Open season on Bush appointees

In a policy reversal reminiscent of a tinhorn regime, the United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) distributed a memorandum last week subjecting certain political appointees to retroactive rules regarding OPM approval before taking a civil service job. While the policy has always been in place during election years and for higher level Senior Executive Service positions, the new regulations taking effect January 1 will subject all aspirants who have worked in a politically-appointed position over the previous five years to review, adding the element of retroactivity to established policy.

The obvious idea behind this memo is to preclude Bush-era employees from garnering civil service protections which would allow them to continue serving the public despite their political affiliation with the party currently out of power.

Needless to say, this likely purge of former low-level Bush appointees attracted little attention in the press and didn’t come to light until Glenn Reynolds of Instapundit broke the story and Erick Erickson at Red State amplified it.

Yet the implications are patently obvious. Making the regulations retroactive will give those who would be simply graded on their job performance and not their political views pause before seeking a position in the federal government and discourage otherwise qualified applicants who don’t share President Obama’s radical socialist views on the purpose of government.

OPM Director John Berry attempts to add a fig leaf to the process by “delegat(ing) decisionmaking authority over these matter to career Senior Executives at OPM to avoid any hint of political influence.” Yet Senior Executives already fall under those very same guidelines so they know which way the political winds are blowing.

The Berry memo also notes that, “while political appointees may not be excluded from consideration for Federal jobs because of their political affiliation, they must not be given preference or special advantages.” What’s left unstated though is that affiliation should not be held against them, either.

On October 16, Berry, who is described on the OPM website as “the Federal Government’s Chief People Person”, put out a memo complaining “our current SES population does not yet reflect the diversity of our Nation or even of the rest of our Federal workforce.” Of course, the concept of diversity only reflects certain physical or behavioral traits in the eyes of liberals while other traits won’t count. Diversity of thought isn’t on their radar screen.

The true litmus test for the new policy and emphasis on a diverse workforce will be in how Bush-era appointees are treated as they seek the protection civil servants are afforded by law. But given the hostility and blame President Obama has heaped upon the previous administration, the sign may as well be put up that “No Republicans Need Apply.” Only those who measure out as true blue will likely pass the test soon to be required for civil service protection.

It’s also pretty safe to assume that the five-year rule will be quietly rescinded just before Obama leaves office and howls of protest arise should a Republican try to reinstall the rule.

So much for diversity. With these guys, it’s all about power.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.