Secretary of State

[Florence]

I have noticed that our recent Secretaries of State are perpetually flying from one place to another. Has this always been the case? I honestly don't know. Also, do you think it does any good?

[iris lilies]

I have noticed that our recent Secretaries of State are perpetually flying from one place to another. Has this always been the case? I honestly don't know. Also, do you think it does any good?

I would say, that's their job. It's better than staying around here, campaigning for President.

[Alan]

Earlier this year, a reporter asked State Department Spokesperson Jan Psaki if the State Department could point to one notable accomplishment during our last Secretary of State's tenure, the one who logged more air miles than any other Secretary of State. Apparently, they couldn't come up with one. http://capitolcityproject.com/state-department-cant-name-one-accomplishment-clinton-run-initiative/

Off the top of my head, I can't think of any from the current SecState either.


I would say, that's their job. It's better than staying around here, campaigning for President.

Unless it's used as some sort of paid internship prior to seeking higher office.

[Florence]

So this nonstop travel is not historically the usual mode. I didn't think so but I just wasn't sure. I had to Google to find out who was SecState under GWB-->Condi Rice and Colin Powell (how quickly I forget) and I do remember some travel for them but it didn't seem to be so non-stop. Of course, HRC and JK want to be President so maybe the non-stop travel is just to keep in the public eye. Running from here to there all the time seems to me to lessen their effect, kind of like calling wolf all the time. Anyway, I was just wondering about it.

[peggy]

Humm...that's kinda their job isn't it? Diplomacy and talking/dealing with other countries and what not. of course lots of travel wasn't the norm in 'the founding fathers' day so maybe it's just democratic Sec. of State you have a problem with. ;)

How about this..as travel becomes easier and more doable, those whose JOB it is to stay in contact/negotiate/deal with friends AND enemies travel more cause, face to face is better than a phone call...or telegraph...or smoke signal...or riding a horse 3 weeks just to go one state over. I'll bet they use computers more than past Sec. of States did too. But then you know what Lincoln said about that:

"You can't believe everything you read on the internet." Abraham Lincoln

;)

[JaneV2.0]

According to an article in USA Today, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice are about even. Rice logged more total miles, Clinton visited more countries. I'm not sure why this is a point of contention, unless the point is that it would be more environmentally sound to use Go To Meeting software or something.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/06/clinton-rice-vie-for-most-traveled-secretary-of-state/1#.U81mOLH-Kdw

[catherine]

According to an article in USA Today, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice are about even. Rice logged more total miles, Clinton visited more countries. I'm not sure why this is a point of contention, unless the point is that it would be more environmentally sound to use Go To Meeting software or something.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2012/06/clinton-rice-vie-for-most-traveled-secretary-of-state/1#.U81mOLH-Kdw


haha, that's great, Jane! You are so funny. Anybody send Netanyahu the call-in password?

[Alan]

According to an article in USA Today, Hillary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice are about even. Rice logged more total miles, Clinton visited more countries. I'm not sure why this is a point of contention...I stand corrected. Rather than saying "logged more air miles", I should have said "logged more trips".

But I, and the State Department, continue to search for one notable accomplishment (discounting that whole Russian "Re-Set" thing since it turns out that "Re-Set" wasn't exactly a good thing). ;)

[catherine]

How about this..as travel becomes easier and more doable, those whose JOB it is to stay in contact/negotiate/deal with friends AND enemies travel more cause, face to face is better than a phone call...or telegraph...or smoke signal...or riding a horse 3 weeks just to go one state over. I'll bet they use computers more than past Sec. of States did too. But then you know what Lincoln said about that:

"You can't believe everything you read on the internet." Abraham Lincoln

;)

Hey, if their budget is making them cut back on travel, if they have a meeting to broker a peace deal, I have some frequent flier miles I can donate.

I am not going to begrudge a Secretary of State the tools to do their job any more than I'd begrudge a carpenter a hammer and saw.

[ApatheticNoMore]

I'm not sure why this is a point of contention, unless the point is that it would be more environmentally sound to use Go To Meeting software or something.

yea I had that thought, the carbon impact of the travel. But even if most Americans could give up flying, for Sec of State it does seem necessary.

[bUU]

That is indeed the Secretary of State's job. We haven't had a time during my lifetime when American interests were not in some way in danger overseas, so there has never been a legitimate reason for the Secretary of State to spend much time in the United States.

The job of the Secretary of State has gotten incredibly more difficult, mostly since the nations that the American interests previously would casually exploit with impunity have made clear that they'll take American lives if the United States engages in such transgressive behavior now. The proliferation of insurgency tactics, first used to great effect by the Viet Cong, has undercut the value of the rabid bullying the United States has typically used to subjugate other nations to its will. (Incidentally, this accounts for a good portion of the dampening of upside potential for the American economy, which in turn accounts for some of the efforts we have seen in recent decades to secure the stream of excessive economic upside enjoyed by some in our society through what can be seen as something analogous to bullying tactics within the American economy itself. It makes sense that excessive prosperity, which was once secured through bullying tactics which become less effective, would be sought using similar tactics applied where insurgency is less viable as a counter-measure.) Some American Presidents choose to ignore how the bullying tactics they employ foster later insurgency reprisals, and others don't, which accounts for some variability with regard to the difficulty of the Secretary of State's work. Clearly, American interests are in somewhat less danger just after some bullying action followed by far greater danger after the immediate intimidation effect wears off, greatly increasing the difficultly of the job.

A tangential thought about the concerns about carbon footprint of a single person flying around the world on diplomatic missions: News I read this week posits that the pollution associated with being a meat eater is greater than that of being an airline passenger. I'm not sure if that would be true of someone who flies as much as the Secretary of State should, but by the same token, I believe Biden has cut down his consumption of beef.

[Gregg]

I agree with the notion that Sec of State is a grooming regimen for those with higher aspirations (or probably more accurately for those for whom the puppet masters have higher aspirations). Its a natural fit in that no other office has more opportunity to meet and greet so many heads of state or to keep their names rolling off the tongues of the mass media talking heads. The travel thing is just...meh. I am no fan of JK, but that has everything to do with the fact that I perceive him as completely ineffectual and nothing to do with his carbon footprint.

[Packy]

I haven't noticed anything unusual with respect to that, but you are probably correct.

[iris lilies]

I keep thinking of the National Review's characterization of Hilary's last bit as Sec of State. I love National Review's "The Week" column for it's tone, the turn of phrase, the pointed observations. Anyway, NR said about Hil's stint:

She was predictably dishonest, but surprisingly incompetent.

I think that's hilarious.

[Yossarian]

I agree with the notion that Sec of State is a grooming regimen for those with higher aspirations (or probably more accurately for those for whom the puppet masters have higher aspirations). Its a natural fit in that no other office has more opportunity to meet and greet so many heads of state or to keep their names rolling off the tongues of the mass media talking heads.

Who was the last guy that worked out for, James Buchanan?

[Florence]

I keep thinking of the National Review's characterization of Hilary's last bit as Sec of State. I love National Review's "The Week" column for it's tone, the turn of phrase, the pointed observations. Anyway, NR said about Hil's stint:

She was predictably dishonest, but surprisingly incompetent.

I think that's hilarious.

What do they have to say about John Kerry?

[iris lilies]

What do they have to say about John Kerry?

I don't know, he hasn't had his Bengazhi moment. I'll keep an eye out for commentary on him and will let you know.

[Gregg]

Who was the last guy that worked out for, James Buchanan?

Big difference between higher aspirations and winning an election. Enough of a difference to make me believe that our system isn't completely corrupt, but that's another thread...