I Cogitate
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Bush destroys all within his reach
Today we present yet another easy to connect-the-dots drama of how George Bush has hollowed out the United States government.
This would be a simple if not sexy story for the major media to follow up on (our assumption here is that the ABC, NBC and CBS networks no longer qualify as important news-gathering and analysis institutions) if the desire was there to do so. The questions are already laid out and measureables noted.
Who will take up the challenge?
The Nieman Watchdog consortium, in this particular case, Princeton political scientist David Lewis, presents a how-to on determining what harm {we guess we're forced to write, if any] the Bush Administration has done to the actual workings of government. Of course, Karl Rove gets a mention. One wonders how Turdblossom overlooked politicizing the toilet tissue in the White House and elsewhere? Or did he issue an edict to superimpose phots of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi on every sheet of every roll? Inquiring minds want to know.
When those who detest government but luxuriate in exercising power and control become in charge, well...
How badly has Bush damaged the federal government?Go here for the full article and an opportunity to read a chapter in Lewis' upcoming book.
ASK THIS | September 24, 2007
David E. Lewis
delewis@princeton.edu
A Princeton political scientist proposes questions that would help determine if this administration’s actions to politicize the bureaucracy have done serious damage to government competence.
Q. Have Bush political appointees taken away hiring authority from senior-level career employees elsewhere besides the Department of Justice? Is there any evidence that those career hires have been made on a partisan basis? (A violation of federal law)
Q. Are new hires to key career posts in any way demographically different than new hires in the past? (i.e. in terms of experience, ethnicity.) How are the new hires faring compared to new hires in the past?
Q. Are presidential loyalists being placed in jobs with direct influence over grants, contracts, the granting of licenses, etc? If so, was there a centrally directed effort to use these powers for the benefit of Bush’s reelection or the Republican Party?
Q. Is the Bush Administration engaging in a concerted effort to use appointed positions to credential young Republicans to run for office in the future or hold positions in a future Republican Administration?
The discoveries we are making about the extent of political influence in the Justice Department should make us wonder where else this type of politicizing behavior is occurring...
...One of the interesting things about this administration's approach to personnel was the extent of former White House senior adviser Karl Rove's involvement. I would like to know how much Rove was directing personnel choices and for what ends (electoral gain? to further a conservative agenda? etc.) Was he consciously pushing his people into positions where they had control over licenses, grants, contracts so that they could distribute these goods in a partisan manner?
...Finally, is there a competence gap developing? Have this administration’s actions to politicize the bureaucracy in order to get control of the bureaucracy and satisfy patronage demands done serious damage to government competence?
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