California has civil service exams that are geared to the position the applicant is applying for, but California isn’t a leader in efficiency in anyone’s mind except maybe the Gov’s. DEI has done a lot to destroy the validity of the civil service exam. Thanks to President Trump, civil service exams will actually mean something now.
Job analysis, competencies and skill requirements has already been done in most publicly held corporations. External market analysis survey companies have this documented already. But, we need to rely on self assessment of key attributes, skills is what we use? We already know from previous studies, those holding very high self esteem are not always grounded in reality (I.e. Participation Trophies).
At the time the PACE was discontinued, the joke of some people in government was that it was discontinued because it discriminated against stupid people.
Merit is not a partisan slogan. It is the backbone of a functioning republic. When federal hiring turns into résumé word games and self-scored questionnaires, competence suffers. A modern civil service exam—validated, job-specific, and transparent—would raise the signal and lower the noise. That does not mean reviving patronage or ignoring civil rights law. It means measuring skills instead of confidence and connections. If we expect agencies to manage borders, contracts, intelligence, and public health, we need people who can actually do the work. Restore objective standards. Publish the competencies. Test for them. Then hire the best.
The culture of the past is dead. Temporary chaos prevents coming together to create a new culture based on the fact of the subjective oneness of all humanity. Cooperation is the only attitude that will enable forward development. Sharing resources is the only method that will create the trust needed for cooperative engagement. Honesty, sincerity and true altruism are the only qualities that will ensure the trust required for a sustainable future for humanity.
Certainly…wherever there is force, domination, there will be opposition and backlash. That’s why the only way forward is to educate the public to the urgent need for harmlessness and right relationships among peoples and nations. It’s a heart thing, not an intellectual construct. When people relate heart to heart, there is easy and free speech. The energy of Love is not a warm fuzzy feeling, it is the magnetic energy that holds all in relationship. Censorship is just the opposing force that has no existence in the life of the heart. Yes, heart to heart is the only way…say the truth as you know it sincerely, and act without fear….your vibration will go out and censorship will have no power.
Alex, I think Gene think raises a good point, which is that people with hiring authority frequently prioritize things other than competence. While logic suggests the hiring person’s self-interest would motivate them to hire competence, in reality the self-interest they pursue is personal or political. They hire friends and family, or political allies. Frequently, they are pressured by political appointees above them to hire for their friends and family.
A valid screening process would have to remove entrenched nepotism and political hiring. This is where I would expect the rubber to meet the road. High level federal (and state and local) actors consider handing out plums a right that comes with being “lowly public servants”. They supplement salaries they consider far beneath their importance by getting jobs from anywhere in the system for family members, donors, campaign workers. The whole cadre of campaign workers understand they work long hours for (actual) low pay for the chance of getting a better paying job (and protected) job if their candidate wins. Convincing high or low level government employees to give up their power to give away jobs as favors just to “improve competence” or “public trust” may get some lip service but in the smoky back rooms it would provoke hysterical laughter.
I noticed you didn’t talk about improving competence on the other end of the process by improving the firing process-basically giving the government more power to get rid of incompetent workers. While I see this process being equally handicapped by personal and political interests and customs, I would be interested in hearing your ever-thoughtful analysis of how the firing process could be improved to foster competence and public trust.
It is rather strange that our government can see no ethical problem in employing Nazi scientists through Operation Paperclip, yet they can’t seem to justify civil service exams. Go figure.
An important analysis and issue. Particularly in occupations where lives can be directly at risk, staffing based on actual ability to excel in the position is essential.
The concept is noble but the practice is still corrupt..i searched for federal work and state work for 3 years after veterans administration, vocational rehabilitation violated my contract and removed me from school where I was pursuing a master's degree in special education teacher licensure. The grossest failures I saw were within the state of tennessee system. I had the third highest score in the state of Tennessee in probation. And parole.
I went to something like thirty interviews over three years. And could not get hired. The greatest insult. Tennessee highway patrol department advertised for a analog radio repairmen. Which was the job I was trained in the United States. Air force to do at component level and later did it in the Army reserve and army guard. I exceeded the electronics training. I exceeded the experience required, the state of tennessee said I wasn't qualified. Even the veterans administration job's all required a typing speed of 30 wpm. For a greeter and assistant. I have become convinced it's all political and they do whatever they want to do.. the last job I worked was Department of Labor state of Tennessee
I was being groomed to replace the veterans representative. I had spent years in and out of their office i even work for them under veterans work study. i had aced the test on the d o t codes. I was teaching computer skills to office staff. Within two months I was meeting the production levels of senior staff. because of my experience and background. I was filling hard to place jobs. There was currently a hiring freeze and VA vocational rehab was paying me
Less than minimum wage to train in the job. Another was hired at a nearby office. I never was placed. And I watched corrupt individuals who Violated state laws sit there and try enforce me to join them in doing so. It was more political than the military. Sir the only cure that I can think of to the whole issue. Just to reimplement, the moral turpitude clause that was removed from the U CM J. In 66 and 67 and apply, it also to civil service. And the government. Whereas you did not display the moral turpitude to make the right decision you would suffer loss. Please please please I beg of you. Please write an article to seek this old law. Reimplemented back into enforcement. A two star general from my church put me on to this in about 2008. I had been advocating it ever since. The art of a lie must become a hostile act subject to penalty and consequences. Or we will all be doomed, to fail.
Not everyone is as fortunate as Kristian Saucier to have a presidential pardon after a military conviction and court martial. To not have the ability to appeal is a hardship.
This must happen to keep the morons out of office!!
California has civil service exams that are geared to the position the applicant is applying for, but California isn’t a leader in efficiency in anyone’s mind except maybe the Gov’s. DEI has done a lot to destroy the validity of the civil service exam. Thanks to President Trump, civil service exams will actually mean something now.
Alex, you make a thorough case. I agree 100%. There is SO MUCH incompetence out there, and not just in government jobs. Everywhere.
🎯🎯🎯🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
How about a Civil Service Exam for politicians, focusing on the Constitution?
YESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!! 👏👏👍💯‼️
Job analysis, competencies and skill requirements has already been done in most publicly held corporations. External market analysis survey companies have this documented already. But, we need to rely on self assessment of key attributes, skills is what we use? We already know from previous studies, those holding very high self esteem are not always grounded in reality (I.e. Participation Trophies).
https://substack.com/@justindeschamps/note/c-212756511?r=47esco
https://substack.com/@arutzshevatuzarapost/note/p-172492176?r=47esco
https://substack.com/@dthpilot65/note/c-213895927?r=47esco
At the time the PACE was discontinued, the joke of some people in government was that it was discontinued because it discriminated against stupid people.
If it includes the office of the President.
Merit is not a partisan slogan. It is the backbone of a functioning republic. When federal hiring turns into résumé word games and self-scored questionnaires, competence suffers. A modern civil service exam—validated, job-specific, and transparent—would raise the signal and lower the noise. That does not mean reviving patronage or ignoring civil rights law. It means measuring skills instead of confidence and connections. If we expect agencies to manage borders, contracts, intelligence, and public health, we need people who can actually do the work. Restore objective standards. Publish the competencies. Test for them. Then hire the best.
The culture of the past is dead. Temporary chaos prevents coming together to create a new culture based on the fact of the subjective oneness of all humanity. Cooperation is the only attitude that will enable forward development. Sharing resources is the only method that will create the trust needed for cooperative engagement. Honesty, sincerity and true altruism are the only qualities that will ensure the trust required for a sustainable future for humanity.
Forced altruism is not altruism. Sharing resources starts with free speech. Sorry to say the culture behind censorship is not dead.
Certainly…wherever there is force, domination, there will be opposition and backlash. That’s why the only way forward is to educate the public to the urgent need for harmlessness and right relationships among peoples and nations. It’s a heart thing, not an intellectual construct. When people relate heart to heart, there is easy and free speech. The energy of Love is not a warm fuzzy feeling, it is the magnetic energy that holds all in relationship. Censorship is just the opposing force that has no existence in the life of the heart. Yes, heart to heart is the only way…say the truth as you know it sincerely, and act without fear….your vibration will go out and censorship will have no power.
Alex, I think Gene think raises a good point, which is that people with hiring authority frequently prioritize things other than competence. While logic suggests the hiring person’s self-interest would motivate them to hire competence, in reality the self-interest they pursue is personal or political. They hire friends and family, or political allies. Frequently, they are pressured by political appointees above them to hire for their friends and family.
A valid screening process would have to remove entrenched nepotism and political hiring. This is where I would expect the rubber to meet the road. High level federal (and state and local) actors consider handing out plums a right that comes with being “lowly public servants”. They supplement salaries they consider far beneath their importance by getting jobs from anywhere in the system for family members, donors, campaign workers. The whole cadre of campaign workers understand they work long hours for (actual) low pay for the chance of getting a better paying job (and protected) job if their candidate wins. Convincing high or low level government employees to give up their power to give away jobs as favors just to “improve competence” or “public trust” may get some lip service but in the smoky back rooms it would provoke hysterical laughter.
I noticed you didn’t talk about improving competence on the other end of the process by improving the firing process-basically giving the government more power to get rid of incompetent workers. While I see this process being equally handicapped by personal and political interests and customs, I would be interested in hearing your ever-thoughtful analysis of how the firing process could be improved to foster competence and public trust.
It is rather strange that our government can see no ethical problem in employing Nazi scientists through Operation Paperclip, yet they can’t seem to justify civil service exams. Go figure.
An important analysis and issue. Particularly in occupations where lives can be directly at risk, staffing based on actual ability to excel in the position is essential.
Mr amuse.
The concept is noble but the practice is still corrupt..i searched for federal work and state work for 3 years after veterans administration, vocational rehabilitation violated my contract and removed me from school where I was pursuing a master's degree in special education teacher licensure. The grossest failures I saw were within the state of tennessee system. I had the third highest score in the state of Tennessee in probation. And parole.
I went to something like thirty interviews over three years. And could not get hired. The greatest insult. Tennessee highway patrol department advertised for a analog radio repairmen. Which was the job I was trained in the United States. Air force to do at component level and later did it in the Army reserve and army guard. I exceeded the electronics training. I exceeded the experience required, the state of tennessee said I wasn't qualified. Even the veterans administration job's all required a typing speed of 30 wpm. For a greeter and assistant. I have become convinced it's all political and they do whatever they want to do.. the last job I worked was Department of Labor state of Tennessee
I was being groomed to replace the veterans representative. I had spent years in and out of their office i even work for them under veterans work study. i had aced the test on the d o t codes. I was teaching computer skills to office staff. Within two months I was meeting the production levels of senior staff. because of my experience and background. I was filling hard to place jobs. There was currently a hiring freeze and VA vocational rehab was paying me
Less than minimum wage to train in the job. Another was hired at a nearby office. I never was placed. And I watched corrupt individuals who Violated state laws sit there and try enforce me to join them in doing so. It was more political than the military. Sir the only cure that I can think of to the whole issue. Just to reimplement, the moral turpitude clause that was removed from the U CM J. In 66 and 67 and apply, it also to civil service. And the government. Whereas you did not display the moral turpitude to make the right decision you would suffer loss. Please please please I beg of you. Please write an article to seek this old law. Reimplemented back into enforcement. A two star general from my church put me on to this in about 2008. I had been advocating it ever since. The art of a lie must become a hostile act subject to penalty and consequences. Or we will all be doomed, to fail.
Not everyone is as fortunate as Kristian Saucier to have a presidential pardon after a military conviction and court martial. To not have the ability to appeal is a hardship.