[Texasforever]

When Bush mentioned the "bureaucracy? he sent a real message. The fact is that those career "civil servants" actually run this country and the ONLY answer is to change the laws protecting them Ashcroft literally begged congress for the power to fire incompetents at the INS and the congress in effect told him to Pi$$ up a rope. If that does not change and change soon then NOTHING an elected official does or says will have any effect whatsoever.

[freebilly]

Ashcroft literally begged congress for the power to fire incompetents at the INS and the congress in effect told him to Pi$$ up a rope. If that does not change and change soon then NOTHING an elected official does or says will have any effect whatsoever.

Maybe the Republicans need to play power politics the way that Dems do. Clinton(s), Reno, and Albright had no problem torching anyone and anything that got in their paths.

[ArneFufkin]

Ashcroft literally begged congress for the power to fire incompetents at the INS and the congress in effect told him to Pi$$ up a rope. If that does not change and change soon then NOTHING an elected official does or says will have any effect whatsoever.

Why does Congress have that authority? They are only empowered to fund the activities of agencies ... why can't the Executive Officer hire and fire his employees at will? The bureaucrats work in the org chart under the President, not the Senate Majority Leader. Reagan fired the Air Traffic Controllers. Linda Tripp was fired. Clinton fired the Travel staff, he fired 50 something Federal Attornies, many RTC staff and investigators, etc. etc.