The 111th Congress which ends this year is running out of time and clearly has lost significant energy and now focusing almost entirely on preserving the status of its incumbents which ususally win in excess of 90% of their elections. Why? Gerrymandering plain and simple which really has destroyed the one man one vote concept and of course the aberrations caused by the Great Compromise of the Constitution that gave the small states two Senators just like the big States continues its long term erosion of our democracy (Republic)!
There is important legislation still pending that could be helpful to the nation but not much. Congress and its staff no longer really have the ability to deal with development of policy and now it is just salami tactics by the corporate lobbyists, slicing and dicing up the pie in bigger pieces for those that can pay and eroding the status of the every growing larger underclass.
Even the federal departments and agencies that don't regulate under the Commerce Clause now largely default to the interest groups they regulate and no longer protect the innocent and erode equality. The business plans of many US corporations are premised on gaining beneficial legislative niches and are no longer really entreprenueral entities. Why? Well a recent op-ed by Dr. Paul Krugman, PhD and Nobel winner concludes that he is beginning to conclude that the political leadership of the US no longer is interested in equality and really does not care about anything but self preservation. WOW! Perhaps one of my grandfathers political beliefs that the INS should be voted OUT in each election really is the correct belief. Unfortunately in a modern technologically driven society it takes time to build expertise.
On that score, today's federal register produces that list required annually by OPM of all career-reserved SES positions in the federal Executive Branch. Is that an eye opener as almost no crucial positons involving civil crisis management preparedness, prevention, mitigation, response and recovery are career reserved. If you want a copy check today's federal register or just ask for a copy from this blogger. Hey the information indicating the collapse of the civil service as a driving concept is out there just needs further analysis. DHS alone is now up to over 900 politically vetted positions, even more than under the Bush Administration. Are they qualified? Who knows since political appointees DO NOT HAVE formal position descriptions. This would be an important reform that Senate could adopt without legislation althought still might be needed at some point. How to reform? Require each appointee prior to confirmation to provide a position description of all statutes, executive ordres, and other directives they will be acting under and administering. Is this so difficult?
