Those individuals who walk away from jobs, ofttimes well paying jobs, in order to serve their nation in high pressure, not as well paying jobs, under an administration deserve much respect. Some take the jobs with hubris, but most take their new positions with humility and a real desire to make their nation a better place. They may take months before they can be confirmed to their posts, even longer if congress is collecting political points by delaying appointments. After they finally begin leading and learning their new position, they have less than four months to meet the goals set by the administration and themselves.^As the Obama presidency slips slowly into lame duck status in an atmosphere where negotiation, compromise, and bipartisanship have become vulgarities, it is hard to fault members for leaving to reenter the private sector. At least the cartoon doesn’t indicate that Ms. Napolitano is going to work for a lobbying organization. Did she ever do favors for the university in order to get this job? If not, then I wish her good luck in her new career and am generally grateful for the way she conducted herself as head of Homeland Security. We have certainly had worse people appointed to positions in this and previous administrations.It would be good if appointees could be more promptly appointed in a civil and respectful manner so these ‘temp workers’ could quickly begin serving the administration and the American people.Respectfully,C.
Saw many political appointees (“Schedule C’s”) come and go in three decades of government service. It was notable how many Republican appointees were in it for an “Inside track” to going into “private industry” as a lobbyist or other highly paid position with little or no regard for the job they were supposed to be doing for the public. A few Democratic appointees were the same, but far fewer, and most did want to actually serve the people, not themselves.
Turned down many promotions over the years, or “high profile” ones, because I got enough insults by folks such as Zit and other right-wingnuts, who bitched about government, until that is, THEY were getting the “handout” or benefit.
I never got spit on or treated badly by folks on the “left” after I got back from ‘Nam. Went to several anti-war protests to let people know what the real story was, and was treated with respect. I DID get attacked repeatedly by “redneck” and right wingnut types in the southern communities DEPENDENT UPON MILITARY BASES! It had nothing to do with ’Nam, they just hated the military folks who their survival depended upon because they weren’t local Yahoos, inbred and stupid.
Napalitano has a long record of public service,and going to the U.C system will continue that service. So naturally, the right wingers who will continue to benefit from her service, condemn her. It’s about that inbred and stupid thing.
I too am glad that she is not taking a lobbying job. I heard the Repubs passed a bill saying that no Congress person nor cabinet level position could take a lobbying job until six years after their term was over. The only thing is it doesn’t take effect until the year 3000.
Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” was on Bill Maher, and made the excellent point that millions of jobs go empty because Americans lack training, or basic math knowledge to even to “blue collar” jobs!! Not everyone needs a Bachelors or higher degree, Mike made a point referencing “Work smart, vs work hard” as an “educator” putting down labor jobs as inferior.
We need people who build and fix things. Many of them are more highly paid (when “union busting” among other things, fails), and EARN what they’re paid,in salary and benefits. They KEEP US ALIVE! in many cases!
Not a great fan of Janet on all her points, but at least she’s not directly going into lobbying, or going to work for the industries she once regulated.
Just a note: James Watt left Interior, and founded a company (one of several) that would drug test federal employees via Reagan regulations. The trick was, his company got the contract to do the lab testing, BUT HAD NOT LABORATORY!!! THAT is the kind of frauds we need to stop, EITHER PARTY perpetuating.
bhinkle: not at all, it’s just that Watt represents everything vile, and obscene, about the “religious right”, as well as the new batch of “republicans”, who I just can’t equate as “Republicans” any more. By comparison to the current crop, Nixon was “squeaky clean”.
chazandru almost 11 years ago
Those individuals who walk away from jobs, ofttimes well paying jobs, in order to serve their nation in high pressure, not as well paying jobs, under an administration deserve much respect. Some take the jobs with hubris, but most take their new positions with humility and a real desire to make their nation a better place. They may take months before they can be confirmed to their posts, even longer if congress is collecting political points by delaying appointments. After they finally begin leading and learning their new position, they have less than four months to meet the goals set by the administration and themselves.^As the Obama presidency slips slowly into lame duck status in an atmosphere where negotiation, compromise, and bipartisanship have become vulgarities, it is hard to fault members for leaving to reenter the private sector. At least the cartoon doesn’t indicate that Ms. Napolitano is going to work for a lobbying organization. Did she ever do favors for the university in order to get this job? If not, then I wish her good luck in her new career and am generally grateful for the way she conducted herself as head of Homeland Security. We have certainly had worse people appointed to positions in this and previous administrations.It would be good if appointees could be more promptly appointed in a civil and respectful manner so these ‘temp workers’ could quickly begin serving the administration and the American people.Respectfully,C.
Dtroutma almost 11 years ago
Saw many political appointees (“Schedule C’s”) come and go in three decades of government service. It was notable how many Republican appointees were in it for an “Inside track” to going into “private industry” as a lobbyist or other highly paid position with little or no regard for the job they were supposed to be doing for the public. A few Democratic appointees were the same, but far fewer, and most did want to actually serve the people, not themselves.
Turned down many promotions over the years, or “high profile” ones, because I got enough insults by folks such as Zit and other right-wingnuts, who bitched about government, until that is, THEY were getting the “handout” or benefit.
I never got spit on or treated badly by folks on the “left” after I got back from ‘Nam. Went to several anti-war protests to let people know what the real story was, and was treated with respect. I DID get attacked repeatedly by “redneck” and right wingnut types in the southern communities DEPENDENT UPON MILITARY BASES! It had nothing to do with ’Nam, they just hated the military folks who their survival depended upon because they weren’t local Yahoos, inbred and stupid.
Napalitano has a long record of public service,and going to the U.C system will continue that service. So naturally, the right wingers who will continue to benefit from her service, condemn her. It’s about that inbred and stupid thing.
pirate227 almost 11 years ago
I thought Benson would be happy she’s getting of the government teat…
Justice22 almost 11 years ago
I too am glad that she is not taking a lobbying job. I heard the Repubs passed a bill saying that no Congress person nor cabinet level position could take a lobbying job until six years after their term was over. The only thing is it doesn’t take effect until the year 3000.
Dtroutma almost 11 years ago
Mike Rowe of “Dirty Jobs” was on Bill Maher, and made the excellent point that millions of jobs go empty because Americans lack training, or basic math knowledge to even to “blue collar” jobs!! Not everyone needs a Bachelors or higher degree, Mike made a point referencing “Work smart, vs work hard” as an “educator” putting down labor jobs as inferior.
We need people who build and fix things. Many of them are more highly paid (when “union busting” among other things, fails), and EARN what they’re paid,in salary and benefits. They KEEP US ALIVE! in many cases!
Not a great fan of Janet on all her points, but at least she’s not directly going into lobbying, or going to work for the industries she once regulated.
Just a note: James Watt left Interior, and founded a company (one of several) that would drug test federal employees via Reagan regulations. The trick was, his company got the contract to do the lab testing, BUT HAD NOT LABORATORY!!! THAT is the kind of frauds we need to stop, EITHER PARTY perpetuating.
Dtroutma almost 11 years ago
bhinkle: not at all, it’s just that Watt represents everything vile, and obscene, about the “religious right”, as well as the new batch of “republicans”, who I just can’t equate as “Republicans” any more. By comparison to the current crop, Nixon was “squeaky clean”.