Many federal employees, often the most talented but least “with the program”, have been given poor reviews or denied promotion or transfers. Some have been given nothing to do, a phone and a window in hopes they would leave. Others have had their security clearance put under a review, which denies them access to the people and materials needed to do their work. Some have just been fired. The “Roundup” has been relentlessly effective.

Virtually all hires for over seven years have been from a Gooper list. Not only at Justice. But across the federal government. Regardless of department or specialty. A list put together by the likes of Kay Coles James, former head of the government’s hiring process and former top Regent U. administrator. When Regent U. priorities become Uncle Sam’s hiring priorities, we’re all in big trouble.

So the liberals, progressives, agnostics, atheists, non-Christians, the sexually unpopular and others who remain are older, some have been brutalized or shunted aside, their networks disbanded. They will leave or retire first in the ordinary course of business. If hiring is neutral, their replacements will be a mixed bag, intentionally so. But it will mean the ship of state maintains a heavy list to starboard for quite some time. And before a broad spectrum of personalities gains power, there will be a transition period where all the likely candidates for leadership will want to push her harder to starboard still.

Which means that Congress, the President, agency heads and federal employee associations have a lot of work ahead of them. One thing Congress can do is restore the union membership that Cheney had ripped from employees DoD and DHS. One thing agency heads can do is rehire many of the talented former feds Bush pushed out. One thing the President can do is to hire agency heads who desperately want their new agencies to succeed, not tear them apart. EPA, Interior, Labor and Justice quickly come to mind.

Running the federal government ain’t easy; it’s more like an aircraft carrier than a canoe. Regardless, if only the port screws turn or you only paddle on the left, the only direction you can go is to the right. Which takes you nowhere but in a circle and achieves nothing but dysfunction. Cheney may have wanted that, to centralize decision making in the hand ruling from behind the throne. But he and Bush are rich and connected enough to live beyond government. The other ninety-nine percent of us need it to run well.

I think most of us cherish diversity. But a general commitment to the tone of the blog and the focus of a thread is what keeps this place working. You deserve the employee-of-the-month badge for volunteering to clean up the spills on aisle three.

there is likely still a competent core of 60%-70% or so that, with proper leadership and cleaned up, restored protocols, and some time, is likely still quite competent and functional. I think it will easily take 5-8 years to get back to the unified competence and reputation it had when Bush took office.

As so many times in the past, bmaz, you’ve said things more cogently and succinctly than I have. Thx for this.

I only hope the core is still as high as 60%; I fear it may be down to 20% or 30%. So here’s hoping the core is as high as you state.

As for the timeframes, I’m a bit agnostic. It looks to me like this mess really calls for a Major Reorganization, but the times that I’ve seen that happen, it has required extra resources and extra administrative authority and very clear vision. Tough work. It’s a rare person who can do a good job of it, but they sure do make a difference.

Evidently, I need to get a copy of “Shock Doctrine” on audiobook.

http://www.amconmag.com/12_1_03/feature.html

http://engforum.pravda.ru/arch…..53978.html

http://www.juancole.com/2004/1…..chard.html

Makes you want to yell to someone, “Ever heard of ‘Gallipoli’?”

The tail that wags the dog.