As to your point about PTO "judges", you have a point, but Obama's still their boss. Yes, they can be fired, and as you know, I'm impressed by people who are willing to get fired rather than portray what they believe in. Both you and I have done it, though, so I suspect we're a bit biased.
Are you a "judge" classist? Why the quotation marks? They are judges, known as Article I judges or administrative law judges, if you want to distinguish them from Article III judges. Are they bankruptcy "judges" or bankruptcy judges?
We all are subject to negative consequences for not doing what someone with political power over us tells us to do (and it's the political power that matters, not org charts). Article III judges can be impeached too.
We all are subject to negative consequences for not doing what someone with political power over us tells us to do (and it's the political power that matters, not org charts). Article III judges can be impeached too.