Biden’s plan to save the ‘deep state’

The Spectator ^ | 04/05/2024 | Matthew Foldi

[SeekAndFind]

The Biden administration is bracing for a second Trump term by rolling out a rule that would complicate Donald Trump’s pledge to fire tens of thousands of federal workers if he wins in November. The new rule is also a huge gift to the public-sector unions that Joe Biden needs firmly in his corner.The latest edict, issued by the US Office of Personnel Management, is an almost direct response to Trump’s stated plans to purge the bureaucracy. That’s not how the OPM is framing it, of course; instead, OPM deputy director Rob Shriver said it “is about making sure the American public…

The Biden administration is bracing for a second Trump term by rolling out a rule that would complicate Donald Trump’s pledge to fire tens of thousands of federal workers if he wins in November. The new rule is also a huge gift to the public-sector unions that Joe Biden needs firmly in his corner.

The latest edict, issued by the US Office of Personnel Management, is an almost direct response to Trump’s stated plans to purge the bureaucracy. That’s not how the OPM is framing it, of course; instead, OPM deputy director Rob Shriver said it “is about making sure the American public can continue to count on federal workers to apply their skills and expertise in carrying out their jobs, no matter their personal political beliefs.”

Those political beliefs caused never-ending ire in the Trump years, of course. One political appointee in the Trump administration relayed a story to The Spectator about how when his boss, a cabinet secretary, needed to have his color printer ink restored during the Covid-19 pandemic, he was stymied by career employees, who told him that the office needed to be vacated for ten days before they felt safe showing up to work. Despite several stages of escalation, the most they were willing to do was turn on a different printer on another level in the building. “There’s a career mindset that they were here before you and will outlast you,” he said.

While this new rule would complicate Trump’s proposed plan — dubbed “Schedule F” — it would ultimately be more of a road bump than a full-blown road closure. It can be overturned almost immediately, since it does not carry the weight of actual legislation. 

“Schedule F is an important tool for holding the federal bureaucracy accountable. It is functionally impossible to dismiss a tenured federal bureaucrat for poor performance or misconduct,” James Sherk told The Spectator.

Sherk served on Trump’s domestic policy council and authored the expansive executive order, signed by Trump and immediately rescinded by Biden, that would allow an incoming Trump administration to ax thousands of federal workers who they see as opposing their policies — a well-documented phenomenon that dogged the Trump team during his first term.

“During the Trump administration a lot of career employees acted like they — not elected officials — set policy. Many bureaucrats refused to enforce laws they disliked or slow-walked implementing policies they opposed. Such behavior undermines democracy. Voters — through their elected representatives — must set policy, not unelected bureaucrats,” Sherk said. 

[suasponte137]

So....if this rule is emplaced through the executive branch...how can it not just as easily be undone by the executive branch?

[Right_Wing_Madman]

So....if this rule is emplaced through the executive branch...how can it not just as easily be undone by the executive branch?

Yep, this is the problem with executive orders. They can easily be undone by another executive order.

[CatOwner]

Misdirection. They aren’t losing the White House given the voting system set up in far too many states.

[TigersEye]

Sounds like a feature not a problem.

[Bshaw]

“So....if this rule is emplaced through the executive branch...how can it not just as easily be undone by the executive branch?”

Precisely. Neither Congress Nor the courts can tell the Executive Branch who they must employ and in what position.

What if the Executive Branch attempted that with the Judicial and Legislative branches?

Exactly. Which is why they need to put Trump in prison for 700+ years.

[FrankRizzo890]

Simple solution: OK Department of Education, you want to have 25,000 flaming lib employees and I can’t fire them? NO PROBLEM, here’s your new budget $25,000. Total.

[Paul R.]

The problem is that if Trump gets back in, attempts to reverse Biden Admin. rules will be challenged in court. That can drag things out a LONG time. When Biden reverses Trump’s directives, somehow no such court challenges are made / allowed.

[convoter2016]

At the beginning of 2017, there were 5 “conservative” leaning justices and I doubt John Roberts would have allowed Trump’s changing the rules of classifying federal employees would stand. With the death of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, John Roberts would have a harder time stopping Trump’s executive orders in Trump’s second term.

[MCF]

It is time for the President to tell the lower courts that the Executive Branch will continue with the execution of the order or law till the Supreme Court orders it stopped. If the Congress doesn’t agree then they can remove the President.

[ronnie raygun]

Much of the crap he has handed down will be reversed

[Adder]

It can easily be undone.
The press will howl etc but screw ‘em. The poison pills like this that can’t be so easily undone are the ones passed by congress inserted in various spending bills.

Nothing says we HAVE to have a bureaucracy.

[joe fonebone]

If I was President Trump, this would be in my inauguration speech.....
Because of corruption and bloat, it is necessary to take drastic action...
This is now executive order #1, Every single executive order issued up to this date, is hereby recinded.
Sometimes it becomes necessary to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

S.T.D.S.

STDs forever!

[Salman]

A silly headline. It’s the Deep State’s plan, Biden is just the professional speech-giver.

[boomop1]

The republicans are complicit most are crooks.

[Vaduz]

Biden’s plan to save the ‘deep state’

Undermines democracy is the fact but they like to say they want to save it three card Monte has been spending a lot of time at the WH the last 3 years.

[FLT-bird]

There are several ways to do it. You don’t have to fire people. Just cut the budget so there isn’t enough money to pay half of them. The position still exists....there’s just no pay for it you see......

[suasponte137]

Or another route, if you cant completely defund them, is to remove their computers and their phones, give them some coloring books, and tell them to color for eight hours a day until you can remove them.