“It is time to drain the swamp in Washington, D.C.” has become the driving slogan of the Trump transition. The words supplement the promises Trump made in the campaign trail to millions of people who feel Capitol Hill suffers from an influx of self-serving politicians worried about their next election instead of the bill lying on their intern’s desk.

Some fear that Trump’s rendition of swamp draining involves the destruction of delicate international relations and the suppression of progressive domestic reform. Others call for moderation in verbal assaults, predicting that Trump’s rhetoric is merely rhetoric. Instead, this side of the discussion asserts that Trump’s policies will reflect traditional Washington protocol. Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary seems to suggest the latter.

Coming in 2017, co-CEO of Dune Capital Management and Hollywood producer, Steven Mnuchin, will face the United States Senate with hopes of confirmation for the Treasury Secretary position. Mnuchin will be the third Goldman Sachs executive to occupy the cabinet position, with Robert Rubin under Bill Clinton and Henry Paulson under George W. Bush preceding him.

One popular assault on the choice last week came from Senator Elizabeth Warren, asserting that "[Trump’s] selection as Treasury Secretary should send shivers down the spine of every American who got hit hard by the financial crisis, and is the latest sign that Donald Trump has no intention of draining the swamp and every intention of running Washington to benefit himself and his rich buddies." Throughout his campaign, Trump seemed to suggest a new cast of characters embodying the characteristics of the American people that would step through the doors of the Executive Mansion. Nonetheless, Senator Warren claims that Mnuchin is the kind of alligator Trump promised to drain.

While some worry Mnuchin is more of the same, others shiver at the potential chaos Mnuchin could catalyze with a shake-up on banking regulation approaches. In an interview with CNBC, Steven Mnuchin expressed the need to rollback certain provisions of the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

"So we want to strip back parts of Dodd-Frank and that will be the number one priority on the regulatory side," stated Mnuchin as reported by a rush transcript of the interview with CNBC.

Senate Democrats have already made it clear that Mnuchin will face hellfire and more come the time for Senate hearings, but it is important to take a step back to understand the situation at hand. Ultimately, the question is whether Mnuchin is a controversial choice for Treasury Secretary. The answer, much like any prominent issue, is gray. In a lot of ways, Mnuchin is a very controversial pick. For Trump supporters, it will be hard to find comfort in an investment banker and hedge-fund manager with close ties to George Soros occupying an influential position near Trump’s ear. Not to mention, Mnuchin’s track record of donating to Democrats should unsettle conservatives.

On the regulatory side, Mnuchin’s call to review and strip parts of Dodd-Frank prompt comparisons to a late 20th century mindset promoting the deregulation of the financial industry. Many fear the resurgence of such a doctrine as a poorly regulated industry played a key role in creating the economic environment for the Great Recession. Dodd-Frank was a response to what many saw as an industry prioritizing obscene profits over sound financial products. Specifically, Dodd-Frank was passed to reduce systemic risk within the financial markets and protect investors from future financial crises.

With Speaker Paul Ryan already setting his sights on easing the regulatory side of the act, it wouldn’t be hard to picture the deterioration of Dodd-Frank in the near future. Needless to say, it would be interesting to see a clash between overzealous Republicans led by Mnuchin and Federal Reserve Chairwoman, Janet Yellen. Yellen has made it quite clear that diminishing Dodd-Frank would damage the condition of the financial system, making it susceptible to a redux of the Great Recession.

Dodd-Frank aside, Mnuchin less controversial side emerges in that it is easy to picture any other traditional Republican appointing him to the position. Mnuchin’s comments and appointment have revived a familiar debate encompassing the whole of political activity before the election: the size and scope of government, particularly in the regulation of financial services.