McCain and Feingold seek cap on number of presidential appointees

[babylonsister]

I wonder who determines the 'necessary' number of appointments?

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/85475-mccain-and-feingold-seek-cap-on-number-of-presidential-appointees

McCain and Feingold seek cap on number of presidential appointees
By Michael O'Brien - 03/08/10 02:34 PM ET


Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) are teaming up again, to try to cap the number of political appointees the president is allowed to make.

McCain and Feingold, who joined together in 2002 to craft and pass landmark campaign finance reform legislation, introduced legislation that would reduce the number of appointments to the executive branch a president is allowed to make.

The two senators want to cap the number of political appointees to 2,000 positions, a move they said would save $872 million over the next 10 years.

"Unnecessary bureaucratic positions not only waste taxpayer dollars, but also make government less effective and less responsive to the people it represents," Feingold said in a statement. "In the face of record deficits, this bill offers a good way to save while improving the way government works."

“In this time of economic crisis, we must do everything possible to eliminate waste and make the federal government smaller and more efficient,” McCain added. “This bill is simple - it will save money and result in a more streamlined Executive Branch.

The two senators have introduced similar legislation before, but both of them are potentially facing their most difficult reelection battles to date this fall. McCain is trying to fend off former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R) in a conservative primary challenge, while Feingold faces the specter of a tough challenge from former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson (R), if Thompson, also a former secretary of Health and Human Services, gets in the race.

[ericgtr]

1. The same McCain who came out against the SCOTUS decision to undo everything he worked for?

Oh wait...

[Cha]

5. Yeah, that fucking hypocrite and feingold is

grandstanding with one of the biggest assholes in the Senate.

[O is 44]

7. Something about Feingold that rubs me the

wrong way, McCain on the other hand is very sad man. Please Arizona don't send him back, he'll still however have a permanent seat on the Sunday shows. By the way it's a free country there should not be limits on how many people can run.

[Cha]

9. Maybe you don't like grandstanders.

feingold has history of it.

[Supersedeas]

15. the two faces of John McCain

[Uzybone]

2. principled Feingold strikes again.

is there a cap on the number of Congressional aides?

[brendan120678]

4. It's as many as you can afford to pay, I guess...

Senators and Members of Congress are given an allowance of sorts to use for their staff payroll, aren't they?

[Cha]

6. Yeah, feingold's "principles" can be

found on the floor of his grandstand.

[Arkana]

3. I'm wondering why this is an issue for McCain and Feingold NOW

but it wasn't when Dumbya was in the saddle.

[Cha]

8. Better to grandstand with.. did mcpalin aprroach feingold

or did feingold approach mcpalin.. who he knew would be up for some hypocrisy?

[MadMaddie]

10. My thoughts exactly....

[Lasher]

12. Obama is threatening to make recess appointments and GOP obstruction of nominees is wearing thin.

Senate Republicans need new talking points to fight off replacement of Cheney's moles.

[JoePhilly]

11. Tie it to limits on Corporate spending on elections ...

Then get back to me.

[Cha]

13. Making a big stand against Pres Obama

so they can campaign on it.

[belpejic]

14. I'm not sure this is a bad idea.

It might give agencies a better shot at developing stronger institutional identities and make big political changes less disruptive. I remember that Bush tried to reshape entire agencies through political appointments and as a result a lot of good people left and nothing (or at least nothing constructive) got done.

Too bad McCain is supporting it--I assume anything he attaches his name to is a cynical platform for hypocritical grandstanding.