The help matters: Lame duck presidents leave their mark on the country's future

It is just something to watch as the country gets ready for the final years of the Obama administration.

There will be lots of appointments and hirings over the next few months.

The purpose? To populate the government with career bureaucrats who will continue policies even if or after a change in leadership.

And while there might not be much the average citizen can do to prevent these political hirings, it is something to remember as we watch the meanderings of Congress that might seem random, but are actually calculated to accomplish this task.

In other words, if it smells like a manipulation of policy for political reasons -- it very likely is.

So remember that it is not just the name on the ballot that matters at election time. It is the power that will be placed in that person's hands.

The chief executive might hold the seat, but it is the bureaucrats who carry out the policies.

And both matter.

Published in Editorials on December 20, 2013 10:34 AM