I have been here on DKos now for 2 years or so. with my own log on, and for a year prior to that just reading the public pages.
I initially came here because my daughter was so excited about this "new" forum for sharing ideas. (didn't want to tell her it was just the Java version of the old bulletin boards from the command line days of my youth)
I find you interesting and frustrating all at the same time. I get angry and run away. then inevitably come back and post something, I guess I like abuse.
But Now we are at a crossroads, a major one, in this country, and now more than ever, there needs to be serious change in the way the US Government does business. I don't mean the blow hearts on the hill, I mean the day to day operations that ACTUALLY run everything about our country. ....
I love the spirit everyone is showing for Obama, but sometimes the naivety of how the government works, and what he and his team will really have to do should they get here, gets to me.
I read in someone's diary, I don't remember which one, that "they think Obama can wave his hand and changes will happen" (paraphrased)
You have no idea, not only can he NOT wave his hand and get things done, he has no ABSOLUTELY no insiders. Kiss of Death, just ask Jimmy Carter. Hell Ask Bill Clinton.
It is why Obama hooked up with the Kennedy's, very strategic move, wrong in my opinion, but not apparently in his leadership's opinion. But the other power camp is the Clinton's, and well we all know why THAT alliance was not going to happen.
So with no insiders and 1261 New appointee slots to fill, Obama's government will arrive after the election. 1261 New fill in the blank titles for these PA (Presidential Appointee) will hit the agencies, and the chaos will begin. PA's will be stymied by the past PA's from the previous administration, they will not always be told it is a past PA. But those PA's are "hired in" and regular Government employees, hard to get rid of government employees, at comfortable pay rates of course. And this stalemate will take years to resolve.
What happens to the agency during all of this turmoil? Personnel will leave, and take positions with contractors, and come right back to the same desk. Returning to the same position, that now costs us, the taxpayer 2 - 6 times what it cost us when they worked for the government. As a contractor we coveted those employees. We sought them out, were they high enough in the agency, or influential enough to sway new business to us.
Article on Appointees:
What can Obama do? Nothing. His Kennedy affiliates? Hell they have so many appointees now, it is a private army now, they can help his new 1261 to get acclimated. However, they were so marginalized through the past 8 years, they are not up to speed either.
the money that drives Washington, is not in the congress, although it should be, it is in private hands. And NO one and I mean that, NO one ever stands up the the deep pockets.
The deep pockets are the ones really funding these campaigns. I LOVE the Money Handlers now, wow, how transparent is that? I set a bunch of people in place, and the deep pockets pass money to France then Germany, into a off shore non traceable account then to a money handler for campaign contributions. AMAZING that anyone actually believes one of these candidates raised 100 million dollars without some of it being dirty.
Let me define dirty:
Drug Money
Illegal Arms sale money
Other unsavory Human capital money (slavery)
War money
War profiteering Money
Change in Washington is slow, by it's very design it is slow. The original Run Runners, oops I mean Constitutional congress, designed it to be slow.
Sometimes I think we forget, the government was created as a financial entity. Not asocial entity, and it was designed by the most powerful of business men in America at the time. The deep pockets of the day.
Any way back to the point,
Obama comes to town, he is not yet an insider with the deep pockets, he faces a legacy of past PA's in every agency and facet of the US government offices, and some one actually thinks if he waves his hand there will be change. Fat chance.
Now conversely, should McCain win........ business as usual
What I just described here is one of the things that needs to change. But it is one, of the big 2, things Obama can actually wave his hand and do.
End the Political Appointees, NO more to the victor goes the spoils, NO more 1261
The second is USE THE PUBLIC MONEY FOR THIS CAMPAIGN AND TAKE NO OTHER MONEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hmm a fair and balanced campaign, could I stand that? Where each candidate has the exact same budget, and I get to watch how they manage it, and the campaign???
In this year of the perfect financial storm for the American people, do our Presidential hopefuls really need to gather and spend ANOTHER 100 million Dollars? Or could that money be used to help defer energy costs? could that money be used to help the American Public buy food, in a few more months there are millions that will not be able to feed themselves anymore.
Reform starts at home.
I will vote Obama in the fall, I am a dyed in the wool democrat, but to think he can come here, and actually make a difference, is naive. Too naive for me.