As the Washington Post
points out today, it's been more than six months since the
Obama administration took over the White House. And Obama staffers
are apparently already on the brink of exhaustion.
"This is a place, because of the stress, the schedule and the sheer hours," declares White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, "that just chews people up and spits them out. I felt like a heavyweight boxer lying on the mat."
And if that isn't bad enough, Gene Sperling, a counselor to Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, blames the government for ruining his weekends too! "What was striking about the 24/7 was the 7," Sperling told the Post. "Between every financial crisis response, autos, recovery—weekends could be a nonstop conference call."
But it's the end of the article that's really revealing:
One study conducted for the British Parliament found that "mental fatigue affects cognitive performance, leading to errors of judgement, microsleeps (lasting for seconds or minutes), mood swings and poor motivation." The effect, it found, is equal to a blood alcohol level of .10 percent—above the legal limit to drive in the United States.
So does this
mean Obama and his staffers are micro-managing the U.S. economy
while figuratively and literally intoxicated? It definitely gives
new meaning to the expression drunk with power. The
Post continues:
Obama is now testing the limits of his staffers' endurance. So far, there is a palpable sense of pride in the West Wing that treaties are negotiated, complex legislation is crafted and banks are bailed out—all on very little sleep.
I, for one, would be willing to grant White House staffers a few more hours of sleep in exchange for a few less bailouts and pieces of "complex legislation."
Whole article here.
I daresay Obama and his appointees were drunk with power from
day one. But it's an interesting question--how much does Beltway
Fatigue Syndrome play into what we see come out of DC?
One of the real problems is the idea that the federal government
(1) has the power to do something about everything and (2) the
federal government should do something about everything.
One study conducted for the British Parliament found that
"mental fatigue affects cognitive performance, leading to errors of
judgement, microsleeps (lasting for seconds or minutes), mood
swings and poor motivation." The effect, it found, is equal to a
blood alcohol level of .10 percent-above the legal limit to drive
in the United States.
Threaten to withhold Federal Highway funds to any state that
doesn't immediately raise the intoxication standard to .12
percent.
Problem solved!
When the constitution was ratified, you had to be 35 to be
POTUS, and at age 13 you were basically an adult.
Now you have to be about 50% older to be considered an adult. With
longer life expectancies than the year 1792, I'd say anyone under
age 52 is too young to be POTUS. People under age 52 are just too
naiive.
You never saw Reagan try to work 24/7.
So far, there is a palpable sense of pride in the West Wing
that treaties are negotiated, complex legislation is crafted and
banks are bailed out-all on very little sleep.
Back when I was droning in a law firm, we would read trust
indentures and securities offerings and pick out the parts that had
obviously been drafted at 3 AM. The drop in quality was clearly
visible.
I firmly believe that you can only do so many hours of high quality
mental work in a day. Clearly, this White House is determined to
prove me right.
There's a certain madness in our culture about having people run on adrenaline. Look at doctors, especially during residency and at hospitals. Or big-firm attorneys. What a great idea--operate with your brain and your judgment at half capacity
Doctors no longer have (or are in the process of no longer having) those killer residency hours because some silly-ass lawsuits were filed or threatened.
Spare me. I have no sympathy for these guys, and not because
[like Reason] I don't like the output they've produced and want to
see less of it.
Know why I have no sympathy? Because I bet 90% of the people on any
particular conference call or any particular all night meeting
didn't have to be there. These guys couldn't go less than 24/7 even
if you tried to force them, because that would constitute admitting
that they aren't the most important person in government. [Each of
them thinks this and tries to act it out.]
I would bet that 50% of their week's work load consists of making
sure that they are seen by everyone as working 24/7. Half of what's
left is making sure they aren't left out of all the conference
calls and meetings they claim are exhausting them.
Fluffy - I am with you. These guys like being "exhausted". It makes them feel "important".
I agree wholeheartedly with Fluffy. I've seen other programmers
who would drink a ton of coffee and code for 16 hours straight,
sometimes because there was a deadline, but sometimes because they
wanted to be seen by the boss working that much. Guess
what? At hour 16, their coding skills were way down, and it would
often come back to bite them or others in the ass.
It's not just that the staffers don't want to be left out; it's
that if you slow down just a little, others won't, and they'll look
more dedicated than you, and you might also miss something.
I would bet that 50% of their week's work load consists of making sure that they are seen by everyone as working 24/7.
Totally. I observe the same behavior at the office, and I refuse to
participate. Being single helps.
I saw it in spades at the White House during my fellowship. Like I said, adrenaline junkies.
80% of the work gets done by 20% of the people.
The other 80% of the people just run around doing nothing but
telling everyone how busy they are.
Strung out on sleep deprivation, eh?
I wonder how long it will be till we hear about some white house
staffer getting busted for cocaine like Hamilton Jordan?
This administration is really shaping up to be Jimmy Carter all
over again, except for having a far worse economic situation.
-jcr
Sleep deprivation and stress will reek havoc with your judgment.
You hear people say this all the time, but few people actually
experience it and often people that do experience it don't realize
the level to which it effected them. The scary part is most of
these people are not trained or ready for such things. The most
stressful thing most of these people have done is study for a big
exam or test. Even trained individuals can have a hard time dealing
with extreme sleep loss and stress.
I imagine every administration is like this. Presidents look like
hell after 4 years and are almost indistinguishable from their
former selves after 8. This administration seems to be on a 2 year
burnout plan with the young inexperienced people it might be a 1 to
1.5 year plan.
You know it's nap time when you can't remember how to tie your
shoes without the bunny song.
One study conducted for the British Parliament found that
"mental fatigue affects cognitive performance, leading to errors of
judgement, microsleeps (lasting for seconds or minutes), mood
swings and poor motivation." The effect, it found, is equal to a
blood alcohol level of .10 percent-above the legal limit to drive
in the United States.
That's only the immediate effect. Long term you continually burn
out and have to replace staff, which then have to be trained and
brought up to speed.
The administrators are just such experts they can do their jobs
in their sleep.
Still, Third Shift Czar, anyone?
Bunch of drunken louts. I wouldn't mind seeing Gibbs getting his face pummeled.
The effect, it found, is equal to a blood alcohol level of
.10 percent-above the legal limit to drive in the United
States.
So, who is going to make the Obama Administration stand on one foot
and touch its nose after they finally veer all the way off
the road and wrap the economy around a telephone pole?
What's with all these government types working anyways? I'd much prefer they clear some brush.
Fluffy nails it, though I would add that the motivation is not
just to be seen as 'working' long hours, but also to be in the loop
so that when the opportunity arises to move to the next level they
know who needs to be massaged, and what angle needs to be taken, to
make it happen.
Presidents look like hell after 4 years and are almost
indistinguishable from their former selves after
8.
Hate to be a pedant, but I think you mean "unrecognizable as" or
something similar.
Great, another bunch of liberal work-a-holics, burning the
midnight oil to affect change on us all.
I know I feel better knowing they're not resting.
Half of what's left is making sure they aren't left out of
all the conference calls and meetings they claim are exhausting
them.
Meetings are social streetlamps drawing the unproductive moths in
the company. --unattributed.
Fantastic quote about business meetings.
I've seen other programmers who would drink a ton of coffee
and code for 16 hours straight, sometimes because there was a
deadline, but sometimes because they wanted to be seen by the boss
working that much. Guess what? At hour 16, their coding skills were
way down, and it would often come back to bite them or others in
the ass.
Epi, ever read
this one?
Meetings are social streetlamps drawing the unproductive
moths in the company.
[Organizations] have meetings because they cannot actually
masterbate.
-- Dave Barry
Thanks Paul. I need to dig that book out and read it again. Great book.
I say Obama should quit, then all these bozos could get some sleep. They surely wouldn't try to burn the candle at both ends for Biden given that he's already only working with half a wick at best.
Ronald Reagan once said, "I don't like to drink coffee at lunch.
I find it keeps me awake in the afternoon."
Maybe the whole federal government should just take a vacation for,
oh, three and a half years or so. Don't worry, we the people will
watch the house.
Oh, and Fluffy is hell of correct.
As a full-time employed nursing mother of two who is intimately
familiar with sleep deprivation after experiencing it for
now-going-on 3 years, all I have to say to these whiners is,
"boo-fricken-hoo!"
Also, I'd be perfectly happy if the administration and all its
minions took a four-years-long nap. I'll even come to DC to tuck
them in with a warm glass of milk.
Fluffy doesn't just win, he fucking crushes the
thread.
I have nothing to add. That is all.
I can only imagine the sympathy these guys are generating from the folks in Iraq and A-stan who are their 3rd or 4th tour. Poor guys, so tired!
They were on drugs during the Carter administration--they had an
excuse.
We were on drugs during the Carter
administration--we had an excuse.
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