CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Wumpus — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 10:38:10 -0000

fedup dem, it was a joke on Gov's vet issues. hahaha.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Ralph Kruegler — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:14:08 -0000

I do not know if she will do fine or not like Patrick says but time will tell.

She has a great personal story.

BUT the state's track record in dealing with Veterans issues (besides Pat Quinn) is TERRIBLE.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Highway Engineer — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:22:35 -0000

First Tim Martin and now Roy Dolgos.

gulp Highways lose again

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Bridget Dooley — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 23:22:13 -0000

While I understand Grand ol' Partisan's concerns about her qualifications, I'm sure that Tammy will do a fine job in this post. Having met with her on several occasions, I am pretty well convinced that she has what it takes.

The real test will be what she chooses to do when it comes time to go against the Governor or do something that may jeopardize her favor with Democratic leadership in the future. That is the trouble with appointing partisan people to positions like this in order to continue grooming them for higher office. Every decision must be based upon maintaining, creating, and fostering political favor amongst those that pull the strings in the party.

Tammy could go one of two ways...go along with what the party leadership tells her to do or adopt her own independent spirit and deal with things as she sees fit. Sadly, I fear that if she adopts the latter, she won't stay in favor with party leadership for long. But I don't see her going with the program to the detriment of veterans.

However, her comment that she didn't know anthing about the vet hiring issue concerns me. The "I don't know about that" and "I would have to find out more about that" or "I'd have to look very closely at that" lines were favorite nonanswers of hers during her campaign when it wouldn't be politically sound of her to actually answer the damn question. This business managed to cast a HUGE net over the variety of people it ticked off. Bleeding hearts like me, independents, AND ultra-right wingers were left scratcing their heads at the transparency of this crap.

I agree completely that she should align herself squarely with Pat Quinn, someone who isn't afraid to jab Blago every now and then when he deserves it. Also, knowing both of them, I think that Tammy could find a real friend and political ally in State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia of Aurora, a fellow veteran dedicated to advancing vets issues.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Long Time Reader; First Time P — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 22:10:28 -0000

Cassandra at 2:41 -- The election is over now, you don't need to lie in order to make Blago look good. The waiting list for the Veteran's Homes is nearly twice as long as the beds that are now filled.

It's amazing how Blago accused Topinka of being anti-veteran. This from a man who has broken state hiring laws designed to help veterans, and refused to fund the veterans nursing homes to fill what are now empty beds.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Concerned Voter — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 20:20:05 -0000

"Silas - Monday, Nov 27, 06 @ 11:53 am: Tammy will need to let her new dept know that there is a new sheriff in town. she will need to clean house internally to ensure that her ideas and initiatives are completed. people in that dept have been there for years and may be burnt out. She will need fresh blood and eager minds."

She will need to be careful "cleaning house". She will have to follow whatever rules are in place for hiring and firing, wouldn't want to do anything illegal now would we.

Also, if she gets rid of too many folks, does this signify that the almighty Rod, or his appointees, had too many of the wrong people in there in the first place.

He can't have it both ways, yes some of those folks were possibly there before he took office, but it would look kind of odd that it would a director during his second term to weed out those folks, if that's the case.

Finally, I wish her good luck in this new job.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

steve schnorf — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 20:08:21 -0000

And by the way, most agencies get saddled with hacks: it's what the Director does with them that matters.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

steve schnorf — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 20:07:08 -0000

Why don't we give her a day or two on the job before we crucify her? I believe leadership is different from management, and if she is a leader, she can be very successful in a Cabinet position at an agency such as Veteran's Affairs. She will have to speak up for herself, but she seems to have very good credentials for courage.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Anonymous again — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:44:40 -0000

R's you lost get over it she will do fine. The talk at the IDOT water cooler today is that Dolgos will be eventually sent to Traffic Safety to replace an inept dir who is on his way out bye bye dir

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Justice — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:35:17 -0000

You can bet Tammy Duckworth will give it her all. Hopefully the gov will let her do her job and not saddle her with a bunch of hacks. She certainly has this Marine's support!!

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

markg8 — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:42:59 -0000

From the Tribune 11-21 article:

"Duckworth was manager of district administration for Rotary International's Asia-Pacific region. She also helped coordinate research grants and funding at the Center for Nursing Research at Northern Illinois University, and was a logistics officer with the National Guard in Peoria."

Assisting government healthcare agencies in countries like Afghanistan and Indonesia is what she did at Rotary Int'l. It was also the basis for her thesis. She is eminently qualified to run this agency.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Bill — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 16:19:29 -0000

This is a great pick by the people's choice, Governor Rod Blagojevich. The governor is hard at work keeping his main campaign promise, to get things done for people, in this case, veterans. Major Duckworth will perform her duties with honor, integrity, enthusiam, and competence. The best administration in the history of Illinois just got better.
Congratulations, Tammy.
Keep up the great work, Rod!

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Pat Hickey — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:50:03 -0000

The Major will do fine.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

WARDOG — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:46:57 -0000

I thank Ms Duckworth for service to her country and wish her all the luck in the world on her appointment. I hope she can do the job with success. She indeed has her hands full, although I'm not sure how good a move it is. Just remember Ms Duckworth, a medal of honor recipient has been on staff in Veterans affairs previously and this present administration got rid of him. The position is just that, an appointed position and you at will. God Bless America and the State Of Illinois.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Silas — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:44:57 -0000

reflector...

your dead wrong on that issue. the waiting lists have been long way before blago's administration. the fact is that there are not enough nurses to meet the demand. nurses opt to go into the private sector b/c there is more money to be made there. the state can not compete with the private sector. the reason why the lists exist at the veterans homes is due to the inability to meet the federal requirement of 2.5 hours of care for each veteran. so to fill up the empty beds without adequate staffing will be a big no-no.

Dir. Dolgos did a great job with what he had. Kudos to him for his strong dedication and passion to help out his fellow brothers in arms.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Cassandra — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:41:54 -0000

Why would any veteran want to be in a nursing home if he/she didn't have to be. Maybe the vacancies are due to the fact that somebody--the Va? the state?--is doing something right and helping vets (and others) receive equivalent care at home. That would be a win win for both the vets and the taxpayers.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Truthful James — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:15:33 -0000

In the Army as a Major, she could be sure that her orders were carried out. In the Blago regime, she will need a good Top Sergeant to get her politically apointed people up to speed

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

grand old partisan — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:12:23 -0000

Leroy makes a very good point, as I outlined over at Illinoize:

http://capitalfax.blogspot....

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

fedup dem — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 15:08:31 -0000

Wumpus, although I loath Gov. Sleazy, I have to correct your factual error regarding naming veterans to positions. Roy Dolgos, the outgoing Illinois VA Department Director, is a Vietnam veteran (and is an active member of the Vietnam Veterans of America). In addition, Blagojevich named Col. Jill Morganthaler his Deputy Chief of Staff for Public Safety (the state's Homeland Security post) a year ago.

Bash Blagojevich as much as you want; he deserves it. But please make sure your facts are on target, so that this slimy and sorry excuse of a governor can't slip away once again.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Establishment Republican — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:48:49 -0000

I think it is a good appointment, although she certainly runs the risk of being labeled "Rod Blagojevich's Cabinet member" now.

Doesn't this new job though effectively end any possibility of a 2008 rematch attempt vs. Roskam, and doesn't that in effect remove the only candidate who could conceivably defeat Roskam that year?

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Tony — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:36:45 -0000

This is a good move for her...for when Rod is in court entering his plea, she'll be in Washington DC serving President Barack Obama.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

reflector — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 14:16:12 -0000

I don't think any veteran waits years for medical care if they qualify,I sure didn't have to wait.I got excelent care and timely.How come the hundreds of empty beds in our Illinois veterans nursing homes seems to be off the screen.Four years ago we had 26 empties and now there evidently is 200 hundred.This something that can be done now.Every nursing home in the state is seaking new resident except for our veterans homes.If private nursing homes can get nurses the state must be deliberatly not hiring.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Wumpus — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 13:43:21 -0000

This also marks the first veteran hired by the Blago administration. Good luck to her.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Silas — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:53:33 -0000

Tammy will need to let her new dept know that there is a new sheriff in town. she will need to clean house internally to ensure that her ideas and initiatives are completed. people in that dept have been there for years and may be burnt out. She will need fresh blood and eager minds.

Re: Rewards great, risks high for Duckworth

Loop Lady — Mon, 27 Nov 2006 12:47:49 -0000

A tough,smart lady and a good political move by Blago (for once). I do not see her as a sacrificial lamb or Fitz bait seeing that her appointment came so late in the Guv's tenure...
She should work closely with the Lt Guv. who actually gives a damn about Vet issues...