All FOUR chapters of the PARIS Travelogue, " We'll Always Have Paris" is on the Secret Decoder Ring page.
Newspaper stories dealing with people in Washington usually focus on those who are maneuvering to gain some political or monetary advantage every time there is any change on Capitol Hill or in a Department or Agency in the Administration.
Miles of copy have been written about how sharp operators have attempted to use the system for personal gain.
But, there are literally hundreds of Institutes, Boards, Commissions, and Agencies which are funded by the Federal government to promote, guide, and provide oversight to a vast array of projects.
Members of the boards of these organizations serve for little or no money. They do this work because they simply want to be helpful, or because they bring a particular expertise or interest; or both. These are not positions which make headlines. Or money.
Some examples:
My colleague at the American Continental Group (of which I am, as those of you who have been keeping up know, Of Counsel) David Metzner has recently been appointed Vice Chairman of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
The Center says of itself: "The Wilson Center is a nonpartisan institute for advanced study and a neutral forum for open, serious, and informed dialogue."
Which doesn't even sound like much fun much less like a vehicle for personal profit.
One of my longest-term friends in politics Nancy Sinnott Dwight, along with nine other citizens have volunteered their time and talents to help oversee the Institute of Museum & Library Services. They were sworn in as new board members Wednesday night.
As an aside, Mrs. Dwight served as the Mullings correspondent for debates in the run-up to the New Hampshire primary. This, from the October 29, 1999 Mullings:
"Nancy's summary was: 'The next President of the United States was not in the Moore Theatre tonight. We were engaged, we were entertained, we were sometimes amused, and at least once provoked, but we did not stand at attention for the next President.' Mullings uses only the best writers."
Lastly, this week, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation swore in a new board member. OPIC is the agency which provides risk insurance and loan guarantees to US companies who want to invest in countries which may have a uncertain political situation.
That new board member is Samuel E. Ebbesen, of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mr. Ebbesen was born in the Bronx in New York City, attended City College of New York (CCNY); joined the military, and rose the rank of three-star general.
Usually the only place you will read about someone joining one of these boards is in the weekly "political roundup" section of their local paper (in agate type) or in their alumni magazine.
But here's how important they are considered in Washington: At the ceremony for the Museum and Library Institute there were about a dozen current and former Members of Congress and Senators on hand to thank the new board members. Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court David Souder did the in-swearing.
And at OPIC, an acquaintance of Mr. Ebbesen dropped by. He had also had been born in the Bronx and, as luck would have it, also attended CCNY. And, if that weren't enough, he had also been a general in the U.S. Army.
Secretary of State Colin Powell, who has a few things on his plate these days, thought that serving on one of these boards was important enough to take some time out, drive across town, and administer the oath of office to his boyhood friend.
With all the coverage of political giants maneuvering across the global arena, it is comforting to know that average citizens, with no agenda other than to be helpful, continue to volunteer their time and talents to make America a little better.
On the Secret Decoder Ring> page today: The text of the oath all Federal employees are required to take, A SPECIAL MESSAGE, links to the three organizations' web sites, a poster, and a Catchy Caption.
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