehow, this got me thinking about King Rehoboam. According to Wikipedia: “Rehoboam was an Israelite king mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. According to I Kings and II Chronicles, he was initially king of the United Monarchy of Israel, but after the ten northern tribes of Israel rebelled in 932/931 BC to form the independent Kingdom of Israel (Samaria), he remained as king of only the Kingdom of Judah, or southern kingdom. He was a son of Solomon and a grandson of David… The assembly for the coronation of Solomon’s successor, Rehoboam, was called at Shechem, the one sacredly historic city within the territory of the Ten Tribes. Before the coronation took place the assembly requested certain reforms in the policy followed by Rehoboam’s father, Solomon. The reforms requested would materially reduce the royal exchequer and hence its power to continue the magnificence of Solomon’s court. The older men counseled Rehoboam at least to speak to the people in a civil manner (it is not clear whether they counseled him to accept the demands). However, the new king sought the advice from the people he had grown up with, who advised the king to show no weakness to the people, and to tax them even more”.

Without going too deeply into the history of Israel and Judah, as fascinating (to me) the subject is, I do see certain parallels, taking as a starting point that Rheoboam’s cronies, who were clearly not the right people for the job’s on offer, could be likened to what could take place under a Trump administration. But taking that parallel even further, if Trump were to appoint the wrong people for the wrong reasons, as opposed to the right people for the right reasons, the result could be disastrous, as it was for Israel (which was to become a divided nation, that declined thereafter; it had achieved greatness that was never to be surpassed prior to Rheoboam becoming king). As for me, I will assess the situation regarding appointees and present my views. As well as watch, I will pray.