Why Does America Send So Many Stupid, Unqualified Hacks Overseas?

[longknife]

I've followed James Bruno for some time now. He spent years working in the State Department and often gives great insights into its working. His novels have received acclaim from many sources and I found them to be great reading. So, I was pleased to find this article on his blog and thought to share it with others. And this really caught my eye:

The resumé imbalance, of course, owes to a simple fact: The United States is the only industrialized country to award diplomatic posts as political spoils, often to wealthy campaign contributors in an outmoded system that rivals the patronage practices of banana republics, dictatorships and two-bit monarchies

If you want to read more – and comment – go to DIPLO DENIZEN: Why Does America Send So Many Stupid, Unqualified Hacks Overseas?

 

[AmericanFirst]

Because we have a stupid unqualified hack in the White House sending them.

 

[RoadVirus]

I've followed James Bruno for some time now. He spent years working in the State Department and often gives great insights into its working. His novels have received acclaim from many sources and I found them to be great reading. So, I was pleased to find this article on his blog and thought to share it with others. And this really caught my eye:

The resumé imbalance, of course, owes to a simple fact: The United States is the only industrialized country to award diplomatic posts as political spoils, often to wealthy campaign contributors in an outmoded system that rivals the patronage practices of banana republics, dictatorships and two-bit monarchies

If you want to read more – and comment – go to DIPLO DENIZEN: Why Does America Send So Many Stupid, Unqualified Hacks Overseas?

It's called Pay to Play. Rod Blagojevich did it and got sent to jail.

 

[FA_Q2]

I am somewhat surprised that this latest reporting on Obama has taken so long to come up here. I heard about the attacks on the latest batch of ‘ambassadors’ a week ago and I never really looked into it before. It does seem to be a MASSIVELY corrupt system and one that I am takes aback that we allow to happen.

This, however, is not an Obama thing but rather a corrupt system that we have allowed to be in place. It should be stopped immediately but no one has the political willpower to care anymore. One more example in a mountain of examples of how the public has become criminally apathetic. This will be what finally finishes this nation off.

 

[FA_Q2]

Because we have a stupid unqualified hack in the White House sending them.

I have serious doubts that there is any difference between Obama, both Bush’s and Clinton in this regard other than Obama appointing an unusually large number of them.

 

[HenryBHough]

Ambassadorships go to the highest bidder.

The auction takes place before any election - during the campaign fundraising period.

 

[longknife]

Because we have a stupid unqualified hack in the White House sending them.

Oh God but this is going to hurt!

We've been doing this for decades -- long before His Highness was inaugurated.

Buying ambassadorships was especially rampant during the 19th century.

And our Senate does not truly examine nominees for their fitness for the job in the country they are being selected to go to.

 

[FA_Q2]

Because we have a stupid unqualified hack in the White House sending them.

Oh God but this is going to hurt!

We've been doing this for decades -- long before His Highness was inaugurated.

Buying ambassadorships was especially rampant during the 19th century.

And our Senate does not truly examine nominees for their fitness for the job in the country they are being selected to go to.

Likely because the rather large number of them - over a thousand I believe.

 

[hjmick]

Fuckers bundle, fuckers get an ambassadorship...

 

[Kondor3]

Ambassadorships go to the highest bidder.

The auction takes place before any election - during the campaign fundraising period.

 

[rdean]

We can only hope to avoid another Iraq.

 

[O.R.I.O.N]

Long...get yer ass back over on citydata!