1A If You Can Keep It: Rehiring The Federal Government
Jun 9, 2025
Lisa Ryan, a National reporter at The Washington Post, and Don Moynihan, a public policy professor at the University of Michigan, delve into the recent shift in federal hiring practices under the Trump administration. They discuss how the new requirements for political loyalty may undermine the nonpartisan civil service system established in 1870. The conversation highlights concerns about eroding meritocracy, public trust in government, and the chilling effects on communication within federal agencies amidst a polarized hiring environment.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Merit Hiring Plan Political Loyalty
- The new Merit Hiring Plan requires candidates to write essays showing loyalty to Trump's policies.
- This signals that enthusiasm for these policies is now a prerequisite for federal jobs, breaking long-standing nonpartisan norms.
Spoils System Reemergence Risk
- Reintroducing political loyalty tests risks resurrecting the spoils system ended by the Pendleton Act.
- This system historically led to corruption and undermines public trust in fair government hiring.
Shift Towards At-Will Federal Workforce
- The Trump administration aims to transform the federal workforce into an "at-will" system with fewer due process protections.
- This shift enables firing employees at any time, infringing on legal employment protections and stability.