We do seem to have, at least, the judicial branch

You would expect it be a Californian judge who decides to stop the Bushites from raping the national forests.

For the record, federal magistrates aren't appointed by the president; they're selected by the federal circuit court judges of their districts to hear civil cases and non-felony criminal cases. So, her appointment in 1997 doesn't indicate that she's a shameless, liberal activist judge.