Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

EarlG

(23,582 posts)
25. I don't like the coastal elite stereotype
Fri Mar 6, 2026, 02:50 PM
Yesterday

It plays into the right wing's claims that experts are useless, which has led us to the shitshow we're in now.

Markwayne Mullin has proven that he's a good plumber -- he inherited his dad's plumbing business, and he grew it and sold it for a profit. He also has an Associate's degree in construction technology.

Meanwhile, the last serious head of DHS was Alejandro Mayorkas. Here's his resume before getting the job:

He graduated from UC Berkeley in history with honors, subsequently earning his J.D. from Loyola Marymount University. After law school, Mayorkas worked as an assistant United States attorney and as the United States attorney for the Central District of California in Los Angeles from 1998 to 2001.

In 2009, Mayorkas was a member of the presidential transition team for Barack Obama, leading the team responsible for the U.S. Department of Justice's Criminal Division. He was appointed by President Obama as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. As USCIS director, Mayorkas implemented the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) process in 60 days.

He led U.S. government efforts to rescue orphaned children following the January 2010 earthquake in Haiti, and led the advancement of a crime victims unit that, for the first time, made it possible for the agency to issue the statutory maximum number of visas to victims of crime.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alejandro_Mayorkas

Here's the thing: if Alejandro Mayorkas tried to do Markwayne Mullin's job for a day, he'd be laughed out of town. He's not a plumber, he's not trained as a plumber, so why on earth would anyone take him seriously if he showed up and tried to be a plumber?

But if Markwayne Mullin is appointed to do Alejandro Mayorkas's job, for some reason, the general cultural opinion seems to be that we should treat it as serious business, because we don't want to offend people with our "elitism."

It doesn't make sense to me. Good plumbers are experts. So are heads of the Department of Homeland Security. It doesn't mean that they're qualified to do each other's jobs.

Recommendations

12 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

I assume he was hated by his fellow Senators Johonny Yesterday #1
It misses the part about how MWM went 3-0 in his MMA fighting career AZJonnie Yesterday #2
A degree in drywallogy UpInArms Yesterday #3
OT: your icon is sadly appropos -War is Indeed a Racket jfz9580m Yesterday #5
yes, I read the book a long time ago UpInArms Yesterday #6
Ah yes - the plot by those industrialists against FDR jfz9580m Yesterday #9
Here's some real truth....War makes rich men richer. Bengus81 Yesterday #11
the guy is a total dumbass Kali Yesterday #4
TBH I just don't think a home improvement expert is qualified to run the Department of Homeland Security EarlG Yesterday #7
in general I agree, and specifically him I TOTALLY agree Kali Yesterday #14
I don't like the coastal elite stereotype EarlG Yesterday #25
I am just saying the college/law degrees Kali Yesterday #28
"I am just saying the college/law degrees TBF 21 hrs ago #36
His post is about those in Congress,not every Liberal everywhre having a college degree Bengus81 Yesterday #8
is a law degree a requirement for being elected to office? Kali Yesterday #16
I want Cabinet Appointments to be educated leftstreet Yesterday #15
a doctor and a senator are not the same thing Kali Yesterday #18
But we can always use another plumber, especially so close to the White House FakeNoose Yesterday #23
wonder if he had anything to do with all the marble they inflicted on the Kali Yesterday #29
Watch the flare up in a Senate meeting wanting to fight a guy testifying. No wonder a Trump likes Bengus81 Yesterday #10
Maybe he'll at least fund FEMA recoveries. intheflow Yesterday #12
I wonder if he would hire a cashier at 7-Eleven to do his plumbing? Why does he think... Ol Janx Spirit Yesterday #13
He's the only one from a truly safe state Figarosmom Yesterday #17
Well, he's got that kind of face. You just want to Exp Yesterday #19
Only the best people twodogsbarking Yesterday #20
So the guy is Tim Allen, right? Remember the episode of Home Improvement where Tim juiced up a garbage disposal PatrickforB Yesterday #21
Let's bring out Weird Al... BumRushDaShow Yesterday #22
In other words, he is less qualified for the position than I am. LoisB Yesterday #24
This made me smile LetMyPeopleVote Yesterday #26
He is very very anti.immigrant..that and how much he flatters trump, thats all trump cares about BlueWaveNeverEnd Yesterday #27
I only have a high school degree and so does my husband crimycarny Yesterday #30
As an aside, I am an engineer also with a BSEE. I work for an MEP firm and madinmaryland Yesterday #32
Oh puhleeze crimycarny 23 hrs ago #33
Roid Raging Senator 2na fisherman Yesterday #31
The only qualification..... SergeStorms 22 hrs ago #34
Plumb Dumb. Period! czarjak 21 hrs ago #35
TSF replaced LilElf70 19 hrs ago #37
He's a lunatic. An ex-MMA fighter. BlueTsunami2018 19 hrs ago #38
"Meet the new boss.... same as the old boss" - The Who Jack Valentino 19 hrs ago #39
Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Pic Of The Moment: Let's ...»Reply #25