Foreign Service Morale, Effectiveness Plunged Under Tobias
Foreign Service Morale, Effectiveness Plunged Under Tobias
On Friday, Randall Tobias, the Bush administration’s senior foreign aid coordinator, stepped down after revealing that he had “been a customer of a Washington, D.C. escort service whose owner has been charged by federal prosecutors with running a prostitution operation.”
On Saturday, the Washington Post reported that one person close to Tobias said, “I’m sad today. … The president loves him and Condi absolutely loves him.”
But that love was not shared by the employees who worked under Tobias at USAID. A Dec. 2006 poll of 368 USAID foreign service officers found that just “21 percent thought Tobias had been doing a good job in getting resources for the agency and its workers”:
The agency also suffered under Tobias’s leadership. Zero percent said morale was “excellent” under Tobias, and just 12 percent said it was “good.” Sixty-eight percent said that overall conditions for the foreign service are worsening:
Tobias also oversaw a controversial policy advocated by the religious right that required any U.S.-based group receiving anti-AIDS funds to take an anti-prostitution “loyalty oath.” Aid groups bitterly opposed the policy, charging that it “was so broad — and applied even to their private funds — that it would obstruct their outreach to sex workers who are at high risk of transmitting the AIDS virus.”
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“… and Condi absolutely loves him…”
April 30th, 2007 at 12:59 pm…….another one of her bad boy’s ?
what a surprise – another morally-corrupt politician. Does this ever end? They promise us peace, riches, morals – and they’re all trash.
April 30th, 2007 at 12:59 pmAt some point somebody might say Bush was the worst President ever..
April 30th, 2007 at 1:01 pmAt some point somebody might say Bush was the worst President ever..
Comment by lynn — April 30, 2007 @ 1:01 pm
Your years too late lynn.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:05 pmAt least this story had a happy ending.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:06 pmForeign Service officers, like military officers, accept that they serve political masters. I served in the FS from Reagan to Dubya. This administration’s abuse of the FS — and diplomacy in general — is a whole other order of magnitude compared to its predecessors. Facts didn’t matter — spin and PR did. Witness the admin’s repeated, pathetic attempts to woo Arabs and Muslims to our cause through various PR stunts and talking points — when it’s our policies they object to. No one represents this disparity between fact and fantasy more than Karen Hughes, now Undersecretary for Public Affairs. Her whole approach has been the same she undertook with GW’s campaign “war room” — as soon as something comes up, spin it our way with talking points. As if diplomacy were the equal of a political campaign. As if talking points can affect the course of the war in Iraq or Iranian determination to build a bomb. I quit last August in disgust. Our “retirement class” was one of the largest on record. For many, as for me, the motivation to leave now was because this administration hasn’t a clue and because its policies are indefensible.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:12 pmone person close to Tobias said, “I’m sad today. … The president loves him and Condi absolutely loves him.†– - Ahh, the lobe is metastisizing.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:13 pmRandy To-buy-ass.
This is diplomacy of the kind that plagued America in the 19th Century. Does Bush think this is the 1840s? Start a little war here or there. Perhaps broker trade with Japan by firing cannons in Tokyo Bay.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:15 pmThey should also ditch their graph maker. On this monitor, at least, “Improving” and “Worsening” come out as exactly the same color.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:20 pmTo resort to partisan blows at this point in time may be premature, as the list will include those from all sides.
Anyone using this service should indeed be put in the spotlight – regardless which side of the isle they are on.
I encourage the site to trash ALL involved, not just those that have a different political viewpoint.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:21 pmThis is why it’s a dumb idea to elect people who think government is the problem – they have no respect for it or the people who work there (’faceless bureaucrats’) and have no clue how to make it operate, or actively work to sabotage it.
Tobias apparently compared the service to ‘ordering a pizza.’ Boy howdy that’s the guy you want in charge of teaching respect for women.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:29 pmOh Matt – in this case you want to spell it ‘aisle.’
April 30th, 2007 at 1:30 pmI’m sure Dick Morris is involved in this somehow!!
April 30th, 2007 at 1:36 pmpowkat: This is one downside of not having a post preview! I like to think I would have caught that one.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:39 pm#10 – I see from your website that you support Concealed Carry laws.
Do you agree that any forced disarming is the same as saying: I want yout to be unable to protect yourself?
In other words, when people have to disarm when they participate in public appearences by the President that he basically wants his audience to be slaughtered if someone were to start shooting?
April 30th, 2007 at 1:40 pmRight-wing psycho rule #27 (applies to all except right-wing psychos):
NO F**KING ALLOWED!!
April 30th, 2007 at 1:40 pmRandy To-buy-ass
…somebody was up all night…
April 30th, 2007 at 1:43 pmForced disarming is the same as saying, “I don’t want you to blow me away when you have your next tantrum.”
April 30th, 2007 at 1:44 pmOkay TP, you know I love you but this is unacceptable for anyone. Why is it that on the pie chart on the right that both “Improving” and “Worsening” are the same color? It presents a skewed version of reality. Maybe it’s my monitor, but I think that should be corrected just for the sake of honesty.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:48 pm#10 – At least you aren’t blaming Clinton.
But believe me, if there are abstinence-only zealots, or other “family values” crusaders found to be propping up the world’s oldest profession, they will get what they deserve.
And more.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:50 pmBush the Wrecker. Bush the Destroyer. Thanks, 30 percenters. You deserve to hang your heads in shame.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:54 pm#6 thanks for the insight. Who is this large FS retirement class being replaced with? Born Again types eager to “spread the word”? And what do you think will happen to them when this regime is finally ended 18 months from now (if not sooner)? How long will it take to recover from this myopic naivete?
April 30th, 2007 at 1:57 pm#10 I smell an equivalencer.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:58 pmFind a department where morale is up and THAT will be news.
April 30th, 2007 at 1:59 pmAnother example of the Bush administration’s attempts to destroy a government agency. Heckuva job, Randie.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:00 pm#19 I agree that the colors are poorly chosen and confusing, but rectifying the situation wouldn’t change the appearance much, since 92% of the blue corresponds to worsening whereas only 8% corresponds to improving.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:01 pmThe State Department has released reports stating that the (illegal) invasion of Iraq has increased terrorism and organized crime including heroin and sex slave trafficking (children included). Plain and simple:
Bush is Pro-Terrorism.
Bush is Pro-Child-Sex-Slave.
Bush is Pro-illegal-Drugs.
We can apply this same clear reasoning to any Senator or Representative, Democrat or Republican, who votes for funding this immoral war.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:02 pmI encourage the site to trash ALL involved, not just those that have a different political viewpoint.
Comment by matt — April 30, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
Oh, you mean be fair? Like the screeching right wing is always fair and always represents both sides accurately?
No one here will be defending anyone’s inappropriate behavior no matter which “side” they are on. It’s one of the differences between progressives and the screeching far-right wing.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:07 pm26 – So? This is ThinkProgress, not Faux News or the Weekly Substandard. I like to think we hold this site to a higher standard than just “good enough”. This is the kind of stuff conservatives are going to attack the “liberal” media about. Every chart should be presented in clashing, clearly defined colors so that all parts of the study are shown. If not for truths sake, then so we can more clearly identify just how many morons they found.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:09 pm#3 “At some point somebody might say Bush was the worst President ever…”
Why wait? I’ll say it. G.W.B. is the worst president, EVER. And the same things goes for his administration, too.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:26 pmWe need to look at PORTER GOSS!!!! Why did he resign when he did? There were parties at the Watergate Hotel with Porter Goss, Brent Wilkes, Dusty Foggo, Duke Cunningham & HOOKERS !?!?! Where do you think these hookers came from?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:30 pmProgs and Progettes, I can understand how morale plunged under Tobias watch – he was busy elsewhere!!
On a different subject (which apparently TP does know about yet – or else they certainly post it here) I’m surprised Progs aren’t giddy about John Edwards promise (if elected) to not only restore the tax cuts wealthy taxpayers and corporations received but to RAISE taxes even higher on those scoundrels!!! You must be thrilled!! I realize “getting even” with the evil rich and corporatists warms many a Progressive heart and I wanted to do my bit to spread this good news!!
April 30th, 2007 at 2:37 pmmatt
What if those who had a differing political viewpoint didn’t call for anti-prostitution loyalty oaths?
April 30th, 2007 at 2:41 pmvaliant venus
Don’t you mean, do away with the tax cuts the corporations recieved?
Go away VV, you aren’t even sober enough to whinge properly.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:45 pmYou bet – soak the rich!
April 30th, 2007 at 2:50 pmProgs and Progettes, I can understand how morale plunged under Tobias watch – he was busy elsewhere!! -V V
This seems to happen alot under this so called moral leadership, in fact the more they covet a word the more one can be sure it’s a ruse.
April 30th, 2007 at 2:53 pmAs far as your Taxcut theory and Edwards goes those tax cuts were not permanent and are backloaded by your Dear Leader. The cuts didn’t include you V V cause your not of the 1% class yet many types, as you, think they are. Those taxcuts did not help pay for this democratics GOP failure at empire.
I realize “getting even†with the evil rich and corporatists warms many a Progressive heart and I wanted to do my bit to spread this good news!!
Comment by valiant venus
You think that greed had nothing to do with this war? The only people I see getting even, for something that doesn’t exist, is those asinine idiots profitting from war. How is the poor man profitting by serving his country? How is the poor man getting even with corporate ceos by going to fight in Iraq while you make apologies for them?
How???
April 30th, 2007 at 2:59 pmLet us look back to our bible V V doesn’t it say the root of evil is the love of money? Is or is not true V V that many people will make billions off this war? And how is war possible? Do you see vast armies of corporate robots fighting these battles? No. I see vast sellouts such as yourself that will say anything for a buck and to keep your cowardly butt intact.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:09 pmZep Tepi – Look up what the Bible says about “envy” and “resentment”…..I will be curious what a tax hike will do to the economy – you know all that money which keeps the economy humming along….employing ALOT of people…..money which is invested in loans and equipment and expansion….little things like THAT.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:18 pmOy, that’s a terrible pie chart.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:23 pmhe was too busy getting happy endings to pay attention to his job…
April 30th, 2007 at 3:26 pmZep Tepi – Look up what the Bible says about “envy†and “resentmentâ€â€¦.. Comment by valiant venus — April 30, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
You should know, your entire life is built on “envy” and “resentment”. You yourself said you don’t agree with the “freeloaders” that YOUR GOVERNMENT that YOU DISAGREE WITH lets get by on YOUR MONEY. Sorry, but that leaves you RESENTING liberals that tax you, and “ENVYING” the poor people that get to live on YOUR MONEY!
See how easy that was, st*pid c*nt, to point out your continued immoral, and hypocritical behavior. Poor little pathetic loser…
I will be curious what a tax hike will do to the economy – you know all that money which keeps the economy humming along….Comment by valiant venus — April 30, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
BHAAHAHAHA, your *expertise* on economic issue, seem as complete as your expertise on *religion*, *morality* and THE LAW!! BAHAHA, you’re a walking joke, Anorexia girl! And the punchline has landed in the teeth of your PARENTS!
employing ALOT of people…..money which is invested in loans and equipment and expansion….little things like THAT. Comment by valiant venus — April 30, 2007 @ 3:18 pm
Well if the GOP thieves are in charge, then taxes just go out of the country, and into their hands. If democrats are in charge, it tends to get invested in infrastructure spending. You know, things that create jobs, and produce spending on “equipment and expansion”…
You’re really a st*pid little c*nt, aren’t you Anorexia girl?
April 30th, 2007 at 3:47 pmI will be curious what a tax hike will do to the economy – you know all that money which keeps the economy humming along….employing ALOT of people…..money which is invested in loans and equipment and expansion….little things like THAT.
Comment by valiant venus
Just because your party tells you trickle down economics works doesn’t make it so. But you believe everything they say so just keep babbling.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:47 pmvaliant venus
Not much. Taxes in America aren’t that high and it has never been much of a tax haven. A far larger impact would in fact be if the dollar started to lose some of its stability.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:51 pmWe’ve given “tinkle down” a try for over 20 years. It ain’t workin’, so let’s try something else.
April 30th, 2007 at 3:56 pmWow.
I mention that all involved should be outed, and the argument becomes a partisan slam-fest.
It is NOT a partisan issue. Stop trying to turn the argument to different subjects. I did not defend him, he should be outed – as should everyone else involved.
Can’t some of you stay focused even for a LITTLE while? Are some of you incapable of discussing the issue at hand without bringing every little thing that pisses you off into the thread?
April 30th, 2007 at 4:00 pmZooey
What people fail to realise, is how little taxes really matter to you when you choose where you are going to live, or for that matter invest.
A state with higher taxes but health care has companies which don’t have to pay health care benefits. A state with higher taxes but public pensions has companies which don’t have to pay for pension schemes (And speaking as a South African, don’t privatise your pensions. Seriously, if you don’t believe me read up on Fidentia some time.)
Generally, barring a case where the government really is stealing people’s money, higher taxes just means more services that companies don’t have to pay for. Instead of paying your insurance manager you pay the government.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:12 pmBruce Gorton,
Thanks for that. You helped me understand this better. :)
April 30th, 2007 at 4:36 pmZooey
I’ve just had one of those days, where one reads what the bloody idiots at the Free Market Foundation have to say and you feel the need to put your rebuttal somewhere.
April 30th, 2007 at 4:50 pmBruce – I think most European unemployments and growth rates and is enough to stave off the nanny state and the expense such a hammock creates…. I don’t disagree with re: the stability of the dollar – isn’t that how our friend George Soros made his fortune, currency speculating?
April 30th, 2007 at 4:52 pmvaliant venus
America has one great advantage over the rest of the world: Oil is traded in dollars. The value of currency stability cannot be overstated, people will pay more for it.
Otherwise Europe is not far behind America in its unemployment rates.
With the fall of oil, which is inevitable, America will lose its advantage, and you will see job losses. This is one of the reasons people put forward to explain America’s seemingly endless war with science over global warming, the other one is that “Look, this is a mob which is still arguing about evolution.”
April 30th, 2007 at 5:08 pmBruce – I think most European unemployments and growth rates and is enough to stave off the nanny state …..
Comment by vile venus
Could you put that sentence into comprehensible English?
April 30th, 2007 at 5:35 pmBTW, vile venus,
April 30th, 2007 at 5:47 pmThe topic of this thread is the decline in the Foreign Service’s morale under uber-hypocrite Tobias. Instead of trying to change the topics, why don’t you just shut up for once?
Bruce – I think most European unemployments and growth rates and is enough to stave off the nanny state and the expense such a hammock creates…. I don’t disagree with re: the stability of the dollar – isn’t that how our friend George Soros made his fortune, currency speculating? Comment by valiant venus — April 30, 2007 @ 4:52 pm
You mean like Germany, which has a higher growth rate than the US, despite having a VERY generous welfare system? If it’s as *destructive* as you say it is – then Germany would be in the toilet compared to the US – yet the opposite is true. The German economy has gone on fire, and much of it has been attributed to their TAX INCREASE associated with spurring on their Kyoto obligations. Imagine that!
St*pid miserable c*nt.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:02 pmCould you put that sentence into comprehensible English?
Comment by Lora — April 30, 2007 @ 5:35 pm
If she could write about the 3rd grade level, her *claims* of being an attorney wouldn’t be SO OUTRAGEOUSLY FUNNY!!!
Please, don’t point out the st*pidity of her language – I find it amusing to see how someone so mentally incapable, is so mentally arrogant!!!
April 30th, 2007 at 6:04 pmIt’s nothing new in Washington, is it? What is most telling is the hypocrisy that is exposed through this incident. Legislating morality doesn’t work; it never has. An otherwise talented and dedicated professional sinks in the wake of the Republican Party’s smoke and mirrors.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:12 pmPlease, don’t point out the st*pidity of her(vv’s) language – I find it amusing to see how someone so mentally incapable, is so mentally arrogant!!!
Comment by ValiantVenusGrewFromUranus
Amusing but not surprising. Usually the most arrogant people are mediocrities at best, and total incompetents at worst.
April 30th, 2007 at 6:20 pm“Usually the most arrogant people are mediocrities at best, and total incompetents at worst.” Comment by Lora
So says the humourless self-proclaimed Ivy League Princess……tooo precious!!! (You have no idea how amusing you are!)
April 30th, 2007 at 6:29 pmSo says the humourless self-proclaimed Ivy League Princess……tooo precious!!! (You have no idea how amusing you are!) Comment by valiant venus — April 30, 2007 @ 6:29 pm
You mean like George Bush – I couldn’t AGREE MORE!!!!
Then there’s you, the Princess B*tch!!! Humorless, Vile, and so disgusting that you think making a dead baby joke about your own FICTIONAL CHILD is Humor! Amazing and Hypocritical as always!!!
April 30th, 2007 at 7:23 pmSo says the humourless self-proclaimed Ivy League Princess……tooo precious!!! (You have no idea how amusing you are!)
Comment by vile venus
Yes, I can be very amusing, because I have a very good sense of humor–the sort that is way over your mediocre head. But really, dear, the most amusing person on this blog is always you–trying to convince us that you are an attorney when you can’t even spell common legal terms like
April 30th, 2007 at 8:16 pm“breach” and “consensual” correctly and thinking that dead child jokes are funny.
BTW, I am indeed an Ivy League graduate (it doesn’t matter to me whether you believe it) but not a princess. Unlike you, who brags about her/his “superior” private school education, I went to “inferior” public schools, where I did well, and which were still good enough to get me into an Ivy League university, Faux Lawyerette Princess.