Gilbert W. Fitzhugh Quotes
... an impossible organization to administer ... just an amorphous lump.
He had been appointed by President Nixon to head a "blue ribbon panel to review the Department of Defense and was announcing the conclusions.
Gilbert W. Fitzhugh, Chairman, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Press Conference, July 1970
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
Jefferson is the hero of the “small government” enthusiasts of modern times. In his day it was the conservative Federalists who wanted a larger government while the Jeffersonians, the radicals of the day argued for smaller government. Jefferson not only favored smaller government, but he actually cut the size of the Federal workforce something which in modern times no president has done except for William Clinton.
The administration and operation of scientific research is particularly vulnerable to bureaucratic processes. There is a constant tension between scientists and politicians over the accountability of publicly funded research.
Political conservatives have generally been very verbal in their attacks upon and criticisms of bureaucracy. And yet, bureaucrats are the epitome of conservatism in their outlook and mode of operation as is made clear by this quotation.
After the 9-11 terrorist attack, Congress and President George W. Bush hastily reorganized the Federal Government creating a Department of Homeland Security supposedly to combine in one department the major government agencies that could maintain the safety of the nation. However, what they ended up doing was taking minor agencies from departments and creating an unwieldy, disparate department, but they did not include some of the most important agencies such as the FBI, CIA, Defense Department, NSA, or the State Department. Many concluded later that the reorganization had not been a good one.
Puerto Rico was hit by a hurricane which had a devastating effect on the infrastructure of the island. Cruz, Mayor of San Juan, was frustrated when the Federal response from FEMA and the military was very slow to materialize.
Gilbert W. Fitzhugh was an American actuary who became a businessman and community leader in New York City. William was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York then attended Princeton University. After graduating in 1930 he started work for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, and by 1963 had risen to President; then became their CEO that year when Frederic Ecker retired. Fitzhugh passed all the examinations of the Society of Actuaries in 1934, but based on their rules he was made to wait until age twenty-five for admission as a Fellow. He went on to serve as president of the society in 1965-1966. In 1963 he started a program insurance company investment in rehabilitating urban housing, and was praised by President Johnson for an Historic contribution to your country. In 1972 he was head of the New York City's Chamber of Commerce.
