Comments on: Chertoff Permanently Installs Hand-Picked DHS Staffers, ‘Overextending His Influence’ After 2008 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/ Thu, 26 Nov 2009 14:38:45 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Tim Hollis http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4233190 Tim Hollis Fri, 18 Jan 2008 16:53:49 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4233190 Related satire at www.hubpages.com/hub/iniquity Chertoff as the Screaming Skull and bookburner from Fahrenheit 451. Chertoff Targets discontent and H.R. 1955: The Center of Excellence is Watching You. Related satire at http://www.hubpages.com/hub/iniquity
Chertoff as the Screaming Skull and bookburner from Fahrenheit 451.
Chertoff Targets discontent and H.R. 1955: The Center of Excellence is Watching You.

]]> By: Max-1 http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4232909 Max-1 Fri, 18 Jan 2008 10:34:59 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4232909 . SINCE WHEN HAS AMERICA BEEN KNOW AS... T H E H O M E L A N D ? I've always thought of Her as America. . .

SINCE WHEN HAS AMERICA BEEN KNOW AS…

T H E
H O M E L A N D ?

I’ve always thought of Her as America.

.

]]> By: zuch http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4231102 zuch Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:34:06 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4231102 #4 The Dogfather: <i>Why do we keep seeing Lie-Brrrrman labeled as “D-CT”? Either label him “I-CT” as he prefers, or use the more accurate label of “BushBootLicker-CT”.</i> I prefer "Lieberman [I-Likud]". Cheers, #4 The Dogfather:

Why do we keep seeing Lie-Brrrrman labeled as “D-CT”? Either label him “I-CT” as he prefers, or use the more accurate label of “BushBootLicker-CT”.

I prefer “Lieberman [I-Likud]“.

Cheers,

]]> By: zuch http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4231098 zuch Wed, 16 Jan 2008 22:31:55 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4231098 <i>For the past five years, the Bush administration has refused to fire these cronies. Yet last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that all of a sudden, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff had decided to replace many political appointees with career staffers. The reason for the White House’s sudden turnaround? According to Chertoff, they want to create a smooth transition for the next administration....</i> Ummmm. By appointing politically vetted and approved "career staffers", they're just trying to make it more difficult to depoliticise the department. Just because they're long-termers doesn't mean they're not political hacks. Cheers, For the past five years, the Bush administration has refused to fire these cronies. Yet last week, the Wall Street Journal reported that all of a sudden, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff had decided to replace many political appointees with career staffers. The reason for the White House’s sudden turnaround? According to Chertoff, they want to create a smooth transition for the next administration….

Ummmm. By appointing politically vetted and approved “career staffers”, they’re just trying to make it more difficult to depoliticise the department. Just because they’re long-termers doesn’t mean they’re not political hacks.

Cheers,

]]> By: Escoffier http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4230858 Escoffier Wed, 16 Jan 2008 20:17:50 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230858 Putting political hacks without qualifications in permanent civil service jobs at the end of an administration is called "burrowing in". Republicans do it quite a bit because it is a way to repay the hacks. It is for medium to low level operatives who can't do much of anything else and need a job with benefits. They appoint themselves to medium level management positions or sometimes technical jobs in primo job location postings never in Hellhole Mississippi. The civil service laws do protect them for a while from the new administration, but they can be removed. I did it in the 1990's and it is not that difficult. These are the people who do not like to be supervised, given job performance improvement plans, or told they need to be transferred. It can be done within the rules because they are almost all incompetent. A new administration simply needs to make clear that they want the deadwood cleared and productivity is required. Two hacks I supervised became better than average employees but they accepted transfers. Civil service laws do not protect lousy employees, only lazy bosses do. Putting political hacks without qualifications in permanent civil service jobs at the end of an administration is called “burrowing in”. Republicans do it quite a bit because it is a way to repay the hacks. It is for medium to low level operatives who can’t do much of anything else and need a job with benefits. They appoint themselves to medium level management positions or sometimes technical jobs in primo job location postings never in Hellhole Mississippi. The civil service laws do protect them for a while from the new administration, but they can be removed. I did it in the 1990’s and it is not that difficult. These are the people who do not like to be supervised, given job performance improvement plans, or told they need to be transferred. It can be done within the rules because they are almost all incompetent. A new administration simply needs to make clear that they want the deadwood cleared and productivity is required. Two hacks I supervised became better than average employees but they accepted transfers. Civil service laws do not protect lousy employees, only lazy bosses do.

]]> By: JPV http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-2/#comment-4230777 JPV Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:27:11 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230777 I wonder how many other Zionists he put into office. I wonder how many other Zionists he put into office.

]]> By: RUCerious http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230765 RUCerious Wed, 16 Jan 2008 19:22:47 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230765 How's the terror alert status at Indiana roller rinks, Skeletor? How’s the terror alert status at Indiana roller rinks, Skeletor?

]]> By: LividLib http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230696 LividLib Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:44:37 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230696 mother, mary and joseph! that is one ugly mug! mother, mary and joseph!
that is one ugly mug!

]]> By: JMOHR http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230643 JMOHR Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:27:46 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230643 We need to know some more facts. However, I would suspect that the career civil servants are being moved into slots which will be redesignated as nonpolitical spots. This will provide the Republican scum with several advantages: 1. They will claim public good will by noting how they are being nonpartisan by assisting the new administration with a fully functioning and professional staff. The WSJ article certainly took that tact. 2. They will redesignate carefully groomed fifth columnists in much the same manner as the DoJ did within a number of its departments. Thus, the career civil servants hiring additional members will use a set political agenda. 3. Any objections by a Democratic administration will be met with howls of protest because the Democrats are being partisan and attempting to circumvent civil service laws. The only way to deal with this problem is to treat the Republican scum as the criminals are. Just as it was necessary to de-Nazify Germany, it will be necessary to remove the Republicans from this government. We need to know some more facts. However, I would suspect that the career civil servants are being moved into slots which will be redesignated as nonpolitical spots. This will provide the Republican scum with several advantages:

1. They will claim public good will by noting how they are being nonpartisan by assisting the new administration with a fully functioning and professional staff. The WSJ article certainly took that tact.

2. They will redesignate carefully groomed fifth columnists in much the same manner as the DoJ did within a number of its departments. Thus, the career civil servants hiring additional members will use a set political agenda.

3. Any objections by a Democratic administration will be met with howls of protest because the Democrats are being partisan and attempting to circumvent civil service laws.

The only way to deal with this problem is to treat the Republican scum as the criminals are. Just as it was necessary to de-Nazify Germany, it will be necessary to remove the Republicans from this government.

]]> By: Doc Rock http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230639 Doc Rock Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:25:59 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230639 This is all part and parcel of the neo-con coup--soon the bulk of the government will all be dancing to Gounod's , "Dance of the Marionettes"! Por ejemplo, the courts are being packed, Justice was packed, Homeland Security (God, I hate the sound of it), Defense, etc. There is a coup/apolitical war going on under our noses and most of us only catch glimpses of it through a glass, darkly. If Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, Populists, Libertarians, etc., don't take note and fight for their lives, this country will be in hands of the Richard Mellon Scaife's, the Hunt brothers's , the Coors's, the Moon's, the Murdoch's, and that ilk and we will all selling pencils on street corners or begging for handouts without a shred of our Constitution left. This is all part and parcel of the neo-con coup–soon the bulk of the government will all be dancing to Gounod’s , “Dance of the Marionettes”! Por ejemplo, the courts are being packed, Justice was packed, Homeland Security (God, I hate the sound of it), Defense, etc.

There is a coup/apolitical war going on under our noses and most of us only catch glimpses of it through a glass, darkly. If Democrats, Liberals, Progressives, Populists, Libertarians, etc., don’t take note and fight for their lives, this country will be in hands of the Richard Mellon Scaife’s, the Hunt brothers’s , the Coors’s, the Moon’s, the Murdoch’s, and that ilk and we will all selling pencils on street corners or begging for handouts without a shred of our Constitution left.

]]> By: Evil Spaniard http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230601 Evil Spaniard Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:09:22 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230601 My God, this guy is Skeletor! My God, this guy is Skeletor!

]]> By: Cal Malenky http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230580 Cal Malenky Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:02:47 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230580 Smoke and mirrors Dogs and ponies The President of the United States and his cronies Smoke and mirrors
Dogs and ponies
The President of the United States and his cronies

]]> By: Zooey http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230560 Zooey Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:54:11 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230560 <a href="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000DG5UE.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" rel="nofollow">Separated at birth...</a> Separated at birth…

]]> By: stewarjt http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230553 stewarjt Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:52:12 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230553 Photo Caption: Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! Photo Caption: Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!

]]> By: Ret. Col. Jack Ripper http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230532 Ret. Col. Jack Ripper Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:44:27 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230532 Seriously though, this will not stand. There is really no reason to worry about this because even if the executive branch can't force resignations of these entrenched political appointees, the Dems WILL have supermajorities in both chambers and will legislate this if necessary. This is simply a pathetic attempt to retain some of their political power in a year they know will be a political bloodbath for them. It's not going to work. Seriously though, this will not stand. There is really no reason to worry about this because even if the executive branch can’t force resignations of these entrenched political appointees, the Dems WILL have supermajorities in both chambers and will legislate this if necessary. This is simply a pathetic attempt to retain some of their political power in a year they know will be a political bloodbath for them. It’s not going to work.

]]> By: Ret. Col. Jack Ripper http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230530 Ret. Col. Jack Ripper Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:42:32 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230530 "Permanently installed" political appointees? Gee, conservatives have been honking and braying about entrenched government bureaucrats for years. I would think conservatives would have a real problem with something like this. Kind of makes you wonder if they have any values at all. “Permanently installed” political appointees? Gee, conservatives have been honking and braying about entrenched government bureaucrats for years. I would think conservatives would have a real problem with something like this. Kind of makes you wonder if they have any values at all.

]]> By: wisedup http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230513 wisedup Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:34:52 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230513 Did anyone notice?.....Chertoff KNOWS the Democrats WILL take the whitehouse,so now to try and protect busco leaches. Bush is trying to make comitments way beyond 08. Did anyone notice?…..Chertoff KNOWS the Democrats WILL take the whitehouse,so now to try and protect busco leaches. Bush is trying to make comitments way beyond 08.

]]> By: texaslady http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230486 texaslady Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:18:30 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230486 Actually from what we hear New York is handling their security very well without Homeland Securitiy's bumbling help. But I agree the report of giving more dollars to some town in Montana than New York blew me away. Like Montana is a target. Actually from what we hear New York is handling their security very well without Homeland Securitiy’s bumbling help. But I agree the report of giving more dollars to some town in Montana than New York blew me away. Like Montana is a target.

]]> By: A Patriot Acting http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230471 A Patriot Acting Wed, 16 Jan 2008 17:05:19 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230471 The next Administration should squash this poorly run agency right away, firing ALL it's staff. They then can impliment a new agency under a new name that actually performs the duties this agency was tasked with. They could do something real novel and hire a staff that is actually qualified to do their jobs. If this is beyond the next Administrations reach then Congress should simply de-fund the agency. Maybe then we could actually have someone checking the shipping containers coming into our Country, following the money trail of terrorist groups and setting aside realistic funds to assist the states in defending against future attacks. Being a New Yorker I find it appaling that the DOHS has played favoritism and shear stupidity in how it breaks down how the money is doled out. I wouldn't even mind the rampant cronyism so much if these people were qualified and could do their jobs. Jeebus, this current Administration just keeps making a bigger and bigger mess for the next President. But then again, that's just what the GOP want. Their "great experiment" has been a smashing success for them so far. Doing everything they can to ruin our system of government and then prove that it doesn't work. How ANYONE who loves this Country could possibly vote for these traitorous Repigs will never cease to amaze and dissapoint me. The next Administration should squash this poorly run agency right away, firing ALL it’s staff. They then can impliment a new agency under a new name that actually performs the duties this agency was tasked with. They could do something real novel and hire a staff that is actually qualified to do their jobs. If this is beyond the next Administrations reach then Congress should simply de-fund the agency. Maybe then we could actually have someone checking the shipping containers coming into our Country, following the money trail of terrorist groups and setting aside realistic funds to assist the states in defending against future attacks. Being a New Yorker I find it appaling that the DOHS has played favoritism and shear stupidity in how it breaks down how the money is doled out. I wouldn’t even mind the rampant cronyism so much if these people were qualified and could do their jobs. Jeebus, this current Administration just keeps making a bigger and bigger mess for the next President. But then again, that’s just what the GOP want. Their “great experiment” has been a smashing success for them so far. Doing everything they can to ruin our system of government and then prove that it doesn’t work. How ANYONE who loves this Country could possibly vote for these traitorous Repigs will never cease to amaze and dissapoint me.

]]> By: smgumby http://thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/comment-page-1/#comment-4230465 smgumby Wed, 16 Jan 2008 16:58:34 +0000 http://edit.thinkprogress.org/2008/01/16/chertoff-dhs-transition/#comment-4230465 What's that you say? Sen. Joe Lieberman has the ball? Shit. What’s that you say? Sen. Joe Lieberman has the ball?

Shit.

]]>