The Senior Executive Service (SES) is made up of the men and women who lead most of the major government agencies in the USA. According to the Office of Management and Budget, “Members of the SES serve in the key positions just below the top Presidential appointees. SES members are the major link between these appointees and the rest of […]

What’s the hold-up, Mr. Boehner? In about 60 days, the current agreement to keep our federal government funded will run out. This sets the country up for another battle with tea party Republicans dead-set on repealing the Affordable Care Act. With the power of the Republican-led House of Representatives apparently in the hands of Senator Ted Cruz, there is, apparently, […]

Ruh roh, Raggy The whole “if you’re in a hole, stop digging” thing seems to really be escaping the tea party members in Congress these days. This past week, for example, my Congressman, Tim Walberg, sent out an email hilariously titled “Rep Walberg Works to Reopen Government”, claiming that he “passed four pieces of legislation to fund the entire government”. […]

It’s kinda like whack-a-mole. Maybe whack-a-whacko? According to the latest Quinnipiac poll, 72% of the country opposes shutting down major activities of the federal government as a way to stop the Affordable Care Act from being put into place. Despite this and despite the fact that there are enough votes in the House to pass the “clean” continuing resolution to […]

Think Progress reported this past week that the so-called “Shutdown Caucus” expanded to seven members when Representative-elect Steve Womack (R-AR) joined their ranks. Some Republicans, like former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, look back at the 1995 government shutdown debacle as a cautionary tale of the practical and political costs of shutting down the federal government. Others view it as a […]