Heckuva Job: The Unqualified, the Unscrupulous, and the Bush White House
Gonzales quits, but plenty of Bush's loyal losers hang on.
Every administration has its share of politically appointed deadwood—ex-campaign workers, big fundraisers, incompetent ideologues. Traditionally, after duds like Reagan Interior Secretary James Watt were exposed, presidents showed them the door.
Not today. In the Bush White House, the duds fail upward, obtaining ever more senior government jobs or landing safely in the private sector. This may be because, as Boston College political scientist Alan Wolfe has written, Republicans have become so disdainful of government that they no longer care if the bureaucracy is filled with the unqualified and the unscrupulous. This administration's premium on political loyalty over substantive experience only makes things worse: A report last year by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee found that in the president's first five years in office, the number of political appointees hired without public scrutiny or congressional approval increased by one-third. (It had declined by 17 percent under Clinton.)
Some notable masters of professional gravity defying include George Tenet, awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his slam dunks on Iraq and 9/11; Paul Wolfowitz, who went on to shock and awe the World Bank; and Federal Emergency Management Agency (fema) head Michael "Brownie" Brown, who now runs a consulting firm whose specialties include—you guessed it—disaster management. But they're just the tip of the iceberg.
Patrick Rhode
started as: fema chief of staff, 2003-2006
heckuva job: Former television reporter and Bush campaign event planner Rhode had little disaster management experience when he came to fema. As Katrina drowned New Orleans, he emailed his boss Michael Brown, boasting that he was getting his hair moussed for TV rather than coordinating disaster relief efforts.
soft landing: In January, Rhode was hired as a senior adviser at nasa. An agency spokesman conceded that Rhode's no rocket scientist, but explained, "He's done a lot of things."
Ellen Sauerbrey
started as: U.S. representative to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, 2002-2003
heckuva job: Sauerbrey, who had little international experience, pushed for pro-life language in diplomatic agreements, earning boos at U.N. conferences.
soft landing: Now assistant secretary of state for population, refugees, and migration, she runs relief operations all over the world. At her confirmation hearings, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) pointed out that "you don't have very specific experience." Sauerbrey noted that she had overseen three Maryland counties as a census administrator. Three!
Hector Barreto
started as: Administrator of the Small Business Administration, 2001-2006
heckuva job: Under this former Bush fundraiser's watch, the sba handed out $2 billion in contracts reserved for small firms to large companies and gave post-9/11 terrorism relief to an Oregon winery and a perfume company in the Virgin Islands. In a 2005 survey of government employees' morale, the SBA ranked dead last.
soft landing: In April 2006, Barreto resigned, only to emerge as head of the Latino Coalition, a conservative Astroturf organization funded by A-list corporations from R.J. Reynolds to Verizon.
Hans A. von Spakovsky
started as: Counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights, 2003-2005
heckuva job: Von Spakovsky "has devoted much of his legal career to suppressing minority voting rights," says J. Gerald Hebert, former head of the Justice Department's voting division. Having worked for the Bush campaign on the 2000 Florida recount, von Spakovsky used his post as a top civil-rights enforcer to help launch an aggressive campaign to purge voter rolls, a move that would slash the number of poor and minority voters. On his watch, doj unsuccessfully sued to force Missouri to toss voters off the rolls. Half the career employees in von Spakovsky's unit quit during his tenure.
soft landing: Bush appointed von Spakovsky to a term on the Federal Election Commission, making him one of the nation's highest election monitors.
William G. Myers III
started as: Solicitor of the Department of the Interior, 2002-2003
heckuva job: A former lobbyist for mining and cattle companies, Myers signed a pledge not to deal with his old clients when he went to work for the government. In 2004, Interior's inspector general found that he'd met with his former clients at least nine times while in office; accused of unethical conduct, he resigned.
soft landing: Bush promptly nominated him to the powerful 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. He now has the distinction of being one of the few Bush nominees who has never been confirmed.
Paul Hoffman
started as: Deputy assistant secretary of the Interior for fish and wildlife and parks, 2002-2006
heckuva job: A former aide to Dick Cheney and an advocate for more snowmobiles in national parks, he rewrote the rules to permit mining near national parks and essentially told the Park Service not to oppose projects that threatened sensitive environments. "Hoffman was just alone working on this overhaul," says one former staffer. Even some gop senators expressed dismay.
soft landing: Bumped upstairs to a higher position at Interior.
Joseph Schmitz
started as: Inspector general of the Department of Defense, 2001-2005
heckuva job: Tasked with investigating fraud, waste, and abuse at the Pentagon, Schmitz instead found himself being investigated by the Senate for allegedly falsifying press releases, blocking outside oversight of his office, and possibly protecting Defense employees from criminal investigations.
soft landing: Upon leaving the Pentagon, he became an executive at the parent company of private security contractor Blackwater, which guards U.S. officials in Iraq.
Robin Cleveland
started as: Associate director of national security programs at the Office of Management and Budget, 2001-2005
heckuva job: Cleveland emailed then-Air Force Secretary James Roche asking for help getting her brother a job with a weapons contractor—just as she was working on a massive military aircraft-leasing program. Roche assured Cleveland about her brother's job prospects, writing, "Smile. Give tankers now. Oops, did I say that?" Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) launched an investigation and Roche resigned.
soft landing: When Paul Wolfowitz failed upward, he gave Cleveland a cushy new job at the World Bank.
William J. Haynes II
started as: General counsel of the Department of Defense, 2001-present
heckuva job: Helped set up the Guantanamo detention center, pushed the military to loosen its rules on torture, and refused to provide Congress with information about new methods of interrogation. Also created the military tribunal process, which the Supreme Court ruled violated the Geneva Conventions and U.S. law.
soft landing: Last fall, he was nominated to the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals, despite having tried only three court cases in his entire career. He's since withdrawn his name.
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I wonder what my former Political
Science professor would think of the
Bush's and she is a "loyal Republican".
I M P E A C H
Why on earth is everyone waiting to move on impeachment? There's one moron left, and he's the most dangerous of all: the puppetmaster of disaster, Dick Cheney.
House Resolution 333 (H Res 333) introduces articles of impeachment against Cheney, and is gathering momentum. The time is now to demand accountability and to demand our elected representatives get a spine and fulfill their constitutional obligation. Help get H Res 333 on the floor for debate in the house. Its the only way to restore the checks and balances of government, and shows we are serious about preserving democracy and the constitution regardless of whether or not it eventually passes.
READ MORE ON IMPEACHMENT
Yes yes yes. Impeach Cheney. Now.
Regarding Ellen Sauerbrey, Senator Barack Obama (D-Ill.) pointed out that "you don't have very specific experience." How ironic.
We elected Bush when he was clearly unqualifed. Then after he obviously lied and misled us to war, we elected him again.
How can we then be surprised that he prizes loyalty over competency and ethics?
You are going to get some sleaze regardless of which administration is in power, Republican or Democrat. But to criticize someone who condemns baby killing or someone who is trying to get information from the enemy and save my fellow Americans is a disgraceful person. I guess sleaze occurs in office and out.
These people are without honor or self respect. If we haven't seen this so often from the bushies, it would be hard to believe. Sure, impeachment and conviction is the answer, but those in position to do so (Democrats) seem to have this crazy idea that we are more likely to return them to office if they don't impeached! They're as dumb as shrub if they believe that.
How could so many "intelligent" voters have been "hoodwinked" into electing the Baby Bush, TWICE?
It seems to be true that conservatives have high disdain for government. Can't they see that there will be government - either of, by and for the people, or by some level of dictator (a soft form of which we have now) or even by some kind of monster like so many the world have known? In a vacuum of leadership, people of the awfulest sort will rise to the top.
Impeachment for stupidity, terrific. If you don't want abortions then don't have one.Because I know if that fetus was gay you would be saying abort it.The truth of the matter is you can't be pro-war, anti-environment,anti-equality, and be pro-life, it's selective.
Oh my god!! It gets more incredible by the minute.
WITH ALL THIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE BU[deleted]ES SHENANIGANS, HOW CAN ANYONE DENY IMPEACHMENT IS THE ONLY WAY. WHY THE DELAY?? JUST WAIT UNTIL THE NATION IS TOTALLY DESTROYED?? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY BUSH AND CHENEY ARE STILL IN OFFICE!! IS THERE A REASON? PLEASE TELL ME. WE WOULD ALL LIKE TO KNOW...NOW!!
Look, we have known about these clowns for years. This isn't sudden news. Bush wasn't "elected". We know that too. The REAL question is, what do we do now? Any suggestions?
Impeach! I say again, Impeach! These guys are traitors to the American public. Their crimes stink on high, so I say once again, IMPEACH! Not for being conservatives or Republicans, but for being obscenely corrupt, blatantly incompetent, and criminally responsible for the continued murder of loyal U.S. troops and innocent Iraqi citizens. Did I mention we should IMPEACH the lot of them?
Isn't this really just a mirror of what the US has become as a nation, - greedy, stupid and self-righteous?
And believing that there is a god who have created them in his image?
Makes even Australians look half decent!
Get with the program! It has never been about anything but about the money and a neo-feulal agenda of corporate fiefdoms presided over by the feeble minded inbred spawn of the overclass.
Time for you to know your place and stay there!
ring on house resolution 333!!
You folks still dont get it. Patriotic Americans are suckers
As a Marylander, I always wondered how the GOP's perennial failed gubernatorial candidate from the 90's, Ellen Sauerbrey, ended up working for the State Dept. Silly me, I assumed she had some sort of foreign service experience in her background she was hiding.
It's called Republican Reincarnation. When Republicans die they go to K Street! Old Republicans never die they just change their job titles.
I am looking for something that is apparently no longer available: a revolutionized, unionized, non-apathetic America comprised of people who care about one another and work together to accomplish a common goal (the idea is that none of us succeed unless we all succeed). Sadly, all I see around me are people obsessing about and absorbed in themselves....only themselves. This downturn in the collective human character began ever so quietly during the Reagan over-the-top years and picked up steam during the Daddy Bush years. This tragic behavior exploded in the Baby Bush era simply because we Americans, believing and trusting and numb with fear, authorized this pitiful excuse of a "man" to (incredibly) set the tone for the nation. Look around you; even the small things have undergone significant (adverse) change. From rude, bullying, "Get-Off-MY-Road" demanding drivers to a fervent increase in white collar crime - Bush and cronies have repeatedly initiated, facilitated and maintained such alienating, hostile behavior practices. These misfits have also fostered secrecy, false representations,obstruction and, amongst other things, self-possessed "My Way Or The Highway" behaviors and beliefs. Of course it naturally follows that Bush and cronies would never, ever, let any new thoughts pierce their tiny-box minds (did I say pierce the corporate veil?). Geez...this is flat-out embarassing and certainly nothing I want to remotely be associated with.
After 40 years of unchallenged loyalty, I dumped the Democrats after they let me down in a very royal manner. No one cared. I joined up with the greens due to my political alignment with Nader. No one cared about that either. I am now on my way to the socialist party where I hope to associate with like minds. Hopefully they will care!
There are only two possibilities to generate arousal in both Bush and Cheney: a very public condemation through impeachment proceedings or to put them on trial for war crimes. We should be thinking about giving these tough-minded, machismo war fanatics nothing but the very best (including a touch of the most highly-prized torture!) Unfortunately,doing so would require nothing short of a revolution; somehow expecting a revolution to grow out of apathy doesn't energize me.
Lastly, but most importantly - and FYI - WE did not elect Mr. Bush (can't bring myself to call him "President.") Mr. Bush forcefully enthroned himself with the help of his little 'bro, Jebby, and Jebby's lap dog, Katharine Harris. And of course there were the "felons" - the "felons" that weren't really felons that were decidedly misrepresented to the public and denied the right to vote. Had the "felons" that weren't really "felons" not encountered obstruction, Gore would have rightfully claimed the Presidency. It's scary to witness what a little power and money will do in this land of "freedom" and opportunity - this Democratic nation of ours, one nation, under God.......
It would not be far amiss to conclude that what Bush stands for is a far-cry of what the founding fathers of the land had in my when this once great country came into being. Bush and his close associates have paved the way for dangerous levels of cronism, backed by marauding monopoly capitalism whose tentacles have spread to the very core of USA's governance fabric. To unsit this cancer will require a revolution of a protracted nature - and am not sure whether that revolution can succesfully take-off with the calibre of democrats there is on show today. Voting in democrats may be, and I stress, may be the beginning of the process. This is because a lot of them do come with the sort of buggage that can safely be traced back to big-player corporate America that does not want to 'see no evil, nor hear any evil' about the ills of the current Bush 'ways' of conducting business for the once great nation. It may sound some sort of anathema to mention the word socialism to an American audience so used to drool at the mention of the virtues of unfettered capitalism, but hey, the greatest social innovators this world has seen once had a brush with a dose of the unpleasant. There is no place anymore for steadfast ideologues who proceed without embracing the changing imperatives of the wider society, and the world. Unfortunately, there seems to be an insatiable appetite for America to re-enforce its failings, particularly in the last two cycles of country leadership contests. Equally worrying is the spectre of Ameriacn politics taking the form of dynastic cycles. Being a free market, there was supposed to be a fresh social mandate from people at every turn of the election cycle - this has not been so as a result of the monopolisation of political space by these dynasties, supported by corporations that will do anything that perpetuates their lifeblood - supernormal profits. The recycling of failure evident in these episodes of propping up cronies is simply a reflection of these underlying problems, and only a revolution can unseat this cycle.
note how many of these vermin fiinally crawl back under a cosy corporate rock!
Bush has shown time and again his commitment to ideological, religious, political and corporate cronies, appointing more totally incompetent and ideological officials to office probably than any president in history. We knew this even before this Mother Jones compilation, but is it terrific to see how the soft landings work, after the officials make a mess of US policy, the US longterm debt to China, and the World. And clearly this Paul is just trying to create cognitive dissonance on this blog site.
I have just two words to everyone who feels outraged at lack of integrity in Washington today... Ron Paul. Support Ron Paul for President in 08 and bring hope and integrity back to America.
IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH IMPEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh sure, let's put Ron Paul in office. There's one man who is ready to keep those uppity Negroes down.
In regards to Susan Parry Trechak's comments, I'd like to respond.
I too look for the same things as you mentioned in your first paragraph.
I'm not however looking toward changing my Democratic party want for a socialist party no matter what it's new name might be.
However, a socialist or centrist attitude within the Democratic party would be of great help to us all once we've taken back the government and actually work for the people.
There's still hope.
For others on this blog, Bush is a lame duck anyway. Cheney missed the target when he was hunting but I guess he wasn't gunning for the top job.
And we all thought he carried himself as smart, more so than a smart-ass.
Outright socialism is not the answer to this equation, this terrible part of our history these past six plus years.
No, we need real people working for the other real people who depend on them to correctly administer government as it was set forth to be initially.
We also need to eliminate the Electoral College.
Think about it.
Let's not just blame Bush, or even Bush and Cheney. The incompetence, corruption, arrogance and stupidity have gone on for nearly 7 years with the full support of the GOP and most Democrats as well. Furthermore, the fundamentalist Christians have played a huge role in supporting and advancing the far-right agenda.
All these Bushniks come from Hotel madness.
This article is very interesting but I don't think it will have much effect. The point of all this is that after not one but two sessions in office Bush is still able to do this without serious repercussions. The people that voted him in are big business to which he remains loyal, true believers like himself that so no amount of "evidence" will prove that he is a bad leader, and people that are so embarrassed that they would never admit that they made a mistake. When Carl Rove left his position, he did it because he work there was done. I don't know what historian will say about Bush but the average American would say that he was doing "A HECKUVA JOB".
More fine examples of "it is not 'what' you know, but 'who' you know..."
There needs to be a chart tracking money to and from these people. There would be no surprises and I would bet some cash sees it's way to Bush Family accounts and Cheney's $100 million investment accounts.
Dont blame the voters for Bush. This country elected Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.
Bush out right stole the election in 2000 and he and everyone knows it. In 2004, Kerry needed Ohio, and it once again came down to uncounted votes and tampering in Warren County and Cleveland. The actual results and those records were destroyed "by accident" by Blackwells people earlier this year but we already know who won Ohio.
So what we should really recognize here is that Bush was able to inflict himself into a win in two general elections despite the actual vote.
And this will happen again in 2008.....the republican power machine will not allow something like a general election to dismantle their machine and they are already 2-0 in this regard.
This is what happens when a democracy allows itself to be violated by demagogs who seek power.
Michael - Your comments about 2008 - I think they are right on - unfortunately.
The hits just keep on coming. I wonder what Gonzalez will be next? I suppose he will be appointed to an ethics committee somewhere.
Cheney will be gone in three weeks. He'll resign.
Crap. If you refresh this page, it double-posts. Can I have a minute with your web developer alone?
Raul, you said, "We elected Bush when he was clearly unqualifed. Then after he obviously lied and misled us to war, we elected him again. How can we then be surprised that he prizes loyalty over competency and ethics?"
Well, I would agree with you IF I agreed that Bush was indeed elected. I don't agree! He was just as unscrupulous about elections as he has been about everything else. Anyone who can see that the Constitution is only a GD piece of paper shouldn't be in an office that require upholding the principles of that GD piece of paper!! Just my 2 cent's worth,
Beth
Impeachment was always an option and the grounds to impeach Bush and Cheney have been in front of the senate for years now with few democrats willing to push it...dont ask me why they have not. Cowardice is the only thing I can think of. My thought was after the 06 elections and democrats taking control of both houses, that Nancy Pelosi should have declared a constitutional crisis, and ordered Bush and Cheney impeached and removed from office and her assume the presidency as she would have been next in line. She would have completed the term until the next general election.
What MIGHT generate impeachment though at this late date would be if Bush and Cheney are nuts enough to make a strike at Iran. I have a feeling thats where Commander Bunnypants is taking us and if they do that, impeachment may become imperative and there would likely be a backlash and uproar across this nation and around the world that the Senate would have no choice but to remove them.
Keep in mind that his approval is one of the lowest ever recorded and he is even less popular or liked in the rest of the world.
Impeaching him and Cheney and bringing them both to the Senate Chamber would be the best thing to happen for the US and its position around the world.
First of all, G.W. did not get elected into office his daddy and his brother stole the election for him. George Bush is just a spoiled rich piece of Texas manour who needs an old school ass wooping. This is a bunch of crap. George Bush is Killing our country from the inside out. Impeach The whole Bush Administration.
It won't be long before all this Crony Capitalism disappears! Because almost all the taxpayers money already has !!!!!
The "rotten five" are finally leaving, apparently in ascending sequence by last name:
#1 Rumsfeld====GONE
#2 Rove========Gone
#3 Gonzales====Goe
#4 Cheney (next)
#5 Bush (I can't wait)
We the voters in this country are not getting the true Facts. The general public & the voting majority are controlled by the right wing owened media.. Until the truth gets to the honorable public. Don't expect change.
Raul, let us know when you grow a brain and start using it to think for yourself. Our soldiers wouldn't be dying in the first place if it weren't for your Republican "friends" who refuse to pay for disabled vets to get the helth care they deserve when they return home with no legs or faces. You're a moron. Wake up. Abortion is an individual choice that *I * wouldn't make, but a woman has to make that choice herself, and accept the consequences.
A few things: First, we need to stand together and be optimistic... Not because our optimism itself will change anything but ourselves... Then, we need to be realistic & choose the 'lesser of evils' so that we don't slip further behind. We need to be confident that our individual actions make a difference! After all, we can only do what we can do... But, each of us needs to do more politically. As teachers, parents and children, how many times have we stressed taking responsibility? The one thing we share with the Bush Admin is lack of responsibility. I am firmly convinced that one of the biggest reasons the Bush personnel have joined that team is because they are cynical. They don't believe that they can make a difference. That's why they only serve themselves. We need to believe that we can, and start taking action!! Yes, as a famous, great American said "Ask not..." Let's get on the winning team by becoming winners! The first thing to do is to believe that we can, the second is to fight, and get up if we fall, again, & again!!
We are all winners!! Let's prove it!!
PS: Every public reform movement began against tremendous odds and won due to tenacious action... First by a few, then with gathering strength...Witness Abolitionism, the Labor movement, Women's Suffrage Movement, Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam Protest Movement, etc. Almost every public protest movement SUCCEEDED! We are that few! We do have brave leaders today: Including Cindy Sheehan & Howard Dean, who despite being mocked resolved with ever greater determination to make a difference! Because of them and many of us, the tide is turning NOW in American politics! Let us continue & accelerate the fight! Let the PEOPLE win!!
Yes WE CAN!! --All we have to do is a little more than we did before, from now on...
Sincerely, Chester
