Transfer of political appointees into permanent federal positions -job security

[babylonsister]

Administration Moves to Protect Key Appointees
Political Positions Shifted To Career Civil Service Jobs


By Juliet Eilperin and Carol D. Leonnig
Washington Post Staff Writers
Tuesday, November 18, 2008; Page A01


Just weeks before leaving office, the Interior Department's top lawyer has shifted half a dozen key deputies -- including two former political appointees who have been involved in controversial environmental decisions -- into senior civil service posts.

The transfer of political appointees into permanent federal positions, called "burrowing" by career officials, creates security for those employees, and at least initially will deprive the incoming Obama administration of the chance to install its preferred appointees in some key jobs.

Similar efforts are taking place at other agencies. Two political hires at the Labor Department have already secured career posts there, and one at the Department of Housing and Urban Development is trying to make the switch.

Between March 1 and Nov. 3, according to the federal Office of Personnel Management, the Bush administration allowed 20 political appointees to become career civil servants. Six political appointees to the Senior Executive Service, the government's most prestigious and highly paid employees, have received approval to take career jobs at the same level. Fourteen other political, or "Schedule C," appointees have also been approved to take career jobs. One candidate was turned down by OPM and two were withdrawn by the submitting agency.


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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/17/AR2008111703537.html?hpid%3Dtopnews&sub=new

[jaxx]

1. Sort of like a pardon, isn't it?

;-)

[enough]

2. Injecting the virus deep into the system.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Cleaning Out The Scum Will Take Years...

It's not unusual for appontees to slip into the civil service system and stick around after a transition...I can think of one such winner: Linda Tripp. There are thousands of these people all over Washington and the concern is an abrupt turn over would shut down the government, thus except for the very top, many bodies remain in place. I had a cousin who was a mid-level aparachnik in the Agriculture Department for over 35 years...from Truman through Clinton and he would joke how the bosses became the consultants and the consultants became the bosses anytime administrations changed.

That said...this regime has highly politicized every department...replacing a lot of long-term professionals with a patronage system intended to further regime and party power. Those goals haven't changed just because of an election, and I would hope the Obama administration brings in people whose first mission is to root out the Goodlings, but it will take time.

One other benefit of winning the election will be ending the parade of right wing ideologues into the Judicial...putting some balance back on many of the circuit courts around the country.

Cheers...