Here We Go Again

Ever wonder why this Administration comes across sometimes as being just a wee bit, uhhh, incompetent? It's that word again: apparatchik. Government Executive (03.07.06), via Crooks And Liars:

"Douglas L. Hoelscher is the new executive director of the Homeland Security Advisory Committees and the 'primary representative' of department Secretary Michael Chertoff in dealing with more than 20 advisory boards.

Hoelscher has no management experience, a review of his professional credentials shows. He came to government in 2001 as a low-level White House staffer, arranging presidential travel, according to news reports. He earned $30,000 a year, salary documents show."

Former White House staffer named to head DHS policy committee

"Hoelscher launched his political career after graduating from the University of Iowa in 1999. During the 2000 campaign, he worked for Wisconsin's Republican Party, campaign finance records show."

"In 2001, he was a political coordinator in the White House Office of Political Affairs, which was run by Ken Mehlman, who was Bush's Midwest regional political director in the 2000 campaign and is now the Republican National Committee chairman."

"In 2004, Hoelscher worked for the RNC. The following year he became Homeland Security's White House liaison, 'obtaining information from the department,' said Joanna Gonzalez, a department spokeswoman." As in like calling them up and asking them to send him stuff?

Might this be yet another example of politics over policy?

Wonder if Doug knows George Deutsch?