“A bureaucrat is a politician with tenure” is a saying that has appeared on Internet lists since at least 1996. The saying is not entirely true, of course; many tenured bureaucrats are politically appointed and are not elected politicians.
 
   
Redneck’s Guide to Greek and Latin
A Collection of Erudite Words & Phrases That can be Worked Into The Conservation At The Local Bucket Of Blood On Any Saturday Night
by
RICHARD E. IRBY, JR.
(...)
Bureaucrat
a politician with tenure
 
Google Groups: soc.history.medieval
Newsgroups: soc.history.medieval
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 1996/02/06
Subject: Any hagiographers out there?
 
A bureaucrat is a politician with tenure
   
The University of Georgia
Date:      Wed, 24 Oct 2001 16:56:35 +0200
Reply-To:    .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Sender:    CICS List
From:      Volker Bandke
Subject:    AW: CEMT P SHUT I and data Rollback
In-Reply-To: 

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A bureaucrat is a politician with tenure.
(Another Wisdom from my fortune cookie jar)
 
Tan Lucy Pez
Friday, November 04, 2005
Stolen property
(...)
A bureaucrat is a politician with tenure.
     
Quips and Quotes
Last updated 11/21/2011
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A bureaucrat is a politician with tenure.