Why is it so hard for Joe Biden to hire people?
Nobody seems ready to reform Washington’s agonisingly slow appointments process
ALL AMERICAN presidents are empowered to appoint thousands of true believers to turn their campaign promises into policy. But all modern presidents have struggled to get these people into their jobs. Joe Biden is no exception, at least when it comes to the roughly 1,100 appointees who require Senate confirmation. By March 24th, two months into his administration, after Rachel Levine, nominated as assistant secretary of health, became the first openly transgender federal official to win Senate approval, Mr Biden had obtained the confirmation of just 27 people. That puts him slightly ahead of where Donald Trump was at this point, but behind Barack Obama (see chart).
This article appeared in the United States section of the print edition under the headline “Situations vacant”
United States March 27th 2021
- In 2020 America experienced a terrible surge in murder. Why?
- Amazon could get its first unionised workforce in America
- Why jobless-claims data give little insight into America’s economy
- Why is it so hard for Joe Biden to hire people?
- A new dress code means Rhode Island lawmakers have to suit up
- Snow drought is worsening the American West’s water woes
- Religious fervour is migrating into politics
From the March 27th 2021 edition
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