President Elect Joe Biden has released the names of the members of his transition team for the Social Security Administration:
| Name | Most Recent Employment | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Carolyn Colvin, Team Lead | Self-employed | ||
| Scott Frey | American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees | ||
| David Holmes | Rebellion Defense | ||
| Jack Smalligan | Urban Institute | |
Colvin is, of course the former Acting Commissioner of Social Security. I could have predicted her as the Team Lead a year ago. I could also have predicted a union official on the team a year ago. Holmes is an Engineering Manager who has worked on projects at Social Security. Smalligan has promoted a "Work Disability–Functional Assessment Battery (WD-FAB)" which "uses item
response theory and computer adaptive testing to quickly interview
people and systematically map physical and mental health functioning."
It's not impossible for one of these people to end up with a job at Social Security but that's not the purpose of a transition team. I'd guess a job at Social Security for a member of this team is unlikely, but who knows, maybe Colvin would be interested.
6 comments:
Scott Frey used to be the DC of OLCA, Jack Smulligan was at OMB and his group handled SSA. He's very aware of SSA and it's budget. Colvin is a Dem era Acting Commissioner, but she's in her 70s and is frankly not the most physically vigorous person around. I suspect she's not interested in a job on a full time basis. BUt this group has enough background to land in the agency and assess stuff. Looks like Heritage Foundation member and GOP political appointee Michael Korbey in OCOMM should be leaving soon.
What will be interesting is the COSS job. Saul is Senate confirmed so can stay. But the WH will likely clamp down a ton with political oversight, which they can do. Black, who led the transition team for Trump, has served under multiple Presidents in various capacities, but whether he's seen as a good guy by Biden remains to be seen. I suspect he'll leave, voluntary or otherwise, and someone considered loyal to Biden will get the job and keep an eye on Saul. A lot of senior leadership for the Biden administration depends on the McConnell Senate.
Saul can be fired for cause. I am sure Biden could find grounds to dismiss him. Also, I think there is a good chance he resigns, considering his age and wealth. I am pretty sure he only took the job as a favor to Trump and he may have no interest keeping it under a Dem POTUS.
SSA Commissioner may be removed from office only pursuant to a finding by the President of neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Andrew Saul probably is here for his six year term unless he resigns,
However Saul's days of issuing reckless, right wing, authoritarian, union busting edicts are probably over. No more closing union offices, ending telework, or forcing FO to stay open to the public every day of the week. There will be heavy political oversight under Biden's Presidency.
The Union knows that Saul must be restrained, , and AFGE has many friends in the incoming Administration.
what about all those places where management has free reign to implement any and every onerous policy they can think of towards employees including adjudicators? that means shining a light directly at OHO and OAO execs, because things being put into place and carried out right now need to be checked. hopefully with Colvin’s background the worst of changes will be dug out and stopped. she’ll need to look in all the hidden cracks and look beyond the pretty packaging that some of the worst of things are wrapped in.
also the word on the street is that morale at the AC has cratered and is in shambles given what's happening. an active union presence at my end of things has many benefits, so the cynic in me says it's the AC and who cares, but crap has a tendency to roll downhill if its not caught in time.
CC could care less about BHAOHAODAROHO. She is an operations person born and bred. Not to say she isn't a good person, she most definitely is, but she does not really care about the hearing side of things but she does care about the claimants. I don't think she will be the new Comish, but she will have a hand in the selection, maybe two hands. And that person will most likely not care about the hearing side of things either. However AFGE does have some very astute people high up on the hearing side and they will look out for us. Hopefully CC's old advice not to forget our humanity towards employees and the claimants will come back in vogue. Let's hope so because it has been a horrible four years for almost everyone involved whether inside, outside, rank and file or most managers. Those Marque De Sade managers should remember what goes around comes around.
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