Heck of a Job?
The Bush administration didn’t exactly invent that proud political tradition known as cronyism. But they did raise the bar to a level never before seen in U.S. politics, taking unprecedented advantage of the 3000 or so positions that a President can fill to install those loyal to the clan. The appropriateness of many of these appointments have been raising eyebrows on Capital Hill since Bush first ascended to the throne in 2000. But until Hurricane Katrina and the ensuing Michael Brown / FEMA fiasco, only a fraction of the American public appreciated the incredible responsibility that rests on the shoulders of people they’ve never heard of in jobs they never knew existed. And now they are burdened with a terrible question: in a crunch, just how many of Bush’s appointments can actually be trusted to do these jobs, both competently and with impartiality?
