Eagle news columnist Mark McCormick wrote Friday about an e-mail exchange he had with Karl Peterjohn, executive director of the Kansas Taxpayers Network. It reminded me of the comments in an earlier blog string attributed to Cindy Duckett. Peterjohn blasted media coverage of the hiring of Bob Corkins as Kansas education commissioner, calling it “unbelievable, disgraceful and shocking.” And he argued that others without education experience have held school leadership positions, such as former Colorado Gov. Roy Romer, who became superintendent of the Los Angeles school district. But the point is that Corkins is not like Romer or those other nontraditional candidates. Along with having no education training or experience, he has no managerial experience. His most recent positions have been running one-person offices. So it’s not as if the state hired someone with impressive executive experience and a proven track record of leadership success.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee
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21 Comments
I have no doubt that Corkins is a fine person and a terrific lawyer.I personally don’t see him as “the problem”.The fact that the KS. BOE needs a terrific lawyer on staff full time points to the real problem, the 4 members of the board that have created litigation concerns.BTW Mark, how does it feel to be scolded by someone similar to CKD?HUBRIS with a capital HEW!
This fits a pattern we see among Republican appointed positions whether its local or national–cronyism and ideological purity count more than competence.
Michael Brown as head of FEMA, who waited until dead bodies were floating before he could rouse himself to do anything; the Iraq team who have seen violence and death INCREASE year by year, who have been “training” soldiers for three years and have only a single battalion to show for it; Treasury Sec’ry Snow who said that outsourcing jobs is “good for the economy”; John Bolton as UN ambassador, who has made his hatred for the whole institution clear from day one (but he DID help Bush stop the re-count in Florida 2000); Dick Cheney who let big oil write his energy policy for which we’re paying for now every time we fill up etc. etc.
“How many times do you have to get hit over the head before you see who’s hitting you?” Harry S. Truman
The smell of cronyism and corruption in government is overwhelming. But that seems to be what just over half of the voters want. Seems a little hypocritical for republicans to rave about moral values.
Cronyism also permeates the Eagle staff. How else can you explain the 100% liberal staff? So is it bad or good?
Joe C.
Do ever actually READ The Eagle?
Cal flippin’ Thomas, that idiot Kathleen Parker, Jed Somebody or another from the Weekly Standard.
Their op-ed page is like The FreeRepublic website.
galahadnone of these are eagle editoral staff.
Eagle editorial staff. The folks wit the pichers on the left side.
How is appointing a qualified individual to any post a liberal or conservative issue? Who gives a flying fig if the Eagle editorial staff are all flaming anarchists or communists…if they’re right.
The interesting question to me is this. Would you tolerate Mr. Corkins being appointed president and CEO of the company you work for? Would you be willing to risk YOUR livelihood on his ability to come in as an “outsider with no connection to the MBA establishment” to run your company successfully?
It is a slap in the face to all the really qualified candidates who worked long and hard to gain their experience to accuse them of corruption and incompetence and appoint instead a person who has the job because of corruption and cronyism.
Brian1. They are rarely right
2. I work at a large corporation. I am used to corruption and incompetence at high levels. (Or so it seems at my level)
Joe,
Yes, there is incompetence and corruption at many corporations. But the question is: If you had a voice, would you vote to have another incompetent put in place or would you perhaps opt for a Joe Walsh or a Steve Jobs..people with proven track records of accomplishment.
Joe Walsh = Jack Welch from GE…man I confuse that guy’s name with a friend of my father’s all the time.
..and funny, I find myself agreeing with ther Editorial staff more often than not.
Be practical brianWho has a voice in corporation leaders until they strike out big time?
Wait a minute! If you agree with the editorial staff a lot I already have a problem with your logic.(but at least you did not attack me personally like most liberals)
Joe C,
I am being practical ! Here is one time that you can speak your mind about the competence of an individual without fear of retribution. This guy had an “in” with the BOE, so the contention that he is an “outsider” with no agenda except improving the schools is hogwash. Remember that Jesse Ventura and AH-nold were elected as outsiders who would not be beholdin’ to anyone. Ask any Minnesotan…Jesse was at best ineffective, at worst an abject failure and a joke. We all see how well AH-nold is doing.
And now we all Know Joe C a little better.
Yo Joe? Corruption at the level you are at in the corporation? But you play along I bet. Fine for you if you want to be part of the problem rather than the solution.
Hey guys,Ease up! Do you have any idea how hard it is to find someone who agrees with Duckie and Connie and the right-wing crazies AND is half-way competent? One outa two ain’t bad!
Doesn’t the state already have competent lawyers already on the payroll?Are things so bad (with the BOE) that they need their own personal lawyer on site?Maybe the state’s lawyers don’t necessarily agree with the board.
Joe C wrote, in an aside to Brian,
“(but at least you did not attack me personally like most liberals)”
Yeah, Joe C, I guess calling us ‘dumocrats’ doesn’t count. After all, personal attacks are OK when YOU do them.
Typical Wingnut schoolyard bully: Joe C can dish it out but can’t take it.
Joe C wrote, in an aside to Brian,
“(but at least you did not attack me personally like most liberals)”
Yeah, Joe C, I guess calling us ‘dumocrats’ doesn’t count. After all, personal attacks are OK when YOU do them.
Typical Wingnut schoolyard bully: Joe C can dish it out but can’t take it.
Damn. Double-post. Type-pad seemed pretty dysfunctional this morning. But I’ll take the blame.
IT’S NOT YOU CF
IT’S NOT YOU CF