General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Comey: The Good, the Bad, & the Ugly [View all]H2O Man
(73,536 posts)have a realistic view of what she/he can influence, and what she/he cannot. For example, the said activist could invest 100% of their energy in trying to stop President Obama from appointing James Comey as the director of the FBI. That activist would accomplish exactly as much as the stick-in-the-mud who does nothing at all ..... because not only do activists have no influence on this type of presidential choice, but Comey's selection is made with the expectation of getting a reaction from two groups of citizen-activists.
One must be able to identify the distinctions between: {a} derailing a toxic USSC nomination; and {b} derailing a president's attempt to promote someone who does not have one of the Washington culture's identified scandals. Indeed, if one considers the history of the last century, it is clear that presidents tend to make what they consider "safe" picks, from within the box -- and President Obama's box tends to include a very limited typology: Clinton administration re-treads, Wall Streeters, and career-insiders. One would have to go outside that box to find a democrat who is much different than Comey, and President Obama will not go outside the comfort of that box.
Indeed, very few US Presidents have attempted to go outside the box. The three examples that I can think of were FDR appointing Leland Olds; JFK putting Robert in as Attorney General (although at the time, Robert was a rigid, self-righteous fellow); and when President Carter wanted Ted Sorensen to head that other intelligence agency. Carter, of course, backed down quickly, and stabbed Ted in the back in doing so.
Thus, until someone who thinks outside that box is elected President, there is little if any chance of her/him acting differently.