Quote of note (but my reaction is below the fold):

In sharp contrast to the political reaction to that story, Jackson's tale evoked laughter from the business executives he addressed on April 28.

HUD chief: Right list leads to government cash
Dallas Business Journal - 4:48 PM CDT Thursday
by Christine Perez and Chad Eric Watt Staff Writers

"After about six months on the job, I had a person come in and say, 'I don't think you understand how government works. We don't bid out anything in government.' I said, 'What do you mean? That's illegal.' He went on about the lists people get on.

"A lot of blacks and Hispanics don't know about the lists," Jackson said. "I didn't know about this. So we started this process where every time a businessperson of color came in to see me, I'd tell them, 'Go down to the (minority small business) office and get registered -- then I can work with you.

"The strange thing about the situation is all you have to do is pick three people off the list, then you can decide which one you're going to use, as long as they're on that list."

Jackson also told the group about a contractor who started with a $50,000 HUD contract in 1992. About six months ago, Jackson said, the agency terminated the contract and redistributed the work to three smaller, disadvantaged firms.

"This is going to astound you," he said. "When we terminated the contract it was worth $111 million. That's how government works. Once you get the contract, they just keep giving you tax dollars."

Here's my problem. I do have experience with Corporate America, and his description of the process rings true. One does have absolute control of those resources within your domain. The very lesson Rep. McKinney may have just learned was that the backing of the people can force her admission into the halls of power, but her domain is that office. One's influence is increased by using the processes available within that domain.

"[G]et registered -- then I can work with you." Alphonso is saying he can pick freely from that pre-vetted list. That's a pretty common method of delegation.

If he hadn't gotten it twisted with the assigned political rhetoric (Bush has the damn Department of Agriculture talking up the Iraq war, you know Alphonso had instructions too) I might even acknowledge the benefit of his letting folks in on it.

Except since he lied about the contractor, maybe he's lying about this too. And we don't know who edits the list before Alphonso gets to see it. Or how often it's edited. And true or not, he still issued a general warning about speaking your mind about Dubya. Unless you like him, of course. One way or another he's let you know this is a requirement to become one of the chosen."