In response to the VA scandal, Congress passed a law giving the VA chief more authority to fire senior VA bureaucrats. If this is a real bill, one with teeth, it is a big step forward. Right now it is impossible to fire government workers. We couldn't even fire guys we caught stealing out of the base supply warehouse. This silly policy goes back to the 1880's civil service reform act. In the real old days, all government jobs were political, and each time the administration changed hands from democrat to republican and back again, there was a wholesale firing of all government workers. They were replaced with loyal party members of the winning side, resulting in a federal workforce strong on party loyalty, and little else.
They overdid it, and today, it is impossible to fire anyone. This system applies everywhere except the armed services.
We would get better government if we revised the civil service regulations to allow dismissal for cause. Cause must be documented. Conviction of a felony in court, espionage, politicking on government time, failure to get to work on time, sassing supervisors, and failure to pay lawful taxes, and gross incompetence are reasonable causes. Plus we need an up or out policy. Workers have to qualify, pass tests for, the next higher grade periodically. Workers who fail to get promoted, get laid off. Young guy joins up as GS-bottom-of-the-ladder grade. He has say three years to work up to GS-next-rung-on-ladder grade. If he cannot make it, he ain't worth keeping around. Every three years he has to make the next grade. Up or out.
Incidentally. The VA employees were on NPR this morning complaining of unfairness in the new law. The law only applies to the upper ranks of the VA, the janitors and such don't get hit.
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