Posts Tagged: politics

“On My Watch” – Martha Johnson’s Book About Her GSA Time (and the GSA Scandal)

The Thanksgiving lull was a good time for me to read On My Watch. I had retired well before Martha Johnson became GSA Administrator. I was there however, in a high level position, when she was Chief of Staff to GSA Administrator David Barram. During Mr. Barram’s administration, GSA, in my opinion, underwent the mostRead… Read more »

“Essential,” Lee. That’s Not The Question.

The question isn’t about whether individuals are “essential” or not. The question behind the shutdown is about whether the government has the legal right to spend money. It isn’t a mistake that our government has fumbled the right to spend money. It isn’t trivial that our government can’t agree with one another enough to setRead… Read more »

Reactionary Rhetoric

Yes from Bloomberg.com which means that the author most likely has an agenda… IMO a very interesting discussion of the various political arguments going on across the country but primarily inside the beltway… An article/commentary by Cass Sunstein: Don’t Buy the Slippery-Slope Argument on Guns In 1991, the economist Albert Hirschman published a biting, funnyRead… Read more »

A Tale of Two Parties: Promoting Bipartisanship

Last week my friend at YGL Cara Ann Bumgardner wrote a blog about an awesome POLITICO event she attended that inspired her. She doesn’t have a GovLoop account, but wanted to share her experience: “One of my favorite DC pastimes is going to events–especially of the political persuasion. Washington is teeming with opportunities to notRead… Read more »

A Missed Leadership Opportunity

Moments ago the Breaking News appeared in my inbox: Susan Rice has withdrawn her candidacy to be President Obama’s next Secretary of State. It goes without saying that the position is not only the pinnacle of a diplomat’s career it is the opportunity to bring about great change on a global scale. I have neverRead… Read more »

Did Voters Really Care About the Economy When They Voted This November?

Most Americans will tell you that their number 1 issue in this past Presidential election was the economy. So Obama’s contribution to the economic upturn in various cities must have helped him clinch the win, right? Wrong. I read an interesting study on the relationship between votes for Obama and the economy and was surprisedRead… Read more »

What Does It Take to Lead a State Agency?

By Associate Consultant Tess Mullen, MPA ‘13 This week, Fels Research & Consulting is releasing its latest Promising Practices report: “What It Takes to Lead State Agencies: Promising Practices for State Cabinet Secretaries.” Based on in-depth interviews with more than 24 current and former cabinet secretaries nationwide, this new report explores seven core competencies thatRead… Read more »

Former CIO of DOT Speaks on the Transition

What does the transition from President Obama’s first term to his second term mean for political appointees and career staff? Dan Mintz, former CIO of the Department of Transportation weighs in on the transition in today’s DorobekINSIDER interview. Mintz was part of the transition team after former President Bush’s second term. New team = RapidRead… Read more »