© Copyright Lewis D. Eigen, 2009

Library of Congress Control Number:
2008910019

ISBN-13:
978-1-935034-05-6

368 Pages—151,458 Words
6 inches X 9 inches
1.6 lbs.
First Printing: December 2008

$36.00

The Obama Political Appointee Primer:
How to Do Much Worthwhile, Avoid Failure and Scandal, and Keep Your Self Respect at the Same Time

By Lewis D. Eigen

A BEA Press Publication n BEA Enterprises Inc.  n 17 Lake Potomac Court n Potomac, MD 20854
Phone: 301 299-7900 n E-Mail: info@BEA-Enterprises.com
 

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Book Excerpt

 

“A marvelous insight into the Federal bureaucratic world and the  appointees who lead the Government’s internal workings and operations but sometimes self-destruct in the unfamiliar setting.  Related in a breezy, dramatic style, saturated with real incidents and fascinating history, it is written by a terrific storyteller who has been there himself and knows and shares the details which affect all our lives that are almost always under the radar of even investigative reporters.  Required reading for anyone recruiting and vetting candidates for the new Obama administration and certainly for anyone notified of appointment or considering such.  A really fun read for the rest of us who learn how Government really works along the way.”
Text Box: Table of Contents Preface 5 Introduction 5 Intended Audiences 5 My Experience 7 Writing Conventions 10 Level of Detail 11 Errors and Omissions 12 The Law 13 History 13 Who Is A Political Appointee 13 Blue Collar Jobs 17 Disclosure About the Author 17 Getting Yourself Prepared and Protected 18 P is for Pitfall: The 6 P’s 19 Perception of the Appointee 20 Partisan Politics Causes Additional Difficulty for Appointees 28 The Personnel Pitfall 29 Pre-Employment Guidelines Regarding Personnel 42 When You Are On the Job 43 The Rules Apply to You Also 48 Reorganizations 55 Personnel Evaluations 57 Approach to Disciplinary Problems 64 Job Seekers 71 The Pressure on You 76 How Federal Hiring is Done 80 Hiring Qualified People 84 Burrowing In 92 Bumping 98 The Servant of Two Masters: Loyalty 103 The Goldoni Play 103 Your Loyalty Reality 104 Higher Loyalty 105 The Appointee is Almost Naked 107 Getting Some Clothes On 110 Creating Work Threats 113 Define Yourself 119 Sleaze 122 The Procurement Pitfall 123 Duke Cunningham 123 Some Principles of Federal Procurement 127 Sole Source Procurement 138 The University Contract 138 Implications 152 Differing Views 155 Contract Administration 157 Grip & Grin Shots 161 The De Facto Reality 163 Most Procurement Problems Are At the Administrative Level 164 Appealing Contract Award Disputes 173 A Corruption Case 175 Discretion and Judgment 177 The Program Pitfall 183 Programs 183 Program Vs. Administration 184 A Foot in Both Camps 185 The New Director 188 The GPRA Conundrum 195 Shortcomings of GPRA 205 Evaluation 210 The Rule of 300 213 Gaming GPRA 213 Decisions and Guesses 216 The Spear Catching Role 219 The Policy Pitfall 225 I’ll Still Be Right Here 226 The Faith Initiative 227 Reinventing Government: Customer Service 237 Reform of Government Printing 251 Bush Takes On the GPO Monopoly 255 The Public Affairs Pitfall 265 Propaganda 271 Government Paying For Research to Improve PR Techniques 272 Robbing from Programs to Pay PR 273 Criminal Fraud 274 Public Communications As A Part of Program 277 Separation 279 The Perks Pitfall 281 Introduction 281 Work Hours & Conditions 282 Titles 283 Offices & Office Furniture 285 Meals 291 Travel 294 Breaking the Rules 299 First Class Travel 307 Cars and Drivers 308 Technology 311 Rank 317 Assistants 321 Don’t be Hatched 325 The Political Petition 325 A Brief History of the Hatch Act 326 The Legal Consequence of Hatch Act Violations 328 Learning the Details of Your Hatch Act Obligations 329 Summary of Hatch Act Requirement 329 Location, Location, Location 332 Pressure 333 The Exit Strategy & The Revolving Door 337 More Transparency 337 Administration Appointment Benefits 338 Exit Alternatives 339 Entering the Revolving Door 341 The Compromising Aspect of the Revolving Door 344 Fairness to Federal Employees 350 Program Destruction by a Civil Servant: A Case Study 353 Epilogue 365 To the New Appointee 365 To the Rest of Our Audience 365

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BEA Website

 

How the new appointee to the Federal Government can avoid the 6 most common pitfalls that have perplexed all of their predecessors, embarrassed others, and destroyed some.”

“The Federal Appointee is the servant of two masters whose demands for loyalty sometimes conflict.  Eigen’s dramatic, example –packed book really improves his or her chances.”

“The inside picture of how Federal executives have to function. Must reading for the intelligent citizen and the aspiring appointee.