While I voted for George Bush I have no problems calling him an asshole. This is just one of those times. He has gone and appointed the highly unqualified Julie Myers to Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security. An appointment she neither deserves or will serve well.
Myers is the niece of chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Richard B. Myers and she married Michael Chertoff's current chief of staff, John F. Wood recently. Pure cronyism.
It's just another sign that Bush doesn't give a crap about border security, illegal immigration or anything to do with enforcing the law regarding immigration policy.
I covered Julie Myers back in September when she was under scrutiny.
"I'm really concerned about your management experience," Sen. George V. Voinovich, Ohio Republican, told her, pointing out that ICE, with 20,000 employees, is the second-largest investigative agency in the federal government.
"I think that we ought to have a meeting with [Homeland Security Secretary] Mike Chertoff ... to ask him ... why he thinks you're qualified for the job," Mr. Voinovich said. "Because based on your resume, I don't think you are."
Voinovich later took a bite of the poison apple and recanted his statements and went along with President Bush's choice.
In October I reported on the Senate Homeland Security Committee and their opinion on Julie Myers.
"Julie Myers would not have been my choice" to lead the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency in the Department of Homeland Security, Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said last week.
Collins, head of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, slapped a "hold" on President Bush's nomination of Myers to the post until more could be learned about Myers' "managerial experience" or lack of it.
I'm pretty damned pissed about this.
So is Debbie Schlussel who has a lot more to say, but here is a blip.
This silly recess appointment was in response to a number of holds placed on Ms. Myers' nomination because she is as qualified to run the agency as our personal friend, Carrot Top (and he knows how to use cool gadgets). Put to a vote, Myers would have been voted down. That should have sent a clear message to the President. But, apparently, he is even more out of touch on Homeland Security than we had earlier diagnosed. This appointment is a huge joke on America. What's the punch line?
Border agents came out against Julie Myers when she was first up for the position.
Michelle Malkin points out that it's not just the right, but the left as well and for once her, Daily Kos and myself are in agreement.
Other Commentary
The Corner
Preaching Politics
The Florida Masochist
Small Town Veteran
