Obama defeated by his own bureaucracy

When Barack Obama was a newbie president, there was no shortage of ambition or lack of confidence in the government he was about to lead. Government should be seen as a force for good, not evil. Sure, he told us, it needed to be "smarter and better," but that could—and would—happen under his watch.

Instead, the President is living his own version of "Alice Through the Looking Glass": staring down a rabbit hole of government bureaucracy and inefficiency. The government he has studiously tried to grow, manage and change has become his own personal nemesis. All of which makes you wonder: Does the President himself trust government anymore?

Government is unwieldy and difficult and hard to tame, sure. But if your presidency is based, in large part, on telling Americans that government can work for them--which it can--you need to make it work.

It's not that the President is a hopeless manager. He does very well when he leads a hierarchical organization with a single goal, like a presidential bid. He's top dog, he's not negotiating with anybody, and he's not trying to get people to do things they don't want to do. In a campaign, for instance, they all want to elect the same person: him.

But when you have to negotiate—or lead—people not related to you, or not indebted to you or who don't agree with you, it's a different story. Managing or negotiating with people with mixed motives (Congress, anyone?) is not an Obama strong point.

A fish rots FRom the head down.

Ophonybama does not appoint czars and executive department heads on the basis of their proven competency to lead people or manage things. He has no experience doing that, so how could he know the personal and intellectual requirements required of a leader or a manager?

They are appointed because he is comfortable with them ideologically. Leadership and management skills are not factors in his decision-making calculus.

And, Civil Servants and union members cannot be fired.

Consequently, we have a hellofamess!

[An obvious exception was General Shinseki. One would certainly have thought he had, as a retired four star General, some advanced leadership and management skills! He, of all people, should have been able to sort out the VA.]

[I’d wager that if one could get an honest response FRom him, he’d make a case that the bureaucrats “got him.” They were not “his” people, and they probably undercut him at every step of the way == “We’ve always done it this way, and we are not gonna change!”]

PS This business of the bureaucrats running the show has bedeviled every administration since FDR.

Most any competent leader-manager can get a lot done if he/she could clear out the deadwood and bring in new talent.

Civil Service and Union rules don’t allow common sense personnel management. Until the rules are changed, the federal government (and those state and local governments which are likewise encumbered) will not be able to perform either effectively or efficiently.

Conservatives have routinely expressed suspicion about Valerie Jarrett's role in Obama’s inner circle. The former Chicago lawyer and businesswoman has been a top adviser to the president since his election in 2008.

Her official WH title is "Senior Deputy Advisor" (in Chicagon gangland politics that means "wire transfer artist")

Michele Obama was hired by Jarrett---then an official in the Daley Admin.

Laura Ingraham insightfully said that “all roads lead to Valerie Jarrett," noting Jarrett's involvement in secret dealings w/Iran (where Jarrett was born and raised). She has her tentacles into every issue and every topic..... at least part of her role is to serve as “chief liaison to the business community, state and local governments, and the professional left,” but her influence is undeniable.

Jarrett commands a staff of nearly three dozen, and has a hand in decisions ranging from invitation lists to state dinners and gifts to foreign leaders, to USSC nominees, ambassador appointee, President Medal of Freedom awardees.

When Warren Buffett visits to the White House for lunch, the table is set for three.

Here she is (in pink) at the BP extortion meeting. CNN reported 2010: Behind closed doors and after four hours of negotiations, BP executives agreed to put $20bn into an independently managed compensation fund.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS---Obama was joined in the negotiations by VP Joe Biden, and five cabinet secretaries, including DHS Janet Napolitano, interior secretary, Ken Salazar, energy secretary, Steven Chu, Labor Secy Hilda Solis, Valerie Jarrett, and COS Rham Emanuel. / PICTURE/BP Holdings.

DOING THE DEAL---Valerie takes notes as Obama dreams about his cut and new diamonds for Michele. In foreground, then-COS Rahm Emanuel's hand holds the pencil jotting down his cut that will help make him Chicago Mayor.

At the top, in turquoise, then-Labor Secy Hilda Solis figures out her cut and how many BP executive jobs she needs for latinos. Left, Valerie Jarrett hopes Biden will remember his scripted lines.

MOB HIT VP Joe Biden Told BP: "You’ll Put $20 Billion In Escrow Or We’ll Do It For You."

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Jarrett is "The Enforcer"---making sure Obama is properly adored and worshipped. If you don't worship Oboba-- Valerie's gonna getchou.

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