THE EFFECTS OF LAYING DOWN WITH SWINE
My constitutionally protected opinion of the initial and continuing Bush administration has been that it had no regard for personal ethics. Colin Powell sold his integrity for power and peed it away with a little vial in front of the U.N. Richard Perle was not only a colonialist in savior's clothing but stood to profit from an "Arabian" war. On to Cheney and Scooter, Ashcroft shredding the constitution and W's defense of his overhear program on the basis of permission by Congress to attack AQ in Afghanistan. All really slimey stuff.
The one person in this administration I have always admired was Deputy Sec'y of State Dick Armitage. He was careful, deferential to Congress, not militarily adventuristic (Despite having been an Admiral). I once drafted a fan letter to him (never got sent.)
Now, it appears Armitage is a source of the Plame outing. At the risk of sounding naive, I would never have thought him capable of such petty revenge. Sure, the State Dept. Didn't want Joe Wilson going to Niger and Armitage was Powell's biggest apologist and protector but, I thought, not a petty bureaucrat. He, of all people, would have understood the implications of what he was doing. He had worked with classified information for some years and must have had some idea what it costs to set up a dummy front corporation. This disclosure is just astonishing to me.
I wish I could tell you what the moral of this story is. Don't trust anybody, ever? Your Government will always disappoint you? Don't let two ex-military guys run the State Department? Or maybe it's just I'm no good at finding that one Washington Republican who's pure of heart (if there is one.). All I know is this is truly a gut punch. A guy I thought was a true patriot turns out to be a petty in-fighter. Phooey!
posted by UMRBlog @ 10:55
28 comments
28 Comments:
So you mean Rove didn't do this to win the election??
So what exatly has Rove done to deserve so much hatred from the left?
1333,
No, I don't mean that. I mean that, in addition to whatever political cutesies Scooter and Rover were up to, it appears that someone who knew better and had no real stake in partisan politics did the same thing just for departmental revenge.
Note that I didn't mention Rove as one of the unprincipled.
TYFCB
Lootasaurus Rex,
Take a look at Newsweek's web page. To anybody who followed Armitage's career, this is a HUGE story. The idea that such a man would fiddle with another agency's operative is mind-boggling.
You can get the Cliff's Note's version on the USAToday site.
TYFCB
Political corruption is rampant, because there is much at stake. But we should concentrate on the local political corruption! I am refering to the political creation of the reward job for Eric Carper.
There were others in his department that were more qualified for the job, but were never asked to apply. As a matter of fact, they knew nothing of the job until it was given.
Yeah, by all means, let's talk about something local that's easy to put a label onto.
Let's not talk about something at the highest level of power in our nation or that takes a little research and deliberative thought to identify.
If Carper's promotion is political, you're going to have to answer what must be a a very simple question: Why would John Spring give a rip whether Carper had run against Georgia Volm or not?
Keep in mind, your friendly bloghost was an open, notorious and enthusiastic supporter of Volm. Still, I think it is adding two and two and getting twenty-two to state this is some kind of political reward for Carper. The best thing in the world for John Spring in March of 2006 would have been Peace in the Valley. Carper's campaign complicated his life.
On the merits of creating the position, how many $30M corporations you know don't have a safety director on the shop floor?
Assume the City had three or four people with the training and experience for the job. What's wrong with promoting from within? As a practical matter, any replacement will ultimately come from the general public anyhow because that's where all the city's new hires come from. If you don't like that system, what would you change about it?
(Note the question marks--these are not rhetorical. I'm dying to see your logical, well thought out answers.)
Oh, and apologies for taking our eyes of the ball on earth-shaking matters like Eric Carper's career track by talking about issues of vital national importance like the conduct of our FREAKING STATE DEPARTMENT!
Try to be a little more parochial next time.
TYFCB
Lootball,
SEC,
Best Conference, top to bottom, year in and year out, in the USA.
TYFCB
Lootweek,
This week's will be better.
TYFCB
“My constitutionally protected opinion of the initial and continuing Bush administration has been that it had no regard for personal ethics.”
I can only go back 7 previous administrations, which one of those had a regard for personal ethics?
“Colin Powell sold his integrity for power and peed it away with a little vial in front of the U.N.”
Which was based on information received from a decimated intelligence community. By the way Powell pissed away his integrity and credibility in 1991.
“Richard Perle was not only a colonialist in savior's clothing but stood to profit from an "Arabian" war.”
So how was Perle going to profit?
“Or maybe it's just I'm no good at finding that one Washington Republican who's pure of heart (if there is one.).”
Better look at both sides of the aisle when you make that statement!
Dick Armitage is actually related to a Quincyan.
I had a friend in high school named Matt Armitage, and Richard was his uncle, apparently.
Lootbutt,
Re no open bidding period: I think it's cuz they were afraid they'd get some guy with a lotta safety certifications but did stuff like break his @$$ playing with his kid. Ya Think?
How are your south bottoms doing these days, anyhow?
TYFCB
"I can only go back 7 previous administrations, which one of those had a regard for personal ethics?"
Ford and Carter administrations had good ethics records. Lance and Donovan, respectively turned out to be nothing. In Carter admin. Cutler resigned to avoid the appearance of impropriety and Vance Resigned to protest what he believed to be an improvident foreign adventure (Contrast this with Powell later, who knew better).
"Which was based on information received from a decimated intelligence community. By the way Powell pissed away his integrity and credibility in 1991."
OK, we agree that Powell was a sell out, we just disagree about when he became symptomatic. Still, he had to know the Anthrax thing was shakey. That's why he made Tenant sit in camera view, effectively ending that career. It's amazing how the bodies fall around Powell's career.
On Perle: Go back and read about his resignation as Chair of the NSC. You don't have to rely on any liberal rags to do it. Washington times covered it adequately.
On both sides of the aisle thang. Look, no organization is 100% pure but this is a conversation about honesty in foreign policy and intelligence. Our Flubs have been up front. GOP's have been, until now, attempted to be carried out in secret (Iran Contra for example). Your overall point is well taken but in the specific area of foreign policy and threat assessement intelligence, the GOP has demonstrated it likes murky non-accountability and will behave dishonestly to achieve it.
If your argument is "both sides do it so it's no big deal" I think Thomas Jefferson and Abe Lincoln would argue that's a flawed starting point.
TYFCB, Truly
UMRBLOG,
Don't most City Central Services Admins and the City Engineering Department allready have some OSHA certs?
If so, hiring a member of the Engineering Dept (which 3 of the 4 potential safety inspectors came from I understand -- other 1 was a water department manager) would make perfect sense.
Hmmmmm, makes pretty good sense to me! Why go outside and hire someone, when you have someone with much of the training. How much does the 100 hr. cert cost if he doesn't allready have it?? You can give him a SMALL pay increase and eliminate the position he came from. You end up with one Safety inspector and one less engineer. the only real added cost is the SMALL increase in pay for this gentleman. No need to add another employee's insurance policy, pension etc . . . Sounds cheaper to me especially compared to the other way or potential fines. This way just doesn't sound as sexy as using the term POLICAL REWARD and makes too much sense for the HIPOCRIT PARTY (for those not taking notes from other blogs, I'd be speaking of the ACRP)
Sorry off topic to foriegn policy.
On foriegn policy,
I think we need to hire back the 7 wisemen. If they aren't all deceased.
Hey Tony,
How about an article on how the Republican Party is trying to buy "the Real McCoy" a larger pension furthering the counties longterm pensions costs?
Remember they allready tried to give Nall a sweetheart deal!
1418,
You are forgiven.
All good points but the pest part of it is this: If it results in an opening for the "bump up" process....the new hire will GASP! OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. What horrible democrat manuevering!
On the foreign policy thang, Hell, the seven dwarves would be an improvement.
TYFCB
1427,
First of All, Thank you. I'd rather talk about Pensions than the callous on Looties Butt.
I'm pretty sure that the County's pension obligation is Sheriff-Neutral, assuming, Jon, if elected, would choose to reenter the plan. Someone who is an IMRF annuitant and who is elected to an IMRF office can elect in. I think the same thing is true of SLEP.
I think the better question is this: how does somebody who said he wanted to retire from law enforcement to play with his motorcycle and grandchildren convince folks he has a passion for the thing he just said he wants to out of?????????
I'll take another look at your issue later. TYFCB
"the new hire will GASP! OPEN TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC. What horrible democrat manuevering!"
This would be great if true, but it doesn't happen.
Lootie,
Misstating the issue is not very effective argumentative technique. Nobody said he didn't have the right to change his mind. What the behavior calls into question is his dedication, which you did not address.
If you put the rest of the strings on that banjo, you can play chords.
TYFCB
He quit to run for Sheriff. It's just that simple.
1742,
Go into the front, west door, of the City Hall. Take a right, computer will be on your right. Application form is menu-driven. Unlike the old, world famous IVH application form, there is no place for a Precinct Committeman recommendation, primary voter history or a pledge to join the Lincoln Club if hired.
Your application will be reviewed by a committee with no political majority. Folks usually start out on the back of a garbage truck. That tends to thin out the applicants a bit.
TYFCB
UMR 618
I can only speak from my experience. Although I understand this to be the current policy, in reality it does not work that way. This subject has been discussed to death on these blogs. I'm in no way trying to start another discussion of it. I can only find proof to the contrary. Thanks for the forum.
Anon 1840
I dunno about that. Since the committee was formed, you might have trouble successfully making that argument. Most of the other blogs are just shouting contests about it. Start in about September of '05 and see if I'm not right.
TYFCB
Enlootenment,
While you're leading me to enlightenment, you might want to check archives from before you discovered the blogosphere and read where I detailed my very important and valued friendship with Jon McCoy.
It has nothing to do with Jon Personally.
Punt, Bama, Punt.
TYFCB
" I'm pretty sure that the County's pension obligation is Sheriff-Neutral,"
not necessarily. Remember that this program is based on the highest yearly wage in the LAST 4 years of employment. How much did Jon make as Chief Deputy? How much will he make as Sheriff? Pretty large difference in pay rates.
At the new police mutliplier of 75% we are not talking about small change for a 4 years term as Sheriff.
I'm sorry but I just don't get your argument. I don't have a problem with the concept that it would increase the amount JM would later rec'v. I don't see it impacting the amount the county pays. They're only going to pay one sheriff at a time. SLEP's a defined benefit program, so Sheriff and county pay in so much and he gets so much later.
I'm not positive but I think your major premise is that JM's pension would increase and your minor premise is that would cost the county more money. JM's pension, when he hypothetically left office, would increase, but the county would have just made IMRF contributions to one sheriff or the other for the next four years. The size of Jon's check doesn't really matter to the county after it's made its contributions.
Not positive I understand your position and not positive my suppositions are correct but I'll check because it's interesting.
What I do know for sure is that this not like Nall's ECO pension caper (although that is another heartwarming vestige of the Nall/McCoy era).
Thanks. Good topic
"I don't see it impacting the amount the county pays."
if this were to happen, which it won't, Brent will have been there 8 years (plus years as a deputy) and thus eligble for a pension at said rate. (I know its quite a few years down the road based o his age)
Was wondering if anyone else remembered Dirty Bob's ECO deal. I would be willing to wager that if the Repubs came up with this scheme to run JM then they have something planned or there is something being missed. Have to take into consideration who we are dealing with on this. They love to complain about things but try to sneak things in the backoor.
I mean come on, noone ever talks about Adams County "highball" economics (as compared to micro and macro), McLaughlins nightclub, Larry's Furniture Mart, or Bob's stagger and fall!
What's your take on Bill Clinton's foreign policy?
Anon 1229,
Doesn't matter to the county whether Brent would ,hypothetically, go back to being a dep or retire. The county would be paying retirement on those two salaries, no matter who was holding the jobs. Once the guy leaves and retires, the pension payments come from SLEP, not from the county. From the county's perspective, this election is pension payment neutral.
It might not be revenue-neutral to SLEP but that's unlikely to bring about a rate increase. SLEP and IMRF are not part of the evil "pension raids" and are actuarially sound.
I could be missing something but I think Pension payment is the only thing about this election that doesn't matter to Adams County TaxPayers.
The real question is whether we want a return of the Nall/McCoy administration that cut Drug Task Force Commitment in half (and other follies).
TYFCB
Lootie 1744,
I hate to reel in a perfectly good rant but the commenter was joining issue with me on the "integrity" of those administrations. We really weren't having a discussion of the effectiveness of their various foreign policies.
TYFCB,
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