Recent Comments

1. about 8 hours ago on Mike du Jour

   Correction: he made his view of the executive powers quite clear. His view was not shared by all the founding fathers (John Adams would have approved since he favored a strong executive). Federalist 51 describes the reasons for the checks and balances and quite accurately points out that “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” That not being the case, the three branches mutually control the excesses of each other. The final arbiters, of course, will be the people. That decision, however, may take a number of years, depending upon the terms of elected officials in question.

2. about 9 hours ago on Mike du Jour

   That is not true. His overreach can be stopped by both the legislature and the judiciary. While enforcement of judicial decisions can be questionable (President Jackson’s statement about the Court enforcing its decision seems to be echoed in current administration statements), it is generally understood and accepted that the SC is the ultimate referee in legal matters.

3. about 9 hours ago on Prickly City

   Your ignorance of the situation is obvious. Did you notice the word “COBOL”? The private companies that you mentioned didn’t exist when the code in question was written. Skimping on government appeals to libertarians and most republicans, so this is what you get. As ferddo notes, governmental skimping also involves not paying programmers the same as private industry does. Also, having experienced contracted out software (from Oracle to be specific), I found their off the shelf, “one size fits all” software (sold to all the states with minor adjustments) to be inferior to our legacy systems built by in-house programmers.

4. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   That is true. But the highest authority is bound by the other two branches and by the people. He is certainly not the king.

5. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   Again, the military may be a bit different than the rest of the civil service system. “Orders” are not what run other agencies.

6. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   They can be disciplined and perhaps fired following procedures set up in civil service law and in negotiated settlements with the unions. Probationers can be fired for very little reason (and have been by muskites) but those who have passed probation have as much protection as tenured professors and are very difficult to fire. Appointed (highest ranking) individuals work at the pleasure of the appointing authority and can be fired at will. Do you see the difference?

7. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   Seriously, that means that you followed rules and procedures and were closely monitored for adherence to those rules and procedures. Nothing about following presidential orders, right?

8. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   Ah, an expert then.

9. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

   Side bar – We can discuss “administrative discretion” (everyone from local cops to federal conservation officers have some discretion in their job) if you want.

10. 1 day ago on Mike du Jour

    By the way, the civil service employees follow rules and procedures which have been established in accordance with the laws passed by the legislature and signed by the chief executive. They do not “follow orders” of the president.