A doctor could not properly make a decision for his or her patient without undergoing medical training. A lawyer could not represent a client without studying the law. A priest could not lead in worship without a deep understanding of the Bible. Yet, we permit top government officials to make decisions without a thorough understanding of the Constitution.
Those who wish to join the ranks of the “deep state” must now undergo an 80-hour training session to ensure that they understand the basis of America’s foundation. The training will be composed of video sessions and two days of in-person training for the Senior Executive Service (SES). The goal: “Ensure that SES officials uphold the Constitution and the rule of law and effectively serve the American people.”
The SES was created under the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 and implemented in 1979. President Jimmy Carter believed these bureaucrats could restore public trust in government after the Watergate scandal. The stated purpose was to “ensure that the executive management of the Government of the United States is responsive to the needs, policies, and goals of the nation and otherwise is of the highest quality.” Thereby, one personnel system managed the federal government.
These people are NOT elected. They are installed by the government to monitor the government. Top US bureaucrats under the Senior Executive Service (SES) grew to 8,000 under the Biden Administration. These men and women hold key leadership roles beneath the top presidential appointees and act as the middleman between those appointees and the federal workforce.
The Office of Personnel and Management, first obtained by RealClearPolitics, loosely outlines “new Executive Core Qualifications.” The new appointees will not be hired under the premise of DEI. Rather, they must show a commitment to “upholding the principles of the American Founding, including equality under the law and democratic self-government.” Every agency will be required to hire a majority of non-career politicians to their Executive Review Boards. “These requirements ensure that effective implementation of the President’s policies is at the forefront of agency executive management decisions,” the memo says.
Congress enacted a 120-day moratorium period on involuntary reassignments when a new president comes to power. The fact of the matter is that these positions are likely to be granted to a new group that supports whoever is in power. The Department of Justice Inspector General conducted a report in 2000 that found panels of peers judged SES employees of the FBI were less likely to face disciplinary action, serving as an example of how bureaucrats protect their own and have a different tier of justice.
Trump signed the “Restoring Accountability for Career Senior Executives” executive order back in January to increase accountability to SES staff. It is astonishing that these elite bureaucrats who wield tremendous power were not required to study the Constitution. There is no need for unelected bureaucrats in a democracy. Drain the swamp and leave it empty.
