Oh Goody: A Hundred People to Help with Passports

The U.S. State Department is asking for up to "two groups of 50" diplomats with "consular experience" to volunteer to help at the National Passport Center in New Hampshire to help deal with the backlog of 3 million passport applications.

Any foreign service diplomats who qualify can spend their summer vacation (July and August) helping the government out of its own mess. Unless my math fails me, that works out to 500 applications per worker per day - including weekends - which means each person would need to process one application per minute.

Our wise government is offering these folks lodging, travel, and a per-diem. Sure seems like a bunch of folks would just jump at this wonderful opportunity. Although New Hampshire is awful pretty in summer.

Travellers, please don't expect your passport to show up any sooner.