When Destruction is the Goal

The U.S. federal civil service has been rocked to its core since January 20, 2025. Random, unplanned, unannounced firings are leaving every agency in doubt. I argue that those who care about good government, and public sector human resource scholars in particular, should advocate for merit principles and explain how they ensure government performance. Bolstered by lessons from the past, this is an easy case to make.