Top scientist says Bush’s ‘burrowing’ of political appointees will ‘leave wreckage behind.’
Top scientist says Bush’s ‘burrowing’ of political appointees will ‘leave wreckage behind.’
Yesterday, the president of the nation’s largest general science organization railed against efforts by the Bush administration to give political appointees “permanent federal jobs with responsibility for making or administering scientific policies, saying the result would be ‘to leave wreckage behind.’” James McCarthy, who heads the American Association for the Advancement of Science, called the “burrowing” of people without scientific backgrounds into science-related jobs “ludicrous“:
“It’s ludicrous to have people who do not have a scientific background, who are not trained and skilled in the ways of science, make decisions that involve resources, that involve facilities in the scientific infrastructure,” said James McCarthy, a Harvard University oceanographer who is president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. “You’d just like to think people have more respect for the institution of government than to leave wreckage behind with these appointments.”
McCarthy particularly questioned the qualifications of Todd Harding and Jeffrey T. Salmon, who received civil service positions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Energy Department’s Office of Science, respectively.
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51 Responses to “Top scientist says Bush’s ‘burrowing’ of political appointees will ‘leave wreckage behind.’”
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It would really be best for the country if Bush would just not do anything between now and Feb, 20th. Just smile in public, pardon the Thanksgiving turkey and enjoy a last Christmas in the White House.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:51 amYeah, I'd like to think bush CARES about the country, but I think he only cares about himself and his own wealth. I think there could be sufficient reason found to immediately FIRE all these people who are given these jobs to destroy the country.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:54 amMay these plants grow old and grey under democratic rule if we can't get rid of them.
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:55 amThanks to the bush admin, there are no such things as permanant jobs.......this is no exception
November 22nd, 2008 at 10:56 amThis eight year long temper tantrum has grown old - some one please spank that brat!
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:00 amWhat is a climate disinformation activist and former Cheney speechwriter doing as #2 at DOE Science?
i think this says it all for salmon.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:06 amI just hope bitblt shows up to explain how science isn't real but how the Big Cheese just does some sort of weird magic shit which causes things to be as they are. It makes so much sense to me when it is boiled down that the bar is lying upon the ground level...
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 am“It’s ludicrous to have people who do not have a scientific background, who are not trained and skilled in the ways of science, make decisions that involve resources, that involve facilities in the scientific infrastructure,” said James McCarthy
What the religious right has done to Science and Science education in this country is despicable.
At a staff meeting last week, the Dean announced tht she needed a person to teach an introductory Science course. She was worried because it was so hard to find people to teach Science classes. Hell, I love Science, so I volunteered.
My colleagues, who all hold Bachelors and Masters degrees in Science-based areas such as Engineering, started saying how much they disliked Science and how they didn't understand my passion for it. I felt like I was Galileo declaring that no, no, actually, the Earth goes around the sun...
I am still shocked that even educated people in the Sciences treat the subject like a disease. No wonder our nation has been losing our footing in a world where Science is the foundation to progress.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:08 amFred Says:
Thanks to the bush admin, there are no such things as permanant jobs…….this is no exception
That's the first thing that struck me about this. Who gets a "permanent" job with the government?
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:09 amIt will fall on deaf ears, that ass-hole will do everything he can do to fuçk up this country or the world.
¶ AIO
P.S. # 1, that should be Jan 20; please don't give these criminals any more time to destroy us.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:10 am“You’d just like to think people have more respect for the institution of government than to leave wreckage behind with these appointments.”
Actually, that's the point - Republicans do not have any respect for government at all and it is always their goal to run for political office in order to dismantle as much of it as possible. Then they can confidently say "See how bad the government is? This is why we should privatize EVERYTHING".
This is precisely why people need to stop voting for them in Democracies where less self-government is just plain stupid.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:22 amIncoming Obama Administration officials will just have to neutralize any Bushie they can't fire. Strip him of all responsibilities, transfer him around the country a few times, leave him in an office with no phone, no computer, no paper, no window, not even a stapler to play with - absolutely nothing. And make him leave his door wide open so others can watch him and make sure he isn't making personal phone calls while at work.
Eventually he'll crack and quit. Hopefully go mad in the meanwhile.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 amTwo thoughts: Republicans: 'Well,were done here,let's trash the place'.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:31 am'No job in government is permanent mr bush,just stand back and watch'.
“You’d just like to think people have more respect for the institution of government than to leave wreckage behind with these appointments.”
Why, upon even the most cursory glance at their record to this point, would ANYBODY with half the acuity of a sea-cucumber think anything LIKE that?
I have been saying for something like five years now that it is/was/will EVER be the sole purpose of the Bushevik regime to reduce, diminish, impede, subvert, and undo any and every article, institution, or instrument of the Constitutional repertoire that would enable the "people" to resist their 'inCorpoRatization.' They have succeeded maasterfully, and their legacy will NEVER be erased...
Every Agency, Bureau, Commission, and Department had its Monica Goodling, the industrious but stupid underling hired to place ideological purists and bushevik l;oyalists into Civil Service career positions for which their only qualifications were ideological/religious purity and Bushevik loyalty.
They're gonna be in there for 30 or more years.
And there's NO WAY to rid ourselves of them...
You don't realize the extent to which the Busheviks have succeeded in totally compromising "Government". No, you think you do, but really you don't. Nobody does, or there would be hit squads of infuriated, enraged, aremd citizens waiting for them...
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 amScottsdalian Says: Eventually he’ll crack and quit. Hopefully go mad in the meanwhile.
LOL. That actually sounds a lot like my last job in Corporate America :)
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:38 amAs has been stated, these personages can be marginalized, and become little more than a waste of office space and taxpayers money.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:50 amWe, and all creatures great and small, can be thankful this season that Obama is our next president.
Can you imagine the corporate rodentia McCain would have allowed to burrow in?
I'm breaking my word posting this, but it's too important not to.
"H.Res. 1531
Introduced on 11/20/08 by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) (Press Release)
Referred to the Judiciary Committee
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President of the United States should not issue pardons to senior members of his administration during the final 90 days of his term of office. "
More here: http://www.democrats.com/nadler-pardon-resolution
Please contact your representatives via this web site, urging them to support this proposed resolution:
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:53 amhttp://www.democrats.com/nadler-pardons
Easy solution. Come January 21, all burrowed Bushies report for special assignment in downtown Bagdad (not the Green Zone). Military transportation provided then you are on your own. Your uniform will be a t-shirt with a photo of GWB on it and you have to wear it to collect your paycheck. If you don't like it, quit.
Problem solved.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:59 amAs for the civil service moles, there is a time-honored way of marginalizing unwanted but unfire-able staff. Redefine their job description, duties and responsibilities. Make them incharge of 'special projects' or 'planning for long-term future' working alone - and hire others to do the job.
Downside: they still get salary and office space. Upside: they can't do damage, and they can't sue for illegal termination.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:00 pmImagine that. Bush appointing unqualified people to important positions.
So this is no surprise. It will make the job harder for President Obama so I would suggest we provide as much support as we can. And we need to make sure the right is kept in the spotlight for all these problems. They are already trying to blame Obama for the mess they caused. SOP for the right wing bastards. We know their real mantra is "ME FIRST" and screw the country.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:14 pmObama will know who the burrowed are, or be told. Yes? Those individual can be reassigned out of relevance if he cares to. Yes? What's the problem? They'll still have their civil service sinecures, but can do no harm or much less.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 pmJust like Bush to break the 'china' on his way out the door, so to speak. Bush's philosophy is leave nothing of value behind. It's always been destroy, destroy and destroy and leave the destruction behind for someone else to clean up.
These burrowed appointees will still have to answer to Obama's Secretary of the Interior and produce the results that Obama will expect from them. No employee has a guaranteed permanent job.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 pmalphainfinityomega Says:
P.S. # 1, that should be Jan 20; please don’t give these criminals any more time to destroy us.
My bad I hadn't finished my first cup of coffe. Below is the text of an email I got the other day.
----------------------------------------
One sunny day in January, 2009, an old man approached the White House from
Across Pennsylvania Avenue, where he'd been sitting on a park bench. He
spoke to the U.S. Marine standing guard and said, "I would like to go in
and meet with President Bush."
The Marine looked at the man and said, "Sir, Mr. Bush is no longer
president and no longer resides here."
The old man said, "Okay", and walked away.
The following day, the same man approached the White House and said to the
same Marine, "I would like to go in and meet with President Bush."
The Marine again told the man, "Sir, as I said yesterday, Mr. Bush is no
longer president and no longer resides here."
The man thanked him and, again, just walked away.
The third day, the same man approached the White House and spoke to the
very same U.S. Marine, saying "I would like to go in and meet with President
Bush."
The Marine, understandably agitated at this point, looked at the man and
said, "Sir, this is the third day in a row you have been here asking to
speak to Mr. Bush. I've told you already that Mr. Bush is no longer the
president and no longer resides here. Don't you understand?"
The old man looked at the Marine and said, "Oh, I understand. I just love
hearing it."
The Marine snapped to attention, saluted, and said, "See you tomorrow,
Sir."
----------------------------------------
Good for a laugh anway
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:24 pmThis is not Bush, he has neither the backbone nor intelligence to even think like this. Its his neocon operatives that have done it, no accountability. Maybe Cheney pushed it. radhika above says it, marginalize and ostrasize them.
When America needs a president, during this real crices, not a phony war, he has no bolls. Cotton bolls, maybe. Crawford Texas needs his leadership. As mayor, he could at last maybe make a positive imprint on America.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:27 pmIf my memory serves and if the provision has not been changed any newly hired Civil Service Employee is (or at least was 20 years ago) subject to a 6 month probation period during which they be removed without cause. Secondly, there was a little known provision that any employee may be terminated if he or she accumulates three disciplanary actions within a (I believe) a six month period. Theoretically, if one of these fools is late returning from lunch one minute per month for three months out of six he could be fired.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:28 pmCrusty Old Bastard...
I think you are correct about the 6 month probation. Years ago, I worked for the Government and it was considered theft if you took a pen from the office home with you and you could receive disciplinary action for this.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:34 pmTheir jobs are protected by civil service rules - not their responsibilities. While it's a waste of money, these folks can be buried in small offices with no telephones and tasked with research on unicorns.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pmThey are not qualified and can easily be removed during the probationary period. I guess Bushco thinks everybody is unconscious.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:38 pmI can't believe that there is no way to remove these people. How do conservatives 'reduce big government' except by cutting positions? Well, cut these positions in an effort to 'streamline' government, just like conservatives do all the time. Then recreate them with real science appointees.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:40 pmNo one believes that bush cronies will be allowed to stay do you. In the first place they were all political, loyal to bush appointees. They are all unqualified to be in the positions that bush has placed them in.
Just let them go for not being qualified.....
They have no union and I don't think they sign a contract so what't the problem?
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:42 pmIdyll Says: I’m breaking my word posting this, but it’s too important not to. “H.Res. 1531 Introduced on 11/20/08 by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) (Press Release)
Referred to the Judiciary Committee
This is a colossal waste of time. The president has unfettered constitutional powers to pardon anyone for anything. That included Clinton's idiot brother. It has also included people imprisoned with disproportionate harshness. It's an absolute presidential prerogative.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:49 pmHighPlainsJoker,
The ONLY action that would make precedent gump have a slightyl positive legacy would be if he took his own life AND while doing so, also took cheney's.
Like having cheney be on the other side of his meoon-like head, while gump pulled the trigger of a 357 magnum against his temple. It would pop the air, and sail straight across the chiasm, and out the other side to strike the Traitor-in-chief cheney.
I would be the FIRST to sing his praise for the rest of eternity (not really, but for about 3 weeks) if he did that.
THEN the history books would glow about him for "doing the right thing."
Sorry, shmuck of a corporeal entity.
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:52 pmHey David,
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:53 pmThe precedent CANNOT pardon treason, look it up.
It's just sad to think that 'Patriotic', flag-pin wearing... people would do this. The outgoing Administration whined to the high heavens how President Clinton's folks 'sabatoged' their office spaces (Oh Horror!!!). Now the soon-to-be Former President is sabotoging the Country! Not content with having trashed the Constitution, the Judiciary, our Economy and the respect of the Entire World, he's just Got do find more ways to stick it to America. Once again he proves himself the Worst President Ever!
November 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 pmImpeach, while There's Still Time!!!!
Trying to do exactly what they were so against a few years ago?
Executive Order No. 1:
Hereby reverse all 'reorganization' by predescessor.
No more assigning Anti-science League members to Scientific jobs.
If only that were the only wreckage left behind by the Disaster President. People are living in substandard conditions because of wreckage of attempts at 'legacy'. The sooner the drunk doesn't have the keys, the better.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:00 pmAbu Ben Hussein Leporello,
Actually, the precedent also shows us that there definately is no GOD.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. How fitting that it is YOU mr boooooooosh to show the world that of course your bullshit born-again-ness was nothing but a political Karl Rovian tactic to obtain backing. And those that ate it up, only prove that there is not, never has been, and cannot be a God.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:06 pmKrazny @ #1:
It would really be best for the country if Bush would just not do anything between now and...
Bush? Do what's best for the country?!
I seem to have gotten pretty cynical these last 8 years. I'm at the point where I'm thinking that the first thing for Obama is to ask himself, "What Would Bush Do?" and then do the opposite, and everything will get at least a little better.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:23 pmI was listening to a report on the radio and the speaker was saying all O'bama has to do it appoint duplicate people to the posts and only deal with these people.
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:24 pmBush is the most subversive president in American history. HE is the ENEMY of the majority of Americans. The man deserves to rot in a concrete 8' x 8' cell for the remainder of his wholly destructive and failed existence. He has done so much harm to America and Americans, and will continue to do so until his last disastrous day in office, that it will literally take decades of hardship and suffering for millions of Americans to recover, not to mention millions of innocent Iraqi men, women and children. In the last eight years, he's done significantly more harm to America and American interests than any individual human being on the planet!
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:25 pmYou haven't seen anything yet.
Just wait until Jan 20, 2009, when the avalanche of frivolous lawsuits begins, w/ the sole intention of paralyzing the incoming admin. It will give all new meaning to the phrase, "vexatious litigant".
Anyone who thinks GOOPers ever intend to "share" or "play fair" or "respect others' choices" or "mind their own business", please call me... I have a bridge and some monuments I'm selling.
Talk about Unamerican slimeballs...
November 22nd, 2008 at 1:33 pmPlease add burrowing incompetents to your list of "George's backward sprint."
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:00 pmLook if these folks Bush is leaving behind don't have the requesite scientific qualifications for their positions ,why can't the new Prez boot 'em ?
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:14 pmDutch, I don't understand that either.
November 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 pmQuestion was these new positions? As a disable Veteran, wasn't I entiled to compete for that job under federal law?
November 22nd, 2008 at 3:24 pmbush – the wreck that keeps on wrecking
man, barb and poppy sure did some awful job to make such an horrendous person as george w.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:33 pmLook if these folks Bush is leaving behind don’t have the requesite scientific qualifications for their positions ,why can’t the new Prez boot ‘em ?
You still have to document their lack of ability to do the job as described...myself being a government employee and union steward, it is hard to get rid of dead weight. Document, document, document.
November 22nd, 2008 at 4:47 pmI can't imagine that a system couldn't be worked out whereby these people are totally ignored- perhaps "shunned" would be more to the point.
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:05 pmpluege Says:
bush – the wreck that keeps on wrecking
man, barb and poppy sure did some awful job to make such an horrendous person as george w
THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON'T HUG YOUR KIDS
November 22nd, 2008 at 11:27 pmThis isn’t Bush hand-from-the-grave per-se. Rather, it has all the markings of big oil. They now have an embedded loyalist who will report back to big oil on global warming effects from NOAA and a mole inside the Energy Department’s Office of Science who will try to steer money away from global warming research.
It didn’t take long when I searched on the various National Laboratory sites to zero in on a project (probably one of many) that I am sure big oil is interested in.
Check out PNNL then Battelle Labs and finally their venture startups.
What did I find? http://www.velocys.com/home.php
Take a look at Velocys’s technology. Is there anyone here who would argue that big oil wouldn’t be very interested in this avenue of energy?
This mole’s job will be to report on the leading-edge technologies that might threaten big oil, and to then follow big-oil’s directives as to steering money into or away from the technology in question. He’s a spy plain and simple.
November 23rd, 2008 at 3:49 amSo? The goal should be to “mushroom” him i.e. keep him in the dark and feed him S^@T!
Why ever in the world would we trust scientist?
They've got all that nasty book-lernin' & hardly a bit of it has to do with being a CEO or oil exec!!!
It is after all the CEO who got us to the moon!
November 23rd, 2008 at 7:44 amPURGE, PURGE, PURGE!!!
Job #1 for President Obama and his team should be reviewing each and every person who Bush brought into the White House and determining if they are actually qualified for the position they hold. Scientists should be in control of science, not partisan anti-science political operatives.
PURGE, BABY, PURGE!!!! Kick all of the bums out! Let the new PNAC-types find a rock for them to crawl under.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:39 am