Everyone knows the Bush administration has presided over the largest expansion of federal government in a generation. What's less heralded is its concomitant drive to rationalize government by overhauling personnel management systems, especially when it comes to defense and homeland security. For one, President Bush wants to pay in-demand workers more than others — particularly when it comes to our soldiers. It's hard to imagine a more commonsensical policy than one which pays workers more for harder or more skilled work — or for more dangerous assignments. But lately, Congess has been acting to hinder just this policy and others....