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Today's mail included an envelope addressed to me from the Republican National Committee, clearly labeled as including a Trump agenda survey. Even though I knew that the questions would be weighted in ways that would make it difficult for me to provide answers that would truly reflect my views, I figured I needed to fill it out and send it back, if only to irritate them. As I expected, I found myself thoroughly annoyed by the questions, but I did answer the questions (and I'm sure my answers will NOT make them happy, since I pretty much opposed everything they proposed). But one of the questions has left me with a feeling of dread. Basically, the question wanted to know if I would support the president issuing an executive order suspending all federal employee unions in order to better implement the president's proposed changes to the bureaucracy. To which my verbal response was "Hell to the NO!" (on paper it was just "No", since the survey was multiple choice: Yes, No, or No Opinion).
The very fact that they are asking Republican supporters if they would support such a measure is more than a little scary. It suggests that the idea is being seriously considered. While I don't always agree with the federal employee unions, I do appreciate that they provide a protective barrier that helps to ensure that the federal workforce is protected from undue political pressure. While the politicians are allowed (within the statutory limits) to set agency policy, they are not allowed to make the career positions subject to political tests or pressure. Without union representation, it will be significantly more difficult to fight such such political pressure.
If, indeed, the administration attempts such a move, the unions would challenge the legality of the order. But court review takes time, and in the meantime, the chilling impact upon the career federal workforce would probably be significant. And in any event, the very notion that they might consider this attack on the federal employees illustrates just how little they care for the safeguards that are built into the system. And that is probably the thought that scares me the most...
The very fact that they are asking Republican supporters if they would support such a measure is more than a little scary. It suggests that the idea is being seriously considered. While I don't always agree with the federal employee unions, I do appreciate that they provide a protective barrier that helps to ensure that the federal workforce is protected from undue political pressure. While the politicians are allowed (within the statutory limits) to set agency policy, they are not allowed to make the career positions subject to political tests or pressure. Without union representation, it will be significantly more difficult to fight such such political pressure.
If, indeed, the administration attempts such a move, the unions would challenge the legality of the order. But court review takes time, and in the meantime, the chilling impact upon the career federal workforce would probably be significant. And in any event, the very notion that they might consider this attack on the federal employees illustrates just how little they care for the safeguards that are built into the system. And that is probably the thought that scares me the most...
