That's not a valid assumption.
You're arguing only against tenure for conservatives -- and not abolishing the tenure rules for everyone -- and then the community and not the self-serving interest controls the hiring and firing.
Everything changes and not just one thing -- tenure for conservatives.
Mike:
In academe, the broader community has no say whatsoever in the process.
Who does? At most colleges and universities it works like this:
1.) Your department chair.
2.) Then a department committee.
3.) Then a division (sometimes called a "school" committee.)
4. Then your dean.
5. Then a college-wide committee.
6. Then a Provost.
7. Then the President.
8. Then the Board or a Board Committee.
By the time your application gets to the Board, which is the first time anyone from beyond academe gets a say, there is opinion after opinion supporting the document. If the application is not approved at one level, it does not go up to the next (at most schools.) With written tenure rules and procedures, it is to no one's advantage to do something really stupid and get sued.
If you take away tenure, ANY one in this change could fire you for any reason (you would have done away with rules and procedures) and simply hired a liberal in your place. The broader community would NEVER have a say in it--which is what I think your point was.
If I am misreading what you are saying, let me know and I will try to make what is an arcane process clearer.
McVey