Something Good From The State DepartmentMaimon Schwarzschild

The foreign policy establishment at the US Department of State often seems conventional and bureaucratic at best, and all too often positively James-Baker-like, which is far worse.  So it’s a pleasure to be able to praise the State Department’s consular service at least.   I’ve just applied to renew my US passport: a day or two after I sent in my application, I could log on to the State Department website, type in my name and social security number, and immediately be told that my application had been received, that it received such-and-such tracking number, and that I can expect the new passport by such-and-such a date: next week, in fact.  Cool.