Let sycophants rejoice

It seems as though President GW Bush's recent Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers is drawing boos from his conservative base. One thing appears clear in Bush's behavior in this nomination and with his administration - the rewarding of unwavering devotion and sycophancy with promotion. To have a brown nose in this administration is a key to advancement, it appears. Anyone who dares a voice of dissent or to stand up for what is right, rather than what the administration feels is right, is shown the door.
When Bush hooked his arm around former FEMA director Michael Brown and said "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job!" He must have meant "Brownie" as a term of endearment for one who owes his job to being a sycophant, aka brownie nose.
What kind of message does this send to our nation? When did merit lose out over blind loyalty? Will we ever live in a country where hard work is recognized, rewarded, and viewed as a requisite for important jobs, rather than requiring groveling towards authority as a primary factor in promotion?