Recess appointment of Andrew Biggs, Private-Izer
I haven't seen anyone else post on this here, and it hasn't attracted much attention anywhere... In addition to the Swift Boat Ambassador to Belgium, President Bush also recess-appointed Andrew Biggs, a Cato analyst, privatization maven, and wearer of strange ties, to serve as deputy commissioner of the Social Security Administration. Is this a sign that we didn't quite kill privatization the last time around, or is it just wishful thinking on Bush's part? How much behind-the-scenes damage can this guy do between now and December 2008, when his recess appointment ends?
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I wrote a couple of drafts last night about the Fox appointment, but I never could strike the right balance of snark, anger, incredulousness, concern, and "oh, well, SOSDD," so I didn't post anything. If Bush and Cheney were ball players or coaches, we would have bought out their contracts by now. As it is, I half expect them to declare marshal law, dissolve the Congress, and hold a coronation (my tongue is only halfway in my cheek). The reign of error (correctly spelled) will end; I just hope the Union can survive until then.
Glenn Simmons (aka ges)
I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Do not wait for the last judgment, it takes place every day.—Albert Camus
April 5, 2007 5:40 PM | Reply | Permalink
What's "SOSDD"?
Anyways, I think the focus on the Fox appointment is a failure on our and the media's part. He gave money to slime Kerry, and now he's ambassador to Belgium. So what? He makes a few hundred thousand dollars, has some nice dinner parties, then returns to the private sector in 2009.
On the other hand, Andrew Biggs will be near the top of the bureaucracy running Social Security, potentially making decisions that will affect us for decades. The real story is what we're seeing now in Justice, and last term at the EPA, not to mention the whole time on the federal bench: career people are quitting and being replaced by hacks in the less-visible positions that run things day-to-day. Since these positions are also a training ground for higher office, we can expect to reap the rewards in a decade or so.
April 6, 2007 8:08 AM | Reply | Permalink
SOSDD = Same Old Stuff (normally, I use an expletive synonymous with bodily excrement), Different Day :-) It's my way of saying it ain't right, but it doesn't really surprise me because that's just the way things are, at the moment.
It's going to take awhile for U.S. to recover from Bush.
Glenn Simmons (aka ges)
I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Do not wait for the last judgment, it takes place every day.—Albert Camus
April 6, 2007 8:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
By Bushes logic, "That'll teach the Democrats not to go on break, until they give me what I want."
And people thought he was a uniter?
April 6, 2007 12:46 AM | Reply | Permalink
Too bad, since Bush spends about half his time on vacation, Congress doesn't have a similar power. "You were away in Crawford, and we did what we had to do..."
April 6, 2007 8:09 AM | Reply | Permalink