In today's Badger Herald, Managing Editor Bassey Etim had an interesting column about the politics of political appointments, specifically as they related the administration of state agencies. He cites a case of the Wisconsin Dept. of Natural Resources, writing that, "Depoliticizing positions like DNR Secretary would certainly improve the efficiency of public office because the predominant factor in nominating citizens to these posts would be talent."
This is certainly a very rational and prudent idea. We obviously want our state agencies to administer their tasks in a manner that is both professional and conscious of the taxpayer's dollar. Ideally, that person would be given their post based on merit, yet as Mr. Etim notes, too often it goes to a big campaign contributor.
Now, please note that my words here are not an indictment of our current DNR Secretary. In Wisconsin, this post is one of those thankless jobs in which you inevitably upset a vocal minority no matter what you do. (If you open up new land to hunting, you piss off environmentalists; if you protect a river front, you piss off a power company.)
But I digress... Mr. Etim believes that if the seven member DNR Board were to make the appointment, the interests of the state would be better served. But there's a problem with this approach, too. Who of you (without the aid of Google) can name the seven members of the DNR Board? Who can name three of them? OK, how about just one?
I know I certainly can't, I'm a hunter who has lived in this state all my life. My point is this, at least with a political appointment, I have someone I can hold accountable in the next election. We don't elect the DNR Board, so we have no idea of knowing whose interests they represent, be they the people's or ATC's. We do, however, elect the Governor, and if his appointment really makes a mess of our beautiful natural resources we have the ability to throw him out of office.
The same is true, with a much greater sense of urgency, with the Secretary of State position. Mr. Etim references the infamous State of Florida and their 2000 election debacle. Then SoS Katherine Harris butchered that election before the first vote was even cast, but the people of Florida had the chance to toss her out of office, and after serving a couple meaningless years in the House of Representatives, she was exposed for the fraud that she is in her failed bid for the Senate last November.
In Wisconsin, we're not afforded such a luxury. Our elections are administered by the State Elections Board, an unelected group of eight who have no accountability to the people of our great state. Honestly, with Doug La Follette as our SoS, I'm not sure I would want him to certify the validity of a grocery coupon, let alone a statewide election. But at least we have the chance to vote him out of office if he fails to do his duties. Last year, when Ohio SoS Kenneth Blackwell ran for governor, the people of Ohio remembered his dismal record during the 2004 Presidential Election, and he was soundly defeated.
To borrow from Winston Churchill, It's the worst form of [appointment], except for all the rest.
This is certainly a very rational and prudent idea. We obviously want our state agencies to administer their tasks in a manner that is both professional and conscious of the taxpayer's dollar. Ideally, that person would be given their post based on merit, yet as Mr. Etim notes, too often it goes to a big campaign contributor.
Now, please note that my words here are not an indictment of our current DNR Secretary. In Wisconsin, this post is one of those thankless jobs in which you inevitably upset a vocal minority no matter what you do. (If you open up new land to hunting, you piss off environmentalists; if you protect a river front, you piss off a power company.)
But I digress... Mr. Etim believes that if the seven member DNR Board were to make the appointment, the interests of the state would be better served. But there's a problem with this approach, too. Who of you (without the aid of Google) can name the seven members of the DNR Board? Who can name three of them? OK, how about just one?
I know I certainly can't, I'm a hunter who has lived in this state all my life. My point is this, at least with a political appointment, I have someone I can hold accountable in the next election. We don't elect the DNR Board, so we have no idea of knowing whose interests they represent, be they the people's or ATC's. We do, however, elect the Governor, and if his appointment really makes a mess of our beautiful natural resources we have the ability to throw him out of office.
The same is true, with a much greater sense of urgency, with the Secretary of State position. Mr. Etim references the infamous State of Florida and their 2000 election debacle. Then SoS Katherine Harris butchered that election before the first vote was even cast, but the people of Florida had the chance to toss her out of office, and after serving a couple meaningless years in the House of Representatives, she was exposed for the fraud that she is in her failed bid for the Senate last November.
In Wisconsin, we're not afforded such a luxury. Our elections are administered by the State Elections Board, an unelected group of eight who have no accountability to the people of our great state. Honestly, with Doug La Follette as our SoS, I'm not sure I would want him to certify the validity of a grocery coupon, let alone a statewide election. But at least we have the chance to vote him out of office if he fails to do his duties. Last year, when Ohio SoS Kenneth Blackwell ran for governor, the people of Ohio remembered his dismal record during the 2004 Presidential Election, and he was soundly defeated.
To borrow from Winston Churchill, It's the worst form of [appointment], except for all the rest.
Labels: Badger Herald, Bassey Etim, Katherine Harris
1 Comments:
I like the links. They really make the post come together. You make me a happy cobra.
Post a Comment
<< Home