Innocent until nominated : the breakdown of the presidential appointments process / G. Calvin Mackenzie, editor.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Mackenzie, G. Calvin.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Government executives--Selection and appointment.

Government executives.

Cabinet officers--Selection and appointment.

Cabinet officers.

United States--Officials and employees--Selection and appointment.

United States.

Cabinet officers--Selection and appointment--United States.

Government executives--Selection and appointment--United States.

Judges--Selection and appointment--United States.

Judges.

Judges--Selection and appointment.

Presidents--United States.

Presidents.

Physical Description:

xii, 279 pages ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : Brookings Institution Press, [2001]

Summary:

Today, a newly elected American president faces a personnel challenge that has no equal in any other national government: replacing thousands of top management positions in the executive branch. In addition to Cabinet secretaries and senior subordinates, the president must appoint undersecretaries, agency heads, regulatory commissioners, and ambassadors positions that are critical to an administration's success.

Yet the presidential appointments process is the red-tape hall of fame. In addition to a morass of lengthy forms and questionnaires, would-be public servants face invasive scrutiny and sometimes cruel and punishing publicity. Lacking civility and mutual respect, today's appointments process is a political minefield of hidden agendas and personal vendettas that frustrates new appointees, discourages citizens who would like to serve their country, and hinders a president's ability to govern.

Innocent until Nominated provides a candid assessment of the failure of the appointments process. Featuring contributions from leading scholars of government and politics, this collection directs necessary focus on a system in urgent need of repair.

Contents:

1 The State of the Presidential Appointments Process / G. Calvin Mackenzie 1

2 Presidential Appointments: Recruiting Executive Branch Leaders / James P. Pfiffner 50

3 Why Not the Best? The Loyalty-Competence Trade-off in Presidential Appointments / George C. Edwards III 81

4 First Impressions: Presidents, Appointments, and the Transition / Stephen Hess 107

5 The Senate: An "Obstacle Course" for Executive Appointments? / Burdett Loomis 160

6 The Senate as a Black Hole? Lessons Learned from the Judicial Appointments Experience / Sarah A. Binder 173

7 Repetitiveness, Redundancy, and Reform: Rationalizing the Inquiry of Presidential Appointees / Terry Sullivan 196

8 Appointments Past and Future: How Presidential Appointees View the Call to Service / Judith M. Labiner, Paul C. Light 231

9 "Political Hacks" versus "Bureaucrats": Can't Public Servants Get Some Respect? / E. J. Dionne Jr. 254.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

0815754019

OCLC:

47625258