Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Someone check the temperature

Hell must have frozen over...Bush administration official take responsibility. I know, I know it's hard to believe, so I went looking for the video of today's hearing on the passport backlog to prove it, but the video is not yet available.

So I would like to give Asst. Sec. of State Maura Harty the TFW truth in testifying before congress award, for going before congress and taking responsibility.

She not once used the words "I don't recall" "I can't remember" "I lost all my e-mail" or any number of friendly reminders that the person testifying is a member of the Bush Administration.
I hope she likes our award, I bet she's fired by the end of the week.

1 Comments:

Blogger Consul-At-Arms said...

Bear in mind that A/S Harty is a professional, not a political appointee. She earned the job. Also, consular folks often aren't considered "diplomatic" enough because of our tendancy to tell it like it is.

The Department under-estimated how many people would want passports this quickly; also bear in mind tht Americans are simply notorious for not having/wanting passports. The present demand surge is a real "sea change."

Another factor is that consular operations, to include (I think) passport processing/production is pay as you go. That is the whole thing is paid for by the passport fees paid by applicants. I wonder if there simply wasn't money to go out and rapidly increase the domestic workforce.

Caveat: A/S Harty is in my "chain of command," although we've only actually met once or twice.

2:27 AM  

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