Inexperienced 28-Year-Old Bush Staffer Appointed to Critical Homeland Security Post
Inexperienced 28-Year-Old Bush Staffer Appointed to Critical Homeland Security Post
The Bush administration has appointed 28-year-old former White House staffer Doug Hoelscher as the executive director of the Homeland Security Advisory Committees.
In his new position, Hoelscher will gather expert advice “on behalf of the president and the Homeland Security secretary” from 20 other advisory boards covering “key areas of homeland security, including threats to infrastructure and preventing terrorist attacks that use weapons of mass destruction.”
His experience?
Hoelscher has no management experience, a review of his professional credentials shows. He came to government in 2001 as a low-level White House staffer, arranging presidential travel, according to news reports. He earned $30,000 a year, salary documents show.
He discussed his job as President Bush’s travel arranger with the Des Moines Register in 2002:
Doug Hoelscher, a University of Iowa political science major and native of Williams, …is living out his dream at age 25. He works as a political coordinator for the president, dealing mostly with Bush’s domestic travel. “Ever since a young age I’ve had an interest in politics,” he said.
Despite Hoelscher’s apparent total lack of professional management or security experience, the press release announcing his appointment praises his qualifications and claims he will now be providing “strategic counsel” to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff:
“The department relies heavily on the expertise and advice of our advisory committees,” said Stewart Baker, Assistant Secretary for Policy. “Outside perspectives benefit the policy and decision making process, and the Administration has named a qualified and talented professional to cultivate these partnerships. Doug will provide strategic counsel to the Secretary and increase overall coordination between department leadership and our homeland security partners, and I look forward to his contributions and counsel.”
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This is exactly how much the White House takes the concept of Homeland Security. For them it is simply a campaign theme. We should be grateful they didn't appoint Karen Hughes' pet parakeet. Since Hoelscher is executive director, that means he is the most qualified person on the entire staff. Think about that when you want to feel afraid.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:06 pmThe information that he will gather and advise on has already been predetermined.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:08 pmDoing a heckuva job Hoelscher.
This administration has nothing but contempt for the average working class American who does not have the privilege of being a a crony, suck-up, relative or party insider.
-GSD
March 9th, 2006 at 8:10 pmI'm sorry to hear that Jenna turned it down. I guess she's hoping for something better...
March 9th, 2006 at 8:12 pmWonder if daddy was a big contributor to GOP...what am I saying? Of course some buddy to "W" always sways in the interest of the elite.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:22 pmWill one of these lapdog reporters, please,PLEASE...after you get past all the security bull$hit, discreetly ask the President, what in the HELL he thinks he's doin' now? Somebody (other than our resident trolls, who have no conceptual understanding of civilization) please ask him? PLEASE, somebody give this MOFO truth serum, and kindly ask him, WTF?
March 9th, 2006 at 8:26 pmDo they check his Blue Dress at the door every night? ;)
March 9th, 2006 at 8:27 pmthe pool for incompetent Republicunt's is getting ever more shallow. As shallow as the president's integrity.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:28 pm:)
The following is meant as a simple and earnest question, which I truly hope will not violate the site's Terms of Use policy. Be that as it may,
I wonder when we're going to get really tired of this fellow waving his privates in our faces because he thinks he can?
March 9th, 2006 at 8:30 pmYes but most importantly he is LOYAL to der Fuhrer..uh, I mean Bush.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:30 pmWTF!?
March 9th, 2006 at 8:32 pmWell, at least this guy is degreed.
Unlike that other 20-something appointee who oversaw the release of NASA environmental data and had to step down a month or so ago revealing that even in his inexperience and authorized cover-up of data that he was never even on course for a science related degree while attending UT. He was a freakin journalist!
You all have missed it. This is Karls way to make Chertoff look qualified.
The staffer also has the distinction of being the next lackey to be blamed for homeland security screw ups.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:33 pmProfessionals are not welcome in the Bush administration.
All that reality-based thinking and reasoning stuff is for eggheads and secular traitors.
Political reliability is the main factor for how suited you are for a position.
Bush freaks when anyone disagrees with him. He drove his car through the garage wall when Laura critiqued his first speech she attended!
March 9th, 2006 at 8:33 pmWait a sec... the 2002 newspaper article says he is "a University of Iowa political science major..."
Isn't that the kind of language you would use if the guy had not graduated yet? I'd like to know this guy's educational background.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:35 pmThis conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.
In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together.
-Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1961
March 9th, 2006 at 8:35 pmSounds like another Jeff Gannon type of situation to me.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:36 pmThe Hitler comparison is not far off. After he got through firing his best generals, he was reduced to appointing Nazi party hacks, toadies and nitwits to command his armies. As long as they remained loyal, they could do no wrong.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:37 pmAh, never mind. He graduated in 99 and has a BA. Maybe he's a wunderkind who actually deserves the job. Who the heck knows? Given this admin's track record, though, I'm assuming he's a hack until proven otherwise.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:39 pm"Golly, Mr. Kent," gushed Hoelscher. "You're NEVER here when Superman's around!"
March 9th, 2006 at 8:41 pmI am for a government rigorously frugal and simple, applying all the possible savings of the public revenue to the discharge of the national debt; and not for a multiplication of officers and salaries merely to make partisans, and for increasing, by every device, the public debt, on the principle of it's being a public blessing.
- Thomas Jefferson 1799
March 9th, 2006 at 8:44 pmyou think this is bad... are your stocks counterfeit? http://thesanitycheck.com/
March 9th, 2006 at 8:44 pm#17 So, can we start calling these guys "Bush Youth," or should we just drop the pretense and go straight for "Bush Jugend"?
It's bad enough the Heritage Foundation is already turning out these little shits like "Village of the Damned."
March 9th, 2006 at 8:44 pmOT- I have a new attitude. Bush isn't spying on us anymore. Our congress is. F*CK them.
March 9th, 2006 at 8:54 pmSad part is that he brings more qualifications to the job than most in the admin, including Chertoff.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:08 pmHe must have naked pics of Jenna on all fours or his Daddy must be a big GOP campaign contributor.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:14 pm#19...suuuuper post. We need all the humor we can get in these bad times. I just figured it out...bush is trying to marry off thoes darn daughters of his...'look at this catch girls.'
March 9th, 2006 at 9:17 pm"BROWNIE JUNIOR, YOU'RE DOING A HECK OF A JOB."
March 9th, 2006 at 9:23 pmBreak it up, break it up.
Don't make us have to visit all of your houses.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:25 pmHe just probably had to give the guy a raise, so they invented a bs job. Don't worry. He won't do anything but go for coffee and birdshot.
March 9th, 2006 at 9:32 pmOh S***...FOX SECURITY!!!!....I'm outta hereeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
March 9th, 2006 at 9:43 pmAnother GD college repuke type that should be fighting the war in IRAQ
March 9th, 2006 at 9:49 pm>_
March 9th, 2006 at 10:01 pmOMG!
March 9th, 2006 at 10:12 pmBush&Co is blatantly contemptuous of Homeland Security.
I realize that everyone has to start a career somewhere, but a 28 year old with no experience!
Will someone in the press corps ask for an explanation?
Didn't Bush&Co. also send several inexperienced young people in their early twenties, fresh from the Heritage Foundation and other like organizations to dispense $$ for the CPA under Paul Bremer in Iraq?
March 9th, 2006 at 10:21 pmI believe $8.8 Billion has been lost, but I'm not blaming anyone in particular!
He should have Said;
Ever since I was a young Kid I wanted to Kiss ass and be a Politician, now that I have Kissed ASS I get to Kiss the Biggest ASS of All. Duhbyas.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:41 pmOf Course DHS is only the Political Police, Keystone Cops, so a 28 year old butt kisser will make a great Toady.
Except NOW the Neo-cons Senators and the CLoture Club Spineless ones have Legalized Nixonianism.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:43 pmDo what?
Think about it. When Bush pushed the Patriot act thru, warrantless taps have been legalized, pretty much, AFTER the FACT.
Nixoniansim [Illegal Taps] has, pretty much, been legalized
March 9th, 2006 at 10:48 pm#34- yes $8.8 billion missing from Iraq, $59 billion missing from HUD, $3 trillion missing from DoD.
Forbes just did a story on the surfeit of billionaires in this country. I guess some of that money made it back here after all, not in jobs, but in bank accounts.
I wouldn't mind a 28 year old with no experience getting the job if the 28 year old had at least gone to law school or graduate school. I'm not trying to be elitist here. Look at the starting salaries for 24-25 year olds leaving law school and the amount of work that is expected of them within major firms, then compare both to the money, perks, and amount of work this little chickenhawk is going to do.
Another privileged bastard who has other priorities than serving in the military while benefiting from other people's deaths.
March 9th, 2006 at 10:58 pm"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we.
They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
-George W. Bush, Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004
March 9th, 2006 at 11:02 pmLyleblog
March 9th, 2006 at 11:05 pm..........perfect!
I heard that the Bush admin. wanted to appoint a 5-year-old nephew of a big money donor, but that the mother was more concerned that the toddler go to kindergarten first and gain some "real world experience" first.
March 9th, 2006 at 11:12 pmJEEBUS KREIST!
March 10th, 2006 at 12:00 amRepublicans take our security seriously. No, seriously.....
March 10th, 2006 at 12:25 amyou're doing a heckuva job Brownie- er Hoelsher, heh heh GWB
March 10th, 2006 at 2:48 amSo if the 28 year old guy is qualified to run a Homeland Security panel, then turn over Chertoff's job to a 18 year old gas station attendant > lol.
March 10th, 2006 at 3:56 am. . . and turn over Bush's job to an orangautan!
March 10th, 2006 at 7:53 amThis 28 year old is just wet behind the ears. No experience
March 10th, 2006 at 9:47 amat all.
"I'll use my hypno-ray and no one will ever know!"
Let's pretend all this nonsense actually MADE sense (in a Bizarro world)...what do you think is really going on? I ask myself "what would I do if..." and fill in your own speculative scenario (e.g.-climate change happened in the next decade, oil ran out, western culture got hit with multiple natural disasters (yellowstone super volcano, west coast mega-quake, ice age europe, smacked by an asteroid, etc), the aliens landed, etc....)
I know what I'd do: I'd use my hypno ray and no one would ever know.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:01 amWhatever happened to starting at the bottom and working up? At least, you gain the experience you need that way.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:16 amOops, sorry, forgot we're talking about the Administration which practices the "Peter Principal", promoting people beyond their experience and qualifications, which is how I believe Bush became president.
We really need a policy that requires people, who occupy positions that effect life and death situations, to be QUALIFIED!
But based on GW's way of doing business, then we need to fire all secret service and replace them with George's old college cheering squad.
Unbelievable. Tragic. Typical.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:18 am[...] From Think Progress: The Bush administration has appointed 28-year-old former White House staffer Doug Hoelscher as the executive director of the Homeland Security Advisory Committees. [...]
March 10th, 2006 at 10:20 am#19, Damn! First thought I had when reading this was of Jimmy Olson. "Hey, Chief, Condi's got a great scoop about Iran".
March 10th, 2006 at 10:27 amHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,UHHHHHHHHH,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,UHHHHHH, what a fricken joke. they don't even try to hide the incompetance. i, guess how can ya when the white house is riddled with it.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:35 amMy 16 year old needs a job. Maybe she could run FEMA? I know the position is open!
March 10th, 2006 at 10:38 amThis is unf**king believable. I wonder if this or Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch being shut down makes the big news. Has anyone seen Jeff Gannon/Guckert lately? Just a thought.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:46 amdlllllling, dllllllllling, hello? yes, it's fox security. do not use keith olbermans name or else..........
March 10th, 2006 at 10:52 am#11
The NASA flunkie studied journalism at Texas A&M NOT The University of Texas. There's a huge difference. He never graduated from aggy despite what he claimed on his resume.
Not that a degree from A&M would have made it much better... possibly worse.
March 10th, 2006 at 10:53 amYou have to remember that this "administration" is not in the least interested in governing, only in the accumulation and exercise of power.
March 10th, 2006 at 11:15 amDon't pick on the guy! He looks great in the new blue dress he borrowed from Jeffie. Besides, it was just a rewarf from Turdblossom for a job well done.
March 10th, 2006 at 12:09 pmDo you think George Bush would appoint me to a high position in Homeland Security? I don't know anything about it but would like a Federal job.
March 10th, 2006 at 2:34 pmFor those speculating on his qualifications for the job, he's a political operative. A look at Open Secrets indicates that he was a paid political campaign worker for Bush in both 2000 and 2004, in the first campaign as an employee of Bush for President, Inc., and as an employee of the National Republican Party in 2004.
And, apparently, Bush likes him because he's also a runner. He's run at least one marathon, in 2002.
By Bush administration standards, therefore, he's eminently qualified.
March 10th, 2006 at 6:26 pmGee, I wonder what qualifies Mr. Hoelscher for such an important job. Is his daddy a Bush Pioneer, or has he just shown a willingness to sink to any low in the guise of doing so for a higher cause?
Gotta be one of the two. That's the basic criteria for all Bushies, cronyism or corruption, including Georgie Buy himself, who perfectly embodies both qualities.
March 10th, 2006 at 6:50 pmWhere are the Bush Defenders on this? Are they getting together to define their defense strategy on this? I can hear Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh now:"Quick, we gotta get our stories straight so we can counter those Libtard weenies! Make it sound like the guy has an IQ of 250 or something! That'll placate those academic Democrat pussies!"
March 10th, 2006 at 8:02 pmIs this the dark-haired guy who was the friend of the
March 12th, 2006 at 10:23 pmPrince in "Braveheart"? You know, the one knowledgable
in the art of war?
Bush made 17 count em SEVENTEEN receese apointments over the congress chrustmas break.
Like the Harriet Meiers most qualified person Bush could find fiasco. Bush has once again appointed cronies into he administration. And we wonder why the country is going down the drain.
How dumb is too dumb ?
March 13th, 2006 at 3:29 am[...] Inexperienced 28-year old for Homeland Security Hoelscher has no management experience, a review of his professional credentials shows. He came to government in 2001 as a low-level White House staffer, arranging presidential travel, according to news reports. He earned $30,000 a year, salary documents show. [...]
March 17th, 2006 at 3:35 pminexperienced staffers play key roles in Homeland Security because the threat to is marginal, at least from muslims. I don't believe Osama Bin Laden directed the events of 911, I think people in Bush's govenment did, using operatives. From that point of view it makes no difference if a figurehead clerk is in a key position at Homeland Security. He will do what he is told... that is enough talent for the needs of this bunch.
March 20th, 2006 at 10:37 amAnd I'm waiting for Fox News to tell us why it was such a good idea :^)
March 20th, 2006 at 10:39 amNot that I'll be watching.
March 20th, 2006 at 11:01 amAnyway, Doug Hoelscher must be some sweet young thing Karl Rove has his eye on.
March 20th, 2006 at 11:23 am[...] appointee with questionable credentials to be thrust into a position of national security. Last year, Bush appointed “28-year-old former White House staffer Doug Hoelscher as the executive director of the Homeland Security Advisory Committees … Hoelscher has no management [...]
April 9th, 2007 at 9:19 am