Article

2014-06-30 Government

Obama Taps Business Exec To Oversee Troubled VA

[AP] Seeking to turn around a troubled agency, President Barack Obama
I've now been in 57 states -- I think one left to go...
will nominate former Procter & Gamble executive Robert McDonald to lead a Veterans Affairs department gripped by reports of treatment delays and cover-ups.

An administration official said Obama planned to nominate McDonald to the Cabinet post on Monday. If confirmed by the Senate, the 61-year-old McDonald would succeed Eric Shinseki, the retired four-star general who resigned last month as the scope of the issues at veterans' hospitals became apparent.

McDonald's nomination signals that the president put a premium on management experience as he sought a new VA secretary. McDonald also has a military background, graduating near the top of his class at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and serving as a captain in the Army, primarily in the 82nd Airborne Division.

See Bob McDonald's P&G bio here. In my opinion this is an inspired choice. The man has a military background, ran a Dow Jones Industrial Average company after making his way up from the bottom (P&G is one of those rare 'promote from within' companies), and is blazingly intelligent while lacking the need to feed his ego. Mr. Wife speaks very highly of him from personal experience. If he cannot turn around the VA, it cannot be done.

Posted by trailing wife 2014-06-30 10:14|| || Front Page|| [7 views ] Top

#1 To be successful, Mr. McDonald will need hiring and firing tools similar to those he had at P&G. I doubt he'll see them anytime soon. Responsibility without authority is generally a recipe for disaster.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-06-30 10:39|| 2014-06-30 10:39|| Front Page Top

#2 He doesn't necessarily need to get rid of people, Besoeker, just be able to move them to where they can't do any harm, though carrying myriads of such peope would impact his overhead costs. They do that with teachers in New York City, I understand.

Here is more about the man, from the local newspaper: link

Posted by trailing wife 2014-06-30 10:51|| 2014-06-30 10:51|| Front Page Top

#3 They do that with teachers in New York City, I understand.

The rubber room. Non-productive who collect pay and pension but do no service for the income (aka parasite).

Much more effective to give the guy the ability to fire five people a year without challenge, sort of like voir dire on juries where each party usually gets one veto on any member of the jury pool. Just the existence of such an ability will have the power to 'make friends and influence people'.

Posted by Procopius2k 2014-06-30 10:57|| 2014-06-30 10:57|| Front Page Top

#4 He doesn't necessarily need to get rid of people....., just be able to move them to where they can't do any harm. TW

Simply moving them generally entails a promotion, so it's... screw up - move up, a common paradigm in gov't and a paradigm that needs breaking.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-06-30 11:10|| 2014-06-30 11:10|| Front Page Top

#5 He doesn't necessarily need to get rid of people....., just be able to move them to where they can't do any harm.

The Marianas Trench?

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2014-06-30 11:29|| 2014-06-30 11:29|| Front Page Top

#6 I once had a conversation with the Postmaster General -- a mover and shaker in the private sector -- who explained he was basically impotent when it came to his unionized, job-protected, politically connected workforce.

The difference here is the lives of our nation's best are in the balance, rather than delays in junk mail delivery.

Posted by regular joe 2014-06-30 11:30|| 2014-06-30 11:30|| Front Page Top

#7 All members of 'B Company.'

Be there when you get there. Be there when you leave.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-06-30 11:33|| 2014-06-30 11:33|| Front Page Top

#8 Of course, Besoeker. But first make the thing functional for those who need it, and later we can point and laugh at those who were promoted to the rubber room. This is exactly the kind of thing Congress can be useful for.

Posted by trailing wife 2014-06-30 11:38|| 2014-06-30 11:38|| Front Page Top

#9 Absolutely agree.

Posted by Besoeker 2014-06-30 11:44|| 2014-06-30 11:44|| Front Page Top

#10 TW, I though Congress was already filled with them and they seem rather grouchy and p'ed off when you try to move them along there as well. (see-MS senate race)

Posted by Procopius2k 2014-06-30 11:47|| 2014-06-30 11:47|| Front Page Top

#11 Congress is a very special case, dear Procopius2k. Hopefully after this November it will be slightly less very special.

Posted by trailing wife 2014-06-30 21:44|| 2014-06-30 21:44|| Front Page Top

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