The Most Politicized Government in History
George W. Bush has politicized the federal government in unprecedented ways for modern times. Virtually every agency and department has been subjected to this policy. Even the Social Security Administration, prohibited by law from enagaging in partisan political hackery, was forced to distribute booklets extolling the President's failed privatization scheme.
Civil service was created for a good reason. The politicization and resulting patronage fostered massive corruption and inefficiencies. Constant turnover when government changed parties cost taxpayers money, expertise, and security. Thus civil service was enacted. It created a professional bureaucracy. As much as we love dumping on bureaucrats this system is a huge improvement.
We saw how serious Bush was about politicization of the federal government when he created the Department of Homeland Security. Civil service protections were stripped from every government employee of the massive new agency. This instigated a harsh fight in Congress from Democrats looking to protect a unionized federal workforce from arbitrary political management. Max Cleland, in the forefront of the fight, lost his U.S. Senate seat because Republicans smeared him as unpatriotic for supporting these government workers. Still, the GOP prevailed.
We have seen this Administration use propaganda extensively, even hiring "journalists" to spout their talking points in columns, articles, and on television. Most agency websites have been modified to reflect ideology, regardless of facts or science. AIDS funds in Africa are not available to NGO's unless they delete all references to using condoms as a preventive practice. People are dying due to this politicization.
At the same time policy seems nonexistent. The policy of this White House seems to be politicization. The only policies brought forward have been those promulgated by right wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Project for a New American Century. These have all been highly ideological.
It will take years to reform these corrupt practices. No bid contracts, issued in violation of the law, have become a common practice. The complete lack of accountability and Congressional oversight have resulted in mismanagement, incompetence, and corruption.
Civil service was created for a good reason. The politicization and resulting patronage fostered massive corruption and inefficiencies. Constant turnover when government changed parties cost taxpayers money, expertise, and security. Thus civil service was enacted. It created a professional bureaucracy. As much as we love dumping on bureaucrats this system is a huge improvement.
We saw how serious Bush was about politicization of the federal government when he created the Department of Homeland Security. Civil service protections were stripped from every government employee of the massive new agency. This instigated a harsh fight in Congress from Democrats looking to protect a unionized federal workforce from arbitrary political management. Max Cleland, in the forefront of the fight, lost his U.S. Senate seat because Republicans smeared him as unpatriotic for supporting these government workers. Still, the GOP prevailed.
We have seen this Administration use propaganda extensively, even hiring "journalists" to spout their talking points in columns, articles, and on television. Most agency websites have been modified to reflect ideology, regardless of facts or science. AIDS funds in Africa are not available to NGO's unless they delete all references to using condoms as a preventive practice. People are dying due to this politicization.
At the same time policy seems nonexistent. The policy of this White House seems to be politicization. The only policies brought forward have been those promulgated by right wing think tanks like the Heritage Foundation, the Cato Institute, the American Enterprise Institute, and the Project for a New American Century. These have all been highly ideological.
It will take years to reform these corrupt practices. No bid contracts, issued in violation of the law, have become a common practice. The complete lack of accountability and Congressional oversight have resulted in mismanagement, incompetence, and corruption.
posted by PA progressive @ Friday, July 07, 2006
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