Trump's crony meritocracy could shatter US civil service
Think about this: The next time you take a road trip with your family, do you want the person in charge of highway safety to have gone to school and passed a test, or do you want them to have the job because they helped President Trump sell his famous Trump Steaks?
What about the air traffic controller who's supposed to make sure your family arrives safely at grandma's house? Would you feel assured knowing they hold the position because they dutifully breached the Capitol on Jan. 6 at Trump's behest?
That could be the future we're facing, because of the president's blistering hostility toward the federal workforce and determination to upend the civil service. On his first day, he moved to reinstate a plan he originally issued in October 2020, Schedule F, to end job protections for thousands of federal workers.
Schedule F wouldn't just make it easier to fire these workers — it would also make it easier to hire new ones, because it would 'exempt some positions across the federal workforce from competitive hiring procedures.'
That's head-spinning, coming from the people who claim they want a 'meritocracy' in government.
If you've ever applied for a federal government job, you know that these jobs aren't easy to get. Many require you to pass a civil service exam. There are intricate questionnaires asking for detailed examples of your relevant experience. Federal employee resumes can be 10 pages long.
In other words, what the Trump folks want is to replace an existing meritocracy with the kind of spoils system that turns civil service into a sewer.
We will not only end up with unqualified people in charge of highways and airways but a whole host of other patronage appointments, too: Justice Department attorneys picked because they can't wait to prosecute Trump's enemies, Defense Department employees who won't blow the whistle if the secretary is drunk at work.
Those aren't even the most sinister possibilities. Civil service protection against politically motivated firings is a defense against the kind of terrifying oppression that exists right now in too many autocratic regimes.
Do we really want to be a nation where a federal employee can be fired if someone at the White House reviews a tape of Trump's last speech and notices you didn't clap hard enough?
We must not turn into North Korea, where officials keep track of who cheers at Kim Jong Un's events, and where — as one defector put it — you 'clap because you don't want to die.'
Yes, that's an extreme example of the devaluation of human life in an authoritarian regime.
But let's not forget that our current president reportedly said former Vice President Mike Pence deserved to be hanged by an angry mob for refusing to overturn the 2020 election.
And that Russell Vought, Trump's pick to head the Office of Management and Budget and a mastermind of the federal employee purge, openly talked about wanting workers to be 'in trauma.'
Seriously, what kind of person thinks that way? I fear that anyone who makes a suggestion like this might carry personal trauma so deeply wounding and unresolved that they should seek therapy, not high government office.
And if you don't really believe mass firings could happen across the government, remember this: Trump's first purges of federal workers have already come with lightning speed.
Last Tuesday, Donald Trump's Office of Personnel Management issued an order: All federal government staff in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) roles had to be placed on leave and their email accounts suspended, by 5 pm the next day. At the same time, all web content related to DEI had to be scrubbed. It happened so fast that State Department IT folks apparently had trouble figuring out how to delete an entire page.
For a while, their page with the header 'Leadership — Office of Diversity and Inclusion' stayed up, but its content was replaced with a list of State Department staff killed in the line of duty. (It now displays ' archived content.')
The effect was surreal. It was a chilling demonstration of just how quickly and completely the official erasure of personae non grata can happen under an autocratic regime.
The (sort of) good news is that there will be a strong and swift legal response to Schedule F. One union sued immediately. Other legal actions may follow. Hopefully, this will become one of many rash moves by Trump that will be endlessly tied up in court.
Ultimately, I hope that we, as a nation, won't stand for these attacks on our friends and neighbors. The overwhelming majority of our federal workers are hardworking, middle-class Americans trying to serve their country. They deserve to have our compassion and support, not to be abused and discarded by thugs who despise them.
It's on us to say so.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump Pledge of Quick China Magnet Flows Has Yet to Materialize
(Bloomberg) -- Almost 10 days since President Donald Trump declared a 'done' trade deal with Beijing, US companies remain largely in the dark on when they'll receive crucial magnets from China — and whether Washington, in turn, will allow a host of other exports to resume. Security Concerns Hit Some of the World's 'Most Livable Cities' One Architect's Quest to Save Mumbai's Heritage From Disappearing JFK AirTrain Cuts Fares 50% This Summer to Lure Riders Off Roads NYC Congestion Toll Cuts Manhattan Gridlock by 25%, RPA Reports Taser-Maker Axon Triggers a NIMBY Backlash in its Hometown While there has been a trickle of required permits, many American firms that need Chinese minerals are still waiting on Beijing's approval for shipments, according to people familiar with the process. China's system is improving but remains cumbersome, they said, contrary to Trump's assurances rare earths would flow 'up front' after a June 11 accord struck in London. The delays are holding an array of American industries hostage to the rocky US-China relationship, as some firms wait for magnets and others face restrictions selling to China. That friction risks derailing a fragile tariff truce clinched by Washington and Beijing in Geneva last month, and triggering fresh rounds of retaliation. Interviews with multiple Western buyers, industry insiders and officials familiar with discussions revealed frustration over vague policies in both countries and lingering confusion about what level of magnet approvals from China would trigger Trump to abandon his tit-for-tat export curbs. 'Even if export approvals accelerate, there are so many unknowns about the licensing regime that it's impossible for companies to have a strong sense of certainty about future supply,' said Christopher Beddor, deputy China research director at Gavekal Research. 'At a minimum, they need to factor in a real possibility that talks could break down again, and exports will be halted.' In response to China's sluggishness on magnets, Trump last month restricted US firms from exporting chip software, jet engines and a key ingredient to make plastic to China until President Xi Jinping restores rare-earth exports. Companies subject to Washington's curbs have halted billions of dollars in planned shipments as they wait for players in unrelated sectors to secure permits from Beijing, which could take weeks or even months to process, given the current pace. Corporate chiefs affected by the export-control spat have sought clarity from the administration on its strategy, according to people familiar with the matter. The Commerce Department — which administers the rules — has offered few details, they added. Oil industry executives have tried to convince Trump officials that blocking exports of ethane — a gas used to make plastics — is contrary to US national security interests, according to people familiar with the deliberations. Business leaders have asked for export restrictions to be removed but that's been unsuccessful so far, the people said. Energy and chemical giant INEOS Group Holdings SA has one tanker full of ethane waiting to go, while Enterprise Products Partners has three to four cargo ships stuck in limbo, according to a person familiar with the matter. That's particularly galling because China has adequate ethane supplies in reserve and can switch to using naphtha from the Middle East and other regions for much of their production, the people said. Representatives from the companies did not respond to requests for comment. Industry figures have consistently told the Trump administration the ethane export restrictions are inflicting more pain on US interests than on China, according to the people. China's Ministry of Commerce, which administers export licenses, hasn't responded to Bloomberg's questions on how many for rare earths have been granted since the London talks. At a regular briefing in Beijing on Thursday, spokesperson He Yadong said Beijing was 'accelerating' its process and had given the go-ahead to a 'certain number of compliant applications.' Access to rare earths is an issue 'that is going to continue to metastasize until there is resolution,' said Adam Johnson, chief executive officer of Principal Mineral, which invests in US mineral supply chains for industrial defense. 'This is just a spigot that can be turned on and off by China.' China only agreed to grant licenses — if at all — for six months, before companies need to reapply for approvals. Firms doing business in the US and China could see recurring interruptions, unless the Commerce Ministry significantly increases its pace of process applications. Adding an extra layer of jeopardy for US companies, Chinese suppliers to America's military-industrial base are unlikely to get any magnet permits. After Trump imposed sky-high tariffs in April, Beijing put samarium — a metal essential for weapons such as guided missiles, smart bombs and fighter jets — on a dual-use list that specifically prohibits its shipment for military use. Denying such permits could cause ties to further spiral if Trump believes those actions violate the agreement, the terms of which were never publicized in writing by either side. That sticking point went unresolved during roughly 20 hours of negotiations last week in the UK capital, people familiar with the details said. Complicating the issue, companies often buy magnets from third-party suppliers, which serve both defense and auto firms, according to a person familiar with the matter. That creates a high burden to prove to Chinese authorities a shipment's final destination is a motor not a missile, the person added. Beijing still hasn't officially spelled out the deal's requirements, nor has Xi publicly signaled his endorsement of it — a step Trump said was necessary. 'The Geneva and London talks made solid progress towards negotiating an eventual comprehensive trade deal with China,' White House spokesman Kush Desai said. 'The administration continues to monitor China's compliance with the agreement reached at Geneva.' China's Commerce Ministry is working to facilitate more approvals even as it asks for reams of information on how the materials will be used, according to people familiar with the process. In some cases, companies have been asked to supply data including detailed product designs, one of the people said. Morris Hammer, who leads the US rare-earth magnet business for South Korean steelmaker Posco Holdings Inc., said Chinese officials have expedited shipments for some major US and European automakers since Trump announced the agreement. China's Advanced Technology & Materials said Wednesday it had obtained permits for some magnet orders, without specifying for which destinations. The company's customers include European aerospace giant Airbus SE, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Around half of US suppliers to Toyota Motor Corp., for example, have had export licenses granted, the company said – but they're still waiting for those materials to actually be delivered. It's likely some of the delays are transport-related, one of the people said. Even with permits coming online, rare-earth materials are still scarce because overseas shipments were halted for two months starting in April, depleting inventories. Trump's agreement 'will allow for rare earths to flow out of the country for a short period of time, but it's not helping the auto industry because they're still talking shutdowns,' Hammer said. 'Nobody trusts that this thaw is going to last.' For many automakers, the situation remains unpredictable – forcing some to hunt for alternatives to Chinese supplies. Two days after Trump touted a finalized trade accord in London, Ford Motor Co. Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley described a 'day-to-day' dynamic around rare-earths licenses – which have already forced the company to temporarily shutter one plant. General Motors Co. has emphasized it's on firmer footing in the longer term, because it invested in domestic magnet making back in 2021. The automaker has an exclusive deal to get the products from MP Materials Corp. in Texas, with production starting later in the year. It has another deal with eVAC of Germany to get magnets from a South Carolina plant starting in 2026. In the meantime, GM and its suppliers have applied for permits to get magnets from China, a person familiar with the matter said. Scott Keogh, the CEO of Scout Motors — the upstart EV brand of Volkswagen AG — told Bloomberg Television his company is re—engineering brakes and drive units to reduce the need for rare earths. Scout is building a plant in South Carolina to make fully electric and hybrid SUVs as well as trucks starting in 2027. Until the rare-earth supply line is re-opened to Washington's satisfaction, Trump has indicated that the US is likely to keep in place its own export restrictions. Senior US officials have suggested the curbs are about building and using leverage, rather than their official justification: national security. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the measures were used to 'annoy' China into complying with a deal US negotiators thought they'd already reached. Restrictions on sales to China of electronic design automation software for chipmaking are emblematic of the standoff. Those EDA tools are used to design everything, from the highest-end processors for the likes of Nvidia Corp. and Apple Inc. to simple parts, such as power-regulation components. Fully limiting China's access to the best software, made by a trio of Western firms, has been a longtime priority in some Washington national security circles — and would build on years of US measures targeting China's semiconductor prowess. While some senior Trump officials specifically indicated the administration would relax some semiconductor-related curbs if Beijing relents on rare earths, EDA companies still lack details on when, and whether, their China access will be restored, said industry officials who requested anonymity to speak candidly. Even if that happens, there's worry that heightened geopolitical risks will push Chinese customers to hunt for other suppliers or further develop domestic capabilities. 'The risk is there for the London deal to fall apart,' said Alicia Garcia Herrero, chief economist for Asia Pacific at Natixis. 'Because rare earths is a very granular issue and mistakes can be made.' --With assistance from Jennifer A. Dlouhy, David Welch, Lucille Liu, James Mayger, Jing Li, Joe Ryan and Nicholas Lua. Luxury Counterfeiters Keep Outsmarting the Makers of $10,000 Handbags Ken Griffin on Trump, Harvard and Why Novice Investors Won't Beat the Pros Is Mark Cuban the Loudmouth Billionaire that Democrats Need for 2028? The US Has More Copper Than China But No Way to Refine All of It Can 'MAMUWT' Be to Musk What 'TACO' Is to Trump? ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Lawmaker queries retailers in probe of link between tariffs and grocery prices
This story was originally published on Grocery Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Grocery Dive newsletter. Sen. Maggie Hassan has asked Albertsons, Kroger, Walmart, Costco and Dollar General for information about how increased tariffs the Trump administration has imposed on imported steel and aluminum could affect stores, suppliers and costs in the grocery supply chain. In June 18 letters to the chief executives of the retailers, the New Hampshire senator requested details including how they expect tariffs on the metals — which doubled to 50% on June 4 — to impact the cost of private label products, particularly canned foods and frozen meals. Hassan, the ranking member of Congress' Joint Economic Committee, indicated that Democrats on the Republican-controlled panel are especially interested in how increases in metal prices could impact canned good costs. She asked the retailers for details about their costs, revenue and profit margins for their best-selling canned food and aluminum foil products over the past five quarters. In addition, Hassan requested information about how customers who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits shop for canned goods, including a breakdown of their purchases in terms of brand name and private label products. Hassan also said she wants an estimate of the number of jobs the retailers support in industries such as construction, food packaging and food processing. 'High grocery prices are a top economic concern for Americans, and experts state that tariffs could significantly increase the cost of canned foods,' Hassan wrote. 'Experts have also noted potential impacts from tariffs on the costs of shelving, equipment, transportation, and other inputs that grocery stores and their suppliers need to operate, which, in turn, could also lead to higher food prices for customers.' In the letters, Hassan cited data from the Consumer Brands Association indicating that the 50% levy on imported steel could push prices for canned foods up by between 9% and 15%. She also pointed to statistics showing that the U.S. imports almost 70% of the steel used for canned fruits and vegetables. Hassan gave the retailers until July 9 to supply the information she requested. Grocery prices rose at an annual rate of 2.2% in May, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported June 11. By comparison, food-at-home inflation came in at 2% in April and 2.4% in March. Recommended Reading Trump tariffs could hike canned food prices up to 15%, trade group says Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Chip equipment stocks fall after US plans to revoke China waivers
-- Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE:TSM) stock fell 2%, Lam Research (NASDAQ:LRCX) shares tumbled 5%, and Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) dropped 4% following reports that a U.S. official plans to revoke technology waivers for chipmakers operating in China. Jeffrey Kessler, who leads the export controls unit at the Commerce Department, has informed major semiconductor manufacturers including Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, Samsung Electronics (KS:005930), and SK Hynix of his intention to cancel blanket waivers that currently allow them to ship American chip-making equipment to their factories in China without applying for separate licenses each time, according to the Wall Street Journal. The potential policy change is reportedly part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to restrict critical U.S. technology from going to China. If implemented, the move could create significant disruption both diplomatically and economically, coming shortly after the U.S. and China established a trade truce in London. White House officials have stated that this action would not represent a new trade escalation but would instead align the licensing system for chip equipment with China's existing system for rare-earth materials. They added that the U.S. and China continue to make progress on completing their London agreement. "Chip makers will still be able to operate in China. The new enforcement mechanisms on chips mirror licensing requirements that apply to other semiconductor companies that export to China and ensure the United States has an equal and reciprocal process," a Commerce Department spokesman said. The semiconductor equipment sector is particularly vulnerable to changes in U.S.-China trade policy, as many companies rely on access to the Chinese market for significant portions of their revenue. Related articles Chip equipment stocks fall after US plans to revoke China waivers QXO won't participate in bidding war for GMS - source Reddit in talks to use Sam Altman's World ID for user verification - Semafor
