Barack Obama accused of 'renting out' ambassador roles

[Thickasabrick]

Diplomats' anger over President Obama's appointment of dozens of wealthy campaign backers to top overseas jobs

Barack Obama is coming under fire for handing dozens of coveted ambassadorships to donors who raised millions for his presidential campaign.

The diplomatic postings range from tiny island nations in the Caribbean to major political partners, such as France and Britain, and have raised the hackles of many American diplomats.

The practice of appointing campaign donors instead of state department professionals has a long tradition in the US. However, many had hoped that Obama would reduce such displays of patronage.

That has not happened. Since taking office, Obama has made almost 80 ambassadorial nominations, of which 56% went to political appointees.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/29/barack-obama-ambassadors-role-accusation

This really, really sucks and this is not change I can believe in.

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

1. Just like Shrub did and probably other Presidents before and yes, it does suck.

[arcadian]

2. Changelicious!

[chimpymustgo]

15. Changiness!

[FLAprogressive]

3. but but but.....

do they have an excuse for this one?

[FSogol]

4. Un-reced for spreading RW talking points. n/t

[Thickasabrick]

5. It's from the Guardian - since when is that right wing? nt

[FSogol]

7. It is criticizing the President for continuing a system that has been around for 200+ years.

Was Obama supposed to stop 2 wars, fix the economy, reform health care, AND fix the foreign service in 11 months? Did the Guardian publish any article complaining about Reagan or Bush posting political donors to Ambassadorships?

:shrug:

[Thickasabrick]

9. Then don't run on a promise of change and keep doing the same

shit everyone else has done. That is the fucking point - he is simply more of the same.

[FSogol]

10. Waaaaaa, Obama is not fixing EVERYTHING FAST ENOUGH for me. Waaaaaaa

:cry:

Why not go outside and try to change something at work, school, or your local town? It is a lot harder to change things than typing some complaints.

[Thickasabrick]

11. How appropriate you used the drinking smiley - kool-aid suits you. nt

[arcadian]

17. You dropped your pom pom.

And it's soaked in blood.

[Orsino]

16. Would hiring for competence have been harder? n/t

[FSogol]

20. Ambassadorships are ceremonial posts. The real foreign service

work is done by professionals behind the scenes. I agree that the entire system should be scrapped and rebuilt, but there are more important priorities.

[Orsino]

22. I would agree that appearances are the worst problem here...

...though such blatant quid pro quo can't be read as anything other than corruption.

[Captain Hilts]

24. It's quantifiable, actually. And the Guardian strongly supported Obama. nt

[FSogol]

25. Next, they can do an article on the Czars or the First Lady's staff. n/t

[deaniac21]

6. All presidents do it.

[anonymous171]

8. Who cares? I don't. In fact, I wish Obama did more stuff like this

When I see a politician paying his dues I know that I can trust him. Any politician that claims to be anything more than a power broker is lying and is probably going to fuck you.

[TwilightGardener]

12. Meh. Not important in the grand scheme. He IS a politician.

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

13. Paul Harris is an asshat.

She is a striking brunette with a decidedly outspoken attitude. She lambasts President Barack Obama as a socialist and has become the darling of America's right-wing activists who flock to her appearances. She is hated by liberals and loved by conservatives.

Sarah Palin? Not quite. Meet Michele Bachmann, a Republican congresswoman from Minnesota who is being hailed as a new and increasingly powerful voice in American politics.

Bachmann, at 53, is a darling of the so-called Tea Party movement, which has campaigned vociferously against healthcare reform, the economic stimulus package and legislation to combat climate change. Her followers have been behind mass rallies in Washington and smaller ones all over the country. She has emerged as one of the most visible politicians in America, frequently appearing on the conservative Fox News channel, whose hosts often champion her causes.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/15/michele-bachmann-president-sarah-palin

[guruoo]

14. To serve you must win, and winning isn't free...

Welcome to the real world (of privately funded campaigns).

[blondeatlast]

18. Where's the couch; I think I'm going to faint, because my sweet delicate self can't conceive of any

country;s leader ever doing such a thing...

















:sarcasm:
How on earth do some deeply sensitive DUers ever get through a single day...

[kiva]

19. Of all of the things I want our president to fix, this falls very low

on the list. Presidents have done this for years, and it rarely is a problem - usually the donor pool gets a shot at countries that are less important foreign-policy wise. The countries that have the greatest impact on our country get ambassadors who actually know what they are doing. Not a perfect situation, but maybe he can worry about that after HCR, Afghanistan, ending DADT, ect.

[notadmblnd]

21. standard operating procedure

However, I do wish they would just auction them off to the highest bidder and use the money to reduce the deficit.

[Captain Hilts]

23. Oddly enough, Bill Clinton did it the least. His ambassador to England was not wealthy! nt

[csziggy]

26. Interesting since one of my favorite county commissioners recently resigned

To take a position as an ambassador to Portugal. Allan Katz endorsed Obama early along and was at the Democratic Party hearing about restoring Florida's votes at the Democratic convention.

Katz is President Obama's choice for ambassador to Portugal

By Paul Flemming • Florida Capital Bureau • November 30, 2009

President Barack Obama intends to nominate former Tallahassee City Commissioner Allan Katz to serve as ambassador to Portugal. Katz, an early and significant Obama supporter in the early days of his run for president, resigned his City Commission seat in August after seven years in office. Reached Monday evening, Katz said he was unable to comment and referred all questions to the White House communications office.

A White House release included a statement from Obama referring to a number of upcoming appointments. “As we work to strengthen our relationships in the global community and put our nation back on a path to prosperity, I am confident that these individuals will serve our nation well,” Obama’s statement said.

Katz, a lawyer for Akerman Senterfit, was appointed by Florida CFO Alex Sink to serve on state-run Citizens Property Insurance’s board of governors. Previously, he worked as an assistant insurance commissioner in Florida and general counsel in the Department of Insurance. He had worked as a staff member to members of Congress. Katz in August said family and work led him to resign 14 months before his commission term was over. The choice, he said then, was not related to speculation about a possible appointment. “As Mark Twain said, ‘Rumors of my appointment have been greatly exaggerated,’ “ Katz said in August. “At this point in time, I am not aware of any appointment that is imminent, and this decision has nothing to do with what may or may not happen.”

http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200991130026

I have no doubts that he will be a good ambassador.