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2023-10-16 Home Front: Politix

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Posted by Grom the Reflective 2023-10-16 05:40|| || Front Page|| [14 views ] Top

#1 As is typical, the fantasy of a neutral, efficient, expert civil service was laid next to the reality of a messy functioning government. But, as is also typical, the fantasy in practice turned out to be considerably less appealing than as proposed.

"Less appealing" unless of course you're a part of it.

Posted by Besoeker 2023-10-16 06:55|| 2023-10-16 06:55|| Front Page Top

#2 In 1883 the government was a lot smaller. There was no income tax to suck the productivity out of the economy to feed today's bureaucratic monster. At least back then if the government employees were incompetent or lazy or corrupt, you could at least fire their boss.

Posted by Procopius2k 2023-10-16 07:34|| 2023-10-16 07:34|| Front Page Top

#3 there was an important civil service reform act in 1978 followed by implementation by the Reagan Admin that took over in 1981

this reform gave more emphasis on 'performance' as the criteria for awarding bonus or terminating employees

this sometimes worked but for tasks that were more political it meant that normal worker bees were given an incentive to carry out the pet projects of the political employees or the higher ranking careerists. In my opinion, the fact that the Nixon admin was pre reform accounts for the failure of Nixon's attempt to use the IRS to punish enemies. Obama's use of the IRS to punish enemies (via Lois Lerner) was however successful since worker bees had the incentive to do it.

Of course the Biden Admin has greatly aggravated the problem of politicized administration by the DOJ.

Posted by lord garth 2023-10-16 08:39|| 2023-10-16 08:39|| Front Page Top

#4 Don't 'rethink' the civil service, just get rid of it.

Posted by Raj 2023-10-16 09:36|| 2023-10-16 09:36|| Front Page Top

#5 Valid arguments, but do we really want political patronage appointees?

Posted by Frank G 2023-10-16 09:59|| 2023-10-16 09:59|| Front Page Top

#6 Gee Frank, it's worked so well in Chicago and elsewhere.

Posted by Mullah Richard 2023-10-16 10:23|| 2023-10-16 10:23|| Front Page Top

#7 Don't 'rethink' the civil service, just get rid of it.

Pretty much every bit of it that involves legitimate administrative service to the taxpaying public can be done by AI.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-10-16 10:45|| 2023-10-16 10:45|| Front Page Top

#8 "Rethink the civil service"
My opinion is most situations require less thinking and more doing.
Reorganize based on that.

Posted by ed in texas 2023-10-16 19:52|| 2023-10-16 19:52|| Front Page Top

23:53 Skidmark
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