Serving the United States "at the pleasure of the President" has always been high in the mind of politicians and citizens - whether for the power, or the recognition, to be of service, or for the money.
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Appointment Related Links |
Updated Sunday May 7 2008 1:00 am MST |
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On Behalf of the People Presidential Transitions When the its present administration was elected in 2000 there was a period of about ten months as the transition took place. While the White House understood the risk of terrorist activity, it is an open question about whether they were ready for the September 11 attack. At the very least it is clear that the terrorists understood that this was an unstable time which occurs at the end and the start of each presidential administration. When this inauguration of a new government is in place in 2009, the transition will be far more prepared for any kind of interim problem. The leadership of each political party is fully aware that there can be no space for outsiders to take advantage of this weak moment in American government. A new administration has a brief time to get a clear understanding of present American policy and the facts which support that policy. Because of the changing personnel it is critically important that the presidential appointments get made early and confirmed as soon as possible. Historically it takes as much as a year for the primary appointments to be made, confirmed and the personnel installed in their new positions. This delay is very practical because it is much like any other employment project. Candidate applications must be completed and submitted. Backgrounds must be checked. Qualifications must be examined. Politicians who have recommended candidates must be satisfied that correct appointments are being made. All of this much be done as carefully and completely as possible - on On Behalf of the People. President Bush has adopted a strategy of shoving the Congress, exhibiting an angry and petulant attitude which reflects his lack of skill in putting together consensus leadership. In purely human terms, this style does not work in the day-in, day-out business of governing. In terms of political appointments, it is effectively shutting down both the confirmation process and confidence in his lame-duck status which will bring people into the government via the appointment process. The Democratic Senate is applying the "Gotcha Game" to pending appointments to apply pressure to the White House on priority legislation Defense Secretary Gates and Secretary of State Rice have established a joint policy which is quickly deepening the diplomatic initiative in Iraq and Iran while smoothing out US relationships worldwide. Further, Gates, in spite of a catastrophic war on his hands, is regaining control of the military strategy from the White House, and from Cheney and Bush in particular. This is situation where the unusual coalition of State and Defense is applying a more common sense approach. Power is often finessed out from under a President and his close advisors when the White House becomes irrational, as at the end of the Nixon Presidency, or when the President cannot escape from an unsuccessful array of policy and attitude, as in the Bush White House. Right or wrong, that phenomenon is occurring at this stage of the Bush Presidency. Presidential appointees usually accept positions at least in part because of the respect and status that brings. Serious blunders in an Administration, such as the weird in-house press conference staged by FEMA this week tends to scare off potential nominees who may be spooked by the Lame Duck problem. Open positions - important positions - such as on the Consumer Product Safety Commission and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission put the Nation at risk and suggest either a firm lack of commitment to fill appointments, or an inability to convince people to take the risk of serving in a decidedly unpopular Presidency. 10 28 007 On Behalf of the People Copyright 2003 - 2008 John Isaacson (John Isaacson graduated from Washington University Law School - He was involved in state politics as campaign manager for Governor and as state Republican Campaign Chairman in 1963-1964. Isaacson was an Air Force Intelligence Officer in Europe during the Berlin Crisis under John Kennedy - President Nixon appointed him to serve on the President's Commission for the Observance of the 25th Anniversary of the United Nations, serving on the Executive Committee and the China Subcommittee which recommended the admission of China to the United Nations. His political experience includes meetings with Presidents Harry Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Nixon, and Ford. He enjoyed a long personal friendship with Eleanor Roosevelt and Edna Gellhorn, the founder of The League of Women Voters. Isaacson has traveled extensively throughout Europe and the Near and Far East.) ECONOMY WATCH As the economy is getting more nervous - by the day - nobody mentions the outrageous debt incurred by the Bush Administration with fat cat tax breaks and heavy war debt. What is astonishing is that the economy is so strong that it has absorbed all that without significant inflation and recession along the way. The Clinton campaign clearly has the economy as its focus, again. If nominated, she will remind voters by the hour about another Bush recession and weak economy. The GOP candidate will have to swallow it, or have a tall explanation about how to deal with another economic struggle. A war-time economy is hard to kill but the economy team of Presidential nominees will have a tough ride after November 2008 picks a new man for the White House. September 8 2007 |
The Inspector General Program In 1978 the Congress created the Inspector General program across the Federal system. Now more than five dozen agencies have Inspector General operations. Check out this new part of the side at Inspector's General in the United States. 5-7-08 Federal Judiciary Visit the new Federal Judiciary page in this site by clicking this link White House Torture Sport Two Presidential Appointees, including Harriett Meir - have told the Congress to stuff their subpoenas - the Congress asked the Attorney General to prosecute their contempt citations - with the same response. The Congress will file civil prosecutions to try to get materials and testimony. Flat out contempt for the Constitution. 4-12-08 Muscling the Military The President's absolutely incapacity to listen to any opinion other than his own has again undermined the military role in the Iraq-Iran setting. He forgets that he builds his policy on military opinions, he cannot be surprised that negative opinions will occur - too. So he fired Admiral Fallon when he disagreed. The Pres always has to make his own decisions - not put some junior person - like a four star officer or a navy admiral on the spot. 3-13-08 2-27-08 Both McCain and Obama are now drawing up campaign staffs for the General Election - and hundreds of politicians and other power brokers are busy giving away the thousands of patronage positions which will go the winning candidate for President in November 2008. Shutting Down at Work The general patronage crew appointed by the Bush administration is headed home. Many will hang around on the possibility of another GOP administration in 2009 - that means up to 16 years in office with another pair of GOP terms. They also know that it will take a new Democratic administration the better part of 2009 to replace most GOP incumbent employees. 2-13-08 Secretary of Agriculture is confirmed - 2 2 08. The confirmation was without objection and is important to stymied farm bill can be negotiated with White House. Consumer Products Safety Commission - 1-28-08 We are seeing the real dangers of GOP policy limiting consumer based safety by Bush Administration and GOP Congresses since 2000 .
Federal Requests for Nominations: This page lists open appointments where nominations and applications are due at this time. There are actual jobs and positions across the government. The instructions to apply, or to recommend someone by nomination, are clearly set out with each separate federal announcement on this page. This information provides the persons to contact and the way to make applications, as well as the duties of the positions, the terms of the appointments, and other important details. This material is updated every business day, and reflects government postings for the prior business day. The page has instructions for use of the page. If you need free advice or help in finding information, or using this site, call 617 504 3699, or e-mail Director@Presidential-Appointments.org Seminar Discussions A logical part of preparation for public service is seminar discussion with others interested in a similar task, and the valuable instruction in that informal sort of setting. Select Seminars for other preliminary information on our planned regional seminars. Thank you, John Isaacson 617 504 3699
Seminar Discussions A logical part of preparation for public service is seminar discussion with others interested in a similar task, and the valuable instruction in that informal sort of setting. Select Seminars for other preliminary information on our planned regional seminars. Thank you, John Isaacson 617 504 3699
Helpful quick check of status on appointments from The Congressional Record. Strong search operation for date from roughly previous Senate business day. 2-9-08
Corporate - Organization Interests Non-Governmental Organizations and private corporations not only have great interests in which person is appointed to which federal position, but many have strong access to high talent. These entities are training grounds for many people who enter public appointed service for a period of time. Please consider discussing this opportunity for service by contacting me at: Director@Presidential-Appointments.org
ALERT: Surface mail to Capitol Hill is now diverted someplace - New York we hear - where it is opened, scanned and sent to the Hill in digital form. If you are communicating with Congress - consider a fax, an e-mail, or hand it to a Field Office representative of a Senator or Congressman near you. 2-9-08
The photos include subjects which are governed by federal appointments. Copyright 2002 - 2008 John Isaacson
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NASA has recently violated the rules of independent boards
studying various programs. The specific issue arises over
the independent board which is to study the airship which will
return after knots from the next on one mission. The Inspector
General claims a specific violation of Federal law and this
apparently occurs regularly at NASA. The details of the
issue are found at:
.