Although it makes sense to appoint people who have direct experience in the work of the agency they are being nominated to administer, almost no federal statutes exist that require such experience. An exception is the Fish and Wildlife Act of 1956 (16 U.S.C. 742(a)-754):
“The Director of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. No individual may be appointed as the Director unless he is, by reason of scientific education and experience,
knowledgeable in the principles of fisheries and wildlife management.”
In the 1980s, President Reagan nominated one of his campaign coordinators to be Director of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The nominee had none of the legally required qualifications and the Republican controlled Senate returned the nominee and requested another nominee who met the requirements of the statute.
As meta-ignorance has become the order of the day in the ‘developed world,’ Paul’s line, “From the dreamy days before social media turned us all into snarling Dunning-Kruger poster children,” should be the lead, in most stories today. Though I do believe that social media is more of a force multiplier, than a causative agent. People like being happy and ignorance is bliss. On a more positive note, fewer Americans are learning to read, so perhaps social media will stall out as we all make a more idiocratic turn to the future. Cheers!
All due respect, what’s your metric of “successful?” I got some interesting e-mail in the background on this blog from people well positioned to judge how effective past administrators have been.
My view is that most have been mediocre because it’s a hard job that requires dedicated engagement in highly technical matters often involving complex budgeting. It’s also intensely political.Rare talents indeed and more likely to say in the private sector making mega bucks.
Since you have injected the 2020 election into the conversation, let me point out that virtually all of those “over 60 attempts to find election fraud” were rejected by the courts on the basis of standing; the merits of the cases were never adjudicated. Rep. Budd’s constituents must not have been too unhappy with his actions with regard to the 2020 election as they returned him to office in 2022.
I agree with you in hoping Mr. Washington does well should he be confirmed as administrator; he would be a beacon of competence compared to the clown show we’ve experienced the past two years.