Lots of folks focus on the current bru-haha of the election. While the Office of POTUS is important - it isn't just that single office in play. Check out the so-called Plum Book. Plum Book? Every four years, just after the Presidential election, the United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions, commonly known as the Plum Book, is published, alternately, by the Senate and the House. The Plum Book is used to identify presidentially appointed positions within the Federal Government. United States Government Policy and Supporting Positions (Plum Book), 2012 Read it, if you dare, and weep - there's not a single aspect of your life today that some appointee or another doesn't have draconian power over.... As the old saying goes - All your base are belong to us! Then there is the BS - Just one - United States Institute of Peace has an appointee that becomes the boss of 300 staffers. (2010 budget level of $49.2 million. $163K/position) (The United States Institute of Peace works to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world. USIP does this by engaging directly in conflict zones and by providing analysis, education, and resources to those working for peace. Created by Congress in 1984 as an independent, nonpartisan, federally funded organization, USIP’s more than 300 staff work at the Institute’s D.C. headquarters, and on the ground in the world’s most dangerous regions.) Look hard at the full list - there are waaay to many crap Departments, Groups, Bureaus and other tax dollar sinkholes that most voters have never heard of, let alone know they pay their hard earned money to support..... If you have someone you know that said they were going to skip voting - don't smack them upside the head - rather, share this little nugget - and ask - Who do you want picking the 'leadership' for these organizations?
Oh man.....diplomatic posts, such as ambassadors and consuls are regularly handed out as plums to party hacks and campaign donors....by both the GOP and the Democrats......it reminds me very much of the political corruption of ancient Rome. It's probably the reason why Australia seems to get used car salesmen type schleppers, instead of career diplomats as diplomats.
"The United States Institute of Peace works to prevent, mitigate, and resolve violent conflict around the world." I think we can safely say that as an organization they have failed to meet their mission statement and they need to join the unemployment line with the rest of Americans.
