NEWS NOTES and ARCHIVED MATERIAL FROM 2004 TO TODAY

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2011 News Notes

Confirmation Tracker - Nominee Status:

The confirmation process - from Presidential nomination to being sworn into a federal appointment after confirmation by the United States Senate - is a contentious process. While that has been true from the start of the Nation, the experience in recent years makes confirmation delays more threatening to governing. In the half-century we have participated in the concept of Presidential Appointments, the frustrations involved have raised dramatically.

One issue is the United States Senate Rule which allows a Senator to put a hold on a given nomination without explanation by the Senator - blocking all future action until the hold is released. While that rule could be modified at the start of the next Senate session in January, 2011, smart money says it will not happen - Senators love that absolute power to leverage or block a nomination for any reason.

Another issue is the difficulty of convincing qualified nominees to take the jobs - whether because of the abuse in getting appointed, or the cuts in pay, or the move to Washington, or breaking up an established job - there are many good reasons. All of these issues are identical for each political party - intrinsic to the patronage of the United States Presidency.

We have more inquiries about the status of nominations and appointments than any other issue resulting from this page. The process is straightforward, but that process is often opaque, has many steps, and is reasonably complex to follow. It is also usually a long and frustrating process for those of us watching the process.

The materials on this page are collected in more or less calendar order from items deleted on other pages but which remain interesting.  We suggest that you search this page using the Google search function in the upper right part of this page - using a key work or phrase of interest to you - it will find that subject anywhere in the entire site.

National Security Council Changes

The next Congress is likely to re-think confirmation requirements for the unconfirmed members of the National Security Council. The GOP in particular would like more control over the President's appointments. Because the statutory members of the Council are largely confirmed by the Senate, changes in the statutory structure of the Council are unlikely. 11-01-10

5-30-10:  Oil Problems in Gulf:  The President is in Chicago until tomorrow on a President's holiday - which in general is never a holiday - the government and the White House is sitting in his lap no matter where he is.  The Gulf oil problem is extraordinarily unmanageable both from the viewpoint of oil science and political science.  The word is that the President will take extreme action on the cleanup side with highly supervised, military sort of approach to the cleanup side.  The military will provide the structure, the government will provide the gear, and BP will be directed to stop the oil flow - and pay for it all.  The Man has lost his temper and has had it with the nonsense from everybody in the Gulf.  We will see what happens in the next 72 hours to prove this scuttlebutt about the Executive Office is true.   11:30 am MDT - 5-30-10

Confirmation Confrontations:  In the last six weeks the battle between the Republican Senators and the President has slowed down a bit.  Confirmations are happening faster and the Senate seems to be catching up on its work.  Take a look at the Pending Confirmations provided by the Senate for details. 5-2-10

Senator Kyle (R-Arizona) Vicious Supporter of Online Gambling

Arizona's conservative Senator has placed a "hold" on four Department of Treasury Presidential nominees to try to leverage the end of attempts to regulate online internet gambling.  He'll lose - maybe he needs a gambling prevention treatment program?? 1-28-10

Convolutions of Cranky Politics

Senator David Vitter of Louisiana has placed a Senatorial "hold" to block the President's nominations in Louisiana to force him to keep Bush US Attorney Jim Letten as a GOP Holdover - the President wants a Democrat.  Problem:  Letten is prosecuting the conservative gangsters who tried to sabotage the telephone system of the Democratic Senator of Louisiana and are headed for prison.  In addition, one of those defendant's Daddy is the US Attorney in a neighboring area of Louisiana.  Good Luck Guys!  01-28-10

The President Wins on this One

The President has been clear that he prefers the regular confirmation process in the Senate, and by taking on the fuss directly - has made it too politically expensive for those who outrageously hold up appointments for leverage purposes.  Surely the struggle is not over - this is politics after all - and the process was created in at the signing of the Constitution to assure some control over Presidential appointments.  It is all working better now.  01-12-10

Patent Office Shaken Up:  The US Patent Office has a new Obama Director, Gary Locke, from IBM.  He has given notice to fix the three year delay in getting new patent applications approved.  The former IBM guy on patents laid down the law within days of being sworn into his new office.  10-21-09

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Noisy Chat on Non-confirmation Appointments:  Throughout the life of the United States there has been a squabble about which Presidential Appointments are subject to the Senate's Constitutional "Advise and Consent" power.  The Constitution is specific - requiring confirmation on some appointments. such as the President's Cabinet.  When we remember that the entire Federal Government operated on patronage, the Senate would have done nothing but appointments.  The movement now is to limit the capacity of the President to make those appointments that do not requirement confirmation.  The squabble was triggered by the so-called "Czar" controversy of the moment. 10-18-09

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Nominations Moving    The Obama White House nominations are now moving along through the Senate after some political delays.  Obama's White House is somewhat ahead of the experience of recent Presidents.  That is probably because of the level of crisis at the moment, and the strong vote count in the Senate.

     Even so - getting jobs filled earlier is a constructive circumstance which makes government more efficient. 09-29-09

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Scientists across the country have joined in a letter (see Letter) to both Presidential candidates asking for a close in and powerful appointee - even a cabinet department - to coordinate science advice to the new Presidential Administration.  After eight years of direct conflict with the Bush Administration and the religious right which intentionally skewed, even edited out, scientific fact from government reports, the science world is seeking a a change.  A NASA public relations employee was finally fired for refusing to publish any scientific report from NASA which referred to data older than the 6000 year "creation date" which is policy in some churches.  An issue is that other departments try hard to control science appointments internally in a power struggle with the White House, arguing their control of appointments is critically to good management. Science Page 11-03-08

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     Military Getting Ready for Transition Trouble:  The US Military has a transition team in place, anticipating trouble from terrorists - or somebody - during the 2008 Presidential Transition and the early part of the next Presidency.  This planning remembers the 2001 problems with a bad transition.  Details are in a piece in the Washington Post.   2008 Transition  10-26-08

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      Picking the new White House:  The New York Times has an interesting review and sum up of current transition news from both Presidential campaigns about who will be early appointments.  This is a good background piece for possible appointment candidates across-the-board - at all levels.  It gives a sense of how decisions are being made.  This is high on the list of "must read" pieces for our readers!  See:  Times Transition Article 10-25-08

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UPDATED:  Today's reports indicate Obama Campaign - as authorized by law - is moving firmly to be in a position to proceed with the transition if elected - McCain Campaign is not doing transition work.  See Social Security News.   Campaigns Prepare for Presidency:  The Presidential Transition is under way in both campaigns as policy committees and personnel search operations starts up.  The Obama Campaign operations are more in the open, but the McCain organization would not have to recruit as many new people - they could carry over the Bush appointees in many situations.  The Nation learned from 9-11 that in today's world a long transfer of power in a new administration is a dangerous exercise.   The new President must be ready for real issues on the day after he is elected.  Presidential Transition  10-21-08

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     A Denver Federal Judge from Denver stepped down from his lifetime appointment the week.  Appointed during the first Bush administration, several charges of misconduct have been filed against him.  This unusual situation is detailed in the Rocky Mountain News. 10-17-08  Federal Judiciary

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William Timmons, a lobbyist, was selected by candidate John McCain to head the Presidential Transition Team required of both major candidates at this time.  There are accusations that he was somehow connected to lobbying for Sadam Hussein, of all people, in the United States.  If true, this puts McCain into an awkward situation in the last three weeks of the election cycle.  Added to the selection of Governor Palin of Alaska which is costing him acceptance in the election, it is at least reasonable to consider his staffing skills for a new administration if elected.  Transition Information 10-15-08

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     Federal Judges have long been one of the most stable and sensible parts of the United States government.  In recent months the number of Judges under examination for misconduct has grown dramatically - causing serious alarm across the legal system.  A detailed study appears in the Houston Chronicle today. 10-13-08

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     Today's general economic worldwide is again bringing the Council of Economic Advisors and the Secretary of the Treasury appointments of the next President into primary focus.  The Obama campaign is cautiously mentioning the money minds which influence its candidate, and the McCain organization is trying live down John's communication with de-regulators.  Obama is following the FDR model of looking forward to January 20th and avoiding trying to influence current money issues.  Not having a long legislative history of economic issue mistakes is helping him.  10-6-08

Confirmation Scorecard

Tracking the status of confirmations is always a fuzzy exercise.  There are times in the process when the status of a given nomination is not on the public record or easily accessible. There are about 95 pending Presidential appointments in the Senate at this point.  That is about the same as was true for President George W Bush at the same stage of his Presidency.  We are now keeping a daily scorecard on pending confirmations.  On March 17 it was 2 new nominations from the President, one confirmation from the Senate, making the tentative score right now - is 96 pending nominations.  This number will get more valid in coming days - it is always an interesting question with a blurry answer.  3-21-10

Senate Rules Boil Down to 15th Century Monarchy

     The United States Senate rules that require more than 51 votes - a majority - to confirm appointments - or that allow one Senator to block appointments or legislation with "holds" - are precisely what the 1776 Revolution was about - eliminate them!  Senators are taking themselves way too seriously!  The Senators - of both parties - have acted for decades like they prefer powdered wigs and silk underwear to representing US citizens.  It has become body of spoiled brats and people who believe way too much in their own entitlement.  John Isaacson, Director@Presidential-Appointments.org.   03-12-10

We are shifting Presidential-Appointments to a more focused distribution of information to citizens who find an interest in impacting the conduct of their government.  See the Focus and Mission page for further detail.

Problem Agencies

 Presidential-Appointments.org has become the most widely ready source of information on the web over the last decade.  In the evolution of the page, two fundamental judgments seem clear about executive patronage:

• While there are genuinely massive amounts of information provided on the internet about executive personnel, it is only the information any given White House and the civil service wants to be there.  That information is far from complete.  Sometimes it is there and very difficult to find, even for experienced scholars, the press, and data gatherers.  Admittedly, the United States government is very very large and complex and information requires some experience to find - but in the overall - unavailable information does not give the People any manageable way to understand their government, its policy and conduct.

• For a number of reasons, preoccupation - other responsibilities - and lack of information often limits public participation and oversight.  Often, as well, the Executive and the daily government personnel intentionally limit that participation - only about one-half of all Citizen Advisory Committee spots are filled, perhaps 30,000 positions remain open - obviously intentionally.  We see broader research and distribution of information about executive personnel policy and conduct as an apt role for Presidential-Appointments.org.  We are moving to implement those goals over the coming days.

The current oil crisis reminds our society that corruption can easily infiltrate an open government when citizens do not watch, and do trust government officials to be responsible without being watched.

Very often the watching can be the hard part - especially at times when the government in the White House is complicit.  That happened with the Vice President organizing the conflict during the Bush Presidency.  But - the scheme was vulnerable in the Interior Department where the illicit activity was in fact in the open - not locked inside the top of the administration.

Presidential appointments of the President failed the people by - at least - accepting the lower standards for BP in the Gulf drilling scheme.  Properly regulated and examined as the law required, and the probabilities of the death and property loss we are experiencing may well not have happened.

General in Trouble:  Gen. Stanley McChrystal is in trouble with the the boss - the President - for critical, nasty cracks about the Vice President, the President, and other government officials.  The appointment military has gotten into bad habits since the start of the Reagan Presidency, bossing the White House around - putting civilian control on the back bench.  Obama put an end to it last summer - and like an unruly draft horse - the military doesn't like the civilian control.  A total redo of the top military is likely in appointments by the President - the Republicans will shout a lot about it - and McChrystal's retirement (firing) is imminent.  Keeping the military in harness is a worldwide problem for every government, and for all time.  6-22-10

Senate Hearings Cancelled     

Senate confirmation issues can be stopped by Senators who refuse to allow hearings of any sort  - that was done by Republican Senators on Wednesday as part of their obstructive programs against Health Care bills.  In normal times, the Senate gives permission for hearings to occur in Senate Committees while the Senate itself is in session.  A single Senator, sometimes anonymously - simply has to state that he or she objects - and all hearings business shuts down.   That happened on Wednesday, 3-24-01, and hearings on nominations and legislation shut down in mid-hearing.  Those nomination hearings will be rescheduled and will be re-posted here.  03-25-10

The "Experienced Appointment"

     The problem of a President is to "get a hold on the government" - or to know how to operate the "levers" of government.  Talking about government as a candidate in one thing, running the government as President is another.  There are powerful forces in each separate part of the government with well directed agendas - not necessarily those of the President and his White House.  Incoming President's who choose officials who have been in government can smooth that out and speed up getting control.  A very difficult time - such as the one Obama inherited - requires such appointments.

    Other Presidents - such as Truman - Nixon, Johnson and the first Bush - were long time political pros - and brought almost complete "governments" with them.  Bush II and Clinton brought much of their state governments from their governor days with them -and it took way too long for them to get the government in tow.  Alexander Haig was one of those White House appointments who was invaluable because he knew how to make the government work.  02-22-10

Major Nominations Expected this Week

The President is likely to make major nominations to be sent to the Senate for confirmation this week.  The idea is to round out the major task of filling key jobs which change with administrations - US Marshals - US Attorneys - Ambassadors and similar transition positions still unfilled.  The Senate returns from the President's Day holiday which means hearings on nominations should expand in the next few days. 02-22-10

The National Labor Relations Board is a Big Issue

The NLRB fight to get a new Board member is shaping up into a recess appointment.  The nominee was dumped because the GOP thought he was pro-labor.  02-21-10

CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEES

     In 1972, the Congress created the "Citizen Advisory Committee" legislation.  The idea was, and is today, to put citizens on non-paid committees to advise various agencies.  The program is managed by an agency that provides administrative to the average 1000 committees that exist most of the time.

     The President has directed that no paid lobbyists to appointed to those citizen committees.  01-14-10

The President Used the Senatorial "HOLD" Rule

President Obama - while a United States Senator from Illinois before his election - used the "hold" rules against appointments just as Senators are using the rule against his appointments today.  He has complained about what he considers the inappropriate delay in appointments during the last week - even though he used the same process in the Senate while there.  02-02-10

New Look At Obama Nominations and Confirmations

     The President is about in line with the schedule of Presidential Appointments of recent Presidents.  The process is a always slowed by the problem of finding people who will leave established professions and jobs to take a public position which may require a move to another city and a disruption of about everything.  Also, the background vetting is a complex and timing consuming process for every President - but worth the trouble and time to prevent embarrassment for both the President and the candidate later.  Most nominations go through the Senate confirmation process routinely, although it takes some time.  A few, of course, get tangled up in all sorts of politics about the job, the policy around the job, their own backgrounds or policy positions, or the political "holds" of particular Senators.  Even with all this - jobs are filled on almost a daily basis.  In the meantime, open positions are filled by "hold over" appointments from prior administrations, or by senior civil servants from the agency involved.  02-01-10

Senator Bond of Missouri Enforcing "Hold" on GSA Nominee

Senator Kit Bond - a longtime hack politician from Missouri, is retiring and on the way out, dishing out another in a long history of the worst smell of Missouri county politics.  He is "holding" the nomination of Obama GSA nominee Martha Johnson for reasons lost in his mind somewhere.  This leaves the GSA - the Nation's largest purchasing and management agency, in the hands of a temporary fill-in leader.  Bond is known for taking illegal campaign contributions which he has had to cough up later in places as remote as Butte Montana. 01-29-10

Lobbyists Lookin' for Work!

     In 1972, the Congress created citizen "Advisory Committees" across the government. There is something over 1200 of them at the moment, and even the GAO openly admits to not being sure about where they all are in government.

     The number of openings goes as high as 60,000, but they are created on a more or less individual basis by agencies and various parts of the Federal Government.  "Citizen" was the operative work in the idea.  Over the years, many of the positions have been held by Lobbyists - paid representatives of specialized interest groups of various sorts - hardly citizen representatives envisioned by the original legislation that created them. 

     The President has decided to block lobbyists from the those committees starting immediately.  This is a huge decision in returning the government to the people.  12-01-09

Security Appointments

  Security related appointees are meeting the with President today - trying to know what happened in their agencies that allowed the Christmas bomber on a plane to Detroit.  The bomber's attempt to destroy an airliner on Christmas day is putting serious light on White House appointees - patronage officials - on the spot to explain why he slipped through various screening processes.  In general, it appears that the segmented intelligence services did not talk to each other - but that is the subject of endless meetings now and the next weeks.  The greatest immediate impact will be on pending nominations and the conduct of Senators in the confirmation process.  01-05-10

Senators "Hold" on Chair of Federal Reserve

      Bernard Sanders, Senator from Vermont, is blocking confirmation of Bernanke in effort to limit Fed powers.  The personal privilege "hold" can be blasted from the nomination by 60 Senators.  That is expected to  happen.   PA Page on "Senatorial Holds" 12-3-09 11-04-09 -  Senators Bunning (R-KY), and DeMint, (R-SC) added "holds" today - for a variety of reasons related to Federal Reserve policy.

Saturday:  Both the White House and the Senate leadership are taking a new look at the possibility that Fed Chair nominee Ben Bernanke might not be confirmed - and seem to be moving to push hard for confirmation next week.  The problem is that most of the discontent among Senators is among those who have issues with the Federal Reserve Bank itself - and its structure and policy.  One of the serious concerns is the impact of an unstable Fed for weeks or months on markets and banking in general.  A vote today would look more like a narrow win for the confirmation in light of this thinking.  01-23-10 --  Friday - Afternoon: The count of Senator votes Friday afternoon suggests Ben Bernanke cannot be confirmed.  Looks like a loser!  Friday Noon: The Senate leadership is going to let Ben Bernanke hang out on his confirmation vote.  The leadership seems to be retreating from all-out support for his nomination as it comes up for confirmation.  He may just be a victim of political atmosphere. 01-22-10

Returned Un-opened

  Just before recessing for Christmas, the United States Senate confirmed a couple of dozen Presidential Appointments in a single vote.  Six other nominations were  not confirmed and were returned to the President to either re-nominate or select new nominations for the positions.  All of the returned nominations faced huge opposition by the conservative parts of the Senate.  This process is governed by a rule of the Senate that requires certain unconfirmed nominations be returned if there is a 30 day recess pending.  01-01-10

The President is Re-Submitting those Nominations Returned because of the Senate Christmas Recess

President Obama has re-nominated a number of candidates for federal appointments to the Senate for action when the body returns to work next week.  Some of these were nominations not fully completed, some were controversial, being under "holds" by various Senators.  The process will pick up where it left off in December. 1-15-10

Four Reasons Why Democrats Should

Oppose the Bernanke Reappointment

WASHINGTON, January 25 – In a letter to Senate colleagues, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today offered four reasons why Democrats should oppose the reappointment of Ben Bernanke as Chairman of the Federal Reserve. Here is the letter:

Dear Democratic Colleague:

            The American people today are suffering through the worst economy since the Great Depression with 17.3 percent of the American workforce either unemployed or underemployed. Millions more have lost their homes, their savings, their health care and their pensions.  At a time like this let me provide four reasons why Ben Bernanke should not be confirmed as chairman of the Fed.

1)   Not only was Mr. Bernanke first nominated to the Fed by President George W. Bush, but he served in the Bush administration as chairman of the Council of Economic Advisors.  Let us never forget that the Bush years, even before the collapse of Wall Street, were an economic disaster for the average American.  Mr. Bernanke, who was recently endorsed for reappointment by Alan Greenspan, played a major role in the deregulatory efforts that enabled major financial institutions to engage in reckless and illegal behavior.  The American people gave us the responsibility to bring about change, not the maintenance of the status quo.  Why, at this difficult moment in American history, should we reappoint Wall Street’s candidate as chairman of the Fed? 

2)   One of the main functions of the Fed is to maintain the safety and soundness of our financial system.  No one can deny that Mr. Bernanke, as chairman of the Fed, was asleep at the wheel while Wall Street became the largest gambling casino in the history of the world and hurtled into insolvency – at enormous cost to our country.  Not since the Great Depression has our financial system been as unsafe, unsound and unstable than under Ben Bernanke's tenure as chairman of the Fed.  Why should Mr. Bernanke be rewarded with reappointment after he failed so terribly to do his job?

3)   As part of the bailout, the Fed lent out trillions of dollars in virtually zero-interest loans to large financial institutions.  Mr. Bernanke has consistently refused to provide the transparency needed so that the American people can learn which banks received those loans and the terms that were provided to them.  In addition, the Fed continues to keep secret a number of documents related to its role in the AIG bailout.  Why should this type of secrecy be tolerated?

4)   The Fed, today, has the tools to significantly improve our economy and a mandate to conduct monetary policy in support of full employment.  It has the authority to protect consumers by lowering the outrageously high interest rates that millions are paying.  It has the authority to provide low-interest loans to credit-worthy small and medium size business that are in desperate need of that capital which will enable them to create the new jobs our economy needs.  It has the authority to require bailed out banks to modify home loans to allow homeowners to stay in their homes.  It has the authority to begin breaking up those huge financial institutions that, in a number of cases, are even bigger today than they were when we bailed them out because they were “too big to fail.” 

            Instead of confirming one of the key architects of George Bush’s economic agenda, a new nominee could transform the Fed into a central bank committed to the needs of the middle class of this country rather than powerful Wall Street executives responsible for the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.

Bernanke Vote Due in the Senate

     Three United States Senators placed "holds" on the nomination of Chairman Ben Bernanke to be Chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank for another term.  The issues relate to the "bailout" issues of the last 15 months and how both the Fed and Bernanke functioned during that period.  These are issue of policy, not impropriety.  The nomination was approved by the confirmation committee in the Senate, and Majority Leader Reid will seek cloture if other discussions on policy do not cause the Senators in question to release the holds.  The Chairman's term ends in two weeks. 01-19-20.

Southers TSA Nominee Bails

Erroll Southers, the President's Nominee to head the Transportation Safety Administration has withdrawn his name.  His confirmation had been blocked by a far right Senator who was leveraging the nomination to stop unionizing of the TSA.  But Southers could have survived that - but had several personal issues related to misuse of secure materials earlier came up after the nomination..  That conduct in the past was more than the nomination could overcome.  The lesson is for potential candidates to "reveal all" during the vetting process prior to nomination.  The White House got caught because Southers had not told of his misconduct during the FBI and White House checks and it caught up with him.  See "Clean Up Your Act." 01-20-10

Eunice W. Johnson

      The wife of John H Johnson who was founder of Ebony Magazine, Jet, and a variety of other publications directed to the African American community, died today.  John Johnson was a frequent Presidential Appointee, including as a member of the United Nations Commission in 1969. 01-01-10

Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget - father and groom-to-be.

     Director Orszag a divorced father of two, father of a child with a recent lover, now is about to be married to a third lady.  The story of this high ranking Presidential Appointee is amusing Washington - and apparently not destroying his credibility - at least on numbers larger than three. 01-11-10

US Attorney Appointment Stymied in Pennsylvania

     The US Senators from Pennsylvania cannot agree on a nominee to recommend to the President for US Attorney.  A temporary US Attorney is managing that office for now - but this hang-up is no compliment to either the White House when it does not make a nomination nor the Senators for not taking care of their state's needs in an important legal office.  1-08-10

2009 News Notes

These are items which were originally located on one of the pages of Presidential-Appointments.org and are archived here.  If you are not browsing archives, the best way to manage this information is to do a page search,  using the find or search function on your browser for the subject or topic which is of interest to you.  Feel free to contact us at Chairman@Presidential-Appointments.org for further information.

Cabinet Complete:    The Obama Cabinet is complete, as are the President-Elect's personal White House Staff and the staff of various Counselors in various areas, such as in the many economic subjects which are so important right now.  Among the inquiries we get at this site, most applicants for the less obvious positions are not doing their political due diligence in preparation of their applications.  Most do not buy into the concept that the White House is never willing to make appointments without consultation with Representatives, Senators, Governors and other political forces related to the application.  It is absolutely essential that applicants for patronage positions recognize the power of politicians in the ultimate decisions.  Certainly, the White House may act against that consultation, but they won't like.  In short - put together good communications with the elected politicians and party officials from your community or state to support your application for an Executive appointment. 12-16-08

2008 - Next Administration Appointments:  Now - with a new President and administration - new people interested in Presidential appointments are positioning themselves.  It is a safe bet that the itch to serve the next President is well developed in thousands of Americans - it is the nature of the political beast - and they are all looking for appointments.  How that itch is organized and managed for the next two years will determine who receives appointments - take a look at  2008 Appointments to consider the perspective and advice of this site..

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Scientists in government:     Scientists across the country have joined in a letter (see Letter) to both Presidential candidates asking for a close in and powerful appointee - even a cabinet department - to coordinate science advice to the new Presidential Administration.  After eight years of direct conflict with the Bush Administration and the religious right which intentionally skewed, even edited out, scientific fact from government reports, the science world is seeking a a change.  A NASA public relations employee was finally fired for refusing to publish any scientific report from NASA which referred to data older than the 6000 year "creation date" which is policy in some churches.  An issue is that other departments try hard to control science appointments internally in a power struggle with the White House, arguing their control of appointments is critically to good management. Science Page 11-03-08

     Appointees in Trouble:  The torture issues presently before the Country raise tough moral, political, and legal questions which approach Constitutional proportions.  Presidential Appointees are at the core of the issue - men and women appointed by President George W. Bush are on the firing line facing serious challenges and punishments for their conduct.

     A fundamental issue in studying  appointee responsibilities is where a person's loyalties are placed - with the President who appointed that person - or to the Constitutional and legal principles of the United States.  At the end of the Second World War there was general consensus that everyone from the top - Hitler in that war - to the lowest solider and civilian - had a duty to moral authority first - and political authority second.  More than a few men died on the hangman's noose for violating that idea.  Now the issue is raised again in the current torture cases.

     At present, there is a split of political leadership on the subject.  So far - the people at the bottom of the chain of command - people who probably did the actual torture of terrorists are outside the risk area for prosecution.  These are largely civil servants who are not political appointees of the President of the United States.

    However, at least four Justice Department appointees, Secretary Rice, Attorney General Gonzales, and perhaps both the President and Vice President are at risk of punishment for violating the law in order to justify known torture violations.  At the least, there are going to be massive criticisms of these men and women.

     These issues of loyalty occur in every administration.  The recent Bush administration that demanded dogmatic loyalty to administration policy seemed to have more allegiance to the President than to the the laws of the Nation which challenged his policies.  The next years will be a time when the Nation reexamines the responsibilities of Presidential appointees to the Law and their conduct On Behalf of the People.  (09-24-09)

The Obama Cabinet is Complete:  The Obama Cabinet is complete.  The President-Elect's personal White House Staff and the staff of various Counselors in various areas, such as in the many economic subjects which are so important right now are taking shape.  Among the inquiries we get at this site, most applicants for the less obvious positions are now doing their political due diligence in preparation of their applications.  Most do not buy into the concept that the White House is never willing to make appointments without consultation with Representatives, Senators, Governors and other political forces related to the application.  It is absolutely essential that applicants for patronage positions recognize the power of politicians in the ultimate decisions.  Certainly, the White House may act against that consultation, but they won't like.  In short - put together good communications with the elected politicians and party officials from your community or state to support your application for an Executive appointment. 12-24-08

Science and the White House - President Obama has a made a series of personnel decisions and policy decisions in the area of science and technology which reverses several decades of frustration for the science.  More...

Appointment Tracking: Presidential Nominations requiring Senate confirmation - from the point of a vacancy occurring through the confirmation processes until the retirement of appointee from that office, even the tracking steps to the ultimate retirement or death of that appointee are complex. The process itself is difficult but clearly available in the law and in the general procedures of the White House and the United States Senate. However, on a day-to-day basis long term tracking of nominations and subsequent results of the nomination and positioning of the nominee in office is a maze of internet pages, government documents, and the public press. Significant research by e-mail and telephone is often required.

     These issues of securing information, plus a general lack of in depth sources - across the board obtuseness and sometimes even intentional obscuration of executive appointee data impinges on the transparency of government in general. In short - accurate and complete information about the patronage processes and personnel are often opaque not only to the general population and the World but to those who govern as well.

      Presidential-Appointments.org and "The User's Guide to Power" for several years before on the Internet has consistently tried to produce information that was helpful and gave some sort of direction about this entire process. Over those years the explosion of the government's postings on the Internet certainly provided more information, but not necessarily all the information needed for a transparent government. There are private sources which are helpful, too. Many of those have an agenda of one kind or another - per se - in a society that is free and encourages opinion and political involvement that is a good thing. What is missing across the board is a source which is open and objective, without bias in its information base, and separates its comments and opinions from the quality of the data on executive appointments which it provides.

2008 ARCHIVED NEWS NOTES. .

The items on this page are from other parts of this site as they become archival.  They are not indexed although generally are posted by the date they were originally written.  We suggest you search the page with the "Find" or "Search" function on your browser..

The President-Elect has selected governors for key positions - a reflection of the importance of strong administrative officers in the cabinet offices.  All but one will be replaced by another Democrat, the other by a Republican Governor.  The reactions of the various states involved are not clear. 12-05-08

Citizens across the US are looking into Executive Appointments with the new Administration.  While we are always ready to visit with anybody on the phone or by email, but we also suggest you look at the site pages dealing with preparing yourself for an appointment.  It easily takes time to get ready for an appointment - so now is the time to start. 11-1-08

Burrowing In:  The Bush Administration is turning political pals into civil servants in the federal government.  This process is called "burrowing in"  - sort of like a little beast like the forest tick burrowing into your hide to poison your body.  Buddy political appointees are converted to civil service jobs so they are tough to fire -- keeping a job for life and installing party politicos and their policies into the government.  Details are in a copyrighted Washington Post Article today.  12-05-08

Science:  Scientists across the country have joined in a letter (see Letter) to both Presidential candidates asking for a close in and powerful appointee - even a cabinet department - to coordinate science advice to the new Presidential Administration.  After eight years of direct conflict with the Bush Administration and the religious right which intentionally skewed, even edited out, scientific fact from government reports, the science world is seeking a a change.  A NASA public relations employee was finally fired for refusing to publish any scientific report from NASA which referred to data older than the 6000 year "creation date" which is policy in some churches.  An issue is that other departments try hard to control science appointments internally in a power struggle with the White House, arguing their control of appointments is critically to good management. Science Page 11-03-08

2008 - Next Administration Appointments:  As candidates emerge for the 2008 Presidential election and a new President and administration - new people interested in Presidential appointments are positioning themselves.  It is a safe bet that the itch to serve the next President is well developed in thousands of Americans - it is the nature of the political beast - and they are all looking for appointments.  How that itch is organized and managed for the next two years will determine who receives appointments - take a look at  2008 Appointments to consider the perspective and advice of this site.

Jobs in the Congress: -  With the Democratic Party in the majority in both houses - there will be important staffing issues - not only do they need more people with expertise in essentially every government field, but they know the 2008 elections are wide open, and they have the feel, and the itch, of power in the offing.  That boils down to opportunities for those with a bent to work with the Democratic Party - now.  Staffing up a new administration is a huge task, and two years is important in that run up - if a Hill office has a suggestion for a new President - that is Power.  Obviously one access to Executive Appointments is through the Congress - and it will be the presently elected Congress that advises the new President in 2008 - regardless of Party.  (2/24/07)

Jobs in the Presidential Campaigns:  With the Presidential candidates getting into the fight early - there have to be both paid and volunteer jobs in each of the campaigns.  The front runners in both parties tend to get the more experienced expert and lead staffers - but those pro staffers are usually not particularly well qualified in the substantive fields of government - and that is where you may find your spot.  These situations are open at all levels of candidacy, and in all regions.  There are surely several thousand candidates around the country who will have some sort of influence in ultimate Presidential appointments for either of the major Parties.  Access to full Executive Appointments comes from all directions - all levels, and from all sorts of influences.  However, now is the time to start sorting it out if you are going to be a successful appointee in 2008. (3/24/07)

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

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

 Pouty President:  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

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

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.

New Appointments  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.

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

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

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

Governor Palin:  Governor Palin ducked the issues related to Judge appointments while Senator Biden made it clear that Judicial policy is a key subject for confirmation.  She has shown no understanding of the Judicial issues, and may well have been ducking the rights of women in the debate.  She talked about women's rights positively - but does not include reproductive rights as one of those.  Judicial appointments are clearly a major issue, at least for the conservative side.  Obama policy is clear opposite and would make appointments to the Judicial Bench which are rights oriented. 10-3-08

Next Treasury Secretary:  Today's general economic worldwide is again bringing the Council of Economic Advisors and the Secretary of the Treasury appointments of the next President into primary focus.  The Obama campaign is cautiously mentioning the money minds which influence its candidate, and the McCain organization is trying live down John's communication with de-regulators.  Obama is following the FDR model of looking forward to January 20th and avoiding trying to influence current money issues.  Not having a long legislative history of economic issue mistakes is helping him.  10-6-08

Romney on Judges:  Throughout the long Presidential primaries and general campaign for 2008, Supreme Court Judge appointments have been a important issue with a real impact on voter decisions.  Mitt Romney - campaigning on behalf of the McCain ticket - reminded an audience in Elko, Nevada, that John McCain would make judicial nominations along the lines of the Bush Samuel Alito and John Roberts appointments.  10-4-08

Since the election we have received a number of calls from people frustrated with the search for positions that may be open in the next few months.  The reality is that many positions are clearly identified - the "Plum Book" and other sites like those provide some information.  Searching within the large departments - on the internet and through individuals in the departments - and inquiries through present officials and elected members of the Senate and House take the search a long way.  The process in indeed frustrating at some times - but that is the way it is - and it is difficult to make it easier.  It is in the nature of the patronage process at the present time.

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Bush Administration appointments:  There are scheduled appointments coming up regularly.  These will, of course, be made by the Bush Administration through noon on January 20, 2009.  (You can rely on several dozen being made the morning of the inauguration, along with last minute pardons, regardless of who wins in November 2008.)  New temporary commissions and committees will be appointed, funded, and serve particular goals of the administration.  These usually retire by the end of an administration.  Term appointments - those for a certain length of time - will be appointed and continue into the next administration until the term involved ends.

As Presidencies move toward ending - Presidential appointees often move on - usually in the private sector - sometimes to run for office - many just go home and many are worn out.  Often - appointees look for situations to be folded into the civil service.   Administrations like that of course - because is keeps people of their own policy in government - although sharp policy commitments tend to disappear as the job is permanent - sort of the same problem the Presidents have with court appointees - they get out of policy control when they are not beholden to the party or the White House.

     There is an opportunity for those willing to risk holding a job for only two or three years until the end of the current Presidential term - and perhaps into the next term.  It takes a few months or even a year or two for new administrations to fill many jobs - whether of the same part or an opposition party.  The result is that an appointment made in the next year can easily be a very productive and exciting experience - but perhaps  limited to two or three years maximum.

     Most people seeking appointments are focused on a particular job or at least a particular area of work.  Most have an idea where they would like to work.  From this point on in the appointment process works the same as the appointments at the start of a term.  However - the wear and tear on the White House appointments people is much less now - less appointments to be made - the staff is more experienced in the process - make decisions quicker in many cases - so things can happen quicker. October 28 2007

       Belly-Up Presidential Candidates:  The number of Presidential Candidates has begun to slim - at least two have gone Belly-Up on money and support.  If you happen to end up supporting one of the candidates who have failed, or will fail, move your preparation for an appointment to a candidate still in the fight.  You have some power in that move because you will bring a certain amount of your own constituency to the new candidate - that is important in the business of assembling power.  Don't assume that because you stood behind a particular candidate that you are weak - exactly the opposite is true!  February 24 2007

In less than eight months the new President will select a new cabinet and at least 20,000 new political appointments.  The transition to a new government is already in process.  Immediately after the election presidential transition will become a formal operation in Washington DC to facilitate the new government that takes office on January 20 2009.

About 2,500 of these appointments will require confirmation by the United States Senate.  The transition will take at least a year to complete and there may still be candidates from the present administration in office as late as eighteen months after the new administration takes office.

Presidential appointments will can begin the tracking of the transition process as of May 1, 2008.  You will see evidence of this process from now through most of 2009.  Most pages will be modified as the policies of the new administration impact the way the next government will operate.  (Please review the comments in the center column below.)  (4-26-08)

January 29 2008:  The Kennedy Family that was left behind is attempting to use a fine family and political tradition to influence a Presidential election.  Invoking that history is important to a candidate - but almost nobody under 60 has any remembrance of that era.  Clearly - it has an impact.  But it also releases the Clintons, particularly Bill Clinton, who owns the practical day to day politics of Democratic Party to enforce the rules of counting votes, to apply the political power they have to the party mechanism, and that is where the real power of the Party is located.

Comment

The President and the Senate are engaged in a squabble that prevents strategic and important positions from being filled in departments where - without appointees - government in that area ceases functioning.  There is little hope that these nominations and confirmations will be made until a new President assumes office on January 20 2009.  What is happening is that the White House either nominates people who the Senate will not confirm, or the President will not appoint Democrats to positions which, by agreement, must be filled by Democrats.  We - as citizens - can expect better service from the President and from those in the Senate, both Republican and Democrat who refuse to compromise on confirming nominees.  2-25-08

Patronage - executive appointments - have long plagued government at all levels with a substantial lack of loyalty to any cause but the Executive and his cause.  The United States has been no exception.  In recent years patronage has been a more blatant political weapon than before World War II.  In 2009 there is another of the periodic restarts of the federal government which a new  President, and perhaps a new political party.  With that change, there will be a major change of personnel at the patronage level.  The quality of those filling the positions is a matter of real importance to the People and the Nation. 2-9-08

White House - Senate Battle on Recess appointments on Recess page:  Important application of "Checks and Balances" Constitutional policy at work!  11 19 07

There is chat about "Shadow Cabinets" and "Shadow Governments" in the news.  The reality is that with long campaign periods - probably close to eleven months this time - that many appointments, a few of the top ones and many of the lesser thousands of them will be well defined by the time the Presidential Transition begins on November 5th 2008.  It is unlawful to actually promise appointee positions until a candidate is elected.  In practice, inference, suggestion, implication, and without question - illegal promises - are used to encourage people to support one candidate or another.  This means that selecting a job or seek or an area of government to work in if a particular candidate is elected is good planning.  Obviously - you should not violate the law and try to get a commitment to any job, but you should prepared yourself politically to be appointed should an elected candidate or that candidate's representative ask for your services later.  There are suggestions throughout this site about how to prepare yourself for such a situation.  10 28 07

Check on the Department and Agency sites we are adding to the front page - these have a number of sources of appointments, and for that matter - jobs in general in the government.  We are researching these sites in an attempt to get a better handle on what appointments are available.  There is not much doubt that many appointments are a pure insider's game until they are made - getting past that obfuscation by the political folk is a tough task - one which we will continue to help our users accomplish.  October 28 2007

NASA Appointments:  Recent Bush appointees have faced some struggle in their appointments, including resignations.  A new link at NASA Appointments provides helpful information about those appointments and how NASA works with them.  This is a helpful resource if you are considering positions there. (2-20-06)

2007 ARCHIVED NEWS NOTES. .

These are comments and notes that appeared in one place or another on the Presidential-Appointments.org page during 2007 - generally organized by the date they appeared on the page.  Please contact me at Director@Presidential-appointments.org  if you have questions or 617 504 3699.     

The Attorney General nominee - Judge Mukasey - is in the soup with the Senate Judiciary committee which controls his potential confirmation.  He started out with the very direct and straightforward everybody hoped for from a Judge with a 20 year background on the bench and with a solid reputation.  Certainly he had a general conservative pitch about his history - but sounded like a man who could take over the Justice Department issues and manage them in a way that suggested serious integrity.  However, he got either weak or broken knees, and clearly let ambition get ahead of his good - even judicial - judgment by ducking and dodging like his predecessors have for several months. The interesting issue is how quickly DC pressure and a snap from the White House can turn an apparently strong man into weak knees and custard on clear constitutional issues.  It isn't the first time it has happened.  We'll see whether he can return to his original integrity and get himself confirmed - he might be back into shocked retirement if he doesn't square up his testimony to the Senate - soon.  10-28-07

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Updated Tuesday, July 13, 2010 07:53 PM  . .

POLITICS IN THE WHITE HOUSE

      Everything in the White House is about politics - not just the stuff Karl Rove has been up to during the Bush Administration.   Depending on the nature of the President, party politics is close in or more remote to daily policy making.  Dwight Eisenhower was the consummate politician, but had a real disdain for party political practitioners.  (That attitude was clear in the one personal contact I had with him at Gettysburg to extend an invitation to speak in Missouri - which he later slipped out of when Ex-Pres Hoover died.)

      The Republican National Committee down the street from the White House handled Party Politics.  Ike's particular distain for Richard Nixon as VP was disrespect for Nixon's political nature.  More than a few sarcastically said at the time of Ike's several heart attacks that he refused to die and thereby let Nixon become President.

     President Bush hasn't much of political skill package so Karl Rove has presented that part of his personality for years.  Rove reflects the sort of party politician that sees everything in terms of Party control and Party building.  While it is somewhat unusual for that type to be on the White House payroll rather than on a political party payroll outside the government - it is not the first time.

     Often political operatives in the White House are there to keep the President and the White House responsible to public opinion.  In the Bush setting, that connection has not been a priority.  Rove  is there to enhance the Party.  However irritating that may be to some of the public, he has been good at it.  

      In general it is difficult to imagine that the depth of Rove's intense political decision making that seems to include outing CIA agents and dumping US Attorney's to make room for his pals, is On Behalf of the Peope.

EMPTY SLOTS:  As the Bush Administration is coming to an end, they have serious problems filling empty positions.  The result is that many of the appointments are interim, i.e., they are filled by people not yet confirmed by the Senate, and in many cases, in situations where there may not be actual nominations from the White House.  Democrats are careful about making confirmations for nominations who may be in office for 5-12 years - thereby locking in Bush appointments for many years.  This is a type situation when the party controlling the Senate thinks it may take control of the White House when the new President comes into office on January 20, 2009. 10-16-07

ECONOMY WATCH:  The new majority of the Democratic Party in both parties will start dramatic shifts in the personnel available for positions all across the government.  One of the difficult problems in executive appointments is the ability to find talented and experienced candidates to fill future Executive Appointments.  With an open election for the President coming in 2008, it is a solid bet that Democrats are keeping short lists of people to fill the economy related positions if a Democratic President is elected. January  4 2007

Congressional committee and staff appointments will draw personnel from across the country and economic talents of all sorts will find jobs.  Special experience in tax and budget matters will be key for new personnel.   (January 28 2007)

Moving on: Rove goes over the Side: Karl Rove is being touted as some sort of spectacular being who is unique in the history of the United States Presidency.  History shows these side-kicks of President's are lost in history, and rarely are found as more than footnotes, and seldom is that so.  Every President has one or more of them!  Rove is no exception and we are spending more time on this departure than is appropriate. (Continued at Odd Appointment Tales)  August 21 2007

Puppet Government:  Bush in Trouble in Iraq:  The Iraqi Parliament clearly does not have real authority to make decisions for its country.  It clearly does not have much authority over military strategies, and, under the oil policies in place, cannot control oil money for running a government or establishing a security structure - it is all in Bush's hip pocket who makes decisions from the perspective of another country, another religion, another society, and in service of the international oil cartel.  Iraqi politicians have plenty of issues and problems, conflicts and all the rest - but they don't have the power to save, repair, or even manage their own new future.  Where would the US have been after 1776 if another country controlled our founders - certainly somewhere else than where the Founding Fathers took us using their own power and being responsible for their own future?  August 4 2007

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Desperate Cheney:  The US political system has worked again with the Vice President being flushed out into the open by both the press and the government bureaucracy - the Archives - which feels a strong duty of protectiveness over documents and information.  He has been made largely irrelevant by all this - but long after huge - but fixable - damage has been done.  There is enough history of the Bush administration to make it clear that the political establishment around the prior Bush presidency essentially co-opted W's presidency with men like Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz and others in key spots.  That crowd came out of control of the earlier Bush bunch and became a third and violently powerful rump government out of everybody's view.  Rummy was a strange bird - sort of silly - out of contact with reality - driven by some sort of immature egomania.  

Cheney went a different way - into an intense psychotic mode to control what he saw as a kind of Messianic duty to save the society-including how oil was to be managed in the mid-East.  Our founders understood this weakness and danger in the human psyche from horrible historic experiences in Europe.  We saw the same phenomenon in fascist Europe where unrestrained subordinates took off into their own government.  Cheney clearly understood what a intellectual and leadership dunce Bush II represented, and set up his little kingdom from the front.  Bush didn't even understand he was out of control and may not be able to do anything about it now!  (This is all a example of why Vice Presidents are kept on short agendas by stronger Presidents.)  But the game is over now.  If there is anything more on the Cheney "To Do List" -  it will be under the fiercest scrutiny from the outside and from the other power centers around the President - if not the President himself. 7-2-07

Headed to the Safety of Home:   Montana US Attorney Bill Mercer went to Washington to the position of 3rd man in the Department of Justice several years ago while continuing as USA at home.  His confirmation was delayed until the new Senate come to power in January - and he was fully enmeshed in the controversy about how US Attorneys had been fired and replaced.  His sponsor, Senator Conrad Burns of Montana lost in the fall election to Jon Tester, a Democrat.  Six months later his confirmation seemed to be on the schedule for late June - he withdrew his nomination and is headed home.  He was caught in the duplicitous conduct of the Rove White House and while an experienced guy - was in a trap and taking the heat for Rove and the AG.  The part of his testimony before the Senate which is public suggests his answers to truthful, full, and one of the few straightforward pieces of information the Senate has gotten on the US Attorney firings.  Back in Montana he had left the USA offices in the hands of underlings and brought down the wrath of the supervising Federal Judge.  All that together added up to a ticket home.  The Mercer situation looks like a smart country boy from Montana was caught up in a Texas boondoggle.  He probably will be looking for a place in the private practice of law at the end of 2008. 6-23-07

Threads of Power:  Tracking power and how it is managed often depends on the way the person exerting power got into that position.  "Who worked for who" is an important clue.  An example is the recent nomination of James Caswell to head the Bureau of Land Management, a part of the Department of the Interior, headed by his former boss in Idaho who was then Governor Dirk Kempthorne.  There seems to be a general acceptance of Caswell into his new appointment.  There are other situations where this threat of connection is important to understand.  Just as in private industry, many jobs are filled by the personal reference of a former boss or a friend.  The art of studying Presidential and Executive appointments, is of course, determining whether the references are benign or favorable for the good of the People.  The Threads of Power have been the stuff of great literature and good theater for all of recorded time - and when traced carefully in today's government bring insight into the sort of governing we can expect.  6-17-07

Transparency at Work:  Powers of the President are exerted largely through patronage appointments, which in turn are dominated these days by an opaque coalition of sophisticated scholars - NPO staff - and appointees in-place.  The core of the group circulates in and out government for generations exerting enormous power which is held together with tiny stitches making a fabric of control which is essentially impenetrable.  Newly elected Presidents bring some level of new people into government - a group which learns early that they are surrounded by, in need of, and unable to escape the presence of this tight knit group of insiders.

History verifies that such is the nature of human governance.  In a hugely complex society, however, it disappears more deeply into the fog and mist of busyness and obfuscation - difficult to judge - to determine purpose  - and to challenge for cause.  Money feeds power, power generates position, and position gives patronage back to money and private purpose.  On occasion the benefits to the People in general from this arrangement are dramatic, but more often must be pried out of the government establishment.  When dramatic change does occur, it is reabsorbed in the shortest time which can be managed by this same complex mechanism.

When the individual vita of each player is exposed to the public over time, with particular reference to the collective contacts, meetings, joint writing efforts, selective research - the strength of the ties become apparent.  It is this transparency which gives adverse causes and dissenting views access to the weapons of political power and the reasons to enforce it for their collective purposes.

Transparency in government is difficult to achieve without broad based access to information about individuals.  This means information about training and experience, positions held, organizational support, family and connections otherwise.  That information must be widely available and hugely accessible across the board to the public.  That is what constitutes transparency in the governing body politic. 6-15-07

Libby in Jail:  There are two lessons for appointees in the Libby matter:  1)  Don't expect your boss to either want to, or be able to help you when you are in trouble;  2)  The Nuremberg Nazi trials established the rules that everybody is responsible to obey the law on their own - and just 'cause the boss said to do it does not help - ever!  June 6 2007

New Moderate Appointments:  The Bush administration has always had trouble getting reasonable nominees for appointments past the Senate during the years when the Republicans were in power - they always wanted "litmus tests" on contraception, abortion, etc., which was beside the point of many appointments - such as staffing up the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  That made running a government difficult and kept appointments slow.  The Democrats really don't care who is appointed - believing the President has a right to his own administration - as long as he keeps it reasonable.  The Baroody nomination to Consumer Protection was rubbing it in - he was former head of National Association of Manufacturers - that was the fox in the henhouse routine and the Senate forced a withdrawal on that one.  Most of these are short term appointments anyhow.  Less controversy is nice for awhile!  June 8 2007

The Rove Question:  The issue about Karl Rove relates to how much confidentiality the President should have with close advisors.  The idea of Executive privilege is a good one on policy matters.  If the associate in the White House is essentially dealing with party politics and who seems to be using government information illegally probably should be open to Congressional investigation - that has been Rove's role such as in CIA agent Plame setting.  On policy matters for the President - the Privilege has always been protected in general.  The Rove situation will end up with the Congress developing a different way of getting to the problem, such as more structuring of WH jobs in the creating legislation.   If the Congress were serious about it - they could de-fund the position easily enough.  May 31 2007

COUSIN POLITICS:  Presidents come to office with colleagues, staff, and politicians to support an Administration.  That crew is under observation and if there is any flaw, they are under immediate attack.  If those people are "old boys" from Texas or closely tied into the President's immediate political household, the Nation is headed for a dose of "Cousin Politics."

Historically, immediate households or "courts" of Kings, Popes, and Presidents and other heads-of-government, however big or small, of religions or states, have had plenty of trouble with the people around them.  Power does that to people!

The George the Second Presidency brought trouble from Texas - and it's not Texas' fault - it is George's nature.  George the First brought a crew of unusually distinguished people, many of whom are returning to power.  The bite in George W's situation is that he himself is nothing unusual in matters of perception - education - experience - maturity - or judgment.  The end result is that he can't distinguish "good help" from "bad help" - and many of his staff, advisors, and many senior appointees have those same sterling qualities.

"Cousin Politics" shows up regularly all through political history - and always with the same results - a sort of infestation of incompetence that comes in as a group.  The damage is always fracturing to operation of government - history never treats these leaders very well.  With George it has to do with "boot polishing" to the wealthy, and catastrophe to another generation of people done in by war that benefits those same wealthy.

One of the disadvantages of living in one of those periods - if you can survive - is the constant drivel from the mouths and pens of the "Cousin Crowd".  Historically, the collective destruction of this sort of government usually stimulates the best of leadership in succeeding governments, ones devoted to service On Behalf of the People.

Bigots at work:  Two decades and five years of open attack on unity and mutual respect, and religious meanness in the name of an executed Messiah have clearly diminished into what it earned - disrespect - contempt - loss of power.  The gentle reality from the public which executes its power at the ballot box shows the dividers and the bigots - the ones not dying off to meet what they had best hope is a forgiving God - have run their course in history.  The task of decent people and those who understand Christ as a representative of Peace is to be certain the evil side represented by those that pretend to act in God's name as avenging Inquisitors find no traction whatever in the American political process.  May 23 2007

Everybody is going home in 2009:  The Secretary of State has taken a job in California at Stanford - her old stomping grounds - in 2009 when Bush leave office.  Routine business for Presidential Appointees, of course, when the boss runs out of time in office.  Thank the powers that be for the two term Presidential Limit!  May 25 2007

  A System that Works:  Michael Baroody, the President's nominee to head the Nation's primary consumer safety agency, withdrew his nomination from the Senate confirmation process today.  The Bush Administration, with a friendly GOP Senate, managed to select just about anybody for appointments for 6+ years.  This allowed the White House to cripple a number of the government's regulatory agencies, to make dramatic changes in policy, and in many cases, to nominate unqualified people.  The difficulty in this particular situation was Baroody's prior occupation - as a senior officer and lobbyist in the National Association of Manufacturers, and a $150,000 sendoff payment had he been confirmed raised serious problems for consumers and the Senate itself.  The potential conflict of interest was so dramatic that even some Republican Senators could stomach the prospect.  Again, the checks and balances system built into the US Constitution worked right when there is a balance of party interests between the Executive and the Congress.  Don't be surprised if the President takes a shot at the appointment in a Recess Appointment when the Senate is in recess this summer and fall.  May 23 2007

Normal Migration:  Conversations with a senior Presidential Appointee over the last few days included his experience with recruiting from the private sector as the Bush Administration winds down.  He said the salary offers were three times his government pay - which would make them in the area of $400,000/year.  These sorts of offers are not unusual to senior appointees, particularly in regional or national level settings.  I suspect some were for lobbying, but I am sure more were simply to capture his talent which became apparent once appointed.  Both that sort of private sector offer, and poaching off the Executive Appointment lists are legal and perhaps even a good idea for the private sector.  They do tend to occur near the end of Presidential Administrations partly because there has been time for prospectors to find them, and because there is impending unemployment for many appointees - although this guy has a sign which says "goin' fishin' in 2009".  May 22 2007

Wolfie is Out:  The total lack of good judgment, style, courtesy, and taking of responsibility has strengthened our opposition in the World Bank just because Paul Wolfowitz is such an outdated and damaged self-centered political hack.  He's gone at the end of June - thank the powers-that-be - which sound like France and Germany in this conflict.  Again, the inability of the White House and George Bush to run the Country - administer the government - lets trashy self-interest define what the United States is about.  But it is over - and there is a great deal to be said for that!  May 17 2007

   Veterans' Affairs Bonus Conflict:  Officials of the Veterans Affairs agency dispensed substantial bonus payments to themselves in 2006.  Most of those receiving payments sat on the boards making the decision gave themselves major payments.  May 16 2007

Prying Wolfowitz out of the World Bank:  Paul Wolfowitz is trying to negotiate a deal to leave the World Bank gracefully - a concept which is absurdly silly in itself given Wolfie's conduct so far in all that mess.  The core of the problem is Wolfowitz' decision to adjust his girlfriend's paycheck outside the rules - a clear conflict of interest.  The deal is about made - but certainly not very pretty - nasty conflict example.  May 17 2007

Odd and Interesting:  The President is about to nominate Lt. General Douglas Lute to be a War Czar - a press name for new honcho of the Iraqi War operations.  The nomination is subject to Senate confirmation.  The decision to proceed this way is in one of the oldest typical executive appointment strategies - it got its start when an early caveman appointed somebody to lead the next hunting party at a time when food searches had been tough - if that person failed at the hunt -  the lead caveman could blame him for the failure.  General Lute is in exactly that situation with this appointment - tough time at war - head caveman needs a scapegoat - for whatever reason Lute takes the job - war collapses further - he gets the blame - only the President and sidekicks think they fool somebody. 5-16-07

Over the Side:  Short term appointments are opening up across the Bush administration as the terms starts to close down.  These are short term because as a job comes along for a present appointment, most feel they had better take the job since all of the present jobs shut down on January 20, 2009 at the end of the Bush II era.  If a Republican is elected President in 2008 - those in appointed now or still in office then will have an inside track for reappointment.  If a Democrat or Independent is elected, the Bush jobs are likely to end. May 14 2007.

Wolfowitz Deal - there's a deal in the works - doesn't sound like a straight up resignation from his position as President of the World Bank - but the result of a lot of word manipulation on the part of Wolfowitz.  There is information from some of the World Bank staff members that Wolfowitz is seeking a major separation payment - the chat is $400,000.00 in severance pay - and it would be tax free!  The White House has backed up on its 100% support for him, and there is political street chat that says he is trying to escape politically unharmed - he'll be out - but politically harmed.  It's essentially a done deal today - but will play out over the next few days.  5-5-07

Firing Presidential Appointees:  "Serving at the Pleasure of the President" can get seriously sticky, as we can see in the US Attorney controversy of the moment.  Regardless of how an appointee gets crosswise with the President or his sidekicks, it is personally offensive to most.  When a term runs out, that is one thing, and when a new President comes into power, that is another.  Resignations for real personal reasons is a routine and common exit.  But being forced out, and becoming the symbol of indiscretion on the part of the White House or because of a tough issue is messy.  It can happen to any appointee in an instant. For students of the Presidential Appointee process, and those considering an appointment, the current controversy is worth watching - just about every good and bad thing about appointments is in the open.  3-23-07

Bad Times for Appointees:  The Army, Attorney General's Operation, and Libby situation are strong examples about how unpleasant life can get for Appointees in Trouble.  It appears that it is going to get worse, particularly in the AG questions.  One clear lesson for appointees is to watch your mouth and conduct in areas where you suspect there is any impropriety at all.  Assistant Attorney General Bill Mercer -  who was a US Attorney I know a little bit - is far too smart a guy to have said and done what he is accused of saying and doing.  I assume the press is generally right in its reporting, and Mercer wasn't expecting everybody around him to reveal everything he had said.  It astonishes me that over the last twenty-five years appointees and staff near the President, as in this case, have documented their stupid statements on e-mail, which they have to know is archived, and is always eventually available to everybody.  It is a time for appointees to study the problems in these three situations - plenty of warnings and lessons here.

Cox Appointment:  We deal with the Recess Appointments issue almost daily, and particularly agree with the assessment that Bush, et al, is essentially an anti-constitutional Presidency. Although he has not used the recess appointment much more than many Presidents, almost every one was offensive to the ideas of Constitutional, lawful government.

There is an important place for recess appointments in emergency situations and the process makes constitutional sense in many hypothetical settings - a few of which have actually happened over the years.

In dealing with Presidential Appointments on a daily basis, we are never surprised at how little attention the Bush government gives the People instead of private, usually economic interests. The Baroody nomination to Consumer Safety is almost certainly going to be another slap in the face of the confirmation process, not to speak of a brutalizing gut punch to the safety of consumers. 4/7/07

US Attorneys will be Confirmed:  The White House struck a deal - under threat of deposing the Attorney General - to cooperate in re-establishing the old confirmation requirement.  As a bonus, the President is going to get to explain the apparently political firings of several incumbents.  Had to happen - the Senate guards its confirmation power carefully - and it stops any creep to tyranny in these appointments. 3-10-07

Libby Conviction:  The Libby conviction - the conviction of a federal appointee on a subject dealing with his appointee job - is a serious reminder to all government employees - and appointees in particular - to tell the truth and not protect the boss.  Whether the Vice President was involved or not is a matter for history - a long way down the line - but Libby is going to pay for his illegal conduct - big time!  The importance for this site is for potential appointees to understand how much scrutiny is applied to Executive Appointees.  3-10-07 See Plausible Deniability Comments - at Power

US Attorney Squabble:  Accusations of improper politics, politicized US Attorneys, politics muddying up Federal cases have arisen across the US as several US Attorney's have been fired by the White House.  

US Attorneys are always appointed by the President, usually sought out by the Justice Department to take the jobs - ones which are very senior, highly paid, of high prestige and important plums because they are geographic in every state and very powerful.  There is no more powerful prosecutor in the United States than local United States Attorneys.

There are intense hearings about both the reported political firings of US Attorneys by the White House and the changes in the amended Patriot Act to require confirmation of Presidential nominees.  The political aspects of the firings are important - particularly if they find that the Attorneys were fired for failure to toe the White House political line.  Nothing too new about that, but it hasn't gotten a lot of press for decades.

The end of all this will surely result in confirmation requirements - and it will tighten up the use of US Attorneys for inappropriate political acts - there will be less of it.  The whole exercise should educate all of us, and move the national corps of US attorneys and their associates closer to work On Behalf of the People.

Commission Consensus:  The President's appointment of the Dole Commission on Veteran's Medical Care is a classic Commission Appointment.  The Commission in Power Politics does for the President what a Rehabilitation hospital does for a public drunk - shifts the responsibility for screwing up.  This President appointed the 9-11 Commission after blistering attacks from survivor families, and the Iraq Commission after a verbal spanking from his Daddy and Buddies.  The Dole Commission shouldn't expect much in light of history - the President trashed the previous Commissions - and the consensus is that he lost position with the public by doing that.  However, Presidential appointments of Commissions and Committees are important in managing consensus in any government.  Take a look at Commissions and Committees at Power Strategies.  3/11/07

Phony to Front:  The President's underpinnings for the Iraqi War were clearly phony before the War started - and they have rotted out completely since - for all 3100+ dead US  soldiers, and tens of thousands of Iraqis blown apart or executed.  There is something wrong here someplace!

Presidential Appointees bend over and kiss the Blarney Stone right on cue - the latest episode released today - written by the Inspector General of the Pentagon - says U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Douglas J. Feith tuned up otherwise "murky" intelligence findings of the CIA and other agencies to hook up Saddam with al Qaeda.

Just  what the President ordered - or at least needed - to improve the phony crap he used to justify the War.

If all this were the first instance of a Bush appointee being unethical, being a liar, being under indictment for lying, exaggerating no facts into international policy, stealing billions of paper money in Iraq, or delivering the litany of other mean, miserable, "moral center" driven government acts - etc etc!  - it would be one thing.  But its not - it's many things - day after day after day!

The People are stuck with this White House for something less than two more years - and we couldn't stop the Rush-to-War which has enthralled so many Americans - but we can pick people - Democrat - Republican - or otherwise - who can spell and apply Integrity and Straightforward and Truth.  As a free society, we can absorb a huge number of Fools and survive - but it would be a thriller to find even one in the Bush government that would work ON Behalf of the People.

Cutting Cheney Down to Size:  The new Secretary of the Treasury Paulson simply ignored the muscle of Cheney today on This Week on ABC - the VP said there had to  be certain preconditions to a new look at Social Security this year in Congress - Paulson not only ignored that position - but firmly said the President said there were no pre-conditions to SS discussions.  Until recently - such a position would have cost a Cabinet Secretary his job.   "Hey Cheney -- go sit by your dish!"  3-4-07

Army Secretary Francis J. Harvey:  The Army Secretary bit the dust this week over the treatment of soldiers at Army medical facilities - fired by Secretary of Defense Gates along with high ranking Generals who directly commanded the hospitals.  It is a political issue, of course, but also an accountability statement by Gates.  This is a confirmable appointment without a nominee as of 3/3/07.  (See letter - lower right.  Have an opinion?? - send it to Director@Presidential-Appointments.org for publication here.)   

Not Enough Whiskers:   Nothing is more apparent in the US Attorney's matter, and in much of the other conduct of the Bush Administration is that the whole crowd doesn't have enough experience to run the place.  As we watch officials on TV, inexperience shows through - big time - inexperience in everything, even in the lies they try to sell - can't ever get that sorted out.  The American People are damn intolerant of politicians who are liars in public matters. 4-1-07

Executive Appointee Misconduct:  Throughout the history of executive appointments, criminal misconduct related to the job duties and personal criminal misconduct have plagued the process of governing.  A variety of civil violations and indiscrete personal and sexual liaisons often have had catastrophic political impacts.  Obviously, Presidents and other Executives - Kings - Bishops - Mayors and others have themselves had similar issues - Presidents Nixon and Clinton being recent US examples.  

Concerted efforts to sort out high risk candidates obviously fail to some extent - regards of political party affiliations.  It requires more of a national positive standard of conduct and expectation of good conduct to lessen damage to all of us from appointees who err.

Here is a current example of such personal conduct issues which impact the society:

Lester Crawford:  The former Chair of the Food and Drug Administration is admitting failure to disclose stock ownership and committing other violations suggesting conflict of interest.  A Bush appointee, he served something more than a year in the position.  These criminal violations triggered his resignation from the appointed position and incurred  various criminal penalties.   (10-16-06)

SCIENCE AND POLITICS  The endless struggle between Science and Politics - through all of history - is footloose and very much in the open in early 21st Century relationships.  During the second Bush administration, that conflict burst into open intellectual conflict where the weapons of war are electronic communications, government money, Presidential appointments, the aspirations and politicians and scientists, the avarice of money makers, perceived and investigated fact with an outrageous overlay of religious dogma and evangelistic fervor.  Sans the house arrest - it sounds like the struggle of Galileo about issues of astronomy and Earth v. Sun and which circles which! (January 31 07)

Indian Affairs:  The top Indian administrator - the Assistant Secretary of the Interior - Indian Affairs, has been vacant for two years because of an anonymous hold by a Republican Senator for more than two years.  Indian Affairs administers fundamental services for more than 500 Tribes on subjects from education to the testy area of casinos.  I have watched Presidential appointments through the administrations of twelve Presidents - rarely is there a more blatant abuse of Presidential power and Senatorial duties of Advice and Consent than in this situation.

      Whether it is White House obstinacy in not making another choice, or Senatorial silliness which allows hidden holds on appointments - the real issues undoubtedly relate to Indian lands or Indian gambling operations.  The real damage is to Indian children and Indian sick.

     Further, the Presidential Appointments process - which is sticky and quirky on good days - really fails when it is used to prevent the administration of services to a significant number of American citizens - original American citizens, at that.

John Isaacson, Director@Presidential-Appointments.org (Written for the Chicago Tribute Letters to the Editor, 3/3/07.

Belly-Up Presidential Candidates:  The number of Presidential Candidates for 2008 has begun to slim - at least two have gone Belly-Up on money and support.  If you happen to end up supporting one of the candidates who have failed, or will fail, move your preparation for an appointment to a candidate still in the fight.  You have some power in that move because you will bring a certain amount of your own constituency to the new candidate - that is important in the business of assembling power by the candidates.  Don't assume that because you stood behind a particular candidate that you are weak - exactly the opposite is true!  March 1 2007

Consumer Product Safety Commission:  President Bush nominated Michael Baroody, Executive Vice President and senior lobbyist of National Association of Manufactures to be Chairman - 3/2/07- raising hackles among  Consumer Rights groups.  Expected to to be Confirmed - relatively routinely by Senate.  March 3 2007  (President later withdrew nomination.)

Payback Time - Greenspan on Iraq War Oil - 9-23-07

Rove goes over the Side - an important change in the WH. 9-3-07

Gonzales Resignation:  FBI Investigation is trouble for the AG. 9-3-07

Puppet Government:  Bush in Trouble in Iraq - 8-15-07

The Pros:  Problems in the McCain Campaign July 30 2007

Headed to the Safety of Home - Mercer Headed for the Hills.  7-01-07

Threads of Power - Who's related to whom? 7-1-07

Libby in Jail - Paying the Piper 6-15-07

New Moderate Appointments - A Change in Bush Style 6-14-07

Appointee Books - Tenent Tries to Sell It.  5-10-07

Wolfowitz Corruption - Straight up Hypocrisy 5-5-07

Strange White House - Appointments Problems 5-5-07

Nuisance Spouses-pre-President Appointments - Ambassador Bill Clinton? 4-25-07

Wolfowitz Money Muscle - Personal use of the People's Power. 4-19-07

Imus as an Exponent of Divide 'em Up Politics - Using hate to govern. 4-13-07

Recess Appointments as a Political Issue - Self-Destruction by a Dead-Duck Presidency 4-12-07

Shots over the Shoulder:  Former Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan has been commenting - negatively - saying there is a 1/3 chance of a recession before 2008.  This is in direct conflict with the optimistic view of the new Chairman.  This is an example of Presidential Appointees wanting to continue to influence things after they leave office - usually not very productive!  In this case it is a better than even bet that Greenspan has a retrospective book ready for publication and is stirring up sales. This is an easy way to damage a good reputation for the retiree.  3/8/07

Carl Artman Confirmed:  This nominee to the Assistant Secretary - Indian Affairs, Department of Interior was confirmed today - 3/5/07 - by the United States Senate.  This ends a two year vacancy in this position. 3-05-07

The President: ZERO  The Scientists:  WON:  The decades long struggle in the laboratory finally burst through in recent weeks - demolishing the solid wall of political-economic avarice and fear global warming - objective scientific fact proving its viability through the enormous efforts of thousands of skilled people - and in the process  - it simply overcame the power of economic selfishness.  February 7 2007

The President is only the current exponent of economic muscle which, in overlapping political eras, has attempted to keep the planet's struggle with warmth a matter to be dealt with later, rather than sooner.  Now science can deal with how to manage the Earth's excess heat - industry and politicians can comply!  (February 7 2007)

Appointee Books - The Tenent Book on his stint at the CIA is a nice try at squaring the record on what the CIA did and didn't know about 9-11 - Iraq - A Bombs.  Judgment on this one may have to wait for the long judgment of history - the book is interesting but not necessarily persuasive for George Tenet's view.  However irritating it may be to George II and the White House - and given that the CIA isn't gonna talk about it - the book seems thin based on what is on the record so far.  Tenent surely made some retirement money, but it is not going to make Cheney or the President liars by itself.  5-5-07  

Strange White House:  Bush Presidential Appointees are under scrutiny from the World Bank to the back rooms of the White House itself.  Some of that conduct is genuinely outrageous when measured against any common sense idea of good and honest government - if the players had any realistic idea of how silly they look in a world of quick and complete communications worldwide - they might change.  The Bush-Rove-Meir-Gonzales Texas package has demonstrated a unique brand of personal immaturity, ignorance of history, juvenile political skill and general simple-mindedness which has gotten them into a fierce conflict with US Constitutional government.  Worse, they are easy victims of the dedicated manipulation of the Cheney oil and economic crowd which sees government as a tool of economic imperialism rather than a servant of the People.  These kinds of caricatures apply in all historic governments - the Nation's Founders knew this when they devised the structures of our Constitutional system - and now that system is putting the blocks to the whole crowd we identify as the George W. Bush Administration.  4-21-07

Of Special Interest to those seeking Appointments:  Many Bush appointees are moving on - and leaving behind only a couple of years on many appointee positions.  The are essentially lame-duck exits - and some are rats leaving the sinking ship.  In practice, however - this is true of most administrations as a President's term begins to wind down - people start moving on.  See Appointments for more information and ideas on these appointments. (9-9-06)

NASA Appointments:   Recent Bush appointees have faced some struggle in their appointments, including resignations.  A new link at NASA Appointments provides helpful information about those appointments and how NASA works with them.  This is a helpful resource if you are considering positions there. (2-20-06)

Watching the Troops:  The President recently issued an Executive Order which provides that a senior political appointee approve regulations promulgated by various agencies and departments of the Executive Branch.  This Presidential appointee is placed there to keep those regulations in line with Presidential policy.

This change is really just an adjustment of an earlier Clinton order - but this step has stirred up plenty of opposition from essentially every side of the political spectrum.  At its base, this is an objection to more political control, regardless of the particular subject involved or the President doing it.  In principle - that sort of objection is healthy as a part of the idea of open government.

There is a point, however, in some sort of Presidential policy supervision for the huge number of agencies producing such regulations.  This is one of the arguments for having loyal and responsible political appointees  who "serve at the pleasure of the President" to enforce the White House position on various matters. (February 1 2007) 

The Only Solution in Iraq:  The solution to Iraq has more historic issues than are being considered in the present blogging and commenting on that War.

The entire affair is unsolvable in any form except a retreat by the US - whatever it is to be called. That comes from an understanding of the history and demographics of that part of the world - a place outrageously hostile to outside invasions - they just never work. The area is prepared - and always has been prepared on a tribal basis - to fight in horrible ways among themselves - but connive against invading and occupying forces outside their self defined neighborhood.

When we can think with history in mind - and believe that history is still intact - then none of the current machinations in Washington mean anything - it just isn't going to work over there. Now we - as a very powerful society - are dependent on that moment when this or some future President finally can put his mind in place of his or her pride and obstinacy and take another look at the history of that primal part of the Earth. 04-08-07

Caught in the Act:  An international conference of Scientists in Paris today set out proof that the Bush Administration had muscled scholars to eliminate key words in papers about the environment.  The words were "global warming" and phrases referring to temperature change. Over-enthusiastic Bushies changed offensive words without authors' permission and published some of the papers in changed form.  Ouch!

Bush appointments have been forced from office at NASA for similar acts of intellectual integrity.  Source:  Union of Concerned Scientists  01-30-07

Imus as an Exponent of Divide 'em Up Politics:  A cornerstone of the Conservative Movement since the Roosevelt Administration in the 1930's has been the age old "Divide and Conquer" strategy.  The divisive weapons have been words to divide races, religions, ethnic groups, sexes, and income groups.  That strategy has been weakening in the presence of Conservative control of Congress and the White House.  It has slowly become apparent as a strategy as Rove, Limbaugh, countless politicians - and personalities like Don Imus - emerge as mouths of a cynical plan to pander to the world of the insecure, largely white Protestant, self-centered "baby-boomers" and the white, male, redneck who has lost his dominant role since World War II.  Don Imus simply turned that strategy into an audience and a ton of money for everybody involved - advertisers, media, his staff, and himself.  "Times Are a'Changin'" for that policy - Imus is an early loser for his self-immersion in those divisive politics. 4-13-07

Shots over the Shoulder:  Former Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Alan Greenspan has been commenting - negatively - saying there is a 1/3 chance of a recession before 2008.  This is in direct conflict with the optimistic view of the new Chairman.  This is an example of Presidential Appointees wanting to continue to influence things after they leave office - usually not very productive!  In this case it is a better than even bet that Greenspan has a retrospective book ready for publication and is stirring up sales. This is an easy way to damage a good reputation for the retiree.  3/8/07

Cutting Cheney Down to Size:  The new Secretary of the Treasury Paulson simply ignored the muscle of Cheney today on This Week on ABC - the VP said there had to  be certain preconditions to a new look at Social Security this year in Congress - Paulson not only ignored that position - but firmly said the President said there were no pre-conditions to SS discussions.  "Hey Cheney -- go sit by your dish!" 3-4-07

Indian Affairs:  The top Indian administrator - the Assistant Secretary of the Interior - Indian Affairs, has been vacant for two years because of an anonymous hold by a Republican Senator for more than two years.  Indian Affairs administers fundamental services for more than 500 Tribes on subjects from education to the testy area of casinos.  I have watched Presidential appointments through the administrations of twelve Presidents - rarely is there a more blatant abuse of Presidential power and Senatorial duties of Advice and Consent than in this situation.

Whether it is White House obstinacy in not making another choice, or Senatorial silliness which allows hidden holds on appointments - the real issues undoubtedly relate to Indian lands or Indian gambling operations.  The real damage is to Indian children and Indian sick.

Further, the Presidential Appointments process - which is sticky and quirky on good days - really fails when it is used to prevent the administration of services to a significant number of American citizens - original American citizens, at that.

John Isaacson, Director@Presidential-Appointments.org (Written for the Chicago Tribute Letters to the Editor, 3/3/07.

The Political Whip: Robert Pear's observation about losing an appointment in the Bush Administration because he had not worked for the Bush operation in one form or another reflects the policy of the President in patronage appointments. Huge talents are lost to the country on a daily basis because of this policy.

His points illustrate exactly why the Civil Service was created and why patronage is so limited at the federal level. I deal with this issue every day at Presidential-Appointments.org and with rare exceptions, always lose an appointment if the political connections are not strong. A similar sort of litmus test is often applied for other standards, as well, such as a candidate's position on "right to life" issues or guns, even though the appointment has nothing to do with those subjects.

In general, the political standard is about as aggressive for both parties. For that reason, statutes creating some committees and commissions require some sort of party distribution to enforce some political balance in the appointments to those activities.

In the last 3-4 decades, the Republicans have been extremely aggressive in enforcing candidate or party loyalty, but the Clinton, Johnson, Truman and Roosevelt administrations were certainly not amateurs at political control.

Loyalty to the reigning administration probably justifies some of this political requirement. It is particularly destructive when extraordinarily "one-of-a-kind" candidates cannot be appointed. For example, highly creditable scientists were kept from appointments if they published material suggesting global warming was scientifically supported. The science community has been particularly abused during the Bush era where dissent is tantamount to heresy. Such abuse has been brutal and often carried over into blocking funding for those scientists who would not buy the party line. Stem cell research, like earlier HIV research are samples of that.

Mr. Pear, even if apolitical, will not find much access to the Bush administration, even though he is well-qualified and recommended. The political "whip" is an old weapon and is usually well-applied by the White House.  (Robert Pear applied for a position in one of the departments with the support of his potential supervisor only to be turned down because he had not supported the Bush politically.)
Libby on Trial

Presidential Press Secretaries have a tough wire to walk - and get themselves in trouble in most administrations.  God forbid they should tell the truth! 2-5-07

US Attorney Appointments:  The core problem with US Attorney appointments is the 2006 change in the law that allows those appointments to be made by the White House without Senate confirmation. First, it makes it easier for the White House to appoint aggressively political lawyers as US Attorneys without any public examination by the Senate. There is nothing new in our experience with US Attorney appointments after twelve Presidents worth of those appointments to suggest they are not highly political and closely tied for the most part to the politics of the Administration. Second, change at the option of the White House and the Attorney General is one sort of issue deserving public comment, but not having those appointments confirmed by the Senate is a solid example of creeping tyranny. John Isaacson, Director@Presidential-Appointments.org. (Posted to Washington Pose Blog 3/3/07)

Presidential Succession: The Presidential succession question-well outlined by Mr. (Norman) Ornstein - raises the question of qualifications for a successor President. We have observed a huge number of Presidential Appointments at over the course of eleven Presidents and believe that in general - few Cabinet appointed Cabinet officers look much like emergency Presidents - and senior elected Congressional leaders do look like experienced people by definition of long experience. In the US we have not been plagued by many coup issues that we know about - but coup succession is much more plausible on the executive cabinet side which is more fluid than the relatively staid - long service legislative succession. John Isaacson, Director@Presidential-Appointments.org. (Posted to Washington Post Blog 3/3/07)

White House - Senate Battle on Recess appointments on Recess page:  Important application of "Checks and Balances" Constitutional policy at work!  11 19 07

Miers and Bolton in the Soup:  The Bush "screw the law" attitude appears to be leading to a contempt of Congress citation from the House today......  11 16 07

Shadow Staffs: for the 2009 White House are starting to appear. Check here for details. 11-15-07

No New Consumer Chair:   The increasing heat about dangerous toys applied to the CPSC is not getting any support for the White House to change things.  The long term policy of the GOP to avoid business regulation is the issue.  11 8 07

Appointees in Trouble:  A federal Judge has approved subpoenas for senior Bush appointees to testify in court.  There is sure to be an appeal by the White House on theory of "Executive Privilege" and national Security.  11 2 07 (1 pm MDT)

CPSC - Nord on way out:  The Consumer Product Safety Commission has been in the hands of "Bush Regulators" for several years, people committee to the business computer where consumers are protected only when product violations are flushed into the open.  Staffs are small, and the leadership is pure business, from top to bottom.  Nancy Nord, the acting chair, is in the soup today - toys loaded with lead are doing her in, not to speak of the use of manufacturer's planes, golf courses, and free lunch.  The Congress and the press are out for her head, and are likely to get it. November 2 2007  

Mukasey Slipping:  In mid-September Judge Mukasey looked like a sure thing for confirmation to be Attorney General.  The he let himself continue even though the White House makes him fudge on the water boarding issue before the Senate.  That translates to the position that he won't deny water boarding for the civilian side of the government - the CIA, etc.,  and may not pass the Senate Judiciary Committee.  Don't be surprised if he withdraws his nomination - he could lose this one.  Sounds like a good man trapped by a bad President.  11 1 07

PR Guy Gone:  Last week a FEMA PR guy threw a press conference with phony reporters from FEMA and no real ones.  Philbin - the guy in charge - a Presidential Appointee - said he was headed for a new job for the National Intelligence Director.  Today 10-29-06 - he is headed for a new job out of government - he learned about "Pleasure of the President" service and got canned for a really stupid move in calling the fake press conference at FEMA.  10-29-07

No Radiation Pills:  Bush appointees at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission are defying Congress by refusing to distribute anti-radiation pills (harmless potassium chloride) near Nuclear facilities for fear that it will make people frightened.  Bush favors business over people again, and defies the citizen right to know and make decisions about their own bodies and safety.  10-28-07

NASA Tearing up Paper:  NASA has been cornered for tearing up - trying to bury information - on commercial airline near accidents and risks.  NASA doesn't usually get itself into this sort of PR trouble, but Bush appointees have tried to muscle unpopular information more than once in recent years.  It is a reasonable bet that this is a political appointee carrying out a "protect the Party" scheme.  10-24-07

"Serving at the Pleasure of the President" - an anniversary:  October 20 was the 34th Anniversary of the Nixon "Saturday Night Massacre" - the Granddaddy of Presidential firings. Nixon was under legal attack by the Justice Department on the Watergate Break In - so fired special prosecutor Archibald Cox and Deputy Attorney General William B. Ruckelshaus.  The Attorney General, Elliot L. Richardson, immediately resigned.  All of this illustrates the power of the President to fire administration appointees.  10-21-06

Attorney General Nomination:  10-28-07  -  Snapped by the Boss:  On his second day before the Senate Confirmation hearing, Mukasey went over the hill on his clear stance on torture issue - clearly somebody at the White House pulled his chain overnight - now the candidate is vague and unwilling to answer clearly.  Unfortunate!!  -- The Bush AG nominee is making friends in the Senate with firm positions about Department of Justice administration, even apparent opposition to the torture decisions of the administration.  It looks like a confirmation is in the works. 10-28-07

Orr Policy Appointment:  The President appointed Orr to head the Family Planning division of Health and Human Services - she is an in depth anti-family planning person.  This is how the appointment process can be used to establish policy - to enforce policy.  However irritating it is to family planning supporters - this sort of appointment is exactly how the system is designed to work.  The appointment position itself is not subject to confirmation - and in this particular case - Orr is an interim appointment. 10-29-07

10-28-07 Updates:  Empty Slots:  Bush leaving jobs unfilled!  Blog Talk:  Blog Responses - the PA staff view expressed -  Appointees in Trouble - Gonzales' Lawyer -  Interesting Current Events - 600 young appointments with qualifications in questions - Recess Appointments - Drug Fix - Consumer Safety-No Chair - Attorney General Nominee - preparing for the Senate confirmation.

Interesting Confirmation Problems - Current Problems in the Senate   October 28 2007

Gotcha!! Really Sticky Times for Justice Appointees:  A Department of Justice Appointee announced today she will not testify before Congress -  under any condition - including under subpoena - and will exert the Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination if forced to appear.  She and her attorneys fear criminal charges!  AG Gonzales ought to be polishing up his resume if this mess has gotten this far and he is not taking steps explain it.  Lots and lots of trouble in the offing - almost surely - not to speak of a ton of trouble for the President - if you were in Washington DC tonight - the White House and the Department of Justice would appear to be on opposite sides of the world! 3-27-07

Creeping Tyranny:  The last Session of Congress  passed a little noticed amendment to the Patriot Act which, in impact, authorizes the President to dismiss United States Attorneys without cause, then appoint his choice without Senate confirmation.  By early 2007, a substantial number of those appointments have been made -   without Senate approval - or disapproval.  

Confirmation of US Attorneys was put into the law to limit  the power of the White House to select US Attorneys to manage particular cases or causes.  Needless to say, when the President can bypass Senate review on the senior prosecutors in the country, enormous opportunities for abuse exist.  This statutory sample of the "checks and balances" process failing can correctly be called "creeping tyranny." 

New legislation to reestablish the confirmation requirement has been introduced and may well be passed by the Congress controlled by the Democrats, although President Bush could easily veto that bill.  Eventually, it will be passed and until then, the US Attorney's will be under close scrutiny.

By custom, the Senators from states where US Attorney and Federal Judge appointments are being made have high influence in confirmation proceedings in the Senate.  Those Senators will be eager, regardless of party,  to regain that power. But it is the political conflict between the Executive and the Congress that works to the service of the citizen because agendas are examined and important information about candidates made public.

Through all of US history - and all history in general - people in power have moved to enhance their power.  It is part of the territorial imperative that this should be so - and it is part of the civilizing process that the conflict between various powers be regulated.  In the US, we do that through the elaborate checks and balances built into the Constitution and subsequent laws.  

The Bush Administration, partly through the struggles of war - and partly through the forces of overpaid and over energetic seeking of power - has often failed to genuinely provide their services On Behalf of the People.

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Copyright John Isaacson  2003 - 2010

TYRANNY:  Tyranny over subjects of power - over people - comes under the excuse of protecting them from outside threats - as we now hear from the President of the United States.  It is improbable that George W. Bush has enough perception of history to even recognize what he does - but he does want his own way - screw the law!  This is a valid definition of dangerous men in office.  

Across the gamut of appointed and elected officials - more power - more control - more dominance over others may well be innate in the genetic nature of the territorial imperative - but decent and mature leaders of all types at all levels of power need to exert their feelings - to stand up for civilized control over the mean and hateful leadership which refuses to recognize constitutional government.  Freedom genuinely demands constant protection - and that fight hurts the most when we must stand to defend it against Presidents.  (1-30-06)

     COOKIN’ THE BOOKS:  Politicians who can’t tell the truth are politicians – changing the facts – political “Cookin’ the Books” – not very surprising in a Presidency that is willing to sacrifice lives in Iraq for WMD’s that don’t now and never did exist – are now telling us that bad air is good air – and they themselves also have to breathe the stuff.

Philip Cooney, an oil lobbyist who has been serving on the White House Council on Environmental Quality for several years for the energy industry – whoops – as an appointee of the George II – was caught by the New York Times changing government reports that support the idea that greenhouse gases and global warming are connected.  This is, of course, one of the bedtime (9:30 pm bedtime) fables told to the President.  As a result, Cooney bailed out of the job to spend more time with the kiddies at home this summer.  (He just can’t get on to the truth concept, can he?)

The ratio of lies to truth in any administration suggests a kind of integrity quotient – although minus results have been largely reserved for this administration in recent years.  There is really something rotten about an administration that consistently lies about things that endanger people - particularly given the fact that one of those lesser in command – i.e., the President - reports himself to be in direct communication with, and under the instruction of the Almighty himself, or herself.

Presidential appointments – not to speak of Presidents – often forget the object of their service – the People – not the managers of the greasy black stuff so abundant under the sands of Iraq.  Cooney clearly doesn’t get this idea at all – government folk are responsible to the Constitution, and are expected to act On Behalf of the People.

Administration Policy for Terrorist Situations:  See Developing Policy on Appointments.  11-27-05

Iraq Reconstruction Fraud: Philip Bloom, a US citizen vendor, bribed appointed US Reconstruction officials with 100s of thousand of dollars to secure contracts, and not execute certain contracts.  The officials have been indicted along with Bloom.  The AP reported the story.  11-28-05 

TVA Directors:  While it is Bush Administration routine that appointments are usually dollar supporters first and maybe qualified -- five new appointments are Frist folk and without utility experience.  Find the Duncan Mansfield 11-26-05 copyrighted AP story in the Memphis Commercial Appeal.  11-27-05

CRONYISM has troubled government forever - and it troubles the Bush Administration, too.  The fired head of FEMA and the new SC Justice nominee are obvious examples - but it is a huge problem in the appointive part of the government - across the board.  What to do about it - it's usually not illegal - is a serious issue in government - across the board!  (10-11-05)

October 5 2005 - The selection of a new head of the Federal Reserve system is the most important economic appointment in many years - what President Bush does between now and the first of the year on the appointment of a new Federal Reserve Chairman is potentially more important, and more controversial than the selection of the Chief Justice and a new Associate Justice.  Expect another middle-of-the-road appointment!  9-05-05

The President has been caught lying and misleading the public to make the Iraqi War publicly acceptable.  Review the reports of the Congress released in the last few days.  (9-16-06)

Bush Expansion of Iraqi War:  The President's position - right or wrong - doesn't seem to be gaining traction today.  Even Senator Clinton and several leading Republican leaders seem to challenge or abandon his position.  This will surely accelerate the departure of White House appointees who want to duck the damage coming Bush's way.  Jan 11 07

CAUGHT BY THE SYSTEM: A system governed by law – like ours – is victim to men and women like Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, and those found in the Congress – they consciously and intentionally place human over law in acts of real treachery to the People.  This has been the prime characteristic of the Conservative movement since its inception prior to WW2 – screw the law to do what individuals want to do.

We all know that there is a system of structural checks and balances in the Constitutional system.  It worked again when the Federal Courts recently applied the law to the illegal Bush prison camps.  Certainly national and international public opinion was a player in the President’s announcement to bring the illegal CIA camps into the legal structure and to the Court decisions – the Constitutional standards were applied.   While it is improbable that the entire locked up terrorist group will be included in the change – such a public admission by the President is a loss to tyranny’s cause.

In considering the conduct of leaders to defy the law, it is important to have deep contempt for their inner being – they are gutting your world and your safety – they are dishonest at a level of the soul that is putrefied by dishonor to every person. 

It is the collective perception of a people – of a Society – that controls the depth of political anarchy toward the Law.  If we are tricked by lies and misdirection into approval of a war – such as has been proven to be the case in the Iraqi War – we need to remove our support of that war and withdraw into the honor of Truth and suffer the sorrow of those we have caused to die – our own and others – and struggle to repair those we have injured – our own and others – to redeem our constitutional honor. 

The occasional imperialist attitudes that arise in the Presidency are predictable in the nature of human government – and can usually only be imposed by wealthier societies.   Our Constitutional system has shut down many imperialist leaders over its lifetime – usually by the People in harness with a Free Press – but it has been a close call more than once.  

When those who govern defy the Law of the People – we are at risk of personal slavery.  Whether by voting, by good citizenship, by exercise of the legal system, or by educating about the Law, we have a deep self interest in demanding leadership that acts first On Behalf of the People.  

A New Liberal Movement:  While it may have the appearance of a pendulum swing - the Liberal Movement is emerging again.  The reasons are complex and matters of some serious historical interest - but the practical impact is a new kind of political coalescence - and looks an awful lot like the Liberal phenomenon which had its roots in the late 19th and early 20th Century.  These produced or supported the ACLU, the worker's movements, the Women's Movement, and ultimately, was the core of both the desegregation battle and the rejection of the Viet Nam War - not to speak of literally thousands of other social changes.  How it wore out is not much different than what is happening to the Conservative Movement - leadership personnel die off - the focus is lost - and the movement loses its constituency among the general population.

While the Liberal reemergence was fully predictable in the early 1960's when we saw it winding down - it is now happening.  The importance of this particular comment on this page at this time is to remind those interested in executive appointments that there is massive change in the air - "times are 'a changin'" - and those who think they have it knocked for an appointment might be on soft sand, and those who feel lost and disenfranchised may have future in executive government before too long, and for a long time - if history follows history.  (09-20-06)    

Appointee Misconduct:  Executive Appointees often violate the law - act unethically - and in general - misbehave in office.  There is nothing new about this conduct  through all of history - the current Presidency has the same problem.  Several such troubles have been reported in recent weeks.

 Appointees are obviously not elected by the people, nor are they subject to the same standards of supervision as the civil service employee confronts.  Some sort of vetting occurs on some appointees - obviously more on those that must be approved by the Senate.  But the usual background check has more to do with size of a recent political contribution or the nature of the appointee's real political power on behalf of the President or the Party in Power.

Political appointees have increased in the current administration - it obviously is part of the political control phenomenon to have more people directly responsible to the political machine. In the long run - there are less of those appointees as time passes - but the number will always be substantial.

Public supervision of those appointees may be one of the most powerful ways to keep an eye on these appointees.  How that supervision is structured is another issue, but may well be critical to how the free society maintains its integrity absent other controls over appointee conduct in the federal government. (10-11-05)

  Absurd Moment:  Michael Brown - recently fired and separated-from-government - has announced formation of an "emergency preparedness" firm in Colorado.  He is clearly playing off of his Presidential appointment as head of FEMA where he brilliantly displayed his vanity and endangered thousands by his proven incompetence during Katrina.  The bite is in the playoff - using his former government position to muscle a new income. (more to the right, below "Absurd") 11-27-05

Brown's project is a carbon copy of his former director's project. (below).  She placed major contracts for her emergency service clients based on her recent government position.  The point:  The time has come to restrict former appointees from exploiting the positions immediately after leaving office - it is classic corruption! 11-27-05

Revolving Door Laws have little bite when it comes to ending influence peddling among executive appointees.  FEMA director's (ex) prior boss has been peddling contracts to her clients to fix things up on the Gulf Coast - situation which illustrates the worst of revolving door politics.  (10-10-05)

Resumes:  Bad preparation of background materials for an applicant - the resume or vita - can slow down or kill a appointment application.  The Executive Offices provide forms to complete - but prior to that time - well prepared background materials make a big difference.  You can bet someone will check the material you provide - so be accurate and truthful.  If you are not good at such preparation - use a professional resume writer with experience in government applications.  Be certain that you provide such a document to all those you are asking to support your application so they are well prepared to argue your case.  (3-10-05)

United Nations Pressure:  The President's new nomination to be US Ambassador to the United Nations is the target of severe Senate study - at least from the Democrats.  The job is a tough one - under the direct control of the White House in a way seldom applies to Ambassadors.  Republicans rarely like the United Nations - witness the President's Iraqi War - but a strong appointment is always better than a weak appointment - even when that results in UN controversy.  Clearly - this appointment is meant to be part of the management of North Korea's nuclear adventure.  (03-09-05)

Thinking Ahead:  For those interested in appointments in the next administration - now is the time to start thinking about it all.  As presidential hopefuls starts to emerge - transition issues also start to appear - and most important - those close to the candidate become more apparent.  Any potential appointee needs to keep track of who-is-going-to-be-who in 2008.  (03-09-05)

Hot appointment news of the day:  The White House is discretely vetting candidates for the Chief Justice appointment which is sure to be in the works one day soon.  Getting caught with a stupid background mistake the Democrats are sure to find is not on the agenda for the President.  There has been a short list for Justices and Supreme Court Chief since well before 2000 - and endless amazement - (not to speak of huge disappointments in some quarters) - that the President hasn't had a shot at a Supreme Court Appointment  in 4+ years - but he will soon.  (2-6-05)

Slopping at the Public Trough:  One analysis of the changes in the Presidents closets cabinet and staff says that he found their affection for the perks of power to be offensive - and that preserving those came ahead of aggressive support of his policies.  That would be a valuable policy - and a breath of fresh air in the presence of so main aides and so expensive limos. (1-17-05)

Backing up the Raft:  On the west front of the Capitol January 20th - the President clearly tried to threaten a variety of countries he doesn't like around the world - and they took it as a threat.  Starting a bar-fight in a Texas honky-tonk in one thing - threatening virtually everybody in the world that doesn't talk Texan has caused the State Department to announce that he was misunderstood - effectively negating the Texas cowboy's mouthy overstatements.  That is one bitch of a thing to do to a Pres that says only what God says to him in private talks! (1-24-05)

Rice Adventure - 1-1-05:  Reputation Trouble:  Secretary prospect Rice will spend the bulk of her term in Foggy Bottom recovering from prior pitches, mistakes, misunderstandings on Iraq - the mistakes or misleading was just too great.  The Senate hearings merely defined what the bulk of the world diplomacy believes - the White House is incompetent - or all Texas baloney or lies.

Appointments: 1-17-05:  The Senate is preparing as many confirmations of Bush appointees as possible before the Inauguration - following a tradition - as far as possible - of presenting the President with a slate of new officers to start a new term. (1-17-05)

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Trouble in Homeland Security - The White House is having trouble getting a Secretary to Head Homeland Security - our Washington sources say it will have to be another insider appointment.  GW likes keeping his appointments in the family.  The best judgment is that it will be a familiar name - with a southern accent - and a military background.  Leaving the job open at the start of 2005 with the continuing terrorist pressures is making the impact more serious.  Obviously the White House is trying to get the vetting right on this one - no more recommendations from friendly politicians!  (12-29-04)

December 19 2004 - Bad Vet:  Kerik was let through the vetting process as a matter of carelessness.  It is extremely costly to the President's itch to fill the homeland security job quickly - and may be very damaging to Kerik himself in the long run.  Those sorts of mistakes occur in every administration.  Please refer to our Clean up Your Act page.

December 17 2004 - Taking the heat for the boss: In spite of incredibly bad judgment in his recent Iraq statements - Defense head Rumsfeld is taking the blame for the President's decision to go into Iraq.  There are few clearer examples of appointees being made responsible for the bosses' decisions than this.

December 6 2004 - Lots of jobs open:  While it is not particularly unusual, there are many, many appointments open and opening throughout the government.

January 17 2004 - Lobbyists at work:   Lobbyists are gearing up to participate in the Senate Confirmation hearings which are due almost immediately.  Their influence runs from suggesting questions or criticisms of potential appointees to Senators - to chatting with the powers-that-be in the White House.  This routine follows in the worst tradition of smoked-filled-room politics.  This is where big time campaign contributions pay off - they are pre-payments on ear-time with the Pres and his underlings.  In Bush decisions - you get what you pay for! (1-1-05)

December 29 2004 - Trough Time:   Presidential Appointees at all levels are leaving government - per usual - as they do at the end of Presidential terms.  But more and more - those appointments are leading to high paying jobs in the private sector where the citizen-public servant becomes the political pro.  While the implications are serious, and largely negative for the public - the amount of payoff to potential employers while appointees are still in office is worth a serious look.  Greasing the palm of a future - post government - employer is not difficult to imagine.  An FDA appointee going to work for a pharmaceutical - for example - is almost a certainty - and a solid example of what is happening across the board in the federal executive appointment process.  It has happened with retiring members of Congress and the Senate for years - it is time for post government employment conflict of interest laws with some serious bite to stop it in the Executive Branch!  

December 28 2004 - Judicial Appointments: It's payday for the Conservatives on Judicial Appointments - the GW is doing reruns on old candidates - announcing that he is nominating 20 Judge candidates that have been previously opposed by Democrats in the Senate.  There is plenty of evidence that the Pres really doesn't care if they get whipped in the confirmation process - just paying off on a promise to the neo-conservative block for its support in the 2004 election.  The President has never been one to stand on integrity when it comes to political payoffs.  It would be no surprise if it is all blood and guts in the confirmation hearings.  See Continuing Policy Stories

December 27 2004 - Trouble in Drug Regulation:  The post-Christmas mood in Washington is to examine why medical assets such as the drugs which have proven dangerous in recent weeks got onto the market at all.  The influence of drug companies at keeping drug regulation appointments open - or filled with their buddies is the issue.  The administration has a public fight coming on why it allowed dangerous drugs on the market.

December 26 2004 - The federal government is developing a new investigation emphasis on public officials who are corrupt - in light of two governors leaving office in recent months, there is a developing concern in government circles about the current level of corruption.

December 24 2004 - Hot appointment news of the day:  The Homeland Security agencies are going to continue without a leader for awhile as the White House searches for a new Secretary to head it - a task severely complicated by the flubbed try with Kerik of New York.  Clearly the White House likes insider appointees who have kissed the ring of the conservative loyalty -- that requirement doesn't lead to much creativity in government or many distinguished choices.

December 20 2004: New Executive Appointments Imminent:  The President is moving quickly to replace those major appointees who have moved on.  Less obvious is the next layer of people moving on - those positions fill less quickly-but there are more opportunities there.  Now is the time to consider what position you might wish to have - or to recommend positions to others. (Searching for Appointments)

October 24, 2004 - Market on Hold:  Every indicator in early markets around the world suggest a flat and quiet market until the elections are past next week.  High oil prices help the inactivity.  If there is a change of administration, the market needs to get a sense of where the transition takes the new President.  Guesses on who will be primary economy movers in the next four years will government much of the market movement for the next few weeks.

October 17, 2004:  "It's the Economy, Stupid" is getting past Kerry - he isn't using it in the campaign effectively, as Bill Clinton did.  All of the statistics on the Bush impact on jobs and the economy favor the Democrats, yet they are not having an impact.  It may well be that a hugely wealthy guy like Kerry is hard put to sell the economy issue.  Interest rates are going up - jobs are not doing very well - and inflation is holding its own.  The question is whether Kerry doesn't understand it - or he can't sell it.

November 26 2004:  CIA Appointments:  Most of those leaving the CIA is the current fluff are staff with enough civil service time in to retire at some level.  Except for a small handful of top names which appear in the press - the positions are filled from under-staff or without notice.

November 21 2004 - Appointments moving quickly:  In a generally normal way - appointments are being confirmed and new ones made.  The transition changes often occur in this manner.

November 19 2004 - White House appointments page:  If you are interested in a White House appointment or the process, select the White House page in the left column of this page.  If nothing more, read through it - it tells you something about the appointment process.  If you are applying for a position,  you should probably fill in the forms provided.  A comment though - you should pursue other contacts you may have with the White House or others involved in the appointments routine for the job you are considering.

November 14 2004 - Search services for appointments:  Our staff will answer (endless) questions about the appointment process by phone (406 593 2870) and by e-mail at Director@Presidential- Appointments.org.  We encourage potential appointees to search for the jobs they find interesting on their own - along the lines we have suggested at various places in this site.  We will do searches through our staff - see Intensive Searches.

November 8 2004 - Court Appointments:  SC appointments will continue to develop as an important part of the next several months.  This is a visible and interesting part of the Constitutional process.  Without question, it will be controversial, as it has often been.  We will open a new section of this page today which will track the appointment process as it develops.

October 31 2004 - Interim Appointment to Supreme Court:  The next President will quite clearly appoint at least a Chief Justice.  Should Bush lose on Tuesday - and the CJ retire before January 20th, the Inauguration Day, the retiring President could make an "interim appointment" - without the affirmation of the Senate which would last for a year.

October 25 2004 - Federal Judge Appointments:  Federal Judge Appointments have long been an issue in the conservative movement - and there is a lot of talk about it in the present campaign - but nothing in the polls suggests it is a compelling issue outside the most locked in Bush conservatives - in short - it doesn't appear to be making changes in votes.

October 17, 2004 - Promoting groups for appointments:   Now is a time when special groups can gain a larger influence in government by concerted efforts to get candidates together to apply.  A variety of communication phenomena, such as the internet and cheap long distance phone calls has much to do with the in-depth communication groups can have.  Women's groups are paying close attention to such appointments a this time in history.

October 12 2004 - Appointments Game Warming up for both sides:  People who wish to be appointed to Presidential positions in the next couple of years are getting into position.  Republicans know that a significant number of present Bush appointments will quit and move on, leaving many open positions.  Democrats know essentially all Presidential positions will be up for grabs in the coming months in Senator Kerry wins.

September 26 2004 - Transition:  As the campaign seems closer, the basic transition system is gearing up with the possibility of a change of administrations.  The Transition Issues as outlined in the 9-11 report shows how critical this preparation can be.  Obviously - a huge amount of the transition always includes new Presidential Appointments - personnel being the guts of the way the change is made effective.

September 26 2004 - Judicial Appointments:  As the Presidential Elections approach, the way each candidate will make judicial appointments has the impact of energizing voters.  The conservative movement - for 50 years - has made judicial appointments a focal point - a roundup issue - of its entire political approach.  Because of the long tenure of most judges - the issue is important and does impact votes.  In recent days, the press is reporting really serious force behind the issue on both sides of the election.

August 21, 2004 - Lobbyist Appointments:  The Bush White House has specialized in appointments of corporate lobbyists to head agencies that supervise the corporations they represent.  One result has been a litany of policy changes against environmental protection.  Historically - the GOP has felt the government was a tool for their constituent's profit.  While this is entirely legal - it is one of the policies that tends to make political appointments into civil service jobs.

July 13 2004 - Appointments in January:  Enough people with real money - the sort that buys favors and accessibility to the President - are filling the bank accounts of the Democrats as well as the GOP.  That is different for the out-of-office party.  Watching the payoff for either party - the one that wins - will be interesting in January 2005.

June 15 2004 - Fudging figures:  The State Department announcements about terrorism - those announcing great success by the current administration in stopping terrorism - have proven to be in serious error - and in favor of the Bush Administration.  The Conservative movement appointees have not done well with the "truth" idea in this administration.  Of course, neither did President Clinton do well with the truth the first time around.

June 7 2004 - Presidential Change:  With the change in national politics which makes John Kerry a possible next President - transition activities in the government are picking up, and prospective new appointees are kicking into both campaigns.  The political nose of office seekers isn't really very good at guessing who will win but they are going to get into position if case of a Democratic Party win in November.  This certainly helps fund raising for both parties.

June 6 2004 - Presidential Transition:  A new site is available about government positions which improves access to appointments and transition information. Presidential Transition Directory.

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Policy:  Bolton Recess Appointment  Creeping Tyranny Developing Policy Stories  Disclaimer  Economic Forces and Structures  Executive Privilege  Lame Duck Administration  Mission  Observations  On Behalf of the People  Presidential Appointees in Trouble  Science and Politics  Power Strategies

Services:  Current Appointment  Links  Glossary and Definitions  Intense Searches  Subject Search  Searching for Appointments  Table of Contents

Owner Vita

     John Isaacson, page owner, graduated from Washington University Law School - He was involved in Missouri 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.  He now lives in western Montana near the Rocky Mountain Continental Divide in Butte Montana, the "Richest Hill on Earth."