*EPF310 01/10/01
Transition 2001 Briefs, Wednesday, January 10
(Presidential Appointee Initiative) (390)

U.S. Civic, Corporate Leaders Favor Presidential Appointee Service

More than 80 percent of America's top civic and corporate leaders surveyed look favorably upon serving as a presidential appointee.

A large majority of them, however, say presidential service would be a more attractive option if the appointments process was simplified, if compensation was improved, and if they could more easily return to their previous jobs.

These were the findings in a Presidential Appointee Initiative (PAI) survey of 100 large corporation executives, 100 university presidents, 85 nonprofit corporation executives, 95 think tank scholars, 100 lobbyists and 100 state and local government officials.

Paul Light, Brookings Institution director of governmental studies and senior adviser to PAI, said January 10 that the leaders "see a presidential appointment as both an honor and a chance to make a difference for their country." He added, however, that 'the survey clearly shows that they view the appointment process itself as the greatest barrier to service."

The survey's findings are summarized in "Posts of Honor: How America's Corporate and Civic Leaders View Presidential Appointments," which Light co-authored with Virginia Thomas, a senior fellow in government studies at the Heritage Foundation.

"Presidents should remind potential appointees of the honor involved in service to one's country," the authors write. "Patriotism and love of country are still powerful motivators for public service. Presidential appointments are, indeed, posts of honor. Presidents should never stop reminding the citizenry of that fact."

The Presidential Appointee Initiative is a Brookings project to encourage talented citizens to seek and accept senior positions in the new Bush administration and to encourage Congress and the president to consider nonpartisan reforms in the basic procedures governing the appointments process.

Working with the Council for Excellence in Government, PAI has developed "A Survivor's Guide for Presidential Nominees" that provides prospective nominees with vital information on everything from filling out forms and moving to Washington to handling the media and surviving the Senate confirmation process.

PAI said it will announce its agenda of reforms leading to a faster, more supportive and more efficient appointments process in March - on the 200th anniversary of Thomas Jefferson's inauguration.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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