Comments for Here's where I step quietly off the reservation

Here's where I step quietly off the reservation

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 07:16:26 -0600

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...

Comment from BillT on 2009-07-24

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 03:51:39 -0600

...her name is "History", she's putting on the biggest dang brogans you'll ever see.

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 ...

Comment from Grimmy on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:57:26 -0600

I'm of the "power doesn't corrupt, the corrupt seek power" mindset when it comes to most all politicos.

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.

Comment from Grumpy on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 17:20:07 -0600

Hmmmmm. "You may fire when ready, Gridley." I would suggest, if you do, it will be at your own peril. Does this mean I'm going to do something wrong? Abosotively and possolutely, *no*, I'm going to find myself a high mountain top and just watch. There's this old hag, her name is "History", she's putting on the biggest dang brogans you'll ever see. Then, she's asking the infamous question. "Do I put my foot down or do I put my foot up? If I put it up, I'll never get it out." The "Old Broad" is looking like she wants to get into a serious "butt kicking session." I wouldn't want to be the center of her attention.

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.

Comment from BillT on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 15:26:17 -0600

an angelic presence, especially over a warrior, simply doesn't fit the preconceived notion...

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...

Comment from Pogue on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:37:52 -0600

Beth, you nailed it. Thank you. As far as Ms Boyda goes, I've no experience with her and defer to Johns assessment.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:23:31 -0600

Oh, pish-tosh, Bill. The just see Carborundum hovering over you and an angelic presence, especially over a warrior, simply doesn't fit the preconceived notion...

Comment from BillT on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:17:36 -0600

Some of my best friends are Democrats.

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...

Comment from John (not the armorer)) on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:52:21 -0600

I'll defer to John's assessment of Boyda as a person, and think Marjor Arkay puts it inperspective.

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.

Comment from Beth Donovan on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:46:49 -0600

I've met her, also, and I found that, unlike some of John's readers who are ridiculously one-sided, Nancy would truly listen to my viewpoint as well as the liberal viewpoint. She replaced a "conservative Republican" who really needed replacing - his arrogance towards constituents was not becoming.

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.

Comment from Boquisucio on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:42:57 -0600

"elections have consequences"

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.

Comment from Kevin R.C. O'Brien on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:18:10 -0600

Point taken, John, to the extent the point is, "it could have been a hell of a lot worse." And it might not have been any better with a McCain appointee, the R's too tend to fill these Pentangle jobs with defeated Congressthings and condescending Ivy League enfants terribles.

Comment from MAJ Arkay on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:15:16 -0600

Well, I don't know her, but I can say, from working in the Pentagon oh these many years, that very few of the political appointees to deputy assistant secretary for whatever have such profound effect that they personally re-direct the behemoth that is the DoD. So I'll reserve my opinion until I see something she actually does here...

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:37:50 -0600

Well, good lordy what did y'all *expect* with a Democrat in the White House?

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.

Comment from AFSister on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:31:12 -0600

Oh, I hear you John. I do understand that she is well suited for the new job, but with it being at the Pentagon, it seems like letting a wolf loose in the yard outside the chicken pen. It's not the personnel issues that worry me- it's the manpower issues she could influence.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:27:40 -0600

I surrender. I'm the only one who's ever met her, much less worked with her, but you all know her better than I, clearly.

Comment from Kevin R.C. O'Brien on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 11:20:22 -0600

This is the old Sara Lister job, and Boyda presumably has it so she can use the military as social-engineering lab 101.

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.

Comment from John of Argghhh! on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:27:18 -0600

Boyda was a friend of the troops and their families in the issues that this job addresses. She's not making war policy. She really went to school on the troop support issues, and was a useful foil for beating on the VA, too.

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.

Comment from AFSister on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:22:11 -0600

I'm with fd.
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.

Comment from Beth Donovan on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:13:58 -0600

I agree with John. Nancy's heart is in the right place when it comes to the Miltary.
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.

Comment from fdcol63 on 2009-07-22

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:47:53 -0600

I don't have an opinion about Boyda myself, so I'll defer to your experience with her, John.

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".