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| Home Front: Politix |
| Obama's White House: Big posts, overlapping tasks |
| 2009-01-28 |
| How many geniuses does it take to change a lightbulb... WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is building a White House staff so loaded with big names and overlapping duties that it could collapse into chaos unless managed with a juggler's skill. It's an administration that seems "addicted to czars," says one longtime observer of government organization. Obama has installed a White House health czar who doubles as secretary of Health and Human Services. The State Department now has "special envoys" for the Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and for climate change - areas already overseen by other officials. |
| Posted by:tu3031 |
| #11 “But the system can be cumbersome, rife with jealousies and hampered by conflicting efforts and messages…” And to think each of these career types will carry a staff along with them. When the egos and agendas start to collide look for the typical DC tactics. (Anonymous leaks to the press) Just call it a stimulus package for the NYTimes. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2009-01-28 21:00 |
| #10 They may end up being so busy fighting each other that they miss actually doing anything. I fully expect Russia and China to take advantage of that. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2009-01-28 17:24 |
| #9 O's strategy seems to be to simply throw money and bodies at problems. Kind of how a "Community Organizer" looks at how to do things, based on many years of working with these folks. |
| Posted by: Mullah Richard 2009-01-28 16:58 |
| #8 Old Patriot is right. The chief executive officer has no management experience. Chaos is the result. Let the games begin. |
| Posted by: Richard of Oregon 2009-01-28 16:25 |
| #7 At least we will be well equiped to make jaw-jaw for the next four years. |
| Posted by: SteveS 2009-01-28 16:06 |
| #6 We'll see how "overlapping" they are when the budgets for next year come out. Theory don't mean squat unless you can get your hands on the money. |
| Posted by: Spot 2009-01-28 15:22 |
| #5 Too crowded. Time to move the entire operation to Chicago. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2009-01-28 15:21 |
| #4 O's strategy seems to be to simply throw money and bodies at problems. This is what happens when the electorate put someone with absolutely NO actual work experience in high office. The man has no management skills, because he has no management experience to build them. He's just a glib tongue and a new face. "Empty Suit" is being too kind. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2009-01-28 15:16 |
| #3 "The huge advantage that this team has," Johnson said, is that many key players served in the Clinton White House. Ah. Must be part of that "Change" thingy I've heard so much about... |
| Posted by: tu3031 2009-01-28 15:15 |
| #2 He seems to think that by surrounding himself with layers and layers of "experts" people won't notice that he's incompetent. |
| Posted by: Cynicism Inc 2009-01-28 15:12 |
| #1 I wondered when someone else was going to notice this. O's structure will lend itself to turf fights and backstabbing, with the real power going to those with access to Rahm and O. O's strategy seems to be to simply throw money and bodies at problems. |
| Posted by: DoDo 2009-01-28 14:53 |