Is It Time For Obama

to purge the federal government of people who are holdovers from the previous administration? He appears to be moving too slowly, and many people in the civil service are not true servants of the people:

The Obama Administration has a big problem. While they are proceeding, albeit much too slowly, to replace policy staff in executive branch agencies with their own people, we are still seeing some rather odd pronouncements being issued in Obama's name and being released to the press to become articles in newspapers and stories on the news. In many cases these seem to be in direct conflict with stated Obama policies and proposals, and it is only when Obama addresses whatever topic is at hand that the record gets corrected. In somewhat more disturbing instances, actual policies seem to be promulgated, particularly regarding various justice-related issues, that are directly contrary to Obama's stated goals.

I believe that this is a result of the Bush Administration's highly successful efforts to politicize the Civil Service and other professional ranks within the executive branch. In some agencies, notably the Department of Justice and in particular the offices of the United States Attorneys, their efforts to hire only true believers in right-wing dogma have extended DEEP into the Civil Service ranks, even down as low as GS-5 clerical employees. In this way, they can ensure that Obama only receives bad advice, or various efforts in court are twisted in a way that ensures that Bush policies proceed apace.

Some of the appeals that the Justice Department has recently opposed (or even mounted) may be the result of the actions of such holdovers, or of bad advice that is rising from their ranks. And this is not limited to Justice, but it is happening to a greater or lesser extent in ALL agencies in the executive branch. These holdovers are doing things like issuing press releases, making regulatory enforcement decisions in a wide variety of area, and may even still be influencing some hiring, the awarding of contracts and grants, and other areas of government administration where such partisanship is uncalled for.

Barack Obama cannot be everywhere at once. Our executive branch is a huge, sprawling organization where the president only obtains information through many layers of filters. Something must be done to ensure that his policies are implemented in good faith, and that the information he, Congress, the courts, and the press receive are in accordance with the will that We the People expressed when we elected Mr. Obama.

It's time for a purge.