It’s really quite extraordinary. Congress is inert, impotent, and powerless. Five hundred and thirty-five aggressive men and women elected to the House of Representatives or the Senate to do good are doing almost nothing.
In the meantime, President Trump and his sidekick, Elon Musk, have deployed high-risk organizational moves against an organization’s most important asset: its people.
I actually led a government agency, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and found a mix of employees. Some were gifted and dedicated; others were just happy to have a job and did what was needed to keep it. And, of course, there were variations. But, on day one or for that matter day sixty-one my management team and I were still learning about the employees of the Commission which I chaired.
A large segment of FCC employees were engineers specializing in frequency-related science and communications applications from earthly to celestial. The networks they authorized and monitored have been the best in the world.
Musk’s DOGE team is involved in body count. I presume there is an employment floor based on dollar counts, and they are using a variety of techniques to reach it. One might ask how the floor has been established and whether employees are commodities that can be embraced or whacked according to numerical goals. But, back to Congress.
The Congress makes laws and appropriates the dollars to fulfill the intent. It then operates a bit like a board of directors using hearings and investigations to monitor compliance. There is a natural tension with the Executive Branch when Congress is doing its job right.
But Congress only does its job right when its leaders are patriots not showboats. Where are the most effective leaders in Congress? Where are the leaders who are willing to go beyond partisan volleys? And who are the leaders who believe the health of the United States of America is more important than their reelection? I ask these questions of the Republican contingent because the Democrats do not own the government and their criticisms are mostly brushed off as political.
If we have learned nothing in the last month we have learned that Trump and Musk do not want feedback, unless it is positive. We have learned that numbers not issues drive their daily work. We have learned that their immense egos and maniacal styles are in fact dangerous. And I expect when an audit of this saga is completed we will find that the most effective employees are no longer working for our government.
It is time for Republicans who have been elected to high office to show some backbone. I, for one, considered disruption necessary but what we got was chaos. Is this Congress unconcerned that its prerogatives are being canceled or undermined by chaos?
Al Sikes is the former Chair of the Federal Communications Commission under George H.W. Bush. Al writes on themes from his book, Culture Leads Leaders Follow published by Koehler Books.
Willard T Engelskirchen says
I was embarrassed by the display from trump and vance today on live TV. We deserve better.
Paul Rybon says
What we got was a response to hardball tactics from a moron. Zelinskyy not satisfied with the money we gave him so far and rejected his only possible cards that we gave him. What do you tell a stupido that just threw away the only cards he had left. This was the real deal, not some choreographed photo ap. He’ll be back.
Deirdre LaMotte says
Steve Schmidt nailed it:
Yesterday, Donald Trump tried to produce a reality show in the real world around life and death matters. It blew up in his face.
It exposed him as a fool and a weakling, while affirming the greatness of President Zelenskyy, who did not yield to a Russian tyrant, or bend to America’s poisonous clown. He did not submit to absurdities and insanity while missiles rained down on his country.
Murdoch virus has lobotomized Americans.
Carol Bilek says
Well said. I would add that GOP members of the House and Senate might want to consider what their political futures will look like if they continue to follow and bow down to Trump, Musk and Vance.
The appalling spectacle today of Trump and Vance berating President Zelensky was sickening. It was despicable and shameful. Do the GOP members of Congress want to encourage this kind of extortion and lack of respect for an elected president under attack by Putin? Think about it.
Paul Rybon says
See my remarks. Zelinskyy squandering the gifts he was given and trying to shame us for more.rRejected the only card he had left which was to give up the minerals. Sacrificing his people at impossible odds. Time for some responsible thinking.
Eva M. Smorzaniuk MD says
Mr. Trump and Mr. Vance are revealing their true natures as thugs and extortionists. The daily hand grenade thrown into the room promotes the deliberate chaos and disorder that is spreading through our government and that will soon spill over into our day to day lives. Now it is just embarrassing to be a US citizen – eventually it will become dangerous.
Kathy Carroll says
I’ve written our congressman that he needs to stand up to protect the legislative branch’s power, but haven’t received a response to that comment.
Dianna Harris says
Greetings Mr. Skis,
Dianna Petrutsas is my maiden name, I’m sure you worked with my father George. Thank you for the beautiful flashback.
David says
Chaos is what’s left after maga takes a sledge hammer to the existing government agencies. I think we’re going to have to watch over this $%#@show until Trump is a just a bump on the road of history, and by mid 2028 who’s to know if all the kings horses and all the kings men could put humpty dumtee together again.
David Potashnick says
Chaos is what’s left after maga takes a sledge hammer to the existing government agencies. I think we’re going to have to watch over this $%#@show until Trump is a just a bump on the road of history, and by mid 2028 who’s to know if all the kings horses and all the kings men could put humpty dumtee together again.
Gayle Brinly says
Great article, Al, as always!