Catch of the Day

To Christian Beckner at Foreign Policy who notes that, with Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano announcing that she's leaving, that there are now -- ready? -- 15 key slots at that department that will be vacant.

Let's see...I think I'll do this one bullet point style.

* It's fairly likely that there are other similar cases at other departments and agencies. Hey, reporters! There are stories out there about this stuff.

* Some of this really is a filibuster story. Some of it is about the impossible vetting standards that have built up over time. Senate reform is only a part of the solution, here.

* And some of it is almost certainly Barack Obama's fault. Indifference to governing? Failure to understand the importance of personnel? Don't know. I do know that every failure to appoint someone to fill a vacancy is a wasted opportunity.

* Yes, it's still the case that nominations, both judicial and executive branch, are Obama's biggest unforced errors of his presidency.

* Democrats haven't receive nearly the bashing they deserve over the creation of the Department of Homeland Security. Terrible idea to begin with, and as far as I can see it's had even worse consequences than I expected. 

* And that's not to mention the awful name. 

* Nevertheless, there's nothing to be done about the department as a whole at this point. It would just create more pointless set-up costs.

* Did I mention the awful name yet? 

I think that'll do it for now. Also: nice catch!