Looks like the White House is embracing the Spoils System now -- it rewards political loyalists with government positions (even if they're not qualified or competent), leading to widespread incompetence and corruption. It was made famous by Andrew Jackson in 1828 & is the OPPOSITE of meritocracy. - ThreadSky

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heatherataylor.bsky.social • 136 days ago

Looks like the White House is embracing the Spoils System now -- it rewards political loyalists with government positions (even if they're not qualified or competent), leading to widespread incompetence and corruption. It was made famous by Andrew Jackson in 1828 & is the OPPOSITE of meritocracy.

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heatherataylor.bsky.social•136 days ago

The Spoils System was replaced by the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act of 1883. It established a merit-based system of selecting government officials & supervising their work. This was updated to the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 & protects jobs that don't set policy (over 90% of CS jobs)

heatherataylor.bsky.social•136 days ago

Schedule F (first established by EO in 2020) reclassifies most civil service jobs to "policy" jobs, making them "at will" employees. Those positions don't make policy but rather work on what they are instructed to regarding policy, but the EO disregards that as a way to work around the CSR Act.

heatherataylor.bsky.social•136 days ago

In 2021, that EO was reversed, then reversed back on Jan 21 (this is a bad game of UNO, isn't it?). BUT one thing changed...in 2023 a rule was set that allows civil servants to repeal a reclassification of their position. Here's how to protect yourself: https://northernvirginiamag.com/culture/news/2025/01/27/what-federal-workers-need-to-know-about-trumps-executive-orders/

jascochran.bsky.social•136 days ago

Ask Garfield how that works out.

heatherataylor.bsky.social•136 days ago

Yeah...I don't think we want to shape government that way now....so would love to find a different path this time...

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