Well let's break this down. I remember this chapter in American history. The spoils go to the victor, meaning that the new President rewards his loyal campaigners with cabinet posts, ambassadorships and other such demonstrations of his appreciation. Of course, Trump didn't have to rely on the mega-donors so he didn't have as many nephews, uncles, daughters and nieces to reward with cabinet positions. And then one has to wonder, how necessary were all these positions. At 178 days and counting, perhaps I missed a headline between all of the Russian conspiracy fictions published by "news" sources but I am pretty sure the Federal government hasn't collapsed. And once he moves to abolish the two failed legacies of the 2nd worst President (Dept. of Energy and Dept. of Education) then there's another batch that don't need to be filled.
Blame?!! What do you mean blame? Keeping those featherbed crony jobs empty saves us millions of dollars in salary, benefits and pension liability. It what we meant when we said drain the swamp!
1
It's part of the plan. Radical anarchists are high 5ing each other. Get a grip - tune into the real story!
Would be nice if he actually earned his taxpayer-funded salary.
Republicans, what other measure do you need to see that he only saw the campaign as a vehicle to promote his brand, and sees the office of POTUS as a vehicle for helping to reshape laws in such a way that he can no longer be accused of breaking them?
He doesn't care a whit about you and your circumstances.
Why is that undeniable fact so very difficult for you to grasp?
Republicans, what other measure do you need to see that he only saw the campaign as a vehicle to promote his brand, and sees the office of POTUS as a vehicle for helping to reshape laws in such a way that he can no longer be accused of breaking them?
He doesn't care a whit about you and your circumstances.
Why is that undeniable fact so very difficult for you to grasp?
2
Mr. Trump has made his intentions and leadership style clear. He is deliberately demonstrating that the fed govt is bloated, in personnel and payroll.
He is going to wean the agencies from these positions and then remove the personnel billets as the people retire, get fired or transfer out.
This is especially true at the State Dept, EPA and DOJ, where he trusts the cabinet officials to carry out this agenda, while still being able to manage the workload along the way.
He is going to wean the agencies from these positions and then remove the personnel billets as the people retire, get fired or transfer out.
This is especially true at the State Dept, EPA and DOJ, where he trusts the cabinet officials to carry out this agenda, while still being able to manage the workload along the way.
"On average, however, among the group included in The Times’s analysis, Mr. Trump’s nominees have only taken nine days longer to be confirmed than Mr. Obama’s."
What about how long it has taken for those who have NOT been confirmed? Just looking at the charts, at this point Obama had about 78% of his nominations confirmed and Trump has about 31%. This fact is largely ignored, and is the second biggest factor in the difference; the first being the number actually nominated.
What about how long it has taken for those who have NOT been confirmed? Just looking at the charts, at this point Obama had about 78% of his nominations confirmed and Trump has about 31%. This fact is largely ignored, and is the second biggest factor in the difference; the first being the number actually nominated.
Now we will see a flurry of awful nominations pushed through on an ego defensive reflex.
Donnie the Dunce NEVER takes personal responsibility for anything that is a problem, but he OFTEN takes credit for things that were done before he even came to office (or before he even was elected). Many tmes, what he announces as having been ACCOMPLISHED is either simply not true or is yet to be completed.
The people who support him seem to be satisfied to hear him say something is being (or will be) done. Actual results seem not to be important to them. We will see how long that can go on. Hopefully, those people will wake up sooner rather than later.
The people who support him seem to be satisfied to hear him say something is being (or will be) done. Actual results seem not to be important to them. We will see how long that can go on. Hopefully, those people will wake up sooner rather than later.
What if they're not filled? Even without them, Washington DC just managed to spend more than $400 billion in one month. Their absence certainly has not curbed spending. What if we never fill them? Who will notice?? Will having them filled make the dysfunction better??
Think about this for a minute. If you believe published statistics... we have a record number in the workforce. Corporate profits are near all-time highs. Tax revenues to Washington DC and the states are at or near all time highs. The markets are near all-time highs.... And our Federal Government and many state government budgets are an absolute shambles. Illinois and Puerto Rico are functionally insolvent. Our federal deficit is said to be approaching $700 billion again. This didn't just happen in the past six months.
So what if we leave them vacant? Maybe the incumbents should all be sent off to retirement and replaced with responsible leaders, irrespective of political party. Hire a bunch of newly minted grads - how could it get much worse?
Think about this for a minute. If you believe published statistics... we have a record number in the workforce. Corporate profits are near all-time highs. Tax revenues to Washington DC and the states are at or near all time highs. The markets are near all-time highs.... And our Federal Government and many state government budgets are an absolute shambles. Illinois and Puerto Rico are functionally insolvent. Our federal deficit is said to be approaching $700 billion again. This didn't just happen in the past six months.
So what if we leave them vacant? Maybe the incumbents should all be sent off to retirement and replaced with responsible leaders, irrespective of political party. Hire a bunch of newly minted grads - how could it get much worse?
2
This is Trump acting as he pleases and how he sees fit, which is how Trump acts. He doesn't care for how things are done, he doesn't care for what is expected of him, he doesn't care for protocol and cares only for what his supporters think of him, which serves him well, because in their eyes, he can do no evil.
And with Trump its not just about him not hiring people for jobs that need to be filled, he as bad, or probably worse when it comes to who he does hire and how he doesn't at all care that they are not at all fit for the job. For example, he hired his personal real estate lawyer to become the ambassador to Israel simply because a Jew is traditionally hired for the job, and since that lawyer was Jewish he fit the bill.
Trump's goal was to be president, and the reason he wanted to be president was for the honor and glory that comes with it, in addition to the potential for more if he could use his position to make changes that he and his supporters feel are for the better.
The last thing he is interested in, however, is to do the actual job of being president and to fulfill the job requirements. And this is because in his eyes he has no reason to do it, because Trump does as he pleases and sees fit.
And with Trump its not just about him not hiring people for jobs that need to be filled, he as bad, or probably worse when it comes to who he does hire and how he doesn't at all care that they are not at all fit for the job. For example, he hired his personal real estate lawyer to become the ambassador to Israel simply because a Jew is traditionally hired for the job, and since that lawyer was Jewish he fit the bill.
Trump's goal was to be president, and the reason he wanted to be president was for the honor and glory that comes with it, in addition to the potential for more if he could use his position to make changes that he and his supporters feel are for the better.
The last thing he is interested in, however, is to do the actual job of being president and to fulfill the job requirements. And this is because in his eyes he has no reason to do it, because Trump does as he pleases and sees fit.
1
As a lifelong government employee, there are never too many doing any job -
we have been under the gun since the Reagan era, and the 2007 crash only served to exacerbate the hiring freezes on most agencies. Youwonder why your potholes aren't getting filled, why the student visas are not policed and recalled, why the national parks have fewer and fewer rangers and venues open - it is all the anti-government mantra that has been around for too many years to count. No rockets into space - that was privatized, remember? So for those of you are are crowing that all these unfilled spots are redundant workers, think again, when your water isn't tested for lead routinely, when the last endangered songbirds disappear and do not reappear next spring, when your bridges fall down and your houses sink into holes.
It is all government work, and when you don't fill the top positions the agencies start to wobble, like uncentered clay on a wheel..
we have been under the gun since the Reagan era, and the 2007 crash only served to exacerbate the hiring freezes on most agencies. Youwonder why your potholes aren't getting filled, why the student visas are not policed and recalled, why the national parks have fewer and fewer rangers and venues open - it is all the anti-government mantra that has been around for too many years to count. No rockets into space - that was privatized, remember? So for those of you are are crowing that all these unfilled spots are redundant workers, think again, when your water isn't tested for lead routinely, when the last endangered songbirds disappear and do not reappear next spring, when your bridges fall down and your houses sink into holes.
It is all government work, and when you don't fill the top positions the agencies start to wobble, like uncentered clay on a wheel..
9
Thank you!
1
The slow pace and general dearth of nominations suggest good judgment among qualified individuals, who have decided not to run away and join the carnival.
11
The lack of nominations suggests a lack of interest on the President's part in governing.
4
If there is anything refreshing about Trump's presidency it is that he didn't come into office indebted to hundreds of political insiders expecting to be rewarded with appointments to powerful positions. Now, there is a degree of incompetence her. That's for sure. There's also (as mentioned in other comments) an underlying political agenda to shrink the size of government. But we should all be equally wary if a new President were to arrive in office with long lists of individuals ready to be appointed.
2
No, we should not. A new President arriving with a list of 210 people he has in mind to run a government employing 2,000,000 people (not counting military) is little enough to ask. Especially from someone who professes to know the very best people.
Even if he didn't think he was going to win and didn't start making the list until November 9th he should have been able to come up with 210 in three months.
What is more telling is the Secretaries should have been making their lists while preparing for their own confirmation hearings. Certainly by now we should have a full slate of nominees if the Trump team was as good as he says it is.
After all, how can you cut government waste and reduce headcount if you have no bosses?
Even if he didn't think he was going to win and didn't start making the list until November 9th he should have been able to come up with 210 in three months.
What is more telling is the Secretaries should have been making their lists while preparing for their own confirmation hearings. Certainly by now we should have a full slate of nominees if the Trump team was as good as he says it is.
After all, how can you cut government waste and reduce headcount if you have no bosses?
2
Could it also be that:
- There is a smaller pool to draw from because of his inexperience in government? (How many people could a hotel manager, beauty pageant promoter, and frozen steak seller know, who can run half these agencies or thier very specialized departments?)
- His extreme personality? (hard to work with, top down, micromanager, lack of policy coordination with WH press office, etc.)
- His extremist policies hated by the majority of people?
- His sexist behavior? (50% of the candidate pool he could draw from are concerned or out of the running right there—by them or by him)
- The poor performance shown so far in policy and governance of the executive branch? (By ANY measure?)
- Could it, finally, also just be orders from Putin to keep things running badly? So far, based on data, orders from Moscow seem the most plausible.
Actually, there is one more: He just stinks at governance. Which the majority of the population could have told you back in November.
- There is a smaller pool to draw from because of his inexperience in government? (How many people could a hotel manager, beauty pageant promoter, and frozen steak seller know, who can run half these agencies or thier very specialized departments?)
- His extreme personality? (hard to work with, top down, micromanager, lack of policy coordination with WH press office, etc.)
- His extremist policies hated by the majority of people?
- His sexist behavior? (50% of the candidate pool he could draw from are concerned or out of the running right there—by them or by him)
- The poor performance shown so far in policy and governance of the executive branch? (By ANY measure?)
- Could it, finally, also just be orders from Putin to keep things running badly? So far, based on data, orders from Moscow seem the most plausible.
Actually, there is one more: He just stinks at governance. Which the majority of the population could have told you back in November.
7
This obviously shows those jobs are not needed and should be discontinued.
The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, seems okay to me.
There must be tens of thousands of Federal employees that should be let go, the amount of savings would be astronomical.
The sun still rises in the east and sets in the west, seems okay to me.
There must be tens of thousands of Federal employees that should be let go, the amount of savings would be astronomical.
3
This article reads like a thoughtful evaluation of an employee's performance. By Apprentice-President Trump's own standard, he seems to deserve the words "You're fired" more than ever. Journalists Yourish and Aisch, thank you for coming up with this so-appropriate metric to quantify how disheveled Mr. Trump has been on the job to date.
1
The New York Times' usual painstaking investigative analysis proves unequivocally that the previous President was stacking the bureaucracies with redundant political appointees.
Good job, Times.
Good job, Times.
4
Nowhere in the article are job descriptions, roles/responsibilities etc. discussed for you to come to the conclusion about "bureaucracies with redundant political appointees". Nor does the article spend any time discussing the motivations of Trump for why the vacancies were not filled or the motivations of Obama for filling them.
So there is zero proof for your conclusions. Let's stick to facts.
So there is zero proof for your conclusions. Let's stick to facts.
12
If you don't nominate anyone to a position, you have only yourself to blame.
If your party controls the senate and you can't get nominees past them, you have only yourself to blame.
I see a pattern emerging.
If your party controls the senate and you can't get nominees past them, you have only yourself to blame.
I see a pattern emerging.
12
Do not be fooled into thinking the empty offices are due to Trump's incompetence. Rather, this is a reflection of Trump's and Bannon's progress toward deconstructing the government. They will starve the beast then point to the dysfunction as proof that government does not work.
They move with silent intent.
They move with silent intent.
7
You assume that all of these are needed or are going to be replaced. How about the senate confirm all of them since there are so few. Perhaps vetting is behind but it should also be quick since there are fewer people to vet. The issue is dems and their obstruction.
2
"Dems and their obstruction"???
You do realize they are hardly in the position to do too much these days, since Republicans are now in control of the three branches of government, don't you?
Less isn't always more. Sometimes less is less.
Like now.
You do realize they are hardly in the position to do too much these days, since Republicans are now in control of the three branches of government, don't you?
Less isn't always more. Sometimes less is less.
Like now.
11
You are assuming they're not needed. And you can't blame the Democrats for nominations not being made.
3
just to to understand, how does the state department work with 92 % of the places which are vacant ? I can imagine that the former deputy secretaries are not still in function. So how do the political ways been applied without the deputy secretary ? Could it be dangerous for the country ?
3
Understand this, most of them do things that are not valuable, and the people who do stuff are still there. We had several trips over seas being very successful so nothing is dangerous. What is dangerous is waste. I bet Rex can replace by himself dozens or more for management. Hillary nor Kerry do anything other than pandering, they don't know how to manage a lemon aid stand.
2
I think it's totally laughable that you even bring up "pandering", when Donald Trump has proven in more ways than one, that's what he's all about.
Another thing.
Neither Hillary or Kerry ever demanded personal loyalty, allegiance and strict obediance, such as we've seen Trump do -- And they didn't play footsies with the Russians, either.
Another thing.
Neither Hillary or Kerry ever demanded personal loyalty, allegiance and strict obediance, such as we've seen Trump do -- And they didn't play footsies with the Russians, either.
5
Part of making the US The Dispensable Nation
1
Even if this Administration were organized enough to put a system in place to identify potential nominees, there is also the issue that very very few even will consider working for this nonsensical administration.
And then it means that regular, long-term federal workers are working hard to keep the trains running on time, as they say, all while the Republicans in congress and Trump are crafting a budget to slash funding our own government (and maybe their jobs).
And then it means that regular, long-term federal workers are working hard to keep the trains running on time, as they say, all while the Republicans in congress and Trump are crafting a budget to slash funding our own government (and maybe their jobs).
8
Let's face it. After all the temper tantrums, and tweetings, and social faux-pas we've seen, and can only imagine how many more there must be behind closed doors -- who, in their right mind woud want to work for such a boss? Espcially when one's job depends on one's loyalty and allegiance to his particular person, and NOT the welfare of the nation.
So, no surprise there's so many vacancies.
So, no surprise there's so many vacancies.
18
I and many more would be happy to go and eliminate jobs, I bet I could replace 5 Obama type managers easily. Now traditional nominees are as you indicate but Trump does not want them anyway.
3
No offense. But you "and many more" should be more concerned about how you (and 23 MILLION other Americans) aren't going to be "eliminated" if those changes in the G.O.P. health plan comes through.
2
>I bet I could replace 5 Obama type managers easily.
And what "types" would those be, specifically?
And what "types" would those be, specifically?
2
Our president treats the country as if it is an expansion of his foray into WWE "kayfabe." He addresses some other world than the one we live in. For example, there are no substantial foreign enemies in his world; there is only an expanse of potentially "beautiful" business partners. And there are no actual federal administrative agencies; they are only two-dimensional straw men, to Trump and his staff.
Congressional Republicans, for their part, are pretty much engaged in "cosplay" today. They dress up as serious legislators, with serious ideas and approach ... often in seriously nice threads. But they only play at being independent, bipartisan legislators. Susan Collins played her independent role in the ACA discussions, and then fell into GOP lockstep for their uniform vote against the ACA. John McCain relishes his reputation as the "maverick," but he falls in that same GOP lockstep for virtually all votes. The Pauls, Rand and Ryan, act as if they're acolytes of Ayn Rand. But they reliably advance and vote the GOP line.
Republicans can only be trusted to avoid spurious and irresponsible actions ... when they are out town. Any time they might take actions, they can easily drop their kayfabe and cosplay in an instant. Don't trust their words or appearance.