The more things change the more they stay the same.
Tom Daschle withdrew himself from consideration for the Health and Human Services appointment today. Nancy Killefer was another potential appointee who withdrew. Let's not forget about Bill Richardson. This is the big elephant in the room: what is up with these people who make a very comfortable living and have access to undeclared perks not paying their taxes? Or I guess we can say, mishandling their finances and being involved in questionable business activities? Or having personal relationship issues? We know the Obamas personally don't indulge in such folly because it would've been campaign fodder to their detriment, but these other politicians have been prominent political figures for years.
It's not that people aren't allowed to make mistakes either, but this just shows how flawed the "system" is. The people who rise to the top are not necessarily the best examples of human beings or those striving to be their best. Or those that care about improving the lives of the masses. It's just about who can swim with the sharks - or who is a bigger shark. Mediocrity rules as long as you have dirt on someone to silence any opposition.
Now can somebody tell me again it was just griping when some asked why Howard Dean wasn't part of the Obama administration? If Hillary Clinton can get a prominent position from #44 knowing full well she wanted to be #44 and wasn't at all gracious, then it should come as no surprise that the less combative would fall off like flies. Again I will ask why haven't other qualified individuals who may not be part of the "in" crowd but might better serve the country been appointed? I will also say some are not making it easy for President Obama anyway, so this is just an added annoyance.
If all we have to console ourselves with is dodging more incompetence or the flat out self-serving interests from Shrub and his loyalists, this is going to be majorly disappointing. Of course if the last President hadn't been such a disaster I wouldn't be rooting so hard for the success of the new one. It wasn't all because of a campaign slogan. This situation doesn't compare in equal measure but it presents itself as a big pothole on the road to Changeville and shows us how easily a lane change could lead us off the path we want to be on.
Update: PBO (that's President Barack Obama) has apologized and takes full responsibility for his failure to properly vet his candidates. Good, because things are looking very sloppy! If you look at the paperwork required to work for PBO it plainly asks if there's any "skeletons" and "potential conflicts of interests". So my question is: did those appointees actually read it and complete it?
1 comment:
I felt Daschle was a bad bad choice from the jump. He made too many enemies when he held a senate seat. I could have told teh Obama camp about that one.
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