Lessons Learned
It was reported this week that the US Taxpayers are funding the salary of a "Director of Lessons Learned" at the White House. It's a silly sounding title, but I don't think it's necessarily a bad idea for thsi President--who seems to have trouble acknowledging mistakes--to have someone on staff to help manage such a task. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chairman Rahm Emanuel has some other questions to ponder (via Salon):
"Why are we paying over $100,000 for a 'White House Director of Lessons Learned'? Maybe I can save the taxpayers $100,000 by running through a few of the lessons this White House should have learned by now.
"Lesson 1: When the Army Chief of Staff and the Secretary of State say you are going to war without enough troops, you're going to war without enough troops.
"Lesson 2: When $8.8 billion of reconstruction funding disappears from Iraq, and $2 billion disappears from Katrina relief, it's time to demand a little accountability.
"Lesson 3: When you've 'turned the corner' in Iraq more times than Danica Patrick at the Indy 500, it means you are going in circles.
"Lesson 4: When the national weather service tells you a Category 5 hurricane is heading for New Orleans, a Category 5 hurricane is heading to New Orleans.
"I would also ask the president why we're paying for two 'Ethics Advisors' and a 'Director of Fact Checking.' They must be the only people in Washington who get more vacation time than the president. Maybe the White House could consolidate these positions into a Director of Irony."
