Political 'hacks'

has a piece in its recent issue headlined, [registration required] that lists what TNR calls the biggest political hacks in the administration right now -- the Michael Browns out there, the people that the magazine contends got their jobs mostly through political connections rather then through any kind of expertise. is Slate.com's recount:OK, TNR isn't exactly a completely objective source, but...I hope this doesn't spoil the ending for you, but at the top of the list -- or bottom, depending on how you look at it -- is Harriet Miers, the White House Counsel and nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court. There are others that are of at least some interest to the government IT community, including:-- At number 14, Andrew Maner, Chief Financial Officer, Homeland Security Department-- At number 13, Claire Buchan, Chief of Staff, Commerce Department-- At number 7, Stewart Simonson, Assistant Secretary for Public Health and Emergency Preparedness, Department of Health and Human Services-- At number 6, Hector Barreto, Administrator, Small Business Administration-- At number 4, Jim Nicholson, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs-- At number 2, John Pennington, director of Federal Emergency Management Agency's region 10, which includes the Pacific Northwest.