Even though she never mentions the concept, former Reagan and Bush senior official Linda Chavez makes an excellent case that the success of the Trump presidency depends on sweeping civil service reform.  The title of her article in the New York Post indicates her chosen focus: "Will Trump’s Cabinet picks be able to beat the bureaucracy?" Drawing on her experience, she lays out all the reasons the answer to her question probably will be no.  For example: The normal relationships between employer and employees don’t exist. As the head of a department or agency, you pick very few of your own employees, and you have little or no authority to get rid of those employees you inherit. Worst of all, you can’t reward outstanding service. There’s no such thing as pay for performance. Nor is it even possible to promote the best hires, except within the constraints of federal civil service rules, and you can’t move employees easily...(Read Full Post)