Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Martin shakes up FCC "five or six levels deep"
Doug Mohoney writes in VON Magazine's weekly e-newsletter:
Newly appointed Federal Communications Chairman (FCC) Chairman Kevin Martin is conducting a significant housecleaning at the agency, according to industry sources from the wireless and wireline worlds. "He's going five or six levels deep," said one gentleman, noting that in recent years most former chairmen had only brought in new staff "one or two levels" from the top. Other sources confirmed the shakeup at the agency.I wonder if he's cleaning house to help technology advance. You think?
"It's unusual," said another. "When [Former FCC Chairman] Powell came in, he moved around a minimum number of positions." It is traditional for an incoming Chairman to bring in his own upper staff and advisors and to sometimes move around position heads, but the sources indicated the personnel shakeup at the FCC goes far beyond what has taken place in recent history. To outside observers, it is not clear yet what type of personnel are being brought in to fill in positions or how the new personnel will affect current and future decision-making at the agency.
Comments:
He must be working to correct media bias - to give all citizens a real voice and to allow them to hear the other voices. He must also be working to make the US net connections ubiquitous, faster than anything else in the world, more open than anything else and cheaper than anything else ...
er...
(slaps self awake)
Ever have one of those days where you temporarily forget that evil clowns are in charge?
er...
(slaps self awake)
Ever have one of those days where you temporarily forget that evil clowns are in charge?
There is a limit to the degree that this is possible. The purpose of Civil Service is to remove Civil Servants from political winds and patronage. Martin can come in and name the Bureau Chiefs, and the Bureau chiefs can name their staff, but that is about it. Civil Servants cannot be removed simply because the leadership has changed parties or just changed names. Civil Servants remain at thair posts with the motivation of simply serving the America people - their party affiliation or loyalty to a particular personality cult cannot alter that.
# posted by 
: 4/27/2005 10:23 AM
: 4/27/2005 10:23 AM
Lawyers have limited Civil Service protections. Something like a third or half of FCC employees are Lawyers.
When Chairman Martin took power, he asked all offices to put a hold on all policy actions. This is not unprecidented. Apparently one or two mid-level lawyers ignored this and were instantly removed from their jobs. (I don't know specifics) At the same time, a half dozen Bureau Chiefs and other first of second tier types got the ax. As a result, this has been a a more dramatic transition than I can recall. Employees call it "lockdown" and a lot of work has slowed.
None of the changes appear to be politically motivated and nobody is making assumptions about where policy will be heading on specific issues. However, policy at the FCC has a half life measured in years, not decades. Nothing new about new directions.
New upper management will arrive and staff will get back to thorny problems and long hours, perhaps a little grateful for a slow period. Lets wait until 2006 to decide whether the FCC did more in 2005 or 2004.
When Chairman Martin took power, he asked all offices to put a hold on all policy actions. This is not unprecidented. Apparently one or two mid-level lawyers ignored this and were instantly removed from their jobs. (I don't know specifics) At the same time, a half dozen Bureau Chiefs and other first of second tier types got the ax. As a result, this has been a a more dramatic transition than I can recall. Employees call it "lockdown" and a lot of work has slowed.
None of the changes appear to be politically motivated and nobody is making assumptions about where policy will be heading on specific issues. However, policy at the FCC has a half life measured in years, not decades. Nothing new about new directions.
New upper management will arrive and staff will get back to thorny problems and long hours, perhaps a little grateful for a slow period. Lets wait until 2006 to decide whether the FCC did more in 2005 or 2004.
# posted by : 4/27/2005 1:04 PM
: 4/27/2005 1:04 PM
Lawyers are civil servants and have protection. That's why in the bureacracy there are so many that should be removed but have not - dead wood problem.
No civil servant can "instantly be removed from their job." If such an unprecedented action has transpired, I think you need to provide specifics and not sheer allegation.
Bureau Chiefs serve at the pleasure of the Chairman. That is standard agency structure. And that is standard civil service design. The politicos can control the top but have limited control over the civil servants.
What employees called it "lockdown". One out of 3000? I know an employee that called it "Fred." Doesnt make it Fred, does it?
So it is slow. The Daily Digest shows that. It is an administrative transition. Nothing more. Dont make a conspiracy out of it.
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No civil servant can "instantly be removed from their job." If such an unprecedented action has transpired, I think you need to provide specifics and not sheer allegation.
Bureau Chiefs serve at the pleasure of the Chairman. That is standard agency structure. And that is standard civil service design. The politicos can control the top but have limited control over the civil servants.
What employees called it "lockdown". One out of 3000? I know an employee that called it "Fred." Doesnt make it Fred, does it?
So it is slow. The Daily Digest shows that. It is an administrative transition. Nothing more. Dont make a conspiracy out of it.
# posted by : 4/27/2005 5:12 PM
: 4/27/2005 5:12 PM
