Speed
Personnel is policy.
Reforming the civil service will happen quickly if Team Trump has learned anything. This starts with cutting jobs in the civil service.
Bureaucrats Worry Behind Closed Doors They’ll Be Sent Packing Under Trump
We’re seeing more stories about Schedule F and what it means for the civil service. Apparently, some people think it credible.
‘Government workers are reportedly in a state of panic over the prospect of former President Donald Trump winning another term in office, according to E&E News.
‘Bureaucrats up and down the federal hierarchy are concerned that a second Trump administration could cost them their jobs and put an end to liberal programs they worked to implement under President Joe Biden, E&E News reported. Trump has, if elected, pledged to implement reforms that would allow him to fire up to 50,000 civil servants at will, with the former president singling out workers who are incompetent, unnecessary or undermine his democratic
Argentina Economy Posts Best Month Under Milei Despite Cuts
Milei’s in a race, while dragging a rock in the form of his legislative power. The faster he can generate economic growth, the better his prospects for durable change.
‘Argentina’s economy recorded its best month in May since President Javier Milei took office late last year as investors look for signs of recovery from another recession.
‘Economic activity rose 1.3% from April, above the 0.1% median estimate from analysts in a Bloomberg survey and the first month of growth since Milei’s term began in December. From a year ago, the proxy for gross domestic product grew 2.3%, defying expectations for a decline of similar magnitude, according to government data published Thursday.’
What post-Chevron financial regulation will look like
Financial services institutions no longer live in blanket fear of the monolithic power of federal regulators. This is especially true when it comes to the CFPB, arguably an agency that was designed to avoid responsibility to Congress.
‘Every federal regulation and operational rule that does not have specific support in the relevant statute is now subject to question. This includes the entire Basel Accord, which had never been endorsed by Congress. Basel, lest we forget, was created by the Federal Reserve in the 1970s and consists entirely of private understandings between the finance ministers in the Group of 10 nations. The Basel Accord has never been presented to the Senate for ratification.
‘Moreover, banks and mortgage firms now face a completely changed relationship with their respective regulators. No longer can agencies hide behind a legal presumption of deference from the courts. With the end of the federal judiciary's forty-year-old practice of giving credence to agencies' reasonable interpretations of ambiguous federal laws, financial firms now have a level playing field when challenging agency actions.
‘So, for example, when the Federal Housing Finance Agency uses irrelevant laws as the basis for conducting prudential examinations of nonbank mortgage firms, the industry now has a powerful incentive to say "no." When the FHFA uses the basic issuer financial criteria as a basis for floating ersatz non-bank capital rules, the industry now has a very strong incentive to say "no" and threaten legal action.’
Labor Board Abandons Bid to Revive Joint Employer Regulation (1)
Franchisors and those who use staffing firms can breathe easier, at least for the time being. The joint labor rule would have spread liability to multiple companies, tapping into deeper pockets for litigation and penalty.
‘The National Labor Relations Board has given up trying to revive its rule for joint labor law liability, capitulating to a federal district court’s decision striking down the agency’s regulation.
‘The NLRB on Friday filed a motion with the US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit seeking dismissal of its challenge, saying that the board believes the rule is lawful but wants “to consider options for addressing the outstanding joint employer matters before it.”’
Supreme Court Decision Limiting Bureaucratic Power is Good for Religious Liberty
The power of the state to restrict the expression of faith is terrifying. Here’s hoping that Loper enables religious entities to fight back.
‘Philip Hamburger—a professor at Columbia Law School—told the Catholic News Agency the decision in Loper Bright was “a notable day for freedom in the United States.” He added:
‘“Administrative bureaucrats, especially administrative experts, are not representative of the United States and on average are intolerant of religion, especially relatively orthodox opinions…Administrative power, in other words, is slanted against traditional Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and others who adhere to their inherited faiths. We therefore should celebrate decisions such as this one that limits administrative power to what is authorized by Congress.”’
THE MISSION AND THE BUREAUCRACY: HOW ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS HINDER WARFIGHTING
Complexity is the enemy. Big Army needs to focus on the mission of beating the enemy. Perhaps the current geopolitical chaos is the knife that cuts this Gordian Knot.
‘But additional duties are just one piece of a broader problem that Army companies face. From frequent reporting requirements to maintaining policies to managing a range of certification programs, leaders at this level are challenged to devote the time and resources necessary to training and preparing their units for the challenges of the modern battlefield.’