Today the President Obama announced the resignation of Kathleen Sebelius, Head of the Health and Human Services Department. Not having kept up with Ms. Sebelius' civil service career, I can't attest to any of the wonderful things said about her in President Obama's speech. However, having worked for the Federal government for over 20 years, I can say that when they have your replacement standing at the podium, you are not the favorite employee their speeches expound on. After the Obamacare debacle, and knowing the Federal government would have to have someone to blame the mess on, I figured Ms. Sebelius wouldn't be there much longer. And, believe me in the weeks and months after Ms. Sebelius leaves in May, she will be blamed for every error, mistake, and probably even the dirty floors. That's the way civil service works.
Her successor, Ms. Silvia Mathews Burnwell, is also not well known to me. Apparently, she impressed folks over in the budget department where she has been employed; she must have done something impressive somewhere to be taking over a cabinet position. And, I wish her well because the next big mistake in the Health and Human Services Department will be attributed to her. Let's hope she gets a few months under her belt and in her resume before that happens.
Now my dilemma in this whole situation is this--why is it when we common folks apply for a job, we have to at least have a college degree relating to the position before we can even be considered; yet, folks in Washington DC are moved from one cabinet post to another with such ease? What I'm saying is that Ms. Mathews Burnwell worked in the budget department which makes me think she has a financial, perhaps accounting, degree or at least background; yet, she is elected head of health and human services. And, the reporter stated that she was selected because President Obama, and others in DC, think she can run the administrative portion of the job with expertise. I'm not saying that she can't do this, I really don't know if she can or not, but as a concerned citizen, I want her to do some good for us in the line of health and human services; I don't give a darn if she's a good administrator or not. I'm a good administrator; but, I don't think that means I can run the Health and Human Services Department.
Now Ms. Mathews Burnwell is not the only person in DC that I am talking about. I mean, lets take Hillery Clinton. She's was a student activist, then a lawyer, a First Lady, and then a Senator from New York. Do any of these experiences qualify Ms. Clinton to be Secretary of State; the top representative of this country in foreign affairs? I don't think so! And, I don't think she did a very good job of it either. Now Ms. Clinton thinks she's qualified to be President of the United States come next election. I don't think so! Perhaps it's the draw of being able to say, "President Clinton and President Clinton" when being introduced at presidental affairs, or the thought of two presidental retirement checks every month for the rest of the Clintons lives, I'm just not really sure; but whatever the draw is, I'm against it. And, to think the kissing Congressman is being condemned in the press for giving his brother-in-law a high-paying position that the guy wasn't qualified to do. Really, folks I don't see any difference.
So, Ms. Sebelius, I'm sorry to see that the Washington crowd has abandoned you for something that you personally didn't mess up (I'm sure like any Federal agency, there was an IT department responsible for computer programming). And, Ms. Mathews Burnwell, I wish you the best of luck in your new position, which I'm sure will be passed along to some other flunky at your slightest mistake, or the mistakes of the employees that you reside over. It's just too bad that we the citizens of this country have allowed to be created the dog-eat-dog mentality in our government that was established for the people, by the people, and of the people, so help us God.
