Trump Is Captaining A Federal Ghost Ship--But Is That Good News or Bad News?

[Draggingtree]

Forbes

MAY 26, 2017 @ 09:42 AM 

Trump Is Captaining A Federal Ghost Ship--But Is That Good News or Bad News?

David Davenport ,  

 CONTRIBUTOR

I look deeper at the policies behind the headlines.  

Four months into the new Trump administration, I decided to pick one department I know reasonably well and see what kind of people are being appointed to senior staff positions at the US Department of Education:  deputy secretary, undersecretary and assistant secretaries.  We know that Secretary Betsy DeVos stands for charter schools and choice, but sometimes it’s useful to look a level deeper and see what kind of leaders will be overseeing policy and implementation closer to the trenches.

What I learned was truly surprising and I am still not sure what to make of it.  Essentially no one has been appointed to fill any of those positions— deputy secretary, undersecretary, and all 11 assistant secretary jobs have the same listing:  “vacant.”  If the lights are on, nobody is home.  What can I tell about the quality and direction of the senior staff at the Department of Education?  Absolutely nothing.