[billybudd]

Yes, I agree, gov't employees shouldn't be given a free ride - if they're not performing, they should be fired. However, this process must be open, there must be specific reasons given for the firing, and it must be open to congressional review. Otherwise, if the president (or his team) is the only one making hire-and-fire decisions, then he can use this power to assert absolute arbitrary control over the dept., and the homeland security dept. is turned into his personal department, unaccountable to anyone else. This is the danger.
Besides this, I don't like the idea of consolidating independent agencies, which are accountable both to president and congress, into one hierarchy which is only accountable to the president. Why do you think Bush is asking for "greater flexibility" in managing this new dept.? Bush is attempting to create an imperial presidency, and no conservative is questioning any of it, because conservatives (some) are still under the delusion that Bush is one of "them".

[jwh_Denver]

Bush is attempting to create an imperial presidency, and no conservative is questioning any of it, because conservatives (some) are still under the delusion that Bush is one of "them".

I too have some real concerns here. When things get a little too secret that power adds up to corruption.

[cake_crumb]

"However, this process must be open, there must be specific reasons given for the firing, and it must be open to congressional review."

But there WILL have to be specific reasons. "Congressional review" as you should realize, would only open the firing option to .....

CONTROL OF THE SENATE, which would effectively nullify any threat of firing for incompetence.

I can't BELIEVE you said that.