Words Fail Me

If you think Trump is an egomaniac, get this:

The Interior Department took estimates for setting up four flag poles outside its main building in Washington, D.C., to fly personal flags for Secretary Ryan Zinke at a cost as high as $200,000, according to internal emails released Monday by the agency.

The department ultimately decided against installing the new poles, the documents show, choosing instead in March 2017 to use three smaller, existing poles on top of its building.

Personal flags.

Zinke has received media attention for his desire to fly specialized flags above the department that would signify his presence. Zinke is a former Navy SEAL. An Interior spokeswoman said he wanted to fly the flag as a way of restoring honor and tradition to the department.

"Secretary Zinke has a deep respect for tradition. Since his confirmation, the Secretary has made a concerted effort to uphold, and in this case, revive long-held traditions at Interior," Spokeswoman Heather Swift told the Hill.

What traditions do you suppose he wants to revive? Certainly not maintaining the public lands the government holds in trust for the people of the United States.

If he really wants to restore the honor of the Department of the Interior, he should resign.

(Via Joe.My.God.)

But wait -- it gets better:

Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke tried to justify his decision to decrease Bears Ear National Monument by claiming that he is a scientist and thus he knows better.

According to CNN, Zinke told lawmakers, “I’m a geologist. I can assure you that oil and gas in Bears Ears was not part of my decision matrix. A geologist will tell you there is little, if any, oil and gas.”

This marks at least the 40th time Zinke has made the claim, including the times he was under oath before Congress. While Zinke has a Bachelor of Science degree in geology from the University of Oregon, the degree does not equate the position, no more than having a Bachelors in pre-med makes someone a doctor.

I have a bachelor's degree in psychology. I don't call myself a psychologist.

In his autobiography, Zinke confessed that he went to the University of Oregon on a football scholarship and picked his major at random.

“I studied geology as a result of closing my eyes and randomly pointing to a major from the academic catalog, and I never looked back. I am just glad I did not find electronics,” he wrote.

After graduating, Zinke went into the Navy to become a SEAL. After, he went into business and politics, never once worked as a geologist.

At least I deliberately decided on psychology as my major.

Well, just remember -- Trump hires the best people.