Joe Biden to preside over “RAT board”

By Michelle Malkin  •  March 12, 2009 01:28 PM

There’s a term for names that aptly suit their owners: Aptronyms. Here’s a fresh new example. The board that will oversee Wreckovery.org, to be headed by Bozo the VP Joe Biden, will go by the aptronym “RAT Board.”

Yes, RAT Board. (I bet some of you will have FUN designing that logo!)

Via the INPUT blog, looks like the RAT Board will be stimulating a lot of new bureaucrat jobs:

Since its formation in February 2009, the shape of the Recovery Accountability and Transparency (RAT) Board has been steadily coming into focus. This week, INPUT received new information on how the RAT Board will be funded and administered. This information provides industry with early insight into both the administration of the RAT Board and the possibility that business opportunities surrounding staffing and Information Technology (IT) support may be available in the coming weeks and months.

* Earl E. Devaney, former Inspector General of the Department of the Interior and Chairman of the RAT Board, has been given responsibility for creating the Board’s administrative structure. Devaney has asked five staffers at the DOI OIG to follow him to the White House in order to provide senior administrative staff. It remains to be seen if additional administrative staff will accompany the other ten inspectors general who have been named to the RAT Board.

* Government sources tell INPUT that the RAT Board is in the throes of becoming a new Federal agency under the overall direction of Vice President Joe Biden, coordinator of economic stimulus efforts across the federal government.

* According INPUT’s analysis of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (see Initiative 296301 of the INPUT Economic Stimulus Suite), the RAT Board will receive $84 million in operational funding through September 30, 2011.

* Government sources also state that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is currently in the process of finding office space for RAT Board administrators. Preliminary indications are that the office will be located near the White House.

* INPUT has also learned that the first stage of RAT Board operations will be to hire or select Information Technology (IT) staff to significantly boost the content and scale of the Recovery.gov website. New websites related to stimulus spending may also be created.

Staffing Support. As the RAT Board settles in and grows, INPUT believes that business opportunities may become available for human resources and/or staffing support companies to supplement the skeletal administrative staff. Staffing and HR support companies are therefore advised to keep a look out for opportunities in this area.

Background here and here.

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Comments


  1. #1
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:31 pm, b-cat said:

    The board that will oversee Wreckovery.org, to be headed by Bozo the VP Joe Biden, will go by the aptronym “RAT Board.”

    Truth in advertising.

    Anyone remember the movie “King Rat”?

  2. #2
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:37 pm, Craig said:

    Preliminary indications are that the office will be located near the White House.

    As b-cat introduced, right next to King Rat.

  3. #3
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:37 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    I prefer the original Rat Pack.

  4. #4
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:42 pm, b-cat said:

    For anyone unfamiliar, the movie “King Rat” was set in a Japanese POW camp. The title character made a decent life for himself by collaborating with the enemy, and trading and cheating fellow prisoners.

    At the end of the film, he is undone by the liberating American Colonel, who asks how he looks so well dressed and fit after being imprisoned so long, compared to all the other poor guys.

    Seems somehow apropos.

  5. #5
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:42 pm, Anita said:
  6. #6
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:46 pm, cheapseat said:

    pretty soon we will all have our own private gubmint worker, so if we have any problems, we can each call our gubmint worker and he/she will handle that matter. kind of like the dept of agriculture, which outnumbers the number of farmers in the country. i am hoping my gubmint worker was educated in a parochial/private school so they can understand t syllable words.

  7. #7
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:50 pm, nbarry said:

    Does this have anything to do with Bernie Madoff?

  8. #8
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:51 pm, Socky said:

    pretty soon we will all have our own private gubmint worker, so if we have any problems, we can each call our gubmint worker and he/she will handle that matter.

    Unless she is on her break, or on leave, or taking diversity training, or on one her 14 paid holidays, or on vacation, or if she doesn’t feel like it.

  9. #9
    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:59 pm, nbarry said:

    Besides the RAT Board, Washington also has a TARP Congressional Oversight Panel. (COP). This means that the COPs will be chasing the RATs, or vice versa. Where’s Jimmy Cagney when we need him?

  10. #10
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:01 pm, Fritz said:

    RAT Board? Henry Waxman should be the face of the RAT Board. Biden would be more like “Idiot Board.”

  11. #11
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:03 pm, letget said:

    Oh goody, more government employees we support. I hate to tell dear joe, but with bho cratering our Republic with taxes on businesses, we don’t need no stinken RAT board! I think ‘slug sime’ board is a better name.
    L

  12. #12
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:06 pm, iamsaved said:

    Nostrildamus would make a good poster picture for the Wreckovery RAT Board Logo.

    It would make the statement that a lot of pork will be going down the RAThole in the coming months and years.

  13. #13
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:08 pm, ElCee said:

    Unless she is on her break, or on leave, or taking diversity training, or on one her 14 paid holidays, or on vacation, or if she doesn’t feel like it.

    Or maternity (oops! I meant FLMA) leave, or down in the child care center having lunch with her child, or going to Hawaii for job training, or on TDY, or at a press opportunity with Michelle…

  14. #14
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:12 pm, Laree said:

    They attack Jim Cramer of CNBC because he states the obvious. Jim Cramer no MSM learning curve for you.

    Check out this discussion on “Can’t I just finish my Waffle”

    Great wealth destruction. I love what rich selfish people come up with to justify being rich and selfish.

    BadFish said this on March 12, 2009 at 12:17 pm | Reply
    #

    Selfish?

    The distribution for 2006 trading profits is $93,000, with the entire sum going to the Imus Ranch, a working cattle ranch, which benefits children who suffer from cancer and serious blood disorders or who have lost a sibling to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

    “Helping sick children is important to me,” said Jim Cramer, last week in a letter to Action Alerts Plus subscribers. “I’ve been Wall Street chairman of the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital for about a decade — and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to give more. I’m proud of the Action Alerts PLUS service and proud of what we’re able to accomplish through it.”

    Mr. Cramer gave away $141,520 in trading profits in 2005 from the Action Alerts Plus service. The total was distributed to the Imus Ranch, the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, which gives aid to members of the country’s armed forces, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Baton Rouge to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.

  15. #15
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:13 pm, Flyoverman said:

    Captain Ron Takes the helm.

  16. #16
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:22 pm, swede said:

    Is it just me? Seems after the super spectacular Recovery.gov rollout, Joe “gaffman” Biden has been conspicuously absent from public events/appearances. And check the site, he’s nowhere to be found.

    Joe B: “What’s the number of that site again?”

    Barry O: Put a sock in it Joe.

    Joe B: Mmmmfff

  17. #17
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:38 pm, d1carter said:

    Well, old Joe is very “clean and articulate”, but “man” this would be funny if it wasn’t going to break the American tax payer…

  18. #18
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:42 pm, MarcoPolo said:

    No word on how the plans for deserting sinking ships are progressing?

  19. #19
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:53 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    I would also like to nominate Michael Steele to the RAT board. Here is the latest argument.

    This guy just can’t help but pander to whatever audience he is addressing. I can’t wait to hear what he says when he addresses LAMBLA. Should be good.

    Yeah, Mikey. Everybody loves you. Now go away.

  20. #20
    On March 12th, 2009 at 2:56 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    We need a Jimmy Cagney voice-over going “You dirty rat!”

  21. #21
    On March 12th, 2009 at 3:07 pm, swede said:

    Yeah, Mikey. Everybody loves you. Now go away.

    PPhil
    Not so many loving him anymore. Needs to shut up and get to work, or what you said.

  22. #22
    On March 12th, 2009 at 3:24 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    Swede: Steel IS doing his job.

    From what I am seeing and hearing, the RINOs are laying the groundwork to get Tim Pawlenty nominated in 2012. The Dem pundits love Pawlenty, just like they loved Rudy and McCain in 2008.

    That is the moderate route the RINOs are committed to and what is defining Steele’s job. He is trying to be friends with everybody except conservatives, just like McCain.

  23. #23
    On March 12th, 2009 at 3:46 pm, swede said:

    PPhil

    Yeah I’m with ya. But Miky is digging himself deeper every time he opens his pie hole, making himself irrelevant, and Pawlenty doesn’t really even show on the radar.

    I’m thinking the sharp left turn is going to generate a backlash and give conservatives more traction. Fond memories of Jimmy Peanut’s crash and burn.

  24. #24
    On March 12th, 2009 at 3:52 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    swede: that’s what we’re all praying for. The GOP has become the LA Clippers of politics. Despite one awful season after another, they won’t change. The key is for fans to stop buying tickets.

  25. #25
    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:20 pm, tre said:

    (John Wayne voice)

    Mr. Rat, I have a writ here that says you are to stop wrecking the economy forthwith! It’s a rat writ writ for a rat, and this is lawful service of same!

  26. #26
    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:25 pm, WarTip said:

    Well, don’t you know that we need more government rats to hand out consume all the government cheese?

    We are just expected to pay for it, not concern ourselves with where it goes.

  27. #27
    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:44 pm, jwm said:

    Pretty much every day I see comments about “lazy and worthless” government workers are and finally, I had to respond. Police, Fire Fighters and other law enforcement types (like myself) work for the government. Do you think we are all lazy? Are all government programs wasteful and useless? What about the GI Bill (which I used to go to college) or Social Security? Should those be eliiminated? When you are smearing people and agencies, some of you need to use a smaller brush.

  28. #28
    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:54 pm, Pasadena Phil said:

    jwm: Yeah! And leave us French people alone too!

  29. #29
    On March 12th, 2009 at 5:05 pm, WarTip said:

    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:44 pm, jwm said:

    Pretty much every day I see comments about “lazy and worthless” government workers are and finally, I had to respond. Police, Fire Fighters and other law enforcement types

    There is a major difference between government “workers” and people who actually work as public servants … whose service is actually appreciated by those with Conservative values even if not by those who would gladly just “watch it burn”.

  30. #30
    On March 12th, 2009 at 5:05 pm, right_on said:

    Office space for RAT Board administrators. Preliminary indications are that the office will be located near the White House

    .

    The old adage, “Birds of a feather, flock together” is appropriate here. Is there one for Rats nesting together?

    RAT Board is a great name for this soon to be group of bureaucratic vermin. Like their namesake, they’ll breed (expand) like rabbits, consume large quantities of produce (our hard earned money), hide from the light of day (NO OVERSIGHT), and leave nothing but tangled messes (red tape), and droppings (legal decisions and regulations that help no one but themselves and their friends.)

    RAT Board, indeed! Play close attention to this group. If memory serves, I recall that when Democrats say one thing, the opposite is almost always true. Recovery? (Collapse) Accountability? (No accountability) Transparency (Lack of transparency)

    Failure is then followed by the most arrogant, insulting excuse for this foreseen debacle…”The system failed us.”

  31. #31
    On March 12th, 2009 at 7:09 pm, scituate_tgr said:
    On March 12th, 2009 at 4:44 pm, jwm said:
    Pretty much every day I see comments about “lazy and worthless” government workers are and finally, I had to respond. Police, Fire Fighters and other law enforcement types

    There is a major difference between government “workers” and people who actually work as public servants … whose service is actually appreciated by those with Conservative values even if not by those who would gladly just “watch it burn”.

    JWM: A smaller brush indeed but I have never brought to mind police, fire fighter or other law enforcement people when “government worker” is used to describe the lazy and worthless.

    And – thank you for your service / t

  32. #32
    On March 12th, 2009 at 7:10 pm, scituate_tgr said:

    Does that make me racist or realist?

  33. #33
    On March 12th, 2009 at 7:17 pm, Mercy4Me said:

    Anyone notice that women’s forum government agency B.Hussein had????

    NOT 1 CONSERVATIVE WOMEN OR IDENPENDENT.

    SO ANOTHER GOV. AGENCY ONLY FOR SOME WOMEN!

  34. #34
    On March 12th, 2009 at 7:25 pm, Laree said:

    Dick Gregory, 76, world famous activist, author, lecturer and comedian, appeared on the radio and television shows of Don Imus … this morning and made an historic announcement in connection with what he called “the inexcusable crisis of humanity in connection with the tragic state of the this country’s economy as a result of the past eight years of greed, arrogance and fear-mongering,” Gregory said.

    Yep he won’t eat till it’s fixed.

    http://imustimes.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/imus-dick-gregory-to-fast/

  35. #35
    On March 12th, 2009 at 9:07 pm, PKAmmoTroop said:

    Terry Pratchett couldn’t write stuff like this!

  36. #36
    On March 12th, 2009 at 9:24 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Dick Gregory, 76, world famous activist, the RAT Board and Henry Waxman in the first 35 posts. Lump the three of them under King Weasel and import a Cobra.

    I find Cobras liberating.

    Keep the change-I’ll keep my guns

  37. #37
    On March 13th, 2009 at 5:32 am, graysonret said:

    Can a vice-president head up a federal agency? I thought being president of the senate was his only allowed job. Of course, these days, it’s “anything goes”.

  38. #38
    On March 13th, 2009 at 9:16 am, Kevin K. said:

    RAT Board. I can just see them now, going from agency to agency, town to town, in their WWII era Jeeps. The cans on the back will have money and legal writs instead of ammo and fuel. Instead of the machine guns, red ink spraying guns.

  39. #39
    On March 13th, 2009 at 9:29 am, Kevin K. said:

    On March 12th, 2009 at 1:42 pm, Anita said: (#5)

    Michelle, FYI -> Ace is reporting:

    Obama decided to appoint Tony Ward, John “American Taliban” Lindh’s zealous lawyer, to the Justice Department’s Civil Rights division..

    I confess being of two minds on this. In our legal system, for serious crimes everyone should have a lawyer. And the trial lawyers should do as well as they can. So we shouldn’t condemn out of hand the lawyers who defend scum and unpopular people–after all, pro-independence John Adams defended the British soldiers of the Boston Massacre because he felt they ought to be defended. Still, the lawyers shouldn’t take public pleasure in it, or actively support the illegal causes of their clients once the clients are put away.

  40. #40
    On March 19th, 2009 at 1:21 pm, jt3151 said:

    pretty soon we will all have our own private gubmint worker, so if we have any problems, we can each call our gubmint worker and he/she will handle that matter. kind of like the dept of agriculture, which outnumbers the number of farmers in the country. i am hoping my gubmint worker was educated in a parochial/private school so they can understand t syllable words.

    That’s absurd- we won’t have one; only the majority 80% victim class will have one- we will be working top pay for it

  41. #41
    On March 19th, 2009 at 1:22 pm, jt3151 said:

    ..to pay for it….

  42. #42
    On March 19th, 2009 at 8:16 pm, Marie said:

    Biden is just a pus filled pimple on the big carbuncle called democrat

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