La Malkin is reporting that my former congressional representative, Nancy Boyda, has landed a job at DoD as a deputy assistant secretary of defense for manpower and personnel issues.
There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth at Ms. Malkin's place.
[checks condition of Castle bunker]
I was one of several veterans who served on Boyda's "Veterans and Military Affairs Advisory Council."
This isn't to say I worked for for Ms. Boyda - with some of the people on that council it was a matter of "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer" deal for Nancy.
But Boyda's heart is in the right place concerning the office whose duties she has assumed.
And Boyda did a lot more pushing for the troops and families than her successor has. Not the slam on Jenkins that may sound like, as Representative Jenkins isn't on the HASC and Nancy was, and this Congress has a very different legislative focus than the previous one did, and this Congress is treating the minority in a very different fashion than the previous Congress did, too.
I didn't vote for Nancy, and I didn't work for her, but I did work *with* her, because that's how democracy is supposed to work.
Anyway, I have zip, zero, nada problem with Boyda in this job. She spent a good deal of her time as a Representative learning about the ins and outs of the problems of the deployed force. And she knows that her bit of pique regarding General Keane probably cost her the job in Congress, too.
You may fire when ready, Gridley.
There is much wailing and gnashing of teeth at Ms. Malkin's place.
[checks condition of Castle bunker]
I was one of several veterans who served on Boyda's "Veterans and Military Affairs Advisory Council."
This isn't to say I worked for for Ms. Boyda - with some of the people on that council it was a matter of "Keep your friends close but your enemies closer" deal for Nancy.
But Boyda's heart is in the right place concerning the office whose duties she has assumed.
And Boyda did a lot more pushing for the troops and families than her successor has. Not the slam on Jenkins that may sound like, as Representative Jenkins isn't on the HASC and Nancy was, and this Congress has a very different legislative focus than the previous one did, and this Congress is treating the minority in a very different fashion than the previous Congress did, too.
I didn't vote for Nancy, and I didn't work for her, but I did work *with* her, because that's how democracy is supposed to work.
Anyway, I have zip, zero, nada problem with Boyda in this job. She spent a good deal of her time as a Representative learning about the ins and outs of the problems of the deployed force. And she knows that her bit of pique regarding General Keane probably cost her the job in Congress, too.
You may fire when ready, Gridley.
However, this is yet another example of the adage "elections have consequences". The winner gets to pad upper levels of Federal bureaucracy with people who share his or her views, whose opinions and values then usually have lingering effects on the culture, direction, and effectiveness of their respective agencies and organizations.
So .... thanks to all of you Republicans who either sat on the sidelines or voted for Obama in the last election because you didn't think things could get worse and you felt you "needed to send a message".
I will also add that Nancy Boyda was a very good Congresswoman, in that she made time to actually meet and speak to her constituents, I'm not so sure about Lynn Jenkins on this - Jenkins staff sends out form letters in reply to queries that are so general that one wonders if anyone on her staff even bothers to read the queries I have sent.
The lingering effects of this election will haunt us for YEARS.
I have mixed feelings about Boyda. Walking out on General Keane doesn't speak well for her. I'm hoping that her conversations with you, John, will be a bigger influence on her new job than her old protesting ways.
We shall see.
I gottit that people (including me, she got a rather tart note on the topic) weren't happy with how she handled Keane.
That really doesn't have much to do with this job.
As far as "supporting the troops," she seems to make that contingent on the "troops" being a dysfunctional, broken, needy minority.
Plus, she was in Congress so you know she's a crook. They're all crooks.
My point is - she's *far* better than many of the alternatives. Yes, she is susceptible to a 'victim' perspective, but no more so, and in some way, far less so, than your average Dem who'd want the job.
Well you know, thrity years and counting, and the darned Department of Education is still there, last time I checked (thank-you peanut farmer). Things that will set in motion by Bammy and Company, will be with us forever.
Ya know, there are some gawd-awful republicans, and there are some decent democrats. I think many of you are just blinded by anger that Obama won and are no longer seeing anything that resembles sensibility.
I don't like him either, ask John - but there are more and more Democrats who don't much care for Obama as his crazy rush to spend us into perdition continues. Just don't cut off your noses to spite your faces.
New topic- Happy Blog Birthday to Cdr. Salamander. Who graciously thanks the Castle management for help getting him started. Glad it work out well for both who share intersting and thoughtful views with us lesser mortals.
Ummmmmm -- okay, they *call* themselves Democrats, but the Libs in town refer to them as "Right-Wing maniacs."
I have no idea what the Libs call *me*, though -- most of the time, their eyes just get real big and then they back away gibbering...
An angelic presence with prominent *fangs* doesn't fit the preconceived notion, either.
I've got *no* idea where he found a novelty shop around here...
As I read The Armorer's piece, He emphasized the idea, he was willing to work *WITH* Ms Boyda. Did you ever think about the way we communicate? Did you ever hear someone say, "I'm going to talk *TO* 'X'!" On the other hand, did you ever hear someone say, "I'm going to talk *WITH* 'X'!" What's the difference? When we talk to somebody, it means we have dominant / submissive roles. When we talk with each other, we are talking as equals. In spite of the Armorer's politics and political history, *he chose to work with Ms. Boyda.*. He answers the question, why, with "because this is how a democracy is supposed to work.
But, sometimes, regardless of side issues or "leanings" and whatnot, someone unexpected will do a good enough job.
Keep a weather eye out, Mr Armorer. You know the process better than most of us and will have a finer grasp of the details. Let us know how she works out over time. That's all I can think to say on this.
Which will make "waiting for the other shoe to drop" pretty interesting -- since I'm of the opinion that, despite all the hoo-raw going on, they're *both* still up there ...