Posted on 04/05/2007 7:32:20 PM PDT by wouldntbprudent
TAKE MY QUIZ: Hold Your Nose or Cut it Off?
At least for now, the two-party system is entrenched in American politics. So, come Election Day in 2008, the fact is that there will be two viable candidates for the office of President of the United States.
In other words, in 2008, it is a major statistical likelihood that the newly elected president will be a member of the Democrat or Republican party.
What's at stake in a presidential election?
How many people are you actually voting "for" (or "against") when you cast your vote on Election Day?
Does it matter that the *party* of the person elected President comes to power along with the President?
TAKE MY QUIZ AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF!
Let's get started.
Answer the following questions:
About how many political appointments are made just in Washington, D.C. when a new administration is installed?
*** Answer here at #93.
About how many political appointments are made in the federal government as a whole when a new administration is installed?
*** Answer here at #94.
About how many people are employed by the new president directly in the Executive Office?
*** Answer at #95.
About how many people are hired by the new president to serve on the White House staff?
*** Answer at #96.
About how many political appointees are there in national, state and local governments combined?
*** Answer here at #33.
Who nominates military officers for promotion to general / flag officer?
*** Answer here at #210.
True or False: When you cast your vote for President of the United States, you are voting for (or against) a candidate, a political party and its long-standing "machine," and the administration assembled by the candidate and the party working together.
True or False: When you cast your vote for President of the United States, you are voting for (or against) the influence in our government and, thus, on our country wielded by the joint political actions of the president and his party.
NOW IT'S TIME TO NAME SOME NAMES!
First, pick ANY Democrat as that party's presidential candidate and pick ANY Republican as that party's presidential candidate.
Secondly, review the "15 departments and numerous agencies which together make up the 'government' that we see every day."
These departments and agencies "are responsible for administering the law, enforcing it, and delivering various governmental services. Their functions are far-reaching and affect the lives of every American."
Now, take the quiz!
Look at each department/agency and consider the candidates you have chosen as well as their respective party's political machine. Match the names of individuals to the organizations that you conclude would be likely to be appointed by---or which are representative of the appointments you think would be made by----the candidate to that organization.
For example:
[Fill in the blank] Democrat v. [Fill in the blank] Republican.
Department of Defense, Secretary of Defense:
----- Wes Clark (D) v. Tommy Franks (I, leaning R)
Department of Justice, Attorney General of the United States:
----- Jamie Gorelick (D) v. Eugene Scalia
Ambassador to the United Nations:
----- Bill Clinton (D) v. John Bolton (R)
When you're done, compare your list and decide if you think it impacts the country one way or the other whether the Democrats, headed by [fill in the blank], or the Republicans, headed by [fill in the blank] take power in 2008. Ready?
(The following information is taken from this overview of the federal government.)
The Executive Branch departments, each with a Secretary appointed by the President:
Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Department of Commerce (DOC)
Department of Defense (DOD)
Department of Education (ED)
Department of Energy (DOE)
Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Department of the Interior (DOI)
Department of Justice (DOJ)
Department of Labor (DOL)
Department of State (DOS)
Department of Transportation (DOT)
Department of the Treasury
Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Other top Executive Branch officials that may have cabinet-level status:
The President's Chief of Staff (and his staff)
Director, Office of Management and Budget
U.S. Trade Representative
Director, Environmental Protection Agency
Director, Central Intelligence Agency
The President's National Security Advisor
Some examples of Executive Branch independent agencies and commissions:
U.S. Postal Service
Environmental Protection Agency
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Major regulatory agencies, which are " an especially powerful type of agency . . . [that] make rules that affect nearly every business and consumer:
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Food and Drug Administration (in HHS) (FDA)
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (in DOL) (OSHA).
Federal Reserve System
One more, just to give a hat-tip to the many appointments the President makes to ambassadorships, and similar positions, around the world:
Ambassador to the United Nations
Well, that's it for now. Of course, my quiz can't cover every position that will be filled by the next President of the United States in conjunction with his or her party machine. Nor can it cover all the ways in which those individuals will affect our nation. But I hope this helps you decide whether or not your vote matters.
Thanks.
Okay. That’s what this thread is about.
Go color eggs or something.
Have a few of those pink, purple and yellow marshmallow Peeps.
Those are good. Poke a hole in the cello wrap and let the air get to them for awhile.
Makes a yummy, chewy sweet treat!
Because it was that GOOD or that BAD?
Just keep on proving my point. I do love it so.
You have no point, other than Rudy.
Go Thompson or Hunter. WE will get it right!
You betcha.
Or are they okay with that?
That good. Everytime a new administration comes in property gets churned.
I will gladly vote for Hunter or Thompson or whoever the Republican nominee is.
Unlike some people, I will not foist a Rat administration upon the nation as payback to the GOP, should a majority of GOP voters nominate an individual who doesn’t meet all my particulars.
I do want to wish you and your family a very Happy Easter, and wish our troops a Happy and Safe Easter.
We are down for the fight. If we keep our faith, we will win.
I think I'm going to go with her as the head of FEMA in a Rat administration.
How would that work out for the country, I wonder.
Good for you. Then lets ditch Rudy and vote for a winning candidate!
If you don’t like ‘em, don’t click on ‘em.
In addition to wishing our troops a happy and safe Easter, I would like to wish them a worthy Secretary of Defense and Commander in Chief in the next election.
BTW, who do you think might be SECDEF in a Rat administration, should they win in 2008? Or is it “petty” to ask?
Yep, its petty.
We are down for the fight. If we keep our faith, we will win.
*************
A Happy Easter to you and your family as well! Happy Easter to our troops!
I agree.
Bookmarking for future referrals. Thanks wbp!
You’re very welcome.
“The Republicans have increased domestic discretioary spending at a much faster rate than the Democrats. They have supported taking away our free speech rights in election campaigns. They have largely been for some form of amnesty as long as it’s not called thaat. They have backed the President in his reluctance to do what it takes to win the war.
Your point is?”
What’s yer point?
Do you believe that if Rudy wins, it would be possible to prevent the GOP from shifting to the left of where Democrats are today?
If so, explain how.
If not, explain how we would be able to survive that, and yet unable to survive a Democrat Presidency in 2008 (especially if we were to focus all our efforts on Congress, rather than trying wasting our efforts on supporting Rudy Giuliani)
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