Is the main problem in the executive branch the President's staffers loyalty to him/her?

[originalpckelly]

This is a general question.

I remember hearing Pat Buchanan talking about how they all were loyal to the President, and that you never leak information on your President.

I think that's the wrong way to look at it, the President's staffers serve us, not him. Their first duty is to the United States, and if they know about anything illegal going on they should report it to the press or to the Congress.

So in general, is the main problem in the executive branch loyalty to the President over loyalty to the nation?

[saltpoint]

1. Stanley Kunitz believed that power should not be given into the

hands of people who are not spiritually great.

He meant "spiritually" with a small 's.'

He lived 100 years of life and saw presidential administrations come and go.

I think many of the Bush officials are very smart but not spiritually great. There's no sense of the expanse of human lives in them, no sense of poetry, no sense that they are small contributors to the huge, vast trajectory of history.

And the lies come pouring out of them in torrents.

Jimmy Carter's administration had lots of bumps. But as a citizen during Carter's term, I never doubted the moral focus of my country.

That just can't be said about George W. Bush.

[Vincardog]

2. That and an insane belief in a "Unitary executive" with God like powers.

The main problem in the executive branch is that it is infected with an insane man child who was placed there by power mad ideologues for the purpose of destroying our country to loot it for their own purposes.

[indepat]

3. Yes, when loyalty to the person is at the expense of loyalty to the office of

President, his oath of office, the Constitution, and we the people.

[JVS]

4. No. The other 2 branches are supposed to regulate the executive branch.

It is not supposed to happen through lack of loyalty of subordinates within the branch

[originalpckelly]

5. Of course, if the other two branches never know something illegal happened...

it's a little difficult for them to regulate it.

[JVS]

6. It's still their job to find out. We can't depend on disloyalty among staff (which is the same as..

thinking that the executive branch is able to regulate itself)

[AndyTiedye]

7. We Need More Whistle-Blowers!

[CoffeeCat]

8. People are loyal because they want to keep their jobs...

...It's as simple as that.

People who work for the President have prestigious jobs. They've arrived at the
top of the career ladder--after decades of working hard and climbing to the top.

They're working for a President.

Most want to stay right where they are, and they are guided by self interest--prestige,
the income, the lifestyle, the perks, etc.

I would say that anyone who remains loyal to Junior--at this point--has put himself or herself--
as priority one. They all know that Junior is a dunderheaded evil monger. They are asked
to lie and spin daily. They understand the game and all of its evil--better than any of us
ever could. They have front row seats to it!

These people are looking out for themselves. They've got parties to attend, car payments to make,
steep mortgages on their homes in Foggy Bottom and their career and political futures.

The country's best interest, and loyalty to Junior are probably not pivitol in their daily decision making.