"[P]eople acting in a group can accomplish things which no individual acting alone could even hope to bring about." - FDR

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Tuesday, October 16, 2007

In Agencies, Enough Actors to Form a Theatre Troupe

Yesterday, The New York Times ran a story on the large number of senior administration officials who are serving on an interim basis. Senior positions in many agencies — including the cabinet positions of Attorney General and secretaries of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs — are currently filled by acting-secretaries, acting-deputies, acting-counsel, etc.

Paul C. Light, professor of public service at NYU, says, "You've got more vacancies now than a hotel in hurricane season."

While vacancies can be expected, especially towards the end of an administration, President Bush appears more inclined than his predecessors to use interim appointees or allow vacancies to remain unfilled, according to the article.

Senior presidential appointees in federal agencies make important decisions on a wide array of issues including agency regulatory activity. By staffing these positions with interim appointees who have not been subject to Senate confirmation, the Bush administration is able to escape Congressional oversight and public accountability to a certain extent.

The acting status of so many officials also weakens agencies, according to Light. "One of the things we know is that they just aren't as effective as Senate-confirmed appointees. They just don't have the standing in their agencies. Acting people are very shy about making decisions," Light states in the article.